The next morning, Roman woke up to the sun streaming in through the gap in the curtains. Lucy was still sleeping and breathing softly next to him. He shifted so that he could wrap his arm around her waist and pull her into him, hoping he didn't wake her. As he laid there enjoying the peaceful silence, his mind drifted, and a little bit of worry crept in.
Last night in the park had been a wild experience- certainly not the type of thing he had ever done before. He loved how bold Lucy had gotten around him in the short time they had known each other, but he couldn't shake the feeling that she was holding back. He just didn't understand what. They had agreed to be open since the night they met. It was an admittedly lofty goal, and probably something they had come to too quickly, but they had made it. Whatever it was that was holding her back, Roman hoped that he could help her overcome it.
Closing his eyes, Roman laid his head back on the pillow and tried to drift back to sleep. After about fifteen minutes he was unsuccessful, and luckily Lucy began to stir. She slowly rolled over so that they were no longer spooning and rested her chin on his chest, her sleepy eyes looking up at him.
"Good morning, handsome," she said in that throaty way that made him a little bit feral. She slid her hand across his stomach, gently stroking his bare skin.
"And good morning to you too, gorgeous," he said, dropping a kiss on her forehead.
Lucy sat up slowly, stretching her arms lazily and letting out a yawn.
"So, what are you up to today?" she asked, leaning back down next to him to rest on her elbow, "any plans? Do you have work things to do?"
"Nope, nothing on the work calendar," he answered, opening his arms for a stretch of his own. "I do need to get a workout in at some point, but Wednesday is usually our off day after the weekend shows, Raw, and Smackdown."
"Well, I need to run by the magazine office and turn in a few articles, there's a coffee shop I need to review," Lucy replied, counting her list on her fingers, "and there's an art gallery opening that I'm covering. Interested in joining me for a work slash date combo?" she finished with a smile.
"Absolutely," he answered with a grin, "I'm always down for coffee, and I can't remember the last time I've been to a museum. Sounds like a perfect day to me."
"Awesome! I'm excited to have you along for the ride," Lucy said, smiling up at him, "it'll be like Bring Your Wrestler to Work Day."
Roman laughed and shook his head.
"First Dean, and now me. Should I just go ahead and pencil in a day with Seth for you?" he joked.
"I'm sure I could persuade him to join us for coffee, seems like something he'd be up for," she replied, "if you're up for more company? Dean could come too, the more the merrier."
"Dean has a few radio interviews this morning, but Seth being Seth probably already got his workout in, so sure, let's do it," he answered.
Roman turned to the nightstand and retrieved his phone from the charger. He quickly typed out an invitation to Seth and put his phone back to the nightstand. Turning back to Lucy, he saw her slipping out of bed, a mischievous grin on her face.
"Well, before we go, I need to take a shower," she said, slowly lifting her top over head, her nipples hardening at the sudden exposure, "would you like to join me?" As she finished asking, she slid down her shorts and stepped out of them, holding his eyes the entire time.
Roman must have looked like a cartoon character, the way his jaw fell open. After he took a moment to regain control over his brain, he stood up out of bed and walked over to her, sliding his hand down her side and over her hip.
"Is that a serious question?" he answered, tugging down his own shorts. When he met her eyes again, she was looking at him hungrily.
Roman rested his hands on her waist and pulled her into him, his skin igniting as he felt her naked up against him for the first time. He bent down to claim her mouth in a kiss, feeling as her hands slid up his bare chest and around his neck. Lucy met his kiss with passion, opening her mouth to let him in, and letting out a barely audible whimper. Feeling bold, he wrapped one of the hands he had on her waist around to her back and slid it down, cupping her ass in his hand. He pulled her flush against him, feeling his cock against her and moaning at the contact.
Lucy broke from their kiss to let out a small gasp, and he took the opportunity to shift his lips to her neck. She slid her fingers into his hair as he kissed along her collarbone, his hand on her ass giving a gentle squeeze.
He lifted his head and met her eyes, placing a small kiss on her nose before resting his forehead on hers.
"How much time do we have before you need to head to the office," he asked, sliding his other hand down to fully hold her ass in his hands.
"I can go in whenever I like, just before the end of the workday," she answered breathily.
