OBTP

by U

  of here?"

  Uh oh. Now she was in a spot. What did she do? She was having

  fun dancing. She didn't expect anything sexual out of the evening.

  The concern must have shown on her face when she glanced

  hesitantly from him to Rosa.

  "No strings. I just don't like this kind of music and it's too crowded

  in here. There's another bar down the street." He turned away, pulling

  her close behind him and led her to where Rosa stood. He leaned over

  and said something in her ear.

  Rosa nodded with another one of her big smiles and motioned

  towards the door. The group she had met up with instantly made their

  way towards the door with Rosa and Paige protectively in the middle

  of them.

  Paige couldn't help but grin from ear to ear. It felt good to be

  noticed.

  Their group was ten strong, not including her and Rosa. Everyone

  moved out of their way when they walked down the middle of the

  alleyway. The only traffic fighting through the pedestrians were taxis

  dropping off more American's from the base.

  Paige walked next to the guy she danced with. She noticed two

  men following behind them at a distance. One was Mr. Dimples or

  Casey she'd heard one of the other men call him, and another man she

  hadn't met yet.

  18

  "Sorry, I don't normally go into that bar." He walked at a slower

  pace behind the group so he could talk to her. "By the way, my name

  is Tadd."

  "Hi, Tadd, Paige." She smiled and they shook hands while they

  walked.

  "Nice to meet you Paige." Tadd glanced at the group. "So who is

  your friend?"

  Paige felt her shoulders drop a notch and got a sinking feeling in

  the pit of her stomach. He had only danced with her so he could find

  out about Rosa. That figured. With those five little words she felt a

  little dejected, but responded. "Rosa, we work together."

  "She's really pretty. How tall is she?" Tadd's eyes began at the four

  inch heels and made their way slowly up Rosa's muscular legs,

  pausing to stare at her ass while she walked in front of them.

  Paige didn't understand how Rosa did it. She wasn't even trying

  and she had guys falling all over her. With one guy on either arm, she

  walked confidently through the cobblestone street without once

  missing a step or slipping in those silly heels. Paige grew irritated

  with herself for letting her thoughts get away with her.

  They reached the next club and pushed their way through the door.

  This one was not so crowded and had a place where their group could

  sit on the low lounge seats or just stand around.

  A couple of the guys disappeared and returned a few minutes later

  with shots of something Paige couldn't even begin to pronounce. One

  was placed in front of her and she looked at it doubtfully.

  Rosa sat down beside her, pulling her mini skirt down so it didn't

  ride up, her long legs curled to the side to keep from flashing

  everyone in the bar. "Come on sweetie, loosen up a bit. You looked

  like you were having fun with muscle guy over there. What

  happened?" She nodded her head towards Tadd who had walked away

  and was talking with a couple guys at another table.

  "Who, Tadd?" Paige asked. She had given up on the thought of

  anyone even remotely being interested in her. "He was asking about

  you."

  19

  "Really?" Rosa's eyes went back to where Tadd stood, looking him

  up and down as if measuring him up for size. "He's cute."

  "Yeah, he is." Disappointment set in and Paige didn't know why.

  She had no intention of taking him back to her room. But the thought

  of having the attention of a man interested in her had made her feel

  good. Now she felt bummed.

  "He wasn't with the group that invited us. Casey said he had only

  seen him a couple times on base." Rosa ran her finger around the rim

  of her shot glass absent mindedly, staring at Tadd.

  Oh, so he hadn't been invited with the group she was supposed to

  meet. Had she picked up a guy in a bar? The thought was funny

  since he was not interested in her, how could she have picked him up.

  Apparently Rosa had been interested enough in him to find out who

  he was.

  Glancing down at the drink that had been placed into her hand,

  Paige sniffed it. It smelled like nothing she had ever had before,

  thought what the hell when the group raised their glasses in a toast,

  she joined them and tossed hers back, grimacing and coughing when

  the liquid heat slid down her throat.

  She was there to have fun. There were enough people around that

  she wouldn't get herself into trouble, like she ever would anyway. She

  knew how to get back to base, even if she had to walk, so she forced

  herself to lean back and relax, somewhat.

  Paige was still surprised that being in Japan, other than most of the

  bartenders, there were very few Japanese men around. Even out in the

  streets there had only been a handful outside of a couple of the bars.

  As they had walked by, she'd heard a couple of the men in the

  group talking about how they weren't allowed in certain bars. A

  couple weeks earlier there had been a big fight in town and apparently

  the men involved had been American military against the local gang

  members. The bar had gotten pretty torn up before the fight was

  stopped. To keep American's from going in, they had been informed

  if there was a group of Japanese men standing out in front they were

  not allowed to enter.

  20

  Paige couldn't help but think how that would have gone over in

  America! There would be rioting in the streets for discrimination.

