He was leaving nothing to chance. On the day of Valentine's Day, he was going all in.

And putting his heart on the line.

When he came to pick her up, he was dressed to the nine in a black suit jacket and slacks. His dark blue shirt underneath was left a bit open. Instead of bringing seven roses as it was not the seventh day, he had two dozen red roses for her.

As soon as she saw him standing there after he exited the elevator, her mouth dropped open.

"Nikko!"

"Happy Valentine's Day."

"Why did you....how did you..."

"You had to know I was going to go all out for you."

Jakinda stood from her desk and rushed over to him. She grabbed him in a hug and kissed him, and not a little peck. He felt all the things for her and was not afraid to show affection in public.

"Ahem!" A voice stopped their little make out session in the middle of the lobby.

An older, white man stood near Jakinda's desk watching them.

"Sorry," Jakinda quickly stated and walked to her desk, grabbing a few folders on her desk.

He placed the flowers on the reception counter for her.

"You can't put that there," the guy quickly stated.

"Why not?" Jakinda asked. "Steve, this is ....my friend... Nikko."

Her friend? After everything they had done and been through she introduced him as a friend. He was upset but he also wanted to give her a chance to explain that.

"Where should I put these?" he asked politely. He did not know who this guy was but he did not like his attitude.

"I'll take them." Jakinda put them down on her desk. "Nikko, this is Steve Nagle, my boss. Here are the files you requested." She handed off the files and then looked at her watch.

"I'm leaving a bit early." It was four forty-five, so not that early.

"You still have work to do," Steve grumbled, "I need these notes typed and highlighted."

"Well, you will have to wait or get someone else to do it. Goodnight Steve and happy Valentine's Day. I made sure to deliver your wife the bouquet of flowers, same as last year."

When Jakinda stood to gather her things, bending over to retrieve her bag, he did not like the way this guy was eyeing Jakinda's backside. Then he remembered she had issues with her boss. Once Jakinda' had her purse, she reached for her flowers to take.

"Sir, I'm the boyfriend," he said to the man, not caring how Jakinda introduced him. "I hope you and your wife have a lovely evening, I have a great one planned for my lady."

He went to grab Jakinda's coat to help her into it while Steve stood glaring at them. No other word was said while they waited for the elevator and her boss stood there glaring. He did not want this man or this uncomfortable situation to dampen his night. This was going to be a special night, a night he hoped moved their relationship to the next level.

Once they were on the elevator, Jakinda turned to him. "Why did you say that to my boss?

"What do you mean?"

"You didn't have to say anything to him, I told you who he was, that should have meant he was off limits."

He scoffed at that. "And the way he was staring at your ass, that is off limits."

"He was not!"

"Jakinda, you already said you were having issues with the man flirting with you, what do you want me to do? Have another man staring down my woman right in front of my face?"

"Your woman?" She said it like she was appalled at the thought.

"Yes, that's what we are...we're together right." He was getting himself worked up and this was not what he wanted, not when he had their night all planned out. "Or are you just thinking of me as your fuck buddy?"

She did not say anything to that and he had to cool himself off. Good thing the elevator hit the first floor and opened. He waited for her to exit before he stepped out. Even upset, he took her hand as they left the building.

Damnit, why was he so upset? He had a right to feel the way he did about that man. Why couldn't Jakinda see that?

They walked over to his car and before he opened her door, he stood in front of her.

"Babe, I'm sorry. Not about checking that fool, but maybe I shouldn't have handled it that way. When you introduced me as your friend, that hurt." He stared at her face trying to read her but he could not. "Please tell me, now, if what we're doing is not what you want. If you're looking for just a hookup, not something real....just your boy toy...tell me. Because if that's what you want I have to tell you, I have to step aside. That's not what I want."

"Nikko, I..." She stopped whatever she was about to say. He did not want to pressure her in any way, but he did not want things to end if they were in it for the wrong reasons. "I like what we have. You're different. It's good. I like you. A lot."

That made him smile. "And I'm not just a friend?"

She chuckled at him. "No. I'm sorry, I shouldn't have called you just a friend, I just didn't want him all up in my business."

"Understood." He pulled her in his arms to hug her. "You ready for tonight?"

"What have you got going on?"

He reached over to open the passenger door window and sitting in the chair was a large stuffed, white teddy bear holding a heart-shaped box of candy saying, 'Be My Valentine.'

"Aaaw!"

He took the roses from her and sat them in the backseat as she picked up the bear.

"Now this is too cute! But where am I supposed to put this thing?"

"You have to give him a name."

"I think I will call him Little Nikki."

"Well, ain't nothing little about big Nikko." He kissed her neck and helped her inside the car while he also put the teddy bear in the back seat.

This was not it for gifts, he was just getting started.

For dinner, they had reservations right next door to her building, but he knew she would want to go home and change so he made reservations for seven. She talked about her day and what that perv boss of hers was making her do. Now that he met the man, he did not like him nor did he like her working for him.

"You should quit."

"And do what? Become poor and homeless. No one is hiring a forty-something, college dropout with no other work experience. He hired me for all the wrong reasons, but I have proved myself while there. I'm going to interview for this other position that has opened up. It's an entry-level City Planner position, and although I have no degree, my experience should mean something."

They pulled up in his underground garage.

"Maybe you should go back to school."

Jakinda laughed at that. "Yeah, right! I made my decision to stay home and be with my kids, I gave up a chance for a real career."

"But that makes no sense. You have a passion for the work you are doing now. Helping instruct the kids about the environment, Earth Day, and helping the region with lead abatement. Go to school for something that can have you working in that."

"Oh, you say that as if it's so easy."

He parked and they started to gather their things as they finished talking.

"Would you go back to school? To get a degree in art? You're still young."

"This is different. I don't need to study art to be an artist. That's what I explained to my mother."

"Going back to school would take a lot of time and money...that I don't have."

He nodded at that while they walked to the elevator carrying her things.

"If I get this new position I can take a few training classes in whatever is needed. And it's more money. A lot more money."

"Is it under that creep?"

"No, I would have a new boss."

"Then I a hundred percent want you to get it."

When they got to his floor and he opened the door, he smiled big when Jakinda saw that there were electronic candles lit up everywhere in the darkness, soft romantic music played and rose petals were all over the floor."

"When did you do this?"

"I finished my route early, and came home to get this ready for you." He set the roses on the table. "I have a bubble bath waiting for you. We have time before we need to head to dinner."

Jakinda grabbed him and wrapped her arms around his waist and kissed him. "What did I do to deserve you?"

"I ask myself that every day."

Since he already showered before he picked her up, he made sure the rest of his plans were ready when they arrived back at his place while she took her bath. As soon as she was done he stepped in the bathroom with her holding a large towel he wrapped around her.

He helped her to dry off, put lotion all over her body, massaged his favorite part extra special, then helped her slip on her heels and the black slip dress recently bought. She pinned up her hair in a little updo, refreshed her makeup, and then they were out the door.

Even after all these weeks of enjoying her presence, he was still in awe of her beauty.

He was in trouble. He had fallen in love.