1) It Just Happened Really
It just happened really, all the sudden we were talking, there seemed to be some strange force pushing us together. Neither one of us knew a thing about the other, but, it worked. No silent pauses, no recounting what we do every day or deep confessions of honest truths. Talking. It was novel actually. I am a Sgt Mjr with the United States Marine Corp. One of the very first and few females with combat command experience. I was out running early one morning in civvies around Georgetown when I decided I'd had enough and needed coffee NOW, before going back to base. Without a real civilian wardrobe…, hey all of what I need is provided by the government, I was wearing an old pair of white (now kind of tan) tennis shorts and a trusty worn in Johnny Cash T shirt with holes. My shoes on the other hand were the best top of the line running shoe by Aero. One thing the Marines taught me, never take your feet for granted. Anyway, as I was saying… needed that coffee – hot and black, maybe a little cream and sugar, a splurge, since I had to finish my run to get back to base after all. So there I am sorta jumping back and forth to keep the heart rate up and in front of me someone does it, orders a Venti White Mocha. Damn, I had almost made it. Up I step and yep, I get a Venti White Mocha, soy milk, with whip. My real splurge drink of choice. Well this sends the guy behind me into a smirk as he steps to the counter and orders a Venti dark with nothing. (Which he exaggerates looking over at me). I know what he is thinking, high maintenance woman. Out for a easy jog to the coffee shop before going to the salon. Jogging to pick up her hot flavored sugar water , why bob up in down in line? – So, I order one of those black and white cookies and just slid it on his table as I walked past, my drink having taken longer to make. "Thought you could use a little sweetness" I tell him. He just smiles as I start the 8 mile trip back to the base, walking at first to better savor my drink.
I hear the car pulling up alongside before I see it; instinctively I reach to my waist where my weapon is not attached to my side. The transition back has not been an easy one as I force myself to relax and glance over to see the silver haired 'Venti Dark' rolling down his window. "Mam" – Yes he called me Mam, patience I tell myself, no man has gotten away with calling me Mam in a long time, I accept Sir before Mam. – "Mam, you left this device (who called it a device? It's an IPOD) at the coffee shop, they tried to get to you, but you were gone. As I shot daggers at him for calling me Mam, and tell him, "Do not call me Mam", he smiles again, - A dangerously beautiful smile. I accept my IPOD back as he steps out of his vehicle." Least I could do since you sweetened my day", as he gestures me to a bench - I am thinking gee I have heard that line before, but checking him over.. I do not get the feeling he is trying to get me in the sack. This minute at least. Looking at him, he is about 4" taller than I, gorgeous salt and pepper silver hair and eyes the blue of the sky. He has a great body, and being a marine in charge of 100's of troops, I know good bodies. We sit , while we finish our coffees … that is how it started. The 3 day a week meetings. We would meet various days and places along my run route, he would bring the coffee or I would (after that first day I went back to the straight stuff). We never discussed where we would meet, when or who would buy the coffee. It just worked.
The third week, Tuesday, I was due to have a meeting over at the Hoover building at 7am. I often helped the FBI with Marine/Civilian investigations. I decided it best to start my run at 4 am. I was about three quarters through that days route, thinking about the long hot shower I would take, just rounding the corner of Virginia and G Street when he walked out of the park, holding a cup out to me. Seeing him and realizing how happy I was he was there was when I knew I was in trouble. The fact that I was two hours early, no coffee shops I knew of in the area were open yet, made me break out into a smile worthy of a teenager. I am not really a morning person, so smiling this early, and slowing my fast run into a walking companionable silence was all I could give. He didn't ask why I was early; I didn't ask where the coffee had come from. We walked all through the park as the sun came up. I really needed to get going, he knew, we looked at each other knowing it was time to part for now when he leaned over and kissed my cheek while inhaling my scent. My eyes were locked to his as a million and also no thoughts ran between us all at once. I could feel my nipples harden against my sports bra, my breathing became labored as my vision blurred and our mouths drifted towards one another – Vooouummm, the maintenance man started the industrial mower, breaking the trance and what I am sure would have been mind blowing. I jumped at the noise, silently thanking myself for not dropping to the ground as trained, then kissed his cheek. Blushing like a school girl, I jogged off feeling like I was walking on clouds. Loosing myself to a much needed mind blowing experience in a park, at that hour would not have been a Marine's best moment. It has been so long since I lost myself. Sex, I'd had, but lost control, long time. Control ruled my life. What was going on with me? I did not know what he did for a living, what his name was, was he married? Yet I knew things like he loved ketchup on pizza, vanilla ice cream and preferred cold Chinese food to hot. We had both, fished on the Potomac, hiked the Appalachians' and been to the same sushi restaurants in various cities, agreeing Shiro's in Seattle to be our favorite.
At my meeting with an alphabet agency , I am day dreaming about Venti Dark.. smooth and rich.. not the coffee , as the assignments are being given out. Some days he looks like an investigator, the few times he has joined me for part of my run, he has been in college sweats. "Conners" , "Yes Sir" – "Would you like to join us? - you will be going to Fort Pendleton to guide SAC Williams with an ongoing issue. You are to report to Colonel Seaton.