Author's Note: Ok so like….I have a really good excuse this time for the delay. I won't bore you with the details but let's just say unprecedented Flooding down south, Displacement, Home under construction and yeah didn't have a whole lot of creativity flowing through my veins. I thought about this story here and there and what I wanted to do with it. I even thought about ending it but once I reread it I decided there were a few more things that needed to be addressed to bring it full circle. I also discovered when I reread it that last chapter wasn't as spicy as I wanted it to be. I feel like I shortchanged you guys a bit but let's make up for that shall we before we get back into the thick of things…
{~~~~~~~}
The fridge hums for eight seconds every hour. There's a light pitter patter of rain against the windowsill. Somewhere in her apartment there is a clock that ticks three times randomly and then stops. Elliot lays quietly, ignoring the stirring in his groin and makes a mental note to find out where. Her air conditioner makes a low whispering tone when it turns on and off, causing the hairs on his arms to stand up.
The same symphony of sounds repeat every hour.
Her bedroom wall must back up to her neighbor's living room because he can hear when they shut their TV on and off. Having a buffer there may actually be a good thing considering…..
Olivia's breaths are steady, echoing against her pillowcase. She shifts slightly under the thin blanket, a sliver of her bare shoulder coming into view. Instantly, the hardening between his legs intensifies. It almost seems like deja vu.
A similar scenario playing out just an hour and a half earlier. With her bottom half covered by only the sheet, her top half was completely exposed. Her hard nipples grazed against the contours of his chest and he opened one eye to see her smirking back at him with her eyes closed. He didn't have time to pounce. Olivia took the lead pressing his back to the mattress and sliding her wet center down his quivering erection.
Her full breasts bounced, her walls clenched as he watched himself disappear inside her core.
Each stroke more devastating than the last building toward an intense peak. His face contorted and her eyes rolled back as her rhythm began to falter. He took advantage, holding her flush against him as he rolled his hips hitting new nerves within her tight walls. It was only a matter of time before he spilled inside her but he was determined to bring her over the edge.
One long pull of her nipple into his mouth did the trick. She came apart, him thrusting a few more times before spilling himself deep inside. Exhausted and sated, she drifted off shortly after joking that she needed to actually get some rest. Elliot watched her sleep. Breathing in and out, his tongue tasting the salt from the beads of sweat on her arm as he kissed her there.
That was an hour and a half ago.
103 minutes ago to be exact according to the illuminated display on her iPad.
2:47am
He has been up for the last 30 minutes trying to stop himself from being a selfish son of a bitch and give her time to recover. But he couldn't wait to be inside her again. Years of waiting and yearning now working against him in the worst way.
She's probably a little sore, tired and have plans with Noah later in the day. But he'd be perfectly content if they could spend their day lounging around with Noah and sneaking in some alone time whenever they could. Letting out a frustrated breath, he moves carefully onto his back, the mattress dipping beneath his weight. Turning his mind off was never an easy feat for him. For years it was filled with the images of the countless victims they helped everyday and some they couldn't save. They creep up every now and then but for the most part he's been able to replace them with joyous memories of his children that he's made over the years since his retirement. Of thoughts of the future.
And of her.
Reflections of years spent not talking and wondering about her.
Worrying for her.
Praying for her.
Now his mind is engulfed in the events of the past few hours. The soft feel of her skin melding into his as he rocked deep into her body. The look of pure ecstasy on her face when she rode him and clenched her insides around him.
A moan escapes his lips from the memory and he peeks over again to see if there is some movement. Just something so he doesn't feel like a complete asshole for letting his desire get the better of him.
But nothing.
Scratching the small patch of hair on his chest, his other arm drapes across his forehead as he tries to quell the throbbing need simmering inside of him.
Minutes tick by and as if by some miracle Olivia moves her leg, crossing one foot over the other in an attempt to get more comfortable. Instantly, he accepts the invitation that she didn't realize she'd given.