"Good, because I believe…" he said, sliding his hands down to hold her thighs and lifting her up, carrying her back to the edge of the bed and setting her down, "that I owe you payback for last night." He lowered himself to his knees and before she had a chance to answer began kissing his way up her thighs.
Lucy let out another gasp and closed her eyes for a moment, falling back to lie on the bed. Roman took his hands and gently opened her legs, licking and kissing slowly up her left thigh until he reached her pussy. Once there he looked up to find her settled on her elbows, watching him intently. He slid one his hands forward and flicked at her clit, causing her to throw her head back and moan.
"Mmm, yes," she groaned, thrusting her hips just slightly at the contact.
He bent down and replaced his finger with his tongue, lapping at the sensitive nub. Her moans instantly grew louder and he squeezed her thigh as he continued to lick at her. She tasted amazing, her slick pussy coating his beard and tongue, and he let out a moan of his own. As Roman continued to work his tongue at her clit, he slid one hand up to pinch her nipple and palm her breast.
"Oh, fuck," she breathed, one hand in his hair and the other grabbing at the sheets beneath her. He moved to her other breast, grabbing her nipple again and massaging her, his tongue not letting up from her clit. Slowly, he slid his tongue down to her entrance, sliding inside, wanting to taste every single inch of her. He fucked her with his tongue, feeling her thighs close around his head as more moans filled the room. He took his time working back up to her clit, and settled there, lapping and sucking at it, even letting his teeth graze it for just a moment.
"Roman, yes- fuck right, there- god- don't stop," Lucy gasped out in between moans. He could feel her getting wetter and wetter, her moans getting higher pitched, and he knew she was getting close. He maintained his pace on her clit with his tongue, and gently slipped a finger inside of her. He slid in and out of her a few times, and felt her muscles begin to tighten around him. Roman lost himself in the euphoria of Lucy- how she tasted on his tongue; how her pussy squeezed tight around his finger; the pull of her fingers as they entwined themselves with his curls. Roman thought that if these were his last moments, he could die a happy man. Before he knew it, Lucy's orgasm erupted from her. Angling his head up just slightly, his tongue never breaking contact, he watched her. Her head thrown back, eyes closed and her mouth open, gasping for breath, a single bead of sweat dripping down between her perfect breasts as she rode out the high. When the waves finally subsided, Roman eased his finger out of her. He gave her a soft kiss on the thigh and wrapped his arms around her knees once more, this time to ease her back further onto the bed so she could lie down completely. He slid in next to her, giving her a soft kiss on the forehead and running his fingers gently up and down one of her arms. He was rock hard, but he didn't give it a second thought.
"Can I bring you some water or anything, babe?" he asked in a soft voice. She slowly opened her eyes and shook her head.
"I mean, yes, please-" she said, then broke off with an affectionate smile, "but just in a minute, OK?" she asked, her eyes boring into him with heat, and a little exhaustion. "Just…I like to be held. After. If that's alright," she bit her lip and shifted her eyes downwards. Roman moved his hand to place one finger under her chin, easing her face back towards him.
"Hey," he said, his voice soft but firm, "please. Don't ever be shy or embarrassed to tell me what you need. Or what you want. OK?" he finished.
Smiling up at him, relief evident in her face, Lucy leaned her head against his shoulder and nodded. She let out a contented sigh, and Roman grinned down, not being able to take his eyes off of her. For a few minutes they laid there, basking in the afterglow. After a little while, Lucy broke the silence.
"I think I'm ready for that glass of water now," she said, a hint of a giggle in her voice.
"You got it," Roman said, giving her a wink and standing up to retrieve the glass. He pulled out a few cubes of ice and a bottle from the mini fridge, pouring it all into a glass. He brought the water back over to the bed where Lucy was now sitting up, propped up against the pillows. He sat down next to her as he handed her the glass.
"Thank you," she said, taking the glass from him, "you're such a gentleman. I'm not being funny, you really are just…wonderful," she said before taking a sip, a blush coloring her cheeks. "And fuck- that was fantastic," she said after she swallowed, rolling her eyes and leaning her head back for emphasis. They both laughed at that, Roman's ego inflating just a little bit.
"So, that was the punishment for my brazen transgression in the park last night?" she asked, wiggling her eyebrows.
