Well...here it is (finally!)! A new chapter! Sorry for the delay. You can blame LSU, 'real life', and writer's block for the time interval. But I promise, next time it won't be so long!
I have to send a special thanks to my good friend and beta Grissomgal71! Not only did she correct the mistakes I made, she also kept egging me on to finish the chapter! So, thanks Jamie!
******* *******
Grissom looked up when he felt someone tap his shoulder. He was helping his mother take down the Christmas tree, a small family tradition that he tried to keep. He was in the middle of taking down a delicate crystal angel, which he carefully held in his hand as he turned.
It was Sara. She smiled at him, then pointed to the cookbook she held. "This stuff sounds good, but I don't think I could make it." Sara had volunteered to make dinner for them all, wanting to give Mrs. Grissom a break. But after looking at the cookbooks on the shelves, she wasn't sure if she could make the dishes. She could cook, but was well out of practice.
Grissom grinned at her, taking the cookbook from her hands gently. "Don't worry about it, Sara. I can make something."
Sara raised an eyebrow. "You can cook?"
Grissom shook his head. "Yes, Sara. I can cook. Despite being banned from the kitchen at a young age, I managed to pick up a few things. I mean, somebody's got to cook for me. And since I'm always alone..." He let the sentence hang, leaving her to finish it in her thoughts.
She nodded. "Sure. If you want to. And if your mother will let you!" She gave him another smile, then disappeared back into the kitchen.
Grissom shook his head in amusement, then turned his attention to the small angel he still held in his hands. He studied it for a long moment, remembering when his mother had bought it. "Long time ago," he said softly, seeing the nine-year-old phantom of himself staring at the angel in wonder. He had not been allowed to touch it then, for fear that it might break. It had seemed so beautiful then, and had not lost any of its glory.
That memory faded away to a more recent one. There was another angel in his life, a beautiful young student in the back of a lecture hall. A student who listened intently to his every word while others nodded off. And she too had been untouchable, though not because she was too fragile, but because it was he who had become the fragile one.
He looked towards the door where Sara had disappeared. Had he finally gotten over his weakness? Or would he withdraw as soon as they returned to Vegas, possibly losing Sara forever?
He was suddenly aware of his mother staring at him, an odd expression on her face. She noticed that he had turned to her and began to sign.
'Something wrong, Gil?'
He shook his head. 'Just thinking.'
She smiled knowingly, glancing towards the kitchen. 'She's a pretty one.'
He cocked his head to the side, giving her a small grin. 'She is.'
'She's nice, too.'
Grissom just nodded.
Mrs. Grissom put a hand on his shoulder. 'I'm glad you found someone,' she signed after giving his shoulder a pat. 'It's good to see you happy.'
Grissom stared for a moment. His mother had always seemed to have some kind of 'radar' about the women that he brought into his life. If his mother didn't seem to approve of one, the relationship would usually end quickly, though Mrs. Grissom didn't do a thing. Ashleigh Morgan was a great example. When Gil had brought her home to meet his mother, the older woman had seemed rather cold. She later confided to her son that the woman was trouble. Sure enough, six months later, they had gone their separate ways, Ashleigh pregnant with another man's child. But his mother seemed to approve of Sara, something that rarely ever happened.
Mrs. Grissom laughed at her son's expression after a moment. 'I really am glad that you found her. You two seem great together.' She glanced up at the kitchen. 'Why don't you two go somewhere and eat? It's a shame to have so many great restaurants nearby and not take advantage of them.'
'You don't want to come?'
She shook her head, gesturing towards Sara, who had just stepped out of the kitchen. 'No. I think you should spend some time together, outside of the house, before you have to go back to Vegas.'
"Gris? What's up?" Sara asked, moving next to him. She'd seen his slightly perplexed expression from the door jamb. She crouched down next to him, studying his expression.
He turned to her, giving his mother one last glance. Clearing his throat, he desperately hoped his voice wasn't shaky. "Do you want to go out and get something to eat?"
Sara's eyes went from Grissom to his mother and back again. "Sure. Where did you guys want to go?"
"Actually..." Grissom cleared his throat again, "my mother doesn't really want to go. I was wondering if...you and I could go."
