I Keep Adopting Strays Ch. 02

"Don't be such a brat, Mara," I said as I put away the groceries.

"I'm just saying, James, that logistically speaking, it doesn't make any sense," she said, not even pretending to help me. "There's simply not enough room in your shitty little apartment!"

"Hey! It's not that small..." I argued, but she wasn't wrong about that. My one-bedroom flat already felt cramped with two people in it.

"Plus, she's probably gonna piss everywhere, chew on your Switch controllers, and stink up the place with her disgusting dog smell!" she complained.

"Mara," I said, stopping what I was doing to look at her. "You eat all my food, you've knocked over every single plant in the apartment, and you've ruined my couch with your claws. All things considered, she doesn't sound that bad."

She crossed and harrumphed, her arms sinking into the soft flesh of her heavy chest.

I continued putting away the groceries in an attempt to ignore her, but it was futile. She was silent in the loudest of ways, and I knew that she'd stay there and give me attitude for the rest of my life if she had to. And as much as I hated to admit, I could never stay mad at her. Not when she was standing there wearing only an oversized t-shirt of mine that hugged her every curve, and a pair of pink little panties that did little to cover her thick ass.

Her tail swished left and right. I knew she could feel me staring.

I sighed.

"You're right," I finally admitted. "It's a bad idea."

"Duh."

"But," I continued, "I couldn't just leave her like that. She was all alone. She needed help. She needed my help."

Mara tsked and rolled her eyes.

"Remember when I found you?" I asked. "What would have happened to you if I didn't bring you in?"

She didn't have anything to say about that.

I crossed the kitchen to put a hand on her waist. "Listen. I know it's not optimal, but you know it's the right thing to do."

Mara lowered her ears, but still didn't say anything.

"I promise you she's not going to stay long anyway. As soon as she's better and we find a place for her to go, she'll leave."

I cupped Mara's cheek and pet her with my thumb.

She purred reluctantly.

"And who knows," I said, tilting her chin so her feline eyes would look at me. "Maybe you two will get along."

"As if," she scoffed. "I could never be friends with this bitch."

"Woah! Language!" I scolded.

"What? That's the proper term for her kind. I've heard worse things coming out of your mouth."

"That's not even... Ugh. Whatever." 

The shower turned off, and Mara's ears immediately perked up.

"Be nice," I warned, pointing a finger at her. Her hair was all prickled up and her tail had vanished between her legs.

I grabbed a shirt and a pair of sweatpants from my room and went to knock at the bathroom door.

"Lexi?" I called. "I brought you a spare change of clothes if you need it. I'll just leave it by the--"

Before I could finish, the door swung open. The chocolate lab stood in the door frame, completely naked, still soaking wet from her shower. When she saw me, she gasped and her face lit up--eyes wide, ears up, tongue out.

"Thank you!" she said, almost too cheerfully.

I tried averting my gaze as I handed her the clothes, but I had already seen everything.

She didn't seem to mind, though, looking all innocent and completely uninhibited.

Lexi was a few inches taller than Mara, though still shorter than me, and she was quite a bit more fit. She had long, powerful legs, shapely hips, a perfectly round butt, and a flat stomach, surely chiseled into toned abs beneath her long, beautiful brown fur. She had the body of an athlete, of someone who had run everyday of her life--unlike that lazy cat of mine. And yet, her breasts were still surprisingly full. Not anywhere near the size of Mara's heavy, pendulous tits, but God... They sat high on her chest, looking perky and firm. She had small dark areolas with stiff nipples, a stark contrast to Mara's wide, pink, puffy ones.

Lexi hadn't bothered drying herself, and as a result, water was dripping everywhere.

"You know, you can use one of the towels from the cabinet," I told her.

"Oh, no need for that!" she said with her usual bounce in her voice. She spread her legs and lowered her head, and I realized too little too late what was about to happen.

She started shaking and twisting her entire body, splashing water everywhere around her--on me, the walls, the ceiling. It all happened so fast I couldn't stop her.  

"See? All dry!" she said, all proud. Her fur got all floofy, which made it look like she had an afro.

God, she was so bubbly and cheery. How could I ever get mad at her?

Mara, on the other hand, did not seem to agree with that sentiment. She got on all fours, arched her back, and hissed at the poor wet dog.

"Mara!" I chided.

"What?" she growled. "She splashed me!" She was showing her teeth, and her tail was as stiff as a rod. Needless to say she did not like getting wet.

She was a cat, afterall.

