Okay, after indulging in a Sex and the City marathon I've gained some inspiration for this new ROLLARO story. (I miss ROLLARO on SVU)
I hope this is highly read, highly reviewed, and highly enjoyed!
Fin rode over in a cab to a bar across town, yawning and ready to knock out. Four times this week he had been out after work with Nick, over the last few weeks they had been out drinking and bar hopping until the early morning hours. The toll had taken him. He wasn't sure if there was anything going on with Nick and Fin hadn't bothered to ask nor had Nick brought it up. So Fin decided he would just keep him company until he felt like talking. But if he had to bet on it, he would say Nick was having wife problems. He chuckled to himself and shook his head thanking God he wasn't married. The cabbie pulled up outside the bar, Fin handed over some cash and through the bar window he saw Rollins sitting at a table across from Nick.
Fin walked up to a waitress and ordered a round for the table before he sat with his partners. He took a seat next to Amanda, giving both of them a fist bump. "Damn, Nick I didn't know you drank this hard man."
Nick chuckled, "It's in my blood, and I am the epitome of what they say about Latin men."
"And what exactly is it that they say?" Amanda asked through a snicker, using air quotes when she said 'they'.
"I work hard, I play hard, I drink hard," and looking her dead in the eyes he said, "And I love hard." He kept his gaze locked on Amanda and took notice of the slight flush that overtook her face.
"Okay, okay, eyes off my partner Rico Suave." Fin tossed a pretzel at Nick to cut the tension that shifted their table in the last few seconds.
Nick laughed, tossing a handful of pretzels back at Fin, "I won't touch… but I will look." He winked at Amanda and flashed a smooth smile at her.
"Hey" She feigned an offended look, "get your married eyes off me."
"Ouch!" Nick clutched his heart, "Thanks for reminding me…"
A few beers later, Fin stood up pulling cash from his wallet, "Alright kids, I'm gonna get going."
"What? It's barely 9:00, the night is just starting." Nick said and looked at Fin with a confused expression.
"Sorry, my dude. I'm tired. We've been out every night this week, besides the last thing I need is your wife thinking I'm the one keeping you out every night."
"Yeah, yeah" Nick finished off the remainder of his beer and waved off Fin.
"Amanda, you gonna be okay getting home?" Fin asked.
She smiled and batted her eyes at him, "Yes, Dad I will be just fine."
"I'll take care of her." Nick smiled charmingly at Fin.
"You better and not in the way you're thinking, Amaro." Fin called over his shoulder as he headed for the door.
Nick and Amanda both pulled out their phones, unsure of how to fill the sudden silence. It seemed like an eternity before Amanda asked if he was up for another round. Nick scrunched up his face at her before nodding yes. Amanda waved down the waitress who quickly brought over two beers.
Nick touched the waitresses hand as she set down his beer, "I'd also like two shots of Milagro Unico and a glass of Chivas Regal. Rollins, do you want something else?" She shook her head to decline as she swallowed a mouthful of beer. He turned back to the waitress and smiled at her, "Just that, thank you."
"Did you just order all that for you?" She asked with concern when the waitress left.
"For us, you have to take a shot with me." He said tenderly.
"Oh, no… no liquor for me, Cowboy."
Nick grinned widely and with raised eyebrows he asked, "Cowboy?"
Amanda laughed a loud, open mouthed laugh which caused Nick to laugh, too. They sat there for a few minutes laughing; Amanda wiped tears from her eyes. Her belly ached from laughing so hard. She looked at Nick laughing but noticed a distant look in his eyes, as if he was remembering a bittersweet moment.
"You all right?" she asked quietly.
He looked at her and smiled, "I'm good… just been awhile since I laughed like that." Amanda smiled at him with warmth. "It's good though, I liked it."
The waitress came over with their drinks; Amanda slowly pushed away the tequila shot closest to her. "It's just one, Amanda." Nick said with a hint of annoyance.
"Why have you been out so much? I thought you would be spending time with your wife and daughter."
"How come you won't drink this shot with me?"
"Answer my question and I will take the damn shot." She extended her hand for him to make good on the agreement. To which Nick approved.
"I don't like going home to an empty house." He pushed the small glass of the top shelf tequila towards her. "Now drink."
"Where's your family?" she looked at him with furrowed brows as he gestured for the waitress to bring him another round of shots. He ran his hand through his dark brown locks that were beginning to curl at the tips. She liked his hair when it was in this phase, but of course she would never tell him that.
Nick was willing to answer her questions as long as she drank with him and eventually revealed his wife had moved to Washington D.C. with their daughter last month. Amanda was surprised because she had seen no hint of martial problems in the year that his wife had been home from Iraq, much less in the last few months that built up to their separation. After listening to Nick and understanding his reasons for not wanting to be home she found herself confiding in him her inability to sleep alone. It took a lot for her to admit to another man that she slept restfully when she had a man in the same bed as her. She made Nick pinky swear secrecy, afraid that if people found out they would see right through her tough, independent image. Her mouth formed into a smile when she remembered him telling her she was tough for admitting that to him and the feel of his thumb circling the palm of her hand. She was surprised at how sincere he was with her feelings and questioned whether that was Authentic Nick or Drunk Nick.
The cab pulled up in front of the average sized house, Nick opened her door, paid the cabbie and led the way inside his house. Once inside, she shivered from the cold chill and immediately felt his warm hands quickly run up and down her arms, bringing her warmth. She wondered how his hands could be warm when it was so cold out tonight. He stood so close to her she could feel heat radiating from his body, it must be the alcohol she thought. Nick left her side briefly to adjust the thermostat on the heater and then pulled her coat from her shoulders; he placed a warm kiss on her forehead, grabbed hold of her hand and led her down a hallway toward a bedroom near the back of the house. The last thing she remembered saying was, "this is just for comfort, right?"
Your thoughts? Shall I proceed?