Ricardo is settling. Forcing himself to accept the situation. They may not be going back to Egypt for a long, long while, if ever. So when he simply announces online that he'll be in the States past April, without getting angry or frustrated, she holds him, kisses him a few times, then leaves him to his business when people begin contacting him, wanting to book him for shows and training, and whatever else. She breathes a little easier when he comes to her later, pleased and talking happily about some of the interest shown towards him.
Things are going so well, when Valentine's Day comes along, she decides to surprise him a little bit. She keeps it simple because Andre is and will always be her first priority, and he's teething again, so things are rough right now, all three of them trying new ways to keep the little boy from sobbing in misery at all hours. Sofia is a god send in those moments, either helping Alicia cook, or tending to Andre while she decorates, or even just helping her pick out an outfit that fits the theme of the day, comfortable while still being sexy for both her and Ricardo's benefits.
It's all worth it when he comes home to find the living room adorned in pink and red streams, plates of food waiting for him (only for a few minutes, thankfully he didn't get distracted by something else after texting he was on his way home) and Alicia sprawled out on the couch in soft, flowing cream colored dress with red lipstick, a bright, chunky pendant hanging down her chest, drawing his eye to how low the dress is really cut. "Alicia," he breathes in awe, unsure where to look first, finally letting his eyes rest on her.
"Happy Valentine's Day, Ricardo," she greets him with a soft smile. "I've been waiting for so long for you."
He smiles and rubs at the back of his neck for a few moments, embarrassed, before dropping his things by the door and joining her, cradling her jaw and kissing her. "I love you," he mumbles. "And I'm sorry I didn't get anything for you-"
Her hands explore up his spine, stroking and squeezing in alternate intervals. "No worries," she says, amused by the look on his face, full of awe. "That is the look of someone in love if I've ever seen one," she teases him tenderly.
"I think the word you're looking for is 'besot'," he teases back and she beams wider, bringing him in for another kiss.
"The food's going to get cold," she reminds him when one kiss turned to two, then became a heated makeout session that had found her sprawled out on their couch, reluctantly pulling away from his roaming lips and hands after a few moments, making note to wear this dress more often, if this is how he'll react to it.
"We have a microwave," he dismisses, following her and reclaiming the spot where his mouth- low on her collar- and his hands- high on her thighs- had been. "Please," he mumbles against her warm flesh, and she immediately melts at how needy and plaintive that one word is. As if she could deny him anything.
"You're not wrong," she sighs, then moans his name softly, giving into him. "Oh, Ricardo," she murmurs, trembling as he continues to explore her body with the singleminded devotion of someone who acts as if this is the first time, as if he's never seen anything so beautiful in all of his years of living. "Please," she murmurs, not even sure what she's asking for, but he knows. He always knows and she lets out a noise that startles even her, but he doesn't even flinch, continues to worship her slow and easy, clearly in no hurry to move away, shift things along until they both find relief and pleasure.
She chooses to sit back, watch and float in this overwhelming twist of pleasure regularly pulsing through her veins, settling low in her stomach, hot and pleasant. It is her holiday too, after all.