Fic: A Lesser Proof (CSI, Nick/Greg, NC17)
Title: A Lesser Proof
Fandom: CSI
Pairing: Nick/Greg
Rating: NC17
Summary: AU. Spring break is all about experimentation.
Ft. Lauderdale, April 1994
"So we're on the way to the beach…"
"No, we were at the pool."
"Look, I'm telling the story, okay?"
"Well tell it right, then. It started at the pool, remember? I stopped at the machine to get a soda and when I looked up, there he was."
"There who was?"
"Aren't you listening? Him. The most beautiful guy I've ever seen. God, those abs…and when he smiled…"
"Jesus, Sanders, could you sound any more like a girl?"
Greg ignored the sound of laughter - he was used to his friends laughing at him, and anyway he wasn't about to let them ruin this. Not when he could still picture that face, still feel the way his stomach fluttered when some guy he didn't know smiled right at him. And it didn't matter that he didn't know the guy's name or where he was from or even how long he was in town. All that mattered was that Greg knew where he was going to be tonight, and he wasn't about to pass up the chance to see him again.
That was what spring break was about: taking chances, meeting new people, experimentation. And if he was going to experiment, he might as well do it with the best-looking guy he'd ever laid eyes on. "Look, the point is he's hot, and he's going to be at this club tonight."
"Dude, what'd you do, bug his phone?"
Greg rolled his eyes and stepped a little closer to the curb, waving down the first cab that came by. "No, I heard his friends talking. They said they were going to this club tonight, and that it was supposed to be the best party in town."
"So you're stalking some guy you don't even know. Nice."
More laughter, but he ignored it this time too and pulled the cab door open. He leaned forward to tell the driver the name of the club, fitting himself as far into the corner as he could to make room for his friends. Ten minutes later the cab pulled up in front of a building already crawling with college students, half of them still wearing the bathing suits they'd worn to the beach, and the rest not wearing much else.
Greg felt a little overdressed in his Social Distortion t-shirt and jeans, but as soon as he climbed out of the cab and felt the beat of the music pouring out of the club he forgot all about what he was wearing. And he wasn't really a fan of dance music, but he could feel it thrumming inside his head and his limbs and he couldn't wait to get on the dance floor. He couldn't wait to lose himself in the crush of bodies already moving to the music, and with any luck he'd find the guy from the pool already inside.
The thought of dancing pressed up against that sent a shiver through him, and he cleared his throat against the sudden wave of desire and reached for his wallet to pay the cover charge. He followed his friends inside, pausing just inside the door to let his eyes adjust to the dim light. Everything was black - the walls, the floor, the furniture - even the bar, with bright neon tubes running down the length of every flat surface.
The dance floor was already packed, but he caught glimpses of the flashing colors from the lighted floor as the crowd moved to the music. It was exactly the way he'd pictured night clubs in Florida, and he couldn't believe he was actually standing in one. He couldn't believe they hadn't even carded him - he had a decent fake I.D., but he hadn't tried to use it yet and he was still a little nervous about pulling it out for the first time.
Then again, half the crowd was probably underage, so a few more college freshmen wouldn't make any difference. Greg grinned to himself and followed his friends into the club, eyes scanning the dance floor for any sign of the reason they'd come here in the first place. And okay, maybe it was a little stupid to develop a crush on the first cute guy he saw, but this guy…this wasn't just any guy. Greg had never seen a smile like that, for one thing, and when the guy caught him looking and grinned at him Greg felt like he was the only person in the world.
Not that he'd ever say that out loud, because his friends were going to spend the rest of the night making fun of him as it was, and he didn't need to give them any more ammunition. But that was how it felt - electric, like some kind of energy passed between him and someone he didn't even know. And he knew it wasn't possible, but he wasn't going to question fate.
He eased his way onto the dance floor, moving with the crowd as he threaded his way across the room. It seemed impossible that there could be so many good-looking people in one place, but everyone he looked at was like something out of a movie. There were hands all over him, bodies crushing together until he couldn't tell who was touching him. When a hand slid across his ass he turned to find a gorgeous brunette grinning at him, her eyes a little glazed from the drink she was holding in her free hand.
"Hi," she shouted over the music, breath warm and orange-scented. "Dance with me."
Her hand slid into his back pocket, drawing him close until their hips were pressed together, and obviously she wasn't planning to take no for an answer. Greg grinned and slid an arm around her waist, moving them both in time to the music for a few beats before he spun her into the crowd and let go. Immediately she latched onto someone else, and Greg laughed to himself as he pushed his way further into the crowd.
Barely ten steps later and he was pulled back into another body - male this time, he could tell by the hard muscle pressed against his back. Just for a second he wondered if maybe Fate really was smiling down on him, but when he glanced over his shoulder he caught a flash of blond hair and he knew it wasn't the guy he was looking for. Still, the warmth against his back felt good, and he leaned into it and let the music move them. A mouth landed on his neck and he closed his eyes, tilting his head and letting himself drift on the sensation.
It wasn't like he wasn't used to this kind of thing; he went to college in San Francisco for a reason, but this wasn't a gay bar and he wasn't in San Francisco. He was in the south - technically, anyway - and he was pretty sure this kind of thing didn't happen here. He turned in the arms still wrapped around him, but before he could ask if this was such a smart idea the other man let go, drifting back into the crowd and leaving Greg alone.
For the first time all night he felt conspicuous, because he hadn't come all the way to Florida just to get his ass kicked on his first night in town. Everyone around him was caught up in the music, though, and if anyone saw they didn't care enough to keep looking. He pushed through the crowd in the direction of the bar, dodging the few hands that tried to pull him back into the dance until he finally broke free of the press of bodies.
He reached up absently and rubbed at his neck as he scanned the crowd at the bar. He expected to find his friends already working their way through their first round, ready to laugh at him for dragging them to some club looking for a guy who didn't even show. And maybe it really was stupid, because he had no idea what he was supposed to say even if he did find the guy.
He'd run through a dozen different scenarios in his head already, but every one sounded way too stupid to say out loud. So maybe it was just as well that the guy and his friends had decided to go somewhere else - at least this way Greg could relax and enjoy the crowd without worrying about what he was going to say when he finally caught up with somebody he didn't even know. He told himself it didn't matter and turned back toward the dance floor, colliding face first with a solid chest.
"Oh, hey, man, I'm sorry."
"My fault. Should've been looking…" Greg trailed off when he looked up, knees wobbling a little when he found himself staring back at the smile that had been haunting him all day.
"Hey, you okay?" Warm hands landed on his shoulders, steadying him and Greg would have been embarrassed if he wasn't so busy trying to remember how to work his voice.
"Yeah…uh…fine."
"I know you, right? From the motel."
And there went that grin again, making Greg glad the guy was still holding onto him. Strong hands still pressing into his shoulders, and that wasn't really helping him regain his composure. "From the pool. I mean I saw you at the pool. At the motel."
"Right," the other man said, his smile amused this time and Greg was almost sure he was being flirted with. "Nick Stokes."
"Greg. Sanders," Greg stammered, swallowing his disappointment when Nick let go of his shoulders.
"I saw you on the dance floor a few minutes ago. You looked pretty good out there."
And okay, that was definitely flirting. At least he thought it was, but he didn't exactly have a lot of experience with this kind of thing. He flirted, sure, but he wasn't used to people flirting back. Not hot guys like this - hot older guys, Greg was guessing, and he couldn't help wondering exactly how much older Nick was.
He opened his mouth to say something witty and charming, but before he got the words out Nick's smile faded and he took a step backwards. "Listen, I gotta go. I'll see you around, okay?"
Just like that he was gone, before Greg even had a chance to answer. He turned just in time to see Nick disappearing into a crowd of guys, a couple he recognized from the pool and a few more he'd never seen before. Most of them were attached to girls already, the kind with short skirts and big hair and those high-pitched giggles that always sounded fake. And maybe he should have known, but until he saw that frat logo on the back of one of their t-shirts it didn't even dawn on him that his dream guy was one of those guys.
~
"I can't believe you fell for a frat guy."
"I didn't fall for anybody," Greg shot back, turning onto his stomach and folding his arms under his head. "And I didn't know he was in a frat."
"Come on, man, the hair alone should have told you that."
"What's wrong with his hair?"
"Nothing, if you're in a frat."
Greg scowled at the sound of their laughter, and he was really starting to regret agreeing to go to the beach. He'd known they were going to laugh at him, but he'd expected them to be sick of it by now.
"Listen, Sanders, frat guys are nothing but trouble. Stick to your own kind if you want to see graduation."
"Thanks for the tip," Greg muttered. Sticking with his own kind was a lot easier said than done, especially when his 'own kind' were a bunch of science geeks. He'd always been a big fan of diversity, and Nick was definitely different than the other guys he'd dated. There was the accent, for one thing, warm and slow like honey and God, he really did sound like a girl.
He stopped short of rolling his eyes at himself and sat up to pull his shoes on. "I'm going back to the motel. See you guys later."
"You're not going looking for Mr. Alpha Omega, are you?"
"No," Greg said as he stood up and picked up his towel.
"Sanders, seriously…"
"What? I'm not," Greg interrupted. And he wasn't, because even if he wanted to he was pretty sure Nick would be surrounded by his friends by now. Still, though, he'd definitely flirted with Greg. He'd even admitted to watching him dance, and that meant…something. He wasn't sure what, but he had a feeling if he could just get Nick alone again he'd find out.
Not that Greg was looking for him. He wasn't looking as he walked back to the motel, and he wasn't looking as he walked past the pool. So he didn't notice that it was packed, and he didn't notice that Nick wasn't out there with his friends. He didn't even wonder which part of the motel Nick was staying in, whether he was on the other side altogether or if his room was close to Greg's.
There was no sign of him anywhere, and even though Greg knew he was probably at the beach, he couldn't help being a little disappointed. He wasn't expecting Nick to be waiting around for him, but he wouldn't have complained about accidentally bumping into him. Only everybody in Fort Lauderdale was probably on the beach right now, and Greg would have had a better chance of running into Nick if he'd just stayed there.
He sighed and walked past the pool, down the sidewalk and around the corner to his room. He was just past the ice machine when he saw Nick, head down and a plastic bucket hanging from one hand. Greg's heart skipped a beat and he wiped his palms absently on his towel, consciously slowing down to what he hoped was a casual pace. Nick was getting closer, still looking down and by the time they were almost face to face Greg could tell he was thinking hard about something.
So hard that he was almost past Greg before he noticed he wasn't alone, starting and blinking at Greg a few times before his features relaxed into a smile. "Hey. Greg, right?"
"Right," Greg answered, turning on his most charming grin. "You look a little distracted there. Do you and your ice bucket want to be alone?"
He was rewarded with a warm smile as Nick nodded in the direction he'd just come from. "There's sort of a party. It's a last-minute thing."
If this were a movie Nick would hesitate a second and then ask Greg if he wanted to go to the party. Or better yet, he'd blow it off and ask Greg to go hang out somewhere they could be alone. Not that there were many places in town that weren't crawling with college students, but there was Greg's room, and that was a good start. He waited for the invitation, but after a few moments of tense silence Nick cleared his throat and held up the ice bucket.
"Well, they're waiting for me, so…"
"Oh. Yeah, sure," Greg said, forcing his attention away from the Nick in his imagination and back to the one standing in front of him. And just like that it was over, opportunity passing him by for the second time in as many days. He couldn't tell if Nick was interested or if he was just a really friendly guy - he was almost sure, but there was enough doubt to keep him from saying anything he couldn't take back.
