A/N: Chuck and Sarah have taken the next (long awaited and much anticipated) step in the evolution of their relationship. Relief combined with newfound happiness and joy. A profound experience, not only for Chuck but for Sarah too. What happens now?
A/N1.5: Sorry for the exceedingly long delay in getting this chapter out. Life has been (very) busy these last few months. Just when things began to get less crazy, three fourths of my immediate family got Covid, me included. High fever and sleeping all the time isn't very conducive to writing much of anything. Two fourths of us are now Covid free. How many of us still have Covid? Yes, that is a word problem. Stop whining. At least we weren't on three separate trains that left at different times and traveled at different speeds and I asked you to tell me how many apples the engineer on train number 2 ate for lunch. (Update: We're all currently Covid free.) (Answer: The engineer's name is Saul and he ate a meatloaf sandwich. His wife, Irma, makes a mean meatloaf. Anyway, apples don't agree with him. You would have known that if you had taken more time to read the instructions before trying to answer the questions.) Hope no one is suffering from math test PTSD after reading all of that.
Disclaimer: I don't own Chuck. I make no money from Chuck. How do you like them apples?
Chapter 48 – Afternoon Delight
Sunday August 18
"You're free, Chuck. You're free," she repeated.
"I am free. My hyperthymesia is never going to go away, but I won't live in fear of it anymore. I'm free. At last."
Chuck sighed happily and pulled Sarah toward him, intending to mold her body to his in a gentle embrace. She squirmed, putting her hand on his chest to stop him.
"What's wrong?" he asked, confused.
"Uh … Chuck? Baby, you forgot to … um," Sarah winced apologetically. Taking her hand from his chest, she pointed down between them and winced again.
"What?" Chuck asked, trying to decipher what Sarah was attempting to tell him. Then he looked to see where she was pointing and remembered. His eyebrows rose in time with his cheeks turning red. "Oh … Sorry, I guess I did kind of forgot about that," he cringed and shrugged one shoulder. "I was distracted … Sorry."
"Chuck, it's OK," she reassured him. "It's completely understandable. You had a lot of more important things on your mind. It's just …"
"Something we need to deal with. I mean, Something I need to deal with," he ducked his head in embarrassment.
"We're all human beings, babe. And human beings can be … um … messy. It's part of life. And nothing to be upset about. I'm certainly not."
"Easy for you to say," Chuck groused good-naturedly.
"You only say that because you've never seen how much of a mess four women sharing a dorm suite can make," Sarah laughed. "Just getting ready for class can result in a huge biohazard disaster zone. You'd actually be pretty shocked, if not completely grossed out."
"I'm not so sure about that," he countered, much to her surprise. "I saw what Ellie's room and bathroom looked like when I walked past her rooms after she'd gotten ready to go out on dates a couple of times when I happened to be at home." Chuck shook his head. "It looked like a bomb had gone off in there." His eyes widened in memory.
"OK, so you do have some idea," she smirked. Chuck nodded. "Well, take that result and multiply it by four." Sarah could tell by the look on his face that he was conjuring up that exact image.
"Wow," he answered, nonplussed. "That would be something. I'm not sure what, but something."
"Exactly," she giggled. "But you better be ready for some of that if we're going to be spending time together here."
"I guess so," he grinned, chuckling lightly, not really caring about anything as long as Sarah was with him. "Makes my present situation pretty insignificant by comparison."
"Not insignificant, just different. Like I said, we all have human stuff to deal with. So, go on, take care of your human stuff then hurry back, I want to spend more time with you. It's been a long summer and I've been missing out on my Chuck time and that just will not do," she teased gently, waving her hand at him after giving him a quick kiss to take any potential sting out of her words.
"As you wish," Chuck nodded with the ghost of a smile. She grinned at the reference.
After he got out of bed and entered the bathroom, playfully grumbling but still looking embarrassed, Sarah fell back against the pillow. While she stared at the ceiling, the events of the last few hours replayed through her mind, from the time Chuck first called her to tell her he was on his way back to Stanford up to the present. Particularly the most recent events.
"Chuck survived! He did it! We won! Thank God!" she whispered to herself, stunned and happy. Even though she'd put on a confident face for her boyfriend, Sarah hadn't been completely sure what would happen, not really. How could she be? She was just glad that things had worked out like she'd hoped. Thankful that her faith in the two of them was rewarded. Running her fingers through her hair, she blew out a relieved breath, feeling the last bit of tension drain from her body. The reality of what had just transpired, what they had experienced together, was settling within her.
"I've had sex for the first time. We've had sex. Made love," Sarah quietly corrected, "with the man I absolutely adore. Finally." A sudden delighted giggle escaped before she could stop it. She quickly pressed her fingers to her smiling lips in surprise, hoping Chuck hadn't heard. Oh my God! I can't believe it. I guess I'm a woman now. In the true Biblical sense. She snorted at herself over the melodramatic thought. After all this time. It's finally happened. Even with all the other stuff we were dealing with, it still felt magical. Chuck was wonderful. So sweet and caring. So gentle. Everything I've ever dreamed about. Exactly like I hoped he would be. I'm so glad he stumbled into Helman Hall all those months ago. I might never have met him otherwise. That day changed everything. My life. His life. Everything. Did it ever!
Her smile grew into a satisfied grin, her fingers leaving her lips to trace slowly down her body and then back up, while she reveled in her still fresh memories, softly humming to herself. The things they'd done. The things he'd done. The things she'd felt. The wonder of it all. So different from what her private explorations had been like over the years. Knowing, yet not knowing, what he would do next and how that made her feel. The anticipation. How different it was with him. So much better.
She hadn't climaxed when they were making love, but she didn't really care. At the time, her concern for Chuck overrode any thoughts about herself. He had succeeded in fully satisfying her before, though, when he was making sure she was truly 'ready' for him. She suppressed another giggle, just in time. Barely. That's why she thought that they would be so good together. His focus on her and her focus on him. Their trust in each other. If their first time was that enjoyable, what would the future bring? Would it always be like that? Or would it be better? Sarah readily admitted to herself that she was eager to find out. And there was no time like the present.
Hearing a noise, she glanced toward the bathroom and noticed that the door was ajar but Chuck didn't appear so she figured he must still be occupied. That's when her eyes caught sight of the open box of condoms on the nightstand. He actually bought a box, she marveled. Grinning wider, she turned her gaze back to the ceiling. His one and my two means we're pretty well supplied. At least, I think so. I wonder how long they'll last? She giggled naughtily, blushing at the thoughts and images her mind was conjuring up.
She looked over when she heard Chuck's footsteps leave the bathroom's tile floor to be muffled by the carpet in the bedroom.
"Everything OK?" Sarah asked gently, temporarily reining in her carnal daydreaming.
"Yeah, I guess so. Mission accomplished," Chuck shrugged sheepishly.
"Good. I think I need to go in there too."
