The next few days were somewhat of an exquisite form of torture for Nick.
Without a firm lead as to the ID of their vic, they were at a dead end. He
had been assigned to work a case with Catherine, and Sara had pulled a case
with Warrick. He saw her each day, he just didn't get to work with her,
which in turn meant he didn't get to be alone with her during business
hours, which also meant he didn't get to touch her. To see her and not get
to touch her was killing Nick.
Sara was somewhat amused at the effect working on separate cases was having on Nick. She too wanted to get him alone and kiss him senseless, but since they had decided to keep their newfound relationship under wraps for the time being, they didn't want to be too obvious. Oh, he had come over after shift for breakfast again, and they'd spent some quality time making out on the couch until Nick had to go home and take a cold shower, but neither one of them seemed to be able to get enough of the other and working separate cases wasn't helping.
Sunday afternoon, Sara was already over at Catherine's for the pool party and barbecue for Lindsey's birthday. Sara had thrown a tank top and a pair of shorts over her athletic styled two piece swimsuit. Sitting on a deck chair as far away from the grill as possible, she had removed her tank top and was trying to get a little more color as she lay in the sun in her swimsuit top and shorts.
Grissom seemed to be more at ease at Catherine's house than Sara thought possible as he and Lindsey and a few of her friends were having an animated discussion about lady bugs.
Catherine came and sat down next to Sara. "I picked up some veggie burgers for you to put on the grill, Sara."
Sara smiled appreciatively. "Thanks, Cath." She gestured toward Grissom. "That surprises me."
Catherine chuckled softly. "Lindsey has him wrapped around her little finger and he doesn't even know it. One of these days he might figure it out."
Sara laughed softly. "Well wonders never cease."
Catherine regarded Sara curiously for a moment. "Have you and he ever worked things out from the fallout you had last spring?"
Sara rolled her eyes and shook her head. "What do you think?"
"I'll take that as a no." Catherine replied gingerly.
Sara chuckled. "It's ok, Catherine. I've moved on. I'm just a little sad that our friendship seems to have suffered as a result."
Catherine patted her on the arm softly. "Trust me, he'll come back around eventually, I've known him a long time."
Sara smiled. "When are the rest of the guys supposed to show up?"
Catherine glanced at her watch. "Well, anytime. Greg was stopping to pick up something and Nick said he and Warrick had a softball game."
As if on cue, Greg walked through the gate into the backyard. "Where's the birthday girl?" He grinned at Catherine and Sara. "Not to say that I don't want to spend some quality time with the two of you." He waggled his eyebrows.
Sara chuckled, clearly amused.
Catherine rolled her eyes and pointed toward the group of young girls and Grissom who were still chatting amiably. "Over there with the bugman."
Greg made a cursory bow. "Ladies."
As Lindsey saw him approach with a large package in hand, her eyes went wide. She diverted her conversation from Grissom and gave Greg a big hug as he handed her the package. She could be overheard saying. "My mom says I have to wait to open my presents until later."
Sara turned toward Catherine. "She's a good kid."
"I'd like to think so." Catherine smiled as she looked at her daughter.
"You're a good mom, Catherine." Sara observed, smiling.
"Thanks." Catherine and Sara had started off on the wrong foot when Sara had started working in Vegas, but they had formed a bond and had even weathered a few bumps along the way, including the investigation into the death of Catherine's ex-husband Eddie.
The banter of male voices was getting louder as Nick and Warrick made their way through the gate into the back yard, gifts in hand.
"I haven't hit that well since college." Nick was grinning.
"Did you see the look on Ecklie's face when you hit that out of the park? That was priceless." Warrick added.
"I take it you did well." Catherine smiled as she walked around the pool and greeted them.
"Hey, Cath!" Nick gave her a bear hug and handed her the gift he held. "We kicked a little dayshift ass."
Warrick patted his stomach. "Hey, Cath, do you need a little help getting food on the grill?"
She raised an amused eyebrow at him. "Is that your way of saying you're hungry?" She rolled her eyes and gestured for him to follow her into the house.
Nick noticed Sara sitting on the other side of the pool and tried to restrain his smile as he made his way over to sit next to her.
She glanced over at him and smiled. Her voice was low. "How's it going, sexy?"
Nick's eyes devoured Sara as he grinned back at her. "You're the one who's sexy."