For a long moment, Sara simply stared at Grissom. Finally, to Grissom's great relief, her face broke out into a smile. "Sure! That would be great," she said, laying a hand on his shoulder and giving it a squeeze. She could see that he was more than a little nervous at the prospect of taking her out on a 'date'. He seemed to still be wigged out at the fact that he was the supervisor and she an 'underling', as she had once heard Ecklie put it.
Grissom nodded, a smile on his own face, then stood up. He signed something to his mother, then stepped out of the room, leaving Sara very confused. She decided to pick up where Grissom had left off with the Christmas ornaments, helping Mrs. Grissom until all of the decorations were safely in their boxes. Grissom's mother decided to retire to her room for a nap, leaving Sara alone and wondering where Grissom had gone to.
She wandered about the house, finally finding him in a back room filled with old books and a desk. He had taken his laptop out of his bag, connected it to the phone line, and was now pecking away on the keyboard with a cell phone next to his ear. She leaned against the door jamb, waiting until he was finished with his conversation.
He was oblivious to her presence, scribbling notes onto a notepad. "Yes...Uh huh...Yeah. Do you have any vegetarian dishes? You do? How many? A whole menu? Great." He paused to jot down something. "Do you take reservations or is it a walk-in? Reservations? Okay. Dress code? Oh..." Sara heard the tone of his voice change. Instead of being slightly optimistic, now he seemed a little disappointed. "Uh huh...Could you put down a reservation for me, but don't make it 'official' yet. Yeah, I need to see if the dress code is okay. Gil Grissom." She listened as he spelt out his last name, making sure the person on the other end didn't keep it as 'Grisham', as they had evidently put. He thanked them, hung up, then turned around. He seemed startled to see Sara right behind him, but managed to keep most of his composure.
"Sara. I called one of the restaurants in the area. It...uh...has some really good food."
"I sense a 'but' coming," she said, a small smile on her face.
He gave her a half-grin. "Yeah. They have a dress code. Not quite 'tux and gown', but it is a bit upscale dress." He made a face. "Does that make sense to you?"
"Yeah, Gris. It makes perfect sense to me."
"So..." Grissom made a face, as if fighting with himself over what to say. "If you don't have..."
"Gris, I was planning to be spending this weekend lounging with my cousins. We'd probably never get out of our pajamas."
He nodded. "I understand. We could go somewhere else." He reached to pick up the phone again, but Sara put her hand on top of his.
"But that doesn't mean that I can't get something to wear." She laughed at his confused expression. "Come on, Gris. This is a town filled with clothing stores. Don't you think I could find a nice dress by tonight?"
Grissom worked his mouth, opening and shutting it a few times though no words came out.
Sara laughed again. "What's wrong, Grissom?"
He shook his head slightly. "Of all of the things I thought I would do, taking you shopping for a dress was not one of them. I...I've never been...dress shopping before."
"It's not that hard. Besides, if you want, you could just sit in the car and wait for me."
* * * * * *
Two hours later, Grissom found himself in yet another clothing store. Sara would try on a whole armful of dresses, but wouldn't allow him to see her in them. She said she wanted it to be a surprise.
Grissom was bored stiff. He sat in a chair next to another man, who was also waiting for his woman to finish trying on clothes. Grissom sighed, leaning back in his chair and lacing his fingers behind his head. He closed his eyes, thinking maybe he could catch a small nap.
"Waitin' on the wife?" a voice said, cutting into the silence.
Grissom opened his eyes and searched for the source, finding that it had come from the man next to him. He glanced at him quickly, then closed his eyes again. "Not my wife."
"Girlfriend? Me too. She's been dragging me to just about every boutique in the city. No special occasion; she just wants to show off the pounds she lost. Not that I mind, of course."
Grissom gave him a fake smile. "Wonderful."
The guy just didn't seem to be able to take a hint. That, or he was desperate for conversation that didn't involve the phrase 'does this make me look fat?' "So, what's the special occasion for you guys? I mean, day after Christmas, must be something."
"We're going to dinner," Grissom said, sympathizing with the guy, but not wanting to give away too much about himself.
"Dinner? That's it? Well, I mean...You guys goin' someplace special?"
"Yeah."
"Anniversary?"
"No."
"Birthday?"
"No."
"Forgot to get her a Christmas present?"
