He grabbed his shoes and headed out the back door for his regular morning run. He glanced at the window to her room and sighed. After that kiss, he was glad he had talked himself through how he wanted this week to go. He wanted to do this right. He wanted to do right by her and by that little boy. Noah is her world. He had to respect that and respect her. So he kept as much of a distance as he could (which wasn't much considering how they just gravitated toward each other), to keep these few days they had together on the path that he had plotted out before she had arrived.

"Penny for your thoughts?"
"Ella" he said with a start, sitting up out of the chair on the deck. "I didn't even hear you come in."
"Can I help you with anything Mr. Barba?"
"Ella, please. Rafael."
She just smiled. "Sure. What's going on?"
He sat up and looked at her. Williams had told him she was reliable, helpful, and like family to him.
"I'm having visitors."
"Oh good! I really was hoping you didn't spend the whole month here alone. What can I..." She trailed off.
Then it was like a lightbulb went off. "Ohhhhh... is she..."
"They."
"They?"
"Yes. They. Olivia and Noah. They are coming to visit over his spring break and I..."
"Have you been together long?"
"Oh, that's the rub right there. We aren't. We are close. Very close. I trust her more than anyone else, except my mother. She's smart and special and dedicated and beautiful and I just..."
"I see Mr. Barba. How can I help?"

Ella had helped him come up with a game plan but that plan didn't include Olivia kissing him like he had never been kissed before yesterday afternoon. It had taken all his self control to not give in. But he wanted to do this right. That's what she deserved.

"Everyone set?" The plan had been to start with sight seeing. That's all he would tell her. He had had this cryptic smile on his face since he got back from his run. Like there was a plan she wasn't privy to. Usually she had no problem getting him to let her in on his plans, but he was so different here.

They drove all morning, seeing different parts of the keys, stopping for pictures and to just look. They pulled over next to a small ice cream shop when Barba had yelled "ICE CREAM FOR LUNCH!" She was outmanned when Noah started chanting ice cream and Barba just smiled at her. They were sitting at a small table while he ordered at the window.

"Mom."

"Yeah baby."

"Mr. Raf is fun. We should see him all the time."

"Yeah? You want that?"

"Yeah! Don't you?"

Children. Some of the most honest and simple thoughts that make life seem so easy come from children, especially from her son. Barba came back with three shakes and sat down next to her, across from Noah.

"Noah, you want to tell Mr. Raf what you just told me?"

"I like Maui better than Kristoff" he said very matter of fact as he shoved the straw in his mouth. Barba just looked at her. She could only shake her head and shrug her shoulders.

"And this is where you get out. Boys only from here on out."

She looked over her shoulder at the building they had stopped in front of. She looked back at him. "What?"

"Yeah. This is your stop."

"Uh... this is a spa."

"I know."

"What?"

"Ella is babysitting Noah tonight. We are going out. Thought you might enjoy a couple of hours getting pampered while I ran this kid ragged."

"Raf..."

"Olivia." That tone. She knew that tone. She had heard it more times than she could count over drinks when he had an idea in his head that she could not talk him out of. When he was determined and had a plan... but this time she was the plan.

"I didn't bring anything."

He smiled "Taken care of. Now go or you are going to be late. Noah and I have very manly things to do for the next two hours."

"Yeah mom!" She looked back at her son. Traitor, she thought to herself.

She jumped out of the car. "Call me when you are done" he said as she watched them pull away.

Well she couldn't argue with his plan. After a very long overdue massage and facial, she kind of felt like a brand new girl. She pulled out her phone and hit his contact.

"Well?"

"Not going to lie. That was one of the most enjoyable things I have done in a long time. Ella sent you in the right direction." He just laughed and she sighed. That laugh. She could count on one had the number of times she heard him laugh like that.

"There's a bit of traffic. Give me like 20 minutes." She looked into the window of the small boutique next to the spa. She knew exactly how she would kill her time. "No problem. I'll see you when you get here."

"Liv?" he said through the door as he knocked lightly. "You almost ready?"

He had been pacing for the last 15 minutes. Thank God Ella was early. She was keeping Noah distracted. He couldn't remember when the last time was he was honest to God nervous about... well, anything. He always knew how his plans were to go. He could see all the steps. All the moves. And up until this moment, he knew what the plan was. But that had all gone out the window when she had stepped back into the jeep looking refreshed and relaxed, with a small bag that had the logo of a store next to the spa he had dropped her off at. Olivia was his X factor. She always had been. Even during cases when they would battle, he could guess how she would respond, but she could also take him by surprise. But this was no case. The only thing to be won or lost would be them. He walked over the windows and stared at the ocean. This night, this was for all the marbles. He knew it. Whatever this was had to take root tonight or he feared when they both got back to the hustle and bustle of New York and their jobs and the demands of their lives, well he knew they may never have this shot again.

"Mommy look like princess!" he heard Noah say. He turned and could barely breathe. There she stood in what had to be a new dress from the store from earlier today. Looking tanned and relaxed in the light yellow sundress, smiling back at him. He had a feeling tonight was going to be one hell of a night.

He walked over to her and gave her a light kiss on the cheek. "Yes, Noah, she absolutely does. You ready?" he asked, extending him arm to her. She wrapped her arm around his and glanced back over her shoulder at her son and Ella. "Noah, you be good for Ella tonight."

"Ok mommy. You be good from Mr. Raf."

She looked at her date square in the eye. "If he's lucky" she said quietly so that only he could hear as they headed out the door.