DISCLAIMER: I don't own these women. NBC and Dick Wolf hold that honor. I also don't claim to remember word for word the exchange between the two from "Intoxication," so I have taken some liberties in that as well.
SPOILERS: "Ghost" and "Intoxication" I would suppose, although I'm really not giving anything away.
ARCHIVING: Only with the permission of the author.
PAIRING: Olivia/Casey.
Curiosity
By Foolish Heart
1.
Casey found herself wondering why the normally introverted detective had asked her to meet at the bar after work. She found it difficult to believe that Olivia had wanted to celebrate if it was to be just the two of them, but the more hopeful part of her tried to say that was the reason. Reality sunk in when she entered the bar and caught sight of the quietly brooding detective staring intently into what might have been her fifth or sixth beer and a maple colored shot.
"Liv. How are you?"
"I want you to plead out Carrie Eldridge," Olivia responded without preamble.
"What? Why would I do that? You just found what we needed to throw their whole defense out the window. There's no way I'm going to throw away this win," Casey said quietly but firmly.
Olivia's eyes were darker than Casey had remembered them being, although she wasn't sure if she should contribute that to the drinks or emotion. Despite the time the two had worked together, she had really had no occasion to truly get to know the beautiful detective.
"Casey, please. I'm asking you to do this. She doesn't deserve to go to jail."
"And what does she deserve Olivia? I know that you didn't like her mother, but we can't reward her for what she did."
"Christ Casey. I'm not asking you to reward her. I'm just asking you to plead her out so that she doesn't spend the rest of her life in jail."
"Tell me why I should?"
Olivia studied the prosecutor, unsure of how much she really wanted to share. She hated that this case had brought all this back to the surface, and she hated even more that Casey was asking so many questions. As the two women's eyes met and held, Olivia knew that she wasn't going to convince her without an honest explanation, so with a deep breath she began telling a story that she had tried so hard to forget.
"My mother was an English professor at NYU when I was younger. There was a boy in her class that I was dating and he asked me to marry him. I said yes, but it was more to get away from her than out of love.
"When I came home and told her that I was going to marry him, she was halfway through a bottle of vodka. This intense anger came over her and she dropped the bottle. It shattered at her feet and she picked up the jagged end and started coming towards me, telling me that I couldn't marry him because no one else could have me.
"She backed me up against a wall with the bottle and I kicked her in the stomach to get her away from me. She flew back into the other wall and slid down into a heap against it. She wasn't getting back up, but I went to her and kicked her again. And then again. I was just so angry and so hurt that I couldn't stop. I turned around and walked out of that apartment, and that was basically the last I saw of her.
"Carrie's mother didn't care about her. There were so many bottles hidden all over that house that it was obvious all she cared about was where she was going to get her next drink. And the worst part is that I knew where to find them all," Olivia finished quietly, still staring into her drink.
"You didn't kill your mother Olivia," Casey said, just as quietly, wishing she could do something to ease the older woman's pain.
"No, I didn't. But I know what it feels like to want to," Olivia responded, finally meeting the attorney's eyes. "Plead her out Casey. She's not going to be a repeat offender."
Casey stared at the broken woman for a long time, wondering what she could say or do to make any of it better. Fighting with herself to decide if she wanted to take pity on this girl simply because of what Olivia had said. She knew that she had a an easy conviction staring her in the face, but she also knew that if Olivia had chosen to share this much of her past, there must be some merit in what she was suggesting.
"I'll see what I can do Olivia. It's really not up to me though, it's up to the D.A.," she finally responded as she gathered her things to leave.
"Thank you Casey," Olivia answered quietly as she watched the attorney saunter out of the bar. "Thank you so much."
"Is the state satisfied that the terms of plea bargain have been met?" the judge asked Assistant District Attorney Casey Novak early the next morning after Carrie Eldridge's emotional confession.
"We are your honor," Casey replied in her patented court room voice.
