Beautiful Stranger

(Chapter Ten: Another Day In Paradise)

Olivia sat at her desk writing in the names of her students into her grade book. She smiled down at the list and closed the book. It had been a couple of hours meeting and greeting all of the students and their parents and she was tired and ready to go home.

She walked around the room gathering up the puzzles and books she had set out for the youngsters to play with and stacked them neatly back on the bookshelf. She wiped off the dry erase board and put away the crayons scattered on the table in the front of the room.

"There," she said aloud looking across the room as she picked up her purse and keys.

She turned out the light and locked the door then headed for her car. Half way across the parking lot she heard the chime from her cell phone alerting her that she had a new text. She smiled as she read the message.

Elliot: Hope your day went well meeting the kids. Can I see you tonight?

Olivia: It went good. On my way home. Be there in 30 min.

Elliot: Did you eat yet? I could bring dinner.

Olivia: Not yet. What did you have in mind?

Elliot: LOL…..hmmm.

Olivia: Dirty mind. LOL. I mean for dinner.

Elliot: What are you hungry for? Pizza?

Olivia: Pizza is fine. I'll meet you there.

Elliot: I love you. ;)

Olivia: I love you too.

She slipped her phone into her purse and started the car. Half an hour later Olivia walked up the steps to her apartment building. Standing beside the door holding a pizza box, a six pack of beer and a dozen roses with a big red ribbon was Elliot.

"Hey," he said smiling at her.

"Hey," she replied smiling back.

He leaned in and kissed her tenderly.

"I missed you. I thought about you all day," he said handing her the bouquet of roses.

"Elliot, they are beautiful. Thank you."

"Well, the more I thought about what went on this morning the more I felt like a big jerk. I really am sorry, Olivia. I should have trusted you. I do trust you. So I should have known that there was a logical explanation for the ring."

Olivia turned the key and opened the apartment door. She reached around on the wall and turned on the light. "You mean like me having a dead fiancé I don't like to talk about, but I cant seem to get rid of his ring?"

"That would have worked, yes."

Elliot smiled and she laughed.

"I'm sorry, too. And I was so glad to get your text about you coming over tonight. I have wanted to talk to you all day."

"Liv, we spoke on the phone three times."

"I know. I mean really talk to you. In person. Spend time with you. Ask how your day went and tell you about mine."

She smiled and Elliot gazed into her eyes. He sat the pizza box on the counter and raised his hand to caress the side of her face, then kissed her again.

"How was your day?" He asked with a smile as he pulled his mouth from hers.

"I think that was the high point of it right there." She smiled back at him. "It was long, but good. Yours?"

"Crazy and long. And all I could think about was you."

"Why don't you get into the cabinet and get some plates and napkins? I am gonna go change into some more comfortable clothes and then we can find a movie on TV to unwind to."

"Sounds great," Elliot said tucking her hair behind her ear.

"Five minutes," she said as she leaned in and kissed him.

She returned a few minutes later wearing a pair of black leggings and a tee shirt. They sat down on the couch together and ate dinner as they found a movie to watch on television.

"So, tell me more about work today," she said with a smile.

"We got a really big lead. Talked to a few people. And arrested a guy who was pimping out teenaged girls. I'll sleep better tonight knowing that scumbag is off the street."

"I am sure a lot of people will," she said reaching for his hand.

"I called and talked to the kids when I got off work. They all got to go meet their teachers today, too."

Olivia smiled. "I know."

"What do you mean, you know?"

She smiled. "Eli is in my class."

"How can he be in your class? The kids go to school in Queens, because they spend most of the there time with Kathy."

Olivia smiled again. "I met Kathy, too."

"You're serious?"

"Yes."

"Why do you live in Manhattan and teach in Queens?"

"Riley and I had a place in Queens. His family is there. I starting subbing for the school while we lived there. After he died I decided to move, so I came to Manhattan. But I needed the job. So when the school called me up and offered me the position, I took it. No more than you working in Manhattan and living in Queens."

"I guess you're right. I thought Eli's teacher was Mrs. Jackson or Johnson or something like that."

"Johnston?"

"That's it."

"I took over her class. She is on leave, having a baby. She would have been his teacher."

Elliot stared at her for a minute. "Wow, what were the chances of that happening?"

Olivia smiled. And Elliot laughed.

"What?" She asked.

"Nothing. Something Dickie said on the phone."

"What?"

Elliot looked into her eyes and smiled again. "My son thinks you're hot."

"Eli?"

"No, Dickie. He told me on the phone that Eli's teacher was hot."

Olivia shook her head and took a drink of her beer. "Nice."

"Hey, we Stabler men have good taste in women."

"I am sure Kathy is going to be all smiles when she finds out that Eli's new teacher is your girlfriend."

"I am sure she will be civil. But this is Kathy and you know how it is with all of the politics of kindergarten."

Olivia smiled. "Maybe you should tell her. Now, before she just finds out some other way."

"I probably should. But I don't want her being crazy about it or lashing out on you because she is pissed at me."

"Is she going to get all crazy? Should I be worried?"

"I don't think it will be a big deal. I mean she and I have been divorced for over a year. And I admit my kids hot kindergarten teacher may not have been the best choice for my first girlfriend after the divorce. But we had no idea until after we were already dating that Eli was even in your class."

