"How tall are you?" Billie asked casually as Cedric handed her the box of pasta he had grabbed from the highest shelf in her kitchen. She tilted her head up, looking at him with curiosity as she set the box on the counter.

"Wasn't that in my file?" he replied, an amused smirk tugging at his lips.

She shrugged, crossing her arms. "I skimmed your file, not gonna lie. Most of it was boring."

Cedric chuckled, his deep voice resonating warmly. "Six-four," he said.

Billie's eyes widened slightly, though she tried to hide her surprise. "Okay NBA, always towering over me like some sort of giant shadow."

"I prefer 'protective presence,'" he corrected playfully, leaning against the counter with a raised brow.

"Lean down," she suddenly commanded, a mischievous glint in her eye.

"Why?" he asked, suspicious but intrigued.

"Just do it," she urged, waving her hand at him impatiently.

Cedric sighed but obliged, leaning his head down slightly to meet her at eye level. He was so close she could see the faint specks of gold in his green eyes, the shadow of his stubble framing his sharp jawline.

Before he could say anything else, Billie leaned in and pecked his lips. "Thank you," she said softly, stepping back like it was the most natural thing in the world.

Cedric blinked, momentarily stunned. He hadn't expected that. "You're welcome, love," he finally said, his voice quieter, softer. Then, before he could stop himself, he kissed her again, this time lingering just a little longer.

When they pulled apart, Billie smiled up at him, her cheeks slightly flushed. "How comfortable are you with pet names?" she asked, breaking the moment with her typical cheekiness.

Cedric leaned back, crossing his arms as he considered her question. "Depends on the pet name," he said cautiously.

"Okay," Billie said, clearly gearing up to test him. "Babe."

Cedric grimaced slightly, shaking his head. "Not a fan."

She laughed, clearly delighted by his reaction. "Alright. What about... baby?"

His expression softened, and he nodded. "That one's fine."

"Interesting," she mused, tapping her chin like she was making mental notes. Then, with an exaggerated innocence, she asked, "What about... daddy?"

Cedric froze, his eyes widening slightly as a faint blush crept up his cheeks. He tried to recover quickly, clearing his throat and looking away, but Billie had already seen his reaction.

"Oh my God," she said, laughing so hard she had to hold onto the counter for support. "You blushed! Cedric, you blushed!"

"Shut up," he muttered, though the corners of his mouth betrayed him with a small, reluctant smile.

Billie wiped at her eyes, still giggling. "Okay, okay. Noted. Baby's a yes. Daddy's... complicated."

"Are we done here?" he asked, trying to sound exasperated but failing miserably.

"Not even close," Billie teased, reaching for the pasta box to start cooking.

Cedric leaned against the counter, watching her as she moved around the kitchen. She was humming softly to herself, completely at ease in his presence. It was moments like this that made him question how he'd gotten here—standing in Billie's kitchen, stealing kisses and letting her tease him like it was the most natural thing in the world.

"So," Billie said, breaking the silence as she poured the pasta into a pot of boiling water. "Are you gonna tell me why you didn't like 'babe' but were fine with 'baby?'"

Cedric raised a brow, surprised by the question. "Do you always overanalyze everything?"

"Yes," she replied without missing a beat.

He shook his head, chuckling. "Fine. 'Babe' feels... generic. Like something you'd call anyone, especially in the uk. 'Baby,' though, feels more personal. Intimate."

Billie nodded thoughtfully, her eyes flicking to him with a small smile. "I get that. Makes sense."

"What about you?" Cedric asked, turning the tables.

"What about me?"

"What pet names do you like?"

She paused, considering his question. "I like the classics. Baby, love, sweetheart."

Cedric nodded, storing that information away.

Billie's smile widened.

"Good to know," he said, his tone soft but sincere.

They fell into a comfortable silence after that, the only sounds in the kitchen being the bubbling of the pasta and the occasional clink of utensils.

When dinner was ready, they sat down at the small table in her dining area, the atmosphere still light but tinged with an undercurrent of something deeper.

"Do you ever think about how weird this all is?" Billie asked suddenly, twirling her fork in her pasta.

Cedric looked up at her, his expression thoughtful. "What do you mean?"

"This," she said, gesturing between them. "Us. You were hired to protect me, and now we're..." She trailed off, searching for the right word.

"In your kitchen, eating pasta, talking about pet names," Cedric finished for her, a small smile tugging at his lips.

"Exactly," she said, laughing softly. "It's just... unexpected."

"Life's full of unexpected things," he said simply, his gaze steady on hers.

Billie nodded, her smile softening. "Yeah. It is."

For a while, they just ate in silence, the comfortable kind where words weren't necessary. Cedric found himself watching her more than he should, noticing the way her eyes lit up when she laughed or the way she tapped her fingers against the table when she was thinking.

When they were finished, Billie leaned back in her chair, her arms stretching above her head. "That was good," she said with a satisfied sigh.

"Glad you liked it," Cedric said, gathering their plates and taking them to the sink.

As he rinsed them off, Billie came up behind him, wrapping her arms around his waist and resting her cheek against his back.

"Thanks for being here," she said softly.

Cedric stilled for a moment, the weight of her words sinking in. Then he turned around, his hands resting gently on her shoulders as he looked down at her.

"Always," he said simply.

Billie smiled, standing on her tiptoes to press a kiss to his cheek. "Come on," she said, taking his hand and leading him back to the living room.

They settled on the couch, Billie curling up against him as they turned on a movie. Cedric's arm draped over her shoulders, pulling her close as they fell into a comfortable rhythm once again.