by Layla Hagen
"Lots of things. Such as how she was hoping you and your brother would bring someone to the wedding. But I think she's given up all hope now."
"Good. I was worried that she still had her hopes up, and I’d have to do something about it."
Sadness passed over his eyes. He looked away, but I'd caught it, and my heart hurt for him. He deserved to be happy. Every instinct in me wanted to fix whatever was wrong, and although I couldn’t do that, I could make him smile.
“Do you always tease your sister?” I had to crane my neck to look up at him; I was tall, but my five feet seven to his over six feet made me crane my neck a bit.
“Yes. But she teases us right back, so don’t feel too sorry for her.”
“Oh, I don’t. I find it all very funny.”
He grinned. “She decided she wanted to be a counselor back when we were kids, so she played everything from the family’s peacemaker to the bad cop.”
“That sounds like so much fun,” I said wistfully. I was an only child, and my mom left Daddy and me when I was one year old. I didn’t even remember her.
Back then we lived in Harrisburg, and Daddy always said Mom longed for a bigger life than he could give her. We only moved to New York City when I was in college. Dad found a job in construction here shortly after I came to town. He said he didn’t want to be far away from me. Thank heavens he was close by. It made it easier to help him through the recovery after his stroke.
Dylan kept entertaining me with antics from their childhood once we started the weight training. I was doing my best to keep my eyes off him and only slipped a couple times. Thankfully, he didn’t notice. Fortunately, I kept my professionalism throughout the entire circuit. Dylan did three sets of everything. I offered him some additional mat work to incorporate, and he managed it all with ease.
"Okay, that's it. We're wrapping up this session," I said an hour later. Glancing at the giant clock at the back of the room, I grimaced.
"Damn. I’ll be late,” I muttered.
“For your next session?”
“No, I’m done for the day. I’m heading out to help a friend with her shelter, and I’m supposed to be there in forty minutes.” Crap, I’ll really have to hustle.
"Where is it?" he asked.
“Queens. I’ll never make it in time. And it’s raining too. I hope the gym has a spare umbrella.” We kept a few for clients, but they were typically gone as soon as it started raining.
"I have a company car that’s going to take me to my next meeting. You can ride with me, drop me off, and then he can drive you there."
“There’s no need.”
“It’s raining, Mel.”
“Ah, there you go, being chivalrous again.”
The corners of his mouth tilted up. He took one step closer. “Besides, it will give us more time to talk. I still haven’t heard about all those secrets. Not even one.”
I laughed. “I’ll add cunning and tenacious to your list of attributes.”
“Always,” he confirmed. He trapped my gaze in his. Holy shit, the man was intense and so hot that I felt my body temperature rise just because I was around him. He smelled like a spicy-scented deodorant and even a bit salty, but not sweaty. Perfect.
“Okay, thank you. I’ll change quickly. Thank you so much. I don’t want to be late, and my friend is counting on me. Otherwise I wouldn’t bother you.”
“You’re not bothering me, Mel. Quite the opposite.”
That was the only reason I was saying yes, I told myself. I didn’t want to be late, and it was raining.
I was lying to myself, and by the way he was looking at me—with a mix of smoldering heat and amusement—he was thinking the same thing.
***
Dylan
I showered and changed in fifteen minutes, and to my astonishment, Melanie was already waiting for me at reception. I was wearing a suit, and by the surprised look on her face, I could tell she liked what she saw. Her round green eyes perused me from my shoulders down and then back up. I cocked a brow when our eyes met. She looked away quickly, biting her lip. She was wearing a white dress that reached her knees, and the neckline showed a lot of cleavage. She was so damn sexy that I could barely keep my thoughts straight.
“I asked about umbrellas, but we don’t have any left,” she said.
“No problem. I asked my driver to wait for us in the underground garage. Shall we?"
She nodded. I put a hand to the small of her back as I guided her into the elevator. The gym was on the second floor of a skyscraper. We only needed to go two floors down into the underground garage.
In the small confines of the elevator, I couldn't miss her reactions to me. She drew in a sharp breath when I touched her lower back. Her cheeks flushed. Fuck, her response made me want to feel more of her, but the door opened.
I pointed to the car waiting for us.
“This is us,” I said.
“You know, I’m used to all the celebrities coming to the gym being picked up by cars incognito in the garage, but I didn’t think noncelebrities did that too.”
“I picked this up by watching Brayden. He needs private transportation for security reasons. I just find it practical. I don’t have to bother with parking, and it’s quicker than ordering an Uber every time.”
I did whatever was necessary to bring more efficiency to my life.
As we got in the car, I introduced her to Jeffrey, my driver. He was a great guy and an asset to the company.
“Jeffrey, you know where to drop me off. Then take Melanie wherever she needs to go.”
“It’s a shelter in Queens. This is the address.” She tapped the screen on her phone, showing it to Jeffrey.
“Got it,” he said.
Melanie leaned back in the seat, securing her seat belt. Our hands touched when she plugged the clasp in the socket, and she drew in a breath. Fuck me. It was a good thing we weren’t alone because I wouldn’t resist kissing her. Those full lips were taunting me. I hadn't seen her with her hair down until now. She looked gorgeous. I wanted to thread my fingers through it and pull her closer.
