Things get a little sexy here, just a heads up. Thanks for reading and for your input- it's always appreciated!

Sara

The loss of contact stung, my body desperate to maintain contact as her soft hand fell hesitantly away. I felt sick with the thought of O'Rileys hands on her- of anyone's hands on her. We may have been at odds on the best of days, but that wasn't from a lack of love. The sound of the door falling shut behind her was distinct, leaving me once again in a deafening silence.

I pressed my fingertips against the countertop, watching the nail beds drain of their color on top, becoming a deep shade of crimson below. I needed a cigarette. I needed more comfort than the warm cup of coffee in front of me had to offer. I needed to go back to work- to find a way to keep this pathetic excuse of a man behind bars.

"Everything okay?" Sofia's husky voice broke through the silence. I turned around to regard her, hip leaning against the counter, bathed in golden, mid morning light. She was dressed in yesterdays jeans and my t-shirt, sunlight illuminating her eyes an impossible shade of blue.

"O'Riley was arrested for assaulting Catherine" I told her, running an anxious hand through my damp hair.

"How the hell did that happen?" she asked, creases forming between her eyebrows, crossing her arms over her chest.

"She decided to confront him after our meeting, alone, in the parking garage" I said, voice laced with irritation. What the hell had she been thinking? He was clearly deeply unstable. She sighed, shaking her head with a quiet chuckle.

"Quite the audacity that woman has"

That was the understatement of the year.

A beat passed, Sofia glancing out the large window before looking back at me.

"You okay?" she asked, bright eyes searching mine. I nodded softly.

I had woken up to a room bathed in sunlight, a thin arm thrown over my waist, her head resting against my shoulder, drowning me in a sea of blonde hair. After a moment of panicked confusion, the pieces of last night flooded back to me and I relaxed beneath her, the slow rise and fall of her chest against my ribs deeply calming. Eventually I forced myself to untangle from her sleeping limbs, heading for a shower.

It was the first proper sleep I'd gotten in what felt like months. The comfort that her presence offered was immense, and I was entirely unsure how to express that, so I just held her gaze and pursed my lips together into a soft smile.

"I'm good" I answered gently, hoping that the weight behind my words was transferring through some form of silent clairvoyance. As much shit as I talked about Grissom being socially stunted, I was really not far ahead of him there.

"Nice shirt" I commented, eyeing the loose Harvard t-shirt she was wearing, the dull grey contrasting against the vivid blue of her eyes.

She smiled, looking down at herself, subtle dimples gracing her cheeks.

"I got mine wet from the shower, I figured you wouldn't mind" she explained, glancing back up at me sheepishly. I smiled, lifting my mug up to my lips in an attempt to disguise my unmasked adoration.

"I don't" I assured her, taking a drawn out sip of coffee.

"Catherine thinks we're fucking," I stated casually after a few long moments of silence, cringing slightly at the crudeness. That was the most accurate term I could think to use- 'having sex' sounded too clinical, and 'making love' would have been a lie, we both knew that.

I suppose I was trying to throw her off guard, take the upper hand in the confidence department for once, but when her expression remained unchanged, aside from a slight arch of an eyebrow, I knew that was a foolish thought.

"Aren't we?" she asked, casual tone matching my own. I felt the warm liquid take a wrong turn down my windpipe, attempting a less than graceful recovery with a short, repressed coughing fit, my dark eyes eventually making their way back to hers, watering slightly. I had assumed as much, but never quite knew what to expect with her. I suppose this effectively cleared up any confusion.

A lazy smile played over her features as she uncrossed her arms and pushed off of her spot against the counter, sauntering towards me. I was both aroused by and envious of the confidence that she so effortlessly embodied- the grace in her movements, in her words; the way she seemed to see right through me. I wondered what it felt like to be so sure of yourself- to not feel your heart threatening to pound through your chest in moments like this. Her eyes- those goddamn eyes- didn't leave mine until she was directly in front of me, dropping down to play over my lips, the curve of my neck, my chest. I felt my breath hitch in anticipation.

After their languid journey over my rigid form, her eyes reconnected with mine. She reached up to brush a stray lock of hair away from my face, her tongue darting out just enough to wet her lips- an act that I had come to know as unconscious. Her fingertips reached out for my hips, but stopped just before they connected with the thin material of my shirt, glancing back up at me with electricity behind her eyes.

"Sara… this doesn't have to happen today, or at all if you don't want it," she paused for a beat before leaning in, her mouth a few inches from my ear "but I think that you do… I know that I do". Her breath was hot against my skin, the faint smirk playing at her lips as she pulled back my final undoing. She moved to step away, to put some space between us but I reached out to wrap my hand around her wrist, pulling her back to me.

I didn't hesitate in sliding my fingers into her damp hair, other hand snaking around to her lower back as I captured her lips in a searing kiss. She whimpered softly, hands finally taking purchase on my hips as her tongue slid into my mouth.

