A loud banging woke everyone up fast and Roman sat bolt upright in bed. Caroline saw there was light out even with the window blinds closed. A quick look around and she could see that he was looking for Maddie and the little girl was not in bed with them anymore.

"Daddy!" came her high-pitched shriek from further away and before Caroline could even say a word Roman was up and out of bed and had swung the door to the bedroom open, already calling for his daughter and storming down the hall.

"Maddie! " He yelled and she called back. Caroline was out the door and down the hall after him as she heard more banging and then a door slam sounding like it was almost off its hinges.

She skidded into the kitchen entrance area to see Maddie backing away from the door and people coming in. The landlord for one and another tall blonde woman in a white coat that was looking like her arms were open and she was trying to corner Maddie by the dining table when Roman had stormed into the room.

The little girl ran back into his arms, and he scooped her up off her feet and cradled her tight against his body and was glaring pure fire at the woman standing in his apartment.

"What the hell are you doing here?" he spat at her and now looked like his balance was wavering some and Caroline raced forward and helped him slide down the wall in his dining room before he fell over. The adrenaline of racing to save Maddie and getting up so fast after being sick so long was catching up to him quickly.

Roman sunk down to the floor, still dressed in only his gym shorts after being so feverish before bed and was now clinging to his little girl and Maddie's arms were wrapped so tight around his neck too. He looked at the landlord next instead. "George, why the heck are you letting people into my apartment without my permission?"

George was short, balding and more than middle-aged and wore coveralls and had grease on him and gloves in his pocket that he took out and was wiping his forehead with right now as he tucked his big ring of keys back on his belt. He looked nervous and started apologizing. "Well, um I couldn't reach you and we tried calling a bunch of times."

Roman nodded him and interrupted him fast. "Well, I've had my phone on silent for a while. I honestly don't even know where it is right now. But that is no excuse to burst in like this and scare my daughter."

George was nodding in agreement back at him, looking like he hadn't wanted to do this at all. "Well, your wife thought something bad had happened to you when she couldn't reach you."

Roman laughed. "My wife?" He covered Maddie's ears with his hands and settled a glare on the woman now pacing his kitchen. "Like hell you were worried. You don't give a damn about me and haven't for fucking years Lana."

Caroline watched the scene, having no idea what to do to help. So, this was his ex?

He looked back at the landlord. "Just get her the hell out of here and I'll forget about it." George nodded and was starting to escort her out.

"No one is going anywhere. Except you. You did your part. You can go," a voice said before a man stepped out from behind the doorway and nodded for the landlord to leave. He even pulled out a roll of bills and handed it to him and nodded again.

The dark-skinned man was dressed in a suit, but so overly muscular the buttons looked ready to pop. He had a shaved head and wore sunglasses he now slipped off and folded up and had shiny shoes that clicked when he walked.

Roman's ex looked equally put together for bright and early on a Monday morning with perfectly placed curled blonde hair, sharp green eyes, she had pin stripe skirt on under her white coat, high heeled boots and a white blouse half unbuttoned it looked like, showing off way too much to anyone that didn't want to see too.

George looked back at Roman and then down at the money in his hand. "Sorry Mr. Reigns. Money talks."

Roman rolled his eyes and watched him go and the other man closed the door. "Clearly," he mumbled under his breath, still laying against the wall. He motioned to Caroline to come closer, and she leaned in more beside him.

"Care, take Maddie to my room. She does not need to hear this. She's been through enough," Roman pleaded with her.

But Maddie was already shaking her head against his neck. "No Daddy. Not again. I don't want you to face Mommy alone, ever again."

Oh God, the trauma this sweet girl must have faced Caroline had no idea. Those little arms did not let go of him as he still sat leaning on the wall and she saw Roman lift his head and glare at the woman. This was her mom?

Roman cuddled his little girl closer, kissing her cheek. He pulled the hood of her unicorn onesie up over her head and her blankie all the way up over her back and over her head, hiding her as much as he could from the two people staring him down.

"You hear that, Lana? That's the fear you put into her. That damn fear I have been trying to undo for the last 2 years since we left. She wakes up every damn night thinking she will hear you screaming at me again. And Maddie heard you that night, the night I packed us up and left. She heard you say that you didn't want to be a mother anymore. What does a 4-year-old do with that kind of rejection?"

