The doorknob clicked at an unfamiliar frequency to Edward's ears. Was that the resistance of a locked door? Blinking hard, he tried to remember if he had even brought keys this morning. His watch, a now ironic gift from Nate, still read 8:55 so he could conclude he hadn't woken up early and wandered over here by mistake.

Nate walked through the door at 9:30 with a smile and a casual wave. Edward couldn't help but wonder if he was the only one getting a little TLC around these parts. Nah, Nate had his loyalty to his late wife along with his daughter.

"Morning, Nate," Edward said and put down a gray tablet to face his co-worker.

"Good morning, Ed. How's the shop holding up?"

"Little empty without you around. Thought I had sleepwalked here when the door wasn't open."

Nate chuckled. "You didn't burn the place down, so that's a good start."

"This time. Now, should this be a reoccurring theme, we'll have to discuss a salary increase."

"As long as you accept scotch and an old timer's stories."

"Let's start with that story then we'll discuss the scotch."

Nate laughed at Edward's attempt at a stern face. "My daughter has a boyfriend although he's not a boyfriend as much as he's a male companion."

"They have escorts down here?" That would explain a bit; although, he might be running quite a tab with Olivia should that be the case.

"No, that was not one of the chosen career paths for this colony. I meant a friend of the male gender."

"Bummer," Edward said. Nate's face contorted into a frown as he crossed his arms in front of his chest. "For that guy."

The situation had played out more than once for Edward, but friend might have been a strong word. Doormat was more fitting most days. Pay for dinner, stay for the conversation and watch them jump back into bed with exes, liars and/or players.

Mischa hadn't really struck him as that manipulative, but then again he'd been fixated on another woman when they had met.

"He's a nice enough guy," Nate trailed off as he picked up the dead tablet.

"Wrapped around her finger then?"

"The poor fellow doesn't realize what's in store for him. I love my daughter, but she can be quite blind to other people's desires. She listens to him though and he's intelligent, honest, and hard-working. I can't see too much harm coming to her under his influence."

"What's wrong with him in her eyes, all of the above?"

Nate shook his head with a playful frown. "She could come around in time. I think I offended her though."

"Don't feel too bad. Most women seem hard not to offend. It's always something like Ed, 'I like my woman chunky' is not a compliment. Displaying your adult magazines in a wine rack does not make it classy or okay. The opposite sex is a real mystery."

"We'll get back to that wine rack one. But, I might have implied my daughter was promiscuous."

"You called your daughter a ho?"

Nate raised an eyebrow and shook his head. "Not directly. You have to understand coming from my point of view, she's staying over at this boy's dorm. It's like she's gone away to college except we're all here to watch. Am I not supposed to comment on her behaviour?"

"Isn't she a minor? You lay down the law, papa bear. The last thing you need is another mouth to feed a year down the line."

The thought of crying infants scared him. Thank God Olivia was such a stickler for protection. He couldn't imagine even being around her enough to raise a child together. Then again, she'd probably abort it without even telling him. She seemed like that kind of woman.

"After sixteen years, you would think I would have gotten better instead of worse."

"I think it's in a teenager's job description to make their parents feel inadequate. Helps you push them from the nest when the time is right."

Nate chuckled and shook his head lightly. "You've never had kids, have you, Edward?"

"Do I really look like I could be a father? Who in their right mind would trust me enough to have a kid with me and let me see it enough to raise it? I wouldn't."

"You'd be surprised how many people are parents nowadays."

Wasn't that the truth? His nephew's father was quite the deadbeat. Fortunately, his sister never let him around enough to ruin the boy. Edward missed the rascal and his concerned sister. Their deaths were a real shame. Dwelling didn't make it better though, everyone here had lost people they cared about.

Suddenly, things clicked into place. Olivia. She must have lost her fiancé in the disaster. Why hadn't he said anything to console her at the time? Would she have even wanted to be comforted? She certainly had no interest in talking about it.

Later that night, Alfonzo and Edward sat in a bleak living room and sipped a couple glasses of Olivia's gifted bourbon. Alfonzo had insisted he had big news for Ed beyond a new salsa move.

"Ed, I found a lovely woman for you to practise those dance moves with."

Edward placed his hand over his heart and shook his head. "Fonzie, I'm hurt! You don't want to dance with me anymore? Give me another chance!"

Alfonzo let out a deep laugh at Edward's dramatic tone. "I think you'll like this one. She plays your video games."

He paused for a second to consider dating another gamer. At least they wouldn't have any consoles to distract them from intimacy as had been an issue in the past. Would it be cheating if he went out with another woman while the Olivia arrangement went on?

