Things're going to be moving a little faster (finally) with Barba and Olivia now. But I still gotta keep it slow.

Enjoy!

Chapter 11: Thirty Seconds

Sonny called on his way over, giving Olivia just enough time to rouse herself from her nap and hop in the shower. Her hair was still wet when he got there, but he didn't seem to mind. He immediately pulled her into a hug, and she held onto him for a long time.

"I'm so sorry I didn't come to the hospital," he murmured into her damp hair.

"Don't be. It's fine. If Benson told you not to, it's better you stayed away. And I was barely there twenty-four hours." She smiled up at him. "You're here now. That's what matters."

"Can I—can I kiss you?"

"Yes," she said. "Please."

He cupped her face in his hand and dipped his head to brush his mouth over hers. She smiled and went up on her toes for another one when he started to pull away.

"How long do we have?" she said.

He checked his watch. "I got class at eight. So two hours." He wrapped his arms around her waist and kissed her nose. "I can come back after if you want."

"I'd like that." She rested her head on his chest, just enjoying the feel of his arms around her. He felt different than Barba. Thinner, but not in a bad way, and just…different. She shivered, mentally kicking herself for thinking about Barba at all, and focused on the moment now, with Carisi.

"Babe, you know—I'm not expectin' anything. Now, or later." He cupped her face again, his thumb stroking her cheek. "Whatever you want, okay? I know you've been through somethin'."

Her expression clouded. "He didn't rape me, Sonny."

"I know that. I'm not on the case anymore, but—it's a small squad." He kissed her forehead. "But just because he didn't rape you—it's okay if you need to wait. I mean it."

"I'm not—I'm not sure what I want, to be honest. Maybe we could get some food and just hang out? Then see what happens when you get back tonight."

"Yeah." He grinned, dimples flashing. "That sounds great. You want me to spend the night? I could crash on the couch. Just keep you company."

He realized his error when she hesitated, and quickly backtracked.

"Never mind. You got cops ridin' by. You don't need me crowdin' up your couch."

"It's not that, Sonny. I just—it would be weird if you slept on the couch. I mean…" She waved a hand, searching for the words. "You know I like you, and I'm enjoying what we've got going on, but I'm not really ready for an all-nighter. And I'd feel bad banishing you to the sofa."

"Okay," he said. "So I'll come by after class, and we'll just play it by ear?"

"That sounds good." She pulled him down for another kiss. It started out slow and easy, but gradually heated up. She wanted him, she realized. She wanted his hands on her, scrubbing away the thought of Peterson touching her. She wanted his kisses. The weight of him on top of her, and the scent of him surrounding her.

"Rafael…" she murmured.

He pulled away like she'd bitten him. "What?"

She blinked, startled. "Um, I—fuck. I forgot. I talked to Lucia Barba today, and she said she was going to ask him to stop by to check on me after work."

"And that occurred to you while I was kissin' you?"

"Well. Yeah. Because I was thinking maybe we would have time for some fun, but then if we're going to eat…and then it occurred to me that Barba might randomly show up, so maybe now's not the best time to get naked."

"Oh." That seemed to mollify him. "Yeah, true. I really don't want Barba to see me in my underpants."

She giggled. "Less than that, if I had anything to say about it." She pulled him back for more kisses, blocking wayward thoughts firmly from her mind, and she was just really getting into it when there was a knock at the door.

"No buzz?" he mumbled, barely pulling back from the kiss.

"Cop in the lobby. Probably let him right up." She sighed and left Carisi to walk to the door. Checked the peephole and girded herself.

"Mr. Barba," she said as she opened it.

"Ms. Gable. And…Detective Carisi. Unsurprising."

Carisi glanced at Olivia, brow raised. "I was just headin' down the block to grab some food. You want anything, Counselor?"

"I don't think I'll be here long enough to eat. But thank you."

Carisi shrugged into his coat and paused long enough to give Olivia a kiss. A proprietary sort of kiss, despite its quickness. Neither she nor Barba missed its significance, especially when paired with the look Carisi gave the other man as he went past. "I'll be back in twenty," he said.

"Thanks, Sonny. See you soon." She closed and locked the door behind him, and finally turned to face Barba. "You didn't have to do this," she said.

"Are you insane?!" he demanded, so abruptly that she just stared at him.

"I'm sorry?" she finally managed.

"My mother offered to let you stay with her, you agreed, and now I find out you changed your mind? You're staying here?! The place where you were attacked? Twice?!"

