The next time I wake up it's to the sound of his voice gently coaxing me from sleep. "Liv, we're here. Olivia..." Damn I don't even remember falling back to sleep and I slept the rest of the way? I guess it's not like I don't need the rest but Jesus, that's a long fucking nap.

His hand is rubbing my thigh in a soothing manner and dammit, I'm not ready to wake up yet. Orgasms really do make me tired now. I groan lightly and he chuckles besides me.

"Don't you want to see where we are?"

I guess so. I open my eyes slowly, allow them to adjust to the surroundings around me, look around because really, all is see is cars at first, and when I realize what is to the right of me I shoot up instantly. "Elliot..."

"Surprise."

Niagra Falls. I've lived in Manhattan, New York my entire fucking life and have never, ever, been here before. My eyes scan across the water through the window, drift back to his and yeah, I am so screwed with him. I don't even say anything, just unbuckle my seatbelt and lean over to capture his lips. He kisses me back, threads his fingers through my hair, pulls me against him as much as he can in the weird ass angle we're in. It's long and sensual and I really could kiss him forever.

Then he's pulling away from me slowly to say, "I got us a room with a really good view."

"Okay." I open my door because I want to see it. From where we're parked, we can't really see the falls that well and I really want to see.

We put our masks on. He grabs the big bags, I grab the smaller ones and as he checks into the Marriot, I give Noah a call. It's already five in the evening, I'm hungry again, I have to pee and I'm gonna have to ask this man how he just drove for six hours straight. I watch him pay for the room while Noah talks to me all about how Lucy took him to the museum. Covid has died down a little bit again, so as long as he keeps his mask on and doesn't touch anything, I'm glad he's going places.

Elliot walks over to me with a smile, flashes not only the room card but a bag a chips and God, he's a keeper. With my bathroom bag and purse thrown over my shoulders, my hand pressing my phone to my ear, my other hand holding the chips, I follow him to the elevator. "That's great, Noah."

"So, where did Elliot take you?"

I'm not sure if someone has put my boy up to it but he has definitely been pressing Elliot and I's relationship. Which catches me a little by surprise because it's always been him and I but for him to welcome a man so easily into our lives, it's nice. "That you're not going to believe."

"Mom!"

Elliot smiles next to me and gestures me to enter to elevator before him. As the doors clothes in front of us and he hits floor 25, 25, I say, "We're at Niagra Falls."

"No way!"

"Yes, way."

"That is so cool! I want to go."

"Don't worry, honey. We'll plan a trip."

"Okay. Send me pictures."

"I will. I love you and I'll call you tomorrow."

"Love you, mom!"

When I hang up the phone, I smile at the look on Elliot's face. It's a mixture of happiness and something else, "What?"

"Nothing. You're just a really good mom."

I eyes downcast towards the floor because really, I never believed I would hear him say something like that. And sometimes it's still overwhelming that he's not only saying something like that but that he's also standing right beside me. But he's here and he's not going anywhere, well he better never fucking anywhere again, so I bring my eyes back to his. "Thank you."

"Always knew you would be. I'm just so happy it happened for you."

I hum because if I say something I may cry and I really do not want to cry right now. And Elliot understands, he always understands, so he steps closer to me, lets me lean on him lightly and yeah, I'm perfectly content just standing here with him. But I really want to see our room, really want to see the view, really want to sit on the bed our first time, Jesus, our first time, is going to be on and as soon as the door opens, I'm snatching the key out of his hand.

"Hey!" He says with a chuckle.

"Which room?" I'm already off the elevator, looking at the sign that shows which room number is where.

"405."

He follows me because, really, I'm not giving him a choice and when I open the door to the room I sigh in complete blissfulness. I don't even know if that's a thing but is makes perfect sense to me. To the right is a door to the bedroom and in front of us is a wide hallway with a couch on the left and from where we're standing I can see the huge window. Yup, that's where I'm heading first.

