10 Days of Xmas Day Eight - Michael Mandrake

Day Eight

Wow, this contest has gone fast!

Okay, here is the question:

Name the place Kajika and Frankie visit for their vacation in the book I Like Em Pretty

It's a toughie.

If you read it, you know it.

The right answer gets a gift from N'awlins Exotica and a copy of Magic Mike, Kajika's fave movie!

* * * *

Here's a sneak peak at I Love it Rough

Frankie Choteau changed the bed sheets from the crimson red to the black satin, ready for his man to come home. Because of his partner Kenina Porter’s absence, he’d been working seventy-five to eighty hours a week, attempting to get leads on various cases including the Laboy Family murders and the kidnapping and subsequent killing of his best friend’s little girl with very little leads. But now with Kenina back in the fold, Frankie was finally able to get a night off to spend some time with his boyfriend Kajika Fortier before he got back to the grind late tomorrow night. As much as he loved being homicide detective, he loved Kajika a lot more.

To prepare for this special evening, Frankie made sure he’d scrubbed the house top to bottom, leaving trails of rose petals from the bedroom to the master bath for them to enjoy together once he returned. He’d lit scented candles in around the house and set the station on his sound system to old R&B music they both loved to listen to. And since Kajika wouldn’t be off until after midnight, Frankie didn’t fix an elaborate dinner, knowing Kajika would only want something small to nibble on. So he prepared a tray of fruits, vegetables, along with slices of turkey and cheese to feed him. The more elaborate meal would be tomorrow right before he went into work for them to enjoy their first full night at home in weeks. Yeah, Frankie had been waiting patiently for this little time off to occur especially since he hadn’t had any in almost a month and a half.

Kajika worried about this too, citing how many nights they missed one another due to their hectic schedules but Frankie reminded him, it was all part of being the boyfriend of a cop. Of course, if Frankie had his way, he’d be off every other night to spend time with his man but in a crime hotbed like New Orleans, the authorities didn’t have that luxury. Just about every precinct was in the same boat being overloaded with mostly homicide and narcotics cases. The workload didn’t slow down for anyone, especially not precinct nineteen.

“Baby, I can’t wait to show you…” Frankie sung to the tune while he fluffed the new throw pillows. He’d become more of a neat freak with Kajika around, seemingly just as concerned with the details and décor as he was. He’d never cared if anything was fluffed or spotless after momma died. If she were still alive she’d be proud of how much Kajika had changed him.

“Babe? Frankie?” Kajika’s voice snapped him out of his haze and he rushed to the living room to greet his man. The moment Frankie met the brown gaze of his husband to be, his breath caught in his chest. He sure loved to look at the beautiful man Kajika Fortier had always been.

“Hey sugah.” Frankie grabbed his arms and brought him in for a passionate kiss on the lips. Just that sent a stir to his groin he knew he’d need to take care of immediately. “How was work?”

Kajika reciprocated the embrace. “Long.” He dropped his bag and kicked it over in front of the closet. “I danced for almost forty minutes. Lana didn’t show up at the club tonight. I tried calling her but she didn’t pick up. I really wanted to stop by but, not without someone. I recall you telling me about the rash of assaults in her neighborhood.”

Frankie nodded and massaged his man’s shoulders. “I’m glad you didn’t go by there alone, babe. Perhaps we’ll go check on her tomorrow after our early dinner? Perhaps she was sick or something or her phone ran out of juice.”

Kajika agreed and wrapped his arms around Frankie’s waist. “I suppose.” Kajika’s worried expression instantly transformed to a smile. “So my man, what did you do all day besides call and get me in trouble with everyone?”

“Who me?” Frankie pointed to himself and his eyes widened in surprise. “Nah, them girls just jealous, that’s all, especially Naomi. I don’t know what’s taking Orrin so long to ask her out on a formal date.”

“Me neither.” Kajika clicked his teeth and leaned forward, taking a small bit of Frankie’s bottom lip in between his own. “I mean, they looked like they’d hit it off real well when we all got together at the club weeks ago. She said they talk on the phone almost every weekend but Orrin gets so busy at the station…”

Frankie groaned and reached around his lover’s body, clenching his buttocks tightly between his fingers. Surges of energy instantly shot to his groin and his nipples in response to Kajika’s affections. “Yeah well, I know all about that. Still, he’s had a chance or two to just grab a bite with her or even a drink. Perhaps now that Kenie’s back he can try asking her out, then.”

“Hopefully so. My girl needs some dick so she’ll stop snapping on me.” Kajika laughed, moving forward into Frankie’s touches. He traced the lines of his face as well as his newly trimmed mustache and beard. “Well, enough about them. What’s on the agenda for our first night alone in a while, hmm? I’m not real hungry…for food, anyway. We had a quickie in the shower this morning−”

“Which ain’t enough, lover.” Frankie gripped Kajika’s ass and lifted him from the floor, licking his lips like a tasty treat. He flashed a wicked grin. “I’m ready to go all night if we have to, sweetheart. I been resting up for you all damn day.”

Kajika chuckled like a hyena and shifted, wrapping his legs around Frankie’s waist. “Then show me, babe. I’m not too tired to get it on into the wee hours, Frankie.” Kajika caressed Frankie’s lips with his fingertips, pushing one into his mouth.

Frankie hungrily accepted, taking Kajika’s entire finger in, sucking it to the knuckle. “With pleasure…”

Before Frankie could finish his sentence, his phone buzzed in his pocket, disturbing him from further thought.

Frankie grimaced but continued to hold onto Kajika. “Damn! I knew I should’ve switched this fucking thing off!”

“Ugh!” Kajika forced himself out of Frankie’s grip and frowned, petulantly crossing his arms over his chest. “Should I go to the bedroom and wait for you or expect to be eating a late night snack alone watching I Love Lucy re-runs.”

Frankie glanced at the screen and held his finger up to say wait.

Of course the station was calling to interrupt his special moment. “Hello?”

“Frankie, Kenie here. I need you in here now, man. Orrin and Vance are on another case and I need backup. There’s been a murder near Louis Three again.”

Frankie cursed silently and shook his head.

“Ergh!” Kajika stomped out the room, not bothering to look back.

“Seriously? Goddamnit, I…” Frankie ran his hand over his head, thinking of an excuse not to go in. “Damn Kenie, I was trying to enjoy my night off and low and behold we gotta case on your first night back.”

Frankie could hear her grin through the phone. “Yeah, just your dumb luck, huh beloved. C’mon, boy, don’t make me come and get you, right? I’m sorry I might be spoiling the evening with your pretty boy lovah but−”

Frankie rolled his eyes and sighed, knowing his man would be very upset. “No you’re really not, but whatever. What’s the address?”

“Thirty Seven Seventeen Orleans is the address… we’ll−”

Frankie’s eyes bulged and his heart stopped.

Could it be? Oh hell!

 “Kenie, you said a murder at that address?”

Kenina cleared her throat. “Yes sir, can we…”

“I’ll see you in about twenty.” Frankie’s heart sped up, not knowing what the heck to say to his man who was already upset about their plans being interrupted. Just how the hell would he say that his fellow dancer might be a victim of murder?