Disclaimer: SVU and its characters belong to Dick Wolf. I own nothing

Even though he'd had an alarm set, Elliot was the first to wake from their nap before the alert could sound. This had become his habit recently, ever since he'd started sharing a bed with Olivia. He would often wake before she did, only to spend the extra time marveling at her while she lay beside him. There had been many times over their years together he had considered himself a lucky man indeed just to be her partner – let alone friend – and now, they were so much more. His mind took him back to several hours earlier up on the top of Whiteface Mountain, when Olivia had agreed to move in with him. He knows that living together on a permanent basis would never alter her independent streak in the slightest, nor would he expect it to. He'd never ask her to change any part of who she was for his sake.

Moving slowly so he wouldn't disturb Olivia, Elliot reached for his phone and turned off the scheduled alarm. Then he ran his hand through her hair. It had shifted while she'd slept and now softly framed her face. She stirred slightly at his touch, but didn't wake completely – at least not right away. Stretching with a cat-like grace, she yawned contentedly, then blinked into awareness.

"Hmmm. I was hoping that was you."

Amused by her statement, Elliot chuckled softly, unable to contain his mirth.

"You were expecting someone else, perhaps?"

"No. Just hoping that this wasn't all a dream."

Resting his palm on her cheek, he searched her eyes for any signs of anxiety or unease. Finding none, he prompted her further.

"What wasn't, Liv?"

"This vacation, this place - you."

Her quiet admission made his heart ache. Not wanting to call her out on her feelings just now, Elliot opted instead to find another way to reassure her. Dipping his head, he captured her lips with his, keeping the kiss soft and filled with promise. It was reminiscent of some of the first they'd ever shared, and both he and Olivia could feel the intensity of the emotion behind it. As she lay her palm on his cheek, he could feel the anxiety begin to melt away from her body. Pulling back, Elliot searched her face once more, and this time when she smiled at him, it was reflected in her eyes.

"As much as I'd love to lay here with you all night, Liv, I believe we said something about exploring all the lodge has to offer."

Olivia nodded her assent, and rolled over to get up on her side of the bed. Stretching once more for good measure, she stood, then turned to face Elliot.

"What did you want to do? I'm not exactly hungry just yet, and it's entirely too early for any of the bonfires in the courtyard."

As though an idea suddenly came to her, Olivia's face lit up brightly.

"We could go to the fitness center! I haven't been able to have a proper workout in ages."

Crossing to stand next to her, Elliot looped his arms around her waist.

"Well, as appealing as that thought is, we're here to relax. Not to mention, we already had a good deal of exercise today. However, if its a workout you're wanting, I'm willing to compromise."

Curious now, but also wondering just what he could possibly have up his sleeve, Olivia rested her palms on his biceps and trained her gaze on his face, one eyebrow arched up suspiciously and a smirk in her expression. Elliot's reaction was to toss his head back and laugh.

"Get your mind out of the gutter, woman! What I was thinking was we could head down to the indoor pool. Depending on how crowded it is, we may even be able to swim a few laps."

Temporarily appeased, and willing to concede it was a good idea, Olivia nodded. But she was not about to let Elliot get by without getting in one final dig of her own.

"You just want find out whether or not I brought along a bikini to wear."

With his eyes sparkling with mischief, Elliot leaned down to whisper in her ear.

"Guilty as charged, Detective. Are you going to arrest me?"

Countering once more, she fired back.

"If only I'd have brought my handcuffs along. I didn't think we'd be needing them."

Exhaling sharply through his teeth, Elliot sought to maintain control over his body's response to her words. There was no way he'd be able to go anywhere in the lodge anytime soon if she kept talking like that.

Forcing himself to step away from this intoxicating woman in front of him, he pivoted Olivia around at the shoulders and gave her a light tap on the butt as a means to encourage her forward.

"Go get ready, and stop teasing – or else I'm going to need a cold shower before we even get near the pool."

