Fly With Me

by Chanel Cleeton

  He took both of us to the visitor’s center, repeating the process I’d gone through with Noah in Vegas.

  Bryer was a smaller base than Nellis, but it had the same nondescript look. The buildings looked a little rundown, the architecture a hodgepodge that didn’t quite match. Beige colors dominated. Function definitely reigned supreme. Easy pointed out the flight line, the rows of F-16s parked under giant metal hangars.

  And then we were pulling into the parking lot of the club, and my nerves picked up.

  Sonya flashed me a grin and I figured it was obvious I was freaking the fuck out.

  “The guys’ll be nice,” she whispered as we followed Easy in. “Some of the wives are fun.” She hesitated. “Some of the wives will ignore you ’cause you’re not a wife.” She shrugged. “You get used to it.”

  It was a little pathetic how important it was to me that this went well. Meeting the friends was so official, and I’d gotten the impression that because Noah’s job kept him away from his family, his friends were his family. So I really wanted them to like me. Especially since I couldn’t quite get my stride with his best friend.

  Easy explained the history of the club as we walked in, and how the building was divided into an officers’ side and an enlisted side, which seemed strange to me, but Easy just answered that it gave guys a place to relax and let their guard down among their peers. Still, weird. The whole rank thing and the way guys had saluted Easy going through the gate was just so different from what I was used to. Despite the manners my mother had attempted to drill into me, I was pretty laid back. The rules and customs overwhelmed me, creating way more opportunities for inadvertently insulting someone than I was comfortable with.

  We hit the bar, and the nerves got worse as I surveyed the crowd.

  The vast majority formed a sea of green flight suits. While not every guy was hot, there was an overabundance of fit guys dressed in uniform, so I figured anyone who had a man-in-uniform fantasy would be hard-pressed not to feel like they’d hit the mother lode. As long as they were willing to overlook the mustaches. Noah had not been kidding; all of the guys had mustaches, ranging from, desperately trying to grow facial hair to attack of the giant hairy caterpillar.

  Interspersed between all of the green were the women who I guessed were the wives. By the look of things, Sonya and I had totally missed the mark on our outfits.

  Fuck.

  I glanced over at Sonya, who looked like she couldn’t have cared less. I, on the other hand, wanted to sink into the ground. Most of the women were dressed in jeans, their bodies covered in sweaters or fleece. I’d toned it down a bit, minimized the cleavage, made the hair a little smaller, but in comparison I felt overdone and ridiculous.

  I so did not belong here.

  And then I caught sight of a woman walking toward us, and I figured if there were a poster child for being an Air Force wife, this was it.

  She had long copper-colored hair, and pale skin that made her look like a porcelain doll. Her eyes were a startling green, her makeup flawless. She wore dark jeans that fit her like a glove and a black turtleneck. Gorgeous gray boots completed the ensemble.

  She stopped in front of us, and her mouth spread into a wide smile. She hugged Easy, who stiffened for a second, his usual swagger tempered. She pulled back and flashed that same smile at Sonya. And then she turned to me.

  Her smile widened. Blinding. Genuine.

  “You must be Jordan. I’ve been dying to meet you. I’m Dani.”

  She spoke with a soft Southern accent that called to mind sweet tea and porch swings.

  So this was Joker’s wife. The Dani that Noah had wanted me to meet.

  “It’s really nice to meet you,” I replied. Something about her manner was instantly welcoming.

  “I’ve heard so much about you since the guys got back from Vegas. I’m so glad you could make it to hang out with the squadron.” She gestured toward the bar. “Do you want a drink?”

  “I can get you ladies something,” Easy interjected, his expression uncharacteristically serious.

  You ladies?

  I made a face, which I was pretty sure he caught by the snort that escaped his lips. Yeah, I was definitely not winning any points in the best friend department. Crap. Dani’s lips twitched as she noticed both of our expressions. I figured we looked like a pair of bickering siblings.

