A/N: Thanks for the feedback on the last chapter. I love this story, so it's great to know that others like it too. However, there were a lot less reviews for the last chapter. Maybe that indicates the love story is less appealing than the action, which is a shame because this chapter is all Charah.
Big thanks to MarkeyDeSad for the beta work. I surprised him a few days ago with a rewrite of part of this chapter, but, even though he was incredibly busy, he turned the second beta around really quickly, thus enabling me to keep to my planned publishing schedule.
So, Chuck is going to Sarah's house for a while before they head out …
The Novelist
Chapter 8: Sarah's Place
She'd spent the last three hours cleaning and was exhausted.
Neither she nor her mom worried too much about dusting, so that was part of the problem. However, her mom had gone away for research the day after Sarah left for her book tour. As a result, Sarah hadn't kept the place tidy either.
So, she'd spent half an hour of cleaning, followed by an hour of vacuuming and a further one-and-a-half hours wet-wiping the dust off of every surface in her home.
She knew she didn't need to clean all the rooms, but once she started, she couldn't stop.
She spent a lot of time on her bedroom, even though they probably wouldn't go there. However, a fantasy had lingered in her mind as she fell asleep and had occupied her dreams. She blushed, just thinking about those dreams.
She now sat drinking her coffee before heading to the shower to wash off the sweat and grime. He wouldn't be due to arrive for another half an hour, so she felt she had time.
In reality, they would probably only occupy the living room, her study and the kitchen. Thoughts of mounting the stairs and finding themselves in her bed were just that, thoughts, and wouldn't become a reality. However, a girl can dream, can't she?
After one last mouthful of coffee, she set it down on the coaster and headed upstairs. She'd already laid out the clothes she would wear on the bed. She smiled, casual clothes, not one's to excite him into that bed.
Stripping, she entered the shower and started to wash, pushing away those thoughts.
He knew she was going to show him her study full of source material for her writing. She would also show him how she was getting on with the next novel, even though he'd only read the first one. He'd stayed up last night and finished it, which he absolutely loved. Her writing style was great, drawing him in completely. He felt he really cared for her character, Rebecca Franks, who did feel real and, like Zondra had mentioned, the whole sense you got of Sarah's CIA felt real too. Rebecca reminded him of his mom, which wasn't surprising really, or at least his mom when she slipped into agent mode, which he had seen a few times during his childhood.
All in all, he was hooked. It wasn't just because of who had written the novel, although that was an attraction too. He was sure that if his sister had passed him the book before he met the author, he would have still become an avid reader. He wondered why, Ellie hadn't done that, but dismissed it quickly. He was on his way to see his wonderful girlfriend and didn't want any negative thoughts encroaching on their day together.
So, as that was all that was planned while he was at her place, why was he so nervous? He thought about that for a while and eventually concluded it was because it was her place. He hadn't ever been in to any girl's residence, at least not since Jill.
He knew that nervousness was stupid, it was only a building and a set of rooms. However, this still felt like a big deal to him.
He pulled onto Sarah's drive and turned off the engine. He took a deep breath, still knowing his nervousness at being invited into her safety zone was ridiculous, but he couldn't help it. He felt somehow like Daniel entering the lion's den.
He got out of the car and opened the back door to retrieve the flowers he had bought her. He was so happy that Ellie knew Sarah's favorite when he had called her before setting off and that the flower shop had them in stock. He walked across the driveway and up the steps to her front door. One more deep breath, as he summoned his courage, and he knocked on that door.
When she appeared in front of him with that bewitching smile, he gulped feeling as giddy as he always did in front of her radiance. How can someone this gorgeous be interested in me?
They both just stared at each other for a few seconds.
For Sarah, her nerves about him entering had peaked. She'd never had anyone over, not even Ellie Woodcomb, so that explained part of her feelings, but not all. This was Chuck Bartowski, her boyfriend, coming into her home. It felt like a big step forward in their relationship, somehow.
Chuck's nerves were swept away as he looked at her, but he still froze facing this vision of beauty.
After a moment, Sarah grinned at the frozen man in front of her, reached down for his empty hand and pulled him into the house, closing the door behind them.
He finally blinked, and thrust the flowers forward in offering. "For the most beautiful woman on Earth."