His lips connect with her shoulder, kissing a path up to her neck while he turns on his side. The rock hard length of him grazes the curve of her ass, releasing a deep sound from his throat. Writhing, she leans back into his waiting arms, his right hand squeezing and kneading her breast.
"El," she moans softly.
And like their professional partnership before, she knows what he needs and when he needs it without him having to ask. Her legs part giving him just enough space to slide inside of her.
"I'm sorry," he murmurs weakly into her neck as he continues to fill her. "I wanted to let you sleep longer but I can't help myself." His voice catches on the last word as her walls spasm around him for a split second. "I love being inside you Liv."
Olivia whimpers. Her body yielding to his in a perfect cadence, speaking up where her voice fails. Once he's buried himself to the hilt he holds still, unmoving. Reveling in the feel of her against him, around him.
Elliot still can't believe that he's allowed to touch her like this. After the years of bullshit, frustration and tension they've endured both together and apart that he could have her in a way that was so untamed.
A content sigh escapes Olivia's lips and his dick responds immediately. Dragging the length of her, slowly pulling out until just the tip remains. He thrusts again, his arm draped across her waist holding her in the place she belongs, with him.
"Unhhh," she cries out, clawing at the short wisps of hair on his neck as he continues to move inside of her. Long and deep movements making sure she feels every blessed inch of him. Pouring out years of his stifled attraction in each smooth stroke.
Her breaths are ragged by the time his teeth sink into her shoulder trying to stop the build up that is already beginning. This will probably be the last time for at least a few hours that he will be able to make love to her and he's determined to make it last.
Olivia moves her hips in time with his. Her sweet folds clenching, grabbing trying to bring him over the edge with her. He groans at the effort it takes to hold on as his rhythm picks up, his skin slapping against hers. Her ass is perfectly nestled in the cradle of his pelvis, sliding and moving vigorously.
"You're so beautiful," he whispers in her ear. "I'm never going to get enough of this. Ever."
Her breath catches, moaning his name as the beginnings of her orgasm take hold.
"Shit," she curses burying her head in the pillow.
"Yes. That's it Liv," he coaxes her along. "Come for me."
Pushing past the resistance of her contracting walls he begins to fuck into her deeper. Harder.
"Elliot!" she screams unable to stop herself. Olivia drops her grip from the pillow and holds on to his hip instead.
Elliot is lost in the haze of his own desire. His vision begins to blur. Although he doesn't want to miss the look on her face, his eyes slip closed as his hand crosses her abdomen pinching and flicking her pebbled nipple. His rhythm increases, whispering endearments and encouragement. She would never admit that she wanted to hear those words and that was moreso the reason he said them.
Her limbs begin to shake as he mutters, "You're mine."
The words spur her own. She rocks back into him, taking over as his orgasm teeters on the brink. It's not just the feel of her slippery sex that causes the tingling in his length. It's witnessing the most controlled woman he knows wholly unleashed and feral as she brings him tumbling over the edge groaning her name.
They catch their breaths once again, the aftershocks of their fresh orgasm triggering spasms in the other. Olivia lifts her head peeking at the clock. "It's after 3am. You lasted two whole hours," she laughs making no attempt to dislodge herself from him.
"It wasn't easy," he chuckles in return kissing her ear. "Seems like it took forever. By the way where do you have a clock that ticks in here?"
Pulling the blanket higher over them, she scoots more into his nook evoking another groan from him. "What are you talking about?"
"There's a clock I heard it a few times ticking and then it stops."
"I think you have too much time on your hands." She grabs the hand that circles her waist and brings it up to her lips kissing his knuckles. Playing with his fingers she sighs contently before entangling her fingers with his and resting it at her waist again. The silence looms between them and he stays quiet while she's deep in thought.
His first instinct is to ask her what's on her mind but he decides against it. Olivia has to process and overthink everything. It's who she is.
And he loves that too.