"Sure. OK." He moved to get out of the doorway as she bounded out of bed. "The other set of towels are for you. If you need anything and can't find it, let me know and I'll try and help."
"Always so thoughtful. OK, I won't be a minute," she chirped. When she walked past him, she leaned up and pressed a kiss to his cheek. "Don't get dressed," she added in a sultry voice. When his eyes widened, she grinned saucily and winked before entering the other room with an extra sway in her hips and closing the door behind her.
Once he was alone, Chuck stood looking at the closed door for a beat or two then walked past the bed to the windows on the other side of the room, directly opposite the bathroom. Adjusting the blinds slightly, so he could look down into the small side yard but no one could look up and see him, Chuck stared into the distance, seeing nothing, his mind awhirl with memories of his and Sarah's afternoon activities.
True to her word, Sarah only needed a few minutes. So, when she exited the bathroom, that's how she found him. Standing, naked, and staring obliviously out the window, lost in thought. She dropped the tissue box she'd been holding on the bed. Her plan about how to deal with the aftermath of their future trysts temporarily forgotten, fresh concern for him overriding everything else. When he didn't acknowledge her reappearance, she crossed the carpet toward him. Despite her renewed worry, Sarah couldn't help but admire her boyfriend's physique. Nicely built. Very. Nicely. Built. Tall with delicious lean muscles. Athletic. Strong. Luxurious brown curls on his head and a nice sexy tight butt which she very much wanted to touch and squeeze. But she resisted. For the time being. Instead, Sarah walked up behind him and wrapped her arms around his torso, pressing her nude body to his. Something else she'd been wanting to do for a while. Especially since their afternoon together at Ellie's pool.
"Hey, Chuck," she said, tightening her embrace. He jumped a little, making it even more obvious that his mind had been elsewhere. And the fact that her touch definitely got his attention. She smiled inwardly.
"Oh!" he exclaimed, clearly startled. "Hey, Sarah."
"Whatcha doin'?" she asked, even though she had a pretty good idea.
"Thinkin'," came his expected reply.
"Tell me something I don't know," Sarah teased, grinning at his back. The worry she'd been feeling was rapidly diminishing.
"Ha ha. Pfft!" Chuck snorted, shaking his head. With his arms trapped against his sides from her embrace, he curled his forearms up so he could grasp both her hands with both of his, giving them an affectionate squeeze. Giggling, she hugged him tighter and sighed.
"I gotta say that I've wanted to do this for quite some time," she announced after a few moments.
"Do what?"
"Hug you. Specifically, hug you while I'm naked. And you are too." She lightly kissed his back, delighted to hear him hum in response.
"You have?" he asked, sounding a little breathless.
"Yup," Sarah confirmed. "Ever since we spent that afternoon at Ellie's."
"Ah," Chuck nodded. "That afternoon."
"Yeah. That afternoon," she smiled against his skin again.
After a pause, he softly murmured, "Not gonna lie, I thought about that a bit too."
It was Sarah's turn to hum. "I'm glad we're on the same page." She snickered when she heard his amused snort. Then she sobered. "Seriously though, what were you thinking about just now, baby?"
He shrugged. "Us being together. What happened. And what didn't." Sarah nodded her head once in understanding.
"OK. And?" she questioned.
Chuck let go of her hands and turned within her embrace to face her. She smiled up at him and hugged him a little tighter when he put his arms around her and embraced her in return. Hugging him front-to-front was even better. Intimate without being overtly sexual. Well, except for the whole being naked thing. And his body's all too natural reaction to her which she didn't mind either.
"And I'm still pretty amazed that I'm here. And grateful. Can't forget that," he confessed.
"Me too, sweetie. Me too," Sarah agreed. "We make a good team."
"We do."
"And this naked hugging isn't half bad, either, right?" Sarah grinned, her eyes dancing with amusement.
"I can honestly say that there is nothing I'd rather be doing right this minute than hugging you," Chuck said, sounding utterly sincere, tightening his arms around her.
"Really? Nothing else?" She was surprised because she could think of a few things she'd rather be doing, her cheeks reddening at her reawakened thoughts. He shrugged both shoulders apologetically.
"Sarah, since I had a lot of doubts that I'd … that we'd … ever …," he paused, not sure how he could say what he wanted to say and still be respectful.
"Make love?" Sarah offered, smiling softly.
"Yes. That. Make love. A part of me never thought we'd reach that point. Or, if we did, I'd fail and the whole endless episode thing would commence, you know?"
"I can understand that. At least, I think I do. Intellectually, I mean." She frowned slightly, but she wanted to be honest with him.
Chuck shrugged one shoulder. "I get it. My situation is kind of unique," he nodded. Sarah nodded back. "Well … So, I sort of put that aside in my head and, instead, just focused on all the other stuff we did together. Like I told you before."
"Yeah, I remember." Another nod.
"Whatever we've done, since we've known each other, walk, talk, eat, hold hands, hug, or kiss. Whatever. When we did … um … I guess I should say, when we do those things, I'm content."
"Content?" Sarah wasn't sure what point he was trying to make, but refrained from asking any other questions so she could see where he was going with this.
"Yeah. Content. Happy. Whatever we do, in that moment, I'm perfectly happy and I wouldn't mind if we kept doing that particular thing, whatever it is, forever. Whether it's holding hands and walking around campus or sitting and eating and talking. I could walk around holding your hand forever. I could eat and talk with you forever. Or sitting side-by-side on our bench. Or hugging. Or kissing." Sarah grinned. "Whatever we're doing, I could do it continuously, forever. Until the end of time. Because I'm doing it with you." Caught off guard, she softly gasped.
He'd done it again. He'd spoken from his heart and bared his soul to her. Long before today when he'd finally bared his body to her. He'd been doing that almost from the very beginning. Once he finally started talking to her. Really talking. She wasn't sure why she continued to be surprised when he said these kinds of things, but she was. It was just that he wasn't like anyone else she'd ever met.
"Oh, Chuck!" Sarah exclaimed, She had no idea how to respond beyond that, so she held him even tighter for a moment before standing on her tiptoes and pressing her lips to his in a heartfelt kiss. It didn't take long before the feelings they were sharing with their kiss buzzed through the rest of her body, reigniting her desire. She could tell that Chuck was responding too. Ending the kiss, she looked up at him. "You are the most romantic person I've ever met."
Chuck snorted dismissively and shook his head. "You keep telling me that, Sarah, but you're wrong. I'm no romantic. I have no idea how to be romantic. All I'm doing is being honest with you about how I feel."
Sarah stared at him, speechless. He really had no clue. None at all. Even after all this time. Even with the evidence of their current situation literally right in front of him. When she found her voice, she spoke. "OK then, if you don't think you're romantic why don't you tell me your definition of a romantic?"
He shrugged. "I'm not completely sure, but since you're putting me on the spot …"
"I am." She bit her lip to keep her expression neutral.