“Thank you again for taking me with you,” she said.
"There's no way I was letting you walk to the subway in this storm."
"You're such a gentleman." She sounded pleased and surprised.
"Well, you’re welcome, anytime." I noticed the tilt of her head and asked, “What’s wrong?”
"Nothing at all. Just trying to piece you together, Mr. Gallagher."
"What do you have so far? Besides unbelievably handsome, cunning, and tenacious,” I teased.
“Hmmm, let’s see.... You have a soft spot for your siblings and are very protective of women in predicaments. Even if that plight is rain.”
"Not every woman, Mel, just you."
Her eyes widened. "Now, see, I don't know what to do with that piece of information."
I didn't either. But it was true, and I wanted her to know it.
The tension between us was even more intense now. I could barely hold back from acting on it. Despite what I told my sister, despite knowing Mel and I wanted different things in life.
“So, what kind of shelter is this?”
“It’s for abandoned pets. My friend Charlotte opened it. She’s very good at finding homes for them. I met her at NYU, and we’ve been best friends ever since. She always loved animals. When Dad needed a companion, she helped him find the perfect one for him.”
Her voice always changed when she spoke about her father—it became even warmer.
"How are you helping?" I asked.
“It depends on what she needs. Mostly admin stuff like buying supplies or feeding the dogs. Sometimes I spend time with the dogs and the visitors, and I try to pair them or convince them to take one. Sometimes I go to soak in all the puppy love."
"Her shelter has puppies? I would've thought she’d have mostly abandoned older dogs."
"We have those too, but a lot of people also abandon puppies. Their dog acciden
tally gets pregnant, and they don't want to deal with the puppies, so they’ll drop all of them at the shelter."
"That's harsh."
"Yes, it is. Some are young and should have stayed with the mother to wean a while longer because they can’t even eat solid foods properly. But we nurse them back to health and then eventually find them a home."
Her eyes lit up. The more she shared with me, the more I wanted to know about her. There was no way my curiosity would be satisfied in the few minutes it would take to reach the intersection of Madison and Montgomery Street, where my meeting was. She was a puzzle for me. One I couldn’t wait to piece together.
"How long are you staying at the shelter?" I asked.
“I don't know. Two or three hours, I guess. It depends how long it takes me to do everything I have on my list."
“My meeting will be over by then. I’ll pick you up.”
“What? Why?”
"You made me curious about this place. Besides, it’ll probably still be raining.”
“I’m sure I’ll find an umbrella at the shelter.”
“Don’t make me pull the secrets card again,” I said with a grin.
She laughed, running a hand through her thick hair. “Oh no, I wouldn’t want that.”
“So? What do you say?”
“If you insist.”
“I do.”
“Okay, thanks.”
“My pleasure entirely.”
She swallowed hard, fiddling in her seat.
We arrived in front of the building a few seconds later. I walked quickly from the car to the entrance but still got my suit jacket wet.
The meeting was on the fourth floor. It was with a smaller firm that we’d recently acquired. The team consisted of five people, and they’d developed a kick-ass airdrop software. We were in the process of integrating it into one of the core products we offered to our longtime customers.
We met three times a week so they could update me on their work. Usually I couldn’t wait to meet with these guys. I liked their energy and the way their minds worked.
But for the first time since we’d acquired them, I couldn't wait for a meeting to be over. My mind was on Melanie. I could imagine her with that cute smile and positive attitude, convincing people to take dogs home with them. She could convince anyone of anything.
All these details we were debating today were important, but we could discuss them another time. The team had enough to do anyway.
Nearly two hours later, I was itching to get out of here. I was looking at the clock more often than was polite. My host, Dean, took the hint—he was also the boss of the team.
"Dylan, I think we have enough details pinned down. I'll discuss it with the team, and we'll come back to you with more ideas another time," he said.
Perfect. I got up, shaking their hands before leaving. I loved working with people who could take a hint and interpret nonverbal cues and act on them. Not having to explain myself saved time. I’d asked Jeffrey to leave the car in the nearest parking space and share the location on Google Maps. He’d left the key with the doorman of the building.
While I searched for the car, Isabelle’s warning rang in my ears.
“She wants a relationship and everything that comes with it.”
I ignored it, just as I had all the other times it popped in my mind. The desire to see Melanie won over logic and reason.
There was a lot of traffic, but even so, I arrived at the shelter in forty minutes. There was a small parking lot with only one other vehicle, a minibus. I parked in the spot nearest to the shelter and went to look around. The shelter was small and required a thorough renovation. The white paint was chipped off, and a window was cracked.
I immediately noticed Mel in front of a pen at the side of the house, taking some kids into it. A dozen or so puppies were running around. A kid left the door of the pen open, and one of the puppies ran out. He was black and plump and made a beeline for me, jumping right on my leg. His tiny paws were full of mud, and no matter how much he jumped, he could only reach up to my knee, but that didn't seem to discourage him. It was obvious he wanted me to hold him, so I bent at the waist and picked him up, not just to stop him from ruining my suit but because he wasn’t going to stop until he got what he wanted.
