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The Romy Files

Chapter 24: Glow me up

Summary:

Valentine’s Day has come around once more bringing a black eye, a fight, and Nahele’s first official date

Notes:

Hello lovelies, 
Are you ready for another slice of Steve & Romy? I’m so sorry for the delay and for not posting last week. I’m back in London after a month with my parents and needed to quarantine for 2 weeks. Who would have thought that not going for my daily walks would kill my creativity?
Cannot wait to hear your thoughts on this chapter. You guys are the absolute best.
Enjoy xx 

Warnings: fluff - so much fluff
Episode: Season 6 Episode 14

Chapter Text


——xx——xx—— 

Steve was surprised to see Romy kneeling in the front yard. She bent over a flower bed, next to her disregarded weeds and some cut off Pink Protea stems. She wasn’t usually one for gardening, preferring to watch him do it instead. Something must have happened if it drove her to weed some flowerbeds. He hadn’t made it two steps towards her, when she rushed over to him, a panicked look on her face. “You need to talk to Nahele.” Romy bunched the front of his shirt tightly in her fist, lifting herself onto her toes in the process
“Hello to you too, gorgeous. I had a good day and you?” Steve smirked, kissing her quickly. “Ok?” He peeled her fist off his shirt. “What about?” 
Romy looked around quickly like she was checking no one was listening in. “I think...” her tone hushed, “I think he plans to ask a girl out for Valentine’s Day.”
Steve chuckled again “Really?” 
“Yes!” Romy’s eyes went comically wide, her reaction amused Steve way too much, but it wasn’t very often he had more information than her. He was going to enjoy this! “What gave you that idea?” 
“He...” again she turned around, making sure Nahele was not within earshot “he was acting all cagey when I picked him up from school today. Like I saw him with this girl but when I asked him, he clammed all up. And I swear I saw a text message between him and Joel...”
Steve dropped his chin to his chest to catch her eyes and smiled teasingly. “Did you spy on him, Romy?” 
“What! I would...never!” Romy blustered, she had a thing about privacy for teenagers. “It was an accident.” Her hand flew to her forehead. “I’m a horrible person. I’m like Danny, spying on my teenager.” 
Steve’s hand moved to the small of her back, guiding her through the side gate into their backyard. “Would you please stop it?” He sat her down on their hanging chair on the lanai. 
Romy sighed dramatically, pulling her gardening gloves off “I don’t know if I can!” She declared turning towards him, her right knee bend underneath her. 
“So is it Madison?” Steve wiped some dirt off Romy’s collarbone. 
“How...How do you know?” Romy frowned. “Steve, please don’t tell me you’ve installed a spy thingy in his phone.” 
Steve leveled his girlfriend with a look, who did she think he was? “What do you think we do on our runs, be silent?” He asked instead. 
“Ahem yeah... you both aren’t two for small talk.” Romy picked on her gloves. 
