Castles Burning Part Two (9 page)

             
The next morning I woke up on the floor with Dean, next to the sofa and glass coffee table, my head was thundering and the light that poured into the suite made it worse. I could see two pairs of feet on the other side of the sofa. I sat up and shook Dean, his eyes opened painfully slow, he brought both of his hands up and over his eyes.

             
“What time is it?” He asked.

             
“I don’t know.” I said, looking around at the suite.

             
Tyler and Jessica began to stir on the other side of the couch. Jessica groaned as she stood up and went into the bathroom, her hand on her head. Tyler poked his head around the corner of the couch and grinned at Dean and I before letting his head fall to his folded arms.

“Amateurs.” He scoffed playfully. I tried to smile back at him but it probably looked more like a grimace. He laughed as he stood up and held his pants over his front, “Go take a shower, it will help, drink a lot of water.” He sauntered into the bathroom after Jessica, his toned butt catching my attention momentarily and visions of the night before flooded over me.

“Oh my God.” I said as I slowly laid back down, my hand over my eyes.

“Yeah…” Dean said. “Are you mad?”

“No.” I said taking a deep breath. “I’m going to go shower.”

After we each had showers, and coffee along with gallons of water and a few hours of a nap I felt as good as I had the morning before. Jessica and I went to the hotel’s indoor gym and spa, got massages and sat in the sauna, tossing down water and sweating like crazy.

“Last night was pretty fun.” Jessica said, swigging her water bottle as she looked over at me.

I wiped sweat from my top lip and grinned at her, “I get the feeling you’re not freaked out by it.”

“Not at all,” She laughed. “I’ve been with girls before.”

“Did we?”
My eyes snapped up to hers.

“Oh! No, no we didn’t, but I mean I’ve done crazier things than last night let’s just say that. I’ve been on this ship for a while, this is my second deployment.” She said, taking another drink,
and then looking at the hot rocks across from us.

“Do you and Tyler always hook up on deployment?” I asked.

“Yes and no… I know you’ve only been here for a couple months, but I’m sure by now you understand. These men we work with, these lost boys… we are all they have out here you know? The married ones have their wives to call and email and get pictures from, but the rest of them are so alone out here, you feel how lonely it is. You’ll see, when something happens, and it will, our job is dangerous and something always happens on deployment that tests our trust in one another.” She took a gulp of her water and looked back at me. “I love each of these men. It might not be the same way I love Tyler, or even the same way I’ve loved men in my past… but it is love. I would do anything to help them in an emergency; I know they would do the same for me. We’re a team and when scary shit happens, I know that I can count on them to have my back, to protect me and to care for me if something happens to me. Does that make sense?” She asked.

I nodded, looking at
my water in my hands. “Yes, it does.”

“What’s your secret Amber?” She asked, I looked over at her and her face was stone serious, I hardly ever saw her without a smile or grin on her face.

“What do you mean?”

“You seem like you’re hiding something. What is it? You can never get past it if you don’t talk about it or get help.” She said softly.

“Well, I am talking about it.” I snapped at her. “I’m talking about it with the ship therapist three times a week. It’s not about what happened to me.” My voice softened.

“I’m sorry, it’s none of my business.”

“No, I’m sorry for being a bitch. It’s not about what happened to me, it’s about what happened to… someone else.” I closed my eyes as tears stung behind my eyelids, the heat from the sauna keeping them at bay for me.

“Who?”

“Someone I loved more than life itself.” My voice cracked.

“I’m sorry for bringing it up.” She said scooting closer to me and putting her hand on my shoulder.

“It’s okay, you’re right. There is something I need to talk about with someone. I’m just not sure how.”

“I’m here if you ever need me. I might not be licensed to listen to people talk, but I’m pretty good at it anyway.”

“Thanks Jess.” I said and smiled at her; she squeezed my shoulder and a grin spread across her face.

“Come on, let’s go up and get ready to go out it’s almost five.”

***

             
There was loud, hard rock music thundering around us, the bass vibrating our bones and the guitar tickling our nipples as our bodies moved in front of the stage. We’d had two shots in the bar on the third floor, but when we came to the fourth floor the nightclub we went into was swarmed with people, and free shots we’re going around as much as cigarettes were. The dense smoke caught the laser lights and made my eyes feel like they weren’t focusing. Dean had had two shots of the tequila with the white drop on the bottom, he was dancing with me, sweat on his brow and above his lip, we moved in perfect unison as I unbuttoned his top three buttons and plunged my hands over his hard bare chest. I slowly slid my tongue over his top lip, tasting him as I licked the sweat from his skin, sweet and salty.

