Chapter 29

Thank you for the continuing interest!


Covergirl was well versed in various martial arts, even if she wasn't terribly proficient in any particular form compared to some of the Joes. She could hold her own in a fight, but similar to BeachHead, she tended to use a warped mishmash of forms and moves. Her own fighting wasn't comparable to Stalker's boxing talent.

Watching Beach in the ring was watching a messy brawl each time. He tended to win, he showed a great deal of skill but it had no finesse. Watching Stalker in a boxing ring on the other hand...

She blinked as he shifted his stance backwards just 3 inches, letting the punch land on his chest ineffectively as the power was spent before his opponent reached him. Shifting ever so slightly to one side or the other made blows miss his head. His own strikes flickered out and landed precisely and solidly. The punishing blows made short work of the other Rangers, giving them little chance to inflict much damage on Stalker himself.

She winced as he took a hard right hook to the jaw. It barely slowed him but it was just enough for his opponent to move in and land several punches in succession, knocking Stalker back. Before he could recover he was down. Lydia yelled in dismay but it was too late and the fight was over.

Stalker climbed to his feet and touched his glove to the other fighter's. There was a surge in the crowd noise and then their friend was down next to them, holding out his gloves to Lydia. "Hey baby.. sorry.. did my best."

She leaned to kiss his cheek and began unlacing the gloves. "You did great! I don't expect you to be a professional boxer." Her smile got wicked. "Besides.. if you were getting punched in the head every day, you's start forgetting important stuff.. like my favorite perfume.. the kind of chocolate I love.. how I love it when you tickle behind my ear..." She giggled at him as the gloves slipped off. "I prefer you all smart.. and in eighth place."

He grinned and flexed his hands a few times, wiping them off on a towel before reaching for her. A long kiss and he tilted his head to look into her eyes. "You bet on me reaching the top ten.. didn't you?" She nodded and he sighed. "My own little gambling addict... did you make enough to take your man to lunch at a nice restaurant?"

"Oh I can take you anywhere you'd like." Lydia kissed him again before turning to Courtney. "Hey, you guys want to come along? There's a really nice place about thirty minutes out from the east gate. Good food, a little pricy but it's worth it." She helped Stalker toweling off and handed him his teeshirt back.

CoverGirl hummed a little looking at BeachHead who shrugged. "Well.. it sounds good but Beach did promise me that he'd show me the heavy vehicle garages..." She raised an eyebrow at him.

Beach lifted the ice pack off his lump. "Uhh.. concussion?" She frowned and he sighed and gave up easily. "Yes I know.. I already said I was fine. Yeah, I'll get you into the tank maintenance and such." She jumped up and hugged his neck, making him wince. "Yeah yeah... come on. We're gonna eat lunch first though. The grease monkeys won't welcome no one in there during lunch hour anyway."

She leveled a finger at him. "Then we're eating at the messhall. You are taking me to the garages. You promised. They have several Abrams and Jacobsen said they were in the middle of rebuilding the engine itself on one. I never get to work on Abrams."

"Alright. You wanna go, we'll go." He pressed the ice pack back to his head. "Can we pick up some aspirin fer my head first?"

"I'll get you some." She folded her arms at him and he gave up. She was pretty sure that he was resisting out of sheer perversity, since he'd been the one to offer the tour of the heavy equipment before she'd had a chance to ask. But then, arguing with the big Ranger was endlessly entertaining, so she didn't mind. As long as she won the argument, of course. "So do you want to head back to the room?"

He looked puzzled. "What for? We could head right over to the messhall from here."

Lydia rolled her eyes at him. "Beach, I'd be discreet and subtle, but I'd end up having to find a clue-by-four to use on you in the end, so no offense, but you guys stink. All the fighting has caused a lot of sweating and such, and you need to shower and clean up before you inflict that stench on people trying to eat lunch, especially the women who will be sitting with you."

Beachhead's expression had gone still and he shrugged slightly in dismissal. "Fine. We'll go clean up." Reaching out, he put a hand on Courtney's back to nudge her out in front of him. "Let's go."

They exited the building before she tried to put an arm around him only to have him step away. "Beach.. it's fine. Lydia just.."

"Lydia was right." He gave her a tight smile. "I do stink." As she started to protest, he waved her silent. "Naw.. it's fine. This ain't like the guys at the Pitt tauntin' me over it. It's just fact right now. I'm not upset, my head just hurts and I don't wanna go snappin' at no one over nothin'." He put a hand out to push her away again as she stepped up. "You go squishin' up on me, I don't wanna hear no 'ewww' from ya."

She frowned. "No ewww. You forget, I've been sweaty and nasty and covered in mud and grease myself at the end of a hard day too." A wide grin appeared on her face. "You've never seemed to mind."

"Well.. no.. " He sighed at her. "Why don't I just concede defeat at the start of every conversation with you so I ain't gotta bother tryin' to keep things makin' sense?" She punched his arm and he rubbed at it absently. "Ow." When she mocked him, he glared at her, tugging his teeshirt up to show off the bruise left from his ill-fated parachute jump. "Bruises.. Ah'd appreciate if'n ya would stop hittin' 'em on a regular basis." The annoyance in his tone made her apologize. "It's okay.."

