California Here We Come

Pseudonyms: Uris & Athena

uris@fateordestiny.com

Fandom: Sentinel

Summary: Jim and Blair got to California for vacation.

Pairing: Jim/Blair

Rating: NC17

Warning: m/m, alternate dietary persuasion.

Archive :yes

Feedback: Please. No feedback. No more of the series will be stories posted. If you want more tell me.

"We should visit Carolyn in San Francisco," Blair teased.

"We're going down south to enjoy the sunshine. Seeing my ex-wife isn't in the agenda." Jim drove the truck down the Pacific Coast. Jim was glad that he convinced Simon to allow them two weeks off for a much-needed vacation, enjoying the mountain air through open windows. The Oregon scenery was almost as beautiful as Washington.

"It wouldn't hurt to say hello and do lunch."

"She can lay on five years of guilt on me in two minutes."

"You take things too seriously."

"And you take nothing seriously."

"Guilty as charged." Blair checked his cell phone to see if he was in a calling area. Most of Oregon was in roaming or a non-calling area.

"Put that down."

Blair put down the phone. "Would you like to find a hotel or take a > walk on the beach?" Blair, leaning against Jim, put his hand on Jim's thigh.

"I can't drive when you do that."

Blair continued to touch Jim's leg, inching slowly toward his crotch. "Then pull over."

Jim slowed down. "These mountain roads are narrow. Cut that out."

"I can't keep my hands off you."

Jim drove the truck to a lookout point, turned off the car and pocketed the keys. The small parking lot was empty, except for their single truck. Jim wrapped his arms around Blair and breathed in Blair's wonderful scent. Blair and Jim were both sweating mildly from the summer heat. Jim didn't have air condition in his truck, but if he did, he wouldn't have ran it because the Freon would have bothered him. Jim wiped the sweat off Blair's forehead before giving him a brief kiss.

"You can do better than that," Blair stroked Jim's coarse cheek and snuggled closer, trying not to push the gearshift. Blair put his arms around Jim's back pulling this tank top off to feel Jim's hard pecs and continued to prove to Jim that kissing was a full contact sport. "I'm going to take some pictures."

Blair picked up his digital camera. The batteries were fully charged and there was close to a hundred pictures left. Blair breathed in the salt air as he snapped pictures of the ocean waves, the rocky shore and the mountain cliffs.

Jim got out of the truck to stretch his legs. "Honey, I'm in the mood for a Wonderburger."

"Tell your stomach to shut up and enjoy the scenery." Blair snapped two more photographs.

"You'll have a hundred before we get to the hotel and then you will spend all night uploading them into your laptop." Jim walked over to Blair and put his arm around Blair's shoulder. "Baby, there are hundreds of look-outs like one."

"It's just that I rarely get to use my camera."

"You take pictures every time we go fishing."

"Simon nearly forbid us to go to your brother's cabin."

"Only because it is out of cell-phone range and he has to call the ranger to find us. Then, we get a lecture from the local sheriff about being out of cell-phone range. You would think that the department couldn't run without us."

"It can't."

Blair turned off his camera. "Let's drive to the next town. My stomach is starting to complain, too."

They stopped at a hotel parking lot on the California border across from the beach. Blair checked the cell-phone; they were in range. "Hello, Carolyn. We're driving down the coast and thought we would visit."

"Your idea, not Jim's," said the other end.

"Why don't you like me? I met Jim after you were divorced."

"He can hear me."

"Jim might be buying subs and beer. Carolyn, you hang up every time that I call. I would like us to be friends."

"I rather not talk to my ex-husband's boyfriend. I don't need to be reminded that you have been together five years and Jim and I didn't last two years. It curds my stomach that a little cocksucker can please him more than I ever did. You don't think it struck a nerve when I came up for the Cop of the Year awards and saw him with you. I couldn't have been more embarrassed."

"My relationship with Jim is no reflection on you."

