A bell chimed over the doorway as Roman and Lucy entered the narrow entrance of a small used bookstore. There were shelves of staff recommendations immediately upon entering, and Roman watched as Lucy's eyes lingered over them as he followed her further into the shop. They passed someone curled up reading a graphic novel in a cozy chair as they entered the main room. There was a large table in the center surrounded by four chairs, another reading chair to its left, and two back-to-back counters with bar stools against a window at the far end. Lucy walked cheerfully up to a front counter with a small bakery case, grabbing a menu and handing it to Roman.
"Everything is great," she said, beaming up at him. Roman smiled at her infectious energy. Lucy had been telling him about this place all week, and he was touched to be taken somewhere that seemed so important to her.
A tall, slender woman with long ruby red hair looked up when she spotted them at the counter, a smile breaking out on her face. She wore an open green and black flannel shirt over a black tank top and ripped black shorts over a pair of tights. As she approached, Roman noticed a glimmering piercing in her nose.
"Hey, Lucy" she said warmly as she set her book on the counter, "and hello to Lucy's friend."
"Roman," he said with a chuckle and extended his hand, "nice to meet you."
"Sydney, and likewise," the woman said, shaking his hand firmly.
"Roman is actually my boyfriend," Lucy said with a slight pink flush to her cheeks, smiling and glancing up to Roman's eyes. He looked warmly down at her with a slight flutter in his stomach.
"I thought the name sounded familiar," Sydney said as she grinned between the two of them. Lucy pulled her eyes from Roman and turned back to give Sydney a questioning look.
"Courtney?" she asked.
"Courtney," Sydney nodded in confirmation. Lucy shook her head with a short laugh and turned back to Roman to explain.
"Liza, the friend I went out with last night?" she began, and Roman nodded, "Courtney is her fiance, and she used to work here, which is how I found this place."
"And both she and Liza are terrible gossips," Sydney added with a chuckle, "not that we blame them. I think you're their last single friend, Luce. Someone has to provide the excitement around here."
"Thankfully not so single now," Lucy said, slipping her arm around Roman's waist for emphasis. Roman smiled even wider, quietly thrilled at how eager Lucy seemed to tell her friends all about him. He rested his hand on her hip as Lucy and Sydney caught up, looking over the extensive menu of coffee and food in his hands.
They each ordered a coffee, and Sydney got to work as Roman and Lucy wandered, browsing through the seemingly endless selection of books. There was a small basket containing an assortment of notebooks that grabbed Lucy's attention, and she started looking over each one carefully. Roman wandered a few shelves over to the culinary section, curious to see if any cook books would catch his eye. He found one on southern food and pulled it out to leaf through a few pages, having little experience with those sorts of recipes. Roman looked over the book for a few minutes, feeling inspired as he looked at the pictures of fried chicken and pies topped with mountains of meringue. He'd decided to purchase it when Lucy came over with a leather notebook in hand, embossed with delicate designs of vines and flowers.
"What do you think?" she asked, holding out for his inspection, "my boss gave me the great idea to keep a journal on our trip. I think this one is perfect- it'll fit in my purse, and it's pretty."
"It is very pretty," Roman said with a nod, thumbing over the details and appreciating the intricacy, "looks good to me."
"That was easy, then," Lucy chirped, "I wasn't sure they'd have any here, you never really know what you're going to find."
"So, you said your boss gave you the idea," Roman, keeping his tone casual, even as his pulse ticked up slightly, Sika's words echoing in his head.
How do you know she's not writing about you?
"Does she want you to write a story or something, after all?" he asked.
"Oh, no," Lucy said with a dismissive shake of her head, "she's just traveled quite a bit, and there are memories she made that have faded over time. She said she wishes that she'd written more things down," she finished with a shrug.
"That makes sense," Roman said, relieved- but the feeling was short-lived. A spark of frustration replaced the momentary suspicion he'd felt at Lucy simply buying a journal.
Don't let him get to you, Roman chastised himself.
