House Keeping

Andre Cross gulped before smiling and replying in a shaky voice, "Miss Valentine. Yes hello. How may I help you? Would you like to take a seat?"

Celeste tilted her head at Andre Cross in confusion. Why was he being so polite? He was one of the well-known rascals of the capital who didn't even have the word respect in his vocabulary. Otherwise, why else would he be at a bar in the middle of the day? And the last time they had interacted, she had beaten him into submission. The situation smelled fishy, and she glanced at him in suspicion before responding.

"No, this will be quick. I need you to sign the paperwork I mentioned last time. You remember I said we would double the contract amount right? Do you have a complaint?" Celeste smiled innocently but she wasn't aware that that was the view that frightened Andre the most. He had seen that smile cause Titania Girardi, the top socialite, to eat a loss.

"No ma'am! I am willing to sign anything no problem!" Andre immediately stood up from his seat. He respectfully gestured for Celeste to sit at the head of the table.

"Ma'am! Please have a seat and a drink on me. I will sign any paperwork you give me right away!"

Celeste looked at him in confusion and cautiously sat down. This was not his usual behavior. What was going on with him?

Not one to restrain her curiosity, she simply asked him, "Why are you being so respectful? Weren't you insulting me the last time?"

"I have eyes but didn't see Mount Tai. I have come to realize the greatness that you are and want to apologize for any improper behavior I displayed the last time." Andre responded while respectfully bowing his head.

Celeste glanced at him before smirking wickedly.

"So, you saw me with Richard Carrington? That's why your behavior changed. Could it be that you were planning something wicked before you found out?"

"I-, I wasn't!" Andre fervently denied it.

Seeing him flinch, Celeste simply laughed before pulling out her laptop. "I suggest you wipe any of those thoughts from your mind before you get beat up again."

She quickly pulled up the files she needed while ignoring Andre who awkwardly stood there. Engrossed in what she was doing, she didn't notice that Andre's remaining friends swaggered up towards them. When they caught sight of Celeste they began hurling insults towards her.

"Well well well if it isn't the little ghost. You might have caught us off guard last time, but this time you'll pay for what you did!" one man with dyed blond hair and piercings called out. He had been one of the ones repeatedly kicked by Celeste the last time and had vowed to pay her back. Seeing that the universe had seen fit to give him a rematch, he planned on taking full advantage of it.

"Andre my boy what are you doing? Let's take care of this bitch!"

As Andre watched his friends arrive and begin insulting Celeste, he felt like running over and beating them up! He had only just convinced her that he was apologetic and here they came coming to give him a death sentence. As he tried to give them signals with his eyes to cut it out, he suddenly felt a chill go down his back.

Celeste simply glanced at the three newly arrived men before turning to Andre and asking, "Will you be handling them? Or shall I handle all of you together?"

"I will handle it! I will deal with them no problem! Please spare me!" Andre yelled and immediately saluted her.

Celeste gave him her most innocent smile before saying, "You have 3 minutes. Start."

***

After dealing with Andre, Celeste quickly went to the store to grab some toiletries and an air mattress. She carefully took her fully loaded motorcycle back to Richard's building and parked it in the garage using the fob Auntie Mae had given her. Once she found the private elevator, she quickly entered and pushed the 49th-floor button.

The elevator quickly arrived at the 49th floor and as she looked around the empty room, she was double impressed. The 49th-floor apartment was set up similarly to the 50th floor except for the fact that it was completely empty. Everything was painted a lovely cream color and with the sunset coming in, it added a charming glow to the apartment.

Sighing in happiness at being able to stay in such a beautiful space for free, she quickly hung her clothes in the closet, blew up her air mattress, and decided to go bother Auntie Mae for dinner.

Ding!

When she got to the top, she could smell a delicious scent wafting from the kitchen.

"Miss Celeste, is that you? Dinner is ready! Could you please go get Master to come eat? He is currently in his office." Auntie Mae called out.

"Sure thing!" Celeste took off her shoes and quickly put on house slippers before going to Richard's office and knocking on the door.

Knock! Knock!

"I'll have my dinner later Mae." Was the cold response.

Celeste shamelessly opened the door and poked her head through. She saw that Richard seemed to have stayed in the same spot since she left. The only change was that the office space was now illuminated by lamps.

"Babe, dinner is ready. Let's go eat." She smiled as she looked at him.

Richard glanced at the smiling girl gazing at him with expectation before looking back at his work.

"I told Mae I'm not hungry. When I'm done with my work for the day, I'll come out and eat."

Hearing the disinterested reply, Celeste walked into the office. She glanced around noting that there wasn't even a stray mug or bottle of water around. Seeing the way, he was focused, she could guarantee that he probably hadn't eaten all day.

"Have you eaten today?" she curiously asked as she approached him.

"I've been busy" he coolly replied not looking at her as he continued to type away.

Shaking her head at him, she slipped by his desk and stood behind him careful not to glance at the computer screen. Seeing that he didn't react, she decided to be bolder. She leaned on his back, wrapping one hand around him while the other reached out to gently close the laptop.

"I seem to remember someone saying not to harm your body like an idiot. Work will always be there. Let's get some nutrition first hmm?"