The shocked gasp from the woman's lips was as fake as her chest, straining on the buttons of her blouse, Caroline could tell.

Roman scoffed at her. "You don't believe me? Wow why am I not surprised?" He practically snarled as he spoke and rocked Maddie in his arms under the blanket. "I found her under her bed that night, after you freaked out that everything in your perfect life wasn't good enough. That no matter how well I provided for you being a mechanic and helping my cousins own the shop just wasn't enough for you. That apparently loving you and being faithful to you with my whole heart wasn't enough for you and being a mom to the most amazing little girl and the greatest gift you had ever given me wasn't fucking enough for you."

The woman was pacing this whole time and looking angrier the longer Roman talked. It looked like she wanted to interrupt a couple times but the other guy there had given her a look a few times and shaken his head to stay quiet.

"Roman, I never," Lana started to say.

"You meant every damn word and you know it," he hissed at her. "And that brings us to your boy toy that you have the gall to dare bring into MY house that MY daughter feels safe in with me."

He settled his glare on the man now and nodded at him. "Feel good? Knowing just because YOU didn't want kids this woman you claim is SO amazing. Oh yeah and Lana told me you guys were SO in love, but she was willing to just rip apart a child's heart...just for you? What the hell makes you so special Bart?" Roman snapped at him.

The man bristled visibly. "It's Bobby, Reigns and it's not my fault you couldn't keep your wife satisfied."

Roman was shaking his head at him. "Oh, I don't give a damn about me Bert. I care about this little girl that is literally shaking in my arms right now cause of a couple selfish adults that are acting like children. The child in this, is more grown up than either of you that think they actually know what love even means!"

Caroline saw Lana looking around while Roman and her boyfriend or lover or whoever the heck that idiot was were arguing, like she was planning her next wave to attack him with.

Damn it, he did not need any of this. Why the hell were they even here?

Sure enough, the woman spoke up next. "Well Roman I don't how she feels safe here. This place is a disaster. It looks like you have no idea how to take care of her like I did."

Oh shit.

Caroline swallowed hard and was already gripping Roman's arm as she felt his bicep muscle literally freeze. She was still sitting beside him against the wall and felt his one hand scrambling to find hers and lace their fingers together as she saw him clench his teeth and take a deep breath.

Roman's brown eyes burned like the embers after the hottest fire at her. "Lana, I don't even need to dignify that with any kind of reply. The words pouring in my head to spew at you. You aren't even worth it. Half of Maddie's class was sick with the flu before Thanksgiving. Mom couldn't help because of cous' new baby and there was no way I was risking anything there. So, we have just been taking care of each other, till Maddie got our neighbor here to help. You caught us on our worst day here. But why the hell am I telling you any of that? You never hear me anyway."

Lana looked Caroline up and down now still sitting against the wall by his side. She was still only wearing his thin white undershirt and black boxers. Instantly she felt self-conscious knowing the undershirt without even a bra on was plenty revealing in the bright kitchen light to all the people here. She didn't want to make anything worse for Roman than it clearly already was.

"Your neighbor? Dressed like that, in your clothes? Some example you are setting for our daughter." Lana swung a barb right back at him and smirked like she thought she actually won their little fight.

Roman slammed his hand on floor and gently passed Maddie to Caroline and to her surprise she allowed herself to be moved. He turned to Caroline who was already mouthing to him that she was sorry, and he mouthed back that it was okay, and he ran his palm down her cheek softly.

He pulled the blanket higher over Maddie's head. "Cover her ears Care, please, for me." Caroline nodded and felt Maddie hold tight to her neck almost like she could sense that her daddy was even more upset. But she had let her be moved off his lap and Roman stood up.

Carefully and slowly, he walked forward and held onto the chair in front of him, his knuckles white in his grip. He pulled on a hoodie that was draped on the chair but didn't zip it up.

Her heart was in her throat not knowing what he was going to say as she covered Maddie's ears but could see him almost shaking with rage as he stood there. Lana even actually looked like she knew she crossed the line with her last remark and opened her mouth to say something but Roman stopped her cold.

"How dare you talk of examples when you are the one that cheated on me? You brought that piece of shit into our lives because you were bored. Finding him in MY bed when Mads and I came back from the zoo that day and she almost fucking saw you like that! Her own mother...that she looked up to more than anyone!

