The next morning found Roman at the gym, and Lucy gathering ingredients to start baking in her kitchen, wearing the Shield hoodie he'd lent her the day before under her apron while Skipper was splayed out happily on the small kitchen rug at her feet.

They'd finished the night before with dinner at a local hole-in-the-wall Mexican place that Lucy loved, and then had come back to spend the night together at her apartment. When she'd told Roman that she wanted to squeeze in as much time with Skipper before they went away, he'd happily joined her.

Lucy pulled up the recipe for her favorite lemon blueberry scones, and got to work zesting lemons for the dough and glaze. She hummed along to the playlist playing softly in the background, and peered at the recipe to double check the next step.

Roman would be back from the gym shortly and she was excited to have a snack waiting for him, especially after he'd cooked such a fantastic dinner for her. She giggled to herself at the idea of feeling like a 1950's housewife, waiting with freshly baked goods for her big, strong man to come home - not her ideal role in life, but a cute picture nonetheless.

The scones would also be a treat for Liza as a thank you for watching Skipper. She was going to come pick her up in the evening since Roman and Lucy were flying out early the next morning, leaving from Roman's house. Lucy was making a large enough batch so that Liza and Courtney would have scones for days, and there would still be plenty for her and Roman to enjoy, plus a few to bring for Dean and Seth. The four of them would all be flying to New York, then traveling together to London.

She finished zesting and juicing the lemon, and set it aside to mix together the dry ingredients, blueberries, butter, and heavy cream, combining it all into a sticky dough. She formed the scones into wedges, brushed the tops with heavy cream, and set them in the fridge to rest while the oven preheated. Just as she was grabbing a dish towel to start cleaning up the counter, the front door she'd left unlocked for Roman opened, and he walked in, still sweaty from the gym, his face lighting up in a surprised grin when he saw her.

"Hey, sweetie," he said, looking at the sprinkles of flour on the counter and ingredients strewn about. He stepped into the kitchen and greeted her with a quick kiss, fiddling with the tie of her apron as he pulled away, "what's all this?"

"I thought I'd surprise you with a little something after your workout," Lucy said with a smile, "how do lemon blueberry scones sound?"

"Like heaven," Roman said, closing his eyes for emphasis.

"Good," she replied with a small chuckle, opening the fridge to show him the tray, "I'm putting them in the oven in about 15 minutes."

"Mmmm, 15 minutes, huh?" Roman said, closing the refrigerator door and pulling her into him by the straps of her apron, "that means I have a little time to say thank you."

Roman lowered his mouth to hers, and Lucy sighed happily as she melted into the kiss. As she pressed her lips to his, letting her hand rest on his forearm, brushing across the inked skin, she found herself thinking of the previous afternoon.

When Roman had lifted her up and fucked her against his wall, Lucy'd felt like she could have imploded, and would have been happy to do so - she could imagine no better scenario for her last moments on this earth. The way he'd been so tender and attentive as he'd explored her body with his lips and tongue, then turned rough, almost animalistic as he pounded into her - just thinking about now sent shivers down her spine.

She hadn't been sure how he was going to react when she'd placed his hand around her throat, but it had been better than she would have hoped. And then there was the moment she hadn't been able to stop thinking about, the word that kept replaying her mind, over and over again.

"Mine."

Roman's deep voice had rumbled it against her neck, sending vibrations through her throat that he wrapped snugly in his strong grasp, his cock buried inside of her to the tilt as he held her up, pushed roughly against the wall. A million things had coursed through her mind within a single second- she had wanted to laugh, and cry, and scream all at once.

She hadn't realized how much she wanted to hear him say that until he did. The fact that he'd said it so fiercely - such a firm declaration, leaving no room for argument - that's what tugged at her heartstrings. He wanted her to be his, only his, and damn if she didn't want that too, so badly. She almost couldn't believe it when she'd heard it; she thought that maybe she'd imagined it - so she'd asked, pleaded, for him to say it again. The moment he did was the moment when she'd broken, crying out as she'd exploded around him as he fucked into her with all of his might.

