The Detective and the Tech Guy
Rating: T
Summary: A case of mistaken identity and murder brings Sarah Walker, Pinkerton agent, to sunny California. Protecting the heir to the Bartowski Electronics Corporation should be just business - but Chuck Bartowski fills out a suit nicely and makes a mean martini. Chuck lobbied to hire the Pinkerton Agency, but had no idea the detective they'd send would be as alluring, intelligent and fascinating as Sarah Walker. Will the detective and the tech guy solve the mystery, distracted by the riddle in their own hearts? An homage to The Thin Man movies.
Disclaimer: We don't own Chuck or The Thin Man series. And we're making no monetary profit from this story.
Author's Note: Here is part 2 of "The Detective, The Tech Guy, and Distance"! Slight sexual content. If that isn't your thing, here's your warning.
XOXOXOXO
The worst part about Chuck's phone call was that he didn't tell her anything really. He told her he wanted to see her tonight and asked if he could come over. She'd said yes immediately, but he rushed the rest of the conversation, said goodbye, and hung up, leaving her standing there, blinking down at her phone.
What time was he coming? She didn't even know that much.
Not that she really had any plans for the night. She'd just signed up for her own Netflix account last night, so there was that. And the cookies she'd bought on a whim earlier because they were next to the check-out line at the grocery store.
She could really go for a martini, though. It had been too long since she and Chuck had martinis. At least a week and a half, which was probably a record since she moved to Los Angeles three months ago.
The bottom line was that it was rude to not tell her exactly when he would be heading over. What if she had something going on tonight? Or plans. With someone else.
They both knew she didn't.
She slumped onto her couch and stared glumly at her lap. Now she had that feeling she'd gotten waiting for Chuck to arrive when she'd invited him to Chicago for the first time all those months ago. Waiting for his knock. Unsure as to when he would show up.
There were things she could be doing. Wiping down her kitchen counters, reading a book, checking her email. Anything, for shit's sake. And yet she couldn't. She was drowning in anticipation, stupidly nervous for his arrival even as she was excited to see him standing in front of her again for the first time since Monday morning. When he'd kissed her and gone off to work, leaving her sitting at his table and drinking his coffee in the mug she bought to keep in his kitchen for mornings just like that one.
He was her boyfriend, though. And they'd been through a lot together. She shouldn't be fidgeting or feeling that annoying tingle in her fingers.
But why was he so adamant about coming over all of a sudden?
Besides that he wanted to see her. God, hearing him say that had left her idiotically breathless. He didn't say "Can I see you tonight?" or "I need to see you" or "We need to talk". He said, "I want to see you tonight." He couldn't have phrased it any better.
Sarah wasn't angry with Chuck. Or even upset. Not with him. He would never do anything to hurt her willfully. She knew this.
And talking to Ellie had eventually set her at ease once she had time to think about it. Chuck really did have a tendency to lose himself in his own head. But she disagreed with Ellie about it not being her fault. It partly was. Because Sarah knew it was her responsibility as the woman who loved him to go to him and drag him back into the real world. She had to shake him a little, keep him grounded.
Chuck was brilliant, a genius even. He had the most fascinating and powerful mind of anyone she'd ever met. So it was no wonder he got lost in it every so often. It was her job to help him find his way back out, though. And she hadn't done that. Granted, she was new at this and she shouldn't expect herself to get everything right the first time.
But she knew now. And it wouldn't happen again.
It wasn't fair for her to hold Chuck to a higher standard than she held herself, either.
A thought struck her suddenly. Chuck had called only a few hours after she had brunch with Ellie. Sarah wondered at the timing. Had Ellie buzzed over to Chuck's office to do Sarah's job for her this time? To tell him to get back into the real world where there were real people waiting for him?
There were people who needed him, Ellie included, what with how far along she was in her pregnancy.
Sarah didn't exactly like admitting she needed another person to be able to pull this whole new business thing off. But Chuck's support was primarily emotional and mental. (Sometimes physical when he gave her one of his expert massages or…some other things.) Laying the foundations of her company, doing the leg work…that was all her. She refused to let him pitch in, especially monetarily.
He would never expect her to let him, and he'd never outright told her he'd pay for things. But she felt it hovering over them sometimes when she talked about how much certain parts of the business would cost. If she ever asked, he would pay for anything and everything. She knew that. But she refused to let him. It wasn't just pride. It was that she had faith in herself, faith in her ability to do this on her own. This was the only way to get her self-confidence back.
But all of that aside, it was such a comfort to have him around. When days were long and tiring, mentally draining, she would just let herself collapse into his embrace while they watched a movie or some stupid reality show. And it was like magic. Her drive and willpower was back when she woke up the next morning. She was ready to face the new day, do whatever she had to do to reach her goal.
She'd missed that this whole last week. She'd missed it a lot.
Hopefully Ellie hadn't conveyed any of what they discussed to Chuck, though. She didn't want him to feel guilty on her account. He shouldn't be expected to be on his perfect-boyfriend game one hundred percent of the time. That wasn't fair to him. He was the closest thing to perfect she'd ever known, but he still wasn't perfect. Perfect for her, perhaps. But not perfect.
Sarah massaged her temples with her fingers and fell back against the cushions with a sigh. She just needed to refocus. She needed to figure out what direction she wanted her agency to go in. Would it even be an agency? Or would she just be one person? Or a private investigator? Was it an agency if she was the only agent? Or would she simply be a detective again? A private eye?
A more important question: was it a bad thing if Chuck was the kind of guy who needed his sister to spell out for him that he wasn't being as present in his relationship as he probably should be? She mulled that over for a moment.
And decided that it wasn't bad.
Sarah wasn't really the best girlfriend during those six months they were in a long distance secret relationship, was she? She made a lot of mistakes, and she took way too long to figure out how deep her feelings were and what to do about said deep feelings.
And yet, here they were. That put a smile on her face in spite of everything.
There was always this. Them.
Us.