"Right," he nodded. "If I had to define a romantic, I'd say it was those guys who are so glib and smooth around girls. The guys who always know exactly what to say to get the girls' attention. Guys who know all the romantic things to say. Guys who get girls to smile and laugh. Make them swoon."
"Swoon?" Sarah's eyebrows went up and she couldn't prevent a smile from beginning to curl upward at the corners of her mouth.
Chuck frowned in frustration and shrugged one shoulder. "I don't know what to call it. Like I said, I'm not romantic. I'm not like those guys. All I know is, wherever they go, they come in alone and talk to the girls and before you know it, they're leaving with one girl or another. Maybe more than one. Every time," he sighed. "Guys like Bryce and that Belgian guy I unfortunately knew at Cambridge. Adelbert de Smet. Guys like them. Suave guys. Guys who always get the girls."
"Pick up artists, you mean." Sarah said.
"Huh?"
"You know … Pick up artists. Maybe calling them players would be a better way to describe them. Guys who say all the right things to get the girls to go with them. That's who you're describing."
"If that's what they're called, then yes. Those guys that the girls pay attention to. Always." He nodded his head in agreement with his words.
Sarah sighed. "You're wrong, Chuck." His eyes widened in surprise. "Pick up artists and players aren't romantics. They're just jerks. At least, I think so. I've tried to stay as far away as I could from guys like that."
"What do you mean?" Chuck was confused.
"What I mean is this," she paused to gather her thoughts so she could explain it clearly. "I won't deny that those guys are pretty successful attracting a lot of girls' attention. They may know how to play the dating game. But they're not romantics. They don't care about the girls all that much. Instead, they're focused entirely on what they want. On how people look at them and react to them when they have the pretty girls with them. On what the girls can do for them physically. And I'm talking about sex."
"Oh!" He frowned.
"Yeah. Oh," Sarah sighed in consternation, remembering the times when she'd had to fend off jerks like that over the years. "Romantics, on the other hand, are focused more on feelings. Their feelings for the girl and the girl's feelings for them. Being friendly and kind. Actually being interested in the girl's life and what she's doing. I'm not saying they don't think about sex too, but it's not their only focus. With those other guys it almost always is."
"I see," Chuck said, but, to Sarah's ears, he didn't sound convinced.
"And in case you're still not clear on the matter, you are a romantic, Chuck." She took one hand from around his back and playfully poked him in the chest. "You. Are. A. Romantic." Her serious expression transformed when she smiled. "Think back on all the nice things you've said to me since we met last fall. All the nice stuff you've done for me. How you've always supported me. You especially care about my feelings. You don't hide your feelings for me or anyone else behind slick words. You're constantly showing me how you feel about me. You tell me that you love me and always treat me like I'm the most important person in the world to you."
"That's because I do love you, Sarah. I'm crazy about you. And you are the most important person in the world to me," he beamed at her.
"Thank you, sweetie. I love you, too. And I'm just as crazy about you. In case you haven't figured it out yet, you're the most important person in the world to me." Sarah gently poked him in the chest to emphasize her words. He grinned crookedly, mouthing "Ow" at her, causing her to giggle.
She held the pendant of her necklace up where he could see it. "What about this? Did you forget about this necklace? Or what you said when you gave it to me? How you wanted me to keep your heart safe until you came back to Stanford? Only a romantic would say stuff like that. Trust me." She shook her wrist so the charm bracelet tinkled. "And this charm bracelet? What it means? Your promise to me? Your commitment. Totally romantic." Sarah shook her head in awe, before continuing. "My God! All the stuff you did during the summer? For me? Did you forget how you just spent the entire summer keeping my spirits up? Talking to me on the phone. Sending me those sweet letters. Like, every day? Taking dancing lessons." She paused and caught his eye again. "Don't think that I've forgotten about that either, Mr. Science. I'm going to be trying out your dancing skills here real soon. All that stuff makes you a romantic. In my opinion, at least," she added.
"Your opinion is the only one that matters to me," Chuck agreed. "So, I guess it means I'm a romantic."
"Glad you realize that my opinion is the one that matters here," Sarah grinned when he nodded. "And, in case you hadn't noticed, you got this girl." She pointed at herself. "Me, Sarah Walker. A long time ago. None of those other guys ever got even a minute of my attention."
"I'm glad. Sarah Walker is the only girl I want, anyway," he admitted, pecking her on the lips.
"That is the correct response. I like your attitude, Bartowski," she smirked, giggling when he shrugged his shoulders again with a self-deprecating smile.
Chuck sighed, resting his cheek against the side of Sarah's head. "Now what? I mean, since I've officially been designated a romantic," he murmured happily, caught up in the moment. She snorted a one note laugh.
"What now? Hmmm. Let's see," Sarah paused, pretending to ponder their options. He pulled back slightly, so he could look at her face. "What I think is, we've been naked hugging for a pretty long time." Chuck snickered at the comical expression she was making. "Isn't naked snuggling the next step after naked hugging? Wasn't that how you listed things out when we talked last fall?"
"Possibly," he grinned, trying to match his girlfriend's mood.
"It is. Trust me," Sarah nodded confidently.
"But I'm fairly certain I never used the 'naked' qualifier during that discussion," he added. She giggled cutely.
"The only reason you didn't mention being naked is because you lacked enough imagination back then."
"I did," he agreed, his eyebrows raised. She beamed and nodded. "I guess I hadn't spent enough time with the CATS to sufficiently develop that part of my brain yet."
"Nope. Although, you're getting better. But you're still a work in progress," she teased, patting his chest affectionately.
"Gee, thanks," he deadpanned, causing her to giggle at the flat look he gave her.
"You're welcome. Anytime," Sarah smirked. "So, how about we climb back in that bed and see what we think about doing some naked snuggling? I seem to recall you were trying to embrace me before I sent you off to the boys' room a while ago. Aren't embraces whilst reclining in bed a necessary precursor to snuggling?"
"I believe they are," Chuck concurred, playing along. Then he shook his head in mock resignation, snorting in amusement at Sarah's highbrow antics.
Giggling, she slipped out from his arms and reached for his hand, excitedly tugging him over toward the bed. When they got closer, Chuck saw the tissue box Sarah had abandoned.
"What's up with the tissues?"
"Oh, those," Sarah replied, slightly startled since she'd forgotten all about the tissues in her concern for him. "I brought a box in here to help us with our human stuff … you know … after we've been together … made love," she clarified, blushing.
"Oh!" Chuck said, his cheeks beginning to turn red too. "Makes sense."
"I'm glad you agree," she smiled, stretching up to kiss his adorably pink cheek. Spying a wastebasket in the corner of the room to the left of the bed, she released his hand and went to retrieve it. Placing the basket next to the nightstand, she continued, "This is a much more convenient place for this basket, don't you think, babe?"
"S- Sure, Sarah. It'll make things a lot easier," he agreed. "Less embarrassing, too. I hope," he added more quietly.
