DISCLAIMER: The characters along with all rights, fame and fortune belong to
Bruckheimer and CBS. I don't own them and gain nothing except the pleasure
of their company in my imagination.
ARCHIVING: Only with the permission of the author.
Four Songs In A Thunderstorm
By KL
"Catherine?"
"The answer is still no."
"That's because you're not looking," Sara pointed out as she continued taking measured paces.
Catherine flicked a stray piece of dirt off her sleeve. "I don't think walking the grid helps in this situation."
The rhythmic crunching of sand and gravel ground to a sudden halt.
"Prepare to be wrong. I think we've a winner…"
Catherine perked up and looked expectantly to where Sara was grinning at the little device in her hand. Just as her finger hovered over the keypad, the smile faded away.
"…wait, no, no, false alarm. Sorry…," The enthusiasm in her voice fizzled out.
"That's it," The blonde threw up her hands in frustration and began walking off, "I've had enough of this and I'm going back to the car. You can stay here if you like…"
"What? You're giving up already?"
"There's nothing out here," Catherine swept her arm in a random arc as she continued her brisk stride.
"Ten more minutes?" Sara bargained, "Might as well enjoy the view since you're out here." Catherine stopped with a sigh and Sara honed in for the kill, "See, when was the last time you saw a sunset like that?"
Catherine turned and looked in the direction Sara was pointing to. The orange and red hues colouring the skyline were breathtaking. If only they weren't marred by those patches of ominous grey. The rumble of thunder sounded right on cue. Catherine raised her eyes heavenward before giving Sara the look. The younger CSI waved her concerns aside.
"The storm's still miles away. You can always smell it in the air before…"
Whatever meteorological wisdom she was about to impart was rapidly washed away by big fat drops of water pelting down with increasing ferocity. They stared at each other for a moment before shouting out simultaneously.
"Run!"
Sara's lankier legs brought her into the safety of the Denali a few seconds ahead. She was lucky she was wearing her wind-proof jacket. Aside from the dampness in her hair and on her face, she was none the worse for wear. Her companion was less fortunate. By the time Catherine put a car door between her and the rain, she had borne the full brunt of the unexpected weather.
She was a sight. But, oh, what a sight it was. Blonde curls unceremoniously flattened into a scraggly mess of wet hazel. The light material of her shirt sticking like a second skin against her body. Rivulets of water dripping into her eyes as she fought a losing battle to keep them out.
Almost reluctantly, Sara leaned around her seat and quickly found what she was looking for.
"Here…"
Catherine immediately buried her face into the towel and let out a groan of relief. After she patted her face dry, she began rubbing down her head vigorously. Then, she caught the look on Sara's face and stopped.
"What?"
"You look…" sexy, stunning, hot, Sara rattled off in her head before she chickened out and settled for, "…cute, when you're wet."
"In that case, I must be downright adorable by now because I'm soaked…" Catherine said, resuming her increasingly futile effort. The towel was about just as waterlogged as she was by then.
"Give me the towel."
"Why?"
"Just pass it over, please?"
The window on Sara's side of the door whirred down a few inches and the sound of rain and wind amplified instantly. Catherine passed the lump of dripping wet cotton over and watched as Sara wrung as much of the water out from it as she could through the half opened window. The moment she drew her hands back in, Catherine hit the power window switch, muting the noise and the cold once more.
Instead of giving the towel back, Sara motioned for her to turn around. "I'll help you dry your back. Better angle from here," she answered the questioning look that was shot her way.
Catherine muttered something under her breath but twisted her upper body sideways in the end.
"You can help by getting me to some dry clothes. Do you know how wet this shirt is?"
And how.
Sara nearly bit her tongue when she saw that the translucent wet fabric now clung to flesh like wrinkled cling film. She shifted in her seat, desperate to ease the sudden pressure that was growing between her thighs. It was a good thing Catherine had her back to her right then. This wasn't a reaction she wanted to explain. Sara took a breath and went to work, wiping downwards in a long broad stroke. Maybe if they talked, that would distract her.
"Well, you should've brought along your jacket."
Catherine looked over her shoulder, narrowing her eyes at the smirk on Sara's face.
"No, I should've brought along my brain instead of letting you drive."
Sara rolled her eyes.
"Here we go again…"
"Fact - we wouldn't have been caught in this storm if you didn't get us stuck out here in the middle of Nowhere, Nevada."
"You're exaggerating again…"
"I'm exaggerating? You don't know where we are. I don't know where we are and we can't even have a freaking cell phone signal…" Catherine grumbled, before straightening her back abruptly, "…oww, did you have to rub so hard?"