The hallway leads into another living type room. With two chairs in front of the big window, another small sofa and a big TV. Everything else I can care less about but the view? Oh my God. Tucker had gotten us a room with a view of the Eiffel Tower in Paris and I swear that was when I realized how amazing a view from a window could really be. And the view of the falls from our window? Oh, it's breathtaking. We can see the whole falls, even can see, what I think is Canada. And God, we are totally having sex in front of this window. Without a fucking doubt.

I drop the bags I'm carrying at my feet, pull my phone out of my back pocket because I did tell Noah I would take pictures and right when I click the button, Elliot's arms are wrapping around me from behind.

"So beautiful." He says and God, beautiful is an understatement.

I turn my head to agree with him and instead of him looking at the view, he's looking directly at me. Okay then.

I can't even help my laugh because how much more cheesy could he get? "You're cheesy."

He shrugs, leans forward to kiss me lightly, "The view is nice too." I fucking cannot with this man. "Come on, come see the bedroom."

I nod, let him pull me gently in the direction of the bedroom. But I find it hard to break my eyes from the window and really, why doesn't the bedroom have a window too? Because God, I want to wake up to this view. Does that make me needy? Maybe it does but it's a legitimate question.

"Come on, Liv."

I groan lowly but finally turn my head towards the direction he's taking me in. When we cross the threshold to the bedroom, I cannot help the smile that crawls across my face. A window. How the fuck did I miss that when I was looking around the living area? Guess the big window distracted me too much. A window with the blinds wide open and I wonder if he came in here to do that for me. It allows us to see out of the big window in the living space and Jesus, the view is just as incredible in here as it is out there. Fuck, I already know the sex is going to be mind-blowing but with this view and this bed? The bed is huge, more than enough space for us to roll in all different directions. And God, Elliot definitely knew what the fuck he was doing with this trip.

I turn to smile at him... okay, grin at him because again, I guess I'm a fucking love struck teenager and instead of pulling me in to kiss him, which I think he's going to do, he pulls me gently by my hand in the direction of the bathroom. I follow him because really, it has to be good if he wants me to see it too.

And oh, is it better than good. A big shower, bigger than the one he has in his house and fuck, my fantasies with that shower were bad. Right next to the huge, dreamy shower? A huge fucking bathtub. I'm talking a bathtub big enough to probably fit six people comfortably and as I step closer to look inside of it my heart skips a little bit. Not only is it a huge bathtub, it's a huge jet bathtub. My God.

"We're taking a bath in that before we leave," he says from behind me. Like I already didn't know that. A bath with Elliot Stabler? A jacuzzi bath with Elliot Stabler? Yes please.

I turn to look at him and I'm not sure what he's expecting me to say to that but when I say, "Hell yes, we are," the look of pure want on his face almost makes my knees buckle. He stalks the few steps towards me with determination. I can see it. And fuck, it goes straight to the apex of my thighs.

I know he's worked up, of course he's worked up, the man probably drove all the way here with a hard on and no relief, while he made sure I had some. And I really, really, want to give him some. But something tells me that Elliot will never just let me please him and fuck, I still need to tell him about Lewis.

His lips connect to mine hungrily, that's literally the only word I can use to describe the velocity behind this kiss. It's like he wants to consume me whole. His lips, his tongue, his teeth, all demanding, all staking their claim but all so fucking romantic.

His hands are on my ass, hauling me against him, before I can even lift mine to his shoulders and goddamn, this man wants me. He wants me just as much as I want him and I fucking whimper at the thought of how good he's going to feel when he slides inside of me for the first time.

He's rock hard in his pants, I'm soaked and what I would give to be able to just allow him to throw me on the bed and have his way with me right now. My hands are roaming, from the back of his head, down his neck, over his broad ass shoulders and when mine start roaming, so do his. Up off my ass, up my back, his fingertips digging into the flesh along my spine, to my shoulders where he gives them a light squeeze, before he works them back down only slightly, just enough to place them on my sides. Fuck, his hands on me are like heaven and I can feel myself sinking into him. Can feel myself getting lost in him. Can feel my body start to take over my mind and fuck the Lewis conversation. Because I want him. Right now.

