AN: Just wanted to say thank you for the reviews of Chapter 8. As promised (in my new fic/one-shot series), here's Chapter 9 of Tres Amores. This was a tough chapter to write since, um, certain genres are not really my forte. Consider that as your warning (don't read this aloud to your grandmother). Read, review, and enjoy!

March 2, 2015

Closing the door behind him, Nick stepped into the sergeant's office and mentally prepared himself for the interrogation that was about to rain down on him. Liv walked around her desk and didn't even bother sitting down; she just pressed her palms to the table and sighed in frustration.

"Nick, what was that?"

He held his arms up in submission, but he could only shrug. "I dunno," he lied and shook his head.

His boss and partner tilted her head to the side and gave him an inquiring look. Liv had an inkling, spanning back to about a year now, that there was something going on between her two detectives. She wasn't certain if Amaro and Rollins were seeing each other outside of work, or simply becoming closer platonic friends. She speculated it was the former especially when his partner got defensive whenever the topic of conversation honed in on the blonde detective.

Amaro and Rollins worked well together in the last year, despite the storm that swept through the unit. But in the last week, something had turned sour between them and everyone in the squad room took notice. Not only did Liv have to care for a baby at home, she had to play babysitter to two bickering detectives.

"Don't patronize me. I know you know why she went off on you." Liv pressed her hand against the back of her head. She needed to handle her staff better, and Nick had to help her out. She knew talking to Amanda would get her nowhere. Amanda was the type of person to pretend things were fine and to insist that lines were drawn between the professional and the personal. Liv respected that about her from a sergeant's standpoint. But her unwillingness to talk to her made it more challenging for Liv to fulfill her role as a compassionate leader. So, she had to at least try with Nick.

"Look, I don't need to know the details," Liv continued. "But whatever it is going on between you and Amanda, fix it… or end it… before it starts affecting our cases."

End it? If Liv only knew it had already ended, then she would have never made the suggestion. A lot of good ending it did them. "Yeah," he said simply.

"Just, please don't go to the bunks and start a yelling match. Leave whatever it is out of the office."

Nick was stunned. "You tellin' me that?" He raised his voice. "I ain't the one who started it. I ain't the one who took the cheap shots."

Liv sighed deeply. "It doesn't matter."

Nick chuckled darkly. He licked his lips before he pressed them together in a tight smile. "What you want me to do?"

Just then, Rollins and Carisi entered the interrogation room with a cuffed Thomas Fischer. They sat him on the metal chair before they took a seat across from him. Liv turned to the two-way mirror and held her hand up, telling Nick to hold his thought. The two watched as their fellow detectives asked Tom about the Facebook posts. He denied remembering them at first, but when Carisi showed the screen caps, Tom looked agitated.

"So, I lied," he started, sweat dripping off his brow. "What's the big deal?"

Amanda lifted a brow and cocked her head to the side. "You molded yourself according to Lena's interests before you even met her. Were you stalking her?"

"Stalking?" Tom cried incredulously. "No! I mean, yeah I saw her profile that summer and I thought she was cute. But stalking? Really?" He turned to Detective Carisi, hoping to get some back up with regard to the bold accusation; but Carisi only leaned back on his chair. He backed up Rollins.

"Sure, I thought I could use the info she posted to get her to like me," he continued to explain. "But I didn't stalk her. I just embellished some things."

"And it worked, right?" Carisi asked. He puckered his lips and smirked at Tom, "you became her best friend? Her hero? But she didn't put out… so what? Ya raped her?"

Amanda cringed at Carisi's crude choice of words, but it seemed to get their suspect on the defensive. He was sweating buckets now and his skin was turning a deeper shade of pink. "I never raped her. I care about Lena."

"Then why would you lie to us about not knowing her?" Amanda asked, and her voice got softer and more empathic. "She told us you were there for her when she was depressed – when she tried to commit suicide. She said you always knew what to say to make her feel better. You were a good friend, Tom. You cared about her, so why would you lie and not tell us?"

