Nando cleared his throat again. He didn’t like being in the store alone with jerks, even if they were just teenagers. Confrontation wasn’t his thing, but for the animals, Nando would unleash his inner anger.
“I’m not selling them to either of you. Pets are for people who want to care for them and treat them as a part of their family. They aren’t for your twisted entertainment or revenge.”
“What did you say to me?” The blond pulled his shoulders back, clearly trying to intimidate Nando, but Nando wasn’t budging.
“Leave or I’m calling the cops.”
The blond turned and lifted the top to the tank. Nando nearly had a heart attack when the boy reached for the snake that had slithered into his hiding rock.
“Get your fucking hand out of there!” Nando wanted to shove the guy, but he was dealing with a minor. Why did Trey have to pick this time to go get food?
“You heard him.”
Nando whipped around and saw Dr. Evan Scott standing just inside the door, his arms at his side, his hands balled into fists, and a savage look on his face.
Nando’s heart leapt to his throat at the sight of the sexy vet. A blush crept over his cheeks as he thought about the dream he’d had of Evan last night.
The blond yanked his hand out of the tank. “We were just teasing him.”
Evan crossed the room and got right into the blond’s face. “I wonder if your dad would think this funny, Renaldo. Hmm? Should I ask him?” He turned to the redhead. “How about your aunt, Tanner? Do you think she would like being told that her nephew is being cruel to animals?”
“No, sir,” the redhead quickly said. “Please don’t tell her. I wasn’t going to be cruel. I swear.”
Renaldo slapped Tanner with the back of his hand. “Come on, let’s get out of here. It’s a lame store, anyway. We’ll find another way to get back at Charles.”
After the boys left, Nando stared down at Evan’s feet, thankful for the rescue. If it had been his father who’d walked into the store, he would have kicked Nando’s ass for not forcing the boys to show him some respect. “I could have handled them on my own.”
Nando walked back to the counter.
“Good morning to you, too.” Evan followed. “I came by to check on Shoeshine since I had some time before my first appointment.”
A jolt of disappointment shot through Nando. A secret part of him had hoped the vet had come by to see him. He might have acted as if the vet was a bother, but in truth, Nando wouldn’t mind the opportunity to go out on a date with him.
But Nando wasn’t bold when it came to flirting or asking a guy on a date. If it were left up to him, he’d die a spinster with a store full of pets to care for as his own babies.
“I already took him for his walk this morning and gave him one of those pills you prescribed.” Nando grabbed the white pill bottle from the counter and shook it. “Was there anything else I was supposed to do for him?”
God, Evan even smelled good. His scent lingered through the store, making Nando covertly inhale. He smelled like Irish Spring soap and cedar chips. What an odd combination, but Nando suspected the cedar chips was from the vet’s office. After all, Evan did have his lab coat on.
Which made him ten times sexier.
“I think you’re doing a great job with him.” Evan went to the puppy enclosure and hunkered down. At the sight of him so close, the puppies began wagging their tails and yapping. Shoeshine’s tail swished back and forth, and he ran over to Evan, bleating as if to say hello.
“You are a cute thing, aren’t you?” Evan scratched behind Shoeshine’s ears. “Your budding horns look healthy, as does your coat of fur. On a scale of one to ten, how’s the joint pain today, buddy?”
Nando couldn’t help but smile. “I hope you don’t expect him to answer you.”
“He did.” Evan looked over his shoulder and grinned. God, Nando was falling in lust. “His steady trot over to me tells me he’s having a good day. If you listen and look, the animals will tell you how they feel.”
Nando snorted. “You must have a gallon of Kool-Aid on you. You know, the stuff I’ll have to drink in order to believe what you’re telling me.”
Evan chuckled. “What flavor do you want?”
It was hard to resist Evan’s charms. “Grape is my favorite.”
Evan stood to his full height, which was around six feet three inches. Fuck, the guy was tall.
“Kidding aside, you really can tell. Sometimes I have to run tests, but for the most part, their activity and behavior tells me.”
“I’m back!” Trey walked through the door with a white bag dangling from his hand. “Oh, I didn’t know you were going to be here, Evan, or I would have bought some food for you.”
Nando eyed the two. Trey was the worst actor alive, but Nando let it go and grabbed the bag from Trey’s hand. “I’ll be in the back if you need me.”
“That other container is mine,” Trey shouted as Nando made a hasty retreat.
* * * *
Trey looked over his shoulder as his eyebrows dipped. “I never pegged Nando as being so shy. When we first met, Nando acted blasé, like he was here strictly for a paycheck. But the more I get to know him, the more I realize there are so many layers to him. He truly is an animal lover.”
Evan suspected that his mate’s personality was a front, a shield he hid behind. He just didn’t know why.
“Which means he’ll love your wolf.” Trey winked.
“You have a wolf?” Nando came from the back, handing Trey his container.
Now that was a double-edged question. Evan wasn’t sure how to answer that without flat-out lying to his mate.
“He sure does,” Trey said with a tight smile. “Come over for dinner and I’ll show it to you.”
Evan glared at Trey, but before he could tell the human to shut the hell up and not to dig a hole for them, Nando grinned. “I’ll come, but only if I get to see the wolf. Is he tame?”
Trey snickered, and Evan wished the alpha’s mate would stop trying to help him. He started to correct Trey, to tell Nando that Evan and his wolf were one, but the eager look in Nando’s green eyes sealed Evan’s lips.
“Yes, he’s tame, unless provoked.” Evan cleared his throat, uneasy about the half-truth. “I will see you gentlemen at dinner.”
Shoeshine started bleating, hanging his front legs over the enclosure. The noise incited the puppies, who began to yelp like crazy. The birds fluttered their wings in annoyance, and the guinea pigs scampered back and forth in their cages.
Evan had thought he could visit without causing a commotion. It happened every time he entered a room with a large population of animals. The animals knew he was a wolf shifter, could scent it, and some became excited by his smell.
“That’s so weird,” Nando said as he rounded the counter. “What’s gotten into them?”
Evan bent and petted Shoeshine’s head. The goat tried to lick his fingers while his back legs struggled to get over the enclosure. The goat needed more room, a large yard to run around in, and he would have offered to take the little thing home, but Nando had become too attached to him.