When they walked off the plane, they were both immediately hit with a wall of heat and blinding sun. The grounds crew was already busy unloading luggage from the plane as they descended the stairs and headed towards customs.

Olivia smiled, loving the feel of the sun on her skin. Even though it was hot in New York in the summer, the sun always felt somewhat filtered, having to fight its way through the tall buildings and the smog of the city. She had her sunglasses in her hand, and quickly donned them, and she looked over at Elliot with quick smile.

"Welcome to Mexico!" Elliot said, matching her grin. He was happy to see the smile on her face, and he could tell that she had relaxed immeasurably since they had boarded the plane at JFK. They had argued a bit about where to go, but had finally settled on Cancun. Olivia had argued against some of the more expensive tropical islands, leaning towards Florida. But Elliot had convinced her that Mexico was just a little more exotic (or a lot more) than Florida, without the price tag. So here they were, showing their passports and answering questions about their stay, with a customs agent. A few minutes later, they were greeted by a driver holding a sign that said Stabler, and he was gathering their luggage and ushering them into a car to take them to their resort.

Elliot wrapped his arm around Olivia's shoulders as they settled in the backseat of the car, and their driver greeted them enthusiastically as he slid into the driver's seat. He peppered them with questions…asking where they were from and how the trip was…and Elliot and Olivia answer politely. A few minutes in, the driver moved from questions to a monologue, filling them in on all the hot spots in town and the amenities of their resort, and Olivia and Elliot caught his enthusiasm, anxious to get there and get their vacation started.

It was mid-afternoon when they arrived, and the sun was still high in the sky. They were assaulted with the heat again after the cool air conditioning in the car, but the moment they walked into the open-air lobby of the hotel, they could feel a breeze from the ocean.

Olivia stopped as they climbed the last few stairs, stunned by the spectacular view. Straight ahead, through an open archway, the pool lay with an assortment of people on lounge chairs, in the water, and seated at the swim-up bar. Beyond that was a beautiful white sand beach, with thatch roofed sun shades and more lounge chairs. Her eyes left the people scattered on the beach to take in the gently rolling waves as they lapped against the shore. The sun was glistening off the water and everything looked so bright…so amazingly beautiful…that it made her eyes ache. She didn't know where to even look. "Oh El…this is beautiful." She said in awe. She had seen photos of places like this, printed on glossy brochures or on posters in travel agency windows. She had dreamed of coming to a place like this someday…but she could barely believe that day was here.

Elliot tangled his fingers in hers and kissed her on the cheek. "I'm glad you like it." He said, a huge grin on his face. He had never been anyplace this luxurious either, and he was glad that he had been able to find this gem. Olivia had been worried about the cost, since they had agreed that she would pay for airfare and he would pay for the resort. But he assured her he had gotten a good last minute deal, and he had.

"This is too expensive." She said predictably. "You can't afford this." She turned her head to look at him with a small scowl on his face.

"The twins don't need to go to college." He joked, and he saw her scowl deepen. Elliot shook his head. "Don't worry about it. I got a good deal." He put his right hand over his heart. "I swear." He dropped his hand. He was about to tell her that he was happy he could spoil her a little, but they were interrupted by a man in shorts and a Hawaiian shirt. He was carrying a tray with two tropical drinks, complete with paper umbrellas and a spear of fresh fruit.

"Welcome to Nirvana." He said, with a smile. He handed Olivia the first drink and Elliot the second. Then he pulled a bright orange hibiscus from the tray and leaned over, tucking it behind Olivia's right ear. "A beautiful flower for a beautiful woman." He said. He stepped back and looked at both. "The bellman is taking your bags to your bungalow. Please follow me for a short tour, and then you can start your stay in paradise."

Olivia and Elliot looked at each other and smirked at the canned speech and over exaggerated the man was, but they followed him as he led them towards the pool, explaining that everything was included in their stay. Food, alcohol, water sports, and entertainment. He pointed out the dive shop and the spa, the restaurants and bars, and they ended back in the lobby after only 15 minutes. A younger man was there, ready to take them to their bungalow, and a waiter handed each of them a fresh drink and whisked away their half empty glasses.

Olivia took a sip of the frozen concoction. "I think I'm going to like this place."

EOEOEOEOEO

Olivia stood on the balcony of their second-floor room, taking in the palm trees, the beach and the amazing color of the ocean. A light breeze ruffled her hair, and felt good against the light sheen of sweat on her skin due to the heat. The balcony was shaded, which gave her some respite, and she took the last sips of her drink.

She heard Elliot moving around in the room behind her, and she turned to face the room, looking in through the open French doors. The room had a king-sized bed on the left, and a small couch, chair and coffee table on the right. The bathroom was on the opposite wall, across from where she was standing now. She saw Elliot unpacking and stuffing things into the bureau drawers, directly to the left of the bathroom door. He turned, as if he felt her gaze on him, and smiled back at her. He turned and grabbed his empty suitcase and stuffed it into the closet.

"Done." He said, his eyes flitting to her drink and then back to her eyes. "I'm ready for a swim." He said, peeling off his t-shirt. "And a beer." He knew they were in the tropics, but those frozen concoctions weren't really his style.

