Date: Tue, 24 Feb 2004 21:22:00 -0500
From: Chris <cowboyg4@netscape.net>
Subject: A Perfect Stranger: A Perfect Stranger 4

I would like to give a HUGE THANK YOU to Jeff for editing this!

This is a work of Fiction. The characters, incidents, and dialogues are
products of the author's imagination and are not to be construed as
real. Any resemblance to actual events or persons, living or dead, is
completely coincidental.

Perfect Stranger 4

They pulled into the feed store, which consisted of a big red barn next to
a little white house that had a wrap around porch. Chris looked over to his
side to check on Max.  Max looked like he would fall asleep any second. He
was fighting with his eye lids to have them stay open for another second
and it was taking more energy then Max expected.

"I only have to get a couple things.  You can come with me if you want or
you can stay here."

Max watched an old man come out of the side door of the barn, "I think I
will stay here."

Max watched Chris get out of the truck and saw the older man walk up to him
and shake hands. They talked for a bit, then the man put his arm around
Chris' shoulders, and they walked into the barn.  Now Max wished that he
had gone with him. Being tired and a little groggy from the medicine they
had given him before he left, Max finally closed his eyes and drifted off
into a deep slumber.

About a half an hour later, Max was awakened by them walking out to the
truck. Chris had a 50-pound bag of grain on each shoulder and walked like
nothing was there.  He put them in the bed of the truck and the suspension
made a noticeable squeak at the sudden weight pushing it down.  Max had
turned his head back to the barn as Chris got in and moved the truck toward
the side door.

The silver haired man came out, and noticing Max, he waved.

"Max, this here is Ed," Chris said looking to Ed as he came to Chris' side
of the truck.

Max nodded again not showing much interest.  He looked out the window at
the cows grazing in the pasture. He wanted to know just what they did in
the barn for so long. Chris was busy talking about one of his horses and
finally came to the part of "How much do I owe you?"  Max's attention was
drawn to their conversation.

Ed said with a smirk "What you did in there is enough payment.  I have been
waiting for someone to do that for a while.  I couldn't find no one good
like you to do that for me."

Chris smiled.  "Not a problem, anytime Ed.  You know my number and I will
stop by next week for the stuff I ordered?"

"Sure thing and you can pay for the rest then."

Ed went in the barn and pulled out a couple of bridles and lead lines and
put them in the truck.

'What the hell was that?' Max wondered to himself. He was furious with
himself for not going in the barn.  'Chris goes and has sex with that guy
and don't even take an interest in me,' Max pondered to himself.

Chris looked over to Max who was obviously contemplating something in his
head.

"Is there something wrong?"

"No!" Max said urgently.

"If you say so," Chris knew something was eating at him but didn't push
further.  Chris waived goodbye to Ed as they went back up the road on which
they came.

Before Max knew it they were going down the road he lived on.  "I thought
that you said that we had to stop at your house?"

"We are!"

Max was in shock as they pulled in at 35 Rockwood Drive.  "This is your
house?!"

Chris looked to Max, smiled and kept going down the long driveway.  "Yeah,
I call it home."

"You have a beautiful home." Max looked over at Chris in time to catch a
glimpse of a blush on his face.

As the White estate came closer it looked even bigger.  "Well, we are
here."

Chris got out and Max followed - not really knowing what to think about
everything that was going on.  There was no way could a cop afford
this. That's when he saw the two horses come trotting out at the sight of
Chris, who was now going thru the gate.  The larger horse was brown and the
smaller one was stockier and tan. They licked at Chris' hands and Chris
turned to face Max.  "C'mon get some grain over here."

Max took a handful of grain from one of the bags that Chris opened and made
his way over to Chris.  "Here!" Chris said grabbing Max' hand and
flattening it out.  "Hold your hand flat like this."  The smaller horse
sniffed the grain and began the assault on Max's hand.

"This one here is Cher," he said grabbing the bridle, she seemed unphased
by it. "This guy here is Pal," he lifted his head up at the mention of his
name.  He soon returned to munching on the grain in Max' hand. Pal finally
finished up the grain on Max' hand and with a few licks the grain was all
gone.

