Anchor Line

by Dawne Walters

  “That’s the only thing that I hate about the Army. Or any branch of service really. You find someone you really gel with…and poof! They have to leave. It sucks.” Talia tried to give Addie a reassuring smile. “But…you have a ton of social media outlets available to you girl.”

  “True.” Addie scrunched her nose.

  Finishing their drinks and getting to-go boxes for their unfinished bar-b-que, Talia dropped Addie off at her apartment and drove off. How she was able to drive and Addie felt totally blitzed was beyond her. So, she waived at her friend yelling that she’d see her tomorrow at work and climbed the stairs to her apartment. Once inside she looked around the walls and decided to text Conrad to enlist his help.

  ADDIE: Conny! I need your help.

  CONRAD: Conny??

  ADDIE: It’s better than Mr. Pringles I need hep handing shtuf

  CONRAD: Have u been drinking?

  ADDIE: Yessss.

  CONRAD: Mr. Pringles??

  ADDIE: Oh shit never mind that come hang shit

  CONRAD: Only if u xplain Pringles to me when I get there.

  ADDIE: Deal

  Conrad knocked on the door a few minutes later and was greeted by a very flushed, drunk Addie Marshall. She was smiling, so he counted that in his favor. He took her in his arms and kissed the top of her forehead.

  “How much have you had to drink?” He asked as he walked down the hallway to her living room.

  “Just a Pina colada and I think I had a lemon drop. That shit is fierce.” She drew her eyebrows in when she said the last, like she was fierce.

  “Seriously?”

  “Yes!” Addie said triumphantly and smiled. “Let’s hang shit Conny.”

  “No, no, no. First things first.” He crossed his arms over his large chest.

  “What?” She stood there looking up at him swaying a little.

  “Pringles.”

  “I don’t have any.”

  “Explain it to me.”

  “They are chips that come in a round can. It’s cool because you can made duck lips from the chips if you don’t crush them.” She was clapping her hands like a duck’s beak near her mouth.

  Conrad had to laugh. “No sugar. I know what they are. You called me Mr Pringles. That’s what I want you to explain.” He smiled taking her hands away from her mouth and held her hands.

  Addie’s eyes suddenly got huge. “I wasn’t supposed to tell you that.”

  “Why not?”

  “Because.”

  “Addie, explain it to me.” He sighed to try and keep from laughing over how she was going in circles in their conversation.

  “Because of your…” She took one hand away from him and waived it around his crotch.

  He looked at her pointedly, eyebrows raised, not saying anything.

  “You have a big thingy okay.” Addie exclaimed pushing her face into his chest.

  Clearly she was not only drunk, but embarrassed too. He wrapped his arms around her and squeezed her tightly and chuckled. “Thingy. That’s what we call it now. Well, I’m not quite that big.”

  She only nodded into his chest.

  “Alright. I won’t embarrass you anymore.” He took her by the shoulders and looked down into her face. “Are you sure you want to hang shit?”

  Addie shook her head no now. Looking at his watch it was only six.

  “Why don’t we get you into some jammies and we’ll watch TV.” He suggested.

  “Yes!” Addie exclaimed. Then she led him back to her bedroom with the hand that she was still holding onto him with.

  She sat on the edge of her bed and pointed to the dresser. After taking direction, Conrad had pulled a pair of Sponge Bob jammie pants and a yellow camisole to match from her dresser, and turned to see Addie lying back on the bed with her eyes closed.

  Conrad sat her up started to undress her. Pulling her t-shirt over her head, she held up her arms and then flopped back down on the bed making his next decision clear when she lifted a leg. He took off her Docs and then undid her jeans. She lifted her hips when he pulled at the hem of her pants. He groaned and felt his dick start to harden when he saw her bare pussy. SHIT! Why couldn’t this woman wear underwear?

  “Conny?”

  “Yes Baby.”

  “Why did you stop?”

  “Because your bare pussy is distracting me.” He groaned, then grabbed her hands, pulling her to sit upright.

  “So.”

  He just snorted air through his nose and made quick work of her bra and grabbed the camisole to put it over her head.

