Disclaimer: You know the drill.
Author's Note:
Well, this is very, very short. And needed. Hope you appreciate the update.
(Feedback!)
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Chapter 7: Primal Needs
"I can't believe you did that!"
Sara took the keys from his nervous hands, unlocked the door and stepped in almost automatically, pretty much engrossed in the conversation. He followed her in, just as distractedly.
"What did you want me to do? He was yelling at you!" He scowled vehemently, frustrated at her stubbornness. She couldn't help but smirk.
"Nick," She paused to emphasize the seriousness of the situation. The amused smile playing on her lips betrayed her, though. "You hit Hank, in front of the entire mall. The security guards had to drag you away."
They had gone shopping that afternoon, the same way they had a couple of times before. Running into her former boyfriend wasn't part of the plan, but it had made the experience much more interesting.
The man was a jerk. That had already been established. He had hurt her a lot, and her coworker had wanted nothing but teach him a thing or two on how to treat ladies. The chance to do so had never come and it certainly hadn't been his place at the time.
But it was now.
And Nick didn't understand why she was lecturing him, like he had done something wrong. So he avoided her eyes, which didn't prevent him from speaking his mind.
"He deserved it." He finally stated, considering it an argument that could not be refuted. A childlike pout graced his face, and any traces of coldness in her face faded away. "Besides, he was a baby about it."
She chuckled.
"I particularly liked the part where you warned him to stay away from me while he bled his nose out. Very manly."
"Yeah well, sue me for trying to be a gentleman and defend your honor."
He took a glass and poured himself some water, still flustered. Time to cut him some slack.
"Hey," She called while reaching for his hand, forcing him to meet her eyes that now held a soft smile. "I'm not a damsel in distress. Still, I think you look sexy when you get territorial."
This time he sighed, happy to see that she wasn't mad at him, and smiled cockily closing the space between them. He tilted his head moving in for a kiss.
"If you had said something before I would have taken care of Grissom a long time ago..."
His lips never made it to hers. She deliberately pushed him away and took a couple of steps backwards, a stern look in her face.
"I knew it! I knew you never liked the idea of me and Grissom together!" Her finger pointed at him accusingly, but he didn't back down.
That was one of the things she loved the most about him. He never backed down when he believed the fight was worth it.
"Of course not!" Nick sighed just as annoyed as a couple of minutes ago. Whatever explaining he might do, it all seemed too obvious to him. "What is there to like?"
She could only stare at him. He shook his head and sat on the couch. Perhaps she was too stubborn for her own sake.
"Let's see. You finally start doing some living and all he does is whine!" He added.
"Right. Because you obviously love the notion of me going out with men."
Sara folded her arms across her chest, knowingly. He still looked back at her innocently while opening his mouth to retort.
"Well, I've certainly done some encouraging!"
"Because it was in your best interest! You were the one I was sleeping with!"
"And *you* slowing down in your life is just not in his best interest!" She frowned, unsure of what he meant.
"I don't know what you mean." She tried to sound cold, but it only came out trembling. She was uncertain of her wish to find out what he meant. That didn't keep him from elaborating.
"If you slow down, sooner or later you will realize that you want something else, that being a CSI is not good enough,"
"Being a CSI is all I ever wanted and dreamed of." She stated, this time fully aware of the implications of his reasoning.
"Exactly," He said standing up, softening. "You are already there. If you slow down, you might start dreaming again. And that's in your best interest. Not mine. Not Grissom's."
"You think he doesn't give a damn about me." She whispered sadly.
He just engulfed her in a gentle hug.
"I think he doesn't care if you burn out working as long as you do it his way and he remains in control of the situation." He felt her stiffen for a second.
"You should know by now that he could never control me." She said shifting quickly to meet his eyes that now brimmed with the fire of the untamed. "And neither can you."
But she wasn't telling him anything he didn't already know, so he shrugged.
"I don't mind."
She sighed and wrapped herself deeper in his embrace, staying like that for a few seconds. She felt his grip tighten around her, and his lips on her forehead, and refused to open her eyes.
But she did it anyway.
"Could we," She trailed off in search for the words. "Can we just dance tonight?"
He nodded softly and looked at her somehow confused, but she didn't notice it. She had already disentangled herself from his embrace and made her way to the CD player.
The slow music started to fill the air, and he chuckled.
Sara didn't even flinch; she just sunk back into his arms, completely drained.
"Country? I thought you hated this stuff!"
"I do not hate it!" She defended herself. "Besides," She shrugged "you like it."
Nick raised and eyebrow and reached out to stop the music. He turned on the radio and smiled at the sound of her sigh of relief.
"That's more like it." She attempted at teasing, unsuccessfully, but fortunately teasing wasn't needed.
He turned his attention completely to the feeling of her swaying softly.
Some things were just beyond words.
- END OF CHAPTER SEVEN.
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Written by Mary S.