"Well no it's not." Courtney tucked both hands into her pockets. "I'm sorry, I don't mean to hit you, just poke at you.. and I keep managing to cause you pain."

He shook his head. "Oh well, yeah. I did want a shrinkin' violet girl who is more worried about breakin' a nail or smudgin' their make-up rather than a tough woman who can take care of herself and beat the shit out of anyone what pisses her off. I guess I'll have to make do with you instead." He closed the eye closest to her as she smacked his shoulder with an open hand a few times. "Okay.. those were called fer.. " He laughed softly as she made a point of throwing her hands in the air dramatically. "Yeah yeah.. yer gonna get the Grammy fer sure with that performance."

Her hand went to her forehead. "Wayne.. that's the Oscars. The Grammys are for music. You are so clueless when it comes to ANYthing regarding pop culture.. it's just scary how focused you are on only Army stuff. And I wasn't being THAT melodramatic." She looked over to see him grinning. "You bastard, you bait me.. you seriously just enjoy baiting me. I never know if you're actually clueless or being a brat."

"I'm bein' difficult and unpredictable. Gotta keep ya off balance so ya don't go gettin' bored with me and find some other guy who's more handsome and socially acceptable and less likely to embarrass ya in public." Beach's casual tone would fool anyone except for Courtney. He barely looked like he was waiting for some protest from her over the idea.

Lips twitching ever so slightly, she indulged his insecurities. "Wayne, I don't want any other guys, no matter what. I'll never be bored with you." She watched for the slight relaxing of the lines around his eyes. "Besides.. I recall that I was the one getting into a catfight over you on our first real date... so perhaps you want some cute bimbo who won't embarrass YOU in public." She waited in turn for him to protest and finally looked over at him to see him looking thoughtful. "Bastard."

"Kiddin'! I don't want no one else neither." He got a extremely self-satisfied smile. "Besides.. havin' a couple good-lookin' women catfightin' over me was kinda... hawt." When he glanced smugly over at his girlfriend, he jumped at the look on her face. Automatically he stepped slightly away and began running everything he'd said back through his brain searching for whatever he'd managed to say to insult her. 'Want only her', 'good-looking'... nope, couldn't be anything he'd said. Frowning at her irrational display of anger, he responded with confidence. "What now?"

"Did you just say 'good-looking women', Wayne?" Even though she was obviously mad, he couldn't see how that was anything wrong, so he gave a hesitant nod. "Really? 'Good-looking... women' hmmm?" Her emphasis made his eyes narrow in concentration but he just didn't see...

"Uh oh." Now her face got that satisfied look that said he was about to catch her righteous indignation in his teeth. "Look.. Ah uhh.. yer really good-lookin' see?"

"And her too, huh? So you thought she was as good-looking as me, hmm? Nice to know I can compete with some sleazy waitress.." Her jaw clenched and she continued in a tight voice. "You said you weren't even looking at her, Wayne. Now I find you were enjoying the sight of me rolling around with the other gorgeous babe.. "

"Ah never said she wuz gorgeous.. just good-lookin'... " Her eyes glinted and he rushed to add, "But nothin' like ya.. yer..y-yer way better than any bit a fluff." Casting around for something to say to make her un-angry at him, he seized on the wrong thing. "Now that yer not a thin little twig, there ain't no woman whut could compare to ya."

"Wayne.. I can't believe you! Not enough that I'm not pretty enough.. now I'm fat!" Courtney's darkening expression made him stop walking and step backwards twice. "Oh.. I cannot BELIEVE you went there! I am NOT fat! Just because I'm not some anorexic teen who throws up her half cup of yogurt.."

"Wait wait!" He tried to stop her. "A'fore ya go and get yerself all wound up.." Beach thought quickly. "Ah misspoke.. annnnnnnd... Ah meant that there was one gorgeous woman fightin' some.. umm.. other chick... uhh.. yer ten times as pretty and more capable than any dimwitted slinky twit ever.." Was her expression softening just a little? "And.. and.. no woman from no where has yer talents!"

Her face hardened again. "What talents exactly are you talking about Wayne? My talents at pleasing you? Am I a good lay?"

"Hell yeah!" Even as the words left his mouth, he scrambled to recover. "But that ain't got nuthin' to do with yer talent at everything. Yer fit and strong, ya shoot pretty danged good, ya got smarts and..." He was beginning to feel pretty desperate now. "...and... ain't no one in the danged world whut can work on a engine like you!"

Courtney suddenly got a shy smile. "You mean that?"

Hoping he'd finally hit on the right thing to mention, he nodded. "Yes. Ain't no one able to do what you can with a engine, girl." He spread his arms. "Ya got everything.. brains, beauty, ability, spunk, uhh.. yer.. umm.. lovin' and kind.. and...uhh.. smart... definitely forgivin'... very very forgivin'..."

