Hazy Nights

{Part 2}

Nick and Sara took one last look around the ransacked room. Both sets of bloodshot eyes settling on the rumpled bed, the sheets, pillows and blankets on the floor. That was definitely ground zero for whatever explosion had taken place the night before. The creamy ivory of the mattress lay bare and partially stripped, the tight fitted sheet no match for what ever they had done.

Sara felt the heat rise in her cheeks, her gaze settling from the bed towards the low pile carpet, trying her best to ignore the pangs of arousal she was beginning to feel.

"You ready Sar?" Nick asked.

His body almost fully aroused at just the thought of her writhing below him, moaning his name, her nails scratching down him back. Oh the scratch marks he had. He hadn't realized that they were there until the hot spray of water had hit his skin with a tinge of pain, aggravating the shallow wounds. He couldn't remember much from the previous night, but as time went by he was getting short flashes of her naked body and just how primitive and raw their mating had been.

He saw her nod her head, her hands clutching around her purse so tightly her knuckles were turning white with anxiety.

In Nick's pockets he had found two key cards, a valet stub for his truck, which was still at the club down the street, and a hefty credit card receipt for the rock that kept glistening on Sara's fingere die diamond would catch a ray of light, bright prisms marking the walls around her every time she moved. He really didn't want to admit how much the thought of her wearing his ring appealed to him. It was almost as satisfying as the dark round mark on the side of her slender neck. She kept fidgeting with it, her fingers pressing against it almost as if to relive the pressure.

She walked in front of him, his hand hovering on her lower back as they both exited the room with a sigh. They heavy door fought against the hydraulic spring holding it open until it finally closed with a soft click.

Both had felt slightly better after their showers and a cup of coffee which room service had brought up. Sara had handed him the steaming cup of hot liquid as soon as he walked from the bathroom. The fluffy towel had been wrapped around his hips, his body still dripping water from the shower.

Sara's eyes had glazed over with lust, their fingers touching as she handed him the thin porcelain cup. Her eyes were following the path of little water droplets falling from his dark hair, down the side of his neck and down the valley of his pecks. It slowly fell down each ridge of his tight stomach muscles until the cotton of his towel absorbed it. He had smiled at her knowingly, his thumb moving over her fingers in a soft caress as they both clung to the precious cup in their hands.

She jerked her hand back as soon as she realized what she was doing, as soon as she felt him tenderly stroking her skin. What was once an innocent gesture that he had done a million times, somehow felt like more. It was erotic, just knowing what those strong smooth hands could do to her body set her heart fluttering. Nothing between them was or would be innocent between them ever again. A wave of sadness passed through her, had they ruined their friendship by sleeping together? Would he still respect her and treat her like an equal?

She turned her back on him, needing to put some distance between her and the half naked man she loved more than she could admit to her self. She stood silently in front of the window, her pupils dilating as she took in the millions of flashing lights going up and down the strip. She could hear the wail of ambulances in the distance, car horns and loud music all melting together to make the city come to life. Nothing or no one in Vegas ever slept. She placed her palms flat on the glass, the cool night temperature slowly transfusing from the window to her hands.

The only had to wait a moment for the elevator to level off on the their floor, the metal doors dinging open into the empty space of the shaft. Both of them let their eyes roam around the somehow familiar space, both dark gazes settling on the space in the corner. They shifted on their feet, the plunge already starting in their stomachs as the elevator began its descent.

Nick looked to Sara, who was in turn looking at him, both of them flashing quick glances to that one spot. Why was that spot so familiar? They didn't, not in here? But then why was he getting an images of himself pushing her back against the wall, his hand stroking the inside of her milky smooth thigh as he devoured her neck and mouth.

"You don't think we..." He suddenly asked his words trailing off, not really sure how to approach the question. He coughed nervously before broaching onou dou don't think we... you know... in here?"

Sara would have thought his slow stuttering would have been adorable if it had not been for the subject matter. It was her turn to see the image of his large body filling her to the brim, her body shaking around him as she felt her self fall over the edge. She, Sara Sidle, screwed her partner in the elevator.

Her low groan of mortification filled the small space, echoing off the walls as she buried her head in her hands. The more she closed her eyes, the more images she saw and felt sweeping over her body. She could feel hirongrong arms supporting her weight as he slammed her back to the wall painfully.

