Chapter Text
Luke has, thankfully, allowed the use of his office for her to pace around and panic in. It's a perfect spot for such activities—quiet, private, two minutes down the hall from where she's about to present, and it doesn't smell of pine trees, though that's faded now that she's been mated for so long; the scent of anyone other than Ben has dulled. There's a nice armchair to the side of Luke's desk that she's spent many an evening in while the two of them have discussed (and then torn apart, and reworked, and re-discussed) what she's about to present.
Presenting wasn't even required, what was she thinking signing up for this?
Rey groans, not playing with her hair as she normally would while this nervous. Her mate spent half an hour braiding it into a crown around her head just this morning, while she rested against him in their bed. She'd hate to mess it up. Not in a million years would she be able to fix it.
Since she might lose her mind if she rehearses the presentation again, Rey moves on to her next nervous habit. Texting Ben.
She's snapped out of the conversation when the office door opens.
It took her months of being mated to Ben before she dared to call Luke by his first name. He told her countless times, over many family dinners and office meetings, and then finally, when they were all in pajamas and opening gifts on Christmas morning, he refused to give her the present he'd brought for her until she used his first name.
So now, when he walks through the door, she gives him a nervous, "Hey, Luke."
"Hey, kid. I guess I was correct in assuming you didn't use our lunch break to get lunch." With a glance over at one of his cabinets, he hums. "Haven't broken into the whiskey. I'll take that as a good sign."
"Your nephew talked me out of it."
"Mm. Smart man." Luke pauses, and he does that grumbly frown thing he does whenever he's about to say something that makes him uncomfortable. He walks past her and takes a seat behind his mahogany desk, sighing as he rests back in his chair. "You know… I've advised a lot of students."
A smile tugs at the corner of his mouth. While she waits for him to continue, Rey sits across from him, trying to hide the way her fingers drum against the side of her thigh.
He tilts his head, scratching at his beard. "What was it, a year and a half ago? You sat in that chair and told me you thought soulmates were nonsense?" He huffs, his smile curling into more of a smirk. "And now here you are, and this presentation is just a little step on your way to something bigger." Pale blue eyes flash up to hers. "I was just out saying hi to Ben. He said you accepted their offer yesterday?"
It's still hard to believe. Sending in her paper, data included, was a long-shot, but after Ben, Rose, and Hux all spent one of their weekly dinners convincing her it was worth trying, she'd put her materials together and sent it to a contact Leia suggested at SoulBond. Their reply included a request for her resume.
"Yeah," she says, shrugging with disbelief. "You know, I would have bet I'd get some sort of boilerplate response, like thanks but the way we do things is how we've always done them, but it wasn't that at all."
Luke shakes his head, smiling warmly. "And they want you to help change the process? I saw Mon Mothma—she's sitting by me."
"She's been great," Rey nods. "And I wouldn't say they're changing the process, exactly. It's not a revolutionary change, but they've already got a test group. Fifty soulmate pairs who haven't gotten their results yet have signed up to participate. It's just in this region for now, but if it works out, I think Ben and I might end up traveling to the different SoulBond centers to help them put this into motion."
It's impossible to say any of it while keeping the massive grin off her face.
"You know how bad I am at saying this," he finally tells her. "But I'm proud of you. As your professor, your advisor, future-uncle-in-law… I'm proud of you. You took something you didn't understand and something you feared and you did this, and I'm so glad I got to be here to see it. A lot of people are going to benefit from this."
"Thanks, Luke. I hope you're right," she says softly. She crosses her arms over her chest, unsure of what to say, and admits with a grimace, "But I wish I wasn't so nervous."
He snorts, and stands, walking back around his desk. "Can't blame you there. Try not to be, though. This was optional, the department's already reviewed your paper. You'd already know it if you weren't going to be graduating next week."
"I know, I know."
Rey stands, too, and lets Luke give her a hug. "Use my office," he instructs kindly, on his way back out. He checks his watch. "You've got nine minutes. Relax."
"Will do," she lies through a smile.
She goes back to pacing the second his door closed. Her hands are so shaky, she wonders if Ben accidentally made espresso this morning rather than coffee. She still hasn't figured out the coffeemaker—she stopped bothering almost a year ago—so it's very possible the thing makes espresso.
At the thought of Ben, she mutters a swear and takes her phone out, realizing she forgot to reply to him.
