It was Sunday afternoon, and Gil Grissom was walking down the boutique filled area of the Mirage Hotel called the Street of Shops. It was Sunday, February 13th, a day before the big V day, a "holiday" that he had long detested. "Just a marketing scheme made up by card makers." he thought. But it was different this year, this year he had a Valentine that he was madly in love with. He had a woman who could talk him into liking anything.

Trying to figure out what exactly what to get his Valentine wasn't easy. He's had given past girlfriends the obligatory roses, and chocolates, and stuffed animals (bug themed of course), but this girlfriend was different, and he didn't want to give her the usual.

After procuring the location in which he could make his purchase from Al Robbins, who he made promise not to tell anyone he had ask for such information, he was now there. Looking up at the store sign through his shades, hands deep stuffed deep into his jacket pockets, Gil took a deep breath and exhaled. As he was opening the door, he thought to himself, "The things I do for this woman."

Upon entry, he heard a high-pitched, "Welcome to La Perla, picking up something for the wife?"

Gil cleared his throat and stammered, "No a friend, I mean a girlfriend."

The blonde, clearly enjoying his discomfort, continued, "Well, she's a lucky gal not only because she has you as a boyfriend but she's about to get some very nice undergarments as well. We'll start over here, do you have something in mind?"

Gil reluctantly followed her, ignoring the smirks he got from other patrons in the shop, all of which were women. He was glad that they were thoroughly enjoying his embarrassed state. It was then that he realized just how whipped he was, because never in a million years did Gil think he would spend his Sunday afternoon at an upscale undergarment store. Never in a million years did he think he would refer to Catherine Willows as his girlfriend either.

Gil stopped dead in his tracks when he spotted it. It was a black mini slip, with a plunging neckline, and embroidered with small and subtle stylized butterfly.

The blonde came up behind him and said, "You like this one huh? It's made of silk chiffon, the tiny butterfly has swarovski crystal-"

"I'll take it." Gil interrupted.

Just like that he was done. He couldn't walk out that store faster if he tried.

Part 11
Monday Feb. 14th.

Catherine walked into her office to grab her purse before leaving work for the day. It was almost 5 p.m. and Gil had promise to call her after he picked Lindsey up from school. She was starting to worry. Walking into her office, she noticed something on her desk. Moving closer she saw that it was a kitten stuffed animal, holding heart shaped box of chocolates. Her heart skipped a beat as she picked it up. "Maybe he doesn't hate Valentine's day after all" she thought.

"So you like it? Does that mean I'm your Valentine?"

Startled, she turned around to see Greg's big grin, "Aw Greg, that was so sweet of you. Sorry sweetheart, I have a Valentine already."

Greg's face dropped. "Who? Where? I can take him."

Catherine laughed and gave him a peck on the cheek. "Thank you for this."

Mad that she got herself so worked up thinking it was Gil that had given her the stuffed animal and the fact that he hadn't called her, Catherine marched to her car.

"Ms. Willows?" A man asked. He was dressed in a black suit and was standing in front of a shiny black Lincoln holding the back seat door open.

"If Sam sent you, tell him I don't want to talk to him no matter how many limos he sends me."

"I wasn't sent by Sam. I was told to tell you Shrek is waiting for his Fiona?"

Catherine's anger quickly dissipated as she got the clue. Gil had jokingly referred to himself as Shrek and deemed her Fiona after Lindsey made them all watch both movies back to back.

Catherine got in the car.

After a short ride, the car stopped in front of the Venetian Hotel where Catherine was given a key card and was instructed to go to the penthouse suite. Catherine anxiously made her way up and when she entered the room, she was rendered speechless.

The room was dimly lit with candles scattered throughout. At her feet was the beginning of a trail of rose petals that led to a bed filled with more petals. She walk towards the bed, finding a black box with a big red bow on top.

"Open it." A voice whispered in her ear.

Surprised, she turned around to see Gil standing before her with two champagne flutes.

"Gil!"

"Open it." He insisted.

"This is all so much, God, and I thought you didn't like Valentine's day."

"I didn't, but it's easier to celebrate the day of love when you're in love. Now open your gift."

"But I didn't get you anything because you were so disgruntled whenever I brought up today."

"Cath, I've got all I need standing in front of me. Besides, that gift is as much for you as it is for me." He said cryptically, arching his eyebrow and giving her the infamous Grissom smirk.

Catherine untied the bow to reveal golden letter that spelled "La Perla" on the box. She gasped, putting a hand over her mouth. She couldn't decide what was more shocking, the fact that Gil-Mr. I-don't-know-who-Ralp-Lauren -and-Calvin-Klien-are would know about La Perla, or the fact that he had gone into the store presumably by himself to purchase it. It was her turn to give him the eyebrow.

"What? I can't know about such things as La Perla?"

She arched her eyebrows even further.

"Okay, okay, extra knowledge left over from a case. Now would you just open it please."

Catherine ripped open the package and held up the slip. Grinning from ear to ear, she kissed him on the lips and skipped off to the bathroom.

"I take it you like?" He yelled after her. He loved seeing her so giddy.

Moments later he heard her clear her throat. Gil turned around to see her standing, framed by the doorway of the bathroom, with one hand leaning on the door frame just above her head and the other hand on her hips. The slip had fit her as if it had been custom made, hugging every curve of her body. The plunging neckline provided maximum cleavage exposure, the slip stopped just above mid thigh, exposing miles of legs, and the sheer material played hide and seek with her most private parts. Gil felt his pants getting uncomfortably tight. It was the reflection off of the tiny crystals on the butterfly that snapped him out of his revere.

He closed in on her.

"It's beautiful." She whispered wrapping her arms around his neck.

"I know, the slip is alright too." He teased.

"Baby it's too much."

"I would have paid tripled." Gil countered before picking her up as she wrapped her legs around his waist. Their lips found each other as Gil carried her to the bed.

TBC?