RaStro FicS

She keeps me warm (4)

When she heard the telephone ringing, Rhian ran back into the house from the front porch. She had been distracted all morning and nothing seemed to be going right that day. Just as she picked up the phone, Robbyn jumped in front of her, almost causing her to trip. "Hey!"

"Rhian?" Glaiza wondered if she had dialed the correct number.

The red hair woman swore when she heard her own name that her heart skipped a beat. "Hey." She said in a softer tone as she sank down on the floor next to Robbyn. "Sorry about that. My cat nearly knocked me over."

"You're okay?"

Rhian smiled. "I am now."

"This is Glaiza Galura. You said to call."

"Yeah. How's your back? Still giving you problems?"

"That's what I called about." Glaiza stared at the card remembering the kind and innocent eyes of the massage therapist. "I was wondering if you could work me in."

Excited, Rhian said. "I can take you right now."

Glaiza's eyes widened and instantly gulped. "You can?"

It was then that Rhian realized the subtle sexual undertones in what she said. "I mean. You could come now...if you wanted." When the older woman didn't say anything for a moment, Rhian moaned. "Oh God, I'm sorry. I meant..."

"It's okay." Glaiza smiled at the massage therapist's innocent words that precariously offered more. "No."

"Oh." Rhian was disappointed. "I thought you called to make an appointment."

"I did." Glaiza hurried her words. "It's just that I've got a lot of work to get done this afternoon. Would tomorrow morning be okay?"

"What time?" Rhian wasn't normally an early riser, but she would happily greet the morning sunrise if it meant seeing Glaiza again.

"Say around ten maybe?"

"I'll be here." Rhian grinned.

"See you then."

"Bye." When she heard Glaiza hang up the telephone, Rhian looked at Robbyn's questioning eyes. "We're just friends." Her cat didn't buy that and neither did the pounding of her heart.

For her part, Glaiza was struggling with a heart that had been cloistered far too long. When she ran a finger over the raised purple letters on the card, a single heartbeat pounded loudly, demanding to come out.

*****

Glaiza down shifted into second as she turned the corner on her way to Rhian's house early Saturday morning. She was running late since she had changed several times before deciding on wearing a pair of khaki shorts and one of her old red and black jerseys. When she pulled the car to a complete stop in front of the massage therapist's apartment, the short hair chanced a quick look in the mirror. Seeing her hair in a bit of disarray, Glaiza ran her fingers through her hair and wondered if she should've wore a cap.

Rhian saw the ecosport stop in front of her apartment and she rushed walking out on the porch. When the short hair got out of her car, Rhian waved. "Hi."

"Hey." Glaiza called back as she walked around her car and briefly studied the purring Russian Blue which followed her owner.

Seeing the bit of hesitation in Glaiza's approach, Rhian said. "Come on up. She's a good cat." When she was just one foot away from the other woman, the Russian Blue clung to her left leg demanding to pet her. "Sorry. She likes you."

"It's a good thing for me then." The short hair crouched down and tamed Robbyn. "What's her name?"

"Robbyn." Rhian marveled at how well the two of them were getting along so quickly. "Come on you two, enough with all that flirting."