As she walked down the streets of Rome, an air of melancholy settled over Lucy. She, Roman, and the rest of the roster would catch a red eye home the day after tomorrow, and then it would be back to real life. Roman and she would spend the night at his house, only for him to fly out again the next morning to whatever city Raw was taping in. Their trip had been better than she could have hoped for, and she wasn't ready to let it go. Besides missing Skipper, she was surprised that she hadn't gotten homesick the whole time she'd been gone, and she was actually dreading going back home. She thought about her daily routine of getting up, walking the dog, going to work, coming home, fixing dinner- so on and so forth.

When had she allowed her life to get so…stale?

This is all his fault, she thought to herself as her mouth twitched into a little smile.

It wasn't entirely untrue. One minute she was perfectly content to write her articles and live her life, unburdened by anyone else. And then the Samoan demigod showed up and reminded her that there are places and experiences outside of her little world. Not to mention that for the last two weeks, she'd been surrounded by some of the hardest working people she'd ever met, all of them completely committed to doing whatever it takes to make their dreams come true.

She passed by an outdoor cafe, stepping inside to order a coffee before settling down at a table outside. The tables backed up against an old stone wall, covered in vines that probably bloomed in the spring and summer. An openwork canopy and string lights hung overhead, giving the open air setting a cozy, intimate feel. Once her coffee was brought to her, she took a sip and let out an appreciative hum at the bold, rich flavor of the brew. It was another brisk fall day, and she wrapped her hands around the mug to warm her fingers. As she savored the drink and soaked in the atmosphere, the ideas for her own coffee shop surfaced.

She wanted to create a space that instantly felt like home when you sat down. Scattered cozy couches and books, tables to write or draw or just share a cup of coffee with a friend. A place for students and artists. There would be open mics, a space for small local theatre productions, and, of course, a regular karaoke night. Lucy imagined an ever rotating menu of special drinks and baked goods. She could test out new ideas on the regulars until she nailed the perfect recipe.

She'd been telling herself that she'd do it, one day- some theoretical time in the undetermined future- for so many years now. When it felt right, when the stars aligned, or if the magazine shut down.

When. If. Maybe. Someday.

Her career was fine- solid. She did exactly what was expected of her, and she did it well. She loved to write, even if going to restaurant openings had gotten a little perfunctory, and she was ambivalent about covering the city's annual production of The Nutcracker for the fifth year in a row. A reliable job is a good and rare thing, especially in journalism. She'd be crazy to give that up just because it was starting to feel predictable.

Right?

…

Squeezing her eyes against the sun peaking through the curtains, Lucy shoved her face deeper into her pillow. They'd flown back the night before and had immediately collapsed in Roman's bed as soon as they'd arrived. Thankfully, unlike their trip to England, both of them were exhausted by the time they got off of the plane, wrangled their bags, and grabbed their car home, so arriving at night had worked out perfectly. She rolled over to face away from the window, snuggling into Roman's chest in an attempt to go back to sleep. His arms instinctively pulled her close, still breathing heavily as he slept. He smelled like coconut shampoo and warmth and sleep, but instead of being soothed by all of the things she'd grown so fond of, Lucy began to ache. As much as she'd been trying to ignore the inevitable, she knew that come tomorrow morning, she wouldn't be waking up in his arms.

A tear rolled down her cheek as she began to cry softly. Exhaustion and jet lag and the feelings that she couldn't bring herself to vocalize began to spill over, and she struggled to stay quiet as more tears escaped. She carefully reached up a hand to brush them away, feeling Roman stirring as she did. She looked up as his eyes opened, looking down at her with a small, tired smile.

"Morning, gorgeous…" he trailed off as his brow furrowed, sleepy smile falling away, "what's wrong? Did you have a bad dream or something?"

"No, nothing like that," Lucy said, shaking her head. She swallowed and met his eyes with a weak, watery grin.

"Then what's going on?" he asked gently, moving the hand that was resting on her back in soft, slow circles. Lucy closed her eyes and took a steadying breath, trying to formulate her thoughts before answering. He waited patiently, continuing the soothing motions with his hand.

