The Sticky Situation

Chapter 2

A taxi arrived outside the lab, and the cab driver didn't blink as he helped the still-glued Sara and Greg into the backseat. "Third time this month," he shrugged. "This is Vegas, you know."

Greg sat quietly, trying not to stare at Sara's rear end as they sped down the road. But there was little else to look at, and it wasn't like she could catch him.

"Where is this place, anyway?"

"Out in Summerlin."

He whistled. "I looked at some apartments there once, but the rent was way out of my price range. Is yours a one-bedroom?"

"It's, um, a house, actually."

"You're renting a house?"

"No, we own it."

Greg shook his head. "Wow. This boyfriend of yours must be loaded."

They drove through an older neighborhood, one with large homes and plenty of trees. Eventually the taxi slowed, approaching a blue house with a white picket fence.

The cab driver pulled over to the curb, hopping out to open Greg's door. "Okay, back out nice and slow," he instructed, leading Greg backwards by the shoulders. Sara reached for her wallet once they were out, but the driver shook his head. "Guy who called in the pick-up prepaid."

"Great."

They waved to the driver as he pulled away (well, Sara waved - Greg kind of nodded his chin) then turned back to the house.

"Shit!" Greg gasped, ducking down behind Sara. "It's Grissom!" Sure enough, there was an amused-looking entomologist heading down the front walk. "Don't let him see me!"

"What?"

"He'd kill me if he knew what happened. pretend I'm not here!"

Grissom reached them. "Greg?"

"I think he saw me," Greg whispered.

"Greg, he knows you're there," Sara supplied.

"He does?" Greg's head popped up sheepishly. "Oh, so. Grissom already knew we were stuck together?"

"Wait for it," Grissom murmured.

"Hold on. how did Grissom know where your new house is?"

"Wait for it."

Greg's eyes suddenly widened. "Waaait."

"There it is."

"You? You're Sara's boyfriend?"

"I made dinner," Grissom told Sara gently. "You must be hungry."

She nodded, walking toward the front door with him, and dragging an aghast Greg in her wake.

"Wait, guys, wait. Wait. This - wait. You two are-"

Any train of thought was chased from Greg's head as the front door opened and a large boxer bounded out to greet them.

"Hey, baby," Sara grinned, leaning down to rub behind his ears as his tail wagged frantically. "Who's my good boy?"

Grissom held the door open for them. "I used that recipe we got off the low-sodium website, the lasagna one."

"How'd it turn out?"

"Haven't tasted it, but it looks okay."

"I'm sure it'll be great. I'm just going to wash my hands."

Greg was treated to an unofficial house tour as Sara wove her way through the foyer, living room, and kitchen on the way to the powder room. "So this is your house?"

She jumped, startled. "Oh, I'm sorry, Greg, I kind of forgot you were here."

"Yeah, well, I stuck around."

"This is our house, yes."

"It's nice."

"Thanks." She finished washing her hands, drying them on a towel. "Um. you hungry?" Her tone was light, but the blush spreading across her cheeks revealed her unease with the situation.

"Starving."

"Okay. You, um. you know Grissom is going to have to feed you."

"He what?"

"Well, you don't have hands to eat with, and if I try reaching a fork behind me without looking. that's a good way to lose an eye."

"Is there really a good way to lose an eye?"

"Come on, I'm hungry," she smiled, leading him into the kitchen.

Grissom had set the table, and there was a basket of warm rolls on the side. He stood over the plates, spooning out helpings of steaming, gooey lasagna. Greg's mouth watered uncontrollably.

"How should we sit?" he asked

Grissom glanced up. "I moved one of the ottomans in here."

"Great," Sara nodded, sidestepping the dog to take a seat. "This looks great, honey."

"Thank you, sweetie."

Greg nodded. "Yeah, everything looks delicious. snookybear." He was rewarded with a withering stare from Grissom, who loaded a fork with lasagna.

"Ready? Here comes the airplane," Grissom deadpanned, aiming the fork for Greg's mouth.

Sara laughed, sneaking a piece of bread to the dog under the table.

The dinner was a lively one, as Sara recounted their investigation of Burrow's lab. The mention of unknown chemicals had Grissom's eyes lighting up with intrigue, and he and Sara tried guessing what sorts of compounds Burrow had used. Greg just watched in silence, chewing on lasagna and wondering whether The Twilight Zone was still on the air.

"Can I ask something?" he blurted out finally.

Sara and Grissom sighed in unison, as if they'd been expecting this. "Go ahead," Grissom said.

"Why did. I mean, if you two have been dating for. two years, and you've been living together for a year, and nobody knows. then why let me come here? Nobody at work suspects anything, so why expose someone to your love nest? Grissom, why wouldn't you tell Sara and me to just go to a hotel or something?"

"Because," Grissom replied, getting up to clear their plates. "I have an active imagination."

"And?"

"And the thought of another man spooning my girlfriend in some hotel bed doesn't exactly sit well with me."

"Oh." This seemed to satisfy Greg's curiosity, until he suddenly frowned. "But where will we sleep here?"

"In our bed."

"And where will." Greg's face went slack. "No."

Sara chewed on her thumbnail. "Yup."

"All three of us?"

Grissom flipped a dishtowel over one shoulder. "Let's just say Sara will be spooned from both sides tonight."

"Oh, kill me," Greg groaned, hanging his head. "Seriously, please. Kill me."

"It won't be that bad," Sara chuckled. "It's a big bed. We'll just have to make sure the dog doesn't get up with us."

"Maybe we can cut my fingers off your waist," continued Greg, undeterred. "There's got to be half a millimeter or so between the surfaces of our skin, maybe if Grissom used an exactoknife or something, he could follow the seam and get my hands off-"

"You really think sleeping in the same bed with me will be that miserable?" Grissom said, cocking an eyebrow.

"It's not that." Greg swallowed.

"What is it, then?"

"I, um."

"You what?"

"I have to pee."

Grissom and Sara shared a long look, and then Grissom nodded. "Right. I'll get the tongs."