It Is What It Is. You, Me.

“So dinner was, uh...fun.” Rio says with a boyish smile, not taking his eyes off of her so that he can catch her reaction. “Yeah?” 

Beth thinks she does a good job of hiding it but her stomach flutters at the playful sound in his voice. When’s the last time he sounded so light around her?

“Parts of it.” She answers with a small shrug, looking up at him through long lashes. She hopes she comes across as casual because inside she’s anything but. 

Their eyes meet but neither speak. People continue talking around them, the hustle and bustle of a bar at night continues but she’s the only one he sees, he’s the only one she can focus on.

Beth opens her mouth to break the silence but Rio beats her to it.

“Yeah?” He asks, tilting his head in question. “Which parts?”

He’ll do almost anything to hear her say it.

Beth stares at him for a beat, then another before the corner of her mouth curls up slyly. He doesn’t know about the wire - at least she doesn’t think so - and he’s flirting.

This Rio she can handle - this Rio she likes. This is the Rio that’s gotten in her pants and up her shirt and into her head and her heart.

“The food was really good.” She answers, meeting his gaze but refusing to blush under his perusal. She’s teasing but he looks like maybe he’s up for a game - like maybe he’s glad she’s taking the bait.

He lifts his elbow so that it’s perched on the bar and leans his chin into the palm of his hand. He smirks, eyes bright. 

“Grandma’s the best cook I know.”

“Hm.” Beth hums in agreement. But I’ve never cooked for you, she thinks.

“Your cousin Ana was sweet.” She says instead before she lifts her glass to her lips to take a sip. 

He huffs out a laugh and shakes his head and her lips twitch at the sound. “I promise she ain’t sweet.”

Beth tilts her head as if she’s trying to think of what else was fun about the party. As if she doesn’t know exactly what they’re both thinking.

“It was nice to see Marcus again.” She finally says and wonders as soon as the words are out of her mouth if it was crossing a line.

If he's annoyed he doesn't let on.

“He won’t stop askin’ when he can play with Jane again.” Is his response and Beth’s shoulders loosen.

And so it goes. A little bit of teasing, a smile, a smirk and somehow they find themselves behind the door of a dimly lit, cramped, bar bathroom not for the first time in their relationship.

And this time when she goes for his belt he doesn’t stop her, just leans back and watches. It unnerves her a bit but more than that it spurs her on. He doesn’t make a move to touch her and so she slowly and deliberately unbuttons his jeans and pulls down his zipper.

Beth swallows and looks up from what she’s doing. She draws in a breath when she meets his eyes because they’re darker than she’s ever seen them.

Something this time around feels different and just as her hand is about to dip into his pants to pull him out she forces herself backwards.

“I’m working with the secret service.” She forces herself to hold eye contact even though she doesn’t want to.

“I know.” Rio says easily and it takes her a moment to process his response.

“I- you. What?” She stutters, eyes wide.

“I found the wire.” Rio answers. He leans back against the sink, pants still lose around his hips. He lifts his arms so that his hands grip the sink behind him and he watches her.

“And you weren’t going to tell me?!” She’s mad even though she probably doesn’t have a right to be. Why had he let them get this far without telling her? Why had he flirted and teased and laughed with her if he’d known all along?

“I wanted you to tell me.”

And the silence hangs between them but there’s a ringing in her ears she’s sure he can’t hear. How many times had she wanted to tell him? How many nights had she laid awake in bed trying to figure a way out of this mess? A way that it could all just go away. A way for her to continue working with him while keeping her friends happy and her husband out of jail.

“I didn’t have a choice.” She finally responds in defeat and even to her the words fall flat. “I still don’t.”

“You always got a choice, darlin’.” His tone is different than she’s ever heard before. More resigned, less angry. He sounds as close to sad as she’s ever heard him but that can’t be right. 

A million different answers swirl in her head: something about Dean, about Annie, Ruby. Her go to about having a family and being a mom.