"Yes, I've settled the score now," Roman said with a solemn nod, "I hope you've learned your lesson."
"Lesson learned," Lucy said with a nod of her own, "commit transgressions as often as possible. In fact…" she said, her eyes sliding down his body.
"Nope, nope, nope," he said, shaking his head, "not a chance, babe. This morning was for you. My only goal was to wake you up- along with any of our neighbors who might still be in their rooms- in the best way possible. Now, come on," he said, holding his hand out to her and standing from the bed, "let's get cleaned up.
Putting on an exaggerated pout that quickly fell away to a smile, Lucy took his hand and stood.
Roman led her to the bathroom and started the water. Once it was sufficiently steamy, he held the shower curtain open for her. Lucy stepped into the water, making a hum of approval as the warm water streamed over her body. Before following her in, Roman took a second just to watch her. Her eyes closed as she let the water fall over her face, through her hair and down her body. His cock hardened again, and his resolve began to waver. He wanted to be true to his word. He stepped into the shower, wrestling with angel and devil warring on his shoulders.
Lucy smiled at him when he joined her, opening her eyes and wiggling her fingers in the stream, splashing the water at him with a flick.
"Come on in, baby," she said, grabbing him by the wrists and pulling him into the spray with her. As the water cascaded over both of them, Lucy moved her hands up to his shoulders and pushed down as much as she could, tilting her head up to him expectantly. He got the message instantly and bent down, meeting her for a deep kiss.
Their tongues danced as the steam built around them, both literally and metaphorically. Roman's hands found Lucy's body, slippery and hot, and just as quickly felt her hands slip down, running over his chest and down his stomach. She slid around to his back, one hand reaching down to palm his ass. Roman broke their kiss, letting out a small groan, his cock jumping. With her free hand, Lucy popped open the top of the body wash and squeezed out a bit on his chest. She began to rub it all over him, slowly. Sensually.
Roman removed one hand from her and did the same, starting on her shoulder. His other hand joined and soon they were both covered. Roman slid over her supple breasts as Lucy ran her hands down his back. She slid over his abs as he washed down her legs. Their hands were everywhere, and the scent of the soap was intoxicating.
"You sure I can't…" Lucy slid her hand down his stomach, coming to rest just beside his throbbing cock, "make you feel just as good as you made me?" She looked up at him, the same devious look in her eye from last night. Fuck. She would be the death of him. He would probably commit a homicide if she asked him to with that look.
It wasn't that he didn't want her to touch him. He was dying to feel her hands right now. But he wanted to spoil her; to show her that sometimes, it was just going to be all about her. Not every moment had to be give and take, and this morning, he wanted to give.
"Believe me, babe," he said, grabbing her hand and wrapping it around himself, allowing her to stroke him just once before carefully moving her fingers away. He replaced her hand with his own, staring deep into her eyes, "I will definitely take you up on that offer. Soon. I don't think I dreamt of anything but your mouth on me last night. But I meant what I said. You're not putting in any work this morning." She matched his stare and then let her eyes drift downward, transfixed on the way he was pumping his cock.
"But," he continued, stroking faster now, "just so there's no confusion about how much you turn me on, let me show you, baby. I want you to see what you do to me." Lucy's mouth formed an o shape as she watched him, her slick naked body once again in full view, the soapy suds washed away. Roman twisted his hand as he slid it up and down, only occasionally breaking their eye contact to shut his eyes and moan.
"Fuck, Roman," Lucy whimpered, her eyes wide. She surged forward to kiss him, and his hand quickened. He kissed her back for a few seconds, breaking it off quickly as he felt his release building.
"Lucy, baby, I'm gonna-" he choked out, his hand gripping tighter and speeding up, his muscles clenching. Lucy took a half step back to watch him and he rested his chin on her head as he came with a deep moan, his cum joining the spray of water. As he stroked through the last of his orgasm, Lucy swiped her finger over the head of his cock, causing him to jump at the sensitive contact.
"Couldn't resist," she said, licking a bead of cum off of her finger with a wicked grin. He smiled lazily at her, the endorphins coursing through him, and reached down to kiss her.
