Saturday came and Lucy knocked on Olivia's door at 4 pm.
"Now remember I'm doing this because even though you're my boss, you're my friend. I don't want you to even think of paying me. Lucy said as she walked into see Noah was running around, playing with a toy car.
"Lucy of course I'll pay you." Olivia stated.
"Nope, I'm volunteering."
"The sofa bed is my spot tonight. I have things to keep occupied after this little boy goes to sleep. "
"You ready for a sleepover Noah, we're going to bake cookies and play games and eat ice cream and watch movies. And order pizza!" Lucy said excitingly.
"YEAH!" Noah screamed.
"Well, okay, then." Olivia stated.
"What time is he going to be here?" Lucy asked.
"In about an hour I should get ready." Olivia stated.
"What are you wearing?" Lucy, I asked.
"I haven't thought that far ahead.
"He'll appreciate whatever you wear but mind if I take a look." Lucy asked
"Fine, Olivia stated."
Lucy looked past her suits for work and back to the dresses and pulled a Red Lace dress from the back. It has a sweetheart neckline and short sleeves it was fitting but flared right that knee.
"This is beautiful, Liv" Lucy squealed.
"Yeah, and that was bought four years ago when I was about 15lbs lighter," Olivia stated.
"Does it fit?" Lucy asked.
"I don't know," Olivia stated.
She bit her lip hesitant to put on the dress, but quickly slipped in her bathroom and tried it on.
Her breast didn't spill out, but they felt tight against the line, her hips fit well, and she was surprised that she could still get into it. She found a matching lipstick and pulled her hair back. She couldn't; remember the last time she had gotten dressed up like this. She sprayed some perfume, grabbed a clutch taking the bare necessities. She looked in the mirror one last time and didn't realize how late it was. She heard Barba at the door. She walked out; Lucy whistled at her. Olivia laughed and answered the door.
Barba stood a the door he had his phone in his hand, looking at a message and when he looked up, he dropped it. "Wow, Liv you look, wow."
Lucy and Olivia both giggled, and he blushed while picking up his phone.
Noah came running over to Barba and hugged him.
"Mommy said that you and she were going to go by yourselves, but Lucy is staying to play games with me, and we're having a sleepover so you and mommy can have pizza and play games too," Noah stated.
Lucy laughed out so loud Barba, and Olivia looked extremely uncomfortable.
Lucy didn't say anything and Noah went back over to finish watching Paw Patrol.
"Now Lucy if something comes up anything even if it's with some friends let me know; I can be home anytime."
"Wait, I have something for you before you go." Lucy stopped and put her finger up for a minute; Lucy went through her duffle bag.
"give me your clutch," she said.
Olivia thought it odd but complied, and didn't quite see the three objects that Lucy dropped in.
"Just because of you can't get pregnant doesn't mean you can't get a disease." Lucy stated.
Olivia blushed
"Shouldn't this be the other way around I work SVU," Olivia stated.
"I know, but it seems no one practices what they preach, or takes their own advice so there you go."
"Thanks, mom." Olivia stated.
Barba just looked bemused, not sure what was taking place, and hanging back in the kitchen area.
"What was that about." He asked
Olivia didn't say a word.
"Come on, let's go before we both get a lecture," Olivia stated.
"So Miss Benson, where are you taking me," Barba asked.
"Well, actually a place you know quite well, Mr. Barba." She smirked.
The cafe was too far to walk so they got into her car and drove and as they went towards the street and she found a place to park."
"How did you know?" Raphael asked.
"We share a lot of friends Raphael," Olivia stated not giving up who spilled the information.
The dinner was excellent, but Olivia and Raphael could both feel the tension.
"You wanted to talk Liv?" Barba asked.
"Yeah uh, I did it just." She kept fumbling over her words, and Barba looked at her.
"Apparently we have a convinced everyone who has ever seen us together that we are together," Olivia stated.
Barba swallowed hard no knowing what she wanted him to say.
Olivia quickly followed up," Look; maybe if other people see it, perhaps we should start seeing it too?" She questioned.
Raphael Barba grabbed her hands across the table and breathed out a sigh of relief.
"I can do that Liv." Barba stated.
She smiled widely "Me too."
Food came out quick, and Olivia couldn't believe how good everything tasted.
"Raphael! How did you hold out on me this long?" Olivia asked as she took another bite.
"I'm sorry Liv, I agree this should have happened a lot sooner." Raphael laughed as he finished his meal.
The meal ended, and they walked back on the street, Raphael grabbed her hand, and she allowed herself to feel the sparks and not ignore them or pull back as she usually would and just holding his hand for the moment seemed like too much and not enough all at the same time. She leaned him as they walked.
Raphael Barba knew in that instant he could get used to the way she leaned up against him. They walked back to the car. It was only six, but Raphael had no idea when Lucy had to leave.
"So when is it you need to be back to Noah," Raphael asked as they got back into the car.
Olivia didn't want to admit that they had until tomorrow afternoon, so she just said "We have plenty of time."
"Okay so you invited me, is there anything else on the agenda?'
"I was hoping maybe to see your place," Olivia asked.
"Well, then I'll drive it's easier that way," Raphael stated.
They switched seats and Raphael took her car to his normal spot.
"They took the elevator up to his apartment, and he opened the door.
"Wow, it's beautiful," Olivia stated.
She looked around the room, and although it was nothing like her space, it made her feel at ease. It felt very modern, and something she would see in a listing setup.