"Okay, well, the first time I wasn't even home, so—"

"Olivia!"

"Don't yell at me, for Christ sake!" she cried.

He took a deep breath and tried again. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to shout. I just—I don't understand. Does this have something to do with Carisi?"

"Oh my god!" She spun away and stomped toward the kitchen. She didn't need anything there, she just had to get away from him before she murdered an Assistant District Attorney with her bare hands. "What the fuck is this obsession you have with Sonny Carisi?! If you want to fuck him, fuck him! I'm not standing in your way!"

"I don't—that's not—" He had to pause and pull himself together yet again. How the hell did this woman get under his skin so easily? He prided himself on being unflappable. Calm when everyone else was freaking the fuck out. Yet five minutes with her and he was losing his damn mind. "Could we please talk about this like rational adults?" he said.

"Could you please stop bringing Carisi into this like a jealous frat bro?" she snapped. She yanked open a cabinet and grabbed a glass. Smacked the tap on and filled it before taking a long pull from it. She swallowed and pressed the glass to her forehead, eyes closed and face creased.

"I'm sorry, okay?" she said. "About your mom. I just—needed to be here. With my cat and my things and my space."

"She isn't insulted," he said, begrudgingly. "She's just worried. And I don't like to see my mother worried."

"I see. So you jumped on your high horse and galloped all the way down here because your mom is worried."

He glowered at her. "You're not safe here, Olivia. Not as safe as you would be somewhere else. Even if Carisi is going to be hanging around."

"He's not—!" She stopped herself before she could yell at him again. Gently set the glass on the counter and headed for the door. "Mr. Barba. For the five-hundredth time, my personal life is none of your business. I'm sorry you don't approve of who I'm currently fucking, but I don't recall asking you. I appreciate your concern. Thank you for the flowers, and for your kindness earlier, but now I'm asking you to leave."

He watched her as she flipped the locks and turned the knob. She stood holding it open for him with an expectant look on her face. He took two steps in that direction, then stopped.

She sighed. Of course it wasn't going to be that easy. She needed him out of her apartment. Now. She couldn't stop thinking about that morning, his arms around her. The softness of his touch as he'd comforted her. He'd called her sweetheart. In Spanish.

"Rafael—"

"Olivia." He approached slowly. Carefully. Took the door in his hand and gently pushed it shut.

"What are you doing?" she said. She fought the urge to back away. His expression was intense, but she wasn't afraid. Not exactly.

"I don't care that it's Carisi," he said. "I care that it's not me."

She let out a breath like she'd been punched in the stomach. "What?" she said on the rough exhale.

He scrubbed a hand through his hair and then lifted his palms in a gesture of surrender. "Could we—could we perhaps not fight for thirty seconds? Just…thirty seconds. Where you don't disagree with everything I say."

"You do as much disagreeing as I do!"

He smiled, a little ruefully. "Thirty seconds, belleza. Starting now."

Her eyes seemed to fill her entire face as he stepped closer and rested a hand on her hip. She didn't pull away. Didn't stop him. He took that as permission, and let the hand slide to the small of her back.

"Thirty seconds?" she said, her gaze dropping briefly to his mouth and then flicking back to his eyes.

"That's all," he said. He could see the pulse pounding in her throat. It made his own heartbeat kick up a few notches, his breath catch, and he couldn't manage the reassuring smile he had planned as he closed the last bit of space between them.

"Okay," she breathed, just before he kissed her.

He kept it easy. Light. She was tense at first, but then a hand came up to comb through his hair. It was soft, just like she thought it would be—not that she spent much time thinking about the texture of Rafael Barba's hair. Or his mouth. Though she supposed she would be now, after—

"Stop thinking so hard," he whispered.

"You're one to talk."

"Hush."

He kissed her again, harder, and she melted into him. She sighed against his lips, her breath warm and sweet, and pressed closer. He spread his hand on the small of her back, squeezing a little, and brought the other up to tug at a lock of her hair.

"Olivia," he murmured.

"This is a bad idea," she said. But her cheeks were flushed and her pupils blown. Her lips pinked and swollen.

"Maybe," he said. He kissed her again and took a reluctant step back. "Maybe, but I wanted to give you something to think about."

Her brows drew together and she opened her mouth. Probably to yell at him some more. Normally he'd be entirely game, but he wanted to leave her like this, well-kissed and confused.

"And now I'm leaving before you pull yourself together enough to get mad again." He grinned. "It was a really nice thirty seconds."

