Chapter 22 – Gavin
22
She’s Not For Everyone
Gavin
AL’S FLUSHED SKIN has my dick hard in a flash, as all sorts of dirty thoughts race through my head. Thoughts that involve her sprawled across my mattress, watching me with those wide eyes, her cheeks pink as I bury myself to the hilt in her warm, welcoming body.
That’s got to be why I don’t notice Cilantro strolling into the bathroom. It’s also why the sound of my cat’s low growl doesn’t immediately register. Now that I’ve finally given in, I’m so wrapped up in the possibility of Alexis being mine, it’s not until the iguana in my arms jumps to the floor that I notice there’s a problem.
Al’s shrill scream fills the bathroom as she backs away, practically climbing up onto the double vanity as the lizard takes off after my cat. I have no choice but to follow them out, uncertain which of the two I’ll have to save. My money is on Cilantro getting the upper hand. Paw? But then again, I haven’t seen all the lizard brings to the table. He might be a scrappy bastard.
Cilantro darts across the hall and into my bedroom, nothing but a black blur as she screeches at the top of her lungs. The iguana is shockingly fast for as old as it looks, long claws scratching against the floor as it scurries after her.
“Was that your cat?”
I turn to find Alexis behind me, her small body tucked behind my back, fingers once again fisted in my shirt. Having her use me for protection is embarrassingly satisfying and sends my chest puffing. “Yeah. She’s pretty feral.”
Al’s brows lift and her head tips to one side. “Honestly, that’s probably gonna work in her favor.”
She’s right. Cilantro can likely take care of herself, but I’ll feel like a complete asshole if she mauls a lizard who’s already been torn up a few times in its life.
Al’s grip on me suddenly tightens and she screams again, her short frame scrambling up my back until her arms are wrapped around my neck so tight I can barely breathe. I press one hand against her ass, hefting her higher just as Cilantro races out of the bedroom and between my legs, lizard still in pursuit.
I pivot, following them down the hall, but only make it a few steps into the living room where they disappeared before my front door flies open and my neighbor races in, an umbrella gripped in one hand and his wife shoved behind his back with the other. “What the bloody hell is going on in here?” Fynn’s wild eyes snap around my apartment before finally coming to rest on where Alexis clings to my back, her short legs hooked at my waist. His dark brows lift and the arm holding the umbrella drops. “Have we interrupted?”
I’d laugh if I wasn’t worried there was about to be bloodshed in my condo. “This isn’t a sex thing, asshole.” I go back to my task of catching the iguana. “That little problem I handled for you earlier is about to get its face scratched off by my cat.”
Alexis clings to me, squealing a little as I drop to my hands and knees so I can see under the furniture. “It’s not your cat you’re worried about?” Her sweet voice in my ear and the press of her tits against my back threatens to distract me, but somehow I manage to stay focused.
I deserve a fucking award for that.
“Cilantro is pretty good at taking care of herself.” The sound of my cat’s slow growl sends me crawling toward the sofa. “I’ll feel bad if she hurts that fucking lizard though.”
Guilt makes me move faster, the slight weight of Alexis barely slowing me down as I reach the couch. Working quickly, I grip the arm with one hand and shove it away from the wall. There, standing face-to-face, are my cat and the lizard. Both are completely still, but I know it’s only a matter of time before one of them makes a move.
“Al, I’m gonna need your help on this one.”
Alexis shakes her head, arms tightening at my neck. “Nope. Not happening.”
“Do you want to witness a bloodbath?” I lean to one side, trying to slip her off. “Because if we don’t get these two apart, that’s what’s gonna happen.”
Alexis hits the floor with a little grunt and huffs out a breath. “Fine. But I get the cat.”
“Trust me when I tell you the lizard is the lesser of two evils.” I inch closer to the face-off. “If you try to grab Cilantro, you’re going to be the one involved in a bloodbath.”
Alexis pushes up on her knees, full lips pressing into a confused frown. “Why is your cat named Cilantro?”
As cute as Alexis looks with her hair wild and her brows pinched, I cannot take my focus off my cat. “Because she’s not for everyone.”
She snorts. “That’s actually kinda brilliant.” After a very loud, very dramatic sigh, Alexis finally scoots behind me in the general direction of the lizard. “If this thing bites me, I’m going to kill you.”
“If it bites you, I will let you kill me.” I’m now within grabbing distance of Cilantro, but I’m afraid if I scoop her up, the lizard will leap. I need Alexis to grab the lizard the same time I grab the cat. “On the count of three.”
“How about ten?” Alexis wiggles her fingers, cringing as she prepares.
“One. Two.” I risk taking my eyes off Cilantro to give Alexis an encouraging smile before I say, “three.”
To my surprise, Alexis doesn’t hesitate. She scoops up the lizard and spins away, shuffling across the wood floor on her knees. I tuck Cilantro into one arm, smoothing along her head as I try to calm her down. “I’m sorry. I should have been more careful.”
