AN: Hello my faithful readers!:-) I'm so sorry it's been such a long time since I last updated, but I have been so unbelievably busy the past few days! Of course, with Christmas, and my sister is home from away (who is, in a few months going to give birth to my very first niece or nephew!!!!!) and my brother is home from away, and of course there's constantly other family driving me crazy, as usual! lol! Anyway, don't worry; I haven't forgotten about you, or the fic, but I've had a little bit of writer's bloc. Normally, the Nick in me (I find I'm a lot like him) comes out and just writes the story for me, but it seems as if he's taken the holidays off and gone back to Texas. COME BACK NICKY!! Oh, as for Christmas, sadly, I didn't get my chocolate covered Nick, but I did get the CSI board game, which will have to do.

PS: Chapter 6 was supposed to be called "All I Want For Christmas (Is a Christmas Tree)" but took out the () and cut off the last part.

PSS: Please pray for those who have lost their lives, those still missing, and those who have lost loved ones in the recent tsunami and earthquake in Southeast Asia. Please send your support through Oxfam, the Red Cross, Unicef, or other organizations. The world needs everyone's help. If you can read this, you are so lucky to have a computer, Internet connections, even the ability to read, and even to be alive today. Send your support.

After Sara's little show, Nick had become a lot more frisky and affectionate. She was holding an ornament, trying to decide how to reach the branch that she had picked out for it when a pair of strong arms wrapped around her waist and a pair of soft lips gently brushed against the back of her neck.

"Oh." She closed her eyes and shivered, the feeling making her weak in the knees. She leaned against him and he supported her against his strong body.

"I." Kiss. "Loved." Kiss. "Your." Kiss. "Little." Kiss. "Show." Kiss. "Mmm…you… taste… sooo…. good…"

"Nick…" She sighed his name as he continued to kiss her neck. When he had been asleep and dreaming about her, his kisses had been absolutely amazing; but those didn't hold a candle to what he was doing now.

"Would…mmm…would you… like to…go…horseback…riding…?"

"Oh Nicky…" As far as Sara was concerned, she could stay right here all day and have him kiss her, and she would be happy. And as horseback riding sounded so romantic, she was afraid that things could get out of hand if they were out there alone. Not that she didn't trust Nick, but she didn't trust herself. And as romantic as it sounded to make love to that man in the middle of nature, getting snow on her ass was not how she envisioned her first time with him.

"What do you think?" His hand was splayed against her stomach as he sucked on an earlobe.

"Mmm…" She sighed. Being under his power like this made it very difficult for her to think of something witty to say. "And what, Mr. Stokes, are your intentions with me?"

"Whatever you want." He whispered into her ear and nipped at the tip of her ear. He was so glad when the rest of his family had left the two of them alone to finish the tree.

"Oh God…" 'Whatever you want.' That was all she needed to hear. He wanted it just as bad as she did, but he was not going to pressure her in anyway. The fact that he wouldn't pressure her made her want him even more.

"I'm ready when you are."

She turned around in his arms to look at him, and she was captivated by his big, dark brown, arousal filled eyes. "Nick…" She sighed and kissed him softly. "I think before we take that step we do need to talk."

"I agree." He told her softly in an understanding tone. "As much as I want it, it is a big step."

"Yes."

"Do you want to talk now?" His eyes were filled with hope, reminding her of a puppy dog, begging for a treat.

"Okay." She took his hand and dragged him up to his room.

"You sure you trust to be alone with me right now?" He asked with a smile.

Sara looked at him with a seductive smirk. "It's me I don't trust."

"Oh." That hadn't been the answer he had been expecting, but he had hoped for it.

"C'mere." She leaned in and kissed him, her hands splaying against his strong, muscular chest.

Nick dipped his head to meet her lips, touching them softly at first, and pressing harder as she responded. He caused her to whimper when he sucked her bottom lip into his mouth, and she opened her lips to him, letting his tongue come in. They moaned into each other's mouths as they moved back towards the bed. Nick led her blindly, and when she fell against it, they stayed close, Nick falling on top of her and pushing her into the mattress.

"Mmm…Nicky…" Sara moaned as he moved to her neck. Suddenly she felt something press against her thigh. "Oh my." She said, half surprised.

"What?" His head was in a cloud of arousal and lack of oxygen as he looked up to gaze in her eyes.

A mischievous and purely seductive look crossed Sara's face. "It's true what they say." He cocked his head and furrowed his brow in confusion, so she decided to continue. "Everything is bigger in Texas."

Nick understood what she said, but he tried to act confused. He wanted her to actually say it. She knew that he knew what she was talking about, but decided she would humor him, and she whispered in his ear.

