Ulterior Motives
Disclaimer: You know the drill: It's not mine, I don't own it, I'm just borrowing... CSI belongs to CBS...
A/N – Okay, okay, I admit it. Their dates' names were a little corny (you'll see when you read further). Well, it started innocently with the guy because I really like the name, and then I accidentally typed the girl's name without thinking about it. Anyway, I left it because it was funny... At least to me.
"Grissom, I'm not going," Sara groaned.
"Sara, if I have to go, I insist that you're going. You can't back out now. Find a date." Grissom shuffled a few papers around on his desk, purposefully avoiding her eyes.
"Damn it, Grissom. I can't believe you're doing this. You didn't even ask me. What if I have plans for Friday?" Her entire face scrunched up into a frown.
Grissom actually felt himself laughing at that. He did not want to embarrass or anger Sara, but he could not remember the last time she had plans that did not include the lab or, recently, him. He looked up at her face and saw that he had brought out a tinge of anger.
"Sorry. I didn't mean to laugh, but you have to admit that statement was a little funny. I don't honestly know if you have plans, but normally your plans only involve work. Well, this is work-related, kind of." He was still trying to wipe the smirk off his face. "Listen, I just really don't want to go without you."
"You know how I hate getting dressed up," Sara whined, throwing herself in a chair.
"But, you look so gorgeous when you get all dressed up." Grissom searched her eyes. He saw she was about to give in. "It's only for a few hours. It'll be good to schmooze with those people for a little while. Then we can return to life as usual."
"Since when are you interested in spending time with those people?" She frowned.
"Since I realized that at some point I might need a favor from them." He sighed. "It makes them think I'm on their team, even if I don't want to be."
"Who's going to be working? We are both on the schedule for Friday."
"That will be left up to the newest people in the lab. We'll be on call in case anything big happens, but they can cover. Anyone who wants to go just had to RSVP and they get the night tentatively off."
"I assume you've already RSVPed for me and put me on on-call status?" she asked with a smile.
"You assume correctly. So, is it settled?"
"I suppose so. It's going to be hard for me to keep my hands off of you in a tux, but I suppose I'll manage." She winked seductively at him.
"Great. Tell your date that he's expected to pick you up at your apartment at six-thirty to be there at seven. And, before you ask, you can put your kit in my car just in the event you're called out." He added the last part hastily, knowing that Sara would be thinking of work above anything else.
Catherine eyed Sara quizzically for a few minutes across the table. "Sara, you're really at this thing without being drugged or coerced?"
Sara fidgeted absentmindedly with the small rhinestone brooch attached to the dip in the neckline of the dress. Her eyes wandered over the crowded room. She stood from the table, running her hands down the front of her dark red satin dress. Sara had mused with herself when she bought it that it looked like blood red. It was not the thing you tell the sales clerk, Sara had decided.
The color and style had called her when she walked into the store. It was perfect in every way, not needing to be altered in the least. The hem stopped at the top of her feet. In truth, Sara had been happy to find the dress so quickly, and in only the third store she had been in that day. Shopping and playing dress up were just not her forte.
Her long leg peeking out from the slit in the side that went clear up to her hip, Sara glided around to slip into the chair beside Catherine. The satin halter gown was form-fitting and hugged Sara's curves and slender form perfectly. The deep V-neckline accentuated her long and delicate neck, while the back of the dress was open almost to her waist, showing off her entire back.
"I just thought it might be good for me to schmooze with these people if I'm going to be on their team." Sara stole Grissom's words from their conversation a week earlier.
"You look very nice tonight. And, I'm not the only one that noticed. Practically every man in the room has had their eyes on you," Catherine admitted. The one thing she would not admit was that she was a little envious of Sara herself.
"Thank you," Sara mumbled, looking slightly embarrassed.
Grissom arrived back at the table at that moment. "Networking is only done when you're not hiding at our table, ladies. Would you like to accompany me to make the rounds?"
Sara and Catherine shared amused glances. Neither one really wanted to get up from the table, but it seemed even more odd that Grissom wanted to spend time away from the table. They relented as they stood from the table and stood on each side of Grissom.
Grissom took Catherine's elbow in his hand, while he placed his other hand on the small of Sara's back. He wanted to touch her, and that was the most intimate touching he could allow himself in public around his peers. Her bare skin on his hand ignited his desire to wrap her in his arms. Likewise, Sara's back burned with an aching hunger where his hand was pressed onto her skin.
