Unremarkable

It was a hotel bar. Admittedly, it was a rooftop bar in Manhattan but it was a hotel bar all the same. It amazed me that from thirty stories in the air the noises of the city almost disappeared. Gil and I had been to a conference on the east coast and decided to take the weekend after to spend some time in the Big Apple. We'd spent three days being tourists, one of those devoted almost exclusively to the American Museum of Natural History, and this was our last night in town.

It was a beautiful early summer evening. The air was cool and the sky was remarkably clear. Twinkling fairy lights surrounded the bar and were twined in the potted plants scattered about the open space. The wrought iron tables held small hurricane lamps that cast pools of light in a seemingly random pattern across the rooftop. There were about twenty tables and over half of those were full. The buzz of conversation was augmented by the music being played from speakers strategically hidden behind the plants.

The time and place were remarkable.

The woman, however, was not.

Living in the land of glitz and glitter I had become immune to the plastic beauty that surrounded me. I think it was her lack of flash that made her special. She was short, pixie-ish even; with delicate features and a cap of sandy hair. She had an easy smile that crinkled her eyes at the corners and a laugh that was infectious. Her body, while trim, was not the stuff showgirls were made of. Maybe that's why I found her so attractive. I thought I had moved beyond that desire, until I caught myself looking at the sweet curve of her heart-shaped ass when she was taking an order at another table.

"What are you staring at?" Grissom's amused tone tugged me back to the here and now, back to the dimly lit bar where we were sharing a tiny corner table.

A blush heated my cheeks and I opened my mouth to deny what he was implying, but his knowing look stopped me. Closing my mouth with a snap I shrugged helplessly. I couldn't meet his eyes, choosing instead to study the trails of condensation on the beer bottle in front of me.

"How long has it been, Sara?" My head snapped up and I quirked an eyebrow in question. "How long since you've been with a woman?"

Lifting my chin, I struggled to hold on to my dignity. "What makes you think I have?"

With a shrug, Grissom replied, "Fair enough. If you've never been with a woman then how long have you fantasized about it?"

Taking a long drink, I gave him a smile. "Aren't you the one who said fantasies are best kept private?"

His response was cut short by the appearance of the woman in question. She raised her voice to be heard over the hum of conversation and the throb of music. "Can I bring you two another round?"

I started to shake my head but Grissom spoke up. "That would be good. And could you bring my wife a shot of Patron, please?"

She met my gaze, her eyes asking my permission. With a nod I answered her unspoken question. Her eyes were a smoky grey and they flitted down to check out my breasts before lazily returning to my mouth. I licked my lips and averted my eyes when I felt my nipples hardening against the lace of my bra. With a saucy grin she turned and walked away.

Grissom leaned over, his breath warm on my ear. "I can smell your arousal, my dear. And it's making me crazy."

His hand trailed up my thigh and I shuddered at the contact. I could feel another blush burning its way over my chest and face and I silently cursed my fair skin. "You can stop trying so hard. You are so getting lucky tonight."

"You know what would make me feel very lucky?" He nuzzled the sensitive spot behind my ear and his beard tickled my neck. I knew what he was going to say but shook my head anyway. "To watch you with her."

I couldn't control the gasp that escaped me or the increasingly damp state of my panties. I stammered, "That's like...like every b-bad...porn movie...ever...ever made." Certain that he was joking, I studied his face. His sincerity was confirmed in the intensity of his gaze.

His hand was stroking my thigh, his fingers brushing against my crotch before dancing away. Back and forth his hand moved while his words tickled against my ear. "You have it all wrong, Sara. I take pleasure in your pleasure. There is nothing pornographic about that."

I swallowed convulsively and my eyes slid closed. "What would you call it then?"

He gave my earlobe a gentle nip. "Erotic."

The thump of a full beer bottle hitting the table had my eyes flying open. I met the gaze of our waitress. There were many things swirling in the depths of her grey eyes -- amusement, wariness, lust. It seemed that she knew what Grissom was whispering in my ear. Instead of sitting my tequila on the table, she held the glass out and waited for me to take it. When my fingers brushed hers I felt a heat that radiated up my arm. I pulled back quickly but not before she saw that heat flare in my eyes.