"Mine. You are all mine."

She let out another contented sigh as she opened her mouth to allow his tongue access, letting the memory drift back into her subconscious as she returned her focus to the present.

She'd been a little concerned about how they were going to move forward when he had been so out of sorts after the conversation with his dad, but as she kissed him now, Lucy felt lighter than air.

They finally broke off the kiss, coming up for air. Roman brushed his hand against her thigh, grazing the hem of the hoodie.

"You know, I really like you in this," he said, looking down at her with a heated stare, "remind me to let you borrow more of my clothes."

"Borrow?" Lucy asked with a sly grin, "it's cute that you think you're getting this back."

"It's all yours, as long as I get to see you wear it," Roman said with a chuckle. He squeezed her thigh, and Lucy repressed a whimper.

"I better go shower," Roman said with a dramatic exhale, dropping his hand from her, "I know you don't want this much sweat all over you."

"I wouldn't be so sure about that," Lucy said, cocking her eyebrow at him, giving her best mischievous grin.

"Oh, really?" Roman asked with an intrigued tone and a sparkle in his eye, "good to know."

He gave her one last, short kiss, and headed for the bathroom, leaving Lucy with a lingering curiosity as she watched him go.

She had just begun whisking powdered sugar and lemon juice into a glaze when Roman emerged from the bathroom, wearing cobalt blue joggers, his chest bare and glistening, and his hair tied up in a neat bun. She let her eyes quickly run over his impressive arms and shoulders, flitting down to his stomach before shifting her focus back to the task at hand.

Lord, the man is a Samoan god, carved from marble, Lucy thought as he approached.

"Wow, those smell good," Roman said, walking around the counter to join her. He took a second to examine the bowl Lucy was holding before he swiped his finger against the side, bringing it to his mouth.

"Hey!" Lucy exclaimed, failing to hide a giggle, "that's for the scones- you'll get to try it soon enough."

"Mmm, but I wanted it now," Roman said with a teasing grin, "and look, I'll even share."

He bent down and gave her a quick peck, and Lucy had to admit that the tart, sugary glaze tasted even better on his lips. Just before Roman pulled away, Lucy caught a whiff of another, more familiar smell. She looked up at him with an exaggerated, incredulous expression.

"Did you unpack my leave-in conditioner?" she asked him.

He smiled at her sheepishly.

"...I put it back."

Lucy laughed and shook her head, returning to her whisking and making a mental note to buy him a bottle of his own for when he'd go back to his regular travel schedule. She felt a slight knot in her stomach at the thought.

They were going to have time to spend together- lots of time. Lucy was going to spend two straight weeks with him, in three different countries, and then Roman would be home a few weeks later for their annual break around Christmas. The odds seemed pretty good that they'd be spending some of that time together.

After that was the part Lucy didn't want to think about, and couldn't focus on right now. It was fine. It was going to be fine. She would go back to her regular life, and her regular schedule, and he'd go back to his, and they would make it work- somehow. But that was the future, and right now he was here, and so was she.

Trust in him, and in yourself, she reminded herself, her therapist's words echoing in her mind, that's all you can do, and all you need to focus on.

The timer for the scones went off, and Lucy set down the whisk.

"Allow me," Roman said, grabbing the oven mitt resting on the counter and sliding it on before he opened the oven, pulling out the baking sheet and resting it on a dish towel. Lucy grinned and evaluated the scones- they were baked to a perfect golden brown.

"Thank you," she said, "they just need to cool for a few minutes before we glaze them."

"We?" Roman asked with an amused grin.

"We," Lucy stated, with a nod, "you stole some of my glaze, so now you get to help."

"Fair enough," Roman agreed with a laugh.

Once the scones were cool enough, Roman and Lucy drizzled them with glaze, and Lucy grabbed dishes for both of them and brought them into the living room.

"I got us all checked in and everything for tomorrow," Roman said in between bites as they relaxed on her couch, enjoying their pastries.

"Great," Lucy said appreciatively, "I think I'm officially done packing. I'll double check everything later."