"You see the effect you have on me just standing there, gorgeous?" he said, releasing himself and resting his hands on her hips, "I could stare at you every second of the day and I don't think it'd be enough."
Lucy's cheeks flushed again, but she met his eyes, not shying away.
"Just so you know," she said with a smile, "the feeling is entirely mutual." Roman's heart swelled.
"OK," he said, grabbing the shampoo bottle, "now to actually get clean. I don't know about you, but coffee sounds just about perfect right now."
Roman and Lucy toweled off in the bathroom and as Lucy dried her hair and got dressed for the day, Roman wandered back into the main room and grabbed his phone. He sat on the bed and opened his messages to see that Seth had responded, letting him know coffee was a go whenever the two of them wanted to head out.
Roman took his time getting dressed and getting his hair situated. As he brushed it back, he realized he hadn't moved his hair products over from the room he shared with the guys. He walked back into the bathroom to find Lucy putting the finishing touches on her hair and makeup.
"Could I borrow something to put in my hair? I forgot my leave-in across the hall," he asked.
"Of course," Lucy said, setting down her lipstick and reaching for her bag, "I have leave-in conditioner, a serum, gel…" she trailed off, excitedly placing his options before him.
"Wow, this is great," he said, never having had this many choices of hair products in his life. He took a look at each bottle and selected the one marked leave-in conditioner, playing it safe. He opened the top and squirted it into his palm, then ran it through his hair. Once it was saturated, he twisted his hair into a neat bun and secured it at the crown of his head.
"Thanks, babe," he said, grabbing the bottles and walking around the counter to where her bag was, placing them back inside, "this smells way better than mine. Better keep an eye on that bottle."
Lucy grinned and, having finished getting ready, put the rest of her hair and makeup products away.
"Seth said he's happy to join us whenever we're ready," Roman said as the two of them walked back into the room.
"Great!" Lucy said, her smile beaming as she slid on her shoes and grabbed the satchel containing her laptop, notebooks, and anything else she might need, "ready?" she asked.
Roman nodded as he slid on his shoes, and Lucy led the way out of the room. Catching up to her quickly, Roman gently grabbed the strap of her bag. Lucy turned to look at him, confusion evident on her face.
"May I?" he asked, gesturing to the bag.
"You don't have to do that," she said with that same hesitant look he'd seen this morning after she'd asked him to keep holding her.
"I know I don't have to, but I want to, babe," he said softly, "only if it's OK with you, though."
"You know, I think you might just ruin your rep as big bad Roman Reigns if you keep acting this sweet," Lucy answered, her smile growing as she released her hold on the bag, "that would be great. Thank you."
"I can see the headline now," he replied as he slipped the strap over his shoulder and followed Lucy into the hallway, letting the door shut behind them. He stretched his hand out, gesturing as if he was seeing the words floating in front of them, " 'Roman Reigns has Gone Soft: From Power Bombs to Shoulder Bags- more at six o'clock," he said in a boisterous news anchor voice.
The two of them laughed and Roman raised his fist to knock on the door. Before his knuckles could make contact, the door flew open, Seth fixing them both with an amused grin.
"What's going on out here with you crazy kids?" he asked, stepping out to join them and letting the door close.
"I was just teasing Roman for being a sweetheart, that's all," Lucy said. Now it was Roman's turn to blush.
"Yeah, Mister Samoan teddy bear, right here," Seth said, clapping him on the shoulder. "So, where are we headed?" he asked.
"The place is called the Orchid Coffee Company, it's about a fifteen minute ride away. I can drive us in my car, unless one of you guys wants to drive," Lucy answered as they made their way to the elevator.
"Works for me," said Seth and Roman nodded his agreement. The three of them made their way to the parking garage and Lucy stopped a yellow VW bug.
"Oh, is this going to be OK for you two?" she asked with a laugh, "I forgot that it's a little small."
"Nah, we'll be fine," Seth said, patting the roof of the car, "we've squeezed into way worse."
"Oh yeah," Roman said, "this is the height of luxury compared to the early days."
The three of them piled into Lucy's car, Roman taking shotgun and Seth in the backseat. Before they began their drive, Lucy connected her phone to the aux and pressed play on a playlist. As they pulled out of the garage, a gentle acoustic guitar strummed, followed by a croony, smoky woman's voice.
