NOTE: this chapter has been drastically edited to comply with this website's rules.
Feasibility Study
Written by: Ms Maggs / Edited by: KJT
"In the Bluff – Part 3"
August 20, 2005 (Day 120)
The Grissoms'
7:03 p.m.
When Sara emerged from her spacious walk-in closet wearing a body-hugging silk summer-green and white polka dot halter dress, with a bias-cut skirt ending just above her knees, Gil's eyes popped while his jaw dropped. "Wow." The strappy white sandals with a heel that brought her eye to eye with him and showed off her perfectly polished toes only added to his euphoria. "Wow." And then there was her hair…curly for the first time in a while and fluffed out over her bare shoulders. "Do we have to answer the door when our friends show up? I really don't feel like sharing you tonight."
Even though his answer was broadcast on his face she innocently asked, "So…are you sure I look good in this dress? You know it's only the second one I've bought so I'm a little apprehensive."
It was nice not to have to skirt the truth about the dress as he had about Brass's mystery lady. "You look amazing." And in that moment when she beamed with delight he knew he made the right decision fifteen minutes ago…
"Um... I'm sure when Brass wants you to know who his mystery lady is, he'll tell you. After all, you kept our relationship from people for a while so who are you to pry, right? You should drop it." It wasn't a lie per say, it was a deflection.
"You're right. What's with me?" Shaking her head, she reached into a drawer to pull out her curling iron. "When did I become such a gossip?"
"Maybe it's the hormones?" A smile of relief broke open on his face. Now the party would go on as planned and he knew Sara was going to have a wonderful time.
"And you look very handsome." Taking two steps forward, Sara reached out and adjusted the collar on Gil's roguish black shirt. "Won't our friends be shocked when Mr. and Mrs. Sexy answer the door?"
"Maybe they'll think they have the wrong house and leave." Slipping his arms around her waist he pulled her close. "Then we…"
"Back off, Bug Boy…" She laughed. "I'm the hostess and it's T-minus thirty. As we speak, our friends are probably heading out their respective doors."
Catherine's House
7:07 p.m.
Admiring her reflection in the bathroom's full-length mirror, Catherine asked Warrick, who was nearby buttoning his silk ecru shirt, "What do you think?" While she waited for his reply, she tossed her elegantly straightened red-blonde hair off her shoulder.
The short black and white wrap skirt she was wearing with a tight white knot-front halter top was undeniably pleasing to his eyes. "If you asked me, I'd go out with you."
"Oooh…now there's an offer I can't refuse." After stepping into her dangerous black spiked-heeled sandals, she sauntered over and undid the third button on Warrick's shirt. "Wanna go to a party with me tonight, Stud? It's bound to be a wild time."
"With you there…I have no doubt." As he felt her hands coursing over his designer tobacco-brown trousers he grinned. "Tell me you're not thinking of including Casa de Grissom on our list."
Their 'list' was a unique one…a list of places they had enjoyed love under the gun…secretive time-restricted lovin' in populated locales to be specific. An airplane, Lake Mead, a couple of restrooms, a men's fitting room, assorted Jacuzzis, the lab's locker-room shower, the Bellagio, the Mirage, the Mandalay Bay…well, all of the larger casinos in Vegas and a handful of the smaller ones. It was a little fetish they both found exhilarating.
"In Mr. and Mrs. Sexually Uptight's house? Of course not." She flashed him a look that screamed feigned-innocence. "I was thinking of their lovely landscaped backyard. So many bushes…so little time before Sara the germphobe gets suspicious of our absence..."
"Not gonna happen," He warned as he stepped into his rich leather slip-ons.
Sliding on her bangles she cackled as he strolled out of the room. "You know I love it when you play hard to get!"
Greg's Apartment
7:11 p.m.
Stepping back, Tawny admired her handiwork. Greg's hair…stylishly spiked but not insane. His shirt…the eye-catching white Hugo Boss long-sleeve button down with geometrically arranged petite tie-dyed blue flowers. A shirt his mom had purchased for him during the recent shopping spree at Nordie's. The $155 price tag almost made Tawny keel over but then she realized, when it came to her little boy, Bev Sanders spared no expense either emotionally or financially. There was also no denying it looked great on him.
Lowering her gaze she arrived at Greg's pants…a pair of trendy jeans that fit just right. And his shoes…clunky Kenneth Cole contrast-stitch black lace-up oxfords, which she loved for their slight clownish quality. "Chuckles cleaned up nice."
Pleased with the look of approval on her face, he smiled and informed her of his little secret. "I'm wearing my Abercrombie red and white polka dot boxers underneath so I don't totally lose my sense of self."
After a wink and a smirk she stated, "Maybe later we can clown around and I'll get to see them."
"I'll try to juggle it into my schedule." Taking her hand, he slowly twirled her around. "Now let's talk about you, Miss Tawny Ann Cooper, the new 'it' girl in Vegas." The DKNY form-fitting indigo-denim knee-length mermaid skirt and flirty BCBG silk charmeuse top in crystal-blue chiffon were perfectly trendy yet tasteful. Accented with just the right amount of designer costume jewelry and classy single strap sandals adorned with matching crystal-blue jewels, the package was complete. She looked like a million bucks and would turn every head at the country club should she wear it in California. "I'm lovin' the look. My mother knows clothes, that's for sure."
