Elliot followed Olivia to the top of the stairs, but he didn't follow her as she made her way down. He felt slightly awkward and a little bit guilty. He'd spent the better part of the past week thinking about how to get closer to Olivia this week. He'd spent days figuring out how to work around to the subject of how he felt, to help her see there could be a future for them, and to hopefully share a life and a bed. So, following her to her bedroom right now, even though he had absolutely no intention of getting anywhere close to her tonight, made him feel like he'd skipped to the end. Thus, the stab of guilt.

He wondered if he could lay next to her all night and not think about how much he wanted to kiss her…and more.

He wondered if there was even a remote chance that she would be thinking the same thing.

"It'll be like we're sleeping in the cribs. In bunks right across from each other. Just a little closer."

"It's fine. Just tonight."

He smiled, thinking about the lines she had thrown out. He thought she very well may be having similar thoughts. But he wasn't going to push her. He knew with Olivia, moving things forward slowly was going to be the key. He was going to have to play his hand a little, but leave her space to react, retreat, or advance.

Elliot turned and grabbed the quilt and the extra pillow so that at the very least, he could sleep on top of the blankets and cover up with the quilt. He worked his way down the stairs, cursing the twist of it that made it difficult for his height and bulk, and that made it hard to get anything down the stairs. It confirmed that he'd never get that mattress down here.

He glanced at the loveseat, thinking perhaps he had misremembered the size, but he hadn't. He turned back towards the small hallway, noting a light in the bathroom and the bedroom, illuminating the space. He listened for any sounds, but heard none, so he moved towards the bedroom door.

When he reached the doorway he paused, clutching the quilt and pillow in his arms. He saw Olivia sitting on the edge of the bed. He noticed that she had donned a large, gray cardigan, effectively covering up what she'd been wearing for bed. It made him pause, trying to figure out how he felt about her feeling self-conscious around him. He'd never known her to be that way before, but then again, he wasn't used to seeing her stripped down like that, unless it was a quick change in the locker room.

In those moments, he always looked away, even though she'd never asked him to give her any privacy. He hadn't wanted to be tempted to stare.

He wondered if he'd stared just minutes before in the loft and if that had made her uncomfortable. He didn't think he had because he'd been pretty pre-occupied with the situation. But he'd be lying if he said he hadn't noticed the way she was dressed when she'd come upstairs to check on him. He'd definitely noted the thin material and spaghetti straps of her tank top and the hip hugging leggings she was wearing.

"Are you sure this is okay?" Elliot asked. "It seems…" He didn't have a word for how he was feeling, or how he might presume she felt, so he found himself shrugging and letting it lie there.

Olivia rolled her eyes, trying to make it seem like it wasn't a big deal. "Let's just get some sleep, and we can sort this out tomorrow." She didn't want to think about how her body seemed to be acutely aware that Elliot was going to be sleeping mere inches for her. Or how she wondered if he may accidentally move a little closer in the night. Or even if she'd wake up in the morning with his body draped around hers.

Elliot watched as Olivia slid her legs beneath the sheets and pulled the comforter up, cardigan and all. She quickly rolled on to her side, meaning her back towards him when he crawled in on the other side. He knew for a fact that she didn't sleep on her side from the numerous times he'd had to wake her in the cribs, but her pose didn't surprise him. He ducked back out of the bedroom and turned off the light in the bathroom, and then hit the light switch as he re-entered the bedroom. There was enough moonlight coming through the slats in the blinds to keep him from injuring himself as he rounded the bed. He shifted the covers over slightly, so he wouldn't pull them off Olivia when he climbed on top and he tossed the pillow down, on top of the one already there.

"You need an extra pillow?" Elliot asked.

"No."

Elliot could hear tension in her terse response. He climbed on to the bed as gingerly as he could, but he saw Olivia's body shift back slightly as he bowed the mattress. She rolled back as he settled on it, and then he spread the quilt out over his body.

"What are you doing?" Olivia asked, rolling over slightly to look at him in the dark.

"I'm just getting situated."

Olivia tugged at the blankets. "Are you laying on top of the blankets?"

"Yeah."

