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“When the f-”

“Your company needs a building, love,” she said nonchalantly. “I’ve already asked Warren to handle everything. Just let me help, please? I feel like I’ll go insane back home if I don’t know you’re safe.”

“You’re so full of it,” I breathed, walking back to the wardrobe and pulling out more clothes. “You just love spending money and you’re using me as an excuse, admit it.”

“And if I enjoy spending money on you?” she murmured. She got up off the bed and walked around to stand behind me. Her hands drifted over my waist, her lips at my neck, her breath hot on my skin. “Is it so bad that I want to give you the whole world?”

“N-not when you’re saying it like that,” I muttered, trying to keep my eyes on the clothes in my hands.

“Because there’s nothing wrong with me doing what I can to make sure you’re safe and happy.” She chuckled, kissing up the side of my neck and suckling on the sensitive patch of skin just below my ear.

“It’s hard to argue with solid logic.” I sighed, realizing that I was fighting an uphill battle. Reid wasn’t exactly frugal, and she enjoyed making sure the people she cared about never struggled if she could help.

It was one of the reasons I’d fallen for her, all those years ago. It was a common thread between us, one of many.

“And you know how much I love solid logic,” she teased, her fingers slipping beneath my shirt, the lilt in her voice mischievous.

“Almost as much as you love stalling?” I taunted, and she groaned in my ear.

“I can always get my stuff shipped back to America.” Reid shrugged. “That way I can spend the rest of my time here making the most of it.”

“You know for a fact that you’d be pissed if you didn’t have most of the shit you brought with you.” I giggled.

“I’d be a lot more pissed if I got on that plane tomorrow knowing I could have spent a few extra hours with you.”

I chewed on the inside of my cheek for a moment. “Are you going to be okay?” I asked.

“What do you mean?”

“On the plane tomorrow,” I clarified, turning around in her arms. “Will you be okay? When was the last time you flew alone?”

“I won’t be completely alone.” She smiled. “And as much as it’s going to suck, I’ll be just fine. I promise. If it makes you feel better, you can record that song for me and I’ll listen to it on repeat until I land.”

“You really want my scratchy voice on loop for thirteen hours?” I scoffed.

“You could record yourself reading out a fucking grocery list and I’d eat that up, my love,” she said, and she slanted her lips against mine.

“You’re stalling again,” I accused her, but I let her pull the half folded clothes out of my hands and toss them onto the bed.

“No,” she murmured, hooking her hands under my shirt. “I’m antsy, and I want to kiss you right now.”

I sighed into her lips and let her peel my shirt off. I happily followed her onto the bed, ruining the neatly folded clothes and kicking the suitcase to the floor. We only had hours left, hours we spent lazily exploring one another’s bodies between hushed whispers and pleasure filled giggles.

And maybe this was what forever felt like.