Once again, Olivia's laughter was music to his ears.

Less than twenty minutes later, Elliot and Olivia were inside the area where the indoor pool was housed. Fortunately, aside from one other couple, no one else appeared to be using the facility at this time. Olivia went on ahead to snag them two chairs, while Elliot grabbed them a couple of towels from the shelf by the door where they were kept. By the time he had walked over to where she was, she was already stripping off her tee shirt over her head, displaying a white bikini top that accentuated her figure without being overly revealing. Not that it helped him much – he already knew what she looked like underneath.

Again Elliot had to swallow his groan of desire when Olivia unbuttoned her jeans and lowered the zipper, showing off the bottom half of the swimsuit she was wearing. That was when he spied the twin gold hoops on each hip -one at the front and one at the back - that were seemingly holding the entire bikini bottoms on with mere pieces of string. When she turned to face him, Elliot dropped the towels in his hands when he saw that there was yet another hoop – this one in between her breasts. How was she keeping that suit on?

Torn between wanting to wrap a towel around her and cover her from prying eyes and kissing her breathless then and there, Elliot instead went with a third option – he did his best to maintain control. Even though they were together now, he knew Olivia would not appreciate a possessive reaction from him, nor would she like it if he tried to 'protect' her right now. Instead he would do what he knew she wanted most – he would respect her and treat her as the equal he'd always considered her to be.

Stripping down to his swim trunks and placing his shoes under the chair, he turned to her and offered her his hand. When Olivia not only accepted the gesture, but rewarded him with a smile, Elliot felt his heart swell with pride. Even though the pool area wasn't crowded, to know that she wasn't afraid to demonstrate affection with him in public never failed to make him happy.

Deciding to forgo the ladder, they used the steps as a means to enter the pool. From what they'd read in the literature, they knew they wouldn't have to worry about the water being cold, as it was said both pools were maintained at a temperature of eighty five degrees Fahrenheit. Once her feet hit the bottom, Olivia let go of Elliot's hand, but only so she could glide across the surface of the water with a few graceful strokes. It wasn't lost on her that even as recently as few days ago, she wouldn't have been able to do that. Her recently regained freedom of movement was still something she was trying to adjust to.

Flipping over onto her back, Olivia moved into a float as the thoughts continued to swirl through her mind. "Freedom of movement." That was an adequate way to phrase it, because she most certainly wasn't craving freedom – certainly not from Elliot. Had she missed her independence and ability to do things for herself while he had been taking care of her? Of course. But never in any of that time had he made her feel like she wasn't free. She wondered if he even could.

Turning around to move in the opposite direction, Olivia used her arms to propel her gently through the water. She didn't even panic when she collided with a solid mass of muscle, for she already knew it to be Elliot. Coming to her feet, she smiled when his arms wrapped around her from behind.

"Penny for your thoughts? You seemed lost in them for a few minutes."

"It's nothing I want you worrying about. Mainly I was just focused on how good it feels to have two working arms again. It's so surreal to think that as little as three days ago, swimming like this wouldn't have even been a possibility for me."

"Oh, Liv."

Shaking her head, Olivia dismissed her wayward thoughts. She didn't want to dwell on them, not when there were so many other wonderful things around them.

"You know what? Don't worry about it. All that matters is that we're here together. I didn't mean to bring down the mood."

Turning her around to face him, Elliot placed a soft kiss on the tip of Olivia's nose.

"You didn't. All I was going to say was that I just regret we didn't bring your sling with us – we could have asked them to throw it on the bonfire later. I know we both would have enjoyed watching that thing go up in flames."

Laughing now, Olivia couldn't help but agree with Elliot's line of thinking. That would most definitely be a sight to see. A part of her fell just a little bit harder for him when he promised her would still find a way to make that happen – even if he had to drive them to the beach himself one day after they got back to safely light their own bonfire. Again she was humbled at the lengths this man would go to for her, but then again, she knew she would do the same for him in a heartbeat. Maybe that's what love was. Maybe that's what this had always been. It had just grown into something so much more.

