RaStro FicS

She keeps me warm (12)

Glaiza stood by Rhian's mini cooper. "So where should we go eat?" The short hair looked at her friend when Diego didn't answer. "Rhian?"

The very astute young twenty-year-old standing next to his cousin had been carefully watching both women since Glaiza showed up at his cousin's apartment right before noon. And every chance he had, Diego allowed a brief moment of distraction from his race to scrutinize Rhian's interaction with the short hair. Something was up between them and he had yet to figure it out, but he knew that would only take a matter of time. "Take her to Racks. She loves baby back ribs." He moved around to the passenger's door as he yelled back over his shoulder. "You'll score lots of points with her for that." Glaiza shot a questioning look at the embarrassed red hair.

"He's right." Rhian shrugged before climbing in her cooper and throwing a dangerous glare at her cousin who was smiling sweetly on the other side of the cooper.

"Racks it is." Glaiza hurried around the front of the vehicle and as he did earlier Diego opened the door and waved the short hair in first. He refused to sit beside his cousin, forcing Glaiza to sit on the passenger's seat. Rhian revved up the engine, glared once more at her cousin who's at the back before slipping it into gear and off they went on their way to dinner.

"Hold on!" Diego yelled and pretended to be jerked back by the cooper's forward movement. "She's hell on wheels." Even though the short hair didn't openly agree with Diego, Glaiza did take note of how fast the red hair liked to drive.

After dinner, the trio walked back to the cooper. "See? What'd I say? You can get her to do anything you want now." Diego said to Glaiza, but looked at his cousin who in turn mockingly glared at him.

Rhian was in a great mood except for being more than slightly embarrassed by her cousin while they were eating dinner. As it happened, the red hair was trying hard to get Glaiza to taste the baby back ribs with the delicious barbecue sauce. "Here. Try it. Come on." Practically begging, the red hair held up a small bit of the ribs. Instead of taking the offered piece, Glaiza reached over and wiped a bit of barbecue sauce from the side of Rhian's mouth. Then to everyone's surprise, especially her own, she licked the sauce from her own finger. That moment froze in time as the three of them tried to process what had just happened. Rhian's whole body was on fire, and not from the hot barbecue sauce. Glaiza was shocked at her behavior, but it seemed like such a natural thing to do. And Diego's eyes bounced back and forth between the two women until he finally spoke. "Sheesh. You two should get a room."

After they hoped into the cooper. "Why don't we go see a movie?" Diego suggested innocently.

"That sounds good." Glaiza agreed, looking at the red hair sitting next to her. But Rhian was suspicious of her brother's seemingly innocent suggestion. Diego shrugged as if Rhian's not there and then just as quickly suggested the latest scary movie playing at the local theater. Rhian remained silent, Glaiza nudged her friend. "Not going for it, huh?"

"I don't know." Rhian refused to meet the short hair's gaze.

"So what do you think? Should we go?" Glaiza said softly, allowing the red hair to know it was her decision.

"I guess that would be okay." Rhian didn't want her friend thinking little of her for not wanting to watch the movie.

When his cousin agreed, Diego let out a loud laugh. "Tonight, she'll be making a running start at her bed before she jumps on it."

Confused, Glaiza wondered what that statement was all about. "Huh?"

Diego shot Rhian an impish grin while pretending to scare her. "Woooo...." Rhian practically jumped over Glaiza and swatted at her brother.