Life For Rent

Chapter 16 : Pulchritude

Author's Notes :
- pulchritude : beauty
- Gah. I can't write this fast enough to keep up with the show. 0_o
- Lindsey is based on actress Nina Siemaszko.
- Thanks to all who have reviewed. I continue to be humbled by your brilliant words.

"G!"

Callen turned to see Sam approaching him so he stopped walking and waiter for his partner to catch up. "What's up?"

Sam glanced around and Callen offered a raised eyebrow to the other man. He followed Sam to an empty hallway. "Look, G… I just wanted to make sure you won't be alone for Christmas."

"You know I don't celebrate it," Callen replied quietly.

"I know." Sam reached out and touched Callen's shoulder lightly. "You're always welcome at my place, you know that, right?"

"Yeah."

"Really, G," Sam insisted. "You're always welcome."

"I know." Callen looked away. "I'll be with Jared this year."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah. He goes over to his friend's parents' house. They're like second parents to him or something and they want him to bring me."

"You've checked them out?"

"Yeah, ran a background search yesterday; they're clean."

"Good." Sam paused and Callen turned to meet his eyes. "He's good for you, G."

Callen nodded, "Yeah. He is."

Callen woke up to a trail of kisses going down his back. He sighed happily and moved his head a little to let Jared know that he was awake.

"I want you, G," Jared said softly.

Callen closed his eyes and nodded. Jared's lips continued pressing soft kisses along the contours of Callen's back. He gently grazed over recently healed scars and Callen arched into his touch.

"You are so beautiful," Jared whispered.

It wasn't long before Callen was awake enough to be passing a small bottle of lube back to Jared. Jared gently prepared him, treating Callen as if he were made of glass.

Callen would never admit it to anybody, but he'd never felt more cherished then when Jared touched him so carefully.

"Okay?" Jared breathed.

Callen nodded into the sheets and a second later Jared was in him. They moved together well, like a couple flowing through a well rehearsed dance. It was long and slow, gentle and caring. Jared moved with slow and steady movements, taking his time bringing Callen to the edge.

When he finally came, Callen saw stars. His body quivered and shook while Jared held him close. Jared came a minute later, pouring into Callen before gently easing out.

Jared collapsed onto the bed next to Callen and pulled Callen to him for a kiss.

"Merry Christmas, G," he said warmly.

"Merry Christmas," Callen returned. "What time is it?"

Jared glanced over Callen's shoulder and answered, "Seven forty. I told them we'd be there at ten."

"Why are you up so early?"

"Habit." Jared pressed a kiss to Callen's forehead. "We should shower."

"It's so early," Callen groaned. "It's my one day to sleep in."

Jared smiled at him, "I'll make you some crêpes with white chocolate sauce, topped with raspberries…"

"You know… I don't think you play fair."

Jared laughed, "I know I don't."

"Fine," Callen sighed, sitting up. "But you're changing the sheets."

"Deal," Jared grinned.

After a long, shared shower, Callen found himself dressing as Jared went out to make the promised crêpes. He pulled on some dark jeans and a blue button down shirt.

"Do you want orange or apple juice, G?" Jared called to him from the kitchen.

"Oran--Apple!"

"Apple it is!"

Callen pulled some socks on and grabbed his wallet and a sweatshirt, carrying them out to the front room. He set them on the couch before heading over to the kitchen. Callen took a seat on one of the stools and Jared carefully slid him a glass of cold apple juice. He sat there drinking his juice as he watched Jared prepare the crêpe batter.

"Can you check on the cream?" Jared asked him.

Callen nodded and got up, heading for the stove. There was a sauce pan on the stove with cream in it; Callen peered into the pan. "What's it supposed to be doing?"

"Simmering."

Callen stared at the white liquid. It was just sitting there. He was pretty sure that wasn't what simmering meant. "It's not doing anything, should I turn the heat up?"

"Nope. Just give it a minute."

So Callen watched. Sure enough about a minute later small bubbles began to appear. "Okay, now what?"

"Stir the chocolate in and turn the heat down to medium."

Callen slowly poured the bowl of white chocolate chips into the cream. He used a nearby whisk to stir them in a bit while his other hand turned the temperature knob down. "It's still bubbling."

"A lot or a little?"

Callen stared at the pan. "Uh… a little?"

"That's good, that's what it's supposed to do."

Jared pressed up behind him and hooked his chin on Callen's shoulder. "It needs to simmer for a while."

"It smells good."

"It'll taste even better," Jared promised. He bent down a little and stole a quick kiss from Callen. "Thanks, G."

"Sure."

