Prompts: Beading, bucket seat, gather
The raindrops on the roof were definitely slackening. Not that they had been hard drumming to begin with; more soft, splattering impacts that carry with them the promise of warmer days to come.
"Well." Nadia leaned back in the bucket seat, stockinged feet pulled up under her. "That's a wash."
"Just a passing shower." I leaned on the steering wheel. "Nothing that'll really slow me down."
"Of course not. Not with your.. abilities."
"I don't intend to cheat." I glanced at her, at the way dappled light from the raindrops beading on the windows traced patterns across her face. "That would defeat the purpose."
She leaned forwards against the dash, the sodium light turning her autumn hair black as night.
"What are you looking at, Lee?"
"You."
"Of course you are." She closed her eyes. "Can't help you there."
The waters of Ladybarn reservoir gleamed darkly in the night, stray reflections of streetlights broken into shreds and flinders by the cascading raindrops.
"It is possible," I admitted, "that I have mild fixation issues."
"Uh-huh." She gathered her hair away from her face, opening her eyes again. "We are out on a B-road at two in the morning on our night off. Because you told Dortmund your timing for the Serpent pass run and he didn't believe you."
"Did you have any plans for the night?"
"The evening picnic was a pleasant surprise. The stargazing was absolutely unexpected and beautiful. Of course, knowing that you did all that to pass the time until you could get a clear road dampens the fun a bit." A smile taking the sting out of the words.
"Look on the bright side," I said, as the last of the rain faded away. "At this hour, there's going to be nobody on the road all the way home."
"And you have further plans?" She slid her feet down, slotting them back into her shoes.
"I'm sure we can think of something interesting to do once we're through the door." I turned the ignition, bringing the EJ boxer to life and lighting up the instrument panel with nightvision red.
"I'm sure you already have. Did you stash everything in place to surprise me when we got back?" She wriggled in her seat as pulled out of the parking lot, lining the WRX up on the line and triggering Dortmund's GPS tracker.
"You found the stash?" I stopped the car. Waited for the tracker to boot.
"No."
"You just know me that well, right." I eased in the clutch and shifted into first, revving the engine until the whine of the turbochargers spinning came to my ears. "Hold on tight."
"Always."
I dropped the clutch.
Writing time: 30 mins
Next prompt: Terminal
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