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“That you love her. And now she has to put up with your shenanigans for the rest of her life. Bad news for her, but if she’s into it …”
“Fucker.”
“Yep. But I’ve got my personal life sorted. Which makes me awesome, at least in the eyes of my wife and kids.”
Dex snuck another look at Ashley. Could he really just put it out there and say what he felt? What if she said … well … no? But he saw how she studied him, not just because he had a good body and a nice jaw. She got this soft look about her, though maybe it wasn’t all that different from how she looked at some of the strays in her care. Dex O’Malley, sad little orphan, no better than a troublemaking, barely house-trained puppy.
Maybe after the court case. That way she wouldn’t think he had any ulterior motive. But that didn’t mean he couldn’t spend time with her. After all, with her, he felt like the best version of himself.
“Later, dudes.”
“He’s goin’ in,” Kershaw said, adding a couple of bars of the Indiana Jones theme, which didn’t seem relevant at all except maybe, Dex had a giant stone ball hurtling toward him. Or he was about to fall into a pit of writhing snakes.
“Hey,” he said as he came alongside her. She looked wrecked. “You need a break.”
“Oh, I’m fine.”
“What time did you get up this morning?”
“Well, I didn’t actually get to sleep?—”
“Go take five. I’ve got this.”
“But—”
He leaned in, his lips brushing the shell of her ear. “Do you want me to carry you out of here over my shoulder? Because I’ll do it.”
Those apple-green eyes flashed in alarm. “There are more forms under the counter, but don’t promise anyone anything until I get back, okay?”
“Got it.” He patted her on her curvy tush. “Now go.”
Five minutes later, Toby limped in, wearing a big grin.
Dex looked up from where he was helping Daisy, a Riverbrook grandmother and Chicago Rebels fan, fill out an adoption application for JoJo, one of the shelter’s dogs.
“Thought your ankle was sprained?”
“Just twisted. Is this the entire Rebels franchise?”
“Pretty much. Hey, do you think you could take over? I wanted to get some tea for Ash.”
Toby’s grin stretched wider. “Sure thing. Hey, wanted to ask you: have you any idea why the Boss Lady won’t let Bandit be adopted?”
“She won’t?”
“Yeah, since that video, we’ve had tons of offers but she tells everyone he’s not available. Were you planning on taking him? Because you said your schedule wouldn’t allow it.”
No, he wasn’t. But he also hated the idea of anyone else having him.
“I’ll ask her.”
A short while later, he found her in the office, feet up, eyes closed. She started awake on hearing him come in.
“What? Do you need me?”
“Toby just showed up. Apparently his ankle is feeling better. He jumped right in—well, on his good foot.”
Her shoulders sagged in relief. “Okay.”
