Disclaimer: Pet Fly and Paramount own the copyright to The Sentinel and its characters. This piece of fan fiction was written solely for the love of the characters and to share freely with other fans. No profit is being made from the posting of this story.

Story notes: Kira issued a challenge in her Live Journal calling for a story using the following bit of conversation:

"What's wrong?"
"Do you want the socially acceptable answer or the truth?"
"The truth."
"I haven't had sex in a very long time, and you're really turning me on."

This is my contribution.

Rating: NC-17

Acknowledgments: Many thanks to my beta - you know who you are. ::g:: I have "stolen" a couple of lines from her (with her permission) that have enriched the story, IMHO. I'm very grateful. All mistakes that remain are mine alone.

Summary: Things heat up between Jim and Blair during a weekend retreat in the woods.

Comments welcome and appreciated!

The truck bumped over the old logging road, tossing its passengers around inside the cab.

"Where, exactly, did you say we're going?" Blair asked, grabbing the dash to keep from being thrown against it.

"Simon says the cabin is about ten miles up this road," Jim replied, stabbing a finger at the map on the seat between them. "See if you can figure out where we are."

"Me? You're asking me?" Blair turned an incredulous look on the detective. "You've got to be kidding. Haven't you been keeping track of the mileage?"

"It shouldn't be much farther," Jim assured him.

"Famous last words," Blair mumbled, knowing that Sentinel ears would hear him anyway.

Fifteen minutes and a few bone-jarring potholes later, Jim pointed out the windshield to the cabin that had appeared in the distance. "Told you we'd make it," he gloated.

They unloaded their supplies and carried them into the rustic building. Jim went straight for the pile of firewood and put a couple pieces in the fireplace. Shoving some tinder underneath, he started the fire, coaxing the flames until they took hold. "There, that should warm the place up in a hurry," he said, slapping his hands together to clean off the sawdust and dirt.

Blair was in the pantry, putting away the food they'd brought along to supplement their fishing. "Too bad Simon couldn't join us. He would have liked it up here."

"Actually, I think he stayed back on purpose," Jim said. "He notices things, you know."

"Like what?" Blair finished putting the canned goods away and turned to carry the empty box to the front porch.

Jim watched him go, waiting until Blair returned to answer. "Like how things have seemed a little strained between us lately," he said softly. "The case load at the station has been horrific, and your schedule at the university hasn't been much better."

"Simon thinks things have been strained between us?" Blair asked with an air of incredulity. "I know we haven't seen much of each other for a while, but..."

"And we tend to snap at each other when we're together," Jim reminded him. "Simon thought maybe some relaxing time alone together would help get us back on track."

"Well, finals are over, so I'm all yours now," Blair said with a jaunty grin.

Fighting down the jolt of desire that burned through him, Jim walked past the younger man on his way to the fishing poles that had been leaned against the wall next to the front door. He raised a hand to ruffle it through the long strands of hair. "Lucky me," he chuckled. Grabbing the rods, he turned to hand one to Blair. "Ready to try the creek out back?"

"Lead the way." Blair followed his partner out the door and down to the bank of the rushing stream.

~oO0Oo~

Hours later, they sat at the rustic table eating the pan-fried trout they had spent the afternoon catching. Blair yawned widely and pushed back his chair, picking up his empty plate. "I think I'm going to clean up and go to bed," he said, scraping the plate and placing it in the sink.

"I'll get the beds ready," Jim offered, heading toward the small bedroom.

When Blair emerged from the shower ten minutes later, he heard Jim's voice calling to him.

"I think we have a little problem here, Chief."

Blair rounded the corner and entered the bedroom, one towel wrapped around his waist, another in his hair. He stopped cold, staring at Jim who sat perched on the edge of the single twin bed.

"Told you we had a little problem," the detective said with a twisted grin.

"Damn." The word escaped Blair's lips on a soft sigh. "Well," he continued, gathering his wits, "we can take turns. I'll sleep on the floor tonight, and you can sleep on the floor tomorrow."