She took pity on him struggling to think of another accolade. "Oh okay okay.. you're out of the doghouse.. but you'd better not be gazing at some bimbo and telling me she's pretty either."

He relaxed and began to think perhaps he wasn't going to get kicked in the kneecap today. "Well.. what's it really matter anyway? I mean.. it ain't half fair that yer oogling at other guys and talkin' about how fine Benny's ass is.. but I get in trouble fer makin' a bit of a slip about another woman." Beach motioned for her to start walking again. "It ain't like I'll choose some other woman.. "

She walked along quietly thinking. "Well.. I don't know. You do object to me staring at other guys.. but it's just not the same. I guess women are just more sensitive and you don't want to make me feel all insecure and unhappy... do you?" Her quick smile made him sigh. "Life's not fair, Wayne, you've told me that about a hundred times. It applies here too. So.." She roughened her voice and put on her best accent. "Soo suck it up butta-cup and gimme all ya got or Ah'll come down there and kick yer sorry butt!"

Beach rolled his eyes. "Yer a trial, ya know that, right?" He glanced over at her in time to register the sly grin on her face before she shoved him sideways into the ditch. "Auugh! Dammit!" The 'splat' sounded loud as did her giggles at him. "Well... ain't that nice of ya." Picking himself out of the mud, he flicked his hands to sling the mud off. Glaring at a few passersby, Beach wiped the worst of the mud away. "Whatcha lookin' at? Ain't never seen a real Ranger? Ain't a real Ranger less'n ya got some muck on ya." He did spare a glare for CoverGirl who stayed out of reach.

"Sorry Wayne, but... you know, I just figured you hadn't gotten to play in any mud pits at all in sooooo long.. " He flicked dirt at her as they walked and she ducked. "Sorry!" Despite his fussing, he wasn't as covered in mud as he acted like. A wet ditch was nothing like his deep filled mud pits back at the base. A couple streaks of dirt was barely noticeable compared to how he could look some days after PT when he'd felt the need to chase someone through the course personally. She reached over to wipe his cheek. "I'm sorry, honey. Really." Her mock contrite tone didn't fool him.

"Trial." BeachHead stepped into their room and held the heavy door for Courtney to come in behind him. "Ah'm gettin' a shower first."

"You need one now." She wrinkled her nose. "No offense Beach but you reek of sweat and testosterone. And mud.. with a healthy side of ick."

He frowned at her. "Shut it, Princess." He peeled his shirt off and tossed it into a heap in the bottom of the closet. Rubbing a hand over his head he grimaced. "Ahhh, I have dirt in my hair." His eyes narrowed. "You don't stay exactly pristine all the time there, yourself."

"Well yeah." She looked at her hands and arms. "But I don't smell as bad as you do." She tried to fend him off as he grabbed her and buried his face into her neck suddenly. "Oh get off! Get off!"

"Hmmm..." He snuffled several times. "Yer right, ya smell better than me.." Finally letting go of his girlfriend, he smiled at her making faces and wiping at herself. "Awww baby... don't ya love me.." He chuckled when she shook a finger at him.

"Don't push your luck, Sergeant major." He stripped the t-shirt off as he turned away and she took the opportunity to wind up her shirt and snapped it at his bare back. The loud pop was followed by him jumping and yelping. "Ahh.. see? Payback's a bitch.."

He glared. "Ow. Yer brutal." He rubbed at the sore spot. "Ah'll remember that.. ya just take that in mind when yer stabbin' me in the back, girl." He fended off another snap by snatching the end of the shirt when she flung it at him. "Keep that up.."

"Go get your shower." Courtney pulled her shirt back and pointed at the bath. "Go on.. shoo. Shower. Get clean and nicer smelling so we can go to lunch." He grumbled slightly as he disappeared into the bath. "He sounds like a bear." Stretching in the center of the room, she felt her spine pop. "Ahh..." She briefly wondered how long it would take the Ranger in the shower and suddenly slapped her forehead. "I'm an idiot."

Stripping clothing off on the way, she grinned as she opened the door quietly. Sneaking to the shower curtain, she rattled it suddenly, listening to the squeak of Beach jumping in the porcelain tub just before he started cursing. "Hey Ranger man.. got room for two in there!" She poked her head around the curtain into the steamy spray and grinned at him, certain that he was aware she was there so he wouldn't whack her accidentally in startlement. Without waiting for the answer, she climbed in, admiring the large male body rather a lot. "Mmmm.. hot wet Ranger.. my favorite after dinner treat." Her eyes traveled over the heavily muscled chest covered in body hair plastered flat by the water and soap. Courtney used her fingertips to trace out some of the scars marking his skin making him shiver in reaction.

"Yer shameless. Just sayin'." Beach rubbed at his hair, getting shampoo rinsed out of it. The slender body crowding in with him wasn't unwelcome in the least. In fact, his hands wrapped her waist, drawing her carefully closer. She was made of sleek muscle and soft skin and the contrast drove him mad with desire. "Absolutely shameless."

Her smirk answered him. "Why don't you find out just how shameless I can get?"


End Chapter

They're certainly enjoying their vacation time.