"No!" Grissom said, almost yelling. He sat up in his chair, fixing the guy with a piercing stare. "It's our first date."
"Oh," the man said, his mouth frozen in an 'O'. Then he made a face. "First date?"
"Yeah."
The man finally seemed to realize that Grissom wasn't the chatty type and kept to himself. He studied the floor for a long time before his girlfriend came out, empty-handed. They got into a small spat, which ended with him walking after her, apologizing. Grissom allowed a small grin to cross his face, sinking down in the chair to get more comfortable.
He waited just a few more minutes until he saw Sara step away from the sales woman, a black clothing bag in her arms. He couldn't help but study it for a moment before approaching her. "Found one?" he asked nonchalantly.
She smiled. "Sure did. Took me long enough, didn't it?"
"You said it, not me," he replied, earning himself a slap on the arm.
* * * * * * *
Grissom frowned at his reflection, sure that he didn't remember having that many grey hairs the last time he'd looked in the mirror. But then he couldn't really remember the last time he'd taken a good look at himself in the mirror. He ran a hand over his beard, wondering for the millionth time whether he should shave it off or not. He liked it, and Sara seemed to like it as well, so that helped make up his mind. He trimmed it up a bit, then gazed at himself in the mirror.
He ran a hand through his hair, unsure if he should even attempt to do something with it. In his opinion, his hair looked best when left to its own devices. Brushing or styling it always ended up making him uncomfortable. So, like a typical guy, he didn't mess with his hair. He opened up the medicine cabinet, pulling out a small glass bottle. He studied it for a moment, then glanced up at the mirror. Once again, he found himself struggling to remember something. This time, he was trying to figure out the last time he'd worn aftershave.
Not too long afterwards, he stepped out of the bathroom, tying his tie as he walked. He'd decided to wear the shirt Sara had given him for Christmas, along with a simple tie. His mother had insisted upon ironing his dress pants and jacket, so they felt a little stiff as he walked. He went out into the living room, where he sank down onto the couch to tie on his shoes. He wondered briefly how long it would take Sara to get ready, then forced it out of his mind. He'd always heard that it took women forever to get ready for anything, but Sara wasn't like most women.
He smiled. Plus, in his opinion, she didn't really need to dress up to be beautiful. She always was.
He was straightening his tie for what must have been the hundredth time when someone cleared their throat behind him. He turned towards the noise, then fought to keep his mouth from falling open.
Sara stood in the doorway, a small, shy smile on her face. Dressed in a long black gown with her hair pulled up, she looked stunning. The dress itself was very simple, yet seemed only to make the woman wearing it shine even more. It fit snugly in all of the right places, leaving Grissom speechless.
"Sara...you..." He shook his head, abandoning his tie, and stepped over to her, taking one of her hands in his. "You look great. I can't even begin to tell you."
Her smile widened. "Thanks. So do you." He smiled back at her, lowering his head to hide the blush that started to creep up on him. Damn! Why do I always end up acting like the freshman who's just been told by a senior that he was cute? he thought to himself. Sara pulled her hand away from his, then lifted both to his neck. It took him a moment, then he realized that Sara was straightening the tie he had been messing with for the past half hour.
He grinned. "Thanks." He held out an arm. "Shall we?"
Sara nodded and stuck her arm through his, fighting back a laugh at how ridiculous they probably looked. Walking perfectly next to Grissom, she allowed him to lead her outside and to the SUV, where he continued to surprise her by opening her door for her. She gave him a quick 'thank you' before sliding into the large vehicle. He joined her a moment later, unconsciously reaching for his tie again.
"Gris," she warned. He looked at her with wide eyes. "Leave it alone. It's fine."
He gave her a small smile. "Nervous habit."
Sara didn't reply, just returned the smile and sat back in the seat. Truth be told, she was just as nervous as Grissom. She was just hiding it a bit better than he was.
The ride into town was spent in silence, neither one knowing quite what to say. It wasn't uncomfortable, just silent. When they finally reached the restaurant, they were quickly escorted to their table, situated nicely in the center of the room with a clear view of the stage, which was empty at the moment. They settled into their seats, thanked the waiter, then waited for the menus.
