a/n: Another fluffy chapter. Just the three of them spending time together and Lizzie letting Red in. I hope you like it. Thanks for the reviews and follows. Thank you for still hanging int here with me.

Chapter twenty-one

Lizzie picked up her towel and dried herself off. Red and Abby were still in the water. She'd left them to give them some time alone. She heard their laughter and couldn't help but smile. She thought about the scars on Red's back. They looked bad though it didn't seem like they hurt or bothered him. She wanted to know how he'd gotten them.

She watched Red whisper something in Abby's ear that made her giggle as they approached her. Once again she admired Red's physique as the water drops ran down his body. He was such a distraction that she didn't see Abby running up to her. Abby hugged her tightly making her dried skin wet again.

Abby looked up at her uncle. "Did I do good?" She asked.

"Yes you did. I'll help you though."

And before she knew it, Red had her wrapped in his arms even lifting her off her feet for a moment. She squealed as soon as his cold and wet body touched her. She heard Abby's laughter and knew it was their intention all along. Not that it wasn't nice being wrapped in his arms. If he could surprise her, she could surprise him. She wrapped her arms around him after he'd put her down again and took that one step closer that brought their bodies in full contact and put her head on his chest. She lightly caressed his back, her fingers running softly over his scars. Red's arms tightened around her as he put his head on top of hers.

"Do they hurt?" She asked, mumbling against his chest.

"Not at all, sweetheart." He lowered his head to whisper in her ear.

"Will you tell me what happened some time?" She tilted her head a bit back to look at him.

Looking into her blue eyes Red knew he could never deny her anything, nor did he want to deny her this. She had a right to know. He wanted her to know. "I will."

"Thank you." She placed a lingering kiss on his chest and ran her hand down his chest through his chest hair before stepping out of his embrace. She turned towards Abby who was lying on her stomach on her towel with Jethro besides her. She grabbed some more sunscreen for Abby. After making sure Abby's skin was well enough protected against the sun, she sat back down on her towel. She held the bottle out to him which he accepted.

"What? You're not going to help me?" He pouted.

"I can help you uncle Ray." Abby jumped up and quickly grabbed the bottle out of Lizzie's hands. "I'll always help you, uncle Ray, just like you help me." With her small hands Abby began rubbing the sunscreen on his arms. Lizzie in the mean time made sure his back was taken care of. After a few minutes Abby and Lizzie were ready. Abby went back to lying on her towel. Lizzie stepped in front of him, ready to put the sunscreen on his chest. Red however stopped her by taking the bottle from her hand.

"Let me do that." He said.

Lizzie tilted her head to the side. "Can't handle it?" She teased.

"Oow I can handle it, but I don't think we want an audience." As he put the sunscreen on his chest he saw how Lizzie watched his every move. "Some other time." Read teased her. "Come on, let's lie down and enjoy the sun."

For the rest of the afternoon they enjoyed the weather and each other. Lizzie still wanted to ask Red if he could stay, but was unsure how to ask him. She walked a few steps behind Red and Abby as they made their way back to her house. Part of her was already saddened by the fact that this great day was already coming to an end. She wanted more, more of these days. She'd promised Red she was going to share more with him. That she wasn't going to hide any longer. Therefor it was up to her to ask him to stay and if he couldn't he would at least know she wanted him too and could maybe stay another time.

"Uncle Ray, is aunt Lizzie your girlfriend?" Abby asked as she leaned against her uncle.

"Why do you think that?"

"Because you kiss and hug and walk hand in hand just like mommy and daddy."

He couldn't fault her her logic. "Then I guess she is my girlfriend."

"You gonna marry her?"

"I hope so." Red answered. One day Lizzie was going to be his wife. Of that he was sure.

"Can I be the flower girl?"

"Yes you can sweetie." He hugged his niece close. He'd noticed how near the end of the afternoon Lizzie had gotten a bit quiet. Something was on her mind. He hoped that she felt confident enough to talk to him about it. She'd been seeking out his closeness the entire afternoon and he enjoyed that. Not only did he enjoy it, it also showed him she was letting him in. It was something he needed as much as she did.

At her house he let Abby walk in first. Just as he was about to step into the kitchen Lizzie called for him. He walked back onto the porch and waited for her. Jethro didn't follow Abby, but decided to sit down on the porch, keeping his eyes on his boss.

"I really enjoyed spending this time with you and Abby." Lizzie started.

"I did too."

She closed the distance between them, seeking out his closeness once again, taking his hands in hers, entwining their fingers. "Can you stay?" She asked without looking at him.

He smiled at her question and the fact that she couldn't look at him. "I thought we agreed that we'd stay till after dinner." He had an idea what she really wanted to ask, but she was going to have to really ask him.

"I know." She nodded. "Can you stay the entire day, come back after you bring Abby home?"

"I'd like that." But he saw there was still one thing on her mind. He decided to help her out like he'd promised her he would. "Is that all you wanted to ask?"

Lizzie shook her head. "Can you stay the night? I need a good night sleep. I haven't slept well the entire week." She looked up at him and gave him a weak smile. "I think I'll sleep better with you here."

"I'll bring Abby home after dinner and then I'll come back." He pulled her in his arms. "You look beautiful in your red bikini."

"You don't look so bad yourself either."

"Not so bad, huh." He contemplated her words for a few seconds. He ran his hands up and down her arms. "Let's go back inside. I don't want us to get something started here and end up with Abby interrupting us again." He kissed her temple before he let go, leaving a smiling Lizzie behind.

TBC...