Chapter 9
Chapter Nine
JOSHUA
Having dinner with Lexi and Mr. Snuggles definitely wasn’t something I was anticipating when I made the drive here today.
In fact, neither was seeing her at all. But I can’t say I’m disappointed.
I’ve always liked Lexi. She’s sweet, smart, sexy, easy to talk to and I find her witty as hell.
She has a great reputation in the industry for being professional and knowing her shit. You also don’t mess with her.
I know from our interactions over the years that she has her realtor license, which comes in handy from time to time; like right now when Ali’s sick and Lexi has to stand in for her client.
When she mentioned Melinda, I was more than a little surprised.
I know it’s a small town around here and all, but I wasn’t exactly thinking I’d be hearing my ex’s name or be seeing her any time soon.
But since I want to be a gentleman and drop Lexi off at the house tomorrow, I’d hazard a guess that I will run into Melinda.
Despite that, it really isn’t that awkward between us at all.
We’re nothing like what most exes I know are.
We don’t hate one another. We’ve remained friends for years; something people might consider slightly unusual or strange, but neither of us were into drama or dragging shit out.
We also quickly realized we were way better off as friends.
Another person I wasn’t thinking I’d be friends with is Mr. Snuggles.
After our little escapade in the shower earlier, and him clawing my leg to death to try and escape, I thought there was no chance in hell we could put that behind us.
But the minute I put the pan on the grill and started frying the fish for our dinner, he trotted in the kitchen on cue like he’d lived in this very cabin his whole life.
He also acted like I was cooking just for him. His progressively loud meowing in my general direction, while I was tongs deep into the frying pan, kinda gave it away. Fresh fish on the ready is probably something he expects when he’s at home, I’m sure.
I’ll bet Lexi is an excellent cat-mom. Up until today, I thought I had a knack with four legged friends; I’ve always loved animals, and mostly, they’ve always loved me, too.
I had a cat growing up, a black and white tabby called Persia.
She lived until she was sixteen. My folks adopted her when I was a toddler, and she kinda became my cat as I got older.
Maybe because I was the first born and she’d slept on the end of my bed for as long as I could remember.
But we had something special and I loved her, we all did.
She’s been gone for five years now, and I’d love to have more pets, but I also know how busy my schedule is and how little time I have at home.
We engage in light banter over dinner, and sure as I suspected, Lexi cuts some fresh fish up for her cat.
Mr. Snuggles already had a sneaky little bite when I was cooking it earlier, when it had cooled down.
I couldn’t have him sitting there staring at me in the middle of the kitchen floor and not give him anything.
I muse at the way she takes care to make sure it’s cut up into perfectly sized chewable pieces, and Mr. Snuggles laps it up like his last supper.
“Do you think I’ve redeemed myself with Mr. Snuggles for cooking his dinner?” I ask over coffee later. We’ve been chatting lightly over dinner, mainly work and the property market in general. Nothing too heavy. Nothing at all to do with the shower incident earlier.
She glances down to the cat bed on the floor, nestled between the small space between us at the two-seater dining table and laughs quietly.
I follow her gaze and see he’s all cozied up, half on his back, half on his side, clearly worn out from the day's escapades. “I think he’s pretty comfortable with you now.”
“I’m suspicious that the whole fresh fish thing for his dinner isn’t exactly a once off.”
Another smile forms on her sweet, pert pink lips, that are equally sexy and distracting. “I am guilty of maybe spoiling him a little more than I should,” she admits sheepishly.
I almost scoff at a little, but manage to keep my humor in check. “I’m sure he has no idea what you’re talking about.”
She laughs. It’s soft and sweet, like everything else about her.
“I know I keep saying it, but I’m sorry again for that whole thing earlier.
” Uh, oh. She wafts her hand in the direction of the bathroom, like seeing me naked with her cat clinging to me in the shower can be erased, and then her attempt to work around me by trying to grab him.
A smile touches my lips as the memory of it dusts through my mind.
I admire her attempt at casually brushing it over, but her cute little blush gives it away.
We both know what she saw, and it was more than she bargained for.I don’t feel weird about it, on the contrary.
“If ever I wanted to be sprung in the shower by a crazy cat on the loose, then I’d want it to be Mr. Snuggles,” I say, trying to keep a straight face, but it’s getting more difficult the more I try.
“You don’t have to be this nice.” The way her lips press together and her eyes flick down to the table tell me she’s fighting the same battle.