Mel came over to us with a huge smile. Her dress was full of mud.
“I’m not dressed for this, I know, but Charlotte texted me when I was at Genesis, and I didn’t have anything else to change into. When did you arrive?”
“Just now.”
"Someone likes you," she said softly. "And let me tell you, he's shy. He usually hides when we have visitors."
"I think that's what he was trying to do. He wanted to escape the crowd of kids."
"Exactly. And he picked you. See? Even the puppy knows you're a savior."
Chapter Six
Dylan
“He does look happier with you than with the crowd,” Mel said. “I should get back to them.”
“Are they here to adopt dogs?”
“No, it’s a visit from a nearby kindergarten. The kids learn not to abandon animals, and the dogs are happy they have company.” She came closer, petting the puppy I was holding. "You made someone happy. The kids are leaving in a few minutes, but I still have to feed the dogs and close this place up for the evening. Are you okay with that?”
“Sure. I’ll look around.”
“You didn't have to come at all, and it's not even raining anymore.”
“I told you I was curious about this place. And about you.”
She smiled playfully, holding her hands at her sides. “I don’t have any secrets. Despite what I said in my drunk, flirty text. I’m an open book.”
“We’ll see about that,” I teased.
She cleared her throat, glancing at the pen. “Okay, well, I’m going to wrap up everything with the kids, and then I’ll show you around. And I’ll take him.”
She pointed to the puppy, who didn’t protest at all when she scooped him under her arm.
“I’ll wait here.”
“Okay. I’ll be quick.”
She went back to the pen and brought all the dogs inside the house along with the kids. A few minutes later, the kids and the kindergarten teacher were all in the minivan. It was just Mel and me now.
“All yours now,” she declared. “Come on. I’ll give you a tour.”
I walked right next to her as she led me inside the house. I couldn’t stop looking at her. Her hair covered the curve of her neck, but it tempted the hell out of me.
The second we walked inside, the dog that attacked my suit earlier appeared in the hall. Mel laughed.
“It’s like he has radar for you,” she said as he ran toward me again.
This time I scooped him up before he could do any more damage to my pants. He seemed like a mix of black Labrador and cocker spaniel.
“I think so too. Little guy, don’t get used to this.”
"You don't like animals?" Mel asked.
“I do like them. I grew up in Montana in a small town. We were around the animals a lot. We had a dog and two cats growing up. Isabelle loves them too, and I know she wants a dog once they get settled. She and Brayden are moving into a huge house with a yard.”
Mel’s eyes softened. “Well, if you want to get her a dog, you’re in the right place. Come on, let’s show you around. It won’t take long. It’s tiny.”
On the inside, it seemed even smaller than from the outside. There were just a few rooms, with bowls of water and food, and many toys on the floor. "There are no cages?" I asked, watching the dogs move around freely.
“No, that's a bit of an antiquated concept as well as a bit cruel, to be honest. It's worked out so far. There are no fights.”
She bent down to pick up the bowls on the floor and filled them with water and food.
Where did she find the motivation to do all this in her spare time? She fascinated me. I liked that she didn't mind getting her hands dirty. Her dres
s was smeared with mud from outside. She even had a bit of dirt on her face, but she still looked fucking gorgeous.
"I'm surprised you're so comfortable getting your hands dirty," I teased her.
She looked over her shoulder as she bent down to tend to the rest of the bowls.
“I can say the same thing about you, Mr. Suit. I won't lie, I thought you would rant when this little guy got his dirty paws all over you.”
I chuckled. “As I said, I grew up in a small town. We had a yard with animals. I'm used to it. Honestly, I'm more comfortable out of a suit than wearing one.”
“So, then, why do you wear it?”
“It's good for business. As a software programmer, I'm used to casual clothing, but there's a shift in a room's dynamics when I enter it wearing a suit. I can't explain it, but it seems to make an impression.”
“Oh, please. You're impressive anyway.”
“Am I? Good to know.”
She sighed, shaking her head. “What is it about you that makes me say things like this? I can’t even blame it on the wine this time.”
I threw my head back, laughing so damn hard that I startled the dog. “You’re something else, Mel.”
“It’s all because of you. And somehow, seeing you holding this little guy isn’t helping.”
We went from the first room to the second, where she again filled containers with water and food. The third room was bigger than the first two. It also had a small desk in one corner with two chairs next to a shelf full of documents. The little guy was getting restless. I put him on the floor, and he went straight to one of the food containers, eating his fill. Mel lowered herself on her knees and patted his head.
“Hey, little guy, that's all the food for you. You'll explode if you eat more.”
He ignored her and kept eating away before moving to the bowl with water. Afterward, he made a beeline straight to me. I lowered myself on my haunches, patting his head. He picked up some weird squeaky toy and brought it to me. I had no clue what he wanted me to do with it, but it was fun to discover. I squeaked it twice, which seemed to scare him. I tossed the toy away, patting his head again. He lay down on one side, clearly wanting his belly patted.
“You know, you're much more relaxed with him around,” Mel said.
