24. Love

"On the count of rape in the first degree, how does the jury find."

"Guilty."

"On the count of sodomy in the first degree, how does the jury find."

"Guilty."

"On the count of unlawful imprisonment in the second degree, how does the jury find."

"Guilty."

The verdict is a resounding victory and a warning to others like Perry Lewis, who thought they could get away with anything because they have money and a family with influence. The young man is going away for a very long time and his life as he once knew it is over for good. Casey Novak is the star of the impromptu press conference on the steps of the courthouse while the Detectives shield Michelle and her parents so they can get to their car without being bothered.

"They can begin to heal now," Olivia states, watching the car drive off.

Gene stands next to her and rubs her back gently.

"You're a great team."

"We are," Olivia agrees, and she looks at her partner who is standing on her other side.

Elliot looks at her and then at Gene. Gene doesn't look away and Elliot nods at him.

"We have each other's backs around here. If one of us gets hurt, we all step up. Remember that, Mr. Butler."

"I hear ya," Gene says but Elliot isn't done.

"Do you?" he questions and Gene can tell that the man is dead serious.

"Yes. I do. It's good to know Olivia has such loyal friends."

Elliot looks at his partner and Gene watches the wordless interaction between the two with great interest. Back when he'd first been interviewed by them, he could have sworn there was something going on between these two. Now, he simply sees Olivia reassure her partner that she's fine before turning into him and grabbing his hand.

"Let's get out of here," she says quietly and his heart soars once more.

She really wants to be with him and he has to stop himself from laughing out loud from sheer happiness. He hardly recognizes himself anymore and yet he feels more like himself than he has in a very, very long time. And it's all because of her.

"Where to?" he asks her, and he doesn't really care where they go, as long as she is with him.

"I could eat," Olivia quips and he finally lets out a laugh.

"Whatever you wish, my queen," he tells her, making a small bow for her.

She is smiling from ear to ear, and he really wants to kiss her right now. He manages to contain himself and flags a cab for them instead.

"What, no limo?" Olivia jokes and he chuckles.

If there's one thing he won't have to worry about, it's that Olivia would be with him because he's wealthy. There isn't a fiber in her being that is interested in money and it gives him all the more joy to pamper her. He gives the cab driver the address of one of his favorite restaurants, which happens to be close to his current hotel.

When they enter the expensive restaurant, Olivia looks at her court outfit and wonders if she shouldn't have changed out of her black skirt and blazer and white blouse. She looks like a business woman.

"You look great," Gene tells her and she'll take his word for it.

The way he's looking at her makes her feel warm inside but she knows they still need to talk about what they are going to be to each other. And she still has a small confession to make.

They only have to wait a short time to be seated, one of the perks of being with a Butler no doubt, and Olivia tries to relax. It's not like she's never had dinner with Gene before, she tells herself, and it's not like she hasn't gone up to his hotel room afterwards before … her chest constricts at the thought because she knows perfectly well that things have changed between them. The relief she is feeling, being with Gene again, should worry her deeply. She isn't one to come to depend on someone else for her happiness. But then again, she hasn't exactly found happiness all on her own either. She needs to decide if she's willing to take a chance with Gene; to invest in this relationship that he seems to want, with the risk of losing it all in the end anyway. If she has to choose between losing him now or losing him down the line, she had to admit that she wants this now. She's been miserable without Gene and as scary as it is, he wants to be with her for real this time around.

"Hey," Gene says softly, and she looks at him. "What's with the frown?"

He reaches across the table for her hand and she can't suppress a smile when he lifts it up to his lips and kisses it. Of all the corny moves … but it makes her feel good about herself; she feels seen; wanted. Even loved.

The waiter brings them a bottle of wine and Gene nods in approval, never letting go of Olivia's hand while the young man pours them each a glass and then leaves the bottle on their table as well.

"Are you still having doubts about what I did?" Gene asks once they are alone again.

She shakes her head. She has no real reason to thing he'd lie about something like that.

"Then what?"

She shrugs and squeezes his hand before retracting her own.

"I'm just … out of my element I guess."

Gene leans back in his seat and studies her face. He can't believe no one has ever made a real effort for the gorgeous brunette. She may be tough on the outside but she is so soft and sweet on the inside. All woman. An incredibly strong woman, holding her own in a man's world. Perhaps her femininity has gone unnoticed for far too long. He supposes she's wanted it that way though. Perhaps it hasn't been for lack of suitors that she's still alone. He of all people should know how that works. He can only hope she will feel safe enough with him to let her guard down. He knows she has made him feel safe and he still hates himself for shutting her out when he needed her the most. But he only realizes this now. Olivia would have been his rock and if he had allowed himself to open up to her sooner, she would never have left his side.