Brunch with Ellie this morning had really put to bed any fears she'd had about her relationship with Chuck being in any sort of danger. Ellie wasn't the type to give false reassurance. Obviously, what with the way the pregnant woman came at her at brunch, pushing until she finally told her what was on her mind.
Wait…is that music?
She sat up a little and squinted, straining her ears. It sounded like music. Maybe. Something like music. And then there was a sound like rain pattering against glass. Maybe not rain. Dirt?
…the hell?
Sarah stood up and went to the window next to her kitchen table, putting a knee on the window seat and leaning in to move the curtain to the side and look out.
She couldn't see anything in the dim glow from the lights on the side of her building. And then there was the fact that her bedroom's balcony was facing in another direction because she was in the corner apartment. That meant if the sound had come from outside of her bedroom she wouldn't be able to see what it was from here.
Heading towards her bedroom, Sarah thought she heard the music again. Maybe a guitar or something like that? It was probably just a neighbor or something, but that didn't stop her from going to the sliding glass door in her bedroom and opening it a little to walk out onto the balcony.
It was a guitar, she discovered a moment later.
Because when she peered over the railing of the balcony, she saw her boyfriend standing on the gravel walkway that led through the complex's rose garden. And he was holding an acoustic guitar.
Strumming it like someone who didn't even know how to play a guitar.
He was wearing a dark gray suit with a burgundy tie…Was it burgundy? It looked burgundy in the moonlight. Either way, he always looked so delicious in a suit and tie.
"Did you seriously just throw dirt at my window?" she asked him, kicking at a smattering of tiny pebbles and dirt on her balcony before looking down at him and resting her elbow on the railing, her chin in her hand.
"Yep!"
"And that's a guitar?"
"Erm, that's what they told me when I bought it." He looked down at it, teasingly unsure, rubbing the back of his head.
It almost made her laugh, and she was filled with so many wonderful feelings that they were threatening to overflow. But she kept the slightly amused, critical look on her face anyways.
"I thought I told you not to do this."
He shrugged. "Yeeeah, I didn't listen. Sorry."
"You're not sorry."
"I mean…not really, no. But listen!" He strummed the guitar unnecessarily hard and loud for a few seconds, then stopped when she reached out with her hand and waved it back and forth, shushing him. God forbid someone heard that and witnessed this.
"Ta daaa!" He held out his right hand above his head and bowed with a bit of a flourish.
"That was not a song."
"We can't all be Kanye, Sarah."
She just barely kept from snorting. "Will you get up here before one of my neighbors sees you and you make me the laughing stock of the whole complex? Jesus!"
He playfully widened his eyes and jumped, hurrying through the bushes, out of the garden, and disappearing around the edge of the building. He was such a cartoon character sometimes.
Sarah walked back into her bedroom and slid the door shut again, locking it and tugging the shutters back into place. And then she calmly went out of her bedroom, down the hall, and into her living room.
It was there that she stopped and allowed herself a loud, giddy giggle. She pressed her hands to her face, groaned quietly, and pushed her hands through her hair.
Sarah took a quick look at herself.
She was wearing jeans and a dark blue blouse, a bit of makeup, and she had purposefully showered and prepped herself accordingly. Of course, she didn't want to look like she was trying to impress him. But she didn't want him to see her looking slovenly when he came over.
Yeah, he did want to see her, but probably not unshowered, in yoga pants, a sports bra, and with messy hair.
Then again, Chuck had a thing for her in yoga pants and a sports bra. He was a weirdo like that.
Successfully gathering her cool again, she walked to her apartment door and waited to hear the sound of his footsteps. The nerd was still idly strumming his guitar as he walked down the hallway and she shut her eyes, letting out a soft huff of amusement and shaking her head.
With him as her boyfriend, she was probably going to have some trouble with neighbors. Or they'd all just think she was a madwoman. No, they'd just think she had strange taste in men.
She might have strange taste in men, but she was totally fine with that. As long as she got to keep this one.
Sarah waited for the knock. And when it came, she swept open the door and couldn't help but smile at the sight of him, standing in front of her with a soft glint in his eye, looking just as amused as she was by this whole presentation. He was leaning against the threshold with his guitar down at his side. And the tie was burgundy, though a lighter shade than it had appeared when he was outside.
"Wait," she said, furrowing her brow as she looked down. "That isn't the same guitar you have in your condo."
"Very perceptive, Sarah Walker P.I. It is, in fact, a new guitar. The one I've got in my condo is out of tune, I discovered."
"So you just bought a new one instead of tuning the one you already have?"
He pursed his lips. "…I guess I did. Yes."
"How very rich of you."
Chuck looked a little affronted, even though there was amusement underneath. "Or romantic."
Sarah smirked and stepped back, opening the door wider for him to silently invite him inside. As she shut the door behind him, the sweet banter came to a bit of a standstill.
He was here now.
And the warmth and comfort that always came with his presence settled over her like a blanket of reassurance. "So…" she prompted, turning to face him. "Martinis?"
Chuck laughed and set his guitar down, unbuttoning his suit jacket and loosening his tie a little. It was incredibly endearing to see him make himself at home as he moved to and fro in her kitchen to make their drinks. It hadn't taken him long to get comfortable here. There were a few days when he hovered near the door until she invited him further into the apartment. Or she had to tell him to sit before he did it. He even asked to use the restroom the first night he slept over. She'd laughed at him and earned a glare mixed with a blush.
None of that happened anymore. He knew where the important things were. Though he respected her privacy at the same time. She was incredibly grateful to him for that.
Within a few minutes, he handed her a martini and she smiled down at it, then up at him. "I missed these."
His smile dimmed just a little, even though his eyes still reflected their usual warmth. "Can we sit? I've got a lot to say and I kinda just wanna…get it all out there. If that's okay?"
And there were the nerves.
She had nothing to worry about, she knew. Ellie had convinced her this wasn't about their relationship. And when her confidence wobbled a bit after she got home, Sarah'd had to convince herself again.
