Chapter 12
How to Make a Girl Feel Special
—Thursday—
Lucifer Morningstar (9:06pm)
I called Barry. He's on his way. He'll take you home.
Lucifer Morningstar (9:06pm)
I'm so sorry, Chloe.
Chloe Decker (9:18pm)
Are you ok?
Chloe Decker (10:03pm)
I just wanted to let you know I made it home. I hope you did too.
—Friday—
Chloe Decker (7:45am)
Are you ok?
Chloe Decker (12:12pm)
Lucifer, please. Can we talk?
Chloe Decker (12:54pm)
I have to get back on set. Are we still on for tomorrow night?
—Saturday—
Chloe Decker (8:36am)
I'll be ready at 4 for our date just in case you show. I really hope you do :)
Chloe was applying the last layer of mascara to her lashes when she heard the knock at her door. Her heart jumped—it had already been working overtime that day due to the nervous anticipation she felt over whether or not Lucifer would show for their date. Her mind had bounced back and forth, hopeful that he'd show, but also preparing herself to be let down if he didn't. For nearly forty-eight hours, she'd received nothing but radio silence from him; he had completely ghosted her.
He had done exactly what she feared he would; as soon as things got even the slightest bit real between them, he'd run. It was the reason she had been taking things so slowly with him; she had assumed he'd need time to accept his feelings for her and to adjust to the idea of wanting a committed relationship. But he'd been the one to cross that final line.
When he'd first left her in the ocean, when she had watched him flee like the little voice in her head had kept claiming he would, she'd felt confused and heartbroken. She didn't understand why he would run after kissing her so passionately.
The feelings were there; no one could fake a kiss like that—and she remembered the way his mouth had felt against hers, so soft and willing; the way his hands had held her to him, tight, almost as if he had been afraid to let her go. She had felt his desperation for her. The only conclusion that made any sense was that he wasn't ready to face his feelings for her, and so he'd freaked out.
Honestly, she felt relieved by the conclusion she'd made. Because if she were right, it meant that Lucifer did have feelings for her, but he was just overwhelmed by them. She had to remind herself that this was all new for Lucifer. He'd told her once that he'd never been in love; had never thought himself even capable of love. And with the way he referred to himself as the Devil and his possible history of abuse, his fear of intimacy kind of made sense to Chloe.
And she realized that if she could just get him to talk to her, if she could just convince him to show up for their date, then she could reassure him, tell him she could be patient and that she could take things as slowly as he needed to. They could figure it out together, because in the end, she just wanted to be with him.
"Lucifer!" she exclaimed as she opened the door wide, her eyes landing on him. Her body reacted to him as it always did; she felt as though her guts were in free fall as her heart slammed rapidly against her chest and her palms became clammy.
He wore one of his sleek black suits, likely Prada or Armani, with a crisp white button-down shirt underneath. A red pocket square—the exact same shade of red as the dress he'd bought for her—billowed out of the breast pocket in a wavy sort of design, adding a bit of flare to the otherwise classic look. He looked so dapper; so handsome.
She was nervous; the way things had been left between them made her feel uncertain about how to act around him. But she was excited too—he'd shown up ready for their date and that was a huge relief.
Rubbing her palms together, she smiled tentatively at him and whispered through a happy little smile, "You came."
"I did," he replied somewhat haltingly, and his smile seemed forced. "We have a deal, and I'm here to honor my end of it."
Chloe's eyebrows furrowed in confusion; why was he bringing up their deal? "Lucifer, I don't-" …care about the deal was what she had been about to say, but he cut her off.
"Please, Detective," he said, and a nickname that had once made her insides flip pleasantly now felt like a punch to the gut. It felt like he was distancing himself from her. "We should be going if we aren't to be late."
He trained his eyes on anywhere but her, and it felt like a rejection. Had she been wrong about his feelings for her? Had he just been caught up in the moment at the beach?
"Okay," she said softly. "Let me just grab my clutch."
When she returned a moment later, he finally allowed his gaze to sweep over her. It made his stomach flutter to see her wearing a dress that he'd chosen for her. The cut of the dress left her arms and shoulders bare, and he took a moment to appreciate the shape and tone of her muscles. Her hair was curled loosely and pinned so that it fell over one shoulder, and her eyes were lined in black, her lashes curled and coated in a thin layer of mascara. The dangly diamond necklace she wore lay in the center of her chest, and his eyes followed it into the swells of her cleavage.
She came to a stop in front of him, watching as his eyes danced over her. She basked in it, in the way his gaze caused a tingly warmth to build in her belly, spreading through her entire body, all the way up to the nape of her neck and all the way down to the tips of her toes. She was confused and hurt by his sudden one-eighty in terms of his behavior toward her, this whole hot/cold act he had going on, but his eyes spoke volumes as he drank her in, and it pushed some of her doubt away.
He took a shaky breath, and her heart leapt into her throat when his eyes met hers. They were dark with desire, yes, but there was something else there too. Something softer.
"Oh, Chloe," he breathed. "Darling...you look stunning." He swallowed and then added under his breath, "Quite simply luminous," and it was a word he had once used solely to describe his stars, and yet, it always seemed to come to mind when he thought of her. She reminded him of his stars in a way, pure of heart and sometimes nearly blinding in her beauty and brightness. She was luminous.
She blushed, smiling softly as she held his gaze. "You think so?" she asked, and she was totally fishing, feeling a little greedy for his reassurances, because he'd left her feeling so uncertain over the past few days.
His smile was genuine for the first time all night as he nodded. She'd missed that smile, the one she believed to be just for her.
"Positively breathtaking. I knew from the moment I laid eyes on that dress that it had been made for you, Detective."
When he'd seen it, it had reminded him of the red dress she'd worn at Lux the first weekend they'd spent together. The way they had danced, the way she'd teased him, the way she'd asked about his scars…it was the night things had changed between them, for him at least. That was the night he had started to see her as more than just one of his favors.
"Thank you, Lucifer," she whispered.
And okay; so he'd freaked out. And he'd ignored her for nearly two days…but, he came back. He was there now, and it was obvious he felt something for her. He'd bought her the dress she was wearing, and he'd planned the date that they were about to go on. Emotional intimacy was new to him; she'd known he'd be afraid of it. Maybe a minor freak out was warranted. Maybe it was okay that he'd run, as long as he came back—which he had.
"You ready?" she asked, swallowing down the emotion she felt.
He hummed, turning to open the front door for her. As she slipped past him, she traced her fingers down his forearm, sliding them in between his. He froze at the contact, and her heart clenched because she thought they were past that. She thought he'd warmed up to her physical affection.