Still, he'd never really known when to quit, and when Nick started to walk away Greg's hand shot out to stop him. "Will I see you at the club tonight?"
He sounded as desperate as he felt, and when Nick glanced down at the hand holding his wrist Greg was sure he'd just screwed up. Then Nick looked up and grinned, and Greg's hand tightened on his wrist a little before he forced himself to let go.
"Maybe. See you around, Greg."
Before Greg could answer Nick was walking away, t-shirt tight across broad shoulders and Greg had to swallow a groan as he let his gaze wander down the length of Nick's body. It wasn't a yes, but it wasn't a no either, and that was good enough for Greg.
~
He was not nervous. He wasn't, because it was just another night at a club he'd already been to once, and it wasn't the first time he'd been to a club alone. Granted, usually he was meeting someone there, but technically he was meeting someone tonight. At least he hoped he was, because 'maybe' didn't necessarily mean Nick was going to show. He might have said it just to get rid of Greg, or maybe he was just too nice to let Greg down to his face.
And okay, he was a little nervous, because if Nick didn't show he was going to have to face all his friends in the morning, and he knew exactly what they were going to say. They'd tried talking him out of going back to the club in the first place, tried everything they could think of to get him to forget Nick and go to the beach party they'd heard about. And they meant well, but there was no way Greg was going to pass up the chance to see Nick again.
He skirted the dance floor altogether this time, pushing through the crowd at the edges of the club until he reached the bar. It was even more crowded tonight than it was the first time he'd been here, and he almost missed Nick in the press of bodies at the bar. He caught sight of dark hair and broad shoulders just before the crowd closed in behind Nick, and for once he was thankful for being a little on the thin side, because it made pushing his way through the crowd that much easier.
By the time he reached Nick he was a little breathless, flushed from the heat in the club and the fact that Nick had actually showed. He tapped Nick on the shoulder, breath catching in his throat when Nick smiled at him. "Hey," Greg shouted over the music, shoving his way a little closer to the other man. "Where are your friends?"
"Some beach party," Nick answered, and that wasn't the answer Greg was expecting. What he expected was for Nick to tell him they were on the other side of the club, maybe waiting for Nick to fetch their drinks and bring them back. Only Nick didn't really look like the lackey type, and the fact that he'd showed up alone said a lot.
It said that this was a date - sort of, anyway - and Greg couldn't help grinning like an idiot as he swayed a little closer. "So why didn't you go?"
Nick smiled and opened his mouth to answer, but before he got the words out someone jostled him from behind and he frowned and took a step forward. "You wanna…?" He gestured in the direction of the door, and Greg nodded before he even figured out what Nick was asking, because he didn't really care as long as they went together.
A few breathless minutes later he found himself outside the club, Nick's hand warm on his shoulder and when he let go Greg had to swallow a disappointed sigh. It was quieter outside, but there were still plenty of people around, walking past on their way to the clubs lining the street. Nick nodded toward the beach and Greg grinned, falling in step next to the other man until the pavement turned to sand under their feet.
The beach wasn't deserted - there was a couple walking along the edge of the water, and in the distance Greg could see a bonfire burning. The party his friends had gone to, probably, and most likely the same party Nick had bowed out of. He could hear the music from the party, faint in the background and growing even quieter as he followed Nick into the dunes. And he could hear his mother's voice even as he sank down onto the sand, warning him about going off with strangers and all the things that could happen to a clueless kid on spring break.
He swallowed a nervous laugh and leaned back on his hands, the sand warm under his fingers when he dug them in. "You know, technically we shouldn't be back here. The dunes are protected."
"Yeah? What, are you an environmental science major?"
"Chemistry," Greg answered, grinning in the darkness. "But I grew up on the beach."
"What do you do with a chemistry major?"
"I haven't really decided yet. There's a lot you can do: teach, be a lab rat, go to med school…pretty much anything, really."
It was a dark night, but they were sitting close enough for Greg to make out Nick's bemused expression. "How old are you?"
"Twenty," Greg lied. "Why?"
"So that makes you…what, a junior? And you still haven't decided what you're going to do after graduation?"
If he'd thought any of this through he would have had a lie ready when Nick started asking questions, but when he'd imagined tonight conversation hadn't really been all that high on the list. "I like to keep my options open."
Nick grinned at that, features relaxing and if he knew Greg was lying, he was willing to go with it. He wasn't sure which of them leaned in first - he thought maybe he did, but suddenly Nick was right there, breath warm on his cheek and his mouth barely an inch from Greg's. It hardly took any effort at all to close that little space between them, head tilted to fit their mouths together just so and he sighed against Nick's mouth when a hand slid into his hair.
As soon as his lips parted Nick's tongue slid inside, past his teeth and Greg tasted mint and beer as he opened for Nick. And this was what he imagined when he thought about how tonight would go - soft lips and strong hands, heart beating fast under his fingers and breathy little moans when he slid his hand under Nick's shirt. Nick's stomach trembled under his touch, hips moving almost imperceptibly and Greg wondered how dangerous it would be to do this right here.
Barely a second later a high-pitched laugh from somewhere on the beach broke the mood, and he swallowed his disappointment when Nick pulled away to glance nervously toward the water.
"You want to go someplace a little less public?" Greg asked, praying he didn't sound as desperate as he felt. The thought of Nick calling it off after one kiss…but before he had time to worry about it Nick was looking at him again, hand leaving Greg's neck to rest against his shoulder.
"What about your friends?"
"They'll be out for hours. Maybe even 'til morning. Besides, we have a system. My roommate will just crash on somebody else's floor."
Nick's grin told him everything he needed to know, and before he had a chance to change his mind Greg was standing up and pulling him to his feet. He let his hand linger in Nick's for just a second longer than strictly necessary before he let go, turning toward the motel and trying his best not to break into a run.
~
It felt like forever before they made it back to the motel, but finally they reached Greg's room and he unlocked the door to let Nick inside. He paused long enough to hang the Do Not Disturb sign on the doorknob before he locked it behind him, turning to find Nick standing less than a foot away from him. And it wasn't like he'd never done this before, but he hadn't done it that often, and he had a feeling Nick knew what he was doing.
He sure as hell knew how to kiss, anyway, and when he pulled Greg forward again Greg forgot to worry about looking like an idiot. He forgot everything but the hands on his back, pushing his t-shirt up until it was bunched around his armpits. He let go of Nick long enough to let the other man tug it over his head, dropping it on the floor before he leaned in to capture Greg's mouth again.
His own hands found their way back under Nick's shirt, sliding across a perfect stomach and around to Nick's back. He slid his hands along Nick's skin, thumbs tracing the curve of his spine until Nick broke the kiss to pull his own shirt off. Before it even hit the floor Nick was reaching for him again, tugging at the button of his jeans as Greg kicked off his shoes.
The rest of their clothes came off in a blur of skin and fabric and heat, and by the time Greg's underwear hit the floor he was being pushed backwards onto the bed, tugging Nick on top of him and leaning up to fuse their mouths together again. Nick moaned against his mouth, weight settled squarely on top of Greg and thrusting slowly against him. Greg's hands slid up his back, tracing the angle of his shoulder blades and across his back, then down to rest at the base of his spine.
Nick kissed like Greg was the only person in the world. That was the only way Greg could think of to describe it - like Nick had been waiting his whole life for this moment, and he was determined to make it last. He was moving slow, thrusting almost lazily and Greg was sure he was going to die before Nick ever let him come.
Because he wasn't used to this; he was used to quick hand jobs and the occasional blow job in the bathroom of a club, or in somebody's dorm room before their roommate came home. He wasn't used to taking his time, wasn't used to a hot mouth exploring every inch of his skin and by the time Nick's tongue dipped into his belly button he couldn't stand it anymore.
"God, please," he heard himself murmur, not even caring that he was begging because if Nick didn't do something soon he was going to come just from the anticipation, and that would be even more embarrassing than begging. He heard Nick's chuckle, low and vibrating against his skin, but he didn't care about that either because Nick's mouth finally - finally - closed around his cock. A low moan escaped Greg's throat, fists clenched tight around the sheets on either side of him and he was way too close already.
Evidently Nick could tell, though, because a few short moments later he pulled his mouth away, fist closing around the base of Greg's cock as he pushed Greg's legs further apart. And this was something Greg had never done before - he'd thought about it plenty of times, but no one had ever offered and it had never dawned on him that Nick might want to. The first press of Nick's tongue right there made him gasp; he expected it to feel weird, and it was a little strange to have somebody pushing their tongue inside him, but it felt amazing too, and he didn't bother trying to hold back his appreciation.
His head moved restlessly against the pillow, fists opening and closing against the sheet in time with Nick's thrusts. Nick's hand stroked his dick in time to the tiny thrusts of his tongue, the twin sensations rendering Greg helpless until all he could do was rock back and forth between Nick's tongue and his fist. He could hear someone murmuring and he knew it must be him, but he couldn't stop it or even focus long enough to figure out what he was saying. All he knew was that he never wanted Nick to stop, and when he finally tensed he couldn't help being a little disappointed that it was over.
Wet heat hit his stomach and Nick's fingers, Nick's hand leaving his cock to slide through the mess on Greg's skin. And even that was hot, so Greg forced his eyes open in time to watch Nick absently sucking his fingers clean. It hadn't even occurred to him that Nick might want to fuck him until he caught sight of the other man kneeling between his legs, hard and sweat-slick and more beautiful than Greg thought possible.
That was something else Greg had never done before, but he wasn't about to tell Nick. He wasn't about to tell him no, either, but instead of pulling his legs open Nick leaned forward and covered Greg's mouth with his own again. His weight felt good pressing Greg into the mattress, and he slid his arms around Nick's neck and wrapped a leg around his waist to pull him even closer.
Nick moaned against his mouth and rolled onto his back, pulling Greg with him until Greg was blinking down at him. Greg's knees were planted on either side of Nick's hips, and he wasn't sure how he got there, but he could feel Nick's cock pressing against his ass. He swallowed against a rush of panic and shifted a little, earning a moan and a reflexive thrust of Nick's hips. There was a part of him that wanted Nick to fuck him, because his tongue had felt amazing and Greg wanted to know what Nick's cock would feel like.
But there was another part of him that was terrified, so he pulled his mouth away from Nick's and slid down the mattress. Nick didn't seem to mind the sudden change of plans - he didn't complain, anyway, and when Greg's mouth closed around his cock he groaned and arched up. Greg's hands landed on his hips to hold him against the mattress, forcing Nick still as he used his tongue and his lips to bring Nick to the edge.
When the other man's moans grew a little strangled Greg backed off, pulling away to roll first one and then the other of Nick's balls between his lips. He thought about going further, sliding his tongue past Nick's balls to press inside him, but he still wasn't that brave, so instead he turned his attention back to Nick's cock. He swallowed Nick's whole length this time, throat working around the head until Nick was moaning and fighting the hands holding him down.
Greg heard him murmur something like 'Jesus', then a choked, 'G…gonna…', so he pulled off a little, swallowing around Nick's length one last time before he pulled his mouth away and used his hand to finish Nick off. A few rough strokes was all it took before Nick tensed, moaning his orgasm and collapsing back against the mattress. And he looked so young with his eyes closed and his cheeks flushed that Greg couldn't help leaning forward and pressing a chaste kiss to the corner of his mouth.
A hand slid into his hair before he could pull away, Nick's tongue sliding into his mouth as he pulled Greg back onto the mattress. And Greg knew this was the part where Nick got up and left - he was ready for it, even, but when Nick finally let him up for air he didn't make any move to leave. Instead he turned over, stretching out on his stomach and sliding one arm over Greg's waist. A few minutes later he was asleep, and Greg lost count of how long he lay awake watching Nick breathe before he finally closed his eyes.
