Chapter Eighteen
"Did I tell you how sexy you look tonight?" Gil purred in her ear. Sara smiled at him.
"Yes. Several times, in fact." She squeezed his hand. "You don't look so bad yourself."
Gil leaned in and gave her a slow, gentle kiss.
"Hey, you two! Get a room already!"
They pulled apart quickly, turning to see a short, stocky man smiling at them.
"Hey, Gil! Long time no see!" Gil smiled at him and stood up to shake his hand.
"Malcolm! Good to see you!"
"Wait! It's DOCTOR Grissom now, right?"
"Yes, it is." He smiled proudly.
"I like the beard! I almost didn't recognize you! I missed your lecture, but I knew you were here and I'd eventually find you!"
"You found me." He looked at a smiling Sara. "Oh. Malcolm. THIS is Sara Sidle."
Malcolm extended his hand to Sara and pumped it furiously. "So pleased to meet the woman who could tame this wild stallion!"
"Really?" Sara looked at Gil who was turning a nice shade of red.
"Yeah! Gil and I go way back. We worked at the coroner's office in LA together. Wild times!"
"Oh, come on, Malcolm. It wasn't that WILD." He looked over at Sara who was now suppressing a grin. "Ok, we did know how to have fun."
"We sure did!" He slapped Gil on the back.
"Why don't you sit down and join us, Malcolm?" Sara offered.
Malcolm took the seat between Gil and Sara.
"So, how long you two been together? You married?"
"Uh, no. We, uh, aren't married. Actually, we work together in Vegas."
"You ole dog! Oh. No offense, miss." Sara just smiled at him.
"Hey Guys!" Linda walked up to the table and took a seat next to Sara at the round table.
"Nice spread, huh? Great music. Open Bar. What more can a woman ask for?" She smiled and sipped her wine.
"Linda. This is Malcolm Hahn. He and I used to work in LA together." She reached across the table, shaking his hand.
"Nice to meet you, Malcolm."
"You work in Vegas with these two lovebirds?"
"No. I used to work with Gil, but I got married and moved."
"He's a hoot, though, isn't he?" He was smiling and laughing and slapped Gil on the back once again.
"Yeah. No one can race a roach like Gil Grissom." Linda smirked and sipped her wine.
"Is that what you do for fun? Doesn't he take you out on the Strip?" He looked at Sara.
"Well, uh...we work a lot. So, it's hard to get out much."
"All work now, huh? Well, I hope he shows you a little fun at home." He laughed and nudged Sara a little too hard with his elbow.
The band began to play a new song. Sara smiled at Gil. He knew it was one of her favorites. He got up and stood beside her, extending his hand. "Care to dance, Ms. Sidle?"
Sara smiled at him and got up taking his hand. They made their way to the dance floor, blending in with the other couples. Gil liked Malcolm, but he was looking forward to spending this evening with Sara. He took her in his arms and hugged her close, swaying with the music.
Linda sat listening to Malcolm relive a moment from his days with Gil. After a few minutes he said he saw another 'Old Buddy' and left her alone at the table. She watched as the couple swayed on the dance floor. She smiled when Gil pulled Sara closer. They really did seem to be in love. She decided that Catherine's plan might not be such a good idea. This wasn't just some conference fling. This was something MUCH more. She was feeling guilty. So, when Gil and Sara sat back down at the table she made a decision.
"Gil. Sara. I have to tell you something. I was just going to go along with it, but I can't do it."
"What are you talking about?" Sara seemed concerned.
"Look, Catherine and Davis, they didn't get a flight back to Vegas today. They are here at the hotel. And Catherine is planning to catch you guys 'with your hands in the cookie jar'."
"What? I don't BELIEVE this!" Sara was fuming.
"Listen, I have an idea. Maybe we can turn this around on her." Linda smiled devilishly and told them the new and improved plan.
Catherine sat in the suite waiting for Linda's call. She paced nervously back and forth. Davis sat on the couch watching her. He was not feeling good about this. He like Dr. Grissom and Sara. So what if they were having a fling? It was none of his business and it didn't seem to interfere with work, so why should he even care? But Catherine was scary! He didn't want to go against her and her big PLAN. So, he sat down and waited for it all to unravel.
Catherine jumped when her cell rang. She grabbed it off the coffee table. Caller ID said Grissom. "Shit!"
"What?" Davis sat up on the edge of the couch.
"It's Grissom!"
"Well, answer it!"
"Willows." She tried to sound calm.
"Hey, Cath! It's Grissom. How's it going?"
"Oh, uh, it's going, you know. Busy."
"Ecklie's not giving you trouble, is he?"
"Well, you know Ecklie. But I'm dealing."
"You want me to call him? I can set him straight for you." Sara put her hand over her mouth to stifle her laugh.
"NO! Uh, I mean. Don't worry about it. I can handle it."
"Oh, well, if you change your mind, let me know."
"Yeah, I will. Look, I gotta go. Lots of items to process."
"Ok. See you in a couple days." Gil smiled and closed his phone.
Sara and Linda let out the laughs they had been containing.
"How did you do that with a straight face?" Linda was wiping tears from her eyes. Gil just shrugged his shoulders.
"Well, I guess I better call her and let her know you two are back in your rooms." She got up from where she sat on Gil's bed. "I'm, uh, going to go into Sara's room. I can't have an audience or I will lose it."
Linda closed the adjoining room doors and sat down at the desk. She dialed Catherine's number.
"Willows."
"Hey, Cath! It's me, Linda."
"About damn time! Gil called me while I was waiting!"
"Really? I wondered who he was calling."
"YEAH! So, where is he now?"
"Oh, they both just left. They said good night."
"Excellent! We'll meet you by the elevators on their floor."
Ten minutes later, Catherine and Davis exited the elevator and joined Linda. Linda smiled, holding up the key card to Sara's room. Catherine smiled holding up her camera while Davis just shook his head. They made their way to the room silently. Catherine pressed her ear up against the door of Sara's room.
"Nothing." she whispered. She moved over to Gil's door and smiled. "I hear them."
Linda slipped the key card into Sara's door and slowly pushed the door open. They slowly entered. The adjoining room doors were open slightly. They could hear them talking in the next room.
"Griss, put that thing away!"
"Why? I thought you wanted to play with it?"
"Well, maybe later. I have something I need to show you first." Catherine smiled and her eyes got wide when she heard a zipper.
"Wanna help me with this? But first you have to put that thing away!"
"Fine." They heard some rustling noises. "My little guys back in his cage." Davis just stood there in shock at the conversation.
"Good. Don't want to have too much fun too soon." Sara laughed.
"Come over here on the bed and bring your toy with you."
"It's not a toy. It's a tool! Be nice. It's new."
Linda was trying to hold in her laughter. Catherine motioned for them to "move in". She held her camera up and shoved the doors open, flashing pictures.
"A-HA! GOTCHA!" She screamed at the couple sitting on the bed then stopped. Gil sat on the bed with one of his roach cages next to him, holding a camera. "What?" She stated in confusion.
FLASH! FLASH! Catherine blinked her eyes, seeing spots.
Linda, Davis and Sara were doubled over in laughter. Gil sat smugly on the bed holding Sara's camera and triumphantly declared, "No! I think we GOT YOU!"
A/N: So, hoped you liked it. Hope you laughed! I know its kinda short, but I am tired. Please leave a review! I thrive on them! I hope to update soon!