It seemed like his freak-out had made him regress slightly, and she was about to let go—she wanted to respect his desire for space if that was what he wanted—but before she could, he relaxed and wrapped his fingers around hers too.
By the time they arrived at the aircraft hangar, Lucifer's mood had improved greatly. How could it not when he was with Chloe? He couldn't help but feel that giddy sort of joy that filled him whenever they were together.
It was obvious that she was excited for their date. Her smile rarely dropped from her face, and she'd settled on a radio station that played her favorite 90s songs, even singing along to some of them. He'd never heard her sing before, and just like her laughter, it made his heart soar. While he could tell she hadn't had much vocal training—if any at all—her voice was melodic and beautiful.
He'd had a lot of time to think since he'd left her at the beach. He had decided that he needed to honor their deal; he couldn't let Chloe down. He truly just wanted her to be happy, even though he felt she deserved better than that dimwitted DJ.
Because the more he thought about it, the more he realized that he wasn't what she deserved either. He was the Devil, and Chloe was a good person who didn't deserve to be burdened by the knowledge that the Devil existed, let alone had feelings for her.
So he'd made the decision to continue on with their ruse, to continue to help her win back the heart of another; but he had also decided that he needed to keep things professional between them. No more friendship or blurry lines. His feelings for her were only growing, and he'd experienced a new kind of hurt when he'd left her at the beach. He thought that the only way to protect himself from that kind of heartache again was to distance himself from her.
It didn't take long before he realized that pulling away from her was easier said than done. Her attention and affection toward him made him feel so good that he found himself quickly caving in—after all, he wasn't one to deny himself his desires, and he found himself desiring to savor the time he had left with her.
"Lucifer, what…?" Chloe gaped at the hangar in shock and then turned her gaze on him, her bright blue irises shining with excitement as he swung the corvette into a parking space.
He couldn't help his smile at her obvious delight; it was a satisfying feeling, that he could make her so happy.
"What did you plan for us?" she asked through gleeful giggles, as she watched him climb out of the corvette and circle around to her side.
"We're taking a helicopter to San Francisco where we'll be seeing La Traviata. It's an opera; have you heard of it?" he asked, eager to finally share his plans with her and to see her reaction.
"Lucifer," she gasped as she climbed out of the car. Her eyes were incredibly wide and shiny as they darted between him and the hangar. "Are you serious?"
"Quite," he replied, confused by her incredulity. "You know I don't lie, Detective."
She flung her arms around his neck and exclaimed, "Oh my god! Thank you, Lucifer! I love it! I've never been in a helicopter before, and I've never been to the opera before either." She pressed her nose into his neck, inhaling his familiar scent, as his arms tightened around her waist, holding her to him.
"Oh," he said, taken aback by her enthusiasm. He let his cheek fall onto the top of her head, savoring he feeling of holding her in his arms. "Well, I'm so glad you're excited, Detective." He even let her get by with crediting his Father and didn't bother correcting her.
She sighed, just feeling so utterly content after two days of anxiety and uncertainty. As long as he was there with her, as long as he wasn't freaking out, things were perfect.
Finally releasing him, she stepped back, giving him some space. She'd continue to tread carefully. "So excited," she confirmed, her smile so big so that he wouldn't doubt for even a second how much she appreciated his thoughtfulness.
In the hangar, the pilot walked them through everything. The trip from Los Angeles to San Francisco would take two hours, which would give them just enough time for a quick dinner before the opera. He showed them the helicopter, discussed with them the safety measures and emergency protocols, and then gave them headsets to protect their ears.
Chloe hadn't been sure what to expect when Lucifer had pulled into an aircraft hangar and announced that their transportation for their date would be a helicopter ride, but she was grateful to see that the helicopter was enclosed so she wouldn't have to worry about the wind tangling her hair or blowing up her dress.
She bounced on her toes as they waited to board; the anticipation and excitement of the flight made her buzz with a nervous sort of energy as she gazed up at the helicopter they'd soon be flying in.
Her eyes found Lucifer, who was watching her with a small, open smile on his face. The way he looked at her made her heart thump wildly in the way it did only for him, and she smirked when she noticed his headset was lopsided. She reached up, biting her lip in concentration as she adjusted it for him, tugging just a little harder than necessary to jostle his head playfully.
"Your headset was a little crooked," she explained with a grin, "but I fixed it for you."
"You know, yours is a bit crooked as well, Detective," he teased with a sparkle in his eye. He jostled her right back as he pretended to straighten it for her, but in actuality completely dislodged it from her ears. "There," he said, humming in mock-satisfaction. "Now you're good to go."
She giggled, reaching up to put it back in place, hoping her hair wasn't completely ruined after the time she'd put into styling it, but really not caring too much if it was. She'd go to the opera in a trash bag if it meant she got to see this playful side of Lucifer.
The interior of the helicopter was spacious, much more so than she had been expecting, and they had plenty of room to spread out. She felt somewhat disappointed, because she wanted him close, wanted to feel his side pressed against hers, even wanted his arm to wrap around her shoulders. But when he climbed in after her, he kept a small gap of space between them.
Once they took off, it didn't really matter. She found herself sliding to the edge of her seat anyway, gazing out of the large window to take in the view of the city below them and the vast ocean off to the side.
Chloe pointed things out to Lucifer from her window—places like Griffith Observatory and Santa Monica Pier—and eventually, he did slide closer to her so that he could more easily see all the spots she wanted to show him. Her joy as she took in the view warmed his heart, which had begun to ache for her. He couldn't recognize exactly what she made him feel; she made him feel all sorts of things—there were too many emotions to untangle. He felt so much for her that his heart felt so full it might burst.
She slipped her hand into his, sending him a dazzling smile as they hovered above Los Padres National Forest, and even though he knew he wasn't good enough for her, he found that he still longed for her to choose him. He couldn't help it. Was it too late for him to convince her that he was better than Jed? That he would treat her the way she deserved to be treated? That he'd plan dates like this for the rest of her life if only she'd give him the chance? That he could change for her, that he wanted to be oh so good for her; that while he'd never been monogamous before, he would be devoted to her—he knew he could do it if it meant she'd be devoted to him in return.
And so, when she snuggled into his side about an hour into their flight, his arm easily wrapped around her shoulders and he pulled her in closer.
By the time they reached San Francisco, the sun had just begun its decent over the city, painting the sky in pastel shades of blue, pink, and purple and bathing the Golden Gate Bridge in warm golden tones. It gave the illusion that the bridge was the color of flames, flickering and licking at the sky above the San Francisco Bay.
The whole scene as they reached their destination was breathtakingly beautiful, and Lucifer felt Chloe gasp against his shoulder.