"Maybe you should start one, too," Lucy said, her eyes lighting up at the idea, "I mean, I know you're so busy when you're on the road, but that could be all the more reason to do it. I'm sure there are things you don't want to forget."
Roman let out a breath, grinning down at her, and felt himself melt. Here was this thoughtful woman encouraging him to slow down and remember the little things, and once again Roman grew frustrated as his father- and himself- for thinking, even for the briefest of moments, that she could be using him.
"I love that idea," Roman agreed, and followed her back over to the basket, "I think I'll get one for each of the guys, too. Seth already keeps one on him - actually I think he's gone through two by now- so he'll be glad to have another when that one runs out."
The pair looked through all of their options, pulling aside any possibilities. They finally settled on a terracotta colored moleskine with a fox imprinted on the bottom right corner for Dean, and a black tone-on-tone journal with a sword pattern on it for Seth. Roman had his narrowed down to two- a simple blue cloth covered one with a silver quill on the cover, or a dark brown leather one with a large embossed tree, its branches extending across the cover and over the spine.
"Ok, quick," Lucy said, holding them both up in front of her, "don't overthink it. One, two, three! Which one?" she asked, looking at him expectantly.
"Ahhhh, the tree," Roman said, pointing to the leather journal in Lucy's left hand, "definitely the tree."
"Yes! That was my favorite, too" Lucy grinned happily and handed him the notebook, piling the rejected ones back into the basket.
"Here are your drinks," Sydney said with a grin, setting two cups down on the table next to where Roman and Lucy were standing, "want me to hold those at the register until you're ready to cash out?" she asked, gesturing to the pile Roman was holding.
"That'd be great, thanks," Roman said, handing the stack of notebooks and the southern cookbook to her.
"Thanks, Syd," Lucy smiled gratefully to Sydney before looking at Roman, pointing out the window behind him, "want to sit outside? It's gorgeous today."
"Let's do it," Roman agreed with a nod, grabbing their drinks and following Lucy through the back door to a table that was up against a small fence with a large jasmine plant growing up and over it.
They sipped their drinks in a pleasant silence for a few minutes. Roman closed his eyes and took a long sip, appreciating the combination of the soft, cool breeze and the warm spiced cinnamon latte he was drinking. He let out a slow breath, willing any lingering negativity to float away as he enjoyed his day with Lucy.
"So, how was yesterday with the family?" Lucy asked him before taking a sip of her drink, eyeing him curiously.
Roman stalled by taking another sip, the hope of letting it all go squashed in an instant. He swallowed and opened his mouth to speak, focusing on the positive to start.
"Well the moment I walked in the door, I found out that Cici is pregnant with baby number one," Roman said with a broad grin.
"Oh, wow!" Lucy said with a smile, "I'm sure everyone was so excited."
"For sure, my mom especially," Roman said with a nod, "she is thrilled. Oh, and she sent an entire platter of baked ziti for you, by the way. She gave me direct orders to give it to you- I've got it in the freezer at home."
"That's so sweet," Lucy said softly. She paused for a moment before she asked, "so it went OK, then? Telling your parents about…us?"
Roman's smile faltered, and he switched his cup back and forth between, staring at it in his hands for a second before he spoke. He could feel Lucy watching him, picking up on the change in his demeanor. The usual glow in her eyes dimmed, but she calmly waited for him to answer.
"My mom was ecstatic," Roman said truthfully, and his smile partially returned as he recalled what she'd said to him at the dinner table, "she said the road must have brought us together. Like it was fate."
Lucy's smile perked up at that, too, but she still looked wary.
"Hence the ziti," she said, and Roman nodded.
"Jimmy and Jey were excited, too," he continued, "And Naomi- she wants to introduce you to a few of the girls while we're over there."
"That's so nice of her," Lucy said. She bit her bottom lip nervously, clearly aware of the person Roman had yet to mention, "and, your dad?"
"My dad…" Roman started with a deep sigh, "my dad thinks he knows everything, and it's hard to convince him otherwise. He wasn't too happy about it, but he'll come around in time, I'm sure."