But he'd been a coward and he had run away from love, and he had hurt her in the process.

"I'll do anything to make you see you deserve the world," he breathes, finishing his own thoughts out loud for her to hear.

Olivia smiles but looks down at her glass of wine.

"You can afford it," she says, and he knows she's deflecting.

"You'd think so, huh?" he responds, and his words make her look up at him, a question in her eyes.

"It's not about buying you things and you know it," he adds.

Olivia looks away. She knows exactly what Gene means and she has no comeback. This is all completely new to her but there is one thing she is sure of: if there will ever be a guy going all out for her, she wants it to be Gene. She wants to know what it's like to be the only woman in his life and to know he isn't leaving her bed to be with someone else anymore. She wants to be able to say she's taken and not have suspects mock her when they guess she's single. She still wants that dream she'd had as a little girl, of being a princess finding her very own prince Charming. And while life has shown her that it's nothing like a fairytale at all and thatpeople go out of their way to hurt each other, part of her still wants that little bit of perfect.

She smiles, remembering what Elliot had called Gene way back when they'd interviewed him. Mr. Perfect. She knows that Gene isn't perfect at all, but he doesn't have to be perfect to be a perfect match for her. She isn't perfect either after all.

"That's better," Gene says softly and her smile widens. "You want to order now?"

Olivia nods and they both focus on the menu for the time being.

...

Olivia manages to relax over dinner and Gene relaxes along with her. He's out of his element too but he knows there is no way back for him. He can't go back to his old life with Olivia constantly on his mind. There is only one way to go, and that is forward. He finds himself wanting to look at Olivia all the time. He isn't just thinking of her body anymore and while he definitely plans to take her up to his hotel room later, it's not even at the top of his list. He wants to say things to her; make her understand that he really wants this, however scary it is for both of them. Maybe that fear will keep them from trampling on each others' hearts, because they don't want to cause the very pain they're so afraid of themselves.

Olivia passes on dessert, and he knows she has only had a light dinner. He wasn't very hungry himself. Has to be their nervousness.

When they walk the short distance from the restaurant to his hotel, he takes Olivia's hand and she lets him hold it. It's becoming a habit for them to walk hand in hand and he likes it. He watches her profile and wonders what she's thinking. He remembers that night, so many weeks ago, when she'd cancelled on him and he had gone for a stroll alone. He should have known then that he was falling for her and he can't thank her enough for sticking with him long enough for him to pull his head out of his ass and acknowledge it.

He lets out a harsh breath and it makes Olivia look at him. He stops walking in front of his hotel and stands in front of her so he can take her other hand in his too. Olivia is looking up at him now, waiting for him to say something and he knows he has to make it count.

"I'm sorry it took me so long to see what was right in front of me, Olivia," he says quietly. "I think I fell in love with you months ago but I refused to see it right away."

Her reply surprises him and warms his heart.

"Gene … it was the same for me. I just … I figured you really didn't want anything besides sex."

He smiles and shakes his head, mainly at himself.

"I kept telling myself that too. This is all on me, Olivia. I'm just so grateful that you're still here. And I could say something really cheesy like, you deserve better than me and you should go and find a man who is worthy of you but honestly? I just want you for myself. I'm selfish like that."

Olivia pulls one hand out of his grasp and for a second he thinks she may pull away, but when she caresses his cheek instead, he swallows hard.

"You're not selfish, Gene. I've never had a lover before who is so generous and so giving. You make me feel special and I'm not ready to give that up."

"Not yet?" he asks, still needing something to hold on to as he jumps off this cliff into the unknown.

Olivia stands on her tiptoes and places a feather light kiss on his lips.

"If you play your cards right, maybe not ever," she says.

The only thing betraying her nervousness is the slight tremor in her voice but she knows she wants to mean it. And when Gene leans in and kisses her, she closes her eyes and lets go. His kiss is gentle at first but becomes more eager when she reciprocates, kissing him back slowly and deeply until he groans. It's different now and it isn't. He can still set her on fire with a touch or a kiss, and when they break apart they hurry inside, into the lobby of the hotel. The receptionist waves at them, recognizing Gene of course, and Olivia stops herself before she can start wondering how many times he's been here in the past months. This is the hotel where they had sex for the first time and it seems fitting to be here again.

Once they are up in Gene's room, they slow down, both sensing the big change between them. They aren't about to have sex; they are about to make love. And that is something from a completely different realm.

Gene is kissing her again, his hands caressing her body over her clothes and she can feel his love in every movement and in his breathing. It's overwhelming and as much as she wants to feel his hands on her bare skin again, perhaps this means even more. They are standing at the foot of the bed where their journey began all those months ago and here they are again, taking things slow so they can take it all in. Olivia inhales Gene's unique scent when they break off their intense kissing for some air, nuzzling her nose against his neck.