You lied and told us you were sick and that was why you didn't want to go with us. So, she picked out the stuffed polar bear just for mommy so mommy would get better quickly, and I told her to run up and give it to you in our room."

Roman slammed the chair against the table, his glare darting back and forth between his ex and her lover as he talked, and Caroline kept her hands over his little girl's ears and rocked her in her arms.

"Yeah, you probably didn't know any of that either, but it was only because I saw fuckheads briefcase by the door, that I called out for Maddie to come back down, and I stopped her from more traumatic memories. I got her buckled back up in the car and went back in and saw you and heard you with him in MY bed Lan and I wanted to throw him through the fucking window onto the street! But I didn't and instead I took MY daughter out for ice cream. By the time we were back, he was gone, and you had no idea we had gotten back earlier.

Then that night after you tucked her in, you acted like nothing in the damn world was wrong. You were feeling better you said. You just needed a nap and time to yourself. I realized I didn't know you at all and that you could lie right to my face and act like that. I confronted you and all I wanted to know was why."

Lana looked shocked by everything he was saying. Maybe she was hearing that all for the first time. Caroline knew Roman had a complicated past that he hadn't shared with her yet, but she had no idea how messy it really was.

Roman cleared his throat and dropped his head and looked like he was breathing heavily before he lifted it again and leveled his gaze back at his ex. "So, you can say whatever you want about Caroline being here, and yes she is wearing my clothes and had been sleeping in my bed and we have been dating and she is not just the neighbor. She's taken better care of me in one night here than you have our whole damn marriage! So, tell me what the hell you want and why you are here, because I just want you and your mid-life crisis out of my house!"

Lana held her hands up and backed up. "Fine Roman fine. I want a divorce, so we, " she indicated of Bobby, "Can get married next weekend in Hawaii. His parents are paying for the whole thing, and they are so excited for us and invited the whole family and all we need is your signature..."

Caroline watched Roman waver as he stood still leaning on the chair with both hands, but he still stayed standing. She couldn't help but wonder if he was trying to just look strong when he might collapse at any moment. But right then Maddie was holding tight to her and even if she wanted to, she would not be able to stop him from falling fast enough and needed to trust that he would be okay.

Roman was fuming and clenching the chair tight. "You come bursting in MY house and traumatize MY daughter again after she is still not over the last nightmare you put us both through when you rejected us for nothing more than being too perfect and you just wanted a rush and excitement and danger."

He slammed the chair against the table again and growled at her. "Was it a rush to storm in here and scare her now? And I find out you actually want something from me?!"

Roman laughed and sat down and put his head down in his hands. "You really have a fucked-up way to ask for something."

Caroline watched the two strangers look back and forth at each other as they saw Roman's head down and they both looked stunned and stepped back from the table and were whispering and nodding.

Bobby opened his briefcase and passed pieces of paper to Roman's ex, and she slid them across the table towards him. He lifted his head and looked at her. "I'm not signing shit," he snapped at her. "Kiss Aloha goodbye. Consider it your karma."

"Just look at it Roman please," Lana said, actually sounding sorry or remorseful even. She sounded strange and Caroline had never met her before today.

She pushed the papers toward him again from across the table and he looked like he squinted slightly before his eyes widened. "Lana, what is this?" He grabbed the papers and looked to be studying them more closely.

"Parental rights Roman. It's the documents you begged me for 2 years ago. Full rights, parental rights all signed over to you. I have no rights to her nothing. It's all here in black and white, just like you wanted."

Roman gasped. "Oh my God." He dropped his head to the table on top of the papers and Caroline saw his shoulders shaking.

She pulled herself up from where she and Maddie were still leaning on the wall by the hallway and carried the little girl to the table and sat down beside him. He lifted his head from his arms as Caroline reached for him and rubbed her hand down his arm and she saw tears in his eyes and in seconds he had wrapped his arms around her, with Maddie between them.

He wiped his eyes and face as if realizing crying right now with people he didn't trust in his apartment was not a good idea. Sniffling he had pulled Caroline to his chest, and she held on tight to his side under the hoodie and rubbing up and down on his bare back, while still holding Maddie with her other arm.

