CHAPTER 54
THE PARTY HAS JUST BEGUN
Jason quickly pulled down Dianna's dress, smoothing some wrinkles on her skirt, and checked her chest area, but at least in the dark Jason didn't see any rips. Dianna was worried that when he grazed his vest and shirt against it, he may have pulled the delicate tulle, but it seemed ok. Dianna's lipstick really was still looking flawless, and she was trying to smooth the waves of her hair, as best as she could, while Jason quickly tapped on his suit to take off some dirt from the tree where he squeezed her. Apart from their blushed faces, and some sweat on their foreheads that they dried with their hands, in less than a minute, they were good to go. So they made their way out of the woods, discreetly, and happily joined the chorus singing happy birthday to Dianna's father, who didn't seem to notice that they had disappeared. But Tatiana looked at them with a naughty stare, and Jason couldn't disguise his goofy smile.
"Happy birthday, dad", Dianna affectionately kissed Freddy's cheek, and Daniel gave him a warm hug. Freddy blew 75 small birthday candles on the cake, then they posed for some pictures and the cake was taken to the dining room to be cut, followed by many men and women craving for something sweet. Dianna turned back and she saw Jason joyfully talking to her dad and her brother, and they all seemed to hit it off very well, and Dianna was hoping that this wasn't a premise that something terrible was about to happen. She remembered when Jason said something like that to her, months ago, when he almost died with that suicidal vest. And now she was starting to have that same feeling. It was horrible, but she tried to shake it off.
"Finally", Tatiana said in Dianna's ear, in spanish, "Someone you actually want to spend your time with" she said, wisely, while looking at Jason. "Of course, I can see why you can't keep your hands off him", she naughtily added, raising her eyebrows, and Dianna blushed.
"Yeah... it's kinda hard" she admitted, chuckling, and Tatiana laughed too.
They kept quiet, because Jason glanced at Dianna, giving her a quick charming grin, and only then he continued the conversation with the guys around him.
"Por Dios, Dianna", Tatiana said, fanning herself with her hand, feeling the tension between the couple. "For how long have you two been dating?"
Dianna tried to explain, without sharing classified intel, and leaving out their break ups, misunderstandings and fights. "We, hum, got together last year, and then again we kinda dated, well, not really dated, you know, for about two weeks, while we were overseas during a long mission, in December. Then I had to come back to the U.S. and we had a fight, actually, a misunderstanding... then five months later, that is, in May, we started talking again, then, like, two weeks ago we signed some papers at the Navy and we're officially dating" Dianna finished the long story, but Tatiana heard it all and summarized it, a lot.
"So, what, you've been dating for two weeks? And dated another two weeks last year?" Tatiana asked, surprised.
Dianna squirmed, trying to calculate better, but she was right. "Well... before we signed the papers at the Navy we were kinda dating already. For more than a week. He hung out at my place most of the time... so". She tried to make it sound longer than it was, but she couldn't. Tatiana had a suspicious look on her face.
"No wonder why you're acting like a couple of teenagers sometimes. You're really at the beginning of your relationship, huh" she said, and she looked a bit annoyed. "I hope you're not making your father and brother get close to him and then you guys break up in a week or two. It would break their hearts" she said, watching affectionately while the three of them talked.
Dianna felt offended. "Actually, Jason and I have been friends and talking a lot, for months, while we weren't dating, so he's not just some random hot guy that I hooked up with" she stated, annoyed, "And to be honest, if something happens and we break up, worrying about my father and brother's feelings about the guy I was dating wouldn't be on my priority list, ok?"
Tatiana gestured like Dianna was overreacting. "Ok, calm down. Fine. Just saying, your father and I thought you were dating for a lot longer than that. After all, you never introduce anyone to us" she explained, and Dianna understood, but still looked annoyed.
Tatiana crossed her arms and tried to give Dianna some advice. "Maybe take things a little slower, so all that passion doesn't burn out and you get tired of one another. Because what you have seems to be quite explosive, huh?"
Dianna listened, but she couldn't avoid being harsh to Tatiana. "Well, you and my dad didn't take things too slow either. And maybe someone who was divorced once shouldn't be giving relationship advice without being asked".
Tatiana raised her hands apologetically, but she was surprised by Dianna's reaction. She sighed and left her side.
