Page 7 of Alex
Heshoves my shoulder and chuckles. “You always say that.”
“I’ma money saving genius, what can I say? Okay if I use the gym today? It’s colderthan a polar bear’s ass outside.”
“Gym’sfine.”
Imake my way back to the kennels where I’m greeted by Nat, another employee. Shesmiles at me. “Did you come to play?”
“Asusual. Anyone in the gym?” The shelter is actually an old converted elementaryschool. When the weather is inclement, they use the gymnasium to let the dogsrun and play.
“Nope.All yours. Want to take the lab and her pups? They’ve been cooped up today.”
Thechocolate lab the shelter has dubbed Molly, nearly knocks me down when I unlockher cage. She darts to the gym door and sits in front of it, her wriggling rumpbarely touching the floor. “Smart girl,” I praise. “Wait for us.”
Natopens the door while I balance four squirming puppies in my arms. The next houris spent running around the gym with five hyper animals. I’m not sure who hasmore fun, me or them.
Mylungs burn as I collapse against the gym wall and watch the puppies wrestle andplay. Molly flops beside me, her head in my lap. My fingers find their way tothe scruff of her neck, where she loves to be scratched. It’s good to see herso healthy. When she was found, she was emaciated and pregnant. Someoneprobably dumped her to avoid dealing with the litter. It’s amazing that notonly did she survive, all four of her pups did too. This shelter saved herlife.
Thesigh she emits is eerily human, and I can almost hear her thoughts. “I know,girl. Life sucks when no one wants you. Maybe it’ll be different for you andsomeone will choose you to be a part of their family. I hope they do. You’re agood girl.”
Thepups are falling asleep on their feet, so I scoop them up and Molly follows meback to her cage. With a low whine, she walks inside. “I’ll be back girl. Ipromise.”
“She’sgoing to be adopted,” Nat says, coming up behind me. “A young woman and her sixyear old son will be coming for her tomorrow.”
Therevelation warms my chest. Maybe she does have a chance. “That’s fantastic. Thepups are ready?”
“Yessir, fully weaned and they’ll get scooped up in no time.”
“Goodluck, girl,” I tell Molly, letting her lick my fingers through the bars of thecage. I hate leaving this place. I can never do enough to really help them.I’ve considered rescuing one of them, but I’m rarely home and it wouldn’t havemuch of a life with me. Plus, how the hell would I choose?
It’sso cruel. Eeny meeny miny mo, you get a family and the rest of you will grow upin an orphanage. A shelter, I mean. A kennel. I need to go.
I’msurprised to see Alex wearing his workout clothes and dripping sweat when I gethome. He doesn’t usually do much if he doesn’t have to. “Have you been to thegym?”
“Yeah,”he replies, rummaging through the fridge. “Don’t want to get all soft andflabby like you.”
“Youwish you had this body.” He scoffs when I push him aside to grab a bottle ofwater. “Don’t use all the hot water!” I shout as he heads to the bathroom.
“Showerwith me and we can conserve!”
Hisflirty taunt makes me smile. He and Cooper used to love to screw with me likethat, try to embarrass me, but that ended with Cooper’s death. I’ve watchedAlex go through the motions of daily life without his usual mirth and humor. Itlooks like he’s finally returning. The world is getting the real Alex back.
Ihave just enough time to shower before Linda shows up wearing a heavy coat thathangs to her knees. Alex is sitting on the couch, inhaling a bag of chips whenshe sashays in. “Let me take your coat, baby.”
Asly grin lifts her lips and she sheds her outerwear to reveal she’s nearlynaked underneath. A blue lace bra leaves little to the imagination and her tinythong even less. Thigh high stockings make her legs look a mile long and Ican’t wait to remove the garter with my teeth.
Insteadof becoming alarmed at the sight of Alex, she bats her lashes at him and licksher lips. He shakes his head at her not too subtle invitation. “Don’t take itpersonal, baby. You don’t have the right genitalia to pique his interest.”
“Toobad. He’s a cutie.”
“I’llshow you cute.”
Aftera couple of hours of bed acrobatics—damn the girl is flexible—Linda drops akiss on my lips and proceeds to get dressed. “I’m out of town for a few weeks,but we could hook up when I get back if you want.”
“Areyou going to do that thing with your tongue again?”
“Ifyou do that thing with your cock again.”
“Deal,baby.”
