Chapter Twenty Seven

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Roman arrived home expecting dinner.

He did not expect to walk into what looked like the most beautiful evening of his life.

The moment the penthouse doors opened, he stopped.

Candles flickered softly throughout the apartment.

Music drifted quietly through the air.

Fresh flowers sat on every surface.

The balcony glowed beneath lantern light.

And standing in the middle of it all was Daisy.

Roman stared.

For a moment he couldn't find words.

Daisy smiled nervously.

"Hi."

Roman laughed softly.

"Hi?"

She folded her arms.

"What?"

"What is all this?"

Daisy glanced around.

"I wanted to do something nice for you."

Roman looked genuinely stunned.

Nobody did things for Roman.

People expected things from Roman.

Needed things from Roman.

Asked things from Roman.

But Daisy?

She simply wanted to make him smile.

The realization hit him harder than he expected.

"You did all this?"

Daisy nodded.

Roman crossed the room and kissed her forehead gently.

"Thank you."

A blush immediately appeared on her cheeks.

And Roman found himself smiling again.

Dinner was perfect.

Not because of the food.

Although the food was incredible.

Daisy had spent most of the afternoon cooking.

Roman insisted it was the best meal he'd ever eaten.

Daisy insisted he was lying.

Roman insisted he wasn't.

By dessert they were both laughing.

The conversation flowed easily.

Comfortably.

Like it always seemed to now.

Every so often one of them checked the baby monitor.

Lillie remained asleep.

Completely unaware her parents were falling more in love by the day.

Eventually dinner ended.

The plates remained scattered across the table.

The wine bottle sat nearly empty.

The city lights glittered beyond the windows.

Daisy stood first.

"I should clean up."

Roman immediately stood too.

"Not alone."

Together they carried dishes into the kitchen.

The task should have taken ten minutes.

Instead it somehow turned into complete chaos.

Daisy handed Roman a plate.

He splashed her accidentally.

At least that was his story.

She narrowed her eyes.

"You did that on purpose."

Roman looked innocent.

A terrible sign.

"What proof do you have?"

Daisy dipped her fingers into the sink.

Roman immediately backed away.

"No."

"Yes."

"Daisy."

Too late.

A splash of water landed on his shirt.

Roman looked horrified.

Then amused.

Then dangerous.

"Oh, that's how we're playing?"

Daisy laughed.

And ran.

She didn't get far.

Roman caught her around the waist before she'd made it halfway across the kitchen.

A surprised laugh escaped her.

"Roman!"

"You started it."

His hands remained at her waist.

Neither of them moved.

The laughter slowly faded.

The room suddenly felt quieter.

Smaller.

His eyes found hers.

And held them.

Daisy's breath caught.

Roman's smile softened.

The playful mood disappeared.

Leaving something else behind.

Something warmer.

Something deeper.

Slowly, he reached up and brushed a strand of hair behind her ear.

The gesture was simple.

Tender.

Yet somehow it made her heart race.

"Daisy."

The way he said her name made her stomach flutter.

She smiled softly.

"Yeah?"

For a moment he simply looked at her.

As though trying to remember every detail.

Then he leaned forward.

Their kiss started gently.

Slow.

Careful.

Like neither of them wanted to rush the moment.

Months of friendship.

Trust.

Late-night conversations.

Family dinners.

Baby bottles.

Tiny milestones.

All of it seemed to settle between them.

The kiss deepened.

Not hurried.

Not reckless.

Just two people finally allowing themselves to feel everything they'd been holding back.

When they finally pulled apart, Daisy rested her forehead against his.

Both smiling.

Neither quite believing how far they'd come.

From strangers.

To parents.

To this.

Roman brushed a kiss against her forehead.

Then another against her temple.

Holding her close.

As the city lights sparkled around them and Lillie slept peacefully down the hallway, both of them knew one thing for certain.

Their story had started in the most unexpected way possible.

But neither of them would change a single moment of it.