Dianna was annoyed with people meddling in her life again. First, her father gave her a lecture that afternoon about 'common goals' in a relationship, and she reminded herself that it was too early to talk to Jason about any of that stuff. And now Tatiana kept confirming that yes, their relationship was too recent, and that she should take things slower. She hated that people thought that they could give opinions to her without being asked.
Dianna decided to quickly put some new panties on, and then go back to the party to eat, drink and dance. Apparently, Jason was having the same thought, because he quickly approached her, looking embarrassed.
"Dianna, your ripped panties are in my pocket" he whispered in her ear, pushing her to the corner of the living room. "What do I do? Throw them out?"
Dianna sighed, she should know better by now, to not use pretty and new underwear when she would see Jason. But she thought that maybe these ones could be sewn back, because they were really beautiful. Not that Jason noticed.
"Come, let's go to my bedroom, I need to get new ones, anyways" she said, gesturing for him to follow her.
Jason looked around the long hallway that led to the bedrooms. "Is this the 'smaller place' that your parents bought when they downsized it?"
Dianna chuckled. "No. That one was smaller, closer to downtown. Three bedrooms, small backyard. This one my dad and Tatiana bought after they married. My uncle's friend, his old neighbor, owned this house, and my dad always liked it.
Jason nodded, finding it odd that someone would buy such a big house when they're older. "Was the house where you grew up bigger than this one?" Jason asked, feeling poor.
Dianna ignored his question and took his hand to guide him to her bedroom.
"Give me the panties, let me see" she asked when they closed the bedroom door, anxious, and he took them from his pocket. Dianna pouted. "Oh crap. They're destroyed".
Jason sighed. "Yes. They are. You asked me to yank them, I yanked them".
"Calm down, I'm not complaining. Just thought that maybe I could sew them back on or something" she explained, holding the piece of silk fabric, that looked more like a rag now.
"They almost fell out of my pocket when I put my hand in there, earlier. In front of your dad, Dianna, your dad" Jason said, anxious, and Dianna chuckled. Jason was kissing her dad's ass like there was no tomorrow.
She took her clean and unharmed panties from a drawer, then she remembered something. "I forgot to ask you to bring your stuff here earlier. Your bag".
Jason smirked. "Hum... I thought you'd stay until the end of the party then you'd just want to sleep" he said, coming closer, seductive.
Dianna touched his chest to stop him. "And that's probably what will happen" she said, smiling, then she sat on the bed to put on her panties. "I just… thought you'd want to sleep here, you know, have breakfast here tomorrow, too. That's all", she lied. There was another reason why she wanted him to spend the night with her, and it wasn't sex. But she'd never tell him, she hated feeling this vulnerable.
"Yeah, ok. I'll sleep here. Of course. When some of the guys leave, I'll go with them, get my bag and come back here" he offered, hovering over her.
"Thank you" she muttered, then she escaped from Jason to check her hair in the mirror, and Jason walked closer and calmly took a small piece of leaf off one of her locks from the back. Their eyes met in the mirror, and they could actually hear the tension between them. It was pure silence.
Dianna walked fast to the bedroom door, or else she wouldn't be seen at her dad's birthday party, at all. "Come on, I'd like to dance a little" she smirked, and Jason quickly walked to the door, nodding.
"There will be karaoke later" she added, playful, and Jason's face instantly lit with a smile.
The band was great, and everybody, especially the girls, and especially Emma, loved to dance to their music, but the best part of the party definitely began when the band left and the karaoke was set. None of the Bravo guys had to drive or had anything to do the next morning, so they were all a little, or very, drunk, and eager to sing some songs.
Freddy's only condition to have his birthday party was that he could have a karaoke after the band, so Tatiana made it happen, and he was the first one to sing. There was no score, but the audience was listening, attentive, to the singers. The performance was the most important item to be evaluated, especially because most of the guys didn't really have a great voice.
So Freddy was the first one up, and he sang a song in spanish, that Jason didn't really understand much, but it probably was very romantic, because he sang it pointing at Tatiana, and the Uruguayans were all cheering for him. Dianna, who was standing next to Jason, was cheering too, but in the end, when Freddy said in spanish something like the song was his and Tatiana's, she grumbled, and glanced at Daniel, who was looking back at her, also annoyed. Dianna explained to Jason that the song was her dad's favorite, but to score some points, usually in public, he used to say to her mother that it was their song. And now he was saying that to Tatiana. How cute.
