Archive of Our Own

Chapter Text

Rebecca and Ted landed in Kansas around 2:15pm. The two got off the plane and headed to the baggage claim area. While they waited hand in hand, Ted texted his mother to tell her he had landed.

“My mom says she has lunch ready.”

“Great, because the chips we ate didn't satisfy my hunger,” Rebecca replied.

“True, my stomach has rumbled several times already,” Ted said, putting his phone in his pocket.

A few minutes later, when their bags had been collected, they headed to the parking lot.

“Do you leave your car here while you’re leaving and coming back?” Rebecca asked.

“No, when I leave, someone usually comes with me. A lot of the time it’s my aunt and my mother, who are sisters, and they take the car home. And when I arrive, a day or two before, they come and leave it parked here and the two of them go back in my aunt’s car. Since I usually arrive at odd hours for them to come, it's easier this way," Ted explained.

"Ah, well, you've got it so well organized."

The car wasn't parked far away. It was an Audi Q6 Sportback e-tron, in a dark gray color.

"I like it," Rebecca said as they put the suitcases in the trunk.

"Thanks, me too. That's why I bought it."

Rebecca chuckled.

"Is your mother's house very far away?"

"Nah, about 20 minutes or so," Ted said as he got into the car.

"I find it funny how the concept of distances between America and Europe differs," Rebecca replied laughing as she fastened her seatbelt.

"What can I say," Ted said laughing.

Ted started the car and before driving, he touched the screen, opening Spotify.

"Here baby, connect whatever music you want."

Rebecca smiled. It was a simple but sweet gesture.

“Okay, honey.”

Rebecca browsed Spotify, looked for her profile, and went to one of the playlists she had created for driving.

The first song that came on was Spice Girls ‘If You Wanna Be My Lover’. Ted smiled, remembering the conversation they had about the concerts they had attended.

The ride from the airport to Ted’s mother’s house was lively. There was no moment of silence between the music and Ted pointing out buildings and places he used to visit when he was little, including his high school.

They entered one of the typical American neighborhoods, full of individual houses, where the vast majority have swimming pools and gardens.

Ted parked the car in front of a house with gray walls, discreet and without ornaments. It barely stood out among the neighboring houses. It had a sloping roof, and a front garden that had a tree near the entrance. The garage, with its two perfectly aligned doors, took up a good part of the frontage.

“We’re here,” Ted said, parking the car in front of the two-door garage.

The bushes around the entrance were slightly overgrown, and the grass looked a little longer than it should have, as if Ted’s mother didn’t have the time or desire to keep it perfect. Understandable considering the heat in Kansas at the end of summer.

The empty black pots next to the garage were strange. They looked like they had once had plants in them but time had passed and now only the pots remained.

“It’s nice,” she said as she got out of the car, trying hard to sound calmer than she felt.

Ted, of course, noticed that her tone wasn’t quite normal. He walked around the car and took her left hand in his left hand. He brought their joined hands to his lips, leaving a slight peck on her knuckles.

Rebecca watched in silence. A shy, nervous smile played across her lips.

“I know you're nervous, Becca. But don't worry, everyone's going to love you. What can I say, I have good taste after all,” Ted said, winking at her as she rested their joined hands on his chest.

Rebecca chuckled and squeezed her hands together.

“Ah, I love that little noise you make,” Ted said with all sincerity.

Rebecca smiled and brought their joined hands to her lips to return the peck.

Ted smiled and walked, still holding her hand, to the trunk to get the suitcases.

With everything ready, Ted locked the car and the two of them headed to the front door of the house. Ted rang the bell twice and looked at Rebecca, giving her a calm smile, assuring her without words that everything was fine.

Footsteps were heard followed by a bark.

“Oh yeah, I forgot to mention, my mother has a dog. A Brittany spaniel, he’s already 10 years old so he’s usually calm. He’ll just sniff you a little but he’s completely harmless.”

Rebecca nodded.

The front door opened, revealing a woman and behind her a dog.

“Teddy, it's so good to see you!” the woman said as she threw herself at him for a hug.

“Hi mom,” he said, returning the hug.

The two of them joined in a welcoming hug. Ted told Rebecca that he had made a quick visit to his mother in Kansas after his return from the Olympics but that he had to go back to NY quickly to take care of business with the club.

“Well well, who do we have here?” Dottie said separating herself from her son.

“Hi Mrs. Lasso,” Rebecca said a little shyly.

“Nothing like that, I already told you to call me Dottie.”

“Yeah, right, sorry.”

“No problem. Come on, come here,” she said just before hugging her.

Rebecca looked at Ted as her mother hugged her, and Ted sent her a soft smile and a wink.

“Come in, put your stuff down and wash your hands, lunch is ready,” Dottie said, stepping away from the door. “Oh, and this is Maxi,” she added, pointing to the dog who was standing at the door watching until he had enough room to reach Ted, and then he made his way to his legs.

“Hello, buddy, how are you? I missed you, kiddo,” Ted said, bending down and petting the dog.

The dog rubbed up against Ted, licking his neck and playfully biting one of his hands.

Rebecca watched the exchange. It was tender, relaxed. Rebecca's chest tightened, feeling like, even though she already loved him, there were new things she discovered that made him even more loved. I hope that someday we have a dog together , she thought.

Dottie, who was still at the door, saw the whole scene. Ted meeting Maxi, both happy to see each other, and Rebecca with a sweet smile that she couldn't hide watching the exchange. Oh, she is the one , Dottie thought.

Maxi, after welcoming Ted, looked up to Rebecca. He looked at her and started sniffing her sneakers and legs. Rebecca watched him curiously, while Ted watched as Maxi accepted Rebecca as a guest in his house.

Maxi continued to sniff Rebecca's legs and when he got to her knees, for some reason, he started to lick. Rebecca giggled at the sensation.

"His tongue is a little warm, huh?" Ted said, still smiling.

"Yeah, it's a little weird," Rebecca replied.

Maxi decided he'd had enough of licking her knees, so he jumped up a little and placed his paws on Rebecca's thighs.

"Wooooop," Rebecca let out at the dog's sudden jump.

The dog continued to sniff, this time at Rebecca's middle and arm. She saw that the dog was already getting used to her presence, so she moved her other hand and placed it on the dog's head. Maxi moved his head quickly when he noticed a hand, but he remained still instantly.

"Oh you like that, don't you?" Rebecca told him.

"He loves it when Teddy does that to him," Dottie said.

"Oh you have to do it a little lower, on his neck. He loves it. Not now because you're standing up, but if you do it to him and you're sitting or lying down, he lies down next to you. And when you stop, he turns to look at you with this face of 'why are you stopping? I didn't tell you to stop'."

Rebecca did as Ted told her, massaging Maxi's neck, receiving an instant response. The dog stopped sniffing and relaxed as best he could. He put all four paws on the ground again and when he lost contact with Rebecca's hand, he looked at her with the same face that Ted had described.

The three of them laughed at the dog's reaction.

"I’ll continue later, okay Maxi?" Rebecca told him, bending down to give him one last massage.

“Come on, the food is getting cold,” Dottie said.

“What have you prepared?” Ted asked as he stood up and grabbed their suitcases.

“Pasta,” she answered.

“And the pasta you make in the summer, don't we eat it cold?” Ted asked as he closed the door.

“Yes.”

“So, how is the food going to get cold if it's already cold?”

Rebecca laughed, watching the exchange.

“Come on, leave all this here, you can put it away later,” Dottie said smiling before disappearing through one of the doors.

Ted led Rebecca to the bathroom where they both washed their hands. Then he led her to the dining room.

On the table was a bowl of pasta. It looked delicious.

“Well, now tell me how you met, and I want details,” Dottie said once the three of them were seated and their plates were full. “Oh, and before I forget, your uncles and two cousins ​​are coming over for dinner tonight.”

Rebecca tensed up just thinking about more people. It would have gone unnoticed by anyone, but not by Ted. He put his hand on her thigh and gave it a little squeeze. Rebecca put hers on top of his as a sign of thanks.

“Do you want to tell it yourself?” Ted asked her.

“We can both tell it, considering that the first times we saw each other, hours passed in between.”

“Very well. Well, after I sent you the message that we had arrived at the village, the boys and I decided to go for a walk…” Ted began to tell the story.

Dottie, very interested, listened attentively, interrupting to ask questions and get more details. When she seemed satisfied with all the answers, everyone pitched in to clear the table.

Rebecca went to her suitcase to get her toothbrush and headed to the bathroom. Dottie took advantage of the moment alone with her son.

"So, you're going to marry her, aren’t ya’?" she asked, the only way a mother can.

Dottie looked at her son with a smile as she crossed her arms. Ted, who was washing a plate, stopped and let out a nervous laugh.

“Don’t you think it’s a little early for that kind of question?” he said, trying to sound casual, though the pink rising up his neck gave him away.

“Really?” Dottie arched an eyebrow, leaning forward slightly. “Honey, you brought an amazing woman home, a literal Olympic champion, you told your mother about your encounter straight out of a romantic movie, and honestly, I’ve never seen you so… happy. Not even when you were a child with no responsibilities and your father was still alive. So tell me, is it early or are you just avoiding answering?”

Ted rubbed his front chin, feeling trapped, but also knowing he couldn’t lie to his mother. Well, he could, but his mother knew him too well to be able to keep something that big from him.

“Well, it’s just… it’s very recent, ya know? It’s been a month or so, Mom,” he admitted, lowering his voice as if Rebecca could hear him from the bathroom, which wasn’t possible. “But yeah, she is… so special. She’s so unique and unlike anyone I’ve ever met. This week in NY, when I woke up before her, I’d just stare at her for a few seconds, even if I was almost pissing myself really hard.”

Dottie stared at him for a moment before nodding, as if confirming something she already knew.

“You know, Ted, sometimes time doesn’t matter as much as how you feel. Don’t let time pass and regret later what you haven’t done.” Dottie lowered her voice slightly, a smile forming on her face. “That woman loves you, you can tell by the way she looks at you, by how she listened to every detail when you told the story. Don’t let it get away.”

Ted smiled. “I have no intention of letting her go.”

At that moment, Rebecca returned to the kitchen.

“What are you talking about?” she asked curiously, noticing the sparkle in Dottie’s eyes and Ted’s slightly nervous smile.

“Oh, nothing important,” Dottie replied in a casual tone. “I was just reminding the young master how the dishes are organized in this house.”