"Who is this?" Roman asked, his interest piqued. The song had a slow melody to it and a folk music sound.
"It's 'Crystal' by Stevie Nicks," Lucy said, singing softly along and swaying her head as much as she could safely while driving.
"You know her, Rome," Seth said, leaning forward to stick his head between the two front seats, "Dean's played Fleetwood Mac a bunch of times in between towns."
"Oh yeah, I can hear it now," Roman said as the song continued and morphed into a more moody sound, "Oh wait. Isn't this song in that witch movie? The one with Sandra Bullock?"
"Practical Magic!" Lucy said, taking her eyes off the road for a second to look at him with a surprised smile, "I love that movie! You've seen it?"
"Of course! It's a Halloween classic," Roman said, "my sister played it every year growing up, and I always complained about it, but I'm old and wise enough now to admit that it's a great movie."
"Oh yeah, I think you put it on in our hotel room last year," Seth said, "Nicole Kidman is the sister, right?"
"Yeah!" Roman and Lucy said in unison, causing all three of them to burst into laughter. Seth settled back into his seat and Lucy began singing along to the song again.
Like the love that had finally, finally found I knew. In the crystalline knowledge of you…
Roman's heart skipped a beat. Her voice was beautiful- soft and sultry. He leaned his head back against the headrest and closed his eyes to listen. When the chorus wound up again, Lucy slipped into a harmony. She began to alternate between singing and humming as she had to pay closer attention to the road, and when the song came to close Roman looked over at her.
"So when you said you loved to sing," he said, sliding his hand to rest on her thigh as they drove and raising his eyebrows "I think you may have undersold it."
"You've definitely got some pipes," Seth chimed in from the backseat.
"Thanks, guys," she said, her cheeks coloring faintly, "I've been singing since- I don't know. The womb? I think Disney princess songs were my starting point."
"Oh, now that's a singalong we might have to try on the way back," Roman said, "I can crush 'I Just Can't Wait to be King' any day of the week."
"Deal," Lucy said with a laugh.
For the rest of the drive they chatted about their favorite Disney songs and movies from childhood.
The trio made their way inside of a charming coffee shop. String lights hung over the windows, and bookshelves lined one wall. In addition to a few tables there were two sofas and a few scattered reading chairs, all mismatched. It was the kind of place you could hunker down reading and sipping coffee for hours.
They made their way to the counter where a huge menu scrawled in chalk hung above them. After taking a few minutes to peruse, Lucy stepped up to order and encouraged the guys to do the same. Roman tried to pay but Lucy insisted on putting all on her magazine card, since she'd be including all of it in her review.
"After all," Lucy said, lowering her voice and giving him a conspiratory smirk, "you've been treating me all morning." Roman's face warmed as he felt Seth staring at him, a knowing smile growing on his face.
The barista handed them their pastries and assured them that the rest would be out in a few minutes. The three of them chose a small loveseat and a chair with a coffee table in between. Seth settled into the chair while Roman sat next to Lucy, putting his arm across the back of the couch behind her. Seth pointed his phone at them and quickly lowered it with a grin.
"I'll tell Dean you say 'hello.'" he said with a laugh, obviously sending the picture to him.
"I thought we might end up in a photo op here," Roman said, shaking his head, "I just didn't think you'd turn into the paparazzi."
"Would you send me the photo too?" Lucy asked eagerly, and Roman smiled to himself. She wanted their picture. She wanted him. She wanted them.
"You know what? I'll start a new group chat. The Shield plus Lucy," Seth answered with a nod, "hey, maybe we should throw her in the ring with us. Got a vest, Luce?" he finished, laughing at his joke as sent out the picture.
Roman's phone buzzed and he opened it to find the picture of Lucy and himself staring back at him. He immediately saved it and added the picture to his favorites.
"Awww, we're so cute," Lucy said, peering over his shoulder at the picture, and she turned her head to Seth, "thanks, Seth- and yes, I'm sure all five feet of me would be very intimidating to the other wrestlers."
"Well, if nothing else you'd be a beautiful distraction," Roman said, lowering his arm to wrap around her shoulder, "never underestimate how you can take out the enemy."
