The more we drank together, the more I realized I am attracted to her.
It all started when I was in the Navy and away from home for Christmas for my first time. I was 20 years old and had just graduated from my first schools after boot camp and reported to my first sea command. The ship was in the ship yard having repair and upkeep work performed and the crew was staying in the barracks. I had just come off of 30 days leave at home for Thanksgiving and figured I did not want to go in the hole with leave so I'd stay there instead of going home for Christmas.
On Christmas Eve, I called home and spoke with my sisters and parents and at that point really wished I had gone home but it was too late. I sat alone in the main lounge of the barracks and watched TV. There were a bunch of Christmas shows so I was getting even more homesick.
A voice came from the doorway to the lounge, "What are you doing here?"
I turned to look. It was one of the girls from the ship. We shared a coed barracks with them. I responded, "I should have listened to my chief and at least went home for a couple of days. This shit is depressing."
The first class petty officer in the doorway said, "I've been doing this for 10 years now and should know better than to be away from home. I am in the same boat as you, it appears."
She came in and sat down, asking what I was watching.
"Nothing, "I answered, "I was just staring into space more than anything."
She pulled a bottle of whiskey from her pocket, smiled, and said, "Well, we could just get drunk!"
I answered, "I am only 20, so I can't do that."
She answered, "I'm cool with it. I don't want to drink alone. You might take advantage of me!"
We both laughed.
Then she said, "Seriously, if you are old enough to die for your country, you are certainly old enough to have a couple of drinks in my opinion. Just keep it cool in case the CDO or BDO happens to come by."
I said, "You want me to go get some soda?"
She said, "That would be better than shots for sure."
I went to my room and got a bottle of cola and filled two cups with ice. I returned to the lounge. We poured two pretty strong drinks and toasted to a lonely Christmas Eve.
Throughout the conversation, I found out her name was Brianna, and like me, she joined right out of high school 10 and a half years ago, was 28, divorced twice, no kids, dating a guy from her last duty station, and had done a tour in Iraq and Germany. I had only seen her in uniform before with her hair up. She had it down that night and was wearing tight jeans and a nice furry, black jacket. She was an attractive woman for sure with long sandy hair, green eyes, and a pretty smile. Her body had a nice hour glass shape, a little thick through the hips, and big round breasts. She was an E6 and me only an E4 with no sea duty yet. She was on her second sea tour.
As the night wore on, she was drinking two glasses to every one of mine but I have always been a light weight. We made fun of the shows on TV and laughed until we were just about in tears. Finally she said, "You know what sucks worse than being away from home on Christmas?"
I asked, "What?"
She replied as she counted on her fingers, "Being away from home, being away from my boyfriend, and being horny as hell!"
We laughed again. I had tears in my eyes I was laughing so hard.
We heard someone at the door. It was the Barracks Duty Officer. He was not part of our command so I was immediately sobered up, or at least acted like I was. He greeted with a Merry Christmas and a smile and walked away.
I told Brianna I wanted to slip outside for a cigarette and she said she'd join me. It was cold outside, probably in the 40's at the most. I lit mine up and then she asked for one. I gave her one and she said, "I quit 2 years ago but one won't hurt."