crack_van | Point of Contact series by Jane Davitt (NC-17)

Fandom: THE SENTINEL
Pairing: (slash) Jim/Blair (also has references to Jim with other characters)
Length: ~ 144,000 words (total of all three fics in series --
Point of Contact is 106,870 words, Loss of Contact is 35,932 words and Point of Order is 1,176 words)
Author on LJ:

janedavitt
Author Website: Jane's Stories

Warnings: D/s themes, spanking, and mild bondage.

Why this must be read: I get sort of incoherent about this 'verse. I'm not sure I can do it justice here at all, but here goes...

Barest of bones: Blair hires a female hooker from an escort agency and gets Jim by mistake. Things happen. Imperfect, messy, exploring, argumentative, difficult, nuclear-meltdown-sexy-hot, heart-hijacking perfect things.

Jane's writing is always a joy to read for so many reasons, all of which are as true here as in all her other fic: the words flow with effortless ease and naturalness, and you see and feel what's happening as if you were living it. There's honesty and the weight of reality and the incisiveness of a surgeon's scalpel -- and wry humor and gut-punch emotional connection -- running all through her words, through this Jim and Blair, this world.

Even if d/S isn't your thing (it's not an automatic "hot" button for me, actually -- the writing really has to make it work to make it work for me), or if you think TS can't be TS without the senses (which don't play a part here), this fic can totally get under your skin anyway. Jim and Blair are absolutely Jim and Blair, just with slightly different histories (or very different :-)) and a growing, uncertain itch beneath Blair's skin (that turns into an itch beneath Jim's skin) in a imperfectly, irresistibly, gloriously human way. The conversations they have as they start to get to know each other (and themselves) are among the best stretches of dialog I've read anywhere, and the smut -- wow. Just wow. Jane doesn't put her surgeon's scalpel away when she writes smut, so it's not just scorchingly written scorching-hot sex, but sex that lays the characters bare in more than one sense of the word.

The excerpt is the very first paragraphs of the fic, in case you'd like a (longish) teaser.

The knock at the door brought Blair to his feet, but he didn't move to answer it until the rap, more of an impatient drumming this time, had been repeated.
Reminding himself that he could back out of this any time he wanted, with no cost but money, which wasn't much of an issue, and soul-searing embarrassment, which was, he opened the door and gave the man on the other side a puzzled, relieved smile.
"Sorry. I was expecting…never mind." He relaxed, still smiling. Why not? The stern-faced man eying him appraisingly wasn't smiling back, but it didn't mean Blair had to be affected by his negativity. Not when his mind was singing a chorus of halleluiahs. He'd get rid of this guy, dive for the phone, and cancel the hooker. There were other ways to do this, better ways, and --
"Mr. Sandburg?"
Blair edged the door closed a little, and wedged his body in the gap. "Yes?"
The man didn't roll his eyes, but he looked as if he wanted to. "I'll play this any way you want, but most people invite me in first. Unless sex in public is what gets you off? Because that's going to cost you extra."
Blair stepped back, face scarlet, and dragged the man with him. "You're from the agency?" He let go of the handful of leather jacket he'd grabbed, and smoothed it nervously before snatching his hand away. "God, you can't be."
The man took the 'Do Not Disturb' sign off the inside door handle, dropped it neatly in place on the outside knob, closed and locked the door, and slipped off his jacket. Blair gaped at the smooth, practiced maneuver, and felt vaguely as if he should applaud or hold up a scorecard.
"You can request a replacement under the terms of the agreement, but I'll be perfectly frank; Saturday's our busiest night and you'll be lucky to get anyone until midnight." Thin, well-shaped lips curved in a cool smile. "By which time, you'll be their third customer of the night at least, and let's just say you won't be getting your money's worth." The man began to unbutton his crisp white shirt, tugging his tie loose with a flicker of relief that was the first unstudied reaction he'd shown since Blair had opened the door. "You're my first, by the way."
"First ever?" Blair swallowed the squeak and tried again. "You're new to this?"
Blue eyes blinked at him and then the man said with a dry, polite patience. "My first client tonight, sir."
"Blair," he said automatically. The tie slid free and he waved his hand frantically. "No, look, stop! There's been --"
"A terrible mistake?" The tie landed on the same chair as the leather jacket. "Right. My name's Jim, but you don't have to use it. I'll answer to anything, although I can't guarantee my reaction if you go for 'Percy'."
"Why not?" Blair asked involuntarily. The shirt slid off wide shoulders revealing a perfectly proportioned, muscular chest, smooth and intimidating as hell. Blair sucked in his stomach without meaning to and then gave up even trying to compete. With a small stab of spite he reflected that at least he had more hair on his chest -- and head -- than this guy did, before admitting that as comforts went it was a small one.
"You have to ask?"
"No, I guess not," Blair conceded. He shook his head. "And, yes, terrible mistake, so would you stop stripping? Please?"
He got a flat, unfriendly look. Weren't hookers supposed to be polite? Tell you that you were wonderful with a purr in their voice?
"I'm booked and paid for. No refunds. What's the problem?"
"I booked and I paid, yes, and I don't want a refund," Blair assured him, "although I was having second thoughts… but I booked, paid for, and now don't want, a woman." He glanced down. Oh, yeah. Seriously intimidating package, uh, Jim had there. "You're a man."

Full disclosure moment: I was beta reader for PoC and LoC, in case that's the kind of thing you're supposed to mention. But seriously, seriously, beta reader or not, I would follow this fic to the ends of the earth, set up house with it, have its babies...

Links:
~ Link to Point of Contact series at Jane's website
~ Link to Point of Contact series at AO3

Podfic by

laurie_ky is also available for Point of Contact and Point of Order:
~ Link to Laurie's master post for the podfic and podbooks

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Boy, you're sure ending the month with a bang. And yes, I'm surprised this wasn't already recc'ed. Thanks again for the links to the podfics.

Laurie

I couldn't have asked for a better beta reader or a better person to pod-fic it than Laurie.

Thank you so much for the kind rec, T! This fic is one I loved writing and it really benefited from all your input :;hugs::

Point of Contact series by Jane Davitt (NC-17)

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