Page 32 of Brother In Arms

“Nothing that is going to come out of my mouth is going to sound very flattering,” I told him.

“Eh, why don’t you let me be the judge of that?”

“The first time, at the bar, I picked you because I was angry at my brother, my mother, and Caleb. They all just made me so…”

“Pissed off?” he supplied.

“Yes, angry. I saw it as an opportunity to get what I wanted which was a good hard –”

“Fuck.”

“Yes, thank you; and a way to just stick it to the lot of them all at the same time.”

“I can appreciate the practicality.”

“Really? You’re not mad?”

“Naw, I was out lookin’ for the same thing sort of. A one night stand, a one and done. Was a little butt-hurt you wouldn’t give me your name, though.”

“Wouldn’t have been a one and done if I had, now would it?”

He laughed and said, “Fate seemed to have a few other ideas where that was concerned,” he agreed.

“Yeah, well…”

“So let me ask you this? Why round two?”

I groaned, “Were you there for round one?” He laughed, a rich outpouring of sound that did my heart some surprising good.

“I’m not like them, you know. I don’t want to be like them…”

“I’m kind of getting that,” he said. “Making Blue Hills your last stand that you are your own woman and won’t do what you’re told anymore?”

“Yeah, sort of.”

“Welcome to your first step into the life, then. That’s part of what this is about. Carving something from nothing, making a life that’s better for you going forward and shirking the conventions that ‘the man’ whoever that is to you, has put on you. It’s just one of the reasons people join this life, but it’s usually the most popular.”

“I don’t know about all of that,” I said waving a hand ineffectually.

“Sounds to me you know more than a thing or two about it. Tired of your male relatives and hell, even your mom pigeonholing you as the little woman.”

“I think my mom sort of woke up on that front when my dad died.”

“Why you think that is?”

“I don’t know. I’d have to ask her.”

“Why haven’t you?”

I thought about that for a little bit and finally said, “I guess I don’t want her to hurt, you know? Seem like the thing that would drag up some painful stuff.”

“Yeah, I get that.”

I lay there and wondered what it would be like if I did give it a go, actually dating this guy. I mean, we were from completely different worlds, not to mention it’d probably devastate my mother. Still, I couldn’t help but wonder about a lot of things. Not just what an actual relationship would be like, but all of it. I mean, I already knew the sex would be hot, but what about five, ten, or twenty years from now?

I sat up and stretched, yawning tiredly. It was hot and the sun beating down was uncomfortable. I stared down at him for a moment and twisting my lips in indecision finally blurted out, “I’m hot, I’m going for a swim.”

He laughed, and said, “Go on with your bad self.” The twinkle in his eyes turned to a spark of desire when I started to lose the clothes, though. When I pulled off my boots, he stood up and pulled his shirt over his head. I paused for a moment and he shrugged.

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