Sara leaned her head back and closed her eyes. "Careful, cowboy, the natives might get a little suspicious."
He chuckled softly, his eyes taking note of how irresistibly soft her skin looked. "It's killing me that I've hardly seen you the last few days."
Sara opened her eyes and laughed softly. "You've seen me, Nick, you just can't touch me right now." She shifted her weight slightly, unintentionally giving him a little better view of the curve of her chest.
Nick's eyes widened for a moment, a hint of amusement in them. "Yeah, and I can see a whole lot of you that I can't touch right now."
Sara glanced at him and smiled flirtatiously. "Like what you see, do you?"
Nick nodded. "You know I do." His eyes confirmed his words.
Sara glanced over at the other side of the pool where Grissom, Greg, and the girls were engrossed in some sort of game. She turned back toward Nick and raised a single eyebrow, reaching over and ever so lightly trailing her finger down his leg. "Maybe we can find a way to leave here a little early and spend a little time alone together. I noticed that we're both off the calendar tonight."
Nick let out a low groan and gave her a look that would melt the polar ice cap. "Sara." There was an edge of warning in his voice. "Do you have any idea what I want to do to you right now?" He glanced over to the other end of the pool to make sure they weren't being observed then reached over and squeezed her hand caressing the back of it with his thumb.
Sara nodded and bit her lip. "It's probably pretty close to what I'd like to do to you." Sara was beginning to feel turned on by Nick's light touch and the line of conversation and she squirmed slightly in her chair.
Nick noticed Sara's reaction and dropped her hand smiling. "We'd better stop this if we don't want anyone to know what's going on between us."
She nodded as she looked at him. "Good idea." Her eyes widened for a moment and then she met his gaze. "Maybe you should go for a swim."
Nick raised a curious eyebrow and then glanced down and let out a groan as he became aware that he was a becoming little more turned on than he had thought. "Yeah, good idea. I sure as hell hope the water is cold."
Sara had to stifle a giggle at his embarrassment.
Nick glanced around to make sure no one at the far end of the pool was watching before he dove in.
Greg sauntered over toward Sara after Nick had entered the pool. "Hey, Sara." Greg grinned at her.
"Hey, Greggo." Sara was glad for something to distract her from Nick for the moment.
Greg sat down on the chair that Nick had just occupied. "So, Sara, I was wondering. I mean I understand if you have to think about it. I mean it's a pretty big decision and all. But if you don't have to think about it, that's ok too. I mean no pressure. So what do you say?"
Sara looked at him a bit perplexed for a moment and then started laughing. "Greg, was there a question in there somewhere?"
Greg looked slightly embarrassed. "Uh, sorry. I was just wondering if you would go out with me sometime."
Sara wrinkled her brow. "Greg, you're a great guy, but I'm just not interested in you like that, you're not really my type."
Greg looked somewhat deflated. "You can't blame a guy for trying."
Nick pulled himself out of the pool, feel much cooler in more ways than one. He walked over to Greg and Sara and smiled. "Greg, my man, trying to put the swerve on Sara here?" He chuckled.
Greg glanced up at Nick. "Uh, apparently, I'm not really Sara's type."
Nick grinned. "No offense, man, but Warrick and I told you. Why don't you ask out the new lab tech, what's her name, Clarice?" He ran his fingers through his wet hair trying to rid himself of the extra moisture before picking up his towel and drying off.
"Charise." Greg corrected him. "I was thinking about it, but I just haven't had a chance to demonstrate my witty charm to her yet."
Sara bit her lip to keep herself from laughing. "I think I'm going to go see if Catherine wants a little help." She pulled herself up from the chair and glanced at Nick from head to toe, noting that things had returned to normal and smirking at him.
He raised an eyebrow at her filled with meaning. "Hey, while you're at it, tell Warrick to get his ass out here so we can get the party started."
Greg waved at Sara as she sauntered away. Mumbling under his breath Greg stared at Sara. "If she would just give me a chance, I could be the right man."
Nick chuckled and gestured toward the pool. "Go cool off, man, there's a whole pool open."
Greg glanced up and smiled. "So do you think you could put a good word in for me with Charise?"
Nick shook his head. "I think you'd better ask Warrick. I don't think Charise likes me very much."
Greg's eyebrows wrinkled. "Nick Stokes? Ladies man?"
Nick chuckled. "Thanks to you, she thinks I did something to Sara."