  “How long will you be gone?” She looked up at him with a small smile.

  “Three weeks. Give or take.” He answered sliding the camisole over her head.

  “You don’t want me?”

  “Not like this baby. I want you to enjoy it. Not pass out while I’m either eating that fantastic pussy or fucking it.” He grabbed one of her arms and guided it though the thin straps, then the other.

  “You like my…thingy?”

  He actually laughed. “Say it.”

  “What? Vagina?” She spread her arms out wide as Conrad pulled her camisole down. “Vaaaagiiiinaaaa.” She sing-songed.

  “No not vagina. Pussy. Say pussy.”

  “That’s a guy word.” She explained.

  “Okay. Bottoms next.” Conrad shook out her jammie pants and slid them up her thighs until he could go no further. “Lift baby.”

  She complied and he slid the bottoms up over her ass. There. Torture complete, she was covered. He stood up and looked down on her, his cock still erect and throbbing. She looked…sweet. Maybe that’s what the draw was. She wasn’t like the other girls he fucked with at the Messo. She was a fun drunk and was responsive as hell when he was fucking her.

  Too bad he was leaving for Italy soon. With this field problem, he only had another month with her until he went home on leave for thirty days before he headed over to Italy. From there, he’d only be in country for about three months, as they were deploying. One of his friends that he’d kept in touch with told him that they were ramping up for a trip to the ‘Stan. All the troops were out of Iraq now. He’d be in theatre for a year, head back to Italy for a little while, then who knew where he would go from there. He’d come back here to Addie. He wanted to come back here to Addie. He just couldn’t make her wait for him like that though. She deserved more than a simple, ‘stay here baby, I’m going overseas and then forward to Afghanistan, and I’ll be back.’

  “Conny?” She asked, drawing him out of his thoughts.

  “Yeah sugar.”

  “Are you all packed?”

  “Yeah. I’m all packed.”

  “Stay with me.”

  It wasn’t a question. It was a statement. She wanted him to stay. He wanted to. But knew that might lead her on.

  “I really need to go.”

  She sat up and took a deep breath in and out through her nose, put on a smile for him and nodded her head. When she stood, her body was right up against his. He could feel her through the hard muscles of his chest as her body was pressed up against him. He could feel her softness and smell her shampoo. What the fuck. His arms reached around her shoulders as her hands slid into the waistband of his jeans and tucked into the back.

  “You really want me to stay?” He asked looking down into her eyes.

  “Only if you want to.” She smiled hesitantly.

  “Alright. Let me get everything in my truck and get my uniform and shit and I’ll be right back.” He kissed her forehead and when he pulled back, he saw her smile get huge. “Leave the door unlocked until I get back.”

  “Okay.” She whispered and kissed his chest.

  Conrad pulled away from Addie and walked down the hallway through the front door. He made his way over to his apartment on the second floor and grabbed his gear and took it down to his truck. Then went back up and grabbed his uniform, boots, and tossed a few toiletries into his bag and checked the apartment before locking it up and made
his way back over to Addie’s. As he walked in, he noticed that a lamp was lit on the hallway table for him, but all other lights were off except the nightlight above the stove and a light coming from Addie’s bedroom. He chuckled as he closed the door and locked it, turned off the lamp and made his way to the bedroom. Making his way to Addie’s bedroom, he saw that she was already in the middle of the bed, on her side, the covers turned down for him on the side of the bed he’d gotten in on last night. The light was on in the bathroom.

  He put his stuff on the counter in the bathroom and stripped, folded his clothes and brought them out and put them on the dresser, putting his sneakers on the floor next to it. He plugged in his charger for his phone and set the alarm, setting it on the night table, he slid in bed and pulled Addie up against him. She raised her hand with the remote in it and he took it, turning on the TV to NBCSports to watch the Pirates play against the Braves. He turned down the volume and took in the warmth of the woman beside him as he lay there.