"The defendant is remanded to Bellevue Psychiatric Hospital, where she will remain until her eighteenth birthday. Case dismissed," the judge said loudly as she dropped the gavel, signaling the case was over.
Casey could feel Olivia's warm body behind her as she gathered her things. She silently marveled at the fact that no matter the setting, when Olivia was that close to her, her heart always beat just a little faster.
"Thank you Casey. This really meant a lot to me," Olivia whispered just before she walked out of the courtroom.
Casey turned to say something, but only caught the detective's fleeing form, leaving her alone in the courtroom with an empty feeling she was all too familiar with.
"So what made them change their mind about the Eldridge case?" Olivia's childhood friend Sam asked as they ate dinner that night. The two had made it a point to keep in contact through the years and Olivia had especially needed someone to talk to during this case.
"I guess you could say I pulled some strings," Olivia responded softly as she sipped red wine. "I talked to Casey and Casey talked to the D.A. This was the end result."
"I thought you didn't like Casey."
"I never said I didn't like her," Olivia responded defensively. "It's just that she isn't Alex."
"Honey, no one but Alex can be Alex. And you have got to stop comparing everyone you meet to that high standard. Alex isn't part of your life anymore. She chose to leave. You have to get past that."
"She didn't choose to leave Sam. She had to. Or she would have been killed," Olivia said angrily, unsure why she still felt the need to defend her past lover.
"No, sweetie, she chose to leave this time. Just as she chose not to tell you where she was going the first time and why she didn't keep in touch. She chose a way out. And you have to understand and accept that," Sam responded quietly, resting her hand over Olivia's.
Olivia sighed to herself, knowing that Sam was right and that she had to get past the feeling of loss that always surfaced when she thought of Alex. "I know Sam. It's just hard."
"Honey, there isn't a damn thing about love that isn't hard. You should know that more than anyone. But you have to leave yourself open to the possibility that there might be someone else out there that can make you feel the way she did."
Olivia smiled at her friend, knowing that Sam only wanted the best for her and thankful that she had found such a trustworthy friend.
"So what exactly did you tell Casey that made her change her mind?"
"I told her about mom," Olivia stated simply, as if she was saying it was raining outside or had just been asked for the time.
"You did what?" Sam exclaimed, obviously shocked. "Olivia, you didn't even tell me about that until years after it happened. What made you think you could trust her?"
"I really don't know. I just felt that I could. And I know now that I can. I needed to tell someone. This case was just too fucking hard for me," Olivia added quietly as she finished her glass of wine and motioned the waiter for the check.
Sam studied her friend, noticing for the first time that night that the constant pain that had lit her eyes for the last twenty years had dulled a bit. She saw that the lines were a little less pronounced and wondered if Olivia realized that she was allowing herself to feel something for this attorney that might have resembled affection. She watched as Olivia paid the waiter and stood to throw on her signature leather coat. As they walked to the sidewalk to call a cab, Sam knew that Olivia had no idea what her heart was trying to tell her.
"Do you want to come back to my house for awhile?" Olivia asked as they waited for a cab to come along.
"No. I think I'm going to call it a night. Rick is supposed to be home early tonight, and I'd like to be there."
"Okay. Well, thanks for meeting me. It was good to have someone to talk to."
"I know hon. We'll do it again soon," Sam responded as she hugged her friend. "Olivia…"
"Yeah?"
"Listen, um, what are you going to do about this Casey thing?"
"What Casey thing? There is no thing. I talked to her about something that happened in my past and was stirred back up by a case."
"Liv, you have feelings for this woman."
"I do not have feelings for Casey Novak," Olivia said firmly. "This is me with no feelings."
"Olivia, you're full of shit. You have feelings for her. And based on what she did for you, I'd say she has some for you too. What's holding you back?"
Olivia studied her friend closely through the steam of their breathing. Some part deep inside kept saying that Sam was right, but the logical part of her mind kept insisting she was wrong. She knew that Sam would never tell her to do something that would hurt her, but she was so terrified of rejection that she was virtually paralyzed.