"I've never been up close to a horse before.  They are truly beautiful
creatures." As he said that, he looked to Chris who had jumped on the back
of Pal.  Chris rode him around for a minute before slipping back off to the
ground. 'They're not the only beautiful thing here,' he thought to himself.

Chris said with a smirk, "That's bare backing."  Max didn't catch it at
first but soon a smile found his face.

"You know the offers I get for that horse?" Chris said proudly.  "I am
never going to sell him no matter what.  My mom and dad bought him for me
when I was 17.  He was a colt then and he's been my life!" Chris looked at
the horse as if he was in a daze. Pal and Cher moved further out in the
pasture seeing that they weren't going to get any more grain.

"Well, I am just going to put this stuff up.  I'll only be a minute." Chris
said, walking back to the truck. Max got out of the pasture and leaned
against the fence as he watched Chris take the bags into the stable.  It
took a while but Max did not mind at all. He actually liked watching Chris
work and would have helped if he didn't feel so bad and nauseous.

Chris came out of the stable with his shirt off and covered with sweat.
Max raised off the fence. "Wow!" he said a little too loudly.

"Whad'ya say?" Chris heard right, he wanted to hear it again

Max blushed but played if off, "Just about done?"

Chris smiled.  "Just about!"

"Not to rush you or anything but I am feeling kinda tired." Chris look
toward Max, he did look tired.  He had been thru a lot and he was supposed
to be laying down, per orders form the hospital.

Chris walked into the house and Max followed.  They entered through the
kitchen.  Max was honestly expecting a mess but in reality he found a
spotless kitchen with a desk in the corner with what looked to be bills and
a silver laptop.  He looked at the good-sized kitchen.  It was three times
the size of his.  This kitchen had an island in the middle with a cook top
and cabinets underneath. On the left, there was a double oven with a
stainless steel door and a matching refrigerator.  On the right, he found a
pass thru that looked over into the living room, with a sink and the
dishwasher. The cabinets were made of a cherry wood with a dark green
granite counter.

Chris pitched a magazine on the desk.  Upon the mail hitting the desk,
there was thumping coming down the stairs.  "What's that?" Max asked.  Just
then a little red dachshund came into view, jumping at Chris' feet.  Chris
in turn picked her up in one motion and she licked his cheek.

"This here is Princess.  Be careful!  She may be cute but she bites."

Chris put the dog down and she ran over to Max.  Afraid she was going to
bite him, he stood still. But, he soon noticed the dog turn over on her
back and she whined. He moved down slowly and stroked the dog's belly.  He
then looked at Chris who had a weird expression on his face.  "What?"

"She usually attacks strangers.  I don't know what has gotten into her,"
Max chuckled.

"So you wanted her to attack me did you?"

"No, no, but she doesn't even cry for me!"

Max smiled and made a funny face, "Poor baby."

"I am just going to run up stairs to get some clothes, this way I am
prepared.  Take a look around if you'd like."

Chris went up the stairs but the dog did not follow like she usually did.
She followed Max into the living room. He looked a moment at the pictures
in there.  The house was clean, no dust on anything.  There were pictures
of Chris on the football and baseball teams, him in the rodeo, and finally
one on the wall of him and his parents. Max heard him coming down the
stairs and the dog ran over to them.

"Hey Princess," he patted the dogs head.  "You ready?"

"Yup!"

Princess, seeing the bag Chris was holding, started to cry.  "No you got to
stay here."

Max spoke up, "Naw, she can come.  I kind of like her."

Chris looked shocked.  "Well, okay, if you want, but if she bites you I
ain't putting her to sleep."

They headed out the door - made sure the door was locked, turned on the
alarm, and that the AC and Heat were turned off.

"We'll take my truck, in case anyone comes.  They won't know I am a cop."
Chris went on the other side of the house to the Dodge ram pickup.

"You got the Hemi?" Max could not resist after seeing all of those Ram
commercials.

"Yeah!"  They smiled together as the got into the truck to go to Max'. The
dog cried out not being able to jump up into the tall truck. Max got back
out and climbed back in with her.  Chris drove down the driveway headed
towards Max' condo. The dog lay in Max' lap looking over at Chris while she
got her head petted.