"Wow," she said, turning her head to take in the view from all possible angles, but keeping her body wedged in place against his. His fingers had been tracing patterns on the bare skin of her upper arm, and she didn't want to do anything that might make him stop.
And everything was just so perfect in that moment that all she wanted to do was gently turn his face to hers and press the softest kiss to his lips so that he knew without a question or a doubt just how much she felt for him.
Instead, she bit her lip. As the helicopter touched down on the landing pad, she finally shifted away from him and asked, "Dinner? I'm starving!"
"On Thursday you mentioned that burgers and fries would have made the evening perfect, so I did some research and this is apparently the home of the best burger in San Francisco," Lucifer declared, and his voice was both skeptical and hopeful at the same time.
Skeptical, because they stood in front of a dingy hole-in-the-wall diner; the faded awning above the entryway simply read, Pete's Diner.
"Oh, no, Lucifer. I didn't mean it like that," she was quick to correct. "What you planned—the lobster, the wine—that was perfect! I just meant you didn't have to go through all the trouble; anything you planned would have been perfect, because you planned it and because we were spending time together." She felt like she was rambling, not able to find the right words to express her feelings, and as she watched his face fall, she realized she was only making it worse. "But I love burgers and fries, and this is absolutely perfect. Really, Lucifer."
"Truly, Detective?" The skepticism was still present in his voice as he side-eyed the run-down establishment, his eyebrows knitting together over that aquiline nose of his.
She smiled in amusement; this place was decidedly not Lucifer's style. And even still, he'd chosen it for her.
"In my experience, these hole-in-the-wall type places have the best food," she reassured, taking his hand. She was ready to drag his dubious butt inside when all of a sudden, a handful of paparazzi surrounded them, cameras flashing in their faces as they loitered outside of the restaurant.
Holding a hand up to block her face from them, she looked at Lucifer confused, and wondered aloud, "What are paparazzi doing here?"
"Oh, I tipped them off," he said, turning to her casually. "I wanted to make sure Jed saw what we were up to. He'll want you back in no time, Detective," he said confidently. He smiled at her, though it didn't quite reach his eyes. "Especially when he sees you in this dress."
And finally it hit her. She understood.
The hot and cold; the way he'd run on Thursday.
He thought she still wanted Jed.
And why wouldn't he? That was the whole reason for their charade. As long as they were still pretending to be together, of course he would think everything between them was all just an act to make Jed jealous. How could she not have realized that? She'd been so caught up in trying to win him over, trying to show him how much she cared for him and how great they could be together, that she'd completely neglected to look at the situation from his perspective. Her plan had worked; he'd developed feelings for her. But he had no idea that those feelings were reciprocated; the whole time he thought she'd just been faking it.
What a complete and total mess. And she'd been blaming him the past two days for freaking out on her—for running—when really it was she who had fucked everything up.
Fuck.
"How about a kiss?" one of the paparazzi suggested.
Her eyes hadn't left him, and she saw the way he stiffened in front of her, saw the pained look in his eyes as they flicked down to her lips. Her heart hammered painfully in her chest, and she felt tears sting the corners of her eyes as she realized just how much her ruse had hurt him.
"Lucifer," she whispered, and she lifted her hand to his cheek. His eyes closed at her tender touch, and he pressed his face more fully into her palm.
Rising up onto her toes, she kissed him softly, keeping her eyes open for a moment to watch his reaction. He responded after only a second, and she sighed in relief, her eyes closing as she soaked in the feeling of his lips against hers. He felt perfect, like they had been made for each other.
His hands easily found her waist, anchoring her to him, keeping her steady on her toes. She tried to express the truth of her feelings for him in the kiss by keeping it slow and tender. Humming softly against his lips, she let her tongue dip inside his mouth to taste him as her hands slid around to hold the nape of his neck. As she scraped her nails so softly through the short hairs there, his hands tightened around her waist, pulling her closer to him, and it felt so good to be in his arms again.
For Lucifer, it was a new kind of sweet torture to kiss Chloe like that knowing that it wasn't real, knowing that it meant nothing to her. Why did that bother him so much? His trysts had always been meaningless. He tried to shake it off, but he knew it was because he'd never cared about those other people the way he cared for her. When it came to her, meaningless wasn't good enough. He wanted more.
He gently stepped back when kissing her became too much. He couldn't look at her, couldn't see the lies and the deception in her eyes. It reminded him of just how much he despised lying. And Chloe was an amazing actress; he'd known that already, but perhaps her best performance had been the one she'd just given to the paparazzi as she kissed him like he truly meant something to her.
And maybe the saddest thing of all was that he wanted to dive right in again, real or fake, just to savor her while he could. He thought he could suffer through a thousand heartbreaks if it meant he could kiss her like that once more—after all, he was no stranger to pain and suffering.
Now that the show was over, some of the paparazzi began to disperse. Chloe watched Lucifer, and she could see the play of emotion in his eyes. She knew he was conflicted and confused; she could see that it hurt him to think that she wanted Jed. But what did that mean for them? Did it mean that he wanted to explore his feelings for her? That he wanted to give a relationship with her a try? Was he willing to be monogamous?
Inside Pete's Diner, a tired-looking server led them to an empty, beat-up booth. The server gave them a funny look as she eyed them up and down, likely not used to having clientele in such fancy attire grace their establishment.
Chloe ran her fingers over a snag in the vinyl upholstery of the bench she sat on where some of the cushioning inside had started to spill out. Lucifer eyed the place with distaste, but she thought that it had character and charm.
The server left them with their menus, and Chloe gazed across the table at him, amused by his obvious aversion to the place.
She folded her hands in her lap and said, "Thank you for bringing me here, Lucifer. I can't wait to try the best burger in San Francisco."
Her comment washed the doubt right off his face as he beamed at her.
They made small talk in between ordering and waiting for their food to arrive. Lucifer described the synopsis of La Traviata, explaining that the opera was in Italian so it would be easier for her to follow if she knew the plot ahead of time.
When their food arrived, Chloe tucked right in, nearly moaning around the mouthful of juicy beef and melty cheese. He watched her with distrust in his eyes, and then eyed his own burger suspiciously. Warily, he lifted the bun to inspect the meat and toppings underneath.
"It's good," Chloe promised, holding a hand up to her face to cover the fact that she was talking with her mouth full.
"Yes, well considering you've practically inhaled it, I was able to surmise as much. I'm just not sure that I trust the way it was prepared in the kitchen."
She narrowed her eyes at him, taking another big bite. He spent a few more minutes looking it over, before he was satisfied enough to take a dainty nibble. He chewed slowly, his lips curling up into a small smile.
