Knock knock knock
Roman heard the sound at the front door from his bedroom and ran down the stairs, clad in orange athletic shorts and a white tank top under a black hoodie. He opened the door to greet a smiling Lucy, dressed in dark gray leggings, light blue sneakers, and a royal blue sweatshirt that hung off of one shoulder. Her hair was gathered into a long braid down one side, and she had a duffle bag slung over her shoulder and a tote bag in her other hand.
"Hey, come on in," Roman said warmly as he opened the door, taking Lucy's duffle from her as he followed her through the threshold.
"Hi!" Lucy greeted him happily as she looked around, stepping into Roman's living room, a smile growing on her face as she took in his home, "this house is so nice," she said. Roman's face lit up.
It wasn't the extravagant style of house that some of his coworkers had, but Roman was proud of it. After about a year on the main roster he had finally grown tired of the tiny apartment he'd been renting since moving to Tampa from Pensacola and looked around for somewhere new, finally settling on the bungalow style house.
"Thanks!" Roman said happily, leading her into the living room. He gave her a quick tour of the lower floor, showing her the kitchen, guest room, and small office before bringing her to what he considered to be the best part of his home.
"And this is my favorite spot," he said, opening a set of french doors and following Lucy onto a wooden deck. He had a grill station and a set of furniture on the left side, and off to the right there was a small pool with an attached hot tot tub. Beyond the pool was a small grass yard that butted up against a lake.
"Wow, I can see why," Lucy said as she appreciated the view, "it's beautiful here."
Roman moved closer behind her and wrapped a hand around her waist, pulling her into him. Lucy let out a happy hum and leaned into his embrace.
Earlier in the day Roman had come home to do some housekeeping and run a few errands, while Lucy had taken some time to get caught up on work. He'd cleaned meticulously, using the nervous energy he'd been feeling to his advantage. Roman hadn't hosted company that wasn't a member of his family in one way or another, and he wanted to make a good impression.
Now that Lucy was here, wrapped in his arms and staring out happily at the view, Roman's nerves were calming down. He dipped his head and placed a kiss on her cheek.
"Ready to get going?" he asked, growing excited as he remembered the plans he had in store.
"Absolutely," Lucy said enthusiastically, turning to follow Roman inside as he released her from his arms, "do I finally get to know where we're going?" she asked.
"Nope," he said with a shake of his head and a teasing grin, "but the quicker we go, the quicker you'll find out."
He grabbed the dark gray gym bag he'd packed and led Lucy back to the entryway, picking up her duffle as he ushered Lucy out the front door.
Roman pulled his car into the parking lot of a large community center. It was an expansive brick building with teal doors, and brightly colored tiles decorated a few of the walls. Some of the bricks were darker or lighter in sections, seemingly patched together over the years. There was a group of kids playing basketball on a court next to a few drawing on the sidewalk with chalk and playing hopscotch. He looked over to catch the bewildered expression on Lucy's face.
"Where are we?" she asked, her eyes darting back and forth from him to the building in front of them.
Roman's face broke out in a grin. He had told her that morning that he wanted to bring her along for his workout, but he hadn't elaborated any more than that.
"Come on, it'll be more fun to show you," he answered, turning off the ignition. He grabbed both of their bags out of the backseat and took Lucy's hand as he led her towards the building. He waved to a few of the kids playing and opened the door for Lucy, following her inside.
The lobby was set up with a small round desk in the middle, and the walls behind it were covered in children's artwork. A woman with short curly blonde hair sat at the desk. She looked up and smiled widely as they walked in.
"Roman, good to see you! It's been a while," she greeted them cheerfully.
"Yeah, too long," Roman agreed with a nod, stepping forward to rest his forearms on the desk, "how've you been Alice?" Roman snuck a glance at Lucy, who was smiling, but clearly still puzzled as she looked around the room before turning her attention to Alice, giving her a polite grin.
"Can't complain," Alice replied with a shrug.
"Glad to hear it," Roman said sincerely before turning to Lucy, gesturing his hand towards her, "I'd like to introduce you to my girlfriend, Lucy. Thought I'd show her around the place today," he said. After a beat, Roman froze, realizing the phrase that had slipped out before his brain could stop him.