~
He expected to wake up alone. So it didn't surprise him to see the spot where Nick had been last night empty, and he told himself it didn't bother him. What he didn't expect was for the bathroom door to open a minute later, revealing Nick with wet hair and a towel riding low on his hips. Greg blinked, then blinked again, but the mirage wasn't disappearing, and when it smirked at him Greg's heart skipped a beat.
"Something the matter with your eyes, man?"
"No," Greg answered, shaking his head and untangling himself from the sheet before he climbed out of bed.
"You mind if I use your toothbrush?"
"Uh…no, knock yourself out." Greg padded across the room, feeling conspicuously naked as Nick looked him up and down. "It's the blue one."
He emptied his bladder while Nick brushed his teeth, stealing curious glances at the other man as he leaned around Nick to wash his hands. When Nick was done with his toothbrush he held it out to Greg, grinning again and making Greg's stomach do a weird flip.
"Thanks."
"Don't mention it," Greg mumbled around the toothbrush, glancing at Nick in the mirror long enough to find the other man watching him. And it felt a little weird, because he was pretty sure no one had ever watched him brush his teeth before, but he wasn't going to complain. He wasn't going to do anything that would encourage Nick to leave, because he wasn't sure Nick would ever come back.
Hands landed on his waist as he leaned over the sink, spitting out a mouthful of foam before he straightened up and turned on the water. When he glanced in the mirror Nick wasn't watching him anymore - well, he wasn't watching Greg's face, but he was staring at his neck as though he was trying to decide where to bite first. A second later he leaned in and Greg shivered, but instead of blunt teeth Nick's tongue marked a hot trail across his skin.
Greg rinsed his mouth and dropped the toothbrush on the counter, not even bothering to look where it landed. His gaze was still fixed on their reflection in the cheap bathroom mirror, his lips parted and his head angled to give Nick as much room to work as he wanted. He was hard already - had been since his first glimpse of Nick standing in the doorway in only a towel, and when Nick pressed closer Greg felt the effect he was having on the other man.
He rocked back experimentally, making Nick gasp and thrust forward to meet him. His mouth opened against Greg's neck, slow kisses shifting into insistent suction until Greg was gasping and gripping the countertop hard. He wasn't sure if he was trying to get away or get more, but it didn't matter because Nick's hands were holding him in place and he wasn't about to let Greg up until he was finished.
When he finally pulled away Greg could see the bright red mark already forming, knew it would fade to a dark bruise by the end of the day and leave him with something to remember Nick by for the rest of the week. Not that he minded, because if this was the only night they had together Greg wanted it to last as long as possible.
One last kiss pressed to the side of his neck, then Nick was turning him until they were face to face. Greg surged forward automatically, pressing their lips together for a kiss that felt as desperate as he did. He knew Nick could tell, but he didn't really care. And maybe Nick needed this just as much as Greg did, because he gripped Greg's hips and lifted him onto the counter, pausing long enough to tug his towel off before he fused their lips together again.
Greg wrapped his legs around Nick's waist, pulling him as close as possible before he reached between them and wrapped a hand around both their cocks. It was a little awkward at first, but before he had a chance to get frustrated Nick's hand closed around his, helping him find a rhythm until they were both rocking into the sensation. And he knew this was just a one-night stand - that was part of the reason he'd come to Florida, because this whole week was about not having to deal with consequences.
But it felt like more, and even though he knew it was stupid he couldn't help thinking that maybe there was something between them. Something besides mutual attraction, because Nick kissed him like he needed Greg to breathe and he'd marked him like he wanted to be sure the whole town knew Greg belonged to somebody.
Thinking like that was dangerous, though, and Greg shut down the train of thought and focused on the hand moving with his and the tongue thrusting in and out of his mouth. He flashed back to Nick's tongue thrusting in and out of another part of his body, hot and wet and that was all it took to bring Greg over the edge. He came with a muffled moan, hand clenching on their cocks and his mouth leaving Nick's to gasp for air.
A second later Nick was coming too, wet heat coating their fingers and if Greg didn't need a shower before he definitely needed one now. For a second he wondered how much it would take to talk Nick into getting in with him, but before he could embarrass himself by asking Nick was pulling away.
"I should get going," he said, smiling in that way that Greg had seen enough to interpret. He knew when someone was about to make up a lame excuse to split, but he didn't want to hear it so he just nodded and pushed himself off the counter.
"Yeah, you probably should," he said, back to Nick as he turned the shower on. "My roommate will want back in here soon."
"Greg, listen…"
Greg rolled his eyes before he turned back to Nick, forcing what he hoped was a casual grin. "Besides, your friends are probably wondering what the hell happened to you. Or they will when they wake up."
"Yeah," Nick said, hesitating for another second before he backed toward the door. "So I'll see you around."
"Do me a favor and lock the door on your way out," Greg said, pulling the shower curtain aside and disappearing behind it before Nick had a chance to answer.
~
He didn't see Nick again that day. He didn't see him the morning after either, and by the time afternoon rolled around he was actively looking. It wasn't obvious - at least he hoped not - but he was definitely looking, and he couldn't help wondering if Nick was avoiding him on purpose. His friends hadn't said anything, but the mark on his neck told them everything they needed to know and he didn't want them thinking he was pathetic enough to pine after a one-night stand.
Because he wasn't pining, and he wasn't that pathetic, but he couldn't stop thinking about the way Nick had kissed him. No matter how many times Greg told himself it didn't mean anything the feeling was still there, that pull in his chest like they were connected somehow, and by day two he'd given up trying to shake it. Now he was just hoping for a glimpse of Nick, for a smile that let him know he hadn't imagined the whole thing. Even if Nick ignored him at least it would be something, at least he'd know where he stood then and he wouldn't have to spend the rest of his life wondering if they'd missed out on something amazing.
But he'd spent the whole day hanging out by the pool and Nick hadn't showed yet, and Greg was starting to wonder if maybe he'd changed motels just to avoid running into him. Only the entire town was booked up for the whole week, and short of going home early there was no way Nick could avoid him forever. Unless he spent the night in somebody else's motel room, that was, and just the thought left a hollow feeling in Greg's chest. And it was stupid, because he'd had one-night stands before and he knew how they worked, but he'd really hoped this one was different.
That probably made him pathetic. It was the kind of thing his friends would never let him live down, the kind of thing they'd bring up long after Greg had managed to forget about one night in a cheap motel room on the beach. Only he didn't think he was in much danger of forgetting this one, and he was starting to regret pursuing Nick in the first place.
"Sanders, man, come on. Let's go to the beach."
Greg blinked and tore his gaze away from the sidewalk that led past the pool to look at his roommate, noting already peeling shoulders and too-pink skin. "The last thing you need is the beach. You should go inside before you get skin cancer."
"Give me a break. If you wanna hang out here and mope that's fine, but I'm not planning to waste my vacation watching you."
Greg rolled his eyes as his friend packed up and slid his sneakers back on, tucking his wallet and key into his pocket before he headed for the gate. He reached the entrance to the pool just as it swung open, stepping aside to let a group of well-muscled guys pass before he ducked out and headed for the beach. Greg had already forgotten all about his roommate's pale Midwestern skin and the misery he was going to be in by the end of the week, though, because bringing up the rear of the group was Nick.
He sat up in his lounge chair before he caught himself, forcing himself to relax and pretend he hadn't even noticed the group of guys walk in. They passed right by him, joking around about some girl and Greg would have felt sorry for her if he hadn't been so busy noticing Nick very carefully not noticing him. Greg could tell Nick had spotted him, because his shoulders were tense and his head was turned toward the pool, making sure Greg didn't have a chance to catch his eye and force him into a conversation.
And he wasn't sure what Nick thought he was going to do - throw himself at the other man, maybe, or commit the sin of saying hi. Either way Greg wasn't going to give him the satisfaction of letting it bother him, because if that was how Nick wanted it that was fine by him. He'd spent the past two days wondering where he stood, and now that he had his answer he could just forget the whole thing ever happened and get on with his life.
~
Greg had grown up on the beach, learned to swim practically before he could walk and learned to surf not long after that. And he never thought he'd get sick of the sight of sand and water, but he was officially ready to go home.
It had been twenty-four hours since Nick blew him off, looked right past him like Greg was nothing, and it should have stopped hurting by now. If he had any pride at all he'd be angry, but instead he was just confused and embarrassed that he'd actually let himself believe there was something between them. He laughed at the thought, the bitter sound catching in his throat.
"Dude, what?"
"Nothing," Greg answered, ignoring the looks his friends exchanged over his head and pushing himself into a sitting position. He pulled his shoes on and reached for his wallet, standing up and glancing back down at them. "I'm going to get a drink. You guys want anything?"
He half-listened as they rattled off their orders, then made his way across the hot sand toward the snack bar. The beach was already packed, swarming with college students in various stages of crisp and he sent up a quick prayer of thanks for his perpetual tan. One of the advantages of growing up on the beach, although another year in San Francisco would cure that for him too.
He was halfway to the snack bar when he saw him; tanned and gorgeous and sitting at the edge of his pack of frat brothers, watching Greg cross the beach. Greg automatically picked up speed, turning away from Nick and focusing on not tripping over any of the bodies littered across his path. He didn't look back to see if Nick was still watching him, and by the time he reached the snack bar he'd almost managed to convince himself he didn't care.
The line was already way too long and he thought about bailing, but his friends were already looking at him like he was crazy and he didn't really want to explain to them why he'd ditched them for the third time this week. At least his friends didn't pretend he didn't exist, and that was more than he could say for some of the company he'd been keeping since he left California.
A tug at his elbow made him tense, and this was not happening, because he'd just managed to convince himself he didn't even like Nick. "Hey."
"Hey yourself," Greg shot back, shaking off Nick's hand and turning back to the concession stand. "Aren't you worried your friends will see you talking to me?"
"Look, I'm sorry, okay? It's not…I hate doing stuff like that. But you don't know those guys."
"Yeah, and I don't want to," Greg said, shoulders tense and the spike in his temperature didn't have anything to do with the weather. "I don't think I want to know their friends, either."
"Greg, come on. You haven't got a clue what it's like for me. Where do you go to school?"
"Berkeley," Greg answered, the tension in his shoulders easing marginally as he turned to look at Nick again.
"Have you ever been to Texas?"
"No," he said, and he knew exactly where this was going. "But if you're going to give me the good old boy excuse you can save it. I don't want to hear it."
"Look," Nick said, gripping his arm and squeezing just a little harder than necessary as he turned Greg until they were face to face. "I'm not making excuses, I'm just telling you how it is. It's nothing personal."
"Whatever," Greg shot back, shaking out of Nick's grip and stepping out of the line. Everyone around them was pretending not to listen, and he was surprised Nick was doing this is such a public place. He wanted to believe maybe it was because Nick really did want him to understand, but he had a feeling the other man was just too angry to realize they had an audience. "You better get back to your friends before they see you talking to me and kick you out of the club."
He knew Nick wasn't going to follow him this time, but that didn't stop him from glancing over his shoulder on his way across the sand. Nick was already gone, probably busy making up some lie to tell his friends about the guy he was arguing with at the snack bar. Greg shook his head and turned away from the beach, forgetting all about his friends and what they were going to say when they got back to the motel.