"And they sent over our itinerary for the shows and media and everything," Roman said, before taking a pause.

"It looks like we'll be a little busier than I'd hoped," he looked nervously over at her, "I'll still have some time for sightseeing, but not as much as I was planning to."

Lucy finished the rest of her scone quietly, buying herself a little time to think before she responded. Her heart sank a little, but she willed herself to focus on the positive.

"We'll just make the most of whatever time you have," she finally said, "and I'm happy to go out and explore on my own. It actually might not be such a bad thing," she finished, carefully.

Roman looked confused, so Lucy continued.

"I am so incredibly excited to go on this trip with you," she explained, "but I know at some point I'm probably going to get overwhelmed- meeting all of these people; being in a completely new environment. I've been trying not to overthink it, but I undoubtedly will need some time to myself to just…catch my breath."

Understanding dawned on Roman's face as he nodded, but he still looked like he wasn't sure about what exactly she was trying to say.

"Being on my own is my default setting," she said with a deep exhale, "and while I am actively working on that now that I have you in my life, the fact that we're going to be kind of forced to do it in baby steps might be just the pace we need- or I need, at least."

Roman nodded and chewed on his scone, his face stoic. Lucy looked into his eyes, trying to decipher how he was taking her words, and she fought the urge to keep babbling on and on. She needed him to know that she loved spending time with him, but there would always be that part of her that needed her own space.

"Dean was kind of like that, at first," Roman finally said, meeting her eyes, his expression thoughtful, "he went out for a lot of walks and stuff once we got to the hotel after shows- needed his 'lone wolf time,' he said. Still does, from time to time. And thinking back to when I started out on the road, I can see where you're coming from. It's probably a little different for me, since I grew up in a house full of siblings, and always had family coming and going- plus being in locker rooms from the age of seven. I guess chaos is my default setting," he finished with a light laugh.

Lucy breathed out a laugh, too, relieved that he did seem to understand.

"Lone wolf time," she repeated with a grin, "I like that- I might have to steal it."

"I'm sure Dean won't mind sharing his code word," Roman said, giving her an affectionate, soft smile. Lucy's heart swelled under his gaze, even as it made her fidget. He'd filled in the gaps between her explanations so quickly, it was almost unnerving.

She couldn't find the words to respond, so she didn't. She leaned against his arm, resting her head on his shoulder, closing her eyes and letting out a slow breath, silently telegraphing what she was feeling.

Thank you, she thought, thank you for seeing me.

"Hey," Roman said quietly, nudging her gently with his shoulder. She turned her head to look at him, "don't forget, baby- you can always, always tell me what you need. Whether it's cuddles, time to yourself, or anything else that might come up. Even when I can't completely relate, I will do my very best to make it happen."

Lucy felt a lump in her throat forming, tears threatening to spill out if she spoke, so she closed her eyes and returned her head to his shoulder, threading her fingers in his, squeezing his hand gently. He returned the gesture, and bent over to place a gentle kiss on her forehead. Lucy hummed her appreciation and let out another breath.

They'd finished their snack, and Lucy took Roman's plate and stacked it with hers, setting them both on the coffee table. Roman pulled a throw pillow onto his lap and gently pulled Lucy to lay her head down. She complied happily, stretching out so that her legs dangled over the end of the couch, and she rested her arm against Roman's across her waist, while his other hand softly played with her hair.

"Oh, and just so you know," Roman said, continuing to run his fingers through her curls, "I should have told you before, and you don't have to, but you are welcome to watch any and all of the shows while we're there. There are usually friends and family boxes we can use, or comp tickets if you'd rather sit in the crowd."

"I would love to be your personal cheering section, Ro," Lucy said, smiling up at him, feeling slightly giddy at that new information. Roman beamed down at her.

"I'll hit 'em extra hard, just for you," he said with a wink.

They spent the next hour or so discussing the places that they definitely wanted to visit together, and the other sights that Lucy would venture to on her own. Eventually Lucy got up to retrieve her phone, starting a list to keep track of everything. She pretended not to notice when Roman laughed quietly to himself as she opened her notes app. She typed everything into two separate columns, and read them aloud to Roman when she finished. As she closed out of those plans and opened up her packing list for the third time that morning, Roman swiftly grabbed her phone, tossing it into the chair next to the couch.