"She went WAY overboard, but I'm not complaining. My day out with her was the best girls day ever. I can only imagine how spoiled our baby will be! Do you know she's already scoping stuff out…girl stuff in particular."
"See…when we first met I wasn't really bluffing about having a trust fund." Laughing he explained, "My mommy has one and I have an all access pass." He knew his grandparents had left his mom a large inheritance and his dad didn't care how she spent it.
"For the record, I loved you and your mom before I knew that." Smiling wide, she fluffed her hair. "Like the updo?"
The rhinestone clips adorning her hair and the plethora of well-placed tendrils made for a romantically sexy look he couldn't resist. "Oh yeah. Are you bringing this outfit on the road to California?"
"I was planning to, why?" She wondered if he thought it was inappropriate in some way.
"I just wanted to know if I should pack a stick to use to beat the guys off of you." Taking her hand, he led her out of the bedroom. "I hope you don't mind, but I told Nick we'd pick up him and Carrie since you're not drinking and can be their designated driver too."
Nick and Carrie's apartment
7:19 p.m.
Dressed in black sateen crop pants and a colorful lace-trimmed camisole top, Carrie scooted out of the bedroom merrily dangling her new black Delman barely-there high-heel sandals which were adorned with two satin ribbons.
"Hey there, shoe-freak," Nick teased from his position on the couch watching Sports Center where he had been planted waiting for her for a half an hour. It had only taken him three minutes to mindlessly throw on his favorite pair of black pants, the new Tommy Bahama quartz silk-blend polo Carrie had bought him for a birthday present and his 'date-night' black loafers. "How much did those sexy little sandals set you back?"
"$225…" She confessed while stepping into them. One glance down at her feet and she blissfully added, "…and worth every penny."
"Unbelievable. 225 bucks on shoes you'll only wear a handful of times?" With a smirk on his face he returned to watching the scores breeze across the bottom of the screen. "Maybe it's that cute little outfit you have on distracting me from their worth. Later you should model the shoes…just the shoes...and I'll re-evaluate my stance."
"Aww…are you worried I'll drive us to the poor house once we're married?" Falling onto his lap, she snatched the remote and clicked off the TV. "I have two guilty pleasures in my life…shoes and your body. Don't make me choose."
"Roxie…" He warned. "I hate to mess up that pretty lil' hairdo you've got going on with all it's complicated flips and clips. But you know the punishment for giving me shit…I have to tickle you."
"Ah! No!" Belly-shaking laughter ensued. "Oh my god, Nicky, stop!" She pleaded hysterically, "You're too much for this girl to handle! Please! I'll be good, I promise! OH!"
Standing outside the front door, Tawny and Greg exchanged curious looks. Finally Greg suggested, "Maybe we should wait by the car and I'll call Nick on my cell phone so they have time to…"
"OH! NICK! I'm going to die if you don't stop! Enough already, I'm exhausted!"
Tawny nodded. "Good plan."
The Lunar Lounge
7:25 p.m.
Jim Brass, dressed snappishly in black trousers and a royal blue long-sleeve button down, hustled into his favorite tacky out-of-the-way bar looking for his 'date'. "Roxie!" He excitedly yelled from across the room. "Are ya' ready to party, Baby?" He could tell from her outfit…tight leather pants accentuating her still amazingly perky sixty-five year old ass, and her neon pink and black leopard-print blouse, that she was good to go. The ex-stripper, and former call-girl to the rich and lewd, still oozed kink.
"I hope you can keep up with me, Stud Muffin," She taunted in her smoker's voice from her seat at the bar.
If he couldn't have his real woman for the evening, he was grateful to have this colorful character around to shock his co-workers and get some laughs. "You up for the ruse, Roxie?"
"Been waitin' all day," She assured him as she stroked his cheek with her hot-pink fingernails. "You can always count on Roxie to play games." With a wink she cautioned, "But don't get carried away and think I'll sleep with you afterwards, Jimmy. I've got a real date tonight and I'm saving myself."
"Aww…thanks for letting me down easy." Taking her arm, he navigated them out of the bar. "But at some point tonight, promise me you'll grab my ass in front of my friends."
"Like this." She demonstrated her vigorous technique.
"Oh!" He broke out laughing. "Go easy, Baby. I'm not used to being the submissive."
The Grissoms'
7:36 p.m.
As Sara predicted, Carrie, the consummately punctual, was the first guest to ring the doorbell and when she opened the door, her friend cheered, "Sara, you look fantastic! I've never seen you in a dress!" Then after giving her a tiny hug, she stepped inside. "Thanks for having us over."
Greg and Nick, standing with Tawny, stared in disbelief until they simultaneously remarked, "Whoa." It was highly odd seeing Sara look so feminine and carefree.
Taking a good look at Tawny, Sara proclaimed, "Wow…I love your new look." There wasn't a hint of the old, 'got some money to stuff in my g-string?' vibe. "You look great!"
"Thanks!"
Sara wondered why Nick and Greg were still standing in the doorway dumbfounded. "Would you get in here already?"
Stepping forward, Nick gave her one of his trademark bear hugs.
"Ow!" Sara exclaimed as he pressed his rock-hard pecs to her chest. "Oh my god!"