"When I see him put his arms around you and smile at you, I feel like my whole marriage was a lie. I couldn't bring a date to the award ceremony. I didn't want my date to know that my ex is a fag."

"We weren't involved then."

"Don't lie to me. You were living together and neither of you brought a date."

"I was between girls and Jim didn't want to go alone."

"So he came out in front of the major and the city commissioner."

"We weren't in. I didn't see him that way."

"You're full of shit."

"Carolyn, I didn't steal him from you. I'm sorry that it insults your womanhood that a man can please him more than you did. I didn't make him gay. He was born that way." Blair hung up the phone.

Jim put the subs and beer in the back of the truck. "We aren't seeing her for lunch."

"I see why you divorced her. She could try the patience of a saint."

Jim kissed Blair briefly. "And she doesn't give head nearly as good as you."

"Which one is the veggie?"

---

Blair went into a soda and beer store for beer and chips to take back to the motel. Three teenagers in bagging clothes entered the store. A Hispanic male with long hair and a dirty face pulled a gun at the middle-age saleswoman.

Jim dialed the local police and told them the location of the crime in progress. After pulling his gun out of his holster, Jim walked into the store.

"Empty the cash drawer into the bag," said the Hispanic boy as a Vietnamese boy held the bag.

Another Hispanic boy pointed his gun at Blair.

"Son, you don't want to hurt me," said Blair in a soothing voice.

"You aren't my father," the teenager said.

"Son, robbery is one thing. Murder is another." Blair didn't want to tell the boy he was cop, especially an unarmed cop. Blair felt like he was a magnet for trouble.

The cashier filled the bag wiping the long blonde and gray hair falling out of bun as sweat poured down her face. As the boys started toward the door, Jim appeared in the doorway. "Stop, Police." Jim spread his legs and held his gun.

"Don't shoot, Man," the unarmed boy said, putting his hands up. The two other boys dropped their guns and put their hands in Jim's view. The boys would probably get a few months in juvenile and then released into their parents' custody.

Jim kicked the two guns to the side still aiming his gun at the kids. "Why don't you boys sit down and wait for the local authorities?"

"No problem, Man," said the largest boy.

The local police officers, a man and a woman, entered the store. They escorted the boys to the police car. The woman returned to ask the three witnesses for their statements. Her mouth fell open. "Professor Sandburg," she said, "are you still teaching at Rainer?"

"I haven't taught in two years." Blair put his fingers through his hair. "Miss Wells, weren't you on of my test subjects? We can discuss this later. Three boys just tried to rob this store at gun point."

Officer Wells took the cashier's statement. "Thank you so much for your assistance." Afterwards, she said, "Would you and your partner like to go down to the station and file out your statements?"

"We're on vacation," Jim said.

"Come on," Blair said. "She's one of my test subjects."

"Which sense?" Jim asked.

"Light," she said. "I take it you were also one of his test subjects."

"He believed that I might be a full sentinel but I only have two enhanced senses," Jim said walking back to the truck as the female police officer followed.

"So is he your partner professionally or privately?" Officer Wells asked.

Blair looked at her as to say that it wasn't her business.

Officer Wells returned to the squad car. "Follow us to the station."

Detectives Ellison and Sandburg gave their statements as Officer Wells's partner booked the adolescents. "I'm off at ten if you would like to join my partner and I for a late dinner."

"Sure, it might be fun meeting another one of Professor Sandburg's victims," Jim said.

"How long are you in town?" Officer Wells asked.

"Two weeks," Blair volunteered.

---

Jim and Blair arrived at the station a few minutes passed ten. Officer Wells said, "Wait a moment. I still have change into my street clothes."

After Officer Wells and her partner had changed into jeans and tee shirts, they greeted Blair and Jim at the front of the station. "We should go to Chinatown," Blair suggested.

"I know a few restaurants open at this hour," Officer Wells said. "Kelly and this is Ron."

"Blair."