"Aw, did I rub too hard? I didn't notice…" Sara said brightly.
"Of course you didn't," Catherine glared and continued her tirade in a singsong tone of voice, "I know this terrain like the back of my hand…this shortcut'll get us there in no time…"
"We. Are. Not. Lost. We just took a wrong turn and once this rain dies down, I'll get us back on track again in no time."
"Okay, we're not lost. Then all that walking around, waving cell phones in the air trying to get a signal was so that what, you could contact the mothership? You needed directions."
She was right of course but Sara wasn't in the mood to admit it.
"No, I needed to tell Grissom how much we miss him."
Her fingers felt Catherine's ribcage lift in a long uptake of breath that preceded the sigh.
"None of this would've happened if you had just stopped and asked for directions when we had the chance. But, no, that would've been too easy. I swear to god Sidle, you can be such a guy sometimes…"
The stroking motion on her back stilled and Catherine wondered if she'd finally hit a nerve. She peeked over her shoulder again and saw the thoughtful expression on Sara's face.
Their eyes met.
"Well, I can throw further than some of them…"
There was a beat, then both women burst out laughing.
"…yeah, and maybe even knock over a couple of them too…" Catherine gasped out between giggles.
"You think?" Sara said, wiping the tears from her eyes.
Catherine took a breath to calm her breathing before answering, "Sure. Greg, for one…"
"I don't know about Greg but I could definitely take out Hodges."
This time they howled until Catherine was bent over with agony.
"You okay?" Sara put a hand on Catherine's arm and was surprised at how cold the skin was. There wasn't anything more she could do having dried off as much of the water as she could with her limited resources. "Jeez, Cath, you're freezing…"
Now that Sara mentioned it, Catherine did feel goose bumps rising under her skin. Well, she was still wet and cold and Sara just called her Cath.
"Didn't your mother ever teach you that sitting in wet clothes will do that?"
Sara began fumbling with the front of her jacket.
"Nice to know those aren't ice-cubes you have in your pocket…"
"Wise ass."
"Fine, I was going to offer you my jacket but now you've gone and hurt my feelings…" Sara started pulling the zip back up again.
It took all of two seconds for Catherine to decide that eating humble pie was preferable to freezing.
"Okay, okay, I'm sorry I called you ass wise. Now give it over." She growled out the last sentence so fiercely that Sara couldn't help but grin while she shucked out of her jacket.
The outside of garment was still moist with rainwater but the inside was perfectly dry. Catherine moaned with relief as she wrapped it around her torso. She looked over to Sara who was now rubbing her palms up and down briskly her bare arms.
Catherine knitted her brows in concern, "You sure you're all right over there?"
"I'm fine. Warm up in no time."
Catherine eyed her outfit dubiously.
"That top doesn't look like it'll keep anyone warm."
Sara smiled.
"It may not do much for the wearer but according to Greg, it does wonders for the spectator."
Blue eyes appraised her again. A simple garment it may be but it revealed the mixture of sculpted and rounded contours of the body beneath it to perfection. There was no such thing as a perfect body but Sara's was pretty damn near it. Catherine gazed appreciatively; wondering how all that tone and definition would feel under her fingers.
"Keep looking at me like that and I'll warm up even quicker…" Sara said.
"You and me both…" Catherine murmured just loud enough for Sara to make out what she said. The brunette blushed the same time as the blonde realised that she'd spoken aloud. Catherine cleared her throat, trying to sound as nonchalant as possible.
"I mean, I agree with Greg."
Sara wished the lingering heat in her cheeks would go away. Unless she was mistaken, she'd just caught Catherine checking her out. That was a good thing. This was like the next step in the little dance of unresolved tension between them had been going on for a while now. So why was she tied up in knots like a nervous teenager?
"I wonder if we can get anything on the radio."
Anything was better than sitting here in awkward silence while the rain pounded on outside. Sara flicked through the pre-programmed stations but came up with nothing. It wasn't until she began manually tuning that music emerged from the sea of static.
<<…flash a' lightnin' drove us in, we were soaked down to the skin, by the time we climbed inside…
Catherine chuckled at the irony.
"I think she's singing about us…"
<<…don't remember what was poundin' more, the heart in my chest or the hood of that Ford…
"Yeah, minus all the saccharin…," Sara said with a smile.
<<…skies fell in and the storm clouds poured, worlds away outside…
"Oh, I don't know, my heart was pounding pretty hard back there. Wasn't yours?"
