Page 68 of Where There's Smoke
“Damn straight, you will! I’ll be done in a few minutes.”
Sure enough, it didn’t take long for Melody to finish up, and she came out of the bathroom with a towel wrapped around her body and one on her head in that twist most people with long hair seemed to have mastered from childhood.
Melody glowered at me playfully, crossing the room and slipping into the closet before calling out, “You’re apest. Is there anactualreason you came in here?”
Chuckling, I faced the closet, eyeing the door as I waited for her to come out. “As a matter of fact, yes. I was thinking, do you want to go check on the cats today? Elliot has paperwork to do, so we could always grab some lunch and see the cats. We’ve been checking up on the dogs so much, the kitties are going to start feeling left out!”
“Oh,” Melody said, sounding obviously surprised, “that’s actually a good idea.”
I laughed again, snorting through my nose. “I do have them on occasion. Plus, Elliot said that some of the shelter’s structure could be replaced. We could figure out a plan for working on the place. I know you’re worried about having somewhere to put all the animals and want to get back to taking more in. It won’t be a permanent solution, but it could work for now.”
After a moment, Melody came out of the closet wearing black leggings with tall socks that went up to her shins and a large knit sweater made of massive, chunky yarn. Her hair was still wet, a little wild, and she was the most beautiful thing I’d ever seen.
As much as having sex would have been absolutely mind-blowing, it was also nice to just look at her, to be around her. Melody oozed this positive energy that made me feel alive, that gave me a reason to do something with the money I had, instead of just sitting on it.
That new fucking shelterhasto pan out. Ineedthat property for her.
“That’s…amazing.” Melody’s eyebrows were up, and I could tell she was a bit overwhelmed from the news, her head shaking several times. “God, Fitz, I don’t know what to say. It would behugeif I could get the shelter running again, even in a reduced capacity. I have no idea how I’m supposed to buy a new building with the miniscule payout from insurance. If I could start giving myself a small salary, though, I could at leaststartsaving up for a new place. And you’ll all really help me?”
I made a face at her, furrowing my brow as I smirked. “Of course we will. Pack Wilder is at your disposal, firecracker. We love helping you. And it’ll be a hell of a lot cheaper than hiring people.”
Crossing the room quicker than usual, Melody walked right up to me and threw her arms around my neck, squeezing me in a hug. A grin stretched over my face, taking up the entire thing, as I held her in my arms, dropping my nose into her hair for a hit ofthat juicy melon scent. Melody felt right in my arms, and I didn’t want to ever let go.
As far as relationships went, I’d done a bit of dating here and there. I’d had my fair share of one or two date hookups and only one situation where I felt like I might be able to see us having a future together. Occasionally we went on a date as a pack, but nothing had panned out.
But Melody? She’d come into our lives like an angel, and I wanted her here—in the firehouse, our home, my arms—for as long as she’d let me keep her. Forever, even.
God, you’re such a sap.
“You’re amazing, you know that?” She looked up at me, a glassy sheen to her eyes. “Not everyone would help. You guys really are going above and beyond.”
“We’re all happy to help. I promise. You’re our little omega.” Her eyes flared. “Well, you know what I mean. We…care about you. And the animals.”
My throat felt tight, the emotions getting the better of me. My eyes tingled, and I knew that if I wasn’t careful, I was going to say something stupid, something too forward. Still, it took every bit of restraint I had, which wasn’t much to begin with, to keep myself from asking Melody to permanently move in with us and to officially be our mate.
Because Icouldsee it. I could see how perfectly Melody would fit into our lives, and how beautifully we could fit into hers. This combination of compassion and passion would flare so damn bright between us. I had no doubt.
But then Melody shook herself and deposited a quick kiss on my lips. When she leaned back, smiling up at me, she patted my cheek and slipped out of my arms. With that grin still in place, she padded over to the bathroom, and I watched from the bed as she brushed her hair.
“Well, thank you, Fitz. I can’t say it enough.” She shook her head again, grinning at me through the reflection, and I smiled back, my chest puffed up with pride for helping her out. “Let me just get ready, and we can head out.”
“Sound goods.” I nodded and kept smiling at her, keeping my voice to a whisper as I said, “Sounds so damn good,myomega.”
Chapter 33
Samson
My body was starting to ache, and sweat was dripping down my forehead as I came to a stop outside the temporary shelter that was housing Melody’s dogs.
Leaning over, I braced my hands on my knees, dragging in deep lungfuls of air. It wasn’t like I was a stranger to cardio—I was used to running. But today, it hit me a bit harder. Possibly because my running companion was practically an Olympian.
Looking down at the greyhound mix, who was looking up at me with his tongue hanging out as he took in his own deep breaths, I couldn’t help but smile back at him.
“You’re much better at this than me, buddy.”
In the past, I had always run on the treadmills at the gym in the firehouse, but now I had a reason to run outside, and it wasn’t so bad with the chilly morning air. Doing this during the summer would be a different story. For now, volunteers were able to take the smaller dogs from Melody’s rescue on regular walks, but some of the larger dogs required a bit more vigorous exercise, which was a win-win.
When I ran four to five times a week, I took one of them with me. Walnut, the greyhound mix, was one of those dogs. He wasonly a few years old and had so much energy that he needed several runs a day. Unfortunately, he was having to make do with one or two runs with me a week and whatever walks the volunteers could manage.
