Disclaimers: They're not mine, but I promise I'll have them back by midnight.
A/N: All mistakes and British spellings are mine.
Playing Games
Oh god no, not again. This is the fifth time Greg has said this tonight and he's has yet to come up with a great game.
"Okay Greg, let's hear it."
Why does Nick have to be so nice all the time?
The yearly reports have just come in and once again we are the team to beat. So Warrick decided we should all have a get-together after shift to celebrate.
So here we are, dotted around Warrick's apartment in varying states of soberness. Well almost all of us, Grissom and Brass were called out about hour or so ago, Grissom was starting to look uncomfortable anyway so it's probably best. He's getting better at interacting with us outside work, there was a time he wouldn't have even made the effort, but he did today and we're all grateful.
"It's pretty simple really, we have to describe one another using only one word, let's start with me."
Great, Greg and drink really aren't a good combination, they lead to drunken Greg and ideas like this, but he doesn't seem to understand that.
Then again, drink and I aren't a good combination either; they usually lead to drunken Sara doing stupid things.
"Okay, I'll go first." Offers Warrick "How to describe Greg with one word, hmm...strange." Everyone laughs at his choice, I got to admit, it's a good word for Greg.
"Hey, I'm not strange." Greg protests.
"You're pretty strange...but in a good way." Warrick assures him.
"I don't think I like this game any more." Greg jokes.
Catherine says he's cute, he knows she means in an annoying kid brother way, but he smiles nonetheless.
I tell him he's sweet and he is, he always tries to cheer us up whenever things are getting to one of us. He blushes a little and I ponder for a second in my semi-drunken state if I've just unwittingly undone months of giving him the 'thanks, but I'm not interested' attitude.
After hearing Nicks answer then Greg's declaration that Nick was next a thought suddenly strikes me that it'll soon be Catherine's turn. And I'll have to think of a word, one single solitary word to describe the complex mass of complicated contradictions that is Catherine.
How exactly am I supposed to do that?
I pause my train of thought to give my word for Nick; I say he's a gentleman. I couldn't think of a more fitting word for him, he's kind, caring, considerate and there whenever anyone needs him.
My mind returns to thinking of a word for Catherine. This is an impossible task, she's a million things all at once, intelligent, annoying, frustrating, infuriating, contradictory, maddening, stubborn, sarcastic, uncompromising, challenging, compelling and so very, very sexy.
I doesn't help that I can't stand the woman but have somehow managed to develop a case of full-blown lust for her.
Oh how I'd love to shut her up with a kiss the next time we argue. Just throw her up against a wall or over her desk and take her. Have her watch me touching her so she knows it's me she's moaning for, the woman she can't stand.
My mind wanders to that fantasy for a minute until I'm dragged from my thoughts by Greg declaring it's my turn.
He tells Catherine to go first and I immediately look at her, wondering how exactly she's going to describe me.
"That's a hard one, one word only to describe Sara...hmm."
While I doubt she's having the same dilemma as I am it's good to know she can't define me easily. Then again, I'd hate to think what words are running through that pretty head of hers right now. None of them complimentary I'm sure.
"Can I use two words?" Oh great, she really wants to slag me off.
She doesn't take her eyes of me as she speaks, just tilts her head in Greg's direction.
"Well, it's kind of against the rules, but since we're all half drunk and drunken people aren't good with rules I'll say yes. That and I really want to hear what you're going to say."
Me too.
"Okay, I'll say complex." She's right there. "And amazing."
Amazing? She must have had more to drink that I thought. Mind you, she could mean, amazingly annoying or amazingly irritating. There's nothing to say she meant that as a compliment. My immediate reaction is to ask her exactly what she did mean by that but I can't do that now. Especially seeing as everyone else has just accepted it and is carrying on as if she didn't just say I was amazing.
"Ow Cat, you robbed my word, I wanted to call Sara amazing." Greg protests, from him I expect it, he has a crush on me and I'm flattered. I smile at him in thanks and he blushes, yep definitely undone all my hard work.
I don't even register what Nick and Warrick say about me because I'm to busy thinking about Catherine. She threw me for a loop there for sure and the way she's been looking at me makes me think she did it on purpose, wanted to see what I'd do, how I'd react. Of course now I'll have to do as she has and say something she won't be expecting.
I ponder saying sexy as freaking hell for a second, just to shock her, but then it wouldn't just be Catherine I shocked; plus that's four words.
Although I have to admit, I'm almost drunk enough to do that. Almost drunk enough to tell her how much I want her in my bed. Almost drunk enough to describe to her, in detail, one of the many fantasies I have that she has a starring role in...Almost.
I figure, screw it I'll say whatever is in my mind, I won't think about it. If she's shocked, she's shocked.
Just as Greg says it's her turn, she sits back in her chair and looks at me, god would I love to know what she's thinking.
"You go first Sara."
I look at her for a second before saying the first thing that comes to my mind "Beautiful."
Thankfully I'm just drunk enough so I don't regret it as soon as I've said it. I know I would without the alcohol lowering my inhibitions and I probably will once I've sobered up.
I watch Warrick's eyebrow make friends with his hairline and I giggle, I bet he wanted to say that, plus, the slightly shocked expressions are amusing.
For her part Catherine doesn't even flinch, just sits there looking at me slightly strangely; not that I blame her.
Still I'm going act like I don't care, like I'm not still pondering her calling me amazing, like I don't want to ask her to explain, like I don't care what she meant by it.
Because if I did ask, she'd ask me if I really thought she was beautiful and that's a conversation I don't feel like getting into just yet.
So that's how the morning continues, we drink more, talk more and play more stupid games Greg makes up.
"Well, it's been fun but I need to go get some sleep." Nick says an hour or so later, standing and grabbing his phone "I'm gonna call a cab."
