Moved On

Moved On Part Sixteen

"Annie, what the hell are you doing?"

Dropping the scouring pad she'd been using to scrub the massive, sunken bath. She sat back on her heels, stretched aching muscles.

Sean was standing directly above her, with a faintly disgruntled air. He looked rumpled and tired, not surprising since neither of them had got much sleep recently. At this very moment she could quite easily lie down in the bath tub and sleep, only the tiles were covered in lemon scented cream cleaner.

What time was it?

Annie had left Sean sleeping about two o'clock in the morning, so she could get on with the housework without being bothered. Now she felt utterly exhausted.  “What does it look like I'm doing?" She asked, as if her on her hands and knees wasn't obvious enough.

"Well, with those curlers and scarf on yer 'ead, I'd say a fine impression of Hilda Ogden." He rumbled in amusement.

She raised a tentative rubber gloved hand to her head. Her hair was wound into pin curls, Oh, what she suffered to get the Monroe look.Ordinarily Annie's hair was a poker straight sheet of blonde. Generally she looked more like an extra from an ABBA tribute band than Marilyn Monroe. "Who's Hilda Ogden?"

"Who's Hilda Ogden?” At Annie's uncomprehending expression he winced. “You know, from Coronation Street? Ah, it was probably before your time." Sitting down on the side of the bath, he settled long feet before her knees on the wet tiles.

"No, don't put them there, I've just cleaned that!" Closing her fingers around his ankles, she lifted them to her lap, then taking a dry cloth from a large plastic basket, polished the foot prints away. "Don't you know this bath is a real mission to clean?"

Sean wiggled the toes of one foot between her cotton covered thighs, brushed his big toe into her cleft.

Belly heating instantly, she squeezed her legs together to stop him.

"I have no idea, and I'm not sure I care either. But I would like to know what compelled you to leave my sweet lovin' arms.” He leaned forward, elbows on his knees, he whispered softly. “And why you snuck out of a nice warm bed in the small hours, to do housework?"

"Because Franci's coming back today."

"I'm aware of that queen.I also know that the reason I employ her is so she can clean the house."

"Well there you go then." Annie answered, glad he understood.

"I don't get it." Sean frowned and scratched his head, genuinely perplexed.

Annie rolled her eyes. Moving his heavy feet from her lap, and ignoring his scowl, she collected up the cleaning materials. Once they were all placed as neatly in the basket, exactly as she found them, Annie stripped off her gloves. "Franci hasn't been here in a week, there is no way she is going to think I'm a sluttish housekeeper."

Sean pinched the bridge of his nose. "So, you're telling me you cleaned the house because you're worried my cleaner will think badly of you?" He said with more than a hint of incredulity.

"No! I'm not worried, I know I've done a better job than her."

He opened his mouth, decided better, and closed it with a slightly unsatisfied look. Reaching down he pulled her up and helped her clamber from the bath. "If you're finished, can we go back to bed?"

Annie smiled tiredly, resting her head briefly against his firm chest, she closed her eyes, drawing in his heady scent. "We can, but only to sleep, I have to be up for work in two hours."

Lightly calloused fingers stroked up her neck. Cupping her jaw tenderly, Sean tilted her head till she met his heavy lidded eyes. The slow captivating smile shortened Annie's breath as a thumb brushed over her lips, plumping them in a tingling surge of blood. "You don't have to go." He informed her with an appealing, melted chocolate, modulation she felt through her bones. "You could stay home with me, save yourself a sore back and throbbing feet, it's not as if you need the money. I can provide you with everything you need." He lowered his head to run lips over forehead to temple in a soft trail, pressing a nibbling kiss to her lips. "I don't like you running the risk of getting caught."

Annie hooked her arms around his neck and closed her legs over his back as he lifted her.

"There's no risk, anyway I thought you had meetings this morning, people to pander to, sites to survey?" Annie attempted to change the subject. This wasn't the first time he had brought this up.

"I do, but I’ll only be a couple of hours. And you’re wrong, there's always a risk, even without the bizzy’s back home. Your visa’s expired and you are no longer allowed to reside in this country. You’re an illegal alien pet, Harry’s breaking the law even employing you.”

Annie opened her mouth to argue.

“No, just listen. You’re not the only one who could get into trouble here. It’s unnecessary to expose yourself when you have the luxury of my protection. I won’t be gone long. Use the time to catch up on some sleep, unpack your suitcase, and when I get back, we can do something fun. We're in Las Vegas after all, think of the possibilities." Sean appealed in a gentle tone, carrying her into the bedroom and sliding her onto the bed.

He didn't like that she hadn't unpacked either. Not doing it gave her a feeling of control, even if it was illusory. Just like working in Harry’s diner gave her a feeling of independence she wasn’t prepared to give up.

Sean caught her to him and flipped the duvet, cocooning them in a snug white world. Kissing her pouting mouth hard, he gave her a sympathetic look. “You know I’m making sense, right?”

Of course he made sense! Sean always sounded completely reasonable. Annie had discovered he was also exceptionally talented at getting his own way. Exceptionally talented!  

“I’ll think about it.” Annie replied, ruefully noncommittal.

His face tightened fractionally as he absorbed her stubbornness. Sighing he said, “Go to sleep, I’ll wake you before I go.”