"Of course," she said, leading the way to the couch. He plopped onto it, facing the wall where her television would go when she finally got one, and peering down into his martini. She sat next to him, folding a leg under her body in order to turn and face him comfortably.
"I've been seriously distracted the last week or so—lost, even—so much so that I didn't even realize it until Ellie smacked me in the face with reality earlier today."
So Ellie had gone to talk to him. It wasn't all that surprising. She was a protective older sister, and sometimes, as Chuck put it, a little bossy, pushy, nosy, et cetera. Sarah had seen it in the handful of times Ellie'd come down to visit since Sarah and Chuck made their relationship known to his family.
Sarah couldn't see a time when the older sister might butt into her brother's relationship in a detrimental way, so she supposed Ellie's pushing of Chuck in the right direction was pretty harmless. For what it was. And hey, it got him here, didn't it?
"She, um…" He cleared his throat and finally looked at her. "She made me see that I've been pretty absent from everybody. Worst of all I've been absent from you. Us. And I just want you to know, I really was totally clueless. I didn't know. I was stuck in here," he said, tapping his forehead. "So I'm really sorry. I want to say that first."
"Chuck, it's okay," she said, reaching over to squeeze his shoulder reassuringly.
"No. It isn't. You—You have so much going on right now. Lots of decisions to make. Work to do. This is a huge step you're taking and this is the worst time for you to be abandoned by your crappy boyfriend."
"Hey!" She gently knuckled him in the arm. "Don't talk like that about my boyfriend." That didn't earn her a smile like she'd hoped it would. "Chuck, you've been practically perfect in the nine months since we got together. I think you're allowed a week of being a little lax."
"I don't think I am, though. You deserve someone who is everything that you need whenever you need it. I wasn't that guy this week and I'm really sorry." He paused and she wasn't sure what to say to set him at ease. She wasn't exactly at ease herself. Since he still hadn't told her why he was so lost in his own mind. What was bothering him so much that he inadvertently closed himself off from everyone he loved?
"Will you forgive me?"
"Chuck, of course," she said immediately. Then she reached over to put her martini on the coffee table and leaned closer to him, cupping his face in her hand and kissing him gently. It had been way too long since this particular pleasure. And then she reminded herself it had only been a few days. How did I even survive our long distance relationship?
"Of course," she felt the need to repeat when she pulled back. He smiled a little finally and she pecked him on the lips one more time before she sat back in her original position and smiled back.
"Thank you," he said softly, and her smile widened a little. But then he took a deep breath and she knew there was more, and the damn nerves came back again. "But there's something else I need to tell you now. I should've told you right off the bat, but I didn't because I…I don't like letting people down, you know? And especially not you—"
"Chuck, I know I probably shouldn't even have to ask this question, but—but is the thing you kept thinking about, the thing that made you get lost in your head…Is it something having to do with us?" She was annoyed with herself for asking, but she had to know. She had to know immediately. She was ninety percent sure it had nothing to do with them, but she wanted to erase the doubting ten percent once and for all if she could.
His eyes widened and he sat forward so suddenly he nearly spilled martini on her new couch. She almost winced. She really liked this couch.
"Sarah, no! How—No! Of course not. And if I—if I gave you any—" He leaned forward to put his martini down next to hers and scooted closer, grabbing one of her hands. "Baby, if I ever give you any doubt in this, in us, from here on out I'm going to need you to promptly punch me in the mouth."
Her relief came out in a breathy laugh that came through her nose. "You didn't. I mean, not really."
"But the timing was really bad. I know. You just moved out, and you know I was a little…er…disappointed about you living somewhere that wasn't with me." So Ellie had told him. Fantastic, she thought a little sourly. It wasn't really Ellie's fault. She was trying to make things better, Sarah knew. But she really hadn't wanted Chuck blaming himself for her own insecurities.
"It's just that I knew I was gonna miss ya. You know that, right?"
"I do, Chuck. What Ellie told you…I was just running my mouth. You'd never been that distant before, even when we had arguments, you know? So it made me a little panicky and I was searching for reasons and I automatically grasped at the worst thing I could think of."
"No, I get it. I shouldn't have let you think that, though."
"You couldn't know," she said, emphatically. "And it's not like I asked you, like I should've done."
"You shouldn't have had to. But…but I'm telling you why now. I just want you to know, it isn't us. It isn't you moving out and it isn't us. Although you did kinda inspire it. Just a little."
She frowned in confusion. "I did?" He nodded. But then he didn't speak for a few moments, long enough that she had to reach out and gently tuck one of his curls back into place. "What is it, Chuck? You can tell me."
Chuck met her eyes solidly, sitting up a little straighter and squeezing her hand. "I'm kind of thinking of leaving Bartowski Electronics."
All Sarah could do in that moment was stare. "What?" she breathed finally. Then she shook her head. "I mean, I-I heard you, but…what?"
"Yeah. It's a big deal. A huge, massive, monumental, life-changing deal. And I guess that's why I ended up so buried in my own head. There's a lot to think about. A lot of really hard things that would require me to do. I mean, my parents. For one. That's not gonna be so good. But then I mean…what am I even gonna do?"
"Wait, whoa. Wha—Hold on. Hold on, Chuck." She scooted closer and looked him straight in the face. "Why are you leaving? Did something happen? Is everything okay?"
"Yes. No. I mean…Yes, everything's okay. No, nothing happened." He shook his head. "I'm actually good where I am. I'm happy there. It's hard work but I enjoy it. And I'm even pretty sure that if my dad retires in the next ten years and I become the CEO, I'd be really great at it and happy with my career the way it stacked up—you know, looking back and all that." He took a deep breath and she just watched him quietly, totally confused by what he was telling her. He seemed like he was in his element at B.E.C. What would he even do instead?
"Thing is, I've been watching you." He turned to look at her and after a moment, it almost looked like he was melting a little. It made her heart race to see him look at her like that. Like she made everything better, like she was worth just about anything. "Sorry. I should finish that statement so that it sounds less creepy."