Rebecca smiled, Ted smiling back with the same amount of affection.

Dottie watched them, noticing the connection between the two, and her smile widened. Ted and Rebecca were still hovering around her, trying to help, but Dottie wasn’t having it anymore.

“Okay, okay, get out of here you two,” she said, waving her hands as if shooing away a pair of playful puppies. “I’ve cleaned up enough with your help, get some rest and unpack.”

Rebecca, who was leaning against the kitchen island, asked, “Where do I put my stuff?”

Dottie crossed her arms with an enigmatic smile. “Oh, well, I didn’t prepare a guest room. I figured you’d stay in Ted’s room. As long as you behave yourselves.”

“MOM!”

“Just kidding.” Dottie said, shaking her arms, “anyways, his closet is half empty since he lives in ny so you can keep your stuff there.”

“Okay, perfect, thanks.”

“No problem darlin’.”

Rebecca extended her right arm and placed it on Ted’s lower back, “Will you show me the room, darling?”

“Course.”

The two disappeared through the door and up the stairs.

Ted opened the door to his room, letting Rebecca in. She entered curiously, her eyes scanning every corner.

The room was tidy, it was noticeable that it was only occupied for different periods of time. The walls had some sports memorabilia: a framed jersey, a championship medal hung next to a poster of the Chicago Bulls from the 90s, and a shelf with some trophies.

Rebecca walked over to the window and slightly pulled back the curtains to take a look at the back garden.

“Have you always lived here?” she asked after a few seconds.

Ted sat on the edge of the bed.

“Yes, this is the house I grew up in. Mom and Dad bought it when I was two. It wasn’t easy for her to keep it up, especially after Dad died. I remember there were a couple of times when she almost put it up for sale. Luckily she didn’t.”

Rebecca turned to him, her expression softening. “And what made her change her mind?”

Ted smiled, a little wistfully.

“One of the problems was the mortgage. When Dad was alive, it was both of them who brought home the money and paid it, but when he died, it was only my mother who paid. When I signed my first contract as a professional, the first thing I did was pay off the rest of the mortgage. It was something I had always wanted to do. I couldn’t bear the thought of Mom still carrying that weight.”

Rebecca sat on the bed next to Ted, putting her arm around his shoulders. She pulled him towards her and gave him a delicate kiss on the top of his head, while with her other hand resting on his forearm, she gave him a squeeze.

“That says a lot about you, Teddy.”

“It was the least I could do,” he said, shrugging his shoulders.

“Not every son would have done that,” Rebecca said, giving him a peck right above his ear.

“It was hard watching Mom deal with the house payments alone. She acted like nothing was happening, but I know she had a hard time getting everything done.”

They both sat in silence for a few minutes.

Then they got up and began organizing their clothes in the drawers and closet.

“What’s this?” he asked, holding up a keychain with the logo of the Jayhawks, Ted’s college team.

“Oh, that.” Ted smiled wistfully. “It’s from the day I received my scholarship to play basketball in college. Mom bought it for me as a little memento. I always keep it in my suitcase, as a reminder of where I started the journey.”

Rebecca examined it carefully, “And you don’t keep it for good luck?”

“Oh no, you know, I hadn’t thought of that. But in a way, since it's always been with me, I guess it can be considered as such. But I also had it when I lost so I don't know if it works.”

“Well you made it to the olympics and you won, so you can give it some credit.” Rebecca said laughing playfully.

“Ah then okay, because that got me you too. My other gold.”

Rebecca tossed him a t-shirt playfully and they both laughed, “you're so romantic sometimes.”

“Oh but you love it.”

“Oh of course, don't ever stop!”

“I won't,” he said just before joining their lips in a loving kiss.

When they finished packing, Ted and Rebecca walked down the stairs chatting. As they reached the end of the hallway, Ted had an idea. He headed toward the kitchen where Dottie was.

“Hey, Mom, do you still keep my skateboard in the garage?” he asked.

Dottie, who was looking through something in the pantry, poked her head in with an arched eyebrow. “Your skateboard? Of course I do. Do you think I just throw your stuff out without telling you? Although by now I thought you didn’t even remember owning it. What do you want it for?”

Ted glanced quickly at Rebecca, who smiled knowing why Ted was asking about it.

“Well, we were watching the Olympics and we got the urge to watch skateboarding. You know, it’s an Olympic sport now. And we got the urge to try it again. I thought we’d go out to the garage and see what it was like.”

Dottie looked at him in disbelief before bursting out laughing.

“Really?”

“Yeah.”

“Okay, then. It's on the right wall of the garage, although I hope the board holds up, because you haven't used it for years.”

The garage was organized. Ted walked straight to a corner where, sure enough, the old skateboard was leaning against the wall, next to a toolbox and a bike.

“There it is,” Ted said, pulling it out with a triumphant smile.

Rebecca walked over and ran a hand over the board, noticing the somewhat worn but still visible design: geometric figures of various colors.

Ted and Rebecca walked out to the garage entrance, ready for their skate session.

At the entrance to the garage, the warm light of the summer afternoon spread across the sky. Ted was the first to get on the board, pushing off with his foot in fluid movements that showed that even though it had been years, he still remembered the basics.

Ted tried a small spin, losing some balance, but recovering just in time to avoid a nasty fall.

“Wow, that was close!” Rebecca shouted, mockingly laughing as she passed him by.

“Wait till I try a real trick. You’ll see who’s talented here.” Ted tried an ollie.

The board lifted slightly.

“I don’t think that’s an ollie,” Rebecca said.

“Let me try that again,” Ted said, returning to the start of the garage entrance.

This time he did manage to get the board up.

“How was that, baby?”

“Okay, now we can call that an ollie.”

Ted approached her and got off the board. He picked it up and gave her the skateboard.

“I hope I don’t fall.”

“I’ll be there for you if I do.”

“Aww, I know love, that’s why I’m not afraid of falling.”

Ted smiled as he watched Rebecca return his romanticism.

Before Rebecca skated away, she approached him to give Ted a series of quick pecks. He couldn’t help but chuckle.

When Rebecca became familiar with the skateboard, she dared to do the ollie that Ted had done.

Rebecca tried to imitate him, slightly lifting the board, but the maneuver didn’t go as expected. The board slid to one side, and she lost her balance.

“Oh, shit!” she screamed.

Before she could fall, Ted reacted quickly. With an agile push, he grabbed her by the waist, pulling her towards him. Rebecca found herself pressed against his chest, Ted's hands tightly around her as they both tried to catch their breath.

“Thank you darling,” Rebecca breathed out.

“No problem sweetie.”

Out of instinct, Ted tilted his head slightly towards her, and Rebecca didn’t pull away. Their lips met in a soft kiss, one that encapsulated the playful and romantic spirit of that afternoon.

As they pulled away, Rebecca smiled mischievously.

“You know, I think I like the whole falling thing if you’re always going to be there to catch me.”

Ted smiled, still holding her tenderly. “I will. But please try not to fall too often.”

They both laughed as they skated back, resuming their little skate session with their hearts a little lighter and smiles wider.

Completely unaware that from the first-floor window, Dottie had peeked out and watched the scene, nodding with a satisfied smile.

After about an hour of rolling and laughing in the driveway, Ted and Rebecca decided to end their impromptu skate session. They headed back inside the house, leaving the board in the garage.

“Well, that was more fun than I expected,” Rebecca commented.

“I told you. Skateboarding never disappoints.” Ted winked as they both headed down the hall. “But I think we need a good shower before the others arrive. I don’t want my uncles to think I’ve forgotten basic hygiene.”

Rebecca laughed, following him. “And I don’t want to make a bad first impression.”

Ted headed out to the back garden, where Dottie was sitting on a lounge chair by the pool with Maxi, relaxing for a while before starting to set the table for dinner.

“Hey mom, we're gonna take a shower.”

Dottie raised an eyebrow.

Ted began to feel the heat rising up from his neck to his head, and he wasted no time in answering when he realised how what he had said had sounded.

“Individually.”

Rebecca, who was standing behind him, held back her laughter, because the way Ted had said it made it sound like something else.

Dottie wasn't wrong, though, the two of them had showered together a few times.

“Anyway…” Ted said almost in a whisper.

Ted turned around and looked at Rebecca.

“Not a word.”

Rebecca couldn't contain her laughter.

“Go on, take a shower, I'll be up soon.”

“Okay.”

Ted walked out the door while Rebecca walked over to another lounge chair and as soon as she did, Maxi got up and walked over to it. Rebecca reached out and stroked him like Ted had told her. Maxi lay down with his head resting on Rebecca's thigh.

“He loves that,” Dottie said.

“What a quiet life, being a dog.”

“Yeah.”

The two of them stayed silent, watching Maxi.

“I'm going to set the table,” Dottie said.

“I'd help you but I'd rather do it once I’m clean.”

“Don't worry, honey.”

“I'll help clean up later.”

“Thank you dear, but no need to worry.”

Dottie smiled and nodded before getting up from the lounge chair.

A few minutes after Dottie disappeared through the door, Rebecca got up from the lounge chair. Maxi turned his head and looked at her at the loss of contact.

“Don’t worry, Maxi. I’ll be back soon and we’ll continue, okay?”

Rebecca got up and went to the second floor. She selected a blouse and some shorts. She went to the bathroom where Ted was and heard the water still running.

She knocked on the door and heard a “yeah?”

“It’s me.”

“Come in, it’s open.”

Rebecca opened the door and entered.

“You shower with the door open, how daring.”

Ted chuckled from the bottom of the shower. “I usually lock it up but I knew you’d be here before I finished.”

Rebecca smiled.

The upstairs bathroom was slightly larger than the one downstairs. Rebecca left her clothes next to Ted's on a small side table that was next to the shower stall. A shower stall had a clear screen which didn't hide anything .

Rebecca turned and looked at Ted, busy rinsing the soap out of his hair. His eyes closed and his head under the stream of water. The muscles of his upper back and shoulders flexed, while his hands massaged his hair.

When Ted opened his eyes he saw Rebecca, leaning on the sink with her lower lip between her teeth and a slight smile. Ted couldn’t help but smile back and bit his lip the same way she was.

Rebecca laughed and shook her head.

“Take off your clothes and come here, I'll explain how this works.”

Rebecca nodded and began to take off her clothes. Ted watched from under the stream with a look of admiration and love. Because despite having seen her naked several times, he had the same reaction as the first time. Ted considered himself very lucky to be able to enjoy Rebecca in every possible way.

