I've been sitting with this one for awhile, and I think it's where I want it to be. Enjoy!
...
Chapter 22
Noah knocks enthusiastically on his door and minutes later, it swings open.
"You made it!" Rafael greets with a smile. Noah launches himself into him, and Rafael lifts him into his arms in a tight hug.
Olivia's caught completely off guard.
She's not sure what she was expecting to see when he opened the door, but finding Rafael sporting a pair of glasses, his normally gelled and styled hair soft and in slight disarray, was not it. He's dressed in a simple grey polo and a pair of chinos, and his feet are bare.
It's a lot to take in.
Pulling back, Noah inspects his face. "I like your glasses!"
Rafael chuckles. "Gracias, Amiguito." Setting the boy down, he meets her gaze. "You going to come in?"
She steps inside, letting him close the door behind her. He greats her with a kiss, all heat and tongue, deep and sensual and when he pulls back, that lopsided smirk on his face makes everything inside of her clench with want.
"Let me take your coat?"
Turning, she shrugs out of her jacket as he slides it down her arms.
"Make yourself at home," he offers, moving to hang her coat in the closet.
Noah immediately flops himself onto his couch and she lingers unsurely in the open space of his apartment. She isn't surprised by the shear size of it, however she is surprised at how lived init looks. The floors are a a dark oak and complement the large, floor to ceiling bookshelf that run parallel to the windows. His sectional couch divides the open concept floor plan to the kitchen where he's retreated to. There's pillows and a throw and the most beautiful art she's seen outside of a museum on the walls.
"Your home is beautiful, Rafa," she compliments.
Her son has spied the basket of toys tucked in the corner and makes a beeline for them. "Can I play with these, Uncle Rafa?"
"Mi casa es su casa."
"Does that mean yes?" Noah questions.
Rafael laughs. "Yes, that means yes."
There's something soft playing out of the speakers she can't seem to place, and she gravitates towards the island where he's preparing what she can only assume is dinner.
"...I don't know if I'd call it a home...more of a place to lay my head," he comments.
She leans against the counter, watching as he expertly chops vegetables. "That sounds kind of lonely."
"It is," he admits.
There's a sadness in his voice that she can't place just yet.
Noah comes to join them, climbing up onto the chair next to her. "What are you making?" "Arroz con pollo," he answers.
Noah attempts to mimic Rafael's Spanish and she smiles.
"What does that mean?" Noah asks.
"Chicken and rice."
Noah watches him finish chopping. "Can I help?"
Rafael smiles. "I thought you'd never ask. Come here," he gestures for him to circle the island, and Noah climbs down off of the chair. "You can't make Arroz con pollo without a great sous chef."
"What's a sous chef?" Noah asks.
"Think of it like an assistant," he answers.
She tries to hide her smile. Noah will ask a million and one questions if you let him, and she has a feeling Rafael will patiently answer them all. Pulling the chair to the other side of the island, Rafael lifts Noah onto it.
"Mami, care to help?"
Her gaze snaps to his and she can feel the heat flush her face. He looks so relaxed wearing those glasses she didn't even know he wore, his hair all soft and tousled and his polo giving her an alluring view of the literal strength in his arms and a dusting of chest hair. There's mischief in his eyes as he waits for her answer. "I think you both have it under control."
He smirks, nodding. "There's wine, in the bar over there," he nods across the room where there's an elegant wine rack and cooler tucked next to an equally elegant bar set. "Help yourself."
She takes him up on his offer, helping herself to a glass of cabernet. As he and Noah marinate the chicken, Noah's giggles cause Rafael to laugh in a way she doesn't think she's ever heard from him before.
He's carefree.
While the two of them cook, Olivia takes her time looking around his apartment. The book shelves are home to several law books and journals just as she had expected. Finding books by Tom Wolf and Kurt Vonnegut mixed in with classics by Bronte, Austin and Toni Morrison bring a smile to her face.
Sipping her wine, she thumbs through some of them landing on one that seems a little out of place. Pulling it out, she softens.
The Velveteen Rabbit.
The copy is worn and ironically, well loved, and she opens the cover. Written on the inside is the sweetest child's penmanship she's every seen.