Olivia lifts her head again to watch Noah's image on the iPad to see he's still fast asleep. He's grateful that her son is such a good sleeper because there's no way sex with them would ever be quiet.
"He's still sleeping," she says softly and he can't quite read the emotion in her voice so he opts for humor instead.
"If you gave him benadryl or something because you knew you were going to take advantage of me tonight you can go ahead and admit it. I won't judge you."
It works. She breaks out in a full on belly laugh and gently pulls away from his semi hard erection. His painful grumble makes her laugh harder. "Three rounds El. You can't hardly be up for another."
"You keep wiggling your ass near me and I'll be up for it much sooner than you are ready for."
Playfully, she taps his shoulder and gets up to go the bathroom not bothering to reach for her robe and shimmying her hips purposefully.
"I meant what I said," he calls after her.
"I'm sure you did."
Elliot turns over on his back, closing his eyes. The space beside him feels empty already but he knows she will return. The dull ache in his chest subsides at the understanding. Sometimes he has to remind himself of their new present. In the distance he hears the fridge hum, the clock tick as sleep begins to envelope him.
He'll rest for a few hours and as soon as he wakes up, he'll make love to her again.
{~~~~~~}
Olivia stretches a little, a delicious soreness radiating through her calves, thighs especially between her legs. It takes a brief second before the world comes into view, reality slamming her in the face. The muscular arm wrapped firmly around her bare middle, the creases of his palm embedded against her belly.
He is still there.
Every solid inch of him merges with every dip and curve of her body. She's wearing him like a second skin. A content sigh escapes her throat, her fingertips playing the thin hairs on his knuckles like a piano.
Her eyes remain closed, the rest of her senses working in overdrive. The room smells like sex, her jasmine body wash she uses religiously and the fragrance that is so very Elliot. His scent hasn't changed after all these years. And mixed with his sweat it's completely intoxicating.
After all this time, she knows. She knows what he feels like inside of her, how his face scrunches up when he comes, how his tongue flickers when he's pleasuring her orally. And he knows what she tastes like. For so long her body was the last part of herself that she hadn't given to him and now that was relinquished.
Olivia moves slightly while a small amount of panic rises in her chest. A mantra repeating over and over in her head.
I can do this. I can be happy. Just enjoy it. Don't overthink this.
"Good morning," Elliot rasps in her ear pulling her even closer into him. The low rasp of his voice ignites every nerve ending, temporarily silencing her doubts.
"Hmmm Good morning," she moans.
A slow rock of his hips and she immediately connects with his erection.
His hand begins to travel down her torso, past her belly button to the part of her he's pleasured so many times over the past few hours. "A good morning indeed."
The objection is on the tip of her lips when her eyelids crack and she sees Noah playfully kicking his legs in the air on the screen of her tablet.
"Oh shit, it's later than I thought." She throws the covers off in a frenzy and stands up to look for her robe.
"Hey hey," Elliot reaches out to try and catch her flailing arm. "He's ok just slow down."
"Don't tell me to slow down. It's after 7," she explains sliding her foot into two black slippers near her closet and tying the belt of her robe. "He usually wakes me up around 630 or I wake up before him."
Elliot falls back in the bed, resting his arm behind his head watching her with a small smile. Her annoyance is evident. "I'm glad you think this is funny. Here," she throws his pants and dress shirt at him both landing with a little thud against his chest. "Get dressed while I go and feed him breakfast."
"You don't have anything else I can wear?"
"I don't know," she responds flustered and opens the bedroom door. "I don't just keep men's clothes hanging around. There may be something of Brian's in there."
It doesn't dawn on her that it was a stupid thing to say until minutes later when she manages to have breakfast going, coffee brewing and Noah playing peacefully in the living room in record time.
The sounds of Elliot moving around her bedroom and bathroom are slightly faded out by the sound of the microwave and the eggs she's scrambling on the stove.