Next, the guys and girls from Dianna's high school took the microphones and had a great time, and eventually Gustavo got on the small stage and now it was Jason's time to grumble. He noticed how during the party Gustavo was always trying to stand close to Dianna, and the closer she was to Jason, the more Gustavo drank, until later that night Jason saw him flirting hard with a short brunette. A pretty but less charming and less intelligent, younger version of Dianna, Jason noticed. He felt sorry for the guy, because he was obviously kicking himself for missing his chance and making Dianna cry all those years ago, but Jason wasn't sorry for him anymore when he drunkenly got on stage with one of his friends and started to sing 'Like a stone' from Audioslave, pointing at the younger brunette but glancing a lot at Dianna, especially when he sang the part 'Patiently… I'll wait for you there like a stone'. And he actually had quite a nice voice.
"Wanna grab another tequila?" Jason suggested in the middle of Gustavo's performance, with a husky voice, in Dianna's ear. She smiled and instantly nodded, and they walked to the bar. Freddy and Tatiana were focused on the karaoke, and everyone was quite drunk at that hour, so nobody looked twice when Jason guided Dianna to a darker spot of the exterior wall of the house and squeezed her there, dropping some drops of tequila on her neck and collarbone and licking it, while she giggled and pulled him closer for eager kisses. Then it was her turn to drop tequila on his neck and collarbone, and she hummed, licked his neck and bit his chin, pulling him really, really close, and in the end Jason asked her to wait a while with him there, so he could calm himself, and other things, down.
"So... at what time will the game be?" Dianna asked Jason, awkwardly, while facing him. But not touching him.
"Well" Jason casually looked up, while leaning his hand on the wall next to Dianna, facing her. But not touching her. "Gustavo said it could be at like, 1500 or 1600 hours".
"I think it's best at 3PM" Dianna quickly suggested, "Because I think tomorrow it will be cold again. Probably at 5PM it will be a lot colder already".
"Oh. Okay. Good to know" Jason nodded, waiting. "U-hum, it's better earlier then. I'll tell him that. 3PM".
"I think my dad's planning lunch for tomorrow again. But it will be earlier then, because of the game. Or maybe I could tell him to prepare dinner instead, for after the game, and you guys eat something lighter for lunch, so you're not too full at 3". Dianna said, crossing her arms. Glancing down, then looking away, and waiting.
"Well, I'll leave it up to you guys to decide what you prefer, because us Seals don't eat 'light', Dianna. We need fuel. A lot. So we'll eat a lot for lunch, too" Jason said, with a smug smile.
"U-hum, I know that. You're big" Dianna smirked seductively at Jason, placing her hands on his chest.
"No, Dianna. Just" Jason quickly said, taking her hands off of him.
"Oh, sorry. I forgot" she apologized, and kept quiet for a while, then remembered. "Clay and I will sing a song. Actually, he'll sing it with his seductive voice, and I'll just be his backing vocal, because he didn't want to sing alone" she chuckled, and Jason laughed. Clay really had a great voice.
"Which song will you guys sing?" Jason asked, curious.
"You'll see. It's a song that you guys will understand. Soldiers. Clay loves it, so do I. It's quite a deep song" Dianna answered, affectionately.
Jason stared at her, amused. "A deep song?"
"Yeah" Dianna simply said, with a soft voice, smiling tenderly at him. "Deep".
Jason's face twitched. She said 'deep', all caring, looking like an ethereal and delicious princess, and all he remembered was how deep he was buried inside of her a few hours earlier. It reversed almost all of his effort until then.
He sighed. "I think it's best if you just wait for me over there with the others".
Dianna stared at him for a couple of seconds, then understood. "Oh. Okay" she said, blushing, "I'll wait there then. U-hum. Ok... see ya" she said, quickly walking away from Jason.
Jason sighed and came a little closer to the wall, focusing on the grass below him.
"Too much tequila, man?" Daniel walked to Jason, and he didn't know what to do, because he still wasn't completely 'relaxed', so he just kept looking down for a few seconds.
