"So…" Ray poked his partner in the shoulder with his finger and plopped himself right next to him on the grimy sofa in the break room. "You thinkin' what I'm thinkin'?"

"You're thinkin' again?" Bodie snorted. "I'm surprised the fire alarm hasn't gone off. The whole bloody fire brigade will be coming soon. Hell, I think I hear the bells and sirens…"

"Aww, c'mon now. Stop being daft," Ray complained. "I'm serious. I think it's time we go talk to the Cow about that undercover obbo Murph was chirping on about. It would be a good chance to get out of that babysitting op he has us lined up for."

"Anything's got to be better than babysitting," Bodie agreed with a groan. If there was anything he hated more than babysitting some bored diplomat, he couldn't remember it at the moment. "And it's not like we've got much else going on right now. Only more dead ends and tight lipped snitches. 'Sides, if Murphy thinks he's going to pull an op in a sex club while we're stuck minding someone, he's sorely mistaken."

"At least it's not records. And the snitches wouldn't be so tight lipped if you weren't so cheap and greased their palms." Ray rewarded Bodie with a chip-toothed grin and poked him in the shoulder again. He looked down at his watch, and then tapped its face. "C'mon, let's go talk to Cowley then. He's always in a better mood after his elevenses."

"You mean after he's had a wee dram of scotch," Bodie deadpanned in a purposely bad Scottish accent. "And it's not like the Cow ever mellows."

They ended up waiting outside his office for over ten minutes with Cowley's secretary scowling at them occasionally. They all knew damn well the old man was taking his time to enjoy his expensive Scotch. When they entered Cowley's office, Ray greeted him simply, "Sir."

"4.5," Cowley answered in return without even looking up from the file he was reviewing. "What do you want? I'm busy." The tumbler next to him was empty and hid discretely behind a stack of files.

Bodie stood in front of Cowley's desk not daring to sit down without invitation. Ray kicked the office door closed and stood beside his partner. "We wanted to talk to you about a certain undercover obbo going down," Ray said. "Heard rumours it was… something special."

Cowley removed his glasses and set them down on the desk. "And you two wanted to volunteer? You don't even know the full details of the operation."

"Your lack of faith in us hurts me," Ray said and flashed a mischievous grin at the Controller. "And you'd be surprised what we know. We know it involves a sex club. Bodie 'n' me would be willing to make the grand sacrifice."

"It's not going to work, 4.5," Cowley said with a severe look.

"Why not?" Ray challenged. "The doctors and Macklin just cleared me for full duty."

Cowley reached out to grab his fountain pen, tapping it on the ink blotter. "It's not a matter of your health. Rather, it's a matter of your recent personal history that's the concern. I have reason to doubt your ability to pull this particular operation off without dire consequences."

Ray crossed his arms over his chest. "What?" He'd never been able to leave well enough alone.

Cowley met Ray's gaze with his own steel stare. "There are rumours that you are involved with 3.7."

"Eh?" Ray blurted out. "This is a joke, right?"

"Since when do I joke?" Cowley growled and slammed his palm on the desk. "I've been told you're practising homosexuals."

"We're not queers," Bodie denied immediately. Looking over at Ray, he could see the angry flush rising on his partner's face. "Who said it, sir?"

"It's a bloody lie!" Doyle shouted nearly at the same time and not caring that Cowley's eyes narrowed with his show of temper.

"Regardless of whether the rumour is true or not, or who told me, it potentially affects which assignments you will receive from now on," Cowley told him. "I do have a group of foreign delegates that will need minding during their visit to England. I suggest you brush up on your Slavic languages and regulations on fraternisation in CI5."

Bodie wasn't ready to let the subject drop. "We're not fags. We've done ops like this before and you had no problem then… sir."

"No, but that was before," Cowley told him. "This is now. Are you questioning my authority, 3.7?"

"No," Bodie snapped. His expression was cold and angry. "So, this affects the assignments we get from now on? We're going to be twiddling our thumbs on jobs even newbies on B squad could do sleeping?"

"Perhaps," Cowley replied. "This operation involves blackmail. Think, lads. I refuse to add petrol to an already out of control fire when it comes to rumours surrounding your… partnership. And don't go thinking I'm being all altruistic. I won't endanger this organisation like that and I won't forget that you've put everything I've worked for in danger."

"This is bullshit…" Bodie rumbled under his breath.

Ray was dead set on keeping his professionalism. He wouldn't let Cowley manipulate them or put their jobs at risk. Besides, too many times he had seen what blackmail could do to a good person and he wasn't going to turn away from his duty.

"What are the exact circumstances of the blackmailing?"

Cowley considered Ray for moment before he answered. "It's mostly money. Though there have been reports of forcing their victims into performing sexual acts."

"Rape," Ray growled the despised word. It didn't matter if it was a man or woman. He hated rapists with a passion that showed in his casework.

"The files report it officially as coercion, rather than actual rape, but yes, it all boils down to the same thing," Cowley agreed. He took a file out from the pile and put his glasses back on. Still reading the file, he didn't bother to look up at his agents. "If you went in, it would have to be as a couple… if I let you go in at all. I don't let my agents dictate the way I run CI5. Now get the hell out of my office! Be back here by o'eight hundred. Sharp! I'll tell you which op you'll be going on."

"Yes, sir. I just need to know, if we get this op…" Ray asked carefully. "What would our permanent record say?"

"That you went in undercover," Cowley snapped at him. "What they say in the long term is up to me. You're bloody close to insubordination right now. Get out of here, unless you want me to call Macklin since you need a refresher on discipline?"

"No, sir," they echoed in unison, if not sullenly.

Bodie followed Ray out of the office. Inside he was still seething so he kept his mouth firmly shut and his hands balled into fists. They stopped at their desks long enough to grab their jackets, then they were headed down to the Capri waiting for them in the parking garage.

The drive back to Ray's flat was made in tense silence. Ray's knuckles were white on the steering wheel and his lips were drawn in a straight line. When they were at his front door, he hesitated before entering.

"Come on, Ray," Bodie said quietly. "None of this makes a difference."

Ray stuffed his hand uncomfortably into the pockets of his leather jacket. He walked in front of Bodie and waited for his partner to enter in after him before he closed and secured the front door. "It does," Ray answered. "It does make a difference."

"Do those lies really matter all that much to you?"

"I don't think there's anything… wrong with it," Ray said quickly. "Being bent, that is. Not really…"

Bodie sat down wearily on the sofa. He could tell Ray wasn't being entirely honest about how he felt. "I can quit... if that's what you want." He said the words barely above a whisper, as if the very thought was painful. And in truth, it was.