Greg looked sheepish. "Hey, I apologized for that. I just repeated what I heard. I had no idea you two were competing over something."
Catherine, Warrick, and Sara emerged from the house bearing platters with hamburgers, veggie burgers, buns, and condiments. Warrick took up residence in front of the grill, and someone put some music on.
No one was really sure who started it, but a game of stealth broke out where if you weren't paying attention, you'd get picked up and thrown into the pool. Soon everyone was dripping wet and having a great time. Sara stood next to Catherine talking when she felt a pair of muscular arms grab her around the waist and start dragging her toward the pool.
"You're starting to look a little too dry, Sar." Nick's distinctive drawl purred in her ear.
She tried to disengage herself from his arms and giggled as she fought to free herself. "I'm not going in the pool, Nick."
"Oh, yes you are." He chuckled, taking another step toward the pool, pushing her along.
The rest of the group just stood there and chuckled at the struggle going on between the two young and very competitive CSIs. If they were betting, their money would be on Sara.
She managed to turn around in his grip and with her fingers splayed out across his chest, she started pushing back. "Oh, no I'm not."
Nick waggled his eyebrows at her and gripped her waist a little tighter. He had the added advantage of knowing exactly where she was ticklish. His fingers lightly grazed her sides. He made it a few more steps closer to the pool. "Oh. Yes. You are."
Sara fought the sensations that his touch was causing, deciding to try and return the favor as they neared the edge of the pool. She shook her head. "Uh uh." Her thumbs lightly caressed his chest as she pushed against him, causing his eyes to glaze slightly.
He nodded, waggling his eyebrows at her. "Uh, huh." He took one more step towards the pool and began to push her away from him and towards the water.
She shook her head and knowing that she was going in the pool, wrapped an arm around his neck and a leg around one of his. "You're coming with me." She clung to Nick, pulling him along with her, as he couldn't stop his momentum to throw her in and they fell into the water together in a tangle of arms and legs.
As they surfaced they could hear the rest of the group laughing. Nick got a devilish look on his face. "You're asking for it, Sidle."
She grinned at him mischievously, "Me? I think you're the one who's asking for it, Stokes."
Nick went after Sara, grabbing her around the waist and pulling her under. She wrestled away and surfaced for air, turning around and putting an arm around his throat. Nick reached behind him, trying to pull her off, and dove under until she let go. Thinking he had won, he tread water and grinned. The expression on his face changed dramatically as he felt Sara's hands on his waist from behind and the sensation of his swim trunks being pulled off.
Sara was grinning as she pulled herself out of the pool, with Nick's swim trunks in hand. She glanced back at him with a smug expression. "I'd say I won."
Nick's face was turning a beautiful shade of pink as he swam over to the side of the pool. "Uh, Sara, there are children present, can I have my shorts back?"
She was trying to restrain her laughter even as the rest of the CSIs were doubled over in laughter. "It's gonna cost you."
"That's blackmail, Sidle." Nick was seriously contemplating flashing everyone so he could get out and grab a towel.
Sara glanced at the rest of the team. "What do you think I should make him do for me?"
Warrick deadpanned. "Well, I'd say the strip tease is out since you took care of that for him."
Sara blushed slightly even as she grinned, glancing at the swim trunks in her hand.
Greg came and stood next to Sara. "Maybe you should have Nick clean your house."
Sara raised an eyebrow. "Greg, I'm a neat freak."
Greg chuckled. "Oh."
Catherine had an amused grin on her face as she glanced at Sara. "You could make him take all your decomps."
Grissom had a smirk on his face and glanced at Sara. "Uh, Sara, in the interest of all the kids over there, maybe you should give Nicky his shorts back."
She shook her head. "No, I want the terms of his surrender before he gets out of the water."
Nick had a pleading look on his face. "Sara, can I please have my swim trunks back?"
Warrick let out a deep chuckle. "Nick, man, you better come up with an idea or she may not let you out of there."
Catherine glanced over at Sara and smirked. "Should I take the girls inside? I mean if this is going to take a while, I don't want Nick flashing them."
Sara had to bite her lip to stop laughing.
Greg waggled his eyebrows at Sara. "What would you make me do if I pushed you in the pool?"
"Greg!" Grissom chided.
Greg looked over at Grissom and his cheesy grin evaporated. "Uh, yeah, Grissom?"
Grissom raised an eyebrow. "Why don't you and I take the girls inside."