"Yeah... thought I was going to be sick" he said, then when he was finally relaxed enough, he turned to Daniel. "But I didn't. I'm good" he grinned, standing straight.
"Well, I understand why you're my sister's type, then" Daniel said, amused and leaning on the wall in front of him.
Jason didn't like to hear that. He usually wasn't drunk until he got sick, so he definitely wasn't Dianna's type, then. "What do you mean? What's her type?" he asked, curious.
Daniel stared, smirking. "The ones who look like bad boys, but are actually good and honored guys underneath that layer. Where it matters. And you definitely look like a bad boy, Jason".
Jason grinned, he loved Dianna's type of guy, then.
"And now you look like a teddy bear" Daniel teased, as soon as Jason opened a goofy smile, and they both laughed.
Jason noticed that Daniel's smile was identical to his father's, so he definitely wasn't adopted. "Did you get your hair color from your mother? Didn't see pictures of her yet" he asked, curious.
Daniel moved his fingers through his beautiful locks. "Yes. She was blonder, actually. And had gray eyes" he said, proud. "She was really beautiful, man. Very popular amongst the guys here. They all envied my dad. And as far as I know, she was very popular in her hometown in the U.S. too", he said, pensive.
Jason nodded. "Well, your dad also told me she was really intelligent, so it seems like she was pretty amazing" he said, and Daniel nodded, still pensive. Jason tried to boost his mood.
"Did your mom like the British royalty? I mean, her name was Elizabeth and she named her daughter Dianna".
Daniel chuckled, more relaxed now. "Everyone thought of that when Dianna was born. She hated that. No, man, actually she used to say that she always wanted to name her daughter with that name" Daniel explained, then he looked at Jason, playful. "My mom was very independent and empowered. So she liked the idea of having independent kids, as well. Diana is the Roman goddess of hunting, animals and forest. And the moon, I think. Apparently, she was the most independent of the goddesses" he explained, and Jason smiled, because the name suited Dianna perfectly.
"Well, then your mother was quite happy with how Dianna turned out" Jason stated, and they chuckled. "And Daniel? Is it some god too?"
Daniel shook his head. "No. Since I'm a boy, my dad chose my name. But it kinda suits me too. It means 'God is my judge' in Hebrew. And my mom liked that, and of course it would be nice to have siblings with names beginning with the same letter, in case she had a daughter later. So she authorized my dad" he explained, chuckling.
"I like that. 'God is my judge'. That's a good way to live" Jason said, pensive.
Gustavo passed by them, with the short brunette next to him. Obviously they were going to a darker spot, or to the inn, from the backyard.
"Did you know him in high school?" Jason asked, failing to hide his curiosity. And jealousy.
Daniel noticed it, too. "Yeah, he was Dianna's fling. But don't worry man, they never had anything too serious. They were together for a couple of weeks, then they'd fight and break up, then they'd get back together for a week, then one of them dumped the other. Usually Gustavo dumped my sister to hook up with some other girl. They were famous as the on-and-off popular couple in high school" Daniel said, not hiding that he didn't really like Gustavo that much.
Jason wasn't liking him either. "It seems like she had a thing for bad boys back then, huh?"
Daniel stared at Jason. "I think that deep, deep down, Gustavo is a good guy, and he looks like a good guy. But with a bad boy attitude sometimes. My mother didn't like him. At all".
Jason felt a lot better after hearing that. "And is he really such a good rugby player?" he asked, cocky.
"Oh, he is" Daniel quickly said, nodding, "I mean, he was. He played all through college. Julián and Arturito are still professionals, even though they don't play in the major leagues anymore, and the other ones in their team are the rugby players from our high school", he explained, and Jason pouted. Daniel leaned his back on the wall, relaxed, and added, "But don't worry. We'll win the game".
Jason liked his relaxed attitude, but he wasn't liking his odds. And now he was starting to fear for his team's physical integrity. They would be deployed soon, they couldn't risk it. "Why do you think that?"
"Because, my dear fella", Daniel said, staring at Jason, amused, "unlike you guys, they hate each other".
