Water under the Bridge

by Sherryl Hancock

  They lay together afterwards, breathing heavily and grinning at each other.

  “I think we need a shower,” Tyler said when she’d caught her breath.

  “I think you’re right,” Shenin said, grinning.

  The shower resulted in another lovemaking session, but later they lay completely sated together.

  “Are you okay, babe?” Tyler asked in the semi-darkness of the room.

  She was lying on her back, with Shenin’s naked body still half over hers, her left arm around Shenin’s waist.

  Shenin drew in a deep breath, blowing it out slowly. “I’m getting there.”

  “But you weren’t,” Tyler said.

  “For a while there, no,” Shenin said, knowing what Tyler was worried about.

  They’d been apart years before, when Shenin’s request for transfer had been denied. Tyler was in Washington D.C., while she was assigned to an Alaskan airbase. She’d known she was facing another eighteen months on the opposite side of the country from Tyler. It was then that Shenin had contemplated suicide seeing no way for them to be together. Tyler had told her months later, that had Shenin actually done what she’d been thinking, it would have ended her too. She’d meant that quite literally. Tyler had no idea what she’d do without Shenin; she was the only woman she’d ever loved with every fiber of her being. Now Tyler had been worried that Shenin was entertaining dark thoughts again, and she’d been right.

  Tyler closed her eyes, grimacing. “Oh honey…” she said, feeling devastated.

  Shenin moved to look up at Tyler. “It wasn’t bad, not like last time…” she said.

  “But if you thought it at all, Shen…” Tyler said, shaking her head.

  “I can’t always help it, Ty. It’s like my mind just goes there.”

  “That’s what scares me to death babe…” Tyler said.

  Shenin nodded, understanding what Tyler was saying, but not sure what she could do.

  “Is it maybe time to look at medication?” Tyler asked gently.

  Shenin looked back at her, surprised by the question. “I don’t know how the Air Force would react to that. What if they just decide I’m too big a risk and kick me out?”

  “They won’t do that, Shen,” Tyler said.

  “I’m not sure about that,” Shenin said, looking concerned.

  “Can we talk more about it?” Tyler asked.

  Shenin nodded, putting her head back down against Tyler’s shoulder.

  Two months later, Shenin was back to walking and running and doing just about everything she’d done before. She did however have enough lingering weakness in her back to make it impossible for her to complete the physical challenge to continue to be part of the security force. It was a hard blow for her, and it took her some time to come back from it. Tyler worried about her constantly and once again asked her about getting on medication. Shenin had soundly refused and had come up with the solution of becoming a logistics officer shortly after that.

  Chapter 4

  Ashley had gotten a ride into the office from Jet one afternoon, and walked into Sebastian’s office unexpectedly.

  “Wow,” he said, when he looked up, seeing her standing in his doorway. She was dressed in jeans, high heeled boots and a sapphire-blue blouse that was both clingy and very feminine.

  Ashley knew she looked good; she’d actually shocked Jet as well. She wanted to look good today.

  She smiled at Sebastian and walked into his office. “So, what are you doing tonight?” she asked, casually.

  Sebastian looked back at her, grinning. “Nothing much, why? What did you have in mind?”

  Ashley shrugged. “I was thinking it would be cool to just hang out at your place, maybe order some dinner, watch movies or something.”

  “Okay,” Sebastian said, nodding. “I can definitely do that,” he said, smiling.

  An hour later they were in his vehicle headed to his apartment. He was having a hard time keeping his eyes off Ashley. She wore just the right amount of makeup to make her blue eyes sparkle. Her hair was loose in curling waves; it looked so soft, a man could spend hours running his hands through it. The thought occurred to him many times. Hold it together, Ranger he told himself. He’d never taken so much time in his life with a woman, but he wanted Ashley to take the lead on this relationship. She’d been through so much with Jet that he felt like she needed time to adjust and figure out what she wanted. So he waited.