Shit. Is girlfriend the right word? Roman thought, mentally kicking himself for letting that slip out before they'd had a chance to talk about it themselves.
He turned to Lucy with wide eyes and an embarrassed grin. To his relief, she was wearing a knowing smile. She set a reassuring hand on his arm before turning her attention back to Alice.
"It's so nice to meet you Lucy," Alice said, extending a hand to her, "glad to see that someone's come along who might be able to show this guy that there's more to life than working out in between shows."
"Nice to meet you, too!" Lucy said brightly, shaking Alice's hand, "I'll do my best to drag him out of the gym more often," she said, throwing an exaggerated eye roll with a grin at Roman. He chuckled and gave her a playful elbow to the ribs, exhaling as his pulse slowed to normal.
"Do you live in the area?" Alice asked, beaming at the two of them.
"Yeah, not too far from here," Lucy answered. She looked around the room again, looking fondly at a group of hand print paintings that hung on the far wall.
"Well good, you're welcome to come around anytime," Alice said, "make yourself at home and let me know if you need anything," she finished with a smile, standing up from the desk and making her way through the doors that led to the basketball court.
Roman waved to Alice before taking Lucy's hand again and guiding her through another door that led to a long hallway, the walls covered in even more artwork.
"Seems like they know you pretty well here," Lucy said to him, her inflection making the statement sound more like a question. Her eyes flitted around to the drawings and paintings as they walked.
"I've been coming here for years," Roman explained, "when I first moved to Tampa right before I started with WWE, I found this place and came to the gym a few times. Played basketball with some of the older kids; used the weights; and I became a regular after that. I like the community feel more than just another sterile gym, you know?" Lucy nodded her understanding before stopping to look at a window display full of clay sculptures and dioramas. Finally she turned to him, her eyes and smile soft.
"I love that you have this home away from home," Lucy said with a quiet sincerity. Roman felt that familiar warmth he was beginning to associate with her course through him.
"I love that I get to share it with you," Roman said, a soft smile coming over his face. He pulled at her hand and they resumed walking.
Roman took Lucy through the whole building, showing her the arts and crafts area, and the tutoring rooms where kids could come for help with their homework, next to classrooms for both children and adults continuing their education. They walked outside to see a huge playground and community garden before returning inside, ending up at the entrance to the fitness center.
"So this is obviously the gym," he said with a nod towards the door, "I won't be too long today, and I thought of a couple things that might be fun for you while we're here. There's a reading room down that hallway," Roman said, pointing behind Lucy, "they've got a huge selection of books to read, and computers if you want to work or do whatever on there. Or if you're interested at all, I think they've got one of their dance fitness classes starting here in a few minutes. Obviously, you're welcome to work out with me…" Roman trailed off with a chuckle as Lucy fixed him with a look that said 'yeah, right.'
"I could go for a dance class, as long as you promise not to laugh at me," Lucy said, pointing a finger at him, "but are you sure it's OK for me to just hop in?" she asked with a furrowed brow. Roman waved off her concern.
"For sure, they're not formal here," he said, "plus I can guarantee that Alice has mentioned who you are to just about everyone already," he finished with a smirk.
"Oh, well in that case," Lucy said with a slightly teasing smile, "getting in a dance workout and showing off my new boyfriend? Count me in," she finished, squeezing his hand on the word 'boyfriend.' While her smile was playful, her tone was sincere. Roman's heart skipped a beat and he released a happy sigh.
"I can introduce you to the instructor if you want," Roman suggested, "otherwise the locker rooms are back this way," he gestured behind him with his thumb.
"Oh, that's OK," Lucy waved him off with a grin before reaching to take her duffel from Roman, "let's get started. I'm excited- I do dance workout YouTube videos in my living room all the time, but I haven't gone to one in person in forever," she continued as they made their way towards the locker rooms.
Roman smiled to himself. He had worried that she'd find having to wait around while he worked out annoying, and he was happy to see her embracing one his favorite places.
