Chapter Text
Olivia strode down the hallway, her mind busy with what she would say. She sighed going over the ‘fight’ they had last night.
Olivia wiped the counter while Rafael waited for an answer. She let out a slow exhale before rubbing her eyebrow in frustration.
“I’m not implying that I’m ashamed of you-”
“I wasn’t saying you were.” Rafael cut in gently. She released the kitchen towel and braced herself on the other side of the counter.
“I don’t think it’s the right time…” She tried explaining, unable to form a coherent sentence from the jumbled words in her mind.
“When would that be then?” He asked. She didn’t answer and she watched his eyes dim. He finished the remainder of his scotch and stood up to place it in the sink. “I have to get going.” He spoke while his body was still turned away from her. “I have an early meeting with Buchanan.”
“Wait-” Olivia began, but stopped when he shook his head.
“I don’t want you to feel pressured, Olivia.” Rafael said. “It’s fine, have a good night.”
She knew it wasn’t but remained quiet, not knowing how to fix what had been a nice evening for all three of them before Noah went to bed. She watched him pocket his keys and phone before pulling on his suit jacket.
“I’ll see you tomorrow?” Olivia asked.
“It’s Thursday.” Rafael reminded her.
“Right, dinner with your mom.” She said, running her hand through her hair. There wasn’t any shouting or anger and yet she didn’t want him leaving her apartment when this funk was settling between them.
“Lunch then?” She ventured.
“Sure.” He said, before quietly exiting her apartment.
His easy acceptance should’ve been a relief, but it did nothing to alleviate the coiling tension in her stomach.
Honestly, Olivia couldn’t find a well enough reason to not tell their respective superiors but…she was afraid. She didn’t have a stellar track record with dating her colleagues and it made her only more skittish. But this was Rafael, her best friend, her family…the love of her life.
The love of her life.
She halted in her walk, stunned by the conclusion she reached. They’d been dating for six months so him asking for transparency at their jobs wasn’t a far-fetched request.
But she was afraid because he was the love of her life, and she didn’t want it to come crumbling down like her relationships before. Because this one meant the world to her, and it wasn’t only her that would be devastated but also Noah, who loved his Uncle Rafa dearly.
She wanted them to remain in their little bubble, secluded from the rest of the world in a tiny space of happiness for a bit longer. But how could she explain this to him without having him running for the hills at how serious she was already considering their relationship. Because he might only want transparency when she was already wanting forever with him. It would break her soul if he wasn’t in the same line of thinking as her.
Olivia walked into his reception area and frowned when she saw no one there. She’d expected to see the temporary hire who was filling in for Carmen for a few days while she was on vacation. She opted to let herself into his office, knowing his schedule was free right before lunch.
“Is there anything else I can do for you, Mr. Barba?” The saccharine voice of his temp filled her ears, and she watched as the woman raised her hand onto his upper arm to give it a squeeze.
Olivia felt the jealousy ramp up within her and she did her best to clamp it down. It was unnecessary because the moment Carol placed her hand on him, he maneuvered himself away and took a step back, ensuring there was space between them. “No, that’ll be all, Ms. Hart.” Rafael said, professionalism a thin veil to the annoyance he truly felt. “Can you please check if I have any incoming calls? I’m expecting an answer from Buchanan after today’s meeting. It’s urgent.”
He glanced away, finally noticing Olivia’s appearance. “Liv!” She watched the color drain from his face.
Olivia observed as Carol Hart excused herself and stepped out of Rafael’s office with a sour expression on her face at being interrupted. She followed behind to lock the door after her.
“Liv, I can explain…” Rafael started, panic filling his voice. He walked up to her. “I swear I haven’t given her any indication that I would be receptive to her attention.”
Olivia grabbed his tie to yank him closer and locked her lips with his. It was all passion and teeth, and it took Rafael a second to catch up and match her fervor. But when he did, she was left breathless and panting against his lips as they both stared at each other, foreheads pressed together. “Is this why you’ve been wanting let our bosses know?” Olivia asked, after catching her breath.
“One of the reasons.” Rafael replied, running his thumb against her jawline, making her shiver.
Olivia smiled, before turning to the clock, they still had to eat. “Lunch?”
He nodded. “I’m starving.”
Olivia smiled at his double entendre. “Me too.”
Rafael groaned in frustration, as he dipped his head to press kisses on her neck, before reluctantly letting her go. “Let me get my stuff.”
Olivia waited for him, and they stepped out. On the sidewalk, Rafael turned to head to Forlini’s when she grabbed his suit jacket to hold him off. He turned to her in confusion, and she jerked her head in the opposite direction. “Food’s this way.”
Rafael looked at her in brief confusion.
Her suggestion finally clicked what she truly meant, and he coughed to clear his throat, his eyes darkening. He turned and began to march in the other direction, and she laughed at the determination on his face before he turned back to glance at her. The smolder in his eyes shutting her up, she licked her lips and joined him in their fast walk to their hotel.
They were panting excessively, coming off their high and she rolled over towards him. He met her halfway and their lips clashed in a sloppy kiss, their tongues mimicking the rhythm of their hips just a few minutes prior. She continued to pepper kisses down his neck, and he laughed. “Not that I’m enjoying myself, Liv, but I’m gonna need a couple minutes before we go again.”
Olivia nibbled his ear and he groaned. She suckled his neck, and he hissed when she bit more firmly than usual just under his jaw.
“We should tell McCoy and Dodds after lunch.” She suggested.
Silence followed until he pulled back to see her face.
“Is this because of Carol?” Rafael asked.
“One of the reasons.” She parroted his answer from earlier.
“I don’t want it to be the reason why we’re finally coming forward…like I said, I don’t want to push you into it if it’s too soon. I simply thought-” He abruptly cut himself off and shook his head, running his hand through the tresses of her hair and staring at the ceiling.
Olivia exhaled, running circles around his chest, on top of his still racing heart. “It isn’t.” She insisted. “I’m scared.” She confessed. “Not of us together.” She clarified when she felt him stiffen. “But I wanted us to stay in our bubble a bit longer because I’m happy…with you being with me and Noah, and life hasn’t been kind to let me be happy for a long time and I don’t want something to ruin what we currently have.”
“I’d fight tooth-and-nail against anything that would come between us.” Rafael declared. “The only way for me to leave you two is if you ask it, Liv.”
She framed his head with her hands. “Never.”
Rafael’s split into a goofy grin and she realized what she said. She tried to drop her hands from his face, but he wrapped his around hers and held them there before he pressed tender kisses on her wrists. “I’m serious when I tell you, I’m all in.” He continued. “And I hate every person who’s promised you the same and has rescinded it for you to doubt me.”
“I’ve never doubted you.” Olivia rebutted. “So, our bosses?”
Rafael grinned until the rumbling in his stomach cut him off. “After we grab something quick to eat.” He rummaged through the drawer to pull out the room service menu.
Olivia followed him and pressed herself against him and gently bit his ear. “Not after round two?” She offered in a husky whisper that had him tossing the paper over his shoulder.
“What’s food?” He joked, diving to spread kisses over her collar bone.
She laughed, knowing he really did love her if he was forgoing food.
Olivia’s week got better when the next day when she met him for lunch, she was able to pull him in for a searing kiss right in front of Carol Hart.