“Hey, baby,” Catherine peeked into her daughter’s room, watching the tiny blonde struggle with an overpacked suitcase. “You sure you want to take all of that with you?”
Lindsay turned around and nodded. “I haven’t had a chance to play with all my new toys yet! If I don’t bring them with me, then we’ll come back from the trip, and I’ll have to go to school, and then...” she took a much-needed breath. “We’ll have show and tell, and I won’t know what to bring!”
With two fluent strides, she was by her daughter. She flipped the top of the suitcase up and peeked inside. “Sweetie, there are no clothes in here!”
“All I want to bring is toys!”
Catherine wanted to laugh, but she didn’t think her daughter would appreciate it. Instead, she bit her lip until the urge was suppressed, and then sat down on the floor against the bed. “How about tonight, you test them all out, and pick five toys to take with you?”
Lindsay pouted. “Only five?”
The strawberry blonde nodded. “Only five.”
“Uncle Gil’s coming by tonight!” Lindsay continued dramatically. Catherine wondered where she discovered this flair. “I can’t play with toys! We always watch a holiday movie, and drink egg nog, and play board games!”
She shrugged, almost ruing the tradition she and Gil had created since her divorce. “Well, how about.... hmmmmm... instead of playing a board game, Gil can help you test out your toys?”
Lindsay’s frown turned into a smile. “You think he’d like to help?”
Catherine grinned and nodded. “I’m sure he’d love to.”
~*~
Gil looked at his suitcases, and shook his head. He had no idea why he was going to take the younger CSI’s up on their offer of a vacation. For Christmas, Sara, Nick, Greg, and Warrick pitched in and bought him a return trip to a resort at Banff, an area in Canada that was known for its beautiful winter and all the activities associated with winter.
Part of him was looking forward to the trip. He had always been fascinated by snow, and he knew getting away from the office would do him some good. He was still worried, though; Greg had offered to take care of his bugs, and the CSI’s were going to rotate shifts.
Catherine had been his first choice of tentative supervisor, but she was taking Lindsay away for a New Year celebration. So, he had to divide the labour among the remaining members of the Graveshift team.
When his clock in the living area of his townhouse chimed. He glanced up. He checked his watch and bit back a groan; he was going to be late for dinner at Catherine’s.
Every year, they waited until sometime between Christmas and New Year’s Day to celebrate the holiday, depending on work and family commitments. Last year, the festivities had been at Gil’s home, and this year, Catherine was hosting the meal. They sat around, listening to carols, drinking festive drinks; later, they ate, and exchanged gifts.
He grabbed his leather coat, and the wrapped boxes on the table in his foyer, before locking the door behind him and rushing to his car.
As he drove towards his best friend’s house, he started to worry about the gift he was going to give Catherine. He didn’t know if she was going to like it; however, it was too beautiful and it instantly reminded him of her. When he had picked it up in the store, a memory from their past had been triggered:
“What’s this?” Gil held up a leather-bound volume that had been sitting on her mantle. She blushed and snagged it out of his hand before he had a chance to react. “Cath?”
She tucked it in a drawer. “It’s my diary.” She turned and looked at him. “I found it in a box in the basement, started flipping through it. I should really put that away before Eddie gets back.”
“You don’t strike me as the journal-keeping type.”
“I know,” Catherine smiled. “But, it really helped me when things in my life weren’t so stable. I always think that I’d like to start another, from a happier point in my life, but I don’t know if I’ve arrived there yet.”
He smiled and sat back down on her sofa. “You will. Think you’ll let me read the old one?”
She looked at him and shook her head with a playful grin. “Not a chance.” She stretched her arms over her head and reached for her phone. “It’s too hot to cook. What did you want on your pizza?”
When he didn’t answer her, instead gazing at her to prod a better response than her first one, she called the pizza place and ordered their usual. Then, she hung the phone up and sat next to him. “I didn’t even want to read it, Gil.”
“You always call me Grissom in front of the team.”
She nodded, with a smile. “I know.”
“When’s Eddie coming back?”
She sighed. “Who knows. He said he’d be away ‘on business’ for the weekend. So, I guess tomorrow.” She leaned back. Gil reached out and gently rubbed the foot he could reach. “That feels so good. Thanks.”
“You did really well tonight,” he praised her. “You like your job, don’t you?”
She grinned and slipped her foot away. “I love it almost as much as I love Lindsay.”
He smiled back at her. “Good, I’m glad.” He looked at the drawer and then back at her, his curiosity burning. “You’ve never kept secrets from me before...”
Catherine rolled her eyes. “Gil... there were things in there I didn’t even want to read.” She sighed. “When I write another journal, I’ll let you read a couple of the entries.”
He grinned. “The whole thing.”
“No fair! You don’t have anything that I want to read!”
“Don’t I?”
Her mouth dropped. “Don’t tell me you keep a journal.”
Gil chuckled. “No, I don’t.”
“See?”
He held his hands up and wiggled his fingers. “An hour long massage. Whenever, wherever.”
“Deal.”
~*~
Gil took a deep breath and knocked on her door. When it opened, he had to look down to see who was there. Lindsay grinned up at him. “Uncle Gil!”
He bent down and hugged her. “Merry Christmas, Lindsay.”
Catherine walked into his view. “Gil,” she smiled, and then spoke to Lindsay. “Baby, why don’t you step back and let him in?” When Gil was inside, and when the door was closed, she reached for his hand. “Merry Christmas.”
He kissed her cheek lightly. “Same to you, Catherine.” Before he took his coat off, he held the presents up. “I brought you two lovely ladies something.”
Lindsay giggled excitedly. “We have presents for you, too!”
He grinned down at her. “Really?” She nodded. He bent down again so he could hand her the box with her name on it. Then, he straightened and put Catherine’s present and the card in her hands. “This is for you.”
“You didn’t have to,” she sighed with a smile.
“But,” he smiled back at her. “I wanted to. There’s a difference.”
“I know,” she responded. “Let me get your coat.” He felt heat when she helped him shrug out of his leather coat. They were only friends, but every time he reminded himself of that, he felt a distinct sadness. He wanted to be able to love her, and have her love him in return. Their friendly relationship hadn’t given in to passion. He knew he shouldn’t think so much about what he couldn’t have, but it was getting harder.
“Thanks, Cath,” he said as he followed her into the living room. Lindsay was holding the box and shaking it close to her ear. He knew it wouldn’t shake, and couldn’t help but smile at her. “Is she allowed to open it, Mom?”
Catherine shot him a look that hinted at impending trouble later. Then, she turned to her daughter. “Sweetie, if you want to, you can. But, once it’s open, it’s open, and there are no more surprises.”
Gil muttered lightheartedly, “If she’s anything like her mother, she might like to get rid of the surprise.”
Catherine had heard him and countered. “I have plenty of reasons to not like surprises. She’s still young. Surprises are fun then.”
“You might like this surprise.”
She looked at him. He didn’t know what emotions he was supposed to be reading, but he knew that her eyes were full of them. She shook her head and started talking. “I’m being a crappy host. Do you want a drink, Gil?”
He winked at her daughter. “Are we having egg nog, kiddo?”
Lindsay nodded and rushed into the kitchen. Catherine wagged a finger at Gil and then followed the young girl into the other room. Gil chuckled and sat back, trying to make himself comfortable.
~*~
Catherine knew her fingers were shaking a little bit as she tugged on the white ribbon. She wondered what Gil was giving her. She saw his hands holding the present she intended to give him, but he didn’t make any move to open it.
She bit back a groan. She really did hate surprises, and this gift was no different. Every time she eyed it, she felt his eyes on her; he was making her nervous. “Gil, how about you open yours first?”
He smiled at her. “I like watching you.”
“Please open yours first?” She asked, trying to be persuasive. She wanted to see the look on his face when he opened his present. It had taken her forever to decide on what she wanted to get him. When she heard from Sara about the trip they were sending Gil on for his present, she knew that he probably didn’t have what she was getting him.
He lifted the lid. His eyes widened a little. “How did you hear about the trip?”
“Sara told me they were sending you somewhere with snow.” She smiled, watching him hold up the insulated leather gloves and the scarf. The scarf was a dark blue cashmere. She knew he’d appreciate the texture and warmth of the fabric. “I didn’t think you had anything you could use to keep you warm.”
“Thank you,” he smiled. She watched him finger the scarf. When he smiled again, she knew that he enjoyed the feel of the material. “I can’t wait to wear it. Although,” he winced. “That means I have to go outside.”
She nodded. “Yes, it does. Lindsay? Did you want to open yours now?”
She could guess what Gil had given her daughter; every year, it was somewhat the same. This time, she saw that it was a teddy bear, similar to all of the others. This one was a Santa bear, and was wearing a red cap. Lindsay grinned. “Excellent! Another one for my collection!” She stood up and wrapped her arms around Gil’s neck. “Thank you!”
He returned the gesture and ended up pulling Lindsay into his lap. Catherine felt the lump in her throat swell when she saw how comfortable Lindsay was in her best friend’s presence. “You’re welcome, kiddo. Now, if your mother would open hers, we could put the movie on.”
Catherine chuckled as her daughter edged her on. “Oh, fine. I’ll open it.” She took a deep breath and attacked the ribbon again, this time with more confidence. She tugged the bow, and slipped the white material away from the dark paper. Then, she carefully ripped the paper and opened the box.
She gasped. When her eyes reached his, he smiled and nodded. She picked it up, and thumbed through it. When she realised it was blank, she looked at him again. He nodded again. “So, you do remember.”
Catherine nodded. “I don’t think I’ve ever forgotten one of our conversations.” She looked down at the book again and ran her hands over the leather cover. “I didn’t expect this at all.”
“You seemed much happier, than before,” he explained. “I thought that maybe now would be a good time to start writing again.”
She knew that if she didn’t get a grip, she’d start to cry. Tears of joy, but they were still tears and she didn’t want to put Gil through that. She smiled and reached for his hand. When she wove her fingers with his, she spoke. “Thank you.”
“Mommy?”
She glanced at her daughter, still curled up in Gil’s lap. “Yes, Lindsay?”
“What is it?”