"Princess, you traitor!" She put her head under Max' hand. "I think you got
yourself a new dog." She brought her head back up and looked up at Max.

"Naw, she just wants some attention," Max said as he stroked her back.

'So do I,' Chris thought to himself, as he turned into Max' complex.  Max
pointed to a space, "Park there."

Chris cut the engine and silence filled the truck, it was starting to get
dark. "Well, shall we check the house out?"  Max just nodded and let the
dog down.  Princess followed him to the front door.

Max unlocked the front door and the memory of the other night came back. He
looked at the wall socket, it still remained unplugged. Without even
knowing it he leaned back onto Chris' chest. Christ was caught off guard
and grabbed Max to steady himself and pulling them even closer together.

"Sorry," Max mumbled.

"Its okay buddy," Chris steadied himself and let Max go.  "I think we
better get you to bed. You need some rest."  Max nodded his head in reply,
his eyes looked tired and the medication wasn't helping him any.

"Um, Chris where are you going to sleep?"  Princess made her way thru the
open door, jumped up on the couch and watched the two men.

"Looks like she is already at home," Max said with a smile.

Chris, ignoring the comment, said, "I am just going to keep watch in the
truck.  This way I can see who comes and goes."

"No!  You can stay here." Max said pleadingly, knowing that he was not
going to win. "Make your self at home.  My office is over there and that's
the kitchen, living room, and there is my room," Max pointed to each one
while he said it.

Chris helped Max to his bed.  His room had a good size window on the wall
adjacent to the bed. Chris walked over to close the blinds. "Keep these
closed!"

Max soon moved under the covers of the bed and closed his eyes.  Chris
noticed his breathing change and was about to leave when he heard Max say,
"Chris, will you um, just lie here with me?"  Max felt the bed move to
adjust to the weight of Chris' body.  Chris soon had Max' back facing him
and he stroked his back lightly. "Thanks," Max said and he fell asleep.

Chris lay there for the next hour.  He was just about to fall asleep
himself when the dog came and jumped on the bed.  She curled up in front of
Max' chest and he wrapped his arms around her.

Chris got up and tried to get the dog.  She, upon seeing his hand, began to
growl - letting her master know that she was not going to be disturbed. He
made sure the front door was locked and switched off the lights around the
place. As he lay down on the couch, his thoughts wondered about Max in the
other room. He soon let sleep overtake his body and for the first time that
day he felt completely at ease.

Max was awakened by the dog suddenly barking at the window in his
room. Startled, he slowly got out of bed and watched a shadow behind the
blinds scurry away. Chris came into the room, with a sleepy expression
still on his face.  The wrinkled jeans and shirt made him look even sexier.

Max pushed those thoughts out of his head.  Princess stopped barking now
and sniffed at the windowsill.

"What's the matter?" Chris was standing by the bed and squinting his eyes,
trying to focus on Max.

"I don't know!  She just started barking and then I looked out the window
in time to see somebody run away from it. Chris, why are they coming after
me?" Max said as he slumped down on the side of the bed.

Chris leaned against the doorway, his eyes finally adjusting to the light
in the room.  "Max it isn't your fault at all."

Max looked up at him, his eyes were watery.  "Chris, I never tried to hurt
anyone ever . . . and now someone is trying to end my life."

Chris wished that he could say something that would put Max at ease- a lie
even if it would help - but he came up short. He slowly ran his finger
through his blonde hair and closed his eyes. "Max we're going to get him.
Don't worry!  Even if he did come in here, I would have been here to
protect you," Chris smiled.  "And look, Princess isn't about to let
anything happen to ya either."  Max smiled this time.

Chris looked at the smile that faded from Max' face and then went
on. "Well, try to get some sleep.  No one is going to come back tonight,
they figure your going to stay up or call the police"

"I guess your right. Promise you'll stay with me in here?" Max pleaded.
His tired eyes made Chris want to do anything that would make him feel
better.  He didn't say anything.  He just moved across the room and lay
down beside Max, who closed his eyes.

Chris whispered in his ear, "Everything is going to be alright, I am here
now."  Max drifted off to sleep.