Sara glanced all around the large, spacious room. She'd never be in a place this elegant before, unless you counted crime scene visits. And she could also see people seated at tables who probably made at least five times what she did, all decked out in jewels and diamonds. In one corner, a young woman was showing off what seemed to be her engagement ring, a huge lug of a diamond on a small gold band. Sara's eyes widened at the sight, and she turned back to Grissom quickly.
He had a small grin on his face as he looked around. "I've never been here before. But they had good reviews, so I thought we could try it. They have a vegetarian menu," he added quickly.
She nodded, then turned away as the waiter came back with their menus.
* * * * * *
Grissom yawned widely as he pulled the SUV back into the driveway. Dinner, in his opinion, had been a great success. They'd been able to talk to each other easily, and Grissom even allowed a little personal information to work its way out.
They got out of the car in silence and stepped up to the front door. Grissom unlocked it, then held it open for Sara to step through. She did, and he closed it behind them, making sure to lock it. They walked through the house, dark except for one lamp; Mrs. Grissom had been asleep for hours already. Feeling a little awkward about coming back to the same house, Grissom wasn't quite sure how to end the night. He walked with her to 'her' room, hanging back a bit as she reached for the door knob.
She turned around, bringing her hands up to his chest. "This is a little odd. But...if we were back in Vegas and you were dropping me off, I'd tell you that I had a great time tonight."
Grissom gave her the smallest of smiles. "And I'd tell you that I did too." He leaned in closer to her, kissing her cheek. But he didn't pull away, and didn't hesitate to move to her lips when she turned her head a bit. When they finally pulled apart, Grissom raised his eyebrows. "Wow."
"Tell me about it," Sara said, her eyes wide.
He ran his tongue over his lips, unwilling to separate from her, yet knowing that it was late. "I guess this would be the part where I say goodnight."
Sara smiled. "Yeah, it would be." She stared at the floor for a moment, fighting with herself internally. "And this would be when I would ask you if you wanted to come up."
Grissom stared at her blankly for a moment, waiting for the words to sink in. "Sara..."
"I know. This is when you say 'I really shouldn't' and I say 'please'. Then you say 'are you sure' and I say 'yes'," she said quickly. She looked up at him, meeting his eyes. "So what do you say?"
He grinned, leaning in to capture her lips again.
I have to send a special thanks to my good friend and beta Grissomgal71! Not only did she correct the mistakes I made, she also kept egging me on to finish the chapter! So, thanks Jamie!
******* *******
Grissom looked up when he felt someone tap his shoulder. He was helping his mother take down the Christmas tree, a small family tradition that he tried to keep. He was in the middle of taking down a delicate crystal angel, which he carefully held in his hand as he turned.
It was Sara. She smiled at him, then pointed to the cookbook she held. "This stuff sounds good, but I don't think I could make it." Sara had volunteered to make dinner for them all, wanting to give Mrs. Grissom a break. But after looking at the cookbooks on the shelves, she wasn't sure if she could make the dishes. She could cook, but was well out of practice.
Grissom grinned at her, taking the cookbook from her hands gently. "Don't worry about it, Sara. I can make something."
Sara raised an eyebrow. "You can cook?"
Grissom shook his head. "Yes, Sara. I can cook. Despite being banned from the kitchen at a young age, I managed to pick up a few things. I mean, somebody's got to cook for me. And since I'm always alone..." He let the sentence hang, leaving her to finish it in her thoughts.
She nodded. "Sure. If you want to. And if your mother will let you!" She gave him another smile, then disappeared back into the kitchen.
Grissom shook his head in amusement, then turned his attention to the small angel he still held in his hands. He studied it for a long moment, remembering when his mother had bought it. "Long time ago," he said softly, seeing the nine-year-old phantom of himself staring at the angel in wonder. He had not been allowed to touch it then, for fear that it might break. It had seemed so beautiful then, and had not lost any of its glory.
That memory faded away to a more recent one. There was another angel in his life, a beautiful young student in the back of a lecture hall. A student who listened intently to his every word while others nodded off. And she too had been untouchable, though not because she was too fragile, but because it was he who had become the fragile one.
He looked towards the door where Sara had disappeared. Had he finally gotten over his weakness? Or would he withdraw as soon as they returned to Vegas, possibly losing Sara forever?