“It’s a journal,” Gil explained. Catherine was grateful he jumped in, because she didn’t know how she’d explain the meaning of the book to her daughter without letting a few tears slip. “Your mother used to keep one, before you were born. Then, she had you, and your father, and work, and she was too busy to write down anything important.” He looked up at Catherine; she wondered if he looked at her that way on purpose to provoke a reaction, or if it was completely accidental. “So, I gave her this book, so she can write again when she feels like it.”
Lindsay sighed and pressed herself into Gil’s torso. “That’s nice.” She stifled a yawn. Catherine looked down at her, ready to ask her if she was tired, but she was stopped. “No, Mom, I’m fine. I want to stay up and watch the movie.”
“We have to leave awfully early, Linds,” Catherine didn’t want her daughter to leave, leaving them alone for the rest of the evening, but she knew how Lindsay could be when she was overtired.
“Noooo,” she protested. “Just let me stay until I fall asleep. Then Uncle Gil can tuck me in.”
She smirked, tucking her blonde tresses behind her tiny ear. “What am I? Chopped liver?”
Lindsay smiled. “Of course not.”
Gil leaned down and got into the conversation. “What movie should we watch, Linds?”
“Charlie Brown...”
Catherine smiled, putting the book down on the coffee table, to get up and put the right video in. She heard Gil and Lindsay moving around on the sofa, and when she returned to the couch, after turning the TV on and a couple lights out, she saw that they had moved so Lindsay was on one side of him, and Catherine would be on the other.
She sat down next to him and glanced at Lindsay. Her beautiful eyes were almost completely closed. Gil chuckled. When Catherine tucked a pillow under her head, he looked at her and kept laughing. “Like mother, like daughter?”
“Hey, now,” she pulled the pillow out from under her head and swatted him with it. “I’m just getting comfortable.”
“Right.”
When the opening credits started, he stopped laughing, and lifted his arm closest to her. “C’m’ere,” he suggested. “I make a better pillow.”
She giggled nervously, and put the pillow against his slumped form. “Extra padding,” she explained as she adjusted her position so her head fell on the pillow. Her heart fluttered when she felt his arm drape over her. They had been friends for so long, and even though it seemed like sometimes he was pulling back, it seemed like they were getting closer.
He adjusted himself a little, to accommodate Lindsay, who was already sleeping. Catherine whispered: “Maybe we should put her to bed, and find something a little less cartoony to keep ourselves occupied with?”
Gil shrugged. “I don’t know. I’m kinda enjoying this.”
“You enjoy the Charlie Brown Christmas movies?”
“I think it’s the Snoopy dance,” Gil chuckled. Catherine looked up and rolled her eyes. When he smiled at her, she felt her stomach flop. She hoped her reaction to him didn’t show anywhere on her face; she didn’t think she could handle the rejection and weirdness that typically followed in those sorts of situations.
They fell into a silence that felt comfortable. She tried to watch the screen, but she found it hard to concentrate when he was so close to her. She wanted to ask him about the book, but every time she tried to think of the right words, it seemed silly.
“What are you thinking about?”
She nearly jumped as he shook her from her thoughts with his whispered question. “What?”
“You’re biting your lip and your forehead is furrowed. Leads me to believe you’re deep in thought.”
He knew her so well. She blushed and turned a bit so she was looking up at him. “Yeah. I was thinking about the journal,” she admitted. “And, the night you tried to read my old one.”
“What was in that old one?”
She smiled. “Maybe someday, when I’ve come to grips with everything that I’ve experienced and thought,” she sighed. “Maybe when I’m comfortable and secure with my past... maybe then I’ll let you read it.”
“You know your past doesn’t bother me. It’s made you who you are today,” she nodded as he spoke. “And, I was friends with you during some of that.”
“I know...” She didn’t want to think about the days when Gil would stop by the club to visit, despite knowing about her coke habit, despite knowing about her rough-handed boyfriend, despite knowing that she was a dancer. They would go to breakfast together, and talk, and he treated her like a real person. In those days, her crush on Gil had been controllable. She told herself she wasn’t good enough for him, and that she definitely wasn’t his type, and those answers kept her heart from asking more questions. As time passed, though, she fell for him even harder; and, when she established herself in the Crime Lab, she couldn’t use her career as a roadblock. “It was a dark time in my life. I was thinking a lot of heavy things.” She chuckled, trying to keep it light. “You’d probably think I was weird after reading it. Freaky stuff.”
He shook his head. “I already know you’re weird.”
“Gil...”
“In a good way. You’re one of those interesting people, with the strangest combination of life experiences.” He shrugged. “I’m jealous. I haven’t seen or done as much as you.”
She knew if he kept it up, she was going to cry. “Oh, stop. You make everything sound... glamorized. It wasn’t like the movies.”
“I know. But, it’s made you you. I wouldn’t want you to be any different.”
She sighed. Before she could control it, her hand was seeking the one that was resting on her shoulder. His fingers linked with hers.
This was the best Christmas yet.
~*~
Gil had put Lindsay to bed, and put her new stuffed bear on the shelf with the others. Catherine came up behind him, putting a hand on his shoulder. He struggled, trying to keep his breathing at an even tempo, even when his pulse quickened and his body heated up. “Thank you.”
“She looks so peaceful.”
“She’s a kid,” Catherine joked as she pulled him out of the room. He shut the door behind them. “Life is great when you’re nine, without a care in the world.”
“What time does your plane leave?”
He didn’t know where she was going, but he knew it was tradition. She didn’t even tell her daughter where they went every year, just that it was a place that was different from Nevada. Every year, Catherine would pick a place that had something that Las Vegas couldn’t possibly have. Last year, they went to Florida. The year before that, they went to California. Catherine wanted Lindsay to be able to say she stuck her toes in both the Atlantic and the Pacific Oceans.
“Early. Nine, I think.”
“Maybe I should—”
She had reached for him before he had a chance to finish his sentence. “No, not yet. We haven’t talked in a while.”
He knew he had been distant lately. While he struggled to deal with his gradual hearing loss, he knew he had been pulling back. He didn’t want her to find out; if anyone was going to notice the change in his behavior, it would be her.
Catherine spoke before him. “White or red?”
“Red,” he smiled. She left him sitting in the living room, but returned after a couple minutes. She handed him a glass of red wine, and kept one for herself. “What did you want to talk about?”
She shrugged. “I don’t know, actually. Anything you want to know?”
He smiled and sipped his wine before setting it down. He turned to face her on the sofa. “How are you doing?”
“Better,” she answered. “Things have finally quieted down a bit. It’s nice... most of the time.”
He nodded, knowing what she meant. He knew Eddie’s death was harder on her than she let on. Lindsay had told him once that she had been crying a lot; he hadn’t gone to Catherine with that information, but instead, he made sure that he was available for her.
“Excited for your trip?” She asked with a grin.
Gil groaned. “I’m going to be away for a week, away from work, away from...” He managed to catch himself before he completely ruined things between them. “I don’t know what I’m going to do without—”
“What were you going to say?” Her lips stretched into a smile. He shook his head, but she kept going. “Away from what?”
He blushed. She wasn’t going to give up. She kept asking him, he kept shaking his head and wishing he could pull back, but she wasn’t letting him.
“Away from what?”
“You.”
Her eyes widened. At first, he thought it was a bad sign, but when her smile returned, he relaxed. “Awww. Are you going to miss me?”
“You can quit teasing me, Cath,” he responded, cheeks turning red. “I just meant—”
She cut him off. “It’s sweet, Gil. I like knowing someone appreciates me enough to miss me for five days.” She set her glass of wine down on the coffee table after another sip. “Seriously.”
He watched her lick her lips, before turning his eyes away. He was too close, too alone with her, too weak to be there. He drank from his glass twice, before setting it down.
“Do I make you nervous, Gil?”
His eyes were brought up to hers sharply. Her question surprised him. It wasn’t an easy answer. He didn’t know how he was going to tackle his response. “What do you mean, Cath?”
She shrugged. “You keep looking away, and clearing your throat. And,” she added with a sweet grin. “You’ve blushed more tonight than I think I’ve ever seen you blush.” She shrugged again. “So, the only logical explanation I can come up with is nerves. But, then, I don’t know why I’d make you nervous, I mean, it’s only me, and well, how long have we known each other? Way too long, and—”
“You’re rambling.”
Catherine blushed.
“And, you’re blushing,” Gil grinned. “Who’s nervous?”
“Oh shush,” she rolled her eyes. “Just because I’m a little more readable than you are...” She paused and looked him squarely in the eyes. “Why are things different tonight?”
“I don’t know,” he answered with a sigh, relieved that she had noticed as well. He didn’t know. He knew that his feelings for her would swell his heart until he couldn’t contain them; but he thought that point would come much later. The dynamic between them had changed, though; the reason behind the change still eluded him. “We’re acting really silly, though.”
She nodded in agreement. “We are. All this blushing and rambling and squirming.” She then asked: “Are we drunk?”
Gil laughed. “I don’t think so.”
“Good,” she smiled back at him.
Nervous and uncomfortable, Gil suggested: “I think I should head out. I have an early flight tomorrow, too.” When she pouted, he countered. “Earlier than yours.”
“Ouch.”
“Yeah.”
She stood up and offered him her hand. When he took it, he felt a sharp longing to turn her hand over and kiss its palm, but he refrained. Silently, she found his coat in the closet, while he slipped into his shoes.
“Ooh!” She said, after stepping away from him. “You forgot something!”
When she came back with his scarf and gloves, he smiled. “I would’ve regretted leaving those behind.” He took the gloves from her and tucked them in his pocket. He watched her play with the scarf, ending by draping it over his neck.
“Yes,” she nodded. “You probably would’ve.”
“Thanks.”
She blushed. “Thank you, too. I... it means a lot.”
He opened his arms and was slightly surprised when she wrapped herself around him. He rocked her back and forth. “Well, you mean a lot... to me.” She looked up at him and smiled. He smiled back. “Merry Christmas, Cath.”
Gil had leaned down to brush her cheek with his lips, but he hadn’t calculated Catherine’s movements. Their lips met. Gil, shocked, didn’t move. Catherine had pulled back, but she shocked him even more when she pressed her lips against his again.
Fear, love, passion, rejection, humiliation... there were so many emotions pumping through Gil’s system. He tightened his hold on her and kissed her back, wondering what was going on in her mind.