"Jim." Jim extended his hand to shake hands with Ron. "We'll follow in my truck."

As they were waiting at the bar for a table, Kelly asked, "What senses?"

"Smell and taste but they're kind of related. I met Sandburg after I checked myself in a hospital thinking that a chef at a restaurant was trying to poison me," Jim said.

"I was told by a nursing student that he might be the real thing," Blair said. "I pretended to be a doctor so I could meet him."

"Blair is a little too enthusiastic," Jim said.

"I seem to remember that my meeting with him wasn't as exciting. I answered an ad in a local paper asking for test subjects. Blair had me come to his office a few times. We did a few simple tests."

"His tests were never simple. I seem to recall him pushing my nose to the limit," Jim said.

"The pheromone thing," Ron asked.

"Unfortunately, this is one of the few thing in that fraudulent paper that was true," Jim said.

"I would love to hear about it," Kelly said.

"It's a long story," Blair said.

"How is vision enhanced?" Jim asked. "Blair thought mine was enhanced but I simply more observant due to my years of military training. He found that on a visual acuity test that I had 15/20, which is high but doesn't make me a sentinel. I also listen better than most but that most but my hearing is actually poor for a man of my age."

"I can see about 10/20, which is Blair considered enhanced."

"I consider 20/20 enhanced," Blair said. "Reading is a modern adaptation. More than fifty percent of the population requires glasses, which speaks for itself. Evolution didn't design the human eye to read small print."

"Evolution doesn't have a goal," Jim said.

"Obviously," Ron said. "I read two books by Richard Dawkins."

"I thought the Blind Watchman was simplistic," Jim said. "Genotype and phenotype are far more complex than that and he didn't want to tackle complex adaptive systems. Blair thinks everything works on a continuum."

Blair didn't want to talk about science with Jim. It usually led to something gross and disgusting that only Jim could distinguish as human found at the bottom of a dumpster. It was time to talk about the weather.

Ron was holding the restaurant pager when it buzzed to alert them that their table was ready. "How did you become a cop?" Ron asked Blair as they sat down.

"When I couldn't find a true sentinel, I changed my diss to the police force as a closed society. Since I already knew Jim, he convinced his captain to let me observe and I went native."

"What about that fraudulent diss?" asked Ron.

Blair did his best to remain calm. However, his hands started to sweat and his pulse elevated slightly. After all this time, he was still uncomfortable talking about his lying to protect Jim and himself. "It was never meant for public eyes. My mother gave it to a publisher behind my back. I never submitted it to the college. I suppose it was wishful thinking that I had found a true sentinel and that was more convenient to write something as if one person could do everything I
had seen a number of people do. It was for my own use."

"Most of the facts were true, but they all didn't pertain to me," Jim said. "I insisted that he sue the publisher for damages caused by submitting it to the college against Blair's wishes. The press didn't bother to cover the settlement."

"That didn't consider it newsworthy." Blair had received the settlement soon after he had finished at the academy. Jim had signed his half to Blair and insisted that he use it to pay off his student loans.

"After the settlement, only one university offered to take him up as a doctoral candidate," Jim said.

Although Blair's name was cleared, no one was going to forget that he admitted to committing fraud. "I had changed my subject to closed societies three year prior and never bothered to inform Rainier. It was just that the merry-go-round of academia didn't appeal to me anymore."

"He didn't realize that he didn't tell the dean." Jim laughed as he put his arm around Blair.

"Talk about your absent-minded professor," teased Kelly.

"Blair was afraid if he turned in his diss that he would lose his non-official observer pass," Jim said.

"I had to wait four months to start the academy," Blair said. "Simon insisted that I could only visit the station a few minutes at a time until I was officially enrolled. Then, Jim insisted that I do his paperwork again."

"You did it for free all those years," Jim added.

"Does your captain have a problem with fraternization?" Ron asked.

"I was only doing your paperwork so I had an excuse to observe your tribal customs," Blair said.