Rafi Barba.
"WOAH!" Noah squeals.
Looking over her shoulder, they've relocated to the stove where Noah is watching Rafael intently as he fries what she thinks is plantain in a cast-iron pan. His arm is wrapped around him keeping a watchful eye that he doesn't get too close.
Olivia returns the book carefully back on the shelf, crossing the room to inspect the pictures framed on the mantle. She doesn't recognize anyone in the photos, but can see the familial resemblance between them all. What she does notice is that he looks happy. As she peruses the photos, she's taken aback to find the one of the three of them they took outside the theatre a few weeks ago, the one of he and Noah in their matching suspenders.
He looks just as happy.
For as much as she thought she knew him, she quickly realizes there's so much more to learn.
...
Noah had occupied himself with the toys in his living room, leaving them to their own devices in the kitchen. With the main course already in the oven, Rafael's moved on to prepping some type of chocolate desert.
"Taste this."
Dipping a spoon into the mixing bowl, he holds it out for her to taste. Leaning in, she takes the spoon into her mouth relishing in the rich chocolate.
She hums her approval.
His gaze dips to her lips, and she licks the chocolate from them and he's leaning in, pressing his lips to hers, his tongue sweeping over her bottom lip to finish the task.
"Delicious," he murmurs against her mouth.
She wants to pull him closer, slide her hands under his shirt and in his hair and kiss him like she wants to.
Instead, she pulls back, taking a sip of her wine.
Rafael returns his attention back to his desert, helping himself to a sip of her wine as well.
The music he's been playing has been an eclectic mix of classical and jazz, salsa and even a few show tunes that she recognizes. His playlist slips into a slow, Latin-Jazz number and despite it being an instrumental, he hums along to the music.
He has a beautiful voice.
Wiping his hands on the towel slung over his shoulder, his tosses it on the counter, extending his hand to her. "Dance with me."
"In your kitchen?" "Yes."
Holding his gaze, she can't help the smile that creeps up on her as she slips her hand into his. He tugs her a little closer and she easily lands into his chest, wrapping an arm around his shoulders. He holds her hand in his tucked against his chest, his other on the small of her back and he leads them into a gentle sway.
Even in his bare feet it's clear that he's more than an adept dancer and she relaxes in his arms, resting her head on his shoulder. His cologne washes over her senses and she nuzzles further into his neck. His stubble tickles her skin and she smiles.
"What?" He questions softly.
She presses a kiss to neck. "I love your facial hair...I've actually been fantasizing about how it would feel against my skin."
"Mierda (Fuck)," he groans.
"...against my breasts," she whispers. "...my nipples...between my thighs."
"Did it make you wet?" He whispers back.
She shivers in his arms, and his hand slides under her sweater, his fingers teasing the flesh just between her jeans and belt. "Dripping."
The song ends, and a more upbeat one filters through his sound system. "I wanna dance!" Noah announces from the living room.
Pulling apart, it's a long minute before he manages to tear his gaze from hers to Noah. "You pick the song."
He crosses the kitchen towards his TV, opening the media centre to pull out an IPad. He hands it to Noah, who eagerly searches for a song.
The space between them does nothing to quell the heat that's ignited between them; he deliberately rubs his facial hair and she bites her lip.
Hakuna Matata blares through his sound system and Noah immediately starts dancing, grabbing Rafael's hand. He matches Noah's energy, and the little boy is smiling from ear to ear, giggling. It doesn't take long for them both to break out into song, dancing around Rafael's living room.
"Why, when he was a young warthog!" Rafael sings, grabbing the tv remote as his mic. He points it towards Noah.
"When I was a young warthoooogggg!" Noah sings into the remote.
"Very nice!" Rafael recites.
"Thanks!" Noah replies, imitating Pumba.
She laughs, leaning against the island. Slipping her phone out of her back pocket, she takes a few pictures before a video.
Noah shows off some of his moves from his dance class, falling into a plié before pirouetting, and Rafael surprises her, falling into one of his own.
Noah is beaming.
...
"Can I have more rice please?"
