SquidgeWorld Archive

"Fraser!" exclaimed Ray Kowalski, glaring at his unofficial partner.

*Oh, dear.* Benton Fraser knew what was coming, but he put on what had been called his "Innocent Mountie Look" and said, pleasantly, "Yes, Ray?"

"What did you just do to me?" demanded Kowalski.

"I kissed you, Ray," replied the Mountie.

"I /know/ you kissed me, Fraser! What I wanna know is why!"

Fraser cocked his head to one side and looked at Ray with what the detective was certain was amusement. "Why did you not ask me that, then?"

"Just answer the question, Fraser!"

Fraser shook his head and smiled indulgently at his partner. "Because I wanted to, Ray."

Ray stopped his tirade for a moment. Fraser had kissed him. Completely unexpectedly, he had leaned across the seat of Ray's car and planted one on Ray's lips. And he wasn't apologizing or attempting to explain, just saying, "I wanted to." "Why did you want to?" he asked.

Fraser sighed tolerantly. "Ray, you are an intelligent human being. You are a detective who has solved many difficult and complex cases. You have dated - and, I am certain, kissed - many women, and you have been married. Perhaps you have never kissed a man before, but I am certain the same rules apply. Why do people normally want to kiss each other, do you think?"

Ray could not seem to get the connections between his mouth and his brain to work properly. "Because... because..." he stammered, "because they are attracted to each other," he finally managed.

Fraser beamed as if he were a schoolteacher and Ray a student who had just mastered a difficult problem. "And what does that tell you about why I wanted to kiss you?"

"That you're attracted to me?" the detective asked.

"Yes, Ray, I am attracted to you, and that is why I kissed you," Fraser replied.

"Well, why didn't ya just /tell/ me instead of jumping me in the front seat of my car?"

Fraser rubbed his thumb along one eyebrow. "But I did tell you, Ray. Quite some time ago."

"Wha - ? When? I'm sure I woulda remembered ya telling me that!"

Fraser sighed again. "The day of the eclipse. In the crypt, while we were waiting for Marcus Ellery to show up. You asked me if I found you attractive, and I told you that I did, very much so."

"As a woman! I said if you were a woman, would ya find me attractive!"

"But I am not a woman," responded Fraser. "I could never be a woman - barring radical surgery, that is - and I do not know how women think. I only know how I think, and I think you are very attractive."

"Well, I think you're attractive too, Fraser," said Ray.

"Thank you kindly, Ray. But are you attracted to me?"

In response, Ray leaned over and covered Benton's mouth with his own. After a long, drawn-out, very pleasant kiss, he said, "Don't ask me why I kissed ya."

"I wouldn't dream of it, Ray."