Horatio stopped at the Reception desk to check for his messages and was handed a vanilla envelope with his name scrawled across it in red Sharpie. He tucked it under his arm and thumbed through his messages as he made his way to the glass bowl that was his office.
He dropped the envelope on the desk before settling into his desk chair with a sigh. He tossed out the unimportant messages and smiled as they fluttered into the trashcan like pink snowflakes.
He turned his attention to the envelope. He opened it and pulled out the contents.
Pieces of a cut up photograph floated to the floor.
"Shit," Horatio muttered. He bent down and picked them up. He tossed them onto the desk.
He unfolded the note and read:
Red,
Here is a puzzle to help kill the boredom while I'm away.
Love,
Garfield
Horatio snorted and began to sort out the cut up photograph pieces. He carefully arranged them in the correct order.
As he finished assembling the puzzle, he knew that he had to be at least three shades of crimson. He reached for his cell phone and dialed his lover's number.
"Rick," he quietly said when his lover answered.
"Yes, Horatio," Rick replied.
"I got your puzzle and all I have to say is no sex for you."
"But, but…"
"No, ifs, ands, or especially butts for you," Horatio growled as he ended the call.
The End