The Eleventh Hour - by Midnight Caller

The Chinese food was beginning to lose its taste, but Catherine continued to nibble at it, mostly as an automatic activity. Her mind was too busy sorting out the evidence spread out over the table in front of her: photos, medical and police reports, laboratory results. It seemed endless, and most of all, hopeless. Despite her boredom with the case, she hadn’t minded spending four hours sitting over Gil Grissom’s living room table, formulating theories and evaluating possibilities. Normally the thought of spending an evening with Gil was about as inviting and comforting as sandpaper underwear, yet tonight was just… different. There was an energy buzzing in the room that she couldn’t explain.

Eventually she gazed across the couch to look at him, his chin resting in his hand, eyes attentive to every detail of what he was reading, his brain churning. His speckled hair was tousled slightly, and fell over his forehead in a way in which Catherine could only describe as sexy. He didn’t seem to notice her watching him, which only made the entire situation more alluring. He was so secretive all the time that this seemed like a rare glimpse into the enigma known as Gil Grissom. They were co-workers, acquaintances, sure, and even friends. Good ones, too, as she had discovered over the course of the last few months. Maybe he wanted to share things with her but didn’t know how. There was something between them, but most of the feelings hid behind his standoffishness and her own acute defenses. Even after considering the length of their friendship, she couldn’t figure out what it was about him that she found so striking. Sometimes he drove her nuts; other times she wanted to pin him down on the break room table and ravish him. How could she be so emotionally confused over a social misfit who participates in bug races?

Well, the man was damned attractive, his boyish, innocent face acquiring its magnetism from the mystery that hid beneath the surface and behind those beautiful, engaging eyes. When you talked, he listened, his eyes hearing as much as seeing, swallowing up all of your output, reading you like a well-worn novel. When he walked, he swaggered like a cowboy, but did so unbeknownst to himself. The physical appeal all somehow contradicted his cool demeanor, unequalled intelligence, and thorough geekiness. Was he really that unaware of how attractive he was? How could someone get so excited about insects and electrocuting pickles, yet be so reluctant to share the secrets of his own life? Perhaps the most appealing thing about him was his absolute conviction and commitment to his work, but Catherine’s draw to him had to be something else, it had to be. What? What was it? And why did she feel so compelled to justify her attraction?

Now that it was just herself and Grissom – alone – her body began its familiar routine; a glowing, exciting heat began spreading throughout her body, originating from between her legs. She blushed slightly when she felt it start. The proximity to him didn’t help hinder the auto response, which always kicked into overdrive whenever she could smell the faint aroma of dryer sheets on his shirt, the scent of soap on his skin, or found herself aroused simply by watching the rise and fall of his chest as he sighed. At work she could walk away, but not here.

The bodily routine turned into ancient ritual when the air between them was so thick with tension that she almost had trouble breathing. This was one of those moments when she wanted to sit him down and tell him everything. Hold his face in her hands, and tell him that she felt for him in a way she had never felt for anyone else. Tell him that she loved his tenaciousness and stubbornness even though they drove her absolutely crazy. Tell him she loved the way he got so serious about everything, yet could loosen up with one roller coaster ride. Tell him she had forgiven him for not telling her about Eddie. And she would tell him that ever since the day he physically tore her ex-husband off of her in that hallway, she may even love him.

It was just as she was running that last tingling thought over in her head that Grissom sighed heavily and took off his glasses. Setting them down on the table he began rubbing his eyes with one hand, while with the other he started to massage one side of his neck. Well, at least he was as frustrated with this case as she was. With his eyes closed, he tipped his head toward the ceiling and continued to rub the tension out of his muscles. Catherine found herself full-out staring at him, loving the way the light fell on his face and softened it, taking away the anger and all the years of pain in just seconds. He looked so young, so innocent, so incredibly… sexy.

At last, he did open his eyes, and blinked as he looked across at her. Even though her smirk and blush gave her thoughts away, Catherine didn’t flinch at all, didn’t bother to look the other way. Something told her she should, but her eyes were locked with his.

Finally, he spoke. “What?” he asked quietly, his self-consciousness surfacing as he automatically raised the invisible guard that protected his secrets. Her eyes continued to probe. He knew she had been looking at him for a while and that scared the hell out of him. Something was going on behind those eyes of hers. “Catherine?”

Her name from his lips shook her from the trance. She blinked rapidly and cleared her throat, looking down at the table. “Sorry,” she mumbled, trying not to look back up at him. Her charade continued for the next few seconds, until she felt his gaze boring through the top of her head.