"Mmmm," he hummed, giving her a look like they were in on some joke together.
"See? So good!" she gushed, and he nodded taking another bigger bite.
They ate mostly in silence, other than the small noises of appreciation they each made, which inevitably caused them to giggle at one another. Finally, Chloe pushed her plate away, leaving just a few fries behind.
"Chloe?" Lucifer asked tentatively, wiping at his lips with a napkin. "Did you mean it when you said I'd make a good boyfriend?"
Chloe exhaled shakily. "Lucifer, I think you'd make the best boyfriend," she said without an ounce of hesitation. "If that's what you want," she added, unable to keep from sounding hopeful.
"What makes you say that?" he asked, genuinely curious.
"What do you mean? Like, why do I think you'd be a good boyfriend?" she asked, taking a sip of her water.
He nodded, gazing at her with such an innocent curiosity.
"Well… you're so thoughtful, Lucifer. Just look all the things you've done for me since we've known each other. You planned this amazing date, you bought me flowers on multiple occasions, and you listen to me. You remembered my coffee order and my favorite dessert and you took the time to watch my films. You really know how to make a girl feel special. You took an interest in me, and you also shared things about yourself, which shows me that you're willing to open up and to allow yourself to be vulnerable with someone."
He warmed under her praise, and he couldn't help but feel hopeful in response to her words. She thought he'd be a good boyfriend; the best, were her exact words. He wondered what she'd list if the same question were asked about Jed, but he didn't want to hear her wax poetic about him, so he kept his mouth shut.
"Is that…" she swallowed, "something you want? A relationship?"
He held her gaze, his eyes soft and hurting. "Yes. I think I want that very much," he admitted softly, breaking eye contact to stare down at his empty plate.
And her heart stopped, because with his words, the final piece of their puzzle slotted into place. Of course there would always be that small niggling doubt in her mind that he didn't feel the same way, but after what he had just admitted, after the way he'd looked at her, she could hardly deny it. He had feelings for her, he was ready to explore a relationship with her, wanted to commit to her, and he thought that she didn't want those things with him.
She wanted to slide onto the bench next to him and tell him everything. She'd erase his doubt with a lingering kiss. She practically vibrated with the desire to do so, because she felt like it was truly the final hurdle to them being able to be together.
But this wasn't a conversation to have in a dingy diner over burgers and fries while paparazzi stole photos of them through the grimy store-front windows; this was a conversation she wanted to have with him in private, when they had no other impending obligations that might cut the conversation short.
Chloe spun in a slow circle in the lobby of the San Francisco Opera House.
Marble pillars lined the atrium leading to a concave ceiling decorated with a pattern of gold-painted flowers. The architecture made her feel as though she had traveled through time and had arrived in ancient Rome.
People milled about in fancy gowns, suits, and even tuxedos, hurriedly buying snacks or drinks before the show began.
"Would you like a glass of wine before we go in?" Lucifer asked, drawing her attention as his hand rested gently against the small of her back.
She smiled at him, feeling the excitement of the theater surge through her. She'd always loved the theater, but had never been to an opera before. Seeing a live performance was thrilling, and as an actress, she was especially excited to experience a new medium of story-telling. "Yes, please."
His hand fell away from her back as he moved to get in line at the bar, but she slipped her fingers through his and trailed after him. He shot her a surprised look, but then smiled as they waited in line together.
"Pinot Noir?" he suggested, his thumb running softly up and down the length of her index finger.
She hummed, her stomach tingling at the innocent, almost absent-minded caress.
Chloe watched as the bartender filled two small, plastic cups with the red liquid, and Lucifer handed one to her before taking the second for himself.
"Shall we go find our box?"
"Our box?" and her mouth dropped open in surprise.
"Do you really think I'd pay to sit crammed in between strangers like a sardine, Detective?" The look he gave her seemed to say, come on, now.
"Of course not," she said sarcastically. And really, she should have known he'd go all out; he was not the type of person to half-ass anything and he wasn't the type of person to settle for anything less than the absolute best.
He showed their tickets to an usher, who led them to their private box. When the door snicked shut behind them, Chloe looked at Lucifer with her mouth gaping.
"Wow," she breathed. They were in the highest box furthest from the stage, giving them a great view. She handed Lucifer her cup of wine and grabbed one of the four plush chairs, tugging it closer to the edge of the balcony. He chuckled as he watched her, bent at the waist in her flowing gown, manhandling the seat.
"I don't know if you're supposed to move those, darling," he tsked, but his tone was light and amused.
"What?" Her cheeks colored slightly from embarrassment, but she continued, "No, of course you are. They're not bolted down or anything."
He hummed and after passing the two cups of wine to Chloe, grabbed his own chair and pulled it next to hers.
Chloe sipped from her wine, her cheeks a lovely shade of pink from her lingering embarrassment and from the alcohol. Nudging her chair so that it was flush against Lucifer's, she leaned her head on his shoulder as the orchestra began the overture.
After the first two acts, the curtains lowered and the house lights came up for a fifteen minute intermission. Chloe stretched, having not moved from her spot resting against Lucifer's shoulder for the last hour and a half.
"What do you think so far?" Lucifer asked quietly.
"I love it," she said with a smile. "I'm glad you gave me a synopsis, though, or I'd be completely lost. But even though I don't understand what they're singing, I can hear the emotion in their voices and it's really beautiful."
"Yes," he agreed.
"So Violetta ended things with Alfredo and told him she loves the Baron now? She's lying though, right? She still loves Alfredo but is trying to protect his sister's reputation?"
"Exactly so," he confirmed, a proud smile on his face. She was just so clever. "Would you like another glass of wine before the last act, darling?"
"Mmm," Chloe nodded, rolling her neck so that it cracked. "I'll come with you; I want to stretch my legs."
They meandered back out to the upper lobby where there was a small bar. Lucifer ordered them a second drink while Chloe hung off to the side, admiring the beauty of the interior of the building. He returned to her a moment later, handing her the new glass of wine, and they leaned over the balcony, looking down at the people milling about below them.
Chloe took out her phone to take a picture of the pillars below. She wanted to get a photo with Lucifer to commemorate the date, but she felt too nervous to ask him. So instead she just snapped a few photos of the opera house.
"Excuse me," someone said from her left. The older woman touched her arm lightly. "Would you like me to take a picture of you two together?"
Chloe smiled, shooting Lucifer a hopeful look. Lucifer shrugged a little helplessly, and so Chloe turned back to the woman and nodded enthusiastically. "That would be so great! Thank you!" She opened the camera on her phone and then passed it to the woman before slotting herself against Lucifer's side.