Sarah cocked her head and looked at him through her lashes, letting him know she'd heard him anyway. With an enigmatic little smile on her lips, she sat on the edge of the bed then shifted over to make room for him. Lying down, she playfully patted the mattress next to her.
"C'mon you, you promised me some snuggling," she grinned.
Her face wore an expression that Chuck couldn't decipher. Chuckling to hide his uncertainty, he lay down where Sarah had been patting. As soon as he was settled and comfortable, she rolled toward him, molding her body to his and resting her head on his shoulder. When he wrapped his arm around her to hug her closer to his side, she hugged him back and sighed happily.
"Comfy?" he asked.
"Completely," she hummed.
"Do you want to pull the sheet up or not?"
"No sheet. I don't think it's necessary," Sarah demurred. "Besides, I quite like the view."
Chuck glanced at her and saw that she was looking down his body. Checking him out. All of him. He blushed, but she didn't see. Having spent his entire life, prior to Stanford, being almost completely ignored by girls, it still surprised him that Sarah liked looking at him so much. That she found him attractive. He certainly found her attractive. Very attractive. It was a relatively new feeling for him, being appreciated by a woman in that way, and he was still getting used to it but he had to admit that it pleased him too. And he very much enjoyed feeling his girlfriend's body, so different from his own, pressing into his side even though a part of him couldn't quite believe it. What a difference a year makes.
After spending a few minutes in companionable silence, Chuck's self-consciousness waned and his mind began to wander. As was typical, when he wasn't focused on some other immediate tasks, his brain turned to thoughts of Sarah and the endless movie in his head in which she starred. Seeing the events since they'd first met in his mind's eye relaxed him further and he smiled dreamily. Without even realizing it in the active part of his brain, Chuck began to softly stroke Sarah's side and back, idly tracing lines with his fingers.
Sarah was preoccupied with her own memories. Their conversation about Chuck's old checklist of physical activities had triggered her recollection of their original discussion during their first walk all those months ago. The day he'd finally shared his secrets and poured out his heart to her. Told her his hopes and fears. So many fears. When they confirmed the special connection they had. The day she admitted to herself and her friends that she loved him.
She'd had a vision, during that first walk, of older versions of themselves following the same path around campus with their kids. Over the following months, their growing attachment to each other gave rise to other daydreams. Shopping at a farmers' market. Cuddling on the beach and talking. Romantic dinners. Movie nights. Family get-togethers. Thanksgiving. Christmas. Laughter and love and happiness.
And sex. Lots and lots of sex. Hot steamy sex that left her shaking. And craving more. … Wait. What?
Jolted out of her meandering thoughts, Sarah was confused. She'd been reliving some of her sweet daydreams about Chuck. Why had her sexual fantasies suddenly invaded her much tamer romantic reveries? It took her a beat or two before her brain fully reengaged with the present. That's when she became conscious that she felt her boyfriend caressing her. His fingers moved over her skin in gentle patterns reminiscent of what she'd done to him occasionally. Dinners out together. The baseball banquet.
Except he wasn't drawing loops and circles like she had done. No, he was softly tracing lines but with what felt like sharp angles. Ninety-degree angles. Squares and rectangles. And occasionally, a few ovals and other blobs. What was he doing? Whatever it was, his fingers stroking her skin were feeding the fire within her. That's what had pulled her out of her imagination. She shivered. Chuck was turning her on again.
"Um … baby? What are you doing?" Sarah asked tentatively, nibbling her lip.
"Hmm?" came his distracted reply. His half-lidded eyes were unfocused when she shifted her head so she could look at his face.
"What are you doing?" Sarah tried again, a little louder. She moved the arm that had been hugging him so she could gently pat his chest to get his attention.
"What am I doing?" He sounded confused.
I'm not the only one daydreaming it seems, she thought. "Yeah, you're drawing stuff on my back."
"I am?" he blushed. "I didn't realize. My mind was elsewhere. Sorry about that."
"I figured you were," Sarah smiled gently. "It's not a problem. But I am curious what you were drawing."
"What I was drawing?" he hesitated. "I—I'm not sure."
"Well, they weren't circles or loops or swirls." She drew those shapes on his chest to reinforce what she was saying. Chuck sucked a breath in through his teeth and she grinned inwardly. Yup, he definitely likes when I do that. "It was more like lines and squares and other stuff like that." She drew those on his chest too and he reacted the same way. Just you wait for when I really put my hands on you, baby.
"Um … Let me think. See what that part of my brain was doing." He quieted as he concentrated. After a quick internal review, he spoke again, barely above a whisper. "Good grief."
"What is it? What were you drawing?" Now Sarah was even more curious.
Chuck snorted in disgust. "Circuit boards," he sighed. "Sarah, I was drawing circuit boards on your back." He closed his eyes and shook his head with a grimace. His blush deepened.
"Circuit boards?" She was incredulous.
"Yeah," he grimaced again. "I'm sorry if I spoiled your mood. I'm such an idiot." He grumbled in frustration.
"Circuit boards! Oh my God!" Sarah barked out a laugh rolling away from him slightly. Before he could give her another apology, she rolled back to him and shifted her body so that she was laying on his chest and their faces were aligned, her hair falling like curtains on either side of his head. "Only you would draw circuit boards on a girl's back, Chuck. Only you," she grinned down at him in delight.
"Yeah. Well, that's me. The weirdo," he fussed.
"You hush," Sarah chided him. Then she kissed him. Pulling back, she went on. "Apparently, I like you drawing computer engineering designs on my body." She grinned, bouncing her eyebrows.
"You do?" he asked, still not comprehending what his girlfriend was telling him.
"Mmhmm," she said with her lips between her teeth. "I do." Her voice became sultry. "Seems they … ah … they turn me on."
"They do?" Surprise had replaced his initial confusion.
"They do," Sarah confirmed, nodding once and giving him a heated look.
"God. You're an even bigger weirdo than I am," Chuck exclaimed, chuckling. "Circuit boards. Really?" He shook his head in amusement.
"Shut up," she pouted cutely. "Who cares anyway? It's just you and me here, baby. All alone," she replied defiantly, grinning at him. Sobering, she went on, "I love you, Chuck Bartowski. Circuit boards and all. I love you forever. Never forget that. I'm not ashamed of having the hots for you, either. You turn me on. All the time. Just by being you. I love everything about you, including what we just did together." She leaned down and kissed him again, capturing his lower lip between her teeth before releasing it with a gentle snap, passion racing through her.