"You're going to drive yourself crazy with that," he said, serious, but his tone was light, "I promise- you are completely prepared. And, on the very slim chance that you did forget something, I will take you to get it once we're over there." He gave her an imploring look, and Lucy acquiesced, settling into his side. He dropped the arm that he had draped across the back of the couch to wrap around her shoulders. It was her turn to feel sheepish.

"I'm just excited," she said, giving him a small smile, "and a little nervous, I think."

"I know, babe," Roman said, tightening his arm around her, "I was the same way on my first loop in Europe. It was my first time out of the country, too. That's how I know it's all going to be fine."

"OK, OK, I know you're right," Lucy said with a huff, "but I still like my lists," she grumbled softly.

"I like your lists, too," Roman said with a laugh. Lucy fixed him with a playful glare.

"Are you teasing me?" she asked.

"Maybe a little bit," Roman answered with a grin.

Something about the smug glint in his eye emboldened Lucy. She sat forward and swung her leg across Roman so that she straddled his lap, placing her hands on his shoulders, face to face.

"I thought we had agreed on no teasing," she said, dropping her pitch to a lower, sultry tone. Roman's hands found their way to her bare thighs immediately, and he slowly rubbed up and down them as a low sound escaped from him.

"And this is your idea of not teasing?" he asked, his eyes darkening as he stared into hers. Lucy gave him a smirk as she gently ground down against him, just for a second, before leaning forward and placing a kiss on the hinge of his jaw.

"It's not a tease if you completely intend to follow through," she said, her mouth resting just below his ear. She felt more than heard the rumble that went through his chest, and she trailed a few more kisses across his chin and cheek before landing on his soft, plump lips.

Lucy kissed him greedily, and he opened his mouth to let her in. She savored the taste of his tongue, and the feeling of it massaging against hers. Roman slid one hand to her lower back, pulling her tightly against him as the other cupped her ass in his palm. She moaned softly into Roman's mouth as his large hand grazed her skin, sending sparks through her. She let one hand roam down to his chest, her finger circling his nipple. She gave it an experimental flick, and Roman jumped, tensing slightly. Lucy pulled her mouth from his and looked down at him.

"Hard no?" she asked cautiously, searching his eyes.

"Oh, no," Roman said quickly, shaking his head and letting out a breathy laugh, "that was just- new. Can you…could you try it again?"

Lucy repeated the motion, and felt Roman's cock twitch slightly beneath her, and he let out another breathy laugh.

"That's good- it's good," he said, his breathing growing more labored as he closed his eyes, letting his head fall back, "it's different, but I think I like it."

"Game to take it a little further?" Lucy asked, rolling the nipple gently between her fingers as she waited for him to answer, watching his face for any sign of hesitation.

"Mmmm," Roman hummed, "sure, baby."

Lucy smiled and bent her head down, swirling her tongue around his other nipple. He groaned approvingly, and Lucy let her teeth graze his sensitive nub. Roman bucked his hips and let out a sound that was equal parts pleasure and surprise.

"Fuck, Lucy," he muttered under his breath, dragging out the first syllable of her name, his fingers digging into her lower back where he held her. Lucy felt a swell of pride at hearing him sound so wrecked already. She moved her lips to his other nipple, giving it the same treatment before returning to his mouth to give him a deep kiss.

Roman slid the hand that cupped her ass across her hips, sliding it into her panties, where Lucy was already wet with anticipation. His fingers slid into her slippery folds, and Lucy groaned at the roughness of his finger against her sensitive skin. Roman's mouth landed on her spot, the point at the base of her neck that drove her wild, and she cried out as his lips and tongue began kissing a bruise into her skin. His index finger rubbed against her clit, and Lucy bit her lip as a jolt of pleasure coursed through her.

"Ro, baby," she said, surprised at how breathless her own voice sounded, "fuck me, baby, please."