She absently rubbed the small ache away, surprised to find it tender. She knew if she lifted her shirt she would have a bruise from the railing, evidence to support her theory. She'd pass; the tender ache between her legs was enough. She could feel his lips against her neck, teeth against the throg veg vein in her neck as he sucked it into his mouth.

She had spread her legs, wrapping them around his waist as he trailed his fingers under her skirt and up her quivering thigh. She remembered screaming out in the most intense pleasure she had ever felt as he plunged his thick shaft inside of her, his fingers brushing along her clit as he held her panties to the side.

Sara shook her head; lifting her eyes to Nick whom she was pretty sure was remembering the same thing. His pants certainly looked a bit snug around the crotch, tiny drops of sweat beading on his neck. His tanned skin was taking on a reddish hue, his eyes darkening. Was it just she or was it extremely hot in that elevator? She could hardly breath, the sexual tension choking her until she felt like she was going to pass out.

It was the startling ding of the elevator bell that echoed loudly in their hung over heads that made them jump. They were standing closer to one another then they both had realized, somehow drifting towards each other subconsciously through their shared memory. The metallic s gls glided open soundlessly, the bustlingly sound of the casino making them groan. Bells, whistles, the sounds of a million conversations going on at once, the sound of coins falling against metal; it was chaotic and making her head hurt even worse.

They step out of the elevator, suddenly both very aware of the other person. Sara noted how Nick's hair had dried so it was sticking up, slightly puffy from lack of gel. She found she liked it better this way, the short soft strands calling for her to run her fingers through it. He smelled like her, strong generic soap from the room. His face was smooth, obviously having shaved while he was in the bathroom; there was a distinctive scent of aftershave that she couldn't quite place. He looked just as good as he did when he had picked her up the previous evening. If she weren't there, she would have never guessed that he was hung over and exhausted, wearing the same clothes as he did the previous night.

Nick was aware of the tendrils of curls brunette tresses that were still drying around her shoulders. He liked it curly, natural. He could smell him self on her, masculine and deep. When she walked there was the slightest hitch as her thighs grazed one another, he doubted anyone else would have noticed. She was sore, had had said as much, and he didn't blame her. He too was feeling aches in his hips and thighs. He watched her walk slightly ahead of them, back held straight, her eyes roaming the scene around them as she looked for the check out station. To him, despite the dark circles under her eyes, she looked even more beautiful then she did when he had picked her up.

They walked towards the check out, Sara's flat heels clicking against the marble floor, her black skirt lapping at her knees. They were almost to check out when Sara felt a small tap on her shoulder. She turned her head, expecting to see Nick, but instead found a blonde woman near her age smiling at her. Sara looked to Nick, who just shrugged, taking a protective step toward Sara, wrapping his hand around her waist.

"I just wanted to wish you guys congrats again, it's hard to find true love in this city. But I can really see it in you two. It almost gives me hope for my future... maybe Mr. Right is out there." The young woman started to babble as if she was talking to long time friends. She had stars shining in her eyes as she looked at them admiringly. "Anyways, I'm surprised to see you guys out of your room though! You got in so late, figured you'd sleep the night away." She winked suggestively.

"Congrats again?" They replied at the same time making the woman before them smile even wider. Both Nick and Sara looked at each other, neither knowwhomwhom this person was. It was just another layer of fog in their already hazy memories.

She laughed, her elegant hand resting on her chest as she calmed her breathing. "Sorry, I'm Becky... I was working the front desk when you checked in. You guys were pretty distracted. Couldn't keep your hands off of each other, the sweetest thing I've ever seen. You two attracted quite a bit of attention, a couple like you two is hard to forget."

They look at each, still confused. Not enough sleep or coffee for them to be piecing together the facts. It was as if by mutual agreement, they would try to get a few more pieces of information. "Us, hard to forget? Um... what did we do?" Sara was almost afraid to ask and her tone conveyed that.

This gathered even more boisterous laughter from the blonde, her large blue eyes filling with clear tears. "We must have had 15 noise complaints about you two... but we didn't have the heart to break it up or tell you to keep it down. You only have your honeymoon once, and from the sound of things, you two really made the best of it."

