Chapter 3: Heat of the Moment

Nick looked thoroughly exhausted. Greg couldn't remember a time when Nick looked this bad. He started to suspect something when Nick practically passed out the second he was in the truck. Then when they day progressed and Nick started collecting evidence on the highway, he zoned out, not talking or bantering like they had a few hours before. It didn't help that the heat had engulfed them on that stretch of highway, smothering them with wave after wave of increased heat.

By the time they wrapped up the crime scene, both men were utterly beat. Nick more so as he collapsed inside the truck, titling his head back, his face flushed from the sun, his skin radiating with heat and his body loose with weariness.

Greg packed their evidence kits into the back of the truck and hopped into the driver's seat. It was almost 6:30pm and they still had to return to the crime lab to categorize and sign off on the evidence. He sighed, started the ignition and began the long drive back to the city. Nick revived enough to mutter a few words of thanks before becoming silent again and closing his eyes. Greg knew he was sleeping again and didn't mind. He was just as exhausted but at least he could help Nick get some much needed rest.

He stifled a yawn, flipped the air-conditioner on high and zoomed down the deserted highway. Half an hour later they were at the lab and Nick was snoring. Maybe he should've gotten them some coffee, Greg thought dully as he nudged Nick besides him.

Nick groaned but didn't wake up. Greg smiled. Nick was acting like a determined little kid refusing to wake up in the morning and go to school. He was almost tempted to leave him but he knew Nick wouldn't be pleased when he woke up, sitting outside of work.

Greg took a moment to study the sleeping Nick Stokes. His hat was slightly askew and weathered from the sun, his arms had tanned considerably, making his roping muscles appear hard and somewhat daunting. The white shirt beneath his vest was probably soaked in sweat and his blue denim jeans were dirty from walking up and down the side of a mountain then crawling all over a highway. Greg saw the glint of steel from the Rodeo belt buckle Nick proudly wore. He didn't want to wake him up. He could see the heavy bags under Nick's eyes and the weariness around his mouth. Greg wondered if Nick had been sleeping well at night.

He nudged him again, "C'mon- time to go. Just a few more hours here and we're off."

Nick groaned again and slowly exhaled, "Greg… why couldn't you have just left me here."

Greg smirked, "I thought about it. But figured you probably wouldn't be too thrilled to wake up in your truck later."

Nick's chest rumbled with laughter as he finally re-energized. His warm, dark eyes turned to gaze at him affectionately from the passenger side. Greg felt his stomach drop and his heart quicken. Nick's face broke into a slow smile at him, "yeah- I probably wouldn't."

Greg couldn't pull his gaze away, he seemed fixated on him. His pulse thundered in his ears. All Nick had to do was look at him and Greg was a puddle. He hated it. But couldn't help it.

"Hey- let me buy you a drink after work. It's the least I could do for dragging your ass out into the desert." Nick said gruffly, his voice still rough from sleep. Greg swallowed.

"Sure," he said. Greg didn't want to say yes or no. He felt nervous and awkward, like some teenager just asked out to prom. Except this was just a drink. Nothing sexual about it. Then how come Nick was looking at him with heavy eye lids, searching his face and gazing at his lips…

"In the meantime, I'll long in the evidence if you wanna report back to Brass?" Greg said abruptly, breaking away from Nick's memorizing gaze and fumbling for the truck keys.

He scurried out of the truck a moment later, evidence kits in hand. He heard the truck door slam behind him, though was too scared to look over his shoulder to the handsome Nick Stokes.

A few hours later, Greg shuffled into the locker room, completely and utterly beat. It felt like a tractor had run over him. He opened his locker and began changing. He shrugged off his CSI vest and noted that his undershirt had been soaked through with sweat. He cringed, pulling it off and tossing into his backpack. He needed to shower and sleep. His thoughts blurred with exhaustion as he heard footsteps approach.

He glanced over his shoulder to see Nick, walking slowly in, half asleep.

"Hey," Greg said, catching Nick's attention.

"Hey yourself," Nick replied, opening his own locker and began changing. "Did you get everything logged in?" He asked while pulling off his vest.

"Yeah," Greg answered, "You?"

"Yup, now time to get out of here."

Greg smiled weakly in agreement and snagged a clean shirt from his locker. He relished the feel of the clean material against his skin. It made him feel human again.

"Still on for that drink?"

Greg glanced back to Nick and just in time to see him pull off his white t-shirt. His thick muscles bunched when he pulled the shirt over his head. Greg started, wide eyed at the massive, beautifully defined naked flesh before him. Sure, Greg admitted to working out from time to time, he especially loved the weights but he didn't have half of Nick's solid muscle. He wondered what it would feel like to be wrapped up in those engulfing, thick arms, pressed against the hard wall of his chest…

"Hell yeah…" he said instantly.

Nick sat back in the plush booth seat and laughed. Greg smiled sheepishly, "What? I couldn't help it." He protested weakly.