"That's not going to work." She said, annoyed. "Then I'm going to be fighting with this all night." She said as she tugged at them again. "Just stop with the chivalry and climb under the blankets." She rolled over. "I'm not worried about my honor tonight." She said, trying to make light of the ridiculous situation.

Elliot was surprised by her choice of words, and he knew she was trying to keep things casual. He told himself to leave it alone, but of course he couldn't help himself. "Maybe I'm not that trustworthy." He said, lowering the timber of his voice. "Did you ever think about that?"

Olivia was shocked by his comment. If he'd had more to drink, she would think it was the alcohol talking, but obviously the darkness had made him brazen. She thought about grabbing his quilt and marching out to sleep on the loveseat herself, but she wasn't going to give him the satisfaction of letting him know that he'd shaken her. "Touch me and you'll find out what I think." She said with a voice that was cool and composed. But she was anything but. She tugged at the blankets again and rolled into herself a little more. Her heartbeat had accelerated with the tone of Elliot's voice and she wondered what the hell she'd been thinking about, inviting him into the bed so casually.

It had seemed like a good idea at the time.

Practical.

Innocent.

Elliot rolled over onto his back and let out a small laugh. "Night Liv."

EOEOEOEO

The last thing Elliot remembered was wondering how in the hell he was going to fall asleep when all he could smell was the scent that he would forever associate with Olivia. And then, he was waking up and could see the first rays of the morning sun streaming through the blinds. He was in roughly the same position in which he'd laid down and he scrubbed a hand down his face as he tried to clear the sleep from his eyes. He rolled his head to his side, but he'd already known that Olivia was gone.

He wondered when she'd left.

Elliot rolled over on his side and slid a hand to the spot where she'd been sleeping. The sheets were cool to the touch. The clock on the nightstand on her side said 6:48AM, and he groaned. He had really planned on sleeping in and had wanted her to do the same. He really hoped he wouldn't find her curled up on the loveseat in the living room because of something he'd said.

When Elliot climbed out from beneath the covers, there was a chill in the air. He grabbed the extra quilt and wrapped it around himself and shuffled to the door, opening it as quietly as he could before heading into the bathroom. When he was done there, he wrapped himself in the quilt again and headed back down the hallway, but seconds later, he smelled coffee, and he knew Olivia wasn't sleeping.

Elliot emerged from the hallway, but he didn't see her in the living room or dining room. He headed into the kitchen but that was empty too. There was an empty mug sitting on the counter, which he presumed she'd set out for him, and he pulled himself a cup of coffee, nearly draining the small pot. He took a drink, appreciating the warmth and the strength of it. Much better than the swill they drank at the precinct.

Unsure of where Olivia was, he headed towards the door. The moment he got close, he could see the porch through the glass, and saw Olivia wrapped up in a blanket on one of the chairs. He opened the door quietly.

"Shhh." Olivia said, almost immediately.

Elliot's eyes followed where her fingers were pointing, and he saw three does on the far side of the driveway, near the edge of the woods. They were nibbling at the grass, and with the morning sun streaming through the trees, it looked idyllic.

Elliot stepped carefully onto the wooden porch, and he saw their ears perk up, but they didn't stop their morning feast. He closed the door as much as he could, and then stepped softly and sat down in the vacant chair adjacent to Olivia. "Good morning." He whispered as he set his mug on the small table.

"Morning." Olivia said quietly. She took a sip of coffee and wrapped her hands around the mug.

Elliot was listening for the inflection in her voice and trying to read her expressions to gauge her mood this morning. Even though he'd tried to give her as much space as possible, he wasn't sure how she felt about the sleeping arrangements the night before. But she was distracted by the view, and he couldn't read her. "It's a little cold out here." The wooden decking was cold against his bare feet and he could see a plume of his breath when he spoke.

"It feels good." Olivia whispered. "The cabin was stuffy.

Elliot wanted to tell her that maybe she should have taken off the heavy cardigan, but he held that comment. He didn't want to have a conversation on the reasons why she chose to wear it to bed.

"I was fine."

"You give off so much body heat." Olivia said as she glanced over at him. "It's like sleeping next to a blast furnace. I kept waking up and I saw you covered up with the comforter and that heavy quilt." She motioned to the quilt he had wrapped around him now. "And I couldn't imagine you weren't roasting."

