And it's time for a new chapter.. as promised things do start getting hot.. be aware this chapter is more adult in content. It's still rated low enough to be "edited for TV" though. Please enjoy!
Once they got outside of the restaurant, they wound through an increasing crowd. Instead of encouraging her to walk next to him, Beach stayed a few feet away. With his manner becoming distant, she sighed and walked to the side, trying to tell herself that he was merely lost in thought. He did open up the driver's door for her, giving her a distracted nod as she pulled the door shut. Once he settled into the passenger seat, she cleared her throat.
"Did you want to go straight back to the motel?" She watched him thinking.
Finally he glanced at her. "I guess. Did you want a walk first? Stretch those legs before bed?"
She bit back a retort regarding stretching legs in bed and nodded. "That'd be nice. Unwind a little?"
"Yeah." That was the extent of his reply and she waited until they were near the motel before she asked where he wanted to go walking. "Ahh.. just park at the motel.. there's some open fields and woods right up the road." He suddenly looked at her intently. "It won't be deserted or nothin', but it's dark and fairly quiet. Lots of paths to walk down and uhh.. trees to look at."
She tried to bypass that comment and failed as she pulled in to park in front of their room. "But how will we look at trees if it's dark?" He rolled his eyes and she put on a completely deadpan expression to look over at him with concern. "Should I go find us a flashlight.. so we can see the trees?"
"Maybe you need to find a bullhorn so everyone can hear you smartin' off at me." He seemed almost relieved to respond to her snarky remarks. She locked up Ted and pocketed the keys. The night air seemed a little damp and slightly chill. Beach waited for her to come up beside him and offered an arm to guide her. "Gal, you ain't gonna freeze out here, are ya?"
"I'm fine." Courtney smiled up at him. "I have a nice big Ranger to keep me all warm." He ducked his head under a low hanging branch. "I hear a few voices.. seems we aren't the only ones having a walk before hitting the bed." She suddenly straightened. "Is that Lydia?"
Beach listened intently for a moment. "Yeah.. and Stalker, so she's fine.. let's go this way instead." She turned aside without protest. "Dinner was.. uhh.. nice." He shifted uneasily, almost drawing his arm out of hers then abruptly tucking it tighter instead. "I'm glad you came along. Really. Thanks."
She hugged his arm a little. "I'm glad I came along too. Thanks for inviting me." She smiled wickedly. "I do like meeting all your old buddies and hearing all your embarrassing stories. We don't ever get good Beach stories to tell now at the Pit."
"Oh please." He scoffed at her. "Ya'll are ALWAYS raggin' me about somethin' or other. Between them pesky greenies and half the danged Joes tryin' to pull some sorta prank on me, there's plenty of stories to tell." He didn't find himself getting all that upset over it. Rather it felt rather homey to think about the escapades he'd been part of, however unwillingly.
"Well.. finding you coated all over in honey WAS amusing. I'll bet Sarge would get a kick out of hearing about that." She felt him tense up and tugged at him. "Oh don't worry, I won't tell them ALL the stories.. I'll even let you pick one that I won't mention at all. How's that for fair?"
He grunted. "How about ya let me pick the only one you tell?" She laughed softly. "No? Okay then.. one that you don't get to mention... the drunken night on the town."
She groaned. "I should have made that one exempt.. it's SO funny. Okay fine though."
"Thanks." He was quiet. "It's a little odd seeing folks from so far back in my past. Benny and Sarge weren't even here last time I came to Rendezvous.. they were off base for some trainin' thing. So it's been years. Shoot, last time I was here, I didn't even stay the whole week... didn't really socialize much at all. And that was a few years ago too.. " He sighed. "Sometimes it's good to see old.. friends, I guess." He went quiet again as they walked.
"Beach?" CoverGirl's voice was soft and querying. It almost seemed to come from nothing as dark as it was out on the dirt walkways.
"Hmm?" Beach looked in her direction. She wasn't often this mild or hesitant sounding when she talked to him.
"Beach, do you regret going to Joe? I mean.. you volunteered for it when Hawk asked you. You were serving here as a respected cadre member. You've already done combat, so it wasn't like you haven't put your time in. You seem so happy here.. all the other Rangers you know are here." She eased just a few more inches away as they walked quietly.
"Regret? Naw. Don't guess so. I was just trainin' recruits here.. Ranger trainees and such. Keepin' Rangers in fightin' trim. Doin' entirely too much paperwork and dodgin' of regulation officers who liked to throw their weight around." He hushed but she waited him out. "Hawk gave me a good spiel about how my services were needed.. for combat and trainin' both. He spun it up like Joe team might not succeed without me along. Wasn't true, and I knew it was bullshit even as he was sayin' it." He suddenly gave her a flash of teeth in a harsh grin. "Didn't matter much, I told him it was crap and why did he really want me. He told me he needed some experienced combat men to take charge without being in command, and he needed someone who didn't care how unpopular they were as long as the guys got properly trained. Since he was honest, I joined up."
She hummed softly. "But do you regret it? Regret joining Joe or regret leaving Benning behind?"