Rubbing her nose against his, Sarah looked into his eyes. "Speaking of which, do you wanna try again?" she asked tentatively, so close that her lips brushed against his when she spoke. "Make love, I mean?" Sarah bumped her hips against him and he softly groaned. "Now that we know what will happen?" She dove in for another kiss, hungrier. "Now that there's nothing to worry about. We can just enjoy each oth—"
The rest of what she planned to say was interrupted by Chuck leaning up and pressing his lips to hers in an eager kiss. A kiss that went from warm to hot in the blink of an eye. Sarah moaned against his mouth. Breaking the kiss, he fell back, pulling her down with him. She giggled when they bounced on the mattress a little. As soon as he put both arms around her in a tight embrace, she hummed her approval.
"You can't just go drawing circuit boards on an unsuspecting girl's back like that and leave her hanging, can you, Chuck?" Sarah asked, frowning slightly for added effect.
"No, I guess not," he grinned crookedly. "That would be ungallant."
"That's right. It would be ungallant," she agreed, solemnly. "Definitely not something a true gentleman would do," she teased.
"Definitely not."
"So, you do want to try?" she asked, hopeful.
He nodded, unable to think of anything but the woman in his arms and her movie playing loudly in his head. She captivated all his senses. "Anything for you, Sarah."
That was all the confirmation she needed. She pressed her lips to his in a heated open-mouthed kiss, their tongues caressing softly. His moan of pleasure delighted her. As did his obvious physical reaction. The bloom of heat that she felt. Proud satisfaction pulsed through her. Having a man react to her the way that Chuck did was a new experience for her. One she wanted to repeat with him as often as possible. They were done worrying and waiting and she was glad for it. She whimpered in response to their smoldering kiss.
Focused as she was on his reaction to their kiss, Sarah didn't notice Chuck shift his weight until he'd rolled them over. Squeaking in surprise, she looked up at him. He smiled her special smile before he resumed kissing her passionately. While they were doing that, she pushed at his shoulder so they ended up on their sides facing each other, giggling. And still kissing.
"Glad I didn't bite my tongue that time," he joked when their lips parted.
"Me too," she breathed before pressing another kiss to his lips.
Sarah had intended to explore Chuck's body this time but he was quicker. After one more deep kiss, he left her lips and started peppering little soft kisses along her jaw. His fingers were far from idle as they, too, began gently working their magic on her again. Caressing her back. And beyond. It appeared to Sarah's already foggy brain that her darling boyfriend was intent on repeating his earlier actions.
Sighing contentedly, Sarah looked up at the ceiling with a huge grin on her face. Boy, was I ever wrong! That was nothing like our first time!
Freed of their previous concerns, they had been able to enjoy each other fully. Chuck's perfect recall and inquisitive mind had given Sarah another amazing experience. But what had thrilled her the most hadn't been something he'd done. Rather it was something he hadn't done. Something he'd asked her to help with.
When she'd handed Chuck the condom like before, instead of putting it on, he just looked at her shyly.
"Would you help me with this, Sarah?" he asked, chewing on his lower lip as he leaned back slightly.
She knew he remembered how to do it. That he didn't really need her help. She also recalled his reaction to her touching him before. His soft moans. He wanted her to do this. To touch him again. That realization set her completely on fire.
That fire had carried through their entire time together. Openly voicing their desires, they'd managed to slow down and prolong their lovemaking enough that both of them reached a euphoric finish.
Still grinning, she turned her head and saw him. The way he was affectionately regarding her after their lovemaking. So cleareyed and unburdened. Relaxed and happy.
She was proud that she'd had a part in helping him look that way. Helping him conquer his fears. Proud of the fact that she was the first person to witness this new and worry-free Chuck in all his glory. And very happy to reap the benefits.
"Whatcha thinking about over there, all smiley and everything?" he asked, wearing a matching grin of his own.
She shrugged one shoulder, the one not pressed into the mattress. "You 'n me. Us. Being here. Together," she cooed happily.
"Hmmm. Me too," Chuck said in the same happy tone. "Sure beats being on opposite sides of the country."
"Does it ever," Sarah giggled. "I think I could stay here with you and not get out of bed for a long time."
Just then her stomach rumbled loudly causing her cheeks to flush in mortified embarrassment.
"Sounds like someone disagrees with you," he teased.
"Shut up," she pouted with a giggly whine.
"Well, you did cut the tour short … dinner too. As it so happens," he half-grinned and shrugged one shoulder.
"Are you complaining, Chuck?" Sarah asked, giving him a playfully pointed look, her brows knitted, running her index finger slowly down his chest.
"Nope. Not me," he answered defensively. Before he could say anything more, Sarah's stomach growled even louder. "But apparently your tummy has other ideas."
"You can both shut up," she grumbled. Another growl, louder still. "OK. OK. I get it." Giving Chuck I wide-eyed look, Sarah continued, "I guess we're getting up." She gave him a tight closed mouth smile.
"Doesn't pay to forget meals," Chuck chuckled, smiling with amusement.
"Yeah," Sarah agreed. "Especially with all of the energy we've been expending recently." She tensed, waiting for his reaction. Nibbling her lip nervously. Did he mind her teasing? She hoped not.
"Y—Yeah, that's true," he concurred with a nasally snort, blushing a little, but smiling too.
Breathing a sigh of relief, Sarah got out of bed and Chuck followed suit.
"That reminds me of something else, though," he said, sounding surprised.
"Is that so?" she giggled, assuming he was referring to her cheeky comment.
"Yeah, something I was meaning to give you when the house tour eventually got to this room," Chuck admitted, looking sheepish, "but we … ah … sort of got … um ... sidetracked."
"Sidetracked?" Sarah's eyebrows rose then fell sharply when she frowned up at him. "Sidetracked? Really?" She bit the inside of her cheek to keep the smile off her face. Teasing him was a lot of fun.
"No … no. Not sidetracked. I meant to say distracted," he hurriedly corrected himself, blushing and waving his hands in front of himself. But that wasn't the right thing to say either.
"Uh uh." Sarah pursed her lips and squinted, adding a head shake for good measure. "Try again," she grinned to let him know that she wasn't really upset with him. "Remember that I just got done calling you a romantic a little while ago," she added for further emphasis, giggling.
"See? I told you that I wasn't a romantic," he complained, waving a hand dismissively. "This is what I was talking about. I have no idea what I'm doing." He sighed in exasperation.
As he finished speaking, he bent over to open the drawer in the bedside table. Pulling out an envelope, he turned and held it out to her. "This is what I've been meaning to give you. It's my last letter. I wrote it yesterday on the plane trip back from Boston."
At a loss for words, Sarah just stared at him, looking from the letter to his face and back again. She didn't know whether to burst into tears or laugh in happiness. Chuck said he didn't know what he was doing. He didn't need to. He just did it. It was just the way he was. All she could do was shake her head in wonder.
"Aren't you going to take it?" Chuck asked, looking increasingly uncomfortable at her inaction.
Shaking herself free of her thoughts, she nodded, "Of course, sweetie. Sorry, you just surprised me is all," she shrugged as she gently pulled the letter from his grasp. "Again."
"Huh?" he asked, looking confused.