She giggled and he gave her a crooked, self-deprecating little grin.
"You've just been so…I don't know, such a go-getter. Leaving Pinkerton because they weren't showing you the respect you deserve. Moving all the way across the country to be with some nerdy guy," he teased and she felt the world brighten that much more. "And then moving into your own place. Starting fresh. Knowing your value enough to know that you can do this whole P.I. business thing. I mean, you're going it alone. And that's so impressive. And it's inspired me, you know? You're taking these massive strides to follow your dreams and you're going to achieve great things. I just know it."
His confidence in her, his faith, was more precious to her in that moment than words could say. She bit the inside of her cheek to keep her eyes from getting misty.
"It's got me thinking, you know? About when I was back at Stanford. I had this plan. This massive, idealistic dream of what I wanted."
Sarah unconsciously moved so close she was practically on top of him, and he in turn draped an arm over her shoulders. Maybe it was a little odd that she didn't already know everything about him after being with him for nine months, and knowing him for a year and a half. She didn't really know how other people did the whole relationship thing. But she and Chuck never really discussed their pasts. Her holding back was a little more conscious than she suspected his was.
In Paris, they dove headfirst into their romance. And the intermittent reunions after Paris hadn't really been about the past. They had been about reacquainting themselves with the physical aspect of their relationship, and also about the present. Always the present.
"Really?" she prompted, raising her eyebrow and reaching up to move another dark curl back into place.
"Mhm." He nodded once and reached up to tug on his tie a little, doing the opposite of what she assumed he was going for. So as he continued talking, she reached up to loosen his tie for him. "I knew when I graduated, my dad was gonna hurry me into his company to learn the ropes and all that. Part of me knew he was gonna prep me to take over someday. But I had this idea to resist that. To not do the easy thing and stay in the B.E.C. bubble where I knew it was safe. And I was going to break off to start my own company that aligned more with my own ideals. B.E.C. already has all of its products made in factories here in the states. That was important to Dad when he started the company. Even though it cost him at first, it eventually paid for itself. People really like that, you know? The whole homegrown product, creating jobs here and not over there thing."
Sarah nodded, gently playing with his tie as she listened to him.
"But I was thinking about going in a different direction, maybe. And this is totally nuts because I really don't know anything about this stuff, but I had this idea for educational materials. Something that even the poorest schools in the country that have the poorest demographic of kids can afford. Something to bridge the gap between the rich private school kids and the kids whose parents can't afford the kind of schooling I had growing up. I mean, think about it. A time in the future when the kid whose mom gets welfare and food stamps is getting the same great education that my own kid is gonna get."
Sarah tried her best not to dwell on that last part. He hadn't meant it like that, and she knew it. He was just talking in generalities, because when he had a kid someday—if he had a kid someday, that kid would be getting a great education. That was just a fact. Chuck was rich. He'd be able to afford any school.
"I just feel like there's a way to make tablets and computers that all schools can afford to buy for their students. You know? Video games for students that are learning-based and fun. Creating platforms for a profitable, good education. I want to do something to improve things in the world. Not just make money hand over fist. I already have a lot of money. And it's great, really, I love it. Who wouldn't? But if I can do more while I make money, that'd be…Well, even better, don't you think?"
She felt a little weak, or dizzy, or something. Because he continued to surprise her with just how staggeringly good he was. He was such a good man. The best man.
And to think he'd been that wonderful when he was only nineteen, twenty years old…
"I think you're kinda great, Chuck Bartowski," she said quietly. She couldn't stop the smile on her face if she tried. "And that also sounds like a wonderful thing to wanna do. I think your parents would understand. And they'd be proud of you."
Well, his dad might. Mary Bartowski might fly off the handle and threaten to ban him from the house again or something. Or simply blame Sarah for everything.
But then a thought struck her. "Why didn't you just tell me this instead of burying it all and driving yourself crazy with it all this time? You know I'm gonna support you no matter what, right?"
He sighed. "I know, Sarah. I do. And I love you. But I guess I just wanted to have more than this crazy idea I came up with seven years ago, you know? I wanted a direction, a real, solid plan, before I told you."
"Why, though?"
"Because I don't like disappointing the people I love. I didn't want to let you down. What if—What if I tell you all this stuff and it just never comes together? What if I build you up and make you all excited and proud of me and stuff and I end up failing?" He looked so vulnerable in that moment. His tie loose and his jacket open, his hair a little mussed (though that was natural these days since it'd been awhile since he had a haircut), his face set in consternation and maybe a little embarrassment, like he knew he was being silly.
At least he was self-aware.
But this made her heart hurt a little, and she reached up to cup his face and force him to look at her.
"Chuck…" she whispered, her thumb stroking his smoothly shaven jaw. She found her voice again. "No matter what happens, what you do, where you go…whether you win or lose…I'm gonna be here, at your side. And nothing's ever gonna make me any less proud of you."
He moved in to kiss her and it caught her by surprise a little. She liked it, and smiled against his lips as she melted into his arms and kissed him back.
Sarah Walker felt incomprehensibly good in that moment, wrapped up in her tech guy. She even forgot about the martinis they left sitting on the coffee table a few feet away.
Chuck apparently forgot about them too, as his hand slid down to her thigh, the other pushing under her body to cup her backside. With a quick yank, he pulled her onto his lap. She squeaked into his kiss and giggled, pushing her fingers into his curls and shifting to straddle him, her knees pressed into the couch cushions.
He rounded her torso with his arms and pulled her body close, lining her collarbone up with his lips and nibbling on her skin there. She hugged his head and pressed her lips to his hair, leaning all of her weight against him and letting him just hold her.
His hands slid back around and she felt his fingers latch onto the top button of her blouse. He moved back a little, his eyes more amber-colored than usual while he stared at the skin that was revealed as he undid each button.
And then Chuck surprised her by swinging her to the side and lowering her to lie on the couch, carefully…tenderly. He crawled over her to kiss her neck, dragging his lips down her skin, between the cups of her bra, over her ribs and down to her belly button.