"See you out there," he said, sending her off with a grin as they parted ways into their respective rooms to change.
"Damn," Roman muttered to himself as he shook out his hand, willing the stinging sensation to let up. He'd pinched his fingers while adding weights to the squat rack- twice.
The room the fitness classes were held in was at the far end of the gym. It was a small room with a mirrored wall and wooden floors, and there were large glass windows that made up two of the walls. As it turned out, it was harder to focus on his workout when he could easily see Lucy as she was swaying her hips and jumping in time to the music playing from a small speaker.
Gross, dude, Roman chided himself mentally, quit ogling her in public. What are we, fifteen?
He turned up the music in his headphones and returned the weights to their rack before moving on to the treadmill. He chose one that faced away from where Lucy was working out, though he could still see her in the corner of his vision. He set the speed and settled into the familiar rhythm of his heart pounding, legs and arms moving as the sweat began to drip down his chest and back. He focused on his breathing and movements and watched as the miles clicked by on the little screen on the treadmill. If his gaze slipped over to the dance class once or twice, it was purely accidental. Definitely.
When he was done with his run, he grabbed a towel and wiped at the sweat on his face and chest. He had just taken a large sip from his water bottle when a little girl about nine years old ran over to him, a boy around the same age following her.
"Mister Roman!" she said happily with a wave, "tell Tyler how you beat up John Cena. He doesn't believe me! Says you're too nice and not scary at all."
"Oh, is that so?" Roman said with a laugh, squatting down so he was eye level with the two kids, "you know, Melody's right, Tyler. Me and my friends beat him up real good," he finished with an exaggerated expression, furrowing his brow and gritting his teeth, making a big show of flexing his arms in front of him. Tyler poked at his bicep and furrowed his eyebrows, then held his own arms out in front of him, imitating Roman.
"Hmmm, maybe you're a little strong," Tyler said, dropping his arms to his sides, "I still don't think you could beat John Cena."
"He did! I saw it on TV," Melody insisted, stamping her foot and rolling her eyes.
"Whatever," Tyler said distractedly, running towards the doors that led to a jungle gym outside, Melody quickly on his heels before one the employees yelled at them to slow down. Tyler and Melody grimaced and slowed to a walk as they pushed out of the doors. Roman huffed out another laugh as he returned to his full height, and as he turned around to pick up his water bottle, he saw Lucy approaching him. She had a towel slung around the back of her neck, hanging over her shoulders, and wore an affectionate smile.
"Does that happen a lot around here?" she asked, nodding towards the doors where the kids had just run out.
"Yeah," he said with an amused grin and shrugged, "I've known most of the families here for years, so I'm just Roman to them. The kids think it's funny that anybody thinks I'm mean or tough," he finished as Lucy giggled easily, her eyes softening even more as she looked at him. Roman's stomach fluttered under her gaze.
"What do you say we shower and get out of here?" Roman asked, "ready for the next stop on today's tour?"
"Sure thing, Mister Roman," Lucy said with that mischievous smirk of hers, following him back to the locker rooms.
"Hey now, save that for later," Roman said jokingly, raising his eyebrows at her before walking through the door. He heard her laugh echoing in the hall as rounded the corner to the shower.
"How was your class?" Roman asked as they drove, passing rows and rows of palm trees along the streets, the afternoon sun shining through the large, swaying fronds.
"It was fun!" Lucy replied, smiling over at him and peering through her sunglasses, "Angela was so nice, and made it all feel easy, even though I was worn out by the end."
"You looked like you were keeping up pretty well," Roman said, taking one hand of the wheel to set it on top of Lucy's hand where it rested on his thigh.
"Oh?" Lucy asked, her eyebrows raising as her mouth quirked in amusement, "you were watching?"
"I mean," Roman said, clearing his throat as he shifted in his seat, "I glanced over, for a second. Just to see how you were doing," he finished, glancing over to see if she was convinced at all by his terrible underplay. Judging by the full blown smile on her face, she was not.
