A/N: Set between eps 6 and 7 of series 30 and also answering a drabble request on Tumblr - #39 & Riain "Hey! I was gonna eat that!"
Just some lovely fluff for a Saturday evening :) Apologies for the title - I couldn't resist!
Perched on a stool in her kitchen, Rita sipped at the coffee she had just made, pleased to have this leisurely five minutes before she had to leave the house. She sighed as she glanced down at her phone on the counter in front of her. She ran her finger down the edge of its casing before tapping it into life, fingers swiping to get to her messages and… and what? Groaning she switched it off and lobbed it into her open handbag.
Elbows resting on the counter she raked her hands through her hair and shook her head "Ugh. Pull yourself together, Freeman" Picking up her mug again she took a large swig hoping the caffeine would help clear the fog of thoughts in her brain and set her up for the shift ahead.
"Okay Dixie what've we got?" Rita dropped into step behind Zoe as the blonde paramedic rattled off to the consultant the details of the RTC victim she was wheeling in.
'Change of partner today Dix?" Rita desperately hoped her tone sounded casual as she took the patient notes from her friend.
"What? Oh yeah, Iain's day off. He's probably still in bed sleeping off the excesses of the weekend. Alright for some eh Reet?" Rita looked down studiously at the notes in her hand in an attempt to hide the blush she was sure was rising in her cheeks.
"Erm… Yeah alright for some" she repeated catching the older woman staring at her curiously as she looked up "Right I best get on" She was convinced her innermost thoughts were somehow on public display and rushed off before she could be questioned about them.
The following day Rita was catching up on admin at the nurses station, enjoying the slight respite from the endless stream of patients she'd been dealing with in cubicles. She became aware of someone standing within close proximity to her and looked up. Her breath caught in her throat as she clocked the awkward smile of the man in green stood before her.
"Er… Hi Rita. Y'alright?" He seemed to be lacking his usual confidence and swagger but flashed Rita his trademark smile and she could have sworn her heart skipped a beat.
"Iain. Hi" she wanted to be calm and composed but could feel her heart pounding in her chest, couldn't prevent herself from thinking about the circumstances under which they had last uttered each other's names. She could do this. It didn't have to be awkward. It was Iain. Just Iain, her friend. And the man she happened to have spent the night with two days earlier. A night of the most amazing sex she'd ever had in her life. She gripped the table in front of her, feeling slightly weak at the knees, and attempted to clear her thoughts. They were grown ups and could emerge from this with their friendship still intact. At least if she could put her brain in gear before she engaged her mouth.
"Do you want to come over this evening?" she heard herself saying. Oh god, what? "So we can sort this out" she wanted to add "So we can sort this out." Instead she sucked in her lips and looked up at him, braced for his reaction.
"I...err...it's just…" Iain seemed taken aback.
"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have…" Rita was mortified at how dramatically this was not going to plan.
"No it's fine. Yes"
"Yes?" she furrowed her brow in confusion.
"Yeah I'd like to come over." his smile seemed to remove all tension between them "I've got a 5 aside match after work but I could come over after that? Say half eight?"
"Sounds good" Rita bit her lip and hoped her cheeks didn't look as hot as they felt.
"Great I'll see you later then" Iain's voice was low and gentle. Different. As he left the nurse looked around to see if anyone had noticed the exchange, her eyes darting nervously, feeling somebody else's on her. Zoe.
"Everything alright there Rita?" the consultant asked, her eyes narrowing "You look like you've lost something?"
"Yes, yes. Fine thank you" Rita replied quickly, grabbing a set of files to her chest and looking upwards to try and contain the smile that threatened to spread itself across her face. She hurried away to avoid further questioning.
"You saw that right?" Zoe asked Dylan who was stood next to her.
"Indeed. I actually despair of you lot. It's an Emergency Department not the school bike sheds. But he's learning, I'll say that. At least she's not married" he turned on his heel before Zoe could reply.
"How come you're looking so pleased with yourself?" Dixie asked her partner as they worked side by side in the ambulance.