She felt Lucifer's arm slide into place around her waist as her hand came up to rest in the center of his chest. The woman snapped a few shots and then handed the phone back to Chloe.
"You make the most beautiful couple," she complimented.
"Oh, thank you. That's so sweet," Chloe said, chancing a glance at Lucifer, who seemed pleased by the comment, a small grin blooming across his face.
The woman leaned closer to Chloe and whispered into her ear, "The way he looks at you, dear. Don't let this one get away."
"I don't intend to," Chloe stage-whispered back, hoping Lucifer had heard the whole exchange. She slid her eyes over to him to see that he was looking at her with a funny expression on his face.
"You ready to go back to our box?" she asked, holding her hand out to him. The easy way he took it made her warm all over. He trusted her and accepted her affectionate touches in a way she didn't think he did when it came to anyone else. And as much as she was enjoying the opera, she was eager to get back to LA so that she could tell him how she felt. Her stomach fluttered at the possibilities of how the night could end, a mental image of Lucifer hovering naked above her, thrusting into her, flashed through her mind and made her stomach knot as hot arousal pooled between her thighs.
Once they'd settled back into their chairs, Chloe scrolled through the pictures the woman had taken of them on her phone. For most of the images, they were both smiling at the camera, Lucifer's smile small and unsure, while Chloe's was much wider. It was the first few, though, that really grabbed her attention. The woman had snapped a few before they'd posed, and she could see exactly what the woman had meant when she talked about the way Lucifer looked at her. She must have just settled against his side, because his arm wasn't yet around her waist, and he was looking down at her with a pleased sort of amazement, his eyes were soft and his lips were turned up in a tiny but genuine smile. Her smile.
"What?" he asked, noticing the way she smiled as she looked down at her phone.
"Just this picture that woman took of us," she explained, not sure what he'd think about it if she showed him.
"Might I see it?" he asked hesitantly, and so she passed him the phone. "Oh," he said softly, and a slight blush colored his cheeks. He felt like the image exposed him, exposed his feelings; it made him feel raw and on display. "You like this?" he asked uncertainly.
She bit her lip and smiled at him as she nodded. "I love it."
He cleared his throat and then swallowed, handing her phone back to her. "It is a nice photo," he admitted as the lights dimmed and the curtain was raised. Chloe's head found Lucifer's arm again and she nuzzled her cheek against it, feeling warm in the pit of her stomach at his words.
The final act of La Traviata lasted thirty minutes, and it was devastating. Yes, the opera was in Italian, but the story had been clear. It was a story of love lost; of wasted time, and it hit close to home. It only reinforced her need to tell Lucifer how she felt.
He stood next to her, giving the cast a standing ovation as they lined the stage, and she noticed that his eyes also seemed shiny as they reflected the dim theater lights. She joined him, sending him a smile through her own tears to convey how much she had loved it as she clapped hard for the performance.
As they slipped out of their box and into the departing crowd, Lucifer pulled out his phone. "I'm just going to call the pilot and see if he's ready for us," he explained, moving to a corner so that he wouldn't be in the way as people made their way out of the theater.
"Okay," Chloe said, reaching out to squeeze his arm. "I'm going to run to the restroom."
When she returned moments later, Lucifer said, "Darling, I'm afraid I've got some bad news."
"What's wrong?" she asked, feeling her stomach coil at his nervousness.
"It seems there's a problem with a rotor and they need to order a new part for the helicopter. They said the earliest they could get a replacement was the morning. It seems we're stuck here overnight."
"Oh."
"I could try to call around, see if anyone else would be willing to fly us back, but I'm not sure given the short notice and the late hour."
"No, don't worry about it, Lucifer. It's not a problem at all," she said, feeling relieved that it wasn't something more serious. "We can get a hotel room. It'll be fun," she said, bumping her shoulder to his and raising a brow in an attempt at flirtation.
He tilted his head at her, looking at her with a mix of confusion and intrigue. It was like he wasn't sure if she had been flirting with him or not, and she knew her face was turning red because she was such an awkward flirt.
Clearing her throat, she changed the subject and said, "We should run to Walmart or something and get some necessities, like PJs and toothbrushes and toothpaste."
His eyes narrowed suggestively. "But are PJs truly a necessity, Detective?" and it was the first suggestive comment he'd made to her all evening and it made her heart soar. Maybe he was testing the waters, trying to gauge if she really had been flirting with him before.
She laughed, probably harder than the joke deserved, simply because he'd made it and because she felt light and happy and excited that they'd be spending the night together in a hotel in a city other than LA.
They found a twenty-four hour Walmart and Chloe picked out the cheesiest souvenir t-shirt she could find—it was lavender and had 'San Francisco' scribbled across the front in a cursive script on top of a smattering of pink, purple, and white flowers—and a pair of gray cotton shorts.
She found Lucifer one aisle over, holding a pair of gray sweatpants. "Sweats," he said holding them up. "Now I'll have my own pair."
And unsurprisingly, she couldn't wait to see him in them again.
"Pick out a cheesy 'San Francisco' souvenir shirt to go with them like I did," she suggested.
"Alright," he agreed easily. He never had been able to resist her.
He sifted through the rack of t-shirts, grumbling softly to himself. "I don't like any of these."
"That's the point," Chloe said with a laugh. "They're cheesy."
"I think you mean ugly," he corrected, and then threw his hands up in the air, exasperated. "Why don't you select one for me?"
"How about this one?" she said, immediately holding one up. It was white with an orange Golden Gate Bridge on the front and 'San Francisco CA' printed in big black block letters underneath.
He frowned, his lips turning up at the corners in distaste. "Well, if that's the one you desire..."
She giggled. "It really is."
He took it from her and placed it on top of the sweats. "What else do we need?"
After they'd gathered the necessities, Chloe's eyes were drawn to the grocery section. "Ice cream?" she asked with a hopeful smile. "We should splurge since we're on an impromptu overnight trip! And I feel like I need some comfort food after the emotional rollercoaster of La Traviata."
"Of course, Detective," Lucifer said, ushering her over and opening the freezer door for her. "Choose whichever flavor you like, darling."
Chloe smiled at him as her stomach flipped, and she paused for a moment like that, just smiling dumbly at him as she thought about how sweet he was. After shifting her items into the crook of one arm, she reached in to grab a pint of Cookies n' Crème.
They got in line to check out, not even really noticing the curious looks they were receiving because of their fancy attire.
"Oh!" Chloe exclaimed, her attention drawn to a metal picture frame embossed with an image of the Golden Gate Bridge in the bottom left corner and the words 'San Francisco' across the top. She grabbed it, adding it to their pile. "I want to put that picture of us from the opera in it," she explained.
