454. Chapter 454

She groans slightly when she collapses into her bed.

Their bed.

It was a long night, followed by an even longer day, and she hadn’t seen Maggie for any of it.

But her girlfriend isn’t home yet – home, home, home, their home – and as much as Alex’s body wants to sleep, it can’t. She can’t.

Because she needs Maggie’s touch, Maggie’s warmth, Maggie’s kisses.

And she smiles, because her phone buzzes, and with the incoming texts pops up the caller ID – Maggie [3 – along with the selfie they took on their first drive out to the desert together, Alex kissing Maggie’s cheek and Maggie smiling like she’s never been happier.

And, according to Maggie, she never had been.

Alex smiles from the memory, and she smiles even harder at the text.

On my way home, babe. I know you had a long 24 hours. Should I bring you food?

She beams as she types out her reply.

You know the way to a Danvers woman’s heart, Sawyer.

She giggles when her phone buzzes with Maggie’s immediate response.

I thought I already had your heart, Danvers. Something you’re not telling me? ;)

She bites her lip as she continues their banter.

Come home to me and I’ll show you just how yours I am, Mags.

She drifts to sleep against her will, a soft smile on her face, while she waits – waits for Maggie, her Maggie, to come home to her – and when her eyes crack open, it’s to the scent of Thai food and tea and red roses and to the sight of her beaming girlfriend, puttering around the kitchen, arranging the takeout on a tray to bring to the bedroom.

Their bedroom.

“Mmm, you’re home,” she murmurs sleepily, and Maggie beams as she looks up at the sound of her voice.

“Don’t move a muscle, babe,” she tells her. “I’m bringing everything to you.”

And she does – the flowers, their dinner, their drinks, and all the love she’s ever had.

“Should I show you how much you have my heart first, or should I eat first?” Alex flirts as she sits up and kisses her hello, easy and comfortable and happy. So damn happy.

“How about you show much how much I have your heart by letting me take care of you, hmm?” Maggie asks, smoothing Alex’s hair out of her face and offering her a forkful of fried rice.

Alex lets Maggie feed her eagerly, her eyes brimming with overjoyed tears.

“Only if you let me do the same for you for breakfast,” she offers, and it’s Maggie’s turn to be flooded with tears.

“Deal,” she whispers, and god, she’s so glad this is going to last a lifetime.