Chapter Text
“In the kitchen!” She tried to brush a drop of sweat that trickled from her hairline only to end up with dish soap on her head instead. It made her bangs cling to her forehead even more, but it captured the cool air of the fan she’d placed on the counter. Relief was carried with the cool drop as it slid down her neck causing a shiver. She didn’t even know why she was bothering with these dishes so late at night.
Minutes later, the reason came to her as she heard keys rattle and the front door click followed closely by her security system being disarmed.
As an anticipatory grin crept across her face, Paula reached for her glass of ice water with a soapy hand. She heard the wheels of a suitcase rolling across the linoleum behind her and turned to see him in three dimension for the first time in two months. Had it really only been 60 days? As she did so, the glass slipped right through her hand, shattering into millions upon millions of minuscule slivers.
“Shit!”
“Don’t move!” he called out immediately. “I’ll get the vacuum.” She was so thankful for him. In bare feet, this would not have ended well.
With her feet planted, she was able to toss paper towels onto the area where most of the water and ice had landed. He likely wouldn’t have thought of that, and vacuuming through water wouldn’t have ended well either. What a team they were.
As he returned with the vacuum, she lifted herself to perch safely on the sink behind her. Her child-sized feet, freshly polished in a deep merlot, swung casually as he searched for an outlet.
“Next to the fridge.”
“Thanks, love.” He ducked out of sight for a moment. When he popped up with that head of thick raven hair speckled with grey, so came the signature dry sarcasm she’d become accustomed to. “I get you’re excited to see me, darling, but you can express it in other ways besides smashing the dishware.”
The vacuum roared to life as threw her a playful wink. Then came an unpleasant chorus of clinking and clanking as glass spiraled through the hose. Her opportunity for a quick, snappy comeback was purposefully blocked. Not that she had one, yet.
Slick move, Cowell, she thought.
A smirk adorned his face as Simon thoroughly covered every inch of the kitchen. Every time he got close, she’d swing her feet at him, nearly kicking the vacuum a few times. When finished, he asked her to wait. Not to move just yet. So she did, without a word, still trying to conjure a comeback even if the timing had been lost.
He left the room and returned empty-handed. His eyes swept across the floor, inspecting his work as he drew closer to where she was perched. Before she could remark about how domesticated he appeared while handling a vacuum with ease, his arms were around her waist in the way she’d been anticipating. The way she’d pined for before that little obstacle threatened to keep them apart an agonizing few minutes longer.
She locked her legs tightly around his waist as he drew her in close and nuzzled her damp neck. He loved the mole on her left cheek and always let his lips linger there. Just as she’d slipped her hands into his hair, intending to draw those lips to hers, he swept her off the counter in an effortless motion that felt like flying.
“Simon!” Her musical laugh flooded his ear as he did a gentle spin, kissing her tenderly as they stopped.
“I missed you, love.”
“I missed you, too, Si.”
“Really? So much that you started wearing my clothes?” Where his hands supported her bottom, he tugged at the hem of his own gray tee that draped her slender figure. It was nearly a dress on her which allowed his hands- which required little effort to support her- to caress her smooth, bare skin. Not one inch of which was a mystery to him.
“It’s just been so hot these last few days,” she sighed as she leaned into his chest despite knowing she’d leave a mark of sweat on the white tee he wore. She realized then that the two of them nearly represented his entire wardrobe, and tried to suppress a laugh. He’d still felt the irresistible chuckle that rippled through her.
“What’s that about?” he whispered in her ear.
“Oh, nothing.” His head rested on hers as they swayed a bit. She could feel his hands sliding on her thighs. “Sorry I’m so sweaty and sticky and gross.”
“Oh, that’s what it is. I thought you were just really excited to see me.” The pinch on her bottom almost made her yelp, and her thighs jerked in response, squeezing him tighter around the waist.
“Stop that!” she scolded, playfully swatting his chest before she covered his eyes with one hand. He grinned in the way he reserved only for her. She felt the flutter of her heart upon its reveal, and couldn’t resist the real kiss they’d somehow managed to put off.