  Easy took our drink orders, and then Sonya decided to go with him to the bar, leaving Dani and me alone.

  “Do you want to go sit?” she asked.

  I nodded and followed her to a table, feeling like all eyes were on me.

  “I’ll let Noah introduce you around,” she said as we sat across from each other. “He should be here soon. I just spoke with Joker and they’re wrapping up work.”

  I was ready to have Noah beside me. I definitely kept garnering a lot of stares, and while Dani was really nice, I wasn’t sure I could say the same for the rest of the crowd.

  “It has to be kind of awkward coming to one of these things on your own.” She smiled. “The first time I went to a military function with Joker, I was scared out of my mind. We’d only been together for a few months and he invited me to the Air Force Ball. It was romantic, but not only was I obsessed with making sure I had the perfect dress, I was also petrified that I’d make a protocol faux pas or something.”

  I grinned. “Yeah, that about sums it up. I’m way out of my depth here. The military is definitely a bit of a foreign concept to me, although Noah’s been awesome about giving me a little Air Force primer. How long have you and Joker been married?”

  “Five years.”

  She looked to be about my age now.

  We chatted for a few minutes until Easy came over with our drinks, minus Sonya. Noah was right. I liked Dani. A lot. She had a way of making people feel comfortable and we’d clicked. I really hoped we’d become friends.

  I expected Easy to drop off our drinks and go in search of his date, but instead he filled the empty seat. Within seconds, it was obvious he and Dani were close. The smirk and attitude he so often displayed had disappeared, and instead he almost seemed like a nice guy. He made a few jokes, asked her some questions, listened when she spoke. It was like his asshole persona had disappeared completely behind a veil, leaving me wondering which one was the real Easy.

  Eventually Dani excused herself to greet some of the new arrivals. I got the impression that her position as the squadron commander’s wife made her the social hostess, a role she seemed well suited for considering how nice she was. Before she left, she turned to me and gave me her cell number. “If you ever need to talk, or just want to hang out while you’re visiting Noah and the guys have to work or something, give me a call.”

  I grinned, feeling like I’d definitely made a new friend. “I will.”

  She walked off, leaving me at the table with Easy. I had no idea where Sonya had gone.

  I gestured toward where a group of guys congregated around a pool table, shouting and elbowing one another, raucous laughter spilling out over the club.

  “I’m okay if you want to go play with them. You don’t have to sit with me all night.”

  Easy’s smirk returned. “I’m fine. I told Noah I’d keep you company until he got here.”

  “So you’re, what, my babysitter?”

  He laughed, completely unfazed by the bit of bitch I threw his way. “Something like that.”

  “What are they playing?” I asked.

  He didn’t bother looking; clearly this was a common occurrence. “Crud.”

  “Crud?”

  “Fighter pilot game.”

  My eyes narrowed as I watched the guys running around the pool table, arms and elbows out, a billiard ball pinging between them. It looked intense and more than a little violent. The odds of serious injury seemed high.

  “So basically, it’s figh
ter pilot Quidditch.”

  A strangled laugh escaped his lips. “Please tell Noah that.”

  I barely stifled my eye roll.

  “You don’t like me, do you?” Easy asked, using that same tone he always displayed when he talked to me, so different from the one he’d used with Dani. As though I amused him and more in a “laughing at me” than “with me” sort of way. He definitely felt like the annoying brother I’d never had or wanted.

  “Not particularly.”

  At this point, it seemed ridiculous to deny it.

  “Why?”

  “You kind of seem like an asshole.”

  “That’s because I am kind of an asshole.”

  God, he really was. I didn’t get it.

  “What’s the deal with you and Noah?” I asked.

  “What do you mean?”

  “The bestie thing.”

  He looked even more amused. “The bestie thing?”

  “You know, you’re Robin to his Batman.”

  “Why do I have to be Robin? Noah’s my wingman way more than I’m his.”

