“Works for me.” She winked at Spencer as Jim helped her up off the floor. “Chick flick?”
Spencer blinked, pausing in his rapturous scratching of George’s floppy ears. “Only if you rip my testicles off first.”
Chloe laughed again as Jim began ordering their food. Spencer was a riot. How could anyone not like him? Maybe she would figure out some way to get Wanda Woods to accept him, because it was obvious Spencer wasn’t the only one who needed his brother in his life. If anyone could “pull him out of his head”, it would be Spence.
“All right.” Jim settled on the sofa, a beer in one hand and his remote in the other. “Have I got something for you.” He rubbed his hands together as the beginning credits began to roll.
“What the…?” Spencer tilted his head. “Cartoons?”
Chloe gasped. “Oh my God! It’s Princess Mononoke!” She hugged Jim tight, almost knocking the beer can out of his hand. “This is perfect!”
For a moment he looked utterly shocked, then hugged her back fiercely. “I love a woman who’s willing to let her geek flag fly.”
“Can we do Spirited Away next?” Chloe was practically bouncing in her seat, forcing Jim to put his beer down.
“I don’t see why not.” Jim kissed the top of her head.
“If we’re doing cartoons tonight, we do Monty Python Saturday night.” Spencer slumped in his chair, pouting adorably.
Chloe stared at him, hoping she wouldn’t laugh. “Cartoons? Cartoons? Princess Mononoke is one of the breast fantasy films ever made.” She hmph’d. “Heathen.”
Spencer held up his hands. “Hey, no one told me it was a breast fantasy. That I’m down for.”
Chloe rolled her yes. “Pig.”
“Oink.” Spencer started paying attention to the television, only moving to answer the door and pay for the pizza while Jim held George back. For all his razzing about cartoons, he was quickly as engrossed as Chloe and Jim in the epic tale of Ashitaka and San.
Jim’s scent wrapped around her, warming her from the inside out. His easy breathing, the way he adjusted his arm automatically when she moved, the soft little kisses he peppered on her head, told her more than words that he was beyond pleased she was there, in his home, sucking down his pepperoni pizza like sausage was going out of style.
Jim was having one of the best damn days of his life. He’d woken up that morning to an armful of snuggly redhead, his mate’s scent on his sheets making his Wolf practically purr in satisfaction. His brother had made blueberry pancakes for breakfast, proving once again that Jim had gotten his cooking skills from his mother. When he’d left for work, Chloe had been looking up ways to get certified as a vet tech so she could begin working at his clinic as soon as possible while fending off an overenthusiastic armful of puppy love.
Best of all, Chloe’s things were in his bathroom, her clothing taking up space in his closets and drawers. The thrill he’d felt when he’d seen her feminine hygiene products snuggled next to his shaving kit should have given him the heebie-jeebies, but instead he’d pumped his fist.
You knew a woman meant to stay when her tampons were nestled up against your aftershave balm.
To top it all off, one of his clients had brought in a pregnant stray who’d just birthed some of the most adorable kittens he’d seen in a long time. She’d told him that she couldn’t bring any of them home, so Jim was going to find places for the stray and her babies once he was sure they were all healthy.
He already knew where two of the kittens would go. Chloe would adore the little white one with the single black spot on its nose, while the only little tiger-striped baby would go straight to Emma. The other three he’d have to put up for adoption.
“We’re keeping one.” Irene smiled as she watched the little fur balls sleep. “The clinic needs another pet, and a cat is always a good one.”
Jim shrugged. “We can do that, but you’re cleaning the litter box.”
She snorted out a laugh. “We’ll see.” She patted him on the back. “When will Chloe be starting work? We could really use the help.”
“She’s looking into her certs.” Jim shrugged off his lab coat, eager to get home to his mate. “As soon as she has them she starts.”
“Good. I wish we could have her come in earlier, do the work she used to do.”
“Not with her hand the way it is.” Chloe had done quite a lot around the clinic, helping with the animals, soothing the clients, and running the more delicate labs. She’d been a sparkling presence, and he missed her more and more each day he worked without her.
Damn it. He should have listened to Emma when she told him he was being unreasonable about Chloe’s age, but he’d been blind to how much he truly cared about her until after she’d been hurt. He was going to spend the rest of his life making it up to her, loving her the way he should have right from the beginning.
“Earth to Jim, come in, Jim.” Irene waved her hand in front of his face. “Where did you go to?”
Jim shrugged. “Chloe, who else?”
She laughed. “Ah, new love.”
He didn’t correct her. His love for Chloe had started when she still worked for him, way before she found herself in the hospital. But not only was she too young, it was unethical to date his employee, a rule he was happily tossing out the window now that he’d claimed her.
“You gonna put a ring on it before someone else snatches it up?”
Jim snarled, startling Irene.
“I’ll take that as a yes.”
“Sorry.” Jim huffed out a breath and ran his fingers through his hair. “It feels like I’ve waited forever for her to grow up, and now that she has I’m all ‘mine mine mine’.”
“Well, I’m happy for you. I’m also glad I don’t have to listen to you pining for her anymore.” She shuddered dramatically. “I swear, you have more estrogen than I do.”
He flipped her off, ignoring her laughter in favor of waving good-bye to the other vet tech, Clare. It was Saturday afternoon, his new partner had the evening shift, and Jim was off tomorrow.
Man, it was a great day.
He stepped outside into the sweltering heat of the parking lot, almost gasping at the sensation of stepping into a broiling oven. He was glad Chloe and Spence had chosen to remain home today rather than try and do the grocery shopping. While both were doing better healthwise, he’d worry far too much about them in the heat without being there himself.