Author's notes : The story will start delving into the world of homosexuality. If you didn't gather that by Colonel Essex's orientation, consider this your second warning. It is not a slash story, however. If the topic of homosexuality makes you uncomfortable, I apologize. I do admit that there will be nothing sexually blatant in this regard. I also apologize if anyone is offended by any perceived stereotyping...no offense was intended, but I have been trying to keep the story on the "light" side. To be safe, however, I have raised the story from a "T" rating to an "M" rating.
Chapter 14
"Why exactly is she deliberately placing herself in mud?" Ziva asked Tim as they made their way down to the dining room.
"It's great at purifying the skin, detoxifying it, not to mention soothing away stress." McGee replied.
Ziva stared at the young man.
"And you know this how?"
"Hey, to be as successful with women as I am…." Tim mocked.
"Sometimes I question my own gender." Ziva rolled her eyes.
"Good evening." The hostess smiled at them. "Welcome. Table for 2?"
The pair hesitated until Ziva nudged Tim…hard.
Tim bobbed his head in agreement to the hostess's question.
"Be a man, McGee." Ziva hissed softly as they followed the hostess to a table.
"Your server tonight is Scott. He'll be here shortly to tell you all about our wonderful and healthy specials."
The two agents remained silent until the waiter approached.
"You must be Scott." Ziva cooed.
He nodded, looking a little distracted.
"Long night?" McGee asked.
He nodded again.
"Know the feeling, huh, Ziva?" Tim rolled his eyes. "We're with NCIS and sent up here for team building training. Can you believe that?"
The waiter looked started.
"NCIS?"
"It stands for Nav.."
"I know." He said, interrupting Ziva. "A friend of mine is in the military. He came up here for a holiday."
"Oh?"
"Yeah…but I guess he left. Didn't tell me anything. Just up and disappeared." Scott sniffled. "I'm sorry…the specials for today are…"
Listening to the waiter ramble, Ziva made a note to catch up with Scott later. Her gut said that Scott was the guy that Essex was meeting.
The two placed their order.
After Scott left, Ziva told Tim her thoughts.
"Maybe I should talk to him, instead?" McGee suggested.
"Why's that?"
"Well, if he is…you know…gay…maybe he'll confide in a guy."
"Or maybe you'll make him nervous."
"And you won't?" Tim smirked. "Sorry, Ziva, but you don't exactly exude warm and cuddly."
"Hey, I can be warm and cuddly."
Tim rolled his lips in and raised his eyebrows. Classic McGee for 'yeah, right'.
"I can!" Ziva protested.
"Here. Let me prove it!" Ziva scooted her chair closer to McGee's and wrapped an arm around him. "See?"
Tim stiffened, suddenly wishing he was paired up with Gibbs.
Rebecca arched and yet somehow found the strength to not purr.
"Relax, dear." Came the gentle voice behind her. "You won't enjoy nearly as much if you don't relax."
"I thought I was."
"I can tell you're not."
Rebecca exhaled loudly, her muscles visibly slackening.
A few more rubs and she did purr.
"See what a difference it makes?" The voice asked again.
"Mmmmmmmm….." Rebecca groaned. "I'm so glad you talked me into this before the mud bath."
"The oils will relax and soften your skin, making it more susceptible to the benefits of the mud." The voice explained in a logical yet soft tone. "Why so tense?"
"Oh, just here teaching some NCIS agents how to be a team. They're so infuriating." Rebecca said tensely.
"Easy…"
"Sorry. But they're like children…constantly bickering and trying to one-up each other. And one of them seems to continually get under my skin. Whatever I say or do, he takes it the wrong way. I swear he goes out of his way to get me angry."
"If they are acting like children, kids tend to irritate the ones they're attracted to."
Rebecca stilled and made a determined effort to steer the conversation away from Tony and back on to her true mission.
"But it's just military types that seem to get to me. Are they all this annoying?" She asked in bored, yet whiny, voice.
"I'll say!" Laughed the voice of the masseuse. "I had a Colonel in here recently…demanding to no end. Nothing pleased him, no matter that we gave him what he asked for."
"Is he still a guest here? Just so I know who to avoid?" Rebecca innocently asked.
"Haven't seen him for a few days. Guess he checked out." The massage stopped. "Come on…mud bath time."
"Sounds heavenly." Rebecca allowed herself to be led over the tiled basins filled with aromatic mud.
"These are a couple a well-trained dogs." Gibbs remarked as he and Tony walked the wooded trail that would lead them out to the barn.
Tony nodded in the evening twilight, but chose not to comment.
"Don't like dogs, DiNozzo?" He asked.
"Like 'em fine." Came the brusque response.
Gibbs stopped. Athena and Aphrodite stopped as well. They immediately sensed who the Alpha was in this duo.
"Okay, out with it, DiNozzo. What's up?" Gibbs demanded.
"Up?" Tony asked innocently.
"Yeah. You're moody…more so than normal. And frankly, if I don't feel I can trust you, I don't want you out here with me."
"You can trust me, boss. Whatever I'm feeling won't interfere with my performance…"
"Now that's the kind of spirit we love to hear!" A voice called out from the shadows. It was upwind, explaining why the 'girls' hadn't detected him.
Gibbs and Tony tensed.
A man stepped out of the shadows.