"Ooh crafty, I like it," Lucy said with a laugh, "now before we forget, let me know what you guys think of your drinks so I can write it down for the review."
Roman took a slow sip of his drink, having ordered a simple hot drip coffee. The barista had recommended their newest house blend and she had been right- it was fantastic.
The next few minutes went by quietly as their food arrived and everyone tried everything. Roman tried both of the more elaborate drinks that Seth and Lucy ordered - an iced macchiato for Lucy and a hot mocha latte for Seth- and decided that he might branch out the next time he went out for coffee. The three of them chatted and soaked in the atmosphere, Lucy taking notes the whole time. She stood up to ask the barista a few questions and take some photos of the interior.
"So, it seems like it's going pretty well between you two. How are you doing, man?" Seth asked in a sincere tone, his eyes curious.
"She's wonderful, Seth," Roman answered, letting his eyes drift over to where Lucy was chatting animatedly at the counter, "I can't believe we've only known each other a few days, you know?"
"I know," Seth nodded, "the two of you seem so natural together, like it's been years. And the way she looks at you? It's like…I don't even know, it's like-"
"The way Dean looks at you?" Roman finished for him, his eyes softening at the younger man.
Seth's smile warmed and he nodded.
"Yeah, I'd say it's probably just like that," Seth said. He took another sip of his coffee and set it down to grab one of the muffins they ordered. "Did you guys talk any more about her coming to Europe last night?"
"I brought it up, but she still seemed a little resistant," Roman answered, getting a sinking feeling in his stomach, "I just don't want to push her too hard and mess this up. Maybe she thinks we're moving too quickly."
Roman looked up at Seth to find him holding back a smile.
"What? Did she say something to you?" Roman demanded, confused at what Seth could be finding funny.
"No, of course not," Seth said, trying his best at a neutral expression but not entirely succeeding, "she hasn't said anything to me."
"Then what are you? Oh," Roman said, putting the pieces together. Dean. Lucy had lunch with Dean yesterday. "What did Dean say?"
Seth raised both of his hands up in mock surrender.
"Hey, I'm not getting in the middle here. Not between you and Dean, or you and Lucy, or anyone. We're grown adults," he continued, "all I'll say is that I think you should stop worrying so much. Both of you. Take everything a day at a time and enjoy each other. It's the beginning, everything is new. This is supposed to be the fun part, bro."
Roman leaned back against the loveseat and nodded his head. He knew Seth was right.
Lucy came back over and took her seat next to Roman, surprising him with a quick kiss on the cheek. Roman spared a quick glance at Seth to see him giving him a look that said "See?" Roman wrapped his arm back around Lucy and pulled her into his side and leaned them back against the couch.
"What do you guys think? This place is great, right?" Lucy asked, closing her notebook and setting it down next to her. Both men nodded enthusiastically.
"I think I might like to have a coffee shop one day," Seth said looking around, "a quiet little place like this might be nice."
"That's something I've thought about, too," Lucy said, "I love to bake, so I could make the treats and bring someone else in to help choose the coffee. Maybe have a space for performances, open mic nights, that sort of thing. I love writing for now, but maybe someday."
"I will be a loyal customer of both of your shops if the coffee is anything like this," Roman said, sipping the last bit of his drink.
"On the house for you, baby," Lucy said to him with a wink. Roman smiled and felt himself relaxing, the sinking feeling from before long gone. Seth was right, he needed to just take a breath and enjoy himself, and stop getting so bogged down in the "what if?" rabbit hole.
"So I was thinking," Lucy said, changing the subject, "when we're finished here, you said you needed to get to the gym. How about I drop you two back off at the hotel and I can make my run to the office, and then we meet back up for the museum after you're done with your work out?"
"Sounds like a plan," Roman said, and Seth nodded his agreement.
"Perfect!" Lucy smiled, "Would you like to join us at the museum too, Seth?" she asked.
"Thanks for the invite, but I think Dean and I are going to explore the city a bit this afternoon. See what kind of trouble we can get ourselves into," he finished with a grin.
Roman smiled, happy that he and Lucy had a museum date all to themselves. He wanted to soak in every minute of getting to know her. Roman knew that he could trust his gut, and right now he had a distinct feeling that everything was going to work out.