Disclaimer: If they were mine, this would be on the TV screen ... not the monitor.
eoeoeICEoeoeo
After the mercury hit the top of thermometer for the fifth day in a row enough was enough. Elliot shut down his computer and looked at his wilted colleagues scattered around the bullpen.
"I'm done!" he announced. "There's nothing here that can't wait and if there is, stiff, the department's not getting a drop more sweat out of me."
Olivia tried to stifle her delight as Elliot got to his feet, revealing that his pale blue, short sleeved shirt was sticking to his sweaty body, accentuating every defined muscle. The man certainly knew how to fill out a shirt and she was very appreciative.
His sweaty body, sans shirt, had been occupying her slumber of late and had made for some wonderfully hot dreams. Now, all she had to do was make it a reality.
"Got any plans?" she asked as she shut down her computer.
"Yep, everyone's invited to my place … we'll order in, I'll pick up some beer on the way home. There's an inflatable pool in the yard that Kathy wouldn't let the kids have at the house," he said. "Who's in?"
"Me," came a chorus from around him.
"Ok, my place in an hour."
Nearly two hours after she left the precinct, Olivia knocked of Elliot's front door and waited. Nothing happened. Grabbing her cell she dialled his number.
"Any reason you're not letting me in?" she asked, leaning against the wall.
"Where are you?" Elliot countered.
"Melting on your front step," she sighed dramatically. She could hear him laugh as he approached.
"What took you so…" 'long' disappeared on his tongue as he took in her appearance; short khaki shorts and a tight white tank.
"Went home and got changed," she smiled as she breezed past him and into the kitchen. "Picked up some beer too," she added.
Knowing his eyes were fixed on her, she bent over to put the bottles on the bottom shelf of the fridge, taking much longer than she needed too. "Like what you see?" she asked when she turned to face him.
"Um … yeah…" he stuttered. "I like ... er...Heineken," he recovered.
"Sure," she replied, walking past him and trailing her finger under his chin.
Olivia sashayed out to the yard and was chatting amiably with Fin and Casey by the time Elliot was able to join them. Purposely he went and spoke to Munch, not allowing himself to be close to Olivia for fear of spontaneously combusting. Munch's topics of conversation were usually enough to deaden any sensation he was feeling.
Unfortunately for Elliot, Munch had decided that today's topic was Olivia … and it was the last thing he needed.
"You think she is seeing anyone," he asked, studying her over his sunglasses.
"Don't know," Elliot replied, fixing his eyes on the tree behind her.
"Hard to tell, isn't it?" Munch continued. "I mean even I didn't see the signs when she was seeing Moss …you?"
"Nuh … guess it makes me a lousy detective," Elliot sighed taking a long drink from his bottle.
"Yeah, and not much of a …" Munch stopped, suddenly realising who he was talking to.
"Not much of a what?" Elliot demanded. "What? Partner? Friend?"
"Yeah, something like that," Munch said, before excusing himself to get another drink.
Elliot stood there a while longer, gazing at her … long after the Kurt Moss revelation came out he had still been chastising himself … he liked to think he was just as important to Olivia as she was to him … if anything it showed him he wasn't … He'd been divorced now for two years, separated for a while before that … and although he had a string of dates himself without telling Olivia he had never contemplated that she could be doing the same.
He couldn't imagine her with anyone, didn't want to imagine her with anyone … anyone but him.
"You know the thing about opportunity, El," said Fin from behind him, startling him. "Sometimes it does only come once …" Fin said, nodding towards Olivia before walking towards Don who had just arrived.
For a while longer Elliot stood and watched her … she was talking animatedly to Casey, her hands dancing through the air and the peals of her laughter drifting across the yard. It was the final straw … something had to change and change soon.
The general consensus was pizza for dinner and Elliot went into the house to make the call. When he returned he spied Olivia sitting on the grass, leaning back on her outstretched arms. He smiled and went and sat near her. The sun was finally setting, taking some of the heat out of the day but not the situation.
"Here, Liv," he said handing her a drink. "Iced water with a twist of lemon."
"Thanks," she grinned, her fingers wrapping around the frosted glass.
"Wouldn't you rather have a beer?" he asked, opening his.
"Nah, ice is better when you're hot," she replied, popping a cube into her mouth.
"Beer has its benefits too," he said.
"True," she agreed, "but can you do this with ice?" she asked, picking an ice cube out of her glass and trailing it across her chest.
"Um…no," Elliot replied, watching the trickles of water slither down into her tank top.
"Didn't think so," she grinned.
"You think I could have one of those cubes?" he asked, quickly glancing around his yard, happy to see everyone else occupied.
