Amanda had taken Noah for the weekend, and although she missed him, she was also excited for a free weekend. She smiled thinking about the conversation with her friend.
"Hey, Amanda?"
"Yeah?"
"Could you possibly watch Noah for me this weekend? If you can, but if you have plans-"
The blonde cut her off, "of course, Liv. I would love too."
Olivia smiled at her, "Thanks, I owe you one."
"So, you got a hot date with a hot detective?" She jokingly asked.
"It's not a date."
And now here she stood ankle deep in clothes she had piled in the floor because they weren't good enough to wear for him.
Was this a date? No, Olivia, his wife just died. He's not dating anyone, especially you.
"Just pick something to wear, Olivia." She said to her reflection.
She sat on her bed clothed only in a bra and panties, and stared at herself in mirror.
She never thought of herself as beautiful, people always told her she was, but she didn't necessarily believe them. She was just Olivia, and she never felt the desire to be beautiful. Until him.
The way he was always there for her. The way he talked to her. The way he comforted her. The way he was just a friend to her.
In all those ways he had made her feel beautiful. In a few ways she owes a lot of her confidence to him.
While she was still sitting, a piece of fabric caught her eye. She stood and took the dress from its hanger, and with a slight grin, said "perfect"
--
He told her to be there at 7:00, and it was already 6:45.
She isn't coming, he thought sadly.
Just as the thought flowed through his mind, he heard a knock at his door.
And all of sudden he was nervous.
It's just Liv.
Yeah, Liv, the woman you've loved for god knows how long.
"Shit" he whispered. "It's okay. Just open the door."
And before his body could talk him out of it, he did just that.
And fuck him what he saw standing there almost brought him to his knees.
"Hey, El."
She was a goddess. Dressed in a knee length light pink dress with long sleeves that had a v-neck that showed just enough to keep his eyes lingering for a second to long.
"El?" She asked, snapping him back to reality.
"Oh, sorry, come in."
She took a deep breath and hoped he hadn't noticed as she stepping over into his apartment.
"You look beautiful."
She turned on her heel, and looked at him with curiosity.
"I'm sorry, was that to much? I've never really said that you, have I?"
She laughed quietly, "No, I don't think you have.
"Well, I should've."
And that was that. He walked to the kitchen, leaving her shocked, and giddy like a damn teenager.
"Come on, Liv. Let's eat."
--
"The food was great, Elliot. I didn't know you could cook like that."
He responded, "I've got a few tricks up my sleeve."
"I can only imagine."
Let's head to the living room, I'm sure there's a good movie or something on."
"Sure."
She was barefoot now and as she landed on the couch she tucked her feet in under her.
Elliot noticed this and smiled. He's never really seen her this relaxed before.
The things I could do to her to make her feel like this all the time.
Stop that. You are not some horny teenage boy.
But god he couldn't help it. This woman was beautiful. Could stop a mans heart if she wasn't careful.
"What're you smiling at?"
He didn't know he had been, but in that moment, the then and the there he decided to be very, very truthful with her, "just thinking about Rome."
"Tell me about it."
"It was beautiful there. I've never seen Kathy more happy."
"Oh, Elliot. We don't have to talk if you don't want too"
"No, I want too. There is something you need to hear anyway, and it won't make sense without the full story."
"What do I need to hear?"
That made him laugh. She was still stubborn. Still bossy.
"Elliot, I'm serious. What do I need to hear?"
"Liv, did you not here hear what I said? There's a whole story."
"Elliot you've known me for plenty of years, and although I've changed some, my patience has not. Tell me."
"Liv, the story is important."
"The story can come after."
"Olivia." He said more huskily than intended.
The way he had said her name made her shiver and her heart stop for a split second, but she wasn't backing down.
"El" she said matching his tone.
Jesus Christ.
Okay here goes nothing.
"If you promise."
"Promise what?"
"That you'll stay put and talk in through."
"Elliot, now you're scaring me."
"Promise me, Olivia. Really, Really promise me and mean it."
"Okay, I promise."
He looked at her, not blinking or dropping eye contact.
"Elliot, I promise, I swear."
"Are you sure you don't want to hear the story first?"
"Elliot, I swear to God, you are still a stubborn son of a bit-"
"Olivia."
"-ch, WHAT?" She asked loudly.
"I love you."