It was Friday night when Olivia remembered why she either liked to be single and not looking or comfortable in a long-term relationship; she hated dating. She wasn’t sure of herself which wasn’t exactly normal. As a doctor, she was confident in diagnosing and treating patients, could stand up to anyone who questioned her judgment, but this… How long had it been since her first date? A year and a half? Two years? And Owen really wasn’t a dater; the nicest place he ever took her to was an Olive Garden, so she never worried about her appearance. But now…

“What about this?” Olivia asked, walking back into her bedroom where none other than Shelby was waiting patiently. A cup of homemade coffee was resting on Olivia’s dresser with Shelby’s fingers coiled around the cup and the latest issue of Cosmo was resting in her lap. She looked up when she saw her friend walk in.

Shelby scrunched her nose, immediately shaking her head. “He knows what you look like out of your clothes,” she commented as she watched her friend swagger back into the bathroom, where three other outfits were waiting.

Slinking out of the tight, short red dress, Olivia began to muse over what Mason was doing right now. Probably enjoying a nice beer, sitting in front of the television, waiting until the last moment to get ready. She smiled at that; guys had it easy.

“You need to show him what you look like in a dress,” Shelby continued. “Something nice. Make him realize you’re sexy naked and you’re beautiful dressed. The whole package.”

Olivia pressed her lips together and went back to her closet. Whether she wanted to admit it or not, Shelby was right. If this was going somewhere romantic on top of somewhere intimate, she needed to learn to be both girlfriend and lover. She came out a few minutes later in a simple white summer dress with thick straps that hugged her curves and reached her knee. If she threw her doctor’s white coat over it, it might be passable as professional attire. On her feet were simple red high heels. She pinned her bangs back and curled her hair, wearing minimal makeup.

When she emerged, Shelby whistled. “Yup,” she said. “That’s it. You look stunning. He won’t be able to keep his eyes off of you.”

Despite herself, Olivia blushed.

“So is he picking you up or are you meeting there?” Shelby asked, shifting herself around so she was more comfortable on the bed.

“Picking me up,” Olivia replied, glancing at herself in the mirror. “I already know I like him. I don’t have to worry about bailing at the end of the date – or at the beginning, if I really don’t like him.”

Shelby nodded. “I’ll turn on my ringer, just in case you change your mind,” she said. “But for now, I better skedaddle. I don’t want to be here when he picks you up and make things awkward. Plus, Andy is in the middle of making dinner before I have to go back to the ER.”

Olivia pouted. “I thought you were off,” she said.

Shelby rolled her eyes. “So did I,” she muttered. “But they scheduled me for a graveyard and then I get the next forty-eight off. For sure, this time.” She gave Olivia’s forearm and squeeze. “Call me after and tell me how it goes. Do not hold any detail back, like how did his hands feel and what kind of flower did he bring you?”

Olivia laughed. “I don’t think Hadley is a flower guy,” she said.

Shelby shrugged. “When a man is crazy about a woman, you’d be surprised what they’ll do for her.” Shelby gave her friend a quick hug. "Don't be afraid of this, Livl. You deserve happiness - even if it is with a cantankerous asshole."

Olivia laughed and watched as her friend left. She locked the door behind her and pressed her back against it, taking a deep breath. Her stomach rumbled with butterflies and hunger. Hadley was supposed to be here any minute and she wanted him to be both extremely late and already here. She kept going back and forth. How was it that it was easy to figure out what he liked in the bedroom, how to bring him to his knees, how to get the great Doctor Mason Hadley to beg, but she couldn't figure out the concept of how to act around him on the first date. She wondered if he felt the same way. Was he nervous? Was there a part of him that wished they had only kept it sexual between them? Or did he want this to work just as much as she did?

A knock on the door interrupted her thoughts and she jumped away from the door and nearly tripped in her heels. She needed to grab her jacket and a purse. Other than that, she was ready.

Did that make her look too eager? Should she pretend to fix her makeup and make him wait in the lobby when she was actually ready to go?

