| The Adventures of Benton and Ray | by NovaD |
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Perils of Canasta |
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“What’s it like up there?” That’s the question I got asked a lot in
letters from Mum or e-mails from Frannie or from Stella. So I wrote them some
funny stuff about life in Canada and how I was trying to fit in. They were
some pretty funny letters, if I do say so myself. Even Fraser smiled at them.
I know that they enjoyed reading about my mishaps in the letters, but that
wasn’t what they really want to know. They wanted to know what life with
Fraser was like. The question hung there at the farewell party. It was in
everyone’s eyes staring at us over the beers. Fraser was hip to the
curiosity but he played like he wasn’t. No matter how anyone asked the
question of where I would be staying exactly, Fraser managed to answer it
without lying or really telling the truth. I did see a flash of protectiveness
now and then that told even thick headed Dewey that he should stop pressing.
So everyone shut up, but the questions remained. I started writing a journal because of the letters. Well, mostly because of the letters. Fraser wrote in his journal every night before we went to bed. He seemed to like it when I sat beside him writing my letters. I liked it, too. Something about sitting there beside him while we wrote our thoughts down felt really cool. So one day when we were out shopping, I picked up a leather bound journal. Fraser helped me pick one with lines wide enough for my scrawl. Writing in it was easier than I thought it would be. It’s somewhere between a letter and an incident report. And I found I liked writing about what we have up here. I want to remember every day of it. So here goes. I don’t know how to describe what Frase and me have. It’s easier to just go with what pops into my head. I really got into the cuddling thing. It was number two on my hit parade of things Fraser did to rock my world. Number one was not the Big Deed. Not that I didn’t enjoy that -- a lot. A whole lot. But I’ll get back to that, because it deserves a lot of space. It was kissing that was number one for me. Fraser was really into kissing me. He’d kiss me until I was somewhere between melting and crazy before we made love once we were finally alone together. But when we got back to Inuvik for good, he got serious about the lip locks. He started his day kissing me until my brain was mush, and he’d do the same before he went to sleep. Before I found work, Fraser’d come home for lunch to kiss me. He would have lunch too. But he was more interested in exploring my mouth with his tongue. The morning kisses were unbelievable. I would be barely awake when he started dragging me under. I had to make him pull me into the shower with him afterward or I’d be useless until noon. The lunch kisses and the bedtime kisses included the scenting thing. Fraser would hold me still and sniff my skin before the licking or sucking or kissing started. Don’t know why that turned me on so much. But it just drove me crazy how intense and possessive he was about where I had been or who had been near me. I’ve always loved kissing. Seeing how doing the Big Deed before marriage was a mortal sin according to the Penguins, it was about impossible to get a girl to go much further than frenching. Stella was no exception. So making out was a favorite in my bag of tricks. But I was the one, being the guy, doing the cornering and the pressing and the holding. Yeah, that was old fashioned, but that’s who I was until Benton Fraser came along. When he would look at me so intently with those dark blue eyes, it was impossible to do anything besides let him back me up against a wall or a door then push my legs apart to make room for his thigh. I couldn’t help but tilt my head back and give him my throat to nuzzle or nip or suck until I moaned for him. As soon as I opened my mouth, he’d take it with his. And I ate it up. I discovered that I loved being pressed against walls or doors. I loved the full body press against the bed. Sometimes he would hold my arms by the wrists away from my body. Other times, he would hold them above my head. I’d give him attitude then -- make him work for it until he’d take the kiss hard. I also loved the way he cupped my face with those amazing hands for the gentlest of kisses. He undid me with each one then put me back together. One time, I asked Fraser why he was so into kissing me. I suppose there were still times when I just couldn’t believe that I was that lucky. I hadn’t been sure if he heard me, because he kept tonguing my throat and humming. Eventually, he pulled back to look at me with the dreamiest of eyes. “Because I’m finally allowed to, Ray,” he replied in this mild tone. Then he got back to making me forget what my name was. Back to the cuddling. I know I’ve always been a touchy guy -- in every sense of the word. But I can’t say the same about Fraser. He’d keep his arms crossed at the small of his back in parade rest and carefully avoided encroaching in anyone’s personal space. Frannie would flip to see how he is with me up here. Fraser was still Fraser. He was still very appropriate in public -- though even there he was a lot warmer to the public than he was in Chicago. But once we were alone in the cabin, he was all up close and personal. After the supper dishes were put away, we’d watch a little television entangled on the sofa. Fraser liked to have me plastered along the front of his body as much as possible. That meant