The Billionaire's Unconventional Love Affair

Chapter 5: Evan

I put my bag down just inside the front door and shut it behind me. It's a relief to finally be home, even if the weather is hotter here. The house echoes as I walk down the tiled hallway to the kitchen. Gleaming mahogany-style cupboards and tabletops greet me as I pull open the fridge to grab a beer. I have a housekeeper that comes in every second day since I'm terrible at doing domestic things like dusting or folding laundry. I just never got into the habit of it.

I leave the kitchen and continue to the open-plan living/dining room. The sofa looks inviting and it's tempting to just crash and watch some Netflix, but the pool is calling me. I unlock and open the sliding door, setting my beer down on the table under the covered terrace before stripping and diving into the pool. I do a few laps, enjoying the feel of water sliding against my heated skin with every stroke. The Imperial didn't have a pool and swimming in the ocean just isn't the same. There were some places that sand should never get into.

I flip over onto my back, my heart racing from the workout, and just float for a while as I think back on my trip to the city. Discussions had gone fairly well after I went to see the resort. It's really quite lovely and has great potential. Steven had been surprisingly accommodating with all the changes we needed to implement and I'm grateful that he hadn't given us a hard time. Thinking of the resort brought my thoughts back to Malcolm and Mira. I could so easily see them there, and it had been difficult to concentrate on my task at the time.

But floating in the pool now, with nothing but the water around me and the sun on my skin, there's nothing that needs my attention. Malcolm had messaged me a few times, asking how my deal was going; if I wanted to have drinks with them when I got back. I'm still uncertain about all of it. I want to be a part of his life again but this time, there would be no work as a buffer between us. And Mira could hardly be considered a buffer since I want her, too.

I climb out, my feet burning slightly on the hot stone as I move to the terrace. Grabbing my beer, I sink onto one of the pool loungers and gaze out at the extensive grounds. While the front of the house is fully paved, I splurged on the backyard. There's an open fireplace off to one side of the terrace, and a fully stocked bar on the other side.

Beside the pool is a wooden deck with a sunken seating area filled with plush sofas. It seats 10 and has a metal table in the center to place drinks on. Beyond the entertainment area is a well-groomed lawn that stretches to the back wall of the property. I had trees planted along the back wall to preserve my privacy.

It was a great space for a party or even just relaxing with a few friends. Not that I'd know. The only person who ever visits is Ryan. I never have parties. I'm not a fan of entertaining people. Although I could easily picture them here. Swimming, sunbathing, lounging on the sofa….having picnics on the grass.

I finish off the beer and head inside. I should get some work done. The deal with Steven really put me behind and I needed to catch up. Grabbing my clothes, I head upstairs to my bedroom, dripping water the entire way. This is why I chose non-slip tiles; I always forget to take a towel to the pool. My phone starts buzzing and I search through my pockets, cursing all the way to the bedroom. I should have taken it out of my pants before I undressed. I finally manage to locate it and check the caller ID. s**t.

"Hello," I say gruffly. I clear my throat and head to the bathroom. I put the toilet seat down and sit on the lid, knowing I needed to sit for this conversation. She had a way of knocking me off balance.

"Hi, Evan. I was just checking if you got home okay." Mira says, her voice and concern warming me.

"Yeah. I got back not long ago. I actually just got out of the pool. Was about to jump into the shower." I say. She really didn't need all that information. I rub the bridge of my nose, wondering why my mouth had to run away like that.

"Oh. Well, I'll let you get to that then." She says. Did she sound a little breathless? The thought made me smile.

"Hold on. Since I have you on the phone anyway. When would be a good day to come see the shelter?"

"Oh. Right. Tomorrow is fine? If you're not busy." She rambles adorably and I have a difficult time not laughing. At least no one was around to see the goofy smile on my face.

"Sounds good. What time?" I ask.

"The clinic usually gets a lot of walk-ins in the morning. How about after lunch? Around 2 pm maybe?"

"That's perfect. It'll give me a chance to get some work done too."

"Alright. Great. I'll see you tomorrow then." She says, sounding nervous.

"See you tomorrow. " I hang up and slip off my briefs, glaring down at my erection. "You really need to stop this. I hope you don't misbehave tomorrow because I doubt Mira would appreciate it."

I suppose I couldn't blame it. It has been a long time since it's seen any action. Turning on the shower, I step under the cold spray and smile.

Tomorrow is going to be interesting.

***

Stepping into Golden Paws, I glance around the reception/seating area with a critical eye. There were animal and information posters on the walls and wooden benches that would be easy to wipe off and disinfect. The windows are wide and open to the fullest, allowing fresh air to flow through. The smell of fur assaults my nose even though there aren't many people waiting with their pets. I wonder briefly if the smell ever goes away. It isn't unpleasant, just noticeable.

The receptionist calls me and I greet her. "What can I do for you today, sir?" She asks politely.

"I'm here to see Mira," I say.

She raises a brow at that and looks me over. "In relation to what?" All friendliness is gone from her tone and I wonder briefly how close the two are.

