Another damn ficlet...

Why was she here?

Granted, she had a key but he hadn't really expected her to use it if they were both on world at the same time...

"Ad?" he asked as he stepped into his utility room, his assistant not acknowledging his approach. Of course not, she was plugged in as usual, dancing to what sounded like pop music today.

"Hello Adrienne!!" he shouted as he yanked to earbuds from her ears, her left hand darting out to sock him in the stomach.

Dammit, that hurt.

When would he learn not to startle her??

"I saw ya cooyon, I was doing something," she replied without looking up, Daniel disregarding the nagging reminder of sneaking up on Adrienne to peer over her shoulder in curiosity.

"Laundry?"

"Yeah, I started it, your machine was full, I'll transfer it over as soon as it is finished spinning," she answered, swearing under her breath as she fiddled with some ceramic thing in her hands.

"I was kidding, assistant doesn't mean you do my laundry."

"Friend does, if it needs doing and said friend is killing himself with work," was her response, a slight smile at her lips.

"I made it to bed last night..." he defended as he leaned back against the washer, Adrienne finally peering over at him.

"Uh huh, after I put ice down your pants."

"Which was not funny..." it was, he lied, he just needed her to think he was mad until he could get her back.

"It was hilarious shug, Walter agrees," she said as she snapped the thing in her hands into place.

"Walter? There's video?" Great, just what he needed.

"Yep, of which I have the only copy left in existence, so I'm thinking you owe me about a month's worth of caramel lattes to ensure it's destruction."

That smile again.

Damn distracting Adrienne.

"Fine, whatever, destroy the evidence," he chuckled, focusing again on what she was doing, "what in the hell is that?"

"I had to play girl this morning," she explained, shoving the object into his face, something that plugged into the wall, "Tupperware party for smelly stuff. Anyway, I needed to make a showing, so I did, was the only person not buying anything because I have no need for that with my incense burners so I bought two for you."

"Really?"

"Yes really," she said, handing him the smaller object as she opened a second box.

"Why?"

Now she frowned.

"Because you're the closest thing I have to a boyfriend, as sad as that is."

Daniel rolled his eyes, not knowing what to say to that, at all.

"Oh good," but Adrienne had moved on, apparently, "this one's already put together."

Another thing that looked like a ceramic pot with an electrical cord was shoved into his hands.

"We'll put the big one in the living room and the small one in your bathroom," she declared, pale Cajun fingers now digging through a purple plastic bag.

"Yes ma'am."

"Good boy," she teased, opening a package in her hands, sniffing it before making a face and digging again.

"What's that?" he asked as she pulled up a second one.

"The things that smell good, wax cubes," she sniffed this one now, smiling and nodding, turning the package to his face.

"This, this is Daniel smell," she declared. Shrugging he sniffed in, making a face in confusion.

"I have a smell?"

"Yes, not this, you smell, but, no, I mean, never mind," she started to stammer, flustered, why was she flustered, "I mean it suits your home, makes it clean and comfortable."

"If you say so," he replied, surprised at her reaction. Why was she flustered? Was she getting red in teh cheeks?

"Do you like it?"

"Yeah," he forced the thoughts away, Jack is not right, NOT right, "it's nice."

"Ok, I'll go set them up," and in an instant his hands were cleared and she was pushing past him, her own scent floating around him: myrrh.

"Stop it, Jack's not right, just stop..." he muttered under his breath, trying not to think about how good she smelled as he followed her into his living room.