He was suddenly aware of his mother staring at him, an odd expression on her face. She noticed that he had turned to her and began to sign.
'Something wrong, Gil?'
He shook his head. 'Just thinking.'
She smiled knowingly, glancing towards the kitchen. 'She's a pretty one.'
He cocked his head to the side, giving her a small grin. 'She is.'
'She's nice, too.'
Grissom just nodded.
Mrs. Grissom put a hand on his shoulder. 'I'm glad you found someone,' she signed after giving his shoulder a pat. 'It's good to see you happy.'
Grissom stared for a moment. His mother had always seemed to have some kind of 'radar' about the women that he brought into his life. If his mother didn't seem to approve of one, the relationship would usually end quickly, though Mrs. Grissom didn't do a thing. Ashleigh Morgan was a great example. When Gil had brought her home to meet his mother, the older woman had seemed rather cold. She later confided to her son that the woman was trouble. Sure enough, six months later, they had gone their separate ways, Ashleigh pregnant with another man's child. But his mother seemed to approve of Sara, something that rarely ever happened.
Mrs. Grissom laughed at her son's expression after a moment. 'I really am glad that you found her. You two seem great together.' She glanced up at the kitchen. 'Why don't you two go somewhere and eat? It's a shame to have so many great restaurants nearby and not take advantage of them.'
'You don't want to come?'
She shook her head, gesturing towards Sara, who had just stepped out of the kitchen. 'No. I think you should spend some time together, outside of the house, before you have to go back to Vegas.'
"Gris? What's up?" Sara asked, moving next to him. She'd seen his slightly perplexed expression from the door jamb. She crouched down next to him, studying his expression.
He turned to her, giving his mother one last glance. Clearing his throat, he desperately hoped his voice wasn't shaky. "Do you want to go out and get something to eat?"
Sara's eyes went from Grissom to his mother and back again. "Sure. Where did you guys want to go?"
"Actually..." Grissom cleared his throat again, "my mother doesn't really want to go. I was wondering if...you and I could go."
For a long moment, Sara simply stared at Grissom. Finally, to Grissom's great relief, her face broke out into a smile. "Sure! That would be great," she said, laying a hand on his shoulder and giving it a squeeze. She could see that he was more than a little nervous at the prospect of taking her out on a 'date'. He seemed to still be wigged out at the fact that he was the supervisor and she an 'underling', as she had once heard Ecklie put it.
Grissom nodded, a smile on his own face, then stood up. He signed something to his mother, then stepped out of the room, leaving Sara very confused. She decided to pick up where Grissom had left off with the Christmas ornaments, helping Mrs. Grissom until all of the decorations were safely in their boxes. Grissom's mother decided to retire to her room for a nap, leaving Sara alone and wondering where Grissom had gone to.
She wandered about the house, finally finding him in a back room filled with old books and a desk. He had taken his laptop out of his bag, connected it to the phone line, and was now pecking away on the keyboard with a cell phone next to his ear. She leaned against the door jamb, waiting until he was finished with his conversation.
He was oblivious to her presence, scribbling notes onto a notepad. "Yes...Uh huh...Yeah. Do you have any vegetarian dishes? You do? How many? A whole menu? Great." He paused to jot down something. "Do you take reservations or is it a walk-in? Reservations? Okay. Dress code? Oh..." Sara heard the tone of his voice change. Instead of being slightly optimistic, now he seemed a little disappointed. "Uh huh...Could you put down a reservation for me, but don't make it 'official' yet. Yeah, I need to see if the dress code is okay. Gil Grissom." She listened as he spelt out his last name, making sure the person on the other end didn't keep it as 'Grisham', as they had evidently put. He thanked them, hung up, then turned around. He seemed startled to see Sara right behind him, but managed to keep most of his composure.
"Sara. I called one of the restaurants in the area. It...uh...has some really good food."
"I sense a 'but' coming," she said, a small smile on her face.
He gave her a half-grin. "Yeah. They have a dress code. Not quite 'tux and gown', but it is a bit upscale dress." He made a face. "Does that make sense to you?"
"Yeah, Gris. It makes perfect sense to me."
"So..." Grissom made a face, as if fighting with himself over what to say. "If you don't have..."
"Gris, I was planning to be spending this weekend lounging with my cousins. We'd probably never get out of our pajamas."
