This was originally posted as chapters 8, 9 and 10 of the "Short & Sweet" series and takes place between seasons 18 and 19. Frannie doesn't exist in this story.

"Short & Sweet" was a series of stand-alone one-shots (for the most part, anyway; occasionally a storyline would consist of a few chapters instead of just one, like "Turquoise Distraction").

This story contains explicit sexual content, so please be aware of that before reading if this is not your thing.


"Mama! Come build a sandcastle with me!"

Olivia Benson glances up from the large cooler she is rifling through, making sure the remnants of the lunch they have just shared are packed away safely for the rest of the day, not wanting any of their food to spoil in the hot sun. It's a lazy Saturday afternoon at Rockaway Beach, most of the summer having already flown by in a crazy blur of work and stress, and she is glad to finally be getting some downtime with her son; some time to just enjoy herself and relax and let go of the worries that seem to plague her more often than not.

"Hold on a minute, buddy. Just let me finish up here, okay?" Olivia smiles at the little boy who is dancing impatiently from one foot to the other in front of her, Noah clad in a pair of dark blue swim shorts with red lobsters decorating the material, a plastic yellow shovel clutched in one small fist with a matching pail in the other.

"Hurry up," he whines in a petulant tone, and she rolls her eyes good-naturedly, reaching out to poke a teasing finger into his ribs and laughing when he emits a high-pitched shriek in response.

"I'm almost done," Olivia admonishes lightly, grinning at her son's antics and gesturing to the tiny blonde girl who is wobbling around unsteadily on the sand nearby, golden curls done up in stubby pigtails and wearing a bright pink bathing suit with a ruffle across the bottom. "Why don't you go play with Jesse for a minute while I finish cleaning up?"

"'Manda doesn't like it when Jesse eats the sand," Noah informs her very seriously, and Olivia chuckles as she peers around her son to get a glimpse of the toddler who is indeed shoving sand into her mouth by the fistful while a much taller blonde gently scolds her and tries to guide the little girl's hands away from her face.

Amanda Rollins is crouched down on the ground in front of her daughter as she softly encourages the child to find something else to do besides making a meal out of the beach, the other woman sweating in her jean shorts and striped tank top, long hair pulled up into a messy bun on top of her head while damp golden strands trail down into her face. Olivia had suggested that her colleague and daughter join them for a fun day at the beach, thinking it was the perfect opportunity to continue the friendship that has been steadily blossoming between them over the past while, and knowing how much her son enjoys spending time with Jesse, the two children usually playing and arguing like brother and sister.

She had gotten out of bed quite early that morning to get dressed and prepare everything they needed for their big day out, heading over to Amanda's apartment to pick up the other members of their group once Noah was ready to go, her son bouncing excitedly in his car seat when he had spotted the small girl holding her mother's hand as she had toddled out of the building.

"Amanda, why don't you go for a quick swim?" Olivia suggests as she takes note of how overheated the younger woman appears to be in her clothing and sees the strap of a bathing suit peeking out from underneath her shirt, Amanda's frustration level mounting as her child refuses to relinquish yet another fistful of the apparently delicious sand, the damp grains stuck to the little girl's lips and cheeks. "Jesse can help us make a sandcastle while you cool off for a bit."

Noah immediately voices his enthusiasm at this idea while Amanda spears her with a doubtful look, arching a blonde eyebrow in return. "Are you sure about that, Liv? Jesse's a bit of a handful right now."

"It's no problem at all," Olivia assures her with an unconcerned wave of her hand, reaching out to pull both the toddler and Noah toward her and helping them take a seat on the beach towel next to her. "I can handle the two of them. Go cool down. You look like you're about to collapse from heatstroke."

Amanda shoots her a grateful grin and makes sure that Jesse is settled in beside Noah before briefly disappearing behind the huge umbrella they have erected to protect them from the sweltering sun, her hands straying down to the zipper of her shorts. Olivia is so caught up with making sure both of the children are within her line of sight as Jesse gets up from the towel right after Noah does to join him in filling a pail full of sand, that for a moment she doesn't realize Amanda is striding toward the water's edge until a flash of turquoise catches her eye.

She glances up from the sandcastle that is messily being built in front of her and squints into the bright light of the afternoon, Jesse shrieking in hilarity as Noah reaches out to tickle her, and Olivia's mouth drops open slightly before she catches herself and promptly clenches her jaw shut. Amanda has waded into the water up to her calves and is standing there with her eyes closed and her head tilted back, as if trying to fully absorb the sunshine that is beaming its warm golden rays upon her now that she is starting to cool down, seemingly intent on sliding into relaxation mode.

The younger woman is clad in a bright turquoise bikini that is trimmed in yellow and tied together with a bow in the front, her normally pale skin sporting a golden tan and the blonde of her hair appearing almost white in the blinding sun. The well-defined muscles of her thighs and stomach are noticeable even from where Olivia is sitting, and she finds her eyes roaming the length of her colleague's toned body, stopping to linger in certain areas before hastily averting her gaze as a fiery blush spreads across both cheeks.

She tries to busy herself with the lumpy and deformed sandcastle in front of her, reaching out to gently retrieve a shovel that Noah and Jesse have begun fighting over, aware that her heart is now thumping at a quick pace inside her chest and a sheen of sweat has formed on her brow that has nothing to do with the heat, her breath catching in her throat as she raises her eyes again to find Amanda staring straight at her. The other woman is still standing there in the glittering water, her head cocked curiously to one side as she regards Olivia with big blue eyes that are dancing with mirth and a sudden underlying intensity, obviously aware that her lieutenant has just been checking her out, and for a split second the sights and sounds of the beach fade entirely away for Olivia as their gazes remain locked on one another.