~
Arguing with Nick in front of a group of strangers didn't bother Greg. The weird looks from his friends were a little harder to ignore, but for the most part he was too caught up in licking his wounds to notice them. He couldn't believe he'd actually thought Nick was a good guy - he couldn't believe he'd been dumb enough to think that one night together meant they knew each other. They hadn't even had a conversation, not really, and a few good - okay, great - kisses and a night between the sheets didn't mean anything.
And the worst part was that he'd let it ruin his whole vacation, because this week was supposed to be about fun and parties and meeting as many people as possible, and he'd spent the whole time pining over some closeted jerk. A closeted jerk with really big friends, and Greg felt a twinge of guilt whenever he thought about what they'd probably do to Nick if they knew.
He was more grateful than ever that he didn't really have to deal with that kind of bigotry, but it made him realize just how little he really knew about the world. Sure, he heard the stories, and he knew a few guys who'd dealt with harassment, but he'd never come face to face with it. Until now, and the worst part was that nobody had threatened him. He wasn't even sure which was worse - dealing with somebody who wanted to kill him for who he slept with, or sleeping with somebody who thought they deserved to be hated.
The last thing he wanted to do was stand at a party, pretending he wasn't watching Nick and his friends laughing way too loud on the other side of the pool. He let his friends drag him down to the pool because it was their last night in Florida, and tomorrow afternoon they'd get back on a plane and he'd never see Nick again. He thought he could handle one last night - he wanted to be able to, because he didn't need his friends thinking he was so pathetic that he couldn't even breathe the same air as Nick.
That thought conjured images of Nick's mouth on his, lips pressed together and just breathing, and he cleared his throat and set his cup of flat beer down on the nearest table. And okay, he couldn't handle this, but he showed and that was good enough to make his friends happy. He didn't even tell them he was leaving, just reached into his pocket for his key and headed for the gate that led out of the pool.
He heard footsteps behind him and sped up, hoping whichever one of his friends followed him would give up and go back to the party. But the footsteps sped up when he did, and finally he let out a sigh and turned to face whoever was behind him. He froze with his mouth open when he found himself looking at Nick, glancing reflexively in the direction of the pool before he turned back to the other man.
"What are you doing?"
"I don't know," Nick admitted, smile a little self-conscious and Greg could have kicked himself for the way his heart skipped. "I just…you're right, it's not an excuse for acting like a bastard. I guess I'm just used to pretending."
"It doesn't have to be like that, you know."
Nick smiled again, a little sad around the edges this time. "I've lived in Texas my whole life, Greg. My whole family lives there, my life's there. In a few months I graduate and join the police force, and…"
"You're a cop?"
"Not yet," Nick answered, and God, that grin should have been illegal. "But eventually, yeah. And trust me, if something like this got out, I wouldn't last long."
He still didn't get it, and maybe he never would, but Greg was starting to see that maybe he didn't know everything. "I'm sorry. About yesterday. I didn't have to be such a jerk."
"Forget it. We both said stuff."
"So…" Greg glanced over his shoulder in the direction of his room, thankful for the darkness so Nick wouldn't see him blushing. "Are your friends waiting for you?"
"They're so drunk they won't notice I'm gone." He took a few steps forward, then stopped and looked down at the sidewalk between them. "Look, this is probably gonna sound like a line, but I really like you. I mean we connected, right?"
"Yeah," Greg answered, and if there was a God in Heaven he didn't sound as lovestruck as he felt, "yeah, we did."
A few more steps forward, and Nick was smiling up close now, making Greg's pulse race. "Good."
Before Greg could react Nick was kissing him, mouth hot and familiar and Greg barely managed to bite back a whimper as strong arms wrapped around him. He backed them toward his room, pausing when his back hit wood and handing over the key. "You…uh…you wanna come in?"
Nick's laugh was breathless, and Greg grinned as he nodded and leaned in to plant another chaste kiss on the corner of Greg's mouth. "Yeah, I do."
~
When he woke up this time Nick was still stretched out next to him, solid and snoring and way too hot. Greg craned his neck to try to catch a glimpse of the other man, but the angle was weird and he knew if he wanted to watch Nick sleep he was going to have to move. He tried shifting without waking Nick, moving as slowly as possible onto his side. But as soon as he pushed himself up on one elbow Nick's eyes opened, blinking sleepily a few times before he focused on Greg.
"Morning."
"Morning," Greg echoed, smiling ridiculously but he didn't think Nick was awake enough to notice. And even if he was, Greg was leaving today, so it didn't really matter.
But that was a depressing thought, so he pushed it as far back in his mind as it would go and focused on the warm body still pressed against him. "So is this the part where we promise to stay in touch and then don't?"
Nick smiled, that same sadness around the edges that Greg had seen last night. "How old are you?"
"I already told you…"
"No, I mean how old are you really?"
Greg sighed and rolled onto his back, staring up at the ceiling and willing himself not to blush. "Eighteen. What, it's that obvious?"
"Not at first glance," Nick answered, shifting until he was stretched out on his side. His hand landed on Greg's chest, fingers splayed against Greg's skin and spreading warmth out from the center of his body. "Look, Greg, I'm twenty-two. In a few months I graduate and join the police force, and you'll be a sophomore. Even if there weren't like a thousand miles between Dallas and San Francisco..."
"It was just a joke," Greg interrupted, the words coming out a little more bitter than he planned, but he really didn't want to hear the rest of Nick's speech. And it had been a joke - mostly, anyway, but hearing Nick lay out the differences between them still stung. "Really."
"I like you. I meant that," Nick said, leaning in to brush a kiss across Greg's cheek before he climbed out of bed.
Greg watched him disappear into the bathroom, wondering if he should be grateful that Nick hadn't added that he was 'a nice kid'. It was embarrassing enough that Nick could tell just how much Greg liked him, but to guess his age…maybe it was a good thing that they'd probably never see each other again, because Greg wasn't sure he could stand the humiliation.
He was still reveling in his embarrassment when the bathroom door opened again, and Nick leaned out long enough to smirk at him. "Are you coming or what?"
And okay, maybe he wasn't all that embarrassed, because he was scrambling out of bed as soon as Nick asked the question, crossing the room in a few long strides and closing the door behind him. The shower was already on, steam filling the room as Nick disappeared behind the curtain. Greg brushed his teeth as fast as he could and emptied his bladder before he climbed in after Nick, gripping uselessly at the wall with one hand when he caught sight of all that tanned, wet skin.
He spared a moment to thank the gods of eighteen-year-old morons before he took a step forward, running one hand down the length of Nick's back. And it wasn't the first time he'd seen Nick naked, but it was the first time he'd seen him naked and wet, and he was going to enjoy every second of it. He had no idea what time it was or how soon he had to be ready to catch his flight, but right now he didn't care. He didn't care if he never saw California again, because this was the most perfect moment of his life.
Then Nick turned to face him, smile firmly in place as he backed Greg against the wall and leaned in for a kiss, and that was the most perfect moment of his life. The perfect moments kept mounting as Nick's hands slid over his skin, kissing every inch of Greg his mouth could reach and touching all the parts it couldn't with strong, calloused hands. It felt like being worshipped - not that he knew what that felt like, but he had a feeling it was something like this.
Something like Nick on his knees in front of him, mouth ghosting across his thigh and fingers pressing inside him and before he knew it Greg was begging again. "Fuck me," he murmured, then louder when Nick didn't react, skin flushing hot and he hoped Nick would think it was just the heat of the water.
"Yeah?"
"Yeah," Greg answered, voice a lot more sure than he felt and at least he didn't sound like a little kid. "I've never…"
Nick was standing in front of him before he could finish the thought, lips pressed against Greg's to swallow the rest of the sentence. "I'll go slow."
Greg nodded convulsively, and when Nick kissed him again and climbed out of the shower he leaned hard against the wall, wondering what exactly he'd gotten himself into. He didn't want to take it back, though, and when Nick reappeared wearing a condom he swallowed and turned to brace his hands against the wall. Warm lips brushed against his neck, down his spine and he could feel Nick sliding to his knees again.
Nick knelt on the floor behind him, hands on Greg's thighs to push them a little further apart and breath hot against Greg's spine. He had a feeling he knew what was coming, and when he felt the first press of Nick's tongue he groaned and pushed back into it. The water was almost too warm against his skin, tiles slick under his hands and he was sure he was going to fall. But Nick was holding him steady, tongue working in and out of him until Greg was begging incoherently for more.
He wasn't sure when Nick stood up again, but he felt a warm chest against his back and Nick's hand between them, then the first press of something way too big and he closed his eyes tight and fought to relax. Nick's mouth moved on his neck, murmuring softly between kisses and finally Greg relaxed enough to let him in a little further. He concentrated on remembering to breathe, flexing experimentally against the weird feeling of fullness and Nick groaned and pressed a little further inside.
It burned, but Nick's mouth felt good on his neck and his arms felt good wrapped around Greg's chest, and he focused on the combined sensations until Nick was buried as far as he could go. An eternity passed before he moved again, or maybe just a few seconds, but it felt like time had somehow crawled to a stop by the time Nick pulled out. The strangeness of being empty was even weirder than having Nick inside him, and he glanced over his shoulder long enough to watch Nick coat his cock with something slick before he pushed back inside.
The burn wasn't so intense this time, or maybe it was just that Greg was expecting it. Either way he managed to remember to breathe, and by the time Nick began to thrust in and out Greg was pressing back into the sensation. They found a rhythm together, moving as slow as Nick promised and when a hand wrapped around Greg's cock he moaned and thrust forward into Nick's grip.
There was no way he could last, because even if he wasn't eighteen the combined sensations were too much for him to take. He came with Nick still inside him, clenching around the other man and drawing a low moan out of Nick. He waited until Greg relaxed again before he pulled out and then thrust back inside, a little harder this time and Greg grunted with the force. Again, then one last time and he tensed against Greg, mouth buried against his neck and chest hot against Greg's back.
He wasn't sure how long they stayed like that. All he knew was that he never wanted to move, no matter how stiff his muscles got or how cold the water turned, because moving meant facing reality and he didn't want it to end like this. He didn't want it to end at all, because it didn't seem fair that they only got a few days together before they had to say goodbye.
~
"Sanders, I swear to God, if you make me miss this plane I'll kick your ass."
"I'd love to see you try," Greg shot back, hefting his backpack a little further up his shoulder and glancing around one last time. He didn't even know what he was looking for, because Nick didn't know what flight he was on and he wasn't going to show up at the airport for a big, romantic scene.
He wasn't going to change his mind at the last minute and run after Greg to give him an address or a phone number. Just to be sure, Greg had gone through every single pocket in all his clothes, checked his suitcase over twice and even shaken out his shoes, but there was no hidden message anywhere. No code for him to decipher on the way back to San Francisco, telling him to meet Nick on the top of the Empire State Building on the Fourth of July. And it just proved that he'd watched way too many chick movies with his mom while he was home for Christmas, because people didn't really do those things.
Nick was right; their lives were too different, and even if they stayed in touch it would only drag out the inevitable. A few awkward phone calls, a letter or two talking about classes and the weather and that would be it, and they'd end up feeling weird about the whole thing. So maybe it was better this way, because he could still feel Nick's mouth on his and he could picture Nick's smile as he turned to wave one last time before he went back to his life.
And that was how he wanted to remember Nick, not as the closeted frat boy who wouldn't even look at Greg while his friends were around. He wanted to remember long, lazy kisses and strong, rough hands on his skin, the honey drawl that sent a thrill up Greg's spine when it whispered in his ear.
He swallowed a sigh as he slid into his seat, glancing out the window at the runway under them. This was the way it ended - no big last-minute romantic scene, no hot guy rushing onto the plane to beg Greg not to go. That stuff only happened in the movies, and this definitely wasn't a movie. But sometimes reality wasn't so bad.