Before she can type out another text, there's a knock at the door, and then it opens. Ben pokes his head in, and god is he a sight for sore eyes. He's in one of his usual stark white button-ups, but this time he's added a charcoal tie, and his wavy hair is neatly styled.
The first thing she does when he kisses her is mess his hair up. She runs her hands through it, smiling against his mouth when he groans—either at the kiss or at the realization that she's messed up his hair. It's a little game she plays, seeing how much she can get away with. Messed up hair, an askew tie, a button undone, a bit of red lipstick left behind. Ben never seems to mind. If his scent's any indication, he loves the little territorial marks she leaves behind.
He presses his forehead to hers, grinning. "How's it going in here? You seem a little tense."
"Mm, a little," she confirms with a breathy laugh.
Ben's hand slides to the back of her neck, and his thumb traces circles around the mating mark that's been healed for nearly a year. She almost sinks into the floor with relief. Her eyes flutter closed as she sighs, and Ben takes the opportunity to kiss her again. This time it's not a hello kiss. It's open-mouthed and slow, while he holds her neck.
This is maybe her favorite thing about him. Not the kissing, though that's very close to the top of the list, but the way he knows her. The way he knows that when she comes home and doesn't rush to him, she's had a shit day and she's lost in her thoughts, and the icy wall around her will melt the second he makes her favorite peppermint tea. The way he knows she vents about him putting the sugary cereals up high, but secretly loves the little smirk he gives her when he has to get them down. The way he knows the only way she'll stop using a three-in-one shower product is if he gets in the shower with her and washes her hair himself.
The way he knows that the best way to make her relax is by kissing her like this—the way he'll be kissing her the rest of their lives—because it reminds her that whatever she's nervous about pales in the face of a lifetime with her soulmate.
When he pulls away, leaving her with one more soft kiss at the corner of her mouth, his eyes are warm and filled with joy. "Anything else I can do to help?"
She closes her eyes, relaxing in his arms, and murmurs, "It's okay. I'm in my happy place."
"Oh?"
"Mm. We're on a beach in Brazil, maybe drinking something cold and fruity. You're shirtless, I'm done presenting, it's all good. Life is amazing."
Ben laughs, nudging his nose into the top of her head. "It's like you can see the future."
"Don't get snarky with me."
"Wouldn't dream of it," he mumbles into her hair.
She rolls her eyes at him, but doesn't hesitate to kiss him again.
Ben does yet another double take as he re-enters the auditorium filled with students, professors, other university staffers, and—amazingly—representatives from the press, other universities, and, maybe most importantly, SoulBond. Of course, SoulBond has already seen what's about to be presented, but since they now legally own the data and intensely outlined plans Rey's worked on, they're here to oversee things.
He nods to one of the people they've sent, Mon Mothma, an old family friend of his mother's, and walks over to take the seat between her and his uncle Luke. His parents are in the row behind them, beaming, just the way they always do when Rey's around. At this point, the seats are filled and the back of the room is packed with people who showed up to watch what may very well be history about to unfold.
Maybe that's an exaggeration, but his chest is full with the pride he feels for Rey and whatever minimal role he may have played in helping inspire this.
Next to him, Mon Mothma tilts her head. "How's she doing?"
Ben glances over, trying not to bounce his knee. He's convinced she'll do well, but he's panicking all the same. "She's okay. Nervous," he admits. There's no point in lying to another Alpha, not when she can tell how anxious he is on his mate's behalf. "I think she wishes she'd gone first and gotten it over with this morning, rather than being saved for last. She's okay, though. I think it helps that the presentation isn't data-heavy—the University has already been given all the data she sent your office, so her presentation is lighter on that. For this, they wanted something more…" he hesitates, trying to think of the word, "Relatable? Marketable? Once they knew what sort of crowd it might attract, they told her they wanted to see something the audience wouldn't need a degree to understand."
"Your friends are trying to get your attention," Luke interrupts quietly, elbowing him and nodding toward the side aisle where people have started standing against the wall. "I didn't know they were coming, we could have saved them seats."
When he looks over, Rose is grinning widely, her hair pulled back in braided style he's tempted to ask for instructions on, for the next time Rey asks him to do her hair. Hux is standing behind her, waving. Ben waves back, about to stand and walk over to say hello and thank them for taking the afternoon off to see this, but then the chattering buzz in the room quiets. Rose's attention snaps to the front of the room, as does Ben's.
She's there, at the podium.