“Talking with Nahele ain’t small talk.”
Romy swallowed her sarcastic reply and stared at Steve for a second. 
“What?” Steve grew conscious under her eyes. 
“Thank you for being such a great parent.” Her voice full adoration.
Steve squeezed her hand, returning her gaze “Right back at ya.” A moment or two passed, smiling at each other, love in both of their eyes. 
“I can’t believe he didn’t tell me.” Romy hit his arm in mock outrage. 
“Some things you can’t share with Mom quite yet.” Steve pulled her to him, kissing her softly. 
“So what are we going to do?” Romy got off from the swing. 
“We let him go.” Steve shrugged, before adding quickly. “With rules of course.” 
“Nice safe.” Romy scoffed. “What rules have you got in mind?” 
“Someone drives them and picks them up.” 
“Definitely, and home by 11 pm or whatever earlier time Madison’s parents are setting.” Romy opened the lanai door, leaving her Flip flops on the doorstep.
“Sounds good. Now he just needs to ask her out.” 
“Aw, that little detail.” Romy waved him off “If the girl knows what’s good for her, she better say yes.” 
“Or what? You gonna go all Momma Bear on her?” Steve teased her again, tossing his shield and gun on the sideboard in the dining room. 
“Safe or Bedside table.” Romy’s voice rang out from the kitchen.  
“How?” Steve leaned against the door jamb, watching her snipping off the ends of the flowers she collected, before depositing them in the vase. 
“Cause I know you, you wally.” She rolled her eyes at him with a grin, then concentrated back on her task. 
Steve holstered his gun and stepped behind her, his hands on her arms while his chin rested on her left shoulder. “You do know there are more weapons stashed around this house, don’t you?” 
“How could I forget the gun in the bread box?” Romy countered. Steve laughed, letting his breath tickle her skin. Romy swatted at him, making him loosen his arms a little bit. She turned around, her lips barely concealing a smile. “It did scare me for a moment. You stay over at a guy's place for the first time and the first thing to greet you is a bloody gun.” 
“Not my fault, you didn’t wait for me to make you breakfast.” His fingers were drawn to the patch of skin that was revealed every time Romy moved and the t-shirt slipped further down her shoulder. 
“You had a freaking gunshot wound! You couldn’t even carry two bottles of beer, how the hell were you going to make breakfast?” Romy pinched him in the chest. “Can you believe that this was a year and a half ago?” She asked quietly. How can it be that their time had flown by so quickly, but at the same time it felt like they knew each other forever? 
“Steve? Romy?” Nahele’s voice broke the moment of reminiscing. The two of them turned to him, he was toying with his fingers and a blush had started to make its way up to his neck. “I need to ask you something.” He began but seemed to lose his courage straight away again. 
“Sure, kiddo. What’s up?” 
“So...well about...Valentine’s Day.” He cleared his throat. “There is this girl.”