Carrie's face twisted as she jokingly asked, "Nicky, what the hell did you do to her?"
"I just hugged her," He innocently explained as he pulled back. "I guess I don't know my own strength."
"Her boobs hurt!" Tawny blurted while pointing to Sara who she saw had reactively placed her arm over her chest. "Did it work this month? I hope so! It will be so much fun to have someone pregnant with me!"
Just then Grissom showed up in the hall. "Sorry I had a call." Then he noticed the odd looks on everyone's faces. "What were you discussing?"
"Your wife's breasts," Greg nonchalantly answered. Which he couldn't help but notice looked undeniably larger than normal. And since he had spent years staring at them, he felt quite certain his observation was accurate. To be absolutely certain though, he'd have to see her bend over while wearing her jumpsuit a little too unzipped.
As if it were the most normal thing in the world to say, Sara turned to her husband and related the missing information. "When Nick grabbed me and pressed his rock-hard body to mine I shrieked from the pain he inflicted on my chest. Isn't that great!"
Under the circumstances Gil couldn't deny the excitement. "Yes! Now maybe we should let everyone in the house and talk about something else." When he got a good look at Tawny he lit up. "Look at you."
"Do you like the new me?"
"I've always liked you," He politely answered. "Your new look just suits you much better."
Sara broke out her hostess smile and scooted everyone inside.
"Hold the door!" Catherine shouted as she strutted up the walk with Warrick on her arm. "It's not like you can start the party without me anyway. Wow…Sara's playing dress up for the second time in her life!" When she got to the door, she blurted, "Did that dress come with free boobs?"
Warrick couldn't help but notice Sara looking a little more plush than normal. "You look very nice, Sara."
"Thank you." The attention was starting to flush her cheeks. "Okay, let's get this party going." Taking her hostess role seriously, she led the way into the great room. "The bar is set up on the kitchen counter. Food, which I did not cook myself before you start cracking food poisoning jokes, is on the island and the pool as well as the Jacuzzi are off-limits unless you're wearing a suit and controlling your primal urges."
Catherine whispered in Warrick's ear, "It's like she's challenging us. I love it."
"Wow, Sara," Tawny expressed her amazement at the elaborate set-up. "You really know how to throw a party."
Those in the know cracked up and Catherine quickly explained, "This is only the second time she's ever had a gathering. The Grissoms are notoriously anti-social people. Last time it was brunch in April and we spent half the time harassing Nick about looking like a love-sick puppy."
Wrapping his arms around his fiancée, Nick gushed, "It was the morning after our first date."
"Awww." She snuggled up against him. "You were that pathetic, huh?"
"Yes, ma'am."
Catherine quipped, "Yeah, but now the two of you are old news so we'll spend tonight picking on twitter painted Tawny and her love struck goofball…Chuckles. Yes, it's her pet name for him and now…it's ours too." As predicted, the unveiling of the new nickname got a loud reaction.
"Now that you mention it," Nick observed, "Your shoes are a bit clown like."
"Hey, call me whatever you want." Greg took Tawny's hand and gave it a squeeze. "As usual, I make no apologies for who I am. And as far as ragging on me about being a love sick fool…knock yourself out, because I've been waiting a long time for my turn. As the night progresses and my veins start to fill with alcohol I fully intend to make a fool of myself." He brought Tawny's hand to his mouth and planted a kiss. "Because I'm madly in love with this smart, witty, beautiful woman and I guarantee it will show."
Carrie smiled approvingly at the public display of affection. Greg was starting to look and sound less like Peter Pan. On the ride over, she and Tawny sat in the front leaving the guys in the back of Tawny's Ford Escape, and at a stop light, Tawny leaned over and whispered, he told me he loves me, and the other day, he wrote me the sweetest note I could ever imagine. I've never been happier.
Catherine sighed at the sight of the young lovers. "It's definitely time to start drinking."
Nick plopped a box with a bow on it down on the counter. "Gris, you'll want to open this then."
"Give him our gift too, Warrick." Catherine instructed as she headed to the bar with Sara, anxious to see Gil's reaction.
"And we have something special too." Greg tossed two wrapped boxes tied together next to the other gifts on the counter.
"You didn't have to…"
"For god's sake, just open them, Gil," Catherine prodded.
"I'll wait for everyone to grab a drink."
Sara finally remembered her hostess duties. "Beer and wine is in the fridge…several varieties. Ice and everything else is on the counter."
Nick didn't waste any time lending a hand. "A glass of wine for my lovely bride to be and 'Rick…Greggo…oh sorry…Chuckles, a brew to start with shots to follow?"
"Sounds like a plan," Greg confirmed. "Tawny…what virgin delight would you like?"
Catherine pounced. "You mean now that she's had you?"
Tawny giggled at the joke and then Sara offered some real direction. "How about a cranberry and soda with a twist of lime? It's my drink of choice tonight."
"Okay." Catherine clapped her hands to get everyone's attention. "We need to agree on something. Carrie…Tawny…I'm not sure you know this so I'll tell you. For five excruciating years we all had to sit around and not talk about the elephant in the room…Gil and Sara's secret unrequited lust and love for one another. Now, there's a new elephant…a baby elephant…and I need to know from our dear hosts, are we supposed to pretend that we don't know or suspect that Sara's trying to get pregnant, or can we just stop the bullshit and put it out there?"