Roman stopped there, debating internally about how much further he should elaborate. He didn't want Sika to get into Lucy's head the way he'd apparently gotten to Roman's, and he didn't want to hurt her feelings with the theories he'd thrown around about her intentions.
"He's just- he's from another time, you know?" Roman continued, carefully, "his life on the road was a lot different than the one we live now, and he's having trouble seeing past that, I think."
It was the truth, at least. Roman didn't feel great about keeping things from Lucy, but this would only upset her. He decided to leave it at that.
"Does he think I'm getting in the way?" Lucy asked worriedly, " I know I kept you up a few late nights in Orlando, and-"
"- Lucy, no," Roman said a little too sharply, feeling protective over her all of a sudden. Lucy brows furrowed at his tone and he shook his head. He released a frustrated breath. Roman couldn't stomach the idea of her feeling guilty when she had nothing to apologize for; of her thinking she was doing anything wrong.
"Nothing he is worried about has anything to actually do with you, I don't think," he continued in a calmer voice, "our world- pro wrestling, I mean- isn't known for fostering the best relationships, and in his day, no one would have even considered bringing someone on tour with them. He just…doesn't get it."
Roman reached over and took Lucy's hand in his, to comfort her and also himself. She squeezed his fingers as they wrapped around his and gave him a weak smile. Roman looked down at their joint hands, still fuming inside at how concerned Lucy had gotten in an instant, all because his father couldn't just be supportive. He knew his father only wanted the best for him- he knew that. But there was just something about him doubting Lucy's intentions that made his blood boil.
"Hey," Lucy said gently, and Roman met her eyes. Her gaze was soft as she looked at him, "is that all that's going on, Ro? You don't seem quite like yourself."
Roman sighed and gave her a half smile. She didn't miss a thing. What had he done to deserve this patient woman?
"Yeah, I don't know," he answered, "it just got to me, is all. As much as I didn't expect him to be thrilled, it stung more than I thought it would. He barely let me get the words out before he'd made up his mind about you- about us," Roman shook his head bitterly.
Lucy nodded her head in understanding and took another sip of her coffee, watching him thoughtfully.
"Well, if you think it'll be OK, then I trust you," Lucy said slowly, and Roman felt a small smile forming, "And as much I love saying it, you don't actually have to be Superman all the time, you know. You can be upset, or in a bad mood- you don't have to pretend with me."
Warmth filled Roman's chest, and he tugged at her arm, pulling her to stand up slightly out of her chair.
"Come here," he said, standing up and leaning over the table to place a kiss on her lips, sliding his hand up to cup her jaw as he did so. Lucy grinned into the kiss, resting her hand on his bicep. Not wanting to make a scene in public, Roman kept it short and sweet. He rested his forehead against hers for a moment, closing his eyes and releasing a slow breath. Lucy's breath ghosted against him as she followed suit. They settled back into their seats, smiling at one another, relieved as some of the tension in the air lifted.
"So," Lucy began after a moment, "when we've finished our drinks, I thought you might like to look through the box of artwork inside. They always have unique and interesting prints, maybe we can find something for your house."
Roman smiled, feeling himself relax as Lucy mercifully changed the subject.
"I'll follow your lead on that," Roman said with a nod, "of the two of us, it seems like you've got the knack for picking out art."
Lucy grinned, seemingly satisfied with his improved demeanor. They took their time enjoying the rest of their coffee, chatting about her night with Liza and the more pleasant parts of Roman's family time, and Roman felt himself slowly unwind.
When they headed back inside, the shop had cleared out somewhat, so Lucy felt comfortable grabbing the large bin of artwork and spreading out the prints on the center table as they looked over each one. Roman considered each piece carefully, trying his best to imagine it in his home.
"How about this one?" Lucy said, holding up a striking painting, "this would look great in your bedroom." The print featured a tall palm tree blowing in the wind against a gray sky, a crescent moon just barely visible among scattered clouds. Dark waves crashed against shore, and a small lighthouse peaked up in the background. On either side of the palm tree were two much smaller trees, one of them just taller than the surrounding sea grass.