It was if that little girl knew what her dad needed and seeing him crying almost silently, she climbed back in Roman's lap on the chair. Her little arms were rubbing up and down on his back and she had wrapped her blankie around him now and Caroline helped Maddie pull the sparkly blankie over Roman's shaking shoulders on top of the hoodie. She had never seen a bond that precious and felt tears at her lashes too watching them.

Caroline reached out and tangled her fingers in his hair, offering him her own comfort as she saw him looking so raw and vulnerable and he turned his head to her and smiled weakly looking so grateful for the support. She was sitting halfway sideways beside him as Maddie had climbed into his arms and he just sunk back against her, his head falling to her shoulder, and she wrapped her arms around him in case he was feeling faint from everything.

She saw his eyes fall closed as he had his head down against her and she stroked his hair back from his face before looking back at his ex. Lana was watching them, sitting down across the table, and Caroline just stared back at her. "What?" she snapped at her, and Lana looked startled like she might not have even realized she was staring.

From everything she already heard, Caroline was pissed as hell at the woman and how she treated this precious man and his little girl. She cradled Roman's head more and kissed his cheek and his forehead, and saw him move toward her lips on him, his eyes fluttering closed at her touch. She felt the lightest caress of his hand under the table at her waist too from his hand not holding onto Maddie in his arms.

"You had him and you fucked it up bitch," Caroline hissed at Lana. "I would never do that! I would never treat anyone like you did. He loved you. He gave you everything and you pissed it away!"

Lana looked shocked and Caroline saw Roman's eyes open slowly and a grin spread across his lips. He looked proud of her.

"Are you going to let her talk to me like that?" his ex spat out and actually looked pleadingly into his eyes.

Roman smiled more. "Oh hell yes I am. You want a hero, go find Barf over there?" I'm not saving you from anything."

Lana stood up fast from the table in a huff, slamming the chair against it and moved back to pull Bobby to the corner and Caroline could hear their hushed arguing and Lana sounding very upset. Her voice even in whispers was like nails on a chalkboard.

Bending down toward Roman Caroline nuzzled his head and kissed his cheek again. "Goodness baby, she sounds like she could break windows."

Roman half laughed under his breath and stayed leaned on her shoulder and his hand was rubbing circles on her side under the table more, pulling her closer even still on the chair beside him. "Thank you for being here. God, I need your strength right now. I was not prepared for this kind of confrontation at all. I just want you and my bed and for them to freaking leave...But full rights. Care I have been dreaming of that for years already and to have Maddie safe with me without any fear of ever losing her. That feels too good to be true."

Caroline nodded to him. "I'm here Roman, whatever you need. Maddie and I are right here for you." And she ran her hand down the little girls back as she was holding tight to her dad's neck too.

Roman took a deep breath and looked back up across the room, holding the papers tight in his hand and waving them at his ex and her lover. "Is this for real? How the heck do I know it is real?"

The man Bobby cleared his throat and swallowed thickly seemingly ignoring Roman's insults to him too and moved closer despite more glares from the young dad. "Um yes it's been through the courts stamped and sealed right here. Lana signed everything that needed to be sighed." He pointed it all out. "Lawyers can verify it if you want."

Lana had been quiet and slipped back closer and sat back down looking actually sorry, and she looked up at him now. It almost looked like she wanted to reach out to her daughter again as she was buried in her dad's arms, but she stayed back. "You wanted her free of me and safe with you and only you Roman. She is far better off with you. I know that and I'm sorry I hurt both of you.

Roman looked back at her and then closed his eyes and sighed hugging Maddie tighter. "I don't know if I will ever believe anything you say. But you are giving me what I want most in the world...I can give you what you want too."

Caroline watched the couple look at each other and then back at Roman in complete shock and not sure what he meant before he motioned with his hand. "Give me the divorce papers Lana."

Total surprise was all over both their faces as Bobby fumbled in his briefcase for the papers and laid them on the table and got a pen out to lay on top. He pointed to the places to sign and initial and Roman had gone through all the papers in a few minutes and folded them back up and handed them back to him.

The couple looked shocked, excited, grateful, confused and just a whole ball of emotions all rolled into one as they actually both thanked Roman and smiled. He was polite back as he nodded and walked them to the door, with Maddie still in his arms and closed the door behind them.

He pulled the chain part of the lock closed and locked the dead bolt too and Caroline wasn't really sure what she was seeing but saw the absolute relief on his face before he collapsed into a chair at the table back in the kitchen.