Gil and Sara's eyes locked and their smiles unfurled in unison. Sara took that as a yes from her partner. "It's true…we're trying, we won't deny it. So uh…feel free to annoy us."
"Thank you," Catherine rejoiced as she filled two tumblers with ice. "Nicky, I'm assuming that's scotch in the box for the birthday boy?"
"You know it." Pouring a glass of Pinot Grigio for Carrie he said, "Glenfiddich Ancient Reserve, I know what he likes."
Gil smiled as he unwrapped the tall box. "Thank you. It's one of my favorites."
Catherine returned with the two glasses and took the bottle of out of his hands to open it. "Gil, you and Greg have been under a lot of stress these past few weeks and therefore I feel obligated to get the two of you as shitfaced as possible."
"I've never seen Greg drunk before," Tawny remarked much to everyone's surprise.
"Then you're missing out," Sara quickly informed the naïve girl "Trust me, until you've spent a drunken night with Greg and woken with him in the morning, you haven't lived."
A hush fell over the room.
"An innocent drunken night!" She quickly corrected. "Brass was there too."
"So much for us believing the innocent part," Catherine quipped as she poured a couple of three finger drinks.
Nick handed a full wine glass to Carrie and Heinekens to Warrick and Greg, while Sara gave Tawny her virgin cocktail and kept a second one for herself.
Once everyone had a drink in hand, Catherine raised her glass of whisky. "Thank you, Sara for allowing us to invade your home every four months. And to Gil…you're wearing 49 well. Happy Birthday."
"Happy Birthday!" Everyone cheered then drank.
"Thank you," Gil graciously acknowledged the group. "Okay…I'll open Catherine and Warrick's gift next because I'm sure it will be embarrassing and give you all a good laugh."
"That's the spirit, Honey!" Sara was pleased he was loosening up a bit.
"They're books." Catherine cut the suspense. "Ones we suspected you didn't have in that enormous library."
Displaying them…Sex and the Aging Male and Sex over 50, he blushed, "I think I'll be taking you up on your offer to get shitfaced because it's the only way I'll be getting past this."
Lowering his beer, Warrick confessed, "Sorry, Gris…she made me sign the card and since we have that I'm the boss at work, she's the boss at home thing going on…I was powerless to resist."
"Oooh! One of our gifts will work well with the books," Tawny excitedly announced, sparking everyone's curiosity.
Gil reached for the last package and unwrapped the two gifts…Boggle and a Magic 8 Ball.
Perplexed, Sara asked, "Okay…which one goes with the books?"
Catherine replied, "Let's put it this way…I've never played Boggle."
"Ahh."
Greg leaned over and whispered in Sara's ear. "Magic 8 Ball…commands…you know like…my answer is NO!"
"Oh." She smiled. "Got it."
A ring of the doorbell caused a flurry of comments about Jim's tardiness.
"I'll get it," Sara announced as she hurried for the door.
After savoring the bold flavor of the Scotch, Gil erupted into a smile. "You know how to pick 'em, Nicky."
"Ain't that the truth," Carrie teased. "So, Gil…my fiancé with the good taste tells me you know your way around the cards."
"Oh…I don't know." He turned to Greg. "What do you think, you've played with me."
"Fastest 500 bucks I ever lost."
Catherine choked down her whisky so she could retort, "Faster than that time you paid for a Tijuana call girl to…oh wait that was Nick." Catching Carrie's eye she said, "Just seeing how much of a sense of humor you really have, Counselor."
"You'll see me laughing all the way to the bank when I take the pot tonight."
Nick found his fiancée's over-confidence charming. "Don't lose all your shoe money, Sweetheart."
Carrie found her fiancé's lack of knowledge, specifically the knowledge that her daddy was a state poker champion, quite a rush. "I know I'm WAY out of my league, but I want to give it a try, Nick."
"Hey!" Brass boomed as he strolled into the room with Ms. Roxie Delacroix at his side. "NOW you can officially start the party."
Warrick, Nick and Catherine gawked at the wild woman at Brass's side as one resounding question popped into their minds…was she a hire-a-date he picked up on the way over? And how broke was he that he could only afford HER?
"Attention ladies and germs…" Brass gently placed his hand on his date's back. "Gil and Greg, I know you're already acquainted with my date but everyone else, this fine lookin' lady is Ms. Roxie Delacroix…THE legendary Roxie Delacroix who did and still does turn this town on its ass nightly."
Grinning like a Cheshire cat on crack, Roxie eyed the group. "Pleasure to meet me, isn't it?"
Gil put a hand on Catherine's shoulder. "You may have finally met your ego-match."
Sara just stood smiling at the spectacle. "What can I get you to drink, Roxie and Jim?"
Nick and Carrie turned to each other and tried not to laugh from hearing the name Roxie.
Brass produced two wrapped boxes. "Some of this Glenmorangie 15 year old Scotch for the both of us, thank you very much."
"Yes!" Grissom yelped like a teenager in the midst of a fantasy. "My favorite…no offense, Nicky."
Nick gave his best political smile. "Hey, the last thing I want to do is outshine my boss's gift, so I purposely took the middle ground."
