Reece's Faith (111 page)

Reece opened her eyes and tilted her head back to see her lover. "For what?" she asked in confusion.

"For everything. God, Reece, I love you so much," Faith bit back tears.

Reece became alarmed and she turned around completely, getting up on her knees to look directly in Faith's eyes. "What happened just now? Why are you crying?"

The actress wanted to laugh and cry at the same time. Reece's hair was absolutely hilarious after she had spent the last two hours messing it up. Instead, she attempted to smooth it down while she explained herself. "I know how much you gave up to be with me. I see how you've changed... for the better, mind you, and I know I'm responsible for a lot of those changes. I just wanted you to know that I love you, for everything. You mean the world to me, Reece. If you ever went away, I'd be devastated."

Reece grinned knowingly. "Don't you worry about me going anywhere," she leaned in and kissed the actress's cheek. "I thought I'd never say this, Faith... in my whole life... these thoughts never crossed my mind, but... I can't leave you. I need you in my life. You make it better. There's no one else in this world I'd want to spend my life with."

Faith's smile threatened to take over her whole face, even though tears were welled in her eyes.
Was that almost a proposal???
"I wouldn't dream of leaving you. My life started the second after you kissed me."

Reece rested her head on Faith's shoulder.
Jesus... that almost sounded like a proposal.
The tall woman sighed with contentment.
Would that be such a bad thing?

 
*  *  *

"I swear, Cori! It sounded like she was going to propose to me!" Faith tried to convince the dancer that she wasn't going crazy and that Reece really sounded like she meant it. She'd been dying to tell someone and called her friend the second she got to the set. Cori wasn't thrilled to be woken up so early, but the news Faith had given her thrust her into full awareness.

"She wasn't drunk?"

"I told you, no." By now, Faith was aware that Violet had picked up the extension.

"Okay, what exactly did she say, word for word."

"She said, 'I need you in my life. You make it better. There's no one else in this world I'd want to spend my life with.'"

"Oh, my god! I think you may be right!" Cori said, stunned.

"See?" Faith practically yelled into the phone. "What do you think, Vi?"

"I think you may have something there. What happened before that made her say that?"

"We were lying around in the living room, she fell asleep and, when she woke up, I told her how much I love her and that I wouldn't be able to live without her."

"Well, it sounds like the feeling is mutual. I'd take that for what it's worth, honey. I think you guys are destined to be together forever," Violet offered.

"But I can't believe Reece said that! Like, when she all of a sudden said how lucky she is that you love her? I think she's been thinking about this a lot, Faith. She may just propose to you yet," Cori said excitedly.

"Yess! I knew it! Can you imagine?" Faith gushed.

"I'll try to find out more at work, babe, okay?"

"Please do, Cori, I'd appreciate it!"

"Okay, now that I'm wide awake," Cori chuckled, "me and the woman have some business to take care of."

"Ooo, you go right ahead," Faith snickered and hung up the phone.

 
*  *  *

Reece climbed off of her bike and pulled off her helmet as she walked purposefully towards her destination. Once there, she paced back and forth for a few moments as she gathered her thoughts. "So there we were, in the dark, in the living room and I don't know what happened, 'cuz all of a sudden I wanted to ask her to marry me. What the hell is going on? Me? Marriage? What the fuck is that all about? Okay, so, I can't remember life without her and I can't imagine a tomorrow without her in it. But marriage?" The tall woman stopped pacing and looked at her feet. "Would it really make a difference in our lives if I did propose? I mean, she's gotta know that I love her more than life. I kinda told her that I can't live without her last night. Can that one question make such a big difference?" She squatted down and dusted off the headstone, "Tell me, Uncle Frankie."

 
*  *  *

Faith came home from the set and practically dragged her ass to the couch. She sprawled out on it and lifted her feet up, dropping them noisily, shoes and all, onto the coffee table. She blew out a breath and let her head fall back heavily. "God, two more days... just two more days and I'm a free woman."

Smudge heard the commotion and came running down the stairs, skidding into the couch. "Yap!"

"Hiya, sweetie," Faith watched the excited little dog leap up and down with his tail whipping back and forth. "I suppose you want me to lift you up here."

Smudge panted, walked backwards and attempted a running jump, missing his goal by a few inches.

"You do realize that I have to move in order to pick you up, don't you?"

The dog began barking frantically. Faith sighed heavily and leaned forward, grabbed the dog and flopped back into the comfortable cushions. She was thanked with a full facial licking. The actress couldn't help but giggle. "Thanks buddy, I needed that." She cuddled him to her face and slid down sideways until she was lying on the couch. Smudge curled up in the space between her shoulder and her neck with a happy little sigh. "Hey, take off my shoes, will ya?"