Elliot shrugged. "I guess I'm used to it." He remembered how Kathy used to press her cold feet against his legs to steal some heat, but he pushed the memory away. "It's an asset on cold winter nights." He teased.

"Yeah, well it's not going to be that cold this week."

Elliot chuckled and grabbed his mug off the table, looking back out at the deer. They had lifted their heads at the sound and started moving farther away.

Olivia was a bit thrown by Elliot's small comments. They were just a little bit suggestive, nothing overt, but she wasn't used to this flirty Elliot. She wasn't sure how she should react, or how he thought she would react. Or maybe how he hoped she would react? She needed to get them back on firm ground.

"I couldn't believe how quickly you fell asleep. You laid down and you were out, almost immediately."

"I told you I was tired." He said. "That's why I told you that you didn't have to worry about your honor." He chuckled.

Olivia glanced over at him sharply, but Elliot was drinking his coffee, seemingly comfortable with the more than casual banter. "Did you know that you snore?" Olivia tossed back at him before he could make any more comments.

Elliot grinned as he took a sip of his rapidly cooling coffee. "I think you've told me that once or twice before." They'd had the occasion to catch some shuteye in the cribs at the same time, and she had certainly mentioned it. It was obvious that she hadn't slept well, and he felt a little bad about that. "I'm sorry you didn't sleep well. But it's still early. Why don't you go crawl back in bed, and I'll make breakfast when you wake up?" Elliot offered.

"We don't have any food."

"Small details." Elliot had forgotten about that. "Well, I can go into town and grab some groceries while you sleep."

Olivia appreciated the olive branch he was offering, and she tried to shake the fatigue from her mind and body. "I appreciate that. But I'd really like to explore the town together." A slight breeze stirred up and she pulled the blanket more tightly around her. "How about we finish our coffee, get ready, and then we can head into town." She suggested. "Then you can buy me breakfast, we can explore a bit and then get some groceries and other things we need." She wanted to get the lay of the land and get some food but then, it was going to be a lazy afternoon back here at the house. A cozy blanket, a book and maybe a nap.

And they'd have to figure out the situation with the extra bedroom.

"Sounds like a plan." Elliot smiled at how she'd slipped in the fact that he was buying. It was definitely a small price to pay if he had been responsible for keeping her up the night before. "You want to take a shower first?"

"Are you going to use all the hot water if you go first?" Olivia asked, arching a brow at him.

"No?"

"Then go ahead. I want to sit out here a little longer."

Elliot took one last gulp and finished off his coffee and then he was gone. Olivia looked back out at the spot where the deer had disappeared, drinking in the quiet. It was such a stark contrast to the constant commotion of the city, and when she'd first come out here in the morning, the silence had been almost deafening. But slowly, she had tuned her ear to the sound of the wind as it rustled the leaves in the trees, the trill of birds hidden amongst the leaves and the antics of squirrels as they scampered about their business. This was the type of getaway she'd never imagined for herself, but now that she was here, she was amazed that she'd ever thought to have this type of escape before. She presumed it was her upbringing. Serena had never had a desire to leave the city. They didn't vacation at the Jersey shore or out on Long Island, leaving the city for the summer as many families did, so she'd never had a chance to miss it.

Olivia's thoughts turned to the week ahead. She knew that she needed to relax into vacation mode and be comfortable with the tone that Elliot seemed intent on setting. If it had been she and Casey that were holed up on this retreat, she knew she wouldn't have an issue going into full vacation mode, so she should be able to do the same with Elliot.

Or course, things with Casey weren't quite the same as with she and Elliot, but she tried to push that from her mind. She and Elliot were friends. They knew each other well. If anything, it should be easier to let their day-to-day city lives behind them…to let their hair down a little.

When Elliot had invited himself along, she'd told herself it didn't change a thing.

Now, she just had to believe it.

EOEOEOEO

There had been a rack of brochures promoting a wide variety of sights and activities on the island in the vestibule of the restaurant, and Elliot had grabbed quite a few while they'd been waiting for a table. Now, he was sorting through the stack of them on the table as they waited for their breakfast.