"Since Ron and I have started seeing each other socially, our captain wants to divide us," Kelly said.

"Simon couldn't rationalize dividing the team with the best case solved record three years running," Blair said. "Jim has been Cop of the Year three out of the last four years." Rafe received the award the previous year but Jim needed competition.

"Are you ready to order?" asked the waitress.

Blair ordered for himself and Jim.

"How long have you been together?" Kelly asked.

"Five years," Blair said.

"Socially or professionally?" Ron asked.

"Both. I moved in with him soon after I started working with him. Simon thought we were together the moment Jim asked to get me an observer pass," Blair said.

"He didn't buy that you were my cousin. He issued the pass only because he believed that you would be gone in a week," Jim said.

"Do the other officers have a problem with you being a couple?" Blair asked.

"As long as we get our work done," Kelly said. "Have you had any problems?"

"Nothing we couldn't handle," Jim said.

"Conner was angry when Jim and her were supposed to act like a married couple," Blair said. "Jim couldn't even kiss her in my presence."

"I kissed her, but she insulted by technique," Jim said.

"She asked Jim to join her in the master bedroom," Blair said.

"I doubt blame her for being disappointed," Kelly said. "He's a hunk."

"Jim's ex is a an forensics' officer. She was transferred here," Blair said. "She didn't have a problem working with Jim until I moved in with him."

"This isn't their business," Jim said. "They could know Carolyn."

"Carolyn Plummer is your ex," Ron said. "You have my condolences."

"We were only married a year," Jim said. It wasn't two years and why make it sound longer?

*

The following morning, Blair walked over to Officer Wells's desk. Jim waited in the front office. "You never gave us your phone number." Blair handed her a business card with his cell-phone number and email address. "Call me."

"We'll get together if I ever come up to Washington. Ron has family there," Officer Wells said. "Thanks for your help."

"It was our pleasure." Blair said. "We don't go out with many couples. Cascade isn't a very gay friendly town and Jim is a bit of a loner."

"He's a wonderful guy," Kelly said.

Carolyn walked by the front desk. "I told Blair that I wasn't interest in having lunch."

"We aren't here because of you. Sandburg ran into one of his former test subjects. You aren't the only one to have a life," said Jim.

Blair took Jim's hand. "Hello, Carolyn."

"Chief, we should go," Jim said.

"Unless you changed your mind about lunch?" Blair asked.

"I don't think I could stomach it," Carolyn said.

"We need to move forward," Blair said. "I thought that two of you parted amiably."

"I'll see you in an hour for lunch," Carolyn said.

"Why are so hostile toward me?" Blair asked taking her aside to a quiet part of the office.

"Because he's so happy since he met you and he wasn't happy when we were together. I thought he was just a miserable person but now I know that I made him miserable," Carolyn said. "Seeing him glowing when he holds your hand only rubs it in more."

"Carolyn, it wasn't your fault," Blair said. "Jim was repressing a lot at the time. He couldn't have made a go of it with anyone."

"But you were able to get him out of it."

"I was just more stubborn than you. It took me over a year to crack his thick shell."

"Why did you listen to his abuse?"

"I must be a masochist. I also worked at the police station for nothing."

"Blair, I'm glad that you make him happy. I'm sorry that I have been abusive to you in the past."

Blair smiled. "You two need to talk alone."

"If you don't mind." Jim put his hand on Blair's shoulder.

"Just don't let it ruin our vacation." Blair wouldn't have suggested it if he minded.

"Why not?" Carolyn said.

Blair gave Jim a quick peck on the lips. "Dear, I'll take a some of the sights and see you at the hotel around four."

"Love ya." Jim blew Blair a kiss as he walked out of the office.

"He just kissed you," Carolyn said.

"Couples do that."

"I never saw you hold his hand in Cascade."

Jim shrugged his shoulders. Carolyn won't have believed that they weren't a couple then.