"Yeah, well," Lucy said, patting his thigh, "I snuck a look at you, too. A few times, actually. I almost tripped over my own foot and fell" she laughed, and the small amount of embarrassment Roman had been feeling instantly faded away, replaced with satisfaction that he had at least proved to be equally distracting.
He turned the car through a busy intersection and onto a long bridge with water on both sides, glittering in the sun as they drove. Lucy and Roman were quiet as they shifted their eyes and admired the view. Even though they'd both been around it all of their lives, the beauty of the ocean never seemed to dull. Roman turned up the volume on the radio, and he and Lucy sang and hummed along whenever they knew the song as they drove over the shores.
Finally, Roman pulled in and parked at a small park. He and Lucy each grabbed a towel, and he led her across the road and down a long winding path that ended on the beach. Looking down the shoreline, there was only one other person in their vicinity. A few hotels could be seen in the distance, several groups of people swimming and sunning in front of them, but they were as good as alone on this little stretch of sand.
Roman and Lucy draped their towels on the sand, but as soon as hers was down, Roman grabbed Lucy and pulled her down with him so that they both sat on his. Lucy complied, giggling and leaning back against his chest. He wrapped his arms around her waist and Lucy laid her arms on top of his, sighing happily. They stayed like that for a long while, watching the waves as they crashed against the shore, listening to the sounds of the water and the seagulls cawing around them.
"So…" Lucy broke the silence, her tone cautious, "I'm your girlfriend, huh?" Roman's hand paused where he had been absentmindedly fidgeting with the hem of her sweater, and Lucy sat up to look him in the eye, her expression pleasant, but inquisitive.
OK, so it was time to talk about this. Roman swallowed and opened his mouth to stutter out…something. His mind raced as he tried to come up with the exact right thing to say.
Of course he wanted to call her his girlfriend, just like he wanted her to call him her boyfriend. But maybe he was wrong to assume that that's what she wanted, too. He'd wanted to bring it up days ago at her house, but how do you start a 'I've known you a week and I'm crazy about you, let's define the relationship' conversation? So he'd chickened out.
Yeah, better to blurt it out in public, he thought, great plan.
"Hey," Lucy said softly, interrupting his thoughts, "it's OK. I loved that you called me your girlfriend. It just caught me off guard. Is that…umm…is that what you told Hunter? When you asked about bringing me to Europe?" she asked, searching his eyes, gnawing nervously on her lip.
"No," Roman said quickly, "I didn't. I mean, I think that's probably what he assumed- not a lot of people invite friends to come on tour- but I wouldn't have told anyone that before checking with you. Except at the community center, apparently," he added with a wry smile.
"You could have told him that," Lucy said, smiling shyly at him, "and really, who are we kidding? I'm not seeing anyone else, and neither are you. I'm pretty sure you had me the moment you sat me down with a slice of pizza and said 'this is Dean and Seth. Ask us anything- we don't bite,'" she finished with a chuckle.
"We were lying. Dean bites- but only sometimes," Roman joked, and the two of them shared a laugh.
"The words 'girlfriend' and 'boyfriend' do feel a little high school, but semantics aside- I'm all yours, Ro. And we can let the world know, as far as I'm concerned," Lucy said, her eyes sparkling as she stared into his.
"Then it's settled," Roman said, tucking a strand of her hair behind her ear, "and I'm all yours too, in case that wasn't obvious," he said with a short laugh. Lucy grinned and placed a gentle kiss on his lips before turning to face the water and settling herself back against him. Roman closed his eyes and exhaled slowly, taking in the smell of the ocean and letting the tension in his body release.
I'm all yours, Ro.
Roman soaked in the feeling of the sun warming him through the light green, long sleeved shirt he wore with a pair of thicker black athletic shorts. Lucy had taken out her braid and her curls were splayed across his chest and stomach, and she wore a soft heather gray sweater with a pair of denim shorts. Her sweater rode up a bit as she laid against him and Roman's hands rested on her bare stomach, his fingers softly running over her skin.
Lucy leaned her head back further and tilted her chin up to Roman, and he bent down to kiss her. It was sweet and soft- relaxed. As they lazily traded kisses, Roman hummed contentedly against her lips. They broke off their kiss to come up for air and Lucy sat up more completely, turning to look at him.