"Sure," she replied. Elliot scooted closer and took the cube she was offering. "Put it on anything that's hot," she said as she laid down, her arms folded behind her head, her eyes closed.
"Anything?" he asked, his voice dropping to a hoarse whisper.
"Yep, works a treat."
Olivia's eyes opened the instant Elliot's ice cube touched the thin strip of bare skin showing between her shorts and tank. Unable to find her voice she just stared at him.
"You said 'put it on anything that's hot' and that's what I was doing," he grinned, winking at her.
Olivia went to comment but Elliot edged the cube under her tank making her shudder when his fingertips grazed the underneath of her left breast.
"El!" she whispered.
"Want me to stop?" he asked, looking deep into her sparkling brown eyes.
Yes was the appropriate response.
Yes was word she should use.
Yes was the word that would ensure they both kept their jobs and stayed partners.
No was the word that slipped past her lips.
Tortuously slowly, Elliot ran the ice cube across her abdomen and grinned as she tensed beneath him. Then for added effect he ran it in tight circles around her navel. He watched Olivia's face as he did it; her smile was obvious even though it was a tight one as she tried to suppress any vocalisation. Despite her best intentions not to respond to him, her breasts betrayed her; her nipples hardening and pressing eagerly at the fabric covering them.
"Ice must be working," Elliot whispered. "You seem to be getting a little nippy there."
Olivia's eyes flashed in challenge before darting over his shoulder; Elliot immediately withdrew his hand. He looked back, surprised to see no one coming.
"What?" he whispered, turning back to see the grin on her face.
"Nothing," she said, trying to be serious but failing.
"What?" he asked again, moving ever so slightly closer.
"Nothing," she repeated, edging closer to him.
"No, not nothing," he whispered, inching towards her so his stomach and chest were touching her arm.
Olivia leant up. "I'm just working on my plan to get you back for that comment," she whispered, splaying her hand across his chest. "I'll catch you later," she grinned, pushing him over as she stood to leave.
After the pizzas arrived, the squad sat around the yard and ate heartily … Although he knew he was eating, it wasn't registering for Elliot … his mind kept going back to Olivia's comment. He wondered what it would entail, what she would do to him … when she would do it. At this stage, he didn't care what it was, so long as it was soon and involved some part of her body on his … preferably her whole body.
Olivia ate a couple of a slices of pizza before deciding to cool off in the inflatable pool. She stepped in and sat with her back to the house, her shorts and tank clinging to her. Stretching out her legs, she gently splashed her feet about before sighing contentedly. She was alone for a short while until Fin came up behind her.
"Hey Livvy," he said, crouching down beside her.
"Hey Fin," she said dreamily, her eyes closed.
"You after a new partner?" he asked.
"Huh?" she replied opening her eyes.
"'Cos you're gonna give Stabler a coronary looking like that," he said, nodding towards her top.
"Not sure if he'd even notice," Olivia said wistfully.
"The man would have to be dead six months before he wouldn't notice you, and even then it wouldn't be rigor mortis keeping him stiff," he grinned.
She laughed heartily.
"Anyway, girl, Munch and me are hittin' the road, so I'm just sayin' goodnight … and I do hope it is a good night," he smirked, pulling back as she tried to splash water at him. Munch came over to say goodbye too … he waited until Fin had walked away before he added, "Liv, we often do what we think is the right thing … and in doing so deny what is truly right."
Olivia looked at him curiously.
"Life's short, careers are good but there's more to life than a badge and gun … think about it." He leant in and kissed her head.
The rest of their colleagues disappeared over the next half hour and finally there was just Olivia and Elliot, in the dusk of the late July night. Elliot re-emerged from the house carrying a large beach towel.
"You stay in that water any longer you'll shrink," Elliot said, holding out the towel as he approached the pool.
"Well, I was waiting for you to join me," she replied, a smile playing on her lips.
"I'm not exactly dressed for the pool," he replied, crouching down beside her, envying the droplets of water clinging to her.
"Didn't stop me," she sighed.
"I can see that," he commented, very appreciative of the absorbent quality of the fabric currently adhered to her body.
"You could always strip down," she suggested helpfully.
"I could," he agreed. "So could you," he countered.
"I will if you will," she grinned. Elliot had his Nike blue tee off before she knew it.
Stepping into the pool, Elliot sat down opposite of Olivia.
"Just your tee?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Want me to lose the shorts?" he asked, surprised.
"Want me too?" she countered.
"Definitely," he replied, unbuttoning his shorts and pulling them off. "One pair of shorts," he said, tossing them over the side. "What about you?" he asked when she made no attempt to remove her apparel.
