Rise of the Grasshopper – Part 6

By Ms. Maggs

"I haven't been here in months," Greg remarked while walking through front door and into the cozy living room.

"I had to stop inviting you over." After tossing his keys on the entryway table, Nick joined his guest. "The last time you were here I almost jumped you and I wasn't ready to go there."

"Are you talking about that awkward moment we had in the kitchen?" Greg remembered it well, they had bumped into each other and their mouths came dangerously close to meeting. "It seemed like you were holding onto me longer than you had to, but I assumed that was wishful thinking."

"No, you were right. For a split-second I wanted to bend you over the counter and have my way with you like we were in some cheesy porno flick. You know the type: co-worker comes over to handle some work and ends up gettin' manhandled."

Trying to take his mind off the enticing image Nick had just planted in his head, Greg changed the subject. "So, uh, are you still happy living here?"

"Happy or not I'm in this house until the Vegas housing market turns around because I'd take a huge loss, but yeah, my backyard sanctuary makes it all worthwhile." He had specifically purchased the home because of the hot tub, pool, and the privacy the tall shrubs lining the yard afforded. "I planted a few more things out back, but other than that, nothing's really changed since you were here except some new photos of my nieces and nephews." He grabbed an oak frame from the wall shelf. "And Tina gave me this a few weeks ago. I didn't even know she snapped it."

Greg studied the picture of Nick teaching Warrick's son how to throw a football. "He has his daddy's eyes."

"Yeah."

"How's the scholarship fund going?"

"He'll have a full ride for sure." Returning the frame to its spot, Nick smiled. "When I was home for my parents' anniversary, my brother kicked in a bunch of money hoping it would make up for all the crap he did to me as a kid and my sister got her law firm to match her donation." He caught his best friend staring at him with a silly grin on his face. "What?"

"It just hit me - I'm in a relationship with a great guy." Suddenly feeling like a love struck dork infatuated with the Big Man on Campus, Greg shifted his eyes to the floor and fell silent.

"Hey." Watching his obviously insecure friend keep his gaze glued to the floor, Nick said, "I hope you know that you're not the only one in a relationship with a great guy. I am too."

While desperately trying to feel worthy of everything happening, Greg mumbled, "You really believe that?"

"Yes! Think about it, when was the last time you saw me as happy and relaxed as I've been in the last twenty-four hours?" The skepticism in his lover's eyes was unfathomable. "Why is it so hard to believe I want this as much as you do? Or that I've wanted it for a while. And when did it become so easier for you to believe I'm a liar?"

Still actively fighting the voice in his head telling him he wasn't worthy, Greg remained mute.

Having seen the look of someone battling their inner-demons in his own mirror, Nick figured out the problem and took a different approach with the validation-seeking man. "I have about six hours to kill before I need to catch some z's and I really wanted to spend that time gettin' drunk with my boyfriend, kickin' his ass at Wii Sports, and fooling around, but from the way he's looking at me I don't know if he wants to stay and I'm devastated…which makes me think I actually need this relationship way more than him, because if he can just stand there and not care that we're wasting our night off playing hooky together when I'm dying to spend time with him..."

"Boyfriend?" Greg couldn't believe his ears.

"I knew that would get your attention." Nick chuckled. "For the record, I don't plan on sharing that term with anyone but you and my sister, but yeah, I like it, it makes me feel twenty instead of forty." Grabbing his Greg's hand, he playfully said, "For the next six hours I'm twenty again. I have low blood pressure, a cute boyfriend with a tight ass, and no job responsibilities." He brought their mouths together for a flirtatious kiss. "Promise me you'll relax and let that that be your last crisis of confidence for a while."

Somewhere between hearing Nick's validating words and swept up in his arms, Greg's worthiness returned. "I promise."

"Excellent!" Rubbing his hands together, Nick led the way to the kitchen, "Let's get this private frat party started." He grabbed two shot glasses and a bottle of Jack Daniels. "Stickin' with the theme of revisiting my youth, we're drinkin' my college beverage of choice." Pouring their drinks and dreaming of the fun yet to come, Nick's lips spread into a smile. "If the boss only knew," he toasted.

After clinking his glass to Nick's and downing the shot, Greg said, "It feels so liberating being bad behind an authority figure's back." He chuckled like the rebel teen he used to dream of being. "I'm getting the same rush as I did when I pleasured Pablo the Pool Guy by the family pool…until I got caught of course."