"What does she play?"

"Some warlock craft game?"

"She plays WoW? No, that's not the same at all. Do I try to set you up with every-"

A knock on the door interrupted his train of thought, rather fortunate as he didn't have much of a reply, at least, not one that would go down without offence. He raised an eyebrow, looking at Alfonzo.

"You see, I invited her and she's perfect," Alfonzo teased with an ear to ear smile.

Edward rolled his eyes and made his way to the door where another precise knock sequence sounded. Six oddly familiar raps. He shook his head. She had been here a few days ago and had no reason to return.

Olivia knocked at the door swiftly. He must be home at this hour. She couldn't fathom where else he might be instead. The door swung open and Edward stood with a curious look until a ridiculous smile crossed his face. She found his constant happiness to be nothing but a sign of naivety. If he really knew why she was here, he'd be far more sombre. All the more reason to keep up the act.

Just as she was about to speak, he cut her off. "Officer Fendson, how can we help you?"

"We?" Olivia asked as she peered around his body. If it was Mr. Hues she would have a tough time explaining herself as Edward had absolutely no official business to taint him besides a questionable sense of humour and tastes.

"Hola, sergeant," Alfonzo said, giving her a mock salute and puffing out his chest.

She almost smiled at the relief. Her plan was still on track, unless Ruiz could put things together. Best keep this official. "I see some habits do not change. Mr. Drest, I have some business to discuss with you."

The silence which followed surprised her a touch. Edward was quite fond of showing off his prowess through baseless statements. His smile had vanished. "Of course, but at this hour?"

"Yes, Mr. Drest. It is of an urgent nature. If you'll excuse us, Mr. Ruiz."

"Of course," Alfonzo said as he started to gather his drink glass from the coffee table.

"No rush, Alfonzo, just lock the door on your way out. I have a feeling this might take awhile."

Luckily, Edward chose not to speak on the way up to the room. Her mind, which should have rejoiced in the matter, wouldn't rest as his silence surely meant he suspected something. There was no way he could figure this out. He must be nervous; that had to be it.

 "What's wrong?" Edward asked as she walked toward the living room

"That was simply a pretence as I hadn't expected you to have company."

"I didn't mean your excuse to get me away. Are you alright?" The sincere care in his voice led her to believe she had slipped up along the way. She resisted the urge to grimace. He took this visit as a sign of weakness in her character.

"Of course. I was simply looking to engage a bit more of your time," She walked toward him with her chest held high and a seductive smile on her face. "No need to jump to irrational conclusions."

"It hasn't even been a week since our last 'meeting', and I didn't even know what floor you lived on until now," he said with a furrowed brow.

"And now you do."

She straightened her back as her eyes flicked up and down his body. While he was no ideal specimen, the contrast between the large man in the desert and the man with hints of muscle as well as a with a bit of extra weight was encouraging. Hopefully, it would increase his stamina. He stiffened as she eyed him and a smile grew on her face. Confident Edward felt self-conscious about his body. Not surprising. It was her turn to gain the upper hand and use his teasing tactic against him.

"Do I intimidate you, Mr. Drest?"

"Very much so. I'd be surprised to find someone who isn't."

Her eyes lost their heat for a brief second. She didn't dare think about that awful man upstairs for fear it would ruin this plan. Not an option.  She placed her hand on his chest. "Have a seat."

"Why do I have a bad feeling about this?" Edward asked, his mouth upturned in a half smile.

Good, he was playing along. "I can almost guarantee you'll enjoy this."

"Almost guarantee? Officer Fendson, are you losing your touch?"

The invitation was too easy but she wasn't about to turn it down. If he wanted her to seduce him in this fashion it could only make his compliance easier. Olivia raised an eyebrow before she traced her hand down from his collarbone to finger the waistband of his boxers. He tensed and looked up at her with wide eyes.

"How is my touch, now?" she asked, hot breath in his ear. Just in case that wasn't enough, she captured his earlobe and teased the sensitive skin with her tongue.

"Rather effective," he said.

She could see the swell of his eager lower body confirmed that Edward had no bluff card. Did he realize how terrifyingly open to attack he left himself?

"Almost too much so," he said as he readjusted his position.

"You can't have too much of a good thing."

She stepped up her game a little and placed herself on his lap. His immediate arousal reassured her and boosted her confidence in the act.

She paused for a moment, considering what she was about to do. Her carefully selected partner for his suspected ability to separate sex, work and emotion would be lost as she merged the three together. So much for life without complications.