Chuck pushed Sarah's shirt away from her stomach and gripped her waist in his long, capable fingers, his thumbs stroking along the waistband of her jeans as he teased her by gently grazing his teeth over the skin just below her belly button.
Sarah gasped, reaching down to stroke a hand over his hair, her eyelids fluttering as she felt his tongue dip into her belly button. He continued to tease her. Until she felt his fingers at the button of her jeans. He undid it with a quick flick of his thumb and pointer finger, a testament to how good he'd gotten at undressing her in the past nine months.
Chuck reached up to hold onto the waistband of her jeans and took the zipper tab between his teeth, very slowly and painstakingly unzipping her pants. It wasn't just that, though. It was the way his desirous eyes lifted to look across the planes of her body to meet her gaze while he did it.
Letting out a long breath, she gripped at the edge of the cushion next to her hip and watched as he moved up to kiss her right on the band of her underwear. "Chuck," she whispered, pulling her bottom lip between her teeth and sighing.
And then Chuck sat up a little and looked down at her. He shook his head in awe then, almost like he couldn't resist, and he draped himself over her to kiss her again.
The way he pushed his arms under her and cradled her like she was everything in the world to him…
It was almost too much.
Sarah wrapped her arms around his shoulders, clutching his suit jacket in her fists and twisting as he rocked his hips into hers. She whimpered softly and lifted her legs to round his waist.
He groaned her name into the kiss as she pulled back just enough to teasingly catch his bottom lip between her teeth before kissing him to lave the bite, her tongue quickly sweeping over it.
She watched as Chuck pushed his torso up to hover over her, looking down at her with that slow smile that made her a little lightheaded.
She'd missed this so much.
And she realized how much of a drama queen she was being by thinking that. Like they'd been apart for months or years, rather than a few days.
But then as he hurriedly shrugged his suit jacket off, getting it caught on his watch and struggling, she thought to herself…Screw that. She had no reason to be apart from him for any amount of time. And she was going to miss him if it was weeks, days, even hours between the times they were together. Because she damn well could. She reserved the right.
His smile became bigger and brighter as she giggled at him once he finally got the jacket off by removing his watch altogether. And she thought to herself, He's mine. All mine. A pleasurable shiver traversed down her back.
Sarah gnawed a little on the inside of her bottom lip, then reached up to curl her fingers around his belt buckle. But his hands draped over hers and slowly pulled them away.
She cocked her head in question, letting him lean over her and loosely pin her hands to the couch cushion up above her head. He held both of her hands in one of his and set his lips to her jaw, dragging them ever so slowly down her neck, over her throat, down her chest…It seemed like he was taking ages, his lips memorizing every last inch of bare skin they could find on the way down.
Until he let go of her hands out of necessity and lowered himself down to the other end of the couch so that his face was aligned with her belly button again. He tucked himself between her legs and bestowed a few open mouthed kisses to her skin right above the waistline of her pants. And when that proved to be an apparent hindrance, he tucked his fingers under the waistband and started tugging them down over her hips and behind. She arched herself off of the couch to make it easier for him, grinning almost manically as he tugged her jeans off of her legs and threw them over his shoulder with an incredibly nerdy smolder.
"I love you," she chuckled, shaking her head.
He crawled back between her legs, slowly climbing up her body, dotting quick kisses along her skin that made her giggle and grab him by his hair to tug him all the way back up. "That tickles," she breathed once his face was above hers, loosening her grip just a little when he winced theatrically.
"Sorry. I forgot you don't like being tickled."
"You did not forget, you liar," she giggled.
"No, I really didn't." He grinned cheekily down at her, then moved in to kiss her quickly on the lips.
Sarah pushed her hands between their bodies to grab his belt again, as she was beginning to feel a little impatient. She'd been turned on when they began what felt like an hour ago now. Granted, it had maybe been ten minutes or less. But still…this man had a way with his lips. He could wind her up with a simple touch, a soft kiss…and he'd already done all the above and then some.
Just as she almost got his belt undone, he gasped and grabbed her hands again. This time, the look in his face wasn't teasing or mischievous. It was serious, his brow furrowed in absolute adoration and love as he looked down at her. He brought her hands up to kiss them gently, one by one.
And then he stared straight into her eyes, and said so quietly, "Please, just…let me."
She watched closely as his tongue darted out to wet his lips just slightly. Her eyelids fluttered as she nodded.
The way he absolutely worshipped her body from then on…part of her thought there should be laws about this sort of thing. But then the rest of her quickly and forcibly smothered that part. The way he made her feel was just…God, it had to be dangerous, it was just that powerful. Invigorating, exciting, scintillating. None of those words did it justice.
But she welcomed that feeling without reservation.
His hands stroked up her sides, down her arms, and slipped between her torso and her blouse to knead the muscles in her back. And as he let his tongue glide over her skin along the waistband of her underwear, he simultaneously reached up to push one of his large hands beneath the underwire of her bra, cupping her breast.
Sarah whimpered his name, sighing and arching her chest into his hand, humming in pleasure as he rubbed his thumb over her nipple.
She focused on feeling everything. The way he kneaded her breast, what he was doing with his mouth. "Yes," she whispered softly, as she felt his lips skim down the front of her underwear and press against her inner thigh.
Chuck slid his hand out from under her bra and she whimpered at the loss, blushing even though she really wasn't ashamed of letting Chuck know what he did to her, and how much she wanted him.
He lifted his heated gaze up to hers then, scooting down even further, taking her legs in his hands and lifting them so that the backs of her thighs were resting on his shoulders.
"Oh, Chuck," she gasped as he immediately started kissing, licking, and nipping at her inner thigh, before switching to the other. He reached up to massage her hips and sides with his hands meanwhile, and she tilted her head to watch as he continued to look up at her.
The way he was looking at her was such a turn on, in case the physical attention he was giving her wasn't enough.