"Dammit!" Catherine gave up ransacking her purse for her keys and marched for the Lab entrance clutching the Martinez file. "First I get stopped ten times on the way to the exit and now this."

"Hey, Catherine," Detective Monte Valdez waved to his co-worker's bed buddy. "You seem a little crabby this morning. Hormones or trouble with your boyfriend?"

Sick and tired of placating Vartann's crude co-workers with politically correct responses, the fed-up girlfriend pushed out her chest and told the fifty year old ball buster, "No, I'm on a thirty minute break and I forgot my keys. Now it's already 4:30 and I'm going to be late for my naughty motel sex rendezvous with Lou. You'd think already having sex twice in twenty-four hours would be enough, but we just can't seem to get our fill of each other."

"Shoot!" Greg paused the Wii Golf game.

"What's wrong? Why are you stopping before the last hole?"

"My phone is vibrating." Greg put his finger over his lips. "It's my mother."

"How do you know if your phone is still in your pocket?" Nick asked with the wonder of a guy who had rapidly consumed more whiskey than he should have. "Another psychic ability inherited from Nana Olaf?"

"If I don't text my mother by 4:44 to confirm I'm alive, she calls when she wakes up at 4:45 to get ready for her 5:15 spin class." The frustrated son extracted his phone from his jeans. "If I don't answer it, she'll call the lab and they'll tell her that I'm out sick. Then she'll flip out and think I have AIDS or a brain tumor."

Nick used the opportunity to refill their glasses.

"I'm fine, Mom," Greg answered the phone. "Sorry, I got distracted and didn't realize the time."

"Distracted?" Nick teased as he tossed his shirt. "By what?" He popped open the button on his jeans and rested his hand just inside the waistband.

'Are you crazy?' Greg frantically mouthed before putting a finger to his lips and begging him to stay quiet. "Yeah, that was Nick." He rolled his eyes. "We're working in the Layout Room together."

"Oops." The whiskey flowing freely through his veins, Nick merrily played along. "Hi, Mrs. Sanders!"

Greg clutched his head. "Sure, I'll put you on speakerphone." He set his cell on the coffee table and cursed his smartass boyfriend with a shake of his finger.

"Hello, Nick," Mrs. Sanders warmly greeted the man responsible for proving Greg was only acting in self-defense when he killed Demetrius James. "How are you, Dear?"

After handing a shot glass to Greg, the overgrown frat boy replied in his friendliest Texas twang. "Never been better, ma'am." Sliding an arm around his boyfriend's waist, he grinned. "Life is good." He planted a kiss on Greg's neck, making him shiver with delight.

"Good to hear." Hoping her son was struggling in the field and ready to return to the safety of the DNA lab, the worried mother asked, "Now tell me…how is my son's performance?"

The men simultaneously covered their mouths to stifle their laughter.

"Hello?" Mrs. Sanders tapped the phone when she only heard noise. "Can you hear me now?"

"Yes, ma'am." Nick pulled himself together and finally answered her question. "I can say first-hand that Greg's performance has been top-notch. Just this morning he was handling something for me and I told him he was doin' a much better job when I handle the same thing myself."

Greg grabbed a couch pillow to cover his face and burst out laughing.

Refusing to accept that her son was doing well in the field, Mrs. Sanders asked, "But do you really think he should keep doing what he's doing?"

"Absolutely!" Nick vehemently replied, "As a matter of fact I recently told him that he's spent enough time on the bottom and I think he's ready to step up and take the lead."

"Oh." She couldn't mask the reluctance in her voice. "I suppose if he's doing that well he should keep it up."

Greg fell onto the couch and stuffed his head in the cushions.

"Mrs. Sanders, we're workin' against the clock so we really need to get back to what we were doing." Nick sweetly said, "It was nice talkin' to you."

"Same here. Please take good care of my son."

"You can count on it," Nick answered while grinning at his lover.

Mrs. Sanders sighed, "And please be careful, Gregory. Don't do anything risky."

"I promise," Greg managed to reply when he caught his breath. "I love you, Mom. Bye."

When the call ended, Nick smooched his boyfriend's cheek. "Aww. You're such a good boy."

"And you're not!" Greg threw the couch cushion at his rowdy mate. "I can't believe you did that."