"Right- like I'll believe that." Nick said, sipping his beer. "When you suddenly overcome your urge to be impulsive, let me know. Cause the Greg Sanders I know, tends to be lacking in the self-control department from time to time."

The life and energy of the bar surrounded them, yet secluded them all at the same time. They arrived late enough for the drunkards to be shoved out the door and early enough to not feel guilty having a drink before the sun came up. People talking and classic rock engulfed the hole-in-the-wall bar, but they didn't hear any of it. The Las Vegas bar they picked was cop friendly and stayed open 24-7, which meant they weren't going to be kicked out at 2am and could stay as long as they wanted. Nick and Greg sat in a booth near the back of the bar, simply enjoying each other's company without the crowd interrupting. It was intimate yet casual. Just like their relationship had been over the years.

Greg scoffed, "aw- c'mon, you've gotta give me some credit. I'm not as bad as I used to be."

Nick remembered the early lab days with Greg fondly. He nodded, "All right- you get points there. Still… there are times…" Nick pretended to drag out his theory, making Greg blush and send him an irritated, impatient look. He was just giving the kid a hard time. He knew he'd changed. Nick seen it, knew it and felt it. Greg Sanders was no longer the starry-eyed lab-rat he once was.

"So what's up with you? You're not lookin' so hot these days," Greg commented, a brief tone of concern in his voice. Nick sighed, Greg was too good at reading him sometimes. It could've been the fact that he practically passed out in the truck ride to and from the crime scene. Or asked for his help on a case he could have easily handled on his own.

"I dunno, man. I just haven't been sleepin' well." Nick replied honestly.

"What's the problem?" Greg asked taking a sip of his beer.

"Stress," Nick said with a heavy sigh. "Maybe I just need a vacation or something."

"Yeah, I keep thinking about California." There was a long full sadness in Greg's soft eyes.

"Yeah?"

He smiled sheepishly at him, "Sandy beaches… crashing waves… surfing… lying around doing nothing all day long."

Nick chuckled, "Man- I forgot what that feels like."

"How long has it been since you took a vacation?" Greg asked curiously.

"Too long," Nick said, racking his brain and trying to remember the last vacation he actually took for himself. He couldn't think of one.

"Me too," Greg replied morosely.

"You make California sound nice though," Nick countered.

Greg beamed, "California is always nice."

"We work in America's playground and all we wanna do is leave." Nick stated drily.

"I wonder what that says about us?"

Nick pondered this and then answered flippantly, "that we need a vacation."

They laughed.

The rest of their evening and eventual morning was spent laughing and just talking. Nick enjoyed himself thoroughly. It had been a long time since he laughed like that. He wanted to stay with Greg as their time began to dwindle to an end. He knew that they had to get some rest before their next shift and staying up too late would always throw Nick off- which had been a lot lately.

Feeling pretty buzzed, they walked out the bar. The early morning sun was beginning to peak its head up above the city horizon. Nick squinted, wishing he was curled up in bed, sleeping soundly at the moment.

He turned to Greg, who seemed surprised that the sun was already beginning to rise. "Thanks for coming out- I had fun." Nick said candidly.

Greg nodded, "Yeah, me too. Thanks for the beer."

"No problem, it's the least I could do for making you take the case," Nick responded.

"I asked if you wanted my help- you didn't make me do anything," Greg retorted, his eyes narrowing at him. Nick smiled foolishly, letting his buzz fog his brain. "Are you okay to drive?" Greg suddenly asked, reading the tell-tale signs of drunk on his face.

"I was gonna call a cab," Nick said, glancing about for any cabs that might have driven by just then.

"I could drive you home," he said then reached for Nick's hand as he was about to wave down a passing cab.

"Nah- it's cool, Greg. I don't wanna put you out." Nick shrugged then tried to wave down another cab, but Greg's hand was forceful this time, surprising Nick into lowering it.

"Let me take you home," Greg said insistently. Nick looked, mildly surprised into Greg's face. He was about to reject his offer again when he saw something unexpected that made his heart flip and stomach twist. Greg's light brown eyes were hot with intensity and a sexuality he'd never seen before. He inhaled sharply, trying to focus his liquor scorched brain but he couldn't think beyond his own immediate feelings. Which were- shock, confusion, surprise and blunt, harsh desire. He felt the same sexual need become his own as he gazed warmly into Greg's handsome face.

Without second guessing himself or over-thinking what he was about to do, Nick leaned in and captured Greg's mouth with his own. Nick reeled instantly, surprised at how soft and supple Greg's lips were. He kissed him, unsure and tentative, not knowing how Greg would react to having him kiss him so unexpectedly… Suddenly he felt a rough hand grab the back of his neck as his body was propelled backwards. Unable to stop himself and the slight buzz effecting his good sense, Nick let himself be led away by Greg. Before he could comprehend what was happening, Greg roughly pushed him up against the side of the brick building of the bar and devoured him with blinding intensity that sent a shiver coursing through Nick's entire body.