Growing up in Florida, Roman had seen home after home filled with nautical and beach themed decor, but this one was different. The darker tones captured the feeling of an approaching storm.
Roman studied the piece for a minute, picturing how the print would look hanging on his wall. Finally he took it from Lucy with a grin.
"You're right, this is great," he said, before pointing at two of the others he'd liked, "do you think it would go well with these, to fill out that wall?"
"Definitely," Lucy said with a definitive nod, "anything else strike your fancy?" she asked, gesturing to the rest of the considerable selection.
"Nah, I think just these for now," Roman said as he stacked the three prints in front of him.
"I'm glad we found you something" Lucy said, looking pleased with herself, "I figured this would be just the place to look."
Roman grinned as Lucy stood up to find Sidney and let her know they were ready to check out. Roman brought his prints up to the register to add to the stack of journals, and he even managed to buy Lucy's for her without her noticing. She protested at first when he handed it to her, but eventually thanked him with a shy smile.
"You two should check out the arts fair around the corner," Sidney said as she handed Roman a large bag, "they have lots of vendors- crafts and flowers; art, of course; and I think a few antique and thrift stores set up booths, too."
"That's our next stop," Lucy said with an emphatic nod. They said their goodbyes to Sydney, and Roman followed Lucy's lead back outside. She took his hand in hers as they walked to the next block over, where there were a few rows of white tents arranged in a market. A decent amount of people were milling about and exploring the various offerings
"They do this about once a month," Lucy explained as they stepped inside the first tent, letting their eyes pass over the displays of handcrafted jewelry. A man with a graying beard and long ponytail greeted them and let them know to ask if they needed anything.
Hand in hand, Lucy and Roman wandered through each tent, chatting politely with each proprietor. Lucy got into a conversation with a woman selling beeswax candles, and as Roman let his eyes drift around, they landed on a truck selling flowers right behind them. Knowing she'd be occupied for at least another few minutes, Roman quietly walked away and approached the vendor.
"Afternoon," the woman greeted him, "looking for anything special?"
"Just thought I'd grab something special for my girl over there," Roman said, pointing to where Lucy was, now examining a few different candles and listening intently, "any suggestions?"
"Hmm," she said, following his gesture, considering the question for a moment. She turned and grabbed a bouquet of full, bright pink flowers with a grouping of long yellow stems in the center, holding them out to him, "Try these, they're called camellias."
Roman took the bunch from her, lifting them to his nose, inhaling their sweet scent.
"I'll take them," he grinned. He paid for the flowers and thanked the woman before walking back over to Lucy, just in time to see her finishing up her own purchase.
"For you," Roman said with a smile as he rejoined Lucy, presenting the bouquet to her. Her eyes lit up as she wrapped her fingers around the stems. She closed her eyes and lifted the blossoms to her nose.
"These are lovely, Ro," she said, smiling up at him over the flowers, "thank you."
She stood up on her tiptoes and pressed a kiss to his jaw.
They walked through several more booths before Lucy spotted one that had tables covered in antique odds and ends. At the end of one of the tables were several boxes of picture frames in every shape and size.
"Some of these might work for your prints," Lucy suggested, and Roman nodded with a shrug, looking through the box in front of him. He'd never thought to come to a place like this to decorate his house, but as he pulled an intricate bronze frame out of the box, he noticed that a few of them were similar to the ones Lucy had hung on her walls.
"Is this where you got the frames you have?" he asked, setting one he thought might be the right size aside.
"I think this vendor is new," Lucy said with a shake of her head, "but I do usually get them second hand. Antique stores, thrift stores, those sorts of places."
"I don't think I've ever been thrifting," Roman said.
"Well, we'll have to fix that soon," Lucy said, grinning up at him. She looked down at the box in her hands and pulled out a wooden frame, studying it before holding up for Roman to look at, "this one is nice- isn't it similar to the wood of your dresser?"