Catherine finally raised her eyes, but to her disappointment, found him back in his massage position. “Dammit, Gil,” she wanted to say, “Stare back at me, tell me you want me, say something, do something.” She couldn’t take it anymore.

Grissom was caught off-guard by the warm hand on his shoulder and the sudden scent of woman – not just any woman, but the one he had been sharing the evening with – and opened his eyes, expecting to see the ceiling light. Instead, it was Catherine, her silky hair falling around her face as she gazed at him. “Just relax,” she whispered, and he tried, despite the instinctual desire to reach out and touch her back.

She gently moved closer to him on the sofa, and as she sat up on her left leg her thigh just barely grazed his, sending a shiver up her spine. She placed her hand back on his shoulder, continuing the massage she had started. His other hand was still on one shoulder, and she gently pushed it aside, replacing it with her own.

The skin of her hands felt like silk, and her light perfume of soap and whatever it was she was wearing began to work its magic on him. His eyes slipped back shut again as she kneaded harder into his shoulder, targeting a decade-old knot of anxiety and stress. It hurt like hell, but he refused to make any gesture of protest. Her hands on him felt too good for him to want it to stop.

“God, Gil, you’re tight,” she breathed into his ear, igniting a fire of nerves that shot from his head down the length of his entire body like electricity. He groaned slightly, trying to cover it as a mumbled response to her comment. She moved one hand up his neck, rubbing in slow, deep circles that continued to push his urges into overdrive. If she knew what was she doing to him… He hoped she realized that this was turning into much more than just a massage. Was he supposed to be responding somehow?

Before he could form an answer, her neck rub moved to the base of his skull. She slowly fingered through his hair, teasing the peppered curls, lightly running her nails along his scalp. God, did he love having his head rubbed. The sensation set off all kinds of shockwaves over his entire body, and he bit his lower lip in response. If she didn’t already know she was turning him on, she would soon see obvious evidence if she kept up doing what she was doing.

Her breath caressed his ear as she continued her teasing, and he knew she was only inches from him. He slowly opened his eyes and turned his head to his right, finding himself mere millimeters from Catherine’s eyes. They returned his gaze with a heat and desire all their own. Shifting slightly to the side on the couch, he reached over with his hand and gently placed it on her cheek. He stroked her skin lightly, marveling at the smoothness, how it blushed at his touch.

She resisted the urge to shut her eyes, focused instead on the volumes being spoken by Gil’s expression. Those gloriously secretive eyes were wide open, focused intently on her, welcoming her in. His guard was down, but he projected the vulnerability as an invitation for her to do the same, to let him read her in the same way. She silently conceded.

Catherine’s nerves ached as the tension between her and Gil became unbearable, and she
slowly leaned forward, gently pressing her lips against his. After a long moment she
drew back. He looked drunk with desire, his eyes half-closed, and the two of them couldn’t help but smile at one another. She felt his hand snake around her neck, pulling her in again. This time the union was stronger, more urgent. His breathing grew heavier, mimicking her own. The heat she felt from his lips only intensified her longing, and she deepened the kiss.

His tongue gently caressed her bottom lip as he enjoyed the absolute softness of her mouth, finally satisfying years of repressed curiosity and desire. She opened her mouth and grazed his teeth with her tongue before meeting his own. They continued to kiss, tongue against tongue, reveling in the roughness and the pure eroticism that was being released in their heat. Catherine folded her arms around Gil’s neck, bringing him even closer. She delighted in the feel of his hands on her back, the gentle squeezing that accompanied each thrust of his tongue into her mouth.

Gil shifted onto to his back and wrapped his arms around Catherine, drawing her entire body onto top of his. His mouth never left hers, and he thought he might never get over the sensation of kissing her, how incredibly erotic yet comforting it was to be so close to her.

She slowly withdrew her mouth from his, noticing then how much she missed the contact, the touch. Her lips were swollen and throbbing, her breaths short and rapid, her lids half closed.

God, she looked beautiful when she was aroused. Gil had only seen glimpses of this unguarded Catherine at work, when she argued with him and her face became red and blushed, or when he caught her in deep thought while he watched from afar. But now she was here, with him, and he couldn’t believe it. Every nerve in his body wanted her, wanted to be inside her, longed for her touch, her heat. Her hair tickled his face as she shifted above him, and he instinctively pressed his nose forward and closed his eyes, taking in her scent. Strawberries. He would never forget the way she smelled, the way she felt. When he opened his eyes he saw her sitting astride him, looking down into his eyes. His hands reached out for her hips, and when he found them he slowly massaged the area, still keeping his eyes on hers.