Tom clasped his fingers together and shook his head. "I was embarrassed. I… I… I did have sex with Lena. But it was consensual. I swear!" He rambled on about college and implied that Lena was sleeping with him while she was dating her ex-boyfriend. "We've been friends with benefits since college. Ask her!" He pounded his fists on the table and stared wildly at Amanda's eyes.

Carisi raised his hands to get Tom to focus on him instead of Rollins. She glared at his direction, unimpressed by his defensive impulse. She didn't need anyone to defend her. Not Fin. Not Carisi. And certainly not Nick. "Explain what happened this morning, then."

"Lena had this rape fantasy… and I didn't want to do it, but she convinced me anyway. It was all pretend. Then she cried rape and I guess she panicked when the cops came… Ask her! She set the whole thing up!"

Carisi turned to Rollins and they exchanged bewildered looks.

"You keep lying to us, Tommy," Carisi raised his voice, slamming his palm against the table. It jerked Tom out of his head for a second and his eyes shot wide open.

"I'm not lying! I swear!"

Amanda pushed the folder across the table, her fingers pressed hard against its contents. "Her rape kit shows bruises and lacerations consistent with forced entry."

"She wanted it to seem real. She begged me to make it rough." Tom pleaded with Amanda. He tried to lean forward and reach for her, but Carisi shot his arm out to create a division. Amanda's head whipped to her side and shot a deathly glare at her interrogating partner.

From the other side of the two-way mirror, Nick flinched at the scene. He crossed his arms and lowered his head to study her reaction and her movements. She had done the same the last time they were interrogating a suspect; and now poor Carisi was subject to the same treatment.

Carisi figured it was time to switch gears. It seemed like Tom was unrelenting about Lena's rape. It didn't look like he was confessing anytime soon. "Tommy, you remember where you were on the night of October 6, 2010?"

"Seriously?" he narrowed his eyes and crinkled his nose. "That was ages ago… I dunno, I must've been at the dorm."

"Is there anyone we can ask to alibi you for that night… maybe your old roommate?" Carisi pursed his lips and raised his shoulders.

At the mention of his roommate, Tom seemed to be so lost in thought that he didn't hear the follow-up question. He blinked and held a finger up. "Wait, October 6th?" He closed his eyes and tried to remember his whereabouts, and when he could picture the hotel in Philly and the banner on the wall, his eyes shot open. "I was at a tech conference in U Penn with the Robotics organization. Ask my roommate, Greg, he was there too. We took the train that morning and didn't get back to campus until the 8th. It was a three-day conference… that's what it said on the banner."

Amanda looked skeptically at him. She noticed his mannerisms earlier when he told her about Lena's supposed rape fantasies. He was misleading them and acting over-the-top. Tom would look away and squeeze his hands together until his knuckles were white. Now, that he had told her and Carisi about the tech conference, he seemed more assured and more confident. Could he be telling the truth?

Nick turned to Liv. Nothing was confirmed yet, but they both saw the change in Tom's affect when he remembered his field trip with the Robotics club. Liv quickly dialed Fin and updated him on the new information. "He's going to see if the student organization committee on campus kept a record of who was on that trip to Philly."

The phone rang and Liv walked to her desk to answer the call. Nick looked out to the interrogation room and watched as Carisi escorted Fischer outside and back into holding. Amanda remained behind. Seated on the chair, she leaned back and craned her neck so her face was parallel to the ceiling. She combed her hair to the back of her skull and heaved a sigh. Then she sat up straight and quickly turned to the mirror. She had forgotten than Nick and Liv were probably on the other side, watching her.

When Amanda had walked out of the room, Nick turned around to see Olivia still on the phone. She wasn't saying anything to whoever was on the other line. He observed her for a moment and noticed the creases on her forehead and the bags under her eyes. It was hard enough being a single mom to a 14-month-old baby with respiratory issues, but it seemed 1PP didn't care about that fact and continued to unload an unnecessary amount of work on Liv. Nick tried to help out where he could, especially now that he had no family to come home to. He picked up the extra hours to pick up the extra slack and to distract from the loneliness of an empty house.