She automatically gets up to fulfill her sons request only Rafael beats her to it, taking Noah's plate. "I've got it...sit." She returns to her plate, and his eyes dance with hers for a quick minute.
"Uncle Rafa?"
"Mmm?"
"Where did you learn to cook?"
He spoons more rice onto Noah's plate, returning to the table placing it in front of him. "In my Abuelita's - my grandmothers- kitchen, when I was a young boy."
"Were you my age?"
Rafael bobs his head. "Give or take a few years."
Noah shovels a spoonful of rice into his mouth. "She's a great cook."
"Noah," she admonishes.
The boy grins sheepishly and Rafael reaches across the table to take her hand in his. "Uncle Rafa?"
Rafael gives him his attention, sipping his wine.
"Where did you learn to pirouette?"
"Well, before I wanted to be a lawyer...I dreamt of being on Broadway."
Noah is in awe. "Really?"
He nods. "I took dance lessons like you... singing and acting lessons."
Her sons brows knit together. "Why didn't you follow your dreams?"
Rafael smile is strained. "Because I fell in love with something else."
"Being a lawyer?"
He nods.
His fingers are still twined with hers and she sweeps her thumb against the back of his hand.
...
Noah is sound asleep curled into Rafael's side, the bowl of popcorn and the Lion King long forgotten. She's kept a safe distance between them but she longs to slide into him. He's humming along to the songs, stroking Noah's curly head and this entire evening, has made those wayward thoughts of building a life with him materialize a little bit more.
It's not lost on her the toys that Noah had left all over the floor of his apartment are of shows and movie characters he's been obsessed with lately. The pajama's he conveniently had on hand that were the right size, the right toothbrush and Noah's favourite toothpaste in his guest bathroom.
He had taken great care to make her son feel a part of what it is they're building and her heart swells for this man.
He looks over at her, his hand sliding across the couch to her knee. "Let me put him down in the guest room?" he asks softly.
She's been aching all evening to know if his hair is as soft as it looks and she reaches out, sweeping her fingers through it to the nape of his neck. His eyes close briefly and the shot of desire that stares back at her in his green eyes makes her practically wilt right there on his couch.
She nods.
Careful as to not wake Noah, he rises from the couch with the little boy in his arms. Noah's arms instinctually wrap around his neck and Rafael cradles his head on his shoulder. She follows him down the hall and if she hadn't already been blown away by his thoughtfulness, what he's added to his guest room stops her in her tracks.
On the nightstand is the same star light Noah has in his room, and there's a few stuffed animals on the bed, specifically an elephant that looks a lot like Eddie. She pulls back the covers and smiles at the super hero sheets, and Rafael lowers Noah gently into the bed. Her son doesn't stir and she tucks him in as Rafael turns on the star light. She kisses his forehead and Rafael kneels next to the bed whispering something to him in Spanish.
He leaves the door ajar behind them and as they head back towards the living room, she catches his hand in hers. They make their way back to his couch and despite how much she has wanted to wrap herself in his embrace all evening, she stills keeps some space between them.
Rafael notices, studying her. "I hope I didn't overstep...with the toys, the light..."
She shakes her head. "Of course not, Rafa," she assures. "...I'm so incredibly grateful for how much you love my son...the care you've taken into planning this night...I don't know what to say."
The Lion King continues to play in the background and he reaches for the remote to turn it off. "You've made me feel welcome and wanted in your home...I just want you and Noah to feel the same here."
"We do."
He nods. "Good."
Silence settles between them and she just takes the uninterrupted minute - no victims, no perps, no ringing phones and no responsibilities - to look at him. To notice the few grey hairs in his stubble along his jaw and at his temples. How the laugh lines around his eyes are a little more prominent tonight than they have ever been.
How damn good he looks in those glasses. "You're staring, Lieutenant," he says softly.
"...I like seeing you like this," she answers.
Stretching out on his couch, he crosses his ankles, propping his head in his fist. "And how's that?"
"Relaxed."
"It's the glasses, right?" He jokes.
It's a tell of his, using humour, to hide his insecurity. "I feel like I'm seeing a side to you that not many people get to see," she explains.
"You'd be right about that."
