8?
23rd August 1987
She's my cherry pie
Put a smile on your face
Ten miles wide
Looks so good
Bring a tear to your eye
Sweet cherry pie
It had already been his birthday, but Catherine had told him that he had to wait until the 23rd before they could go celebrate.
Something about a hot movie star in a new movie.
"Morning, Gil," came the husky voice of Deedee. She was one of the 'old hands' at the strip club.
Now that he'd been coming often to take Catherine home afterwards, or take her studying, the girls knew him well.
"Good morning, Deedee. Good night?"
The woman smiled seductively at him. "Honey, Deedee always has a good night."
Gil nodded at her and headed inside to find Catherine. He smiled stiffly at Ted. "Morning, Ted."
The man smiled easily back at Gil. He was used to the studious young man who came calling for Catherine almost every morning. He never watched her dance, but would always be there as soon as the shift was over. "Hi, Gil. Here for Catherine?"
"Aren't I always?"
Ted chuckled. "She's out back. Managing to dress and read one of those textbooks all at the same time."
"Is…uh…" Gil felt uncomfortable saying the name.
"Haven't seen Eddie for a couple of nights," Ted told him. "Not a huge loss." Like Gil, Ted had never been comfortable with Catherine's choice of beau. He simply just didn't trust the man.
Gil thanked Ted and made his way out to the dressing room. He smiled broadly at Catherine. She stood, one leg bent and resting on a bench, four-inch gold heel half undone. Her other foot was encased in a ballet flat, and her robe was half hanging open. In one hand she held a forensic textbook, while in the other she held lip-gloss.
"Still not ready, I see?"
Catherine looked up and grinned at him. "Hey, Gil!" She looked down at herself and the smile changed to a guilty one. "Sorry. I got kind of distracted."
"So I noticed." He looked her up and down. "Is that what you're going to wear to the movie? I don't think your movie star is going to be there."
She stuck her tongue out at him. "Turn around, please."
Gil chuckled and turned his back to her. He listened carefully as she dressed and when he turned back around she was clad in simple black jeans and a t-shirt.
"Ah. There's the Catherine I know and love."
She rolled her eyes. "Yeah, yeah. I know. You prefer me in these sort of clothes than the other kind."
"I never said that," Gil reminded her. "I just said I like you when you're comfortable."
Catherine smiled at him and put her textbook in her bag. "So, are you ready for the movie?"
"Of course. What are we seeing again?"
Catherine linked her arm through his. "The Big Easy."
"This new Dennis Quaid fetish isn't catching, is it?"
She laughed. "I don't think he's your type, Gil."
"What? You don't think he'd find me attractive?"
"I am not having THAT conversation with you!" She leant her head on his shoulder. "Happy Birthday, Gil."
"You told me that six days ago."
"Mhm. And now I'm telling you again."
He loved the feel of her resting against him. Her long, lithe and warm body against his.
Eddie's. She's Eddie's.
"Does Eddie know we're going to this movie?"
"Yeah. He didn't want to see it." Catherine smiled as his arm slipped around her waist. His warmth seeped into her body. She forced herself to stop thinking about Gil in that way. He was her best friend, and she wasn't about to lose him.
"How's work going?"
"It's great. Very interesting."
"And you want to be a CSI."
Catherine smirked. He always knew what she was thinking. "Yeah."
"You really do, huh?"
They had stopped outside the movie theatre. She looked into his eyes. "Yeah, I do."
"Okay. Now's your chance."
She blinked. "What?"
"I'm offering you a job, Catherine. Rookie CSI at the Las Vegas Crime Lab. Jim Brass is the boss, but I'll be keeping an eye on you." He watched her face light up. He felt himself light up just at the look on her face.
Her eyes were wide. "You're serious."
"As a heart attack."
She flew into his arms, and Gil just managed to catch her before they both toppled to the pavement.
The sensation of her legs wrapped around his waist and her arms wrapped around his neck was intoxicating. He wondered if Eddie knew how lucky he was.
Gil doubted it.
"Thank you! Thank you!" She was hugging him as tight as she could. It was gratitude, definitely, but also a selfish part of her wanted to feel his body close to hers. Since this was the only chance she was likely to get, Catherine was more than happy to take it.
"I'm going to take that as a yes," he whispered in her ear.
"Yes! Yes!" She hugged him again. "This is amazing."
"You're amazing, Catherine," he told her. "I'm so proud of you."
She kissed his lips gently as she slid down his body. When her feet were back on the ground, she grinned. "Thank you."
Gil grinned at her. "Anytime. Just make sure you stay away from Conrad Ecklie."
Catherine arched an eyebrow. "Who's Conrad Ecklie?"
"Not someone you want to know." Gil went up to the ticket counter. "Two to see The Big Easy, please."
Gil smiled as Catherine contently rested against him. Her head was on his shoulder and her body was snuggled as close as it could get.
He put his arm around her, watching the movie. He decided that Ellen Barkin had nothing on Catherine Flynn.
As he watched Remy McSwain pleasuring Anne Osborne, he realized how much he desired Catherine, and how much he wanted to bring her that kind of pleasure.
But he'd never really had a friend like Catherine. Someone who would challenge him at every turn, who could make him really think. Someone who would always be there if he needed her.
And that was something he refused to jeopardize.
To Catherine's mind, the idea of Gil touching her in that way, bringing her pleasure in that way, certainly eclipsed any fantasies of Dennis Quaid that had been dancing in her mind.
But she knew that it was a dangerous game to play. And she knew her track record with men was less than impressive.
She'd never had a man want to be friends with her. Someone who looked out for her, who challenged her and made her think. Someone who believed in her ability to the extent that he did. To have Gil as a lover could ruin all that – and she'd never get over losing him as a friend.
Besides, she was with Eddie. Sure, Eddie had his problems, but what man didn't?
It was just sometimes, only occasionally, after Eddie had rolled over and gone back to sleep, Catherine would lie awake and feel…empty.
And it was in those times that she thought of Gil.
TBC
Song Used: "Cherry Pie" - Warrant