  She had to remind herself she was in a foreign country so things were

  much different.

  Listening to the music while Rosa went out on to the dance floor,

  Paige leaned back and began relaxing. She actually hummed the song

  playing loudly through the oversized speakers. Paige watched Rosa

  dancing, sandwiched between two, hard muscular bodies. This time

  Paige wasn't surprised at how Rosa moved with them. She didn't

  know if it was the strange drink or if the thoughts of a threesome

  Rosa's dancing invoked her excitement, but she was turned on.

  They moved around the floor and her eyes followed.

  When she felt someone's eyes on her, she looked around. Casey, or

  Mr. Dimples as she still preferred to call him, eyed her. Again, heat

  rose up her neck and to her face. She felt as if he had caught her

  doing something naughty by watching Rosa with her two men on the

  floor. A corner of his mouth lifted and he stood from the stool he had

  been leaning against.

  Stunned, Paige watched him walking towards her. He wasn't as

  built as Tadd, but really, she preferred his physique, he definitely had

  muscles. Not to the point to where he looked stiff like Tadd. Casey

  looked like he could move a whole lot quicker and easier.

  He strolled towards her, his steps were fluid, graceful even.

  She couldn't help but wonder what questions he was going to ask

  her about Rosa.

  "Want a
nother drink?" Stopping within inches of her, his leg nearly

  touching hers, Casey pointed to the empty glass she was cradling.

  Hesitating, she'd already drunk more than normal. Her eyes met his

  and she gave in. "Sure." Paige took the hand he held out to her where

  she sat on the lounge. Pulling her effortlessly to her feet, she followed

  him to the bar.

  Around the other men she considered herself short and invisible.

  Walking next to Casey she actually felt petite and womanly for the

  first time in years. His height caused her to lean her head back to look

  at him.

  21

  His eyes were a startling icy blue she had only seen on TV, she

  liked the color. His military hair cut was growing out a bit and he was

  just too damned good looking.

  Paige wanted to run her hand through his hair to feel its softness.

  Stopping at the bar just a little behind him, she shook her head lightly.

  Okay, gotta stop thinking this way. She turned and stared out at the

  dance floor rather than back at Mr. Gorgeous Dimples beside her.

  She dug in her pocket to pull out some money to pay for her drink

  but stopped when Casey frowned sternly at her and plopped his

  money down heavily on the bar. She had offended him without

  meaning too. But really, she hadn't expected him to buy her a drink.

  Grabbing the two beers from the counter, he turned without saying

  anything and walked towards the table in the corner rather than back

  to where she had been sitting. Placing the beers on the table, he didn't

  wait for Paige to sit down. He grabbed her hand and pulled her out

  onto the dance floor.

  Paige glanced down at her shoes and wondered if the hiking boots

  would slide along the floor like they should. She would figure it out.

  Casey pulled her into his arms and all thoughts went completely out of

  her mind.

  On the other side of the floor Rosa was still gyrating with her two

  men. Tadd had somehow replaced one of them and was practically

  licking his lips while his hands roamed all up and down her body.

  Casey held Paige loosely in his arms, not forcing her any closer

  than she wanted to be. His hand rested lightly on her back and they

  glided effortlessly across the wooden floor with sawdust strewn about,

  her shoe problem was totally forgotten.

  The shots and beers she had downed made her feel more at ease

  than she realized. Her head swam and she closed her eyes, glad she

  had eaten a large dinner. Placing her hand on his chest, the other on

  his waist, Paige moved a bit closer. His arms tightened a little more

  and she felt secure in his embrace. At the back of her mind, she still

  waited for the questions to begin, but they never did. They danced

  silently, wrapped in one another's arms. Their beers on the table were

  completely forgotten and by the time they returned, they had become

  22

  warm. Casey gave her a lopsided grin, tipped his back and swigged it

  down anyway, so she did the same.

  Looking around, Paige didn't see Rosa anywhere. "Did you see

  Rosa leave?" Concern laced her voice and creased her brow.

  "Yeah, she left two songs ago with Tadd and John." Casey

  shrugged it off like it wasn't a big deal.

  But to Paige it was. Rosa had left her there! She wasn't afraid of

  being alone, but being in another country, not knowing her

  surroundings, she didn't like the fact that Rosa had just taken off

  without at least saying something.

  "Paige, you don't have to worry about Rosa, Tadd and John won't

  hurt her, they will make sure she gets back on base." Casey looked

  down at her, and for good measure added, "And you are safe with

  me."

  Paige put the beer to her lips and took another long deep swig and

  didn't respond to his comment. She didn't feel threatened, not yet

  anyway, but hoped he didn't expect anything from her, because if he

  did he was going to be sorely disappointed.

  "Come on, let's dance, you feel good in my arms." Casey moved

  them towards the floor again.