"Eh what? I'm not!" Iain denied, possibly a little too quickly.
"Yes you are. I don't know what you got up to on your break but ever since you came back all you've done is grin and whistle. Who is she?"
"No one. Why does me smiling have to be to do with a girl anyway?"
"Because this is me and you we're talking about mate and it's always about women" she flashed him a mischievous grin and he laughed.
"Honestly I don't think there's anything to tell, I just had a good night that's all" Iain leant on his mop as his partner headed back to the staffroom. He puffed out his cheeks as he tried to second guess what his evening had in store for him. They were on speaking terms at least. He'd thought about Saturday night a lot, and when that wasn't him reenacting in his head exactly what had happened at Rita's house it was gnawing at him whether this would affect their friendship. He was slightly confused at her invitation but figured she was probably as keen to clear the air as him. He was well aware they'd both had disastrous relationships in the past so dismissed the idea that he could be anything more to Rita, even in the unlikely event that that was what she was looking for.
Seeing her in her uniform earlier though, now knowing exactly what was beneath it, having experienced a night where they had both left all their inhibitions behind, he knew that more than anything, he didn't want that to be the last night they shared together.
Exhaling a shaky breath Iain was glad he had the distraction of football later to burn off the build up of adrenaline he felt racing through his veins.
Rita had three hours to kill between leaving work and the time she was expecting Iain but tried to remain focussed as she set about the tasks in hand.
Not knowing whether Iain would have eaten she'd called in at her local shop and bought pizza as well as a couple of types of beer. She'd done a quick whizz round the house making it presentable. She'd had a soak in the tub in an attempt to calm her nerves. It hadn't worked. Prompted by her rumbling stomach, she'd realised she was famished and all she could think about apart from her empty tummy was the rest of getting ready she still had to do. Reluctantly she hauled herself out of the bath with the water still hot and wrapping her hair and body in towels she padded downstairs to put one of the pizzas in the oven. While it cooked she dried her hair and pulled about a half a dozen outfits out of her drawers and wardrobe and lay them on the bed.
Curled up on her sofa in her dressing gown Rita forced a couple of slices of pizza down, her mouth suddenly dry and her appetite diminished as she thought about the evening ahead. Leaving the plate she dashed back upstairs to get dressed.
By 8:25 Rita was pacing nervously about her kitchen. She'd decided on black leggings and a simple baggy grey sweater that sat off one of her shoulders. A flash of the purple bra strap of her favourite lingerie set added the only bit of colour. She decided to ditch her novelty monster feet slippers in favour of a chunky woollen pair of socks, slouched down at her ankles. Completing a look that she wanted to strike a balance between making an effort but not going OTT, she reapplied a minimal amount of make up: mascara, tinted moisturiser and lip gloss and tied her hair back in a messy bun.
She heard the knock at the door and took a deep breath.
Iain smiled at the woman who was holding the door open for him. This wasn't Nurse Rita or off duty down the pub Rita. It was just Rita. He realised he'd never met this version of her before and she took his breath away.
Stood in a hoody and baggy shorts, obviously freshly showered, his hair still slightly damp, Rita was caught off guard by the smell of shower gel and aftershave. She was transported instantly back to the weekend and the intoxicating scent of his skin as their bodies had writhed together. Her thoughts broken as Iain spoke.
"Alright? I… err wasn't sure so I brought this?" He held out a bottle of red which Rita took from him smiling as she gestured him into the house.
"Thanks. Come in. How'd you get on?"
"Eh?"
"The football? Did you win?"
"Oh yeah, we did thanks. No thanks to me, I had a shocker" he shrugged his shoulders and followed her into the house.
There was an awkward temporary lack of eye contact in the hallway while Iain removed his trainers and they both remembered vividly what had happened there three nights earlier.