"This is why you shouldn't answer the phone when you're drinkin'." Nick yanked his phone out of his pocket and proudly displayed that it was off.

"Let's go." Greg unpaused the golf game. "You're up. Hey, did we say what we're playing for?" Their previous Wii tennis game was for taking the next 'dumpster dive'.

"I said the winner tops and the loser buys pizza." Nick sliced the ball into the imaginary trees and ruined any chance he had of winning. "Uh oh. Looks like I'm buyin' pizza."

As he watched his Mii character celebrate its golf victory, Greg froze. "Did you throw the game?"

"Yeah." Nick flashed a naughty smile. "Cause you're well overdo to lose your top-ginity." Opting to wear only a brilliant smile, he quickly discarded the rest of his clothes.

His face flushing bright red, Greg nervously said, "I don't know…I don't think I'm drunk enough yet."

"If you get too wasted you won't be able to." Nick sweetly chuckled as he took his boyfriend's hand. "I don't know why you're worried. You've already done hundreds of things with me for the first time."

"On the job!" Edgy laughter spilling out of his mouth, Greg let go of his randy lover's hand and grabbed the shot of whiskey that had been poured for him. "This is a little bit different than lifting prints for the first time."

"You're right; lifting prints is a complicated, multi-step process. Sex is a lot easier." Relaxing on his cushy living room area rug, Nick told his co-worker the same thing he had told him dozens of times on the job when he was anxious about attempting a new procedure. "C'mon, I wouldn't let you do it if I didn't think you'd be good at it."

After downing his drink, Greg plunked the glass on the coffee table, flung his clothes, and joined Nick on the rug. "The Mii characters cheering in the background are a nice touch."

While snuggling close, Nick murmured, "I love how you went from being too shy to talk about this to wantin' an audience."

"Actually." Greg reached up to the coffee table and grabbed the remote to shut off the TV. "I only want to share this with you."

"Nicky, would you answer already!" Catherine shouted into her phone as she drove. "I'm five minutes from your place and you have to wake up. Come on, I really need you to do this for me."

"I can't do this!" Greg rolled onto his back laughing. "I can't take the lead after following your lead for a decade. It's unnatural."

Rolling on his side, Nick prodded his hesitant lover with words and body language. "You had no problem schooling me during our last case."

"On the intricacies of hair dye!" Greg chuckled, "I've dyed my hair a hundred times. It's an area of expertise. This isn't and I've never been above you in any capacity."

"Hey." Nick took a serious tone. "We can't be together if you feel inferior to me. In a serious relationship all things have to feel equal or it won't work."

"Serious relationship?" The addition of the adjective took Greg by surprise. "Really? When did the upgrade happen?"

Nick's smile returned. "Trust me, sweetheart, if I'm beggin' to bottom, it ain't casual." Concerned he was pushing too much, his voice softened, "Hey, you never have to do something you don't want to do. I just think if we're a couple you shouldn't feel too intimidated to do something you really want to try."

"I know. It's stupid." Feeling ridiculous, Greg admitted, "I've wanted to a bunch of times, but I never could make the first move and that always made the other person take the lead and every time that happened I lost a little more confidence."

"Well, as far as the first move goes…" Nick smiled as he tore open the condom that he had raced to the bedroom to retrieve earlier. "It's always safety first." After rolling it on, he used drunken humor as an ice breaker. "Okay, captain." Saluting, he said, "Your love rocket is clear for launch. All you have to do now is heat things up and overcome friction."

"Making me giggle isn't helping me feel aggressive." As much as Greg wanted to take the lead, it still seemed daunting to make the bold move required.

"Okay, I have another idea." Nick straddled his timid lover's hips and caressed his mouth with a steamy kiss. "We always work best as a team, so how about I set things up and you take it from there when you're ready." Instead of waiting for an answer, he heated things up with a string of passionate kisses.

"I love…" Greg fought the urge to say 'you'… "it."

"I love it too," Nick confessed, knowing exactly what they were both thinking. "Mmm." He caressed the parted lips in front of him while positioning himself to bottom from the top.

"This is good." Every bump of their bodies lowered Greg's inhibition. "Yeah." He slid his palms over his lover's strong arms and down to his waist. Sinking his fingers into his hips, he gave a little push.

"Are you tryin' to tell me something?" Enjoying the tease, Nick delayed their union until they were both panting with desire. "Okay," he whispered. "Real slow."