  Paige allowed the songs and the motions of their bodies swaying

  with one another to take her thoughts away. He felt good in her arms

  too. They remained on the dance floor through she didn't know how

  many songs, breaking long enough to get a drink then go back out.

  People came and went from the bar, the floor sometimes packed, at

  other times just the two of them. Normally she would be self-

  conscious, but somehow, tonight the thought never crossed her mind.

  Then, at one point while taking a bathroom break, Paige glanced at

  her phone and gasped when she saw that it was nearly one in the

  morning. She never stayed out that late. Glancing in the mirror a

  giggle escaped when she saw the silly smile pasted across her face.

  She hadn't danced this much in years and realized she had missed that

  one little thing that used to give her so much pleasure.

  On her way out of the bathroom, she felt the vibration of her phone

  just as Casey walked up to her, a smile on his face that matched her

  23

  own. Grabbing her phone, she saw that Rosa was calling. When she

  answered, she heard Rosa's frantic voice on the other end.

  "Hold on, I can't hear you in here. Let me step out." Turning to

  Casey, a frown creased her brow. "It's Rosa, she sounds upset."

  Casey immediately steered her towards the exit and out into the

  muggy, warm night air.

  "Rosa, what's wrong?" Paige was concerned. Rosa never called her

  like this.

  "I need for you to hurry and come to my room." Rosa sounded

  desperate. "I can't get him to leave."

  Paige was worried. "I'll be there as soon as I can." She glanced at

  Casey who was already waiving down a taxi. She gave him a grateful

  smile when one pulled over and he opened the back door for her to

  slide into the back seat. She turned with a surprised look on her face

  when he climbed in beside her. Rosa told her to hurry, and then hung

  up the phone, which troubled Paige even more.

  She was about to ask Casey why he was coming with her, but he

  cut her off. "You may need my help." He spoke to the driver.

  Since they were both drunk, she wasn't quite sure if either one of

  them could help if Tadd or John, or both, refused to leave. From the

  sounds of Rosa's voice, she was pretty drunk too. Paige was afraid

  she had gotten herself in deeper than she'd anticipated.

  The drive back to the gate was short. Unfortunately, the city cab

  didn't have access to drive on base, so he dropped them off at the

  security gate. She didn't even bother trying to pay when she saw

  Casey already leaning forward. Hopping out of car and walking up to

  the gate, Paige tried to keep a straight face. She pressed her lips

  together and flashed her Common Access Card to the military police

  officer on duty. He looked so serious and she couldn't help but giggle

  slightly, but covered it up with a cough when Casey playfully nudged

  her.

  Base lodging was a mile walk from where they were, and they

  hurried as quickly as they could without running. Paige felt another


  giggle escape and thought how funny it had to look with an inebriated

  woman wobbling down the street trying to go save her friend.

  24

  Casey smiled and grabbed her hand. All of a sudden, he didn't

  seem to be drunk anymore and she wanted to kick him for it. She had

  consumed way more alcohol than she normally did and felt really

  tipsy by the time they rode the elevator up to the second floor where

  Rosa and her rooms were located.

  Paige pointed out which room was Rosa's. While Casey knocked

  on the door, she stood slightly behind him and frowned when Rosa

  opened the door with a big smile on her face. Now she stood there

  with a smile on her face? Irritated she stared at the woman who had

  made her leave the dance floor to come rescue her. "I thought you

  were having trouble." Her voice was flat.

  Rosa motioned for them to come on in.

  Paige stepped around Casey and followed Rosa into the room.

  Anticipating that her smile was because Tadd had left, she figured no

  one was in the room and stopped short. There he was, a grin in his

  face while he was, sprawled half on the couch. Pants unbuttoned and

  shirt tossed carelessly on the floor. Paige stared, unsure of what Rosa

  expected her to do.

  "Oh, he just pissed me off, but we're fine now. Come in, we have

  wine." Rosa's shirt was slid half way up her waist. Apparently her

  heels had been kicked off when she'd walked into the room. Her

  shoes lay haphazardly where they had bounced off the wall of the

  entry way.

  "Where's John?" Paige glanced around cautiously, half anticipating

  him to come in the room half naked as well. Her eyes leapt to Tadd

  when he spoke.

  "Oh, he's a couple rooms down with Angie." Lifting his arm as if

  pointing them in the direction of where John was down the hallway.

  Tadd's skin was a golden tan. Even in his resting position, his

  muscle bulged.

  Casey followed Paige and stood with his hands on his hips with a

  stern gaze at Tadd but asked Rosa, "You sure everything is ok?"

  "Yeah, all's good." Rosa's speech was still slurred.

  Even though Paige was drunk, Rosa had consumed way more

  alcohol than she had and wondered how she was even standing. She