Author's disclaimer: The following story is written purely for fun. There is no monetary gain involved. The characters, with the exception of Elizabeth, belong to Alliance and are only being borrowed long enough to tell this story.

Author's notes: The following story is the result of a "challenge" issued by a fellow DS author. The challenge was to write an NC17-rated story that did *not* include penetration. There were 3 people involved in this challenge. The other two stories are about Fraser. I had to be different -- this one is for all the Ray fans.(I guarantee you will *never again* be able to watch another Calgon commerical without thinking of Ray!)

The other two stories in the challenge are 'A Man's Best Friend, aka thank you kindly Dief' and 'An Elevating Experience'.

                          CALGON, TAKE ME AWAY
                        Steve Anderson - May 1996       

"Ahhh," I sighed aloud, settling low into the foamy water of my bath. I stretched a long, sudsy arm out of the water and reached lazily for the copy of "Currency Watermarks" that Fraser had loaned me. The aromatic scent of Calgon bath bubbles filled the warm, moist air with a cloying sweetness that was, if not appealing, at least relaxing.

Outside, the late night traffic moved fitfully along West Racine. The sound of squealing tires and an impatient horn drifted up faintly to the community bathroom of the apartment building and penetrated my thoughts. Fraser was home. Every Friday night, Ray would bring Fraser home and then the two of them, and Diefenbaker, of course, would go to Fraser's apartment to eat their Chinese takeout. After three months of living here, I had more than a passing familiarity with the routine. As they walked by the bathroom door, Fraser would...

Two quick raps sounded on the bathroom door. "Good evening, Elizabeth," Fraser called. "Enjoy your bubble bath."

"Thank you kindly, Ben," I called back to him, grinning to myself. And then Ray would ask...

        "We're havin' Chinese, Elizabeth, wanna join us?"
        "Thanks, Ray, maybe another time," I answered.
        "Yeah, well, suit yourself," Ray replied.  "You don't know what you're

missing."

        And Diefenbaker would...
        Diefenbaker whined and scratched at the door.
        "Hello, to you too, Dief," I said.  "Don't you eat too many eggrolls.

They'll make you sick."

Dief woofed in response and I could hear his toenails clicking on the hardwood floors as he trotted off.

Since the day I moved in, the Friday ritual had never changed. Using my free hand, I coiled my long, chestnut-colored hair into a ponytail; then lay back and gazed around me. The bathroom, like everything else in the old, rat-trap apartment building, was falling apart. The only decent thing in the bathroom was the antique, cast iron, claw-foot tub. It was huge, easily big enough for three people, with plenty of room to stretch out. The only problem was that it leaked steadily and you had to keep filling up the tub.

I began to relax. It had been a long day, and I still wasn't quite used to the 12-hour shifts the Chicago PD doled out. Twelve hours of staring at my Wang colour monitor, while updating files, had left me with tired eyes and tense shoulder muscles. I would be glad when they finally assigned me to a case. I was a cop, for God's sake! Making the Lieutenant's coffee and updating the other detectives case files just wasn't something I wanted to spend the rest of my life doing. If I was lucky, they might even partner me with Ray. A small sigh escaped my lips. Ray Vecchio. Now there was a cop. Granted, he was a little unorthodox, but he was a good cop with a sort of existential honesty. On the other hand, there were times when he could be almost as annoying as Fraser. Besides which, I had to admit, I spent far more time thinking about him than I should. Not that I was looking for romance, or even that he'd given me more than a passing reason to think he might be interested in me. Unless you counted the fact that he'd winked at me today while he was in the middle of questioning a suspect in the Cleary case.

I had been fully prepared to read "Currency Watermarks", but, somehow, I just wasn't in the mood for it right now. I replaced the book, balancing it carefully on the edge of the toilet tank, and slipped a little father down into the bathwater.

Closing my eyes, my thoughts drifted back to this afternoon. I had glanced up from my terminal. Lt. Welsh and Elaine were looking through some manila files while Detective Huey talked on the phone. Through the plate glass windows of the interrogation room, I could see Ray and Fraser talking to a suspect. Or, to be more precise, I could see Ray yelling at the man.

Just then, Ray glanced out the glass partition and caught my eye. A grin tugged at the corners of his mouth and he winked at me. Feeling my face flush hotly, I broke eye contact, and tried to re-focus my attention on my work. My fingers moved automatically over the keyboard but my mind was racing almost as fast as my heart. I had no idea what it was about Ray that made me as giddy as a schoolgirl every time he got in my line of sight. God knows, it wasn't his looks. Fraser, apparently, had gotten Ray's share of good looks. Poor Ray had gotten stuck with the leftovers - big nose, big ears and receding hair line. Although, he did have beautiful, soulful eyes and strong arms and he kind of reminded me of a big teddy bear. What I wouldn't give to have those arms wrapped around me
and feel his pouty lips on mine...

I sighed in resignation. "Cut it out, Elizabeth," I told myself, sternly. "God, I'm starting to act exactly like Elaine, mooning over Fraser all the time. Besides, Ray's got Louise. And Louise definitely has more to offer than I have." "Well, now, I wouldn't go that far. Looks to me like you have plenty to offer." A sardonic, teasing voice brought me out of my reverie. My eyes flew open to find Ray bending over me, one hand on either side of the tub, grinning impishly at me.

"I don't suppose you happen to own some shorty pajamas?" he asked, a wistful look on his face.

"R...Ray?" I finally managed to stammer. "What are you... how did you get in here?"

He lifted one hand from the tub and held up a set of lock picks. "They're like American Express Traveler's Checks. I never leave home without these little babies. You never know when they might come in handy."