"So what do you suggest I do?" she finally answered, visibly exasperated.
Sam smiled at her friend, knowing that was as close as she would get to an admission of guilt. She took a moment to form her answer as a cab finally slid up to the curb. "I think you should ask her out to lunch. And when that goes well, you should ask her out to dinner," she finally responded as she stepped into the cab.
Olivia grabbed the corner of the door to keep her friend from shutting it and getting the last word. "And what do I do when lunch doesn't go well?"
"Trust me dear, it'll go fine. Call me this weekend and let me know," Sam said with a smile as she gave the cabbie directions and shut the door, leaving Olivia standing on the curb wondering just when her friend had become a fortune teller.
2.
The next day found Olivia and Elliott working yet another case that demonstrated just how terrible human nature can really be. When Olivia called Casey down to the squad room to watch the interrogation, she began to wonder how exactly she could test the waters with the intelligent woman without sparking her curiosity.
"I think we have enough to convict him. Go ahead and place him under arrest," Casey told the brunette detective as they watched Stabler speak with the rapist and murderer they had brought in.
"Okay. I'll have Stabler take him down to booking. I'm sure once he hears those magic words he'll lawyer up," Olivia responded as she tapped the one way mirror to get her partner's attention. "Casey, um, do you have any plans for lunch this afternoon?"
Casey turned to regard the detective, slightly surprised at being asked on what she was frightened to call a date. As she looked into the detective's eyes, she thought she saw briefly a look of hopefulness and fear pass through them, making her believe even more firmly that Olivia was asking her out.
"No detective. I don't. Did you have something in mind?" she responded with a smile as a heat began to spread through her body.
"Well, I just thought maybe we could grab a bite somewhere. I thought we could both use some time away from here," Olivia said quietly, stumbling a bit over her words. "And Elliott's meeting Kathy, so he's out," she added quickly, regretting it as soon as she saw Casey's face fall.
"Oh. Well, it's nice to know that I was your second choice Olivia. I just remembered that I do have something going on. I'll see you later," Casey said, the smile quickly leaving her face as she turned to go.
"Casey, wait," Olivia said quietly, just as Elliott pushed through the door from the interrogation room.
"What's the deal ladies? Can I lead this guy downstairs?" he said with a tight smile as he observed the tension between the women.
"Yes, detective. Take him down for booking. Rape and murder one. I was just going to speak with the D.A and see where he wants to take this," Casey said quickly. "I'll see you both later."
"No, Casey…"
"Good bye Olivia. Elliott. Have a good day."
Olivia stood in stunned and angry silence as she watched the attorney walk out the door, not mistaking the wounded stiffness in her stance.
"What's up with her?" Elliott asked, quietly regarding the fading form. "You two have words?"
"It's nothing El. Lets get this guy booked and start in on the other cases we have waiting," Olivia responded, anxious to throw herself back into work.
It was close to seven that night before Olivia looked up from her desk to notice that she was the last one left in the squad room. Well, I guess I botched that one up pretty good. I wonder if she'll give me another chance. Do I even want her to give me another chance? What was I thinking to have asked her out anyway? But I saw that little bit of excitement when I did ask her. I think she really wanted to go. But then I had to open my mouth.
"Olivia?" Casey called quietly as she came into the deserted squad room, making Olivia jump nearly out of her skin.
"Casey," Olivia responded breathlessly as she met the attorney's eyes.
"What are you doing here this late?"
"I could ask you the same thing."
"You could. But it's not that unusual for me to be the last one here."
"Yes. Well, it's not that unusual for me either. I have some pretty big shoes to fill," Casey added, acknowledging the fact that she knew everyone in the squad was comparing her to the memory of Alex Cabot.
"We don't expect you to be Alex, Casey. I'm sorry if it seems that we do. You met her. You know what kind of a person she is. It's just that we all miss her," Olivia said, settling onto the front of her desk.
"I think you might miss her a bit more that the rest of the squad," Casey said quietly, taking a tentative step towards the detective. "How many of them know?"
