Page 51 of Deking at Love
Angie led Sam down a hallway to a smaller counter, where a different woman sat.Her gaze moved between them before settling on Angie.A knowing grin split her face.“Looks like someone’s day has started on the sunny side.”
A blush bloomed on Angie’s cheeks.“Reporting for duty.”
“And am I ever happy to see you!”
“Short-staffed again?”
The woman rolled her eyes behind a pair of black-framed glasses.“When are we nevernotshort-staffed?”
“Isn’t that the sad truth?Dora, this is Sam Durbin.He’s a friend of mine, and he’s here to help today.”Angie turned to Sam.“Dora is the shelter’s volunteer coordinator.”
Dora stood and shook his hand.“Thank you for coming, Sam.You drew the long straw today.Angie’s one of the best and definitely our favorite volunteer.She’s also the favorite with the animals.”Dora jabbed a thumb over her shoulder, directing Sam’s attention to the wall behind her.A line of pictures went from one end to the other, with Angie’s smiling face on the far left.
A grin sprouting, Sam pointed at the image.“What does the gold ribbon mean?”
Dora turned partway and studied the picture.“Besides Angie being pure gold?She’s logged over five hundred volunteer hours.She’s one of our most dedicated volunteers.And the paw print is for Volunteer of the Month.”Dora leaned over the counter and placed her hand next to her mouth in a conspiratorial gesture, whisper-shouting, “That paw print is almostalwaysin that same spot.”
Sam side-eyed Angie, whose face had turned a bright shade of crimson.She squirmed in place, clearly uncomfortable with being in the spotlight.Damn, she was cute.He corralled a laugh.
Unsurprisingly, Angie directed the conversation elsewhere.“Where do you want us to start, Dora?”
Dora looked down at a clipboard.“Looks like the cat house is the most urgent today.”
“The usual?”
Dora nodded.“Yep.”
While the women exchanged details, Sam’s gaze drifted back to Angie’s picture, and he found himself mesmerized by the sheer joy that shone through in her features.What would it take forhimto put a look like that on her face every day?
He felt a tug on the sleeve of his hoodie, and Angie jerked her head to the side.“Ready?”
“Let’s do it.”
She swiped two folded pieces of fabric from a bin labeled “Volunteer Aprons,” and led him to a row of cubbies.“You can leave your hoodie here, if you like.”
“I’ll leave it on for now.”
“You sure?It’ll be covered in animal hair when we’re done.Not to mention you’ll work up a sweat.”
“As long as I’m working up a sweat with you …” he dangled.The bright hue returned to her cheeks, egging him on.He couldn’t stop himself.“It might be my new favorite thing to do.”
“More than hockey?”she tossed back.
“It’s a distinct possibility.”He wasn’t making it up.He rocked back on his heels, pretending to contemplate.“Think I’m going to need a repeat for comparison’s sake.Severalrepeats.”She arched an eyebrow, and he amended.“I’ve played a lot of hockey over the years.If I’m going to give this comparison the justice it deserves, I’ll need a boatload of data.Or is that a bedload?”
Her mouth dropped open and closed, and he restrained an urge to lean down and kiss her plush pink lips.While he wrestled with himself, she recovered her unruffled demeanor.Stashing her purse, she pulled her own sweatshirt over her head, revealing a gray T-shirt with the shelter’s name printed on it.Her ponytail had come loose, and she re-tied it while he stood and watched, captive to the movement of her graceful hands.
She unfolded one of the aprons she’d taken from the bin, shook it out, and dropped it over her head.Moving her ponytail aside, she turned her back to him.“Would you do the honors?”
He tugged on the ties, pulling her against him, and leaned down to her ear.The fresh scent of her shampoo filled his senses, and he snaked his hands under the hem of her T-shirt, his fingers stroking the velvety skin of her belly.“Exactly what honors do you want me to do?I can think of a few.”
“Sam!”she hissed, but her tone was light and playful as she wriggled away.She yanked on the ties, but he held them fast, pulling the apron straps down her arms.
“Wonder what this would look like on you without the T-shirt underneath—or anything else, for that matter.”An array of pleasant images scrolled through his mind, ramping up the action in his pants.
“This isn’t the time or place,” she gritted out, though one corner of her mouth twitched.
“Then when is?”he prodded.
