I'm still a little slow on the uptake of updating this bad boy. One day I'll get better I promise. I was thrilled that the last chapter was reviewed more than any other, and I didn't even think it was that good!! So trust me, I was both stunned and estatic at the same time :-) Thanks to not only those who reviewed but those who just bothered to read the damn thing! xx
Sara rolled over onto her back, stretching her long, lean body, the blanket bunched up in sleep distress around her waist. She rubbed her fatigued eyes and glanced lazily at her watch. Shit, it's only 4:32am in the morning. Her body protested that she'd been sleeping on the awkward couch much longer than time was telling her. Blinking into the darkness, she caught a flicker of light. Then a sound. Almost so quiet that it could be her imagination. She sat up and fumbled for her holster. As her fingers popped the button encasing her gun she wheeled round to face the sound now coming from behind her. A creak. Then another. She rolled off the sofa landing in a crouch behind the coffee table and aimed her gun into the darkness. Blind and disorientated she shouted "Who's there?! I have a gun. Come out where I can see you. Now!". Her calm exterior not betraying how she felt inside, she gripped the gun tighter and bit her lip in concentration, her sense of smell and her sense of hearing on full alert due to the handicap of dark shroud around her. Her sense of smell... She could smell sweet almonds. A hint of musk. Catherine wore musk. "Catherine?" She asked shakily. Her voice no longer in control.
"I know you had a crap night Sara but don't you think shooting me is little drastic?" Catherine, lit a candle and bought it to her face smiling meekly.
Sara studiously studied the blond and put down her gun. Catherine looked radiant in the candle light, soft flickers passing shadows across her face, eyes burning bright blue but somehow tinged with sadness. "What are you doing up at this time?" Sara asked, getting to her feet and suddenly conscious of her appearance. She was wearing boxers and a tank top and was sure her hair was a complete mess. What would Catherine care? It's perfectly obvious where they both stand now.
"I got in late. Took a shower." The blond said noncommittally. She picked at the dripping wax running down the side of the candle.
"Oh." Sara said shuffling her feet and staring at the candle. She bent down, gathered up the blanket and made for the stairs.
"I got your message by the way." Catherine's voice floated through the dark.
"Yeah?"
"Yeah. It made me cry."
Sara turned round slowly and hugged the blanket tightly. It was only then that she saw that Catherine's eyes were puffy, tear stained and melancholy. "That wasn't my intention Cath. That was never my intention". The blanket suddenly felt heavy in her arms.
"I know. I think I cried because clarity washed over me. Suddenly I found myself rubbing away your unspoken words and started sobbing my heart out."
Sara took a step forward.
Catherine continued, "and I remembered the club. I remember how I acted. How I left you, when I thought you'd left me. Then I saw you asleep on the couch when I came in. God Sara, I thought you were just being grumpy again and had pissed off out of there. But I made sure you had a shit time. I feel so bad. Then I saw your handwriting in the fog and my own mental fog lifted. I'd been selfish and self absorbed. We were becoming friends and then I alienated you. I'm sorry." She sniffed and stared back at the candle.
Sara walked over to the blond and took the candle from her small, shaking hand, their fingers brushing almost untouchingly against each others. Opening up the large blanket, she wrapped it around Catherine's shoulders and held her against her, her arms enveloping the both of them into a safe, unspeaking cocoon of tenderness. For minutes they both stood still, with only soft, subtle touches to break the monotony of the embrace. Sara could feel the blond breathing through her own chest, the odd sniff punctuating the silence, that like the blanket holding them together fell over them. Eventually she could feel the older woman move so she backed up a little, though her hands still lingered on her waist. "Better?" She asked.
"Yeah." Catherine smiled. "That was nice." She added trying to suppress a smile.
"It kinda was wasn't it?" Sara smirked. "Shall we call this our second truce?"
"Do I have to supply pancakes again?" Catherine chuckled.
"Its too early for breakfast. I'll remind you again in 4 hours" The brunette winked and played with the blanket around the blonds neck.
"Well..." Catherine paused unsure.
Sara frowned, "hmmm?"
"Well, it's just that you had a shit night right?"
"I guess." Sara shrugged.
Catherine took the confused Sara's hand and led her to the fireplace on the other side of the lounge. "Then I owe you" She said.
Sara, still confused looked at the blond then at the blankets and candles on the floor by her feet. Oils, a wine bottle and two glasses were placed neatly by the side of the hearth. Sara's gaze met Catherine's and she began to blush. "C...Cath... I thought that was just a joke..." She felt the blond let go of her hand and watched her college back away.
"Oh god. I'm sorry. I've screwed up again haven't I." Cath said and she crouched down and started collecting up the small colored bottles around her feet.
Sara bent down next to her and placed her hands over the top of the older womans. "Stop."
Catherine looked at her with a concern.
"How do you want me?" Sara stood up and hoped the shakiness didn't come across in her voice. Potentially there was a huge possibility she was about to have Catherine's hands all over her. She'd never felt so nervous.