  Monday morning came with a vengeance. Conrad’s alarm went off at the usual five o’clock, Addie’s an hour and a half later. Seeing as how Conrad didn’t have to be in until nine, he got up and made the coffee, then came back to bed until Addie’s alarm went off at six thirty. It was a quiet morning, ESPN was playing on the TV. They both got up and showered together and got dressed. As Addie was drying her hair, Conrad went and fixed her coffee and brought her mug back to the bathroom just as she was putting her makeup on. She thanked him and he went to put his boots on. Walking to the closet, Addie picked a pair of black slacks and a thin black, short sleeve sweater and her nude suede heels. As she walked out of the closet Conrad had just finished tying his boots and was still sitting on the bed, as he took her in, his head tilted to the side a bit.

  “What?” She asked, walking over to the tray that held her perfume bottles.

  “The only color you have, is on are your shoes.”

  “So…” She puckered her lips at him as if he’d keep going.

  “Are you going to a funeral?” He asked with a smile.

  “Oh…famous like intro to Johnny Cash at Folsom Prison. But no. I’m not.” She smiled and picked up a bottle of CK One and sprayed it on.

  “I’ll put on a silver necklace and earrings though. Is that enough color for you?” She stepped between his legs and laid her hands on his shoulders.

  “How much time do we have until you have to leave to be at work on time?” He asked, his hands sliding up and down her hips.

  “I have to leave in the next ten minutes or so, I guess to give me enough time to get on post. It’ll be faster from here. I’m closer.” She smiled down at him. “What did you have in mind?”

  He just smiled at her as his hands slid up under her sweater and cupped her breasts that were held in a lacy bra. “I don’t want to get you all…wet.”

  “Then how about I propose something that won’t get me so…wet.” She smiled back.

  Timing being what it was, Conrad’s phone started to ring Johnny Cash’s ‘Ring of Fire.’ Taking a deep breath thought his nose, he slowly removed his hands and grabbed his phone off the night table.

  “Renner. Yeah…got it. On the way. Out.”

  “That settles that whole thing now doesn’t it?” Addie said.

  “Pretty much. One of the guys got arrested last night for drunk driving with his kids in the car in their neighborhood on post. The wife can’t be found.” He explained as Addie stepped back and pulled her sweater down and Conrad stood up and grabbed his ACU top.

  “What happened to his kids?”

  “A neighbor has them.” He zipped up his top and pushed over the side so the velcro caught.

  “Do you want to take a coffee to go? You didn’t finish yours.” She asked as she turned off the TV, slid a long silver necklace over her head and drop earrings in her ears.

  “Sure, if you have an extra travel mug.”

  “I do.” She started down the hallway and into the kitchen, Conrad not far behind her. “Just leave your jeans and t-shirt. You won’t need your sneakers will you?”

  “Do you need them to run in?” He chuckled.

  “No, but I was trying to be polite in letting you keep them here.” She took out two travel mugs and filled them. Putting in sugar and milk.

  “Thanks Addie.” He came in behind her, his hands on the counter.

  “You’re welcome.” He could hear the smile in her voice.

  He let her turn around to face him before he pressed her up against the counter, his hands slid into her hair, grasping it, but not pulling, and tilted her head up so his lips could meet hers in a soft sensual kiss. A nibbling of lips, sliding tongues and soft kisses. Finally he pulled back and looked into Addie’s eyes. Her hands had a death grip on his ACU top.

  “This is going to be a long fucking field problem.” His hands slid out of her hair to cup her face and his thumb slid over her bottom lip.

  “Sucks to be you.” Addie said softly. Then she remembered that he was leaving in a few short months. He wasn’t hers. He never would be. He didn’t do relationships. He’d told her repeatedly. “Well, you can always jerk off to the pictures that Susan sent you.” She smiled a fake smile as she dropped her arms by her sides.

  “Wow.” Conrad was shocked. He let her go and took a step back. “Way to ruin the moment.”

  “We were having a moment, Conrad?” Addie turned around and took a mug off the counter.

  “Well, you just stabbed it in the heart if there was one.” He raised an eyebrow at her as he reached over and took the other mug, then turned and walked down the hallway to her room, pushed his wallet into his pocket, put his watch on and grabbed his phone and charger, then walked back. “You can keep my clothes as collateral for the mug.”

