“No need to be concerned. This is normal.”
“It’s really not,” she says as she drags the vacuum over and then turns it on, filling the space with the sound of a high-power machine.
Well, I guess we won’t be talking while we’re cleaning.
I turn mine on as well and hold the bendy arm up, bringing the end up to my face to see what kind of suc?—
“Holy fuck!” I squeal, which of course grabs the attention of Renley.
The fucking end is stuck to my forehead.
She turns off her vacuum and then turns off mine as well.
“You’re supposed to suck the ground, not your face.”
“It was not my intention to give myself a monstrous hickey.”
“What did you think was going to happen when you put it up to your face?”
“Didn’t really think about it, because I just wanted to see what was in the tube.”
“Nothing is in the tube, you’re supposed to put things in the tube. Do I really need to explain vacuuming to you?”
“Nooo,” I say. Although, this might be my first time touching one. Note to self: things go in the tube. “But if you could show me exactly how to do it, I’d appreciate it.”
“Fine.” She takes the vacuum from me and then moves toward the corner of the room. “You put it flat on the floor like this, press the on button, and then slowly drag it across the floor, where the suction absorbs everything. Like this.” She demonstrates and then hands me the vacuum.
Playfully, I do it but put the suction part upside down. “Like this?” I drag it and she stops me.
“No, the head has to be flat.”
“What head?”
“The suction head.”
I pause and blink a few times. “Sorry, you’re saying ‘suction’ and ‘head’ together and it’s making my mind short-circuit.”
Her expression falls in annoyance. “Really? Are you seriously that immature?”
“Not immature, Gossy, just a man who likes to fuck.”
Her eyes widen slightly and I carefully watch as she swallows, her throat contracting, her chest lifting just a touch higher.
Hell…did I just turn her on?
Well, well, well, maybethat’swhy she didn’t want me flirting. I’ve got the old charm to get her motor revving.
She clears her throat and turns back to the vacuum. “Just turn it on its head—uh, nozzle.”
“Like this?” I turn it on its side.
She glances down at it and then back up at me. “Does that look like what I did?”
“I don’t know, can you show me again? I’m really bad at this stuff. I’m sorry.”
That garners some sympathy as she moves toward me, takes my hands in hers, and then flips over the vacuum. I release one hand and smoothly move in behind her so her back is to my chest and then wrap my hand around the handle.
“Oh, like this?”
