Total pages in book: 72
Estimated words: 70630 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 353(@200wpm)___ 283(@250wpm)___ 235(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 70630 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 353(@200wpm)___ 283(@250wpm)___ 235(@300wpm)
Sabrina nodded. "I was a nanny for a couple like that. They were good people but didn't know how to show affection to their kids."
Connor finished arranging the last of the furniture. "Let me show you what we've done."
I would be happy for Connor to show me anything. "All right, but I can already tell everything looks fantastic. How did you make it all so shiny?"
Connor laughed. "Trade secret."
"My cabin never looked like this after I cleaned it." Which hadn't happened all that often.
I followed Connor through the downstairs, oohing and ahhing over how much better things looked. Even the rooms that had looked perfectly clean to me before were much more appealing. I could see a buyer going nuts over the house now.
"You ready to check out the upstairs?" Connor asked.
"Sure." We reached the top of the main stairs and headed into my aunt and uncle’s—my bedroom. Connor stood in the middle of the room, right at the foot of my bed. Just the proximity of the gorgeous man to my bed sent tingly feelings racing through me. What would happen if I pushed Connor down on it?
"We cleared all the cobwebs, washed the baseboards, dusted…" Connor's spiel continued, but I wasn't listening. I was staring at the bed. I'd never seen one made up so tight and perfect. It looked like you could have actually bounced a quarter on it.
"Were you in the army?" I blurted out, not sure if Connor had finished his explanation or not.
"The Marines," Connor replied, sounding slightly offended.
"Shit." Did I say that out loud?
"You got a problem with Marines?" Strangely, Connor didn't look angry, though. He looked disappointed.
"Uh, no. It's just… I worry they'll have a problem with me." Fuck! Why did I say that?
Connor frowned. "Why?"
Why? Wasn't it obvious? Most people knew right off, like I was wearing a sign. "Um…" Wow, I was articulate today. "Because I'm gay."
Connor shrugged. "I don't care if you sleep with three-eyed aliens as long as you pay your bills. I'm just here to keep your house clean."
I wished that wasn't all Connor was here for. I looked at the bed, and heat rose into my cheeks. Fucking a straight Marine, what a stereotypical fetish. I gave a nervous laugh. "I’m glad you don’t have a problem with it.”
“Life’s too short to dismiss a whole group of people because you’ve made assumptions about them. That’s one of many things I learned out in the desert.”
“That’s a good lesson.”
"Yes, the rest of them mostly weren’t.”
“I…” What was I supposed to say to that?
Connor held up a hand. “Don’t. I shouldn’t have said anything. Let me show you the bathroom.”
I barely registered the rest of the tour, noticing only that things smelled fresh and looked shiny, brighter somehow, as if cleaning so thoroughly allowed more sun inside. But my mind was stuck on Connor’s moment of vulnerability. When he’d mentioned the desert, he’d looked so sad, so… broken. It made me want to know all of Connor better, not just his fine ass. I wondered about the other lessons Connor had learned. I could only imagine how horrible they might have been.
“You’re awfully quiet,” Connor said. “How do things look to you?”
I glanced around the upstairs hallway. Connor’s golden gaze caught mine, and all I could manage was a nod.
Finally, after too many seconds of silence, I forced out some words. “It looks incredible. I could never have done this.” The house truly did look great. It would have taken me a week to get it anywhere near this clean, and by then half of it would have been dirty again.
Connor had to know he was good at his job, but my simple compliment made him smile in a way that eased his hard edge. I was already contemplating how to get him to smile like that again. I could easily become obsessed with that smile.
We finished the tour of the second floor and went on to the third. By the time we finished, I was seriously impressed. How had he and Sabrina done so much so fast? “You should write a book of cleaning secrets. I’d love to know how to clean the whole house this fast.”
“It did take most of the day,” Connor pointed out.
"Yes, but look at the place.”
“I’m glad you’re pleased.” Connor smiled widely enough to show dimples.
I could think of many more ways Connor could please me. When we returned to the first floor, Sabrina was heading out the door with her supplies in hand. “It was nice to meet you,” she said. “Hopefully I’ll see you again.”
“Nice meeting you too.” I usually said the phrase as a rote response, but this time I meant it sincerely. “Have a good weekend.”
“I will. A friend and I are going to see A Midsummer Night’s Dream tomorrow night at the amphitheater.”