Chris continued running his hands up and down Max' back until he saw the
light peaking through the windows. It was already five and he hadn't slept
at all.  Another officer should be there any minute to watch Max' house and
follow him to work. As he got out of the bed his dog followed and he did it
carefully so that he would not wake Max. He wrote a note to Max and left it
on the counter.  He locked the door as he went. There in front was the
officer as expected.  He rolled down his window.

It was Brian, "Hey Chris!"

"Hey man! I didn't think they'd send you."

"Me neither but Chief briefed us this morning.  I guess we got a big case
on our hands . . . the Feds came in."  Chris was in shock. He would have
never thought that this would be that big.  "We also heard about that guy
here the last night?"

"How?"

"There was a note on Chief's desk saying that you called in."

"What? . . . I never called in!


Brian and Chris both knew that this was going to be a bad investigation and
neither wanted to be involved with it.  "Well I got to go home.  Give Max
my cell phone if he needs me for anything," Chris grabbed Brian's
arm. "Watch him good!"  Brian gave him a quizzical look and then, he knew,
and nodded his answer.

Chris drove home with Princess jumping from side to side in the truck
looking out the windows. He got home and laid in bed, 'just for a minute'
he thought to himself . . . he drifted off into a deep dreamless sleep
. . . brought on by pure exhaustion.

Max woke reaching over to his side but he felt nothing.  Max felt a sudden
emotion run over him that he never felt before . . . emptiness.  In the
past, he had wanted the other guys to leave before he woke. This way he
would not have to face them and make the same old lie that he would call
them and that they should meet again. The same old lie to just another
person.  The worst thing was that he did not even feel bad about it.

Max made his way out of the bed and took a shower, thoughts kept running
through his mind.  'What did I do?' he thought to himself. And then he
wondered if maybe something happened to him? What if he went outside to go
look for that guy and he's dead?

As he walked to the kitchen he saw a note on the counter. Was this a good
thing he wondered to himself?  He picked it up and looked at the writing on
the note pad:

"Hey Max,

Sorry I had to go.  I couldn't sleep here - too many things running through
my head with you there next to me. There should be another cop out there
watching over you.  If you go out he will follow, there is more to this
case then we think.  If you need me he has a phone, I keep mine with me all
the time . . .

See you later, Chris"

As Max read this his body filled to the rim with all these emotions.  He
had never wanted a guy this bad.  He could never remember thinking about
someone all the time, what were they doing, when he's coming back . . .

Max cleaned up his house and made his bed.  He had to go into work.  'I'll
just get my laptop so that I can do everything at home and I won't have to
go into work this week.'  He locked the door and turned round to see a cop
car parked in front of his house.  The cop was a rather good looking man.
He looked maybe two years younger then Chris.

The cop spoke up first. "Mr. Malone!  I am Brian.  I will be looking over
you today till Chris gets back tonight.  He has some things that he has to
do and has to stop into the station for awhile."

"I have to go to work for a little while today.  I got to pick up a couple
things."

"No problem, I will just follow you or I can go in your car.  It might be
better if we take your car until they get an unmarked car down here."

"No problem!"  Max and Brian got into Max' black Mercedes and drove toward
his office.  The drive was silent till Brian broke the silence.

"Can I ask you something?" Brian looked nervous.

"Yeah go ahead."

"Well, I know your gay and I was wondering if you um, how can I say this,
if you take an interest in Chris?"

This was the last thing that he was expecting. "He's a great guy, who
wouldn't?"

"I mean if you like him."

"Yeah, I do!"

"I think he likes you too."

This caught Max off guard, "Really?"

"Yes, the way he talks about you, how he jumped on this case.  You met
before this whole thing, didn't you?"

"Yeah, at the gay bar in the city."

"Never would have thought Chris to go there." Brian said as a statement,
his shock clearly showing in his voice.

"Guys drop everything they are doing when he walks in and he doesn't even
realize it. I've seen him on Fridays when I go.  He wasn't there last
Friday so I left and that's when I got attacked."

Brian wanted to know more - why is his partner interested in Max?  Sure he
was handsome . . . but there had to be more.  "Did you ever talk to him?"

"No, the last time he came in, he looked at me and it was like the world
stopped.  He stared at me and I stared at him.  It was like love at first
site. But I am sure he asked some people there about me, and that's why he
probably doesn't want me."