"You don't have to comply Sara. I just figured it would be a nice way to surprise you. But you woke up and pointed a semi-automatic at my face." Catherine let out a little giggle at the memory of 'action Sara' making her way into a combat position. "It was very melodramatic by the way." She couldn't stop the grin from spreading across her face.
"Well I thought you were a burglar." Sara huffed. "You more than anyone should know the dangers out there in our line of work."
"Ok, ok. I actually would have done the same. It was just funny from my perspective. So you want to do this?"
"Yep... direct me?"
"You can start by taking your top off." Catherine couldn't help but smirk at the brunettes startled face.
"Isn't there any other way of doing this?"
"Nope. You want a massage you take your top off. I'll let you keep those adorable boxers on, don't want the neighbours talking" she winked.
Sara turned her back to the blond and pulled her tank over her head revealing a black laced bra embracing tanned, toned flesh. She could feel Catherine's eyes boring into her back. Her skin prickled under the sensation. "Cath, don't look at me like that."
"Like what? Suddenly got eyes in the back of your head Sidle?"
"Never mind." the brunette muttered under her breath. She laid down on her back and stared up at Catherine's looming form. "Now what?"
"Well for starters Sidle you may want to roll over onto your front. Were talking a completely different activity otherwise." A glint of mischievousness in her blue, sparkling eyes.
Blushing uncontrollably, Sara hastily rolled over and placed her hands under her chin. She waited for the blonds hands to make contact. Nothing. Not a single movement. She searched the room with her eyes. She couldn't see the blond anywhere. Suddenly music filled the room. Soft, melodic and bluesy. "Cath what's this?"
"Setting the mood." The blond answered. She stood over Sara's form and straddled the brunettes lower back. She felt the younger woman jump under the contact and rubbed her back soothingly to calm the surprised woman. "Sorry, didn't mean to make you jump." She said gently.
Sara could feel the blonds strong legs grip the sides of her buttocks, the tails of Catherine's bath robe grazed the sides of her stomach as she felt the blond lean forward. A wine glass was placed carefully into her hand. "And... what's this?"
"A distraction. 12 years aged. Merlot. Enjoy it." Catherine replied as she unscrewed the cap of a bottle of oil. Sara could hear the blond rubbing her palms together. "You ready?" Catherine asked.
The brunette stayed silent.
"I'll take that as a yes then." Catherine shifted her position slightly, feeling the heat from the brunettes back against her underwear. God this felt good. She resisted the unusual urge to start grinding against Sara. Swallowing, she placed her hands with confidence that she didn't feel on the young woman's shoulders and began to knead the supple flesh lightly, her hands gliding across the searing skin with ease. She heard a moan. "You ok? Am I hurting you?" She asked with concern.
"God no." Sara groaned. "This feels so good."
Catherine could feel her relax under her capable hands. Expertly running her fingers down from the brunettes neck, tracing down the line of her spine and stopping at the edge of Sara's boxers she heard the young woman omit another low moan. God she was getting so turned on hearing her like that. She folded the edge of the boxers back a little and licked her lips. She could see the crease of Sara's cheeks, she caressed it with the tip of her thumb and felt the brunette raise off the blanket in reaction to her touch. "Mmmmmm, don't stop." She said in a low husky voice. She didn't even sound like the Sara she thought she knew. But she liked what was happening. Catherine parted her own legs a little more and rubbed herself against the fabric underneath her. Still massaging Sara's shoulders she lent further forward so that her bra encased breasts grazed over the brunettes back, such subtle friction but enough to get Sara omitting another low moan. Still lent forward she took Sara's hand that was wrapped tightly round the stem of the wine glass and guided the glass to her own lips. Returning the glass back down, she admired the lipstick decorating the rim, a reminder for Sara who was on top of her. Apparently the brunette was still alert enough to have realized what had happened and protested.
In a rhythm now, Catherine used her hands and pelvis in unison, both women unaware of how the other was actually responding to the touch of the other. It was unknown, unexpected and definitely ignored. "Cath... your getting me wet..." Sara husked. The blond stopped moving and stared at the the back of Sara's head.
"What the hell Sara...?" She lifted herself off the brunettes back and tugged her gown around herself.
Sara lay sleepily on the floor and said "You were getting me wet, I don't think your dried off properly from the shower." She rolled onto her side and furrowed her brow in confusion. "Why'd you stop?"
Catherine sat on the floor next to the brunette and hugged her knees. "I thought you were being kinky..." she said embarrassed.
Sara sat up and hugged the older woman, her hands hesitant. "I'm enjoying you being my friend. I don't mean it in any other way. I promise." Catherine eased back into her arms. "Think it's time for bed?" Sara approached carefully.
"I'll follow you up." Catherine watched as Sara collected her stuff and made her way slowly up the creaking wooden steps. She was even more confused than a couple of hours ago. It was now dawning on her that she may want Sara Sidle as more than just a colleague. More than just a friend even. It was definitely going to be broken sleep tonight.