This was why she hated dating. The expectations. The games. She shook her head. This was ridiculous. If he wanted a girl who was going to play stupid dating games, she wasn't the right fit for him. For one, she didn't even know how to play those games. And number two, if she did, she thought they were a waste of time and would decide not to.

She took a deep breath, grabbed her stuff, and opened the door. There stood Hadley, wearing a white collared shirt, dark blue jeans, sneakers, and a dark blazer. His brown hair was brushed and he was holding a sunflower in his hand. He gave it to her almost shyly but Hadley and shy in the same sentence seemed impossible.

She took it from him with a small smile on her face and placed it just under her nose, inhaling deeply. It smelled wonderful.

"My favorite," she said with a smile. "How did you know?"

"I guessed based on your sunny personality," he says drolly. "Also, I remember things about you."

Olivia rolled her eyes but smiled nonetheless. She slid her arm through Hadley's offered arm and closed the door behind them. She paused briefly to lock the door but didn't remove her arm from his. Once her door was securely locked, they walked down to the parking structure, over to the visitor parking where he unlocked his car - a Dodge Charger - and opened the door for her. She was somewhat surprised by the chivalrous gesture but then she realized she shouldn't have been. He was slightly older than she was and even though he was prickly didn't automatically mean he had a hard shell. She quietly thanked him and slid into the leather seat, buckling her seatbelt. Her hands folded in her lap and she interlaced her fingers to keep herself from playing with the hemline of her dress. 

"So," Hadley said as he took his seat and started the engine. Olivia shot him a look when he didn't immediately buckle his seatbelt, but Hadley pointedly ignored her and continued back out of the stall. "We have a couple of options for dinner. I made a reservation at La Belle Chateau -"

"You got a reservation at La Belle Chateau?" Olivia asked, her mouth unhinging from her jaw in surprise. La Belle Chateau was an expensive French restaurant that catered to the elite in Boulder. It was incredibly romantic, with candles for light and the best wine in the city. It was impossible to get reservations at La Belle Chateau unless you were a celebrity of some sort. There was no way Mason Hadley got reservations at La Belle Chateau when they had just decided to go on a date a couple of days ago.

"I had to do some things I'll never speak of," Hadley said in his typical snarky tone, "but yes, I did. The owner is an old, personal friend. I saved his son by diagnosing him with lupus when nobody else could figure it out. He seems to think he's forever in my debt in though his medical bills were astronomical."

Olivia shook her head, a surprised smile on her face. "Okay," she said. "What's the other option?"

"You want to hear about something other than La Belle Chateau?" he asked, wrinkling his brow in surprise.

"You said you had more than one option," she pointed out. "I just want to make sure I'm making the right decision. I like to explore all of my options before settling with a decision."

The corners of Hadley's lips curled up. "Is that what happened with us?" he asked. Even though he was teasing, there was a slight cord in his tone, something that showed that perhaps there was more to the question than he wanted her to think.

Olivia wrinkled her nose and shook her head. "Absolutely not," she said. "I went with my only option."

Hadley laughed despite himself. Olivia reveled in the sound. She hadn't ever heard him laugh like that before. It made her want to make him laugh like this all the time.

"I'm just teasing," she told him, craning her head so she could look at him from the corner of her eye. "If I had any other options, I would still choose you." Hadley snorted. Olivia smacked him on the shoulder. "Despite how ridiculous it sounds, I'm telling you the truth." She pressed her lips together, the corners of her lips curling up. "What's our second option?"

There was silence in the car for the moment, save for the thunder-like rumble of the engine. The sound was dull but still vibrated through the dark leather seats.

"A barbecue place opened just down the street," Hadley said. "They don't take reservations and we're way too overdressed but they have the best ribs in Boulder. At least, that's what Shore tells me. And I don't always trust that guy."

"Yeah, why trust him?" Olivia says with a roll of her eyes. "He's just one of the best pharmacists ever. That guy doesn't know jack." Her eyes sparkled. "Honestly, if you don't care either way, I could really use some baby back ribs."

