A few hours later Lucy and Roman were still in bed, both rejuvenated from the nap and sprawled over each other lazily, enjoying casual conversation. Lucy checked the time and let out an annoyed sound.
"I suppose that we should get up and start getting ready," she said, making no move to actually get out of bed.
"Yeah, I guess they'd frown on us showing up in this," Roman said, pulling at his tank top for emphasis, "what are you planning to wear?"
Lucy stretched her arms and stood up from the bed slowly, walking over to the small wardrobe. She opened it up and pulled out a long sleeveless velvet red dress, spinning around to face Roman and drape it over her. His eyes widened immediately.
"I didn't know we were going red carpet, babe," he said with a smile, standing up to walk over to her "I cannot wait to see this on you," he finished, running his finger down the soft fabric.
"Oh, I didn't even think to tell you that it would be formal," Lucy said with a nervous look, "do you have anything to wear? I can always dress down a bit, I'm only the press after all-"
"Absolutely not, you're not getting out of wearing that dress," Roman interjected, once again soothing her nervous energy without a second thought, "And I always come prepared- you never know what event they might throw at us. How about I let you get ready here, and I'll go across the hall to change?"
"Sounds great, handsome," Lucy replied, stepping up on her tiptoes to give Roman a kiss. She still didn't reach - not even close- but he chuckled at the gesture and bent down to brush her lips with his.
After Roman went back to the room he shared with his teammates, Lucy took a quick shower and started to think through the evening. Something about dressing in an evening gown and heels made her giddy with excitement. Putting on her makeup, Lucy settled on a subtle smokey eye and a bold red lip to complement the dress. She left her hair down, but smoothed the curls with a curling iron.
Once she was satisfied with her appearance, Lucy checked the time to see that she had about fifteen minutes left in the hour that she and Roman had agreed on to get ready. She selected a gold necklace with a simple half moon pendant and fastened it around her neck. Finally, she slid on a pair of black strappy heels and went over to the mirror to give herself a onceover. Something about the color gave her an extra dose of confidence, and she was thrilled with the way the deep red velvet hugged her curves.
Lucy gathered all of her necessities - lipstick, hotel key, credit card, pen, world's tiniest notebook- and placed them in a small black clutch. Just as she finished, she heard Roman's knock on the door. Her stomach did a somersault as she went to greet him, suddenly anxious for Roman to see her all dressed up.
She opened the door to see Roman smiling at her in a black suit and tie over a deep gray shirt, with a matching gray and black striped pocket square, his hair back in a sleek bun.
"There is no way this man is real," Lucy thought to herself as she took in the sight before her. She loved the way he looked in everyday clothes, and the ring gear drove her wild, but there's just something about a man in a suit.
As she stepped into the hallway, Roman let out a low whistle, and his eyes drifted down her body and back up to her face. His face lit up one of his smiles that left Lucy weak in the knees.
"Just when I didn't think you could get any more beautiful, you prove me wrong," Roman said, walking closer to her to place his hand on her hip, running it slowly down her side.
"I could say the same thing about you," Lucy said, running her hand up his chest to rest it on his shoulder. As she did, Roman leaned down to place a simple kiss on her lips.
The sound of a door opening loudly startled both Lucy and Roman, causing them to jump apart. Lucy laughed when she immediately saw Seth poking his head out of his hotel room, and Roman turned around to see his youngest Shield brother giving him the biggest smile.
"Damn, you two. Hey Dean!" Seth yelled, holding the door open but leaning back in to shout, "You gotta come see Rome and Lucy!"
Lucy locked eyes with Roman as he glanced back at her, shaking his head in amusement and rolling his eyes. Lucy's smile only grew, a warm feeling coming over her. She had never had siblings, but she realized she was starting to know what it feels like.
The door opened wider, both Dean and Seth now staring at them and grinning ear to ear.
"Ooh, you're playing dirty," Dean said, stepping into the hallway, "no one is even going to notice the artwork with you in that gallery. You look fine, too, Ro," he finished with a cheeky grin.
"Don't think I won't spear you back into that room just because I'm wearing this monkey suit," Roman said to Dean with a smirk, pointing a finger at him.
"OK, now smile," Seth said, leaning around Dean and pointing his phone at them.
"Seth, we're not going to prom," Roman said with a laugh.
"Here, how's this?" Lucy said, stepping in front of Roman and taking his hands in hers, placing them around her waist. She rested her hands on top of his, leaning back gently into his chest. She turned to face Roman, who was looking down at her with amusement.
"Might as well give our adoring fans what they want," she said to him with a wink, "otherwise I don't think they'll let us leave."
"She catches on quick," Dean said with a nod towards Lucy, crossing his arms and leaning back to hold their door open, watching Seth with a fond look as he rapidly snapped pictures.
Lucy put on her best smile and felt Roman pull her in even closer, his hands coming to meet around her. Butterflies flickered in her stomach, and she tilted her head back slightly so it rested against Roman's chest. After another minute, Seth finally lowered his phone, apparently satisfied with the pictures.
"Well guys, I hate to break up the photoshoot, but this gorgeous woman has a job to do," Roman said to his friends as Lucy stepped out of his embrace.