  I laughed. “Is that why you keep throwing me attitude, because I didn’t fall all over myself when I saw you and instead chose Noah? Did I hurt your pride?”

  He smirked. “He’s going to have his hands full with you, isn’t he?”

  I ignored the implication that I was high maintenance because, really, tell me something I didn’t already know.

  “And that’s a bad thing? Let me guess, you like your women to shut up and put out?”

  “Honey, you have no idea how I like my women. And for the record, no, I don’t think it’s a bad thing that you challenge Noah. He’s serious. All the time. Flying has been his life for as long as I’ve known him. He needs more. He smiles with you. And he’s trying to make this work, even though relationships aren’t exactly his forte.”

  I blinked.

  “Really. Trust me, I’ve been through enough disastrous relationships with Noah to appreciate when he has a good thing going.”

  “So if you’re so happy about me and Noah, why do you give me such a hard time?”

  He shrugged. “I give everyone a hard time.”

  “You didn’t give Dani a hard time. You actually seemed almost normal with her.”

  “Dani doesn’t need me giving her a hard time.” He was silent for a moment. “You should take her up on the offer to talk. Trust me, there are definitely going to be moments when you get frustrated with this lifestyle. You couldn’t ask for a better person to have in your camp. And she could use a friend.”

  I studied him for a beat. “So are we friends now?”

  “Something like that.”

  “More like annoying siblings?”

  He let out a bark of laughter and a smile that shed some light on why women put up with his shit.

  “Basically.” His smile deepened as his gaze drifted over my shoulder. “Oh, this is fucking great.”

  I looked up and saw Noah standing over us, dressed in his flight suit. He dipped his head, pressing his mouth to mine. He pulled back and I blinked.

  Ohmigod.

  Easy snorted and said something under his breath that sounded a lot like “whipped,” but I didn’t care.

  He’d shaved his mustache.

  I rose, cupping his face in my hands, running my thumbs over the warm skin around his mouth. He nipped at the pads of my fingers, and my nipples tightened.

  “You shaved.”

  “Ran by the BX before I came here. I’m sorry I was a dick earlier. I’d be lying if I didn’t admit that I’m pretty shit at relationships. And I’ve been on my own for so long that I’m kind of used to doing whatever I feel like without thinking about anyone else. I don’t want to do that anymore, though. Your sister’s wedding is important to you. So it’s important to me.”

  I shook my head. “It was a stupid fight. I was overwhelmed and a little freaked, and I overreacted. I do that. A lot. You didn’t have to shave.” I looked around at the group—a veritable sea of ’staches—and back to Noah again.

  “Are you going to get in trouble?”

  He grinned. “No, babe. They’ll give me shit about it for a while, but it’s fine.”

  “Try longer than a while,” Easy interjected.

  Noah wrapped his arm around me, holding me snug against him.

  “They’re just jealous,” he joked. “Ignore it.”

  Easy smirked, but there was more sarcasm than amusement in the gesture, and for a moment I saw a flash of something darker than anything I’d ever seen on Easy before.

  “We aren’t all lucky enough to get what we want.”

  I waited for Noah to throw back a jab, but instead his mouth just got tight, and a look of guilt flashed in his eyes, like if he could take his words back, he would.

  Easy rose, his smirk back in place.

  “I’ll leave you to your girl.” He patted Noah on the shoulder, and something I didn’t quite understand passed between them, and then he was gone, and Noah was kissing me again, and I sort of forgot to think.

  NOAH

  “Did you have fun tonight?”

  Jordan nodded. “Your friends seem nice. I really like Dani.”

  “Dani’s awesome.”