  At his apartment he changed into faded jeans and a t-shirt, leaving his feet bare. When he walked out of his bedroom he saw Ashley standing in the kitchen at the counter. He’d given her a small stack of take-out menus to peruse while he was changing.

  Moving to stand behind her, he noted that she’d removed the heels she’d been wearing earlier, so he could easily look over her shoulder at the menu she was looking at.

  “So what looks good?” he asked, his face next to hers, his hands on either side of her on the counter.

  Ashely surprised him by turning around to look up at him.

  “Oh, this looks pretty good to me,” she said, moving to press her lips to his.

  Her hands slid up his chest, one hand moving to the back of his neck to pull his face closer, her body pressing against him seductively. Sebastian moaned against her lips, and put his arms around her, his hands holding her close. As they kissed, Ashley’s hands grasped at his hair, wanting so much all at the same time.

  Sebastian’s hands grasped her hips, and he lifted her onto the counter top, moving between her parted legs, pulling her closer as he deepened the kiss. Ashley encircled his waist with her legs, wanting him as close to her as she could get him. She felt his hands on her ass then, and it made her tremble. She pressed even closer.

  “Please Sebastian, please…” she moaned against his lips.

  After a few more minutes of kissing, she tore her lips away from his and moved them to his ear. “I want you inside of me…” she said, her voice a jagged whisper.

  “Jesus…” Sebastian groaned, as desire shot through him instantly.

  He pulled her blouse up and off over her head, setting it aside his hands making quick work of her bra as well. Her hands moved to remove his shirt, then reveled in the muscles and taut skin of his chest.

  Within minutes, his body slid inside hers and she was sure she was going to explode. His groan matched hers as he felt her body so tight against him. They both cried out in their release moments later. Sebastian held her against him, feeling his heart slamming against his chest wall. He could not believe the powerful orgasm that had ripped through him, he only thanked the man-gods that she’d orgasmed at the same time he had, otherwise he’d have been giving up his man card for sure that night.

  Ashely leaned against Sebastian, feeling almost dizzy with the incredible feelings flowing through her body. She had no idea what this meant, but she knew that she had needed this man desperately, and it felt good that she obviously had excited him to the point of no return as well.

  Sebastian slid his hands down her body, over her legs, and pulled them up to wrap around his waist again. He then put her arms up around his neck.

  “Hold on,” he told her softly as he picked her up.

  He carried her to his bedroom where he laid her gently on the bed, and then he lay down next to her, one leg thrown over hers, his arm around her waist, his face pressed against her neck. Ashley’s hands caressed his arm that lay over her, simply enjoying the feeling of him against her. He smelled incredible, and his body was definitely everything she’d dreamed and more. The man definitely took care of himself.

  Sebastian was still trying to recover from their first encounter. He hadn’t been that far out of control of his own body for many years now and it had truly shocked him. Ashley’s demand for him had just about sent him over the edge that second. It had just been so unexpected from her. In his head he’d made her into this wallflower, and had figured it would take a while for her to get to the point where she wanted more than the kisses they’d s
hared. Part of him had also wondered if she was, in fact, truly a lesbian and wouldn’t therefore find sex with him satisfying. He knew that was part of his hesitation as well, and he hadn’t been sure his ego could withstand that level of decimation. So the fact that she had made the first move, and had, in fact, been quite demanding in her desire for him had been a killer combination.

  Levering himself up on an elbow, he looked down at her.

  “So,” he said, his voice rich and sexy. “That was… uh, unexpected.”

  “Was it?” she asked, glancing over at him, her blue eyes reflecting surprise.

  Sebastian looked back at her, his look assessing. “Well… yeah,” he said honestly.

  Ashley moved to turn over on her side, looking at him.

  “Sebastian, I’ve wanted you since the wedding,” she told him.

  Sebastian looked back at her blankly. “Really?” he asked.

  “You didn’t know that?” she asked.

  “Uhhh, no,” he said.

