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Published:
2022-08-03
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2022-08-08
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Sunday Morning

Summary:

Beth & Rio are friends working at a bar in downtown Detroit & definitely don't have feelings for each other.

Chapter 1: Steal some covers, share some skin

Summary:

Beth wakes up in an unfamiliar bed & tries to recall the details of the night before.

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

Beth opens her eyes to the hazy morning light seeping through the bedroom window. Then immediately closes them. Her head is pounding, and her mouth is so, so dry. She rolls over and is about to groan dramatically when she realizes the sheets she just pushed her face into are definitely not hers. They’re charcoal gray and too soft and they smell like him.

Her mind races backwards to the night before but can’t recall the details of falling asleep. She attempts to dig back further and is flooded with rage at the memory of finding Dean’s credit card bills. Tries to fast forward before the urge to destroy something overtakes her again.

She remembers getting ready for work and packing her bags in a hurry, mildly irritated but mostly elated at the realization that everything she had there fit in two bags. She’d given Annie all the furniture from her old apartment when they moved in together. And, really, besides her clothing, a few kitchen accessories and her grandmother’s cookbook, how had she not realized nothing else in their home was hers?

She’d written him a note with a string of curses and insults and ‘how could you?’s before she realized she wasn’t actually upset about it being over. It was more the embarrassment and disrespect, the commonplaceness of it all. She’d shoved the half-written note in her purse and instead grabbed a red pen, circled the lingerie charges on the bills going back the last six months and slammed her engagement ring on top of it, right next to her key to the house.

She remembers blocking his number in the backseat of the uber and forcibly pushing him from her mind before walking into the bar.

It had been a busy Friday night. Some college rivalry game on, everyone packed around the bar to watch the big screen above the liquor shelves. Beth hated that crowd. They were loud and obnoxious and horrible tippers. She preferred to work the high-top tables towards the back on game nights. She found the mostly older crowd infinitely kinder, and it was much more lucrative.

She remembers she was chatting with a few regulars when he walked in. Rio looked surprised to see her, which made sense since she asked Andy for his shift at the last minute. Knew she was going to have to start picking up more night shifts if she was going to get off Annie’s couch any time soon.

Beth was nervous about talking to him but didn’t have time to think about why. She just knew she didn’t want to explain to him what happened. But then he heard Carrie ask her about the breakup while they were waiting on drinks, her having to yell to be heard over the crowd, and the stunned look on his face was enough to have her almost laughing, wondering why she’d been worried in the first place.

She threw a hand towel towards his face to get him to snap out of it. Except he caught it midair and tossed it casually over his shoulder, shooting Beth a look that sarcastically said nice try, before he passed Carrie her drinks. He set Beth’s down on the bar in front of her but didn’t make any move to leave, even though there were at least ten people obviously waiting to order.

Instead, his dark eyes searched her face when he asked if she wanted to ‘chill after work’ and ‘blow off some steam’.

He seemed.. serious in a way she didn’t recall ever seeing before. She nodded without even really thinking about it.

They closed up early, the crowd having dwindled to almost no one a little after midnight once the game ended in a loss.  

Beth rolls over onto her back and rubs her fingertips in small circles on her temples, trying to settle the pounding, trying to focus.

Then she remembers the tequila and the park and the – wait – did she smoke last night? Beth does groan then. Maybe that’s why her mouth is so dry.

She remembers she expected him to suggest another bar, but they wound up at a park a few blocks from work. They passed a liquor store on the way and he went in while she stood outside, texting Annie she’d be back later than expected. He came out with a plastic bag full of mini tequila bottles, which had her laughing and calling him cheap, but he insisted they’d be easier to hide in the park.

And that’s where it starts to get fuzzy. Beth closes her eyes and tries to follow the memory.

He looked so mysterious in his dark jacket and gray beanie, pulled low across his eyebrows, sitting casually in the swing next to her. And she remembers thinking just how ridiculous that was because he wasn’t mysterious, at least not to her.

His nose stud kept catching the light from the streetlamp and she’s certain he caught her staring once, but she’s pretty sure she managed to play it off like she was watching the lights of the plane in the distance.

He reached down to the bag from the liquor store and pulled out two tiny bottles, opened both and handed her one.

“Cheers,” she said.

“And congratulations,” he agreed.

The silence lingered awhile but it wasn’t uncomfortable. By the second bottle they were recapping the night, and the third, arguing over which section of the bar had better tippers on which nights.

At some point, she filled him in on the details of her afternoon and he got quiet again. Then he leaned back in his swing to look at her, feet planted firmly on the ground and his hands held high on the chains – and just picturing the way he looked in that moment, some mix between angry and happy and disbelief – the rest of the night seemed to reappear in her memory in an instant. 

“Haven’t you been living there like a year?”

Beth turns to face the playground, so she makes her eye roll evident in her tone, “More like eight months.”

“And you had, legit, two bags?” Rio chuckles. “That’s just sad, darlin’.”

“Hey!” She reaches out to push his swing away from her, but only his upper body sways. “Say what you want but it made for a quick getaway, alright?”

“Ain’t nobody complaining about that.”

And she wonders what he means by that. Wishes she could see his face more clearly.

He clears his throat.

“So what, just some clothes and toiletries?”

“Pretty much.”

“Hmm.”

“What?”

“Just – nothing.”

“C’mon, tell me.” The ‘please’ evident by the fluttering of her eyelashes.

Rio looks down at his sneakers and shakes his head. “A'ight, let’s play a game, yeah?”

“Like what?” she hedges.

“Twenty questions. I guess what was in your bags. If I’m right, you drink. I guess wrong and I’ll drink.”

And it’s not a good idea. They both have work tomorrow and she picked up a double shift. But he just looks so damn cocky and there’s not much Beth likes more than a challenge, especially one from him.

“Alright,” she shrugs.

And Beth almost instantly regrets that decision.