Olivia's eyes dropped down to his chest, trailing down to where his cargo shorts were slung low on his hips. If she was a betting person, she would guess he didn't have any underwear on underneath those shorts, and she thought about the semi he was sporting on the plane. She felt a tightening low in her belly and she thought, not for the first time, about how this man affected her. She had always loved sex, but there was something about the way Elliot made love to her…fucked her…owned her and surrendered to her…that left her in a constant state of need when confronted with his raw sexuality.

"El." She said, her voice coming out as a hoarse whisper. She walked towards him, setting her empty glass on the coffee table. She slid her right hand under the left strap of her sundress and started to slide it down her shoulder, and Olivia saw Elliot smirk at her. When she had closed the gap between them, he pressed his lips to the soft skin where her neck met her shoulder, and then trailed his tongue across her shoulder. Olivia shivered as he rested his hands on her waist, and she dropped her head back, giving him full access to her bare neck and the swell of her breasts.

Elliot kissed his way back across her shoulder…slow, open-mouthed kisses…until he worked his way up to her ear. He bit her earlobe lightly and then whispered in her ear. "You should have joined the mile-high club." He said. "Get your suit on."

Olivia let out a moan as he lifted his mouth away from her ear. "Your turning me down?" She asked incredulously. They were usually both helpless when it came to each other's needs and desires.

"I'm taking a raincheck." He said. "Swim. Drinks. Food." He slid his hands down to her ass. "We've got all night baby." He squeezed gently. "And it's a good thing you slept on the plane because you're going to be up all night." Elliot released her then, and she swayed slightly with the loss of his body holding her. Elliot furrowed his brow slightly. "You OK?" he asked.

"I'm fine." Olivia said, still aroused and a little miffed that he had turned her down.

"Maybe those drinks were a little too strong."

"I'm fine El." Olivia said, brushing by him. She dug in her suitcase until she found what she was looking for and headed towards the bathroom. "How about I meet you down at the beach? You can save some chairs for us." She walked into the bathroom and started to close the door. At the last minute, she turned around, peeking out from the crack in the door. "And get me another one of those drinks."

EOEOEOEOEO

Olivia wandered down the stairs from their room, and out on to the beach. She paused for a moment, taking it all in. The water was an almost unbelievable turquoise blue, and the small waves made a comforting sound as they crashed into the beach. There were people lounging in chairs, under thatched roof overhangs or in the water, and there were others walking along the white sand. White uniformed waiters and waitresses were delivering trays of drinks and food along the beach. Off to the right, at the far end, a sand volleyball game was going, close to the dive shop. Olivia looked left and saw the pool, with another assortment of people lounging around, or sitting at the pool bar. She couldn't help smiling…this truly was paradise…and she could feel herself getting more and more relaxed by the minutes.

Olivia scanned the beach again, this time looking for Elliot. She didn't see him, so she walked farther out onto the beach, juggling her book and bottle of sunscreen as she slipped on her sunglasses and adjusted her floppy straw hat. Moments later, she spotted Elliot. He was leaning back in a lounge chair, with one arm resting above his head and his legs crossed at the ankle in front of him. He was wearing dark sunglasses as well, and he had a big smile on his face. He looked as if he had adjusted quickly to vacation life, and normally, Olivia would be happy that to see the smile on his face…except that right now, that smile was for the young woman standing near the end of his lounge chair. Olivia took her in…blonde hair…impossibly thin… with big boobs stuffed into a tiny, electric blue bikini. Olivia laughed when she saw the girl flip her hair back...she could have almost predicted it. A year ago, she would have probably been jealous to see someone flirting with Elliot, and to see him seemingly enjoying it. But she felt more confident than she ever had in her life, and she walked towards them to claim her place next to Elliot.

"Seems like I can't leave you alone for a minute." She said as she reached them, brushing right by the girl as she dropped her things on the lounge chair next to Elliot. They were both surprised…it was obvious they hadn't seen her approach.

She turned and looked at the young woman…who was even younger than she had thought…and saw the smile on her face fade as she took in Olivia. She looked back at Elliot and then back at Olivia, pasting a fake smile on her face.

"Hi. I'm Jenny." She said, offering a hand to Olivia. "Nice to meet you."

Olivia ignored her and glanced over at Elliot. Elliot's focus was on her…he seemed to have completely forgotten Jenny. She turned back to Jenny. "Bye." She said. Olivia wanted to laugh again when she saw the young girls face. She was almost certain this girl was used to getting the attention of anyone she wanted, and didn't know how to respond to Olivia's abrupt dismissal. The young blonde dropped the smile.

"Ok. Well, I'll see you around Elliot." She said, glancing back at him before she turned and walked away.

Elliot was watching the interaction between the two. Olivia was definitely staking out her territory and even though he hadn't been trying to make her jealous, he loved how she handled the young woman. Many woman would have been intimidated by the young woman…with her lithe body and open sexuality. Even a few months ago, Olivia may have handled it differently. But now, she seemed confident in her role as the woman in his life. That confidence made her glow, and standing there in front of him, he was again struck by how amazingly beautiful she was.