"Yeah, OK, get outta here," Seth said, pulling Lucy in for a quick hug, "have a great time tonight."
Lucy returned the embrace and thanked Seth, turning to give Dean a hug as well.
"Go knock 'em dead, Luce," Dean said as his arms wrapped around her shoulders. As Lucy hugged him, she heard Dean lower his voice to a whisper as he got next to her ear, "Don't be nervous. You look fantastic."
Lucy squeezed Dean extra tight, giving him a grateful smile as they broke apart. Before turning back to Roman, she mouthed a silent "thank you" to Dean.
Seth and Dean left Roman and Lucy in the hallway, and they made their way to the parking garage. As they stepped out of the elevator, Lucy started to walk towards her car when Roman walked the other way, pulling a key out his pocket and activating the chirp of a black SVU a few rows over.
"Thought I'd drive tonight," Roman said, turning his head to look back at Lucy as he walked towards the car, "Seth and Dean are in for the night, so they said I could take the rental."
Lucy smiled and followed his lead. When they got to the car, Roman opened her door and held his hand out to her.
"Your chariot awaits," he said with a grin.
Lucy smiled and took his hand, stepping up to climb into the passenger seat. As Roman walked around to join her, Lucy felt that familiar flutter once more. He climbed in and started the car, and Lucy took a deep breath, excitedly anticipating their night together.
They drove the short distance to the museum in a comfortable silence, listening to music and occasionally humming along. As he drove, Roman reached one hand over to settle on Lucy's in her lap.
There were those butterflies again.
Lucy entwined her fingers with his, smiling over at Roman as she felt a delirious sort of happiness wash over her. She could feel it radiating through every part of her, making her almost dizzy.
Soon they arrived and Roman once again opened the car door for her, offering her his arm as they made their way inside. Lucy gleefully slipped her arm in his, letting out a small giggle at the gesture.
"You know, if you didn't look like a Greek god, this all might come off as a little corny," Lucy said affectionately.
"And if you weren't worth looking like a complete goofball for, I might be worried about that," Roman replied with a wink.
The building that housed the museum was a beautifully restored historic place, complete with intricate white plaster ceilings and pillars covered in carvings of vines and flowers. It was a small, intimate setting, and the lights were dimmed, the framed paintings on the wall lit by candles and soft lamps. Lucy and Roman stepped into the gallery, instantly greeted by the sound of classical music being played by a string quartet. A waiter in white gloves carrying a tray handed them each a glass of champagne, and Lucy turned to Roman.
"A toast to the people you find when you're not looking" Lucy said, holding her glass towards Roman to cheers, unable to stop a dopey smile from coming over her face. As she felt herself begin to blush, she was relieved to see that Roman was looking back at her with a look of pure adoration.
"Cheers to that, baby," Roman said, clinking his glass against hers. They both took a sip and walked further inside to venture into the exhibit.
Lucy and Roman strolled through every room admiring each piece, stopping to read the plaques discussing the work and the artist. Lucy had her small notepad and jotted down names and descriptions for her article. Once she was satisfied she had what she needed, Lucy packed her things back in her purse and reached for Roman's hand. He met her eyes as he took it, and for the millionth time that day, Lucy's heart fluttered.
The two of them wandered back through the gallery, Lucy wanting a second look at the artwork now that she wasn't as distracted. While most of the work was that of up and coming artists, there was an alcove in the back of the museum that held a collection of classic paintings. Roman and Lucy lingered in the room for a few minutes and, after first looking around to make sure they were alone, Lucy tugged Roman down to her to give him a short but searing kiss. As soon his mouth met hers, she wanted to drag him into the corner and kiss him senseless until someone asked them to leave. Afraid she would give into her temptation, Lucy ended their kiss, but didn't move away from Roman. She looked at him to find his dark gaze staring down at her.
Roman brought his hand to her face and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, his other hand holding her at the waist.
"May I tell you again how beautiful you look tonight?" he asked, his voice soft and deeper than normal.
Lucy just stared up into his eyes, forgetting for a moment how to breathe. She was positive that the starry eyed look on her face had returned, but she was starting to embrace the feeling.
"Thank you, Ro," she finally answered, leaning into his touch, "I'm so happy you're here with me. Not only tonight at the museum, I'm just…happy that you're here," she finished with a sincere smile, her heartbeat picking up slightly.
Being vulnerable with Roman- or anyone- was frightening enough. Being vulnerable in public was a whole new ballgame. She was determined to stay in the moment with him and shut out the little voice inside her head plagued with anxiety and insecurity. That inner demon would not win against her and Roman- not tonight; not ever.
When the gallery opening was over Lucy and Roman went back to the hotel, where Lucy immediately sat at the small desk and opened her laptop to jot down some notes from the night. In her peripheral version, Lucy could see Roman loosening his tie and unbuttoning his shirt. In her haste to get everything written down before she forgot anything important Lucy hadn't even taken off her heels.
Roman walked up behind Lucy and bent down so that head was next to hers, peering at the screen in front of them as she typed furiously.