"Want to walk along the water for a bit?" she asked hopefully.
"Let's go," Roman said with an enthusiastic nod, and Lucy grinned as she stood up. They approached the shore together, avoiding a crab that was scuttling amongst the shells and rocks, and Lucy stopped to test the temperature with her toes. Roman did the same and, feeling that it was cool without being ice cold, splashed her a little with his foot before running ahead to evade any retaliation. Lucy let out a squeal of protest and caught up to him, kicking water at him that just barely grazed the back of his calf. Each having got a splash in, they declared peace and strolled along the water's edge.
They walked happily in silence for a bit, observing the occasional fish that leaped from the water only to dive right back in, and the little tiny birds that ran along the shoreline. The waves crashed into the sand, covering their feet in a cold foam before receding back into the gulf, over and over as they walked.
"Every time I come back to the beach I remember just how peaceful it is," Roman mused as a soft mist sprayed against his cheek, "makes me wonder why I don't come out more. Out of sight, out of mind I guess. I practically lived in the sand back in Pensacola…" Roman trailed off thoughtfully. His mind drifted back to building sandcastles all summer as a kid, and playing beach volleyball every weekend in middle and high school.
"I know what you mean," Lucy said, crossing her arms as a gust of cool wind blew, "every few years I say I'm going to go watch the sunset once a week and I keep it up for a month or so, and then distractions happen."
Her tone seemed a little off, but as Roman met her gaze, she was smiling easily up at him. Her arms were still crossed in front of her, and he reasoned that her thin sweater and bare legs must not have been doing much to stave off the chill in the air. The rain was gone completely, not a cloud in the sky, but the storms had left behind a cold front, exacerbated by the sea breeze. Roman wrapped his arm around her shoulders, pulling her into his side as they walked, rubbing his hand up and down her arm to warm her. Lucy wrapped her arm around his waist, and seemed content as she snuggled into his side. It made walking a little trickier for both of them, but they were in no hurry.
Roman saw some movement in his peripheral vision and turned just in time to see the tail of a dolphin disappearing back under the water with a splash.
"Did you see that?" he asked, pointing to the spot just as a second dolphin sprung into the air. He felt like a kid again, getting excited over dolphins, but as Lucy nodded and watched just as happily, he didn't feel self conscious at all.
"I saw a whole family of them in college once," Lucy said as they watched the dolphins, leaping into the air, some of them just swimming to the surface before immediately curling back underneath, "I remember it was the last day of our winter finals, and our library sat just back from a sea wall. I walked over to the water when the last exam was over to get some fresh air after spending the entire day inside, and it was almost like they knew. A whole crowd of us stood there and watched them jump and play until the sun went down," Roman turned his gaze away briefly from the water to watch Lucy as she spoke, a wistful expression on her face as she recounted the memory.
"Your library was on the water?" Roman asked with surprise, "even as a guy from a beach town, I'm jealous. I might have actually enjoyed studying in college if I'd had a view like that," he said, turning his gaze back to gulf.
"It was the best," Lucy agreed, a grin lighting up her face as she spared him a glance, "though I had the opposite problem a few times. I just wanted to stare at the water and let my mind wander instead of writing whatever paper I had due that week," she finished with a chuckle.
After another minute the surface of the water calmed, the dolphins having moved on. They continued to walk along the water, and when the breeze picked up again, Roman felt Lucy shiver slightly against him.
"How about we head back?" Roman suggested, coming to a stop so they could turn around, "I don't know about you, but I'm getting pretty hungry. I ran out and picked up the groceries this morning, so I can get started cooking as soon as we're back at my place."
"I could definitely go for some food," Lucy agreed with a smile up at him, taking his hand as they walked in the direction of their towels, "I can't wait to try your cooking. And I can help- as long as it doesn't involve knives," she continued with a short laugh, "sharp objects and I are not the best of friends, and I don't think you want to spend one of your nights off at urgent care."
