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Roman roused as the first light of dawn began to spread across the floor in Chloe’s bedroom, spilling in pinkish, orangish rays across the space. He quietly lifted the sheets off his side of the bed, carefully planting his feet onto the soft carpet of the floor.
He stood over Chloe’s naked, silky smooth body. Her face was partially covered by the pillow — a cascade of light reflected from the window onto her rosy cheek. Her chest rose and fell with the tranquil peacefulness of her dreamy state of mind.
Her eyes were still closed as he gently dared to brush her cheek with the surface of his lips, giving her a kiss before stirring over to her bedside table where his clothes lay in a heap. Chloe’s clothes were spread out across the floor, a proving sign that they had spent an erotically charged night together.
Roman had, at last, professed his love for her. He’d declare it to the entire world if she let him. He couldn’t hold it in any longer. He had to reveal his true feelings for her so that she would finally understand how important she was to him. He wanted no one else in the world but Chloe, and he would walk through fire to protect her if that’s what it took.
He would travel to the ends of the world in order to bring her back with him. He hadn’t even realized how much he truly loved her until he saw her standing outside last night in a cotton nightgown. Even though he knew she was strong and independent, a woman who could hold her ground, she had looked so innocent and pure standing out there in the blanket of darkness. It had sent his senses into overdrive.
He carefully trudged downstairs, not wanting to wake the family, especially Chloe’s mother or sister. They didn’t know he was there, and he didn’t want to startle them when they awoke and saw some strange man sitting in their living room.
He wandered outside, standing on the front porch with his hands in the pockets of his jeans. The morning air was crisp and fresh, and the grass was soggy with glistening beads of dew. A few stray webs of fog slowly trekked across the yard like wispy slivers of silky fingers.
Roman sighed and leaned against the porch railing, watching the world wake up. A man in a black robe across the street emerged from his house, shuffled across his driveway in a pair of slippers and a coffee mug in his hand. He reached down to retrieve the morning paper and then disappeared back into his home.
A stray car or two slowly and silently drove past, most likely commuters headed out to start their daily routine and trudge off to work. Roman heaved an enormous sigh of the fresh suburban Chicago air. No matter where he went in this incredible city, he was home.
He didn’t even notice the sound of the front door opening, or Chloe approaching him. She snaked her arms around his waist from behind, making a contented sigh sound as it escaped her lips.
Roman glanced down, smiled and rubbed her interlocked hands around his waist. “Good morning sunshine,” he whispered. He was delighted that she woke up before the rest of her family so that they would be able to avoid that bit of uncomfortableness at seeing a stranger in their home.
“Good morning,” Chloe purred in a soothing and satisfied voice. Her demeanor was much more approving and appealing than that fateful night in Hawaii. She melded and conformed to his body, sensually becoming one with him as she squeezed him tightly to her body.
“Last night was incredible,” he mentioned, unable to stop reliving the moments of passion where her legs were wrapped around his waist, and her naked body was pressed up against him.
“One of the best nights of my life,” she admitted in a dreamy voice.
Roman glanced down at her and beamed. “Really?”
Chloe chuckled and unhooked herself from him. She leaned her elbows over the wooden railing of the front porch. It was damp and a little green around the edges from water collecting there.
“Really...” she trailed off, staring straight ahead with a nostalgic expression.
“I’m glad you enjoyed yourself,” Roman affirmed proudly. He hadn’t thought twice about flying here to be with her. And he was so glad that he had.
“My mom and sister are going to be surprised to see you,” she said with a chuckle.
Roman laughed. “I was worried about that.”
Chloe met his gaze. “You don’t have to be worried. They will love you because I love you.” The sincerity in her eyes made him melt.
“Maybe you should go warn them in advance so that they don’t come downstairs indecent,” he suggested.
Chloe smiled. “That sounds like a good idea.”
She left him on the porch to go rouse her mother and sister. He waited for a few minutes, just standing there while he watched the world wake up.
He didn’t know how much time had passed, but he didn’t want to go inside until Chloe had reemerged and given him the green light.
After a while, she came outside fully dressed and beaming with a brilliant smile stretched across her lips.
“What’s the good news?” He asked as he turned around and propped his back against the railing.
“My dad,” Chloe said breathlessly, bouncing on her heels. “He made some great improvements overnight.”
“He did?” Roman’s heart galloped with excitement. “That’s excellent!”
Chloe jogged into Roman’s waiting, open arms, crying tears of joy. He spun her around as she interlocked her legs around his waist, breathlessly showering his lips with sensual kisses that tasted like cherries from her lip gloss.
Roman heard a female voice clear their throat behind him. He spun, placing Chloe delicately back on her feet on the porch.
“Hello.” He nodded in acknowledgment at Chloe’s sister who was propped up against the side of the door jam, grinning with amusement.
“You must be Roman.” She took a step in his direction with her hand extended to shake with him. She never left his gaze, continuing to smile from ear to ear.
“I am.” He laughed enthusiastically, pumping her hand in greeting. “And you must be Ashley.”
“Guilty,” Ashley smiled. “I’m the sister.”
“Now that introductions have been made,” Chloe beamed. “You can come back inside.”
Chloe’s mother Donna was on the phone in the other room; Roman guessed talking to one of the doctors or nurses and getting the enlightening update on her husband’s condition.
