Catherine sat down on the edge of the bed and reached for the lotion, allowing the towel to fall around her hips. Her skin glistened with tiny droplets of water and she squeezed some unscented lotion on her arm, rubbing it in. She thought he was asleep, but when his arm went around her waist and flung her backward onto the bed she knew he was awake.

"I thought you were still sleeping," she murmured after sharing a long kiss. "Didn't I wear you out?"

"No to both." He levered himself over her. "Don’t go to work. Stay with me."

"I can't. Grissom isn't there tonight, you're out tonight and I have to take shift." She gazed into his eyes, reading the desire. She leaned up and kissed him again.

They'd been lovers for a year now and no one at work knew. How they'd been able to keep it quiet, neither one knew. Even Lindsey didn't know the extent of their relationship. He was simply 'Mom's friend from work'. But they were both tired of hiding their love. All they had were these few stolen moments mostly at his place, but occasionally, if Lindsey was gone for the night, at hers. She couldn't remember the last time they'd spent an entire evening together as lovers, not as coworkers. She longed for the day when they could go out to dinner, hold hands, do all the things that lover's did. He wanted to move in with her; to help raise Lindsey, to share his life with her and she wanted the same thing. The only thing that stopped them was Grissom. Grissom and their jobs.

"Stay," he commanded, running his hands over her torso. "At least for a while." He glanced at the clock. "You still have time."

She giggled as his fingers found her ticklish spot. "No I don't. I have to do my hair and makeup."

"I don't want you to wear makeup. I don't like it when they stare."

"They do not stare."

"Yes, they do. You're beautiful and they stare. Hell, I stare." He kissed her neck, moving down and over her breasts. "I want you. I want you now. You can be late."

"I want you too. But I can't be late. Grissom'll have my hide if I am."

He levered himself up again and scowled. "I think I'm beginning to hate Grissom. He's keeping us apart."

Catherine reached up and caressed his cheek. "Don't hate him. He's my best friend. Don't make me choose between you and my friend. I can't do it."

"I don't want to make you choose." He looked down and sighed. "I love you, Catherine. And I'm damned sick and tired of hiding it. You are too. We talk about this everyday. Let's just make it official. Announce it and move on. I really don't think anyone will be surprised."

"I love you too. You know that. And I'd love to announce it to the world, but one of us will be out of a job. He'll transfer or fire one of us."

"Fuck my job! It's you I love, not that damned job."

Catherine didn't say anything; there was nothing she could say. She gazed into his incredible eyes. He knew her so well. And he'd been there for her lately in ways that no one else had. She reached up and kissed him, and then slid out of bed, heading towards his bathroom to finish getting ready.

She found him twenty minutes later in his kitchen, pouring himself a cup of coffee. She set her purse and coat onto the table and walked over to him. "You're right. It's time to come clean. We need to tell him. I don't want to live like this anymore."

He whirled around and faced her. "Are you sure?" he asked and walked over to her, looking down into her eyes. This was going to change everything. Part of him was afraid, but the majority of him couldn't wait.

"Yes, so this is how it's going to play out. You be Grissom. And I'll just say it. We are standing in front of you and you're Grissom."

"Okay, I'll be Grissom. This work?" He adopted his best Grissom-like pose.

She giggled. "You do him very well. Yes it works." She took a deep breath. "Ok, here goes. Grissom," she gestured to herself and the empty air beside her, "we're in love. We have been for over a year now. We're tired of hiding it. So this is your official notice. I know it's against regulations for two people who work together to have a romantic relationship, but I love him. Fire one of us, transfer one of us, I don't care. But we're not hiding it any longer." She smiled uncertainly at him. "How was that?"

"It was good. Great, in fact. Short and to the point." He gathered her in his arms. "I love you. I think he'll understand."

"I hope so," she sighed. "I hope this works out." She tilted her head for the kiss she knew he'd give her. She knew him so well. She knew his addictions, his weaknesses, his strengths, and she loved him all the more for it. Right now, she was going to borrow his strength to get through this.

"It will be." He released her. "Just remember that no matter what, I love you. I want to be there with you everyday. I want to openly show my love to you and to Lindsey. I want her to know about us, Cath."

"Me too. We can tell her together in the morning." She looked at her watch. "Shit, I'm gonna be late. I'll be in trouble. Call me later." She kissed him again and turned to get her purse and coat.

"I don't know why you always say that I'll be mad if you're late, Cath. It's not like I'm going to write you up or anything. Especially when I know it's because you were naked and panting in my bed earlier."

Catherine turned and smiled at him. "You might not, Gil. But I'm betting Grissom would. You know how he is. Stickler for the rules and all that. And I do not pant, I gasp."

Gil snorted with laughter. "Why in the hell you insisted on this Grissom at work and Gil at home thing, I still don’t understand. I'm the same man. Don't you ever get confused? And you do pant. But just so we don't argue, I'm fine calling it gasping."

Catherine giggled. "No. I know exactly whom I love." She walked back to him. "And you're right. You are the same man, but I get to see the Gil that no one else does." She leaned up and kissed him. "It's called gasping, Honey and if you're good, I'll give you a demonstration later."

Gil wrapped one arm around her, the other unbuttoning the top button of her shirt. "Give me a demonstration now."

"Can't. Someone will tell Grissom that I'm late and then I'll be in trouble."

"If Grissom knew why you were late, he'd understand. In fact, he'd probably give me permission to tie you to the bed." Gil trailed kisses down her neck.

"See, you like the whole Gil slash Grissom thing. Admit it. You're going to miss talking about yourself in third person."

"Maybe. I just want to stop hiding all the time." He released and stepped back, hating to lose physical contact with her, but knowing she had to leave. "So this was your official announcement?"

"Well to Grissom it was. We'll let the others find out when you're back tomorrow." She turned and walked to the door, blinking back the tears that always threatened when one of them had to leave. She loved him more than she'd loved anyone, ever. And she was almost giddy at the thought that they no longer had to hide those feelings from the people closest to them. She stopped halfway through the door and looked over her shoulder.

"I love you, Grissom."

"I thought you loved Gil."

Catherine slipped on her sunglasses and grinned at him. "Love him too. What can I say? I'm in love with two men."

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hope you enjoyed. Had fun writing it. Did any of you think Warrick? Or had you all figured it out before you got to that point? I thought Warrick writing it. Oh well.