"I'm sorry," Lexi whimpered, ears flopped on each side of her head. Her lower lip started shivering and her eyes were on the floor, looking absolutely dejected.

I approached Mara and crouched down to talk her down. "It was an accident," I whispered, gently stroking her back. "Look at her. She's clearly been through a lot. Can you at least give her a chance? For me?"

Mara was glaring daggers at Lexi, eyes wide and unblinking. She wouldn't be so easily convinced, but she eventually headbutted me nonetheless and rubbed herself up against me.

"Good," I sighed, relieved. "Lexi, just be careful next time, okay? And please--" I physically had to force myself to look the other way "--go get dressed."

She nodded. "Sorry. Okay. I'm sorry." She went back into the bathroom to get changed, closing the door behind her.

"I don't like her," Mara warned, loud enough that Lexi would surely hear her even through the closed door.

"Give her a chance," I said, scratching her behind the ears. "Who knows, you might even get along."

"With a dog?" she gasped, as if that was the most outrageous idea I'd ever had. "I would rather forfeit all nine of my lives!"

"Jesus, calm down. She hasn't done anything to you."

"It's not about what she's done to me, James," she spat condescendingly. "It's about what she represents, and the fact that she's invading my personal space."

"Oh, so my apartment is your personal space now?"

She shrugged.

"You know what? I'm not going to entertain this," I said, giving up. "Can you clean up the water on the floor for me? I'll get started on dinner."

"I think I'll go and take a nap, actually," she yawned, stretching her back. "Wake me up when it's ready, will you?"

"Of course," I sighed.

I grabbed a kitchen towel and started wiping the floor, when the bathroom door opened ever so slightly. Lexi's muzzle poked out hesitantly, though not very discreetly.

"Everything alright in there?" I asked.

She sniffed around a bit and poked her entire face out, still hiding behind that door. "Is she still here?" she whispered unnecessarily.

"The coast is clear," I reassured her. "She went to take a nap."

She looked around, just to be sure, then gingerly stepped out, grabbing onto the hem of the old faded t-shirt I had given her. She looked genuinely shy for some reason, despite having no problem being completely naked just a few moments ago.

"I'm really sorry," she repeated.

"Hey, it's no problem," I reassured her. I tossed the kitchen towel over my shoulder and grabbed her paws in mine. "It was an accident."

"Okay," she sniffled, her eyes avoiding mine.  

"And don't worry about Mara," I said, tilting her chin to look her in the eyes. "She didn't mean all that stuff. You're more than welcome here. Okay?"

Her eyes searched mine for a moment, maybe to see if I was telling the truth. Her face softened into a grateful smile. "Thank you," she said, choosing to believe me.

Her stomach rumbled.

I couldn't help but chuckle. "Right, I almost forgot. You must be starving!" I handed her the kitchen towel. "Here. Why don't you clean up the mess, and I'll cook us a little something. Sounds good?"

Her eyes lit up and her tongue dropped out of her mouth in a big, toothy smile. She nodded eagerly and got to work.

Such a good girl.

Unlike someone else...

~

"Mara," I shouted from the kitchen. "Dinner's ready!"

I heard her claws skid against the floor as she rushed out of the bedroom and into the dining room. Her breasts bounced wildly as she pounced onto the dining chair, before settling heavily against her chest.

For someone as lazy as her, she sure as hell didn't waste any time when food was on the table.

Lexi was already seated and waited patiently for her food. She was panting heavily with her tongue out in excitement.

I came out of the kitchen holding a big casserole dish with chicken, broccoli, potatoes, and a bunch of spices. I placed it in the center of the small circular table. It was no beef Wellington, but I was still pretty proud of this one.

"Bon appétit!" I cheered.

Mara launched herself at the chicken leg the moment the casserole hit the table.

"Leave some for the rest of us," I said, shaking my head. I grabbed our guest's plate, who sat still despite the fact that she was practically salivating, and filled it up with a bit of everything.  

Before she even touched her food, she looked at me with her adorable puppy eyes. "Thank you," she said with the softest voice.

Mara audibly rolled her eyes, but Lexi ignored her, her gaze never drifting away from mine.

"Enjoy," I said, and I started serving myself as well.

Lexi closed her eyes and did something like a little silent prayer before she started eating. She let out a breath, seeming almost relieved. Happy, even. When she took her first bite, she made a sound between a moan and a howl.

"Oh, come on," Mara complained, chicken bits smeared all over her face and torso.

"It's delicious, mister James," mewled Lexi. And admittedly, it warmed my heart.