"No sleeping bags."

"Oh. Um..."

"We can share," Jim interrupted. "I don't mind if you don't. It's going to be a tight fit, though."

"Um, sure... If you're sure you don't mind?" Blair eyed his friend skeptically.

Jim shrugged. "Make yourself comfortable, Chief. I'm going to take my turn in the shower."

Blair's voice followed him out of the room. "Just be careful, I think I may have used up most of the hot..."

"Shit!" Jim's voice rang out through the empty cabin. "Sandburrrrrgg!"

~oO0Oo~

Blair lay under the covers, eyes closed, when Jim returned from his frigid shower.

"Just for that, you get to put up with cold feet," Jim growled, pulling the blanket up and spooning himself behind the anthropologist. He shifted around, trying to find a comfortable position for all his limbs, finally ending with one arm pillowing his head, the other draped loosely across Blair's chest. He closed his eyes and tried going to sleep, but Blair's breathing had become irregular and shallow, disturbing his concentration. "All right, Sandburg. What's wrong?"

Blair twisted his shoulders so that he could see his bed partner. "Do you want the socially acceptable answer or the truth?"

"The truth."

"Well..." Blair hesitated a moment before continuing. "I haven't had sex in a very long time, and you're really turning me on."

"You've got to be kidding." Jim pushed up on one elbow to get a better look at the blushing man beside him.

"I don't kid about sex," Blair replied, his voice earnest. "I mean it. I've got a serious hard-on to contend with here. I'm not so sure this is going to work out, man."

Jim let the arm draped over Blair's body drift lower, his hand brushing the hard shaft of flesh at the younger man's groin. "Hmmm... I could help you with that," he suggested, getting bolder with his strokes.

"Jim!" Blair shifted on the bed, rolling onto his back to look at his friend in disbelief. "What do you think you're doing?"

"You said I turned you on," Jim replied simply. "It's my fault, I'm going to do something about it."

"But..." Blair's eyes grew wide as Jim bent over him. "Oh, God!" The cry was ripped from him as Jim's mouth engulfed his cock, tongue licking and teasing the sensitized flesh.

Reaching up with his left hand, Jim let his fingers run through the springy softness of Blair's chest hair until he found the erect nub of a nipple. Pinching and rolling the tit in time with the rhythm of his sucking, Jim drew yet another moaning cry from his helpless captive. His right hand massaged Blair's balls until the young man couldn't hold out any longer.

"Coming! Coming!" Blair tried to warn Jim as his orgasm washed through him, spewing spurt after spurt of hot seed down his lover's throat.

Jim drank down the nectar as fast as Blair's body shot it forth, licking the remains before letting the spent cock slip from his mouth. As Blair began to come down from the high of his climax, Jim twined his fingers through the tangled locks curled around the anthropologist's face, and lowered his lips to meet those of his lover.

Languid in the afterglow, Blair opened his mouth to the gentle assault, no longer concerned about Jim's willing participation. When they finally separated, Blair looked up through hooded lids, a sleepy grin creasing the corners of his mouth. "Do you think this is what Simon had in mind when he sent us off alone?"

The question brought a chuckle from Jim. "If he didn't, it's his own fault," he answered, grinning. "He handed me the keys to the cabin and said, 'Take these. Go - bond with your partner, and don't come back until you're getting along.'"

Blair nearly burst with laughter. "Oh, we're getting along just fine, thank you, Captain, sir."

"I'm pretty sure this isn't the kind of bonding he meant, but it works for me," Jim added with a grin.

"You're not going to get any complaints from me," Blair agreed wholeheartedly.

"Mm-hm," Jim agreed, leaning down to gently press his lips against Blair's once more. "But we're not ready to go home yet. We still have some options to this 'bonding' thing that need to be explored."

"Research." Blair nodded knowingly. "I'm all for research." He reached up, wrapping his arms around Jim's neck and pulling his lover down for another searing kiss. "This could take all weekend," he mumbled as they came up for breath. "We need to be thorough, after all."

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