Olivia looked at Casey for a very long time, more than surprised at the fact that she had been able to tell the two women had been involved and even more reluctant to share any part of her past relationship.
"I think Elliott might have suspected. But the rest are pretty clueless. How did you know?"
"Olivia, despite the fact that you seem to think I am a naïve person, I've been around for awhile. And I saw the way you looked at her. I've looked at a few people like that in my lifetime and I remember how I felt about them," Casey replied, stepping closer still and smiling softly. "Were the two of you still involved when she left the first time?"
"Things had just started to get really serious. We had worked past the getting to know you phase and had become comfortable. Then all that happened and she had to disappear. Our relationship disappeared with her," Olivia answered quietly, unwilling to meet the green eyes that she felt searching her face.
"She didn't keep in touch with you?" Casey asked quietly as she stepped to within touching distance of Olivia, but still refrained from actually touching her.
"She couldn't. It wasn't safe. We were both afraid that they would track her down if she did."
"And when she came back you thought things could start again?"
"I hoped. God, I wanted nothing more. But she told me that she was seeing someone else from the insurance place she had been working at. She said that when they made love he softly called her name," Olivia said sadly, her eyes brimming with the now too familiar tears. "It killed me when she said that. Because it was as if she was saying that I had already been replaced in her life. But I had been holding on for so long that I didn't know what to do."
Casey studied the detective, wondering how anyone could walk away from someone this beautiful and gentle. Before she could stop herself, she reached out and brushed a lock of hair away from Olivia's forehead, letting her fingers graze down her cheek to catch a stray tear.
"Liv, I could say that I'm sorry for how it all turned out, but I don't want to lie to you," Casey started, laying her hand more firmly against Olivia's face as the detective looked up in unmasked anger. "I am sorry for what she did to you, but for my own selfish reasons, I'm glad that you don't still believe that she has feelings for you."
The two women studied each other for a moment, Olivia not sure that she was hearing things correctly, and Casey fighting the urge to brush her lips against the detective's in an attempt to further ease her pain.
"Casey, are you trying to say that you have feelings for me?" Olivia whispered gently as she stood and closed the distance between them.
"I'm not really sure what I'm trying to say Olivia, except that I would like to see where this could go," Casey replied, her eyes downcast as shyness overtook her.
Olivia took the attorney's hand, marveling at the contrast between the alabaster skin and her olive complexion. "I think that's something that can be arranged. Would you like to get lunch tomorrow?"
"I would like that very much," Casey answered, a sly smirk coming over her face. "Did Elliott turn you down again?"
Olivia laughed out loud at the attorney's jab; thankful that she had realized what had been said earlier had been said in error. "No counselor. I'll be the one turning him down. I'll have to tell him that I have a more pressing matter that needs my attention."
"Very well detective. Swing by my office around one? I know a great sushi place just down the street."
Olivia smiled and gave a light squeeze to the hand that she was still holding, lifting it to her lips a pressing a gentle kiss to the knuckles. "Have a good evening counselor. I'll see you tomorrow."
And with that she was gone, grabbing her coat and pushing through the swinging doors, leaving Casey to smile quietly to herself and enjoy the heat that had come off the older woman's body when they were so close together.
3.
"So Liv, you want to go for something to eat?" Stabler asked as the clock edged closer to one and his stomach growled loudly. "I could really go for a burger and fries."
"You might want to ask Munch about that one El. I have other plans. I'm sorry," Olivia responded with a small smile as she began to gather her coat to pick Casey up.
"Other plans? You have some kind of date? Who is he? Do I know him?" Elliott started, sounding like curious little boy.
"It's not a date. I'm going out to lunch with Casey."
"Casey? As in Casey Novak? When did the two of you become close?"
"We really haven't. But I don't think I've given her much of a chance. I think we've all been pretty hard on her really."
"So you're taking her to lunch out of pity?"
"No. I'm taking her to lunch out of curiosity. I want to get to know her," Olivia said as she headed towards the door. "I'll be back in an hour or so."