When she finally pulled away, her cheeks were flushed and her lips were swollen. He felt a strange twinge of pride knowing it was him who had affected her like that.
“We kissed...” She spoke first, still in his arms.
“Yeah.”
“Wow. Did you want to—”
He cut her off, putting a finger to her lips. “We both have places to be in the next ten hours,” she frowned, pouting slightly. “When I get back, though, the first thing we’ll do is talk about this.”
“Talk?” She raised an eyebrow. “I wasn’t exactly thinking about talking...”
“Cath,” he knew she wasn’t happy with him. He didn’t want to talk, either, but he knew it had to be done. There were so many things that needed considering. “I don’t wanna lose our friendship. If something’s going to happen... I want to be careful... I...” He shrugged and pulled back. “I’m so bad at sharing personal stuff.”
She nodded. He knew he saw disappointment written on her face, despite the fact that she had put her guard up. He could always see through her defenses. “When we get back...”
“I promise.”
~*~
Catherine was wrapped up in her new journal when they were an hour outside of Calgary, Alberta. Lindsay was sleeping soundly next to her. She looked around at the empty section of the plane and wondered how lucky she was to have her seats upgraded.
When they had arrived at the airport, the attendant at the ticket counter told her that their seats had been switched from coach to business class. She wasn’t going to complain; there was so much more space in business class. Lindsay would love it, as there weren’t many chances she’d get to fly in such comfort. Catherine sank into the larger chair and knew the long flight wouldn’t be so bad.
She was writing, like she had yearned to do so many times, but didn’t know where to to start. After the previous night, she knew where to start.
Gil had kissed her; it had felt so right. They had been acting so weirdly towards each other for weeks; one kiss, and it had all made sense. She had been painstakingly aware of her crush on him, but she didn’t know he had the same feelings.
After the kiss, things had gone awry. She noticed Gil’s defense tactics; she knew he was trying to protect himself, by suggesting that they talk about it later. She wanted to lock him in her room and not let him leave until she discovered everything he kept hidden under his clothes. He put his roadblocks up, and she did the same so he wouldn’t see how much the rejection hurt.
Briefly, she had considered taking it slow, and thinking about the changes a change in their relationship would create. However, after further thought, the idea seemed senseless. Nobody knew Gil better than herself, and nobody knew her better than he did. They had been friends for so long, she couldn’t imagine what it would be like to not have him in her life. People starting relationships take it slow because they don’t know the other person very well. Catherine knew Gil better than she knew herself, sometimes, and she knew it was the same for him.
“Mommy?”
She glanced up from the beige page, and set her pen down. “Yes, Baby?”
“Are we almost there?”
Catherine smiled and nodded. “Yeah. Are you excited?”
Lindsay nodded. “Yep!” She looked at the journal sitting in her mother’s lap. “Are you writing in your diary?”
“A little, yeah,” Catherine answered.
“What are you writing about?”
She smiled. “How happy I am,” she closed the book and tucked it into her purse. “Look,” she pointed out the window. “We’re almost there!”
“How long is the drive after that?”
“A couple of hours,” Catherine replied. “It won’t be too bad, though. We’ll stop for some lunch on the way, okay?” Lindsay nodded, leaning over her mother to peek out the window. Catherine watched the small buildings get larger, her mind traveling to Gil, and where his vacation was taking him.
~*~
When the bellboy left him in his room, Gil looked around, unsure of what he was supposed to be doing. He walked to the window and watched the snow fall in the early afternoon sky. Banff was beautiful; he just didn’t know what he was going to do while enjoying the beauty.
First, he turned the fireplace on. Then, he started unpacking some of his things. He wanted to keep himself as busy as possible, so he wouldn’t have to face what had happened the night before. He had let his guard down; Catherine knew all of his secrets, now.
His thoughts were interrupted by someone knocking at the door.
“Room service!”
Gil, puzzled, walked to the door. “I didn’t order anything.”
“It was ordered from Las Vegas. From a group that called themselves ‘Graveshift.”
He smiled and opened the door. “C’mon in.”
A young man pushed a cart in. There was a light lunch, some wine, and a card. Gil grinned, tipped the man, and shut the door after he left. The second he was alone, he opened the card, and read it out loud: “Merry Christmas, Grissom. We hope you’re having fun! Love, the Team.”
He picked up his phone and called Warrick’s cell phone. “Brown,” he answered.
“Hey, Warrick.”
“Gris! What are you doin’, callin’ work! Your ass is supposed to be out enjoyin’ things like skiin’!” They both laughed. “Guess you got our lunch?”
Gil smiled. “Yes. Thanks. How are things going there?”
“Just fine.”
“You’re not going to tell me anything, are you?”
Warrick laughed. “No, man. Nothing. You’re on vacation, remember?” The laughed again. Gil shook his head; his employees knew him better than he thought. “Hold up. Nick and Sara just came into the room. They want to talk to you.”
“Alright.”
“Hey, Gris!” Sara made it to the phone first, after some scuffling. “How do you like the snow?”
He smiled. “I haven’t been out there yet.”
“You’ve been there for, like, an hour! What’s your excuse?”
“It’s cold out, Sara.”
“Bundle up!” She countered. “I’m glad you arrived safely, though. Here, Nick wants to say hello.”
“Hey, Grissom!”
“Nicky,” Gil smiled. “How are things at work?”
Nick was as smart as the others. “I’m not telling you anything. You’re on vacation! Go relax!”
Gil laughed. When he ended the conversation, he put his phone on the charger he had plugged in on the desk. Then, he looked out the window again. The snow was coming down in a pretty pattern, dusting the trees beautifully.
He sighed and stretched, feeling genuinely optimistic about the vacation his team gave him.
~*~
Nick hung the phone up and handed it to Warrick. “I guess he hasn’t seen her yet.”
Sara piped up. “She wasn’t scheduled to land until twelve. She’d be a couple hours later getting there than him.”
“How did you find out where she was going, anyway?”
She grinned. “Girl talk. I was telling her about this story about one of my friends who worked at a hotel, but I couldn’t remember the name of the place... there was this food poisoning thing... anyway, she gave it up.”
“And you made that up,” Warrick laughed. He checked his watch. “I wonder if Cath noticed her tickets were upgraded.”
“You know she did. She probably just thought it was lucky.”
Nick nodded, agreeing with Sara. “Probably. That sort of thing does happen, when they overbook coach, or whatever.” He chuckled. “Man, Gris is gonna be some surprised when he finds out that Catherine and Lindsay are in the suite next to his.”
Sara laughed. Greg popped his head in. “Does he know yet?”
“No,” she kept laughing. “Not yet.”
~*~
Catherine watched Lindsay bounce on the bed. “Sweetie, be careful, alright? I don’t want you getting hurt.”
“Don’t worry, Mommy!” Lindsay grinned as she bounced up and down.
She laughed and started unpacking some of their things into the dressers in the two room suite. She kept one eye carefully trained on her daughter, aware of everything she did. Bouncing on the bed wasn’t one of the most dangerous things in the world, but she was still worried. As a mother, it was one of the things she did best.
“What did you want to do first, today?”
“Can we go skiing?”
“Well,” she shrugged. “We could go over to one of the ski hills, see about lessons, if you’d like? And then make one for tomorrow morning?”
Lindsay nodded. “Sounds great!”
Catherine made a call and asked about ski hills. The one the resort was built below was one of the best in the area. She asked where the ski school was, and wrote down a couple directions. Then, she looked at her daughter, and asked her to find her coat and mittens and hat. “We can go over now if you want?”
“Yeah!”
Catherine reached for her sweater and coat, and helped her daughter bundle up once she herself was dressed warmly. “Snug?”
The blonde nodded, a huge grin spreading across her face. “Yeah! let’s go!”
~*~
On the way back, Catherine found herself thinking about Gil Grissom again. Lindsay was a good distraction from her thoughts, but she didn’t know how to fix the situation between her and her best friend.
“Mommy?”
She jumped and then scolded herself for being so distant. “Yes, baby?”
“Your phone’s ringing.”
She blushed. “Oh. Sorry.” They slowed their stride so she could fish it out of her purse. “Willows.”
“How’s my Cath doing in the big outdoors?”
“Hey, Warrick,” Catherine grinned, as they slowed to a stop near a building. “How are things?”
“You and Gil both keep asking, like we’re gonna break down and tell you what we’re up to down here. In the heat. Sweating.”
She chuckled. “We’re definitely not sweating here. Would you like to talk to Lindsay?” She smiled down at her daughter who kept murmuring things about talking to her ‘Uncle Warrick.’
“Of course,” she could feel him smiling. “Put her on, already.”
“Here, Baby,” she handed her daughter the phone. “It’s Warrick.”
She smiled when her daughter and Warrick started up an easy conversation. Catherine, chilled to the bone and wanting to get inside as quickly as possible, decided to take her daughter’s hand and lead them through the tiny village until they made it to the coffee shop the girl at the ski school recommended. She was dying for a rich coffee to chase the chill away.
Just as they rounded one of the corners on the pedestrian streets, she crashed into something moving and solid.
She wasn’t surprised to find herself hitting the ground. She was surprised though to hear her daughter’s voice. “Uncle Warrick, I gotta let you go. We just ran into Gil.”
Catherine made her eyes open. Sure enough, Gil was standing over her, looking as surprised as she felt.
“Catherine?”
“Gil?”
“Uncle Gil!!”
She watched Gil pick her daughter up. Then, he extended a hand to her. Catherine took it, eying him warily. “Want to tell me why you’re here?”
“This is where they sent me.”
“I guess so,” she smiled. “Can’t blame you for following me.. the only person I told was—”
She stopped, realising what she was about to say and what had happened. “We have the most meddlesome team, ever, you know that, right?”
“What?”
She picked up her phone from her daughter and dialed the number of the man she had been talking to before she got knocked over. “Warrick Brown,” she smiled when he answered the phone. “You won’t believe who I just ran into.”
“Ahh, um, Grissom,” he responded. “Lindsay told me.”
“You didn’t know before that, though, did you?”
“What are you talking about? How would we know to send you to the same resort as the man you’ve been in love with for years?”
“Love?” She saw Gil’s face, a mixture of amusement and confusion.
Warrick chuckled. “We’re CSI’s. You can’t fool us.”
“So, how long after Sara told you where I was going that you cooked up this plan?”