Rio turns to stare right at her, eyes bright with confidence, and starts counting with his fingers, “A book, a picture,” he pauses a second before adding, “your makeup, alarm clock, slippers.”

“Drink two – no alarm clock, no slippers,” she says primly as she lifts her drink to take a few sips.

He tosses his back easily. “Okay, uh.. that cast iron pan you always sayin’ is the ‘best thing ever’.”

She shakes her head, and he looks like he doesn’t believe her so she elaborates, “Brought it to Annie’s a few weeks ago for a family dinner and hadn’t brought it back yet sooo… no need to pack it.”

Rio smiles and takes another sip, then tosses the empty container back in the bag. She thinks he’s grabbing another for himself, but he passes it to her.

“I still have some left,” she says as she shakes her almost empty bottle.

“Yeah, you about to need another though.”

And whatever he reads on her face makes him laugh. There’s still a lightness in his voice when he starts counting again, “That red dress with the little polka dots all over it,” and he nods like he knows he got that one right, “that green, velvet scrunchie you always wearin’ on your wrist instead of in your hair. Uhh… some of those old records you like, a phone charger, and that purple nail polish.”

He looks so smug, she wishes she had more to offer than a muttered, “Not enough room for the records.”

Rio smiles big and motions towards the drinks she’s holding.

She opens the full bottle, tips her head back and drinks half in one shot, figures that counts as two sips.

“You gonna drink?” she asks as she lifts the last of the bottle to her lips and finishes it off.

“We’re out.”

“Oh, here,” and hands him the bottle with one sip left. He eyes it like he might not want to share. “Unless you don’t want..” she trails off as she wipes a bit of tequila from her bottom lip.

Rio grunts and snatches it from her fingers before drinking the last bit. His voice sounds rough as he asks, “You wanna keep going?”

“No point I guess, if there’s nothing else to gamble. Right?”

He hums and shoots her a quick look she can’t read in the dark. Digs his feet into the dirt to push back on his swing. Then reaches into the pocket of his jacket and pulls out a joint.

“Got this though.” He lifts his feet and the momentum carries him past her and then back, like a pendulum, his arm outstretched towards her, joint still in his fingers.

That has her laughing. “Seriously? You just carry that around with you?”

“Hey now, this is a perfectly legitimate way to unwind after work. You oughta try it sometime.”

“I’ve smoked before,” she scoffs.

He looks her over and shoots her a disbelieving look. “When, high school?”

And that has her forcing back a blush. “I mean it’s been awhile, but not that long.” Beth tosses her hair back and adds, “I’m game if you are.”

He smiles and thinks for a moment before he continues, “Alright, uhh.. your pillow?”

“Oh my – shit. Shit! How did I not think of that?” Beth moans as she draws a pattern in the dirt with the toe of her shoe, “Annie’s couch pillows are so uncomfortable.”

She up looks at him, misery plainly written all over her face. And he looks like he wants to say something but then snaps his gaze to the playground and pulls a lighter from his pocket.

Rio lights the joint and something about the flame flickering across his face has her holding her breath. He’s just so – gorgeous. It’s infuriating.

He passes it to her as the smoke falls from his lips and she takes it between her fingers but, “Aren’t you supposed to guess something right first?”

“Nah, I got this one,” he says, trying to hold back his cocky smile.

“That’s not how this –”

“Somethin’ your sister left there,” he interrupts.

And fuck. Yeah. Beth had been walking out, bags in hand, when she spotted Annie’s jacket laying across the back of the couch. Had slung it over her shoulder as she walked out.

“I mean, technically not.. in.. my bag so…”

“Elizabeth.”

“Yeah, yeah, okay,” she agrees at his overly serious tone, waiving the joint in the air.

She brings it to her lips but finds it’s gone out while they were talking. He pushes his swing closer, arm with the lighter extended towards her.

Her fingers graze his in the transaction and he feels unfairly warm considering how cold it is outside.

Beth lights it and takes a small puff, barely holding back a cough but managing at the last second.

She doesn’t feel anything at first, just passes it to Rio. She pushes back in her swing and waits, looks up at the stars as she sways back and forth. It only takes a minute and then everything seems just a little bit brighter, almost pulsing. She angles her head so she can see him and finds him watching her swing, a small smile on his face.

“Another? What was that, fourteen?”

“Thirteen,” he answers quickly. “Not sure we makin’ it to twenty though.”

And she wants to giggle but he just looks so serious. And that thought does have her giggling. And then he’s laughing at her and things just feel so light and comfortable she says, “I think I really needed this.. thank you.” Beth gives him her most genuine smile. The one that usually makes her feel a little vulnerable, but somehow doesn’t right now.

And he has that look again. The one she can’t place. Is about to ask what he’s thinking when he stutters out a laugh.

“What?!” she asks a little too loudly.

Rio looks around mid-laugh, confirming no one is around, but it’s well past one in the morning now.

“Nah, I just.. thought of something. To guess. Definitely shouldn’t though.”

She glares at him, feeling overly irritated that he wouldn’t share with her at this point in the night.

“Oh, c’mon.”

He stares at her a beat, and she can tell his competitive streak is going to outweigh whatever was holding him back.

“A'ight – your vibrator,” he says, so sure of himself.

And she just – dies. Like, she literally thinks she might be having a heart attack. She’s definitely still breathing though, and then the laughter hits and she just can’t stop. That word coming out of his mouth might be the funniest thing she’s ever heard. It takes multiple deep breaths, with a few close relapses, before she calms down enough to shake her head ‘no’.

And he looks surprised but she can tell he doesn’t want to pry.

“No, I just.. I mean I used to have one,” she says, defensively for some reason. “I threw it away when we moved in.. guess I just figured I wouldn’t need it anymore, you know?”

And he nods but says, “How long it take you to regret that?”, which has her laughing all over again. And then he’s taking another puff and handing it to her, and she’s taking one too even though he didn’t guess anything else.

And..

That’s it. That’s the last thing she remembers.