"Oh yeah, that's perfect," Roman said, surprised at the nearly identical match. He rifled a bit through another box before he found another frame made from the same wood. He held it up, smiling in triumph, "and look- here's another one!"
Lucy grinned at his enthusiasm as they continued to look through the boxes. They found a larger frame that they agreed would work for the print of the stormy beach, and another for Lucy before they cashed out.
They meandered through the rest of the booths before walking back to Lucy's car, satisfied with everything they'd found.
"So I was thinking," Lucy said as they climbed into her car, "now that we have the perfect frames, want to go by your place and hang up your brand new art? See if you like them in the space?"
"Great idea," Roman said with a nod, "and I can heat us up some of mom's leftovers for lunch? That way I can honestly tell her how much you liked them before we go out of town."
"Perfect!" Lucy agreed happily. She turned the key in the ignition and headed off towards Roman's house. A mellow duet sung by a woman harmonizing with a man with a deep, accented voice played through the speakers. As they drove, Roman closed his eyes and listened contentedly as Lucy quietly sang along, and a peaceful feeling settled over him.
We lay here for years or for hours
Your hand in my hand
So still and discreet
So long, we become the flowers…
When they got to Roman's house, he pulled a small tool kit out of his garage at Lucy's request, carrying it along with a step ladder into his room. She was already in there waiting for him, tying her hair up into a ponytail and staring at the wall, concentrating. Roman stood and watched her for a second, appreciating the look of quiet determination on her face- head tilted, eyebrows wrinkled slightly. She bit her lip, and Roman just barely resisted pulling her into his arms and kissing her senseless.
"Do you have painter's tape and a tape measure?" she asked, still looking at the wall, interrupting Roman's thoughts about the myriad other ways he wanted to make her bite her lip.
"Should have that in here," Roman said as he dug through the kit, blushing a shade pinker and eventually locating each requested item.
"Excellent," Lucy said, oblivious to his caveman moment as she turned to smile at him, "why don't we measure each piece, and then we can put tape up where we think each one might go. To see how it looks outside of our heads?"
"I'm guessing you've tried doing this without that step before" Roman said, cocking a curious eyebrow, and Lucy chuckled.
"Yep, lot's of trial and error with that gallery wall," she answered with a rueful grin, "never again."
Roman and Lucy got to work, and as Lucy stepped up on the ladder and bent forward to apply a rectangle of tape to represent the last picture in the center of the wall, Roman let his eyes fall on her rounded ass. Lucy cleared her throat, and Roman's eyes widened and shot upwards to find Lucy grinning smugly down at him. He was caught.
"You're supposed to be looking at the artwork," Lucy chided, her voice cocky and teasing.
Roman swallowed, then schooled his expression, stepping closer to the ladder.
"And that's exactly what I'm doing, baby," he rumbled as pressed against her, his chest now brushing her hip as he looked up at her. Lucy rolled her eyes playfully, but her smile turned wicked, her gaze lowering to land on his lips . She turned carefully at the waist to rest her hands on his shoulders and Roman wrapped his arms around her hips, lifting Lucy right off of the ladder and pulling her towards himself. Lucy instinctively wrapped her legs around him and Roman eased her down, humming quietly as their bodies brushed against one another. He held her firmly as her legs landed at his waist, and her plush lips found his. He wrapped one large arm underneath her thighs and ass, holding her up as the other snuck around her back, his hand coming to wrap around her middle as their tongues danced together. Lucy's arms draped around Roman's neck, fingers tangling in his hair. She moaned softly into his mouth, pushing her breasts against his solid chest, and desire began to simmer in Roman's veins.
