Day 5
Elliot wandered down to the kitchen, hoping to see Olivia in the kitchen. He hadn't really had a chance to talk to her after the fireworks the previous night. The kids had been wired after the carnival and they had rallied to watch a movie when they got back. Olivia had been sitting next to Elizabeth, per his youngest daughter's request, and Olivia had dozed off halfway through the movie. Elliot had awoken her and sent her to bed, but with a room full of kids, he couldn't kiss her good night. He wanted to make sure she wasn't having any regrets after having a night to think about what had happened.
When he got down the stairs, he was disappointed to see her bedroom door was closed and the kitchen was empty. He got a whiff of coffee, and then noticed the French doors were open a crack. He walked over and opened the door, looking out on the deck. He didn't see anyone, and he opened the door a little wider and slipped outside. It was a beautiful morning. The sun was low in the sky, streaking through low, wispy clouds. The lake was calm, and a fine mist hung low over the water. Elliot saw Olivia, sitting at the end of the dock. Her legs were pulled up to her chest, and her arms were wrapped around her legs. She had her black leggings pulled up to just below her knees, as if she'd been dangling her feet in the water. She smiled when he saw she was wearing the gray sweatshirt he'd left in the family room last night. He saw a mug of coffee on the dock next to her.
Elliot went back inside and poured himself some coffee, hoping Olivia wouldn't mind having some company. He padded down the stairs in his bare feet, trying not to disturb the quiet. When he stepped out on the dock, he was surprised to see that Olivia didn't turn to look at him. He hesitated for a second, but then kept walking down the dock.
"Good morning." Elliot said quietly.
Olivia dropped her head back and looked up at him, flashing him a small smile as he stood slightly behind her and to her left. "Morning."
"Do you want some company?"
"Sure." Olivia reached over and grabbed her mug, making room for Elliot.
Elliot sat down, letting his legs dangle down off the end. "Ohhh. That's cold." Elliot said as his feet hit the water.
"That's why I'm sitting like this." Olivia said with a quiet laugh.
Elliot looked over at her, and saw she was looking at him.
"How can you sit like that?" He asked. She still had her knees pulled to her chest. Her feet were flat on the dock, and her right arm was wrapped around them. She was facing him, but she had laid her head against her knees.
"Yoga." Olivia said. She knew she had a small smile on her face. It had been there since she'd woken up this early this morning. She had been sitting down here for what seemed like a long time, replaying the scene from last night in her mind. Sitting here, she'd been struck with the realization that she wasn't riddled with doubt…worry…concern about repercussions. For the first time in her life, she wasn't overthinking this. She had thrown all caution to the wind, ignoring the rules that had kept them in place for so long.
And Elliot had kissed her.
"How'd you sleep?" Elliot asked, noticing the small smile on her face.
"Really good, but I woke up as soon as the sun started to come out." Olivia put her chin on her knees and looked back out over the water. "It's such a beautiful morning. I caught the sun just as it was coming up over the trees across the lake." She said, continuing to speak in hushed tones. She lifted her head and turned to look at him again. "What about you? Did you watch the entire movie?"
"Yes, unlike some people…" Elliot teased.
Olivia shrugged her shoulders slightly. "I'm on vacation. I can be lazy."
"True." Elliot said. He looked out at the lake. He was happy that Olivia was making small talk, but he had no idea what she was thinking. "Olivia." Elliot moved his feet in the water and looked back over at her. "About last night…"
Olivia reached out with her left hand and rested it on his arm. "El please…" She said softly. "Don't."
Elliot stared into her eyes for a moment. She was pleading with him and he understood what she was saying. For the first time, they were being honest about their feelings and desires…and they weren't talking and overanalyzing, or questioning whether or not they should or shouldn't. He was glad she was feeling the same way he did. He gave her a small smile and he saw her relax.
Olivia slid her hand up his arm. "Now, aren't you going to kiss me good morning?"
Elliot was more than happy to oblige. He leaned over and felt Olivia's hand slide to the back of his neck. He kissed her gently as he ghosted the palm of his hand over her right cheek. He tasted the bitterness of the coffee and something sweet from her lip balm and he smiled as he pulled away. "Good morning."
Olivia pulled her hand from his body and looked back out at the lake. "It is a great morning." She ran her tongue over her lips, tasting him. She had spent the morning snuggled in his sweatshirt; the smell of him so familiar…comforting. She had almost pinched herself to make sure this was real.
"Go out to dinner with me tonight." Elliot said on a whim. He looked over at Olivia and saw as she turned her head to look at him, surprise in her eyes. "There's a big resort on the other side of the lake and they have a great restaurant right on the water."