"Why would we want to quit?" Ray said, flopping down on the sofa next to Bodie. He didn't even consider that Bodie would want to transfer to another squad or outfit without him. "I like the mob."

"I was talking about me," Bodie replied. His elbows were planted on his knees and he sighed. "I know you want to stay after you fought so hard to get back. I know this whole thing has you ready to pop a fuse. I don't know anyway to undo the damage other than for one of us to leave."

"You'd leave me?" Ray demanded. His palms suddenly felt sweaty and he wiped them on his jeans. "…with a new partner?"

"Had to make the offer, didn't I? Just in case that's what you wanted. I don't want to, but I don't know any other way to undo this. It might not go in our files, but from what Cowley said, it won't need to. Getting this op would make it look like ol'George dismissed the rumours. Real catch 22 we got ourselves in. People think we're queer, but one of the only ways to prove them wrong is to play at being queer. If we don't get this op, then it's all downhill from here. If you can't handle this, then I'll have to leave CI5. I won't take a chance on you getting hurt in the field because our backup didn't get there on time to help CI5's local poofters. Or, if you didn't quite trust me the same anymore…"

"Why wouldn't I trust you?" Ray asked, turning an angry glare at Bodie. "I've always trusted you. This whole… thing just shocked me a bit. That people could think that about us…"

"There've always been people that thought we were off our rockers," Bodie reminded him. "Even in the early days. Remember that one instructor? He even tried to fail us because he thought our fighting was one step away from fucking. If Macklin hadn't stepped in…"

"Yeah, but it wasn't true," Ray said. He shook his head and ran a hand through his curls. "We fought like cats and dogs. Still do. There's nothing to it."

"Maybe," Bodie shook his head. He rubbed the back of his neck with his right hand. He could feel one hell of a headache coming on. "But it's sure not a joke this time. Cowley... hell, everybody thinks we're lovers."

"We're just not dead fish like the rest of 'em," Ray argued. "What's wrong with that?"

"Nothing's wrong with it. But not everyone realises that. There are a lot of ignorant berks out there, Ray. You going to be able to handle being thought of as bent?"

"Been called worse," Ray said. He ruffled his own hair and smirked at Bodie. "Hell, you've called me a poof before. Never took what any of that lot had to say about us seriously. We all joke around…"

"Ray, you heard Cowley. Someone took the rumours seriously enough to report it to him." He got up and stalked over to the sideboard, just as comfortable in Ray's flat as he was in his own. Taking out two tumblers, he poured two full glasses of scotch. He handed one silently to Ray and took a sip from his own.

Ray took the tumbler and welcomed the familiar burn of the alcohol. "If we do get this op, then we've got to come back and start dating birds again right away. Know I've been in a dry spell lately with the only women who've seen me naked being the Sisters at the hospital. It'll show him the rumours were all lies. Show him we're…"

"All it will show him is that we're trying to cover our tracks," Bodie sighed. "Everyone will know we took this case and they'll know what we had to do for it."

"We're the only sensible choice. Damn catch 22 again. If he wants someone to pass as bent and people already think we are…" Ray sighed heavily and laid his head along the back of the sofa. "This is all bullshit, mate. Pure and utter bullshit."

Bodie nodded, settling his own head back on the sofa. He turned his head and laid his cheek against the material, looking at Ray. "I know. I don't want this to ruin us."

"If people already think we're… you know," Ray said, holding up his wrists and making it limp. "Then what difference would it make after the case? I mean, except we'd know what they think they know, you know?"

"Ray, that didn't even make sense to me and I know you better than anyone," Bodie groused. "Need more scotch to make sense of your nattering."

"We live CI5 twenty-four seven," Ray explained and took another sip of from his tumbler. "I can't live with myself knowing we could've stopped some creeps ruining someone's life… raping them. I was saying that if people thought we were together before, then what would it matter if they think we're together after it's all done? As long as we do our jobs."

"I guess." Bodie knew it would be more than that though. He didn't think Ray fully comprehended just what they would have to do to remain undercover. Ray probably thought they'd just have to turn down a few men and keep an eye out for goings on. Bodie had a feeling much more than that would end up being required of them.

"Besides…" Ray turned his head to look at Bodie and reached over to slap Bodie's thigh. "Gives me a chance to dance with you… Need a good laugh, I do."

"Might have to do more than dance," Bodie muttered under his breath, loathing the idea of bringing up anything that might change Ray's mind.

"So, what if we've got to do more? It's just kissing," Ray said groused. "Can't be too bad, but you're going to have to shave. Guess I'll just close my eyes and think of England."

Bodie quirked an eyebrow at him then rubbed his five o'clock shadow. "Alright, I'll shave," he agreed. "But, so do you. And I know you'll not be thinking of England, but the Queen Mother…"

Ray snorted in amusement at the familiar banter. His hand settled on Bodie's thigh and he patted it carefully. "You're a good mate, Bodie." It was an action he had done thousands of times over the years, but now it felt different for some reason. "Know I can trust you with anything."

"I'd take a bullet before I'd do anything to betray that trust again," Bodie said, suddenly reminded of that whole business with Ann. He'd betrayed his partner then and he'd sworn he'd never do it again.

"Want to watch some telly?" Ray suddenly blurted out. Things were getting far too serious and it was a way to show Bodie he wanted to stick around. "We could order in some take away… maybe talk about the case?"

"Sure," Bodie agreed. He knew a Doyle evasion tactic when he saw one and this one was a classic. He didn't fight it, willingly letting Ray steer them toward much safer topics.

---

Later that night several boxes of decimated Chinese food lay on the coffee table and Ray turned off the television in disgust as the late night BBC news came on. They'd spent most of the evening watching bad comedies, ignoring discussing the case.

"How do you act queer?" Ray asked, breaking the silence. "I know how stupid that sounds, but…"

"From what Cowley said, we do a pretty good job of it now," Bodie grumbled. He knocked a few boxes to the side with his feet and put them up on the coffee table. "I guess just... be affectionate. Make sure we're not afraid to touch each other. That's probably the biggest thing right there. Most blokes don't touch so much…."

"You're my best mate." Ray was trying to defend what they had, more to himself than to Bodie. "It's normal for us."

"Never said it wasn't, but you asked how to act queer and that's the best I could come up with. What, you going to start wearing a feather boa with those heels of yours?"

"So, I act like myself?" Ray half laughed.

"Guess so, Petal," Bodie replied, camping it up a bit. But his expression turned more serious. "Ray, I've got to ask you something and I don't want you to get mad, okay?"