Catherine saw the surprise on Sara's face, secretly pleased that she got the reaction she wanted.
"From trying to outrun the rain? Or maybe you're just in better shape than I am."
To her credit, Sara recovered smoothly this time.
"I don't think that was what Trisha had in mind but you're just teasing me now."
Catherine pulled the jacket a little tighter around her body. There was no way she'd warm up properly until she got into some dry clothes.
"Hey, you're getting off easy because of the jacket. I wouldn't be freezing my butt off if you didn't get us lost."
Sara was about to protest again when she changed her mind. Why waste the time they had together arguing over who was to blame?
"I'm sorry, Catherine…"
The older woman felt her shoulders drop a little. So we're back to Catherine. Maybe she'd pushed the whole whiny routine just a bit too far.
"…if I didn't call you in on your night off, it'd only be me stuck out here in the rain."
Catherine wasn't sure if they were still bantering but wasn't about to have Sara feeling guilty or sorry for herself on her account.
"No, you'd probably be halfway across Arizona by now and before you say anything, I mean it in the best possible way."
A raised eyebrow beckoned her to elaborate.
"You're one of the most pig-headed people I've ever known…"
The other eyebrow joined its partner.
"Oh stop with the compliments already. My head's about to explode."
Catherine sighed impatiently until Sara pursed her lips together, signalling that she'd let her continue.
"Sara, what we do is not just about outsmarting the bad guys. Sometimes it's about outlasting them too and I don't know any other CSI who pushes herself as hard and as far as you do. I've never said this before but I've always admired that about you."
"You do dedicated and tenacious pretty well yourself. How many other people do you know who'd give up her night off to sit in the desert?"
Catherine shot her a look of disbelief. Sara shook her head and corrected herself.
"Okay, we've all been at the wrong end of that line. Bad example. But the call wasn't official. You didn't have to come with me this time."
"Why did you call me then?"
Sara opened her mouth to answer but realised that she couldn't think of a truthful one that wasn't self-serving. The smile on Catherine's face confirmed that her question was rhetorical anyway.
"There are worse reasons to be pulled in on my night off than because a friend needed a hand. I wasn't planning on all this sitting but I'm the primary on the case. And before you say anything, I know you'd have handled this fine on your own."
"But you just said…"
"I didn't like the idea of you driving all the way out here all by yourself," Catherine finally admitted sheepishly.
Sara had to work hard to replace the big goofy grin that was itching to break out with a dignified smile. She refused to feel guilty even though she may have given the impression that they were so swamped, she had to work solo. So what if it was stretching the truth a little. Or even more than a little. She'd deal with the consequences later. The need for further conversation withered away and both women were happy to let the radio do the talking for a while.
<<…stretching away as far as my eyes can see…
Catherine found herself watching Sara as she hummed softly to the music in bits and pieces.
<<…deserts and darkness…
She didn't know when or how it happened but something about this woman sent her reeling emotionally.
<<…my hand on the wheel…
The cool, suave, confident Catherine disappeared in a puff and the woman who was left felt as self-conscious as a girl at her first high school ball. It was just as exhilarating and frightening but she didn't want it to end in the same way. Catherine had come a long way from nervous fumbling under the bleachers.
<<…a girl could get lonely out here on the road…
"We could be stuck somewhere worse," Sara said pensively after the music faded away.
"Really?"
"Yes. Don't you think it's peaceful out here? Not a single soul for miles and miles. Just the sound of the nature and the road. I drive out here whenever I need to hear myself think."
Catherine shivered, feeling colder than ever as the layer of moisture on her body was beginning to evaporate.
"Sounds intriguing but my commune with nature is much better when I'm not a couple of degrees away from hypothermia."
Although Sara knew that her companion was being facetious, she could just imagine how uncomfortable Catherine must be when even she felt the chill and she was relatively dry.
"I guess the jacket isn't doing much?"
Catherine blew a hot breath into her cupped hands before sticking them back into the jacket.
"It'll have to do until I get some dry clothes and a heater or better still, a crackling fireplace…"
Sara hummed in agreement.
"Oh god, yes, a fireplace…"
Both their voices grew wistful as they alternately added on to the imagery.
"…warm blankets…"
"…hot cocoa…"
"…with marshmallows..."
"Damn. This really isn't helping…" Catherine groaned in frustration.
"Actually, it is."
Catherine noted that the younger woman was looking inordinately pleased with herself.
"Why do you have that look on your face?"