Elliott stood in silence, sipping a cup of hour's old coffee and wondering what his partner thought she was starting with Casey Novak and hoping that this A.D.A. didn't break her heart like the last.
Olivia arrived at Casey's office a little before one and took a moment to remember all the times she had stood in front of that same office to see Alex. You've got to stop thinking about Alex every time you think about Casey. They're not the same person and Alex made a choice that she's not going to come back from. If you're going to explore anything with Casey, you've got to let go of the past.
Olivia raised her hand to knock on the heavy wood door, taking a deep breath to push the memories out of her mind so that she could focus on the possibility of a future, or at least a temporary distraction from everything that had been bothering her.
"Come in," Casey called quietly from behind the office door as Olivia pushed it open. "Hey there. How are you?"
"I'm good. How are you? You ready to go?" Olivia responded with a smile as she noticed that Casey was wearing a fitting silk shirt that plunged just far enough in the front to allow for a good view of porcelain skin.
"Sure. Just give a minute to finish this up and then we can go," she answered, motioning to a thin stack of papers on her desk.
"No problem. Take your time," Olivia responded, silently happy to have a few moments to study the classically beautiful woman. While Casey was bent over the papers, Olivia allowed her eyes to slowly rove over the other woman's body, noticing the slight blonde in her hair and the way that it seemed to naturally fall around her shoulders. She smiled to herself as she saw the attorney gently chewing the inside of her left cheek as she read over the sheets in front of her and she continued watching intently as Casey leaned forward to sign the last paper, allowing her shirt to fall away from her chest and giving Olivia a nice glimpse of the swell of her breasts.
"Are you satisfied with what you see?" Casey asked with a smirk as she stood and shuffled the papers into her briefcase.
"I…uh…um…," Olivia stuttered, feeling her face turn extremely red.
"Relax detective. If it had bothered me, I would have stopped you," Casey replied coyly as she walked past Olivia, allowing her right hand to brush across the sleeve of her jacket. "Are you ready?"
"Sure," Olivia said, finally recovering from her embarrassment. "Lead the way counselor." Damn, aren't you just full of surprises?
"So wait, you've been playing softball for how long?" Olivia asked laughing as the two women worked their way through a huge tray of sweet California and spicy yellow fin rolls.
"Since high school. I even played in college," Casey replied smiling. "You seem surprised. Why?"
"I don't know really. I guess I just didn't think of you as someone who enjoyed sports," Olivia answered truthfully. "And you still play?"
"Yep. Every summer. It was difficult finding a team around here that took the game as seriously as I do, but when I finally did, I was all about it. We've won a few championships."
"Really? That's great Casey. When does this season start?"
"In a few months. We usually have our first game in late May or early June. Why, do you play?"
"No. I watch. I'm an avid watcher. Give me a few beers and some hotdogs and I'll be set for nine innings," Olivia said with a laugh as she took a long drink of the sweet iced tea.
"Are you saying you'd like to watch me play?"
"Sure, why not? It sounds like a fun way to spend a summer evening. Would it be okay if I watched you play?"
"I think it would be great. But you might not get to see much of the game."
"And why's that?" Olivia asked, truly confused.
"Well, when the women who watch see you walk into the stands, they're going to be more concerned about how they might successfully get you into bed than what's happening on the field. And trust me when I say this, they are not subtle," Casey answered smiling.
The two women were laughing freely now and Olivia found herself quite surprised at how easy it had been to talk to Casey about everything and nothing. She glanced at her watch and realized that they had been at the table for more than an hour and couldn't believe how fast the time had gone.
"We should probably get going," Olivia said sadly, watching Casey's face closely to gage her reaction.
"Yeah, I guess you're right. I do have an arraignment this afternoon," Casey replied, her eyes registering sadness that was clear to Olivia. "I had a really good time Olivia."
"I did too Casey," Olivia said quietly, allowing her hand to seek out the younger woman's. "I'd like to do it again."