"What about the kids?" Olivia asked.
"I'll make dinner for them and we can go a little later. Believe me, they'll be happy to have the house to themselves for the evening." He didn't know why he hadn't thought of it sooner, but a nice quiet evening with Olivia would be perfect. "What d'ya think?"
"I think it sounds wonderful." Olivia said. She let her legs down and let them dangle off the dock again, gasping slightly as her toes hit the cold water. She picked up her mug and took a long sip, and she saw Elliot do the same. She reached out her left hand and set it on the dock, in the space between them, as she continued to stare out at the lake. A few seconds later, Elliot wrapped his hand around hers, and they watched the sun creep slowly into the sky and burn off the mist from the lake.
EOEOEOEO
The kids seemed to realize that the days were going by quickly, and as Elliot worked to keep the platter of pancakes full, there was non-stop buzz about the things they wanted to do that day. They were all sitting down at the table finally, and Elliot promised a day of water-skiing and rides on the Wave Runner, and even agreed to take the boys fishing again later in the afternoon. Olivia gave him a funny look, because she wasn't sure how he was going to fit it all in, but that was his problem.
"Tonight, Liv and I are going to Weiden's Lodge for dinner." Elliot said, once the clamor had died down and everyone was eating.
"I want to go out to dinner." Said Dickie, from his spot on the bench between Luke and Kathleen.
Olivia saw Kathleen hit Dickie in the arm with the back of her hand. "No, you don't." Kathleen said, and she looked up at Olivia, trying to conceal a smile.
"Yes, I do!" Dickie said, pushing Kathleen with his arm.
"I like Weiden's." Elizabeth chimed in. "And Emily's never been there."
"You're not the boss of me." Dickie said rudely as he pushed Kathleen into Jess.
"Hey!" Said Jess as she dropped her fork and it clattered on the plate.
"Dad can we please come along?" Elizabeth asked.
"I'm older than you so you have to listen to me and I say shut up." Kathleen yelled at Dickie as she shoved him hard, pushing him into Luke.
Luke was holding a glass of milk and it spilled all over his plate. "Hey!" He yelled as he jumped up.
"Enough!" Elliot roared and everyone froze in place. He grabbed a stack of napkins and started sopping up the mess the milk had made, and Olivia bit back a smile. It was amazing how one little statement got the whole group going. She imagined Elliot had been through similar nights like this at home. "Olivia and I are going to dinner. By ourselves. End of story." He got up and found a clean plate for Luke, and piled it with fresh pancakes and sausage. "I'll make dinner for you here, and you guys can watch movies or play video games or whatever it is you want to do." He raised an eyebrow at Kathleen. "Well, not whatever you want to do…but you know what I mean." He took a bite of sausage. The kids were all still staring at their plates. "Now, finish your breakfast so we can get out on the lake." Elliot looked over at Olivia, and shook his head, but she just gave him a smile and went back to her breakfast.
The minute they were done eating, the kids were clearing the dishes and headed outside. Elliot yelled after them to stay close until he got out there, and he leaned back in his chair with a sigh. "Kids."
EOEOEOEOEO
The kids seemed to have forgotten about dinner, and Olivia took her place on the boat as spotter. She was sporting her white bikini, and she saw Elliot watching her as she moved into the bow of the boat. She could hear the kids arguing about the order again, as they got their gear together and sunscreen applied. She grabbed her own bottle of sunscreen from the seat, and squirted some of the white cream into her hand. Time to have a little fun.
Elliot watched as Olivia very slowly and very deliberately applied the sunscreen across her chest, slipping her fingers beneath the seam of her bikini top. She smoothed lotion over her stomach, doing the same with her bikini bottoms. When she squirted lotion on her upper thighs, he had to look away. He could feel his body reacting to this private show, and he wasn't going to be sporting a hard-on as he pulled his kids around the lake. But his baser thoughts got the better of him and he looked back just as she was smoothing the lotion down on her inner thighs. He bit down hard on the inside of his mouth; hoping the pain of it would keep him from groaning out loud.
He was starting to realize that Olivia had a side of her he hadn't been privy to until now…a side of her that he wanted to know better…and that could very well be the death of him.
Olivia could see Elliot in her peripheral vision, and while it was certainly fun to tease him, there was a part of her that felt bad about it. But the man made it so damn easy. And turnabout was fair play. He walked around without a shirt on most of the time; and the thin material of his swimsuit did nothing but accentuate his physique. She'd had her eyes trained on him as he had attached the ropes to the boat, lifted the skis off the dock and piled up lifejackets. The way his muscles…his entire body…moved so fluidly…with so much strength. She'd found herself thinking about the way his body had felt when she was pressed up against him, and she could feel a dull ache starting to form.