There's never a moment when he doesn't think she's gorgeous, but today is really the first time he's seen her in any sort of business wear. She's in dark gray trousers, sharply creased, and a tucked-in crisp fitted white button-up and heels his mother gifted her. The braid he did this morning wraps around her head, with little wisps of hair falling around her face. For a brief moment, Ben pictures her with thick black-rimmed glasses and starts wondering if he's discovered a new kink.
Then her gaze meets his, and her mouth tilts into that smile that's reserved for him, and something flutters in his stomach as he thinks of the ring waiting in his jacket pocket. He grins, giving her a single encouraging nod. He's convinced it's impossible to be prouder of anyone than he is of her, even though he knows he'll be even more proud when she's finished presenting. His chest is going to burst with it.
Rey clears her throat, tapping gently at the mic, and any remaining whispers in the room die down. She hesitates and gives the crowd a tight smile.
"Hi everyone," she greets. There's a little shakiness to her voice. "If you've been here all day, thanks for sticking around to hear about what I've been working on, and if you've just arrived… well, thanks for coming. My name's Rey. I've spent my time here studying soulmates. I'm about to graduate with a Master's Degree, and today, I'm here to tell you what I've been working on."
He watches her bite at her lips, her eyes scanning over an intimidating crowd. She glances down at the note cards in her hands, staring at them—the note cards she's painstakingly written and rewritten and studied and rehearsed with.
And then she does something that doesn't surprise him anywhere near as much as it should.
With a slow-growing smile, she rips them in half.
It's the oddest thing, to be hit with an intense moment of clarity when everyone's waiting for you to say something. But she's always been careful, always done what's easy and guaranteed not to result in something surprising. She's always been scared. And right now, standing in front of an audience that's waiting on her to present what may very well end up being her life's work, Rey is overwhelmed with an intense feeling that can only be summarized by a single action.
Ripping up those note cards—those damn note cards she's spent months obsessing over—must be the biggest relief she's felt since that day on the beach, when she sat in Ben's lap and cried as the puzzle pieces of her life finally came together.
Her eyes flick up to the crowd. She takes the mic with her, leaving the podium.
"Soulmates," she starts, already entirely off-book. "The whole concept is a lot, right?" She faces the crowd and asks, "Can you do me a favor? Raise your hand if you were or are nervous or scared to meet your soulmate. And please, be honest. Nobody's judging anyone in here."
Predictably, almost every single hand raises. She's convinced those who didn't raise their hand are lying to themselves, but doesn't say it.
Rey nods. "Why don't I tell you how I felt? Nervous doesn't begin to describe it." Her gaze cuts to Ben, and the corner of her mouth tilts up. "This wasn't my plan for today, but I'm going to be very honest with all of you," she says slowly. "If any of you had asked me a year or so ago, I would have told you I had no intention of meeting my soulmate."
There's a swell of surprise and murmuring from the group. "I know, I know, that sounds unbelievable to many of you, but it's true, and the thing is, it shouldn't be unbelievable. According to a blind poll we sent out to over a thousand young adults—specifically, we sent this to young adults who had not yet received their SoulBond results—a whole sixty-two percent admitted to not feeling ready to meet their soulmate."
She pauses. "Think about that. Sixty-two percent of young adults polled. And yet most of these people will be receiving their results within the next year."
She starts walking back and forth across the little stage that's set up, and continues, "I've got to tell you, after hearing that, I felt better about my reaction. I'd always thought I was crazy. I'd been convinced I was a square peg and the entire world was a round hole, but that's not true. The truth is that many of us are afraid. Many of us are nervous. Many of us feel that we don't have a choice in any of this."
Rey turns to the group that's listening intently, and tilts her head. "What I'm not going to do today is tell you that the system is broken. It's not. I can say that, based on my own personal experience, the existing system works. But that doesn't mean it can't be improved to account for that sixty-two percent."
With another smile directed at her mate, she speaks softly into the mic, "There something that's lacking—lacking from all the discussions we have about soulmates, and lacking from those emails we all eventually receive. There's a vital thing we tend to forget.
"This is a choice," she says simply. "It is. It's a choice. Perhaps things were different in the past, but in the world we live in today, it's a choice. Almost a year ago, I decided what direction I wanted to go in for this presentation, and it's wholly inspired by my own personal experience." She scans the crowd again, biting at the inside of her mouth, before she says, "Today, I'm suggesting that, if given the chance, soulmates will gravitate to each other whether they possess the knowledge that they are soulmates.
