Title: Can't Say No
By: angstytimelord
Pairing: Greg Sanders/Don Flack
Fandom: CSI: Vegas/CSI: NY
Rating: PG-13
Author's Note: Set pre-CSI: Vegas when Greg is still living in NYC.
Disclaimer: This is entirely a product of my imagination, and I make no profit from it. I do not own the lovely Greg Sanders or Don Flack, just borrowing them for a while. Please do not sue.

***

Greg looked out of the window of his apartment for what seemed like the thousandth time, then at his watch. Don was late, but he shouldn't be surprised about that. He knew that the other man couldn't always be here when he said he would be if he was busy at work.

That was the worst thing about being involved with a cop, he thought with a sigh, going back to the couch and picking up a magazine that he'd been trying to read. He never knew when Don would be able to show up; there were nights when he couldn't make it here at all.

They'd only been together twice more since that first night, and both times had been incredible. Greg could still hardly believe that a man like Don wanted to be with him; he had been sure that after that first night, he would find himself pushed into the background and forgotten.

But that hadn't happened. Don couldn't always come over when he said he would, but when he didn't, there was always a phone call -- and Don always sounded sincerely apologetic, even when he couldn't talk for long. Greg never doubted that Don wanted to be here with him.

He wasn't going to push the other man about what their relationship was -- or what it might become. He hadn't even told anyone that he was seeing a cop, mainly because he hadn't thought that Don would want him to say anything and accidentally drop a name.

Not that he didn't want to let people know that he was seeing Don Flack -- but the truth was, Greg had no idea if they were dating, or if this was simply just a few nights of fun for the other man. There had been no discussion about where their relationship was going.

He didn't want to push Don, Greg told himself, sighing again and closing his eyes as he leaned his head back against the soft cushions of the couch. He had the feeling that if he did, he would find himself alone every night, and that Don would disappear from his life.

If that happened, it would break his heart. Don was the first man he'd ever given himself to; he didn't want their relationship to end up being nothing more than a brief fling. He didn't expect a lifetime together, but he wanted more than what he felt they already had.

So he was careful not to bring up any mention of the fact that he wanted a more concrete relationship. The last thing he needed right now was to scare Don off, to make him feel cornered. But it was getting harder not to ask where things were going.

A knock on the door made Greg spring to his feet; it had to be Don. Nobody else would come over this late at night, and since he was working swing shift in the lab he was interning at, he could stay up all night and not worry about sleep until the early hours of the morning.

Without bothering to look through the peephole, or to ask who was there, he unlocked the door and swung it open, knowing that he would see Don on the other side. He couldn't wait for their night to start, for them to be together in his bed until Don had to leave again.

"You shouldn't open the door without looking first," Don cautioned him as he walked into Greg's apartment. "You never know who could be out there, Greg. One night it might not be me. You can't be too careful in this city, babe. Don't get careless, okay?"

Greg nodded, closing and locking the door behind Don. He knew how dangerous it could be at times to live in New York, but he found it hard to really listen to the other man's words when his body was already taut with desire, his senses aflame just from looking at Don.

Don took off his coat and threw it onto the couch, then turned to look at Greg. It took the young man a moment to realize that Don was looking at him with desire in those dark eyes -- and with his mouth quirked into a smile that meant he had something in mind.

"What are you thinking about?" he asked teasingly, hands on his hips. He knew that Don wanted him; he had already gotten used to seeing that expression on the older man's face. there was no mistaking when Don was ready to head straight for the bedroom.

"I'm thinking about how much I want to get you into bed, since I haven't seen you for two days," Don said, his voice soft and husky. "You've been on my mind pretty much all that time. And I've got something that I think you might find pretty interesting."

"What would that be?" Eric was curious now; he hadn't thought that Don would want to do anything more than go to bed and spend hours losing themselves in each other's bodies, but apparently there was more on the other man's mind than he had suspected.

