Work Text:
“You’re back!” She smiled, her brown eyes warm. “How was your vacation?”
He grinned, as he took off his jacket. “Everything I could’ve possibly imagined and then some.” He said. “You miss me?”
“Sure!” She chuckled wryly. “I thought of you every day.” She bumped his shoulder deliberately she she stood on the way to the coffee pot. “What about me, you miss me?”
“Just like the bad coffee and stale donuts.” He leaned in and reached around her to fill his own cup.
She smelled good. He didn’t know what it was just that it was good—clean, fresh, floral, warm. Olivia. It was a smell he hadn’t realized he’d missed until it was back.
“Okay, then—“ Cragen up behind them. “Glad that’s all settled then, but I think it’s time to get back to work. As long as you’re done with the coffee and flirtation.”
He turned so sharply the coffee sloshed over the edge of his cup. Olivia, for her part, had trained her eyes deliberately on the container of powdered creamer. Had she been similarly affected? Was he imagining a blush there, or was it wishful thinking?
He tried to push it all out of his mind. She was his partner. She could only ever be his partner. Partner.
And then, she gently squeezed his shoulder. “I’m glad you’re back.”
He’d thought of her every day. He’d thought of how she’d look in a bikini.
He’d thought of how her voice rose and fell and then then rose again when pronouncing his name.
He thought about how easily his hand fit just above her hip as he guided her to the elevator.
He thought about how easily she connected with everyone who walked through the door and how he wanted that same connection.
Kathy.
He was married.
Kathy.
Kathy was his wife.
Kathy had given him four children.
And yet.
And yet.
He was glad that she was glad.
It was nice to be missed.
She smelled good.
It’d been two weeks.
And he thought of her every day.
But he didn’t dare let her know