"I'm just going to miss you," she said shakily, tears welling up her eyes again as soon as the words left her mouth, "you and your big stupid muscles and even bigger heart," she said, her words muddled by a combination of crying and laughter, and Roman released a gentle laugh as he pulled her even closer to him.

"I got used to having you around," she continued, tightening her arm around his midsection, "even when you were working all day and I was doing my own thing, I still got to fall asleep like this every night. And now…" she finished, let the last few words hang in the air, unspoken.

He let out a slow sigh, expression serious as he nodded his understanding.

"I know, baby," he said quietly, "I don't think I've ever dreaded a flight more than the one I've gotta catch today."

"You're making me soft, Reigns," she said with a small grin, kicking his shin playfully, "I used to be a big strong independent woman, you know."

"Yeah, well," he said, reaching up to brush a curl away from her face, cupping her cheek, "you're not so innocent yourself. I thought I was going to be married to my career. And then you show up, with your bright green eyes and big smiles and a brain that I don't think has ever stopped thinking for a single minute."

Lucy blushed as the butterflies in her stomach fluttered.

"You've got me wanting to do nothing but stay here and keep you cooped up right in this bed with me," he finished.

She sighed, still feeling that ache, but relieved that she at least wasn't alone not wanting to let him go. He bent down to place a soft kiss on her lips before laying down again, and Lucy closed her eyes, her breathing leveling out as they held each other.

"So what do we do now?" she asked, eyes still closed as she let her hand drift up his stomach and over his chest, mapping out his tattoo with her fingers.

"Well, I say we start with you letting me cook us some breakfast," he said, "my mom always said that everything feels a little bit better when you've got a full stomach."

"It certainly couldn't hurt," Lucy agreed with a nod. Roman gave her a wink and a half smile before jumping out of bed to get started.

They took their time walking down to the kitchen and as he got to work on the eggs and bacon, she fixed a pot of coffee and some toast for each of them. Once everything was finished, they ate at the dining table that sat just off to the side of the kitchen. The sun was shining outside, a gentle breeze making the palm trees sway. Lucy took a bite of her bacon and a sip of coffee, trying her best to appreciate the beautiful day and home cooked meal. Roman was two feet away enjoying the breakfast he'd made for both of them, and she still couldn't shake the nagging longing feeling. She dipped a triangle of toast into her eggs and, feeling Roman's eyes on her, turned to look at him.

"I can see your mind spinning, babe," he said with a fond grin, stirring his coffee. She huffed out a laugh and took a bite, chewing it slowly and swallowing before responding.

"I was just thinking about how ridiculous it feels to miss you when you're sitting right there," she said, shaking her head.

He nodded, looking contemplative as he finished his meal. Once they had both finished, they washed the dishes quickly, and as she was drying a plate with a dishcloth, he came up behind her and slid his arm around her waist. He pressed a soft kiss to her temple as she leaned into him.

"How does a nice hot bath sound?" he asked, "we've got plenty of time."

She glanced at the clock and realized he was right- it was earlier than she'd thought.

"Guess that's one in the pro column for jet lag," she said, feeling her mood start to lift.

The food had cleared some of the fog from her mind, and she was starting to feel more human- she'd have to tell Roman's mom that her advice had helped when they eventually met. Her mind started to race again as the idea of meeting his huge family popped into her head, and she spun around so that they were face to face, forcibly shoving her anxiety aside.

"I think a bath is a great idea," she said, staring up into his kind brown eyes. He bent down to kiss her forehead with a smile.

She followed him upstairs, digging through her suitcase for her toiletries as he began to fill the tub. Finding her travel case, she pulled it out as he walked out of the bathroom, peeling his shirt off as he did.

"Too bad I don't have any bubble bath," he said jokingly, tossing his shirt into the hamper next to his dresser.

"So, funny thing about that," she replied with a proud grin, pulling out a small bottle of iridescent pink liquid, "I actually packed some. Just in case."

She tossed him the bottle and he caught it with a laugh.

"You really did pack everything and then some," he said, holding up the bottle to light and watching the colors shift.

"If there had been a bubble emergency, we'd've been all set," she said with a giggle.