They spent about forty five minutes in the relaxing water of the pool, swimming lazy laps. When it was time to get out, rather than head straight for their towels, they instead crossed to the nearby hot tub for a short while, soaking their muscles from their walk earlier that morning.

When they had dried off enough to slip back on their clothes, Elliot and Olivia headed back to their suite. They'd already discussed earlier to forgo room service tonight, so they were intent on showering and changing as quickly as possible. Even though they were somewhat in a hurry, that still didn't stop their lingering touches and lengthy kisses that they shared while in the shower. No matter how much they were together now, they couldn't ever seem to get enough of one another.

Once the chlorine from the pool had been washed away, they exited the shower and dried off. With a towel wrapped around her body, Olivia took the extra time to dry her hair, since they'd be leaving the suite again shortly to go out for dinner and see about the night time activities the lodge had to offer.

Since the restaurant they had chosen tonight had a more relaxed atmosphere, they both opted to go with dark wash jeans. Olivia also chose a lightweight sweater that she could pair with her leather jacket. The weather was colder up here in the mountains, but it would undoubtedly be warm by the fire later, and she didn't want to overheat. Elliot dressed in a blue polo shirt that enhanced the color of his eyes, and Olivia had to take a deep breath from getting lost in them. Once they'd slipped on their shoes, they were on their way.

Peak 47 was the name of the restaurant they had chosen tonight, and while casual in appearance, it's menu was anything but. The fare here was just as elaborate as what they had been able to choose from in their selections the night before. Elliot came to the conclusion that all of the dining options from every restaurant on the property must be available for room service.

"What looks good to you, Liv?"

"Truth be told, El. I'm not that hungry. I don't think I could eat an entire meal by myself."

Normally, he would have been concerned hearing her admit something like that. However, the day must have been catching up with him, too, because his appetite wasn't at one hundred percent, either.

"Why don't we just share something, then? We can always order something in the room later tonight if we want."

"Sounds good to me."

After studying the options for a few minutes, they came to a mutual agreement that one appetizer and one entree would be a perfect choice. When their server arrived to take their order, Elliot made sure to ask for the warm tortilla chips served with queso and pico de gallo, as well as the margherita pizza. To drink, he ordered a beer, and to his surprise, Olivia asked for a beer as well. He'd been ready to request a glass of wine for her. When the server walked away, Elliot looked at her, one eyebrow raised.

"Beer just sounded good tonight, that's all."

Grasping her hand in his own, Elliot squeezed softly.

"You never have to explain yourself to me, Olivia."

As they waited for their food to arrive, they continued to take in their surroundings. Truth be told, they'd already taken an inventory of the place the second they walked in the door. It was the nature of the job, Elliot supposed. Even though they were away from the city, and still technically on leave, it was near impossible to turn off the instincts that they'd spent their entire careers honing.

While casting his glance around the restaurant, something in particular caught Elliot's eye. He didn't think Olivia had noticed yet, or she certainly would have said something. Squeezing her hand to get her attention, he spoke to her softly.

"Liv, is something happening that I think is about to happen? Across the room, the couple on your three o'clock."

Trying not to be conspicuous, Olivia took a sip of her beer, shifting her gaze to the side to see exactly what Elliot was referring to. Sure enough, there was a couple sitting by the window, a bottle of what looked to be champagne on their table. Judging by body language alone, the man was obviously nervous, as he fidgeted every few seconds, and kept patting his breast pocket. Looking back to Elliot, she raised her eyebrows and spoke in a low voice.

"You think he's going to-?"

"I'm sure of it. If he doesn't pass out first, that is."