  Ashley looked at him, her look reflecting amusement at his obvious lack of intuition.

  “Hey, gimme a break, I’m not usually the runner up to a lesbian rock star,” he said with a wry grin.

  Ashley laughed at that. “Is that right?”

  Sebastian shrugged. “I was giving you time.”

  Ashley nodded. “And that makes you a much better man than most.”

  “Well, I’ve learned a thing or two about respect for women. My best friend is pretty vicious when she eviscerates me for being a macho asshole.”

  Ashley laughed again. “Kash is that bad huh?”

  “She keeps an eye on me, that’s for sure,” he said, smiling like he didn’t mind.

  “As any good best friend would,” Ashley said.

  “Uh-huh,” he said, grinning.

  Ashley reached out to touch his shoulder, tracing down his chest to a thin white scar near the center.

  “What’s this from?” she asked.

  “Bullet,” Sebastian said, his tone so casual that Ashley didn’t really think about what he’d said for a minute.

  “Wait, did you just say bullet?” Ashley asked.

  Sebastian grinned, nodding.

  “When you were a Ranger?” she asked.

  “Nope,” he said. “This was about four years ago now.”

  “Oh my God, Sebastian, what happened?” Ashley asked, surprised by his generally casual attitude.

  “I was protecting a Deputy AG, and some guy took a shot at her,” he said.

  “You mean you,” she said.

  “No, I mean her. I did my job and blocked it.”

  “With your own body?” she asked, her look aghast.

  “That’s why they call it bodyguard, babe,” he said, winking at her.

  Ashley shook her head. “How close was it to your heart?”

  “Took out a little chunk,” he said, grinning.

  “Seriously?” she asked, paling slightly.

  He nodded.

  Her finger traced the scar, her look intent. Then she looked up at him.

  “Is that why you said you’re bullet proof?” she asked him.

  “Pretty much.”

  Before he, Jet and Skyler had left for Iraq to rescue Fadiyah months before, he’d promised her to take care of Jet and Skyler. He’d told her then that he was “bullet proof.” At the time it had sounded like bravado, now she saw what he meant. He’d escaped death.

  Inexplicably, her eyes filled with tears.

  “Hey…” he said, pulling her to him, and hugging her.

  “You protected someone with your life…” Ashley said, against his chest. “Who actually does that?”

  “Uh,” he stammered, “me, other body guards.”

  Ashley just lay against him and she shook her head again.

  Sebastian grinned. “I guess accountants don’t do that kind of thing, huh?”

  Ashley laughed softly. She’d told him about her ex-husband, the accountant, who’d been so completely ungallant that Jet was manlier than he had been.

  “I don’t think there are too many people who would do what you did, Sebastian.”

  “I think you’d be surprised by how many people you know, have done just that,” he told her.

  She looked up at him. “Who are you talking about?” she asked.

  “Well let’s see, there’s Kash, who’s put her life in danger more than once for Sierra. Then there’s Jericho who stepped into a knife to keep someone from hurting Zoey; Quinn, who protected Xandy with her life more than once. And of course there’s Jet who put her life in danger by not only going back to Iraq to save Fadiyah, but also took a bullet for her…”

  “I think I see your point,” Ashley said, grinning.

  Sebastian nodded. “Thought you might.”

  She looked back up at him then. “That doesn’t make what you did less amazing, Sebastian.”

  “If you say so,” he said, grinning.

  “I say so,” she said, leaning in to kiss him again.

  “Mmm…” he murmured against her lips. “Keep talkin’ honey,” he said, deepening the kiss then.

  They made love again. This time Sebastian managed to keep his self-control longer, but when she started telling him how good he felt inside her, he had to kiss her into silence lest he lose that control again. Afterwards, they lay panting together, her body over his, his hands keeping her there.

  “Jesus, did Jet teach you to talk like that?” he asked her, his tone still husky.

  She grinned. “She taught me to take what I want.”

  “Not sure if I want to kiss the girl or kick her ass…” he muttered.

