Ray blinked open his eyes for about the millionth time that night and stifled a groan. At last the sky to the east was starting to lighten, but there was still a long way to go before it would be time to get out of bed. He couldn't remember when he'd last slept so badly. He glared at the figure lying beside him, fast asleep.
Of course, it wasn't Benny's fault the Riv had broken down in this one-horse town, though if it hadn't been for his crazy idea to visit Detroit, they wouldn't have been anywhere near the damn place. And although he'd like to blame their current situation totally on him, it wasn't Benny's fault that the rodeo was in town and there was only one motel room, with one bed, available in the whole miserable place. But he didn't have to sleep peacefully through the whole night while Ray tossed and turned restlessly beside him.
And he didn't have to look so indecently gorgeous either.
Ray pushed himself up on his elbow and stared down at the pale face half seen in the dim light from the window. Benny, damn him, was sleeping as peacefully and as innocently as a new-born baby, totally unaware of the lustful thoughts raging through his partner's head, only a few inches away from his own. Ray ground his teeth.
It wasn't right. It wasn't fair. How could those silly red long-johns look so incredibly sexy when Benny wore them? And the way he was lying there... one hand lying just there, in the centre of his chest, at the exact spot where Ray had often fantasized placing his own hand. Damn him! And to add insult to injury, Ray had a hard on the size of Texas that just wasn't going to go away. And THAT was definitely Benny's fault!
Beside him, Ben's sleeping face looked positively angelic. Ben stirred and sighed. The dark lashes lifted slowly, the blue eyes stared up into Ray's and a sweet, heart-attack inducing smile curled his perfect lips. Then his eyes drifted shut again. Ray swore miserably. It had no effect. Well, if he couldn't sleep, he didn't see why the creator of his misfortune should. He shook Ben's shoulder.
Ben snorted softly and turned onto his side. Ray stared at the broad back with a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach. Unfortunately his stomach was the only thing that was sinking, he was going to ache for a week over this. Just look at those shoulders... the way that red cloth stretched over the hard muscle. Oh, God. Why did he have to go and fall in love with the straightest man in the universe?
A thought occurred to him. A wicked, wicked thought. If he'd still been going to confession it would have rated at least a hundred Hail Mary's just for thinking of it. He grinned. But he wouldn't do it. It was way too risky. Still...
He reached under the blanket and let his hand run from the centre of Ben's back to his waist, then down to his hip. Oh yeah... Ben didn't even stir. Ray had no intention of going through with his crazy idea, but he couldn't resist the temptation to move his hand so it curved over Ben's butt. Wow! Talk about inspirational. Not that he wasn't already more inspired than he'd been in a very long time. He shifted a little closer and gasped as his painfully erect cock brushed against that firm butt.
That had been an accident. Yeah, sure, said the tiny part of his brain that was still functioning. Oh God, he was gonna do it. He was really gonna do it.
He shuffled a tiny bit closer. Ben still didn't stir. Closer again. Before he knew it, he was pressed right up against Ben's back, his erection nestled comfortably between Ben's butt cheeks, his arm around Ben's waist. His hips began to move of their own accord. Oh God, he was humping the Mountie!
Between the intensity of his arousal, his terror that he might wake Ben and the legacy of months-long frustration, it wasn't long before it was all over. Ray rolled away from Ben, his heart still pounding, a big grin on his face. But, God, it had been glorious while it lasted. Lazily, he reached for the box of tissues on the bedside table and cleaned himself up.
It would have been nice to fool around a bit first, but when your partner's asleep at the time, there isn't much chance for foreplay. Ray unbuttoned his pyjama jacket and began to stroke his nipples. Very soon he was yawning uncontrollably. He pulled the covers up a little and surrendered to sleep.
*
It was a cold, clammy sensation that woke him. One that he hadn't experienced in a very long time. Ben opened his eyes reluctantly. It wasn't difficult to figure out what had happened. Ben pursed his lips. This was... well, it was embarrassing. Juvenile.
It would be light soon. He didn't want Ray to find out what had happened, that would be extremely humiliating. Luckily, there was a box of tissues on the bedside table. On Ray's side. Well, he'd just have to risk it.
He turned cautiously. Ray was fast asleep, a contented smile on his face, and he didn't stir at all as Ben reached across him for the tissues. It didn't take long to clean himself up, he just hoped the wet patch would have dried enough not to be noticeable by the time he got out of bed.
As he reached across to return the box of tissues, Ben glanced down at his sleeping friend. Somehow his pyjama top had become unbuttoned. He could see the small patch of dark hair in the very centre of Ray's chest. He even thought he could see the dark curve of a nipple in the shadow of the cloth. His mouth went dry.
This really wasn't fair... he'd tried... really, he'd tried very hard not to think of Ray in that way. God knew he had no luck in love... Victoria, for example. And then Meg. It wasn't so strange, when he thought of it, that his attention should turn to men. But why did he have to fall in love with the straightest cop in Chicago?
Ray looked so peaceful. Really, the man was just impossibly wonderful. Not good-looking, in the classic sense, but there was something about him. Something quite irresistible. Especially when he didn't want to resist. No, he didn't want to resist at all.
Ben realised that his fingers were trembling with the need to touch that beautiful chest. He thought about how wonderful it would be if only he could feel the texture of that chest hair. It looked so incredibly silky... Oh! Oh, it was silky! Oh dear...
Ray shifted slightly and his pyjamas fell open. Yes, that was definitely a nipple... two of them in fact... and it crinkled delightfully at his lightest touch. Ray must have very sensitive nipples. Ben hesitated, suddenly doubtful. It wouldn't do to wake Ray. He really shouldn't be doing this at all, he realised.
Guiltily, he pulled the covers up to Ray's shoulders and lay back.
He couldn't sleep. How could he possibly sleep when Ray was lying there beside him? Ray, with his silky chest hair and his sensitive nipples and... No, he wouldn't think about that! Besides, he doubted that even his wildest imaginings would do justice to the beauty of Ray's... He stopped that thought firmly. After all, he was glumly aware that imagination was not one of his strong points.
The sky lightened with excruciating slowness. He supposed he could just get out of bed anyway. Perhaps go for a walk. Or take a cold shower. Cold showers were supposed to be very effective. Or he could just lie here beside Ray. After all, he might never get this opportunity again.
It wasn't until Ray began to stir, yawning and stretching, that Ben became aware of two things... that he'd forgotten to button his long-johns again. And that his right hand had discovered this fact some time ago and had neglected to inform him. Had, in fact, taken full advantage of his distraction, with depressingly predictable results. Ray turned his head and smiled at him.
"Morning, Benny." He seemed to be in a very good mood. Not like last night. It was amazing what a good night's sleep could do.
"Uh... good morning, Ray. Excuse me..." He fled for the bathroom.
*
Ray smiled fondly at Benny's departing back. Weak bladder, huh? Nice to know the Mountie had at least one failing...