She situated herself on the Windowsill staring out at the river.
"It's mesmerizing, isn't it?" Raphael asked
"It is," Olivia stated.
Olivia wished she could put her knees up and really relax against the wall but with the the dress she was in there was no way she could do so.
Raphael watched her squirm as she was trying to get comfortable but couldn't. He saw her playing with the hem of her dress, and then it clicked. He wordlessly got up and walked to his bedroom, he grabbed a throw out of the closet and gave it to her. Olivia smiled brightly and took I pulling it up over herself and finally getting comfortable enjoying the view. Raphael joined her, leaning against the opposite of the window and watching in comfortable silence.
"You want a drink?" Raphael asked.
Olivia nodded her head, and allowed her eyes to look back into the apartment and followed Raphael into the kitchen
It was beautiful a kitchen dark hardwood floors and cabinets were dark cherry wood. The kitchen island and the countertops were black. He had his cookware hanging underneath the hood of his stove. The fridge was stainless steel, and the bar stools were black leather. She sat herself on one and Raphael listed what he had to drink as Olivia laughed after about the 14th option.
"Do you have anything other than drinks in your fridge?" She asked.
"I'll have you know there is a steak, a head of lettuce some condiments and some eggs," Barba stated
Olivia made her decision and Barba sat at the stool next to her.
"Liv I have to admit I'm nervous about all this I don't want to lose you or Noah." Raphael admitted.
"Hey, I know you've been my best friend for a long time now." Olivia stated.
Olivia got off the stool, and Raphael followed. He caressed her cheek, and she felt the fire from his touch.
"We can do this." Olivia stated.
"I know," Raphael stated and pulled her into a long embrace.
"So do I need to have an excuse like a movie or something, to sit on your couch and make-out with you," Olivia asked boldly.
Barba was shocked for a second not so much that Olivia just came out with but the word themselves all in one sentence together."
"Not at all Liv." He replied.
They both sat on the couch. The Leather couch was stiff like Barba had once described, but it was still comfortable. They began touching caressing and then kissing. They were both used to being dominated in relationships fighting back and forth for control. Olivia loved the new rush that came with a new relationship and the feeling in the bottom of her belly quickly escalated. She wasn't sure when or how it happened, but Raphael Barba was on top of her. His hands were on either side of her head and his knees on either side of her hips and she froze. She pushed his chest forcefully without saying a word.
"Liv what's wrong?" he asked.
She couldn't help but think of William Lewis, and she wasn't one to cry, but she was so frustrated of the now dead man ruining this moment for her. She was done with crying even though she could feel the unshed tears start to form.
"Liv?" Raphael asked again.
"I'm sorry, I just panicked for a second," Olivia stated.
Raphael nodded.
"You know I should..." Olivia stated and started to get up.
"Just talk to me Liv, please." Raphael begged.
She sighed, knowing that he deserved an explanation and knowing he knew everything about the Lewis case she agreed.
She sat back down, Raphael put the distance between them, but Olivia leaned into him, and he couldn't help but feel his heart flutter.
"That felt, so good but then when I realized what kind of position I panicked, I was trying to think of way out just in case. I've sort of always been like that, but after Lewis, it's tenfold, and I'm sorry." Olivia stated.
"Don't be sorry, Liv. I never even thought about it. I want you to know I would never purposely hurt you." Raphael stated.
"I know that we'll get there; I just need a little time," Olivia stated.
"Olivia, I want you to know you can talk to me. You're allowed to cry. I'm going to do everything I can to make it up to you."
With the permission to cry her tears fell, and she felt like an idiot, but Raphael continued to hold her as she attempted to deny her chest to heave. When all her thoughts came rushing to her head.
Raphael told her " I have you." and "it's okay" throughout rubbing her arm lightly. She faced away from him, and he couldn't imagine her looking him in the eye that point because he would absolutely break. He never told her how he cried for hours after she told him about William Lewis. That all he wanted to do was kill the man but knew it wouldn't do any good for either of them. So right now he was doing what he could to hold it together himself.
Olivia calmed herself down, breathing in deep and forcing the thoughts of her mind, focusing on Raphael's assurances, and his hands rubbing her arms up and down and began to relax. When she felt that her face was no longer red, she sat up and faced him.
"I'm so sorry this is not how I wanted the night to go," Olivia stated.
"Hey, like you said we got this," Raphael stated.
She smiled and Touched his cheek and leaned in to kiss him. She wasn't expecting the fire in her belly to return so easily, and she was quickly pushing him down on the couch and in the back of her mind knew it wasn't exactly fair to expect him to be in the position he put her in prior but that thought had been interrupted when his tongue entered her mouth and the fire only burned hotter.
Raphael didn't care Olivia Benson had attacked him on the couch so suddenly, and he was pretty sure if he died this way it would have been enough, but so shortly after the conversation they just had he couldn't let it go much further than this. So he calmed it down, allowing her to bite his lip but not allowing her tongue to enter once again.
"Liv babe, you have to stop," Raphael said out of breath.
She gave him one last kiss and leaned back into him.
Raphael was not comfortable in any way the bulge in his pants refused to fall, and the mere closeness to Olivia was all too much.
" I need to go to the bathroom. I'll be back."
Olivia put 2 and 2 together.
"Oh, Raf, I'm sorry," Olivia stated.
"Don't be; I'll be right back." Raphael Babra stated as he scurried into the bedroom, and into his bathroom trying to think of anything other than Olivia Benson in her beautiful red lace dress.