"Why is that?"

"I was just looking for a one night stand, never have I followed up with
anyone."

"I see, so what makes Chris different?"

"Well, no one has ever left with him."

"So he is like a trophy?"

"No, no don't get me wrong!  It's because he is the kind of man that finds
someone and commits to them, he will never break that promise," Max
chuckled to himself.  "That's hard to find in a gay man - one that has
values.  Me on the other hand, I am just a pretty face wanting a chance
with a man like that."

Brian was silent for a moment, "do you believe in love at first sight?"

Max had to think a minute, "Yes I do!"  With that the conversation came to
a stop, they pulled up to an office building downtown.

The security guy greeted Max and he nodded to Brian. They went up to Max'
floor and a nice young woman came around the corner. Upon seeing Max, her
facial expression changed into a worried mother look. Catching Max off
guard, she grabbed him and gave him a hug.

"Max, are you okay we all heard what happened to you. We were going to send
flowers but they said you were already picked up and taken home by a cop?"
Her eyebrows lifted up at the mention of a cop. Brian was standing a few
paces back and her eyes caught him.  She said in a loud whisper, "Is he,
wow he is!"

Max looked over and quickly stated, "No, no, my gosh.  Aren't we nosey?"

"Well, I have to keep an eye on my boss.  Don't I?"  She gave him a
quizzical look and her eyes wondered back to Brian.

"Curiosity fired the secretary," Max joked.  She tried to put on her best
hurt face.

Brian was now walking over to Max.  "Brian this is my secretary Joleen.
Joleen meet Brian."  The two gave each other a long glance before they both
pulled their eyes away at the same time.  Max took notice of this and was
wondering about love at first site once again.

Max broke the silence, "Joleen, I think Mr. Anderson just wanted me to
finish this case but there is a lot more to this that we are not seeing. I
am going to have to request some help on it.  Can you give him the message?
Also, did I get any faxes from the border patrol? I am also going to have
to ask you to contact the shipping companies and the credit card company,
and I would like you to get a statement from the office that gave the
suspect the money order." Max looked at the puzzled look on her
face. "Don't worry I sent e-mail."  She gave a smile and Max noticed
Brian's mouth open slightly.

"There were a few phone calls for you and I took messages.  They are beside
your computer," Joleen said, noticing Brian's face.

Brian followed Max into his office, which was not what he was expecting in
the least. It had a huge, dark mahogany desk in the center and two walls
with built-in bookshelves that went floor to the ceiling also made out of
that dark mahogany. Then there was another wall that was completely a huge
glass window with a view of the city and the courthouse was visible down
the street.

"You might want to sit.  I have got to call this guy back," Max noticed the
smile on Brian's face.

"I am glad you found humor in that," Max laughed.

Brian sat there looking at all the books that covered the two walls, for a
man that was not that old he wondered how he became such a good lawyer.

Max picked up his laptop and shut off the lights.  This brought Brian back
to reality.  "You ready?"

Just as they were walking to the elevator, Mark and Brad slipped in.  "Max,
you have a thing for cops?"

Brain blushed.  "No!  He is just watching over me until Chris comes back."
He regretted saying that.

"Oh really?"  Mark lifted his eyebrows and gave him a huge grin.

"Does everyone in the office have a dirty mind?"

"No, well, okay, I think so but how are you feeling?  The whole building is
in a frenzy worried about you.  And, of course, it was more then a
coincidence that Chris was the one who came to your house?"

"No, I would tell you more about all that but the case if confidential
now."

This got Brad's attention now too, "Really?"

"Yeah!"  The elevator dinged and Brian and Max were saved by the bell.

Brian's phone made the famous Nextel walkie-talkie "bleep."  Brian handed
the phone to Max, "Here, it's Chris."


Thanks guys for e-mailing me, its nice to know that someone is reading
them. I'm sorry for the delay on this one... My laptop is getting fixed and
I typed this on a Compaq, and I guess it did not like me too much. Let me
know what you would like to see happen between Max and Chris and we'll what
happens. I love to get e-mail, Just no more viruses they clog my mailbox
even though they are ineffective to my computer...

Thanks, Chris

(c) 2004 by the author.