Page 51 of Kiss an Angel

“What’s going on here?”

All of them turned as Alex approached. Daisy wiped her eyes with one dirty shirt sleeve while she kept the spray of water directed toward the tiger.

“Daisy decided to give Sinjun a shower,” Neeco said.

“Daisy decided?” Alex gazed at her with those inscrutable Russian eyes.

“Sinjun was hot,” she explained wearily. “He wanted me to cool him off.”

“Did he tell you that?”

She was too drained to respond. Besides, how could she explain that Sinjun had told her? She didn’t understand herself this mystical communication she seemed to have with the tiger.

She directed the stream of water to the muck that had collected in the bottom of the cage. “These cages are filthy. They need to be cleaned more frequently.”

Digger took immediate umbrage. “I cain’t do everything. If you think the cages is so bad, maybe you should clean ’em yourself.”

“All right. I will.”

What was she saying? Only minutes ago, she had decided she was leaving, and now she was volunteering for more work. How could she take on another job when she hadn’t been able to finish any of those she’d already been given?

Alex frowned. “You’re doing enough. You can barely keep your eyes open as it is, and I’m not having you take on more.”

She was getting a little tired of her husband dictating her every move. “I said I’d do it, and I will. Now unless you and Neeco want to get as wet as Digger, you’d better leave me alone.”

Surprise flickered in Alex’s eyes. Neeco pushed forward. “She’s not getting all her work done for me. How’s she going to handle the menagerie, too?”

“She’s not,” Alex said firmly.

‘’I am.”

“Daisy—”

“You have no say over what I do in my spare time.”

“You don’t have any spare time,” he reminded her.

“Then I guess I’ll just have to work faster.”

He looked down at her for a long moment. Something passed between them that she didn’t entirely understand. A spark of recognition? A glimmer of respect? “Do you really want to do this?” he asked.

“Yes.”

“Are you sure you know what you’re getting yourself into?”

She met his gaze without flinching. “I don’t have a clue.”

An emotion that almost seemed like tenderness flickered over his face and then disappeared in a brusque nod. “All right, I’ll try you out for the next few days. You can work here for a couple of hours first thing in the morning, and then go work for Neeco.”

Digger began to sputter. “But I need more help than that! I cain’t do everything.”

“Neither can Daisy,” Alex said quietly.

Surprised, she stared at him.

He cocked an eyebrow at her. “Anything else?”

She belatedly remembered that she was afraid of animals, but now wasn’t the time to remind him of it, and she shook her head.

---