Olivia chuckled softly, then sat back in her seat as their server appeared at the table with their appetizer. After making sure that everything was to their liking, the man left them alone again. Elliot gestured to Olivia, indicating that she should sample the food first. Shaking her head at his insistence, she picked up one of the tortilla chips, and dipped it in the warm queso. Then, knowing Elliot wouldn't object, she used her spoon to add a little bit of the pico de gallo on top of the chip as well to enhance the flavor. Taking a bite, she chewed thoughtfully, savoring the taste.

"Well? How is it?"

Olivia hid her smile. She should have guessed he'd be somewhat impatient with her for making him wait like this. It's why she'd deliberately taken her time, to tease him further.

"It's the best I've ever had, and you know we've had more than our fair share of dishes of this sort after long days and even longer nights."

Satisfied that she was happy and content, Elliot began to eat, too. Though this wasn't the first meal they'd shared together here, he was grateful they had chosen a more relaxed atmosphere tonight. Maybe that's why he was so surprised that the man a few tables over had chosen this restaurant to propose in as opposed to the more upscale dining room the lodge had to offer. But, that wasn't any of his business. Instead, he wanted to say something else to Olivia, in regard to their plans for the following day, but before he had a chance, a loud noise completely interrupted his train of thought.

Upon the clamor, which ended up being plates shattering on the floor, Elliot was up from his seat and heading for Olivia, ready to shield her from any possible danger. Coincidentally, at the same time, she was coming to shield him. They met in the middle, arms wrapped around one another as they looked for the source of the sound. To their surprise, it was coming from the same table with the couple they had been observing earlier. The woman was now shouting at the man at the top of her lungs.

"Your phone has been going off all night – ever since we arrived, actually! Can't you ignore work for just a few days to pay some attention to me? I think I deserve that, Derek!"

"Ashley, come on, sweetheart, calm down. You know you mean the world to me. Look, I'm turning the phone off, okay?"

As he held the phone out, Derek, who had been standing by this time, inadvertently leaned over a bit too far. This caused the ring box from his breast pocket to fall out onto the table, right in front of Ashley. She saw it, and upon recognition of what it was, her entire mood changed. That is, until his phone chimed again. Grabbing the device out of his hand, she was ready to take matters into her own hands.

"If you're not man enough to deal with them, then I will! I've been waiting for a moment like this my whole life, and no one is going to ruin it for me!"

As she answered the phone, it was obvious to Elliot and Olivia – who had taken their seats again – that things had just gone from bad to worse. Still, they found they couldn't look away from the scene that was playing out in front of them.

"Hello? Yes, this is Derek's phone. This is Ashley, his girlfriend, soon to be fiancé, if you would ever stop interrupting. Who the hell is this?"

Ashley paled suddenly, and fell back into her chair, causing it to move backward several feet with a mighty screech. The expression on her face became a mixture of anguish and rage, and she held the phone back out to her companion.

"It's your wife."

After Derek took the phone, before he could speak, Ashley stood once more and threw the remainder of her glass of champagne in his face before marching out of the restaurant. Unsure of what to do, he waited around only long enough to pay the tab, trying to mollify the woman on the other end of the phone line. Once his bill was settled, he picked up what was left of his scattered belongings, and left, looking every bit like a scolded dog with their tail between their legs.

As some of the staff began to clean up the mess left behind, a manager approached Elliot and Olivia's table, apologizing profusely. They were the only other couple dining at the moment, and he wanted to make it up to them for their having had to witness such a scene. He assured them that their meal would be on the house, and offered to include dessert as well if they were so inclined.

Elliot graciously accepted, even though he had assured the man that it wasn't necessary. Once the manager had left, their server was back to clear away the empty appetizer plates and ask if they wanted fresh beers. He also assured them that their pizza would be out shortly. True to his word, it was brought out with the help of the manager at the same time their beer came to the table.

Once again, Elliot insisted that Olivia help herself to the food first. She put a slice of pizza on her plate, but didn't start to eat just yet. It was still very hot after having been in a wood fired oven, and she didn't want to burn her mouth. That random thought led her mind more dangerous – and sensual – places, and she felt her cheeks flush. Taking a drink of her beer, Olivia hoped Elliot wouldn't notice, but it was no use. Of course he had. He had always watched her like a hawk, aware of every little change. It was even more apparent now.

