Page 94 of Venomous as a Snake

Forrest scoffs. “I don’t believe you.”

“I thought we worked this whole trust thing out?” she asks, bouncing her finger between herself and the rhino.

“We did,” he admits. “You and I.”

She rolls her eyes. “I am the cobra. We are the same.”

He holds his hands up as he shrugs. “I’m not touching a venomous snake.”

“You’ve touched me before,” she points out, glaring when we all chuckle at her choice of words. “I’m venomous. The human me, and the snake.”

Collin snorts. “Asking him to trust a cobra is like being afraid of heights and thinking skydiving from the space station will cure your fears.”

“What about Carol?” Ali asks.

I nod in agreement. “He’s not venom—”

“Carol?” Forrest interrupts. “Seriously? That’s what you named the snake?”

“He’s harmless,” Walker responds, grinning. “Kind of like a little old lady.”

“So am I,” Kody argues, swatting at him.

“I’ll try Carol first,” Forrest says in compromise, though he’s not excited.

Kody rolls her eyes, but her cheek rounds as she tries to hide a mischievous smirk. “Fine. I’ll go get him.”

“Wait. Carol is a dude?” Forrest whispers to himself.

“Yeah,” Collin says, exasperated with the topic. “I know. It’s crazy. I asked her why she didn’t just change his name to Carl or something, but no. Carol stuck.”

“I’ll come with you,” Ali calls, following her inside.

And I know exactly what’s about to happen, but I don’t say a word.

It only takes Ali a minute to return with the giant white snake in his grasp, spiraling up his arm. He gently places Carol in the rhino’s lap.

Then Carol pulls up to stand, looking Forrest in the eye.

“I didn’t think rat snakes could do this?” he comments, his head swaying with hers.

“They can’t,” I reply, chortling at the rhino’s wide-eyed expression. “That’s Kody. Carol is like way smaller.”

The doorbell rings, and Kody shifts, her naked ass landing in the rhino’s lap. He throws his hands in the air like we’re going to get mad at him for touching her…

But I know something he doesn’t know, so I just grin at him like the shit-starter I am.

Come to think of it, none of them seem to realize what’s brewing between Kody, Collin, and Forrest…

Or maybe I’m imagining everything.

I swear there's attraction there. And definitely some chemistry, though I suppose they could just be kindling a lasting friendship.

I snort at myself, then clear my throat. “I’ll get the door.”

“Thank you,” Kody calls, sliding Walker’s t-shirt on as she giggles.

When I get to the door, a young woman greets me. “Hello, sir. I’m looking for a… Miss. Ayres? Does she live here?”