"Greggo, I have a question." Nick stood in the doorway, absorbing the overall impact.
"Go ahead, Nothing stopping you." Greg's eyes flickered briefly in the direction of Nick's voice before returning back to his work.
"Well…I was just wondering. Not that I don't appreciate it or anything, but are we not going to be playing pool the entire month of December?" Nick's arms moved in conjunction with the question in his voice and the shrug in his shoulders.
Greg blinked as his face swiveled, encountering the questioning glance in Nick's eyes and the creases in his forehead. "What would make you think we're not?"
"Maybe the tree smack dab in the center."
Greg stepped back and smiled, admiring handiwork that didn't involve bodies. "You don't trust me?"
Nick shook his head. "That's not what this is about."
"Are you telling me you didn't want your house decorated for the holidays? Because that's just not going to happen for the guy I'm dating."
"It's not just my house you know." Nick walked into the room, surrounding the space just behind Greg.
"You don't have to remind me." Greg's voice lowered as though oxygen was no longer moving through his lungs.
"I could though." Nick's teeth grazed the tender skin of Greg's neck before scooping upward to his the bottom of his ear.
Greg giggled before slightly trying to push Nick away unsuccessfully. "Hey, stop it! I've got work to do."
Nick grabbed Greg and turned him so that his bulge was facing Greg's. Greg leaned backwards, his palms using the pool table for stability. "I could give you some work to do."
Greg shook his head. "Not until I'm finished. Now go on…I'll just be a few minutes more."
Nick sighed and chuckled before backing away to his favorite chair. He remembered his best friend from the fraternity. He would have dropped everything for a few minutes in heaven with Nick. But Greg was different. Greg knew that he had his body and his bed, he was so secure. That same security had been Jake's Acchilles heel. Nick attributed this to them both having just been kids, scared and alone for the first time in the world. They had both learned a lot. Nick remembered the impact, the sucker punch to the gut when it had happened. He'd have to let Greg in on that whole story. Greg could see it in his eyes every so often as they lay together in the still of dawn, if they'd both had a night shift to pull. You couldn't hide much with those white cotton sheets of his.
As for Greg's motivation to decorate for the holidays, Nick was rather impressed. He relished the ability to let his creative freedom fly. Nick really didn't feel a need to decorate for Christmas. Truth was, he hadn't been stable long enough to get a taste for it. But Greg had been a natural, taking to the simplest domestic tasks with an eager relish. Nick knew why. Greg's fear was that he'd be turned out, but Nick could see no circumstance in which that would happen. That's how Nick knew when to hold the smartest and quickest brain in the lab. He knew every shiver of pleasure, pain, and doubt that ran through the younger man's body. It pleased Nick to no end to know such things. Great were the mysteries of a lover's body and sweet was the honey in achieving resolution to those questions.
"What?"
"I said, as long as you're sitting there, you might as well help." Greg was blinking in his direction and Nick jumped from his favorite leather recliner. The barcalounger had taken up residence in the rec room and was easily the pair's second favorite place in the house. Except for Jeopardy and the occasional episode of BBC World News, Nick and Greg didn't have a lot of time or inclination for television. They preferred interaction with each other through sports, conversation, even reading. It was easily the most intellectual relationship either had ever known. The occasional concert was also fun to explore.
The three foot artificial Douglas Fir sat under the stained glass lights of the billiard table. Greg had once made a remark about it and acquiring a matching set of desk lamps, "a pair of old school lamps like the ones in the law library at UNLV" had been Greg's ingenious idea. Nick had just shook his head. It was hard to tell when Greg was kidding.
Nick chuckled and Greg pointed to the base, where he had matched a piece of round cardboard to the color of the table. "See? You had nothing to worry about."
"I should have known better than to doubt you."
"Yes, you should have." Greg confirmed with nod.
"There's only one thing that's missing before I help." Nick's head swiveled around the room before he walked over to the stereo.
"And that would be…"
"Music, man. How could you decorate without any tunes?" Greg batted his eyelashes to Nick's question. It just hadn't occurred to him. "In any case, I want this to be even more perfect than it already is."
"Perfect?"
"A million times better than I would have invested in it. Impressive, to say the least. All we need is some stuff on the roof and it would be like my sister's house."
"You have a sister?"
Nick fiddled with a couple of dials before landing on Delilah's station and than making a disatissfied face. "Yep, in Dallas. I told you that."
Greg shook his head. "No, you told me that your parents lived in Austin before you headed out west for college. We hadn't gotten to siblings yet."
"You'd like Valerie, Greggo. She's a big fan of murder mysteries."
"Ah, but the question is…would she like me?"
Nick turned from the stereo and put his hands on his hips. "And what would make you think she wouldn't?"
Greg shrugged. "I don't know. Being the guy that keeps her big brother from having a white wedding might top the list."
Nick smiled and shook his head. "Val's not like that." He returned to rummaging through the back of the stereo, looking for a fallen case. "I hope she'll come out here with her kids once so you could meet her. Ah-ha! Found it."
"Found what?"
Nick pulled a case out and showed it behind his back. "The perfect Christmas cd, Greggo."
Gregorian sounds began to float through the wired room as the sounds of Prepare the Royal Highway warmed the space. "What is this?"
"They're called the Twelve, Greggo. It's a Bavarian Chamber Choir famous the world over for amazing Christmas symphonies. They're supposed to be starting their first world tour right here in Vegas. They were invited to perform in Ceasar's Palace."
"You gonna go to see them?"
"Nah. Don't think I'd be able to afford the tickets." Nick sauntered back to Greg's side. "So, is there a certain pattern to your ornament decoration? I know some people are quite particular about that."
Greg stroked his chin with thumb and pointer finger. "No, not with this set of ornaments. And I'm sure you'll be able to appreciate them."
Opening the box, Greg felt Nick pull him into a bear hug. "Have I told you lately how much I love your sense of humour?"
Greg fell into his cowboy's arms. "No, but I appreciate when you do. How about we get these decorations on first and then you can go appreciate the job I did with the holly on the footboard."
"I like that idea."
Nick loved the way his and Greg's reflections shown against the billiard ball themed ornaments. They were various shades of red that glowed well against the yellow mini tree lights. As fingers and thumbs brushed each other, Nick became aware of Greg's touch and his own heart beat. Greg became aware that he was blushing and felt incredibly lucky that Nick couldn't see it in the ornaments. He loved the feeling of being so close. They both did.