Roman sunk one finger into her, pumping it in and dragging it out slowly a few times, and Lucy let out another loud groan as pulled his lips from her neck.

"Well, since you asked so nicely," Roman rumbled, meeting her gaze through his thick lashes. He lifted his hips up and pulled down his joggers, and Lucy reached for the hem of the hoodie she still wore, but Roman placed a hand on her wrist as he lowered his hips, leaving his pants to rest just above his knees.

"I want you just like this," he said, his tone thick. Lucy reached down and stroked her hand down his hardened cock as he continued, panting slightly when her hand wrapped around him, "want to watch you ride me in that."

Roman's hands gave her ass one last squeeze before he brought them around. Lucy's fingers hooked into the side of her panties, but before she could remove them, Roman pushed the fabric to the side, gripping the base of his cock and looking up at her with an arched eyebrow, issuing the challenge without saying a word.

Lucy answered him with a grin, lowering her hips down to brush her wetness against his tip, already dripping precum. She hummed as he began to push inside her, the stretch of him filling her with the most incredible friction. Lucy sunk down lower, taking him deeper, inch by inch, moaning as filled her pussy. She bottomed out and Roman moaned, pulling her down to kiss him as he began to thrust his hips.

Lucy matched his thrusts, raising her hips up and sliding back down as he pushed into her. They found a steady rhythm, and Lucy groaned and threw her head back, letting herself get lost in the sensation of him filling her. She continued to bounce on his cock, Roman holding her firm on her hip with one hand and sliding up under his hoodie with the other, tweaking her nipples and massaging her breasts, alternating between the two while Lucy gripped at his shoulders.

She shifted, bringing one hand behind her to hold onto the arm of the couch, changing the angle. Roman's thrusts sharpened as her fucked into her, increasing his force slightly, cursing under his breath. Lucy's eyes closed and she let her head fall backwards as she rode him.

"Yes, Ro, fuck," she breathed out as he slammed right into her g spot, making her squeeze tight around him, "right there, just like that."

Her moans became higher pitched as she felt her orgasm approaching, and she wrapped her hand around the back of his neck, pulling him closer. Roman slid his hands to rest on her waist, never slowing his hips as he opened his eyes to look into hers.

"That's it, Lucy," he said encouragingly, his deep bass like velvet to her ears, "you look so good like this," she felt a wave of satisfaction at the praise, "falling apart for me, wearing my hoodie, fucking me with this sweet, perfect pussy."

That did it.

Lucy's moan reverberated against the walls as she climaxed, and Roman sped up his movements as he eagerly followed her over the edge. She groaned softly as he pushed in and out of her sensitive core, both of them moaning as he came, buried to the hilt inside her- Lucy let out a final long, soft moan at the feeling of him pumping her full.

Her heart pounded as she came down, and Roman's chest rose and fell rapidly beneath her. She leaned down and rested her forehead against his, stroking her thumb softly against the back of his neck. They stayed like that for a moment, both breathing heavily.

There was a spark hanging in the air, an energy thrumming around them- Lucy could feel it. As she pulled back to look down at Roman, she didn't have to ask- his eyes shone and his mouth hung open slightly, his breath escaping and ghosting over her, his lips curved into a small, almost incredulous smile. Lucy's butterflies now felt akin to bats in her stomach, and she couldn't stop as a slightly hysterical laugh bubbled out of her.

Roman breathed out a similar laugh, his smile broadening as they gazed deep into each other's eyes. He pulled her down, pressing a soft kiss to her mouth, grinning still against her lips as he did.

"Amazing," he whispered reverently, brushing his mouth against hers as he spoke, his hand coming up to cup her cheek, "you are simply amazing."

Lucy released a shaky breath, overcome with the sincerity pouring from his words.

"Not half as amazing as you are, Ro" she finally said softly. Her heart continued to pound as they held one another, and amidst the euphoria, Lucy felt like her every nerve was exposed. To her surprise, it was a welcome feeling- even as it made her head spin.

There was no doubt about it, now; not a single question lingering in her mind. She was falling- head over heels.