Beth peeks one eye open and sees a long arm stretched towards her, like he’d reached for her at some point in the night.

Rio’s sleeping on his stomach, head buried in his pillow, but she knows it’s him by the bar tattoos climbing the back of his arm, disappearing under the sleeves of his black shirt. And, god, the smell of him is overwhelming.

She has the ridiculous thought that he must wash his sheets in his body wash before realizing – it’s her. Her hands fly to her hair and – still damp – she must’ve showered before bed and – fuck. One hand sweeps between her legs, finds herself dry, which means they didn’t. Or she just cleaned up well in the shower. Although she’s still mostly clothed, still wearing last night’s purple sweater and underwear, which seems like a weird step if they’d just finished –.

Beth feels the embarrassment heat her cheeks and run down her chest as she forces herself up and out of bed to start looking for her things. That they might’ve hooked up and she has no memory of it feels like some cruel sort of punishment.

She’s had a crush on him since basically the moment they met, and that’s fine, because they’re both adults and mild physical attraction didn’t have to mean anything. But that they might have acted on it and she wouldn’t be able to remember it, especially now that she was actually single? It’s enough to make her want to cry. Or scream. Or run.

Running wins out.

It’s the only option really. Because the others – Wait for him to wake up and what? Pretend she remembers? Play along and try to get it out of him, the details of what happened last night? She doesn’t have the energy for games.

She’d probably just blurt out that she doesn’t remember and wishes she did and she’s really not sure she can handle hearing the details. Or, god, what if he didn’t remember either? Beth can’t decide which would be worse.

After pulling her pants back on as quietly as possible, she finds her shoes and her bags by the front door. Grabbing the first shirt she can find, she quickly changes in his kitchen, eyes sweeping around the room, trying to recall any details from the night before but it’s all just nothing after the park.

She thinks about leaving a note but runs into all the same issues with staying, namely – what would she even say? So she leaves.

It’s cold outside, the sun still making it’s way far enough above the buildings to heat things up as she walks the four blocks to the bar. A few breaths of fresh air and she starts to feel better, a little more settled.

She doesn’t even know why she panicked. Rio’s her best friend besides Ruby. They’d met at the bar a couple years ago and hit it off right away, always joking and arguing, borderline flirting with each other. Then with Ruby and Stan having a baby last year, she and Rio had gotten even closer.

He introduced her to his siblings when one of them stopped by the bar, and he’d always confided in her – even about his illegal business dealings, occasionally asking her advice when he needed a second opinion. Beth wasn’t one to make new friends easily, but something about him trusting her so openly had always made her feel safe, and so she shared everything back, and without even meaning to they’d fallen into a really great friendship.

She probably shouldn’t have been so nervous to talk to him this morning.

But the thought of listening to him explain it was just a hookup has her feeling nauseous. Maybe if she plays it like she’s cool with that, he’ll let it breeze over without them having to really talk about it.

Because Beth knows that’s all it was, if it even happened, she reminds herself.

In all the time she’s known Rio, she’s never seen him in anything more than a casual relationship. The kind with no strings attached that ended amicably the moment one of them decided it was time. No drama, which means they must have that talk ahead of time. And she just can’t bear the thought of him laying it all out for her, that they could be more than friends but less than – anything else. And she doesn’t even want to be anything else, it’s just something about him saying it fills her with dread.

Beth enjoys the walk, happy to have a few minutes to herself even if she is still lugging her bags around, which feel a lot heavier hungover and rage-less. God, was it really only a day ago she ended things with Dean? And why is it that her stomach rumbling has her feeling more than her decimated romantic life?

She pauses in the doorway to the bar to shoot Annie a text saying she’s still alive and she’ll come by this afternoon to drop her bags off. Then she lifts her head to an empty building and groans in frustration.

Archie, the owner, turns the corner of the back office just in time to catch her making a face.

“Why do we even open this early on the weekends when it’s always dead until noon?” she calls to him as she adjusts the strap of her bag on her shoulder, but Archie just laughs.

“So much for making extra money,” she mutters under her breath.

“What was that?” he yells back a bit too loudly. His hearing had started to fade over the last year so that was a common phrase these days.

“Oh, do you mind if I stash these in your office again until my first shift is over?”

“That’s fine, but – actually, you’re looking for a new place right?” She barely manages to suppress an eye roll at the thought of how quickly gossip spreads around this place.

“Yeah, I am.”

“I’m looking to lease the apartment above the bar. Want someone I can trust to look after the place while I’m out of town and would offer you a great deal. You interested?”

And Beth smiles for the first time that morning, thinking this day might just turn around after all.

Notes:

Title from Maroon 5's song by the same name, which I heard for the first time in years at brunch last weekend while trying to daydream another story for these two. And I thought - what great vibes for a sleepy, cozy, fluffy fic of them waking up together on a rainy Sunday morning. And then I started writing and somehow that turned into all this? We should get to those vibes in about another.. six chapters? Lol.

Chapter 2: Moments unforgettable

Summary:

Rio replays the previous night while he runs some errands.

Chapter Text

Rio got ready that morning trying to remind himself why he was still working there.

His other business ventures had been making enough for awhile, he didn’t really need the bartending job. But it was nice to have some legitimate income he could report at the end of the year, and he padded his tips with the illegal profits, so that was a plus. Not all of it – he was still trying to figure out a way to wash the rest. But the bar was fun and, at this point, he’d been working there so long he had his pick of the best shifts. It usually wasn’t a hassle to spend a few hours there on weekend nights.

But between his headache, the list of shit he needed to get done today, and the irritation he was feeling towards one particular coworker, he was tempted to call out tonight.

Rio can’t figure out why she bailed before he woke up this morning. He assumed she was embarrassed about sharing more than usual last night. Details of her relationship had never been a hot topic of conversation between them, even if they did seem to talk about everything else.

