Olivia straddled his waist, then groaned when the head of his cock lined up with her core. He thrust against her, teasing for a moment, then she held her breath as he slowly pushed inside. He felt amazing. A resonating groan rumbled from deep within her chest.

Barba sat up quickly and covered her mouth, swallowing her moan and then laughing a little breathlessly. "Livia, you'll wake your son," he warned, then gasped when she ripped her mouth away from his and latched onto the side of his throat, grazing his skin with her teeth and then sucking eagerly.

"God, Rafa," Olivia gasped and clawed her nails across his shoulders as she pulled him closer. The damp heat of his skin made her shudder and she held still, just revelling in the overwhelming sensation of him inside her. His hips flexed up and she opened her mouth in a silent scream against his shoulder.

Barba suddenly rolled them so that he was on top, gazing down at her with a look of wonder and pure happiness on his face. He leaned down and brushed their lips together teasingly and then slowly pulled back a no more than an inch before thrusting home again.

Olivia brought her hand up to stroke down the side of his face then slowly over his beard. "Rafael…" She whispered softly and wrapped a leg around his hip, sucking in a sharp breath when she felt him shift even deeper inside.

This was everything that Olivia had hoped for and so much more - love, friendship, laughter, trust, passion and an amazing physical connection that made her toes curl. It had taken a long time for them to find each other, but nothing had ever felt this good.

Olivia woke the next morning and knew that she wanted to wake up with him every morning for the rest of her life. After a few minutes of just luxuriating in the warmth of his body spooned behind her, she smiled when his lips began to slowly kiss along her shoulder.

"I could get used to this," she observed sleepily.

"Mmmmm…" Barba hummed, "…me too, and we will."

"You're staying all day?" She checked as he lifted his leg over her thigh and drew her body against his.

"All day," he assured and brought his hand up to her breast, teasing the nipple firmly between his fingers.

Olivia's breath caught and she arched back toward him when she felt his length harden against her ass. "Mmmmmmmm, Rafa…" she smiled and turned her head around to kiss him, her tongue sliding into his mouth lazily.

Barba's hips pulled back a little and then Olivia gasped when he thrust forward and she felt his cock push between her legs. "Rafa…" she groaned and then arched against him as he shifted down a little and then drove up and pushed inside her. "God!" She breathed and opened her eyes for the first time.

"Okay?" He asked.

"Mmm-amazing…" she replied with a smile and angled her neck to encourage his lips against her throat.

He set a fast pace, thrusting hard yet precisely into her body as she rolled slightly towards the bed and let him take control.

Olivia's back arched, pushing her ass toward him as her cries were muffled by her pillow - then a few more urgent thrusts and Barba followed.

"Livia…" he moaned breathlessly as he recovered, then lifted up when she rolled over to face him. "Have I mentioned lately that I really love you?"

She grinned and kissed his lips gently, "Not in the last few hours, but as we've been sleeping I guess I'll forgive you."

He laughed softly and combed some hair back from her face with his fingers. "That's extremely generous of you," he quipped and then regarded her solemnly, "…you know, you really are breathtakingly beautiful."

She laughed, "And you are a devastatingly handsome man, Rafael Barba."

Barba grinned with humor in his eyes, "You're sure about Oxford?"

"About wanting you to go?" Olivia clarified and he nodded. "I'm sure. About spending even one night without your body wrapped around me?" She added and kissed his lips, "I'm distraught."

He smiled, "We can talk every night."

Olivia pouted, clearly enjoying this lazy Sunday morning banter. "Not the same," she retorted and stroked over his broad shoulders.

"Phone sex?" Barba bargained as he rested his head on her shoulder.

"Mmmm…." Olivia smiled at the thought, "…I believe just listening to you speak in court could make me cum, so I concede the huge potential for phone sex."

Barba laughed in wonder, he still couldn't believe some of the things Olivia was saying. "I'd like…mmmm…I'd love to listen to your voice talk me through...while I touch myself."

Olivia smirked, "Oh, have we just discovered a kink, Rafa?"

He was silent for a moment.

Worried that her teasing had made him self-conscious, she stroked up his back and kissed his temple. "Because I'm going to make it one of my life's goals to fulfil all of your fantasies, mi amor."

He moved to look down at her, his eyes brimming with tears, "You already have, Livia. Just letting me love you, that's everything." Barba lay back down and then after a few minutes lying peacefully in her arms added. "You know, the job comes with a house…"

"A house?" She asked, her voice a little higher pitched.

"Patrick owns a house on the edge of a nearby village, he offered it to me as a sweetener. The first-year would be free, then an offer to buy it from him cheaply or rent…" He explained, his fingers gently trailing patterns over her belly.

"You didn't mention this last night," Olivia replied.

"I didn't want to pile on with information, as though trying to sway your opinion. It honestly never even crossed my mind that you would consider moving," he explained.

Olivia held him closer, "With you, nothing is completely off the table, Rafa. We need to take a little time, to understand the role they're offering, what would be required…and also consider what that would mean for my career. I can't be a stay at home country-wifey, Rafa."

Barba laughed softly, "I wouldn't want that for you, Livia. If you can't see a place for yourself in this situation then the offer is off the table. No question. I understand if marriage is not something that interests you. I want a relationship with you…I want to be squabbling with you at 85. The paperwork, all the official stuff…" his voice trailed off for a moment, "…I'm not articulating myself properly, I'm just saying that I need you, you and Noah, everything else is negotiable."