"Calm down," Mara said, wiping her face then licking her paw. "It's not that good."

"I'm glad you like it, Lexi," I said, making a point of ignoring the ungrateful cat.

~

Later that evening, I set up a few blankets and a pillow on the couch for Lexi. She looked exhausted, and it made me wonder when was the last time she'd had a good night's sleep. I thought about the man who'd assaulted her in the parking lot, but I figured it would be best not to ask her about it.

"Here you go, Lexi," I said, showing her to the living room. "You can sleep here for the night. Mara and I will be sleeping in the bedroom, but don't hesitate to wake me if there's anything. Okay?"

"Okay," she said with the cutest sleepy voice. She stretched her arms, which caused her shirt to ride up to her ribs, revealing her perfect stomach and just enough underboob to make my cock twitch.

I held my breath, trying to shove the perverted thoughts away, which proved difficult when someone as gorgeous as her was standing before me while wearing my old clothes.

"You're safe here," I said, placing a reassuring hand on her arm.

Tears welled at the corner of her sleepy eyes, which made her look adorable, but it broke my heart.

"Thank you," she said for the I-don't-know-how-many-th time today. She leaned in and gave me a kiss on the cheek, as if she felt the need to show me that she truly meant it. Her lips stayed there for a dangerous moment, sending a shiver through my entire body. And when she pulled away, she looked up at me through batted eyelashes, her puppydog eyes searching for mine.

God, why would anyone ever want to hurt her?

I gave her a good scratch on the chin and she shuddered, leaning into my touch.

"Good night, Lexi" I said.

"Good night," she echoed softly.

I forced myself to let go and headed to bed. Mara was already curled up at the foot of my bed, her clothes long discarded. Her eyes were closed, but I could see her tail swishing.

"Tomorrow, I'm going to tell her she can stay as long as she needs," I decided.

The cat's furry ears twitched.

"I don't care what you think," I continued. "She's sweet, and she needs our help. So you're going to make an effort to be nice to her. You understand?"

She didn't say anything.

"Good." I discarded my clothes and crawled into bed.

"Do you like her?" Mara asked, with a hint of worry in her voice.

I sat up straight. "Yes," I said too quickly. "Well, no. Maybe. I don't know. She's sweet, and kind. It's tough not to like her."

Mara's ears flatted on her head, and she curled into a tighter ball.

"But she's not taking me away from you," I comforted, caressing her back. "You don't have to worry about that. I'm not picking anyone over the other."

It probably wasn't the answer she wanted to hear, but she softened at that nonetheless.

"Sweet dreams, Mara."

She didn't respond.

~

I just wasn't looking forward to going to work tomorrow and leaving the two girls alone in the apartment.

Mara clearly had a bone to pick with our guest--just because she was a dog, I'm guessing--and Lexi didn't strike me as the kind of girl who would stand up for herself.  

Or maybe Mara was just jealous of the attention I was giving Lexi instead of her? Either way, I'd have to talk to both of them in the morning.

My day quickly caught up to me, and I felt my eyelids getting heavier. I closed my eyes, and fell asleep soon after.

It wasn't long before I got woken up, though, feeling someone crawling onto the bed.

"Go back to sleep, Mara," I complained groggily. "It's the middle of the night."

The mattress dipped at my feet, the pressure slowly moving up to my legs, until something furry settled onto me.

"Ugh. Please, Mara," I groaned. "I have work tomorrow."

I felt a low rumble coming from the foot of the bed, as if someone was mowing the lawn in the room--Mara's snoring, I realized.

Wait. If Mara was sleeping, then who--

I opened my eyes.

"Lexi?" I said. "What are you doing?"

"Keep it down," she whispered. "You're going to wake her up."

"Oh, believe me. She could sleep through an earthquake." 

I rubbed my eyes, suddenly thinking I might be dreaming. But when I opened them up again, Lexi was still there, straddling my lap. I could barely see her in the dark, but I could tell she was looking right at me. I could feel her breath on my face, her lips only inches away from mine.

"Lexi," I said, scratching her chin. "You need to go back to bed. We shouldn't--"

'We shouldn't do this' is what I should have said--obviously.

But I wouldn't have meant it.

"I just--" Lexi started sheepishly. "I just wanted to thank you for taking me in." She placed her paw on my chest. "You've done so much for me." It slid down my stomach. "So I figured I could do something for you as well." And landed on my cock.

That feeling alone was enough to make my breath hitch and my cock stiffen. She started carefully stroking it through my underwear, and my body responded too easily.

