With May comes warmer weather. Alicia grows more restless as her recovery progresses, sitting in the audience at Ricardo's training sessions, sometimes bringing suggestions to him which he listens to with some curiosity. The ones he implements makes Alicia smile and feel worthwhile as she returns to her seat and sketches out new designs for anything from wrestling gear to swimming suits. He sneaks up on her as she's tapping her pencil over a two piece with rich brown and blue lines tracing through it, and he presses a kiss to the side of her mouth. "That would look beautiful on you," he murmurs into her hair and she smiles, running her fingers through his hair, holding him close.
"Thank you," she says quietly, closing her notebook with a snap and looking up at him. "Done training?" At his nod, she stands and grips his hand, relieved to see that the students are now gone. "Come with me." He follows her outside and they walk in circles around the building, picking through the grass and weeds as she hums and stretches her arms out, taking in the sun and wind with a smile on her face. He's watching her with a soft look on his face when she turns to look at him. "I wanna come with you to Fort Worth this weekend."
He's been booked for a match, and he's looking forward to it, but he's not sure about her making the trip with her healing tailbone and everything else going on. "I'm not sure," he hedges quietly, trailing his hands up her arms. "I don't want you in pain the entire drive up. It's kind of long-"
She turns and throws her arms around his neck, smiling at him as she arches up and kisses him, quieting his protests. "I'll be fine," she hums against his lips. "Please let me come."
He sighs. "if I don't, you'll probably hide in the trunk or pack yourself in a duffel, won't you?" She giggles and continues to peck him on the lips until he finally gives in. "Fine! Fine. But if it hurts too much, you let me know." She nods, her happiness fading into a gasp as he lightly tickles her sides, flailing away from him. He laughs and grabs her, pulling her closer and peppering her skin with kisses around the straps of her tank top. She hums, melting into him, and he rests his hands lightly against her side, grazing her ribs. She presses closer to him and he swallows hard. "Let's go home," he says quietly and she nods.
He stops long enough to make sure all of the students are gone and the building is locked up before walking hurriedly back to the car where Alicia meets him with soft fingers grazing along his shorts, distracting him from the road a little bit as he avoids oncoming traffic and tries not to lose his patience and cut off those behind him while merging into different lanes. Once they reach their apartment and Ricardo can park, it's a relief, his hands trembling. More of one when she tangles her fingers with his and leads the way upstairs.
Despite the Texas temperatures, their rooms are shaded, cool enough, and he guides her towards him, kissing her. "I love you," he mumbles against her mouth and she sighs, nuzzling into him.
"I love you too," she tells him, curling her arms around him and making soft, breathy noises as he brushes his fingers over the straps of her tank top, teasing her. His touch leaves her trembling, and his kisses lull more, needy sounds from her lips. "Ricardo-" she exhales. "Ricardo..."
He scrapes his teeth gently over her shoulder before straightening back up and cupping her face, kissing her until she's struggling just to stay on her feet. He notices and hoists her up, carrying her bridal style down the hall to their bedroom, chuckling when Alicia kicks her shoes off while squirming in his arms, eager to resume kissing him in the ten seconds it takes him to walk that far. He eases her onto their bed and stands over her, watching her dark eyes track his every movement. "You're beautiful," he tells her, something he tries to remember to tell her at least once a day. "I'm not sure what I did to deserve you."
His hands are warm and steady, tracing along her skin, and she shivers, trying and failing to find a proper response, finally tangling her fingers in the collar of his shirt and pulling him down in an awkward press against her body. He adjusts and groans when her mouth, warm and inviting, eases along his jaw, down his throat. "Alicia..."
They move slow, gentle with each other. She stares up into his eyes and he smiles against her skin, still in awe that she's his, that he can hold her and kiss her, touch her and make love to her whenever he wants. The sun has set, casting the room into shadows, but they barely notice, laying quietly in the afterglow, Ricardo's fingers tracing mindless shapes against her spine as she lays on her stomach and drifts, certain that she's almost asleep until she speaks, voice slurry but message undeniable. "I've been with WWE for 12 years. I've fought, and been loyal, and not complained ...much..., and been grateful, and..." She sighs softly. "It's amazing I've lasted this long, to be honest."
He touches her, brushing some of the hair out of her face, and waits patiently until she starts to speak again. "I'm not ready to give up on my career yet, but if it ended tomorrow, I'd have no regrets. I was the first ever African American divas champion, and no one can take that from me." Rolling onto her side, she presses closer to Ricardo. "We'll get married," she informs him quietly. "We'll travel all around the world together. I'll support your indy career, your role as a trainer for up and coming wrestlers. And when the time's right, we'll have kids. And you are going to be an incredible father, Ricardo. I know this. Can just feel it deep in my bones." She strokes his jaw. "But for now, let's take things a day at a time, alright? That's the best I can offer you right now."
He cups her hand. Searches her sleepy, but resolute face, and wonders how long she's been planning on saying something like this. Kisses her palm and smiles. "It's enough, I promise you," he says, stroking her knuckles until her eyes flutter shut and she relaxes into sleep. "Good night," he says softly, kissing her hand once more before easing it down onto the mattress, still holding it as he too drifts off.
He loses in Fort Worth that weekend, but it's ok. They explore the beaches nearby, and Ricardo laughs as Alicia feeds eager ducks and they both fumble through paddleboating, and it's a great weekend as they lay in their hotel room and watch Dumb and Dumber, Ricardo reciting lines as he traces circles against her shoulder softly.
Neither mention Ricardo having to give up on a promised match in Dallas since he's scheduled to be in Chicago to work with Alberto, which he hadn't bothered to cancel after things fell apart between them because... he's still a professional and one of them needs to be able to uphold their promises. He's not even sure Alberto will show up for the event, uncertain which result to hope for. Alicia can tell it's weighing on him because even with wrestling, and all of the fresh air and time on the water, his insomnia is kicking in again, leaving him staring aimlessly at the ceiling overhead. She sleeps fitfully, hating this situation for him, and holding him closely as he tries not to disturb her badly needed rest.
