

Ship Mates

The Trilogy

Ship Mates: What Happens at Sea Stays at Sea

Ship Mates II: What Happens on Det Stays on Det

Ship Mates III: The Final Tour

Janie S. Monares
SHIP MATES: The TRILOGY (3 Book Box Set)

Vol. 1, 2, and 3

Janie S. Monares

Copyright 2013 by Janie S. Monares

Smashwords Edition

Published by dMon Publishing, LLC

Dallas, TX.

Editing by dMon Publishing, LLC's editing team.

Proof-reader: Missy Jones Gnann

Front cover photos contributed by Erik Charlton with Flickr Creative Commons Licensing, The National Guard with Flickr Creative Commons Licensing. ©Zigf, ©wragg, and ©Passigatti with Dreamstime.com.

www.dmonpublishing.com

No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher.

This book has been fictionalized and all persons appearing in this work are fictitious. Any resemblance to real people, living or dead is entirely coincidental.

Library of Congress Control Number LCCN: 2013939371

Paperback ISBN-10: 0-9893249-0-7

Paperback ISBN-13: 978-0-9893249-0-8

First Edition

All rights reserved.

Copyright © 2013 Janie S. Monares
Dedication

I dedicated this book to my family.
Acknowledgments

Thank you to all my family, friends, and fans who helped make this trilogy a bestseller.

A special thanks to Gail Jones as being my second pair of eyes during the writing process. Your suggestions are greatly valued.

Ship Mates: What Happens at Sea Stays at Sea (Vol.1)
Chapter One

As Cassie heard her name announced over the loudspeaker, she proudly approached the podium to accept her high school diploma. Finally, after four long miserable years at this hillbilly high school, she was ready to start her life as an adult.

Cassie Littleton was a very beautiful girl who looked more as a college student rather than someone almost fresh out of high school. With her long blonde hair, gleaming bright blue eyes, slender physique, and doll-like porcelain skin, she could capture the attention of many men. Because of her beauty, it was not easy for her to acquire friendships with other girls throughout high school. Most girls were threatened by her appearance with the exception of her best friend, Kelli. False rumors were often spread throughout high school about Cassie. The jealous mean girls believed that if they spread such lies about her, their boyfriends would not find her appealing. Little did the bitches know that it only made Cassie stronger. She knew that after high school those bitches would never leave their hick town and most likely would spend their miserable lives married to a redneck with no teeth, living in a trailer park.

But not Cassie. Even though she grew up in a trailer park, she knew her future husband, who was quite wealthy at such a young age, would rescue her from the small gossipy town in which they lived.

Cassie's high school sweetheart, Randall Mitchell, had been a varsity football player who graduated two years before her. She considered him too good to be true. His muscular build, dark brown hair, and deep brown eyes made him every high school girl's fantasy. When Cassie was thirteen, she was introduced to him by his cousin. From the first day their eyes met, she knew that he was going to be her husband one day...true love at first sight. At age fourteen, the two of them lost their virginity together and vowed to marry one another immediately after graduation.

"One more week!" Cassie Littleton yelled across the football field to Kelli after the graduation ceremony. She and Kelli were inseparable. They both played on the varsity tennis team and attended all the school's football games.

Kelli Maynard, the most popular girl in high school was involved in all the extracurricular activities, on homecoming court, and was also head cheerleader. "I know! I'm so excited!" Kelli hollered over the crowd as the wind whipped through her beautiful, natural blonde hair, and into a mussed frenzy.

Excitement between the two escalated day-by-day. Cassie and Randall's wedding was exactly one week after graduation.

"Let's go shopping tomorrow for your dress!" Cassie yelled back, standing on a metal chair, trying to look over the massive crowd.

***

The day after graduation, Cassie drove to Kelli's house in her shiny, black Porsche Boxter convertible. The car had been a surprise graduation present from Randall. She had very fine taste and always wore designer clothes, of course with Randall's help. He took extreme pride in knowing that he could buy her such extravagant things.

Kelli ran outside of the house with her hair barely styled and wearing sweats. "Jeez, Cassie! You can at least give me a minute to put my hair up!"

"We have an appointment at Victoria's and I don't want to be late! You better pick out a dress this time because time is wasting," Cassie said impatiently as she insistently revved up the Porsche's engine.

"I know; I just can't seem to find a dress that fits me properly." Kelli grew frustrated. "Ugh! I promise I will find something today."

"You better, or you can wear jeans for all I care! Get in the car!" Kelli jumped in and slammed the door as Cassie sped from the gravel driveway, leaving a trail of dust behind them.

Upon their arrival at the famous dress boutique known throughout Central Florida, Kelli was drawn to a beautiful periwinkle ball gown. "This dress is absolutely fabulous! How much is it?" Kelli asked, holding up the beautiful tulle gown, adorned with intricate beaded trim.

"That dress is designed by Vera Wang and it is on sale for four-thousand dollars," the sales associate responded, looking at the two of them as though they couldn't afford it.

"Four-thousand dollars?" Kelli's mouth practically hit the floor in shock. "That's absurd! No way in hell am I paying that price for a dress I will only wear one time."

"I'll buy it for you, it's the least I can do," Cassie said, smiling proudly.

"I can't let you do that, it's way too much. Besides, you and Randall need the money for your new house in the city and your honeymoon in Paris."

"You're my maid-of-honor, Kelli. I had every intention to buy the gown for you; let me do it, please."

Kelli sighed, inhaling deeply. "Alright." She forced a smile, but with a slight hint of disapproval in her voice.

"And besides, we have more than enough money," Cassie said. "Randall's loaded!"

***

Being co-owner with his father of a home construction business in Deltona, Randall worked very long hours, and was lucky to even spend an hour a day with Cassie. He always had told her that she would never need to work a day in her life, believing that a woman's place was in the home...old fashioned values instilled upon him from his parents.

Randall always took Cassie on elaborate shopping trips. His most favorite of all was picking out sexy lingerie for her in the most prestigious of all boutiques, La Perla.

Hearing Randall speeding up the dusty, dirt road on his motorcycle, Cassie tried to hurry by quickly sliding her Manolo's onto her feet, almost tripping before he pulled up onto the driveway. Rushing down the steps of her parents trailer, she walked toward Randall and planted a big kiss on his cheek.

He smiled widely, looking her up and down, and handed her a helmet. "You're so beautiful. Go ahead, hop on the back, and don't forget to strap on your helmet."

As he revved the motorcycle, Cassie could barely hear him. "Hang on, babe. It's gonna be a long ride."

As Randall parked the motorcycle in the garage at the mall, he helped Cassie take off her helmet, and hung it on the back of his seat. "So, where should we have dinner?"

"I don't know." Cassie shrugged. "Teriyaki chicken sounds really good right now."

Entering the food court arm-in-arm, Randall placed a tiny kiss to Cassie's cheek. "I'll get the food while you hold the table for us, baby."

"Okay, sweetie. I'll be right here." She pulled out a chair and set her purse on the table alongside a napkin dispenser. She had been eager about going to the Burberry boutique, but knew how hungry Randall was so she didn't mind waiting. As she sat at the table, she felt the sense of someone staring at her. Hesitantly, looking over her shoulder not to become obvious, Cassie spotted an older gentleman dressed in a suit and tie staring in her direction. Uneasiness consumed her. "I wish Randall would hurry up, he's taking forever!" she mumbled, nervously fidgeting with her hands underneath the table.

Suddenly, she felt the presence of someone approach from behind. The strange gentleman placed his business card on her table. No words were spoken; he was gone in an instant.

Cassie reluctantly picked up the card and took a slight peek. It read, 'Swank Adult Video.'

Her jaw dropped open in shock. "What the hell? Do I look like a freaking porn star? What the fuck is that about?" She immediately ripped up the card and tossed the pieces underneath her chair, hoping that Randall wouldn't see it. With Randall being such a jealous person, she knew that if he saw the business card, it would throw him into a violent rage.

Cassie jolted in her seat when Randall placed the tray of food on the table. "You okay, Cass? Why so jumpy?" Randall laughed.

Trying to focus from the shock of the business card, Cassie forced a fake smile. "Oh, it's nothing. I wasn't expecting you so quickly."

Handing her a fork, Randall couldn't stop smiling. "I can't wait until you become my wife. I have so many big dreams for us. We'll travel anywhere you want and I'll spoil you to no end...just as you deserve." He swirled his fork around in his bowl, mixing teriyaki sauce into his rice and chicken. "So, what bag do you want from the Burberry boutique?" He displayed a sly smile, knowing that's exactly where she wanted to go.

Unfolding a napkin and placing it on in her lap, Cassie looked down, shaking her head and grinning. "You can read me like a book." She took a sip of soda. "There is a new purse that came out this season; it's pink with nova-check plaid. It's simply to die for. I must have it." Slightly embarrassed at revealing what she had wanted, knowing it was expensive, Cassie looked away, afraid of seeing his expression

"Well, how much is it?"

Cassie slouched down, mumbling under her breath, "Eight-hundred dollars."

"Eight-hundred dollars?" he questioned. "That's it? I thought you were going to tell me two-thousand. Not that it would matter anyway because I would get you anything you asked for and you know that, Cassie."

After finishing their dinner, they emptied their plates into the trash receptacle, and headed toward the Burberry boutique.

As they walked through the mall, a man sharply ran into her. Cassie shoved him hard and the man flew about two-feet.

"Watch where you're going, you rude bastard!" Cassie clutched her shoulder, massaging where the man had bumped her.

Randall scowled at the man with a challenging stare, daring him to say something to Cassie. After the man walked away, Randall focused his attention back to her. "Are you okay, Cass?"

"Yes, I'm fine. Wow! I can't believe how crowded this place is! I hate freaking crowds!" Cassie appeared irritated, weaving in and out of the congestion, trying to avoid more people from bumping into her.

"Well, considering this is the only Burberry boutique within hundreds of miles, I don't think it's too crowded." Randall grabbed tightly onto Cassie's hand. "I think that guy will think twice before bumping into someone else and not apologizing." He laughed. "You're one tough cookie, Cass. But, you need to be careful. That man you pushed could've decked you a good one!"

She looked at Randall with an arrogant glare. "You know better than that. You know what I'm capable of." Suddenly, she pointed to a shelf. "There it is! Isn't it absolutely gorgeous? It's so...me!" Cassie grabbed the bag with a big smile that consumed her face.

"Anything that can put a smile on your face that big, is a must have!" Randall laughed, shaking his head back and forth.

As Cassie examined the bag, a sales associate came from behind the counter. "Hi, my name is Natasha. Is there anything I can help you with today?"

"You can wrap this up for me," Cassie said, handing the bag to the associate.

"Sure, let me get you one from the back." Natasha placed the purse back on its shelf. "Please, follow me to the sales counter."

Randall handed his credit card to the sales associate and Natasha handed Cassie the bag over the counter. Looking at Randall, Cassie smiled with an appreciative gleam in her eye. "You're the sweetest man, ever. Thank you for buying this. I love you so much." Cassie wrapped her arms around Randall and embraced him tightly.

Kissing Cassie on top of her head, Randall glanced at his watch. "It's almost dark; I need to get you home. I don't like having you on the motorcycle after dark."

She looked up and grinned. "Alright, let's go."

Sitting on the back of the motorcycle, Randall handed Cassie her helmet. "I need a pink helmet. This black one is so ugly and mannish," Cassie said.

Randall laughed, dropping his head. "Does everything always have to be pink with you?"

"Of course." She giggled as she slipped her ugly black helmet on her head.

"Hang on, Cass. It looks as though it might rain." Randall kick started the motorcycle and Cassie held tightly onto him, burying her head into his back the entire trip.

As they pulled onto the driveway, Cassie hopped off the back and handed her helmet to Randall. Wrapping her arms around him, pulling him into her, she whispered, "I love you so much, sweetie." As she squeezed tighter, she buried her face into chest and took a deep breath. "I don't want to let you go."

"I love you too, baby. It's alright; I'll see you tomorrow night. Did you want to see a movie or something?"

"I don't know," she said, not quite remembering if she had plans with Kelli. "I'll call you tomorrow on your lunch break and let you know."

"Okay." He lightly kissed her neck, inhaling deeply at the intoxicating scent that eluded from Cassie's skin. "Do you realize how much I love you?" Randall asked.

"Yes." Cassie smiled.

He hugged her even more tightly. Cassie looked up at him. "You're acting awfully peculiar. You never hug me this long...what gives?" She grinned, arching her neck back, trying to glance into his eyes.

He shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know. Just wanted you to know how much you mean to me. I can't wait to marry you; you're my dream girl, Cass." With one last kiss goodnight, he pulled from the driveway, and Cassie watched him disappear in the distance.
Chapter Two

Cassie rushed from bed after realizing she had an appointment with the florist for the upcoming wedding. She always had been punctual and knowing that she could be late for the meeting was causing extreme anxiety issues.

"Ugh! I wish that I had a Xanax right now!" she yelled, looking through her cosmetic bag frantically, and slamming makeup onto the counter.

Her mother knocked on the bathroom door. "Cassie, are you okay?"

"Yes, Mom." Cassie rolled her eyes. "I'm just running late."

"Do you want me to fix you some breakfast?" Mrs. Littleton asked.

"No, I'm not hungry." Cassie quickly applied her makeup, pulled her hair into a ponytail, and made a mad dash for the front door. As she put the top down on her Porsche, she could hear loud country music coming up the street from a 4X4 playing Hank William's Jr.

"I can't wait to get out of this stupid hick town! Everyone here is a toothless idiot," she mumbled.

She pulled into a convenience store to pump gas. People often referred to this particular gas station as the pick-up joint. Cassie always told her friends, "If you're dateless and need a man, just go to the pick up joint and pump gas, and you're sure to leave with a dude."

"Mmm, baby...damn! You're sexy!" A random redneck yelled from the window of his truck, followed by a whistle.

Cassie had not been impressed. This type of behavior was normal at the pick up joint. After placing the fuel nozzle back into its cradle, she jumped in her Porsche, and looked in her rearview mirror. Applying strawberry lip gloss and smoothing her lips together, Cassie made her way onto the highway.

Stuck in bumper-to-bumper traffic, which was weird on Highway 44, Cassie heard sirens coming up from behind. She pulled off to the shoulder and allowed an ambulance to speed by. She could see flashing lights up ahead, but couldn't quite tell what the problem was. Another ambulance sped by at a high rate of speed. As she slowly approached the scene, she noticed a helmet lying on the road off to the shoulder.

"That looks like the helmet I wear when I ride with Randall," she muttered to herself.

Suddenly, her worst fear engulfed her thoughts. Her hands began to tremble; her heart felt as if it would leap from her chest. Coming closer to the scene of the accident, she noticed a gentleman lying underneath a pick-up truck. He wore a t-shirt that appeared way too familiar to her. Everything seemed to be in slow motion and the police were motioning for the cars to follow a detour.

She stopped suddenly, her car coming to a screeching halt. "What's going on? What happened? I think that's my fiancé!" she yelled toward the police officer. Stepping from the car, Cassie began running toward the truck.

"Ma'am, get back in your car...Now!" the police officer yelled as he grabbed her by the arm. She did not care about his demands; she wanted to see who it was underneath that truck.

As the emergency crew pulled the wounded man out from underneath the truck, horror washed over her entire being. "No! Please tell me this isn't real." Cassie dropped to her knees, sobbing, praying it wasn't Randall. It didn't take long for her finally to realize that the man being placed into the ambulance was in fact, her fiancé. The ambulance sped off as Cassie was left standing alone in shock. She couldn't feel her legs; every muscle in her body was numb.

After mustering up enough strength to drive, Cassie managed to make it to the only hospital in their little hick town.

Cassie rushed into the emergency room and frantically approached the front desk. "My fiancé was recently brought here by ambulance. Can you tell me where he is?" she asked, breathing heavily.

"Ma'am, what's his name? I can find out for you."

"His name is Randall Mitchell." She turned and walked to a chair in the waiting room while the clerk searched the database. With her face flushed, her skin pale, and her stomach in knots, she heard a voice call from the triage desk, "Ma'am, the doctor can see you now."

Cassie leapt from her seat and rushed toward the door.

"Please have a seat in room 106," the nurse said.

Waiting only minutes, which felt like hours, the doctor entered the room with a grim expression. "Ma'am, I understand that you are Randall's fiancé?" he questioned, looking up from his clipboard.

"Yes, I am. Can you tell me if he's okay?" Cassie asked, her hands recklessly shaking.

"Ma'am, he was in a fatal accident."

Cassie felt as though her soul was siphoned from her body at the sound of those words.

"The pick-up truck driver involved in the accident ran a red light, which caused your fiancé to hit the driver in the side. The impact caused Randall's helmet to come off his head because it wasn't strapped on properly. The truck was going at such a high rate of speed that when Randall hit the road without his helmet, the impact killed him instantly," the doctor explained.

"Killed him instantly?" she questioned, not prepared to hear those words. "He can't be dead; we're getting married in a matter of days!" She shook her head in disbelief, scurrying to find her cell phone in her purse. "No, this isn't real; it has to be a dream. I'm going to call his cell phone, he will answer, you will see." Cassie frantically dialed his number and listened to the four rings on Randall's phone before she heard his voice on the voicemail greeting. She repeated it over and over again. Reality began finally to sink in. The phone dropped to the floor. "Have you called his parents?" she asked the doctor, looking up through teary eyes.

"Not yet, we don't have all his contact information."

"I can call them." She sniffled, still trembling from the devastating news.

The doctor left Cassie alone in the examination room. Retrieving her cell phone off the hospital floor, Cassie hesitantly dialed Mrs. Mitchell's phone number.

"Hello," Mrs. Mitchell answered, cheerfully.

With her mouth feeling dry as cotton, Cassie managed to speak, "Mrs. Mitchell, you need to come down to Volusia Hospital. Randall has been in an accident with his motorcycle," Cassie said, trying her best to conceal her crying.

"Is he okay?" she asked, not prepared to hear the fearful news that was about to come from Cassie's mouth.

Cassie's sobbing became more profound, and she couldn't bring herself to say the dreadful words. Mrs. Mitchell couldn't help but notice the despairing tone in her voice. "Cassie, tell me!"

Taking a deep breath, she blurted the horrible news, "Mrs. Mitchell, he was hit by a truck that ran a red light on Highway 44."

"But, Cassie...is Randall okay?" Mrs. Mitchell felt faint; her legs shook, and she was barely able to stand.

"No, he didn't survive the impact; he's at Volusia Hospital right now." Cassie disconnected the call and tossed the phone in her purse. Resting her head in her hands, Cassie cried hysterically.

An hour had passed and Cassie could hear Randall's parents down the hall, speaking with the doctor.

"Randall was hit by a Dodge Ram pick-up truck that had been traveling at approximately seventy miles-per-hour. Because his helmet wasn't strapped on properly, the impact caused Randall's helmet to come off his head. When Randall hit the concrete at such a high rate of speed, he was killed instantly. He felt no pain, I assure you," the doctor explained, holding Mrs. Mitchell's hand.

"Where is the chapel?" Mrs. Mitchell asked, the look of extreme horror washed over her face.

The doctor pointed in the direction of the chapel. "It's down the hall to the left, ma'am."

Mrs. Mitchell rushed to the chapel, cupping her hands to her face. She opened the chapel doors and approached the red pew at the front.

Kneeling down with tears streaming down her face, she began to say a prayer, "Dear Lord, please take care of my baby. Please don't let him have any fear. Comfort him throughout his new journey. Let him know that we love him deeply and he will always be in our hearts." With that, she doubled over, and continuously sobbed into her lap.

Suddenly, she looked up in a state of rage and yelled, "Where is the son-of-a-bitch that killed my son! I'm going to find that bastard and make him wish he were dead! You haven't seen the last of this, you asshole!" Mrs. Mitchell rose from the pew and violently stormed from the chapel. "Where is the bastard who killed my son? Is he here? I want to see him now!" she yelled, her voice echoing down the hall.

Mr. Mitchell ran out of the room toward her, trying his best to keep her under control. "Honey, it's okay. I've spoken with the police officer who was on the scene and I'm getting a copy of the accident report faxed to the hospital."

"I want this bastard to pay! Was he drinking? Was he texting or talking on his cell phone? Either way, he's going to pay for killing my son!"

The doctor entered. "Mr. and Mrs. Mitchell, we had to move your son downstairs due to lack of rooms in the E.R. Is there a funeral home you would like to contact so they can retrieve his body?"

"What!" Mrs. Mitchell was taken aback by the question. "He's barely cold and you already want us to move him? That's horrible!"

"It's common procedure, ma'am. There's nothing more that we can do at this point," the doctor explained, trying his best to appear compassionate.

"Can I please have a phone book? I just don't have numbers of funeral homes programmed into my phone," she responded, sarcastically.

"I will have one of the nurses get you a phonebook."

Cassie walked into the room where Mr. and Mrs. Mitchell were seated. "I'm really sorry about all this," she said to Mr. and Mrs. Mitchell, trying her best to hold back more tears. "I just can't believe it, it can't be real, it just can't be."

Mr. Mitchell placed his arm around Cassie and hugged her tightly. "It's okay, Cass. It's not your fault, and we will all get through this...I promise."

Cassie slowly pulled away from Mr. Mitchell's tight embrace. "I'm going to go home. I can't stay here any longer," she said, wiping away more tears. "I love you all very much. I will call you later." She walked away, still in shock and still trembling from the sudden loss of the only man she had ever loved, her high school sweetheart.
Chapter Three

As Cassie prepared for Randall's funeral, she slipped on her black silk pantyhose, and slid her black Prada dress down her long slender body. She looked in the full length mirror to see if she had any visible panty lines. "Looks okay," she mumbled. She sat at her vanity, slowly sweeping a deep red shade of Chanel lipstick across her lips.

"Cassie, it's time to go. Are you ready yet?" her mother yelled from down the hallway as she mussed with her blonde bouffant hairdo.

Cassie threw the tube of lipstick into her cosmetic bag. "Almost...I just need to put on my shoes." She hurried over to her closet and searched for her black Christian Louboutin sling-backs. "Perfect!" She slid them onto her feet, buckling the strap. "Okay, Mom...I'm ready!" She stood in the living room. "I really wish Dad could come with us. All he does is work, work, work."

"I know," Mrs. Littleton said, disappointed. "But you know how hard it is for him to take time off."

"Yes, I know." Cassie rolled her eyes. "But, this should have been an exception."

Cassie's parents, Dan and Sue Littleton have been married over twenty years. With Dan having the reputation as a typical work-a-holic, Cassie rarely saw her father, except on Sundays', which was his only day off.

Cassie climbed up into the passenger seat of the white Ford Expedition. "Mom, you should have let me drive my car."

Putting her key in the ignition, Mrs. Littleton looked over at Cassie and smiled. "Honey, you can't drive in the state of mind you're in right now; it's fine. Just relax."

Cassie pulled her seat forward and adjusted the air vent. "Damn! It's so fucking hot in here!" she yelled out of frustration.

"You don't have to use that type of language. You know how much I hate the 'F' word," Mrs. Littleton said, appearing bitterly disappointed.

"I know, I'm sorry. It's just...it's this heat! It pisses me off! One day, I will get out of this fucking hick state and be happy! I'll live where it isn't so damn hot! Shit! By the time we get to the funeral, my bra will be soaked with sweat! It's gross!"

Pulling onto the highway, a few miles up the road, Cassie and her mother came to the scene where Randall had lost his life. She could see a memorial that Randall's friends had placed on the side of the road where he had been hit. A beautiful white cross had been mounted in the dirt surrounded with balloons and flowers.

"Isn't it beautiful?" Mrs. Littleton asked.

"Yes, it is," Cassie responded, tears began to flow down her face. "It's starting to rain; do you think it's going to get worse before the funeral?" Cassie asked.

"I'm not sure, Cassie. You know how this Florida weather is. It always rains in the afternoons during the summer."

The Expedition went slowly through the gates of Oakdale Cemetery. Cassie saw everyone dressed in black and spotted a green tent in the distance where she assumed Randall's body would be laid to rest.

Mrs. Littleton pulled off to the side of the dirt trail and they stepped from the SUV.

"Mom, wait, don't let me walk over there alone." Cassie knew people would be looking at her with pitiful stares.

Mrs. Littleton stopped while she waited for Cassie to catch up to her. Clutching onto one another's hands, they proceeded to walk slowly toward the dreadful green tent. Cassie noticed Randall's parents sitting in the chairs next to the casket and there was an empty seat that Mrs. Mitchell had saved just for Cassie.

"Have a seat, sweetie," Mrs. Mitchell said, patting the empty chair, motioning for Cassie to sit down.

Cassie smoothed the back of her dress with her hands and sat. "Thank you, Mrs. Mitchell."

As the pastor finished reading scriptures from the Bible, Cassie stood. "I would like to say something if I may."

"Please, Cassie...you're more than welcome to say whatever you wish." The pastor stepped aside, allowing her to take her place in front of the congregation.

Solemnly holding her head down, Cassie could feel the heels of her Christian Louboutin sling-backs sink into the ground.

Looking up at the overcast sky, she cleared her throat, and then focused her attention to everyone who was in attendance.

"Thank you all for coming. I would never have suspected that today I would be wearing black when I should have been wearing white. Many of you know that today was supposed to be Randall and my wedding day."

As tears continuously streamed down her face, she tried her best to continue speaking. Looking at the casket, feeling as though her world had come to an end, she took in a deep breath.

"I love you, Randall. You were the best thing that ever happened to me. You were my best friend and my soul mate. I don't know how I can go on without you in my life. You were everything to me. I had everything planned out for us...right down to the future names of our children." Cassie's heart pounded heavily inside her chest and she could no longer speak. She could move her lips, but the words would not come out of her mouth. Feeling lightheaded, suddenly, she fell to the ground.

"Oh my God, she fainted!" Terry said, rushing toward her. Terry Stakely had been Randall's best friend. They grew up together in the same neighborhood and were as close as brothers.

"Should we call an ambulance?" the pastor asked, fanning Cassie's face.

"No, she's coming around." Terry rested Cassie's head on his lap. "Cassie, are you okay? Can you hear me?"

Cassie slowly came to. "Yes, I'm fine." She quickly blinked her tearful eyes. "I just haven't eaten anything since Randall died and I'm just very weak."

"Are you sure?" Terry brushed the long, side swept bangs from Cassie's forehead.

"Yes, I'm sure. Just help me up, please." She looked into his bright blue eyes and was fixed on his bright blond, feathered hair.

Terry assisted Cassie to her feet and held tightly onto her arm while he walked her back to her mother's SUV. "A bunch of us are getting together tonight to go shoot some pool. You're welcome to join us if you want. Bring Kelli too if you can," Terry said, hopeful, having a crush on her since high school. The only thing he desperately wanted was to go on just one date with Kelli.

Cassie climbed into the Expedition. "I don't feel like really going out. I think I might just go home and go to bed."

"Well, you take care of yourself and call me if you need anything," he said, closing the door, and waving goodbye.

Mrs. Littleton started the SUV and began to drive away from the cemetery. "That was a sweet thing you said about Randall. You know he is looking down on you with a great, big smile," Mrs. Littleton said with a proud grin.

Cassie slammed back in her seat and crossed her arms over her chest. "Yeah, yeah, yeah, like who even cares! It's not like it's going to bring him back. I wish I would have died; I can't stand feeling like this! I have this punched in the stomach feeling that I can't get rid of. I hope when I go home and go to sleep, I never wake up!"

Shocked by her words, Mrs. Littleton looked sternly over at Cassie. "Now Cassie! Don't you ever let me hear you talk like that! You better be careful about things you wish for because even though it might not happen to you, it might happen to someone you care about!"

"Whatever!" Cassie stared blankly out the window.

The Expedition pulled into the driveway. Jumping from the SUV, Cassie angrily slammed the door, and ran up the steps to the double-wide trailer. She shut the front door, ran down the hall to her bedroom, and fell backward onto her bed. Crawling underneath the blankets, without even removing her dress or shoes, she cried herself to sleep.
Chapter Four

After two long miserable weeks of barely eating anything, Cassie's mom knocked on her bedroom door. "Cassie, I'm going to the mall. Do you want to come with me?" she asked.

"No, I'm tired; I just want to stay in bed."

"Cassie, you haven't been anywhere or done anything productive for two weeks! You need to get your ass out of that bed and do something before you make yourself sick!"

"Leave me alone. I'll get up when I feel like it!"

"Well, you better get up and get yourself a job because you're an adult now, and you're not sponging off your dad and me for the rest of your life!"

"I said leave me alone!" Cassie yelled, throwing the covers over her head. Finally, she heard her mom's Expedition pull out of the driveway.

Gathering a pair of skinny jeans, ruffled tank top, her panties, and bra, she went into to the bathroom.

Waiting for the water to heat up, she sat along the edge of the tub, and flipped through the latest issue of Lucky Magazine.

"Oh my God, I must have that handbag!" Her eyes were fixed on a Louis Vuitton advertisement.

She placed the magazine on the sink then slid into the hot bath.

As she relaxed back, she looked down at her flat stomach. At 5'4" tall and 105 pounds, Cassie had been always complimented on her slender body structure. As she smoothed the soap across her flat stomach, a thought came to mind when she looked down at her AA breasts. "There is one thing preventing me from being perfect. Boobs!"

Thanks to one particular classmate named Eddy Mavin, Cassie had been awarded the nickname of 'Little Bits.' He often would recite the Kibbles & Bits commercial to her in English class, but would replace Kibbles & Bits with Little Bits. During graduation rehearsal, he stood behind her and whispered the jingle into her ear. Clenching her fist tightly, she turned to face him, drew back, and punched him dead-square between the eyes. He dropped to the ground like a sack of potatoes. Eddy had been the only man who ever made her feel like shit.

"I'm nineteen, if my boobs haven't grown within the past five years, then most likely, they never will." She stood and reached for a towel to dry herself off.

Cassie smoothed on her favorite lotion, Coco Chanel Mademoiselle. Putting on a bra and panties, she slid into her size zero skinny jeans and a pink ruffled tank top. She tapped her index finger to her cheek, heavily in thought. "Hmm, what shoes would go with this outfit?" She opened the closet, tossed shoe after shoe over her shoulder, and ransacked her bedroom searching for the perfect pair of pumps. Snapping her fingers enthusiastically, she said, "I got it! My black Manolo, Mary Janes!" She paid no mind to the mess she had made in her bedroom, she would clean it later. She did take comfort in knowing that every designer item she had owned was given to her by Randall and she would always have a reminder of him.

Cassie turned on her laptop and searched for some cosmetic surgeons in Orlando. Locating a plastic surgery center, she picked up her cell phone and dialed the number listed on the website.

"Orlando Cosmetic Surgery Center, how may I assist you?" the receptionist asked.

"Hi, I would like to schedule a consultation for a breast augmentation."

"We just had a cancellation. I can get you in within the next hour if you like."

"Perfect!"

"May I have your name?" the receptionist asked.

"Cassie Littleton, ma'am."

"Okay, I have you down for one o'clock today."

"Great! I will see you then!" Cassie disconnected the call and grabbed her car keys. Tossing her black Gucci horse bit hobo purse over her shoulder, she ran out the door, down the steps, and jumped into her Porsche. She lowered the top on her car, backed from the driveway, and sped toward the highway. Driving by the memorial where Randall had been hit, she noticed less flowers and balloons were there since the day of his funeral.

"Think positive thoughts, think positive thoughts," she told herself, trying to hold back tears.

Suddenly, reality hit, and she wondered how she would be paying for the boob job. Randall had been the one who bought her everything...her expensive designer clothes, her handbags, her shoes, even her Porsche.

Once she arrived at the surgery center, she searched for a shady spot to park. "I hope to hell there is garage parking because leaving a parked car in the Florida sun sucks!" she said, reaching her hand down her shirt, and wiping the sweat from her cleavage. Lucky for her, she found a parking garage, and pulled slowly into a vacant spot.

Entering the doctor's office, Cassie approached the receptionist. "Hi, my name is Cassie Littleton and I have a one o'clock appointment."

"Thank you, Miss Littleton. Here are some forms you can fill out while you wait." The receptionist handed Cassie a clipboard and a pen.

Not even sitting for five-minutes, the door opened that led to the examination rooms. "Cassie Littleton," a voice called from the doorway. Cassie stood with the clipboard in hand. "What should I do with this?" She showed the clipboard to the nurse.

"Just hold on to it and give it the doctor. Have a seat in exam room three and the doctor will be with you shortly," the nurse explained before walking away.

Taking a seat in the chair next to the door, she noticed some notebooks on the counter next to her. Upon opening one of the books, she saw a bunch of before and after breast augmentation photos.

Cassie heard a slight tap on the door and the doctor entered. "Miss Littleton, I assume. I'm Dr. Hoffman," he introduced, extending his hand.

"Nice to meet you, she meekly smiled, nervously shaking his hand.

"Oh my word! This doctor is gorgeous." She thought, gazing at the slender but extremely fit man with light blond hair and blue eyes.

"So, why are you visiting me today?" the gorgeous doctor asked, taking a seat on his stool and rolling his chair toward Cassie.

"Well, I've been thinking a lot about breast augmentation and I wanted to get some information about it."

"Let's take a look. There's a robe hanging behind the door. How about you slip it on, and I'll be back in five minutes?"

When the doctor left the room, Cassie grabbed the robe from the hanger, and slipped it on while she stood in front of a full-length mirror, staring at her small, but perky breasts. "I wonder what Randall would think about me getting bigger boobs?" she asked herself.

Suddenly, there was a knock at the door. "Are you dressed, Cassie?" the Dr. asked.

She swiftly tied her robe and sat on the edge of the exam table. "Yes, I'm ready," she called out.

Dr. Hoffman took a seat in his swivel stool. "So, how large do you want to go?"

"As big as you can get them," she said, an embarrassed look on her face. She swallowed. "I'm thinking double D's."

"Well, because you have a small frame and you want double D's, the largest implant we can use is a 360. I can fill them up with saline to 390cc's, which will give you the fullness that you want. If you go any larger, your skin may rise off the breast bone and will look pretty bad," he explained.

"How much will this cost and how soon can I have it done?"

The doctor flipped through his calendar. "The cost for the entire procedure including anesthesia is $4600. It appears that we have an opening this Thursday."

Remembering that Randall had given her a Visa credit card with a $5000 limit suddenly came to mind. "Does your office take Visa?" she asked.

"Of course." He smiled.

"Perfect!" Cassie blurted out with excitement. "Okay, book me for Thursday."

"Wait right here and I will have my nurse come in with all the details." The doctor left the exam room and closed the door behind him.

"Hi, Miss Littleton." The nurse smiled. "So, the doctor has informed me that you want to schedule your procedure this Thursday. Is that correct?" the nurse asked as she replaced the paper on the exam table.

"Yes, I want it done as soon as possible."

"Okay, we need you to be here on Wednesday so the doctor can map-out markings on your chest. You cannot bathe after the doctor does that. I'm waiting on him to write you a prescription for some pain medication as well as some anti-rejection meds. You will need to pick up the medications on Wednesday after you leave here. We will need the full payment for the procedure on Wednesday," the nurse explained.

"Sounds great!"

"You're all set. Go to the front desk on your way out and the receptionist will give you the paperwork to get your prescriptions. You can go ahead and get dressed now."

"Thank you," Cassie said as the nurse closed the door behind her. She put on her top, grabbed her purse, and walked toward the reception window.

"Hi, I was told to pick up my prescriptions here," Cassie spoke through the glass partition.

"Be sure to have these filled the day before the surgery so you will have them readily available when you get home. We have you down for this Wednesday at four o'clock in the afternoon for your pre-op." The receptionist handed Cassie her paperwork.

Arriving at a pharmacy in Deland, Cassie dropped off her prescriptions at the counter.

"Give me about twenty minutes and I will have the prescriptions ready for you," the pharmacist said.

Cassie walked outside, sat down on a bench, and noticed two men who were dressed in white U.S. Naval uniforms standing outside of the recruiting office smoking a cigarette. She always had loved looking at a man in a Navy uniform. She could not help but stare. One of the sailors had very dark tanned skin and jet-black hair. She couldn't take her eyes off of him.

The dark, jet-black haired sailor approached and Cassie looked down at her feet, staring at her Mary Jane Manolo's.

"Afternoon, ma'am." He tipped his hat. "What are you doing sitting out here on this hot as hell day?" he asked in a joking manner. He tossed his cigarette to the ground and smashed it with his patent leather, black lace-up shoe.

Cassie looked up, squinting, trying to prevent the sun from glaring into her eyes. "I'm waiting on some prescriptions to be filled."

"Have you ever thought about joining the Navy?"

She laughed, showing a wide smile. "Um...no!"

The sailor reached into his back pocket and pulled out a business card. "Here's my business card in case you ever think about it, or if you want to go out and have dinner."

After one quick glance, Cassie slipped the card into her handbag. She looked up and smiled. "Dinner maybe, but no way in hell am I joining the Navy." With that, she stood, and walked away.
Chapter Five

"Kelli, I need you to do me a huge favor. I'm having my boobs done on Thursday and I'm going to need you to take me to the surgery center and bring me home afterward," Cassie spoke through the phone.

"What?" Kelli couldn't believe her ears. "You're getting your boobs done? Are you insane? What does your mom and dad have to say about this?"

"They have no clue; it's something I want to do. I have a boy's body and I'm sick and tired of being flat!"

Kelli thought for a moment before saying anything else, knowing that Cassie was making a huge mistake. "What time do you need me to come get you?" Kelli sighed, rolling her eyes.

"I have to be at the surgery center by seven o'clock in the morning. If you can swing by here and pick me up at six, that would be great."

Kelli inhaled deeply. "Okay, Cassie. I really hope you know what you're getting yourself into."

***

"Hmm, what should I wear for my pre-op?" Cassie opened her closet door and grabbed a pair of jeans, a white fitted t-shirt, and a pair of crystallized flip flops.

Throwing her Gucci bag over her shoulder, Cassie shouted down the hallway, "Mom, I'll be back later. I'm going to see Kelli."

"What time do you plan on being home for dinner?"

"Kelli and I will be dining out tonight. No need to cook for me."

Cassie rushed outside, jumped in her Porsche, and put the top down. She hated the fact that she had just lied to her mom, but she knew that her mom would give her a dreaded lecture about breast implants.

Walking into the office, Cassie approached the receptionist's window.

"What form of payment are you using, Miss Littleton?" the receptionist asked.

Cassie reached into her Gucci bag, pulled out her Visa, and slid it underneath the glass partition.

"The total is $4600. Sign here, please." The receptionist handed Cassie the receipt.

Cassie took in a deep breath. "No turning back now," she mumbled, handing the signed copy of the receipt to the receptionist. She sat in a seat in the waiting room and as she waited, she heard Randall and her song, 'Faithfully' by Journey playing over the speaker. As she listened, her eyes swelled and began to fill with tears while reminiscing of the day that Randall had proposed to her on the dance floor at Homecoming.

"Cassie Littleton, the doctor will see you now," the nurse called out, standing in the doorway of the hall that led to the exam rooms.

Cassie followed the nurse into a vacant room. The nurse handed Cassie a paper gown. "Remove your clothes, except for your panties, and put this gown on. Dr. Hoffman will be in shortly." The nurse left the room.

Cassie removed her clothes then slipped the gown over her head. She sat on the exam table with her feet dangling from the edge, extremely nervous, and fidgeting with her hands in her lap.

"Miss Littleton, may I come in?" the doctor asked, knocking on the door.

"Yes, please do."

The doctor entered with Cassie's chart in hand. "Well, let's take a look. Do you mind if my nurse takes a picture before I start marking you up with a Sharpie? It's policy that we take a picture before the surgery then we will take another one a week after," the doctor explained.

"Th-th-that's f-fine," Cassie nervously stuttered.

"Come with me please." The nurse motioned for Cassie to follow her into a room that looked like a photography studio. "Stand on that X and drop your gown to your waist," the nurse instructed. "Look forward."

Cassie heard the shutter sound of the camera.

"You can put your gown back on and go back into the exam room."

Cassie went back into the room and sat on the exam table. She felt uneasy, as if she had a mug shot taken for jail.

"Okay, Cassie. I'm going to make little marks on your chest. This will be a guide for me to use in the morning during your surgery. You can go ahead and remove your gown. Can you place your arms above your head?"

Cassie did as instructed. The doctor began drawing a dash mark trail around her breasts and inside her armpits. "There, that's it. You're all done. You can get dressed now and the receptionist will give you instructions on tomorrow's procedure." The doctor left the room with Cassie's chart in hand.

Cassie looked in the mirror and noticed all the dash marks all over her chest. Slowly, running her fingers along the black lines, in the back of her mind, she knew that what she was doing was wrong, but she couldn't stop herself. She lifted her arm and noticed four tiny dash marks in her armpit. To avoid scarring on her chest, Cassie elected to have the breast implants inserted through the armpit and underneath the chest muscle.

She dressed and went to the receptionist window. "Here are your instructions," the receptionist said, handing her a piece of paper. "Now remember, nothing to eat after ten o'clock tonight. Be sure to remove all your nail polish, do not shower in the morning, and do not wear makeup, deodorant, or jewelry. You are to go directly to the surgery center across the street. Have a good evening and congratulations!"

"Congratulations?" Cassie asked herself, puzzled by the comment. "I'm not having a baby."

***

"Cassie, did you eat dinner while you were out?" Mrs. Littleton asked as Cassie walked into the house.

"No, Mom...I decided that I'll go ahead and eat dinner here."

"It will be ready in about a half hour."

Cassie went into her bedroom and closed the door. She flung her shoes off and fell backward on to the bed, staring blankly at the ceiling.

"Shit! How am I going to pay off this credit card with no job? There's got to be something I can do to make some good, fast money."

A bad idea crept into her brain, she sat up. "I've got it! I can be a stripper! I hear those dancers make a shitload of money." After quickly coming to realization, she slammed herself back down onto her pillow. "Nah, I can't do that. What would my parents think? I suppose the only thing I can do is send out my resume, but with no experience or college education, I doubt anyone would be interested in hiring me, and I refuse to work for minimum wage."

"Cassie, dinner's ready!" Mrs. Littleton called out.

Cassie sat at the dining room table and stared at the food that her mother had prepared.

Mrs. Littleton could sense something was bothering her. "What's wrong, Cassie? You don't like fried chicken?"

"Mom, you know I love your fried chicken. I'm just not feeling too well right now."

"Do you think you're getting sick? You haven't been eating much after Randall's death and that's probably making you weak. Try to eat a little bit; it will make you feel better."

Cassie reluctantly grabbed a chicken wing, mashed potatoes, and a biscuit. "Mom, dinner is wonderful, thank you."

"Glad you like it, Cassie. What are your plans for the evening?"

"I'm just going to watch TV. I have to get up early because Kelli and I are going to Orlando."

"Really?" Mrs. Littleton questioned. "What are you gals up to?"

Cassie, not quite knowing how to respond, made up a lie. "Um, we're going to Disney World. I'll be spending the night at Kelli's tomorrow night too, so don't wait up for me, okay?"

"Well, you gals have fun and try not to get into any trouble. I know how you gals enjoy flirting with those sailors that are fresh out of boot camp," Mrs. Littleton said.

Miss Littleton was right. One day, last year, Kelli and Cassie went to Disney World without Randall. They met two men who had just completed boot camp. The two sailors were at Disney during liberty and had to be back at base by curfew. Kelli convinced the two men that if they hung out with her and Cassie throughout the day, Kelli would get them back to base in time. That didn't happen. The two sailors were late for curfew and Cassie and Kelli never heard from them again. The only person Cassie told was her mother. Randall never found out, he would have been furious.

***

The buzz of the alarm shook Cassie from her sleep. She sprung from bed, grabbed a button-down shirt, a pair of shorts, and her crystallized flip flops. Slinging her Gucci bag over her shoulder, she patiently waited for Kelli to arrive.

Finally, Cassie heard a honk outside. She ran out the door and jumped into Kelli's Lexus IS-250. "I can't believe you're going through with this," Kelli said, her expression showing disappointment. "Aren't you afraid of the pain afterward?"

"Nah, it can't be that bad. If it were, women wouldn't keep having their boobs done." Cassie rationalized.

"I suppose you're right," Kelli responded, shrugging her shoulders. "So, how are you paying for the surgery?"

Cassie boasted, "I have a credit card with a $5000 limit that I haven't used."

"How are you going to pay your credit card bill?"

"I haven't thought that far ahead, I'm just focusing on this right now," Cassie said, becoming irritated at all the questions Kelli was throwing at her.

Upon their arrival at the surgery center, Kelli sat in a seat in the waiting room while Cassie approached the reception window. "Hi, my name is Cassie Littleton; I'm here for my procedure."

"Do you have someone here who can take you home after the procedure?"

"Yes, she's sitting right over there." Cassie pointed at Kelli.

"Okay, you can come on back, Miss Littleton."

The receptionist led Cassie to a bathroom. Cassie swallowed hard, her nerves getting the best of her as her legs felt like noodles with each step.

"Take everything off except your panties. Dress in this gown along with these slippers." The receptionist handed Cassie a pair of slippers that resembled prison shower shoes. "I will be back in a few minutes to escort you to your room."

Cassie removed her clothes and placed them in a plastic bag with her flip flops. She put on the flimsy, paper gown and then sat nervously on a cold, metal, fold-up chair.

"Are you dressed, Miss Littleton?" the receptionist asked through the door.

"Yes, I'm ready." Cassie followed the receptionist to an all-white, brightly lit room that had a gurney in the middle.

"Miss Littleton, go ahead and climb onto the bed. The anesthesiologist will start your I.V. soon."

The anesthesiologist examined her forearm, lightly tapped it, and administered the I.V. "Now that wasn't painful was it?" the anesthesiologist asked.

"No, I really didn't feel much at all," Cassie said with a sigh of relief.

"I want you to count out loud to number ten." The anesthesiologist began the drip in Cassie's I.V. that eventually would put her to sleep.

"One...two...three...four..." Cassie counted up to four and then she was knocked out by the medication that slowly coursed through her veins.

Cassie was rolled down to the operating room by two men. Two hours had passed and then she was brought to recovery. Kelli sat beside Cassie's bed, waiting for her to awaken.

Cassie slowly opened her eyes with a fearful expression. "I am in so much pain! What's going on?" She tried to sit up.

A nurse rushed to Cassie's bedside. "Cassie, the pain you're feeling is normal. It will get better with each day. Your body has to take time to adjust to the new weight that was placed in your chest."

"I can't go home feeling like this! Can I stay here?" Cassie asked, pleading showed in her eyes.

"Cassie, I assure you, the medication you have been prescribed will help you get through this." The nurse assisted Cassie into a wheelchair.

Kelli and the nurse helped Cassie into Kelli's Lexus. Kelli leaned the seat all the way back to help her become more comfortable and Cassie slept the entire trip to Kelli's house.

"Cassie, wake up. We're at my house," Kelli said, gently shaking her from sleep.

"Just let me stay in here, I can't move," Cassie said, gritting her teeth in extreme pain, her eyes swelling with tears.

"You can't stay in the car, Cassie. It's too hot! You'll die out here!"

Cassie tried to swing her legs outside the car. Holding onto the door, she tried her best to stand. "Okay, Kelli...help me up, let's hurry toward the house."

Kelli held on to Cassie's arm and led her to the front door. She unlocked the door and then helped Cassie to the bedroom. "You lie down and I will get you some water so you can take your meds." Kelli hurried to the kitchen and poured Cassie a glass of water. "Cassie, where are your pills?"

"They're in my purse over there." Cassie pointed to the handbag that was resting up against the wall.

"Okay." Kelli handed Cassie the glass of water and her medication. "Here, take these."

Finally, Cassie was able to relax and fall asleep after the Vicodin seeped into her system.
Chapter Six

A week following the surgery, Cassie headed off to her post-op appointment, which would be the first time that she would see the results of her boob job without her bandages.

"Miss Littleton, Dr. Hoffman will see you now." The receptionist swung open the door of the waiting room.

Cassie rose from the couch and followed the receptionist into the exam room.

"Please remove your top. Here's a gown for you to wear. Leave on the Ace bandage and the doctor will see you shortly." The receptionist handed Cassie a paper gown.

Eager to see how she looked under the bandages and judging by the outline of her top, Cassie could tell that she would be pleased with the results.

"Miss Littleton, are you dressed? May I come in?" the doctor asked, knocking on the door, and peeking through the crack.

"Yes, I'm ready," she called out.

Slowly, opening her gown, the doctor examined the Ace bandage. "So, Miss Littleton, how have you been feeling?" the doctor asked, his hands feeling the firmness of her breasts.

"The first day was hell, but it got better."

Dr. Hoffman replied in a joking manner, "It sure hurts to be beautiful!"

Cassie laughed. "Yes, it sure does!"

Dr. Hoffman slowly unwrapped the bandage. "Okay, let's have a look." He stepped back, admiring his work. "My...my, they couldn't be more perfect. Would you like to take a look in the mirror, Cassie?" The Dr. assisted her off the exam table and she walked over toward the mirror.

"Oh my God!" She gasped. "They are perfect! They are better than I imagined."

Dr. Hoffman smiled. "Thank you."

Cassie couldn't take her eyes off her new breasts, completely fascinated by them.

"Cassie, I need to take a picture for your file. Do you mind?" Dr. Hoffman asked.

"Not at all!"

Dr. Hoffman called for the nurse to take Cassie into the studio to snap her picture. "Just slip your gown back on and follow me," the nurse instructed.

Cassie walked into the studio and removed her gown. The nurse snapped several pictures then instructed Cassie to go back to the exam room.

"Everything appears to be fine. Continue taking your anti-rejection medication until you run out. Only take the pain meds if you absolutely need them," Dr. Hoffman said. "I'm utterly shocked at how fast you're heeling. Your bruising is almost completely gone."

"Yes, sir. I haven't had to take any pain meds for the past few days."

Dr. Hoffman instructed Cassie to dress and set up a six-month follow-up appointment.

***

Finally, after a few weeks of spending time at Kelli's, Cassie walked through the front door of her mom and dad's house.

"I haven't seen you in like forever!" Cassie's mother exclaimed, appearing upset.

"I know. Kelli's still going through some family issues." Cassie had told her mother that Kelli was having some problems with her father and needed to stay with her until Kelli resolved everything.

"I thought you were only spending a day to or two with her, not a few weeks! I thought you had moved out!"

Afraid of her mother seeing her new breasts, Cassie placed her duffle bag in front of her chest. It would break Mrs. Littleton's heart if she knew that Cassie got a boob job, so she tried her best to prevent her mother from seeing them.

"I hope you're staying for dinner."

"Thanks, Mom...I'm staying. I'm going to put my clothes away and take a shower." Cassie carried her overnight bag to her room and threw her dirty clothes in a hamper. She looked inside her closet for a baggy shirt that she could wear to conceal her breasts so her mother wouldn't notice her new boobs. Her cell phone rang. "Hello," Cassie answered.

"Hey!" Kelli said, enthusiastically. "Do you feel up to going out to some clubs tonight?"

"Well, I promised my mom that I would eat dinner here, but I can go afterward."

"Great! I'll pick you up around eight."

Cassie disconnected the call and started the shower. As she sat along the edge of the tub waiting for the water to warm up, she couldn't help but think of how she would pay her credit card bill with having no job. She refused to work for minimum wage and knew there had to be something she could do to make a lot of money. Jumping in the shower, she washed her hair. After toweling off, she threw on her baggy, inconspicuous clothes and went into the dining room to eat dinner.

"Cassie, do you have any plans this evening?" Mrs. Littleton asked.

"Yes. Kelli and I are going to a few clubs in Orlando."

"Well, please be careful. I know Kelli likes to drink, so you be sure to stay sober so you can drive her drunken butt home!" Mrs. Littleton joked.

"You know I hardly ever drink, I hate the taste of alcohol. You know that."

As she finished up with dinner, Cassie rushed to her room, and quickly dressed in her clubbing clothes. She pulled out a black bustier with gold studs and a pair of black silk shorts. "Hmm, what shoes would look good with this outfit?" She tapped the side of her cheek with her index finger, heavily in thought. She spotted her Jimmy Choo Leona jeweled sandals. "These are perfect!" She grabbed the matching purse then she sat anxiously on the edge of the bed, waiting for Kelli to arrive. Peeking out her bedroom window, she noticed Kelli's Lexus pulling into the driveway. Nervous about her mother seeing her outfit and noticing her implants; she snatched a black poncho from her closet, threw it on, and rushed out the front door.

"Whew!" Cassie opened the car door and dropped herself into the passenger seat. "I thought for sure my mom was going to see me!"

"I don't know why you just don't tell her about your boobs. She's going to find out about them eventually, anyway."

"Well, I'm not ready to reveal them just yet."

Kelli turned down the volume on the radio. "So, Cassie...I was thinking about us going to Club JJ's and Raquel's tonight," she said, a little embarrassed at the suggestion.

"What the hell? Why would you want to go to strip clubs?" Cassie asked, shocked.

"Haven't you been curious as why guys like them so much? I want to see what really goes on in there. Besides, there's no cover charge and we get free drinks all night."

"I heard that Raquel's has a lot of rich executives who frequent there. I need to hook up with a rich dude so he can pay off my boobs." Cassie joked.

Pulling into the parking lot at Club JJ's, they stepped from the car, and walked to the front entrance where they saw a big, muscular bouncer guarding the door. "Can I see some identification, please?" he asked.

Cassie and Kelli reached into their purses, pulled out their driver's licenses, and handed them to the bouncer. He glanced at them and placed an ink stamp on the back of their hand. "This is for re-entry in case you decide to leave and come back," the bouncer said in a deep, sharp tone.

"Thank you." Slowly, walking arm and arm, Cassie and Kelli went inside, feeling a little embarrassed. They searched for a table in the dimly lit club and saw women who were dancing on top of the tables totally nude. Cassie began to snicker. "Hey, Kelli, check out that chic! Her coochie and nipples are pierced!" she said, pointing in the direction of the naked dancer.

Kelli glanced at the woman with her mouth gaping open. "Yuck! What the hell would possess a woman to do something like that? That's just nasty!"

Locating an available table, they sat, and a topless waitress approached them. "What can I get you ladies tonight?"

"I'll have an Amaretto Sour," Kelli said, trying not to stare at the waitress's huge boobs.

"And for you?" The waitress then focused her attention toward Cassie.

"Just a Coke for me, please." Cassie couldn't even look the waitress in the face.

The waitress walked away without carding them. They appeared older than what they were, passing for at least twenty-five.

"I wonder how much money these woman bring in?" Cassie questioned, her curiosity piqued.

"I don't know, but it would have to be a lot. I bet they're all on drugs. You would have to be on drugs to do something like that," Kelli said.

"Well, I'm curious. I'll be right back." Cassie walked over to the bar. "Who would I have to speak to about a job?" she asked the bartender.

"Just a second." The bartender smiled. "I'll get the manager."

Cassie perched herself on a barstool and a short, fat man approached. "Hi, I'm Seth; I understand that you're interested in a job," he said, extending his hand.

Cassie shook his hand. "Yes, I just graduated from high school and I'm in search of lucrative employment. I have champagne taste on a beer budget." She laughed, nervously twirling her hair around her index finger.

"Are you married?"

"No, my fiancé was killed in a motorcycle accident. Sadly, his funeral was on our weeding day."

"That's got to be tough. I'm terribly sorry," Seth said, trying to be sympathetic. "So, what do you want to do? Waitress, bartend, or dance?"

"Well, I would love to dance, it looks fairly simple."

He boasted a hearty laugh. "Ha! You think it's simple? These girls stand on their feet for almost eight hours a day in five-inch heels. If you think that's simple then more power to you. You will need to acquire a license from the courthouse and you will pay the club ten percent of your earnings at the end of your shift. You're basically renting a space in my club to dance," Seth explained, handing her an application.

"I will decide over the weekend if this is what I want to do." Cassie hopped off the stool, took the application, and walked back to her table.

"What did he say?" Kelli asked, anxiously.

"Well, I have to be licensed, which sucks."

"You wouldn't really do it, Cassie...would you?"

"I'm becoming desperate. Right now, I will do anything to make some good money! Let's go check out Raquel's. I hear they have a wealthier clientele. That's what I'm looking for. The guys in here look dog ass broke." Cassie held out her hand. "Hand me your car keys, Kelli. You can't hold your liquor very well, even if it was just one drink."

Kelli handed Cassie her keys. Cassie started the car and they headed onto Highway 436 toward Raquel's. As they pulled into the parking lot of the gentlemen's club, they noticed several limousines that were parked in front of the establishment.

"Damn! Do you think there are celebrities here?" Cassie looked intrigued, examining all of the high-end luxury cars in the parking lot.

"I don't know, but I hear a lot of rich dudes practically live at this place," Kelli said.

They went up to the bouncer and flashed their driver's licenses.

"Welcome, you can go inside," the bouncer instructed.

Cassie and Kelli entered and noticed a very classy, upscale restaurant off to the right. The women in the restaurant were dressed in elegant formal gowns, looking as if they were going to a red carpet event in Hollywood. Off to the left, they saw a stage with two clear poles on each side that was filled with colored, bubbling water.

They noticed a woman dancing around on one pole, dressed in a beautiful, tight sequin dress.

They saw another woman dancing around the other pole, wearing only a G-string.

"That's kind of strange...don't you think, Kelli?"

"Yeah, why in the world would a woman dance around a pole completely dressed?" Kelli asked, snickering.

They found a table in a dark corner and sat down. A waitress dressed in a sexy tuxedo costume approached them with two drinks. "These are from those two gentlemen over there." The waitress pointed to the bar where two men sat, wearing business suits.

"I wonder if they're lawyers?" Cassie asked, taking a sip of her drink.

"I don't know, but they look pretty freaking hot if you ask me!" Kelli held up her drink to the gentlemen, giving them a flirtatious wink.

The two gentlemen approached their table and sat. "Hi ladies. What brings you here tonight?"

"I'm looking for a job," Cassie nonchalantly blurted out.

"Really?" One of the gentlemen questioned. "I think you have what it takes to dance. A hot body, beautiful hair. By the way, is that your real hair?" he asked, twirling one of Cassie's loose curls around his index finger.

"Yes, my hair is real. Do you want to pull it and see?" Cassie laughed, teasing. "I like it rough."

The gentlemen inquisitively raised their eyebrows regarding Cassie's bold comment.

"Cassie!" Kelli exclaimed. "You be careful." Kelli kicked Cassie's foot underneath the table and gave her a disapproving glare.

"By the way, I'm Gil, and this is my friend, Pete."

"Nice to meet you." Kelli and Cassie shook their hands. "I'm Cassie and this is Kelli. Thank you so much for the drinks."

A woman wearing a form-fitting formal cocktail dress approached their table. "Would you like a lap dance?" the woman asked, her eyes focused on Gil.

"Sure," he replied, a huge grin beamed across his face.

The woman reached provocatively behind her neck and unbuttoned the back of her dress. The dress gracefully slipped below her large firm, fake breasts. Gracefully, she began to slide her dress below her curvaceous hips. Stepping from the dress, she seductively danced as her huge, fake breasts were almost touching Gil's cheek. She turned her back toward Gil with her firm ass between his thighs. Provocatively, sliding up and down, she held on to his knees for support. Her breathing became heavy as Gil began to become extremely aroused. He could smell the scent of her perfume as he attempted to touch her dark tanned, toned thighs.

"No, I'm sorry," she whispered. "No touching, just teasing," the dancer said, gazing endearingly into Gil's eyes.

The song had ended and Gil handed her a ten dollar bill.

"Would you like to go upstairs?" the dancer asked.

"Upstairs?" Cassie questioned. "What's upstairs?" Her curiosity heightened.

"All nude dancing. Your group will be provided a bottle of champagne and all dances are twenty dollars each," the dancer explained, folding her ten dollar bill and securing it to her garter.

"Nah, I'm not interested, but thank you." Gil took a sip of his drink and then completely focused his attention on Kelli.

The dancer slid back into her dress and casually approached another table.

Cassie wandered up to the bar and asked the bartender for a job application. "You can bring it back to me when you're finished filling it out," the bartender said, handing Cassie the application.

Cassie took the application back to her table.

"I can't believe you're serious about this, Cassie," Kelli said, exhibiting concern.

Pete interrupted. "These girls make a boat load of money. Some of these ladies bring home over eight-hundred bucks a night."

"No way!" Cassie's mouth gaped open in shock. "Are you serious? That's it! I'm definitely doing this."

Kelli looked at Cassie in pure disgust. "What are your parents going to think of you becoming a stripper? You'll break their hearts! Please, think hard about this before you commit to anything." Kelli rolled her eyes as she looked over at Gil and Pete, shaking her head. Kelli seemed to be the one who always watched over Cassie. Her impetuous decisions often landed Cassie in trouble. Kelli always tried her best to help Cassie think of the consequences of her actions before acting upon them.

"Who cares what my parents think! I'm an adult; I can do as I damn well please!" Cassie signed her name and took the application up to the bar.

"All finished?" the bartender asked while he polished a martini glass.

"Yes. Is there anyone here who I can speak to about a job?"

"Hold on just a sec. I'll see if Mitch is here. He's the owner." The bartender walked off and disappeared into a room toward the back of the club. Cassie sat on a barstool, her feet dangled, barely touching the floor.

A clean-cut, stocky man finally approached. "Hi, I'm Mitch, I own this establishment. I understand that you're interested in becoming a dancer."

"Yes, sir," she said, nervously, clearing her throat, handing the application to him. "I just left Club JJ's, but felt uncomfortable about the whole nude thing. I notice here, a dancer only dances topless?" she questioned, staring at the floor.

"Yes, you are correct. You have the option of dancing downstairs topless during the day. Total nudity is done only upstairs and a gentleman must pay the house $150 to even be admitted," Mitch explained. "Are you married?"

"Jeez!" Cassie thought. "Another marriage question." She straightened her posture and smiled. "No, I'm not."

"Perfect...I don't like jealous husbands coming in here and causing a scene. It makes the club look bad and it makes me look bad. Have you ever danced before?" Mitch asked, his eyes scanned intently over the application.

"Only in nightclubs. I've never removed my clothes for money, though. I must admit that I'm a little excited about it," she said, staring down at her knotted fingers.

Mitch examined the application closely, scratching his forehead, crinkling his nose, and arching his brow. Looking at Cassie with a friendly smile, he went over the policies of the club with her. "This is the low down on my policies. Absolutely no boyfriends in the club when you're working. You need to wear five-inch heels and a cocktail dress. My bouncer will escort you to your car at the end of your shift through the back door. The cost to the club is $75 per night or ten percent of your tips, whichever is greater."

"Please go on, sir," Cassie urged, appearing extremely interested.

"You are not permitted to enter the dining area without a gentleman, and you are required to wear your cocktail dress in the dining area at all times. If you can agree to all these policies, you can start on Monday," he explained.

"Yes, I can agree. What time should I arrive?"

"I prefer you work the dayshift until you're comfortable with the club. The shift will begin at eleven o'clock in the morning, but you need to arrive by ten-thirty to get prepared. You will not wear your cocktail dress from your car to the club or vice versa. You'll have a locker to keep all of your street clothes in. You will need a thong; it can't be panties, either. They must look like bathing suit bottoms. If I hear of you accepting money for solicitations, you will be terminated immediately. Is that all crystal clear?"

"Sure is. I'll be here at ten-thirty on Monday morning," Cassie said, jumping off the stool, shaking his hand.

"Oh, yeah...absolutely no tattoos or body piercings," Mitch said before he walked away.

Cassie rushed over to the table. "I start Monday morning."

Kelli's jaw practically hit the floor. "No way!"

"Yep! But, I need to do some serious shopping. I need five-inch heels, a pair of thongs, and a cocktail dress."

"Well, I know what we're doing tomorrow."

"There's an adult store in Daytona that should have the type of thongs that I need. I think The Wild Pair will have five-inch heels," Cassie said.

Cassie and Kelli stood from their table. "Well, guys, I guess we're going to call it a night. We have a big shopping day ahead of us tomorrow." They chuckled. Kelli took one last sip of her drink.

Gil and Pete stood as they each offered Cassie and Kelli their business cards. Gil whispered in Cassie's ear, "So, I'm looking forward to watching you dance next week."

Cassie giggled, a slight shiver trickled down her spine. She and Kelli walked out of the club together, snickering like two giddy, teenage girls.

Upon her arrival home, Cassie ran up the steps to her parents trailer and made a mad dash to her room. So many thoughts raced through her mind, so much so, that she was much too excited to sleep.
Chapter Seven

That Sunday morning, Cassie had been eager to get the day started, and went into the kitchen wearing a Juicy Couture sweat suit. The loose fitting suit would deter her parents from noticing her newly augmented breasts.

"Good morning, Cassie. You came in quite late last night. Did you and Kelli have fun?" Mrs. Littleton asked, pouring a cup of coffee.

"Yes, and the best part of the evening was...I found a job!" Cassie said with excitement in her voice.

"A job?" Mrs. Littleton questioned. "How on earth did you find a job late at night?"

"I ran into a man who works for ATA and he asked me if I wanted to work at the ticket counter at Orlando International Airport."

"Really?"

Cassie hated lying again, but she never could allow her parents to discover what she was really going to do. It would kill them both, not to mention the intense shame brought on about it. "Kelli and I have to go shopping today so I can find the right shoes to go with my uniform."

"Well, Cassie, I am so glad that you've taken it upon yourself to get a job. Have you thought about going to college, yet?"

"No way, I'm not wasting my life on college when I can be making money now." Cassie gulped down the last bite of her banana, threw the peel in the garbage, and jumped in the shower.

Cassie dried herself off, slipped on her Seven for all Mankind jeans, fitted tank top, a light poncho, and her black Louboutin flats. Slinging her Gucci hobo over her shoulder, she rushed outside, raced down the steps, and fired up her Porsche.

She arrived at Kelli's and they took off toward International Speedway Boulevard to the Volusia Mall.

They entered The Wild Pair boutique and Cassie was drawn to a pair of iridescent colored platform heels. "These are definitely the ones!" Cassie picked up a shoe, showing it to Kelli as it dangled from her index finger.

"Do you think you can even walk in those...let alone, dance in them?" Kelli laughed.

"Well, I won't know until I try them on." Cassie took the shoe to the sales associate. "Can I try this in a size eight, please?"

The sales associate disappeared into the back. Cassie sat and waited, hoping that the store had her size in that particular shoe. "Here you are, ma'am." The clerk handed the box to Cassie. "Let me know if I can get you anything else," the sales associate said as she walked toward the register.

Cassie fastened the buckle at her ankle and walked over to the mirror. "So, Kelli. What do ya think?" Cassie shimmied back and forth, viewing every angle of the shoes on her feet.

"Those are hot! You need to be sure they fit well because you're going to be wearing them for about eight hours a day," Kelli said, shaking her head in disbelief, still not believing Cassie would become a stripper.

Cassie twisted and turned, admiring the way that her sexy French pedicured toes looked in the platform shimmery heels. "I'm going to get them. I think they're so incredibly sexy." Cassie placed the shoes in the box and went up to the register.

"That will be $43.15, please," the sales associate said.

Cassie handed her the credit card that was almost exceeding its limit.

"Thank you so much and enjoy the shoes. Have a great weekend." The sales associate handed Cassie the bag and she and Kelli left the boutique. As they walked side-by-side through the mall, Kelli came up with a thought. "Okay, because it's summer, I bet 579 has their prom dresses on clearance. I bet you'll find a dress there."

"Well, let's get moving!" Cassie grabbed Kelli by the arm and they walked over to the boutique. They made their way to the back of the store where all the clearance merchandise was displayed.

"Look at all these dresses on sale! These are exactly what I'm looking for!" Cassie said, rifling through what seemed to be endless racks of dresses. She came across a full-length, sleeveless fitted, baby blue sequin dress with a long slit up the side. "I absolutely love this one." Cassie draped the dress over her forearm as she looked through more of the dresses.

"Hey, Cassie, look at this one." Kelli held up a black, fitted, sleeveless full-length dress with glitter accents.

"That one is beautiful, too!" Cassie took the two dresses into the fitting room with her. She walked out wearing the blue one. The dress was a size zero, hugged every curve she had, and accented her new boobs. The back unzipped, which made it easy for her to slip in and out of.

"Wow! Cassie, that dress looks phenomenal on you. Now, go try on the black one," Kelli said, seating herself on a bench outside of the dressing room.

Cassie went back into the fitting room and slipped into the black dress. "Okay, Kelli. What do you think if this one?"

Kelli's eyes practically popped out of her head. "Damn! If that dress don't get you some big bucks then I don't know what will!"

Cassie tossed her head back and laughed. "So, I guess I'll get both of them."

"You better! I'll meet you at the register," Kelli said, grabbing her purse off the bench.

Cassie went back into the fitting room, placed the dresses back on the hangers, and got dressed.

"Now that we have the dresses out of the way, there's only one more thing left to buy. The thongs!" Cassie laughed, standing next to Kelli at the register.

They left the mall and hopped in Cassie's Porsche. "Where to now?" Kelli asked, situating herself in the passenger seat.

"I wonder if there are any good surf shops on the beach that might have thongs?" Cassie pondered, poking her key in the ignition.

Cassie drove to the A-1-A strip in Daytona Beach and parked along curbside. She and Kelli entered a little boutique that looked as though it was stocked only with adult toys and lingerie.

"Kelli, check this out!" Cassie held up a black leather thong with steel rings on the hips, and a tiny strip that covered the pubic area. "These are awesome! I think I could score some big bucks with this baby!"

Kelli showed Cassie a pair of florescent pink thongs with sequins in the front. "These are hot! You should get these, too!"

Cassie rushed over and inspected them. "You know how much I love pink! Okay, I'll get these two for sure!" Cassie went to the register to make the purchase. They made it back to the car, exhausted of their full day of shopping.

"I still can't believe you're going through with this, Cassie. Aren't you afraid that your parents are going to find out?"

Cassie looked at Kelli with a devilish grin. "Nah, not at all. Besides, how are they going to find out?"

"I must admit that after you decided to do this whole stripper thing, you are smiling a lot more."

"Yeah, I've always been curious about what happens in a strip club. Now, I'll have firsthand knowledge."

"You're one brave woman, that's all I've got to say," Kelli said, buckling her seatbelt.

Cassie stopped in front of Kelli's house. "Okay, Kelli, wish me luck. Tomorrow's my first day and I'm so nervous."

"Good luck, Cassie. You're going to knock 'em dead. When those business execs see you in those dresses, let alone, your new tits, they're going to have a coronary!" Kelli closed the car door, laughing and shaking her head back and forth.

Upon arriving at home, Cassie dashed up the front steps, and darted through the front door with her shopping bags. She went straight down the hall to her bedroom and immediately removed all of the items from the bags, and tossed everything in her closet. She slammed the door, hoping that her mother wouldn't see what she had bought; the iridescent shoes alone would raise suspicion. She crumpled up the bags and shoved them underneath her bed where they would be well concealed.
Chapter Eight

Cassie was shaken from her sleep from a knock on her bedroom door. "Cassie, you better get up now if you need to be at the airport by 10:30!" Mrs. Littleton said loudly, speaking on the other side of the door.

"Okay, Mom...I'm up." Cassie stretched, stood, and headed for the bathroom for her morning shower.

Cassie went back into her room and dressed in her Juicy Couture sweat suit, but wondered what she could wear to convince her mother that she would be working for an airline. Suddenly, an idea came to mind. "I got it! I'll just tell her that I'm getting my uniform today when I get to work." Cassie shoved her dresses in her gym bag along with her hair curlers, makeup, thongs, and five-inch heels. She slipped on her pink Skechers sneakers, threw her bag over her shoulder, and then headed toward the front door.

"You're not going to eat breakfast?" Mrs. Littleton asked.

"Not today, I'm too nervous to eat because it's my first day on the job. I'll see you tonight, Mom. I should be home around eight o'clock."

"Good luck, Cassie! I love you."

"Thanks, Mom!" Cassie hurried down the front steps and jumped in her car. "Whew! Thank God she didn't ask why I was wearing sweats!"

Cassie shifted the car in reverse, backed out of the driveway, and proceeded on her way to the club. Her feet and hands lightly shook from nerves, unaware of how her day would pan out.

Pulling into the parking lot of Raquel's, Cassie grabbed her gym bag, and entered the club through the back door. Mitch stood next to the door and greeted the dancers as they arrived. "Hi there, Cassie...so glad you made it."

"Good morning, Mitch," she responded. She walked into the dressing room and noticed several other girls walking around topless, curling their hair, and putting on makeup.

"Hi, you must be new. My name is Sky," she said, extending her hand. "I've been dancing here for about three years now."

"Nice to meet you, my name is Cassie," she said, as they shook hands.

Sky giggled. "You can't use your real name in here. You have to choose a stage name. No one is supposed to know your real name, except Mitch."

"I didn't know that," Cassie said, puzzled, trying to think of a good name off the top of her head.

"Well—" Sky skimmed Cassie up and down. "You look just like a Barbie doll, so why don't you call yourself Barbie? I mean, you have the tiny waist, big boobs, long blonde hair, and blue eyes. As soon as I saw you, I immediately thought of a Barbie. You'll need to let the DJ know your stage name so he can announce you before you go on stage."

"Alright. Barbie it is then." Cassie pulled out her light blue, sequin dress from her gym bag and dressed, curled her hair, and applied her makeup.

Sky walked back over to Cassie after she had finished with her makeup and hair. "You're absolutely stunning. The guys are going love you!"

Cassie looked at Sky in the mirror. "I'm so nervous. How do I start? What do I do?" Cassie had the look of fear in her eyes.

"First thing's first. Go to the DJ and tell him your stage name and what type of music you like. Next, you will go over to the bar and have a stiff drink to calm your nerves while you wait for your name to be announced. Don't worry if you are not twenty-one, the bartender won't care. There are always two girls on stage, except at the first start of the day. When your name is called, you will go up on stage and dance at the pole with your cocktail dress on. After the song is over, you will move over to the other side of the stage where the other pole is. You will then remove your dress and dance in your thong and heels while the other girl is dancing in her dress on the other side of the stage. When the second song is over, you will walk off stage, put your dress back on, and ask men for lap dances until you hear your named called again to go back on stage. It's that simple," Sky explained, spraying her hair one last time before securing her accessories in her locker. "Oh, yeah." Sky had remembered something else that she needed to say. "Always remember to wear your dress at all times unless you are doing a lap dance. You are never to let a man touch you. You can shove your tits in his face all you want, but you never let him touch you," Sky said with a stern tone.

Cassie sat at the bar and asked the bartender for an Amaretto Sour. That's the only drink Cassie could handle because she couldn't taste the alcohol in it. She sipped it down quickly and then heard the DJ's announcement over the speaker, "Welcome to Raquel's, gentlemen. We have a hot new little dancer for you. She goes by the name of Barbie. Barbie, come on up and show us what you've got!"

Cassie's lips parted slightly as she took in a deep breath. She rose slowly from the chair and walked up the steps that led to the stage. She could barely feel her own legs. "Why do I have to be the first dancer of the day?" she asked herself. Suddenly, Buttons by the Pussycat Dolls, which was one of her favorite songs, began to play. Cassie cleared her mind and tried to imagine that she was in a nightclub dancing with her friends. She hesitantly grabbed onto the stripper pole and moved seductively as if it were all coming natural to her. A gentleman held up a ten-dollar bill as she slowly and flirtatiously moved across the stage toward him. The gentleman slid the money in her garter, and then gracefully, she made her way back to the pole.

The DJ announced the next dancer, "Let's welcome, Sky." Sky walked up on stage. Cassie moved over to the other side. Unzipping the back of her dress, Cassie allowed it to fall gracefully to the floor. Stepping from the dress, there she was, totally topless, only wearing her black leather thong, and shimmery iridescent five-inch heels. "This is much easier than I expected," she thought, feeling overwhelming sexy, a feeling that she never quite experienced before.

Wealthy men surrounded the stage quietly, focused on every seductive move that Cassie made. They tossed money on the stage at her sexy, platform heels. She felt completely comfortable in this new environment, which gave her confidence to dance even more provocatively. She got down on all fours and lustfully locked eyes with a gorgeous man who couldn't stop staring at her. She crawled toward him like a cougar in heat. On her knees, she leaned in, her breasts nearly touching his lips, and she allowed him to place a fifty-dollar bill in her garter. When the song finished, she slid back into her dress, zipped up the back, and went back to the bar for another drink.

"You looked great out there," the bartender said, wiping the bar down with his towel.

"Thanks, I actually felt pretty comfortable." She pulled the tips from her garter and counted one-hundred and twenty dollars for only dancing two songs. She couldn't believe she had made 120 bucks in less than five minutes.

Sky's song was over and the stage was occupied with two other dancers. She walked over to the bar and sat next to Cassie. "Barbie, you did great! Are you sure you've never danced before?"

"I'm positive." Cassie neatly folded her money lengthwise and wrapped it securely around her garter.

"You didn't even look like a first timer. Now, it's time to really earn your money. Go around the club and ask the gentlemen if they would like lap dances. If they tell you yes then tell them it's ten bucks per song," Sky explained, adjusting the top of her dress.

After discovering her newfound confidence, Cassie's eyes skimmed the club and she noticed two gentlemen who were dressed in business suits, sitting together at a table in the corner.

"Would you like lap a dance?" she asked, beaming an amorous gaze.

"You bet...I would love one from you," one of the gentlemen eagerly responded.

Slowly, Cassie spread open one of the gentlemen's legs and stood in between them. She seductively unzipped the back of her dress, allowing it to fall beneath her full, firm, large breasts. Wrapping her hands behind his neck, intertwining her fingers, she then allowed her nipples to graze his face lightly. She softly whispered, "What's your name, handsome?"

He could feel the heat of her breath on his neck. "J-Joey," he nervously stuttered.

"Hi there, Joey," she responded, her breath hot in his ear. She casually turned around, facing away from him, allowing her dress to fall to the floor. Bending over, her bare, ample, tanned bottom caressed his knees. Hungrily, he wanted so badly to touch her, to feel the smoothness of the flawless skin of her back. She could see the hardness of his penis rise within his slacks. Allowing her derriere to skim gently against his engorged phallus, she alluringly turned around, and faced him. Gliding her index finger across his bottom lip, she leaned in as if she was going to kiss him, but backed away. The song ended and she tried pulling her dress on.

"Wait! Don't get dressed yet. I want you to dance for my friend," he requested, nodding toward him.

Cassie calmly slithered over to Joey's friend. "What's your name, sexy?"

"Jacob." He gulped, trying to conceal his erection with his hands.

"Hi, Jacob. I'm Barbie."

Jacob couldn't look away from her breasts. "If you don't mind me asking, who did your boob job?"

Cassie was taken aback by the question. "Why do you ask?"

"We're cosmetic surgeons and we were watching you on stage and thought that you had the most perfect breasts on any woman we have ever seen," Jacob uttered.

"Really? Well, thank you. My surgeon's name is Dr. Hoffman. And why are you two becoming so aroused if you build boobs all day?" She laughed.

Jacob raised his eyebrows. "Great doctor. You found the best of the best! But when we build boobs, as you so call it, they're not being sexually taunted in our faces." He winked.

"Well, the song is over, so if you don't mind, I would like to go into the dressing room and freshen up," she said, zipping up her dress.

Joey and Jacob each handed Cassie a fifty dollar bill before she walked away.

When Cassie entered the dressing room, she noticed a majority of the dancers doing lines of cocaine on the counter. "Hey, if you want to snort a line, pay Starr fifty bucks," one of the dancers said, glancing up after snorting some white powder.

"No, thank you!" Cassie said. "What the hell? These girls make excellent money and drive around in shitty cars because they're wasting all their money on this shit?" she questioned quietly, assuming no one could hear her. She looked in the mirror and touched up her lip gloss before hearing her name announced to go back on stage.

After performing her two stage dances, Cassie headed to the bar for another Amaretto Sour. The day passed quickly, but her sore feet told a different story.

Sky pulled out a chair and sat next to Cassie. "Whoever says stripping is easy is an asshole! I would like to see the person who says such a thing dance in five-inch heels for eight hours straight!" Cassie said, massaging her arches.

"Well, Barbie. It's time to cash out at the bar. Always tell the bartender that you only performed ten dances. That way, you only have to pay seventy-five bucks," Sky explained. "They never question ten or more."

They walked over to the bar and told the bartender how many dances they've done for the day. They each paid the bartender $75 and went into the dressing room and dressed in their street clothes.

"Thank you so much for taking me under your wing. You made this so much easier for me," Cassie said, smiling, opening her locker.

"Aw, it's no biggie. You be careful on the drive home." Sky zipped up her bag and walked toward the back exit.

Cassie approached the bouncer who was guarding the exit to the back door. "Are you ready to go?" he asked, holding open the door.

"Yes, I'm ready."

"My name is Brad; I'll be the one walking you out every day."

"Nice to meet you." She unlocked the door to her Porsche and tossed her gym bag in the passenger seat. Letting her convertible top down, she took an exhausted drive home.

***

Arriving home, Cassie was thankful that her parents weren't there so she wouldn't have to sneak into her bedroom, and explain the fact of why she wasn't wearing an ATA uniform.

After tossing her gym bag onto the bed, she kicked off her Skechers, and pulled a wad of cash from her purse, and started counting it. "Holy crap! I can't believe I made this much money in just one day!" There was over $1000. Suddenly, she heard a car pull up in the driveway and peeked through the blinds of her bedroom window. "Shit! It's Mom and Dad!" Frantic, she threw her gym bag in the closet and slammed the door. She rushed from the bedroom and plopped down on the couch, making it seem as though she had been sitting there quite some time. She flipped open the Lucky magazine that was lying on the end table.

"Hey, Cassie. How was your first day at work?" Mrs. Littleton asked, slipping off her shoes as she stood in the foyer.

"It was great. The people are so nice and I had so much fun."

Mr. Littleton looked at Cassie and asked, "So, what do you do for the airline?"

"I stand behind the ticket counter and check people in for their flights." Afraid that her father could sense that she was lying, she continued to stare at the magazine."

"ATA is a good company to work for; I hear that you can move up pretty fast. Have you thought about becoming a flight attendant?"

"No, you know how scared I am of flying. I will never get on a plane."

"You must overcome that fear. There are great benefits for you out there if you want them. Don't let the fear of flying hinder that," Mr. Littleton said.

"Yes, Dad." Cassie rolled her eyes, still flipping through the pages of advertisements.

Mrs. Littleton went into the kitchen and reached into the cabinet to pull out some pots and pans. The sheer noise of that was deafening. The sound of the pots and pans clanking together weighed on Cassie's nerves. "We're having Sloppy Joes and French fries for dinner. Are you up for that, Cass?" Mrs. Littleton asked.

"Sure, Mom...sounds good."

Cassie's phone rang. Kelli's number showed up on the screen.

"Hey, Kelli. How's it going?" Cassie answered.

"Cut out the chit chat. What was your first day like? And don't skimp on the details!"

After a quick glance around the living room, Cassie couldn't see her dad in sight, but she could see her mother standing by the stove, cooking. She walked outside and stood on the front porch for some privacy.

"Oh-my-God, Kelli. It was awesome! You wouldn't believe how much money I made."

"Tell me, I'm dying over here!" Kelli demanded, becoming impatient.

"A thousand dollars!" Cassie blurted out with a slight giggle.

Kelli's jaw practically dropped to the floor. "A thousand dollars? Holy shit! I'm definitely going for the wrong profession!" Kelli had been accepted to Stetson University for law at the start of the school year.

"Are you going back tomorrow?" Kelli asked, hoping that her answer was no. Although Kelli thought the money was great, she still believed that Cassie would land herself in some deep trouble if she continued on that particular path.

"Sure am!"

"Did any men touch you or ask you to have sex with them?"

"No, it's actually kind of weird. The men are so mature. They don't sit there and yell cat calls and howl like immature construction workers. It's actually kind of classy. I felt really comfortable and the men are so rich and incredibly handsome. There were these two guys who were plastic surgeons. They said I had the most perfect boobs they had ever seen!"

Just then, Mrs. Littleton opened the front door. "Cassie, it's time for supper."

"Well, Kelli. I have to hang up, but I'll call you tomorrow." Cassie disconnected the call and walked inside to have dinner with her parents.

***

Upon waking the next morning, Cassie noticed an envelope that her mother had placed on her dresser the day before. It was from Capital One. She opened the envelope and discovered her credit card bill. It was a few dollars from reaching its credit limit. She looked at the minimum payment and realized that she had enough money to pay for it with just one day's work. She sat on the corner of her bed. "I'm so relieved that I have enough money to pay on this. Damn, I'm so thankful that my car is paid for! I couldn't imagine if I had to pay on that thing! Okay, enough of that, Cass! Quit dwelling, take a shower, and get to that club!" she told herself.