"You do?" he asked, his brow furrowed adorably over the bridge of his nose as he tried to figure her out.
She chewed on her lip as she nodded at him. Soon, she'd kiss the confusion from his brow and reassure him that everything between them was real.
Chloe trailed behind Lucifer as they made their way through the lobby of the Palace Hotel, slowing to take everything in. He hadn't even batted an eye at the lavishness of the crystal chandeliers that hung from the ceiling or the way the whole room looked as though it had been dipped in liquid gold.
Even though she was an actress, she'd only recently begun getting cast in the well-paying blockbuster type films. She'd always lived a fairly unextravagant lifestyle. She had always been much more practical than frivolous.
Her eyes lingered on the marble pillars that lined the lobby as Lucifer dragged her to the front desk.
"Hello," she heard him say to the attendant in that characteristic way of his. The way that had people drooling all over him, but that didn't work on her. "Two of your finest rooms, please—just for the night."
"What?" Chloe interrupted, finally drawing her attention away from the opulence. "No, just one room," she told the clerk and then turned to Lucifer and said, "There's no need to spend so much money on two rooms, Lucifer. We can share."
The clerk's eyes flitted between the two of them.
"Alright then," Lucifer said, his heart being tugged in so many different directions. Of course he wanted to spend more time with her, but he knew it would only make letting her go all the more difficult. "One room, but make it a suite."
"Lucifer," Chloe whined. They'd only be in this room for a few hours anyway and most of that time would be spent sleeping...or doing other activities if their conversation went well. Either way, all they really needed was a bed.
"We're splurging, Detective, remember?" Lucifer sing-songed, and Chloe's eyes flickered down to the plastic bag she held with her ice cream inside.
"Oh. Alright," she agreed, and she couldn't argue. It had been her idea to splurge on their impromptu getaway, and it was his money to spend however he saw fit, really.
And once they entered their room, she didn't really want to argue about it. Because the room was gorgeous and while the practical side of Chloe knew it was unnecessary, a part of her couldn't help but feel giddy and excited by it. She felt like a child again as she tore through the suite, gushing over the fanciness in every room.
There was a small living area with a sofa and a coffee table, the bedroom with a king sized bed, and an enormous bathroom. The large marble shower looked particularly inviting after the long evening they'd had. Chloe found the mini fridge in the living area and shoved the ice cream carton in the small freezer section, and then rejoined Lucifer in the bedroom.
She fell backwards onto the soft bed, her dress billowing around her in waves, and she nearly squealed with excitement. "This place is amazing!"
Lucifer scuffed his shoe as he twisted a cufflink. "I had hoped the suite would have two queen beds. I can run down to see if they have something else...or I can just sleep on the sofa."
Chloe pushed herself up onto her elbows, the smile falling a little from her face. "Lucifer, this bed is huge. We can share."
He looked at her; she had no idea how torturous it would be for him to sleep next to her while feeling so much for her and not being able to do anything about it. No doubt she'd want to cuddle with him, the touchy-feely creature that she was. He sighed, resigning himself to a long night.
"Actually, there's something I want to talk to you about," she broached softly.
"Oh?" he asked nervously, even though he tried to seem unaffected. She was getting better at reading him, though.
"Yeah," she whispered with a nod, her teeth sinking into her lower lip as she played with her fingers. "But I want to shower first and change into my PJs. That shower looks amazing…did you see it?"
He shook his head. "I'll hop in when you're finished."
"Okay," she said, climbing off the bed. She pressed her fingers to his forearm as she passed him. "I won't be long."
When Chloe emerged from the bathroom twenty minutes later, she donned her new gray cotton shorts and purple t-shirt. Her face had been washed clean of make-up, and she was drying her hair with a towel.
"It's all yours," she said finding him stretched out on the bed playing on his phone. He looked at her, eyes immediately taking her in, lingering for just a moment too long on her chest, where it was obvious she wasn't wearing a bra.
"Right. I'll be quick and then we can talk. You must be tired," he said, climbing gracefully off the bed.
"Take your time. The shower is heavenly."
He frowned at her choice of words, but didn't say anything.
He was quick like he promised, and her eyes swept over the way the gray sweats hung low on his hips and the way the cheesy 'San Francisco' souvenir t-shirt stretched across his broad chest. His hair was wet and curling, the way it did when it was unstyled, which she'd only seen a few times in the mornings after sleeping over. She bet the locks were so soft when they were free from his styling gel.
"I think I know what you're going to say," he said softly, tentatively approaching her. "And I'm sorry, Detective. For kissing you at the beach. It wasn't professional or appropriate and it won't happen again."
"Lucifer," she whispered, hopping off the bed to approach him. Her heart thudded messily in her chest, the desire to reassure him so strong now that they were finally alone. She wondered briefly how he'd take it. Would he be happy? Would he freak out again?
Her hands found his waist as she stepped into his space, and she ran her palms up and down his sides, feeling the soft cotton of his t-shirt. She heard the way he inhaled in surprise at her sudden proximity, and she tipped her head back to look up at him as she bunched the fabric of his shirt between her fingers.
"I wanted you to kiss me at the beach, Lucifer," she whispered, lifting herself onto her toes, clinging to his waist to keep her balance. Her eyes darted from his expressive chocolate orbs to his soft lips and back again. "I wanted to kiss you all day," she added, rubbing her nose gently against his. "I want to kiss you right now."
She felt his shaky breath against her lips, felt the way his hands came up to hold her face as she tugged his body closer to hers. Her eyelids fluttered shut as she pressed her lips hesitantly to his. The kiss was chaste and gentle; a soft, overdue confession.
"Chloe?" he murmured softly in question, as she pulled away. She had more to say; more he needed to hear before the air would be fully clear between them.
"This whole time," she began, keeping her arms around him. "Well, ever since the LAPD gala…I've been trying to win you over. Trying to show you how great being in a relationship could be so that maybe you'd consider giving it a shot. With me." She'd kept her eyes glued to his, but with the last piece of her confession, she averted them nervously, bringing a hand up to his shoulder to pluck at non-existent dust. "I was never faking it with you, Lucifer. It was all real."
"It was?" he asked, awe in his voice. His thumb ran softly back and forth over the small beauty mark beneath her right eye.
She nodded, her eyes finding his again at the hopeful tone of his voice.
"I was doing the same thing," he admitted through a small chuckle. "Trying to prove to you that I might be worthy of your affections. Hoping that maybe you'd choose me instead of Jed." He couldn't look her in the eye as he said it, afraid of her reaction.
