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When I returned, she already had the air mattress partially blown up. I lit the fire first, then helped assemble the “bed.”
“It’s not the fanciest of accommodations…” I said, opening one sleeping bag all the way to place under us, then the other for over.
Jaicon smiled. “It’s magical.”
“I thought of one more thing.”
“What else could we possibly need?” She winked.
“Water.”
“Right. You best hurry, though. This is so cozy I may already be asleep by the time you return.”
I set the bottles of water I’d fetched on either side of the mattress, then crawled under the sleeping bag when Jaicon held it up for me.
She turned her back to my front, and I wrapped an arm around her waist.
“This is another thing I dreamed of.”
“Me too,” she said, trailing her fingers over my hand and arm.
I snuggled her close, loving the feel of her body against mine. It didn’t matter that we were fully clothed.
“What are you thinking about?” she asked.
“How good you feel in my arms. How happy I am you’re here. How I’m still afraid I’ll wake up and this will all have been a dream.” I nuzzled her neck, breathing in her wondrous scent. “What are you thinking?”
“We should make curry for dinner tomorrow night.”
Her response was so unexpected, I laughed. “Yeah?”
“How well-equipped is your kitchen?”
“Not at all, I fear.”
She shrugged. “We’ll shop tomorrow. Maybe we can even pick out a bed.”
I turned her in my arms so I could see her face. Rather than speak, I stared into her eyes. After a moment, I said, “Jaicon?” I wanted to ask if she planned to remain in Mexico. I wanted to know for how long, but I couldn’t figure out how.
“Ask me.”
I shook my head. “It’s…I’m…rarely at such a loss for words.”
She smiled and raised her hand to cup my cheek. “The moment I crossed the threshold, I felt as though this is where I belong. I know it seems fast, and I know I’ve given you mixed signals in the past, but being here, on your ranch, gives me a sense of peace like none I’ve ever known. Even when I fought against it, my subconscious wanted to be here. Ilongedto be here. To be with you.” She leaned forward and kissed me. “One of the other operatives, Oleander, said I’d consumed myself with work in order to avoid dealing with the rest of my life. I can’t say it was limited to one specific conversation, but something compelled me to get on a plane. Maybe her words served as the final puzzle piece that made it all fit together.”
“Yourwords fill me—my heart—with so much joy.”
“Being here with you, in your arms, does the same for me.” She closed her eyes, shook her head, and smiled. “I listed my flat in London, and for months, no one even looked at it. I was on my way to the airport when I received an email saying someone wanted to buy it and would pay the full price. It may sound crazy, but I saw it as a sign. London was no longer my home, but I didn’t feel homeless. I got on the plane, knowing it would take me to the place I was supposed to be. Supposed to spend my life.” She chuckled. “If those words scare you, just know they terrify me.”
“They thrill and excite me. They make me so happy I could burst. I feel no fear. I built this house for you, Jaicon. I know that now. The only memories it will hold are ones of you and me, of our life together.”
She wiggled. “Tryst?”
“Yes, my love.”
“We really need to get a bed.”
It wasan-hour-and-a-half drive to Ciudad Obregón, a city ten times the size of Alamos, where there were stores carrying what we’d need. We spent the morning selecting pieces of furniture—including a bed frame and mattress set—that would be delivered and set up before the end of the day.