"Ha! OK, no chopping for you, got it" Roman chuckled. He and Lucy reached the spot where they had left their towels and shoes and packed everything up before walking back down the winding path to his car.
Roman poured them each a glass of wine and got to work prepping the kitchen to cook as soon as they'd arrived back at his house. He'd picked up some fresh french bread along with some oil to dip it in as an appetizer, and Lucy insisted he sit and enjoy some with her for a little while. Who was he to deny her? After they'd both finished their first glass of wine, he'd poured Lucy another and got back to work in the kitchen.
Roman handled anything that required using a knife, mincing up the garlic and chopping up an onion to put in a meat sauce. After melting some butter on the stove, he'd designated the whisking of said butter and flour to Lucy before joining her to add in milk, nutmeg, and salt. After sprinkling in the course sea salt, Roman wiped his hands on the linen apron he wore and reached for a spoon to scoop up a spoonful of the meat sauce.
"Want to give it a taste?" Roman asked, holding the spoon out in the air to rest right in front of Lucy's mouth. She nodded with a grin and jutted her chin forward, letting Roman slide the spoon into her mouth. She pulled back and closed her eyes, savoring the taste. After she swallowed, she opened her eyes and her smile grew as she gave him a definitive nod.
"I think it's perfect," she said before turning back to her cooking. Roman smiled triumphantly and tried it for himself- he had to agree. The spicy italian sausage he'd chosen instead of the more traditional ground beef combined with the rich tomato sauce and spices created the perfect savory flavor he'd hoped for. He left the sauce to cook for another minute or so as he squatted down and rummaged through his cabinets.
"Everything smells amazing, too," Lucy said, stirring the saucepan of bechamel on the stovetop.
"Thanks, it should be pretty good, I think," Roman said, rising to his feet after finding the pan he was looking for, "it's not my mom's lasagna recipe, but I thought it sounded great. Just don't tell her we cooked this when you meet her," he finished with a chuckle, giving the baking dish a quick wipe down with a towel. Lucy was silent as she continued her stirring, and for the second time that day, Roman stopped in his tracks as his brain realized what exactly had just come out of his mouth. He almost dropped the baking dish, clanging it against the counter as he set it down haphazardly.
He turned to look at Lucy, bracing himself as he did so. She didn't look panicked, thankfully, but her expression was…unreadable. Unbearably neutral. Roman debated with himself, his mind spinning a mile a minute.
Should I take it back? Say I misspoke? Do I offer to bring her with me to my parents with me tomorrow, now that's already out there? No, that's worse. Way worse. Goddamn it.
"Umm, I mean," he stumbled over his words, "er- I didn't mean- I didn't mean like you had to meet her anytime soon. Just, you know- if we decide, further down the road…" Roman trailed off, fidgeting with his apron strings just to occupy his hands, his heart pounding. After another moment, Lucy looked up from the stove to meet his eyes- her eyes were soft and her smile didn't reach them completely, but she didn't look upset.
"Tell you what," she said gently, "'let's cross that bridge when we get to it. Tonight, let's focus on you, and me, and what promises to be a kick ass lasagna," Lucy finished, her smile growing a touch, still not up to its usual beam. Roman nodded, wiping his hands on his apron, willing his heartbeat to slow. He walked over to the refrigerator and grabbed the bottle of white wine, topping off both of their glasses. He took a long sip and swallowed before letting out a deep breath.
They sipped and stirred quietly for the next few minutes, the only sounds were clang of spoons against pots and the soft music Roman was playing from the other room. Finally, Roman tried both sauces once more and, satisfied that they were ready, grabbed the flat noodles so that they could begin assembling their dinner. It was slightly awkward at first as he and Lucy found the rhythm of placing the noodles and spreading the sauces, layer after layer.
Lucy had just finished spooning the last layer of meat sauce over the noodles when she swiped the spoon with her finger and brushed it on the tip of Roman's nose. Roman looked up from the dish to find Lucy grinning mischievously up at him. His mouth split into a smile instantly, and he reached out to slip his finger into Lucy's now near empty saucepan and smeared sauce over her bottom lip. She giggled and grabbed at Roman's apron, pulling him into her. He bent down to kiss her, swiping at the sauce with his tongue. Lucy kissed him back before standing on her tiptoes to place a kiss on the tip of his nose, wiping the remaining sauce as she did so. She settled back on her feet and Roman gave her another quick kiss, relief washing over him as they smiled together, the tension no longer palpable.
