Letting Love In Barson Story

Chapter 1

Author's notes My pen name on other sites is Authorgirl. Authorgirl has been my pen name for years. It is taken on this site.

This story is the sequel to Not Everything Done In The Dark Is Shameful. The Not Everything In The Dark Is Shameful series will be a 3 or 4 story series. Many other stories. and story-lines to come!!!!!!!!

It was 7PM, as an exhausted Olivia Benson made her way to Metropolitan Dining. It was Friday night, and all Olivia wanted to do was spend time with Noah, Rafael Barba, and his mother Lucia Barba. They were her family, and she was going to have a family weekend. Rafael, had worked very hard to get a reservation at the restaurant. He told Olivia that she was a "picky" eater, and Metropolitan Dining had every kind of food imaginable.

Olivia smiled at the thought of Rafael. It had been months since he had come to her apartment, when she was on her way out, and confessed his undying love for her. By the end of the night, they were committed to each other. Committing to Rafael, was surprisingly the easiest thing she had ever done for herself, and one of the best things she had ever done for herself. Just thinking of the man made her giddy. She also felt guilty, The night that Rafael confessed his love, he refused to kiss her, he said he wanted her to kiss him when she was ready. She tried to convince him to kiss her, that night, and many nights after, but he wouldn't budge . Weeks before they became a couple, Olivia had been attacked again. They were always interrupted, something always came up. She spent years at S.V.U. Each case seemed to open up old traumas, and some created new ones. She felt like a woman in one of these insular communities with strict dating rules. Every night, after she put Noah to bed, she imagined kissing Rafael Barba, running her fingers through his hair, and doing other things. Maybe this weekend, she would kiss him the way she wanted to. She thought as she opened the door of Metropolitan Dining..

Rafael, smiled, and came up to her the second, she walked in. "You finally made it." He said. He held her hand.

"Sorry, I'm late." She said, her voice filled with happiness at the sight of him.

"You're not. I made the reservation for 7:30."

"Is that a nice way of telling me, I'm always late,"

Rafael smiled. "With good reason" He replied, kissing her cheeks, and then her forehead, letting his lips linger.

"You're torturing me, Barba,"

"Sweet torture, not real torture." He said, when his lips left her forehead.

"Mommy, you're here!" Noah said happily, and loudly, walking up to her, holding Lucia Barba's hand. The 2 had been sitting on the booth style seat, behind Olivia, and Rafael.

"I'm here, sweet boy!" Olivia said, bending a little and ruffing her son's hair. She turned back to her very significant other. "Thanks for picking him up after school."

"You don't have to thank me, I love Noah."

Olivia smiled. "I want to thank you," She replied softly. After a few seconds, she turned in the direction of Lucia Barba. It's nice to see you, Mrs. Barba." Lucia laughed, smiled, and rolled her eyes.

"Great to see you. Olivia." Lucia replied.

"Sir, your table is ready," the host yelled to Rafael.. Rafael and the others followed the host to a round light brown table. Olivia sat next to her son. Rafael sat next to his mother, and across from Olivia. He wanted a good view of her.

"I'm Chris, and I'll be your waiter this evening." A young man said, seconds after the party sat down. "I'll give you a few minutes," The young man walked away. The group picked up their menus, which were on the table, when they arrived.

"I don't want this food, I want Rafa's chicken."

"That's good chicken." Lucia said.

Rafael, grinned, filled with pride in the fact that, Noah loved the way he cooked. Olivia turned to her son, and studied his copy of the menu. "Noah,. Rafa can't cook for us every night. Tell you what? It's the weekend, as a treat. Why don't you have chicken fingers with an iced tea?"

"Noah, I'll make chicken tomorrow. " Rafael said.

"Promise?"

"I promise, Noah." Rafael, said.

At that moment, Chris walked up to the table. "May I take your orders?"

I'll have the steak. medium well with a glass of water, and a black coffee." Lucia replied first.

Within a minute, Chris turned his head toward Olivia. I'll have the salmon with a glass of water." She said.

Rafael was next. "I'll have the steak, cooked medium well, with an iced tea, and that's it for now."

Chris, jotted down the order. He turned to Noah, and smiled. "And what do you want?"

"A burger, and fries, with a peach iced tea." Noah answered. Chris, wrote down the order, and walked away.

"You ordered a glass of water." Rafael said. "Liv, you know you can order whatever you want, it won't break the bank."

"I know", Olivia answered. She gave him a radiant smile, and turned her attention to Lucia Barba. "How are you, Mrs. Barba?"

"Hija, you don't have to call me, Mrs. Barba."

"Lucia, how are you?"

"Very, well." She said with a huge smile. The 2 women made small talk until all the food arrived. Rafael was grinning from ear to ear, his family was getting along, and eating happily.

"I got an A on my spelling test!" Noah informed them, after he finished his meal.

"I'm so proud of you, sweet boy."

"Good job, Noah." Rafael said.

"Thanks. for helping me study", Noah replied to his favorite man. In response, Rafael smiled.

Chris walked over. "Do you want cake sir?"

"No', Rafael said. "We're taking care of our own dessert tonight. "

"You have a nice family, sir." Cris said.

"Thank-you. Can you get us the bill please."

"Yes", Chris answered, as he walked away.

"Olivia, you're more beautiful now than when I first saw you. How is that possible?" Rafael turned to see a man with dark gray hair, and blue eyes, suddenly standing next to Olivia's chair. Rafael wished now that he was sitting in Noah's chair, next to her. "We should catch up." The man continued. Rafael stood, and moved closer to Olivia. He watched as the man threw a card on the table. It landed face down. Rafael grabbed it, and without looking at it, put it in his pocket.

"That's not necessary. "Olivia said, in cop mode.

"Why don't you, and your family, join me at my table for dessert?"

"No", Rafael replied quickly, his voice protective. "We have other plans." The man was about to say something, when Chris came over with the check.

"Come back, for our famous cake soon, Sir." Chris said to Rafael, who paid the bill right there

Olivia stood. She was about to take Noah's hand, when Lucia did it. She walked ahead with the boy. Olivia walked to Rafael's side, he quickly took her hand. As they walked out of the restaurant, Rafael felt the man's piercing blue eyes following them.