almost lying on top of him. In bed, I couldn’t tell you where he ended and I began. I don’t think I could sleep anymore without his heart beating against my back or his warm breath in my ear. Sounds sappy but I don’t think I’ve ever felt so cared for and protected. But it shouldn’t be forgotten that we were still us. Fraser routinely drove me up the nearest wall. He took way less risks than before. That was a relief. But Mr. Logic and Mr. Instinct still had problems when weird stuff came our way which happened far more often than I thought possible in the middle of nowhere. More on that later, too. Suffice it to say that Fraser didn’t enjoy Inuvik for the peace and quiet. So when we have cases, we have fights. We still push each other’s buttons that way. Even as I bang my head against the wall wondering how to shove some sense into that beautiful skull, I’m glad we haven’t changed the way we relate to each other. Sappy again, I know. I guess what I’m trying to say is that no matter what it looks like to other people -- no matter how crazy it seems, me and Fraser were happy as clams. We were the same as we were in Chicago. Fraser said our lives seem to still face all sorts of perils. The difference was that we were together. I found my job a month after building on Bob Fraser’s cabin. Fraser had put in a modern bathroom and kitchen, but it was basically one big room. It was cozy, but I knew it wouldn’t work for the long haul. “We need a real bedroom, Frase,” I said. “One with it’s own door to the bathroom. We need the privacy.” That seemed to amuse him. “From Diefenbaker?” “Hardy har har,” I said. “At some point, we’re gonna have your sister or Frobisher or my folks or Vecchio and Stella on the front stoop and I don’t want to share a bedroll with any of them.” “I don’t see that as a problem, Ray,” Fraser said. “There are a number of fine inns here that could do with the business.” “That may be, but I know how family thinks,” I said. “They’d all consider it an insult not to accept our hospitality even if it means splinters on the floor. We need a bedroom with a door that locks and some furniture that folds out.” He looked puzzled for a while but finally shrugged. “You are the one with the experience of having extended family.” “And if I’m wrong, we’ll have room to sprawl.” Fraser helped me when he was between patrols, but I built the addition pretty much on my own. That let the locals know that I wasn’t as frail as they thought I was and that I knew my way around tools. Fraser was impressed, too. I still catch him looking at the room with an expression that makes my eyes get prickly. Anyway, sometime after I finished that project, I was at the auto parts store looking for stuff to fix Fraser’s snowmobile. That’s when Mrs. Swenson who owned the bakery came over to me. “Mr. Kowalski?” She said in that way they had up here that made everything sound like a question. “Call me Ray,” I said. “I understand you fix things, Ray?” I didn’t know that, but whatever. “Okay.” “My grandson’s red wagon is broken,” she explained. “I was wondering if you could see what you could do about it? Maybe for some bread?” Alright. I was down with her breads. “Sure. I’ll be by later today.” The job took only a few hours, but we got two loaves of bread and a dozen muffins out of the deal. I picked up some extra butter and took some of Fraser’s stew out to thaw when I got home. I was surprised to find a couple of messages from the locals with jobs to fix things. Some were small but one involved rebuilding a truck engine for some reasonable money. That felt good. I liked taking care of Fraser, but I also wanted to earn my own keep. Fraser was smiling when he came in. The cabin was toasty and smelled great from the stew and the bread. I was against the wall a few seconds later. He was barely out of his coat and hat and boots. Dief trotted by snorting in annoyance. The wolf was not into displays of affection that didn’t involve him. “You’ve been with an inordinate number of people today,” Fraser murmured against my throat. I felt him inhaling the hair at the base of my neck. “Oh?” “Eustace and Frank at the auto supply store,” he continued tasting the skin there. I moaned in response. I tried to hold him, but he caught hold of my wrists and held me still. He was scenting inside of my shirt along my collarbone. “And Mrs. Swenson,” he said inhaling deeply. “Mrs. Swenson was not in my shirt, Ben,” I gasped. “She had better not be,” he replied smiling against my skin. “I can smell the bread in the oven.” He was tonguing along my throat. “God, Ben, please…” Fraser raised his head. His eyes were dark and naughty. “As you wish, Ray.” He kissed me then hard and deep releasing my wrists to pull me closer. I let my hands wander to his hair. He growled as I ran my fingers through the softness. It was still cool on the surface from the outside but it was warmer close to the skin. I was just about at the point where my knees would buckle. Dinner was going to be very late. But Fraser broke the kiss then peppered my face with lighter kisses. He was going to let me go. “Are you hungry?” I asked. My voice was hoarse. “Quite,” he replied. “Everything smells delicious.” He was staring at me when he said that. I swallowed hard. “Okay then, let’s chow down.” “So you fixed young Swenson’s little red wagon?” He asked over tea after dinner. I shrugged. “The wheels were busted and the axel was bent and it needed a new coat of paint. Just a few hours work. But it got all that bread -- literally. And I’ve got a new job.” “Oh?” “I’m Inuvik's