His hands are just coming around to grab my breasts, my hands are just about to start pushing him backwards towards the bed when we're interrupted by the sound of my stomach growling loudly. Loudly, like a fucking elephant and of course he cannot help his belly laugh against my lips. This dick.

I moan in irritation, "I'm hungry." I know my voice is laced with sex and lust and God.

He chuckles, "Yeah, I can hear that." His is deep and sexy and I always knew he would have an amazing sex voice.

Technically, it's his fault I'm fucking starving. He didn't feed me lunch, didn't even do a bathroom stop, which makes me remember that my bladder is full too. And ugh, yes totally his fault. Although I'm irritated, I can't help but be thankful. Fate has had a way of working against us up until this point and this time, I think it actually worked for us. We have to talk about Lewis before we cross this line. I know we have to. Because the last thing I, we, need is me having a panic attack at the beginning of sex. That would scar us forever.

"It's your fault," I whisper, my hands gliding along his shoulders once more because really, how can I not with this body?

"My fault?"

His hands are moving softly against my sides, our lips are still inches apart and even this is so fucking intimate. "Yeah, you didn't feed me lunch."

"I wanted you to be well rested."

I mug him lightly and when he only grins at me, I roll my eyes. "Are we going out for dinner or...?"

"Yes. So get ready. Do you want to see the falls tonight? Or wait until tomorrow?"

"That depends."

"On what?"

"Does the restaurant have a nice view?" Yeah, I'm needy and I do not want to leave this view. Now or ever.

He smiles, leans down to kiss my lips lightly, "It does. We'll be able to see all the lights."

"Tomorrow then." Tonight is going to be a hard night, unbeknownst to Elliot, and I know it'll be better if it was just us as much as possible anyways. We can watch the falls from the window at our table and the window in our room. I can use the view to help keep me calm and I can do this. We can do this. And as soon as I tell him, as soon as it's over, we can cross this final barrier.

He nods, kisses me once more and releases my body. Damn, this man has more resolve than I ever thought he would have. "I'll get you your bags."

"Thank you."

As he sets both my bags on the ground my eyes fall upon the bulge evident in the man's pants. A bulge he hasn't been able to take care of himself today and is he really going to survive dinner without a release? "Do you..."

"I can handle it."

I raise my eyebrows at him, glance around the bathroom because really how is he going to handle it if I'm in here getting ready? He gonna shoot himself off in the trashcan or something? And I'm not against helping him out... some. The man does deserve a release like I had but when I step towards him, he steps back.

"Reservation is at 8."

"El..." I try to protest because how the fuck is he going to manage that through dinner.

He smiles at me, "Later, Liv. Get ready."

Fine. If he fucking says so. Not like I didn't offer. As he goes to step out of the bathroom, I grab a towel off the stack that is provided for us on the sink and say, "Here!" He catches it right before it smacks him in the face and the man really needs to work on his reflexes. At least he's better with his gun because I would have been screwed years ago if he wasn't.

When he eyes it suspiciously, I grin. This inner fucking sex goddess really may be the cause of both our deaths. "In case you want to picture me naked in here and can't handle it anymore."

His eyes darken, he growls and for a second I think he's going to stalk right up to me again and throw me against the wall. But he doesn't, of course he doesn't. He just grins at me and pulls the towel to his chest, "Thanks."

Then he's gone and fuck. Now I have the image of him pleasuring himself right outside this door and dammit.

I just want to get this night over with as soon as possible so we can, finally, fully, take care of one another. And with that thought, with my arousal soaking through my panties, I lift my shirt over my head. I glance at the scars that are scattered along the tops of my breasts, along my belly, rub my fingers over them lightly, take a deep breath and turn away from the mirror.

I can do this. As long as Elliot is right beside me to help keep me present, to keep me safe, I can do this.

I can.