When Liv pressed the phone to the receiver, she sighed deeply. "Anything I can do to help?" He said instantly. Liv appreciated Nick more than she could articulate at the moment. He sensed when the responsibilities of being in command were overwhelming, and he stepped in when needed. When Liv couldn't come home in time to relieve Lucy, he sent his mom to take care of Noah. And when Cesaria's wasn't available, he'd come over and take care of the little man himself. He was more than just her partner; Nick was her savior.

Liv shook her head despondently. "I have a meeting at the Police Commissioner's office."

"Everything all right?" He asked worried.

"Yeah, just more bureaucracy." She trailed off. When Captain Cragen had passed the responsibility down to her, Liv was terrified yet flattered that he thought she was ready. Honestly, she tried her best to lead her team and keep their closure rate high, but lately it felt like things were slipping away. Contrary to popular belief, none of it was due to Noah being in her life. It just so happened that the NYPD, and police in general, were so under fire by the public that every single thing that used to be standard procedure was now under heavy scrutiny.

"Hey, go visit Lena and see if there's any information she might have withheld to protect him." Liv started, "and take Rollins with you."

He furrowed his brows, "You just said to leave it-"

Liv sighed and covered her face in her hands. "I know, but you'll need all hands on deck. Talk to Amanda on the way and see if you can get past it… or work it out." She ran her hands through her hair and felt a twinge of sadness for her partner. He had a rough year, and she was finally seeing that less cynical side of him that was present in his first year at the job. That all seemed to disappear in a matter of days.

She remembered trying so hard to dislike change and dislike her new partner, but it wasn't going to happen with Nick. He was loyal and he cared for her, without doting on her or treating her with kid gloves. She trusted him. She wanted him to be happy. Right now, she needed him and Liv knew he was the kind of man that could help see this through. "Nick, I'll need you to lead this case for me."

"Of course," he nodded without hesitation, confirming what she already knew.

March 21, 2014

After dark, under the streets, a train carried two lost souls to a place of comfort. It was eerie and so peaceful - nothing like the 5pm rush of commuters that crowded in subway trains like sardines in a can. It was just the two of them in that cabin. He held her eyes as she giggled at something he said. He couldn't even remember what he said exactly. Probably some dark joke related to their job as detectives of the Manhattan Special Victims Unit.

She stood up abruptly, knowing her stop was next. He followed behind her and held onto the pole as the train jerked to a stop. She lost her footing and fell back against his body. She giggled some more and promised for the second time that night that she wasn't a messy drunk. Just slightly distracted.

From the station, they walked two blocks up along the street overlooking the Hudson. The Manhattan skyline shimmered on the other side, and he felt alive just by the mere fact that he was a living, breathing part of this city. She walked by his side as they talked about their misadventures in Police Academy. Every cop had a story. She laughed so hard she couldn't breathe when he told her his friends, upon first seeing him in uniform, told him he looked like a male stripper. "That was the day I decided I was gonna be a detective."

"You know it was always Kim who wanted to be a cop," she started, reminding him of the sister that turned Amanda's life upside down. "In Loganville, the town police were on a power trip. They could get away with anything and people treated them like heroes. My mom probably slept with half those guys and they were always Kim's favorites among my mom's boyfriends... Mostly because she felt protected around them."

"But you became the cop?"

She nodded before she turned the corner and walked up to her street. "Kim got into too much trouble in high school. She'd never be a cop with her record. I kinda just wanted to get out of Loganville, you know?"

Nick nodded affirmatively even though it wasn't something he could really relate to. He had been born and raised in New York, and he was still here with no desire to move anywhere else. New York was a part of him, just as much as he was part of this city. Loganville, on the other hand, didn't sound like a good place for someone as ambitious and restless as Amanda.

"I took a bunch of classes in college and just found myself taking a liking to chemistry and psychology. I was a bit of a nerd, actually," she laughed. "My guidance counselor career matched me to forensics expert, and I interned with a lab for a bit but it got boring. I needed to get out on the street, so that's why I became a cop."