Catherine and Warrick exchanged a glance and chuckled softly.
Sara's expression challenged Nick as Grissom and Greg disappeared inside the house with Lindsey and her friends.
"Sara." Nick flashed her a puppy dog expression. "Can I please have my shorts back?"
"I don't know, Nick. You pushed me in the pool and I didn't want to get wet." Sara was having far too much fun with this.
"You're asking for it." Nick challenged.
"Uh, I don't see you being in the position to bargain, Stokes." Sara responded.
Warrick and Catherine tried to contain their laughter.
Nick swam over to the far end of the pool and climbed out, his backside as bare as the day he was born.
"Nice ass, Nicky." Catherine yelled.
He grabbed a towel and wrapped it around himself before he turned around and began walking over toward Sara, a wide grin etched on his face.
"Now, Ms. Sidle, may I please have my shorts?" He stood inches from Sara holding the towel around his waist.
Sara smirked and held them just out of his reach. "You mean these shorts?"
He nodded and reached for them.
Catherine and Warrick looked extremely amused.
Sara shook her head. "Uh, uh."
Nick raised a single eyebrow and stepped toward her. "No?"
She shook her head again. "No."
Nick grabbed her around the waist with one arm, holding his towel in place with the other and pulled her up against him grinning. "Please."
She shook her head. "Nope." She held the swim trunks behind her, her amusement clearly etched on her face.
He raised an eyebrow in warning at her. "Sara."
Sara tried to constrain her laughter as she tossed his swim trunks back into the pool. "There you go."
Nick let go of her and stepped back toward the pool. "You're going to pay for that, Sidle." He faced the pool and dropped his towel as he dove back into the pool to retrieve his swim trunks. He captured them and shimmied them on before climbing back out, tightening the draw string firmly.
As Nick approached Sara, Warrick, and Catherine, Sara glanced over at Catherine and then raised an eyebrow at Nick. "Catherine's right, you've got a nice ass, Nick."
Warrick just shook his head and rolled his eyes. "If you ladies are done ogling Nick, I'll go let Grissom and Greg know it's safe to let the girls come back out."
Catherine couldn't restrain her laughter as she turned to follow Warrick. "I'll come with you."
Nick grinned at Sara and waggled his eyebrows as Catherine and Warrick disappeared into the house. "If you wanted to see me naked, Sara, all you had to do was ask."
Sara was somewhat amused at the effect working on separate cases was having on Nick. She too wanted to get him alone and kiss him senseless, but since they had decided to keep their newfound relationship under wraps for the time being, they didn't want to be too obvious. Oh, he had come over after shift for breakfast again, and they'd spent some quality time making out on the couch until Nick had to go home and take a cold shower, but neither one of them seemed to be able to get enough of the other and working separate cases wasn't helping.
Sunday afternoon, Sara was already over at Catherine's for the pool party and barbecue for Lindsey's birthday. Sara had thrown a tank top and a pair of shorts over her athletic styled two piece swimsuit. Sitting on a deck chair as far away from the grill as possible, she had removed her tank top and was trying to get a little more color as she lay in the sun in her swimsuit top and shorts.
Grissom seemed to be more at ease at Catherine's house than Sara thought possible as he and Lindsey and a few of her friends were having an animated discussion about lady bugs.
Catherine came and sat down next to Sara. "I picked up some veggie burgers for you to put on the grill, Sara."
Sara smiled appreciatively. "Thanks, Cath." She gestured toward Grissom. "That surprises me."
Catherine chuckled softly. "Lindsey has him wrapped around her little finger and he doesn't even know it. One of these days he might figure it out."
Sara laughed softly. "Well wonders never cease."
Catherine regarded Sara curiously for a moment. "Have you and he ever worked things out from the fallout you had last spring?"
Sara rolled her eyes and shook her head. "What do you think?"
"I'll take that as a no." Catherine replied gingerly.
Sara chuckled. "It's ok, Catherine. I've moved on. I'm just a little sad that our friendship seems to have suffered as a result."
Catherine patted her on the arm softly. "Trust me, he'll come back around eventually, I've known him a long time."
Sara smiled. "When are the rest of the guys supposed to show up?"
Catherine glanced at her watch. "Well, anytime. Greg was stopping to pick up something and Nick said he and Warrick had a softball game."