——xx——xx——

There were several reasons why she didn’t like Valentine’s Day, and today was one of them. Romy rubbed her face harshly while contemplating her outfit choices for tonight’s dinner. After disregarding 4 dresses she bit the bullet and dialed Renee, hoping she wasn’t interrupting any of the Grover’s Valentine’s plans. 
“Hey girl!” Renee greeted semi enthusiastically as the video call established connection. 
“You sound to be in the same mood as me.” 
“Well, my husband forgot Valentine’s Day and tried to make up for it with flowers and chocolate from the convenience store down the block, dressed in a 1970’s suit that I’ve been trying to give to the Salvation Army for the last 20 years and his golf shoes.” 
Romy chuckled “I hope he’s in the dog house.” 
“Yep, 24 hours and no parole. I kicked him out.”
Romy’s eyebrows shot into her hairline. 
“Oh no, don’t look at me like that!” Renee wagged her finger at Romy. “He forgot my birthday and our anniversary the last year. I thought he’d make up for it on Valentine’s Day. I’m all dressed up!” She pointed the camera at her and Romy let out a whistle, Renee did look hot in a wine red dress with a plunging neckline. “I doubt that you called to hear about my Valentine’s woes. So what’s the matter, hun?”
“Steve and I had a fight this morning. A massive one.” Romy scrunched up her face, as their argument played back out in her head. 
“And you guys canceled your evening plans?” 
“I wish!” Romy pouted. “He’s insisted that we still go for dinner. And anyway we need to drop Nahele and his date off at the movies.” 
“You want to tell me what the fight was about?” Renee fumbled with her phone for a second, then she sat back on her sofa, now both hands free for her wine glass. 
“Catherine.” Romy sat down with a thump on the floor. 
“Wow. Now that is a name I haven’t heard in a while.”
“That’s what I thought, too.” Romy smiled scathingly. “But apparently she’s been calling Steve on and off for weeks.” 
Renee wanted to smack Steve, what for an idiot! “And I gather he didn’t tell you about it?” 
“Correct.” Romy snapped her finger. “I only found out by pure accident. This morning his phone was ringing and he asked me to pick it up. So I did.” 
“Did you talk to her?” 
At that Romy let out a strangled laugh “Oh no. We don’t talk to me. She hung up straight away. And you know what Steve’s reaction was?” 
Renee shook her head, dreading the answer already. 
“Oh yeah, Catherine always does that when she calls.” Romy imitated Steve’s deep voice on point. “That’s just her way of checking in.” 
‘Oh, Steve. Poor, deluded Steve.’ Renee shook her head. 
“This has been going on for weeks, Renee, since before Christmas actually. How did I not notice this?” Romy’s head fell into her hand, dejection written all over her face. 
“Can I ask you a question?” Renee sounded hesitant, making Romy sit up again. 
“Sure.” 
“Are you mad cause she’s calling him or for a different reason?” 
“He broke a promise to me.” 
“That sucks.” Renee leveled a look at her friend. “What are you going to do now?” 
“Now, I’m gonna get off this floor, dressed, and go on a date with my boyfriend. And if only for the reason that Nahele gave us that dinner for Christmas.” Romy harrumphed as she got out of the crisscross seat slowly. 
“Atta girl! If nothing else, do it for the kids.” Renee cheered her on, making Romy laugh in the process. 
“Care to help me figuring out an outfit that says, you’re a prat but you’re my prat?” 
“I’ve got no idea what a ‘prat’ is, but Revenge dressing my favorite pastime.” Renee grinned, pointing to her outfit as proof.
——xx——xx——
“Hey kiddo, you ready to go?” Romy knocked onto Nahele’s door, before opening it slightly. 
“Yes, I think?” 
“You think?” Romy cocked her head to the side, looking him up and down. “You look really handsome tonight.” She shoved her hands into the pockets of her jumpsuit, to stop herself from straightening out his artfully arranged hair. 
“Thank you.” Nahele rubbed his hands on his jeans again. 
“Don’t be nervous.” Romy tried to sound encouraging, but hell a first date was always nerve-wracking, it didn’t matter the age.
