Ricardo thankfully rebounds quickly after Wrestlemania. It seems everyone's sick, though, especially after Axxess. Meeting hundreds of fans one after another brings it out in everyone. Not to mention Seth Rollins is already sick and feverish and Alicia ends up next to him, certain she's going to be deathly ill before the week is out as well. Their move is postponed, at least for now, which is fine. He's found a new home at a nearby wrestling school, and she's relieved on some level to not have to leave her sister behind so suddenly.
Noam is still out, and with all of the events being in Florida this week, Alicia gets to spend most of her time at home since there's nothing for her to do on 205 Live. She rests her chin in her hand and stares out of the window, listening as Ricardo wakes up, does his early morning absolutions. He joins her a little bit later and inches in behind her, wrapping an arm around her and kissing the side of her face, his fingers tracing aimless shapes against her stomach. "So," he murmurs. "Any plans for today?"
She shakes her head, laces her fingers with his and hums as his warmth suffuses her. "Maybe just sit here and listen to you breathing," she suggests with a soft smile as his lips brush, wet and warm, against her throat, drawing out a ragged breath from her.
"Sounds nice," he responds, nibbling down her flesh and leaving her trembling against him. She closes her eyes as his fingers trace a gentle path against her flesh, pushing her shirt up and leaving her swallowing hard as cool air brushes against her. She's eager to return the favor, touch him, but he holds her in place gently, continuing to mouth at her. "We have all day," he reminds her quietly. "I'm not going anywhere, are you?"
She shakes her head, shudders as his words draw another flush of need through her body. "Couldn't even if I wanted to," she whispers as he lifts her shirt up the rest of the way and sends it out of sight, Alicia's eyes fluttering shut when his hands rasp over her skin, her exhales growing more shaky and raspy. "I, um... I-" She can't focus, reaching out and digging her fingers into the sturdy fabric of his shorts, somewhat surprised when they don't tear from how long and strong her nails are. "Ricardo, what-"
She's been with guys before, Alex and Wade, and other boyfriends scattered here and there since she was old enough for her mom to give in and let her date. Most just interested in themselves- yeah, Wade had tried, but he'd not been too encouraging about taking things as far as she'd wanted, and Alex... Alex had been the perfect husband for awhile, before his career hit the wall and he grew bitter and angry and barely even looked at her, much less anything else. Ricardo... well, Ricardo is different. He's attentive and loving, focused mainly on her, despite all of the pain and suffering he's been through in the last few years. Doesn't hold what Paige or Alberto has put him through against her, even with this ridiculous Noam Dar storyline, and she wonders again how Paige could've possibly let a beautiful man like him go.
It's not until the pleasure she's feeling subsides that she realizes Ricardo's fingers are frozen and the warmth of his lips are gone from her skin. Then she realizes. She'd just said that aloud. Paige hadn't really been discussed between them except for in extreme matters- the engagement, Alberto's official firing, Sofia's reaction to their moving, etc etc. Definitely not during intimate interludes between them. His fingers pull away and she feels cold and abandoned, twisting around as he lightly rests her on the couch and stands up, running his fingers through his hair as he walks away from her. "Ricardo, wait!" she pleads. But he's gone, out of the house and in the car, pulling away in a rush before she can even think to look for her shirt.
It's a good hour later when she realizes he's not returning, getting to her feet and finding her shirt, her shoes, and putting everything back on, in place, before going outside. There's nothing for her to do, nowhere for her to go. He has to come back on his own, she'd gottent o know him well enough to realize if she tries to force things, he'll just pull away even more and she'll run the risk of losing him forever. He'll go to California without me. He'll move on, find someone who doesn't know his past with Paige. Who doesn't have a secret admirer sending her gifts on national TV... Alicia feels sick. She wants to cry. But instead she pulls herself together, goes inside, and calls Sofia. She can hear the puppy barking in the background and it makes her want to cry, but again. This isn't about her. This is about Ricardo.
"I need your help, Sofia," she chokes out, staring at the few things scattered around in the fridge, on the counter, in the shelves.
A couple of more hours pass, the apartment spells spicy and incredible. If Alicia didn't feel so sick at heart, she'd be drooling, she's sure. She's wearing a cream colored skirt with a dark brown shirt, clothes that Ricardo's complimented her on in the past, her hair curled cutely around her shoulders. Delicate cream sandals enhance her skintone further. If she says so herself, she looks gorgeous, but this isn't about her, so she continues sitting, and waiting. Vodka and diet cokes are already mixed and waiting in the fridge, mini cinnamon cheesecakes on hold to be served after the chicken enchiladas that Sofia had helped her to make.