"Ask for two Nicky." Catherine says.
"Make that three." I add.
"Why don't you share mine?" Catherine asks me "My place isn't far from yours so you could drop me off on the way."
I know being alone with her right now isn't such a good idea, my self-control around her is tenuous at best, and with the alcohol lowering my inhibitions I could do something stupid. "Yeah, okay." See why is it bad ideas seem really good when under the influence?
Half an hour later I'm sitting in the back of a cab with Catherine making small talk and really wishing the driver would put his foot down. She's sitting far to close to me, the heat radiating from her body is drawing me in; I seriously want to kiss her senseless.
Thankfully a few minutes later we arrive at her place, she's about to get out of the cab but stops and turns to me "Come in with me, I'd like to talk to you."
I shouldn't, especially not when I know what she wants to talk about, but that doesn't stop me wordlessly following her out of the cab and into her house.
I follow her into her living room and sit on the sofa.
"You want a drink?" She asks sitting down next to me; kicking off her shoes.
"I'm good thanks." I've had more than enough to drink today.
"You said you thought I was beautiful." Jesus, she doesn't mess around does she. I don't know why I'm shocked; I knew she was going to bring it up.
"Yeah." Very informative answer Sara.
"Did you mean it? Or did you just say it to get a reaction from me?"
"You said I was amazing."
"And you are and very complex. Now did you mean it?"
'And I am' Just like that, no explanation, nothing, just 'and you are' well how am I supposed to take that?
"Both."
"Both?"
"Yes I said it to get a reaction out of you, but I do mean it." Why am I telling her this?
She smiles at me before continuing "What type of reaction were you looking for Sara?"
That's a good one, what type of reaction was I looking for? Did I even care what type of reaction I got? As long as I got one.
"I don't know to be honest, I was wondering why you called me amazing and I think I just wanted to shock you, because you sure as hell shocked me." Damn alcohol making me feel the need to be truthful with her.
"That's fair enough and you did get a reaction Sara."
I though for a second she was going to tell me what reaction, did I shock her? But I guess she wants me to ask.
"What type of reaction?"
She grins at me and I have no idea at all what she's thinking. I've never seen that look on her face before; I really want to know what it means.
She's lightning quick as she throws a leg over mine and settles herself onto my thighs. I can do nothing but look up at her in total and utter shock.
"Not the reaction you were expecting?" She asks right before leaning in and kissing me.
I don't respond for a second, the complete shock I feel at her actions paralysing me. That is until her tongue swipes across my bottom lip.
I can't help whimper at the action and start kissing her back, opening my mouth to her, greeting her hello with my tongue. Her mouth is so sweet; I could kiss her all-night.
Bringing my hands up to her hips, then sliding one up to tangle in her hair. I always knew she'd be a good kisser, and oh how right I was.
Our tongues start moving together and I feel the pure animal lust I have for her starting to build, making me pull her closer and push my tongue into her mouth, dominating our kiss. Shivering as she moans into my mouth.
I reluctantly pull back when oxygen becomes a problem.
"You have no idea how long I've wanted to do that for." She says before moving her mouth to my neck.
I need to stop her and talk, see what she thinks this is. I'm not looking for a relationship here. I need to make sure we're on the same wavelength.
"Cat."
"Mmm." She mumbles against my skin before flicking her tongue over my pulse point. Oh that feels nice.
"Catherine?"
"Yeah?" She answers before gently biting down, then flicking with her tongue again. Oh god.
I have no doubt that were it not for the alcohol we wouldn't be doing this right now, all the more reason I need to make sure what 'this' is, but god she's making thought difficult.
I'm about to try once more, but she kisses me again and I suddenly forget why I was protesting in the first place.
Her hands make their way under my top to massage my breasts and all coherent though is lost.
The next thing I know we're in her bedroom with a trail of clothes behind us and any thought of stopping this is long gone.
I wake hours later with a headache and a very naked Catherine sprawled over me.
The realization of what happened between us comes screeching back to me.
Of all the times I've fantasised about her it's always been hard and fast, in the heat of an argument kind of sex; nothing like this morning.
The way she touched me, slowly and softly, caressing every part of my body, telling me how beautiful I am, how good I felt. The way she slowly kissed me and held me as I drifted of to sleep. The way my body reacted to her, how good she made me feel. My body tingles at the thought alone.
I never expected any of that and now I'm worried sick that this actually meant something to her. That a quick drunken fling was the furthest thing from her mind.
How do I explain this one? 'Thanks for the drunken fuck, but that's all it was, sorry if you got confused, bye' I'm thinking that won't be very well received. I know it wouldn't if it was me. I'm never drinking again.
Of course I could be wrong; she could feel exactly as I do. Things will be awkward for a while but then we'll get over it.
I feel her start to wake up; she pulls me closer to her and buries her head in my neck, kissing the skin there. "Mmm, morning baby." She says.
My body stiffens at her words; I'm in so much shit here. Thankfully her breathing evens out again and she falls back asleep. I need to get out of here; I can't deal with this.
I manage to untangle myself from Catherine without waking her, something I'm very grateful for.
Once up. I go about the task of finding my clothes, not as simple as it sounds, since they're all over the place.
About ten minutes later I'm slipping out of the front door. I'm just about to shut the door behind me when I realise that if I do this our relationship will probably be damaged beyond repair. That and it is just a really shitty thing to do to her. But what else can I do? Stay and be truthful? The truth is just as shitty, if not more so. Besides, it's not like I want more from this. Is it?
So I can do the cowardly thing and walk away, not having to face the consequences of what happened or I can stay and explain.
But I've never been good at relationships, so the coward in me wins and I close the door as quietly as I can, and then walk away.
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