She stopped at a building and walked up the stone steps. She pressed her key fob to the machine and pushed the door open. Nick followed her down the hall and into the elevator. He glanced sideways and saw the apprehension and doubt cast shadows on her face. "I can leave if you changed your mind, or if you're tired and you just wanna crash."

"No," she said almost too quickly. She blushed and tried to bury her head into her scarf, but it was too late. Nick had already noticed and he could feel his own cheeks warm up at her own coyness.

Nick had never been to her apartment. The furthest he got was her door, when he and Fin planned to drop off soup when she was supposedly sick. They knocked, but there was no answer. He imagined her place to be like her desk at work - organized but not to an obsessive degree, with no personal mementos. He was right to some extent. Her apartment was clean and there were no pictures on the walls or knick-knacks on the shelves. But she did have a dog leap up on her legs and welcome her as she stepped in. That alone, could make anyone feel they were at home.

"Hey Frannie," he smiled, rubbing the dog's head as she tried to climb up Amanda. The dog turned to Nick and welcomed more head rubs. Once Frannie got bored and slid into one of the rooms, Nick followed Amanda into her apartment. There were stacks of magazines on her coffee table - everything from Time to People to Vogue to Women's Health. "I get suckered in to the one-year subscriptions," she admitted embarrassedly.

A wool throw draped over her couch. He could just picture her curling up under it like the way she did with her scarf. Her kitchen, from what he could see from the living room, didn't have a lot of appliances on the counters, and no drawings or alphabet magnets like the ones he had at home. Just a calendar with dates circled on Thursdays and Saturdays. Frannie walked by and scratched on his leg. He ruffled her ears and she nuzzled into his hands to return the affection.

"So, that nightcap?" She smiled.

He returned the smile and followed her to the kitchen. She took out two small glasses and opened a cabinet to pull out a bottle of whiskey. Nick looked at the calendar on the fridge. It was for her GA meetings. He knew she was working on them again, and he really hoped she would stick to the program this time. She was too good a detective for something like that to put an end to her career.

She passed him his drink. Nick leaned on the counter opposite to where she was standing. Amanda took a sip of and felt the dark liquid course down her throat and leave fire in its wake. "So," she started, gulping it down and frowning.

"So," he chuckled awkwardly. He pressed the glass to his lips and tilted it back. He watched as Amanda pushed herself up to the counter and allowed her legs to dangle off the floor. She crossed them at her ankles and she planted her palms on the edge, pushing her off slightly. She bit her lip and looked away, but there was a tiny smile at the corner of her mouth.

"What?"

"Huh?" She turned her head back and gave him a questioning look.

"What were you smilin' about?" Nick smirked. She caught that mischievous glimmer in his eyes, and had to shake the thoughts away from her head.

She picked up her drink and took a long sip just so she could divert her attention from something other than Nick's eyes, or his lips, or the five-o-clock shadow bordering his impeccable jawline. "It's nothing."

"C'mon you can tell me." There was that mischievous glimmer again, now paired up with a sly smile.

She raised her brows. Four hours ago, she wouldn't even talk to this man about the weather, and now he wanted to know what was making her smile, making her blush, making her heart flutter in her chest. "I just remembered the first day you came into the squad room. Captain said you were second grade and I remembered being so jealous."

"But you were so nice to me?" He creased his brow.

"Yeah, I was mad about the fact that the other new guy outranked me. I wanted to be the prized new kid in the squad… not some guy from Narcotics," she licked her lips and parted them slightly. She was about to say something but she shook her head. When Nick widened his eyes, expecting her to spill some more truth, she resigned. "I wanted to hate you, but you were kinda my type," she admitted shyly. Nick's eyes widened at the admission. "You had the dark hair, dark eyes, full beard look. Dress you up in a plaid shirt and you'd be the lumberjack of my dreams."

