“We could just be hedonists,” Sydney said, her fingers beginning to play across Reese’s exposed stomach. “Quit our jobs. Travel the world.”
“I thought you hated packing your suitcase,” Reese said, her words coming out in an uneven rasp as Sydney’s fingers scratched lightly, just below her bellybutton.
Sydney didn’t miss a beat. “We’ll get an RV then. Live life on the road.”
Reese turned her face so she could see Sydney’s eyes, alight and playful.
“I don’t think we’d do well at that, but something tells me you already know that,” Reese answered, savoring the feeling of closeness, Sydney’s warm breath ghosting across her cheek.
She broke the moment to wrap her hand around one of Sydney’s own and pull her over to the bed.
Reese had gotten back to the room first tonight, and she had already been in bed reading a book when Sydney had returned. With Sydney’s arrival, she’d forced herself to take out her contacts and brush her teeth, but she wanted nothing more than to crawl back into the warmth and comfort of their shared space.
“How was dinner with Brian?” Reese asked sleepily, already snuggling in against Sydney’s chest.
“Your mom tagged along for the actual dinner, but then Brian and I stayed longer to catch up.”
Reese picked her head up to look at Sydney then. “My mother? Sharon Devereux?”
“Possibly soon-to-be Sharon Walcott again. She mentioned it at dinner tonight,” Sydney said as she carded her fingers through Reese’s hair.
Reese snuggled back down against Sydney. “Good for her.”
“Yeah, I think she really liked the tennis lesson.” Sydney quieted before adding, “I think she really liked Brian, too.”
“I cannot lift my head again for the life of me, but it does deserve another look.”
“I know, babe, but I’m just telling you what I saw. They were pretty cute together, I have to admit.”
“Sydney King, you softy,” Reese said. She tried to punch lightly at Sydney’s arm, but she got distracted and ended up running her hands along smooth skin instead.
She felt Sydney melt into the touch, and they both stilled, the steady thrum of Sydney’s heartbeat audible with Reese’s ear so close to her chest.
“What are your thoughts on marriage?” Sydney asked, and Reese was jarred from the hazy comfort she’d been experiencing until a second ago.
“Like you and me getting married?”
Sydney groaned. “Not specifically, no. I just meant… we’ve been dating now for a few months, and I know we haven’t really followed the usual steps?—”
“Understatement,” Reese cut in.
Sydney squeezed her a little tighter. “Anyway, it’s something that people talk about when they’re dating. Whether their future desires align. So I was just curious where you fall on the subject.”
Reese felt her own heartbeat pick up, and she scrambled to work through her thoughts so that whatever she shared didn’tmake her sound insane. “Megan and I, I now realize, had a very practical relationship. We didn’t talk about marriage because we were already running the business together, and to me, that had felt pretty serious.”
She sighed when Sydney started running her fingers through Reese’s hair again.
“So you haven’t really thought about it?” Sydney asked, her voice soft and coaxing, like she’d give Reese all the time in the world to figure out her thoughts.
That made Reese want to give her an honest answer, to lay her cards on the table. “It’s something I do want. I want to share my life with someone. I want to make that kind of commitment. I want to know that we’re going through the world as a team, and that we’re stronger because of it.”
“I like that,” Sydney said, and Reese could feel the smile on her lips as she kissed the top of her head.
“I don’t think I’d ever thought about it like that because, well, you’ve seen my parents’ relationship,” she said vaguely, hoping that explained things.
“I get it, babe.” Sydney kissed her head again, and Reese let the pleasant warmth at the simple, comforting gesture float through her.
“And you?” Reese asked, moving her hand to run her fingers along Sydney’s arm, wanting to feel connected to her.