With a knowing smile, she said, "That one's on me. Let me know if you want anything else." Her tone was more than suggestive. I think she almost purred. And while that should have scared me, it merely put a throb between my thighs. She turned and walked away, her hips swaying just a little more than they had when we first arrived. I'm no stranger to being hit on. I've been hit on by both men and women. I do live and work in Vegas after all. I've been propositioned by some of the smoothest talkers you'll ever find but none of them have affected me the way she did.

I pulled the lime slice off the side of the shot glass, my fingers trembling so hard that I almost dropped it. Bringing the glass to my lips I threw my head back and let the liquor burn its way to my stomach. I followed it up with a hard suck on the lime. Grissom's eyes were glued to my mouth and I would swear I heard a soft moan escape him when my lips closed over the fruit.

With an effort, I gathered my thoughts and focused on the man next to me. Shooting him a wicked grin, I leaned over and gave him a quick kiss, surprised when he deepened it. He pulled back, his eyes roaming over my face, and murmured, "Pick her up, Sara. Bring her back with us. Let me watch."

I could see the heat in his gaze, the blatant desire. I wanted her and he wanted this. All I had to do was convince her to spend a couple of hours with us. So...I did.

)()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()(

Grissom and I left the bar at closing time. I was a little tipsy but I'd been indulging in small amounts of liquid courage. Grissom, on the other hand, was stone cold sober. The arrangement was for Melinda to come to our room when she had finished closing up. I was shaking with nervous excitement on the elevator ride. Grissom stood beside me, one arm wrapped around my waist, with a small smile playing over his full lips.

"Maybe I should go back up there and tell her I changed my mind," I blurted.

He gave a slow nod and turned his head to look at me. "Have you changed your mind?"

I bit my bottom lip, worrying it between my teeth. "Yes. No. Oh hell, I don't know!" I felt like I was whining but couldn't seem to care. "I mean, don't you think that this is wrong?" When he gave me a confused look I continued, "I made a vow to you, a promise to be faithful. This just seems like infidelity to me."

The elevator door opened on our floor and we were both silent as we made our way to our room. When the door closed behind us, Grissom turned me to face him and cupped my cheeks in his hands.

His eyes bored into mine. "Do you love me, Sara?"

I gave him a soft smile. "Of course I do. More than anything."

"Are you being open with me about this?" I nodded. "Do you intend to run off with this woman?" At that I shook my head. "Then I don't consider this to be infidelity." His thumbs stroked my cheeks. "Now, if you were to have sex with another person, male or female, without my knowledge that might be different. And if you were to share...yourself, your true self, with another I would definitely consider that a problem."

I searched his eyes, looking for the truth. With a sigh, I wrapped my arms around his waist and rested my head on his chest, breathing in the scent that was Grissom, spicy and warm and pure male.

He placed a kiss on top of my head. "You don't have to do this, my love. And if you really don't want to then we won't." He paused for a moment and then added, "This is only fun for me if it's fun for you. Your pleasure is my pleasure, remember?"

I nodded but didn't say another word. I allowed myself to sink into his embrace, loving the security of being held by him, loved by him. But my nerve endings were thrumming with excitement, with the draw of the unknown. I pulled away and wandered aimlessly for a few minutes before coming to rest in front of the window. The lights of the city were spread out before me, running off into infinity in every direction. I stood there, my hot forehead pressed against the cool glass. I could feel Grissom behind me, hovering but not touching. Finally, he placed his hands on my hips and rested his chin on my shoulder.

"I meant what I said, Sara. You don't have to do this if you don't want to."

With a smirk and a slight shrug, I said, "Oh, I want to. I just hope you still feel the same way when it's over." I swallowed. "That and...I'm afraid I won't know what to do."

"My god, I love you," Grissom growled and ground against my ass. "And, sweetheart, I think you'll figure it out."

We stood there for a few minutes, silence enveloping us, watching as the lights blinked on and off below. Feeling his arousal only added to my own and I became more committed to my decision with every passing moment.

By the time the knock came on the door, I had taken a quick shower and slipped on some shorts and a tank top in an effort to be more comfortable. I wasn't sure about donning something sexy. That just felt wrong somehow. The thought that I was preparing for this the same way I prepared for sex with Grissom flitted through my mind. The irony wasn't lost on me and I found myself laughing as I was getting dressed.