"This says we can drive up to the top of Cadillac Mountain and they suggest you watch a sunrise or sunset from that vantage point." Elliot said, still perusing the brochure as he spoke. "There are some great hiking trails. The Beehive and the Precipice." He lifted a brochure, showing her the map. "The views from these trails must be amazing."

"We're on vacation." She pushed the brochure back towards Elliot. She remembered those names from her various conversations with Casey and she had shuddered each time Casey had read about the challenges. "Isn't there a beach and a lighthouse or something?"

"It's a little cool for the beach." Elliot said, trying not to think about Olivia in a swimsuit.

Olivia shrugged. "There are lots of cute shops."

Elliot furrowed his brow. He didn't think of Olivia as being a shopper, at least not one that liked to browse through shelves of t-shirts and knick-knacks. "That'll be one of those times we split up I guess." He handed Olivia a map of the downtown area. "Here's a list of all the shops and restaurants."

The waitress brought their food, and Olivia set the brochure to the side. "Thanks." She wasn't really that excited about shopping, but she could tell that Elliot was on a mission to plan their days and it sounded exhausting.

"I thought you and Casey were coming here to hike."

Olivia looked up, feeling as if Elliot had read her mind once again. "We came to get away and relax. Eat food that's bad for us, drink too much…"

"Meet some guys?" Elliot suggested, referring to their previous conversation.

Olivia shrugged, reminding herself of the little pep talk she'd given herself that morning. She wasn't going to treat him any different than she would Casey. "Whatever happens in Bar Harbor…" She gave Elliot a secretive smile and then turned her attention to her breakfast. She would give anything to see the look on Elliot's face right now, but she pretended to be engrossed in the omelet on her plate. She took longer than necessary to cut off a bite. She looked up at Elliot as she took the bite, but surprisingly, saw a cocky look on his face.

Elliot "Far be it from me to be a cock blocker."

EOEOEOEO

Elliot trailed behind Olivia as they made their way through the small market. He knew Olivia had been teasing him.

Well, he was almost certain of it.

His eyes trailed down the tight fit of her jeans and the curve of her ass, wondering once again if she and Casey would have hooked up over the course of the week. He was almost on top of her before he realized she had stopped. She turned around in front of the shelves laden with chips and took a few steps back when she saw how close he was standing. "Do you want any chips?"

"Whatever you like."

"Elliot." Olivia said in an exasperated tone. "You have to give me some input." He'd been following her around, agreeing to whatever she proposed. Just telling her to get what she wanted. "This is for both of us."

"I just figured we'd mostly be eating out. We just need some breakfast stuff and some coffee. We're going to be in town almost every day so we can pick up things as we need them." The sun was shining, the temperature was warming, and although he had agreed to stop and pick up a few things, he found he was anxious to get outside and explore.

Olivia grabbed a bag of chips and tossed them into the basket he was holding and then walked a few more yards and nabbed a jar of peanuts, tossing them in as well. She didn't know what Elliot's issue was, but she was getting even more annoyed with him as he followed her around. "Why don't you go get some eggs, and I'll meet you over there."

Elliot could hear the annoyance in her voice, so he didn't object to the directions she'd given him. He knew he was preoccupied, and he chastised himself. He couldn't be annoyed with her for something she may have theoretically done on this trip, just because his own agenda had changed. This was supposed to be a vacation. He was supposed to ease into this…woo her with his wit and charm. Not act like a jealous asshole for something she hadn't even done.

Elliot grabbed the eggs from the dairy cooler and then, on a whim, grabbed a half gallon of chocolate milk. He turned and saw Olivia walking towards him. When she neared, he held out the chocolate milk like a peace offering. "Sorry."

Olivia raised a brow, surprised to hear a rare apology from him. "Chocolate milk?"

"I happen to know that secretly, it's one of your favorites."

Olivia gave him a slight smile. "El. Chocolate milk is one of your favorites."

"Hmm." He shrugged slightly and smiled, as if that would excuse his mistake. "Well…" He broke into a grin. "I'm willing to share."

"In that case, apology accepted." She grabbed the milk and headed towards the front of the store. "Let's get out of here and explore this island."