She pulled off the large t-shirt she'd slept in - another piece of Roman's wardrobe that he'd happily handed over- and tossed onto her duffle bag full of laundry to be washed. Left only in her panties, she caught Roman's gaze. She maintained eye contact with him as she slid them off slowly, sliding the dark blue cotton down her thighs and letting them drop to the ground as she stood upright. His eyes tracked her every moment, raking up her body slowly until their gaze met once more.

Never one to be outdone, he slid off his underwear just as slowly as she had, his cock beginning to harden as it was freed. He gave it a few slow strokes as stepped out of his boxers, a smirk forming on his mouth as her eyes lingered.

"See something you like?" he teased with a wink.

"Mmm," she hummed, biting her lip as she nodded. She slid a hand over her breast, teasing her right nipple, rolling it between her fingers. Her grin turned wicked as his smug look faltered, his breathing growing more labored as she slid her other hand down between her legs.

"Two can play at that game," she said, noticing that her own voice was more breathless than normal. She felt herself getting wet as she slid a finger over her clit, sweeping it back and forth a few times as she let her eyes fall closed. She pinched her nipple now as she continued to flick at her sensitive nub, releasing a small groan as she did.

"Fuck, baby," Roman said reverently, his tone hushed, almost as if he thought she might stop if he spoke too loudly.

But his voice only encouraged her, and she felt warm all over as she felt his eyes burning into her as she touched herself. She increased the pressure a bit, letting out another less restrained moan.

"Fuck," he said again in a whisper. She opened her eyes to see that his hand had resumed stroking his cock, which was standing at full attention now. Sliding her hand over to her neglected left nipple, pinching it as she continued to rub her clit.

"No, look at me," Roman said in a rumble as her eyes closed again, his tone sending a jolt directly to her dripping wet core.

She let out a sound that was part moan, part whimper as she met his eyes, her thighs beginning to tremble. She could see his hand moving in the corner of her vision, his arm flexing as he rubbed himself up and down. The friction she was giving herself was incredible, his dark gaze on her heightening every flick and pinch, but she wanted more. She wanted him.

"I don't know about you," she said, slowing her ministrations down just enough to be able to form words, "but I think I could use a little help over here."

Despite the countless wrestling matches she'd seen by this point, Lucy didn't think she'd ever seen him move so quickly.

"I thought you'd never ask," he said as he grabbed her, tossing her onto the bed with ease. She landed softly in the heap of pillows and blankets, and as he climbed in next to her, peppering her stomach with kisses, the sound of rushing water caught her ears.

"Oh my god, Ro, the bath," she said with a laugh, suddenly remembering why they had gotten naked in the first place.

"Oh, shit," he said, standing up quickly, "hold that thought."

As he ran to turn off the faucet, Lucy took the opportunity to tease him just a little bit more. She layed on her back, head on the pillows, spreading her legs wide as she resumed her previous task. When Roman stepped out of the bathroom she was fully on display, presenting him with an explicit invitation. For a moment he stopped in his tracks, his tongue coming out to sweep along his bottom lip as his eyes were laser focused on the fingers rubbing back and forth, back and forth.

"Well," she said, drawing out the word and snapping him out of his trance, "are you going to lend me a hand?"

"I actually had something else in mind," he said as he knelt onto the bed, crawling over to her on his hands and knees.

He situated himself between her legs, pressing a kiss to her inner thigh before nipping at it. Lucy let out a surprised groan as his teeth left their mark, followed by a long lick of his tongue. He grabbed at the hand she was working herself over with, pressing a kiss to her knuckles as he swept it aside. Wasting no time at all, he replaced her fingers with his tongue, lapping at her clit with the perfect speed and pressure.

"Ahhh, goddamn," she moaned, her back arching as began to devour her.

His tongue felt incredible, swirling and sweeping just the way he knew that she wanted it. He groaned as he licked, sending vibrations through her that made her toes curl. She slid a hand into his hair, tangling his curls in her fingers as she raised her hips to meet his mouth. Her heart pounded in her chest he held her legs open with his strong hands, fingers digging into her soft thighs. She was primed from working herself up and rapidly getting close. Her moans grew higher pitched as he grazed her clit with teeth, surrounding it with his lips to suck at it before his tongue resumed taking her apart. Her hips bucked up again, more forcefully this time, and she panted out what she hoped was a coherent apology in between moans.