Taking a look up on his shoulder they both saw that Maddie was yawning, her arms hanging more loosely down on his back.

"Is it over Daddy?" Maddie asked, her eyes half open, and her one hand up to stroke his face.

Roman sighed and nodded to her, dropping his head to hers. "Yes, Sweet Girl, you are all mine. We are all safe and sound. No one will ever try to take you away from me." And he hugged her tight and she smiled and nuzzled her nose against his hair.

"Are you safe too Daddy? I didn't want to leave you alone," Maddie mumbled and Roman looked like he nearly choked with emotion and held her closer. Caroline could see tears in his eyes now too. The tears he had fought back before when his ex was still here earlier.

"Yes Princess," Roman smiled through tears slipping down his cheeks. "Yes, Daddy is safe. It breaks my heart that you worry about me that way sweetie but yes, we are both okay I promise you. Believe that."

Caroline saw Roman looking up at her too and he looked so vulnerable and so raw right then. Just the depth and beauty between him and his daughter and the love she saw them have for each other made her wish that she could only dream to be a mom and have a child look at her like that someday.

It was shocking to think that little girl's mom pushed her away to be with a man, for a rush. And that she pushed THIS amazing man away too. She just could not wrap her head around it.

"Can I go back to sleep longer Daddy please? I am still so tired..." Maddie yawned again.

Roman sniffled and wiped his face and smiled, kissing her head. "Sure baby, let's get you tucked back in." He stood up and walked with Caroline's help holding onto his arm, slowly down the hall.

Maddie stopped him before they got his room. "I want to try my room again to sleep and be brave. I can do it. I know I can."

So instead of bringing her to his room he turned and pushed open her door and moved to lay the little girl down in her own bed and pulled the striped pink and purple blanket up over her and tucked her sparkly blanket up to her chin.

Roman kissed her head, turned on her unicorn lamp and closed the door almost all the way and let her sleep. It was likely only mid-morning, and they could rest some more and have a bigger brunch when they woke up. That had been a hell of a morning and she had no doubt he was exhausted.

Arm in arm they made their way back to his bedroom and literally fell back down into the bed and Roman pulled Caroline in against his chest.

"Oh my goodness, I feel so good and yet so exhausted all at once. That felt like pure adrenaline and yet everything aches," he said holding her so close, rubbing his hands up and down on her arms she had wrapped around his waist under the hoodie. "Yet I feel so amazingly energized too because I have wanted full rights to protect her for SO long already that nothing feels real."

He lay there on his back and put his hand over his head and choked back another sob. "I'm almost scared to ask Care after everything you just saw...you just saw my past just played out for you so vividly."

Caroline had no idea what he was saying and saw him swallow a lump in his throat as his one arm still clung to her at his side, but it seemed like he was almost shaking. Oh no, was the fever or chills back?

She leaned up more over him and moved her hand over his face and it felt cool and not warm at all. "Roman, what's wrong? Why does it feel like you are shaking?" she asked him.

He shook his head and his brown eyes looked deeply back at her. "No, I don't feel sick. I feel scared kind of..."

"Scared?" she questioned, sitting up more studying him.

He was biting his lip and his eyes dropped from hers. "I'm scared that after all you just saw that you won't want us either."

Caroline saw his lip quivering and her heart just broke hearing him say that. "You think that?"

He nodded shyly and that broke her even more.

She sighed deeply. "Oh my God Roman. After what I saw... I want you more. So much more."

His eyes slowly moved back up to meet her soft gaze and she stroked his cheek.

Caroline didn't care anymore about anything but erasing the insecurity from his beautiful face. Not germs, not fever, not chills, or aches or anything.

To hell with what could happen, and she dove in and captured his lips with hers.

With a moan of pure bliss Roman cupped her face and deepened the kiss, pulling her body more onto his.

God his lips were so soft, she felt like she was sinking right into him it felt so damn good.

She couldn't think or breath and felt lightheaded, everything felt so good. Her hands went to wind around his neck and up into his hair and Roman moaned into her mouth. She felt his palms sliding down her face as he tilted her head and explored her mouth deeper.

He spun them in the sheets, so she was on the bottom and moved back a moment, just panting heavily to look down at her. Not a word was spoken but their eyes both spoke volumes to each other. She pulled on his neck and brought his mouth back to hers, so hungry for more kisses.