"You guys almost ready?" Elliot yelled back to the kids, tearing his eyes from Olivia.
"Just one more minute!" Dickie yelled.
Olivia took that opportunity to get up and walk over to where Elliot was standing. Elliot looked up, narrowing his eyes as she approached.
Olivia parted her lips and held up the lotion. "Do my back?" Without waiting for a response, Olivia turned around, and braced her hands on the control console. "I don't want to burn."
Elliot almost choked when he saw her drop her head. The way she was standing there…arms braced…so much bare skin, ass out slightly…
All the breath left his body as he imagined slipping those bikini bottoms down and wrapping his hands around her hips…
Forgive me Father, for I have sinned.
"El?" Olivia lifted her head and looked back at him, seeing the darkness in his eyes.
This woman was pure sin…and she knew it. All that sexual energy directed right at him, and he felt like he could combust on the spot. He gripped the bottle of lotion in his hand. He wanted to touch her…he needed to touch her…
"OK Dad." Dickie yelled. "We're ready!"
Olivia stood up and grabbed the lotion from his hand. "Maybe when we get a break." She said. She gave him a small smile and walked back up to the bow of the boat.
Elliot sat down in the driver's seat, and tried to get himself under control. Focus on the lake…on the kids…on anything but the vixen perched in the bow of his boat.
EOEOEOEOEO
Each of the kids had taken two turns at waterskiing, and once again, Kathleen had driven the boat so Elliot could go around. Olivia watched with fascination…the power in his legs…the way his wet suit clung to his thighs…to everything. She should have blushed with the thoughts she was having…especially sitting next to Elliot's daughter.
The Wave Runners were next, and Olivia took a swim to cool off while they zoomed around the lake. When Elliot dropped off his last rider, and stopped close to where Olivia was bobbing in the water. "C'mon Liv. You haven't had a ride yet."
"That's OK." Olivia said, wondering if there was a double meaning there, but then deciding she had sex on the brain.
"C'mon. Just a quick ride. Get your life jacket." Elliot said.
Olivia knew he wasn't going to drop it, so she swam back to the dock, pulled herself up, and found a life jacket she could wear. She put it on and Elliot idled up to the end of the dock. He held her hand as she climbed on back, and she wrapped her arms around his waist. Or as well as she could with both their life jackets on. She was glad she had long arms.
Elliot put a hand over hers and squeezed. "Hang on!" He accelerated then, and Olivia felt herself almost fall backwards into the water. She tightened her arms around him, and then tightened her thighs against his. Elliot tore across the lake, and Olivia loved it. The speed and the feel of the wind whipping through her hair.
Elliot slowed down when he reached a small bay, and they idled slowly by some small cabins. A little farther in, she saw the trees thicken, and there appeared to be an opening for a small creek. Elliot stopped the Wave Runner. "What are you doing?" Olivia asked.
Elliot stood up and the Wave Runner rocked ominously. "I thought maybe you'd like a chance to drive." Elliot jumped in the water, and Olivia grabbed the seat in front of her to get from getting rocked off. Elliot grabbed the base and started to pull himself up, but Olivia had let go of the seat and she felt herself falling into the water.
Olivia broke the surface, bobbing up quickly because of the buoyancy of her life jacket. She saw Elliot sitting astride the seat, and he held out his hand to her. He pulled her up easily, and as Olivia put her right foot on the base, Elliot leaned forward and captured her lips in a quick kiss. He wrapped an arm around her, and pulled her up so she was sitting sideways on the seat. He brushed the hair back from her face and kissed her again.
His kiss surprised her, but she wasn't complaining. He kissed her more intently this time. Very different than gently, but tentative kisses from the night before. This was how she'd always imagined a kiss from Elliot would be, and she didn't want to stop.
Elliot broke the kiss and smiled at the expectant look on her face. "That's enough kissing for you." He teased.
Olivia rolled her eyes at him, but didn't have a witty remark. The man really did throw her off her game each time he touched her. She stood up and Elliot slapped her lightly on the ass. She looked back at him in surprise, but she didn't say anything. She felt Elliot scoot up behind her, and he squeezed his thighs against hers. He leaned over her slightly as he explained what all the gauges and dials meant, and Olivia found herself wishing they weren't wearing their life jackets. She wanted to feel Elliot's bare chest against her skin.
