Disclaimer: Only the characters don't belong to me. I'm just on a loan.

Rating: PG-13? I don't know.

A/N: Wow, I wasn't expecting quite this response. Thank you!

Julie: I'm sorry, m'dear. Pitch up camp. The next update might be tonight (this morning), tomorrow. Who knows?

Anushka: I was inspired, yes. Aren't you glad?

Cheryl: Secretly, Trojan is sponsoring me and I make millions endorsing their products. No, sadly, that is a lie. I just believe in safe sex and not drinking in driving. Plus, I think Nick and Sara do too.

Grrl: I knew it! Of course I never go with my gut feeling. Oh well.

FoxRox: Thank you. I enjoy neck licking. Call me Claire.

Jacinda: Everybody's feeling the Stetson.

Outrageous: You said, 'yeah buddy.' I love you.

Ebabe: Emily, right? Yeah, DarkDreamer gave it as a challenge.

Ash: I'm really glad that you like it. I was worried that you wouldn't. Nick in a cowboy hat? Who could resist?

Chapter Three

Sara stared at the cards in her hands and then at Nick who was busy mulling over his hand. She had was successful thus far, not losing a single item of clothing but Nick had already lost his socks and shoes to her since he hadn't made one pair yet whereas Sara had made two.

"Gotta four?" he asked, his mouth murmuring the words against the lip of his beer can.

"Go fish," she smiled.

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah. Why?"

"Just wondering if the cards look a little hazy to you or not. Like maybe the three you're seeing is really an eight."

Sara looked up from her eyes with an expression on her face that was no amused.

"I've sobered up a bit, Nicky."

"Then obviously, you need another shot of tequila," Nick stated, already pouring her another shot.

"That's the last thing I need," she muttered, accepting the little glass she was offered before downing the liquid in a gulp, almost loving the familiar burn in the back of her throat.

"Your turn, darlin'."

Sara looked from her cards to the pairs she had in front of her to Nick who was watching her patiently. She saw the card she wanted to ask him, she knew the suit was diamonds and that it was read but the number in the corner was slightly blurry.

"Um…"she started, squinting at the card.

"Need some help?"

"No, I got it."

She counted how many diamonds were on the card with her finger and then said proudly, "Six?"

He grumbled and then handed over his six of clubs. She smiled as she laid her card on top of his.

"I believe your shirt is next, Mr. Stokes."

He was just about to comply when he noticed her error, which caused him to burst out laughing.

"What's so funny?"

"Uh, Sar? That's a seven of diamonds, not a six."

"What are you talking about? I counted the diamonds!" she remarked incredulously, squinting down at the card and beginning to count the little diamonds with her finger once more.

"And seven," he added when she missed the one in the middle.

"Shit."

"I think you need to lose your shoes for that," he grinned.

"Whatever," she muttered.

Pushing her chair back, she glared at him before bending forward to pull of her shoes. She threw them down onto the floor and then pulled herself closer to the table.

"Hey, it's not my fault you can't count."

"I can count just fine and in five different languages too!" she boasted.

"Oh yeah? Which ones?"

"English, French, Spanish, Italian, and German and Portuguese," she said, listing them off and counting them off on each finger.

"That's six, sugar."

"No it isn't."

"Should I make you lose your shirt too?"

"Why don't I just lose everything?" she said.

It was supposed to be a bit of a joke and she almost spat the words out at him but Nick's interested was piqued and she saw it.

"Yeah, why don't you?"

"Because I haven't had enough tequila yet."

"Then let me pour you another," he commented, taking up her shot glass and pouring the last of the liquid into it.

Sara smiled victoriously. There was no way she was going to be pissed enough to actually remove her clothes by having one more swallow of alcohol, though she had to admit, she was getting there. Clearly, she couldn't see straight, her head was light and her eyelids were heavy. She knew that if she stood up, she would probably sway because she was already starting to in her seat.

"Don't worry. I got more in my kitchen."

The tequila hadn't really affected Nick, it appeared since his stride hadn't changed much though she noticed he gripped the wall and the edge of the counter for a bit of support. His drawl was thicker and she could hear more of the twang in his voice when he spoke.

Sure enough, he came back with a smug grin on his thin lips, his cheeks slightly flushed, and a bottle three-quarters full of more tequila.

"Peachy," she muttered, nursing her glass.

"I don't think we should play strip Go Fish. We should make it a drinking game."

"Fine by me."

"Every time you have to fish, you take a hit?"

Sara snickered and nodded. His choice of words made her think they were doing drugs or something.

"Sure."

"Gotta queen, Sidle?"

"Go fish," she said, reaching for the bottle to pour him a shot. "You should just grab a bunch of glasses and we can have them already filled up."

"So you can think when you're half pissed," he teased, getting up again and making his way to the kitchen, coming back with a couple more glasses.

Sara studied the tiny glasses that he set down on the table, grabbing one to read what it said. It had a picture of the state of Texas and its name above it. There were a bunch of other little things around the state that Sara assumed were associated with Nick's home but since her vision wasn't proving to be good, she didn't bother to look any closer.

"Like 'em?" Nick asked, filling the glasses as he spoke.