Caroline wrapped her legs around his waist and tunneled her hands in his hair. "Mmm Roman does this feel like I don't want you?" she asked him almost cockily and she felt him smile against her lips.

He pulled back to gaze down at her and he was beaming, and she smiled just as widely back up at him before he dropped his head to her forehead and nuzzled his nose with hers.

"We want you too, Care. Maddie came to find you because she trusts you. Since that first day you helped her with her scrape from her bike accident in front of the apartment, I think she's trusted you. And she loved knowing we were going to start dating."

Roman looked deeply in her eyes and she could swear she saw more tears in those beautiful dark eyes. "And for the first time in a long time I am so excited for the future too for me. Not just watching Maddie grow up. But hopeful for ME.

And if you get sick from kissing me tonight then am I sorry in advance and I will take care of you, or we will take care of each other.

Us just the thought of US. That gives me so much hope Care. That I'm not facing everything in taking care of Maddie alone and you don't have to be alone either, if you don't want to be."

Caroline pulled his head back down and captured his lips once more. "Mmm Roman, rescuing you and your daughter has given me so much hope too when I was thinking I would never find anyone for me either. Anyone that would hear me or want me for me. As amazing as you are with your daughter, I can just imagine how incredible you must be as a boyfriend and a husband..."

Wow she could not believe she said that, but it was out of her mouth, and she could not take it back. But the smile across his face made her think she did not want to take it back at all.

"Oooh Baby girl, those titles are all yours to explore with me if you are interested in the whole girlfriend, and possibly wife someday..." Roman grinned and pressed his lips to hers once more and she leaned in wanting more and they rolled in the bed and kept kissing.

Oh wow and maybe mother to that precious girl in the next room, she thought to herself.

Could life really be that amazing?

Rejection had stung both this amazing dad and his little girl and she wanted to do all she could to show them how precious they truly were. He was risking opening his heart again to her and she was not going to have him regret it.

Caroline lay under him, watched him pull his body back up off her to gaze so loving in her eyes. His silky dark hair was falling in waves down past his shoulders before he flipped it up and behind him and dove down and captured her mouth in a heated kiss again.

She felt his body sink lower onto the mattress pinning her down gently and his palms just gently stroked her face, smoothing her hair back as he tilted her head more to deepen the kiss.

"God damn Care, I could lay here and kiss you all day," Roman nearly gasped out. "How the hell did we wait so long?"

She smiled and tangled her fingers in his hair. "I think we were trying to be the responsible adults here," she replied.

Roman nodded and looked like he agreed. "Oh, I know. I have been responsible for years and always picking up the slack for Lana when it came to her letting Maddie down too. I'm allowed this one little bad irresponsible thing, right?" He looked like he was practically pouting above her.

Caroline laughed and cupped his face, winding her legs around his under the sheets more too. "Oh yes you are. I mean I was the one that took the risk and like I said if I get sick, I'll survive. But I could not bear to see that you actually thought I would reject you too. I literally don't even care how wrong it was to kiss you and risk getting sick now. After what that woman put you through." And she tilted his head up more to focus seriously in his dark eyes. "I meant what I said that I would never do that."

"I know you did. And to hear you defend me and stand up to her was amazing. I was in awe, and it was not something I have ever had anyone do for me either. I'm used to protecting Maddie, but I have never had anyone but my family on my side to protect me."

"Ooh and speaking of bad things..." Caroline said. "I need to apologize for calling your ex a bitch in front of your daughter though Roman. I wasn't thinking. I am so sorry. That is still her mom and a very bad word she didn't need to hear from me."

He was nodding. "It's okay. We were all on edge and I tried to shelter her from as much as I could of that whole confrontation. Don't feel bad. Maddie knows you were protecting me, and we can't hide her from everything sadly."

"I need to apologize to you for thinking the bad things I was in the bathtub when I was still so sick too." Roman said quietly almost like he didn't want to say it. Caroline sat up more over him and stared him down. "I was going to ask about that! You still have me so curious!"

He laughed and looked like he was in so much trouble and he hadn't even said it yet. "Oh, it was bad Baby girl. "I was thinking while you were washing my hair and I was leaning back on you still sitting outside the tub that I was getting you all wet... but far from the way I would have liked to."

