AN You know I've never been good at describing clothes on women for some reason...so you guys are gong to have imagine would would look dead sexy on Sara and that's what she was wearing! LOL
Okay the next chapter is going to deal with basically just Payton and Greg. I do feel sorry for Payton, she pretty much was fighting a losing battle from the start. FoxRox1 you made some really good points, in short Payton and Greg are better off apart...then we can explore how Sara and Greg are together because despite whatever chemistry happens in this chapter, they still have some stuff to work out.
Oh my WORD I'm talking about this like it's real...snap out of fantasy Dream! Anyway I wasn't going to write them at the bar, but then an idea hit me and I just had to...so I hope you like it. 0)
"So we're here." Sara states the obvious as the two of them exit the cab.
Greg nods, "Yeah and Catherine said we'd be on the list so let's go." Instinctively he puts his arm around her waist and guides her to the door with a hand on the small of her back.
This is not good, it is so not good! Like a tingle on steroids his gentle touch is sending shivers through her that aren't helping her situation at all. Sara barely manages to look at the bouncer before they're inside. "Now what do we do?" She leans in to speak into his ear.
Wow, he had never realized how sensational it felt for breath to hit his neck like that. He took her hand to pull her through the crowd and leaned back to speak into her ear, "Now we go to the bar, spot him and hang out till we can nab something."
"Right, okay." This was ridiculous she felt like she was a teenager being touched by a boy for the first time and he was only holding her hand! Focus Sidle, you are actually working here.
They found a spot at the end of the bar putting their sites on Lou, the bartender, waiting for him to give them something they could use.
"So now I guess we have to talk instead of just staring at him." Greg said leaning against the bar.
She leaned in next to him and nodded, "Good point, so what do we talk about?" You know besides the HUGE pink elephant of a conversation that had loomed over their heads for months.
He licked his lips and smiled at her, "We could talk about that guy over there that is desperately waiting for me to leave so he can talk to you."
Please dear God do not lick your lips boy! She sighed, "Let's not and say we did."
"No seriously, you have to at least get a look at this guy, he's so obvious!" Greg laughed.
Nonchalantly Sara turned her head to catch the eye of a guy who winked at her when she saw him, "Come on Greg he's barely legal." She protested.
"He's gotta be at least 27 now, don't knock young till you've tried it." He said without thinking.
She looked him in the eye, "I've only tasted…" She smiled when his eyes grew wide, "…and it was pretty damn good. You have a point."
He cleared his throat and looked back at the bartender, "Oh he's chewing gum; that might work." He was desperate for a change in subject, had the heat gone up in the room or something?
"Yeah it might, if he disposes of it in a place we can reach we're gold." She liked that reaction from him, it meant she still had an effect on him and while she had no intention of acting on it just yet, just knowing was good enough for her.
Just then Lou came over to them, "Can I get you two something?" He asked eyeing the empty spots in front of them.
"Two Budweiser." Greg ordered with a look at Sara who nodded her assent.
"Thanks." Sara said when Lou put the two bottles down in front of them.
"Lou!" A guy called from the other end of the bar, "Get rid of the gum and speed up!"
"Ass." Lou mumbled then pulled the gum out of his mouth and stuck it on the underside of the bar.
When he was gone Sara looked over at Greg who nodded. The gum was closer to her so she took the small plastic bag he handed her and placed it over her hand then she waited a minute. When she was sure no one was looking she snaked her long arm over the bar and underneath to grab the gum.
"Make sure you get the right one." Greg muttered.
She rolled her eyes at him, "Thanks." She found the gum grabbed it and pulled her arm to the other side of the bar just as Lou looked over.
As he walked back to their end of the bar, a suspicious look in his eye, Sara did the only thing she could think of, she wrapped her arms around Greg and started to kiss his neck. She whispered into his ear,"I'm just going to put this in your pocket." She continued to leave small kisses on side of his neck and ear.
All he could do was nod and put his arms around her waist to at least make it look normal. While Lou was distracted by this she switched the bag to her other hand and put into one of Greg's front jacket pockets.
He really hadn't been dreaming it; she really did smell amazing. He wondered if she tasted as good as last time but reluctantly pulled away when he felt her hand come out of his pocket, "Umm, savvy undercover work."
"Thanks and by the way." She licked her lips, "still good."
This wasn't good. That nagging voice he'd shut away was yelling so loud he could still hear her. He shouldn't be doing this, he shouldn't be allowing himself the temptation that was Sara Sidle all wrapped up in this delicious package. He shook his head and changed the subject again, "Well, we should go."
"We have to finish our beer first." She indicated the full bottles in front of them and leaned back giving him some space to breathe. Let's be honest, she needed to breathe too, she couldn't believe she'd actually done that! Especially when she had specifically said she would never do that again, but this was different, this was something else entirely. If only she could her finger on what exactly it was she'd be happier.
"You're right, we do." He agreed a lot quicker than he should have; one beer lead to another and pretty soon they had been at the bar for two hours just talking.
Reluctantly Greg looked at his watch and inwardly groaned at the tongue lashing he knew he'd receive when he got home, "I really should get this back to the lab before I go home." He said patting his pocket.
"Yeah you should." She took a last sip of her drink and started to walk to the door.
Once outside Greg hailed her a cab and opened the door for her. He leaned down once she had got in, "Have a good sleep."
She smiled at him, "I will, you too. See you at work."
"Yeah. Bye Sara."
"Bye Greg."
He shut the door and promptly got another cab for himself. He was pondering all the way to the lab where he dropped off the bag to Hodges before changing back into what he had been wearing earlier. He looked down and saw the comb on the floor and sighed. "I can't do this much longer." He muttered to no one.
Or at least he thought it was to no one, "Can't do what much longer?"
His head whipped up to look at Catherine in surprise, "You're still here?"
"Sometimes I think I should get my mailing address changed to the lab. I'm here more than I'm home." She laughed, "You didn't answer my question."
He slumped onto the bench and put his head in his hands, "The whole fantasy of having more than one woman want you is a crock of shit."
"It's always more work and harder on the heart." Catherine said wisely as she sat down next to him. "What's your problem?"
He looked up at her and rolled his eyes, "Like you don't know."
"Humor me."
"Payton is slowly becoming a thorn in my side because she's stopped trusting me. The reason she doesn't trust me is she's convinced I'm secretly in love with Sara. Her distrust is starting to piss me off, but I don't know if that's because I want to be trusted or because I just might be." He groaned into his hands.
"In love with Sara?" Catherine finished for him.
He nodded but didn't look at her, "But I don't want to make the wrong decision. If Payton is the one for me then I really need to get over this stupid fantasy of Sara and remain in reality with Payton."
"How do you know Payton is your reality?"
"That's just it! I don't." He groaned again.
"Do you want some advice?"
"I'll take anything at this point."
"Pretend for a split second that Sara doesn't exist and look at your relationship with Payton from that viewpoint. If it still looks wrong then break up with her, but if it looks right, well then you've got your answer about Sara too."
"That sounds too simple."
"Sometimes solutions are." Catherine stood up and pulled on his arm, "Now go home and at least pretend to get some sleep."
He stood and hugged her, "Thanks Catherine."
She smiled into his shoulder and patted his back, "No problem, I figure I've lived through enough crappy relationships to learn a thing or two."
He smiled at her and waved as he left the locker room. Without thinking he grabbed his cell and made a quick call. Knowing he'd get the machine he left a message, "Hey Nick? It's Greg. I think I might need help moving house next week, want to give me a hand? Call me back tomorrow." He clicked his phone shut and smiled to himself.