Ray sat down next to Bodie on the sofa and regarded him with a slightly guarded look. "What?"

"You ever, uh, done anything with another guy before?" Bodie asked carefully. He needed to know what kind of experience Ray had so they could plan accordingly.

"No," Ray answered immediately. "Why would you even… What, have you?"

"Yeah," Bodie admitted quietly. "It was a long time ago. Back before I joined the SAS… was in Africa."

"Bodie…" Ray started to speak and then stopped. He took a deep breath, before he could look back at his partner. "Who?"

"Nobody you know," Bodie assured him. "It didn't go very far. He joined another outfit of Mercs and I never saw him again. Doesn't make me bent."

"Did you like it?" Ray demanded. He hadn't really listened that Bodie hadn't seen the man since his days in Africa, instead his mind was focusing on another man touching Bodie.

"It satisfied some needs," Bodie answered with a shrug. "I'm not even sure if he's still alive. Are you pissed at me now?"

"What? No," Ray said and shook his head. His eyes had a hint of a look Bodie only saw when Bodie was on the street and a perp got too close to him. "I just don't want you talking about him. This isn't about him… this is about us."

"Yeah," Bodie said, feeling odd at Ray's show of possessiveness. "This is about us. Which leads me to another question."

"Which one of us leads when we dance?" Ray teased. "Me, of course. You've got no rhythm."

"You can lead, but that wasn't the question. I wanted to know if you thought we should practice."

"Practise being queer?" Ray asked. He gifted Bodie with a questionable look. "I suppose so…"

"That wasn't what I meant," Bodie interrupted. "We're supposed to be a couple. You can't flinch if I go to touch you."

"I won't flinch," Ray insisted. "You touch me all the time." To show his point, Ray shifted closer to Bodie on the sofa until their bodies were touching along one side.

Bodie knew that trying to explain this to his partner simply wasn't going to work. Instead, he turned toward Ray and slipped his hand around the back of his neck. Before the other man could protest, Bodie leaned forward and kissed him hard on the lips.

Ray surprised Bodie, kissing him back carefully, with a closed mouth. When Bodie pulled away, Ray was a little dazed looking and licking his lips. "I didn't flinch," Ray murmured.

"No, you didn't flinch at all," Bodie agreed and shifted on the sofa for other reasons. "Guess we can skip that practice stuff after all."

"I don't know…" Ray said and shook his head. "How long are we supposed to have been going out?"

"Don't know," Bodie shrugged. "Probably a couple of years at least."

Ray looked down at his hands and breathed in heavily before he said quickly, "Maybe we should practise more, 'cause… you know, it would look funny if we weren't comfortable…"

"You sure?" Bodie asked. He looked up to make sure the curtains were draw tightly. "This isn't our thing..."

"It's just kissing," Ray said. Now he looked back at Bodie, trying to read his features. "It's for an obbo."

"Fine," Bodie agreed. He leaned back against the back of the sofa and folded his arms over his chest, wanting Ray to come to him this time. "Then kiss me." He wanted to see how his partner handled being the aggressor between them, rather than simply "suffering" Bodie's touch.

Like anything else between them, Ray wasn't going to let the man get the upper hand. It didn't make him any less of a man for leaning closer and kissing Bodie. He found the biggest difference between kissing a woman and Bodie was the silent strength behind the kiss. When Bodie kissed him back and unfolded his arms to loosely hold him, there was no question he was kissing an equal… a friend. Ray wasn't sure he liked how that made him feel.

When Ray pulled away, Bodie asked, "You want to continue this or do you want to stop?" In truth, he wanted to continue, enjoying having Ray in his arms, but he didn't want to push his already upset partner too far.

"Got to do it for the obbo, don't we?" Ray said, using that as an excuse to be near Bodie. "Kissing you… isn't bad."

"Yeah... the obbo..." Bodie would go with that. If Ray needed the excuse, he wasn't going to take it away from him. He leaned in again and kissed Ray again, hoping like hell Cowley would give them the case.

---

"Shut the door," Cowley barked at them when Ray and Bodie walked in. He waited until the two men were seated across from him then slid a thick file toward them. They exchanged a look that signalled they'd gotten the op, whether they really wanted it or not.

"Will the Crown even consider prosecution if we nail these bastards?" Ray asked as he reached for the file and started to flip through it.

"Yes," Cowley said. "The Minister wants these men put away. The last thing he wants is the homosexual community seeing this as some sort of political cover up. Besides, some rather notable friends of the government have been victims of the blackmailers."

"Right, so that's the real reason they landed CI5 with this. They're simply protecting their own. Bet if it wasn't some high up shirt lifter, we wouldn't be sitting here in a debriefing," Ray said. "Bloody hypocrites the lot of them."

"Those hypocrites are your superiors," Cowley snapped. "Hypocrites they may be, but this time they made the right decision."

"Yes, sir," Ray agreed with a hint of a grin. "When did you want me 'n' Bodie to go in?"

"Soon," Cowley answered. "I'll arrange for your covers. There's no reason you can't start tonight." He was already scribbling down a few notes in the file. "You can spend half days at the department following up any leads gathered and nights at the club. But don't waste the department's resources and think this is some sort of vacation! I want results and I want them quickly."

"Believe me, sir, we know it isn't a lark," Ray shot back. "I don't consider setting my partner and me up to be raped as a fun thing to do."

"Blackmailed," Cowley corrected forcefully. "They use sex as a form of blackmail and coerce the victim."

"Semantics," Ray said dismissively. "And we don't know they won't turn violent. They've always got what they wanted before. If one of us refuses, who's to say they won't try to force the issue?"

"Then don't let yourself get separated and wear a piece strapped to your ankle. Report in at least once a night. If it comes down to it, you know how to defend yourself. The report says this is masterminded by one person and enforced by at least two."

"Yes, sir," Bodie replied seriously. "C'mon, Doyle. Is there anything else we need to know, sir?"

"Just… be careful," Cowley said and waved a dismissive hand at them. "And lads…"

"Yeah?" Ray replied, hesitating at the door with Bodie.

"Catch these bastards," Cowley's voice was deadly serious.

---

"Bodie…" Ray sighed. "What should I wear?"

"I'd say something that you'd normally wear out," Bodie replied. "Just dress like you would for a really nice date. That should be good enough."

"Right," Ray mumbled. He wandered away and back to his bedroom muttering under his breath about nothing decent to wear. He always teased Bodie about his vanity, but when it came down to it, he liked to look good too. He came back into the living room wearing an open buttoned shit and his small, blue Y-fronts. "Which trousers?" He held up a pair of jeans and corduroys.