He answered with a question: “What makes you think that I cooked this whopper up?”
She laughed. “It has your name written all over it.”
“Well, take advantage of it. New Year’s Eve tomorrow, I heard there’s a party in your hotel, and you have a couple dresses hanging in your closet.”
Her eyes widened. They were really taking this farther than she expected. “I didn’t pack any dresses, Warrick.”
“I know, we called your sister for a favour.” He started to laugh again. “Tell Gris to check his closet.”
“Will he find a suit in his closet, Warrick?”
“Maybe.”
She looked over at Gil, whose eyes were narrow, as he listened intently to her side of the conversation. “And what are we supposed to do with these fancy clothes that you had sent up for us?”
“Go to the party, make lovey dovey eyes at each other, and dance a lot.” He answered. “And, perhaps, take the party upstairs... and well, the rest, I hope I don’t need to spell out for you.”
She blushed. “No, I don’t think you do.”
“Now,” Warrick backed out of the conversation. “I’m going to go. Let you two catch up.”
“Tell Sara I’m gonna get her back someday. Nick and Greg are also in trouble. And you?” She laughed. “Watch out.”
She was still smiling when she tucked her phone in her purse. She looked at Gil, who asked: “You think they had something to do with this?”
“I know they had something to do with this.” Catherine responded confidently. “He admitted it. They were playing matchmaker. Sara, your star pupil, used a casual conversation I had with her against us.” She smiled. “You’ll find a suit in your closet, and you’ve been given orders to take me to the New Year’s party.”
He smiled. “Really?”
She nodded. “Really. Would you like to join us for coffee?”
“Lindsay drinks coffee?”
The girl in his arms shook his head. “Too gross. I like cocoa.”
Gil smiled at her and bounced her once in his arms before pointing to the coffee shop Catherine had been trying to get to. “Well, how about we go in there.”
“That’s actually where we were headed.”
~*~
Catherine was beautiful, Gil decided for the fifth time since he bumped into her. She looked puzzled, but she was still beautiful. “I can’t believe they set us up...” He remarked, after listening to Cath tell him about how Sara found out where she was staying. “I never thought it was that... obvious...”
She added: “Well, I just never thought they’d be so upfront about it.”
He nodded, sipping his coffee. “They really set us up, didn’t they...” he chuckled, and looked at Lindsay. “How’s your hot chocolate?”
She smiled while dunking the marshmallows with her spoon. “Perfect. Who set you up?”
Catherine smiled while she answered. Gil took that as a positive sign. “Uncle Warrick, and Nick, and Sara... they surprised us.”
“Oh,” she nodded. “Like how you didn’t know Gil was going to be here?”
Gil nodded. “And I didn’t know you two were here.”
She smiled. “I’m glad they set you up.” She looked up at Gil. “Now Mommy won’t be lonely when I go to my skiing lesson tomorrow morning.”
“You’re gonna learn how to ski?” Gil asked with a grin.
Lindsay nodded enthusiastically. He could see how excited she was. “Did you want to come, too?”
Gil laughed, Catherine grinned. He declined her offer gracefully: “Lindsay, I would love to spend time with you, but skiing isn’t really my thing. How about we do something together later?”
“Sure!” Lindsay smiled.
Catherine turned to Gil. “I can’t believe they cooked this up. I’ll bet they’re the ones responsible for my seat upgrade on the flight.”
Gil smiled, but his heart was beating nervously. “Did you want to go to the party?”
She sighed. “I haven’t been out dancing in a long time. Plus, that would mean Lindsay wouldn’t have anyone to hang out with...”
“They have sitters, right?” Lindsay piped up. “Or, you could just go down for a little while, and I can stay here and rent a movie. I’m old enough, Mom.”
Both adults chuckled. Catherine raised an eyebrow. “Were you talking to Warrick about this?”
She blushed. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Gil laughed. “So, it was a total conspiracy, then,” he leaned back in his chair. Lindsay grinned, but didn’t say anything. He looked up at Catherine, who only smiled and shrugged. He had so many things he wanted to ask, but he knew it wasn’t the time; instead, he decided to sit back and enjoy the time he could spend with her.
~*~
Catherine blushed when Gil insisted he walk her and Lindsay back to their room. Once in the elevator, she pushed the fourth floor button; he smiled. “We’re apparently not that far away, anyway.”
He was so close to her, and all she wanted to do was lean into him, kiss him, and feel the sparks she felt the night before. He smelled so good. She glanced at him and wondered if he knew what she was thinking about; however, he was too busy staring at his shoes.
The elevator door opened, and Lindsay bounced out while the adults bumped into each other once, which slowed them down tremendously. Catherine’s knees buckled at the contact. She was a mess. If they didn’t talk soon, she wouldn’t be able to survive.
“We’re really not that far,” Gil mused. When Catherine stopped at her door, she saw his jaw drop. “They didn’t...”
“What?”
He tilted his head in the direction of the room next door. “I’m next to you.”
She bit back a groan. Not only was he in the same area as she was, but he was next door; she knew she’d be insane in less than twenty minutes. “They are... incredible.”
Gil laughed. Lindsay took the key from her dumbfounded mother and pushed the door open. After a couple seconds, she blinked, shaking herself from her amazement. “Would you like to come in?”
“Ahh... are you sure?”
She nodded. “You could bring a book over, and we could curl up by the fire... don’t get to do that often in Las Vegas.”
He smiled. She felt her toes curl inside her boots. “Alright. I’ll come through the connecting door in a couple minutes.”
“Great.”
They parted ways. Lindsay made herself comfortable in the armchair and turned the television on, while Catherine rushed to the bathroom to freshen up. She washed her face, and reapplied her makeup; she sprayed a little bit more perfume on; she fluffed her curly hair; she rushed out into her bedroom and checked her outfit. Once she was sure she looked fine, she came back into the main room, and waited for Gil to return.
~*~
He couldn’t find a book, but he didn’t want to keep her waiting. So, he made his way to the adjoining door and knocked on hers softly.
“C’mon in,” she called out. When he poked his head hesitantly into the room, he saw Lindsay on the armchair and Catherine on the sofa in front of the small fireplace. “No book?”
Gil shook his head. “Couldn’t find one interesting enough.”
“No case files?”
He shook his head again, this time smiling. “Sara took them all out of my briefcase before I went home to pack.”
She laughed. “Good. I have a book for you to read.”
He watched her as she stood up and went to a bag that looked like it was her carryon bag during the flight. She pulled out a thick leather book; he noticed that the leather was old and dusty, and slightly cracked, and immediately recognized it as the old journal she had kept from him for so long.
“Cath...” He looked up at her, meeting her smile with a gaze of uncertainty. “Are you sure you want me to read that?”
She glanced at Lindsay, who wasn’t paying attention, and then returned to him. “Yeah, I’m more than sure. You said you wanted to talk. The best way for you to understand how I feel is to read some from the old book and the new.”
“I’ll get to read the new book, too?”
She smiled. “Old year, old book. New year, new book.”
“So, after the party...”
She nodded. “After the party, you’ll get to read the new book.” Before he could react, she grabbed his hand and pulled him onto the sofa. He sat, and she put a pillow against his stomach, for her to put her head. His free arm draped over her chest. He jumped slightly when she touched her fingers to his.
“Any entry in particular?”
“You can pretty much read them all. I doubt you’d want to, but you can if you want.” She lifted her head and reached for the book, flipping to a specific page. “How about you start here?”
“It’s awfully close to the beginning.”
“I know,” she smiled, settling back down against him.
~*~
March 20
I saw him again today. I don’t know his name, which is funny because I usually remember the birthday boys they bring in here, because I usually end up dancing for them, and making conversation with them. My mind’s like a steel trap, but he evades me, and I don’t like it.
I was on stage when I saw him walk up to the bar and order a drink. Gin and tonic. Even from here, I know. While I moved against the pole, he moved to the back of the room and took a seat in the dark. There were other men around, waving their money, but for some reason, I could barely tear my eyes away from the one man who wasn’t shoving one-dollar bills in my g-string. I wanted to dance for him so badly. I wanted him more than any line of cocaine that was waiting for me backstage.
He was very polite, much like the time his friends dragged him in here. And, I mean dragged. They practically had to tie him down so he’d sit for a lap dance. He was so cute, so embarrassed, sooo polite, and so very unlike the other guys in the place. If I walked up to him and asked him if he’d like a dance, he’d probably say no, and I wouldn’t walk away with a frown on my face.
There’s something about his eyes. They’re blue, and you can see how smart he is if you just look hard enough. I wonder what he sees; especially when he met my gaze as I danced on the stage.
I really want to get to know him. Why on earth would he like to talk to me, I have no idea... I’m practically a runaway from the middle of nowhere, with a nasty coke habit, and I take off my clothes for a living. Not exactly in his class of people.
~*~
March 29
He’s been by twice since the 20th. Man. He drives me crazy. I have to build up enough courage to ask him his name someday.
~*~
Gil chuckled. “I drive you crazy?”
Catherine smiled up at him; he saw her cheeks flushing. She was adorable, curled up against him, flushed and grinning. “You did, then, because you just sat at the back and watched. You never wanted a dance... I thought you were scared of me.”
“A little,” he admitted, his cheeks reddening to match the tone hers took. “Yeah.”
Her eyes widened. “Why?”
He shrugged. “You were this incredible, strong, sexy, dynamite that just seemed untouchable.” He sighed. “I was a boring bookworm. Didn’t see the connection between us.”
“Keep reading.”
He chuckled. “Impatient?”
“A little, yeah. It’s a big book and you have some years to get through.”
~*~
April 10
Finally! I managed to grab him on his way out the door. My heart was pounding in my throat, I didn’t know how I was gonna talk to him. He smiled and said “Yes, Miss?” like I was someone special... I wanted to faint.
His name is Gil Grissom. He just started work for the Las Vegas Crime Lab. He’s a ‘CSI.’ That sounds soooo neat. He is really smart. You can tell, just by listening to him talk about everyday things. He waited until I was done for the night, and he took me out for coffee.
I don’t know if he knows I have an addiction. I mean, I don’t have tracks on my arms; it’s not completely obvious. But, I was shaking and itching a little, hungry for my next fix.