Cassie stepped into the shower and washed her hair. She slipped into a pair of her Seven for All Mankind jeans, a tank top, and put on her Skechers. Hurrying into the living room with her gym bag, she snatched her cell phone off the coffee table.

Mrs. Littleton walked into the living room and noticed how Cassie was dressed. "Cassie, are you not going to work today?"

"Yes, Mom. That's where I'm rushing off to right now."

"You can wear that to work?" Mrs. Littleton asked, confused by her outfit.

"No, Mom. I have a locker at the airport where I change into my uniform," she said, hoping that her mother didn't ask any more questions.

"Alright. Well, have a good day at work. I'll see you this evening when you get home. I Love you!"

"Love you too, Mom!" Cassie ran out the front door and jumped in her convertible, leaving a trail of dust behind. She drove by the memorial where Randall's accident took place. For Cassie, the devastation of losing Randall was becoming easier to deal with. She often wondered what her life would be like if he were still alive. Would she be a happy suburban housewife? Would she ever have to work a day in her life? A great deal of questions was going through her mind.

Suddenly, after looking away from the memorial, she saw a set of brake lights. Quickly, she slammed on the brakes to avoid hitting the car in front of her. "Fuck!" Her pulse raced. "I better keep my freaking eyes on the road! I'm going to end up getting myself killed and I'll have a memorial set up for me!" She tried catching her breath from becoming startled.

Arriving at the club, Cassie grabbed her gym bag out of the passenger seat of her car, and then headed to the back entrance. "Good morning, Brad. How are you?"

"I'm good, another day of the same ole...same ole." Brad sighed, his arms crossed.

"Where's Mitch?"

"He's upstairs. He'll be back down shortly. Why? Do you need him?"

"No, no, I'm okay."

Cassie entered the dressing room, slipped on her dress, and then started rolling her hair.

"My God! You have the most gorgeous hair I've ever seen!" said a voice coming from behind.

"Thank you. It's a pain to wash and style, but I look better with long hair than I do short. I feel as though I look like a twelve year old boy when I have short hair." Cassie laughed.

"My name is Glitter; I've been here for about a year. When did you start working here?"

"I started yesterday. My name is Barbie," Cassie said, rolling one last strand of hair around the curler.

Glitter looked into the mirror, applying her lip gloss. "I have Monday's off. I only work about three days a week. I'm a registered nurse at night."

Cassie looked at Glitter, astonished. "A nurse?" she questioned. "Aren't you exhausted working both jobs?"

"Nah, I actually enjoy working here. Sometimes I see my patients in the club. It's really kind of fun for me. After all, I really don't see anything wrong with dancing topless. Hell, European beaches have topless women roaming them all the time. I don't see the big deal," Glitter explained, rubbing her lips together, smoothing out her lip gloss.

Cassie took out her hair curlers and brushed through her loose curls. "Yeah, I kind of see your point."

After listening to Glitter's philosophical analogy, Cassie felt a little less guilty about stripping for money. She walked onto the stage and began her morning routine. She started dancing to 'Girls, Girls, Girls' by Motley Crue, and laughed inside, thinking of how appropriate the song was at the time. She noticed an older man who looked to be in his late fifties, sitting at the end of the stage. The gentleman seemed very familiar to her, but she couldn't quite place where she saw him before.

When the second song had finished, she slipped back into her black glittery, form-fitted dress, glanced over at the older gentleman, and noticed that he was gone. Cassie went up to the bar and asked the bartender, "Have you ever seen that older man in here before who was sitting over there?" Cassie pointed to the end of the stage at the empty chair where the older man sat.

"I've seen him in here a few times; he just comes to watch. He never tips, never buys a drink, and he never eats in the restaurant, either," the bartended said.

Cassie thought it was a little suspicious, but she jumped up from her seat, and seductively walked over to a handsome executive who was sitting alone in the corner on a red velvet sofa at the back of the club.

"Would you like a lap dance?" Cassie bent down and whispered in his ear.

"Yes, please," he said, anxiously smiling. He relaxed back against his chair and Cassie gently spread his knees wide, slowly slithering her body in between them. On her knees, she looked up at the executive as if she were going to give him a blow job. She could see the rise in his slacks as his penis started to bulge near his zipper.

"You're g-g-going to make m-m-me burst if you c-c-continue teasing like that," he whispered, his voice halting through his clenched teeth.

"Then I'm doing a good job, right?" Reaching behind her neck, she unzipped her dress alluringly, and allowed the front of the fabric to drape below her huge, perfect breasts. She let the blunt tips of her nipples to graze slightly across his thighs. Working her way back up to her feet, her body tantalizingly slithered like a snake. Her dress started to fall below her hips and she turned around so the gentleman could have a view of her tanned, tight ass. His hand brushed slightly across it and Cassie slowly turned around and whispered, "You're not supposed to touch, you're supposed to let me tease." The infamous motto that the girls in the club had to say, constantly.

The song had ended, but he asked her to continue dancing as the next song began. Cassie cupped her hands around the back of his neck and pressed his face deep into her cleavage. She gently placed her knee in between his thighs and pushed firm against his huge, rock-hard penis. She could sense by the feel of his penis against her knee that he was very thick. He looked up into her eyes. "You're so incredibly beautiful. You're the hottest woman I have ever seen," he said, softly.

"Thank you, but I bet you say that to all the girls."

"This is the first time I've ever been to a place like this."

"Is that so? Well, you are very handsome. In fact, too handsome for your own good. You wear this suit very well," she whispered, temptingly, straightening his tie with one hand as her thumb lightly traced along the faint stubble on his strong jaw with the other. After the song had ended, she gracefully bent down, and pulled up her dress.

"Let me ask you something, Barbie. Would you like to become my private dancer? I will pay you three-thousand dollars for each day I'm in town. That's if you totally dedicate your entire day to me and me only." He adjusted himself in the chair, crossed his right leg over his left knee, and hoped to disguise his massive bulge that pressed against his slacks. "By the way, my name is Dillon."

Shocked to receive such an offer, Cassie intently observed him, and instantaneously said, "Ok. I would love to be your private dancer, Dillon."

He handed her a one-hundred dollar bill and stood. "I need to head to a meeting in downtown Orlando for the remainder of the day, but I am looking forward to seeing you tomorrow."

Cassie watched as the handsome man who was dressed in the modern-fit suit disappear behind the velvet curtain as he made his way toward the restroom.

Cassie walked back to the bar where Sky was seated. "Oh my God, Sky. You're not going believe what just happened!"

Sky took a sip of her drink and stared up from the glass. "What happened, Barbie?"

"A gorgeous executive just asked me to be his private dancer on the days that he is in town. He offered me three grand per day!"

Sky grabbed Cassie tightly by the arm and quickly led her into the dressing room. She pulled Cassie close so she could whisper in her ear without anyone else hearing, "Don't let anyone else know about this. You can get into so much trouble with the club about this. Don't tell anybody! I mean it. No one!"

"Why?" Cassie asked, a bit concerned at Sky's reaction.

"Because it's against club policy. Mitch will think you're doing more than dancing. It doesn't matter if you're not banging the dude, Mitch will automatically assume that you're screwing him, and he will report you to the police for prostitution!"

Cassie's face had become consumed with shock. "Jeez! Okay, I won't tell anyone."

When they walked back to the bar, Sky whispered in Cassie's ear, "By the way, I'm a private dancer for someone, too. That's how I paid for my boobs. I've been dancing for him for about six months."

Cassie felt relieved, believing that if Sky had been doing it then she wouldn't tell Mitch that Cassie's doing it as well.

***

The following day, Cassie walked into the club from the dressing room and scanned the establishment for Dillon. Not seeing him anywhere in sight, she made her way onto the stage, and proceeded to do her two dances of the morning. After her dances were over, she exited the stage, and went to the bar. "That guy is back and he keeps looking at me strangely," she said to the bartender.

"This is the first time he's ever ordered a drink. I believe he plans on staying here for a while. He only usually stays here for about an hour or two," the bartender said.

Sky took a seat next to Cassie.

"What's with that dude over there?" Cassie tilted her head toward the direction of the man who was giving her the creeps. "Why is he looking at me that way?" Cassie asked. "He's freaking me out!"

Sky took a sip of her drink. "I don't know what his deal is. None of us ever ask him if he wants a lap dance because after being told no so many times, we gave up. I think he's just a pervert coming here to get his damn rocks off for free if you ask me."

Cassie noticed Dillon enter the club. An erotic, electrifying feeling pulsed through her body. He looked at her and motioned with his eyes to follow him to a sofa toward the back of the club.

Dillon sat and he asked Cassie to sit beside him. Leaning into her, he whispered in her ear, "Did you miss me?"

She tingled at the sound of his voice. She did miss him and couldn't get him out of her mind. "Yes, I missed you, Dillon." She quivered slightly as a cold chill rushed up her spine.

"Did you think of me last night when you went to bed and imagine me doing dirty things to you?" he asked, a devilish wide grin consumed his face.

Breathing heavily, his words caused her to slightly perspire. She could feel a tiny bead of sweat drip down between her breasts. The sexual tension was fierce and Cassie's labia stung and pulsated, needing to be filled by the man sitting next to her. Confused by the strange feeling, she had never felt like this before, not even Randall excited her the way Dillon just did.

"Barbie, I'm going to give you something. I want you to take it into the dressing room immediately and put it in your purse." Dillon offered her his business card.

She stood from the sofa and walked to the dressing room with his card in hand. Unlatching her locker, she stuck the business card inside the zipper compartment in her purse, and then joined Dillon back on the sofa.

"I just want to sit and talk with you for a while. I don't want you to get naked or dance, I just want us to have a casual conversation, and then I want you to have lunch with me in the restaurant in a few hours," Dillon explained. Their conversation became interrupted when a waitress approached their table. "I'll have a martini and she'll have—" He looked over at Cassie and she said, "An Amaretto Sour, please." He looked at Cassie with amazement. "So, tell me about yourself. Where are you from, where did you go to school, do you have a boyfriend?"

She batted her long black eyelashes at him. "I'm from Deland and I went to Umatilla High School. I did have a fiancé, but he was killed in a motorcycle accident," Cassie said, staring down at her knotted fingers that were fidgeting in her lap.

The waitress placed the drinks on a small table next to the sofa. Dillon handed her a twenty dollar bill. "Keep the change," he said.

Dillon looked at Cassie with sympathy in his eyes. "I'm terribly sorry. Are you okay?"

"I'm finally accepting the fact that he's gone. Honestly, when I started working here a few days ago, it really got my mind off of him."

A beautiful smile brightened his face. "Tell me your real name. I just feel this connection with you, and I must know your real name."

Cassie seemed hesitant at first, but managed to whisper her name, "Cassie Littleton."

"That's a hell of a lot better than Barbie." He laughed. "But, you do look like a living doll."

Cassie smiled shyly and Dillon reached for her hand, but she pulled it away in fear of Mitch seeing. "Are you married or do you have a girlfriend?" she asked.

"No." He shook his head. "Divorced...I've come close to re-marrying, but the women I have dated become jealous nut jobs, so I break it off."

"Where do you live?" she asked, finding him quite fascinating, relishing in the fact that a man as gorgeous as him took interest in her.

"I live in California...the Silicon Valley. I'm a real estate attorney...well, a partner of the firm. I represent many of the tech start-up companies out there. I travel to Orlando every week to meet with clients who are interested in starting businesses in California."

Cassie blissfully smiled. "If you don't mind me asking, how old are you?"

Dillon threw his head back, laughing. "Too old for you!"

"How old are you, Cassie?" he asked, trying to turn the conversation around.

"I'm nineteen."

He laughed louder. "Oh, my!" He shook his head in disbelief. "Put it this way, I'm old enough to be your daddy!"

"What? Are you fifty?" She joked, knowing that he wasn't quite that old.

"No, Cassie. I'm thirty-nine. Does that bother you?"

"No, it doesn't bother me. I'm actually a little intrigued, but it makes me wonder why a man of your age would find interest in a girl as young as me. I've never been attracted to older men." She paused for a moment. "Well, except you, of course. I've only been intimate with one man my entire life and that was my fiancé, who passed away," she explained.

"Ah..." He curiously raised his eyebrows, delighted by her statement. "So, you're attracted to me?" He looked inquisitive in his form-fitted, black suit and gray satin tie. Having thick, sandy blond hair with wistful, side swept bangs, perfectly sculpted eyebrows, chocolate brown eyes, a dominate square jaw-line, and weighing about 195 pounds, he towered at six-foot two-inches tall, which made Cassie feel tiny when she stood next to him. Placing her hand in his, he gently squeezed. "But, on a serious note, Cassie...again, I'm really very sorry about your fiancé. What made you decide to become an exotic dancer?"

Cassie looked away, feeling shameful. "Money. My fiancé took really good care of me. He bought me a car, bought my clothes, practically gave me everything I've always wanted. When he passed away, I fell into a deep depression. I had no ambition to get a job, I hated the way that I looked, so I took the only credit card that we had together, and got a boob job. Now, being afraid of the debt, I had to make money really quickly to pay my credit card bill. That's when I decided to become a dancer."

He nodded, seeming to relate to her reason. "I totally understand," he said, lightly stroking Cassie's arm. He glanced at his white-gold Rolex and saw that it was almost twelve-thirty. "Let's go eat some lunch. Order anything you wish."

They walked over to the restaurant and were seated in a secluded area. Cassie skimmed over the menu and ordered blackened chicken and Dillon ordered a Caesar salad.

"How is the food here, Miss Littleton?"

"Mitch, the owner, hired a chef from Russia. This restaurant has a five-star rating. But this is the first I've eaten here."

"I guess I will have to judge for myself."

Cassie looked across the table and smiled. "So, Dillon...how long are you in Orlando for?" she asked, nervously fidgeting with her hands underneath the table.

He could tell by the movement of her arms that she was playing with her hands in her lap. "I make you extremely nervous, don't I?"

Just by him asking that question shot shivers up her spine. "No, I'm fine." She grabbed for a crystal shaker of salt, and examined it, her hand shook slightly.

"Do you find that salt fascinating?" He joked.

She quickly set it back on the table. "No." She giggled, nervously.

"I leave for California tonight," he said, a hint of disappointment shown in his voice. "I gave you my business card because I want you to call me anytime. I don't care if it is morning, noon, or night; you call me whenever you want."

"Don't think that I won't." She winked with a hint of teasing.

Dillon gazed at Cassie across the table and asked in a slight, jittery voice, "I-I have a question for you, Cassie. Would you go upstairs for me? If you do, I will pay you very well."

Cassie almost spit water all over the table in shock. "Are you serious? I don't dance nude. I'm much too modest for that. I've never done it, so I'm nervous," she said. Beads of sweat began to form above her brow.

Dillon looked at her with seriousness in his eyes. "Cassie, I promise that I will make it so comfortable for you. You have nothing to be afraid of. If you feel uncomfortable at all, we will stop, and go back downstairs."

"I-I-I don't know." She knotted her fingers in her lap.

"Please. I promise that I'll be the perfect gentleman."

Wiping the corners of her mouth with a linen napkin, she inhaled deeply. "Okay, let's do this. I'll be right back." She stood from the table and approached Brad. "Hi, I need to reserve a table upstairs."

"Sure." Brad walked over to the bar and grabbed a bottle of chilled champagne. "I will have this waiting for you upstairs."

Cassie motioned for Dillon to follow her upstairs. There was no one else on the entire second floor. The room was totally decorated in red velvet. Red circular couches surrounded the stripper poles throughout the room. Cassie spotted the bottle of champagne and led Dillon to their reserved seating area. Sitting on the velvet couch, Cassie's nerves were getting the best of her. Dillon leaned over, tucked her hair behind her ear, and whispered, "Are there any cameras up here?"

"I don't know. I wouldn't risk it, though. Why do you ask?"

She felt Dillon's warm breath upon her neck. "Because I want to kiss you."

Goosebumps stood on her entire body. Extremely aroused, she was afraid this nude dance might drive her to the point of wanting sex. "If you kiss me, I could get fired. Let's not take that chance," she said.

Dillon agreed and relaxed back. Cupping his hands behind his head, he eagerly waited for the private show that eventually would take place on the pole in front of him. Focusing on Cassie's movements, Dillon watched her provocatively unzip the back of her dress, and stared as it hung loosely at the top of her breasts; her hard taut nipples preventing the dress from slipping further. This fascinated him to no end. He wanted to see her full naked body, yearning to feel her breasts cupped in the palms of his hands. Gliding slowly around the pole, alluringly, her dress gracefully fell to the floor. The way Cassie moved aroused him immensely. He became mesmerized by the way she danced, how she spiraled around the pole, imagining her holding his thick shaft in her hand. Slowly, she slid her thong panties down her legs and felt astonishingly sexy. Never did she imagine that it would feel this good being naked in front of a gorgeous executive who wanted to worship every inch of her body. Graciously, approaching Dillon, she gently spread his knees apart. As she straddled one of his thighs; he could feel the intense heat emanating from her entrance onto his knee. He wanted so badly to touch her, taking all the strength that he had to fight it, but he pushed his knee into her. She grew excited, the intense arousal escalated of her wanting to tear the clothes from his body. That tie! Oh, how she wanted to rip that tie from his neck and fasten him to the chair with it, defenseless. That was exactly what she was afraid of, teasing her own self with no way for a release; she was so ready for him. She rest her forehead upon his, staring into his eyes, and then guided his head to her neck where he could smell the scent of Chanel Mademoiselle lotion exuding off her body. That scent will always be embedded into his mind.

She stood abruptly and backed away. "I can't do this anymore." She quickly grabbed her dress off the floor and put it back on.

"What's wrong, Cassie? Is it something I did?" he asked, confused on why she was dressing so suddenly.

"No, it's not you, it's me. If I continue with this, I will be fired because I want you so bad...right here, right now!"

"Come here, Cassie...don't walk away from me. Let's discuss this."

Cassie sat down beside him, tears began to flow down her flushed cheeks. "I just can't explain this; I have never felt this way. It scares me. It's dangerous."

Dillon appeared baffled by the comment. "Why is it dangerous?  You're not attached to anyone and I'm not attached to anyone, so why is it dangerous?"

She glared furiously into his breathtaking brown eyes. "Because I'm a fucking stripper! Do you really want to be with a stripper? And besides, if Mitch catches me doing anything sexual to you, I have no idea what he might do."

Dillon tried to conceal his laugh. "Cassie, I don't consider you a stripper. You've only been dancing for what, three days? Maybe this was how we were supposed to meet. I don't think less of you because you're a dancer and it's not dangerous. It honestly impresses me that you're so honest and wholesome. You retain certain innocence even though you are, as what you call yourself, a stripper."

She gazed sincerely into Dillon's eyes. "Thank you for saying that. I'm really sorry about all of this. You just do something to me that no man has ever done before. I'm really nervous."

Dillon glanced at his Rolex and noticed how fast time slipped away. "Here." He placed a rolled-up wad of cash in her hand that was neatly wrapped with a rubber band. "This was an unforgettable day. I'll be back on Saturday. Please, call me anytime. I mean that. I'm going to be late for a meeting." He stood and gave her a gentle kiss on the top of her head. She watched him slowly disappear down the stairs and she inhaled a deep breath. Feeling like a prostitute, she didn't want his money, she enjoyed what she did, and would have rather not been paid for it. Trying to shake the thought of prostitution from her mind, she cashed out at the bar, and then drove home with Dillon still engulfed in her thoughts.

***

During a stormy Thursday morning, Cassie awakened with Dillon weighing on her mind. She rubbed some Chanel Mademoiselle lotion on her skin before putting on a t-shirt and jeans with a pair of flip flops. Grabbing her gym bag, she made her way out the door for the dreaded forty-five minute rainy drive to the club.

Cassie answered a call from Kelli. "Hey, chica! So, how has the week gone so far?"

Cassie had an enormous grin on her face. "Kelli, is it too early to be in love with someone you've only known for two days?"

Shocked by the question. "Well, uh, I don't know, I've never experienced it, but it could happen to other people I suppose."

"Oh-my-God, Kelli! You wouldn't believe it. This guy who asked me to be his private dancer came in yesterday. He had me dance nude for him upstairs and paid me three-thousand bucks!"

"No freaking way! Are you serious? You danced totally naked for him?" Kelli asked.

"Yep, and it was so intense. I wanted to rip his clothes off and screw the hell out of him right there!" Cassie blurted out. "Kelli, he gave me his business card with his personal contact info on it. His name is Dillon and he's an attorney in California. Should I call him?"

"Shit!" Kelli yelled into the phone. "I have to go, the damn dog just pissed on the floor, again. But, don't call him!"

"Ok, Kelli. I'll call you later."

Arriving at the club, Cassie changed into her sequin, light blue cocktail dress. When she emerged from the dressing room, she noticed that strange man sitting at the end of the stage again.

"What is with that creep? Too bad Brad can't kick him out just because the guy is a weirdo." She laughed, talking to the bartender.

"The creep says he thinks he knows who you are. He asked me your name and I told him Barbie," the bartender said.

Cassie relaxed back in her chair with a punched in the stomach feeling. "Who in the hell is that guy? He does look sort of familiar, but I don't remember where I saw him before," she mumbled, scratching at her head. She sprung from her seat. "Oh well, I'm not going to dwell on that now, I have work to do!"

Cassie walked over to the other side of the room where there was another bar.

"Hey, Barbie. I'm Tiffany. You see that bald man over there?" she asked, pointing across the room.

"Yeah, why?"

"Well, he specifically asked for you to dance for him upstairs. He's the son of Rob Chance, you know...the man who owns most of the major car dealerships in Orlando?"

Cassie seemed a little shocked. "Yeah, I've seen the commercials. They're so frigging annoying." Cassie laughed, rolling her eyes.

"Well, he pays very well. He will pay you five-hundred bucks for one song upstairs," Tiffany said, anxiously awaiting Cassie's reply.

"What's one song going hurt?" Cassie thought. "Okay, I'll do it."

Tiffany grabbed Cassie's arm and led her over to the bald gentleman. "Jeff, meet Barbie. Barbie, meet Jeff," Tiffany said as she introduced them.

Jeff seemed really nervous. He wasn't an attractive guy; no one would give him a second look on the street if he were to pass by. The only thing really going for him was his father's money. His skin was insanely pasty white; he was bald, and fat. "Nice to meet you, Barbie. Tiffany said you were willing to go upstairs with us. Am I correct?"

"With us?" Cassie asked, appearing confused.

"Yeah. You, Tiffany, and, me," he said.

Cassie became a little relieved that she wouldn't be upstairs by herself with him and accepted the invite, and then proceeded to follow them up stairs.

"I don't need you two to dance around on the pole. Just dance right here in front of me," Jeff instructed as he sat down in one of the velvet chairs.

Cassie and Tiffany decided to take off each other's clothes. Tiffany slowly turned Cassie around and unzipped the back of her dress. The dress hit the floor then Cassie unzipped the front of Tiffany's.

"Oh, Barbie, you have the most gorgeous body I've ever seen. You're so tight. Those abs!" Tiffany brushed her hand over Cassie's flat stomach.

Cassie held Tiffany's hands and placed them on her breasts. Tiffany leaned in and kissed Cassie on the lips. Jeff looked as though he was about to blow his wad in his pants. Running her fingers through Tiffany's hair, Cassie kissed her even more aggressively. She envisioned Tiffany as Dillon, so it would become easier for her. Tiffany started to kiss Cassie on her neck and continued placing tiny little kisses all the way to her naval, and then assisted Cassie out of her thong. Breathing very deeply, Cassie had never experienced a sexual encounter with a girl before, and she became fascinated. They acted as if Jeff wasn't even there. Engaged in the heat of moment, it became even more erotic.

Tiffany slid her middle finger inside Cassie's sweet entrance. "Jeff, you need to taste her." She plunged her index finger into Jeff's mouth, allowing him to suck the taste of Cassie off her finger.

Jeff salaciously licked his lips, savoring the taste of Cassie on his tongue. "She is very good. You ladies are incredible. This is the best thousand bucks I've ever spent!" he said, a satisfied expression on his face as he handed Tiffany and Cassie five-hundred dollars each. "You gals can go ahead and get dressed, but I want to speak with Barbie, alone."

Tiffany slipped into her dress before walking downstairs.

"Barbie, I want one hour with you. I will pay you one-thousand dollars if you meet me at the Marriott in Heathrow this evening," Jeff suggested.

Cassie grew worried. Was this guy a cop? Is she being trapped? For a thousand dollars, what does this guy want her to do? "What exactly do you want, Jeff?" Cassie asked.

"I want sex, I need sex, and I want it from you!"

Horrible thoughts ran ferociously through Cassie's mind. She generated a plan. If she could think of a way to get the money from him, and not have sex, it would be the perfect scheme. "Okay, I will meet you at the hotel, but you better have a condom, and I want the money as soon as we arrive in the parking lot," she demanded.

"Okay, I can do that. What time do you get off work?"

"Around seven."

"Meet me in the Heathrow Marriott parking lot at 7:30. I will be in a red Ferrari," he said.

"Ferrari?" She curiously raised her eyebrows. "You drive a Ferrari?"

"Yes, I drive a Ferrari; it's no big fucking deal," he said, relentlessly rolling his eyes.

"Okay, I will be in a black Porsche Boxter convertible."

"You drive a Porsche?" he questioned, now he becoming the one who was interested. "Wow, all the other dancers here drive beat up hunks of shit! You must not use your money on drugs like the other girls." He assumed.

Cassie smiled. "See you then." She walked off casually and headed to the bar downstairs. She cashed out at the bar and went to the dressing room afterward. After putting on her t-shirt, tank top, and tennis shoes, she grabbed her bag, and went toward the exit where Brad stood.

"Okay, Brad, I'm ready to go," she said. She couldn't even look him in the eye because she believed that he could sense what her plan was.

"Cassie, I hope you don't plan on meeting up with that Jeff dude. He's been with every girl in this club. Do you really want to mess with him?" Brad asked, expressing his concern.

"No, Brad. I'm not going to do anything with him, he's gross, and I would have to put a bag over his damn head to prevent me from puking," she said, laughing, hoping that it disguised her lie.

Brad shrugged. "Alright, I'm just looking out for my girls. I don't want anything bad happening to them." Brad opened Cassie's car door and went back into the club.

Cassie adjusted herself in her seat and noticed something on her windshield underneath the wiper. She stepped out of the car and grabbed what looked to be a hand-written note. Hesitantly, she opened the note and it read:

Cassie,

I know what you're doing and it breaks my heart that you resorted to this type of work. You lied to your mother and me and we're terribly disappointed in you.

Love,

Your very disappointed, Mom and Dad.

Cassie stood alongside her Porsche, holding the note in complete, utter shock. Her hands dropped to her side and the note fell to the ground. "How in the hell did they find out? The only person who knew I was working here was Kelli, and she wouldn't say anything," she muttered to herself. Suddenly, a light bulb came on in her head. "It was that dick at the end of the stage! That's how he knows who I am; he knows my damn parents!"

Extremely pissed, she grabbed the note from the ground, ripped it into shreds, jumped in her car, and sped off. She was at the stoplight before she drove onto I-4, trying to decide whether or not to meet Jeff at the Marriott. "Oh, what the hell, it's not like I'm going to screw him, I'm just going to take his money, and haul ass!" She floored the Porsche when the light changed to green. She saw the exit for the hotel and pulled into the parking lot. She didn't see the red Ferrari anywhere.

After waiting for about ten minutes, she finally spotted a red Ferrari coming off the interstate. Jeff pulled into the parking lot. The sound of the engine was such a turn on for her because she always loved the sound of an exotic sports car. Pulling up next to her, Jeff had his window down.

"So, Jeffrey, do you have the money?" she asked.

"Sure do! It's right here," he said, handing her a thick envelope.

She retrieved the envelope, counted the money, and then locked it in her glove box. "You're not a cop are you?" she asked. She didn't even know why she asked if he was a cop, it's not like he had to tell her. She just saw it in movies and thought it was something prostitutes had to ask to be protected from getting arrested.

"Ha! Don't be silly, but no...if it makes you feel better, I'm not a damn cop," he said, shaking his head, laughing at the question.

They stepped from their cars and walked through the hotel entrance.

"Hi, Mr. Chance. It's good to see you again," the concierge said, looking up from his computer monitor.

"It's pretty damn bad that the hotel concierge knows this dude by name. How many times has he done this?" Cassie mumbled under her breath.

"Would you like the same room as always?" the concierge asked, reaching for the key.

"Yes, that would be great."

The concierge handed Jeff the room key. They stepped into the elevator and it went all the way to the top floor. Jeff opened the door to the room, allowing Cassie to walk in before him. "Here you are! A suite fit for a queen."

Cassie looked around the room and was blown away by all the amenities. The room had a hot tub in the center of the bedroom. Cassie had been trying to figure out a way to get out of this horrible situation. She definitely didn't want to have sex with him. "Jeff, do you mind if we sit in the hot tub for a while?" she asked, trying to hold off the inevitable as much as she possibly could.

"Not at all," he said, kicking off his shoes. "I'll order up a bottle of champagne."

Cassie kept trying to think of a plan. "What can I do? Oh! I got it! I can get him drunk so he'll pass out and then I'll leave! But one bottle of champagne isn't going to get him drunk," she thought as her plan started to fizzle.

Water began to fill the hot tub. Cassie went into the bathroom and removed her clothes. She walked out wearing the complimentary robe that hung behind the door.

"The water is nice and warm, are you going to get in?" Jeff asked, sitting in the hot tub completely naked.

Cassie's stomach churned after looking at such a grotesque, pasty white, bald spectacle. Reluctantly, she slipped off the robe and slid slowly into the warm water.

"You don't have to sit all the way over there; I don't bite, unless you want me to." Jeff playfully winked.

Cassie painfully glided her way over toward him. There was a knock at the door. "Room service!"

"That must be the champagne. Come on in," Jeff yelled, hoping the waiter heard him through the door.

The waiter entered the room and pushed a cart that was loaded with strawberries and chocolates, along with a bottle of champagne.

"Will that be all, sir?" the waiter asked, stabilizing the cart next to the door.

"Yes, that will be all for now." Jeff motioned for the waiter to take his leave.

Jeff stepped out of the hot tub and walked over toward the cart. Cassie could see his ass and was totally repulsed by the gruesome sight. His pasty white, flabby butt had red pimples all over it. She closed her eyes tightly, taking in a dreaded deep breath. "I can get through this," she thought, trying to convince herself to push on.

Jeff pushed the cart next to the hot tub. "Would you care for some strawberries?" he asked.

"No, but I'll have a glass of champagne," she said, wanting something to ease the anxiety along with the disgust that she was feeling.

Jeff handed her a glass of champagne. "So, Barbie, I can't help but notice that something seems as though it's bothering you," he said.

"My damn parents found out that I was dancing," she replied, sounding ashamed of herself.

"Oh, wow. I'm really sorry about that," Jeff responded, demonstrating concern while popping a chocolate candy in his mouth.

Cassie drank the entire glass of champagne then handed the empty glass back to him. He filled the glass and gave it back.

"I just feel so bad, I hurt them, and it makes me feel horrible. I can't stand knowing that I hurt my parents like that," Cassie explained.

Jeff took her by the hand. "Are you going back to Raquel's?" he asked.

"I don't know. I'm so confused on what to do. The reason I took this job was to pay off my credit card debt and I already made enough money for that. I don't see any point on having to go back there. I do need to make a lot of money to support my shopping habit, though. Minimum wage jobs won't support my lifestyle and I don't have the college education to get anything that pays more."

Jeff looked her in the eyes. "I'm sure you'll do what's best. You seem like a very smart woman, so I know you'll make the right choice. Just don't start doing drugs like the other girls. They blow every dime they make on drugs and they have nothing but trail marks and bloody noses to show for it. They're all cocaine addicts."

Cassie relaxed back against the hot tub. The champagne was helping her feel more at ease. Jeff leaned over and kissed her. The kiss began to become passionate and she imagined kissing Dillon to make it easier. This was the only way she could go through with the whorific nightmare. Jeff slid his hand up her thigh. Hesitantly, she spread her legs apart, allowing him to place his hand on her freshly shaven mound. She reached for his penis and was shocked at how small he was. "Holy Hell! He's no bigger than my pinky finger! It's like a Twizzler!" she thought. "Maybe he's just limp, but how can he be limp after everything we're doing?" She was puzzled.

Cassie felt as though she had a challenge ahead of her. Grabbing his testicles and massaging them in her hand, she started stroking him, and felt him growing larger.

"Let's go over to the bed," he said in a heated breath.

They slowly stood from the water; he grabbed the robe and placed it on her shoulders. Picking her up, he carried her to the bed, laid her down, and gradually opened her robe. He traced his hands over every curve of her warm, wet, slippery body. "You're so beautiful. I want to make love to you so bad that it hurts," he whispered. He rolled over and took the condom off the nightstand and tried to roll it over his penis, but he started to become limp. "I just don't know what is happening. This has never happened to me before," he said, confused.

Cassie continued kissing his neck and nibbling his earlobe, hoping to arouse him, but nothing happened. Finally, after thirty-minutes of foreplay with no success, he looked at his watch. "Shit! I have to be somewhere in fifteen-minutes! I'm really sorry, Barbie, but I have to go!" He sprung from bed and dressed at a rapid pace. It was as if he had to go put out a fire somewhere. Cassie experienced a sense of relief because she didn't have to go through with the whorific ordeal. "Feel free to stay the entire night. I'll probably be at the club this weekend and will see you then," Jeff said as he grabbed his car keys and rushed out the door.

Cassie relaxed against the headboard; a snide grin encompassed her face. "Well, that was a quick and easy grand!" She jumped out of bed and put on a robe. "Hmm, what can I do now?" she asked herself, her index finger tapping at her chin. "I know one thing, I sure as hell can't go back home. My parents probably wouldn't even allow me in the house anyway because they think I'm such a whore. I bet I'm nothing but a huge disappointment to them." She started to cry as she picked up the phone, dialing Kelli's number.

"Hello," Kelli answered, hearing Cassie sniffling through the phone.

"Kelli, my parents found out about me working at Raquel's. When I left work, my dad left a note on my car in the parking lot. I don't know what to do!" she frantically explained.

"Just calm down. Where are you now?" Kelli asked.

Cassie paused for a moment. "You don't want to know."

Kelli began to worry. "Cassie, where in the hell are you?" she shouted through the phone.

"I'm at the Heathrow Marriott," Cassie responded, shamefully.

Kelli didn't even bother to ask why. "What's your room number? I'll be right there!"

Cassie didn't remember the room number so she walked to the door, opened it, and saw the number on the outside. "It's room 910."

"I'll be there in about a half hour!" Kelli hung up the phone and quickly grabbed her car keys.

Cassie sat at the edge of the bed and poured herself another glass of champagne. She realized that if she quit dancing that she wouldn't make fast cash like she had been. Already, she had made enough to pay off her boob job and the remaining balance on her credit card with a little money left over. She kept thinking about Dillon. If she quit, she may never see him again. She rushed over to her purse and pulled out his business card. "Should I call him?" She grabbed her cell phone.

"Voicemail! It figures!" she yelled, not even bothering to leave a message.

Thirty minutes passed by and Cassie heard a knock at the door. "That must be Kelli," she told herself. Cassie opened the door and saw Kelli standing there with a worried expression on her face.

Kelli rushed through the door. "Okay, Cassie. Tell me what the hell is going on!" Kelli demanded.

She looked at Kelli as her eyes began to swell up with tears. "You know the man named Rob Chance who owns most of the car dealerships in Orlando?" Cassie asked.

Kelli grabbed Cassie's hand. "Yes, I know of him, who doesn't?"

"Well, his son, Jeff came to the club today. He propositioned me by offering me a thousand bucks to meet him at this hotel."

Kelli quickly pulled her hand away in absolute shock. "What are you getting yourself into, Cassie? Do you not realize this guy could have been some lunatic and could have killed you? Did you have sex with him?" Kelli asked, praying the answer was no.

"No," Cassie said with a sigh of relief. "But I almost did. If he were able to get it up, we probably would have," she said, feeling ashamed of herself.

"Cassie, you need to come to grips with reality and stop this mess! You're digging yourself a hole and burying yourself alive. If you continue on the path you're on, you're going to ruin your life!"

Cassie blew her nose into a tissue. "Can you please stay here with me tonight? Jeff isn't coming back here and I don't want to be alone."

"My God! What did Randall's death do to you?" Kelli hugged Cassie tightly and wiped the tears from her face. "Yes, I will stay with you, but you and I need to figure out where you go from here. Your parents probably won't allow you back in their house," Kelli said, covering Cassie with the blankets. Kelli shut out the light and stroked Cassie's hair until she fell asleep. Kelli rest her head on her pillow, her eyes wide open, thinking of the mess Cassie got herself into in such a short amount of time after Randall's death.
Chapter Nine

Friday morning, Cassie tried to decide whether or not to go back to the club. She put on her t-shirt and jeans and shook Kelli from her sleep. "Kelli, we need to check out of here."

Kelli opened her eyes and stretched. "What time is it?"

Cassie looked at her watch. "It's almost ten o'clock."

"Crap!" Kelli quickly applied a dab of lip gloss and brushed through her hair. "I have an appointment today with a law firm for an internship, so I need to get out of here, pronto. Call me later, Cass." She grabbed her purse and car keys and shut the door behind her.

Cassie rushed to collect her things, grabbed the room key, and hurried to the lobby just before check-out time. "Hi, I'm checking out of room 910," she said to the concierge.

"Oh, I was asked to give you something," the concierge said, handing Cassie an envelope.

She slipped it into her purse and left the hotel lobby. She opened her car door and placed her gym bag behind the seat. As she sat in the car, she opened the envelope and pulled out a wad of cash that had a post-it note clipped to it that read:

I doubt you'll be going back to the club, so I wanted to help you get on your feet by giving you this. Please call me anytime, 386-555-2424.

Your new friend,

Jeff

Cassie frantically counted the money. "There's five-thousand dollars here!" She opened her glove box to find the other envelope given to her by Jeff that was filled with one-thousand dollars from the night before. Quickly, shoving all the money into one envelope, she drove to the bank to make a hefty deposit.

After making the deposit at the bank, Cassie drove to the pharmacy to buy a bottle of ibuprofen for her headache. She drank so much champagne the night before that she was experiencing a slight hangover. She could never hold her liquor very well and her friends would tell her it was because she's considered a lightweight because she was so thin.

She stepped out of the car and walked up to the pharmacy at the strip mall in Deland. Next door to the pharmacy, she noticed that tanned sailor standing outside smoking a cigarette who she had met before her boob job.

"Hey, I remember you!" the tanned sailor called out.

Cassie walked toward him.

"I could never forget that long, beautiful, blonde hair," he said, flicking ashes from his cigarette.

"I'm sorry. I don't remember your name, but I remember speaking with you before," she responded.

"Do you still have my business card?"

Cassie looked inside her Gucci bag and pulled out a business card that read, "Petty Officer Miguel Murphy, Recruiter."

"Hi, Miguel," she said with a crooked smile.

"Don't feel bad about not knowing my name beforehand. You wouldn't believe how many business cards I find of mine thrown on the ground in this parking lot. At least you kept it." He laughed.

"I always hang onto business cards." A slight, timid giggle escaped her lips. Cassie threw her purse over her shoulder. "If you would excuse me, I need to run into the pharmacy and buy some ibuprofen. My head is pounding!"

"Ha-ha, rough night?"

"You could say that." She smirked before walking away.

After buying the ibuprofen, she exited the pharmacy, and noticed Miguel still standing outside, casually leaning up against the wall. She approached. "Do you ever work?" she asked, implying as a joke.

"Not really. It's very slow, so I usually stand outside, smoke a cigarette, and watch the pretty girls walk by," he said, trying to dazzle her with a wink. Miguel mustered up enough courage to ask, "What are you doing for lunch today?"

She smiled shyly, looking at him. "Not a damn thing."

He cocked his head back and laughed at her response. "Do you want to join me at Donny's Barbecue? It will be my treat, of course."

"Well a girl's gotta eat." She chuckled, nervously staring down, shuffling her feet.

"Give me a minute to lock up and we'll take my truck," he said, tossing his cigarette to the ground, and stomping it out with his foot.

Cassie stood outside and waited for the handsome, dark-haired sailor. Moments later, he walked out and locked the door to the recruiting office. "Okay, walk this way." He led her across the parking lot to his 4X4 Chevy truck.

Miguel walked around to the passenger side and opened the door for her. She stepped up on the sidestep and climbed her way into the cab of the truck. He reached across her lap and buckled her seat belt.

"My, aren't you the perfect gentleman?" A slight hint of flirtation eluded in her voice.

"Why, yes I am." He winked, playfully.

Cassie couldn't help but stare at him in his white uniform. Just something about a dark complected man in a white uniform mesmerized her.

They pulled into Donny's parking lot and then walked inside together. The hostess seated them in a booth and offered them their menus.

"The garlic bread here is to die for," Cassie said, looking up from the menu across the table at Miguel.

"I love their baked beans, they're so good," he said, skimming over the menu.

"They'll make you toot!" She laughed.

Miguel almost choked on his own saliva at the comment. "Did you really just say that?"

"Yeah, so..." She shrugged.

"I just didn't expect to hear a silly comment come from someone like you."

"Someone like me?" she questioned.

"Prim, proper...you know the type..."

"I'm hardly prim or proper." She wanted to guide the conversation into something more serious. "So, Miguel, if you don't mind me asking, what nationality are you?"

Miguel looked at her with a teasing grin. "Guess!"

She looked him over, examining him. "I would say that you are of Hispanic descent, but you are from Texas."

Miguel shook his head and laughed. "Nope! I'm half Filipino, half Caucasian, and I'm from Beverly Hills, California."

She came across as shocked. "Well, where did you get that southern accent?"

He didn't realize that he had a southern accent until she pointed it out to him. "I don't have a southern accent." He snickered, taking a sip of his soda. "What do you do for a living, Cassie?"

She gripped tightly onto her glass and took a big gulp of Sprite. "Right now, I'm in the process of looking for a job. I haven't found anything, yet. I don't really want to work for minimum wage. Because I don't have a college education, it's really tough to find a job to support my lifestyle," she explained.

"Lifestyle?" he questioned, crossing his arms, and relaxing back in his seat.

She nervously grabbed a napkin and started to rip it apart slowly. "Yes, I have a problem with spending too much money on designer clothes. Before my fiancé passed away, he provided me with everything."

Miguel eyed Cassie with sincere compassion on his face. "I'm so terribly sorry."

"It's okay; I'm getting better with it." Cassie surely didn't want to reveal that she was stripping for the past few days. She wished to put all that behind her and forget about it. Feeling terribly ashamed, she didn't want anyone to know or ever find out about it.

Miguel wiped his mouth with a napkin. "So, have you considered joining the Navy?"

Her expression displayed a slight hint of interest. "No, I haven't. What are the benefits?"

"Oh, the benefits are awesome! You receive free uniforms and food allowance, job stability, a good paycheck, and you get to travel the world for free...best of all, free room and board."

She became intrigued after hearing, free room and board, thinking this could be the answer to her dilemma. "What's the process of enlisting?"

"Well, you have to take the ASVAB, drug screening, background check, and have a high school diploma or GED."

Miguel paid the waitress for the meal; they stood from the table, and then walked outside. He opened the passenger door for her and then buckled her seatbelt as he did before. He climbed into the driver seat of the truck. "I can give you some information once we get back to my office if you like," he said, putting the key in the ignition.

Cassie nodded, a little nervous. "Okay, I'll take a look at it."

When they arrived to the recruiting office, he handed her a few brochures. "What type of job would you be interested in?"

"I don't know." She shrugged her shoulders. "Maybe some office work?" she questioned, uncertain.

He offered her some brochures on yeomans' and personnel specialists'. "These are great office duty jobs. I'm a personellman, myself. I acquired desk duty when I was injured in Desert Storm," he explained.

Cassie started to show extreme interest. She knew that this could be the only way to earn back her parents respect. She also thought it would be a perfect way to support herself without having to find a minimum wage job. After glancing over the brochures, she showed interest in the duties of a yeoman. She swallowed hard. "You know, I have nothing to lose, my parents hate me, my fiancé's dead, let's do this!"

"Wow! That was easy!" Miguel smiled; happy that he snagged another new recruit.

"I need to change my life and I'm positive this is the right start. I believe there is a reason why I saw you today and this is it. It's fate!"

Miguel walked over to the file cabinet behind his desk. Cassie started looking at his firm butt in his tight, white uniform pants. She cracked an evil grin, imagining what she wanted to do to him, but quickly shook the dirty thoughts from her mind.

He turned around and gave her an application. "Here you go, just fill this out, and we can begin the process."

Her shaky hand took a pen off his desk and she started filling out the paperwork. An hour later, she set her pen down. "Okay, here you go," she said, handing Miguel the completed application.

His fingers tapped swiftly on the keyboard as he entered the information into the database. "How soon do you want to enlist?" he asked, looking over his monitor.

"The sooner the better."

"I can put a rush on the application. There is an opening at MEPS tomorrow morning in Jacksonville if you can make it. After MEPS, it's on to boot camp."

Her stomach began to churn; she could hear faint growls coming from within. "Boot camp?" she questioned. "I forgot about boot camp," she said, concerned about the horror stories she had heard regarding the gas chamber.

"Ah, it's not that tough. If you can wake up at three o'clock in the morning and run your ass off, you'll be fine." He joked, acting as if it were no big deal.

"But, the gas chamber! I don't want to get sick."

"Is that what you're worried about? That's nothing. You'll just throw up and feel better afterward." Miguel's fingers still ferociously typed away at the keyboard. "There! You're in! All I need for you to do is sign this contract and it's official." He slid some forms across his desk toward her.

She picked up a pen, her hand trembled. "Once I sign this, there's no backing out," she mumbled. She signed her name on several sheets of paper then slid them back over to Miguel. He browsed over the forms and placed them in a large manila envelope. "The address you have on the application, is that your home address, Cassie?" he asked.

"That's my parents address. I'm not living there anymore as of yesterday," she responded, embarrassed.

"I need to know where the van can pick you up tomorrow morning and take you to MEPS."

She didn't know what address to give him and then suddenly, Kelli's address came to mind. "RR 2 State Highway 44 in Deland."

"Perfect. The van will be there at 0:800, sharp," he said as he stood from his chair, extending his hand across the desk. "Thank you, Cassie. You've made the right decision. If there is anything else that I can do for you, please don't hesitate to call me."

Cassie shook his hand and was dumbfounded, confused about how his demeanor changed from flirtatious at when they first met to a sudden business deal.

He handed her the manila envelope and she walked slowly out the door. Cassie sat down in her car and inhaled deeply. The reality of becoming a Naval sailor began to sink in. Before starting the car, she phoned Kelli.

"I need to stay with you tonight. I joined the Navy and I gave them your address," Cassie regretfully explained.

"What?" The shock roared through Kelli like thunder. "You joined the Navy?" Her mouth gaped open.

Cassie sighed. "Yes, it's a long story. I'll tell you about it when I get to your house."

"I don't mind you staying. You can stay as long as you like, but I'm not going to be home for about two-weeks."

"Where are you going?"

"I have to do an internship in Miami, but the key is under the mat, just let yourself in."

"Call me tonight when you get a moment," Cassie said before disconnecting the call.
Chapter Ten

Cassie placed her gym bag on the floor of Kelli's bedroom and sat on the edge of the bed, blankly staring into the vanity mirror with a ghostly look upon her face. "What in the hell have I done?" she asked herself. Second guessing her decision about joining the Navy, she knew it was too late to back out.

She took a deep breath, looked at her phone, and searched for Dillon's number. She clicked on his name and waited to hear his voice.

"Pick up, pick up, pick up," she whispered into the phone, her stomach in knots.

"Hello," his wondrous, masculine voice answered.

A sigh of relief! She exhaled. "Dillon, it's Cassie from Raquel's."

"Hi there, gorgeous! I'm so glad that you called. I've been thinking about you," he responded, his tone, delighted.

Cassie swallowed hard, scared to tell Dillon the news. "Dillon, I did something crazy. I didn't know what else to do. I joined the Navy and I report to MEPS tomorrow morning," she said, a hint of desperation eluded in her voice.

Shock flowed through Dillon's soul. "You went from being a dancer to a sailor all within a week's time? Are you alright?"

Tears streamed down Cassie's cheeks. She anxiously wiped them from her face. "My parents found out about me dancing. I had nowhere to go, it was my only choice. I tried calling you last night, but it went straight to your voicemail," she explained.

"I'm sorry, baby. I was in a meeting last night. I apologize that I missed your call. What would you like me to do?"

Cassie fought back more tears, sniffling into the phone. "It's not like I expected you to do anything. I just needed a friendly voice to talk to. Last night was so rough; you just don't know what I've been through. Besides, there's nothing you can do anyway. The contract is already signed, so I can't back out now."

"I was looking forward to seeing you on Saturday," he said, disappointed. "I just don't know what else I can say or do. I obviously don't want you to go, but it's not like I can stop the government. It's out of my control. I really wish that I would have answered your call last night. I feel like kicking myself!" Dillon said in a frustrated tone.

"And what would you have done if you answered my call last night? It's not like we've know each other long enough for you to do anything. You barely know me."

"I would have asked you to come to California, Cassie."

Cassie still sat on the edge of the bed, astonished at his words. "You would have asked me to live with you? Are you nuts? We've only known each other for a couple of hours, tops!"

"I know what my heart feels. It's been a long while since someone stole my heart. Granted, I didn't expect to find her in an upscale gentlemen's club, but you can't control where you meet the person who makes your heart do backflips."

Cassie wondered why this man who is so much older than her, who is successful, and extremely attractive, would want to have anything to do with her. And a stripper of all things. "Please don't be angry with me," her voice, pleading.

"Oh, gorgeous. I can never be angry with you. I just wish that I would have spoken to you before you made your decision. I would have flown you out here in a heartbeat," Dillon said, feeling completely helpless.

"Dillon, I'm going to be at MEPS for two days. As soon as I'm back here, I will call you. I don't know how much time I will have between the time I leave MEPS and have to report to boot camp," Cassie explained.

"Okay, gorgeous. Please call me. I want to see you before you leave for this whole Navy thing."

"I will, Dillon. I miss you already," Cassie said before she hung up the phone, still wiping the tears from her face. She managed to crack a fragile smile. The way he called her, gorgeous aroused her to no end. His voice was so alluring...sexy, but masculine, with a hint of sincerity.

Cassie slipped on Kelli's robe after taking a quick shower, and warmed up a can of chicken noodle soup on the stove. Hearing her phone ring, she saw her mother's name displayed on the screen. After pressing ignore, the phone made a noise indicating a voicemail had been left. Cassie dialed her voicemail and immediately hit seven on the dial pad, which deleted the message. She couldn't bear to hear the sound of her mother's voice at the moment.

Cassie grabbed her gym bag and carried it to the laundry room to wash the only clothes she had with her. She sat on the couch and watched television until she heard the buzzer on the dryer sound, which alerted her that her clothes were finished and then, she quickly dressed.

Grabbing the keys and locking the door to the house behind her, Cassie jumped in her car, and drove to the nearest department store and purchased some panties and a few bras. As she walked over to the juniors section, she found a few fitted V-neck t-shirts on sale along with some jeans. After making her purchases, she drove back to Kelli's, and retired to bed.

***

Seven o'clock the next morning, Cassie smoothed on her Chanel lotion before packing it away. As she prepared for the trip to MEPS, she snatched up her Gucci purse along with her gym bag, grabbed an apple, and then waited outside for the dreaded government van to arrive.

Kelli's driveway was about a quarter-mile long and Cassie could see the van on the highway before it made its turn onto the long, gravel driveway. Sudden anxiousness rushed through her body, feeling as if she were going to throw up from reality beginning to sink in.

The van pulled up with three guys sitting in the back. She climbed inside and sat next to a guy who looked like a major nerd. He reached out his hand. "Hi, I'm Gregory."

"Nice to meet you, I'm Cassie," she said, shaking his hand. Cassie pulled out her ear buds from her purse, plugged them into her cell phone, and placed them in her ears. She tried to find some music to listen to on the two-hour road trip to Jacksonville. Leaning back, she stared blankly out the window. The van stopped at the stoplight where Randall had lost his life. Through her ear buds, she could hear muffled voices of the guys talking. A voice came from the backseat, "Did you hear about that motorcycle accident here?"

Cassie rolled her eyes and turned the music up louder, not wanting to hear anything those geeks had to say about Randall.

Two hours later, the van finally pulled into the parking lot at MEPS. It was a circular building that read on the outside, "Military Entrance Processing Station."

Cassie picked up her purse along with her gym bag and waited in front of the building for more recruits to arrive. A man dressed in a uniform approached. "Okay, future recruits, follow me and I will show you where your lockers are."

Cassie was first in line and followed behind the uniformed gentleman. He spun around on his heel to face the recruits. "My name is Lieutenant Bradstone. I will be your guide during the two days that you are here. After you put your belongings in your locker, I need you to follow me to the ASVAB testing center."

Cassie shoved her purse and gym bag in her locker and slammed it closed. She glanced around at all the other recruits. "Am I the only female here?" she asked herself. She saw males everywhere, but no females. Eventually, she was led to the testing center where she situated herself in a desk. The room was filled with about fifty recruits. She was handed a booklet with a pencil.

"You have two-hours to take this exam. There is absolutely no talking during the test. If you speak during the test, your exam will be picked up and trashed. Do I make myself clear?" The instructor's tone was stern.

"Yes, sir!" the class responded in unison.

The clock displayed ten o'clock. "Okay, you may begin!" the instructor shouted.

Cassie flipped open the booklet. Looking from her peripheral vision, she could see the instructor pacing throughout the room with his hands resting on his hips. He watched over everyone like a hawk, looking for the slightest insubordinate recruit.

She stared down at her exam. "This test is filled with so much math! I'm going to fail this I just know it!" she mumbled. Although discouraged, she managed to complete it, but didn't feel confident on a passing grade.

"Time's up! All pencils down." The instructor insisted.

Cassie placed her pencil on the desk and the instructor gathered up the tests. "Come back in about thirty-minutes and I will have your results. In the meantime, go to the cafeteria and eat some lunch."

Cassie stood and stretched. She went to the cafeteria and grabbed a tray. Because she wasn't very hungry, she ordered a salad, which would be light on her knotted digestive system. She sat alone at a table, but couldn't help but notice all of the uniformed men that filled the cafeteria. A little aroused at the sight, she slightly giggled because a naughty thought ran across her mind. "I wonder what it would be like to be in a room with about ten uniformed officers having their way with me?" she silently thought, a devilish grin consumed her face.

A strong voice came from behind, over her shoulder, "I wonder what made you smile like that. Is the seat across from you taken?"

She looked up and noticed a tall gentleman who was dressed in a white Naval uniform.

"Yes, this seat is taken," she flirtatiously said as she put her foot on the chair and pushed it out from under the table toward him. "It's taken because you're going to sit in it." She smiled, a flirtatious eyebrow raised.

"My name is Gil."

"Hi, I'm Cassie."

"So, I see you decided to play it safe and get the salad." Gil laughed.

"I'm just nervous, so I needed something light on my stomach."

"Totally understandable. So, you decided to join the Navy, huh?" Gill asked, adjusting his black neckerchief.

"Yeah, I'm having some major family issues, so I thought it would be best for me to make a change and join the Navy."

A voice came over the loud speaker, "Recruits, report to the testing center!"

"Wow! I barely had time to sit down to eat," Cassie said as she stood from the table.

"Get used to it. In boot camp, you'll only have seven minutes to eat a meal." He laughed.

"Well, it was nice meeting you, Gil...even though it was cut short."

"You too, Cassie. Good Luck!"

Cassie dumped her leftover food in the garbage can and headed to the testing center.

"Okay, recruits, after I call your name, walk up, view your results, then proceed to the physical examination center," the instructor explained.

"Cassie Littleton." Cassie walked up to the instructor and viewed her results. The instructor whispered under his breath, "You received a perfect score." He handed her a pass to the physical examination center.

Cassie walked into the hall and saw Lieutenant Bradstone. She felt like a child in elementary school because everyone was told what to do as if they were children. "Just wait here and we'll wait for the other recruits," he instructed.

Cassie leaned back against a locker and waited on the rest of the guys to get their test results. She noticed a few of the guys heading straight for the exit.

"Well, I guess they failed," the lieutenant said, shaking his head back and forth. Cassie shyly looked down without any response.

Finally, the last recruit emerged, and they followed the lieutenant to the physical exam center. Cassie was instructed to go into an exam room by herself while the other male recruits went into a large room together.

"Please remove all of your clothes and put this gown on," a nurse said, handing Cassie a thin paper gown before leaving the room.

Minutes later, a doctor walked in. "Good afternoon, Littleton. I'm Dr. Ramsey and I will be conducting your physical," he said. Dr. Ramsey continued to ask Cassie a bunch of health questions. After being felt up and going through an uncomfortable pap smear, she was instructed to get dressed, and wait for the nurse to administer a blood test.

"All finished, you can wait in the hall for the lieutenant," the nurse said, writing Cassie's name on a label, and sticking it on the vile of blood.

Cassie walked out the door, retrieved her bags from her locker, and then waited in the hall.

Thirty minutes later, the male recruits walked out with the lieutenant. He handed all the recruits, including Cassie, a pass for a one-night stay at the hotel across the street.

"Report back here at 0:800 hours!" the lieutenant instructed.

Cassie gathered with the recruits and walked over to the hotel together.

"We should all go to a strip club tonight," one of the recruits said aloud. Mark was a gangly looking nerdy guy who looked as if he would run away from a girl if she ever tried to talk to him.

"You guys go have your fun. I'm staying in and relaxing for the rest of the day." Cassie's intentions were to call Dillon and couldn't wait to hear the sound of his sexy voice.

Cassie ventured off to her room and placed her bags on the bed. She grabbed her phone out of her purse and dialed Dillon's number.

"Hello, gorgeous," Dillon answered. "How's my beautiful girl?"

A severe case of butterflies consumed her as she grinned from ear-to-ear. "I'm well; I couldn't wait to call you. I've been thinking about you all day," she said.

"I've been thinking about you, too. I was going to call you, but didn't know if you were allowed to have calls while you're at MEPS. What's the next step of the process?" he asked.

Cassie sighed. "Well, I'm waiting on my test results of my blood work. If that comes back okay, then the next step is boot camp. I'm uncertain when that is, but I will find out tomorrow after my background check and psychological evaluation."

"I see."

"So, what are you doing right now?" Cassie asked.

"I'm sitting here wondering what you're wearing," he said, his tone, flirtatious.

Cassie knew that she was about to engage in a phone sex conversation. She was ready to fib a little about what she actually was wearing. She thought a simple t-shirt and blue jeans wouldn't get him excited. "Well, I just got out of the shower and I'm standing here all slippery and wet. I'm sliding on a pair of black, thigh-high stockings, and putting on a pair of tall, black stiletto heels."

"Go on," he urged.

"I'm lying on the bed with my hand gliding slowly across my bare, firm breasts and spreading my thighs apart, imagining running my fingers through your soft sandy, blond hair as you ever so lightly kiss me between my thighs with your soft, luscious lips. You begin a trail of tiny, soft, delicate kisses up to my naval, and lick the warm dew off my body," her voice, halting, panting.

Cassie heard Dillon's breathing becoming stronger through the phone. She could sense by the sound that he was making that he was becoming satisfied with the conversation. "Oh my God, Cassie. You sure have a way with words," he said.

"I thought you would like that." She giggled, slightly.

"Well, you didn't answer my question, Dillon. What are you wearing?" She thought to herself, "Please say a suit." Nothing turned her on more than a man in a suit and tie, or a Naval uniform.

"I'm wearing a navy blue suit with a crisp white button down, collared shirt, and a navy blue tie," he described.

Breathless, Cassie imagined grabbing him by his tie, and forcing a passionate kiss on his soft, perfect lips. "You sound incredibly sexy," she said, extremely aroused.

"Do I?"

"If you only knew how sexy you are. My God, I could rip that suit off your body and have my way with you if you were here right now!" She glanced at the clock on the dresser and noticed that it was becoming late. "Well, it's getting late, so I'm going to get some shut-eye before tomorrow. I miss you; I will call you tomorrow as soon as I get back to Kelli's."

"Dammit! I wanted to hear more sexy talk from you." He sounded frustrated. "I miss you, too."

The next morning, after getting dressed, she walked over to MEPS. The lieutenant approached her and informed her that she had passed all of her tests. He handed her an envelope that indicated her first day of boot camp. Opening the envelope, the form inside stated that she would be starting boot camp next Monday in Orlando. Relieved that she wasn't going to boot camp in Chicago, she hoped that during liberty, there was a possibility that she might see Dillon if he were in town.
Chapter Eleven

After the van dropped Cassie off at Kelli's house, she placed her bags in the bedroom, and glanced at her watch. Seeing it was one o'clock, she knew that her parents weren't home, which would give her a good opportunity to rush over and get some of her clothes. She grabbed her Gucci bag and hurried out the door.

She arrived at her parents house and unlocked the door with her key. She stormed into her bedroom, grabbed a few suitcases, and frantically began filling them with clothes, shoes, and handbags. She rushed into the bathroom, taking her lotions, shampoo, and perfumes, and then loaded everything in her car, and sped off down the dirt road, leaving a trail of dust behind her.

As soon as Cassie arrived back at Kelli's, she called Dillon and left him a voicemail. "Hey, sweetie. I'm back at my friend's house. I received my orders. I start boot camp next Monday in Orlando. Call me when you get this message if you can."

After a few hours had passed, Cassie saw Dillon's name come up on her cell phone. Stimulating shivers trailed down her spine as she excitedly answered the call. "Hey, sweetie!" Enthusiasm reigned in her voice.

"Hi, gorgeous! Guess where I am?"

"Where?"

"I'm in Orlando. I want you in my hotel room, tonight."

As her heart raced, she anticipated being able to see him finally outside of the club. "Okay, I can meet you there. Where are you staying?" she asked, urgently trying to find a pen in her purse.

"I'm staying at the Rise Carlini in the royal suite."

"The royal suite! Aren't you, Mr. Money Bags?" She laughed.

"I reserve that suite always when I'm in town. When you see the concierge, tell him your name, and he will give you the room key. I'm going to be in meetings most of the day, but I will see you this evening. Feel free to make yourself comfortable. I can't wait to see you, Cassie."

"Okay, I'm going to leave in about ten minutes. How long would you like me to stay?" she asked, hoping it was the entire time he was in town.

"I have the room until next Monday morning, so you can stay as long as you like."

"Alright, sweetie. I'll see you this evening." She disconnected the call and squealed like a teenager. Grabbing her luggage off the floor, she loaded them into her Porsche, and sped off down the driveway. Her heart pounded strongly due to the excitement of seeing him.

She spotted the hotel from I-4. As she approached the hotel, her heart pounded harder, and her palms began to sweat. She parked at the front of the hotel and a gentleman retrieved her suitcases and bags from her car. Cassie handed her keys to the valet, walked to the concierge desk, and told her name to the gentleman.

"Ah, yes." The concierge smiled, raising an inquisitive eyebrow. "We've been expecting you, Miss. Littleton. Here is your room key. Your luggage should be on its way up to your suite."

With her pulse racing, she stepped onto the elevator. When she arrived at the room, she looked at the keycard to make certain that she was standing in front of the correct door. She slid the keycard into the slot and the door unlocked. Entering the suite, she felt as if she had entered her own fairy tale. An elegant trail of red rose petals led into the master bedroom. The trail ended at a hot tub in the center of the room. She noticed an empty glass and a freshly open bottle of champagne that was placed at the edge of the tub. A deep breath in, she was in awe. She spotted a card that was half-folded near the faucet. As she opened it, the handwritten words read:

Enjoy a relaxing bubble bath and a glass of champagne. I will see you soon.

Dillon

The water flowed into the tub; she disrobed, and slowly sank into the warm bubbles. Pouring a glass of champagne, she relaxed back, and allowed the stress to escape her mind. She raised the glass to her lips and took a well-deserved, hearty sip. Judging by the bottle of Cristal, she knew that Dillon must be pretty wealthy. She was aware of how expensive a bottle of that specific brand was; she just didn't expect him to spend so much money on her for only knowing her in such a short period of time.

Stepping from the tub, she towel dried herself off, smoothed on her Chanel lotion, and put on a white, plush robe that was draped over a vanity chair. She could smell Dillon's cologne as she wrapped it around her naked body. She went into the living area, sat down on the sofa, and then turned on the fifty-inch plasma TV. At almost six o'clock, she had not heard from Dillon since she had arrived.

An hour had passed and the door to the suite flung open. She jumped to her feet and rushed over toward Dillon, excitingly wrapping her arms tightly around his neck, burying her face into his chest, and inhaling his masculine, mandrake scent of Annick Goutal. "You look incredible!" she said. "And you smell divine."

Dressed in a modern-fit designer suit, he looked absolutely fantastic. Her heart began to flutter.

"Don't you look cute wearing my robe?" he said, brushing a blonde loose curl away from her face. "Would you like to go out to dinner tonight?" he asked, tossing his keys onto the coffee table.

"I would love to. What should I wear?"

"I've wanted to try this five-star restaurant by the name of Christian's. I guess if you have a little black dress, that would be fine," he said, loosening his necktie.

Cassie remembered her black Prada dress from Randall's funeral. "Perfect, I know exactly what to wear." She ran off to the bedroom and rummaged through her suitcase as she searched for her Prada dress. "Found it!" She started to slip the robe off her shoulders and could sense the electricity of Dillon's heat coming off his body as he stood behind her, him thinking she wouldn't see him. Forcefully, he grabbed her at the waist and spun her around to face him. His lips met hers with an aggressive kiss, his hand at the nape of her neck, pushing her lips harder into his. Consumed with burning passion, she jumped up, and wrapped her legs around him. His kisses trailed to her neck; she slung her head back, enraptured at the control that he had over her. His lips brushed across the top of her breasts, her robe concealing her nipples.

She pulled back, breathing heavily, and whispered, "Let's wait until we get back from dinner."

"You're killing me." He teased. "But, I'll do as you suggest. If I had you in my bed at this very moment, we wouldn't be going to dinner, I can tell you that right now, baby." He turned graciously and walked away.

Cassie slid into her Prada dress and met Dillon in the living room. He looked irresistible in his suit. "Shall we?" Dillon asked, offering her his arm. She wrapped her arm around his and he led her to the front entrance of the hotel. As they waited for the valet to pull the car around, a white BMW Z4 convertible stopped in front of them. "Would you like the top down, Mr. Baron?" the valet asked.

"No, that's quite alright," Dillon responded.

The valet held open the passenger door for Cassie and she situated herself on the beautiful tan leather seat.

"So, Mr. Baron. Nice car," she said, flirtatiously emphasizing his last name.

"It's a rental. I always rent one of these baby's when I'm in town."

"Well, it's gorgeous." she said, rubbing her hand across the leather console.

"Thank you." He smiled, observantly, eyeing her long legs that were craving for his electrifying touch.

Cassie's eyes were fixed on his superb long legs as he shifted gears. Taking her left hand, she enticingly rubbed it on the inside of his right thigh.

"You might not want to do that while I'm driving, my dear. You may cause me to wreck." He teased.

Slowly, she slid her hand over the rise in his slacks. "Is that better, Mr. Baron?" she asked, pleasantly surprised at the feel of his thickness.

"Not quite," he responded, trying to push her hand away, hoping not to become distracted. "You play a dangerous game, don't you, Cassie?"

"What do you mean by that?"

"You're attempting to get me hot, which I will admit, is working, but I need to focus on the road."

Cassie relaxed back in her seat, crossed her arms in front of her, and pouted like a child.

They pulled up at the valet and then entered the restaurant. Decorated ornately in cobalt blue, the restaurant was quite stunning. "This place is beautiful," she said, tightly hanging onto his arm.

"I hear great things about this place. I wanted to share my first experience with you." He smiled broadly, showing his dazzling white teeth.

The waiter seated them at a secluded table in the corner. "May I bring you something to drink?"

"I would like a glass of water, please," Cassie said.

Dillon skimmed quickly over the wine list. "I'll take your finest bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon, please."

"Very well, sir. I will be right back with two wine glasses."

"He didn't card me," Cassie said, looking at Dillon concerned.

"I guess they're not strict about age limits here, are they?" He shrugged.

The waiter brought two wine glasses to the table and unscrewed the cork off the bottle. The waiter poured some wine in Dillon's glass. Swirling his glass around, Dillon inhaled, taking in the scent of the aroma. "Ah, this smells delightful." He exhaled. "Thank you." He looked up at the waiter and placed his glass to the table.

"So, Cassie...the Navy? Why on earth would you join the Navy?"

"Free room and board, clothing allowance, health benefits, education, shall I go on?" she responded, sarcastically.

"How long did you enlist for?"

"Four years with my fifth year as a reservist."

"Wow!" Dillon said, completely shocked. "Where do you go when boot camp is over?"

"Well, boot camp lasts for eight-weeks in Orlando, then I move on to A-School in Memphis for ten-weeks," she explained.

Dillon stared across the table at Cassie, feeling disappointed in her decision. "I wish I could just take care of you. If you were with me, you would never have to work a day in your life," he said, shaking his head in disbelief.

Cassie attempted to change the subject. "You know, I find it hard to believe that you're not married."

"Well, my gold digging, ex-wife cheated on me. That was ten years ago. I have not been in a serious relationship since, well, until now." Dillon's cheeks turned a slight pale pink.

"Aw, you consider what we have a serious relationship? We haven't even had sex yet." She laughed. "I am flattered, though. I must admit that I think I'm falling hard for you," she said, looking down at her glass of wine, feeling embarrassed that those words escaped through her lips.

After the food was served, Cassie let her black high heel fall to the floor. She trailed her bare foot up in between Dillon's legs. The two kept hungrily gazing at each other as if they wanted to rip each other's clothes off. She could feel his penis grow hard against her toes.

Swallowing the final bite of his prime rib, Dillon signed the credit card receipt. "Are you ready to go, Cassie?" he asked, becoming sexually frustrated, and trying his best to adjust his jacket to conceal his enormous erection.

"I sure am. Let's get out of here," she responded, taking his arm as they walked outside.

Upon arriving at the hotel, Cassie placed her purse on the coffee table. Dillon dropped to the couch and Cassie sat beside him.

"So, here we are," he said, taking her hand and examining her fingers. "Your nails are so sexy. I love a woman with a French manicure."

"Thank you," she said, becoming shaky, knowing where this night was leading up to.

He leaned in and kissed her on the cheek. She pulled away.

"What's the matter, gorgeous? Why are you pulling away from me?" He brushed her side-swept bangs from her face and looked into her eyes.

She folded her hands in her lap and looked down at her knotted fingers. "I'm a little scared. The only man I've ever been with was my fiancé. I don't think I'm experienced enough for you."

He took her trembling hand and guided it to his soft lips. "Don't be silly." Brushing her hand across his jaw, he then kissed her knuckles softly. "Just follow my lead."

She wanted to taste those lips again. Taking a deep breath, she bravely pressed her lips to his.

"Oh, my. Miss Littleton. I don't know what it is that you do to me, but I think I'm falling hard for you, too." He gathered her in his arms, carried her to the bedroom, and gently placed her on the king-size bed. He untied the sash of Cassie's dress and opened it widely, slipping it off her arms, and tossing it to the floor. He stood alongside the bed and unbuckled his belt, allowing his slacks and black boxer-briefs to fall below his waist. Astonished at how large his penis was, Cassie was afraid to feel him inside her. Never had she seen a man so well-endowed. Pressing on, wanting him more than ever, she shoved her fear off to the side. She stood, sliding his blazer off his shoulders, and unbuttoning his shirt. She lightly brushed her hand across his defined, hard pecs. His chest was totally hairless and his skin, flawless. He reached behind and removed her black lacy bra. She fell back onto the bed; her breasts were totally exposed to him. Dillon glided his hand down her thigh and slowly removed her black lacy panties. Placing gentle kisses all over her smooth, sensuous curves, Cassie became breathless, yearning for him, badly. Feeling the probe of his index finger at her entrance, she gasped, pressing her thighs against his strong hold into her. Her warmth invited him and he was eager to please her the way her body begged to be pleased. Dillon's lips parted slightly and he hissed through his perfect teeth. "You're so ready for me, baby." He situated himself in between her legs, and she wrapped her legs around his bare, naked back, trying forcefully to push him inside her.

"Not so fast, baby. I need to inch my way in. Most women can't handle this." Pushing himself from above her, he tenderly spread open her stinging, pulsating folds, and gently pushed the tip of himself inside her sopping, wet channel.

Cassie arched her back with an erotic moan, "Oh, baby, more...I want to feel all of you."

He looked deep into her eyes as he fully engulfed himself into her tight, silky folds. "I love you, Cassie...so much that it hurts." He couldn't control the way that he felt any longer. He did love her, even though he only knew her in such a short amount of time.

Cassie dug her nails into his back as he thrust himself harder into her, deeper. "Oh, Dillon. I love you, too," Cassie said, feeling a sudden warmth explode inside her.

Dillon freed himself from her strong hold, shocked at how quickly he came. "I haven't made love that passionate in a long time. You're so beautiful. What am I going to do without you? I don't want you to leave me," he whispered, trying to catch his breath.

Cassie wrapped her arms around him, and pulled herself into him. "I don't want to leave, either, but it's not like I have a choice." A stray tear trickled down her cheek.

They held each other tightly, falling asleep, wrapped in each other's arms.

The next day, Dillon had a meeting downtown. Cassie wanted to spend the day lounging around the hotel suite. She received a text from Dillon that read, "I so loved last night."

She responded, "I so love you." She blushed, a big smile broadened on her face. She couldn't erase the thought of him from her mind. He was the sexiest man she had ever seen. A total fantasy package that was all hers. She sat back on the couch and imagined what it would be like to be his wife, wondering if he would ever ask her to marry him, but what would her answer be?

The door to the suite flung open. Dillon ravenously rushed toward Cassie. Forcefully pushing her up against the wall, he ripped open her robe. He kissed her aggressively. Never experiencing rough sex before, Cassie was totally aroused. He picked her up and slammed her naked body onto the coffee table. Unzipping his pants, he began to have his way with her. He secured her hands tightly above her head with one hand, and guided his full length inside her with the other. The erotic passion was more than she could handle. Her back arched, her body tightened, never had she experienced a sensation rush through her body like this. He felt her pulsate against his penis, which drove him over the edge, forcing his release inside her. He pulled out, zipped up his pants, kissed her on the cheek, and whispered into her ear, "That's the best lunch hour I have ever had!"

Cassie stood, her legs weak. "What was that? I never felt anything like it." She gripped onto his arm to stabilize her balance.

As he gazed deeply into her beautiful blue eyes, a wide smile of satisfaction graced his face. "Baby, I think you just experienced your first orgasm." With that, he turned around, and closed the door behind him.

Wrapping herself back into her robe, she plopped down onto the couch. A devilish grin bounded her face. Never had she experienced an orgasm in her life, not even Randall awarded her with such a glorious feeling. She loved it and sat relaxed, anticipating her next one as she skimmed through the T.V. channels.
Chapter Twelve

After a full week of hot, steamy, intense sex, the time had come for Cassie to pack for boot camp.

"Dillon, I hate to ask you this, but I don't know where to have this stuff delivered to. Would you mind if I had all my things shipped to your house in California?"

"Not at all, gorgeous. I would love for you to keep your things at my house. It gives me reassurance that I will see you again."

"Oh! Another thing." She remembered something about her car. "Is it okay if I have my Porsche towed to your house?"

"I can drive it to California if you like. I have the next few weeks off and I could use a nice, relaxing road trip in my baby's Porsche."

"Are you sure?" she asked feeling a little guilty. "Are you sure it's not an imposition?"

"Not at all. I'm happy to do it." He smiled and kissed her on the forehead.

Cassie zipped her gym bag closed and tossed it over her shoulder. "Okay, I'm ready." She took in a deep breath. Her nerves were getting the best of her. Not knowing what to expect in boot camp was frightening.

They went downstairs and waited for the valet to pull her Porsche around. Dillon placed Cassie's luggage in the car then drove her to the Naval training center.

She and Dillon pulled up an hour before she was required to report for boot camp. Cassie looked over at Dillon, her eyes filled with tears. He cupped her face in his hands and endearingly gazed into her eyes. "I'm going to miss you so much. I can't believe I won't be able to talk to you or see you for two whole months." He gently wiped away a tear with his thumb that trickled down her cheek.

"Hopefully, the time will go by fast. I will call you as soon as I can. I hear on Sunday's we get an hour of free time." She sniffled, trying to look at the positive side. "Here's my cell phone. I can't take it with me."

He clutched tightly onto her phone, pressed his lips to hers, and then pulled away. "I love you, Cassie."

"I love you, too." She stepped from the car and closed the door behind her. She couldn't look back, she was too hurt. Her heart felt as though it was being ripped from her chest.

Cassie went to the check-in station and was instructed to wait in a room with the other recruits. Relieved to see there were other girls in the crowd, she took comfort in knowing that she wasn't the only female.

A man in a khaki uniform approached the crowd. "Welcome to Orlando. Once you arrive at the training facility, you will see two men dressed in uniform waiting for your arrival. One, will be wearing black pants, a khaki top, and a silver pin on his collar. He is to be addressed as Petty Officer. The second, will be wearing a khaki top, khaki pants, and a gold pin on his collar. You will address him as Chief," the uniformed gentleman explained.

Reality began to sink in and Cassie felt sick to her stomach. "What in the hell have I gotten myself into?" she mumbled quietly under her breath.

The recruits walked to the training facility and were greeted by the two uniformed men. Their voices were obnoxiously loud and demanding. The petty officer hollered in a stern voice at the recruits. Cassie knew that she would be broken down mentally before joining the Navy, and wasn't as prepared as she had thought.

Each recruit was instructed to move through a line to pick up a dark blue sweat suit and a pair of tennis shoes. "Once you receive your sweat suit and shoes, you will go into the locker room and put them on. You will then report back here where you will receive a box. In that box you will place all of your personal belongings in it, and ship it to your home. If you choose not to ship it; it will be donated to charity. Do I make myself clear?" the petty officer demanded.

"Yes, sir!" the recruits yelled in sync.

Cassie wrote Kelli's address on her box and placed a note inside.

Kelli,

Please call my parents and tell them that I joined the Navy. I don't want them to think I'm still dancing in a strip club. I will call you as soon as I can. I'm stuck in here for eight-weeks, actually nine because the first week is processing week. I Love you, Kelli!

Love, Cassie.

Cassie handed the box to the petty officer. She and the other female recruits were separated from the male recruits, and were led to a large room that contained one-hundred beds. A female petty officer demanded every recruit to stand in front of the bed that they were each assigned to. "This will be your home for the next nine-weeks, ladies," the female petty officer hollered.

Finally, after a day of what seemed to be pure hell, Cassie crawled into her bed, and tried to fall asleep. All she could think about was Dillon. She wished that she had a picture of him. All she could do is lie there in silence and imagine his soft passionate kisses on her lips. His taste was exquisite, always with a hint of mint.

Four o'clock the next morning, Cassie awakened, startled by several uniformed women blowing whistles throughout the barracks. "Get up! Get dressed and report outside immediately!" a uniformed woman demanded.

Never awakened before in such affright, Cassie's heart beat violently against the walls of her chest. She made her bed then slipped on her sweats and tennis shoes. After the female and male recruits were teamed up together, they were led into a room that looked like a large barber shop. Tears pooled in Cassie's eyes when she realized suddenly that her long, beautiful, blonde hair would be cut off. Her hair was her pride and joy and she couldn't go anywhere without someone commenting on how beautiful it was.

"Next!" the barber called out. Cassie took a seat in the swivel chair. Listening to the sound of the scissors cutting away at her hair, she watched painfully as the loose curls fell gracefully to the floor. The other female recruits had the look of pity on their faces as they stared at her detrimental expression. She looked into the mirror after it finally was over and noticed that she was given a bob style cut. Wiping away her tears, she waited in line for the other recruits to finish their encounter with the dreadful, heartless barber.

After the devastation of the hair cutting ceremony, Cassie got her inoculations, learned how to stand at attention, read over her handbook, submitted a urine test, and was assigned to her recruit division and drill sergeant.

***

The real hardcore basic training began during week two. Cassie finally received her dress uniforms, learned the chain of command, and how to march.

At week three, Cassie endured physical training and classroom exercises. She learned about money management, laws, and Naval history.

Week four was a little less stressful because she didn't seem to be yelled at quite so much. Her muscles became accustomed to the strenuous activity from running, sit ups, and push-ups. She was prepared for her physical training test. Because of her competitive nature, she made it a priority to score the best out of everyone, including the men. Her competiveness stemmed from her martial-art classes from two years past. Not at all surprised that she achieved her goal, Cassie was awarded leader of her recruit division.

Into week five, Cassie entered Service Week. Her duty was cleaning the galley. She didn't mind it too much because she was yelled at the least. Actually, she enjoyed the work because it seemed to make the time go by faster. She learned how to fire off a 9mm handgun and participated in computer classes.

During the sixth week, she took her division pictures. She also learned about firefighting and damage control. During the last day of week six, it was time for her worst fear...the gas chamber. Scared of throwing up in the chamber, she deprived herself of food and fluids the day before.

She stood tensely in line and was placed in a group with other recruits. She had only thirty-seconds to place her gas mask over her face. The chief petty officer instructed Cassie's group to enter the chamber. She removed the mask inside the chamber and announced her first name and social security number. The group was then instructed to vacate the chamber immediately. She began coughing, sneezing, and experienced dry heaves. She felt very ill and her eyes watered and burned. Watching the last group exit the chamber, she thought it was amusing when she saw their reactions, but she didn't dare laugh at them. "Some of these men act like real babies," she mumbled, still coughing, relieved that her worst fear finally was over.

Cassie learned a great deal throughout boot camp, but she didn't make many friends because of drills and extreme exhaustion. She often wondered how Dillon was doing and if possibly he moved on to someone else. Still, she didn't know why he would even want to date someone without a college education. Deep down, she always believed that he was too good for her because of his intellect. After all, he was a very smart attorney, and she, only a high school graduate, turned stripper, which was the epitome of white trash.

During graduation, Cassie wore her dress uniform for the very first time. Nervous and excited, she went onto the field alongside her division unit for the ceremony. The field resembled a football field and she could see a large number of people sitting in the bleachers. She wasn't expecting anyone in her family to show up to watch her graduate, but she could see people in the stands, waving at their loved ones on the field. Because the recruits were to remain at attention at all times, they weren't permitted to wave at anyone.

As Cassie stood at attention, she saw from her peripheral vision, a recruit faint and fall to the ground, several others soon followed. "Didn't these idiots learn to slightly bend their knees while standing at attention?" she muttered, staring straight ahead. Finally, after about an hour, the ceremony was over and she could relax.

The recruits started to clear the field. As Cassie followed, she heard a voice call out her name, "Cassie! Over here!" She looked toward the voice and saw Dillon waving his arms frantically in the air, attempting to get her attention. He ran toward her, dressed in a suit and tie like always. Tears began to fall down her cheeks. She ran up to him, jumped in his arms, and hugged him tightly.

"I've missed you so much!" he said, brushing a stray piece of hair from her face.

"I've missed you, too," she responded, still held firmly in his embrace.

Cassie felt a tap on her shoulder and she pulled away from Dillon's hold. As she turned around, she was stunned to discover her mother and father. "Oh my God, you guys came!" She squealed, hugging the both of them tightly. "Mom, Dad, I want you to meet Dillon. Dillon, these are my parents." They all shook hands.

"Will you please all join me at the post-graduation dinner?" Cassie asked, a smile beamed from ear-to-ear.

They located a table and sat together. Cassie's parents sat across from her and Dillon. After Mrs. Littleton situated herself in a chair, she looked in Cassie's direction and smiled. "So, Cassie...how did you meet such a handsome gentleman?"

Cassie didn't know how to respond. She surely didn't want to tell her mother that she had met him at Raquel's.

Dillon interrupted before Cassie could speak. "Cassie and I met at Daytona Beach a few months ago."

"Months ago?" Mrs. Littleton questioned. "Wasn't Randall alive back then?"

Cassie had to think quickly on her feet. "Um, I met him a few weeks after Randall's passing, Mom."