"Ro, I, ahhh, Roman," she groaned, her body quaking as her orgasm neared.

Roman growled at the sound of his name, and the vibrations sent her over the edge. She screamed his name again as his tongue began to slow but continued its motions, taking her all the way through until she tightened her hand in his hair, her chest rising and falling rapidly as she breathed hard. He placed featherlight kisses over her hips and stomach and between her breasts until he reached her face, placing a soft kiss on her lips. She opened her eyes as her pulse began to ease, pulling him down for another gentle kiss, feeling a euphoric grin spread on her face when he pulled back to look at her. His mouth and chin were covered in a sheen, his expression self satisfied.

He shifted so that he laid down next to her and she turned on her side so that they faced one another. She took a few deep, slow breaths as she came down, basking in the sight of the man who had just turned her inside out with his tongue. She ran a hand lazily over his bronze chest, making him curse as she pinched a nipple before sliding down to caress his abs. Letting her hand drift lower, she circled his cock with her hand. Stroking him up and down slowly, she met his eyes, which had become glazed over as she touched him.

"I want to taste you, too," she said, pushing him gently with her free hand so that he was on his back.

He complied happily, caging her between his legs as she settled between them, her hand continuing to slide up and down as gave the head a nice, slow lick. She savored the salty taste of his precome on her tongue as she swirled it around, sucking just the tip. She lifted her mouth off to drag her tongue down to his balls, sucking them each in turn before licking back up the underside of his shaft.

"Yes, god, just like that," Roman said as she sucked the tip back into her mouth. She slid him in further before pulling off again and repeated the motions, taking him deeper and deeper each time she sunk down, bringing her hand up to meet her lips as she did. It was his turn to slide his hand into her hair, his long fingers cradling her head as she stroked and sucked. After one particularly deep motion, she pulled off and met his eyes.

"You can move some, baby," she said, her voice scratchy, "I don't mind."

"Move…" he repeated, sounding winded and a little puzzled, though that probably had to do with his mind being occupied by the hand she had not stopped moving.

"Yeah, I mean, if you want to, you can fuck my face a little bit…" she said before licking another stripe from the base all the way up to the tip before taking him back into her mouth.

Her pussy tingled as words left her mouth. It wasn't something she had done a lot of, but between the noises Roman made when she was taking care of him, and the myriad ways he made her feel good, she wanted to try everything with him. She knew he'd never take it too far, which made her curious about testing her own limits.

She slid her mouth up again and as she sucked him back down, she was met with a thrust of hips. She hummed in response and he moaned, thrusting up into her mouth again. It took them a minute to find a rhythm, but soon she was sinking down on him as he pushed his cock deeper, matching him beat for beat. He moaned loudly as his pace increased, and though her jaw began to ache slightly, the heady sensation kept her going as he fucked up into her mouth. After a few more thrusts he stopped and Lucy paused to look up at him.

"I want to be inside you," he said in between short breaths, "please," he added, making Lucy chuckle at how wrecked he sounded.

Wordlessly, she straddled him to climb her way up his body for a quick kiss before moving back down and sinking down on him, groaning as he filled her pussy.

She braced her hands on his stomach as she began to ride him, the sensitivity from having come already making every inch feel even more intense. She moaned and lifted almost completely off before sinking back down to the hilt, and they groaned in unison as she squeezed him on the way down. Roman thrust up to meet her as she ground down, slamming into her g spot as he did. A word that was supposed to be his name came out of her mouth in a groan as he reached his hands around to cup her ass. For a few minutes the only sounds were their frantic breaths and the slap of skin on skin as they got lost in the sensations.

As she bounced and rocked, Lucy trained her focus on appreciating this moment. The feel of Roman's hands where he held her; the way his lips partly slightly every time she slid down; the way the morning sunlight made his skin almost glow. She listened to the sound of her own heartbeat and the breathless moans and groans that escaped without her even realizing it. She let her head fall and felt the way her curls swept against her lower back. In the midst of trying to imprint every detail in her mind, she realized her pace had slowed. She looked down at Roman to find him looking at her with the same fond expression he'd had at the breakfast table. He slid his hands from her thighs up to her waist, pulling her down so that they were chest to chest.