"The jeans," Bodie said with barely a hitch in his voice. This case was bringing out feelings better left buried and it was hard not to notice his partner when he practically flaunted himself. Bodie quickly gave himself a mental kick with the reminder that this was Ray and that his partner didn't swing that way.

"Alright," Ray gifted Bodie with a large grin. "Means I'll have to go commando… only way I can get into the damn things."

"Believe me, I've noticed," Bodie muttered as Ray walked back into his bedroom.

When Ray came back out to the living room, he was dressed in the skin-tight jeans and red shirt that Bodie always loved on him. The shirt was unbuttoned enough that Bodie could see Ray's favourite chain nestled in his chest hair.

"There's one thing I never had the nerve to ask," Ray said nervously. "But… I've got to before we go to the club."

"What is it?" Bodie asked him, a bit worried. It wasn't like Ray to be nervous about asking him something.

"I know we settled on a back story of being friends for years who'd just fell in love," Ray said, already starting to ramble. "Kept the story simple. We're in love, but still like to experiment to keep it fresh, but… ahhh, Bodie… who's-the-bottom?" The last three words were said so quickly they nearly made no sense.

Bodie hesitated before he answered, "I don't really think it'll come up."

Doyle rubbed a hand through his still slightly damp curls. "I know the jokes that go around, but I'm trying to keep an open mind. Really, I am."

Bodie shrugged and adjusted the neck of his black poloneck. "Suppose we could say we switch."

"Suppose so," Ray said and started to roll up his sleeves. "Have you ever thought about that?"

"About... sex with another man?" Bodie asked, trying to stall. "I already told you about Africa."

"Yes… No," Ray answered and shook his head. "You know, about what you would want."

"A little... I guess. I told you I'd experimented with another guy before. I guess I've thought about it some since then."

"Yeah?" Ray repeated back. He sat down on the sofa next to Bodie as close as he ever had, but the new development over the past day was that Ray had taken a distinct liking to kissing Bodie. Now he was leaning over, pulled down the poloneck and started to nuzzle, easily adding it to his repertoire of physical contact with his partner.

"What are you doin'?" Bodie asked, his voice strained. He was frozen in place, unable to move away from the exquisite feel of his partner's lips on his neck.

Ray pulled away and looked at Bodie uncertainly. "Kissing you… I thought you liked it?"

"I do," Bodie replied before he could stop himself. "I just... I didn't really think you did. I mean... blokes aren't your thing, Ray. We both know that."

"I like kissing you," Ray mumbled defensively. "I thought out of all of this, we could at least… keep doing that. Sorry, mate, guess I was wrong. I'll stop."

Bodie knew he was damned but he wasn't a strong enough man to pass this up. "Maybe I don't want you to stop."

Ray sighed and set his head down against Bodie's shoulder. "Though you seem to always be the one mauling me."

"Never had any complaints about that myself," Bodie told him. "You can do whatever you want with me... anything at all."

"This new stuff we've done," Ray told him. "It's nice."

"Yeah." Bodie nodded and took another deep breath. "Ray... is there something else you wanted?" He was trying to figure out the new wrinkle in their relationship.

"Just tell me if I do anything too straight at the club," Ray said and planted one last kiss on Bodie's neck before pulling away.

"Okay," Bodie replied, glad Ray had moved away before he had a chance to do anything his partner wasn't ready for.

---

Ray was surprised at the rather muted decor of the club. For some reason he had been expecting something closer to leather and chains. This place was more like an upscale club, which made sense since all of the victims had been at least moderately well-to-do.

"Good thing you pull off posh, Bodie," Ray laughed. "You'll fit in here. Guess that makes me your boy toy?"

"More like rough trade, sunshine," Bodie whispered as they made their way to a corner table. It would give them a view of most of the room and still allow them to be seen.

Ray didn't let Bodie's teasing faze him, instead moving on to another subject. "Hey, do you think you-know-who will cover our tabs?" He didn't want to say Cowley in public, just in case someone was listening.

"Probably, as long as we don't go overboard or anything," Bodie told him. "It's not like we can ask for receipts here."

Ray was just about to make a comment about Cowley being cheap when he saw someone check out Bodie. He scowled at the man and wrapped his arm around Bodie's waist. "Did you have to wear those damn pants so tight?" he grumbled.

"You're one to talk," Bodie laughed, surprised by the jealous display. He had noticed the man as well but hadn't expected Ray to react so territorially. The key was to look interested, but not too interested. "Don't forget, we're supposed to be here looking for a third."

"Then we can just pretend I don't like apes who pass as men," Ray huffed. "Just remember… that's looking, not touching."

"At least for now," Bodie agreed. "It's not like we're going to take any of them home with us the first time we meet 'em."

"Right," Ray said distractedly. He was already checking out the joint, letting his eyes pass over the variety of men and few pairs of women lounging around the various tables, noting possible exit routes and threats in the entire process. He leaned in close to Bodie and whispered, "How do you tell who's interested?"

"Same way you do with a bird," Bodie whispered back. "They'll make eye contact or send over a drink or something. Don't worry, they'll let us know if they're interested."

"None of them are attractive," Ray said after a moment of looking over the crowd again.

"Not attracted to any of 'em, eh?" Bodie said, grinning. "Just what do you find attractive in a man then?"

"Someone tall…" Ray said after a moment's consideration. "Not anyone too…"

"Effeminate?" Bodie asked. There were all sorts here, but no one that a perfect balance of masculinity and awareness of his own sexuality as Ray Doyle.

"Yeah," Ray agreed. "Guess if you wanted a bird, you'd sleep with one. Always had a thing for dark haired beauties…"

"Anything else?" Bodie asked, realising that even though the description was rather vague, it still fit him exactly.

"I don't know," Ray said, shaking his head. "No one too fat. Someone who can handle their own in a conversation…"

Bodie was unsure how to respond to that. "You sound like you're pretty sure. Is that really what you want in a bloke?"

"What?" Ray wrinkled his nose in disgust. "I don't want any bloke." While he said this, his arm was still around Bodie and his fingers were starting to play just under the waistband.

"Well, you're doing a damn fine job of acting like you do," Bodie said, moving away slightly. He knew they were supposed to be a couple, but having Ray so close and touching him like this was wreaking havoc with his self-control.

"Wha- Oh?" Ray chuckled deeply, pulling Bodie back against him. "You're not a bloke… not like them. You're just Bodie."

"And that makes me what?" Bodie asked, leaning into the embrace despite his misgivings.