Hell, it’s not like he’s judging, he thinks as he walks through the parking garage under his building. He’s just happy she’d broken it off with her fiancé. That dude had always rubbed him the wrong way. The fact he cheated just confirmed it. And cheated on Elizabeth, of all people.

Speaking of – he reminds himself he needs to make a couple detours on the way to the bar. Had decided last night while they were walking back from the park. Him still trying to guess what was in her bags, trying to make her laugh again.

Rio grabbed her stuff out of the office, having let themselves back in through the alleyway entrance. “You remember to grab your passport, birth certificate and all that?”

“Yeah, yeah. I am a fully functional adult, Rio,” she calls from the doorway.

He turns around, bags slung over his shoulder, to see her swaying on her feet, looking down at her phone.

She was supposed to be scheduling an uber to take her to her sister’s but it looks like she forgot. Her hair’s fallen in front of her face and she’s twirling a bit of it around one finger.

“Forget it – just stay at my place tonight.” It’s out of his mouth before he really thinks it through.

Elizabeth seems to though. That or she’s stunned silent. He reaches out a finger and pokes her lightly in the arm. She startles like she didn’t see it coming even though she was staring right at him.

“You with me?”

“Oh, uh, yeah.”

“I’ll take the couch. C’mon.” He starts walking before she can argue. And he’s got her bags so he figures she has to follow eventually.

Once they’re back on the sidewalk, he turns mid-step and walks backwards so he can watch her follow.

“You got any food in here?”

“God, I wish. I’m so hungry all the sudden.”

“I got plenty at my place,” he nods. Then she launches into a list of ingredients, wondering if he has any of them. And he’s lost until she gets to chocolate chips.

“Elizabeth, we aren’t baking cookies at two in the morning.”

“But homemade is so much better than –.”

“Darlin’, you’re gonna be happy with anything at this point.” He twists back to walk beside her and nudges her shoulder. “Trust me.”

She makes a little noise in agreement that sounds kinda like ‘fine’, so he counts that as a win.

“How ‘bout that catwoman costume you wore to last year’s Halloween party?”

“No. I think I might’ve donated it? Wait, do you still have yours?!” And she starts to giggle again, apparently still thinks it’s funny he dressed up as a cop, considering his side business.

Rio enters the code into the keypad and tries to think of something else to guess as they head into his building.

Finally has an idea as they’re stepping into the elevator. He posts up against the back wall and asks, “That pearl necklace you wear on date nights?”

It looks like she blushes but it’s hard to tell in the low yellow light of the elevator. Her left hand moves to her chest, fingers trailing lightly across her sweater to her skin, following the line of her collarbone while she shakes her head. The elevator dings at his floor before she voices her response.

“No, that was a gift from his mother. It didn’t feel right to keep it, you know?”

They’re at his door when he pauses to focus on the motion of her hand, still hovering over her chest. “The ring?”

She scoffs. “Thought about pawning it but didn’t want to give him any reason to reach out. Not worth the hassle even if I could’ve used the money,” she says definitively, like she’d really thought it through.

And that has him beaming as he opens the door – that she has no intention of ever seeing her ex again.

He points her towards the bathroom while he heads to his room to change.

“There’s a spare toothbrush under the sink,” he yells, but isn’t sure she heard him over the sound of the shower starting.

Elizabeth pokes her head around the door, her hair falling over a bare shoulder.

“Did you say something?”

“Just, uh, toothbrush. Under the sink.”

“Oh,” she smiles her thanks. “I’ll be quick.”

His stomach growls as he pulls a clean shirt over his head. He walks to the kitchen and can tell when she gets in, can hear the difference in the spray of the water, and he can’t help but picture it. Wonders for a moment if he still needs to stop that train of thought before he shakes his head and decides it’s a decision best made sober.

It takes him awhile to decide what he wants to eat, staring at the pantry trying not to think about what’s going on in the other room.

He’s reaching to the back of the cupboard for the oreos and peanut butter when he hears her approaching from behind, and then she’s belly laughing again.

When he turns, Elizabeth’s pointing at his pants, back in her work clothes but makeup free and hair matted around her head. He thinks about telling her where to find the hairbrush he keeps around for his niece but the words get lost as he watches her laugh. She looks so comfortable and she’d laughed so much tonight. She just seems lighter than usual, and he wonders if it’s because of the breakup or the weed but doesn’t want to ask and ruin the moment.

He snaps out of it when she snorts though, and that has him looking down at the red and blue spiderman pajamas he’d grabbed.

He maneuvers around her and slides the utensil drawer open to grab a couple spoons. Points one in her direction as he says, “You best not be makin’ fun of my favorite pjs. Got these babies from my sister’s kid for my birthday. And pattern aside, they’re so damn soft.”

Elizabeth’s still giggling behind her hand when he adds, “Forreal though, come feel.”

She hiccups and shakes her head ‘no’.

Rio scoops some peanut butter on a spoon and comes to stand next to her. Starts to hand it to her and then pulls back the second she goes for it.

“You’re annoying. You know that, right?”

“Yeah, you keep reminding me,” he chuckles. “You like me anyway though.”

“Yeah, I do.” She says simply as she takes the spoon from him.

Rio grabs her hand and moves it to his hip, so she can feel how soft his pjs are, at the same time she takes a small lick. Figures she’ll be too distracted with the food to stop him. Except Elizabeth moans when she tastes the peanut butter and for half a second his body reacts like she moaned from touching him.

Her eyes widen and this time he can see the blush appear on her cheeks. Rio lets go of her hand and she motions to the spoon.

“It’s just so good.”

He clears his throat. “You gotta try it with an oreo.”

“That sounds.. oh my god, yes.”

And he forces a smile but feels his cock twitch just thinking about how she sounded when she moaned. He distracts himself by grabbing them water from the fridge.

Except she moans when she gets a taste of that too.

This time he can’t suppress a groan, rubbing one hand across his brow.

“Darlin’, you gonna have to stop makin’ that noise every time you like something.”