"Are you listening to me?" Elliot asked, when she didn't answer his question.
"Absolutely." Olivia said. She started the engine, and took off, nearly dumping Elliot off the back. He grabbed hold of her just in the nick of time.
EOEOEOEOEO
Olivia threw on some shorts and a tank top over her swimsuit when they got back. She wanted to wait to shower until she needed to get ready for dinner. Elliot had asked if she would mind helping or supervising the girls while they prepped things for dinner because he still needed to fulfill his promise to take the boys fishing.
The girls had the music cranked, and they were singing along and moving around the kitchen to the beat.
"What can I do to help?" Olivia asked, and Kathleen pointed to a pile of hamburger.
"Help me make hamburger patties." She yelled over the music.
"What is this?" Olivia asked, pointing to the radio.
"Fall Out Boy."
"Is that the name of the song or the band?"
Kathleen rolled her eyes. "The band. The song is Dance, Dance." She bumped Olivia's hip with her own. "I know my dad is tragically unhip, but I thought you were cool."
Olivia shook her head. "I'm definitely not cool." She said as she laughed. "I don't know anything about pop music." She bumped Kathleen's hip. "But I like this."
All the girls helped and it didn't take long for them to have everything ready to go for when Elliot returned. They all crashed on the large sectional, and Elizabeth turned the music up a little bit. A new song came on, and Liz got up and pulled Emily off the couch. They started dancing, and Olivia and the girls were laughing along with them.
"What's this?"
"Shakira…Hips Don't Lie." Kathleen yelled over the music.
Olivia nodded and watched the girls dance around the room before they crashed back on the couch. Another song came on right after that, and Kathleen answered before she could even ask.
"Golddigger. Kanye."
Olivia wondered if Elliot ever listened to the music his kids listened to, and she thought decidedly not. She didn't live under a rock; she recognized the names of some of the artists. But the only time she ever listened to the radio was when she and Elliot were on some boring stake-out, and typically Elliot settled on some classic rock station. She really didn't care and he seemed to enjoy it.
The girls started talking about leaving and getting back to the city, and the consensus seemed to be that they wanted to stay.
Kathleen turned to Olivia. "Are you having a good time up here?"
Olivia knew there was a subtext to Kathleen's question, but she wasn't going to get sucked into it. Olivia nodded. "I've never done anything like this."
The girls started peppering her with questions about her childhood, and Olivia maneuvered her way through the questions without revealing too much.
"I guess we're lucky our Mom and Dad like the outdoors and stuff." Elizabeth said after Olivia told them that her mother's idea of fun was browsing through old bookstores and wandering through art galleries. "I mean…"
"Yes, you are." Olivia said. She saw a look of uncertainty on Elizabeth's face at the mention of her mother, and Olivia wanted to let her know it was okay. She did feel a little strange a being here…being in a space that Kathy had once occupied. But it hadn't been seemed to be an issue for the kids, and she was grateful for that.
A new song came on the radio and all the girls squealed. They all got off the couch and Kathleen grabbed Olivia's hands and tried to pull her up as well.
Olivia shook her head. "I don't think so."
"It's Sexyback!" Kathleen said. "Justin Timberlake! Oh my God!"
Olivia watched the girls as they sang all the words…holding their thumbs up as microphones. Olivia couldn't help but laugh as they moved their hips, and danced around the room, and when Kathleen grabbed her hands a second time, she let herself be pulled up.
She started moving to the music, and picked up the lyrics to the chorus, and the next thing she knew, she was swaying her hips and moving around the girls, as the song played on.
Elliot heard the music as soon as he turned off the boat engine, and he frowned. The girls knew better than to blast the music so loudly. Sound really carried on the water. He turned to the boys. "You guys clean up the gear and I'm going to get dinner started." He pointed at them. "Stay out of the water."
The boys nodded and Elliot headed up the dock and to the house. He climbed up the stairs, but stopped when he got to the top step. The French doors were open, the music was loud, and he could see all the girls dancing to the beat. He smiled and started up the last step, but then Olivia came into view. He couldn't have been more shocked when he saw her dancing with them…he couldn't recall a time when he'd seen her dance. Of course, there wouldn't have been any reason to. But there she was, swaying her hips and moving to the beat, and he couldn't tear his eyes away. The way her body moved…it was sexy as hell…and all the thoughts he'd been having came bubbling back to the surface.
Olivia turned then and she saw Elliot standing on the deck, watching them…watching her…and she froze. She was slightly embarrassed at having been seen dancing like a teenaged girl, but she'd seen the look on Elliot's face, and it made her smile. She leaned over to Kathleen. "I think we're busted." She pointed out the door, and Kathleen scrambled to turn down the music as the song ended.