Nick laughed. "So you liked the beard?" He asked, feeling his face heat up just asking that question. He could blame it on the alcohol all he wanted, but there was no denying it was all thanks to the blonde detective.

She squinted her eyes and held her thumb and index finger close together but barely touching, "maybe just a little," she chuckled. "But then you shaved it off and I was like, meh."

Nick tilted his chin up condescendingly, "sure, whatever you say, Rollins," he remarked sarcastically.

She tried to cover her face with her hands in the most adorable way. He sank his teeth into his bottom lip and shook his head, which didn't help because his world felt like it was spinning out of orbit. Still, he wasn't complaining. Amanda leaned forward and pointed her finger at his face, "you're sporting some stubble now." It was true. It had been two days since he last shaved.

He rubbed his knuckles on his jawline and felt the coarse hair scratch against his skin. "So am I your type yet or do I have to give it a couple more days?"

"Shut up, Amaro." She rolled her eyes, before she finished her drink. Nick matched her and finished his before he set it down on the counter behind him. He took one stride forward and he was only a few inches away from her.

He took her wrist and let her palm rest against his cheek. He nuzzled against her palm and she laughed. "Too prickly!" Amanda giggled as she felt Nick's stubble against her fingertips.

"Give it two days, and I promise it'll be nice and soft," he started.

"Like the hair on your head?" She taunted, moving her hands up to pull on the dark curls on top of his head. She was expecting it to be crunchy from the gel he often wore, but it was actually as nice and soft as he claimed. Her smile fell and her eyes lowered to meet his. Her hands travelled back down to his cheek and she let her fingers trace the sculpted angles of his jaw. Her heart was beating so fast, that if Frannie wasn't howling at the moon in the next room over, she was sure they could both hear it. She inhaled sharply as Nick's eyes closed and he leaned in to kiss her.

March 2, 2015

She was pouring herself a cup of coffee at the station. It must've been her third cup and it was only eleven in the morning. She wasn't sleeping very well these days. All signs were pointing to the fact that she wasn't sharing a bed anymore with a certain dark-haired, dark-eyed detective. But she tried to quiet that nagging voice inside her head; and instead chalked up the insomnia to work-related stress. Who was she kidding though? It wasn't yellow folders and stacks of DD5s that she visualized in her daydreams.

He walked towards her and he saw her body tense as he approached. She didn't even see him, but she must've felt his presence or smelled his aftershave. Or maybe she just got so used to having him around that she just knew when he was nearby.

"Rollins," he said. He called her by her last name at work, but when they were curled up on the couch, wrapped up in each other's sheets, he called her Amanda. He missed that. "We need to go to Lena's apartment."

She put the coffee pot back under the spout and without looking at him, replied, "Can't you take Fin or Carisi with you?" He could sense the aggravation in her voice. Her southern drawl peeked through; it was in these moments she was so close to slipping out a string of expletives. Within their first weeks of sleeping together, he was a little startled that she had a potty mouth. She claimed it must've been passed down in her DNA. He didn't mind it though – not when she used it in bed. He tried to refocus and look at something other than her mouth. He remembered why he came up to her in the first place – certainly not to reminisce about their sex life.

"Actually, Liv told me to take you."

She rolled her eyes and walked away from him. She was unbelievable. He pinched the bridge of his nose before he walked over to his desk and pulled on his coat. Nick then walked over to her desk and set the car keys on top of a stack of folders. "You can drive." And then he walked away.

Nick was walking across the parking lot to the car when he heard the sound of her boots against the pavement. She was wearing those wooden-heeled ones that click-clacked with every step. He knew she had no choice but to be his partner when they questioned Lena. Sergeant's orders. Amanda didn't say a word. She just got into the driver's side and started the car and started their drive to Lena's apartment.

He reached over and turned up the heat in the car. Amanda glanced sideways before she turned the heat back down. Nick looked disbelievingly at her before he turned the knob back on high. When they stopped at a red light, she turned it back down and glared at him.

"Are you serious?"

"What is your problem?" She roared.

