A/N: I know I've been gone for a while, but life is crazy busy. That doesn't mean I'm not continuously writing! I hope to have more updates coming soon, so hopefully this will tide you guys over until then! Thanks for reading! I don't own SVU or its characters. Enjoy!

"You do know we're only staying overnight, right?"

Rafael didn't spare his suitcase a glance and, instead, raised an eyebrow at her large tote, filled with the necessary change of clothes and toiletries. Still, he couldn't help but point at the bag with a judgmental look, "And that's all you're bringing?"

Liv rolled her eyes, making him smile. "Don't make me regret suggesting this."

He started the car and pulled out into the street, easily maneuvering them the fastest way out of the city possible. The conference they were both attending was a two-hour ride into New Jersey, where both had been asked to speak. They decided to make it an overnight trip, taking the night to relax and enjoy some alone time before they would be bombarded with interviews and questions and meeting people from all around the country before they drove back that same night.

He reached over and laced their fingers, running his thumb up and down the length of her forefinger. She smiled at him fondly as he started to croon along to the oldies station playing softly on the radio. They had been so busy lately with their jobs, that they barely had time to see each other. She was working doubles until next Sunday, and he had back to back trials and meetings. He sincerely hadn't thought immigration law would be so taxing, but he was finding it could be even more than the D.A.'s office.

However, summers always proved to be a time when things picked up around the city. Fortunately, they both had planned vacations coming up that they intended to spend together, in hers or his apartment, with Noah and a list of activities they had been contemplating doing for a while. This little excursion to Jersey was a great way for them alleviate the fact that their week of bliss was another two weeks away.

"Noah promised me that we would Facetime him the moment we got to the hotel. He was upset that he didn't get to give you a hug."

"Don't tell me that," Rafael unlaced their fingers and placed his hand over his heart, face contorted into exaggerated pain, "I miss the kid."

"He misses you. More than he misses me, sometimes, I think. I was gone literally for 24 hours last week and one of the first things he asked me in the morning was when you were coming over again."

"You sound jealous," he eyed her, a small smirk forming. She didn't say anything. Instead, she scratched her temple with her middle finger, and they both dissolved into a laughing fit.

By the time they reached their hotel, it was late afternoon, and their backs and legs ached from driving non-stop. Their two hour drive ended up close to three because of unexpected road construction, and then a crash that backed up traffic for a good thirty minutes.

They had spent the extra time swapping stories from their workdays and reminisced about a time when they didn't have to go into entire backstories on clients or suspects and worked the same cases. It seemed like forever ago, and while they both missed working with each other, they enjoyed their lives much more now. Their relationship would have never even started had he still been with the D.A.

"A queen?"

"That's all they had last minute," she said and shuffled past him, dropping her bag next to his by the dresser, "Is it that big of a problem?"

"It's just not a lot of room."

"Oh. So, you don't want to be that close to me in bed, huh?"

She stood by the bedside and crossed her arms, hip cocked and her head tilted. Her shades pushed her hair back and he could see the playful glint in her eye. He gave her a look and crossed over to her. He wrapped his arms around her waist and kissed, enjoying the way she fell into his embrace and sighed into their kiss.

"That's the farthest thing from the truth."

Liv hummed and pressed a kiss to the corner of his mouth, "How far?"

"On the other side of the universe."

"That's far."

"It is."

She leaned back and ran her hands up his arms, stopping on his shoulders. He sighed, "You said you wanted to take things slow."

"I do," she said softly, pulling at a piece of lint that found its way on his impossibly black polo, "But, I think it's time, don't you?"

God, he did. He totally did. He had been thinking that for a while, but she had made it clear when they first started dating that she wanted to take things slow. No rush to the bedroom, which was a big change for both him and her, and they'd been able to thoroughly enjoy this new avenue in their relationship.

Sex wasn't everything, and that had been proven to both of them the longer they went without it.

He took a deep breath and his eye fluttered closed as she pressed kisses up and down his neck. Her lips grazed the stubble on his chin and he threaded his fingers through her hair.

"I want what you want."

"Good. Because, I may be wearing a very sexy set of lingerie underneath my clothes in hopes that you would agree with me…," she trailed and smiled against his skin when he nearly groaned and pulled her tighter against his body.

"How sexy are we talking here?" His voice was tight as he felt his body already responding to her hands drifting down the front of his chest and stomach and landing on his belt. He bit his lip, willing himself to remain calm. He didn't want to embarrass himself with an accidental boner like he did a few weeks ago, when they got into a very spur of the moment and out of character tickle fight one drunk night at his apartment.

"Like, red lace, see-through sexy."

His knees nearly buckled at the thought. He captured her lips in a searing kiss and stepped forward, backing her knees up to the bed. She chuckled and pulled away, hands leaving his belt and landing on his biceps again, "Not so fast, tiger. A proper date night is in order."

"Proper date night? We have date nights all the time," he said and stepped back, his nerves on fire but grateful for the chance to gather himself. She stepped around him and grabbed her purse off the dresser where she dropped it when they came in.

"Cold pizza on my living room floor, watching Friends reruns after Noah goes to sleep isn't exactly what I would classify a proper date as."

He couldn't disagree, "I see your point."

"Good. Now, let's go eat and drink so we can come back here and have some fun," she winked at him playfully over her shoulder, heading towards the hotel room door. He felt a bubble of excitement at her words and nearly tripped over his suitcase following her out.