Elliot took the last step and then walked across the deck into the cabin. "What's going on in here?"
"We're having a dance party." Elizabeth said, walking up to her Dad and giving him a hug. "Do you want to dance?"
"Um…not to this kind of music." He raised an eyebrow and looked at Olivia. "I can't move like that. I'm an old man."
"You're not that old Daddy." Elizabeth said, grabbing his arm.
Elliot lifted his arm, and Elizabeth kept hold until she was dangling a few inches off the ground, and she laughed. "Thanks for that Lizzie." He lowered his arm until her feet were back on the ground. "Ok. Who's hungry?"
EOEOEOEO
Olivia didn't know what to wear to dinner tonight and finally, she decided to enlist Kathleen's help. The girl was obviously tuned in to what was happening, so it couldn't hurt. And she had been to this place before, so she would know if Olivia was over or under-dressed.
Kathleen insisted Olivia wear a dress, so that narrowed her options considerably. She hadn't planned on any nights out, so she had only packed a few sundresses. Kathleen picked a dress that Casey had chosen…a simple white cotton sundress. The top cut across the swell of her breasts with a small V, and the two thin straps ran over her shoulders and crossed in the back. The loose material fell beneath her breasts and from where the straps met in the back, and the hem fell just above her knees. Kathleen picked out some tan leather sandals she had sitting in the closet, and Olivia stood in front of the full-length mirror, trying to decide if she liked it.
"Dad will love it."
"Kathleen…" Olivia said, turning to face her.
"What?" Kathleen had been lying on the bed, and she sat up. "Are you going to tell me there's nothing going on between you two?"
Olivia wasn't going to lie to the girl, but she also wasn't going to admit anything. Especially since she didn't know what it was herself. "Your dad and I are close friends."
Kathleen rolled her eyes at Olivia. "C'mon Olivia. We're all okay with it."
"What?"
"My sisters and me."
"You and your sisters talk about your Dad and me?" Olivia asked. She had to assume Dickie wasn't on board since Kathleen hadn't mentioned him.
Kathleen shrugged. "I mean…kind of. We've always liked you and we know how close you and Dad are and once Mom and Dad got divorced…" She shrugged again. "We just started to wonder if there was more there."
Olivia sat down on the bed next to Kathleen. "Kathleen, there has never been anything between your Dad and me. I want to be very clear about that." She would be horrified if Elliot's kids thought she and Elliot had been messing around while he was married. It was bad enough that Kathy'd had her suspicions.
"We know that Liv. I know you and Dad would never do anything like that." Kathleen gave her a big smile. "But we're just saying that if you guys were to…get together…we'd be totally cool with it."
Olivia didn't know what to say.
"Not that you need our permission." Kathleen said quickly, and Olivia realized that the girl thought that maybe she had crossed some line.
Olivia put her hand over Kathleen's. "I appreciate it." It did mean something to her to know that Elliot's kids weren't going to hate her if anything did happen between them.
"So, you two are together?" Kathleen asked excitedly.
Olivia didn't realize her comment had been construed as an admission. "I didn't say that." She said as she stood up. "And if there were, I wouldn't tell you."
"Whatever you say Liv." Kathleen hopped off the bed. "I'd better go check on Dad to see what God-awful thing he's wearing." She turned at the door. "You look great Liv." And then she was gone.
EOEOEOEOEO
Olivia was leaning against the island, feeling a little nervous as she waited for Elliot. Kathleen had been up there for the past 15 minutes, and she could envision the argument going on up there. She'd seen Elliot's wardrobe and knew Kathleen probably had a challenge on her hand.
She heard someone on the stairs, and she looked up and saw Kathleen sprinting down the stairs. "He'll be down in a few seconds." She said. "Have fun!" she yelled as she ran out the doors to join the other kids at the bonfire Elliot had started for them.
Kathleen had been right, and a few seconds later, Elliot emerged. He walked down the stairs, and Olivia saw he was wearing dark wash jeans and a long-sleeved, collared, white shirt. he had rolled the sleeves up on his arms, and something about it…he just looked so sexy as he sauntered down the stairs. As he got closer, she could see he had shaved, and he was grinning at her as he walked down the last of the stairs.
"I like your shirt." Olivia said as he walked over to where she was standing.
