Chapter 3

"Looking forward to it" Sara repeated to herself. "When has Gil ever said he was looking forward to anything?"

She knew he had been behaving differently recently, she had seen a much softer side to him and she had to admit she liked it.

But she had told herself on so many occasions that nothing would ever or could ever happen between them again, she would have to be standoffish and cool with him when he arrived or he was liable to get the wrong idea.

Sara had never let anything get in the way of her work, particularly things like sex and she wasn't about to start now, not when they were so close to cracking the case that they had worked so damn hard on. Gil had often told her to take more personal time, he worried for her that she didn't have a life outside of work, but Sara didn't see it like that, her job was her life and her life was her job and that is how she wanted it. In that way she was quite like Gil; he didn't leave himself open to emotions and to the prospect of getting hurt, and neither did she. But she had been hurt, more than any of the other CSI's would ever know.

She went upstairs to wash her face and strolled into the bedroom where she put on soft music and sprayed perfume on her neck and wrists. She wasn't even aware she was doing it, her mind was somewhere else entirely. She started to plump the pillows on her bed up whilst thinking of pinning Grissom down on the satin sheets and having her wicked way with him.

"Stop it" she said to herself a little too harshly. She looked in the mirror, ran a brush over her hair and realised she was still in the clothes that she had worked in that day. She also needed a shower.

She checked her watch wondering if she had time to wash and change before Grissom made it over.

She picked up her cell and rang him.

"Gil Grissom"

"Gil, it's Sara, I haven't eaten today and I was wondering if you would stop by and get take out before you come over".

"Sure, you want your usual?" he asked.

He remembered that Sara's favourite take out was chicken satay and chow mein noodles. After they had made love she used to eat the remainder of the noodles cold straight from the fridge. He smiled at the memory.

"Em, no I fancy something different tonight, why don't you surprise me", Sara said.

"Maybe I will Sara, maybe I will", Gil responded thoughtfully.

"I'm gonna grab a shower, so I will leave the front door open. Let yourself in." she said.

Sara hung up, and headed for the shower. She stripped off and found herself humming. She felt more relaxed and happier than she had in a long time.

She tried to focus on the job in hand, finding the bastard that violated little Megan Richardson.

The image of her mutilated body came into Sara's mind and quickly brought her back to reality.

As she emerged from the shower feeling refreshed she remembered all her clean towels were downstairs.

"Dammit" she said to herself.

When she walked out of the bathroom, naked and wet, her nipples hardened with the blast of cool air. She looked over the banister to make sure that no-one was in the living room and proceeded down the stairs. Her towels were in the dryer in her kitchen, and as she walked towards the dryer Gil strolled in with the take out.

Sara's back was turned to him as he walked in, he let his eyes explore her perfect body, and felt himself stiffen as she wrapped the towel around herself.

"Gil" she said as she turned around. "How long have you been standing there?"

Not wanting to embarrass her or admit that he was looking, he said simply "Just now".

"Let me go get some clothes on, you know where the plates are" she said as the colour crept into her cheeks.

"Sure, I brought beer as well, do you want some", he asked trying desperately to push the image of her nakedness out of his mind.

"No, I want to keep a clear head", she said.

"For the case?" he added.

"Em, something like that", she replied, now very aware of her nakedness.

She pushed past him and made her way to her bedroom. "Oh my God," she thought to herself, "how long was he there? Did he see me naked? Did he enjoy it?" She smiled at the thought. "Focus on the job in hand" she berated herself.

She pulled on her navy jeans and her tight blue sweater that over-accentuated her high well defined breasts, sprayed more perfume on her, and proceeded downstairs.