“Well, lucky it was me and not some stranger—” I stop myself because even as I say the words, they bristle around the edges and I don’t like the thought of her and anyone, let alone a stranger. No fucking thank you.
I know from previous conversations she’s single, that and we’ve flirted at more than one realtor convention. She calls me Joshie , for fuck’s sake.
“I hope your leg is still saying that in the morning.”
My third leg jumps in my sweatpants hearing her words, thinking we’re talking about him.
That’s all we need; a huge fucking erection in my pants to top the night off.
It isn’t like I can help it. Her soft curves and pretty smile do things to me.
She’s kind, too. Intelligent and funny. But she’s also off limits.
I can’t get involved with Ali’s assistant…
“I’ll be fine,” I say as we finish up our coffee and the chocolate I picked up earlier at the deli. I stretch my arms out over my head. “I guess I should make up the couch and hit the hay.”
“Let me do that,” she says. “I feel bad enough with you insisting I take the bed.”
“What kind of guy would I be if I took the bed and left you and Mr. Snuggles on the couch?”
“Oh, he would probably be right in there with you,” she laughs. “There’s no loyalty where his warmth is concerned.”
I can’t help but laugh too, noting how easy it is with Lexi. The conversation has been flowing all night. “Well, I’ll do the dishes and make myself useful.”
She seems impressed by my ability to cook and clean.
She complimented me a few times on what I managed to throw together, but I’m a domesticated kind of guy really.
I mean, I live alone, excluding Noah’s regular visits between my pad and Dad’s, so no one is gonna do my dishes or cook dinner for me. I had to learn how to cook or starve.
And frankly? I like feeding her.
When I’ve put the last of the dishes away, we’re both ready to turn in for the night even though I don’t know how I’m supposed to sleep with her being twenty-feet away from me in the next room.
My mind starts wandering… What does she sleep in?
Is she a pajama girl, sexy sleep shorts and top, or naked?
Does she have a side? Or maybe she sleeps in the middle of the bed like I do?
“It was a lovely dinner,” she says before we part ways. Mr. Snuggles is tucked under her arm contentedly. From the belly full of food he just consumed, I’d say he’ll be asleep in no time.
“The company was even better,” I reply, reaching my hand to brush a lock of her hair from her eyes. It’s too late to retract it before I realize what I’m doing. My eyes flick to those gorgeous lips; she presses them together for a beat; it matches the pause in her breathing.
I swallow hard and wonder if she’s affected by me. It’s an indulgent thought, even if we have flirted before; neither of us has ever acted on it.Then again, neither of us have been in the vicinity of the same cabin overnight before, either.
“I wasn’t expecting to see you here, Joshie. But I’m so glad you are.”
My heart rocks like a thunderstorm deep in the crevice of my chest, and I love a good thunderstorm. The cuteness of hearing her use my silly nickname jolts me to my core. I’ve never felt that before. Not with Melinda, not with anybody.
There’s an energy around her that I can’t explain in words.
She lights up the entire room, just by being present.
It isn’t just the fact she’s utterly gorgeous, it’s more than that.
The way she seems to just enjoy the little things, and hold a conversation that keeps me riveted all evening.
Not only that, she’s interesting and I love hearing her funny stories about office antics, or a joke she just has to share.
When she laughs? Oh, fuck me. The whole goddamn world is a better place.
My mom would say our awkward meeting today is kismet, or something. Fate bringing two people together or some shit, and I never really looked at things that way but today has me wondering.Maybe there’s something in that hocus pocus stuff?
I’m like my dad in that respect; I just go hard at what I want and things usually just work out.
It isn’t magic. But somehow I don’t think Lexi falls into that category.
She defies what I thought I knew about most things.
She’s easygoing and carefree, an amazing cat-mom…
beautiful, and I find I don’t have to strive to try to be anything else when I’m with her. I can be myself.
“I’m glad too, Lex.”
“Goodnight.” She smiles, the corner of her lip catching on her teeth. It’s quick, but I see it.
“Goodnight.” My smile may be as big as the crazy crush I have on this woman.
Bigger than that annoying missile I’ve had in my pants since my earlier shower, one that she’s already seen and didn’t run away from.
And he’s still happy to play, not that he will be anytime soon.
Jerking off on the couch isn’t exactly couture.
Instead, I watch her toddle off down the hall with her ginger tabby and I grin even wider to myself as she goes. Nobody can sue me for looking.