The doors of the Bullpen slammed shut behind him, but Ray was in no
mood to care. He ignored the annoyed looks thrown in his direction
and glared at his companion instead.
"I swear, Frasier, it's the last time I take you to a movie."
Walking calmly at his side, the Mountie looked at him in surprise.
"I don't see why, Ray."
"You don't..." Ray took a deep breath. "How many years
have you known me?" He saw his friend open his mouth to reply
and carried on before he got the chance. "And now I take you to
one movie, and you ask me something like that!"
"Well, Ray, considering the movie in question..." Ben raised
his eyebrows.
"I didn't know what it was about! I like Tom Selleck,
all right? I can't believe he did that."
"All right, Ray."
The Mountie was obviously unconvinced, but something warned Ray to
just drop it.
"...but that wasn't why I asked, Ray. I've always..."
Ray came to an abrupt halt, did a one-eighty degree turn and headed
back the way they'd come. After a moment the Mountie fell into step
alongside him.
"Don't say another word, Frasier." The words were hissed
between clenched teeth.
They made it out of the Bullpen in total silence and turned down the
hallway. It was almost deserted.
"I can't believe you thought I was... you know..."
Ben simply looked at him. "Well, actually, Ray, I've always thought
that... well..." His voice dropped as a couple of uniformed cops
came towards them.
Ray glared at him. They were almost there now. With a sigh of relief,
Ray pulled the door open. "Get in there."
It was dark of course, but that only made it easier. "What the
hell do you mean asking me if I'm gay? I'm not gay!"
"Well, Ray..." A pale hand swept around in the dimness, indicating
their confined space.
"Frasier, sometimes a cigar is just a cigar, you know what I mean?"
Ben's conciliatory nodding changed to a puzzled shake of his head.
"No, Ray."
Ray sighed. "Sometimes a closet is just a closet."
"Oh! Very clever Ray." Ben giggled discreetly. "I have
to admit that your propensity for closets did seem to be a sign..."
"Well, it wasn't."
"...which along with other, more revealing, indicators..."
Ray grabbed Ben by the lapels of his brown uniform and shook him. "What
other indicators?"
"Ah, Ray, if you wouldn't mind..."
Ray released the jacket and Ben smoothed the lapels back into place.
"Well, firstly, I couldn't help noticing, when we met, that you
seemed very clothes conscious..." He held up a hand. "Please
allow me to finish, Ray... and that you were very devoted to your mother."
"Nothing wrong with that."
"Of course not Ray, it's most admirable. Then, when we were helping
Lenny... well that address book of yours was completely out of date."
"I was taking a break, all right? Besides I was married, I got
out of touch."
Ben favoured him with a superior looking smile. "How long have
you been divorced Ray?"
"Nine years." Ray stared at the Mountie sulkily. "I've
had girlfriends."
"Yes, Ray. Surprisingly unsuitable girlfriends, I would say. Like
Suzanne Chapin."
"Hey, there was nothing wrong with her, she was a Federal Agent!"
Ben shook his head sorrowfully. "But at the time we all thought
she was a criminal."
"I got good instincts. And there was Louise. She was never even
close to the wrong side of the law." Argue that one away,
Mountie.
"No, she most certainly was not. I even recall her sending you
to prison." Ben was looking decidedly smug now.
"Yeah, well you're a fine one to talk about dating criminals."
He regretted that, the moment he saw the hurt look on Benny's face.
"She was the only woman I'd ever loved, Ray."
Ray hung his head. "I know. I'm sorry, Benny."
A hand tilted his chin up. "The only woman I'd ever loved."
"Oh... you mean..."
Ben leaned forward. 'Yes, Ray."
Ray closed his eyes. He could feel the warmth of Ben's breath on his
cheek and smell the popcorn he'd eaten. "Then why..." His
voice came out too high and rather strangled. He swallowed. "Why
didn't you say something before? If you thought I was gay."
"Well, Ray, I thought you weren't interested. After all, I did
drop a few hints..."
Ray blinked in bewilderment. "You did?"
"Yes, Ray." Ben leaned even closer.
If he'd ever wondered what it was like to be kissed by a man... and
he hadn't, he told himself firmly... it wouldn't have been like this.
Not this hot invasion of his mouth, or the large solid body pinning
him to the wall. How could he ever have imagined something like that?
"Ah... Ray?"
Oh. Ray mentally shook himself and discovered his eyes were closed.
He opened them. It wasn't so dark he couldn't see the twinkle in the
blue-grey eyes so close to his own. He grabbed the Mountie's lapels
again and dragged him closer.
This time the kiss left him rubbery-kneed and breathless. Ben kindly
supported him by pressing his hips firmly against Ray's, pinning him
to the wall. Ray gulped.
"So, you want..."
Ben smiled. "Very much so, Ray."
It was time for decisive action. Ray pushed his friend away and slid
out from between him and the wall. It put him pretty close to the other
wall, but that couldn't be helped. He opened the door and stumbled
out into the hallway. Ben followed and they both turned automatically
in the direction of the Bullpen.
Three paces down the hallway they both stopped, turned and headed in
the opposite direction. Ray stopped again. A pace ahead of him Ben
half-turned and looked at him enquiringly.
"I'll just get my coat. Meet you in the Riv, OK?"
"All right, Ray. Five minutes?"
Ray grinned. "Less." He strode off down the hallway, whistling.