"Fuck!" Rich mouthed as he headed to the bar. He couldn't stop grinning. For fuck's sake try and act cool. He thought. He chanced a look back over his shoulder at Grace she was nodding her head to the music and absent-mindedly pulling at her lower lip.
Alo was right, she was hot, he didn't know why he hadn't realised it before. She was a total fox and she liked him, even after he'd been such a dick to her. He felt suddenly charmed. She was even prettier than The Angel of Death – maybe that was because the Angel turned out to be such a bitch. Naaa. He thought. Grace was a fox even when she was pretending to be a bitch.
"Been served?" Rich was nudged out of his thoughts by the barman.
"Two pints of diesel please mate."
Rich picked up the two drinks and headed back. He suddenly had the urge to get drunk and stupid with her, just to see what would happen. He made his way through the loose groups of people clustered around tables to the sofa where she waited for him. He grinned again. She was fucking gorgeous.
"What are you smiling at?" Grace nudged him as he sat down
"Careful!" He put the glasses on the table. "I nearly got you all wet."
Grace raised an eyebrow as Rich realised what he had said. His pale skin blushed suddenly pink and they both burst out laughing.
"Too many come-backs!" Grace sniggered. "Can't pick one!"
Shit! Rich thought despite his laughter. What did you say that for? Now she thinks you're a total cock. He looked sideways at her, she was still laughing, but there was something else. Was it nerves? Rich wished he could read her mind, although if what he'd heard about women was true, that could be a fucked up can of worms to open.
"Sorry." She said, still giggling slightly. "You must admit that was funny."
"Yeah." He fake-smiled back at her, feeling really daft.
Grace leaned over to pick up her drink, he followed suit and took a few large gulps. He really felt like getting drunk now after making a total tit of himself. He looked over and her glass was half empty too. He raised an eyebrow at her. She responded by downing the rest of her drink.
"Another pint?" She asked, stifling a burp
"Thought I was buying." He knocked back the dregs of diesel in the bottom of the glass.
"Well you bought the first two and now we're doing rounds."
"We are?"
"If you can keep up with me that is." Grace smirked and headed to the bar. Rich watched her cross the room. He could see eyes following her as she moved. And she liked him. He needed to stop saying twat-ish things though; he needed to convince her he was something worth bothering about.
Grace appeared again with two more pints than she darted off again and reappeared with two bright red shots.
"My god that's not..."
"Aftershock!" She grinned."Hope you like cinnamon."
"Yeah I love it but I totally spewed my ring the last time I had Aftershock."
"You'll be fine." She said, handing him the shot glass and flopping back on to the sofa beside him. "Do you know how to drink it properly?"
Rich shook his head.
"First you breathe out, then drink, then breathe in through your teeth."
He raised an eyebrow.
"It'll give you the best fucking head rush ever, just try it." Grace clinked her glass against his and knocked back the shot.
Rich shrugged his shoulders and followed her lead. He blew out slowly then downed the spicy sweet liquid, remembering to breathe in afterwards. The cinnamon rush hit him like a train; his eyes watered and even his teeth were tingling.
"Fucking hell." Rich gasped
"Yeah!" Grace shook her head, breathless."Told you!"
Rich grinned at her again and picked up his pint. He was starting to relax already and had almost forgotten what he said about getting her all wet. That was a Freudian slip if ever there was one; he allowed himself a smile, while Grace was leaning to pick up her pint.
She sat back and settled in under his arm. He squeezed her shoulders slightly. She looked up at him and smiled.
AN: Thanks for the reviews - I love Rich & Grace and if anyone's got any thoughts about where they'd like this to go I'd love to hear them. Hope this little fic is living up to your expectations xxx