"I was thinking. You're always so attracted to this emotional connection idea." She leaned in before her rational mind protested. "It could make good foreplay, which leads to better sex."

His lips twisted into a frown for a brief moment before he looked back at her. "Tonight, you'll see, I've been holding back. I will take your body on an adventure so epic, even Columbus would be jealous." His wavering smile didn't inspire much confidence in the statement. 

"Interesting tactic. I'd think a man in your position would have given the first round everything he had, but maybe I was wrong."

He brushed her black hair away from her neck before dropping his hands to her waist. He pressed his lips to the sensitive skin on her neck.

Another voice rang deep in her mind, tearing away at her heartstring.

"Liv, don't do this to us. Don't do this to yourself." His deep voice said in a panic. "Leave with me."

But she hadn't; she'd watched him from the director's office the following day. Released with nothing but a backpack and some water, expected to make it to the nearest city and find his way back. She had warned him to keep his head low and turn a blind eye, but he had insisted otherwise.

As Edward's lips left her neck she realized she should have enjoyed it, so she twisted her lips into a smile.

"Hey, what's wrong?" He looked into her widened brown eyes.

"Nothing's wrong." Her hand squeezed his bicep weakly but he wouldn't let his eyes leave her face even when she averted her gaze.

She couldn't get those haunting brown eyes out of her mind. That man had looked up at the window, right into her eyes, before shooting her the coldest look she had ever seen. The worst part had been that she had deserved it.

"Are you sure you're okay?"

Get your affairs in order, Officer. Focus. You have a task to complete.

She put her smile back on and reassured him by running his fingers through his hair. "I wouldn't invite you over if I had a problem with this."

He shifted her off his lap but kept her arms around his neck. The action certainly wasn't smooth but it entertained the notion that he still cared enough about the end result to make physical contact. He picked her up off the couch rather smoothly; she found herself admiring the little bit of muscle added to his biceps.

He carried her all the way to the bed. She appreciated his commitment to efficiency. Maybe she wouldn't have to go down this intimacy path after all and they could stick to just sex. He kissed her on the forehead and it brought a grin to her lips.

It wasn't until he started to walk away that she realized there was a problem

Olivia's brows furrowed. "What are you doing?"

"Letting you rest."

"No!" Olivia called out as he headed toward the door. He was supposed to want her both physically and emotionally. How on earth could her actions come out as muddled? Her eyes bulged as her mouth opened and closed, "I- I."

Why wouldn't her mind cooperate?

"It's alright, Olivia. Tonight's not a good night."

She closed her eyes. He thinks he has you consistently. Scare him and make him desperate for the attention. The stone face returned.

"If you're not happy with this arrangement, I could easily find another partner."

"That's been clear since the day you talked me into that helicopter in the desert."

So he wasn't a fighter. He was going to rely on pure dumb luck. She couldn't fake her way through a seduction nor could she lure him with the idea he'd lose her.

Silly Olivia, he wants to take care of you so let him think he is.

"Please don't leave," she said, feigning softness.

He stopped dead in his tracks and stared into her eyes as if they contained the truth. Would he be naive enough to buy this? His face softened and he walked back over to her.

He took her hands, sticky with perspiration, and intertwined their fingers. Olivia simply watched the act, neither stopping nor encouraging it. "I can tell intimacy isn't easy for you."

Her grip tightened for a moment before she relocated the tension to her facial muscles. "If you mean to say I don't turn into a submissive woman who always needs to kiss and embrace you or to tell you fleeting lies to win your affection, then you're right."

"Now I'm not saying that's a bad thing; although, you'd never find me complaining about a mutual hug or a little kiss every once in a while. But I'm not the one who changed things here, you did. I can't read your mind and figure out where you've drawn these invisible lines of what you're comfortable with and what you're not."

"You're misreading signals."

"I'm not that naive, Olivia. Tense is a universal signal for uncomfortable."

Olivia long black lashes batted twice as she looked back at Edward. Her lips twisted into a smile "Just, go with the tension for tonight. Forget about all the other factors, and let's give intimacy a try." 

Edward's eye dropped her lips and he freed one of his hands. He placed his hand gently under her chin to draw her forward a bit.

"Are you sure?"

She clenched her jaw. "Was I unclear? For a man who loves to act like he has sexual prowess, you certainly don't live up to the hype," she snapped.

He dropped her hand and stood up from the bed. 

"I'm done," he said. All traces of humour had vanished into the void of his narrowed eyes. "Until you deal with whatever this is, I'm better off on my own."

Each of his heavy steps drove fear deeper into her heart. "Shit," she muttered under her breath, just before the door slammed shut.

The director would not be happy.