A/N: Sorry for the long absence! My summer vacation muse got very distracted this winter. Hopefully I'll be working on this a lot more regularly. Enjoy the first of many new chapters!
Chapter 10: Land ho!
"Didn't you have a seminar this morning?" Sara asked as she snuggled into him, trapped in his arms up against the railing as they watched the island paradise approach in the late morning light.
"Did I?" he asked playfully, pulling her back into him. She could almost feel the smile on his face.
"Grissom!" She spun in his arms, a smile trying to burst through her stern countenance.
"No one else was taking it seriously," he said with a slight frown, moving his hand to caress her cheek. "So instead of getting frustrated trying to get some work done, I decided my time would be much better spent here. With you."
Sara tried to keep the smile off of her face, but found she couldn't. She let it spread across her lips, and with a barely suppressed giggle she dropped a kiss on his cheek before turning her gaze back to the sea.
The huge dining room was even emptier than usual. From their vantage point at the back of the room, Grissom and Sara could see only a few other groups of people, but they were quickly forgotten. Their lunch was ordered Grissom and Sara were now quietly watching as the ship entered the harbor out of the wall of glass windows their table was next to.
The water was a bright azure in the sunlight with white foam from the engines playing in the wake. Land began to surround them in vivid greens, whites, and pastels as the tropical paradise they'd imagined finally appeared before their eyes.
"This was a great idea, Sara," Grissom whispered as their first course of a chilled fruit soup arrived. She had suggested they take advantage of the cool and less populated dining room while the rest of the boat's population squeezed onto the top decks.
"I think–" A sudden rattling of the ship, the entire bulk vibrating so that the silverware jumped on the table, cut off Sara's reply. Grissom calmed the panic he saw in Sara's eyes with a gentle hand on hers.
"Probably just the engines," He said, his eyes sweeping the dining area. "See? None of the waiters are reacting. I'm sure it's perfectly normal."
Sara watched the waiters move about, but didn't look convinced. "You know the band on the titanic played until they sank."
He simply stared at her, asking if she was serious with his eyes. He twined his fingers with hers and with his other hand continued eating. "When the waiter comes back you can ask him, but I'm sure it's just the engines preparing to dock."
When the waiter came back to serve their main courses Sara indeed asked her question. "Ahhh," the young waiter answered with a wink as he left, "that's all the young newlyweds like yourselves."
"See?" Grissom asked, only slightly caught off-guard by the waiter's comment. Sara simply smiled.
"So you'll come, right?" Keri asked as she hung in Sara's doorway.
"Can't you tell me more about it?" Sara was wary of her friend's invitation as she pulled apart her suitcase in her tiny closet, looking for the purse she had packed.
"All we know is that it's an 'adult game show' and that the cruise director said it'll be a wonderful time." Keri thought for a moment, intent on getting Sara to join them. "You can bring Dr. Grissom." Sara stiffened at her comment and turned around. "What? You think we haven't seen how you two are acting? There may not have been anything going on when you got here- but there sure as hell is now!" Keri smiled at her friend. "It's ok, hun. Besides, I think Erika is trying to get her hooks into that Danny fellow. Look, we'll talk at dinner. Why don't you guys consider it? If you don't like it you two can always leave."
As soon as Grissom opened the door to his room Sara molded her body to his, engaging him in a slow, sensual kiss. He groaned when her lips left his and she pushed into his room.
"Ready?" She asked. The boat had docked a half hour ago and the passengers were lining up to disembark. Grissom closed the door and turned to her, the gleam of desire in his eyes.
"No." He silently stalked closer to her, a smile on his face.
"No?" she asked coyly, sitting and leaning back on his bed. Just as he was nearing her she turned and crawled up the bed to the window. "Look! Isn't it gorgeous out there? And you want to stay in this silly little room!" She saw his reflection moving to her over the bed.
"I think what's in here is more gorgeous..." He crawled beside her and captured her mouth in a breathless kiss. She curled into his body as he pulled her against him, their mouths hot on each other's skin. Short kisses turned into languid, deep kisses. Hands roamed and caressed. They lost themselves in each other and time stood still as their kissing turned into a teenaged make-out session.
Sara leaned back on the bed as Grissom made his way down her neck with tiny kisses to rest his head on her chest. She tangled her fingers in his hair as they both took deep, heavy breaths.
Sara sighed, content. "Maybe it is more fun in here..."
"Oh, God, this is just beautiful..." Sara's breath caught in her chest as she disembarked, followed by Grissom. He took her hand and walked along the cobblestone path to the clock tower and fort. They were docked at an old British naval port, and in the distance they could see the old cannons-turned-relics. The afternoon was waning, but it was their first of almost three days on this side of the island and they had decided that at least a walk would be a good idea.
"It is," Grissom added as he took in his surroundings.
A cheerful ship employee wielding a camera stopped them. "Would you like your picture taken?" He asked.
Grissom raised an eyebrow at Sara, who shrugged in return. "Sure," he said.
"Step right this way please." The employee said, pointing them to a spot on the cobblestone so he could get the bow of the ship in the picture.
Sara moved to just stand next to Grissom as she took her sunglasses off, but he slipped an arm behind her and molded her to his body. She looked at him in surprise, and a smile spread across both their faces.
(TBC...)