With Warrick’s warning still ringing in his head, Gil called Catherine’s house to check on her. He had heard all the details of her case from her partner, and sensed that she’d need somebody to lean on—even if it was only for a few minutes.
Lindsay answered the phone. “Hello?”
“Hi, Lindsay, it’s Gil.”
“Gil!” Her voice picked up, making Gil smile. “Are you coming over?”
“I was thinking about it. Did you and your mother need me to bring anything?”
She paused. “One sec. I’ll go get Mum, she usually knows these things.”
Gil chuckled until he heard Catherine approaching. “Hey, Gil,” she replied softly. He pictured her in pajamas, sitting cross-legged on the chair in her foyer near the phone. When he heard a quiet tapping in the background, he knew that was where she was, tapping her fingers on the arm of the chair. “Are you, ah, coming over?”
“Do you want company?”
Silence.
“Cath?”
“Oh, sorry. I was nodding.”
“Tired?” He asked while glancing to his desk to see what paperwork he had to take with him to finish for the next shift.
She sighed. “Yeah. The case took a little bit out of me.”
“What are you doing now?”
She sighed again. He didn’t like how heavy they sounded. “Going through old picture albums.”
“Cath...”
“I know, I know. Would you just get here so I can sleep?”
He slid some papers into his bag, and flicked the desk lamp off. “Did you want me to bring anything with me?”
“Ahhh,” she struggled to answer. “Yourself? How about breakfast?”
He heard Lindsay clapping and cheering in the background; this was what the ladies in his life wanted. At least it was something he could easily offer them. “Sure. I’ll pick up a couple things and come over, then.”
She spoke quickly before he said good-bye. “Hey, wait. I have eggs and potatoes and cheese, so you don’t need those.”
“Milk?”
She groaned. “I have a growing daughter, Gil, of course I have milk.”
He chuckled. “Okay. What about mushrooms and onions?”
“You can pick those up. Wanna get something to drink, too?” She asked, with a hopeful tone in her voice.
Gil picked his coat up and tried to get into it without upsetting the phone. “Wine or vodka?”
“Wine would be great,” she sounded thrilled. “I’ll get your ‘equipment’ out. Lindsay’s asking if she can help.”
“Well, tell her I’d love to have some assistance. I’ll see you two soon.”
“Great.”
“I love you,” he said before handing the phone up.
“Love you, too.”
~*~
Once Lindsay was safely on her way to school, Gil came into the bedroom as Catherine tucked the photo albums out of the way, letting them slide under her bed. “Hiding the evidence?”
She rolled her eyes. “Don’t even joke about evidence.”
She sat down on the bed, while he undressed and put on a pair of shorts and a t-shirt that he had in his drawer. When he finished, he looked over and asked: “That bad?” Catherine’s eyes were dark when she nodded and sighed. Looking at her face, he wondered if she would open up to him and talk about it; while their relationship seemed more stable and secure, Gil knew that sometimes there were things Catherine wouldn’t talk about—which he found unusual, but accepted. Not wanting to feel her hurting anymore, he put his glasses down on the bedside table and crawled into the bed next to her. “C’m’ere,” he offered, adjusting himself so he was open to her.
Catherine wrapped her arms around him and rested her head on his chest. He pressed a light kiss to the top of her strawberry-blonde tresses. After another sigh, she opened her mouth. “Stephanie was my best friend. Did Warrick tell you that?”
“What makes you think Warrick—” He stopped talking and admitted defeat. It was true, the younger man had told him what was going on, preparing him for what he would encounter. “Yes, he did. How did you two meet?”
“Not dancing, actually. I bumped into her at a store in the mall. We both wanted the same scarf. It was this cobalt blue, and kind of shimmery. Beautiful. Anyway, I convinced her to let me buy it, if I could buy her a drink before I went to work.”
“How did you convince her?”
Catherine chuckled. “I showed her the bruises on my neck and jaw.”
“Cath—”
She cut him off. “Gil, we’re not going to discuss the finer points of spousal abuse this morning.”
He sighed and kissed her head again. “You’re right. Keep telling your story.”
“She danced at another place across town, and was telling me how awful the boss was... I helped her get an audition so we could work together. She looked out for me. I always managed to ditch her for Eddie, but she never let that get to her. She just... understood. When I needed her, she was there.” Gil’s heart broke as she turned her head into his chest and inhaled deeply. “You smell so good.”
He held her close, rocking gently. “What happened with Jimmy?”
Catherine answered back with a question: “Why do people disappoint each other?”
“I don’t know.” He squeezed her again. “Is there anything I can do to help?”
She yawned and nuzzled him. “Just hold me.”
Clad in a Disney World t-shirt, Catherine looked adorable, Gil decided, if it wasn’t for the worry lines forming on her face. He bent down and kissed her cheek. Catherine adjusted herself and kissed his lips, making Gil sigh. When their lips parted, Gil answered: “I would love to hold you.”
She grinned and buried herself under the covers and nestled herself alongside of him. Gil watched her, content to do only that for the time being, as sleep took over her weary frame. She’d sigh and move into him more, generally driving him crazy with all the things she’d do, but it was alright. He didn’t want to upset her by adjusting his position, so he decided to stay put.
