“I think you look cute,” Bryson said. “But maybe I just like seeing you in my clothes.”
She tipped her head to the side. “What aboutoutof your clothes?”
The flash of heat that entered his eyes said it all. Evie felt it on her skin.
He stood and walked over to her, clamping his palms on her hips.
“If I didn’t have patients to check on at the hospital, I would show you just how much I like seeing you out of my clothes.” He gave her a swift but deep kiss. “Why don’t I bring you and the dogs to your place? You can nap while I go to the hospital. Then we can go out for breakfast.” He looked at his watch and grimaced. “Lunch.”
“That sounds perfect,” Evie said.
When they arrived at her house, Evie headed straight for her bed. She’d been running on adrenaline all morning, but now that the parvo crisis was over, she was exhausted. She took off Bryson’s clothes and slipped under the covers in only her underwear.
She woke two hours later. Bryson had sent a message an hour ago, letting her know that the puppies were doing well but that an emergency ruptured gallbladder had come in. He’d sent another text telling her that he was done with thesurgery and would be back at her place by one. She’d slept through them all.
Evie grabbed Bryson’s sweatshirt from the floor and pulled it over her head. She then dragged herself to the bathroom so she could tackle her hair. But first she allowed herself to have the good, cleansing cry she’d been wanting to have all morning. Knowing she wouldn’t be able to save The Sanctuary ate away at her very soul. She wanted it so bad. Sheneededit. Those animals needed it.
When she thought about the tens of thousands of dollars her mother spent on that party last night—something that lasted a few hours and was now over—it made her physically sick. The people who were there last night could save The Sanctuary with the change found between the cushions of their Italian leather sofas.
“Maybe we should give the rescue a cute name like Barkingham Palace. People like Bianca Taylor would throw money at it.”
She froze.
“Don’t get too excited,” Evie warned.
She’d gotten herself worked up over ideas before, only for them to fall flat. Or worse, to have some catastrophe ruin everything. Granted, none of those past ideas werethisgood.
But could she pull this off in such a short amount of time? Bryson would think she’d lost her mind.
“Fuck it. I’ll do it myself if I have to.”
But she wouldn’t have to. Bryson would not sit back while she did this alone. He’d stuck by her side throughout this entire process when others would have told her The Sanctuary was a lost cause.
She heard her phone ringing. She turned off her flat iron—her hair would have to wait—and went into the bedroom to answer it.
It was Bryson.
“Hey,” Evie answered.
“Hey, I’m at the door. Wanna let me in?”
“I’m not fully dressed,” Evie said. “Give me two minutes.”
She quickly put on a bra and threw on the cotton T-shirt dress she kept on a hook behind the closet door.
Waffles and Bella both followed her to the front door.
Bryson was smiling when she opened it, but his smile quickly dropped.
“What’s wrong?” Evie asked, sticking out her leg to prevent Waffles from escaping.
“You said you weren’t dressed.” He gestured to her. “I was hoping you’d answer the door wearing less clothes.”
“Oh, sure, because my neighbors totally want to see me answering the door half naked,” she said.
“I’m sure they dream about it on the daily.”
She rolled her eyes. “Get in here.”