Mr. Fixit. Got some work all lined up before I even came home,” I said. “That’s delightful, Ray,” Fraser smiled. God I loved it when he smiled. “It means that you’ve made inroads with the community. I was certain you would.” “How so?” “You’re very difficult to resist, Ray.” “That’s me, Mr. Irresistible.” “You are, Ray,” He said. His eyes were soft. “I was swept away very easily.” I smiled at him shaking my head. “You, my friend, are unhinged.” “Maybe, but not about this,” he said. “Shall we?” I liked our new sofa. We fit on it together side by side and it folded out into a queen-sized bed. We also have a settee that folded out into a twin. Dief was under the impression that it was his bed. It was a lucky thing to order the sofa bed and the bed. For those who were blind, they could still believe Fraser and I were just close buddies. “Anything interesting at work?” I asked after being arranged against his body along the back of the sofa. He was absently holding my hand tracing the contours of my palm and my fingers while we watched hockey. He was into my hands. Said he used to watch them wondering how they felt. “There was a bulletin to be on the lookout for Nasty Canasta,” he replied. “What’s a Nasty Canasta?” “A career criminal who deals in all sorts of illegal merchandise for cash.” “Like a fence?” “More or less. He deals in almost anything of value no matter how large or small,” Fraser said. “What’s wrong with the criminal element up here? Why can’t they have normal names like Tony the Nose or Louie the Eye,” I asked. “What’s Nasty after?” Fraser chuckled at me. “In this case, it’s the Avro Car.” “An all points over a car?” “It’s a special car, Ray. Almost one of a kind and top secret.” “Almost one of a kind?” I asked. “How can a car be top secret? Never mind. That doesn’t matter. When do they think it’ll get here?” “There is no evidence that Mr. Canasta is en route here,” Fraser replied. “Let’s see. A miscreant with a moniker of Nasty Canasta and a top secret car and our luck,” I said. “Where else would he be? How dangerous is he?” Fraser shrugged. “His customers have been quite dangerous. He himself can be as well if cornered. He doesn’t want to return to prison.” “Promise me, Frase. No going off on your own. And I’m riding with you on any patrols,” I said. “No arguments. He probably has henchmen.” Fraser tightened his arms around me. He kissed the top of my head. “No arguments from me, Ray.” I should have known better. Fraser wasn’t fighting me. And he had plenty of back up. So, I should have known we were missing something about this Canasta that was probably very nasty. But I wasn’t thinking about that just then. Fraser’s hands were moving on my body. I pulled myself up onto him so I could look down on his face. “Tell me what you want, Ben,” I said. He looked at me with a small smile that was all heat. “Ray, please.” I moved to just an inch from kissing him. “Please what, Ben? Tell me.” His eyes slid closed with a moan. So much of what he did to me was without words. I dug that, but it really turned my crank to hear him tell me what he wanted. At that moment, Fraser looked desperate. “Ah, God. Ray,” he moaned. His eyes were so dark when they looked into mine. “I want you in me... now.” Oh yeah. I loved that. Loved how he opened up to me completely when we did that. I would have been happy to let him do me forever. The way he made me feel when I was filled with him and surrounded by him was… I can’t describe it… so much pleasure and… joy. I would have been happy only knowing that. But knowing he wanted me that way was almost too much. The first time he asked was our first night home in the cabin. I was trembling so much I didn’t think I could get things were they were supposed to be let alone last for more than ten seconds. Somehow it all worked out. Fraser opened up to me and I was in the most intense tight heat that I’ve ever known. His orgasm wrenched mine from me. He trembled afterward and held me tight whispering my name over and over. It’s just incredible to have this amazing man that way. I never asked for it. Never wanted him to think he had to give that to me, because he didn’t. But it was all the sweeter when he asked. “Ray, please...” I kissed him to give me time to calm down enough to do this. But the hunger in his kiss almost ruined that plan. I tore my mouth away. “Get naked in the bedroom,” I whispered. If I wanted to give him the attention he needed, I had to back off. Foreplay had to wait. I could tell that he was so ready; all I need to do was push inside him. I took a detour into the bathroom to take a breather. I figured a few minutes in the cool air would keep me exploding on impact. That was a good plan, but there was Fraser to reckon with. He was waiting on the bed lit by firelight (Of course I built one in there. Who knew that a chimney was such a pain in the ass to build? But I knew it would be worth it). He was on his back with butt lifted up on pillows and lord help me, legs spread and lubing himself. He gave me a little smile then licked his lips. “I know you’re trying to help here,” I whispered falling to my knees on the bed then crawling between his legs. “But you drive me crazy.” I pushed his legs apart, removed his fingers from the slick opening then shoved inside him. He moaned and his eyes slid closed for a moment. Then they locked onto mine. God, the heat and the need. I had to move. I had to see him come. My hips began their dance. My hand wrapped around his erection and moved in counter rhythm. It was hard to remember to breath