"Making friends I see." Olivia said. She wasn't surprised. The man was ridiculously built…his broad chest and tight abs on full display. His blue swim trunks were sitting low on his waist and even though there were lots of young men out on the beach, Elliot's sparkling blue eyes and self-assurance made him overwhelmingly attractive and approachable.

"Girl thought I looked lonely." He said with a smile. Elliot took in her black bikini. "Nice suit." He said. The bikini bottoms had some kind of cutouts on each side, making it look like three small strings were holding them together and showing her bare skin in between. The top portion had similar cutouts across the swell of her breasts, and he couldn't help thinking that the first cutout had to be damned close to her nipple. Two thin straps tied behind her neck, and he thought about pulling that string loose…

"Thanks." She had gone shopping for a new swimsuit…something she hated doing. She had tried on at least twenty of them, and had hesitated on getting this one. It showed a lot of skin, and normally she wasn't big on showing off her body in public. Maybe it was a result of her job. But she had changed her mind when she imagined Elliot's reaction, and when she realized this vacation was a chance to let go…to relax and enjoy…to revel in spending time with him. She set her things on the small table between the chairs and settled herself in her chair.

"No kiss?" Elliot asked, leaning towards her in the chair.

Olivia raised an eyebrow at him as she looked at him. "Now you want a kiss?" she asked, alluding to his comments in their room. "Maybe blue bikini can help you out with that." She said, peeling her hat off and settling back in the lounge chair. She had to bite back a smile…she hadn't been able to resist teasing him.

Elliot chuckled as he sat back. He knew she was teasing him, and he loved the playfulness of it.

They were interrupted by a young waiter. He handed Olivia another tropical drink…blue this time…and a beer for Elliot.

Olivia took a sip. "I could definitely get used to this."

EOEOEOEOEO

Elliot and Olivia had managed to spend a couple hours on the beach before they had to get ready for dinner. The main restaurant was a large open air patio, and they managed to get a table that looked out over the water. There was a small stage on one end, and after dinner, everyone rearranged the tables and they watched as some lovely young woman sand, and a dance troupe performed. It had been a long, wonderful day, and despite an underlying level of fatigue brought on by travel, the sun and alcohol, Elliot had convinced Olivia to take a stroll on the beach.

Olivia was holding her sandals in her right hand, and her left hand was grasped in Elliot's. The water lapped at her feet and she let out a startled laugh at how cold it felt.

"I love hearing you laugh." Elliot said. Olivia had an infectious laugh, and most of the time, he didn't hear it often enough. "I think I've heard you laugh more in the last couple of weeks than I have in…years."

"You're right." Olivia said. "I guess I haven't had much reason to laugh…until now." She squeezed Elliot's hand. "I'm happy." Olivia stopped and Elliot stopped alongside her. He turned to face her, and she placed her open hand on his chest. Olivia looked up at him with a big smile. "You…you make me happy." She said. She lifted herself up on her toes, tipping her head back for a kiss. Elliot pressed his lips against hers, and Olivia slipped her arms around his neck.

Elliot released her hand, and wrapped one arm around her waist as he cupped the back of her head with his other hand. He tilted his head, grasping her lip between his and kissing her gently. "I love you." He murmured against her mouth. He slid his tongue between her lips and she made a small sound as his tongue touched hers. Their kisses became more heated and Elliot slid his hand down to her ass, pulling her body against his. Olivia pressed against him enthusiastically, and she felt him start to falter. She grabbed at his shoulders, but he lost his footing in the loose sand, and he fell backwards, taking her with him. She landed on top of him, her elbow connecting with his stomach, and he let out a small "oomph". Olivia tried to scramble off him. "I'm sorry." She said with a gasp, and then started laughing as she rolled over on her back next to him.

Elliot caught his breath and then started laughing with her. "Jeez Benson." He huffed out. He rolled over and lifted his body so he hovered over her, his knees straddling her thighs and his forearms resting next to her shoulders. "I know you're anxious but…" He dropped his mouth against hers and kissed her roughly, but he felt her hands push against his chest. He lifted his head and looked down at her.

"Anxious? I was just going for a walk." She said, pushing against his chest.

"Hmmm." Elliot grabbed one of her hands and pinned it against the sand and kissed her again. Olivia pushed against his hold on her and he worried for a moment if she really wanted him to let her go, but then he felt her free hand snake beneath his shirt and rake up his back. He opened her mouth to him and kissed her deeply, letting out a small groan as she lifted her hips and grazed over the front of his shorts.

Elliot lowered his body against hers, careful not to crush her. He released her hand then, and ran his hand lightly down over her shoulder, toying with the strap of her sundress. His hand slid lower until he was grasping her breast. He could feel her peaked nipple through the thin material of her dress, and he realized she wasn't wearing a bra. He slid his hand beneath the fabric, and Olivia let out a moan as he squeezed her gently, running this thumb over her nipple.

Olivia broke the kiss, throwing her head back and arching her back as he continued to tease her. She lifted her hips up again, wanting more contact with his body. She reached down and grabbed at his belt, tugging at hit ineffectively. "Elliot." She said, her voice a mixture of a moan and a whisper. "Room. Now."