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Disclaimer: I own nothing. I profit from nothing

Warning: LEMON, if you aren't into that kind of thing don't read further.

Chapter 9

He sleeps; stretched out on his back on my bed, with only a sheet covering him. He almost looks peaceful, and I can't keep the smile from my face as I look up at him. Kissing his shoulder I slide out from under his arm, and wrap up in my fuzzy pink robe, heading for the bathroom.

Grabbing a towel from the closet, I adjust the water temperature and drop the robe to the floor. Sighing as I step under the spray, I let the hot water run over me, enjoying the sting.

I'm wonderfully sore in several areas. Area's I was worried had maybe attrified. Thank god they hadn't. Thank god for Happy. I can't remember the last time I felt this good, my muscles this loose, my body so thoroughly used.

Turning around I tilt my head back, letting the water soak through my hair. A rock show and several bouts of sweaty, mind-blowing sex with Hap do not make a good smelling Kira. Grabbing my Pro-vitamin shampoo I lather up my hair, then wash my face with Shea butter body wash, before dunking my head under the shower head to rinse. Wiping the excess water off my face, I open my eyes and nearly scream.

Happy is standing outside my shower door, smiling at me.

"Jesus," I say as he pulls the door open. "You almost scared me to death,"

He reaches out and trails his fingers down my neck. "Still beating," He says his finger resting on my pulse point.

"Funny," I say glaring up at him.

"I thought so," He says, letting his hand slide around the back of my neck as he pulls me closer. "Woke up without you," He says, curling me into his naked chest.

"Had to shower, the funk was getting to me," I say wrapping my arms around his waist.

"Me to," He chuckles, as I slap his naked ass.

"Well here," I say turning in his arms and grabbing my body wash from the shower caddy.

He eyes the container. "Is it gonna make me smell fruity or flowery?"

"No," I say, turning the bottle around and holding it up for him. "No perfumes or harsh dyes. All natural with a quarter moisturizer,"

"Great," He takes the bottle "You do me, I do you," and winks at me, tipping the bottle back and forth.

"Oh no," I say backing away. He smirks at me, stepping closer, advancing until I'm pressed against the shower wall. "If we do that, you know it's just gonna lead to…You can't possible want…"

"And if I said I did?" He asks, laying the palm of his free hand flat on the wall next to my head.

"You are on your own buddy," I say. "There is no possible way…"

"Sure there is," He says leaning in and kissing me. "But, I was just asking you to wash my back for me,"

"Oh?" I question, raising an eyebrow at him. "Sure, turn around," I say taking the bottle back from him. After squirting a healthy dollop on to my green shower poof I work it up into a lather, and start with his shoulders, working my way down his sculpted back, over his rounded buttocks and down his firm thighs and calves. Once his back is lathered to my liking, I duck under his arm to stand in front of him. Again starting at his shoulders I work my way across his thick chest, down his sculpted abs and lower, making sure he's covered in soap from just under his chin to the tips of his toes. I purse my lips and consider washing his head.

"What?" He asks me, smiling.

"Dumb question," I say "but do you use shampoo on your scalp or just soap?"

"Soap," He shrugs "No point in using shampoo," he rubs a hand over his baldhead.

"Well, here, tip back a little," I say pouring more body wash into my hand. He bends at the knees and leans back letting the water rain down on his head. Standing on tip toe I mold my body to his and reach up massaging the soap into his scalp. His hands clasp my hips, as I smooth my hands over his head, making sure the soap is rinsed.

"There," I say dropping back to my feet. "Rinse." Turning away I grab my conditioner and start working it through my hair.

"Here," Happy says from behind me, as his fingers dive into my hair, massaging my scalp. "Got all that goop rubbed on?" he asks.

"Yeah," I say looking down at my now conditioner smeared hands. He makes slow small circles, pressing just slightly, working from the hairline on my forehead, towards the crown of my head. I lean back, bumping up against Happys naked form.

"What is it?" He asks.

"Conditioner," I nearly purr as my eyes close. 'Ahhhhh that feels soooo good'. His thumbs have made their way to the base of my skull, and are massaging the tendons of my neck.

"What's it do?"

"Lets me brush through my hair," I sigh, as his hands leave my scalp.

"So, I should comb it through right?" He asks.

"Hmm?" I say "You were doing great, just keep doing that,"

"What'll you give if I do?" He asks turning me around and wrapping me in his arms.

"Breakfast?" I offer hopefully.

"I brought breakfast," He says patting my bottom.

"Oh that's right…" I say "And just what did you bring, four hours ago?"

"Muffins, smart ass," He scowls down at me "From that place on third,"

I know the place well, stopping in there every morning for a fresh blueberry muffin and a cup of regular coffee. Usually I grab donuts or bagles for the guys in the garage, and I buy their dark roast by the pound for the shop.

"I love those muffins," I sigh, my eyes glazing at the thought of biting into one of those fluffy pieces of goodness. I can taste the dough, infused with burst berry juice, and the slug of sweetened coffee to wash it down. "Let me scrub down and we'll dig in. I'll make you eggs," I offer as insentive for him to move out of the way. "And fresh coffee,"

"Beat out by muffins," He sighs kissing my forehead "That's a first. I'll grab you a towel," he offers stepping out and wrapping the towel around his waist. "Where are they?"

"Closet outside the bedroom door," I say stepping into the spray as he closes the door. I've got the poof lathered before he comes back, and take only moments to scrub down. Since my imagination has gone into over drive thinking about the muffins, my stomach has decided to remind me that I haven't eaten anything in the last thirteen hours or so.

Drying off quickly I wrap my hair in the towel and put my robe back on.

"Alright," I say rubbing my hands together as I enter the kitchen. "Who wants food?"