having him like this -- watching his face. I could fall into his eyes they were so dark and intense. His moans and gasps were working me hard. I wanted to kiss him so badly, but I couldn’t or it would have been a very short ride. I fought the waves of pleasure coming over me and pumped into his heat until we were both drenched in sweat. Finally, I leaned over Ben to kiss him. That hot mouth did it for both of us. He cried out my name in the kiss then drenched my hand. Again I had to tear my mouth from his. I had no voice when I came. Sometime later, I realized that I had been cleaned and dried and was being cuddled. Fraser was watching me when I lifted my eyes to his. “Just bury me on the hill behind the cabin and make sure Dief doesn’t wiz there,” I murmured. He chuckled. “I think you’ll live, Ray.” “Sorry for the lack of foreplay,” I said. “Didn’t mean to just pounce you.” “That’s what I wanted,” he replied. “I’m usually not so provocative.” “Ben, I find your breathing provocative,” I said making him smile. “But that finger thing did it for me. I was thinking of tying you down so I could slowly drive you crazy, but that may be too much for me… you all helpless and hard,” I stopped talking with that image in my brain. “See, you drive me crazy and you’re just lying here breathing.” “I have to admit that I’m glad to hear it,” Fraser replied. “You have much the same effect on me.” I smiled at him suddenly sleepy. My head dropped to his favorite place on his shoulder and we drifted off. The next day, Fraser went off properly geared in his Mountie Kevlar and walkie-talkie. And he had his fancy new cell phone (I’m not happy when tourists get in my way on the trails but I’m glad they caused cell sites to be put up out here). I bought us a pair of phones that sent photos. I had it in mind that he would send me pictures of himself during the day, but it’s usually the other way around. I would get a message on the phone that said, “Show me.” Not a text message. It was his voice in a soft, warm tone. And I would send him a picture of me doing whatever I was doing at the time. It was usually something sweaty and involved wood chips. His photos to me always looked above board, but there was that twinkle in his eyes or the slightest of smirks. It was so hot with the perfect uniform and the perfect hair. The joys of technology. So, the upshot was that I wasn’t worried about him. He wasn’t due to go on any extended patrols. I was planning on working close to home in the early morning and then checking on the repair jobs towards noon. Fraser thought he might be free for lunch in town. I was down with that. I was properly attired in the correct amount of layers. And I had my phone with me. So Fraser wasn’t worried about me. Not much anyway. I had my suspicions about the lunch invitation. And there would probably be all sorts of reasons to keep me in town until Fraser was free to come home. I wasn’t going to kick over it. I liked being close by when weirdness was heading into town. I started feeling strange around about 10am -- just a little prickly at the back of my neck like I was being watched. That didn’t figure. Everyone in the area knew that I wasn’t a lawman anymore. And we weren’t anywhere near areas where poaching would happen. But it was hard to really figure whackos, so I decided to get myself into town. I couldn’t harp at Fraser about taking chances and then do it myself. So, I finished the inspection of the snowmobile engine, put away the tools and parts then closed the shed. The first shot came when I got close to our vehicle. It was an all terrain number we bought from the RCMP when they got new ones. I wouldn’t need a road to get away from these characters and I wouldn’t have to go slow. But I didn’t make it. The next shot was close to my feet a few yards from the vehicle. I ran in the opposite direction and took cover behind some trees. It was time for the cell phone. “Corporal Benton Fras...” “Frase, I’m getting shot at in front of the cabin,” I said as the next bullet struck the tree. “Can you get into the cabin, Ray?” There was an open path with no cover to either door. “No way.” “Where are you?” “The line of trees south of the cabin. The shots are coming from the woods to the north,” I said. “They have to be on the rise then,” he said. “You’ve got some distance on them. Make your way through the woods toward town. We’re en route.” “I’ll get lost Frase. I’m used to the trails,” I said. The next shot was above my head. I started moving. Zig zagging to the next tree then the next. “Use the phone, Ray. Send me a photo of where you are. I’ll get to you,” Fraser said. “Don’t talk anymore. Voices carry out there. Send me a photo ever 30 seconds.” “Okay.” Sucked not being able to talk to him. But he was right. It felt like my breathing was echoing for miles. I knew voices would carry. I was sure there were two of them. The shots were coming from slightly different directions. They seemed to be trying to force me further into the woods away from where I needed to go. I kept my course toward town even though one or two shots got really close. That was getting to me. I hated being played like that. And I was getting tired. It’s not good to do a lot of running in cold like this. I think I’d been scampering around for a half an hour when I had to stop to get my breath. While dragging the freezing air into my lungs, I shot another photo. In the distance ahead of me, I could hear people coming. Had to be Fraser. The time was about right. I made a move toward the noise and another shot rang