She reached down to his hands and took them in hers, bringing them up to top button of her shirt. He read her eyes, and without a word began to slowly undo each button one by one. When he had finished, he pushed aside the shirt and gazed upon her breasts, suspended beautifully in a black satin bra. All he could do was take in the sight of her.

Catherine sensed his hesitation, and while she didn’t mind being ogled at, she took Gil’s hands in hers and placed them on her chest. Her eyes met his, and she mentally nodded her approval. He responded by gently cupping her breasts, and she involuntarily arched her back, surprised at just how incredibly good his hands felt on her. He had continued to surprise her ever since he let her massage his shoulders. His touch was so tender, his kissing so amazingly passionate… she smiled at the thought of what else he could do well.

He decided to go for it, and reached around Catherine to the back of her bra. The fastener came apart easily, thank God, and he slowly pulled each end around to the front. The satin cups fell from her body and revealed the most perfect breasts Gil thought he’d ever seen. The sudden chill of being naked caused her nipples to come to attention; pink, perfect, reminders of how he was making her feel. He hadn’t done this in a long time; reassurance was good.

The warmth of his hands on her bare skin was almost unbearably pleasurable, and Catherine couldn’t suppress the moan of happiness that escaped her lips. She responded by grinding her hips into his, eliciting a groan from her partner. When she was finally able to open her eyes, she realized how much she loved the sight of him below her like this, between her legs, touching her, making her feel this good. Then she realized he was far too overdressed.

As if touching Catherine wasn’t sensory overload in and of itself, her hands on his skin was nearly enough to burst Gil’s nerves from sheer excitement. With each button she undid, he felt his need for her growing between his legs. By the time she was done and had pushed his shirt aside, he had a full-blown erection begging to be released.

She didn’t think unbuttoning his shirt would arouse her so much, but then she didn’t expect the well-built chest and abs that stared back at her. And then she felt him grow hard beneath her. That pushed her over the edge. Catherine reached down to Gil’s shoulders and pulled up gently.

He complied, and sat up straight until his torso met hers, skin against skin. It was overwhelming, her nipples rubbing against his chest, her soft stomach caressing his. He nuzzled her neck, taking in her aroma, nibbling here and there, kissing everywhere in between, and using his tongue to make ticklish little circles all over her collarbones. He loved how she giggled with each flick of his tongue. Finally he worked his way back up to her mouth, which he quickly covered with his own. This kiss was more than a simply joining of mouths; it was soulful, penetrative, and almost violent in intensity. In the midst of the moment, he found her tongue and took it into his mouth, sucking hard, sliding his teeth up and down the slippery surface. He must have surprised her, and she groaned into his mouth, breathing in deeply through her nose and pulling his head closer.

Finally their kiss ended and they stared at one another. There was no question about what was going to happen between them. Catherine again shifted on Gil’s lap, grinding against his hot erection with such intensity that he almost lost control all over the inside of his boxers.

Keeping her eyes on his, she got up from the sofa and stood in front of him, still breathing heavily. With a shrug of her shoulders her shirt fell to her feet. Gil’s mouth nearly fell open. She then raised an eyebrow and signaled with her finger for him to come toward her. He couldn’t help but smile at her “come hither” look, and gladly got up from the couch, standing inches from her. With a fluid movement, she removed his shirt from his body completely, letting it fall to the floor. Not one to leave out any opportunity to tease, she let her fingernails graze his chest as she worked her way downward. He took in a sharp breath of air through his teeth. Glancing at his groin, Catherine reached for the belt, and slowly undid the buckle. She glanced back up at Gil and then continued the mission at hand, moving to his pants zipper. Careful to go slowly over the now tented pants, she slid them down until they joined his shirt on the floor. For a moment she look at him standing there in his boxers, the shape of his erection pointing toward his stomach. As she moved for the boxers, he grabbed her hands, holding them in his. “You next,” he whispered, and raised one eyebrow. His grin only made her smile, and she mocked fright as he moved toward her.

With one hand he lightly ran his fingers against her chin and along her lips, before tracing a line down the front of her neck, leaving little shocks of electricity wherever he touched her. He passed her collarbone, continued between her breasts, and lightened his touch as he got to her bellybutton. Catherine gasped slightly at the sensation. Her pants were fairly easy to unfasten, and he undid the fly with incredulous patience… he wanted to savor this as long as possible. As he slid her pants off her hips, he knelt before moving them past her knees and ankles. She stepped out of them, and looked down at him with the sweetest face he’d ever seen. Without really knowing why, he wrapped his arms around her waist and leaned his head against her stomach. He felt her kiss the top of his head, and he held on even tighter.

