Chapter 2

Rafael removed his soaking wet jackets and placed them gently over the sink.

"Don't want to ruin these gorgeous countertops," he explained, gesturing to her marble filled kitchen.

"Please, I have a son—those countertops NEVER stay clean," She chuckled.

She watched Raffa as he walked across the kitchen and pulled a bottle opener from a drawer without so much as a hesitation. He was so familiar with her place, her world; Her. He popped open the bottle and then proceeded to fetch two wine glasses from her freezer; she liked to drink her wine instantly chilled. Most guys gave her a hard time about it, saying something about broken glass in her freezer being a hazard; but never him. He actually said it was genius; it was like they were cut from the same cloth.

"Madame," He said with a pompous accent, handing her a glass. "What shall we toast to?"

"To ruined dates," She smirked; "If not for them this night would've been effectively much more boring,"

"To ruined dates then!" He grinned, clinking their glasses together. "So, what else would make this a lively evening?" He asked with a mischievous grin, walking back into her living room and sitting on the sofa.

"Honestly Raffa, no evening with you could be boring," She said while crossing the room and joining him on the sofa. Even in the dim light, she swore she saw him begin to blush.

"Well thank you Liv, you're too kind," He shrugged sheepishly, and they both fell into silence. Not awkward silence, just…. comfortable silence. Like they didn't need to say anything to fill the room, they were perfectly content just being in the presence of one another. Finally, Rafa cleared his throat and turned closer to Olivia.

"Actually, Liv there is something I wanted to talk to you about…" was his voice trembling?

"….What's that?" She asked, taking a gulp of her wine. Why was SHE nervous all of a sudden?

"I…. I need to be standing for this," He took a deep breath raising to his feet. He took several more seconds to breathe in and out before he spoke again.

'"I…well, this is sort of embarrassing but I've—I've heard things," he gripped the back of his neck nervously.

"H-Heard things? About me? How? Why?" Her voice was rising unintentionally, the small amount of panic creeping up.

"I just, I may have asked around about you; after our first case together," he continued, now looking at the floor.

"I…. You….Why?" she was floored; was this actually happening?

"I think you know why, sergeant," he chuckled, shuffling his feet back and forth. Now she was the one to feel her face flush.

"…. Okay, coming back to that…. what did you 'hear' about me?" she asked.

"I….um, well—that you liked to keep your dating life 'in the family'…."

"In the family? What the hell does that….Oh. OH." Now she could feel her flush going from embarrassed to forming rage.

"I know, and I just…I don't know, believed it? And then I got to know you, how wonderful you are as a person, a sergeant, a mother. But I always thought back to that first assumption and I just, I never wanted to ruin anything." His voice dropped even more while he gripped his wine glass like it was a security blanket.

"…. Does this story have a point Raffa? Did you really just come all the way over to warn me about gossip in the DA's office?" She felt the rage in her voice and knew it was a little premature, but seriously?

"N-No! No, I….I'm sorry, I just…I had a point. I'm sorry, I should just go," he made his way back to the front door, totally forgetting his outerwear. She sighed and trailed behind him, grabbing his hand once again preventing his exit.

"No, Raffa I'M sorry. Look, just…say what you're trying to say," she turned him around, not dropping his hand in hers.

"I…. I like you Liv. I have since the day we met. God it sounds so juvenile when I say it out loud like that,"

"Kind of; did you bring me a check yes or no note?" He dropped her hand after that comment; god Olivia read the room!

"I'm sorry I'm sorry you're having a moment here. So…you haven't ever said anything to me because I….'keep it in the family'? Shouldn't that have made you more comfortable? You're apart of that family Rafael." She ran her hand across his shoulder, trying to comfort him.

"Yeah, I know, but that's…. kind of the point, I guess. I guess I always just thought it was your MO, like—dating the DA's was your…. thing," he shrugged.

"ONE ADA, one! Jesus, what are we actually IN jr high?!" again her tone went three octaves higher than she intended.

"Ok see this is why I should've never said anything," he threw his hands up in defeat, once again stepping towards the door.

"No, no…it's not your fault. Entirely,"

"Anyway, I just…I wanted to tell you so many times; I thought I had inadvertently, and when you didn't respond I just figured I wasn't good enough for you. But these past few months, I don't know; I've felt…different,"

Olivia's expression fell softer; she knew this diatribe had a point.

"I-It's stupid, I know. Classic 'nice guy' act huh? I think we're getting closer romantically and you just consider me a 'great friend', and now I've ruined it by pulling the veil off the charade. I'm stupid, it's stupid. I should just—"

"Will you stop with this? You didn't do anything wrong! You can stop with the word vomit; sip your wine and actually listen to me before you start spiraling, okay?" Olivia's hand playfully covered his mouth, saving him from himself.

"Okay: Yes, I do tend to have a habit about dating guys….'in the family'," she used air quotes and rolled her eyes.

"But it's not like I plan it that way. This is just the most consuming job; I literally have no time to meet men outside of work," she saw Raff nod in agreement, so she went on.

"….But also, I've realized….you're different. You're not like any other cop, detective, ONE ADA…."

"Ah. I get it. So, not your type, like you said…." He said softly, as if he was chastising himself.

"Upupup! Let me finish…. it's a good thing you're not like them, individually. You're like all of them, rolled into one," She reassured him, this time she used both arms around both his shoulders so that he would look at her.

"…Really?" his head slowly raised, his puppy dog face was truly like no other man she had ever met. So pitiful but so powerful.

"Yeah, really. I….I like you, Rafael." She snorted hearing the words leave her lips.

"God you're right! Sounds totally right out of a Sweet Valley High book," She threw her hands up in amusement.

After a few moments of actual awkward silence, this time it was Rafa's turn to gently take Olivia's hand in his.

"…Wanna go grab a milkshake down at the sock hop?" He asked with a cheeky grin. There he was, there was the cocky Raffa she knew.

"I think I'd settle for finishing this wine while watching TV—I've got Unsolved Mysteries saved in my watchlist," She giggled; What was that? She didn't giggle…god WAS this a Sweet Valley High story?

"Oooh! I love it, always makes me feel better we're not the only ones to let cases fall through the cracks," his eyes lit up like a kid on Christmas.

"Exactly," she nodded.

They both returned to the couch while Olivia turned on Unsolved Mysteries; slowly, carefully, she lowered her head until it gently landed on Rafael's head. She felt him tense in surprise, but then a satisfying sigh came from his lips as he readjusted himself and draped his arm around her.

"See? Told you. Never a boring night with Rafael Barba," she teased, snuggling closer into his chest.

This, she mused, was bliss.