A/N: Sorry this took so long!
Brass leaned against the counter of the breakfast bar as Sara opened a cabinet and removed a coffee filter. When she reached for the canister of coffee, she cursed suddenly. "Shit!"
"What?" Brass asked, mildly amused.
"I completely forgot that I'm almost completely out of coffee." She shook the almost-empty canister to make her point. "I've got enough to make probably two cups." She blew out an exasperated breath and smacked her hand against her forehead in an exaggerated show of frustration with herself.
Jim chuckled. "Well…I noticed a drugstore and a Blockbuster around the corner. I'll go pick up some coffee and get a movie while I'm at it, if that's okay with you. I'll be gone twenty minutes, tops. How's that sound?" he asked soothingly.
Sara dropped her shoulders and smiled appreciatively. "Sounds great. I've got some chocolate ice cream in the freezer. I'll have you a scoop ready when you get back."
As he backed toward the door, Jim clutched his hands to his chest. "A woman after my own heart," he drawled.
-
Sara stood in her closet yet again, contemplating her attire for the second time that evening. She wanted to change into something more comfortable, but she didn't want to send the wrong message. A skimpy tank top and shorts could too easily say, "Hi, I'm a slut. Fuck me." Her ratty old Harvard tee and sweats could be misinterpreted as, "I'm slumming and I plan to fall asleep in the middle of this movie. Let's have a slumber party!" She finally opened a drawer and pulled out a long-sleeved black t-shirt and matching cotton drawstring pants. At least she would match. And she would be comfortable, too, all cottony and snug—perfect for a movie.
She had been nervous when they reached the parking lot, unsure of his expectations. However, his utterly gentlemanly manner had quickly reassured her, and she was glad she had decided to ask him up. She was still uncertain as to where things would take them this evening, but at least she felt that there would be no pressure.
She padded back into the kitchen in her bare feet and pulled a carton of chocolate ice cream out of her freezer. As she placed generous scoops into two bowls, she was surprised to find herself humming a nonsensical tune. Just as she was debating whether or not chocolate syrup on chocolate ice cream would be overkill, a knock sounded at the door. "It's unlocked!" she shouted as she grabbed two spoons from a drawer.
Turning around, she watched Brass walk in the door, plastic shopping bag in one hand, two Blockbuster DVD cases in the other. "What'd you get?" she asked enthusiastically.
He raised his eyebrows and tilted his head as he replied, "Well, I know I told you I'm not a big drama fan, but I wasn't sure about your taste in comedies, so I got one comedy and one drama." He stepped into the kitchen and put the bag containing the coffee on the counter before turning back to her, movies in hand. "Behind door number one, we have a romantic comedy starring the prostitute-loving Hugh Grant: Notting Hill. And behind door number two, we have the always-gory but ever-fascinating classic, The Silence of the Lambs. A must-see for all criminalists. Either choice tickle your fancy, young lady?"
Sara laughed, a deep, throaty sound that instantly elicited a tingle from Jim's crotch. "Hmm…" she said, tapping her finger to her mouth in mock-concentration. Her look of contemplation morphed into a mischievous grin. "Well," she drawled, "we do need to stay up pretty late, so our schedules don't get messed up. So…I say we watch both. Silence of the Lambs first, then the comedy for relief after we're all creeped out. First one to fall asleep buys dinner next time!" she finished triumphantly.
The last two words pretty much caused everything in Jim's head to go hazy. Next time. There'll be a next time. Too damn good to be true. He finally gathered himself, grinned, and said, "You're on. But I warn you. I have expensive taste." And with a wink, he grabbed his ice cream bowl and headed to the living room, leaving Sara to tackle the coffee.
-
Since the first-date touch barrier had been broken earlier at the restaurant, Jim was able to slide his arm around Sara's shoulders when they sat down with a minimum of awkwardness. As the opening titles flashed across the screen, Sara shivered with pleasure and proclaimed that as disturbing as the movie was, she always enjoyed it. "I find it a little strange that I like it so much, knowing all that I know about the depravity of real-life criminals, you know?" she mused. Jim squeezed her shoulders a little tighter and kissed her temple.
They sat in silence, enjoying the opening scenes of the movie, until they finished their scoops of ice cream. Sara reached out and placed the empty bowls on the coffee table in front of them, and when she sat back, Jim was surprised to find that rather than resuming her position directly next to him, she snuggled deep into him, wrapping his right arm even more tightly around her.
-
"It puts the lotion on its skin, or else it gets the hose again." Jim felt Sara stiffen slightly at Buffalo Bill's creepy rhyme, and he squeezed her warm body just a little tighter. She had displayed slight discomfort at several points during the movie, and each time he had tightened his grip on her. She never acknowledged this, and Jim didn't bring it up. He had a feeling she would consider it a weakness to admit that the movie, however enjoyable, creeped her out.
As the end credits rolled, Sara yawned before laughing out loud and declaring that Jim would not win the bet that easily. "Bring on the romantic comedy!" she cried. "What's it about, anyway? I don't think I've heard of it."
Jim flipped the DVD case over and read the synopsis on the back. "Julia Roberts plays a Hollywood superstar—how original," he remarked wryly. He continued, "who falls in love with your everyday Joe—that's Hugh Grant. Can their romance survive with the entire world watching? It says here that it was directed by the same guy who did Bridget Jones' Diary and Wimbledon."
Sara pursed her lips. "Sounds good. Put it in. I think I'm going to get another cup of coffee. You want one?"
Jim shook his head. He'd never admit it to her, but there was no way he was going to risk winning this bet. He was too old-school to let her pay for a date.
Sara returned moments later with a fresh cup of joe and plopped down besides Brass. Feeling ever more comfortable with him, she leaned up against him with a casual air that would have led an observer to think they had been together for months rather than hours. He, likewise feeling at ease, ran his fingers through her hair in a gentle gesture of affection that made her skin tingle. She grabbed the DVD remote and pressed play.
-
An hour and a half later, the movie was more or less forgotten. At one of the funnier points in the film, Sara had tilted her head back and looked up at Jim as she laughed, and he had lost it. Her beauty overtook him, and he leaned down and claimed her lips with his own in a crushing kiss that took her breath away. She had gasped into his mouth with pleasure and returned the kiss with fervor, tangling her tongue with his in ways he was quite sure no woman had ever done before. After a moment or so, she had reached up for his lapels, turned her body to the side, and leaned backward on the couch, taking him with her.
And twenty minutes later, here he was—lying on top of Sara Sidle on her couch, kissing her senseless. He was doing everything in his power to keep his hands from roaming; his old-fashioned sense of nobility dictated that she should call the shots on their physical relationship. However, when she reached for his shirt and began hungrily unbuttoning it, he was undone. This woman had officially brought him to his knees.
He wrapped his arms tightly around her waist and held her tightly before allowing his hands to steal up the back of her black t-shirt. Finding her bra clasp, he made quick work of it before reaching back down to the hem of her t-shirt. He pulled back and looked into her eyes, silently asking permission. She nodded almost imperceptibly and he pulled the t-shirt over her head, revealing the white silk bra beneath.
He reached for the strap on her left shoulder and prepared to slip it down her arm when she stopped him.
"I can think of somewhere more comfortable to do this," she whispered, nodding toward her bedroom. Slipping from beneath him, she pulled him to his feet.
TBC…