"Mine, prat," Ray snorted. "My best mate."

Deciding to simply give in to temptation, Bodie turned in Ray's arms and kissed him full on the mouth. He took advantage of Ray's momentary surprise and pushed his tongue past his partner's lips, needing to taste him.

Ray was only surprised for a moment and quickly returned the kiss. His hand was just moving down to grope Bodie when a bouncer interrupted them. "Hey, break it up you two, or move it to the back rooms."

"Sorry," Ray said with a wide grin. "Got a little carried away. Hey, uh, we're kind of new here. What's in the back rooms?"

"God, you're must be new to everything," the bouncer groaned, followed by a loud chuckle. "Anyone would know what goes on in the back rooms of a club like this."

"What can I say?" Ray said, grinning even wider. "I knew my friend here for a long time, but it took me a while to figure it out. You got to have a pass or anything to go back there?"

"Back rooms are open," the bouncer explained. "The second floor is by invitation of a member only, or if you become a member yourself."

"Ta," Ray said. He didn't want to appear too eager so let the membership option go for now. They'd need to come here a few times first and maybe check out the back rooms before forking over any cash for a membership.

"Don't mention it," the bouncer said, but then leered at Ray. "But if you get tired of Mr. Butch here, I'll buy you a drink."

"I don't think so," Bodie said, speaking up for the first time. He tightened the arm he had around Ray's waist, pulling his partner a bit closer.

The bouncer laughed at Bodie's show of possessiveness and muttered something about 'new lovers' before walking back to the bar.

"I think we might've passed our first test," Ray said.

"Yeah," Bodie said, moving away reluctantly. "You think we ought to check out the rooms tonight or wait until tomorrow?"

"Tomorrow," Ray answered too quickly, getting up. "Maybe we could do some dancing? I mean, just dancing…" Ray grabbed Bodie's hand and started to pull him towards the dance floor. "And remember, you don't move well enough to know what leading is!"

---

"So after we told the Cow about the backrooms and upper floor, he had Murphy re-interview the last victim and ask about the location where they were first contacted by the blackmailers," Bodie went over the details once more. "Can you suss anything more out of those notes?"

They were going over the case one last time before going out to the club again for the night. They had spent the day at the headquarters working on a few leads.

"Only that the blackmailers first made contact with every victim at their residence," Ray answered. "We already knew that, but what's interesting is that every victim was a member of the club."

"All members and regulars. All well-to-do, with some influence connections. Prime blackmail material."

"Looks like Cowley'll be springing for that membership after all," Ray laughed. "But not right away. Let's give it a few more days. Check out those back rooms. See what we can dig up. I don't want to look too eager and scare 'em off."

"Ray… that's what I had to tell you," Bodie hesitated after a moment. "There's only one way to get a membership. Something Murphy thought I should tell you myself."

"And that would be?" Ray asked, knowing he wasn't going to like the answer. He could tell that much just from the way Bodie was stalling. After all this was done, he planned on taking a piece out of Murphy for taking glee in their discomfort. Damn Irish bastard probably had tempted with tid bits of the case last week just so he wouldn't have to go.

"By invitation of a third party," Bodie told him. "The first floor is basically a meat market allowing members to pick up a new partner or couple."

"So, you're saying we've got to hook up with another bloke in order to get an invitation?" Ray asked, not liking the idea much. He and Bodie had shared a woman before, but the idea of sharing Bodie with another man made Ray's stomach knot.

"Eventually, yeah," Bodie confirmed. "And then… it's not even certain we'd get invited for a membership."

Ray leaned over the desk and whispered, "Bodie... I don't know if I can do that." He'd done a hell of a lot for his job over the years, including nearly giving his life. The one thing he wasn't prepared to give up, however, was Bodie.

"I don't think I could either," Bodie assured Ray. He got up walked over to his partner and laid a hand on his shoulder. "Even if we did initiate a threesome, I don't think we would pass for enthusiastic participants. I might have a plan."

"I hope it's a good one cause Cowley'll have our hides if we have to back out of this one," Ray said. He didn't even consider the notion of going through with it now that Bodie had expressed his own misgivings. They'd just have to find another way.

"What if one of the victims put up for membership?" Bodie suggested. "He could just say that we had a threesome."

"See, you're not just a pretty face," Ray beamed. "That's bloody brilliant. We could even arrange to meet him at the club and go upstairs with him. We wouldn't have to do anything, just go in one of the rooms and hang out for a couple of hours."

"So, that's a plan then," Bodie agreed and rubbed his hands together. "We'll run it by the Cow tomorrow. Tonight we'll have to check out the backrooms."

Ray nodded, already gathering up his files. He didn't think about what exactly checking out the back rooms might entail. They didn't have much of a choice if they wanted to get anywhere in this case. "You ready to head out of here?"

"Sure," Bodie agreed, acting like it was just a normal case. "I know this isn't anything too strenuous, but are you feeling okay?"

"I'm fine, Bodie," Ray said, smiling softly. Ever since the shooting that laid him up nearly for good, Bodie had become more protective. As it was, he'd insisted on suffering with Ray in records before he was cleared for duty again.

"You're sure?" Bodie persisted. He stepped close to his partner and put his hand on Ray's shoulder. "No chest pains?"

"No shortness of breath. No pains in my chest. No dizzy spells. I'm fine, Bodie." Ray hesitated, seeing the uncertainty in his partner's eyes. Looking away, he spoke quietly. "If you don't think I'm ready... if you don't think I can do this... just say so. The last thing I want is you out on the streets with a partner you don't trust."

"Ray…" Bodie's tone became sharp, then softer when he spoke again. "You're the only partner I'll ever have. You know that. I just worry sometimes…"

"I mean it, Bodie," Ray said, looking at him once more. "If you don't think I can back you up then we don't do this. I can... I can ride a desk for awhile longer."

Bodie looked around the room to make sure no one was there. He squeezed Ray's shoulder and leaned in close until their heads were almost touching. "I'm sorry, okay?" Bodie said. "You passed your physical and tests to resume active duty. The Cow's just been waiting for the right case."

"Let's just get out of here," Ray said, moving away from his partner and toward the door. Bodie had managed to bring out his own thinly veiled insecurities and Ray was struggling to lock them back inside. What if he couldn't cut it? How could he live with himself if Bodie got hurt because of him? His unrealistic dreams of a white picket fences and a house full of brats had died long ago. There was nothing left in his life worth fighting for without Bodie and CI5.

---

Ray's shirt was clinging to him from dancing, leaving slightly dark patches under his armpits. Dancing together seemed to be the logical choice as they didn't want to go into the backrooms as soon as getting into the club and most of the regulars were somewhat wary of newcomers to the club.