It's not easy but she pushes the thoughts of last night and this morning out of her head. She just needs to get through this day, spending time with Noah as she originally planned.
There was no doubt in her mind that Elliot would want to stay and hang out with her and Noah but she didn't think she was ready for that yet. The time with her son was precious and having Elliot be a part of that so soon would mean she would have to do some explaining. But then again he was 2. How much would he really understand?
As she scoops the eggs onto a nearby plate she curses herself that there isn't a guide to all of this. What's the "right" way and time to have him around Noah on a consistent basis?
Elliot appears out of nowhere, wrapping his arms around her waist and she startles. "Sorry didn't mean to scare you. Something smells good in here," he kisses under her ear.
He now smells like a mix of her body wash and his natural scent. Her first instinct is to lean into his touch, nestling herself into his nook as she did last night and her eyes slip closed. "Despite what you may think I really do know my way around the kitchen."
His lips press against the rim of her ear. "Apparently you know your way around a lot of things."
The innuendo snaps her back into the present and her gaze falls upon Noah still playing with his toys in the living room while the microwave beeps.
"All done mama," he yells not tearing his attention from his new favorite toy, a plush dog.
She pivots to the microwave, removing the plastic bowl and catches a glimpse of Elliot's bottom half out of the corner of her eye. He's still wearing his dress pants and all she can think about is how she knows exactly what's underneath the layer of fabric. Her body begins to react and she shakes her head to rid herself of the errant thoughts. Elliot chuckles and that gets her attention. When their eyes meet, his mischievous smile is evident.
Elliot's gaze drops down to her neck, the V shape that is exposed on her chest above where her robe begins covering her breasts, down her abdomen, her legs before his eyes travel back up and settle on the apex of her thighs. She looks down hoping that the robe hasn't opened and she's exposed but it's covered. She's just exposed in a different way.
His bottom lip is sucked between his teeth and she knows exactly what he's thinking. They are in an erotic standoff until her eyes flicker away for a second and she notices he's not wearing his dress shirt.
"Thankfully I didn't find any of Brian's clothes in there but I can't believe you still have this." His fingers massage the seams of the grey hoodie they shared often when they were partners.
Shrugging nonchalantly, she breaks eye contact with him. "Yeah well. I guess it was something I couldn't let go of."
The mood shifts from sexual to serious in an instant. And for a second their history plays back like an old black and white movie in her head. She wore the hoodie a lot during lazy weekends lounging around the apartment after he left. David asked her once why she wore it so much as a joke one weekend when he stayed over. She stopped wearing it until they broke up. Brian never asked.
Or maybe he didn't notice.
And in the weeks following her ordeal with Lewis it became a security blanket. A reminder of him wrapped around her damn near everyday as she tried to push back the hurt and betrayal that consumed her about his absence from her life.
"I'm glad you kept it," he says softly stepping closer into her space. "Some things are worth holding onto. No matter what," he adds dropping a kiss to her forehead.
It was fleeting. The realization and constant reminders that their long history didn't have to bind them in a constant state of regret.
"Excuse me," she backs out of his hold and begins to stir Noah's food and check the temperature. Elliot stands stiffly in the kitchen while she moves about her normal routine. Oatmeal and fruit for Noah, scrambled eggs, bacon and fruit for her. A quick meal that she learned to multitask and make in under 15 minutes for both of them which she considered a real accomplishment.
Elliot reaches for the coffee pot while she is grabbing the bacon and they run into each other. "Sorry," he apologizes.
"It's fine. Why don't you go have a seat and I'll bring the coffee to you?"
He rewards her with a thin understanding smile. He will give her the space she needs to process. "Ok."
She sighs watching him turn the corner and is grateful for the reprieve. It's all still new. For as gradual as their slow dance had been over the years they are now in a full fledge waltz. Waking up together, her fixing breakfast while he entertains her son. It's normal but different, calm yet terrifying. In some ways he's always been her beginning and her end. But it's the parts in the middle that worry her the most.