"She's expecting me. I'm Evan." I say, trying my best to be cordial since this is Mira's employee.

She picks up her phone, giving me the evil eye the entire time. I wander over to an empty seat while I wait for Mira. It doesn't take long, and soon the tiny spitfire is exiting the door to what I assume are the examination rooms.

I stand to greet her and the smile she gives me is dazzling. "Evan. I'm so glad you could make it." She says.

"I said I'd be here," I say.

"Follow me to the back? I assume you want a full tour?" She asks.

"Yes." I follow behind her and she shows me one of the empty examination rooms.

"I'll show you the others once the vets are finished. I don't want to disturb them. But they all have the same layout and are fully stocked with everything we need for a consult." She says, pointing out the metal exam table, basin, cupboards, and computer. "We keep only the most necessary medication in the exam rooms. If they need to take medication home, we give them a receipt for the pharmacy which is in the small building beside this one." I nod since I noticed it coming in. "Right." She laughs nervously. She continues to ramble, opening draws and cupboards to show me everything that's stocked in the room.

"Mira," I say. She turns to me with her bottom lip caught between her teeth and I almost reach out to pull it free. "You don't need to be nervous. I'm only here because I want to see what it is you do. I already said that I'm going to become an investor. You don't need to persuade me." I smile as she deflates and looks away. "How about you show me your animals?" I ask.

She beams up at me as if I just offered her the moon. "Sure. Come on." She practically bounces with excitement and I chuckle as I follow her. "Okay, so these are the kennels. Be warned: it's about to get loud." She pushes the door open and the barking starts up immediately, quickly followed by hissing and mewling complaints. "These are the ones who are staying for treatment. Their owners will collect them as soon we're certain of their health." She moves towards the back of the large room. "And these are mine." She waves her hand to indicate the dozens of kennels before us. There's even a mini play area filled with cats and kittens. "Well, they're mine until I find them proper homes."

She leads me to each kennel, introducing me to the dogs first. Some have more than one in a kennel and she explains that they're the ones who have bonded with each other and will be homed together if at all possible. Her excitement and love for them are palpable, and I suddenly wish I was one of her foundlings.

We pass the smaller kennels, some with cats, others empty. The empty ones are for the cats that are in the play area she'd built. The others haven't been socialized yet and still need time to adjust to other felines.

"You really love them," I say. She blushes as I continue. "I can see it in how well you interact with each of them. Their kennels are clean and cozy. They have beds and blankets and toys, and you seem to know each of their individual personalities and needs….you have a big heart, Mira and that is an amazing thing in a world as cruel as ours."

She looks at me with wide eyes and swallows hard before looking away. "They, like children, are true innocents. Animals don't know how to be cruel and unkind, and they don't understand it when people treat them badly. They're pure souls and all I want is to make sure they receive all the love and care that they deserve." She turns back to me with a smile. "Let me show you out back."

***

"You didn't have to spend your entire afternoon here, you know?" Mira says as I help her feed the cats for the night. "And you really didn't need to help me with this."

"I don't mind. Although some of your dogs are definitely not a fan of me." I shudder as I remember a few that had been aggressive towards me. Mira had calmed them down easily enough and then proceeded to explain the dos and don'ts to me. The cats seem to like me better. None of them have tried to bite or scratch me.

"Sorry about that. I should have warned you."

"It's okay. I know better now. And I'm glad I stayed. I got to see you in your element. Malcolm is right; you are amazing."

She smiles. "Thank you."

She always smiles and laughs so easily. That's not to say she isn't fierce when she needs to be. Like when one of her inspectors had returned with a sickly looking dog with freshly cropped ears and an infection because of it. She had been vibrating with a quiet type of fury even as she treated the dog with gentle hands and a kind voice. I knew that if the culprit had been in front of her right then, she probably would have punched them.

"Would you like to come for supper? I'm sure Malcolm would love to see you." She looks at me expectantly and I know that I have to take a step back. I probably shouldn't have spent the day here, bonding with her over her animals.

"Maybe next time. I need to draw up a proposal for my business partner. He'll probably want to come see Golden Paws for himself so be warned." I say. Her face falls in disappointment but I know this is for the best.

She walks me out and I nod at the surly receptionist who glares back at me. What the hell is her problem?

"Thanks for today, Evan." She says as we stand beside my car. "I really appreciate it. You went out of your way to spend time with my babies and that means a lot." She steps closer to me and I swallow nervously. "It also means a lot that you're willing to take a chance on Golden Paws. I can't tell you how many companies I've gone to, trying to get donations and investments. So thank you."

And then she's pressed flush against me with her arms around my waist and her head nestled under my chin. A perfect fit. I bring my arms up slowly, wrapping them around her slight frame. So much fire in such a small body.

"You're welcome, Mira." I pull away and climb into my car before I do something stupid.

I watch her in the rearview mirror before pulling my eyes away. At least my body had behaved today; I wish I could say the same about my heart.