Authors note: It's a first story. Thanks for reading. Votes and feedback are very welcome. Many people deserve credit for going the extra hundred miles in helping me, yet, without permission, I can't name them, but you know who you are and thanks goes not cover it. AsylumSeeker, editor extraordinaire, you did the heavy lifting on this chapter, it's as much yours (the good parts) as mine (any and all bad). Heartfelt thanks. x
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He stared at her from across a crowded room and thought with amused irony of that cliché. He acknowledged that he really did want her, but there was a history and the having wouldn't be so easy. Most of the evening had been a mild case of cat and mouse as she had carefully avoided him. But that was about to change.
His brother was organizing a game of Pictionary and he would be on her team. He would make sure of it. His brother had always been a nerd and had a habit of attracting nerds and geeks. Kevin welcomed the change from his usual rough, back-pounding, ass-grabbing, manly-men as geeks and nerds tended to be kinder, and show a deeper compassion. Their lives were usually not so charmed as their more culturally favored and shallower brethren. And he might be in need of some compassion before the night was over.
He observed the look of fearful surprise on her face as he sat beside her on the loveseat and decided he had his work cut out for him if, indeed, he was going to make any progress tonight.
"Hey," he acknowledged her with a smile.
"Hi."
He watched an almost shy look enter her eyes and he knew she was remembering the last time they were together all those years ago, when she had almost come on his leg. He felt an exhilarating tingle in his groin, but he could see she felt shame. An unfamiliar feeling of guilt seeped into him as he recalled learning shortly afterward that her mother was dying and the realization of how unstable she must have been that night in the kitchen, the inner anguish she must have been feeling.
He had never gotten to apologize, or say how sorry he was. Now was not the time for that, however; he needed to make her comfortable. Something inside was drawing him to her and he wasn't in the mood to hold back.
"James didn't mention you were in town," she said.
Did he hear a slight accusation in her voice? "Would you have come if you had known?"
"Probably not."
She was always honest, he would give her that.
"Then I'm glad you didn't know. I would've hated missing you," he replied with a warm and open look. He could tell she didn't know how to take his remark. A look of surprised bewilderment moved across her face and he almost laughed out loud. He couldn't blame her, but the game had changed, she just didn't know it yet.
Before they could say any more James drew their attention, starting the game. Forty minutes later Deonne was in a pitiful struggle attempting the most basic drawing which looked to Kevin to be somewhere between the scribbled attempts of a two year old and a kindergartener's first try with a pencil. She was awful, and oh, so frustrated with herself.
Kevin had almost tuned the game and other players out he was so enchanted by her anxious, worried attempts. He had forgotten the energy and excitement that poured through him whenever she was near. She was a fighter, and a winner. She did not like to lose as he knew from card games at the Anderson's, back in college. He was just glad he was not the one to blame for their sorry score, because he would hate to see her inward frustration turned towards him. At least not tonight.
"Dancing," he tried guessing, knowing he was looking for an action word, only to see her earnest, almost tearful shakes of the head while jabbing her pencil at two slashes and a circle on her paper.
"Twirling."
Deonne's eyes gave a worried glance at the egg timer. They only had two seconds. It was killing her.
"Time!" James's latest squeeze, Cherise, shouted as she stood up to throw her hands in the air and shake her bootie in a little victory dance. Cherise was a fine arts major, James had been cartooning since he was seven. They were deadly.
Deonne slouched back against the couch, defeated.
"Stabbed," she mumbled.
"Stabbed?" Wow. He would never have gotten there. "It's just a game, you know."
"Yeah." The kid in her was struggling with the adult and it was very cute.
Kevin stood up and held his hand out to her.
"C'mon. Let's get something to drink."
He waited, holding his breath to see if she would take it, and smiled a little knowing smile as she did without a thought. Pulling her up, he made sure to tug a little too hard so that her body brushed against his. He felt an awareness move over his skin and watched her carefully.
There.
Her eyes darted up to his face before skittering away, but he caught that fleeting look of desire.
Oh, yeah. It's still there.
He pulled her through the crowd, not letting go of her hand as they made their way through the maze of people to James's little kitchen. He wasn't surprised when she chose a Dr. Pepper; some things definitely never changed. He grabbed a beer; no, some things didn't.