I wanted beneath her skin- I couldn't seem to get close enough, my fingertips slipping just beneath the waistband of her jeans, nails scraping gently at the base of her skull as she captured my bottom lip between her teeth, moaning quietly.

Her hands travelled slowly up from my hips, along my ribcage, brushing against the sides of my breasts, dragging my shirt up with them. I helped her pull it off hastily, her lust-darkened eyes raking over my bare skin. I took the opportunity of momentary distraction to grab her hips and take a few steps forward, pushing her back to collide with the island. She gasped at the impact, recovering quickly as she tangled a hand in my hair almost painfully, recapturing my lips as her other hand trailed up my stomach, seeking out my soft breasts with a rough urgency.

This was deeply and obscenely good. I couldn't hold back a throaty moan, pressing a thigh firmly between her own, kissing her with every ounce of pent up energy that had been building since the first time she looked at me with something more than a question. I grasped the bottom of her shirt, tearing if off and tossing it aside, taking a moment to drink in the sight of her in a black lace bra, body pressed flush against mine, long leg wrapped around my waist, lips lightly parted with the intensity of her heavy breathing.

She scraped her nails down my side and I pressed my thigh up between her legs, watching her eyes fall shut, a moan escaping her lips as she rocked her hips against me.

Her beauty was dizzying. She tasted of honey, of sunshine, of dark coffee. Her hair felt like silk between my fingers and I tangled them gently in it, losing myself in the feel of her. Somewhere in the back of my mind I knew that here, in front of my large window, up against my kitchen island was not the ideal place for this- Mrs. Keaton next door sure to be home and aware, in her nosy way, of the intoxicating noises escaping Sofia's lips, but I couldn't bring myself to care.

She had unbuttoned my jeans and was pushing them impatiently down my long legs as her lips trailed hungrily over the expanse of my neck. I stepped out of them easily, kicking the crumpled item to the side as I unhooked her bra between two fingers with only a momentary fumble, silently praising myself for that rare act of coordination, my other hand unzipping her jeans.

She slid out of her lacy underwear at the same time, her surprising affinity for lace a fact that was sure to cause endless future distraction. I wanted to step back and admire her- drink in the sight of her swollen lips and messy hair, her golden skin, the bare curves of her body, but I couldn't keep my hands off of her long enough, my lips attempting to memorize the shape of her by touch alone. Her soft moans were slowly undoing me, and when she slid her hand down to massage me gently through my dark, modest underwear, I saw stars. My knees went weak, grasping the edge of the island with one hand, the other finding her soft hip, breaking away from her lips to breathe some expletive against her hair.

I gave in to the sensations for a few long moments before I grasped her wrist gently, pulling her hand away, trapping it against the island. She opened her eyes to meet mine with a question, but I moved my hand between us, sliding two fingers along the length of her and her eyes fell shut, blonde hair falling in a cascade down her back as her mouth fell open in a silent moan.

I moved them slowly back and forth along her soft wetness, making sure to press gently against her clit each time. She grasped my shoulder, nails digging into my flesh as her head fell forward against my neck, panting sharply against my hot skin. I slid two fingers into her deeply and her teeth dug into my flesh beneath her lips, a loud moan muffled as she bucked her hips against my hand.

I began a steady rhythm, using the weight of my thigh to push into her. I could tell that she was trying to hold onto some form of composure and failing beautifully as she attempted to bite back the noises escaping her lips. I moved my mouth down to her neck, adding a third finger and shifting my thumb up to slide over her clit at the same time, other hand finding her ample breast, hard nipple straining against my fingertips.

"Fuck Sara" she moaned out in a strangled voice, hips moving in time with my thrusts. I wrapped my arm around her waist to support her as she tore the hand that I had trapped against the counter away, grasping my shoulder and raking her nails sharply down my back, grabbing my curves roughly with a loud whimper. It didn't take her long to come, head thrown back, soft body convulsing against mine, nails dug painfully into my skin as the most arousing string of noises I'd ever heard escaped her lips.

I couldn't take my eyes off of her, her body sagging forward slightly, nails becoming soft fingertips trailing down my arm, her temple resting against my cheek as she attempted to catch her breath.

I ran a hand through her hair gently, the throbbing between my thighs verging on painful. I couldn't help rubbing my thumb carefully around her sensitive clit, eliciting a quiet whimper of approval against my neck. I grabbed her hips, lifting her the slight distance to rest on the edge of the island. Her eyes, now a shade of deep oceanic blue, watched me lower my mouth to trail open mouthed kisses along the inside of her perfect thighs, dark hair falling over my shoulders. She spread her legs to allow me better access and I grasped her hips, sliding my tongue gently along the length of her.

