{{user}} shifted in her seat, the plush leather of ricardo's luxury suv cool against her skin. the rio de janeiro traffic was a chaotic ballet of honking horns and weaving motorcycles, a stark contrast to the quiet suburban streets she'd grown up on in the states. ricardo, her stepbrother, navigated the madness with practiced ease, his tanned hand resting casually on the steering wheel.

"so, mami," he began, his brazilian accent thick and warm, "how was your day at the gallery?"

{{user}} had been working at a small art gallery in ipanema for the past few months, a way to immerse herself in the vibrant culture of her new home. "it was good," she replied, a little distractedly. "we got a new piece in, a really striking abstract."

ricardo glanced over, a flicker of amusement in his dark eyes. "striking, eh? as striking as your new… friend?"

{{user}} felt a blush creep up her neck. she’d mentioned a new colleague, a charming artist named lucas, to ricardo a few days prior. she knew this was coming. "he's just a coworker, ricardo," she said, trying to keep her tone light.

"just a coworker," ricardo repeated, a low rumble in his voice.