"Olivia," Gene whispers, almost reverently.

She kisses his neck and remembers something. She has to tell him now. It's only fair.

"Gene," she says softly.

"Hmm?"

He is still holding her close to him, caressing her back and ass and swaying lightly, taking in the moment.

"I have to tell you something."

"Go ahead."

She takes a deep breath and closes her eyes when she tells him,

"I kissed Frank."

Gene feels her tense up a little against him and smiles even though she can't see his face.

"I know," he tells her.

Olivia lifts her head to look at him.

"You do?"

Gene nods.

"I saw you. On the dance floor."

He can tell she's surprised but when she averts her eyes, he wonders if there's more.

"Did you see us at the pool, too?" she asks him.

His eyebrows raise in surprise. There is more?

"No. I didn't. Did you … did he …"

He doesn't know what he'll do if it turns out Frank slept with Olivia. He knows she had every right to be upset but his brother …

"No!" Olivia says quickly, looking up at him again. "No, I stopped but … there was some heavy petting going on before I snapped out of it."

Gene blows out a breath and drops his forehead against Olivia's. He takes another deep breath before assuring her,

"I would have understood. Even if more had happened. I mean, you had every right to do whatever you wanted, especially after that dick move I made. But Frank? He knew you were my guest."

"Please don't blame him," Olivia pleads. The last thing she wants is to drive a wedge between the brothers. "I told him you and me weren't a real couple. I led him on. It was all me. "

"And he couldn't resist you. I guess I can't fault him for that," Gene says with a small smile, and Olivia feels a surge of relief when she sees the look in his eyes. It's as loving as before and she can let go of the guilt she's felt over her actions.

"What made you snap out of it?" he asks her and she bites her lip at the question. Even more confessions … but she wants to tell Gene, so he will know that she really wants this with him. She knows he needs that reassurance, just like she does. And so she tells him,

"I couldn't be with a man who looks so much like the man I was trying to forget."

Gene wraps his arms around her shoulders and pulls her against his chest, and she sinks into his embrace.

"And now?" he asks, and she recognizes the question for what it is. He is still scared, just like her.

"Now, I don't want to forget," she tells him honestly.

It's enough for Gene and when they kiss again, they start a slow dance of finally undressing each other, kissing each other deeply. They move slowly, giving attention to every part of skin that is revealed to them gradually. The way Gene worships her body, brings Olivia to tears and when their bodies merge once more, Gene settling between her legs as she welcomes him home, he feels like he's free-falling into her; into love.

Olivia looks into his eyes as he begins to move, Gene towering over her. Her body is trembling for more than one reason but she's eager to take him in as deep as she can. His eyes are boring into hers but after a few minutes, the emotion becomes too much and she closes her eyes.

Gene drapes his body over hers and kisses her again. Her eyes remain closed but she kisses him back, her body wrapping around his, surrendering to him. He knows he isn't going to last long but he also knows that this won't be their last time together. It means so much more now and when Olivia's breathing picks up and she tilts her hips, meeting his thrusts more eagerly, he knows she is getting closer.

"Go baby," he whispers against her lips.

Olivia places her feet firmly on the mattress so she can push back against him, taking him in even deeper while creating a delicious friction between their bodies. Gene dips down to take one of her nipples in his mouth and flicks his tongue over and around it. Olivia pants and moans, digging her fingernails in his shoulders and he loves to bring her to the brink of ecstasy like this. He is rock-hard himself and teetering on the edge but he wants her to come first. He will always want her to come first.

"Gene," Olivia whispers on a heavy exhale and he thrusts harder, deeper, slowing down each time as he pushes in the last half inch before pulling back to thrust again.

"Oh yes!" she croaks and it becomes her mantra as he pushes her closer and closer to ecstasy, one thrust at a time.

She feels tears escaping the corners of her eyes when she squeezes them shut and her body shudders from emotion as well as bliss when her orgasm begins to roll over her. Gene doesn't stop but works to enhance her pleasure, rolling his hips to stimulate her clit with his body while she begins to contract around him. He pushes through, intent on letting her ride out her orgasm but her tight heat pushes him over the edge as well, making his body jolt erratically before he can control it again. They continue to move slowly, deeply connected, panting as waves of pleasure wash over them and then subside slowly.

Gene wants to move so he won't crush Olivia but she wraps her arms around his shoulders tightly, not ready to let him go. He is like a warm shield and she needs it now, to protect her from all the things she has always worried about, her own insecurities and her fear of a broken heart. Gene pushes his hands underneath her shoulder blades and holds her against his chest while putting most of his weight on his elbows. He kisses her neck softly and she can't stop the words from escaping her lips when she tells him,

"I love you."

…

…

...

To be continued. Yes, there will be more!