At the confused look that crosses her face, he replies, “It’s killin’ me.” And he really tries to impart the seriousness of the request in the look he gives her, the tone of his voice, but it doesn’t have the desired effect. She just opens her mouth and stares at him a few seconds. Rio starts to wonder what’s up with her but then remembers how late it is, plus the crazy day she had.

“I think it’s time for bed,” he laughs.

Elizabeth puts up a fight about him sleeping on the couch. He caves when she starts threatening to sleep on the floor if he doesn’t take the other side of the bed, insisting there’s plenty of room for two in a king.

She runs her fingers through her hair while he moves a couple pillows around on the bed. He’s about to ask what pillow stiffness she prefers when she reaches back and unclips her bra, starts shimmying out of it under her sweater, and he loses his train of thought completely.

It’s like she’s on autopilot – drops her bra on the floor and immediately moves her hands to the top of her jeans, undoes the button and is sliding down the zipper when he snaps out of the daze he’s been in watching her.

“You want me to –?” He points towards the bathroom door, offering her some privacy.

But she just shrugs, says something about it being no different than a bathing suit, but one look at her sliding the pants down her legs and he knows that isn’t the case. Her panties look like half lace and her legs look so damn long without anything covering them. He has to turn around when she bends over to pull them past her ankles because he can see straight down the V-neck of her sweater. Reminds himself the day she breaks up with her fiancé is too soon to make a move. 

“God, that hot water felt fucking amazing. I think I’d get high again just for the shower,” she sighs, oblivious to his thoughts.

“Yeah, that’s my favorite. I got a waterproof bluetooth speaker in there too. We ever do this again I’ll set up some music for you.”

And so what if he was already thinking about next time? She didn’t seem unhappy with the suggestion. Plus, they hung out all the time during the day, and at the bar. It makes sense they’d hang out at night too now that she didn’t have to trek back to the suburbs every night.

They climb in bed, quiet for the first time in what seems like hours. Just a few inches from each other.

“Did we hit twenty?” she asks sleepily.

“Nah, one left.”

“Hit me.”

“A'ight… bottle of bourbon.”

He doesn’t specify but he knows she hears it. That he wants to know if she drank the bottle he got for her birthday last month.

“No, I left it.” And she sounds upset even though she says it quietly, which isn’t what he wanted. He didn’t really care, just wondered if she liked it and never had the nerve to ask.

She reaches out and grabs his hand in the dark, squeezes a little.

“Was saving it for a special occasion and I just.. it was such an insane day.. I just forgot.”

He isn’t sure what to say so he whispers, “’S alright. Can get you another one.” And squeezes her hand back.

And then she’d fallen asleep.

He just laid there awhile, wondering how he was supposed to fall asleep with her so close. Started counting her breaths, chest rising and falling with the motion, and next thing he knew he was waking up to an empty bed and one hell of a hangover.

He had shaken it off though and met Mick across the street for their now daily brainstorming sessions over breakfast, which had been unsuccessful, again.

Turns out money laundering was more of an obstacle than they originally thought. So far, they’d looked into – and ruled out – car washes and laundromats. Which were obvious, yeah, but he figured they were obvious for a reason – like they actually worked. But all he saw was risk.

Rio taps his fingers on the steering wheel as he leaves downtown, recapping their options and crossing them off one by one.

Not for the first time, he wonders what Elizabeth would think. Except he’d decided a few months ago to keep her out of this, at least until it was settled. He’d always been able to see all the pieces, how all his moves would play out. But this time there were too many unknowns. He knew he couldn’t just walk away from the drug game. The people he worked for weren’t the type to offer congratulations when you decided to move on to something new.

It's just – Elizabeth always came up with the most off the wall solutions. Half of them totally unusable, sure, but just bouncing crazy ideas off each other usually led him to something that worked. And she might play up the goodhearted citizen shit, but the shady side of his business came way too naturally to her.

It was just starting to feel urgent, the need to get the laundering part of the system settled. He’d wanted out of the drug game about as long as he’d been in it and was finally in a position to make that happen. Actually, that’d been another one of Elizabeth’s ideas even if she didn’t know it – him saying money doesn’t grow on trees and her replying sarcastically, “No, but you can just, ya know, print it, so basically the same thing.”

Rio slides the gear into park as he lets his gaze fall on her house – no, scratch that - her ex’s house.

He’d dropped her off a couple times when she needed a ride after work and she always invited him in, but houses in the suburbs made him feel claustrophobic. And the idea of standing in her kitchen making small talk with her future husband made him want to crawl out of his skin, so, yeah, he’d never taken her up on the offer.

This time he walks around the yard, looking for an entrance where he can work the lock hidden from view of the neighbors. On a hunch, he tries the handle to the only door in the back and it opens. He’s muttering about this still being Detroit, even if was the suburbs, when he hears snoring. And he was certain the ex would be at work at this hour, but apparently not.

He peeks into the living room and sees the dude passed out on the sofa, feet dangling off the side, a pizza box and a few beer bottles scattered around the coffee table.

Rio assumes the door to his right is the bedroom but it winds up being the office. He only came for a pillow and bourbon but one look at the record player has him wandering over, crouching to flip through the stack of records in a box on the floor. He tucks a few under his arm and heads out, down the hallway.

When he finds the bedroom, he’s surprised to find it so.. neutral. It’s all grays and tans and creams, which doesn’t give off Elizabeth vibes at all. Then he comes to the bed and is surprised again because there’s only one pillow. He figured he’d have to guess which was hers but this makes it easy. Also makes him wonder if the ex sleeping on the couch wasn’t just a post-break up thing.

He heads back to the kitchen, sets the pillow and records on the counter and looks around for a liquor cart but doesn’t see one. Doesn’t remember seeing anything in the office either. He rifles through kitchen cabinets and finds a couple bottles of cheap alcohol before he gives up and pulls out his phone.

R: Yo where’s your sister keep her good liquor?