out. This one hit my left arm near my shoulder. I felt a searing burn, and then I was going down hard flat on my back. Of course, there was something on the ground where I landed. My back was screaming at me. “Ray!” Fraser shouted from nearby. He dived on me. That didn’t help my back and I had to worry about him being shot to death. I could hear Dief whining. The Mounties with him opened fire in the direction I came. “Find them! But don’t lose sight of each other and stay in radio contact with me,” Fraser said. “Dief, stay!” There was a chorus of ‘yes sirs’ and they were gone. Fraser rolled off me and radioed into town for medics. He gently took the phone I was still holding then put it in his pocket. He smiled but he was clearly worried. “Where are you hit?” He asked very gently. “Left arm near the shoulder,” I said. “And I hurt my back when I fell.” “Can you wiggle your toes?” “Yeah. I can feel everything,” I said. “That’s the problem.” He opened my coat and carefully exposed the left shoulder. “It looks like a deep graze. Your coat and layers prevented real damage.” “Ah, jeez. My coat’s messed up, isn’t it? I just broke it in,” I complained. Fraser smiled for real. I guess I must be okay if I’m still bitching. “We’ll have to lay in a supply of them.” “Hardy har har, Frase,” I mumbled. But I smirked a little. It felt good that he was with me. Ten minutes later there was help. I was put on a stretcher and taken to the road then loaded into a vehicle. I told Fraser he could go on with the others to find the shooters, but he and Died stayed with me. “Someone was trying to harm you, Ray,” He said. “I have no reason to believe that it won’t happen again. I should stay with you.” I wasn’t badly hurt. The arm got stitched. My back was a big painful bruise, but not seriously damaged. I wanted to go home, but Fraser didn’t think it was wise. “We live in a remote area and these miscreants have evaded capture,” he said. “While you’re recovering, I think we should stay at one of the inns.” I was surprised at that. Fraser hadn’t hid our relationship, but he didn’t broadcast it either. Taking a room together would end all questions. Unless, I was assuming things. “Will you be staying with me in the room?” He smiled. “Of course, Ray. Don’t be silly.” Okay, that was good. I wanted him to hold me, but I could wait until we were in a comfy four-poster bed. Meanwhile, I had other fish to fry. “What the hell is going on?” I asked. “I have no idea. This sort of attack is very organized and seemed geared at terrorizing you,” Fraser said with a frown. “It makes no sense. On the plus side, one of the constables spotted a vehicle rented by the shooters parked irregularly. They’re checking on that.” I thought for a moment fighting the urge to take Fraser’s hand. “I’ll call Welsh to see if anyone with a big beef may have headed this way.” “That’s a fine idea, but I can do that for you,” he said. I must have looked as loopy as I felt. The pain reliever was kicking in. “’Sgood, with me. Can we go now?” I should have felt guilty, but I was glad that Fraser stayed with me while I was discharged from the clinic. We checked into the Salmon Run Inn, the nearest rooms to the Detachment. In two shakes, I was in my skivvies under a warm comforter in a big four-poster bed. Fraser settled down next to me on top of the covers. He stroked my hair for a moment just looking at me. There was relief and concern on his face. Then he leaned down. “Ray,” he murmured. Then I was being kissed very gently. I sighed against his lips. “I want you to get some sleep. I’ll be back in a little while.” I nodded but tilted my head up for another kiss. He obliged me. “Gonna get my clothes?” “I don’t imagine you’ll be needing them much, but I thought you might like your toothbrush and some other things,” He said. “I’ll make sure I have an escort and I’ll call Leftenant Welsh.” “Thanks, Ben,” I yawned. “Come back soon.” “I will. Dief, protect Ray,” I heard him say as I drifted off. Something smelled great when I woke up. Frase was back and out of his uniform. He had a tray in his hands as he came in and kicked the door shut. I noticed our overnight bags were in the closet. “Hey, you’ve been busy,” I said. “I took the liberty of fetching supper. You were fast asleep when I came back with the luggage,” he said. “Roast chicken, potatoes and vegetables courtesy of Mrs. Thompson. She doesn’t usually make supper for guests, but she took pity on us.” “Smells great,” I said. I shifted to sit up and hissed. Fraser immediately set the tray down on a table and came to help me. “Easy. Let me move you,” he said softly. He gently sat me up against the headboard on some pillows. It still hurt but not as much. “You can have another pill after you eat.” “I’m good, Ben,” I said. “Just sore. Really freakin’ sore.” Fraser eyed me like he didn’t completely believe me, but he didn’t say anything. The tray was placed in front of me. It looked as good as it smelled. “Thanks,” I said. He smiled. “My pleasure.” I was going to ask, but Fraser beat me to it by stripping down to underwear and climbing into bed with me. The food was great and didn’t last long. I knew we were starving because we didn’t waste time talking. We just ate until the plates were clean. “By the way, you found me from some random pictures of individual trees?” I asked. “I am very familiar with those woods, Ray,” he replied. “But individual trees?” I asked. I still thought he had on tights under that uniform. “Nevermind.” “Leftenant Welsh sends his regards,” Fraser said as he took the tray