She didn't expect the way he turned his face and pressed his mouth to her center over her underwear. His tongue wet the cotton material and she could feel it. She was speechless, gaping down at him, a delicious buzz between her legs right where he was kissing her.
Sarah arched her hips off the couch as he scooted back to pull her underwear totally off, lowering himself back to the position he'd just been in and looking up her body to meet her gaze steadily. And then he kissed her again, only this time exhibiting quite a bit more zeal.
She cried out, reaching up to slam her hand against the arm of the couch, grabbing the edge of the cushion with the other, and just holding on for dear life as he sent pleasure shooting through her limbs.
The tech guy continued for quite some time, and after a few minutes, he reached up to find her other breast. Moments like this, how he remembered even in times of ultimate bliss which parts of her he'd yet to pay attention to, were so impressive and so singularly him.
"Ohhh Chuck," she moaned, throwing her head back as he did something particularly delicious with his tongue. Speaking of impressive…
Chuck was a relentless tease, though, bringing her to the edge and easing her back again, over and over, until her entire body ached for release. She couldn't bear it anymore and she begged him to let her finish.
She tangled her fingers in his hair then, gasping loudly as he slid the hand that was pressed to her lower stomach down even further, until his thumb pressed against her clitoris.
Her body tensed, her voice rushing out of her lungs in a strangled breath, and she arched off of the couch, pressing herself against his face and trapping his head between her thighs.
Chuck stayed there for a minute or two longer, easing her down from what had once seemed an impossible high. She no longer thought anything was impossible when it came to Chuck Bartowski. Because if she ever thought it couldn't get any better—that he couldn't get any better—like he had some sort of sixth sense, he consistently outdid himself.
This was no different, she decided, still trying to catch her breath as she covered her face with her hands and finally let him go, opening her legs so that he could move away from her.
She giggled happily then as her tech guy caught her by surprise and hoisted her up off the couch and into his arms. She rounded his shoulders with her own arms and pressed her forehead against his, her heart full and her limbs loose.
She still ached for him as he carried her into her bedroom.
And as they climbed into her bed a few minutes later, the once and soon to be again detective taking her time peeling her tech guy out of his clothes after she took the rest of hers off, Sarah felt all of the fear and worry from the last three weeks dissipate.
It would be back, she knew.
But for right now, with him pinned beneath her, her name on his lips as they continued what he'd started on her couch, she was going to enjoy this. Enjoy him. Because she knew that no matter what, she would have this man in her life. And for as long as that was the case, there was nothing she couldn't handle.
XOXOXOXO
Chuck stared at the ceiling of Sarah's bedroom with a smile on his face, his eyes traversing the patterns and grooves of the drywall, watching the specks of dust float through the rays of sunlight coming through the shutters.
This was one of the things Chuck loved most about being in a relationship. Waking up in the morning knowing she was there next to him.
Granted, they were no longer living together, but Chuck didn't mind it. Because here he was in spite of that, lying in bed next to her. He would always have these mornings.
He didn't care about the work he had piled at the office. It was the weekend. It was a Saturday morning. He was going to stay right here next to his sleeping girlfriend and soon-to-be private investigator.
Chuck still got such a high from the fact that his girlfriend was going to be a P.I. He was being a little silly, he knew. It was just that it was such a bad ass profession. The little boy in him who watched Inspector Gadget and wanted to be Humphrey Bogart when he grew up was all abuzz. Not to mention, he just knew she was going to be the best P.I. there ever was. She was brilliant—the smartest person he'd ever met. And by far the coolest.
She was going to be like Sherlock Holmes, but American and a woman, and way hotter. What if she needed a Watson? He'd be her Watson any damn day. And was it weird that a blond female Sherlock Holmes was suddenly kind of a turn on for him?
Chuck rolled his eyes at himself and pushed that thought out of his mind…for now.
Because even with all of her strength, courage, fortitude, and willpower, Chuck knew she needed him to give her his full support. Whatever she asked of him, he needed to do it. He was determined to put every last part of himself into helping her get her P.I. business off the ground.
He couldn't believe he'd let himself slip by dwelling on his own career, when there was no reason for it. He had his work. He knew what he had to do at Bartowski Electronics and he was prepared to do it. Any changes, any giant leaps of faith…that all could wait. Was it fair to string his father along in the process? Maybe it wasn't.
But Sarah took precedence over his father. He had decided that late last night as Sarah slept in his arms. His brain had been too abuzz with ideas about the future for him to fall asleep right away.
So he began to list his priorities. Maybe it was a little foolish of him to prioritize things after spending a few hours in Sarah Walker's arms. The emotional and physical high still had a hold on him at that point. But Chuck also knew that Sarah was first and foremost in his life. She had been for such a long time. Even when she was on the other side of the world and he continued to keep their relationship a secret because she wanted it that way even though he wanted it to be different.
Sarah was his first priority. Over everything and everyone.
Even over the man who had taught him everything he knew, the man who'd placed his faith and trust in his son, the man who'd given him a high position in the company and allowed him to work his way up, allowed him to grow, in spite of his wife's constant pressure to do otherwise.
He owed his dad a lot. Chuck owed him a sacrifice or three, after all of the sacrifices Stephen J. Bartowski had made for his family.
But for all of her pushiness yesterday, Ellie had been speaking the truth. He had to start looking ahead. Sarah Walker was the person he had every intention of building a future with. She was his future, no matter what lay ahead for him in his career. No matter what decision he made about Bartowski Electronics, whether to leave his father's side or not. Sarah was going to be there with him. She'd made that pretty clear last night.
And that meant she had to take precedence. Her happiness. Her success.
Chuck turned onto his side to look at her, feeling just a little bit sappy as he mused that he was currently taking in his future.
Sarah was on her side facing away from him, her long blond hair spilling over her pillow, her perfect bare back on full display as the sheet rested down at her hip. It was a bit of a chilly morning, however, so Chuck scooted close as carefully as he could, doing his best not to jostle her awake as he lifted the sheet and pulled it up to cover them both. He pressed his lips against her shoulder, then moved them to the base of her neck, slowly wrapping his arm around her stomach and continuing to dot kisses all over the smooth canvas of her back.