But even she can’t bring herself to voice the words, the excuses that have become so meaningless after all this time, after all the bullshit.

“I don’t understand why you’re not more pissed off.”

He shrugs. “Maybe 'cause I’m not surprised.”

Beth swallows, a little bit ashamed but mostly just relieved. 

Rio continues. “Maybe 'cause it ain’t the worst thing you ever did to me.”

She flushes at that because she still doesn't know how to face that monster head on so just like always she deflects. "I’m not sorry."

He chuckles, hand coming up to brush across his mouth. "Didn’t ask you to be."

They're quiet for a minute, and if it were any other situation Beth would laugh at their predicament. His pants undone, her panties wet.

"So where does this leave us?" She asks quietly, not quite able to meet his gaze.

He shifts forward and reaches his hands out to grab her waist. He pulls her to him and she fumbles for a minute but rights herself by grasping onto his shoulders. She gasps when her hips meet his, the outline of his half hard cock brushing against her denim clad leg. 

"I don’t know, darlin’ you still workin’ with them?

Her hands slide down to her sides and she moves to step backwards but he tightens his grip, holding her in place.

Beth sighs but doesn't fight it. Their eyes meet and it's obvious she doesn't know what to say - doesn't have a good answer.

"We'll figure it out together, yeah?"

Omg sorry this took me so long to answer! Honestly I’d hoped to have this chapter up a lot sooner but both my kids got covid and then I got covid (we’re all good) so January has been a complete waste!!!

This ask has motivated me though so hopefully I can get it finished up sooner rather than later. Here’s a sneak peek for you! We get to flashback to when Beth and Rio first met 👏🏻

LOL I love this ask. I really, truly miss this fandom and this show. I still get so sad when I think about how Good Girls will never be again.

Anyway … thank you! I promise I will finish this story. The next chapter is about half way done. I really can’t say for sure when it’ll be posted but I can pretty absolutely say it won’t be until 2022!

Let me add that nobody asked for this and I don’t think I ever had any idea where this was going but it will never be more than this so enjoy!

“So dinner was, uh...fun.” Rio says with a boyish smile, not taking his eyes off of her so that he can catch her reaction. “Yeah?”

Beth thinks she does a good job of hiding it but her stomach flutters at the playful sound in his voice. When’s the last time he sounded so light around her?

“Parts of it.” She answers with a small shrug, looking up at him through long lashes. She hopes she comes across as casual because inside she’s anything but.

Their eyes meet but neither speak. People continue talking around them, the hustle and bustle of a bar at night continues but she’s the only one he sees, he’s the only one she can focus on.

Beth opens her mouth to break the silence but Rio beats her to it.

“Yeah?” He asks, tilting his head in question. “Which parts?”

He’ll do almost anything to hear her say it.

Sorry I took a couple of days to respond! Hoping to post tomorrow and it’s gone from 2 parts to 4 parts! Oops! 🤷🏻‍♀️🤷🏻‍♀️

IT’S SOOOOOOO CLOSEEEEEEE.

Sneak peek below the cut. And don’t worry they do actually see each other in person this time around

There’s so many I don’t even know where to begin!(PS sorry for not linking the stories I’m being lazy)

I will read anything and everything by @septiembrre @querenaxx @riosnecktattoo @bethsuglywigs @mego42 @sdktrs12 … when I see them post something I drop what I’m doing to read.

Below are all time faves or recent fics I really enjoyed!

A Rational Choice and Good Sport by Fireinsideforfun

Show Me How to Fake It (Touch Me In the Dark) by flashindie @pynkhues

Plans Wrapped in Rubber Bands by civillove @blainesebastian

Weed, philosophy and more talking than expected by convolutedconcussion

I will collect you and capture you @foxmagpie

In the Dark @medievalraven

Splendida Lumina @m00dyfern

A Special Kind of Business @captaincabinetsao3