As if on cue, Greg walked through the gate into the backyard. "Where's the birthday girl?" He grinned at Catherine and Sara. "Not to say that I don't want to spend some quality time with the two of you." He waggled his eyebrows.
Sara chuckled, clearly amused.
Catherine rolled her eyes and pointed toward the group of young girls and Grissom who were still chatting amiably. "Over there with the bugman."
Greg made a cursory bow. "Ladies."
As Lindsey saw him approach with a large package in hand, her eyes went wide. She diverted her conversation from Grissom and gave Greg a big hug as he handed her the package. She could be overheard saying. "My mom says I have to wait to open my presents until later."
Sara turned toward Catherine. "She's a good kid."
"I'd like to think so." Catherine smiled as she looked at her daughter.
"You're a good mom, Catherine." Sara observed, smiling.
"Thanks." Catherine and Sara had started off on the wrong foot when Sara had started working in Vegas, but they had formed a bond and had even weathered a few bumps along the way, including the investigation into the death of Catherine's ex-husband Eddie.
The banter of male voices was getting louder as Nick and Warrick made their way through the gate into the back yard, gifts in hand.
"I haven't hit that well since college." Nick was grinning.
"Did you see the look on Ecklie's face when you hit that out of the park? That was priceless." Warrick added.
"I take it you did well." Catherine smiled as she walked around the pool and greeted them.
"Hey, Cath!" Nick gave her a bear hug and handed her the gift he held. "We kicked a little dayshift ass."
Warrick patted his stomach. "Hey, Cath, do you need a little help getting food on the grill?"
She raised an amused eyebrow at him. "Is that your way of saying you're hungry?" She rolled her eyes and gestured for him to follow her into the house.
Nick noticed Sara sitting on the other side of the pool and tried to restrain his smile as he made his way over to sit next to her.
She glanced over at him and smiled. Her voice was low. "How's it going, sexy?"
Nick's eyes devoured Sara as he grinned back at her. "You're the one who's sexy."
Sara leaned her head back and closed her eyes. "Careful, cowboy, the natives might get a little suspicious."
He chuckled softly, his eyes taking note of how irresistibly soft her skin looked. "It's killing me that I've hardly seen you the last few days."
Sara opened her eyes and laughed softly. "You've seen me, Nick, you just can't touch me right now." She shifted her weight slightly, unintentionally giving him a little better view of the curve of her chest.
Nick's eyes widened for a moment, a hint of amusement in them. "Yeah, and I can see a whole lot of you that I can't touch right now."
Sara glanced at him and smiled flirtatiously. "Like what you see, do you?"
Nick nodded. "You know I do." His eyes confirmed his words.
Sara glanced over at the other side of the pool where Grissom, Greg, and the girls were engrossed in some sort of game. She turned back toward Nick and raised a single eyebrow, reaching over and ever so lightly trailing her finger down his leg. "Maybe we can find a way to leave here a little early and spend a little time alone together. I noticed that we're both off the calendar tonight."
Nick let out a low groan and gave her a look that would melt the polar ice cap. "Sara." There was an edge of warning in his voice. "Do you have any idea what I want to do to you right now?" He glanced over to the other end of the pool to make sure they weren't being observed then reached over and squeezed her hand caressing the back of it with his thumb.
Sara nodded and bit her lip. "It's probably pretty close to what I'd like to do to you." Sara was beginning to feel turned on by Nick's light touch and the line of conversation and she squirmed slightly in her chair.
Nick noticed Sara's reaction and dropped her hand smiling. "We'd better stop this if we don't want anyone to know what's going on between us."
She nodded as she looked at him. "Good idea." Her eyes widened for a moment and then she met his gaze. "Maybe you should go for a swim."
Nick raised a curious eyebrow and then glanced down and let out a groan as he became aware that he was a becoming little more turned on than he had thought. "Yeah, good idea. I sure as hell hope the water is cold."
Sara had to stifle a giggle at his embarrassment.
Nick glanced around to make sure no one at the far end of the pool was watching before he dove in.
Greg sauntered over toward Sara after Nick had entered the pool. "Hey, Sara." Greg grinned at her.
"Hey, Greggo." Sara was glad for something to distract her from Nick for the moment.
Greg sat down on the chair that Nick had just occupied. "So, Sara, I was wondering. I mean I understand if you have to think about it. I mean it's a pretty big decision and all. But if you don't have to think about it, that's ok too. I mean no pressure. So what do you say?"