"Give it back!" An indignant cry suddenly splits the air and Olivia is jolted from their staring contest, her attention immediately drawn to Noah, who has burst into angry tears, the young boy's lower lip protruding in a pout. "Mama, Jesse took my shovel again!" he whines in dismay, gesturing to Amanda's little girl, who is bouncing up and down on chubby legs as she clutches the plastic shovel to her chest with a devilish grin on her face and a merry twinkle in her eye.

Olivia shakes her head as she tries to keep her own grin from forming, the toddler's expression resembling her mother's so much in this instant that it nearly takes her breath away, and there is an odd feeling of warmth spreading through her as she gently breaks up another fight between the kids, conscious of how much the four of them are resembling a family these days. An extra spark of joy has been present in her life over the past little while; the knowledge that even through the darkness and chaos and worry of working in the Special Victims Unit, there is a certain kind of light that wasn't there before, a closeness and camaraderie with another adult that has been lacking for a very long time now.

Olivia has not examined these feelings too carefully as she has merely attributed them to the unfamiliarity of actually having a female friend and one whose child gets along like a sibling with her own; Noah and Jesse laughing and arguing together, best friends one moment and sworn enemies the next. There is a distinct domesticity in the routines they have developed since spending more time with each other outside of work; meals and movies and sleepovers where the kids excitedly share one of their bedrooms while the adults fall asleep side by side on the couch, too caught up with chatting and sharing their personal lives over a bottle of wine to realize that they actually need to go to bed.

As she gently coaxes Jesse to return the stolen shovel to Noah, Olivia finds her gaze swinging toward Amanda once again, a eyebrow quirking high on her forehead as she observes the younger woman seemingly posing for her in the water now, one hand resting on a slim hip that is jutting out to the side while the other hand trails slowly up her neck. The look on Amanda's face is one of absentminded innocence but Olivia can see the slightly knowing smirk playing at the corners of the detective's lips, and she shakes her head in both amusement and dismay as an ache begins making itself known in a lower region of her body.

She clears her throat roughly, chastising herself for the lustful direction that her thoughts are taking during such an inappropriate time, and muttering an almost inaudible "Oh, god" under her breath when Amanda suddenly submerges herself fully into the water. The blonde springs energetically back to her feet and begins striding up the beach toward her with a noticeable strut, that turquoise bathing suit clinging to her drenched body in all the right places and not leaving much to the imagination as tiny drops of liquid roll slowly down her tanned skin.

"Hey, Liv, how're things going?" the detective asks breezily as she plops herself down onto the towel next to her, reaching out to tickle Jesse gently under the chin and eliciting a burst of giggles from the toddler.

"Things are going just fine," Olivia replies dryly, one eyebrow still arched dramatically as she regards the other woman who is now delicately patting herself dry with her own towel before wrapping it around her soaked body. "Are you sufficiently cooled off now?"

"No, I'm actually still pretty warm," Amanda murmurs as she shifts slightly closer to Olivia and fixes her with those ocean eyes that are dancing with mischief, a pinky finger lightly nudging her own. "What about you, Liv? You're looking a little overheated yourself there. Do you want me to stay with the kids while you have a turn in the water?"

Olivia's stomach muscles are clenching tightly while she watches the other woman's somewhat suggestive gaze roam down her bathing suit-clad body, before Jesse is suddenly launching herself into her mother's lap with an earsplitting shriek as she gleefully flings another fistful of sand into the air, Noah laughing uproariously in response.

"Oh, Jesse, no," Amanda sighs in exasperation, and Olivia holds out her arms to her son as Noah settles himself into her lap, cuddling his little body against her chest.

"'Manda, can you and Jesse sleep at my house tonight?" Noah asks hopefully, Olivia's heart melting as she watches him reach out to take the tiny girl's hand into his own and give it a gentle squeeze, their earlier disagreement apparently forgotten.

"Well, only if it's okay with your mama," Amanda replies with a questioning smile, turning those impish eyes on Olivia once again as the detective's fingers creep closer to her own on the towel, brushing lightly against the back of her hand and inducing a shiver in response. "What do you say, Liv? You wanna have a sleepover tonight?"

"Sure, that sounds good," Olivia says evenly, trying to ignore the fluttering inside her stomach as Noah lets out a cheer and the kids take their leave from their mothers' laps to return to the half-finished sandcastle a few feet away, Noah carefully holding Jesse's hand as she toddles awkwardly over to their creation.

"I'm looking forward to it," Amanda answers in a low tone, a look of mock concern etched onto her delicate features now. "You okay there? You seem a little distracted. Is the heat getting to you? Or is it something else?"

"I'm just fine, Amanda," she responds wryly, noticing the younger woman sidling even closer to her on the towel they are sitting on, her colleague's own towel slipping down over her shoulders and exposing the top of that mesmerizing turquoise bikini, Olivia's eyes straying down to the tiny bow that is holding the wet material together before looking up again and trying to keep a neutral demeanor.

"Well, I'm glad to hear that, Liv." Amanda is staring quite openly at her now with an intent expression on her face, although there is a slight amount of teasing in her voice. "Because for a minute I thought there was something about me that was distracting you."

"And what might that be?" Olivia inquires casually, unable to admit to the intense feelings of desire that are thrumming steadily through her system now, and keeping her gaze fixed determinedly on Amanda's face instead of letting her eyes drift downward once more.

"Well, I don't know, you tell me." The other woman's hand is softly covering her own now, warm fingers linking together with Olivia's and squeezing tenderly before speaking in a knowing tone as her eyes sweep down to the turquoise bathing suit she is wearing before meeting Olivia's gaze again. "After the kids go to bed tonight, maybe we should talk about exactly what's distracting you."

"Yeah, maybe," Olivia acknowledges lightly, giving the detective's fingers a brief squeeze in return, her heart somersaulting wildly inside her chest when Amanda suddenly leans her chin onto her shoulder and puts her lips right next to her ear, the whispered words sending a shudder of anticipation down her spine.

"Or maybe we don't need to talk at all. Maybe you can just help me out of this bikini and remove the distraction."