"I'll see you at the deli across the street in an hour." Carolyn walked away. Jim walked down the street wondering how was going to waste an hour and to the family owned bookstore, hoping that Blair would have stepped in, but he didn't smell Blair's odor. Jim found a book on IBM and its connection to the Holocaust, found it to be fascinating but scary and purchased the book with ten minutes remaining on the hour.

Carolyn met him outside the station. "I've shouldn't have assumed that you came here to see me."

"I shouldn't have made the Carolyn Plummer is the center of the universe comment," said Jim, looking at his feet.

"James Ellison is apologizing," said Carolyn.

Jim didn't say he was sorry, only that he admitted to making a rude remark probably wasn't a good way to start a conversation. Carolyn and he were speaking so he let it go. "Let's see about lunch."

Carolyn ordered a turkey sub and Jim got a cheese steak sub. Jim paid for both subs and drinks. Carolyn found a table in the back of the restaurant. "Jimmy, I don't know what to say to you."

"I'm not that good with words, either. I just don't like seeing you angry with Blair."

Carolyn took a bite of her sandwich. "Jimmy, we both agreed that our marriage wasn't working out."

Jim finished chewing the piece of bread in his mouth. Who put a cheese steak on French bread? "Then, why the hostility."

"I feel like our marriage was a lie," said Carolyn.

"In what way?" Jim knew the answer and didn't have to be a sentinel to see that his ex-wife was uncomfortable.

"I don't know how to say what needs to be said without being terribly insulting."

Jim laughed. "I don't see how you can get more insulting. Blair wants us to bury the hatchet. Go ahead."

"Maybe, you married me because you wanted to believe you were straight."

"Oh shit."

"Blair wasn't the first man you were with?"

"No, but."

"Most men that claim to be bisexual aren't. Blair said that you were born gay and it had nothing to do with him or me."

"There're always shades of gray. Carolyn, our marriage wasn't a lie. I believed that I loved you."

"Does he make you happy?"

"Yes. When I married you, I expected us to remain married forever. I don't take commitment lightly."

"Then, I'm happy for your both."

"Friends?" Jim stood up to hug Carolyn. Carolyn allowed him to hug her but her pulse was elevated. He sat back down and ate another bite of the dry sandwich and drank more soda.

"Jimmy, I didn't mean to imply that you weren't committed to our marriage. I'm sorry if it sounded that way, but how you could you not know you were gay at the time?"

"I hadn't been in a relationship with a man for sometime and our relationship was the best thing in my life. I never intended to hurt you."

"How long a time?"

"Before I spent eighteen months in Peru. Carolyn, no hurt feelings."

"Danny Choi?"

"That was after we were married." Jim admitted.

"That makes me feel a hell of a sight better."

Jim decided to change the subject. He started going sailing with Danny when he was married to Carolyn. "Would you like to join Blair and I for dinner this week or the next?"

"I'm not that mature," Carolyn tried to smile.

"If you change your mind, you know my cell phone number."

"Jimmy, I really wish you and Blair the best. This is my short coming not yours. I'm not ready to introduce my ex-husband and his life partner to my man."

Jim accepted that. He would have liked Carolyn to accept Blair as his other half, but he understood that it was hard for her accept that James Ellison was madly in love with another man. After walking Carolyn back, Jim looked at his watch. It was only one o'clock.

"I'll give you a call."

"Whatever."

"Don't be a stranger."

Jim found Blair outside the hotel at three-thirty. "Babe, do you want to go for a walk or did you make us other plans?"

"I'm easy."

"So I heard." Jim took him hand. "I could get used to holding your hand."

"Did you have a nice talk?"

"We've been through marriage counseling. We didn't pull any punches. Have I told you today that I love you?"

"I love hearing it again."

"I love you."

"I love you, Big Guy." Blair held Jim's hand as they walked in the park. Another male couple was making out on a beach. "If we did that at Cascade, we would be arrested."

