Page 9 of Bailey

She did, and he added, “I’m going to strip down and put my clothes in the washing machine too.” He cut a glance over to her but didn’t truly meet her eyes. “You’ll want to get out of your wet clothes as soon as possible.”

She looked down at herself, realizing that the pale pink T-shirt she wore clung to every curve she possessed, and she could see the pale blue bra she wore beneath it. Reflexively, she crossed her arms over her chest and looked at him, her eyes wide.

“I’m dripping everywhere too,” she said.

“That too,” Reeves said, and he undid the button of his jeans right in front of her.

With her heartbeat booming in her chest, Bailey backtracked to the kitchen and grabbed her backpack. The sound of Reeves’ low chuckle in her ears was more unsettling than anything that had happened that day.

“There’s a bathroom across the hall,” he called, and Bailey ducked into that to make herself decent.

Forty-five minutes later, she carried the now clean and dry bin with Milky Way and Rabbit in it, nestled in a fresh set of blankets. Reeves had rustled through his garage, muttering about having kitty litter for oil changes, and he’d managed to find some. She’d already brought that upstairs, along with her backpack, as Reeves said she could stay in a guest room up there for tonight.

It came fully furnished with a king-size bed in a sleigh frame and a desk where she could work. She took the cats into the bedroom while Reeves set up their food in the second-floor living area. It was almost a loft, but not quite, as it wasn’t open to the lower level but had a gaping entrance before a short wall created a hall down to her appointed bedroom.

He had a TV and two comfy couches, and he’d brought up a cooler where he’d tossed string cheese, yogurt, deli meat, a couple of condiments, a loaf of bread, some red grapes, and anything else he thought they might want if they lost power. He had soda in his fridge, and he’d put in the Dr Pepper and bottled water as well.

He’d whipped up spaghetti Alfredo and steaks for their early dinner, and the water hadn’t crept up to his deck quite yet, but they’d both stood on the edge of it, the rain falling a few feet in front of their eyes, and watched as it breached his barn and the shed in his backyard. She’d used the sandbags in his garage to build a barrier along the edge of the deck, but he told her not to venture back out into the rain, that it wasn’t worth it, and she’d obeyed.

She heard him sigh as she headed back down the hall toward him, and she found him with both hands raking through his hair, his eyes closed as he leaned back on the couch. He was beautiful in that moment, and Bailey found she wanted to know everything about him—where up north he’d come from, and why he’d had this place for a couple of years before he’d lived in it full-time.

For now, they still had power, and he’d plugged in his laptop and she had hers, so maybe when things went dark, they could still watch movies until their devices died. She’d also plugged in her phone and had just entered the living area when Reeves opened his eyes. He startled, as if he’d forgotten she was there, and she quickly hooked her thumb over her shoulder.

“I left my phone in the bedroom, and I need to text everyone.”

“Sure,” he said.

Bailey returned to get her charger and phone and brought it out to the living room. She found a plug near the end of the second couch, and she set up camp there. He’d made several trips upstairs already, and he’d brought up his coffee maker and a whole coffee station, as well as TV trays, which he now set out on the ottoman in front of him.

Bailey worked on texting those concerned about her status and whereabouts. Both her momma and daddy had called, but Bailey didn’t have it in her to return the calls to speak with them.

I made it next door to Reeves’s place, she texted. He has a second story, and the water hasn’t even reached his house yet. We have tons of food and water, and he even had kitty litter for my cats. I’m fine for right now, and though we’re expecting to lose power, I think we’ll be okay.

She copied the words before she sent them, so she could also give the update to Bryce, Otis, OJ, and her staff. With a start, she realized that her clinic was still open, and as soon as she sent the text, she hurried to call her administrative assistant.

“There you are,” Marina said. “I wanted to call you, but I wasn’t sure what was going on. I just got your text.”

“Yeah.” Bailey sighed. One glance over to Reeves showed her that he had his footrest up. She immediately reached her hand over the side of the couch to find the button that would lift her feet up, too. “You guys should close, and everybody should go home.”

“It’s barely raining here,” Marina said. “For how dark the sky is, I’m really surprised.”

“It seems to be further north,” Bailey said. “But I want everyone to go home anyway.” She had a couple of people who worked in Dog Valley. “It’s a small town in Wyoming,” Bailey said firmly. “Everyone understands how to deal with the weather.”

“You’re right,” Marina said. “We just have daycare animals and appointments, and it’s going to take a little bit for us to close.”

“Send me the information of who I need to call,” Bailey said. “And get Angie and Trevor out of there, so that they can get home.”

More voices came through the line, but Bailey couldn’t understand them.

“Yes,” she said. “She wants you and Angie to go now. I’ll handle canceling everything.”

“I want everyone out of there in an hour,” Bailey said. “I can pull up the schedule and see who’s in daycare and start making calls.” She’d need her computer for that, and Bailey honestly wasn’t sure if she could make it down the hall to get it. “I just have to get my computer.”

“I’ll turn things green when I’ve done them,” Marina said.

“I’ll do the same.” Bailey tracked Reeves as he lowered his footrest and got to his feet. He left the room, and after a few more instructions, Bailey ended the call with her administrative assistant at her vet clinic.

Reeves returned a moment later with her computer and its charger, and pure relief and peace filled her.