She blushed at his words, but looked at the flowers in his hand. She gasped and looked up at his face, "Gardenias!"
He chuckled. "I did seek help. I asked Ellie if she knew your favorite."
"But you wanted them to be my favorite, not just any flowers," she replied. She took them off him, but reached the other hand round his neck and stood on tip toes to give him a kiss.
Just like their previous kisses, he didn't want it to end, but she released him and walked to the kitchen to find a vase for the flowers. Chuck followed her.
Neither really knew what to say.
"Coffee?" Sarah finally asked, as she sorted the flowers out, pointing over to the coffee maker and an empty mug in front of it.
"Please," he replied, while actually thinking he really needed something stronger.
He knew he was being ridiculous. Sure, this was a date and they were spending at least part of it here in her home, alone, miles from anyone, but how was that really any different to spending hours on a mostly secluded beach?
He looked at the mug, which hadn't been used. "This one for me?"
"Oh, yes. Mine's in the living room."
"Want me to top it up?"
"No, it's only just made, as is the coffee there," she replied, pointing over to it again.
She arranged the flowers and leaned in to sniff them. The hum she let out showed her appreciation, but she also said, "They're beautiful and I just love how they smell." She turned to look at him and was surprised to see that he wasn't pouring his coffee, but just gazing fondly at her.
He couldn't stop himself from saying it, even though he knew it was really corny. "Just like the person standing next to them."
She walked over to him and gently kissed him. "You like my perfume?"
"On you, yeah."
She kissed him again, then turned to the coffee machine and teased, "Stop showering me with compliments. You'll overwhelm me."
The image that sprang to mind made Chuck have to push it to the back of his mind. He would never treat a woman like that, but just the thought of it with this gorgeous woman made him tingle all over.
Sarah didn't notice his reaction to her words, as she was pouring his coffee. She turned back to him, to ask how he took his coffee. She also noticed a slightly glazed look on his face, and asked, "Thinking about what we could be doing today?"
He had to stop himself from re-imagining what he had been thinking, and replied, "I finished reading the novel you gave me last night."
She looked seriously at him. "And? What did you think?"
On safer ground now, he let her guide him through to her living room and to the couch behind the coffee table bearing her drink. As he sat, he noticed how nervous she looked. She's unsure of whether I liked the book. "I really enjoyed it, Sarah."
She beamed at him. "So, what did you like?" She then paused and looked at him seriously. "I want you to give me your honest opinion of what was good and bad. I get both in reviews, but they tend to be extremes, either gushing or damning. An honest view from someone I know would be great."
He thought about reviews online. Reviews were a pain to write, so would only come from people who had reacted strongly to the item, either that or people that liked to see their words on the screen. He guessed there would be some people that wanted to provide helpful, balanced views, but they were probably in the minority.
He looked at the expectant blonde next to him. He would give a balanced view. "I loved your main character. I could see a lot of you in her." He also loved seeing her smile and nod.
"I found basing her on me helped me relate to how she felt in the various situation. Obviously, I haven't faced drug barons or warlords, but the smaller scenes, simpler situations, were still important."
He shivered at the images she was creating in his head. "God, I hope you never have to face such people." He hadn't, but he had faced lesser evil. "I want you to always be safe, Sarah."
This was creeping into what he did, and she wanted to talk about that, but not just yet. She shifted closer to him. "My protector?" she teased.
He didn't have to consider his response. "Whenever I'm with you, I'd try."
Her heart thumped in her chest. She almost responded, "Be with me always," but managed to stop herself. She actually said, "I like that, Chuck. Thank you." It felt a weak response and didn't full convey her feelings, but she didn't want to push him faster than he was comfortable. However, it needed more, so she leaned into him and kissed his cheek.
He loved any kisses from his girlfriend, but wanted more than that. Before she pulled away again, he raised his hand. placed it at the back of her head and pulled her in for a real kiss, not a deep one, but a tender loving one.
Sarah's eyes were sparkling at him when she pulled away, her hands placed on his chest. She gazed at him for a moment, thinking how she wanted to kiss him more, but resisted. "Tell me more," she breathed out.
He didn't want to talk any more, just hold her and kiss those soft inviting lips, but he'd agreed to do this, so… "I loved how she worked out what was going on and who was involved." He looked at her. "That's you, too?"
She nodded. "I love puzzles and these were basically puzzles."