Jim picked up his cell phone after they had dinner at a Thai restaurant. "Carolyn, I didn't expect you to call so soon."

"Owen says that he would love to join you and Blair for dinner. He's more open minded than I."

"Great."

"We can have dinner at the fisherman's wharf at seven, tomorrow."

"We'll meet you then."

Jim paid the bill before they went for another walk. "Carolyn is going to meet us for dinner tomorrow night."

"After what she said to you."

"I'm going to hate going back to Cascade. I never enjoyed public displays of affection with Carolyn."

"So that's the PDA that Simon keeps yelling about."

"Like it ever stopped me. I can't help it; you're quite huggable and your hair begs my fingers to mess with it." Jim put his hand through Blair's loose hair.

Blair wrapped his arms around Jim and kissed him. "Let Simon scream when we get back. I love it when you touch me in public. Can we go dancing?"

"You're part exhibitionist."

"I just want to show the world that you're mine. I get so jealous when a couple makes out in a restaurant or in the back of a movie theatre and I can't do that with you without fear of reprisal. We never going clubbing in Cascade."

"Vice closed the only gay bar that plays decent music. I can't stand country." Country music was very popular in Washington much to Jim's chagrin.

"Dial it down. Come on. We'll find a bar that plays music that you like." Blair took Jim's hand. "Carolyn was hurt because I make you happy and she didn't."

"Babe, you taught me to accept way I am. Carolyn wanted me to change."

"You have changed since we met."

"So have you. Chief, none of us is the same person that we were five years ago. You really want to dance with me."

"I want to put my arms around you and let the crowd at the bar envy that I have you. You have brightened my life. Before I met you, I never believed that I could find love."

Jim walked into a bar playing mostly 80's music. The speakers in the corners of the platform the band members were playing on. Jim could feel the vibrations in his muscles and bones. The smell of cigarette smoke and spilt beer overwhelmed his sensitive nose, reminding him why he
drank his beers in front of a television set watching a Jags game. Jim told himself to dial it down; Blair wanted to dance and all bars were loud and smelly. "I'll get you a beer."

"Thanks." It wasn't long before Blair talked Jim into going on the dance floor. It appeared to be a mixed club, but only straight couples were on the floor so Blair wasn't sure. As Jim put his arms around him, Blair didn't care if anyone stared. Jim felt so good in his arms.

While Blair was in his arms, Jim focused on Blair's odor and the feeling of the man that he loved in his arms. He stroked Blair's hair periodically allowed the odor of the herbal shampoo and conditioner to fill his nostrils. He lightly sucked on Blair's neck not wanting to leave a mark but enough to fill his mind with the smell and taste of his love. Blair clean musky odor made Jim forget about the less pleasant odors in the bar. As Jim's arms moved over Blair's body, he could forget that they were on a crowded dance floor and pretend that they were dancing in the loft alone.

Blair was very tired when they walked back to the hotel. "I want to make love to you."

"In the morning." Jim removed his clothes and put them in laundry bag. When he climbed into bed, Blair was asleep sprawled over the bed naked lying on his stomach. Blair's round bottom looked so invited and his head was turned to the side covering his face with curls. It was hard
not to wake him as Jim snuggled next to him wanting so much to kiss that smooth muscular back until he reached Blair's creamy white buttocks, but it could wait until morning. Blair pretended to complain when Jim wanted to savor Blair's skin with fingertips and kisses, wanting to sense it all but their need made them usually hurry through it.

Blair woke in the middle of the night, took off his clothes and enjoyed a hotel shower. Time to wake up Jim. Blair towel dried his shoulder length hair. Then he shook his head to be sure that he kisses would arouse Jim, not give him curly hair water torture. Finally, he straddled Jim and placed kisses on his back and began working his way down. Jim moved and stretched as Blair tried to roll down the blanket without waking him. Having removed the blanket to expose a naked sentinel, Blair kissed the firm cheeks.