Olivia shook her head slowly, "Rafa, you misunderstand." She moved to sit up against the headboard and he sat facing her, he wrapped the sheets around them and her leg lifted over his so that they were still close. "I meant that I didn't see myself fulfilling the stereotypical role of the little wife, but I was joking," she brought her hand up to the side of his face, "…I know that you would never want that for me. You know me, Rafa, I know that you love me…not some idealised version of me."

Barba smiled, "I couldn't even begin to imagine a way to improve on perfection."

Olivia's eyes danced with humor. "I've never seen myself as someone's wife. Honestly, I've barely been with anyone long enough to even consider the possibility...and it was never something I felt I needed to seek."

"I know, Livia. I just…" He started again but she brought her fingers to his lips.

"Rafa, I'm trying to say that I've never wanted to be anyone's wife, but I think if you asked I would marry you tomorrow," Olivia smiled when his jaw dropped open a little. "I understand that some people see marriage as archaic, but I want to share my life with you…hell, I want you to be mine, my family, my husband. I never imagined myself wanting this so much, but I want to come home to a family, who share my name, who…"

"Livia, are you…" his hand stroked down her waist and he moved a little closer, "…I feel like I'm losing the thread of this conversation, my heart is hammering in my chest and my head is swimming. Are you actually saying that you want to marry me?"

Olivia laughed softly, then tilted her head. "I want…" she paused, "…I'm committed to you, Rafa, committed to the life we can build with Noah. I'm not pressurising you. I'm just saying that if or when you're ready, you are the only man I could imagine being my husband."

"I'm ready. I'm sure." Barba replied quickly. "Now, yesterday...actually for a while. Yes, absolutely, yes."

A grin spread over Olivia's face, "Rafa, did we just get engaged?"

He laughed a little and kissed her, "I want to be married to you, Liv."

"I think that could be arranged," Olivia teased and pushed him back on to the bed before straddling his waist again. "I've tasted the merchandise now, querido, so I think I need to stake my claim."

"Mommy?" A small voice echoed down the hall and they both laughed and buried their faces against each other's shoulders.

"I think it's morning," Barba turned his head and kissed her neck.

"Mmmmm…" she smiled, "…changing your mind?"

Barba shook his head needlessly as they sat up. "Not a chance. I want to be that little boy's daddy…if you'll let me?"

"Rafa…" Olivia replied softly and brought her hand up to the side of his face.

"Uncle Rafa?! Pancakes?" Noah called out plaintively.

She laughed, "I think you're wanted."

"I might have promised him..." He rolled his eyes. Then he quickly pulled on his boxers and a pair of sweats. He picked up an undershirt from a nearby table and then turned to Olivia. "I'll get him. You take your time, have a shower if you want," he assured.

"Playing Daddy?" She teased as she stood and wrapped a sheet around her waist.

"No more playing," he retorted and then kissed her before walking away.

As Olivia insisted on clearing up after their lunch later that afternoon she couldn't help but feel that Noah already had his future daddy wrapped around his little finger. She watched her son tug Barba over to his toys and then line up Duplo bricks with careful precision, pointing out what they were playing and clearly directing their fun.

By the time she had finished in the kitchen, Olivia walked through and found a long wall of bricks with the animals lined up along the top.

"Why do I feel like those animals all enjoy cola?" She smiled at Barba.

He sang softly and swayed a little from his spot on the floor next to Noah. #I'd like to teach the world to sing, in perfect harmony…#

They both laughed - Olivia loved seeing him so relaxed and happy.

Of course, Noah didn't understand, but he really appreciated the musical interlude. "Singing!" He smiled happily. "We dance!"

"Ahhh…I thought maybe you'd forgotten about the dancing!" Barba teased and then stood, lifting Noah into his arms as Olivia searched her phone and put on some upbeat music.

Barba kept hold of Noah as he spun Olivia around and made the little boy laugh. Then after several minutes, the music changed to something more low-key so he surrendered to the exhausting weight and passed him over to Olivia so they could all slow-dance together.

After a while, Noah became sleepy and Olivia decided to let him lie down on the couch for his afternoon nap.

"I like when you're here, Uncle Rafa. We dance every day this week?" Noah asked sleepily.

Barba smiled, "I need to go away on Wednesday, Noah, but then-"

"Away?" Noah asked with sudden alarm as he sat up. "Bye-bye?" Tears welled in his eyes and quickly flooded over his cheeks. "Mommy said forever! She promise! Forever!"

"No, no, no..." Barba assured and wrapped his arms gently around the little boy, he was horrified to see him getting so upset.

Olivia started walking over to see what was wrong.

"Four sleeps," Barba explained softly. He took Noah's hand and held it up, then gently pushed down his thumb and traced over his remaining fingers, "…just four sleeps, then I'll be home. I will always come home, nene, always."

Noah studied his fingers. "Four sleeps?" He repeated tentatively.

"Only four," Olivia dropped down next to Barba and smiled at her son. "Rafa will never leave us, baby. Forever family, remember?"

"Forever family," Noah repeated more confidently and wiggled his fingers. "Fours sleeps. Then sleepover and bedtime story?"

Barba smiled now, relieved to see the little boy's tears drying. He looked at Olivia, "Mommy? Am I invited?"

Olivia laughed and nudged his side with her hip. "Always…" she assured then looked at her son, "…you know Rafa has a key to the door now? So he can open up and let himself in without even having to knock?"

Noah beamed, "For playtime?"

Olivia nodded, "And storytime, and sleepovers…"

"And dancing…" Noah added sleepily as he lay down and closed his eyes.

"For any reason at all," Olivia finished off. She smiled at Barba and then leaned in for a quick kiss as her son fell asleep.

TBC…