A/N: What can I say? Thunderstorms are inspiring. :)
Despite any resemblances to recently published stories, I had most of this written over a month ago, I swear. No infringement intended! ;)
Crouched over the microscope in front of her, focusing intently on the dust sample beneath the lens, slide and cover-slip, a rumble of thunder outside made Sara's heart rate quicken ever so slightly, and a small smile found its way across her engaged expression. She strained her ears and waited for the satisfying crack of lightening she hoped would follow; she wasn't disappointed. Even though she was unable to see out the lab windows from her current location, the approaching storm excited her. The hushed spattering of rain outside brought a sense of peace over her, and she soon found herself humming along as she worked. She'd always loved the rain.
She began to sing quietly as she worked, comparing sample after sample as she murmured to herself. "Rain drops keep fallin' on my head, and just like the guy whose feet are too big for his bed…" Sara had many quiet, personal vices she used to amuse herself during the tiresome hours at work, and she'd often found that singing quietly helped her ease the boredom of long shift work. As long as she was alone, of course.
She jumped suddenly when a husky voice whispered in her ear over her shoulder, breaking the white noise the rain was providing. "I told you you had a nice singing voice."
The feel of Nick's warm breath against her skin, cool from the air-conditioner, made her shiver for some reason she couldn't quite explain, but did nothing to hinder her ability for smart comebacks. "Considering you're Mr. Tone Deaf, that's not exactly a compliment". He chuckled, moving himself from behind her to stand to her left, his arm brushing hers. The sudden rush of warmth, even through the cotton sleeve of her lab coat, made goosebumps rise on her skin once again, though she tried hard to play it cool.
"So, watcha doin'?"
She cleared her throat. "Trying not to die of boredom. Dust sample are not what I am in the mood for right now." She sighed longingly. "The rain sounds so pretty outside."
"You're a rain person too, huh?"
She smiled slightly. "Yeah. I've always had this weird fascination with it, ever since I was a kid. I would go outside and wander around until I was completely soaked. My mom used to get so mad at me when I got back."
"You would wander around, outside, alone, in the rain?" The idea seemed foreign to Nick. "I just used to watch it from my bedroom window, and trace the drops down the glass with my sisters. My mom wouldn't let us go outside. She didn't want us to catch a cold." He smiled at the maternal memories.
"That's sweet. Most of the time, my parents didn't really notice I was gone." She paused. "I used to do it in college, too; wander around in the rain. It always helped me think better. I miss it. It hardly rains in Vegas, and even when it does, I'm usually stuck in the lab." She rolled her eyes slightly, and Nick grinned affectionately at her as his pager bleeped.
"I've gotta run. See you later, Sara." He patted her on the arm as he left, and she instantly missed the comforting warmth once his hand was gone.
It didn't rain in Las Vegas again until almost two weeks later. It was late afternoon, and Sara was, as expected, stuck in the lab on her day off, gathering together a bunch of DNA samples from an entire closet worth of clothes. The task had taken her over an hour so far, and she still wasn't even close to finishing, and she was getting more and more annoyed. She hummed along to herself as the quiet pitter-patter of rain bounced off the roof and sidewalk outside, the sound slightly calming her brewing temper.
Her phone vibrated quietly in the pocket of her jeans, and she instantly knew who was on the phone. "Hello?"
She could hear Nick smile as he responded. "You wanna go for a walk?"
"You know, I have work to do."
"C'mon, Sara, relax; we'll be back in fifteen minutes. You looked like you needed a break."
"So you were watching me, huh?"
"I was just hoping for a private show of your excellent singing." He winked, holding the door open for her, and she laughed as she walked though it and outside.
The rain carried on lightly as they strolled down the block and away from the lab. The sky had darkened slightly, and the headlights of the few cars around them cast an almost mystical glow over the sidewalk. The two continued their playful teasing as they strolled along, their hair sprinkled with droplets and their hands occasionally brushing, each hoping the other wouldn't mind. Nick finally slipped his hand into Sara's, and she squeezed it a little as the rain began to fall harder.
In less than five minutes, they were completely soaked. Sara's hair hung in wet, straggly curls around her face, her khaki-green sweater a darker shade than it was when dry. Her jeans felt heavy, and she was pretty sure her socks were sopping. She turned to Nick, who was equally soaking. His long-sleeved grey t-shirt clung shamelessly to his toned torso, and his jeans were as wet as hers. Drops of water ran from his hair down his face and neck, and Sara found herself licking her already damp lips as she turned away.
He must have noticed her staring, because he suddenly spoke to her. "This is fun."
She eyed him suspiciously. "Are you mocking me?"
"Well, kinda. But seriously, this is kind of nice." He squeezed her hand that he was still holding.
A rumble of thunder sounded in the distance, and Nick pulled at Sara's hand lightly, leading her towards a high concrete wall across the street. They ran across together, their shoes getting soaked in the flooded gutters, but neither of them minded. She grinned as they leaned against the wall, watching the heavier rain in the distance.
"You wanna watch the storm come in?"
"Yeah. We can watch it pass over. Why, would you rather walk straight into it?"
Sara smirked at him. "Fair enough." They leaned back against the wall, the rain still falling, the thunder and lightening in the distance sending shivers up Sara's spine, which may have also been a result of the man whose warm hand was still gently grasping hers. She subconsciously shivered again.
"You cold?" His brown eyes look down at her concernedly.
"A little." She pulled her jacket around her a little tighter, wishing she hadn't worn a white t-shirt underneath that day. She was slightly surprised, although definitely not disappointed, when he suddenly wrapped his strong arms around her, pulling her wet body close to his. Despite their combined dampness, his body heat instantly warmed her, and they stood in entwined silence for a few minutes, watching each crack of lightening come closer and closer.
Sara tilted her head to look up at Nick, whispering, "You're so warm."
Maybe it was the rain, maybe it was the circumstances, or just the woman he held protectively in his arms, but for some reason, Nick felt physically unable to refrain from what he did next, as he angled his head down and pressed his lips against Sara's. She reacted almost instantaneously, the warmth emanating from his mouth almost making her weak at the knees.
Their lips, slick from the rain, slid over one another, their hands roaming under damp clothing in search of warm skin. Nick's hand moved up to Sara's hair, squeezing water droplets from it as she fingered the drenched fabric covering his shoulder. He chased a water droplet down her throat, and she moaned as he sucked on the wet skin.
They broke apart breathlessly with a jump when a strike of lightening sounded dangerously close to them. Nick's arms remained around Sara's neck, and her hands rested on his hips, just under his shirt. A flash of panic crossed his eyes, and she was instantly terrified of what had just happened; she had never felt both so euphoric and so petrified at the same time. She gazed into his eyes, daring him to speak first, although finally she did. Her voice was barely a whisper.
"Say something."
Nick paused before he responded, moving one hand out to wipe a drop from her chin before once again kissing her deeply. "You taste like rain."
A nearby crash of thunder went unnoticed, although the lightening that followed caused Sara to yelp. "Maybe we should head back, if we don't want to either freeze or fry."
He smiled sweetly at her, reaching down for her hand. "Good idea."
They strode hastily down Westfall Avenue, hand-in-hand, trying to appear as casual as possible, neither one saying a word until they were almost at the lab.
"Nick?"
"Yeah?"
Sara giggled. "I hope it rains tomorrow."
Fiiiiiinal A/N: And there we go. :) I doubt I'll get anything else posted up before I leave for vacation, so have a great summer, everyone, and keep writing!