"This." She waved the envelope in front of his face. "This is what I'm talking about, baby." She waved the envelope again. "This is romantic. Taking the time to write me one more letter while you're on the trip back home to me. That's totally romantic."
"It is?" Surprise replaced confusion on Chuck's face.
"It is," she confirmed, ginning. "For a smart guy, you can be really obtuse about some things."
"This I know," he agreed, smiling ruefully.
Leaning up on her tiptoes, Sarah pressed a kiss to his lips. "What am I going to do with you, Chuck Bartowski?" she grinned and shook her head. After a pause, she went on, playfully. "I know …"
Turning away from her boyfriend briefly, she placed the unopened letter on the bedside table next to the condom box. With that task accomplished, she looked toward Chuck to verify where he was standing. Satisfied with what she saw, she stepped in close and put her hands on his shoulders. Smiling up at him, she began slowly walking him backwards to the side of the bed. When the backs of his legs connected with the mattress, his eyebrows rose in surprise.
"Wh—What are you -?" Chuck began, but before he could finish, Sarah gave him a push. Gentle, but hard enough to cause him to fall backwards onto the bed.
"This," she grinned seductively, crawling on top of him. Settling in his lap, she ran her hands over his chest, playing with the hair her fingers encountered. Grinning wider at the awed look on his face, she leaned down to capture his lips in a warm kiss. "Is this OK, Chuck?" she asked hesitantly after breaking the kiss, brushing her lips against his while she spoke. She knew he enjoyed their kiss. Her current position made that abundantly clear.
"OK?" he asked, distractedly. "Why wouldn't I be OK with this?"
"Boys …," she began, nibbling on her lower lip hesitantly.
"Are these the same boys we were talking about before?" he interrupted, frowning in consternation.
"Some of the same ones. Yes," she admitted as a small smile began to form.
"Didn't we already establish that they were idiots?" he asked, his frown morphing into a crooked grin.
"That we did," Sarah replied, chuckling, her smile blossoming to cover her face. Leaning down, she kissed him again, her long blonde hair cascading around them. "I love you."
"I love you too," he answered, craning his neck to place a sweet kiss of his own on her lips. Looking at her quizzically, he added, "So we're ignoring your grumbling stomach now? We're not going to feed it?"
"Later," she smirked at him.
"It's always later with you," he teased.
"Not always," she corrected, diving in to place a hot kiss on his smiling lips.
Dinner was postponed for a while longer as they eagerly lost themselves in each other again.
Chuckling and still trying to catch their collective breath, the happy couple were trading matching dreamy smiles when Chuck's stomach loudly protested. Sarah cackled at the noise.
"Now, it's a party," he grumbled, chuckling.
"It is," she agreed. "Guess, we better feed ourselves before the neighbors complain about all of the noise."
"I think it's too late for that," Chuck announced solemnly.
Sarah's mouth fell open in surprise, giggling naughtily and blushing.
"Why, Chuck Bartowski! I can't believe you said that! What a scoundrel you are," Sarah admonished him in a decent Southern accent, still giggling. Her blush deepened.
"Ooo! A scoundrel, huh?" he asked excitedly. She nodded. "I'll take it. That makes you my princess." He grinned and bounced his eyebrows causing her to snort and shake her head.
"C'mon, sheep herder," she half grumbled, "Time to get up and feed your princess."
"It's Nerf Herder!" Chuck complained as Sarah got out of bed. Searching through their discarded clothes until she found her panties, she slipped them on and turned to face him.
"Whatever," she said, trying to sound dismissive. Chuck gasped indignantly, but when he looked over in her direction as he pulled on his boxers, he saw the grin on her face. She was just giving him a hard time. Twisting his lips to the side, he silently shook his head as her grin widened even further.
Looking at him with a mischievous expression, she stepped over to where his dress shirt lay discarded. Picking it up, she shrugged her arms into it.
"Hey! That's my shirt!" he exclaimed. Sarah turned back toward him with the still unbuttoned shirt gaping open. The sight of her took his breath away and he froze.
"You sure I can't borrow it? For just a little while?" she asked in a slightly pouty tone, biting her lower lip and looking up at him through her lashes.
"Sh—sure, Sarah," he stammered helplessly. "You can wear it. I don't mind. I'll just find something else to put on."
"Thanks, babe," Sarah grinned, quickly raising up on her tiptoes to give him a peck on the lips. I can't wait to figure out other ways I can make you react to me like that. She was still grinning when she began slowly buttoning the shirt. He swallowed thickly before closing his eyes and shaking his head again to the sound of her renewed giggling.
Opening his eyes and snorting at his girlfriend's antics, Chuck stepped into the walk-in closet that ran the entire length of the front wall of the bedroom. Getting an idea, he searched through the built-in drawers until he found the tee-shirt he wanted, having dumped his belongings in them haphazardly without regard to any order in his rush to get unpacked before Sarah arrived. It was perfect. Shaking it out and slipping it over his head, he couldn't suppress a grin of his own. When he exited the closet, Sarah took one look at him and barked out a laugh.
The shirt he had chosen was medium gray and had "Scruffy Looking Nerf Herder" on the chest in 1970's style lettering, along with stars, a crescent moon, and a small Millenium Falcon spaceship.
"Of course, you'd have a tee-shirt with that on it," she cackled. "Of course, you would." Shaking her head in amusement, she stepped closer and slung her arms around his shoulders and gave him a kiss. "You know I love you, right?" she smiled widely.
"I do," he admitted with his own smile. "And I love you too." He paused. "Even if I am a Nerf Herder."
"Hey! It so happens that I like sheep herders," she teased. "Those little lambs are really cute."
"Gah! Blasphemy! You continue to spout blasphemy!" he groaned in exasperation.
"That's because I'm hungry," she countered. "I can't think straight when I'm starving."
"Ok. Ok. I get it," Chuck grumbled. "Let's go feed the lady. … I didn't buy any lamb, though. You're just going to have to make do with something else."
That got them both laughing as they made their way downstairs.
"Do you trust me?" Chuck asked gravely as soon as they entered the kitchen.
"We're just making dinner, sweetie." Sarah looked at him dubiously, twisting her lips to the side. "It's not like you're trying to disarm a nuclear bomb or anything."
"I dunno," he shrugged. "First meal together in a new house? Seems pretty momentous to me." His eyes widened adding emphasis to his viewpoint.
"Jeez! What a drama queen!" she teased, laughing. When he pushed his lower lip out in an exaggerated pout, she relented, still smiling. "Yes, I trust you. Stop with the pouting, you big baby."
"Waah! Mommy, Sarah's being mean to me!" he whined. Unable to maintain the ruse, his whine broke up into a snorting giggle.
"I'm going to be even meaner if you don't stop goofing around and feed me," Sarah groused, attempting to give him a good dose of stink eye. The cheeky grin on her face ruined the effect she was going for.