The hot summer sun is sinking slowly beneath the clouds, the sky streaked with breathtaking hues of pink and orange and purple, when they finally begin to make the long, congested drive from Rockaway Beach toward home. Noah and Jesse had both fallen asleep immediately after being buckled into their car seats in the back of Olivia's vehicle, and Amanda is fighting slumber herself as she sits in the passenger seat beside her lieutenant who is behind the steering wheel, the mood inside the car quiet and contemplative as a classical music station plays softly on the radio.

She is very drowsy and burnt from spending the day in the blazing heat of the sun and running after her energetic little girl, who is not yet old enough to understand the definition of 'relaxation' and had spent the past several hours stealing Noah's bucket and shovel in between sneaking fistfuls of sand into her mouth and stomping all over any castle that had been created. Amanda throws a glance over her shoulder to see the toddler sprawled out in her car seat, sound asleep with her head dropping forward onto her chest, stubby blonde pigtails coming loose from their elastics and a tiny hand clutching onto Noah's while they both snooze.

She smiles at the sweet and tender scene she is witnessing, her heart swelling inside her chest as she pictures Jesse and Noah growing up together as sister and brother, sharing meals and vacations and love and laughter and arguments, and Amanda's breath catches in her throat as she realizes where her thoughts are heading, her gaze shifting from the sleeping children to the older woman perched tiredly beside her. Olivia's eyes are fixed firmly on the road in front of her as she navigates the heavy traffic, the sunset seemingly prompting a mass exodus from the beach for anyone who has young children and wants to get them into bed at a decent hour.

Amanda surreptitiously studies the brunette from the corner of her eye, Olivia looking just as burnt and exhausted as she herself is, thick dark hair falling in damp, tousled waves around her shoulders, still slightly wet from all the time they had spent in the water that day. She can't seem to keep her mind from straying to alluring images of Olivia in her bathing suit, a classy black one-piece that is in stark contrast to her own bright turquoise bikini but hugs every single one of her boss' curves so perfectly, the beautiful swimsuit now disappointingly hidden beneath shorts and a T-shirt.

Amanda hadn't even bothered to throw clothes on over her bikini, preferring to wrap her body in a towel after they had gotten the kids settled inside the car, before slumping into the passenger seat, grateful that she isn't the one who has to make the long and arduous drive home and hoping Olivia is up for the task. Noah had been just as energetic as Jesse was that day and Amanda is aware of just how wiped out the older woman is, although she can't help the slight sting of disappointment she feels at the way the day is coming to a close; figuring they will get the kids tucked into bed as soon as they arrive at Olivia's apartment and then head to bed themselves instead of doing something else she has in mind.

She absentmindedly fingers the slippery material of her bikini bottoms beneath the towel she is snuggled in, the garment still slightly moist from her time in the water, and her gaze flickers over to Olivia once again, remembering how she had teased her several times throughout the day. Knowing full well that Olivia was checking her out, Amanda had been flattered and ecstatic at the attention from her boss, a low thrum of arousal simmering just below the surface of the silly flirtation. There has been a distinct shift in mood between them lately, the friendship that had initially begun as two single mothers bonding over the joys and challenges of raising young children slowly evolving into something else; something deeper and more ingrained that goes beyond the boundaries of a supportive and affectionate closeness between colleagues and friends.

When Amanda had first become aware of this slow change between them, she had originally talked herself out of it, sure that she had been reading too much into things and that it was just her own feelings coming into play; her eagerness and desire to take things to the next level with a woman who should be entirely off-limits, lieutenant and detective most likely not suited to be together in any kind of a deeper capacity than a close friendship. Amanda is very conscious of the possible conflict of interest if they are to take the next step together in this relationship that seems to be toeing the boundary line more and more each day as they have become so intertwined in one another's lives, but she has never been much of a rule-follower and figures that she's not about to start being a good girl now. Her friendship with Olivia, or whatever the hell this thing between them can now be classified as, is nobody's business but their own.

Amanda is beyond convinced now that these feelings are not one-sided; certainly not after the older woman has spent the majority of the day staring lustfully at her bikini while pretending not to, the poor attempts to feign disinterest in her beachwear only endearing Olivia to her even more. The corner of her lip lifts into a smile that she desperately tries to stifle as she thinks of Olivia not-so-subtly checking her out while she had been standing in the water and playing on the beach with the kids, and Amanda is unsuccessful in controlling her grin as she recalls telling the lieutenant that she is welcome to help her out of the bikini after the kids go to bed.

"What's so amusing?" Olivia suddenly asks, breaking the peaceful silence in the car and causing Amanda to jump slightly in her seat in response. "You look like you're thinking some very interesting thoughts over there."

"Mmm hmm," Amanda murmurs under her breath, choosing not to elaborate on what exactly those thoughts entail.

"Care to share?" the older woman prods lightly, and Amanda can feel Olivia's curious gaze resting briefly upon her before turning her attention back to the road.

"No, not really," she responds in an offhanded tone as she gives a flippant wave of her hand, aware that this reply will likely get under her lieutenant's skin and trying to stifle another smile that is threatening to break loose.

"So you've suddenly gone shy on me, have you?" Olivia answers with a mixture of irritation and amusement in her tone. "That's funny because you certainly weren't shy about sharing your thoughts with me while we were at the beach."

"What thoughts were those, again? You'll have to remind me," Amanda teases lightly as she glances at her boss once more, Olivia looking a little more red in the face than she had earlier.

"You seem to be suffering from some short-term memory loss," Olivia replies dryly, and the irritation that has been apparent in her voice is becoming stronger now, along with a subtle hint of something else that lies beneath; something that has Amanda straightening up in her seat and shifting closer to the other woman.

"I know you're tired, Liv," she says mildly, reaching out to lay a hand on the brunette's arm as she drives and feeling the muscles twitching beneath her touch. "It's been a long day and the kids have worn us both out. I think when we get back to your place, I'm just going to get out of this damp suit and go to bed. It's still quite wet and I just want to take it off."

