Alicia stands by the door, staring out with a grimace. She tugs lightly at her lips and turns with a small smile when Ricardo walks up behind her and presses a soft kiss to her bare shoulder. "Morning," she says softly.

"Morning," he breathes back, pressing his face against her neck, lightly kissing there too, before pulling back to look outside as well. They're not close to the fires, not really, but there's still a tinge to the sky, a bitter twist to the air. He exhales and looks over his shoulder for a minute before facing her. "Alicia?"

"Mm hmm," she says. "What's up, Ricardo?" She turns and laces her arms around his neck, smiling at him.

"You know I'm going to Europe next year." Some light fades from her eyes and she nods as he gently cups her face, strokes her lips. "Come with me." He'd lost Paige when he'd gone to India for the better part of a year, he'd left her lonely and vulnerable, and sometimes he wonders if things would've ended up differently if he'd just stayed. Not to mention everything he'd done to their relationship leaving Alicia in Texas so he could go to Mexico for awhile. Thankfully they'd survived it, but he's not sure if they could again. "I've made mistakes in the past," he says quietly as she searches his face, a small smile creeping over her face. "I refuse to do so again. Please? Come with me?"

She beams, throwing her arms around him and kissing him deeply. "Yes! Of course I will!" she exclaims, burying herself in his warmth.

"Thank you," he says, holding her close and sighing in relief. "I would've missed you too much. Europe will be more special with you there anyway."

She hums, eyes twinkling as she stares ahead. "Oh, man, all of the fashion I'll get to see, and the sights, and the food... I can't wait!" She cradles his face in her hands and leans in, kissing him enthusiastically. "I love you so much," she breathes into his mouth.

He waits until she pulls back a few inches. "I love you even more," he says with a small grin as she shakes her head, delighted.

She still looks in awe at his invite as she pulls away gently and grips his hand. "Come on," she says softly, guiding him through the house back to their bedroom, away from the chilly California morning, from the smoke tinged sky.

As he settles back into bed and reaches out for her, she crawls slowly up towards him and he chuckles as she straddles him, warmth suffusing him as she kisses him, hands ghosting over his skin. "You know, Mike and AJ conceived Sara in Canada," she says thoughtfully, hovering over him with an intense look in her eye. "Maybe Europe will be our good luck charm."

He exhales softly, arching up to kiss her again. "I'd hope we wouldn't have to wait quite so long," he shares. "But Europe would be a beautiful place to do so at."

She nods, closing her eyes as he pulls her closer, rubbing soft circles against her lower back. "I agree," she murmurs. "On all fronts." Tangling their fingers together, she kisses him again, warm and deep and breath-takingly long, imagining doing this in a beautiful little rental somewhere near the Siene, or under the lights of the Eiffel Tower, or anywhere else she's always wanted to see with Ricardo but just couldn't quite manage because of their schedules and everything else. "Thank you," she whispers, rubbing her nose against his.

He nods, breathing a little fast. "I promise you, I'm going to include you in more of my adventures now," he tells her solemnly. "No matter where they take me, as long as you're willing to. Now that your contract is void, nothing's there to stop us ever again."

Her smile turns into a wide, mischievious grin and she leans in, kissing him again. "Damn straight," she breathes. "Absolutely nothing."