“Mom said he woke up in the night and started asking for a steak,” Chloe laughed. “They said he told them he was starving.”
Roman laughed. “That’s great news. The man is hungry, get him a steak.”
“If he wants one!” Chloe shrugged, hugging Ashley as if they were still in a dreamy state and couldn’t believe that their father was starting to recover so quickly.
Chloe gave him a look of determination. “I guess that means I can travel back to Europe with you.”
Roman approached her, gently stroking her hair. He glanced down at her. She was so petite and slender, so perfect. “If you feel like that’s the best decision for you and your family.”
Chloe glanced at Ashley for a slice of reassurance. “What do you think?”
Before Ashley had a chance to answer, her mother walked into the room and noticed him standing there. “Hello,” she greeted him with a polite and friendly smile. Her cheeks were warm and rosy, and she had the same silky blonde hair as her daughters.
“I’m Roman.” He approached and reached for her hand, giving a gentle shake.
“Nice to meet you, Roman.” Donna remained on the other side of the room as she glanced at her daughters, addressing them directly. “They are releasing daddy today.”
“Thank God!”
The women joined together in a group hug. Roman smiled, his chest expanding with warmth. What if things had been different for him? What if he’d gotten the call that his sister was stabilized, would recover, instead of the tragic ending she’d suffered? He was so grateful Chloe and her family had this second chance with the man they loved. He was thankful they didn’t have to suffer the way he had been since his sister’s passing.
“We’ll get dad settled in, and then... I guess we should get on another flight. Roman?”
Chloe was looking at him, but he’d been so lost in thought, he hadn’t immediately noticed.
He nodded. “If that’s what you want to do, yes.”
She hugged him, wrapping her arms around his waist and hanging on tight.
“I guess it won’t take me long to pack, given that my suitcase is still upstairs and hasn’t been touched.”
He chuckled and held her back, as tightly as he dared. “I didn’t even pack a bag. I just jumped on a plane and flew straight here.”
Chloe’s mother’s eyes sparkled. “I think it was really a romantic gesture, what you did for Chloe.”
“Yeah,” Ashley agreed with a smile. “She’s lucky to have a guy who cares so much about her.”
Chloe was blushing from the compliments. “Stop you guys. You are going to make me cry.”
“No, you aren’t,” Ashley rolled her eyes. “You are way too tough for that.”
“She is a fighter, that is for sure.” Roman kissed her forehead.
Chloe beamed as she jogged up the steps. Roman knew by the look of resilience splashing across her gorgeous blue eyes that she was determined to finish what she started.
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ALMOST TWELVE HOURS later, after saying their goodbyes to Chloe’s mother and sister and making a venture to the hospital to meet Chloe’s father, Roman and Chloe finally made it through customs and the international boarding. They were exhausted, but excited and ready to make their journey to Paris, the next leg of their tour.
“Are you going to miss the tour when it’s over?” Chloe asked as she settled into her seat and looked out the window. The plane was nearing the end of its taxi. With a smooth burst forward, it ascended into the air. Fluffy cotton ball clouds tickled the side of the plane and breezed past them.
Roman sighed and sagged back into his own seat beside hers. “I don’t know...I’ll miss the fans and the crowds, the energy of each venue.”
Chloe glanced at him with a smile. “But not the jet lag and the paparazzi every time you make one step out of your hotel room?”
Roman chuckled. “Definitely won’t miss the paparazzi or the jet lag,” he affirmed. “I will miss the Red Bulls and the Reese’s though,” he added.
Chloe laughed, patting his thigh. “I can still give you one every night if that makes you feel better.”
Roman high-fived her. “Baby, you can give me something every night, and it doesn’t have to be food.”
The truth was, he was excited about starting the next chapter. He didn’t have to dread the lonely, empty feeling he always had when a tour ended. This time, he would have Chloe by his side. He couldn’t wait to begin their next adventure together.
“Do you want a snack?” He asked after the pilot gave them the green light to roam about the cabin safely when they reached the maximum height they would climb into the sky.
Chloe rubbed her flat tummy. “I’m starving actually.”
They hadn’t been able to eat more than a skimpy breakfast since earlier that morning because everything that happened after that had been a whirlwind.
Roman approached the flight attendants, retrieved a bottle of champagne and chocolate covered strawberries. It would be the warm up to their entrée of pasta.
“A toast?” He proposed as he poured the drinks into the glass flutes.
“That sounds wonderful.” Chloe leaned up in her seat, gratefully retrieving the glass.
“To new adventures,” he chimed as their flutes clanked together.
Roman watched Chloe take a delicate sip, puckering her lips in the delicious aftertaste. “I could get used to this,” she joked, plucking a strawberry from the container.
Roman wanted to pamper her and give her all the finest luxuries that money could buy. Chloe had been through so much turmoil with her father’s cancer. He wanted to start a new chapter of memories with her and show her how amazing the world could be.
“It’s just the very beginning,” he whispered softly as he kissed the side of her cheek.
She was the total package; a fantastic catch and he wouldn’t let her go — not this time.
“I’m just glad I am able to soften your tough exterior edges,” she teased, nudging his shoulder by bumping hers against him.
He laughed lightheartedly. “Baby, you haven’t seen anything yet. I’m a man of mystery.”
Chloe smirked. “Isn’t that James Bond? Or Austin Powers?”
“Both. Now, lean over here and kiss me, baby.”