Callen went back to his stool--and his apple juice--and continued to watch Jared work. Jared had a smile on his face and would occasionally wink at Callen or shoot him a goofy grin. The younger man effortlessly whisked the crêpe mix together in a large bowl. He left it to sit for a minute as he washed a small carton of raspberries. Callen stole a couple pieces of the fruit after Jared dried them, steeling an innocent look on his face.

Jared grinned and pushed over a bowl of white chocolate chips instead. "Don't spoil your breakfast."

"I won't," Callen promised, grabbing a handful.

"Good." Jared leaned over the counter and stole another kiss.

Jared set down the bag of gifts he was carrying and reached out to turn G so that the other man faced him. G's face was blank but he met Jared's eyes. Jared gently placed his hands on either of G's shoulders.

"They're going to love you, G."

"Don't worry," G said easily. "I'll be fine. I've done this a hundred times."

"Really?" Jared asked skeptically.

"Well, not me, but I've done it undercover."

Jared rolled his eyes, "Of course you have."

"Really, Jared, you and Sam… you worry too much." G gently shrugged Jared's hands off of him.

Jared wasn't going to say that G just brought out the worry in people. He was sure the other man knew it. "We just care about you, G."

"I'll be fine."

"Yeah?"

"Promise." This time G had a smile on his face and Jared wasn't going to call him on the slight fakeness of it.

Jared leaned down and brushed his lips against G's. "Okay." He picked the gifts back up and G reached out to ring the doorbell.

A few seconds later Jared found himself pulled into a tight hug by a squealing Lindsey. "Jared!"

"Hey, Linds," Jared greeted warmly, accepting her hug.

"Lindsey, don't keep them out in the cold! Invite them in, dear." A voice called from within the house.

Lindsey pulled back from Jared and rolled her eyes. "Come on in."

She stepped back and gestured them in. Jared placed his free hand lightly at G's back and gestured for him to enter first. Lindsey eyed G, moving her eyes up and down his body and when G stepped around her to enter the house Lindsey flashed Jared a huge grin and a thumb's up.

Jared winked at her but was mentally relived that so far she approved. Not that her opinion would have swayed him away from G, but he would have taken it under consideration. Jared hoped the rest of the day went well.

"Jared, dear," Sheila said, coming at him with his arms out. "Merry Christmas."

"Hey, Sheila, merry Christmas," Jared said. He bent down to press a kiss to her cheek while she gave him a hug. Sheila Hill was a foot and a half shorter than Jared and he'd been bending down for years to accommodate the difference in their height.

"Oh! And this must be the lovely G!" Sheila said with a smile.

Jared could barely make out G's nervous gaze before Sheila swept him up in a hug.

"Sheila, let the boy breathe, honey." Jared turned to see Mark heading towards them. "Jared, my boy, great to see you. Merry Christmas," he held a hand out.

"Merry Christmas, Mark." Jared answered, returning the handshake.

Jared deftly made his way to his boyfriend's side and liberated him from Sheila's grip. "G, this is Sheila, Mark and Lindsey," he introduced with a nod towards each person as he said their name.

"Pleasure to meet you," G said with a smile. "Thank you for having me."

"Of course!" Sheila said happily. "We're happy to have you; the more the merrier."

Lindsey linked her arm with Jared's and tugged him into the family room. "Are those presents?" She asked, peering into the bag.

"You know they are," Jared answered, glancing behind him towards G who had been left behind with Sheila and Mark.

"What'd you get me?"

"You'll just have to wait and see."

"So…" Lindsey said quietly, leaning in towards Jared. "That's him."

"That's him."

"He's cute."

"I must agree."

She looked behind him and Jared followed her gaze to where G was standing with her parents. All three of them were laughing. "Well, the parents seem to like him."

"G's very likeable."

"Is that his whole name?" She questioned.

"How many times are you going to ask me that?" Jared sighed.

"Well, I keep hoping you'll find out what it is."

"I've seen his driver's license. All it says is 'G'."

"Hmm. G what?"

"What do you mean 'G what'?"

"What's his last name?"

Jared bit his lip. Because of G's profession, G didn't go around sharing his last name a lot. In fact, he'd told Jared that if asked, Jared should offer up one of G's aliases. "Why?"

"Just curious," she replied with a shrug.

"Taylor," Jared answered.

"G Taylor," she repeated with a thoughtful expression on her face. "His parents didn't have very vivid imaginations."

Jared glanced at G, who was still laughing with Mark and Sheila. "Yeah."

Ten minutes later they were all settled around the tree in the living room. Jared and G were on the loveseat while Mark and Sheila sat on the couch. Lindsey was on the floor. She'd drawn the short straw and had to hand out presents. Jared watched as Mark opened one from Lindsey.