Hadley grinned, glancing at her from the corner of his eye. "I never said I didn't care," he said. "But you happened to pick exactly what I wanted anyway so..." 

Olivia felt herself smile. "I didn't expect you to be a barbecue guy," she murmured, more to herself than to him.

He glanced over as he turned left. "I didn't think you would pass up La Belle Chateau for baby back ribs," he pointed out. 

"I think you'd be surprised what kind of girl I really am," she said with a small smirk.

He couldn't help but grin. "Truth be told," he said, "I don't think I would be."

He pulled into a relatively busy parking lot. The restaurant was long, the entrance bright, with people idling close by. It might not be La Belle Chateau but Lucille's was definitely popular. In fact, a part of Olivia was worried that they wouldn't get seats and she was starving. They got out of the car together and she slid her arm through his. They made their way through the crowds and walked inside. Olivia was surprised when the cute hostess recognized Hadley and without even checking to see which table was available, grabbed menus and began to lead them through the crowded restaurant until they reached a small table in the back, relatively secluded from view.

Despite the casual vibe of the restaurant, there was a romantic touch to this table. It had a single white rose in a clear case as a center piece. Candles surrounded the table, giving the atmosphere a low-light vibe. Hadley pulled out Olivia's chair for her and she slid in it, a small smile on her face.

"Carrell wants to show his appreciation for everything you've done for him," the hostess said, her dark eyes shining as she took in Hadley. "He's sending over a bottle of strawberry champagne on ice and wants you and your lovely date to know you can order whatever you want, on the house."

Hadley perked his brow, clearly surprised. 

"That's not necessary," Olivia began but Hadley cut her off.

"Speak for yourself," he said. "I know your appetite, Goodson. Free it is." He glanced at the hostess. "Of course, I'm teasing. I'd be happy to pay."

"I apologize but he gave specific instructions stating that your money is not good here," she said.

They ordered their food and drank the champagne. Olivia didn't drink much so it wasn't long before her head got bubbly and light and a warmth spread throughout her body. Hadley was surprisingly charming when he wanted to be, not so much grumpy. And there were a few times when he actually smiled a smile that made his eyes crinkle and sparkle. She liked the way he looked at her, liked the way he smiled at her, because she knew he didn't look at anyone else this way.

The food was delicious. She got it all over her face. She got it everywhere except her white dress, which was fine. She could always wash her hair when she got home. Perhaps after sex with Hadley.

Just because they were dating now didn't mean they couldn't at least indulge in bedroom activities. Especially since she craved him all the time now. She couldn't get enough of him. When they were at work, she thought of all the places she could take him, places with no chance of them getting caught, places where they might if they weren't quiet enough. And now that they were dating and sleeping together, Olivia didn't expect any favoritism. If anything, she expected Hadley to be hard on her, harder than he already was. She knew he had high expectations of her and in that she took as a compliment.

After dinner, they left the restaurant. Hadley didn't pay due to the predicament he was in, but he did give the waitress a large tip. There was a small wooden bridge adjacent to the restaurant and it led into an old part of town that had been around since the forties. Olde Village was what it was called. A lot of first-generation German immigrants made up the small portion of town and sold a variety of knock knacks and hand-crafted designs, whether it was furniture, toys, or art. There were also two small restaurants located on opposites end of the town - one could walk through town in about fifteen minutes - just in case someone preferred authentic German cuisine. 

For some reason, instead of leading her to the car, Hadley led Olivia through the town. Though the shops were closed, the lights were on and even though it was September, it reminded her of Christmas. The small bright bulbs against the black sky reminded her of stars she could reach out and touch if she wanted to and she leaned her head against Hadley's shoulder, breathing in the comfortable silence that encompassed them as they walked over the bridge together.

This was nice. This was a feeling she could get used to.

Hadley steered her over the bridge and stopped just before the town entrance. He maneuvered her so she was looking directly through a patch of trees. From where they were standing, they could see the city skyline of Boulder, all lit up in the night sky. It took Olivia's breath away.