"Look!" Noah says to Elliot with excitement while Olivia finishes up with the last of the food.
The roar of Elliot's laughter causes her to turn around and his hand is tucked under his chin while he watches Noah in amusement. Walking out the kitchen towards the living room, slowly what he's laughing at becomes more into view...and she's mortified. The mass of red and silver satin she wore last night that was left on the floor when she urged Elliot to unzip it. He helped her step out of it and just like that the dress was forgotten.
"Looks like you forgot to pick up something," Elliot smiles ruefully.
"Mama. I made a tent!" Noah exclaims, his entire little body covered up in the skirt of her dress that is almost as tall as he is. And to his credit her son was definitely creative. He drapes the bodice over the opening in the middle to enclose himself in the material.
How she managed to not notice the huge ball of fabric in the middle of the floor when she brought him in there earlier she has no idea. Probably because once again she was distracted.
"That's not a tent Noah that's Mommy's dress," she gently scolds him pulling it over his head and folding it over her arm. "I guess it would've been too much to ask for you to take it from him."
Taking Noah's hand, she walks to his high chair with Elliot close behind and gets him settled.
"Hey I didn't want to ruin his tent. Especially since I have such fond memories of it myself." He wiggles his eyebrows and she playfully rolls her eyes.
They eat breakfast in comfortable silence with most of their focus on Noah. Elliot hadn't left and she didn't really expect him to. Instead she watches in awe as Noah laughs at every corny joke and funny face he makes. Before long she's joining in as well and the glimpses of panic that threatened to overtake her earlier fade as the morning goes on. After breakfast they watch one of his Pixar movies and Olivia begins to get her and Noah ready for the park.
Elliot hangs back awkwardly as she packs Noah's bag and turns his attention to the mini whiteboard on the fridge.
"Do you mind if I tag along?" He eventually asks.
She stares him up and down, willing him to notice that he's not exactly dressed for the occasion.
"Do you feel like you're dressed to go to the park?"
"I didn't realize they had a dress code," he shoots back. "Besides if we stop by my place real quick I can throw something on and be ready in a few minutes."
Olivia knows it will take longer but she can't deny the helpless look on his face.
"El-" she begins and he moves in closer silencing her with a peck on the lips. So much for explaining to Noah the nature of their relationship.
"I don't want the day to end that's all. Just-let's go to my place and let me change. It won't take long. He will have plenty of time on the swings."
Her eyebrows lift in surprise. "And yes I know that the swings are his favorite. He mentioned it before," he explains. "Anyway. We will be back by 1:30 just in time for his nap."
She's surprised again. "How di-?"
Elliot points at the schedule on the fridge.
"Oh."
"And while he's down for his nap," he wraps his arms around her waist whispering into her ear. "You and I are going to spend more quality time together."
"Quality hunh? So that's why you want to come along."
It was meant as a jab but his face turns serious again. "No it's not that. It's not just that," he clarifies and she enjoys seeing the glimpse of the Elliot that wasn't always so great with words. "I want us all to spend time together. I know it may be soon but-. I don't want to force or push myself on you guys so if-"
She places her finger on his lips, "Shh. It's okay." He smiles in appreciation and kisses her finger.
They stand in silence a second too long before Noah finalizes the decision for them.
"Mama, Eli-yah leggo," he tugs on their hands impatiently.
"Ok," she chuckles. "Let's go."
Relief floods Elliots face and she is humbled that she's not the only one afraid of this unchartered terrain they are walking into.
"Leggo," Noah repeats after her as they finally make it to the door. The context of her son's words are meant differently but the message is one she needs to hear.
She needs to let go.
{~~~~~~}
I hope I haven't lost my touch through my hiatus. To answer your questions before they come, no this isn't the end quite yet, no it won't be smooth sailing, yes it will all be worth it...at least I hope so. How about a review or two please? I miss them.