"Yes" she moaned almost inaudibly, one hand grasping the back of my head, the other resting behind her, propping her up on the smooth countertop. I moved my tongue against her quickly and firmly, my hand coming down to slide three fingers into her, moving rapidly. She cried out, nails scraping at the back of my head desperately as she gave up any attempt at holding herself up, falling slowly back against the island. Her legs wrapped tightly around my shoulders, heels digging into my back as she held my hair in a death grip. I stole a glance up at her, breasts heaving as her back arched, head thrown back- my own arousal nearly overwhelming me. Her loud moans and choice expletives gave way to a charged silence, hips rocking against my fingers as she came hard against my mouth, shaking beneath me.

She held me in place for a few long moments as she caught her breath, eventually slowly releasing me. She ran a hand through her wild hair before pushing herself shakily up. I met her gaze with a smirk, stepping between her legs to press a soft kiss to her jaw, her temple; her sweaty forehead. She leaned in, kissing me gently with a lazy smile. I brushed her messy hair away from her face, her cheeks rosy. It was surreal to see her like this, beauty soft and untamed. If I thought kissing her was mind blowing, this was something else entirely.

She inhaled quietly, sharply, pausing as though trying to come up with the proper words and I couldn't help but chuckle, running a hand through her hair gently. To say there had been some pent up tension would be a drastic understatement.

"God" she breathed out, grasping my shoulder softly.

"Actually, its Sara" I teased.

She shook her head softly in amusement, dropping down to the floor, into the space between my body and the island. She leaned in to press her swollen lips to mine, softly sliding her tongue over my bottom lip, grip on my shoulder tightening.

"Bed" she whispered softly, fingertips leaving goose bumps as she trailed them down my stomach to gently grasp the waistband of my underwear. I grunted in agreement, sliding a hand down to her lower back, kissing her deeply as I began walking us slowly towards the bedroom.

/

"Those things are going to kill you, you know"

I glanced over at Sofia from my perch on the edge of the bedroom window, a slight breeze ruffling my hair as I raised my eyebrow at her hypocrisy, flicking the cigarette between my fingers against the makeshift ashtray beside me. I had made the decision that a deeply stressful suspension from work, combined with incredible sex was enough to justify smoking inside, blowing white billows out the large window into the cool December air. I never did this, which seemed fitting amidst this week chalk full of firsts.

She was sitting on my bed, tangled up in my dark sheets, a long leg jutting out from the soft material casually as she sat propped up against the headboard. We had spent the better part of morning in bed, half of it talking quietly about everything unrelated to work. It felt nice to focus on something else; on her hypnotizing voice, the hint of her own unique accent tugging at the edge of certain words.

I learned that she was a runner and a hiker and a horror movie buff. I learned that she had a soft affinity for the ocean- a fact that I held close, as a Californian born and bred. I learned that I was far from the first woman she had been with, if the way her mouth moved expertly over my body hours earlier was any indication.

A sharp ringing cut through the peaceful stillness, both of us stiffening at the sound, eyes falling to the offending item on the beside table. Sofia shot me a quick look before sliding off the bed, grabbing her phone.

"Curtis" she spoke, the professional air immediately returning to her as she moved swiftly into the living room to gather her clothes, already aware it was a call of duty. I took a long drag of my smoke, listening to her low, muffled voice from the other room. She returned a few moments later with a frown coloring her features, buttoning up her jeans with one hand, phone still in the other.

"Alright, I'll be down there in twenty"

She snapped the phone shut, sliding her bra on as she met my gaze.

"They may have found another body that matches the serial MO" she spoke softly, eyes holding mine as though to gage my reaction. I felt my stomach immediately drop, a deep frown settling onto my face.

"We have O'Riley behind bars- what does that mean?"

She didn't bother trying to answer that, closing the distance between us, taking the cigarette from between my fingers to take a final drag before crushing it out, sliding her hands up to rest on my shoulders gently. I grasped her bare hips as she reached up to cup my cheek, running a thumb over my creased brow with an intense look that I couldn't quite decipher.

"I'll keep you posted, okay?"

I nodded, a hint of a grateful smile ghosting over my lips as she leaned down, tangling one hand gently in my hair, pressing a soft kiss to my lips.

The contrast of comfort the morning had offered and the sickening news of another body discovered was overwhelming, my mind on overdrive. I needed to know how long the body had been there, if there were any notable differences in the MO- was it possible we had pinned all of this on the wrong guy?

It was a never ending hour of barely managed distraction later when the sound of my phone vibrating pierced through the silence of the apartment. I dropped my book down on the table with a clumsy urgency, reaching for the phone. I glanced at Catherine's name displayed on the screen, immediately raising it to my ear.

"Sara" she barked, the familiar sounds of the lab faint in the background; the quiet, rapid clicking of her heels telling me that things had gotten hectic over there.

"I may have just gone over two departmental heads and threatened Ecklie's life, but I need you down here. Consider your suspension on suspension- I'll fill you in when you get here"

I silently praised her for saving me from this slow torture, already heading in the direction of my closet.

"I'll see you in twenty" I said, dropping my phone onto the dishevelled bed.