Seeing him not respond, she leaned her entire body weight on his back and nuzzled his neck which caused him to stiffen but not react.

"Babe? I'm hungrryy. Please? I can't eat without you." Celeste pouted when he still gave her no response.

Richard could only sigh at Celeste's antics. Feeling the warmth of her body along with the softness pressed into him and hearing the soft husky voice in his ear, he decided to get up before she got even bolder. Besides, she had already shut his computer. He would have to start his work again regardless.

"Okay. Get down."

"No way, carry me like this. Pretty please." Celeste demanded before hugging him tighter, pressing herself into him.

Richard sighed again before slowly standing up and she tightened her grip around his neck and wrapped her legs around his waist. Although he was used to her touching him in different ways, it was an unfamiliar feeling for him as he felt strands of her long soft hair tickling his neck and her warm breath close to his face.

When they reached his full height, Celeste lightly commented, "Wow you're really tall. Have you ever hit your head on a doorframe?"

"Never." Richard calmly replied before adjusting her legs causing her to shriek and cling to him tighter.

"Don't drop me. I'm afraid of heights." Celeste buried her face into his shoulder.

"Didn't you want to be carried?"

"I do! I thought it would be fun but you're too tall. I don't think I'm supposed to exist this high up." She mumbled before tightening her arms and legs around him causing Richard to chuckle and shake her a little causing her to cling even tighter him.

"I've got you. I won't drop you."

"Promise?"

"Promise." his large arms lightly gripped her thighs hoisting her more comfortably on his back as he walked out.

Richard slowly walked to the kitchen noticing that Mae had placed the dishes for dinner all over the counter. When she caught sight of him carrying Celeste, she winked before cheerfully saying.

"I'll be leaving now and will be back later to clean up. Please eat to regain your energy before performing any other acts. Enjoy you little love birds. Ha ha." Auntie Mae laughed before quickly leaving so that the two lovebirds could have some time alone.

"Bye auntie, thank you for the food!" Celeste raised her head and waved at the pink tracksuit auntie making her escape. She cautiously slid down to the floor, patting her chest in relief that she didn't fall and break anything.

Seeing Richard stare at her, she looked away in embarrassment. It wasn't her fault at all. If god wanted her to be that high up, he would have made her that tall.

She quickly dished food onto her plate and sat down. Richard quietly ate as Celeste excitedly told him with details about her day. Whenever he stopped eating, she would stop and glare at him and pile more food onto his plate muttering about how he was 'a growing boy who needed all his nutrients'.

Considering the fact that he was 30 years old and had long finished growing, he didn't know whether to laugh or cry. Not even his assistants or his parents cared that much about his meals and nutrition.

Once dinner was done, they harmoniously loaded the dishes in the dishwasher and wiped down the counter. Watching Celeste as she happily sat on the counter, legs swinging while eating a chocolate pudding, Richard thought about how his life had changed in the little time she was here. Breakfast and dinner were regularly made, and Mae even disregarded his rules and interrupted him about eating. Watching the girl hide her pudding before reluctantly offering him a spoonful, he somehow wished he could have this type of relationship with somebody for real and not just because of a contract.

As they were in the process of going their separate ways; Celeste downstairs and Richard back to his office, Celeste suddenly turned to him and asked.

"Babe, is there a gym here that I can use?" she glanced at him curiously.

"I have a personal gym that a couple of my troops and I use to train every morning." Richard calmly replied. Although there was another public gym in this building, he didn't know why he didn't mention it to her.

"I want to come! What time do you train?" Celeste excitedly raised her hand as if she was in class.

Seeing her sparkling violet eyes and excitement as she looked at him, Richard wanted to smile back and pat her head. "I train at 5 am every morning. If that's too early for you, you can go to it whenever. It's located on the 48th floor and the keys you have should allow you entry."

"Okie dokie, it's a date. I'll see you at 5 am. Try to get some rest. Good night babe." Celeste winked at him as she waved at him.

"Good night Celeste," Richard responded. Almost out of habit, he reached out and pulled her into him while lightly pressing a kiss on top of her head.

"You can kiss other places too you know. It's completely allowed in our contract." Celeste glanced up at him and waggled her eyebrows mischievously. Seeing Richard's face darken, and a vein pop up on his forehead, she laughed and blew him a kiss before leaving.

***

Richard watched Celeste cheerfully wave at him before she took the elevator down.

"Master, it seems to me that Miss Celeste is willing to get close to you and is a good girl. Why don't you make a move on her?"

Auntie Mae had come from god knows where and was standing behind him as she gently scolded him.

"If you don't lock her down now, some other person will take her from you. I suggest you swoop in and make a move."

Richard calmly glanced at the older woman staring at him, before commanding "Dismissed."

"Yes, commander. I'll have breakfast ready at 7 a.m. tomorrow."

"I don't need it."

"Ah, it's not for you, it's for Miss Celeste. She's a growing girl and still needs to fatten up so she can let me hold a grand-baby sooner." Auntie Mae replied while humming, "I wonder what I should have her eat tomorrow."

Richard incredulously watched his cook disregard him and wondered if she still remembered that he was her commanding officer and the one who hired and paid her, not Celeste.