“Excited,” Birdie interrupted, laughing. “And you also dropped the ring box.”
“I was nervous,” Alexis said, grinning. Every time their engagement came up in conversation, she relived it. She reminisced on the way her hands shook, the feel of the velvet box against her fingertips, the lump in her throat, and the wild flutter in her chest when Birdie had said yes. “You were crying before I even got to the good part.”
“I was not,” Birdie protested, though the smile on her face and that gorgeous twinkle in her eye told the exact opposite. Big round circles of tears had streamed down her face as soon as Alexis had opened the box.
“You were,” Alexis said, tilting Birdie’s chin up with a finger.
Birdie’s lips curved just before Alexis kissed her. It started off soft and slow and lovely, and then turned deeper, faster, anda little wild. Birdie made a sound that went straight to Alexis’s head, and Alexis completely forgot they were out on the terrace off their bedroom. Fortunately, it was completely private.
She smoothed her hand down the length of Birdie’s back. The skin there was warm from the sun and impossibly smooth. Birdie shifted even closer, and her leg moved between Alexis’s thighs, hitting her center. Suddenly, Alexis forgot what day it was and what continent they were on. But at least she didn’t forget how her hands worked. She slipped her fingers beneath the thin strap of Birdie’s bikini bottom, just enough to feel skin.
Her phone went off. A shrill, absurd ringtone that broke the moment like a dropped champagne glass. Alexis groaned and fumbled for her phone on the table beside them, but Birdie’s hand was already over hers.
“Leave it,” Birdie murmured, her voice as lazy as the sun on the horizon. “It’s our honeymoon. We’re allowed to ignore our phones for once.”
“I can’t,” Alexis said, shaking her head. Even before she spoke, she knew Birdie was going to frown, to ask why, since they didn’t really say no to each other anymore. Not unless no meant yes.
Birdie frowned. “Why?” she asked. “I thought we decided we weren’t going to let any distractions get in the way, and last time I checked, your phone ringing is a huge distraction.”
Alexis hesitated, chewing at her bottom lip. She wasn’t quite sure how to approach this. Yes, they were on their honeymoon, and yes, they had sworn off phones except for music and photos. No calls. No texts. No contact with the outside world. But this was kind of important.
“I set an alarm,” Alexis admitted finally.
“For what?” Birdie’s frown deepened, and Alexis automatically smoothed her fingers across Birdie’s forehead.
“The new season ofThe Sapphic Matchjust went live.”
There was a second where the words hung in the salty, sun-warmed air, and another where Birdie seemed to have trouble processing it. But then she laughed so loudly that her body shook against Alexis. Soon enough, the entire thing seemed absolutely ridiculous. Pausing their Greek honeymoon just to see who the new bachelorette was and scrutinizing the ten contestants about to compete for her attention was rather silly. Alexis deserved to laugh at herself for thinking it was a good idea.
“You’re right,” Alexis said, flipping her phone screen face down. “You’re completely right. Let’s just focus on us. Where were—”
“Hey,” Birdie said, cutting her off. “I didn’t say I didn’t want to watch it.”
Alexis grinned. She honestly didn’t think she could love someone more than she loved Birdie. It was utterly impossible.
They shifted on the oversized double lounge chair. Birdie tucked her legs in, curled up against Alexis’s side, and rested her head on her shoulder. Alexis held her phone landscape, tilting it just right so that they both had a perfect view. She logged into the app, and a second later the video began streaming.
There was the trademarkSapphic Matchtheme music—big, dramatic, and a little cheesy—swelling through the speakers, and Alexis nearly found herself humming along. It didn’t matter that the show was toxic, that she literally had to endure it twice to realize that one woman dating ten others was actually bizarre. But at least it gave her Birdie, and that was all that mattered.
Vivian walked onto the screen, shining as bright as a diamond. Her hair was somehow whiter than before, and her skin was somehow smoother. “Welcome to season seven ofThe Sapphic Match,” she announced. “This season, we’re bringing you more romance, more drama, and of course, breathtaking sunsets and swoon-worthy dates. But as you all know, only oneof you can capture the heart of our bachelorette.” She swung her arm out, those polished fingers fluttering toward the door. “Let us welcome our newest bachelorette…”
The screen froze. A second later, Alexis’s phone went completely black.
Birdie blinked. “What the hell just happened?”
“Battery died,” Alexis said disappointedly. She held the phone up, showing a black screen. “Forgot to charge it this morning.”
Birdie laughed again. The sound was music to Alexis’s ears. “Well, there is something else we can do.”
Before Alexis could ask, Birdie launched herself forward and was on top of Alexis. She pressed her lips to Alexis’s mouth, yanked the hat off her head, and tangled her fingers in her hair.
Alexis’s surprise melted into an eager hum against Birdie’s mouth. The opening episode was long forgotten. The only thing that existed was the warm weight of her wife on her lap and the sound of the sea below their private balcony. “Is that so?” she murmured, her hands already sliding from Birdie’s back to the knot of her bikini top, letting the fabric fall away.
“Absolutely,” Birdie whispered, her breath hot against Alexis’s cheek. She kissed her wife again, slow and deep, before pulling back just enough to look at her. Her eyes were glossy with intent. “Lie back.”
Alexis smiled as she sank into the plush cushions of the oversized lounger. The late afternoon sun painted her skin in gold. Birdie moved with a purpose that sent a thrill straight through Alexis. She grabbed a plush, tasseled pillow from a nearby chair and dropped it onto the tiled floor at the base of the lounger.
Birdie knelt on it, her knees sinking into the softness. She hooked her fingers into the sides of Alexis’s bikini bottoms and whispered, “Lift your hips for me.”