             
He bent me back as we danced, and kissed the top of my left breast at the seam of my filmy lavender top, which clung to my damp skin. He hooked my right leg up to his hip, his hand felt warm on the soft black fabric of my skirt. I let my head hang back as we moved my head was swimming, the music swirling around me, holding me suspended in the air. Dean’s fingers came up to the base of my neck and lifted me forward. I put my hands in his hair and kissed him, swaying and grinding as the band went into a softer song. It was slow, sexy and dark, I grinned at Dean whose skin looked pink in the club light, and his hair cast off blue and red reflections of light. I leaned close to him and wrapped my arms around his neck and closed my eyes as we swayed and the music touched my soul, spoke to me. I felt Dean’s slick skin against mine; he dug his fists into my hair and kissed me, bowing me back until I staggered against a wall. His kiss was so urgent, and rough that it stunned me, I didn’t notice my hands lying limp at my sides. Finally registering that I still had the use of them I grabbed his hips and hauled them to mine, I slid my hands up his back beneath his shirt and then scratched down. He arched his back and growled, grabbing my throat and kissing me again. My heart began pounding; I rose up on my tip toes, desperately trying not to bounce on them in excitement.

             
Suddenly Jessica was yelling in my ear. “Can you come with me?”

             
“What?” I asked her, pulling away from Dean.

“I have to go to the bathroom
, will you come with me?” She yelled over the music.

“Yes! I have to go too.” I kissed Dean and took off with her.
I noticed Chief sitting at a table with some of the other guys from our shop and Tyler, Dean joined them.

My head was swimming as she held my hand and we both stumbled out of the club and took a left into a women’s bathroom.
The quiet bathroom left my ears ringing and I went into the stall next to Jessica.

“We need to get out of here, I’m so fucking horny but Ty doesn’t want to leave yet.” She whined.

“I am too, I can try and get Dean to get us out of here; he’s on fire.”

“I noticed, all the guys from the shop were watching you guys when you were dancing.”

“Oh no.” I moaned as I pulled toilet paper from the roll beside me, my vision was almost wobbling and I felt like I might be swaying in a circular motion on the toilet.

“No you guys looked hot. They were entertained.” She laughed.

“I get a weird feeling from Chief.” I told her, my thoughts seemed to be pouring out of my mouth without a filter. I stood and fixed my clothes, stumbling on my heels as I adjusted my bra.

“Everyone does.” She snorted as we washed our hands.

“Why?” I asked.

“I’m not so sure… he’s dark.”
She replied, but she was holding something back.

I sighed and nodded, “That’s what scares me.”

“Oh he isn’t someone to be afraid of, he’s harmless.” She smiled at me through the mirror.

This time I laughed, I started giggling madly as we left the bathroom our arms linked like pretzels. As we reentered the club a very tall woman with an Adams apple came to us with a platter of shots.

“Free shots for pretty girls.” She said.

Jessica took two and we went to the table the boys were occupying, they were laughing at a story Chief was telling enthusiastically, his charismatic smile turning to Jessica and I as we approached them. His eyes glittered at me over his glass of beer as I sat down on Dean’s lap.

“Sonny!” Chief said, his maddening blue eyes still holding my gaze as he chewed on an olive. “Where did you go?” He asked his voice reproachful even over the loud music.

“To the bathroom with Johnson, Sir.” I said automatically.

Chief grinned as he sat back in the dark wooden booth; one leg crossed over his knee, and brought a small glass of scotch to his lips. He sipped it sumptuously, his eyes appraising me over the amber liquid.

“Chief.” He said
swirling the liquid around in the glass, “I work for my money, Sonny.” He said with a wink as he set his drink back down. I swallowed as Dean’s fingers held my hips tighter. I forced a fake laugh and Jessica followed, looking at me suspiciously.

“Yes Chief, I’m drunk, sorry about that.” I said
with a nervous laugh.

“Let’s dance some more!” Jessica hollered. “Take these shots with me.” She said elbowing me.