"Yes, Ma'am. Right away, Ma'am," he saluted with an amused smirk. She saluted him right back. Sighing contentedly, he turned toward the gleaming refrigerator, thinking hard. His original plan for dinner was no longer an option since it would take too long. As soon as he opened the door, he started rifling through the various drawers, looking for inspiration. The package of fresh large shrimp in one drawer gave him an idea. That's perfect. Quick and tasty. He turned back toward the expectant blonde. "How does lemon garlic parmesan shrimp pasta sound to you, honey?"
"Oh God! That sounds wonderful!" Sarah gushed. "With a salad? Did you buy stuff so I can make a salad to go with the pasta?"
"Yeah, sure," he nodded, gesturing at the open refrigerator. "Help yourself. Let me just get the other stuff I need." Quickly gathering his selections, he stepped to the side.
"Does your recipe have any veggies in it, babe?" she asked while she surveyed the contents of her boyfriend's fridge.
"Yeah, there's baby spinach in it," he replied, holding up a bag as he assembled the other ingredients on the counter.
"OK," she chirped. After looking over the shelves and rummaging through the drawers, Sarah turned back to Chuck with a handful of items. "How does a salad with lettuce, grape tomatoes, and some carrot and cucumber slices sound to you?"
"Sounds great!" came the enthusiastic reply.
"I was going to make a vinaigrette. Do you have the stuff? Dijon mustard? And honey?"
"Yeah, I've got both. Here." He opened the cabinets next to the stove where he was in the process of putting a pot of water on to boil and took out what she was looking for and more. "There you go."
Seeing that Chuck had pulled out a bottle of white wine vinegar, along with her requested items, made her smile. Always so helpful. "Thanks, sweetie. Where's the—," Sarah paused when she saw Chuck turning around again with another bottle in his hand. "—olive oil. Wow, you think of everything," she chuckled.
"I try," he grinned. "Before you ask, the salt and pepper are there on the other side of the stove." He jerked his thumb in the direction he'd indicated.
"Got it. You're the best," she kissed him on the cheek before retrieving the seasonings.
Once Sarah had retreated to the kitchen island to chop the vegetables for the salad, Chuck opened another cabinet and selected several spices. Carefully measuring, he combined them in a small shallow bowl. With that task accomplished, he added salt and the linguine to the now-boiling water.
Periodically, Sarah would pause and look up from her own preparation to watch her industrious boyfriend. Mincing garlic. Grating fresh parmesan. Quiet. Confident. And sexy. So sexy. She could feel herself responding to him. Everything about him turns me on! Is that what they mean by besotted? She quickly looked down trying to hide the blush she felt rising on her cheeks. The object of her desire worked on, oblivious. Trying to rein in her emotions, she got busy whisking together the vinaigrette for her salad.
After the pasta finished cooking, the meal came together very quickly. Chuck dumped the linguine in a colander and left it in the sink to drain. Using the same pot, he heated olive oil and some butter before adding the minced garlic and a big pinch of red pepper flakes. After a few minutes, he tossed in the shrimp. As soon as the shrimp were pink, he threw in his Italian seasoning mix and the spinach.
"Would you bring the pasta over here please, sweetie?" Chuck asked as he kept a close eye on the contents of the pot.
"Right away, chef," Sarah called, stepping to the sink to grab the colander before walking across the kitchen to hand it to her boyfriend with a smirk.
Chuck took the colander with a chuckle, shaking his head the whole time. He added the linguine to the other ingredients along with more butter, some parsley, and the parmesan cheese he'd grated earlier. Checking to make sure all the butter had melted, he finished everything by drizzling lemon juice over the dish and giving it a couple of good tosses.
"God! That smells amazing," Sarah exclaimed, sniffing the air when Chuck stopped stirring the pasta. "Now, I'm really starving."
"I'm glad, because it's ready," Chuck announced, sounding a little proud. Sarah retrieved plates for his main course and her salad. The couple spent a couple of minutes dancing around each other while they plated their meal.
"Dining room or breakfast bar? Whatcha think, babe?" she asked.
"Hmmm. Dining room? Since it's our first meal together in the house? Seeming like the occasion warrants it, doesn't it?" Chuck reasoned.
"It is an important occasion. Absolutely. Dining room, it is," Sarah agreed, picking up the dinner plates and walking in that direction. Chuck, meanwhile, fixed two glasses with ice and water before following her into the other room. Another trip to retrieve the salad plates and silverware and napkins finished off their preparations.
Chuck pulled Sarah's chair out for her causing her cheeks to pink slightly as she smiled widely at him when she sat down. Taking his own seat next to her, Chuck put his hands on the table and let out the breath he'd been holding.
"Here we are," he breathed looking over at her lovingly.
"Here we are," she agreed, placing her hand over his and lacing their fingers together.
Chuck picked up his water glass, with a grin. "A toast!"
Sarah giggled and followed suit. "What are we toasting? Us?"
"That sounds good to me," he nodded as he smiled. "To us! And to our first meal together in our house."
"To us!" she repeated, her eyes glassy. Him constantly saying "our house" warmed her heart. "And to many more meals together!"
"Here, here," Chuck agreed as they clinked glasses and drank. "Ahhhh! That's good water!" he enthused, overacting.
His antics made Sarah laugh. She was still chuckling as she put the first forkful of pasta into her mouth. After chewing for a bit, she couldn't help moaning. "Oh my God! This is so good!" She gave her boyfriend a very appreciative look.
"Thank you," he smiled, inclining his head in response.
"I think I'll keep you," she teased.
His smile was replaced by a pout. "Gee, thanks. How kind of you."
Sarah giggled at the expression on Chuck's face. "Aw, I was only kidding, sweetie," she admitted. "It really is good."
"I'm glad you like it," he smiled softly, pleased by her praise.
"We'll have to do something to burn off all of these calories, though," she continued, her tone turning suggestive. She started giggling when she saw his eyes widen in surprise, still not used to the new dynamic of their relationship.
After sharing part of a chocolate torte Chuck had picked up at the store, they made short work of cleaning up the dining room and kitchen. The minute he finished filling the dishwasher and started its cycle, Chuck heard Sarah behind him.
She slid her arms around his chest from behind and gave him a hug. "That was really good, Chuck. Thank you, again."
"You're welcome," he replied, turning to face her. "Your salad was good too. It paired with the pasta quite nicely." Sarah nodded shyly, smiling all the while. "Hope it was enough. It wouldn't do for my princess to still be hungry." He smirked.
"Your princess definitely had enough food to eat," she admitted as a smile began to form on her lips. "But I'm still hungry …"
"Huh? I thought you just said—"
"For dancing," Sarah interrupted, her smile widening. "C'mon, Chuck," she teased, cracking the 'k.' "Show me whatcha got. Dance with me."
"I wanted to be the one to ask you," Chuck pretended to fuss. He looked around conspiratorially, before adding, "Poop." Sarah cracked up, remembering when he'd done something similar last year.