Grissom answered the door and ushered her into the room. I was sitting on the too stiff couch that graces most hotel suites, sipping on a bottle of water. I gave her a nervous smile and mumbled a quick hello. She grinned and came to a halt in the middle of the room. For some reason she didn't appear to be nervous at all. Maybe, probably, this wasn't her first time.

"Would you like a drink?" Grissom's voice cut through the silence, startling me out of my reverie.

Melinda shook her head. "No. I'm fine." She paused for a moment her eyes moving between Grissom and myself, taking in everything around her. Finally she said, "I'd like to freshen up if you don't mind."

Grissom and I sat on the couch, his hand on my thigh, my head on his shoulder, while we listened to Melinda as she moved around the bathroom. We could hear the toilet flushing and water running and I knew she was cleaning herself for me, much the same as I had done for her. I'm not sure where my head was at this point. I was nervous and excited and incredibly horny.

As if sensing my indecision, Grissom murmured, "There's still time to change your mind." When I looked up at him he said, "I don't need this. I'm more than happy with our sex life. Don't do this because you think it's what I want."

Inexplicably, tears filled my eyes. I didn't have the words to tell him how much he meant to me in that moment so I leaned forward and settled my lips over his. It was a slow, thorough expression of my love. And I do believe he got it. A few minutes later, Melinda emerged from the bathroom and I rose to meet her. We stood there for a few very long seconds; watching, waiting to see who would make the first move. Just as my resolve began to falter, she spoke.

"Will your husband be joining us?" Her voice was low and husky and I felt it in the pit of my stomach.

Glancing back at Grissom who was still sitting on the couch, I shook my head. "No." There were so many other things I could have said. But I realized that sharing my body with her didn't mean I had to share anything else. In that moment I understood what Grissom was saying before.

With a brief nod, and an unmistakable look of disappointment, she murmured, "Okay," and her hands found my waist.

I didn't kiss her. Oh no. She kissed me. Her kisses were very different from Grissom's; different but oh so good. Her lips were softer, gentler, and there was no beard rubbing against my cheeks. She tasted like coffee and chocolate and something forbidden. My hands moved to rest at her waist while she sampled me, slow, teasing sips that stopped just short of satisfying. For a long time we simply stood there, heads tilting this way and that, until I thought I would go crazy with the desire for more. I was shocked at the need blazing through me. I moaned and dragged my tongue along her lower lip. When she opened her mouth to me I realized that my fears were unfounded; kissing her felt natural.

Slowly, I began to relax, my muscles loosening under her stroking hands. A familiar tingle began between my thighs and I shifted, spreading my legs, moving closer as if seeking her heat. Her breasts were pressed against my chest and I thought briefly of how I must feel to Grissom. I wanted to touch her skin, wanted to know if she would be soft and silky under my hands. I found the hem of her t-shirt and tentatively stroked her warm flesh. She was firm where Grissom would have been a little soft. She was curved where he was not. She was sleek and fluid and incredibly sexy.

My hands were under her shirt now, skimming over her ribs and she was purring against my mouth. I found her breasts and cupped them in my hands. The weight of them felt foreign and yet so very familiar. How many times had I held my own breasts in my hands? I slid my thumbs over her nipples and sighed when she pressed them harder against my seeking hands. How many times had I felt my own nipples harden to my touch? I wanted nothing more than to slide my tongue over them. I pushed up the fabric of her shirt, reluctantly pulling my mouth from hers to lift it over her head. Her breasts were smaller than mine but pert, her nipples dark behind the peach lace of her bra. I couldn't take my eyes off her. I watched, mesmerized, as she reached behind her to loosen the clasp on her bra. She removed the garment and dropped it on the floor.

Before I could react, she pushed her hands underneath my shirt, pushing it up and over my head. We were both bare from the waist up and, while I was incredibly aroused, I had to fight against the urge to cover myself with my arms. I didn't have much time to dwell on my discomfort because Melinda cupped my breast and pulled my nipple into her mouth. Instinctively, I wound my fingers through her hair, groaning at the pulse of pleasure moving through me, pulling her head closer. She suckled and I felt the tug of her lips in every nerve ending. Each lap of her tongue was answered by a throb between my legs.