You can tell he’s not happy with my means of employment, but he isn’t one of those guys that tries to make you quit. He just sat back and smiled sadly and said “I hope you find something someday that suits you better.”
He talked about his job. It sounds really cool. I wonder if I’d be any good at it.
~*~
April 20
Tonight, one of the bartenders, Colin, was such a pig. He had asked for a lap dance. I hate it when he asks for them—he never pays. He thinks it’s his right, because he works there or something.
I was staying late because I had been hoping Gil would come by and take me for coffee again. I was busy telling Colin that I was on my way out when Gil came in. Colin grabbed my ass and tried to pull me down onto him. Gil stepped in. I never took him for the ‘confrontational-type’ but he really stepped in.
Colin took a swing at him and missed. So, he took a swing at me.
I have a shiner. It hurts.
Gil took me to an ice cream place. He watched me snort coke, and he didn’t flinch or act weird. He must’ve thought I was... awful company. All I could do was cry. When he dropped me off at home, he promised me he’d go to UNLV and pick up some admissions brochures for me.
I cried some more after he left.
~*~
He mused sadly, tightening his hold on her. “I was so worried about you that night.”
“I was sure you’d never speak to me again,” she responded, turning her head to look up at him. “I mean, if you didn’t think I was a drug addict by then, you knew I was... and—”
Gil cut her off. “That would never have kept me from getting to know you.” He sighed, trying to absorb the information he was receiving. “Should I read the next one?”
She shook her head. “Nah... I know which one you should read.” She started flipping pages. “Graduation.”
“Oh boy,” he grimaced.
~*~
Graduation Day! June 1
I can’t believe I’m graduating from UNLV!!!!! Gil’s already lined an interview up for me at his lab. He’s been... incredibly kind.
After I received my diploma, I spotted him next to Eddie. My first two thoughts were: 1. Gil made it! and 2. I can’t believe he’s sitting next to Eddie. Those two haven’t gotten along since I started dating the band manager, during that Battle of the Bands Week on campus. I rushed off-stage and met Gil with open arms. A lot of my classmates looked at me funny; I forget he’s “Dr. Gilbert Grissom, master of all things investigative.” To me, he’s Gil, the guy who likes bugs, the guy whose tongue sticks out a little bit when he’s thinking about something really hard, the guy who likes green tea soft serve ice cream.
He told me how proud he was of me, to have conquered university, and kicked my nasty addiction. He made me cry.
Eddie, most likely for the sole reason of not wanting to be outdone, bent down and produced a little jewellery box. Gil gasped louder than I did, I think. So many changes today! I didn’t know what to think. Eddie didn’t know about the baby, and neither did Gil... I don’t know how I would’ve started that conversation. I said yes, because it was easier than saying no and having to explain myself.
Gil looked awful. I wanted to say no, but Eddie seemed thrilled. I was glad his baby would have him around as a father; I almost loved him, and it seemed to be enough.
~*~
She buried her face in his leg, turning away so he couldn’t see her face. “Cath...” He beckoned. “Please look at me?”
After a couple more minutes of prodding, she finally heeded him. “I needed you to know that. If things had been different...”
He stopped her. He knew the end of that sentence wouldn’t make the present any easier. “Can’t change the past, Catherine.”
“I know,” she smiled sadly, whispering hoarsely. “I have Lindsay because of him. She’s my world,” she wiped at a tear that fell unexpectedly. “I just needed you to know.”
He closed the book. “Is there anything else I have to read?” She nodded. “Are you sure you want to do this?”
“Yeah,” she said on a sigh. “There are still a few things you need to know. I stopped writing for a while, because of the new job, and the pregnancy... but I started again after Lindsay was growing up. Just a couple more important things... please?”
Honestly, Gil didn’t know if he could handle any more of the past from her point of view. “I don’t know. Can’t we just talk about this like normal people?”
She chuckled. “I’m not normal. Neither are you.” Her hand snaked up and started flipping again. “Just two more. I promise. Then we can talk.”
~*~
December 27
Another Christmas together, the three of us. Lindsay’s too cute. I pray every single day that she’s going to have a happy childhood. Eddie managed to stay sober for a couple of days, and Gil somehow persuaded Jim to give me a couple extra days off to spend with my family. He’s been so great. Our friendship has helped me so much lately. I wish I could tell him everything.
For Christmas, I asked Eddie if we could have sex like normal people; lying down, in bed, slowly, without any violence. Don’t get me wrong, I love my husband, and the sex has always been great. But, I’m getting sick of putting on a performance every time we go to bed, except it’s not to bed: it’s the car, the kitchen, a bathroom at a bar... yuck. He was sober; I think that’s why he said yes, weak moment or something.
The beginning was great. Better than great. Amazing.
My mind started to wander, though. I couldn’t control it. Before I knew it, they weren’t Eddie’s hands, they were Gil’s. Gil’s lips, Gil’s body, Gil’s soft sighs and moans—even though Eddie was silent. Gil strikes me as the kind of guy who would make soft noises.
Afterwards, Eddie left to make a call. I was glad he didn’t want to cuddle. I was too embarrassed that I had fantasized like that.
~*~
Gil coughed, shocked to read what he had read. Catherine groaned softly. “Nice to see how you’re reacting.”
“I just...” he tried to find the right words. “I just never knew this was how you felt. You never told me.”
“And how,” she asked, “Would you have suggested I start that conversation?”
“Good point. Where’s the last one?”
She turned to the last page.
~*~
August 17
I caught him. In OUR BED. I can’t believe him. I don’t even know where else to go. I’m too ashamed to tell Gil, at least not until I’ve regained some of my emotional control.
Lindsay’s sitting on the bed in the dirty motel, watching television, and I’m curled up behind her. I told Gil I wouldn’t write in a journal until I was happy; but, I don’t have anywhere else to go, now. Lindsay turned around and looked at me. You can see the questions in her face: Why were you and Daddy yelling? Why did Daddy hit you? Why are we here?
I don’t know what to tell her.
When I yelled at Eddie, he punched me and knocked me down. When I lunged at him, furious for getting violent in front of Lindsay, he knocked me down again. I ached. I lay there and waited, eyes closed, until my body healed enough to get me and my daughter out of there.
Behind my eyelids, Gil was there. He spoke soothingly, told me he loved me, and wiped the blood off my eyebrow. I wanted to cry to him, but he wouldn’t hear me; Eddie would and he’d probably kick me again for spite. I never knew he was that violent.
Eddie left. Lindsay rushed to me with a tissue. I told her to pack some of her things up.
My marriage is over, and so is this book. I hope the next one works out better.
~*~
Catherine looked up and saw tears forming in Gil’s eyes. “Gil, sweetie?”
He allowed her to wipe them away. “I’m okay, really. This is a lot, all at once.” He chuckled. “A good, heavy read. Better than any novel I could find, I’m sure.”
She smiled, sitting up so they were on the same level. “I’d tell you it was all made up, if that would help.”
“No,” he looked at her. “It wouldn’t help. Thanks, though.”
“That’s why I wouldn’t let you read that journal,” she rubbed his arm. “I didn’t know how you’d react to how I thought of you.” When he lifted his arm to wrap it around her, she sighed. “I couldn’t tell you all of that. I wouldn’t have made it through. The proof was already there. Seemed easier.”
“For you, maybe.”
She turned to look him in the eye. “You wouldn’t have started squirming when I mentioned Colin or graduation or my unhappy marriage?” He ducked his head; she continued: “I was thinking of you, too. I didn’t just hand it over to relieve myself. I—”
“Shhh,” he wrapped his other arm around her and pulled her into his lap. Almost immediately, she relaxed. He had an indescribable effect on her. “I understand, I do.” He nuzzled her neck, creating a path of goosebumps on her skin. “It also explains why you didn’t want to talk,” he laughed softly, the warm air tickling her ear. “I thought... maybe it was a new thing for you. I didn’t want to rush you into it, I wanted you to be sure.” He shook his head. “You were sure.”
She nodded and laughed. “I had been sure for almost twenty years, Gil.”
He sighed. “I can’t believe we’ve been friends for that long.”
“Mommy?”
She looked up, shocked that she had almost forgotten her daughter was in the room. “Yes, baby?”
“Are you and Uncle Gil okay?”
Catherine slipped out of his arms while Gil nodded. “Yes, Lindsay, we’re fine. We were just talking about our past.”
“Like when you were younger like me?”
She laughed softly, nearing her daughter for a hug and a kiss. “Not quite as young as you, but, around there.” She glanced at the television. “What are you watching?”
Lindsay shrugged. “Some movie about cats and dogs.”
“Is it the one with the scientist?” Gil asked. Lindsay turned, grinned, and nodded. Catherine rolled her eyes as Gil made his way to Lindsay, picking her up and settling her in his lap as he sat in the armchair. “Let’s watch it together. I love this movie.”
Catherine laughed, surprised the mood in the room had changed so much. She knew they weren’t done talking, but a lot of the darker spots had arrived cleaned up. “I’m going to lie down. Will you two be okay?”
Gil and Lindsay both nodded.
~*~
Catherine woke up as someone opened the door, but she wasn’t ready to face whoever it was yet. When she heard the person walk towards her, the footsteps didn’t belong to her daughter; they were Gil’s, instead.
She heard him sit down on the bed, and take his shoes off. Briefly, she considered opening her eyes so she could see what he was doing. He sighed, and she felt him fall back onto the mattress. His breathing evened out.
She took that chance to study him. She propped herself up on one elbow after she rolled over. He was handsome, and so adorable when he slept. His eyebrows weren’t furrowed in thought, his lips weren’t drawn together in serious concentration; he looked peaceful when he slept.
Before she could touch him, she got up and went to check on her daughter. She was sleeping in her room, surprisingly. She kissed her daughter’s forehead and pulled the covers up around her. Lindsay hadn’t taken an afternoon nap in a long time.
She returned to her bed. Gil was still sleeping. Slipping onto the bed from the other side, she managed to create little disturbance. When she hit the pillow again, she was ready for sleep to reclaim her.
~*~
When Catherine woke up, she noticed two things: it was dark in the room, and she and Gil were cuddling. In their sleep, they had found each other. She smiled at him, as he still slept, and reached up to touch his face.
Slowly, he came to, his blue eyes opening in hers. He smiled back at her. “Good morning.”