  She didn’t say anything, knowing that she had purposely blown a tender moment. She nodded and took a sip of her coffee. Conrad came back to stand in front of her again, leaning in so close, Addie thought he was going to kiss her.

  “It’s okay…if you feel the need to wear my t-shirt while i’m gone. You know…for when you miss me.” He pulled back, swiped his keys off the counter and walked to the door.

  “Conrad.” Addie called after him, making him stop with his hand on the door knob. He looked back at her with raised eyebrows. “Be careful.” She gave him a tight lipped smile.

  He smiled broadly now. “Always sugar.” And then he opened the door and was gone.

  “Well, you fucked that up Addie-girl.” She chastised herself. Grabbing her purse off the counter, she made sure that the coffee maker was turned off and hit the light switch and made her way to work.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Walking into work she knew this was going to be a horrible day. Parking her car she headed into the building, walked past the coffee maker and the donuts that were set out, pausing briefly, then decided to just keep going. She walked by Jessica’s desk and said hello not stopping. Finally in the confines of her little cubicle, and she sat down tossing her purse in the desk drawer and started up her computer really regretting some of the events this morning.

  ‘Hey girl what are you doing.” Talia eyed Addie.

  Addie looked up at her friend and wanted to cry. “I screwed up.” She said.

  “All that happened was you got a dining room set and we had drinks.When I dropped you off we were having a great time. What happened between the time I dropped you off and now? “Talia asked.

  Sighing heavily, as she looked up at her friend. “Conrad came over and I asked him to spend the night.”

  “More than that should be a good thing shouldn’t?” Talia offered.

  “It was up until this morning when we were having a moment and I told him that he could jerk off to Susan’s pictures on his cell phone.” Addy explained.

  “Wait…whoa whoa stop.” Talia put her hands up. “Who the hell is Susan and why is she sending him naked pictures?”

  “Conrad and I went to lunch at the sandwich shop a couple days ago, and
Susan…is some big… boobed… blonde who he fucks every now and again. He goes to the Messo and apparently picks up submissives.”

  “He goes to the Messo?” Talia asked.

  “Oh, he goes to the Messo.”

  “I’m so sorry girl.”

  “Nah, its okay I’ll get through it I just screwed up.” Addie scrunched her face at her friend, then gave a stiff smile and shrugged her shoulders

  The sight of Mr. Claymore coming down the aisle toward them, silently told Addie that they’d talk later and went back to her cubicle. Addie logged into her computer and turned around to see Mr. Claymore stopped in front of her doorway. She really dreaded this guy. He was dressed in jeans and a polo and some Nike sneakers. This was never any way that he had dressed before.

  What in the hell…was going on?

  “Ms. Marshall, I need to see you in my office please.” Mr. Claymore turned around and lead in the way into his office.

  Addie followed him into his office.

  “Please close the door.” He said quietly.

  “I may as well tell you so that you know…I’ve been let go.” Mr. Claymore sat at his desk folding his hands. “You’ll be finishing some management classes for the rest of the week probably until Thursday. At which point you will be able to move into my office, because I will no longer be here. Today is my last day, I’ve been asked to clear my stuff out.”

  Addie was floored, she didn’t know what to say. “I… I’m so sorry Mr. Claymore. I don’t know what to say.”

  “You don’t have to say anything.” Mr. Claymore answered. “I hope that you do well in your new position. I have always had great expectations for you.”

  “Well thank you very much Mr. Claymore, I’m…I’m sorry to hear that you’re leaving.”

  “Think nothing of it. Your first supervisory meeting is in an hour, I would suggest that you get a pen and notepaper and make yourself comfortable upstairs in room 205.” Mr. Claymore said with finality.

  Not knowing what else to say, Addie nodded her head, said thank you, opened the door, then left. Closing the door behind her. She was stunned, she didn’t know what to think about what Mr. Claymore had told her. She stood there for another minute with three or four of the employees looking at her, so she walked into her cubicle and sat down. Talia and a few of the other girls that saw her standing outside of Mr. Claymore’s door came over into the entryway of her cubicle.