#stamin

You cherished nights like these, quiet and warm, Kat absent-mindedly drawing little circles on your back as the two of you came down from coital bliss. It’d been a while since you’d had this kind of attentiveness from a lover. After your divorce you’d dated around, but none of the relationships had lasted, nor did they feel as right as your relationship with Kat felt. The only issue was that your ex-husband could be a nuisance when it came to your personal life, and Eli had accidentally let it slip that you were seeing someone new.

Not that you were hiding your relationship with Kat from him, you just couldn’t be bothered to deal with his melodramatics. As far as you were concerned, the moment you divorced him, he stopped being your problem, but he didn’t see it that way. Kat was the best thing that had happened to you in a long time, and you just hoped Elliot’s temper and ego wouldn’t scare her away.

“Kathy.” Kat mumbled, drawing her hands up your arm leaving a trail of goosebumps, “I can hear you thinking, what’s up?”

“Mmm...oh nothing.” you mumbled quietly, hoping she’d drop it. You should’ve known better, although you two had known each other for a short time, Kat knew all your tells, the downside of dating a detective. Within seconds you could feel her shifting behind you, until her face was hovering inches above yours.

“Bull, what's up?”

You were tempted to lean in and capture her lips with yours, that would surely distract her, but this was a conversation that eventually needed to happen. Instead you cupped your hand against her cheek and smiled as she leaned into your touch. “I’m probably making a bigger deal out of this than it really is but Eli accidentally let it slip that I was seeing someone when he was at his dad’s this weekend.” you said as casually as possible, watching as Kat slowly nodded.

“Okay...I wasn’t aware we were keeping us a secret.” she replied.

“We’re not.” You said firmly, “it’s just that as great as a father and co-parent Elliot is, he can’t seem to wrap his head around the fact that he doesn’t have a right to my personal life anymore. And he wants to meet you.”

You watched as her eyebrows furrowed and she slipped your hand from her cheek into her hand, interlocking your fingers. “Are you scared of him?” Kat asked, concern evident in her voice and the way she was looking at you.

“Of course not! Elliot can be a jerk and I don’t know, I just wanted to give you an out. You didn’t exactly sign-up for my ex-husband drama.” You explained.

“Okay.”

“Okay?” you echoed her, confusion plastered on your face.

“I’m sure I've gone up against worse considering I am a cop, what’s the worst he could say that either of us hadn’t already thought? I’m in this with you for as long as you allow me to be. So! When am I going to meet the man in question?”

You don’t know why her words surprised you, considering Kat had been nothing but supportive since the two of you started dating. You’d just spent so long in a marriage of convenience by yourself, it felt good to finally be with someone who had your back. “Well, Kathleen wants us over for dinner on Sunday, that’s if you want to come?”