When Rebecca took off the last item of clothing, she stood in front of the door and Ted opened it so she could enter.

“Hello beautiful,” Ted greeted her with one hand on her hip while the other closed the door.

“Hi handsome,” Rebecca answered.

Ted leaned down and captured her lips with his. After a few seconds Rebecca pulled away.

“I'm starting to think that explaining how it works was an excuse.”

Ted chuckled.

“No, it's called seizing the moment,” he said just before pecking her on the lips.

“This is for hot water, this is for cold water, if you press it here the water comes out on top and if you press it here it comes out on the bottom. You can turn this so it changes the type of pressure you want to get,” Ted explained pointing at everything he mentioned.

“Okay, got it.”

“Soaps are no mystery. We have soap for your head, body and softener if you want.”

“Perfect.”

Ted put his arm around Rebecca's hip again, coming to rest his hand on the small of her back.

Rebecca completed the movement by leaning in to kiss him, but quickly stopped, pulling away from Ted.

“What?”

“I just realized that you're all clean and I'm not.”

“Well, that's easy to fix.”

Ted reached out and took out the soap, applying it to Rebecca's hair. Positioning it under the water as he rinsed her hair. Switching to the other soap to clean her body.

Rebecca just let herself go. The trust and affection between the two was magnificent. She had never experienced even half of what she feels with Ted.

When Rebecca turned around and looked back at Ted, who had just finished rinsing the soap off her body, she felt a pleasant wave of warmth and affection flood her body.

“I love you so much, darling,” Rebecca whispered, placing her hand on his cheek and massaging lightly.

“I love you too my love, always.”

Rebecca's hand slid down Ted's neck and chest until it reached his stomach, where it slid with her other hand to his back and held him, placing her hands on the small of his back.

Ted's hands slid up Rebecca's arms until they reached her neck. Once there, he moved a wet lock of hair away and grabbed her face with both hands. Still smiling, he closed the space between their lips.

Ted's hands slid into Rebecca's hair, changing the angle slightly so he could access her mouth more deliciously. Their tongues dancing.

One of Ted's hands slid through her hair until it reached her back, leaving it between her shoulder blades. His other hand, his left, moved back to Rebecca's jaw, stroking Rebecca's chin with his thumb.

After several minutes, the two separated slightly. But Ted didn't let go and continued to hold her.

“Not a word to Mom. She mustn't know she was right.”

“Well, a shower together is better than alone.”

“I agree baby.”

After a final wipe down in the water, the two got out and dressed before leaving the bathroom and heading to the garden.

Dottie was in the kitchen finishing the dinner preparations while Rebecca and Ted were in the garden with Maxi. Rebecca was sitting on one of the lounge chairs with Maxi and Ted was sitting on the floor right in front of her.

Even though Maxi was not so young anymore, he still had some energy to play with a rope that he bit from time to time. Ted had it in his hand and hid it so Maxi would start to sniff him until he would find it.

Rebecca, taking advantage of the moments of Ted and Maxi together, took out her cell phone and took some photos. The two of them were happy in each one of them.

When Maxi was tired of playing, Ted got up from the floor and sat next to Rebecca on the lounge chair. Maxi saw him and climbed onto the lounge chair, lying down between Ted and Rebecca.

“You're tired now, huh? And you're coming for massages mmhh?” 

“You're so cute, huh?” Rebecca said, placing her hand to give him the kind of massage he liked so much.

This time it was Ted who took pictures of the dog and his life partner.

After a few minutes of silence, a ding dong was heard in the distance. Ted placed his hand on Rebecca's shoulder and slid it to the base of her neck, giving her a little squeeze. Rebecca looked at him, thanking him for his silent support.

Dottie was the one who opened the door, and after a couple of minutes the family began to come out into the garden, between chatter and laughter.

Ted and Rebecca stood up and walked over to them. Ted placed a hand on her back in a natural way. Rebecca, somewhat shy but smiling, walked over to him while all eyes were on her.

“Family, I want to introduce you to my Rebecca,” he turned and looked at her “Rebecca, these are my uncles, aunts and cousins.”

“Hi, nice to meet you,” Rebecca said, waving shyly.

One of Ted’s cousins, Jack, was the first to approach. “Wow, how nice, we can finally met you!”

Ted, who still had his hand on Rebecca’s back, slid it down her spine to give Rebecca his support.

“Thanks, it’s nice to meet you all.”

The rest of the family also introduced themselves, each saying their name and their relationship to Ted. All with friendly smiles, some joked about how Ted had been so quiet about her, and others simply exchanged cordial words.

Throughout the exchange Ted did not stop maintaining physical contact with Rebecca, either with a hand on her back, or taking her hand when she finished hugging her family.

Rebecca began to relax, the conversation flowed easier and lighter, and the atmosphere of the garden was filled with laughter and conversation.

The two briefly told how they met by chance and how the two groups of friends immediately got along great, spending the whole stay together and sharing unique moments. They described how little by little but at the same time quickly, Ted and Rebecca noticed a great trust and attraction for each other and decided to put words to the feelings.

After the explanation, the conversations changed to more common aspects, jokes about whether now that he had an Olympic gold medal his neck weighed more and about the vacation they had planned for the following week.

The afternoon flew by and around 11pm everyone went to their houses. Ted and Rebecca helped Dottie clean up, although they rather kicked her out of the kitchen when she offered to clean since she had cooked everything.

When they finished, both too tired to do anything else, they went to the room to sleep.

Saturday, August 31st dawned peacefully. Ted and Rebecca woke up after 9am, enjoying a sense of calm and silence after a slightly nervous afternoon for Rebecca.

After a simple breakfast in the kitchen that Ted's mother was already preparing when they went down to the kitchen, the two changed to go out for a walk.

Ted took Rebecca to a nearby park where he used to go as a child. The two walked together, talking about everything and nothing.

Mid-morning, Ted invited Rebecca to a small restaurant. For this, they returned home and Ted drove to the place.

Continuing with the conversation they had after the park, Rebecca asked Ted more about his childhood in Kansas. Ted shared some funny anecdotes and some more tender ones about his school years and the bad ideas he made with his friends.

In the afternoon, they went downtown to do some shopping. The two bought a flowery t-shirt for Dottie. Then Rebecca bought him a small teddy bear, no bigger than 10cm, to carry in his suitcase along with the hawkeyes keychain.

“This is for the beginning of a new and wonderful journey,” she said when she handed him the teddy she had bought when Ted was not around.

“Aaww baby!” Ted said before pouting and petting the little bear. “Thanks.”

“Nah, thank you darling.”

Both of them leaned at the same time to peak each other’s lips.

After visiting a couple more shops, they got in the car and went back home.

They decided to give Dottie the shirt after dinner so Ted and Rebecca left the bag in the room and went downstairs to the garden, where his mother and Maxi were having some fresh air.

When they finished dinner, Rebecca excused herself saying that she was going to the bathroom when in reality she went up to get the gift.

“We wanted to thank you, me in particular. After all, this is partly Ted’s house too, so I’m the real guest here,” Rebecca said, holding out the bag. 

“Oh dear, that wasn’t necessary, it’s a pleasure.”

Dottie opened the bag and took out the t-shirt, “Oh, it’s gorgeous, I love it. Thank you both so much.”

She stood up and gave them both a big hug accompanied by another thanks.

The night, continuing with the tranquility of the day, ended on the sofa, watching a movie. Halfway through, Dottie retired to sleep and Ted and Rebecca stayed together until the end. 

Taking advantage of the fact that they were alone, the two were a mixture of limbs. Ted sat sideways, one of his legs stretched out behind Rebecca’s back, she lay with her back to the back and with one leg raised and resting on the coffee table, while Ted’s other leg rested on his lap. One of the hands of the two connected with the other’s. 

But the important thing is that they were both comfortable. Comfortable together.

On Sunday morning, Ted and Rebecca were in the living room, relaxing after a nice breakfast.

Rebecca had pulled out her phone to check some messages when all of a sudden she saw an incoming video call from her mother, Deborah.

“Hi, Mom!” Rebecca said, showing her face to the camera.

“Hi, sausage! How are things going in the unknown lands?”

“All good, we just had breakfast,” Rebecca said, turning her phone to include Ted as well.

“Hi Mrs. Welton!”

“Oh please call me Deborah.”

“Right. Hi Deborah.”

“Much better.”

Rebecca told her about what they had done on the first day and how she met Ted’s family, followed by her peaceful excursion into the city the day before.

Dottie walked into the living room and looked at her son before muttering, ‘Who is it?’, to which Ted replied ‘Rebecca’s mother’.

Before Dottie could respond, Rebecca spotted her.

“Hey come here, meet her.”

“I don’t think that’s a good idea,” Ted joked.

Rebecca laughed and Dottie shook her head, knowing that her son was joking. She sat down on the other side of Rebecca on the couch.

“Okay so, Mom, meet Dottie, Ted’s mom. Dottie, this is my mother, Deborah.”

“Nice to meet you, Dottie!” Deborah said.

“Likewise. Nice to meet the person who raised Rebecca. And needless to say, it’s a pleasure to have you here,” Dottie said smiling.

The two women began to chat and the conversation flowed naturally and comfortably between the two mothers.

“I’m looking forward to having you both here,” Deborah said. “Well, Dottie, of course, you’re welcome to come to London whenever you want. Paul and I would love to.”

“Same here. You have a house in Kansas whenever you want.”

As the two women continued to talk, Ted and Rebecca looked at each other and both were happy that their mothers were getting along, to the point of starting to plan to meet in person.

“Hey, Sausage, wanted to ask you, have you been eating a lot of corn or is that just something that comes out in the movies?”

“No.” Rebecca answered.

“It’s in the fall, there isn’t any yet.” Ted clarified.

“Ahhh.”

“Come in the fall and we’ll do a corn tasting.” Dottie suggested.

“Corn tasting? Sounds like something… very local. Although, why not? I’ve always believed in expanding my horizons.” Deborah replied. “Maybe this is what Tish meant by something yellow.”

“Oh god mum, don’t start with Tish again.”

Dottie looked at the two, a little lost in the conversation. Rebecca noticed and made a small clarification.

“My mom goes to a psychic called Tish. I keep insisting that it’s a waste of money but she keeps saying that since they’ve been friends for a long time she pays less than the rest of the customers.”

“Aahhh. I’ve never been to one of those things,” Dottie said.