While he waits for Annie to write back, he gazes around the room and is struck by how right Elizabeth was. Nothing in this place seems like her. There’s none of the vibrant colors she’s always wearing, no eclectic furniture or weird art on the walls. It looks like they walked into a big box furniture store and bought everything in the first pre-designed living room they came across. 

A: Laundry room, above the dryer.

R: Cool if I stop by in 20?

A: Uh, sure. Why?

Rio slides his phone back in his pocket without answering and finds the bourbon easily now that he knows where to look.

He thinks about slamming the door on his way out, just to fuck with the ex, but decides it’s not worth it. Figures he got what he came for anyway.

When he climbs back in his car, he pulls out his phone again.

R: Need to talk to your sister.

A: She’s not here. Morning shift at the bar.

R: Cool if I drop some stuff off for her?

A: She’s not coming back here.

And if Rio hadn’t just been to her ex’s house, he might’ve assumed she was going back there. But there’s no doubt about that now.

R: Where’s she stayin then?

A: Said she found a new place. Maybe wherever she stayed last night?

Rio doesn’t reply, but she must read something from the silence because a minute later she writes back.

A: Ohhhh, she stayed with you last night.

And he genuinely likes her little sister, but he really prefers not to be the sole focus of her attention. Mostly because she was annoyingly insightful when she wasn’t distracted.

R: Just forget it. I’ll go talk to her.

A: Uh huh, have fun!

Rio spots her immediately after walking through the back-alley entrance. She’s behind the bar but organizing the liquor bottles on the wall. 

He smiles at the thought of startling her. Knows how much she hates it.

He relaxes on the barstool right behind her, taps his fist against the wood.

“What can I get for you?” she asks over her shoulder as she stretches up on her toes to put a bottle on the top shelf.

“I’ll take a tequila.”

Elizabeth whips around at the sound of his voice, looking like he caught her stealing from the tip jar. He gives her a stern look, like he wants to know what she has to say for herself.

And she freezes, hair still settling around her face after turning around so quickly. Her eyes dart around and he realizes she’s nervous. He cracks a smile to let her know he’s joking.

A little of her anxiety seems to slip away. She offers him a shy smile back before tilting her head to consider him.

“You really want the tequila?” she asks skeptically.

Rio shakes his head, turns his smile down towards his hands on the bar. “Nah, just messing with you. I’ll take a coffee though.”

She’s mid-pour when he adds, “So last night was fun, yeah?”

And he’s expecting her to laugh it off but she spills a few drops on her hand and curses. The tension is back as she slides him the coffee cup and watches as he takes a sip.

“The parts I remember,” she shrugs.

He nods, “Yeah, you passed out the minute your head hit the pillow.”

And she seems to relax again at that.

“You got a minute?”

She looks around the bar with all of four people in it, them included.

“Hm, yeah I think I can squeeze you in,” she says faux-serious. She points to a high-top back by the windows and he nods his agreement.

Elizabeth pours herself a cup of coffee too before coming to sit across from him.

And he wouldn’t call the silence awkward, but he can tell she’s not comfortable.

He clears his throat. “So why’d you run off this morning?”

“Oh, I had the early shift so…” she trails off.

He gives her a look that says nah, try again.

Her cheeks look pinker than usual as she avoids his gaze, takes a small sip of coffee, but eventually she says, “I just wasn’t sure if anything.. you know,” moving her hand in a little wave between them, “happened,” she ends on a whisper.

He wonders if she’s embarrassed about having possibly hooked up with him. The thought makes his tone harsher than he intends.

“And that’d be so bad?”

Elizabeth stutters but doesn’t look completely turned off by the idea.

“I just know you don’t, you know, like me like that. I thought it might be awkward and just.. panicked.”

Rio leans forward, resting his forearms on the table to bring himself closer. Lowers his voice so she knows he’s serious.

“Elizabeth, you been engaged to another dude the entire two years I’ve known you. I never really let myself think about it.” Her eyes widen as he leans back and looks her over, “Don’t mean I’m not interested.”

“Oh,” she manages, and now her cheeks are even pinker.

“You always seem happy here,” he explains as he swings his gaze across the room. “Figured that’s ‘cause you were happy elsewhere too.”

Elizabeth looks into his eyes and he lets her, doesn’t try to hide what he’s thinking. Uses the moment to take in how pretty she looks with her messy hair pulled back, the bright red shirt she’s wearing making her lips look darker than usual.

“Yo, Rio! Need to talk to you,” Archie yells from the doorway of his office.

“Comin’,” he yells back, eyes still locked with Elizabeth’s.

“Now!”

He turns his head to nod his acknowledgement and even though he’s quick about it, when he looks back at Elizabeth whatever had been in her eyes was gone. She’s watching a couple walk through the front and head towards the bar.

“It’s cool. Go on,” she smiles serenely as she gets up and starts walking their way. “We can finish this later.”

Rio watches her duck behind the bar and greet the customers, shooting him another smile over their shoulders. Then he heads towards Archie’s office, feeling optimistic for the first time in weeks.

Chapter 3: Like branches in a storm

Summary:

Beth is pretty sure Rio is avoiding her and she is not having it.

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

Beth didn’t notice him leave, but things started to pick up and she figures he snuck out while she was running back and forth between the bar and her tables.

Her first shift ended around one and she’d walked across the street to grab a sandwich at the deli. She sits at a small table outside and looks up at the three little windows above the bar, one in her bedroom and two in the living room, and feels a swell of excitement at having her own place again.

Archie had shown her around this morning and given her the key. It was tiny but cozy, and once she’d hung up her clothes and set out a few pictures of Annie and Ruby, it started to feel like home.

It already had some furniture – a bed frame and an old couch she was pretty sure just needed a deep clean before it’d be usable. Grabbing a notebook and pen from her purse, she starts to make a list of essentials: mattress, sheets, rug, coffee table. Then she flips the page and starts writing down numbers.