"Because I just thought of something that'll warm you up."
"Okay, what?" Catherine asked, her voice a mixture of trepidation and anticipation.
Sara looked her in the eye and smiled.
"First, you have to take off your shirt…"
It was like a scene from one of Sara's raunchier dreams. Catherine's shirt strewn over her back seat while Catherine herself was curled up, shirtless in the front.
"You have no idea how good this is…"
Sara replied with an incoherent mumble, her mouth too preoccupied to do anything else. In fact, it was all she could do to keep her higher brain functions above the gutter line as she watched Catherine. It may be the third, no, fourth time tonight but she'd never tire of this.
It started with a hint of teeth, just enough pressure to break through the resistance. Then came the sound of lips and tongue rolling against something wet and sticky. That was followed by the inevitable moan of pleasure. And just like each time before, it was enough to make Sara's throat so dry she nearly choked. She took a deep breath and wiped her mouth with the back of her hand.
"That good, huh?"
Catherine nodded as she stared dolefully at that last piece remaining in hand before finally popping it into her mouth. This time, Sara avoided having anything in her mouth until it was over. It was a good thing she did because this finale performance was punctuated by the kind of moaning rarely heard outside of sex. Leave it to Catherine to turn something mundane like eating a candy bar into an orgasmic experience.
"I should've known you were holding out on me all this time."
"Hey, I never even thought about it until we started talking about fireplaces and cocoa," Sara said in mock protest.
Catherine eyed the glove compartment hopefully as she tossed the empty wrapper aside.
"I'll forgive you if you can find me another one in there."
After some fruitless rustling around, Sara pushed the plastic hatch firmly back into place. "Sorry, that was it. The last of the S'mores." When she looked up again, she noticed that Catherine didn't look disappointed. She was busy staring at the last of the candy in Sara's hand with an almost feral lust.
What wouldn't she give to trade places with that candy bar right then.
Slowly but surely, the gaze shifted upwards transcending one shade of chocolate to another. It was clear what Catherine was trying hard not to have to ask aloud yet Sara struggled momentarily between satisfying the ache in her stomach and the one a few inches below.
Chocolate or an encore performance?
Ah hell, hunger was good for the soul.
She'd never forget the next ten seconds of tortuous bliss as long as she lived. Instead of accepting the prize that Sara was offering by hand, Catherine leaned forward and caught it with her mouth instead. As her lips closed against the layer of chocolate, the lower one grazed…no…dragged excruciatingly against an outstretched fingertip. Then, with the gentle pull, they retreated with their bounty.
Sara couldn't move her fingers. She couldn't move, period.
That wasn't just an encore. There were no words for what that was.
No, not when her entire body was numbed by an overload of sensations. The rapid thumping of her heart. The burning in her belly. The lightness in her head. And the singular thought she was capable of was what Catherine would be doing to her if she were that candy.
She would be eat…
Fuck.
The flush of heat jerked her out of the stupor. One look and Sara could tell that Catherine was enjoying both the chocolate and the effect her unexpected gesture had on Sara. Not only enjoying but looking immensely smug for it.
Well, two can play the game.
Sara held that gaze as innocently as she could before bringing her fingers to her lips. Fingers that still tingled from the warmth of Catherine's touch. Making sure not to break off their eye contact, she ran her own tongue lightly over the tips, as if to lick off some non-existent crumbs. Sara heard rather than saw the slight movement as Catherine shifted in her seat and grinned with satisfaction.
The blonde graciously tipped her head in acknowledgment of the stalemate.
"It was good while it lasted."
The tone of Catherine's voice left ambiguity as to which 'it' she was referring to. Didn't really matter since Sara had already decided which one she'd assume it to be. The baser parts of her had, anyway. She shoved them aside before she attempted conversation.
"So, you okay over there?"
Catherine shifted again. She drew the over-long sleeves of the jacket over her hands and rubbed them together.
"Yes. You were right. It's actually warmer now that I've got that wet shirt off."
The zipper holding both halves of the plackets together slid down a little from the motion, offering a tantalising view of light and shadows.
Sara couldn't agree with her more.
"I'm glad my degree in physics didn't go to waste." Then, seeing the look on Catherine's face, she added seriously, "Maybe it'll dry up enough for you to put it back on later."
Catherine shook her head. "I'm fine," she flopped the sleeves up and down a few times, "it's big but it's comfy."