"You're a goof. You know that?" she laughed. He shrugged nonchalantly and flashed her a self-satisfied grin. "Now cut the shit and let's dance." Chuck's mouth formed a perfect 'O' causing her to laugh harder. Sarah took his hand and began tugging him out of the kitchen toward the open space of the family room. "C'mon, baby. Dance with me. Please."
"As you wish," he replied, a knowing smile forming on his lips. When Sarah began bouncing on her toes and clapping her hands together like she was excitedly praying, his smile grew even wider until it became one of his signature Bartowski smiles, complete with a wrinkled nose and the corners of his eyes crinkled in amusement. "Let me just get the music turned back on," Chuck continued as he walked over to the mantle where he'd left his phone when they'd gone upstairs. Turning back to her, he asked, "Any particular preference for the music?" She shook her head, grinning in anticipation. "Type of dance?" Another head shake.
"Nope!" Sarah answered. "Surprise me, Fred Astaire." Nodding in reply, he pressed his phone's screen. Lively 1950's dance music filled the room. The former Songbirds singer took a deep breath as a huge closed mouth smile spread across her beautiful face.
"Not so much Fred Astaire," he demurred, walking back to her. "More like Fred Flintstone." He stopped and ran in place like the cartoon character. She barked out a laugh, laughing so hard she snorted. When Chuck burst out laughing, her cheeks reddened all the way to her ears.
"Shut up," she pouted, scrunching her face adorably. Walking closer, he enveloped her in a warm hug and pressed a gentle kiss to her temple.
"That snort was pretty cute, but I'm sorry I laughed. What can I do to make it up to you?" he finished softly. His breath ruffling her hair made her shiver.
"What can you do?" She leaned back to look him in the eye. "Duh? Dance with me. Of course." She smirked.
"Of course." Stepping back, Chuck took her hand, nodding his head to the beat of the music. "Ready?" he smiled, bouncing his eyebrows.
"More than you are, buster," Sarah retorted, grinning.
"OK, then," he nodded. "Let's jitterbug!" She couldn't help squealing in excitement as he pulled her into the dance and they began to move.
The two of them danced together for nearly an hour. Fast songs and slow. Jitterbug. Foxtrot. And more. Sarah was impressed with how much Chuck had learned in so short a time. Almost as impressive was his skill. He wasn't all that polished, but he was a much better dancer than he thought he was and definitely better than he had been back in the spring. She especially liked the slow songs because she enjoyed the closeness as it gave her an opportunity to press herself against her boyfriend with only a couple of thin layers of clothing between them.
Dancing the Shag was a highlight for her too. Chuck's enthusiasm and carefree enjoyment of that particular style was so much fun for Sarah to witness. When he explained his interest in learning the dance, Sarah couldn't help smiling. Shag dancing was part of his parents' college experience, so it made sense that Chuck would want the same dance to be part of his time at Stanford.
"Thank you for telling me that wonderful story, baby," she murmured while they were dancing to a slow song. "That's very sweet."
"It is," he agreed. "And you're very sweet as well for not scolding me for stepping on your toes. I know I have been."
She hugged him as the song ended. "Only a couple of times, sweetie." Stepping back, she looked up at him. "You really did get better."
"So, my lessons paid off?"
"I'll say!" Sarah responded with a smile. Closing her eyes and breathing deeply, she took in his scent. Ivory soap, cedar, and him. A very warm and earthy him. Something stirred inside of her. Opening her eyes again and looking him over, she added, "I can't wait to get you out on a real dance floor. In public. You're going to surprise a lot of people."
He shrugged. "The only person I wanted to surprise is you."
"Well, mission accomplished. Consider this girl sufficiently surprised," she grinned.
"That makes me very happy, Sarah," Chuck confessed, pecking her on the lips. Then he grinned playfully. "And speaking of surprises …"
"Now what?" Sarah questioned, her eyes going wide. He led her over to the (famous) sectional couch.
Leaving his girlfriend standing there, looking confused, Chuck turned and jogged toward the dining room. "Wait here! Stay! Don't move! I'll be right back!" he called over his shoulder.
"OK?" she said to the empty room. Sarah heard him racing up the stairs and down the hall to his … their bedroom. And into the bathroom. What is he doing? After a couple of minutes of scrambling noises filtering down from the floor above, she heard him returning down the hall and then the stairs before arriving back in the family room. He came to a stop in front of her. And she could see that he was holding a towel. Her mind immediately went to a certain place. Oh, my! Is he thinking of us doing that … here? Not that I'd mind. Her imagination began to kick into overdrive. "Wha … What's with the towel, sweetie?" she stammered, her face flushing as her pulse began to race.
"Sit. Sit," he grinned. When she had done as he'd requested, he pulled a bottle from behind the towel. "Surprise!"
"What is that, Chuck?" she asked, her voice shaky.
"Massage oil!" her boyfriend announced, his tone implying that it should be obvious what it was.
"Ma—Massage oil?" Sarah stumbled, her mouth opening in shock. Just what did he learn in Massachusetts, anyway?
"Yeah," he confirmed with a confused expression on his face. "You know, for massages. That's my last surprise." She just stared at him, incredulous. Chuck cocked his head to the side and looked at her, taking note of her reaction. It dawned on him that he wasn't being clear. "Foot massages, Sarah. I learned how to give foot massages." He shrugged. "So after we'd been dancing and I'd been stepping on your feet, I could try and undo the damage I caused by giving you a foot massage."
It finally got through to Sarah what Chuck was telling her. She had to pull her mind away from the path she'd been going down. It took an act of will to accomplish. Save that for later. Slowly a new smile blossomed on her face. While she was busy reorienting her brain, he took a seat next to her on the couch and spread the towel out on his lap.
Patting his leg, he grinned. "Put your foot up here and I'll show you what I learned over the summer." With a giggle of anticipation, Sarah complied with his request. Chuck poured some oil into his hands and gently picked up her foot.
"Oh my God, I love you," she moaned as soon as his fingers began to carefully manipulate her foot.
"I know," he smirked. snickering quietly. With her musical laughter filling in his ears, he set to work in earnest.
A/N2: Chapter title comes from the song by Starland Vocal Band. Chuck and Sarah are together and it is still technically afternoon so …
A/N3: My thanks to WillieGarvin for his patience with my prose when I finally get around to sending him a new chapter to review/edit. Your help and support have been almost as invaluable as your friendship. Thanks, my friend.
A/N4: Thank you for reading. Please drop me a PM or leave a review. Let me know what you think. For those of you who have left reviews or PMs previously, thank you. I appreciate each and every one of them. Thank you to everyone who's followed or favorited this story, too. Your support means a lot to me.
A/N5: If you enjoy Chuck fan fiction here on the fanfic site, go over to Facebook and join the Chuck Fanfiction group that's there. You'll find nice folks who share your interest in our favorite spy couple. You are not alone.