Sara looked at him a bit perplexed for a moment and then started laughing. "Greg, was there a question in there somewhere?"
Greg looked slightly embarrassed. "Uh, sorry. I was just wondering if you would go out with me sometime."
Sara wrinkled her brow. "Greg, you're a great guy, but I'm just not interested in you like that, you're not really my type."
Greg looked somewhat deflated. "You can't blame a guy for trying."
Nick pulled himself out of the pool, feel much cooler in more ways than one. He walked over to Greg and Sara and smiled. "Greg, my man, trying to put the swerve on Sara here?" He chuckled.
Greg glanced up at Nick. "Uh, apparently, I'm not really Sara's type."
Nick grinned. "No offense, man, but Warrick and I told you. Why don't you ask out the new lab tech, what's her name, Clarice?" He ran his fingers through his wet hair trying to rid himself of the extra moisture before picking up his towel and drying off.
"Charise." Greg corrected him. "I was thinking about it, but I just haven't had a chance to demonstrate my witty charm to her yet."
Sara bit her lip to keep herself from laughing. "I think I'm going to go see if Catherine wants a little help." She pulled herself up from the chair and glanced at Nick from head to toe, noting that things had returned to normal and smirking at him.
He raised an eyebrow at her filled with meaning. "Hey, while you're at it, tell Warrick to get his ass out here so we can get the party started."
Greg waved at Sara as she sauntered away. Mumbling under his breath Greg stared at Sara. "If she would just give me a chance, I could be the right man."
Nick chuckled and gestured toward the pool. "Go cool off, man, there's a whole pool open."
Greg glanced up and smiled. "So do you think you could put a good word in for me with Charise?"
Nick shook his head. "I think you'd better ask Warrick. I don't think Charise likes me very much."
Greg's eyebrows wrinkled. "Nick Stokes? Ladies man?"
Nick chuckled. "Thanks to you, she thinks I did something to Sara."
Greg looked sheepish. "Hey, I apologized for that. I just repeated what I heard. I had no idea you two were competing over something."
Catherine, Warrick, and Sara emerged from the house bearing platters with hamburgers, veggie burgers, buns, and condiments. Warrick took up residence in front of the grill, and someone put some music on.
No one was really sure who started it, but a game of stealth broke out where if you weren't paying attention, you'd get picked up and thrown into the pool. Soon everyone was dripping wet and having a great time. Sara stood next to Catherine talking when she felt a pair of muscular arms grab her around the waist and start dragging her toward the pool.
"You're starting to look a little too dry, Sar." Nick's distinctive drawl purred in her ear.
She tried to disengage herself from his arms and giggled as she fought to free herself. "I'm not going in the pool, Nick."
"Oh, yes you are." He chuckled, taking another step toward the pool, pushing her along.
The rest of the group just stood there and chuckled at the struggle going on between the two young and very competitive CSIs. If they were betting, their money would be on Sara.
She managed to turn around in his grip and with her fingers splayed out across his chest, she started pushing back. "Oh, no I'm not."
Nick waggled his eyebrows at her and gripped her waist a little tighter. He had the added advantage of knowing exactly where she was ticklish. His fingers lightly grazed her sides. He made it a few more steps closer to the pool. "Oh. Yes. You are."
Sara fought the sensations that his touch was causing, deciding to try and return the favor as they neared the edge of the pool. She shook her head. "Uh uh." Her thumbs lightly caressed his chest as she pushed against him, causing his eyes to glaze slightly.
He nodded, waggling his eyebrows at her. "Uh, huh." He took one more step towards the pool and began to push her away from him and towards the water.
She shook her head and knowing that she was going in the pool, wrapped an arm around his neck and a leg around one of his. "You're coming with me." She clung to Nick, pulling him along with her, as he couldn't stop his momentum to throw her in and they fell into the water together in a tangle of arms and legs.
As they surfaced they could hear the rest of the group laughing. Nick got a devilish look on his face. "You're asking for it, Sidle."
She grinned at him mischievously, "Me? I think you're the one who's asking for it, Stokes."
Nick went after Sara, grabbing her around the waist and pulling her under. She wrestled away and surfaced for air, turning around and putting an arm around his throat. Nick reached behind him, trying to pull her off, and dove under until she let go. Thinking he had won, he tread water and grinned. The expression on his face changed dramatically as he felt Sara's hands on his waist from behind and the sensation of his swim trunks being pulled off.
