Chapter 23 – Alexis
23
The Cuddle Conundrum
Alexis
CUDDLE?
Gavin really only wants to cuddle ?
I’m thrown off enough by his request that I automatically wiggle my way beneath the light layer of blanket and sheet covering his bed. I’m barely in place before he hooks one thick arm around my waist and pulls me into his side, tucking my body tight against his and planting a kiss on my forehead.
Huh. I guess he does just want to cuddle. I’m not sure how I feel about that.
Messing around is one thing. Scratching itches and fulfilling needs can be only that. Just two people helping each other find physical release. Cuddling is a whole different ball game. One that is way more dangerous than rugby could ever be.
When he spent the night at my apartment, I was nearly comatose as he tucked me into bed, and we both pretty much stayed on our respective sides.
That does not seem to be in the plans for tonight.
Gavin’s thick arm keeps me close as he grabs the remote from his nightstand and switches on the giant television mounted to the wall across from us. It fills the room with a gentle glow and I finally have the chance to look around part of Gavin’s home without worrying I’m about to be accosted by a lizard or feral cat.
It’s pretty bare bones. There’s no headboard or footboard on his bed, just a mattress, albeit a nice one. I splurged on my own bed, but it’s still nowhere near as comfortable as the cloud of angel fluff Gavin owns. The sheets are just as nice. They’re crisp and smooth and they smell fresh and clean.
Besides the amazing bed, there’s only a chest of drawers and the humongous television to round out the room. He doesn’t even have a rug covering the hardwood floor. There’s also no blinds on the floor-to-ceiling windows lining one whole side of the room.
“What do you want to watch?” Gavin flips through the menu on the screen, stopping when he gets to a specific row of shows. “ Maid to Murder , The Santa Stalker , Killer in the Courthouse …” He rattles off a few options as he continues down the line.
I crane my neck to look at him. “How did you know I liked to watch—”
“Creepy shit that would give most people nightmares?” He lifts an eyebrow at me. “I saw the ‘recently watched’ list on your bedroom TV.” His lips quirk. “Kind of a weird way to wind down at night, but I have a one-eyed lizard in my bathroom, so I don’t think I have room to judge anyone for anything.”
WAKING UP NEXT to Gavin is just as strange the second time it happens. Both because he’s basically wrapped around me, and because I’m not in my own bed.
“Morning.” His voice is sleepy and soft in my ear. “How did you sleep?”
I peek at him from the corner of one eye. “I guess I know how my stuffed animals felt when I was a kid now.”
Gavin chuckles, the deep sound reverberating through his chest and into my right side where he’s pressed against me. “Funny.”
“You’re the only person who thinks so.” No one has ever accused me of being funny. I don’t try to be. I know it’s not my skill set. Organization? Styling? Solving a cold case through a television screen? Those are things I’m good at.
“Most people just don’t get your sense of humor.”
I peek his way again, angling a brow. “And you do?”
Gavin shifts around, bracing one bent arm against the pillow before propping his head on his hand. “I do.”
He sounds so confident. So certain of the very thing that made me come here in the first place. Sure, the possibility of finally having sex with the man I’ve spent a good part of my life lusting after was a big draw too, but the real reason I agreed was because Gavin makes me feel understood.
And that doesn’t happen for me much.
I’m not sure how to respond since I’m not faced with this scenario often, but it turns out I don’t have to. Because a loud crash from somewhere else in the condo has both of us sitting up straight.
“What was that?”
“I’ll give you two guesses.” Gavin is off the bed before I can blink, the sight of him in nothing but his underwear making my belly flip because all of that man muscle was pressed against me all night long. Unfortunately none of it went inside me, but I guess you can’t have it all.
Sliding off the mattress, I creep behind him, glancing around as I follow him down the hall. His condo is bigger than I initially thought, with a third bedroom right across from the master. It’s set up as a super sparse office, with nothing but a bare desk and a cheap rolling chair. The door to the second bedroom is closed since it currently has a cat inside, and the full bathroom across the hall is the same, but because of a one-eyed lizard. I get a peek at the living room as we pause in front of the closed doors, and now that I’m not in a full panic chasing wild animals, I can see it is just as basic as everything else.