He chuckled darkly before he rested his right arm against his side of the window. He rubbed his face with his hand before he turned quickly to face her. "You wanna be mad at me? You can be mad at me, but don't bring it up at work!"

Amanda grimaced, "oh, so I can't be angry, but you can yell at your wife on the phone and hit objects with your fist."

"Hey! That has nothin' to do with what's going on here," he pointed his finger between the two of them.

She scoffed as she continued driving. Nick closed his eyes and exhaled to let the anger dissipate. He had learned some techniques in anger management, but those techniques were essentially common sense. Thankfully, he wasn't paying out of his own pocket to hear a so-called expert to tell him to 'calm down' and 'find his center' before pummeling furniture. Still, he figured he might as well try to employ those techniques in times that tested him.

It was no big secret. Nick always had a temper, but he was good at controlling it up until he entered SVU and his personal life shot striaght to hell. He was working on his anger though, and he managed it well around Amanda. With Maria, he kept it, along with a whole other bunch of emotions, bottled up. He had learned from that and realized it was better to open up and talk it out calmly. But Amanda reminded him of the person he used to be – the person who bottled things up and pretended things were fine, when it couldn't have been further from the truth.

When they fought in the bar in December during the height of the AJ Martin trial, he walked away instead of engaging. She was stubborn and she was trying to tell him something in the only way she knew how. Amanda wasn't going to talk it out, calmly or otherwise. Even though she shoved him and egged him on, he never even considered hurting her physically; but he'd be lying if he didn't admit coming close to losing his temper and yelling at her. But he just walked away. He didn't want to yell or give Amanda what she thought she wanted. He didn't want to actualize those preconceived notions she had of men hurting her and taking advantage of her. Nick wasn't going to fight her in that bar, and not because they were in a public place, but because he didn't want her to see that side of him.

She twisted her lips and shook her head, "you worry about yourself. Don't even waste your time worrying about me."

He sighed and stared out the window. He disagreed. Time was never wasted worrying, thinking, or loving Amanda; he just wished she could understand that. He caught her reflection in the glass and he saw the mist in her eyes and her hand quickly wiping it away. Shedding the evidence that she was hurt – it was something she managed to do quite well. Keeping his anger in check – it was something he managed to do quite well, at least, for almost a year now; up until the last time he was at her apartment. Then she saw that side of him. She saw his dark side.

March 21, 2014

It was like silk against her lips. His mouth and his tongue idly traced the curves and caverns like time had frozen for them. In its softness and sweetness, it was also stunted when he pulled away and stared at her with surprise. Like, Nick couldn't believe it was him who initiated the kiss, and that she had kissed him back. Amanda's eyes grew as the gravity of the situation fell upon her. Hands still caressing his face, she quickly retrieved them in such a haste it knocked down her glass of whiskey.

Nick set upright the unbroken glass as Amanda leaped off the counter. She reached for the paper towels and let it soak up the liquid. Nick stood awkwardly by the fridge, unsure of what to do next. Before he could even think, he talked. "I think I better go."

Amanda turned around and locked eyes with him before the intensity forced her to break her gaze. "Yeah… yeah… no, of course. It's late…"

"Yeah, and you probably wanna sleep," he said, immediately regretting his words when he saw Frannie pop out of her bedroom. He caught a tiny glimpse of her bed and his mind just went where it shouldn't have gone. Nick pictured Amanda in bed, and what she was doing wouldn't fall under the category of 'sleeping'. He mentally chastised himself for being such a typical male. But, fuck, he kissed her and it was so damn good.

"Yeah, sleep…" she trailed off. Amanda knew that the moment Nick left, she'd try to sleep but she wouldn't be able to. She'd stay up, thinking about his face as usual, but now she had to think about the feel of his lips and the way his skin ignited under her touch.

"So, uh, guess I'll see you at work."

