notes/disclaimers
Benton Fraser tried to contain his excitement as he
buttoned up the cream shirt carefully chosen for the
evening. It was Valentine's Day, and it sure promised
to be very exciting. Ray had planned a surprise
evening, and it had made the Canadian flighty about it
for the whole week.
When Ray dropped Benny at the Consulate, early in the
morning, the cop had already warned him not to wait
for the usual ride at the end of the day. Ray had told
he would pick him up later in his apartment, and had
also said he did not have to dress up. Then Ray had
given Benny a single red rose and gently touched his
cheek. The street was full of people, too bad they
could not kiss. Benny felt his heart aching from
loving this man as the Riv mingled in the Chicago
heavy traffic.
Benny had found a card in his desk when he went inside
his office. It was a beautiful card filled with little
cupids apparently suffering from insomnia shooting
arrows at a big red heart. It read, "You know it is
love when you can't fall asleep at night because
reality is better than your dreams". Benny had a hard
time keeping his composure when Constable Turnbull
came inside his office because Inspector Thatcher was
bellowing for him. It was just his shame that
Valentine's Day was a day before a national Canadian
date. The Consulate was full of work.
At last, after a painful session with Inspector
Thatcher, Benny was functional again. His morning was
filled with professional arrangements, and his mind
was out of Ray until a messenger came in with a box
and a card. The box contained delicate chocolates, and
the card was a short note. "Sorry, can't make it to
lunch. Ray".
At first Benny had thought that skipping his usual
lunch date with Ray would be productive in some way.
Sure he had enough work at the Consulate to keep him
busy. Unfortunately, though, it only seemed to make
his hunger for Ray grow even stronger. He could hardly
wait to get out of work!
The day had passed agonisingly slowly despite Benny's
numerous tasks. Inspector Thatcher's foul mood had
only contributed to his anxiety. He had endured it
stoically and went home as quickly as humanly
possible.
So, as he got himself dressed, getting ready to wait
for Ray, he was having a major case of hectic
butterflies in his stomach. Diefenbaker cocked his
head and puffed noisily.
"No, I am sorry. This celebration does not include
wolves."
Whine.
"Now that is unfair, Diefenbaker. I have hardly
abandoned you since Ray and I started dating."
Whine.
"Well, I happen to know that even though Ray did not
say specifically that you were not to go, your
presence this time is not welcomed. Besides, if you
keep this up, I don't think you will be regarded as
pack mate anymore."
The wolf put his head between his paws, defeated.
Being cast out of a pack was not a threat any wolf,
deaf or otherwise, had the luxury to take lightly.
"Now that's more like it. Don't worry, Dief. I don't
think I will be gone for long, because tomorrow is a
special day for Canada, and I have to be at the
Consulate early."
He squatted beside the wolf. "You know I am deeply
sorry that Maggie is away and that you have no one to
spend your Valentine's Day. I am. I hope you still can
have a good holiday, Dief."
A small woof. A familiar honk downstairs. A frantic
butterfly ballet in his stomach.
"Hello, Ray."
"I hope I am not early, Benny."
"You are right on time, Ray." Benny hoped he did not
sound too nervous. "So, do I look alright? You did not
say where we were going, but..."
Ray smiled, and it was as if a light was turned on
inside the Riv. "You look just great, Benny. Ready?"
"Yes, Ray."
"Well, I am not." Benny turned his head, puzzled and
was surprised by full lips chasing his in a heart-felt
kiss. Then Ray sighed and smiled again. "Now I am
ready to go."
Benny blushed and the Riv sped away in the Chicago
night.
* *
It did not take long for the skilled Mountie to
recognise the surroundings. He did not think there
were restaurants at that part of town. He wondered
what Ray's surprise might be.
A few minutes later, it was as if they were out of
town completely. Ray had taken the Riv to the
neighbouring park, and stopped at the most familiar
spot of the area. The cop killed the car's engine,
then turned to Benny before he Mountie could even open
his mouth.
"Don't move."
He went at the back and got something big out of the
trunk, something Benny could not get to see in the
dark surroundings. When he turned around and opened
Benny's door, the Canadian's face lit in a smile as he
got out of the car. "Roses, Ray?"
Ray had that heart-melting twinkle in the green eyes
and that patent "I-know-a-secret-you-don't" smile, the
one that made Benny feel all warm and fuzzy. "This is
a Valentine's tradition, Benny." He handed the bouquet
to his Benny and purred, "And I am a traditional
Italian guy."
"Oh, Ray. Thank you so much." Benny looked at the
beautiful bouquet, so smartly arranged. It was the
first time anyone ever gave him flowers. Maybe it was
a good thing that it was so dark in the park, for
Benny was blushing furiously, and there was a chance
he could not control the happy tears in his eyes.
Ray gently put the flowers on the Riv and captured
Benny's perfect lips. Benny eagerly responded to the
kiss, and they spent long minutes kissing in the park.
The full Moon peeked out from under the blanket of
clouds to watch all couples in love on this
Valentine's over the Earth.
"Do you recognise this place, Benny?"
"Of course, Ray. This is the exact place where I
pulled you out of the lake when you were locked in the
trunk of a Maverick."
Ray smiled and caressed Benny's cheek, cold from the
chilly air. "Yes. What you did that night plagued me
for a long time."
"Plagued you?"
