A/N: I don't own them, but in a perfect world, I would. Plot and subordinate characters are mine, the rest belong to Anthony Zuicker and company. Special thanks to my husband and my beta readers, Ash and Anne. Without those three, I would never have the courage to continue writing.

Chapter 7

Dinner turned out to be two-sided. On one side, McAllister never showed up but on the other side, it was the perfect dinner for the both of them. This was the dinner that Grissom had turned down, the one that he kicked himself over night after night. He was finally getting the chance to have a nice romantic dinner with the woman he cared about, the woman he had feelings for. And since he was being truthful with himself, the woman he loved.

Riding up in the elevator following dinner, Grissom asked "Did you enjoy yourself?"

"Yes."

"I'm glad," Grissom said. As they walked to their room, he decided to ask one of the questions that had been on his mind lately. "Sara, why do you want to be with me?"

"Grissom, why do you want to know?" Sara admonished him. She knew that he was a little insecure about his desirability but then again, so was she.

"Humor me, okay. Tell me why you want to be with me."

"Okay," she whispered. "You're intelligent with out being snobby about it. You're interesting. You and I have some of the same interests, besides work. Without making you sound like you're a dog, you're trustworthy, loyal, dependable, a hard worker, and friendly to an extent. And if tonight's dinner was any indication of the softer side of Grissom, I would say that you were extremely romantic as well."

"Really?"

"Yes, really. Grissom, you have so much to offer someone. Why don't you think that you and I should be together?" she asked, her heart in her throat.

"Sara," he whispered in the sultry voice of his, "I'm your supervisor, I almost lost my hearing and I'm almost 20 years older than you are. You deserve someone better than me."

She could listen to that voice for a lifetime and if she had any say in the matter, she just might. "Grissom, I don't want 'someone' better. There is no one better. The only person I want is you. I know that you're my supervisor and that might matter to you, but I think that we're both mature enough to leave our personal lives outside the office. So that problem is moot. Second, I know that Otosclerosis runs in your family and that you almost lost your hearing. The important thing is almost. You didn't and I wouldn't have cared if you did. It's not your hearing I'm attracted to you. It's the whole package."

"Are you finished?" Grissom looked thoroughly chastised.

"No, my parents are 15 years apart in age and it never bothered them. My mother always said 'Age is a matter of the mind, if you don't mind, it doesn't matter.' Grissom, I don't mind. In fact, you being older than me makes you that much more attractive. And finally, I think you are sexy as hell. So does that answer your questions?"

"Yeah, makes me almost sorry I asked."

"We needed to get the things out in the open. Might as well have been tonight. Just remember what I said, okay?"

"Okay. Here we are, home again. I think I could sleep for the next 24 hours. I'm beat." Grissom said as he put the key in the lock and opened the door. Being the gentleman (and romantic) that he was, he held the door open for Sara.

"Don't I even get a good night kiss?"

Grissom let out an audible sigh. "Honey, if I thought I could stop with just a good night kiss, I would. I don't know if I can or if I would want to."

Sara's eyes widened. "Oh," was all she could say.

Grissom lifted his hand to gently cup her cheek. "I promise you that the night when we get to the point where I know that we're ready for me not to stop, you'll get more than just a good night kiss. I'll more than make up for missing this one, okay." He rubbed his thumb along her jaw line.

Sara swallowed the lump that had risen into her throat. "Okay," she whispered.

"Good, now be a good girl and crawl into bed before I ravish your beautiful body."

Sara just laughed as she walked through the entrance and Grissom followed, closing the door silently behind him.

TBC