"Right… work," she pointed at him and let out a high-pitched giggle. She covered her mouth with her hands and averted her eyes. Get it together, Amanda. She watched as he walked out of the kitchen and reached for his coat. He pulled his arms through the sleeves and then cast one last look around her. His movements were hesitant, but at the same time rushed. She looked up to meet his eyes to see a brief glimmer of disappointment, before he looked away nervously.

"So… yeah, um… I'm headin' out" he announced, which felt really stupid to offer a play-by-play of his actions but he wasn't really sure what else to say. Nick had his hand on the door and he had pulled it open when she broke her silence.

"Wait!" Even if the word from fallen from her lips, it still managed to surprise her. "You could stay."

Nick froze and stared at her with wide eyes. Was she asking him to stay? To spend the night? He didn't want to think about the possible professional implications of spending the night at his co-worker's apartment. He didn't want to think about the possible mess this would create later on. He didn't want to think about what he should or shouldn't be doing. He just wanted to do.

So he took those few steps forward and met her halfway before their lips crashed together in a kiss that was the furthest thing from soft and sweet. Amanda worked to shed his coat while his hands rested on her slender neck. He kissed her deeper, and smiled into the kiss when he heard her moan. With their lips still latched together, Amanda walked backwards towards her bedroom. She nearly hit the back of her head on the doorframe, but Nick held his arm out to brace her. She laughed and was immediately hushed by his kiss.

The back of her knees hit the edge of the bed and the next thing she knew, she was on her back. Nick was on top of her, kissing the corner of her mouth, and finding that sweet spot just behind her ear. She curled her toes when he nipped at the sensitive area. Amanda reached down between them and started working on his belt buckle.

He paused his movements when he felt her fingers slips into his pants. His shallow breaths and panting chest matched her own rhythm, as he pulled away slightly and looked into her eyes. "You sure 'bout this?"

Amanda bit her lip and bowed her head. "Yeah, I want this… I want you."

Nick smiled that boyish, charming grin that had her hook, line, and sinker. She couldn't wait any longer though, as she pushed her hands down into his pants and felt his hardness through his boxers. Nick gasped and his eyes rolled back. He buried his face at the junction of her neck and shoulder and allowed her to feel him – to feel his desire for her.

Soon, they were teaming up to get rid of each other's clothes. Nick took time ravishing his way up her chest as he removed her top; but Amanda wasted no time when she ripped his shirt and sent buttons flying. He dipped his head down on her chest and took one of her hardened nipples into his mouth. She pushed herself off the bed so she could straddle him, while her fingers traced the curves of his abs. He sucked and she arched her back and dug her heels into the bed. Nick could feel her press against him and he started working on her pants.

Swiftly pulling them off, he sat on his knees and admired her. Amanda's porcelain skin glowed under the moonlight filtering through the blinds. Her long legs bent at the knee so he could fill the space she opened up for him. His fingers traced up her ankle to her inner thigh. He hooked her knees around his shoulders and he leaned up to send her a lascivious grin. Amanda chewed on her lip as her heels dug into his shoulder blades.

Amanda was seeing stars the moment he discarded her lace panties and sank his mouth into her center. He was licking, nipping, and sucking on her most sensitive spots. He thrust his fingers inside of her and curled them inwards. He held onto her with his mouth, but his free hand kept her thighs against the bed as she jolted in spasms from an orgasm that rocked her body hard. He circled his tongue around the sensitive bud, but made sure to keep the motions gentle as she rode out the last waves of her high.

With a satisfied smirk on his lips, he scooted up and rested his forearms on her abdomen. He propped his chin on the back of his arms and watched the rapid breaths that tumbled out of her pouty, pink lips. She exhaled deeply and lay still for a few seconds before her hands found his hair. She twisted his dark, wavy locks around her finger, and tugged gently. "Get up here and kiss me," she ordered breathlessly.

"Yes, ma'am," he chuckled, scooting further up the bed. He wanted to ease her into the next round, but he was surprised to find that she grabbed the back of his head and kissed him hard and ravenous. She wrapped her legs around him and flipped them over. Nick pushed her hair back from her face and let his fingers tangle into the soft, blonde strands.