There is a moment of dead silence in the vehicle and Amanda has to bite the inside of her cheek to keep from grinning, as she is getting far too much enjoyment out of tormenting the other woman. "I'm not that tired," Olivia finally responds in a somewhat disgruntled tone, and Amanda slides even closer in her seat, one eyebrow arching in question.

"So, what are you saying, Liv?"

She listens as Olivia clears her throat uncomfortably, the silence stretching out between them again as if the brunette is trying to find the right words to say, and there is something so endearing and adorable about her bashful hesitance. "I'm saying that if your earlier offer still stands, I might like to take you up on it..."

Amanda's heart is racing inside her chest and she feels a sudden array of goosebumps breaking out all over her body, her fingers tightening around the older woman's arm and unable to resist poking some fun one last time. "And what offer was that? Sorry, this short-term memory loss seems to be flaring up again."

"Amanda." Olivia sounds slightly breathless when she speaks now, the annoyance and desire in her tone fighting for dominance, and she finds herself squirming restlessly in the passenger seat as a coil of arousal simmers low in her belly. "You know exactly what offer I'm talking about."

"The offer to help me out of my bikini and remove your distraction?" she answers in a deceptively calm voice, although the sheen of sweat that is suddenly slicking her body is betraying that false serenity.

"Yup, that's the one," Olivia replies evenly, her eyes fixed firmly on the road and not straying over to Amanda as she begins to trace light circles across her lieutenant's forearm.

"I would like that very much," she murmurs softly, throwing another another glance over her shoulder to make sure the kids are still asleep before leaning sideways and pressing a lingering kiss to the other woman's neck, letting her tongue dart out to taste her skin.

"Fuck, why is this traffic so damn bad?" Olivia abruptly bursts out in frustration and a stunned giggle erupts from Amanda's throat as she pulls away to fix her boss with an incredulous expression, not used to hearing any kind of foul language from her.

"Liv, do you mind watching your mouth while our kids are in the car?" she asks in amusement, letting loose with another chuckle at her lieutenant's uncharacteristic behavior and watching Olivia roll her eyes in response.

"Well, they're asleep, aren't they?" Olivia mutters with an aggrieved sigh. "Sorry, it's just that it seems to be taking forever to get home. We should have left earlier to beat the rush."

"Pretty eager to get me out of this swimsuit and into my birthday suit, are you?" Amanda laughs in reply, that simmering arousal rearing up into a giant wave that is threatening to engulf her entirely, her whole body humming with the anticipation of what is to come.

"Oh god, Amanda, I think we might have to put a halt to this conversation for now, okay?" Olivia's voice is thick with desire and somewhat choked up when she speaks. "I really need to concentrate on the road here."

"Well, don't let me stop you from concentrating, Liv. I'll just sit here in my soaking wet bikini and wait patiently until we get back to your place so you can kindly remove it for me," Amanda says lightly, leaning her head down on the older woman's shoulder and grinning when she hears another displeased and lustful sigh.


"Well, that was quite a long day, huh?" Amanda groans weakly as she sprawls across the length of Olivia's couch in the living room, the clock ticking steadily toward midnight and her eyelids threatening to droop closed in fatigue.

The mood has taken another turn toward extreme exhaustion and domesticity, the flirty banter she had shared with the brunette on the way home from the beach swiftly disappearing when they had reached their destination. Both Jesse and Noah had howled with overtired rage when they were lifted out of their car seats and carried into the building, each woman weighed down with a shrieking child and various bits of beach paraphernalia as they had staggered upstairs to Olivia's unit.

It had taken quite a bit longer than usual to get the kids settled into bed in Noah's room, the little boy perking up instantly upon remembering that he was about to have a sleepover with his best friend. It had been practically impossible to settle them both down after he had gotten Jesse riled up with the excitement of sharing a room for the night, the two youngsters wrestling together and hopping up and down on the mattress and causing a bump on the head for Jesse that had resulted in even more screaming. After several stories and cups of water, the adults had finally been able to creep out of Noah's bedroom and Amanda had immediately thrown herself down onto Olivia's couch in relief while the older woman busied herself in the kitchen, preparing a light snack and trying to locate a bottle of wine.

True to her word, Amanda has yet to remove the turquoise bikini that is now completely dry and covered by a long T-shirt, choosing to save that job for Olivia, but as the other woman enters the room with a plate of fruit and cheese and two glasses of red wine balanced in her hands, she is suddenly overcome with a wave of nervous doubt. They are both beyond exhausted from a day spent out in the boiling hot sun and chasing after two rambunctious youngsters, and as much as they have toed the line with each other lately, flirting and teasing back and forth, they have never actually taken the next step.

It suddenly dawns on Amanda just what a big deal this is; much bigger than it had seemed earlier in the day when she had casually suggested that Olivia remove her bathing suit for her once they got back to the apartment. It was immensely enjoyable winding her boss up and watching Olivia squirm, but the knowledge of being unable to take things any further than the light and silly banter they were exchanging made it seem safe; the possibility of the two of them engaging in anything sexual feeling like a faraway dream when they had been hanging out at the crowded beach with their kids.

The reality of the current situation is dawning heavily on Amanda as she scrambles to sit up on the cushions, her spine straight as the other woman sits down beside her on the couch and hands her one of the glasses of wine. She takes a giant gulp of the crimson liquid before setting it aside on the coffee table and staring uncertainly at Olivia as the brunette takes a large drink from her own glass, seemingly as nervous as Amanda herself is. They gaze at each other in contemplative silence for a moment, the probability of what is about to happen rendering them briefly speechless, before Olivia shifts closer to her on the cushions and gently takes one of Amanda's hands into her own.

"You know, if you want to rescind your offer, it's okay," the older woman assures her quietly, linking their fingers together and giving them a tender squeeze. "I know you're tired and this is a big step for us; a step we haven't really talked much about yet. It's okay to hold off for a little while, if that's what you would prefer."