Sara wondered if she could get away with never washing this jacket ever again. Why would she ever want to wash anything that'd come into contact with Catherine's naked body. Which was what she was underneath that jacket. Naked. Bare-skinned. She was so caught up in her little fantasy that she almost missed the question.
"…don't you think that's ironic?"
She had no clue what Catherine was talking about.
"Ironic?" She fished, hopefully.
"Yes. Going to work on my night off turned out to be the closest thing to a good time I've had for too long. I mean, this is almost like a date…"
That was it. The first thing she was going to do when they reached the nearest convenience store was to buy up their entire stock of S'mores candy bar. Catherine sighed, mistaking Sara's dazed expression for confusion.
"You know, two people alone in the dark, chocolate, music."
As if by magic, the lilting rhythm of soft Latin guitars began to stream through the speakers. Sara lifted her palms in defence at the look of surprise on Catherine's face.
"Don't look at me. I'm only in charge of the chocolate."
Catherine closed her eyes and hummed along with the music.
"I'm not complaining. This is nice although I like the Spanish version better."
Sara thought that was what it was but she wasn't about to ruin the moment by outing herself as being linguistically inept. But she had to say something.
"I don't even know the words in English…"
Apparently it was the wrong thing because the blonde looked horrified.
"You're joking…"
Okay, not linguistically. Just musically inept.
"No, honest. I mean, who doesn't know the tune but I've never paid attention to the words before."
"But it's a classic. So sad and beautiful, full of longing and unrequited love."
The way she described it was so entrancing that Sara's lips couldn't help but move on their own accord. "Sing it for me," she said.
Catherine stared at her as if she was going to dismiss the whole idea with a laugh but then she stopped and smiled before she started singing over the music.
"…how can I tell her I love her..."
Sara looked at Catherine, every ounce of her being just longing to reach out and touch that beautiful face.
"…yes, I would give my heart gladly…"
Those mesmerising eyes. Skin, she was sure would be soft and silky. And lips that would make a sinner out of any saint. How she longed to touch them with more than just a fingertip.
"…tall…tan…young…lovely…"
Their eyes met again and there was this time, something in the azure depths this time that made Sara think that this was no longer a part of that game they'd been playing the whole evening. That Catherine wasn't just singing along with the radio anymore.
God she hoped so. She really, really hoped so.
Catherine frowned as she peered through the haphazard streams of water rolling down the windscreen.
"Still doesn't look like it's anywhere near stopping."
Actually, Sara was pretty sure the rain was heavier than before but she wasn't going to open that can of worms again. Besides, she didn't really care how much longer it rained on for. She was right where she wanted to be.
"Don't worry, these monsoonal storms just take longer to clear up," Sara answered flippantly.
"Aren't you the regular weather-girl today?"
Sara ignored the sarcastic drawl and breezed on.
"Besides, perpetual rain is a scientific impossibility."
Catherine snorted in exasperation.
"Scientific? I thought that pearl of wisdom came straight out from the manual of meteorological folklore."
Sara smiled serenely, knowing that was the opposite of what Catherine expected.
"Wait till you read what it has to say about inclement weather."
"Let me guess… rain, rain, go away?"
"So you have read it…"
Catherine opened her mouth, all ready to sling back some kind of a retort when she gave up and shook her head instead.
"Why are we making pathetic banter about the weather?"
"Because we," Sara pronounced, making an effort to keep her face straight, "…are stuck somewhere where the sun don't shine."
Whatever tension there was dissolved instantly with the laughter.
"Stop trying to seduce me with your wit, Sidle,"
"Me? What about you?"
Catherine pretended to dust imaginary lint off the jacket. "I don't know what you're talking about."
"Well, we're all out of candy bars for me to molest after all," Sara shot back, sending their bodies into a fresh bout of spasms.
As the sound of laughter trickled down to a few sniffles and snorts, the two women found themselves looking at each other wordlessly. This was the golden opportunity to resolve, once and for all, whether all the flirting and teasing that had built up to this point was a prelude to something more. Someone just had to pick up where the conversation had left off and make a move.
And just like the moments that had come and gone before, this one went by without anything happening. She froze. They froze. And then, it was just too awkward to say anything about it anymore.
Next time. There would always be a next time.
"You do know you were asking for it, right?" Catherine made sure that Sara agreed with her, however begrudgingly, before she continued, "but, I guess I've been a bitch about this whole evening."
Sara suspected she knew where this was going. She'd caught Catherine glancing at her watch with increasing frequency over the last half hour.
"I can't make any promises but if this lets up soon, we may get you back to Vegas on time for your date."
Catherine furrowed her brows.