Carrie smiled at her man…always so calculating and in control. Yeah…it was going to be a blast taking his chips and watching him squirm. It would almost be as fun as watching his reaction when she came home with a pair of $250 sandals and told him his loss funded them. "You're such a savvy guy, Honey," She whispered in his ear, making sure her lips grazed his lobe.
After Sara handed over the tumblers of Glenmorangie she directed, "Enough talk…everyone into the living room and let's get this game going. I can't wait to see how quickly my husband takes your money…" Grinning she said, "…because hopefully I'll have a baby who needs a new pair of shoes in the future!" She was pleased when everyone egged her on.
When the chatty crowd migrated into the living area as instructed, they saw the rented poker table in the middle of the large room.
Having planned a lot of the party with her co-worker ,Sara informed the group, "First let me introduce you to tonight's Dealer…my Dales Trail hero and everyone's favorite clown…Greg 'Chuckles' Sanders."
Gil quickly retorted, "How am I supposed to focus when he's at the table bouncing around and jabbering?"
Sara wasted no time with her reply. "I had to make it challenging for you somehow, Baby."
"OH!" Nick raised his glass. "That's a pet name. We drink!"
Apparently Gil and Sara were the only ones who didn't know their co-workers had devised a little drinking game based on them. "Excuse me?"
"We have a little game going on here," Catherine advised. "Just be yourselves and we should get hammered quickly."
"Anyway." Placing her hands on Greg's shoulders, Sara said, "But before he takes his place at the head of the table, Chuckles will set up tonight's musical entertainment."
"No…no…no," Warrick protested. "I can't stay if we're listening to Greg's music all night. Not unless you're giving out ear plugs as party favors."
"Chill, dude." Greg held out his hand and Tawny gave him four CDs from her purse. "Unlike some people…" He glared at Catherine. "…I never make anything just about me. If you don't believe me, feel free to ask my very satisfied significant other." He was pleased to see Tawny nodding vehemently. "I specifically burned these CDs with all of you in mind…assessing each of your musical tastes, thinking of your individual characteristics and putting something special in the collection for every couple."
"This I gotta hear." Nick groaned. "You think you have all of us pegged, huh?"
"Oh yeah." As he approached Grissom's stereo he gave the first example. "Mr. Warrick Brown…an Alicia Keys man through and through and I'm not sure if the rest of you are aware, but for your own safety I will inform you…no one turns down the volume on Alicia."
"See…the boy knows what he's talking about," Warrick asserted as he polished off his first beer.
"Thank you. And you'll find plenty of her tonight, my friend." Then he glanced over at Nick. "Mr. Stokes…I know you're all about Nice Guy Rock, not, 'I hate my daddy' hard core rock. Oh yeah…it's filling your ears while you pump up at the gym and it's blasting in your car on the way to your latest outdoor adventure. So for you I have some Incubus and some Hoobastank…classic examples of post-grunge proto Arena Rock. Catherine to translate for you…they're the equivalent of your generation's Journey."
"Watch it, pal," Catherine warned. "You keep that kind of talk up and you won't be able to father a second child."
Nick couldn't deny Greg pegged him. "But what about Carrie…you barely know her."
"Ah…but I do," He explained with a glint in his eye. "She's got the hard-ass prosecutor thing going on by day, but I know what lurks beneath. She secretly loves 'Calgon Take Me Away' Romantic Escapist Tripe…specifically show tunes and pseudo-man crooner types like Clay Aiken. I bet she saw Cats twice and loved it."
"Hey!" Carrie gasped. "Did you sneak a peek at my collection when you were over last Sunday!"
"Maybe." He chuckled as he continued to load the discs. "Or maybe I just have a gift."
Tawny giggled. "He's gifted, trust me!"
"Do me next!" Catherine demanded.
Brass, who was standing behind her, whispered, "You say that with such ease, like it's not your first time uttering the words."
Greg eyed Catherine with a knowing gaze. "Smooth Jazz…nothing with an edge. Music that presents no challenge or concept…just a sweet center…like a s'more without the graham cracker."
Sara cocked her head. "How can you eat a s'more without the graham crackers? You'd burn your fingers."
"Are we sure she can't drink?" Brass inquired, hoping Sara wouldn't be quite so literal all night long.
"You got me." Catherine nodded. "How did you figure me out, Greg?"
"I just picked whatever my mother would like."
"OH!" Nick instinctively ducked. "Sanders is a dead man!"
"Hey!" He corrected, "My mom is a music teacher and has very refined taste like the lovely Ms. Willows."
"Nice save," Grissom toasted his protégé and polished off his glass. "And, Sara…where's that bottle of Glenmorangie?"
"Is he ordering the little women to fetch him some whisky?" Brass asked in disbelief. "I always thought Sara was the dominant in the relationship." He was happy to see everyone else nod in agreement.
"It's his party," Sara reassured him as she hurried to the kitchen for the bottle. "One night as boss is my gift to him."
"Sara said BOSS!" Nick reminded the group and they toasted.
"Tell us Sara's musical style," Grissom inquired as he watched his wife grab the bottle and his friends laugh at his relationship.
"Sara…Sara…Sara," Greg mused. "She's all about 'I respect the strong female viewpoint' music. Lilith Fair Rock…you know…women singing to women about women, or women singing to women about men who have wronged women."
