"Wow, this place is amazing," Tara said as she walked into their suite at the Morningside Spa and Hotel.
"It sure is," Willow responded, walking in behind her, carrying their bags.
Tara walked over to the king-sized bed and sat on it, looking around the large room. It was simply decorated with white chairs and dark oak tables and the walls were a soft lilac colour, emitting a sense of calm and tranquillity even before they'd had any treatments done.
Willow put their bags down and picked up the information packet that was left for them. She started flicking through it while Tara continued to examine their surroundings.
"Wow, there's so many things we can get done. Massages, body wraps, facials…waxing."
Tara quirked an eyebrow at her fiancée.
"We can probably forgo the last option," Willow said, blushing.
"Well we have the couples massage thing booked for the morning, right?"
"Yep. 11am. So we have enough time for breakfast and a walk beforehand. I'm so excited!"
Willow demonstrated her excitement by running over and jumping on the bed next to Tara, falling into a lying position and taking Tara down with her, both of them giggling.
"You deserve a break. I know the last three weeks haven't been easy…" Tara trailed off guiltily.
Since she'd been released from hospital, three weeks previously, Tara had been unable to do any heavy lifting, anything too strenuous and had to pretty much rest as much as she could, which Willow made sure was often.
Tara felt guilty that she couldn't do more to help around the house, especially after the first week when she felt much more able to lend a hand. But she'd had her final hospital check-up that morning, and even though she'd still need to see her own doctor for another few weeks to make sure everything was still okay, she was cleared to start getting back into her regular routine again.
Together they had decided that this would be the perfect weekend to get away, that way they'd have a week of normal living, or at least as normal as it could be before they both went back to work.
"Hey, now. I love looking after you. And I'm gonna spend the rest of my life doing it," Willow responded, holding Tara's hand up to see the engagement ring.
She smiled fondly as she remembered how they'd told all their friends.
Nikki and Buffy had already been back in LA, after spending three days by Tara's side, and only at Tara's insistence that they needed to get back to work and that she was getting the best care possible. So they'd conference called both of them, then brought Anya in as well so everyone would find out together. It had been Tara's first day back at home and they were sitting up in their bed, looking at the ring, much like they were now.
Buffy had squealed excitedly and Nikki had started crying, while Anya said she wanted a detailed account of how orgasms felt both pre- and post-nuptials.
"I almost forgot!" Tara said suddenly, getting up and stopping the redhead's train of thought.
"And they say I'm hard to follow," Willow said, sitting up, slightly dazed at the quick departure of her lover, "Maybe it's like what they say about dogs, when they're around their owner long enough they start acting like each other."
Tara looked over her shoulder from where she was rummaging in her handbag and eyed the redhead suspiciously.
"Are you calling me a dog?"
Willow's eyes widened in terror and she began moving her hands frantically.
"No! No, most definitely not! You're not a dog; you're a beautiful, strong girl. Woman. All woman. Your pretty eyes and soft skin and curvy, wonderful body and please still marry me?"
Tara had made her way back to the bed by and stood by the edge. She seemed to consider what the redhead had said. Willow, all the while, continued to look terrified.
"On one condition," Tara said finally.
"Anything, I will do anything!"
Tara indicated for the smaller girl to scoot over to her side of the bed and Willow complied.
"I will," the blonde said, as she got down on one knee, opening the small box she had taken from her bag, "If you'll marry me too."
"Oh Tara…of course I'll marry you! Put it on, put it on!" Willow replied excitedly, holding her hand out.
Tara took the ring out of the box, a similar style to the one she was wearing herself, white gold band housing a beautifully cut diamond. She put it on Willow's ring finger and lay back on the bed beside her.
"When did you get this?" Willow asked, still looking at it in awe.
"I called the jeweller a couple of weeks ago and collected it this morning."
"So that's why you were so insistent you go to your hospital appointment alone…I love you so much."
"I love you too."
Willow leaned forward brought her lips to Tara's, kissing her tenderly. Tara pushed her tongue forward and into the redhead's mouth.
When Willow felt Tara's hands come up to cup her breast, she pulled away from the kiss and tried to catch her breath.
"Sorry, baby. It's just…"
"I got the all-clear this morning, Will."
"I know. All of the good. You can cook dinner again," Willow said, smiling sweetly.
"No, honey," Tara said, looking down at her hand which was still holding onto her fiancée through her shirt, "I got the all-clear."
Realisation dawned on Willow.
"You mean we can…?"
"We can…as long as we're not too, um, overzealous."
"Oh god," Willow replied, propelling forward and launching a full-scale attack on Tara's neck, talking between kisses.
"I've *kiss* missed *lick* you *kiss* so *suck* much."
Willow kissed her way up Tara's neck and chin, before getting back to the lips she adored so much.
She lost herself in the kiss for a few moments, then pulled back and looked her lover in the eye.
"I want it to be special, okay? Can we wait until after dinner? I want time to worship you," she said and brought her hand up to caress Tara's cheek, "My soon-to-be wife."
Tara leaned into the touch and kissed the palm that was cupping her cheek.
"So tonight can be like…the celebration of our engagement," she said, looking over Willow's shoulder to the clock on the wall, "Our reservation's in fifteen minutes."
"I always did like to be punctual," Willow giggled, as she gave the blonde one last lingering kiss and jumped off the bed.
Tara watched her for a little while, enjoying just looking at her lover.
Willow caught her eye a few minutes later and looked at her dubiously.
"I know you can't wait to get your hands on the goods baby, but…"
She was cut off by a pillow being thrown across the room at her, hitting her square in the face.
"Deny it, Tara," she continued teasingly when the pillow fell on the floor.
Tara walked over to her and spooned her from behind, her breath tickling the redhead's ear as she began speaking.
"You are getting awfully cocky, Miss Rosenberg."
"You know, in a few months you're gonna be calling me Mrs. Rosenberg-Maclay."
"I like that. Rosenberg-Maclay. Wait…a few months?"
"Oh," Willow said, turning in the blonde's arms so they were facing each other, "I was thinking about it. I was wondering, maybe, if you wanted to get married…July 5th?"
"My mom's birthday?" Tara asked, choked up, "I…"
"If it's too soon-"
"It's perfect. I can't believe you remembered. I'm pretty sure I only mentioned it once."
"I've got a 'Tara' section in my brain that remembers everything about you. I think it's where most other people have verbal control skills."
"So we have a wedding date."
"We do. I feel like I'm actually gonna explode with excitement about everything."
Tara leaned in so she was whispering in the smaller girl's ear again.
"I promise I'll make you explode later," she said before letting go of Willow's waist and going into the bathroom.
Willow shivered involuntarily at the words and took a few deep breaths calm herself down. By the time Tara had come out from the bathroom, she was standing at the door, ready to go.
The blonde walked over to her and linked their hands.
"Dinner awaits us, fair lady," Willow said, opening the door.
They went down to the restaurant, which only had a few other guests inside. Both girls enjoyed the quiet ambiance that having few patrons provided and quickly ordered their food. When their wine arrived, Willow poured both of them a small glass, neither wanting to be too inebriated for their night.
"To, um…" she said raising her glass.
"Our future?" Tara asked, raising hers as well.
"Our future," the redhead confirmed, taking a sip.
An hour later, they were walking through their suite door again, both smiling contentedly.
Tara walked over to the end of the bed and sat on it. Willow stood in front of her.
"I believe," the blonde said, looking up and hooking her thumbs into the belt loop of the redhead's jeans, "You said something about worshipping."