"What about Billy? I can't just leave him alone," Sara stated, looking around the room in mock-worry for her date.
"He's with the guys. They're taking care of him," Grissom answered, indicating across the room with a nod of his head.
Indeed, Nick and Warrick were taking care of him. The three of them were on the other side of the room laughing and seemingly making fun of the other guests. No doubt, the guys were sharing stories trying to put the man at ease.
"He's not bad for a plus-one," Catherine whispered to Sara at one point whilst walking around the room.
"A what?" Sara replied a little too loudly, drawing a strange glance from Grissom and a few other people milling around.
"Billy. He's your plus-one. You know, the guy you call when you need a date," Catherine explained with a roll of her eyes.
"I didn't need a date, and I don't hear you criticizing Nick's date." Sara looked pointedly at her.
In Sara's haste to get Catherine off of her personal life, she had neglected to say that Billy was more than a plus-one. This simple omission was not lost on Catherine.
"So… where's the real boyfriend? Why won't you let us meet him?"
"Catherine, I'm not having this conversation with you," Sara whispered loudly.
"Ladies," Grissom's hushed voice interrupted, "Could you carry on this conversation in the bathroom or elsewhere rather than behind my back. I can hear everything you're saying."
Catherine shot an accusing look at Sara, who just mouthed 'I told you so.' at her. She wished Sara would relent because that would end the incessant questioning. Grissom pulled them apart and continued making small talk as they made their way around the room.
They stopped briefly beside the guys to remind them it was almost time to take their seats. Then, Grissom led Catherine and Sara back to their table and held their seats out for them. Nick, Warrick, and Billy followed closely behind while Nick was looking for his date.
They sat down at the table casually, but almost as if they were assigned to seats. The unspoken arrangement was Grissom, Sara, Billy, Jorja (Nick's date), Nick, Warrick, and Catherine around the round table.
Jorja came waltzing up to them, making far too much eye contact with Billy. Sara and Nick exchanged odd glances and both hid their small smirks. Their dates had seemingly hit it off. Sara broke the eye contact and was about to ask Grissom something just to break the silence at the table. He turned to her at exactly the same time to ask her if she wanted a drink, and they almost bumped heads.
Each individual at the table shared a look, but there was none of the usual tension between Grissom and Sara in their near brush. They just looked at each other, smiled, and turned away. That simple act brought raised eyebrows and even more quizzical looks than if there had been the regular uncomfortable resistance.
The speakers and presentations droned on for what seemed like forever. In reality, it was only an hour and a half that people talked and issued awards and congratulations, but it was ever so boring. Grissom's hand had snuck down to Sara's thigh a few times, only for Sara to swat it away playfully.
During the presentations and the meal, Catherine had leaned a few times behind Grissom to talk to Sara some more about her plus-one date. Grissom had cleared his throat a few times hoping to thwart their conversation, but it had been in vain. One time in particular, it became a little more animated.
Sara was leaned sideways in her chair, her chest nearly pressed up against Grissom. The two women were inches apart behind Grissom's back, whispering loudly to one another.
"Cath, drop it. You're making a big deal out of nothing." The irritation was evident in her voice. Sara just wanted her to let it go.
"You can't say this is nothing. Where's your boyfriend?" Catherine pressed.
Sara wanted nothing more than to tell the woman to shut up because she was the one that accompanied her boyfriend, but that would not have been sensible. She did, however, decide to throw it in there that Catherine had come with him, mentioning him by name. Luckily, Catherine had not caught on to the double meaning in what Sara said.
"You came with Grissom," Sara accused. "I wasn't going to be the only one here dateless."
"Warrick didn't come with anyone. You could've come with him," Catherine countered quickly.
"Could we just drop this?" Sara was getting frustrated. She rolled her eyes and sighed heavily. She could not rationalize why Catherine was being so inquisitive.
"You could've had Grissom. I could've come with Warrick."
Grissom cut in at that. He slid his chair back hastily. Both women anticipated the move and quickly backed away before being bumped by him or his chair. He reprimanded both of them with a flash out of the corner of his eyes, first Sara, and then steelier at Catherine.
His voice deadly serious, he whispered to both of them, "I'm not a piece of meat, and neither is Warrick. I would suggest we start acting like adults and not having conversations about who could've taken which coworker to this ridiculous banquet."
Both women sat up in their chairs like a couple of three year-olds that had been scolded for not playing nice. Sara stole a sideways glance at Grissom, who was successfully hiding his smirk. Catherine only glowered at Grissom for him making them stop talking.