away. “He’s going to do some checking, but a cursory look found none of your more dangerous adversaries had left the Chicago area.” “Oh good. So we’ve made new friends,” I said. “It just makes no sense.” “I concur. But we’re both tired and out of sorts. We’ll have more clarity in the morning,” he said. “Let’s get some sleep.” Fraser made me take another pill before checking in with the night shift for any unusual activity. Then he locked up the room, turned off the lights and returned to bed. He was very gentle and careful about arranging me next to him. “I miss the fire,” I said. “As do I,” he replied. “Did you bring the journals?” “Of course,” he murmured. “We can write in them tomorrow.” Fraser’s face was inches from my own. I could see a lot of emotion in his expression even in the moonlight. He had been shaken by what happened. I think more than I had. “Ray,” he whispered. Then he kissed me with such love and relief and relish that my eyes were prickling again. I moaned at the heat in the kiss wanting so much more from him. “Please, Ben,” I whispered against his lips as he pulled gently out of the kiss. “Rest Ray,” He said softly but he was very firm. “I want to nothing more than to make love with you right now, but you need to heal.” He kissed me once more then settled behind me. His body was between me and the door. Dief stood guard next to the bed. It was an unfamiliar place, but it felt safe enough. I fell asleep. As always, Fraser was right. I felt better in the morning. And over the most amazing pancake breakfast, I came to a conclusion about yesterday. “All those idiots managed to do was get you and me away from the cabin all night,” I said. Fraser paused between forkfuls. “Do you think that was the plan?” “I don’t know the why, but I know that’s what they were doing,” I said. “They were really good shots. If they wanted me dead, they could have done that anytime. But they knock me out of commission instead.” “They didn’t know how much layering you had on,” Fraser said. His face was thoughtful -- working the angles. “The injury should have put you in the hospital. And I would not have left you.” “Someone’s been checking us out,” I said. “Undoubtedly. And that’s something we can find out about,” he said. “But why draw us away from the cabin?” “My bet is on Nasty,” I said. “What do you have on him?” “As I said Ray, he deals in stolen property; is suspected of bank robbery, train robbery, cattle rustling and round dancing at a square dance,” Fraser replied. “There’s a law against that?” I asked. “Well, it’s an old law, but a law nonetheless.” I stared at him. “What’s the plan?” “I’m going to canvass the town and see if anyone has been taking undue interest in us,” he said. “You’re going to rest.” “Frase, I’m good. I’ll just put this wing in a sling and come with you,” I said. “I’ll behave myself.” Fraser sighed. Then, he nodded. “I confess that I’d rather have you with me. As sound as this place is and even with the detachment nearby, I’d rather keep you in sight.” “Greatness,” I smiled. “I was going to follow you anyway.” “I know, Ray.” Fraser kissed me then over the breakfast tray. He kissed me when I woke up. Long and clingy kisses that didn’t have lust behind them. He just wanted to connect. I was down with that. The shower was great too. He was mostly cleaning and checking things, but I needed to feel his hands on me. After he dried me, I even got scented. I guess I smelled the way I was supposed to. Things got a little heated then, but he pulled away when I winced at a sudden movement. Things got a little more heated over the breakfast tray, but we had to get on our way. As soon as we started walking, I started wondering if this was a good plan. My joints were loudly reminding me that they’d had enough moving from the day before. Luckily, canvassing in Inuvik was more of an ambling thing. It involved a lot of sitting and occasionally a cup of tea. Dief enjoyed the snacks offered at every other place we stopped. The locals had heard about the ruckus and wanted to know if I was okay. My new customers were concerned for me, so I had to chat them up. I even did some business while we were gathering information. We weren’t exactly in a rush. In Chicago, this pace would have drove me nuts. But it was nice to see that the locals thought a lot about me and Fraser. And I needed to sit down now and then. Fraser didn’t say anything, but I noticed that every time I started to slow down, he would steer me to someone who would have us sit a spell. By lunch, we had enough answers. And I had enough tea though I was ready for a salmon salad sandwich on Mrs. Swenson’s crusty bread and a bowl of vegetable soup. Fraser was a little quiet as he went over his notes. Dief was sulking under the table. Due to the amount of snacking he did during the morning, Fraser was not inclined to let him have lunch. “What’s up, Frase?” He looked at me a bit puzzled. “Aside from some strange hooligans inquiring about our lives, I’m surprised at how much our neighbors noticed about us.” I shrugged. “Small town, Frase. The locals tend to watch each other as part of their day. Local law enforcement and politicos are high profile than most. Everything we are is right there for anyone paying attention. I’m glad they’re so cool with it.” “Yes, I am as well. Truly. It’s just surprising.” “They like you. They like me,” I said. “It’s a good surprise, right?” “Yes, it is,” he said with more confidence. “I just hadn’t expected things to be this easy.” “I know we’ve got a high bar for weird crap, Frase, but these