You Know Who - Robin L. Deeter (books for new readers .TXT) 📗

that her feet hurt and kicked off her shoes much to Ray’s amusement and drove barefoot. Parking in her driveway she slipped her shoes back on.
“You know, I oughta give you a ticket. It’s against the law to drive barefoot,” Ray said in his best Fraser imitation.
“Yeah, well, you let me do it, so you’ll have to give yourself a ticket, too.”
“But you are the actual perpetrator, which comes from the Latin word perpetrari-“
Jessie’s fist shot out hitting Ray square on the side of his thigh.
“Ow!”
“If you’re going to act like Ben, you’re going to get treated like him,” she told Ray sweetly.
“Now I should arrest you for assaulting a cop.”
Jessie rubbed his thigh contritely. “Do you have your cuffs with you?”
“No.”
“How disappointing.”
Ray smiled. “There are other methods of restraining someone, you know.”
“Who said I was trying to escape?”
Jessie’s suggestive tone of voice was making him crazy. He shook a finger at her. “You are bad. Very bad.” He got out of the car, walked around to her side and helped her out. Closing the door, he pinned her against it and wrapped his arms around her.
“I told you there were other ways to restrain someone.” So saying he lowered his mouth to hers.
There was nothing hesitant about the way she returned his kiss. Jessie had wanted this for too long to be coy about it. She slid her hands over his coat around his neck and caressed the back of his head. Ray’s lips moved insistently over Jessie’s, coaxing them apart. Jessie opened willingly, emitting a small moan as she did so. Fire lit in Ray’s veins and he pressed more firmly against Jessie. She didn’t resist, only pulled him closer, her hands cupping his face.
Their breathing quickened, lips, tongues and teeth employed to excite and taste. Ray forced himself to slow down and his grip on her waist loosened. Pulling back, his gaze met hers. The light from the street lamp made them appear dark gold and mirrored his own desire. Taking her hand he walked her to the door of the breezeway and saw her safely inside. He didn’t trust himself to actually enter the house with her so Ray shut the door once she’d passed through the doorway. Through the glass door he heard her laugh.
“It’s not funny!” he yelled but with no real venom.
“I’m sorry.” Jessie couldn’t stop laughing. “You could stay, you know.”
He leaned his forehead against the cold glass, nodding against it. “You really know how to torture a guy, don’t you?”
“I don’t mean to.”
He smiled at her. “I know. Say goodnight, Jess.”
“Goodnight, Jess.”
“Smart ass.”
“See you tomorrow, Ray. I had a great time tonight.”
“Me, too.” He watched her unlock the kitchen door and enter before turning away. Getting into the car he laughed when he was crammed into the seat. Jessie had moved the seat up so she could reach the pedals. He adjusted the seat and drove home, smiling the whole way.

Chapter Seven

At work the next morning, Ray found a thermos of coffee sitting on his desk. There was a tiny scrap of folded paper stuck under the corner of his desk blotter. Unfolding it, he found that it was a sticky note. It simply said, “Good morning, you know who.”
Fraser arrived at the 27th on Monday morning at ten a.m. He’d worked the morning shift at the Consulate and had the rest of the day free. Inspector Thatcher had dismissed him yet again. Entering the squad room he saw that Ray was on the phone and did not look happy with the conversation in which he was engaged. Ray looked down at the small piece of paper he was fiddling with and smiled.
“Yeah, yeah. Whatever,” he groused and hung up. He kept smiling.
Fraser sat down in the empty chair at Ray’s desk. “Am I to conclude that your date with Jessie went well by the smile on your face?” He kept his voice at a discreet level.
“Your conclusion would be correct, Big Red.” Ray showed him the note.
Fraser smiled. “You look happy, Ray. I’m glad.”
“Yeah, I am.” His phone rang and the day started in earnest. It was mid-afternoon until he had a chance to see Jessie. He had a file to take back. The happy light in her eyes when she saw him caused a warmth to spread through his chest.
“So how’s the prettiest records clerk I know?” he asked.
“She’s great. You?”
“I’m good. Real good.” He sat on her desk. “Thanks for the coffee, as always.”
“I’m not telling you what kind it was. Did you like it, though?”
He nodded. “Yeah, but I like the person who delivered it a lot more.” He hand the file to her, enjoying her blush.
“Vecchio!” Welsh’s voice thundered from somewhere down the hall.
Ray rolled his eyes. “Gotta go,” he groused and kissed her cheek.
“Bye.” Laughing softly, she turned to the file, flipping it open to see how badly mixed up it was. Ray was notorious for leaving files utter disasters. Ben on the other hand always brought them back in perfect order. Surprisingly it wasn’t in too bad a shape. On the inside cover Jessie found a sticky note. “Hi, sexy. Call ya later. You know who.” Jessie smiled and put the note in her purse.
It became a game between them. They would leave each other notes in hidden places, sometimes having Fraser deliver them. He was happy to assist, understanding that they wanted to keep their growing relationship discreet. The notes were always signed “you know who” so they wouldn’t be incriminating if the wrong person happened to get a hold of one.
As hard as they tried, however, it was out by the time three weeks passed. They put up with some teasing but it was all good natured and eventually tapered off. Not long after their secret was out they spent their first night together. It was a Friday that ended up stretching into the weekend.
Throughout their relationship they rarely neglected their joint friendship with Fraser. Jessie and the Mountie still played chess and they never made him feel like a third wheel. Sometimes Frannie tagged along to her utter delight. Jessie became a regular at the Vecchio house. After watching Jessie yell and tease just like the others Mrs. Vecchio told Ray that the girl must have some Italian blood somewhere in her family tree.
One night when Jessie was helping Mrs. Vecchio clean up the kitchen after dinner the older woman cornered her.
“You love my son,” she stated. Her sharp eyes held Jessie’s gaze.
“Yes, I do. Very much.” Jessie’s stomach churned with anxiety as she waited for the older woman’s reaction.
Mrs. Vecchio’s face relaxed into a broad smile. “Good. You make him happy. It’s been a long time since he’s been happy.” She gave Jessie a hug and kissed both Jessie’s cheeks.
Jessie’s eyes filled with tears. “Thank you. You don’t know how much it means that you approve of me, that you like me.”
Ray’s mother patted Jessie’s cheek. “You’re a wonderful girl. What’s not to like?”