Lucy kissed him passionately, and Roman matched her fervor. He let the hand around her middle dip beneath the hem of her cutoff sweater, her skin like silk against his fingertips. He felt Lucy shiver and tighten her thighs around him. He felt one of her hands grabbing at his shirt, and he reluctantly set Lucy down, immediately ridding himself of the offending article of clothing. Lucy was close behind, pulling her sweater over her head and tossing it aside. She filled the space between them and crashed her lips back into his, her fingers working at his zipper as she did so. Roman groaned again, finding the button on Lucy's jeans and popping it open, pulling the fabric down roughly. Once both had kicked their pants aside, leaving Roman in his boxer briefs and Lucy in a - jesus- bright red thong and matching silk bra, Roman grabbed hold of Lucy once more.
His erection strained against the fabric of his underwear, and he ground it against Lucy as she kissed along his throat, working her way up to press her lips along his jaw. Roman grabbed Lucy's hips and spun them both around, earning a surprised squeak from her as he walked her backwards, pressing her firmly between the wall and himself. Lucy groaned, and Roman sighed hungrily as the glorious sound hit his ears. He kissed her hard, bruising both of their lips as one hand cupped her breast, massaging it through the smooth fabric. Lucy let her head fall back against the wall, the nails of her left hand digging into his lower back. The other she let drift along his bicep- Roman mentally noted how much she seemed to enjoy running her fingers over his tattoo as goosebumps formed from her touch.
He moved his lips to the sensitive skin at the pulse point on her neck, drawing another breathy moan from Lucy. He trailed his mouth down to her chest, kissing her sternum before lowering himself to his knees. Both hands ghosted over her round breasts now, her nipples hard pebbles against the silk. He pinched them both, and Lucy gasped as he rolled them between his fingers before sliding his hands back to unclasp her bra. He laid a kiss on her stomach as Lucy discarded the bra. She looked down at him with heavy, lidded eyes, tangling one hand in his hair once again as the other palmed at her breast. Roman watched transfixed as her pink nipple was squeezed between two of her fingers, and Lucy's eyes closed as she relished the sensation.
Roman turned his focus back to his mouth, drawing it over every inch of her torso. His tongue darted out to lick a stripe along the curve of her hip, and he nipped gently at the soft flesh. Lucy released a feral sounding groan at that, and Roman could feel precum leaking from the tip of his hardened cock. He palmed at himself over his boxer briefs as he brushed his lips over the spot where his teeth had been. Roman's hands wandered to the globes of Lucy's ass, grabbing it firmly as he kissed just above the hem of her panties. She shifted her hips so that her covered pussy bumped against his nose and Roman pinched her ass, making her jump. She tugged at the root of his hair, and Roman grinned as he continued his trail of kisses in quick succession, still palming her ass firmly with his fingers.
"Always so impatient," he whispered against her, hooking one hand in the strap of her underwear and tugging it down. Lucy stepped out of them and Roman slid them into the growing pile of abandoned clothes. He dragged tongue against her slit, already wet with her sweet arousal. He slid his tongue between the lips, letting the taste of her fill his mouth.
"Roman," Lucy groaned emphatically, and his cock twitched as he brought his tongue up to swirl at her clit. He flicked it over the sensitive nub a few times, feeling Lucy's thighs quiver as he did. He stood up abruptly, ridding himself of his underwear. Roman brought his forehead down to Lucy's, cupping her jaw in his large hand as he placed another burning kiss on her lips.
"Like I said," he said in between breathless kisses, tightening the hand on her ass for emphasis as his eyes bore into hers, the deep bass of his voice rumbling in his chest, "a work of fucking art."
Lucy let out a sound that was part moan, part whimper as she gazed up at him, her eyes shining. Roman growled and lifted her off of the floor, resting her legs in the crooks of his strong arms, hoisting her up so that her pussy was hovering perfectly over his cock. He pressed his tip against her wet opening, and Lucy gripped onto his shoulders, biting at her lip as she braced herself, practically vibrating with anticipation. Roman slid his cock into her tight, eager pussy, and Lucy let out a noisy breath as she was pushed solidly into the wall. He pulled out and pushed in again, harder, and Lucy released a delicious sounding moan.