Fandom: CSI
Pairing: Nick/Greg
Rating: NC17
Summary: AU. Spring break is all about experimentation.
Ft. Lauderdale, April 1994
"So we're on the way to the beach…"
"No, we were at the pool."
"Look, I'm telling the story, okay?"
"Well tell it right, then. It started at the pool, remember? I stopped at the machine to get a soda and when I looked up, there he was."
"There who was?"
"Aren't you listening? Him. The most beautiful guy I've ever seen. God, those abs…and when he smiled…"
"Jesus, Sanders, could you sound any more like a girl?"
Greg ignored the sound of laughter - he was used to his friends laughing at him, and anyway he wasn't about to let them ruin this. Not when he could still picture that face, still feel the way his stomach fluttered when some guy he didn't know smiled right at him. And it didn't matter that he didn't know the guy's name or where he was from or even how long he was in town. All that mattered was that Greg knew where he was going to be tonight, and he wasn't about to pass up the chance to see him again.
That was what spring break was about: taking chances, meeting new people, experimentation. And if he was going to experiment, he might as well do it with the best-looking guy he'd ever laid eyes on. "Look, the point is he's hot, and he's going to be at this club tonight."
"Dude, what'd you do, bug his phone?"
Greg rolled his eyes and stepped a little closer to the curb, waving down the first cab that came by. "No, I heard his friends talking. They said they were going to this club tonight, and that it was supposed to be the best party in town."
"So you're stalking some guy you don't even know. Nice."
More laughter, but he ignored it this time too and pulled the cab door open. He leaned forward to tell the driver the name of the club, fitting himself as far into the corner as he could to make room for his friends. Ten minutes later the cab pulled up in front of a building already crawling with college students, half of them still wearing the bathing suits they'd worn to the beach, and the rest not wearing much else.
Greg felt a little overdressed in his Social Distortion t-shirt and jeans, but as soon as he climbed out of the cab and felt the beat of the music pouring out of the club he forgot all about what he was wearing. And he wasn't really a fan of dance music, but he could feel it thrumming inside his head and his limbs and he couldn't wait to get on the dance floor. He couldn't wait to lose himself in the crush of bodies already moving to the music, and with any luck he'd find the guy from the pool already inside.
The thought of dancing pressed up against that sent a shiver through him, and he cleared his throat against the sudden wave of desire and reached for his wallet to pay the cover charge. He followed his friends inside, pausing just inside the door to let his eyes adjust to the dim light. Everything was black - the walls, the floor, the furniture - even the bar, with bright neon tubes running down the length of every flat surface.
The dance floor was already packed, but he caught glimpses of the flashing colors from the lighted floor as the crowd moved to the music. It was exactly the way he'd pictured night clubs in Florida, and he couldn't believe he was actually standing in one. He couldn't believe they hadn't even carded him - he had a decent fake I.D., but he hadn't tried to use it yet and he was still a little nervous about pulling it out for the first time.
Then again, half the crowd was probably underage, so a few more college freshmen wouldn't make any difference. Greg grinned to himself and followed his friends into the club, eyes scanning the dance floor for any sign of the reason they'd come here in the first place. And okay, maybe it was a little stupid to develop a crush on the first cute guy he saw, but this guy…this wasn't just any guy. Greg had never seen a smile like that, for one thing, and when the guy caught him looking and grinned at him Greg felt like he was the only person in the world.
Not that he'd ever say that out loud, because his friends were going to spend the rest of the night making fun of him as it was, and he didn't need to give them any more ammunition. But that was how it felt - electric, like some kind of energy passed between him and someone he didn't even know. And he knew it wasn't possible, but he wasn't going to question fate.
He eased his way onto the dance floor, moving with the crowd as he threaded his way across the room. It seemed impossible that there could be so many good-looking people in one place, but everyone he looked at was like something out of a movie. There were hands all over him, bodies crushing together until he couldn't tell who was touching him. When a hand slid across his ass he turned to find a gorgeous brunette grinning at him, her eyes a little glazed from the drink she was holding in her free hand.
"Hi," she shouted over the music, breath warm and orange-scented. "Dance with me."
Her hand slid into his back pocket, drawing him close until their hips were pressed together, and obviously she wasn't planning to take no for an answer. Greg grinned and slid an arm around her waist, moving them both in time to the music for a few beats before he spun her into the crowd and let go. Immediately she latched onto someone else, and Greg laughed to himself as he pushed his way further into the crowd.
Barely ten steps later and he was pulled back into another body - male this time, he could tell by the hard muscle pressed against his back. Just for a second he wondered if maybe Fate really was smiling down on him, but when he glanced over his shoulder he caught a flash of blond hair and he knew it wasn't the guy he was looking for. Still, the warmth against his back felt good, and he leaned into it and let the music move them. A mouth landed on his neck and he closed his eyes, tilting his head and letting himself drift on the sensation.
It wasn't like he wasn't used to this kind of thing; he went to college in San Francisco for a reason, but this wasn't a gay bar and he wasn't in San Francisco. He was in the south - technically, anyway - and he was pretty sure this kind of thing didn't happen here. He turned in the arms still wrapped around him, but before he could ask if this was such a smart idea the other man let go, drifting back into the crowd and leaving Greg alone.
For the first time all night he felt conspicuous, because he hadn't come all the way to Florida just to get his ass kicked on his first night in town. Everyone around him was caught up in the music, though, and if anyone saw they didn't care enough to keep looking. He pushed through the crowd in the direction of the bar, dodging the few hands that tried to pull him back into the dance until he finally broke free of the press of bodies.
He reached up absently and rubbed at his neck as he scanned the crowd at the bar. He expected to find his friends already working their way through their first round, ready to laugh at him for dragging them to some club looking for a guy who didn't even show. And maybe it really was stupid, because he had no idea what he was supposed to say even if he did find the guy.
He'd run through a dozen different scenarios in his head already, but every one sounded way too stupid to say out loud. So maybe it was just as well that the guy and his friends had decided to go somewhere else - at least this way Greg could relax and enjoy the crowd without worrying about what he was going to say when he finally caught up with somebody he didn't even know. He told himself it didn't matter and turned back toward the dance floor, colliding face first with a solid chest.
"Oh, hey, man, I'm sorry."
"My fault. Should've been looking…" Greg trailed off when he looked up, knees wobbling a little when he found himself staring back at the smile that had been haunting him all day.
"Hey, you okay?" Warm hands landed on his shoulders, steadying him and Greg would have been embarrassed if he wasn't so busy trying to remember how to work his voice.
"Yeah…uh…fine."
"I know you, right? From the motel."
And there went that grin again, making Greg glad the guy was still holding onto him. Strong hands still pressing into his shoulders, and that wasn't really helping him regain his composure. "From the pool. I mean I saw you at the pool. At the motel."
"Right," the other man said, his smile amused this time and Greg was almost sure he was being flirted with. "Nick Stokes."
"Greg. Sanders," Greg stammered, swallowing his disappointment when Nick let go of his shoulders.
"I saw you on the dance floor a few minutes ago. You looked pretty good out there."
And okay, that was definitely flirting. At least he thought it was, but he didn't exactly have a lot of experience with this kind of thing. He flirted, sure, but he wasn't used to people flirting back. Not hot guys like this - hot older guys, Greg was guessing, and he couldn't help wondering exactly how much older Nick was.
He opened his mouth to say something witty and charming, but before he got the words out Nick's smile faded and he took a step backwards. "Listen, I gotta go. I'll see you around, okay?"
Just like that he was gone, before Greg even had a chance to answer. He turned just in time to see Nick disappearing into a crowd of guys, a couple he recognized from the pool and a few more he'd never seen before. Most of them were attached to girls already, the kind with short skirts and big hair and those high-pitched giggles that always sounded fake. And maybe he should have known, but until he saw that frat logo on the back of one of their t-shirts it didn't even dawn on him that his dream guy was one of those guys.
~
"I can't believe you fell for a frat guy."
"I didn't fall for anybody," Greg shot back, turning onto his stomach and folding his arms under his head. "And I didn't know he was in a frat."
"Come on, man, the hair alone should have told you that."
"What's wrong with his hair?"
"Nothing, if you're in a frat."
Greg scowled at the sound of their laughter, and he was really starting to regret agreeing to go to the beach. He'd known they were going to laugh at him, but he'd expected them to be sick of it by now.
"Listen, Sanders, frat guys are nothing but trouble. Stick to your own kind if you want to see graduation."
"Thanks for the tip," Greg muttered. Sticking with his own kind was a lot easier said than done, especially when his 'own kind' were a bunch of science geeks. He'd always been a big fan of diversity, and Nick was definitely different than the other guys he'd dated. There was the accent, for one thing, warm and slow like honey and God, he really did sound like a girl.
He stopped short of rolling his eyes at himself and sat up to pull his shoes on. "I'm going back to the motel. See you guys later."
"You're not going looking for Mr. Alpha Omega, are you?"
"No," Greg said as he stood up and picked up his towel.
"Sanders, seriously…"
"What? I'm not," Greg interrupted. And he wasn't, because even if he wanted to he was pretty sure Nick would be surrounded by his friends by now. Still, though, he'd definitely flirted with Greg. He'd even admitted to watching him dance, and that meant…something. He wasn't sure what, but he had a feeling if he could just get Nick alone again he'd find out.
Not that Greg was looking for him. He wasn't looking as he walked back to the motel, and he wasn't looking as he walked past the pool. So he didn't notice that it was packed, and he didn't notice that Nick wasn't out there with his friends. He didn't even wonder which part of the motel Nick was staying in, whether he was on the other side altogether or if his room was close to Greg's.
There was no sign of him anywhere, and even though Greg knew he was probably at the beach, he couldn't help being a little disappointed. He wasn't expecting Nick to be waiting around for him, but he wouldn't have complained about accidentally bumping into him. Only everybody in Fort Lauderdale was probably on the beach right now, and Greg would have had a better chance of running into Nick if he'd just stayed there.
He sighed and walked past the pool, down the sidewalk and around the corner to his room. He was just past the ice machine when he saw Nick, head down and a plastic bucket hanging from one hand. Greg's heart skipped a beat and he wiped his palms absently on his towel, consciously slowing down to what he hoped was a casual pace. Nick was getting closer, still looking down and by the time they were almost face to face Greg could tell he was thinking hard about something.
So hard that he was almost past Greg before he noticed he wasn't alone, starting and blinking at Greg a few times before his features relaxed into a smile. "Hey. Greg, right?"
"Right," Greg answered, turning on his most charming grin. "You look a little distracted there. Do you and your ice bucket want to be alone?"
He was rewarded with a warm smile as Nick nodded in the direction he'd just come from. "There's sort of a party. It's a last-minute thing."
If this were a movie Nick would hesitate a second and then ask Greg if he wanted to go to the party. Or better yet, he'd blow it off and ask Greg to go hang out somewhere they could be alone. Not that there were many places in town that weren't crawling with college students, but there was Greg's room, and that was a good start. He waited for the invitation, but after a few moments of tense silence Nick cleared his throat and held up the ice bucket.
"Well, they're waiting for me, so…"
"Oh. Yeah, sure," Greg said, forcing his attention away from the Nick in his imagination and back to the one standing in front of him. And just like that it was over, opportunity passing him by for the second time in as many days. He couldn't tell if Nick was interested or if he was just a really friendly guy - he was almost sure, but there was enough doubt to keep him from saying anything he couldn't take back.
Still, he'd never really known when to quit, and when Nick started to walk away Greg's hand shot out to stop him. "Will I see you at the club tonight?"
