"Anyone who has never made a mistake has never tried anything new." Albert Einstein

Saint

The aroma of freshly brewed coffee filled the hotel suite, mingling with the sweet scent of the pastries Veronica had ordered. Sunlight streamed through the window, illuminating the small table where we sat, a comfortable silence settling between us. It felt domestic, this quiet breakfast together, a stark contrast to the whirlwind of emotions from the night before. I watched her as she sipped her coffee, her brow furrowed slightly as she scanned the newspaper. She looked so at ease, so…mine, in this moment, a dangerous thought that I allowed myself to indulge in.

"Anything interesting in the news?" I asked, breaking the silence.

She looked up, a small smile gracing her lips. "Just the usual," she replied, setting the paper aside. "Political turmoil, economic woes… the world keeps turning."

"Indeed it does," I chuckled, reaching for a croissant. "So, tell me, Veronica… about your family." It was a casual question, one I’d been curious about since our first meeting. She was so private, so reserved, that I knew little about her life outside of our… encounters.

Her smile faltered slightly, a shadow passing over her features. "My family…" she began, her voice a little softer. "Well, it's a bit complicated."

I leaned back in my chair, giving her my full attention. "Complicated how?"

She took a deep breath, her gaze drifting towards the window. "I was adopted," she said, her voice barely a whisper. "I always knew, of course. My mother… as she told me, my adoptive mother, she is incredible. She never married. She worked tirelessly to take care of me and her own elderly mother. She is… she is everything to me."

"Is?" I questioned gently.

She nodded. "She's still alive. She… she's actually on vacation at the moment. She needed some time away. My grandmother… my mother’s mother, passed away recently, and it was… difficult. She needed some time to herself to grieve and to heal."

"I understand," I said softly, my heart going out to her. "That must have been a tough loss."

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"It was," she admitted, her voice thick with emotion. "She was a wonderful woman. And my mother… she’s so strong. But even the strongest people need time to recover.”

"And your biological parents?" I asked gently.

She hesitated, her fingers tracing the rim of her coffee cup. "That's where it gets complicated," she said. "My biological mother… she gave me up for adoption when she was very young. She told me that she never told my father about me. She was scared, she said, not ready to face him, not ready to face the truth."

"That must have been difficult," I murmured, imagining the emotional turmoil she must have gone through.

"It was," she admitted. "But the story doesn't end there. Eventually, she *did* tell him. And he… he came looking for me."

"And?" I prompted, my curiosity piqued.

"And it turns out," she said, a small smile returning to her lips, "that he's…" well, he's actually my lawyer."

I blinked, surprised by the unexpected twist. "Your lawyer?"

She nodded. "Damon. Damon Knight. He's… he's amazing. Kind, intelligent… and incredibly supportive. He’s become a part of my life, a part of my family, in a way I never thought possible.”

“That’s… quite a story, Veronica,” I said, genuinely touched by her openness. “It sounds like you’ve found a connection you weren’t expecting.”

She nodded, her eyes sparkling. “I have. And I’m incredibly grateful for it.”

There was a pause, and then she looked at me, her gaze searching. “Now, it’s your turn,” she said softly. “Tell me about your family, Saint.”

I chuckled, the image of my parents flashing through my mind. "My family is…" well, they’re very much alive and kicking," I said. "My mother and father are… they’re something else. Still very much in love, even after all these years of marriage. They’re… they’re my rocks. My foundation. My father… he was in the security business. Built it from the ground up, actually. And I… well, I followed in his footsteps. Took over the business, made it my own, and expanded it. It’s… it’s a part of me, just like they are.”

“That’s wonderful,” she said, her voice warm. “It sounds like you’re very close to them.”

“I am,” I admitted. “They’ve shaped me into the man I am today. For better or for worse.”

She smiled, a knowing glint in her eyes. “I think it’s mostly for better,” she teased.

I laughed, a warmth spreading through me that had nothing to do with the coffee. "Come here," I said, my voice husky.

She hesitated for a moment, then rose from her chair and walked towards me, her movements graceful and fluid. I held out my arms, and she settled onto my lap, her body warm and soft against mine. I wrapped my arms around her, burying my face in her hair and inhaling the sweet scent of lavender and honey.

"Veronica," I began, my voice low and rough, "I… I have to tell you something."

She tilted her head back, her eyes searching mine. "What is it, Saint?"

"I…" I paused, struggling to find the right words. "I have feelings for you, Veronica. Strong feelings. And I… I want to explore them. With you."

Her breath hitched, her eyes widening slightly. "Saint…"

"I know it's complicated," I continued, my fingers tracing the delicate line of her jaw. "With everything that's going on, with me being your security guard… it's not ideal. But I can't deny what I feel, Veronica. And I don't want to."

"I… I don't either," she whispered, a bubbly happiness radiating from her.

"So…" I said, my voice husky, "do you want to give us a chance? Despite the complications?"

She nodded, her eyes shining with happiness. "Yes, Saint. I do."

I leaned in and kissed her, a kiss that was both tender and passionate, a kiss that spoke of promises and possibilities. She responded instantly, her arms tightening around my neck, her lips parting beneath mine. In that moment, nothing else mattered. Not the complications, not the dangers, not the world outside this room. There was only us and the undeniable connection that was growing stronger with every stolen moment.