Roman began to fuck Lucy in earnest, setting a firm, steady pace. Lucy's nails dug into his back and his eyes squeezed shut as her heavenly slick warmth gripped at his cock. He had never fit into someone so perfectly as he did with Lucy. He tentatively moved one hand up to palm at her breast, being careful to ensure she wouldn't fall. Lucy groaned again when his fingers pinched at her nipple, and after a moment he felt one of her hands pulling gently at his wrist.
Roman opened his eyes, his hips slowing as met her gaze. Lucy's eyes glimmered as she slid his hand to rest on her throat, posing a silent question. Heat licked at Roman's spine, and his mouth curved into a half smirk, tightening his fingers on either side, and intensified the pace of his throbbing cock. Lucy's mouth split into a big smile and she closed her eyes, leaning into the grip of his hand.
He deepened his thrusts, burying himself to the hilt before pulling out and sliding hard back into her dripping pussy. Her gorgeous tits bounced as Roman fucked her; her brown curls swaying; the soft plush of her thighs and ass pressing into him every time their bodies met.
"Fuck, yes, Roman," Lucy panted, and Roman bent his head to rest on her shoulder. Her velvet walls gripped snugly around him, and Roman knew she was getting close. He tightened his hold around her hip, intoxicated by the feeling of her pulse beating against the fingers he held around her throat. Pounding into her with everything he had, Roman's head was spinning. He felt a surge of primal, possessive energy coursing through him, immediately breaking through to the surface.
"Mine," he growled into the crook of her neck, the thought escaping his lips too quickly for him to stop it. Before he could even begin to second guess the declaration, Lucy's moan echoed through his room.
"Yes, baby, fuck" she moaned out, her voice shaky as she barreled toward her release, Roman's cock rapidly sliding in and out of her drenched, perfect core, "say it again, Ro,"
"Mine," he ground out again, lifting his lips so they brushed against the shell of her ear, "you are all mine."
Lucy cried out his name one final time as her orgasm hit, her pussy squeezing him impossibly tighter as her body trembled. Roman held her close to him firmly, protectively, as he snapped his hips roughly into her, chasing his own release as her wetness trailed across his stomach, dripping down and reaching his balls. He kissed a bruise into her neck, only tearing his mouth away to release a guttural moan as he came, his cock buried deep inside of Lucy. Roman continued to thrust into her, his hips moving increasingly slower until he felt himself softening.
Roman gently pulled out and eased her shaking legs down to step the floor, guiding her over to the bed. He grabbed the soft throw at the end of his mattress and draped it over Lucy as she settled back against his pillows. Roman fell more than laid beside her, wrapping his arm around her waist. He bent forward and gave her a soft kiss on the lips, then placed another on her forehead, his chest rising and falling as they continued to catch their breath.
"I'll be right back, sweetheart," he murmured into her hair, waiting for her to nod before standing up and making his way to the bathroom. He grabbed a washcloth, dampening it with warm water and wiping himself down before bringing another out to Lucy. She sighed happily as he ran it softly between her thighs, cleaning her off thoroughly. Roman deposited the towels in his hamper before wrapping himself back around Lucy, turning on his side and joining her under the soft blanket. Lucy turned onto her side as well, burrowing into his chest, and Roman melted as her smaller body folded into his.
Lucy ran her fingers in delicate circles over his pec, soft breaths ghosting over his chest. Roman tucked her head beneath his chin, tangling his legs with hers and letting his hand rub softly up and down Lucy's back. As they laid curled together, exchanging tender touches and quiet appreciations -
"So amazing," she whispered as she brushed feather light kisses against his clavicle.
"Absolutely perfect," he murmured, running his hand along her hip.
"Fucking incredible," she breathed as he kissed softly over her neck, soothing the spots his hand had been.
"Good, always so good for me," he said, almost like a prayer in its softness.
- the possessive spark Roman had felt when he was inside of her was replaced with a feeling of surrender. His primal urge to claim and protect now manifested into a raw, deeper wish to lay himself bare. Roman carefully pulled Lucy closer so that she was flush against him, laying another kiss on the crown of her head.