He sounded as desperate as he felt, and when Nick glanced down at the hand holding his wrist Greg was sure he'd just screwed up. Then Nick looked up and grinned, and Greg's hand tightened on his wrist a little before he forced himself to let go.
"Maybe. See you around, Greg."
Before Greg could answer Nick was walking away, t-shirt tight across broad shoulders and Greg had to swallow a groan as he let his gaze wander down the length of Nick's body. It wasn't a yes, but it wasn't a no either, and that was good enough for Greg.
~
He was not nervous. He wasn't, because it was just another night at a club he'd already been to once, and it wasn't the first time he'd been to a club alone. Granted, usually he was meeting someone there, but technically he was meeting someone tonight. At least he hoped he was, because 'maybe' didn't necessarily mean Nick was going to show. He might have said it just to get rid of Greg, or maybe he was just too nice to let Greg down to his face.
And okay, he was a little nervous, because if Nick didn't show he was going to have to face all his friends in the morning, and he knew exactly what they were going to say. They'd tried talking him out of going back to the club in the first place, tried everything they could think of to get him to forget Nick and go to the beach party they'd heard about. And they meant well, but there was no way Greg was going to pass up the chance to see Nick again.
He skirted the dance floor altogether this time, pushing through the crowd at the edges of the club until he reached the bar. It was even more crowded tonight than it was the first time he'd been here, and he almost missed Nick in the press of bodies at the bar. He caught sight of dark hair and broad shoulders just before the crowd closed in behind Nick, and for once he was thankful for being a little on the thin side, because it made pushing his way through the crowd that much easier.
By the time he reached Nick he was a little breathless, flushed from the heat in the club and the fact that Nick had actually showed. He tapped Nick on the shoulder, breath catching in his throat when Nick smiled at him. "Hey," Greg shouted over the music, shoving his way a little closer to the other man. "Where are your friends?"
"Some beach party," Nick answered, and that wasn't the answer Greg was expecting. What he expected was for Nick to tell him they were on the other side of the club, maybe waiting for Nick to fetch their drinks and bring them back. Only Nick didn't really look like the lackey type, and the fact that he'd showed up alone said a lot.
It said that this was a date - sort of, anyway - and Greg couldn't help grinning like an idiot as he swayed a little closer. "So why didn't you go?"
Nick smiled and opened his mouth to answer, but before he got the words out someone jostled him from behind and he frowned and took a step forward. "You wanna…?" He gestured in the direction of the door, and Greg nodded before he even figured out what Nick was asking, because he didn't really care as long as they went together.
A few breathless minutes later he found himself outside the club, Nick's hand warm on his shoulder and when he let go Greg had to swallow a disappointed sigh. It was quieter outside, but there were still plenty of people around, walking past on their way to the clubs lining the street. Nick nodded toward the beach and Greg grinned, falling in step next to the other man until the pavement turned to sand under their feet.
The beach wasn't deserted - there was a couple walking along the edge of the water, and in the distance Greg could see a bonfire burning. The party his friends had gone to, probably, and most likely the same party Nick had bowed out of. He could hear the music from the party, faint in the background and growing even quieter as he followed Nick into the dunes. And he could hear his mother's voice even as he sank down onto the sand, warning him about going off with strangers and all the things that could happen to a clueless kid on spring break.
He swallowed a nervous laugh and leaned back on his hands, the sand warm under his fingers when he dug them in. "You know, technically we shouldn't be back here. The dunes are protected."
"Yeah? What, are you an environmental science major?"
"Chemistry," Greg answered, grinning in the darkness. "But I grew up on the beach."
"What do you do with a chemistry major?"
"I haven't really decided yet. There's a lot you can do: teach, be a lab rat, go to med school…pretty much anything, really."
It was a dark night, but they were sitting close enough for Greg to make out Nick's bemused expression. "How old are you?"
"Twenty," Greg lied. "Why?"
"So that makes you…what, a junior? And you still haven't decided what you're going to do after graduation?"
If he'd thought any of this through he would have had a lie ready when Nick started asking questions, but when he'd imagined tonight conversation hadn't really been all that high on the list. "I like to keep my options open."
Nick grinned at that, features relaxing and if he knew Greg was lying, he was willing to go with it. He wasn't sure which of them leaned in first - he thought maybe he did, but suddenly Nick was right there, breath warm on his cheek and his mouth barely an inch from Greg's. It hardly took any effort at all to close that little space between them, head tilted to fit their mouths together just so and he sighed against Nick's mouth when a hand slid into his hair.
As soon as his lips parted Nick's tongue slid inside, past his teeth and Greg tasted mint and beer as he opened for Nick. And this was what he imagined when he thought about how tonight would go - soft lips and strong hands, heart beating fast under his fingers and breathy little moans when he slid his hand under Nick's shirt. Nick's stomach trembled under his touch, hips moving almost imperceptibly and Greg wondered how dangerous it would be to do this right here.
Barely a second later a high-pitched laugh from somewhere on the beach broke the mood, and he swallowed his disappointment when Nick pulled away to glance nervously toward the water.
"You want to go someplace a little less public?" Greg asked, praying he didn't sound as desperate as he felt. The thought of Nick calling it off after one kiss…but before he had time to worry about it Nick was looking at him again, hand leaving Greg's neck to rest against his shoulder.
"What about your friends?"
"They'll be out for hours. Maybe even 'til morning. Besides, we have a system. My roommate will just crash on somebody else's floor."
Nick's grin told him everything he needed to know, and before he had a chance to change his mind Greg was standing up and pulling him to his feet. He let his hand linger in Nick's for just a second longer than strictly necessary before he let go, turning toward the motel and trying his best not to break into a run.
~
It felt like forever before they made it back to the motel, but finally they reached Greg's room and he unlocked the door to let Nick inside. He paused long enough to hang the Do Not Disturb sign on the doorknob before he locked it behind him, turning to find Nick standing less than a foot away from him. And it wasn't like he'd never done this before, but he hadn't done it that often, and he had a feeling Nick knew what he was doing.
He sure as hell knew how to kiss, anyway, and when he pulled Greg forward again Greg forgot to worry about looking like an idiot. He forgot everything but the hands on his back, pushing his t-shirt up until it was bunched around his armpits. He let go of Nick long enough to let the other man tug it over his head, dropping it on the floor before he leaned in to capture Greg's mouth again.
His own hands found their way back under Nick's shirt, sliding across a perfect stomach and around to Nick's back. He slid his hands along Nick's skin, thumbs tracing the curve of his spine until Nick broke the kiss to pull his own shirt off. Before it even hit the floor Nick was reaching for him again, tugging at the button of his jeans as Greg kicked off his shoes.
The rest of their clothes came off in a blur of skin and fabric and heat, and by the time Greg's underwear hit the floor he was being pushed backwards onto the bed, tugging Nick on top of him and leaning up to fuse their mouths together again. Nick moaned against his mouth, weight settled squarely on top of Greg and thrusting slowly against him. Greg's hands slid up his back, tracing the angle of his shoulder blades and across his back, then down to rest at the base of his spine.
Nick kissed like Greg was the only person in the world. That was the only way Greg could think of to describe it - like Nick had been waiting his whole life for this moment, and he was determined to make it last. He was moving slow, thrusting almost lazily and Greg was sure he was going to die before Nick ever let him come.
Because he wasn't used to this; he was used to quick hand jobs and the occasional blow job in the bathroom of a club, or in somebody's dorm room before their roommate came home. He wasn't used to taking his time, wasn't used to a hot mouth exploring every inch of his skin and by the time Nick's tongue dipped into his belly button he couldn't stand it anymore.
"God, please," he heard himself murmur, not even caring that he was begging because if Nick didn't do something soon he was going to come just from the anticipation, and that would be even more embarrassing than begging. He heard Nick's chuckle, low and vibrating against his skin, but he didn't care about that either because Nick's mouth finally - finally - closed around his cock. A low moan escaped Greg's throat, fists clenched tight around the sheets on either side of him and he was way too close already.
Evidently Nick could tell, though, because a few short moments later he pulled his mouth away, fist closing around the base of Greg's cock as he pushed Greg's legs further apart. And this was something Greg had never done before - he'd thought about it plenty of times, but no one had ever offered and it had never dawned on him that Nick might want to. The first press of Nick's tongue right there made him gasp; he expected it to feel weird, and it was a little strange to have somebody pushing their tongue inside him, but it felt amazing too, and he didn't bother trying to hold back his appreciation.
His head moved restlessly against the pillow, fists opening and closing against the sheet in time with Nick's thrusts. Nick's hand stroked his dick in time to the tiny thrusts of his tongue, the twin sensations rendering Greg helpless until all he could do was rock back and forth between Nick's tongue and his fist. He could hear someone murmuring and he knew it must be him, but he couldn't stop it or even focus long enough to figure out what he was saying. All he knew was that he never wanted Nick to stop, and when he finally tensed he couldn't help being a little disappointed that it was over.
Wet heat hit his stomach and Nick's fingers, Nick's hand leaving his cock to slide through the mess on Greg's skin. And even that was hot, so Greg forced his eyes open in time to watch Nick absently sucking his fingers clean. It hadn't even occurred to him that Nick might want to fuck him until he caught sight of the other man kneeling between his legs, hard and sweat-slick and more beautiful than Greg thought possible.
That was something else Greg had never done before, but he wasn't about to tell Nick. He wasn't about to tell him no, either, but instead of pulling his legs open Nick leaned forward and covered Greg's mouth with his own again. His weight felt good pressing Greg into the mattress, and he slid his arms around Nick's neck and wrapped a leg around his waist to pull him even closer.
Nick moaned against his mouth and rolled onto his back, pulling Greg with him until Greg was blinking down at him. Greg's knees were planted on either side of Nick's hips, and he wasn't sure how he got there, but he could feel Nick's cock pressing against his ass. He swallowed against a rush of panic and shifted a little, earning a moan and a reflexive thrust of Nick's hips. There was a part of him that wanted Nick to fuck him, because his tongue had felt amazing and Greg wanted to know what Nick's cock would feel like.
But there was another part of him that was terrified, so he pulled his mouth away from Nick's and slid down the mattress. Nick didn't seem to mind the sudden change of plans - he didn't complain, anyway, and when Greg's mouth closed around his cock he groaned and arched up. Greg's hands landed on his hips to hold him against the mattress, forcing Nick still as he used his tongue and his lips to bring Nick to the edge.
When the other man's moans grew a little strangled Greg backed off, pulling away to roll first one and then the other of Nick's balls between his lips. He thought about going further, sliding his tongue past Nick's balls to press inside him, but he still wasn't that brave, so instead he turned his attention back to Nick's cock. He swallowed Nick's whole length this time, throat working around the head until Nick was moaning and fighting the hands holding him down.
Greg heard him murmur something like 'Jesus', then a choked, 'G…gonna…', so he pulled off a little, swallowing around Nick's length one last time before he pulled his mouth away and used his hand to finish Nick off. A few rough strokes was all it took before Nick tensed, moaning his orgasm and collapsing back against the mattress. And he looked so young with his eyes closed and his cheeks flushed that Greg couldn't help leaning forward and pressing a chaste kiss to the corner of his mouth.
A hand slid into his hair before he could pull away, Nick's tongue sliding into his mouth as he pulled Greg back onto the mattress. And Greg knew this was the part where Nick got up and left - he was ready for it, even, but when Nick finally let him up for air he didn't make any move to leave. Instead he turned over, stretching out on his stomach and sliding one arm over Greg's waist. A few minutes later he was asleep, and Greg lost count of how long he lay awake watching Nick breathe before he finally closed his eyes.