He heard her sigh heavily as she pushed herself against his body and he realized he'd woken her up in spite of not meaning to. He smirked a little against her shoulder as he silently admitted that wasn't altogether true. He loved waking her up in the morning, hearing her morning voice, the way she was so squinty and pouty, her hair messy.
"You can never just let me sleep in, can you?" she grumbled in the morning voice he'd just been thinking about moments earlier.
"Are you complaining?" he asked in a deep voice, leaning up to press his lips against the spot just behind her ear.
She turned to squint up at him. "Yes. I am."
Chuck laughed as she pulled her lips to the side in an attempt to keep her grumpy facade going. "Touché," he chuckled, finally earning a happy little smile. And because he couldn't resist, he leaned in to kiss said happy little smile, earning an even bigger happy smile as she giggled up at him.
The spirit of the morning overcame him, then. They were here together, alone, it was a chilly Saturday morning, they had a flirtatious banter going…
So he gave her a teasing little tug that forced her to roll onto her back. He crawled over her and swallowed her resulting gasp in a passionate kiss. She wrapped herself around him slowly, nudging him encouragingly with her hips and bending her legs on either side of him to trap him there.
A satisfied growl was at the edge of his lips as she threaded her fingers into his messy curls, but then she tugged his head back, forcing the kiss to end. Chuck winced, looking down at her with a confused frown.
Sarah raised her eyebrow. "You distracted me away from the conversation we were having last night by doing this. I hope you don't think you fooled me or anything. I let you do it because I wanted you."
"But you don't want me now?" he asked as she eased the grip she had on his hair.
"I didn't say that," she murmured, pouting a little. "But I could feel you thinking last night right before I fell asleep and I promised myself we were going to talk more this morning before we even got out of this bed. I stick to my promises."
He smiled a little when she poked him gently in the nose. And then he sighed heavily and scooted his lower half back onto the mattress next to her, dropping his forehead to her shoulder and just letting himself enjoy being wrapped up in her arms for a moment.
Chuck finally propped himself up with one elbow and laid his other hand on her hip, stroking her smooth skin with his thumb. She was watching him patiently, seeming in no rush to go anywhere. It was a Saturday, after all.
"Well, I already told you my plan."
"Yeah. You did. So what are you doing next?"
"Probably going to make us breakfast, complete with mimosas."
Sarah gave him a flat look. "I'm serious, Chuck. Although…I am holding you to the mimosas."
"Oh I know you are. To…both things you just said." He furrowed his brow at himself, then shook his head. "I'm sorry. I don't mean to be so flippant. This is a huge deal, it's just that I've decided not to really think about it that much."
She looked confused at that. "This is a massive, monumental career shift we're talking about, and you've decided not to think about it? First of all, that's not like you at all. And second, are you sure that's the best plan?"
"No. I'm not sure. I'm not completely sure about anything but you."
He could tell that effectively warmed her heart as she gave him a slow, loving smile, reaching up to fix one of his errant curls. "Well, then…talk to me."
Chuck sighed again and let his eyes drift shut as he thought. He sincerely didn't want to come on too strong.
Was his relationship with Sarah serious? Absolutely. He was pretty certain they both felt how serious it really was. Sarah had moved across the country to be with him. She was starting her life anew here, and she was choosing to build her new business in Los Angeles where she would be close to him. That was…incredibly serious.
But Chuck knew there were still steps ahead of them in the relationship…steps he knew neither of them were ready to discuss just yet. Not with how they had been trying to slow things down and just enjoy, as she moved into her own place.
He didn't want to scare her. Or make her uneasy. She was just as invested in their romance as he was; Chuck had no doubts about that. If she knew he saw her in his future—no matter how far ahead he looked—would that make her nervous? She was settling down here, both in her personal and professional life…which meant that she at least saw him in her future somewhat. But there was a chance none of that had occurred to her yet. She seemed like the type of person who'd probably always taken life one day at a time. Which wasn't a bad thing, but he wasn't like that. He'd always been a planner. He thought hard about things. Maybe too hard, it could be argued. Chuck practically lived in his brain.
If he voiced what he'd decided, and why he'd made that decision, would it be too much too soon?
"Chuck?" He opened his eyes and looked down at her again. She set her hand on his arm and squeezed. "You know you can tell me anything. Right? We had this whole chat last night about you telling me things."
"I know," he let out in a breath.
"This whole role reversal thing happening with us lately? I don't like it much. You're supposed to be the talker," she said, poking him in the chest.
He groaned quietly and winced. Because she was right.
Chuck decided to take a chance. Because three months ago, Sarah took a chance on him. A massive chance. A life-changing leap of faith.
If he couldn't even tell her what was on his mind after she placed that much trust in him, he was an idiot.
"I've decided that I'm, uh, I'm going to put off my plan for a bit."
Sarah was quiet and thoughtful for a moment. "If it's what you want, why put it off?"
It was the question he had been expecting her to ask. It was a good question. And he chewed on his lip a little before answering.
"There's a lot I have to do first. Big decisions to make. A lot of prep and planning and a lot of hard work that I'm not really…" He sighed. "It's a huge deal. And I just don't know if I'm ready to give up what I have now for something that might not pan out."
"So do all of the prep and planning, but do it…behind the scenes," she said, lifting an eyebrow and slicing her hand up through the air.
"That's…time consuming."
She furrowed her brow. "Well, yeah. It is." Sarah let out a soft giggle. "Trust me, I know," she said in a flat voice.
"That's exactly what I mean."
"What?"
"That right there." He sighed, letting his head drop forward for a second, feeling her nuzzle his hair with her nose. Then he lifted his head again and looked down at her. "You are…You are doing so much right now. And I really think one of us should…I don't know."
"Chuck." She reached up to cup his face in her hands. "Just tell me."