"Baby, I love the way you wake me up." Jim yawned.

Blair's hands cupped Jim's buttock as he continued to lay kisses on the firm muscular cheeks. Blair then kissed around the butthole to tease Jim into pleading for more. He wondered if Jim packed the flavored lubricating jelly. However, he didn't want to stop kissing Jim just as he was getting to the naughty bits. Jim's balls needed some gentle kissing. How Blair loved making the man squirm in delight.

"Oh, Baby." Jim rolled onto his stomach and stretched.

Blair pressed his mouth against Jim's hard, firm bottom. Blair sucked gently and then used his teeth and more pressure causing Jim to moan. Blair licked Jim's back as he moved his hands over the firm body. Blair planted his mouth against Jim's shoulder and sucked harder than he did
on Jim's butt.

"Uhhmm. Uhhmmm."

Blair took the lubricating jelly from the nightstand and it was the strawberry kind. Maybe, he would lick it off Jim later. Right now, he had other things in mind. Blair opened the jar and covered two fingers with jelly. Blair kneeled over Jim's legs and Jim continued to yawn and
stretch. He circled the butthole with jelly before getting more jelly to lubricate inside. He kissed Jim's behind. It was the flavored kind and Jim could use a little more waking up before the main event.

Now that Jim was moaning, Blair took more jelly to lubricate the inside and out. He oiled the inside with a single finger. He then straddled Jim and entered him. "Jim, you feel so good."

"Hmmm," said Jim.

Blair grabbed Jim's back with both hands as he fucked Jim. Jim's hums were finally moans of pleasure until he screamed in release. Blair needed only a few more thrusts before he came himself. Then he fell back on the bed and collapsed. He kissed Jim on the lips briefly. "Ready to
start the day?"

"Let me lie here a bit longer," said Jim. "I'm not a young man."

"You are only seven years older than me."

"And you're wearing me out." Jim rolled over and kissed Blair until he could practically taste his tonsils. "You taste minty like Scope."

"Hotel samples. I used my own shampoo, but I forgot to pack my mouthwash."

"You don't taste too much like alcohol. The commercials lie; it does tastes medicinally."

"I'll drive to the health food store to get an alcohol-free brand."

"Don't move. I want you here in my arms. You don't need alcohol-free mouthwash unless you prefer it. You always tell me to dial down my senses and then you're overcautious about what you put on your own body."

"I like using products not tested on animals."

"Use whatever Brands you like. I love Blair, not Blair's mouthwash. If you want to help the environment, become vegetarian."

"You mean it?"

"Ask me in a couple hours. I'm delirious from being fucked before the roosters are up."

---

That evening at a fancy seafood restaurant, Blair ordered a large salad without cheese with oil and vinegar and pasta with tomato sauce. Blair told the waiter to hold the cheese twice.

"I'm going to be punished for the rest of my life for something I said four o'clock in the morning," Jim said.

"What did you say?" Owen, Carolyn's date asked. Owen was a middle-aged balding man with extra weight around the middle dressed in casually in Dockers and a short-sleeve button down shirt.

"He was talking about animal-testing again and I told him to become vegetarian," Jim said.

"He'll bore of it in a few days," Owen said.

"You don't know Blair," Carolyn said. "Once he puts his mind on something he does it."

"We eat vegetarian most the time," Blair said. "I'll check on the internet for the best fake meat products available."

"They won't take like steak," Jim said.

"I hope they taste better." Blair leaned over and kissed Jim. Jim got out of his chair and bent down to Blair's level and gave him a deep lingering kiss.

"You have never kiss me like that in public," Carolyn said.

"You looked embarrassed when I gave you a brief peck," Jim said, returning to his seat.

"And you aren't embarrassed kissing another man in a fancy restaurant?" Carolyn asked.

"We're out at the police station. The hospital has always seen us as a couple," Jim said. "What's a kiss in a different city?"

Carolyn said, "I didn't go to an expensive restaurant to have my appetite ruined."