"What!" Sara blurted from across the room.
"Uh hello?" Greg needled, "Indigo Girls? Melissa Etheridge? Sheryl Crow? Tori Amos?"
Sara returned to her husband's side and handed over the Scotch. "Fine, you got me."
Greg grinned with satisfaction. "Music for girls who want to have fun, but more often than not, find themselves puking up angst!"
"Yeah…sounds like pre-Grissom Sara to me," Warrick announced. "What about Mr. Jim Brass?"
"Sinatra, Baby." Greg stood confidently. "Who else for a fellow Jersey born smooth talker who doesn't take crap from anyone? And obviously, by the woman on his arm…a self-professed ladies man."
"Sanders just got himself a raise as soon as his red-flag is removed." Brass held up his glass and then shoved it toward Grissom to fill it.
"Roxie…" Greg smiled. "Don't worry, I've got something out-of-this-world on here for you because I know about you your proclivity for Lunar-themed dive bars. And Gris…since your usual Classical genre would bring the party to a grinding halt, I had to find other music…you'll know it when you hear it. You'll all know when you hear your special songs." With that he walked over to Tawny and placed his hands on her shoulders. "I saved the best for last." He felt Tawny's whole body smile. "The lovely Ms. Tawny Cooper. Here are a few things you don't know about her. She studied ballet for a decade and made her stage debut as a mouse in Cinderella. When she was seven she dressed as the Little Mermaid for Halloween and growing up, she had a closet full of princess-wannabe wear, complete with a full line of wands and tiaras."
Gil smiled, knowing exactly what Greg was trying to achieve…painting a more innocent picture of his partner in the eyes of those whose first stories of her were drastically different.
Greg wrapped his arms around his girl. "So Tawny's musical favorites are songs that include words like…dream, wish, heart, love and forever. Tonight I have something very special for her included in the mix, which I'll be waiting for her to recognize and I also have the debut of what I think should be our song."
"And what about you, Greg?" She asked in a dreamy tone, totally wowed by his words.
"The first song is mine…it fits my mood perfectly. So, how about I fire up the stereo while everyone grabs another round, and then I'll deal the cards? 'Cause I can't wait to see someone else take my 500 bucks from Grissom."
The crowd quickly complied, scurrying to the kitchen for cocktails and while they did that, Greg held onto Tawny's hand and pressed play.
A second later, the crunchy power chords of The Darkness's out-of-control love song, I Believe in This Thing Called Love filled the room.
Cupping Tawny's face with his hands, Greg said, "See…I told you it fit my mood perfectly." And as the lead vocalist shouted out the lyrics, Greg boldly stole a deep kiss.
Nick was the first to catch the smooch. "Hey who had money on Sanders getting the first kiss tonight?" Everyone raised their hands. "Okay, so that's a wash."
Forty minutes later…
Nick sat staring at the pile of chips amassed by his fiancée. "Where the hell did you learn to play poker?"
"I read a book yesterday," She sweetly answered. It was the truth, she had read a book…a legal text. Her answer was completely unrelated to poker. "I can't believe the luck I'm having!"
Grissom didn't buy that bluff for a minute and had already determined Nick's girl was the only true opponent…not that he was going to enlighten his co-worker about his fiancée. Roxie had some potential to take a few hands, as did Brass. But, Nick and Catherine would definitely be the first to fall.
Catherine snarked, "Carrie, I know you're relatively new to the group, so here's the way it's supposed to work…I'm always the center of attention."
Roxie snickered, "You can take the girl off the stage but you can't take the diva out of the girl!"
Brass loved the playful friction between the dueling ex-dancers on either side of him.
"You know it, Baby." Cath clinked her glass to hers. "What did you used to pull in a night back in the day?"
"In today's dollars…I'd say fifteen-hundred." Roxie proudly boasted, "Ten minutes in the VIP room with me and guys left changed for a lifetime."
"New hand!" Greg announced, trying to get the ex-dancers to stop their stroll down the side of memory lane. "Is everybody ready to donate more money to Carrie Blake's wedding fund?"
Carrie smiled…at both the idea of winning more and Greg's stealthy change of topic.
When no one moved he dealt their pocket cards. "Place your bets…still holding with a two-chip blind and ante…all-ins welcome. Starting with the Bug man."
Meanwhile in the dining room, Sara, Warrick and Tawny were playing their first Boggle game.
When the three minutes were up, Sara excitedly held up her list. "I got 42 words, including 6 five-letter ones and 1 six-letter!"
Warrick and Tawny exchanged glances and simultaneously said, "Game over."
"Wait!" Sara asked as they got up from the table. "Don't you want to play again?"
"I need to feed the baby!" Tawny pointed to her stomach.
Taking her arm, Warrick said, "I'm going to make sure she gets to the kitchen without fainting."
As they passed by the poker table, they heard Nick, shout, "Hot damn, woman! You're a shark in disguise. I thought we're supposed to disclose everything before we take that stroll to the altar?"
"Nicky, it's just dumb luck." She smiled sweetly.
Sara approached and placed her hands on her husband's shoulder. "Can I get you anything?"
"Sara touched her husband!" Nick announced. "That's a chugger."
After everyone downed their drink, Brass explained to Roxie, "Gil and Sara never touch in front of others. We didn't see them playing tonsil hockey until the entire state saw them on TV."