"I don't want to do my…my dream thing while you're doing your dream thing because I need to be here for you right now. I need to support you. And this last week I was so lost in my own crap. It was proof that I can't do both things at the same time. I just can't. Even if I could, I don't want to."
She sighed and shook her head. "Chuck, I don't want you to put your life on hold for me."
"I'm not. I'm not at all. And that's the thing, Sarah. I have a job. A really good job that I really enjoy. I'm totally fine here. I'm happy. You, on the other hand…You're starting from scratch. You are relying on all of this working out. And it will work out, I know it will. I just need to be completely here for you 'til it does."
"So, what you're saying is you're putting my dream before yours…?" she asked quietly.
He couldn't read her and he didn't like it.
"I am. Yeah."
"I don't want you to do that, Chuck. It isn't fair to you."
"Sarah, I don't really…care." He winced as she raised an eyebrow. "Look, this thing…this idea of mine. It's just a plan. A thing I might do. Something I'm thinking about. Totally not set in stone. A…future thing." He shook his head, hating how his tongue was suddenly tied into a knot.
"Why not a present thing? Why can't you do it now?" She huffed. "This last week has made you think you have to push everything aside to support me, but that's—I don't want you to feel that way. I have my dream, you have your dream. I focus on mine, you focus on yours."
"No…Sarah, I…" He halted.
"What?" she asked, shaking her head. "What are you trying to say?"
Chuck let it out, his words coming fast and maybe a little desperate. "I'm trying to say that I don't see it that way. Because you're part of my dream and that includes everything you're working to accomplish. You're part of my dream," he repeated a little slower, softer.
There was silence between them and he still couldn't read her. He did, however, see that she didn't fully grasp what he was saying.
"Sarah, I'm—I'm talking big picture. Not just my career in the electronics industry, but my whole life. You're a part of that big picture. This business you're starting is so incredibly important for you, so by extension, it's really important for me too. For us." He swallowed thickly. "At least that's how I see it."
She still didn't say anything, so he kept going even though he felt his confidence slipping away with each word.
"I can leave Bartowski Electronics any time, you know? I can—I can start my own business now or in five years, or even ten years from now. There's no rush. I mean, like I said, I'm good here. At my job. But Sarah…what you're doing can't wait. It has to be now."
"Wait, wait," she said, a little breathless it seemed. She squeezed his arm again. "Go back to the thing you said about me being part of your dream again?" A small smile started growing so slowly on her face.
"I'm serious," he said, half of his mouth lifting in a bit of a sardonic smirk. He met her eyes, sobering up. "At the root of our relationship, we're partners. And as partners, we have to decide, you know? Which huge life-changing leap do we focus on first? Yours or mine? It's your turn, Sarah."
She let out a long breath and raised her eyebrows, looking almost shy. "Wow…"
"I-I'm sorry," he rushed. "I know I probably just came on really strong. Too strong. All of this future stuff I'm spouting at you. And as much as I mean it all, I don't want you to think I'm pressuring you or anything, you know? I don't want you to think I expect you to feel the same way right now. I don't expect you to be looking that far ahead. It's just my thing. This is just me being me."
"So what you're saying is…?" She had a light in her eyes he'd seen only a few other times. And it was making his heart race.
"What I'm saying is…I'm perfectly happy to focus on the Sarah Walker part of my future for awhile. Staying at B.E.C. where I'm comfortable. All of that other stuff? I can always do it…" He made a face, waving his hand off to the side dismissively. "…later."
She sighed, smiling widely, but actively trying to stunt it just a bit, he could tell. "Chuck, I hate the idea of you putting off things you wanna do so that I can do the things I wanna do."
"Stop hating the idea and accept it. I need to be here with you. I need my head in the Turn-Girlfriend-Into-A-P.I. game, and to do that, I need to stay at this corporation. That's just how it has to be right now, and I'm glad. This is a huge, huge deal. I'm really only in the thinking-about-it stages. If I put that off for awhile, no harm no foul, right? And then later, when you're a straight up gumshoe an' shit, I'll think about it again."
He shrugged, feeling good about what he was saying finally, and loving the look on her face as she wrinkled her nose and giggled.
"A straight up gumshoe an' shit?"
"That's what they always said in the 'Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego?' video game." He gave her a serious face. "Great work, gumshoe."
She giggled again. Then she sobered a little, reaching up to play with Chuck's morning stubble on his jaw. "I love it when you nerd. You're my nerd. You know that, right?"
"Oh hell yeah, I know that. Who else's would I be?"
And then she raised an eyebrow, looking teasingly sore about something. "Morgan told me about the Emma Peel posters you had around your bedroom when you were a bit younger."
He snorted. "A bit? I was, like, twelve."
"Not the way he tells it."
"Have you seen how much hair he has? It's…" He gesticulated with his hand, sweeping it erratically all over his face. "…everywhere. And it has more than likely also grown into his brain, making his memory and…other things…a little hazy."
She laughed, turning her face into the pillow, her chest bouncing under his. "Way he tells it is you still to this day have a major crush on Emma Peel. Seems to me you could potentially be her nerd, too—"
But Sarah broke off into a squeal then as he dove in to nibble on her neck, tickling her again, especially because he knew she didn't like it. It took less than two seconds for him to end up on his back, both of his hands pinned over his head by one of Sarah's, as she straddled him and pointed a rigid finger down at his face.
"No. Tickling."
He gaped. And then smirked, feeling that electric spark between them ignite into a fire as her features melted and the heat in her blue eyes increased. "No tickling," he said in a quiet, deep voice. And then he arched his hips into her, causing her eyelids to flutter.
Sarah lowered her face so that her lips just barely grazed against his ear. "That I will allow."
The conversation seemed to be over for the time being. The morning was theirs. The words they'd exchanged were imprinted in their minds and hearts.
And for now, they were both incredibly happy.
XOXOXOXO
Author's Note: For now... Muahahaha! I'm just messin'. Please review! A brand spankin' new never-been-seen-before chapter is on the horizon! Keep your eyes on the prize. ;) - SC