Alexis makes a little squeaking sound and I hurry her way. She’s propped against one of my recliners, legs out in front of her, eyes wide, with the lizard stretched up her middle and its head resting on her shoulder. Almost the same way most people hold a baby.
She cringes, mouth tight and teeth clenched, as she awkwardly pats it on the back. “There, there.”
“Uhhhh.” Valerie looks from me to Alexis. “I’m still confused.”
I didn’t expect to be introducing Alexis to my neighbors yet. I was hoping for a little time to ease them into my new situation. Not because I didn’t want them to know. I just didn’t want them to be weird about it in front of Alexis. And considering this is the first time they’ve actually seen me with a woman, they’re gonna be weird about it.
Fynn slowly smiles. “I’m not.” He hooks one arm around Valerie’s shoulders. “Come on, Darling. You can meet Gavin’s new friend some other time.”
My neighbor leads his wife out of my condo, and I breathe out a sigh of relief when the door closes behind them. I’m going to owe him a beer. Or five.
“I’m guessing those are your neighbors?” Alexis gives the lizard another pet. “It’s nice that they were ready to defend you.”
“Fynn’s a good guy. He and I have been friends for a while.” I carry Cilantro to the spare bedroom, setting her inside before shutting her in. It’s basically her room, so her food and water and litter box are already inside. She’s not used to having the door closed, but she’ll be fine until I figure out what in the heck to do with old one-eye.
I come back to the living room to find Alexis on her feet, looking comically overwhelmed by the gigantic lizard in her arms. “You want me to take him?”
Alexis tucks her chin to peek down at the beast. “I think he’s asleep.”
“Yeah. He fell asleep on me earlier. I think he’s had a rough go of it.” I recount the events of my afternoon, filling Alexis in on how I came to be in possession of a green iguana. When I tell her how it got into Fynn and Val’s condo, her eyes immediately jump to my own balcony.
“It’s locked.” I move in and gently take the lizard from her arms. “I think I’m going to put him back in the bathroom for tonight.” If Cilantro’s locked up, he has to be locked up too. It’s only fair.
Alexis follows behind me, still looking confused by the whole situation. “So why didn’t Valerie call a lizard catcher or something? They have to exist. There’s all kinds of weird reptiles in Florida.”
After settling the sleeping iguana onto the rug in front of the sink, I close the door. “She did, and they said green iguanas are an invasive species, so they would kill it.”
Al’s eyes fix on the bathroom door, her expression somber. “Well that’s not very nice.”
“It’s not.” I rest one palm against her back, directing her to the living room. “That’s why Valerie came to me.”
Al’s head snaps my way, brows jumping up. “Because she thinks you are nice?” If I didn’t know Alexis so well, I wouldn’t notice the slight softening of her lips or the hint of a sparkle in her eyes. I would think she was being a bitch. And I hate to think how many men have had that same exact thought about her. Then again, it’s likely the only thing that kept me from having to look at more pricks like Huge-nose. Hating their existence. Sick at the sight of them with her because I know they’re not good enough.
I’m not good enough either, but at least I know it.
“I’m nice enough I didn’t eat your Italian cream cake even though it’s my favorite.” I pull Alexis close, running my hands down the curved lines of her small frame. “Thank you for braving my lizard.”
The twinkle of mischief in her eyes grows. “I don’t mind at all.” She angles an eyebrow at me. “This lizard was way more agreeable than the other one I had to deal with. Plus, it didn’t ruin my clothes.”
“If you’re going to keep holding that over my head, I might as well go around ruining everything you own.” I press my hips against her so she can feel the rigid line of my dick. “I might start with these pajamas.”
Al’s eyes widen. “You better not.”
The threat in her tone makes me think Alexis is more like her mother than she realizes. Not so much in personality, but temperament. I’m willing to wager that given the right set of circumstances, Alexis would be just as vicious as the woman who raised her.
“I should probably behave myself since now you know all it takes is a couple screams to make my neighbors take advantage of the keycode I gave them.”
Alexis narrows her eyes. “I’m a little concerned there hasn’t been screaming in your condo before now.” She tips her head. “It’s making me reconsider my decision to spend the night.”
A bark of laughter breaks free, a level of happiness I’ve never experienced consuming me. I didn’t know how much it bothered me that I couldn’t tease Alexis anymore. Having her not only allow my teasing, but also dish out some of her own, is fucking amazing.
Almost as amazing as it’s going to be having her in my bed tonight.
Even though I have no plans for any more screaming.
I scoop her up, carrying her down the hall. “Too late to change your mind now.” I bump the door to my bedroom open wider, going straight to the king-sized bed lined against one wall and dumping her into the center of the mattress.
Alexis lets out a little squeal as she flails around. “You can’t just throw me around.”
“I can. I think I’ve proven that.” Grabbing the covers, I yank them back, shucking my clothes before sliding beneath the blankets in nothing but my briefs. “Now get your cute ass under here so we can cuddle.”