"Is that what you want?" Amanda murmurs with a slightly arched eyebrow, trying to get an exact read on Olivia's state of mind and not wanting to overstep any boundaries if this is not something she wishes to do right now, her heart fluttering anxiously inside her chest as she awaits an answer. "Do you want to hold off for a little while? Because my offer still stands, you know."

She swallows hard when she sees the darkening of Olivia's eyes in response to her statement, her pupils dilating and a blush spreading across her cheeks, the lieutenant moving even closer on the couch until she is hovering right in front of Amanda, their gazes locked intently on one another as Olivia leans forward to press their lips together softly. Amanda hums delightedly in return, her nerves melting away bit by bit as she deepens the kiss, sliding a hand up to tangle into thick locks of brown hair and her tongue probing gently for access against the brunette's mouth.

Olivia parts her lips to accept the welcome intrusion, the kiss becoming more heated before Amanda leans back to clumsily pull the T-shirt off and then throws a leg over the taller woman's thighs to straddle her lap. Olivia's hands trail around her quivering sides to run up and down her bare back, fingers brushing briefly against the ties to her bathing suit before pulling away again to trace wide circles across warm skin.

Amanda moans into Olivia's mouth at the sensuous touches on her willing and eager body, and she rolls her hips slowly against the brunette's, her core tightening in response to Olivia's answering moan as her palm comes to rest over top of the hand that has settled onto her hip. She entwines her fingers with the lieutenant's and guides them around her back again and up to the ties of the bikini once more, pulling away when the movement causes her arm to bend at an awkward angle behind her and leaving Olivia to do as she pleases.

Amanda smiles against the older woman's mouth as they continue to kiss fervently, a shiver running down her spine when she feels Olivia's fingers toying playfully with the knot at the center of her back before the strings of the bathing suit top give way. A hand swiftly continues sliding up Amanda's heated skin, undoing the last of the ties at the base of her neck before the tiny scrap of turquoise is falling into Amanda's lap to pool there momentarily until it is swept carelessly onto the floor.

She leans slightly away from the brunette as her thighs tighten around Olivia's, a dampness pooling at the juncture of her legs as they stare intensely at each other again, another low moan making its way out of Amanda's throat as she watches Olivia's gaze roam leisurely down her body to focus upon her small, pert breasts.

"God, you are so beautiful, Amanda," Olivia breathes in appreciation, and she ducks her head shyly in response, a dark blush coloring her cheeks before leaning forward to capture the other woman's lips with her own once more.

Olivia's hands are trailing up and down her sides again, leaving a trail of goosebumps in their wake before drifting around to the front of Amanda's overheated body and sliding up to gently cup a breast in each palm, thumbs grazing ever so slightly across erect pink nipples and causing Amanda's back to arch sharply in response, her hips bucking hard into Olivia's. Their breathy moans are mingling together in the room now, the sounds of passion becoming louder with each passing minute, and Amanda knows they need to hold it down unless they want to risk waking the kids, but the overwhelming lust and desire she feels for the lieutenant is threatening to burst right out of her in an extremely loud explosion of noise.

"Fuck, Liv, I need more," she pants wildly into her mouth, her tongue swiping urgently against Olivia's as she again takes one of her hands into her own and guides it away from her breast and down her trembling body, over her ribs and the taut muscles of her stomach that are quivering with anticipation, gently holding the brunette's fingers between her legs before pulling away.

The deliciously painful ache that is pulsing frantically at her core is demanding to be relieved as Olivia cups her with a tender hand, fingers stroking softly across the damp material of her bikini bottoms, and Amanda thrusting her hips firmly into the light pressure. She is desperate for a more solid touch than the other woman is currently giving her and moans in encouragement when she feels a pinky finger slip beneath the crotch of the slippery garment to graze against bare skin.

"Oh, fuck," she gasps in pleasure as she grinds herself into Olivia's body, the lieutenant finally beginning to grace her with a firmer touch as another finger slides beneath the only remaining part of the swimsuit that she is still wearing, desperate to be free of the bikini bottoms that suddenly feel so confining and are an obnoxious barrier to the release she is craving, her clit twitching with the need for contact.

"Mama, Jesse hit me with a pillow!"

The sudden sound of a childish voice ringing out through the quiet apartment causes them to jolt against each other in shock, Amanda flinging herself off Olivia's lap and quickly grabbing a checkered blanket that is resting across the back of the couch, her heart hammering madly in her chest at the unexpected interruption. She blinks slowly at Olivia as if coming out of a trance, her boss appearing just as surprised and disoriented as she herself feels, dark eyes wide with arousal and plump lips parted and swollen as she emits ragged gasps of air.

"I thought they were asleep in there," Amanda grumbles in a low tone as she tries in vain to get her breathing under control, wiping an arm across a forehead that is beaded with sweat. "I didn't know they were having a damn pillow fight."

Olivia lets loose with a burst of laughter that is mingled with a groan of exasperation, and Amanda's eyelids flutter closed as the older woman leans forward to plant a soft kiss of apology on her cheek. "I think we'll have to continue with this later," the brunette whispers regretfully into her ear and Amanda rolls her eyes in response, murmuring her agreement as she scrambles to find her discarded bikini top and T-shirt before the kids decide to make an appearance in the living room.

"Looks like you're gonna have to be distracted again, Liv," she smirks as she locates the tiny scrap of material and begins retying it, watching as Olivia's gaze focuses intently on the bathing suit once again and highly amused at her boss' inability to keep her eyes off of the turquoise bikini.

"It's okay," Olivia huffs in resignation as she holds out a hand to help Amanda to her feet, their fingers lacing together as they head back to Noah's room to calm their unruly children down for the night. "I can always remove the distraction again later."