"Let me put that differently," she says, as soft murmurs start going through the audience. "When two soulmates—ones who are not aware of their soulmate status—are put in a room of, say, thirty or forty strangers, they are likely to find each other, whether or not they realize why they feel drawn together."
Rey pauses, giving the room time to react. It's gone utterly silent.
Whether that's a good sign, she's not sure, but she continues anyway. "The thing is, with the current system, most soulmates will never have the opportunity to meet before receiving their results, so this phenomenon is incredibly rare. But we've all heard about it, haven't we? We've all seen the space operas that dominate the box office—the ones where enemies are inexplicably drawn together across a massive galaxy, only to realize it's because they're soulmates. We've all heard the stories of a friend of a friend of a friend who happened to fall in love and then discovered, with relief, that their lover was actually their soulmate."
She stops then, the corner of her mouth curling up, and gives the audience a little half-shrug. "It happened to me."
Ben's expression softens, and from the front row, he mouths I love you.
Her grin widens. "Anyway." Rey clears her throat and takes a few steps to the podium. "If we take a step back and look at the big picture, we see that a lot of us are feeling negatively about receiving soulmate results. We're nervous, and scared. Then once we receive results, studies show that plenty of people who have married their soulmate—the exact number is on the slides we'll see in a bit—aren't sure whether they had a true choice, or whether they simply accepted their results. Overall, we're nervous, we're scared, and we feel like we don't have a choice. Yet, most people are physically drawn to their soulmates whether they realize it or not."
She glances sideways at the screen projecting the name of the presentation she's about to dive into.
"I believe I've got a solution. It's a simple one, too. Working in step with SoulBond, I'm helping launch a new optional part of the soulmate process that will bring groups of unpaired soulmates together for social events to give people a chance to gravitate toward their soulmate more naturally. We believe this will allow people who may have felt those negative feelings—the nervousness, the fear, the lack of control—to fall in love in their own time, in a way that removes the pressure and encourages the growth of organic, honest feelings. This is what I'm presenting to you today."
Her hand presses to her chest, over the little circle of metal and glass hanging from her neck.
"A year ago, I was given the chance to fall in love on my own schedule, in my own time. I was given the chance to gravitate toward my soulmate on my own, and I was given the gift of making my own decision, regardless of my results. That's a gift I hope to give to others."
She swallows and meets Ben's eyes. He's staring at her like she is what he's always been looking for. Like he's been lost his whole life, and she is his North Star.
With watering eyes, she glances up at the screen to her side and tries to keep her voice steady.
"This is Project Compass."
Later that afternoon, Ben holds the apartment door open while everyone piles into their mess of a— well, it isn't really home anymore. There's a pang of sadness in his chest when he glances in as Rose walks past him with a small stack of pizza boxes. Most of their furniture is gone, and most of their things have been packed up into boxes.
"I'm so sorry you guys," Rey mutters for the billionth time. "I think we packed the silverware already. We should have gone to your place."
Rose waves her off. "Who needs silverware to eat pizza? We aren't all Ben."
"I don't use silverware." He frowns at her. "I don't even eat pizza."
His mate snorts. "Uh, huh. Is that why, whenever I eat pizza, my leftovers magically disappear?" She glances over at him, teasing, "You know, it's okay to admit you like something unhealthy. I caught you eating Lucky Charms, I don't see why you insist on pretending you don't like the occasional overload of sugar or carbs."
Predictably, Rose grins at her. "Have I mentioned lately that you're one of my favorite people for giving him so much shit?"
Ben sighs as his two favorite women fist-bump.
When Hux shuffles in, Ben closes the door behind the four of them. It's just a small celebration dinner (and minor packing-party) tonight, since his family's insisting on having something bigger once he and Rey finish moving.
"Aw, Finn texted, his vacation request got approved, so he and Poe should be able to visit in August," Rey announces, looking at her phone. She looks to Rose. "Do you think you guys could come visit around then, too? I know Naboo isn't too far to drive, but you could come for a long weekend or something, stay with us, maybe? Even the whole week, if you can get the time off. We're looking for a place with an extra bedroom or two, so we should have space for guests."
"That'd be great," Rose nods, opening up one of the pizza boxes she's perched on a packed box of kitchen items. "Yeah, it's a shame we didn't get to see them more before they moved."