“Oh you have to try it, it’s-”

“Mom please don’t involve more people in that.”

“Oh darling but it doesn’t hurt anyone.”

The conversation continued for about an hour, until Deborah had to leave. The two mothers agreed to talk more often, and Rebecca said she would give them the contact number so they could stay in touch.

“I think we created a monster by putting them together,” Ted said laughing.

“I've been regretting it for a while now,” Rebecca replied laughing.

The rest of the day passed in peace. This time the two decided to stay home and take advantage of the garden pool and take a refreshing swim. Despite it being September 1st, the summer heat was still present.

On Monday, Ted decided to take Rebecca to Arthur Bryant's Barbecue, a restaurant known for its authentic barbecue. Ted had always been a big fan of local barbecue, and he wanted Rebecca to have a chance to try one of the best places in town.

“Are you ready for the best barbecue of your life?” Ted asked her as they got into the car.

Rebecca smiled excitedly. “Definitely. I hope it impresses me as much as everything you've told me.”

As she waited, Ted passionately explained all the dishes she had to try: the burnt ends, the ribs, the cornbread, and the barbecue sauce.

When they arrived at the restaurant, it was almost full of people and the atmosphere was relaxed yet lively.

They sat down at a table near the bar and Ted, being the expert, ordered the dishes for both of them.

When the dishes were served, Rebecca wasn't sure where to start, but Ted showed her what each type of meat should be accompanied with.

“Oh wow! This is amazing!” Rebecca said as she bit into a juicy rib. “You were definitely right. I’ve never had anything this tasty.”

Ted nodded with satisfaction.

“I told you it was the best. It’s one of those things you have to try if you visit the city.”

Rebecca leaned back in her seat, enjoying the food and the company. Both were exquisite and delicious.

“You know, I remember coming here with my family after a basketball game, and the smell of barbecue always made me feel at home.”

Rebecca looked at him, with a nostalgic smile. “It’s nice that you have places like this that remind you of your childhood.”

Ted smiled, a little wistfully, but with a special glow. “One of the reasons for bringing you here, apart from the food, was the memories. I want to share with you all those things that have been a part of my life. Like the other day in the park.”

“Thanks, darling. I appreciate it very much. And don't doubt that I'll pay you back when you come to London.”

Ted smiled sweetly.

Finally, when there was almost nothing left on the table, Rebecca sat back in her chair, satisfied and smiling.

“I'm stuffed, but everything was so good,” Rebecca sighed.

“If you want, we can go for a walk around the city. That way we can let the food settle. ” Ted smiled relaxed.

“Perfect.”

They both got up, and after paying, left the restaurant.

Another day that would remain in their memories as one more of the many moments shared.

On Tuesday morning, Ted woke up in his room. He stretched and rubbed his eyes, looking for his phone to check the time. It was almost 9am and he was surprised to turn around and not notice a body beside him.

After passing through the bathroom and washing his face, he went downstairs where his mother was about to leave. Every Tuesday, Dottie spent the day with her friends, either in a park, a bar or at the bingo hall.

Ted headed out to the garden where he heard Rebecca’s voice in the distance.

“Hey, morning queen!” Ted said, approaching the lounge chair occupied by Rebecca.

“Good morning love! I’m talking to Keeley,” she said, turning the camera and passing him one of the airpods.

“Hi Keels!” he said, waving.

“Hi Ted! How are you?”

“Everything is okay here. I’m going to have breakfast now.” Ted looked at Rebecca “Have you had breakfast?”

“Yes, your mother made me a coffee when I got down.”

“Perfect. I'll leave you two to chat. I'll be in the kitchen if you need me,” he said before handing the airpod back to her.

“Okay, bye.”

“Bye Ted!”

Rebecca laid back and Maxi appeared at her side, climbing up on the side of the lounge. She gently stroked him as she listened to her friend talk.

Keeley had been talking about her previous day, and Rebecca could hear the excitement in her voice.

“Well, as I was saying, I went with my aunt to Chelmsford. It had been a while since I spent time with her, so it was great. We went to several cafes, went into some really weird shops, and, of course, ended the day drinking red wine while laughing about everything,” Keeley said enthusiastically.

Rebecca smiled as she stroked Maxi. “That sounds great.”

After a few minutes Keeley changed the subject.

“Hey Rebecca, one thing… have you ever had naked naps?”

Rebecca was silent for a moment, somewhat surprised by the question.

“No… it’s not something I do. I’m not entirely sure if it’s what I think it is though,” Rebecca replied, laughing slightly uncomfortably.

“Oh Rebecca, you have to try it! It’s like therapy, really. No clothes on, just you and your partner and your sheets. It’s like a reset for the body and the intimacy you get with your partner is amazing. I’d say more than sex.” Keeley commented, trying to convince Rebecca.

“Yeah… I’ve definitely never done that.”

“Oh, try it. Tell Ted. I’m sure he’ll say yes. And not just to try something new, but because sleeping naked with you has to be something magical. With that great body you have. If I were him I'd climb you like a koala."

Rebecca smiled, it had been several years of Keeley's incessant comments of her great body.

The conversation continued, changing topics, until the time difference forced Keeley to hang up and go pick up Roy's niece to spend the afternoon together.

In the afternoon, after a quiet morning at home and a delicious meal made by Ted, Ted and Rebecca were relaxing in the living room.

The morning conversation with Keeley was still running through Rebecca’s head.

Ted, sitting on the couch watching TV, noticed that Rebecca seemed pensive and a little distracted.

“What’s on your mind?” he asked.

Rebecca, after a sigh and a knowing look at Ted, shrugged.

“I was just thinking about what Keeley told me this morning. About naked naps.”

“What?” Ted asked intrigued.

“Apparently, it consists of taking a nap with your partner, in bed and completely naked.”

“Oh?” Ted arched an eyebrow.

“I was just thinking. I’ve never slept naked except for after sex. And even then I usually put my panties back on.”

Ted looked at her and smirked, with a mix of curiosity and amusement. “Do you want to try it? Now that we’re alone.”

Rebecca looked at him with a mischievous smile, as if she was considering the idea.

“I mean, I've never had a naked nap with someone before... so we could do another first together.”

“Okay, yeah, let's try it.”

Rebecca slowly stood up, looking at Ted. She extended her hand and Ted intertwined their fingers.

“I love firsts with you, Becca,” Ted said when he stood up and just before catching her lips with his.

They both went upstairs, opening the door to the room. The atmosphere was warm and relaxed, and the afternoon sun softly illuminated the room. It was nice because the summer heat was still present.

“Shall we just take our clothes off?” Ted asked.

“Yeah I guess so.”

Ted took off his shirt and left it on a chair in the corner.

Rebecca smiled because of her nerves, and took off her shirt.

“Am I the only one who is a little nervous even though we have seen each other naked and we have done worse things?”

“I’m a little nervous too. But maybe it’s because we’re doing it in the room where you grew up.”

“Mmm, it feels much more intimate.”

After the brief pause, the two of them took off their shorts and after leaving them on the chair, Ted stood behind Rebecca and unhooked her bra.

Rebecca let the bra fall into her hands and left it on the chair as well. She turned slowly and immediately made eye contact with Ted.

What she saw in those wonderful eyes was love and trust. His gaze was sweet as chocolate. His eyes radiated everything he's feeling for her.

Rebecca smiled and brought her hands to either side of Ted’s face. Her thumbs caressing the subtle beard that Ted hadn’t shaved yet.

Ted leaned in and captured her lips in a delicate, sweet kiss.

“I have a good feeling,” Ted whispered as he pulled away.

“Me too.”

Rebecca moved her hands from his face to her panties and pulled them down, leaving them with the rest of her clothes. Ted followed her.

Now the two of them were completely naked facing each other.

Ted was the first to move towards the bed. He pulled back the thin sheet and sat down as he extended his arm for Rebecca to join him.

Rebecca smiled warmly and sat next to Ted on the bed. The two of them exchanged glances before positioning themselves and lying down on the bed.

The two of them settled under the light sheet. Rebecca closed her eyes, letting out a sigh, enjoying the comfort of the moment.

Ted turned to see Rebecca's profile before she opened her eyes and copied his position. 

Both of them were smiling non-stop.

There were no words needed to explain what they were feeling. Both of them getting intimate, healing, and creating a deeper heart connection.

Sharing raw vulnerability with your partner who is also the love of your life and your soulmate? Pretty great if you ask them.

Little by little, they both began to relax more. And before they knew it, they were both asleep, cuddled under the sheets, enjoying a perfect nap in the calm of the afternoon.

The amazing connection of hearts and souls. A feeling of safety just by being held in these calm, quiet, intimate and sacred moments.

When Rebecca woke up, the sun had already moved towards the horizon, casting a warm, golden light through the curtains.

Rebecca opened her eyes slowly. Feeling the softness of the sheets and Ted in her arms. She smiled to herself, a little surprised at how relaxed she felt.

It took a few minutes for Ted to wake up. Rebecca watched him, observing as he, still in his sleep, inched closer to her before opening his eyes and meeting her gaze.

“It’s definitely more relaxing than I thought,” Ted whispered.

“I agree. It’s been really nice.”

They both stayed in bed, enjoying the quiet silence and each other’s company.

Ted began to massage her where his hand reached Rebecca’s back. Rebecca let out a nice, cute sound of satisfaction.

After a few minutes, the roles were reversed. Rebecca massaged Ted’s back while he dropped onto her boobs and used them as Ted put it, ‘the best pillow in the world.’

A nice, long while later, the two got up and got dressed. They had some time left to spend it with Maxi, before preparing the food so that when Dottie arrived they could eat.

On Wednesday afternoon, Ted had planned a picnic in the countryside outside of town.

A couple of hours after breakfast, Ted and Rebecca packed a basket with all the necessities: snacks, fresh fruit, cheese, crackers, and, of course, some cold drinks. Maxi was also going to be part of the excursion, so they also packed some of his toys and some water and food for him.

As they drove into the countryside, the Kansas landscape began to recede, giving way to vast fields, trees lining the roads, and the sound of nature filling the air. Rebecca looked out the window, admiring the beauty of the place.

“It’s beautiful out here,” Rebecca said, fascinated.

“I came here when I needed to unwind or just enjoy a moment of peace between games and competitions,” Ted replied.

Once they arrived, they parked the car near a small clearing between the trees. They spread a blanket on the grass, and while Ted got the food out, Rebecca made sure Maxi had enough food and water.