Casey smiled shyly as she began to blush, surprised that Olivia was asking her out again. "Really?"
"Yes, really. And I'd like to do it again soon. What are you doing Friday night?" Olivia responded, still holding Casey's hand.
"Well, I had planned to give my cat a bath and change the water in the fish tank, but that's nothing that can't wait until Sunday," Casey said, now smiling broadly. "What did you have in mind?"
"I was thinking about dinner and then maybe a few drinks. Do you like Italian?"
"Very much. And I know a few clubs in the East Village that have live music on Friday nights. We could go there afterwards."
"That sounds like a plan to me. What time should I pick you up?"
"How about I pick you up detective? Say around eight?"
Well this is certainly unusual. I don't think I've ever gone out with a woman and had her pick me up. "That's great. Here's my address and my home phone number and I'll be ready at eight," Olivia said, successfully masking her surprise.
As the two women exited the sushi bar, Casey felt a new, but somehow familiar pressure on the small of her back that she immediately recognized as Olivia's hand. She smiled at the protective and gentle gesture as the warmth from Olivia's body seeped into her own, filling her with a sense of promise that she had long ago forgotten.
"So, how was lunch?" Stabler asked as Olivia finally made her way back to the squad room, nearly two hours after she had left.
"It was good. We had a good time," she responded evenly, more than aware of the three sets of male eyes looking her over. "Sorry I'm back late."
"Hey, it's no big deal Liv. We were just taking bets on whether you would come back at all today," Fin said with an easy smile. "We thought maybe you decided you had better things to do."
Olivia stiffened at the suggestive nature of his comment and glared at her partner, worried that he had said something to the rest of the squad about her desires for the female species.
"So what's his name?" Munch asked loudly. "Do we know him and would I approve?"
Olivia silently thanked God that they didn't know she was out with Casey and mentally chastised herself for doubting Elliott's ability to keep a secret. "You don't know him and I really don't care if you would approve," she answered, smiling a silent apology at Stabler.
"Okay team, that's enough gossip for one day," Captain Cragen said as he exited his office. "We've got a body in the village. NYPD thinks she was raped. Stabler and Benson get down there. Munch and Fin, keep working that O'Brian case. I want a conviction out of that one."
"You got it Cap," the four detectives responded in unison, all hurrying to do as they were told.
"Come on Liv. We can talk more about this interesting afternoon on the way," Stabler said, smiling wickedly at his now blushing partner.
"Great. I can hardly wait," Olivia deadpanned as she followed her partner out the door.
4.
Eight o'clock Friday evening couldn't come soon enough for the tired detective and stressed A.D.A. Both needed a night out more than ever and neither quite understood where the excitement at the knowledge that they were going to be spending it together had come from.
Olivia was ready and virtually pacing in her apartment by ten till eight, nervousness and excitement all balling together in her stomach to form a bundle of butterflies that she hadn't felt since the first time she and Alex had agreed to go out. Alex. What are you doing right now? Do you think about me ever? I'm sure you don't think about me as much as I think about you. No. I have to stop this. Alex is gone. And I am about to go out with Casey, who is definitely not Alex. It's time for me to move on.
Casey relaxed into the seat of the cab, confident that the cabbie would get her where she needed to be. She checked her watch for what seemed like the hundredth time in less than an hour, surprised to see that it said only one minute past the last time she had checked. Christ. Get a grip on yourself. You're acting like a high school girl going out with the captain of the football team. Granted, she is one of the most attractive women you've spent time with. And she's also one of the most gentle. But you can't be all nerves when you pick her up. She'll sense it right away.
Olivia was slightly startled when she finally heard the knock on her door at a little after eight. She adjusted her tight fitting long sleeve shirt and jeans one last time as she moved towards the door to let Casey in, still fighting the ball of butterflies that had taken residence in her tummy.