Rey shrugs. "They wanted to be closer to Poe's parents. Plus, the houses in Yavin are way cheaper. The place they got is cute. We haven't gotten a chance to visit yet, but they've sent a ton of pictures, so—"
She's interrupted mid-sentence by a yelp, and all their gazes cut to the source of the noise.
Hux stands in the hallway, having come back from the bathroom, wide-eyed as a little black cat digs its claws into his shoulder. He winces, his nose crinkling as he reaches to try to remove Ren, which won't go well.
With a laugh, Ben grabs the fluffball, pulling it from his friend. "He must like you. You're the only guest he ever bothers."
Dryly, Hux replies, "I'm so honored." He rubs at his shoulder, glaring at the purring cat in Ben's arms. "That thing is a monster."
Ben snorts, looking down at the little cat that purrs whenever he's held. "Yeah, definitely a monster. Truly terrible. All eight pounds of him." He smiles at the little ball of fluff, and talks to Ren in a soft voice, "Did you hear that? Uncle Armie's scared of you. I'm so proud, little guy. What a good little cat."
"You know, it's a shame Rey hasn't managed to make you less of a dick."
At that, his traitor of a mate laughs, hard, and says, "Believe me, "I've tried."
Hux purses his mouth in a faux show of concern. "I'm sorry to say it, Rey, but you may need to try harder."
"Hey," Ben mutters, "if I'm a dick, then you're a—"
Rose groans. "Okay, you're both assholes, no need to argue about it. Now would you all shut up and eat some pizza before it gets cold?"
She is perhaps the only Alpha he'll take such orders from. He hesitates, but nods when she starts glaring. He puts the cat down and walks into the kitchen to wash his hands and grab some extra paper towels. When he goes back into their sparsely furnished living room, he grabs a slice of the veggie-topped pizza and starts dabbing grease off it as he goes to stand near Rey, who's watching with clear amusement written all over her face.
"So you're really headed out tonight?" Rose asks. "I still can't believe it." Her eyes shoot to his. "You've got to tell me how good it felt, giving Snoke notice."
At that, he laughs. "I thought he was going to scream. He started going on and on about the legacy I'd have if I stayed." Ben rolls his eyes. "You should have heard him when I told him why I was leaving."
"I'm sure we can all guess Snoke's reaction to hearing Rey's the breadwinner of your relationship," Rose mutters. "Still, must have been great to give notice."
Ben nods and tilts his head down to where she's sitting on a box. "Are you going to be okay, sticking around, working for him?"
It's slow, but she glances over at her mate and smiles. "I interviewed for a new job, actually. Coruscant Public Library is hiring a new head archivist. They offered it to me. I'm giving notice at the end of the week."
His mouth falls open. It's clear that this isn't news to Hux, but Rey puts her slice of pizza down on a paper plate, wipes her hands, and wraps the woman in a hug. "Rose! Oh my god, that's amazing! Coruscant? That's like… well, not quite midway, but I could meet you for lunch once in a while if you want."
Rose smiles, hugging Rey. "I'd love that."
The two of them have grown close in the past year. He'd never realized Rey and Rose were very social, but the two have frequent "girl's nights", during which he's left to socialize with Hux, which isn't anywhere near as annoying as he pretends it is. Rose likes to tease him (often) about having the world's most dramatic soulmate reveal, but it's no secret that she adores Rey, even if she does side-eye the textbook on their bookshelf—the stolen textbook about soulmates, with a blue sticker on the spine.
In his soulmate's arms, Rose sniffs and says, "I just can't believe this is the last time we're having dinner here together. I'm going to miss you guys." Her arm tightens around Rey's shoulders. "And I'm so proud of you. You have no idea. You're going to help so many people fall in love and it's the sweetest thing ever."
"You're going to make me cry," Rey complains, burying her face in the woman's shoulder. "And we're only moving to Naboo. It's not that far. We're going to see each other all the time."
"We better."
"We will."
Ben looks over to Hux, whose expression softens as he watches the two women. He clears his throat, meeting Ben's eyes with a tight smile. "Have you two found a place, then?"
"Not yet," Rey answers for him, wiping at her eyes as she leans out of the hug. "We're checking listings, but since the semester is over, we wanted to end the lease here before we owe them for another month. I'm coming back next week for graduation. For now, our stuff's going into temporary storage, and we're going to stay at Ben's parent's place."
He hesitates. He was planning to wait for this news until it was just him and Rey, but…
"Actually, I think I found a place. If you want it."