Then he was gone, out the door and down the hall and she wasn't about to run after him. What the hell? What the hell?!

She pressed shaking fingers to her tingling lips and sank down on the couch. Not ten minutes ago she'd been kissing Sonny. Now the taste of Rafael Barba filled her mouth and she felt…

She didn't know how she felt.

Angry? Intrigued? Furious? Turned on?

She had no idea how long she sat like that, in full existential crisis mode, when yet another knock on the door interrupted her spiral.

"Hey, Oll, it's me!"

Sonny. Back with the food.

Clearly there was only one way to get her mind off of Barba. She opened the door, grabbed Carisi by the tie, and hauled him inside. "I've decided what I want," she said. "And it's definitely not food."

Friday morning. There was still no blood sample or other evidence from Richmond, so Liv sent Rollins and Fin down there to knock some heads together. "I don't care if you have to comb their evidence room yourselves; find those files!"

They promised they would do their best and got the next flight out.

That left Benson and Carisi to cover the party at the gallery that night. She wasn't completely comfortable putting Carisi on it, but she didn't have much choice, as understaffed as the squad was.

"So, Loo, am I like your date?"

"That'll be our cover," she said in a dry voice. "That means you'll stick close to me unless you're mingling. Keep your eyes open. You know who we're looking for."

Searches for Peterson's old apprentice, Micah, had turned up Micah Ramirez, thirty-eight, currently living in Trenton. Barely an hour south of Paramus, home of Bill Peterson. Unfortunately he hadn't been to work in a few days, and no one had seen him. He had a habit of taking off, his landlady said, which was why he usually did contract work rather than holding down steady employment. They'd put a BOLO out on his car and his picture was on the wire, but until he turned up that was pretty much a dead end.

Bill Peterson's alibi was looking shakier the harder they dug at it. His physical therapist was his daughter, and she worked out of her home. Peterson was divorced and lived alone, and his daughter's husband was out bowling on the night in question, so he couldn't corroborate his father-in-law's presence. Or lack thereof.

Until they got the evidence from Richmond—assuming there was a DNA sample in the file—or the perp made another move, they were deadlocked. Hence their presence at the opening that night.

"This artist. Sami. Any info about her?" Carisi said.

Benson lifted a brow. "I figured you'd know better than I would."

Carisi blushed. "We don't—uh. We don't really talk that much. About work, I mean."

"Mmm. Probably better. Well, according to Rollins's info, she was one of the first artists Olivia featured when she opened the gallery. Over the last five years she's become successful enough to earn a show at MOMA, opening next week. Apparently the show at Jameson on Franklin is a retrospective of her earlier work. The stuff that helped make her such a star."

"Huh. That's kinda cool." He remembered Olivia mentioning the MOMA exhibit, but he hadn't put the pieces together. Some detective.

"Barba," Liv said. She pushed herself up from where she'd been leaning against Carisi's desk. "Did we have a meeting today?"

Carisi shot a look at the ADA and leaned back in his chair. He had no idea what had happened between Barba and Olivia the other night in her apartment, but Olivia's mood was completely different when he got back with the food. He was almost late to class, and he had to eat in the cab on the way. She'd kept him busy.

"No," Barba said as he cruised to a stop. He offered Benson a brief smile. "I just came down to let you know I'll be at the opening tonight. The DA had a family emergency and O'Dwyer left for vacation yesterday. So he's sending me."

"Ah. It's always nice to have more eyes. They're loaning us a few bodies from Vice, too, but I can use all the help I can get."

"Did Rollins and Fin get anything from the bartender?" he said.

"Nothing new. He confirmed that Olivia and her friend Sara were at the bar Monday night, and credit card receipts show that Olivia had one glass of wine and Sara had a chocolate martini. He said Sara left about nine-thirty—corroborating what she told us—and that Olivia was there for another hour or so. She didn't order another drink, but he did see her with a fresh glass of wine at one point, maybe a half hour before she left," Benson said, ticking each point off on her fingers. "He didn't see anyone talking to her, and he has no idea who ordered that drink. It was a busy night."

Barba ground his teeth together. Where the hell did the bartender think her wine had come from? Outer fucking space?

"Fine," he said. "Well. Keep me informed if anything develops in the next few hours. If we have to, we can get O'Dwyer back from vacation. I'll see you tonight." He turned smartly on his heel and walked out, barely glancing at Carisi as he went by.

"Good afternoon to you too, Counselor," he muttered.

I'm looking forward to the gala. ;)