I struggled to keep a straight face. "What are you doing here?" "C'mon, Elizabeth, you're a smart cop, you should be able to figure that one out," Ray said, letting his gaze melt down over me, lingering on the curves of my breasts.

        "Humor me, Ray," I said.
        "Okay, well, I, uh..." Ray appeared to be at a loss for words and his

face began to flush. "...I thought you might be interested in some company tonight." My breath caught in my throat and my voice came out in a husky whisper, "That all depends."

        "Depends on what?" he asked, raising one eyebrow.
        "On whether or not you'd be willing to wash my back," I replied.        A

mischievous grin spread slowly across his face and his hazel eyes twinkled as he stood up, pocketing the lock picks, and reached for the buttons on his shirt.

        "Just pass me the soap and a washcloth.  I'm a great back washer."
Winking lewdly, he added, "I'm pretty good at washing fronts too."      "I'll

just bet you are," I grinned back at him. My gaze fastened on him, and I watched, breathless and intent, as he shrugged out of his shirt and flung it aside. Ray had kept in shape by working out but his waist had thickened a little from the pasta Mama Vecchio fed him. All in all, he was still a fine specimen of a man. "Just one question, Ray."

"What's that?" he asked as he lowered the zipper of his Armani slacks and let them puddle at his feet.

"Louise?" I breathed, following the descent of his briefs as they skimmed down his legs and he stepped out of them.

"Oh, I thought you knew. Louise and I parted company several months ago," Ray explained. "She met a really nice man with more...political potential, as she so quaintly put it."

        "I'm sorry," I said, politely but not really meaning it.
        "No, you're not," Ray said, with a chuckle. "And neither am I.  Otherwise,

I wouldn't be here now. Are you going to move over or shall I just sit on you?" As I scooted over to make room for him, he stepped into the tub and lowered himself into the sudsy water. "Ahhh, this is great. I haven't taken a bath in years." "You haven't had a bath in years?" I asked, feigning horror. "Why, that's absolutely appalling, Ray. And it's terribly unsanitary. I don't see how Fraser can stand to ride in the same car with you."

"I take a shower every day. Sometimes two of them. God! Why do I always get involved with smartass, red-headed women?" he grumbled, indignantly, inching a little closer and nuzzling my ear.

"Maybe..." I broke off at the breathless sound of my voice, cleared my throat, and tried again. "Maybe because we're more fun than women that don't talk back," I replied.

"Mmmm, could be," he said, as he slipped his arms around me and crushed me to him. Warm, moist lips met mine, open and inviting. His kiss was carnal from the first; passionately hot and sexual. He ran his tongue slowly around the inner edge of my lips, then thrust his tongue into my mouth, probing suggestively. I tried to catch my breath and caught his instead, hot and flavored with the taste of coffee. Intense waves of heat flowed over me, followed by Ray's hands, as they slid down my back. I slid my fingers into the silken strands of his short dark hair and cupped the back of his head, losing myself in the kiss. Releasing my grip on his head, I hesitantly explored the hard planes of his body. He gasped at the feel of my hands gliding over his chest and growled low in his throat. I gasped, in turn, at the feel of his tongue stroking my collarbone. Then his mouth was on my breast. Desire swept through me in waves at the rasp of his tongue against my nipple and the tug of his lips as he sucked at me. After what seemed like an eternity, he left my breasts and trailed his tongue across my belly, licking and nipping as he went. My eyes widened as he kissed me just above the patch of dark curls between my legs. "Ray," I gasped. "Please..."

He urged me back against the edge of the tub and held me captive with his hands on my hips. His breath was warm and teasing as he blew lightly on my groin. He slid his hands beneath my buttocks, lifted me out of the water and settled his mouth fully against me, drinking deep of my body. Languorous strokes of his tongue caressed me, probing and exploring and I gave in, unable to restrain myself any longer. My hips bucked and arched, twisting in wild abandon as my orgasm wracked my body.

As the spasms eased, he slid back up and kissed me softly, tenderly, sharing the taste of my own body's sweetness. He pushed my damp hair back from my temples and smiled tenderly into my eyes.

"Mmmm, that was nice," he said. "I've been wanting to do that for a long time."

I tried to smile back, my breath hitching in my throat. Now, it was his turn, I flattened my hands against his chest and pushed him back against the opposite edge of the tub. My hands groped for his erection and I reverently stroked his shaft. Bending my head down, I kissed him, tracing his length with my tongue. Then, circling him with my lips, I drew on him, licking and nibbling, then sucking gently, my mouth wet and hot. I moved my mouth, mimicking the rhythm of intercourse--up and down, up and down.

Ray moaned, burying his hands in my hair and twisting it around his fingers. He pushed his hips forward, grinding his teeth together, as I increased the tempo of my mouth and tongue. With a strangled sigh, his entire body stiffened and he filled my mouth with his hot, tangy juices. I slid my lips from his shaft and swallowed slowly, savoring the taste of him.

He untangled his hands from my hair and slid them under my arms, pulling me up against his chest, locking his arms around me to keep me from slipping away. We kissed, languidly and passionately and I snuggled my face in the hollow of his neck.

"You know," Ray said, matter-of-factly, "There's no water left in this tub." "It leaks," I said.

"I can see that," Ray said with mock sarcasm. "You should tell Dennis to fix it."

"He's not the super anymore," I replied. "Remember? Goldilocks fired him." "Oh, yeah. Well, maybe we should retire to your room," he said. "Good idea," I said.

        "Hey, you never did answer my question."
        "What question was that?" I asked, puzzled.
        "I don't suppose you own some shorty pajamas?" he asked, wistfully.

I laughed and said, "As a matter of fact, I happen to have several. Your choice--red, white or blue?"

"Blue, let's go with the blue," he replied. "But... you could model all of them. If it's not too much trouble..."