When Olivia awakens, brown eyes fluttering open tiredly and darting around the darkened bedroom, she is momentarily perplexed as to why there is another person sharing her bed; a small, warm body tucked up next to hers beneath the covers as the mattress shakes slightly with restrained movement. It takes her several seconds to recall the events of the day in her sleep-addled state; that Amanda and Jesse had joined them at the beach for a fun day in the sun and had accompanied them back to the apartment for a sleepover, Jesse snuggled up in Noah's bedroom for the night and Amanda joining Olivia in her own. She has become quite used to falling asleep on the couch with the younger woman after too much wine and conversation, and it is an unfamiliar but welcome sensation to wake up with the blonde detective curled into the sheets next to her instead.

Olivia remembers how long it had taken to get the kids settled down again after the impromptu pillow fight that had broken out at the most inconvenient of times, just as she had been halfway to her goal of removing the ultimate distraction, Amanda's T-shirt and turquoise bikini top having been tossed carelessly to the living room floor and leaving the other woman dressed in nothing but the skimpy bottoms. By the time Noah and Jesse had drifted off to sleep, after many more stories and cups of water, they had both stumbled into Olivia's room and collapsed exhaustedly into bed, surprisingly finding the energy to pick right back up where they had left off.

But another interruption had taken place only moments later when Noah had called out for Olivia yet again, and by the time she had seen to the disturbance and made it back into the bedroom, Amanda was sound asleep, sprawled out on top of the covers with that tantalizing bikini still clinging to her toned frame. Olivia had thrown herself down onto the bed beside the small detective, her previously heightened arousal having simmered down once more, and had immediately been sucked into the deep, dark depths of unconsciousness, thoroughly worn out from the long day.

She blinks in puzzlement now at the soft movements of the mattress, the bed frame shifting rhythmically back and forth, and turns her head to glance over her shoulder, trying to get a glimpse of Amanda in the dark and wondering what the younger woman is doing. A fiery red blush blooms across Olivia's cheeks and her heart feels like it might come to a complete stop when comprehension dawns on her and she realizes exactly what is going on in her bed; that her colleague is lying flat on her back with her lips slightly parted and her eyes squeezed shut, ragged gasps punctuating the air and the blankets pooling at her waist as a hand moves quickly beneath the covers.

Olivia lies frozen in astonished and aroused silence on her own side of the bed, the lust that had been tamped down while dealing with her son's issues ramping right back up again with shocking speed, and she listens as Amanda emits a low and drawn-out moan, the younger woman obviously trying to keep quiet as she seeks to satisfy her unfulfilled need from earlier. She draws in a slow, deep breath and gulps hard, not wishing to alert the detective to the fact that she is now wide awake and choosing to just listen quietly as the erotic noises emanating from Amanda's mouth grow slightly louder and the shaking of the bed becomes more forceful. Olivia briefly feels like an intruder in her own room, as if she shouldn't be here to witness such a private and solitary act being executed by her subordinate, but then realizes that her own swiftly soaring arousal is certainly not going to be contained and relieved by simply lying there and listening to what is taking place on the other side of the bed.

She bites down hard on her lower lip, her heart now racing entirely out of control and a thin line of sweat blooming across her forehead as she turns slowly onto her side to get a better view of Amanda, the small detective clearly not yet aware that Olivia is awake as she continues her pleasurable ministrations, her eyes remaining closed and mouth opening wider as she whispers her lieutenant's name into the darkness. That does it for Olivia, the sound of her name being dragged out from Amanda's parted lips in a throaty moan of passion causing a flood of wetness to spill at the juncture of her thighs, her pajama shorts promptly pasting themselves to the insides of her legs as she tries to hold in her own responding moan.

A tiny hiss of desire escapes from Olivia's mouth before she can stop it and Amanda's eyelids fly open in surprise at the unexpected noise as they instantly locks gazes, her guilt and embarrassment evident by the deer-in-the-headlights expression that has immediately crossed her delicate features and her hand ceasing its rapid movements beneath the blankets. A brief flicker of amusement spears through Olivia's haze of arousal as she takes in the undecided look on Amanda's face, the sorrow mixing in with a spark of challenge, like the detective is unsure of whether to apologize for the potentially inappropriate behavior that is taking place in her superior's bed or invite Olivia to join her.

The need to apologize seems to win out as Amanda mirrors her earlier action of biting her lower lip, and the gesture only serves to add fuel to the fire of Olivia's quickly escalating arousal. "Shit, Liv, I'm so sorry. I woke up and saw you lying there and I was still so worked up from earlier, I couldn't seem to help myself," she explains in apparent shame, and Olivia notes with no small amount of interest that although the somewhat frenetic movement of the other woman's arm underneath the covers has come to a halt, Amanda still has yet to remove her hand from its hiding place.

"It's okay," she whispers back with sincerity, the words feeling like they have stuck themselves deep inside her throat and are taking quite the effort to get out, her cheeks on fire with the dark red blush that won't abate. "Please don't stop on my account."

The younger woman's lovely features are marred by a frown as she gazes questioningly at Olivia for a moment, as if trying to ascertain if she is telling the truth or not, uneasy about the distinct possibility of offending her boss and getting herself and her daughter promptly thrown out of the apartment, before her features smooth out into a shy smile of relief and that blatant desire is once again at the forefront. Olivia shifts closer in the bed until their sides are touching, and a shiver runs down her spine when she feels the warmth of Amanda's bare skin pressing into the thin material of her summer pajamas, the tiny shorts and tank top she had donned for the night hardly seeming to cover more of her body than the detective's bathing suit covers her own.

A sudden wave of bravery washes over Olivia as she clutches onto the edge of the covers with trembling fingers and lifts them up to get an alluring, shadowy glimpse of what lies beneath, sucking in a swift breath when she sees Amanda's hand buried underneath the waistband of the minuscule turquoise bikini bottoms. She slowly lowers the blankets away from the other woman's tanned body so she can get a better look at how Amanda has chosen to occupy herself while she had slumbered, and the damp pool that is dwelling between her thighs has grown quite uncomfortable now, Olivia suppressing the urge to reach down and remove her pajama shorts to free herself of the offending article of clothing.