"I like to come here when I have a lot on my mind," Hadley said in a quiet voice. His tone surprised her. It was gentle, pensive, and though he was speaking to her, his eyes were hooked on the view. She couldn't blame him. The view was stunning.

"It's beautiful," she murmured. Her head was still on her shoulder, her shoulders rolled back, completely relaxed against him. How silly of her to have worried about it in the first place. This felt nice.

"I like you," Hadley said, seemingly from nowhere.

This surprised Olivia. She picked her head up and turned to look at him, her head cocked to the side. "I like you too," she told him. She hoped he could read her eyes the way he could read the viruses and diseases that his patients had. She hoped he knew she was being sincere.

"I like being around you," he continued. He was still looking at the scenery in front of him rather than at her. She knew how difficult this was for him. He wasn't good at expressing his feelings. He could define some unknown disease, he could read people - strangers - like they were books. But God forbid anyone asked him about what he felt. He clammed up tighter than a zipper on a high-end jacket. So she waited patiently for him to continue, not wanting to scare him off. "I want to be around you more."

Olivia smiled at him.

"So," she said slowly. "Does this mean -"

"I don't know if I want to label it," he said. "I don't feel like boyfriend adequately describes me no matter who I'm with."

Olivia pressed her lips together to hide a smirk. "Okay," she said. "You can be my man-friend."

"I like partner," he said, though his blue eyes sparkled with amusement.

A warmth flooded through Olivia’s heart and her lips curled up into a smile. “So do I,” she agreed.

He looked at her with deep blue eyes. The intensity brought color out in her cheeks. No man she had ever been with had ever stared at her with such intensity, with such open depth. She almost felt as though his eyes could open up and swallow her whole. And, to be honest, she wasn’t completely resistant to the idea.

Hadley reached out and cupped her cheek with his rough palm. She loved the sandpaper feeling of it against her skin. She loved the contradictions this man continued to bring her, continued to show her. Slowly, he tilted his head down and captured her lips with his own.

The kiss was slow at first. Methodical but not calculated, like he was really putting effort into the kiss, wanting to explore every single inch of her. Every crevice her mouth had to offer. He wanted to taste parts of her nobody else had before. His free hand found the back of her head so he could control her placement and the kiss itself. She loved being under his control, loved letting him do whatever it was he wanted with her. She got wet just feeling him touch her, just feeling his tongue slide past her lips in order to duel with her tongue.

At that moment, a familiar chirp sounded.

Olivia felt her conscious start to slip between the crevices of her delirium but she wasn’t completely pulled away.

It chirped again.

Hadley growled as he forced himself away from her. His jaw was clenched, his dark eyes narrowed. To say he looked unhappy would be an understatement.

“What the hell,” he muttered to himself, reaching for the beeper on his waist and picking it up. He glanced at the message and his brow furrowed even further. “Bullshit.”

“What?” Olivia asked. She wanted to grab his pager and see what had gotten him so upset but she refrained. “What is it?”

Hadley took a step back and ran his fingers through his hair. “Fucking Carmen wants me to go to the ER for surgery,” he muttered.

Olivia felt her own brow wrinkle in frustration. “Don’t we have three surgeons who should all be on call?” she asked.

“Yes,” he said drolly. He sighed. “I think Carmen is trying to make a point by doing what she does best: be a bitch.”

Olivia clenched her teeth together. She wanted to tell him to stay, to ignore the page. But she wouldn’t do that. And she knew he wouldn’t refuse. Regardless of why he was the one being called in over anyone else, Hadley respected the oath he took. He might try to avoid clinic hours but he wasn’t going to avoid something like surgery.

She nodded her head once, twice, looking at the tops of her shoes. This night had been going so well already and now, this interruption ended a heated makeout session.

Olivia supposed it was part of the job.

“I’ll stop by when I’m finished,” he stated, placing a gentle kiss on her forehead.

Olivia closed her eyes but nodded her head, following him back to the car.

Sometimes, she really hated her job.