"I saw that kiss," Roxie cackled. "The tongue action shocked me. Never would have thought Gil had it in him based on my first impression."
"When did you first meet him?" Carrie asked.
"I lived across the hall from Sara and caught him hovering outside her door calling her name." She winked at him. "You looked like a hurt little puppy when I told you she went off with another man, but ya got the girl in the end, didn't you Hot Lips?"
Fueled by a half-bottle of premium whisky, Gil cockily replied, "Did you ever have any doubts?"
To which Brass, Catherine, Greg and Nick screamed, "YES!"
Grissom raised a brow. "Let's get back to the game, shall we? What time is it?"
"8:40," Carrie quickly answered.
"My gal always knows what time it is," Nick teased his punctuality obsessed fiancée.
"In a minute, it's going to be time to take more of your money!" Under the table, she kicked off her shoe and reached across to run her toes up his leg.
"Who has the cold feet?" Brass calmly inquired.
"Oh!" Carrie snapped back her foot and jumped up from the table. "I uh…need more wine."
When the song changed, Greg glanced over at Catherine waiting for her reaction. Her immediate fluster to Alicia Keys' Fallin' was just as Warrick had predicted when Greg asked him for their song a few days ago.
"I'm out!" Catherine announced as she strutted away from the table to search for her man.
"Where is she going in such a hurry?" Sara asked.
Roxie, the all-experienced, kindly answered, "To powder her nose."
"Oh." Sara shrugged. "I really wish she wouldn't be so self-conscious about her appearance amongst friends."
Nick, Brass and Greg burst out laughing while Gil smiled as his booty call-naïve wife's lack of party knowledge. Not that he had more direct experience than her, but as a man frequently trapped in rooms with Nick and Warrick, he had been privy to a lot of talk over the years. Based on the stories he heard, he figured the Pool House would be the prime love locale this evening.
One of the wonderful features of the Grissoms' house was the elaborately wired stereo system. If desired, the music playing on the stereo could play through the speakers in every room's ceiling as well as out of the speakers on the pillars of the back patio and in hidden speakers throughout the backyard. To set the party mood, Sara had clicked on this feature before the guests arrived.
When Catherine reached the kitchen, the lusty lyrics of Fallin' drifted through the speakers like a siren's wail.
Much to her disappointment, she only found Tawny snacking on carrots and dip. "Have you seen Warrick?" She asked in a pant.
In between a nibble, Tawny pointed to the back door. "He said something about checking out the Pool House?" A devious smile popped up on her face. "Don't worry…I'll run interference."
"I love ya', Tawny!"
Picking up another carrot, she giggled. "That seems to be going around!"
Traversing the manicured landscape in her high heels, Catherine rushed to the small building next to the illuminated swimming pool. And when she threw open the door, she saw Warrick leaning against the wall in the near darkness. "What took you so long, Baby?" He asked in a guttural tone while making sure she saw he had unbuttoned his shirt to the belt. "I had Greg play our song and I've been waiting for you to come."
In a flash they were together, arms and mouths locked.
"I forgot they had a Pool House," Catherine breathed out before inhaling for the next round of passionate kisses.
While wrapping his fingers around the hem of Catherine's skirt, Warrick brought his lips to her ear. "Tell me what you want, Baby."
Back in the house, Sara hurried into the kitchen sure she wouldn't find Warrick and Catherine. "Ugh! I knew it! They're outside tainting my Jacuzzi, aren't they?" She inquired of Tawny who was grabbing a piece of cheese.
"Actually, they were here but then Catherine's phone rang…Lindsay had an issue. They stepped outside for some privacy. I hope it's nothing serious."
"Oh." Sara felt bad for thinking the worst of her lusty friends. "Me either." And just as she was about to head to the back door to check on them she heard Tawny make an offer she couldn't refuse.
"Sara, wanna talk about pregnancy stuff?"
Pressed against the wall, Catherine shuddered with excitement. "You were bluffing earlier when you said this wasn't gonna happen."
"Maybe I still am," He replied in a tone as sultry as Alicia's. Then he made it perfectly clear he wasn't.
In the kitchen, Tawny jabbered on to her enthralled audience of one. "So after my boobs started killing me, the next day I began feeling these really odd sensations down below..."
Catherine purred, "No one knows how to love me like you do, Baby."
"Has anyone ever?" Warrick rasped as the body heat between them boiled over.
"Never!"
Sitting at the poker table, Greg hoped that his friends knew that Alicia's song lasted a very short three minutes and thirty seconds because if they took too long, their mood might be impacted by the next song he had pre-programmed...The Itsy Bitsy Spider. Sitting at the poker table, Greg hoped that his friends knew that Alicia's song lasted a very short three minutes and thirty seconds because if they took too long, their mood might be impacted by the next song he had pre-programmed...
Looking over at Grissom, Greg said, "This is one of yours in case you didn't guess."
In the kitchen, Sara and Tawny were still shooting the breeze when Catherine and Warrick strolled in looking no worse from wear.
"How's Lindsay?" Sara immediately inquired, hoping her friends wouldn't have to leave so soon.
"She won her softball game today," Catherine answered truthfully. "Shouldn't you be filling your husband's Scotch glass, Sara?"