“Easier said than done.” The teenager walked past her, leaving behind a cloud of deodorant and perfume. Romy inhaled sharply, teenage boys smell when they were going out had not changed in the last twenty years. She used to be the teasing little sister, she bit down on her lip, swallowing the words that were ready to pop out. Now she needed to be the supportive parental figure. Life was not fair sometimes. 
Slinging her arm around his shoulder she steered Nahele down the stairs. “You looking forward to tonight, kiddo?” 
Nahele shrugged, but his thumbnail spoke volumes, slightly red from all the picking he did. 
“I’m sure Steve dispensed with all the important advise already, such as read her clues, don’t do anything that makes either of you uncomfortable.” 
He nodded jerkily and Romy pulled him into a quick hug. “Please don’t forget to have a bit of fun tonight.” She framed his face in between her hands. “Ok?” 
“I promise.” 
Romy squeezed his cheeks, making Nahele trying to recoil out of her grip. “You got enough money?” 
Nahele just opened his mouth when Steve interjected “You got already some from me.” 
“Worth a shot.” The teenager smirked. 
“You look...wow...” Steve stared at Romy, she looked absolutely sinful in her black jumpsuit, the cut V in the front giving a tantalizing glimpse of her cleavage. 
“Thanks.” Romy smiled at him. “You look pretty handsome yourself.” She reached out smooth the lapels of his shirt down, then held onto his shoulders while she slipped into her cherry red sandal heels. Steve’s arm snaked around her back, while his lips found hers for a deep kiss. 
“Excuse me! I don’t want to be late to pick up my date?” Nahele jested from behind them. 
“Watch and learn, ‘Hele.” Steve grasped Romy’s hand in his. “You should always greet your date properly and tell her how good she looks.” He turned to Romy. “You’re stunning.” Romy grinned and wiped a bit of her red lipstick from the corner of his mouth. “Now you hand over a gift, should you have one.” He handed Romy an envelope. 
“Thanks.” She put it in her purse to open later.
“And then you help her into her jacket, offer her your arm and lead her to your preferred mode of transportation.” Steve finished with a flourish. Romy suppressed a little giggle at his over the top demonstration and shrugged into her jeans jacket, Steve was holding for her. 
“So ‘the sticking down my tongue down her throat on the front steps’ part, I should just skip then?” Nahele grinned at his wise-ass remark. Steve closed his eyes in defeat and threw his keys at him. “Go heat up the car.” 
“He’s going to mess this up, isn’t he?” He turned to Romy with a rueful grin. 
“Have faith.” She pulled him out of the house with a wink. 
The ride to Madison’s house was quiet, Nahele was way too nervous and what Romy wanted to talk about was not a topic to be discussed in front of him. They let the radio fill the silence instead. Steve and Romy both got out of the car, as Nahele bounded off to pick up his date. Leaning against the car next to each other, they watched as he rung the doorbell, handed over his flowers, and then offered his arm to Madison. “See, you trained him well,” Romy murmured to Steve while waving back at Madison’s parents. 
“Hi, Madison” Romy greeted the girl warmly. 
“Hi.” 
Romy breathed a sigh of relief, she was as nervous as Nahele. “Shall we?” She nudged Steve with her elbow and he geared into action. 
“Yes, let’s go.” He held open Romy’s door and nodded at Nahele to do the same for Madison. 
“You look lovely, Madison.” Romy turned around in her seat to make conversation. 
A smile bloomed on the teenager's face “Thank you, so do you, Mrs. McGarrett.” 
Romy chuckled “We’re not married. It’s Ms. Ehrhardt, but please Romy is perfectly fine, when someone calls me Ms. Ehrhardt I always turn around looking for my mother.” 
“Oh...I thought...Nahele always says...I’m sorry.” 
“Sweetie, don’t be sorry. A common mistake.” Romy could see Steve wanting to say something out of the corner of her eye. She fixed him with a glare “Don’t you dare thinking about proposing.” 
Steve snorted “And get a 2 hours long lecture about how marriage is a construct of the dark ages? Who am I? A Beginner?” He took her hand from the central console pressing a kiss to it. 
Nahele leaned over to Madison whispering something in her ear, making her giggle in response. Romy squeezed Steve’s hand directing his attention to the back seat and he snuck a look in the rearview mirror. A proud smile etched on his face. 