"Erm... do you want to go through to the lounge make yourself at home? I'll just put this in the kitchen"
Seconds later she retraced her steps, bottle still in hand. She popped her head round the door just as Iain was removing his jumper. His back was to her and she tried her hardest to make her gasp inaudible as his t-shirt rode up with it revealing the tattoo on his back once more. Eyes wide and pulse racing she thought about how she'd seen that eagle over his shoulder reflected in her hall mirror when… well when she was lucky she'd been able to see straight at all.
"Sorry Iain have you eaten? I've erm… got more pizza I could put in? Had to tuck into mine I was starving" she smiled as he flopped himself down onto the sofa.
"No no you're alright, thanks. Had me tea at the station before the shift finished" he flashed her a smile in return.
"Do you want a glass of wine then? Or I quite fancy a beer actually, I've Becks or Peroni?"
"Awesome Peroni please. Thanks Reet"
Returning with two bottles of beer, Rita paused in the doorway again. Iain was sprawled lazily on her sofa, leafing through the sections of her Sunday papers that were still in a pile on the coffee table. Her first thought was that he'd spot how well-thumbed they were and see straight through the fact that she'd not had the busy day she'd hinted at when they'd parted company early on Sunday morning. She had suspected she wasn't the only one making that claim though. Both of them attempting to spare the other any awkwardness. But she smiled as she realised that Iain's presence in this room wasn't the space invading kind that she'd worried about. She was so used to this being her own private domain she'd always assumed she'd be resentful sharing it.
Iain became aware of her in the doorway and turned round guiltily. A slice of pizza hanging out of his mouth.
"Hey! I was gonna eat that!" Rita exclaimed indignantly "I asked if you wanted any..."
"Sorry" he grinned sheepishly through a mouthful of pizza "but you did say make yourself at home" He finished off the slice and stretched out, yawning.
"Keeping you up?" She teased. Iain smirked mischievously at the unintentional innuendo.
"Maybe" he retorted, eyebrow raised "or maybe I'm still making up for missing a night's sleep at the weekend?"
"Behave you!" Rita smiled coyly but immediately felt more of the tension ebb out of the room and came to sit down on the sofa next to him. She tucked her legs underneath her and leant forward to grab the remote off the table.
"Wanna see what's on telly?" Her finger hadn't even connected with the power button when Iain placed his hand gently over hers.
"I don't think there's anything on" he said slowly his eyes locked on hers, then narrowing as he tried to read her reaction to the move he'd just made.
Rita bit her bottom lip and returned his stare, her breath quickening. She dropped the remote and twisted her hand to interlace her fingers with his. Iain subconsciously ran his tongue quickly over his bottom lip, the only encouragement that Rita needed. She leant in closing the gap between them and brushed his lips lightly with her own, the contact making them both gasp. Before she knew what was happening Iain had grabbed her by the hips and pulled her so she was straddling him. Facing him fully now she ran a finger over the fabric of his t-shirt, tracing the outline of the muscles of his chest and stomach and pausing at the waistband of his shorts. Her touch making his skin tingle. He grabbed the back of her neck and pulled her into him so their mouths made contact again, this time slamming together, lips parted, tongues battling. Breath coming in ragged gasps now. Iain discovered her bare skin directly under her jumper. His hands moved up and Rita whimpered at the friction of his fingers as they circled the sheerest part of her bra.
She moaned as sensation flooded another part of her body convinced he would be able to feel the heat of her against the increasing bulge she was now aware of between his legs.
"So we're doing this then?" she whispered breathlessly into his ear before continuing to brush his lobe and neck with her lips.
"Doing what?" he breathed turning his head to capture her bottom lip with his teeth to prevent her from moving away from him.
"Friends with benefits?" Rita volunteered softly. It was what felt right in that moment and for the time time being at least she wasn't going to worry about where it may or may not lead. All she could think about now was how much she wanted him.
Iain lifted a hand to cup her face as he pulled her in for another kiss.
"Well we are friends…" he mumbled against her lips. His other hand slipped back under her top and effortlessly dealt with the clasp on her bra "And this." She groaned as he allowed his hands to explore further "I'd say this very definitely feels like a benefit"