They had kept an eye on the back area of the club since they had arrived, careful not to draw too much attention to themselves. When it looked like things were starting to pick up, Bodie knew it was time. "You ready?" he asked as he leaned in close to his partner.

"Yeah… just, stay away from any men in there," Ray grumbled. "Understand me?"

"You know I only have eyes for you, Pet," Bodie replied jokingly. It was the truth, though. He just couldn't let Ray know that. While his partner was handling all of this better than Bodie thought he would, he was still leery of pushing things too far. He'd nearly lost Ray once, he wasn't going to do it again.

Ray didn't react the way Bodie expected. Instead of making a joke back, Ray immediately pushed Bodie against the nearby wall. With his hands still on Bodie's shoulders, he hissed into Bodie's face, "This isn't a joke!"

"I know," Bodie whispered, bewildered by his partner's reaction. "I'm sorry. I know this case isn't a joke. I'll be careful, okay?" He thought maybe Ray was simply being protective, not wanting his partner to get too close to men that could turn out to be the blackmailers and rapists they were looking for.

Ray moved one of his hands up to caress Bodie's cheek. "I've been watching these blokes look at you… I don't like it."

Bodie moved into the touch without thought. Ray touched him sometimes when they were alone, but rarely as intimately as this. Bodie longed for it, ignoring the fact that this might only be for the case. "They look at you, too," he finally said.

"It's not the same," Ray insisted. "You're stunning."

"Do you know what you're doing to me?" Bodie moaned helplessly.

"Yeah, I'm touchin' you," Ray said, patting Bodie's cheek.

"You're making me hard," Bodie whispered more harshly than he intended.

"Good," Ray announced. "Then everyone in that backroom will know that I did it, not them." Then Ray added after a moment, his insecurity showing through again. "It is for me, huh?"

"I already told you, I'm not interested in anyone else. I know I made it sound like a joke before, but it's the truth. You're the only man I want." Bodie knew he was playing with fire, admitting that to his partner, but he couldn't stand to hear the insecurity in Ray's voice, knowing he had helped put it there.

Ray's hand had moved to rest on Bodie's neck. He looked down, but his thumb continued to stroke Bodie's skin. "Would it make me a poof if I said the same thing?"

"Does it matter?" Bodie asked. He hated labels, especially that one.

"Suppose not," Ray admitted. Bodie's skin was so soft and he loved touching it. "But I'd hate being called a liar even more. I'd be liar if I didn't admit something to you… well, you know… you're good for me, Bodie."

"You're a prat, Ray. You know that. Getting all soft on me," Bodie teased with a smile. Words weren't important now. Years spent fighting by Ray's side, with the man covering his back was worth more than any words. That and the look in Ray's eyes right now. "Come on, let's get this over with so we can go home. I think we need to talk about a few things, don't you?"

"Yeah, we can do some talking," Ray agreed. "I should start just before we go back there…" Ray leaned in close and whispered, "Told you I like to touch and kiss you, but I like it even more knowing I can make you hard."

"Oh, fuck," Bodie groaned, feeling his cock jerk in his trousers at the words. He fervently hoped the back rooms were indeed used for sex because he wanted his partner badly enough at the moment to take advantage of them.

Ray could change his mind in an instant if it suited his way of thinking. He liked being able to use the new sexual tension between them to gain a small advantage over Bodie. It wasn't out of malice, but with all of this uncertainty running around his head, it gave him a little control.

He took Bodie by the hand and led him toward the back rooms, glaring at anyone that showed a bit too much interest in his partner. He wasn't exactly sure what they would do once they were back there but he was pretty sure that Bodie could help him with that.

The so-called back rooms were dark and filled with several open cubicles and benches. Men were involved in various sexual acts throughout the space, while others were just watching. None of the few women in the main bar seemed to be in the back rooms.

Ray pulled Bodie close to him and slipped an arm around his waist. "We could just watch," he whispered, wanting Bodie to know he didn't have to do anything back here if he didn't want to.

"Do you want to watch?" Bodie asked, turning the decision around on Ray. He wasn't going to push him into anything.

Ray moved behind Bodie and slid both arms around his waist. He pulled him back so that their bodies were pressed tight together and his mouth was right by Bodie's ear.

"You see those two over there?" he asked, gesturing toward a pair of men in one of the cubicles. One of the men was sitting on the bench and the other was kneeling on the floor, sucking the man's cock.

"Yeah, what about them?" Bodie asked. He wondered why Ray had picked that pair, but maybe it was just coincidence that the man on his knees had thick, dark hair.

"Do you like what they're doing?" Ray whispered, feeling a tremor run through Bodie's body. He let one hand ghost down to Bodie's groin and brush lightly over the growing erection through the material. Even though Bodie was looking at the other men, Ray knew he was the sole cause of his arousal and it made his own cock start to harden in his pants.

"Please…" Bodie begged. At this point he wasn't quite sure what he was begging for… for Ray to stop questioning him or something entirely different.

"Please what, Bodie?" Ray whispered. "Tell me what you want. I want to hear you say it."

Bodie closed his eyes and listened to moans around them. If he was wrong, it could risk everything that had started to develop between them. This wasn't just about the case anymore or keeping their cover. "I don't know if you're ready for what I want."

Ray pressed his hips forward, letting Bodie feel his erection against his backside. "Tell me," he said again. "If it's farther then I want to go, I'll tell you. I promise."

There was no turning back now. "I want to suck you," Bodie said boldly.

"Oh, yeah," Ray moaned into Bodie's ear, pressing his erection against him even harder. "I was hoping you'd say that. Watching that head bobbing up and down got me to thinking how good you'd look like that."

Bodie looked around and saw that there was a corner where they could at least get the illusion of privacy. He started to kiss Ray and backed him against the wall.

Ray let him take the lead, seeing where he was manoeuvring them. He had to admit, he liked Bodie like this. He could taste the need in his partner's hungry kisses. He couldn't wait to feel that mouth somewhere else.

"Imagine if we ever did this in the shower rooms at headquarters," Bodie whispered hoarsely to Ray between kisses. It was one of his recent fantasies and he couldn't help but share it now. "Maybe right after one of Macklin's training sessions?"

"Oh, fuck!" Ray groaned, turned on by the sudden image in his head. He could see Bodie, all slick from a shower, going down on his knees in the shower room, the rest of the guys just a few feet away at their lockers.

Emboldened by Ray's reaction, Bodie dropped to his knees in front of him. "This is about us," he said, looking up at Ray with a mixture of vulnerability and fierceness.

