Ch. 43
A smile crossed Sara's face as she watched Grissom sleeping contently beside her. She resisted the urge to run her fingers through his hair, in case he was a light sleeper, settling instead to lazily trace patterns across his chest.
Her smile took on a satisfied air as she stretched salaciously. For a social recluse, he had been surprisingly talented. Not that she was going to complain about the outcome. 'Still waters run deep', she thought, shaking her head slightly in amusement.
Flights of fantasy had never been Sara's style. While the other schoolgirls imagined their perfect mate and their perfect weddings, she'd sit alone and work the unassigned math problems. She may have wondered if Grissom would ever be her lover, but she'd never daydreamed that their first encounter would resemble a scene from some old romantic movie.
But she never would have guessed it would start out like a Keystone Kops routine, either. She chuckled softly at the memories, wondering if Grissom felt the same way. Considering the male ego, she doubted he would see the humor as various objects conspired to keep them apart. Then again, he'd already surprised her a number of times.
Resting her head against his chest, she let out a soft sigh. After worrying about how he would react to what had happened on the bus, the amount of love he'd shown her had nearly been overwhelming.
Grissom's first kiss, she remembered, had been incredibly soft, incredibly tender and incredibly unexpected. Sara pulled back in shock once her brain successfully identified who and what had triggered that new source of pleasure.
He stepped back in panic, mumbling an apology. Seeing the hurt and fear in his eyes, she quickly closed the gap between them, moving to kiss him reassuringly. That time Grissom had been the one caught by surprise and broke the kiss.
Sara stayed close, though, and they watched each other carefully, silently questioning each other. The third kiss was hesitant and brief, but it was mutual.
After a long moment of locked gazes, they moved in for kiss number four, a gentle brushing of lips. Kiss five, which followed immediately, was just as soft, and lasted a bit longer than its predecessor.
Leaning back, they had smiled before moving in again. Kiss six found Sara running her fingers through his curls, pulling his head in closer as his hands began roving across her back. As their confidence grew, so did the intensity, and kisses seven through 10 became progressively more passionate.
On kiss number 11, Sara opened her mouth, allowing Grissom's tongue to begin a gentle exploration. By kiss 12, she was certain his pulse was above his normal rate of 70 beats a minute.
Then the forgotten pot of water began to boil over.
Swearing under her breath, Sara turned off the burner, grabbed the offending pan and tossed it into the sink. Her jerky motions caused a bit of the hot water to splash on her hand. She ignored it, but before she could turn back to Grissom, he stepped up behind her, pinning her between the sink and his body.
Wrapping his arms around her, he turned on the faucet, and gently held her hand under the cold water, carefully turning it, inspecting for any additional injuries. Sara closed her eyes as the cold water on her hand and his warmth behind her sent her mind mixed signals.
She couldn't believe this was happening. Part of her feared he would react with disgust when she told him she'd left Hunter on the bus. His compassion and gentleness quickly dispelled that idea. She took a ragged breath as he pressed closer against her.
Gingerly, he took a dishtowel and dried her hand. Turning her around, he wet the towel and washed away the remains of her tears before leaning in to brush soft kisses across her face.
Moving his attention back to her hand, he lifted it to his lips, gently kissing around the tender areas. Flipping it over, he lightly ran his thumb over the faint scar left by the lab explosion, before raining tender kisses along the imperfection.
Letting out a soft moan, Sara had buried her face in his neck, nuzzling him while her free hand ran up and down his back. Grissom had let go of her hand and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her body tight against his.
When the hug ended, he leaned back, watching her keenly as his hands brushed stray locks of hair from her face. Both were breathing heavily, knowing a moment of truth was approaching. Unable to bear the intensity of his gaze, Sara stepped away and crossed the room.
Grissom's look of confusion and disappointment morphed to curiosity when she turned her attention to the futon. When it refused to unfold, a she gave the frame a swift kick, solving that problem. She looked up, blushing slightly and nodding in the direction of the makeshift bed.
He joined her quickly, pulling her in for another deep kiss as she began to unbutton his shirt. Luckily, she thought to ask then if he had any protection. Sheepishly, he admitted he didn't, causing Sara to stare at him in disbelief. Shaking her head, she moved to the bathroom, frantically searching for the box of condoms she always kept on hand out of a general sense of preparedness.
Moving back into the main living area, she found him staring at the floor, but he lifted his face when she approached. Cradling her face gently, he looked at her questioningly, verifying she wanted to continue. Her determined kiss settled the question.
Looking at the futon warily, he gently laid her down, kissing her deeply, but pulling her hands away when she began to explore his body. Smiling gently, he told her to be patient and rested her hands back on the pillows. He then approached their lovemaking much the way he did a crime scene - slow, thorough and completely in control.
