After fielding and denying Greg's request to come to lunch with us, Warrick and I were finally alone together, after almost a whole month of total and complete avoidance. I didn't understand why we admitted our feelings for each other and then completely shut ourselves down, but I just assumed it was all part of the CSI lifestyle. We work hard, and there's not a lot of time to play. I understood that, and for the most part I played along with it. But this was something I believed in, and I was hoping he believed in it enough to give this a try. I think we owed ourselves that much.

"Thanks for coming to lunch with me," I said, finding it hard to look at him.

"Yeah, well, you know," he mumbled, looking at the menu.

"Warrick."

"What?"

"Put the menu down. We've been here 1,000 times before and you always get the same thing. Look at me."

He hestitantly put the menu down and looked me in the eye. I wanted to look away because his look was so intense, but I forced myself to keep his gaze.

"You know what I want to talk about. I know you do."

He sighed.

"I know.. I keep wanting to talk about it, but there's never a good time. It's not that I don't want it, Sara. I think about you all the time. I dream about you almost every single night. I.. I just have some reservations about the whole thing."

"Come on, Warrick. We have a good enough professional relationship to not let that get in the way of things. If that's your excuse, it's not a good one."

He looked annoyed.

"First of all, hold up! It's not like you have exactly been pushing the gas on this little crush of yours! This is not a one-sided thing. And second, that isn't the reason. It's more complicated than that."

"Then what is it, Warrick? What's been stopping you? I've seen you with the ladies. If you want it, you go after it."

"I don't know.." he said, taking a sip of water. I wanted him to just spit it out, but he seemed hesitant.

"Okay, here it goes. We all knew you were in love with Grissom. You did a good job of hiding it for a while, but when it got too intense for you it clearly showed on your face. I don't want to get into that. If you still have feelings for him.. I don't want to get involved in a love triangle with the boss. I just don't. I'm not-"

I put my hand over his and he ended his sentence abruptly.

"You're right. I had a thing for Grissom for a while. For a long time. But that's over. Warrick.. these feelings for you aren't like the ones I had for him. They're pure and strong and real, and they aren't a fantasy. I want to explore this with you! I want to know what it's like to hold your hand, to kiss you, to lie in your arms.. I dream about it. More often than I would care to admit. And when we're processing crime scenes or listening to another Grissom lecture or whatever we're doing, you are always at the back of mind. Before I go to sleep, I think about what you're doing. When I wake up, I look forward to going to work to see your face. I'm in love with you, Warrick. I just am. And I want to do something about it," I said, breathlessly.

It was a long speech, and it wasn't what I rehearsed at all. It all went by in a blur, and I knew I totally butchered it. To make it worse, his expression never changed once. I don't think he even blinked. I wish I could leap inside his mind and see what was going on in there.

Finally, FINALLY, he broke into a big grin.

"That's just what I wanted to hear," he said, sliding into the booth next to me. "I am so in love with you, and this past month has been nearly unbearable for me, not talking to you, not having that comfortable working relationship we always had. I want to be with you. I'm so glad you came to me today.. I was driving myself insane with wanting you."

Before I could comprehend what was happening, he was kissing me. It was a blur of passion and pent up emotions and it was crazy, so crazy I could hardly stand it.

Between kisses, I managed to say, "Let's get out of here!"

"You got it, girl," he said, running his fingers through my hair and staring into my eyes.

We kissed again, and I knew for a fact that I would become addicted to kissing him. Those lips! The man was talented. I was anxious to see what was lying ahead for us.

We walked out of the restaurant holding hands, not knowing where our destination was and not caring.

More to come! Thanks a lot for the feedback. Keep it coming!