few months been anything but easy what with all the cartoon villainy and carpentry,” I said. That got a smile out of him. “The chimney was rather trying,” Fraser admitted. He had that straight face but the eyes were laughing. “I told you, Bob Villa would never steer a guy wrong,” I chuckled. Fraser sunk into his sandwich while I fiddled with my notes. It seemed very clear that the yahoos shooting at me yesterday had spent the day before chatting us up in different parts of town. They were smart enough not talk to too many people. It was just enough to make sure the information was accurate but not enough to make anyone suspicious. They may be goofy but they showed some brains. “So, let me get this straight. These miscreants wanted us away from our cabin or out of the area, so they went after me. They knew you would rescue me,” “I said. “Okay, I get that. I’m freakin’ Lois Lane. I’m Robin the Boy Hostage.” That got a rub of the eyebrow. “I don’t think they saw you that way at all, Ray.” “Well, why didn’t they come after you? If I came to the rescue, it still gets me out of the cabin,” I said. Fraser looked confused. “I was at a fully armed detachment with three Constables. Their plan wouldn’t have gone very far.” “Oh, yeah.” “You need to look at it another way,” Fraser said. “They took great care to make sure you had no cover or way to a weapon. They also maintained a safe distance from you even though they were armed. It appears to me that they thought of you as a substantial threat that they had to keep contained. They also knew they would have to wound you to stop you.” I squinted at Fraser, but he had his warmest and most sincere expression. “Okay, I’ll buy that. Now what?” “I’m sending one constable out to the cabin with a tracker to see if anyone had been in the area aside from us,” he said. “You aren’t going?” “No. I have some research that I can easily do here. I’m also not convinced that you are out of danger,” he said. “I’ve seen enough of these stories to know that often the villain will double back and attack the same person when it’s least expected. Don’t you want me with you?" “God yes,” I said. “But if you don’t go, they win.” “For the time being that’s how it may appear,” he said. “But I’m confident we will prevail in the end.” “Okay, what am I doing while you’re researching?” “I plan to research in our room on the detachment’s laptop. You are going to rest,” he said as if that was going to be that. I had it in my head to argue. He was bordering on being high handed. But I wasn’t sure how much farther I could go. My knees were unhappy and my back was yelling at me again. “Right you are, Frase.” I was glad I didn’t kick about going back to the room. As soon as I got out of my clothes and under the covers, I was out. When I woke up, I was plastered alongside Fraser. He was sitting against the headboard. The laptop was on his lap, but I don’t know how he was working. My head was on his chest and he had one arm draped across my shoulder. “Very good, Constable. If you would be so kind as to e-mail me that report as well, I would appreciate it. Good night to you,” he said hanging up the phone. “Hey, Ben,” I said with a yawn. “Hey yourself,” Fraser said. He raised his arm so I could sit up. “Sorry for crowding you,” I said. “Hope you got something done.” “I didn’t mind,” he said smiling at me. “I only need a mouse and a couple of fingers to find what I was looking for. Besides, I enjoyed your nearness.” Wow, that sounded good. He looked even better. There was something decadent about being in bed with him while he was in uniform. “Er, Ben. Are you allowed to kiss me yet?” “I’m still on duty, if that’s what you mean,” he said. “And Mrs. Thompson is on her way up with the tray.” Seconds after I straighten up and sat back in bed, there was a knock at the door. “I have a lovely pot roast for you boys,” Mrs. Thompson said with a bright smile. She set the tray on the table. “You are spoiling us,” Fraser said. “Yes, thanks,” I said. “It’s a pleasure for me to have you here,” she said. “Come along, Diefenbaker. I have your supper as well.” Dief was down the stairs before our innkeeper could close the door. Fraser turned to me with a naughty gleam in his eyes. “Well, look at the time. It seems I am off duty.” He was scenting me again. Inhaling me where my neck met my shoulder. I guess dinner could wait. “People like to touch you, Ray,” he murmured against my throat. “They touched you all day.” I gasped when he nipped at me at the hollow of my throat. “Ida noticed if Eustace touched me there, Ben.” He laughed softly against my skin as he moved his mouth toward my chin. His kiss was hotter than earlier. I felt hunger in it. He was controlling it, but I felt it. The kiss deepened making me moan. I was hard in an instant. “That’s it, Ben,” I gasped when he pulled back. “Need you.” I felt him pulling back. Dinner was waiting. I was still hurt. Didn’t want to hear it. I slid my good hand into his hair and pulled him back down for another kiss. This time he moaned. “You are driving me crazy,” he almost growled between kisses. He pulled back so that his mouth hovered over mine. “Do you know how much you sigh and moan when you’re asleep? You were pressed against me all afternoon touching me and sighing my name. I couldn’t respond. I was on duty.” “You aren’t now,” I said. “You won’t hurt me, Ben. You couldn’t.” Fraser’s eyes got a little wild looking then. During the next kiss, aside from my mind turning to mush He managed to very gently move me so that I was flat on my back. “Don’t. You. Move,” he