Hap just raises and eyebrow at me from his perch on the stool at the counter.

"Eggs?" I ask him turning towards the fridge.

"Sure," He says.

"Scrambled, fried, potched, over easy, or omelet?"

"Fried," He says, watching me get the pan out of the cupboard. "You any good at this?" he asks.

"Uh-huh," I say, setting the pan on the stove, knocking a slab of butter into the bottom, before turning the heat on. "It's just eggs. You gonna have a muffin to?" I ask turning to the counter where he set the bag when he came back this morning.

"Nah," He says "Already had mine," He grins at me, as I look up from the muffin bag.

"Ha, Ha," I say turning back to the stove, hoping to hide the blush that's crept up my cheeks. Cranking the knob to 350 I set the muffin on the center rack of the oven for a couple of minutes to warm up. In the mean time, I swish the butter around the skillet, and crack two eggs. "Two gonna be enough or do you want more?"

"Twos good," He says. "I started the coffee,"

"See that," I say watching the eggs fry. "Thanks. So do you want these broken or no?"

"No," he says coming up behind me. "Smells good,"

"You must really be hungry," I say opening the cupboard and grabbing two plates.

"I meant you," He says setting his hands on my hips, and sniffing my neck. "What's in that shampoo?"

"Nothing," I say "I try to stay away from dyes, scents, it's all very drying,"

"So that's just you then," He says, brushing his lips against my ear.

"Yep," I shiver.

"Nice,"

"Thanks," I shrug "I do wear deodorant and perfume daily, I just don't like them in my bath stuff," After giving the eggs a flip, I turn in his arms. "You're gonna have to move back or my muffin's gonna burn,"

Smirking at me he steps back a pace so I can pull the oven door open. "You're worse than Koz ya know that?" I say.

"I have no idea what you're talking about," He says, smirk still in place.

"Uh-huh," I smirk back at him over my shoulder.

"You're the one with your mind in the gutter," He says leaning back against the counter opposite the stove. "Every time I say Muffin, you turn all red,"

"It's how your saying it," I shrug, my back to him as I move the eggs from the pan to the plate. "Your tone makes certain implications,"

He raises an eyebrow at me as I turn and hand him the plate. "Generally I don't imply shit,"

"Really?" I ask smiling at him "I never would have figured,"

He moves back around the counter and sits on one of the stools, digging into his eggs.

"Don't you want toast or something to go with that?" I ask.

"Nah," He says, forking up a bite. "What have you got going on today?"

"Uh, nothing," I say "Was just gonna recouperate from the hang over I expected to have today. You got plans?" I ask "I didn't mean to take up your whole day,"

"You didn't mean to take up any of my day," He says pushing his plate towards me. "Or night for that matter,"

"True," I say taking the plate and putting it in the sink. "Doesn't change the fact that I have,"

"You hear me complaining?" He asks taking out a cigarette.

"No," I say turning back to him.

"Then don't worry about it," He says lighting his smoke.

"Alright then," I say, looking down at my feet, realizing that I'm still in my robe. "Uh, I'm just gonna go get dressed. Make yourself at home,"

When I come back out into the living room, clad in jeans and long sleeved grey shirt, Happy is flicking through channels on the tv.

"Anything good?" I ask sitting down on the opposite end of the couch.

"Nah," He says, tossing the remote on the cushion between us, having settled on a rerun of After Humans. Sitting Indian style on the couch, I start to brush out my hair.

"Why don't you leave it wavy?" He asks.

I shrug. "It's too hard to get it to do anything when it's like this," I explain.

Once I'm sure all the snarls are gone, I separate the mass into three sections and braid it, tying it off with a black scrunchy band.

"You should leave it down more often," He says. Shrugging when I glance at him, he adds "Looks good down,"

"Thanks," I say, tossing the braid back over my shoulder, "But it gets in my way. I spend most of my day with my head bent over work orders or the key board. It sucks having to shake your hair back every few minutes, so I just wrap it up, and be done with it,"

"Don't have that problem," He says running a hand over his bald head.

"Yeah well I am not shaving my head," I say crossing my arms over my chest, and turning back to the tv.

"Only reason I shave mine, is so my helmet fits better," he shrugs.

We watch tv in silence for a while, each having a refill on our coffees. Truth be told I haven't been watching the show. I've been trying to think up a compassionate way to broach a sensitive subject, without coming off as nosy.

"There was something you wanted to talk to me about?" Happy says, saving me the trouble of finding an opening.

"Uh, yeah," I say, shifting so that I'm facing him. "You can tell me to mind my own business," I raise my hands, palms out. "But, do you remember the other day when you were here for dinner?"

He nods, eyes on my face.

"We kind of talked a little bit about your moms situation?" I prompt, hoping that I am not stepping over some boundary line.

Again he simply nods.

Taking a deep breath for courage I say "Well I was talking to a friend of mine from back home, and she is coming out here. Moving here actually," His brow tightens in confusion, nearly scowling at me, and I know his patience in waining. "Which applies to you because, she's a Registered Nurse, specializing in Home Care for cancer patience. She's gotten a job with the Home-Aide Care Agency,"

He turns away from me, his attention back on the TV. Figuring the conversation is over I turn back to the tube as well. I'm just starting to care about what's going to happen to the aEiffle tower once humans are gone, when Hap says "You'll vouch for her?"

I turn back to him and nod. "Yeah she's good,"

"Who do you know that she's worked with?" He says. "It's my mom, I'm gonna want references from actual patiences,"

"Well," I sigh, 'Here we go. It had to come out some time,' "How much has Bob told you about me?"

Frowning at he says "Not much. What does that have to do with this?"

"You asked for a reference from one of her patience, and I'm giving you one," I say flatly, looking him in the eye. "Besides there are some things that you should probably know now,"