“Good evening, actually,” she whispered back. “How’d you get Lindsay to take a nap?”
He chuckled. “She actually suggested it. Then, I had nothing else to do, and you looked so peaceful... I thought I’d join you.”
“I like waking up like this,” she told him while her cheeks blushed. Although she had a crush on him for years, being able to vocalize how she felt was still going to take some getting used to.
He eyed her, reading her face. She blushed more, trying to hide her desires. “Cath? What is it?”
She sighed. “I really want to kiss you.”
She felt his hand slide up from its position at her waist until it was cupping her cheek. “Good, me too,” he murmured while closing the gap between them. She closed her eyes when his lips touched hers; the sparks that formed behind her eyes were so colourful, so delightful, mirroring her excitement. She made her hands work; they wrapped around him.
As they rolled, she pulled him on top of her. Her hunger would never be sated until she had all of him; she wondered how long it would be before he gave in.
He sucked on her lower lip. She moaned, panting for more. Her soft noises caught his attention. He looked down at her; the pause in activity made her look up at him. “You’re beautiful,” he whispered as his lips created a trail around her face.
“If you keep this up,” she muttered back, “I’ll never be able to leave this room.”
“Lindsay might miss her mother,” he said with a groan. She nodded sadly, and reached up to kiss him softly. She turned her head to glance at the alarm clock on the nearby night stand. “Yeah. She must be getting hungry by now.” He moved back a bit and let her sit up. She didn’t want him to; part of her actually wanted him to pin her to the bed, not letting her leave until both of them were fully sated. Her daughter might’ve wanted food, but Catherine wanted Gil. “Did you want to join us downstairs for supper?”
“Are you sure?”
She nodded. “Unless you’d rather lock yourself up in your room and read a book about bugs,” she smiled at him when he took her hand and kissed her wrist. Her pulse scattered. “I know I’d love to have you there, and Lindsay’s pretty crazy about you, so... please?”
Gil grinned. “I’d love to join you. Just give me a few minutes to wash up in my room.”
~*~
Dinner had been wonderful. Gil watched Catherine usher her daughter inside their room at the end of their walk back from the restaurant, before he spoke: “I had a wonderful time.”
“Good,” she smiled up at him. “I did, too.”
“Should I punish the team when we get back? Or give them raises?” He joked, sliding an arm around Catherine’s waist. He knew it was a mistake to pull her close, but it couldn’t be helped. He had been dying to get close to her all evening.
She laughed, but didn’t answer his question. “Is this the moment where you give me the old cliché goodnight kiss?”
He nodded, blushing at her question. She was too smart for him. “I was thinking about it. Think you’ll let me get away with it?”
She put her hands on his chest. His heart started pounding faster, and he felt his mouth dry out a little. She could make him so nervous, and all she had to do was make casual physical contact. She spoke softly: “You’ve been good all night... a kiss is the perfect reward.”
He felt one of her hands slide up to cup his cheek, beckoning him down towards her. Their lips met tentatively at first; however, when he tightened his hold on her, she gasped and he took advantage of the opportunity. He felt her arms around his neck and her body swayed against him; it took all of his control to not slam her against the wall and get swept away.
She moaned softly when he broke the kiss. “If that’s a sign of things to come...”
He chuckled as he licked her earlobe. She shuddered against him. He smirked, pocketing that piece of information, and loosened his hold on her. “If I don’t let you go now, I won’t be able to...”
“Yeah,” she nodded in hesitant agreement. “I should probably get inside, make sure Lindsay’s in bed. She has her skiing lesson tomorrow.”
“Ahhh, right,” he smiled. “And we have a date tomorrow night.”
“Yes,” she grinned. “We do.”
He pressed his lips to her forehead. “I’ll see you tomorrow, then. How about...” He pulled the tickets out of his coat. “It starts at ten. Will you be ready by ten thirty?”
She smiled. “I’ll see you then. And not one moment early.”
“Alright.”
Catherine kissed him once more before disappearing from his sight. He put the tickets back in his pocket and shuffled into his own room.
~*~
Catherine watched as Lindsay followed her skiing instructor down the small hill, a huge grin spreading over her face. She was proud of her daughter, and glad that she had the opportunity to try something so different.
“Hey Baby!” She waved as she came near. Slowly, Lindsay spread her legs, increasing the size of the ‘v’ her skis made; slowly, she stopped. “Good work! How was it?”
“Awesome!” She looked up at her instructor, a teenaged girl named Naomi. “How’d I do?”
Naomi, a dark haired girl with freckles, smiled and laughed. “You were great! I can’t believe you’ve never skied before.” She looked up at Catherine. “If you’ve already paid at the Ski School, I can take you both down to the Rental Shop so she can change out of her skis and boots.”
“Sounds great,” Catherine accepted the offer, while extending her hand so she could pull Lindsay along. “You had fun?”
Lindsay nodded. “Yeah. It was great. Can I do it again before we go?”
“I’m sure we can work something out,” she smiled. “What movie did you want to watch tonight?”
“Bug’s Life?”
Catherine hoped they could order it from the front desk. She didn’t know what other children’s movies were available. “We’ll see if it’s on the card, Baby.”
“Can you order me a pizza?”
“We’ll order you anything you like on the menu, the minute we get back, okay?”
Lindsay grinned. “While I help you get ready?”
“Of course!”
Naomi looked back. “Are you going to the New Year’s party?”
Catherine nodded, but Lindsay spoke before her. “She has a date!”
The eldest woman blushed. “It’s not a date. We’re co-workers, and somehow we both ended up here over the break. Thought we should get out at least once this week together.”
“It is too a date! Uncle Warrick told me!”
“Lindsay!” Catherine chuckled. “You know Gil and I are just friends.”
Naomi was laughing softly at this point. Lindsay huffed, but said nothing. They managed to return the skis without further mention of the date, but once the mother and daughter were alone, walking through the village to get to their hotels, Lindsay started again. “How come you’re gettin’ all dressed up if it isn’t a date?”
“It’s a party, Linds. You have to get dressed up. Gil’s even going to wear a suit,” she answered, hoping to distract Lindsay. “I’m sure if you ask, he’ll let you help him tie his tie!”
“Are you two gonna hold hands?”
Catherine blushed. “I don’t know. We haven’t thought that far ahead.”
“But, you wanna.”
“Maybe. Lindsay—” She pushed the door of the hotel lobby open and held it for her daughter to walk through. “—would you mind if Gil and I started dating?”
She didn’t speak until they were in the elevator, alone. “It’s cool.”
“It’s cool?”
Lindsay nodded, taking her mittens off. “Yeah.”
“I haven’t discussed this with him, but what if he became a more permanent part of your life?”
She smiled. “You mean like a dad?”
Catherine sighed, bending down to adjust her daughter’s coat, zipping it open. “Sort of. I just want to make sure you’re okay with him being around.”
“I like Gil lots.”
They left the elevator and walked to their room together. She was glad that they didn’t bump into Gil in the hall. She was nervous enough; she didn’t need to add a surprise visit to the mix.
Once inside, Catherine helped Lindsay out of her snowsuit. Then, she handed her the room service menu. “Here,” she said with a smile, the back of her mind processing how late she was going to be. “Why don’t you look this over while I get in the shower?”
“You’re not going to be too long, are you?”
She smiled and shook her head. “Two minutes. Tops.”
~*~
Gil jumped when he heard the knocking at the door. “You’re early, you know!” He called out as he opened his part of the connecting door. He jumped back when he saw Lindsay standing there. “Well, Kiddo, what can I do for you?”
She grinned, lifting her arms in silent demand to be picked up. Gil obliged her, easing her onto his hip. “Mommy said that if I asked nicely I could help you get ready for your date!”
He found himself blushing. “Oh yeah?”
“Yeah,” she nodded exuberantly.
“Well, what do you want to help me with?” He rubbed his chin in thought, thinking of something she could do with him. “I know! Did you want to help me pick out a tie?”
“Can I?”
Gil nodded. “Of course you can. They’re in the closet with my suit.” Lindsay wriggled, begging to be put down; Gil bent down so she wouldn’t have to jump very far. She rushed to the closet and flung the doors open. “What do you think?”
She eyed each one, glancing at the suit. Gil suppressed the urge to chuckle. Catherine had a great daughter.
“I like the blue one.” She said, finally. “Get dressed.”
He raised his eyebrows. “Just like that, is it?”
“Yeah,” Lindsay grinned as Gil tickled her, before picking her up and putting her on the bed. Children made him nervous, for the most part, but Catherine’s daughter was different.
“Alright,” he gave in willingly, knowing it was about time for him to get dressed. “I’ll be in the bathroom. Did you want to put the television on?”
She shrugged. “Sure.”
Gil picked the suit and shirt out of the closet, leaving the tie for later, and headed into the bathroom. It didn’t take him long at all to get dressed, but he did comb his damp hair and put a little bit of gel in it.
When he came out of the tiny room, Lindsay was sitting up, looking very eager. “What do you think?”
“Spiffy,” she grinned.
“You think the blue tie will go with this?”
It was a charcoal suit, with a light grey shirt. She shrugged. “Maybe the grey one with the little lines.”
He smiled, because he preferred that one to the blue tie. “Good choice.”
“Mom isn’t ready yet,” she admitted while Gil tied the tie around his neck.
“I don’t expect her to be ready for some time.” He glanced at the clock. They still had thirty minutes. “How about you go check on her, make sure she isn’t wasting time?”
“Gil Grissom,” a soft voice from the doorway grabbed his attention. “I don’t waste time.” His eyes had been in her eyes, but his vision’s focus expanded to take in the soft curls in her hair, the black and beaded dress she wore, the amazingly tall sandals she had on her feet. “You should know me better than that.”
He thought his heart stopped. She was exquisite. She smiled and kept talking. “I’m taking your silence as a good thing.”
Lindsay giggled. “Mommy! You made him speechless!”
“Apparently,” Catherine responded, walking towards him. “You gonna say something sometime soon?” She smirked. “Or should I go downstairs and find someone to compliment me?”
He managed to get his brain working. All he could do at first was reach out and grab her wrist to keep her from leaving him. She glanced down as he slid his hand past her wrist, to her fingers. They locked with hers. “You did make me speechless.”
“Yeah,” her grin grew.