"The action sequences were very realistic." He narrowed his eyes at her. "You don't have experience of that, do you?"
She laughed, and he thought that tinkling sound was music to his ears. "Well, I do go to a gym and watch men fighting in the ring there, but, no, not me."
"Well, I was right behind her, urging her on throughout those scenes." He paused, trying to think of things he didn't understand or like in the book. After all, this was supposed to be a balanced view not a gushing fan response. "There was something missing though."
She raised one brow encouraging him to explain. That stopped him, however. "You do that just like Zondra does, you know, only less threatening."
She laughed out loud at that. "So, I don't frighten you, Chuck?"
His answer surprised her. "You scare the living daylights out of me, Sarah."
She managed to close her shocked, open mouth and asked, "Why?"
He knew as he spoke those words, he shouldn't have, but now he had to explain them. He decided it was time to confess his feelings for her. If she didn't feel the same way, he'd have to face it. "Sarah, look at yourself. You are absolutely stunning, but it's not just your beauty, you are a really smart woman and so successful. I am in total awe of you."
She blushed at all the complements, but he hadn't answered her question. "It's lovely to hear you think that of me, but why are you scared of me?"
He gazed into her eyes and told her. "It's not you, but how I feel about you and my insecurities." She grasped his hands, planning to give her response, but he hadn't finished. "I have never felt like this about anyone, Sarah, and I am frightened I will scare you off by being, well, me."
She saw that fear in his eyes. The thought of them separating was a painful one to her, too. She realized she'd been frightened of losing him too. "Chuck, you being you is what I am attracted to. You would have to push me away, because I want to be with you so much."
She stopped talking and threaded her fingers into the curls at the back of his head and pulled his lips to hers. The kiss that ensued expressed her feelings better than her words.
When the kiss finished, they rested their foreheads together and he decided to go further and say it. "Sarah, I think I'm falling in love with you." As she gasped, he thought more about that. "No, I'm not falling, I am in love with you, Sarah Walker."
She still had her fingers in his hair, and pulled him in again. She couldn't answer that any other way than the kiss she gave him, her tongue teasing his lips open and then tangling with his. This kiss lasted quite a while and ended with the two of them breathless.
After a few seconds with her forehead against his again, she pulled back enough to look into his eyes. He obviously knew she wasn't frightened off by what he'd said, but she also knew he needed to hear her thoughts.
She had been thinking so much about him since he had left for Tokyo, and since he'd been back and with her, virtually all the time in fact, even when she was trying to concentrate on her writing. She was dreaming about him too, and in a good way now that he was safe and back in Los Angeles. Every thought was about them being together and never wanting to be apart. His words described how she felt about him. "I've never been in love before, Chuck, but I know that I'm in love with you, too. I think I felt it from the first time I met you."
He held her tightly, but she could see humor appearing in those chestnut eyes. "Fell for a two-bit lothario, huh?"
She chuckled at that, but then sobered up, holding his gaze. "Big time."
The kiss that followed was everything, said everything, both pouring their love into it.
She eventually pushed away, before she lost control. Holding his hands once again, she reminded him, "You were going to tell me what I missed in that first novel."
He tried to clear his head, and stop thinking about her lips pressed against his, that tongue of hers wrapped round his, the feel of the two of them holding each other. He didn't want to stop those thoughts, but he had promised to tell her, so he pulled himself together.
Sarah watched him collect himself. They were as bad as each other, she saw it now, both desperately in love.
"It was missing Rebecca's back story. I found I was desperate to know her background, how she ended up joining the CIA, what her childhood was like."
Sarah smiled. This wasn't the first time she'd heard it. That first book was set after Rebecca had been a CIA Operative for some time; it didn't indicate how long, but Sarah finally decided it was seven years since she had been recruited. "The second book goes back and gives you that as context for the next mission."
His eyes lit up. "Ooh. Can't wait to read that."
Sarah reminded him that he'd get the next one, when he returned safely to her from his next mission. He nodded, but thinking the topic of missions wasn't for that moment, so he told her, "Much as I like burying my head in your books, I'd much rather spend time with you."
She groaned, but he could see she didn't really mean it. "You are breaking out all the corny lines today, aren't you?"
He leaned toward her and gave her a peck on the lips. "Plenty more where that comes from."
