Part 2

Sunlight streamed into the room through the open window. Sara came awake slowly. She stretched her aching muscles and suddenly became aware of a large, warm body lying behind her. Sara stilled her movements, pausing to take stock of the situation. As the events of the previous evening came back to her a smile spread across her face.

'I slept with Gil Grissom,' she thought to herself. Sara was lying on her side facing the windows with Grissom's chest pressed firmly against her back. She looked down and saw his fingers sprawled out just beneath her breasts. She lay there quietly savoring the moment knowing full well that this would be the first and last time that she would wake up in his arms.

Grissom shifted slightly behind her, indicating that he was awake. She waited for him to move away from her and was shocked to the core when instead he leaned his head down to plant a soft kiss behind her ear.

"Good morning, Sara."

"Good morning," she automatically responded. Her heart was racing almost as fast as the questions in her head. Not quite ready to address the kiss she repeated her questions from the night before. "Why do you keep a pair of boxers in your kit?"

He smiled glad that she wasn't pressing him about his impulsive display of affection. It somehow left him at ease enough to tighten his arm around her and settle his chin on her shoulder.

"I like clean underwear."

"Everyone likes clean underwear Grissom."

He chuckled unsurprised that his short answer wasn't enough. "When I was a rookie and would pull doubles I never bothered to change clothes but I would be tired and irate by the end of the shift." He paused as she rolled over to face him. He stared at her for a moment taking in a sight he never thought he's see. Sara Sidle without an ounce of make-up on and hair rumpled from sleep. God, she was beautiful. Grissom cleared his throat and tried to remember what they'd been talking about.

"Um…I..uh..started trying different things to make the long shifts easier. I changed my shirt or pants or both. I changed socks. I drank coffee or tea. None of it worked. Then for some reason I decided to try changing my boxers and I felt almost completely refreshed. And that's why I keep a pair of boxers in my kit."

Sara fought to suppress a smile and laid a hand on his bearded cheek. "You always act like nothing bothers you."

Grissom sighed. "Sara," he placed his hand over hers on his face, stroking her knuckles with his thumb, "just because I don't show it, doesn't mean I'm not bothered." He turned his face to place a kiss in her palm. "You happen to bother me a lot of the time."

Sara swallowed hard and cleared her throat. "Is that bad?"

Grissom began kissing each of her fingertips and a lingering kiss on the rapidly beating pulse in her wrist. "That all depends on the time of day."

Sara managed a small smile just before he touched his lips lightly to hers.

TBC?