She broke apart from their kiss and reclined back so she was straddling him. Amanda reached behind her to pull on the hem of his boxers. "Take 'em off," she whispered huskily. Nick bent his knees and started kicking off the restraining fabric. Before he could even recollect himself, Amanda had her hands around him. She was stroking him and making him even harder, if it was any more possible. She wrapped her hand around his base and stroked him. She was ready to bend her head down and take him into her mouth, when he stopped her.

God, he wanted so bad to feel her hot mouth around him, but he didn't want his first time with her to finish this way. He pulled on her shoulders and exchanged a look with her. "C'mere," he kissed her.

"Condom?" He asked.

Amanda shook her head, "I'm on the pill."

Nick grunted and grinned cheekily. "I heard the same thing once. Nine years later, found out I had a son."

She smacked him playfully on the chest, but her face grew serious. "You can trust me."

He looked into her eyes, and he knew that he could trust her. And frankly, reason had flown out the window a long time ago so he didn't have time to overthink this decision and come up with multiple scenarios of how this could pan out. He just wanted to do, remember? Nick adjusted himself so her entrance was hovered right above him. Amanda pulled back and saw something in his eyes that she had never seen in any of her former lovers. She couldn't quite put her finger to what it was, and she didn't have much time to consider it because Nick had driven deep into her.

It started off slow, with Nick easing into her and gauging his speed based on her gasps. Once she let out a heavy breath, Nick tucked a few stray strands of hair away from her face and held her eyes momentarily before he thrusted his hips. She matched his motions, bouncing in pure ecstasy with her body in full display. Nick didn't think he'd seen a more erotic sight in his life. He picked up the pace and flipped them over so she was on her back. He kissed her before he buried his face on the side of her neck. He nipped at that sweet spot close to her jugular, while he drove into her in frantic thrusts. She clenched her walls around him. Her yearning for him matched by her shallow breathing. Amanda raked her nails on his shoulder blades as she felt him hit that spot; she convulsed around him, driving him to his own completion.

They were laying in bed, giggling after another round spent tangled up in her sheets. Their bodies were spent, but their libido begged to differ. He turned to his side and traced his fingers over the swell of her breasts. He kissed her shoulder and looked up to her eyes, staring up at the ceiling.

"What's on your mind?" He asked, running his fingers through her hair. He was finding that he liked doing this strange, yet weirdly affectionate, action.

She sighed. "What happens now? At work, I mean?" Amanda turned to her side and rested her head on her hand. She smiled when his hand switched over to the other side of her head. He seemed to have a thing for her hair. She didn't mind; it was her appreciation of his hair that got them into this delightful mess in the first place.

"I dunno… we can't really bring it out in the open, can we?" He shrugged.

"Unless… it doesn't happen again," she nervously chewed her lip. Amanda didn't want to risk her job but, deep down, she didn't want to let go of whatever it is that just formed between her and Nick. It was too soon to think of the future and labels and grown-up decisions; but she'd be damned if she wasn't going to sleep with him again after that.

He was about to object but he saw the reluctance in her statement. He let his thumb trace her lower lip to keep her from chewing on it and drawing blood. "I want it to happen again."

A small smile tugged at the corner of her lips. "Me too."

His mouth drifted over hers and he kissed her tenderly. When he pulled away, his brows were furrowed and he looked deep in thought. Now, it was her turn to question him. "What are you thinking about?"

He chuckled softly and gave her that warm, boyish grin, which made her giddy like a school girl. "Just thinkin' back to a couple 'a weeks ago when Fin asked me if I had somethin' goin' for you."

Amanda laughed. She could totally see her partner being upfront like that. Truth be told, Fin had already asked her the same thing about Nick, which she vehemently denied – almost too vehemently. "So, what did you say?"

"I denied, of course… at the time… but…" He paused and turned to meet her eyes so blue, so curious.

"But?"

Nick ran his fingers through her hair, bent his head down, and stole one more kiss. "—But I guess he wasn't far off. I do got somethin' goin' on for you."