Caught Unaware

Chapter 15

HOME OF COLONEL JOHN CASEY

ECHO PARK, LOS ANGELES CA

Amelia had no idea how long a conference with a General would last for John, so she decided to let him have all the time he needed to speak with her while Amelia soaked up the hot water to wash away the grime and sweat from her sore muscles. The heat penetrated deep into her body as she leaned against the stall of the shower in relaxation. She hoped, with a smile, that his water tank was as big as a house.

She grabbed at the washcloth and lathered it up with soap, something fruity that Alex had bought for her. It wasn't what she would have used when she was living with her parents, but it beat out having to bath with John's Irish Spring. It smelled good on the man, she admitted as she washed her arms, but on her it would have been disgusting.

Amelia rinsed her body off, watching the soap suds disappear down the drain as her body fairly gleamed from cleanliness. Grabbing the equally fruity-smelling shampoo, she began to wash her hair, eradicating any sign of greasiness from her strands. She didn't mind getting dirty once in a while but given the choice she would choose clean any day.

While the shampoo set into her hair for a few minutes, Amelia examined her fingernails one by one. Some were still pretty manicured from the last time she had gotten them done. Costa Rico was as modern as you could get for a little tropical island, the influx of tourists demanded every affordable modern comfort you could think of, even manicurists and beauticians. Mother always had someone come into their home to do their hair and nails, even if they never truly went anywhere to show them off.

Amelia stepped back under the running water and rinsed her hair free of the soap. She decided, for adding body and bounce, that she would go ahead and take the time to re-wash her hair. As she massaged her head, her favorite song popped back up into her head, the same one she would duet with her mother on rainy days when there was no one else around to hear them singing something so pop-culture.

She sang the high keys and swung her voice to the lower dips before raising it up again. She loved that song, and loved to sing it. As she did, she thought of the way things were going with Casey, smiling and feeling her heart skip a beat each time she pictured how intensely he kissed her, how seriously he gazed upon her. She felt that energy pouring out of him and felt her own return it.

Amelia couldn't help but smile wider as she remembered the soft touch of his lips on hers. He had the most incredible pouty lips that enveloped hers without suffocating her with them. His soft tongue slid like oil over water when they're tongues were intertwined. John was damn good at kissing, she thought to herself.

Amelia held out the last note a little longer than normal, listening to her voice echo around the walls in the enclosed bathroom. She briefly wondered if John could hear her but shrugged off the idea, she wasn't belting out at the top of her lungs, even if the walls were paper thin she doubted he would hear. She sighed, feeling the water pour over her flesh and soothing the aches that were deep in her limbs. Her side was tense too, along with her back. She leaned forward and let the spray hit the lower section of her back, bracing herself with her hands against the opposite wall.

Amelia wondered how John was going to act around her. Honestly, if he didn't want her affections, he would have pushed her away, or at least said something to stop her. She apologized because she felt it was the right thing to do, and she was so very glad she was wrong. Amelia felt the twisting and turning in her gut, the butterflies of excitement and was suddenly anxious to leave the bathroom and be in John Casey's arms again.

Turning off the hot water, Amelia leaned out of the shower and grabbed the plush towel from the wall where she hung it before she stepped in. She dried off before stepping out and turned to bend her naked body over the tub where she towel-dried her hair before wrapping it, tucking the towel into itself to rest upon her head. She pulled on some lacy underwear and hooked a matching bra, a creamy yellow set that she adored. She stepped into a soft, yellow sundress, about the same style as yesterday's blue one, and zipped it up the back. It was coming close to dinnertime anyways so she figured she'd dress for it.