"Make it quick," Catherine snipped upon answering her phone.

"I love you too, Cath." Brass grumped.

"Sorry." Parking her Denali in front of Nick's house, she apologized, "Ecklie is all over my ass about the Martinez case. What can I do for you?"

"I wish I had good news, but I don't. I'm working that 419 on Madison with Sara and Wendy. Wendy got hurt. I don't how serious it is, but you should probably get down here since she's a trainee and you're her supervisor. Sara would have called but..."

"Not what I needed to hear right now." Whipping her Denali around, Catherine huffed, "I'm coming."

Gasping for air like a beached flounder, Greg collapsed on top of his lover's sweaty back.

"I'm never topping again, am I?" Nick teased as he lay trapped under his boyfriend's spent body. "You sure found your stride fast."

"It's all a blur."

"Tell me about it. I'm not even sure how you ended up behind me."

"Does it really matter how?" The proud man groaned with satisfaction. "I got there."

"You're still there."

"Hey, it took me thirty-five years to get here and I'm not ready to leave yet." Greg laughed. "Mmm…was it good for you? Not that I honestly care right now."

"You couldn't tell I was enjoying it?" Nick chuckled into the sheets. "I thought I was makin' it pretty damn clear."

"Sorry, I was a little self-focused and I couldn't hear anything but the noise I was making. Good thing we didn't attempt this at my condo, even though she wears hearing aids, my neighbor Mrs. Delaney would have heard me through the wall." Greg sighed with contentment. "If I died right now I'd die a happy man."

"And I would have a lot of explaining to do if Catherine and Doc showed up to process this 'post-ecstasy death in the sack'."

"And I'd be grateful that I wasn't the one left alive when Doc pried our sticky bodies apart."

"Speakin' of that, McToppy." Reaching around, he playfully smacked his boyfriend's ass. "Time to hit the shower."

"A decontamination shower?" Catherine stared at the white tent in front of the residence where she sent Wendy and Sara. "Why did they have to…"

"We found an unidentifiable substance." The Haz Mat commander explained, "We couldn't take a chance waiting on the results. I don't know how she hurt her ankle though."

Watching Wendy, who looked like a soaked rat, being treated in the back of ambulance, the concerned supervisor asked, "Sara, do you know how she got hurt?"

"One of the guys in white suits got a little overzealous bringing her to the tent and she banged it on one of the cement yard gnomes." Sara pointed to the oddly landscaped lawn. "Check it out, they have at least three dozen sitting out there. It's creepy."

Noting that Brass looked no worse for wear, Catherine asked, "How did you escape the power shower, Jim?"

"I left to get coffee and by the time I got back they had called the all-clear."

"How did Henry get involved?" Catherine queried when she saw the Toxicologist walking toward her wearing Sara's spare coveralls.

"I called him to see if he could help us identify some of the odd stuff we found in there. The next thing he knew he was being stripped in the shower with Wendy and me."

Brass's dirty mind caused him to snicker. "He went in there a boy and came out a man."

Stepping out of the sweltering shower, Greg joined his lover at the sink. "Thanks for the early birthday present. You don't have to get me anything else." He filled his lungs with air. "I'm good."

Returning his toothbrush to its holder, Nick shook his head. "Nah, it's not really a present if I got as much out of it as you." Opening a drawer, he grabbed a new toothbrush from the economy pack he bought at Costco. "Happy Birthday."

"Just what the son of a dentist always wants."

"I figured." After a peck on the cheek, Nick asked, "What kind of toppings do want on your victory pizza?"

"What every real man wants," Greg replied in a huksy voice. "Meat! Lots of meat!" Then he thought about it. "That's not really good for your blood pressure so make it a Veggie Lover's."

"Aww." Nick covered his heart with his palm. "You really know how to take care of me." Turning around he hobbled out of the room clutching his ass and waddling. "Oh yeah." He joked, "You took care of me real good!"

Joining in the laughter, Greg confessed, "You had me worried for a sec."

"What do you mean Wendy's going to the hospital?" Hodges yelled into his cell phone at Henry. "Why?" He grabbed his keys from his desk and raced for the door. "Which one? What happened?"

When he heard it was just a hurt ankle, the concerned man stopped to breathe. "How did it happen?"