"What is it Liv? Are you all right?"

She smiled, and gave him a pointed look, one she hoped he would be able to decipher.

"I'm fine, El. I promise. Just, not here, okay?"

Elliot observed her carefully for a few more seconds, then as recognition of what she was telling him washed over his features, his eyebrows shot up with awareness, and a grin played at his lips.

"Really? I guess I'm just irresistible in that way. Do you still want to go out to the bonfire after this, or should I get our food to go?"

Rolling her eyes and laughing, Olivia shook her head at him with exasperation. He was so mischievous at times, and she loved that she got to see that side of him now. Taking a bite of her now cooled slice of pizza, she chewed thoughtfully before answering.

"I still want to go to the bonfire, yes. But maybe I can make it up to you when we get back to the room. I believe I still owe you a shave."

She knew she had achieved her goal when he cursed her softly under his breath and fidgeted slightly under the table. It was only fair, Olivia surmised. If she had to deal with salacious thoughts about the two of them in public, then so should he.

After taking their time with dinner, and then declining the manager's offer of dessert, Elliot and Olivia left Peak 47 with full stomachs. They pulled on their jackets and headed outdoors to the courtyard, where the bonfire was supposed to be. Once there, Elliot led Olivia to a more secluded area, and went off in search of procuring them some supplies for making s'mores. Just because they had opted not to eat dessert at the restaurant, didn't mean they weren't still craving something sweet.

By now, it was just after seven at night, and the fire lit up the dark night sky beautifully. It also provided the perfect amount of warmth to ward off the chill in the air. Looking up at the sky, Olivia was aware that if she wanted, she could try and count the stars. She knew it would be an impossible task, but such a sight was impossible in the city, and it only made her appreciate their beauty all the more.

"Beautiful, isn't it?"

Elliot's voice was a soft murmur in her ear, and as she had already sensed his approach, she hadn't startled at his presence. Turning her head, she saw him standing next to her, but to her surprise, he wasn't looking up at the same stars she was – he was looking at her – he had meant that she was beautiful. Feeling her cheeks flush at his unspoken compliment, Olivia hoped he would attribute the rosiness in her face to the heat from the fire. Instead, she changed the subject.

"So, how do we do this?"

Elliot's heart broke slightly at the question that had been asked of him. He had always known that Olivia's childhood had been anything but perfect – his wasn't either – but he'd still managed to have some experiences. Likewise, he'd been committed to giving his own children the world. While they didn't go often, he tried to take his kids camping or on picnics, and making s'mores was always a favorite activity. Not wanting to call attention to the fact that this would be Olivia's first time, but still beyond honored that he would be the one to share this with her, Elliot tried his best to explain.

"First, you set up the chocolate and the graham cracker, so it's ready. Then you put the marshmallow on the stick, and roast it over the fire. When it's golden brown and gooey – or even lit on fire – it's all a matter of personal taste, then you make a sandwich. The heat from the marshmallow melts the chocolate, and it makes the ultimate treat."

"It sounds like a sticky mess."

Laughing, Elliot wrapped an arm around Olivia's shoulder and pulled her close, placing a kiss on her temple.

"That's the best part."

Reaching for one of the sticks Elliot had brought over, Olivia put a marshmallow on the end. Holding it out over the fire, her hands shook slightly. She was so afraid of messing this up.

"How do I do this again?"

Rather than repeat his instructions, Elliot came to stand behind her, wrapping his arms around her. He reached out his hands to gently cover hers on the stick, and together they held the marshmallow out over the flames, watching as the sugars began to caramelize. When the edges were just starting to toast slightly, and a few bubbles were starting to appear, Olivia put forth a question.

"Now?"

"It's perfect, Liv. Just wait until you try it."

