Saved by the Cross (Cross 3)

7 - Trust

As Gray sat watching television, he couldn't pull his hand away from the smooth skin on her leg. It had always intrigued him how Monty and Sofia touched in little, often nonsexual ways. Suddenly every inch of skin felt sexual. Maybe he was just lonely or horny or both.

If the unexpected kiss was any sign, Katherine was a sensual woman. Maybe they should enjoy each other while she was his guest. He still knew so little about her except she was close to her siblings and partook in recreational drugs. She should be off limits for the drugs alone, except she wasn't going through withdrawals. Gray knew first hand about withdrawals.

While he finished his tour, he buried his pain deep within. When it appeared, it was through anger. As soon as he was stateside, he discovered alcohol took the pain away. He drank to feel completely numb. It was impossible to hold a job. After three months at home, he couldn't stand the disappointed looks from his father. 'Grow up. Get a job.'

At twenty-four, he had seen more than his father had in his lifetime, but none of it prepared him to live life with the memories that haunted him. Afghanistan was a place of extremes: hot and cold temperatures, explosions and quiet, death and life, friendship and isolation, love and agony.

Katherine sat up. He looked at her and asked, "Are you okay?" She really looked a mess, and the anger rose in his throat. "Tell me the name of the bastard. I'll break his nose for you."

She reached out and put her hand on his cheek. It felt soft and warm. "Violence won't trump violence. Besides, he has too much clout and money, he'll ruin you."

Gray shook his head. "I have friends with clout including cops."

"Let's just leave it as I learned my lesson. I should have listened to my brother. He kept warning me I'd end up with the wrong crowd. I never want to acknowledge he was right."

As if controlled by a part of him he didn't know existed, he turned his head to brush his lips against her hand that had warmed his cheek.

She shut her eye, and a tear leaked out. "You are so gentle, but you want to fight. I'm a fighter too."

His eyes danced. "Not with that brute."

"Not physically, but I like to support the underdog. My family teases me because I fight against misogynistic men."

He laughed. "I appreciate women. I know some strong ones." She and Sofia together could be scary.

"I've given my brothers hell for using words like chick or boobs."

He winked. "The second one can be exciting in the bedroom." She frowned. "Do you prefer tits?"

"What do you prefer? Cock? Pecker?"

He leaned towards her. "Either, even dick, as long as my penis is happy."

She threw her head back and laughed. "The happy penis."

"Although it's his favorite thing, I would never say the word for CU next Tuesday."

"His favorite thing?" She laughed.

He smiled. "What can I say, he's friendly. Maybe if we had met another way, but you just ended a, um, situation."

"It was a situation, alright. It was like one big orgy, but I was stupid enough to think he and I were into each other. I should have read the sign when he got pissed off at his friend for talking to me."

"You seem smarter. I blame it on the drugs. I did stupid things when I was drinking."

"I don't have a problem. I'd hate it if I'm the last one to figure it out."