She grinned and asked, "So, that's it? Your review done?"
He nodded. "Well, apart from complaining that the book was far too short, then yes."
"Too short? I prefer that length. I don't like long books," she replied. "Besides, the missions were complete and I didn't want to start another at that point."
"Well, maybe I just need to move on to the second book." He smiled at her, "I can't seem to get enough of that beautiful blonde that is based on my beautiful blonde."
She mock glared at him. "Claiming possession?"
He pulled her to him, and she was expecting a 'yes', but instead he said, "I still can't believe how someone as wonderful and beautiful as you weren't already with someone AND, even more unbelievable, wants to be with me."
She snuggled into him. "Well, apart from the fact that I don't make myself available, I'm not sure anyone would really be that interested in a bookworm like me."
"Well, I am," he replied.
She chuckled. "Well, you're obviously a fellow bookworm."
They sat together, with her head nestled into the crook of his neck and his arm around her shoulder, perfectly content to just enjoy their closeness.
"You know, I was going to show you how I was getting on with the fifth book," she said, "…but as you've so much catching up to do, I'm not sure if you're ready for that."
"I absolutely want to see where you write your novels and how you are progressing with the new one, Sarah. It's like being allowed into your Inner Sanctum."
She laughed and said, wryly, "It's just my study, Chuck."
He looked shocked that she said that, "Oh, so much more than a study, Sarah; it's where you create spy magic."
That brought a snicker. "Spy magic?"
He nodded.
She stood and took his hand pulling him off the couch. "Then, come into my wizard's lair." She grinned after that.
Chuck was only too happy to follow Sarah there. In fact, he reminded himself, he'd follow her anywhere. He looked down at their intertwined fingers. Especially if she holds my hand like this.
Sarah was oblivious to his thoughts and just pulled him to the study. She pushed the door open and turned back to him in order to usher him in. She noticed him looking down at their hands and did too. Their hands clinging to each other warmed her heart. It felt so good and their fingers intertwined just like she hoped their lives would be. She pulled on his hand. "Come on, fanboy. Enter if you dare."
He nodded, his face all serious, and walked solemnly into the room.
His eyes were instantly assailed by a mass of books. The room had bookshelves along three of the walls, with the last containing the window. Every shelf was filled with books, mostly hardbacks, but a couple contained paperbacks.
Looking down at the desk, he saw a pile of books at the left edge, then stacks of paper covered in either her handwriting, which he recognized from the book signing, or print outs with her notes in the margins in red along with sections of the printed words circled or crossed out, again in red. A further few sheets lay on the right-hand side of the desk, this one with a red pen on it, obviously being what she currently was working on. Between the two piles, was her desktop and monitor, along with a few memory sticks.
"Wow, just wow!"
She took a quick glance around. She had cleaned the room, but wanted it to look like she actually worked there, so had put things back where they were before the blitz. "It's a mess, I know, but this is how I work, a bit messy."
"Please show me what you're working on now," he requested.
She sat in front of the keyboard, pointing out a folding chair for him to bring over, which he did, sitting on it right next to her. With anyone else, it would have felt a bit claustrophobic, but with Chuck it just felt intimate, nice.
She brought the monitor to life by pressing the mouse and there it was, her current page on the screen, half full of text. Chuck leaned in and read the last few paragraphs out loud.
"Rebecca had now been trailing this guy for the last half hour and was getting pretty tired of it, especially after that sprint along the pier and docks in the morning. Yes, her legs were hurting a bit, but it was her mind that was under the most strain.
"This man wasn't the one she had been sent to kill, but no one else seemed to know anything. It had taken a long time to track Paul Guttridge down, but something had spooked him when he saw her enter the coffee shop at ten in the morning.
"He had been surprisingly quick for a man of his size and had lost her in the docks. He obviously thought he'd gotten away from her, so had slowed down and entered the shopping mall. She wanted to get much closer before trying to tackle him as she didn't want him escaping again. She also wanted it to be somewhere less open than in the middle of this shopping center.
"Her brain was trying to work out how he recognized her in her current disguise, the red wig and padded clothes that belied her trim figure, but she wondered also how such a bulky man could run so fast. His connection to Bruce was still running around in her head as well.
"She cast her eyes around, spotting some doors that must lead into maintenance areas. She'd drag him in there.