“You look amazing,” he tried, but shook his head. “That doesn’t even begin to cover it. I’m not so great with—”
Catherine put a soft finger to his lips. “It’s perfect. Thank you.”
Lindsay backed up towards the door. “I’m gonna go start that movie now! Have fun!”
They both called out to her: Catherine told her to be a good girl and keep the door locked all night; Gil thanked her for her help and told her to have a good evening.
Catherine pulled something from behind her back. “You have some reading to do before we go.”
He swallowed. “I don’t know... are you sure you want me to read that now?”
“We have some time to kill,” she shrugged, wrapping her arms around his neck. “I’d like to spend the time getting better acquainted. It just depends on acquainted you’d like to get.”
He gulped. The way she was looking at him was driving him wild. “I think getting *that* acquainted would prevent us from going downstairs.” He knew that if he kissed her once, he’d never be able to stop. She blushed and looked away. “I’ll read it if you want, now, but...”
“You afraid I’m going to give your kiss a bad rating?”
Gil found it amazing that Catherine only had to look at him a certain way to make him blush. “Uhhh, maybe,” he managed to smile back at her. “Don’t you think that you’re over-sharing with me?”
“What do you mean?”
“Well... diaries are private. I don’t want to intrude—” He stopped short. “I just don’t want to make you uncomfortable.”
She smiled and shook her head. “You’ve never been able to do that. Nothing would change that now.”
“Alright,” he gave in. The Willows women certainly could persuade him into doing anything they wanted him to do. “I’ll read your diary.”
She clapped. “Goody. Let’s sit down.”
“Ahhh, Cath, that might not be a good idea.”
She raised an eyebrow and scrunched her face up a little. “Why not?”
“All I have in here is a bed.”
“Don’t trust me?” Her look of confusion was replaced with a hungry smile. He looked back at her, but didn’t say anything. “Alright. You take the bed, I’ll lean.”
He smiled. “You can sit. I’ll stand.”
“Goody,” she winked, flopping down on the bed. He rolled his eyes at her and took the book from her outstretched hand. “Read the first one.”
~*~
December 27
Gil and I kissed last night. I’m so glad. I think he’s glad, too, although he can be so hard to read sometimes—now, more than before. He always looks like he’s sitting on a secret.
At first, I saw him leaning in to kiss my cheek... and you know when that little voice tells you “now or never?” Well, I figured it was the best chance to find out, one way or another, if something was there. When we kissed for the second time, I thought my legs were turning into jelly.
Why does he do that to me?
Love. I know it is. Man, that’ll scare him off. Scares everyone off, these days... except schoolgirls. That’s one thing I’m definitely not.
So many things have changed. I wonder how the talk’s going to go when we get back from our vacations.
~*~
Catherine saw the look on his face. She shrugged, feeling very sheepish. Gil asked: “So, you planned that?”
“Sorta... it was one of those moments that could make or break it. It was a gamble,” she smiled. “I couldn’t resist.” Her smile faltered. “You’re not mad, are you?”
He smiled back at her, relieving her of her panic. “Of course not. A little surprised. But, definitely not mad.” She watched him thumb the page over. “I’m going to wait until we come back to read the last entry.”
“Why?”
“New year, new book, remember?” She sighed while she stood up, extending her arms. She wanted him near her; when he set the book down and took her hands in his, she used the opportunity to pull him closer. She felt him nuzzle her curls with his face. “You smell really good.”
Catherine giggled. The vibrations in his voice tickled her, while making her stomach flop. “If you keep that up, we won’t leave this room.”
“Oh yeah?” He pulled back and gave her that half-smile she loved so much.
She nodded. “Yeah.”
“Well,” he chuckled, turning a little red under her hungry gaze. “Maybe we should head downstairs now?”
She sighed. “Yeah, we probably should.”
“Do you have everything you need?” She held up her purse in reply and nodded. “Okay.” He patted his chest, feeling his wallet and tickets. “Me, too,” he offered her his hand. “Shall we?”
Without any hesitation, she took his hand in hers. “We shall.”
~*~
The night had been going really well, Catherine thought. True, he hadn’t asked her to dance yet, but he was attentive and thoughtful, and he never stopped looking at her with ‘that look’ in his eyes—a mixture of lust and love he was able to project.
A couple men had come by their table and asked if she’d like to dance with them, but she declined. The look of jealousy that clouded Gil’s expression each time one arrived was priceless, telling her how he felt. She usually hated any sort of possessive attitude in men; in Gil, though, she found it reassuring to know he wanted her so much.
They each had a glass of champagne, when a waiter had stopped by their table sometime after eleven-thirty.
“Should we toast?”
She smiled. “To what?”
“Us,” he suggested.
“Sounds great,” she said, sliding her hand across the table to connect with his. She held her glass higher, and said: “To us.”
He nodded, and tapped his glass to hers, before they both had a sip of the bubbling liquid.
“Gil?”
“Yes, Catherine?” He said, picking her hand up, running his thumb along her pulse point. She swayed a little.
“When are you going to ask me to dance?”
He blushed. “I’m actually not that great a dancer, Cath,” he admitted. “I was hoping we could save that for later, when there isn’t anyone around, anyone that could point and laugh.”
“Oh, c’mon,” she tried to persuade him. “It’s almost time for the countdown... I want to dance. With you.” She giggled in delight when he gave in and stood up, after putting his glass down. She left hers, tucking her purse on the seat, before following him.
“Happy?” He asked her, once he was wrapped around her, once they started moving slowly to the mellow jazz music being played.
She nodded, resting her head on his chest. “Yep,” she huffed, tightening her hold on him. “You’re good at this, Liar.”
He chuckled and continued to rock her back and forth. “You know,” he spoke softly in her ear. “There’s something I have to tell you.” She jumped at his words, lifting her head so she could look at him. “Nothing bad, Cath.”
“You had me worried.”
“I love you.”
She blushed, even though she knew the feelings had been there on some level the entire time they were friends. Her abdomen tingled. “I love you, too.” She lifted one of her hands and brought it to his cheek, where she caressed him gently. He dipped his head lower and kissed her lips chastely. She pouted. “You can do better than that.”
Gil chuckled. “I know.”
“Well?” She stamped her foot once. “Are you going to make me beg?”
He kept laughing softly. “No, I suppose not,” he said after a little while. “It’s just going to take some getting used to.”
“What is?”
“Being able to kiss you,” he answered honestly.
She smiled, tightening her grip on him so she could lean up. When she kissed him, she didn’t intend for it to be polite. He tried to keep it that way, but she managed to seduce him beyond his comfort zone. When his lips parted, she took advantage.
Behind her, she could hear a member of the hotel staff announcing that it was almost time to start the countdown. Gil moaned in disappointment when she lifted away from him. She smiled, running a finger over his lips. “We came down here to celebrate the new year, Gil... I don’t wanna miss the countdown.”
“I know,” he smiled back at her, letting his arms wrap around her waist in a way that gave them both enough space to turn to watch the proceedings.
“Ten!”
Catherine glanced back at Gil and smiled.
“Nine!”
He grinned at her, cheeks still a little pink.
“Eight!”
Before she could control the urge, she was leaning in again to kiss him.
“Seven!”
She heard him chuckle. His grip tightened.
“Six!”
A moan escaped her lips, and he took advantage of her lips parting.
“Five!”
She threw her head back, granting him access to whatever he wanted.
“Four!”
He whispered her name in her ear.
“Three!”
She fell forward and looked at him, lips swollen, chest heaving.
“Two!”
He grinned.
“One!”
Catherine grinned back.
“Happy New Year!”
The entire room was loud and in celebration. To Catherine, though, there was only one other person in the huge ballroom with her. She wrapped her arms around his neck, whispering “Happy New Year,” while he swung her around.
When he finally set her down, he kissed her. She felt her toes curl; she never wanted to stop kissing him.
“Can we go upstairs now?” He asked softly. She loved how even his ears got a little pink when he blushed; she also loved that she could make him blush.
“Yeah,” she nodded, still smiling.
~*~
Outside their hotel room doors, Gil found himself pressed against the wall; Catherine was busying herself with his tie and buttons. “Cath...” He groaned when she kissed his chest. “We can’t do this out here.”
“I know,” she replied with a roll of her eyes. “I was just...”
“Getting carried away?”
He watched her swollen lips stretch into a smile. “Yeah.”
“You go into your room, say goodnight to your daughter; I’ll go into mine, order a bottle of wine...” She nodded, accepting his suggestion. “And you can come over whenever you’re ready.”
“Sounds good.”
She pulled him down for one more kiss. It took all of his strength and then some to not get swept away in the embrace. He could taste her promises, the confidence of knowing what was around the corner.
When she pulled back, he found himself blushing again; this time it was the way she eyed him over, like some of the other times. He couldn’t believe how often his cheeks had been red since they kissed the first time.
“See you soon,” she whispered after slipping the key into her lock and pushing the door open.
Gil found his own key and entered his room. Instead of panicking and rushing around to get ready, he leaned against the wall and let out a long whoosh of air.
He couldn’t believe how lucky he was. It struck fear in his heart.
~*~
“Mommy?”
“Hey, Baby,” she smiled as she made her wobbly legs take her to her daughter’s room. The light was still on. “Why was the door open?”
Lindsay was in her pajamas, smiling as she brushed her hair. “I heard you and Uncle Gil talking.”
“Ohh. That’s alright then. How was your night?”
“Good,” she replied, putting the brush down and then bouncing to her mother for a hug. “How was your date?”
Catherine swooped her daughter up. “We had a great time. We danced, we talked... then we had the countdown...” She sighed, making her way to the bed. “It was fun.”
“Gil can dance?”
She chuckled. He actually hadn’t been that bad at all. “Yeah, he can. He’s pretty good, too.”
Lindsay slid out of her mother’s arms and under the covers. “Neat.”
“Yep,” she nodded in agreement. Then, she pressed her lips to the top of her daughter’s head. “I love you, Linds.”
“I love you, too, Mommy. Happy New Year.”
“Same to you. I’m going to go next door,” she explained before leaving the room. “Gil and I have to talk about some stuff.”
“Work stuff or personal stuff?”
“A little of both,” Catherine wondered how her daughter knew all the right questions to ask. “We’ll be quiet, but if you need us, just knock on the doors, okay?”