"What date?"
"The one you thought you'd be late for? I saw you checking the time just now."
"Oh, that. Forget it, I'm already late and it's not really a date…"
Why do they always say that? Sara wondered. It was either a date or it wasn't. How difficult could it be to decide?
"…but I'm still going to have to think of something good to make up for this."
Sara's heart dropped like a rock at the look of genuine despair on Catherine's face. She was just fishing for information but it looked like she'd accidentally stumbled onto something she wasn't really looking for.
"It's not your fault," Sara said half-heartedly. She didn't like the idea of Catherine making anything with anybody she was dating.
"You don't understand. This isn't the first time I've cancelled."
"Come on, what's the worst thing that could happen?"
"Lock the door and refuse to come out? Because that was what happened the last time."
Damn, there was a last time? It was nearly impossible to give rational advice when her head and more so, her heart wasn't into it. Sara tried anyway.
"Catherine, these things happen in our line of work and if you explain it…"
"Oh, believe me, she knows," Catherine blew out a sigh, "She just chooses not to understand sometimes."
She? Sara's jaw nearly dropped off its hinge. Did Catherine just say she?
Oh god
All the time she wasted wondering if they played for the same team...She should've just made her move when she had the chance.
"Oh…"
It was hell to sit there with a plastic smile when all she wanted to do was to go shoot herself.
"Yeah, you know how they can be at that age."
Whoa, put the safety back on the gun…
Sara blinked. She was definitely missing something here unless there was something kinky going on in Catherine's love life. She wisely chose to stay silent and let Catherine carry on talking.
"I love my daughter but sometimes, I just wish she were five again since that was the last time 'because I said so' actually worked."
Lindsey. She was talking about Lindsey. Not some hussy who was hitting on her. Just sweet lovable Lindsey
Sara made an extra effort to keep a sober face since grinning like a moron wasn't the best way to impress Catherine.
"So, what did you miss out on tonight?"
"A movie she wanted to see and ice-cream afterwards." She caught the flat look on Sara's face and sighed, "I know, how sad is it that an outing with my ten year old is the best I can come up with on my first night off in god knows how long?"
The question slipped out casually.
"So why don't you?"
Catherine furrowed her brows.
"Why don't I what?"
"Date."
A provocative idea crept into Catherine's head. The evening might work out after all.
"Funny you should ask. I've been getting some signals lately but I'm not sure. I've even thought of breaking the rules and doing the asking but…"
"But, what?" Sara was almost afraid to ask.
Catherine bit her lower lip tentatively.
"It's just that it's going to be so awkward if I'm wrong since we still have to work together after that."
"Oh…," Her eyes widened when she finally realised what Catherine was saying, "oohh…"
Catherine nodded.
Thank god for all the time she wasted wondering if they played for the same team since it had saved her from making a total ass of herself. Of course, it meant that whoever he was just made himself a mortal enemy.
"So, you like this person…?"
Sara looked so nervous. Too bad for her that she looked so darn cute when she was. It just made it impossible to stop teasing her. Catherine decided to ham it up.
"'Like' is an understatement. I've never been more attracted to someone before. I never thought that razor sharp mind could be such a turn on."
She was too late. Catherine was already attracted to someone else. At work. The list of names that reeled through Sara's mind like a jackpot machine stopped at…
"Grissom?"
Catherine couldn't stop the disgust from showing on her face.
"Eww, no. Gil? He's not funny and charming and…"
Sara tried again.
"Nick?"
Maybe this wasn't such a good idea after all. It had all been so simple in her head. The clues clearly pointed to one person. So, she was wrong. No matter, it could be fixed by just cranking things up another notch.
"Sara, just the other day, I was this close to giving in to pure animal instinct and push that toned, sexy body up against a locker door…"
The last thing Sara needed to do was to torture herself with that image of Catherine with someone else. She rolled off another name.
"Warrick?"
This was hopeless. Either the attraction wasn't mutual or Sara was denser than mercury as far as Catherine was concerned.
"Sara, I've never smiled or laughed as much before as when I hear that sweet voice…"
Panicked brown eyes locked wildly onto hers. Catherine gave her a look of warning.
"I will throw up if the next name you say starts and ends with a 'g'"
She must have cut disaster off at the pass because Sara's mouth snapped shut immediately. The thoughtful, almost puzzled look returned to her face. Maybe talking it out would help.
"One of the other lab techs? Archie? Bobby? Or… wait, wait, wait… I got it. It's someone from the PD right? Let's see…" The brunette rattled off her words like a junkie on speed.