"I do choose you, Lucifer," she said, softly but emphatically, and the hand at his shoulder traveled to his cheek to turn his face back to hers so that she could look into his eyes. "I think my heart chose you that first night we spent together at Lux."
Heat flared through him at her words. Gently, he tugged her face back to his, crushing his mouth to hers. She moaned at the wild way he kissed her, desperate and passionate, and she tightened her arm around his waist, pressing her body into his.
He slipped his tongue into the warm, wet heat of her mouth; she tasted of mint toothpaste, fresh and clean and sweet, and he could not get enough of her. He didn't fully understand how she had ensnared him so completely, but he was hers.
Her fingers slipped under the hem of his t-shirt so that she could feel his heated skin; she traced the curve of his spine as he arched his body into hers. She sighed softly as he pressed a light kiss to her full bottom lip, and then gasped when he tugged it gently between his teeth.
Pulling his hips more fully against her, she moaned as she felt his arousal push into her stomach. "I want you, Lucifer," she said, her dark eyes meeting his as she purposefully swiveled her hips against him.
At her words, Lucifer slowed. His fingers combed through her still-damp locks, pulling them back and away from her face. He rested his forehead against hers as he caught his breath.
"Are you sure?" he whispered, still not fully convinced this wasn't all a dream. Had he fallen asleep when Chloe went to take a shower?
"So sure," she said softly, but without hesitation, her eyes locked with his. She brought her hands up to his face and scratched the stubble of his cheeks with the tips of her fingers as her eyes darted back down to his lips. She closed the distance between their mouths, pressing her lips to his and saying against them, "I want you."
He growled, and his hands gripped the backs of her thighs, lifting her. Her legs wrapped instinctively around his hips as he held her to him, hands roaming over her back and ass and thighs. Her fingers found his jawline and tipped his face up to hers so that she could plunge her tongue into his mouth, kissing him hungrily.
Her stomach swooped and dove as he carried to her the bed, while her heart soared. Everything finally felt right. She didn't know if it was possible to love someone after only knowing them for two weeks, but her heart had never felt this happy before. If it wasn't love yet, she knew she was well on her way.
He dropped her onto the bed, taking a second to simply gaze upon her, sprawled out before him, her cheeks flushed from want and desire. Desire for him.
"C'mere," she said, her voice so husky, and she reached her arms out to him.
He crawled over her, and she tugged his body down to hers, wrapping her arms and legs around him as she kissed him again and again. She moaned into his mouth, feeling him hard between her legs through too many layers of clothing. She moved her hips against him, almost desperately, searching for friction against her hot, aching center.
Lucifer slowed the kiss, chuckling softly in amusement. It felt as though it had been so long since he'd had someone writhing beneath him, and now that it was Chloe, he was torn between a desperation to have her immediately and the desire to take it slow and savor every moment.
He kissed her neck softly as he lifted his hips away from hers, making her whine from the loss of contact.
"Patience is a virtue, Detective," he tutted against her skin, nipping at her pulse point.
"I've been patient for weeks," she grumbled, her fingers tangling into his hair and pulling at the strands frustratedly.
He hummed against her skin; he could relate. Slipping his hands underneath the hem of her shirt, he caressed the soft skin of her belly, and looked at her with a raised eyebrow.
"Let's get you out of this cheesy ensemble, yes?" he asked just to be sure.
She nodded. "Yes. Please." And she released his hair to lift her arms over her head so that he could peel the fabric off her.
Flinging the shirt somewhere over his shoulder, he sat back on his heels and gazed down at her sprawled out amongst the pillows. Her chest heaved as she stared back at him through half-lidded eyes, her hair fanned out in a golden halo around her head. If anyone was worthy of the title of angel, it was her.
She bit her lip nervously as she watched his eyes devour her.
"Exquisite," he breathed, echoing his sentiments from the beach. His fingers traced a line from her collarbone, down her sternum, and over the swell of one of her breasts, circling a rosy nipple. It pebbled under his touch, and he bent over her to press a kiss to it.
"Lucifer," she gasped, her hands finding his head to hold him to her while she arched her back, pressing her chest more firmly against his mouth. He flicked the flat of his tongue over the hardened bud and then sucked it between his lips. She cried out, wriggling beneath him, surging her hips up to search for his. He released her breast with a soft chuckle, loving how responsive she was to his touch, and trailed a path of open-mouthed kisses across her chest and down her tummy.
His fingers slipped underneath the waistband of her cotton shorts, and again, he paused to look up at her. She nodded, her eyes dark and heavy as she watched him, her tongue flicking out to wet her lips as she lifted her hips to help him pull her shorts and panties off in one fluid movement.
The lips between her thighs glistened with her arousal, proof of his effect on her, and his hard cock twitched against his stomach at the sight of her naked and wanting before him.
He pressed a kiss to the sensitive skin below her bellybutton and then licked at the jut of her hipbone. She squirmed beneath him, and he knew he was teasing her mercilessly, but there was just so much he wanted to do to her.
Nuzzling his stubbly cheek against the smooth triangle of flesh at the juncture of her thighs, he inhaled her scent.
"Lucifer, please," she gasped, wiggling her hips beneath him to try to urge his face to where she wanted him most. He hummed against her, the vibration pleasant but not enough.
He nipped lightly at the sensitive skin of her inner thighs. "Shall I see if you taste as exquisite as you look?" he murmured against her, his voice deep and scratchy.
She whimpered.
He licked the length of her slit, and she moaned wantonly, her fingers tightening in his hair to keep him firmly in place against her. She tasted incredible, and he watched her as he lapped at her pussy, saw the way her back arched off the bed, the way she pushed her hips into his face, the way her pretty mouth parted as she panted his name.
He let his hand trail the smooth skin of her thigh, feeling her muscles tighten as she pressed her heels into the bed. He slipped his fingers underneath the crease of her knee, finding that spot he'd stumbled upon at the beach, and she bucked up into him.
"Lucifer," she gasped between giggles, and he chuckled into her slick flesh, the sound reverberating through her, straight to her clit.
His playfulness made her heart swell, and suddenly she needed to feel his lips on hers, needed to feel his body pressing hers into the mattress as he thrust deeply inside her.
Tugging at his hair, she said, "Lucifer, get up here."
He ignored her, swirling his tongue at her entrance.
"Lucifer," she pleaded.
He lifted his head, replacing his mouth with his fingers, rubbing circles into her clit with his thumb. "But you haven't come yet," he protested.
It was rare that a lover made her come this way; usually oral sex was a quick stop on the way to the main event, her lovers always eager to fulfill their own pleasure. She should have known it would be different with Lucifer.
