Page 72 of When the Time Is Right
She pulled into her parents’ driveway and put the car into park. Turning in her seat, she gave me her full attention, an Alexis Lawson specialty smile splitting her face. “You’re building the cat condo?”
“Well, it’s only fair after you sold me the Chevelle.”
“I didn’t sell you the Chevelle!”
I shrugged smugly. “A bet’s a bet, remember?”
She narrowed her eyes. “What the hell are you talking about? I didn’t make a bet with you and I sure as hell didn’t lose a bet with you.”
“Yeah, you did. The dates. The rules were if I found you a man, I got the Chevelle. If you found me a woman, you got the cat condo.” I flicked a finger between us. “Man. Woman. In a relationship. We both won.”
She stared at me for so long that one of her eyes started twitching.
It wasn’t long ago that I’d enjoyed nothing more than riling that crazy woman up to the point of insanity. She’d get mad. She’d insult me. I’d tease her. She’d go home and pout and I’d get to spend more time with her the next day when I apologized over lunch.
Fucking hell, Lauren and Cal were right; I’d had it bad for Lex for a while.
Now though, that eye twitching and then going home to pout meant I did not get to drag her back to my place after this lunch, I did not get to sit on the couch and bullshit with her until the early hours of the morning, I did not get to spend the night with her curled in my arms, and I did not get to wake up the next morning with her hair in a rat’s nest and her sweet naked body curled around mine.
So, no. The eye twitch was no longer entertaining in the least.
Wrapping a hand around the back of her neck, I guided her across the center console, meeting her halfway for an all-too-brief kiss for fear of who might catch a glimpse of us through the windows. “Babe, relax. I’m giving you the cat condo because I’d be a shit boyfriend if I didn’t. Also because I recently found out you have a whole plan for luxury pet home world domination in the works and you need this as a prototype. And mainly because I saw that spark in your eye when you were telling Jack about your ideas. You were so fucking excited, Lex. I remember that feeling. That hunger burning inside you to create something all of your own. I don’t necessarily understand the need for a three-bedroom, two-bath pet home inside a three-bedroom, two-bath human home, but whatever. Not too long ago, people didn’t understand how a confused kid framing houses to pay for his son’s diapers would ever be able to build the largest construction company Atlanta has ever seen. But here I am. People don’t need to understand, Lex, because one day, when this company of yours takes off and you’re giggling yourself sick on the way to the bank, what they thought or assumed won’t matter anymore. So, yeah, I’m building you a cat condo. And this morning, while you were in the shower, I took your phone and deposited a check into your account to buy the Chevelle.”
“It was my grandfather’s car!”
“I know. Which is why I’ll sell it back to you anytime you want. Take the cash, Lex. Use it as seed money and do what you do best and flip the entire pet industry on their ass.”
“I don’t want your money.”
“I know that too, because it’s the exact same thing I told your dad when he tried to sink an investment into Hud Construction.” I grinned. “I really want the car, Lex. It’s purely selfish. No charity involved.”
Her eye thankfully stopped twitching, but it still looked like she could squeak out a laser or two. “I’m changing the passcode on my phone.”
“Of course. My birthday is easy to remember in case you’re taking suggestions.” I winked.
“You’re the worst. You know that?”
“That’s not what it sounded like last night.” I swayed my head from side to side. “Or in the shower after that. Or when you came on my fingers this morning. Should I keep going?”
Her lips thinned, and she peeled my hand off the back of her neck. “Okay, this conversation is over. I’ll consider selling you the Chevelle. But first, I have been bamboozled into introducing my annoying boyfriend to my parents. So keep your meaty paws to yourself.”
She looked mad.
She sounded mad.
But she leaned over and kissed me one last time, inhaling reverently as she let it linger. “Thank you for believing in me.”
I held her sparkling, green gaze as I vowed, “Always.”
We got out and made our way up the Lawsons’ grand horseshoe staircase. I would have knocked; Lex just walked right in.