Beth sighs and rests her chin in her hand. Even with Archie cutting her a deal on rent, it was still more than she budgeted. She had enough saved to cover the things on her list and maybe three months rent. After that, she’d be living paycheck to paycheck, making enough to manage rent and food but not much else.

She’d been hoping to go back to school, maybe take the last two classes to finish her associate degree this summer and then finally settle on a major before the fall. But she has a pretty good feeling the cost of tuition hadn’t gone down in the few years since she left.

She packs up her things and heads to the library, intending to look up class schedules and enrollment forms and student loan applications, when she passes a hardware store. She makes it a few steps past the door when the sale sign registers: 45% off paint.

And she can’t help it. Her new apartment was cute but it was all white – walls, cabinets, countertops. It so desperately needed a pop of color and Archie said she was more than welcome to repaint, assuming it was white again when she moved out. Beth walks out with two gallons of paint and a bag of supplies and turns back the way she came, leaving library research for another day.

She got ready for the Saturday night shift in a nervous rush, excited to see Rio but also dreading the unknown.

Their relationship had always been so easy. She was unsure where things stood now that they’d essentially admitted their physical attraction to each other. And it was startling to realize just how much she wanted him once she allowed herself to imagine it. Found herself overthinking whether she should play it cool or just go for it and ask him out next time they talk.

But it turns out her nerves had been unnecessary because Rio never showed for his shift. At first, she felt relief but then thoughts of why started to plague her. Was he avoiding her?

She clocks out at midnight, exhausted after another busy night of basically managing the place while Archie did who knows what, holed up in his office all evening. But she has a burst of energy remembering she doesn’t have to pay for a ride home – just needs to walk up the stairs behind the office. Feels herself start to relax at just the thought of pouring a glass of wine and calling Annie to fill her in on the details of the new apartment.

She’s walking past the office when she hears Archie call her name, so she peeks her head in.

His office seems messier than usual, boxes piled against the back wall, paperwork spread across the desk.

Archie hardly glances up from the ledger in front of him, just nods to the boxes behind her and then pushes his glasses farther up his nose as he lowers his head again.

Beth turns around and is about to ask what the boxes are when she spots a bottle of bourbon on top of one of them. An expensive bottle with a fancy looking label. She runs her fingers over the calligraphy and can almost see the little smile on Rio’s face as she’d pulled it from the gift bag, and then notices the albums stacked behind it.

She’s flipping through them, one of Annie’s favorites and another she remembers listening to repeatedly with her mother on cassette tape in their station wagon, when her eye catches the edge of a gray pillowcase leaning up against the wall.

“Rio?” she asks over her shoulder.

“Hmph, yeah.”

“He say why he didn’t make his shift tonight?”

Archie shrugs, “Said he needed a few weeks off for personal reasons.”

Beth turns around quickly, unsure she heard him correctly. “Weeks?”

He just nods and goes back to moving paperwork around on his desk.

Beth grabs her things and treks up the stairs. Lays them out on the kitchen counter and stares at them, weighing what to do next.

She considers texting him. But he hadn’t reached out tonight, she assumes for a reason. She thinks about pouring a drink but realizes she’s too restless to stay here. Has the sudden urge to go for a walk. And she knows what she’s doing, where she’s going, as she looks through her closet for a change of clothes but doesn’t let herself dwell on it, knows how easily she could talk herself out of it.

She settles on a dress. It’s casual, the top a fuzzy, black sweater that gives way to a deep green, silk skirt.

Beth fluffs her hair and reapplies some peach lipstick. She stares at herself in the mirror, trying to psych herself up. Then she forces down her self-doubt, straightens her shoulders and lifts her chin.

If he didn’t want to finish what they’d started earlier, that was fine. But he could at least tell her to her face, and she was going to look good while he did it.

She replays their conversation from this morning while she walks. He said he was interested and remembering the look in his eyes makes her feel warm. She knows he meant it.

So why go get her things and then just leave them in Archie’s office? And then skipping his shift, postponing them for weeks – it felt an awful lot like he was avoiding her.

She pushes the call button on the keypad and feels her palms start to sweat as she waits for him. The light on the display turns green.

“Rio? You there?”

“What’re you doin’ here, Elizabeth?” He doesn’t sound thrilled and her irritation sparks at his tone.

“Wanted to talk to you.”

It takes him a moment to respond. “Gimme a minute.”

And she expects him to buzz her up but two minutes later he’s opening the door to the building himself. Rio doesn’t move to let her in though, just leans his shoulder against the door, so she takes him in from the sidewalk.

He’s got his hands tucked into his usual black hoodie and, even though the hood’s pulled up, she spots his black eye instantly.

“What the hell happened – did Dean do that?” She reaches like she might touch him even though he’s a couple feet away. Realizes what she’s doing and pulls her hand back to wrap around her neck.

Rio scoffs and looks genuinely insulted.

“No way that dude would get a hit in.”

Beth expects him to elaborate but he doesn’t. He just looks down the street, avoiding her eyes.

“Look," he starts as he lifts one hand to rub across his jaw, "I’m gonna be takin’ a step back at the bar. Got some shit I gotta settle with my suppliers. Might not be around for awhile.”

And he says it like it’s no big deal. Like nothing had changed the last twenty-four hours. Which fuels her irritation but also plants a seed of doubt.

“So what, we’ll just finish our conversation from earlier in a few weeks?”

“Pretty much.” Rio levels her with a disinterested stare but he oversells it. It’s just too far from how he normally looks at her.

She crosses her arms across her chest, narrows her eyes as she counters, “Why don’t you just invite me up? Get it over with now.”

“Don’t think that’s a good idea, sweetheart.” And his casual drawl sets her on fire, burning any lingering doubt to the ground. She takes a step closer, lets herself really look at him - he looks tired, on edge. Keeps opening and closing the hand not buried in his hoodie into a fist, like it’s sore and he’s trying to stretch it out.

Beth is pretty sure he’s bluffing, feels confidence begin to bloom in her chest. Figures she doesn’t have much to lose at this point.