——xx——xx——

After dropping the teenagers off at the movie theatre, Steve took the road into downtown Honolulu. He was looking forward to tonight’s dinner, Marimoto was always delicious, and having a private room was only going to make it more special. Nahele did have a knack for picking presents. 
Settling down and after ordering some Appetizers and wine, Steve said, “Would you do me a favour and open the envelope I gave you earlier.” 
Intrigued Romy pulled the envelope out of her bag “Sure.” Carefully she opened the card inside
‘I love you. 
I’m sorry I hurt you and I’m sorry I broke our promise.
I’m an absolute idiot, but I’m your idiot. 
Forever.’
Romy looked over the edge at the card at him, a small smile on her face. 
“I am sorry.” He said. “I wanted to tell you but I kept forgetting about it. I can’t deny that she’s is an important part of my past, but she isn’t of my present or future and...” Steve leaned across the table. 
“You’re forgiven.” Romy met him halfway and they shared a sweet kiss. “Next time, just tell me.” She said as she leaned back. “It’ll stop all the...” she tried to find the right word “the Kopfkino.”  
“The what?” Steve chortled. 
“Kopfkino. Head cinema.” Romy shrugged. “Like when you imagining things, not just little things, but like a whole movie scene plays out in your head.” 
Steve laughed so much his sides hurt and he only stopped when the waiter brought over their first course of food. “German really has a word for everything.” 
——xx——xx—-
“Steve, please” Romy moaned and pushed her bum against Steve’s crotch, while she tried to get the house door to open. His hands pulling at her waist, grinding against her. His lips feasting on the bare skin of her shoulder’s and neck, nipping and licking making her shiver. 
“Please, what?” His voice rough. 
“Finally.” Romy pushed the door open and turned around. She practically jumped into his arms, pulling his lips down to hers for a passionate kiss. They made it into the house barely in one piece and collapsed onto the sofa. Kissing, touching, trying to get closer to each other, trying to get rid of their jackets, finally feeling skin. With a sly grin Romy ground into his lap once more, then she got up, moving out of the reach of Steve’s hands. “What are you...” his question interrupted by the slow music that Romy turned on. Her hips starting to move to the beat sensually, not taking her eyes off him. He liked where this was going, and relaxed further into the sofa, just in time to catch her first heel flying towards him. Romy bit her lip, she couldn’t believe how much she enjoyed putting on a show for him, and gaging from Steve shifting the front of his trousers so was he. Swaying her shoulders seductively, making the cleavage of her jumpsuit slip a bit further, she slid out of her other shoe and
Fuck
“Ow!” Steve’s hand flew to his eye instantaneously. 
“Shit! Steve! Oh, God!” Romy dropped onto her knees in front of him. With a wince, she pulled his hand away from his eye. It was completely red. “I’m gonna get some ice.” 
“Ok.” Steve let out a groan and his head fell against the sofa with a thud. This day really sucked! 
Romy came back with some ice and a towel “I’m so sorry.” She sat down on the other end of the sofa and handed him the towel filled with ice. Steve let out a hiss as the cold fabric made contact with his eye. He turned over to Romy and started laughing, how else could this day end as with a striptease that ended with a black eye. 
“I can’t believe you’re laughing about this.” Romy tried to stop her giggling, biting into the knuckles of her forefinger. 
“You’re laughing too.” Steve retaliated, tucking her into his side. 
“I think we just completed our transition into the parents camp.” Romy sighed kicking her feet up on the coffee table. 
“What? Why?” Steve was scandalized. 
“Our teenager might see better action than we did tonight.” 
“Oh no Romy, please!” Steve begged. “Don’t say that.” 
“We used to fuck on the kitchen counter or outside on the lanai.” Romy shrugged “Haven’t done that in a while.” 
“Well, we do have a teenager.” 
“Proving my point there, Schnuffi.” She kissed the underside of his jaw.
“Are you saying we have turned boring?” Steve tried not to sound offended. Romy did not have time to answer as the lock turned in at the same moment, revealing a very happy looking Nahele. 
“Hey ‘Hele.” They both greeted him. “Did you have a good night?” 
“What? Oh hi,” Nahele looked at them a little out of sorts. “Yes, I had a great night.” He smiled widely with a faraway look on his face. “You ready to tell us how your date went?” Romy asked, her head still resting on Steve’s chest. 
“It went well. We kissed.” He said with a small grin, that had Romy squeaking in excitement. 
“Mo...Romy, please be cool.” He groaned at her. 
“I’m cool...I’m cool...” She tried to reassure him, but the grin on her face told a different story. 
“Don’t embarrass him, Romy.” Steve tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. 
“Thanks, D” Nahele swallowed “Steve.” 
“You asking her out again?” 
“Yeah, would it be ok if we’d hang out here?” 
“As long as it’s long as it’s ok with Madison’s parents.” Romy agreed.
“Thank you! I’m gonna text her straight away.” He squeezed his body between Romy’s and Steve’s for a quick hug. “I think I’m going to bed.” 
They both watched him almost floating up the stairs and shared a look as he disappeared. “Well, at least he had a good evening,” Romy commented drily. “So good he didn’t even notice your injury.” 
Steve stood up, holding his hand out to her. “And we have a second lanai off our bedroom.” He grinned. 
Taking his hand with a big smile, Romy let herself be pulled off from the sofa “I knew I loved you for a reason.”