"Please keep going, Amanda," she murmurs encouragingly, her throat dry as the younger woman does just that; picking right up with her earlier movements as if Olivia had never interrupted her. "If you want to, that is," she adds hastily, even though Amanda's hand is already gliding back and forth with purpose once again.

"Okay, Liv," the smaller woman says softly, her wide blue eyes locked intently onto Olivia's dark brown ones before squeezing shut briefly as she seems to hit a spot that heightens her pleasure. "Mmm, that feels really good."

"Hmm," Olivia hums in response, watching attentively for a moment before her hand raises into the air as if it has a will of its own and hovers over the tiny scrap of material that is hiding what she longs to see, her fingers grazing the slippery garment ever so slightly. "Is it okay if I..."

Her voice trails off uncertainly as she watches Amanda nod eagerly at the unfinished question, and her shaking hands latch onto the waistband of the bikini that she has not been able to keep her eyes off of since she had first seen the detective wearing it that afternoon. Amanda raises her hips off the bed without being prompted and Olivia slowly slides the turquoise bottoms down toned legs that are quivering with desire, nearly exploding when her distraction is finally removed and her heart fluttering with the delicious anticipation of what is to come.

She can hardly contain the next overwhelming wave of lust that crashes down so hard upon her that it takes her breath away, when Amanda sits up quickly to undo the bikini top with fumbling fingers and toss it carelessly over the side of the bed before lying back down against the pillows, her nude form lit up by the glowing moonlight that is streaming in through the window. Their gazes are trained intensely on one another again as the younger woman spreads her legs to give Olivia an enticing view of golden curls, the detective smiling seductively at her with a hint of shyness apparent underneath the bravado.

"Do you want me to keep going?" she asks in a breathy, whispered tone, and Olivia nods mutely, unable to find the words to reply verbally but reaching out to caress a gentle and reassuring hand over Amanda's knee, smiling back at the younger woman when she notices the shiver that runs through her body and the prolonged pause that takes place as Amanda's fingers trail across the inside of one toned thigh before suddenly coming to a stop. "I can't believe we're doing this. I-I've never done this for anyone before."

The mood of ardent lust and desire is briefly broken at the bashful confession and they share a somewhat self-conscious and incredulous laugh at what is currently happening between them. Olivia seeks to provide more assurance that she hopes Amanda will decide to continue but that it is also perfectly okay if she wants to stop, running a soothing hand up and down the other woman's smooth and supple leg, feeling the calf muscles ripple beneath her touch. Amanda responds by letting her legs fall open even further, her hand drifting to the wisp of blonde curls at the juncture of her thighs and letting her fingers linger there momentarily before they begin moving slowly back and forth, tracing light figure eights through wet and glistening folds as all remnants of shyness seem to disappear.

Olivia finds herself hypnotized by this sensual action, her heart pounding frantically inside her chest and the sweat that had beaded on her forehead upon discovering what the younger woman had been doing is now slicking her entire body. She lowers herself down onto the mattress and stretches out across the bed to lie on her stomach between Amanda's legs, resting her head gently against the inside of her knee. She feels the fingers of Amanda's other hand stroking tenderly through her thick dark locks, pushing them back from her face and then trailing down to trace a fingernail around her lips, Olivia pressing a soft kiss to the digit while the smaller woman continues to bring pleasure to herself, the moans emitting from her mouth increasing in intensity now.

"Can I have a turn?" Olivia inquires softly after a few minutes of intense observation, her stomach twisting in nervous and delighted suspense, her hand coming over to rest lightly upon Amanda's and listening to her moan of assent in response.

She gently lifts Amanda's hand away from herself and replaces it with one finger, holding still for a moment so the blonde detective can get used to her touch, before slowly rubbing the tip of the digit around and around the pink bundle of nerves, feeling it twitch and stiffen beneath her touch and watching a trickle of liquid appear at Amanda's opening. "Does that feel good?" she whispers in a somewhat choked tone, her arousal now ramping up to an explosive degree, and she doesn't think she will be able to hold out much longer, especially when the other woman sighs raggedly in reply and spreads her legs impossibly wider.

"You can rub harder if you want." Amanda's voice is so thick with desire that Olivia has to strain to hear her, complying right away with the detective's wishes and deepening her touch, feeling Amanda become wetter underneath her fingers.

Her mouth is watering as she watches herself stimulate Amanda, the breathy noises emanating from them both punctuating the air almost continuously now, and Olivia parts her lips to put a voice to what she wants to do before leaning forward to complete the intended action, the other woman watching her intently with heavy-lidded eyes and cutting her off before she can speak.

"Please do whatever you want to, Liv," she groans out roughly, a hand drifting up to grasp onto one of her own breasts and kneading softly before pinching a nipple between her fingertips. "You don't have to ask."

Olivia raises her head from its resting place against the inside of Amanda's knee and shifts slightly forward on the mattress to place a gentle kiss on the distended nub in front of her, Amanda's hips instantly bucking up into her face and a loud cry ripping from her throat that she immediately tries to stifle. Olivia lets her tongue trace languid patterns around the tiny bud as she takes her time tasting the other woman for the first time, before sucking the erect pink bundle slowly into her mouth, the musky smell of Amanda's arousal only heightening her own.

She feels the younger woman's legs sliding over her shoulders, strong thighs closing around her head and clenching firmly against her ears as Olivia's hands find Amanda's own, their fingers linking together and holding on tightly as she dips her tongue inside. A flood of wetness is released against her mouth as Amanda climaxes unexpectedly quickly with a muffled shout, her thighs clamping spasmodically around Olivia's head several times before falling opening in a quivering heap, their fingers remaining tangled together and Olivia pressing tender kisses to the detective's inner thighs as she comes down from her high.