He removed her clothes in an unhurried manner, pausing occasionally to turn his attention back to her lips. As each new area of skin became exposed, he began his examination, first visually, then with gentle caresses from his fingers, then progressing to his lips and tongue.
Grissom had carefully avoided the more sensitive erogenous zones, building her arousal slowly. Whenever a moan escaped from Sara, he'd focus his attention back to the area under consideration, experimenting with slightly more or less pressure, gauging her reactions to the various stimuli.
Once she was completely nude, he let his eyes travel reverently over her entire form as he stripped off his own clothes. Grissom moved on top of her, enjoying the feel of their skin pressing against each other. After a series of passionate kisses, he began working his way back down her body, this time focusing on the most sensitive areas.
Using his fingers and mouth, he brought her to two climaxes before kissing and caressing his way back up her body. Resting his weight on his arms, he kissed her gently as the last waves of pleasure racked her body.
Sara let out another contented sigh as she recalled the open look of admiration and love in his eyes as he'd waited for her to catch her breath. Grissom was normally so private, but he bared his soul earlier that night. It seemed he had been determined to use their lovemaking to show her everything that that he had trouble telling her.
And it had been lovemaking. His tenderness had been a pleasant surprise, and what she needed that evening. After her first climax, she'd been happy that he'd placed so much emphasis on her pleasure, but when he continued his ministrations, she'd been ecstatic, in more ways than one. It showed a depth of emotion many thought he was incapable of.
As she'd recovered, Sara began her own exploration of his body, determined to give him the same consideration. But when she began running her hands along his length, Grissom had shuddered softly. Settling between her thighs, slowly entering her. Kissing the sensitive hollow of her neck, he kept his strokes slow and short, giving her time to adjust to him.
Once he was fully inside, Sara smiled encouragingly, lifting her hips to match his thrusts. Running her hands across his back, she trailed kisses across his neck, matching him as he gradually increased the tempo. When he brought her to another climax, she nipped the flesh along his shoulder. As the last waves washed over her, she continued caressing and nuzzling Grissom until his own release overtook him.
Afterwards, they lay in each other arms, sharing gentle kisses and caresses as they waited for their heart and breathing rates to return to normal. After a long time of silently cuddling, he pulled her closer and broached the subject of the bus.
Stroking her back reassuringly, he told her there had been nothing else she could have done, that she had saved the other children, that she shouldn't blame herself for anything that had happened. While she explained that her confidence had been broken, Grissom whispered gentle encouragements, telling her it would take time and not to rush it.
Later, after she'd shed the last of her tears, he drifted off to sleep. Sara had been watching him since, content to just enjoy the feel of his body next to hers. She moved her eyes over his exposed flesh, memorizing the way he looked. Sleep had removed the stress from his features; he seemed more serene than she had ever seen him.
She had deliberately fought off sleep. He needed to get back to Las Vegas. It took time for a new CSI to be broken in, and the lab was stilling running short-handed because of her absence. She wasn't going to compound that by making him miss his flight, and she certainly had no desire to leave the warm cocoon of sheets to go set the alarm clock.
Nightmares were another concern. They were still making occasional appearances and she didn't want to take a chance of marring the memory of this evening with one.
Tonight had been beautiful. She didn't know if it had been a good idea, though.
He had been amazing, on many different levels, through all of this. In spite of everything, he had stayed by her side, even coming back after she would hurt him. She didn't know if it was a fluke or a side of himself that he carefully hid. Hopefully, there would be time in the future to find out.
Sighing softly, she turned her attention back to Grissom. Temptation finally won over, and she ran her fingers through his curls, causing him to stir, confirming he was a light sleeper. His hair was grayer than she remembered. Sara couldn't help wondering how many of those gray hairs she'd given him, nor worrying about how many more she'd cause.
She knew she still needed time to get herself completely together, and she wouldn't be returning to Nevada anytime soon. Sara had been serious in her letter; her emotional state was still precarious. Rushing into a relationship now could be dangerous. She didn't want to hurt him again.
Their lovemaking had been gratifying, but a part of her felt it had been selfish on her part. She didn't know how long she'd have to keep him waiting before she would be able to gain enough stability so she wouldn't cause him any more pain. Running her fingers softly along his cheek, she hoped he'd be willing to wait.
With a flush of guilt, she decided not to worry about it right now. She was going to accept tonight for what it was: a beautiful experience that she'd never forget. There would be time later to deal with the emotional ramifications. She wanted to repay Grissom some of the emotional gratification he'd given her before he left for Las Vegas.
Sara turned to look at the clock. He wouldn't have to leave for the airport for almost two hours. She smiled as she pulled back the covers and straddled his body. Leaning forward, she began kissing his lips softly, urging him to awaken. They had plenty of time left for one more good-bye.