"Talk to her, Elliot. I think it will be a little strange at first. But if you are open with her about it, she wont feel like you are trying to hide it from her. And you should talk to her soon, because school starts in six days."

"I will see if maybe I can meet her for lunch tomorrow and talk to her about it."

Elliot wrapped his arms around Olivia and pulled her back against him. "Tonight," he said kissing her cheek, "I just want to relax and spend some time with you."

They cuddled together on the couch and watched a movie. Afterward they curled up together in her bed and Elliot held her through the night. The next morning Olivia awoke in his arms. She smiled and tipped her head to place a kiss against the under side of hic chin.

"Good morning," Elliot said.

"Good morning. I stopped your alarm when it went off a few minutes ago. I don't want you to be late."

Elliot locked his fingers in hers and kissed her forehead. "How did you sleep?"

"Good," she replied with a warm smile. "You?"

"Good. It is funny, even without having sex we are great in bed together."

Olivia smiled and kissed him again. "Well, if you could spare a little time….." she raised up and crawled over him kissing him seductively. "I could make up for the not having sex part."

Elliot laughed and kissed her. He rolled over and laid her across the bed, then stood up and walked across the room.

"Elliot?" She asked raising up to look at him.

He pulled a condom from the night stand drawer and tossed it to her. "Give me ten minutes, then meet me in the shower."

Olivia smiled and he winked at her as he walked into the bathroom. She stretched and laid on her back looking up at the ceiling for a moment.

"Might as well start the coffee," she said making her way down the hall to the kitchen.

A few minutes later she opened the bathroom door and entered the room full of steam. She pulled her shirt over her head and tossed it into the floor, then stepped out of her boxers and white lace panties. She laid the condom on the edge of the counter where they could easily reach it, then slid the door open and stepped inside with Elliot.

"You are so beautiful," he mumbled as he tipped her head back to kiss under her neck.

Elliot smoothed his hands over her body as he backed her under the hot water. Olivia smiled as they kissed. She traced her fingertips up the lines defining each muscle of his abs. He moved her back against the wall of the shower and moved his hands over her back. They continued up to her shoulders and onto her neck as his mouth nibbled the tender spot under her ear.

"El," she mumbled as she pushed him back a little. "Condom," she said softly as she batted her eyes. "On the counter."

Elliot opened the shower door and picked up the condom from the counter. Moments later they were engaged in hot steamy sex against the shower wall.

He raised her leg, holding it against him. Olivia moaned and clawed at his back as he moved inside her. Afterward, Elliot squeezed a bit of her jasmine scented shampoo into his palm and washed her hair for her.

Olivia laughed as he smoothed the loofa over her body and kissed a trail behind it. Elliot backed her under the water again to rinse away the body wash and Olivia screamed when she realized the water had gone cold.

He stepped out of the shower and wrapped a big fluffy towel around her. Elliot kissed her tenderly and she laughed as he playfully bit at her ear. He closed his arms around her and held her as he kissed her and looked at their reflection in the mirror.

"We look really great together," he said with a smile as she raised her eyes to look at him in the mirror.

"In our matching bath towels," she joked.

Elliot turned her around to look at her. "I am so crazy about you."

Olivia smiled as he kissed her forehead.

"You are going to be late for work."

"I wish I could just crawl back into bed with you and stay there all day," he said gazing into her eyes. "Just curl up and hold you all day. Spend the entire afternoon in bed."

"That would be nice," she said with a smile as she slipped her tee shirt back on.

"We should do that. Spend a day together before school starts up and you have to go back to work. I can't today because I have to go to court. What if I took off Friday and make us a reservation. There is this nice bed and breakfast just across the Jersey state line. We could have a nice romantic three day weekend. Sleep late. Spend our days curled up together. Order room service. We could spend the entire weekend in bed if you want. Or check out the shops around the area. I hear they have some great antique places."

"Antiques? You want to take me to Jersey for three days to shop for antiques?"

"Or we could just stay in our room."

"In bed," she said seductively as she tied his tie for him.

"In bed. In the shower, whatever."

Olivia laughed.

"What do you think?"

"I think it sounds great. You and me, in our own little world."

"No distractions," Elliot added.

Olivia stared at him as she handed his phone.

"I have to take it. But there is no reason it can't be on vibrate in the next room. Deal?"

"Deal," she said with a smile. She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him. They walked toward the kitchen and she fixed him a cup of coffee to take to work with him.

"So, what's on the agenda for you today?"

"I'm gonna go running. Then do some grocery shopping and maybe buy some clothes for work. You?"

"Not sure. I have court in the morning. Then lunch with my ex-wife. The afternoon… I'll have to see what that brings."

"You are supposed to say catch a bad guy," she laughed.

"I wish I could catch a bad guy every day. Some of them take several days to catch. But I am sure going to try." Elliot wrapped his arms around her again as he picked up his keys from the counter. "I love you," he said as he kissed her softly.

"I love you. Are you coming by here after work? I could cook for you."

"Sounds great. I will call you later and let you know how this thing goes with Kathy."

Olivia smiled and Elliot kissed her again. "Bye, baby."

"Bye," she said softly waving until the elevator door closed and she could no longer see him.