Jason got back to his relaxed form just in time to hear Clay and Dianna sing their 'surprise' song. And pleasantly surprised Jason was, as soon as he heard the first chords. He and all of the guys walked to the front of the dance floor, close to the small stage, because they loved that song, and soon enough all the soldiers were loudly singing along the lyrics, 'So close, no matter how far, it couldn't be much more from the heart, forever trusting who we are, and nothing else matters… Never cared for what they do, never cared for what they know, but I know'.
Yes, Bravo Team did their thing. They were always far from home but they were a family, and trusted each other. The politics don't matter to them. Their mission, defending their country, and the lives of their brothers, is all that matters.
Dianna was doing a great job as Clay's backing vocal, they had great chemistry on stage, and sometimes she glanced at Jason, smiling. And Jason, when he wasn't singing along, just stared at Dianna. He never thought that she liked Metallica, but she was always full of surprises. And it obviously turned him on immediately.
Other people sang some songs, and Dianna ended up singing another song, this time with Davis, another rock song, 'Use somebody'. Apparently Dianna was a rock'n'roll girl. Jason heard that song before, even though he didn't know remember the name of the band, and he really liked the fact that Dianna, who by then had another shot of tequila for courage purposes, now was glancing a lot more at him while singing, but always deviating her look when Jason stared back. He was having some ideas by then. He thought about singing a song himself, but he really got shy and stage fright, so he just enjoyed watching everyone.
When it was almost 4:30AM, and therefore, after more than eight hours of party, Freddy finally showed signs of tiredness and everyone took the hint and said their goodbyes. They would've stayed longer, and Freddy wanted them to, but that was impolite, and the day had been long. They all needed some rest.
Dianna walked to her bedroom while Jason walked to his house with the guys, girls, Emma and Mikey. His kids were still very much awake and didn't want to leave, but Naima said she'd force Mikey to his bed, for sure.
"Did you have fun too, kiddo?" Jason affectionately asked Emma, who was very beautiful and chic with her light pink dress. She danced most of the night, and even sang in the end, too. He noticed that she kept talking to the cute waiter, but there was nothing he could do at her age. Mikey actually tried to flirt with one of the daughters of a friend of Freddy, but he kind of failed, because the girl didn't understand what he was doing, or saying. Apparently, the Hayes had a thing for foreigners. Or Uruguayans.
"I did" Emma answered, very awake and happy, "I'm really glad I came. I hope we come back again" she said, raising her brow.
Jason chuckled. "We'll see. Let's get through this weekend first, huh".
He got his bag and said goodbye to his kids and the guys, and quickly made his way back to Freddy's house. The hostess and security guy were still there with the front door open for him, and taking the décor and cleaning the house with the waiters and caterers.
"Hello" Jason announced himself when walking into Dianna's bedroom. She was in the ensuite, still in her dress but without her shoes, washing her face after taking off her makeup. He placed his bag on the floor, brushed his teeth, then started to take off his suit.
"Wait" Dianna said, coming closer, with a sleepy face, "allow me". She kissed him slowly and in the meantime took off his jacket and vest, then his shirt. Then she stopped the kiss. "I'm sleepy. And my shoulder is hurting a little" she said, apologizing, and Jason nodded.
"That's ok" he cutely smiled, "let me just help you get out of this thing" he said, naughtily, then proceeded to kiss her neck and collarbone while unzipping her delicate dress.
He pulled the dress down, slowly, and when he was about to see and kiss her breasts, he stopped and sighed. "You know what, I think I shouldn't go any further".
Dianna gave him a tender smile. "Ok. I'll put on my sleepwear".
"Is that really necessary?" he asked, raising a brow while taking his pants off and laying on the bed in his black boxer briefs.
Dianna frowned. "You just said you don't want to see me naked, Jason".
"I don't want to lick your breasts, Dianna. It's different" he corrected her, chuckling, and tapping the bed in front of him, already under the heavy blanket. He noticed the bed and sheets were extremely comfortable. Probably made of one million threads of Egyptian cotton.
She sighed. "You're weird. Ok then", she stated, pushing her dress down, and placing it over a chair. She laid with her back to him, and he was embracing her, but then she suddenly turned, to face him. "Is it ok if I lay like this?"
Jason smiled. "Sure. I don't mind" he answered, and embraced her again, feeling her mouth on his chest and her legs tangled up with his. They barely turned the lights off and already fell asleep.
Which was a miracle to Dianna, lately.
.