Cassie's father looked up from his plate. "I'm very proud of you for following in my footsteps." He took a sip of iced tea. "What job did you enlist for?" Mr. Littleton was thin. His hair had strands of silver that was now taking over the black that he once had. Cassie had blue eyes like her mother; her father had brown.

"Yeoman," she replied, swiftly.

"Ah, administrative duties. That's a good job. Not really a good chance of you going off to war."

Horribly nervous throughout the meal, she prayed that her parents wouldn't bring up the strip club. She wanted desperately to put all that mess behind her and not talk about it at all if she could help it. She suddenly blurted out, "I have the entire weekend for liberty," she said, looking over at Dillon, insinuating that she wanted to spend every minute she could with him.

"Oh, really?" He tilted his head to the side, staring curiously at her.

"Why don't you and Dillon come to dinner tonight?" Mr. Littleton asked.

"I can't be too far off base. If you don't mind, I'm just going to stay put for the weekend." She cupped her hand to her eye so her parents couldn't see the wink that she threw toward Dillon.

"Suit yourself. Where do you go for A-school?" her father asked.

"I leave for Memphis on Monday." A hint of disappointed shown through her voice.

"I thought you had been granted two-weeks off, Cassie?" Dillon questioned, not appearing at all too happy.

"There was a change in schedule. I have to leave on Monday morning. I have to be at the airport by noon," Cassie explained.

"I can take you to the airport if you like," Dillon suggested. "Oh, before I forget." He reached into the front pocket of his slacks and pulled out her cell phone. "Here's your phone, baby."

"Thank you." Cassie took the phone from Dillon's grasp and placed it on the table. When she touched his fingertips, a sharp jolt of sexual energy flowed through her body. She crossed her legs tightly, trying to stifle the stinging, surging urge of sex arising from deep within. "That's a wonderful idea, Dillon. That would be so sweet of you to take me to the airport," Cassie said, radiating a slight smirk.

After finishing their meal along with their discussion, Cassie's parents stood from the table and gave her one last hug before they left. "We just want you to know that we're very proud and love you very much. Call us when you get to Memphis," Mrs. Littleton said, trying to hold back tears as she said her goodbye.

Cassie began to shed some tears as she watched her mother and father walk away. She felt a sense of relief come over her as she believed they forgave her for dancing.

"You know that we're actually staying in my hotel tonight, right?" Dillon asked, assuming Cassie knew of his intentions.

"Of course. I couldn't tell my parents that, though." She giggled, eagerly. "Wait here. I'm going to get my bags and I will leave with you. I have to check out first." Cassie ran off toward the barracks.

After collecting her belongings, Cassie checked out at the administrative office. She met Dillon in the parking lot at his BMW Z4 convertible rental.

"By the way, I love your hair," Dillon said, adjusting the rearview mirror.

"You do? I was so afraid that you would hate it. I'm allowed to grow it back out, I just couldn't have it long while in boot camp. I have to wear it up while in uniform when it grows back out, though," she said. "I really hate it. I cried like a baby when that man cut it all off."

"I must say, Cassie...you look absolutely adorable in that uniform! You're turning me on just sitting here!" He laughed, tugging at the erection in his slacks.

She playfully rubbed his forearm as he shifted gears. "You know what would turn me on? You removing this uniform off my body," she said, winking mischievously at him.

"Well, that I can definitely do." They pulled up to the usual hotel and dropped the car off with the valet.

They stepped onto the elevator that led them to the floor of their hotel suite. He placed her bags on the couch, grabbed Cassie by the waist, and pulled her into him. "You're so beautiful; I couldn't stop thinking about you. I was counting down the days until you graduated," he said, looking attentively deep into her eyes.

"I volunteered for so many jobs to keep me busy so the time would go by fast. I even volunteered for cleaning the heads!" she said, looking embarrassed for even saying that, afraid Dillon would think she was immature.

"The heads?" Dillon questioned.

"Duh! The bathroom. What did you think I meant?"

"You don't want to know, Miss Littleton." He taunted playfully with his eyes.

"Ew! You thought I meant cleaning ding dongs!"

"Yeah." He tossed his head back, laughing.

"I need to take a shower." She pulled away.

"Sure, go ahead. I can take a business call while you do that." He took his cell phone from the inside pocket of his jacket.

Cassie grabbed her bags and walked into the bathroom. She started the shower and waited for the water to heat up. Realizing that she had no civilian clothes with her, she cracked open the bathroom door, and called out, "Dillon, do you mind if we go to the mall after I take a shower? I need to buy some clothes so I won't have to wear this damn uniform everywhere I go."

Dillon placed his hand over the receiver on the phone, "Sure, gorgeous...that's fine."

She stood in the shower; the water flowed down her slender frame. The water, so hot that it steamed up the mirrors. Grabbing the complimentary shower gel, she lathered up her hair and closed her eyes.

Dillon snuck quietly into the shower with her. She could sense him from behind, feeling his strong hands glide across her smooth, flat stomach. He placed wistful kisses at the nape of her neck and his hands felt their way up to her large, firm breasts that he lusted for so much. She turned around and they passionately kissed. Lightly nibbling on his earlobe, she pulled his wet, warm, tightly-toned body against her. With her arms around his neck, she jumped up, and wrapped her legs around his waist. She felt the stiffness of him at her outer entrance. He tugged at the top of her hair, forcing her head back where he buried his lips at her throat. He pushed Cassie up against the shower wall, his tongue trailing up and down her dewy, moistened body. With her feet now planted firmly on the floor, her back against the cool wet tiles, she looked down, and saw the top of Dillon's head between her thighs. The slip of his tongue inside her was all that she could handle before her legs began to quake ferociously against his cheeks. A sharp pulse of electric pleasure rushed through her body. That same feeling that she experienced the day Dillon forcefully took her on his lunch hour. "Oh, Dillon," she moaned. His tongue lapped feverously into her folds, making her weak, his thumb moving swiftly back and forth along her tiny, pink pearl. Dillon's tongue traced up her body, beyond her naval, between her breasts, to her lips. Spinning her around, she facing the wall, he plunged himself into her from behind. "You're so tight, baby." With a few quick thrusts and a powerful grunt, she felt the warmth of his release inside her.
Chapter Thirteen

During the trip to the mall, Dillon had a great time spoiling Cassie with high-end designer clothes and accessories.

"Thank you so much for buying all these wonderful things for me, Dillon," she said, setting the bags on the floor of their hotel suite.

"Not a problem. Anything for my baby." He smiled, warmly. Dillon stood behind her and kissed her shoulder. He reached slowly into his pocket and pulled out a sterling silver Tiffany heart-shaped necklace. She inhaled deeply as she allowed him to fasten it around her neck.

"Dillon, it's beautiful. When did you buy this?"

"I bought it the day I got back to California with your car."

"Aw, you're so sweet. I love you so much," she said, hugging him tightly.

Early Sunday morning, they ordered room service for breakfast. They sat on the balcony where they could feel the cool, autumn breeze.

"How long are you going to be in Memphis?" Dillon asked, hoping not very long.

"Six months." Her tone sounded disappointed. "After that, I'm not sure where I'm going to be sent off to. I won't find out until a week before my A-school is completed."

"That's not good! Hopefully you will be sent to California."

"Hopefully, but I'm not holding my breath. I heard that if you show any interest in a particular base, you will be shipped off at the opposite end of where you want to go." She laughed. "Maybe I should show interest in Norfolk, that way they will send me off to California."

"Well, it couldn't hurt." Dillon poured himself a cup of coffee.

"So, what's on the agenda for today?" Cassie asked, taking a sip of cappuccino.

"I was thinking about taking you to Disney World.

"Seriously?" She scoffed. "I don't think I want to spend my last day of liberty at Disney World with everyone who I was in boot camp with. Everyone from boot camp will be there."

"Well, what do you have in mind, Cassie?"

"I was thinking perhaps, the beach."

"You don't have a swimsuit."

"Oh, I forgot about that."

Dillon loved how she was a little on the dingy side. He thought it was endearing. Although she was very intelligent, he admired her quirkiness.

"Okay, why don't we just stay in the suite and watch movies?" She suggested, flipping through the movie guide.

"That sounds good to me. As long as we're together, I don't mind what we do.

"I always have wanted to see the movie, 'Breakfast at Tiffany's' and I saw it as one of the choices for a rental."

"If that's what you want to see, Miss Littleton, then that's what we will see." He stood and walked back inside from the balcony.

Cassie lay on the couch, dressed in her robe, her head resting in Dillon's lap. "You know you don't have to wait for me. Don't feel obligated that you have to wait around for me all the time. I can understand if you want to find someone else." She stared blankly off toward the television.

Dillon paused the movie, pulled Cassie from his lap, cupped his hands to her face, and glared into her eyes. "Don't you ever say anything like that to me, Cassie. I have waited years for a woman like you to come into my life. Don't feel that you need to let me go because you won't be around that often. That would just kill me."

"You don't know how happy it makes me feel for you to tell me that. I just don't want you to feel like I'm keeping you from anything." She tried to look down, but his hand held firm at her face, which forced her to look straight at him.

"You will never make me feel that way, I promise." He guided her back down to his lap and she rest her head upon his thighs.

After the movie had ended, Cassie sat up and stretched, yawning, "That was the most fabulous movie I have ever seen."

"Indeed, it's a terrific movie. I'm surprised you've never seen it." He leaned in to kiss her. "I just can't get enough of you. I want you so fucking bad!" He vigorously pulled her against him, loosening the knot on her robe, opening it, exposing her naked body to him, and placed his hands upon her waist. She kissed his neck as she excitedly shed the robe from his hard body. Dillon carried Cassie over to the bar and situated her bare bottom on the counter. Feeling the coolness of the granite against her skin, Cassie kissed him forcefully, entangling her fingers through his gorgeous, thick, sandy blond hair. Dillon began to slightly tease. She opened her thighs, inviting him in, but he tauntingly backed away, which caused her to become even hotter with desire.

"I want you so bad, Dillon." She breathed hard, trying to force him into her.

"Do you not enjoy me teasing you, baby?" he asked, a hot, halting whisper expelled from his tantalizing breath. His exasperating words were enough to make her achieve an orgasm right then. His lips pursued all the way down, beyond her stomach, kissing the inside of her thighs. As she relaxed back onto the cold granite, she enveloped her legs around his neck. His soft lips teased, giving her tiny delicate kisses on the inside of her thighs. Trying to force his lips onto her sweet spot, he did not give in to the command. "Oh my God, baby! Stop teasing me," she demanded, resting up on her elbows, eyeing him hungrily.

He grabbed her robe off the floor and inhaled the scent. "Mmm, I can smell your lotion on this robe."

"You like that, don't you?"

"Oh, God, baby. You just don't know what your scent does to me. This robe is coming home with me, I don't give a damn what the concierge says." His starving gaze sexually chilled her to the bone. Suddenly, he took Cassie in his arms, carried her to the couch, bent her over the arm rest, and slammed himself into her from behind. Standing on her tip-toes, her orgasm ripped through her entire soul, causing her body to quake to the point of weakness. "Oh, God, Dillon! Yes! My, God! Yes! Harder!" she demanded as he pounded rigorously, slamming himself forcefully until his juices flowed through her like a tidal wave.

They both collapsed to the floor, out of breath. "I love you so much, gorgeous," he said, taking her by the hand. "Now let's go take a shower."

***

The sun peeked through the curtains on a crisp, cool Monday morning. Surprised to see that Dillon wasn't lying beside her, Cassie slipped on her robe, and walked through the suite, hoping to find him. "Dillon, are you here?" she called out. She grabbed her cell phone and dialed his number, but the call went straight into voicemail. She looked on the balcony and saw him standing outside, talking on his phone all dressed up in his executive suit and tie. Assuming he was on a business call, she dare not interrupt him.

Cassie skimmed over the room-service menu and ordered breakfast. Finally, Dillon walked in from the balcony, appearing quite upset.

"What's the matter, sweetie?" Cassie asked, concerned by the expression on his face.

"It's nothing you should be concerned with, gorgeous. It's just work, that's all." He tried concealing his aggravation by forcing a smile, but Cassie saw right through it.

"Don't be silly. I'm very interested in what you do. Talk about it, you will feel good to discuss it." She knew Dillon was tightlipped about his job, but she really wanted him to confide in her.

He sighed and shook his head. "I've been working on this huge case for the past six-months. The client suddenly decides to back out of the deal." His voice grew loud, his jaw clenched tightly, and then he slammed his fist to the table. "Dammit! This pisses me off! We were about to close!"

Shocked by his demeanor, Cassie grabbed Dillon's hand, and sincerely gazed into his eyes. "If it's meant to be, the client will reconsider."

"I'm terribly sorry about my outburst. I guess you're right. There's no use dwelling on something that I can't control from here. Perhaps when I get back to California tomorrow, I will meet with the client and persuade him to reconsider."

Cassie smiled. "You sure persuaded me out of my panties awfully fast." She teased. "I ordered breakfast, I hope you like eggs, sausage, and toast."

"Thank you. I think I may just get on a jet right after I drop you off at the airport. If I stay here another day, it will just eat me up inside," Dillon said, tugging at his tie, trying to loosen it.

"That sounds like a good idea. That way you can speak to the client sooner and begin to feel better." She smiled, standing before him, helping him with his tie. "Now, join me on the balcony so we can enjoy our last meal together before we say our goodbyes."

Taking a sip of coffee, Dillon looked up from his cup. "The way you eat amazes me, Cassie. I have never seen anyone eat as much as you do and never gain a pound!" He laughed.

"It's a high metabolism, Dillon," she said, rolling her eyes. She hated it immensely when people commented on her weight.

"God! You're so gorgeous when you roll your eyes at me! You don't know how much I'm going to miss you."

"I will miss you too, but at least I will have my cell phone and can call you when I'm not in class. I also have the weekends off and can spend them with you if you decide to fly out to see me."

"I would love to come visit you. Maybe we can alternate weekends. I can fly out to see you and you can fly out to see me. I will pay for everything, of course."

"Sounds like a wonderful plan! Now, Memphis doesn't seem quite so bad," Cassie said, dabbing the corners of her mouth with a linen napkin. She stood from the table and walked back inside the suite from the balcony. She shoved her clothes in her military issue, green duffle bag that she had received while in boot camp. Grabbing her uniform from the hanger in the closet, she began ironing it.

Dillon walked into the bedroom. "Not so fast," he said, preventing her from putting on her top. "I'm fucking you one last time before you leave, young lady!"

Hearing those words come from his mouth in such a way, greatly aroused her. Slamming her onto the bed, Dillon secured her hands above her head, one hand tightly held her wrists together, the other cupped between her legs. Feeling the heat come from her body, he hungrily kissed her neck, his lips trailing down to her breasts, his tongue encircling her areolas, causing them to stand at attention.

"I want you now, Dillon!" She pleaded.

He spread her legs wide, guiding himself inside her tight, pulsating folds, and thrust himself deep and hard inside her.

"Harder, baby! Harder!" She demanded. "God! You fuck so good!"

With his arm placed underneath her back, he rapidly flipped her over. Her wrists were gripped tightly in his hold and he held them behind her back, her face buried in the mattress while he eagerly pounded himself inside her from behind. "Oh, Dillon! Here it comes! Deeper! Harder!" The way she spoke, excited him to the extreme. He held out as best he could, but her voice that begged him to please her, caused him to explode into her.

They crawled underneath the blankets and held each other tightly. Dillon lay beside her, panting, his chest moving swiftly up and down with each exhausted breath. "Cassie, I'm going to miss you so much. You're my fantasy come true, my dream girl."

"You're my fantasy, too. I've always imagined myself with a handsome executive, but never thought I'd ever have one. You turn me on when I just look at you." She tried to hide her embarrassment with a slight giggle.

***

Upon arrival at the airport, Dillon and Cassie approached the ticket counter. She checked in her duffle bag while Dillon spoke with the agent. "I need a one-way ticket to San Francisco, California, but I must be on this flight with her, and have a connection in Memphis to San Francisco."

The agent typed quickly on the keys of the computer and looked up from the screen. "We have a connecting flight leaving out of Memphis at seven o'clock tonight, arriving in San Francisco at one o'clock the next morning."

"Perfect, I'll take it!" he said.

"You're flying with me to Memphis?" Cassie questioned. "That is a wonderful surprise!"

They boarded the plane and walked through first-class to coach seating. "I could have bumped us up to first-class," he said, shoving her bag into the overhead bin.

"It's okay. As long as I'm here with you, I don't mind where we sit." Frightened of flying, Cassie held tightly to his hand.

The flight attendant approached Dillon and he whispered something into her ear, and then he stealthily slipped her a one-hundred dollar bill.

The flight attendant walked away and headed toward the front of the plane. Opening the curtain to first class, she motioned for Cassie and Dillon to meet her. "Thank you," Dillon whispered to the attendant.

"You're very welcome, Mr. Baron." The flight attendant nudged him playfully in his ribs with her elbow.

While seated in their first-class seats, Dillon leaned over, and tried to kiss Cassie on the cheek, but she pulled away. "I'm not allowed to show public affection while in uniform," she said, disappointed.

"Well, this is going to tease the hell out of me then!" He joked.

Cassie laid a blanket over them. They leaned their seats back and fell asleep.

As the plane made it's descent into Memphis, Cassie and Dillon awoke when they heard the flight attendant make the announcement to prepare for landing. Once off the plane, they went to baggage claim.

"You wait here and I'll grab your bag," Dillon said, walking toward the turnstile.

"You're not afraid that you're going to miss your connection?" she asked, concerned.

"Nah, if I do, I'll just board the next flight."

She saw the green duffle bag coming around. Dillon grabbed it from the turnstile and tossed it over his shoulder. "Where to now?" he asked.

"I have to meet at curbside and wait for a government van to pick me up."

When they went outside to wait for the van, Cassie saw several other Navy uniformed people standing along curbside. "Well, I guess this is it," she said, gazing into Dillon's eyes, forcing herself to hold back tears.

He placed his hands in hers. "Cassie, this is killing me. I love you so much that it hurts. I will call you first thing in the morning," he said, releasing his grip. Her hands dropped at her waist.

"I love you, too." A tear gradually flowed down her cheek.

She climbed into the van after Dillon placed the duffle bag inside. He slammed the door shut and watched sadly as she disappeared from view.
Chapter Fourteen

When Cassie arrived at the barracks, she entered what would be her new home for the next six-months. Dropping her duffle bag onto one of the empty beds, she looked around the room, and shockingly noticed there was no television.

"Ah, hell no!" she uttered to herself. "First thing tomorrow, after class, I'm buying a damn television!" She heard the doorknob jiggle and saw a female dressed in full uniform enter. Cassie approached with an extended hand. "Hi, my name is Littleton." She paused and shook her head back and forth. "I mean, Cassie." Because of being in the routine of shouting out her last name to Naval officers, she had been in the habit of introducing herself that way.

"Hi, nice to meet you. My name is Silvia Leighton," she said, shaking Cassie's hand. Resembling a tomboy, Silvia had the body of a weightlifter. Over six-feet tall, she towered over Cassie's five-foot four-inch frame. Sylvia's dark brown eyes sparkled when she told Cassie her name. Fresh out of boot camp, Sylvia's dark, burnished color hair was styled in the infamous boot camp bob.

"Where did you go to boot camp, Sylvia?" Cassie asked, seating herself on the edge of the bed.

"Chicago," Sylvia said as she shoved her clothes into a drawer of an empty dresser.

"I went to boot camp in Orlando. It was so hot and miserable. I'm so glad it's over." Cassie glanced around the room and back at Sylvia. "I wonder if anyone else is going to check in and share our room?"

Sylvia shrugged her shoulders. "Not sure, but I hope not. I'm not a roomie type of gal, so sharing a room with one person is enough for me. And thank God that my fiancé is attending A-school here. At least I'll have a familiar face to look at."

"Really? How were you able to manage that?"

"We met in boot camp...he was in my division. It happened so fast. We're going to get married at the courthouse next weekend."

Cassie's eyes bulged. "Wow! That's fantastic! I'm so happy for you!" She looked down at the bedspread, brushing her hand back and forth across the fabric, continuously. "My boyfriend lives in California. We met a few months ago, but we're pretty serious. He is on the older side, though," Cassie said, a little embarrassed at the fact that she was dating an older man.

"Age doesn't matter as long as you love the person. Who cares what other people think. As long as he makes you happy, don't worry about it," Sylvia said. She looked at Cassie with compassion in her eyes. "You know, I think you and I are going to get along just fine."

"Yeah, after I get us a TV tomorrow." Cassie laughed.

"Oh, God yes! A TV is a must! I have to watch my sitcoms! We can go tomorrow after class if you want."

"Sounds fantastic!"

***

Cassie and Sylvia awakened, pressed their uniforms, got into formation outside the barracks in the courtyard, and then prepared to march with their new unit to the classroom.

After learning about civilian dress codes, the policy regarding liberty on base, and the use of alcohol, class had ended, and the unit marched back to the barracks. Sylvia and Cassie rushed into their room and changed into their civilian clothes.

"Just a second, Sylvia. I need to call my boyfriend real quick," Cassie said.

"Take your time, I'll just sit outside, have a cigarette, and talk to David," Sylvia said, grabbing a pack of cigarettes off the dresser, and shutting the door behind her. David, Sylvia's fiancé had a buzz-cut. Although he was a bit on the scrawny, geeky side, Sylvia absolutely adored him.

Butterflies consumed Cassie's stomach; the excitement of speaking to Dillon blissfully excited her.

"Hey, there, gorgeous," Dillon answered.

A beaming smile radiated across her face at the sound of his voice. "Hey, handsome. How are you today?"

"I'm doing very well. Much better than yesterday. The deal with my client went great, so no more stress about that...thank God!" he said with a sense of relief.

Cassie swallowed hard. "Well, I have s-s-some bad news to t-t-tell you."

He could sense by the shakiness in her voice that what she was about to say wasn't good. "What's the matter?"

She breathed deeply. "Well, I can't leave during the weekends. I have to check in for curfew every night by 22:00 hours."

"Ten o'clock? Dillon questioned, sounding a tad upset.

"Yes, I'm afraid so."

"I can work around that. I guess I will just have to fly there, get a hotel room off base, and you can stay with me until you have to report back," he explained, sounding as if he came up with a good scheme.

"Are you sure you want to do that every weekend? It will become very costly."

"Don't worry about money, Cassie. It's not like I have anyone else to spend it on. Besides, you have no idea what I'm worth."

"What he's worth?" She recited over in her head. "He's just an attorney, what can he possibly be worth?" She cleared her throat. "Okay, if you want to do that then I'm okay with it. I just don't want you to break the bank." She giggled.

"Trust me; I'm not going to break the bank." His words became stern; sounding irritated that Cassie questioned his wealth.

"Well, I need to call a cab and go with my roommate to buy a TV. I'll call you later. I love and miss you so much."

"I love and miss you too, gorgeous," Dillon said before disconnecting the call.

***

After plugging in their new television, Cassie and Sylvia relaxed back against the headboards of their beds and watched 'Sex and the City' reruns.

"Oh! Look what I have!" Cassie shouted. She pulled out a bag of potato chips from her dresser and grabbed a can of French onion dip from the mini-fridge.

Sylvia rushed to her duffle bag and pulled out a six pack of Cola. "Now, we're set!"

Thursday, after class, Cassie called Dillon to find out if he made travel arrangements for the weekend to Memphis. "Hey, baby. Are you flying out this weekend?" she asked, hopeful.

"I'm terribly sorry, gorgeous, but I can't. Something has come up and I can't get away. I hope that you understand." His tone sounded cold.

Shocked at his demeanor, she wondered what could be preventing him from coming to Memphis, but she didn't like to pry into his business affairs, so she didn't dwell on it.

"I'm in the middle of a meeting. I'll call you as soon as I'm finished," he said before he hung up the phone.

Dumbfounded by the conversation, especially at the fact that he didn't even tell her that he loved her before disconnecting the call, she sat on the bed, and analyzed the conversation over and over in her mind.

Sylvia entered the room and saw Cassie sitting on the bed, heavily in thought. "What are you thinking about? Looks like you've received some bad news or something."

"I just had the most bazaar conversation with Dillon. He was supposed to come out here for the weekend. He cut our conversation short on the phone, saying that he can't make it. I just don't get it."

"Do you think he may have found someone else?" Sylvia asked.

The possibility did cross Cassie's mind. "I don't know. He tells me always how much he loves and misses me. I don't think he could have found someone to replace me within a few days."

The following day, with no call from Dillon, Cassie dressed in her uniform, and marched to class with her unit. She felt as though she had been punched in the stomach, and couldn't focus too well, constantly wondering about Dillon.

After making it through the long day of class, she was back at the barracks. Her phone rang and she saw Dillon's name appear on the screen. Her heart swiftly pounded, almost afraid to answer, suspecting a break-up call was near. "H-Hello," her voice quivered.

"Hey, gorgeous! I have a surprise for you!" he said with excitement in his voice.

"Oh, really?" Her curiosity piqued.

"Go to the base entrance at the parking lot." He instructed.

Suddenly, she went from worried to excited. She quickly hung up the phone. Still dressed in her uniform, she rushed on foot to the base entrance. Noticing her Porsche parked in the parking lot, she spotted Dillon leaning casually against the door with his arms crossed in front of him, appearing as cavalier as ever. Wearing a white Burberry Polo, jeans, and a pair of Gucci flip flops, a wide toothy smile brightened his face.

Cassie practically flew into his arms. "Oh my God! You're here!" She backed away, remembering the base's policy on public affection.

"Is that all I get?" he asked, hoping for a kiss.

"Remember, I can't show public displays of affection while in uniform."

"Oh, yeah. What a dumbass rule!" he said, callously rolling his eyes. "You're going with me to dinner tonight," he said, his index finger lightly brushed her bangs from her eyes. "God, I've missed gazing into those beautiful blue eyes of yours." He smiled.

"Terrific! I need to register my car on base real quick then change into my civilian clothes. We can go to dinner afterward."

Dillon opened the driver's side door, inviting Cassie to take a seat. He walked around the car and situated himself in the passenger seat. Cassie stopped at the checkpoint and flashed her military I.D. "Hi, I need to register my car on base and get a decal," she explained to the gate guard.

After the guard placed a temporary decal on her windshield, the gate went up, and she and Dillon headed over to the registration center.

Cassie placed her hand on Dillon's knee and gave it a slight squeeze. "I am so surprised. I can't believe you drove my car all the way here from California. You're so sweet."

"I pulled a good one over on you, didn't I?" He laughed, throwing his head back playfully against the leather headrest.

"Yes, I thought you were going to dump me!"

"I would never do that to you, Cassie...but, I sure had you fooled, which was my intention."

"Well, you're definitely in need of a good spanking." She giggled slightly, her hand traveled slowly up his thigh.

Cassie drove back to the barracks after she placed the permanent decal on her windshield. She turned to look at Dillon. "Okay, I'm going to run up to my room and change my clothes. It'll be just a minute or so," she explained. "You can wait over there." She pointed to a picnic table in the courtyard.

Cassie opened the door to her room and saw Sylvia sitting on the bed, watching television. "He's here! He drove my car from California!" she said, practically screaming.

"I want to meet him!" Sylvia stood.

"Sure, let me get dressed. We can walk out together, and I'll introduce you." Cassie grabbed a Versace top that Dillon had bought her in Orlando. She slid into a tight, short skirt, and put her crystal studded Louboutin heels on her feet.

"Wow, Cassie! You look hot! Hell, if I wasn't straight, I'd do you!" Sylvia joked.

"Thanks, I guess." Cassie laughed.

Cassie snatched her Louis Vuitton Neverfull handbag off the dresser. She and Sylvia walked outside toward the picnic table where Dillon sat.

Sylvia could see him from afar. "Holy fuck...he's freaking hot!"

"Can you kiss me now, Cassie?" I'm dying here." Dillon asked, his hands at Cassie's hips, pulling her into him.

Cassie quickly glanced around, making certain no one was watching, and planted a big kiss on his lips. "Dillon, I would like you to meet Sylvia, my roommate. Sylvia, this is my boyfriend, Dillon."

"Nice to meet you," Sylvia said, extending her hand, staring at how his pecs pressed against his white Burberry polo.

"Likewise," Dillon responded, bringing her hand up to his lips and placing a delicate kiss on her knuckle.

"Dillon and I are going out to dinner so we'll be back by 22:00 hours," Cassie explained, looking over at Sylvia.

"You two have fun!"

Cassie handed Dillon the car keys and asked him to drive. Upon arrival at the restaurant, Dillon escorted Cassie on his arm, and was seated at a table.

"So, how do you like Memphis?" Dillon asked.

"Ugh! The cotton fields smell like burned Barbie dolls!"

He took a sip of his wine right when Cassie said her comment. He couldn't control the sudden spray of wine coming from his nose from laughing so hard. He quickly wiped his face, hoping no one saw the spectacle. "And, how do you know how a burned Barbie smells like?" he asked, still wiping wine off of his face.

"When I was a child, I set one on fire."

"Well, I guess that answers my question."

The conversation started to take a more serious turn. "So, how do you like the structure of the school?"

"There's a lot of marching, a lot of physical training, and a lot of common sense material. It's pretty easy, though," she explained, sounding as if it were a piece of cake.

"I bet the guys just love you. You don't really quite fit the Navy stereotype, you know," he said, raising his eyebrows.

"And, what type is that?"

"You know what I mean...butch, lesbo—"

"Well, I haven't run into any perverts yet, if that's what you're suggesting."

While eating, Cassie suddenly busted out in laughter.

"What's so funny, Miss Littleton?" he asked.

She tried to stop laughing, but couldn't. Finally, after catching her breath, she said, "Guess where the guys all went yesterday after class?"

"I don't know. Where?"

"They went to a sperm bank!" She laughed harder, accidentally spitting out some rice, which flew across the table, and almost hit a woman in the back.

"Okay, Miss Littleton. I think you've gone a little loopy. We need to finish up here and get in the car before people start thinking you're drunk."

"Call me Miss Littleton again. It's such a turn on when you call me that."

He only smiled, shaking his head. After signing the receipt, Dillon grabbed her by the hand and led her to the car. "I've never seen you this silly, Cassie. It's quite funny," he said, closing the passenger door after she buckled her seatbelt. He then slid into the driver's seat.

"I get like this sometimes. Who needs alcohol when you can be drunk on happiness?"

Arriving at the Mason hotel, the valet parked the car, and Cassie and Dillon checked in with the concierge. "I have a reservation for Dillon Baron," he said to the man standing behind the counter.

"Ah, yes, Mr. Baron...here is your key. Please let us know if we can be of assistance throughout your stay," The concierge said, handing Dillon the key to the room.

Dillon took Cassie by the hand and led her to the elevator.

When they entered the room, Cassie was impressed. "Wow, you really go all out, don't you?"

"Only the best!"

"Aren't you tired from the long drive?"

He grabbed Cassie by the waist and kissed her on her soft, satiny lips. "Not too tired for you, gorgeous." He brushed her bangs from her eyes. "You have the most beautiful, blue eyes. Why do you hide them behind these bangs?" He twirled a strand of hair around his index finger.

"Thank you, but I don't believe I'm hiding my eyes. I'm hiding my wrinkly forehead that I inherited from my father," she joked with a slight smile. Standing on her tip-toes, she tried to make herself tall enough to kiss his chin. He pulled her into him and embraced her tightly, inhaling her scent as he nuzzled her neck. "I hate saying goodbye to you. I missed you so much, it hurt so badly. I feel so empty when you're not with me." He channeled her into his arms and carried her to the bed.

His gaze became cold and he asked the most peculiar question, "Did your fiancé ever tie you up, Miss Littleton?"

Lying on the bed, as Dillon knelt between her knees, Cassie had been taken aback by the question. "Um...no. Why?"

"Just a sec." He retrieved a black necktie from his designer luggage. "I just wondered." Dillon had the utmost salacious expression on his face.

Cassie's eyes were fixed on the tie. Was he going to tie her up with it? She didn't want to be completely defenseless. "Please, Dillon. I don't think I'm ready for that yet. I mean, don't get me wrong, I love your aggressiveness when it comes to sex, but I'm not sure if I'm ready to be bound."

"You don't trust me?" he asked, stroking his hands gently down her thighs.

"Of course, I trust you."

"Then, what's the problem?"

"I'm a little scared. Don't press the subject because I will get up and leave right now."

He tossed the necktie to the floor as a hazy glare shot from his deep brown eyes. "You don't threaten me, young lady." His left hand grasped tightly around Cassie's wrists, and he held them firm above her head, his other hand pulled her Versace top above her breasts. "Mmm, no bra I see." He delectably licked his lips and bent down, sucking on her hard, taut nipple. "My God, your skin tastes to fucking good. Reaching below, Dillon lifted her skirt above her hips, and slid her panties down her smooth, silky legs. Graciously, trailing his kisses all the way up her calf, to her thighs, he buried his head between her hot, convulsing loins. "I can tell that you want my tongue inside you." Her body twitched at the sound of his voice. "You like it when I bind your wrists above your head, don't you?" His tongue slithered lightly just millimeters from her entrance. "I can feel the heat coming off you, gorgeous."

Flinging her legs over his shoulders, she pressed herself against his face, trying her best to force her damp pit of pleasure onto his lips. Relinquishing his grasp from around her wrists, he placed his hand upon her inner thighs, and spread her legs wide. Breathing deeply, Cassie's heart palpitated to the point of explosion. Wanting to feel his lips against her pink flesh, she contorted her hips toward his face. He placed his left hand at the top of her pubic bone and pulled her skin taut to expose her tiny, pink pearl that he worshipped so much. Slipping his long, middle finger of his right hand into her drenched, surging entrance, Dillon's lips enraptured her luscious, pink pearl until he drove her completely over the edge. Cassie's hands clutched onto the sheets as her legs shook like thunder. Hungrily, her sheathe squeezed savagely against his finger. "That's it, baby," he whispered, stroking his finger faster and deeper inside. She screamed, "Stop! Stop! I can't take it any longer!" She pleaded, but by the feel of her orgasm upon Dillon's finger only made him want to stimulate her even more. "Again, baby...c'mon, baby...again for me...you can do it," he demanded as he breathed heavily, his brown eyes staring up at her expression, giving him the satisfaction of pleasing her so well.

Another orgasm later, he felt her relax and he yanked his pants off and threw them onto the floor. Jerking her body toward the edge of the bed, with her legs hung over the side, Dillon stood before her, and pushed himself deep inside her folds. Cassie stared captivatingly at his gorgeous, ripped chest, and saw that his nipples tightened. Placing his thumb on her tiny, pink pearl, he strummed it fiercely back and forth until he felt her love muscle grip his hard, rigorous shaft, which threw him into a rapturous, explosive release. Dillon's orgasm bolted through him like an instantaneous shot of lightning. Dropping to the bed, gathering Cassie into his arms, he covered her with the blankets, and held her tightly.

After waking from sheer pleasure of the three insatiable orgasms Cassie had that night, she looked at her watch. "I better get going. Did you want to take me back to the base and use my car for the weekend? You can pick me up in the morning and we can spend all day together if you like."

"Not a problem. How about I pick you up at nine o'clock in the morning?"

"Sounds good to me," she said, toiling with her messed up sex hair.

Dillon hated the fact that Cassie couldn't spend the entire night with him. Never, did he allow anyone to control him. The pure fact that the Navy had this kind of control over Cassie by preventing them from being together when he wanted, pissed him off.

Dropping her off at the courtyard, he made a suggestion. "So, nine o'clock...I'll be waiting for you right here. Maybe, I will take you shopping."

"Wonderful!" She kissed him before closing the door.

Dillon watched closely as she walked toward the building. When he saw her enter safely inside the barracks, he put the car in reverse, and then he drove away.

"So, how was the date?" Sylvia asked, waiting to hear the details as soon as Cassie walked through the door.

"It was great. He's taking me shopping tomorrow." Cassie beamed, delightfully.

"He's so hot! He's a lawyer, right?"

"Yes, he's a real estate attorney in California so he travels a lot. He's actually a partner. His job gives him the flexibility on traveling wherever he wants.

Sylvia started to giggle.

"What's so funny?" Cassie asked.

"My fiancé was one of the guys who donated sperm yesterday," Sylvia said, appearing extremely embarrassed.

"No way!" Cassie's mouth dropped open from shock.

"Yep, they get eighty-five bucks for each deposit that they make. David told me that he plans on doing it every week." Sylvia laughed, shaking her head.

"Well, I guess it's an easy buck." Cassie blushed as she crawled tiredly into bed.

***

Saturday morning, Cassie put on her military issue white t-shirt, a pair of jeans, and her Coach Signature flats. She transferred items from her Louis Vuitton purse into a Coach bag that matched her shoes.

As Sylvia still lay sleeping, Cassie locked the door behind her, and then walked to the parking lot. Dillon was right on time. He got out of the car and ran around to the passenger side to open the door for her. "For my lady," he said.

"You're so adorable." She sat and swung her legs inside the car.

Closing the door, he made his way around the car, sat in the driver's seat, leaned over, and kissed her tenderly. When he pulled away, he made quick endearing glances into her eyes with a long sigh. Cassie could smell his sweet, minty breath as he exhaled. She stared at his sublime legs when he shifted gears. Seeing him dressed casually was hard to get used to after seeing him in executive suits all the time. The day before, when he wore jeans was a turn on for her, but something about him wearing a suit, aroused her to the extreme.

Dillon treated Cassie with what seemed like an endless shopping spree, but he was irritated at the fact that there were no upscale boutiques. He had already begun to hate Memphis. Not even having a Neiman Marcus was depressing enough. He only liked the best and only wanted his girl wearing the best. He felt her style reflected upon him and would stop at nothing to mold Cassie into what he wanted.

Standing in front of a no-name jewelry store, looking through the window, Dillon took Cassie by the hand and whispered softly into her ear, "Now, I want to get you a little something out of here."

"What is it that you want to buy me? You've already bought me so much, it's really not necessary. You've been more than generous."

"Come with me," he said, mysteriously leading her into the boutique.

They approached the counter that displayed diamond rings underneath glass. "So, Cassie, I have a surprise for you," Dillon said, still holding her hand.

The sales associate stood behind the glass counter with a big smile radiating on her face. Becoming nervous, Cassie started breaking out into a cold sweat, trembling. "Oh my God, he's going to ask me to marry him." The thought raced through her mind. Terribly worried, she knew that her answer would be no. Everything moved so fast. Randall's death, the boob job, stripping, joining the Navy...She loved the thought of being his wife, but wasn't ready. After all, she dated Randall for many years before they were engaged. She only knew Dillon for a few months.

The sales associate handed Dillon a black box tied with satin red ribbon. The box revealed a princess cut, two-carat diamond ring set in platinum. Holding Cassie's left hand, Dillon gracefully slid the ring onto her finger. "Cassie, I know we've known each other only a few months, but I have fallen deeply in love with you. I have never met a woman who makes me feel the way that you do. When we're together, I am complete. I want to present this ring to you as a promise that I will always be there for you."

Cassie's eyes swelled with tears. She delightedly accepted the promise ring, relieved it wasn't a marriage proposal, and tightly wrapped her arms around him. "Dillon, I love you so much. You mean everything to me."

Arriving back to the barracks, Cassie walked into her room, and saw Sylvia packing her things. "It's official! I'm a married woman!" Sylvia said, intensely excited as she flashed Cassie her wedding ring.

"Congratulations! How thrilling! I am so happy for you!" Cassie said. "So, how long until you and David move into your apartment?"

"We move in Tuesday. I'm so happy!"

***

Early Sunday morning, Cassie put on some of the new clothes that Dillon had bought her the previous day. Wearing a pink cashmere Bebe sweater, a tight black skirt, black Christian Louboutin pumps with her shiny black vernis Louis Vuitton bag, she rushed out the door, but noticed Dillon wasn't waiting in the parking lot.

"Shoot! Ten more minutes!" she said, looking at her watch.

"Hey, Littleton! Come over here for a minute!" a voice shouted from a picnic table where several sailors sat, drinking coffee, and smoking cigarettes. Cassie walked toward the men who were classmates of hers.

"Wow! Littleton, you clean up well," a sailor said, his eyes practically bulging from his head when he saw Cassie in that tight sweater. Brian Lufkin was his name; his muscular, beefy body caught the attention of most women. His brown flattop haircut brought out his strong, sculpted facial features. The majority of Cassie's female classmates fantasized over him. Turned off by his excessive cigarette smoking, Cassie showed no interest in him, whatsoever. She despised cigarettes and couldn't stand being in the presence of people who smoked.

"Well, I guess I can take that as a compliment," she said, shyly looking down at the ground, shuffling her feet across the grass.

"Where are you going all dolled up?" he asked, flicking the ashes from his cigarette.

"Not that it's any of your business, but my boyfriend is bringing my car by, and we're going off base for the day." Sarcasm displayed in her tone, but she glanced up to look at Brian, and cracked a slight smile. "So, if you don't mind, I'm going to wait over there." She pointed toward the parking lot.

"Don't let me keep you." Lufkin tossed his cigarette to the ground and squished it with his flight boot.

As she walked away, she could hear the men bantering together in a soft whisper. Them assumed that she couldn't hear them. "Did you see her tits in that sweater?" Lufkin shook his head from side to side.

"Those legs go on for miles," a sailor added.

Lufkin maliciously laughed. "I'm going to get me some of that before A-school is over, you watch!"

Finally, Dillon pulled up in Cassie's black Porsche. Cassie swung open the door and hurled herself into the seat. She leaned over and gave Dillon a flirty little kiss on his lips. "Whew! I'm so glad you came when you did. Those guys over there make me feel so uncomfortable." She sighed unpleasantly as she directed her eyes toward the picnic area.

"Why do they make you feel uncomfortable?" His lips formed a straight line, his brown eyes widened.

"As I was walking away, one guy said he was going to get him a piece of that."

"Do you want me to talk to them?" Dillon asked, violently unfastening his seatbelt.

"No...no, it's okay. It's probably just sailor talk. I'm not worried too much about it. Besides, I can hold my own," she said, flexing her bicep and laughing.

"Holy shit, Cassie! I've never seen you flex before. You've got some nice arms there!" His mouth dropped open.

Because of Cassie's high metabolism, she struggled constantly with gaining weight. Her doctor said that in order for her to gain weight, she had to gain muscle mass. Devoted to lifting weights and participating in self-defense classes, she was in excellent shape.

"Let's go see Graceland!" Dillon abruptly shouted, showing excitement in his voice.

"That would be fun; I've always wanted to see it."

When they arrived at Graceland, they hopped on a bus that took them through the gates.

As they entered through the front door of Elvis's former home, Cassie seemed stunned. "It's much smaller than I envisioned," Cassie said, standing in the grand entrance.

"Yeah, it's much smaller than I imagined, too," Dillon said.

After an hour, the tour had ended, and they decided to have lunch on Beale Street in a quaint little café on the patio.

"This place is so beautiful," Cassie said. "It reminds me of New Orleans."

"You've been to New Orleans?" Dillon asked.

"No, but this is how I picture it."

"You're so beautiful." The words quickly escaped his lips, changing the subject as he stared at her from across the table. "I guess you have five-months and three-weeks here, huh?" he asked.

Cassie grinned, whimsically. "You're not keeping count, are ya?" She kidded. "Yes, I have five-months and three-weeks left, but it's going by pretty fast, though. I'm hoping to get orders to California, so we can be closer together. Some of the officers assume that I may be transferred to an aircraft carrier for six-months."

"You can't be serious." Dillon said, becoming annoyed by what Cassie had just revealed.

"Yes, I'm so afraid of that. I never took into account that I could be stationed at sea."

"What did you think the Navy was, Cassie? Everyone I know who had been in the Navy has been on the ship at least once."

"I guess I better do a lot of praying, then. Lord knows I need it." She tried to force a smile, but the harsh look on Dillon's face prevented that from happening.

***

Back at the hotel, Dillon grabbed Cassie by the waist and softly kissed her. Leading her into the bathroom, he pulled Cassie's sweater above her head, unzipped the back of her skirt, and watched as it fell elegantly to the floor. He filled the hot tub and cravingly stared at Cassie as she stood before him in her La Perla, black lace bra and panties. Seductively, about to slide off her black Louboutin pumps, Dillon quickly interrupted, "Wait! Don't remove your heels yet." Dillon took a step back and gazed lustfully at her. He eagerly licked his lips. "Oh my God, Cassie...you're so incredibly sexy." He inched slowly toward her.

Unbuttoning his shirt and exposing his pecs, Cassie's lips worshipped his chest with sensual kisses. Unfastening his belt, Cassie pulled his slacks to the floor. He released her breasts from the push-up bra and watched as her nipples hardened at his touch, him teasing her, making her yearn for him immensely, slipping his fingers into the waist of her panties, and trailing them down her silky, smooth legs. Their naked bodies slid into the hot bubbles inside the hot tub. She sat between Dillon's legs and leaned back onto his firm, hairless, amazing chest. "I wish we could stay like this forever," he softly whispered into her ear, his breath bestowing erotic chills throughout her body.

She exhaled deeply. "I do, too." She turned her head, feverishly kissing his lips, her hands mussing in his silky, sandy blond hair.

He could sense her body hungered for him, causing his thick member to become longer and harder against the small of her back. Slightly lifting her bottom, she slid herself onto him and savored his length inside her as he fucked her the way that her body craved.
Chapter Fifteen

During the start of Monday classes, Cassie began to feel a tad queasy. With the permission of the instructor, she went over to sickbay. While there, the nurse asked Cassie a few basic health questions and also asked if she may be pregnant.

"I'm not sure." She shrugged her shoulders. "My boyfriend and I never use protection, so it's possible, I suppose."

"I need a urine sample from you, and then we can go from there." The nurse handed Cassie a see-through cup and sent her into the bathroom.

Worried at the thought of pregnancy, Cassie prayed that she wasn't with child, but knew that there was a strong possibility that she could be. She carried the specimen back into the exam room and gave it to the nurse.

The nurse slipped a long strip of paper into the urine. "Negative." The nurse smiled.

Cassie relaxed back onto the exam table, exhaling a sigh of relief.

"I need to draw some blood from you and see if we can figure out why you're feeling sick," the nurse explained.

Cassie rolled up her sleeve and watched the nurse remove seven vials of blood from her arm.

"This will take a few hours for the results. Just lie back and relax and I will alert you when the results are ready." The nurse left the room and closed the door.

Cassie fell asleep while she waited for her results. The sound of a light tap on the door triggered her from her nap. "Littleton, I think I figured out why you're sick. You have an iron deficiency and your potassium's low," the nurse explained, skimming over Cassie's chart. "Here is a prescription for some Meclizine for your nausea. I'm also writing you a prescription for birth control pills. You can buy some iron vitamins over the counter. I'll give you a cup of liquid that contains potassium to drink. This will bring your level back up to normal. You should start feeling better within a few hours or so. If you're still sick tomorrow, come back to my office." The nurse handed Cassie the scribbled papers. "Oh, and another thing before I forget," the nurse said before leaving the room. "Use condoms. It helps protect against STD's, too." The nurse smiled and exited the exam room.

After drinking the potassium, she went to the barracks, and took the Meclizine for the nausea, tossed the bottle of birth control pills on the nightstand, and then collapsed in her bed, exhausted. After hearing horror stories about birth control pills regarding the risks of blood clots, Cassie had no desire whatsoever to take them, and hoped that in the future, Dillon would start using condoms or 'pullout' when he ejaculated.

Sylvia entered the barracks after class to see how Cassie was coping. "How are you feeling? Is everything going to be alright?"

"Yes, I'm fine. Just an iron deficiency causing me to be woozy is all. I got all freaked out when the nurse asked me to take a pregnancy test." She reached over to the nightstand and took a sip of water.

"You guys use protection, don't you?" Sylvia asked.

"Nope! Not until today," Cassie responded, looking a bit embarrassed. "After this scare, Dillon better wear a damn condom!"

"Well, give me a call if you need anything." Sylvia gave a final smile before leaving.

Trying hard to stay awake, but being unsuccessful, Cassie couldn't fight the drowsiness that was caused by the Meclizine.

An hour later, she awakened, startled by the ring of her phone. "How's my baby?" Dillon asked.

Cassie inhaled deeply and stretched, a smile danced across her face at the sound of his voice. "Not so good. I was in sickbay all day."

Suddenly concerned, his tone changed as he spoke into the phone, "What's the matter?"

"I have an iron deficiency, that's all. The nurse made me take a pregnancy test, but it was negative," she explained with a sigh of relief.

A broad smile spread on his face. "Wow, I would love for you to have my baby. You would be one hot pregnant woman. I'm getting horny just thinking about it." He joked.

"Shut up, you're being silly!" She laughed.

Dillon's demeanor went from joking to serious. "I'm not going to be able to fly out and visit you next weekend. My mother is in ICU in Palo Alto. She's on oxygen. She suffers from emphysema and she caught pneumonia. It's pretty serious. The doctors say if the antibiotics don't work, she may not make it," Dillon explained, a slight quiver in his voice as if he were trying to hold back tears.

"Oh, sweetie. I'm so sorry," she said, sympathetically. "I that wish I could be there for you. It sucks being all the way out here when you're hurting like that."

Dillon could sense by the sound of Cassie's whimper that she was crying. "Don't cry, gorgeous. I'm okay. I will keep you informed. Go out with your friends next weekend. You need to have some fun."

"I don't know...I may just stay inside, watch movies, and eat junk food."

"Ha-ha, you always crack me up!"

"I try my best." She managed to crack a meager smile.

"Well, I need to go, but I'll call you tomorrow evening. I love you so much, gorgeous."

"I love you, too," she said.

Feeling better the next morning, Cassie dressed in her uniform, and marched to class with the rest of her mates.

During lunch, Sylvia invited Cassie to the Cowboy Ranch on Friday. "You'll have so much fun, Cassie. Everyone from our class is going. You can ride the mechanical bull." Sylvia laughed.

"Yeah, right. Like I'm going to get my ass up on that thing." Cassie rolled her eyes at such a thought.

When Friday night came around, Cassie decided to take Sylvia up on her offer. She put on her tight jeans with rhinestones on the back pockets; a very revealing low cut t-shirt, and a pair Justin cowboy boots. She slid her I.D. and credit card in her back pocket and then walked out the door.

Firing up her Porsche, Cassie made her way to the nightclub. As soon as she walked through the entrance after showing her I.D., the crowd went silent. Looking absolutely stunning, every eye in the club was fixed on her. Her clothes accentuated every single curve that she had. Her beautiful blonde hair and piercing blue eyes attracted all kinds of attention.

"Cassie! You made it!" Sylvia rushed over, tugging Cassie by the arm, leading her to the group's table.

Cassie noticed Lufkin sitting across the table, drinking a beer, staring a hole straight through her. He yelled across the table over the loud music, "Hey, Littleton! What do you drink?"

"I'm too young to drink," she hollered back.

"Well, I'll order what you like and you can drink from my glass." He winked, invitingly.

"Whatever!" She rolled her eyes and then focused at the people on the dance floor.

"Well?" he questioned. "What do you like?"

"Just order me some nachos!" she bellowed.

"You can't be for real. Seriously, what do you drink?" He pressured, persistently.

"Amaretto Sours!"

"Hey, Cassie!" Lufkin yelled again.

"What!" she responded, becoming irrefutably irritated.

"You'll have to sit next to me if you want your drink," he said, moving aside so she could join him.

She dreadfully sat next to Lufkin. Carefully leaning in, hoping a bouncer didn't see her, Cassie gulped down the drink in one shot.

"Damn, thirsty much?" Lufkin teased, motioning his head at the waitress to bring another Amaretto Sour.

Five Amaretto Sours later, Cassie felt lascivious. She entered the dance floor with Sylvia. They began grinding on each other, teasing the hell out of all the male sailors in the club. Sylvia's new husband, who was totally aroused, watched them sway slowly side-to-side. Lufkin interrupted, taking Cassie by the arm, whisking her off into the corner of the dance floor, so they could dance alone. Desirously, he eyed her up and down. "My! You're so beautiful. You're too freaking hot to be in the Navy. What made you decide to join?" he asked, his eyes drawn to her plunging cleavage.

"To tease the hell out of Navy men such as yourself," she joked.

"Oh, I see how you are." He grabbed her hand and spun her around. Being a terrific dancer, he knew how to lead perfectly, even if a lady didn't know how to dance, it didn't matter; he could whisk a woman off her feet, and have her dancing in no time.

"My, gosh! I feel so euphoric!" Cassie yelled. She took off running toward the mechanical bull and jumped on. Motioning for the operator to switch it on slow mode, she began riding the bull seductively, taunting all the men in the club. The bull stopped after a few minutes and she rushed into the crowd, finding Sylvia. She passionately kissed Sylvia right in front of her husband and all of the other sailors.

"Woohoo!" the guys cheered.

"Hell, yeah! That's what I'm talking about!" Lufkin yelled.

Cutting it close to curfew, Lufkin walked Cassie outside, and helped her to her car. "You're not driving," Lufkin said, snatching Cassie's keys from her hand.

"What about your car?" Cassie asked, slurring her words.

"It will be fine. Besides, it's a motorcycle, and I can pick it up tomorrow," he explained, opening the passenger door so Cassie could climb into the car. He sat in the driver's seat and slid the key into the ignition. He leaned over, putting his hand at the nape of her neck, guiding her lips to his, and then kissed Cassie hard. She wanted to pull away, but the temptation caused her to kiss him back. The kiss lingered heavily for a few minutes and then, he slid his hand up her shirt, and placed it over her lacey covered breast.

"I can tell you like that," he whispered, pulling away with a smile.

"Yes," she answered, breathless.

He sat back in the driver's seat and started the car. "Sweet ride, Cassie," Lufkin said, looking over the headrest, backing from the parking spot.

Fifteen minutes later, they arrived at the barracks. "You want to come up to my room with me?" Lufkin asked, dangling Cassie's car keys in front of her face.

Still feeling pretty good from the alcohol, Cassie decided to take Lufkin up on his invitation. "You don't have any roommates?" Cassie asked, looking around the empty room that had only a bed with crumpled blankets, and a mini-fridge.

"Nope! Just me. I consider myself lucky."

"I'm alone in my room after Sylvia got married," she said, beginning to feel woozy, staggering her steps.

"That's cool. Hopefully, you won't get anyone else in there before you leave." He kicked off his shoes.

"I sure hope not, I like my privacy." She plopped down on the edge of the bed, fanning herself with her hands.

"Would you like something to drink?" Lufkin asked, walking toward the mini-fridge. "You don't look very well."

"Some water, please. I'm so hot. Something doesn't feel right."

"You're just drunk." He offered her the water and she gulped it down, swiftly. "Now where were we?" Lufkin asked, sitting beside her. He leaned in slowly toward her and started to nuzzle her neck.

Cassie placed the empty bottle of water on the floor next to her feet. "I can't do this. I have a boyfriend," she said, trying to pull away.

"Well, you're not married or anything. Besides, what he doesn't know won't hurt him."

Lufkin gently pressed his lips to her neck, which aroused her, and caused her guard to collapse. She brought her mouth up to his lips and kissed him passionately. Using his weight toward his advantage, he guided his body onto hers, and reclined her back onto the bed. He hovered above her, gazing into her eyes. She could feel his hand gliding slowly up her shirt. Unclasping the hook on the front of her bra, Lufkin lifted her shirt, and lightly brushed his lips across her breasts. Breathing heavily, Cassie anticipated his next move. He gently cupped her breasts, which caused her to become even more stimulated. She could feel him excitedly growing against the inside of her thigh. In the heat of the moment, pulling Lufkin's shirt over his head, she snatched it from his hard body, and tossed it to the floor. She glided her hands across his muscular, hard pecs, admiring this man, her tongue swirling in a circular motion around his tight, brown nipples. "You have such a nice, toned body," she muttered, softly.

Lufkin's tongue plunged into her naval as he unfastened her jeans and peeled them down her luxurious thighs. She lay topless in her lacy, pink, crystal accented panties, her breasts perfectly standing taut. Kissing her at the waist of her panties, he began sliding them down her long, silky smooth legs with his teeth. Trailing kisses up the inside of her calves, his tongue traveled all the way up her long, silky legs, and halted in between her thighs. She wrapped her legs around his back, breathing even more heavily as she forced his lips upon her sexy, pink, pulsating corridor. Cassie screamed out in pure pleasure, feeling the familiar feeling of the orgasm Dillon often rewarded her with.

After intense foreplay, Lufkin unrolled a condom onto his penis, and thrust himself deep inside her folds. He kissed her tenderly, passionately until he couldn't hold out any longer, and she felt him suddenly throb against her walls.

Waking the next morning, Cassie, in shock, saw Lufkin lying naked beside her. "Oh my God! What have I done?" Cassie asked herself, scared of already knowing the answer. Feeling intense pain between her thighs, she rose slowly out of bed, and hoped that she wouldn't wake him. Quietly, slipping into her clothes, she snuck out the door, went back to her room, and immediately jumped into the shower. Trying hard to remember the events from the night before, she started to cry, her mind drawing a blank. "Did I have sex with him?" she questioned, sliding her hand over her vagina, which felt mutilated. Absolutely mortified, she continued with her shower as if she was washing off a deadly chemical from her body. She dressed quickly and took two aspirin for her headache, which she thought was the result of her drinking.

Cassie heard a knock at the door. She looked though the peep hole and saw Lufkin standing on the other side with her car keys. "You left your keys in my room," he said through the door, casually dangling the keys off his index finger.

She opened the door and invited him inside. "Thank you. Come in and have a seat."

Lufkin sat on the edge of Cassie's bed; she stood before him with her hands resting on her hips. "Did you and I do anything last night?" she asked, nervous.

He looked up. "Well, we made mad, passionate love if that's what you're getting at." A childish smirk broadened his face.

Painfully, dropping to the bed, she began to cry. "We can't let anyone know about this. It would ruin my relationship with my boyfriend!" Her eyes pleaded.

"Oh, your relationship with your sugar daddy?" He joked.

Her sad expression shifted quickly to extreme anger. "Shut the fuck up, I love him!" she yelled.

"Bullshit! You love his money, that's what you love!"

She jumped swiftly to her feet. "You're full of shit! Get the fuck out of here! If I so much as hear you breathe a word about this, you'll regret it!" she said, grabbing him by the arm, and shoving him out the door. The hard slamming of the door made the windows rattle.

She hurled herself onto the bed, crying into her pillow, and thought of how she would break the horrible news to Dillon. An hour later, wiping away her tears, Cassie rose from bed, and walked to the commissary to stock up on junk food.

"Hey, Littleton! Wait up!" A man's voice called from behind. It was Petty Officer Perry, one of the guys who she met up with at Cowboy Ranch. As a close friend of Lufkin's, Perry was a slender gentleman with a soft voice, bright blue eyes, and blond hair that was cut really close to his scalp. Perry was more on the timid side, which Cassie thought made him have a cute personality. "Where are you going?"

"To the commissary to buy some candy and chips. I don't feel like going out again tonight," she said, feeling depressed about the night before.

"I need to tell you something. I k-know Lufkin is my best friend, but I'm about to r-report him to our c-commanding officer," Perry explained, a slight stutter in his voice.

"Why?" she asked, puzzled by Perry's comment.

"He roofied your drink last night, Cassie."

She looked at Perry with extreme shock on her face. "I need to sit down." She clenched at her chest, her breathing becoming erratic, and she started to tremble. "No wonder I couldn't remember anything last night. The last thing I remember is sitting next to Lufkin, and then after that, everything went blank," she said, crouching over as if she were going to throw up. She looked up. "How did you know that he slipped a roofie in my drink?"

"He told me this morning after he left your room when he gave you your car keys."

Hatred jolted through her body. "Oh my God! That's it! I'm going straight over to the clinic and have them test me for Rohypnol. If it's in my bloodstream, he's going to pay!" She stood from the bench, extreme anger filled her face. "If my blood work comes back positive, will you testify as my witness?" she asked.

"Yes, I will. It's awful what he did and I'm not going to tolerate it, either." Perry put his arms around Cassie and pulled her tightly into his chest.

Not wanting to feel a man's embrace at the moment, she backed away. "Thank you."

Cassie rushed over to the base clinic and quickly approached the receptionist's desk. "I think I've been raped. I need to be examined!" she exclaimed.

A Naval doctor overheard the conversation. "Come with me," he instructed as he motioned her to go into an exam room. She sat on the exam table, feeling horribly sickened by what had happened.

The doctor stood before her. "Hi, I'm M.O. Winston. Can you explain to me what happened?"

She painfully stared down at the floor. "I think I was raped last night. I went to Cowboy Ranch and I was told that someone put a roofie in my drink. I can't remember a thing!" Her body shook and suddenly, she threw up all over the floor. "I'm terribly sorry," she said, wiping her mouth with her sleeve.

"Don't worry about that." The doctor could sense the pain through Cassie's eyes as he called for the nurse to come in and clean up the mess. He looked at Cassie, compassionately. "First thing we need to do is order some blood work. The next thing we will do is have the corpsman complete a rape kit on you. We need to notify the MP's as well," M.O. Winston explained.

Minutes later, a woman dressed in a white uniform entered the room. "Hi, I'm Nurse Thompson. I'll be conducting your exam." The nurse grabbed a paper gown from a cabinet and handed it to Cassie. "Slip into this and I will be back shortly."

Cassie dressed in the paper gown, sat on the edge of the exam table, and waited for the nurse to come back. A different nurse came in, drew some blood from Cassie's arm, and asked her to supply a urine sample.

Nurse Thompson came back into the room with a kit. "I'm going to need you to lie back while I do a quick pap smear and comb through the pubic area. I will also need a strand of hair from your head. If Ecstasy is in your system, it will test positive in your hair for about five to seven days," she explained.

"But, I was told it was Rohypnol, not Ecstasy." Cassie appeared confused, lying back with tears surging down her face as she felt the nurse touch her private area.

"We're testing you for both," the nurse said. Looking at Cassie's vagina with her feet in the stirrups, the nurse shook her head, livid at what she saw. "Cassie, that man really tore you up. I'm going to be as gentle as I possibly can. Just breathe through it, I know it's tough."

After the completion of the tests, M.O. Winston came back into the exam room. "Seaman Littleton," he said, looking at her blood test results, "You have tested positive for Rohypnol and negative for Ecstasy. Your rape kit also came back positive with someone else's DNA," he said, his raised eyebrows implicated concern. "Did the person who did this to you wear protection?"

"I don't know, I don't remember anything."

"Okay, you need to take a morning after pill. This will flush a possible pregnancy out of your body," he instructed. "Now, we need to contact the base authorities. I will have Nurse Thompson stay by your side throughout the questioning."

Cassie dressed herself and sat on a chair by the window in the exam room. Her cell phone rang and she saw Dillon's name on caller I.D. In tears, not ready to speak to him, she rejected his call. A few moments later, two base police officers entered the exam room. "Hi, we're with the Master of Arms. I'm Officer Blakenship," he introduced himself shaking Cassie's hand.

"And I'm Officer Wilsey." He flipped open his notepad. "We need to ask you a couple of questions. Do you know the name of the person who did this to you?"

Cassie sniffled. "His name is Brian Lufkin. He's a third-class petty officer."

Wilsey wrote Lufkin's name on his note pad.

"Where did the incident take place, Seaman Littleton?" Officer Blakenship asked.

"I'm not sure. All I remember is walking into Cowboy Ranch and sitting next to him. Everything is blank after that. I woke up this morning in his bed; I grabbed my clothes, and left as soon as I could. Lufkin knocked on my door an hour or so later and gave me my car keys. He told me that we had sex the night before and I kicked him out after he said that. His best friend, Petty Officer Perry, told me about the roofie about two-hours ago. He said that Lufkin told him this morning that he spiked my drink at the bar with it last night," Cassie explained in detail the best she could.

Nurse Thompson held Cassie's hand throughout the ordeal, trying to show some compassion over the situation. Cassie swallowed the morning after pill with a glass of water. Nurse Thompson explained that it could make her nauseated and she needed to rest for the remainder of the day.

Cassie went back to the barracks and cried herself to sleep. Dillon had left several messages on her cell phone. He called Cassie again the next morning. "Hey, gorgeous. Why didn't you call me back yesterday?" he asked, his voice sounding distressed.

"I'm still feeling sick," she said, not wanting to tell him that she was raped.

"Are you sure that's all? I can sense something is wrong, Cassie. Don't be afraid to tell me anything." He pressed hard to get her to open up to him.

She swallowed hard. "Oh, Dillon...I was raped Friday night."

Anger bolted through his soul like lightning flashing across the sky. "What? Raped? What the fuck? I'm coming out there!" he shouted, frantically grabbing his suitcase from his closet.

"No, you don't need to come all the way out here. It's not going to do you any good because I can't leave the base on weekdays."

"Well, I sure as hell can't sit here and do nothing! Baby, are you alright? Were you beaten?"

"Trust me, if someone tried to beat me, they wouldn't live to tell about it, but no, I wasn't beaten. I don't even remember the incident at all. Apparently, he slipped Rohypnol in my drink. My drug test came back positive for it along with his DNA. The base police are in control of it now," she said, feeling ashamed of herself. "I'm so sorry. I should never have gone to that club."

"It's not your fault, Cassie. Don't blame yourself."

Trying to change the subject, Cassie asked, "How is your mom doing?"

"She's doing great; she was released from the hospital yesterday because the antibiotics are working."

"That's wonderful news," she said, a slight smile broke through her pain.

***

Having no sleep whatsoever, tiredly, Cassie put on her uniform. Worried about running into Lufkin, her nerves got the best of her, and she vomited in the bathroom before leaving her room.

Petty Officer Perry stood next to her in formation. "They arrested Lufkin, and for all I know, he's being sent to the brig," he whispered toward her.

Cassie felt a sense of relief and hoped that no one else knew of the incident. She had confidence that Perry was mature enough to keep it to himself. "Thank you for all your help, Petty Officer Perry. I couldn't have done this without you," she said.

"No problem. We don't need men like that in the Navy. It's disgusting what he did and you're probably not the first woman he's ever done it to."

***

Cassie went through a few weeks of counseling regarding the rape during her stay in Memphis. She had begun to feel stronger about the whole ordeal. The thing that bothered her most was not remembering anything. Her counselor explained that it was a good thing not to remember because she wouldn't be sexually traumatized by it.

On Cassie's twentieth birthday, she received a dozen of red roses that were delivered to her room along with a pair of white, gold Tiffany earrings. The card read:

I'm so sorry that I can't be there with you on your birthday, but always know that I love and miss you. I can't wait to see you.

Love,

Dillon

Cassie's face gleamed with a great, big smile. She loved him dearly. Their relationship was strong and she felt that he was her soul mate. He treated her like a princess and worshipped the very ground that she walked on.

During class, Cassie anxiously opened the manila envelope that was handed to her, and discovered that she would be stationed on an aircraft carrier departing out of San Diego. Her mouth dropped and her heart fell into her stomach. "What the hell? A fucking aircraft carrier? For six to nine months?"

"You're going on the boat?" Sylvia asked after hearing Cassie yell in frustration throughout the classroom.

"Yes! A damn aircraft carrier for six to nine freaking months!" She held her order's high in the air and shook them in Sylvia's direction.

"I'm so sorry. That really sucks!" Sylvia said.

"So, where are you going?" Cassie asked.

"Moffett Federal Airfield," Sylvia responded, showing excitement in her voice.

"Mountain View, California?" That's what I wanted!" Devastated, Mountain View was only a few minutes from where Dillon lived. "Oh well, there's nothing I can do about it now." Oh, how she dreaded telling Dillon the news.

She went back to her room and made the fearful phone call to Dillon.

"Hey, gorgeous! Any good news?" he asked, knowing that she received her orders.

She took in a dreary deep breath before she spoke. "It's a freaking aircraft carrier deploying out of San Diego in a week!"

Dillon felt as though someone knocked the wind out of him. "Oh, baby. I'm so sorry. It could be fun, though. You'll get to see the world." He tried to make the best out of a bad situation.

"Yeah, but I won't see you!" Her eyes filled with tears and she cried into the phone.

"Don't cry, baby. How about I fly out to Memphis? We can take a road trip to San Diego, and then I can drive your car back to my place while you're on deployment," he suggested, trying his best to make her smile.

"That's sounds like an excellent idea."

***

The last weekend of Cassie's A-school had come to an end. After awarded a third-class petty officer ranking and her yeoman status, she was processed out of Memphis, and had arranged for all of her clothes to be shipped to Dillon's house in California. She loaded her car with her uniforms and then drove to the airport to pick up Dillon for their road trip to San Diego.

Cassie spotted Dillon standing at the curb, waiting outside of baggage claim. After tossing his bag in the trunk, Dillon slid in the passenger seat, and doused Cassie in his hot, steamy, minty kiss. "Oh, how I've missed you, gorgeous," he said, cupping her face in his hands.

"I've missed you, too, sweetie." She gazed deeply into his brown eyes, mesmerized at how handsome he was.

She drove onto I-40 and headed west.

"According to my calculations, if we drive straight through, we can have an extra day together in San Diego," Dillon suggested.

"So, you're willing to drive when I get tired?" she asked.

"Sure am, we can take turns," he said, kicking off his shoes.

It was about ten o'clock in the morning and neither of them had eaten breakfast. "How about we stop somewhere for brunch as soon as we get into Arkansas?" she asked.

"There you go, always thinking of food." Dillon started to laugh.

"A nice chicken fried steak with mashed potatoes and green beans has my name written all over it!" She giggled, playfully.

"Well, then a full course, cholesterol filled meal is on the agenda for the day!" He placed his hand on her knee and gently squeezed. "God! I can't wait to get you in that hotel. Oh, the things I will do to you...I will make you scream!"

Shocked at his choice of words, but also turned on at the same time, she looked over at him, and smiled. "I'm looking so forward to it, baby."

Arriving in Pine Bluff, Arkansas, they spotted a quaint little restaurant. With the look of a 1950s diner, it played old music, and displayed autographed pictures on the walls of movie stars.

Cassie and Dillon sat in a booth next to a window and browsed over the menu. Looking up, Dillon smiled. "God! You're so beautiful." He took Cassie's hand from across the table.

"Yes, I know. You tell me that often, and you're incredibly handsome." She smiled, blushing. Cassie stressed some concern and started to take the conversation more on a serious turn. "Are you ever concerned about our age difference?" she asked.

Dillon released her hand and relaxed back into his seat. "Not at all. Why, are you?" He knew that this topic eventually would come up.

"I'm not worried about it. I just don't want you to feel that I'm too immature for you."

"It doesn't matter how young you are...you act very mature for your age. I trust you with everything I have and I haven't felt like that in a long time." He had hoped his words reassured her, but deep down, he could sense the age issue was a problem.

"Well, I like the fact that you are older. You're not like those petty selfish, twenty-year old boys who are always out to screw everything in sight. You've already had your fun and I know that you want to settle down," she said with a smile.

"Yes, you are correct. I am ready to settle down. I would like you to become my wife as soon as your cruise is over."

Shock washed over her face. "You want us to get married within a year?"

"Is it too soon for you, Miss Littleton?"

Dismayed, shaking her head. "No, not at all. I'm just, um, a little nervous. This is totally unexpected." Her reaction wasn't at all what Dillon assumed. He had suspected that she would be thrilled at the thought of marrying him. She could imagine spending the rest of her life with him, but was afraid to make that kind of commitment so soon.

After lunch, Dillon elected to take over driving so Cassie could rest.

After a day and a half on the road, they arrived finally in San Diego, and booked a hotel suite for the next two days. Of course it was another luxurious five-star resort; Dillon wouldn't have it any other way.

The valet parked the car and they rode the elevator to their hotel suite. "I'm going to take a long, hot bubble bath," Cassie said, throwing her bag on the bed.

"Sure, gorgeous. I'm going to make a quick call to a client, so take your time," he said, spontaneously picking up his phone.

She slid into the tub, sat back, and relaxed. The thought of her parents finally popped into her head. She knew that she had to call them and tell them of her next duty assignment.

"Hi, Mom. How's it going?" Cassie asked.

"Hey, Cassie! Things are great. What's new?"

"Well..." She swallowed hard. "I'm in San Diego right now. I'm going on an aircraft carrier that is possibly heading to the Persian Gulf."

"Are you serious?" Mrs. Littleton sounded worried.

"Yes, Mom. I am."

"Well, your dad was on the USS Enterprise during Vietnam. He said the time goes by fast, so you should be fine. Just be very careful and know that I love you. How are you and Dillon doing?"

"We're good. He's here with me right now. We're going to spend a few days together before I deploy. Is Dad there?" Cassie asked, hoping to speak with him before she left for the next six months.

"No, he's at the store, but I will tell him that you called. He loves you."

"I love you both. I will call you when I can. Sorry I wasn't home for Thanksgiving and Christmas."

"It's okay, I totally understand. Please, be careful. We love you so much, Cassie."

"I love you too, Mom." Cassie disconnected the call. She sat back and the hot water rushed over her body. Hearing the door open, she saw Dillon enter. He sat on the edge of the tub, grabbed a washcloth, and began to wash Cassie's back.

"I can't stop thinking about how much I'm going to miss you when you leave," he expressed sadness in his voice.

"Oh, baby. I'm going to miss you lots, too. I can't stop thinking about it. My stomach actually hurts," she said, hugging her knees into her chest.

"Will we be allowed to communicate with each other at all while you're out at sea?"

"Sure, we will," she sounded hopeful. "I'm bringing my laptop with me so we'll have chat and e-mail. I can also call you from the ship's phone booth. Just keep in mind that I will be working about twelve-hour shifts, though," she explained.

Dillon undressed and positioned himself behind her as he slid into the hot bath. "I've read somewhere that a contract from the military can be bought out. I think I read that it's like forty-five thousand dollars."

"Forty-five thousand dollars?" she questioned in disbelief. "No way in hell would I allow you to do that! Besides, I really like the Navy. I feel like I'm becoming a better person and I have a great future ahead of me. When I put on my uniform, it makes me feel proud. I feel like I'm somebody when I wear it, a feeling of importance," she explained, hoping that he understood.

"I totally understand, gorgeous. If that's what you want, then I won't stand in your way." He stood, grabbed a towel, and dried himself off. He looked over at her and managed to crack a smile. "Shall we go to dinner?" He extended his hand and helped her from the tub. Tightly wrapping a towel around her, Dillon tenderly kissed her forehead, but pulled back, and then glared at her through his darkened eyes. "I love you and when you're on that ship, just remember that you're mine."

***

Arriving at an upscale restaurant in downtown San Diego, Dillon securely held Cassie's hands across the surface of the table. "Cassie, you're so incredibly beautiful. Please don't forget about me when you're on the ship with all those other men," he said, his confidence diminishing.

Cassie gazed sincerely into his eyes. "You have nothing to worry about. I love you and you only. No other man can grab my attention. Why would I even bother looking when I have the sexiest man alive sitting right across the table from me?"

Dillon's face glimmered a wide smile. "I want to marry you so badly. Nothing would make me happier than you becoming my wife. I want to spoil the hell out of you."

"Can I ask you a question?" Cassie asked, her heartfelt eyes looking at Dillon. "Why would you want to spend the rest of your life with someone whom you met as a stripper?"

His eyes broadened and his lips composed into a straight, hard line. "Cassie, I don't think of you that way. Besides you only danced for what, three days? It's not like you were a junkie and screwing everything in sight!" Intense irritation conveyed through his tone, annoyed at the question.

Cassie remembered in the back of her mind of the night at the hotel with Jeff Chance. Even though she didn't have sex with him, she knew that there would have been a possibility if he could have achieved an erection. She tried like hell to block that whorific night from her thoughts and quickly focused. "I guess I can understand your reasoning," she said, feeling a little inadequate.

"Cassie," he said, her hands still in his grasp. "I see you as a pure, honest, intelligent woman. From what you have told me, you've only been with one man, and that's your fiancé who passed away. Am I right?"

"Yes, you're right," she said taking a sip of water. "But, I was raped, remember?"

Suddenly, a stern gaze bolted from his eyes, "Don't you ever include that as someone you have slept with! He robbed you of innocence and trust. He violated you!" His hands squeezed tightly against her fingers. "Do you know how rare it is to find someone like you? Someone who hasn't been with one night stands?"

She shrugged. "I guess it is rare. I never thought about that," she replied, pulling her hands from his strong hold, and wiping the corners of her mouth with a napkin.

They quietly finished their dinner and went back to their hotel to spend one last night together before she deployed.

***

Finally, the day came and they prepared to say their goodbyes. Cassie put on her white Navy skirt, black patent leather heels, her uniform top, and adjusted her neckerchief around her neck. Her uniform was pressed perfectly and she was ready for the ship.

Dillon walked into the room dressed delectably in a pin-striped dark suit and gray tie. He gazed longingly at her, mesmerized by her beauty. "Cassie, you're going to drive all those men crazy on that ship! You wear that uniform like a sexy Halloween costume!" he said, smiling and shaking his head.

"No I don't," she said, blushing. "I can't help the way it fits me. The seamstress tailored it the way it was supposed to fit. It's not my fault I have store bought boobs that make my tops fit tighter," she joked. "Well, I guess it kind of is my fault." She giggled, playfully.

Dillon slung Cassie's green duffle bag over his shoulder and they walked down to the concierge's desk to check out. The valet brought her Porsche around and then Dillon put the green duffle bag in the trunk at the front of the car. He opened the door to the passenger side and Cassie climbed in. The entire car ride to the ship had been totally silent. Her heart raced, nervous about saying goodbye to Dillon.

Upon arriving to the port, Dillon parked the car. He grabbed her green duffle bag from the trunk and then opened the passenger door for her. They walked hand-in-hand toward the massive aircraft carrier. "Oh my God, I have never seen anything so huge in my life! That ship is monstrous!" Dillon said in awe.

"I know, it is huge!" Cassie's heart raced faster and she sensed an anxiety attack coming on. "One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten," she counted, holding her breath. She exhaled. "Whew, I'm okay," she said, trying to reassure herself.

Dillon wrapped his arms around her and squeezed her tightly, not wanting to let go. "I love you, gorgeous. I'll love you forever," he said, whispering in her ear. "Remember, you are mine, no one else's."

"I love you, too. I won't betray you, I promise." Cassie clung firmly with her arms wrapped tightly around him. "I don't want to let you go."

Surrendering from each other, she slowly walked away, and went toward the massive ship. Dillon wiped a tear away from his cheek as he watched her walk away, a feeling of emptiness consumed him.

A half hour later, a loud voice came over the ship's speaker, "All hands on deck at this time!"

Cassie stood in formation along with the other sailors who were on the top deck. The ship pushed away from the dock and she could see Dillon in the distance, waving goodbye. He didn't walk away until he watched the ship disappear over the horizon. Cassie felt awful, knowing that he was hurting so much, and realized that there was nothing she could do about it.
Chapter Sixteen

With over 2900 sailors on board, Cassie had to attend a class on safe sex. The instructor also went over liberty at ports along with the dress code while off the ship. "You are to report back to the ship at least one hour before check-in time during liberty!" The command master chief ordered. "What happens at sea stays at sea! There are things you can say and things you cannot say! You are on a need to know basis. Things can change on this boat at the drop of a hat! Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes, sir!" the class yelled in unison.

After class completion, Cassie along with other females had to follow the unit supervisor to their sleep quarters. "This is your rack," the unit supervisor said, opening the door, and entering inside.

Cassie looked at the cramped quarters and saw sixty bunk beds that were crammed into a tiny space with blue curtains.

"You will be issued one locker and one locker only. Make good use of it and don't buy things you don't need when you are on liberty," her unit supervisor said.

Cassie put her things away and then climbed into her tiny bed.

"Hi, I'm Martin, Leslie Martin," a female bunk mate introduced herself.

Cassie shook her hand and smiled. "Nice to meet you, I'm Littleton, Cassie Littleton. Have you ever been on the boat before?"

"Yes, this is my second cruise. Is this your first?" Leslie asked.

"Yes, it's my first. I'm so nervous," Cassie said, looking a bit timid.

"Stick with me and we'll have a blast. A cruise can be fun or miserable. It's what you make of it. I have one tip for you, though. Never, I mean never, flirt with your superiors. You can get in a lot of trouble for that. I know of a master chief on my last deployment who screwed a seaman. They got into some deep shit! She lost half of her pay for three months and he's not eligible for any promotions at all."

Cassie announced proudly, "Well, I don't have to worry about that. I'm practically engaged," Cassie said, pulling her hand out from under the blanket and flashing her ring.

Other bunk mates jumped from their racks, wanting to see the huge rock. "Oh my God! The ring is breathtaking! By the way, I'm Melanie Jones."

"And I'm Peyton Christian."

Cassie, being swarmed by all the commotion, tried to take her hand away. "Very nice to meet all of you. Can I have my hand back? I'd like to go to bed." Cassie joked. "I suspect we have a long day ahead of us tomorrow. I hear that we'll have twelve-hour shifts." She situated herself underneath the blanket. "I'm so sleepy, so if you don't mind, I'm going to get some shuteye." Cassie faced the wall, closed her eyes, and thought of Dillon.

The next morning, a female officer entered the sleep quarters. "YN Littleton! Petty Officer, Littleton! Captain Ellis requests your presence on the bridge, immediately!"

"Holy shit, Cassie! What did you do?" Peyton asked with concern. "You must have done something bad if the captain wants to see you. He's the highest ranking officer on the ship!"

Cassie, startled from her sleep from the loud yell of the female officer, shrugged her shoulders, confused. "I don't know. I haven't done anything wrong." She dressed quickly in her working blues and headed to the captain's bridge.

She stood at attention and saluted. "YN 3 Littleton reporting, sir!" she said aloud to the captain.

The captain stood directly in front of her. "At ease," Captain Ellis instructed. "I understand that you have received very high marks on your promotion exam back in Memphis. I need someone to be my executive assistant on board this ship. Someone who I can establish trust with, who can type fast, tends to certain needs, and be my back-up when I need them. I was thinking that someone should be you, YN Littleton," the captain explained, sternly staring into her eyes.

She gulped. "I'm very honored, Captain." She, still standing nervously at attention, even though the captain instructed her to relax.

"You will work alongside me and you will conduct business in my personal office."

"When do I report for duty, Captain?"

"At 0:800 hours! You are dismissed."

Saluting before turning on her heel, she headed back to her rack. Cassie's three new friends were getting dressed in their working blues and preparing for their jobs in the galley. The three girls were CS's, which were culinary specialists.

Leslie hurried toward Cassie to get the latest news on why the captain wanted to see her so urgently. "So, Cassie, what happened?"

"The captain requested that I be his executive assistant."

Leslie's mouth gaped open in shock. "No way! Oh my God! You're going to have the easiest freaking job on the ship! Not to mention favored treatment. Do you realize what an honor that is?"

"I guess so." Cassie shrugged. She stripped out of her working-blue's and changed into her dress uniform.

"You're going to have to tell me how your first day goes!"

"I will." Cassie straightened her skirt and tugged at her nude pantyhose. Flashing a smile toward Leslie, she left, and headed toward the captain's office.

Cassie sat at her new haze-gray metal desk and opened her laptop. She was alone in the office and she suspected that the captain was at the mess hall getting breakfast.

Finally, settled in her new office, the captain came into the room. "Well, now, this is going to be fun. The first thing I need you to do is proof-read these documents and correct any errors," he explained, handing her a manila folder.

Cassie took the folder, read through the papers, and marked a large amount of mistakes with a red pen. She opened her Word program on the computer and started retyping the documents. The corrected documents were printed and placed on the captain's desk.

"Looks great, Littleton." He closely examined the document. "I can't believe you finished it this fast. Well done!" the captain said.

Cassie sat back with a sigh of relief. "If you don't mind, Captain, may I go to the mess hall and grab something quick for breakfast?"

"Not at all. Take your time," he said, still looking over the document, impressed at the corrections she had made.

The loud talking among all the sailors turned suddenly to silence when Cassie entered the mess hall with her Barbie-like figure, golden blonde hair that was toiled neatly into a French twist, and her gleaming blue eyes sparkled, which illuminated the room. The men couldn't take their eyes off her. She knew they were all checking her out, so she walked provocatively up to the counter, which looked like a smorgasbord full of food.

A gorgeous, black-haired man who was dressed in what seemed to be a lieutenant's white uniform approached her. "So, you must be the beauty queen the captain hired," he said in a joking manner.

"Nah, I'm no beauty queen, but I am working directly for the captain."

"You can't tell me that you don't think you're hot! You didn't notice the reaction of everyone in the mess hall when you entered?" he asked.

"Isn't that a little inappropriate for you to ask?"

"You'll discover that anything goes onboard this ship," he said, arrogantly."