Reluctantly, Elliot let go of Olivia, but only so he could hold out the graham cracker and chocolate. She carefully held out the marshmallow in his direction, using the utmost caution so as not to burn him. After he had the s'more assembled, Elliot passed it to Olivia, trading her for the stick in her hand. As she took her first bite, her eyes closed in pure bliss as the flavors melded together on her tongue.

"This is amazing! I can't believe I've gone this long in my life without ever having one before! How did I not know about this?"

Elliot just smiled, then proceeded to toast her another marshmallow, so she could have a second one. Concerned, Olivia questioned him again.

"But El, aren't you going to have one? You didn't even have a taste."

Wrapping an arm around her waist, he pulled her in close for a kiss. There was some lingering marshmallow and chocolate clinging to her lower lip, and his tongue darted out to sample it. When he pulled back a few seconds later, he answered.

"There, now I've had a taste. You're right, it's absolutely delicious."

Once again, Olivia was left shaken. Still, she was determined to enjoy this time with Elliot by the fire. After she'd had her second s'more, she insisted upon making some for him to try, too. By the time their kit was depleted, they'd each had four apiece, and their sweet cravings had been satisfied.

Now, they sat by the fire, sharing an oversized Adirondack chair. Elliot had his arms wrapped around Olivia, and she leaned back against his chest. Across the way, they were watching as parents and their children were now making use of the fire to have their own s'mores party. Olivia heard Elliot sigh wistfully, and she was pretty sure she knew the meaning of why.

"Why don't you call your kids tonight if you miss them, El? You know I wouldn't mind."

"It's not that I miss them."

Olivia turned around, giving him a pointed look.

"Okay, you're right, I miss them. It was the s'mores that got me thinking. I just realized that even family vacations are going to have to be separate now. They've lost so much."

"Oh, El. Don't beat yourself up. No matter what is going on between you and Kathy right now, you both love those kids more than anything. They are so lucky to have the two of you as their parents."

"Thanks, Liv."

Even though he'd done it many times on this trip, it was Olivia's turn to stand and offer Elliot her hand. Though he looked at her with questions in his eyes, he didn't say a word. He merely took her hand in his and let her lead him.

Only when they got back to their suite, did Olivia finally let go of Elliot's hand. Before locking the door behind them, she purposely put out the 'Do Not Disturb' sign, then turned around to make eye contact once more. Taking off her own jacket, Olivia helped Elliot off with his. He was still watching her carefully at this point, as if trying to figure out her motives.

"You told me when we first got here that Thursday – tomorrow – was going to be all about me. Let me make tonight all about you."

"Liv -"

"Shhh. Tell me what you want."

Wordlessly, he led her to the bathroom. He first helped her out of her clothes, until she was wearing nothing but a bra and panties, then stripped down to his boxers. Opening one of the cabinets, he removed a razor and a can of shaving cream.

"Shave me...please? Ever since you first mentioned it the time I helped you, I haven't been able to stop thinking about it. Then when you brought it up again today, I realized there's nothing I want more."

"Of course."

Instead of reaching for the shaving cream though, Olivia proceeded to shed the remaining two articles of clothing she was wearing, until she stood in front of him completely naked. Then, hooking her fingers in his boxers, she tugged them down until they pooled around his ankles.

"Liv, what are you doing?"

"Shaving you. We don't need clothes for that, because when I'm done, I intend to get you into that tub."

Elliot exhaled sharply, willing himself to remain under control. He trusted Olivia implicitly, even around his face with a sharp razor, but he didn't want to invite any accidental nicks if he couldn't keep his hands off her.

"Help me up?"

"Excuse me?"

Elliot sputtered the words, his train of thought suddenly derailed and gone off in a completely different direction. As a result, his traitorous body had responded to her words in a way he hadn't intended. His mind had envisioned her wrapping his legs around her waist, and getting a shave was the least of his priorities.