“You seem stressed.” Beth lowers her voice, makes it obvious what she means when she says, “I could help you feel better.”

And his lips turn up in a smile but he doesn’t look happy.

“Oh, I know you could,” he says on a laugh. Rio looks down, squeezes the back of his neck and drags his hand over the top of his head, hood falling down to his back. “’S just not a good time. We both got a lot goin’ on, a lot changing.”

And Beth knows a rejection when she hears one but he just keeps going.

“Maybe we should give it some time, see how things shake out.”

The excuse echoes for a moment, or seems to anyway. Beth can feel the flush in her cheeks spreading down to her chest as she turns her head to watch a car slow to a stop at the end of the street and turn the corner.

She turns back to him, forces a little smile and tries to think of the quickest way out of this conversation.

“I get it,” she says, overly upbeat. “I guess I’ll see you around then.” And she turns to leave. Feels a little relief just seeing the open sidewalk in front of her, a direct path that leads far, far away from his doorstep.

“Elizabeth,” he sighs. She turns back before she can really think it through, and he seems frustrated. He looks down the street, the direction she was headed. Then he turns his gaze back to her, and she can see his tongue sliding along his teeth while he thinks it over. “You been drinkin’?”

“No?”

And that seems to settle some internal debate but she isn’t sure why.

“A’ight, come here,” he says, tilting his head towards the elevator. She follows behind him but he keeps walking past the doors, turning the corner of the little hallway that leads to the emergency exit behind the building. 

He stops halfway down the hall and turns to face her.

“Look, I’m gettin’ outa the drug business. Setting up a few other ventures.”

He looks like he expects her to understand what any of that means.

“Business changing like this – could be dangerous for awhile. Don’t want you involved.”

And at least that makes sense. She knows the people he works for aren’t anyone she wants to be involved with.

She whispers, “Okay,” and he seems to relax a bit at that, some of the tension leaving his shoulders.

Beth reaches out to touch him and he flinches like he wasn’t expecting it. He eyes her hand warily as she rests her fingertips on his chest. Then he takes a deep breath and small step towards her, the palm of her hand pressing firmly against his chest now.

“So I won’t see you for awhile then?” Her eyes move from her hand to his throat, watches him swallow and shake his head.

Rio’s fingers glide through the fabric of her skirt, not really touching her, but the motion of the silk swaying across her thighs has her eyes drifting closed. She feels him start to bunch up the fabric, slowly pulling it up past her knees. When she opens her eyes, he has one eyebrow raised in a question.

She moves her hand from his chest to grip the strings of his hoodie. Tugs on them as she takes a step back to lean against the wall, pulling him with her.

Her eyes are locked on his lips, watching as his tongue darts out to pull the bottom one between his teeth. When she glances up, his lashes are almost touching his cheeks, his gaze tracking the hem of her dress as he pulls it up past her thighs. He holds it there, squeezes her hip and she lets out a little whimper as his other hand glides across her thigh, between her legs.

His fingers ghost over the edge of her underwear. He seems content barely touching her, but she can feel her desperation start to swell. She releases her grip on his hoodie and slides her hands down his stomach, finally breaking contact to hook a thumb under each side of her thong to push it down to the middle of her thighs.

Beth expects him to be watching but when she glances back up to gauge his reaction, his dark eyes are on hers. He looks a mix between surprised and reluctant to look down, and she can’t help but feel a bit thrilled at having caused that reaction.

Then his gaze falls to take her in, dress hiked up around her hips and underwear tangled around her knees.

“Fuck,” he whispers between deep breaths.

She wraps both hands around his neck and pulls him down to whisper in his ear, “Touch me.”

Rio slides his hand to her cunt and groans when he feels how wet she is. Brings his fingers to her clit and lightly rubs in little circles. Beth feels the heat spread through her, building as he continues the pattern on her clit, slowly increasing the pressure as her breath quickens.

When the wall doesn’t feel like enough support, she pulls him closer, wrapping one arm around his back, the other hand gripping his neck as his head drops to her shoulder. She can feel his lips there, his mouth open. Thinks she feels his tongue against her skin as he pushes one, then two fingers inside her.

Beth can’t suppress the moan that escapes her lips at the feeling of his fingers sliding in and out of her.

“You gotta be quiet,” he rasps.

She bites her lip, breaths heavy, lips so close to his ear.

And she wants to draw it out but her orgasm crashes over her too quickly, the pleasure rushing like waves through her, nails digging into his neck and back.

Beth makes no move to release him as her breathing returns to normal and he moves his hand back to her hip. Just lets her fingertips wander in little patterns on his neck, closes her eyes and tries to memorize the moment, the heat of his hands on her hips and exactly how his skin smells this close.

She opens her eyes as he pulls back to look at her, and Rio must like whatever he sees because he smiles. That little one he does when he’s happy, that makes the corner of his eyes wrinkle.

Beth sways her hips, moving her stomach against his erection and he groans. Lets his forehead fall against hers.

“Nah, not sure I’d be able to stop.”

“And that’d be a bad thing?”

Rio huffs a laugh but shakes his head, his nose grazing hers. “Forreal, I gotta handle this shit with work. Once things settle down, we can talk. You can decide if you’re still interested.”

Beth nods as he pulls back, letting her dress fall back to her knees. She bends down to readjust her underwear, then straightens the belt on her dress as they head back to the front.

He holds it open for her, but she pauses as she steps in front of him.

“Maybe I can help? With work I mean. Whatever the new thing is?”

He looks at her hard, sucks his lips between his teeth. Starts nodding, the motion slow little bounces while he thinks it over.

“Yeah, maybe.” He tucks a strand of hair behind her ear. “I’ll be in touch, yeah?”

Notes:

My first attempt at writing smut... I'm torn between wanting to hide under the covers and yell it from the rooftops. I feel like hitting the 'post' button is a good median? Any feedback is very much appreciated, especially considering I have a few more chapters of it planned lol <3