"Benny, you saved my life. Not for the first, not for
the last time. I began to realise how much you meant
to me. I think that was when I realised I was
beginning to to fall in love with you."
The Canadian's cheeks were rosy, and the reason was
not only the chilly air. "If it makes you feel better,
Ray, I confess. That night plagued me, too. I kept
recalling it. I did not even think. When I realised
you were in the lake, inside that car, I acted on
instinct. I didn't know then, but I was already in
love with you. All I knew at that moment was that I
could not live without you."
"Oh, caro." Ray caressed his cheek again and brushed
his lips against Benny's. "I remember Frannie around,
and there was a smell of food that I thought came from
the foul water. Later, Frannie told me she had brought
a picnic basket."
Embarrassed, Benny nodded and looked down. "Yes, Ray,
your sister wanted to bring... dinner for our... uh,
stakeout."
Ray translated, "She was hitting on you, Benny. As
usual. But that is not the point." He lifted a finger.
"The point is, what would have happened if Frannie was
not here? I mean, what would have happened with
Frannie out of the picture?"
Benny shrugged, then said, "I still would have dived
to pull you out, Ray."
"Or course, Benny. But take Frannie out of the scene,
what would be left? There would be you, me, the Riv,
the same moonlight and a picnic basket, with
champagne, scargot, shrimps, and carpaccio." Ray's
face lit up that beautiful smile of his. "I figured I
owed you that, Benny, and I thought we could have it
today, on Valentine's Day. Would you like it?"
Benny's heart was racing. "Oh, Ray. I would love it."
The Italian raced back to the trunk and produced a
huge basket. "Here, Benny."
It took them a few minutes to lay a veritable feast on
the hood of the Riv: a chequered towel, a dozen of
tiny bowls with different delicacies, candlesticks, a
bottle of sparkling grape juice sans alcohol and
chocolate with strawberries. The roses were displayed
over the windshield, cascading behind them, composing
the romantic scenario.
Sitting on the hood of the Riv, Benny watched as the
moon and the distant lights from the city danced in
Ray's eyes, making them look golden. When Ray lit
small red candles to illuminate their meal, the
Canadian felt his breath caught in the whirlpool of
emotions playing in his heart. It was so romantic that
Benny thought he would never recover from so many deep
feelings. Only his Ray would go this far to make this
for him.
"Benny?" He came back to the reality, and Ray was
looking at him. "Are you alright?"
"Never been better, Ray." He smiled. "I love you."
"I love you, too, Benny." Ray tucked in the red scarf
around his neck, and Benny noticed he had put on an
extra coat. "Grab a seat, let's eat."
The two men sat carefully on the hood of the Riv,
Benny very much aware what the car meant to his Ray.
The fact that the vehicle was serving as a meal table
for them was a measure of the importance of Ray's
gesture, and Benny did not miss it.
The food was delicious, and Ray paid close attention
as Benny took a small shrimp between his fingers and
dipped it into rosé sauce before bringing it to his
mouth. He was so sexy doing these little things by the
moonlight, the way darkness and light played around
his features. Ray shivered a bit from the cold, and
made it a point not to let Benny notice his
discomfort. This was way too romantic to get spoiled
by subzero temperatures, and he wanted to enjoy his
Benny by starlight. The way the dark hair suddenly was
sprinkled with moonlight was worth the risk of death
by hypothermia.
Of course, one cannot fool the Mountie for long.
"Ray, you are shivering."
"No, I got another coat on. I am good." *Besides, I am
getting hot just from watching you. Hot, hot, and
hotter.*
"Would you rather go inside the car?"
"It's OK, Benny. I know you like the cold weather."
"I don't want to be responsible if you catch a cold,
Ray."
Ray's eyes twinkled. "Hmmm. I say, we can have, uh,
dessert inside. Is that good for you?"
Benny knew very well what that sparkle in Ray's eyes
meant, and he felt a flow of blood going straight to
the groin. "That is more than good for me, Ray."
That is the right moment, thought Benny. "Here ,
Ray". He handed out a small wrapped package produced
from the insides of his leather jacket. "I hope you
like it."
"Oh,Benny. A gift for me?" Ray smiled as he unwrapped
the package, his face lit up like a little boy's.
Benny found it endearing. However, his blue eyes
danced nervously when Ray unveiled the gift. His heart
raced with anxiety.
"Wow, Benny." Ray held his breath as his hands roamed
around the leather wallet. "Benny, this is so smooth.
Where did you find it?"
"I had some deerskin sent me from home with a sewing
kit. Then I did it myself."
Ray's green eyes widened and turned from the object to
his lover's face. "You made this, Benny? With your
hands?"
The Canadian blushed. "Yes, Ray. I made it for you."
There was a major meltdown approaching Ray's heart as
he took in the meaning of the gesture. "Oh, Benny. I
love you so much."
"I love you, Ray."
They kissed again. Benny tasted like shrimp and juice.
Always delicious, thought Ray, smiling inside. Then a
different hunger began.
It was not long till they finished the meal and tucked
all utensils in the big basket. The colours of the
night danced around them. Both men proceeded to the
interior of the Riv, where a different dance of bodies
was performed.
It was adolescent, yet not wild. It was more a tender
craziness of love. Making love inside a car was not
usual around people with more than 30 years of age.
But those two were different. The Gods knew it.
The Moon silently witnessed the display of affection
of the lovers and smiled. Those two were becoming
increasingly special to the Pale Goddess.
The End.