"Lexi. You don't need to do this," I lied, my voice rough with sleep.

"It's okay," she hummed. "I want to."

She squeezed me harder, my cock already rock hard beneath her touch.

"I saw the way you looked at me," she cooed. "How you looked at my boobs." Her other paw reached for my hand, and she guided it toward her chest, pressing it against her bare breast. "You like big boobs, don't you, mister James?"

I swallowed hard, unable to conjure a cohesive response.

"I know I'm not as big as Mara," she moaned, her claws reaching for my boxers' waistband. "But I hope they're still enough for you." She pulled down, dangerously slow. "I hope I can still please you."

My cock sprang free, hard enough to pierce through steel. God, she had no idea what she did to me.

Both her paws curled around my shaft as I squeezed her breast. She worked my length in slow vertical motions as her hips rocked against me. I could already feel the wetness pooling at her cunt as she glided effortlessly on my leg.

My hands worked her perky breasts like dough, rubbing at her stiff nipples with my thumbs.

She whimpered softly, and it was the cutest little sound I ever heard.

"Fuck, Lexi," I groaned, the feeling of her soft cushions on my cock overwhelming my senses. "You're such a good girl."

"Ah!" she gasped in pleasure, her entire body shuddering. "Say that again."

Holy shit. I didn't think she'd enjoy it that much. "You're a good girl, Lexi," I grunted, my voice deep and husky.

"Oh, yes!" she roared, louder than she should. Her tongue lolled out of her mouth and her head rolled back. She jerked her hips harder against my legs, almost desperate. Her hands moved faster on my cock, working my length in long, agonizing strokes. "I love being your good girl, master James."

Woah, 'master'? Was that what she thought of me, or was it just dirty talk? She'd been calling me 'mister James', which I found was kind of weird, but also pretty cute. But master? Damn. As much as I hated to admit it, that was enough to conjure up more than one inappropriate image in my mind.

I could picture her on her knees, with a cute little dog collar around her neck, holding her by a leash--

That was a dangerous thought. I stopped myself before tipping over the edge.  

She started howling softly, but I quickly wrapped my hand around her muzzle, shutting her up.

"Not too loud!" I shout-whispered, my voice a breathless command.

Lexi whimpered and bit her lip, rubbing herself more needily against me, her paws stroking me more aggressively.

I was getting close. Dangerously so. She looked so fucking hot on top of me. So good and submissive. She would probably do anything I'd ask her.

"Can I cum for you, master James?" she pleaded, voice muffled by my hand.

Fuck me. I nodded eagerly as I kneaded her perfect tit, while my other hand was still over her mouth. She jerked her hips, desperately chasing her own orgasm.

"Cum for me, Lexi," I ordered. "Be a good girl and cum for master."

That did it. Her entire body tensed and spasmed violently as she climaxed on my lap, drooling all over my fingers. I could tell she was trying really hard not to mewl out loud. Still shaking from her orgasm, she angled herself so her dripping cunt would ride onto my cock. She grabbed my hand and started licking and sucking at my fingers, while her free paw tugged at her sensitive nipples.

"I'll be good to you, master James," she mumbled with her mouth full. She rolled her hips effortlessly, rubbing my shaft against her slick folds with such ease. "I'll be your best girl."

It was so good it felt as though I was actually fucking her, and I was scared I might cum if I moved by even an inch. "Lexi--" I groaned, bracing myself by holding onto her tit, my swollen head leaking with precum.

"Yes. Yes!" she squealed, riding me into oblivion until I couldn't hold it in anymore.  

I thrust my hips frantically until I came hard, thick ropes of cum squirting onto my stomach. I was shaking from the aftermath for what felt like several minutes.

"Is this all for me, master James?" 

I didn't even have time to register what she said before she bent down and began cleaning me up with her long canine tongue. She licked me thoroughly, swallowing every last drop of cum on my cock and stomach.

"Mmm," she moaned, inching closer to lick my face. "That was delicious. Thank you, master."

"Holy shit," I exhaled, breaths ragged. I couldn't remember the last time I came so fucking hard, and I was exhausted. She had drained me for all that I was worth, literally.  

"I--" I wanted to thank her, to tell her that it felt amazing, that she didn't need to do all this for me, but my eyelids were getting heavy again.

The last thing I saw before closing my eyes and falling back asleep was her puppydog eyes and her sweet face smiling at me.

"Sweet dreams, master James," she whispered, kissing me on the forehead.