He had never heard Sara utter such words, and when they were directed at him, he groaned as he closed his eyes, just thinking about it. "Oh my God…Sara…" He groaned her name and growled as he attacked her lips, kissing her for all he was worth.

"Nicky…" She sighed as he moved to her neck as he continued, when something suddenly dawned on her. "Nicky…" She pushed on his shoulders to get his attention.

"Yeah?" He looked almost dopey as he looked at her through half closed eyes, staring at her lips as she spoke.

"Do you have protection?"

Nick's eyes went wide when he realized. Never in his wildest dreams…actually in most of his dreams he thought about it, but he never thought it would happen in real life, that he would be here, on his bed with Sara Sidle, ready to make love to her. As he didn't think this would be happening, he hadn't planned on bringing protection.

"Fuck…" He wanted it so bad, and from the look in her eyes, she wanted it just as much.

Sara decided to string him along a little further. "Honey, don't worry. I know that if anything were to happen, you would take care of our child, and me and be a part of his or her life. You would be an excellent father."

Nick's eyes went even wider and he gulped. As much as he loved the idea of one day marrying Sara and her having his children, he was not ready for that. Not that he didn't want to be a dad, but he wanted Sara to himself at least for a little while. Even if it did seem a little selfish.

"Besides, I'm not getting any younger, and while it may not matter as much to you men, we women are on a ticking clock."

"Uhhh…" As much as he tried he couldn't think of anything to say that wouldn't result in his face getting slapped and ending any chance he had of getting Sara back into her current position underneath him.

Sara decided she was being very mean to him and she just couldn't string him on any longer. She let out a giggle, which she hadn't done before Nick had finally admitted his feelings to her, and kissed his nose. This confused him further and Sara decided to explain to him. "Honey, don't worry. I'm on the pill. I was just teasing you about that."

"Oh, Jesus…Sar—" He sighed in relief that they could continue and that she wasn't already wanting children.

"Nick… as much as I want kids sometime in the future, I want you all to myself for a while."

"Me too."

"Besides…" She leaned up and whispered in a breathy voice into his ear, "I much prefer the feel of skin on skin, especially for our first time."

"Oh, Sara…" He closed his eyes and began another assault on her neck as his hands began to pull up her shirt. Sara tugged on his sweatshirt and he got the hint. He knelt up over her and pulled it off, revealing his muscular chest and abs to her. She could have stared at him all day if it was up to her, but he had other plans as he fell back down onto her.

Much later, they were lying cuddled up together underneath the duvet comforter on his bed. What had seemed too small last night seemed too big now, as they couldn't get close enough together. Whether it was a twin size bed or a king size it wouldn't have mattered, they would have stayed just as close.

As Nick held her and kissed her neck softly as the last of the waves of pleasure ebbed off, he whispered, "So much for talking about it."

"I think we pretty much just explained everything we needed to talk about anyway."

"Mmm hmm." He thought about it for a little while and smiled against her skin. "I like this way of explaining better than talking."

"Nick…" She giggled and rolled over in his arms to look at him, her hands splayed out on his chest. Sighing she laid her head back down into the crook of his neck, her legs tangling with his as her fingers lazily scratched his bicep. "Hmm…" She made the contented sound of a truly satisfied woman.

"What?"

"That was absolutely amazing."

"Yeah, it was." His voice was husky as his hands rubbed her back and shoulders to relax her further.

"I mean, it was…wow…" She sighed. "God…that was the best ever."

"I thought so too."

"Mmm…and that was just our first time."

Nick couldn't help but grin, he was sure she was grinning too. "Yeah, that was a dress rehearsal."

"Dress rehearsal?" She lifted up slightly and looked down his body. "We're not dressed."

"I mean…undress rehearsal." He said, trying not to giggle, but it slipped out.

"Nick…" She giggled kissing his shoulder.

"Just wait until we get some more practise in."

"Oooh I don't think I can wait." She told him.

"Nicolas! Sara! Supper's on the table!" Evelyn cried out from the bottom of the stairs.

"Oh God." He didn't want to have to get up.

"We'd better go. I don't want to give your family the wrong impression of me."

"Oh but Sidle you're such a bad influence on me." He reached down and squeezed her butt.

"Nick!" He laughed but stopped as she watched her get up, pulling the sheet up with her and letting it pool behind her. "C'mon."

"Uhhh…" He groaned.

She leaned down and kissed him chastely on the lips. "If you're a good boy, maybe you'll get some dessert." With that she stood up, taking the sheet to wrap around her as she searched for her clothes, with Nick not far behind.

TBC

(If you want the unrated version you'll have to wait for me to write it... I still haven't figured out the best way to get it to peoeple, any ideas?)