"She closed in on him."
That was as much as she had written of this scene. Chuck looked up at her. "I want to see her take him."
Sarah had been watching him as well as listening to him. Her mind wasn't solely on the words of Rebecca, though. She was thinking about Chuck and his partner. "How often does Zondra tackle men like that?"
He was taken aback by her words and sat back, wondering what he could say. She knew about Zondra and Casey, and also knew about what they were calling 'the accident' so there was no point trying to hide it. Zondra had, apparently virtually confessed her job to Sarah.
He put his elbows on his knees and his head in his hands. After a few seconds, he sat up and looked at her. "I probably can't tell you much about what we do and what I do for them."
"Just answer my question, Chuck," she spoke softly.
"Zondra is the fiercest person I know, more so than even Casey." He looked straight at her and a wry smile appeared on his face. "She terrifies me too, but in a whole different way." She smiled at that. "But to answer your question, yes, I've seen her take down men heavier than her, seemingly stronger and faster than her too. She's amazing." He looked sharply at her. "In a fight, that is."
Sarah chuckled, then said, "We'll you can help me with the fight scene then. Make it more believable. More detailed."
A smile spread across his face. "You want me to help you write your story?"
She nodded, biting her lower lip. She wasn't sure if he would accept, whether he could accept.
"I'd love to help," he declared.
She leaned over and hugged him. "Thank you." Then, as she pulled away, she smirked at him. "So, agreeing to be your girlfriend was worth it."
He froze and looked at her sharply. She realized her joke hadn't been taken as one. She dropped to her knees and wrapped her arms around him. Her kiss was meant to correct this, but she followed it by hugging him tightly and whispered in his ear, "I'm so not funny and can't tell jokes. I'm so sorry, Chuck. I love you and won't mind at all if you don't help me with my book."
His tenseness faded when the kiss started, then, her words eased it completely. "Sorry, Sarah. I am a mass of insecurities. It's not you, the tease was good. I love you too." As they separated, he added, "I'll be very happy to help."
Less than an hour later, she sat back in her chair and looked at the take down that they had composed together. She was very happy with the result of their collaboration. She looked at her boyfriend and tenderly ran her hand down the side of his face, softly saying, "Thank you, my love."
He beamed at her. "I thoroughly enjoyed it. I want to help again."
"Will I have to announce you as a co-author?"
This time he recognized the tease and leaned in and kissed her lightly. "Secret, remember."
That brought back her memories of when he left her at the bookstore. She looked at him seriously. "Chuck, I was terrified for you when I lost contact with you. I… I thought I'd lost you before we'd even gotten together."
He nodded. He looked at her, seeing that worry on her face. He sighed. "I don't usually go out in the field with them, Sarah. Just there for my technical skills. This one was different and needed those skills out with them. Shouldn't happen again."
"You can't know that, Chuck," she replied, in a quiet voice.
He sighed again. "No, I can't but I've been with the NSA since I left Stanford and this is the first time."
She gasped. "That long?"
He nodded. "Recruited there, but I am still only part time, so my own business is my main focus. It's sort of a retainer type role, but when I get a call I have to drop everything and help."
She was now filled with questions, but his next words stopped her. "Can we not talk about it today, Sarah. I don't know what I can tell you and will have to check before I say more."
She bit her lip again. She could understand that. She wasn't sure if she'd even passed their checks yet. "Okay, but I do need to know more, so find out what you can tell me. And, hopefully, you'll find out whether I have the all clear too."
He smiled at her and nodded.
They continued to talk about her writing for a while and this tense discussion gradually faded from her mind, with her just thoroughly enjoying being with him. In fact, the longer they were together the more she wanted to be with him. Her mind drifted to previous thoughts. They were adults in love, why was she so cautious? Her only thought was that she didn't want to push him, let things happen at his pace.
When she noticed him cricking his neck, she realized how uncomfortable he must be in that chair. "Let's find somewhere more comfortable to chat." She stood and Chuck happily did the same.
As they left the study, Sarah commented, "So, that's where I do most of my writing, but I also capture notes wherever I go. I have my laptop that I use in the dining area and the table in the kitchen, but I also use my iPad to capture notes, for example where you were sitting drinking your coffee."