After what felt like twenty minutes, Gil decided that he needed to move a little. So, slowly, he shifted his weight and tucked his hand behind his pillow, letting the position stretch his tired arm muscles.
When his fingers connected with the hard plastic, he almost jumped as he didn’t expect to feel anything under the pillow. Slowly, he moved again, pulling the vibrator out from under him. He glanced down at the still-sleeping Catherine, and wondered when she needed it, feeling pangs of male insecurity.
“Gil...” she huffed, voice thick and drowsy.
He grinned and chuckled to himself. The insecurity ebbed away slowly.
Then, he developed a plan.
Slowly, he adjusted his position again; he was still cradling her with one hand, but this new pose left his other arm free to explore her body. He slowly started to caress the soft skin on her flat stomach. As he headed lower, he heard her sigh, which gave him some form of encouragement.
After studying the device, he figured out how to turn it on, and then he placed it against Catherine’s underwear, gently groping until he found the right spot to roll the mechanic device.
In response, she moaned and tucked her face into his chest. He watched for any signs of her waking up, but saw none, so he continued sliding the vibrator up and down along her heat. Certain areas, he discovered, merited different reactions; he catalogued all of his findings, as he pushed her closer to the edge.
~*~
Catherine woke up, eyes open, heart pounding. Her face was still tucked into Gil’s chest, which helped, but it took her a couple minutes to decide why she was breathing deeply and moaning, why any muscles between her thighs were twitching.
“Gil...” she purred, falling back against the pillow as he turned the vibrator off. She tried to be embarrassed that he found it, but couldn’t. “Goodness.”
He kissed her temple. “Sleep well?”
“Very. I dreamed that I was having sex with this really sexy man, who has the most amazing mouth, and dreamiest blue eyes,” she replied, stretching against him as the last few muscle contractions passed. “And I woke up, and I kind of was.”
“Was what?”
She leaned up as she turned to face him. “Having sex with this really sexy man.”
“You’re not mad then?” He ventured carefully. “I thought it might help you relax, but I wasn’t sure if—”
She kissed him. She wondered why she thought she didn’t need him sometimes. Gil had the ability to calm her down like nothing else. “Definitely not mad. I like knowing that you know what I need.” He smiled and kissed her back.
“Wouldn’t you rather be sleeping?” He asked after she slid her hands up his chest, under his t-shirt.
Catherine glanced up at him. “Tease.”
Those were the last words either of them spoke. They undressed together, helping each other with the last few items of clothing; Catherine felt the familiar sensations of desire and longing when he took his shirt and shorts off. She dipped her head and showered his skin with kisses, savouring each one. When she nipped at his nipples, he arched his back and smothered a moan.
She started to slide down his body, placing her lips on spots she knew he loved, but was stopped by Gil, who tucked his hands under her arms and pulled her back up to meet him.
They continued kissing, rolling around in the tangled mess that was Catherine’s light blue bedding. Catherine tried to roll them back over, so she was on top again, but Gil prevented her from doing so. Instead of keeping her tough-woman facade up, she gave up and slipped into his arms and let him protect her.
When he slid inside her warmth, she felt her entire body tremble; her hands reached for him, her mind at ease when she found him wrapping himself around her. Together they moved, watching each other intensely, breathing deeply, and sighing sweetly.
Catherine smiled when she saw his facial features tighten briefly, before his eyes fluttered. He bit his lip, but she leaned up and did it for him, sucking and nibbling while clenching her muscles around his length. His eyebrows knitted together, then relaxed, as the explosion passed.
When he caught his breath, Gil eased himself down onto his elbows as he rolled off of Catherine. She tilted herself onto her side to watch him, and he did the same.
Gil kissed her, his hand seeking her hip. She shivered and leaned back to grant him access to whatever he was looking for. “Gil, you just did this earlier, you—”
He cut her off with another kiss. “You’ve had a hard day. Doctor Grissom’s orders.”
Catherine tossed her head back against the pillows and laughed. “Two orgasms, a glass of water, and call me in the morning?”
He chuckled with her, dropping his head to shower her shoulder with kisses. “Something like that. Maybe ‘try it again in the morning’.”
She purred as his hand slid past her waist, watching him as he watched her. He banked the fires carefully—making sure to drive her crazy—and when he finally chose to grant her what she needed, she was in such a thick fog that she could hardly concentrate.
As she shuddered, Gil continued his ministrations. Her hands reached for him and were satisfied when they connected with his warm, glistening body. When the huge contractions subsided, Gil wrapped himself around her and held her tightly to his body.
“Sleep now?”
She nodded against him. “Yeah.” After a few minutes, she looked up at him and asked: “How was your case?”
He kissed her forehead. “Not nearly as difficult as yours. I know it’s very little consolation, but I’m proud of you.”
Catherine huffed, completely content. “Thanks, Gil. Next time, though, ask me if the case is personal, okay?” She sighed. “I don’t know if I can go through that again.”
“I promise.”
The End!