  Ashley laughed softly, moving to kiss his chest, her lips lingering on the scar.

  They spent the rest of the night alternately talking and making love, stopping only briefly to have dinner. They were totally enthralled in each other and the time just seemed to stop.

  At one point, Ashley looked at the clock and saw that it was two in the morning. She moved to get up.

  “Where you goin’?” he asked tiredly.

  “Just going to go text Jet to let her know where I’m at.”

  “You need to report to her?” he asked, sounding slightly annoyed.

  “No,” Ashley said, her look flickering at the tone she thought she heard. “I just don’t want her to worry.”

  When she came back into the room, she sat down on the bed, and looked at him.

  “Do you have a problem with Jet?” she asked him.

  Sebastian grimaced slightly, then moved to sit up, his knees up, his arms draped over them. “I have a problem with Jet when it comes to you, yeah.”

  “Why?” she asked him.

  He looked back at her for a long moment, trying to decide what to tell her. Blowing his breath out, he shook his head.

  “I just feel like she kind of screwed you over,” he said, honestly.

  Ashley’s brow furrowed, then she shook her head slowly. “Sebastian, she didn’t screw me over at all.”

  Sebastian gave a short laugh, looking cynical which shocked Ashley.

  “What do you think she did?” she asked him, trying to understand what he was thinking.

  Sebastian pressed his lips together. “This thing with Fadiyah…” he said, his voice trailing off.

  “Sebastian, I knew she was in love with Fadiyah before you ever left for Iraq,” she said.

  He looked back at her surprised. “You did?”

  “Oh yeah,” Ashley said.

  “And that didn’t bother you?” Sebastian asked.

  “Sure it bothered me, but only because I was stupid enough to fall for Jet when I knew I shouldn’t.”

  “She let you fall in love with her.”

  “Let me?” Ashley countered, raising an eyebrow, much like Jet did when she thought someone was crazy.

  “Yeah,” he said, his look annoyed.

  “You think she could control whether or not I fell in love with her?” she asked him then.

&nb
sp; “She could have tried,” he said. “She could have stayed away from you.”

  Ashley grinned. “How many women have fallen in love with you, Sebastian?” she asked. “Or don’t you know?”

  “What’s that mean?” he asked.

  “Because I’m betting they all knew about you, what I know about Jet, that falling for you was a dumb thing to do, and they certainly wouldn’t tell you.”

  Sebastian looked back at her, and he truly had no answer for that. Yes, there had been women who’d fallen for him, who he’d had to let down as gently as possible. Including the lawyer he’d protected with his life… Son of a bitch! ricocheted through his head.

  Ashley nodded as she saw him make the connection to what she was saying.

  “And you need to know that Jet was always completely honest with me, Sebastian. She never led me to believe that she and I would ever be anything but lovers and friends.”

  “But you wanted more,” Sebastian said.

  “Yeah, I did,” she said, looking self-effacing. “So I basically set myself up for the hurt.”

  Sebastian looked back at her, not sure how to feel. He wanted to be mad at Jet for what she’d done to Ashley, but here Ashley was defending her. It bugged him.

  To avoid the rest of the discussion, he reached out taking her hand and pulled her to him, kissing her and in turn making love to her again. They spent most of the weekend in bed, exploring every inch of each other’s bodies and thoroughly enjoying themselves in the process.

  ***

  It was Friday night and Jet had invited Shenin to join her and the rest of the girls at the club. Shenin had agreed, even letting Jet pick her up at the apartment she was currently sharing with her dog. Jet greeted Muffit with pets and Muffit had been very excited to meet someone new. Fadiyah had fallen instantly in love with the dog, speaking to her in Arabic.

  “What’s she saying to my dog?” Shenin asked Jet.

  “That she’s the prettiest most wonderful dog on the planet…” Jet said, smiling, happy that Fadiyah was finally feeling better.

  “Well, that’s true,” Shenin said, smiling too.