Lindsay nodded. “Okay.”
“Don’t forget to get a good sleep,” Catherine smiled on her way out, “Cuz you’ll need to keep your strength up if I can get you a ski class.”
Lindsay giggled excitedly, before she closed the door to the bedroom and went into her own. She checked herself over in the mirror, and wondered if she should change. She knew Gil wouldn’t care if she was wearing a potato sack; but, she still wanted to look her best.
After a couple minutes of fingering the clothes hanging in her closet, she knew exactly what to wear to make a statement. She slipped out of her dress, keeping the shoes on, and grabbed the shirt she wanted. She checked her makeup, sprayed a little bit of perfume on, and walked into the living room.
When she knocked on Gil’s door, she heard him call out to her softly. She took a deep breath before pushing the door open, knowing that everything was going to change for the better in a few minutes.
Gil’s room was dimly lit; he had turned the overhead light off. She saw him pulling the wine out of the ice bucket. When he looked up at her, he gasped.
She giggled. “Gonna stand there all night with your jaw on the floor?”
~*~
“Gonna stand there all night with your jaw on the floor?”
Gil managed to close his mouth. She was wearing a large white button-up shirt, her black bra and panties, and her strappy sandals from earlier. Her hair’s curls were looser, even sexier than before—if that was possible. He didn’t think he was going to make it out of that room alive.
“Gonna keep wearing things that make me speechless?”
She smiled, clicking the door shut behind her. “Only if you’ll let me.” He chuckled, and made himself turn away and pour her a glass of red wine.
“Here,” he offered it to her. She smiled and took it from him; when their hands touched, he felt sparks.
“Thanks,” she said after taking a sip. “Want to sit?”
He nodded. “I think we, ah, can handle that now.”
“I don’t know...” she laughed. He sat against the headboard, and put his glass of wine down on the bedside table. He sat there, watching her calculate her next move. There weren’t many thoughts running through his head, but they all concerned her.
Catherine set her glass on the other bedside table, on the other side of the bed, and crawled across the mattress to get to him. Once at his side, she sat down, curling into him. He tucked his arms around her, wondering what she was thinking.
She had pressed her face into his chest and inhaled deeply. His curiosity was getting the better of him. “Cath?”
“Hmmmm?”
“What are you thinking about?”
Her eyes were very dark. She smiled up at him when she lifted her head. “Just thinking that I want to take this slowly,” she answered, her voice was a soft whisper.
“We don’t have to do any—”
She put a finger to his lips. “You’re either afraid, or you’re still trying to be the perfect gentleman.”
“Do I have to respond to that?”
“Maybe,” she licked her lips, and then sobered. “Do I really frighten you?”
He sighed and shook his head. “No, not so much.”
“I intend to bed you, Gil,” she grinned, content with his answer. He didn’t doubt her determination, which fueled his fear. “I only want to take this slowly because I don’t want the night to end.”
“Oh.” She was starting to make sense.
She nuzzled his throat, chuckled when he gulped, and then asked: “Why are you scared?”
“Cath, I’m not scared—”
“You so are,” she cut him off. “You forget that I know you better than anyone.” He bit off a groan, knowing he’d come this far, but he couldn’t pretend any more. “So, ‘fess up.”
He gulped harder, swallowing the ball of fear so it was lodged in his throat, when she sat up and straddled his waist. “Cath?”
“Not letting you go until you talk...”
“Cath,” he sighed, reached for her hands that had been planted on her shoulders. “It’s been a while since I’ve done this.”
“Made love?”
He blushed. “Yes, that, and fallen in love, dated, and everything that falls after that.”
She smiled, nodding in understanding. “Well, I’ll just have to steer you through it. No fears, okay?”
She bent down and kissed him, deeply and passionately. He could taste the wine on her tongue, and her natural sweetness past that. When she pulled up, he whispered: “I love you.”
“I love you,” she smiled, before bending down for another kiss. This one was darker, potently filled with promises of things to come. Before his mind could formulate a set of instructions for him to carry out, he felt her hands take his and put them on her body. She moaned when one of his hands found a breast, squeezing it gently.
His other hand toyed with the white shirt, before deciding that it had to come off. He had seen her this bare before, but this time he was her only audience, and it was much more personal.
Briefly, he fingered the straps on the lace bra, but she shook her head. “Not yet,” she sighed, while planting kisses along his jaw. “Slower.” She lifted her head. “You have to take something off, too.”
He chuckled, bringing his hands up to his shirt. She swatted them away, and unbuttoned the shirt herself. “I started it,” she joked. “Might as well finish it.”
When her fingers brushed against the waistband of his pants, he struggled for control. When she finished with his shirt, and ran her hands over the bare skin she exposed, he let the moan escape his lips. “That feels... sooo good.”
“Good,” she replied. “It’s supposed to.”
“Let me....” he trailed off, unsure of the right words. She pulled him down, so they were lying down. Underneath him, she was still beautiful, but seeming more vulnerable than she ever did before. He dipped his head and began to test her; kissing other parts of her skin, she moaned just the same.
She arched her back when he licked her navel. When he stopped, pausing to look up at her when she lifted her head, she grumbled something incoherent about being frustrated. He wondered if his ears were going to get him through the night; the worries were chased away when she mock-scolded him: “I don’t know what’s going on up there, but stop thinking and start kissing me.”
He laughed at her, and returned to hover over her, leaning down to kiss her. Together, they spent the night building fires, and letting them burn.
Gil never wanted to leave that room.
~*~
“Gil...” She smiled when she woke up. His face was the first thing she saw; she wanted every morning to be like that.
He kissed her forehead. “Good morning.”
Catherine sat up a bit and reached for her shirt that was on the floor. “Should probably make sure Lindsay’s okay...” She trailed off when Gil grabbed her wrist and pulled her close. “I think we should wake up like this every day.”
“Sounds good to me,” he said before kissing her.
She moaned softly. “We can’t... not now... Lindsay has to get to her ski class...” She paused and straightened up. “And you owe me an hour-long massage!”
Gil chuckled. “Wondered how long it was going to take you to remember that.”
“I already told you that I don’t forget anything that you say. Do you have a pair of boxers I could borrow?” She asked when she stood up. He pointed to the top drawer in the dresser. “Thanks.”
He let out a whistle of approval. She turned and faced him, wearing nothing but his black silk boxers. “Like what you see?”
“You have no idea,” he nodded.
When she put her shirt on, she came back to him. “I’ll go check on my daughter, we’ll get her ski class straightened out... and then,” she asked: “How do you feel about breakfast?”
“Well,” he smiled. “I love breakfast. Depends, though, on who I’m eating it with.”
She giggled when he swooped her up into his arms and tickled her. This was a side of Gil she never wanted to lose sight of. She had never seen him so relaxed; she had never seen him so happy.
~*~
“Lindsay?” Catherine looked at her daughter over her bowl of yogurt. “What did you just say?”
“You heard me,” she grinned, sticking her tongue out at her mother.
At a loss for words, she glanced to Gil, who simply said: “I’m all for it.”
She sighed, falling back against her chair, reaching for her cup of coffee. She watched Lindsay look from Gil to Catherine, watching for a sign from either of the adults. She couldn’t believe her daughter suggested such a thing, despite that fact that she was going to suggest it to Gil within days.
“Well,” she smiled. “Gil, if you’re game, I’m game.”
There was a strong urge to giggle when his jaw dropped, but she fought against it. He regained control of his mouth, and then spoke: “Lindsay, do you want to be the flower girl?”
~*~
Gil looked at Catherine, uncertainty written across his face. “What do you think they’ll say?”
She held his hand up in hers. He admired how the rings shone. “Well, I think they’ll think this was all their doing.”
“In a way...”
“Yeah,” she agreed with a nod.
Hand in hand, they walked into the office together. Office relationships weren’t encouraged, but Gil wasn’t going to hide how he felt about Catherine. He had told her that, and she felt the same way. They were husband and wife, after all. Gil watched some of the people in the building; they reacted slightly when they saw the duo holding hands, but didn’t say anything.
At the doors to the Break Room, Gil paused and turned to face her. “Last chance, Mrs. Grissom.”
She wrapped her other arm around his waist, pulling him close to her. “I’m still game.”
“Good.”
He pushed the door open. Warrick and Greg were sitting at the table; Sara and Nick were making coffee. Things seemed normal.
“Hey, guys,” Greg spoke first. “Nice vacation?”
“Greg—”
“Holy!” He cut Nick off. Gil chuckled when he pointed at their hands. “Guys!”
Warrick was the first to notice the rings. “Hey... Cath, you two didn’t do anything life-altering while you were away, did you?”
She smiled. Gil saw how happy she was, and it made his heart warm. “Maybe. Define life-altering.”
Sara was next. “You two got married?!”
Gil sheepishly grinned. “Yeah. It seemed like a good idea at the time.”
“And now?”
Catherine beamed. “I know it was the best thing we ever did.”
After a chorus of best wishes and hugs, Greg asked: “So does this mean we’re not in trouble?”
Gil frowned. “I’m afraid you’re all still going to have to face up to what you did.”
“Damn,” Greg snapped his fingers.
Nick cringed. “So, what’s gonna happen to us?”
“Well,” he had to avoid Catherine’s eyes, because he knew he’d start to laugh. “For starters, since night shift is going to be short two CSI’s for a week, I need you three to be here every night. Sara, you’ll have the lead for the first two nights. Then, Nick, and then Warrick, you can have the remaining days.” He looked at Greg. “If the lab’s not backed up, you can even take Greg along with you.”
“Really!?” Greg’s eyes bugged out of his head.
“Think it’s not adequate punishment?”
Sara put her hand over Greg’s mouth. “Oh, no, nothing like that at all. It’s fine. We’ll take care of everything. In fact, why don’t you two punish us a little bit more, and get out of here?”
Catherine put a hand on Gil’s chest. “Sounds great. We’ll see you all in a week.”
Before Gil could say anything else, Catherine had pulled him out of the room. “I had instructions for them—”
“You just wanted to warn them about Greg, being careful, all that. They know.” She smiled wickedly. “Let’s get out of here.”
He felt his knees shake and his stomach flop. He knew he’d never be able to deny her anything. “Alright. Time for that massage yet?”
She kissed his lips gently. “Definitely time.”
The End!