"Ooh, so I'm really getting to see how your work comes together. I've sat on your couch, in your study, been in the kitchen, just the dining room and I've seen it all, huh?"
She thought about that and remembered somewhere else that she took the iPad. "Well, there are other places."
He looked at her. "Is it easier to ask where don't you work?"
She laughed. "In the shower?"
He had a sudden vision of her in the shower and had to push that thought away.
Sarah noticed his reaction and she suddenly imagined stepping into her shower pulling him in with her. She shook her head to dispel that. Instead, she mentioned the other places she did work, "Well, I take my iPad and laptop when I go on tours, so I use them in hotel rooms; the iPad also in coffee shops." Then thought of where a lot of note-taking happened at night. She stared into his eyes and said, "I also take it to bed with me." She held his gaze. Would this be their justification for going upstairs?
Chuck saw the look in her eyes, almost a challenge. He gulped. Well, they had declared their love for each other. Wouldn't that normally be after sleeping together? That didn't matter, because he didn't want to rush her. Was that look conveying her wish to do just that? He quietly spoke in a tentative voice, "I-I would like to see all the places here where you do work and… how you work."
Sarah saw the mix of eagerness and desire in his eyes, even if he was being careful not to say it out loud. They had told each other of their love without needing sex to make them feel that way, but as she stood in front of him, remembering all her thoughts about it with him, she decided waiting any longer was stupid.
Chuck was surprised when Sarah suddenly had her hands in the hair at the back of his head, her lips crashing into his, and her body pressed against him. How does she move that fast?
He stopped thinking and pulled her even closer and just let himself pour all his feelings for her into the kiss. She jumped up and wrapped her legs around him as well, causing him to stand straighter to be able to support them both. The kiss deepened and it felt like she was trying to devour him.
Then, she stopped, jumped down, grabbed his hand and he was being pulled along again. This time up the stairs and into her bedroom. He was smart enough not to comment about her working on her novels in here. Well, maybe not smart enough, but completely pre-occupied. Each of them desperate to undress the other. It hardly took any time for them to be stripped and for her to start to pull him to her bed.
However, he froze, as he often did when around her, but seeing her naked was something he hadn't expected to happen so quickly. She is divine!
She liked what she saw as well, but was now desperate for this to happen; not just because it had been so long, but because she felt this was their next step in them becoming one. She pulled him again and they tumbled onto her bed and then shimmied up.
This was all happening so fast that Chuck's brain hadn't kicked in, but as he lay on top of her, he had to stop and ask, "Do you really want this, Sarah."
She nodded. "Right. Now," she demanded, enunciating each word slowly.
"I've not got any-" he started.
Sarah knew and stopped his doubt, "Not needed." She pulled his mouth to hers and their bodies slid against each other. "Now, Chuck."
And then it was 'now.' Both gasped and stopped moving, just looking into each other's eyes.
He planted his lips on hers; his tongue sought entrance and she opened her mouth granting it. The kiss continuing, but being broken occasionally with gasps and moans from each of them.
Sarah couldn't believe how good this was. It had never felt so wonderful.
He was in heaven. It had been a very long time but he instinctively knew this was so, so much more than he'd ever experienced before. It did make him love her that bit more, but this was so good because he loved her.
After, Chuck slumped down onto her. He knew that wasn't fair on her, but he couldn't help it. He tried to move, but her legs and arms snapped around him, stopping that.
"Stay," she whispered into his ear.
For quite a while, they did stay embracing each other, both relishing being together like that. Eventually, she released him and he slipped to her side, not wanting his weight to hurt her. However, he needed to express his feelings, even though he was struggling with his words after that. "I love you this way too, Sarah Walker… I can't believe how wonderful that was."
His tender words were just what she needed to hear, she realized. "I've never felt so good, Chuck. I'm sorry I was so demanding."
He puffed out a breath. "I think if you hadn't, I would have been too scared of pushing you and we wouldn't for quite a while yet."
She chuckled. "I was just the same, but suddenly wanted this."
He leaned up and looked in her eyes. "Want to again?" The eagerness in his eyes was all it took. She nodded.
Sarah pushed him onto his back, cast one leg over him and sat on his legs. He was breathless once again, looking at her naked form sitting like that. "God, you're the most beautiful thing I've ever seen, Sarah," he gasped out.
She looked down at her body, naked on top of his. "All yours, lover."