"Oh god." Sara moaned, wondering if she could die of embarrassment. She looked to Nick for support, hoping he was finding this who experience as mortifying as her.

Nope. He just stood there smugly, looking as handsome as the devil, a large beaming smile of pride on his lips. She really couldn't wait to kill him.

"Besides... the whole elevator thing... very hot." She continued.

Sara choked, coughing wildly as her face turned beet red, "The elevator?" Dammit! Something did happen in that elevator; it wasn't just a very pleasant dream.

Panic flashed in Nick's eyes, his large hand patting against her back as he tried to get her to start breathing. It was just his luck, from the sound of things they had had one amazing night, and he could barely remember anything.

"Oh yeah," the woman kept laughing her stomach muscles starting to ache, "they keep playing the tape over and over in the surveillance room." Her eyes flashed approvingly over Nick's lean body, her eyes settling on his groin as a faint hue of blush lit her face. "It was... impressive. A little quick, but impressive all the same. That doesn't matter though, you proved your stamina later on if all those calls had anything to say about it."

It was Nick's turn to cough and blush, his hand automatically covering over the front of his pants where the woman's eyes were glued. He could feel Sara tense in his arms, her eyes flashing with jealousy and anger.

Sara turned her head tow Nic Nick, growling between tight lips, "I want those tapes. Now."

Nick didn't miss a beat before turning his attention back the bold stranger in front of them, "How much?" His dark eyes looked pleading at her, he would do what ever it took to get them back.

It was 25 minutes, $375 dollars and two calls from Grissom later that Nick and Sara sat tiredly in the Tahoe, both to shocked to say a single word. The image of their bodies melting together, the sight as Sara's long legs wrapped around his waist as he slammed into her again and again. Just the look on her face alone was enough to make him almost come right there in the surveillance room. It certainly wasn't what he had wanted for their first time together, but Becky had been right, it was hot and quick.

He wondered if there was anyway he could get away with taking the tape that had captured their indiscretion so nicely. He wanted something tangible for him to hang onto after she annulled the marriage and left him with bitter memories. He couldn't explain the jealousy he had felt walking into that room, the leering stairs that had been directed towards Sara, towards his wife. It had taken all his strength not to punch the bellhop when he had said something especially crude towards her. But punching him, while it would make him feel better, would not have gotten that damn tape back any faster or cheaper.

They stayed quiet for the remainder of the drive towards the crime lab, Sara sitting stiff as board in the seat next to him, her lip tucked between her teeth. He wondered if she had any idea how crazy she made him, how one look from her had his mind spinning for hours.

They pulled into the parking lot, both sitting still for a few minutes before they turned to look at one another. "You ready for this?" He asked gently, his hand moving to cup her cheek. He brushed his fingers over her skin, needing the contact as he pushed the curly strands behind her ear.

She nodded into his warm palm, his touch calming the part deep inside of her body that was screaming for him. Sara pulled away first taking a deep breathe as she fought through the last remaining waves of churning nausea in her stomach. She hoped that tonight wouldn't be especially hectic or gruesome; she wasn't sure how much she could handle. She did however make another vow. After she kicked Nick's ass, she was never drinking again.

wal walked side by side, their long legs creating a fast paced stride as their feet hit the concrete at the same time. He looked at her from the corner of his eye, watching as she played with the heavy ring still on her finger. She had tried to take it off, but it was stuck. The more she pulled, the bigger her finger got until it was red and irritated. He had slipped his off in the shower, looking at it closely before putting it back on his finger. He would wear his as long she wore hers.

"Still won't come off?" He asked, the front doors of the lab looking scarier and scarier by the minute.

"Yeah... I should just stop messin' with it, my finger is starting to hurt. I have no idea how you got this thing on my finger. I'll give it back as soon as I cat itt it off." She gave him a tiny smile.

"Keep it." He said nonchalantly, as if it was nothing.

Sara stopped walking, mouth hung open. "What? No way Nick. This must have cost a fortune. Save it for when you find someone you really want to marry."

