Chapter 3: part 2

POV: Greg

A new friend

"Greg? Um, I got released from the hospital this morning, and I went over to my apartment, but I couldn't stays. It was about to be closed for repairs, and they only let me in to get my clothes and personal belongings. Everything else went into storage, which the apartment building owner paid for for all the tenants who needed it. I asked one of the workers there why, and apparently they are sending a HAZMAT team into the building. One of my neighbors was having recessed lighting installed, and they found asbestic in the walls, so they closed the building down for three months for total repairs so they could remove it.", Tara paused, "and, I need a place to stay, and I was wondering if - well I know you better than anyone else here, and-"

"Tara- I'd be glad to let you say at my place.", I said.

She left me with a huge smile and a hug thanks. I had been lost in thought just seconds earlier about her. Why is it that I am so nervous around her? I am like, the least romantically challenged person in this building! She is the only chick that I haven't been able to ask out. I am losing my touch ... I thought to myself.

"Greg, I need you to come help me with this case. The girl who was missing, was not the D.B. they found tied to a tree in the park. It was her identical twin. So, I am looking for a possible double homicide here, and I have no suspects. I am at a dead end, no pun intended there.", Catherine said,"Greg? Are you listening to me?"

"W-what? Huh? Oh sorry, I was, looking for my pencil.", My lame excuse was just that; lame. She didn't buy it for a second.

"You mean the one on behind your ear? And I thought Grissom was the absent-minded professor here. What's wrong with you today?"

"Nothing, it's just, I have other things on my mind."

POV: Narrator

Tara and Greg's shift had ended at the same time, so he gave her a ride home, because she took a cab home from the hospital.

"You like Marilyn Manson? I have his CD here.", Greg asked, eager to break the awkward silence in the car.

"No, 'It' freaks me out.", Tara replied.

"'It'?"

"Yes it! Any man that used to have breast implants is officially an 'it' to me.", Tara teased as she messed up Greg's hair.

"Hater.", Greg teased back. "And don't mess up the hair!" They both laughed and teased each other the rest of the way to Greg's apartment." We're here. Welcome to my humble home!"

They walked into his apartment, and Tara expected the worst."Wow. It's almost, normal!", she said sarcastically.

"Almost? My place rocks!", Greg said about his medium sized apartment.

It had a large bathroom, and a large living room/ kitchen area. It was very modern, with silver-colored fixtures, and fake black onyx granite countertops. The floor was dark mahogany hardwood floors, and white furniture. It was simple, and very modern. It was a little too neat for a guy's apartment, though.

"I always thought guys liked messes. And less 'elegant' furniture."

"Yea well, I grew up with five sisters, and no brothers, so I have always had a bit of a neat freak in me. As for the 'décor', my then-longtime girlfriend decorated. And I liked it, so I never redesigned it.", Greg paused, staring proudly at his apartment.

"Why don't I take you on the grand tour?"

"OK."

Greg showed her his kitchen, his living room, and his bathroom proudly. He paused in front of his bedroom, though."Aren't you going to show me the bedrooms?", Tara asked a little confused at Greg's sudden look of remorse. He look as if he had forgotten something important.

"Shit." he said, his face beet red.

"What?"

"I forgot, that I only have one bedroom.", he paused, waiting for her to yell at him. When she didn't, he continued."Ya see, normally when I have a girl over, it's never a problem, if you know what I mean."

"Don't get your hopes up. Or anything else up.", she said a little annoyed, but not a lot." Is your couch comfy?"

"Oh yeah, I've used that couch a million times."

"You know, I honestly never want to find out how you used that couch. But it'll do.", she said with a fake pleasant tone in her voice." You know, you are very open abut your sexual experiences."

"Sure I am. I've got nothing to hide. You've been there, you know all there is to know too, right?" She didn't answer. She blushed and looked down.

"I am going to unpack, OK?"

"Yeah, OK.", Greg said. Is she a - virgin?Wow. That didn't help me become any less attracted to her. Shit, He thought.He went back into his room to try to figure out his situation.

POV: Greg

"What am I going to do?" I thought out loud after waking up alone in my bed. "She isn't attracted to me." I heard music coming from the bathroom. I have a shower radio, but this wasn't the radio. It was Tara. She's awesome, but if I tell her, it might embarrass her. But there is no way she could have forgotten I am here too, so she knows I can hear her, I'll compliment her later, I thought as I went to make breakfast.

"...lay all of your love on me..."

I didn't know that song, but I had heard it before. I wish she had been singing it to me. I would gladly love her, if I didn't already. I jumped at the thought of me in love, I had never been in love, I always thought I was too young for that.