Sara was grinning as she pulled herself out of the pool, with Nick's swim trunks in hand. She glanced back at him with a smug expression. "I'd say I won."
Nick's face was turning a beautiful shade of pink as he swam over to the side of the pool. "Uh, Sara, there are children present, can I have my shorts back?"
She was trying to restrain her laughter even as the rest of the CSIs were doubled over in laughter. "It's gonna cost you."
"That's blackmail, Sidle." Nick was seriously contemplating flashing everyone so he could get out and grab a towel.
Sara glanced at the rest of the team. "What do you think I should make him do for me?"
Warrick deadpanned. "Well, I'd say the strip tease is out since you took care of that for him."
Sara blushed slightly even as she grinned, glancing at the swim trunks in her hand.
Greg came and stood next to Sara. "Maybe you should have Nick clean your house."
Sara raised an eyebrow. "Greg, I'm a neat freak."
Greg chuckled. "Oh."
Catherine had an amused grin on her face as she glanced at Sara. "You could make him take all your decomps."
Grissom had a smirk on his face and glanced at Sara. "Uh, Sara, in the interest of all the kids over there, maybe you should give Nicky his shorts back."
She shook her head. "No, I want the terms of his surrender before he gets out of the water."
Nick had a pleading look on his face. "Sara, can I please have my swim trunks back?"
Warrick let out a deep chuckle. "Nick, man, you better come up with an idea or she may not let you out of there."
Catherine glanced over at Sara and smirked. "Should I take the girls inside? I mean if this is going to take a while, I don't want Nick flashing them."
Sara had to bite her lip to stop laughing.
Greg waggled his eyebrows at Sara. "What would you make me do if I pushed you in the pool?"
"Greg!" Grissom chided.
Greg looked over at Grissom and his cheesy grin evaporated. "Uh, yeah, Grissom?"
Grissom raised an eyebrow. "Why don't you and I take the girls inside."
Catherine and Warrick exchanged a glance and chuckled softly.
Sara's expression challenged Nick as Grissom and Greg disappeared inside the house with Lindsey and her friends.
"Sara." Nick flashed her a puppy dog expression. "Can I please have my shorts back?"
"I don't know, Nick. You pushed me in the pool and I didn't want to get wet." Sara was having far too much fun with this.
"You're asking for it." Nick challenged.
"Uh, I don't see you being in the position to bargain, Stokes." Sara responded.
Warrick and Catherine tried to contain their laughter.
Nick swam over to the far end of the pool and climbed out, his backside as bare as the day he was born.
"Nice ass, Nicky." Catherine yelled.
He grabbed a towel and wrapped it around himself before he turned around and began walking over toward Sara, a wide grin etched on his face.
"Now, Ms. Sidle, may I please have my shorts?" He stood inches from Sara holding the towel around his waist.
Sara smirked and held them just out of his reach. "You mean these shorts?"
He nodded and reached for them.
Catherine and Warrick looked extremely amused.
Sara shook her head. "Uh, uh."
Nick raised a single eyebrow and stepped toward her. "No?"
She shook her head again. "No."
Nick grabbed her around the waist with one arm, holding his towel in place with the other and pulled her up against him grinning. "Please."
She shook her head. "Nope." She held the swim trunks behind her, her amusement clearly etched on her face.
He raised an eyebrow in warning at her. "Sara."
Sara tried to constrain her laughter as she tossed his swim trunks back into the pool. "There you go."
Nick let go of her and stepped back toward the pool. "You're going to pay for that, Sidle." He faced the pool and dropped his towel as he dove back into the pool to retrieve his swim trunks. He captured them and shimmied them on before climbing back out, tightening the draw string firmly.
As Nick approached Sara, Warrick, and Catherine, Sara glanced over at Catherine and then raised an eyebrow at Nick. "Catherine's right, you've got a nice ass, Nick."
Warrick just shook his head and rolled his eyes. "If you ladies are done ogling Nick, I'll go let Grissom and Greg know it's safe to let the girls come back out."
Catherine couldn't restrain her laughter as she turned to follow Warrick. "I'll come with you."
Nick grinned at Sara and waggled his eyebrows as Catherine and Warrick disappeared into the house. "If you wanted to see me naked, Sara, all you had to do was ask."