Working her way out of the kitchen she bumped and pushed around the small dining table to the balcony, the only unoccupied spot she could find. Kevin followed, realizing that to everyone else he was giving the impression of marking territory, and he was, but he hoped Deonne did not pick up on it or it would be over before it started.
"How long have you been in Norfolk?" He leaned his arms against the middle of the balcony rail looking out over the parking lot so she could only get so far from him. Deonne moved into a corner, as far from him as possible.
"I'm not, I'm at Oceana," she replied. She was watching him and the leeriness had returned. It would be so easy to bait her, but he wasn't going there. Not tonight, anyway.
"So, I guess you never married... Jared, was it?" Sissy-boy. He didn't say it, but he couldn't help thinking it.
This brought a smile.
"No, we broke up shortly after it began. He sure gave you a lot of material, though, didn't he? And what about what's-her-name, The Trophy? I don't see her here tonight, is she home keeping the kids?" She smiled even wider.
That brought out his own smile and a burst of laughter. The Trophy. Such an undeserving name for such a lovely girl and he had forgotten.
He shook his head. "Shawntee had bigger plans for her life than being trapped in a backwater army town with an underpaid ground pounder who was never home. I couldn't blame her."
He had been crushed when Shawntee had gently let him down. She didn't love him and was too smart to let it go on. Eventually he had realized her wisdom as he discovered his pride was more wounded than his heart. Thanks Shawntee.
"Well, Sissy-boy is history. Do you have some flyboy stuck, pining for you, on a carrier somewhere?" He had to ask. If there was competition he had to know about it, even if it made him look silly playing the Are You Seeing Anyone game.
"If only," she answered wryly. It was hard to get even a date when you spent all your time around the only men you saw, working hard to be one of the guys, to fit in, a girl in a man's world. Her feminine self-esteem had taken a hard beating.
The conversation died and, turning, Kevin shifted closer to her. He once again felt the pull of his body towards her, that responsiveness that couldn't be denied. But, this time he noticed the hint of a feeling he couldn't quite put his finger on.
He took in her slender form, the delicate curve of her neck around which hung a fine silver chain holding a small pendant that lay nestled at the base of her throat. Her shoulders were bare and as she lifted her drink he could see a supple hidden strength. He swore that he could almost smell her shampoo and fought back an unexpected, almost overwhelming urge to bury his face in her short brown tresses and run his hands down those sun-kissed shoulders. She was wearing her thick hair even shorter these days, no doubt as a concession to her job, like many military women. Looking back at her face his eyes caught hers and he held them.
Deonne gazed back, she couldn't look away from his brown eyes, so dark they were almost black. He had always made her feel awkward and skittish, tuned into his strength, confidence and latent sexuality, like she wasn't quite good enough for him. At the same time her body would hum with desire. Tonight, for some reason,
perhaps because he is turning on the charm
, she thought dryly, none of the awkwardness remained.
She wondered if she moved closer maybe he would kiss her. She slid her eyes down to those full, oh-so-kissable lips. Without realizing it she licked her own remembering how they felt on hers, such soft lips on such a tough man. Now those lips pulled back slightly at the corners, transforming his face from serious to open amusement.
"You look like you want something." He placed his hands on either side of her and brought his face within inches of hers. "Do you want something, sweetheart?"
"No." She tried to give him a straight face as she replied, but she couldn't stop her eyes from twinkling.
"Liar." His small movement closer was barely discernable, but Deonne suddenly found it hard to breathe.
She smiled as she whispered in her best Scarlet O'Hara impersonation, "Why, what on earth would I be wantin'?"
"Me."
With that Kevin placed his lips on hers, just barely touching, as if to savor this first contact, but Deonne needed more and pushed into him, demanding a complete joining. They met only at the lips and yet a wave of need rushed through her body. His tongue slid between her teeth caressing hers, bringing a whimper.
They stayed like that, mouths rubbing against each other, tongues meeting and mating. Reality was so much better than a faded memory. Kevin pulled away slightly and took her bottom lip, licking it and pulling it into his mouth, nibbling on it, before releasing it. Deonne never noticed the moan that came from her, but Kevin did.
Pulling back, he watched as Deonne slowly opened her eyes and enjoyed the pleasure he saw there as his breathing become more measured and his body returned to the balcony.
"We better get out of here before James forces us into a game of Twister."
Deonne couldn't help herself, she giggled.