"It's always been about us," Ray replied, running his hand through Bodie's hair.

Bodie didn't stop to think about how Ray had gone from believing he was "straight" to seducing his partner into a blowjob. All he could think about was Ray as he ran his hand over his partner's thigh.

"Mmm... Do it," Ray murmured. His hands went to his fly and he quickly unbuttoned it. Reaching inside, he pulled his hard cock out and rubbed the head against Bodie's cheek.

Bodie groaned heavily when he felt Ray's cock rub against his stubble. It was one of the most erotic things he had ever experienced. It was so easy to move his head and start to lick the tip of Ray's cock.

"That's it," Ray told him. "Suck me. Suck me good." He cupped the back of Bodie's head with one hand and began pushing him down on his cock. He was so turned on just from seeing Bodie like this that he couldn't wait. He had to have Bodie's mouth on him now.

Bodie opened his mouth, taking in Ray's cock completely. There was no great mystery about giving a blowjob, only the desire to do it. He sucked deeply remembering from crude jokes over the years that Ray loved that.

Ray didn't last long. He was too keyed up. He pumped in and out of Bodie's mouth for a few moments, promising himself he'd get to enjoy this again, then he thrust in deep and began to cum.

Bodie couldn't help but choke when Ray thrust deep into his throat. He tried to swallow most of Ray's cum, but a little trickled out the side of his mouth.

"Oh fuck, Bodie. You've got no idea how hot you look with my cum running out of your mouth," Ray said, leaning against the wall for support. He used his thumb to wipe the trickle of cum from Bodie's mouth then pushed it inside, wanting Bodie to take all he had to offer.

As Bodie started to suck on Ray's thumb, a voice interrupted their private moment. "That was an impressive performance," the man said as he came up behind Bodie.

Ray kept his thumb in Bodie's mouth, his other hand going to his lover's shoulder to hold him in place. He wanted this guy, whoever he was, to deal with him, not Bodie. "What can I say? He's incredible," Ray said, grinning widely.

"Mind if I borrow him?" The guy asked, running his hand over the bulge in his pants. "I love cocksuckers."

"Sorry, we're exclusive," Ray said, his eyes flashing dangerously. He was getting used to the men here admiring his partner... as long as they did it from a distance. He wasn't about to let any of them actually touch what was his.

"Then you're in the wrong club," the man laughed. "What you married or something?"

"Or something," Ray told him. "And I didn't say we were adverse to someone joining us, but I'm not lending him out. What we do, we do together."

The man's eyes were locked on Bodie. "So, are you interested in doing anything with me?"

"Maybe," Ray said, going from lover to undercover agent in a heartbeat. "But I top. Exclusively. You ready for that?"

"We could both use him," the man suggested. He waved his hand at Bodie, but didn't intend to bottom for anyone.

"Not what we're looking for," Ray replied. "I want to watch him fucking someone long and hard. You up for that?"

"No," the guy admitted, already backing up. "Too bad."

Ray looked down at Bodie then, clearly dismissing the stranger. He could feel how tense his partner was, but he hadn't tried to move. He'd trusted Ray to handle it and he had… at least this time.

---

Ray had heard the shower shut off several minutes ago and knew Bodie was in there probably fussing like a damned bird. They were at Ray's flat after a morning run and he was cooking Bodie a fry up. Normally he would bitch about how unhealthy it was, but he knew it was Bodie's favourite breakfast and he wanted to treat him.

"Bo-DAY!" Ray shouted out. "Get your arse out here!"

He'd just finished frying up the mushrooms and set them on the plate next to the fried tomatoes. Bodie came around the corner with a towel around his neck, shirtless and wearing a pair of worn-in cords. The sausages and eggs were a little too cool for Ray's pride as a cook, but Bodie was nearly salivating as he sat down at the table.

"I don't think people will buy that we picked that bloke up," Ray grumbled to Bodie and set the plate down in front of him. "Cuppa?"

Bodie nodded because his mouth was already full of baked beans. Ray poured one for Bodie, knowing without being told that Bodie liked his with three heaping teaspoons of sugar and cream. It was disgusting to him, but Bodie had always had a sweet tooth. Ray poured himself a fresh cup of coffee and sat down opposite Bodie at the table. The plan they had run by Cowley was more safe and practical than anything else, but he didn't like the way the blackmail victim had looked at Bodie. Seemed like everywhere he was looking now, everyone was looking at Bodie. It was making him a damn nutter.

"Man wasn't acting like much of a victim if you ask me."

Bodie took his fried bread and dipped it into the baked beans. "Would you rather he'd be an emotional wreck? As long as we play it right, no one will suspect anything. Just try not to get too jealous. We're supposed to be looking for a third, you know."

"I'm not jealous!" Ray denied. He reached over and stole a sausage from Bodie's plate. The plain oatmeal he had eaten early didn't quite seem as satisfying as it could have been.

"Right, Doyle. And you're not just a big golly either," Bodie laughed. "You glare at anyone that gives me more than a passing glance lately. You're going to have to let them get closer if we want to be convincing."

"No," Ray snapped. "I mean, no one really needs to get that close to you. We'll tell them what we told that bloke at the club."

"And what happens when one of them says yes?" Bodie pressed. "How do you plan on getting out of that one?"

Ray didn't answer right away, but rubbed his hand over the back of neck. "I don't like this Bodie," he sighed heavily. "What would you say if I think about decking any bloke that looks twice at you?"

"As your partner, or as your lover?" Bodie asked him outright.

"Both," Ray answered. "It's not like I can separate the two... for the operation."

"As your partner, I'd say back off," Bodie told him and pointed at him with his fork. The threat wasn't really there since the fork did have mushroom on it. "We're in the middle of a case, letting some guy ogle me isn't going to hurt anything and breaking heads will likely get us thrown out of the place." Bodie paused then went on more softly. "As your lover... I'd like it."

"Bodie…" Ray said in a pleading voice and raising anxious eyes. "I don't understand what's going on between us. You understand it, eh?"

"I think so," Bodie replied. "I'm pretty confused about it, too. I never expected... I never thought you'd want this kind of thing with me."

Ray shifted his chair closer to Bodie and laid his arm on Bodie's shoulder. "I just know I want you."

"You can have me," Bodie whispered back and laid down his fork even though his fry up was only half done.

Ray softly kissing Bodie's check. "Would you believe I'm scared?"

"Good, 'cause I'm pretty damn terrified myself. I don't want to lose you. I never want to take a chance on losing what we have. Why do you think I never made a move on you in all this time?"