Elliot laughed. "Finally." He looked back and forth between her eyes. "I like your dress." The white material made her skin look even darker, and even though the dress wasn't fitted, she looked sexy in it. Maybe it was innocence of the white against the seductress he knew lay beneath. He reached up and brushed her hair back. "You look beautiful Liv." He whispered, and he saw a small blush in her cheeks. "I'm just going to go check in with the kids, and then we can go."
Olivia nodded and watched as he walked out to the deck. That man's ass in jeans…
Elliot came back inside a few minutes later and Olivia grabbed her small purse off the counter. Elliot motioned towards the door. "After you." He followed Olivia out to the Jeep, admiring the bare skin of her back, the way the straps appeared stark against her dark skin and how the material draped over her lower back and moved as she walked.
When Olivia reached the Jeep, Elliot opened the door for her. Olivia gave him a quick smile, and climbed inside. As Elliot climbed in, he saw Olivia arranging the skirt around her thighs, and she gave him an almost shy smile as he started the engine.
The situation felt a little strange to her, even though she'd eaten dinner with Elliot hundreds of times. "Are you sure the kids don't mind?"
"Nah. They like it when I'm not looking over their shoulders." He said with a laugh. "Besides, I've spent a lot of time with them this week. I deserve to have some fun." He winked at Olivia as he turned into the parking lot of the lodge.
Weiden's Lodge was pretty much what Olivia had expected. She had caught a glimpse of it when they'd been out on the lake, but it was set back in a bay, and she hadn't appreciated the size of it. It was a wooden structure, only about four stories high, but there were smaller, wooden cabins to the right and the left that ran around the bay. There were a lot of people coming in and out, and as she climbed out of the Jeep and walked towards the lodge, she caught a glimpse of the beach.
Elliot caught up to her, and she could feel his hand on the small of her back. It was such a small thing, but so unlike their typical day-to-day interaction, that it made her realize this was real. She was on a date…with Elliot.
"Everything okay?" Elliot asked as he opened the door for her.
Olivia gave him a quick smile. "Everything's fine."
The host showed them to a table out on a large dock that was overlooking the water, and they sat at a table for two near the railing. The heat of the day was still lingering, but there was a light breeze off the lake. White lights were strung on wires above them and around the entire deck, and it provided a soft glow. There were several couples, a few foursomes, and one larger group, but the conversation was quiet and Olivia could hear some soft music playing in the background.
"It's gorgeous." Olivia said as she looked out at the water. The sun had already set, but there was an orange glow low in the sky. She could see some kids running on the beach farther down, and she could see some bonfires burning outside of some of the small cabins.
"It's pretty nice. About the best we can do around here." Elliot said.
The waiter came, and Elliot ordered a bottle of wine once Olivia agreed to share it with him. Once the waiter brought the wine, they ordered dinner, and settled in.
"This is better than eating Chinese takeout in the break room." Olivia said as she took a sip of wine. She regretted it as soon as she said it. She hadn't even thought about anything work-related since she'd been here, and neither had Elliot, and she was sorry she'd brought it up.
"No argument here." Elliot said. "I could get used to living up here." He sighed. "Not that I could afford that house." He said with a laugh.
"You'd miss the city." Olivia said.
"Not really. The only reason I'd come back to the city would be to see you."
"You mean I don't get to stay up here with you?" Olivia teased.
"That could be arranged." Elliot said with a wink, and Olivia did blush this time. "I don't think I've ever seen you blush before." Elliot said. "Until this week."
Olivia put her hands to her cheeks. "It's the wine."
Elliot smiled and nodded, letting her get away with the excuse. He filled her glass. "Well, you'd better have some more then, because it looks good on you."
They spent the rest of the evening talking and laughing. Telling each other about the places they'd like to go in the world, about his kids and his dreams for them, and small things from their childhood that felt safe to talk about. By the time dinner was over, Olivia realized she was feeling the effects of the wine. Elliot lifted the second bottle and started to pour more into her glass, but she held up her hand.
"I think I've had enough." Olivia said.
"I'm driving, so you don't have to worry." Elliot said. He was happy to see Olivia relaxing and having a good time. "I'll get you home safely."
Olivia gave him a seductive smile. "Trying to get me to let go of my inhibitions?"
Elliot thought about the way she had teased him on the swim platform and on the boat. "I don't think that's a problem." He said with a laugh, but he put the bottle of wine down. "You want dessert?"
Olivia shook her head, wondering about his comment. She let it go. "I couldn't eat another bite." She lifted her hair off the back of her neck, trying to cool off. The night was still a little warm…or maybe it was the wine. "You anxious to get back to the kids?"
"Not particularly." Elliot said. "But if you're done, we could put the top down on the Jeep and go for a drive. Try to cool off."
