that too-brief kiss a month ago.
She swallowed hard once; it was the only sign she’d registered the brief contact, aside from the fact that she kept her eyes firmly averted from his. What would he see in those emerald-green eyes? A month ago, after her impulsive kiss, he’d seen surprise—and desire.
He watched her every move, trying to get a read on her.
“Hey, beautiful,” she crooned to the kitty, handling the feline with obvious skill and something more...an unmistakable gift. “Let’s get a scanner and check to see if you have a chip. If we’re lucky, you’ll have your people back very soon.”
Kneeling, she pulled a brown, boxy device from under the counter and waved the sensor along the back of the cat’s neck. She frowned and swept it over the same place again. Then she broadened the search along the cat’s shoulders and legs, casting a quick glance at Whit. “Sometimes the chip migrates on the body.”
But after sweeping along the cat’s entire back, Megan shook her head and sighed. “No luck.”
“She was pretty matted when I found her yesterday.” He patted the beagle’s head awkwardly. He didn’t have much experience with pets, his only exposure to animals coming with horseback riding. The cat and dog were a helluva lot smaller than a Palomino. “I combed her out last night and she’s been pissed at me ever since.”
She glanced up quickly, her eyes going wide with surprise. “You brushed the cat?”
“Yeah, so?” He shrugged. “She needed it.”
Her forehead furrowed. “That was kind of you.”
“Last time I checked, I’m not a monster.”
She smiled with a tinge of irony. “Just a mogul land baron and destroyer of wetlands.”
He raised a hand. “Guilty as charged. And I hear you have need of some of my dirty, land-baron dollars?”
He looked around, taking in a couple of harried volunteers rushing in with fresh litter boxes stacked in their arms. The dog sniffed his shoes as if checking out the quality of his next chew toy.
The stuffing went out of her fight and she sagged back against the wall. “Animal control across town is full, and we’re the only other option around here. People are living in emergency housing shelters that don’t allow pets. Other folks have left town altogether, just giving up on finding their animals.” He could hear the tension in her voice.
“That’s a damn shame, Megan. I’ve heard the call-outs for pet food, but I hadn’t realized how heavy the extra burden is for you and the rest of your staff.”
“Let’s step into my office before your kitty girl makes a break for the door. Evie’s in there now, but it’ll only take a second to settle her elsewhere so we can talk.” She rested a hand on the front desk. “Miss Abigail, do you mind if Evie sits with you for a few minutes?”
“Of course not. I love spending time with the little darlin’. You don’t let me babysit near enough. Send her my way.”
Megan looked at Whit, something sad flickering in her eyes. “Evie’s taking the day off from school. Come this way.”
He followed her, his eyes drawn to the gentle sway of her hips. Khaki had never looked so hot. “I’m sorry to add to your load here, but I meant it when I said I want to make a donation to help.”
She opened a metal baby gate and ushered the beagle into the room. It was a small room with a neat bookshelf and three recycling bins stacked in a corner. Two large framed watercolors dominated the walls—one of an orange cat and the other of a spotted dog, both clearly painted by a child. The bottom corner of each was signed in crayon. Evie.
The little minx peeked from under the desk, a miniature version of her mom right down to the freckles on her nose. “Hello, Mr. Whit.”
She crawled out with an iPad tucked under her arm, then stood, her red pigtails lopsided. Evie’s face was one hundred percent Megan, but the little girl had a quirky spirit all her own. Evie wore a knight’s costume with a princess tiara even though Halloween had already passed and Thanksgiving was rapidly approaching. Her mother smoothed a hand over her head affectionately, gently tightening the left pigtail to match the one on the right. “Miss Abigail wants you to sit with her for a few minutes, okay? I’ll be through soon.”
Evie waved shyly, green eyes sparkling, then sprinted out to the front desk, carrying her iPad and a foam sword.
Megan gestured for him to step inside the small office, then closed the gate again. “You mentioned writing a check, and I’m not bashful about accepting on behalf of the animals. I’ll get you a receipt so you can write it off on your taxes.”
“Where will you put this cat if you’re already full?” he asked as the beagle sniffed his shoes.
“I guess we’ll learn if she gets along with dogs since she’ll have to stay in my office for now.” She crouched down with the cat in her arms. The pup tipped his head to the side and the cat curled closer to Megan but kept her claws sheathed. Nodding, Megan stood and settled the cat onto her office chair.
“She likes dogs better than she likes me, that’s for sure.” He shook his head, laughing softly.
“I guess not every female in this town likes crawling into your arms.” She crinkled her freckled nose.
He would have thought she was jealous. She had been avoiding him since the tornado. He would have attributed it to her being busy with cleanup, but his instincts shouted it had something to do with that impulsive kiss. “I feel bad for adding to your load here. Could you use more volunteers to help with the extra load here? I’m sure some of my buddies at the Texas Cattleman’s Club would be glad to step up.”
“We can always use extra hands.”
“I’ll contact Gil Addison—the club president—and get the ball rolling. Maybe they’ll adopt when they’re here.”
“We can only hope.” Her hand fell to the cat’s head and she stroked lightly. The cat arched up into the stroke, purring loudly. “I’m working on arranging a transport for some of the unclaimed pets to a rescue in Oklahoma. A group in Colorado has reached out to help as well, but we’re still trying to find a way to get the animals there. And since the Colorado group is a new rescue, I need to look over their operation before entrusting our animals to their care. Except I don’t know how I’ll be able to take off that much time from work for the road trip, much less be away from Evie for that long. She’s still unsettled from the trauma of last month’s storm. But, well, you don’t need to hear all about my troubles.”
“My personal plane is at your disposal,” he said without hesitation.
“What? I didn’t realize you have a plane. I mean I know you’re well off, but....”
Her shoulders braced and he could almost see another wall appearing between them. He appreciated that she wasn’t impressed by his money, but also hated to see another barrier in place.
Still, the more he thought about flying the animals for her, the more the idea appealed to him. “Make the arrangements with the rescue and whatever else needs to be done as far as crating the animals. I assume you have procedures for