"I'm not just afraid of this," Ray mumbled. This time he grabbed a piece of scrambled egg and ate it. "I'm afraid of riding the desk… of getting older and being separated from you."

"What makes you think we'll be separated?" Bodie asked. "Where you go, I go, sunshine. Same as always."

Ray's hand tightened in Bodie's shirt. "I'm going to ask you something… promise you're not going to be mad."

"You know you can ask me anything. I promise, I won't get mad."

"Have you thought about leaving the mob?" Ray asked quickly.

"Is that what you want?" Bodie asked, surprised. The food was now sitting heavy in his stomach.

"Face it Bodie, we are…" Ray had to stop and swallow the lump in his throat. "…getting older. Just thought we might want to think about our future."

"If that's what you want then, we'll do it. As long as we're together I don't really care, but not sure what else I'm suited for. I'd like to give Cowley enough notice to replace us. He's been good to us over the years. I don't want to mess him up."

Ray let out a heavy sigh of release. "I have to tell you something else… sometimes it's hard to keep up."

"Hard to keep up with what?" Bodie asked, confused and worried.

"Running," Ray said. "I'm not slow… I know that. But it's not as easy as it used to be. I can't let you have a half-assed partner out on the streets."

"Ray, you're the best man I've ever known. You've never let me down and you never will. There's nobody I trust more to back me up out there than you."

"I care about you more than I care about myself," Ray insisted. For him it was the biggest reason for considering slowing down at work and his old injuries were just an excuse Bodie would accept.

"Same goes for me," Bodie replied. "If you want to do this, I'll agree. I've got to admit, the thought of not having to worry about you getting hurt again is pretty damn appealing."

"Change isn't bad, right Bodie?" Ray asked.

"No, not necessarily," Bodie agreed. "But is this what you really want?"

"No," Ray said after a mere second and gifted Bodie with a lopsided grin. "But it's good to know you'd give me what I want."

Bodie kissed Ray long and hard. "I'll give you anything and everything you want, Ray." He stopped short of promising forever. It was dangerous to make those kind of promises when you lived like they did.

---

"Was rather melodramatic, don't you think?" Ray asked, taking a sip of scotch from a tumbler.

"What's that?" Bodie answered the question with a question. Ray often fell into a mood where he liked to philosophise after an operation. Bodie found it best just to humour him.

"The whole damn obbo," Ray clarified. "We didn't even get the big confrontation with guns a blazing. Feels like a bit of a let down."

"That's real life for you," Bodie added his two bits. "Despite our best planning, the perps are as thick as a brick shithouse. You just like playing with your piece…"

Ray chuckled at the comment and looked away from the window back towards Bodie. "S'right, though. All that set up with the victim ready to play our sponsor into the club and the damn perps pull a piece on us. All it took was one good knock about to get it away from him. I might've been disappointed if I was a morbid man."

"Wouldn't have happened if the lil' rat hadn't cracked at the last minute," Bodie said. "Blurting out, 'They're coppers', the minute we walk in the room. Bastard."

"I doubt he'll be saying else anytime soon with a broken jaw," Ray said and sat beside Bodie on the sofa. "The Cow was right pissed."

"At me or the so-called victim?"

"Both. Can't believe he told us…" Ray coughed and gave Bodie a sideways glance as he did a terrible impression of George Cowley. "'Best not be seeing any confirmation of those rumours, laddies.' Shit, I know he's going to be watching us like a hawk. But guess that's no different than usual. Mostly he's pissed at the man drinking out of straw right now from your punch, and not at his blue eyed boy. That was a good right hook."

"Ta." Bodie returned Ray's smile and held up his hand. "Didn't even skin my knuckles."

"That's real talent," Ray deadpanned. He reached out and drew Bodie's hand to his mouth to gently kiss the knuckles. "Told you I didn't like the way he looked at you. We've got some things to talk about."

"Do we have to?" Bodie sighed, but he didn't pull his hand away. "There'll be a match on the telly soon…"

"Bodie…" There was hint of warning in Ray's voice. "We can't ignore what happened between us."

"We could if one of us wanted to."

"Do you want to?" Ray narrowed his gaze directly on Bodie. The green eyes challenged him to deny what they had.

"No," Bodie admitted. "How about you?"

"Nah," Ray told him and squeezed the hand in his grasp. "Can't deny it happened fast though."

Bodie made a grunting sound of disbelief. "We've been stalking each other like rabid dogs from day one. Was only a matter of time. We just got to be more careful from now on."

"Suppose so," Ray agreed with a chuckle. "That's why it was so easy. Others might think it was a rush, but whatever we got, it feels right."

"I'm not going to make some undying declaration of love," Bodie warned Ray. He might feel it, but that didn't mean he could or would say it. Feelings like that were for softer men or women.

"Don't count on it from my end either, luv," Ray told him and then chuckled crudely when Bodie smacked up the backside of his head.

"Prat," Bodie groaned. "I'm stuck with a prat!"

"Like the sound of that," Ray said, his voice lowered and his free hand rested on Bodie's thigh, just below his groin. "Stuck with me, you are. I like it."

"Christ, Ray…" Bodie breathed out heavily. "It's so easy with you… well, most of the time."

"That's right," Ray agreed and now his fingers were working down the fly to Bodie's cords. "Put any doubts right out of your head. It feels right between us. The others think we're together anyway, maybe they saw something we didn't."

Bodie hand came out to grasp Ray's wrist in an iron grip. "You're not just doing this because…"

"No," Ray told him and leaned over to kiss him. "I'm doing this because the idea of just being friends with you isn't enough. The op was an excuse, I guess. I need you, Bodie."

"Like I need you," Bodie echoed back. "Don't care how it started, just care that it doesn't end."

Ray shifted away from Bodie and slid onto the floor between the man's legs. Quickly, he undid the zipper on Bodie's trousers and lowered his head. He took Bodie's cock into mouth. It was no less exciting than the same experience had been in the club, but the closeness was amazing and new with this new act. Ray could taste and smell Bodie in a way that could easily become addicting. He was so hard himself, but he didn't dare touch his cock because he would cum and Ray wanted to save that for other ways of exploring Bodie.

When they were satiated, Ray could still taste Bodie's cum in his mouth and he rested his head against his lover's thigh. Bodie was running his fingers through the curls and told him, "Now that's a good ending, sunshine."

"Nowhere near done, Bodie. Just getting started and you've just got to believe in happy endings." He chuckled when Bodie made a face at him. "Or drink enough to ignore the mediocre ones…"

-- THE END --

July 2006