There was only one way to end this once and for all.
<<…talk is cheap and baby time's expensive, so why waste another minute more…
Sara may be a jittery bundle of nerves but right then, to Catherine, she was the most beautiful creature in existence.
<<…life's too short to be so apprehensive, love's as much the symptom darlin' as the cure…
Catherine reached out for her hand, entwining the graceful fingers between her own. It was a perfect fit.
<<…oh baby when I feel this feeling, it's like genuine voodoo hits me>>
Sara stopped rambling and looked down at their hands. A look of confusion darkened her features for a moment but as Catherine's other hand wended its way through soft brown strands of hair, it changed.
<<…it's been too long since somebody whispered…
Clarity and understanding lit up, starting from the eyes all the way to the smile that split across Sara's face.
<<…oh baby I can feel this feeling that everything that you do gives me…
And just in case there was still any hint, nay even a single molecule of doubt in what was happening, Catherine leaned in, leaving just enough space for Sara to see her lips move.
<<…it's been too long since somebody whispered…
"Shut up and…ummph…"
This was much better. Clothes in a tangled-up heap on the front seat and Catherine sprawled naked in the back. And the best of all, it wasn't a raunchy dream. No, Sara sighed contently as she drew her arms together a little tighter; this was very, very real.
Catherine stirred, sensing the increased pressure around her chest. A slow smile spread across her face as her hands sought out the source of that pressure and pulled them closer around her. They willingly obliged.
"Hey you…" Sara murmured, planting a kiss on the head tucked under her chin.
The blonde responded by reaching back to curl her hand around the nape of Sara's neck, guiding her down for a kiss. Their tongues tangled instantly and Sara decided that this was her favourite flavour from now on – a heady mixture of chocolate, Catherine and sex.
Without breaking contact, Catherine turned herself over, straddling the warm pliant body of her lover so that they were face to face. When they finally broke for air, she breathed a satisfied sigh and snuggled her head onto Sara's chest.
"Hmmm…much better."
"I agree," Sara gasped, feeling the delicious friction from the generous mounds flesh now nestled against her own.
Catherine felt the sharp intake of breath and smiled. She shifted again, this time deliberately lifting her body just enough so that hard pebbled tips dragged seductively across Sara's skin, creating a trail of goose bumps along the way. Her mouth made its own separate pathway of little nips and kisses which led steadily upwards to that sensitive spot at the hollow of the neck.
"Uhmmm…" Sara squirmed and arched upwards to increase the contact but she was a fraction too late. She instantly missed the warmth that had covered her torso as Catherine pushed herself upright, settling her weight across Sara's hips. But, one glance at the look on Catherine's face and Sara started to feel flushed all over again.
Sara felt like a piece of meat on display. Laid out, trapped and vulnerable with no escape in sight. She'd never been more aroused in her life.
Catherine continued to rake her eyes over the perfection that was her partner's body like a starving woman contemplating a lavish buffet. It was just a question of where to start. And after the way Sara had so totally and utterly made love to her, she was determined to take her time.
"Enjoying the view?"
"Oh, yes…"
The sheer hunger in Catherine's voice sent a rush of heat down south.
Sara reached for smooth silk of Catherine's thighs, gently running her hands upwards until they reached the swell of those lovely hips. She was about to bring them inwards when Catherine grabbed her wrists, pulling them gently away from her belly. The blonde brought them up to her face and planted a kiss on the palm of each hand.
"My turn…" she whispered, "…but you can help if you like."
Sara drew a sharp breath as the blonde covered her right hand with her own and slid them both on a downward trek across her belly. Her fingers were soon rustling over crinkled strands of hair and she felt Catherine easing her weight away from her hips. And then they were there, hands still joined, fingers nudging their way into slick heat.
She couldn't possibly be that wet, could she?
That very thought set off another wave of arousal and just as the answer to her question coated their fingers, she felt her hand being pulled away.
"Fuck, Cath…"
Her protest dissolved into a gasp when Catherine brushed their drenched digits in random slippery patterns across her chest. A skilful tongue carefully dried off what was left from Sara's finger before releasing it from her mouth in an audible pop. The sound, the sight of this incredibly erotic act intensified the ache between her legs and for a brief moment, Sara wondered how she'd explain to Catherine if she came just from watching her finger being licked.
The softest pair of lips began tracing the trail of wetness on her body.
"You are…"
They paused for Catherine to nip at the sensitive underside of her breast.
