The Cleaner (Professionals 9)

Yogurt let out a grumble as I got out of bed, being a firm believer that she needed to follow me to any room I ever went to, even if I was just going to grab something and come sit back down.

"We have to check on our guy, girl," I told her, petting her head as she arched her back and let out a loud yawn.

Making my way downstairs, I found Finn in the kitchen with the contents of my fridge—as meager as they were—scattered on my counter as he scrubbed the inside of it with a rag and bucket of that weird lemony cleaner he liked.

There was some other smell just under all the overpowering lemon scent that kind of made my stomach turn a bit. I was hoping one day to be able to gently suggest he use something else when cleaning because this one made me queasy. As it was, though, I decided to just let him have things the way he was used to having them, not wanting to trigger his anxiety for such a small reason.

"Hey you," I called quietly as I moved in, going toward the window to crack it a bit, letting the fresh air in to clear away some of the fragrance. "Can't sleep?" I asked, walking up behind him to lean forward and press a kiss to the top of his head.

"Nightmare," he admitted, sighing.

"It happens. Can I tell you a horrible secret?" I asked, watching as he arched his head back, the top of his head resting on my stomach. "I have never scrubbed my fridge."

"I can tell," he said, giving me a teasing little smile.

"Want to know another one?"

"I don't think I do," he said, smile getting bigger, chasing away some of the sadness in his eyes.

"I've never pulled out the fridge to clean behind or under it either. And I doubt the previous owners did."

"You're supposed to clean off the coils," he informed me, shaking his head. "It helps with efficiency."

"To be honest, I think I'd rather just buy a new fridge when it kicks it than have to remember to clean the coils every month," I told him.

"That's ridiculous."

"I know, right?" I said, sifting my fingers through his hair. "But now you have something else to work on when you run out of other projects. Wait until I tell you about the utility room."

"You can't just say shit like that and not explain," he declared, dropping the rag in the bucket, and turning to face me as I went to the coffee machine.

"Well, then we will have to have a serious talk about Harry," I told him, enjoying it a bit too much when his face tensed up, clearly thinking Harry was a guy from my past.

"Who is Harry?"

"Harry is the current inhabitant of my utility room. He's a real freeloader, never pays me any rent. But, yeah, that is Harry's room. I've only seen the inside of it once."

"Is Harry a spider?"

"He's a cricket," I explained, watching Finn's chest shake as he chuckled. "A giant, prehistoric, evil cave cricket to be precise. And he displayed to me his very impressive, and aggressive, jumping skills as a form of intimidation. And it worked."

"You're afraid of a little cricket," he said, shaking his head. "You profile serial killers, and you're afraid of a cricket."

"Listen, he's not a little cricket. I am convinced he might be the biggest cricket in existence. Guinness Book of World Records worthy. And for all I know, he has a lady friend down there with him. And, together, they are creating an army of long-legged, jumping beasts, ready to knock down that door, charge up the stairs, and kill me in my sleep."

"I'm pretty sure cave crickets are harmless."

"You wouldn't say that if you saw his cricket karate moves."

This time, when Finn laughed, it was a full, deep, belly one. And to go along with it, a big old smile spread across his face, chasing all the darkness leftover from his nightmare out of his eyes as he made his way toward me, wrapping his arms around my hips, pulling me flush to his chest, and pressing a kiss to my forehead.

"You're the most ridiculous woman I think I've ever met."

"Thank you. I do try," I said, feeling that warm sensation through my body again.

"If it makes you feel better, I will go have a discussion with Harry and his family."

"Just a discussion, right? No need for deadly force," I said raising my brows.

"Just a friendly paper-cup-eviction," Finn assured me. "Then I can do some cleaning, and maybe find out how Harry became a squatter in your cellar to begin with. So we can prevent his fellow friends in the Cricket Mafia from making themselves at home in the future."

"That would probably be for the best."