Finally, he turned his face toward her and lightly touched his tongue to her bellybutton. She giggled and tried to get away from him, but he held her tight. “Get up here,” she ordered, and he raised himself to his feet. Catherine slid her arms under his and pulled him against her, resting her head on his chest. She felt his hands caressing her back, sliding up and down with a tenderness that almost brought her to tears. She did love him, she knew for sure. And now, she was just as sure that he loved her too. This felt so perfect, so… good… she wished she could freeze this moment forever.

She finally let her arms go loose and he cupped her face with his hands, looking down into her watery eyes. Without a word, he understood everything. He leaned forward and kissed her, lightly at first, then increasing the depth as they continued. Her breasts rubbed against his body, and his hardness pressed against her abdomen, sending a few shockwaves through his system.

He loved her. He wanted her. Now.

He broke the kiss and connected with her eyes again. Without breaking eye contact, she slid off her panties. He responded with one swift motion, removing his boxers. Now she couldn’t help but direct her eyes downward. The sight of him aroused was sexy beyond description, and she licked her lips in anticipation.

She loved him. She wanted him. Now.

With both hands, she pushed him back onto the couch. Stepping forward, she slowly straddled him and sat onto his legs. They kissed again, vigorously. Catherine reached down between them and took him in one hand. He made a hissing sound as he breathed in, and his head fell backward as his eyes slipped shut. “Oh, God…” he whispered, almost to himself, as she continued to stroke him. Her eyes never left his face; she needed to see what she was doing to him. Finally being able to speak, he called her name. “Catherine…” She leaned forward.

“Yes?” she replied, still touching him.
There was a long pause as he tried again to speak coherently. He opened his eyes and looked directly at her. “I love you.”

Even though she knew it was true, she never expected it to sound so good coming from his lips. His lips. She joined hers to his for another kiss. He rubbed her shoulder with one hand as they looked at each other for the countless time.

“I love you,” she finally said, trying to catch her own breath. They kissed again, briefly, and when she withdrew her lips his eyes slipped shut again, trying to sort out the sensations her hand was producing. “Gil,” she said quietly, and he opened his eyes again. “I want you. I need you. Now.”

He looked more surprised than pleased, but only because he never expected to hear those words from her. He watched with absolute fascination as she raised her body off his legs, and then lowered herself onto him. The volts of electricity produced by their union was overpowering, nearly paralyzing Gil in a permanent state of bliss.

She never thought a man inside her could make her feel so… whole. It was more than his size, it was him, Grissom, Gil. When she had completely lowered herself onto him she began to slowly rock back and forth. He inhaled loudly and grabbed her hips, guiding her along. As she continued to grind into his groin, her clit rubbed against his pelvic bone with each thrust, and she found herself not even wanting to take it slow. Keeping her eyes closed to concentrate on the amazing nervous stimulation going on all over her body, she rode him harder and deeper with each passing thrust.

God, had it been that long? His whole brain was buzzing, trying to process the sensations shooting up through his body. He loved being inside of her, and she was humping against him so hard he thought he might not be able to hold on long enough. She leaned forward, almost against his chest, and breathed into his ear. “You feel so good…” she moaned, her eyes still closed. He felt himself getting closer; her face conveyed a beautiful expression of absolute pleasure.

“Catherine…” he breathed into her hair falling around his cheeks. Each time she rocked, taking him in, he felt closer to the edge. “Catherine,” he said again, and she finally opened her eyes. “Look at me…” With half-closed eyes she fixed her gaze onto his. He could tell she was close and deepened his thrusts, eliciting a deep, growling moan that formed somewhere in the back of her throat.

Moments later, her eyes suddenly widened and her breaths came in shallow puffs of air. Gil cupped her face, making sure she kept her eyes open as she milked him over and over, her inner muscles shuddering around his erection. With her completion, it was impossible for him to hold on any longer, and with one last thrust he emptied into her.

She felt his warmth inside of her, and for that moment their eyes became true windows. She watched as his mouth fell open and he groaned with the pleasure of his orgasm. The love and care embodied in his eyes produced a lump in her throat. She gently caressed his cheek, wiping away the perspiration.

Still inside of her, he pulled her into his arms, onto his chest. He kissed the top of her head and wished he could freeze this moment forever. Feeling and seeing her come was the most intimate moment he’d ever had. He really did love her, more than he had ever thought possible.