Don't Call Me Cat!

Chapter 41: Hose Me Down

Just about making my Friday deadline. I didn't want to bust it into Saturday for a second week running. Hope you're all keeping OK and had a good week (by whatever standards you're judging it by). I'm weekend working yet again, so for me, roll on Monday and Tuesday. Hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving with family and friends. I'll leave you to get on with reading now. Hope you enjoy this latest chapter xxxxx

"Holy guacamole!" Shannon looked around the kitchen and I couldn't hold back the laughter. 

Karen had stayed over after Jared left and we'd decided to prepare food rather than order takeout.

Homemade tagliatelle was draped from every available work surface and door handle; the floor was covered in flour; our Italian tomato sauce had splattered beautiful white tiles, and Karen was on her hands and knees chasing slimy egg which had spilled over from a too-small mixing bowl.

"Don't say anything else, Shannon!" I raced over to him, avoiding Karen and the escaped egg, only to see him back away.

"Don't you dare touch me," he laughed, putting his palms out to stop me advancing any further. "I'm gonna need cleaners to sort this out."

He gazed at the pair of us covered in flour with splats of red sauce dripping down our clothes.

 "I have a good mind to strip you both and hose you down outside," he warned.

"You'll have to catch us first," I said before blowing a cloud of flour from my palm into his face.

"Anyway, this is organized chaos. Dinner will be ready in half an hour," I promised, shooing him out of the kitchen with a glass of wine in his hand.

"The hosepipe threat still stands," he yelled over his shoulder. But he was drowned out by shrieks of laughter from Karen who'd slipped on the egg and was now cursing at the top of her voice.

"OK, we've got 30 minutes to perform a miracle," I grinned watching Shannon retreat to the den.

I helped Karen off the floor and we chuckled at the enormity of the task in front of us.

"You boil water for the pasta and clean the walls. I'll scoop up the tagliatelle and lay the table," I said before pouring us both a hefty glass of wine.

There's nothing like a self-imposed deadline to hurry things along. 

Twenty minutes later and things were looking slightly better.

"Shannon we're ready!" I drained the pasta and drizzled it with olive oil before adding the sauce and some fresh basil.

"You are one dirty, dirty woman." He crept up behind and slid his arms around my waist, pulling me back into his chest so he could nibble my neck.

"Are you still thinking of hosing me down?" I craned my neck back to look at him, grinning as he licked his lips. I knew exactly what thoughts he was entertaining. I shifted my hips back to grind against him, knowing the effect it would have 

"You carry on like that and you'll be hosing me down," he growled

"And I'll be throwing a bucket of water over the two of you."

We laughed as Karen returned, dragging me away from Shannon to help plate up the food.

The conversation was full-on as we sat down to eat. In between forking mouthfuls of pasta, we discussed Jared and Cass, wondering if he was having any success in New York. Karen told us about her breakfast tip-off and I just left my mouth run away with me as usual.

Another glass of wine and I was ready to take on the world.

"So what do you think of Jared then Karen?" I watched her closely, knowing it was an awkward question with Shannon sitting next to us.