notes/disclaimers

August Rain
by Shannon McKinnon

Ray cursed as he steered the Riviera through the streets of Chicago. Damn Benny anyway! Where was he? Ray cursed again. He actually had a pretty good idea of where Benny was.

Instead of taking a taxi or the El home, or waiting for Ray to get off of work like any normal human being would, Benny was most likely walking home through the pouring rain.

Sure enough, two blocks later, he spotted a figure in jodhpurs, a tan shirt and a Stetson walking casually along the sidewalk. Ray pulled the Riv over to the curb and jumped out. “Benny!” He yelled.

Ben stopped and turned around, an expression of happy surprise on his face. “Ray! What are you doing here?”

“What am I doing here? What do you think I’m doing here?” Ray asked, walking over to him. “I came to give you a ride home. Why didn’t you wait for me?”

“You were working late tonight, and we both agreed that I would find my own way home.”

“That was before the monsoon hit.”

“You’re being silly, Ray. This is just a normal rainfall.”

“It is pouring out here, Fraser. You’re soaked to the skin. Did you ever hear that expression ‘doesn’t know enough to come in out of the rain?’”

Ben grinned at him. “You’re standing in the rain too, Ray.”

Ray shook his head helplessly. “So I am. But in my case I have a good excuse- I was chasing down a demented Mountie.”

“This is not dementia, this is perfectly acceptable behavior. It’s even logical.”

“Logical?” Ray asked, clearly very skeptical of Ben’s statement.

“Yes, Ray. Perfectly.”

“Tell me how it is perfectly logical to be walking around in the pouring rain as if you didn’t have a care in the world,” Ray said, running a hand over his face to wipe away the water.

Ben looked at him for a moment, then removed his Stetson and placed it on Ray’s head.

“Thank you,” Ray said grudgingly.

“You’re very welcome.” Ben smiled at how cute Ray looked in his Stetson, but decided not to mention it to him. “It is perfectly logical for me to be walking in the rain because it feels good, Ray.”

“Excuse me?”

“It has been so hot lately, and so humid, with the air not moving at all. This rain is a blessed relief.”

Ray opened his mouth to speak, but Benny didn’t let him.

“I know what you’re going to say, Ray; but there is absolutely no danger of me catching a cold. For one thing, the idea that you can catch a cold from being out in the rain is merely an old wives tale. And even if it weren’t, it wouldn’t matter anyway. This rain is actually quite warm. I find it refreshing and invigorating.”

“Invigorating?”

“Yes.”

“So you find it invigorating to be walking around soaking wet, with your clothes soaked through and sticking to you…” Ray’s voice trailed off as he looked at Ben.

Benny was indeed soaked to the skin, and he looked wonderful. His hair was already drenched, and it was plastered to his head in an unruly manner very much unlike the usual neat-as-a-pin Mountie.

Ben was carrying his suit jacket over his arm, and his shirt was soaked through and clinging to his arms and chest. Ray could see the outline of Ben’s nipples, even through the shirt and undershirt, and he swallowed heavily.

Ben saw Ray eyeing him; and his reaction. “Yes, Ray, I feel invigorated,” he said; an odd catch in his voice.

Ray smiled and stepped closer to Benny. “Come on, we’d better go home and get you out of those wet clothes.”

“Good idea,” Ben whispered. He reached out and removed his Stetson from Ray’s head, then leaned in even closer. Wrapping his arms around Ray’s waist, he drew him into a kiss.

Ray responded eagerly, and the two men stood on the sidewalk kissing as the warm rain continued to fall on them.

THE END