"…so beautiful…"
Candy lips slowly circled ever upwards on porcelain skin.
"…so soft…"
Sara writhed impatiently, willing her lover to quicken the pace and bring her mouth to the centre of that throbbing ache. Her hands clenched and unclenched as she struggled to resist burying Catherine's head to her breast.
"…so hot…"
A bubblegum tongue darted out and provocatively licked the dark corona of skin, deliberately avoiding the center.
That was it.
Whatever else Catherine had to say was lost when she found her mouth suddenly filled with soft pliable flesh. The hand buried in her hair nudged her again, leaving no doubt as to what Sara needed. Her lips curved into a smile as they finally clamped around the small knot of over-sensitive flesh.
Sara let out her breath in a hiss as rough wet skin caressed her with such fervour it was tantamount to being eaten alive. Her entire body was on fire, her hips jutting upwards in reflex against the smooth flesh of Catherine's belly. It wasn't enough. She whimpered, needing more.
Catherine knew what Sara needed and took one last swipe with her tongue before releasing the engorged flesh. She couldn't help but stare at the sight before her eyes, admiring her handiwork. But then again, she had a goddess to work with.
"God, Sara, your body is a wonder…"
Sara missed the warmth of Catherine's mouth the instant it abandoned its ministrations. No, she didn't want it to stop.
"Use your hand…" she gasped, pushing Catherine's mouth back onto her breast.
The brunette felt the rumble of her lover's laughter vibrate against her skin and at any other time, it might have annoyed her. Not then. The only thing she cared about right then was for Catherine to move her hand to where she needed it most.
"Touch me…"
"Here?" Slender digits cupped her other breast.
Sara grunted in frustration and Catherine slid her fingers teasingly down a few inches.
"Or here?"
"Noo..."
They moved lower.
"How about here…?"
"Lower, Cath, stop…"
The hand left her body all together. No,no,no
"You want me to stop?" Bright blue eyes sparkled innocently.
Sara couldn't take it anymore. She was going to get release even if she had to do this herself.
"Fuck, Cath…" she hissed, moving her hand downwards.
"Oh, sweetie, why didn't you say so in the first place?" Catherine cooed as she snaked her fingers between their bodies.
Sara's hand never reached its destination. Instead, it flailed desperately, trying to hold on to something, anything as her body jerked from Catherine's precise touch.
"Is this where you want it?"
"Yes…uunh…"
She was so close.
"And here…you like it when I do this?"
"God, yes…fuck, don't stop…"
The rest of her words faded into an incoherent keening as wave after wave of spasms wracked through her body. Her last conscious thought was the sound of Catherine's voice whispering words of endearment into her ear as she gathered her limp body in an embrace.
Sara blinked, momentarily confused by the unfamiliar surroundings.
"Welcome back," a husky voice greeted her and everything came back into focus. Every spine-tingling, toe-curling detail in vivid technicolour. She hummed contently and snuggled herself closer to the warm body next to her.
They'd just made out in the back seat of her car.
As juvenile as that sounded, it put a huge grin on her face. Catherine caught the look on her face and chuckled.
"Yes, we'll just have to be careful this vehicle doesn't turn into a crime scene anytime soon. Can you imagine what'll happen if they processed the back seat?"
"Uh unhh… Christmas in July," Sara smiled.
They sat quietly for a moment before Catherine spoke again.
"It's stopped raining."
So it had. Pity.
"We should be getting back."
"Yes."
"Lindsey will be worried about you."
"Yes… and Grissom will be wondering why you're not back by now."
"I guess."
They stared at each other for a moment before speaking simultaneously.
"Would you like to…"
Both women stopped and smiled awkwardly.
"You first…" Sara offered.
"Do you want to go out sometime…" Catherine said, before adding casually, "…say for dinner?"
"Dinner?"
"Yes, eating together. You know, like a date."
"Date?"
Sara wished she didn't sound like an inarticulate parrot.
"Yes. You. Me. Dinner. Date."
The goofy look on Sara's face refused to go away and Catherine couldn't help herself. "Didn't anyone ever tell you that sex could lead to things like dating?" she teased.
It was worth the jab in the side that she got in return. As Sara moved away slightly, Catherine found herself staring at the perfection that was her naked body. In spite of their exertions for one evening, she felt the desire building up inside her again.
"How about now?" Catherine asked impulsively.
Sara was about to say something about work when she caught the gleam in Catherine's eyes.
"I don't know…. I've just eaten."
"I know," she let the voice drop to a growl, "… but I haven't..."
The End