It's surprising how quick things can turn around with a few changes. In the weeks that followed, Avery moved back home with the girls and has reported no further activity in her home. Meaning the twins can be children again and that they sleep throughout the night without a single hiccup. My job at Prestige Cleaning is fantastic, I couldn't fault a single thing about the company and with it's generous pay, I was able to put a deposit down on a car. Surprisingly, I received a glowing reference from Rachel too, I haven't been in contact with her since that day in the office and I don't intend to. 

I'm in a good place. Things are positive. Very positive. 

Pulling up outside the house in a Prestige cleaning van, I smile sensing a case of Deja vu. But I don't let it stop me, as I get out, grab the supplied caddy and head up the drive. With a knock on the door, I wait. 

The door opens and I find myself grinning like a Cheshire cat at the homeowner. 

"Hey sweetie." Zak says stepping back and allowing me in. 

"Hey." I pause to give him a kiss before continuing on into his home. "So, it turns out, that I am your new cleaner.. . Who knew?" I ask turning to face him. 

He chuckles. "Yeah, I might have hired Prestige cleaning and asked for you."

"Asked or demanded?"

"Demanded.." He tells me with a shrug. 

"Good." I answer setting down the caddy. "So where would you like me to start?"

He thinks for a second before answering. "Bedroom."

"Last one there is making food after!" I call running through his home. 

As soon as I swing into his bedroom, I'm tackled down onto the bed and rolled. Laughing, I grip onto his shirt until we come to a stop. 

"Got you." He answers leaning down to place kisses on my neck. 

"Yeah you did... Mr Bagans. Do you have me here under false pretences?" I ask feeling my way to his shirt buttons. 

"Damn right I do."

"My time is valuable. Are you sure there isn't something more important that I could be doing?" I ask innocently.

"No. Now help me get these clothes out the way." He growls. I snigger before doing just that. 

Things between myself and Zak have gone from strength to strength. Whilst he is home, I stay over a couple nights a week and he stays over mine in my cosy home as he calls it, before we both have a couple days to ourselves. I understand his need to be alone as he understands mine and the routine we have made up between us is perfect. No matter what, Gracie is present, if he comes over, then Gracie comes over too and now has a dedicated seat in my lounge with a blanket over and a basket of her toys for her amusement. 

For the past week he has been away filming for the show, which has led to this frantic and unscheduled rendezvous in the afternoon whilst I was suppose to be working. We normally have a date night before meeting up and staying at each others places, but today he has moved the rulebook.

It's exciting as well as naughty.

"So does this mean you're staying at home tonight?" I ask as he moves off me to yank my jeans off and tossing them over his head.

"Hell no. I just couldn't wait. Your boss was a real cockblock when I rang earlier." 

I giggle. "I expect she is well aware what you had in mind."

"I did sound in pain." He answers falling back over me.

"Oh dear, you have suffered. One week away. What are we going to do when you have to film those specials?" I ask.

He has informed me that sometimes he films up to three weeks at a time and whilst I understood and had no issues, he did and even suggested I take holiday around the same time so that I could travel with him. That conversation resulted into a sulky Zak when I said no and that his work is his work and that I don't want to be a distraction to him. The museum, however is a different scenario and every time he tells me that he is swinging by there, I am bouncing out the door ready to go and see the new artefacts and collections he has bought. 

I took the tour through the museum with a tour group, only half way around and being a total tourist, I was pulled into another room through a secret door just so that Zak could ask me a thousand and one questions about the tour. When I told him off for interrupting, he promised to give me a private tour after hours... I never did get that tour on the account of him being desperate to get home and undressed.

Was this based on sex? Absolutely not.

We shared our time appropriately and these heated moments are normally reserved for the night time. However today is all about rule breaking it seems. 

"You're beautiful." He groans, inhaling the perfume on my neck. 

Two words I've yet to get used to hearing. The first time he said it was when we were having a date night in a diner just outside of Vegas. I requested he found somewhere that nobody knows him, just to see if it was possible. 

He did, colouring me impressed. 

I was sat opposite him in a booth, with a milkshake, enjoying the strawberry flavour when he said it. At first, I thought he was joking, maybe jesting at the chance of me having a milk-stache. After I discreetly checked in the metal napkin holder, I looked back to him to find him leant on his hand, elbow on the table, happily watching me slurp up my drink. 

Apparently, the photo on my fridge of me enjoying a milkshake was his favourite out of all of them and being able to see it in person was even better.

We spend the next hour in and out of the sheets until we both give in. Spread out on his bed, with a sheet covering us, I begin laughing. 

"What? What is it?" He asks smiling. 

"Do you think this is covered in your contract?" I ask looking up.

"I think it's a clause especially for me." He answers tucking some of my hair behind my ear. 

I rest my chin on his chest. "How did work go? Get the evidence?"

He nods smoothing my hair over from where his fingers had been in it. "We got enough. There's some locations that just give and give, and others we struggle. It's all about timing. People think that the spirits talk all the time, but they don't."