"Blair and I are lovers. Get over it." Jim returned to his seat and took a sip of his beer.

"People that go vegetarian usually give up fish last but there are many reasons to give up fish first," Blair said. "As in mercury poisoning."

"I just told you not to do that," Carolyn said. "If you know all this stuff already, why didn't you give up meat years ago?"

"Because you get into habits," Blair said. "Food and food rituals are an intrinsic part of every culture. Comfort foods take a special meaning in our lives. There is nothing like chicken soup when you aren't feeling well."

"He only makes meat once a week and only because I ask," Jim said. "I suppose we'll be going to vegetarian restaurants more often. Now that Wonderburger has a veggie burger, he doesn't eat meat at work anymore."

"I'm eating my scallops," Owen said. "Let's talk about something else."

"We have been enjoying the sunshine," Jim said. "Carolyn must have told you that it rains 300 days a year in Cascade."

"You aren't what I expected," said Owen.

"Jim stopped color-coding the Tupperware," remarked Blair.

"That's the Jimmy Carolyn told me about," said Owen. "So gentlemen, how do you like our fair city?"

"The weather has been perfect," Blair said.

"And the people?" Carolyn asked.

"Friendly," Blair said.

Bread and salads were served.

"Not as friendly as the people in Cascade." Jim buttered a roll.

"Jim has been teasing about asking for a transfer here." Blair started to eat his salad.

"Chief, trouble would follow you here," Jim said. "Owen, are you in the police force?"

"No, I'm an accountant," Owen said.

"And Carolyn thought I was repressed," Jim teased.

"It's nice to come home to someone that isn't from that world," Carolyn said. "I told him not to talk about work when he came home so he talked about nothing. In a few weeks, I was staying later at work and avoiding him. He never told me a thing about the way he felt. I would have rather that he spoke about work instead of nothing at all."

"I married you hoping to have an ally. I had hoped that we could continue the good relationship that we had at the office at home. You were so cold."

"Me, cold?" Carolyn whined.

"That's long over," Owen said eating his salad.

"Work stops at work and home stays at home," Blair said. "I have a few house rules of my own."

"Blair is more mature than I." Jim remembered how their marriage fell apart. Carolyn had avoided him at the office and at home. When he wanted affection, she was always pulling away. Jim didn't know how to tell her how he felt; he could only show it in his body language and Carolyn wouldn't let him near her.

"You should hear Simon yell, 'No PDA in the office'," Blair said.

"The Captain never yelled that at us," Carolyn said. "I can't remember you ever kissing me in public when we were married."

"I kissed you outside that restaurant," Jim pouted.

"We were divorced," Carolyn said.

"I thought that PDA embarrassed you," Jim protested. "You didn't want me to hug or kiss you around our friends."

"It would have been nice if you tried," Carolyn said. "I'm glad that Owen and I don't work together."

"Your relationship didn't fail because you worked together. It was four years into our relationship the first time that Jim told me that he loved me." Blair returned to eating his salad.

"You need a masters of anthropology to decipher Jimmy's grunts," said Carolyn.

Blair wanted to come up with a snappy retort, but he did have a masters in anthropology, and he knew when not to open mouth and insert foot. Jim doesn't grunt. Blair took that back; Jim was grunting this morning. Blair shrugged his shoulders and smiled at Jim.

"It must have been earlier than that," Jim said.

"No, I would remember. I worked as an observer for how many years? I kept mental notes about office politics until I could get to my notepad." Blair put his hand on Jim's hand. "Darling, I know you aren't good with words."

"I must have said it," Jim insisted.

"You referred to the subject but you didn't actually say the words. It didn't matter. Jim saying that I owned him back rent was his way of saying I love you. I knew that you loved me from the way you looked at me and touched me," Blair said. "The words aren't important."

"I love you, Baby," Jim said.

Blair took a sip of his tea and then smiled. "I love you, too."