"This!" Don told him almost triumphantly, pulling a large vial out of his pocket. Greg squinted at it, unable to make out just what it contained. It was something red and sparkly, but it didn't look like any kind of liquid. It looked like .... glitter? Why would Don have a vial of glitter?

"What is that?" he asked ,reaching to take the vial in his hand. It was glitter, though he had no idea what use they could have for it. When an idea occurred to him, he looked up at Don with wide eyes, then frowned and shook his head.

"It's edible glitter," Don told him with a laugh. "The kind you put on birthday cakes. Since you missed my birthday this year, I thought we could have a little belated celebration." He leaned close to Greg to whisper into the younger man's ear. "I want to lick glitter off your naked body."

Those words sent a shiver through Greg's body; he hadn't thought ot doing anything like this, but it sounded exciting. And if their sex life had an extra little kick to it, maybe that would mean that he and Don could grow even closer than they were.

He wasn't going to use kink as a way to hold Don, Greg told himself firmly. But that didn't mean that they couldn't ... .well, enhance their sex life with it. Besides, if he was uncomfortable with anything that Don might suggest, all he had to do was say no.

And that word would probably send Don walking away from him in search of someone who was a lot more adventurous, he thought, biting his lip and looking down. Even if he didn't want to do any of the things that Don might be into, he still felt that he had to.

"Hey, baby, what's wrong?" Don asked softly, reaching out to stroke Greg's cheek. "And don't tell me it's nothing," he said when Greg opened his mouth to speak. "I can tell that something's bothering you. What is it? Come on, talk to me."

"I ...." Greg wasn't sure how to put what he was feeling into words; he was sure that if he said anything, Don would get angry and walk out, and that was what he wanted to avoid above all. "I just .... I don't want to say no to anything you want to do and make you mad."

Don sighed, taking Greg's hand and leading him to the couch. When they were both seated, he leaned close to the young man, his gaze searching Greg's face. He raised a hand to stroke his fingers through the young man's hair, then over the softness of his cheek.

"Do you really think that saying no is going to make me walk out on you?" he asked softly, a vestige of hurt in his tone. "If you really believe that, Greg, then you don't know me at all. I understand that you might not be into a lot of experimenting. I'm not going to force anything on you."

"N-no, I --" Greg swallowed hard, feeling tears rise behind his eyes. He looked down, unable to meet Don's gaze. "I'm just scared you'll f-find somebody else who'll want to do those things if I d-don't," he managed to whisper, his voice shaky. "But I'm not saying no."

"Don't say no until you've heard what I want to do to you," Don told him with a smile. Leaning even closer to Greg, he whispered into the young man's ear, his breath warm against Greg's skin. "I want go sprinkle glitter all over that gorgeous body of yours and lick it off. Very, very slowly."

Greg closed his eyes, his breath coming faster at Don's words. It definitely sounded like something he'd like to try -- and besides, there was no way he could say no to this man, no matter what Don might want him to do. There was really no reason not to try it, at least once.

"Okay," he finally said, opening his eyes and giving Don a tremulous smile. "It kind of sounds like fun." He was aware that his voice still sounded a little uncertain, and he was sure that Don heard it, too. "I-I'm up for it, if that's what you want to do."

"The question is -- do you want it?" Don asked, looking concerned. "Greg, if this isn't something you want us to try, then I'll understand. I'm not going to walk out on you tonight. And if you say no, then this won't be the last time you see me. I promise."

Greg nodded, feeling relieved at those words. Don wasn't going to get mad and leave even if he said no -- and that was all he'd needed to know. Getting up, he held out his hand to the older man, smiling and quirking a brow. "Come on, then. Let's go see how I look covered in glitter."

"Oh, only the most delicious parts of you are going to be covered," Don said with a wink as he rose from the couch and followed Greg down the hall with eager steps, looking as though he might not be able to wait until they were in the bedroom to have Greg in his arms.

***