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“I’m not,” Sam insisted, willing Natalia to really hear her. “I’m communicating.”

Natalia furrowed her brow again like she was trying to decipher a puzzle. Like she didn’t believe that Sam would just tell her what she wanted, but if Sam couldn’t model healthy communication for her, they had no chance.

“I don’t want you to change,” Sam said, taking a step back and giving Natalia room to breathe. “I don’t want you be anyone other than full-on Natalia Flores, the force of nature. All I’m asking is that we keep talking and you don’t leave me behind.”

Natalia softened. “Well, what happens when you wake up and decide you want to move on to greener pastures because I’m not communicating enough, or not the way you expect?”

Sam grinned. “Babe, nobody’s got pasture like you,” she reassured her.

Natalia rolled her eyes, but her clenched energy loosened. “Did you argue with Sofia?”

“Constantly,” Sam admitted with a chuckle. “But it wasn’t in a bad way. She was strong, and opinionated, and nothing makes me sharper than challenge. You’re not in competition with anyone, Nat. Not even with yourself. This isn’t a sprint, okay? I get that it’s going to be a huge adjustment to be in a duo when you’ve been a single player for so long. And I’m more than willing to be patient. I promise. Just don’t forget to bring me along for the ride.”

Natalia narrowed her gaze. “That’s a lot of mixed metaphors for someone with a PhD.”

Sam’s laughter rang out, unfettered and full-bodied. Her heart was so light, she was sure it would float her body off the ground.

She hadn’t realized until this moment how heavy the uncertainty between them had felt. How desperate she was for Natalia to trust in what they were building.

Now, with their hearts laid bare, that bone-deep doubt had melted away. Its absence left Sam almost giddy with possibility. She wanted to dance, to shout from the rooftops.

Most of all, she wanted to kiss Natalia - this brave, stubborn, brilliant force of nature who made her feel truly seen. Unable to resist that magnetic pull, Sam drew Natalia into her arms.

“I meant what I said,” she murmured, tucking back a strand of Natalia’s dark hair. “I’m not going anywhere. You’re stuck with me.”

“That stubborn mold again,” Natalia joked, not that anyone but Sam would hear the humor in her flat tone.

“The stubbornest,” she agreed before kissing her again.

Sam sighed happily as Natalia surrendered into the kiss. She could feel the last of Natalia’s walls coming down as their bodies melded together.

Of course, the moment was interrupted by Natalia’s phone buzzing. Natalia huffed in annoyance as she checked it, squinting to read without her glasses. To Sam’s surprise, she let out a laugh.

“It’s Zoe, firing me. Apparently I’m old and out of touch and she’s not going to let me drag her down anymore,” she explained, eyes dancing with unexpected glee as she tossed the phone across the living room and onto the couch. “Good riddance. Should have dumped her years ago. Do you know that she never tipped her servers?”

Sam cringed. “Gross, who does that?”

“I know,” she agreed. “What a douche.”

Sam chuckled, delighting in seeing this reaction from Natalia. “Let’s regroup tomorrow when we’re fresh. I want to talk about this crowdfunding thing. My friends aren’t superstars, but I know a lot of very successful grant-writers that are sorcerers when it comes to finding money and stretching a penny into a dollar.”

“Yeah?” Natalia brightened. “You’re into the self-funding?”

She gestured, panning over a marquee with her hands. “Dominion Pictures presents Bloodstream Valentine.”

Natalia wrinkled her nose. “That’s your working title?”

The judgment pouring from her words was an avalanche. “What’s wrong with it?”

“If I have to tell you, I fear for our future in the movie business.”

At the sound of our, Sam grinned. “Stay over tonight?”

Natalia seemed to consider it for a moment before replying, “I didn’t bring my night guard. Do you know how much I invested in these Turkish teeth?”

Sam pulled her close, brushing her lips against Natalia’s ear. “Well then, I guess I won’t let you fall asleep,” she murmured suggestively.

No matter what tomorrow held, Sam had never been more sure of anything. With Natalia in her arms, she was home. The future was uncertain, but together they would take it head on.