"Right." She grabbed the bottle and darted for the poker table.
Tawny grabbed two plates and extended them. "I bet you guys are hungry."
Another forty minutes later…
With Catherine out of the game, the five remaining players and Greg sat around the table snacking and drinking while the others lounged around on the couches doing the same.
After pounding his third tequila shot of the night with Greg, Nick exclaimed, "Wait a minute…I always have Sunday's off but, you're well on the way to being shithoused, Sanders, and you have to work in the morning. It's Nightshift's weekend off and you switched to Days, remember?"
Brass glared at the boys. "Tell me that's not really happening."
"No worries," Greg assured the boss man. "Sofia volunteered to take my shift so I could party."
"Why would SHE do that?" Nick asked incredulously, still suffering from PTSD…post traumatic Sofia disorder.
Roxie curiously inquired, "Does this Sofia have the hots for ya', Chuckles?"
"What's that?" Tawny perked up like a terrier who saw another dog getting close to her bone. "Is this someone I should worry about?"
Nick, Brass, Gil, Greg and Warrick all shouted, "No!" Before sharing a hearty booze-fueled laugh.
Catherine patted Tawny on the arm. "Let's just say that Sofia is the opposite of you in many ways. While you exude enough warmth and bubbliness to melt a polar ice cap, Sofia is the reason the cap froze in the first place."
"Ahhh…" Tawny relaxed against the cushions.
When Greg heard Incubus's, Wish You Were Here coming to an end, he grabbed the stereo remote from the table and jumped up. "Okay this next song, while you might initially think it's meant for Tawny, it's not. For those who suffered over the years, you'll know exactly who this next one is for." With that he clicked on the stereo and let Vitamin C's 2005 updated reggae-funk version of The Little Mermaid's, Kiss the Girl start to play.
Before the first lyrics, Catherine began laughing. "Lindsay has this CD and I know exactly what song this is and it's for everyone's favorite dysfunctional dater…Mr. Gil Grissom!"
"This CAN'T be happening," Grissom moaned as he lifted his tumbler.
Nick slapped him on the back. "That's what Sara said every time you walked away without kissing her!"
"You tell him, Nick!" Sara shouted.
They all listened to the lyrics and made random comments.
"POSSIBLE she wants you too?" Brass shook with laughter. "The only way it could have been more obvious would have been if she rented space on the marquee at the Mirage spelling out, GIL, KISS ME YOU FOOL! SARA."
Sara choked out, "I actually looked into that but it was too pricey for my County salary."
The five large glasses of premium liquor didn't help soothe the embarrassment mounting within Gil. "Greg…the only reason I'm not going to kill you is because of that baby Tawny is carrying."
"Look who's not paying attention at Anger Management class!" Greg jumped up on his chair. "Okay, who's gonna sing the 'kiss the girl' part with me and really get on his nerves!"
Sara, having been on the receiving end of the 'will he or won't he kiss me' torture for years was THRILLED with this hazing. Elbowing Tawny she said, "By the way…I think Greg just entered the zone I was referring to earlier. Greg is normally a goofy free spirit with way too much energy…drunk Greg however…makes normal Greg seem tired and shy. He's capable of saying anything when he's in this state." Then Sara yelled over at her mortified husband, "Don't look at me to bail you out, I'm going to sing the loudest!"
They all sang, "Kiss the girl!"
Greg gave a shout out. "That was not nearly loud enough people. Remember the suffering we endured and let it fuel your voice!"
And then they sang a little louder, "Kiss the girl!"
"Much better!" Greg raised his Heineken bottle. "Now, let's keep singing until he gets off his ass and actually kisses her NOW."
Louder still, "Kiss the girl!"
Sara stood up and opened her arms. "I don't know about you but their singing is hurting my ears. Let's end it!"
When Grissom stood up the guests started clapping and Brass yelled out, "Don't get your hopes up people, he has a rep for backing down at the last minute, coughTAHOEcough."
"Kiss THAT girl!" They demanded.
In the center of the room, Gil took his wife in his arms and much to everyone's delight, planted a long, slow wet one on her.
Very pleased with the outcome, Greg lifted his beer. "This is the wedding kiss they denied us after all those years of waiting for them to get their act together. Selfish bastards."
In the midst of the catcalls and claps, Catherine leaned on Warrick. "Why the hell didn't I think of pouring a bottle of good Scotch down Gil's throat before locking him in a room with Sara and looping this song in on a loudspeaker?"
Warrick offered an explanation for her slow thinking. "Lack of oxygen to the brain resulting from the absence of a fantastic lover rockin' your world nightly?"
In the background Greg's voice boomed. "Fear not people! There's more to come!" He pointed to Tawny. "Don't worry, your song is coming up soon, Princess. Then later, you'll hear our song."
Warrick whispered in Catherine's ear. "I have fifty bucks that says Sanders gets so plastered that he's on one knee proposing to Tawny before the night is out."
Smoothing her hand over his back, she asked, "You jonesin' a little?"
He grinned. "Just a bit."
Catherine returned his grin, "You're on. My fifty says he won't."
Finally Grissom came up for air. "How was that?"
Roxie was waving her hand in front of her face. "It worked for me, Hot Lips."
Looking at Gil, Sara chuckled, "What she said."