"Like I said before, I don't think your brain ever stops thinking," he said sweetly, "you know, a lesser man might be offended by your mind wandering during sex," he finished with a chuckle.

"All good thoughts this time, I promise," she said with a shy smile, "I just want to remember everything about this- us. Today."

Roman rolled them over so that Lucy was on her back, kissing her gently before moving his lips to her neck, giving her goosebumps as he pressed his lips soft over her clavicle and chest. He worked back up to her face, peppering her jaw and cheek with kisses before placing a last, passionate one on her lips.

"I do want to remind you that I will be back home on Wednesday," he said, skimming the curve of her hip with his index finger, "and that, if you'll have me, I would like to see you Wednesday or Thursday night before I head back out on Friday."

"Of course I want to see you," she said, "and I know we'll still find time for each other, it's just-"

"It won't be the same," he finished for her.

She released a sigh and gave him a small nod.

"I'm happy that you don't want to forget what things are like between us before they change," he continued, "and I think it's only fair that I make sure that I'm giving you something good to remember," he finished, eyes darkening as he positioned himself between her legs.

As he pushed inside of her, she felt his hands tracing over every inch of her body. She groaned as moved in her, slow and deliberate. He pinned one of her hands above her head on the pillow, intertwining her fingers with his. She brought her knees up and wrapped her legs around his waist, pulling her closer to him. She let her free hand drift down the contours of his back and over the muscles of his arms and through his hair as their bodies melded together. Her nipples brushed against chest as they moved, her hips rising to meet him every time he thrust deeply into her.

She began to feel that squeeze in her heart again, the one that made her want to quit her job or beg him to stay or scream out the words that were buzzing in her brain but seem to be stuck in her throat.

"Roman," she cried out instead, her heart pounding as his hips instantly moved faster and harder.

"Yes, babe, say it again," he said, his head buried in the crook of her neck, his breath ghosting over her skin.

"Roman," she panted, "oh, fuck, Roman."

"Mine," he grunted, cupping her jaw and bringing his head up to rest on her forehead, "all mine."

"Yes, Ro," she moaned, feeling a second orgasm fast approaching, "I'm all yours, baby. All yours."

They're enough for now, these declarations. She means every word- she is his, completely. And for the moment, it's enough.

They come within seconds of one another- truthfully she can't tell who gets there first, and it doesn't matter. There are quakes and moans and bruising grips and drips of sweat, all in perfect harmony. As they come down there are soft kisses, nuzzled noses, and gentle touches. They exchange whispered words of affection and affirmation.

With slightly tired limbs they ambled their way to the bathroom, warming up the water and pouring in the bubble bath before climbing in.

Lucy settled against Roman's chest in the massive tub, filled to the brim with limbs and foamy bubbles. He rested one hand beneath hers around her waist, running his fingers gently through her hair as they basked in the fuzzy post orgasm bliss. They took turns washing one another, and she almost fell asleep as Roman massaged shampoo into her hair with expert fingers, and she smiled softly to herself when she realized that her hair will smell like him once he's gone. She took extra care working conditioner into his inky curls, and they both laughed when he got bubbles in his beard. By the time the water was too cold to stand and they wrapped themselves in fluffy towels, the trepidation had all but melted away.

Lucy took her time brushing out her hair and making sure she had all of her things as Roman did a quick load of laundry. They had the tv on idly in the background, neither really paying it any attention as they enjoyed the last few hours before he had to head to the airport.

"What do you have planned for the rest of the day?" he asked, folding a pair of freshly washed track pants and packing them in his bag.

"I'm going to go by Liza and Courtney's to pick up Skipper, we'll probably get some takeout and hang out a little bit before I head home," she answered.

"Sounds fun, tell them I said hi," he said with a smile, "I'm sure they'll be glad to see that you're home in one piece."

"Yeah, lucky for you," she said, making them both chuckle.