"Or we could go for a late-night swim." Olivia said.
Elliot raised both eyebrows, and then broke into a grin. He liked her idea a lot more than his. "You win."
EOEOEOEOEO
They debated how to sneak off to the lake if the kids were still up. It was only 11:30, so they undoubtedly would be. There seemed to be an unspoken agreement that they wanted to be alone.
"I'm the Dad. I can make them go to bed." Elliot said.
Olivia laughed. "Don't ruin their fun." She looked over at Elliot. "Besides, we don't have to let them know we're going swimming."
"That's true. We'll just tell them we're going to sit on the dock and look at the stars." Elliot pulled the Jeep into the driveway. "They won't want any part of that."
Olivia climbed out of the Jeep and Elliot followed her to the door. Olivia turned around to face him. "You know, we could sneak around the side of the house…"
"We don't have our suits." Elliot said.
Olivia wrapped her arms around his neck. "We don't need our suits." She said as she ghosted her lips over his.
Elliot wrapped his hands around her arms and pulled them from around his neck. "Liv…" His voice was thick…deep.
"Get your mind out of the gutter Mr. Stabler." Olivia said playfully. She leaned in and gave him a passionate kiss, biting down lightly on his bottom lip. "I meant we can swim in our underwear."
Olivia slipped out from between Elliot and the door, and she tugged him along behind her. Elliot tugged her backwards and wrapped an arm around her waist.
"Be careful in the dark." He whispered in her ear. He pushed ahead of her, but she was close on his heels.
"I can see just fine. There's a full moon." Olivia said, laughing as she let him pull her along.
Elliot slowed down as the rounded the pillars for the dock. When they got past the stairs, Elliot stopped and Olivia ran into him. She let out a gasp.
"Shhh." Elliot said, looking up at the house. He could see a bluish light pouring out from the windows, and hear some muffled sound, and he knew they must be watching a movie. He took a few steps down on the lawn, making sure none of the kids were down on the beach or at the bonfire, despite his rule that they shouldn't be. When he saw it was all clear, he motioned for Olivia to follow him down. He took her hand and they crept quietly across the beach and to the end of the dock, looking back when the boards on the dock creaked.
Olivia felt like a teenaged girl creeping around behind her mother's back, and it added an extra thrill to the evening. When they reached the end of the dock, Elliot didn't hesitate. He unbuttoned his shirt and sloughed it off his shoulders, and Olivia couldn't resist trailing her fingers down his back. She felt him shiver slightly; he hadn't been expecting her touch. She noticed he hesitated a second, and she took a step backwards. She watched as he toed off his shoes, and then he was pushing his jeans down, revealing a pair of black boxer briefs. He turned around, and Olivia placed her hands on his chest. She spread them across to his shoulders, and then ran her hands lightly down his arms.
Elliot watched as she explored his chest and arms with her hands. Her touch was feather light, and her eyes followed her hands as she brought them back up his arms and over his chest again. She started to let her hands drift down towards his abdomen, and Elliot couldn't take much more. He stilled her hands with his, and then he lifted her hands back to his shoulders. He cupped her face with his hands, and he leaned in and captured her lips. Olivia tilted her head and opened her mouth to him immediately. He tangled his fingers in her hair as his left hand fell to her shoulder, and he kissed her more deeply.
Elliot broke the kiss, and let pressed his forehead against hers. "The things you do to me…" He whispered against her skin. He rubbed his thumbs across her shoulders, and then slid them underneath the straps of her sundress. "Take it off." He whispered, and he felt a shiver run through her body. He lifted his head and took a half step back and watched as she reached for the zipper on the side of the dress.
Olivia swallowed hard. Even though Elliot had seen her in her bikini, this was so much more intimate. She reached up with her left hand and slid the strap off her right shoulder, and then did the same with the left. She held the dress to her breasts as she looked up and caught Elliot's eye. She didn't know why she was suddenly shy. She had undressed for men before…she wasn't shy about her body…but this was Elliot.
Elliot reached out and took her hand, and her dress fell to the ground. He kept her hand in his as his eyes wandered down over her white lace bra…the material cut low across her breasts. He trailed his eyes down to the white lace panties…a small scrap at the top of her thighs…and he wondered if she'd chosen them on purpose. If she knew he'd see her in them. "God Liv…" He rasped out. "I…"
He didn't even know what to say…there were no words. But he couldn't control his bodies reaction to her and he needed to cool off before things got out of hand. He'd only just kissed her yesterday and now all he could think about was getting her naked. He dropped her hand, and stepped back, and then he turned and jumped into the water.
