***
Eventually the sun dropped lower in the sky and Jack felt the air beginning to cool. “Let’s go in and get dried off.”
“Okay,” Jill replied. “I suppose the cooler air is driving the crowd away.”
“So, there will be less people gawking,” Jack said.
“Gawking at what?”
“I mean that there will be less people gawking at us ‘lovebirds,’” Jack replied.
“Oh, so you did hear the lady at the observation tower talking to her husband.”
“Let’s just say that I thought she was observing more than just the sand dunes and waves.”
Jack and Jill patted themselves dry with towels they had brought, and then lay down on the blanket. Jack noticed that the cooler air was giving Jill goose bumps.
“Come here.” Jack reached out and wrapped his arm around Jill’s waist and pulled her into him in a spooning fashion. “It seems like a long time ago that we spooned in Colombia.”
“We did what in Colombia!” Jill sat upright and looked down at Jack through narrowed eyes.
“Oh, that’s right. You were asleep at the time. I forgot.” Jack sheepishly replied.
“Asleep? You spooned with me while I was asleep!” Jill’s voice went up a full octave. “How could you? You took advantage of me while I was asleep on a mission in hostile territory?”
“Hey, calm down. It was you who spooned with me, and I just laid there listening to you mumble about Buzzy.” Jack was a little irritated that Jill would use such a tone of voice toward him, but at the same time he was rather amused at the situation.
“I what?”
“Yeah. Remember how we talked about Buzzy and you were mumbling his name?”
“Yes, but you didn’t say anything about spooning!”
“No, of course not. I didn’t want to embarrass you. After all, you’re my commanding officer. I thought you might not like it if you found out the next morning you were being so gregarious in your sleep.”
“Hmm . . .” Jill was processing all of the information as quickly as possible. “So you were not trying to take advantage of me?”
“Jill, come on. Do you think I would ever do that?”
“Well, no.”
“Good. Now that we have that settled, come over here so I can keep you warm.” Jack again put his hand around Jill’s waist and pulled her into a spooning position. Jill turned her head and tossed Jack a smile.
The sun continued to descend in the sky, and the air temperature dropped several more degrees. Jack relished the warmth of Jill’s body next to his. She occasionally shivered. He reached over and pulled the far edge of the blanket over their bodies. They were now sandwiched inside the warm blanket with only their heads sticking out. Jill turned toward Jack and drew close to him.
Jack and Jill: Army Page 48