"Ok, let's get this in the oven," he said after they'd finished topping the dish with a sprinkling of fresh parmesan. Lucy held the dish as Roman opened the oven door, moving to the side as she slid it inside. Roman set a timer and then grabbed his wine glass, taking another sip before setting it down and turning to Lucy.
"I think I'd like to clean up a bit before dinner, how about you?" he asked her.
"Ooh great idea," Lucy said before taking a sip of her wine. Swallowing, she set her glass on the counter and grinned up at Roman, "lead the way."
Roman and Lucy walked up the stairs to his bedroom, and Roman stepped into his en suite bathroom to start the shower before returning to Lucy, who was looking around his room.
His decor in here was pretty simple- a large king sized bed sat at the center of the room covered in a dark green quilt over oatmeal colored sheets, a soft beige throw draped over one corner. A small fabric covered bench sat at the end of the bed, the color a shade or two darker than the throw blanket. He had a simple wooden nightstand on either side of the bed and a lamp on each. Across the bed was a dresser made of the same chestnut colored wood as the nightstands, a tv mounted on the wall above it. While the rest of the house had hardwood floors, Roman preferred carpet for his room and the two guest bedrooms.
"It's cozy in here," Lucy said with a grin, running her hand along the soft throw blanket, and Roman smiled to himself. He'd never been much for decorating, but he had put effort into making his home feel like more than just a place to rest when he wasn't on the road.
"Thanks, though now that I've seen your place, I think I want some art in here," he said, pointing to the empty wall across from where he was standing, "right there. And some more in the living room, I think."
"That would look nice," Lucy said with a nod, and a thoughtful smile appeared on her face, "and I think I can help you with that."
Roman looked to the bathroom and saw steam rising from the shower, and he grabbed Lucy's hand, pulling her closer to him.
"Care to join me?" he said, nodding his head toward the bathroom with a grin. Lucy's smile grew as she let her fingers wander under the hem of Roman's shirt, sliding it up his stomach. Roman hummed appreciatively at her touch and slowly lifted his shirt off to grant her more access.
Lucy's hand slid up to his chest before she stepped back and removed her sweater, reaching down to unbutton her shorts. They finished undressing quickly and made their way into the shower, both of them sneaking tiny kisses and playful touches.
Once they were under the steaming water, their hands became more exploratory. Roman slid his hands over the swells of her breasts while Lucy cupped his ass. His mouth found her nipple and Lucy gently dragged her nails over his back.
Suddenly, Lucy pulled away. Roman lifted his head, puzzled, growing even more confused as Lucy fixed him with a heated gaze. Slowly, she sank to her knees, running her hands up his thighs and looking up at him through her eyelashes. She wrapped her hand around the base of his cock before licking a path from his balls up the underside of his shaft, coming to swirl her tongue around the tip.
"Oh fuck, baby," Roman groaned quietly, closing his eyes as she wrapped her hot mouth around him. She took just the tip of him in her mouth at first, stroking his shaft with her hand. The warm water cascaded down his chest and over Lucy as she gradually took him deeper, her free hand massaging his balls. Roman moaned, resting his hand on the back of her head- not to push, but just to hold her steady. Lucy hummed around his cock as his hand became entwined with her hair, the vibration rumbling through his cock deliciously.
She took him down her throat further, hollowing her cheeks as she did so, causing Roman moan out her name, the syllables breaking in the middle. She hummed again around him and sucked him in even more, her hand continuing to stroke his shaft. Roman let his head fall back as her tongue swirled around him and his cock was swallowed deeper through her warm, pillow soft lips. Lucy began to bob her head up and down, and Roman tightened his hold on her hair slightly.