"I get that. It's like tuning a radio, sometimes a station will come through and other times it's white noise."

"Exactly." He says running his fingertips over my shoulder and down my bareback. "You're radiant." 

"I wonder why. Talk about afterglow. The whole workforce is going to know what I have been up to." I say laying my head down onto his chest to listen to his heart. 

"You do that a lot." 

"Do what?"

"Listen to my heart. I'm not going anywhere any time soon, you know?" He says. 

"It's soothing and it's because I can't believe you're real."

"Oh but I am. 100 percent real."

"Amen to that." I answer before adding. "So you want the house cleaning or-"

"If you get out this bed before your time is up, we are going to have problems." He warns making me smile. "I'll make some food in a bit. I'll set my alarm. Right now, I want to nap and just spend time with you."

"And that involves me being naked?"

"Very naked." He tells me.

****

Two hours later I am stood at the front door, picking up the unused caddy that I had abandoned on the floor when I arrived. 

"Do you have to?" He asks leaning against the front door jab in his robe. 

"Go back to work? Absolutely. The car won't pay itself."

He opens his mouth to speak when I cut him off "Ah. Don't even suggest it." I warn. 

"What? Come on Riley, I can pay for that car in a flash, why don't you just accept the money?" He asks. 

I reach out and fix the lapels of his robe "Because it is all about my independence and right now, we are on even ground. I don't want to borrow any money off you and put us on a different level. I don't want to owe you anything Zak. This has never and will never be about money."

He grumbles. 

"Yeah I know I'm nothing like the other girls. Get used to it." I tell him tiptoeing up to give his pouted mouth a kiss. "Be good, I'll be over later."

"What am I suppose to do until then?" He mutters, clearly disappointed that I refused to take the afternoon off when he asked. 

"Well you can do voiceovers, pick up Gracie, change the bed, tidy up this scruff." I answer grabbing his chin lightly. 

"You don't like it?"

"Oh I like it. But it's uneven in some places and I want to go at it with a razor."

He chuckles "Sounds violent."

"It could be. Now go, do your thing until I've finished work." I tell him. 

"Voiceovers, Gracie, scruff."

"And bedding." I tell him. 

"What's the point if we are going to end up back in it? It's more washing for you and-"

"Bedding." I tell him again causing a sigh. 

"Fine. But your butt better be back in it tonight." He says. 

"Oh you can definitely guarantee it." I answer wrapping my arms around his neck and giving him another kiss. 

It's one of my favourite things to do now and I won't give it up for anyone.

"Now go put some pants on." I add. 

"Why can't you keep your hands to yourself?" He teases. 

"I find it very hard to resist and you know I like this robe too."

He laughs gently. "You are the oddest woman I know."

"And proud." I tell him before unravelling him from my arms. 

As he turns, I slap him on the butt. "And you also love doing that too, don't think I haven't noticed." He says with a playful point. 

"You're right, I love it." I grin. "See you later."

"Yes you will. Drive safe."

"Promise." I blow him a kiss before skipping back down the drive and to the van.

As I head back to work with a smile on my face, I can't believe how much my life has changed and for the good. My confidence as a woman is on the repair thanks to one man and his over flowing compliments and encouragements. Proving to me that love and support can conquer even the most darkest of insecurities. 

Things in my life are great, and only promise to keep getting better. 

My phone rings and thanks to the handsfree in the van, I am able to answer Avery's call.
"Hello." 

"Hey you just finished your hot sex session with Zak?"

"Wh-Ho-No." I lie. 

She laughs through the speakers. "I knew he was coming back to Vegas today."
"I thought we talked about this.." I frown. 

"You told me to stop digging and that my unhealthy habit of trying to find out information will end in tears. Well I didn't do anything, he posted it on social media, I just happen to follow him."

"Of course you do." I laugh. "So, what's up?"

"I met a guy." She says making my brows lift as the lights change. 

"Oh wow, what's his name?" 

"Brad."

"And how did you meet?" I ask her.

"Well he was at the drive through and he was really cute..."

I sense a but coming, so I wait and sure enough, it comes. "But we didn't talk."

"So how did you find out his name is Brad, was he wearing a name badge?" I ask. 

"No, I hacked the DMV and used his car reg to find out who he is, where he lives and his name. He is single, has a dog called Trig and plays basketball on the weekend."

I laugh instantly at her honesty and how despite everything, somethings never change. 

"So tell me how you plan on meeting this Brad?" I ask. The smile doesn't leave my face as she goes off into a full planned situation of exactly what she wants to happen and what he is going to say. 

Maybe a sister would discourage such behaviour, but it would be pointless, Avery is a woman on a mission and who was I to stand in the way of what could be the next romantic story. I always believed that the cleaner in the love stories never gets the man of the house. Only my story proves that she does and that she still wears his rosary every single day. 

It might not be a conventional love story.. But it's mine.