said. He stood and stripped out of his uniform. He didn’t even hang it up. He pulled back the covers and looked at me like a starving man at a buffet table. “I want to see you come,” I whispered. “Don’t make this about me.” “God, Ray,” he growled at me. “You don’t make things easy, do you?” I smiled at him. “Never, Ben. Never.” Then that mouth was on mine again. I felt Fraser move up close alongside me. One leg nudged mine further apart. I wondered what he was going to do. I felt his erection along mine then his hand wrapped around them both. He was smart to keep my mouth covered. I wanted to howl because he felt so good. Frase must have felt it, too. He was making a lot of muffled, hungry sounds. It was so hot Frase could take and give so much at the same time. And he knew me. He worked me to orgasm easily. As I was coming I felt him gasp and a second wave of wetness covered my stomach. We gasped through several gentle kisses before he let me go. “Who needs a pain pill,” I smiled. He blushed at that, but said nothing just looked at me with that warm melt your bones stare he gets. I started to get up, but Frase stopped me. “Wait, Ray,” he said. “Frase, I feel great. Stop fussing.” I said. “And I gotta pee.” The Mountie was determined. “You’ll pull something in your back. Just let me help you get up.” I stopped whining and let him get me out of bed. I was still a bit stiff. After food, I was going to have the hottest of showers. After I took care of business and wiped down from all that good lovin’, we settled into the meal. Dief showed up scratching at the door then. “I think he knew when we uncovered the food,” I said. “More than likely,” Fraser said shaking his head. “If only he was as industrious a hunter.” Mrs. Thompson scored again with the pot roast. Even a little cold, it tasted great. “So, what’s the word on the scout?” “There has been a great deal of movement north of our cabin,” Fraser said. “A couple of vehicles, one a heavy truck, have passed through the area on some old service roads.” “There’s something out there to service?” I thought we were on the outskirts of any sort of civilization here. “No, but there was supposed to be,” Fraser said. “During the Cold War, plans were made to put a military base here and other places in the Territories. They got pretty far here before it was abandoned. There were service roads all the way from Yellowknife that could accommodate big trucks. There is even an airstrip that can accommodate military planes. Maybe even a building or two. It’s been unoccupied for decades.” “Any clue where the truck came from?” “Yellowknife. There was a cargo plane three days ago,” Fraser said. “It claimed to have come from Edmonton, but that’s proven to be untrue.” “And of course, its registry was false, so there’s no tracing it.” “That’s correct.” “When do we head out to the air strip?” Fraser raised a brow at the word ‘we’ but didn’t argue the point. “Reinforcements from surrounding detachments are en route. We’ll leave in the morning.” “Any way they were tipped off?” “No,” Fraser said. “Constable Murphy and Frank Redbone only went as far as the service road near our property. They didn’t want to risk going anywhere near the base with just two men. We’ve kept a very low key on this investigation.” “Yeah and I think I was meant to be taken out for a while.” “Exactly,” Fraser said. “We’ll get a good night’s rest and tackle them in the morning.” I was more than happy to forget about villains and schemes for Fraser and me in the shower. He was intent on cleaning me of scents from the day and soothing my bruises. “They aren’t that dark purple anymore,” he said as I stood under the hot spray. “They’re more of a yellowish-green.” “Still hurts,” I said with a groan as he massaged my back. Fraser kissed my back between the shoulder blades. “I know. It will get better.” We got lost in soaping each other and kissing for a while. The water and his hands were making a big difference in how I felt. By the time we were toweling down, I didn’t feel like a 90 year old man. But I did feel like more sleep. I knew I’d be out as soon as I hit the sheets. Fraser looked like he was ready, too. That’s when Dief whined. Fraser sighed and looked at me sadly. “I’ll be back soon.” I started pulling on my clothes as well. “I could use a little air.” He smiled at that lie. The air was frigid, but I went with him for Dief’s last pit stop of the night. Didn’t feel right being snug in bed while he shivered. Besides, it was better if we were both freezing when we got into bed. So we bundled up quickly then quietly followed the wolf outside. “Do not pick now for exploring,” Fraser said as he did most nights. Dief yipped then trotted away. Fraser covered his mouth. His eyes twinkled at me. I winked at him. It had been months and we were still almost giddy with it. “So, tell me, Ray,” Fraser said. “If a villain fails to deter the heroes by putting one out of commission, what does he do next?” I shrugged. “Could be any thing. He may try to get the goods out and get the cash before he’s caught. The heroes find his lair before the plan is done and there is the big battle.” “Our plan.” “Right. Or, the heroes simply stumble into the fiends when they are at their most vulnerable -- like not in their bright tights,” I said. Fraser smiled then looked alarmed. The next thing I knew my back was on fire and a hand was over my mouth. Whoever had me was really big from the way Fraser was looking up. “Don’t move, Corporal,” The man said. “Are you armed?” Perils of the Midnight Sun |