POV: Tara

I sang a few love songs to no one in particular. I knew Greg could hear me, though. I secretly hoped he would get the hint that I was singing about him, but I knew he wouldn't. And even if he did, I knew he wouldn't admit it. It was weird, to everyone else at work he was so confident about girls and sex, but around me, he was so different. It was almost as if he was nervous to be around me. I knew weird rumors had gone around about me after I came here, but I never thought Greg was dumb enough to believe that I 'was really Grissom's ex girlfriend', or 'I was in love with Sara'. I had never shown any feelings for Grissom that weren't strictly professional, nor have I ever shown signs of being lesbian. I was screwed.

"You sing awesome." No, that's not right..., Greg practiced, not knowing I was listening to him as I silently left the bathroom.

"Thanks.", I said with a blinding smile that I secretly hoped would attract him.

"Oh crap, I'm embarrassed.", Greg said while turning shades of red that I have yet to even see a tomato turn, which wasn't normal with Greg, even around me.

"Don't be, I practice saying things too. Like when I say, Greg, um ...", I stammered."About last night. When I mentioned you being open about sex, I, uh, never really meant for anyone to find out that I haven't ever, you know, done anything. I feel dumb, being 24, and being a, you know."

"I think it's sweet. You seem like the kind of girl that wants to make it special.", Greg said."I think its sexy when a girl is a virgin."

"I'm getting uncomfortable, can we change the subject?"

"Sure. Do you like French toast?"

"Yes, that's what I smelled! I love French toast."

"Good, I'll cook yours in a second, let me just finish stirring the batter."

"Homemade? Wow. I never knew you could cook!"

"My Gramma Rosita gave me the recipe. She used to tell me that it was a secret that anyone who ate this would fall in love with the person who made it. I never bought that, but..."

"How many of your girlfriends have you tried that line on?", I joked, basking in the thought of him flirting with me, even if it was a 'reflex' for him.

"You're good! You've been with a lot of guys before?"

"Not 'been with' in the same way you have, but yes, I have. I know your type, and yet I am still attracted to them. I can't explain it."

"Well, anyway, it's our day off, you wanna go catch a movie?"

"Are you asking me out?"

"Maybe, why are you interested?", he said as he grinned his cocky grin that I loved to be on the receiving end of.

"Maybe.", I mocked, though my head was screaming, YES, god yes! I am!. "-but I don't want to go out today. I am tired."

"So. We could watch one of my movies instead?"

"Greg, I am not watching porno with you.", even though the thought did turn me on, I wasn't about to let him in on my secret.

"Hey! You think that I don't own decent movies? How about The Matrix? Or, The Ring?"

"Matrix all the way. Scary movies are only good at night. Oh, that reminds me, Your couch, is really uncomfortable to sleep on. I'll sleep on my sleeping bag.", I lied. I really wanted him to ask me to sleep in his bed. I gladly would've accepted.

POV Greg

I sat down on the couch with Tara next to me, and I sat as close to her as I could, without her knowing I was trying to smell her hair. She watched the movie, and then she watched the other two in the Trilogy. I was watching her though, out of the corner f my eye. By the time the movies were done, it was late, we were drunk as hell, and she had fallen asleep on my lap. I was dying to let her sleep there, on me, but I knew I couldn't sleep in the clothes I had on.

I was careful not to wake her as I lifted her head and got up. I took off my shirt and my belt, and she was already in shorts and a tank top. She looked so sweet curled up on the couch, and I happily remembered what she said about it being uncomfortable, so I gently lifted her up, and carried her into my room. I laid her on my bed, while carefully pulling down the covers. I got into my bed carefully, so as not to wake her, and slept.

I woke up the next morning to find her still asleep and wrapped around me. My arms were wrapped around her back and her waist. I saw her move a little so I pretended to be asleep. When she woke up and looked around, she shook me and I pretended to have just woken up, but she bought it.

"Greg, what, w-what happened last night?", she paused as she rubbed her eyes and sat up, "Why am I here?"

I didn't know whether to tell her that I put her here, or play dumb. I picked the first one."I put you here last night because you passed out. And we didn't have sex or anything.", not that I didn't think about it, I thought as I was sitting there in bed next to her. "I didn't want you to sleep out there alone when you were drunk, in case you got sick."

"Greg, I, um I-"

Greg's CSI cell rang." Hold that thought, honey", I said to her as I winced. Oh shit, I thought. I called her honey. That was smooth Greggo.

"Did you just call me-"

"Sanders. OK I'll get dressed and be right over. Where am I? I'm in bed with Tara. Be right there. Bye.", he said into the phone.

"Greg, why did you call me honey?"

"I, um, I gotta go."