Rey's eyes widen as she looks up at him. "Really? Which one? I checked the new listings in the car—is it the new one that went up this morning? The one on Birchwood? The location isn't the best, but the price looked okay."
"Mm, no, not that one. The one I'm thinking of isn't listed yet." He bites at the inside of his mouth as she frowns, waiting for an answer. "The uh… the owners are offering to us at a rather low price, as a combination graduation-slash-early wedding present."
He can see the moment Rey connects the dots.
"You're kidding."
"I'm not."
Rey just stares. "There's no way we can afford it."
"It's coming heavily discounted, assuming we want it."
She lets out a breath as Hux and Rose glance between the two of them. Ben gives her a little smile. "They've only stayed in it for a couple of weeks a year for the past five or six years, and my mother says she's sick of seeing it go mostly unlived-in. If you'd rather have a smaller place, or even just a different place, that's fine. I mean, it would take us forever to furnish it, and cleaning it will be a nightmare, but—"
"Of course I want to live there," she interrupts. "You're sure it's okay? You don't mind? Your parents don't mind?"
"It's ours if we want it."
"Um, can one of you fill us in?" Rose asks.
Next to her, Rey laughs. "Let's just say, if you ever want to visit, we'll have the space."
It's hours later when he finds her standing in their now-empty living room. Her arms are crossed over her chest as she stares at the room. Her scent is a little sad, so Ben walks up behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist. He kisses the side of her head.
"The car's packed," he says softly. "Ren's in there, too. We just need to drop our keys off." When she doesn't reply, he adds, "I'll miss it, too."
"This was our first place together," she whispers.
"Yeah, I know." He kisses her temple again. "But you know, we're moving to the place where we mated each other."
"Hm. That's a good point."
"I thought so."
"I still can't believe we're actually moving there," she sighs. "I mean, I was looking forward to staying there while we looked for a place of our own, but I don't think it's sunk in yet that we're actually going to live there." She leans back against him, tilting her head back to look at him. "That was a hell of a surprise, you know."
A grin plays at the corner of his mouth. "I might have another surprise."
"I hope it isn't another house, because, despite what your family may think, we really only need one."
He laughs, shaking his head. "No, it's not another house. It's in my jacket pocket."
Rey hums, reaching back to pat at his pocket, and for a moment, he panics, realizing he didn't specify which pocket. Depending on which she picks, this could end up being a slightly-earlier-than-planned proposal.
To his relief, she goes for his left pocket, and pulls out a thin envelope. "Hmm. What did you do?" She turns, narrowing her eyes at him as she opens it up and takes out the tickets.
The curious, amused expression on her face melts as she stares at the paper in her hands. Her eyes, wide and now damp, flick to his. "Ben, you didn't. I can't believe… You know you didn't have to, right?"
He only cups her face, wipes her tears, and says, "I told you I'd bring you anywhere."
It's two weeks later when Rey's sitting on a fluffy white towel taken from their private beach house. Breathlessly, she stares out at an endless ocean, much like the one that's now part of her backyard at home.
There's so much she could be stressed about, so many things that will happen the moment they get home. Her new job kicks off two days after their flight gets in, and not long after that, Rose, Hux, Finn, and Poe will all be visiting for a week, and she's sure she'll be wedding planning not long after. Her mate has approximately two more days to ask before she does it herself, but she's got a sneaking suspicion he's planning something and she doesn't want to step on his toes.
It's a lot, but as she sits on Ipanema beach and gets an eyeful of sparkling blue waters, it's impossible to be worried or stressed about any of it.
Next to her, Ben nudges his shoulder against hers.
He is blessedly shirtless. She huffs a laugh, and mutters, "Maybe I can see the future."
"I can get a couple of drinks if you want to be sure," he winks.
She considers it, but shakes her head. "Nah. Stay here, with me."
"Always."
Ben scoots closer, sliding his arm around her bare waist, and kisses her shoulder. It's slow, but his mouth moves along her skin, working slowly to the spot on her neck. He kisses her mating gland, asking in a murmur, "So? Is it everything you thought it'd be?"
Her hand grips at his as she stares at the spot where the startlingly blue sky kisses the water. They both know what she means when she says, "No, it's not." With watering eyes, she leans into him and whispers, "It's better."
Rey can feel his smile form against her skin as he asks, "Why does it feel like we're not talking about the ocean?"
She caresses the back of his hand with her thumb, sucking in a breath at the overwhelming swell of love she never knew she could feel.
"We were never talking about the ocean, Ben."