Chapter 2: Camp Lejeune, North Carolina - June 2013

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Teylor leaned over the pool table and lined up his shot. Behind him Douglas Jones continued to fret. "You sure this is legit? We aren't going to get back to base and find out they trashed our quarters while we were gone, right?"

Teylor rolled his eyes. "Will you give it a rest? It's not even 0900 yet."

Had it been Benz or Berchem who issued tonight's invitation, Teylor might have been a little more apprehensive. But Lieutenant Green was a straight shooter. If he said that tonight was a get-together for the group to celebrate the end of training, then tonight was a get-together to celebrate the end of training. For the trainees, at least. What the SEAL team was celebrating might be an entirely different matter. Teylor wasn't naive enough to believe that the Naval Mountain Warfare unit was really here for the sole purpose of running the Advanced Training Program that Teylor, Jones, and thirteen of their fellow sailors (half the group they started with) had spent the last eight weeks completing. No, Teylor had little doubt that the SEALs presence in South Caroline was merely a cover but he wasn't complaining. He had found it invigorating being around men who consistently pushed him to his limits physically and mentally. And apparently Teylor had made enough of an impression for Green to single him out, pulling him aside to discuss the possibility of Teylor becoming a SEAL himself. He had been gratified knowing that Green thought he had what it took.

At exactly 0900 the door to the pool hall opened to admit the Naval Mountain Warfare Unit, and they were not alone. Teylor hazard a guess that the woman with her arm around Berchem's waist was his wife. Cruz had been surprised to learn that the man was married. Out of all of the guys on the team, Berchem, who flirted with anyone with a double X chromosome, seemed the least likely to be hitched. Although, to give the man credit, Teylor had never seen him cross the line into anything physical. Teylor had no idea who the woman holding Benz's hand was but, from what he had gathered, the newly-promoted lieutenant had a revolving door of female companions. Next through the door were Smith and Green, followed by a tall willowy blonde whom Teylor identified as Green's girlfriend from pictures, and a shorter, curly-haired brunette. Teylor took a guess that the brunette was with Smith, which was slightly surprising since the man seemed to have minimal interest in the opposite sex, rarely joining in the type of locker room talk that was the norm around the base.

The brunette looked up, and Teylor realized that he had been caught staring. Her lips curved into a smile as she took the opportunity to lazily check him out as well. Teylor's eyes dropped as she licked her lips, hoping like hell that she was not, in fact, Smith's date for the evening.

"Gentleman! Good to see everybody." Green quickly ran through the introductions, his hand gesturing towards the brunette at the very end. "And that is my pain-in-the-ass sister Caroline."

Teylor almost choked. This was the woman that the Naval Mountain Warfare team referred to as the wicked witch of the west?

Green pulled out his wallet. "First round on me. What is everyone drinking?"

Teylor held up his Diet Pepsi without a word. Suddenly Caroline Green was next to him, lifting the soda from his hand to take a healthy sip. "Are you a teetotaler or a lightweight?"

Teylor shrugged. He had taken much worse shit from his brother about his drinking habits (or, more appropriately, lack of drinking habits). Of course, that was mostly because Oz disliked drinking alone. "I like the taste."

After a second's stunned pause, Caroline threw her head back and laughed. When she finished, she tilted her head to the side, eyes narrowing on him. "You recovering?"

Teylor considered her question as he retrieved his drink. It wasn't a question many people asked, and he wondered what had happened in her life to make her sensitive to the issue. "Nope. Just like to pace myself. Especially around a commanding officer. Vomiting on a superior's shoes is generally a bad idea."

A slow smile spread across Caroline's face. "Hey Danny! Cruz changed his mind. We're going to do shots. Tequila."

Teylor didn't respond to the challenge, simply picking up his soda and draining the can. If Ms. Caroline Green thought that he was a lightweight, she was in for a hell of a surprise.

When Green reappeared by their side, he placed a bottle of Diet Pepsi and four shots of tequila on the edge of the pool table. Teylor expected some sort of lecture from Green about keeping his hands to himself, but Green directed his warnings at his sister. "Play nice Caro. I'd hate to screw up my evening with a trip to the ER for alcohol poisoning."

From across the room Benz gave Teylor a salute, before doubling over with laughter. "Good luck, man. You're going to need it."

Teylor glance from one man to another, wondering what he had managed to get himself into. "Something you want to tell me?"

"You'll be fine." Green slapped him on the back. "Don't worry. We'll make sure you get home afterwards. And I promise not to write you up if you puke on me like Benz did the first and only time he and Caro did shots."

Teylor raised an eyebrow. He had seen these guys drink and they sure as shit could hold their alcohol. Tonight just became far more interesting. Teylor picked up one of the glasses. "Salud."

"Salud." And Caroline chugged her shot without a moment's hesitation.

Teylor wasn't sure how many hours had passed, or how many shots he and Caroline had done, when he dragged his attention away from the woman in front of him and realized that most of their group was gone. Green had left earlier with Rebecca, after getting Teylor's assurance that he would escort Caroline back to her hotel and then flipping his sister the bird when she told Green to try to get out of bed before dinner the following day. Berchem and Smith disappeared not much later. At some point Benz and the other guys from the training program must have departed as well, leaving only Caroline, Teylor and Jones.

After pouring Jones into a cab, Teylor turned to Caroline, unable to take his eyes off her. Despite knowing her for only a few hours, he was half in love with the woman. Funny, observant and obviously smart as hell, Teylor had no idea how Caroline had gotten such a bad reputation with Green's friends.

Sliding into the back of the next cab, Teylor abruptly realized that he had no idea where they were going. "I forgot to ask you which hotel you are staying at."

Her twinkling laugh as she gave the driver directions brought a goofy smile to his face. God he could get used to that sound.

As they pulled up before her hotel, Teylor was only mildly surprised when Caroline tugged him out of the cab with her. Caroline Green was definitely not the coy type. Leaning against the wall, Teylor watched as she unlocked her door, her hands steady despite the amount of alcohol she had consumed. Caroline hadn't been lying when she said that her tolerance was high. Teylor had seen men twice her size leveled by that much tequila. The door finally gave and Caroline tugged Teylor inside before backing him up against an interior wall.

"Is this the part where you roll me and steal my money?"

Caroline licked her lips, her smile predatory as she slipped her arms around his neck and pressed a delicate kiss against his jawline. "I have something much more fun in mind. Although, come to think of it, there might be some rolling."