I noticed that it got awfully quiet when I entered, but I didn't notice any reactions." She grabbed her tray and loaded it with pancakes, eggs, and sausage. After taking a seat at a vacant table, the lieutenant sat down directly across from her.

He extended his hand over the table. "By the way, I'm Lieutenant Daniels."

"I'm YN 3 Littleton," she said, shaking his hand, placing a paper napkin in her lap.

"Ah, a third class petty officer I see. I assume this is your first cruise."

"Yes...it is, sir."

"I bet you will enjoy your job on this cruise. Consider yourself lucky while you work eight-hour days, five days a week, as the rest of the enlisted sailors are scrubbing toilets and emptying grease pits for twelve hours." The lieutenant smiled, showing his beautiful, perfectly white teeth to Cassie.

"I consider myself lucky, I suppose." She took one last bite of her pancake and stood from the table. "It was very nice meeting you, Lieutenant Daniels."

"Nice meeting you too, Petty Officer Littleton." He glanced over his shoulder and watched her walk away. Holding his crumpled napkin in his fist, he shook his head, and whispered, "I'm gonna get in a lot of trouble with that temptress onboard this ship."

Cassie returned to the office and noticed Captain Ellis appearing extremely upset. "Is there anything else I can do?" she asked.

Captain Ellis slammed his laptop closed. "Yeah, I would pay you one-hundred bucks if you would just beat the living shit out of me!"

Utterly stunned by his words, Cassie looked shocked. "Are you okay?"

"It's my fucking wife. She's so jealous and every time I go on a cruise, she acts like a raging lunatic. I don't even know why she agreed to marry me because she knew that I would be away all the time."

Hoping to make him smile, Cassie thought she would crack a joke. "I'm really sorry. I will beat you up if it will make you feel better."

"Ha! Don't tempt me! But, I bet you wouldn't do it," the captain said in a tone as if he were daring her.

"Try me! I might look all innocent on the outside, but I can unleash the beast on the inside."

"You?" he questioned, eyeballing her up and down. "Look innocent on the outside? You look like a heartbreaker! That's one of the main reasons I'm having you work for me. It's so those animalistic sailors won't go crazy below deck when you're around them."

"Seriously?" Cassie looked disappointed. "I thought you hired me for my brain."

"Well, both actually." He reached into his front pocket, pulled out a one-hundred dollar bill, and placed it on the edge of his desk. "Okay, there's the money." His eyes motioned toward the currency. "You punch me in the face as hard as you can and it's yours!"

Cassie rose reluctantly from her desk and clenched a tight fist. "Are you sure you want me to do this?"

"Do it now! Now, before I chicken out!" His eyes were tightly closed.

She drew back and punched Captain Ellis right between the eyes. "Shit! That hurt!" She shook her hand, trying to get the sting out of it.

Captain Ellis doubled over in extreme pain, holding his nose that flowed of blood. "Now, that's what I'm talking about! I'm going to get black eyes from that!" he said, his voice muffled from his hand covering his face. "Where in the hell did you get all that strength?"

Still shaking the sting from her hand, she replied, "I don't know, maybe the many years of martial arts classes and weight lifting." She shrugged, revealing a slight smile. Taking the money off the desk, she slipped it strategically into her bra.

"Do not tell anyone about this! I don't want people getting the wrong idea," the captain said, wiping the blood from his nose with a tissue.

"I won't say anything. I'm not the gossip or drama type of gal," she said. "I must say...no one has ever paid me money to hit them."

"Thank goodness no one can see inside my office! I couldn't imagine the rumors onboard this ship. It would damage my credibility if people knew that a yeoman hit a captain and got away with it."

"Yeah, I would imagine that I wouldn't be very liked around here," Cassie said, managing to laugh. "Today's been a great day. It's not every day that I get to hit a superior and get paid for it!"

"Okay...okay, now let's get down to business." The captain tried to be more serious. "Here's a memo that I need typed up and distributed throughout the ship about the rules in Hawaii when we pull into port."

"Hawaii?" she questioned. "I've never been to Hawaii. When do we arrive?"

"Should be the day after tomorrow. No one is supposed to know; though, so keep it under wraps," Captain Ellis instructed.

"Not to worry," Cassie responded, typing swiftly on the keyboard.

***

At the end of the work day, Cassie went to her rack, and opened her laptop to see if Dillon was online.

"Hey, gorgeous." Dillon typed her a message on instant messenger.

"Hey, sweetie! How are you?"

"Missing you. How's life on the ship?"

"It's fabulous! I'm working directly for the captain so I work Monday through Friday for eight-hours a day."

"That's terrific! Have you been on the flight deck yet?"

"Just when I arrived. Most of the sailors have to report up there daily to scope it for fod. It's a safety precaution for the jets. Oh, yeah, I'm not supposed to say anything, but I'm pulling into Pearl Harbor, Hawaii in two days."

"Should I book a flight?"

"I'm not sure; I wouldn't even know where to meet you. I've never been to Hawaii, so I have no idea."

"Don't worry about that! I'll figure it all out! When you get off the ship, look for me!"

"Okay, now you're getting me excited."

"Ready for some cybersex?" Dillon joked.

Cassie eyes shot widely open. "No! I'm bunking with fifty-nine other people in here!" She laughed.

"You're not bunking with guys, are you?"

"Um, no! The Navy wouldn't allow that. It's really strict on here. I'm going to take a shower and get ready for bed. I'm so tired. I love you."

"I love you too, gorgeous. I'll see you in two days."

Cassie grabbed her pajamas, soap, and shampoo and went into the shower room. The showers were very tiny, almost like an airplane bathroom. There was no door, just a curtain with three showers connected like stalls in a public restroom.

Afterward, she went to her rack, and climbed into bed. She thought about Hawaii and laughed aloud when the thought crept into her mind of how she hit the captain in the face.

The next morning, Cassie put on her uniform, and headed to the mess hall for breakfast. She noticed Lieutenant Daniels sitting alone at a table. She grabbed the chair next to him and joined him again for breakfast.

"Hey, there, Littleton. Did you see Captain Ellis this morning?" he asked.

"No, not yet...why? Is everything okay, sir?"

"He has two black eyes!" he exclaimed.

"No way! What happened to him?" she asked, knowing very well why he had two black eyes.

"Not sure, he won't tell anyone, but I'm going to investigate and find out. Not too much goes on around here without me knowing about it."

Cassie became concerned about being discovered that she was the one who caused the captain's black eyes. She knew that no one would find out unless the captain opened his mouth and she knew that she wasn't going to say anything. "Well, if you would excuse me, I have to report to the captain," Cassie said as she started to walk away.

"Hey, let me know if you find out what happened to the captain," the lieutenant spoke loudly as Cassie walked off.

"Don't worry, I won't," she responded, sarcastically.

Cassie entered the office and saluted the captain.

He smiled. "Good morning, Littleton," he said, looking a bit embarrassed.

"Well, you are literally a sight for sore eyes." She giggled. "Would you like me to run over to sickbay and grab you an ice pack?"

"It's a little late for that, but thanks for offering. I don't really have anything for you to do, so we can sit and bullshit for the remainder of the day." Captain Ellis laughed as he popped two aspirin in his mouth. "You know, I feel I can talk to you about anything. I felt that certain sense of trust when I met you." The captain took a hearty gulp of water.

"I'm flattered that you feel that comfortable around me. I guess I can be your personal psychologist." She joked.

"So, Littleton...tell me about yourself." Casually, he propped his feet up on his desk as he crossed them.

"Well, I'm dating a man who's old enough to be my father."

"What?" Suddenly, his feet hit the floor. He leaned forward, propping himself on his elbows, totally interested in what Cassie had to say. "You can't be serious. Why such an old dude when you can have practically your pick of any man on the planet?"

"He's helped me out a lot. He's supported me through a lot of bad decisions I've made in my life and he doesn't judge me for any of them. He's incredibly handsome, too." She started to blush, but she loved talking about Dillon.

"Ah, I can see you getting a little flushed. You really are gaga over that guy, aren't you?"

"Yes, I really do love him. I think about him, constantly."

"How does he feel about you being in the Navy?"

"He was a little upset at first, but he knows I made the right decision, so he supports me."

"That's a wonderful man to have. Let's just hope he doesn't develop trust issues while you're on this cruise like my wife has."

"He doesn't seem to be the jealous type. He doesn't play all the mind games like the guys my age do. He's done with that phase in his life."

"I can totally understand that! I wish my wife wasn't the jealous type. I don't even know why I stay married to that bitch. We have no children and all she does is bitch, bitch, and bitch. I get excited when I know I'm going on a cruise because I won't have to stay home and listen to her nagging ass!"

"Jeez, Captain! Angry much?" Cassie asked as she started to laugh at his attitude.

"Just a little. She really chaps my ass! Just thinking about her makes me want you to hit me again."

"Well, if you got the money, I got the time." She joked.

"Don't tease," he responded, hoping that she was serious. Suddenly, he looked as though a light bulb ignited above his head. "I have an idea, Littleton. What if I were to pay you five-hundred dollars a week for you to beat me around a little? Let's say...um, three times a week..."

Mortified, she blurted out, "You can't be serious. You really would pay someone to beat your ass?"

"Not just someone...you!"

Cassie wasn't sure how to react at such a request. She knew that she couldn't really deny a superior and it's not like she could report him to anyone because he's the highest ranking officer on the ship. She swallowed hard and took a deep breath. "Okay, if that's what you really want, then I'll do it."

"Hot damn!" He smacked his knee. "I'm getting excited just thinking about it. We can start tonight. Meet me in the Captain's Mast office at the bow of the ship at 18:00 hours. Be dressed in your uniform and bring your clipboard and papers. We don't want to raise suspicion. We want people to believe what you're doing is work related," he explained.

"Alright," Cassie said, feeling a sense of empowerment.

At the end of the work day, Cassie went to her rack, and opened her laptop, hoping to catch Dillon online. She didn't see any activity, so she sent him an e-mail.

______________________________

From: Cassie Littleton

To: Dillon Baron

Subject: Missing you.

Hey, sweetie. I'm off work, so I thought I would catch you online. I'm not sure if your plans have changed for Hawaii, but the ship is still scheduled to pull into port tomorrow. I really hope to see you. I love you so much.

Love,

Cassie

______________________________

Cassie looked at her watch and noticed that it was 5:55. Taking a deep breath, she grabbed her clipboard, and walked to the small office that was tucked away at the bow of the ship. She noticed two sailors who were mopping the floor as she walked by. They watched her intently as she knocked on the door.

"Who is it?" the captain asked.

"It's YN 3 Littleton, sir. I need your signature on these documents," she shouted through the door.

"Please, come in."

She closed the door behind her. Captain Ellis was sitting in a chair, wearing his white, Navy issued boxer's, black knee-high socks, white t-shirt, and his corfram shoes. Handing Cassie a set of handcuffs, he asked her to handcuff him to his chair. Shocked, she didn't quite expect this, but it titillated her. She grabbed the handcuffs and did as she was instructed. Her personality transformed into a sexy dominatrix right before his very eyes. He started to speak. "Shh! Don't say a fucking word, you worthless piece of shit!" she yelled, slapping him across the face. "Look at me when I'm talking to you! You address me as, Mistress Cassie! Do I make myself clear?" she demanded.

He shook the sting from his face. "Yes, Mistress Cassie. Give me more!" He begged.

Cassie drew her hand back, and slapped him across the face, again. He dropped his head and stared at the floor. Grabbing his hair at the top of his head, she angrily stared into his eyes and stood so close that he could feel her breath on his face. "You like that! You tell me yes and you ask for more, bitch!" Taking a step back, she seductively removed her uniform blazer. Unfastening the buttons on the front of her white blouse, she exposed her plunging, deep cleavage to him. Her plan was to tease the hell out of him, to make him beg, but for some strange reason, she started to take it further than just a beat up, fetish session. "Do you like this?" she asked, temptingly running her fingers across the top of her breasts.

"Yes, I love it!" He breathed heavily. "Show me more!"

"Shut up! I told you no talking!" she exclaimed.

"Well, don't ask me questions!" He started to laugh.

Cassie cracked a slight smile, but then shifted back to the seriousness of the sexcapade. Shoving her cleavage in his face, she lifted her black, patent leather heel, and placed it at his crotch. The look of fear shown on his face. "Are you afraid with my foot right there?" she asked, pushing it into him, feeling how hard he was becoming against her shoe. She pulled her foot away and smacked him across the face, again. "You're my bitch! Don't you forget it! I own you!" she shouted. Cassie grabbed him by the collar of his t-shirt and ripped it off his chest. She was surprised to see the definition of his hard pecs and six-pack abs. Another blow to the face. "Look at me when I'm speaking to you, disobedient pig!" Cassie spotted a bottle of massage oil on the desk. "You come prepared, I see." She grinned snidely, pouring some oil into her hand, rubbing it through his hair, and working her way down to his defined pecs and abs. She grabbed at the elastic waist of his boxer's and glided her fingers along the edge. "You want me to stroke you, don't you?" She taunted.

"Yes, Mistress Cassie. Give me a happy ending!"

Cassie slapped him across his oily chest and threw the bottle of oil against the wall. Tantalizingly bending over, allowing the hem of her skirt to rise at the bottom of her butt cheeks, Cassie allowed Captain Ellis to view the pink, lacy thong that peeked from the bottom of her skirt. Rubbing her oil soaked hands all over her ass; she tormented the hell out of him. "You're naughty, Captain Ellis. I hope this beating teaches you a lesson," she said before slapping him across the face one last time.

Backing away, she buttoned up her shirt and shrugged her blazer on. She walked over to him and whispered provocatively into his ear as she unlocked the handcuffs, "I hope this was as exciting for you as it was for me." With that, she grabbed her clipboard, and then left the room.

Cassie graced by the two sailors who were mopping the floor. She tried her best to look as professional as possible, but for some reason, she believed that they could see the guilt written on her face. "Gentlemen," she nodded, exposing an evil grin as she walked by.

Back at her rack, she opened her laptop to see if Dillon was online. There was no response to her e-mail and he wasn't on chat, either. Cassie sighed, closed her laptop, and retired to bed.

***

The next morning, the ship began to approach Pearl Harbor. Cassie put on her uniform and started to prepare for the day. She walked to the captain's office to do some work.

"Captain." Cassie saluted.

"Good morning, Littleton. I have a stack of papers that I need copies of within the next few days. If you can give them to Lieutenant Branson when you're finished, that would be appreciated."

Cassie sat at her haze-gray metal desk and was relieved that he was not bringing up the event that took place the night before.

"What are your plans when we reach land?" Captain Ellis asked, looking down at the files on his desk.

"I'm not sure. I've never been to Hawaii, so it's all new to me," she said, trying her best to avoid any eye contact.

Cassie knew that she probably would see Dillon, but she didn't want the captain to know that she had released that information to him.

The captain left abruptly and ran up to the bridge to release the announcement. "All hands on deck!"

Cassie hurried up to the flight deck and stood in formation with the other sailors. The command master chief told all the sailors about the rules while on liberty. "I cannot stress this enough! Be back one-hour before check-in time!"

The sailors lined up at the edge of the flight deck at arm's length apart. They stood at attention as the ship pulled into Pearl Harbor.

Anticipating seeing Dillon, Cassie's nerves were getting the best of her, and wondered if she should tell him about last night with the captain. "What happens at sea stays at sea." She reminded herself of the captain's infamous words.

The hook was dropped and the ship was docked. Some sailors rushed to their racks to put on their civilian clothes. Cassie grabbed her overnight bag, slipped on a pair of her tight jeans, a button-down white fitted long-sleeve collared shirt, and her black Mary Jane Manolo's. Upon disembarking the ship, she saw the captain inspecting everyone's clothing to make certain that they were dressed modestly. "Stinson! Unacceptable! Go change!" the captain yelled at a seaman for not meeting the civilian dress code.

Cassie smiled as she walked by the captain. She went to an area where all of the civilians were waiting for the sailors to come off the ship. Seeing Dillon in the distance, she ran up to him, and wrapped her arms around his neck. He picked her up and spun her around. They shared a long, passionate kiss.

"I missed you!" he said, gazing into her eyes.

"I missed you too, sweetie!" she said, smiling.

"You look so beautiful! I bet you're driving all those men insane!"

"Nope, it's not like that. It's strictly business," she said, looking down at her feet, her bangs covering her face as she smiled a sneaky, malicious grin. She wiped the smugness from her face and looked up. "Where are we going?" she asked as Dillon led her to the parking lot.

"I got us a suite on the beach. It's absolutely stunning. You're going to love it, I promise you," he said, opening the car door for her.

"Wow, you rented a Maserati?" she questioned. "I'm impressed." She situated herself onto the leather seat.

"Sure did. I wanted to rent a car like the one I own at home," he said. "But, the one I own is a yellow Granturismo."

"You own a Maserati?" She suspected that he drove a BMW or Mercedes, but never imagined a Maserati.

"Gorgeous, you have no idea," he boasted with a smug grin and started the car.

The valet parked the Maserati when they arrived to the hotel. They walked through the door of their suite and Dillon wasted no time when he pushed Cassie up against the wall and started to unbutton her shirt. Vigorously kissing her neck, he pursued each kiss down into her cleavage. His aggressiveness completely aroused Cassie, acting as though he wanted to savagely rip the clothes from her body, and fuck her hard. "You like it rough, don't you, baby?" he whispered, looking up from her breasts, yanking her jeans to her ankles.

She breathed heavily. "You know I do." Her hands unbuckled his belt. She swiftly yanked his pants down his sculpted hips and stared in awe at the enormous bulge in his black, boxer-briefs. Lifting up his fitted, black V-neck t-shirt, she savored his gorgeous, hard chest with her lips. "Oh my God, you're so incredibly hot!" she said, panting hard.

Dillon hurriedly swept her into his arms, carried her into the bedroom, slammed her onto the bed, and snatched her black, lacy panties from around her ankles. Sliding his hand up her thigh, his tongue plunged into her hot, moist folds. Throwing her head back in an erotic trance, she ran her fingers through his thick, silky, sandy blond hair, and then, she decided to become the aggressor. Flipping Dillon to his back, she placed her finger over his lips, and climbed on top of him. "Hush, don't speak." She peeled his boxer's from his waist and gripped hard onto his throbbing, stiff shaft. He closed his eyes and felt Cassie's beautiful, plump lips surround his extended mass. "Mmm, baby...don't stop," he whispered. Becoming overly stimulated at the aggression Cassie possessed, and his phallus in her mouth, Dillon couldn't hold out much longer. Cassie felt his warm juice flow down her throat and she was well aware that she satisfied his need.

"If I smoked, this is when I would need a cigarette," Dillon said, exhaling a gratified breath.

"I'm glad you enjoyed it."

He shook his head, trying to focus. "Wow! Where did that come from, Cassie? You're a little minx, aren't you? What other surprises do you have hidden?"

Lying in Dillon's arms with her back facing him, a mischievous grin formed on her face. If he only knew the dominatrix inside her, but would she dare reveal to him the new personality that's beginning to take over?

Waking from their nap, Cassie and Dillon headed down to a luau on the beach. She couldn't wait to introduce Dillon to her shipmates. Of course, Cassie was dressed way too fancy for the event, but that's how she was, wanting all the attention focused on her. She slid on her jeweled, high-heel flip flops, a pair of silk white shorts, and a backless white top that accentuated the shape of her enormous fake breasts.

Dillon dressed simple, wearing a Hawaiian print button-down shirt, white Bermuda shorts, and flip flops. Although he looked like a typical Hawaiian tourist, Cassie still thought that he was incredibly handsome.

"If anyone can pull off a silly ole Hawaiian tourist shirt, it's you," Cassie laughed as they spread a blanket on the sand.

"Why...thank you," he said, playfully spanking her bottom as she bent over.

"Hey!" she yelled, placing her hand over the raw smack.

Dillon chased her enthusiastically around the blanket as they giggled like two children.

Cassie stopped and tried to catch her breath from all the running around. "Oh, Dillon, come with me. I want you to meet someone." She lured Dillon over to the beach bar and introduced him to the captain. "Dillon, this is Captain Ellis. Captain Ellis, this is my boyfriend, Dillon."

Dillon extended his hand. "Nice to meet you, sir. Has Cassie been doing a good job?" Dillon asked, implying as a joke.

The captain glanced over at Cassie, and showed a pompous smile. "Absolutely! The best yeoman I've ever had work for me," he responded, shaking Dillon's hand.

Captain Ellis also wore a Hawaiian shirt. Dillon seemed a little intimidated because of the captain's physique. Although he was an older man, he was very muscular and in great shape. His thick hair on top with shaved sides made him look much younger. A man in his mid-fifties who didn't look a day over thirty.

"Well, it's nice to know that Cassie's a great worker. She'll do you proud, Captain." Dillon smiled.

Cassie quickly interrupted, "Sir, if you would excuse us." Cassie grabbed Dillon by the arm and led him far away from the captain.

"Damn! You work directly for him?" The expression on Dillon's face craved for reassurance that Cassie wasn't at all attracted to the man.

"Yes, and people are envious. I even get special treatment from all the sailors. The females treat me nice and the males treat me like a princess. It's amazing."

"He hasn't made any passes at you, has he?" He squeezed her arm; his face grew serious as he glared into her eyes.

Cassie pulled her arm away. "No way! Do you realize what that could do to his career?" Cassie sounded convincing.

"Okay, I believe you. I just don't trust other men around you. You don't realize how beautiful you really are."

Cassie and Dillon enjoyed a quiet meal as they sat together on the beach. A slight breeze blew and the crash of the waves was soothing. Curling herself into Dillon's arms, he held Cassie close to his chest, and stroked her beautiful blonde hair. Cassie could see Lieutenant Daniels coming toward them.

"So...Littleton, are you going to introduce me?" Daniels asked.

Cassie withdrew herself from Dillon's embrace. "Hi, Lieutenant Daniels. This is my boyfriend, Dillon. Dillon, this is Lieutenant Daniels," she said. They both shook hands.

Wearing his formal-dress uniform, Daniels would wear nothing else while on liberty. It was his chic magnet. Extremely attractive, in his early thirties with jet-black hair, deep dark brown eyes, and dark skin, the lieutenant was very ripped at six-feet tall. His beautiful, perfect, white teeth highlighted against his darkened skin, a smile that could get any woman into bed. "It's very nice to meet you, Dillon," Daniels said, tipping his hat. "I'm going to head over to the bar. I'll see you later." His big smile shot toward Cassie.

Dillon became even more jealous. "Damn, Cassie! Now, I'm extremely worried. You have all these attractive men surrounding you on a ship and I'm not supposed to be bothered by it? I wish I would have never met any of them!"

Cassie took Dillon's hand in hers and sincerely looked him in the eyes while stroking his soft, sandy blond hair. "You have nothing to worry about, I promise."

"Are you sure? I sure feel like I have something to worry about. How in the hell can I measure up to them?" he asked.

Cassie became upset. "Oh my God, Dillon! You're better than they are because I love you! You! Do you get it? I don't love them, I don't even like them. You can't put me through all this damn insecure drama! I can't take that shit out at sea!" She stood from the blanket and turned her back to him, her arms crossed in front.

Wrapping his arms around her from behind, he planted his lips onto her shoulder. "I'm sorry, baby. I just needed to hear you say that." He inhaled deeply, taking in her scent. "It's getting late. Let's head back to the hotel." Dillon reached down and began to fold up the blanket.

Entering the hotel suite, Cassie plopped down onto the couch while Dillon poured a glass of champagne. "Would you like a glass, gorgeous?"

"No, thanks."

"I haven't seen you drink anything alcoholic since we left Memphis. What gives?" he asked.

"I don't know." She shrugged. "I guess after I found out that my drink was roofied, I kind of don't want alcohol anymore."

He looked at Cassie sympathetically. "Oh, baby. I totally understand." He sat beside her and twirled his index finger through her hair.

Cassie yawned and stretched. "Well, I'm tired. Do you mind if we turn in now?"

"You go ahead; I'll be in there in a few minutes." Dillon sat, thinking of the new men in Cassie's life, and wondered if he did, in fact, have anything to worry about.

***

Awakened by the sun beaming through the hotel window, Cassie's feet quickly hit the floor. "Oh, Shit! I have to get ready. I have to report to the ship in thirty-minutes!" She snatched up her bag and started shoving all of her clothes and makeup inside. Hurriedly, she slipped on her jeans and put on a t-shirt. "Hurry up, Dillon! I need to get to the port ASAP!"

"Okay, okay. I'm getting up!" He sat up; the blankets fell to his waist, exposing his glorious, naked chest.

Shaking the sexy vision of Dillon's bare chest from her mind, Cassie hurried into the bathroom and closed the door.

After rushing around so much, Dillon got Cassie to the port in just the nick of time. Practically out of breath, they're entire goodbye rushed; Cassie kissed and hugged him tightly. "I love you, sweetie."

"I love you too, gorgeous," he said, intimately kissing her forehead.

She walked off while Dillon waved goodbye. As he watched her disappear onto the massive ship, he knew things didn't feel quite right, something was definitely wrong, and he reminded himself constantly to have trust in her.
Chapter Seventeen

After putting her clothes away, Cassie rushed to the mess hall to eat some chow before bedtime. She saw her bunkmate, Leslie, sitting alone at a table, so she took the seat next to her. "Hey, Leslie. How's it going?"

"It's okay. I have the worst hangover ever," she said, sipping some coffee.

"I take it that you had a great time on liberty?" Cassie asked.

"You could say that. I hooked up with a petty officer." Leslie giggled.

"No way! Okay, fill me in on the details," Cassie said, eagerly waiting for the juicy gossip.

"Well, we were at a luau and Petty Officer Leighton came up to me and asked if I had a cigarette. I told him I didn't smoke. He sat down next to me and we started talking. We're both from Alabama, family oriented, like the same kind of music and television shows. We have so much in common. It was like love at first sight!"

"That's wonderful. Did you screw him, yet?" Cassie playfully joked, but really did want to know.

"No, he said he wanted to wait. That really impressed me because no guy has ever wanted to wait for sex." Leslie laughed, emptying a sugar packet into her coffee.

"Yeah, if a guy is willing to wait for sex, I think he feels something special for a gal. Sounds like he has good morals. I'm so happy for you," Cassie said, taking a sip of Coke.

"So, how did you spend your liberty, Cass?"

"Dillon came to see me. We spent the night together. Something's weird, though. He seemed a little distant. He only acted that way after he met the captain and Lieutenant Daniels."

"Ah...he's intimidated. You got to admit, those two are some sexy officers. They can sure wear a uniform well. I actually get turned on a little when they yell at our division. It makes me want to do something wrong just so they can yell directly at me." Leslie slapped her hand over mouth, surprised that she said those words out loud.

Cassie busted out laughing. "You're so naughty!"

"How is it working for the captain? Any juicy details?" Leslie asked.

"Listen to you, you're so bad! No, it's rather boring. It's all paperwork, so nothing exciting is going on at all in that office." Of course Cassie had to lie.

"What happened to the captain's face? It's been bruised up for days."

Cassie looked down at the table, fearing that if she looked Leslie in the eye that Leslie could tell she was lying. "I don't know, I haven't asked him about it. I feel it's none of my business. I know how these strong men like to be left alone. I guess if he wanted me to know, he'd tell me." Cassie took a final sip of her drink. "Well, I need to head back to my rack. Are you headed there, Les?"

"No, I have night watch. I won't be back at my rack until really late."

"Alright then, I'll see you around." Cassie stood from the table, grabbed her tray, and walked off.

Exhausted, Cassie climbed into bed. She lie awake with the thought of Dillon filling her mind. Is he beginning to get discouraged? Cassie knew long distance relationships hardly ever work out. She loved him dearly, but she thought that he may want to move on without her. She assumed that he was beginning to have trust issues, which were legitimate; after all, she hasn't been completely innocent while living on the ship for only a few days.

***

Cassie put on her uniform and went to the mess hall for breakfast. With no sign of the hot lieutenant, she sat alone at a table to eat.

After finishing her meal, she went to the captain's office. Seeing the captain seated at his desk, she saluted. "Captain," she said, standing at attention.

"Littleton," the captain responded, nodding his head. "You don't have to salute me. No one is here, so I don't care either way."

"Just showing respect, sir." Cassie sat at her haze-gray desk and gathered some papers that needed to be copied.

The captain cocked an eyebrow. "So, your boyfriend is very interesting," the captain said, a slight smirk on his face. "Do you think he's a little too old for you?"

Cassie rolled her eyes, callously. "Not at all, not to me. And besides, I told you how old he was before."

"You know, I've been discussing our little arrangement among some of the officers on the ship. They're quite intrigued and want in on the action, too," the captain explained, looking down at his desk, trying to seem busy.

"Are you serious?" she asked. "We weren't supposed to say anything about it. What if word gets out?" Cassie started to hyperventilate. "Oh God...Oh God," she said repeatedly, fanning her face with a sheet of paper.

He laughed at the way she was acting. "No need to worry. The officers and I are really close. This would never get out to the wrong people, I assure you."

"Well, what about the right people?" she chided. "I don't think I can do it. Do they just want to be beaten up? I'm not a slut, so I'm not screwing any of them. That's not even negotiable!" Frustration grew in her voice.

"Some are only into fetishes and some like only to be dominated. Just do to them what you did to me."

"I just don't see how I can find time to do it. With work and all, it's going to be tough." Cassie wasn't ready to take it further. She felt bad enough doing it with the captain, but it's just not possible to tell your superior no, especially on a ship out at sea for six months. She didn't want her life to become difficult. She inhaled, dreadfully. "It's only six months, I can do this," she said to herself. "Okay." She looked up from her desk. "I will do it, but you have to cut me some slack on my work hours."

The captain's smile grew with a sense of ultimate gratification. "Not a problem. How about working three days per week? Can you handle that?"

"I guess so; I just don't want the other sailors speculating anything. I don't want them to think I'm being favored," she said.

"Favored?" the captain questioned, a boisterous laugh expelled from his lips. "They already think that."

"So...when is this supposed to all go down? Did you discuss with them how much you pay me per week?" she asked, hoping that the captain already went over the details with the other officers.

"I told them five-hundred per week for three days for an hour a day, and they must pay the entire week up front at the first encounter. I have a lieutenant who wants you to meet him tonight at 18:00 hours."

Intense anticipation elevated through Cassie's soul. What was it about her that caused men to want her so badly? Whatever it was, she didn't care as long as she was making good money. She sighed, delightedly. "Okay, I'll be there at six o'clock tonight. Where do we meet?"

"The usual spot at the bow of the ship. I will confirm with the lieutenant that you will be there, Littleton."

"Okay." With a stack of papers in hand, she walked over to the printer station to make copies. Feeling very peculiar, she kept glancing around to see if people were looking at her. She had a strong suspicion that everyone on the ship knew what she had been doing.

Cassie placed the documents on the captain's desk. "Sir, if you don't mind, I would like to go to chow now."

"You're relieved of your duties for the day," he said.

"Thank you, sir." She turned on her heel and left the office.

Cassie arrived at the mess hall to eat lunch, her stomach in knots from being nervous about the event that is to take place that evening. Because of the intense feeling, she only wanted to eat light, so she played it safe by only eating a bowl of soup.

"Hey, there, Littleton!" Lieutenant Daniels approached, bearing a big, bright smile.

"Hi, Lieutenant. I didn't see you this morning," Cassie said, taking a bite of soup.

Daniels took a seat across from Cassie, still grinning from ear-to-ear. "Your boyfriend seems well...um, old!" The lieutenant laughed.

Cassie slammed back against her seat, frustrated at the comment. "He's not old! I'm so sick of people commenting about his fucking age! God! Why is everything about age?"

Daniels grabbed Cassie's hand and looked into her eyes with a heartfelt gaze. "Sorry. I was only joking. I didn't mean to piss you off."

Cassie quickly snatched her hand away. "It's okay; you're not the first person today to comment on Dillon's age. I really do love him. He loves me so much and treats me like royalty. He knows everything about my past and he still loves me for it all."

"Your past?" He relaxed back into his seat, intrigued to hear more. "Tell me about that."

Cassie looked astonished. "Maybe some other time."

If Dillon discovered Cassie's new job on the ship, it would probably be the end of their relationship. She remembered constantly what the captain had told her, "What happens at sea stays at sea." She tried like hell to gain reassurance from that quote. "Well, if you will excuse me, Lieutenant, I have some work to do." She picked up her tray and then dumped her leftover food in the trash.

Back at her rack, she put on some sweats, and toured the ship for a while. She headed up to the flight deck to watch the F/A 18 planes do some touch and go's. Watching from a distance as she wore her protective noise gear, Cassie saw a plane land as a hook caught it to slow it down. To her amazement, she saw Lieutenant Daniels slide into one of the fighter jets. Her eyes gazed at how incredibly gorgeous he looked in his flight suit. Suddenly, the plane catapulted off the ship, and flew off in the distance.

Twenty minutes later, the lieutenant's jet landed on the flight deck, and she closely examined him emerging from the plane. She viewed him in a much different aspect now. Weird, erotic feelings began to boil inside her.

Back at her rack, Cassie changed into her dress uniform and prepared for her six o'clock appointment with the new officer. She was extremely nervous, but knew that she had to press on. She hoped that the nervous tension would make her a better dominatrix.

Cassie arrived at the office at the bow of the ship and she knocked hesitantly on the door at promptly 18:00 hours.

"Who is it?" a male's voice asked.

Swallowing hard, she managed to speak, "Its Littleton, sir. I have those copies the captain asked me to bring you."

The door swung opened and to her surprise, she saw Lieutenant Daniels. "Lieutenant Daniels?" she questioned, shocked to see him.

"Yes, YN Littleton. Please come in," he instructed, pulling out a chair for her to sit.

A little titillated, remembering of when she saw him in that jet, she sat and crossed her legs.

He stood behind her, his hands resting on the back of her chair. "So, may I call you Cassie?"

Her lips parted slightly and she took in a deep breath. The lieutenant could see her chest elevate as she inhaled. "Yes, please do. I'm so sick of hearing my last name." She giggled, nervously.

Daniels walked slowly around the chair and handed her a bottle of Michelob Light. "Drink this; it may help with the tension."

She looked up at him, batting her eyelashes. "No, thank you. I don't drink alcohol anymore." She casually pushed his hand away. "So, let me cut to the chase. What is it that you like?"

He eased himself into a chair and sat in front of her, his elbows resting on his knees, and his hands cupped together. "I like to be whipped and teased."

"Alright then, let's get this bitch started." Cassie seductively stared the lieutenant in the eyes as she untied her neckerchief from around her neck. She stood, grabbed Daniels hands, and forced them behind his back as she bound them together with her neckerchief. "I want you to sit still, you will not touch me, and you will do everything that I command you to do. Do I make myself clear?" she asked, pushing her index finger forcefully into his cheek.

"Yes, Cassie." His attention focused totally on her next move.

Cassie, standing before him, unbuttoned the lieutenant's shirt, and then slid it off his body. His shirt dangled behind him at his bound wrists. Mesmerized by his gorgeous, broad chest, she lightly brushed her fingers across it.

"You like that?" Daniels asked, endearingly as he tilted his head to the side.

"Don't speak, you bitch!" She swiftly slapped him across the face. Unbuckling the lieutenant's belt, she playfully slid it from the belt loops of his slacks and folded it in half while she held it provocatively in front of her face. Her taunting led him to believe that she was going to whip him with his own belt. Trailing the white belt slowly up his thigh, she quickly drew back, and whacked him across his bare, gorgeous chest.

"Oh, fuck!" he bellowed out. A slight raised welt became visible where the belt had struck. "Shut the fuck up!" She pushed her breasts forcefully into the lieutenant's face. "You will unbutton each button with your teeth," she demanded.

Daniels did as he was instructed. He began at the top button, working his way down to the very last one. "Cassie opened her shirt and revealed her white see-through lacy bra to him. "You want to see my tits, don't you?" Her finger traced teasingly at the very top of the roundness of her breast.

"Y-yes," he stuttered.

Cassie smacked the belt across his thighs. "No!" she said, standing in front of him, wearing only her skirt, bra, and black heels.

She walked behind him and guided the back of his head into the cleavage of her large, massive breasts. Her hands slid slowly down his face, to his neck, and then along his hard pecs. The feel of his smooth skin drove her wild. Removing her bra, she dangled it in front of his face, arousing him even more. He tilted his head slightly back, attempting to get a peek at her tits. "Don't turn around! Look forward, you piece of shit!" she demanded, whacking him across his bare, sculpted, muscular back with the belt. Glancing down, Cassie could see how swollen his penis was as it pressed hard against his slacks. Her goal was to make him release without her even touching it. Slowly, she glided around the chair, and stood before him, ready for him to see her massive mounds. She slid her patent leather pump between his thighs and he stared at her large, perfect breasts that were only an inch away from his face. She grabbed the bottle of beer that he had offered her before and she poured it down the front of her body. He watched in awe as the foam glistened over her tight, taught nipples. As arousal grew within her, she yearned to do so much more, but she knew that she couldn't do anything but tease him. Kneeling between his legs, she made the lieutenant assume that she was going to orally pleasure him. She brushed her blonde hair across his thighs and she heard him take in a deep, halting breath. Cocking his head back, his eyes rolled with pleasure. Right then, Cassie knew that she had achieved her goal by making him come without so much as touching his throbbing, hard unit.

Cassie bent down and picked up her clothes. "My work here is done. Looks like you have a mess to clean up." She looked down at the floor at the spilled beer and untied her neckerchief from Daniels' wrists, and then dressed quickly. "I will see you later!" Grabbing the money off the table, she was gone in a flash.

Cassie went back to her rack, and opened her laptop with the hopes of catching Dillon online. "Crap! Why isn't he ever online when I want him!" she said, slamming it closed.

The sexual tension of what she had just experienced with Daniels was more than she could stand. She rushed to take a shower so she could pleasure herself in private. As she stood with the water rushing over her body, and her fingers playing with her sweet spot, she thought, "How in the hell can I endure this for six months without sex? It's going to drive me insane!"
Chapter Eighteen

Three months into deployment, anchored in the Persian Gulf, Cassie was making money hand over fist with the new side business. Dillon was convinced that she was being a good girl out at sea, but she thought she was being unfaithful even though she never had sexual intercourse with her shipmates.

In the captain's office, she sat at her desk, and typed up some documents for a debriefing session. Suddenly, the captain rushed out of the office and seconds later, a voice was heard over the intercom throughout the entire ship, "All hands on deck!"

Cassie hurried to the flight deck and stood in formation with the rest of the crew.

"We have to change our course to North Korea. You are to have no contact with the outside world, whatsoever! The Internet and telephones will be shut down until further notice! Do I make myself clear?" a master chief yelled.

"Yes, sir!" the crew shouted in sync.

Cassie glanced over at Leslie who was standing beside her. Leslie's face flushed white and her legs began to shake. "We're all going to die, aren't we? We're going to war!" she yelled, tears swelled in her eyes.

"No, we're not going to die. I don't know what the hell is going on, but we're not going to die," Cassie said, trying to put Leslie at ease. Cassie began to walk away, but turned to Leslie. "I'm going to get to the bottom of this. I'll meet you back at our racks and fill you in on what's going on." Cassie fled below deck.

Becoming a little nervous herself, Cassie never allowed it show. She wanted to be known as someone who was tough, not just some pretty faced, blonde wimp.

Leslie wiped the tears from her face and walked back to her rack. In the meantime, Cassie rushed into the captain's office, hoping he was back from the announcement.

"Captain, can you explain to me what's going on?"

"Littleton, you're on a need to know basis, and you don't need to know this," the captain said in a sarcastic tone.

She slammed her palms onto his desk and leaned over showing a menacing glare. "That's bullshit! I have people freaking out and expecting me to tell them something. How am I supposed to reassure these people with no news?" Cassie began to change her irate tone to a more somber one. "Captain, it's me. I think with our work relationship, you can tell me something." Her eyes pleaded.

The captain rose from his chair. "First, don't you ever burst into this office and take that disrespectful tone with me. Second, all I can say is we're going to North Korea. It's just a precaution. There have been some threats, so the President has ordered the ship to sit off the coast."

"That's all? Nothing more?"

"Yes, that's all, but I cannot say anything else." The captain sat back down in his seat and stared at his computer monitor. "You're still coming to our meeting tonight, aren't you," he asked, not taking his eyes off the screen.

"Yes, I'll be there." She sighed, dreadfully.

Back at her rack, Cassie saw Leslie sitting on her bed, curled up, and rocking back and forth.

"It's going to be okay. The captain assured me that we're just going over there as a precautionary measure. That's it. Apparently, North Korea made a threat and the President commanded that the ship wait off the coast in case something happens."

Leslie looked up with tears streaming down her face. "Are you sure that's it?" she asked. "Then why can't we have access to phones and computers?"

"Because the President doesn't want word to get back to North Korea that we're on our way there. North Korea can pick up our signals if we're not too careful," Cassie explained.

"Oh, I see. I was about to freak out," Leslie said.

"About to? I thought you already did." Cassie laughed.

Cassie went to the mess hall to eat something for dinner before her future engagement with the captain. She wondered how the captain could even keep their appointment with the chaos going on with North Korea. She sat at a table in a quiet corner. A first class petty officer sat down across from her. "Hi, my name is Petty Officer Williams."

Cassie shook her hand. "I'm Petty Officer Littleton, nice to meet you."

Williams, an attractive woman who looked to be in her mid-to-late twenties with beautiful light brown hair and blue eyes, seemed as though she needed to get something off her mind. "So, I hear you have a special arrangement with some of the officers on board this ship," Williams said, waiting for the shock to come over Cassie's face that she knew of Cassie's side business. "Don't worry; I'm not going to say anything. I'm best friends with one of the lieutenant's and he told me about his arrangement with you." Williams looked casual as though she knew all along. "I want in on the action."

Shocked at what was just revealed to her, but intrigued as well, Cassie thought, "Could I actually recruit someone into my side business?" She looked sternly across the table at Williams. "I don't know." Cassie shrugged. "I will have to run it by the captain tonight and see what he says."

Williams stood from her seat and leaned over the table. She crouched down at Cassie's eyelevel and looked at her head-on, challenging, and said, "You do that. You get back to me in the morning. Be here in the mess hall at 0:800 hours." Williams stood tall and then walked away.

Cassie slammed herself against the back of her chair, worried that she was about to be in trouble. But why would she be in trouble? She didn't tell anyone, the lieutenant did. The lieutenant would have known nothing about this if the captain didn't run his mouth to other people.

***

Cassie rushed into the office at the bow of the ship, almost out of breath from anxiety. "Captain, someone knows about our arrangement!"

"Who? Did you say anything?"

"No, I didn't say a word. The petty officer said that a lieutenant told her. He's apparently a really good friend, so he confided in her."

"I wonder what lieutenant it is? There are only four of us involved and two of them are lieutenants." The captain wondered, scratching his brow.

"I have a feeling I know who it is. I think it was Daniels," Cassie said, acting like she solved some big case. "I've seen those two hanging out a lot. At first, I thought they were a couple, but I guess they're just friends."

"What did this woman say and who is she?"

"Petty Officer Williams, sir. She said that she wants in on the action."

"Petty Officer Williams?" he questioned. "I know who she is. Wow! I can't believe she wants in on this," the captain said, shocked. "I'm not too sure about this. I guess if you speak with her about it and you set up your own arrangements and income potential with her, then I guess we can use her. If she so much as breathes a word about this to anyone, she will go over the ship so fast that her head will spin!"

"What do you mean; she will go over the ship?" Cassie asked, baffled by the comment.

"Trust me," he said, arrogantly. "When people incorporate gangs on this ship or people spread propaganda; we have something better than the brig. We throw 'em overboard! We just file a missing person's report," the captain explained, appearing serious.

"Yeah...okay...sure," Cassie responded, assuming that the captain was joking, but little did she know, he wasn't. "So, are you ready to get on with the show?" Cassie asked, eager to start dominating.

"How about we let this one rest for the night?" he asked. "I can't get into it with the news you just told me. Can we take a rain check for tomorrow night?"

"Fine by me." Cassie grabbed her clipboard and left the room.

Climbing into bed, Cassie opened her laptop. "Crap! I forgot our Internet is shut down! How in the hell am I supposed to communicate with Dillon?" She knew without any communication with Dillon that he would become worried. Never did the thought cross her mind that this sort of thing could happen, which meant she never prepared him for it.

***

At 0:800 hours, Cassie met up with Williams in the mess hall the next morning. "Any news?" Williams asked, anxiously awaiting her reply.

"The captain is fine with it; I just need to discuss with you the rules and the money situation."

"Lay it on me." Williams reclined casually back in her chair, crossed her arms, and waited for the details.

"First of all, you will not breathe a word to anyone. If you do, there are dangerous consequences that you can face. I'm not joking, either. You will not have sex with anyone, I mean absolutely no one. These men love pain or fetishes. The only thing you will do is inflict pain on them or act out their fantasy, but no matter how much they beg for you to screw them, you won't. You will not give hand jobs or blow jobs, either. Do you understand?" Cassie bore a stern gaze.

"Yes, I understand. Let's talk about money."

"Did the lieutenant who told you about this arrangement discuss how much money I get?" Cassie asked.

"No, he didn't mention it all."

"I will pay you directly. When you complete your weekly appointments, I will pay you. You will receive $100 per session and each session will only last for an hour. No more than that, is that clear?" Cassie asked, a serious expression shown on her face.

"$100?" Williams questioned. "Wow, that's excellent! When do I begin?"

Relieved that she accepted the $100 rate; Cassie knew that she would be making a killin' off Williams. "First of all, you will join me tonight, and watch what I do. This will give you an idea of what to expect."

"Can't wait!"

"Meet me here in the mess hall at 18:00 hours. You can walk with me to the office where all this takes place." Cassie stood from the table and left.

Cassie entered the office and saw the captain seated at his desk.

"What did Williams have to say?" the captain asked, relaxing back in his chair with his arms folded.

"She's into it." Cassie devilishly smirked. "She's going to join me tonight while I beat the hell out of you."

"Oh really?" He curiously raised his eyebrows. "Are both of you going to participate?"

"Nope! She's going to watch. Besides, if it were both of us doing it to you, that would cost extra, like double."

"Let's just stick with our original plan. You're already milking me dry, literally." The captain teased, handing Cassie some documents to edit.

"Captain, when are we going to have access to the Internet and phones again?"

"I'm not sure. A week, maybe two."

"Two weeks?" Cassie questioned, worried that Dillon may get discouraged and think she was avoiding him. "Can I write letters?"

"No! Absolutely not. We can't have any outside communication, whatsoever. It's for the safety of the crew!" the captain explained, becoming irritated.

"This sucks!" Cassie raised her voice, slamming her pen on her desk.

"Now don't throw a hissy fit. You knew what you were getting into when you joined the Navy. You knew that there was a possibility of war."

"War?" Her mouth practically hit the floor. "You didn't say anything about war, Captain Ellis."

"As long as everyone does their job right, then there is nothing to be afraid of."

***

At almost 18:00 hours, Cassie returned to the mess hall, and walked toward Williams' table. "Hey, are you ready for this?"

Trying to hold back excitement, Williams delightfully looked up at Cassie. "Sure am! Oh...this is going to be fun!"

Determination and a pensive look shown on Cassie's face. "You need to remain serious at all times. No laughing and making jokes, is that understood?"

"Okay, I promise," Williams held her hands up as if she were taking an oath.

"Now, follow me." Cassie instructed.

Cassie knocked on the door to the office.

"Who is it?" the captain asked.

"It's Littleton and Williams, sir. We finished proofing these documents and are here to drop them off."

Hearing the captain unlock the door, Cassie opened it, and saw him seated on the edge of the table. She noticed a bag placed next him, and the captain offered it to her. "I have something I want you to wear. I bought this when we were in Hawaii, but I was nervous about giving it to you before. I want you to have it now."

Cassie opened the bag and pulled out a black leather bra and thong with fishnet thigh-highs, and a garter belt. At the bottom of the bag was a small leather novelty whip that was coiled up like a snake.

Cassie gasped. "Oh, my. I've never used a whip before." She unfurled the whip and played with it a few times. Suddenly, a snap was heard. She looked at the captain, expelling a slight giggle. "I think I got the hang of this."

Williams sat in a chair next to the conference table trying her best to hold back the look of excitement on her face, but it was too difficult. Each time she thought she would laugh, she looked down so her hair would cover her face.

A look of belligerence displayed in Cassie's stern gaze. Williams knew that Cassie was transforming into her dominatrix persona. Grabbing a set of handcuffs off the table, Cassie expelled her demand, "You know your place!" The captain hurried to a chair that was positioned in the middle of the room. Knowing it aroused Cassie, he was still dressed in full uniform. When the officers remained fully dressed in their uniform during these sessions, it delighted her.

She forced the captain's hands behind his back and handcuffed him to the chair. "I will be right back," she said, taking the bag into the bathroom.

After putting on the sexy outfit the captain had given her, she opened the bathroom door. The captain's jaw dropped. "Wow!" He shook his head. "You look better than what I had ever imagined."

"Shut up!" Her open hand drew back, and she smacked him across the face. "You know the drill! You know not to speak!" She kicked him in the shin swiftly with her high-heel shoe.

Williams watched intently as the drama unfolded before her very eyes. She looked as if she wanted to participate, but knew that it wasn't her time.

Cassie brushed her index finger alluringly along the top seam of her black leather bra, her other index finger grazed across her lower lip seductively while her sparkling, blue eyes pierced hungrily through his entire being. The bra, so incredibly revealing that it barely covered her nipples, caused Cassie to want to do something raunchy. She strongly pressed her breasts into the captain's face, which forced his nose in the dead center of her deep cleavage.

"You like my breasts, don't you?" She backed away slowly and cracked the whip.

In a heated breath, he spoke, "Yes, Mistress Cassie."

Strategically, Cassie placed her patent leather heel onto his chest, her fishnet covered calf practically skimming his face. She pushed gently against him; the chair fell backward with the captain still bound. He lay on the floor, his chest heaved up and down with every breath. Seductively, she walked toward him, and straddled herself above his face. The captain stared spellbindingly up at her as he cravingly viewed her leather panties that lingered from above. Grazing the tip of the whip, trailing it down his face, along his neck, and down to his chest, a sudden whack was heard. The quick thrash thundered across his thighs.

Cassie, still in a straddle position, now over the captain's chest, traced her index finger across his lips and then, she smacked him lightly across his face. "Suck on my finger, bitch!" she ordered, plunging her index finger deep into his mouth. He swirled his tongue around the tip of her nail, lusting fiercely for her.

Cassie stood, grabbed the captain by his collar, and lifted the chair in its upright position. Backing her bare bottom onto his lap, she could feel the stiffness of his penis against her ass. She pressed hard against him and felt the warmth of his release as it soaked through his slacks.

"There! We're done!" Putting her uniform on over her leather bra and thong, Cassie removed the handcuffs from the captain's wrists and motioned toward Williams that it was time to leave.

Cassie and Williams headed back to the mess hall to discuss the erotic event. Wanting to avoid being overheard, they sat far away from everyone else.

"Wow! Just wow, Littleton! That was absolutely amazing. I can't believe the captain lets you do that shit to him!"

"I know. It's quite fun, actually." She laughed. "One thing that I need to stress to you is try not to hit the men hard in the face. When I hit the captain the first few times, it caused some major bruising, and people were talking about it for days." Cassie toiled with her hair, trying to secure it into a French twist. "You can beat them in the legs, chest, and arms, but do not hit them in the face. An occasional smack across the face is okay as long as you're confident that it won't leave a bruise. And...I can't stress this enough, no sex at all, not even oral!"

"Okay! When do I do my first beating?" Williams asked, hoping to get started right away.

"I will get back to you on that. I need to look through my schedule and see who I can set you up with. I can work on that tonight and maybe have an answer for you by tomorrow morning."

"Great! I can't wait to get started!" Williams stood from the table and flashed Cassie a slight smile before walking away.

Sitting on her bed, staring into her little, pink appointment book, Cassie tried to see what she would have available for Williams. "Let's see, tomorrow night I have two officers scheduled. One at six o'clock and one at eight." She tapped her ink pen to her cheek, heavily in thought. "I think I'll give Williams the eight o'clock with Lieutenant Billings."

Generating a heavy thought-out plan, Cassie knew that she could get more officers on board with her side business. Because she was now recruiting women, she needed more men so she could generate more income.

***

The following morning, Cassie entered the captain's office and sat at her desk. "Sir, we need to discuss something," Cassie said, looking down at her work, waiting for him to respond.

"What's that?" He looked up from the top of his newspaper.

"Do you know of any other officers who might be interested in the little ring that we have going on?"

Suddenly, entertained at the idea, he dropped the newspaper to the desk. "I'm glad you brought that up because yes, I do." He looked at Cassie, determination shown on his face. "Give me your appointment book. I will pencil them in for you, along with the time."

"Perfect!" Cassie handed the captain her little, pink appointment book over the desk.

Flipping through the pages, the captain penciled in some dates. He glanced up from the book, an eyebrow raised. "By the way, last night was hot!" He blushed.

"I knew you would like that. That outfit made me feel so powerful."

"You wore it very well, too! I never imagined underneath that uniform what sexiness lies underneath." He gushed.

Cassie smiled, but transformed the slight flirting to seriousness. "Okay now, we need to focus on work. We shouldn't be discussing this here." Cassie took the pink appointment book from the captain's hand. "So, how is your wife? Are things cooling down at all?"

"No." He sighed. "As soon as we get back to San Diego, I'm asking her for a divorce."

"Really? Not that it's any of my business, but I do believe you're doing the right thing. If she's making you miserable to the point that you want someone to whip your ass, it's not good."

"Yes, I do agree with you, Littleton."

***

Cassie walked to the mess hall with her little, pink appointment book in hand, and gave Williams instructions on her first job for the night. "I want you to meet me back here at 21:00 hours. I want a full report on how things went."

"Sure thing! I will definitely let you know how it went," Williams said, taking her post-it note that had all the information regarding her officer scribbled on it.

Cassie had an appointment with Lieutenant Daniels for the evening. Extremely excited, she had started to develop a slight crush on him. She often imagined what a relationship with him would be like, but knew it was impossible because of the rules. He would be at risk of losing a stripe and a decrease in salary, and she could run the risk being on the ship much longer. It seemed like the longer she lost touch with Dillon; the more of her crush grew for Lieutenant Daniels.

Cassie's heart raced as she knocked on the office door with a folder in hand.

"Come in, please," Daniels instructed.

Upon entry, Cassie became surprised when she noticed a candlelit dinner and jazz music playing in the background. "What is all this?" she asked, appearing confused at the display.

"I wanted us to just talk tonight. You know...have a nice meal and get to know each other," Daniels said. He pulled out a chair for her and she sat at the end of conference table. Looking around, amazed at the thought he put into that evening, her heart fluttered. "It's beautiful." She began to tremble slightly, but she placed her hands onto her lap, and intertwined her fingers so Daniels couldn't see her shaking.

Daniels took a seat next to her and gazed deeply into her sparkling, blue eyes. "You are so beautiful," he whispered. He looked down at his plate and cleared his throat. "I have a confession to make. After the captain told me about you, I jumped at the chance to be included because I wanted to be with you. I know it's a weird way to be with someone, but I knew that I couldn't do it any other way without fear of jeopardizing my career."

She looked over at him, her head tilted to the side. "Well isn't that what we're doing now? Jeopardizing your career?" she asked. "I mean, if anyone were to find out what we are all doing, we could all be in the brig for a very long time," Cassie said.

"No one will figure this out. If word gets out, we're dealing with a he said, she said type of thing. Besides, the captain is the highest ranking officer on here, so nothing will go beyond him." Daniels chuckled.

"It's not funny," Cassie said, a little aggravated at the fact that he found it slightly humorous. "I guess you're right, though. I must admit that I feel a little something between us, too." She started to blush and couldn't believe she let those words slip out of her mouth. She took it a step further. "I always get excited when it's your night with me."

"Really?" He inquisitively raised an eyebrow. "That's interesting. What about your boyfriend?"

Cassie placed her fork beside her plate and sighed, looking down at her lap. "I don't know. Because we haven't communicated since our re-route, I think he might believe I'm avoiding him."

"Trust me, he doesn't believe that. He would be an idiot to believe it. It's all over the news about the threats North Korea made. I'm sure he can put two and two together and figure out why you're not communicating with him. He's not stupid."

After they finished eating, Daniels took her by the hand, and he saw the promise ring on her finger. "Wow! What a stunning rock! I didn't know that you were engaged."

She pulled her hand away quickly, hiding it behind her back. "It's not an engagement ring; it's a promise ring."

"A promise ring?" he questioned. "What are you? Thirteen years old?" He joked.

"No, I was relieved that's all it was. I was afraid Dillon was going to ask me to marry him."

"You don't want to marry him?"

"Not yet. Well...I don't know what I want. I love him, but I feel I'm too young for him, and that he needs someone more his own age."

"Well, you are too young for him." Daniels agreed. He placed his hand gently upon her cheek, guided her lips to his, and they shared a long, intimate kiss.

Cassie pulled back and looked deeply into his eyes. "You know, you have never told me your first name."

"It's Jack," he said, trying to hold back from laughing.

"Jack?" she questioned. "Your name is Jack Daniels?"

"No, I'm kidding! It's Tudor."

She busted out laughing. "Wow! What a strong name. I like it." She smiled, leaning in for another kiss.

Tudor stood, placed his hands underneath her armpits, and lifted her onto the table. Her legs dangled from the edge. Positioning himself between her knees, the weight of Tudor's body forced her backward. He gazed intently into her eyes. "God, you're just so pretty," he whispered, pulling her up toward his lips.

Cassie's heart pounded strongly against the walls of her chest. She knew that Tudor could feel it against him. "Do I make you nervous, Cassie?" he asked.

"Y-y-yes," she stuttered.

"I can tell. I can feel your heart beating against me." He reached for her top button and started to undo her blouse. She grabbed his hand swiftly. "Do you think we should do this?" she asked.

"I'm ready if you are."

She felt his tempting hot breath in her ear, which made her confused on what to do. She didn't know whether to succumb to the moment or to stop. She sat up abruptly and buttoned her blouse. "I'm sorry. I can't do this. Not while I'm still committed to someone. I just can't give myself to you when I belong to someone else. I hope you understand." She jumped from the table and ran out the door.

At nine o'clock, Cassie went to the mess hall to meet up with Williams. Williams approached Cassie, appearing extremely angry. "Why didn't you tell me that Lieutenant Billings has a hairy back?"

Cassie laughed. "You can't be serious. You're pissed off because someone has a hairy back?" she asked.

"I was absolutely appalled! It was hard to go through with it looking at that Sasquatch!"

"You must separate your body from your mind," Cassie said, still laughing.

"You should charge more for hairy backs, Littleton! I can't do that dude again!"

Trying to stop from laughing, Cassie managed to speak, "Okay, okay, I'll give you someone else next time. I will pay you on Friday. Get with me tomorrow for the details regarding your next appointment."

"Alright. Sorry to be such a bitch, but that was gross!"

"Goodnight, Williams." Cassie stood and walked away.

With Cassie in bed, thinking of Tudor, she felt like kicking herself for not going all the way with him during the session, but she knew that it was wrong. Not only did she worry about his career, she worried about hurting Dillon's feelings. She lusted for Tudor so badly...so badly that it physically hurt. She could feel the stinging sensation that was burning hot between her thighs and that tight, aching feeling in the pit of her stomach.
Chapter Nineteen

Four months into deployment, Cassie recruited more girls into her ring, which added to her already large income. The ship had been sitting off the coast of North Korea with still no contact to the outside world. Cassie was homesick and her love for Dillon seemed to fade by each passing day. Her heart began to grow more for Lieutenant Daniels, but she still believed that she shouldn't do anything about it while still in a committed relationship with Dillon.

The sexual tension between her and Daniels had become incredibly strong. So strong in fact, that she had to schedule other girls to take her appointments with him because she didn't think she could handle herself alone in his presence.

While Cassie was in the captain's office, he informed her that another aircraft carrier was sailing out to relieve them, which would change their route. "As soon as we are relieved, we can begin all communication with the outside again. Looks like we're headed to Australia then back to San Diego," the captain explained.

Hearing those words made Cassie elated. The first thing that she wanted to do was contact Dillon. She wondered if he moved on to someone else or if he waited for her. Part of her wanted him to wait, but another part wanted him to give up on her so that she could pursue Tudor.

After completing her work for the captain, Cassie went to the media center to watch a movie with some of the shipmates. As Cassie sat in a chair curled up with a blanket, she saw Lieutenant Daniels across the room. He flashed a quick wink and smiled, showing those perfect teeth when no one was looking. She showed a smile that could light up a room and her heart began to flutter. Cassie tried to focus on the movie, but she couldn't help but notice Daniels' eyes intently fixed on her. Becoming overheated, Cassie couldn't bear the sexual tension any longer. "Is it hot in here to you guys?" she asked, fanning her hands in front of her face.

"No, maybe it's that thick blanket you have laying across your lap," one of the sailors said.

"I don't think so. I'm always comfortable with this wrapped around me."

Daniels, still staring, shook his head and grinned. Cassie grabbed her blanket and quickly left the media center. As she walked down the narrow corridor of the ship, Cassie heard a voice call her name from behind. "Hey, Littleton. Where are you going?" Lieutenant Daniels asked, rushing to catch up to her.

"To my rack, sir," Cassie replied, nervously.

He pushed her up against the wall, his hand on her sternum, between her breasts, and he twirled a strand of her hair flirtatiously around his index finger. "You know...I'm bummed that you haven't been coming to our appointments on your assigned days. Why are you sending someone else in your place?" His breath, which smelled of sweet cinnamon, was hot against her face as his lips hovered over hers.

She tried to pull his hand off her chest, but he was much too strong. "As if you didn't know. I have feelings for you, dumbass! I'm confused, alright!"

His lips, so close that she could kiss them. "I want to see you in my quarters tonight. Be there at 19:00 hours!" he commanded. He removed his hand from her chest and turned to walk away.

"Whatever!"

Cassie jumped in the shower before brushing her teeth. Knowing she would be confined inside Daniels' quarters, she knew that she would most likely give into the temptation of making love to him.

When she entered his private room, he stood before her. "Have a seat; we need to have a little chat." He handed Cassie a bottle of water.

Dressed in his officer's uniform, Daniels knew it would be hard for Cassie to resist him. He loved teasing her and was hoping to weaken her enough to give in to him. He knelt down and looked Cassie in her sparkling, blue eyes. "I know that you want me, and you know that I want you. Why fight it anymore? Just give in, Cass. You're only torturing yourself." Daniels leaned in to kiss her. Cassie wrapped her arms around him and her tongue danced hungrily inside his mouth. Gathering her into his arms, Daniels carried her to the bed without her lips leaving his. He ripped open her blouse and exposed her white see-through bra. She unbuttoned his shirt and slid it off his broad shoulders. On their knees on the bed, Cassie began kissing his neck. Sweeping her legs from underneath, Daniels suddenly towered above, his dog tags danced upon her chest as they dangled from around his neck. "Let me know if you want me to stop," he whispered in her ear.

"No." She breathed heavily. "Please keep going. I want you so fucking bad." She begged.

The sexual tension between them grew more intense, as if a bomb were about to explode. Daniels slipped Cassie's skirt off and reached in his drawer for a condom. His white boxer's fell to the floor as his monstrous unit sprung free. At her feet, Daniels' feverish kisses trailed up the arch of her foot as he worked his way up her calf and then to her thigh. He stopped at her stomach where his tongue probed at her naval. "You taste so sweet," he said in a breathless whisper. "Your skin is flawless." He travelled his way up to her lips, kissing her long and hard.

Cassie's body quaked with passion. "I want you so bad that it hurts," she whispered.

Looking deeply into her eyes, a whisper escaped his lips, "Are you sure this is what you want?" His heart pounded ferociously against her.

"Yes, I have never been more sure about anything," she said, gliding her nails across his gorgeously, sculpted back.

The hot lieutenant reached behind her back and unfastened her bra. Worshipping her large mounds with his teasing tongue, Daniels cupped a breast in one hand, and kneaded it between his fingers. His beautiful lips sucked hard on her erect nipple, and he relished the taste of her sweet skin, which drove Cassie into complete ecstasy.

Suddenly, she felt the stiff, hard plunge of Daniels enter inside her glistening, wet folds. She slid her hands down to his rock hard ass and pushed him forcefully even deeper inside. The hot sweat between them mounted. Months of built up sexual tension finally had been put to an end.

Daniels' thrusts became faster. Cassie knew that he was going to give way. His body tensed and he halted, expelling a loud grunt as he forced one final pump. He fell limp at her side. Cassie lay next to Daniels with her hand in his. They were quiet, breathing heavily.

He turned and kissed her forehead. "Cass, you need to get dressed and get to your rack before check-in. I don't want anyone suspecting anything."

Cassie looked at her watch. "Crap!" She hurriedly put her clothes on and rushed out the door. Making it to her rack in time for check-in, Cassie started to feel a tremendous guilt because she thought of Dillon. She tried reassuring herself by the captain's infamous words, "What happens at sea stays at sea," but it didn't help.

***

Early morning, a loud voice boasted from the ship's intercom speaker, "All hands on deck!" Cassie rushed to put on her working-blues then hurried up to the flight deck with the rest of the shipmates.

She stood in formation as the chief began to yell out instructions. "We are going to have the traditional crossing the line ceremony! This is where pollywogs become shellbacks. There will be no hazing from the current shellbacks, and no touching. We will start with a breakfast, a talent show, and then the ceremony will begin. I advise everyone to wear something you don't mind getting dirty. Report back here at 0:900 hours. You are dismissed!"

Cassie was well aware of this particular event. She loved physical training, and was anxious to get started. As she walked down the hall, the captain approached her. "Littleton, you don't have to participate. You will get your card anyway," he said.

Disappointment showed in Cassie's expression. "I want to participate, sir. I've been looking forward to this."

"Very well. Get dressed and report to the flight deck by 0:900 hours," he said, laughing under his breath, thinking Cassie couldn't handle what was about to take place.

Excited, Cassie rushed to her locker, and searched for a grungy white t-shirt and her navy blue boot camp shorts. "Found them!" She dressed then ran up to the flight deck, ready to meet the shipmates for breakfast.

In the mess hall, Cassie sat among all the pollywogs on the ship. Excited about the ceremony, everyone was also thrilled that they were docking into Australia soon.

"What are you going to do when we get to Australia, Littleton?" a skinny, bald seaman asked.

"I don't know." She shrugged. "Maybe rest and take in the sights."

"You're not going to party hard?"

"Hell no! I'm going shopping," she said, hoping to hit the upscale boutiques when she arrives.

After breakfast, the crew gathered on the flight deck for the ceremony. A talent show started with people singing horrible karaoke. The officers seemed to be having a good time as they sat in the front row, laughing. Everyone seemed so happy and carefree, which Cassie enjoyed.

After the talent show, the pollywogs stood on deck in formation at attention. The master chief spoke, "Back in the day we were allowed to beat the shit out of pollywogs, but not today! Today...you've got it easy!"

Suddenly, a huge fire hose doused the entire crew with freezing water. "Drop and give me fifty!" a shellback yelled toward Cassie. Cassie dropped to the deck and did fifty pushups. The blunt force of the freezing water doused her entire body.

"Crawl on your hands and knees to the pool!" the shellback demanded.

Cassie got on her hands and knees and crawled over to an oblong inflatable pool that was filled with thick, lime green water that looked like slime.

"Once you swim across that pool, you will be initiated into the Solemn Mysteries of the Ancient Order of the Deep!" the shellback yelled.

Cassie took a deep breath before she dove into the pool. When she emerged, she was covered in green slime.

"Congratulations!" the crew yelled in unison.

Cassie jumped to her feet and tried to pull her green slimy hair from her eyes. She walked over to the other sailors who were standing in formation.

The master chief stood in front of the crew. "Okay, we'll call it a day! I would like to congratulate everyone on their success! This ship wouldn't run smoothly without all of your hard work! Now, go off and have some fun!"

The crew parted and ran off in different directions. Cassie went to her locker and changed into her sweats and tennis shoes. Climbing into her bed, she opened her laptop, and finally was able to contact Dillon. "185 new e-mails?" she questioned, her jaw dropped. The majority was from Dillon, a few from Kelli, and the others were from her parents. She opened immediately the e-mails from Dillon. The first e-mail was casual with no worries, but as she read closer to the last e-mail, she could tell that his demeanor was changing progressively. The last e-mail read:

______________________________

From: Dillon Baron

To: Cassie Littleton

Subject: Are we over???

I don't know what's going on and why you're avoiding me, but I can take a hint. If you don't want to be with me anymore, just say it; don't drop off the face of the earth. This is killing me!

Dillon Baron

McGowen & Baron, LLP

26 Shoreline Blvd.

Mountain View, Ca. 94041

______________________________

She clicked to respond:

______________________________

From: Cassie Littleton

To: Dillon Baron

Subject: I'm sorry

"I'm so sorry, Dillon. We were on lock down the entire time and we were not authorized to communicate with anyone outside the ship. I thought that after you saw the news about North Korea you would know. I can understand the frustration that you must be feeling. I knew this would not be the type of life you would want to be involved in. I'm sorry for you ever getting involved with me.

The ship will be docking tomorrow in Perth, Australia. We are on our way back to the states!

I love you,

Cassie

______________________________

She couldn't hold back the tears any longer. With her stomach in knots, she couldn't stand not knowing if Dillon still loved her or not. While everyone else was on the ship celebrating, she was lying in her bed with the blue curtain closed, crying the entire time.

"Littleton, you in there?" Yeoman Robert's voice called throughout the room. Married with two children, this was Robert's second deployment.

"Yes, I'm in here," Cassie responded, wiping her tears, sliding open the curtain.

"Lieutenant Daniels wants to see you in the hall."

"Thank you. I'll be right out." Cassie jumped from her rack and glanced in the mirror. She applied on a fresh coat of makeup and lipstick, hoping to hide the fact that she had been crying. Walking into the hallway, she saw Daniels dressed in jeans and a khaki colored V-neck, short-sleeve t-shirt.

"Hi, Lieutenant." Cassie smiled.

"Hi, Littleton. Would you mind coming with me to the library?"

"Not at all."

The library was a good place to speak in private. Everyone was out celebrating, so Tudor used this opportunity to ask Cassie a few questions. Seated across the table from her, his curiosity piqued about Dillon. "Have you contacted your boyfriend yet?" he asked.

"I read his last e-mail this morning that had been written over two weeks ago. I think he's giving up. I don't blame him because I don't expect a man like that to wait this long for me," she explained, her eyes began to swell up with tears.

"Do you regret what happened between us last night?"

"Not at all. It felt right." She smiled.

"This is going to be hard for us. I would love more than anything to have a relationship with you, but it's risky for us. If word gets out, it could be detrimental to our careers," he said.

"I totally understand." Cassie sat back, folding her arms. "You know how professional I am. I'm a good actress. I wouldn't let anyone find out about us."

Tudor sighed. "Yes, I know, but you cannot let anyone know. Not even your best friend. I have years to go before I retire. Are you planning on making a career out of the Navy?"

"I enlisted for five years and I'm almost done with my first. I have a long way to go before I'm discharged."

He shook his head, heavily in thought. "I just don't know how we're going to do this. You're probably going to get stationed overseas somewhere when you get off the ship, and I will most likely be back at sea. This is going to be impossible."

"I agree. I don't know what to do, either. My heart is in two different places right now. I'm confused, stressed, and depressed," she said.

"What do you say we just live in the moment?" he asked.

Cassie liked that idea. "How about when we get to Australia, you and I hang out away from everyone?"

"I might be able to get away with that. Usually, all of us officers go out together, but I could say I'm sick and stay behind."

"Well, we get three days off the ship. I can get a hotel room and you can stay with me," Cassie suggested.

"We cannot let anyone see us together. If the captain were to see or hear that we were spending time together off the ship, he would have my ass!"

"Don't worry. I will log on to the Internet tonight and book a room in Perth. I'll deliver a folder to you this evening with the name of the hotel."

Cassie and Tudor left the library separately as not to raise suspicion.

Opening her laptop to check her e-mail before booking a hotel reservation, Cassie noticed an incoming e-mail from Dillon. Her heart did back flips in her chest.

_____________________________

From: Dillon Baron

To: Cassie Littleton

Subject: Thank God!

Hey, gorgeous! You don't know how relieved I am to know that you're safe. I didn't realize that you were involved with the whole North Korea fiasco and I'm sorry for that. Yes, this is a very hard relationship, but I have patience. I thought that you were avoiding me. I tried to stop loving you because I was hurting so badly, but I couldn't. I miss you terribly and I can't wait until you return to the states. I love you always and forever.

Forever yours,

Dillon Baron

McGowen & Baron, LLP

26 Shoreline Blvd.

Mountain View, Ca. 94041

______________________________

.

Relieved, Cassie took a deep breath. Dillon didn't give up hope like she had thought, but what about the lieutenant? She logged onto a travel site and searched for hotels in Perth. She booked a three-day, two-night stay. "There, that's done," she said, writing down the information, and concealing the piece of paper in a manila folder. She took the folder to the lieutenant's quarters and then slid it underneath his door.

Cassie walked down to the phone booth station to try to call Dillon. The phone rang and she got his voicemail. "Hey, sweetie. I had some free time, so I thought that I would call you. I love and miss you!" She set the receiver back onto its cradle.
Chapter Twenty

Docking into Perth, Australia, Cassie dressed in her civilian clothes, and then disembarked the ship by herself. She looked around to see if Dillon was surprising her as he did in Hawaii, but seeing no sign of him anywhere, she flagged down a cab. "Can you take me to the Ocean Beach Hotel, please?" Cassie asked the cab driver. She jumped in the cab and looked back one last time, making certain that she didn't see Dillon anywhere in sight.

Upon arrival at the hotel, Cassie approached the concierge. "Hi, my name is Cassie Littleton. I have a reservation."

The concierge looked down at his computer screen. "Ah...yes, Miss Littleton. We have you right here. Here is your key. Please enjoy your stay."

Cassie took the room key and began to walk away. "Oh, wait." She suddenly remembered something. "I'm expecting a colleague named Tudor Daniels. Can you please show him to my suite when he arrives?" she asked.

"Yes, ma'am. I will note it in the system."

"Thank you." She made her way to the elevator.

Opening the door to her room, Cassie set her bags on the floor. She walked over to the window, opened the curtain, and saw a remarkable view of the ocean. As she slipped off her shoes, she sat at a table on the balcony, and opened her laptop. She inhaled deeply, taking in the scent of the ocean breeze. "Now this is life." She relaxed back and allowed the sun to beam upon her face. She heard the chime of her e-mail, which brought her out of her lazy state.

______________________________

From: Dillon Baron

To: Cassie Littleton

Subject: Counting the days until I see you.

Hello, gorgeous. I hope that you have a great time in Perth. Enjoy your time and relax. I can't wait to hold you in my arms when you get back. I miss you so much and I'm so sorry that I missed your call. I love you!

Love,

Dillon Baron

McGowen & Baron, LLP

26 Shoreline Blvd.

Mountain View, Ca. 94041

______________________________

Cassie closed her laptop and didn't respond to his e-mail. She heard a knock at the door.

"Who is it?" she asked.

"Tudor."

She rushed to unlock the door. He entered, sweeping her into his arms, and hugging her tightly. They kissed passionately and he led her into the bedroom. Without speaking, the lieutenant removed Cassie's clothes graciously, and she unbuckled his pants. God! How she craved him. That gorgeous body made her melt at the slightest touch. He pushed her to the bed, his face buried between her thighs, probing his tongue forcefully in and out of her soaking, wet folds. Her hands cupped her breasts as she fondled them, tweaking her nipples to extreme arousal. Feeling his tongue turn and twist on her tiny, pink pearl was all Cassie could bear. He slipped a finger inside and contently worshipped her pink bead until he felt her sheath tighten against his hold. "That's it, baby. Come for me," he whispered, looking up at Cassie's erotic entranced face as she squeezed against his touch. "You're so ready for me...hot, wet...your body begging for my thick shaft inside you."

Cassie's back arched, her hands squeezing her breasts even more tightly. "Oh...Tudor! Oh my God! You do that so well!" Her body finally relaxed.

Tudor rushed on top of her; he spread her legs wide with his knees, and plunged his thick member into her tight, orgasmic sheath. "I can feel you throbbing against me, baby. You're so tight and wet. You're gonna make me come much too soon." Just then, Cassie felt him release inside her, and then he relaxed onto the bed, exhausted.

As they lay underneath the covers, out of breath, spooning each other, Cassie heard a chime from her laptop. Assuming it was an e-mail from Dillon; she wrapped the bed sheet around her, and went to check her computer. As suspected, an e-mail from Dillon appeared on the screen.

______________________________

From: Dillon Baron

To: Cassie Littleton

Subject: Where are you?

Hi there, gorgeous. What hotel are you staying in so I can call you? I love you.

Love,

Dillon Baron

McGowen & Baron, LLP

26 Shoreline Blvd.

Mountain View, Ca. 94041

______________________________

"Shit!" she exclaimed, closing her laptop.

"What's the matter?" Tudor asked, sitting up in the bed.

"I just received an e-mail from Dillon."

"Well...we don't need to worry about that right now. Let's go check out the sights. I've been here before and would love to take you on a tour," he suggested, pulling on his pants.

Cassie looked at him with worry. "Aren't you afraid we'll be seen together?"

"I don't care about that. As long as no one suspects we're a couple, nothing can be done about it," he explained.

"Are you sure?" she asked, reluctant.

"I'm positive. I just don't want people seeing us coming and going from the hotel. Meet me at London Court outside the little espresso café in about two hours."

"Alright, as long as you're okay with it," she said, still not reassured.

Tudor left the hotel while Cassie took a nice long bath. She lay back, relaxing in the bubbles, and wondered if she should tell Dillon where she was staying. Will Dillon fly to Australia to see her? She wanted to avoid the situation at all cost until she could figure out a decision between the two incredibly handsome men.

Cassie dried herself off, put on a pair of denim leggings, a fitted long-sleeve t-shirt, and a pair of silver stiletto heels. She sprayed some Chanel perfume on her neck and wrists, then brushed her long blonde hair that finally grew halfway down her back since boot camp. She grabbed her black, Gucci horse-bit clutch and headed out the door to catch a cab.

Upon her arrival at London Court, she located the quaint espresso café where Tudor told her to meet him. Arriving fifteen-minutes early, Cassie sat at a small table and waited. She picked up a fashion magazine and skimmed through it while sipping on a Cappuccino.

Cassie felt a soft whisper in her ear from over her shoulder, "Hey, beautiful." The whisper came from Tudor.

"Hey, there!" she said, cheerfully. A wide smile beamed on her face. Looking sensationally handsome, Tudor had on jeans, flight boots, and a t-shirt that accented his huge biceps. His appearance made Cassie's body flush with desire. Tudor's profound, tall, and muscular physique made Cassie appear so tiny next to him. He looked as if he could crush her with one minor squeeze, but she felt safe and secure with him.

"It's absolutely beautiful here." She slid a chair from underneath the table with her foot. "Have a seat."

He situated himself in the chair. "Just wait until you tour Europe if you're ever deployed over there. Boy! I could tell you some stories about that place." He laughed. "But, we won't talk about that right now."

"Oh, really?" she questioned, growing interested. "You'll have to tell me sometime."

"Well...not today. I want to focus on you and you only," Tudor said, placing her hand in his across the table.

Cassie pulled her hand away, abruptly. "We can't hold hands. People from the ship might be here," she said.

"Oh, yeah. I almost forgot." He stood from the table. "Come, follow me."

Cassie took one last sip of her Cappuccino and then tossed the cup into the trashcan. They left the cafe and went shopping at a few boutiques where Cassie had bought some high-end designer shoes and handbags.

As they walked through a courtyard, they noticed a narrow, dimly lit hallway off to the side. Tudor grabbed Cassie by the arm and whisked her into the corridor. Pushing her back against the brick wall, he passionately pressed his lips to hers. "I hope you don't mind, I just had to kiss you. Your lips are so shiny and inviting, I hungered to taste them," he said, looking deep into her eyes with his forehead resting upon hers.

She smiled at him. "I hate being secretive. Are you staying with me tonight?"

"I can't. I promised the guys I would hang out with them. We all got a hotel room together. But, don't think I won't be missing you because I will. I just don't want any suspicion to come upon us," he explained.

So much for him telling the guys that he was sick so he could get away. "I understand, not a problem. I can just watch TV and relax," she said, disappointed, but in the back of her mind, she knew that she would have a chance to respond to Dillon's e-mail.

***

Back at the hotel, Cassie put on her pajamas, sat on the couch, and turned on her laptop. A little reluctant by answering Dillon's e-mail, she had a feeling that if he knew where she was staying, he would fly out to see her.

A sudden idea came to mind before she clicked reply:

______________________________

From: Cassie Littleton

To: Dillon Baron

Subject: Went shopping.

Hey, handsome. I'm sitting in the hotel room with my shipmates watching TV after a busy day of shopping at London Court. The sights are fabulous and I'm having a wonderful time with my gals. I hope to see you soon.

Love and miss you, sweetie!

Cassie

______________________________

Shutting her laptop, she expelled a sigh of relief, believing if he knew that she was staying in a room with friends, he would stay away.

Three hours later, a loud banging on the door startled Cassie from her sleep. Rushing to the door, she looked through the peep hole, and saw Tudor standing on the other side. She opened the door quickly and Tudor fell face down in the entryway. "Shit!" she hollered, pulling Tudor inside by his hands, and quickly closing the door. "What happened?" She tapped him on the cheek, trying to wake him.

Tudor looked through squinted eyes, but passed out again. The strong scent of alcohol emanated from his breath. Not knowing who dropped Tudor off at her suite, Cassie began to worry. She opened the door and glanced down the hall, but saw no one.

"C'mon, you need to get up! I can't lift you to the bed," she said, trying to drag him to the sofa.

He managed to stand, his legs unstable, but he plopped down onto the couch.

Cassie found an extra blanket and placed it over him. In fear of Tudor having possible alcohol poisoning, she monitored him throughout the night.

Waking Tudor the next morning, Cassie whispered softly into his ear, "Good morning, baby. Are you okay?"

Tudor stretched and yawned. "Whoa...my head is pounding. How did I get here?" he asked, looking around, dazed and confused.

"I'm wondering the same thing. I have no idea how you wound up here." A slight hint of panic shown in her voice.

Cassie offered the lieutenant a cup of coffee and he sat up on the sofa. "I need to figure this out. The last thing I remember is meeting up at a strip club with the guys."

Anger swelled in Cassie's eyes. "Well, that's nice! You could have left out that little detail."

He looked at her with a patronizing stare. "That's what we do, Cass. It's like a tradition at every port. We hit all the strip clubs."

"Whatever! I just don't want to hear about it, okay? Just keep it to yourself." She left Tudor's side and slammed the door to the bathroom. Trying to calm herself, she slipped into a nice, relaxing bath. Horrible thoughts chased through her mind. "Has he been screwing anyone else?" She wondered.

A slight tap was heard on the bathroom door. "Cassie, can I come in, please?" Tudor asked, waiting for her to allow him inside.

"Leave me alone!" she yelled. "I have no desire to speak to you right now."

"C'mon, Cass. You have to let this go. There's plenty more to worry about than strip clubs. We need to figure out who brought me here last night."

"You can figure that out on your own!" She ducked her head under water to drown out his voice.

The door opened. Tudor towered over the bathtub, waiting for Cassie to emerge.

She rose above water, wiping soapsuds from her eyes. "I thought I locked the door!" She glared, angrily.

"Well, you thought wrong!"

"Can you please hand me that towel?" she asked, pointing to the towel rack.

Tudor did as she asked. Cassie stood and wrapped the towel around herself. Stepping from the tub, she walked over to the bed, sat on the edge, and smoothed Chanel Mademoiselle lotion onto her legs. "Do you mind?" she asked sarcastically as Tudor stared.

"Sorry. You look incredibly sensuous when you rub lotion on those beautiful, long legs."

"Must you turn everything into something sexual? Didn't you have enough sex from your strip mate last night?"

"I don't have sex with strippers. I don't pay for sex and I never will. Yeah, I'll pay for you to slap me around a bit, but that's because it was the only way to get close to you."

Cassie could tell Tudor was being genuine by the sincere look in his eyes. She patted the spot next to her, inviting him to join her on the bed.

With his index finger at her jaw line, he turned her head so he could look into her eyes. "I'm really sorry. I thought that you knew that's what we Navy guys do. I promise that I won't go anymore. I hate the fact that I've hurt you."