——xx——xx——

Steve had disappeared early the next day, a murder in a beach rental requiring his attention. Romy felt kinda bad for sending him off with a black eye and overtired, they did make great use of the upstairs lanai last night. Her day puttered along nicely until she got a message from Steve. ‘Stakeout tonight, don’t know when I’ll be home.’
‘Ok, I’ll keep the home fires burning. How many questions did you get about your eye?” 
‘Too many...but Lou turned up in a purple velvet suit from the 70s. Kinda diverts the attention.’ 
‘If you can make his day a bit miserable, Renee would highly appreciate it.’ 
‘Done! You might get a call from Kono about the eye.’ 
‘I won’t tell her, that story is almost more embarrassing for me than it is for you.’ 
‘???’
‘Can’t even do something sexy without messing it up.’ 
‘You’re plenty sexy.’ 
Romy hesitated for a second, a quick look through the glass wall of her office assured her no one was looking. She pulled at her blouse and angled her phone just right, snapping a picture of her dark blue lacy bra and the swell of her breast. She quickly pressed the button to send it to Steve before she lost her courage. 
His response came straight away ‘You are killing me.’ 
‘Your present is in the white bag in the pantry. I completely forgot last night.’ 
‘Gotta go.’ 
‘I love you.’
Romy smiled at his barrage of texts. ‘trying this whole sexy thing again. We said no presents! Stay safe love you too.’ 
Racing into the pantry as soon as she got home, Romy’s smile could lit up a whole block. Hugging the bag to her she snapped another selfie sending it to Steve. ‘I love you almost as much as Haribo’s.’ 
A knock on the door interrupted her rifling through the bag and deciding which she should eat first. 
“Melissa? Hi!” Romy was confused, she had not expected Danny’s girlfriend. 
“Hi! I’m sorry for barging in, but...” she gestured into the house. 
“Of course. Come in, come in.” Romy opened the door wide, letting Melissa come through. 
“Can I get you anything? Tea, coffee” a glance to her watch “wine?”
“Tea, maybe?” Melissa sounded indecisive. 
“Why don’t you sit out on the lanai and I’ll grab some ice tea from the fridge.” 
Romy watched Melissa make her way out to the lanai, then she headed to the kitchen. What did she want? She met Melissa a grand total of three times, and everything single one of their meetings had been slightly awkward. She grabbed the tray with tea and some cookies, took a deep breath, this time would not be an exception. 
Melissa was worrying the table runner between her fingers before she moved onto the candle holder and then back to the table runner “It’s beautiful.” She complimented Romy, who was sitting down on the bench opposite her. 
“Thanks. I made it myself.” 
“You sew?” 
“Yeah, curtains, clothes, blankets, and table runners.” She nodded to Melissa’s fingers with a smile. 
Caught in her actions, the other woman let go of the piece of fabric and took hold of the glass Romy handed to her. 
“What can I do for you?” Romy tried to make her voice kind, but inside she was dying to know, what the hell made Melissa seek her out. She could see that it cost her quite an effort to pull something out of her handbag. “This” she handed a Valentine’s Card over to Romy. 
‘Oh, Danny!’ Romy wanted to say it out loud but managed to hold it in. “I guess yours said something else?” She started to nibble on a cookie. 
Melissa smiled sadly “It said ‘I love you.’”
Pained Romy pointed out, “Danny is my friend, Melissa. I don’t want to be in the middl...”
“I’m not part of the group!” she interrupted her, it literally broke out of her, and then there was no stopping. “I never get invited. You...you have parties here all the time.” 
“Danny knows that you’re more than welcome to co...” 
“But that’s it isn’t it? He doesn’t bring me.” Melissa looked miserable now. “He couldn’t even say it to me. I’m not his priority or a part of his life.” 
“You need to be happy with what he gives you.” Romy shrugged.
“What?” 
“I’m sorry. I know this sounds harsh, but you and Danny have been having this fight for months now.” 
“How...How do you know?” Then it dawned on Melissa. “Danny told you.” 
Romy shrugged sheepishly at that, she leaned over and grasped the other woman’s hand “You need to figure out if what he gives you is enough, and if it isn’t you need to be prepared to walk away.” 
“I don’t know if I can.” Melissa bit her lip. Romy smiled at her sadly unsure what else to say. 
Melissa jerked up, making the chair scrap along the stones as she stood “I’m sorry - I shouldn’t have come.” With that, she practically flew off the lanai and out of the house. 
Romy looked after her and commented drily as the door fell shut “Well that was weird.”