"Oh my god, Liv." Amanda is sprawled in a boneless heap across the bed, her arms splayed out to the sides and her chest heaving as she tries to catch her breath, Olivia crawling back up the mattress to take the other woman into her arms.

She presses gentle kisses to her forehead, cheeks and neck before placing her lips against Amanda's and kissing her softly, realizing that she is about to orgasm as well, just from bringing Amanda such an intense amount of pleasure.

The kiss quickly escalates from slow and light to fervent and needy, arms wrapping firmly around one another as Amanda sits upright on the bed to pull Olivia into her lap so that her knees are straddling the outside of the detective's thighs and she is holding her body up just enough to create a small amount of space amidst them for Amanda's wandering hands to work. Olivia moans into the younger woman's mouth as she feels nimble fingers circling around one of her breasts before delicately tweaking a nipple, the other hand sliding down her stomach to rub delicious friction between her legs. She has soaked right through the material of her pajama shorts and hears the sharp inhale of breath from Amanda at the wetness coating her palm, Olivia resting her chin on her colleague's shoulder to whisper raggedly into her ear.

"I'm almost there. It's not going to take much."

Amanda presses an open-mouthed kiss to the side of her neck in response, warm tongue flicking out to taste her skin, and she lets out another guttural moan as she grinds her body into the compact, trim one beneath hers, desperate for the release that has been steadily building since that afternoon when she had first seen Amanda in the distracting turquoise bikini.

"I've got you, Liv. Just let go whenever you need to."

The reassuring words are spoken softly into her ear in reply and Olivia cries out in pleasure as she feels a small hand slip beneath the waistband of her pajama bottoms to massage firm circles against her labia, fingertips slipping through wet folds and dancing teasingly around her twitching and needy clit before applying more pressure. Olivia bucks up hard into Amanda's hand at the delicious contact, another loud groan wrenching from her mouth, and buries her face against the younger woman's shoulder as she slowly slips one finger inside, followed by another. They pick up an immediate and intense rhythm, grinding against one another as Olivia rides Amanda's fingers, the detective murmuring into her ear about how good it feels to be buried so deeply inside of her, and that is all it takes for Olivia to shatter completely to pieces, flying apart in her arms as Amanda brings her to completion over and over again.

Once the stars have stopped exploding behind Olivia's closed eyelids and her heart rate is struggling to return to a slower pace, Amanda gently slips her fingers out from the hot, wet sheath of her trembling body and sucks them slowly into her mouth before pressing their lips together and sharing a languid kiss, Olivia humming in pleasure as she tastes herself on the detective's tongue. They hold each other close for several minutes, arms wrapped tightly around quivering waists and heads resting in satisfied silence on shuddering shoulders, slick bodies fused together as they drift back down to reality, simultaneously becoming aware of the pitter-patter of tiny feet in the hallway outside the bedroom door and sharing an exasperated groan.

"Oh, they cannot possibly be up again," Amanda whines into Olivia's neck, sounding remarkably like the petulant children they have been dealing with throughout the night, and she chuckles lightly in response, pulling the other woman impossibly closer and lifting the blankets up to cover their entwined bodies.

"I think we better get dressed and see what's going on," she laughs in resigned exhaustion, plucking the damp pair of turquoise bikini bottoms from the pile of disheveled blankets and deciding that Amanda will have to borrow something of hers to wear for now. "Those two are double trouble when they get together, aren't they? Never a moment's peace."

Amanda gives a tired laugh of her own, her naked body molded so snugly into Olivia's that they seem to fit perfectly together, like they were meant to be, and she is having trouble pulling away and letting go of the blonde detective. "Well, at least we've finally been able to take care of that pesky distraction, Liv," the smaller woman snickers as she eyes the bottom half of her bathing suit that is still clutched possessively within Olivia's hand, and they share another satisfied chuckle before dragging themselves from the bed to tend to their misbehaving children.


Later that morning, after their fatigued group of four have finally managed to get a few more hours of sleep, they are ensconced in Olivia's dim living room, rain lashing loudly against the windows and the dark clouds in the sky lending the apartment a look of dusk; the atmosphere inside cozy and familial as Noah and Jesse build precarious towers of blocks on the floor while munching on crusts of toast, cartoons playing on the television. Olivia is snuggled up beneath the checkered blanket on the couch, blinking sleepily as she sips on a piping hot mug of coffee, Amanda sprawled out beside her in one of Olivia's sweatshirts, gulping down her own mug of the much-needed caffeine as they smile tiredly at each other.

Their legs are tangled into a warm knot underneath the soft material, fingers tracing patterns across one another's palms as they drink their coffee and keep an eye on the kids in contented silence, grinning as Jesse bursts into giggles when Noah pushes a tower of the blocks to the floor with a resounding crash. There is an unspoken knowledge lingering in the air at the shift that has taken place between them to create an intimate new energy, and the awareness that there are likely many more changes coming in the near future. Olivia's heart is full of warmth and love as she watches her son grace Jesse with an sloppy hug as both kids try to navigate around fallen blocks, dark eyes straying toward the lithe form curled up beside her on the cushions and her thoughts drifting to what had taken place between them more than once during the night.

"Well, Liv, at least your distraction has finally been removed so you can rest easy now," Amanda murmurs with a smirk playing on her lips, seeming to read Olivia's mind as they exchange a heated look at the remembrance of their nocturnal activities, and Olivia feels that coil of arousal simmering low inside her belly again.

She takes in the rumpled and adorable appearance of the detective clad in an old shirt from her college years, blond hair untidy and cheeks flushed from sleep, and realizes that it doesn't matter what the younger woman is wearing; bikini or no bikini, she is falling very hard for the entire package and this is just a prelude of what is to come.

"You know what, Amanda?" Olivia whispers in a tone that is infused with hope and happiness, fingers entwining with the slender digits beside her and squeezing gently. "I think my distractions are just beginning."