"Lucy," he groaned again, "just like that. Fuck, that's good," he said, looking down to watch his cock disappearing inside her mouth. Lucy's hum sounded more like a moan that time, and she bobbed her head more enthusiastically.
"Good girl, that's it- so good, baby," Roman said in between breaths. His head spun as the heat grew in his stomach, feeling the tip of his cock hit the back of Lucy's throat. Praise continued to spill from his lips as Lucy alternated swallowing him down and sliding her tongue over his shaft as she stroked him. She slid him nearly all the way down and Roman's hips bucked involuntarily.
"Sorry, babe, I-" he was cut off as she pulled back and then immediately slid him down her throat impossibly deeper, and her name was pulled from his lips in a drawn out moan. She picked up the bobbing motion again, and Roman knew he wouldn't last much longer.
"I'm getting close," he panted, flexing his fingers where he cradled her head. Lucy looked up at him and smiled around his cock, lifting up and licking her tongue lasciviously around his tip and sucking the head back into her mouth, giving him a few tight strokes with her hand before closing her eyes and sinking her mouth down as far as she could go. Roman gasped as she tightened her lips around him. Roman came with a growl, and Lucy swallowed eagerly.
He whispered her name once more as he came down, and Lucy slowly pulled off of him and sat back on her heels, looking pleased with herself. Roman's legs shook as the adrenaline wore off and he joined her on the floor of the shower, leaning up against the wall as he sat.
"Lucy, that was-" Roman huffed out a breath, his brain buzzing, feeling completely blissed out "- well, you are, incredible," he finished with a smile. Lucy's face was flushed from exertion and the warmth of the shower, but Roman could swear he saw her redden even more as she grinned proudly, water dripping from her wet curls and sliding down and over all of her curves. Roman straightened and reached to her, cupping her jaw with his hand and stroking his thumb against her cheek. He bent forward and placed a soft kiss on her lips and another on her forehead.
After a few minutes of affectionate touches and murmured appreciation, Roman stood and helped Lucy to her feet, and they worked together to get each other clean. They toweled off in the bathroom and Roman offered Lucy some of his clothes or a big fluffy robe, of which she had chosen the latter. Roman grabbed another robe for himself and left Lucy to brush out her hair as he went to check on their dinner.
There were still about ten minutes left on the timer, and Roman mentally congratulated himself on the timing as he took the chance to light a candle and placed it on the small table on his porch, turning on the electric firepit to ward off the evening chill. The sun was just beginning to set, casting a pink glow in the sky over the lake. Lucy came downstairs and he served them each a generous portion of lasagna along with a fresh glass of wine each. He guided Lucy outside, and the two of them sat together on the dark teal loveseat to enjoy an intimate dinner.
"Mmmm," Lucy said as she took her first bite, "this is amazing. You've never made this before?" she asked him incredulously.
"I haven't made this recipe, but I learned how to make lasagna pretty young," he said before taking a bite himself. She was right- it had turned out exactly as he'd hoped, "and thanks, I'm glad you like it." Lucy nodded as she slid another forkful into her mouth and Roman smiled happily.
When they'd finished their meal, Lucy set her plate down on the table and relaxed into the couch, releasing a contented sigh. Roman set his plate down on top of hers and slid closer to Lucy, wrapping his arm around her shoulder. Lucy turned her head to face him, her eyes gazing deeply into his.
"Thank you," she said softly, "for dinner, and for today. It was perfect," Lucy finished. Her tone was sincere, and Roman's heart swelled, the emotion in her voice flooding him with warmth.
After all the trouble his mouth running away from him had caused today, Roman opted to pull her into an embrace, wrapping his arm around her and resting his chin gently on her head. Lucy must have gotten the message, as she let out a happy sound and nuzzled into his chest. Roman sighed happily as the warmth of their thick, cozy robes and combined body heat kept the night air at bay. He placed a gentle kiss on the top of her head, and Lucy responded with a kiss of her own at the base of his throat, where the robe was open a little bit.
"It really was a perfect day," he finally said quietly, and he meant it. Slip ups aside, Roman decided then and there that as long as he didn't mess everything up, he'd give Lucy as many days like today as she wanted to share with him.