She managed to crack a slight smile. "It's okay. My feelings are all out of whack right now. I'm worrying about what to do about Dillon, about us getting caught, and you going to strip clubs."

Brushing the bangs from Cassie's eyes, Tudor pressed his lips to her forehead. "I understand. I'm sorry that I hurt you. If it makes you feel any better, I don't remember a damn thing about last night."

Suddenly, and idea struck. "I got it! I will go to the concierge desk and ask them if I can view the surveillance tapes from last night. Hopefully, we can see who dropped you off here!" She jumped from the bed, put on a pair of jeans, and dressed in a t-shirt. "I'll be back soon!" Slipping on a pair of flip flops, she made a mad dash to the elevator, and hurried toward the concierge's desk.

"Hi, I'm a guest here and I was wondering if I could see the surveillance tapes from last night...oh say...at around midnight to two o'clock in the morning?"

The concierge looked up from his computer, concerned. "Was there a problem last night, ma'am?"

"No, I just need to see who dropped my boyfriend off last night because he doesn't remember."

The concierge motioned for Cassie to follow him to the back office. She sat and started reviewing the tapes on the CRT screen. Seeing the captain dragging Daniels off the elevator to her floor, caused her jaw to drop. "Okay, I've seen enough. I don't need to see anymore." She stood, feeling as though she would faint. "Thank you for your time, sir." Cassie slowly walked away; feeling like someone had punched her in the gut.

Back at the room, looking like she had seen a ghost, Tudor looked at Cassie, bothered by the expression on her face. "Well?" Tudor asked.

The words couldn't come out of her mouth; she just plopped down on the sofa in a daze.

Tudor grabbed Cassie by the shoulders and gave her a slight shake. "Cass, you're scaring me. What is it?"

Shaking her head, she focused. "The captain! The captain brought you here."

Taking a seat on the sofa next to Cassie, Tudor rest his elbows on his knees, and dropped his head. "The captain?" Tudor questioned. "How in the hell did he know you were even staying here, Cass?"

"The only person who knows I'm here is you. The only way the captain could possibly know anything is if he followed me, or you told him last night during your drunken adventure," Cassie said.

Tudor crossed his right foot over his left knee and relaxed back against the sofa. "Well, I guess that's possible."

"Where is the captain's hotel?" she asked. "I need to speak to him."

"We're all staying at the Wallaby. It's just a few blocks from here."

"What's the room number? I'm heading over there right now," she said, grabbing her purse and heading toward the door.

"Room 113," Tudor responded.

"You stay here, I'll be right back." The door slammed and she jumped in a cab that was parked in front of the hotel.

Pulling up to the Wallaby, Cassie rushed through the entrance, and ran up the stairs to the captain's room.

As Cassie banged fiercely on the door, the captain answered. "Well, well, well, if it isn't Mistress Cassie," the captain casually spoke, suspecting he knew why she was standing before him.

When Cassie entered the room, it reeked of stale beer and cigarettes. She placed her hand over her nose, trying not to smell the horrific stench. "I know that you dropped Lieutenant Daniels off at my hotel last night. How did you know that I was staying there?" she asked, her voice muffled through her hand.

"He told me," the captain said, nonchalantly. "He said that he loved you and he didn't care if he lost a stripe because of it. He flat out told me that he was willing to sacrifice his career for you."

"What?" Her hand dropped to her side. The nasty smell had no regard to her senses after hearing that statement. "You can't be serious." Shock rushed through her core.

The captain looked down at the floor and shook his head. "Don't worry, Littleton. I'm not going to reprimand you guys or send you to Captain's Mast for it. What happens at sea stays at sea, remember?" He looked up with a stern gaze. "But, you will not show any affection in public whatsoever," he demanded.

A sense of relief washed over her. "Thank you, sir. But, I assure you, I don't feel the same way about Daniels as he does me. Maybe the alcohol was making him say such outlandish things."

"Alcohol is like a truth serum. I guarantee you that his feelings are real," the captain said.

"Whatever." Cassie turned and walked toward the door. "Well, sir...if you would excuse me, I need to get back to my hotel."

Back at her hotel suite, Cassie entered and saw Tudor sitting at the table on the balcony. "Tudor, I spoke with the captain and he seemed okay with our situation."

He set his coffee mug down and looked up at Cassie with questionable eyes. "I don't believe it. I think he's just saying that. You watch! When we get back to the ship, he's going to have our asses!"

Standing behind Tudor, Cassie placed her hands upon his shoulders and gently worked her fingers deeply into his muscles. "No, I believe him. I work with the captain all the time and I can tell when he's serious." She bent down in front of him at eyelevel, softly kissed his lips, and then smiled. "Let's not waste this gorgeous day worrying. Let's go to the beach and meet up with the crew." She skipped playfully into the bedroom to put on her swimsuit.

Walking from the bedroom with a towel wrapped around her, Cassie spoke softly, gaining Tudor's attention, "Oh, Tudor..." she playfully called out to him and her robe dropped gracefully to the floor.

Tudor's jaw dropped and he gasped when he saw her standing in the doorway wearing a pink sequin two-piece bikini. "Oh, my! You are so freaking hot!" He intently licked his lips. "Just look at you! You're seriously not going to wear that to the beach, are you?"

"Sure am," she said with confidence.

"You're going to drive all the men crazy, you know! The funny thing is, they're not going to know that you're all mine," he said, pulling her close, burying his lips at her throat. "You know what will make it more exciting?" he asked. "Watching all the men flirt with you while you turn them down." He laughed, wildly.

Cassie playfully pushed him away. "I'll meet you down there." She grabbed a towel and closed the door behind her.

Cassie placed her towel on the sand then smoothed suntan lotion on her body. Tudor approached and was about to place his towel next to hers. "Nope, you can't sit next to me, remember? The captain made it specifically clear that we can't be seen in public together," she explained.

"Shit! This really sucks!" he said, snatching up his towel and heading toward the other officers who were playing volleyball.

A brown-haired, chubby female shipmate placed her towel next to Cassie. "Hey, Littleton. I haven't seen you around. Where are you staying?" Airman McNally asked. At age twenty-one, McNally was a colossal flirt. Many of the sailors said that she was the ship's slut because she would screw anyone who had a set of lips and a pulse.

Cassie pointed behind her, toward the hotel. "I'm staying there."

"Wow! Fancy Smancy! Are you too good to hang out with me, Cass?" McNally asked, jokingly.

"No, it's not that. I was expecting my boyfriend to show up, so I wanted a room by myself."

"Oh, I see...you needed to get a little something,' somethin' goin' on. I got it." McNally winked. She glanced toward the officers. "Look over there!" McNally pointed. "Lieutenant Daniels is so freaking hot! I fantasize about him all the time. He's absolutely gorgeous! Don't you agree, Cass?"

Cassie wanted to laugh out loud at the question, but she maintained her composure before she spoke. "He is smokin' hot, but I have a boyfriend. And besides, it's not like he would even give us the time of day. We're nobody's to all those guys." Cassie rolled over on her stomach and handed McNally a bottle of suntan oil. "Hey, McNally...can you rub some of this on my back, please?"

McNally began to rub the oily concoction on Cassie's back. The officers' volleyball game came to a screeching halt when they witnessed McNally rubbing her hands all over Cassie's slippery body. Cassie reached behind her back and untied her bikini top, leaving her bare back exposed. Sliding the outer edges of her bikini bottoms up the crack of her ass, it looked as though Cassie was wearing a G-string.

"Holy shit!" an officer yelled out.

Cassie acted aloof as if she didn't hear anything.

McNally sat the bottle of oil in the sand and stood. "Okay, Cass, you're lubed up!" She bent down and spoke through her teeth so the officers' couldn't tell what she was saying, "You really got their junk excited." She laughed. "Look at Lieutenant Johnson." McNally motioned her head in Johnson's direction. "You can actually see his Johnson pressing against his shorts!" McNally and Cassie busted out laughing. "And by the way, how did you get so fucking tan being on the ship?" McNally asked.

"It's sunless tanning lotion," Cassie said.

"Are you gonna go in the water at all?"

Cassie, still lying on her stomach, knowing the officers' were still staring at her bare ass, tilted her head toward McNally. "Nah...I'm gonna stay here and tease."

"Suit yourself." McNally ran off toward the water, giggling at the officers' reaction.

Drifting off to sleep, Cassie suddenly felt a volleyball hit her dead-square in the back. "Ouch!" Cassie yelled, sitting up, covering her bare breasts with her arms, trying not to expose them.

"Sorry, Littleton. It was my fault!" Tudor yelled, running toward her to grab the ball.

"It's ok, sir." She winked as she watched him bend over in front of her, retrieving the ball. "That ass...my God, that ass," she mumbled to herself.

***

Back at the hotel, Cassie jumped in the shower to wash all the suntan oil off her body. Sensing the bathroom door open because of the cold rush of air, Tudor snuck inside the shower, and stood behind her. No words were spoken; just passionate kissing is all that consumed them. Grabbing the bar of soap, Tudor began lathering up Cassie's firm breasts, rubbing his hands all over. Profoundly excited, Cassie wanted him to fuck her immediately. Was it the slipperiness of her body that made it so arousing? She had no clue, but Tudor's touch made her hot, wet, and her sweet spot pulsed, stinging for his touch. She reached around to feel his slick, tight ass. Their bodies glistened. Turning her around to face the wall, Tudor held her wrists above her head, and pressed them against the cool tile. She felt his soft, warm tongue trail along the middle of her back, lustfully caressing its way down until she felt his tongue thrust inside her throbbing folds. Water sprayed down her back, all over his face as he spread her wide, thrashing his tongue deeper inside. "My God, baby. You taste so good. I can't get enough of you," he whispered. His middle finger plunged inside, his thumb rapidly oscillating back and forth on her tiny pink pearl at the point of orgasm. Her breathing halting, Tudor could sense she was almost there. "Not yet, baby." Forcefully, he pressed her back against the shower and lifted her by her thighs. Wrapping her legs around him, Cassie fully engulfed his thick mass deep inside her freshly shaved mound. Her nails dug deeply into his back, and she couldn't hold out any longer. "Oh...baby...deeper!" she moaned, demanding harder penetration. Her body shook with intense gratification, which drove Tudor to the point of no return. Slamming himself deeper inside, he let loose, and grabbed onto her tightly as he filled her with every drop of his warm essence. "Oh my God, Cassie...you're so incredible. You're the most beautiful woman I have ever known," he whispered.

***

Reporting back to the ship, Cassie was more than ready to get back to the states. Extremely exhausted, not to mention homesick, she headed to her rack, and pulled out her little, pink appointment book. She saw that some of her employees had sessions scheduled that evening.

Seeing that she didn't have a session scheduled, Cassie thought it would be a great opportunity to fill out her dream sheet. Only able to choose three bases, she knew that it was a shot in the dark, but she chose Moffett Federal Air Field, California as her first choice, San Diego as her second, and Pensacola as her last.

On her way to the personnelman's office to give him her choices, Cassie took a shortcut through the library, flicked on the lights, and saw Tudor in a corner kissing another officer. With her jaw dropping from utter shock, Cassie quickly shut off the lights without being discovered, backed away slowly, and quietly closed the door. Feeling as though she would faint, she went inside the nearest restroom. "How could he do this?" she questioned. After what the captain had told her, she thought that Tudor was serious about their relationship. With a quick splash of water on her face, she bolted from the restroom, and went straight to the captain.

"Sir, may I speak with you?" she's asked.

Seeing her extremely upset, the captain quickly stopped his typing, and focused his attention on her. "What's the matter, Littleton? Why are you so disheveled?"

Trying hard to catch her breath, she clenched at her chest. "It's...um...Daniels, sir."

"What about the lieutenant?" the captain asked.

"I saw him in the library kissing another woman—an ensign."

The captain looked down at his desk and regretfully shook his head. "I don't know what to tell you. The officers on this ship are all playboys. They'll say anything to get into a woman's panties. Looks like you learned the hard way."

"Don't tell him that I know. I want to figure out how I'm going to handle this on my own. I think I'm going to have a little fun with him," Cassie said, a malevolent gaze bolted from her eyes.

The captain nodded. "Very well, just be careful. You don't want to play with these men. I don't want you to suddenly come up as a missing person, Littleton."

"Don't worry. I know what I'm doing," she said, walking toward the door. "If you would excuse me, sir." She grimly smiled, and left his office.

Cassie's anger struck a chord like a whip being slashed across burning flesh. Yearning to go back in the library and beat the ensign bitch in the face, Cassie calmed down and headed back to her rack. When she booted up her laptop, she delightfully saw a new e-mail from Dillon, but was reluctant to open it because of the anger still burning inside.

She relaxed back against the pillow and inhaled a deep breath. "Why did I fall for that idiot? Why did I believe his lies?" Cassie asked herself. Intense anger boiled through her veins. No one takes advantage of Cassie Littleton...NOBODY!

Surprisingly, opening her little, pink appointment book, Cassie saw that Tudor had a scheduled session coming up. "Hmm, I'm going to make him hurt!" A devilish smiled consumed her face. Devising a plan, she knew exactly what she was going to do to the unfaithful bastard who betrayed her trust.

Still, hesitant to answer Dillon's e-mail, she put on her tennis shoes, dressed in a t-shirt and shorts, and went to the gym. Cassie stepped onto the treadmill and listened to hip-hop music that blared through the speakers. Suddenly, she felt a towel snap at the back of her thigh. "Hey, what are you doing in here?" Tudor asked. "I've never seen you in the gym before." He smiled as if nothing ever happened.

"I needed to let off some steam so I came in here to run it off. Looks like I made the wrong decision," she scowled, grabbing her water bottle, and walking toward the door.

"Wait a minute! Where are you going?"

She turned to face him and glared angrily into his eyes. "Leave me the hell alone!" She slammed the gym's door closed and left Tudor to wonder what made her so upset.

Seated on her bed where she knew she would be safe from Tudor, Cassie opened her laptop, and replied to Dillon's e-mail, finally.

______________________________

From: Cassie Littleton

To: Dillon Baron

Subject: On my way!

Hey, baby! How are things? I made it back to the ship and we're due back in the states at the end of the week. I can't wait to see you. I miss you.

Love,

Cassie

______________________________

Cassie slammed her laptop closed, fell back on her pillow and thought about the time that she wasted on Tudor and how she deceived Dillon. She wiped a tear from her cheek. "What happens at sea stays at sea," she constantly recited in her mind, reassuring herself that it was okay not to say anything to Dillon about what had happened on the ship.

***

The following morning, Cassie dressed in her uniform, and went to the mess hall to meet up with her dominatrix ring. Only five of the six girls showed up. "Cass, Naomi isn't coming. She's scared. She had sex with one the officers," Williams explained.

Angrily slamming her fist to the table, Cassie yelled, "No way! She knows the rules! Why in the hell did she let it get so far?" She crossed her arms in front of her chest and reclined back in the chair. "Well, I don't want to know anything about it. If you screw them, it's your business; I want no part in knowing that! She's not getting more money for it."

Cassie flipped angrily through her appointment book. "Capstone, you have Jessup this week. Christian, you have Monroe tonight. Stapleton, you have Jensen on your usual day. Camden, you have Donovan tomorrow night. Williams, you know the drill," Cassie explained, slamming her little, pink appointment book shut. "I will deal with Naomi later." Cassie walked away and went to go see the captain.

"Good morning, Littleton. How is it going with you and the lieutenant?" the captain asked.

"Not good. I basically told him to screw off yesterday at the gym. I haven't seen him since," she said.

"You better hope that he stays focused in the air today. There are large swells in the ocean making it difficult for those pilots to land those planes on deck."

"I'm sure he's fine. He probably forgot about me by now," she said, plopping herself down onto her chair, and burying herself in her work.

After work, Cassie excused herself and met up with Naomi.

"Hey, Blake! Naomi Blake! Come over here!" Cassie demanded, her nostrils flared like an angry bull.

As an E-3, Naomi was on her first deployment.

"So, I hear you screwed one of your men...Is that true?" Naomi started to open her mouth, but Cassie interrupted, "And don't frigging lie to me because I can tell when someone is lying!"

Naomi looked down from embarrassment. "Yes, I did. I got caught up in the moment and I couldn't stop myself."

"I hope you know that you don't get more money for that. Our agreement was no sex! You went against it. You're out of the ring!" The anger built inside her. Not only did Tudor piss her off, Naomi did also.

"I'm sorry, I didn't expect more money," Naomi said.

"Shut the hell up! If I find out any more of my girls are screwing these men...well...you don't want to know what can happen. Just put it this way, the captain will take care of it!"

"Again, I'm really sorry," Naomi said, appearing sincere.

"I'm not assigning you anyone else. You're done for the remainder of the deployment. I don't care what you do when we get back to the states!" Cassie slammed the door and got ready for her appointment with Tudor.

Arriving at his cabin, she knocked on the door.

"Come in!" the lieutenant said.

Cassie entered the room with a bag of restraints in hand.

Surprised to see Cassie and not one of her employees, he smiled. "I've missed you. What was with your attitude yesterday?" Tudor asked.

"Shut the fuck up! This is business!" she said, whipping out a set of handcuffs. She grabbed a chair and forced Tudor down by his shoulders. "Sit down!" she demanded.

Looking confused, he did as he was told. "I thought we weren't doing this anymore since we started dating?"

"Well, you thought wrong, asshole!" With Tudor's hands behind his back, Cassie handcuffed him to the chair, and tore the white V-neck t-shirt from the lieutenant's chest.

"I'm not sure if I should be scared or excited." He snickered.

"You should be shaking in your fucking flight boots!" She pulled a small whip from her bag.

The look of fear swept the smirk right off Tudor's face. "W-w-where did y-y-you get that?" His voice stuttered.

She cracked the whip before his very eyes. "Don't worry about where I got it!" A thunderous lash radiated across his thighs.

He thrashed in his seat, the pain jolted throughout his body, and a bloody cut appeared. "Shit! That hurt! What's gotten into you?"

"Shut up, you piece of crap! I know what you did yesterday. Do you honestly think that I'm a complete idiot?"

"What are you talking about?" he asked, eyeing the whip, afraid she would hit him again.

"I saw you kissing on that ensign in the library yesterday!"

Dropping his head in shame, Tudor knew that he couldn't deny it. "I'm sorry, Cassie. Please believe me when I say I love you. I thought it was you!" Then he remembered about the lights turning on and quickly turning off while he was in the library. "That was you who flicked on the lights!"

"It sure was! I hope she was worth it! Don't ever talk to me again. I never want to see your face as long as I'm alive!" Cassie removed the handcuffs. "Asshole! You stay away from my girls, too!" She demanded before slamming the door on her way out.

***

A day before arriving in San Diego, she received the results of her dream sheet. "Naval Air Station, Sigonella," the paper read. "I'm going to Italy?" she questioned, her mouth gaped open as the paper dropped to the floor. "That wasn't even one of my choices!"

The first thought that crossed her mind was Dillon. How was he going to take the news? She started to realize how much she missed him and how much he meant to her.

Snatching the paper off the floor, she hurried to the captain's office. "Is this some kind of joke?" she asked, shaking the paper in his face.

"What?" he asked. "Oh, your orders." The captain realized suddenly that he knew what she meant.

"Italy...why Italy?" she asked.

"There are a lot of officers in Italy who are interested in our little arrangement. I thought this would benefit you because you have no ties holding you back anymore. Correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't you break it off with the lieutenant?"

"Yes I did, but I didn't break it off with Dillon!" she exclaimed.

"Well, it looks like your boyfriend better move to Italy if he wants to be with you," the captain said, sarcastically.

Extremely devastated, Cassie had no idea how to break the news to Dillon, but she knew Dillon had the means and the money to make anything happen. "Well, thanks for nothing, Captain!" She angrily slammed the door behind her.

Climbing into bed, Cassie closed the curtain, and screamed into her pillow so no one could hear. She could hear the other girls elated about their wish lists being granted. Hearing them squeal with delight frustrated her even more. Cassie knew that she had to buck up and get over it. Thinking of Dillon, missing the smell of his cologne, the softness of his hair, and the minty taste of his kiss made her yearn for him more. Just one more day and she would be wrapped in his arms, again.

***

Cassie opened her laptop and read an e-mail from her parents:

______________________________

From: Mr. & Mrs. Littleton

To: Cassie Littleton

Subject: Proud!

Hi, Cassie, just e-mailing to let you know that we will be in San Diego when your ship comes in. We are so proud of you!

Love always,

Mom and Dad

______________________________

She opened another e-mail from Kelli:

______________________________

From: Kelli Maynard

To: Cassie Littleton

Subject: I miss you!

Hey, Cass! It's been a long six months! I miss you. Guess what? I'm engaged! I'm flying out to San Diego with your parents to see you when you arrive. I can't wait to see you!

I Love you!

Kelli

______________________________

Finally, she read an e-mail from Dillon:

______________________________

From: Dillon Baron

To: Cassie Littleton

Subject: Lonely.

Hi, gorgeous. I miss you so much. I can't wait to hold you in my arms and squeeze you so tight. I have been so lonely without you. I love you so much and have been counting the days until we meet again. I'm looking so forward to seeing you tomorrow.

Love forever and always,

Dillon Baron

McGowen & Baron, LLP

26 Shoreline Blvd.

Mountain View, Ca. 94041

______________________________

How will she break it to Dillon about her new orders? She hated not knowing what lies ahead. Will she be going to Europe single and alone? She had four days to break it to him. What did this mean for them? Will she ever let Dillon know about her hidden affair with the lieutenant or her dominating ways? "What happens at sea stays at sea," she said, reassuring herself.

***

The aircraft carrier pulled into port. Slinging her duffle bag over her shoulder, Cassie walked off the ship, dressed in her uniform.

Suddenly, she was bumped forcefully by an officer. She looked to her right only to see Lieutenant Daniels walking next to her. "Fino 'Italia il mio amore," he said as they parted ways.

"What in the hell does that even mean?" she asked herself. She shook her head to gain focus and saw her parents, Dillon, and Kelli in the distance. They ran toward her with open arms. Dillon reached her first, gently cupped her face in his hands, and looked warmly into her eyes. "I love you," he said, breathing deeply, gently brushing her forehead with his soft lips.

She wrapped her arms around him. "I love you, too."

She hugged her parents and Kelli tightly at the same time, and then took Dillon by the hand, and walked off the dock, embraced by the people who loved her the most.

Ship Mates II: What Happens on Det Stays on Det (Vol. 2)
Chapter One

The C-130 Hercules arrived at NAS Sigonella in Sicily Italy. After a tearful farewell to Dillon, her parents, and Kelli, Cassie collected her belongings and exited down the stairs of the airplane to the tarmac. Having a positive outlook toward her new duty assignment, she was relieved not to be at sea any longer.

"Good evening. My name is Petty Officer Simms. I need everyone to follow me so we can head over to your living quarters," the balding man said, pointing toward the government van parked at the middle of the runway.

Climbing into the van with her luggage, Cassie slid across toward the window seat. The dark, rainy flight was long and exhausting and the only thing running across her mind was food, a warm blanket, and a nice comfortable bed to sleep in. Flying aboard a C-130 was not comfortable by any means. The rough turbulence, loud engines, and Cassie's air sickness got the better of her. Not even prescribed anti-nausea medication could stop the vertigo she had experienced.

The van pulled up to the barracks entrance; Cassie was given a key to her own room. The barracks reminded her of a shabby motel located off a county road in an old rural town. Entering the room with her luggage and laptop, Cassie fell back onto the bed. Even though there was a nine-hour time difference between Sicily and California, Cassie knew that it was around noon in California where Dillon lived. She flipped open her laptop, hoping to catch him online, but there was no sign of him. Exhausted, she retrieved her shampoo from her luggage and prepared for a nice, long, relaxing bath.

As she reclined back in the hot bubbles, Cassie reminisced about her and Dillon's last moment together in San Diego before they said their goodbyes. The expression on Dillon's face when she revealed the news of her next duty station was heart breaking. He appeared as though his world came crashing down upon him. Mutually, they thought it best not to move forward with marriage until she got back to the states. Cassie never spoke a word of her and Tudor's fling on the aircraft carrier. "What happens at sea stays at sea." She always reminded herself. The captain's infamous words gave her comfort knowing that her side business in the Navy didn't matter if she were never allowed to speak of it on the outside.

***

Cassie became startled when she heard a loud knock on the door. Glancing toward the alarm clock that was on the bathroom counter, she was shocked when she saw that it was almost ten. Wondering who could be coming to her room so late, she grabbed her robe and walked toward the door. Peeking through the peep hole, she was surprised to see the gentleman who was pacing back-and-forth on the other side.

She rested her back against the door, breathing heavily. "What in the hell is he doing here?" she asked herself, her heart pounded strongly against her ribcage. The impatient man was Tudor, and he was waiting eagerly for Cassie to open the door.

"Cassie, I know you're in there. Open the door, I want to speak with you."

Cassie, confused on what to do, stood in silence with her back still pressed against the door. She knew that Tudor could sense, if not hear, the rapid beating of her heart.

"I can hear you breathing through the door. Please let me in." Tudor continued to pace back-and-forth with his hands on his hips, extremely frustrated with desire, longing to hold Cassie in his arms again.

Taking in a deep breath, Cassie turned to slowly unlock the dead bolt, and she cracked open the door with the safety chain still intact.

"What are you doing in Sigonella? How did you know I was here?" She observed nervously through the narrow crack. Although she cut ties with the lieutenant before the ship's deployment had ended, she still had strong feelings for him, but she didn't want him aware of it. She had wished to put the past behind her and only wanting Dillon in her future.

"C'mon, Cass—open the door. I'm not mad at you. Please let me in. We need to talk."

Slowly, unlatching the chain, she allowed Tudor to enter the room. Wrapping his arms around her, Tudor held her tightly, but she did not return the gesture. She only stood limp; arms by her side, still in shock that he was standing before her.

Cassie pulled away from his strong hold. "You still haven't answered my question. Why are you at NAS Sigonella?" Cassie had assumed he was going back out to sea.

"I told you that I would see you in Italy when I bumped into you as we deboarded the ship—well, I said it in Italian, but I still told you."

The only thing Cassie remembered was, 'Fino 'Italia il mio amore.' Until Italy my love was the translation.

"How in the hell do you expect me to understand Italian? Why couldn't you just say it in English?" She gazed sternly toward him. "And, why are you here in my room? I have nothing left to say to you. You helped me make my decision between you and Dillon. I'm done!"

"I wanted it to be a surprise...that's why I said it in Italian." He smirked. "You never allowed me the chance to explain what you witnessed in the library. That ensign was coming on to me. I was taking the shortcut through the library and she came out of nowhere, pushed me up against the wall, and kissed me."

Cassie looked down at the floor, shaking her head back and forth in disbelief. "Well, it didn't appear as if you were resisting."

"I thought it was you. It was so dark in there, I couldn't see. I swear to you that's all it was." He appeared sincere, but Cassie was unsure because she thought that he could tell that it wasn't her simply by the taste of her kiss.

"What did you do when you realized that it wasn't me when I flicked on the lights?"

"I pushed her away and ran out the door."

"Well, where is the ensign stationed now, here too?" Cassie asked, still reluctant to believe him.

"I spoke with the captain; he made certain that she's far away from me. I was so uncomfortable when she kissed me forcefully. I was unbelievably hurt that you wouldn't allow me the chance to explain."

She was confused, but came to the realization that she was hasty in how she handled the situation back on the ship. Looking at Tudor's gorgeous physique didn't help the situation, either. Becoming very vulnerable; all she wanted to do was change from the damp towel, so he would stop gazing intently at her.

"What happened with you and Dillon?" Tudor asked, hoping they broke off their relationship.

She looked at him matter-of-factly. "We're together and very happy. And no, I didn't tell him about us."

"Well, I'm happy for you. I want nothing more but for you to be happy. Just remember that I would never cheat on you. If you decide to break it off with Dillon, I'll be waiting for you." Tudor smiled, kissing her on the forehead. "We'll discuss this later. I'll let you get some rest after your long flight," he said before closing the door behind him.

Cassie slammed herself on the bed, agitated, cupping her hands to her face. She glanced into the mirror at herself, looking at her reflection, and wondered, "What in the hell just happened?" Tudor looked as good as ever; wearing his service khaki uniform with tons of ribbons and medals adorned across his chest. He was unbelievably handsome in that uniform. Surprisingly, it was hard for her to resist him. He was the sexiest combat pilot she had ever seen and the temptation of ripping the buttons from his uniform was difficult to withstand; Cassie lusted for him fervently.

Locking the deadbolt on the door, she returned to her bubble bath. Still in disbelief that Tudor was in Sicily; she knew that it meant trouble for her and Dillon's relationship, and pondered what this Italian adventure had in store for her.

***

Early the next morning, Cassie pressed her service dress-blue uniform and arrived at the hangar where her squadron was assigned. She was eager about starting over in Italy, hoping not to participate in anymore shenanigans as she engaged in previously on the ship.

She entered through the double-doors that were alongside the large, monstrous airplane hangar and saw several C-130 airplanes that were currently undergoing maintenance by several Navy gentlemen who were dressed in dark-blue coveralls. "Good morning, my name is Littleton. Today's the start of my first day and I was hoping that one of you gentlemen could please point me in the direction of the lieutenant commander's office?" she asked, shyly, but flirtatiously as she batted her long black eyelashes.

Their mouths gaped opened as they glanced at each other, speechless by her allurement. "Right through those doors over there," an airman explained, a wrench clenched in his hand, aiming toward the double-doors down the long narrow corridor.

"Thanks. What's your name?" Cassie asked, hoping to become better acquainted.

"I'm second class Petty Officer Preston. You can call me Alex." He smiled. Alex Preston, a handsome man at age twenty-six with dark, flawless Korean American skin, clean-cut, short jet-black hair, and deep, brown piercing eyes was the first man in the hangar who captivated Cassie's attention.

"Thank you very much, Petty Officer Preston." Cassie followed the corridor well aware that the airmen were staring at her backside as she disappeared down the hallway. She came to a glass door and saw the lieutenant commander seated at his desk. Taking in a deep breath, she knocked timidly on the door, and waited for him to invite her inside.

Walking through the door, she saluted, standing at attention. "Petty Officer Littleton reporting for duty, sir!"

"At ease, petty officer. Please have a seat," the lieutenant suggested. "I'm your commanding officer, Lieutenant Commander John Moore," he explained, extending his hand across the desk.

"Nice to meet you, sir, I'm Petty Officer YN 3 Cassie Littleton," she replied, shaking his hand.

John Moore, a striking man in his looks; everything about him was clean-cut and perfect, his white, toothy grin, deep blue eyes, dark blond hair, and tanned skin impulsively captured Cassie's attention.

"I've heard a lot of nice things about you, Littleton. I'm very pleased to have you as my assistant here at NAS Sigonella."

Nervously, she attempted to pull her skirt below her knee and cross her legs. "Thank you, sir. I look forward to working alongside you as well." Relaxing back in her chair, Cassie wondered what was said about her, hoping it was nothing about the fetish and dominatrix ring that she had coordinated on the ship.

He rose from his desk. "Come with me. I'll give you a tour of the hangar. You can meet the crew that you'll be working alongside." He held open the door, allowing Cassie to exit before him. "Ladies first."

"Thank you, sir." She smiled, pleasantly.

Escorting her through the cold corridor, John led her to the C-130 airplane she had noticed when she arrived that morning.

John looked up at the plane. "I need you down here immediately!" the lieutenant commander yelled toward the airmen in an authoritative voice. "I would like you to meet, Petty Officer YN 3 Littleton, who will be my assistant. You are to treat her with respect. Just because she's the only female in this squadron does not give you the right to treat her like shit." The lieutenant commander glared sternly toward the crew.

The men stood side-by-side in formation. "Nice to meet you, Petty Officer Littleton."

"Very nice to meet you, too," she said, staring down at her black, patent leather military pumps, her feet in a pigeon-toed position as she pretended to be shy.

"We have a total of sixteen men in our squadron. Petty Officer Littleton, you're the only female, I hope you're comfortable with that," the lieutenant commander explained.

"I'm the only girl?" she questioned. Her awareness of the situation put her more at ease because she enjoyed working with men more than women. She took comfort in knowing that she wouldn't have to deal with gossip and drama.

"Follow me, I'll show you around." John led Cassie outside to his truck, opened the passenger door, and invited her to climb inside. John Moore pointed out where the commissary, Navy Exchange, gym, library, and eateries were as they toured the base. He looked over at her, inhaling deeply. "You smell sweet. What's that perfume you're wearing?" John asked, trying to hide a snide grin.

A little shocked by his comment, Cassie smiled, shyly. "Oh, thank you. It's Chanel. It's not too strong is it?"

"No, not at all. It smells very enticing—very sexy." He smiled, sinfully. "I'm starving, would you allow me to treat you to lunch?"

"Yes, sir. Lunch would be nice."

Arriving at a deli on the base, they sat at a booth, and skimmed over the menu. Cassie's sensibility displayed intimidation. She fidgeted always in the presence of her superiors, especially when they were so good looking, and she didn't quite know how to start the conversation. She couldn't help but notice how beautiful the lieutenant commander's hands were. His fingers looked abnormally smooth and his nails were perfectly manicured, which gave her the assumption that he definitely didn't work on aircraft or participate in any sort of manual labor.

After ordering their food, the lieutenant decided not to beat around the bush by expressing his intention of letting Cassie know that he knew of her side business. He grabbed a sugar packet and played nervously with it in his hands. "So, Cassie—" He cleared his throat. "Captain Ellis speaks quite highly of you. Am I to expect the same kind of attention?" He cockily raised an eyebrow.

Unaware of his double entendre, she responded, "Yes sir. I will treat you with the same respect as I did Captain Ellis."

John leaned in, boasting a heated stare. "I don't think you understand my insinuation. I know of the arrangement you and the captain had. I was informed that I would be receiving the same kind of attention."

Lividly, folding her arms across her chest, Cassie glared at her glass on the table, unable to look John in the eye. She had anticipated her prostituting past finally was behind her. "Sir, I'm sorry, but I wasn't aware that I was required to participate in such activities anymore," she said, hopeful that the lieutenant wouldn't threaten her like Captain Ellis did previously on the ship.

"Let me explain this to you." He leaned in even more closely, assuming no one else in the restaurant could hear him. "You can simply do your duty as asked or you can leave the Navy on a dishonorable discharge. We both know what a dishonorable discharge would do to your future now, don't we?" He sat back greedily in his seat, folded his arms, and shot a stinging grin that chilled Cassie to the bone.

Cassie's heart began to pound; her hands twitched as she attempted to open a sugar packet underneath the table. "No, sir. I definitely don't want to be dishonorably discharged." She gasped in disgust, taking in a deep breath. "I will do with you as I did with the captain, but there is no intercourse or oral sex involved whatsoever."

John appeared pleased with the confirmation of the arrangement, feeling as though he had her right where he wanted her. "When shall we begin our first encounter?" He grabbed a toothpick off the table and picked at his teeth.

"I'm staying in the barracks right now. I don't want to commit to anything until I have my own place. Oh, and by the way, can you afford me?" she asked, sarcastically.

"Can I afford you?" he questioned. "Ha! Do you know how much money Navy officers make?"

"No, I can't say that I do." Cassie shrugged.

"Well, put it this way. We don't make careers out of the Navy because we have to. I'll give you a newspaper when we get back to the hangar—you'll find some apartments in there. I'm anticipating that you'll be out of the barracks by this weekend. The guys and I will be more than happy to help you get settled into your new place."

"I bet you would," she said, rolling her eyes, and taking a sip of her drink.

"Well, then, shall we head back?" he asked, grabbing Cassie's tray and tossing the leftover food in the garbage.

The ride to the hangar was extremely awkward and Cassie had no idea what kind of pleasure the lieutenant was into; she just hoped that it wasn't anything out of the ordinary, or what she wasn't familiar with.

Entering the hangar, Cassie saw no one else in sight. "Where did everyone go?"

"Everyone's at lunch, which is perfect because it'll give us a chance to get better acquainted," John said, reaching for the newspaper off his bookshelf, and tossing it in front of her. "Here you go. This is the rental section."

"Thank you. Can you show me where the restroom is?"

"Down that way." He pointed toward a gray door down the hall.

Closing herself into an unoccupied stall, Cassie doubled over in tears because of the future plans with the lieutenant. She didn't want things to be the way they were on the ship. She just wanted to do her normal job and marry Dillon when she made it back to the states. She was terribly disgusted with herself and knowing that she had no one to confide in, especially on a base where she didn't know anyone, made the situation even worse. Tudor suddenly came to mind. "I wonder if Tudor can help get me out of this mess..." Wiping the tears from her face and splashing some cold water on her cheeks, she headed back to the office.

Seated at her desk, Cassie opened the newspaper, and skimmed through the rental section. Because she didn't speak Italian, she came to the realization of how difficult the search would become. "This is going to be tough. I can't speak a lick of Italian," she said, looking pitifully in the lieutenant's direction.

He peeked over the rims of his glasses. "I can help you with that. Circle the ads that you're interested in and I will be more than happy to call them for you."

Cassie did as the lieutenant suggested. Even though she only spent one night in the barracks, it was more than enough; she was more than ready to leave.

She placed the newspaper nervously on his desk. "Here are a few that interest me. Do you mind calling them?"

Picking up the paper, John looked at her choices, and dialed the phone numbers Cassie had circled. After a few calls, he tossed the newspaper toward her with dates and times scribbled with red ink.

"Sir, I work during the appointments you scheduled," she said, appearing confused as why he scheduled them while she was on duty.

"Don't worry about that. I'll go with you. I can be your translator." He smiled.

"So, tomorrow we get to see three of them?"

"Yes, at ten o'clock in the morning. You can go ahead and get back to the barracks if you want to. It's time to close up shop." He grabbed his keys and locked up the file cabinets.

***

Back at the barracks, Cassie took off her uniform, and dressed in a t-shirt, shorts, and tennis shoes. She jogged around base and then went to the gym afterward. Opening the door to the gym, she was amazed at the state-of-the-art facility. She saw a treadmill and programmed it to the highest incline setting. Noticing from her peripheral vision, she saw Tudor stepping on a treadmill next to her. She flashed a quick smile as she concentrated on her workout. Tudor programmed his treadmill on high, running as if he were on his way to a fire. Cassie saw him take off his t-shirt and he draped it over the handrail. With her eyes fixated on his gorgeous, hard body and his dog tags bouncing upon his gorgeously sculpted pecs, Cassie couldn't stop staring at him as he had one of the hottest chiseled bodies on a man she had ever seen in her life. She began feeling weak; panting with desire, and remembered how good it felt wrapped in his strong embrace.

After thirty minutes, she shut off the machine, grabbed her towel, and wiped her face. As she approached the exit, Cassie felt a tap on her shoulder.

"Hey, Cass. Where are you going?" Tudor asked, trying to catch his breath from his intense workout.

"I'm going back to my room. I need to search online for a new car because my Porsche is in California."

"Oh, yeah?" he asked, taking interest. "What are you looking for?"

"A Lotus. A yellow Lotus convertible with black leather interior."

"No shit? Wow! Do you realize how uncomfortable those cars are?"

"I don't care about comfort. I care about appearance." She laughed abruptly, taking a sip from her water bottle.

"Do you want me to take you around to some dealerships this weekend?" Tudor had hoped she would say yes because he was eager to spend time with her.

"I might be moving this weekend to an apartment off base. My commanding officer is helping me find a place," she explained.

"Is that right? So, exactly how are you guys hitting it off?"

"He seems to be a bit standoffish, but he offered to come with me to translate to the landlords," she said.

"Oh, I see. Well, let me know if you want me to help out with anything."

"I will. By the way, where are you staying?" Cassie asked.

"My condo is near the base entrance. It's where all the officers are housed. My condo is unit 44. Come by whenever you like." He reached into his short's front pocket and pulled out a business card. "This has my landline if you want to call and chat."

***

Back at her room, Cassie sat on her bed, and tried to recollect everything that had happened throughout the day. She couldn't believe how rapidly word spread regarding the captain on the ship and thought that was finally behind her. She did; however, love the way it felt when she forced her superiors to obey her every command, giving her the feeling that she was totally in control. "It's not so bad I guess. After all, I'm not having sex with them and the money is awesome. Hell, I can afford a Lotus now, cash out the door!" She tried rationalizing the circumstances of her newfound wealth.

Opening her laptop, Cassie searched for exotic car dealerships in Italy. It had seemed the closest Lotus dealership to Sicily was located in Rome, which meant a nine-hour cab ride. Instead, she booked a flight.

Suddenly, an instant message popped up on the screen from Dillon. "Hey, gorgeous."

"Hi, baby. I miss you. How are things in California?"

"Good—a little slow, but it's productive. How are you enjoying Italy?"

"Well, my commanding officer seems like a total asshole, but other than that, everyone else seems pretty nice."

"You being all the way over there is so hard on me. I don't know when I'm going to see you again. The flight is incredibly long and we can't spend much time together because of your job," Dillon explained, feeling discouraged.

She typed as a tear trailed down her cheek. "I know, sweetie. It's very hard. I feel awful saying this and it breaks my heart, but I think we need to take a break for a while. I don't expect you to wait for me. I'm going to be in Italy for God knows how long and I can't ask you to put your life on hold for me." Cassie thought Dillon deserved much better. He was sophisticated, gorgeous, and wealthy and she believed that she could never measure up to what she assumed that he wanted her to be. Inferior is how she felt when she was in public with him. The blatant stares women would throw in her direction indicating jealousy, assuming she was only after his money because of their age difference. She was tired of feeling that way, tired of judgmental people, and tired of keeping him from someone his own age.

"No, Cassie. I'm not letting you go that easy. You mean everything to me and I will wait for you as long as I have to. Please don't give up on us. I love you." He begged, his fingers typed swiftly on the keyboard.

"I don't know. I feel selfish doing this to you."

"Did you find someone else, Cassie? You can be honest with me. I'll be hurt, but I will step aside so you can be happy." His heart felt as if it were being ripped from his chest as he typed.

"No, I haven't found anyone else. No one could ever measure up to you."

"Well, why can't we just keep it the way it is?" he asked. "If you're not looking for anyone else, then what is the reason that you want to let me go?" Dillon's hands shook in fear of losing her.

"I will have to think long and hard about this. I do love you. I'm just terribly confused. I'm a big mess right now," she explained. "I must log off and grab something to eat at the cafeteria. I'll log back on before I go to bed. I love you." Cassie closed her laptop and reclined back on her bed, tremendously confused about the situation.

Startled by a sudden knock on the barracks door, she wondered who it could be, and the only person who came to mind was Tudor. She peeked through the peep hole and saw someone standing on the other side with a large bouquet of roses. Opening the door, she signed for the flowers. The card read:

I look forward to our new journey in Italy.

Love,

Tudor.

A beaming smiled flushed across her face. She wanted to call him, but didn't want to appear weak or desperate. Her mother always told her, 'Never call a man, make the man call you.'

Starving, and aware that the cafeteria was closing soon, she retrieved a pair of jeans from her suitcase along with a sleeveless, fitted sweater, and her Gucci pumps.

She grabbed a chicken salad sandwich from a refrigerated cabinet by the register and sat alone at a table. She rather enjoyed eating alone and wasn't too fond on making new girlfriends, but a few moments later, she saw Tudor seated at a table with other Naval officers. She sensed he was speaking of her among them because they each gazed toward her direction. Showing a dashing smile, Cassie pulled her phone from her purse, and pretended that she was texting someone. She glanced quickly toward Tudor's table again and he motioned with his eyes for her to join his group. Setting her tray next to an officer, Cassie sat across from Tudor. "I'm finished eating and on my way back to the barracks. Is there something you needed, Lieutenant?"

"Gentlemen, I would like you to meet Petty Officer YN 3 Littleton. She and I were stationed on the ship together," Tudor explained.

"Nice to meet you all." She smiled, shyly. The men stared in amazement, mesmerized by her long, blonde hair, and gleaming blue eyes.

"I'm Ensign Migliori."

"I'm Lieutenant Gagly."

"And I'm Lieutenant Peevey."

The officers' appeared as giddy elementary school boys who had a crush on the new girl.

She stood, grabbing her tray. "Well, if you gentlemen would excuse me, I must go." As she walked toward the trash can, she could sense the stares coming from the officers' as they gazed at her ass.

"Wow, Daniels! How did you control yourself on the ship with that hottie running around on there?" Gagly asked.

"It sure as hell wasn't easy," Tudor said, taking a bite of his salad. "She's so amazing—a very sweet girl."

"Ha! Did you see the rack on her? Damn! She's a heartbreaker!" Migliori shook his head, trying to erase her from his mind. "I wonder what her barrack's number is?" He joked.

Tudor became a little pissed off at the comment. "She's engaged to a lawyer in California. She's off limits, guys! You of all people should know that. We can't mess with our subordinates."

"Honestly, I think she's the most gorgeous woman I've ever seen!" Peevey exclaimed. "Why can't I find a girl like that? Damn! I can't get her out of my mind! She reminds me of a Barbie doll—perfect figure, golden blonde hair, bright blue eyes, and long beautiful legs. Fuck! I'm getting hard imagining her naked." He laughed.

"If you only knew." Tudor mumbled to himself.

***

Hearing a knock at her door; Cassie saw Tudor standing in the hallway. She took a deep breath before inviting him inside.

"Hey, baby. You left those officers' totally aroused in the cafeteria. They sure loved you!" He grinned, flirtatiously.

She rolled her eyes. "It figures." She shrugged. "I've come to the realization that all men are perverts. By the way, thank you for the beautiful roses." She walked toward the mini-refrigerator and retrieved a bottle of water.

She felt Tudor's hand grab her by the shoulder; he forced her on to the bed and he was directly above her, gazing somberly into her beautiful, blue eyes. "God, you're something else." He forced a kiss upon her soft, pink lips.

She pushed him away slowly, cupping his face in her hands. "Oh my God, I've missed this so much." She gazed deeply into his eyes.

As the kissing continued more aggressively, she could feel his hand trailing up her blouse. "Not right now." She stopped his hand from going any farther. "I need to figure some things out first."

Tudor sat up, appearing frustrated. "What do you need to figure out, Cass? I'm right here in front of you. What is it?"

"I can't be with you and Dillon at the same time. I can't do that to him again. Let me break it off with him and then we can figure out what happens next."

"Well, how long is that going to take?" he asked, seemingly annoyed.

"I almost broke it off with him earlier, but he convinced me not to. I'll speak with him later before I go to bed," she explained.

"Okay, I'm counting on you. I can't get you out of my mind, Cass; my emotions are so tore up. You messed me up when you dumped me."

"Well, considering the circumstances that occurred on the ship, what did you expect me to do? I thought you were cheating on me. That goes to show you that I won't tolerate anyone cheating on me," she said.

"I know. Trust me; I thought that girl was you. I would never do anything that stupid intentionally."

"Well, you better take off. I need to see if I can catch Dillon online. I hate knowing that I'm going to break his heart."

Tudor kissed Cassie on the forehead. "You sleep tight, baby. You have a goodnight and have some pleasant dreams of me."
Chapter Two

Cassie opened her laptop apprehensively as she sat on the edge of the bed. Logging onto her messenger account, her heart dropped when she noticed that Dillon was online.

She sighed as she typed a dreaded message. "Baby, I'm sorry, but I can't go on any longer with this relationship. It's not fair to you. Please know that I will always love you. Who knows what the future holds, but I ask that you please respect my decision and let me continue on without you in my life. It's truly for the best, I assure you. Love always, Cassie." Immediately, she closed her laptop and lay back on the bed. A tear trickled down her cheek while reminisced visions ran rampant through her mind. Breaking Dillon's heart, the relationship with Tudor, and her side business weighed heavily on her conscious.

***

The following day, Cassie dressed in her Navy-working uniform and reported for duty. The crew met in the conference room for a briefing session. Afterward, the lieutenant commander drove Cassie to a vacant, beachfront villa that was for rent only twenty-minutes from the base.

"It's absolutely stunning!" Cassie said, noticing the villa from Lieutenant Moore's truck window.

Entering the house, Cassie was aware that the villa was approximately fourteen-hundred square feet with a pool, two bedrooms, and two bathrooms. The upgrades included a huge whirlpool garden tub, granite countertops in the kitchen and bathrooms, hand scraped hardwood floors, and stainless steel appliances. "I bet this place costs a fortune, but I don't care. It's to die for!" Cassie ran toward the master suite and opened the doors that led to the enormous walk-in closet. "This closet is as big as a bedroom! Just look at the floor!" she exclaimed. The closet floor displayed a creamy, swirled marbled pattern and the closet had built-in drawers that were mounted inside the wall. "This is perfect for all of my shoes and handbags! How much is it?" she asked, glancing at John, hoping that he would translate to the landlord.

"Fifteen-hundred Euros per month," John repeated the price to Cassie that the landlord had quoted.

"That's it? That's about two-thousand in U.S. dollars, right?" she asked.

"Sure is. All the landlord requires is the first and last month's rent then you're set to move in immediately." John explained.

Cassie pulled a crumpled wad of cash eagerly from her purse and offered it to the landlord.

John looked in shock at the massive wad. "You shouldn't be carrying around that much cash! Are you crazy?" He shook his head back and forth, unbelievably stunned. "Don't you have a bank? Do you even want to look at the other two places?"

"I've only been here for a few days; I haven't had time to open a bank account in Sicily yet, and no, I don't want to look at the others. I like this one. I would like to move in next Saturday."

John translated to the landlord and explained that Cassie would be moving in next Saturday. The landlord gave Cassie the keys after she signed the rental agreement.

In the cab of the truck, Cassie felt a sense of relief that she finally had a nice place to live; the only thing left on her agenda was getting a car.

"So, Littleton...How do you plan on getting back and forth to the base from your villa?" John adjusted the dials on his stereo, trying to find a good station.

"I'm taking a flight to Rome on Sunday, buying a Lotus Elise, and driving it back here," she explained.

"A Lotus?" he questioned. "How can you afford one of those?"

"Yes, a Lotus, it's my absolute dream car. I have a Porsche Boxter in the states, but I think it's time to move on to something newer and better. And...I think you know how I can afford to buy one." She looked at him with a flirtatious stare, hoping it would occur to him how she could purchase such an extravagant car.

"Oh, I gotcha. I almost forgot." He laughed, casually. "But a Lotus? You'll kill yourself in that thing. Those cars are made for racing, not leisure driving."

"I don't care...it's what I want." Suddenly, Cassie felt John's hand on her thigh, but quickly, she smacked it away. "What in the hell do you think you're doing?" she asked, feeling degraded.

"Sorry, I'm just thinking about our future session. Do you know when that might be?" He adjusted himself in the driver's seat with the fault of his growing erection.

"I don't know. Let me get settled into my house and get my car first. I don't want to even think of that shit right now!"

"So, if you don't mind me asking, what did you do to Captain Ellis?"

Still angered by John's pass, she shot a bold, angry glare toward him. "I beat the living shit out of him! I enjoyed it, too. I gave him two black eyes and I busted his nose the first time. Is that what you want?"

Shaking his head, he quickly replied, "Um—no. I'm into kinky, fetish stuff. I have a fetish with high heels. Nothing turns me on more than a woman wearing sexy shoes. That's all I want, nothing more."

"Seriously?" she questioned, astounded. "Well, that's an easy one." She giggled slightly with a sigh of relief.

***

John and Cassie arrived at the base and entered the hangar where the crew of her squadron had been conducting maintenance on a plane.

"Hey, Littleton...we're taking the plane up next week for a test flight. Are you going to join us?" Petty Officer Preston hollered across the hangar toward her.

"Sure, I would love to," she responded, walking toward the lieutenant's office.

John and Cassie seated themselves at their desks. "I heard Preston ask you to go on a test flight. Are you sure you want to do that? If you get motion sickness easily, you might want to reconsider. We do touch and go's and they even make me sick.

"As long as I take my medication, I'll be fine," she said, pulling the bottle of pills from her purse, shaking it toward John. "I come prepared." She laughed.

"If you think you can handle it, then I'm okay with it." The lieutenant closed his file cabinet and locked it up for the day.

After doing two-hour's worth of work, Cassie took a deep breath and sighed. "Well, I guess I will see you later, I'm heading back to my room."

***

After taking a nice, long, hot bubble bath, Cassie knew that she had to log on to her messenger account. Oh, how she dreaded to read Dillon's response.

Like a hard blow to the stomach, there it was. "Baby, why in the hell are you doing this to me? Something is seriously wrong with you, I can tell. You can't keep anything from me because I know you inside and out. Are you in any kind of trouble?"

Cassie took in a deep breath before her fingers began to type. "I love you, Dillon. But, I don't want you to put your life on hold for me. You deserve someone who can be with you at all times. It kills me knowing an entire ocean is keeping us apart."

"You must have found someone else, haven't you? C'mon Cass, I'm not an idiot. When I gave you that promise ring, I meant it. I don't mind waiting for you while you're stationed in Italy. It's not like it's going to be forever."

"I don't know what to do. I really do love you, but I believe I'm being selfish if I don't let you live your life," Cassie explained, at a loss, not knowing what else she could tell him.

"Well, you can break it off with me if you want, but I'm not giving up on us. You can stay broke up in your mind, but in my mind, we are still together. Go do what you have to do, I don't care. I just want you to be careful in the decisions that you make. No matter what you do, I will always be here for you; I want you to know that! You mean the world to me and if I have to let you go until you realize what a big mistake you're making, then I'm willing to deal with that," he explained.

"Dillon, I love you. I suppose we can see what happens when I get back to the states." She didn't know what else to type. "I need to log off; I'll chat with you tomorrow."

Opening her suitcase, Cassie searched for the perfect shoes to wear to dinner. She found her Louboutin's and slid the red-bottom, black patent leather shoes onto her feet. Looking in the mirror, she adjusted her basic, black Prada dress, and heard a knock at the door. She grabbed her Gucci bag, threw it over her shoulder, and met Tudor in the hallway.

"Hey, baby," he said, kissing her on the forehead, brushing her long, blonde hair away from her face. "Are you okay? You seem as if something's bothering you."

"It's Dillon. He's not taking no for an answer. He says he's not going to give up on me," Cassie explained, appearing sad.

Tudor shook his head, took Cassie by the hand, and led her to his car. "Well, I don't blame him."

Stunned by his gorgeous set of wheels, Cassie's jaw dropped. "Wow, Lieutenant...nice wheels." Cassie enjoyed calling Tudor lieutenant because it excited her and he knew that was her way of flirting with him.

He smiled. "Thanks. I thought that because I'm stuck in Italy for a while, I may as well get something fun to drive." Tudor opened the passenger door of his brand new, black Audi A8, and helped Cassie into the leather seat.

Cassie gazed lustfully at Tudor in the driver's seat, who wore a black V-neck t-shirt, and tight blue jeans.

Upon arrival at Cin-Cin, they were seated at a table in a dimly lit, private area. "It's absolutely beautiful here. How did you know of this place?" Cassie asked, looking around the room, captivated by the ambience.

"I heard about it from some colleagues in my squadron. They've said nothing but great things about this place. I could never come here alone, though."

Cassie grabbed a piece of bread from the basket that was covered with a linen napkin. "Well, I found a place to rent today."

"Really?" he questioned. "Tell me about it." Tudor took a sip of his red wine.

"Well, it's a villa on the beach, and it's absolutely gorgeous. It has two bedrooms and a pool. The closet is humungous! That's the best part." She laughed, nervously. The way Tudor was eyeing her was making her become a little stimulated.

Tudor gazed toward her, bearing his beautiful, wide smile. "Sounds perfect for you. If you don't mind me asking, how much are you paying for it?"

"Fifteen-hundred Euros per month," she responded, acting as if it were no big deal.

Tudor slammed back against his chair, stunned. "You've got to be kidding me! How in the hell can you afford a place like that on an E-4's salary?"

She shrugged her shoulders. "I had some money saved up before I even joined the Navy and with the money I accrued while on the ship, it's more than enough."

"This brings me to my next question." He leaned across the table toward her. "Has anyone approached you about the arrangement between you and Captain Ellis?" he whispered.

Cassie glanced down at her napkin covered lap and knotted her fingers underneath the table. "Yes, as a matter of fact, my lieutenant commander is coordinating a session with me. He was informed by Captain Ellis of who I am and what I do."

"Fuck!" He angrily slapped the table. The silverware made a loud rattle. "I was hoping that this shit would have been put behind you once we got off the cruise! Oh my God, Cass...I don't know what to tell you. You're messing with something that's totally out of my control." Tudor jolted back in his seat, disgusted with the news that Cassie had just revealed to him.

"I just wonder who else is going to jump in on this...so far it's just the lieutenant commander. I don't know if anyone else is going to be involved. I'm kind of depending on the cash flow to pay my rent and my new car." She giggled slightly, seeming a bit uncomfortable.

"I'll tell you what I'm going to do. I'll go with you when you do these so-called jobs. I can be your bodyguard. That way, if anything gets out of control, I will handle it. It will help me feel more at ease with the whole situation," he explained.

"Are you sure you want to do that? Won't you feel a little weird watching me entice those men while you're sitting there watching?" She became uneasy with the suggestion.

"Well, I won't be happy about it, but I know I'll feel better knowing that I'm protecting you from something bad possibly happening. It's the only thing I can do; you're in a dangerous situation. If you say no, it can ruin your life. A dishonorable discharge doesn't look good on a resume, not to mention your life might be in danger if you were to leave on bad terms with the officers."

"Trust me, I can handle them. I'm not afraid of them—I'm not afraid of anyone. I might look small, but I can hold my own!" Cassie boasted, flashing a tiny smirk as if she were joking, but deep down, she knew what she was capable of. She could snap a man's neck with her bare hands if she had to.

Tudor relaxed back and laughed. "Oh, yeah...what can a little thing like you do to a man who is possibly two to three-hundred pounds?"

"Well, if you're that interested, I can show you when we get back to my place...that's if you're not scared." She challenged.

"Ha! Okay, I'm curious to see what kind of moves you have," Tudor said, signing the restaurant receipt.

***

Back at her room, Cassie placed her purse on the credenza, and tossed her keys alongside it. "So, Lieutenant, are you ready to know how it feels to have a little one-hundred pound woman take you down?" she flirtatiously asked, removing her earrings from her ears.

"Sure, I've got to see this for myself." He stood in a stance with a look of determination. Suddenly, Tudor rushed Cassie and threw her over his shoulder, his hands wrapped around her calves, which prevented her from slipping forward. Swiftly, she pounded her balled fist at the tender area of his lower back and he immediately released his grip, causing her to fall to the floor. Cassie swept his feet from beneath him, which caused him to fall face first. Quickly, she climbed onto his back, and buried his face into the floor. Clutching his hands behind him, she tightly gripped his wrists. "So, are you convinced?" she asked, speaking to the back of his head while she remained straddled on top of his back.

"Holy shit, Cass! You're so freaking quick! No one has ever taken me down like that. Where in the hell did you learn that shit?" he asked, amazed at not only her quickness, but also her strength.

She rose slowly from his back, panting hard. "Years and years of karate, taekwondo, jujitsu, kick boxing, Krav Maga; you name it, I've probably learned it." She laughed. "I'm not afraid of anyone. I was held up at gun point once by a boy in school and wound up with his gun and the jerk on the floor just as you were," she explained.

"Really?" he questioned. "How did you manage to take a gun from someone?"

"Quick reflexes." She shrugged. "I round house kicked that gun out of his hand and took his ass down."

"You need to be careful; you could get yourself shot one day." Tudor brushed his hand across his chin, sensing a slight rug burn.

"I don't think about that when I'm in a deadly situation. I get tunnel vision and can't control myself."

"I'm just shocked! You're so small. I'm totally, utterly shocked!" He laughed, shaking his head back and forth in disbelief.

"Well, if you don't mind, Lieutenant, I need to get to bed so that means you must leave."

"Alright, I'll go...I'll give you a call later." Tudor hugged Cassie tightly before he left, a little disappointed that she didn't invite him to stay the night.
Chapter Three

Knocking on the door, John had arrived at Cassie's room and was eager to help her move. The other soldiers in her squadron were waiting in the parking lot and was ready to follow them to the villa that Cassie had rented.

"The gangs all here!" John said, walking inside with his hands on his hips.

"Great! Let me get my bags and I'll be ready." Cassie gathered her last piece of luggage and threw her purse over her shoulder.

Surprised to see that Cassie didn't have as much as he expected, John stared, dumbfounded. "Is this all you have?"

"Yes, this is it. I've scheduled new furniture to be delivered. They'll assemble everything for me when it arrives."

"I guess we didn't need the rest of the gang from the squadron then. I thought you were going to have a shit load of stuff to move." He laughed.

"Why? Cause I'm a girl?"

Not knowing exactly what to say, he played it safe. "No—um—well, maybe." He smiled.

At the parking lot, John instructed the rest of the crew to leave, but they insisted on staying, wanting to get a view of Cassie's new place. The only thing they had in mind was parties. Little did they know, Cassie wasn't much of a party girl.

Cassie and John carried her luggage into the villa. The rest of the crew stood in the living room and gazed around, amazed of Cassie's new place.

"You can throw some awesome parties here, Littleton," Petty Officer Preston said.

"Nope! That will definitely not be happening!"

"Are you serious? You live in this gorgeous home on the beach and you're not throwing any parties?" Alex questioned.

"Parties aren't my thing."

"Do you mind if all of us look around?" Alex asked.

"Be my guest. Look wherever you wish."

Seven of the sixteen men in Cassie's squadron were the only people who arrived to help with the move, including John. Cassie had planned on treating the men to dinner that evening to express her gratitude for them helping even though there wasn't really anything to be done.

Alex Preston, a single man, but Cassie could tell immediately that he was the ultimate womanizer, especially at the way he gazed at her at the time she introduced herself; she knew exactly what type of man he was.

Marty Graham, another petty officer, was a thin, young man. He appeared innocent, as if he knew how to treat a lady right and was very soft spoken. He had married young at the age of twenty-two to a red-haired woman named Jeanna. He would always complain about her at work about her dominating ways. Marty assumed Jeanna was cheating on him with a petty officer in another squadron on base.

Thomas Clint, who was just an E-3, was very arrogant and believed that every woman who looked his way wanted him. When he wasn't working, he was at the gym lifting weights constantly. He tried continuously to gain Cassie's attention when they were working in the hangar, but she never acknowledged him, knowing that's exactly what he wanted. He appeared to be a typical surfer dude with blond hair, blue eyes, and a tanned, buff body.

Jarrod Stanley, who was the stereotypical nerd of the group, was single. He wore what people in the Navy call BCG's, meaning birth control glasses, which meant anyone who wore them, would never have a chance at getting laid.

Samuel Jones was a lieutenant who had been burned on the right side of his body during Desert Storm. He was an African American, muscular man and was very sensitive and insecure regarding his appearance. He was in the process of becoming discharged from the Navy because of his injuries. In the meantime, he was detained at Sigonella on desk duty.

Jacob Gonzales was of Hispanic descent. He was a cocky type of guy; seeming always to have a huge chip on his shoulder, and was average looking, but single. He had extreme anger issues, which caused very short lived relationships.

Cassie met the men on the beach in the backyard of the villa where they were engaged in conversation. Wading in the ocean water, they enjoyed watching the ships sailing in the distance.

"This is such a beautiful place, Cassie," Samuel said.

"Well, thank you. I think I'll really like it here. I love the sound of the ocean, it's so relaxing." Cassie took in a deep breath, savoring the fresh, sea air.

"So, no parties, huh?" Jacob questioned. "You've got to have at least one party, Cass."

"We'll see. I don't like the mess that comes with parties and I know all you Navy guys like to party hard." She joked.

John yelled out, "Well, we need to start heading back. C'mon guys, let's move on out!" John motioned for the men to depart.

"Thank you so much for all your help. I will see you at Georgiana's tonight for dinner, right? It's my treat," Cassie said, following the men to their cars.

"We didn't do anything. You don't need to take us out," John said.

Samuel spoke quickly, "Wait a minute! If Cassie wants to take us out, let her." He winked. "You know we're all poor. We need a good meal!" He joked.

Cassie waved goodbye, but Samuel decided to stay behind; he wanted to speak with Cassie while no one else was around.

"Aw, Samuel...I would offer you something to drink, but I don't have anything yet," she said as they walked inside the villa.

"It's okay. I just wanted to sit and talk for a while if you don't mind."

Cassie took a seat on the bare, living room floor. "Okay, so what's on your mind?"

"Do you think I'm hideous?"

Cassie appeared shocked at such a bold question.

"I mean, would you ever consider dating a man like me with all these damn scars covering half my body?"

She looked him sincerely in the eyes and patted the floor, indicating for him to sit beside her. "Oh, Samuel, no, I don't think you're hideous. You're a beautiful person. Don't let anyone ever tell you differently. You'll find that special someone. He or she is waiting out there for you somewhere."

He smirked and inquisitively raised his eyebrows. "He or she?" he questioned.

"Yeah, I don't know if you're gay." She winked.

"Well, I'm not gay, but it's nice to know that even if I were, you wouldn't be bothered by it." He tossed his head back and laughed.

"Of course not. Gay or straight, it doesn't matter one bit to me. And besides, it's not like I'm available to date you or anyone else for that matter because I have a boyfriend."

"Well, that sucks!" He playfully bantered. "But seriously, I've been trying so hard to find someone who can look beyond the scars, but I haven't been lucky at all. Women only give me a second glance just so they can look more closely at my scars," he explained.

"Well, you should get a t-shirt made that reads, "I look like this because I defended your country!" she said.

"Ha-ha! That would be funny." He laughed. "You're so easy to talk to, Cass. I'm really glad that you came to Sigonella. I could tell from the moment I met you that we were destined to become great friends."

Leaning in toward Samuel, Cassie wrapped her arms around his neck, and hugged him tightly. "You can come by here and talk to me anytime you like."

With Samuel's arms wrapped around Cassie, his embrace felt safe; she loved how secure he made her feel.

"Well, I better take off. I'll see you tonight, Cass," he said before raising himself off the floor and closing the door behind him.

As Samuel remained on her mind, Cassie continued to sit on the floor until she heard the sound of his motorcycle fade off in the distance. Feeling sorry for him, she knew that he most likely would never find a girlfriend, especially with all the superficial girls in the world; she knew that it would be next to impossible.

Cassie's phone rang and she noticed Tudor's name displayed on caller I.D.

"Hey, baby. What are you doing tonight?" he asked.

"I promised the guys I would treat them to dinner for helping me move."

"I'm still at work. It appears to be a long day, so I won't be over until later if that's okay," he said.

"No problem, but I have to leave early in the morning. I need to be at the airport by seven o'clock."

Suddenly, he remembered why. "Oh, no! You're not flying to Rome, are you?" he asked. "You were actually serious about buying a Lotus?"

"Yes, Tudor...I was serious." She rolled her eyes, annoyed.

"Well, let me come with you. I don't want you flying and driving around in a country that you're not familiar with. Can you book me on a flight with you?" he asked.

"Sure, I'll buy you a ticket as soon as I hang up."

"I need to get back to work. I'll be by around ten o'clock this evening," he said.

"Okay, sweetie. I'll see you then."

Shrugging on a crisp, white, long-sleeve blouse, Cassie pulled on her jeans that had a rhinestone Fleur De Lis adorned on the back pockets, and slid into a pair of basic black, Pigalle Christian Louboutin pumps.

She had requested a cab to take her to the restaurant to meet up with the guys.

Upon her arrival at Georgiana's, she spotted Samuel waiting outside talking to a valet.

"Hi, Samuel. Is anyone inside yet?" she asked.

"Not yet. I'm the first one to show up," he said, brushing away a piece of her hair that had been stuck to her glossy lips.

"Well, let's go inside and hold a table. It's too windy out here," she suggested.

The hostess led them to a large, round table in the dimly lit restaurant that had beautiful, cream colored flameless candles strategically placed in the center.

Samuel sat on the long, bench-seat and slid his way over toward the edge. "You're so beautiful this evening," Samuel said with a smile.

Cassie scooted next to him. "That's so sweet of you to say, Samuel. Thank you." She unfolded a linen napkin and placed it on her lap.

"Well, you are. There's something so mesmerizing about you."

The other men arrived and began navigating their way around the table for a seat. The table was cramped and it forced Samuel and John to squeeze in tight with Cassie in between them.

"Well, isn't this cozy?" John asked.

"A little too cozy if you ask me." Cassie said, slightly annoyed. She felt a light brush on the inside of her thigh. "What in the hell are you doing?" she whispered in John's ear.

"I'm waiting eagerly for our first encounter." He winked, smugly.

"Don't you dare touch me! I mean it," she said through gritted teeth, sternly glaring toward his direction, and then focused at the rest of the group. "So, guys...what are we having for dinner?" she asked, hoping to take the attention off John and their secret conversation.

The gang ordered family style meals and several pitchers of beer. Cassie was the only one who was sober and she couldn't help but reminisce of the last time she was out drinking with her coworkers. A strong sense of anger started to erupt inside her. She thought if anyone were to roofie her drink, it would definitely be John. For a moment, she could envision Lufkin sitting beside her in John's spot. Imagining him caused her to become even more enraged about the rape when she was stationed in Memphis.

She placed her napkin on the table. "If you would excuse me please, I need to go to the powder room," she said, attempting to slide her way by John.

John refused to stand, which prevented her to pass. She tried to step over him, but he grabbed her hips, and attempted to force her down onto his lap.

"What the fuck are you doing?" she yelled. "Let me go!"

"Alright! No need to get all pissy!" John said as he stood from the table.

The gang looked at John, wondering why Cassie made such an outburst. She hurried toward the bathroom, trying to catch her breath. Cupping her hands over her nose and mouth, she took in ten deep breaths. She stood at the sink in the bathroom, gazing into the mirror, and suddenly, she saw the door swing open. To her surprise, it was John who walked into the restroom.

"Do you mind explaining your attitude?" he asked, glaring angrily at her in the mirror.

"I don't like you touching me! If you know what's good for you, you'll keep your grubby ass hands off me!" she yelled with fierce rage in her eyes.

Amused by the comment, John threw his head back and laughed. "Ha! What can little ole you do to me?" he asked, leaning in to kiss her.

Immediately, Cassie moved her head away, and avoided his horrifying kiss. Quickly, she raised her leg, and kneed him in the testicles, hoping that it would deter him from trying anything else.

Doubling over, John cupped his testicles, and writhed in immense pain. She formed a tight, closed fist and administered an uppercut. His head jerked forcefully backward and hit the door of a bathroom stall.

"That's what little ole me will do to you!" She snatched her purse off the bathroom sink and stormed quickly from the bathroom.

John glanced in the mirror, shook his head, and tried to focus. Splashing water on his face, he ventured back to the table. "I'm calling myself a cab and going home. I don't feel too well," John said, shrugging on his flight jacket.

The rest of the gang decided to leave with John. Climbing into a cab, Cassie couldn't stop thinking about what she did to John, knowing that she was headed into a shit storm when she got to work on Monday.

***

Cassie logged onto the Internet and checked her e-mail. An instant message popped up from Dillon. "Hi, gorgeous."

"Hi, Dillon...What's up?"

"Are you going to explain to me what's going on with you?"

She took a deep breath, becoming aggravated because it appeared he was not accepting the fact that she didn't want him in her life anymore. "I thought that I explained to you the reason. This distance isn't good for a relationship. I feel guilty knowing you're putting your life on hold until I come back."

"As I explained before, that doesn't matter. I would wait years for you! What's the big deal? Your tour in Italy will be over before you know it. Besides, it's not like I wouldn't come visit you," he explained.

"Dillon, you don't know half of the shit I'm involved in. I don't want you in the middle of it. Please, accept it and get on with your life." She begged, and then slammed her laptop closed, not wanting to deal with Dillon anymore.
Chapter Four

It was a beautiful, mild sunny day in California. Dressed in his Gucci designer suit, Dillon drove to his office with the thought of Cassie weighing heavily on his mind. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't stop thinking about her and wondered what type of mess she was involved in. He was determined to get to the bottom of it and rescue her from whatever it was that she was feeling so guilty about.

"Gertrude, I'm taking a short-term leave of absence from the firm." Dillon set his briefcase on the floor and seated himself in the chair in front of her desk.

"Is everything alright?" Gertrude McGowen asked, demonstrating concern and confusion regarding his sudden rash decision.

"No, it's not. My fiancé is in Italy struggling with some problems that she can't seem to take care of on her own."

"Can you work from Italy? We have some potential clients in Italy who are interested in opening some businesses here in the states."

"I don't foresee that as a problem."

"This comes as quite a surprise. I would never expect this of you. Since when did a woman come between you and your work? It's never happened before." Gertrude said, astounded by his demeanor. "When do you plan on leaving?"

"As soon as possible."

"You will need to coordinate with Dave; ask to him give you the client list for Italy. We'll touch base every afternoon through video chat. It will be nice to have a physical body in Italy taking care of our clients."

Looking relieved, Dillon stood and shook Gertrude's hand. "You don't know how much I appreciate this." Turning on his heel, he went to his office that faced the Shoreline Amphitheater. He sat at his desk, pulled his laptop from his briefcase, and wrote Cassie an e-mail before he left.

______________________________

From: Dillon Baron

To: Cassie Littleton

Subject: Worried

Cassie, I know you're in serious trouble and I'm flying out there to help you. I don't care if you tell me we're through; I'm still going to Italy to protect you. You mean everything to me. I do suspect you might have another boyfriend; however, I don't care. You're young and I understand you wanting to experience relationships with other men. You eventually will come back to me, I know you will. You will come to the realization that I am your soul mate, you will see. I love you so much, gorgeous.

I will attempt contact with you as soon as I'm settled in my place in Italy. I'm shipping our cars over there; you should have your Porsche in a few weeks.

Love forever,

Dillon Baron

McGowen & Baron, LLP

26 Shoreline Blvd.

Mountain View, Ca. 94041

______________________________

Dillon shut down his computer, placed it into his briefcase, and left the firm. He drove his yellow Maserati Granturismo north onto Highway 101 toward his home in Los Altos. Upon his arrival, he immediately phoned the airport and booked a first class flight to Sicily.

***

In Cassie's new home, Tudor gently placed her on the bed and was eager to make love to her again finally after reconciling their relationship. The soft kisses he planted on her bare shoulder were enough to make her body quiver. Slowly, Tudor slid Cassie's camisole to her waist as her beautiful, perfect breasts were exposed to him. Kisses from his soft lips trailed toward her nipples as he casually reclined her back onto the pillow. His desirous gaze made Cassie's heart pound ferociously. "Baby, I thought I would never make love to you again. I'm so grateful you accepted me back into your life." Kissing her profoundly on the lips, his growing erection pushed dynamically against his pants.

Lying on top of her, shirtless, his huge pecs rested against her breasts. He could sense that she wanted him badly, feeling her hot breath against his neck, the expressive pounding of her chest against his. Reaching toward his abdomen, Cassie unfastened his jeans, slid them down his legs, and tossed them off to the side. "I want to feel you inside me so bad, Tudor. Make love to me, don't make me beg."

He gently placed his index finger on her luscious, pink lips. "Shh, don't say a word, baby." He peeled her panties down her thighs, passed her calves, and removed them from around her ankles. Wrapping her legs around his back, Cassie tried to push him inside her, but he wasn't ready just yet. "Please, Tudor." Her thighs shook vigorously.

A little weirded out by her intense shaking, he looked into her eyes. "Are you alright? Do you want me to stop?" he whispered.

"God, No! I want you inside me!" She gasped.

He smiled as he stroked her hair behind her ear and pleasantly kissed her forehead. Finally, he gave into her command.

Cassie felt him plunge deeply inside her. She inhaled, savoring the feel of his shaft that buried its way into to her exquisite, rosy entrance. "I've missed you so much." Her nails dug euphorically into his muscular back as she pushed him deeper inside.

"I've missed you too, baby. I've wanted you so bad," he whispered, breathless.

Feeling Tudor tense with each pounding thrust, Cassie knew that he couldn't hold out much longer. Their heavy breaths subsided finally and Tudor collapsed onto Cassie's chest.

With a satisfied kiss to her lips, Tudor rolled her onto her side, and pulled her body gently into his as she fell asleep cradled in his arms.

***

The following morning, Cassie powered on her laptop and checked her e-mail before taking her flight to Rome. Confounded, she read the e-mail from Dillon. As she read, her mouth gaped opened from utter shock. "What in the hell?" she shouted.

Tudor awakened from the sudden outburst. "What's the matter, baby?" He stood and pulled on his jeans.

"Dillon is flying out here! He's also shipping my car out here, too," she said, seeming confused.

"Why in the hell is he coming here? I thought that you broke it off with him."

Cassie paced furiously back and forth in front of the bed. "I did! He told me he's not taking no for an answer! Oh my God! I don't know what in the hell to do!"

"Well, at least we don't have to worry about flying to Rome now for a senseless Lotus," Tudor said, slipping off his jeans and crawling back into bed.

Concerned at the persistence of Dillon, Cassie knew that he would figure out eventually what she had been up to. She knew that the secret life she hid within the Navy would soon be exposed. What would he think of her after discovering that she was basically a prostitute? She told herself continually that she wasn't a prostitute, but one of her girl's from the ship explained to her that as long as she's giving someone sexual gratification, even though no intercourse is involved, it's still sex. She wanted out of it, but knew that there was no possible way to escape it until her enlistment was over.

Cassie crawled back into bed and lay beside Tudor. Staring up at the ceiling, her mind wandered.

Tudor's cell phone rang and snapped Cassie from her thoughts. "Crap!" He rolled over, grabbing his phone from the night stand. "Are we ever going to get any sleep?" Clearing his throat, he answered, "Hello."

"You must report to the hangar immediately. We're deploying to Afghanistan at 19:00 hours. Be here packed and ready to go," the commander instructed.

"How long is this for?" Tudor asked.

"Not sure, but your squadron as well as VR-6060, is deploying with us."

Tudor set the phone down and glanced over at Cassie, who was sound asleep. Her squadron was deploying out with his, and it was only a matter of time before she got the call.

Moments later, her cell phone rang.

"Cass, you need to take this call," Tudor said, nudging her, handing her the cellular phone.

Cassie stretched and yawned. "Hello."

"It's Lieutenant Commander Moore; you need to report to the hangar at 19:00 hours. You're deploying to Afghanistan."

Her eyes bulged. "What?"

"Be at the hangar at 19:00 hours—that's an order!" Moore demanded, angrily disconnecting the call.

Cassie sat blankly at the edge of the bed in disbelief not understanding what was happening.

Tudor sat behind her, kneading his hands into her shoulders. "Baby, it's going to be okay, I'm going too. I don't know why you're going. Usually, admins stay back at base when things such as this occur.

"I don't understand—I-I specifically enlisted as a yeoman so I w-wouldn't be in a war." Her voice shook as her hands began to tremble. Suddenly, Cassie had realized why she was going. The lieutenant commander was getting revenge on her for what she had done to him in the bathroom at the restaurant. "Oh, well. There's nothing I can do about it." She shrugged. "Why worry about something I have no control over?" She nervously cracked a slight smile.

"Baby, it's going to be okay," Tudor said, kneeling before her, staring into her blue eyes. "Please, have no worries. I promise that I will allow nothing bad to happen to you." Tudor stood and went into the bathroom to take a shower.

Opening her laptop, Cassie typed Dillon an e-mail before her departure.

______________________________

From: Cassie Littleton

To: Dillon Baron

Subject: War????

Sweetie, I've been called away. I can't explain where I'm going or how long I will be gone. I don't even know why I'm going or what the mission is because it's classified. I'm attaching my address so you can have my car delivered to my house. I will e-mail or call you as soon as I'm able to.

Love,

Cassie

______________________________
Chapter Five

Cassie boarded the C-130 cargo plane that was ready for takeoff toward the dreaded destination. Tudor piloted a P-3 that had been scheduled to touch down in the Afghan desert shortly before Cassie's arrival. Having no clue regarding their intended mission, the crew on the long flight was full of silence and nervous tension.

"I hope you have good combat training, Littleton." Ensign Migliori laughed, hollering over the loud roar of the four engines.

"Why? Do you think I'm going to have to use it?"

"Well, we're not going to Afghanistan for pleasure!"

"See this ribbon adorned on my chest?" She pointed at the blue ribbon pinned on her uniform. "This indicates that I'm an expert shooter. So—yeah—I believe I'm ready for combat," she said, rolling her eyes sarcastically.

"You are part of our SAR Team, I assume? You've got to have more training than just shooting," he scoffed, polishing the outside of his firearm. "You also need to know how to fight."

"SAR Team?" she questioned, seeming confused.

"Yeah—Search and Rescue Team," Migliori explained, arrogantly.

Cassie played it off as though she knew what he was referring to, but she knew if her squadron was part of SAR; the mission was a dangerous one. "Oh, please." She rolled her eyes callously. "I could take all you men down with my bare hands. I was trained by one of the top instructors of the Israeli Defense Forces in Krav Maga—not to mention, the other mixed-martial arts training that I've had."

He boasted a laugh. "Yeah, right! And when did you train for Krav Maga?"

"Not that I have to explain myself to you, but I've been training for over fifteen years." She bent over, tightening the shoelace on her black, combat boot. "Now, it seems as if everyone's attempting to learn it these days."

"No shit?" Migliori said in shock. "Maybe that's why they had you tag along with us."

"I seriously doubt they're going to have me fighting. That would be absolutely silly to put a woman out there."

"Well, welcome to the Navy. I believe you're in for a rude awakening, Miss Littleton." Migliori popped a magazine in his M16 after he loaded it with bullets. "Everybody get ready to rock! Let's blow some mother fuckers up!" he hollered throughout the plane trying to get the crew pumped up. As he held the gun securely to his chest, his brown hair pricked at the top of his head and his tanned muscles bulged against his rolled up sleeves of his desert camouflaged BDU shirt.

After departing the plane, the unit began setting up camp. Cassie assisted with building tents that would house them the entire duration of their deployment. As she looked around the camp, she saw no hint of her lieutenant commander. Realizing that she was the only female in the group, she wondered what her duty was going to entail.

A new master chief, who Cassie had never met, approached the crew and was dressed in his desert, camouflage uniform. "Welcome to Afghanistan. Your mission is to assist with the rescue of a female soldier who was taken prisoner by the enemy three days ago. We were informed by the enemy that she has been beaten, raped, and will be decapitated in two-weeks if the United States doesn't evacuate Afghanistan. As you all know, we will not evacuate, and we will not cower to their demands. We will rescue the soldier after going over the rescue procedure with the Army ground troops and the Naval SAR team."

An explosive rush of anger pierced through Cassie's soul. She was uneasy knowing that the female soldier was going through such a horrific ordeal and she wasn't going to tolerate it any longer. Every detail the master chief explained went through one ear and out the other. Only thinking of rescuing the girl, Cassie didn't care about the rules or the requirements of the mission. "Master Chief, sir...who is the female soldier we plan on rescuing?" Cassie asked.

"We?" He laughed, snidely. "You're not joining us. The only reason you're here is to assist in maintaining the cleanliness of the camp."

"You can't be serious—have you not been briefed on my expertise?"

"I don't need to be briefed on your expertise. You're a fucking female, you will stay put at camp!" The master chief shifted his attention away from Cassie. "The prisoner is a Naval Gunner's Mate. She's twenty-six, has blonde hair, she's one hundred twenty-five pounds, and is approximately five-foot, four-inches tall." She was captured during an ambush," the master chief explained.

Cassie saw an Army troupe approaching their camp. The army sergeant explained the tactic, where the girl was being held prisoner, and when the rescue was going to go down.

"Excuse me, sir, but I don't see why the troops need to wait two days for this operation. Shouldn't they be rescuing her right now?" Cassie asked.

"No—and don't you ever question my tactics! There are precautions and procedures that must be administered correctly. This mission must be done flawlessly, so we have no lives lost," he explained.

Cassie continued to listen to the master chief explain the tactics of the mission to the troops. Her excellent memory helped her in remembering how to locate the camp of the enemy, how many soldiers were maintaining watch, and where the female prisoner was currently being detained. Cassie believed the rescue she was planning could land her in trouble, but she refused to tolerate another second of that female soldier in the hands of the enemy, and planned on retrieving the soldier that very night.

Dressed in desert camouflage, Tudor's squadron approached the camp. He had been briefed previously on the mission and the strategies before Cassie's squadron had arrived.

Cassie grabbed Tudor by his forearm and pulled him away from everyone so she could speak to him in private. "Tudor, I can't wait two days for this girl to be rescued. She needs to be out of that environment right now!" Cassie spoke angrily through clenched teeth.