A smile crossed Sara's face as she watched Grissom sleeping contently beside her. She resisted the urge to run her fingers through his hair, in case he was a light sleeper, settling instead to lazily trace patterns across his chest.
Her smile took on a satisfied air as she stretched salaciously. For a social recluse, he had been surprisingly talented. Not that she was going to complain about the outcome. 'Still waters run deep', she thought, shaking her head slightly in amusement.
Flights of fantasy had never been Sara's style. While the other schoolgirls imagined their perfect mate and their perfect weddings, she'd sit alone and work the unassigned math problems. She may have wondered if Grissom would ever be her lover, but she'd never daydreamed that their first encounter would resemble a scene from some old romantic movie.
But she never would have guessed it would start out like a Keystone Kops routine, either. She chuckled softly at the memories, wondering if Grissom felt the same way. Considering the male ego, she doubted he would see the humor as various objects conspired to keep them apart. Then again, he'd already surprised her a number of times.
Resting her head against his chest, she let out a soft sigh. After worrying about how he would react to what had happened on the bus, the amount of love he'd shown her had nearly been overwhelming.
Grissom's first kiss, she remembered, had been incredibly soft, incredibly tender and incredibly unexpected. Sara pulled back in shock once her brain successfully identified who and what had triggered that new source of pleasure.
He stepped back in panic, mumbling an apology. Seeing the hurt and fear in his eyes, she quickly closed the gap between them, moving to kiss him reassuringly. That time Grissom had been the one caught by surprise and broke the kiss.
Sara stayed close, though, and they watched each other carefully, silently questioning each other. The third kiss was hesitant and brief, but it was mutual.
After a long moment of locked gazes, they moved in for kiss number four, a gentle brushing of lips. Kiss five, which followed immediately, was just as soft, and lasted a bit longer than its predecessor.
Leaning back, they had smiled before moving in again. Kiss six found Sara running her fingers through his curls, pulling his head in closer as his hands began roving across her back. As their confidence grew, so did the intensity, and kisses seven through 10 became progressively more passionate.
On kiss number 11, Sara opened her mouth, allowing Grissom's tongue to begin a gentle exploration. By kiss 12, she was certain his pulse was above his normal rate of 70 beats a minute.
Then the forgotten pot of water began to boil over.
Swearing under her breath, Sara turned off the burner, grabbed the offending pan and tossed it into the sink. Her jerky motions caused a bit of the hot water to splash on her hand. She ignored it, but before she could turn back to Grissom, he stepped up behind her, pinning her between the sink and his body.
Wrapping his arms around her, he turned on the faucet, and gently held her hand under the cold water, carefully turning it, inspecting for any additional injuries. Sara closed her eyes as the cold water on her hand and his warmth behind her sent her mind mixed signals.
She couldn't believe this was happening. Part of her feared he would react with disgust when she told him she'd left Hunter on the bus. His compassion and gentleness quickly dispelled that idea. She took a ragged breath as he pressed closer against her.
Gingerly, he took a dishtowel and dried her hand. Turning her around, he wet the towel and washed away the remains of her tears before leaning in to brush soft kisses across her face.
Moving his attention back to her hand, he lifted it to his lips, gently kissing around the tender areas. Flipping it over, he lightly ran his thumb over the faint scar left by the lab explosion, before raining tender kisses along the imperfection.
Letting out a soft moan, Sara had buried her face in his neck, nuzzling him while her free hand ran up and down his back. Grissom had let go of her hand and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her body tight against his.
When the hug ended, he leaned back, watching her keenly as his hands brushed stray locks of hair from her face. Both were breathing heavily, knowing a moment of truth was approaching. Unable to bear the intensity of his gaze, Sara stepped away and crossed the room.
Grissom's look of confusion and disappointment morphed to curiosity when she turned her attention to the futon. When it refused to unfold, a she gave the frame a swift kick, solving that problem. She looked up, blushing slightly and nodding in the direction of the makeshift bed.
He joined her quickly, pulling her in for another deep kiss as she began to unbutton his shirt. Luckily, she thought to ask then if he had any protection. Sheepishly, he admitted he didn't, causing Sara to stare at him in disbelief. Shaking her head, she moved to the bathroom, frantically searching for the box of condoms she always kept on hand out of a general sense of preparedness.
Moving back into the main living area, she found him staring at the floor, but he lifted his face when she approached. Cradling her face gently, he looked at her questioningly, verifying she wanted to continue. Her determined kiss settled the question.
Looking at the futon warily, he gently laid her down, kissing her deeply, but pulling her hands away when she began to explore his body. Smiling gently, he told her to be patient and rested her hands back on the pillows. He then approached their lovemaking much the way he did a crime scene - slow, thorough and completely in control.