Suddenly, I had to see the rest of her. I fumbled with the button on her jeans, my shaky hands making the job harder than I thought possible. She lifted her head from my breast and I shivered as the cold air of the room rushed over the wet tip. With a gentle smile, Melinda pushed my hands away and finished what I had started. Within moments we were both naked and I took in the sight of her for the first time. My hands fisted at my sides. I was so aroused that it was almost painful but I wasn't sure what was supposed to happen next. If this were Grissom I would know what to do. I would know how to touch him, how to go from standing in the middle of the room to tangled in the sheets.

"Bed?" My voice was hoarse and I hardly recognized it. I wondered what Grissom was thinking about right now and my eyes sought him out. He was reclined in a corner of the couch. His erection was straining at the front of his pants and his breathing was rapid. Above his beard, his cheeks were flushed and his eyes were blazing blue fire. He was staring at me with such naked adoration that I was momentarily breathless. Holding his gaze with mine, I mouthed the words, "I love you." With a smile, he responded in kind.

I felt the tug of Melinda's hand on mine. She was pulling me toward the bed and I was helpless to do anything but follow. Somehow I managed to climb on the mattress and then we were stretched out together, face to face. She let me set the pace now, let me indulge my curiosity. I was tentative at first, my hands skimming over her curves. My fingers tingled at the contact and I could feel my heart pounding, racing out of control. Using my hands, I learned her body; the shape of her breast, the dip of her navel, the soft skin of her inner thighs. I licked and kissed my way from her lips to the tips of her breasts, sucking and nipping until her nipples were hard peaks. My thigh slid between her legs and she ground down against me and I relished the feel of her wetness against my leg. I wanted to taste her, wanted to feel her against my tongue.

I was awkward and unsure but determined. Her skin was like satin under my hands. She was warm and smooth and so very responsive. I kissed and licked my way down her body, slowly, hesitantly, pausing now and then to gauge her reaction. Her eyes, when she opened them, were heavy-lidded with desire and she encouraged me with whispered words and a soft smile. I reached the apex of her lean thighs and paused. I could smell her musk and it both excited and scared me. I felt her hand on my head and rose up to look at her face.

"You know what you like?" I gave a nod. "Then just do that. You can't really get it wrong."

Her smile and the desire in her eyes strengthened my confidence. I bent my head and dragged my tongue over her swollen lips. She tasted of cheap hotel soap and dark, sultry nights. Her hips twitched and I heard her groan. Vaguely, from a distance I heard Grissom echo the sound. Letting her guide me, I responded to her moans and sighs. Quickly, I found her clit and sucked it between my lips. That seemed to make her crazy. She was shoving her hips up and grinding against my mouth. Now I knew why Grissom would put his arm across my stomach sometimes. I was having a hard time following the movements she was making. So I did what I knew. I placed my left arm over her writhing body and I slid two fingers into her. I pumped them slowly in and out, curling them up just a little. Then I found it, that sweet spot that made her gasp. And there we were, my arm across her hips, my mouth on her clit and my fingers brushing over her g-spot.

When she came I was overcome by a myriad of emotions. I lay there for a few minutes, my head resting on her flat stomach, and breathed in the sweet, clean scent of her release. Then she was tugging at my hair and I moved up to lie beside her. She kissed me, moaning when she tasted herself on my mouth. I touched her, sliding my hands over her skin and loving the feel of it under my palms.

Melinda matched me stroke for stroke. Her tongue slid over my throat and down the slope of my breasts. Her hands drifted over my body, along the dip of my waist, over my hip and the curve of my ass, along my thigh. But when I felt her slim fingers dancing over my clit I almost came undone. Her touch was feather light, a mere breath, and I was arching into her hand, begging for more. She calmed me with soothing noises and slow, deep kisses. Then she began again. This time, she moved over my body with her mouth. Moist kisses between my breasts, slow licks over my belly, and sharp nips on my thighs. And when she spread my legs and ran her tongue over my pussy I fisted my hands in the sheets and held on.

For an instant I thought about how different her touch was as compared to Grissom's -- but only for an instant. In the next second my entire being was focused on the feel of Melinda's tongue on my clit. She definitely knew what she was doing. With both hands holding my legs apart, she devoured me. For what felt like hours, she suckled and licked and teased until I thought I would go crazy from the need for release.