“Let’s eat!” Ted announced.

Rebecca smiled, and walked over to the blanket, sitting down and taking one of the sandwiches.

The meal went by without much chatter. A few comments here and there, and some affectionate remarks towards Maxi.

When they finished eating the sandwiches, Ted took out the cheese squares.

“Can I do something, very romantic movie-like?” Rebecca asked.

Ted looked at her and smiled curiously, “sure.”

Rebecca picked up one of the cheese squares. 

With her left hand on Ted’s shoulder she made him lean back and with her right hand holding the cheese she brought it to Ted’s lips. Ted smiled before opening his lips and closing them around her thumb and index finger.

Ted released her fingers with a pop and Rebecca laughed softly and sweetly, followed by him taking a square and doing the same with Rebecca. Both of them laughing happily, carefree and in love.

When they finished eating, they picked up everything and left only the blanket on the grass. 

The two of them layed down, leaving the smallest space between them. Their hands intertwined. Maxi lay down next to them, resting his head on Ted's thigh. He, with his free hand, caressed her head. Maxi fell asleep in several minutes.

“It's so... quiet here, so far away from all the chaos. Thanks for bringing me.” Rebecca said, bringing their joined hands to her lips and giving a light peck on his knuckles.

“I'm glad you like it.” Ted whispered.

After a while, they chatted about everything a bit. Time seemed to have stopped, as the light wind and the sun made that moment perfect.

Around 5pm they decided they should go back home. They gathered their things and Maxi's and returned to the car. The trip back was lively, the two of them singing all the songs from the playlist they had created together that morning.

Thursday they decided it should be a quiet day. They had to pack their bags, as they were leaving for Spain tomorrow.

They spent the morning watching TV and when it was time for lunch, they kicked Dottie out of the kitchen, arguing that “it’s our turn to cook today”. Dottie smiled and left the kitchen to themselves.

An hour later, the table was set.

“That looks good,” Dottie said.

“It’s one of my favorite dishes,” Rebecca said.

“And now It’s one of mine too,” Ted added while he closed his eyes and smiled.

On the table were three plates of rice, three delicacies, which quickly disappeared.

“It was delicious, darling,” Dottie said as she stood up and picked up the plates.

“I had a good chef helping me,” Rebecca said, nudging Ted lightly.

“Not to brag, but the best you'll ever find,” Ted said, laughing.

“Always so humble,” Rebecca replied, laughing.

The three of them cleared the table and cleaned the dishes.

In the afternoon, Rebecca and Ted packed their bags.

“Look,” Ted said, pointing to his suitcase.

Rebecca turned from where she was and approached Ted. When she saw him, she smiled sweetly. Ted had placed the teddy bear that Rebecca had given him next to his Hawkeye.

Rebecca put a hand on Ted's shoulder and leaned over to give him a kiss on the check.

The two continued to pack their clothes, leaving only the ones they were gonna wear the next day for the trip.

In the evening, the two cooked for everyone again. This time it was a little simpler, opting for some hamburgers.

To no one's surprise, they were delicious and this time Dottie didn't let them clean up, arguing that they deserved to rest a bit.

The two went to the couch where they found a movie and waited for Dottie to come back to press play.

Friday dawned slightly cloudy, but the day was still nice. Rebecca and Ted had breakfast with Dottie, trying to make the most of the last hours together.

The flight left at 12pm, so they would arrive in Spain early in the morning. Although for their bodies, the time would be around 10 at night.

They had planned to wake up earlier so they could sleep the rest of the night in Spain and try to adjust better to their time zone.

The morning passed quickly, the three of them went for a walk around the neighborhood with Maxi before leaving.

When they returned from the walk, the two said goodbye to Maxi.

“Well, Buddy, we'll see you soon, behave yourself,” Ted said, hugging the dog.

“You're a very good boy. I hope that, if one day we have a dog, he will be as good as you.” Rebecca said while petting the dog that was between the two of them.

Ted looked at her, both of them crouched down hugging the dog. “You thought about that huh?”

Rebecca blushed slightly, and before she could answer, Ted continued. “We could call him Maxi Junior.”

Rebecca smiled, “I think that’s a perfect name.”

With their bags packed in the car, the three of them headed to the airport, leaving Maxi to rest at home.

When they arrived at the airport, Ted and Rebecca unloaded their bags and said goodbye to Dottie, exchanging hugs and kisses.

“Thank you so much, it’s been a very nice week,” Rebecca said.

“No need to thank you, you’ll always be welcome. Make yourself at home,” Dottie replied.

“See you soon, Mom.” Ted said.

“I’ll wait here with Maxi.”

“See you soon.”

The two of them disappeared through the front door and Dottie drove back home.

“So, ready for the Spanish party?” Ted asked, smiling as they headed to their plane.

Rebecca nodded, “With that group waiting for us, it’s definitely going to be memorable.”

“Right,” he replied, smiling.

The two of them got on the plane and sat down in their seats. Just before taking off Ted received a text from his mother.

Ted opened it and saw that it was a photo. “aww” he let out with a sigh.

“What?” Rebecca asked.

“Look at this,” he said before handing his cell phone.

In the photo, the two of them crouched on the ground hugging and caressing Maxi. His mother had taken a photo of them when they were distracted saying goodbye to him.

Rebecca let out her own ‘aww’, and sent the photo to herself.

Once they were in the air, Rebecca took advantage and dedicated herself to organizing her photo albums and organizing her Instagram, which she had somewhat neglected these weeks of disconnection.

She changed her profile picture to one from the closing ceremony where she appeared with Ted, both with their medals and smiles on. She created a post in which she uploaded a photodump from the month of August with photos from the Olympics, with Ted and with friends. And she created a joint post with Ted, and uploaded the photo of the two of them with Maxi, writing ‘everyone should have a Maxi in their lives 🐶💜’.

“Cute,” she heard Ted say from where he had his head resting on her shoulder.

Rebecca turned her head and pecked him on the head.

The rest of the trip continued quietly. Chatting, reading books, watching one movie and then another.

Upon landing in Valencia, they headed straight to the hotel. They needed to catch up on the sleep that they had missed and they had 7 hours to do so before their friends arrived. Beard, Leslie and Nate were also travelling from the US, but had arrived the evening before so they could get some sleep and get a good start to the day. Sassy, ​​Barbara and Keeley (and Roy who had also joined the party) would arrive around 11am, as they didn't need to adjust to the time change.

--

“Ted! Rebecca!” Leslie exclaimed with his usual enthusiasm.

The two sitting in the hotel lobby turned to where the voice came from and saw Leslie, Beard and Nate appear.

“Hey, guys!” Ted said, giving everyone hugs. Rebecca followed.

“I’ve been looking around and there’s a good coffee shop about 50 meters away. We can go get breakfast while the girls arrive,” Nate informed.

“Great, let’s go!” Ted said.

After a lively breakfast, the boys returned to the hotel. The girls texted them to inform them that they had already arrived in Valencia and were heading to the hotel.

About 45 minutes later, the girls and Roy walked through the door. The boys and Rebecca had decided to stay in the lobby, taking advantage of the comfortable sofas.

“Finally!” Keeley exclaimed upon seeing them before heading over to Rebecca to hug her. 

“So nice to see you again! How’s Kansas? Are you guys engaged or what?” she said laughing.

“Keeley…” Rebecca replied, trying to keep her composure, though she couldn’t help but laugh.

“We’ll keep you updated,” Ted said, smiling quietly and winking.

Sassy hugged Rebecca too, with her typical energy that made her unique. “You look good. Is it Kansas or Ted who did that?”

“Probably both,” Rebecca said, laughing.

“It’s great to see you guys again,” Barbara said as Beard and Roy exchanged a silent nod.

After checking in the boys walked the girls to their rooms and met up in 1 hour to go out to eat.

“Can we go eat at McDonald’s?” Nate asked.

“Seriously, we’re in another country and you want to go to McDonald’s?” Sassy asked.

“Not all countries serve the same food or the same amount in their McDonalds,” Beard said.

“Yes, I looked at the menu and there are a couple of burgers that we don't have there,” Nate answered. 

“Well, let's go to McDonalds,” Sassy said convinced.

“Yay!” a happy Nate said.

In the end, they ended up getting the McDonalds to take away and they had it in a quiet park nearby.

They all shared stories of things that had happened to them in the weeks they had been apart.

In the afternoon, they strolled quietly through the streets of the center, looking at different buildings and stores.

There was a couple who stopped them on the street because they had recognized them and asked to take a photo all together. The group happily accepted and they all took the photo. The couple very kindly thanked them.

They arrived at the Turia garden, a wonderful place to walk and do sports. When the sun began to set, they returned to the hotel and had dinner in the hotel's own restaurant. The dining room was quiet, apart from their voices. The laughter of their friends filled the space warmly.

When they finished, they were all tired and went straight to sleep.

The next morning the group met early for breakfast at a small local café, where they tried horchata with fartons. Leslie and Ted, always curious, asked the owner about the history of horchata, while Keeley and Sassy tried to take the perfect Instagram photo.

After breakfast, they began their tour of the city with a visit to the City of Arts and Sciences. They strolled through the modern complex, impressed by the futuristic architecture.

“It’s impressive,” Rebecca said, looking at the collection of buildings.

Ted, looking at her with a smile, replied, “not as impressive as you, but close.”

Rebecca laughed and rolled her eyes before starting to take beautiful photos.

The group enjoyed the Oceanogràfic aquarium, where Beard and Nate seemed to compete to see who knew the most curious facts about sharks.

At lunchtime they went to a restaurant in the historic centre and tried traditional Valencian rice dishes, while Leslie insisted that they share a group selfie. Which they were delighted to take.

The afternoon was spent walking through the narrow streets of the Barrio del Carmen, where they visited the Lonja de la Seda and the Mercado Central.

After stopping to buy some ice cream, Ted and Rebecca separated themselves from the group for a moment to share their ice cream in peace, enjoying the combination of chocolate and hazelnuts.

The day ended with a walk through the Turia Park, where they discovered a place called Gulliver Park, a park with slides like they had never seen before.

Everyone, like good sportsmen, had to try it. Taking photos and videos while doing it and laughing at each other.

“My goodness, this is wonderful!!!” Barbara said.

“There should be one of these in every city. I love it,” Keeley said.

“Better not, then we always have an excuse to come back,” Ted said before sliding down one of the slides, taking Rebecca with him.