"Did you buy these yourself?"

"Of course. It's a little taste of home."

Sara snorted lightly at what could have been considered a pun. Nick's glass was empty a moment later and Sara knew that she wasn't going to last much longer if she had to keep downing tequila.

"King?" she asked.

"Go Fish."

Picking up the closest Texas shot glass to her, she grabbed a card that was face down with her free hand. The burn was in the back of her throat again and she slammed the glass down on the table in slight reaction to the sensation in her throat and to the fact that she knew she was beginning to lose.

"Got an eight?" he drawled, watching her with a close eye and a smirk.

Reluctantly, she slid her card across the table to him, watching it go from her hand. Her eyes looked up and met his, waiting for the command to come any second.

"Panties."

"Is that smirk permanently on your face, Stokes?"

"Some times. More around you than any one else."

"Bastard," she muttered.

"Take 'em off, darlin'."

With keen eye, Nick gazed at her standing up a bit and hooking her thumbs into the sides of her underwear underneath her skirt. He could really see what she was doing until he saw the silky garment slide down her legs. Unfortunately, the table blocked the rest of the view but he still had an ardent look in his eyes. He saw it drop to the floor but didn't hear it.

"Unless you want them?" she said sardonically.

"You're still a sassy little thing when you're drunk, aren't ya?" he chuckled.

"I'm not drunk."

"Pretty damn close."

"Just give me your three."

"I don't have one."

"Bullshit."

"I'd show you but then you'd know my cards."

"I'd forget them anyways," she murmured, reaching for a card off the table and then a shot glass.

"That tequila's really making you lose, hmm?"

"Watch it, Stokes."

"I mean, I'm sure if you were sober you would have realized what a bad idea it was to play me at Go Fish. I'm the champion, Sar. Once you have a few siblings and you drive to your cabin that's five hours away every summer, you catch on to a few things."

"What're you talking about? Go fish has no skill to it."

"You remember what cards they don't have, that's the skill."

"That's dumb."

"Not when you're playing strip Go Fish, it ain't."

Her eyes rolled in her head as she let out a rather loud sigh. She was definitely beginning to feel a little drunker than she had a few minutes ago.

"Jesus, Nick, would you turn down the heat in this place? It's a furnace."

"That's the booze talking to you but I wouldn't mind if you lost your top to cool down."

"Come to think of it, I wouldn't mind either."

Nick raised his eyebrow. He didn't know if she realized what she had just said. "What was that?"

"I'm thinking about it, Nicky, don't push it."

He held up his hands in defense and feigned innocence. "Gotta nine?"

She handed it over to him and said, "I thought we said weren't going to play strip Go Fish any more?"

"Hey, you willingly took off your underwear."

"You ordered me to."

"If I ordered you to drop to – Never mind. Don't answer that," he said, shaking his head.

"Drop to what, Nicky?" she smiled, gazing at him intently as well as sultrily.

"Nothing."

"My knees?" she finished for him.

"Not only are you sassier but you're definitely less inhibited."

"Yeah, I believe we already discussed how amazing tequila is."

"Just take a shot and we'll call it even, 'kay?"

"Fine," she shrugged and did as he said.

Their conversation had shifted from bantering to flirting and Sara was now in the mood to push a few of his buttons. Her mind was thinking straight and it was all thanks to the tequila. The heat of the apartment was still getting to her and though she could have asked if Nick had anything else to wear, she wanted to see him drool and squirm where he sat. Ever since they left the club, Sara couldn't stop thinking about how right it felt to be in his arms, flush with his body, and how wonderful it was to have his lips molded with hers.

Sara found the perfect opportunity when Nick studied his cards for a long minute, shifting them around in his hand and deciding which one he wanted to play next. When he looked back up Sara was sitting calmly in her chair as if nothing had happened in an emerald green bra with lace for the sides that wrapped around her torso. She was studying her cards like he had been until his jaw dropped to the table at the sight of Sara Sidle in her bra.

"Jack?" she questioned, looking up and meeting his eyes. "What? I told you it's hot in here."

"Um… yeah, I uh, gotta jack," he stumbled out, never taking his eyes off of her as he handed over his card.

"This is a ten but I've got that too."

Nick chanced a look down and picked the right card this time, giving it to her.

"Nick, it's not like you haven't seen a woman in a bra before."

"Yeah, but I haven't seen you in a bra before or anything else like that."

"Would you like to?"

Nick snapped out of his pseudo reverie and frowned at her. "Sar, you're drunk, I can't… do that."

"Trust me, it's consensual, Nicky. I wouldn't take my clothes off for just anyone."

"That's comforting."

"It's true," she stated, slipping out of her chair.

As she predicted, she was a little clumsy on her feet but she managed to make it to the other side of the dining room table where he was without stumbling or falling flat on her face. Once she had reached him, she bent down to whisper in his ear. Instead, she traced the outline of his ear with her tongue and then tugged on the lobe with her cheek.

"I'll be in your room, Nicky," she whispered softly.

Nick turned his head and watched her stride confidently but carefully to his room. She didn't look once over her shoulder to see if he was following.