Olivia fidgeted nervously as the day came to a close. Why did it have to end? She was too nervous. Usually she looked forward to the end of the work day. But today was an exception. Why had she agreed to this? Because she had wanted it as badly as he did and there was no point in trying deny that fact. She wished that today could be put off for just a little while, so she could at least process what she was about to do. Her eyes went back up to the clock. It read 5:58. She tried to swallow her nerves, but nothing seemed to to ease the beat of her heart.

When 6:00 came, seemingly a few seconds later, she slowly stood up. Elliot glanced up at her and smiled. She tried to smile back, but the butterflies in her stomach refused to let her do so much of anything.

"I'll see you in a little while Olivia," he said in a low voice.

A shiver rippled through her body at the tone his voice.

"See you," she whispered.

She ran her hand through her hair nervously as she waited for the elevator to come up to her floor. The nervous energy that had appeared earlier that morning had her tapping her foot impatiently. She had been fine with this until she woke up and realized what exactly she had agreed to.

"I must be insane," she muttered.

"No, it is only when you start answering yourself that you're truly insane," Munch said as he stepped up beside her.

She gave him a half smile.

"So what are you doing on this most romantic of days?" he inquired.

"Not too much, just dinner with a... friend," she said, not really lying.

"Have fun with that," he said.

"Thanks John."

They stepped inside the elevator and she reached out and pushed the button to the ground floor.

"No hot date for you?" she joked trying to ease her own tension.

He arched his eyebrows at her.

"I am sure I can find one at the local bar," he replied.

Olivia chuckled as she stepped out of the elevator.

"See you Monday," she called over her shoulder.

"Night Liv," he called back.

On the way home, she thought about how this whole ordeal had come about. She and Elliot were at the coffee shop, just talking, neither of them tired enough to go home just yet. The conversation had turned toward the fact that Valentine's Day was fast approaching. Olivia had chuckled at the mention of the ridiculous holiday. When she had, Elliot gave her a questioning look. She had told him that all the times she had actually had dates on the holiday, they had all turned out one of two ways: sappy or crappy. It was his turn to laugh.

"You just haven't been out with the right guy."

He'd said that with a straight face and it shocked her.

"Maybe you're right," she'd agreed. "But I probably never will."

Then he'd looked her square in the eye and asked her to have dinner with him. She'd laughed and asked if he was joking. He shook his head.

"I'll show you how great it can be."

When he'd said that, it had been in that deep, sensual voice. The one that made her think that her insides had turned to mush and were going to fall through her shoes.

And she'd agreed to go out with him. She wasn't sure if it had been his voice or the look in his eye that had made her accept his offer. Even though he had just offered dinner, there was something in the back of her mind that made her think that she was about to get more than she bargained for. What about what happened before she left for Oregon? She pushed that into the proper place in the back of her mind.

She knew that she should not be this nervous just for dinner with her partner. It was Elliot for God's sake! She had been over to his apartment, spent countless nights drinking coffee with him at their favorite shop, or buying him drinks at the local bar. They often ate take out together when the nights at the precinct called for it.

But it has never been anything like this, the annoying little voice in her head quipped.

"Great," she muttered digging through her closet for something to wear.

She pulled out a silky navy blue dress. Olivia pulled it over her head and went to the mirror to see the effect. It was a halter with a keyhole in the front. The back of it exposed the golden smooth flesh of her back. The rest of it flowed over her body like a dark blue waterfall. She nodded to herself as she pulled on a pair of black strappy sandals.

Just as she was buckling her shoes, a knock came at the door of her apartment. The butterflies began to dance wildly in her stomach as she opened it. When she did, her mouth almost fell open at the sight of her partner. She was used to his normal suit and tie, but tonight he wore black slacks and a grey shirt. No tie, but he still looked...

"Incredible," she murmured.

His smile made her realize that she had said that aloud and she flushed slightly. To her relief, he had not brought the usual bouquet of roses that had accompanied all of her previous dates on this day. As she recalled, it was those dates that ended the least... pleasureable.

"Ready?" Elliot asked gently.

"Yes, let me grab my purse," she answered.

He felt his breath catch and a stir in his groin when she turned, letting him see the incredible expanse of her back. When she returned, he put his hand on the small of her back and lead her to the car. He tried to keep the images of his hands running along the silken flesh elsewhere on her body from flashing in his mind. However, he failed miserably.