The next morning the group packed everything for their 7pm flight to Mallorca, but they took advantage of the morning to take one last walk. They stopped at Valencia Cathedral where they climbed the bell tower.

“Fuck, does this ever end or what?!!” Sassy said, fed up with the steps.

“I think I see the light at the end,” Beard said.

“Fuuuuck” Roy blurted.

“Thank goodness we’re athletes,” Ted said laughing.

“Well in our defense I will say that we could have gone up more calmly, i don’t know why we took off so fast,” Rebecca answered.

“The competition is in us,” Keeley said laughing.

A few steps later, they reached the end.

“Damn, 207 steps,” Nate said upon arriving.

“Thank goodness going down them is easier,” Leslie said.

“Well, once you’ve gone up a few it was starting to get a little dizzy eh, all that spinning,” Nate said.

“The view is worth it,” Ted said, looking out over the city.

When they got off, they went to eat before taking a last walk around Turia park.

Afterwards, they picked up their bags at the hotel and called several taxis to get to the airport.

The trip was calm and fast, most of them took advantage of the opportunity to sleep a little and others watched some episodes of a show.

When they landed in Palma, the salty breeze and the gentle heat of the island welcomed them.

In several taxis they arrived at the hotel with a sea view, which Leslie found. The hotel was charming, with whitewashed walls, bougainvillea climbing the terraces and an infinity pool that seemed to melt into the blue horizon.

Everyone checked in. The rooms were divided: Ted and Rebecca, Roy and Keeley, Barbara and Sassy, Nate and Leslie, and lastly Beard, who had a room all to himself. All the rooms were interconnected by a door.

Rebecca and Ted went to their room, which had a private balcony with a view of the Mediterranean, like the rest of the rooms. Rebecca stood on the balcony for a moment, taking a breath of fresh air.

“So, how do we make life always be like this?” she asked, with a calm smile.

“This is nice, ain’t it?” he replied from the doorway, leaning on the frame.

After settling in, the group decided to explore a bit. Keeley and Sassy, ​​always leading the charge, convinced them to head straight to the nearby beach. The walk was short and lovely, passing through narrow, picturesque streets until they reached a hidden cove, with golden sand and crystal-clear waters.

“It’s even more beautiful than I imagined,” Rebecca said, looking at the scenery in awe.

“Stunning and hard to top,” Ted whispered for only her to hear, earning a laugh and a gentle punch on the arm.

“Haven’t you been here before?” Leslie asked.

“Not in this area, no. I’ve been further north.” Rebecca explained.

The rest of the afternoon was spent in relaxed conversation and laughter. Nate took photos of the group with the camera he had brought especially for the trip.

They returned to the hotel to change and enjoy dinner on an outdoor terrace overlooking the port.

The lights of the boats and the sound of the water created a magical atmosphere, while the group shared tapas and wine.

“This is what I call life,” Leslie said, raising his glass.

As the night progressed, they decided to take a walk along the boardwalk. Ted and Rebecca walked a little behind the group, enjoying the tranquility of the moment.

“I feel like these last few months have been a dream. It’s all so magnificent,” Rebecca said.

“If it’s a dream, I don’t want to wake up,” Ted said. 

“Me neither.”

Ted smiled and put his arm around her as they continued walking.

The group returned to the hotel, exhausted and ready to rest.

The two days the group spent on land were a perfect balance between relaxation and adventure. They decided to make the most of the island's diverse landscape, alternating between hidden coves and the majestic mountains of the Sierra de Tramuntana.

The group started the day early, following a hotel receptionist's recommendation to visit Cala s'Almunia, a hidden cove famous for its crystal-clear water and rugged landscapes. After a short rental car ride and a hike through pine trees, they arrived at the spot, where the view left them speechless.

“This is just spectacular,” Keeley said, taking off her sunglasses as she looked out at the turquoise water.

“No words,” Barbara said.

The group headed out onto the sand and dropped off their stuff, including a bag of snacks and chips they had stopped to buy before heading to the beach. Keeley and Sassy were the first to get into the water, dragging Roy with them.

Rebecca joined shortly after, enjoying the calm sea as Ted sat on a nearby rock, watching her with a calm smile.

“Why don’t you come?” Rebecca shouted.

“I’ll look at the view from here. I’ll be right down,” he replied, not taking long to get into the water with her.

The day passed with laughter, relaxed chats, and shared snacks in the sun. Beard, Nate, and Barbara tried to explore a nearby cave, coming back with stories of “almost adventures”.

That evening, after a quick stop at the hotel and a shower, they dined at a restaurant, enjoying fresh fish and seafood as the sun set over the Mediterranean.

Day two was all about exploring the Sierra de Tramuntana. The group drove through the mountain landscape, stopping in small towns.

At Valldemosa, one of several stops they made, they took the opportunity to eat. Keeley insisted on posing for several photos next to the decorative tiles that told local stories.

Later, the group headed to Sa Calobra, a site Rebecca recommended and not to be missed.

The winding road that took them there left Nate a little dizzy, but the effort was worth it. They walked through the gorge that led to a hidden beach.

“I remember you showing me the pictures of this place Stinky, but wow, it’s so much better than I imagined.”

“Right?” Rebecca said, nodding.

The group sat down on a side of the cove where there weren't many people. Rebecca, sitting next to Ted as they looked out at the water, sighed.

“It's much better than when I came last time.”

“Yeah? Is there anything different?” Ted asked, curious.

“Well, last time there weren't as many nice people, and I certainly didn't have a cute lover boy and teddy bear with me,” Rebecca said, leaning her head on Ted's shoulder.

Ted smiled, taking her hand. “I agree. I mean, I haven't been here before but I'm sure it would be different if my lover boy wasn't here,” he said, pointing with her joined hands to Beard.

Rebecca laughed, “You're dumb,” she said jokingly.

“Yeah, but I'm your dumb.”

Rebecca smiled and lifted her head from his shoulder and captured Ted's lips with her own.

“This is definitely a dream,” Rebecca murmured as they pulled away, their lips still touching.

“And we are living it together” answered Ted, kissing her softly.

After a few minutes the group returned to the cars and headed to the hotel.

They arrived about an hour before sunset so they decided to take advantage of the hotel pool and the last hour of sun.

The group went down to the pool, already changed and in their bathing suits. Roy and Keeley were the first to get into the water. Keeley held on to him and Roy made sure that the two of them floated calmly.

The rest of the group went into the pool and enjoyed the sunset.

At one point, Sassy got out of the pool to get her sunglasses. Although the sun was about to disappear over the horizon she was still shining. As she was ready to return to the pool she saw Rebecca and Ted in a corner, chatting between whispers and kisses. She quickly took out her phone and took a photo of them, sent it to both of them and entered the pool as if nothing had happened.

When the sun disappeared and hunger began to set in, everyone headed to their rooms to change before going down to the hotel restaurant for dinner.

They had rented a small yacht spacious enough to keep everyone comfortable for three days.

After a short stop at the supermarket where they bought everything they needed, they set sail. The atmosphere was a mix of excitement and adventure.

They left the port at noon, with the sun shining in a clear sky.

The yacht was equipped with small but cozy cabins, a wide deck and an outdoor dining area, and it quickly became their floating home. There was only one staff member, the captain, who was in charge of managing the yacht.

“This is like an apartment on the sea,” Keeley commented.

Meanwhile Nate and Ted tried to learn the names of the parts of the boat that Beard explained.

After a few minutes Ted, who was curious, asked to learn the basics of sailing from the captain who accompanied them. Barbara, interested, joined the two to learn as well.

They sailed towards the south coast, stopping at coves accessible only from the sea. At one of them, everyone jumped into the water from the deck.

Rebecca, at first hesitant about jumping off the yacht, ended up being convinced by Ted, who took her by the hand and jumped with her.

“Okay that was better than what I expected,” Rebecca said as she surfaced.

“I know!”

“Thanks for jumping with me teddy.”

“No problem baby. Wanna try again?”

“Yes!”

“Wait, I'm going to jump again too,” Beard said, following towards the stairs.

After the lunch break at a table on the deck, some took a short nap.

“Going to take a nap,” Keeley announced, winking at Rebecca.

Rebecca rolled her eyes.

“What was that about?” a slightly confused Ted asked.

Rebecca leaned over to Ted and whispered, “they’re going to do a naked nap.”

“Ahhhh okaaay, so if they fall asleep we won’t knock on the door,” Ted replied laughing.

“Exactly,” Rebecca said, letting out a light laugh.

“Wanna take a nap queen?” Ted said when they finished cleaning up.

“Yeah, that would be nice.”

In the afternoon, they anchored near a quiet cove to spend the night.

Almost the entire group was in the inner lounge. Only Sassy and Beard, who hadn't returned from their nap yet, were missing.

“Hey, since we’re going to spend the afternoon on the yacht, we could play a little, right?” Ted said, taking his switch case out of his backpack.

“Oh yes!! I love mariokart, do you have it?” an enthusiastic Keeley asked.

“Yup, I have a lot of games. Mario and sports, and other random ones too.”

“Great!”

Ted had brought enough controllers for everyone. He handed them out while Sassy and Beard joined the group and the different teams were created: Ted&Rebecca&Nate&Sassy VS Barbara&Keeley&Roy&Leslie&Beard.

They connected the switch to the tv and started playing.

“Come ooooonnn!!! That's not fair!!!” Nate said.

“Sorry not sorry,” Beard replied.

“Next time don't go over the banana,” a competitive Sassy said.

“Fuck, I know! I didn’t see it,” a tense Nate replied.

Ted tried to lighten the mood, “calm down, let's keep it cool and - HEY WHO DID THAT?!!!?”

“Not me,” Barbara said.

“Oi, stop crying Lasso,” Roy the culprit said.

After several games of mario kart, they changed and went to sports.

“Can we start with bowling?” Leslie asked.

“Yeah, I love bowling!” Sassy said.

They bowled individually and in several rounds. Ted won the first round and Leslie won the second.

They continued playing several more games until they saw the sunset approaching. They unplugged the console and headed to prepare dinner.

On deck, Leslie, Sassy and Rebecca put on a playlist to play in the background while they prepared dinner. They prepared a simple dinner of tapas and wine that they had brought.

At the end of dinner, before going to sleep, Rebecca and Ted stepped away for a moment towards the bow, enjoying the night breeze and the soothing sound of the water.

“It’s all so peaceful here,” Rebecca said, leaning on Ted.