He nodded. "I understand. We could go somewhere else." He reached to pick up the phone again, but Sara put her hand on top of his.
"But that doesn't mean that I can't get something to wear." She laughed at his confused expression. "Come on, Gris. This is a town filled with clothing stores. Don't you think I could find a nice dress by tonight?"
Grissom worked his mouth, opening and shutting it a few times though no words came out.
Sara laughed again. "What's wrong, Grissom?"
He shook his head slightly. "Of all of the things I thought I would do, taking you shopping for a dress was not one of them. I...I've never been...dress shopping before."
"It's not that hard. Besides, if you want, you could just sit in the car and wait for me."
* * * * * *
Two hours later, Grissom found himself in yet another clothing store. Sara would try on a whole armful of dresses, but wouldn't allow him to see her in them. She said she wanted it to be a surprise.
Grissom was bored stiff. He sat in a chair next to another man, who was also waiting for his woman to finish trying on clothes. Grissom sighed, leaning back in his chair and lacing his fingers behind his head. He closed his eyes, thinking maybe he could catch a small nap.
"Waitin' on the wife?" a voice said, cutting into the silence.
Grissom opened his eyes and searched for the source, finding that it had come from the man next to him. He glanced at him quickly, then closed his eyes again. "Not my wife."
"Girlfriend? Me too. She's been dragging me to just about every boutique in the city. No special occasion; she just wants to show off the pounds she lost. Not that I mind, of course."
Grissom gave him a fake smile. "Wonderful."
The guy just didn't seem to be able to take a hint. That, or he was desperate for conversation that didn't involve the phrase 'does this make me look fat?' "So, what's the special occasion for you guys? I mean, day after Christmas, must be something."
"We're going to dinner," Grissom said, sympathizing with the guy, but not wanting to give away too much about himself.
"Dinner? That's it? Well, I mean...You guys goin' someplace special?"
"Yeah."
"Anniversary?"
"No."
"Birthday?"
"No."
"Forgot to get her a Christmas present?"
"No!" Grissom said, almost yelling. He sat up in his chair, fixing the guy with a piercing stare. "It's our first date."
"Oh," the man said, his mouth frozen in an 'O'. Then he made a face. "First date?"
"Yeah."
The man finally seemed to realize that Grissom wasn't the chatty type and kept to himself. He studied the floor for a long time before his girlfriend came out, empty-handed. They got into a small spat, which ended with him walking after her, apologizing. Grissom allowed a small grin to cross his face, sinking down in the chair to get more comfortable.
He waited just a few more minutes until he saw Sara step away from the sales woman, a black clothing bag in her arms. He couldn't help but study it for a moment before approaching her. "Found one?" he asked nonchalantly.
She smiled. "Sure did. Took me long enough, didn't it?"
"You said it, not me," he replied, earning himself a slap on the arm.
* * * * * * *
Grissom frowned at his reflection, sure that he didn't remember having that many grey hairs the last time he'd looked in the mirror. But then he couldn't really remember the last time he'd taken a good look at himself in the mirror. He ran a hand over his beard, wondering for the millionth time whether he should shave it off or not. He liked it, and Sara seemed to like it as well, so that helped make up his mind. He trimmed it up a bit, then gazed at himself in the mirror.
He ran a hand through his hair, unsure if he should even attempt to do something with it. In his opinion, his hair looked best when left to its own devices. Brushing or styling it always ended up making him uncomfortable. So, like a typical guy, he didn't mess with his hair. He opened up the medicine cabinet, pulling out a small glass bottle. He studied it for a moment, then glanced up at the mirror. Once again, he found himself struggling to remember something. This time, he was trying to figure out the last time he'd worn aftershave.
Not too long afterwards, he stepped out of the bathroom, tying his tie as he walked. He'd decided to wear the shirt Sara had given him for Christmas, along with a simple tie. His mother had insisted upon ironing his dress pants and jacket, so they felt a little stiff as he walked. He went out into the living room, where he sank down onto the couch to tie on his shoes. He wondered briefly how long it would take Sara to get ready, then forced it out of his mind. He'd always heard that it took women forever to get ready for anything, but Sara wasn't like most women.