Jared leaned over towards G. "What do you think so far?"

"They're nice," G answered quietly. He reached out and took Jared's hand in his, settling them on his lap.

"Yeah. What about Lindsey?"

"She's pretty," G responded softly.

Jared glanced at his best friend who was busy pointing out all the things her gift could do. Lindsey had sun-kissed blonde hair past her shoulders, hazel-brown eyes and a heart-shaped face. She was short in size, only about 5'4. Jared had always thought she was beautiful. When they were younger they had been mistaken for brother and sister a lot. They didn't get it as much anymore as Jared was so much taller.

"Yeah, she is."

"Has a lot of energy."

"She can be a handful," Jared agreed.

A present was shoved under their noses and Jared reached out to grab it from Lindsey. He glanced at the name tag and handed it off to G. G accepted it with a surprised look on his face. It was from Lindsey's parents to G.

G gently peeled the tape off the end, careful not to rip the paper. He slowly unwrapped the box and Jared thought he was probably the only one who noticed that G's hands shook a little. He probably hadn't received a present from anyone's parents in a long time. Jared didn't want to think that it might have been that G hadn't received a present from anyone in a long time.

G slowly slid the box out from the paper and Jared leaned in to see what it was. He smiled. The lid held the Choclatique logo, a premier chocolatier in Los Angeles. G gently worked the top off and underneath were several rows of white chocolate truffles.

"Thank you," G said with a grin towards Sheila and Mark. "You really didn't have to--"

"Nonsense," Sheila said with a wave of her hands. "I hope you like them."

"I'm sure I will," G answered merrily. "I'd eat one now but I'm not sure Jared would approve." He offered a sly grin to Jared.

"You have white chocolate with your breakfast, and you still want more?" Jared asked, shaking his head.

"It's good." G popped the lid back onto the truffles and placed them carefully on the arm of the loveseat.

"At least wait till after dinner."

G heaved a heavy sigh, "If I must." He offered Jared a goofy smile and a wink.

Jared leaned in and gave G a sloppy kiss before pulling back. "You must."

Everyone around them laughed and Jared felt something in him lighten as G met him with a real smile, his first since arriving there. "I'll even save you one," G promised.

"You better."

Callen had just set his phone on the bedside table when it buzzed, alerting him to an incoming text. He picked it up and thumbed it on. It was from Sam.

Thanks for the gift, G. It's great.

Callen smiled. You're welcome.

He set the phone back on the table. The rest of his team had texted him throughout the day with messages of thanks and holiday greetings. Even Hetty had texted him.

"Hey," Jared said, coming up behind him. His hands roamed up over Callen's bare chest. "You survived the night."

"Told you I would," Callen answered, leaning back against Jared's taller body. "And I got some kick ass truffles out of the deal."

"You better slow down on those," Jared said lightly, patting G's stomach. "You're gonna get fat."

"Will you still want me if I'm fat?" Callen joked softly.

"Nope," Jared answered. "It's all about the looks for me." Jared's hands slid down the front of Callen's jeans and into his boxers.

"I'm not sure you can get them off with will power alone," Callen murmured. He reached down and unbuttoned his jeans. They immediately fell down and pooled around his ankles.

"Well," Jared whispered into Callen's ear. "I willed you to take them off and you did, does that count?"

Callen angled his head up and Jared's lips met his in a crushing kiss. Warm hands pushed Callen's boxers down until they fell and together they tumbled onto the bed. Jared rolled until he was hovering over Callen.

"You're so beautiful," Jared said quietly, staring down at him.

"I thought I was getting fat," Callen answered, looking up into Jared's eyes.

"You're handsome on the outside, G, but I was talking about the inside," Jared corrected with a soft smile and fondness in his eyes.

"Oh." Callen blinked. No one had ever said anything like that to him. Plenty of people had found him physically appealing but no one had ever told Callen, who was full of scars, bitterness, anger and insecurity, that he was beautiful on the inside. "I'm… messed up, Jared. You can't honestly think that I--"

"Yes," Jared said, placing a finger over G's mouth. "I can. I know you have secrets, G. There are things you might never be ready to talk about, but I'm here if you ever do. And I don't care about them."

"How can you not care?" Callen asked against Jared's finger. "Everyone else has cared."

"I'm an easy goin' guy, G." Jared quirked a smile and let his hand fall from G's face.

"Nobody's that easy going," Callen argued.

"Well maybe you just haven't met the right people yet."

"Maybe," Callen agree. He leaned up as Jared leaned down and their mouths met in gently kiss.

Maybe.