It's a hot, muggy day in California. Ricardo can't get comfortable, and he can tell by the look on Alicia's face she's suffering even worse, pregnancy already making her feel strange in her own skin. He brushes his fingers through her hair on his way past her and she leans into his touch with a grumbling little sigh, causing his lips to twitch upwards. He ventures into the kitchen, offering Sofia a smile as she fans herself off at the window, staring out absently at the blue sky. "Hola."
"Hola, mi hijo," she says absently, glancing over at him. "Hanging in there?"
"Si," he hums, easing past her to grab a glass. "Just getting something for Alicia." He fills the glass with fresh water from a pitcher in the fridge, and even adds a few cubes of ice to it before returning to the living room. "Here," he whispers to her, setting it before her and watching as her eyes light up and she grabs for it, pressing it against her forehead and sighing softly.
"Thank you," she hums, pressing her lips against the condensation and letting it sooth her hot skin. "You're the best."
He smiles at her and returns to his place, sprawled out on the living room floor close to the dogs. He listens as she drains a lot of the glass and exhales happily, shifting around to look at her better. "Doing ok?"
"Better now," she says, rolling over on the couch and pressing her face into the cushions. "Thanks to you."
He grows bored, eventually, just laying around doing nothing, so he crawls over to the couch and trails his fingers over her back, listening to her soft breathing as he applies a bit more pressure, massaging down her spine, up her neck. "Good?"
"Fantastic," she mumbles, groaning a little when he presses deeper into her muscles. "Oh yeah, right there-" Her words fade into a moan and he chuckles softly, searching out more tight spots, gently easing them away with his fingers. "Oh- Ricardo..." She whimpers as he gets an idea and grips the glass of water, letting the condensation drip over his fingers, before turning back to her and stroking down her skin once more, leaving a trail of water as he goes.
She gasps and moans again, arching up into the sudden chill, and he smiles, watching her. "You're so beautiful," he informs her, pressing his lips to her shoulder, repeating the action with the glass before touching her again.
She sighs slow and long, toes curling against the arm rest of the couch before she rolls over towards him, eyes gleaming in the sunlight shining through the window next to the couch. "I love you," she tells him, gripping his shirt and dragging him closer. "So much." It's too hot to expect much so Ricardo savors the kiss she gives him, leaning into it and sighing into her mouth as she teases him with a few lazy licks, pouting apologetically as she pulls away.
"I love you too," he tells her with a soft smile, leaning in to kiss her forehead. "Just let me know when you want more water."
"I will," she promises, closing her eyes and melting once more into the couch cushions, thoroughly relaxed now.
He returns to his original spot, avoiding the worst of the sun shining on the floor, and stares at the ceiling until his eyes flutter shut and he dozes off and on through the worst of the heat, only stirring whenever Sofia or Alicia move around.
He'll get up and go out to the park for some soccer later, work off some of the yearning to wrestle he's been suffering through for awhile, but for now, simply laying here and allowing himself to just relax, to just be, is nice.