"Well, we have to be positive that everyone has the proper equipment, training, and weapons to administer the rescue," he explained. "And besides, it's not like you have anything to do with it anyway, baby."

Cassie crossed her arms in front of her chest and pouted like an angry child. "Whatever!" Cassie appeared more irritated, rolling her eyes. "I guess we will sit and wait for this soldier to be humiliated and raped two more days then!" She stormed off, not listening to anything else that Tudor had to say.

Cassie went inside her tent and loaded her M16 rifle and 9mm handgun. Determined to rescue the female soldier that night, she didn't even consider how dangerous it would be. She studied repeatedly the maps and the enemy's watch posts, planned the rescue without the assistance of her unit, and was well aware of the risks involved. The only concept racing through her mind was retrieving that soldier and nothing more.

***

After dinner and listening to more drills detailing the rescue, the soldiers retired to their tents for sleep. Cassie sat on her cot and anticipated her planned escape. Her only obstacle, for now, was the U.S. soldier who was standing watch. As her adrenaline pumped hard, she loaded her backpack, strapped on her guns and knives, and grabbed her night vision equipment. Quietly, sneaking into a petty officer's tent while dressed in her desert camouflage uniform, she borrowed his laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy and then, she continued on her dangerous mission.

Carefully, she scoped the camp for assurance that no one was outside. In the darkness of night, Cassie walked stealthily with the laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy. Aiming it toward the ground, she hoped that she wouldn't walk upon any improvised explosive devices. Cassie knew that the laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy would detect an improvised explosive device within a one-hundred foot radius. After three long frightening hours, walking only five miles to the enemy's compound, she was relieved that there were no IED's on the trail that she had followed, and assumed this was the same path the enemy often traveled.

Standing on top of a sandy hill, she activated her night vision equipment, and stared down upon the enemy's camp. She saw four men who were standing watch. As they guarded the tiny fortress that had been marked with flags, the enemies had their backs facing one another.

Cassie could see a tent in the distance where the gunner's mate was held captive. Quietly but quickly, she snuck up behind a watchman who was guarding his post. With the palm of her left hand at his chin and her right hand at the top of his head, she swiftly snapped his neck to the side. He died instantly. She quickly retrieved rope from her backpack and tied him against the post, which gave the impression to the other guards that he was still alive and actively standing watch.

Her heart pounded ferociously, her palms doused with heavy sweat, but she knew that she couldn't turn back now. She quietly approached another watchman who was standing guard at the other post that had been two-hundred yards away. Pulling her survival knife from its sheath that was strapped to her thigh; Cassie came from behind, covered the guard's mouth with her free hand, and plunged the knife deep into his back. Guiding the knife at his kidney, all the while forcing the knife in an upward motion, she gutted him toward his rib cage. Blood seeped from his wound, covering Cassie's entire arm, her palm filled with blood and then, she swiftly pulled the knife from his writhing body. She could feel his breath on the palm of her hand and a slight moan of pain escaped his lips. In fear he would become louder, she plunged the knife directly into his throat. Feeling him fall limp, she knew that he was dead. Like her first kill, she tied her second kill to his post.

Using her forearm to wipe the sweat from her brow, she took in a deep breath. "Whew! Two down, a few more to go." she mumbled quietly, her hands trembled as she prayed continuously that she wouldn't be discovered.

Cassie wiped the blood from the knife on her pants and then, placed it back in its sheath. She saw another watchman with his back toward her. The stinging sweat streamed down her forehead, the salty liquid burned her eyes, but she knew that she must move forward as the mission was nearly completed. Her stomach churned, her heart raced, and she approached the watchman who was clueless of her presence while she stood quietly behind him. "Do you enjoy raping women?" she whispered at the back of his head, covering his mouth with her sweaty, blood soaked hand. The watchman jumped and spun around with his finger on the trigger of his gun. Cassie kneed the enemy in the groin, stabbed him in his penis with a small pocket knife, all the while ripping the rifle from the strap that had been held against his chest. She saw the pleading in his eyes, the expression knowing that he was about to die. Cassie imagined that was the look that the gunner's mate had on her face as she was being raped by these assholes. "Say one last prayer, you dick!" She slowly pulled the knife from its sheath that she had used to kill the previous soldier. "See this blade, this nice, blood soaked blade that has your mate's blood covering it?" The enemy nodded frantically. "Look long and hard at it because it's the last thing you will ever see!" Cassie gouged the knife directly into his throat; his blood splattered, and speckled onto her face. The enemy lay lifeless in the desert sand. Exhaustion was beginning to take its toll, it took all that she had to lift the enemy against the pole and tie him to the post. Relieved that her mission was going quietly as planned, she had one more watchman to take care of. The guard was last.

Time had passed quickly and she knew that she couldn't toy with the other guard as she did with the previous. She quickly, but quietly stabbed the last watchman in the back of the neck, he fell limp; Cassie left his lifeless body lying in the sand. No need to tie him to the post, the other watchmen were already dead, and she didn't need the decoy.

She headed to the tent where the gunner's mate had been held captive and she came in close contact with the last guard. He raised his gun above his head valiantly yelling, "intruder" in Pashto language. Well aware that he was the only guard left standing, Cassie knew that he would be the only asshole keeping her from making her mission a success.

She saw the female gunner's mate tied with rope, lying on the ground, and wrapped in a blanket. Immediately, kicking the gun from the watchman's grasp, Cassie forced a blunt blow between his eyes with the heel of her hand, and the blunt force caused him to drop to the ground, which knocked him unconscious. Rapidly, she snatched the gun from the ground, and strapped it across her chest. She rushed toward the gunner's mate and unbound her wrists and ankles. Carefully, Cassie removed the tape from the American soldier's mouth so she could speak, but the gunner's mate was too exhausted for words.

"I'm YN 3 Littleton with the United States Navy. I'm here to remove you from this situation," she explained, hoping the gunner's mate would trust her. Although the gunner's mate was too tired to speak, Cassie could tell by the look in her eyes that she was relieved that Cassie was there.

Securely wrapping a shredded, blood stained blanket around the soldier's shoulders, Cassie helped her to her feet, and speedily exited the camp. Oh, how she prayed to God there were no other enemy soldiers on their way to relieve the other men of their watch posts.

The gunner's mate was extremely weak, which posed great difficulty for her to walk. Cassie's heart pounded continuously hard and fast, but suddenly, she reached her second wind. With her newfound strength, she tossed the gunner's mate over her shoulder. Even though her adrenaline powerfully pulsed through her body, she still had to stop almost every eighth-mile to rest. Did she actually pull the rescue mission off unscathed? The gunner's mate tried her best to walk when Cassie stopped to rest, but was unsuccessful.

"We only have about three more miles to go." Cassie panted, fatigued.

Acquiring enough strength to mutter the words, the gunner's mate whispered, "Please don't let them find us."

"Don't worry; nothing can stop my ass now! It would take an entire firing squad to take my ass down with the way I'm feeling!" Indestructible is how she felt, a feeling that she had never experienced before, and she liked it.

***

Upon arriving at camp, Cassie placed the gunner's mate carefully on her cot inside her tent. Passing the gunner's mate her canteen, Cassie cleaned her wounds as she drank. The gunner's mate had been terribly beaten and had wide open gashes all over her entire body that required serious medical attention. Cassie poured peroxide on the wounds, took some bandages from her medical supply kit, and dressed the wide open lacerations.

"What's your first name?" Cassie asked.

"J-Jaylenn," she stuttered, exhausted. "I-I can't th-thank you enough for re-re-rescuing me." Cassie knew that she wanted to cry, but the soldier had been severely dehydrated, which prevented her from producing tears.

"I wasn't going to let it go on another minute. I know what it's like to be raped. You feel violated. I wasn't going to let you endure anymore of that shit," Cassie whispered, covering Jaylenn with clean blankets.

Jaylenn fell asleep finally after Cassie gave her prescription strength ibuprofen along with sleeping pills she had acquired from the ship's doctor when she was stationed on-board the aircraft carrier.

***

The sweltering hot morning sun rose above the desert camp. Nervous as hell, Cassie knew that she was in a heap of trouble for taking matters into her own hands. She emerged reluctantly from the tent and searched for the master chief.

Seeing him standing near an Army Hummer, Cassie approached him hesitantly, and tried to gulp down the massive lump in her throat. "Sir, I have something to show you. Can you please follow me to my tent?" Grabbing him by the arm, she led him to the tent where Jaylenn lay sleeping.

"What's this about, Littleton?" he asked as they entered the tent.

"Shh." Cassie held her index finger to her lips indicating the master chief to keep quiet.

Gently, Cassie pulled the covers from Jaylenn and revealed to the master chief that the gunner's mate had been rescued.

The master chief stepped back, startled at the discovery. "What in the hell is this, Littleton?" The master chief's mouth gaped open.

"Master Chief, sir, I left last night and rescued her myself. I think I killed five men from the enemy's camp in the process. I know it was against orders, but I refuse to sit here for two days and do nothing about it. I am prepared to accept the consequences of my actions, sir." Cassie began tearing up, knowing the trouble that she faced wasn't good.

The master chief rushed from the tent. "Wake up! Everyone get your asses up right now!" he yelled. His stern, authoritative voice echoed throughout the camp.

The soldiers hurried from their tents, stood at attention, and waited anxiously to hear what the master chief had to say.

The master chief paced back and forth in front of the soldiers, shaking his head back and forth. "It appears someone in our unit took it upon themselves to rescue the gunner's mate last night while we were all sleeping. Littleton! Get your fucking ass out here...NOW!" the master chief demanded.

With a revolting tingle at the base of her gut, Cassie stepped from her tent hesitantly, and headed toward the master chief.

"Littleton is the soldier who rescued the gunner's mate last night!" he yelled sternly, his nose flared as he glared toward her.

The entire unit was stunned and wondered how she could pull off so dangerous a stunt.

Cassie cleared her throat and began to speak, "Being a rape victim myself, I couldn't comprehend knowing this woman was going to stay among the enemy for two more days. I mapped out my route, studied the guards' posts before attempting the rescue, and disabled them one-by-one. There were only five men and I believe they're all dead. I don't even think the other soldiers of the enemy's base are aware of it yet. The gunner's mate is safe and in my tent resting soundly. She requires immediate medical attention, so I suggest we radio for a chopper to take her to the aircraft carrier that's sitting in the Persian Gulf for treatment until a plane can transport her to a hospital."

The soldiers remained speechless, displaying shocked expressions on their faces. Tudor stood at attention in utter disbelief. He didn't know how to take the news, but he knew that she was in hot water, and it possibly could land her in federal prison for a very long time.
Chapter Six

News of the dramatic, dangerous rescue of the wounded soldier hit headlines all over the world. "Breaking News! Jaylenn Minton was rescued by a United States Naval soldier last night in the Afghan desert. It appears it was a one-manned mission, strategically thought out by a female U.S. Navy Yeoman. Reports indicate that the American soldier killed four men and wounded one who was in charge of watching the enemy's compound. A female, third class petty officer by the name of YN 3 Littleton is the name of the soldier who completed the mission and brought the American soldier to camp safely," the CWW news reporter explained on television that displayed Cassie's boot camp photo on the screen.

Cassie's parents gasped in complete horror and stared at one another as if it were a nightmare. Immediately, they switched the channel on the television in hopes of seeing more detailed explanations of the daring, rescue mission.

Dillon, who had been in the process of preparing for his trip to Italy, came to a sudden halt when he heard Cassie's name on the television. He stood in front of his large, plasma screen TV and turned up the volume. "What in the hell has she gotten herself into this time?" He brushed his fingers through his sandy, blond hair and out of frustration, dropped his hands at his waist.

"Reports say that Petty Officer Littleton went against orders and administered the rescue herself. We have a reporter on his way to Afghanistan to get more information on the daring rescue. It appears Jaylenn Minton is in the process of being transported to an aircraft carrier that is sitting in the Persian Gulf. There, she will undergo medical treatment. We're told that she will be arriving in the United States within the next week," the reporter said.

As the news hit Dillon like a bombshell, he dropped to the sofa, and shook his head dreadfully.

***

At camp, Cassie packed her duffle bag and prepared for her sequestering on the aircraft carrier that was anchored in the Persian Gulf. She was aware that there was a chance of being dishonorably discharged from the Navy, but she didn't care. She would have done it all over again if she had to. Perhaps this was her chance to escape her side business.

Standing in the desert sand, Tudor stood beside her. "I really wish you wouldn't have done what you did," he said. "You could've gotten yourself killed, Cassie."

Tired of the questions that constantly were being thrown at her, not only from Tudor, but also her other superiors, she addressed him sharply, "No one will understand why I did what I did unless they've been in that particular situation. I wasn't going to stand by and let one more day pass with that poor, defenseless girl being held against her will by getting raped over and over again. I won't tolerate that shit!" she scowled, fastening her duffle bag closed.

"Well, because the mission is over, I guess we're heading back to Italy in about a week or two."

"Hopefully, I won't be confined for what I did. Maybe they'll just decrease my pay for a while," she said, trying to remain optimistic.

Tudor shook his head exhaustedly, looking down at the sand. "I don't know, Cass...what you did is serious. I bet you're going to get more than just a slap on the wrist. You might be put in the brig."

"We'll see." She shrugged undauntedly. "I'm not too worried about it. It's not like they're going to kill me for it." A slight smirk shown on her face.

"I'm glad you find this humorous."

A dusty cloud of desert sand hovered over the camp as the Seahawk SH-60 helicopter landed. Cassie clenched her bag nervously and waited to board the chopper.

Holding her hair back, trying to keep it from blowing in her face, she looked at Tudor through squinting eyes, and yelled over the loud helicopter propellers, "Stay safe, Tudor. You know where to find me when you get back to Sigonella.

***

The helicopter landed on the aircraft carrier that had been stationed in the Persian Gulf. Cassie was sequestered in a private cabin below deck and was forbidden to have any contact with anyone on board the ship, except for her superiors. Seated at the edge of her bed reading a book, she heard a knock at the door.

"Petty Officer Littleton, may I come in?" a male's voice echoed.

"Yes, you may enter."

Shocked to see the captain of the ship enter her cabin, Cassie tossed the book onto the bed, and quickly stood at attention.

The captain escaped a slight chuckle. "You can relax, Littleton. "I'm Captain Pena. I wanted to introduce myself and tell you how impressed I was at the daring rescue you administered."

Letting out a long, relaxed breath, she smiled meekly at him. "Why thank you, Captain. That means a great deal to me. Can you tell me what I can expect during my court-martial, sir?" she asked.

"Now, just because I'm telling you how impressed I am doesn't mean that I'm happy with the way that you went about the mission. You should have followed orders, but I'm impressed by the courage you displayed throughout the process. I'm not sure what you can expect at your court-martial, but because it's a summary court-martial, it won't be that bad. Your attorney will fill you in on the details," he explained.

"My attorney?" she questioned.

The captain's demeanor seemed to change, and Cassie began to feel a little uncomfortable.

Scrutinizing on her breasts, mesmerized by her porn star like curves, he muttered, "You will have an attorney waiting for you when you arrive in Sigonella."

Realizing she knew the reason why the captain actually came to her cabin, Cassie exuberantly approached him, feeling a strong sense of courage. Gazing enticingly into his eyes, she gently placed her hand on the top button of his shirt, and slipped the button through its slit. "So, Captain," she whispered, seductively. "I'm sure you've heard about me, otherwise you wouldn't have come directly to my cabin, intently staring at my breasts. Is there something you would like me to do for you?"

Captain Pena swallowed hard. "Um—w-well, because you asked. I did hear from Captain Ellis about your last cruise," he said, his throat becoming dry from the nervous tension.

Cassie trailed her index finger tantalizingly across his bottom lip. "So what do you like? Beatings? Teasing? Any particular fetishes?"

"Well, I like to be spanked," he whispered, timidly.

"Is that all?" She winked. "Well, give me a hundred bucks and I'll give you the spanking of your dreams."

His shaky hand reached into his pocket and he pulled out his wallet. Slowly, extending his trembling hand toward Cassie, he offered her a one-hundred dollar bill.

Placing the money into her book that was resting on the bed, she turned to look at the captain, and she grinned savagely. "You've been a very naughty boy, haven't you?" she asked in a teasing tone. "You need to be taught a lesson." She circled around his body with her index finger trailing and touching him in all the right places.

As a balding, forty-five year old man, Pena had a tight, muscular, very athletic physique. His uniform shirt was quite form fitting and it accentuated his dominate, protruding muscles.

Slowly, removing her web belt from her uniform slacks, she ordered the captain to turn his back toward her. Taunting him, she slowly traced the belt seductively down his back and whacked him on his backside.

His body shook with the abrupt blow. "Fuck—that hurt!" he shouted. "D-do it again, please," he stammered, nervously.

Cassie reached around his waist from behind and removed his belt from his pants. Forcefully, turning him around to face her, she gazed flirtatiously into his dark, green eyes, and slid his pants from his waist.

"Nice boxers, Captain." She implored another stinging whack across his backside.

A strong sense of rage seemed to boil inside and Cassie couldn't control what she was about to do next. Swiftly, sweeping his feet from beneath him, she caused him to fall to the floor. Immediately straddling his back, she held his wrists in her firm grip behind him. "Men like you make me sick! You're one sick-son-of-a-bitch! You're lucky I don't slit your fucking throat!" she whispered infuriatingly into his ear, shoving his face into the floor.

Stunned by her sudden change in demeanor, he tried to lift his head from the floor to speak, "What are you talking about?"

Shaking her head, Cassie quickly focused. What in the hell was she thinking? She hoped that she could play it off as if it were part of the game.

She stood and whacked him across his backside a third time. Allowing him to roll over on his back, she noticed his erection through his thin, white boxers as it tried to spring free from its hatch.

She had wished the dreadful session to be over, but knew that it would continue if she didn't allow him to release. Sometimes, she felt like just screwing her clients just to get it over with quickly.

Tormenting the captain and shaking her long, blonde hair from its French twist, she straddled Pena's thighs as he lay back and focused on her every move. She then stood, her back facing the captain, and she playfully removed her camouflage pants. Standing in front of him, he lay on the floor gazing up at her ample ass. Mesmerized at how perfect she appeared in her hot pink, lacy boy shorts, he could see the bottom of her butt cheeks peeking from the hem. She forced her head back, allowing her loose curls to brush the surface of her ass, which sent the captain into a sexually frustrated frenzy.

Batting her long, black eyelashes, she glanced over her shoulder at him wildly. "Do you like what you see, Captain?"

"Y-yes," he stuttered.

She slowly unbuttoned her top and allowed the lace of her bra to peek through. He could see the detail of her huge breasts peeking from the top. Tracing her index finger between her lush, pink lips, she guided her moistened finger around the edge of her bra, and hoped that it would entice the captain enough to force his release.

Cassie took a step back and noticed that the captain's boxers appeared damp. "Oh—Sir, I'm so terribly sorry. I didn't expect you to finish so quickly."

"It's okay. Watching the way you move, especially the way you look, would drive a man to cream his pants within seconds." He grinned, broadly.

The captain stood, pulled up his pants, and flirtatiously smacked Cassie on her pink, lacy covered ass. "Thanks!" The captain left the cabin abruptly, leaving Cassie to continue with her book.

Cassie dressed quickly. The guilt weighed on her conscious. She reassured herself continually that she had only a few years left and had hoped that the time would pass by quickly. She couldn't stand herself and the lifestyle that she led. She was nauseatingly ashamed.

***

Two weeks later, Cassie had been transferred back to Sigonella to prepare for her court-martial. As soon as her plane landed, she was escorted off the runway, and taken to her lieutenant commander's office.

"Wow, Littleton! I can't let you out of my sight for one minute without you getting into trouble! What in the hell were you thinking when you rescued that soldier all by yourself? You could have gotten her and yourself killed!" John sat back arrogantly in his chair, crossing his feet on top of his desk, and cupping his hands behind his head.

"Sir, I knew what I was doing and I knew what I was capable of. I knew Jaylenn would be safe and I wouldn't have done the mission otherwise," Cassie explained.

"Well, you're all over the damn national news. You've made headlines. People are calling you a hero and are extremely upset about your upcoming court-martial. There are protestors outside the base with picket signs. You should see the United States news coverage. I'm receiving calls from all of the national news stations that are wanting you to schedule interviews with them."

Cassie gasped at the thought of how her parents and Dillon took the news when they heard it broadcasted practically all over the world. She furrowed her brow. "I could give a rat's ass about the news right now. Do you think I will be discharged from the Navy because of this?"

"There's a possibility that you will be let go on a dishonorable discharge, and trust me, you don't want that on your record." He cleared his throat. "Why do you ask? Are you sick of us already?" He teased.

"I'm sick of the entire situation. I'm known as a whore around here by the officers and I'm not too proud of it. I'm disgusted in myself and I can't seem to escape it," she said, gazing shamefully down toward the floor.

"I thought that you weren't having intercourse with the officers, Littleton?" he questioned.

"I'm not, but if I'm giving them sexual gratification, I may as well be."

"Well, you're making money hand-over-fist. I thought you were happy about that."

Her eyes swelled up with tears. "I'm not, I want it to end!"

"Oh, jeez! Don't start the water works! You're a God damn bad ass! You proved that when you whipped my ass in the bathroom at the restaurant!" John laughed, boldly.

She wiped away her tears with her sleeve. "You're not mad about that?" she asked.

"No, I thought it was quite comical."

"I thought you were angry. I thought that was the reason why you sent me off to Afghanistan."

"No, that's not the reason. I figured the crew could use your fighting skills over there." He snickered. "I've seen your record...I know of your experience."

"But, the master chief said that he wasn't briefed on my experience. He said that I was just there to keep the camp shipshape."

"It's all in the past, let's move forward." The lieutenant commander placed his chair in front of Cassie and he sat before her. Leaning forward, he sincerely gazed into her eyes with the utmost serious expression upon his face. "Littleton, a lot of us officers are giving written statements toward your court-martial. We're going to try everything within our power to convince the judge that you are a great asset to the Navy."

Looking up, a smile broke through her sadness. "Thank you. I really appreciate that, but do you think it will help?"

"Anything can help. It's not like you actually disobeyed an order, you just took it upon yourself to get the job done yourself." He chuckled, shaking his head. "You're really one of a kind." He smiled. "Come, let me drive you home."

Cassie's heart dropped when she saw her Porsche parked in the driveway, knowing Dillon had already arrived in Italy.

"Is that your car?" John asked.

"Yes, it's my car. I can't believe Dillon had it shipped here so quickly. Thanks for the ride, John. I will see you at work tomorrow." She jumped from the cab of the truck and closed the door.

"Hey!" John shouted.

Cassie opened the door to hear what else he had to say.

"You're supposed to remain in my custody until your court-martial, but I won't tell if you don't." He winked.

"Alright, but what do I say if someone calls me to speak with you?"

"Tell them I'm asleep or something, you'll figure it out, you're smart." John shifted his truck in reverse and backed from the driveway.

Cassie slung her duffle bag over her shoulder and walked to the front door of her villa. As she dug through her purse to search for her keys, she heard the sound of an exotic sport's car engine becoming louder as it approached. Looking over her shoulder, Cassie saw a yellow Maserati come to a screeching halt in the driveway.

The car door flung open and Dillon rushed toward her with open arms. "I've missed you so much, gorgeous!" he said, lifting her up, and spinning her in circles.

He rushed toward her so fast that Cassie looked at him with unexpected shock. "Dillon, you're here!" she exclaimed, planting a soft kiss on his cheek.

"That's all I get?" he asked, placing her back on her feet.

"Sorry. So much is going on right now."

His smile turned to a straight, hard line and he looked sincerely into her eyes. "I know, gorgeous. I'm glad that I was able to get here in time to help you through all of this mess."

Finally, Cassie located her keys, opened the door, and invited Dillon inside. "You can have a seat on the sofa," she said, placing her duffle bag on the floor.

As soon as her arms were free of her duffle bag and purse, Dillon pulled her forcefully into him. "Come here, gorgeous...I want to taste those luscious lips I've been missing so much."

She pulled away and took a step back. "I can't—please stop." She stared down at the floor, afraid of looking him in the eyes.

"What's the matter?"

"I told you... it's over. Why can't you accept it?"

"Oh—it's not over. I can tell something is troubling you. I know you don't want to end what we have. You're just afraid of telling me something you've done," he explained.

Cassie placed her hands on her hips, shook her head back and forth, feeling shameful. She knew that Dillon could sense when she was hiding something. If Dillon discovered her dominating ways with the men in the Navy, she'd be doomed. He would lose all respect for her and that would rip her apart emotionally.

Hesitantly glancing up, she took in a deep breath. "Dillon, I'm seeing someone else. I can't see you anymore."

The words hit him like a ton of bricks. "What?" he questioned. "Who is he? Wait—I bet I know who he is. That guy you introduced me to at the beach in Hawaii! Um, what's his name?" He snapped his fingers trying to remember. "He was a lieutenant or something."

"Yes, Dillon. It's the lieutenant." Oh, how she hated seeing that look of heartbreak in his eyes. She wanted to jump off a building and end it all to avoid causing him pain.

Looking at her with a strong, harsh stare and an I told you so kind of attitude, he boasted an arrogant laugh. "Ha—I knew it! I had a weird feeling about that guy! I was right!"

"I'm so very sorry. Please forgive me; it wasn't my intention to hurt you."

He sighed, exasperated, running his hand through his hair. "You know I love you more than anything. I know what you and that muscle bound lieutenant share is just lust. You'll get tired of him, just wait and see. And you know what? I will still be here waiting for you, waiting to pick up the pieces of your broken heart that he'll rip to shreds when he's done with you."

"Don't wait for me, it's useless," she said, trying to convince him to let her go.

"You're so young. You need to experiment with other men. I'm not stupid, Cass. I was your age once. When you're finished goofing off, I'll be waiting for you." With that, he turned toward the door, but before he left, he faced her and said his final words, "I love you, gorgeous and I always will." With one last kiss on her cheek, and a stroke of her long, blonde hair that he endeared so much, Dillon was gone.
Chapter Seven

Tudor returned finally from Afghanistan. He knew Cassie's upcoming court-martial wasn't going to go well, they often never do, and he had been extremely worried for her.

Cassie pressed her service-dress uniform and prepared for her dreaded court appearance. Tudor sat at the kitchen table eating breakfast when he heard Cassie sniffling from the bedroom. He cracked open the door and went inside. Wrapping his strong arms around her, he pulled her into him and whispered, "I know you're scared, baby."

Cassie wiped away her tears. "I'm so nervous, Tudor. I hate not knowing what's going to happen to me. I don't want to go to jail." She pulled away from Tudor's hold and unplugged the iron.

He leaned himself casually against the dresser and crossed his foot over the other. "I doubt you're getting jail time. Just be very respectful to the judge and everything should go okay." He tried his best to reassure her, but assumed deep down that there was a good chance that she could be incarcerated.

Looking in the mirror, fully dressed in her uniform, Cassie pinned the last medal to her chest, and inhaled deeply. "Okay, I'm ready." She held onto Tudor's hand as he escorted her to his Audi.

***

Upon Cassie's arrival to her court-martial, she and her lawyer discussed the case. He predicted a demotion of a few pay grades, but no jail time.

Hugging Tudor tightly, as if it were going to be the last time that she would ever see him, she whispered softly into his ear, "I love you."

"I love you too, baby. Don't worry; everything's going to be alright." Tudor softly brushed the bangs from her eyes and kissed her soft, sweet lips.

Entering the double doors with her attorney, she wavered toward the bench, and stood before the judge. Judging by his sad, droopy eyes, Cassie could tell that he was a compassionate man or at least she had hoped.

"Recite your name and rank please," the judge demanded.

Cassie swallowed hard trying to relieve the lump in her throat. "YN 3 Littleton, Your Honor."

"Petty Officer Littleton, it has come to the court's attention that you went against orders from your commanding officer. You not only put your life at stake, but you also risked the lives of your fellow soldiers." The judge looked down at her file and skimmed over the paperwork at his bench. Looking up from the top of his wire frame glasses, he asked, "Can you explain your reasoning for such actions?"

She stared down anxiously at her pigeon-toed feet; she always stood that way when she was nervous. Cupping her hands together, she held them at the front of her waist and looked up, eyeing the judge. "Yes, Your Honor. I was instructed that we were conducting a rescue mission to retrieve a female soldier who was being held prisoner by the enemy. She was raped and beaten. If you read through my paperwork, Your Honor, you will notice that I was raped in Memphis last year."

The judge flipped a page in her file. "Yes, I see that, but it gives you no excuse to do what you did against orders," the judge explained.

"I understand that, Your Honor, but I don't believe I went against an order. Actually, I was never ordered to do anything. I couldn't rest easy knowing that girl could be raped again. Yes, I went against all the rules and wanted to rescue her as soon as possible, but I studied the maps, had the proper weapons, and I felt safe conducting the mission on my own," she explained, her eyes pleading.

The judge flipped through more pages of Cassie's file and then sighed, exasperatedly shaking his head back and forth. "Because you have no prior history of bad behavior and the officers you have worked for in the past give you such high regard, I'm going to demand a forfeiture of two-thirds of your pay and drop you down to an E-3. You are also required to attend counseling sessions at least once a month for the remainder of your enlistment." The judge slammed down his gavel, gathered up Cassie's paperwork, and exited the courtroom.

Standing in shock, Cassie looked over at her attorney. "Oh my God—no jail time!" She didn't care about the decrease in pay; she knew that her income with the Navy was chump change compared to her side business.

Her attorney looked at Cassie and smiled, patting her on the back. "See, I told you that you wouldn't get jail time."

She and her attorney exited through the double doors of the courtroom. Tudor sprung quickly to his feet, relieved that she walked out freely and not in handcuffs. Rushing toward her, he wrapped his arms around her and squeezed her tightly. "I love you—marry me!" Tudor demanded.

Backing away from his embrace, her mouth practically hit the floor. "What?" Cassie asked in shock. "Marry you?"

"Yes—I love you. I want you to be my wife, baby."

Cassie glanced down at her feet, shaking her head, and quickly looked Tudor in the eye with a smile on her face. "Yes! I will marry you, Tudor!" She leapt back into his arms and he spun her around in circles.

"Congratulations, you two." Cassie's attorney smiled and left the building.

Tudor drove Cassie to an Italian bistro that was located a mile from her villa.

"I love you so much, Tudor," she said, looking at him from across the table.

"I love you too, baby. When would you want to seal the deal?" he asked.

"Well, I would love to be married in Florida so my friends and family can attend." She picked up her water glass and took a sip.

"I don't see a problem with that. We can marry wherever you wish." As he reached into his pocket, he had the most devilish grin on his face, and he presented her a box.

"Oh, Tudor...is that what I think it is?" she asked, appearing surprised.

He opened the box casually and Cassie saw a modest, one-carat, princess cut diamond ring set in platinum. Tudor reached across the table, took Cassie's tiny hand, and he slid the ring onto her finger.

Her mouth gaped open in astonishment. "It's absolutely beautiful! How long have you been planning to propose to me?"

"I purchased the ring in Australia. From the moment that I first set eyes on you in the cafeteria on the ship, I knew that you were going to be my wife."

"That's incredibly sweet." She blushed.

After lunch, they went back to Cassie's place. She plopped herself down on the sofa, relieved that she could put all the mess from Afghanistan behind her. "I'm so glad all this legal shit is over with. I thought my court-martial would take hours." Cassie sighed.

"Me too. I bet you were freaking out in front of the judge." Tudor placed his arm around her and casually crossed his feet on the coffee table.

"Not really, I just looked him in the eye when I spoke to him. He seemed very compassionate and didn't seem like a total prick." She laughed. "But, I must admit that waiting for this trial made me so nervous that it gave me the shits for a week!"

"What?" Tudor laughed. "You sure know how to describe things quite vividly," he said. "How are you feeling now?"

"Relieved! I don't have to go back to work for two days, so I'm going to relax and take it easy."

Tudor leaned in and kissed Cassie endearingly on her lips. When their lips parted, he rest his forehead against hers and whispered, "I want to make love to you so bad." Intertwining his fingers in her hair, Tudor slowly unbuttoned her top and slid it gently off her shoulders, exposing her white, lacy bra. Placing tiny, delicate kisses on her neck, he leisurely worked his way down to her breasts. Something about Tudor's touch made her vulnerable, forcing her to succumb to the sexual explosion he planned to evoke within her.

She relaxed back, Tudor's tongue traced all over her body, worshipping every square inch with his lips. The heat between them became fierce and she could feel the cool sweat on Tudor's muscular back as he thrust himself deep inside her as he gazed passionately into her gleaming, blue eyes. "God! You feel so good when your body grips me like that," he said, an exhausted whisper escaped his lips.

Burying her lips at his throat, she suckled softly on the delicate skin of his neck, making him deliriously excited. "You're going to make me lose it, Cass."

"That's my intention, Lieutenant." She smiled, impiously.

***

The next morning, Tudor rose from bed quietly, hoping not to wake Cassie. He was scheduled for work the next hour and had to press his uniform. Because Cassie was a light sleeper, she could hear Tudor in the closet as he sprayed starch on his uniform. She placed her head on his pillow, taking in a deep breath, engulfing the scent of his hair on his pillow that smelled like his cologne. The scent drove her wild.

"Oh, Lieutenant," she flirtatiously called from bed.

Tudor opened the closet door. "Yes, baby...How's my beautiful girl this morning?"

Cassie flipped open the sheet, exposing her long, silky, smooth legs. "I want you, baby...Right now," she said, flashing him a scandalous wink.

Tudor smiled, showing his glorious white teeth. "Beautiful, I'm running late. I'm so sorry, but I promise you'll have me all to yourself tonight." He bent down, kissed her on the cheek, and fastened the final button on his uniform. "I love you."

"I love you, too, Tudor."

A few hours had passed and Cassie heard a knock at the door. Wrapping the bed-sheet around her naked body, she tip-toed toward the door, and peeked through the peep hole. When she saw who was standing on the other side, she slammed her back against the door and slid down to the floor. "Shit—it's Dillon!" She jumped to her feet, rushed into the bedroom and hurriedly put on her robe. "Just a second!" she yelled, hoping that he could hear her through the door. She tried her best to fix her tousled, sex hair caused from the night before, and then she gradually opened the door.

"Hi there, gorgeous," Dillon said as he entered, tossing his keys on the kitchen counter.

"Hi, Dillon. What are you doing here?" Cassie asked, surprised.

"I just wanted to check on you and see how you're doing. I see you're not in federal prison, so that's a good sign I assume." He raised an eyebrow and tilted his head to the side, looking at her emphatically.

"No—no jail time," Cassie said, attempting to tame her hair with her fingertips. "I have mandatory counseling and was demoted, though." Cassie ventured toward the refrigerator. "Would you like some iced coffee?"

"No, I want you, baby." Dillon masterfully slammed Cassie against the refrigerator, forcing a heated kiss upon her lips.

Cassie pushed him away immediately. "Stop! We can't do this!" She breathed hard, her chest convulsing at the sheer surprise of Dillon's swift move.

"I know how you like it, Cass. You say you want me to stop, but I know deep down, you don't," he said, pulling her back into him. "Just let your guard down for a moment. Let me please you the way you need to be pleased."

Dillon was correct. She didn't want him to stop, but she knew that he had to. She wouldn't feel right making love to another man after she accepted Tudor's engagement ring.

As he intertwined his fingers in hers, he felt the ring on her finger and became astonished when he saw that it was not the promise ring that he had given her. "What in the hell is this?" he asked, holding up her left hand. "Where is the ring I gave you?"

Cassie walked into the living room toward the sofa and dreadfully sat down. Dillon followed closely behind. "Your ring is in my jewelry box," she said, gazing down at the floor feeling ashamed.

"He asked you to marry him, didn't he? You said yes, didn't you?" Immense anger pooled in his narrowing eyes.

Cassie rose from the sofa, went into her bedroom, and brought out to Dillon the ring that he had given her. "Here, Dillon," she said, gently placing the ring in the palm of his hand.

"So, this is really it?" he questioned. "After everything I have done for you, you're just going to toss me aside for some muscle bound pilot?"

"He's not just a muscle bound pilot. Besides, we're closer in age than you and me. I believe you need someone more mature who you can grow old with without having to worry about all of this Navy crap."

He stood with his hands on his hips, pacing back and forth, infuriatingly huffing, and shaking his head. "So, everything we've done together means absolutely nothing to you?" he asked, running his hands through his hair. His stare began to transform from anger to sadness.

"Yes, it does. There are things about me that you don't know. Things I don't want you to know. Tudor's aware of everything about me and he's fine with it."

"Well, give me a chance, Cass. You might be surprised. If you're in any kind of trouble, I can help you." He begged, trying to convince her to tell him what she was keeping a secret.

She turned her back toward him and took in a long, meandering breath. "Okay, you really want to know?" she asked, becoming angry. "Alright then! I'm a fucking prostitute! Are you fucking happy now? I'm a fucking whore! I get paid by officers in the Navy to get their rocks off! You still want me now?"

Dillon grabbed her by the arm sharply and spun her around so he could look her in the eyes. "Oh my God, Cassie—you can't be serious!" Utter shock came across his face. "I don't know what to say." Dillon shook his head doubting her words. "I don't believe you."

She snatched her arm from Dillon's strong grasp. "Well, it's true! I wouldn't just make something like this up!"

"What in the hell is wrong with you? You're messed up in the head, you need help!" He balled his fists tightly, acting as though he needed to hit something to let out his anger, but instead, he snatched his car keys from the kitchen counter, and stormed out the front door.

As she looked out the window, Cassie could hear the engine of his Maserati. Leaving a long strip of rubber on the driveway, he sped erratically out of sight.

She sat on the sofa in tears, ashamed, and feeling terrible that she had hurt him so badly. She knew that he didn't deserve it; he gave up so much to come to Italy to be with her. All he wanted was to protect her, but knew that the news she had just revealed to him was far too much for him to handle.
Chapter Eight

Cassie prepared nervously for John's appointment. She slid on a pair of fishnet thigh-highs with a sexy French maid costume. As per John's request, he told her not to wear heels and was bringing a special pair for her to wear for his eyes only.

Hearing a light tap on the door, Cassie peeked anxiously through the peep hole, and saw John standing on the other side holding a shopping bag.

Cassie stood in the doorway and invited him inside. John's right hand shook slightly as he handed Cassie the shopping bag.

"I'll be back in a minute." Cassie disappeared into her bedroom with the shopping bag in hand. Reaching into the bag, she pulled out a shoebox. Opening the box, she saw a pair of five-inch, black stiletto, open-toe heels with silver glitter accents. After buckling the heels to her feet, she stood seductively in the doorway of her bedroom and waited to see John's reaction.

John's jaw practically hit the floor, he swallowed hard. "O-Oh my," he stammered, staring at her sexy feet in those awe-inspiring stilettos.

"So, you like what you see?" she asked, enticing her way slowly toward him.

"Y-y-yes," he stuttered. "Y-You're so stunning." He tried to reposition himself on the sofa, eagerly waiting for her to approach.

Cassie gently placed her foot at his crotch. John casually placed both hands around her fishnet covered, silky smooth calf. Softly, he placed tiny kisses on her knee; his hands glided down her calf to the arch of her foot, and then he placed her foot on his shoulder, and gently kissed her ankle. "Your legs are so incredibly sumptuous, they should be illegal," he said, becoming breathless. "You're insanely hot!"

"Don't speak! I own you!" she demanded, allowing John to kiss her thigh. She had hoped that the session wouldn't last very long because Tudor was scheduled to be home within the hour, which made her feel rushed.

"There must be something I can do to speed this along," she thought, glancing toward the clock on the wall.

Strategically, she placed her shoe atop John's denim covered erection and could feel the stiffness against her sexy black heel. She gently glided her foot alongside his hard-on, hoping that he would achieve orgasm quickly, but was unsuccessful. Alluringly, biting her bottom lip, she tried to devise a plan of forcing him to quickly orgasm.

"What are you thinking about?" John whispered, staring up at Cassie's eyes.

"I said don't speak!" She slapped him fiercely across the face.

"What in the hell was that for?" He shook his head from the blunt sting, trying to focus.

"I'm so sorry; I thought that you wanted to be beaten."

"No—I told you I only wanted to see you in those shoes. Come here, let me unbuckled them for you." John caressed her ankle seductively as he jubilantly slid the shoe from her foot. His soft, gentle touch excited her.

"Let me get you out of that shirt. I want to see what you look like underneath that uniform." She slowly unfastened each button on his shirt as she entrancingly glided it off his shoulders. She could see his chest pulsating from the strong beat of his heart and knew that she almost had him reaching his peak of no return. She lightly brushed her hand across his pecs, twisting the curly chest hair around her index finger. "I've never touched a man with a hairy chest," she whispered softly in his ear. She relaxed back onto the sofa and placed her feet on his lap.

Trying his best to remain fixated on her dominate, perfect arches of her fishnet covered feet, John cupped his hand around her arch, slowly lifting her foot to his lips, the top of her foot brushed lightly across his cheek as he placed a tiny kiss to her ankle. He guided her body, inviting her to sit upon his lap, facing him, straddling him as she felt his erection grow against her ass. Gracefully, she rose, allowing her hand to caress his member that was screaming to be tamed. "Let it go, baby," she whispered softly into his ear. "I know you're almost there."

"Don't move your hand, keep it right there." He held her hand at the area of his jeans where she could feel his pulsating erection finally release.

He exhaled leisurely as chills rushed down his spine; the look of satisfaction was shown upon his face. "Ah..." he moaned through clenched teeth. A bit wobbly, he rose to his feet. "I'll be right back." He walked toward the bathroom.

Cassie hurried into her bedroom, dressed in a red Bebe sweat suit, brushed her long blonde hair, and then went to the kitchen and poured a glass of sweet tea. "Would you like a glass of sweet tea?" she asked John as he appeared from the bathroom.

"Nah, I need to take off," he said, tossing a wad of cash on the counter. "It was fun, Cass. Can't wait until next time."

When she heard John's car drive away, she unenthusiastically rolled her eyes as she counted the money that she had earned from yet another fetish crazed officer.

***

"Hey, baby! How's your day going so far?" Tudor asked as he entered the house from a long, uninteresting work day.

"It was okay, I suppose." Cassie sighed, turning the volume down on the television.

"What's the matter?" He sat next to her on the sofa, kicking off his black, patent leather corframs.

"It's this stupid side business. I feel like such a whore and I'm so sick of it. I want out so badly and it's getting harder and harder to go through with this bullshit." Disgusted with the entire ordeal, she wanted out immediately, but knew it was impossible. John, the lieutenant commander had already arranged for others to participate, and she was beginning to become overwhelmed. "I wish I would have gone to prison," she said, resting her head on Tudor's shoulder. "That way, I wouldn't have to do these unspeakable acts anymore. There must be somebody I can report this to."

"You can't jump the chain of command. You're lucky that you didn't get prison time. You think that you have it bad now? You don't want to know what could have happened to you in prison." Tudor sincerely stroked Cassie's hair, trying to put her at ease.

"I hate myself for this. How can you respect me? Why would you want to be with me?"

"Well, baby...you're not having sex with anyone, so why does it bother you so much?"

Looking completely irritated by such a stupid question, she scoffed, "Why does it bother me so much?" Because I'm a prostitute! Even though I'm not having sexual intercourse with them, they're still getting off on the things that I do to them—that's why it bothers me!"

"Calm down! Let's talk about the wedding." He quickly changed the subject, knowing Cassie was becoming upset. "Have you called your parents regarding our engagement?"

"Not yet. I've been thinking about having a double wedding. My best friend, Kelli is getting married to Terry, and I thought that we could have our weddings together," she suggested.

"Well, whatever you want, I'll agree to it." He touched his lips to her forehead.

Cassie rose to her feet and grabbed her cell phone off the coffee table. "Hey, Kelli, sorry I missed you, but Tudor agreed to the double wedding—call me back!"

Tudor gazed at her inquisitively. "So, you and Kelli had the plan already in motion, huh?" he asked with a smile.

"Yes." She blushed, wryly.

"You little minx!" He playfully tickled her ribs causing her to laugh. "So, when are we going to do this?" he asked.

"I was thinking in two months."

"Two months?" he questioned. "That's right around the corner! Do we have enough time to plan?"

"Kelli and I decided that if we have a double wedding, it will take place in her backyard with a justice of the peace performing the ceremony. We don't want a huge wedding and only want family and a small number of friends attending," Cassie explained.

"Sounds good to me. I need to notify my parents so they can attend. Good thing they live in Florida so they won't have to travel very far."
Chapter Nine

The 747 jetliner arrived at MCO in Orlando with Cassie and Tudor on board. Cassie was forewarned by her mother about the welcoming that she would face from the press at the airport at the time of her arrival. It was her first visit back to the states since her tour of duty in Italy and people were eager to praise her for the daring rescue of Jaylenn back in Afghanistan.

She and Tudor rode the escalator down to baggage claim after going through customs; Cassie could hear cheers and clapping from people holding up signs expressing gratitude of her daring feat. Smiling and nodding; she felt humble; not expecting such a warm, heartfelt homecoming. News media began surrounding her instantly and she had become overwhelmed.

"Please, whatever you do, Tudor, don't let go of my hand," she said holding on tightly as she buried her face at the nape of his shoulder, attempting to hide her face.

A reporter quickly whisked Cassie off to a less crowded area away from all the commotion. Tudor was left standing beside Mr. and Mrs. Littleton with surprised expressions on their faces. "Cassie!" Tudor yelled, rushing toward her.

Cassie held up her hand, motioning to Tudor that it was okay.

"How does it feel to be back in the states, Miss Littleton?" the reporter from WEAH asked, shoving a microphone in her face.

"Uh—um, g-good, I guess." She shrugged, staring down nervously at her pigeon-toed feet.

"What type of penalty did you face within the Navy for going against direct orders in Afghanistan?"

"I can't speak of that right now. You will have to ask my commanding officer," she said, attempting to walk away.

"Wait—just one more question. "Do you feel any remorse at all for killing those four men?"

Cassie glared angrily at the reporter. "Remorse?" Cassie questioned. "Are you freaking insane? Do you honestly think I have remorse for terrorists who raped and tortured a soldier?"

The reporter appeared shocked at her demeanor.

"Hell no! I don't have any remorse for it, and I'd do it again if I had to!" Cassie walked quickly away from the reporter and headed straight into Tudor's arms. "No more damn questions—leave me the hell alone!" she yelled toward other reporters who were also hoping to snag an interview from her. "Get me the hell out of here, Tudor!" Cassie exclaimed, angrily snatching her luggage from the turnstile.

Cassie and Tudor climbed into the back of her parents Expedition and were driven to the home where she was raised. Tudor was surprised to see that Cassie had grown up in a trailer park in the middle of the woods. He always had imagined that she was from a big city. She was born in Orlando, but after thirteen years of big city living, her father purchased a double-wide trailer in the Ocala National Forest that was on the outskirts of Deland where she had lived the remainder of her teen years.

Cassie's father carried their luggage to her former bedroom. She plopped down on her bed, exhausted from the long flight. "Whew! I'm so glad to be back home," she said, noticing Tudor gazing at the posters that were hanging on her wall.

"Ha! You have a poster of Bon Jovi?" He giggled, playfully.

"Yeah—so, what's the big deal?"

"Nothing, I just find it funny because you're not a child anymore and the posters are still on your wall."

Cassie yawned and stretched. "Well, I'm ready for a nap. You can hang out with my dad if you don't want to take a nap with me, I'm absolutely exhausted! I'm warning you; though, he'll tell you some interesting stories about how he almost had his leg cut off." She laughed.

***

Tudor sat on the sofa in the living room and accompanied Mr. Littleton who was reclining in his leather chair with his feet propped up and holes in his socks.

"So, you're a lieutenant?" Mr. Littleton asked, attempting to start off the conversation.

"Yes, sir." Tudor swallowed nervously. "I met Cassie on the aircraft carrier that we were stationed on. She's not in my command, though. I met her in the cafeteria and knew from the moment that I set eyes on her that she would become my wife," Tudor explained, slightly intimidated by Cassie's father.

"Can you get in trouble for fraternization?" Mr. Littleton asked.

"She's not in my command, so we're fine," Tudor said.

"I was stationed on the USS Enterprise in Vietnam. The ship caught fire, it was devastating. I lost many good friends on that ship, I'll never forget it. No matter how hard I try, those images of seeing those men burning will haunt me for the rest of my life," Mr. Littleton explained.

"I'm sorry to hear that, sir. I can't imagine the trauma you endured." Tudor nervously grabbed the T.V. Guide from the coffee table.

Just as Cassie warned, Mr. Littleton lifted the leg of his slacks. "See this dent right here?" He pointed at an area on the inside of his calf.

"Yes, sir."

"I drove a motorcycle smack-dab into the back of a Pepsi truck when I was eighteen and it almost cut my leg slap clean off!"

"Whoa, can I touch it?" Tudor asked, incredibly amazed.

"Sure, go ahead," Mr. Littleton said, positioning his leg in Tudor's direction.

Tudor was astonished at how it felt. Before long, he noticed Mrs. Littleton poking her head around the corner.

"Dinner's ready!" Mrs. Littleton hollered from the kitchen. "Where's Cassie?" she asked the lieutenant.

"She's asleep; she doesn't handle flying very well. I tried persuading her to drink some alcohol to ease her tension, but she refused," he explained trying not to laugh. "So, she stayed awake the entire time."

"Well, you guys come fix a plate; I'll save a plate for Cassie. She loves Sloppy Joes and she'd kill me if I didn't leave any for her." Mrs. Littleton smiled.

***

Cassie's phone rang, Kelli's name displayed on her caller I.D.

"Hey, Kelli!"

"Hey, girly! Are you at your mom's yet?"

"Yep, just arrived a few hours ago. You want to come over and hang out?"

"Sure, Terry and I will be there in about a half hour," Kelli said before disconnecting the call.

Cassie placed her dinner plate in the microwave. After she finished eating, she went outside through the backdoor where she saw her father and Tudor playing horseshoes. She was happy to see them getting along so well; her dad's approval of Tudor meant everything to her.

Kelli and Terry arrived shortly and they met Cassie in the backyard. Cassie introduced Terry to her father and Tudor. Before long, Terry was included in their game of horseshoes.

"Are you excited about the wedding?" Cassie asked as she and Kelli took a seat on the back steps of the trailer.

"Yes, I can't stop thinking about it," Kelli replied. "How are you handling the Navy and how in the hell did you manage to snag a hot dude like that!"

"The Navy is okay." She shrugged. "I guess I could've done without the whole summary court-martial thing, but other than that, it's alright," Cassie said as she glanced down at the dirt. She knew that she couldn't tell Kelli the truth about her side business, afraid of what Kelli may think.

"Are you sure there isn't anything bothering you?" Kelli asked. "I can tell there's something you want to get off your chest, but you're hesitant."

"No, I'm okay—everything's great," Cassie said, nervously twirling a strand of hair through her fingers.

"Well, I found a justice of the peace who will marry us. It seems the only thing left to do is show up for the wedding." Kelli smiled.

"Isn't it funny how we tell our parents that we're getting married and they totally take over the entire affair? I'm thankful for that. The only thing I had to worry about was a dress. I'm glad we decided to have a small, quaint wedding. A large wedding would have stressed me out too much," Cassie said, seeming relieved.

The sun faded away and the men decided to part ways. Kelli and Terry left for home and Cassie and Tudor retired to bed.

***

Dillon phoned Cassie's commanding officer because she wasn't answering her cell phone. He thought that if he called her boss, perhaps he would convince Cassie to speak to him.

"I'm sorry; Cassie is on vacation in Florida. She's getting married and was granted a month's vacation," John explained.

The phone fell from Dillon's grasp and dropped to the floor. Feeling as though he was hit by a cement truck, he struggled for a breath, and his heart pulsated rapidly. He knew that he should have attempted to call her sooner, but the anger continuously built up inside him, and he didn't have the strength to speak to her before. He felt lost. Moving all the way to Italy and for what? Nothing. Everything he did for her, he believed she thought was meaningless, but he still loved her dearly. No matter if she were involved in some sort of prostitution scandal, he believed that he could rescue her from it and change her life for the better.

Finally, after coming to the realization that he had lost her for good, he packed up his belongings, planned for his car to be shipped back to the states, and flew back to California the next day.

No matter how hard he tried, Dillon still couldn't shake Cassie from his mind. He loved her very much and knew deep down that Cassie still loved him, too.

Upon his arrival at SFO, he decided to take matters into his own hands, and departed on the next flight out of San Francisco with plans of checking into a hotel in Orlando.

As soon as Dillon's plane landed at MCO, he sent her a text message. "Cassie, I'm in Orlando. I need to speak with you urgently!"

Cassie had been in the process of dressing for her wedding in Kelli's bedroom when she saw the text from Dillon. "Crap!" Her mouth gaped open from shock.

"What?" Kelli asked.

"Oh—it's nothing," Cassie said, trying to text as fast as her fingers would allow. "Leave me alone. I'm at my wedding! Why are you here?"

"I love you. I don't care if you were involved with the whole prostitution thing. We can put it behind us."

"Go back home! It's over—I don't love you anymore!" Cassie texted one last time.

Dillon's heart pounded; he was extremely hurt. Not having a clue where the wedding was; he felt helpless. All he wanted to do was rescue her; he knew that she was making a big mistake, and knowing he couldn't do anything about it was killing him. No matter how wealthy he was, money couldn't take away the pain he was feeling; he never imagined a woman could hurt him in such a way. What was this hold she had over him?

***

Kelli and Terry went on their honeymoon to Bora Bora. Cassie and Tudor had no honeymoon plans so they flew back to Italy and thought that they could visit Paris possibly because they had two more weeks left of vacation.

Cassie thought of Dillon often and worried about how bad she had hurt him. She didn't want to admit it, but she still loved him quite deeply, but she knew that the life she led was nothing Dillon could handle, so her only easy out was marrying Tudor. It was effortless; Tudor knew of her lifestyle and accepted it. Dillon, on the other hand, wouldn't be able to accept the fact that Cassie couldn't stop her adult-oriented profession until she had been freed finally from the Navy.
Chapter Ten

Arriving at the Hotel de Crillon in Paris, Tudor escorted Cassie down the long hallway along the luxurious, red carpet that led them to their suite. "Wait!" Tudor exclaimed, sweeping Cassie into his arms, carrying her over the threshold. He flung open the door and placed Cassie on her feet. She was speechless at the pure elegance of the room. Decorated in Louis XV style with a beautiful Carrare marble bathroom, the suite had a king size bed, adorned with a gold bedspread and red velvet pillows. Cassie was in awe at how beautiful the decor was.

Grabbing Cassie by the waist, Tudor pulled her toward his soft lips. He peered deep into her gleaming, blue eyes. "I love you, baby. I'm the happiest man alive right now," he said, hugging her tightly.

"I love you, too," she said with a scheming, devilish smirk.

"What's with that evil looking grin?" Tudor asked.

"I want you to have your way with me," she said, seeming a little embarrassed.

"What do you mean?" he asked, confused.

"I like aggressive sex and I want you to have your way with me and do whatever you wish," she instructed.

"Are you sure?" he asked, appearing slightly reluctant. "Is that really what you want?"

"You don't know how bad I want it."

In actuality, Cassie wanted Tudor to fuck her the way that Dillon had. She missed how aggressive Dillon was and how he used to take her forcefully; she loved succumbing to his demands, longing to experience such fierce passion again.

Tudor pushed Cassie forcefully against the wall, ripping open her blouse—kissing her neck and breasts emphatically. She was breathless, insanely aroused by his demeanor. Swiftly, he pulled his t-shirt over his head; Cassie brushed her hands along his hairless, toned, hard chest. Feeling weak; her legs began to quake. Tudor whisked her into his arms and carried her toward the bed. "You like that?" he asked, holding Cassie's wrists above her head as they remained bound in his grasp.

"Oh, yes," she said, panting hard, aroused by his take charge attitude. Seeing the warm beads of sweat forming on his dark brows, she rose toward his lips, and kissed him, savoring his sweet taste on her tongue as she felt him enter inside her. It was rough, hard, and intense. Tightly wrapping her legs around his waist, she forced him deeper inside. He sat up, flipped her over onto her stomach, and entered her from behind. She screamed with erotic pleasure as he wrapped the back of her hair around his clenched fist.

"Harder baby! You know how I want it!" She demanded, her erotic squeals were becoming more vociferous.

He forced her to rise on all fours, banging her harder from behind, spanking her tanned, firm bottom in the process. The aggression Tudor possessed was new to her; she never knew that he had it in him and it excited her, causing her to succumb far too quickly. Finally, he released inside her, and they collapsed to the bed, exhausted.

"Whew—oh my God! Baby, that was intense!" She panted heatedly, trying to gasp for air.

"It sure was. I'm exhausted!" He laughed, trying to catch his breath.

"You came inside me, didn't you?"

"I'm sorry, but I couldn't stop myself."

"It's no big deal I suppose. Besides, I don't think I'm ovulating anyway, so it doesn't matter." She covered herself with the blankets and lay wrapped in Tudor's arms.

As Tudor drifted off to sleep, Cassie couldn't help but think of Dillon. Feeling absolutely horrible about hurting him, she reminisced about how good he was to her. Why couldn't he just go on with his life and let her go? That was the hardest part; him not letting her go. She didn't know what else she could do and had hoped that once he knew that she was married, he finally would let her be.

***

The next morning, Cassie and Tudor awoke to a beautiful sunny day, and ate breakfast on the terrace that overlooked the patio courtyard.

Tudor had been acting awfully mysterious. "I have a surprise for you."

"Really?" she questioned, looking up from her coffee cup at his sly grin. "What is it?"

"Well, you have to get dressed and I'll take you to it." He teased.

"Oh—I can't wait!" She sprung from her chair and rushed to the bathroom for a shower.

Waiting downstairs in front of the hotel, Tudor opened the cab's door for Cassie, allowing her to climb in before him.

"Nineteen Rue Jean-Jacques Rousseau," Tudor explained to the driver. Tudor placed a silk, light blue blindfold over Cassie's eyes, hoping that she wouldn't see where he was taking her. The anticipation grew; she wanted to know where they were going. She tried her best to peek, but was unsuccessful.

Upon the arrival to their destination, Tudor gently removed the blindfold from her face. "Here you go, baby," he said, anxiously waiting to see the look on her face.

"OH. MY. GOSH! I'm actually standing in front of Christian Louboutin's boutique!" she exclaimed.

"That's not all," Tudor said with a smile. "You can pick out any pair of shoes you wish."

Cassie felt like a child on Christmas morning. Christian Louboutin was her absolute favorite shoe designer and she couldn't wait to go inside and shop.

Cassie looked excitedly around the boutique. A gorgeous pair of python, knee-high boots caught her eye. The associate helped Cassie slide them onto her feet and she stood, lustfully admiring the boots in the mirror. "What do you think, sweetie?" she asked.

His index finger inquisitively grazed his chin. "I want to see you in those naked!" He joked.

"So, I assume you like them?"

"I would say so. Are those the one's you want?"

"Yes, I'll take them." She unzipped the boots, removed them from her feet, and gently placed them in the dust bag and box.

"Well, I can honestly say that I have never blown three grand on a pair of boots before." He chuckled, shaking his head back and forth.

"Oh, they're totally worth it, you'll know when you see them on me naked tonight."

Tudor bent down and kissed her on the cheek. "God, you don't know how much I truly love you." Hugging her, his nose in her hair, he took in the smell of her lightly scented strawberry shampoo. "You smell so yummy. Now, let's get back to our room, so I can make you scream out my name."
Chapter Eleven

Cassie rushed to John's office, eager for her first day back to work after her honeymoon. Upon arrival, she noticed that the lieutenant commander wasn't there just yet. "Late again," Cassie muttered to herself.

John had been always late, but it wasn't like he would get reprimanded for it because he was the boss. God forbid if Cassie were late, she'd be cleaning toilets as punishment.

After a few coffees later, John finally had arrived. "So, how was the honeymoon?" John asked, appearing nonchalant regarding his late arrival.

"It was great. It went by way too fast, though," she said, searching through her desk for an ink pen.

"I must admit, I sure missed our sessions. I can't wait for tomorrow night." He glanced down at the floor, blushing about the comment.

"I don't want to discuss that shit here. Let's just focus on work for now."

"Well, I just have one thing to say about it. I bought you another pair of sexy shoes."

Suddenly, feeling sick to her stomach, Cassie rushed from the office, headed straight to the bathroom, and vomited in the toilet. The stress and guilt of her side business began making her ill. She couldn't even stomach thinking about it, all she knew is she wanted out.

***

After a full day of administrative work, she was ready to drive home into the arms of her new husband. She left the office, speeding off base in her Porsche. Upon her arrival, she noticed that Tudor's Audi was parked already in the driveway.

"Hi, sweetie!" she said, wrapping her arms around him as she entered the villa.

"Hi, beautiful. How was your day?" he asked, kissing her on the cheek.

"Same ole crap as always." She shrugged. "Nothing new as usual."

"I have the day off tomorrow. Did you want to do anything?" he asked.

"I'm sorry, but I have to work. Afterward, I have an appointment with John, and then one with a new client."

His eyes grew narrow and Cassie could see rage in his hardened stare. "What in the hell!" he yelled, slamming his hands on the counter. "I thought I was going to be okay with this, but I'm actually not."

"Well, there's nothing I can do about it. You of all people should know that!"

"I know, it just pisses me off!" he said as his anger grew more intense. Unleashing his temper, he threw a full glass of tea against the wall causing it to shatter into tiny pieces.

Cassie jumped back; hoping none of the shards of glass would hit her. "Shit! What in the hell did you do that for?" she asked, shocked at his behavior. "I'm not cleaning that shit up. You can do it!"

Tudor grabbed her by the arm violently, squeezing it tightly. "You don't ever tell me what to do—do you hear me?" he furiously shouted, forcing Cassie toward the floor, attempting to make her clean up the shattered glass.

In the blink of an eye, Cassie spun around, grabbed Tudor by the throat, and held him against the wall. "Nobody will ever treat me like that and get away with it. You already know that I can take your ass down, so don't even try and throw around that macho, dominating male attitude!" She challenged angrily, glaring despicably into his eyes.

"Fuck you! What do you think you're going to do?" He quickly swept her feet from beneath her; she tumbled to the floor and took Tudor down along with her, but not relinquishing her grasp upon his neck. Cassie climbed on top of his chest with a piece of shattered glass in her hand, aiming it directly at his throat. "I will cut you—you son of a bitch—don't think I won't!" Hesitantly, she climbed off him and stood back, staring down at him. "My God! What in the hell has gotten into you? If you ever, I mean ever treat me like that again, we're so over!" She scowled.

Cassie disappeared into the bedroom and slammed the door behind her. Trying to calm herself, she took a nice, relaxing bath. While she sat in the bathtub, she heard Tudor tap on the bathroom door.

"What do you want?" She huffed.

"Can you let me in? I want to talk to you," he asked, softly.

Cassie sat in disbelief and immediately knew that he had a bipolar issue; she was just surprised that she had never noticed that side of him before. "I'll be out in a minute," she called out.

Tudor walked toward the kitchen to cook dinner. Feeling horrible for what he did to her, he wanted to make it up to her badly by preparing her a good home-cooked meal.

Cassie left the bedroom wearing a matching lingerie short set, which had been a wedding gift from Kelli. Tudor's mouth dropped when he saw her. She was beautiful. Her long blonde hair, tanned skin, firm breasts, with her long silky smooth legs paced gracefully toward him. Gradually, he approached her, placed his arms around her, and pulled her into him. Stroking her hair, he appeared sincere in his words, "I'm so sorry, beautiful. I don't know what came over me. You know that I love you and would never hurt you, don't you?"

"I thought I knew you would never hurt me until you threw that glass. That scared the hell out of me. I didn't know what to think of it," she said, her eyes began to pool with tears.

Tucking her hair behind her ear, Tudor kissed her on the cheek. "Will you forgive me?"

Looking down, she rolled her eyes, and sighed. "Yes, I forgive you." She forced a tiny smile as he held her in his embrace, but she didn't feel as safe as she used to when wrapped in his arms.

***

The next morning, Cassie dressed in her uniform, and had an appointment with the base's counselor before duty. Tudor went to the gym earlier, so she was left in the house alone thinking about the fight that they had the night before. She knew that there was a possibility of him going ballistic again; she just wasn't quite sure how to prepare for his next outburst. She had been aware of former war soldiers suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, but didn't know if that were the reasoning behind Tudor's actions. The only event closest to a war type situation was Afghanistan, but he didn't even fight. Cassie was uncertain if he had fought in Desert Storm because Tudor never spoke of it. "Why would a U.S. Navy pilot be suffering from PTSD?" She wondered. "Maybe his plane was shot at by the enemy?" she questioned, trying to analyze her assumptions. Grabbing her car keys, she slung her purse over her shoulder, and drove to the counselor's office on base.

Seated in the waiting room, Cassie skimmed through a fashion magazine, and ran across an advertisement that displayed the exact ring that Dillon had bought her in Memphis. Her heart fell to her stomach as she started to think about Dillon, missing him deeply. She loved him so much and started to realize that she had made the wrong decision when she married Tudor. Quickly, she shook her head, attempting to erase the thought from her mind.

The door swung open and she saw the counselor standing in the doorway wearing his white, service dress uniform. "Seaman Daniels, can you follow me please?" the stocky, blond gentleman with green eyes asked.

"Yes, sir." She tossed the magazine aside and was led into the counselor's office.

Cassie felt uneasy when he called her by her new last name. She didn't even have her name changed on her uniforms yet and didn't like being announced as Daniels, it made her blood curdle.

Cassie sat in a chair directly in front of the counselor—nervous, fidgeting with her hands, waiting for him to ask questions.

"Hi, my name is NC Bartlett," he said, extending his hand.

"Nice to meet you, I'm Cassie." They shook hands.

He crossed his leg over his knee with her file resting in his lap. "Well, let's see here. It appears that you need counseled on some events that occurred in Afghanistan and Memphis?" he questioned, tapping an ink pen to his cheek.

"Yes, sir. I was raped in Memphis and I killed four enemy soldiers in Afghanistan for holding a female U.S. soldier hostage." She smiled, seemingly proud of her accomplishment.

NC Bartlett presented Cassie several forms to fill out that consisted of questions regarding family history and other traumatic events that happened in her life. After thirty-minutes of answering boring, rigorous questions, she presented the clip board back to Bartlett.

NC Bartlett skimmed over the forms and saw the information regarding the death of Cassie's ex fiancé. "Can you talk about your ex fiancé?" he asked.

"No! Not Randall," she thought. Cassie swallowed hard. "Randall was my high school sweetheart. He was killed in a motorcycle accident. His funeral was on the day that we were supposed to be married and I was depressed for weeks. After I came out of my depressive state, I got myself a boob job, became a stripper, and joined the Navy after my parents discovered me dancing," she explained, staring down at the floor shamefully, looking at her pigeon-toed positioned feet.

"That's quite a bit to handle at such a young age. Why did you choose the adult entertainment industry?" he asked, taking notes in the process.

"I don't know why." She shrugged. "Maybe for attention. I only danced for three days until my mom and dad became aware of it. That's why I joined the Navy. I was completely humiliated. I just wanted to run away from my family and my life," she explained, a mortified look shown on her face.

"Did you feel better after you enlisted?"

She huffed, "A little—I mean I was happy to get out of the dance club. Well, until I was raped in Memphis that is. When I was raped, it made me question why I joined."

"Tell me about that. What led up to the incident?"

She stared up at the ceiling, trying to prevent the pool of tears from streaming down her face. "I went to a nightclub with some friends from A-school. One of the men in my class put Rohypnol in my drink. I don't remember the incident at all; I just woke up the next morning lying naked next to him. I glanced at the clock on the dresser that displayed 6:03 a.m. I will never forget that time. I dressed quickly and immediately fled from his room."

Bartlett glanced at his watch. "Well, it appears that our time has come to an end. I'll see you next month. In the meantime, I want you to read this book." He grabbed a book from the bookshelf that contained information on how to cope with rape and then handed her a tissue.

"Thank you, sir," she said, placing the book in her purse and dabbing a tissue at the corners of her eyes. She turned and left the office.

Relieved the session was over; she pulled the book from her purse and tossed it on the passenger seat of her car. Cassie despised discussing the rape in Memphis and assumed that the topic wouldn't be brought up again in future sessions because it had already been discussed. She had no intention whatsoever reading the book, either. She had no interest and wanted to forget about the entire ordeal and move on.

***

Finally, back at her office, she situated herself at her desk. John was nowhere to be seen, but she could tell that he already had arrived because his wallet was on his desk.

She began to bury herself in her work when she heard a knock at the door. Samuel entered with a horrific look on his face.

"Samuel, what's wrong?" she asked, seeming concerned. "You don't look too well."

"I need someone to talk to," he said, rolling a chair over toward her desk. "I just received some horrible news from my doctor. My test results indicate that I have stage-four melanoma and it has spread to my liver." He tried his best to hold back tears. Cassie saw his hands trembling.

"Oh my God!" Cassie rushed toward him and wrapped her arms around him. "I'm so terribly sorry," she said, tears began filling her eyes. "What's the next step?"

"It's too late; they've only given me up to three months to live. I don't want to die alone," he placed his head on her shoulder. "I swear, when the doctor told me that I had stage four cancer, I immediately wanted my soul to jump from my body and into a healthy one. Does that make me sound selfish?"

Samuel Jones had no family and was raised in an orphanage in Dallas, Texas. When he turned eighteen, he had nowhere to live and believed that his only option was joining the Navy. After he was burned during the war, he knew that he would never marry, assuming no woman would ever love him because of his appearance.

"No—you don't sound selfish, and you're not going to die alone, Samuel. I'm going to be with you every step of the way, I promise," she said, wiping a tear from his cheek with her thumb. "I want you to move in with me as soon as possible."

"I don't want to impose. You just got married. I can't intrude on you and the lieutenant," he said as he sniffled.

"You're not imposing. You will move in tonight—no questions asked! I will have the spare room prepared for you."

"Thank you, Cassie. You're such a sweet person. I'm so glad that you came into my life." He rose from his chair, hugged Cassie, and then left to pack up his things.

Cassie immediately phoned Tudor and told him about Samuel moving in with them. Tudor had never met Samuel, but knew of his scarring from the war.

John came into the office with the look of sadness on his face. Cassie knew that he must have heard the news from the base physician about Samuel. "I guess you heard about Samuel," Cassie said.

"Yes, I did, it's just awful. Why do bad things happen to such good people?" he asked.

"I don't know, but I'm devastated by the news. I invited Samuel to move in with Tudor and me. I want to take care of him the best I can so he'll be comfortable. I just don't know what else I can do; it deeply saddens me."

"It was very nice of you to offer that. It's a shame that he has no family. I just don't understand, if there is a God, why would he allow something like this to happen?"

"I don't know." She shrugged. "I'm not a very religious person, so my only assumption is; it's the devil's work." She placed a document in the file cabinet and then locked it.

"Well, I guess I'll see you in the morning." John sadly retrieved his wallet from his desk before leaving the office.

Cassie threw her purse in the passenger seat of her car. She knew that Tudor already should be home and had hoped that he was in a good mood. She didn't want to come home to the violent mess she did the day before, hoping he'd behave himself because Samuel was scheduled to arrive within the next few hours.

Cassie prepared the spare room for Samuel's arrival, placed fresh linen on the bed, and stocked the bathroom with toiletries. Thankfully, Tudor wasn't home as she had expected, and could tell that he hadn't been home the entire day. She was a little confused, but assumed that he was just working late.

Hearing a motorcycle in the distance, Cassie glanced out the window, and noticed that Samuel had arrived. She rushed out the front door, wrapped her arms around him, and hugged him tightly. She graciously invited him inside and led him to his new bedroom and private bathroom. "I want you to treat this house as your own. Consider this a stay at a resort! I'm going to spoil the hell out of you." She smiled, gazing into his deep, brown eyes.

"I don't know how to thank you. This means so much to me, Cassie."

The sound of Tudor's Audi A8 came up the driveway. She felt anxious, the sound of the engine felt like a sharp blow to the stomach. Tudor appeared in the doorway, noticing Samuel standing in the kitchen. Tudor extended his hand. "Hey, man, nice to finally meet you. Cassie has spoken quite highly of you."

"Nice to meet you, too," Samuel responded, shaking Tudor's hand. "Well, I'm going to leave you two newlyweds alone." Samuel disappeared into his bedroom, prepared for a shower, and an evening of television.
Chapter Twelve

Two months after Samuel had moved in, his health began to deteriorate. Cassie had been exhausted by the workload, but still pressed on as Samuel's caregiver. She loved him as if he were her own brother. He was becoming extremely weak; could barely even raise a spoon to his mouth to feed himself. He required assistance for showers and awoke every morning with a urine soaked mattress pad on his bed because he could no longer maintain control of his bladder.

Cassie fed Samuel breakfast and left a few bottles of water by his bedside before she left for work. "I will be home around four o'clock," she said, kissing Samuel on his forehead.

"Thank you, Cassie. Thank you so much for everything you've done for me. You don't know how much it means to me," he said, coughing feebly into his tissue.

"Oh, Samuel...try not to speak; I know how you feel about me. I love you; I'll see you this evening." She gently closed the bedroom door behind her.

Tudor was in the kitchen and poured himself a cup of coffee. "How's he doing?" he asked, leaning casually against the counter as handsome as ever, dressed in his service khaki uniform.

"Not good. He's becoming progressively worse. I wish that he would just take the medication to help him feel better through this ordeal, but he refuses. He shouldn't have to endure such pain. I feel so helpless." Tears streamed down her cheeks as she buried her face in Tudor's firm chest. He wrapped his arms around her.

Hearing a loud thud coming from Samuel's room, Cassie pulled away from Tudor's embrace, and immediately swung open his bedroom door. "What are you doing?"

"I need to go to the bathroom," he said, trying to climb onto the bed after falling to the floor.

"Here—let me help you." Cassie assisted him to his feet. "Put all your weight on me and I'll take you to bathroom. Suddenly, she noticed a glazed look come over face; his eyes were extremely glassy as if there were no soul left inside his body, and he collapsed to the floor.

"Tudor! Help!" she yelled.

Rushing into the bedroom, Tudor saw Samuel lying on the floor, unconscious.

"Call 113!" she demanded.

Tudor ran into the kitchen, grabbed his phone, and called for emergency assistance, "Ho bisogno di un'ambulanza." Tudor slammed down the phone and ran back over toward Samuel and Cassie. Tudor tried his best to lift him to the bed, but he was much too heavy.

"Oh, Tudor...please don't tell me this is it, he has another month!" She cried, holding onto Samuel's hand tightly.

"It's okay, baby. The paramedics will be here soon."

A few moments later, the ambulance had arrived and loaded Samuel onto the gurney.

"Do you speak English?" Tudor asked the technician.

"Yes, I do," an EMT responded.

"Oh, thank God! His name is Samuel Jones, he has stage four cancer and needs to be transported to the U.S. Naval Hospital at Sigonella," Tudor instructed.

"Thank you, sir," the EMT replied.

Cassie phoned John and explained to him what had happened to Samuel. He instructed that everyone in the command report to the hospital immediately. Cassie climbed into the back of the ambulance with Samuel and clenched onto his hand the entire trip.

Cassie and her full command lingered nervously in the waiting room for the doctor to provide them with an update on Samuel's condition, but hours crept by with no information from the doctor or the nurse.

"This doesn't look good," Cassie said, pacing back and forth.

"Have a seat and relax. Can I get you some coffee?" John asked.

"No, I'm fine...thank you."

Cassie's cell phone rang and Tudor's name appeared on the screen. "Hey, we haven't heard anything yet. I'm so scared, baby." She cried.

"Just take a deep breath, try to think positive," he said, trying to reassure her that everything was going to be alright.

Hearing the double doors swing open, Cassie looked up and saw the doctor approaching. "I'll call you back, the doctor just walked in." She quickly hung up the phone. "Is he okay?"

"He's resting in a medically induced coma. I'm sorry to say this, but his organs are starting to shut down and he has probably a maximum of twenty-four hours," the doctor explained.

Cassie felt faint. "Can I see him?"

"Yes, you can see him." The doctor walked away sadly, hanging his head down.

Cassie glanced toward John and the others in her command. "Do you mind if I stay here with him? I promised him that he would not go through this alone."

Looking at the tears covering her face, John couldn't refuse her request. "Yes, you can stay. We're going to go back to the hangar for now. Let us know of any updates." John placed his arms around Cassie and hugged her tightly.

Cassie walked into Samuel's room and saw him attached to several machines; her eyes were fixed on the heart monitor. She grabbed his hand and squeezed it, hoping he could feel her.

A few hours passed slowly; she could tell that his breathing had become slower and knew it wouldn't be much longer before he let go. She wiped a cool washcloth gently across his forehead and felt him squeeze her hand slightly, a smile swept across his face. Suddenly, he lifted his arms as if he were reaching for something in the air.

"Nurse—come quick! He's moving!" Cassie yelled through the open door.

The nurse entered the room. "What's going on?"

A look of hope glimmered in Cassie's eyes. "He squeezed my hand and smiled, and he reached up as if he were grabbing something in the air."

"Sadly to say, sweetie, that's one of the stages of death. Most people believe that when someone reacts in such a way, they see angels. It's a good sign. It shows that a person is ready to transition over," the nurse explained, handing Cassie a hospice pamphlet that explained the stages of death.

"So, he's seeing angels?" Cassie questioned.

"That's what I believe." The nurse said.

Cassie smiled, feeling a sense of peace. The nurse exited the room and Cassie still clenched onto Samuel's hand.

***

A chaplain came into the room and saw Cassie sobbing at Samuel's bedside. "Hi, I'm Chaplain Merritt." He smiled.

"I'm SN Cassie Daniels, sir," she responded, sadly.

"If you don't mind, I would like to say a prayer," the Chaplain suggested.

"Okay, sir." Cassie stood alongside the chaplain, gripping onto Samuel's hand.

"Dear Heavenly Father, I request that you take the pain from Samuel Jones. Please allow him to avoid confusion through his new journey and welcome him into your loving arms. Please allow strength for Cassie as she prepares and copes with the loss of her dear friend. In Jesus's name, Amen."

"Amen." Cassie sniffled, dabbing a tissue under each eye.

Samuel's heart monitor displayed a flat line across the screen. The beeping was deafening to Cassie's ears. "What's happening?" she screamed.

The nurse rushed in. "Can you please wait outside?"

Cassie and the chaplain hurried into the hallway. "He's gone, isn't he?" she asked, peering up sadly toward the chaplain.

"I'm afraid so," he responded in a somber tone.

Cassie hung her head down and walked toward the waiting room to call John.

"He passed," Cassie said, sniffling into the phone.

"The crew and I will be there in a few minutes," John said before disconnecting the call.

Tudor entered through the glass sliding doors of the hospital. He could sense by the expression on Cassie's face that Samuel finally had passed. He had no words to say, but he held her tightly against his chest.

The nurse approached Cassie and Tudor and told them that they could see Samuel before the funeral home retrieved his body. John and the others arrived and followed Cassie and Tudor to Samuel's room.

Blanketed with a white sheet, his eyes closed, Samuel had a restful smile on his pale face, which used to be full of life.

Cassie couldn't stop staring at him. The last peaceful, dead body that she saw was Randall's resting in his casket. She grabbed onto Samuel's cold, heavy hand and cupped it to her face, closing her eyes. "I'm going to miss you, my sweet darling friend. I love you so much." Softly kissing his hand, she placed it gently by his side.

Tudor placed his arm around Cassie and escorted her from the hospital. She climbed into his Audi, still engulfed in tears.

***

Cassie hurried to the spare bedroom where Samuel had spent his last days and removed the linens from his bed, and tossed them to the floor. She sat on his bed, staring off into space.

With sad, heavy eyes, Cassie looked up at Tudor who was standing in the doorway. "I can't believe he's gone, Tudor."

"I know, beautiful. But, you know what? You gave him the best last days of his life. You treated him with the utmost respect and dignity. You changed his soiled bed sheets and clothes without hesitation and you kept him clean. Not many people can handle that. You're very strong for what you did and I know that he really appreciated everything you did for him—he loved you dearly."

"I'm going to miss him so much."

"I know—it will become easier as each day passes. Just take it slow and easy. Can I make you something to eat?" he asked.

"No, thank you. I'm not hungry." She reclined back on Samuel's pillow.

Tudor closed the door and respectfully left Cassie alone with her thoughts.

***

A few weeks after Samuel's funeral, Cassie and John sat in their office, and went over some paperwork. A tall, slender woman dressed in a business suit entered the office carrying a briefcase. "Hi, I'm looking for Cassie Daniels," she said.

Cassie looked up from her desk. "I'm Cassie Daniels, may I help you?"

"Hi, ma'am. My name is Rebecca Rose. I'm an attorney and I'm here regarding Samuel Jones," she said, pulling documents from her briefcase.

"Please have a seat." Cassie pointed to a chair in front of her desk.

John rose from his desk and left the office so Cassie and Rebecca could have some privacy.

"Well, the reason why I'm here is because Samuel had a life insurance policy and he indicated you as the beneficiary, Mrs. Daniels."

Cassie's jaw practically hit the floor. "What? Th-there must be some mistake," Cassie stammered.

Mrs. Rose asked Cassie to sign a few forms and checked her identification before presenting her with a check. "Thank you, ma'am. If you have any questions at all, please don't hesitate to call me," Rebecca said, handing Cassie her business card.

Cassie sat at her desk bewildered. John arrived shortly after he saw Rebecca leave.

"So, what was that about?" he asked.

Cassie couldn't speak, dumbfounded, shaking her head in disbelief, showing John the check.

"What the fuck!" John exclaimed, his eyes practically shot out of his head.

"It's from Samuel's life insurance policy. He named me as the beneficiary," Cassie explained.

"Oh my God! That boy was sure full of surprises!"

"I guess he did really care for me," Cassie said, still in disbelief.

Cassie gathered her things and went home still in utter shock. She didn't even remember the drive home because she couldn't stop thinking about Samuel and the check.

***

"Hi there, beautiful!" Tudor said, standing next to the doorway, kissing her on the cheek as she entered the villa.

"Hi, baby...how was your day?" she asked.

"The same ole thing. Did a few touch and go's in the plane, goofed off, and came home." He smiled, kicking off his flight boots, and placing them by the front door.

"Well, this is what I got today." She slapped the check on the counter in the kitchen.

Tudor's eyes grew large. "Holy shit! What is this for?"

"Apparently, Samuel listed me as his beneficiary, so I was awarded his life insurance money."

"Oh my God! I can't believe it!" Tudor said. "I feel like we just hit the lottery! Fuck! Four-hundred thousand dollars!" He lifted Cassie off the ground, spinning her in circles.

"Put me down! I don't see how you can be so happy about this. A man died; a wonderful man. How can you be so ecstatic?"

"Don't you see that this is what he wanted? He wants you to be happy. That's why he left this to you."

Cassie crossed her arms peevishly in front of her. "Well, I'm not happy. I just want him back. This money means nothing to me."

"Sounds to me that you thought of him more than just a friend, my dear. Am I mistaken?" Tudor asked, a hint of sarcasm in his voice.

"No! You know better than that! Jeez, you're an idiot for even insinuating such a thing. He was like my own brother!"

"Well, you're going to deposit that check in our account first thing in the morning," he demanded.

"No, I'm going to wait." She stood firm.

"Wait for what? For him to come back to life? That won't happen!" Tudor's voice became louder. "Damn! You can be really stupid sometimes!" he yelled.

"Don't you fucking call me stupid! Are we going there again?" she asked. "Are you going to slam me to the floor?"

"Fuck you!" He glared angrily toward her. "What? You want me to do that?"

"Try it, I dare you!" She challenged.

"You really think that you can kick my ass, don't you?" He laughed wickedly, tilting his head back.

"I'll fucking kill you if you lay a hand on me!" she hollered, shooting off an evil stare.

Tudor rushed her and tackled her to the floor. He sat on her stomach with his hands at her throat. "So you think you can take me now?" he asked, breathing heavily.

Cassie lifted her legs, wrapped her bare feet around the front of his shoulders, and slammed his back to the floor. Quickly, she straddled the top of his chest and secured his hands underneath her knees. "Yes, I think I can take you now!" She glared, her eyes raged of fire.

"Okay—okay! Just get off me!" he demanded.

"Are you going to stop challenging me?" she asked.

"Yes!"

Cassie rose reluctantly from Tudor's chest, but he immediately grabbed her ankles, yanked her feet from beneath her, and caused her to fall to the floor. The sudden impact of the back of her head hitting the floor knocked her unconscious.