——xx——xx——

Steve had been home when she came back from work the next day. He hugged her closely “Let’s sit out on the beach.” 
“Sure. You ok?” Romy looked worried. 
“Yeah, I just want to relax with you.” He peppered her shoulder with small kisses. 
“Then, who I am to refuse. I’m gonna grab us a beer.” 
“I’ll see you out there.” 
She handed Steve his beer and sat down on the other Adirondack chair. He made a big show of putting it against his black eye. “Jerk” she kicked his leg playfully. 
“I love you too.” He replied with a silly grin. 
The soft sea breeze ruffled the palm trees and the sun seemed to set Romy’s hair on fire. Steve looked over to her, she was practically glowing in the winter sun. Sometimes he needed to pinch himself that they found each other, that they were able to form this amazing hodgepodge family together. He loved her, and the best thing, he knew that she loved him too, and it didn’t matter all the teasing he got from Danny or Chin, he wore that love proudly, like a stamp on his forehead, like her glow had transferred over to him, making him glow as well. 
“I haven’t even told you the best thing of the last two days. They knew Danny by name in Victoria’s Secret today. He bought Melissa perfume and a corset couple of weeks ago.” 
Romy chuckled at that, of course, Danny would be into that. 
“That was exactly my reaction too.” Then he frowned “Do you want a Victoria's Secret perfume?” 
“Schnuffi, do you know me at all?” 
“Good...good...” Steve nodded. 
“So I need to ask” her chin balancing on her hand. “Did you like anything that they had in there?” 
“Where?” Steve tried to play dumb, he knew there was no right answer for this. “Victoria’s Secret.” 
“Oh...ahem...I...” 
“You’re allowed to say if you did.” Romy winked at him. 
Steve sighed “Some of the styles looked nice.” He moved on his chair so uncomfortably and Romy took pity on him. Sliding off her chair and onto his lap, she played with his hair. “I’m not gonna be mad if you find something sexy. But please do me a favour and never buy me something from there, ok?” 
“I like the things you wear,” Steve mumbled. “Especially the navy blue ones from yesterday.” That earned him a kiss. “But to be honest I didn’t like it in there, everything was just too much.” He pulled a face, he couldn’t imagine Romy in any of the things there, and actually, he didn’t want to either. He preferred the stores she took him to, well his credit card didn’t, but it was definitely worth it. He didn’t think the dressing rooms in Victoria Secret would hold up, with what they did in La Perla a couple of weeks ago. 
Romy let out a sigh of relief “Thank god! I find it garish in there too.” She pressed the cold beer bottle against his black eye again. “Can we please get back to Danny Williams buying corsets?” 
“He’ll never live this down.” Steve shared her grin, glad he had her on his side to make fun of Danny. 
“Oh, definitely not” Romy laid her head on Steve’s shoulder, while his finger’s brushed patterns over her jeans-clad leg. 
“Do you think they’ll sort it out?” She asked after a beat of silence. 
“Melissa and Danny?” 
“Yeah” she sighed and told Steve how Melissa had come over the other day. 
“She really shouldn’t involve you in this!” He growled. What did Melissa think that would achieve? That Romy would force Danny to declare his love or involve her in his life? 
“She sounded so defeated like we were this exclusive club and the bouncer won’t let her in.” 
Steve snorted “Has she met us? We’re not exclusive at all.” 
“I just...maybe I should invite her?” 
“Romy” Steve sighed, his hand finding its way through her hair, pulling her towards him “I don’t want to talk about Danny and Melissa anymore.” His lips claimed hers, moving against each other, tongues dipping in and out only separating when air became absolutely necessary. Their foreheads touching, breath intermingled, his hand still in her hair. “I do need to ask you one more question though.” His voice raspy. 
“Ask away.” Romy’s fingers traced the shell of his ear lovingly. 
“How much intention was behind your shoe hitting my eye.” He wasn’t mad at her, he deserved worse. Romy jerked her hand away from him, her expression shifting between mortification, confusion, and indignation. 
“I know you, gorgeous.” Steve singsonged, oh he was right on the money, he tickled her sides, making her wiggle away from him. 
“Ok, ok” Romy cuddled closer to escape his fingers. “Maybe that much” she held her forefinger and thumb a fraction apart. She looked up at him, her teeth worrying her bottom lip. Apologies were written plainly in her eyes. 
His thumb released her lip from her teeth, pressing a little kiss on it he mumbled “You’re ruthless, god I love you.” Romy giggled against Steve’s lips, her hand cupping his face, pressing her lips firmly against his.