Caught out in his evasion, he thought about it for a moment. "Naw.. I like Benning. Good group of soldiers. Best you'll find. But on the Joe team, I can do more. I can do what I'm good at. Kill folks and destroy stuff and teach other folks to do the same thing."
"You do a lot to teach us all to survive too, don't forget that part." CoverGirl stepped a little closer, supposedly to avoid some tree roots in the path. Rather obviously, she stayed next to his side rather than moving back to have the space between them.
"Well yeah, if'n ya'll don't stay alive, you won't be much use in killing or destroying stuff, now will you?" He grinned with a bit more humor this time. "I gotta keep the guys alive to fight, and make them the best fighters so less of 'em will die, so we can win faster with fewer casualties. That's all that matters.. get the job done and get all my guys back home."
"You're very good at it, Wayne." She watched his jaw clench as he chewed over the thoughts inside his head. "I'm sorry I brought it up.. didn't mean to upset you."
"It's fine." A deep breath in and out and he outwardly relaxed, only a few subtle hints showed that he was still tense. "What about you? You could have had some cushy position in the Army PR department, or even recruiting. Could have ended up an assistant to some high ranking general without raising a finger." He was trying to hide the mirth in his voice and failing miserably.
She made a face. "Yeah.. or I could drive a Wolverine, tanks, tear engines apart and abuse Clutch all day. Which do you think I'd rather do, Ranger man?" He pretended to think it over and she punched his arm lightly in reproof. "You're such an ass sometimes Beach."
"I try. Gotta keep up my image." She hugged him anyway, and he didn't fuss about it, simply putting his arm around her to squeeze briefly. "Courtney... I love you." He peered through the dim light. "I wouldn't give up nothin' in my life.. no matter how painful. Cause it brought me to you." She smiled back at him and he watched her tear up. "Oh wait.. no cryin'... whatever I said, I'm sorry. Just don't cry."
"No Beach.. that's probably the most sweet romantic thing you've ever said to me." She wiped at her eyes and wrapped her arms around him to squeeze briefly. Turning loose, she sniffed lightly, trying to push back the silly tears before she upset him.
He brightened up. "So I did good?"
She laughed and looped her arm through his. "Yes, you 'did good'. Now.. what did you have planned next?" He made a questioning noise and she tilted her head. "You've been planning things mostly.. so.. walking... what's next?"
He stopped and turned to her. "Well.. maybe we could try some of this.." The hesitancy in his voice didn't match the urgency in his kiss as he bent down to press his lips to hers. She responded eagerly, opening her mouth to taste his tongue. They spent several long moments under a huge sweetgum tree, Beach slipping his arms around her waist and drawing her in snugly against him, she sliding along his frame and running her fingers up through the half curly hair. She felt the rough bark against her back as he pressed in more, his breathing roughening.
She pulled away and took a deep shaky breath. "Wow.. I umm.. I like how you walk, Ranger man.."
He smiled and reached up to stroke her hair lightly. "Ain't done much walkin' lately.. Ah might be a little outa practice." Her fingers tugged his face back to hers, sucking at his bottom lip and making him moan softly with desire. As her lips nibbled along his jaw to his throat, he pressed in harder, a hand sliding down her side and traveling over the angle of her hip.
She drew in breath to let it out slowly along the tender skin under his ear. "I'm all for you practicing a whole lot if that's what you want." His hand moved down her thigh and she almost whined at the sensual feel of his touch. As his body molded to her figure, she shifted aside slightly, then pushed at his chest. "Wait.."
He stepped back suddenly, hands leaving her as if she'd become white-hot. "What? What'd Ah do?"
She shook her head. "Nothing.. just, something hard was jabbing me in the leg.."
She actually could see his face darken in the dim lighting. "Ahhh... sorry.. jus' well.."
Courtney laughed softly. "No no.. my keys.. the car keys. Sorry.. that isn't a problem at all.. just the keys.. sorry." She embraced him again and kissed his mouth twice. "Trust me.. 'that' isn't a problem."
"Oh well.." He shifted uneasily, his large hands settling on her waist again. "Uhh.. "
Courtney tugged lightly to draw him down to kiss her again. The space between them didn't close and she felt like he was almost resisting. Trying to stay relaxed, she released him and moved slightly away, only a few inches, but enough to cause him to follow her with his body. "Wayne.. it's okay. It really is."
"Ah know.. it's jus'... " Suddenly he gathered her in his arms in a rush, pulling her in tightly and devouring her mouth. "Ah want you.." Lips touched and their tongues tangled together with a hot wet passion that left her breathless. "Ah love you.. "
A little stunned by his sudden turn, she smiled at him. "I love you too. I have for a while now.." She kissed him for a few minutes before they broke for a moment to gasp for air. "Do you want to go back to the room?"
He nodded, but spent several more minutes kissing her before he let go for her to begin to walk back towards the motel. The heat between them was almost unbearable but she welcomed the chance to calm herself before they reached the room.
End Chapter
Next week will be hotter... and will be rated more mature than this. Still not a X-rating though. I hope you're enjoying and please feel free to leave a comment or review.