“Have you lived here for a long time?” I’m trying to remember when he moved in, but it must not be as long ago as I think. Surely Gavin would have bought a dining room table by now if he’d been here any length of time.
He shrugs. “A couple years, I guess.”
That has my head bobbing back in surprise. “Two years?” I turn again to the large open area that should consist of the living room and a dining room space. All it has is a sofa, a couple recliners, and a giant television like the one in his bedroom. “Why don’t you have more stuff?”
“Because I’m a guy, Al.” Gavin cracks the door of the bathroom. “I don’t know how to pick shit like that.” He swings the door wider, stepping in.
I follow him in and find the bathroom looks exactly as it did last night. Not a thing is out of place, and there’s an iguana on the shower curtain rod. “Looks like whatever happened is behind door number two.”
Gavin turns, shooting me a smirk. “So I told you once you were funny and now you’re going to be a comedian?”
I roll my eyes, smothering out a smile. “Fuck you.”
Gavin reaches for me, pulling me close. “That doesn’t sound like a bad idea, but we’ve got some shit to deal with right now, so you’re going to have to wait.”
For some reason that irritates me. “When have you ever made a woman wait to have sex with you?”
The minute the words clear my lips I feel bad. I really don’t judge Gavin for what he’s done before me. I’m just starting to get a little bitter he hasn’t also done it with me.
But Gavin doesn’t seem offended by my outburst. His expression is soft and a little perplexed as he reaches up to run a finger along the line of my jaw, pausing under my chin to tip my face back. “Never. You are the first.” He leans closer until his lips almost touch mine. “You have always been the exception, Al.”
I’m holding my breath, ready to be kissed.
But then freaking Cilantro has to try to tear the building down with her own four paws again.
Gavin closes his eyes, letting out a slow breath. “I’m kind of afraid of what’s behind that door.”
“Yeah. It doesn’t sound like Cilantro is a big fan of your new pet.” I think through the entire situation. “Or me. Either way, she’s pretty pissed off about someone else being in her house.”
“She’s used to having me all to herself.” He gives me a slow, sexy smile. “Luckily, there’s a lot of me to go around.”
From the other bedroom, Cilantro lets out a blood curdling scream and then there’s another crash. “I believe she disagrees strongly.”
“That’s her entire personality in a nutshell.” After another deep breath, Gavin turns to the door and cracks it open. It’s barely ajar when a pink nose shoves in the gap, pushing it wider so a skinny, sleek body can wiggle out.
I take a step back, just in case I’m the one his cat’s pissed at. Cilantro races past Gavin, tossing a hiss his direction, before winding her way around my ankles. I freeze, scared she’ll suddenly use her danger mittens to climb me like a tree so she can scratch my eyeballs out, leaving me looking like the lizard one room over.
But she doesn’t. Cilantro just tips her head back, looks at me with wide golden eyes and lets out the sweetest sounding meow.
I sense a trap. The minute I reach for her she’s going to go all Jekyll and Hyde on me. I know it.
But then she starts to purr, rubbing her little face against my shin, and I feel bad. She was locked in that room all night, and is probably used to sleeping next to Gavin.
I wonder if he uses her like a teddy bear too.
A pang of something shoots through my gut, making me press a hand to my middle. What the fuck? Am I jealous of a cat?
Cilantro gives me another sweet meow, and I bend down, intending to just pat her head. But the second I get close, she stretches up, paws resting against my thigh like she’s reaching for me. Like she wants me to hold her.
And I’m a dumbass sucker, because I do it. I pick up the feral cat named after dish soap herbs.
I am smart enough to close my eyes, though. Just in case.
But Cilantro doesn’t attack me. Nope. She cuddles close, continuing to rub against me like I’m her new best friend. Like I’m her favorite person in the world. Like everyone else is garbage.
That’s when it hits me. “Holy shit. She is so pissed at you she’s willing to be nice to me to make you mad.”
Gavin chuckles, seeming pleased at his cat’s manipulative tactics. “She’s a funny—” He reaches out, like he’s gonna pet her, and Cilantro’s head swivels his way, mouth opening wide in a fang bearing hiss.