Caroline gasped and Roman literally jumped, his eyes so wide. "See I told you you might have wanted to drown me for that." He was grinning back at her and yet had his lip out in such a pleading and adorable, please don't kill me way. He shut his eyes like she might slap him, and she just laughed.

"Wow Roman, that was very bad," Caroline giggled and slowly he opened his eyes just squinting first and then wider. "So, you won't think I was bad thinking almost the same thing when I saw you sucking on the ice too...That we were getting the bed wet for all the wrong reasons."

She braved looking at him now and he was grinning back at her and could not believe how daring she was being. He made her feel so safe, and she said things she never said to anyone and even with her heart racing at how sexual everything they were saying was, she still felt so safe.

They were sitting up across from each other as those crazy confessions had startled both of them and she now was just looking back at him just as shyly as he had been at first too.

Roman smiled at her and yawned slightly. "I'd say that makes us pretty even and I'm just eager to see what the rest of this week brings that I have you all to myself here till you have to go back to work. I plan to keep you in this bed as much as possible till then and share you with Maddie as little as I can too."

"Mmm I like the sound of that," Caroline smiled back at him.

He kissed her again, pushing her back down gently and she just drowned in the sensations of his lips so soft on hers again before he pulled back.

Every kiss felt so beautiful, so soft and yet so intense and bubbling with more feelings, more promise, more excitement and more electricity the more they touched and the explored each other. So far, he had been so respectful and just caressed her at her waist or her back or legs and neck and throat and now first kisses too felt explosive, and she was hungry for more but not sure how to say so. Talking all sexy was one thing...

Everything was so new and exciting.

She decided to brave showing him she wanted more and started pulling the hoodie back off his shoulders and down his back and he lifted his head from her and shook his arms out from it to toss it fast to the floor before wrapping her back in his arms.

They exchanged heated looks and Caroline wasn't sure what she wanted. Her heart was pounding in her chest, and she felt him staring heavily back in her eyes like he was waiting for some kind of permission for what was okay or not. Roman fought back another yawn as he leaned over her.

"What do you want Care?" he whispered softly.

"More kisses, please..." she replied.

Roman shifted his body lower in the blankets and she watched him bend down and kiss lower down her throat, past her chin, and along her shoulder blade now too. She moaned, just like he had last night with the ice on his body and lifted her head, giving him more room to kiss her throat more. She felt his tongue teasing the skin lightly with his tongue and then sucking it in his mouth before moving still lower to her chest. His one palm had snuck up his shirt to run up her back.

Caroline clutched at his hair and her hips moved up against him and she let her eyes fall closed.

But all of a sudden, he was just still, and her eyes opened wondering what happened. He was curled up with his one hand still tight to her side, his body mostly on top of her.

She laid there silently for a minute or two and then heard deeper breathing against her chest. She could not help but smile.

He had fallen asleep in the middle of making out with her. How freaking cute was that? She would not let him forget that.

Roman had just had a morning from hell with his ex and flu for the last week after taking care of his daughter before that and she had no doubt everything had been totally exhausting.

Stroking his long, soft hair back from his face she leaned over and saw sure enough those precious eyes were closed and he was fast asleep on her chest.

Caroline grinned and adjusted the pillows more behind her and shifted enough to lay more on her side with Roman curled up on her, his arms around her sides and wrapped her own arms around him. Maddie was still sleeping now too so she would get a few more hours now too.

If she got sick from kissing him, the peacefulness she saw on his face right at this moment was damn worth it. He did not deserve to feel one more second of rejection. Neither of them did.

And it was all because that little girl came to her to get help for her Daddy.

Maddie was the true hero here.

Laying there kissing Roman's head and feeling his whole body curled in against hers. Feeling heard, understood, wanted, needed, respected, and dare she say excited to explore being loved by this amazing man sleeping in her arms...

Caroline could not thank that little girl enough.

A/N I had left it here. But debated if there was more to tell...not sure. I love this version of him that just poured onto the page. But please review if you liked it or if you want more of Roman and Care and Maddie.

But I want to get back to my other stories plus do Christmas one too. That one is a Flashforward and back of Roman as a soldier and I'm thinking of using the Bella twins with him and Seth. Not sure yet. But how they meet fall in love and have a family and fight on the other side of the world etc and it's a pull at your heart strings type story also about 5 chapters.