Homecoming Proposal: Book One

Chapter 13 - Commando

CARMEN – Present

My phone chimed, and I read Maria's message. Opening the picture again, I immediately understood what her message conveyed. Paul saw it?!  I was grateful it did not reveal me splayed open, but the amount of skin exposed reaffirmed I needed some maintenance. I sent her a message again. "Guess Kitty needed to breathe like us. Oh well, no worries. Do not share again, please?"

I called my favorite salon in town and scheduled a top-to-bottom spa package.  Rectifying the revealed situation will happen faster than my to-do list for work.

I sat in front of my artistically burned wooden desk, powering up my computer. I clicked on my emails and found the few that had captured my attention over the weekend. In particular, my newest effort received an offer for a new contract. My heart raced as I read the email.  I need to visit my editor and the PR team for other negotiations as well. I looked at my schedule and found an opening two weeks out. After consulting with Evan, he agreed to coordinate the meeting with the PR team and arrange my flights, accommodations, and a driver.

I sat back and began working on a proposal for a new book and needed to submit it by the end of the week.  I already had tentative approval, but outlining the plan and coordinating the next steps gave me a sense of accomplishment. I shot my rough draft of my proposal to Evan's secretary and asked for input before closing my eyes for a moment.

This weekend had been incredible. Reconnecting with Maria and Cora pleased me and made me wonder about reuniting with the guys. I remembered the last time we were all together at graduation. They had given me letters to carry with me and read on the plane the next day. I had not shared that I would not be coming back home with anyone. As we hugged after the graduation ceremony, I knew life was going to be lonely without them. I clung to each of them longer than usual.

Those letters from them were still unopened and unread. I had made the break clean and prevented sentiments from keeping me from my purpose. I wheeled my office chair over to my safe, punched in my code, and pulled the small stack of letters out. The paper of the envelopes had aged to yellow, but the writing on each was still distinct.

Knowing the Nanny occupied the Littles, I pulled the top letter off and fingered the flap. It fell open as the gummy seal had long ago disintegrated. I licked my lips as an instant thirst stemming from the nervous energy suddenly flowed through my veins. The bold and well-spaced handwriting on the front let me know Bradley had written it. Steeling myself with a deep breath, I unfolded the notepaper and read.

***

UNKNOWN-Present

Halfway across the country, a tall, blonde man opened the email that had popped up on his computer terminal. The three-word subject line caught his attention, narrowed his blue eyes, and caused his pulse to race. A single picture began downloading. With bated breath, he waited to see if this would be the first glimpse of her in decades. He immediately replied to the query. "Yes, it is her. Send any details and follow up with daily reports.  I will add funds to your account immediately."

***

MARTIN – Present

The gym would never lose that smell of effort and sweat. No matter how many times I had it cleaned, it always smelled like a gym. Fortunately, this morning I could enjoy the smell of the lemon cleaning solution we used to disinfect. It wouldn't last long, but the other smell conveyed success and financial security.

Paul had texted me a little while ago and said he and Riley were coming in to use the facilities. Bradley and Todd were in the weight room, spotting one another. I saw Steven and Aidan on the treadmills, talking to a couple of other clients. Nicholas was midway through his circuit training when I saw him trying to catch my eye. My new hire was folding towels as Trudy explained the membership paperwork to her.

The past week proved Carmen was still an enormous distraction. Despite being her first boyfriend, I never saw her bare until she went skinny dipping with us. I should have said something, tried to get her back, anything. I needed that girl like I need air to breathe. Even though our paths have diverged, I would love to be held by her again. I wanted to taste her toothpaste again. I chuckled, remembering how she insisted on brushing her teeth so frequently just in case we might sneak a kiss behind the tall tombstones or the brick wall bordering the cemetery outside the Episcopal church where the Scout troop met every week.

While our relationship was innocent, our friendship quickly became infinitely more important. Carmen was the first person I confessed to that I might have other inclinations. Carmen never shunned me or belittled my feelings. She was the source of my confusion and the confirmation of my truth. Few knew my secret because of her. She once told me that if I wasn't ready to have my name permanently attached to someone through antics or affection, I should observe from a distance and not risk my reputation.

I loved Carmen. I wanted her, and she was the only woman for me, in all ways. Her wisdom kept me from acting on impulses. I enjoyed physical touch from others, but I reserved intimacy for a very select few. The guys know, but they have never seen me with anyone local. Had any of them signaled they might be interested, my nights wouldn't be lonely.

I walked over towards Nicholas as he stepped off the elliptical. "What's up, man?"

Nicholas looked at the gym and looked at me. I was shorter than him, but we both were well-built. His time in the Marines taught him the discipline that went much farther in life than being a star athlete in high school and college. His biceps and pecs reminded me of an inverted pyramid. I knew why the girls had always gone for him. He took care of his temple and had never neglected it to join the Corps. Semper Fidelis, psssshh. It was more like Semper Fine Ass. Nicholas had always been a motherfucker that girls and even a lot of guys wanted to bed.

"Thanks for letting us come in."

"Not a problem, man. Anything for my brothers. I'm still reeling from the news she's coming back. I feel like I have so much to say and so many apologies to make. This news has rocked my fucking world, you know?"

    If not published under the name Gigi Foster, this is stolen and in violation of Copyright laws.

Nodding, Nicholas replied, "Gotcha. Right there with you. I want to hold her again and breathe in the coconut smell. What did she do, wear tanning oil year-round? My cock still salutes when I smell it during the summer and remember her."

I laughed because I knew what he meant. Carmen made you think of sex on a beach all the time just because of her fragrance. It was a dangerous and heady experience.

The door chimed, and I turned to greet Paul and Riley as they entered. Paul's gray eyes were flashing, and his smile was huge. He waved at all of us as he walked back to the locker rooms. "You guys want to see what she looks like now?" His voice was obnoxiously loud in the relatively empty gym. We all stopped what we were doing and huddled up quickly.

After grabbing our attention with that question, he gave us the back story of how he came into possession of the treasure he had yet to reveal to us. He pulled his cell from his breast pocket, tapped on the screen, and found the photo he sought. He turned it around without further preamble. There was a collective groan as we all noticed the same damn thing.

She was so damn sexy and provocatively displayed. At that moment, I wished magic was real.  I would get the picture to move, to reveal what remained perfectly hidden. The laughing beauties mesmerized us, but Carmen held all of our attention. The photo caught her in motion, her hair a riot of curls in mid-swing. Her head was thrown back in utter abandonment, allowing a glimpse of the beautiful girl I remembered as an entirely fuckable woman. I suddenly had yet another confirmation that I was not immune to women, but damn, did it have to be her I wanted?

No one spoke as we all stared at Paul's screen. His only answer to the question we all had tattooed across our faces. "Maria and Cora flew into St. Louis and met her there. Maria and I sat next to one another on the flight back home."

Riley exhaled. "Good thing I'm here. I'm going to need to whip myself into shape." A strange look came over him. "Speaking of whipping, could you imagine her bound and disciplined?" An even thicker groan erupted from everyone. Most of us could easily imagine her in any position.  I couldn't even picture the possibility of a better sub at that moment. She was the perpetual object of our desire. I could see everyone making a play to have and to hold her when she arrived.

Game on!

A/N Would love to know your thoughts/reactions.