************************************************************
Victor drove through the city streets looking for
some place to stop that didn't look too crowded or noisy. He wanted to be able
to talk to Austin without sitting on top of her and yelling in her ear.
"We don't have to do this you know...you've made Harriet's night by just
saying what you did. You could just drop me off at home and I'll tell Harriet
we had a lovely time."
"I want to do this...I was rude to you earlier like I said and you didn't
deserve it."
"Of course I did...I came right out and practically accused you of being
homophobic," Austin answered.
"I do have some strong feelings about that...I won't lie to you
there...but as far as I'm concerned it's don't ask, don't tell," Victor
admitted with a smile as he pulled into a parking spot. "Let's at least
get out and walk...I don't feel like being cooped up in this car."
"Sure...and I promise I won't try to hold your hand or anything,"
Austin teased gently.
"It's my training I guess...no public displays of affection in front of
superior officers," He shrugged wondering what Austin would do if he took
her hand or put his arm around her shoulder.
"I know...I've sort of done some reading up on things so I don't make a
huge fool of myself my first few days. I still don't know how I got the
job...it's everything I've wanted, but I feel so unqualified."
He could hear the uncertainty in her voice and it tugged at his heart a little.
Not that he wanted to think of her as one of his sisters, but having four
sisters had made Victor protective and the uncertainty in such an outgoing
person was a little unexpected. "Well...if it makes you feel better: I
know Colonel Mackenzie and she never would have recommended you for the post if
you weren't highly qualified."
Austin looked up at him smiling. "Thanks...I needed the pep talk...I
should have taped that so I could replay it when I feel like a screw-up."
Victor stopped walking turning to face her. "I'll give you my number, if
you ever feel that way ...just call and I'll repeat the pep talk in between
counting paper clips and staples."
"I really think you mean that."
"I do."
Austin considered stretching up to kiss him then, if she just moved a little
bit she would be able to press her lips against his and find out just what his
aftershave smelled like and how his hair felt under her fingers. "Okay...I
think we should find some place to sit...before I do something embarrassing to
both of us."
Victor laughed softly. "I don't think I'll ask you about that one...I'll
just let it go."
"That would be best," Austin nodded looking up and down the street.
"Hmmm...looks like Starbucks or...well...that place with the biker
wanna-be's out front."
"Starbucks?"
"Sure...I'll even let you buy me a brownie and a frappucino," Austin
giggled.
"It's my lucky night."
If only you knew how easy it would be to make that one true, Austin
sighed. She wasn't the type to sleep around, but sometimes she wondered if she
should make an exception, especially in this case.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Roberts' Apartment
Midnight...
"Harriet...come to bed. Austin will call you in the morning," Bud
said softly from the doorway, startling his wife.
"Bud, she said she'd call and it's after midnight...I'm worried,"
Harriet answered simply.
"Sweetie, she's out with Gunny...she couldn't be much safer. C'mon...let's
just go to bed. I know Austin...she'll be here bright and early to drink our
coffee and give you the blow-by-blow."
Harriet sighed and got to her feet looking longingly at the telephone wishing
it would ring. "You're right Bud...I hope she's having a good time."
Meanwhile in front of the apartment building Victor pulled his car to a stop,
removing his seatbelt as he took the key from the ignition.
"You really don't need to walk me in," Austin protested when he
appeared on her side of the car, opened the door and offered her a hand out.
"Yes I do...my mother would never forgive me if I didn't use the manners
she taught me," he answered with a smile.
"I bet you were a wild child Victor Galindez," Austin purred softly
forgetting herself for a minute and leaning against his chest. She was feeling
drowsy and it was the most natural thing in the world to lean against him as if
they'd known each other much longer than one evening.
"You're tired...let's get you up to your apartment," Victor murmured
leading her toward the door.
"No arguments here..."
The conversation lagged and a comfortable silence grew between them as they
walked the stairs to her second floor apartment, three doors down from Bud and
Harriet.
"I had a very nice time tonight," Victor said wondering what the
proper etiquette was for this situation. A handshake seemed too formal, but a
hug or a kiss on the cheek seemed a bit forward. You could always salute
her Galindez.
"Me too...I'm sorry I was so rude to you at Admiral
Chegwidden's house. You're one of the good guys," Austin hid a yawn with
her hand looking into Victor's deep eyes and the stubble on his chin.
"I try to be..." Victor trailed off wondering how to say what he
wanted to next without embarrassing the hell out of himself. "Austin...do
you think...would you like to...see me again?"
"I would love to see you again Victor," Austin answered.
"Maybe for dinner tomorrow night?"
"Dinner sounds wonderful...but I'll cook. I don't often get to cook and I
love to."
Austin moved closer to him then doing what she had wanted to do hours before.
She pressed her lips against his in a quick kiss. "Thank you for a lovely
evening Victor."
"Thank you Austin," Victor whispered standing on her welcome mat as
she unlocked her door and stepped into her apartment.
"Come over at 6 tomorrow. That would be 1800 Gunnery Sergeant,"
Austin teased leaning on the door.
"Aye Ma'am," Victor did salute her grinning wickedly the entire time.
*****************************************************
Roberts' Apartment
0630 EDT
Harriet opened the door to get the morning paper and found Austin at the door
in her blue robe carrying her coffee mug. "Aus! Come in...the coffee will
be ready in a minute...and I want details! You didn't get home until after
midnight did you?"
Austin shrugged and walked in heading for the sofa where she flopped down
tucking her white sock clad feet under herself.
"Don't you dare keep this to yourself Austin Alexis Bradford!"
Harriet cried lifting a throw pillow from the other side of the sofa
threatening to throw it at her silently grinning friend.
"Okay...okay...I had a fabulous time...really. Victor is so nice...we
ended up at Starbucks and he bought me a frappucino and a turtle brownie."
"A turtle brownie?" Harriet sighed imagining the gooey caramel and
pecans mixed in with the chocolately brownie. "This is serious."
"It's true lust...he actually insisted on walking me to my door."
"Oh that's romantic..."
"No, actually it was kind of frustrating...I wanted to drag him in and
have my way with him. I held back though."
Harriet slapped her hand to her forehead. "Thank god for that! Poor
Gunny!"
"I don't actually think he would have minded too much," Austin said
with a cheshire cat grin.
"You're awful...don't you corrupt Gunny!" Harriet giggled.
"He's coming for dinner at my place tonight."
"REALLY??? Oh Aus..."
"Harriet, please don't read too much into this: It's just dinner."
"Yeah but you're seeing him again-that's fabulous!" Harriet squealed
chalking another successful match to herself in her mind. Now if only she could
get Commander Rabb and Colonel Mackenzie together.
Austin smiled and blushed lightly. "I think it's pretty wonderful
too...he's really a nice guy...and interesting. As conservative as he is I
didn't think he would be...but he surprised me."
Harriet sniffed indignantly as she went back to the kitchen to get the coffee.
"There's nothing wrong with being conservative."
Austin rolled her eyes. "I know that Harriet...I just don't usually date
guys whose political views aren't similar to mine."
"I've seen the guys you date Austin...not a real endorsement for being a
liberal."
"You have me there...and I think I've alienated most of them anyway since
I support our new president. I think some of his ideas for education are a bit
much, but for the most part I think he really wants to make a positive
difference."
"Now...on to more serious topics: What are you cooking tonight?"
Harriet set the thermal carafe on the coffee table and settled back on the sofa
eyeing her friend.
"I don't know...I've been up since about 4:30 going through my cupboards
to see what I have. I want this to be good."
"What about those Pesto stuffed Chicken breasts you made one night for Bud
and I. He almost left me for you after that meal."
"I could...it's pretty simple to make..."Austin trailed off tapping a
finger against her chin as she considered the dish.
"Gunny will love it...I know he will."
Austin smiled and nodded glad that one question was out of the way. "Tell
me about him...what's he like at work?"
"He's Gunny...helpful and serious," Harriet shrugged. "He
doesn't volunteer much about himself really."
"So Victor's a mystery man?" Austin sighed settling back against the
sofa cushions.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Austin's Apartment
1200 EDT
"Oh god this place will never be clean!" Austin
moaned as she pulled the terry cloth covering off her Sh'mop wrinkling her nose
at the dirt on it just from mopping the kitchen floor. Grumbling, promising
herself from now on she would mop once week, Austin pulled another terry
cloth cover out and fitted it wet it before fitting it over the mop head and
spraying it with floor cleaner.
With that job finished she went into the living room to survey the mess there.
Reports and booklets littered her coffee table, obscuring the dark wood top.
The rug was reasonably clean, that would only need to be vacuumed, but the
bookshelves needed dusting and the coffee table needed to be cleared off.
"If I were just an organized person this would be much better...I wouldn't
have to rush around like a fool now."
It took her another hour to get
the apartment into some sort of acceptable shape and then she knew it was time
to venture into the basement and get her laundry done.
"Please, please, please....don't let Mrs. Fitts be down there. I don't
think I can stand another story about how cute her kittens are. The last thing
I need is a pet," Austin muttered to the ceiling of the building as she
dragged her overflowing laundry basket down the stairs.
"You could use the elevator you know Austin."
"Bud...I hate that thing...I'm always afraid it's going to break and trap
me in there forever!" Austin answered sighing in relief when Bud took the
basket from her arms and turned to help her down the stairs.
"Harriet tells me you're seeing Gunny again tonight."
"I am...I'm cooking for him and everything," Austin said proudly.She
smiled to herself. Who would have thought something as simple as making dinner
for someone would make her feel so happy?
"Lucky man...my in-laws are in town and Harriet told them we'd have dinner
with them..." Bud sighed deeply. "I think I'd rather have a root
canal."
"Oh come on...it will be fine...just remember: Nod, smile and let them do
all the talking," Austin had heard enough stories about Harriet's parents
to be quite sure what was the best way to handle them.Besides...it was her
experience that people tended to like you if they felt they could talk about
themselves and you would listen and show an interest.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Outside the apartment building
1750 EDT...
Victor pulled to a stop looking in the rearview mirror to be sure there was
nothing stuck in his teeth and he hadn't missed any spots when he'd shaved.
Satisfied that he looked okay he reached for the flowers on the seat
beside him. He'd thought of buying Austin a dozen red roses, but that
symbolized love. They weren't there yet and he wasn't going to rush into
anything. One thing he'd learned throughout his life was to be patient and so
he'd chosen a really pretty arrangement of different types of sunflowers hoping
Austin would like it.
He caught his reflection in the glass door leading into the building and
smiled. He wasn't in his uniform, but he looked neat and presentable in the
gray sweater and blue jeans he'd chosen from his limited selection of casual
clothes. Soon he stood before Austin's door and knocked.
"Victor, hi...come on in!" Austin said with a happy smile as she
opened the door and stepped back.
"Hi...I got these for you," Victor smiled offering her the flower
arrangement before bending his head to kiss her cheek gently. God she smelled
good...like vanilla.
"They're lovely...thank you so much," Austin answered putting her
hand on his arm, squeezing the firm muscles. "Let me just put these in
water and then I'll give you a tour of the place."
Victor nodded and stepped back, giving her the chance to move away as he closed
the door behind them before he followed her into the kitchen. His stomach
rumbled at the mouth-watering smells coming from the direction of the stove and
Austin laughed at him, nudging a plate of fresh veggies and cheese in his
direction.
"Here...I wouldn't want to be accused of starving you."
"Thanks...it smells great in here."
"Thank you...we're having Pesto stuffed Chicken breasts, rice
pilaf, tossed salad and fruit salad for dessert."
"Sounds healthy to me," Victor teased reaching for some of the baby
carrots on the appetizer tray.
"I try...I considered cheesecake for dessert, but then I'd have to jog
about 20 miles tomorrow morning."
"You jog alone?" Victor asked in a slightly sharper tone than he'd
meant to. This wasn't the worst neighborhood he'd seen, but still...if she was
jogging alone it wasn't the safest activity.
"Usually...sometimes Harriet comes along, but usually it's just me. I only
jog during the day of course, in the morning."
"It's still not safe," Victor answered flatly. "There's a track
and a gym at JAG Ops...since you'll be working there or near there maybe you
should think about jogging there instead."
Austin bit her lip feeling more than a little irritated at Victor trying
to tell her what to do. It was her life after all and for 32 years she'd
managed to take care of herself quite well. "I'll think about it."
Her tone was short and final making Victor wince. He'd blown it there, thinking
like a brother again. "I'm sorry...I was out of line. I'm not trying to
tell you what to do, really I'm not. I have four sisters and sometimes I get a
little protective of the women around me."
He sounded contrite and his eyes held a worried, sad look that made Austin
smile softly. It was sort of nice to feel like he cared that much about her.
"It's okay...I don't need to jump into my defensive independent mode quite
so quickly. Friends?"
"Friends," Victor agreed with a relieved grin.
Anyone that thought Parris Island was tough needed to try relationships...talk about
possibilities for dismal failure around every turn.
Most of the women he'd dated in the past had been attracted to his position and
him in a uniform. They were looking for someone to take care of them and
happily let him be protective of them. Austin wasn't going to be that way. She
was capable of caring for herself and she wasn't going to take him interfering
kindly.
"Okay...let me just put these on the table then I'll give you that big,
exciting tour."