Tudor, in an immense rage, despised the fact that he was married to a woman who was tougher than he. He ripped the shirt from his chest and pulled down his pants. In the midst of him removing Cassie's clothes, she started to awaken, but he backhanded her hard across the face, which caused her to fade out of consciousness again.

Tudor infuriatingly pushed his penis deep inside her. "Well, you always said you like it aggressive! I hope this is aggressive enough for you, bitch!"

After he finished raping her unconscious body, he showered, and then rushed Cassie's check to the ATM.

Cassie awoke confused, her head pounding as she lay on the floor naked, covered with Tudor's shredded t-shirt. She limped into the kitchen, swallowed four aspirin, and noticed that the check was missing. Sitting on the sofa, trying to figure out what had just happened, she realized that Tudor had raped her; she could feel the pain between her thighs.

After relief from her pounding headache, she sat in a warm bath. She refused to cry; she had been out of tears completely from grieving over Samuel so much, and thought that her tears were too good to waste on Tudor anyway.

She heard the front door open and knew Tudor was back. He went into the bathroom, stood against the sink with his arms folded in front of him. "I deposited the check for you."

"Thank you, sweetie," she said, trying to act as though she wasn't affected by what he had done to her.

Tudor grabbed a washcloth from the cabinet and glided it gently upon Cassie's back, softly kissing her on the shoulder. He inhaled deeply, his eyes closed. "I l-love you s-s-so much, you k-know that, d-d-don't you?" The shakiness in his voice reminded Cassie of someone in a horror movie who was on the verge of becoming psychotic.

Cassie pulled her knees to her chest, wrapping her arms around them as she slouched over. "I do—I love you, too." She stood from the tub and Tudor handed her a towel.

Lifting her from the water, Tudor carried her to the bed, and lay her down. "I love you, beautiful." He kissed her and stroked her hair lovingly.

As her back faced him, she stared blankly at the wall. "I love you, too," she said through gritted teeth. As she heard Tudor begin to snore, she wanted so badly to smother him with the pillow. She hated that man's guts unconditionally and wished him dead.
Chapter Thirteen

Cassie drove to the bank and opened a separate checking account. She had been ultimately furious that Tudor took it upon himself to deposit her check without her consent. Withdrawing all of the beneficiary funds from their joint account, she deposited the money in her new account, and knew that she would catch hell for it as soon as Tudor discovered the withdrawal. But, she didn't care; she respected Samuel's wishes and wasn't going to allow Tudor to disrespect them by stealing the money that he granted her.

Upon her arrival at work, she noticed several men who were dressed in Navy flight suits in the office.

"Hi, Daniels! C'mere, I want you to meet one of the Naval SEAL Teams," he said with a smile. "This is Smith, McKinnon, Butler, Reynolds, Fisher, and Porter."

"Nice to meet you," Cassie said, extending her hand. "So, what brings you guys to Italy?"

They all shook hands. "We're here for a few days on a classified assignment," Butler responded. Harvey Butler had a gorgeous, sophisticated look about him; was very clean-cut with a tight, athletic build, and dark brown hair. Cassie could smell the cologne eluding from his body, beguiling her.

"Daniels, I was explaining to the team about your outside profession. We're all interested in a group session tomorrow night," John said, staring Cassie dead square in the eyes, challenging her to deny his request.

Feeling uncomfortable in the presence of all those men, Cassie swallowed hard. She didn't know exactly what to say, but knew that she couldn't really go against it. "H-h-how is nine o'clock tomorrow night?" she stammered, looking down at her black, patent leather heels.

"Sounds good to us," the group of guys replied in their masculine voices, almost in perfect sync.

"Lieutenant Commander Moore, you know where I live. I guess I will see you at nine?" She shrugged, questioning the time.

"Oh, I forgot to mention that there are some gals who had just arrived on base who were stationed with you on the ship. They're getting back in the game and will be meeting with you today," John explained.

"Fine," Cassie said, taking a deep breath, dreading the next day. She sat at her desk, burying herself in her work, trying to ignore all the male egotistical banter coming from the group. She wanted to beat her head against her desk because she was so distraught. "What is Tudor going to think when I tell him that he has to leave tomorrow night?" she asked herself. "He's already pissed about this entire debacle; I can't imagine what he's going to think when he discovers that it's with an entire group this time."

Cassie's phone rang; Tudor's name appeared across the screen. She suspected that he probably discovered her withdrawing the money from their joint account. Too nervous to answer, but she knew that if she didn't; it would just anger him more. "Don't poke the bear!" she muttered silently as she started to snicker.

"Hi, baby," she answered.

"What in the hell did you do? I got a text about a withdrawal from the bank! How dare you take out all that money without asking me first!"

"That wasn't your money. It was given to me and I will decide what to do with it," she said, casually.

"You better put that fucking money back in the bank if you know what's good for you!" he demanded.

"Or what? What are you going to do? Kill me?"

"Ha! No—I won't kill you, but you will wish like hell that you were dead when I get done with you!"

"Whatever!" she exclaimed, disconnecting the call when she saw three females approaching who were dressed in their Navy working uniforms.

Capstone, Jessup, and Christian smiled as they walked toward Cassie's desk. "Oh my God! I can't believe I'm seeing you gals again," Cassie said.

"Looks like we're back to the same ole routine," Jessie Capstone winked. Jessie, twenty-four, weighed roughly ninety pounds with light brown hair and huge breasts. She spoke with the typical southern Alabama accent.

"Yes." Cassie sighed. "Unfortunately, we are back to the same ole routine, again."

"Well, I'm broke and I need the cash!" Janice Christian said, her jet black bangs covered her slightly freckled forehead.

"Me too!" Cainley Jessup laughed. "I'm totally financially wiped out!"

"Well, we have our first group session tomorrow night with a SEAL Team. I've already been introduced to them and they're extremely hot!" Cassie said, trying to prevent herself from blushing. "By the way, what command are you three assigned?"

"We're in VP-7168," Cainley said.

"That's my husband's squadron." Cassie appeared surprised.

"You got married?" Janice asked.

"Yes, to Lieutenant Daniels."

"Whoa! Are you frigging kidding me?" Janice questioned. "He was the hottie on the ship who we all drooled over!"

"Yep! I married him." Cassie tried to appear proud, but deep down, she hated that man.

"Well, we have to report back to our command. What time do you want us to show up at your house?" Cainley asked.

"How about you gals spend the night?" Cassie suggested, hoping they would oblige because she assumed that if the girls were there, Tudor wouldn't start in on his violent tirade.

"Text me your address and we'll be there after work," Cainley said.

"Alright! Sounds fun!" Cassie expressed a look of relief.

Cassie buried herself in her work, hoping that the time would slowly dwindle. She found serenity in her job away from Tudor and considered work as a vacation because she knew that nothing bad could happen to her in her office.

***

Cassie pulled up to her villa and was relieved to find the girls waiting for her in the driveway with the absence of Tudor's Audi. Cassie invited them inside and showed them to the spare bedroom.

"Wow, Cass! This house is gorgeous!" Jessie said, looking out the window that faced the ocean.

"Thank you. I like it...it's pretty quiet here and I love waking up to the relaxing sound of the sea."

Hearing a car door slam, Cassie knew that Tudor had arrived. He went into the kitchen and tossed his keys on the counter.

"Hey, baby!" Cassie said, kissing him on the cheek.

"Hi, beautiful, I've missed you." Tudor hugged her tightly. Seeing the girls standing in the living room, he squeezed her wrist and whispered into her ear, "We're going to have a little chat after your friends leave."

Cassie backed away, ripping her hand from his strong grasp. "Do you ladies want something to drink?" She tried disguising the hate she felt toward him.

"I'll take a beer if ya have it," Jessie said.

"Me too," Cainley and Janice said, glancing out the window toward the beach.

"If you ladies would excuse us for a moment." Tudor escorted Cassie to the backyard so he could speak with her in private.

"How long are they staying?" he asked, his eyes narrowed.

"I don't know, as long as they want I guess," she said, shrugging her shoulders.

"When are you depositing that money back into our account?"

"I'm not."

"What do you mean, you're not?"

"I'm not; it's not your money."

"We're going to discuss this later," he said, glaring hatefully into her eyes.

"Oh, when no one is near, so you can knock me around a bit?" Cassie asked, sarcastically.

He rolled his eyes. "Oh stop—you know I'm not going to hurt you."

"Ha! Do you realize that underneath this make-up is a black eye where you hit me?" she asked.

His mouth formed a downcast, gloomy frown. "Oh, beautiful. I'm so sorry. I honestly didn't mean to hurt you."

"Whatever," she said, rolling her eyes knowing that he was lying.

"I'm being deployed for two weeks. My command leaves in two days," he explained.

Relieved, Cassie knew that she would be getting a nice break from him. "Oh, I forgot to tell you." Cassie remembered, but was afraid of even mentioning it, but knew that she had to. "A SEAL Team is here in Italy and the girls and I have a group session with them tomorrow night." She peered down at the ground and refused to look up to see his reaction. Her eyes became focused on the sand as she watched it run between her toes.

"Well, I'm staying for that!" He bellowed. "This might be fun, actually."

Confused by his reaction, Cassie assumed that he would be pissed.

***

The day grew dark and Tudor retired to bed after his shower. Cassie and the girls stayed up late, chatting in the living room, and eating junk food.

"So, Cass...how much are we gettin' for this upcoming shindig?" Jessie asked.

"Five-thousand bucks," she said.

"Holy shit! Really?" Cainley asked.

"Yep! I had already discussed it with John. I told him that he and the others better not even show up unless they have cash. I'll give each of you a grand."

"A grand?" Jessie questioned. "Shouldn't it be twelve-hundred and fifty dollars?"

"Yes—a grand each. Hell, it's my house, I put the event together, and I'm the madam, so yes, you get a grand each," Cassie explained, daring them to question more.

"Okay, that's fair," Janice said. The others agreed.

"Well, I'm going to take a shower and go to bed. I'll see you ladies tomorrow."

After her shower, Cassie dreaded climbing into bed with Tudor. She slid stealthily underneath the blankets, hoping not to wake him.

"Mmm, baby...so glad you decided to join me," he said, spooning her, pulling her into him.

Cassie could feel the hardness of his erection against the small of her back and felt as though she wanted to puke. Having sex with him was the last thing on her mind, especially after the shit he put her through recently. "Goodnight, baby," she said, hoping he knew that she wasn't in the mood for sex.

He nuzzled her hair, kissed the back of her neck, and drifted off to sleep.

***

The next morning, Cassie awoke to a quiet house. Tudor and the others had already left, their squadron reported to work two hours earlier than Cassie's.

Logging on to her e-mail account, she saw several e-mails from Dillon. She hadn't checked her e-mail for several weeks, so it was kind of a nice surprise. Her heart began to flutter, missing him immensely. She wished to rewind her life back to the blissful times that she and Dillon spent together. If only she could erase her marriage and her whorific ways, she believed that she could live a fabulous life with him, but knew it wasn't fair to Dillon. Cassie wasn't selfish, and thought that Dillon deserved better than a whore on a Naval base.

Nervously, Cassie clicked on the first unread e-mail from Dillon:

______________________________

From: Dillon Baron

To: Cassie Littleton

Subject: Trouble??

My sweet, Cassie. What have you gotten yourself into? I'm sorry that I left so abruptly, but it tore my heart out when you called yourself a whore. A whore you are not! I don't know why you won't allow me to help you. I can buy out your Navy contract and we can live in happiness together forever. Please consider what I'm offering you. I will love you always, no matter what you have done.

Dillon Baron

McGowen & Baron, LLP

26 Shoreline Blvd.

Mountain View, Ca. 94041

______________________________

A stream of tears cascaded down Cassie's face. As she read through each e-mail, she could feel the love that he felt for her. Why on earth does he think a Naval contract can be bought out? It can't. She wished he would comprehend that. He told her always that money could buy anything, even if it weren't for sale. He said everything had a price.

Finally, she came to the very last e-mail:

______________________________

From: Dillon Baron

To: Cassie Littleton

Subject: I will not call you Cassie Daniels, ever!

By now, you're married. That really hurts, but I'm looking on the bright side that marriage only has a fifty percent chance of survival. When you regret the choice that you made and realize that I am your one and only true love, I will be waiting for you. Until then, I want you to know that you mean the world to me and I love you. I won't bother you anymore. I will wait until you contact me, and you will contact me.

Dillon Baron

McGowen & Baron, LLP

26 Shoreline Blvd.

Mountain View, Ca. 94041

______________________________

Cassie's hand shook vigorously upon the mouse. She tried her hardest to stop from responding, but she didn't have the strength to restrain herself.

______________________________

From: Cassie Daniels

To: Dillon Baron

Subject: Mistake

Oh, Dillon. I've made the biggest mistake of my life! I'm trying to figure a way out of it. Please be patient.

I still and always will love you,

Cassie

______________________________

She couldn't think of what else to tell him. Closing her laptop, she took in a long, deep breath and went outside on the back patio to prepare the bar for the evening's shindig. She wished the night would pass quickly; she just wanted it over with so she could focus on the time she would have away from Tudor for the next two weeks.

***

After an exhausting day of work, Cassie drove home to prepare for the whorific event planned for the evening. John allowed her to leave early so she could get the house ready. She stocked the outside bar with plenty of alcohol and snacks and brought her sound system onto the patio so everyone could listen to music while outside on the beach.

Hearing Cainley's car pull into the driveway, Cassie ran to the front door to allow the girls inside.

"Hey, Cass! You wouldn't believe the clothes we brought with us to wear tonight." Janice giggled.

"Oh, boy. Should I be worried?" Cassie asked.

"Nah! They're just themed costumes is all," Janice said.

Cassie reached into the bag and pulled out three sexy police costumes. The skirt was incredibly short; she knew the girls butt cheeks would be exposed. "You guys really enjoy this, don't you?" Cassie asked.

"Ha! Of course. It's awesome! Easy ass money and we don't even have to fuck 'em!" Jessie said with a jaunty grin.

"Well, I'm glad you guys are enjoying this because I sure as hell am not," Cassie said.

Cassie heard Tudor's Audi pull up; her heart sank. She wondered what personality he was going to surprise her with. Would he be a violent asshole or the dear, sweet man that she fell in love with?

"Hey, sweetie," she said, playfully kissing him on the cheek.

"Hi, there, beautiful! I've missed you." He hugged her tightly. Cassie felt a sigh of relief. Was he actually looking forward to watching the whorific event?

Cassie went outside and finalized the preparations for the party. The music was loud and the drinks were ready to be poured. She organized chairs around the pool and even made a wood pile on the beach for a cozy fire. She loved the villa she had rented; neighbors weren't close by; she actually could walk around naked on the beach if she wanted and no one would even see her.

After a knock on the door, she knew the SEAL Team finally had arrived. Cassie was extremely nervous, but managed to disguise it quite well. "Come in please; make yourselves comfortable outside on the patio and feel free to make drinks at the bar," she said. "First thing, though," she said loudly, hoping to acquire their attention. "Cash up front!"

Skar reached into his pocket, pulled out a wad of hundreds, and handed it to Cassie. She went to her bedroom and locked the money in a safe in her closet. When she went outside, she saw Janice seated on Tudor's lap. He had one arm around her, his other rubbing the inside of her thigh. Cassie, surprised that she didn't feel jealous; just shrugged it off as if it were no big deal.

Cassie went to the bar and got a soda from the mini-fridge. She walked toward the beach until Harvey Butler grabbed her and forced her down onto his lap. "Where are you going?" he asked, flicking the ashes to the ground from his cigarette.

"I was going to wade in the water for a while." She grinned.

"So, what are you going to do for all of us?"

"You'll see when we take the party inside."

Harvey ran the tips of his fingers up and down Cassie's bicep. She wore a white crochet bra top and white linen slacks. The white colors against her tanned skin were enough to make any man pant over her. "Wow, you have some nice, toned arms," he said, gently stroking her skin with his knuckles.

"I work out a lot. I mostly lift weights and do martial arts training." She brushed her hair from her face; the ocean breeze was becoming stronger.

"I can tell. My God, you have the most perfect body on a woman I've ever seen!"

"Thank you, I suppose." She shrugged. She heard a voice call from the distance. "Hey, Cass! Let's take the party inside. It's becoming too windy out here," John hollered from the bar.

Janice, Jessie, and Cainley were already inside with three men from the SEAL Team, the others soon followed. The three girls were dancing on the coffee table. The men were whistling, having a good time. Tudor couldn't take his eyes off Janice and Cassie could sense the strong sexual attraction they had toward one another.

Cassie disappeared into her bedroom and dressed herself in a black leather, tightly fitted body suit. Sliding on her knee-high leather black boots, she grabbed her small whip, and went into the living room. Total silence filled the air. The men were mesmerized at the outfit Cassie wore; her breasts were exposed through the cup-less leather top with a thin strip of fabric that barely concealed her nipples.

Cassie cracked the whip ferociously toward Bobby McKinnon. "Get on the floor on all fours!" she demanded.

Bobby rushed to the floor, waiting on Cassie's next command. The others sat silent as they eagerly watched the action unfold.

Cassie straddled Bobby's back, gently grazing the tip of the whip along the tips of his fingers. His arms were becoming weak from the weight of her on his back; his large, massive muscles trembled.

"You better not let me fall!" she demanded, squeezing her leathered covered thighs harder against him, appearing as if she were riding a horse. She leaned forward, Bobby could feel the tips of her nipples slightly brush the back of his freshly shaven head; he was becoming aroused. Slowly, she began licking his earlobe gently, which stimulated him even more.

"I'm going to fall," he whispered, hoping no one else heard him, only Cassie.

"You better not if you know what's good for you," she whispered softly in his ear.

Upon experiencing her warm breath in his ear, her breasts against his neck, and her authoritative voice, he prematurely ejaculated in his jeans. Cassie could sense it; she was far too familiar with the way a man's body transitioned when he ejaculated and how altered his breathing patterns became. Cassie lifted herself off Bobby's back. "Who's next?" she asked, glancing throughout the room, cracking her whip. "You!" She pointed at Skar. "Come here!" She grabbed a chair from the dining room table and forcefully slammed Skar onto it, handcuffing his hands behind his back. Standing in front of him, she danced seductively, allowing her breasts slightly to graze the surface of his soft, sexy lips.

He breathed deeply. "You smell so good," he said, taking in the scent of J'Adore eluding off her body.

"Shh, don't speak," she insisted, grinding her ass upon his thighs, rubbing his erection. He tilted his head back, shaking it fervidly, spellbound in erotic pleasure. He couldn't believe what she was doing to him, but he loved every second of it. She felt him growing more against her, making her gyrate faster. She knew exactly what she was doing. Finally, she sensed the change in his breathing pattern and saw the look of satisfaction displayed across his face. She released him from the handcuffs and he scurried off into the bathroom to clean himself up.

Harvey Butler raised his hand like a child in grade school.

"Yes, Harvey...what can I do for you?" she asked.

"I have a strange request," he said, appearing timid.

"And what's that?"

"I have a strange sploshing fantasy. I was hoping that you and the other girls would act it out for me."

"Sploshing? If it's sex, you can forget it!" she said.

He laughed. "No, it's not sex. It's wet and messy food fun. If you look in the refrigerator, you'll see some pies that I brought with me. I want you gals to throw them at me while I'm naked in the bathtub and rub the mess all over my body," he explained.

"You've got to be kidding," Cassie said, trying hard not to burst out laughing.

"I am dead serious."

"Well, what are you waiting for? Strip off those clothes and get in the bathtub!" she demanded.

Harvey rushed to the bathroom; the look of excitement was dancing on his face. While he disrobed in the bathroom, Cassie and the girls, along with the others were laughing hysterically.

"That's the strangest request I've ever heard." Tudor chuckled.

"Alright, you guys stay in the living room while the girls and I take care of business in the bathroom." Cassie giggled.

Cassie placed the pies on the bathroom counter and instructed Cainley to handcuff Harvey's hands behind his back. Cassie handed each of the girls a pie.

"I'll go first," Cassie said.

Cassie aimed the pie directly at Harvey's erection, carefully tossing it, but not forceful enough to inflict pain.

"Oh, yes." He jolted his head back, breathing heavily. "Give me more!"

Janice threw the next pie directly at Harvey's face. Whip cream tricked slowly down his entire body. Janice walked toward him and licked as much whip cream off him as she could. She then trailed her tongue toward his erection, savoring the cream from between his thighs. "Harvey, you have a nice dick bone; you want me to suck your rock, hard shaft, don't you?" she asked.

"Ah, yes, do it—do it, bitch!" he demanded.

"Sorry. I can't." She tormented playfully. Janice turned away and allowed Cainley to have her go at him. She held the pie alluringly, plunging her finger into it. Slowly, she approached Harvey and forced him to suck the whip cream from her index finger. She slammed the remainder of the pie directly upon his freshly shaven head.

Picking up the last pie, Jessie grabbed a handful of cream and rubbed it completely all over Harvey's muscle, toned body. Wildly gorgeous, he was like an underwear model that was displayed on a billboard. He was also very erect and abnormally large. Jessie was intrigued by the size of his penis and didn't care about the 'no sex' rules.

"Ladies, can you excuse us?" Jessie asked.

"C'mon girls. Let's leave these two alone." Cassie laughed. "You better be careful Jessie, don't overstep the boundaries."

Jessie removed her sexy, police costume and climbed into the bathtub with Harvey. She longed to experience how it felt to have a man so large inside her. She filled the large garden tub with bubble bath and activated the jets, which produced a substantial amount of bubbles that overflowed to the floor.

Jessie began caressing bubbles all over her nude body, teasing the hell out of Harvey. Straddling him, her back facing toward his chest, she felt his erection try to enter her body from behind. "I'm going to hurt you," he said. "You're so fucking tight; it won't go all the way inside. I'm afraid I'm going to rip you in half!"

Wanting to feel Harvey's hands at her hips, Jessie quickly removed the handcuffs. "No ya won't, I want ya now, just shut up and do me!" Jessie screamed with pleasure. She knew the possibility of her tearing, but didn't care; she wanted his huge, massive dick. He grabbed her hips, vigorously slamming her completely into him; the thrusts were painful but pleasurable. Her heart raced, their breaths becoming more forceful, and then their release finally came upon them.

Exhausted, Cassie allowed Janice and Cainley to take care of the other three men on their own. A few hours later, the guys finally left after feeling quite satisfied. Cassie began cleaning up the huge mess that had been left behind. She was ready for bed and became utterly shocked when she entered her bedroom. "What in the hell is this shit?" Cassie yelled. Cassie grabbed the back of Janice's shoulders and flung her off Tudor's naked body. "You better get your ass off my husband and out of my house before I kill you!" Cassie shouted, trying to hold back from administering a cork-swipe kick to Janice's face.

"Take it easy, Cass! What in the hell is your problem?" Tudor hollered, appearing confused.

"What do you mean? What is my problem? I catch you in bed with someone and you ask me what my problem is?" she asked, shaking her head. "You're a God damn moron!"

Tudor rushed from bed, his penis still erect and he tried grabbing Cassie, but she swiftly tackled him to the ground.

"I dare you to hurt me again, you douche! I want you out of here!" she demanded. "Get your shit and get out of my fucking house!" Cassie allowed Tudor to rise off the floor. He was in extreme pain from falling penis-first when Cassie tackled him.

"What in the hell are you still doing here?" Cassie asked, sternly glaring at Janice. "Get the fuck out—NOW!"

Cassie took a thousand dollars from her safe and tossed it in Janice's face. "Now leave, bitch!"

Cainley and Jessie ran into Cassie's room wondering what the commotion was all about. Cassie explained what had happened, which made the two girls pissed off at Janice.

"If you don't mind, I think it would be best if you two left as well. I want to be alone this evening," Cassie explained.

"No problem, we totally understand," Cainley said.
Chapter Fourteen

Cassie and Tudor were separated for a little over a year, but still dated with the hopes of repairing their relationship eventually. She tried her best to reconcile, hoping not to disappoint her parents. A divorce would crush them emotionally.

She still kept in contact with Dillon through e-mail, but they never physically saw one another. He still loved her; in fact, he loved her more with each passing day. Dillon remained celibate; not wanting anyone else in his life, only Cassie, and knew that they eventually would be together again. He buried himself in his work, assuming it would distract him from thinking of her constantly.

Worried, Cassie realized that her period was late. The last thing she wanted was to be pregnant in an unhappy marriage, living separately from her husband. Even though they were separated, they often had sex. Tudor had been living in a two-bedroom house on the base in the officers' community.

Cassie drove to the clinic on base and asked to take a pregnancy test. She wanted to know as soon as possible if she were pregnant, so she could figure out the next step.

She waited anxiously for the results that seemed to take forever. Finally, the nurse came into the exam room with a big smile plastered across her face. "Your HCG level shows positive. You're going to have a baby! We must set you up an appointment to see the doctor."

Cassie held her head down in shame trying her best not to cry. She walked silently out of the exam room without scheduling an appointment.

"Ugh! I want to kill myself!" she yelled, hoping no one could hear her outside her car as she slammed her head continuously against the steering wheel. "What in the hell am I going to do with a baby? I'm only twenty-two years old!" She cried. Incredibly distraught; she didn't want to tell Tudor, and she sure as hell didn't want to tell her parents. Tudor was on another two-week detachment, so she didn't have to worry about facing him just yet.

Cassie arrived at the hangar and situated herself at her desk. John could tell something was bothering her, but he wasn't the type to pry into her personal business. "How are you doing, Daniels?" he asked.

"I don't feel too well," she said, appearing as if she were about to cry all over again.

"What's the matter?"

"I think I might have food poisoning or something."

"Do you want to see the doctor?"

"I'm okay...thank you. I took some medicine. I should feel better soon," she said.

"Well, let me know if you need a chit for the clinic."

"I will...thank you, sir."

Unable to erase the thought of a baby from her mind, Cassie stared blankly off into space. She felt as if she was going to be sick. As she searched for pregnancy message boards on the Internet, she came across abortion topics. Abortion was out of the question; she could never abort a baby. Adoption ran across her mind, but she knew that as soon as Tudor discovered that she was pregnant, he wouldn't allow it. She was extremely confused. Her main concern was Tudor's rage. Would he treat her with respect as pregnant? Would he cause physical harm to her and the unborn baby or would he abuse the baby after he or she was born? So many questions raced unrestrained through her mind. She didn't know where to turn or who to tell. Dillon was the first person who came to mind, but she didn't want to tell him in fear of hurting his heart even more than she already had.

***

Cassie arrived at her house, plopped down on the sofa, and still thought about the baby until she heard the phone ring.

"Hello," she answered, not recognizing the number on caller I.D.

"I was given this telephone number from Captain Ellis," a deep masculine but befuddled voice explained.

Cassie rolled her eyes and sighed. "What can I do for you?" she asked, knowing good well what the call entailed.

"I'm Lieutenant Vector. I'm in Italy for a few days; I was told that I could meet with you for a massage."

Massages were secret code for what she did aside from her administrative position within the Navy.

"How's tomorrow evening around seven?" she asked.

"Sounds good to me. See you then." He wrote down her address before disconnecting the call.

Cassie hung up the phone in utter disgust. How was she going to keep this up? She knew it couldn't last long with her being pregnant. "Who would want to get off looking at a pregnant woman?" she asked herself. Opening her laptop, she logged on to her instant messenger account. She was hoping to catch Tudor online, ready to reveal the news of the pregnancy to him. She had to tell someone; even though it was the abusive bastard she couldn't stand.

"Hi, beautiful! I miss you." Tudor wrote.

"Hi, I have something to tell you. Can you call me?" she asked.

"Sure, baby...I'll call you in second."

A few short moments later, Cassie answered Tudor's call. She was nervous, feeling as if she were going to vomit before revealing the news to him.

"Okay, baby...what is it that you need to talk about?" he asked.

"Tudor." She swallowed hard, trying to remove the lump in her throat. "I'm pregnant."

"Are you shitting me? You're pregnant?" he asked, his heart raced excitedly to hear the news.

"Yes, I had a test this morning at the clinic on base. It's positive."

"Oh my God! You don't know how happy I am right now," he yelled. "Hey y'all! My wife and I are going to have a baby!" he hollered toward everyone in his unit.

Cassie was relieved that he was happy, hoping that this would make him a better person and not be so violent anymore.

"Have you scheduled a doctor's appointment yet?" he asked.

"Not yet."

"Well, I'll be home in a few days. We can go together. We also need to consider me moving back into the house with you," he said.

"I agree." She sighed, dreadfully. She shuddered at the thought of him moving back in, but she didn't want to go through the pregnancy alone.

"Well, I need to hang up now. I love you, beautiful," he said.

"I love you, too."

Cassie sat back on the sofa, relieved that she finally had told him. She turned on the television, hoping to watch something funny as she needed a good laugh.

She fell asleep on the sofa, neglecting the sound of the alarm clock the next morning. She was already thirty-minutes late for work and was stressing.

After her shower, she pressed her uniform, and took off out the door. She had her car floored at ninety-five miles per hour, trying to make it to the base as quickly as possible in hopes that John would be late himself. He always was at least an hour late every day and hoped today would be the same.

She sped into the parking lot outside the hangar and noticed no sign of John's truck. She grabbed her purse and bolted straight through the double doors.

"Hey, Cass!" Petty Officer Alex Preston yelled. "Where's the fire?"

"Hey, Alex—I'm late. Has the Lieutenant Commander been in yet?" she asked, trying to catch her breath.

"Not yet. You're safe." He laughed.

She sat at her desk, getting herself situated. Five-minutes later, John arrived. "Good morning, Daniels," he said, placing his briefcase on his desk.

"Good morning, sir," she said, still breathing heavily from running, hoping that he didn't notice.

"You okay?" he asked, concerned by her edginess.

"I'm fine; you just startled me when you came in."

"Be more observant next time," he said, contemptuously. "We have some reservists coming here for their annual, two-week training. I need you to coordinate stuff for them to do."

"Yes, sir." Cassie was eager to start a project to get her mind off the pregnancy. Her job was very boring. Most of the time she was sneaking naps when John was in the hangar with the rest of the squadron.

***

Cassie made it home from work, jumped in the shower, and prepared a quick meal before her appointment with Lieutenant Vector.

"I wonder what freaky thing this dude is into?" she asked herself, eating her microwavable dinner as she sat on the sofa in front of the television.

Cassie waited anxiously; he was already fifteen-minutes late and she was beginning to wonder if he were going to show at all. She was at a loss on what to wear, but played it safe by wearing a black teddy, fishnet stockings, and black stiletto heels.

She heard a car pull up in the driveway and ran toward the window. Peeking through the blinds, she was hoping to get a good glimpse of the gentleman. He was dressed in a navy-blue pinstriped suit with a white button-down collared shirt, and a pink tie with flecks of silver. He was clean-cut and incredibly handsome, which made Cassie wonder if he were the lieutenant because he was dressed like an attorney, not a Naval officer, and reminded her of Dillon. Cassie waited to hear the sound of the doorbell chime before answering.

"Who is it?" she asked, her hand shaking slightly on the doorknob.

"It's Lieutenant Adam Vector, ma'am."

Cassie opened the door, exposing a bright smile. "Come in please. You can make yourself comfortable on the sofa. Can I bring you something to drink?" she asked, walking provocatively into the kitchen.

Adam couldn't take his eyes off the back of her fishnet covered legs. He already was gaining an erection and nothing even started yet. "If you have some bottled water, that would be nice," he said.

Cassie walked slowly toward the sofa, offering Adam a bottle of water with a chilled champagne glass. Casually, she sat beside him and grabbed the remote from the coffee table, turning off the television. "So, what do you like?" she asked, running her index finger through his soft, fine, light brown hair flirtatiously.

Adam appeared extremely apprehensive and Cassie could sense this probably was the first time he had ever had an encounter such as this. "Well, let me give you this first." He handed her a crumpled wad of cash.

Cassie placed it on the coffee table and continued with her conversation. "Are you going to tell me what you want me to do to you?"

"Um—well, I'm a little nervous. I've never done anything like this and I'm a little embarrassed to say anything," he stammered, his legs twitched slightly.

"Don't be nervous," she said, placing her hand on his. "I won't judge, I promise."

Adam reached into his pocket and pulled out a fistful of balloons as he looked shyly down at the floor from embarrassment. "I'm a looner," he spoke timidly.

"A looner?" she questioned. "What's a looner?"

"I have a balloon fetish. I get aroused when I watch a woman blow up balloons and I succumb to orgasm when they pop," he explained.

Cassie tried her best to maintain a straight face, but it was difficult for her not to laugh. "Well, if that's what you like, then I'll do it." She shrugged.

Cassie dropped to her knees and positioned herself between Adam's thighs. She grasped a blue balloon temptingly and stretched it a few times. Seductively, she placed it to her plump, pink lips and blew it up with her sultry, warm breath.

"Blow it up all the way," he urged. "Try not to let it pop, then tie it off. I don't want it to pop yet; I-I'm not ready to l-let loose," he whispered, nervously.

She blew the balloon to its maximum and tied it off. She tossed it into the air and it glided slowly to the floor. Adam's eyes were fixed on the balloon, he didn't care how sexy Cassie looked; he just wanted to watch that balloon gradually hit the floor.

Grabbing another balloon, Cassie lay down on the floor, her knees up so Adam could take a peek at her black, lacy panties. He didn't care; he only focused on the balloon in her hand. "Blow it up, Cass...what are you waiting for?" he asked, licking his lips, waiting anxiously for her warm breath to fill the balloon.

Cassie was surprised at how sudden his tone changed from shyness to demanding. He was determined to reach orgasm by looning. Cassie blew hard into the balloon. It reached its maximum pressure, which caused it to pop after she tossed it into the air. She could see Adam beginning to reach climax. "I'm so sorry! I didn't mean for it to burst," she said.

"It's okay. No woman has ever done this for me. It's a fantasy come true," he panted, still appearing extremely aroused.

"Okay, baby...do you think you can handle one more before letting loose?" she asked, stretching another balloon.

"I-I believe so. Let's tr-try," he stuttered, his heart pounding as he anticipated his moment of no return.

Cassie placed the balloon between her lips and blew into it slowly.

"Blow it up all the way. I'm ready. I need this so badly," he demanded.

The balloon filled finally to its maximum. She became nervous, confident that it was going to burst in her face.

He grabbed a paper towel from the coffee table and pulled his shaft from the zipper of his slacks. "Now, sit on it. I want your sweet ass to pop it!"

Cassie did as instructed and perched herself onto the balloon. With a quick thrust, the balloon popped beneath her crotch.

His hand stroked swiftly upon his hard erection, up and down, up and down, his hooded eyes rolled back as he whispered, "Oh my God—you don't know how bad I needed this. Fuck! It's amazing." He crumpled up the paper towel, rose from the sofa, and zipped up his slacks.

Cassie grabbed the remaining balloons and placed them in a bag for Adam. "Here are the rest of your balloons," she said, dangling the bag off her index finger.

"Thank you. I hope to see you when I'm in Sicily again." He grabbed his car keys off the counter. "What should I do with this?" he asked, showing his crumpled paper towel.

"Well, you have my number." She winked. She grabbed the paper towel and threw it in the trashcan and then sanitized her hands.

Cassie closed the door, shaking her head in disbelief, and then took a can of iced tea from the refrigerator. Checking her e-mail, she was pleasantly surprised to see an e-mail from Dillon:

______________________________

From: Dillon Baron

To: Cassie Daniels

Subject: Missing you, gorgeous...

How's my gorgeous gal? I sure miss you. It seems like forever since I last saw you. Life is the same here in California. Anything new with you except for the fact that I see your last name as Daniels on your e-mails, which is disheartening...

Dillon Baron

McGowen & Baron, LLP

26 Shoreline Blvd.

Mountain View, Ca. 94041

______________________________

From: Cassie Daniels

To: Dillon Baron

Subject: Re: Missing you, gorgeous...

Hi, Dillon, I miss you, too. Things are fine here in Italy. I sure do miss the states, though. I rarely go anywhere because I don't speak Italian. I do all of my shopping and dining on the Naval base. Maybe I will see you soon; I'm scheduled for review, so I may be transferred to the states. I'm requesting Moffett Federal Airfield.

Love,

Cassie

______________________________

Cassie closed her laptop and plopped herself onto the bed. She lay awake wondering why she told Dillon that she was going to request Moffett. Did she really want to go there? Wouldn't that make her life more complicated? She would be in an unhappy marriage with a baby and a possible lover on the side. She rolled over, drifting off to sleep, hoping to dream of her ultimate fantasy—her beloved Dillon.
Chapter Fifteen

Six weeks into Cassie's pregnancy, she was scheduled for her first obstetric appointment. She and Tudor arrived at the medical officer's clinic on base and sat patiently in the waiting room holding hands.

"The doctor will see you now," the nurse said, swinging open the door to the hallway that led to the examination rooms.

Cassie was instructed to put on a paper gown and sit on the exam table.

"Hi, I'm M.O. McNamara," the doctor said.

"Nice to meet you. I'm Cassie Daniels," she said. They shook hands.

"The only thing we need to do today is a sonogram. We'll see if we can see the amniotic sac and determine how far along you are," M.O. McNamara explained. The doctor placed a large amount of clear jelly on Cassie's abdomen and positioned the cold transducer on her stomach while he viewed the monitor that displayed the inside of Cassie's uterus.

"Hmm—that's odd," the doctor said, furrowing his brow.

"What's odd?" Cassie asked, propping herself up on her elbows.

"The size of your amniotic sac appears to be only three weeks along. When did you say you had your pregnancy test?" he asked.

"A few weeks ago, I think."

"What does that mean, sir?" Tudor asked.

"Well, I don't want to sound negative, but it appears you might have a spontaneous abortion in the next few days. It's a natural way that your body will rid itself of a pregnancy when the embryo isn't growing properly or there is something genetically wrong. I want to do a blood test, though. We can determine it when I monitor your HCG level."

Cassie sat upright, looking toward Tudor. She could sense his heart sinking. He was looking forward to the baby; however, she was a little worried ever since Tudor moved back in. Even though he didn't lay another violent hand on her, he had still been very aggressive with his words.

"Go ahead and get dressed; my nurse will draw some blood in a few minutes," the doctor instructed.

Cassie didn't even want to look Tudor in the eyes. She put on her clothes and stared down at the floor.

After waiting twenty-minutes for the blood test results, the doctor entered. "The gestational stage of your HCG level indicates only three weeks gestation. You need to come back here in two days so we can test your blood again. If your HCG level doubles, then you're okay. If not, we have to discuss a possible dilation and curettage," he explained.

"D&C?" she questioned.

"Let's not worry about that now. I want you to go home and rest until I see you in two days. I'll write you a chit to excuse you from work," the doctor said.

The journey home had been completely silent. Cassie didn't even turn on the radio; just stared blankly out the window until she arrived at her villa.

"Is there anything I can get you?" Tudor asked, covering her with a blanket on the sofa.

"No, I'm okay, but thank you. You can go ahead and go to work. I'll be okay."

Tudor kissed her gently on the forehead. He didn't know how to react. He didn't want to assume the worst, but he knew deep down that she was going to lose the baby.

Cassie turned on the television and ate a bowl of chicken soup. She had so many different emotions enveloping her; she didn't know how to take it all in. In a way, she was relieved that she might lose the baby; she didn't feel safe raising a child in the presence of Tudor. Although his demeanor improved, she knew that his attitude could change at the drop of a hat and it frightened her. She wasn't comfortable with him living with her and she often felt as though she had to walk on egg shells because she was worried that one, slight minor incident could trigger his anger. "Don't poke the bear," she muttered, beginning to crack a snide smile.

***

Later that night as she and Tudor lay sleeping in their bed; she felt a strange gush in her panties. She hurried to the bathroom and noticed thick blood clots in her underwear. She grabbed a panty liner from the bathroom closet, placed it in her panties, and went back to bed.

A few hours later, she felt a severe cramp in her abdomen. "Oh God—what's happening!" she cried out, writhing in pain, her hands clenching at her stomach.

Tudor sprung quickly from the bed and flipped on the light. "What's the matter, baby?" he asked, appearing extremely worried.

"My stomach is killing me!" she yelled, trying to breathe through the pain.

Tudor snatched the blankets off Cassie and noticed the blood soaked sheets. "Oh my God, Cassie! You're bleeding! I'm calling an ambulance!"

"No, don't call an ambulance. Just take me to the emergency room on base," she cried.

Tudor placed Cassie's flip flops on her feet, whisked her into his arms, and rushed toward his Audi.

Upon arrival at the hospital, Tudor hurried toward the triage desk. "My wife is bleeding severely and is having bad stomach cramps. She's pregnant!" he explained, trying to catch his breath and remain calm.

The triage nurse quickly grabbed a wheelchair and rushed Cassie to an exam room. The doctor administered a pelvic exam and told her that she was dilating. "I'm really sorry, Mrs. Daniels, but it appears that you are having a miscarriage," the doctor said.

Tudor's mouth dropped. "A miscarriage?" he questioned. "We were just at the obstetrician's office yesterday."

"What did the obstetrician say?" the doctor asked.

"He said that her HCG level was low and wanted her retested again in two more days."

"It's called a spontaneous abortion. There's nothing anyone could have done to prevent this. Something probably wasn't developing right, so the body decided to dispose of it naturally," the doctor explained. "Now, you can elect to have a dilation and curettage or you can let your body get rid of it naturally. If you choose to do it naturally, you can bleed for a few weeks."

"I don't want a D&C. I'll let nature run its course," Cassie responded, showing no emotion whatsoever.

"You can't have intercourse for at least six weeks," the doctor said, removing his rubber gloves.

"Yes, sir." Cassie removed her feet from the stirrups.

"I'm going to prescribe some medicine for pain. You are going to experience contractions and it's going to feel like actual labor for the next few days."

Cassie nodded.

"I will advise your commanding officer that you must be on bed rest for the next two weeks. You need to take it easy." The doctor finished writing in Cassie's chart before exiting the exam room.

Tudor wrapped his arms around Cassie. "I'm so sorry, baby...we can always try again, though," he said with tears filling his eyes.

Relieved, Cassie wanted Tudor to leave the room so she could shout out with glee. She wanted to try to show a little sympathy, but she just couldn't.

Cassie dressed in her pajamas, slipped on her flip flops as Tudor escorted her back to the car. The ride home was awkward. Tudor ever so lightly stroked Cassie's arm as he tried to express compassion for the ordeal that she was experiencing.

***

Two weeks slowly crept by, the bleeding and cramps subsided finally. Cassie arrived home from her first day back at work since the miscarriage and she began to prepare dinner. She made Tudor's favorite, chicken with yellow rice. She wanted to prepare him a nice dinner as a thank you for him being so supportive through her miscarriage. He waited on her hand-and-foot, made sure she was comfortable, and had everything she needed before he left for work each day.

Cassie glanced continuously at the clock, noticing how late it was becoming. Tudor was supposed to be home two hours prior and she was beginning to worry. She dialed his phone number with no response. Finally, she heard his Audi revving up the driveway.

"Hey, baby...I made your favorite; chicken with yellow rice," she said, expressing a smile when he walked through the front door.

"I'm not hungry. Go ahead and eat without me," he said, sliding out of his flight suit and boots.

"What's the matter?" she asked.

With a fierce, hard stare, he yelled, "None of your fucking business!"

She knew that stare all too well; knowing she was destined to be in total hell that evening. "I'm sorry. Did you want me to get you something to drink?"

"Leave me the hell alone!" he yelled, storming off into the bathroom, slamming the door, and starting the shower.

Frantically, Cassie grabbed her suitcase from the top of the closet and filled it quickly with her uniforms and civilian clothes. She wanted to rush out of the house before Tudor came out of the bathroom. Suddenly, she heard the water shut off. He opened the bathroom door. Tudor, standing in only a towel, saw Cassie taking her suitcase off the bed. "Where do you think you're going?" he asked, snatching the suitcase from her hands.

"You're obviously upset over something. I'm going to stay in a hotel so you can have some time to yourself and calm down," she explained, glancing down at the floor, afraid to see the anger in his eyes.

"The hell you are! You're staying right here!" He tossed her suitcase against the wall, grabbed her by the back of the hair, and forced her toward the floor.

"What in the hell is wrong with you?" she yelled as she tried to remove his clenched fist from her tangled hair.

"You! You're nothing but a piece of useless garbage—you trailer trash whore!" he yelled. "You can't even carry a baby in your body right! You're worthless!"

Cassie appeared confused with no idea what triggered his anger. She tried to stand erect, but her hair still remained wrapped around his fist, her head still held toward the floor. "You better let me go. I'm not going to put up with this shit anymore!" she said, trying her best to free herself all the while hearing the sound of her hair being slowly torn from its roots.

Tudor pulled back his hand. Cassie squint her eyes, knowing that he was going to hit her in the face. The extreme slap caused her to become even more enraged.

She shoved him forcefully away, but it angered him even more. He slammed her back against the wall. She held her head down, hoping that he wouldn't hit her in the face for a second time. Finally, she saw the opportunity and kneed him in the groin. She immediately grabbed her cell phone off the dresser and dialed 113. She yelled her address into the phone as she ran outside. She couldn't speak Italian so she prayed that the dispatcher could understand what she was saying.

Seeing Tudor's car sitting in the driveway, a wave of anger empowered her. She rushed toward his car and round-house kicked a huge dent above his gas tank.

Tudor hurried toward her. "What in the hell did you do to my car, you bitch!"

Two police vehicles sped quickly up the driveway. Cassie ran toward the cars distressed as ever. "He's hitting me—help me please!" she cried out.

Tudor walked casually toward the police cars still draped in a towel. "The bitch vandalized my car! Look at the dent!" he yelled, pointing at the damage.

"That dent was there! It's been there for months!" she lied, callously.

The police saw blood trickling down Cassie's face. The two officers handcuffed Tudor and seated him in the back of the squad car. Cassie and one of the officer's went back inside the house where she filled out a report. "We'll get in contact with his commanding officer and the Master at Arms. This man may not be allowed to ever come in contact with you again, ma'am," the police officer explained.

"Are you sure?" Cassie asked, hoping the officer was correct.

"As far as I know, the Navy doesn't take this kind of thing lightly. I predict they're going to slap a no-contact order against him and possibly send him off to a different base."

Cassie was relieved. She prayed that he would go away; she was tired of living in constant fear.
Chapter Sixteen

Six months later, Cassie finally received new orders to her dream destination, Moffett Federal Airfield in California. Tudor had a no-contact order placed upon him and was stationed at the Naval Air Station Oceana in Virginia Beach. He was demoted a pay grade because of the abuse and Cassie didn't hear from him at all after he had left. She vowed that as soon as she got back to the states; she would file for divorce. Her parents had no clue about anything that had happened and she didn't want to tell them until the divorce was final.

The DC-9 landed on the tarmac at Moffett. Cassie could see the three, large hangars from the runway and wondered which one she would be assigned to. She thought continuously of Dillon, but gradually lost contact with him during the previous six months. He had no clue that her next duty station was at Moffett. Because of his lack of contact, she assumed he possibly found someone to share his life with and continued on happily without her.

Cassie exited the plane and was immediately introduced to a female Naval air crewman. "Hi, my name is AW Libby, but you can call me Michelle," she said.

"Hi, I'm Daniels—Cassie Daniels," she said, shaking Michelle's hand.

"Let me show you where your squadron is." Michelle grabbed Cassie's luggage and escorted her off the runway.

The hangar was huge, gray, and black, and appeared to be extremely old. "This place is magnificent!" Cassie said, entering the double doors, gazing at how tall the building was.

"Yeah, this hangar is considered a historical national monument." Michelle, at age twenty-one was an attractive girl with blue eyes. She was five-foot, six inches tall and slim and reminded Cassie of Marilyn Monroe because of her short, bobbed hairstyle and platinum blonde hair.

"So, what type of work do you do here?" Cassie asked.

"I go over the mechanical aspects on the planes and make sure they're flight ready. I also have to wash them, which sucks!" She laughed. "The last few days, I've been stuck in the snack bar, though. You won't be doing any of that. You'll be working directly as Gandison's assistant. He's cool, and hot too if you know what I mean." Michelle winked.

"What's he like? I mean, is he a real dick to work for?" Cassie asked.

"Oh, no! Not at all. He's the sweetest man ever."

Cassie was relieved to hear that, but knew that he was as perverted as the rest of 'em.

"C'mon, I'll introduce you to him." Michelle grabbed Cassie's arm, leading her to his office. Cassie could see him through the glass door. He was sitting at his haze-gray metal desk, skimming over documents. He appeared very sophisticated in his service khaki uniform. His short, dark brown, wavy hair and slender physique was a little distracting because most of the officers she was accustomed to seeing were muscular.

"Hi, sir," Michelle said. "This is Cassie Daniels, your new assistant."

Gandison slowly approached Cassie with a smile beaming across his face. "Nice to meet you, Daniels."

Stunned by his height, Cassie was shocked that he towered over her by at least a foot-and-a-half. "Nice to meet you too, sir," Cassie said, saluting, staring up at him, still captivated by his height.

"At ease, Daniels. Libby, can you show Daniels where the Navy Lodge is?" Gandison asked.

"Sure, I'd be happy to."

Michelle led Cassie to her Ford F-150 pickup truck.

"Wow! I never expected you to drive a big truck like this," Cassie said, placing her luggage in the back.

"I love trucks. I'm a redneck from Florida," Michelle joked, slamming the tail gate shut.

"No way...me too! I'm from the Deland area, right outside of Orlando."

"I'm from Deland, too!" Michelle said, inserting the key into the ignition.

"My gosh! Small world, isn't it?"

"It sure is!"

They arrived at the Navy Lodge's parking lot that was located outside the base's main entrance. Cassie noticed a large number of town homes surrounding the area.

"That's where all the officers live who are stationed here. We have the Air Force, NASA, and Navy," Michelle said.

Cassie was already impressed by her new surroundings and couldn't wait to go off base to shop and eat some good American food that she missed while stationed in Italy. "Thank you so much for bringing me here," Cassie said, climbing from the cab of the truck. "I'll see you in a few days when I report for duty."

"I might come by tomorrow after work if you don't mind, and hang out. We can talk about our old hood," Michelle suggested.

"Sounds perfect! Here's my cell phone number. Call me when you're ready to stop by." Cassie handed Michelle a piece of scrap paper with her number scribbled on it.

Settling into her hotel room, Cassie ordered a pizza for dinner. Her car was scheduled to arrive within the next few days. She glanced through the phonebook and tried to find a taxi company. Dillon ran across her mind for a short moment. "I wonder how far away his law firm is..." Her mind wandered.

Cassie switched on the television and leaned back against the bed's headboard with a slice of pizza and a soda in hand.

"Get back here!" She heard loud voices in the hallway. It sounded as if a bunch of men were horsing around. She could hear them running constantly back and forth by her door.

She cracked open the door. "What's going on out here?" she asked, looking down the hallway.

"Oh—sorry, ma'am. We're just playing keep away," one of the men responded.

"Well, quit acting like children out here! There are people wanting to rest you know."

"So sorry, we'll take it outside. By the way, I'm Grant, this is Roman, and Leman," he said.

"Nice to meet you. Sorry about being such a bitch, but I'm extremely tired. I've had a long flight from Italy and I just want some peace and quiet." She yawned.

The three men seemed to be fresh out of boot camp. The immaturity of their actions wore on Cassie's nerves.

"That's alright, ma'am. We just arrived from Afghanistan yesterday. We thought that we would have a little fun since we got enough rest earlier today," Roman said.

"Wait!" Leman pointed at Cassie. "You're that chic! The one who rescued that other chic from the enemy in Afghanistan!" Leman hollered.

"Guilty as charged." She smiled, rolling her eyes.

"Wow—it's an honor to meet you! There wasn't a day that went by that we didn't talk about you," Grant said.

"I hope it was all good." She laughed.

"Oh believe me; no one ever said anything negative about you. We admire your courage! You fucking rock!" Leman exclaimed.

"Thank you, but if you don't mind, I would love to get some sleep," she said, slowly closing the door.

The three men wandered off to their rooms. Cassie didn't hear a peep out of them throughout the rest of the night.

***

With Cassie's birthday approaching, she fought with the decision of going back to Florida to visit her parents. She didn't like Florida at all; it only brought back memories of stripping and Randall's death. She often thought of Randall and how much different her life would be if he hadn't been killed. The devastation of losing him still haunted her and the only person who she ever came close to loving as much as Randall had been Dillon, but she knew that dream was long over.

Cassie phoned a taxi to pick her up from the hotel. She wanted to take a tour of places in her new town, so she put on a pair of tight, boot-cut jeans, a white ruffled top, and black Pigalle Christian Louboutin pumps. Because there wasn't a full length mirror anywhere to be found in her room, she stood on top of the counter in the bathroom, and looked at herself in the mirror above the sink. "Perfect!" she said, checking out her firm butt in the mirror.

As she waited for the taxi to arrive, she breathed in deeply and savored the clean, crisp air that felt so much different from Florida.

After fifteen minutes, the cab had arrived; Cassie sat in the backseat, and dug through her purse for a stick of gum. "Sir, I'm new here. What do you suggest I do first?" she asked over the headrest toward the driver.

He looked in his rearview mirror and smiled. "Might I suggest a stroll through downtown Mountain View. It's about a quarter-mile up the street."

"Sounds perfect!" she said, sitting back as they made their way onto Castro Street.

The driver parked at the curb and Cassie handed him a ten dollar bill, telling him to keep the change.

She loved all of the many independent book shops, bead shops, coffee shops, clothing boutiques, and restaurants and chose to go into a quaint, two-story bookstore on the corner. She paced up and down the rows of books and came across the erotica section. Hesitantly, she grabbed a book from the shelf, hoping no one was watching. She read the flap on the inside and was intrigued enough to purchase it.

After paying for the book, she went upstairs for a cup of coffee. Seated at a table near the window with her frozen cappuccino, she cracked open her book, took a swift glance out the window, and noticed a car parked on the street that looked awfully similar to Dillon's. She shook her head. "Nah, it can't be," she said. "But could it? How many people own a yellow Maserati Granturismo in the little town of Mountain View?" Cassie had been fixated on the car; she could feel her palms begin to sweat, and her heart begin to race. She had a gut feeling that it was Dillon and was extremely nervous. "Oh my God, what if he comes out of a store with another woman?" she asked herself. "That would just kill me!"

Three hours had passed with no sign of the man who owned the yellow Maserati. She couldn't believe how rapidly the time flew by when she had her nose crammed intently into a book. Tossing her cup in the trashcan, Cassie went outside. She was only a few feet from the Maserati and her legs felt like jelly. She could feel the perspiration through her shirt as she fanned herself with her new book. Suddenly, she came up with an idea. "I'll put a note on the car!" she said to herself, ripping out a blank page from the back her book. She reached into her Gucci purse and pulled out an ink pen. Her hand shook tremendously as she wrote.

Nice to see you in town. If you're interested in seeing me again, meet me at the book store across the street tomorrow morning at ten o'clock in the café upstairs.

From,

Gorgeous.

She didn't want to write too much just in case it wasn't Dillon, but she knew that if he did own that car, by signing her name as Gorgeous, he would know exactly who she was.

Taking a deep breath, she mustered up enough courage to walk toward the sleek, yellow Maserati. Slowly, glancing around to make certain no one was looking, she held up the windshield wiper cautiously, and slipped the note beneath it. "Whew! There! That's over." She sighed. She then walked toward a bread shop to grab a sandwich for lunch.

She sat at a table trying to focus on the book while she ate her sandwich, but couldn't stop thinking about the car parked on Castro Street. The butterflies in her stomach were making it very hard for her to recollect anything in the book. She was already on chapter ten and couldn't even remember chapter one.

Casually, Cassie strolled down the sidewalk, hoping Dillon might spot her. With no luck, she finally phoned a taxi to take her back to the Navy Lodge.

***

Later that evening, Michelle came to Cassie's room. They sat on the bed, discussing their old school, the clubs they used to frequent, and Randall's motorcycle accident.

"I remember that accident! It was tragic. I'm so sorry," Michelle said, sadly.

Cassie looked up through her long eyelashes. "It's okay. I'm over it now. It was traumatic at first, but got easier as the months pressed on. I'll always love him; he was my high school sweetheart...my first love."

"Any news on where you're going to live?" Michelle asked, trying to change the subject. She could sense Cassie had been saddened by the conversation.

Cassie shrugged her shoulders. "Not yet. I'll figure that out tomorrow, I suppose. I just can't wait for my car to get here. I hate relying on taxi cabs."

"When is it scheduled to arrive?"

"I'm hoping tomorrow."

"Well, the guys in the squadron and I go out on Friday nights to Clinks...we would love for you to join us this weekend."

That sounds great!" Cassie said. "What kind of place is it?"

"It's kind of like a sports bar-dance club type of thing. They offer free drinks for ladies on Friday nights, so we gals like to take advantage of that." She laughed.

"I love dancing, but I won't drink."

"Great! I guess I will see you Wednesday at work." Michelle stood from the bed, gathered her purse, and left the room.

***

The next morning, Cassie awakened and tried to figure out what she would wear downtown. She was hoping the yellow Maserati had been Dillon's; she wanted to see him badly, and the anticipation was getting the best of her. She swallowed a Xanax she had left over from an old prescription. Even though she knew the medication had expired, she had hoped it still worked.

The taxi dropped her off at the same spot as the day before. She paid the driver ten dollars and went to the book shop. As she walked slowly upstairs toward the café, she could feel her knees weaken from nervousness. Once she approached the top of the stairs, she skimmed the café and saw no sign of Dillon, whatsoever. She ordered a frozen cappuccino and sat down at the same table as before...near the window, so she could see the cars on the street.

Seeing no hint of the yellow Maserati, Cassie's heart sank. She anticipated seeing Dillon, but after forty-five minutes of no sign of him, she knew that the car must not have been his, or if it were, he was either dating or married to someone else, and had no interest in her anymore.

Cassie threw her empty coffee cup into the trashcan and went downstairs to the erotica aisle. She loved reading erotic novels and always acquired the best ideas from them for her side business. She saw the spine of a book on the bottom shelf that caught her attention. As she bent down to retrieve it, she saw a pair of dark brown Johnston and Murphy McPherson wingtip shoes. Her heart fluttered, she took a deep breath; her hands trembled. Slowly, she rose and saw Dillon standing in front of her all lawyered up in his executive, black Gucci pin-stripe suit with a red tie.

Immediately, without thinking, Cassie wrapped her arms around him. She could feel the strength of his arms wrap around her as he hugged her tightly. She buried her head in his splendid chest where she felt safe, a feeling that she didn't want to lose. She breathed in deeply, savoring the scent of his Annick Goutal cologne, and her tears flowed freely down her cheeks.

Dillon grabbed Cassie by her elbows and took a step back. Curling his index finger underneath her chin, he guided her face to look at his. "Hi there, gorgeous," he whispered, smiling sinfully, brushing her bangs from her forehead, where he planted a gentle kiss. "Don't cry, baby." He took his handkerchief from his front pocket and lightly dabbed her face.

Cassie pulled herself into him, hugging him even more tightly. "I missed you so much! Oh my God, I can't believe you came here to meet me." She smiled. "Look at how sexy you look! All lawyered up just the way I like it." She laughed, her tears subsiding.

He nuzzled his nose at the top of her hair, taking in the scent of her familiar shampoo. "Lawyered up?" he questioned.

"Yeah...lawyered up. It's the way I describe you when you're executive looking." She smiled.

"You're so damn cute! God, I miss that! How long are you in town for?" he asked, escorting her upstairs to the café, and ordering himself a latte.

"I'm here until my enlistment is over."

Dillon pulled out a chair, inviting her to sit. "Really?" he questioned. "This is quite a nice surprise. Where is your husband?" Dillon covertly rolled his eyes.

"We are in the process of a divorce right now."

He raised his eyebrows and cracked a slight, pleasing grin. "What happened if you don't mind me asking?" He took a sip of his latte, totally engulfed in what she had to say, secretly excited that her marriage failed just as he predicted it would.

Cassie looked down at her knotted fingers in her lap and sighed, dreadfully. "He was terribly abusive. My miscarriage was the straw that broke the camel's back. But let's not talk about that now," she said, hoping to change the subject.

"Miscarriage? You were going to have a baby with him?"

"He was my husband, Dillon."

"I realize that. I just didn't expect you to become pregnant so soon."

Cassie relaxed back in her chair and crossed her legs with a massive grin from ear-to-ear. "Are you seeing anyone?" She prayed he said no.

"Nope," he said, proudly. "I have no desire."

Cassie's subconscious did cartwheels. "Really? I'm surprised women aren't throwing themselves at you. You're so ridiculously handsome in that suit!" She giggled, flirtatiously.

"Where are you staying?" he asked, staring at her, entranced by her words.

"Right now, I'm at the Navy Lodge. I was planning on looking for a place this afternoon," she said, sliding her foot playfully up Dillon's pant leg.

"Stop," he muttered under his breath. "People will see you."

"I don't care." She winked sinfully, wanting him terribly.

Dillon glanced at his watch. "Damn! I have to be in court in a half-hour. Can I come by your hotel room tonight?"

"Please do. I'm in room 105 at the Navy Lodge."

Dillon rose from the table, bent down, and kissed Cassie softly on the top of her hair. "See you later, gorgeous."

Cassie's heart felt as though it skipped a beat. "Okay, I'm looking forward to it."

Cassie sat at the table for a few minutes after he had left, but didn't see Dillon's car outside, which she assumed he probably parked around the back of the building. Finally, a sense of calmness washed over her. After all the sadness from death, rape, and abuse from her past, she believed it was her time finally to be happy, but she knew that Dillon eventually would ask her about the prostitution she told him about when he stormed off in Italy. She almost forgot about it, but perhaps Moffett would be different; maybe no one would demand her to do such awful things anymore.

Cassie received a call from the towing company. Her car was scheduled for delivery at the Navy Lodge that afternoon. She quickly grabbed her purse off the table and left in the cab toward the hotel.

Upon her arrival, she saw the tow truck in the parking lot that was releasing her car. Cassie tipped the driver a hundred dollars and rushed to her hotel room.

She jumped in the shower, shaving almost all the hair off her body. She wanted to be at her absolute smoothest when Dillon saw her that evening. Rubbing on his favorite Chanel Mademoiselle lotion; her intention was to drive him wild. She missed making love to him and longed to feel him close to her again. It was indescribable how he made her feel. When they made love, she had an electrifying feeling rush through her entire body because of his control, which she had never experienced with anyone else.

Cassie dressed in a pair of pink capri's with a white fitted t-shirt. She wanted to be casual and comfortable when Dillon arrived. The time felt as though it had been dragging on forever. She knew court couldn't last beyond five o'clock and she predicted Dillon would be arriving almost any minute.

Finally, Cassie heard a knock at the door. Nervous, she looked through the peep hole, and saw his lawyered up self on the other side. She opened the door eagerly and leapt into his tight embrace. Wrapping her legs around his waist, he carried her to the bed and softly leaned her back, he on top, and touched his soft lips to hers. She had hoped he would take it further, but they kissed only for a few minutes before he started a serious conversation. "Okay...okay, Cass, we need to talk before we go any further," he said, lifting himself from above her.

Cassie sat up and dangled her legs off the edge of the bed. "What is it?" she asked. But she knew, assuming it was regarding the prostitution comment back in Italy.

"What you told me in Italy crushed me. I hated you for days. Please explain to me what you meant when you said you were a prostitute."

Cassie cleared her throat, extremely nervous that this could be the end of her and Dillon once and for all. "Um—well, I want to be honest with you. After all, you deserve that after everything you've done for me." Cassie turned away, staring toward the wall. She couldn't bear looking him in the eye. "It all started back on the aircraft carrier. The captain dared me to punch him in the face for a hundred dollars. When I did, he wanted me to do it all the time. He began paying me hundreds of dollars to beat him up; the other officers began getting involved when the captain told them of what I did. It became out of control, there was absolutely nothing I could do about it. Before long, word got out to where I was stationed. I had to play a dominatrix to almost every superior in the Navy I came in contact with; mostly officers. It's a secret society type of thing. I'm so ashamed, Dillon," she explained. Humiliated, her hands trembled out of control. She hoped that he didn't notice.

Dillon's jaw dropped. "I can't believe this. Are you serious? Those men are like pimps! They should be ashamed of themselves!" he said, hanging his head in doubt with his elbows on his knees, his hands cupped at the nape of his neck.

"That's not the worst part."

He unclasped his hands and looked up. The look upon his face was desolate, but she knew that she had to continue. "I recruited other women and they participated as well." Cassie doubled over. "I feel like I'm going to be sick..."

Dillon curled his arm around her. "Did you report it?"

"I couldn't. I was told whatever happens on Det or sea stays there. I wasn't allowed to say anything in fear of my life," she explained, confounded. "And, I couldn't jump the chain of command and report it."

"So, it's the typical what happens on Det stays on Det type of thing?" he asked. "Did you have sex with any of these men?" He looked up at the ceiling. "God Please tell me that you didn't." Then he focused his eyes on her, appearing disgraced by her story.

"Not at all. I just fulfilled their fetishes. I never had sex with any of them, but I do feel like a slut. They got off on what I did to them. That's why I consider myself a whore. I'm giving them sexual gratification and getting paid for it!" she cried, pulling away from him, burying her face into her pillow, humiliated.

"Are you doing this shit here?"

"Not yet," she said, lifting her head from the pillow as tears streamed down her face.

"What do you mean, not yet?" His tone became stern.

"I won't know until I report for duty. Eventually, I'll run into someone asking me about it, I just know it."

"There must be a way to get you out of this mess. I'm going to figure something out. You can't live like this. My God, aren't you messed up in the head at all?"

Cassie chuckled slightly. "Not really. I go to a counselor on a monthly basis and told I'm fine."

"Have you told the counselor about this?"

"No, I could never say anything about it, but I assure you, I'm fine. I'm no psycho."

"Now, let's discuss your recent divorce. So, you were abused?"

"Sadly yes, I was. It was a horrible nightmare. He reminded me of Doctor Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. His anger would flip on and off like a light switch."

Dillon pulled Cassie into his chest, held her firm against him, and stroked her long, blonde hair. "I'm so sorry, baby. I knew I should've stayed in Italy. Something in my gut was telling me something wasn't right," he said, shaking his head, his nose nuzzling the top of her hair. "Do your parents know?"

She pulled away as her eyes bulged at the thought. "No, they have no clue. They still think I'm with Tudor. I'm too embarrassed to tell them."

"Oh, baby." He took in a deep sigh. "How bad did he hurt you, Cassie?"

"Well, I think I physically hurt him more than he hurt me, but it was self-defense. He could only take me down when he would knock me unconscious when I least expected it." She bit the bottom of her lip. "But he would hit me mostly in my back so the bruising wouldn't be visible or he would slam me into walls and such. The last time he beat me was right after my miscarriage. I never saw him after that."

"How do you plan on filing for divorce if you never see him?" Dillon wondered.

"Because we married in Florida, I can request the paperwork from the courthouse. I'll sign my copies and have a notary acknowledge them, and then mail the paperwork to Tudor and request him to do the same. As soon as I receive the signed paperwork, I will send them to Florida and wait for my hearing. Only one of us need to be present. It's that simple," she explained.

"How can you be certain he'll sign the papers?"

"Oh, he'll sign them," she said sounding confident. "His commanding officer in Virginia is aware of exactly what's going on with us. Trust me, he'll sign."

Cassie walked toward the kitchenette and took a soda from the refrigerator. She didn't know how to react to all of Dillon's questions, but she could understand his concern. The news she had just revealed to him probably made a huge difference in the way that he felt about her, but she prayed that nothing had changed.

Dillon reclined back on the bed, his arms folded behind his head, as he casually crossed his feet. "Move in with me."

Cassie stared longingly at his strong, lean body lying across her bed. She wanted to pounce on top of him, but had been reluctant because she wasn't quite sure of his feelings.

"You want me to move in with you?" she questioned. "After what I had just told to you, you want me to move in with you? You must be joking."

"Yeah, why not?" He smiled, confident she would say yes.

She leaned back against the dresser, still staring at his gorgeous body, and crossed her arms in front of her chest. "I guess I could." She shrugged, appearing a tad hesitant. "Do you want me to come over after work tomorrow?"

"Sure, I'll meet you here around five o'clock. You can follow me to my house. It's only a few minutes up the street," he explained. "But, I need to go for now because I have a brief that I need to prepare." He stood and walked toward the door. Adoringly, Dillon kissed Cassie on the forehead, and hugged her goodbye. "Goodnight, gorgeous. I'll see you tomorrow." He smiled, staring into her beautiful, blue eyes, and took in a long sigh. With that, the door closed behind him.

Cassie sat on the edge of the bed, dumbfounded. Not sure how he could still want her, let alone, ask her to move in with him. After cheating on him, marrying another man, and revealing her whorific nightmare, he still loved her?
Chapter Seventeen

Cassie's first day in her new office at Moffett was uneventful; she had been briefed over policies, detachments, and the detailed descriptions of her duty assignment. She was told that she would be on two detachments every other month on a C-130 cargo plane that flies to Alaska and possibly Japan.

Speeding through the streets, exiting the base, Cassie went back to the Navy Lodge. She knew the strict rules against speeding on base, but she didn't care; she had been too excited and wanted to get her stuff together and see Dillon.

She placed her luggage on the bed and began loading it with clothes and shoes. She knew Dillon was scheduled to arrive soon; her heart raced from intense excitement. She wondered what kind of house he lived in and how it was decorated, assuming it was a small, one-bedroom home that resembled a bachelor pad. Even though she knew that he was wealthy, she suspected that his way of living was that of a minimalist.

Cassie heard the roar of the Maserati's engine approaching the parking lot of the Navy Lodge. The sound was different from any other car she had ever heard; very distinct. Her pulse rippling intensely, Cassie rushed to the window, and peeked through the blinds. Sophisticatedly dressed in a dark gray suit with a silver tie and appearing as handsome as ever, Dillon stepped from his hot, yellow sports car. Cassie's heart melted, wanting to pull him into her hotel room by his tie, and rip that dashing suit from his hot, indulgent body.

Hearing his gentle tap on the door, Cassie grabbed her luggage, and met Dillon in the hallway. He pulled her close and kissed her passionately on her soft, sultry lips. "I missed you so much last night. I couldn't sleep at all," he whispered with a boyish grin.

"I thought about you every second. You should've called." She smiled. "I need to take the hotel key to the front desk. I'll meet you in the parking lot."

"Okay, gorgeous. I'll see you in a few minutes."

Dillon loaded her luggage into the trunk of his car and waited for her to meet him outside. His heart raced, a sheepish grin plastered on his face, and his hands shook nervously from the excitement of Cassie back in his life.

Finally, he saw her slender, petite body come around the corner toward the car.

"You're so beautiful, but I bet you get sick of hearing that all the time."

"Thank you, but no I don't." She grinned, sensing his delirium. Cassie slid into the driver's seat of her Porsche and followed closely behind Dillon. Her nerves were on overdrive; her legs shook from the anticipation of seeing Dillon's house and being alone with him. She thought that she may need to pull over to calm herself.

They proceeded to El Camino Real and drove north toward Los Altos. They steered right off the main road and headed down a narrow, shaded street. Cassie couldn't believe the homes in the neighborhood; huge mansions like those you would see in Beverly Hills. They took a side street with an electric gate that displayed a sign indicating a private drive. Majestic trees overlapped one another as if they were driving through a tunnel. At the end of the shady, private street, Cassie spotted the most beautiful mansion in the neighborhood; a contemporary style white home that had been nearly fifteen-thousand square feet. She was speechless and a bit fascinated.

She and Dillon parked their cars on the circular driveway. He grabbed her luggage from his trunk and gently escorted her by the arm; leading her up the steps to the tall, glass double doors. "After you, gorgeous," he spoke nervously, opening the door, welcoming her into his beautiful home.

Cassie's mouth gaped open in awe as they stood in the rotunda foyer. "It's absolutely stunning!" The mansion had an open floor plan with floor-to-ceiling window walls, people could see outside, but no one could see in. The gathering room had its own courtyard with a tranquil garden that was strategically placed in the center with trickling waterfalls that were masterfully placed within a pristine, white stone wall. The elegant white, marble spiral staircase trailed to a catwalk, which led to several rooms on the second floor. "I feel like if I touch anything, I'll get it dirty." She looked up, smiling at him in awe.

"Don't be silly!" he said, placing her luggage on the alabaster, marble tile floor.

"You sure like white, don't you?" she asked, nervously swallowing around the lump in her throat.

"How can you tell?"

"I never imagined you owning a place like this. I pictured you as an apartment guy," she said. "Why do you need a house this big for, anyway?"

"I think ahead, Cassie. I plan on filling it with a gorgeous wife and lots of babies." He winked.

Cassie, a little embarrassed about the comment, but she shrugged it off. "So, where do you want me to put my things?"

"Follow me." He escorted her eagerly up the white, marble spiral staircase.

When they reached the top of the stairs, he led her at the end of a long hallway to a room that had been closed off by two ornate, double doors. He swung open the doors and allowed her to walk in before him like the gentleman he was.

"This is my room?" she asked.

"No." He grabbed her by the waist, forcing a passionate kiss on her soft, pink lips. "This is our room." Cassie could feel his lips quiver upon hers, sensing his excitability.

The bed was enormous and had been draped in white, satin décor.

"I'll go snow blind in this house," she joked.

He tilted his head back and laughed. "Ah, nonsense!" He shrugged off his suit jacket and tossed it to the floor. Scooping Cassie into his strong arms, Dillon carried her to the bed, and placed her head gently on the thick, feathery pillow. Her body sunk into the large, soft mattress. He planted a kiss on her forehead and trailed his way to her soft, sultry lips. His nervousness began to wear off as his breathing grew heavy. "I love you. I've missed you so much. I'm so glad you're back in my arms again, baby." His lips hovered above hers; his head resting on her forehead as he gazed sincerely into her blue eyes.

"I love you, too," she replied, breathless, anticipating his next move. Wanting him badly, Cassie yearned for this very moment, desiring to feel him inside her again; the nervous sexual strain intensifying. "I want you—no—I need you so badly," she whispered.

He displayed a devilish grin. "I know you do. I want you to beg for it, baby." He nibbled her earlobe, placing gentle kisses at the front of her neck, near her throat, well aware that was the spot that drove her crazy. She moaned passionately, knowing his intentions were to drive her wild, hoping that she would beg him to take her.

"Stop teasing me," she whispered, attempting to unbutton his shirt.

Dillon pulled away and sat up on his knees in between Cassie's thighs. "Beg, baby. Beg for me to fuck you," he demanded, wickedly.

Her pulse surged rapidly through her veins, making her weak. "Baby, please don't make me beg. I don't have the strength. You make me powerless. I need you now, inside me, please, baby. Please, don't tease me." She lifted herself up and attempted to unbutton his shirt. Thankfully, he didn't back away and he allowed her to slide his collared shirt from his shoulders. Noticing his pecs were much tighter and larger than before, Cassie traced her moistened tongue alongside the surface of his muscular bicep; he could feel the heat of her breath against his flesh. She lay back; he was above her, shirtless, wearing only gray slacks. She extended her arm, unbuckling his belt, and pushed his slacks down to his thighs. He stood and kicked off his pants. Only exposed in his black, boxer briefs, Dillon drove Cassie wild with desire.

Dillon climbed back onto the bed. Slowly unbuttoning Cassie's blouse, he unveiled her black, lacy covered breasts, and passionately kissed her cleavage. He unsnapped Cassie's slacks and slid them from her tanned, narrow hips, and was mesmerized by her black, lacy bra and matching panties. "My God, you're more gorgeous than the last time I saw you." He panted, lustfully. "I thought that could be impossible," he whispered. Dillon teasing; gently placed his fingers along the outer edge of her lacy panties. She longed desperately for his touch; her thighs tingled from the piercing, sexual taunting.

"I want you so bad," she begged; her legs shaking, her breathing soft but deep, her body perspiring from the intense teasing of Dillon's touch.

"I know you do, baby. How bad do you want to feel me inside you?" he provoked, flirtatiously.

"I need you now," she demanded, wrapping her legs around his back, attempting to force his hard, thick, monstrous shaft up against her.

Dillon unclenched her legs from around his waist and sat up. "Not yet. I want to savor every inch of you," he said, trailing his tongue down to her flat, wet, dewy stomach. "I can't get enough of the sweet taste of your skin," he whispered. The impassioned teasing caused tiny beads of perspiration to form on her chest. She knew that this was Dillon's thing, she missed it immensely. With one hand, he bound her wrists in his grasp above her head and plunged his shaft deep inside her. Cassie moaned joyfully and shifted her pelvis into him. Dillon forced his chest against hers; his heart pounded faster and harder with each thrust. Squeezing her legs around his back, she held him deep inside her until she reached climax. Moments later, she finally felt the warm liquid escape from his sexually satisfied body that filled her tight, gripping sheath. He rolled over, exhausted, spooning Cassie and kissing the nape of her neck. "I missed the scent of your skin, the smell of your hair, and the taste of your kiss."

Cassie clutched Dillon's hand and pressed it against her heart. She felt a sense of security, feeling as if she were finally home, where she should be, safely wrapped in his arms.

***

Dillon leaned over the bed and kissed Cassie on the cheek. "I'm off to the office. I'll see you this evening," he said, adjusting his tie while looking in the mirror.

"I love you." She yawned, stretching with a heap of soft blankets covering her nude body.

"I love you too, gorgeous. God! You make me so happy. I'm so glad you're finally back in my life." He smiled, shrugging on his suit coat before closing the bedroom door behind him.

Cassie wasn't scheduled to arrive to work for a few hours. She slipped on her satin robe and tip-toed downstairs for coffee.

She went into the enormous chef's kitchen that had white, marble countertops and a marble floor. The monstrous house reminded Cassie of a museum, everything was entirely white and clean.

After pouring her coffee, she walked through the downstairs portion of the house, through the French doors that led outside, and found a huge infinity edge swimming pool in the backyard. She went outside still dressed in her satin robe, and sat alongside the edge of the pool with her feet dangling in the water. She saw an outdoor fireplace and a formal bar. The view of the Bay was spectacular, believing it too good to be true, still not knowing why Dillon needed such a big home.

A small, frail, pale elderly woman approached. "Good morning, ma'am," the delicate soft voice whispered. "I'm Maxine, the live-in housekeeper."

"Live-in housekeeper?" Cassie questioned. "Where are your living quarters located?"

"In that house over that hill." Maxine pointed toward the west side of the tennis court. The guesthouse was a tall, narrow, A-frame, three story building that looked like a doll house.

"Oh, I see. So nice to meet you. I'm Cassie."

"I know all about you. Mr. Baron speaks of you quite frequently." She smiled.

"I hope it's all good." Cassie giggled.

"Indeed it is." Maxine winked. "Well, if you would excuse me, Miss Littleton, I must prepare for my duties. I just wanted to stop by and introduce myself."

Cassie realized that Dillon didn't inform Maxine of her marriage to Tudor because the housekeeper called her by her maiden name. Cassie couldn't wait to reclaim her maiden name after the divorce. Tudor was such a bad memory; she wanted to erase everything about him from her life.

Cassie stood along the edge of the pool, bent down, and grabbed her empty coffee cup. She entered the kitchen and noticed Maxine loading dishes into the dishwasher.

"Oh, shoot!" Cassie snapped her fingers, remembering her things from Italy were scheduled to arrive that day.

"What's the matter, ma'am?" Maxine asked.

"You can just call me Cassie. Would you mind doing me a wee little favor?" she asked.

"Sure, not all."

"If I contact the shipping company that's scheduled to deliver my items to the base today and request to have them reverted here, can you sign for them?"

"I sure will. Don't worry about a thing; I will take care of everything. Now you get upstairs and get ready for work."

Cassie rushed upstairs and noticed several closed doors on each side of the hallway that led to Dillon's master suite. Opening one door, she was shocked to see a bowling alley. Another door revealed a media room, and another, a weight room. The other entrances were of more bedrooms. She counted eight bedrooms throughout the entire mansion. The bedrooms on the ground floor had double French doors that led to a courtyard garden. The mansion had been like a maze and she thought that she would never figure her way around it.

***

Cassie sped to the hangar in her Porsche and arrived at her office. Seeing her commanding officer buried in paperwork and appearing somewhat frustrated, she knew something wasn't right.

"Is there anything I can help you with, sir?" she asked, locking her military issue, patent leather black purse in the file cabinet.

"Can you proof these forms?" he asked, handing her a stack of papers.

"Sure. Sir, is everything alright? You seem a bit disheveled."

Gandison shook his head. "No, I'm okay. Just dealing with a deadline is all. So, are you going to Clinks with us tomorrow night?" he asked.

"Shoot! I forgot about that. I'll ask my boyfriend if he wants to go. I'd love to join everyone. It sounds fun."

She could hear Gandison beginning to giggle. It became louder and more obvious.

"What's so funny?" she asked.

"Oh, it's nothing." He smiled, shrugging his shoulders.

"Ha! Don't tell me that. What is it?"

"I'm too embarrassed to bring it up." He tried hiding his laughter by covering his mouth.

Cassie thought that she knew why he was laughing, predicting he must be aware of what she does, and he was just too shy to bring it up.

Cassie spun her chair around and faced Gandison. "Let me guess...you want a session?" she asked.

Gandison cleared his throat. "Well, since you brought it up..." he said, appearing embarrassed.

Cassie tilted her head back, rolled her eyes, and sighed. "Oh God, what do you want?"

"Well, I'm told you fulfill fetish requests. I have a doozey."

"Trust me, I don't think anything can top what I've done in the past," she joked.

"I like to be caned." His cheeks flushed red.

"Caned? What in the hell does that mean?" she asked, trying not to laugh.

"I want to be whipped with a cane," he explained, trying to avoid seeing her expression.

Cassie was intrigued. The thought of whipping someone with a cane never crossed her mind, but she loved the chance to beat the hell out of a pervert.

"Well, we can't do it at my place." She tapped her ink pen anxiously to her desk. "We'll have to do it at your place," she said, trying to collect her thoughts from the bazaar request.

"How's lunchtime? I live in those townhouses on base, the ones on the left before the security checkpoint."

"Sounds good to me," Cassie said, relieved it wouldn't interfere with her time with Dillon. She didn't want to do anything of this nature after work in fear that Dillon would discover what she was still up to. If she could do this sort of thing during the day, he wouldn't suspect a thing.

Gandison wrote down his address on a post-it note and gave Cassie a one-hundred dollar bill. She quickly stuck it in her purse.

The clock struck noon. She saw Gandison grab his car keys and leave the hangar. She knew what she had to do and was a little excited about it. Standing, taking a deep breath, Cassie grabbed her keys, hopped in her Porsche, and sped off toward his townhouse.

As she drove through the neighborhood, she noticed that the townhouses all resembled one another. Finally, she spotted Gandison's address and quickly slammed on her brakes before she missed it.

Cassie stepped from her car, glanced around hoping no one would notice her, and knocked timidly on the door.

Opening the door, Gandison excitedly invited her inside. "Can I get you anything to drink?" he asked, only a towel draped around his waist.

"If you h-have some b-bottled water, that would be fine," she stammered, too shy to look toward him.

He grabbed a bottle of water from the refrigerator and tossed it across the room in her direction. "Now...let's get started." He winked. Opening the closet next to the front door, he pulled out a wooden cane. He placed it gently in Cassie's hands with a big smile gleaming across his face.

Cassie swallowed hard, afraid; terrified that she would bruise his body with it. "How gentle do you want me to be?" she asked, confused, her hands quaked.

"Hold nothing back...just don't hit me in the face." Gandison bent over the arm of the living room sofa and closed his eyes tightly. Cassie tapped the back of his thigh lightly. He didn't seem to mind; his body reacted as if he wanted her to hit him harder. Cassie traced the cane behind his thigh and alongside his back. Drawing back the cane, she lashed him across the back of his shoulder.

His body jerked and he threw back his head. "Ah, yes—more please!" he demanded, squinting his eyes anticipating yet another smack.

Cassie clenched the cane like a baseball bat and struck him in the back of his ribs. He collapsed to the floor, laughing uncontrollably, curled up in a fetal position. "Ha! My God, it hurts so fucking good!" He boasted.

She drew back, whacking him across his chest. He couldn't stop laughing as though he couldn't control it. Finally, she wanted to make the last whack one that would make him let loose. Tightly, she grasped the long shaft of the cane and smacked it against the front of his thighs. She could tell that he was in pure ecstasy, and she was relieved that her job finally was over. She dropped the cane to the floor next to him. "I'll see you back at the office."

