Gil Grissom was standing in the middle of a grocery aisle staring at different brands of rice when it dawned on him:" I love Sara Sidle." Now he was pretty sure that he already knew he loved her, he'd certainly told her many times and meant it, but it had hit him then, as he hesitated between getting the basmati rice or going the easy way with Uncle Ben's, just how deeply.

He smiled at the randomness of the moment for such a revelation as he grabbed the basmati rice and made his way to the check out counter. Random, he thought, as a memory pushed its way through. A memory of that day, a lifetime ago it seemed, when he had made a choice to act on everything he'd denied himself - denied Sara.

It was just a regular day (as regular as a day can get in their line of work). Everyone had been working long shifts, they were all exhausted and in dire need of a break by the time the sun came up...and Sara...well, Sara was just as lovely as ever.

He didn't remember details of the case he'd been working on at the time, but he remembered everything about how she looked as she stood in his doorway wishing him goodnight. That lovely sleeveless top that matched the natural shade of her lips did wonders for her toned arms and shoulders, and those black denim pants made her long legs seem endless.

She was just standing there as she had many times before, tucking her unruly hair behind her ear, when something inside of him just gave. They'd established a tentative friendship in the past couple of months, but now they were slowly heading back down the path to awkwardness and Grissom knew he had to act soon before they hit the point of no return. She was turning to leave when Grissom decided that there was no time like the present.

He blurted, "Coffee?"

"Coffee?" she repeated, confused.

"Do you want to go for coffee?" he tried again.

And then she had laughed so hard it had startled him. "I've had the equivalent of, what? 10 pots of coffee in the past 24 hours and you want me to go for coffee?"

"You can have decaf...or something to eat". He'd added hesitantly. Maybe this wasn't such a good idea after all.

She'd eyed him suspiciously, eyebrow raised for several seconds, before shrugging her shoulders and muttering. "Why not?"

And just like that Grissom felt like he'd been given another chance.

He had let her pick the restaurant and they'd ended up in a small trendy place that offered a vast vegetarian menu. From the way the server greeted her he knew she was a regular. Answering his unspoken question, she told him how she came here when she wanted to be by herself and not risk running into somebody from work.

"It's not that I don't like going to breakfast with you guys, but I felt like I needed MY place." Grissom smiled and promised to keep "her" place a secret, suddenly realizing that he'd been given the privilege of being part of her world away from work. Maybe it wasn't too late after all. Maybe he could still make amends...or at least try.

The conversation had been steady. Talk didn't stray far from work related subjects, but it was a start. He knew she was probably dying to ask him what this was really about. But whatever questions she had, she kept to herself.

A full belly and two decaf coffees later, she'd gotten to her feet and glanced at her watch. "I suppose we should get some sleep."

Grissom tried to hide his disappointment.

"I don't think I could sleep right now, but don't let me keep you up."

"Honestly, I'm not really tired either... Do you have anything to propose?" Up went her eyebrow again.

"You could come over to my place. We could watch a movie… I have a small collection. Or we could go to your place, if that would make you feel more comfortable… I just thought if you came over to mine then you could leave whenever you choose and not feel pressured." Jeez, he was rambling now.

A grin slowly made its way to Sara's lips. "You know," she said huskily, "you're adorable when you're flustered."

"So, did you want to come over?" he asked, raising his own eyebrow.

She said yes like it was a dare.

Much later, Sara would confide to him all the feelings that went through her as she'd followed him to his townhouse. She was nervous, worried that she was reading too much into the situation, intrigued, excited about the possibilities, hopeful and more than a little aroused.

************************************************

She was standing by his bookshelf looking at his movies, her index finger slowly going over each title. Was she deliberately avoiding his gaze?

Did she really think they were going to watch a movie? Grissom felt torn between being a gentleman and letting her take the matter into her own hands, or pinning her against the bookshelf to do sinful things to her. The latter seemed much more enticing.

He was standing so close to her now, instinctively he reached for her arm. "Stay, Sara."

"I'm staying…"

"I mean tonight, stay with me tonight."

When she'd turned to him, she peered into his soul. "Okay", was her simple reply. And then her lips were on his.

He wasn't sure who initiated it, not that it mattered: it was a kiss full of apologies and promises and several years overdue and he wasn't stopping.