~
He expected to wake up alone. So it didn't surprise him to see the spot where Nick had been last night empty, and he told himself it didn't bother him. What he didn't expect was for the bathroom door to open a minute later, revealing Nick with wet hair and a towel riding low on his hips. Greg blinked, then blinked again, but the mirage wasn't disappearing, and when it smirked at him Greg's heart skipped a beat.
"Something the matter with your eyes, man?"
"No," Greg answered, shaking his head and untangling himself from the sheet before he climbed out of bed.
"You mind if I use your toothbrush?"
"Uh…no, knock yourself out." Greg padded across the room, feeling conspicuously naked as Nick looked him up and down. "It's the blue one."
He emptied his bladder while Nick brushed his teeth, stealing curious glances at the other man as he leaned around Nick to wash his hands. When Nick was done with his toothbrush he held it out to Greg, grinning again and making Greg's stomach do a weird flip.
"Thanks."
"Don't mention it," Greg mumbled around the toothbrush, glancing at Nick in the mirror long enough to find the other man watching him. And it felt a little weird, because he was pretty sure no one had ever watched him brush his teeth before, but he wasn't going to complain. He wasn't going to do anything that would encourage Nick to leave, because he wasn't sure Nick would ever come back.
Hands landed on his waist as he leaned over the sink, spitting out a mouthful of foam before he straightened up and turned on the water. When he glanced in the mirror Nick wasn't watching him anymore - well, he wasn't watching Greg's face, but he was staring at his neck as though he was trying to decide where to bite first. A second later he leaned in and Greg shivered, but instead of blunt teeth Nick's tongue marked a hot trail across his skin.
Greg rinsed his mouth and dropped the toothbrush on the counter, not even bothering to look where it landed. His gaze was still fixed on their reflection in the cheap bathroom mirror, his lips parted and his head angled to give Nick as much room to work as he wanted. He was hard already - had been since his first glimpse of Nick standing in the doorway in only a towel, and when Nick pressed closer Greg felt the effect he was having on the other man.
He rocked back experimentally, making Nick gasp and thrust forward to meet him. His mouth opened against Greg's neck, slow kisses shifting into insistent suction until Greg was gasping and gripping the countertop hard. He wasn't sure if he was trying to get away or get more, but it didn't matter because Nick's hands were holding him in place and he wasn't about to let Greg up until he was finished.
When he finally pulled away Greg could see the bright red mark already forming, knew it would fade to a dark bruise by the end of the day and leave him with something to remember Nick by for the rest of the week. Not that he minded, because if this was the only night they had together Greg wanted it to last as long as possible.
One last kiss pressed to the side of his neck, then Nick was turning him until they were face to face. Greg surged forward automatically, pressing their lips together for a kiss that felt as desperate as he did. He knew Nick could tell, but he didn't really care. And maybe Nick needed this just as much as Greg did, because he gripped Greg's hips and lifted him onto the counter, pausing long enough to tug his towel off before he fused their lips together again.
Greg wrapped his legs around Nick's waist, pulling him as close as possible before he reached between them and wrapped a hand around both their cocks. It was a little awkward at first, but before he had a chance to get frustrated Nick's hand closed around his, helping him find a rhythm until they were both rocking into the sensation. And he knew this was just a one-night stand - that was part of the reason he'd come to Florida, because this whole week was about not having to deal with consequences.
But it felt like more, and even though he knew it was stupid he couldn't help thinking that maybe there was something between them. Something besides mutual attraction, because Nick kissed him like he needed Greg to breathe and he'd marked him like he wanted to be sure the whole town knew Greg belonged to somebody.
Thinking like that was dangerous, though, and Greg shut down the train of thought and focused on the hand moving with his and the tongue thrusting in and out of his mouth. He flashed back to Nick's tongue thrusting in and out of another part of his body, hot and wet and that was all it took to bring Greg over the edge. He came with a muffled moan, hand clenching on their cocks and his mouth leaving Nick's to gasp for air.
A second later Nick was coming too, wet heat coating their fingers and if Greg didn't need a shower before he definitely needed one now. For a second he wondered how much it would take to talk Nick into getting in with him, but before he could embarrass himself by asking Nick was pulling away.
"I should get going," he said, smiling in that way that Greg had seen enough to interpret. He knew when someone was about to make up a lame excuse to split, but he didn't want to hear it so he just nodded and pushed himself off the counter.
"Yeah, you probably should," he said, back to Nick as he turned the shower on. "My roommate will want back in here soon."
"Greg, listen…"
Greg rolled his eyes before he turned back to Nick, forcing what he hoped was a casual grin. "Besides, your friends are probably wondering what the hell happened to you. Or they will when they wake up."
"Yeah," Nick said, hesitating for another second before he backed toward the door. "So I'll see you around."
"Do me a favor and lock the door on your way out," Greg said, pulling the shower curtain aside and disappearing behind it before Nick had a chance to answer.
~
He didn't see Nick again that day. He didn't see him the morning after either, and by the time afternoon rolled around he was actively looking. It wasn't obvious - at least he hoped not - but he was definitely looking, and he couldn't help wondering if Nick was avoiding him on purpose. His friends hadn't said anything, but the mark on his neck told them everything they needed to know and he didn't want them thinking he was pathetic enough to pine after a one-night stand.
Because he wasn't pining, and he wasn't that pathetic, but he couldn't stop thinking about the way Nick had kissed him. No matter how many times Greg told himself it didn't mean anything the feeling was still there, that pull in his chest like they were connected somehow, and by day two he'd given up trying to shake it. Now he was just hoping for a glimpse of Nick, for a smile that let him know he hadn't imagined the whole thing. Even if Nick ignored him at least it would be something, at least he'd know where he stood then and he wouldn't have to spend the rest of his life wondering if they'd missed out on something amazing.
But he'd spent the whole day hanging out by the pool and Nick hadn't showed yet, and Greg was starting to wonder if maybe he'd changed motels just to avoid running into him. Only the entire town was booked up for the whole week, and short of going home early there was no way Nick could avoid him forever. Unless he spent the night in somebody else's motel room, that was, and just the thought left a hollow feeling in Greg's chest. And it was stupid, because he'd had one-night stands before and he knew how they worked, but he'd really hoped this one was different.
That probably made him pathetic. It was the kind of thing his friends would never let him live down, the kind of thing they'd bring up long after Greg had managed to forget about one night in a cheap motel room on the beach. Only he didn't think he was in much danger of forgetting this one, and he was starting to regret pursuing Nick in the first place.
"Sanders, man, come on. Let's go to the beach."
Greg blinked and tore his gaze away from the sidewalk that led past the pool to look at his roommate, noting already peeling shoulders and too-pink skin. "The last thing you need is the beach. You should go inside before you get skin cancer."
"Give me a break. If you wanna hang out here and mope that's fine, but I'm not planning to waste my vacation watching you."
Greg rolled his eyes as his friend packed up and slid his sneakers back on, tucking his wallet and key into his pocket before he headed for the gate. He reached the entrance to the pool just as it swung open, stepping aside to let a group of well-muscled guys pass before he ducked out and headed for the beach. Greg had already forgotten all about his roommate's pale Midwestern skin and the misery he was going to be in by the end of the week, though, because bringing up the rear of the group was Nick.
He sat up in his lounge chair before he caught himself, forcing himself to relax and pretend he hadn't even noticed the group of guys walk in. They passed right by him, joking around about some girl and Greg would have felt sorry for her if he hadn't been so busy noticing Nick very carefully not noticing him. Greg could tell Nick had spotted him, because his shoulders were tense and his head was turned toward the pool, making sure Greg didn't have a chance to catch his eye and force him into a conversation.
And he wasn't sure what Nick thought he was going to do - throw himself at the other man, maybe, or commit the sin of saying hi. Either way Greg wasn't going to give him the satisfaction of letting it bother him, because if that was how Nick wanted it that was fine by him. He'd spent the past two days wondering where he stood, and now that he had his answer he could just forget the whole thing ever happened and get on with his life.
~
Greg had grown up on the beach, learned to swim practically before he could walk and learned to surf not long after that. And he never thought he'd get sick of the sight of sand and water, but he was officially ready to go home.
It had been twenty-four hours since Nick blew him off, looked right past him like Greg was nothing, and it should have stopped hurting by now. If he had any pride at all he'd be angry, but instead he was just confused and embarrassed that he'd actually let himself believe there was something between them. He laughed at the thought, the bitter sound catching in his throat.
"Dude, what?"
"Nothing," Greg answered, ignoring the looks his friends exchanged over his head and pushing himself into a sitting position. He pulled his shoes on and reached for his wallet, standing up and glancing back down at them. "I'm going to get a drink. You guys want anything?"
He half-listened as they rattled off their orders, then made his way across the hot sand toward the snack bar. The beach was already packed, swarming with college students in various stages of crisp and he sent up a quick prayer of thanks for his perpetual tan. One of the advantages of growing up on the beach, although another year in San Francisco would cure that for him too.
He was halfway to the snack bar when he saw him; tanned and gorgeous and sitting at the edge of his pack of frat brothers, watching Greg cross the beach. Greg automatically picked up speed, turning away from Nick and focusing on not tripping over any of the bodies littered across his path. He didn't look back to see if Nick was still watching him, and by the time he reached the snack bar he'd almost managed to convince himself he didn't care.
The line was already way too long and he thought about bailing, but his friends were already looking at him like he was crazy and he didn't really want to explain to them why he'd ditched them for the third time this week. At least his friends didn't pretend he didn't exist, and that was more than he could say for some of the company he'd been keeping since he left California.
A tug at his elbow made him tense, and this was not happening, because he'd just managed to convince himself he didn't even like Nick. "Hey."
"Hey yourself," Greg shot back, shaking off Nick's hand and turning back to the concession stand. "Aren't you worried your friends will see you talking to me?"
"Look, I'm sorry, okay? It's not…I hate doing stuff like that. But you don't know those guys."
"Yeah, and I don't want to," Greg said, shoulders tense and the spike in his temperature didn't have anything to do with the weather. "I don't think I want to know their friends, either."
"Greg, come on. You haven't got a clue what it's like for me. Where do you go to school?"
"Berkeley," Greg answered, the tension in his shoulders easing marginally as he turned to look at Nick again.
"Have you ever been to Texas?"
"No," he said, and he knew exactly where this was going. "But if you're going to give me the good old boy excuse you can save it. I don't want to hear it."
"Look," Nick said, gripping his arm and squeezing just a little harder than necessary as he turned Greg until they were face to face. "I'm not making excuses, I'm just telling you how it is. It's nothing personal."
"Whatever," Greg shot back, shaking out of Nick's grip and stepping out of the line. Everyone around them was pretending not to listen, and he was surprised Nick was doing this is such a public place. He wanted to believe maybe it was because Nick really did want him to understand, but he had a feeling the other man was just too angry to realize they had an audience. "You better get back to your friends before they see you talking to me and kick you out of the club."
He knew Nick wasn't going to follow him this time, but that didn't stop him from glancing over his shoulder on his way across the sand. Nick was already gone, probably busy making up some lie to tell his friends about the guy he was arguing with at the snack bar. Greg shook his head and turned away from the beach, forgetting all about his friends and what they were going to say when they got back to the motel.
~
Arguing with Nick in front of a group of strangers didn't bother Greg. The weird looks from his friends were a little harder to ignore, but for the most part he was too caught up in licking his wounds to notice them. He couldn't believe he'd actually thought Nick was a good guy - he couldn't believe he'd been dumb enough to think that one night together meant they knew each other. They hadn't even had a conversation, not really, and a few good - okay, great - kisses and a night between the sheets didn't mean anything.