“I know. I would love to stay like this forever,” he replied, wrapping his arm around her as they looked at the stars.

After a few minutes the two of them headed inside the yacht. Ted followed Rebecca. He had his hands resting on her shoulders giving her a little massage along the way, only letting go when they reached the cabin to close the door.

After the necessary trips to the bathroom, the two of them lay down on the bed.

Rebecca was the first, staying on her back, watching as Ted came back from the bathroom, kicked off his flip flops and jumped onto the bed. He landed with one arm around Rebecca's middle while his head stayed level with her boobs.

She moved her arms and Ted repositioned himself, lying higher up. The two of them were practically at the same height and facing each other.

The only moment the pleasant silence was broken was when they both murmured before falling asleep.

“Night Becca, love you.”

“Good night, love you too darling.”

The second day was all about water activities. Keeley, Sassy, ​​Roy, Ted, Rebecca and Nate took to the water on paddle boards, while Beard, Barbara and Leslie tried fishing from the stern without much success. After giving up, they took to the water with the rest of the group.

Beard proposed a friendly competition of jumping into the water from the deck.

“Do you want me to jump with you?” asked Ted from where he was sitting on his paddle board.

“Nah, I’ll go now. There’s no rush,” Rebecca replied.

“I’m going to take pictures,” Nate announced, who climbed onto the yacht and went to get his camera.

With it he captured several moments: Roy and Keeley kissing in the water, Beard in the air mid-jump, Barbara and Sassy in their joint bomb jump, Leslie floating making a star, Ted lying on the board with Rebecca on top and Ted and Rebecca falling off the board because of the wave that Beard, Roy and Sassy had created by jumping at the same time.

In all the images there was an air of calm, joy and friendship.

At noon they returned to the deck of the yacht, where they prepared a large bowl of pasta for everyone, and reserved a plate for the captain, who was grateful but still not hungry.

“Damn Ted, your cheese sauce is delicious,” Sassy said.

“The best I've ever had,” Barbara agreed.

“Stinky, lucky girl,” Sassy said, giving her a friendly nudge.

Rebecca smiled and looked at Ted, who was already looking at her with that sweet smile and his dimples on full display.

When she was done, Keeley took a couple of group and individual photos that she sent to the group chat they had created that they were all in. (They refused to delete the group they had without Ted and Rebecca, saying it would be fun to read about in the future. So they created a new one.)

Still heavy from the food, everyone sat or laid down on the deck.

“Who has sunscreen?” Leslie asked.

“Mee,” Keeley replied, “Here.”

“Thanks, does anyone else want it?” Leslie asked after finishing the sunscreen.

“I could use a little more, don’t wanna be a lobster,” Ted said.

“Yeah, better not to,” Leslie said laughing.

He handed the bottle to Ted, who put it on his arms and legs, chest and face. He turned to where Rebecca was half lying next to him and asked, “Can you give me a hand?”

“Sure,” she said, dropping one of her hands onto his lap.

“Okay,” he said, chuckling, “Can you put the sunscreen on me with the hand?” He asked when he saw that Rebecca had taken the question literally.

“Yeahhh,” Rebecca said smiling, happy that she had made him laugh with her little joke.

Rebecca took the bottle and put some cream in her hand, she gave the bottle back to Ted and began to apply the cream on his back in a massage style.

“That feels good,” Ted said, almost whispering.

She leaned over and whispered into his ear, “You feel better.”

Ted was still for a second, Rebecca continued to massage him and finished spreading the sunscreen.

“I’ll be right back,” was the only thing Ted said before he stood up.

“Get me a Coke?” Rebecca asked.

“I’m going to the bathroom,” was the last thing Ted said before disappearing through the door.

“Okay, I’ll get it myself.”

“Blondie, can you get me one?” Roy said from where he was sitting with a sleeping Keeley with her head on his lap.

“Sure.”

Rebecca walked in and went to get the two Cokes. As she was looking for the ice Ted appeared and looked at her while shaking his head and smiling slightly.

“What?” Rebecca asked him.

“You got me all hard in front of everybody. Had to run away so no one could see it.”

“Ow, sorry,” Rebecca said laughing.

“No you’re not.”

“No I’m not.”

The two started laughing and Ted took the two cans while Rebecca carried the glasses with ice. They returned to the deck and gave one can and glass to Roy who thanked them with a simple and characteristic nod.

After a while, Ted took out his phone, stood up and took a couple of photos of the sea. When Rebecca joined him, he began to take some photos of Rebecca and the sea.

“You look beautiful,” Ted commented.

“I have a good photographer who makes me smile,” Rebecca said, winking at him.

“Look,” Ted said, showing her the photos he had taken of her.

“The cap gives you a nice touch,” Ted said. 

Rebecca was wearing the KC cap that Ted gave her on the last day of the olympics.

“What can I say, you have good taste,” Rebecca said winking at him.

“Oh I do,” Ted replied before closing the space between their lips and giving her a kiss.

As they separated, the two of them looked at each other in silence with relaxed smiles.

“Do you want me to take some pictures of you?” Nate asked them.

They both turned to look at him where he was sitting with a book.

“Yeah, that would be nice, thanks,” Ted said, giving him his phone.

“No problem.”

Ted and Rebecca both leaned on the yacht’s railing and Nate took some pictures of them.

“Lay down there, I think it would look cool,” Nate suggested.

The two of them moved and lay down. Ted leaned back against the small back of the wide lounger that looked more like a sofa. Rebecca got on his left, imitating his relaxed position. 

Their legs intertwined comfortably and Ted’s left arm traveled down Rebecca’s back until his hand reached the side, resting on her ribs where his thumb brushed the beginning of the circle of her boobs.

Rebecca’s right hand rested on Ted’s upper thigh and with her left she adjusted her cap before resting it on her own leg.

Meanwhile Nate had already taken three photos of the different positions they had adopted.

When they were ready, they both looked at the camera and Nate took the photo. Before anyone could say anything, Ted turned his neck and looked at Rebecca. Nate, impossible to avoid, took more photos.

At the end of the little photo shoot, Ted and Rebecca sat up slightly and inspected all the photos.

Both of them stared at the phone screen completely enchanted and in love, not only with the photos, but with the way they looked at each other in them.

One of the most successful was the one where Ted was with his neck turned looking at Rebecca. His eyes (and in general his whole face) only conveyed love and admiration towards what he was looking at.

Ted, under Rebecca's gaze, left the gallery and went to Instagram where he changed his profile picture for said photo. He hit save and looked up at Rebecca. She was already looking at him and the only thing she said was a whispered ‘love you’ before capturing his lips in a quiet and sweet kiss.

“Send them to me,” she said as they parted.

“Did you have any doubts about that?” Ted said before giving her a kiss on her crown.

The rest of the afternoon, they sailed towards the north of the island, returning to where they had come from but moving a little further away from the coast. The captain announced that they would spend the night about 20km from the port and that in the morning they would continue north.

They finished the day with a small barbecue on the deck while the sun set, the sky covering itself with golden and pink colors.

After dinner and cleaning up, Rebecca and Ted went back to their dressing room, and took a shower. First Rebecca and then Ted. 

When he came out of the shower with a single towel covering his hips, Rebecca stared at him. She watched as a few drops fell from his hair down his chest and stomach until they disappeared into his covered area.

“What?” Ted asked.

“What?” Rebecca replied.

“I don't know, you’re the one looking at me all funny.”

“I was just… you know… like… do you know when it rains and you are a kid and look out the window and watch the drops fall?” a slightly nervous Rebecca said.

“Yeah.”

“Weeell I was kindddaaa doing that.”

“Oh, well in that case,” Ted said before untying the towel and letting it fall softly on the floor, “guess you want to see which one wins?”

Rebecca inhaled, although she had seen him naked before and knew what it was like to feel him, every time she saw him she felt the tingling as if it were the first time.

“I guess I'm the winner, because I get to see it, ” Rebecca hummed.

“And I'm also the winner cause I got you,” Ted said approaching the edge of the bed, his cock moving with the movement.

“Wait,” Ted said, turning around and bending down for the towel. He absentmindedly dried his hair some more, losing himself as Rebecca looked at him with. Losing himself as Rebecca looked at him with desire while biting her lower lip.

“Hair too wet, don’t wanna ruin the bed,” he said before turning around and going back to the bed.

“Come here honey,” Rebecca said, grabbing one of Ted’s hands.

“You don’t have to say it twice.”

Ted climbed onto the bed and just as he was about to position himself on top of her, Rebecca caught him with her legs and flipped them over, leaving Ted underneath her.

With a mischievous smile, Rebecca gave him a trail of wet sloppy kisses from his cheek, down his neck, his chest, his tummy and stopped at his pelvis where she began to entertain herself by sucking and kissing him. Meanwhile she felt how his cock got hard, brushing her neck and collarbone in the process.

When she was happy with her work, she moved down the little bit that was left, kissing his length until she reached the tip where she gave it a small caress with her thumb.

“You have to be quiet if you don’t want the whole yacht to know what I’m doing to you,” Rebecca whispered.

Ted, unable to form words, nodded. His face filled with pleasure and desire.

Rebecca smiled before taking him in her mouth. With a few effective movements, Ted was already on the edge.

“You’re going to have to stop if you want the party to continue,” Ted said in a halting voice, his face tense and with pleasure, about to explode just like his member.

“I want to give it to you. You can give it back to me after this and if you’re not ready then, we can just cuddle and make out like teeneagers until you are.” Rebecca said, separating her mouth but continuing the movement with her hand.

“Oohh-kaay,” Ted nodded.

Rebecca resumed her task with her mouth and Ted’s hands flew towards her. One landed on her shoulder and the other on the back of her head to accompany her without hurting her.

Not even 15 seconds later she noticed a tap on her shoulder.

“Wh-e-re?”

“Let me drink you darling,” she said before taking him in her mouth.

Ted did as he was told, exploding in her. Painting and breathing loudly. Rebecca month filling with a warm liquid.

“Delicious, inside and out,” Rebecca said after swallowing it.

After a few seconds, when Ted seemed to recover, he said “my turn baby” and applied the same technique to turn her over, so she was the one at the bottom.

She was wearing her light pajamas so Ted took them off, delighted to see that she was going commando.

“Look at you all wet for me,” Ted said looking at her center.

“Oh you’re the one to talk,” Rebecca said laughing.

Ted laughed. “Good one honeybunch.”