Nick rolled his eyes, she was very non-observant for a criminalist. "I don't know how much it cost and I don't really care." He lied, knowingn wen well there was a credit card receipt in his pocket for $1500.00, "Maybe I already found the one I wanted to marry and married her. Ever think about that?" He asked seriously, his voice sounding tired and a little bit gruff. All he really wanted to do was to pull her into his arms and kiss her until they were both breathless. His body was starting a dull ache to be touching her, feeling her skin beneath his finger.

Sara rolled her eyes, mistaking the tone of his voice as playful. Even though she knew he wasn't serious, his words touched something inside of her heart. "Funny Nick. But I'm serious, I'm giving this back as soon as I can get it off." She started to walk again, not waiting for him to catch up as she strolled through the double glass doors.

A low whistle sounded directly in front of her as soon as she walked into the building. "Wow... nice legs Sidle." One of the lab guys said as he walked by, almost running into a cart of evidence in his distracted state.

Nick chuckled from behind her, his mouth close to her ear as he walked by. "See I told you, you had gorgeous ." H." He resisted the urge to pull her lobe into his mouth. "Come on Mrs. Stokes, we've got some good news to tell the gang."

Sara shivered at his words, at the breath that gently stroked her ear column. She felt a gust of air around her as he kept walking past her, turning his head to flash her a cocky grin.

"Nick, don't call me that." She laughed, suddenly feeling a little bit better about the whole situation. Could they still remain friends despite what had transpired between them? She thought they could.

*****

"YOU WHAT!" His voice could be heard all the way down the hall and into the small lab room, the windows shaking from the vibrations of his roar.

Catherine and Warrick looked up from the translucent lighted table they were working on, both sharing one look. "Nick and Sara hav have made it in. You think they got hitched?" Warrick asked coolly, one of his dark eyebrows quirked up as he studied Catherine's face for a response.

Catherine shook her head as she looked up from the blood splatter she was analyzing, pulling the clear plastic goggles to rest on top of her blonde head. She sucked in a tiny breath before she started to talk. "Well, if Grissom's response has anything to do with it, then yes. They were pretty trashed last night when they called, I mean it wouldn't surprise me if they did get married."

Warrick laughed, "Oh man, I wish I could have seen Sara's face when she woke up next to Nick, married no less. That would have been priceless, I wonder if he's still intact." He made a circling gesture towards his manhood.

Catherine let out a genuine laugh, her clear blue eyes sparkling, "Knowing Sara it's anyone's guess what she did to him."

"Grissom calm down... really my head is throbbing and you keep yelling." Sara said as calmly as she could. Her jaw was clenched in pain, all the blood in her body pounding in her head like a bass drum. Why was he getting so made about this? It was her life; she could go out and marry anyone she wanted.

Nick and Sara were standing in front of his desk, the door to his office shut as Grissom paced in front of it like a caged animal. Both Nick and Sara stood still, watching him go back and forth until they were crossed eyed. It was a long time re hre he spoke again.

"I think I need to sit down." He stated blankly, falling into the black chair, hands pushing through his thick disheveled hair. How could they be so stupid? He expected this kind of behavior from Nick, but not his Sara.

Sara looked at Nick before speaking, "Griss, its really not that big of a deal. We are going to go down to city hall and get it annulled. Do you know how many annulments take place in Vegas? I mean we were really drunk, we really don't even know how it happened."

Nick felt a stabbing pain hit him hard in the chest. He felt like he had just been struck with a fiery bolt of lightening. He didn't know why he was upset or surprised at her words; he knew that is what she was going to want to do. Why on earth would she stay married to him?

"Going out and getting married is huge deal Sara. What else happened between you two?" Grissom was hesitant to ask, but he had to know. He felt pain in his stomach clutching at his internal organs, the thought of his Sara with Nick, or any other man, making him sick. He couldn't take his eyes off of the sparkling ring on her finger, a finger that should have graced his ring.

He got his answer by the blush on her pale skin; by the way she was starting to fidget under his intense gaze. By the way they both stayed completely silent. They had had sex. He could see it now; it was as obvious as the difference between night and day. It was written all over Nick's face, he was a man thoroughly satisfied. He had a twinkle in his eye, his body looking more relaxed then he had seen in months. He was face was loose, a small shit eating grin hidden just barely under his masked face. He was standing close to Sara, too close. Just the he whe was looking at her should have tipped him off. Hell, when he had called they were in bed together. He had hoped, no prayed was more like it, that nothing had gone on between them.