He broke the surface and bit back a yell. The water was damned cold without the heat of the sun, but it was exactly what he needed. He saw Olivia laughing quietly at his reaction, and he knew he'd broken the tension…the uncertainty about what was going to happen just a few seconds earlier. But seeing her standing there in the moonlight…he deserved a fucking medal for his self-restraint.
"Come in." Elliot said. "The water's fine."
"Right." Olivia said. But she sat down on the edge of the dock and held out her arms, and Elliot reached up to lift her down. Olivia gasped when his cold hands touched her hot skin, and again when he lowered her body into the water.
"That's so cold." Olivia gasped out.
"Let me warm you up." Elliot said, pulling her against his body. Olivia wrapped her legs around his waist and pressed her mouth against his. She ran her hands through his hair as she kissed him hungrily, and Elliot tried keeping up with her. Elliot held her with one arm around her waist, and he slid his other hand down to her ass. He groaned into her mouth when he felt bare skin and he broke the kiss. "You don't play fair." He whispered.
Olivia dropped her head back as Elliot placed hot, open-mouthed kisses along her jaw, and then down her neck. He sucked and teased the skin there, and Olivia tightened her legs around him. "Elliot…" She whispered his name as she ran her hands over his shoulders and down his back. "That feels so good." She ran her hands back up to his neck and grasped his face in hands. She brought his mouth back to his, and she slid her tongue into his mouth. He was humming against her mouth, and Olivia felt a familiar ache between her legs. "El…touch me."
Elliot broke the kiss then and pulled back sharply. He lifted her hands from his neck and Olivia released her legs from around his waist. He held her until her feet hit the sand, and his eyes couldn't help but drift down. The water made the white lace almost sheer, and he didn't know if it was his heated kisses or the cold water, but her nipples were peaked against the fabric.
God help him…he wanted to touch her.
His eyes drifted up and he saw confusion at the abrupt change in direction. "Liv…"
Olivia understood then. She had taken things too far. What had she been thinking? The man had only kissed her yesterday and now she was throwing herself at him. This wasn't some guy she'd met in a bar. This was Elliot…the same Elliot who'd been married to the same woman for almost 30 years...father of four…Catholic altar boy and member of the PTA.
Olivia crossed one arm across her chest, suddenly self-conscious. "I'm sorry. I thought…" She turned and headed back towards the ladder on the dock. She had to get away from him.
Elliot reached for her. He snagged her arm, and pulled her back through the water. He wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her back against him.
Olivia struggled against him. "Let me go."
"No." Elliot whispered in her ear, but she still struggled against him. "Shhh. Just listen to me." He knew she had mistaken his actions for rejection, and nothing could be farther from the truth. "You're crazy if you think I don't want you." He whispered. "I do…and in your heart, you know that." Elliot felt her relax slightly against him. He placed a gentle kiss on her shoulder. "Just not like this. Not now. Not here."
Olivia didn't say anything. Her emotions were all over the place and she didn't trust herself.
Elliot brushed her hair back with his left hand, and Olivia dropped her head back against his shoulder. Elliot kissed her on the cheek. "Do you understand what I'm saying?"
"Yes." She whispered back, finally finding her voice.
Elliot sighed in relief and he kissed her cheek again. He slid his hand down to her shoulder, and then placed a kiss there. He felt Olivia tremble slightly. "Are you okay?"
"Yeah." Olivia said. "But if you keep doing that, I'm not going to be responsible for my actions."
Elliot chuckled softly…happy that she had seemingly accepted what he was saying, and that she was teasing him.
Olivia was glad to hear Elliot laugh. She knew his words had been sincere, and while a part of her was disappointed, she really hadn't expected them to have sex down here on the dock with his kids up in the house. She just hadn't expected him to slow things down quite so quickly.
Olivia pulled his arm from around her waist and turned around to face him. She placed a few open- mouthed kisses on his chest, and ran her hands up his arms. As she trailed her tongue up his neck, she wrapped her legs back around his waist.
"What are you doing?" Elliot stammered as she sucked his earlobe in between her lips and bit down lightly. Maybe she hadn't understood.
Olivia released his earlobe and placed a small kiss just beneath his ear. She moved her mouth back to his ear, and she felt him shudder as she whispered. "Just giving you something to remember when you're lying awake tonight." She loosened her legs, and purposefully slid her body down his body, feeling his hard length in his briefs. When her feet hit the sand, she pushed herself up on her toes and gave him a quick kiss. "Good night."
And she left Elliot standing in the water, knowing he wasn't going to get any sleep tonight.