The Christmas season was one of the happiest that Jessie could remember and she knew it was because of Ray. On Christmas day she and Fraser had dinner with the Vecchios. It was a riotous affair typical of the large, loud family. Ray let it out that Jessie was a Steelers fan and that set off an uproar that ended with Jessie getting in a major mouth battle with Tony. Ray sat by totally enchanted with his little five foot three spitfire facing off against his big, burly brother-in-law without a hint of fear. Even his mother was amused and didn’t interfere. Fraser watched with a touch of apprehension but when Ray only looked on and laughed he decided that everything was fine.
Christmas night as they lay entwined with each other, Ray could tell that Jessie’s mind had drifted off somewhere.
“Penny for your thoughts, or I guess it’s a quarter now with inflation and all.”
Jessie smiled against his chest. “I was just thinking about Ben.”
“Fraser? You’re lying here naked with me and thinking about Fraser?” He rolled her over, pinning her underneath him. She started laughing. It was the damnedest thing, Ray thought. Her laugh never failed to turn him on. “I’m gonna make you forget all about Fraser,” he told her and he did for quite some time.
“Ok, spill the beans. What’s bothering you about Fraser?” Ray knew Jessie well enough now to know when something was occupying her mind.
“I’m sorry. He’s so alone. I love him and I wish he could find someone or maybe someone would find him.”
Ray chuckled. “And would this someone be Frannie?”
“Frannie is my best friend and I love her to death, but I just don’t think she’s the woman for Ben. They say that opposites attract but they’re just too opposite. I don’t have anyone in mind.” Jessie rolled over, snuggling against Ray, seeking his warmth. “It’s like he’s shut that part of himself off. I know it’s because of her. What I wouldn’t give to get my hands on her.”
Ray took hold of her fist making her relax it. “Yeah, you and me both.”
Neither had any solution to the problem. They recognized that it was something Ben was going to have to deal with in his own way.
Fraser enjoyed the time that the three of them spent together. Jessie could coax Ray into doing a lot of things that he wouldn’t do otherwise. He played chess from time to time, complaining with every piece that either Fraser or Jessie captured. Ben suspected that he did it just to hear Jessie laugh. They were able to convince Frannie to come over to Jessie’s house one night to play chess. Fraser and Jessie manipulated Ray and Frannie to square off against each other. Frannie mangled the names of the pieces, calling the rooks “rourkes”, insisting that they were named after the guy from Fantasy Island. The knights she called “cowboys”. It resulted in a hilarious screaming match between the two Vecchios. Fraser and Jessie couldn’t contain their mirth and tears had rolled down their cheeks. The two siblings never played each other again, especially since Frannie refused to play at all.
They rang in the New Year with another chaotic Vecchio party. The place was filled with relatives and friends and Jessie couldn’t remember all the names and relationships because there were too many. February rolled around and Jessie and Ray celebrated Valentine’s Day with dinner and dancing. Fraser left for Canada on a much needed vacation. He missed home and was glad to be able to return at least for a short time. It was better than nothing.
Towards the end of the first week of Fraser’s vacation Ray arrived home very late. He was bone weary.