  I pulled into the garage, putting the car in Park and turning off the engine. We’d ended up staying longer than I’d anticipated, but Jordan had looked like she was really enjoying talking to everyone. Unsurprisingly, she’d been a big hit with the guys. She’d seemed to enjoy talking to the wives and I was glad to see her hitting it off with the other women. We had a squadron TDY coming up to Alaska, and I liked the idea of her having a support network while we were gone if she wanted it. I knew she had her family and friends—and it wasn’t like we weren’t already used to being apart—but I figured having other people around you who were in the same situation and understood the weird nuances of military life could be helpful. Besides, I wanted her to see other couples that were able to make military relationships work to show her that it was possible.

  We got out of the car and walked into the house together. Easy wasn’t home yet, and since he’d left the O-Club before we did, I figured he’d gone to Sonya’s.

  Holding hands, we walked back to my bedroom. It had been a long day and I couldn’t deny that I was exhausted, but at the same time, it had been two weeks, and I was dying to get inside her again. I figured the shaved mustache had to buy me some sex points.

  We hit the bedroom and I began stripping off my flight suit, feeling disgusting after double turning today, the second flight even more intense than the first.

  “I’m going to hop in the shower.”

  Jordan nodded, taking off her boots, which was really a shame because they were . . . inspiring, to say the least.

  I took a faster shower than normal, praying Jordan wouldn’t be too tired from traveling. The phone sex had been great and all, but it definitely wasn’t a substitute for the real thing.

  I stepped out and dried off, wrapping the towel around my waist. I walked back into the bedroom just as the soft strands of music hit me and I froze in my tracks.

  Holy fuck.

  Jordan lay on the bed, naked but for a tiny, lacy black thong, heels, and a smile.

  This girl . . .

  “I’m throwing the bet.”

  I blinked. “What?”

  “You shaved. I’m throwing the bet. You get me, any way you want me.”

  I groaned, my cock immediately hard, my heart pounding. She was already kind of a freak in bed, and I meant that in the best possible how-the-hell-did-I-get-this-lucky sort of way. So to say I hadn’t been holding back with her was kind of the understatement of the century. But this?

  This was freaking unreal.

  She rose up on her hands and knees—ass and tits exposed—a
nd I died a little bit.

  She summoned me to the edge of the bed without words, the image in front of me a freaking magnet.

  Her lips curved into a naughty smile as she reached out, her fingers tracing my abs, stroking, dipping beneath the edge of the towel. My stomach contracted, balls aching, cock hard. I’d never wanted anyone as badly as I wanted her. Ever. Never found someone who fit like this.

  For a moment we both froze, as though someone had pressed Pause on the whole night. I just stood there, staring at her, falling. She was so beautiful. So sexy. So vibrant. The kind of girl you couldn’t get out of your mind once you’d had a taste.

  She was incredible.

  Our gazes locked, and I forgot everything but Jordan and the intense pleasure I found with her. Forgot everything but my own want and need.

  I didn’t know what it was—the absences that punctuated our relationship perhaps, or the passion that seemed to seep through her pores, or the chemistry between us that I couldn’t even describe—but there was something here. Something different. Something more. Something that made me desperate for her. Something I swore I saw reflected in her eyes.

  And then she moved, her hands gripping the side of the towel, stripping it from my body until I stood naked before her. Her eyes flared with heat, a sigh escaping those pouty lips, and then she was moving again, and I felt the tip of her tongue caress the tip of my cock.

  Heaven.

  I groaned, my hands fisting her hair, pulling her toward me, pushing against her until I felt her lips part, and I was thrusting inside.

  I released her hair, cupping her tits, my fingers tweaking her nipples, the feel of her moaning against my cock the best thing ever. I wanted the whole night with her like this. Wanted to surround myself in her warmth and her moans.

  Her hand circled the base of my cock, fisting me, the warm, wet suction of her mouth weakening my knees. She knew exactly how to touch me, knew what my body wanted before even I did. She took over, alternating between sucking me deep and running her tongue along me, teasing me, dragging my orgasm out until I was desperate to come.

  And then my eyes slammed closed, the force of it building in the base of my spine, and I found my release.