"...by choice or design?" She questions carefully.
"A little bit of both, I suppose...the job, the city...it makes it very easy to hide the parts of yourself that are most vulnerable."
She can understand that. For years she hid behind the badge, the edgy haircuts hoping that no one would see all the cracks hidden right under the surface. "...it does, doesn't it?"
"...growing up in the Bronx...a little too scrawny and painfully shy...I learned to blend in, keep my head down...being myself..." He shakes his head, adjusting his glasses. "Didn't do me any favours," he answers bitterly.
Rising to her feet, she moves to close the space between them. Tucking her legs underneath her, she settles next to him. While he hasn't exactly been forthcoming about his upbringing, she's still managing to put together the pieces he does give her. "You've done a great job of protecting him," she says gently. "...you can let down your guard with me, ok?" Running her fingers through his hair again, she settles at the nape of his neck.
He turns his head to look at her, his gaze nothing but searing heat that she feels it in-between her thighs. Her gaze dips to his lips the same time his does and her forehead drops to his.
"If I kiss you now, I won't be able to stop," he whispers.
"Then don't," she whispers back.
He unfurls from the couch, gathering the forgotten popcorn and their wine glasses heading towards his kitchen. Liv follows him, turning off the lights as she goes. He leaves the bowl and their glasses in his sink, going to his cupboard to get a cup, and the yellow plastic is out of place among his glasses. He pours a glass of water, turning off the lights in the kitchen reaching for her hand.
She follows him down the hallway, and he stops at the guest room to place the glass of water on the nightstand by Noah's head. He takes a minute to draw the blankets up over him before closing the door behind him. Twining his fingers with his, Rafael leads her down the hallway, stopping to flick on a nightlight and the bathroom light before leading her to his bedroom.
She smiles.
He knows Noah's routine like the back of his hand and he isn't leaving anything to chance tonight.
No interruptions.
The queen sized bed is positioned in the middle of the room, two elegant looking side tables on either side. The light fixture is gorgeous but the windows, floor to ceiling, overlook the city like she's never seen before.
"I've fantasized about fucking you against those windows."
The blood drops right to her centre, throbbing.
She turns to face him. "What's stopping you from doing that right now?"
That lopsided smirk crosses his lips and God. How had she resisted it this long?
"Next time, amor."
Closing the space between them his lips press to hers and if she could have physically melted into his carpet, she would have. He takes his time, feeling her, tasting her, his lips as confident as he is in the courtroom in his three piece suits. When he nudges her mouth open, she happily meets her tongue with his, slipping her hands under his polo. His skin is heated and she can feel the goosepimples she leaves behind as she caresses him everywhere.
He's guiding them towards the bed and he sits, and she doesn't hesitate to straddle his lap. His own hands slide under her sweater, right to her breasts and she arches into his hands.
"You like to be teased here," he comments.
Liv gathers the hem of her sweater, pulling it over her head.
Rafael holds her gaze, holding the weight of her breasts in his hands, massaging and kneaded, letting his thumb tease her constricted nipples through the lace of her bra.
"Do you like this, Liv?" "Yes," she sighs.
Leaning in, he hovers above her nipple, letting his breath tease her. "Do you want my mouth here?"
"Yes, please," she practically wines.
"Mmmmm," he hums, rolling her nipples between her fingers through the lace. "Not yet, amor."
She drops her forehead to his. His fingers have effortless made her nipples almost painfully hard and her bra, her clothing, is constricting unbearably. Reaching behind her, she unclasps her bra herself, tossing it to the floor.
His mouth finds her neck, and she can feel the smile on his lips. "Your impatience isn't going to make me go any faster, Liv."
His hands move to her thighs, moving his attention to the sensitive skin just below her ear and she wines this time, wanting his lips elsewhere. His tongue darts out, licking the length of her neck and she shivers, biting back the moan that's suddenly trapped in her throat. He kisses along her collar bone, his tongue laving in her suprasternal notch and she plunges her fingers into his hair.
He lays gentle kisses slowly down her chest, licking and suckling the skin between her breasts. He teases her nipples, tugging and rolling them between his fingers before rubbing them in a circular motion.