"Well," she pouted. "I seem to be having a problem."
"And what would that be?" he asked, moving onto his knees in front of her.
"I've been in here so long I think my clothes are stuck to me," she said sadly.
"Oh, that can be a problem," Elliot agreed, nodding. "How can I help?"
Olivia raised her arms above her head. "Use your imagination," she smirked.
Elliot's hands started at Olivia's wrists and skimmed their way down until they reached the edge of her tank. He curled his fingers under the hem and slowly peeled the fabric off her body; giving one final tug to take it from her arms and throwing it somewhere near his shorts.
His eyes darted between her full breasts which were still encased in a champagne pink lace and satin bra and her face. The sudden cool breeze had hardened her nipples which resulted in him hardening too. For a few moments he seemed lost.
"Shorts," she prompted, bringing his hands to the button.
"Yeah, shorts," he nodded, his brain going into overdrive at the fact he was actually undressing his partner.
Once he managed the button and zip, Olivia knelt up in front of him as his hands worked the shorts over her butt, his hands lingering for a moment or two. Olivia pushed his hands downwards so the shorts were at her knees, resting her hands on his shoulders she stood in front of him before stepping out of them. Elliot discarded them over the side of the pool.
"Guess we're dressed more appropriately now," Olivia sighed, dropping back to her knees, the water lapping at her stomach.
"Think we still might be overdressed," Elliot replied, his voice thick with emotion.
"Well, let's fix that," she said, hooking her fingers over the waist band of his blue plaid boxers and began easing them down.
"You sure?" he questioned quietly, stilling her hands with his before she revealed too much.
"Positive," she grinned. "You?"
"Shit, yeah," he groaned and grimaced when she glared – it wasn't the most romantic of responses. "I mean, yeah, definitely."
"That's better," she smiled, dragging his boxers to his knees before he assisted in ridding himself of them. Olivia took in a deep breath when she saw him in all his glory, quickly she averted her eyes, she was so ready for him that one more source of stimulation would push her screaming over the edge before he even touched her. "Now me," she said as her hands moved behind her.
"No," he stopped her. "Allow me ... please?" She nodded.
Elliot's hands skimmed the outside of her breasts as they rounded her body and carefully undid the clasp. Slowly and almost reverently he eased the bra straps from her shoulders before pulling the fabric away from her body. Trying not to stare and remembering to breath became too difficult for him. Olivia's finger hooked under his chin and raised his face to meet hers.
"You'll get all dizzy on me if you don't breathe, El," she whispered, her breath tickling his skin.
"Oh, um … yeah," he nodded, dropping his eyes to follow her hands as they skimmed down her body and removed the matching champagne pink panties.
By now, the yard was only lit by the glow of the kitchen light and the half moon overhead but it was enough for each to see what they needed too – that being the light in the other one's eyes.
Slowly Olivia moved towards him and rested her hands lazily over his shoulders, following him down as he sunk back into the water. He sat with his back against the air filled rubber wall, his legs outstretched; Olivia sat on his legs, her knees draped over his muscular thighs, their upper bodies still not touching.
"So," he murmured as his hands slipped around her waist to rest on the small of her back.
"So," she echoed, lacing her fingers and sliding herself further up his legs, her breasts brushing against his chest. His eyes dropped momentarily.
"You know …" he began before stopping to clear his throat. "You know this will change everything."
"I know," she cooed, freeing one hand to caress his face.
"Things won't be the same," he said, ignoring the painful hardening below.
"I know," she replied.
"Okay," he nodded … his brain struggling to find coherent thoughts.
"I see you're finding the situation quite hard …" she grinned, looking down between them. Quickly, she let go of him and stepped out of the pool. She picked up his towel and wrapped it around herself watching as his face contorted, coming to terms with the abrupt discontinuation of events.
Scooping down she picked up her clothes. Turning back to him she noticed he was still sitting dumbfounded in the pool. Laughing she shook her head.
"El … just so you know, you can't mess with me …" she smiled.
He shook his head; he'd never mess with her again.
"Whenever you're ready," she continued, smiling, "I'll be waiting in your bed."
Elliot sat there stunned a while longer until the light in his bedroom went on, he was out of the pool and upstairs before the filament in the globe had the chance to warm up.
"What took you so long?" she asked, wearing nothing but a smile and his sheet.
"No idea," he said flicking off the light and slipping into the bed beside her.
He had no idea why it had taken him so long to get to this stage, so long to act on his feelings, his desires.
But as she rolled onto him the only thing he knew for sure was that he would go to his grave extolling the virtues of ice.