“You be nice.” I gently chastise the cat, pulling her away just in case she decides to lunge. “He can’t help it if his fancy British neighbor couldn’t handle a lizard.”
“To be fair,” Gavin flips on the bedroom light, “Fynn wasn’t there when the iguana broke in.” He scans the room Cilantro tried to single pawdedly dismantle, looking over the boxes stacked inside. “I don’t think she broke anything. Just knocked over everything she could.”
I lean down to look Cilantro in the eyes. “You’re not too mad then, are you? If you were really mad, you would have shredded everything he owned.”
She answers me with a loud purr and a quick lick on the tip of my thumb.
Gavin rakes one hand through his hair, looking around the room then at the closed bathroom door. “I guess I’ve got to figure out what to do with the iguana.”
“Good luck with that. I don’t have a clue…” Wait. “I might actually know someone who can help.” I carry Cilantro into the bedroom, letting her go when she starts to wiggle free. She jumps up and circles the unmade bed, dropping down into a spot and kneading the sheets with her paws as I collect my cell and open up my contacts. “My boss has a giant snake, so he might know what to do.” I’m about to press Grant’s number when it starts to ring in my hand.
And my stomach hits the floor.
My eyes snap to Gavin. “It’s Leo.”
He stills. “You’ve gotta answer it.”
Holding one finger in front of my lips like Gavin doesn’t already know to keep his mouth shut, I connect the call. “Hello?”
“I need to talk to you about something. I’m on my way over.”
I clamp one hand over my mouth to stifle the panicked yelp that tries to sneak free. I’m an adult. Gavin’s an adult. We can do what we want. But Leo is already in a delicate state. I’m not sure how he might react to finding out I’ve seen his best friend naked, and I’m not so much in the mood to find out.
Plus, now that I know a little more about Gavin’s life, I don’t want to risk him being shut out by my brother over something ridiculous. And, given how reactive Leo’s been lately, there’s a good chance that might happen.
“Umm. Can you give me a little bit?” My brain races, trying to come up with a reason Leo would take seriously. “I’m waxing my butt crack.”
The. Fuck?
Of all the things I could have claimed, why—WHY—is that the one I chose?
Gavin’s brows jump high on his forehead as my face heats in embarrassment.
“Fuck, Alexis. You coulda kept that to yourself.” Leo blows out a sigh. “How about an hour? Does that give you time to put your ass crack away?”
“Yup. Thanks.” I’m barely paying attention as my brother hangs up because I’m too busy trying not to die of mortification.
I slide my phone into the pocket of my pajama pants, looking everywhere but Gavin’s face. “So, I’m gonna go.” I start backing toward the hall. “I hope you get the whole iguana situation figured out.” I spin and practically run for the door, snatching my bag and keys off the counter, face on fire as I continue my escape.
“Al.” Gavin says my name but I’m already turning toward the door, desperate to get the heck out of here before I go up in flames.
“ Alexis .” This time he’s louder, but I keep going, managing to get the door part way open before a big hand slams against it, closing the steel slab with a bang that sends me jumping back.
Gavin props into place, leaning a shoulder on the frame as he lifts an eyebrow, staring at me expectantly. I try to step back, but his hand comes to grip my hip, pulling me closer to him. “Where are you going?”
I swallow hard, already getting distracted by his closeness. “I’m leaving. Leo’s coming to my place.”
“Mmmhmm.” Gavin’s eyes move over my face. “And you were just gonna walk out without giving me a kiss goodbye or telling me when I get to see you again?”
“Well…” I run out of words, because what he’s describing doesn’t sound like the situation this started as. It sounds more like a relationship. And I’m not sure how to unpack the baggage I’m carrying for that.
Gavin leans down, pressing a sweet, soft kiss to my lips. He stays so close his nose nearly touches mine and says, “I’ll see you tonight. I’ve still got something I want to show you.”
“Kay.” I don’t know what else to say, and I can’t trust my idiot mouth to handle itself with any sort of respectability.
He leans back, turns me toward the door, then opens it. I’m in the hall when he says my name once again.
“Alexis.”
Pausing, I turn to find him relaxing against the opening, lips tipped up in a smirk.
His eyes run down my frame before coming back to my face. “For the record, I’m not concerned about the state of your butt crack. At all.”