Their second time, was just as wonderful as their first, ending once again with the person on top slumped on the other, gasping for breath.
"I don't know what you have planned for the rest of the day, Sarah, but if this was it, I'd be the happiest man on the planet."
She pushed her chest away from his and looked in his eyes. "Don't make promises you can't keep. Are you really up for it?"
He brushed a strand of hair behind her ear. "Maybe not straight away, but as much as I can." He wanted to make one thing very clear. "It's not just because of the length of time since I last did this, Sarah. It was never this good… before."
She smiled fondly at him. "Like I said first time, I've never felt this good either, Chuck. You kne w I loved you already, and that probably enhanced this, but…" She held his gaze to make sure he could see the twinkle in her eyes as she said this, "… this is the clincher, Chuck. I really want to keep you now!" She dropped and kissed him even while he chuckled.
Her stomach chose that moment to rumble. He pushed her away slightly, smiled and said, "A reminder that we need fuel to keep going."
They threw on their clothes, although Chuck was a bit slower because watching her was so spectacular. She smirked at him when she noticed. "Come on, Chuck. You need your strength for what I now have planned for that body of yours." She then skipped out of the room as he thought about that.
She couldn't keep her eyes from roaming over his body as they sat eating their lunch. She now knew it intimately and wanted more of it. All this pent-up sexual need almost overwhelming her.
Chuck was trying to be more respectful, keeping his gaze on her face, but the way she was looking at him was getting to him. She seemed suddenly Insatiable.
Sarah stood and rushed through to her study, picked up the next novel she had signed for him and brought it back to him.
Sliding it across the table, she gazed into his eyes again. "I think today's mission was a success."
He grinned and opened the cover.
To Chuck,
For finding your way into my heart.
Sarah xx
He looked up at her, smiling at him. "My heart was yours from the start, Sarah." He reached across for her hand and gripped it tightly as they both looked lovingly at the other for a couple of minutes. Then they resumed eating.
When they finished, Chuck was about to suggest a shower together before returning to her bedroom, when his phone rang. Damn! I'd meant to switch that off.
Sarah looked at him. "You better answer it. It might be something important."
He reluctantly rose and grabbed the phone from the couch where he'd dropped it. When he saw who it was, he groaned and though of just declining it. However, he knew that level of irresponsibility would come back to haunt him.
"Hello, Zondra," he said loudly, so that Sarah would hear.
Sarah's heart dropped, instinctively knowing their wonderful day together was about to end.
"Casey's back and Beckman wants to talk to us all… at Casey's place," Zondra was noticeably hesitant to say the last part.
"Why can't we join the call from wherever we each are?" Chuck demanded, his irritation clear.
"Are you with Sarah?" Zondra asked, quietly.
"Yes, but-" he started.
"It might be about Sarah," she replied.
He hadn't thought about that. Beckman wouldn't want Sarah to hear anything. That would also be true of any other NSA discussion, though. He tried again. "I could go into another room or even into my car for the length of the call."
"I'm sorry, Chuck. I suggested the same for me. Angelica and I were about to head out for a drive up the coast. The general was quite clear that we all had to be at Casey's."
Chuck's shoulders slumped. Sarah could see the resignation in his body. "Okay. How long have I got?"
"Well, she said the call would be at 4pm, our time, so, what's that? An hour from now," she replied.
He started thinking how long it would take to get to Casey's place from here and how much time that left for being here. "Okay, see you just before four at his place." They ended the call.
Sarah had noticed his mind going into that calculating mode. "Chuck." He looked up at her. "Much as I want to have sex with you again, I don't want it rushed." He opened his mouth to reply, but she continued, "Mood's broken now anyway. We'll have other chances."
"I'm so sorry, Sarah."
She stood and walked to him, brushing her hands over the front of his shirt. "We were lucky the call came when it did. I wouldn't have wanted to stop… earlier." She was surprised when his lips met hers but she kissed him back with every ounce of passion she could muster.
He pulled away and started to look for anything he'd left here, but other than the book she'd given him there was just the woman he loved.
They kissed again and he parted from her, heading out to his car, carrying the book, filled with a great sadness that he had to leave.
As Sarah watched him drive away, she hoped that he wasn't going to be sent on another mission.
A/N: So, together in every sense now.
Thoughts?