Morning turned into afternoon, and just after lunchtime, it was time for them both to leave. Roman helped Lucy load her bags into her car, closing the trunk just as his car to the airport pulled into the driveway.

"I'll text you when I land," he said, making no move to walk away.

He was staring deep into her eyes, his mouth set in a solemn line. She felt the tears welling up as he pulled her close and brushed his lips over hers. She wrapped a hand around the back of his neck as she returned the kiss. They held each other for a long moment before reluctantly breaking away.

"Fly safe, sweetie," she said with a sad smile.

I love you.

"Bye, doll," he said, grabbing the handle of his suitcase as she opened her driver's side door and climbed inside.

She drove in silence, letting the tears fall freely as she went.

…

"There she is!" Liza exclaimed as she opened the door, throwing her arms open for a hug, "welcome back, world traveler!"

Lucy grinned as they embraced, and when she stepped into the house she was immediately tackled by Skipper.

"Hi, baby girl!" she exclaimed, "oh, mama missed you. Were you good for your aunts?"

"She was the very best house guest," Courtney confirmed, joining them in the living room as Lucy rubbed her pup's belly and received an onslaught of sloppy kisses.

Courtney's sandy blonde hair hung in long beach waves, currently flecked with the same paint that was covering her black shirt and sweatpants. She taught art classes at the local college and worked on her own paintings whenever inspiration struck, and it seemed like today had been one of those days.

"How's the piece coming?" Lucy asked as Liza joined her on the floor to join in petting Skipper.

"We'll see," Courtney said with a shrug. This wasn't unusual- she never liked to talk too much about her work until the painting was nearly done.

"I'm starving now, though, I didn't realize how long I was in the studio," she added.

The three of them settled on a restaurant and placed the order, and Lucy got settled into their couch with Skipper on her lap as she recounted her trip, answering Liza's endless stream of questions. Once dinner arrived the conversation died down, and Lucy could feel herself starting to get worn out.

"I bet you're glad to be home," Courtney said.

"Yeah, it'll be nice to settle back in," Lucy said with a sigh.

Liza and Courtney exchanged a look before eyeing her with matching skeptical expressions.

"Not so happy about leaving your lover boy?" Liza asked, raising her eyebrows with a small grin.

"No, it's not that," Lucy said, rolling her eyes at the light teasing, "I mean- it's partially that, and of course I'm going to miss being around him- so much- but I don't know…" she paused, "thinking about going back to work tomorrow, back in my old routine- it's starting to feel like maybe it's just not what I want anymore."

They both nodded, looking pensive as she continued.

"When I first took this job, I don't think I ever meant for it to be forever," she said, running her hand over Skipper's fur absentmindedly as she spoke, "but somewhere along the way I got comfortable there."

"And now?" Courtney asked.

"Well I have no actual plan, or any idea about how to make a plan," she said, twirling a curl around her finger to quell the anxious feeling in her stomach, "but I think I could maybe see myself trying to actually open up a coffee shop."

"Yes, finally! I call the first song on karaoke nights," Liza said, pumping her fist in the air, making Courtney and Lucy laugh in unison.

"Ok, fine, but first can we talk about how the hell it would even be possible for me to do this?" Lucy asked.

"Lu, come on, you know we'll help you figure it out," Liza said, nudging her gently in the rib with her elbow, "it's been your dream for so long. You just gotta get your ass up and go get it."

"Helpful," Lucy said with a tired giggle.

"How about I swing by the coffee shop tomorrow and pick Sydney's brain a little bit?" Courtney suggested, "I'm sure she's got loads of tips and tricks- or, at the very least, pitfalls to avoid."

"Why didn't I think of that?" Lucy said. It was the most obvious first step, and she couldn't believe it had never occurred to her.

The three of them chatted for a while longer before she wrangled up Skipper and made the short drive home.

After getting her clothes in the washer and going for a quick walk, Lucy collapsed on her bed. As she melted into her familiar duvet and wrapped herself in her favorite soft sheets, a million things washed over her at once. Relief at the comfort of her own bed. A twinge of sadness that there was no one lying next to her. And a buzz of excitement at the possibility of change in the air.