He smiled. Plus, in his opinion, she didn't really need to dress up to be beautiful. She always was.
He was straightening his tie for what must have been the hundredth time when someone cleared their throat behind him. He turned towards the noise, then fought to keep his mouth from falling open.
Sara stood in the doorway, a small, shy smile on her face. Dressed in a long black gown with her hair pulled up, she looked stunning. The dress itself was very simple, yet seemed only to make the woman wearing it shine even more. It fit snugly in all of the right places, leaving Grissom speechless.
"Sara...you..." He shook his head, abandoning his tie, and stepped over to her, taking one of her hands in his. "You look great. I can't even begin to tell you."
Her smile widened. "Thanks. So do you." He smiled back at her, lowering his head to hide the blush that started to creep up on him. Damn! Why do I always end up acting like the freshman who's just been told by a senior that he was cute? he thought to himself. Sara pulled her hand away from his, then lifted both to his neck. It took him a moment, then he realized that Sara was straightening the tie he had been messing with for the past half hour.
He grinned. "Thanks." He held out an arm. "Shall we?"
Sara nodded and stuck her arm through his, fighting back a laugh at how ridiculous they probably looked. Walking perfectly next to Grissom, she allowed him to lead her outside and to the SUV, where he continued to surprise her by opening her door for her. She gave him a quick 'thank you' before sliding into the large vehicle. He joined her a moment later, unconsciously reaching for his tie again.
"Gris," she warned. He looked at her with wide eyes. "Leave it alone. It's fine."
He gave her a small smile. "Nervous habit."
Sara didn't reply, just returned the smile and sat back in the seat. Truth be told, she was just as nervous as Grissom. She was just hiding it a bit better than he was.
The ride into town was spent in silence, neither one knowing quite what to say. It wasn't uncomfortable, just silent. When they finally reached the restaurant, they were quickly escorted to their table, situated nicely in the center of the room with a clear view of the stage, which was empty at the moment. They settled into their seats, thanked the waiter, then waited for the menus.
Sara glanced all around the large, spacious room. She'd never be in a place this elegant before, unless you counted crime scene visits. And she could also see people seated at tables who probably made at least five times what she did, all decked out in jewels and diamonds. In one corner, a young woman was showing off what seemed to be her engagement ring, a huge lug of a diamond on a small gold band. Sara's eyes widened at the sight, and she turned back to Grissom quickly.
He had a small grin on his face as he looked around. "I've never been here before. But they had good reviews, so I thought we could try it. They have a vegetarian menu," he added quickly.
She nodded, then turned away as the waiter came back with their menus.
* * * * * *
Grissom yawned widely as he pulled the SUV back into the driveway. Dinner, in his opinion, had been a great success. They'd been able to talk to each other easily, and Grissom even allowed a little personal information to work its way out.
They got out of the car in silence and stepped up to the front door. Grissom unlocked it, then held it open for Sara to step through. She did, and he closed it behind them, making sure to lock it. They walked through the house, dark except for one lamp; Mrs. Grissom had been asleep for hours already. Feeling a little awkward about coming back to the same house, Grissom wasn't quite sure how to end the night. He walked with her to 'her' room, hanging back a bit as she reached for the door knob.
She turned around, bringing her hands up to his chest. "This is a little odd. But...if we were back in Vegas and you were dropping me off, I'd tell you that I had a great time tonight."
Grissom gave her the smallest of smiles. "And I'd tell you that I did too." He leaned in closer to her, kissing her cheek. But he didn't pull away, and didn't hesitate to move to her lips when she turned her head a bit. When they finally pulled apart, Grissom raised his eyebrows. "Wow."
"Tell me about it," Sara said, her eyes wide.
He ran his tongue over his lips, unwilling to separate from her, yet knowing that it was late. "I guess this would be the part where I say goodnight."
Sara smiled. "Yeah, it would be." She stared at the floor for a moment, fighting with herself internally. "And this would be when I would ask you if you wanted to come up."
Grissom stared at her blankly for a moment, waiting for the words to sink in. "Sara..."
"I know. This is when you say 'I really shouldn't' and I say 'please'. Then you say 'are you sure' and I say 'yes'," she said quickly. She looked up at him, meeting his eyes. "So what do you say?"
He grinned, leaning in to capture her lips again.