"Casey…hi," Olivia whispered as she took in the sight before her. Casey had traded her normally sensible three piece skirt suits for a pair of well worn, low slung, perfectly fitting, hip hugger jeans that fell over a pair of slightly scuffed black boots. Her white shirt was a clingy cotton material that hung low off her shoulders, allowing Olivia a wonderful view of a beautiful neck that begged to be kissed. Her hair was down and gently laying over the collar of her own black leather jacket, creating an effect that screamed sensuality and sent shockwaves into Olivia's core.
"Hi Liv. You ready to go?" Casey asked quietly, flattered by Olivia's obvious appraisal of her body.
"Sure, um, just let me grab my coat," Olivia answered, her trance broken by the attorney's soft voice. "Come on in for a second, okay?"
"Sure," Casey answered as she stepped into the other woman's apartment and gently closed the door. As she turned slowly to take in the unfamiliar surroundings, she found herself mere inches from the older woman's face and felt strong arms encircling her waist. She settled easily into Olivia's embrace, staring intently into coffee colored eyes. "Hi," she whispered, smiling shyly.
"Hi yourself," Olivia replied with a gentle smirk as she leaned closer into Casey, watching as the attorney's eyes slid closed and her mouth opened slightly in expectation of a kiss. When their lips met, Olivia felt Casey inhale sharply. And when her tongue slid easily into Casey's mouth, she could taste the peppermint of the toothpaste the younger woman had used. "You look amazing tonight Casey," Olivia whispered as she gently pulled away from the kiss, allowing their foreheads to rest comfortably together.
"Thank you," Casey replied almost inaudibly as she snaked her arms under Olivia's jacket to rest her hands across the swell of Olivia's hips, tilting her head to place another gentle kiss on Olivia's lips.
The women stood like that for what seemed like forever, holding each other, touching each other, exploring each other as if their bodies couldn't be separated. Olivia felt herself growing more and more excited the longer her tongue caressed Casey's, the longer Casey's hands caressed her stomach. When she felt Casey's slim fingers dip lower and just brush her beneath the waist of her jeans, she was sure she was going to implode with the heat that had begun filling her body.
Casey could feel the passion coming off the older woman. She could feel the heat that was tightening itself into a ball in the pit of Olivia's stomach, pushing for a release. She felt Olivia's breath catch as she ran her hands up the plain of her back and slid the leather jacket off her shoulders, placing hot kisses in a trail across Olivia's neck and up her chin, eventually recapturing her mouth.
"Wait, wait, Casey," Olivia whispered breathlessly, struggling with the lump of arousal that was in her throat. "What about dinner?"
Casey looked into Olivia's eyes and saw a hunger of a whole other kind. Seeing that raw desire and knowing that it was because of her, inspired by her, made her heart skip a few beats and more moisture to puddle between her legs. She stepped slightly back from Olivia, pretending to ponder the question as she dropped her own jacket to the floor and smiled sweetly. "I'm okay with ordering pizza and staying in."
"Good," was the only answer Olivia could get out before Casey was back in her arms and they were exploring each other's mouths and bodies, marveling at each new touch and each new sensation.
Olivia backed the younger woman against the door, laying her own trail of searing kisses across Casey's beautiful neck, registering each sharp intake of breath from the attorney as her lips met skin. She gently began running her hands over the flatness of Casey's stomach, under the soft material of her shirt, to the silken material of her bra. The first time Olivia pinched her nipple, Casey was sure her legs were going to give out.
"Oh God," Casey moaned into Olivia's mouth as the detective's expert hands worked Casey's nipples into hard peaks and her strong thigh insinuated itself firmly between the attorney's weakened legs, applying strong and continuous pressure as Casey's hips began rocking of their own accord.
Casey could feel her insides knotting tighter and tighter as her body registered each new sensation Olivia presented. Each kiss, each nip, each caress sent her higher and higher towards her impending orgasm. Despite the sensations the other woman was making her feel, a part of Casey needed to know that she was having the same affect on Olivia.
"I want to touch you," Casey whispered breathlessly as she pulled Olivia's face gently away from her neck so she could see her eyes. "I want you to touch me."
