And Then

Let's see where was I........ oh yes sitting on the side of the road waiting on Marine1. I hear twigs snapping and a moment later Marine1 appears. Even in the dark I can see a grin on his face as he hurries to the car and climbs in the passenger seat.

We are once again on the way to Vixen's house as Marine1 explains his midnight run. He said he saw the blue lights and just took off running thru the woods. Why you may ask..... yeah so did I..... because in the south cops give people who have been drinking a hard time. Even when they are only a passenger. So the fact he was puking off the side of the road he was afraid of getting some kinda of BS ticket. Crazy? Yes. Oh well definitely an interesting moment I will always remember!

A short time later we arrive at Vixen's and the 3 of us (Marine1, JC, and I) sit on the porch swing in the cool night air. The night is still early and we enjoy swinging back and forth as we laugh at events from the night and stories of moments gone by. Before long we head inside and I try to corral the 2 toward the air mattress and the couch. Vixen has a nice HUGE cali-king bed, which she is already asleep in, my plan is to get them to their designated areas then go climb in bed with her.

I keep shushing them, trying to quite their loud intoxicated laughter, so as not to wake Vixen up. They are determined to wake Vixen up and I just as determined to not let them. Marine1 grabs me from behind, "Go, Go, Go!" He says as he lifts me off the ground and JC makes a dash for the closed bedroom door. I kick back my foot connecting with his shin as I squirm trying to get away. Marine1 holds tight though and as he allows me to pull him slightly forward we both trip and crash to floor in a tangled heap. Well if JC hasn't woke her up by now we sure did, I think as I untangle myself and jump up quickly leaving Marine1 scrambling behind me. I enter the bedroom and Vixen is indeed half awake and laughing as JC tells her about our evening since we parted with her. The four of us lay across the bed now all talking and laughing as Marine1 and I become the brunt of several jokes. Where I lay between JC and Marine1 I am quite cozy and I drift off as the others voices start to fade. I awake about an hour later to the soft snores coming from beside me. I realize that all four of us are passed out in Vixen's bed and I debate moving to the couch for more room but considering I am in between the two and wrapped up in the blanket like a burrito I realize I couldn't move even if I wanted to. So I sigh and close my eyes again and wait for sleep to return.

As I doze I am laying on my side my back to Marine1 I feel his arm drape over my waist and pull me back against his chest. I love being held while I sleep. So I allow him to hold me as I fall into a deep sleep. An hour later I hear Vixen's alarm sound and the shower kick on in the bathroom. I roll towards Marine1 and he rolls onto his back pulling me close so that I am in the crock of his arm.

Marine1,"Why did you move?"

Me, "Huh?"

He turns his head and kisses my forehead, "Last night you were on the other side of me. When did you move."

I can feel a smile spread across my face at the thought of this misunderstanding, "I didn't move Vixen was on the other side of you."

"Oh shit. I thought that was you. I think I may have tried cuddling with her last night. Why didn't you hit me?" His voice has a tone of panic to it, perhaps thinking I will be mad.

Personally I find it funny, "I was asleep."

He pulls me closer wrapping both arms around me now, "Well I feel like an ass." I don't comment just allow him to hold me as I take a deep breath inhaling the traces of cologne that linger from the previous night. It is intoxicating I think as I fight the urge to kiss him. I am such a sucker for a guy that smells good. It's as if he reads my mind though and rolls on his side to face me and leans in to kiss me. We lay there as the sun rises talking softly so as not awake JC.

I get up and head for the kitchen where I grab and drink and tell Vixen bye as she heads out the door for work. JC and I had been smart and had the day off. Marine1 comes into the kitchen and I hand him a glass of water. Today he is going out of town to visit some family. This may be the last time I see him before he leaves. I walk him to the door. Not sure of what to say or do. So I remain silent. He reaches the door and halts, spins around quickly and takes me in his arms picking me up off the ground in an action so swift that I am taken by surprise. I wrap my arms around his neck instinctively as he lifts me up so that we are face to face. He smiles then tilts his head as he leans forward to kiss me. It starts as a small sweet innocent kiss but as he lowers me to the ground the kiss intensifies. But like all good things it to must come to an end. I pull away and he pulls me back. Hugs me again tightly, kisses me on the forehead and then he is gone.

I stand at the open door waiting for the dogs to come inside and watch him walk towards his car. As I close the door behind me I pause a moment to lean back against it and shake my head, wondering what the hell was I thinking.

I climb back in bed, it is a little after 7 and JC and I don't need to leave the house till a little after 8 so I lay there thinking about how much life has changed. I drift back into a dreamless sleep mere minutes before the alarm sounded, or so it seemed. I awake JC and after finding him some Tylenol we are on the road the destination Chick-Fil-A for breakfast than his truck.

As we ride along JC says, "The past few weeks have been fun but man I'm about ready for Marine1 to go. Me and my bank account can't take much more of this."

Yeah we may be going out acting like we are still in college but the next day we seem to say, "I'm getting to old for this." lol

"I realized I had just entered an interesting chapter in my life, I had outgrown the boys of my past an not quite grown into the men of my future."

~ Carrie, SATC ~