Title: "Valentine"
Author: Peggie
Rating: NC-17 eventually
Pairing: G/S, N/OC, G/OC, W/C
Disclaimer: Yeah, know I don't own them yet, just having some fun!
Thanks: Karen for everything!
In his nightmare, the calendar pages chased him chanting, "One more week! One more week! One more..."
He sat up abruptly, trying to orient himself in the darkness, his heart pounding. *Take a deep breath.....OK, just a dream.....I HAVE to get Sara a gift this week. I've let it go for a while, but....if what I overheard in the breakroom is any indication, she expects more than a kiss at her door after dinner on Valentine's Day. Am I ready for this? Am I ready for...."us"?*
Grissom checked the bedside clock. *4:30, might as well get up. Maybe I can stop at the Mall on the way in to work.* Gil was showered, dressed and in the tahoe in twenty minutes. *I remember Catherine saying there was a 'Victoria's Secret' in the Henderson Mall. Hopefully I can get in, get a gift and get out quickly! Don't want to be late for work.*
The mall parking lot was fairly empty and Grissom found a spot close to the entrance. Checking the directory, he located the store on the second level, not far from the escalator. The store was easy to locate and attractively decorated for the coming holiday.
He walked into the store and realized immediately he was out of his depth. He didn't know the names of half the items on display. This was at least as embarrassing as "that" store had been. Looking around, he tried to locate a saleswoman at least as old as Sara. There was one who looked old enough to wear the stuff on the displays. He waited while she was with another customer. *How do men do this? Go into places like this and not get flustered?* He was a nervous wreck just waiting for the saleswoman.
"May I help you?" Grissom looked up. "Yes, I need a....I need....I need a valentine gift."
"For your.....wife?" The saleswoman looked pointedly at his left hand.
"No....my er...." *Get hold of youself!* "My girlfriend!"
"OK." The saleswoman smiled at his obvious discomfort. "Did you have anything particular in mind?"
Gil swallowed, the was going to be a lot harder than he thought. "Something red. She looks good in red." He was hoping that would be enough to get something off a shelf and into a bag so he could get out of there - fast!
The saleswoman was having fun. "What size is she?" Some customers - men over 40, like this one - were so nervous, so embarrassed, so cute. "Did you want a teddy? Perhaps a satin sleep set? Something lacy?" She pulled a few of the 'racier' items off the shelf - she might lose the sale, but he was just too much fun!
Grissom's eyes grew large as he stared at the scanty, lacy bits on the counter. He began to sweat. *Oh dear God! Why me? I can't do this!*
Just as he was about to bolt, his cell rang. *Thank you, God!* "Grissom..................I'll be right in." He turned to the saleswoman. "Sorry. Emergency at work." and fled the store.
In his nightmare, the calendar pages chased him chanting, "One more week! One more week! One more..."
He sat up abruptly, trying to orient himself in the darkness, his heart pounding. *Take a deep breath.....OK, just a dream.....I HAVE to get Sara a gift this week. I've let it go for a while, but....if what I overheard in the breakroom is any indication, she expects more than a kiss at her door after dinner on Valentine's Day. Am I ready for this? Am I ready for...."us"?*
Grissom checked the bedside clock. *4:30, might as well get up. Maybe I can stop at the Mall on the way in to work.* Gil was showered, dressed and in the tahoe in twenty minutes. *I remember Catherine saying there was a 'Victoria's Secret' in the Henderson Mall. Hopefully I can get in, get a gift and get out quickly! Don't want to be late for work.*
The mall parking lot was fairly empty and Grissom found a spot close to the entrance. Checking the directory, he located the store on the second level, not far from the escalator. The store was easy to locate and attractively decorated for the coming holiday.
He walked into the store and realized immediately he was out of his depth. He didn't know the names of half the items on display. This was at least as embarrassing as "that" store had been. Looking around, he tried to locate a saleswoman at least as old as Sara. There was one who looked old enough to wear the stuff on the displays. He waited while she was with another customer. *How do men do this? Go into places like this and not get flustered?* He was a nervous wreck just waiting for the saleswoman.
"May I help you?" Grissom looked up. "Yes, I need a....I need....I need a valentine gift."
"For your.....wife?" The saleswoman looked pointedly at his left hand.
"No....my er...." *Get hold of youself!* "My girlfriend!"
"OK." The saleswoman smiled at his obvious discomfort. "Did you have anything particular in mind?"
Gil swallowed, the was going to be a lot harder than he thought. "Something red. She looks good in red." He was hoping that would be enough to get something off a shelf and into a bag so he could get out of there - fast!
The saleswoman was having fun. "What size is she?" Some customers - men over 40, like this one - were so nervous, so embarrassed, so cute. "Did you want a teddy? Perhaps a satin sleep set? Something lacy?" She pulled a few of the 'racier' items off the shelf - she might lose the sale, but he was just too much fun!
Grissom's eyes grew large as he stared at the scanty, lacy bits on the counter. He began to sweat. *Oh dear God! Why me? I can't do this!*
Just as he was about to bolt, his cell rang. *Thank you, God!* "Grissom..................I'll be right in." He turned to the saleswoman. "Sorry. Emergency at work." and fled the store.