"What do you think? Did you get anything good?" he asked, sneaking a quick kiss on her cheek before standing upright again.
"Yeah, it was a beautiful collection, wasn't it?" Lucy answered as she beamed, turning to face him, "I'm going to recommend it to anyone looking for a unique date night spot." She turned back to the computer for another moment and made her last few notes, then finally closed it for the evening.
"I've been in museums all over the world and that one could stand up to most of them, small as it was," Roman said, nodding in agreement.
Lucy stood up from the desk and walked over to where Roman was now taking his hair out of his bun, his shirt and tie now draped over the back of a chair. She turned so that her back was to him.
"Would you mind helping me out of this dress?" she asked him.
"You don't have to ask me twice," Roman said as he stepped forward. She felt him sweep her hair across her back to rest over her shoulder. As he slid the zipper down her back, Roman bent his head down to place a kiss on the spot where her neck met her back, sending a shiver of excitement down her spine. Once the zipper was opened completely, Lucy felt Roman slide his hands slowly up her back and begin to pull the dress down her body. The deep red velvet hit the floor, leaving Lucy in her black lace bra and matching panties. The underwear were cut high on her hips and only covered about half of the curve of her ass.
Lucy instinctively backed into Roman and heard him hum with approval, his arms coming to wrap around her waist and hold her firmly against him.
"You know, I think the only thing more stunning than you in that dress is you out of it," Roman said, his voice husky.
"Mmmm, so I should add it to my packing list for our European adventure?" Lucy asked, resting her head against Roman's chest and relishing in the warmth of his skin.
"Yes, please," Roman said before he placed a kiss on the side of her neck, "I can't believe you're really coming. You're going to love it so much, Lucy. And we're going to some places I've never been to before, so we get to see them together."
Lucy let out a happy sigh, a warm glow of intimacy washing over her. Wrapped in his arms, feeling the heat of his skin and hearing the soothing rumble of his voice, Lucy realized just how safe she felt. She slowly spun her body so she was facing Roman, sliding her hands up his chest to rest on his shoulders, pulling him down to her for a kiss. Roman's soft lips pressed against hers, his hands now splayed against her lower back as he pulled her into him.
Lucy felt Roman deepen the kiss, his tongue prodding at the seam of her lips, and she happily let him in. After a few moments, Lucy drew back to give Roman one last soft kiss before opening her eyes to look at him.
"Baby, as much as I want you to rip this bra off of me and jump right into that bed," Lucy said, eliciting a growl from Roman, "I think we need to figure out the next few weeks. You said that you're heading home tomorrow, right?"
"Yeah, we check out in the morning. I'll have to get up early and go pack up my stuff or Seth will be banging down this door," Roman said with a chuckle.
"And then you leave again on Friday?" Lucy said, moving to sit on the bed.
"Mhmmm, I fly out Friday to do the weekend of house shows, but they gave us off from TV next week to get ready to go on tour," Roman said as he sat down next to Lucy, "When are you finished covering the Orlando office?"
"I'm working here until Friday, and I'll check out and drive home Saturday morning."
Roman nodded, and he and Lucy sat in a contemplative silence for a minute or so, thinking over the coming weeks.
From the moment they met, Lucy and Roman had become nearly inseparable in this shrunken down reality that existed across their two hotel rooms. Even though they lived in the same city- a clear sign from fate that Lucy can't bring herself to ignore- things would be different once they returned to their respective homes.
Although she couldn't get enough time with Roman, Lucy would be lying if she said she didn't feel the tiniest bit of relief that he would be gone for a few days. Lucy valued her solitude and while she was making room in her heart and in her life, she knew that having time to herself would help her wrap her head around everything yet to come. Hopefully once she had time to catch her breath, Lucy would be able to let the anxiety welling inside of her go.
"So how about this," Roman said, breaking the silence and bringing Lucy out of her thoughts, "I fly back on a red eye Sunday night. Would you like to go out to dinner Monday night? I'd love to come pick you up and show you around some of my favorite places. Then we could see how the rest of the week goes from there? I know you'll still be working, and you'll need some time to pack and prepare, and I will too, but-"
"Monday night sounds perfect," Lucy said with a gentle laugh, delighted to see Roman babbling on nervously for a change, "And then we'll just take it day by day, especially since I'll probably need your help packing. When I'm going on vacation I tend to bring…everything…and then just a little bit more, just in case."
"You know, I thought I noticed that there were an awful lot of things hung up in that wardrobe for a short business trip," Roman said teasingly, shaking his head, "Seth is the same way. Between the two of you there might not be room on the plane for anyone else's luggage, but we'll make it work."
Lucy rolled her eyes with a smile and swatted his arm playfully.
Satisfied with their plans, Lucy went into the bathroom to brush her teeth and get ready for bed, and when she returned Roman had already turned down the lights, one arm tucked behind his head waiting for her. She crawled into bed and settled on his chest, his arm wrapping around her instantly. As she was drifting off to sleep, Lucy could feel the smallest shift in her subconscious. Contented and safe in the arms of Roman, the protective walls she had built for so long were slowly starting to give way.