“Babe, if you don’t want him being your creepy alarm clock, close the bedroom door.”
“But what if he needs us?”
“Evelyn, honey, c’mon. If it was an emergency, we would know. The door doesn’t need to be open. Plus, think of how much sexy time we could have without interruption!”
“That’s a good point.” Evelyn mumbled and then smiled against Alyssa’s neck, her hand instinctively reaching for Alyssa’s boob. Another thing Alyssa had learned about her girlfriend—she was a breast woman for sure. Not that Alyssa was complaining, she just wished Evelyn could feel up her boobs without Bug interrupting for food.
“Alright, we’ll close the door.”
Alyssa laughed. “Is that decision based on the fact you’re turned on now you’ve had a good feel of my ladies?”
“One hundred percent, yes! I’m going to feed Bug quickly and I’ll be right back. Don’t move or start without me.”
Alyssa smiled and stretched out her limbs, listening to the birds begin to wake, and Evelyn’s soft crooning as she whispered to Bug how much of a good boy he was. Honestly, Alyssa couldn’t have asked for a better owner for that little fella. Bug understood Evelyn, sometimes better than Alyssa.
Even though Evelyn was much happier now she’d stepped down as CEO of Crawford’s Pet Supplies, there were still times she withdrew, or stressed herself out with work. Alyssa knew how to help, but it was Bug who really settled Evelyn. They just had a bond that was inexplicable, and Alyssa loved it.
She also loved that since stepping away from her family’s company in the spring, Evelyn had joined Alyssa at Four Paws as director of events. It had been Lil’s idea, actually. “You need someone who can wrangle corporate types and make spreadsheets look sexy,” she’d said over drinks one night. “And Evelyn needs something that’s hers. Seems obvious to me.”
It had been obvious once Lil pointed it out. Evelyn had been floundering a bit those first few months after stepping down, trying to figure out who she was without the CEO title. Working at Four Paws had given her purpose without the crushing pressure of legacy and expectation.
In the time Evelyn had worked at Four Paws—which was coming up to eight months—she’d already organised a summer fundraiser that topped anything in the sanctuary’s history. An adoption drive, backed by Richard Crawford, the new—old—CEO. Her father had returned to the role after they’d finally had the conversations they should have had years ago. It wasn’t perfect, but it was progress. They had dinner once a month now, just the two of them. Sometimes they talked about Roslyn. Sometimes they didn’t. But they talked, which was more than they’d managed in years.
And last but not least, the Christmas party that was being shared with Crawford’s HQ.
As for Alyssa, well, she’d learned that sharing her passion with the woman she was hopelessly in love with was a gift. It didn’t matter how hectic the sanctuary got, or how involved Alyssa needed to be, she always had Evelyn there, supporting her and often helping her with the workload. They’d fallen into an easy rhythm—Alyssa handling the animals and day-to-day operations, Evelyn managing the fundraising and corporate partnerships. Lil handled the volunteers and kept them both sane.
It worked better than Alyssa had ever imagined it could.
“I’m back,” Evelyn panted.
“Did you run a marathon?” Alyssa laughed.
Evelyn closed the door and ripped off her t-shirt. “Yes, I did. I was in a hurry to get back to bed,” she grinned.
Alyssa’s pulse responded with a quick uptick in rhythm. The sight of Evelyn crawling towards her, naked, was an exquisite and underwear-wrecking sight. Even close to a year later, that hadn’t changed. If anything, it had gotten better. Knowing someone’s body, knowing exactly what made them gasp or moan or beg, that was its own kind of magic.
“Have we got time?” Alyssa asked with a pant. Today was the first of November. An entire year since Alyssa and Evelyn met. And of course, all the dogs at Four Paws were off on an adventure to Crawford’s HQ for the day—a quarterly tradition now, one that the staff looked forward to almost as much as the dogs did.
“We always have time for sex, Al.”
It’s not like Alyssa needed any convincing. The year they’d been together had been phenomenal, especially in the bedroom. Learning about each other’s wants and desires had been fantastic. Alyssa had never felt so comfortable with another human being. All the worries of being in a relationship fell by the wayside after the first few months.
Why she ever thought she wouldn’t be able to connect properly with a woman was ridiculous in hindsight. Maybe it was just with Evelyn, though. They got each other. They knew each other’s quirks and odd characteristics. They also understood each other’s moods and emotions. Like, for instance, right now. There was no mistaking Evelyn’s mood. Which read: I’m about to devour you entirely until you can’t walk straight.
And honestly? Alyssa was absolutely fine with that.
Evelyn was practically salivating as she made her way up the bed. Alyssa was a dream come true. She was sexy, smart, and Evelyn’s. It was hard to believe they’d been in each other’s lives for an entire year. A year that had flown by with a lot of changes.
Leaving Crawford’s was the right choice. Evelyn was free to pursue a career she felt she really earned—even though her dad and Alyssa argued she’d already earned her career at Crawford’s. The point was, Evelyn had done it her way, and she couldn’t be happier.
The transition hadn’t been seamless. There’d been moments of doubt, nights where she’d woken up in a panic thinking she’d made a terrible mistake. But Alyssa had been there, steady and sure, reminding her that growth was supposed to be uncomfortable. That choosing yourself wasn’t selfish, it was necessary.
And she’d been right. Of course she’d been right.
Evelyn was over the moon when her dad turned up just three days before Christmas to officially take back the reins. He’d timed it deliberately—wanting to give Evelyn the gift of freedom for the holidays, he’d said. No more board meetings,no more quarterly reports. Just time to breathe and be with the people she loved.
The handover had been surprisingly emotional. Standing in the office that had been hers, watching her father settle back into the chair he’d vacated so quickly, Evelyn had felt something shift. Relief, yes, but also pride. She’d kept the company afloat during one of its most difficult periods. She’d honoured her mother’s legacy. And now she was free to build her own.