The sensation is overwhelming and Liv involuntarily rocks her hips against him.
Rafael bands an arm around the small of her back, flipping her so that she's on the bed. She's breathing heavily, her senses on overload. Sitting up on her elbows, she looks up at him.
His own chest is heaving, and there's a sizeable bulge in his crotch. Sitting up, she's eye level with his belt and she looks up at him.
Brushing the hair from her eyes, he lets his fingers snake through her hair. "Eres tan jodidamente hermosa (you're so fucking beautiful)," he comments gently.
She slides her hands up his thighs, rubbing his cock firmly through his pants. "No more teasing, Rafa. I want you."
Something flickers in his eyes, and his glasses get tossed on to the nightstand and he's tugging his polo over his head and she's scooting up the bed. His belt is next and he drops his pants and boxers at the same time, crawling onto the bed with her. Reaching for her own belt, he undoes it and the button on her jeans, pulling everything down around her hips and legs. The clothing get's tossed on the floor and he's there, above her and she drops her thighs open, welcoming him into the cradle of her body.
He takes several minutes just to kiss her, slow, hard. The way he's wanted to for weeks now, afraid that she might balk at just how much he wanted her.
Reaching for the nightstand, he pulls open the drawer fumbling around inside for a condom. He tears away from her mouth long enough to sit back on his haunches and tear the foil packet open. Her eyes watch as he rolls the condom over himself and the involuntary way she licks her lips makes him damn near feral. He coasts his hands up and down her thighs, settling back into the cradle of her body.
She pulls his mouth to hers and he happily tangles his tongue with her own. He slips into her and he lets out a groan against her mouth.
"Shhh," she breaths against his lips.
He says something in Spanish she doesn't quite catch but judging by the way his head falls into her shoulder, he's not sure if he can. Wrapping her arms around him, she lets go, letting him make love to her.
"Liv," he whispers in her ear.
She wants to hear him unravel. Hear every single moan and sigh that slips from his lips. "Say it, Rafa."
"Fuck...you feel so amazing," he moans in her ear. "Podría perderme en ti (I could lose myself in you)...Tan hermosa (so beautiful)."
He strokes into her slow, steady, in no particular rush. The feel of her, warm and wet and soft around him makes his entire body so fucking hard and sensitive and he's blind with it, the pleasure of it, of her, of them.
"So fucking good, Liv," he groans into her ear. "How do you feel?"
The feel of his chest hair against her nipples has her grasping at the sheets. "Don't stop." She had never thought of herself as a vocal lover, but all she wants to do now is release the pleasure that she's trapped in her throat. She can feel it building and she attempts to breath through it.
He can feel it and he pulls back to meet her gaze. His hair has fallen on his forehead and she reaches up to brush it back. She's right there and he slides a hand between them to her clit.
"Rafa," she sighs. "Don't stop, please..."
His own orgasm is clawing at him but he staves it off. "I'm not gonna stop," he reassures. "Don't chase it, amor...let it build." He can feel her relax her walls around him, and he maneuvers himself to capture a nipple into his mouth.
Her chest arches off the bed, her thighs clenching around his hips. "Mmmm," he hums against her. "That's it, Mami."
Without warning, her orgasm comes effortlessly and she's shaking underneath him, her body seizing all on it's own. He captures her mouth, stifling her moan. "I know you've got more in you, mi amor."
He ups the tempo of his thrusts, rubbing her pulsing clit gently.
"Fuck," she whimpers into his mouth.
"You ok?"
Liv nods, her mouth open against his lips as another orgasm rolls over her. "Rafa!"
"Jesus Liv...I'm gonna come."
She fights to keep her eyes open long enough to watch his unfold across his face. He's beautiful.
His green eyes soften and she swears she can see his very soul looking back at her. His tenderness and his passion. His humour and his humility. His sense of justice and what is right. All perfectly balanced.
And just there, as clear as she's ever seen anything in her life, is his love for her.
It's heady and overwhelming.
"I love you," she whispers.
Her words wash over him physically, and his lips find hers in a searing kiss. "Te amo," he breathes against her mouth.
Tbc