And the worst part was that he'd let it ruin his whole vacation, because this week was supposed to be about fun and parties and meeting as many people as possible, and he'd spent the whole time pining over some closeted jerk. A closeted jerk with really big friends, and Greg felt a twinge of guilt whenever he thought about what they'd probably do to Nick if they knew.
He was more grateful than ever that he didn't really have to deal with that kind of bigotry, but it made him realize just how little he really knew about the world. Sure, he heard the stories, and he knew a few guys who'd dealt with harassment, but he'd never come face to face with it. Until now, and the worst part was that nobody had threatened him. He wasn't even sure which was worse - dealing with somebody who wanted to kill him for who he slept with, or sleeping with somebody who thought they deserved to be hated.
The last thing he wanted to do was stand at a party, pretending he wasn't watching Nick and his friends laughing way too loud on the other side of the pool. He let his friends drag him down to the pool because it was their last night in Florida, and tomorrow afternoon they'd get back on a plane and he'd never see Nick again. He thought he could handle one last night - he wanted to be able to, because he didn't need his friends thinking he was so pathetic that he couldn't even breathe the same air as Nick.
That thought conjured images of Nick's mouth on his, lips pressed together and just breathing, and he cleared his throat and set his cup of flat beer down on the nearest table. And okay, he couldn't handle this, but he showed and that was good enough to make his friends happy. He didn't even tell them he was leaving, just reached into his pocket for his key and headed for the gate that led out of the pool.
He heard footsteps behind him and sped up, hoping whichever one of his friends followed him would give up and go back to the party. But the footsteps sped up when he did, and finally he let out a sigh and turned to face whoever was behind him. He froze with his mouth open when he found himself looking at Nick, glancing reflexively in the direction of the pool before he turned back to the other man.
"What are you doing?"
"I don't know," Nick admitted, smile a little self-conscious and Greg could have kicked himself for the way his heart skipped. "I just…you're right, it's not an excuse for acting like a bastard. I guess I'm just used to pretending."
"It doesn't have to be like that, you know."
Nick smiled again, a little sad around the edges this time. "I've lived in Texas my whole life, Greg. My whole family lives there, my life's there. In a few months I graduate and join the police force, and…"
"You're a cop?"
"Not yet," Nick answered, and God, that grin should have been illegal. "But eventually, yeah. And trust me, if something like this got out, I wouldn't last long."
He still didn't get it, and maybe he never would, but Greg was starting to see that maybe he didn't know everything. "I'm sorry. About yesterday. I didn't have to be such a jerk."
"Forget it. We both said stuff."
"So…" Greg glanced over his shoulder in the direction of his room, thankful for the darkness so Nick wouldn't see him blushing. "Are your friends waiting for you?"
"They're so drunk they won't notice I'm gone." He took a few steps forward, then stopped and looked down at the sidewalk between them. "Look, this is probably gonna sound like a line, but I really like you. I mean we connected, right?"
"Yeah," Greg answered, and if there was a God in Heaven he didn't sound as lovestruck as he felt, "yeah, we did."
A few more steps forward, and Nick was smiling up close now, making Greg's pulse race. "Good."
Before Greg could react Nick was kissing him, mouth hot and familiar and Greg barely managed to bite back a whimper as strong arms wrapped around him. He backed them toward his room, pausing when his back hit wood and handing over the key. "You…uh…you wanna come in?"
Nick's laugh was breathless, and Greg grinned as he nodded and leaned in to plant another chaste kiss on the corner of Greg's mouth. "Yeah, I do."
~
When he woke up this time Nick was still stretched out next to him, solid and snoring and way too hot. Greg craned his neck to try to catch a glimpse of the other man, but the angle was weird and he knew if he wanted to watch Nick sleep he was going to have to move. He tried shifting without waking Nick, moving as slowly as possible onto his side. But as soon as he pushed himself up on one elbow Nick's eyes opened, blinking sleepily a few times before he focused on Greg.
"Morning."
"Morning," Greg echoed, smiling ridiculously but he didn't think Nick was awake enough to notice. And even if he was, Greg was leaving today, so it didn't really matter.
But that was a depressing thought, so he pushed it as far back in his mind as it would go and focused on the warm body still pressed against him. "So is this the part where we promise to stay in touch and then don't?"
Nick smiled, that same sadness around the edges that Greg had seen last night. "How old are you?"
"I already told you…"
"No, I mean how old are you really?"
Greg sighed and rolled onto his back, staring up at the ceiling and willing himself not to blush. "Eighteen. What, it's that obvious?"
"Not at first glance," Nick answered, shifting until he was stretched out on his side. His hand landed on Greg's chest, fingers splayed against Greg's skin and spreading warmth out from the center of his body. "Look, Greg, I'm twenty-two. In a few months I graduate and join the police force, and you'll be a sophomore. Even if there weren't like a thousand miles between Dallas and San Francisco..."
"It was just a joke," Greg interrupted, the words coming out a little more bitter than he planned, but he really didn't want to hear the rest of Nick's speech. And it had been a joke - mostly, anyway, but hearing Nick lay out the differences between them still stung. "Really."
"I like you. I meant that," Nick said, leaning in to brush a kiss across Greg's cheek before he climbed out of bed.
Greg watched him disappear into the bathroom, wondering if he should be grateful that Nick hadn't added that he was 'a nice kid'. It was embarrassing enough that Nick could tell just how much Greg liked him, but to guess his age…maybe it was a good thing that they'd probably never see each other again, because Greg wasn't sure he could stand the humiliation.
He was still reveling in his embarrassment when the bathroom door opened again, and Nick leaned out long enough to smirk at him. "Are you coming or what?"
And okay, maybe he wasn't all that embarrassed, because he was scrambling out of bed as soon as Nick asked the question, crossing the room in a few long strides and closing the door behind him. The shower was already on, steam filling the room as Nick disappeared behind the curtain. Greg brushed his teeth as fast as he could and emptied his bladder before he climbed in after Nick, gripping uselessly at the wall with one hand when he caught sight of all that tanned, wet skin.
He spared a moment to thank the gods of eighteen-year-old morons before he took a step forward, running one hand down the length of Nick's back. And it wasn't the first time he'd seen Nick naked, but it was the first time he'd seen him naked and wet, and he was going to enjoy every second of it. He had no idea what time it was or how soon he had to be ready to catch his flight, but right now he didn't care. He didn't care if he never saw California again, because this was the most perfect moment of his life.
Then Nick turned to face him, smile firmly in place as he backed Greg against the wall and leaned in for a kiss, and that was the most perfect moment of his life. The perfect moments kept mounting as Nick's hands slid over his skin, kissing every inch of Greg his mouth could reach and touching all the parts it couldn't with strong, calloused hands. It felt like being worshipped - not that he knew what that felt like, but he had a feeling it was something like this.
Something like Nick on his knees in front of him, mouth ghosting across his thigh and fingers pressing inside him and before he knew it Greg was begging again. "Fuck me," he murmured, then louder when Nick didn't react, skin flushing hot and he hoped Nick would think it was just the heat of the water.
"Yeah?"
"Yeah," Greg answered, voice a lot more sure than he felt and at least he didn't sound like a little kid. "I've never…"
Nick was standing in front of him before he could finish the thought, lips pressed against Greg's to swallow the rest of the sentence. "I'll go slow."
Greg nodded convulsively, and when Nick kissed him again and climbed out of the shower he leaned hard against the wall, wondering what exactly he'd gotten himself into. He didn't want to take it back, though, and when Nick reappeared wearing a condom he swallowed and turned to brace his hands against the wall. Warm lips brushed against his neck, down his spine and he could feel Nick sliding to his knees again.
Nick knelt on the floor behind him, hands on Greg's thighs to push them a little further apart and breath hot against Greg's spine. He had a feeling he knew what was coming, and when he felt the first press of Nick's tongue he groaned and pushed back into it. The water was almost too warm against his skin, tiles slick under his hands and he was sure he was going to fall. But Nick was holding him steady, tongue working in and out of him until Greg was begging incoherently for more.
He wasn't sure when Nick stood up again, but he felt a warm chest against his back and Nick's hand between them, then the first press of something way too big and he closed his eyes tight and fought to relax. Nick's mouth moved on his neck, murmuring softly between kisses and finally Greg relaxed enough to let him in a little further. He concentrated on remembering to breathe, flexing experimentally against the weird feeling of fullness and Nick groaned and pressed a little further inside.
It burned, but Nick's mouth felt good on his neck and his arms felt good wrapped around Greg's chest, and he focused on the combined sensations until Nick was buried as far as he could go. An eternity passed before he moved again, or maybe just a few seconds, but it felt like time had somehow crawled to a stop by the time Nick pulled out. The strangeness of being empty was even weirder than having Nick inside him, and he glanced over his shoulder long enough to watch Nick coat his cock with something slick before he pushed back inside.
The burn wasn't so intense this time, or maybe it was just that Greg was expecting it. Either way he managed to remember to breathe, and by the time Nick began to thrust in and out Greg was pressing back into the sensation. They found a rhythm together, moving as slow as Nick promised and when a hand wrapped around Greg's cock he moaned and thrust forward into Nick's grip.
There was no way he could last, because even if he wasn't eighteen the combined sensations were too much for him to take. He came with Nick still inside him, clenching around the other man and drawing a low moan out of Nick. He waited until Greg relaxed again before he pulled out and then thrust back inside, a little harder this time and Greg grunted with the force. Again, then one last time and he tensed against Greg, mouth buried against his neck and chest hot against Greg's back.
He wasn't sure how long they stayed like that. All he knew was that he never wanted to move, no matter how stiff his muscles got or how cold the water turned, because moving meant facing reality and he didn't want it to end like this. He didn't want it to end at all, because it didn't seem fair that they only got a few days together before they had to say goodbye.
~
"Sanders, I swear to God, if you make me miss this plane I'll kick your ass."
"I'd love to see you try," Greg shot back, hefting his backpack a little further up his shoulder and glancing around one last time. He didn't even know what he was looking for, because Nick didn't know what flight he was on and he wasn't going to show up at the airport for a big, romantic scene.
He wasn't going to change his mind at the last minute and run after Greg to give him an address or a phone number. Just to be sure, Greg had gone through every single pocket in all his clothes, checked his suitcase over twice and even shaken out his shoes, but there was no hidden message anywhere. No code for him to decipher on the way back to San Francisco, telling him to meet Nick on the top of the Empire State Building on the Fourth of July. And it just proved that he'd watched way too many chick movies with his mom while he was home for Christmas, because people didn't really do those things.
Nick was right; their lives were too different, and even if they stayed in touch it would only drag out the inevitable. A few awkward phone calls, a letter or two talking about classes and the weather and that would be it, and they'd end up feeling weird about the whole thing. So maybe it was better this way, because he could still feel Nick's mouth on his and he could picture Nick's smile as he turned to wave one last time before he went back to his life.
And that was how he wanted to remember Nick, not as the closeted frat boy who wouldn't even look at Greg while his friends were around. He wanted to remember long, lazy kisses and strong, rough hands on his skin, the honey drawl that sent a thrill up Greg's spine when it whispered in his ear.
He swallowed a sigh as he slid into his seat, glancing out the window at the runway under them. This was the way it ended - no big last-minute romantic scene, no hot guy rushing onto the plane to beg Greg not to go. That stuff only happened in the movies, and this definitely wasn't a movie. But sometimes reality wasn't so bad.