"On the counter, Elliot. Help me sit on the counter. I want to be able to reach your face without straining too much. You're taller than me, remember?"

The amusement in Olivia's voice was obvious, and Elliot had to resist the urge to smack his palm against his forehead. He couldn't believe it. She was still trying to do something nice for him, and his mind had gone straight to the gutter. Then again, considering it had been Olivia who had gotten them both completely naked, her thoughts hadn't been entirely pure, either.

With his hands spanning Olivia's waist, Elliot gently lifted her until she was sitting on the bathroom counter. Then, he bit back another groan as she spread her legs and situated him between her thighs. Reaching behind her, she turned the hot water tap on, and let it run so she could rinse the razor blade off periodically. Then she put some shaving cream in her hands, and lathered his face.

The entire time she was shaving him, Olivia used careful, deliberate strokes so as not to cut his skin. At the same time, she somehow managed to never break eye contact. He was also convinced that she kept pulling him closer to her body, so that his erection kept grazing her core, causing her to whimper. Her breasts were already flush against his chest. It was one of the most erotic experiences of his life.

Finally, Olivia was done with her task, but by now, beads of perspiration had broken out on Elliot's forehead. He waited only long enough for her to set down the razor, then captured her mouth with his. Struggling to maintain control over his body, he reminded himself to be gentle. When he felt Olivia's hand on his chest, he immediately pulled back from the kiss.

"Stop holding back, Elliot. I'm not going to break."

"But -"

"Take me."

Needing no further encouragement, Elliot thrust his hips forward, burying himself into her depths. At the same time, he fused their mouths together once more, and swallowing Olivia's moan of pleasure. Wrapping his arms around her waist, he palmed her ass slightly, pulling her closer to him as he began to move.

This wasn't like the lovemaking they had shared previously. This was purely primal – sex and heat and lust all rolled into one – but still rooted in love. It was about two people whose need for each other was so deep, and yet they were at a point where they couldn't figure out where one ended and the other began.

Elliot knew he wasn't going to last long, and judging by the way Olivia was trembling against him, she wasn't going to, either. Quickening his pace, he lowered his one hand to stroke her intimately, determined to enhance her experience in whatever way possible. By now, he had already become so attuned to her body, that he could sense when she was going to come.

"Let go, Liv."

"Not without you."

Touching his forehead to hers, Elliot let a groan escape his lips. Even when they were intimate, Olivia could be so stubborn at times.

"I'm right there with you, I promise."

No sooner had the words left his lips, and they fell over the edge together, crying out and shaking in each other's arms. They remained that way, intimately connected for several minutes afterward as they came down from their high, soothing one another with kisses and caresses. When he finally withdrew, Elliot helped Olivia down from the counter, anxiously looking for any signs that he had been too rough with her. When he saw none, he was able to relax. Olivia's next words to him also helped tremendously.

"Tell you what. Why don't you go get us a glass of wine, and I'll start the water in the tub. We can soak for awhile before we go to bed."

"That sounds perfect. I'll be right back."

So, it was a relaxed and content Elliot who headed for the kitchen of their suite to do as Olivia requested, hearing the running water echo after him. Any guilt that had been trying to creep in had already left his mind and body. Tonight, he would let her continue to take care of him. Tomorrow, though, would be all about her.

A/N: I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. Now, I must say with a few apologies, that Chapter 34 will not be out in 5 days time, per the rigorous schedule I have made up for myself with this and other stories. I've fallen a bit behind in writing, and now that my muse has also talked me into undertaking a second WIP, it's quite a lot to balance on my plate. I can however, promise, that it shouldn't be that long of a wait between chapters - I will simply publish one as soon as I have the next one written. To be honest, I don't know how I've managed to keep up with this routine for as long as I have without getting overwhelmed, but I always want writing to be something fun for me, and if I don't give myself a little bit of a break, I worry that I won't enjoy it anymore. So, thank you to everyone for your support, and I will see you as soon as possible with the next installment!