He trembled as Greg forced his mouth open with his tongue and held him against the wall. Greg held them close, his hand still roped around his neck while his hand grabbed at his waist, pulling him closer and closer until their bodies were brushing against each other. Nick felt a sudden tension build achingly in his groin as his cock grew hard and demanding between his thighs. He felt the tightness in his denim jeans and grimaced painfully at the pressure and need to do more than just kiss. And man, was Greg kissing him.

Greg pivoted his head and crushed his lips harder into him. Nick heard a low, guttural groan escape from the back of his throat. He ran a frantic hand through Greg's short blond hair, fisting it at the back of his head, forcing them closer. He felt a bulge press demandingly into his stomach now. Greg was fully aroused too, his own jeans confiding his throbbing erection. Nick let out a strangled gasp as he realized how badly he wanted to have Greg, naked, panting and in his bed. He didn't want to make love, he wanted to fuck. He wanted the mindless, primal, animalistic fucking. They both wanted it he knew it by the way Greg desperately kissed him. It was hard, with teeth clashing and tongues battling. There was nothing soft between them- only pure, raw desire.

Greg bit his lower lip enticingly, making Nick push his hips forward wildly. Greg moaned as he then pushed back, until they were grinding brutally into each other. Nick never thought dry humping could be so damn hot. The friction between them only added the ache to his deliciously hard cock.

They both had wanted this for so long that when it finally happened- it was an explosion of need and desperate longing. Nick pulled back briefly, panting heavily as he let his head fall back against the brick of the wall, gasping. Greg was gasping too, catching his breath, clinging to him.

Suddenly he felt Greg's confident hand slip down his side and led to his… Nick let out a low moan as Greg grabbed a handful of his towering erection. He rotated his hips forward again, pressing himself fully into Greg's palm. He felt wet hot kisses traveling up his neck, sucking and biting then as Greg began to stroke him through his jeans. Nick was getting desperate now. He was so aroused, all he could think about was the hand on his cock and the hot sucking on his neck. He pushed harder in his palm, demanding more. Greg complied. He stroked him roughly, palming him urgently.

Breathing heavily, Nick clutched onto Greg as he fondled him right there in the parking lot of the bar they had just walked out of. Greg abruptly moved faster, gripping him harder. Nick's knees nearly buckled. Suddenly a loud bang of a crashing sounded a few feet away. Nick was consciously aware of someone stumbling out of the bar.

Without warning, Greg released his hold on Nick and jumped away, flushed. Nick, shocked and still fully saluted, stayed weak-limbed up against the wall. The person who had interrupted their intense make-out session brushed past Greg, the smell of booze coming off his bones. Nick let out a long winded sigh, trying to ease the tension in his groin and still his rapidly beating heart.

He watched as Greg ran a careless hand through his hair and over his face, looking mortified. "I'm sorry," he blurted out, shifting from one foot to the next. "I don't know what I was thinking… oh God…"

Nick slowly pushed away from the wall and straightened. He never experienced such an intense arousal before in his life and the person who he experienced it with, was apologizing? Nick tried to compose himself, but it was difficult because his jeans were still slightly strained and he was also still slightly intoxicated. It didn't help that Greg was freaking himself out at the moment either.

"Look- it's okay. We're cool," Nick said calmly, unable to think of a reasonable explanation on why they both just went at it like animals in public, against the wall of a dive bar.

Greg took a deep breath, and looked uncertainly at him. "We're cool?" he asked sounding desperate.

Nick could only think to nod. More people suddenly began coming out of the bar and Nick and Greg were forced to walk back to their separate cars.

"Do you need me to drive you home?" Greg asked again, this time less insistent, but just as concerned with Nick's obvious well being.

"No- I'm okay. I'll get a cab," Nick replied, feeling helpless as he watched the torment Greg was putting himself through as he smiled soberly back at him. Greg seemed adept at beating himself up. Nick narrowed his gaze at him, "don't worry about it, Greg."

He hoped he understood his double meaning, yet the younger man simply nodded and unlocked his car. "See yeah tomorrow," Nick said just before Greg closed the door and drove out of the parking lot. He hoped that Greg wouldn't be too traumatized to work with him tomorrow, he thought dully.

Nick believed he was slightly shell-shocked from the hungry kiss Greg gave him. He walked numbly to his truck, opened the door, felt the welcoming warmth of it and climbed in. The minute he shut and locked the door behind him, the overwhelming urge to sleep came over him like a warm blanket. He leaned his seat back, set the alarm on his clock to wake him up after an hour and dozed off. The feel of Greg's soft lips pressed against his lingered in his mind as he drifted off to sleep. Their hurried, urgent kisses had been sinfully sexy. Nick wanted to do it again and could only hope Greg wanted to as well.

He'd been sleeping in his truck a lot lately, Nick thought absently as sleep finally sunk in.

TBC