Page 26 of Rousing Renee

“Hello, Ezra,” she mumbled into my chest. “I’m sorry if this feels like a lot, I really needed a hug though.”

“What’s wrong?” I asked, concerned.

“I must be about to start my period because I feel… yucky.”

“Got it.” I shook my head. “No, this isn’t too much.”

There was a knock behind me, startling me.

“That must be the food. I hope you’re hungry.” She giggled before letting me go.

I turned around and answered the door. It was the delivery person and Renee tried to retrieve it and I stopped her.

“You sign the receipt. I’ll get this stuff,” I told her.

“Yes, Sir.”

After I retrieved everything, I took it inside the living room and placed it on the table there. When I got back, she was finishing up.

“Thank you, so much,” she said, while closing the door.

“What next?” I asked her.

“Uh… you pick the movie, and I’ll get plates and glasses.”

“Okay.”

I left my shoes by the door and came back to the living room. This time I paid attention to the details of it. The feel was soft and homey, like she’d spent time making it hers. The living room was a pale pink paired with cream. Plush pillows lined the small sectional couch, the walls had picture frames of art that were of the same color palette, the cream floor rug beneath the coffee table had pink fringe, and the wooden figures that sat in the corners drew your eyes to their line work.

“It’s okay. Nothing in here will bite you.” She giggled as she came in with a tray of ice, glasses, and plates.

“No, it’s not that at all.”

“Oh… is something wrong?” She looked around as if she expected to see something out of place.

“Not wrong. People pay a lot of money to get this level of warmth in a single room. You’ve done an amazing job of it.”

Renee smiled, and her shoulders relaxed. “Thank you.”

“Where should we get settled in?” I asked, taking her lead on this.

After she set down the tray, she removed pillows from the end of the sofa where it curved. It made the most sense for what she was trying to achieve if cuddling was still on the menu. Renee took my hand and walked me to the couch where she wanted me to sit. I did, and she patted the couch where it extended toward the television. Putting my legs up, she added another pillow behind my back and observed my posture.

“Comfortable?”

“Extremely, thank you.”

Renee smiled big and got to work. She took a plate and opened a pizza box, making the smell of bacon more potent. My stomach growled, and she giggled. She opened the other box and moved it further down the table. Then she arranged all the snacks, poured me root beer into a glass, and then pulled the table closer to the couch. When it dawned on me what she was doing, I moved to get up.

“No, Sir.” She shook her head quickly. “I’ve got it.”

I swallowed, not liking her moving the furniture. Not that it was heavy, I just…

She plopped a pillow on the floor next to me and dropped down to sit. Everything was in reach for her. That’s when I truly saw what was happening here. She pulled a slice of pizza from the left and one from the right side. Two different kinds. On the other side, she put Cool Ranch Doritos, wings in the middle, and handed it to me. She served me while kneeling, napkins underneath the plate. Stunned, I took the offering. A woman on her knees was a weakness I kept to myself–a quick way to get whatever you wanted from me.

“Thank you.”

Renee nodded and took the remote from her pocket. Turning on the tv, she pulled up a popular streaming app. Then she handed the remote to me.

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