"Nick, get out of my office. I need to talk to Sara in private." Grissom ordered, not even looking at Nick, his smoky blue eyes fixed solely on the tall brunette.

Sara wrapped her arms around her waist, not really wanting to be alone with him. He was acting like a jealous boyfriend, like a raging father who just found out the star college football player had knocked up his 16-year-old daughter. He had no right or say in her life. It was too little too late.

"Grissom, this concerns me as well. I'm not leaving her alone in here with you while your acting like this. We decided to tell you because you're our boss; it was a courtesy. We didn't come for your advice or approval. Sara's a big girl and she can make her own decision." Nick ranted angrily throwing his hands in the air.

"Is that why you got her drunk and took advantage of her?" Grissom stood, shouting, unable to keep the anger at bay anymore.

"I took advantage of her!?!" Nick shouted back, taking a step closer to Grissom, "I care about her more than anyone, I would never purposely hurt her and you know it. All you ever do Grissom is hurt her. You lead her on and then ignore her like she doesn't exist. You broke her heart time and time again, if anything its you who has taken advantage of her!"

The two men were squaring off, both with a rage in their eyes Sara had never really seen before. She needed to intervene before someone said or did something that they were going to regret.

"Guys!" Sara shouted, placing her self in the middle between Grissom and Nick, walking back wards so that Nick's chest was flush with her back. When there was a safe distance between them all she spoke again. "I am perfectly capable of making my own choi and and why don't you let me be the one to decided who is or isn't taking advantage of whom. I assure you Grissom, what ever happened or didn't happen between me and Nick was consensual and none of your business."

She felt like a rag doll, two vicious dogs tearing her from one end to the next. Why didn't one of them just pee on her and get it over with.

Grissom nodded solemnly, moving to sit in his chair, shoulders sagging. All three were silent, only the faint buzz of one of Grissom's beetles making noise in the office. Grissom slowly lifted his head, his tone coming out even and devoid of emotion.

"Well Sara, am I to assume sense you are such a 'big girl capable of taking care of your self' that you took the necessary precautions while," he paused trying to find the right wording, "you consummated your marriage?"

If you had blinked in the time it took for all the blood and color to drain from both of their ashen faces, you would have missed it. Sara felt as if is she had been sucker punched in the gut, the nauseous feeling she was fighting so hard to get rid of coming hurling back. She ran towards the trashcan, barely making it in time as she threw up the empty contents of her stomach.

Grissom didn't even flinch, sitting emotionlessly in his chair as he watched Nick sprint by her side. He rubbed her back soundlessly as she retched again, his mind a million miles away. In the two hours sense he had been awake, thoughts of birth control had never, not once, crossed his mind. He didn't notice any condom wrappers in the trash and from the video of the elevator; he had been bareback, feeling every inch of her depths with his flesh. If her throwing up in the trashcan had anything to say about it, she wasn't on the pill ei.
.

"You okay?" He asked softly, helping her to stand as he grabbed a white sheet of tissue from Grissom's desk.

Sara nodded her head wiping her mouth clean, unable to meet his gaze, "Ya... guess I'm still a little hung over. I'm gonna go wash my face then get a cup of coffee." She didn't look at either of them as she walked off, trashcan hugged to her chest, in a daze all her own.

Nick shot Grissom a dirty look that said, 'look at what you made her do? I hope your proud of yourself.'

"I'm trusting that you won't let this interfere with your professional relationship. We all have a job to do, and the last thing Sara needs is you to confuse her." Grissom said towards Nick's back as he walked out of the office.

Nick spun around, brown meeting blue, "Why don't you like Sara decide what's best for her. Nothing has changed between me and her, I still love her, and I'm not going to start treating her any different."

Grissom tightened his jaw in anger; there was absolutely nothing he could do. He had waited too long, had hurt her too bad to reconcile their relationship. In all his fears of not being enough for her, ad nad never gotten the chance to prove that he could have been. He dropped his head on the desk, closing his eyes and wishing for the morning to come. He wondered if Catherine would come over so he could talk, for once he needed to get some things off of his chest. He was tired of hiding behind a wall of emotions.

TBC...