 
*  *  *

It was nearly morning when Reece trudged up the front steps. The club owner got home later than usual tonight, there had been a fight at the club involving one of the dancers and the girl wanted to press charges. Of course, it all happened right about closing time, too. The cops couldn't resist giving Reece a hard time, so when the lights came on, they took their own tour of the place, inspecting every crevice for trouble. They turned up with nothing out of place, but the tall woman's nerves were shot. All she wanted was to curl up in bed with her lover and sleep.

Reece walked into the house and waited. She frowned.
Why isn't he coming to say hello?
She flipped on the hallway light as she took off her boots. Glancing into the living room, she was surprised to see Faith asleep on the couch and tiptoed into the room. As she got closer, she noticed the reason of her lack of greetings tonight. Smudge was curled up in a ball nestled against Faith's neck.
I don't blame you, little guy, best seat in the house.
She squatted down next to her sleeping lover and kissed her softly on the temple.

Faith made a tasting sound and turned over; Smudge squeaked in protest, stretched and adjusted his position.

The tall woman shook her head in sympathy for Faith.
Two more days, baby. Count 'em. One, two.
Reece slipped off Faith's shoes and climbed onto the couch behind her, snuggling up into her back. She was asleep before her arm wrapped itself around the smaller body.

 
*  *  *

The club owner woke up to the most unusual sensation. She tried to make out what it was without opening her eyes, but she couldn't figure it out. Something was tickling her bicep; it was warm and soft, and feather light. It seemed to be tracing her tattoo. Reece's foggy brain took a moment, but when it registered, she grinned and flexed her arm. "Does it taste good?" she said in sleep-deepened voice.

"Uh huh," Faith replied, her tongue still tracing.

"You must have been beat last night, babe," Reece reached over with her free arm and tucked Faith's hair behind her ear.

The actress put her hand over Reece's mouth. Once she was through with her tattoo tasting, she removed it, propped up her elbow and leaned her head on her hand. "I'm done. You were saying?"

Reece smiled, amused at her lover's good mood despite her obvious exhaustion. "Rough day yesterday?"

"Oh god, you don't even know. We have to be done in two days and we have four days of work to do. I made so many costume changes yesterday... make up changes..."

"How come?" the club owner asked, skimming her fingertips down Faith's back and under her shirt.

"We had to re-shoot some scenes that we did earlier, sometimes months earlier. I tell you, John was near tears last night."

"Poor guy." Reece meant it, it just didn't sound like it. She was preoccupied with the feel of Faith's skin.

"Yeah... Reece, I'm getting all goosepimply."

The club owner glanced down at her lover's nipples and smiled, "I see."

"Mmm, well, before you go any further, I need to shower. I have six pounds of cover-up on my face."

"Come on, Faith..." Reece begged.

"No one said you can't join me in the shower," Faith smirked and jumped out of the couch.

"Woo hoo! Wet sex, I love it," Reece said as she started stripping off last night's clothes.

"Reece, did I mention how sweet it was that you joined me on the couch last night? It was wonderful to wake up with you all wrapped around me."

"I missed you," Reece shrugged, kicking the pants off her feet.

"I know, I'm sorry. Two more days." Faith hugged her near naked lover.

"I can't wait. Come on, get naked, you have to be at work soon!"

"Baby, maybe we should skip the shower, I want to take my time worshipping you. I'm tired of quickies."

"Faith, we have the rest of our lives for that... I'm not complaining. Trust me. I can't wait until I have the time to take a whole day, just touching you."

The actress narrowed her eyes at Reece. The tall woman had been saying things like that for a few weeks now, things alluding to them spending a lifetime together. Ever since Reece sounded like she was going to propose to her, Faith had been hearing these things louder and louder every day.

"Well, what are you waiting for?" Reece was halfway up the stairs by the time Faith stopped thinking and started moving.

 
*  *  *

The actress hummed her way around the set, causing a few actors to give her the evil eye. She blew them off with a friendly little smile or a cute little wink. It was getting on their nerves.

John knew what put his friend in such a good mood, despite her exhaustion and stress. He'd had to cover the evidence of her early morning interlude and, to tell the truth, he was feeling pretty good -- simply because she was. It was a relief to finally have some good spirits around him for a change. Everyone had been so busy and so tense lately that he was starting to blemish.

"Hey, good looking," Faith snuck up behind the make up artist and swatted his butt playfully.

John regarded his grinning friend with a narrowed eye, "You know, Louise, I have the inside scoop as to why you're so cheery, and what a relief it is to see a happy face, but tell me... was it
that
good?"

Faith chuckled and crinkled her nose as she climbed up into her trailer. "It's
always
that good," she teased with a wiggle of her eyebrow.

"Does she have any brothers?" he joked.

"I doubt anyone can be as good as Reece," Faith sat on her bed and looked around. "I'm going to miss this place."

"Bite your tongue!" John ran over and sat down next to her. "You'll be so happy to be home again, making a life with Spike, maybe having babies..."