Looking into Casey's innocent face, Olivia's rational mind began to over speak her hormones and she began questioning what she was doing with the beautiful attorney. "Casey, we don't have to do this right now," Olivia responded as her breathing began to return to normal.
"Are you saying that you don't want to?" Casey asked quietly as she ran the tips of her thumbs over either side of Olivia's jaw line.
"Not at all. I'm saying that I don't want this to be something that we regret later," Olivia answered with a sigh as she pressed her cheek more tightly against Casey's right hand and let her eyes slide shut. The way you touch me feels so right. It's like you know just what I need. How can you know when I don't?
"Liv, since the first day I laid eyes on you, I thought you were one of the most beautiful, passionate, and caring women I had ever met. This is not something that I am going to regret. Not later tonight, not tomorrow, not ever. I want to make love with you," Casey stated softly as she pulled the brunette into another gentle kiss. "But if you have any doubts, we can stop now and I won't regret that either."
Olivia studied the younger woman for a brief moment, surprised that she would be so certain when it came to matters of the heart. As Olivia's eyes moved over Casey's flushed face and she felt Casey still softly stroking her cheeks, she felt any doubts she may have had falling farther and farther away. I guess we'll deal with the aftermath later, because my heart is finding it very difficult to say no.
Rather than answering the attorney's unspoken question, Olivia locked her in a bruising kiss and molded their bodies more tightly together. Her body responded immediately to the close proximity of Casey and before she knew what she was doing, the two had made it down the hall and into her bedroom, where Casey had backed her against the bed and was proceeding to tug at her t-shirt with one hand and her belt with the other. Taking pity on the obviously flustered woman, Olivia reached down her own body to pull her shirt up and over her head as Casey undid her belt and button on her jeans, and began slowly working on the zipper.
Olivia's heart rate increased with the sound of each tooth of the zipper letting go and the first time Casey slid her hand between the rough fabric of the jeans and the damp cotton of her panties made Olivia completely forget to breathe.
"God, you're so wet," Casey murmured into Olivia's neck as she pulled the damp panties aside to gain access to the slick folds beneath.
"Well, the thought of making love to a beautiful woman does that to me," Olivia replied haltingly as she stalled Casey's hand with her own. "Wait, I want to do this the right way. I want to feel your body against mine. All of your body."
Olivia could see the slightest hint of a smile grace Casey's mouth as the attorney removed her hand and pulled off her own shirt then reached behind her back to unclasp her bra. In mere seconds the two women were completely undressed and cradled in each other's arms in the middle of Olivia's huge four poster bed.
The two women resumed their passionate kisses as Casey began a slow exploration of Olivia's body with her hand, pausing at each breast to pinch and tug at the already erect nipples, then working her way slowly lower, across the detective's tight stomach and into the small gathering of damp curls between her thighs. At the first touch of Casey's fingers on Olivia's clit, the detective's thighs began to twitch and her hips bucked, unconsciously asking for more contact.
"Christ Casey," Olivia gasped as the first waves of orgasm threatened to overtake her. "It isn't going to take much…shit, I'm coming…oh, God…"
Hours later, after each woman had been satisfied multiple times, the new lovers lay quietly in the dark, nestled in the warm comforter and listening to the sound of rain on the large bay window.
Olivia traced idle patterns across Casey's back as the young attorney cuddled closer against her side, throwing her leg over the detective's in what could have been viewed as a statement of possession and on any other occasion may have made Olivia more than a bit uncomfortable. Rather than having the urge to leave though, Olivia found herself with the urge to hold the smaller woman more tightly against her side and simply languish in the feeling of skin against skin as long as humanly possible.
"Liv?" Casey mumbled softly as she began running her fingertips over Olivia's stomach.
"Yeah?" Olivia answered sleepily, even as arousal began building yet again.
"Can I ask you something?"
"Sure…what?"
"What made you finally ask me out?"
"Curiosity," Olivia answered truthfully as she smiled silently to herself and thanked her friend Sam for the great advice.
The End