After Henry ran through the story, Hodges screamed into the phone. "What? You saw her naked!" He couldn't believe Henry got the pleasure before he did. Afraid that the traumatic experience and mutual nudity somehow bonded the two of them together, he took off down the hall. "Tell her I'm on my way and then stay away from her!"

"You're in good hands." Catherine patted Wendy on the shoulder. "So if it's okay I'm gonna go and handle a few things."

"I'm fine. David is meeting me at the hospital." Wendy relaxed on the stretcher. "And the morphine shot is kicking in."

"I'm kind of jealous," Catherine joked. On the way to her Denali, she checked her phone for messages. When there was no reply from Nick, she grumbled, "I know you're punishing me for asking you to cover for my romp with Lou, but I'm coming over and I'm not taking no for an answer."

"Pizza!" Greg exclaimed when Nick's doorbell rang.

"That was fast." Nick handed over the TV remote and rolled out of bed. "We'll come back to naked channel surfing before we crash."

"Definitely."

"You want to eat naked by the pool?" Nick asked while grabbing a pair of jeans from his closet and pulling them on.

"You know me, there's nothing I love more than enjoying a tasty poolside snack with a hot guy."

"Ha!" Nick lunged for a lusty kiss and then rushed for the door. "Hey, I don't want the pizza guy thinkin' we're together so wait two minutes before you come out of the bedroom."

Greg reclined on the bed and relived the memories of the morning. It was hard to believe he and Nick had gone from friends to lovers in less than twenty-four hours, but at the same time it seemed like the love had been there for years.

"Mmm." He stretched and sniffed the pillow Nick had been reclining against. One sniff of the arousing scent made Greg's body react. "Pizza's better cold anyway," he snickered, believing he could convince his boyfriend to go another round before eating.

"It has to be two minutes," he announced while jumping out of bed. "Safety first!" A drunken giggle rolled off his lips as plucked a condom out of Nick's nightstand drawer. "Pre-lubricated Trojans and not a toy in sight, not a surprise. My boyfriend is efficient and traditional."

When he heard the front door shut, Greg darted into the living room. "Pizza has to wait," he laughed, "something came up." He pointed to his crotch. "Just in case you up for another round I came packing, but if you need a little more recovery time I have a Plan B – reenacting my Pablo the Pool Boy fantasy with you playing the part of Pablo."

"Plan B is more practical poolside." He handed over the pizza and hurried to the fridge for a couple of beers. "But definitely Plan A before bed."

Greg tossed the condom toward the couch and headed for the sliding door that led to the backyard. "Grab a pool net and start skimming, pool boy."

"Okay, but I don't usually do role play." Nick placed the bottles on his patio table. "In case I'm not good at it, that's why."

"You're a natural for the part, all you have to do is look bronzed and beautiful."

Even though he felt mildly ridiculous, the willing boyfriend grabbed his skimmer and went poolside. "Like this?"

"Perfect." Greg walked over and smiled like the desperate geek he was at eighteen. "Hey."

"Hey." Nick posed and eyed his man from head to toe. "Who are you?"

"I live here…when I'm not away at college."

"College boy, huh?"

"Yeah. I'm a freshman. This is my first Spring Break. My parents wouldn't let me go to Mexico with my friends."

"That sucks."

"Yeah."

"You're cute."

"Thanks."

"Let's see if you're smart too." Trying to minimize his lines, Nick unzipped his fly and asked, "Do you know what to do with this?"

"Yeah, of course." Greg nodded like a crazy person. "I watch movies."

When Greg dropped to his knees and dove in with the skill of an inexperienced co-ed, Nick tried not to laugh. "Slow down, Speedy." With his back to the pool and the sun warming his chest, he relaxed and ran his fingers through his boyfriend's hair. "Much better." He closed his eyes and moaned. "Yeah…just like that. That's real good for your first-time."

"Ahem!" Catherine released the side gate from her hand and let it close loudly.

Nick's eyes flew open. "Oh shit!" In a panic, he jerked away and crashed into the water.

Catherine lowered her sunglasses and approached her stunned employee who was still on his knees with his mouth gaping open. "Is that what the doctor recommended for your strep throat or do I have a sexual harassment suit on my hands?"

ANs:

Only one part to go. Part 7 will definitely be the conclusion!

Thanks for reading and for your comments! They're all appreciated! : )

Maggs