He removed her clothes in an unhurried manner, pausing occasionally to turn his attention back to her lips. As each new area of skin became exposed, he began his examination, first visually, then with gentle caresses from his fingers, then progressing to his lips and tongue.
Grissom had carefully avoided the more sensitive erogenous zones, building her arousal slowly. Whenever a moan escaped from Sara, he'd focus his attention back to the area under consideration, experimenting with slightly more or less pressure, gauging her reactions to the various stimuli.
Once she was completely nude, he let his eyes travel reverently over her entire form as he stripped off his own clothes. Grissom moved on top of her, enjoying the feel of their skin pressing against each other. After a series of passionate kisses, he began working his way back down her body, this time focusing on the most sensitive areas.
Using his fingers and mouth, he brought her to two climaxes before kissing and caressing his way back up her body. Resting his weight on his arms, he kissed her gently as the last waves of pleasure racked her body.
Sara let out another contented sigh as she recalled the open look of admiration and love in his eyes as he'd waited for her to catch her breath. Grissom was normally so private, but he bared his soul earlier that night. It seemed he had been determined to use their lovemaking to show her everything that that he had trouble telling her.
And it had been lovemaking. His tenderness had been a pleasant surprise, and what she needed that evening. After her first climax, she'd been happy that he'd placed so much emphasis on her pleasure, but when he continued his ministrations, she'd been ecstatic, in more ways than one. It showed a depth of emotion many thought he was incapable of.
As she'd recovered, Sara began her own exploration of his body, determined to give him the same consideration. But when she began running her hands along his length, Grissom had shuddered softly. Settling between her thighs, slowly entering her. Kissing the sensitive hollow of her neck, he kept his strokes slow and short, giving her time to adjust to him.
Once he was fully inside, Sara smiled encouragingly, lifting her hips to match his thrusts. Running her hands across his back, she trailed kisses across his neck, matching him as he gradually increased the tempo. When he brought her to another climax, she nipped the flesh along his shoulder. As the last waves washed over her, she continued caressing and nuzzling Grissom until his own release overtook him.
Afterwards, they lay in each other arms, sharing gentle kisses and caresses as they waited for their heart and breathing rates to return to normal. After a long time of silently cuddling, he pulled her closer and broached the subject of the bus.
Stroking her back reassuringly, he told her there had been nothing else she could have done, that she had saved the other children, that she shouldn't blame herself for anything that had happened. While she explained that her confidence had been broken, Grissom whispered gentle encouragements, telling her it would take time and not to rush it.
Later, after she'd shed the last of her tears, he drifted off to sleep. Sara had been watching him since, content to just enjoy the feel of his body next to hers. She moved her eyes over his exposed flesh, memorizing the way he looked. Sleep had removed the stress from his features; he seemed more serene than she had ever seen him.
She had deliberately fought off sleep. He needed to get back to Las Vegas. It took time for a new CSI to be broken in, and the lab was stilling running short-handed because of her absence. She wasn't going to compound that by making him miss his flight, and she certainly had no desire to leave the warm cocoon of sheets to go set the alarm clock.
Nightmares were another concern. They were still making occasional appearances and she didn't want to take a chance of marring the memory of this evening with one.
Tonight had been beautiful. She didn't know if it had been a good idea, though.
He had been amazing, on many different levels, through all of this. In spite of everything, he had stayed by her side, even coming back after she would hurt him. She didn't know if it was a fluke or a side of himself that he carefully hid. Hopefully, there would be time in the future to find out.
Sighing softly, she turned her attention back to Grissom. Temptation finally won over, and she ran her fingers through his curls, causing him to stir, confirming he was a light sleeper. His hair was grayer than she remembered. Sara couldn't help wondering how many of those gray hairs she'd given him, nor worrying about how many more she'd cause.
She knew she still needed time to get herself completely together, and she wouldn't be returning to Nevada anytime soon. Sara had been serious in her letter; her emotional state was still precarious. Rushing into a relationship now could be dangerous. She didn't want to hurt him again.
Their lovemaking had been gratifying, but a part of her felt it had been selfish on her part. She didn't know how long she'd have to keep him waiting before she would be able to gain enough stability so she wouldn't cause him any more pain. Running her fingers softly along his cheek, she hoped he'd be willing to wait.
With a flush of guilt, she decided not to worry about it right now. She was going to accept tonight for what it was: a beautiful experience that she'd never forget. There would be time later to deal with the emotional ramifications. She wanted to repay Grissom some of the emotional gratification he'd given her before he left for Las Vegas.
Sara turned to look at the clock. He wouldn't have to leave for the airport for almost two hours. She smiled as she pulled back the covers and straddled his body. Leaning forward, she began kissing his lips softly, urging him to awaken. They had plenty of time left for one more good-bye.