She tasted of pumpkin pie and candy canes. He had visions of leaves changing colors-what was it they said about turning a new leaf? - and the change of seasons. This was the beginning of a new season.

Eyes shut, Grissom felt his knees give out from under him and when his spine hit the floor, he thanked God for his ugly plushy carpet.

"Nice carpet." Sara had giggled, seemingly reading his mind, and he'd looked at her then, speechless at the sight in front of him.

A flushed and grinning Sara Sidle was straddling him. He must have looked dazed because she asked. "Want me to pinch you?"

"Among other things." He pulled her closer and reclaimed her lips.

They'd kissed for several minutes, hands roaming and exploring, feeling like a couple of horny teenagers when Sara had grown impatient and removed her shirt. Following her lead, Grissom had unhooked her bra impatiently sliding it off her shoulders.

Sara pushed herself forward frantically and he readily took her left nipple in his mouth, savoring it, tasting sugar and spice on his tongue. He paid equal attention to the right one and heard her moan in agreement.

Feeling an urge of possessiveness, he turned her over and looked into her eyes. What he found there warmed his soul and made his cock twitch. Lust, hunger, and something else that he would later label as love.

She impatiently brought his head back to her breast, but he slowly lowered himself to her navel and started working on her zipper.

He forcefully removed her skin tight pants and then made his way up her legs, leaving butterfly kisses on her calves, her knees and her inner tights. He felt her shiver in anticipation as he teased her center with his closed mouth before he plunged his tongue into her.

" Griss... Yes…please!" Her hips moved forward and she held his head firmly down on her.

He licked slowly the length of her inner lips and sucked gently on her clitoris while pushing two fingers into her. He felt her hands push his head closer when he located her G spot.

He hooked a third finger into her, applying regular pressure while avidly eating her out, he couldn't get enough of her: he felt like he was in the middle of his smuttiest wet dream but Sara's voice somewhere above him, urging him to go faster and deeper, kept reminding him that this was real.

He felt her thighs shake and heard her voice rise in indecipherable moans. Grissom stayed between her legs, pumping his fingers in and out, feeling a sense of accomplishment as he watched her ride her orgasm.

She played with Grissom's hair, twirling the curls around her fingers before moving her hands down on his shoulder blades and bringing him up to her, pressing her mouth on his, eager to taste herself.

Grissom had never felt so turned on. When Sara clumsily pushed his pants and boxers down to his knees and reached for his overwhelming erection, he couldn't help but thrust in her hand. She stroked him a couple of times before directing him to her center, letting the head rest against her clitoris.

He lifted her right leg and held it against his hip, slowly pushing himself in her. He knew
how tight she was and he didn't want to hurt her so he entered her gradually. He heard her release a breath and felt her hips rise up to meet him. He looked deep into her eyes as he lifted himself out of her only to penetrate her completely.

She held on to him, bucking her hips wildly into him.

"Fuck! Yes...More…"

Her voice was driving him wild: he had to resist the urge to selfishly pound into her faster until he was spent. Shame quickly filled him as he realized just how selfish he'd always been with her.

Not anymore.

Still holding on to her right leg, he pulled her left one along his side, bringing Sara's hips up to him and he thrust deep into her. She screamed in appreciation as he repeated the motion a few times. He watched in amazement as Sara brought her hand to her clitoris and stroked herself expertly, bringing on her second release of the night. She held his gaze and brought her finger to his mouth.

"Come for me, Gil."

And he did. Emptying his seed in her with loud grunts he barely recognized as his own.

****************************************************************************

The loud horn of a car brought Grissom back to reality. He jumped, taking his hand off his crotch.

"Man, are you leaving or what?" shouted the man in the vintage car behind him.

Slightly disoriented, Grissom noticed he was still in the grocery store parking lot, a box of rice sitting next to him. He waived at the man behind him as he backed his car out of the lot, blushing profusely.

Thinking of the very first night they came together always had that effect on him.

They'd made love countless time since, but that night would always hold a special place in his memory. It was the beginning of everything that really mattered. Yes Gil Grissom was in love with Sara Sidle and it's all that really mattered.

She asked every now and then, "Why that day? What was it that made you ask me out?"

And he always gave her the same answer: he really didn't know, it was just….random.