It's getting dark outside by the time she truly starts to worry, the oven off as the enchiladas cool, probably ruined already. "Me and my stupid big mouth," she cries to herself, tears filling her eyes and smudging her makeup. Her shoulders are trembling, lost in the misery of that being the last true moment she gets with Ricardo, when she hears keys in the lock. She swallows and looks up, watching as the door opens and he walks in. They stare at each other for a moment, realization crossing his face as he takes in the sight of her, the smell of the food, and everything else, immediately dropping his keys and meeting her halfway as she throws herself into his arms. "I'm sorry," she wails into his chest. "I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to say that, it's just-"
He quiets her with a kiss, tilting her face up to look at him. "Shhh. It just... it threw me, ok? I don't... want to talk about her, especially when I'm with you, like that. I shouldn't have left, I just needed to get my head back on straight. I'm the one who's sorry." He hugs her close, feeling her trembling against him. "You cooked for me?" he asks once the worst of her trembling has subsided. She nods and he ghosts a finger against her lips, parting them as he leans in and kisses her again, slow and teasingly beautiful, her fingers pressing into his shirt as faded sensations from earlier begin to thrum through her once more, sweeping away all of the pain and fear. "Do you forgive me?"
"Yes," she gasps out, more of a moan than an actual word and he nods, sweeping her up and carrying her out of the kitchen. "Oh- wait, no-"
"The food will hold," he promises, leaning in and kissing her again, quieting all of her hesitancy and causing her to melt into him entirely, "We'll need it later, I'm sure." She shivers at this and he smiles, nudging the bedroom door open and laying her tenderly on the bed. Hands trailing up her legs, brushing under the silky fabric of her skirt, Ricardo exhales and closes his eyes, trying to imprint this moment to memory, how she feels under his fingers, the soft warmth of her skin. How giving she is despite all that he lacks and the things that he's done to hurt her, especially just a few hours ago. He leans in and kisses along her knee, up, and she sighs softly, fingers running through his hair.
He's careful, slow, with her, making up for lost time, and she determinedly avoids thinking about the past- her exes, his. Focuses on the moment, tastes the salt of his skin as she kisses down his face to find his mouth, that tangy spicy flavor that is just Ricardo intensifying when she parts his lips and hums deeply. How his fingers feel as he gently washes the mascara streaks off of her cheeks before sprawling out over her, making her toes curl against his ankles. Listens to the changing cadences of his breathing when she eases his clothes off and explores his softly tanned skin. Watches as he carefully eases her shirt off for the second time this day, his eyes dark and gentle as he takes her in, every inch of her, and ultimately finds her as beautiful and perfect as when he'd left her earlier. Breathes in the simple but steady scent of his shampoo as he resumes kissing her jaw and throat, truly picking up from where they'd left off earlier in the afternoon, their fingers interlacing once more before he shifts, kisses her when she meets him and pulls him closer.
Later, she's sprawled out over his chest, Ricardo quietly feeding her pieces of re-melted cheese and shredded chicken slathered in picante sauce, both of them sipping from one of the glasses of vodka and diet coke, buzzed in more ways than one. "So," he breathes into her hair.
"So," she echoes back, the alcohol and food leaving her warm and confident... or maybe the feeling of him holding her, feeding her, is doing that... whichever. She's definitely not complaining, whichever it is.
"I have indy events in Indiana this weekend. Do you want to come with me?" Noam's injury opens up the doors for him to invite her to things like this without thinking twice about it. He smiles as she sits up, wavering a little bit from the strength of the drink.
"Really?" she wonders as he reaches out to stabilize her.
"Yes. If you want. We could... explore Indianapolis a bit... go out into the country, look up at the stars..." His hand traces down her arm, brushes a little lower and she exhales, eyes fluttering shut. "Lay in the grass, have a picnic... recreate the best parts of tonight..."
She giggles, then leans into him. "Why can't we recreate them right now?" Her lips are warm and wet, so soft that it sends a spike of hunger through him so strong that he moans at just that simple sensation, and he gives into her immediately, food and drink and weekend plans all very much forgotten right now.