Rebecca reached out and with her hand caressed his forearm, biceps and shoulder until she reached his neck where she gave him a squeeze. Ted smiled before bending down and lying down.

His first touch was delicate, the tip of his tongue lightly brushing her clit. Rebecca let out a sigh and Ted looked at her.

God when he looks at me from down there…I could come just like that , she thought.

“Love to hear your sounds but you gotta be quiet too, okay baby?” Ted said. 

One of his hands went around her left thigh and raised it to his shoulder while with the other arm he went around her and rested his hand on the lower part of her tummy.

Rebecca nodded and Ted went back to work. Sucking and liking and kissing her center. At some point Ted stopped.

“Can you sit on my face?” Ted asked.

Rebecca’s eyes grew darker and she nodded.

Ted moved to her side and with his hands on her hips, he moved her so that she was positioned with one leg on each side. Before sitting on his face, Rebecca adjusted her legs and her center touched his torso, wetting him in the process.

“Oh let me clean that,” Ted said, pushing her back slightly and with one of his hands he picked up the little moist that was there and brought it to his lips, cleaning them.

“Damn that's hot,” Rebecca whispered.

“What comes next is even hotter,” Ted said before pushing her down, placing himself in line with her center.

He pulled her down with his hands on the tops of her thighs, and she let out a quiet moan at the contact again.

His talented tongue began to move deliciously along her folds. His tongue lightly penetrating her center before going back to lick and suck her clit.

Rebecca, painting and concentrating on not being loud, let herself go and leaned back slightly, arching her back and resting one of her hands on Ted's hip.

One of Ted's hands traveled to his cock, where he moved it to the left to trap it between his hand and Rebecca's hand before sliding his own hand smoothly up his length until it was free and moved alone. Then his hand followed the path of Rebecca's arm until it reached her back where it went down brushing her spine, until it reached her ass where he gave a squeeze.

Rebecca was almost there and he knew. So he kept working until his face was covered with her wet liquid.

Rebecca's breath was the only sound filling the room.

Ted continued licking until he left the space clean enough. He separated from her and ordered her to lie down. She did as he asked and Ted went to the edge of one of her boobs where with his wet mouth he began to suck and kiss her skin.

When he was satisfied, he climbed up and positioned himself at her height and the two of them began to make out like horny teenagers.

“I’m ready, whenever you are ready goddess,” Ted said after a while.

“Give me a second,” Rebecca said, getting up and going to her makeup bag.

When she got back to the bed, she had another of the JJOO condoms in her hands. Ted laughed before taking it in his hand to read which one it was.

“How many do you have?” Ted asked curiously.

“Oh this is the last one I have here. But at my house there are about fifteen more.”

“Fifteen more? Where did you get so many?”

“I asked one of the building staff if I could have a couple more and she gave me a box and winked at me.”

Ted laughed, “I wasn’t expecting that but it’s perfect.”

“Yes, I know.” Rebecca said laughing, “anyway, give me that.”

Ted opened the package and handed it to Rebecca who took it out and held it out by his length as she listened to Ted, who stopped breathing momentarily.

“Get on your back baby,” he ordered softly.

Rebecca lay down and spread her legs so Ted could position himself.

Once Ted was in position, it took only a gentle push for him to slide in her.

He paused for a few moments, allowing himself to adjust while Rebecca took her time settling into the sensation. Slowly, he began with soft, steady movements, easing into a rhythm.

Since they had to be quiet the only sound filling the room was their agitated breath and the light sound of their wet centers connecting and separating, connecting and separating.

Gradually, he extended his thrusts, pulling back until he was nearly out before plunging back in, deeper each time.

Rebecca's back arched as she whimpered, her body instinctively responding. Ted leaned forward, capturing her lips in a kiss so they could be more silent. All this without ever breaking the rhythm of his movements.

Ted slid a hand to the small of her back, lifting her slightly to create a new angle and Rebecca put her leg on Ted's lower back, practically on his ass. The shift drew soft groans from both of them, the change amplifying the intensity.

Rebecca gasped, her breath hitting as the combined sensations overwhelmed her.

“I’m close-e,” Rebecca gasped.

“Me too, baby,” Ted said, breathing into her neck.

They keep going at it. In & out. In & out. In & out.

His release came in a shuddering wave, yet he kept his movements steady for a few more thrusts. Moments later, Rebecca followed, her entire body trembling as her climax overtook her, her toes curling in ecstasy.

Spent, Ted collapsed gently onto her, their breaths mingling as they lay entwined, basking in the afterglow.

A few moments later, Ted got up and got the towel to clean Rebecca. She let out a happy sigh and Ted joined her in bed. The two got dressed and put on their pajamas before falling asleep.

On their last day on board, the group decided to make the most of the experience.

Beard and Nate finally managed to catch something, which became the center of attention during breakfast. The two woke up early trying to fish during the hours when the sea was calmer.

After breakfast, everyone changed for one last morning of swimming in the sea.

When Rebecca returned to the deck, Sassy and Keeley were already there, waiting for the rest of the group.

“HOLLLLLY SHIIIIIITTTTTT STINKKKYY!!!!!!”

“BABEEEESSS?!?!?!!!!?”

“What?” a very confused Rebecca asked.

“The side of your left boob, babes. It has a love bite.” Keeley explained as she walked over to examine it.

“Oh,” Rebecca began to blush as she remembered the night before.

“Yeah, exactly.” Sassy said.

“Don’t worry about it, it suits you.” Keeley winked.

“Jezz Keeley.”

“I’m back.” Ted said as soon as he appeared.

“And there’s the culprit,” Sassy said.

Ted looked at them confused. Keeley moved Rebecca and pointed at her love bite.

“Oh my God! Sorry honey, got a little carried away.” Ted said reaching out and caressing the delicate, slightly purple skin.

“It’s okay, I mean, I gave it back to you.”

“SHHIIIIT!!! TED HAS ONE TOO,” Sassy said pointing at Ted, right where the elastic of his swimsuit showed a bit of his love bite.

This time it was Ted who blushed.

“Okay, stop staring at my man.” Rebecca stood between Ted and the girls. “Get your own.” She joked.

The four of them laughed and soon Barbara joined them. Her eyes widened at the sight of Rebecca’s love bite.

“Yes, yes, we have love bites.” Rebecca said, trying to agree so she could change the conversation.

“WE?” Barbara said in surprise.

“Me being the other half of us,” Ted said.

“Well, yeah. I imagined. Who else? But like, it’s tan visible.”

“I’ll be more careful next time.” Ted said, raising his hands in surrender.

“Okay can we talk about other things, please,” a red-faced Rebecca said.

The conversation changed course and everyone headed into the water as the rest of the group joined those already outside.

When mealtime approached everyone returned to the yacht. As they got out of the water and onto the yacht, Ted’s swimsuit fell down a bit, revealing nothing compromising but exposing part of the love bite.

Leslie saw it and made a strange noise, Nate stared without saying anything and Beard raised an eyebrow. Ted noticed and straightened his pants.

“Be more careful buddy. Next time do it in a place where you can hide it.” Beard said before turning around and joining Roy and Keeley on the deck who were setting up the table.

Ted blushed slightly and simply nodded before starting to prepare the food.

After a delicious meal prepared by Ted and with Leslie, Rebecca and Barbara as helpers, the captain announced that they were heading back to the port they had left from and the approximate time of arrival would be 9pm.

The group packed up the food and cleaned up the kitchen. When they were done, Barbara was in the living room when she noticed a karaoke machine in a cupboard.

“We have to connect this.”

“Oh my God! Rebecca has to sing,” Sassy said.

“Sing! Sing!” Keeley urged.

Plugging the machine in, Rebecca chose ‘You Oughta Know’. The rest of the group sang and danced around the living room.

The next song was sung by Beard who opted for ‘Bad Romance’. He got into it singing along. Keeley took photos and videos of the whole chaos.

Ted was next to take the mic, singing Wild World.

One by one or in duets, everyone went through the mic.

The last song to play was ‘I can’t fight this feeling …’, where almost everyone joined in singing it. For this one, Nate set up his camera and made a video of the whole performance to have a good memory.

And even as I wander

I'm keeping you in sight

You're a candle in the window

On a cold, dark winter's night

Ted put his arms around Rebecca’s middle while she held one of the microphones. The two dancing and swaying to the rhythm of the music

And I'm getting closer than I ever thought I might

And I can't fight this feeling anymore

I've forgotten what I started fighting for

It's time to bring this ship into the shore

And throw away the ears, forever

The group came together for the last bit of the song. Creating a semicircle in front of the TV screen. And at the top of their lungs they sang:

'Cause I can't fight this feeling anymore

I've forgotten what I started fighting for

And if I have to crawl upon the floor

Come crashing through your door

Baby, I can't fight this feeling anymore

Ooh

Everyone applauded and laughed.

“GOD! BEST VACATION EVER!!” Keeley said.

“Group hug!” Barbara said.

They all joined in a big hug, laughing and happy.

“Probably the best summer of my life.” Leslie said as the group separated.

“I agree.” Nate said.

“Especially for two people that I know,” Sassy said, hugging her friend.

“Not going to deny that Sass” Rebecca said, hugging her back.

“Get in here and hug your girl, Marlboro Man.”

“Marlboro Man?” Ted asked, laughing.

“Yeah like the-”

“No no, I got it, but I wasn’t expecting it,” Ted said laughing.

Taking Sassy’s advice, Rebecca approached Ted and hugged him sideways accompanied by a peck on his cheek. Ted put his hand on Rebecca’s head and gave her a short little massage.

Despite the festive and joyful atmosphere, the group dissolved to go to their rooms to finish collecting their suitcases and leaving them ready in the dining room.

When they finished, everyone gathered for a light dinner. They didn’t cook so they wouldn’t have to clean up, since they would arrive at the port in about an hour and a half. So they prepared plates with Spanish sausages, chips and toast, all accompanied by soft drinks.

Between laughs, anecdotes, stories, memories, everyone enjoyed a last meal together on the high seas. Without a doubt the best summer of their lives, one very difficult to forget. The promise of trying to repeat the adventure of the Olympics in 2028 and the promise of meeting every summer for a vacation at sea.

Because what is life without friends who are like family?

Or what is life without your soulmate and the love of your life?

Luckily for Ted and Rebecca, they won't have to worry about them anymore. They will all be fine as long as they are together.

In case you're curious, this is Ted's car model and the photo that Dottie's house is inspired by: