Sarah's POV
Something was ringing. I picked up the phone and looked at it. I was so out of it I didn't know what it was much less what to say into it, I just held the receiver in my hand and looked at it.
Clay reached over me and took the receiver from my hand, he told someone, "Thank You," and hung up.
He looked at my befuddled expression and had the nerve to laugh at me.
"It's time for you to meet with Tracy and go to the spa." He settled back next to me and began rubbing my tummy.
"I don't want to go. I want to stay here and fool around with you." I rolled over and lay over him. I kissed his chin, then moved to his cheek, then his lips. I think that I could stay here in bed with him for the rest of my life, barring going to open the door for room service.
While I was busy kissing him, he was caressing me from back to my ass, drawing circles with his fingertips. If what was pressing against my hip was any indication, we would be staying. Suddenly he popped me on my butt, and then soothed it with a gentle rubbing motion.
"As much as I want to stay in bed with you, I promised Rabb that I would talk with him. He's got some kind of problem with Tracy."
I raised my eyebrow, "Since when doesn't he have trouble with women, and does he think that you are going to impart any secret knowledge?"
"He must think I have something to give, I've got you don't I?" His grin was smug.
"Don't get too cocky there, I can still take you down a peg or two!"
"Oh, don't I know it. Now let's get up and get dressed. You've got fifteen minutes to make your appointment."
I reluctantly crawled out of bed and we both walked into the bathroom. We both got into the shower and rinsed off quickly, only pausing for a short kiss. Dressing with him for the first time was interesting. Before this trip I've only seen him in three piece suits and desert gear. Here he's been wearing casual wear, like dockers and polo shirts. Today was the first time I ever saw him in shorts. It looks like he was going to continue this ultra casual wear. I must admit that I liked the shorts. He had great muscular legs and his butt was well defined. I wonder if he would mind if I just followed him drooling all the way?
I just put on shorts and a simple tee. He seemed to appreciate the look from the look he had in his eyes. We talked as we rode down to the lobby.
"I told Tracy and Harm earlier that we would meet them in the lobby. You can go with Tracy while I get Harm to talk. I hope I'm not going to regret this."
"Just make sure he's got his head on straight about Tracy. I don't want her to get hurt by his commitment phobia. I'll talk to her, to try and help her understand him. Now that I'm not thinking about him as a potential partner, I can more objectively see what his problems are. I think he's more worried about someone leaving him than making a true commitment."
"That sound about right. He is much more screwed up about his father than he or anyone of us suspected. I like Tracy, and I agree that she could get hurt. I'll make sure he understands."
We left the elevator and saw Harm and Tracy across the lobby. When we met up with them Clay gave me a kiss and told me to go relax. Tracy and I left the two of them there and went to get beautiful.
Clay's POV
The phone woke me from a very lovely dream featuring Sarah and I on a gently rocking boat making love. I heard Sarah pick up the phone but nothing else. I opened my eyes and she was just staring at the handset, looking like it was some unknown object. I took the phone from her and told the operator thank you and hung up. I had to laugh at her confused expression; she looked adorable.
We continued to lie against each other as I smoothed my fingers over her abdomen. I was addicted to touching her, and I never wanted to stop. She moved over me and said she wanted to stay in bed and fool around. I know she could feel my erection, but I had to go buy the ring. I had an idea what I wanted and hoped to find something that would match it. I had to distract so I popped her lightly on her rear and rubbed out the sting. I didn't want to hurt her in any way.
After a regrettably brief shower we dressed. The way she was staring at me I think she liked my clothing choice. I certainly liked hers. Her shorts were very short and the tee was very tight. Tessa only has to ask for what she wants and it is hers. I saw the bikinis she purchased and I couldn't wait to see Sarah in them.
Which reminds me along with the ring I want to get Sarah a cocktail dress for the party. Tessa didn't include that in her shopping spree. And that means shoes and some jewelry in addition to the ring. Harm is just going to have to grin and bear it; I'm a power shopper. I've been with Mother when she is into shopping mode and it's not for the weak of heart.
On the way down in the elevator we discussed Rabb's relationship problems. I didn't plan on talking to Rabb at great length today, but would do so in the future if necessary. Tracy did not have to be treated as Sarah was. I just wish I had given in to my desires to approach Sarah earlier, maybe we would have clicked then and she could have avoided some of the pain she went through.
When we were watching the two walk to the spa I looked at Rabb and simply said, "Harm, I hope you have got your act together. Tracy is a good woman and deserves to be treated well. Don't mess around with her head."
He looked at me strangely, "Clay, that's the last thing I want to do. I like her; I like her very much. I'm screwed up I know, as far as relationships go. Look what I did to Mac. I don't want to make that mistake again." He shook his head in regret.
"Mac and I never made love, I want you to know that. I mean, we had chances, but things never worked out. I hurt her I know. Now Tracy and I jumped right into intimacy and I don't know where this is going to end up. The regs are a big problem, and we will both have to work this out between ourselves and Chegwidden."
I was stupidly pleased that the two of them had never been together.
"Harm, all I would like you to do, is do what is best. If you can't give your all to her, break it off before things get out of hand. That's the only advice I can give you. I mean my relationships in the past have sucked."
He gave me a 'who you' look.
"I feel incredibly fortunate to have Sarah in my life now, and will do everything in my power to see have that fortune continue. Um, now psychoanalysis time is over. We only have three hours to finish this project, so let's go."
Just as we were walking out the lobby Jim and Ramon joined us. Jim said, "I want to vote on the ring. Ramon said you should get a diamond, I think a pearl would be nice. What do think Harm?"
"I am not going there. He is the one who is going to have to live with the choice. Let's just go along for the ride. It should prove interesting."
I managed to find a very nice upscale jewelry shop. Manado is a tourist town, and tourists that can afford to travel there can afford some nice jewelry. I looked in several cases with the three stooges hanging over my shoulder pointing at their particular choices. After my third glare they stood back muttering to themselves as I continued to look. Then I saw it, and asked the clerk to take it out. It was a square cut emerald in an open setting with two rows of diamonds on either side. It wasn't too gaudy or ostentatious, and she could wear it with her uniform. It was perfect for her. If I remembered correctly the emerald stone had links to the mystical and the wearer had the ability to foretell the future. This was it. I quickly picked out matching earrings and a simple necklace. I gave the man my card and asked that he place it in his nicest jewelry box. The ring would be a little loose on her, but it could be sized when we got home.
"Clay, are you sure? An emerald engagement ring, I mean a diamond is more traditional." Ramon was still pitching for his choice.
"Ramon, correct me if I'm wrong, but Sara McKenzie is the least traditional woman I know!"
He looked sheepish and agreed. "Yeah, she is unique. What's next on the shopping list?"
"Clothing, she needs a cocktail dress and everything to go with it." This was going to be fun. I felt extremely comfortable purchasing clothing for Sarah. I had done it before, and planned on doing it many time in the future. Harm was looking antsy all ready and we hadn't entered a store yet. Ramon and Jim had obviously been shopping with their wives before. I was going to enjoy seeing Harm squirm, this was proving to be an entertaining experience.
I found a clothing shop on a street not far away. It was a exclusive clothing shop and I had a hunch that I would find what I wanted there. We all trooped and began looking around. A saleswoman approached Harm and asked him what she could show him. He got red in the face and pointed at me, "He's the one buying."
"I would like to see something in emerald green, silk if you have it. A cocktail dress. Form fitting. The lady in question has a beautiful figure, and nothing to hide." I gave her the size and sat while we waited for her to make selections.
"You know Harm, I doubt that Tracy has anything to wear either. Why don't you pick something out for her."
"I wouldn't know what to get her, I mean I really don't know her likes and dislikes. She's so tiny, um, ah..."
"Harm, all you have to do is give her Tracy's coloring, size, and height. She will guide you through the process."
By this time the saleswoman, Sukit, brought out three silk dresses, all in shades of emerald. One immediately caught my eye and I told her that was the one. Jim and Ramon voiced their approval, not that I needed it.
I looked at Harm, waiting for him to speak up when he didn't I did.
"Sukit, we will also need another dress for this gentleman's lady friend. She will need a cocktail dress, but something in sapphire blue. She is tiny, of Japanese decent, about five foot one or two. No more than a size two I would think."
Sukit proved to have an excellent eye. She showed Harm several lovely dresses. When he couldn't make a decision, she recommended a beautiful dress that we all thought would be great. He nodded and we made the purchases. I then asked if Sukit would recommend a shop for lingerie and shoes. She gave us two nearby shops that would fulfill our needs.
If I thought Harm was uncomfortable in the dress shop, the lingerie shop practically gave him hives. They had some lovely things; it was a Far Eastern version of Victoria's Secret. I could picture Sarah in quite a few items, but I resisted and purchased only what would go with her dress. I also took pity on Harm and told him what to get. What has this man been buying his girlfriends? I don't know many women that don't like beautiful lingerie, even if they hide it underneath a uniform.
We moved on to the shoe store. I knew Sarah's shoe size, I had peaked a look at her shoes while she was dressing. Before Harm even started looking, I again told the clerk what we needed. Within ten minutes we were on the way back to the hotel.
We had accomplished everything with forty-five minutes to spare. Jim recommended a drink in the bar while we waited for the ladies. After ordering, we sat around talking about Jarot and how he betrayed us all.
"I can't believe that guy. He was playing three ends against the middle. He promised to deliver to the Timorese, al Queda, and Balik what they wanted. All three parties wanted a different outcome from the bombing. And to top it off he collected big time from all of them. What balls! The separatists wanted to get rid of the current regime, al Queda wanted to hurt Americans, and Balik wanted to get rid of western ownership of hotels and resorts. He is a real piece of work."
Ramon continued on telling about the short interview they had with him before he was shipped to Jakarta.
"When we told him Balik rolled on him he started screaming that the man just didn't see the big picture. Just because tourism was temporarily damaged, it would come back. I was really surprised that he could talk at all after Sarah kicked him in the cajones. The Marine guarding him, Dave, said he never wanted to get on Sarah's bad side and that he would be proud to fight at her side anytime." Ramon finished this with a wide grin on his face.
I had to chuckle at this. She was very tough, but none of the men at this table had really seen beneath that exterior. She had to be tough; she was woman who had succeeded in a man's world. But she was vulnerable and could be hurt all too easily. I would never have to protect the marine, but would do my best to protect the woman as much as she would let me.
"Clay we are fortunate that your efforts prevented any further loss of lives." Harm said.
"I just wish I could have been just a few minutes earlier. I feel so responsible.."
Harm spoke sharply, "Clay, you are not responsible for the actions of these animals. You worked alone with no support from your boss. You were able to piece together random information and come to the correct conclusion. Your actions may not have been in time to prevent the bombing, but they certainly put an end to any future ones coordinated by Jarot. If he had been successful no telling where this would have ended." Jim and Ramon voiced their agreement with Harm's statement.
I was surprised by Harm's vehement defense. Even though I considered him a friend in the past, his words cemented that friendship.
"Thanks Harm, um, that really means a great deal to me.
I heard someone clear her throat. The others were just staring behind me. I turned to look at what they saw. Sarah and Tracy were standing there in all their glory. They wore simple sundresses and sandals. It was obvious that their hair had been done, but the makeup was subtle and accentuated their natural beauty. Ramon gave a wolf whistle, and they both blushed.
"Is someone going to take me to dinner? I know it's early but I missed lunch for some reason." Sarah joked.
Jim replied for the group. "I think that we could be convince to escort two lovely ladies to dinner."
We decided to go to a restaurant in the resort. As I escorted Sarah into to dinner I whispered to her that she was really turning me on, and that I hoped to contain myself while we ate. All bets were off for after dinner!
Sarah's POV
Tracy and I left the men and walked to the Spa. Once there we were whisked away to our massages. The masseuse was good, but I still preferred Clay. His massages came with very unique fringe benefits.
I decided that any discussion with Tracy could wait until after we enjoyed the spas amenities. When we were done I suggested that Tracy buy something in a Resort shop to wear tonight. I know she probably left DC with the same types of clothing that I had, uniforms and jeans or sweats. We found something quickly and dressed in my suite.
The discussion went surprisingly well. Tracy has a good head on her shoulders and apparently a lot of control over her emotions. She realized that Harm had commitment problems and didn't expect anything from him. They didn't know each other that well and she felt the events of the last few days impacted the way they were relating to each other. She would wait until they returned home before she allowed herself to feel more than 'intimate like' for him. Meanwhile she was going to have a good time. I know I couldn't approach a relationship like that. She was an interesting lady and I think Harm had a tiger by the tail.
We joined the male crew in the bar. I know we looked good, but the stares they were giving us were a little overboard. After agreeing to dinner Clay and I trailed the group on the way to the restaurant. His arm was around my waist and he was telling me what he wanted to do with me after dinner. We had to eat, but we were going to have each other for dessert, in our room.
Dinner proved to be a lively affair. Ramon was in rare form. He told story after story. Some were about Harm, others about Bud, and a few about me. Then he started in on Clay. I was glad to see that he could laugh at himself. He had changed so much since I had first met him. In Arizona he had been an uptight, arrogant, heartless control freak. He was still two out of four. He had gained experience to exude a confident power rather begin uptight in situations. He was still arrogant, that was Clay, and even though he had shared freely on this mission he would always be a control freak. The one thing that he truly wasn't anymore was heartless. Over the years he had gradually shown that the tin man truly had a heart.
During our conversations and e-mails while he was in Suriname he had shared things about his personal life that I doubt he had shared with any one in a long time. At first our conversations had been stilted and short, talking about the mundane. Then he e-mailed that he had a bad day. DC wanted busy work reports that anyone could compile from their desktop PC. He felt his skills were being wasted so I encouraged him to use his skills and find something. That little piece of advice led us here. Over time we talked about our lives sharing bits of information from our pasts. The anonymity of phone conversations and e-mail allowed us to share more openly, but we shared. And that is why, I believe, that our relationship went from friends to lovers so rapidly. We knew each other, better than most who had reached this point.
As the conversation around the table began to die down Clay made our excuses. We had been touching each other sureptiouly through out the meal. When we got back to the room he puposely fumbled with the room key. I was going to smack that smirk off his face if he didn't move. I resisted the urge because his bruises were beginning to fade, but he was cruising.
"Spook, paybacks are hell, I can and will get you back!"
"OK, OK, the door is open, what are you waiting on?"
When I didn't move he picked me up in a fireman's carry and dumped me on the bed I pulled him to me wanting to relish his weight. We made slow langorous love enjoying each other to the fullest. When we were done we just lay together enjoying the presence of the other.
He looked up at me, not moving his head. "Are you going to retaliate now, or are you going to lie in wait and get me when I least expect it?"
"What do you think? As soon as I can move you don't stand a chance."
"What about a nap? I'll let you retaliate all you want when we've rested up. I need all my strength to withstand your evil plans."
"As our friend Bud would say, 'Resistance is futile'!"
TBC
Something was ringing. I picked up the phone and looked at it. I was so out of it I didn't know what it was much less what to say into it, I just held the receiver in my hand and looked at it.
Clay reached over me and took the receiver from my hand, he told someone, "Thank You," and hung up.
He looked at my befuddled expression and had the nerve to laugh at me.
"It's time for you to meet with Tracy and go to the spa." He settled back next to me and began rubbing my tummy.
"I don't want to go. I want to stay here and fool around with you." I rolled over and lay over him. I kissed his chin, then moved to his cheek, then his lips. I think that I could stay here in bed with him for the rest of my life, barring going to open the door for room service.
While I was busy kissing him, he was caressing me from back to my ass, drawing circles with his fingertips. If what was pressing against my hip was any indication, we would be staying. Suddenly he popped me on my butt, and then soothed it with a gentle rubbing motion.
"As much as I want to stay in bed with you, I promised Rabb that I would talk with him. He's got some kind of problem with Tracy."
I raised my eyebrow, "Since when doesn't he have trouble with women, and does he think that you are going to impart any secret knowledge?"
"He must think I have something to give, I've got you don't I?" His grin was smug.
"Don't get too cocky there, I can still take you down a peg or two!"
"Oh, don't I know it. Now let's get up and get dressed. You've got fifteen minutes to make your appointment."
I reluctantly crawled out of bed and we both walked into the bathroom. We both got into the shower and rinsed off quickly, only pausing for a short kiss. Dressing with him for the first time was interesting. Before this trip I've only seen him in three piece suits and desert gear. Here he's been wearing casual wear, like dockers and polo shirts. Today was the first time I ever saw him in shorts. It looks like he was going to continue this ultra casual wear. I must admit that I liked the shorts. He had great muscular legs and his butt was well defined. I wonder if he would mind if I just followed him drooling all the way?
I just put on shorts and a simple tee. He seemed to appreciate the look from the look he had in his eyes. We talked as we rode down to the lobby.
"I told Tracy and Harm earlier that we would meet them in the lobby. You can go with Tracy while I get Harm to talk. I hope I'm not going to regret this."
"Just make sure he's got his head on straight about Tracy. I don't want her to get hurt by his commitment phobia. I'll talk to her, to try and help her understand him. Now that I'm not thinking about him as a potential partner, I can more objectively see what his problems are. I think he's more worried about someone leaving him than making a true commitment."
"That sound about right. He is much more screwed up about his father than he or anyone of us suspected. I like Tracy, and I agree that she could get hurt. I'll make sure he understands."
We left the elevator and saw Harm and Tracy across the lobby. When we met up with them Clay gave me a kiss and told me to go relax. Tracy and I left the two of them there and went to get beautiful.
Clay's POV
The phone woke me from a very lovely dream featuring Sarah and I on a gently rocking boat making love. I heard Sarah pick up the phone but nothing else. I opened my eyes and she was just staring at the handset, looking like it was some unknown object. I took the phone from her and told the operator thank you and hung up. I had to laugh at her confused expression; she looked adorable.
We continued to lie against each other as I smoothed my fingers over her abdomen. I was addicted to touching her, and I never wanted to stop. She moved over me and said she wanted to stay in bed and fool around. I know she could feel my erection, but I had to go buy the ring. I had an idea what I wanted and hoped to find something that would match it. I had to distract so I popped her lightly on her rear and rubbed out the sting. I didn't want to hurt her in any way.
After a regrettably brief shower we dressed. The way she was staring at me I think she liked my clothing choice. I certainly liked hers. Her shorts were very short and the tee was very tight. Tessa only has to ask for what she wants and it is hers. I saw the bikinis she purchased and I couldn't wait to see Sarah in them.
Which reminds me along with the ring I want to get Sarah a cocktail dress for the party. Tessa didn't include that in her shopping spree. And that means shoes and some jewelry in addition to the ring. Harm is just going to have to grin and bear it; I'm a power shopper. I've been with Mother when she is into shopping mode and it's not for the weak of heart.
On the way down in the elevator we discussed Rabb's relationship problems. I didn't plan on talking to Rabb at great length today, but would do so in the future if necessary. Tracy did not have to be treated as Sarah was. I just wish I had given in to my desires to approach Sarah earlier, maybe we would have clicked then and she could have avoided some of the pain she went through.
When we were watching the two walk to the spa I looked at Rabb and simply said, "Harm, I hope you have got your act together. Tracy is a good woman and deserves to be treated well. Don't mess around with her head."
He looked at me strangely, "Clay, that's the last thing I want to do. I like her; I like her very much. I'm screwed up I know, as far as relationships go. Look what I did to Mac. I don't want to make that mistake again." He shook his head in regret.
"Mac and I never made love, I want you to know that. I mean, we had chances, but things never worked out. I hurt her I know. Now Tracy and I jumped right into intimacy and I don't know where this is going to end up. The regs are a big problem, and we will both have to work this out between ourselves and Chegwidden."
I was stupidly pleased that the two of them had never been together.
"Harm, all I would like you to do, is do what is best. If you can't give your all to her, break it off before things get out of hand. That's the only advice I can give you. I mean my relationships in the past have sucked."
He gave me a 'who you' look.
"I feel incredibly fortunate to have Sarah in my life now, and will do everything in my power to see have that fortune continue. Um, now psychoanalysis time is over. We only have three hours to finish this project, so let's go."
Just as we were walking out the lobby Jim and Ramon joined us. Jim said, "I want to vote on the ring. Ramon said you should get a diamond, I think a pearl would be nice. What do think Harm?"
"I am not going there. He is the one who is going to have to live with the choice. Let's just go along for the ride. It should prove interesting."
I managed to find a very nice upscale jewelry shop. Manado is a tourist town, and tourists that can afford to travel there can afford some nice jewelry. I looked in several cases with the three stooges hanging over my shoulder pointing at their particular choices. After my third glare they stood back muttering to themselves as I continued to look. Then I saw it, and asked the clerk to take it out. It was a square cut emerald in an open setting with two rows of diamonds on either side. It wasn't too gaudy or ostentatious, and she could wear it with her uniform. It was perfect for her. If I remembered correctly the emerald stone had links to the mystical and the wearer had the ability to foretell the future. This was it. I quickly picked out matching earrings and a simple necklace. I gave the man my card and asked that he place it in his nicest jewelry box. The ring would be a little loose on her, but it could be sized when we got home.
"Clay, are you sure? An emerald engagement ring, I mean a diamond is more traditional." Ramon was still pitching for his choice.
"Ramon, correct me if I'm wrong, but Sara McKenzie is the least traditional woman I know!"
He looked sheepish and agreed. "Yeah, she is unique. What's next on the shopping list?"
"Clothing, she needs a cocktail dress and everything to go with it." This was going to be fun. I felt extremely comfortable purchasing clothing for Sarah. I had done it before, and planned on doing it many time in the future. Harm was looking antsy all ready and we hadn't entered a store yet. Ramon and Jim had obviously been shopping with their wives before. I was going to enjoy seeing Harm squirm, this was proving to be an entertaining experience.
I found a clothing shop on a street not far away. It was a exclusive clothing shop and I had a hunch that I would find what I wanted there. We all trooped and began looking around. A saleswoman approached Harm and asked him what she could show him. He got red in the face and pointed at me, "He's the one buying."
"I would like to see something in emerald green, silk if you have it. A cocktail dress. Form fitting. The lady in question has a beautiful figure, and nothing to hide." I gave her the size and sat while we waited for her to make selections.
"You know Harm, I doubt that Tracy has anything to wear either. Why don't you pick something out for her."
"I wouldn't know what to get her, I mean I really don't know her likes and dislikes. She's so tiny, um, ah..."
"Harm, all you have to do is give her Tracy's coloring, size, and height. She will guide you through the process."
By this time the saleswoman, Sukit, brought out three silk dresses, all in shades of emerald. One immediately caught my eye and I told her that was the one. Jim and Ramon voiced their approval, not that I needed it.
I looked at Harm, waiting for him to speak up when he didn't I did.
"Sukit, we will also need another dress for this gentleman's lady friend. She will need a cocktail dress, but something in sapphire blue. She is tiny, of Japanese decent, about five foot one or two. No more than a size two I would think."
Sukit proved to have an excellent eye. She showed Harm several lovely dresses. When he couldn't make a decision, she recommended a beautiful dress that we all thought would be great. He nodded and we made the purchases. I then asked if Sukit would recommend a shop for lingerie and shoes. She gave us two nearby shops that would fulfill our needs.
If I thought Harm was uncomfortable in the dress shop, the lingerie shop practically gave him hives. They had some lovely things; it was a Far Eastern version of Victoria's Secret. I could picture Sarah in quite a few items, but I resisted and purchased only what would go with her dress. I also took pity on Harm and told him what to get. What has this man been buying his girlfriends? I don't know many women that don't like beautiful lingerie, even if they hide it underneath a uniform.
We moved on to the shoe store. I knew Sarah's shoe size, I had peaked a look at her shoes while she was dressing. Before Harm even started looking, I again told the clerk what we needed. Within ten minutes we were on the way back to the hotel.
We had accomplished everything with forty-five minutes to spare. Jim recommended a drink in the bar while we waited for the ladies. After ordering, we sat around talking about Jarot and how he betrayed us all.
"I can't believe that guy. He was playing three ends against the middle. He promised to deliver to the Timorese, al Queda, and Balik what they wanted. All three parties wanted a different outcome from the bombing. And to top it off he collected big time from all of them. What balls! The separatists wanted to get rid of the current regime, al Queda wanted to hurt Americans, and Balik wanted to get rid of western ownership of hotels and resorts. He is a real piece of work."
Ramon continued on telling about the short interview they had with him before he was shipped to Jakarta.
"When we told him Balik rolled on him he started screaming that the man just didn't see the big picture. Just because tourism was temporarily damaged, it would come back. I was really surprised that he could talk at all after Sarah kicked him in the cajones. The Marine guarding him, Dave, said he never wanted to get on Sarah's bad side and that he would be proud to fight at her side anytime." Ramon finished this with a wide grin on his face.
I had to chuckle at this. She was very tough, but none of the men at this table had really seen beneath that exterior. She had to be tough; she was woman who had succeeded in a man's world. But she was vulnerable and could be hurt all too easily. I would never have to protect the marine, but would do my best to protect the woman as much as she would let me.
"Clay we are fortunate that your efforts prevented any further loss of lives." Harm said.
"I just wish I could have been just a few minutes earlier. I feel so responsible.."
Harm spoke sharply, "Clay, you are not responsible for the actions of these animals. You worked alone with no support from your boss. You were able to piece together random information and come to the correct conclusion. Your actions may not have been in time to prevent the bombing, but they certainly put an end to any future ones coordinated by Jarot. If he had been successful no telling where this would have ended." Jim and Ramon voiced their agreement with Harm's statement.
I was surprised by Harm's vehement defense. Even though I considered him a friend in the past, his words cemented that friendship.
"Thanks Harm, um, that really means a great deal to me.
I heard someone clear her throat. The others were just staring behind me. I turned to look at what they saw. Sarah and Tracy were standing there in all their glory. They wore simple sundresses and sandals. It was obvious that their hair had been done, but the makeup was subtle and accentuated their natural beauty. Ramon gave a wolf whistle, and they both blushed.
"Is someone going to take me to dinner? I know it's early but I missed lunch for some reason." Sarah joked.
Jim replied for the group. "I think that we could be convince to escort two lovely ladies to dinner."
We decided to go to a restaurant in the resort. As I escorted Sarah into to dinner I whispered to her that she was really turning me on, and that I hoped to contain myself while we ate. All bets were off for after dinner!
Sarah's POV
Tracy and I left the men and walked to the Spa. Once there we were whisked away to our massages. The masseuse was good, but I still preferred Clay. His massages came with very unique fringe benefits.
I decided that any discussion with Tracy could wait until after we enjoyed the spas amenities. When we were done I suggested that Tracy buy something in a Resort shop to wear tonight. I know she probably left DC with the same types of clothing that I had, uniforms and jeans or sweats. We found something quickly and dressed in my suite.
The discussion went surprisingly well. Tracy has a good head on her shoulders and apparently a lot of control over her emotions. She realized that Harm had commitment problems and didn't expect anything from him. They didn't know each other that well and she felt the events of the last few days impacted the way they were relating to each other. She would wait until they returned home before she allowed herself to feel more than 'intimate like' for him. Meanwhile she was going to have a good time. I know I couldn't approach a relationship like that. She was an interesting lady and I think Harm had a tiger by the tail.
We joined the male crew in the bar. I know we looked good, but the stares they were giving us were a little overboard. After agreeing to dinner Clay and I trailed the group on the way to the restaurant. His arm was around my waist and he was telling me what he wanted to do with me after dinner. We had to eat, but we were going to have each other for dessert, in our room.
Dinner proved to be a lively affair. Ramon was in rare form. He told story after story. Some were about Harm, others about Bud, and a few about me. Then he started in on Clay. I was glad to see that he could laugh at himself. He had changed so much since I had first met him. In Arizona he had been an uptight, arrogant, heartless control freak. He was still two out of four. He had gained experience to exude a confident power rather begin uptight in situations. He was still arrogant, that was Clay, and even though he had shared freely on this mission he would always be a control freak. The one thing that he truly wasn't anymore was heartless. Over the years he had gradually shown that the tin man truly had a heart.
During our conversations and e-mails while he was in Suriname he had shared things about his personal life that I doubt he had shared with any one in a long time. At first our conversations had been stilted and short, talking about the mundane. Then he e-mailed that he had a bad day. DC wanted busy work reports that anyone could compile from their desktop PC. He felt his skills were being wasted so I encouraged him to use his skills and find something. That little piece of advice led us here. Over time we talked about our lives sharing bits of information from our pasts. The anonymity of phone conversations and e-mail allowed us to share more openly, but we shared. And that is why, I believe, that our relationship went from friends to lovers so rapidly. We knew each other, better than most who had reached this point.
As the conversation around the table began to die down Clay made our excuses. We had been touching each other sureptiouly through out the meal. When we got back to the room he puposely fumbled with the room key. I was going to smack that smirk off his face if he didn't move. I resisted the urge because his bruises were beginning to fade, but he was cruising.
"Spook, paybacks are hell, I can and will get you back!"
"OK, OK, the door is open, what are you waiting on?"
When I didn't move he picked me up in a fireman's carry and dumped me on the bed I pulled him to me wanting to relish his weight. We made slow langorous love enjoying each other to the fullest. When we were done we just lay together enjoying the presence of the other.
He looked up at me, not moving his head. "Are you going to retaliate now, or are you going to lie in wait and get me when I least expect it?"
"What do you think? As soon as I can move you don't stand a chance."
"What about a nap? I'll let you retaliate all you want when we've rested up. I need all my strength to withstand your evil plans."
"As our friend Bud would say, 'Resistance is futile'!"
TBC