Lucy sighed happily, pulling back gently and bringing up a hand to tuck a piece of hair behind Roman's ear. She smiled up at him dreamily, and Roman felt a tug in his chest.
Yours, he thought as he gazed down into her eyes, I am all yours.
The two of them laid tangled in his bed, recovering and replenishing their spent energy for over an hour, Roman only leaving Lucy's side to briefly run downstairs to retrieve water.
Lucy turned to face the wall where the tape they'd hung up sat, forgotten amongst their throes of passion. She snuggled back into Roman and he spooned her happily, tucking his knees into hers and pulling her back into his chest.
"I think that placement looks good," Lucy said, and Roman followed her eyes to where they landed on the wall.
"Yeah, I think so, too," he replied, "but let's not hang them up just yet. I'd rather stay right here- warm in this bed, with a beautiful woman in my arms."
Lucy hummed her agreement, but not a moment later, Roman's stomach grumbled loudly, and she giggled, rotating her body to face him.
"I think your stomach begs to differ there, babe," she said with a grin, and Roman chuckled softly, "and I'm getting kind of hungry, too."
"Yeah, OK, let's eat," Roman said with a nod, "Here-" he said, pausing as stood and walked over to his closet, and he felt Lucy watching him curiously. He pulled a black sweatshirt off of its hanger, bringing it over to the bed.
"Want to wear this?" he asked, holding it out to her. Lucy beamed when her eyes landed on the Hounds of Justice logo on the front, and she eagerly took it from him. She slipped it over her head and body, and just as Roman had imagined, it hung down over her hips to sit at the top of her thighs, and the sleeves came down to cover all but the tips of her fingers.
"Mmm, this is cozy," Lucy said happily, flopping herself back against the pillows.
"Good," Roman said with a grin, "you can stay up here, it should just take a few minutes to get the food ready," he said, lifting up the top of the bench at the end of his bed and pulling out a couple of folding trays, "how does lunch in bed sound? I'll just run down and heat everything up."
"Sounds great," Lucy said with a smile, "sure you don't need help carrying up the dishes or anything?"
"Nope," Roman said, punctuating his answer with a quick kiss, "but do you want to pick out a movie or something to watch while we eat?"
While he waited for the food to heat, Roman spotted the flowers from the fair that they'd hastily left on the counter, focused on getting right to work. He pulled a vase from a cupboard next to the sink and filled it with water before placing the flowers in it.
Roman came back upstairs carrying two plates of tortellini, leaving Lucy's ziti tray intact- he'd never hear the end of it from his mom if he didn't. As he stepped into his room, he took a moment to admire the sight before him.
Lucy lounged on his bed, her legs stretched out before her, wearing only his hoodie and a peaceful smile as she looked for something for them to watch. He was excited to go out on tour with her and his boys, but he'd be lying if he said he didn't love the feeling of this simple, quiet domesticity. Roman and Lucy arranged the food on the trays and he quickly ran back downstairs to bring up the flowers, placing them on the nightstand closest to her.
They enjoyed their lunch, and Lucy raved about the tortellini. Roman smiled to himself- if there was one thing he never doubted, it was his mom's cooking.
"I actually bought that candle for her, as a thank you for the food," Lucy said when she was finished, grinning over at him. There was that fluttery feeling in his chest again.
"She'll love that," Roman said with an affectionate smile. He wouldn't push, but he quietly hoped that the gesture meant she was planning to meet her sometime in the near future.
They stayed in bed for a while after their lunch before finally getting up to finish hanging the pictures. After Roman banged his thumb for the second time, Lucy took the hammer from him, chuckling at the small pout he tried and failed to suppress. She got the nails hung almost effortlessly while Roman handled the level.
Once they were satisfied, they admired their work, standing across the room as Roman held Lucy against him with his arms around her waist. They were his purchase, in his house, but something about picking them out and hanging them together made it feel like the art was theirs- like a little bit of Lucy had settled into his home. Roman decided that he really, really liked that feeling.