He redoubled his efforts, slipping a finger inside her, quickly finding that patch of spongey flesh as he sucked hard on her clit, pushing her over the edge and licking her softly through her orgasm.
He moved up her body, kissing her sweaty skin as he went, and she chuckled lazily, giddy, against his mouth as he pressed his lips to hers.
"Mmmm," she hummed into the kiss, wholly high and satiated. He licked into her mouth expertly as his erection rested against her hip.
Quickly, she tugged his shirt up and over his head, then reached down to slide his sweats over his hips. She used the heels of her feet to push them the rest of the way down, and Lucifer grinned at her as he kicked them from his ankles.
Surging up, Chloe kissed Lucifer, sinking her tongue into his mouth to tangle with his, her hand wrapping around the nape of his neck. She urged him backwards until he sat back on his knees, and she broke the kiss, grinning impishly at him. She ran her hands up and down his chest, ducking her head down to flick her tongue over one of his nipples.
His hands anchored her back, helping her balance as she knelt before him. She continued her downward path, bracing herself with one hand on his hip as her other wrapped around the base of his erection.
She pumped him with her hand a few times, feeling the heaviness of his arousal for her. He was long and hard and his skin was silky smooth.
Pressing the flat of her tongue against the underside of his cock, she licked up his hard shaft. He choked on a moan, and the noise made her smile against the head of his cock. His fingers wove into her hair as he watched her through hazy eyes.
She pressed a loving kiss to the tip, tasting the salty bead of fluid there, and for some reason, it was the sexiest thing he'd ever seen. His cock jerked in her hand, and so she did it again. Then, she took him into her mouth, bobbing her head along his length a few times, taking him in as deep as she could and swirling her tongue around the head of his cock with each upward stroke.
Her plush lips felt incredible wrapped around his throbbing member, but he understood immediately how Chloe felt before when he'd been going down on her. Because as amazing as her mouth felt around him, he just wanted to be inside her, to be one with her, to be joined to her in the most intimate of ways.
"Chloe," he moaned softly, tugging gently at her arms until she released him. She sat up on her knees so that she could look him at him curiously.
He gazed into her stormy blue eyes, the darkest blue he'd ever seen them, his fingers tracing patterns on her jawline. His heart stuttered erratically as he saw the feelings she had for him expressed in those orbs. He couldn't believe that this perfect human cared for him in this way. It was such an incredible feeling, and he brought her mouth to his so that he could kiss her deeply, hoping to convey through it how much he cared for her too.
He laid her back, kissing her neck and shoulder, murmuring her name against her skin. Her fingers brought his face to hers, their noses bumping softly together.
He lined himself up at her entrance, and her legs came up wrap around his hips, opening herself up to him and cradling him between her thighs.
"Lucifer," she gasped as he filled her, her neck arching against the pillow as she tipped her head back. He kissed her chin as he sank into her heat, feeling her all around him.
He waited a moment, giving her time to adjust to his size and basking in the way her warmth enveloped him. She shifted her hips against him, urging him to move as her eyes locked onto his. And he didn't want to look away, watching as her pleasure played out on her face as he pulled out and then thrust back into her over and over again.
Her hips met his thrust for thrust, and she moaned softly against his lips. Her fingers slipped into his hair and she scratched at his scalp as he set a slow, indulgent pace.
As he moved within her, all he could think was how incredible she felt, and how incredible he felt when he was with her. His body tingled in a way it never had before, his nerve endings shooting sparks of electricity to the very tips of his fingers and toes.
He had guessed it would feel different with her, because everything was different with her, but he never could have guessed just how amazing it would be. How much it would feel like home.
They came together as they breathed the same air, moaning sweetly against one another's lips, tangled up in each other.
Lucifer rolled to the side, but Chloe quickly drew him back to her, and he rested his head on her breast, listening to the sound of her racing heart as it slowly calmed.
She scraped her nails up and down his lower back, over the swell of his ass and down the valley of his spine, producing goosebumps across his sensitive skin.
He slid his arms underneath her body, holding her to him the way he would an oversized pillow. He nuzzled his cheek against her chest, scraping his sharp stubble against the smooth skin of the curve of her breast. The skin reddened, irritated by the scratchiness, and so he pressed a soft kiss to the spot, almost like an apology.
Chloe sighed beneath him. "I am starving," she said through a giddy little giggle, still high from the two orgasms he'd given her. "Ice cream?" she suggested, trailing her index finger up the length of his spine.
"In bed?" he murmured against her chest, feeling too comfortable to move or to let her up. He pressed another kiss to the soft skin beneath his lips.
"Why not?" she said through a laugh. "We are splurging, remember?" and she wiggled, trying to slide out of his hold, but he only tightened his arms around her.
"But I'm comfy, Detective," he whined.
She combed her fingers through his hair; she had been right, his natural curls were so soft. "I like it when you call me that," she admitted softly.
He blushed and tipped his head back to look at her. "You do?"
She smiled. "Yeah. It feels like our own little inside joke."
He hummed against her through a pleased little grin.
"Now let me up," she said, wiggling again. And the way she squirmed against him only served to excite him. "Ice cream," she whined, feeling him growing hard again against her hip. Her smirk turned devious. "To give us sustenance for round two?"
She felt his smile stretch across her skin, and he rolled off her without another compliant. "Whatever you desire, Detective."
She giggled and climbed off the bed. His eyes never left her as she moved about the room, finding her panties first and tugging them up and over her hips and then pulling her t-shirt over her head.
Lucifer pushed himself up, piling the pillows against the headboard to cushion his back and stretching his legs out under the sheets as he watched her flitter around the room.
When she returned, pint in hand, she crawled over him temptingly, and the smile she sent him over her shoulder was coy and playful. He smacked her ass lightly over the black lace of her panties, and she yelped through a giggle, curling into his side.
He slipped his arm around her waist, his fingers tracing the lace edge of the underwear. "How did I miss these?"
"You were pretty eager to get them off," she giggled.
He hummed, his blunt nails scratching over the lacy panties where they covered the tops of her cheeks.
She opened the pint, setting the lid upside down on the nightstand, and then passed Lucifer a plastic spoon.
They giggled over the melty ice cream, the hotel freezer not quite up to snuff, and Chloe made a joke about how she'd expected more from a Luxury hotel, and Lucifer could not remember a time he'd ever felt so happy; so full.
They fed each other spoonfuls, and licked sticky dribbles from chins and lips, until the half-eaten carton was set aside to further melt into a messy puddle of goo, forgotten as Chloe climbed over Lucifer for round two.
A/N: only two more chapters to go! :)