The gene that made some gay men cream themselves whenever they passed a shopping mall did not exist in Vic. He hated crowds and long lines at the checkouts and those annoying loudspeakers shouting out specials that made normal conversation impossible. If Vic had his way, everything in life would be delivered to his door--groceries, clothing, shaving cream. When he had to buy something, he parked as close to the store as he could, and glared at anyone who got in his way. A man with a purpose, he went directly to the aisle where he would find the particular item he needed, then left. He didn't stop to look at the displays that crowed for his attention; he didn't bother with sale ads, or clearance bins, or price comparisons. He didn't window shop, or trail up and down aisles aimlessly, looking for something to buy. He got what he needed and left, as quickly as he could.

His lover Matt diLorenzo couldn't have been more different.

Matt's favorite part of the Sunday paper was the advertisements. He leafed through them like a child through a wish list, oohing and aahing over the latest gadgets on sale, the clothing, the linens, the furniture. He received a fair number of catalogues on a regular basis, and would pour over them in the evening when he cuddled up to Vic in their bed. Commercials on television made his eyes light up like a little boy's, and he was always stopping at the store on the way home from work to pick up a few groceries for dinner or buy another pair of sunglasses or a couple new shirts. He couldn't even take his car in for an oil change without getting a new license plate frame or the latest trendy air freshener to hang from his rear-view mirror.

One of Matt's favorite things to do on his days off from work was go to "the store." Any store would do--bookstore, grocery store, clothing store ... even in an office supply store, he'd find something to buy. He always wanted his lover to come along with him, which was, to Vic, the biggest sacrifice he had to make in their relationship. While he loved being with Matt, he didn't understand why they couldn't just stay home. But whenever he asked, Matt always had a quick reply. "I want to show you off," he'd say, snuggling up against Vic in a manner that would guarantee he'd get his way in the end. "Tell everyone, look at my hot man, bringing sexy back."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Vic asked with a laugh.

Matt nuzzled behind Vic's ear, his breath warm against Vic's bare skin. "It means come with me. I'll buy you something."

Vic laughed again. "I don't need anything."

"So come along anyway." Matt caught one of Vic's hands in both of his and laced their fingers together. "Be my arm candy. Keep the other guys at bay."

That caught Vic's attention. "What other guys?"

With a wicked grin, Matt teased, "You won't know unless you come along. You are coming, right? You're coming."

"Do you know how spoiled you are?" Vic asked.

Matt kissed the corner of Vic's mouth. "You wouldn't love me any other way. Now get your shoes on. Let's go shopping."