***

There was total silence back at the office. Neither Cassie nor Gandison wanted to speak of what had occurred. Gandison seemed utterly embarrassed and in extreme pain.

Michelle entered the office to ask Gandison for more money for the cash register in the snack bar and saw Cassie. "Hey, Cass...are we still on for Clinks tomorrow night?" Michelle asked, counting the money Gandison had handed her.

"Well, I'm going to discuss it with my boyfriend tonight."

"You have a boyfriend here?" she questioned. "What's his name?"

"Dillon."

"Dillon who?"

"Dillon Baron." A smiled beamed on her face every time she spoke of his name.

Michelle's jaw dropped and she gazed in Gandison's direction to see his reaction. "Dillon Baron?" Michelle questioned in utter shock. "Thee Dillon Baron...who lives here in Mountain View?"

"Um—yes, but it's Los Altos actually. Why do you ask?" Cassie appeared confused at how strangely the two were acting.

"The dude who drives a yellow Maserati? That Dillon Baron?" Michelle repeated.

"Yes—Why?"

"Oh, it's nothing—just that he's California's wealthiest eligible bachelor is all." Michelle shrugged, nonchalantly.

Cassie laughed. "He's just a partner for a law firm."

"Ha! Just a partner my ass! He owns one of the most successful well know wineries in Napa Valley—maybe even throughout the world!" Gandison said.

"Yeah, right!" Cassie rolled her eyes.

"You've never Googled his name?" he asked. "You've never heard of Baron's Vineyard? Hell, his label can be found everywhere! His wine has been number one on Wine Spectator's Top One Hundred Wines for the past ten years!"

"No, I am not a wine connoisseur. I don't know about that sort of thing." Cassie blushed, embarrassed that she wasn't aware of who Dillon actually was.

Gandison sat in his chair, crossing his feet atop his desk, shaking his head back and forth.

"What are you shaking your head for, sir?" Cassie asked.

"I'm just amazed is all. Gorgeous women throw themselves at that dude and he never gives them the time of day, and you're living with him?"

"Are you insinuating that I'm not as gorgeous as the others?"

"Not at all. You're more beautiful than they are; I'm just confused at your age—wondering why he would want someone so young and immature when he can have someone well-established of his own age."

"Immature? Why do you assume I'm immature?"

"You're in your early twenties; I know how immature twenty-year olds act. Hell—I could bang almost any twenty-year old on base if I wanted. They're all gullible—yearning to be with a superior. Hell, I could be a fat ole fart and those young twats would still want to screw me!" He laughed. "It's all because of this." He pointed at his stripes upon his sleeve. "They feel a sense of accomplishment when they bang someone of high ranking. When they reach their thirties, that's when they come down to reality and settle down."

"Well, it seems Dillon has some explaining to do when I get home tonight." Cassie chuckled.

Cassie was confused why he never told her about his winery. Maybe he didn't want her to think he was that wealthy. She didn't care about his money; she still had her four-hundred grand sitting in the bank, untouched.

***

Cassie drove up the long, shady trail to the house she now shared with Dillon. She parked along the circular driveway and hurried up the steps to the front entrance. "Hello," her voice echoed throughout the house, hoping Dillon had already arrived. No Dillon, so Cassie wandered upstairs to the bedroom and slipped into a hot bath in the humongous whirlpool garden tub. She noticed Dillon's soaps and shower gels alongside the edge. Opening a bottle of his shampoo, she longingly took in the scent. "Ah, it smells just like my baby," she said.

Cassie traced her steps downstairs to the kitchen and saw that the boxes of her clothes and other items had arrived finally from Italy. She had no clue where to place her things and didn't want to start taking over Dillon's closet.

Hearing the engine of Dillon's Maserati idling toward the circular driveway, her heart fluttered with the anticipation of seeing him. She was incredibly nervous but in a good way.

"Hello there, gorgeous!" he said, setting his briefcase to the floor, rushing toward her with open arms. "I've missed you!" He hugged her, kissing her forehead.

"I've missed you, too." She smiled, delightfully.

"I'm taking you out to dinner tonight. There's this nice little restaurant in downtown Los Altos I'd like you to try." He lightly brushed her bangs from her blue eyes with his index finger.

"That sounds fabulous. What should I wear?"

"I guess a black dress would work, but wait!" He tapped his finger against his cheek as if in heavy thought. "Wear those sexy, glitter, five-inch strappy sandals I love so much."

"Where can I put those boxes?" she asked, pointing toward the kitchen.

"I'll take them upstairs for you." He loaded one of the boxes into his arms.

Cassie followed him upstairs; he placed the box in front of a French style double door that was inside the bedroom. Slowly, he opened the door and her jaw practically hit the floor. "Oh my God! I have never seen a closet so huge in my entire life!" she exclaimed.

"Fit for a princess, like you," he said, kissing the front of her hand, kneeling playfully before her like a prince.

Cassie entered the closet; it was as large as an average studio apartment in New York City. She began hanging her dresses and placing her shoes on the shoe racks. She found her little black dress and silver heels Dillon suggested that she wear to dinner. He left the bathroom door ajar; she could see him showering, and lustfully, she stared at his tight derriere through the glass.

Placing her shoes on the bed, Cassie seductively slid into her black dress, knowing good and well Dillon was watching her through the shower glass. She sat on the bed and buckled her glittery silver heel onto her foot. She heard the water stop. Dillon opened the shower door and dried himself off with a towel. Cinching the towel around his waist, he walked toward her with the biggest grin upon his face. "God, you're incredibly beautiful. Words cannot describe how beautiful you are," he said, peering deep into her sparkly, blue eyes.

She stood on her tip-toes, kissing him upon the tiny dimple on his chin. Even her heels didn't make her tall enough to reach his handsome face. Running her fingers through his dampened hair, she relished the touch of how incredibly soft his hair was; feeling like silk.

Dillon turned, walked toward his closet, pulled a dark suit off the rack, and grabbed a pair of black, wing tipped shoes. Cassie had been so mesmerized by his sophistication and believed he was much too good for her, making her feel inferior when she was around him in public, especially now, because she discovered that he was California's most eligible bachelor.

***

Arriving at the dimly lit restaurant, they ordered their dinner. Dillon took it upon himself to order a bottle of port wine. "I'll take a bottle of Chateau d'Yquem Sauternes please," Dillon said, smiling at Cassie from across the table. "You'll love this wine, Cassie. Now, I know you don't like to drink, but at least give it a try for me," he suggested, trying to convince her.

She sighed, rolling her eyes. "Alright."

The waiter unscrewed the cork from the bottle and it flowed into two crystal glasses.

"Doesn't it smell exquisite?" he asked, swirling the glass, inhaling the aroma.

Cassie rolled her eyes immaturely again. "It smells like dirty feet if you ask me." She laughed.

Dillon shook his head, looking down at the table. "You're so silly, always making me laugh. You surprise me all the time. Go ahead, take a sip, gorgeous."

Cassie lifted the crystal glass to her lips and took a tiny sip. She had been quite surprised at how sweet it was. "Wow! That is good. I think it's the best wine I've ever tasted," she said, gulping the entire glass like a shot, and pouring another.

"Take it easy!" He laughed. "We haven't even received our food yet. You don't want to get drunk on an empty stomach, do you?"

"I suppose not." She smiled, deliciously. "I thought port wines were dessert wines?" she questioned.

"They are, but I know how much you dislike other wines, so I thought a sweeter wine would be better suited for your taste."

She grinned, sarcastically. "Is this from your vineyard?" she asked, waiting to see the shock cross his face after he realized that she discovered his secret.

Dillon threw is head back and laughed. "Ha! How in the hell did you figure me out?"

"My friends at work told me. Apparently, you're California's most eligible bachelor." She grinned flirtatiously, taking another sip. "Let me guess, you didn't want me to know because you think I'm after your money."

"No, Cassie...I do not think that way at all. I just never thought it was a big deal." He shrugged.

"Well, I'll have you know that I have my own money."

"How did you manage that? Hookin'?" He joked.

"Hell no!" She laughed. "Good joke, though. I was a beneficiary for a sick man who I took care of. He had no family and I was taken by surprise when he listed me beneficiary of his life insurance."

"I'm so sorry, how tragic. When did this happen?" he asked.

"While I was in Italy living with my soon-to-be ex-husband. His name was Samuel; he was the sweetest man—raised as an orphan and joined the Navy when he turned eighteen. He was in the war and his truck was blown up by a roadside bomb. He suffered severe burns on one side of his body. It was so sad," she said, glancing toward the floor, trying to hold back tears. "He was diagnosed with stage four melanoma; it rapidly spread to his liver. It was the most horrible thing."

Dillon reached his hand across the table and placed it on top of Cassie's. "Oh, baby. I'm so sorry. How awful. You're such a sweetheart. I'm sure you made his final days very comfortable." Dillon pulled his hand away, lifting a cigar from his front jacket pocket, and lit it as he leaned casually back in his chair. "So, what do you plan on doing with all that money?"

"I don't know. I still feel weird about it. I don't feel like I deserve it. That's why I haven't touched any of it."

"Well, you can't go on feeling that way. Samuel obviously wanted you to have it," he said.

"Maybe I'll trade in my car. It's getting old."

"Yeah, it is getting old. What kind of car do you have in mind?"

"A Lotus Elise." She grinned.

"A Lotus?" Dillon questioned, puffing on the smelly cigar.

"Yes, a Lotus. I almost bought one in Rome until I got called to Afghanistan."

Dillon's glorious, brown eyes grew wide. "I've been meaning to ask you about that. What in the hell happened over there?" he asked, shrugging off his suit coat, draping it over the back of his chair.

"It was a rescue mission. The enemy had been holding a female gunner's mate prisoner, so instead of waiting a few days for orders on how the mission was going to go down, I took it upon myself to get her out of there on my own."

"The media said that you killed four men—Four men?" he said in disbelief.

"Yes, I killed four assholes and would do it again in a heartbeat!"

"I'm amazed. I don't understand how someone so damn tiny can take on four men and come out without a scratch."

"Lucky I guess." She shrugged, proudly.

"Yeah, but you could've been killed." He glared sternly across the table, still astonished at her daring feat.

"That was a chance I was willing to take."

After finishing the meal, the waiter brought the check to the table. Cassie glanced at it, noticing the cost for the bottle of wine was nearly eight-hundred dollars. She felt sick; she never drank anything so expensive. "I guess we're just going to piss your money away," she joked.

"What do you mean?" he asked, standing from the table, escorting her by the arm.

"Well, you spent almost eight-hundred dollars for a bottle of wine; we're just going to piss it out when we get home."

"Ha—there it is again. You crack me up!"

Upon their arrival home, Dillon playfully chased Cassie upstairs, smacking her on the behind. She ran into the bedroom, dove onto the bed, and Dillon tumbled on top of her. Forcefully, he slipped her dress from her body along with her bra. Almost ripping the panties from her hips, he quickly tossed them to the floor. "Shh! Don't you dare speak!" he commanded. His tongue plunged deep between her soft, wet lips. Dillon grabbed Cassie's wrists tightly with one hand and covered her mouth with the other. "I want total silence from you; I know you're a screamer! I want to see how much pleasure you can handle without making a sound! But, before that, my dear...I have a little something for you. Reaching underneath his pillow, Dillon retrieved a set of handcuffs. Cassie's eyes grew wide when she saw the handcuffs dangling from his index finger. "Dillon, please, please don't do this."

"Shh, baby. I won't hurt you, I promise. Trust me. You will enjoy this. Once I have you handcuffed and if you don't like what I'm doing, just tell me to stop, and I'll relinquish the cuffs from around your wrists."

Cassie nodded with approval. Dillon bound her wrists gently to the bedposts where she lay completely exposed to him on top of his massive bed. "There! You better not say a damn word as I have my way with you. Is that understood?" he demanded playfully, kneeling between her thighs, waiting for her response.

"Y-yes, s-sir," she stuttered, trying to hold back a slight smile. She had been incredibly turned on; the butterflies in her stomach were causing an intense sensation that could force her to quickly orgasm.

"Oh, and you better control your fucking orgasm. You will not come until I say so!" He rolled her to her side as far as the handcuffs allowed. The handcuffs didn't allow much for flexibility. He smacked her firm, round bottom firmly, which left a faint impression of his handprint. She let out a high squeal, but quickly controlled any other sounds from escaping her mouth. She rolled over onto her back. Her breasts stood at attention as her arms were sprawled wide. He cupped her breast, her nipple in between his thumb and index finger as he twisted, tugged, and teased. His tongue trailed lightly, encircling her areola, and he nibbled and pulled at her hard nipple with his teeth. Dillon pounced on top of her, grabbing the back of her neck, pulling her up to his lips. The forceful kisses on her neck and her heaving breasts were stirring up a desire she had never imagined. Tauntingly, he traced his way down between her thighs; she knew that she wasn't going to hold out much longer. "Oh my God!" She breathed heavily.

"Did you just speak?" he asked, glaring playfully up at her.

"I'm sorry."

He encircled his tongue around her pink pearl continuously, and she felt him slip a finger inside her entrance. He moved his finger slowly, in and out, in and out. She spread her legs wider, inviting him to slip a second finger inside her hungry sheathe. Sucking hard at her tiny bead with his fingers pounding ferociously inside her, she tossed her head to the side, arching her back as he made her come with passion all over his slick fingers.

He placed his hand over her mouth and pushed his huge, thick shaft deep and hard inside her. "Do I fill you completely, Cassie?" He hissed.

"Uh huh," her concealed voice muttered. The pulsation of his rapid heartbeat revealed to her that he was ready to let go and he relinquished his hold over her mouth. Burying his nose between her shoulder and neck, he breathed in her glorious Chanel scent.

"Baby, I love you so much, release my hands, I want to touch you," she whispered.

The feel of her breath against his ear intensified his excitement even more. "No, baby," he said in a soft sexy whisper. "I can tell you're about to come again. Are you ready for it, Cassie? Answer me now!" he demanded, pounding faster and harder.

Cassie's legs began to shake vigorously; her breathing became heavier with each pounding thrust. Dillon knew that she had reached another orgasm by the throbbing sensation of her folds, and he was ready for his point of satisfaction.

Removing the handcuffs, he forced her onto all fours toward the edge of the bed. He steadied himself behind and pounded her to oblivion.

Cassie screamed out with intense passion, "Oh, Dillon! My God, baby! Please don't stop!"

"Beg for it, baby! Tell me how good my cock makes you feel! Tell me now, dammit!" he demanded through clenched teeth.

"I love your hard, thick shaft. Give it to me harder!"

Finally, he let loose and collapsed on top of her exhausted, breathing fast.

Both out of breath, they crawled underneath the blankets and held each other tightly.

"My God, baby...you're the best. You're my every fantasy." She inhaled deeply.

"I love a woman who I can share my fantasy with as well." He smiled, stroking her hair. "See, I told you that I wouldn't hurt you."

Cassie had been entirely infatuated with Dillon. Was it lust or love causing the immense passion brought forth when she was with him? Something about a man of his age knowing how to please a woman fascinated her. He had been the absolute best she had ever had, much different from Randall and Tudor. They were immature when it came to sex. Dillon knew exactly how to satisfy her, giving in to her sexual desires, not ever having to explain to him what she liked. Dillon knew how she loved aggressive sex, he was good at it, he knew it, and he loved pleasing her the way she needed to be pleased.
Chapter Eighteen

Cassie arrived at home from work, but Dillon was still at his office preparing for a case that he had planned for Monday. She skimmed through her closet, looking for something to wear, coming across a pair of white jeans with flap pockets, adorned with rhinestones, and a burgundy sleeveless ruffled top. She slid on her crystal Louboutin sling-backs before heading downstairs.

Jumping into her car, Cassie took off toward Sunnyvale on El Camino Real headed to Clinks to meet up with her shipmates. She often referred to her coworkers as shipmates even though they weren't stationed on a ship anymore; perhaps it had been because she often heard her superiors refer to everyone as shipmates as well.

She spotted the club off to the left and parked behind it. As she entered the club, heads turned toward her direction. Michelle hurried toward Cassie, leading her to their table. Gandison and a few guys from her squadron were sitting around the table drinking beer and eating appetizers.

"There aren't very many people here," Cassie said, glancing at the bare dance floor.

"It'll pick up in the next hour. It always does around nine o'clock," Michelle said.

"Well, I want to get the dancing started at least." Cassie fled to the dance floor and started to gyrate her hips in a sleazily manner.

After she began dancing, a few other girls joined as everyone danced to pop music. Michelle and Gandison joined a few moments later.

"Damn, Cass...how long can you dance for?" Michelle asked. Cassie had been dancing for a full hour without resting.

"I can go all night!" she yelled over the loud music. She and Michelle finally went to their table where they discovered to their amazement, drinks covering the entire surface.

"A bunch of guys kept asking what table you were sitting at and asked me to bring drinks to your table," the cocktail waitress yelled in Cassie's ear over the loud bass.

"Thank you," Cassie said. "I don't know what in the hell I'm going to do with all these damn drinks when I don't drink alcohol," she hollered toward the crew.

"We'll take care of that for you." Gandison winked, smiling.

Chad Cummings had been sitting across from her; he was a first class aviation machinist's mate. AD 1 Cummings worked on airplane engines in the hangar and was the stereotypical Jersey boy. He had the Jersey accent, jet black hair, orange spray tanned skin, and was way too muscular for his height. "This place blows!" he said. I know of a better place we can go to."

"I hope it's not something classy 'cause I'm trashy!" Cassie blurted out jokingly.

Baxter laughed, looking at Cassie, shaking his head toward her comment. "Where's that, Chad?" AZ 2 Aden Baxter asked. Aden was a second class aviation maintenance administrationman with a very lanky body frame. Cassie was put off by his bright, red hair and overabundant amount of freckles.

"Have you guys ever heard of the Dominion Exchange?" Chad asked.

"No. What is that?" Gandison asked.

Aden slammed his beer on the table, bursting out laughing.

"What's so funny?" Cassie asked, appearing confused.

Aden looked at Cassie with a big, toothy grin and a boisterous laugh. "It's a sex club in San Francisco in the red light district."

"They have legal sex clubs here in California?" Cassie became intrigued.

"Yes, it's legal. Ladies are admitted free and men get a discount if they wear tiny towels around their waist and nothing else," Chad explained.

Cassie was curious and could tell that Chad had really wanted to go. "Well, I'm up for it if you guys are!" Cassie blurted out bombastically.

"Seriously?" Michelle questioned.

"Alright! Let's get the hell out of here. We'll take my SUV," Chad suggested, taking one last swig of his O'Doul's.

The gang piled into the black Tahoe and made their way up Highway 101 toward San Francisco. Cassie and Michelle were extremely nervous, not at all prepared for what to expect.

"So have any of you guys ever been to this place?" Cassie asked, sitting in the backseat, speaking over the headrest.

"I have," Chad said. "I just go to watch; though, but I have never participated."

Cassie sat back, staring blankly out the window, her nerves running rampant throughout her body. "I'm going to need a damn Xanax!" She laughed.

"Just calm down. We'll make sure nothing happens to you two gals. If you feel uncomfortable, let us know, and we'll leave," Chad said.

Successfully, Chad found a parking spot directly in front of the club.

Climbing out of the SUV, Michelle had noticed that Cassie was still a little nervous. "Take my hand," Michelle said, walking with her toward the main entrance.

The bouncer at the front asked the guys if they wanted to wear towels for a discount, but they weren't up for that. The guys informed the bouncer that they were there only as voyeurs, nothing more. As soon as they entered the club, the stench of stale semen and Pine Sol emanated throughout with a damp, sticky feeling in the air.

"Whatever you do, don't touch anything," Chad said. "Mostly everything you touch in here is sticky."

"Gross!" Michelle said, not letting go of Cassie's hand.

"Follow me to the hetero floor," Chad instructed.

The gang was shocked to see so many unattractive people walking around nude throughout the club. A gang of men who averaged at the most, five-feet tall, of Hispanic descent, walked around wearing towels, masturbating as they watched people engaging in sex.

"Ha!" Cassie laughed. "That is freaky!" Cassie motioned her head toward a corner where three men were performing a live circle jerk.

"Tell me about it," Michelle said.

The crew sat on a sofa and watched a four-hundred pound women strap a seventy year old man to a pleasure swing while she had her way with him. It was the most disturbing thing Cassie saw.

Cassie sensed stares coming upon her. As she turned her head, she noticed several men masturbating as they gazed continuously at her and Michelle.

Finally, the crew left the room and made their way to the flogging station. Cassie noticed men bent over in formation waiting to be smacked by the black, leather, tasseled whip.

Cassie smiled, flirtatiously glancing in Gandison's direction. "Would you like me to flog you?" she joked, not expecting to be taken seriously.

"Are you for real?" he asked.

Before Cassie could respond, Gandison stripped down to only his boxers, and bent over a chair.

Cassie grabbed a flogger and smacked it across Gandison's ass.

Aden's eyes grew large, looking as though they would bulge from their sockets. "Holy shit! I can't believe you guys are participating in this crap!" Aden yelled over the loud music.

"Don't you dare breathe a word of this!" Cassie said, staring sternly toward the crew. "Who's next?" Cassie asked, eyeballing Chad. Cassie could see fear in Chad's eyes, but she could also sense that deep down, he wanted to participate. "C'mon, Chad, pull your pants down and take your licks like a man!" Cassie demanded, lightly smacking the flogger scandalously across her hand.

Gandison zipped up his pants. Chad edged slowly toward the chair, unsnapping his jeans, allowing them to fall to his ankles, which exposed his navy blue bikini briefs.

"Bend over, bitch!" Cassie ordered. Slowly, she trailed the flogger across his back that was still covered in his t-shirt. "You know this will be more fun if you take your shirt off," she suggested, secretly wanting to see what he looked like underneath that shirt.

Chad lifted his shirt above his head and handed it to Michelle. Cassie stood behind him, her hands slowly grazing his tight torso as she inched her way up to his tanned, hard-toned chest. "My God you're ripped!" she shouted, candidly.

Chad could feel the tips of the flogger lightly tickling his rear. Cassie drew back, smacking him hard. His head thrashed back. "Ouch!" he shouted, breathless. "Do it again."

Cassie drew back one more time and did as he demanded. Chad threw his head back, demonstrating immense, pleasurable pain. He spun quickly around, took Cassie into his arms, and kissed her forcefully. She wanted to back away, but she was aroused at the same time. Finally, reality began to sink in. "Oh my God! I can't do this!" she shouted, pushing him away and tossing the flogger to the floor.

"What's the matter?" Chad asked, appearing confused.

"I'm so sorry, Chad. I didn't mean to lead you on; I just—just got caught up with the atmosphere of this club. I have a boyfriend for Christ sake!"

"It's alright; it was fun; though, wasn't it?"

Cassie shrugged. "I suppose." She looked at the others. "I mean it, y'all...don't you dare say anything about this to anyone! What happens in the sex club stays in the sex club!" she joked.

"Well, let's go shoot some pool then," Gandison suggested.

The crew walked through the maze of themed sex rooms trying not to touch anything in fear of catching a disease. Finally, they entered a pool hall.

"You want to do something funny, Cass?" Michelle asked.

"What do you have in mind?"

"Well, all these perverts are staring at us, let's give them something to really enjoy." She winked.

"What the hell—let's do it," Cassie said. Cassie began running her fingers through Michelle's short, platinum blonde hair. They gazed sensuously into each other eyes. Cassie moved in slowly, kissing Michelle long and hard. Suddenly, a crowd of men swarmed around them and began to masturbate. Cassie could hear Aden throw his pool stick down on the table, and then, he quickly rushed toward them. "What in the hell are you two doing? Cut that shit out right now!" Aden demanded, pulling Cassie and Michelle apart.

Cassie looked up at Aden and smiled. "Feeling left out, Aden?" Cassie asked. "Come here." Cassie grabbed the back of Aden's head as well as Michelle's and guided their lips upon each other. Aden and Michelle continued feeling each other's bodies as men continuously gathered 'round, getting off on their display. Finally, after Gandison and Chad's pool game had ended, they felt it best to leave.

The drive back to Clinks was silent; no one wanted to say anything about what had happened at the sex club. Cassie couldn't jump in her car fast enough as she sped home hoping that Dillon was already asleep so she didn't look guilty of anything when she arrived.

Cassie tossed her shoes into the mud room as she entered the house. She tip-toed up the cold marble staircase. "Please let him be asleep," she prayed. Quietly, she snuck into her closet and put on a pink satin slip with lace trim. Dillon had been snoring; Cassie was relieved. She tried her best to slither undetected in between the blankets, but Dillon rolled over, putting his arms around her, and kissed her tenderly on the shoulder. He jerked his head away swiftly. "You smell horrible," he whispered. "Where in the hell did you go to bring such a nasty odor home with you?"

"Uh—um, well—I." She didn't quite know how to answer that question. "I went to the Dominion Exchange." Impetuously, she tossed the blankets over her head, trying to hide from embarrassment.

Dillon sat up and turned on the lamp that was next to the bed. "You went where?" He knew exactly what it was; he was just questioning it, not believing what he was hearing. "You can't be serious! Did anyone hurt you? What in the hell were you thinking?" His voice becoming louder and more irate.

Cassie lay under the blankets still too embarrassed to emerge. "Don't worry, I didn't do anything. My friends and I were just curious, that's all."

"You need to take a shower! I can't stomach the smell of the stench coming off your body. What the fuck is that!" He stood by the side of the bed, waiting for Cassie to clean herself up.

"Fine—jeez! I'll take a freaking shower!" She hurried from bed and slammed the double doors behind her to the bathroom.

Dillon ripped the blankets and sheets from the bed. He found some fresh linen in the hall closet and draped them over the mattress. "I have never smelled anything so repulsive in my life! It smells like rotten sex!" He yelled toward the bathroom, hoping Cassie could hear him over the running water.

Finally, she made it to bed all fresh and clean. "I'm sorry. It did stink in that place, it was absolutely nasty! The air was sticky, everything was sticky, and the smell was of stale semen and Pine Sol."

He pulled her hand up to his mouth and brushed his lips across her knuckles. "Please don't go back there. It won't be long before the public notices us together and realize that we're dating. I don't want you trashing my name."

"Don't worry. I will never go back there again. That place was freaky!" She fell asleep moments later, wrapped in his secure embrace.

***

The alarm clock startled Cassie as she flung from the bed. Dillon had already awakened and was downstairs in the kitchen drinking coffee. Cassie glided downstairs in her satin and lace trimmed slip. Dillon was mesmerized at how beautiful she was as the sunlight beamed upon her through the sky light above the grand foyer. "Good morning, gorgeous. I made you some coffee."

"Thank you, sweetie." She sighed, dreadfully.

He peeked from the top of his glasses while skimming over the newspaper. "What's the matter?"

Cassie loved it when he wore his glasses. He appeared more sophisticated than usual when he wore them, and was very alluring. It excited her, especially seeing his sexy new growth of dark stubble that he usually keeps neatly shaved. The scruffiness outlined his strong jaw-line perfectly. She envisioned him on a magazine cover as a business suit model, he was that sublime. "I have to work today; I hate working on the weekends." Cassie sat at the table beside him, topping off her coffee with French vanilla creamer.

"What time will you be home?"

"Five o'clock." She smiled. "Why? Do you have something special in mind tonight?"

"I must attend this charity gala tonight at Stanford. All of my colleagues are going to be there. You'll be able to hobnob with the wealthiest in all of California if you come with me." He grinned.

"I have nothing formal to wear."

"Don't you worry about that. I'll take care of it for you. I'll buy you a dress, heels, and some sexy lingerie to wear," he said, acting as if it were no big deal.

"Oh, baby...you're so sweet," she said nervously, a chill raced down her spine. The excitement she felt when imagining Dillon buying her lingerie and the anticipation of wondering what he would choose for her titillated her curiosity. Cassie rose from her chair, glanced over the top of Dillon's paper, forcing it to crinkle as she leaned over the table to kiss him. "I love you, baby...I'll see you tonight."

"I love you too, gorgeous," he said, flipping the page; his plush, white robe barely closed, exposing his sculpted, well-defined pecs.

Cassie hurried upstairs to dress in her uniform. As she starched her dungarees of her working blues, she couldn't help but wonder what the topic of conversation would entail at work. She wondered how many people in her squadron were going to discover her shipmates going to the Dominion Exchange.

She pulled on her dungarees, buttoned up her light blue shirt, and laced up her ugly, black Bates steel-toe boots. Cassie hated wearing her working blues; the dungarees were not flattering on any woman. She glanced at her ass in the full length mirror and sighed disapprovingly. "Well, these damn pants cause my ass to look as if all I have is a crack in my back." She chuckled. Grabbing her hat, she placed it on her head, rushed out the door, and fired up her Porsche.

Cassie flashed her identification card to the gate guard and proceeded to the hangar. Upon entering the office, she noticed Gandison seated at his desk, looking embarrassed. "What's the matter with you?" She smiled.

"I can't stop thinking about last night. I must have had way too much to drink. I can't believe Michelle saw me in my underwear!" he said, shaking his head, appearing mortified.

"Don't worry about it! She did some pretty messed up things, too."

"Yeah, but she saw me in my underwear!"

"She also saw a lot of naked men and women. Do you honestly think she remembers seeing you in your skivvy's?" Cassie tried hard to conceal her laughter.

"I sure hope not. I couldn't sleep at all last night thinking about it!"

"Well, if you think she will have a lack of respect for you, don't worry about it. She was drunk too, so I doubt she even remembers much," Cassie explained, trying to convince Gandison to get over the ordeal.

Suddenly, Michelle and Aden entered the office. Michelle appeared tired, hair tousled, dark circles beneath her eyes, and her uniform was terribly wrinkled. "Cass, do you have any aspirin?" Michelle asked. "This damn headache won't go away."

Cassie unlocked the file cabinet and took some aspirin from her purse. Michelle gulped them down with a can of cherry soda.

"Where's Chad?" Gandison asked, glancing in Aden's direction.

"He's on his way; he had to go over some last minute details on an airplane."

No one brought up the events from the night before. Gandison knew that he had to say something, but hated knowing that there were women in the room. He didn't feel comfortable discussing sex in the presence of women while he was sober. When he's drunk, he could speak of anything without hesitation.

Fifteen minutes later, the crew could hear the marching sound of flight boots in the hallway. Chad finally had arrived and shut the door behind him.

"I'm glad we're all here together as a group." Gandison sat on the corner of his desk, one foot rested on the floor, the other dangled. "What happened last night should not be discussed to anyone. If I so much as hear anyone who wasn't with us last night mention anything, I'll know someone opened their big mouth. I will punish every single one of you for just one person's mistake, just like boot camp. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes, sir!" the crew yelled in sync.

"Alright, go do your duties!" Gandison ordered.

***

Cassie sped onto El Camino Real and headed toward Los Altos on her way to Dillon's house. Her heart raced with excitement, wondering what he bought her for the evening's event. She accelerated up the circular driveway then slammed her car in park. Hurrying up the steps to the glass double-doors, she was greeted by her beloved, Dillon.

"Hey, gorgeous! I've missed you," he said, hugging her tightly.

"I couldn't wait to come home! I'm dying to see what kind of lingerie you bought me." She smirked.

"You don't care about the dress and shoes?" he questioned.

"Not really," she teased.

"Follow me." Dillon acted like a child running up the spiral staircase with Cassie's hand in his.

They entered the bedroom where she saw a huge box labeled, Badgley Mischka. She opened the box slowly and layers of pink chiffon ruffles sprung out at her. "It's absolutely breathtaking!" She held the dress against her body, admiring herself in the mirror. The pink chiffon, form-fitting backless gown was adorned with layers of ruched ruffles that hung from the waist all the way to her feet, and had a jeweled neckline. Cassie was simply in awe at how glamorous the dress was. "I'm going to feel like a movie star." She grinned. "You picked this out yourself?"

"Indeed I did. Now, you must see the shoes I bought you." Dillon grabbed the Gucci box and handed it to her with a childish smile.

Cassie peered into the box and saw a pair of pink Ophelie, suede, chain t-strap sandals. "These are beautiful! They match the dress perfectly." Cassie grabbed one shoe from the box and buckled it to her bare foot. "A perfect fit!"

Dillon guided her to sit at the edge of the bed. "Wait right here." He went into the closet and pulled out a La Perla shopping bag. Cassie's eyes lit up. "Oh my gosh, let me see! Let me see!" She clapped her hands hastily, bouncing up and down on the mattress.

Dillon dropped the bag flirtatiously in her lap. Carefully, she unwrapped the tissue paper and saw an elegant ivory matching bra and panty set that was adorned with white delicate pearl edging. The set appeared too beautiful to even wear. "Now, you go take a shower and slip into this. I will meet you downstairs when you're finished," he said, before closing the door behind him.

Kicking off her Gucci shoe, Cassie rushed into the shower way too excited to even think about the gala. She couldn't wait to put on that strapless bra and panty set. She looked her absolute best in white or ivory; people would often tell her she appeared innocent when she wore white. She felt like a wolf in sheep's clothing when she wore that color, aware she looked innocent, but knew that there was a dominating beast within her.

She dried herself off, put on her Chanel Mademoiselle lotion, and dressed in her matching bra and panty set. She loved the way her flawless tanned skin looked against the ivory lace and white pearls. She stepped lightly into the pink chiffon dress, fastened the button behind her neck, and buckled on the matching pink Gucci sandals. She coiled her hair up into a sexy French twist, allowing a few tendrils of curls to frame her tiny face. Her makeup was so perfect that it look airbrushed on. She never saw herself look so glamorous.

Gracefully, Cassie glided down the spiral staircase, noticing Dillon standing at the bottom, wearing a black tuxedo looking incredibly handsome. "Words cannot describe how beautiful you are right now. You are the most beautiful woman I have ever seen in my life," he said, kissing her silky, smooth bare shoulder. "I have one more thing to give you. Turn around and close your eyes," he softly whispered. He adorned her neck with a Harry Winston sunflower necklace that contained more than three-hundred round-cut diamonds set in platinum.

"It's breathtaking," she said, gazing into a mirror that hung above an accent table. "This must have cost a fortune."

"Nah, it was only $185,000." He laughed, shrugging as if it were no big deal.

"Are you serious?" She gasped. "That's too expensive. Is it on loan or something?"

"No...no loan. It's all yours, gorgeous." He smiled.

"Thank you so much, baby. I have never seen anything so exquisite. It's beautiful." She wrapped her arms around him, squeezing him tightly.

"The limousine is here. We need to get going if we don't want to be late." He grabbed her hand, leading her outside.

***

Cassie and Dillon walked arm-and-arm through the French double-doors of the gala. All eyes were focused upon them as they resembled two glamorous movie stars. Cassie began to feel way out of her element and she didn't see anyone in the room who was as young as she. She clenched onto Dillon's arm tightly not wanting to let go. She was extremely petrified when it came to crowds, very uncomfortable, and would often experience panic attacks.

A waiter holding a tray off filled champagne flutes approached. "Would you like a glass of champagne, ma'am?"

"Ah, yes...thank you," Cassie said, taking the glass from the silver tray. She leaned in toward Dillon. "Please don't leave me alone," she whispered in his ear.

"Don't worry, gorgeous. I wouldn't let you go. These men would try to steal you away from me."

Dillon introduced Cassie to some colleagues of the firm. She was terribly bored, the topic stemmed around work. They didn't even discuss the charity. Feeling the sense of someone watching her, Cassie glanced back across her shoulder, and noticed a gentleman who appeared to be around the same age as she. A woman was clenched to his arm who looked to be in her mid-sixties. He wouldn't take his eyes off Cassie; she flashed a quick smile and acted as though she was still listening to the conversation between Dillon and the other colleagues.

The young man couldn't help but notice most of the men at the gala gazing in Cassie's direction. He also couldn't help but notice that most of the women in the room staring daggers at her because of their jealousy.

Suddenly, she heard a voice over her shoulder whisper into her ear, "You wanna join me on the terrace?" The whisper had been from the young gentleman who was with the elderly woman.

"Hey, there, Jack." Dillon extended his hand.

"Hi, sir...if you don't mind, I was going to take your beautiful date on the terrace. She seems way too bored listening to all this bullshit." He laughed, shaking Dillon's hand.

"Ha! Well, if Cassie doesn't mind, then I'm okay with it," Dillon said.

Jack extended his arm and invited Cassie outside to the terrace. They sat at a table that overlooked the golf course of the Stanford campus. Jack had a certain engaging beauty about him, almost groomed too perfectly for an average man, hair of light brown with feathered bangs, piercing brown eyes that matched the color of his hair perfectly, and was of average build, weighing one-hundred eighty-five pounds and was six-feet tall. "Beautiful view isn't it?" Jack sat, his legs crossed, and eager to light up a cigarette. "You don't mind do you?" he asked, holding up his lighter.

"Yes, I do mind. I don't want this beautiful dress and my hair smelling like smoke," she said, sarcastically.

He closed his lighter and placed the unlit cigarette back in his front pocket. "No problem." He smiled, intently. "So, you're the girl who Dillon won't shut up about? By the way, I'm Jack Devon."

Cassie nodded. "Nice to meet you."

"I couldn't help but notice that you felt out of your element in there."

"Yes, I did. I feel as though I don't belong. Everyone is so old," she whispered under her breath, hoping no one else could hear her.

"Tell me about it. I feel like a child in there. I know you're probably wondering what I'm doing with such an old hag." He laughed.

Cassie, shocked at his bluntness, tried to hold back from laughing. "It's none of my business, but the first thing that comes to mind; though, is money."

"Well, that's partly true. I'm also gay. I use Gertrude as a beard and she uses me as a trophy. I don't want anyone knowing I'm gay and she wants people to believe that she can still hook younger men."

"Then why are you telling me that you're gay if you don't want anyone to know?"

"Because we are the only two people at this party who are around the same age. I also wanted to spend time with you without you assuming that I'm trying to tap that if you know what I mean." He winked.

"Tap that?" she questioned.

"I know that you have tons of dudes hitting on you and I don't want you thinking I am one of them."

Deep down, Cassie knew that he was gay. She could sense by the way he styled his hair, the type of suit that he wore, right down to his Prada loafers. He was way too pretty and perfect for a straight man. "I feel so out of place here," Cassie said, taking a sip of champagne.

"I do, too. I despise coming to these shindigs, but Gertrude keeps a roof over my head and food in my gut as long as I make her look good."

"What happens if you want to bring a man home?"

"I live in the guest house. Besides, Gert doesn't care what I do as long as I'm around to be her arm candy." He smiled.

Gertrude McGowen was owner of the law firm that Dillon was partner of. Cassie could tell that Gertrude tried really hard to appear young; reminding Cassie of Helen Mirren, but lacked the sexiness, grace, and poise that Helen possessed.

"Gertrude reminds me of Helen Mirren," Cassie said. "But Helen is a sexy woman. I get the sense that Gertrude is trying to be like her but far from it." Cassie laughed.

"Yeah, Gert has a long way to go if she wants to be like Helen." He grinned. "Helen is the bomb!"

Dillon approached with a lit cigar and a glass of champagne in hand. "He's treating you well, I presume," he said, glancing in Jack's direction.

"Yeah, we're having a good time out here," Cassie replied.

"Don't worry about us, sir. I'll keep her occupied," Jack said, anticipating Dillon would go back inside and leave them alone.

"If you need me, gorgeous, you know where to find me." Dillon bent down and kissed Cassie on her bare shoulder.

"So, how did you two meet?" Jack asked, displaying interest.

"You don't want to know." Cassie was embarrassed that he even asked that question.

"Sure I do."

Cassie shifted uncomfortably in her seat. "Well—um—ok," she said, reluctantly. "I was an exotic dancer a few years ago and he paid me to be his private dancer." Her cheeks blushed red. She couldn't believe that she was telling him that, but believed that she could tell him anything, feeling a sense of trust toward him.

Jack's eyebrows raised and his mouth gaped open. "Really? Wow—I would have never guessed."

"I only danced for a few days. I was going through a depression, dealing with the devastation of someone close to me dying. It's a part of my life that I would love to forget."

"What do you do now?"

"I'm in the Navy, stationed at Moffett for now."

"You're full of all kinds of surprises, aren't you? Wait a minute!" He looked as if a light bulb had switched on in his head. "You're that girl who rescued that soldier in Afghanistan, aren't you?" he hollered.

Cassie blushed. "Shh! I don't want anyone to know," she said, trying to convince him to speak more softly.

"I knew you looked familiar! My God! You can really kick some ass, can't you?"

"I guess so." She shrugged.

"So, what kind of trouble did you get into when it was all over?"

"A decreased pay grade." She grabbed another glass of champagne from the waiter's tray.

"That's it?"

"Yes, that's all."

"You're a fucking hero!"

"No, I'm not; I just got someone out of a bad situation. I would do it for anybody."

"You amaze the hell out of me!" he said, trying to sneak his cigarette from his front pocket.

"Not around me you don't," she said.

He placed the cigarette back in his pocket with a snide grin.

"Please don't tell anyone that Dillon met me while I was a stripper. I'm not sure if he told anyone and I don't want to embarrass him," she explained.

"Your secret is safe with me. Don't tell anyone I'm gay." He laughed.

"My lips are sealed."

"Do you like shopping?" he asked.

"Do I like shopping? You've got to be kidding me," she joked. "Of course I do."

"If you're off during a weekday, you should come with me to Union Square in San Francisco," he suggested.

"Sounds like fun." She pulled a pen from her purse and wrote down her cell phone number on a napkin. Jack folded the napkin and placed it in his pocket. They noticed Dillon approaching the table.

"Well, gorgeous...it's time to go. Are you ready?"

"Yeah, I'm ready."

Dillon stood behind her and whispered, "You mean, yes, I am ready."

"That's what I said, yeah, I'm ready."

Dillon rolled his eyes at her poor use of grammar. "We must work on your vocabulary, Cassie."

"It was nice meeting you, Jack. Call me when you can."

"Nice meeting you, too." He smiled. "I'll call you soon."

The chauffeur held open the limousine door for Dillon and Cassie. She tried her best not to wrinkle her dress as she slid across the leather seat.

"You didn't spend any time with me." Dillon furrowed his brow from disappointment.

"I'm sorry; I felt so out of place. I felt like a child at an adult's party. I wasn't the only one who felt that way. Jack felt it, too."

"You do know Jack is gay, don't you?" Dillon asked, feeling secure that Cassie wouldn't consider being attracted to him if she knew of his lifestyle.

"Yes, he told me. How did you know? He told me no one knew."

"Trust me, everyone knows."

"Well, I think he's sweet; I really like him. In fact, we're going to meet up soon and go to San Francisco."

Dillon tried quickly to change the subject. "You know, a lot of my male colleagues kept asking me about you. They were commenting on how beautiful you were when you walked into the gala for the first time."

"I kind of felt like a trophy when I was there. I was so uncomfortable. Women were giving me evil stares while their dates were flashing me flirtatious winks."

"Ha! Consider it a compliment. You won't have your gorgeous looks forever."

"I will if I can help it." She laughed. "I'll get every kind of plastic surgery on the market to keep me looking the way I do."

"Good luck with that. I don't want you being one of those types of women who are pulled so tight; they look like a fucking duck!"

The limousine pulled along the circular driveway. Dillon escorted Cassie by the arm, leading her up the steps to the front door. "Now, it's time to see you in the bra and panty set that I bought you."

Cassie playfully ran up the stairs as Dillon followed. She jumped onto the bed with pink chiffon ruffles cascading over the side. She looked like a tiny doll that had been engulfed in a plume of pink, puffy clouds.

Dillon retrieved a silk tie that was draped on his white Abigail chair. He had the utmost devilish grin displayed on his face, which caused Cassie to become sexually aroused. "What are you gonna to do with that?" She gazed at the silk tie clenched in his hand.

He shook his head almost appearing disgusted at her choice of words. "It's going, not gonna, and don't worry about what I'm going to do with it. You know that I would never hurt you." He reached underneath his pillow and pulled out a white satin blindfold with lace trim. "Shh, don't speak, baby. I won't hurt you, I promise, just trust me." Gently, he slid the mask over Cassie's face, covering her eyes. He wrapped the silk tie around Cassie's wrists, binding them together in front of her.

She was nervous; the sexual tension building continuously, knowing that she was going to love what he had planned.

Dillon disrobed next to the bed. Cassie lie in her pink chiffon gown, Gucci heels, and her wrists bound together by his silk tie.

"I placed the mask over your eyes to heighten your senses. If you can't see, your sexual senses will be intensified," he explained.

Cassie breathed heavily, the excitement building intensely and he didn't even touch her yet. Slowly, he reached behind Cassie's neck and unfastened the only button that prevented her dress from falling below her breasts. He slid it down to her hips, seductively removing the entire dress as he tossed it gracefully to the floor. He steadily stared at her glorious body. "My God, you're exquisitely beautiful. You are so elegant and classy, absolutely stunning." Entranced by her beauty, Dillon breathed hard as he trailed his index finger down her calves, unbuckling her heels, and tossing them on the floor. She adjusted herself, trying to force Dillon to touch her where he knew she would be pleased. "Not yet, gorgeous. It's not time."

He brushed his fingers across her flat stomach, up between her breasts, placing his hands gently around her neck, and forced a deep kiss upon her luscious lips. She yearned for him to touch her breasts, but knew that his intention was to frustrate her sexually, her begging him to take her.

Cassie felt a warm trail of breath follow all the way down her body. He worshipped every inch of her, taking in the smell of her Chanel lotion that he loved so much. "Your scent drives me completely insane," he whispered. He knew that he couldn't hold out much longer, which drove him into sexual turmoil.

His breath halted between the inside of her thighs, her legs tingled, shaking from the sheer excitement of the caress of his tongue swirling around her sweet, hidden pearl. She knew that if he continued, she wouldn't last. He pursued tiny, wet kisses all the way up her torso, to her ample, large breasts where he teased her nipples with the gentle graze of his perfect teeth, then to her lips. Finally, she felt him enter inside her, he breathed deep, savoring the tightness of her firm hold against his thick shaft. "Oh, Dillon..." The sexual tension piqued to the point that she couldn't last any longer. Dillon could feel her muscles tighten as she wrapped her legs around him, forcing him deeper inside. With her halted breathing, she held the length of her orgasm. "Say my name again, Cassie." His thrusts became faster, his breathing more rapid, his cool sweat dripping onto her chest. "Ah, Dillon. Oh, baby...you feel so good."

Finally, his body relaxed, he gently encompassed her neck with the soft touch of his lips. "I love you so much, baby," he said in an exhausted whisper. He slipped the mask from Cassie's face and unbound her wrists.

"I love you too, Dillon...so much it consumes me." She inhaled deeply as she wrapped her arms around him.
Chapter Nineteen

Cassie and Dillon walked down the jet way at San Francisco International Airport. Arriving from Florida, they celebrated Thanksgiving and Cassie's twenty-third birthday with her parents.

Dillon's limousine waited along curbside, Cassie was exhausted. The flight was long and the only thing that she wanted to do was take a nap in a nice comfortable bed with Dillon by her side.

"I'm glad your parents handled the news of your divorce better than expected." Dillon slid his arm around Cassie's shoulders as they sat in the back of the limo.

"I could still sense their disappointment. They absolutely adored Tudor. To them, that man could do no wrong. I could tell that they didn't believe me when I explained how he abused me."

"Why do you say that?"

"I can just read them. Tudor was perfect to them. God, I hate that man!" she scowled. "I'm so glad the bastard wasted no time in signing the papers. I hope that I never run into that asshole!"

Dillon could tell that Cassie was becoming aggravated, noticing her hands trembling, and he could feel the skin of her shoulder becoming hot to his touch. "Are you going to be okay, gorgeous?"

Cassie began gasping for air. "I-I-I don't know," she stuttered. "I-I feel strange. It seems like everything is closing in on me."

"My God, baby...you're sweating profusely!" Dillon lowered the glass partition and leaned forward, yelling toward the driver, "Sebastian! Take us to the nearest hospital immediately!" he demanded.

Sebastian glanced back and nodded. Dillon tried his best to calm her, but her gasping for air was frightening to him; he never saw her like that before. "You're going to be okay, baby. We're almost there."

The limousine pulled up to the front of the emergency room entrance. Sebastian rushed toward the back of the car to open the door. Gathering Cassie in his arms, Dillon carried her to the triage desk. "I don't know what's wrong, she's sweating, can't speak clearly, and can hardly breathe!" he told the nurse.

The nurse quickly grabbed a wheelchair, handed Dillon a clipboard of papers, and whisked Cassie off to an examination room. A technician rushed in with an EKG machine and applied numerous wires to her abdomen and chest. "I'm going to conduct an EKG to monitor your heart," the technician explained.

Dillon handed the completed forms to the nurse and sat at Cassie's bedside. He had been scared; not saying a word, just stroking Cassie's arm as he tried to calm her.

Before long, a bald man wearing a white coat over his teal scrubs came into the room. "Well, the EKG came back fine," the doctor said. "Have you been stressed lately?"

Cassie sat up and stared down at the floor only seeing the doctor's black Crocs. "I just filed for divorce from my ex-husband who was abusive toward me."

Dillon interrupted, "Yes, we were talking about her ex-husband in the limousine. That's when she began to get flustered and her breathing became erratic."

"It makes sense." The doctor scratched his forehead. "You're suffering from an anxiety attack. I'll instruct the nurse to give you something to calm your nerves before you're released. I'll also write you a prescription for anti-anxiety medication. I'm writing a referral for you to see a counselor."

"But I already see a counselor once a month," she said.

"Be sure you tell the counselor what you just experienced, and try to focus more on this problem. Anxiety attacks are serious; you need to learn how to handle them."

"I don't know why she's freaked out over him. She could beat his ass in a split second." Dillon laughed, stroking Cassie's hair.

"Well, it was a traumatic event in her life. Things like this can affect people differently." The doctor ripped the paper from the prescription tablet and handed it to Dillon.

Cassie dressed quickly; extremely embarrassed that her anxiety attack resulted in a trip to the emergency room for something so stupid.

Dillon snaked his arm around Cassie and grabbed her purse. "C'mon, baby...let me take you home so you can rest."

Standing in front of the main entrance of the hospital, Cassie placed her head on Dillon's shoulder as he wrapped his arms around her. "Everything's going to be okay, baby. Try not to think about it."

"I can't help it. I can't believe I let that asshole get to me like that. I feel so weak. No one has ever made me feel that way. Why him? It's not like he's near me anymore."

Sebastian pulled up, stepped from the limo, and held open the door. Dillon helped Cassie climb inside. Tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear, he gazed sincerely into her eyes as they sat at the back of the car. "I don't know why. Maybe the past is scaring you. Perhaps your counselor will shed some light on it for you. In the meantime, let's not discuss it anymore; there's no need to stress over him. He's not worth your worry or your tears, baby." Dillon placed a gentle kiss on Cassie's forehead and held her tightly into his chest until they arrived home.

Dillon assisted Cassie into her pajamas and helped put her to bed. "Is there anything I can get for you?"

Cassie pulled the blankets up to her neck and looked up at Dillon. "No, I'm okay. I just want to sleep. I feel so dizzy from all of this."

"Okay, I'll let you rest. I love you, gorgeous." He softly kissed her lips and shut out the lights.

***

The next morning, feeling much better, Cassie eased out of bed trying not to wake Dillon.

After she showered, she dressed for work. She was thankful that she already had a counseling session scheduled. At least this would give her something new to discuss. The previous sessions weren't even about her ordeal in Afghanistan, the rape, or the abuse. Her counselor knew those past events had no effect on her. They usually discussed everyday events while drinking coffee. She believed it was more like meeting up with a friend rather than a therapist. Windall, her counselor, knew it was mandatory for her to attend the sessions. As long as she came to the appointments, he marked her present and they bullshitted the entire hour.

"Good morning, N.C. Windall," Cassie said, throwing her jacket over the back of the chair.

"Hi there, nice to see you. Anything exciting going on?" Windall handed her a cup of coffee and backed away to take a seat in his chair.

"Actually, yes. I went to the emergency room last night for an anxiety attack."

"Anxiety attack?" he questioned. "What in the hell caused that?" He grabbed his pad of paper and started to take notes.

"I started discussing my divorce and suddenly, out of nowhere, I had an anxiety attack."

"Did the doctor prescribe you anything?"

"Yes, he prescribed Zoloft. I don't want to take that shit. It takes two weeks to kick in and if I want to wean myself off of it, that will take two weeks, too. I don't want to become dependent on drugs. I didn't take any this morning."

"How do you feel now?"

"A little dizzy...I think it's from the meds that I had injected into me last night at the hospital. I'm so sleepy and have no energy," she explained.

"Well, I'm going to teach you to deal with anxiety. I'm going to also give you a book to study about anxiety as well. First thing's first. When you feel the signs of an anxiety attack coming on, sit down; bend over, place your head in your lap, and take deep breaths. If you're close to water, get a paper towel, wet it, and place it on the back of your neck. You can also cup your hands over your mouth and nose and inhale deeply. This is the same as breathing into a brown paper sack," he explained. "Now, I can't write you a prescription for meds, but it seems to me that you don't want them anyway."

"That's correct. I don't want to take them if I can help it. I've taken Xanax before, but I have never had an attack like the one last night."

N.C. Windall glanced at the clock, noticing that their time was up. "Call me if you have any more issues. I'll see you the same time next month."

Cassie grabbed her coat and drove to work. She couldn't wait to sit down and relax, hoping Gandison didn't have anything for her to do, but she suspected after her being absent for a week in Florida, that he had a boatload of tasks prepared for her.

"Good morning, sir." Cassie saluted.

"Good morning, Littleton." He smiled. "How was Florida?"

Cassie smiled. She liked the fact that Gandison called her by her maiden name. "It was okay, I hate going there. It sparks up too many bad memories for me."

"Like what?" Gandison crossed his feet on the top of his desk, appearing interested.

"The death of my high school sweetheart." That was the only thing Cassie wanted to tell him. She didn't want him to know the actual thing that she regretted was being an exotic dancer.

"I'm sorry to hear that." He stood alongside his desk. "We have a detachment scheduled in three days. We're going to Kodiak Alaska; we're heading there for two weeks. Are you ready for your first Det out of Moffett?" he asked.

"I suppose so." She sighed, unpleasantly. "Is the entire squadron going?"

"Sure is. Don't worry. You'll have a blast. We're just dropping off cargo."

Cassie received a text message from Jack. "Hey, what are you doing for lunch?"

"Nothing, do you want to meet at that Mexican restaurant off Shoreline Boulevard?"

"Sure. I'll see you there at noon."

As his interest piqued, Gandison raised a curious eyebrow. "Who was that? Your billionaire boyfriend?"

"Ha! I don't know if he has billions, but I know he at least has millions." She laughed. "And no—it was a guy who I met at a gala a few weeks ago."

"Trust me, your beloved Mr. Baron has billions and besides, he doesn't care about you texting other fellas?"

"No, especially if the dude is gay."

"Gay?" he questioned.

"Yes, he's gay. He's acting as a beard for an old lady who owns the law firm that Dillon is partner of."

"Interesting. Does this woman pay him?"

"Well, she buys him clothes, food, and allows him to stay in her guest house."

"Why in the hell can't I find someone to do that for me?" He laughed.

"Maybe because you're not a young, good looking gay dude?" Cassie joked.

"I suppose." He shrugged. Gandison dropped a stack of files on Cassie's desk. "Well, here are some things that we've been working on. I need you to catch up on all of this before we deploy."

Cassie flipped through the files. At least she had something to keep her occupied instead of staring off into space doing absolutely nothing. She glanced at her watch and noticed that it was time to meet Jack at the restaurant.

Upon her arrival, she explained to the hostess that she was waiting for a guest. The hostess seated Cassie in a booth by a window that faced the parking lot. Cassie could hear the loud roar of an exotic sport's car piquing her curiosity. Curious to know what kind of car was making such an arousing sound, she looked out the window, and saw a bright red Lamborghini accelerate up the hill of the parking lot. Intrigued, she noticed the silhouette of a man behind the wheel, but couldn't quite tell what he looked like. She couldn't take her eyes off the mysterious man driving the car. Finally, the door swung opened and he stepped from the car dressed in khaki slacks with a brightly colored plaid, short-sleeve, button down shirt. "Oh my God!" Her jaw dropped. "That's Jack getting out of that car!"

Jack approached the hostess and asked her to seat him at Cassie's table. Cassie stood quickly, wrapping her arms around Jack. "So nice to see you again." She smiled.

"You too! How was Florida?"

"Forget about Florida! Tell me about that hot ass car you're driving!"

"Gert bought it for me. It's awesome, huh?"

"It sure the hell is! I heard the sound of the engine way before I even saw the car come into the parking lot! I love it!"

"Well, I'll take you for a ride in it sometime."

"I'm thinking about selling my car or trading it in. I'm afraid to let it go, though. It was a gift from my ex-fiancé. He passed away a few years ago. His death was the reason I became depressed and ended up as an exotic dancer."

"I'm so sorry. How tragic. I can't imagine how you felt. Look on the bright side, though. If you never have danced, you would have never met Dillon." Jack opened several sugar packets and dumped them in his iced tea. "You know what I hate about California? You can't buy sweet tea anywhere!" He laughed.

"Tell me about it! I can't find boiled peanuts out here, either," she said.

"So, has Dillon taken you to his vineyard in Napa yet?"

"No, not yet. We haven't spoken much about it."

"Oh my God! You're not going to believe your eyes when you see it. He invites the entire firm each year to his vineyard for the annual Christmas party; it's gorgeous."

"Is it like a hotel?"

"Hotel? Hell no! It's like a fucking 5 star resort!" Jack laughed almost choking on his tea, astonished at how naïve she was about the wealthy man who she now shares a life with.

"Wow, I never knew."

"I bet you don't even know that the roof of his big ole mansion is a helicopter pad," he said, dumping more sugar in his tea.

"No, I didn't know that." She shrugged. "Honestly, I don't care. I would prefer it if he didn't have money. I like taking care of myself financially."

"Do you have a lot of money?" Jack asked, appearing interested.

"Yes, I have a substantial amount of money."

"How do you have a substantial amount of money? I didn't realize the Navy was so lucrative."

"I have an inheritance that I'm sitting on and a side business."

"Side business?"

"Nope, I'm not going to tell you. It's a secret." She winked, scandalously.

"C'mon! Tell me damn it! It's killing me!"

"Okay, I believe I can trust you; don't say anything. It will be our little secret," she said, leaning over the table toward Jack's ear. "I'm a dominatrix. I fulfill fetish fantasies."

Jack slammed back against his seat. "No way! Are you fucking serious?"

"Yep! I'm not too proud of it, though. It's not like I can get out of it, either, well, not until my enlistment is up anyway."

"Why do you have to wait for that?" he asked, puzzled.

"Because I only do it to men in the Navy. It's mainly officers. I don't have sex with them. That would be immoral." She laughed.

"Immoral? I'm sorry, but even though you're not fucking them, what you're doing is immoral in my book."

Cassie rolled her eyes callously. "Whatever, Jack."

"Okay, tell me some weird fetishes." Jack was completely interested in what Cassie had to say and was on the edge of his seat, waiting for her to divulge more information.

"Have you ever heard of looners?" she asked.

"What the hell is a looner?"

Cassie couldn't hold it in; she burst out laughing, spitting water across the table all over Jack. "Oh no! I'm so sorry!" She leaned over the table, dabbing his face with a napkin.

"It's okay, it's just water. No biggie. Now, tell me what a looner is!"

"Well, it's someone who becomes sexually aroused by balloons. I had this dude pay me to blow up balloons while he got off." She chuckled.

"Oh my God! That's too much!"

"I get all kinds. One guy liked sploshing; he had me throw pies at him as he sat naked in a bathtub. Then, I have the typical shoe fetish dudes, too."

"Now a shoe fetish I can relate to. Even though I'm gay, there's nothing more sexy and arousing than a woman wearing a pair of hot stripper shoes."

"Really? Are you really full on gay or just bisexual?" Cassie was curious.

"I'm full on gay." He laughed. "Why, do you think I'm sexy? Do you want me?" He teased.

"I won't comment on that." She winked, flirtatiously. Glancing at her watch, she realized that she had to get back to the base. "Sorry, but I have to get back to work. We should do this again; it was fun." She threw a twenty-dollar bill down on the table.

"Definitely. I'll call you. When is your next day off?"

"Sadly, I'm going on Det in a few days to Kodiak. I'll call you when I get back, though."

"Sounds good to me." Jack threw cash on the table and handed Cassie her twenty. "Let me pay for this."

"Thank you. I'll walk out with you so I can get a gander at that hot car of yours." Cassie approached the bright red Lamborghini, eagerly waiting for Jack to open the door. Smelling the magnificent scent of leather emanating from the opened car, she took in a deep breath, and treasured the mesmerizing aroma. "I was going to buy a Lotus, but now I want one of these!"

"Well, whenever you want to shop for cars, call me. I'd love to come with you." Jack maneuvered his way behind the wheel. Cassie's heart began to race as she heard the roar of the engine drive away.

***

Cassie sat at her desk, engulfed with the stack of files that Gandison handed to her earlier that morning. She was exhausted and ready to go home to take a nap. She still had mild jet lag from the three-hour time difference from Florida to California. Noticing a note sitting on her desk, Cassie saw that it was a message from Tudor. Her heart began to race. "I'm not going to let that bastard do this to me again!" She bent over, her face in her lap, taking long deep breaths. "Now, what in the hell does the bastard want?"

Haltingly, she picked up the phone, and dialed his number, her hand shook vigorously. The sound of his voice sent chills down her spine like needles pulsating through her entire body.

"Hello," Tudor answered.

"I had a message that you had called. What did you need?" She swallowed nervously.

"A shitload of your crap was delivered to my apartment. Do you want it or do you want me to get rid of it?"

"Just get rid of it."

"Do you even want to know what it is?"

"No, I don't care," she said, her voice jittery.

"Cassie, I miss you. Do you miss me at all?" His voice seemed sincere.

"No, I don't miss you. You have issues and you need help controlling your anger."

"I'm going to anger management classes. Do you think there will ever be a chance for us again?"

"No—never! And please never call me again!" She slammed down the phone, disconnecting the call.

Cassie didn't care what he had of hers. Actually, she believed that he had nothing; just using it as an excuse to speak to her.

Cassie rose from her desk and walked toward the plane that was being prepared for the flight to Alaska. She watched the crew working on the plane in their dark blue coveralls, thinking that they looked like Oompa Loompas from the movie, 'Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.' Those coveralls had no hope in making a man look good; they were repulsive and Cassie was grateful that she never had to wear one.

"Hey, Daniels!" Chad called out.

"It's Littleton, remember?"

"Oh, sorry. I forgot. What's up? Bored with your desk job?" Chad walked toward her with a wrench in his hand.

"Yes, terribly bored. Have you seen Gandison?"

Gandison popped his head from behind the wing. "I'm over here. Do you have a question for me?"

"Nah, just wondering where everyone was at. It's quiet and lonely in that office. I needed to get out and walk around. I think I'll go see how Michelle's doing in the snack bar."

Cassie entered through the swinging doors of the snack bar that was down the hallway from her office. "Hey, lady! How's it going?" Cassie hollered to Michelle who was standing behind the counter.

"Working this damn snack bar sucks! I never thought that I would be serving Frito pie to people when I enlisted." She laughed.

"Are you ready for Alaska?"

"Yes, I can't wait! Oh my God, Cass...we're going to have so much fun." Michelle grinned.

"Really? Like what?"

"We're going to party our asses off most of the time. It's gonna be a blast, you'll see!"

"I'm just glad you're going. Will we have a hotel room together?"

"Yep, we sure will. Don't be surprised when we get there. You'll see a bunch of prostitutes waiting around for the guys to get off the plane. Is this your first Det?"

"Well, sort of...I mean I was on the ship for six months and I went to Afghanistan for a few days, but nothing like this."

"Trust me; you're going to have the time of your life!"

"Okay, I'll take your word for it." She laughed. "I better lock up the office; it's almost time to go home. I'll see you tomorrow.

***

Cassie rushed through the front door and went straight into Dillon's arms. "What's all the rush, gorgeous?" She almost knocked him over.

"I saw the most magnificent car today. Did you know that Jack has a Lamborghini?"

"Yes, but it's not technically his. It's Gertrude's."

"Well, I don't care. It was the most beautiful sounding car I've ever heard—I want one. Will you take me to buy one this evening? I'll buy it myself, of course."

"I don't think you have an idea how much those cars cost. It might eat up your inheritance. Do you want to risk that?"

"Well, how much are they?"

"The Gallardo Jack has cost three-hundred grand."

Cassie's mouth gaped open. "You can't be serious."

"Yes, I am. I was with Gertrude when she purchased it. If you really want a Lamborghini, I will buy it for you."

"No, I want to buy my own car. Can we just go look anyway? Maybe I can find something more in my price range."

"How much are you willing to spend?"

"I don't want to spend over a hundred grand."

"Well, go change out of that uniform and I'll drive you to an exotic import dealership in San Francisco."

Cassie hurried upstairs and tossed her uniform in the clothes hamper. She put on a simple, white t-shirt and jeans and then quickly slid her Coach flats onto her feet. She was back downstairs in a matter of minutes.

"Wow—that was quick." Dillon laughed.

"I know! I'm so excited. Let's go, we don't have all night!"

Dillon, like the gentleman he was, opened the passenger door for Cassie to take a seat in his Maserati. She could smell the scent of his Annick Goutal throughout the car. She took in a deep breath. "Ahhhh..."

"What is it?" he asked.

"Oh, it's nothing. This car just smells like you—well, with a hint of leather, too." She smiled.

"I hope that's a good thing," he joked. Dillon was still dressed in his executive, modern-fit suit. Cassie gazed hungrily at his leg as he shifted from the gas pedal to the brake. Flirtatiously, she placed her hand upon his knee.

Dillon shook his head, knowing her intention. "Oh, jeez—not again. Why do you try to get me all worked up when I drive? You're such a tease!"

"I love to see you squirm." She winked, salaciously.

After twenty-minutes of intense teasing that left Dillon defenseless behind the wheel, they arrived at the exotic import dealership in San Francisco. The dealership was enclosed; the cars were inside on a showroom floor. There seemed to be more Bentleys than anything else. Cassie didn't like Bentleys; they reminded her of an old man's car.

Seeing a red car that totally caught her attention, she rushed toward it, leaving Dillon behind, and saw that it was a Lotus Evora. She was mesmerized by it; running her fingers along the sleek, flawless body, longing to hear what the engine sounded like.

"Well, I think we already have a winner!" Dillon's voice echoed throughout the showroom as he walked toward Cassie alongside the car salesman.

"Isn't it absolutely beautiful? Can I hear it run?" she asked the salesman.

"Let me grab the keys, I'll be right back." The car salesman disappeared into the offices toward the back.

"Are you sure this is what you want?" Dillon asked.

"As long as it's in my budget."

"I'm sorry, but the word budget and Lotus do not fall in the same category." He laughed, sarcastically.

The salesman approached with the keys. "I'll pull it around so you and your lady friend can take her for a spin."

"Thanks, Curtis, I'll take real good care of her," Dillon said.

"Oh, I know you will, sir."

"Do you know that guy?" Cassie asked.

"I buy all of my cars from him. I've been buying my cars here for the past fifteen years."

"Do you even know how much the car costs?" Cassie was a little worried that it was more than what she could afford.

"Yes, I asked Curtis when I saw you salivating over it."

Curtis opened the passenger door for Cassie. Dillon slid into the driver's seat. "Wow, this thing feels like I'm sitting in a cockpit of a plane!" Dillon exclaimed as he toyed with all the gadgets on the dash. Cassie watched Dillon shift gears. To see a man as sexy as he in the seat of that car in a business suit was driving her crazy. She wanted him to pull off so she could straddle him, but knew in that small car, it was nearly impossible.

"I'm definitely having my way with you when we get home!" She demanded.

He looked over at her with a wide-eyed grin. "I'm sure you will. How do you like it? It drives nice." He slammed the car into third gear and raced up the ramp of Highway 101. They were flying down the freeway, Cassie loved the sound of the engine; she was totally impressed and knew that she was buying that car.

Dillon exited the freeway, pulled off on a side road, and allowed Cassie to drive. "You know how to drive a stick shift I hope..."

"I'm not a complete moron." She rolled her eyes at him.

"Rolling your eyes at me I see, Miss Littleton. You know that will get you in a lot of trouble." He teased.

"I hope so." She rolled her eyes again. "Hang on, baby."

Slamming the car in first gear, she sped off, spinning the tires, leaving a strip of rubber on the street. She flew up the ramp to Highway 101 and raced down the freeway, passing all the cars on the road as if they were at a standstill.

"Slow down, baby...you're going to get a ticket!"

"A ticket? Don't be silly. I can get out of those easily." She giggled, stomping the gas pedal to the floor.

They pulled into the parking lot of the dealership. Curtis approached them assuming that he had made the sale.

"I'll take it!" Cassie said, stepping from the car.

"Hold on a minute. We need to negotiate." Dillon glared at her, seeming annoyed for jumping so fast on the deal. "You wait out here. I'll speak with Curtis inside."

Cassie waited in the parking lot where two men ambushed her as soon as Dillon disappeared from sight. One man was dressed in a suit, carrying a microphone and the other was holding a video camera on his shoulder. "Hi, I'm Rox Bay of KTVU. Do you mind if I ask you a few questions?" He forced the microphone up to Cassie's lips.

"It depends on what questions you want to ask." She shrugged.

"I see that you're with Dillon Baron, California's most eligible bachelor. Are you two an item?"

Cassie peered into the camera and smiled. "Y-yes we are," she stammered.

"Do you mind telling us your name and age?"

"Cassie Littleton, I'm twenty-three," she responded. "Why do you ask?"

"Dillon's forty-three. What do you think of the big age difference?" the reporter asked. Suddenly, after hearing her name register into his mind, a look of astonishment shown on his face. "Cassie Littleton?" he questioned. "Not thee Cassie Littleton?"

"What do you mean thee?" she asked.

"Are you thee Cassie Littleton who rescued the female soldier from Afghanistan?"

Cassie cleared her throat. "Yes, I am." She stared down shyly at her pigeon-toed feet.

Dillon could see the reporters from the salesman's office and rushed outside, putting his arms around Cassie, and tried to lead her inside the dealership.

"Mr. Baron, sir, can you answer a few questions?" the reporter hollered, hoping that Dillon would turn around and speak to him.

"No! Get out of here!" he demanded. Once Dillon had Cassie safely inside the building, she was flooded with questions.

"What did they ask you? What did you say? You didn't mention how you and I met, did you?"

"Why? Are you ashamed of me and my past?"

"Not at all. I just don't want the damn state knowing my fucking business!" Dillon brushed his hand through his hair frustratingly, staring down at the ground, looking aggravated.

"They asked if you and I were dating, I told them yes. Then they asked if I was the person who rescued the soldier in Afghanistan, I told them yes. Is that okay?" she asked, hoping that she didn't anger him.

Anger shot from his eyes and with a stern glare, Dillon cupped Cassie's face firmly with his hands, making her look directly at him. "Never speak to the media again! They follow me around all the time, I'm so sick of it. Now, it's involving you. Fuck! I'm so pissed! Why couldn't you have just walked away and come inside?"

Cassie backed away from the firm grip that Dillon had on her. "They ambushed me, Dillon! I didn't think it was a big deal." She shrugged. She felt bad that she upset him; she never saw him react in such a way.

"Well, the deal on the car is done—it's yours. Are you going to let me buy it for you?"

"No—I told you I wanted to buy it myself!"

"Well, you better write a check for ninety-eight grand then." He chuckled, slightly.

"What's so funny? You don't think I will, do you?" she asked as though she were being challenged.

"What are you going to do about your Porsche, Cassie?"

"I'm going to keep it. I can't give it up just yet. It's sentimental to me," she explained.

"Well, I'll store it in my garage for you. I think I have a free spot."

"Free spot? What do you mean, free spot?"

"You honestly don't think I have just one car, do you?"

"Um—yes, it's the only one I've ever seen you drive. Well, that and the limousine that Sebastian hauls your ass around in every now and then."

"Baby, I have a fifteen car garage. You would be shocked to see the other sports cars I have in there." He smiled, arrogantly.

Cassie pulled out her checkbook from the Burberry bag that Randall had bought her the day before he was killed. She leisurely wrote the check to the dealership, handed it to Curtis, and signed the documents.

"I'll have someone put the temporary plates on and she's all yours," Curtis said with an illuminating grin.

Excited, Cassie couldn't believe that she just dropped almost a hundred grand on a car. She believed that she deserved it and couldn't wait to drive it home.

"I'll follow behind you, Cassie. I want to be certain that you don't kill yourself in that thing." Dillon sighed, shaking his head back and forth, his hands in his pockets.

Cassie and Dillon walked out of the dealership arm-and-arm and waited for Curtis to bring her car around. Cassie's heart raced with excitement.

Finally, she heard the roar of the engine coming from behind the building. "Is it weird that the sound of the engine makes me horny?" she said, playfully.

Dillon busted out in laughter. "Where in the hell do you come up with this stuff?"

"I don't know, it's how I feel." She smiled.

"Here you go, ma'am." Curtis left open the door with the engine still purring.

Dillon shook hands with Curtis, climbed into his Maserati, and waited for Cassie to pull out of the dealership, so he could follow closely behind.

Cassie handled the Lotus like a pro, leaving Dillon in the dust on Highway 101. He wasn't trailing far behind, but he was rather upset that she had him accelerating over a hundred-thirty miles per hour.

She weaved in and out of traffic, even passing cars on the left shoulder because she thought that the cars in the fast lane were even going too slow. Speeding up the circular drive to the house, she shut the engine down. Dillon pulled in not far behind.

Dillon stepped from his car, angrily slammed his door, and walked toward Cassie like a raging bull. "Where in the hell do you get off driving like that?"

"I just wanted to have some fun is all. Are you mad, baby?" She batted her eyelashes flirtatiously at him, hoping that he wasn't angry.

Shaking his head, erasing his anger, he chuckled. "No, I'm not mad. I was just worried. I don't want to lose you in some deadly car accident." He snaked his arms around her, squeezing her tightly. "C'mon, gorgeous...let's go inside."

***

Cassie zipped up her bag and prepared for her trip to Alaska. Dillon appeared terribly sad, not wanting her to leave, but knew that he had no choice in the matter. "I love you, baby," she said, kissing his soft lips. "I'll see you in two weeks."

Dillon cupped her face in his hands, looked longingly into her eyes, and breathed deeply. "I love you too, gorgeous. Please be careful."

That sincere gaze when Dillon cups her face, always arouses her to no end. She knew what he was trying to do. He wanted one last fuck before she left, but Cassie had been running behind. Dressed in her uniform, Cassie tossed her green duffle bag over her shoulder, and walked out the door.

She arrived at the Navy base in her new Lotus. It was the first time she had driven it to work since she had bought it. A crowd began to form, wanting to know more about her hot, new car.

"Oh my God! You should take that bitch down the runway and see how fast she can go!" Chad pressed his face to the glass, trying to get a glimpse inside.

"Another convertible?" Gandison asked.

"I love convertibles," she said.

"Yeah, take it down the runway real quick. You have time before we board the plane," Gandison suggested.

"Anyone want to ride with me?"

About seven hands flew up in the air.

Cassie motioned for Chad to jump in the passenger seat. "Put your seat belt on. This bitch is fast!" She laughed.

Slowly, Cassie drove the Lotus toward the beginning of the runway, her heart raced, anticipating taking the speedometer to the max. Slamming the car in first gear, she sped off, leaving a trail of burned rubber behind. She glanced at the speedometer; the car was pegged at 180 mph.

She parked and Chad jumped from the car. "Holy shit! We were going over a hundred-eighty miles per hour. I think I had an orgasm in my pants!" Chad laughed.

Gandison stood with his arms crossed. "You're not keeping that car in this parking lot. Drive it into the hangar where it will be safe. You can leave it parked inside until we get back from Kodiak," he instructed.

Everyone finally boarded the plane. Cassie hated flying on a C-130. Not only was it going to be a long, rough flight, she most likely would become air sick.

Flipping her seat down, Cassie fastened her seat belt. She couldn't stop thinking about Dillon; knowing that she would miss him terribly. The plane accelerated on the runway, picking up enough speed to ascend. As soon as the plane reached a safe altitude, the sound of unbuckling seatbelts filled the cabin. The guys tossed around Frisbees and loud, rock music was playing on a boom box. Michelle sat next to Cassie and hoped that she wouldn't throw up on the floor in fear of the splatter. She handed Cassie an anti-nausea tablet, assuming that it would help her feel better.

"You know, it wouldn't be so bad if we could sit facing forward, but instead, we have to sit sideways. It's enough to make me barf!"

"Don't worry, Cass. That tablet will help you feel better in a few minutes, I promise! It's a wonder drug." Michelle laughed.

"I hope so. I don't want to be sick when we land."

The tablet caused Cassie to become extremely drowsy, forcing her to sleep the rest of the flight.

When the plane landed, Cassie awakened feeling much better. The medicine had caused the nausea to wear off, but she was still very sleepy.

The crew exited through the back of the plane; the air was brisk and cold. Cassie and Michelle clenched onto one another, trying to feel each other's body heat. The wind was terribly strong; they could feel it slice through their body like a knife.

"We're going to catch pneumonia out here!" Cassie's teeth chattered.

"Ah—this is warm!" Gandison laughed.

"You're an idiot!" Michelle joked.

The crew jumped in a government van that transported them to the hotel. They were relieved when they felt the warmth of the fireplace in the hotel lobby.

Cassie and Michelle went straight to their hotel room after Michelle grabbed the key from the front desk.

Cassie flung her duffle bag to the floor and fell backward onto the bed. "I'm going to take a nice, long nap!"

"Don't rest up too long. Everyone's supposed to meet up for dinner." Michelle placed her bag on her bed and hung up her uniforms.

A few hours later, Aden knocked on the door. "Hi, baby." He kissed Michelle on the cheek.

Michelle pulled away. "Don't do that here. I don't want anyone to know that we're a couple yet." Michelle glanced over her shoulder, hoping Cassie was still asleep.

"Are you coming down for dinner soon?" Aden asked.

"Shh—yes, we'll be down as soon as I wake her up," Michelle whispered, trying to push Aden into the hallway.

An hour later, Cassie opened her eyes and took a long, rewarding stretch.

"You need to get dressed and meet downstairs at the restaurant with everyone," Michelle said, running a brush through her hair.

Cassie yawned and stood from the bed. "Hmm, what should I wear?"

"Oh, Cass! It's not a damn red carpet event. Just put on some jeans and a damn t-shirt for cripes sake!"

"I've got it!" Cassie snapped her fingers. "I'll wear this!" She held up a white tube top that had crystal and pearl accents.

"For God's sake, do you plan on torturing those men in the restaurant?" Michelle shook her head back and forth.

"No, but I want to show off the goods." Cassie winked.

"Ha! You're such a freaking tease!"

"Oh, and don't think that I don't know about you and Aden." She smiled, slyly.

Michelle looked at Cassie, worried. "Please don't say anything."

"I won't. I'm glad that you two hooked up. I could sense a spark between you two at the sex club." Cassie stepped into the tube top and wiggled it up over her breasts. Her breasts looked unusually enormous, leaving nothing to the imagination whatsoever as they provocatively spilled over the top. Her dark blue, skinny fit jeans appeared as though they were painted on. When she topped off her outfit with her five-inch, Jimmy Choo heels, she looked like a high class call girl.

Michelle stared at Cassie concerned. "Cass, you're going to attract the wrong kind of attention."

"Nah, I'll be fine," she said.

Michelle and Cassie rode the elevator to the restaurant at the bottom floor. Cassie could hear loud music coming from the nightclub a few doors down. People were dancing and having a good time. She couldn't wait until after dinner so she could go dancing with her shipmates; she was ready to have some fun, wanting to let loose.

The hostess seated them with the other men from their squadron at a large, round table. The men were fixated on Cassie's chest. No matter how hard they tried, they couldn't look away. Michelle just sat back and laughed at how silly they were acting.

"Are you cold, Littleton?" Gandison asked, trying not to stare. "Oh, wait, you must be. Nipples don't lie!" He laughed.

Cassie glanced down and noticed that her nipples were hard enough to hang a coat on. "Ha! You really think you're funny, don't you?" Cassie crossed her arms in front of her chest.

"No—I think you're deliciously hot, though." He and the guys laughed together. Cassie could tell that they had way too much to drink; she just brushed it off.

Finally, after the crew finished with dinner, they went to the nightclub. It was dimly lit; top-forty music was playing by the disc jockey. Cassie was ready to get on the dance floor and tease; she loved driving men into a sexual frenzy. 'What's it Gonna Be' by En Vogue was playing. Cassie loved that song; it was one of her favorites that she danced frequently to as a stripper.

A chrome pole was strategically placed in the center of the dance floor. Was it there for seductive pole dancing or the structural integrity of the building? Either way, Cassie didn't care. Seductively, she grabbed the pole, slowly paced around in a circle, and swayed flirtatiously to the beat of the music. Men were totally entranced at the way she moved, absolutely enraptured as her body sexually tormented them. She knew it too; wanting to tease them even more.

Reaching up the pole as high as she could, Cassie demonstrated several acrobatic moves, and flashed trifling, coy stares toward the crowd. Hanging upside down, she spread her legs into a compete split. Her biceps bulged from holding her own weight as she slithered around the sleek, chrome pole and graced her way slowly to the floor. The crowd was mesmerized. She stood and graciously snaked her lean, slender body around the pole; her hips in perfect sync with the music, and her breasts appearing as though they could pop out of her tube top at any minute.

"Oh my Lord, I'd give anything to be that pole right now," Chad said, astonished as he hungrily took a sip of his beer.

"M-m-me too," Gandison stuttered, staring in amazement, waiting for her boobs to free themselves from their tight, constricting prison.

While in an exotic trance, Cassie acted as though she were the only person in the room as she flashed flirtatious stares toward Gandison and Chad.

The song ended, the disc jockey was stunned. "Well, let's give a round of applause to the well-endowed chic on the pole!" the disc jockey said into the microphone. "After all my years of working here, I've never seen anyone move like that on that pole!"

Cassie took a proud bow and the crowd applauded. A more upbeat song played; Cassie remained on the dance floor, motioning for Michelle and Aden to join her.

"Where in the hell did you learn to dance like that?" Michelle asked.

Cassie shrugged nonchalantly. "I don't know, just came natural to me I guess." She winked. Before long, Cassie could feel the stiffness of a man's dick against her backside. Quickly, she turned around and saw Gandison rubbing his erection against the small of her back. "What in the hell are you doing?" she yelled, pushing him away.

Gandison, holding a beer; had the worst dance moves imaginable. He shimmied his way toward her again.

"I'm warning you, you do not want to test me," she said, her voice becoming stern.

"Ah—c'mon, I'm just having a little fun is all."

Cassie could smell beer on his breath, making her want to vomit. "Okay, you want to play? I'll play!" Cassie started to gyrate against the front of his jeans, noticing the stiffness of his erection protruding against his zipper. Her intent was to make him spew in his pants, hoping to cause him to become embarrassed, so he'd leave.

Cassie turned around, her ass facing him, rubbing hard against his erect shaft. He began spanking her on the ass, which aroused him even more. She turned around sharply and blew her warm breath in his ear as she flicked his earlobe playfully with the tip of her tongue. Placing her hand on the inside of his thigh, she led him to believe that she would grab his dick. She took his free hand and cupped it upon her breast, assuming that was more than enough to get him off. The stiffness and convulsing of his body gave her the insinuation that she did what she set out to do. He smiled and hurried toward the bathroom.

"What did you do to Gandison?" Michelle laughed.

"Let's just say that he probably won't be bothering me anymore tonight," Cassie said, proudly.

"It's getting late and we need to work in the morning. Are you ready to head back to the room?" Michelle took one last sip of her beer.

"Sure, let's get the hell out of here."

Aden followed the girls to their room. "Is he staying in here tonight?" Cassie asked.

"I was going to ask you about that. Do you mind staying with Chad tonight?"

"What? Shack up with a dude? No way!"

"C'mon, Cass. Please?" She begged.

"What does Chad think about this?"

"He's fine with it."

"I bet he is," Cassie said, condescendingly.

"Oh, please, Cassie. Aden and I haven't been together yet if you know what I mean."

"Oh, so you haven't banged each other's brains out?"

"That would be correct."

Cassie grabbed her duffle bag and tossed it over her shoulder. "Okay, just this one night, but that's it!"

"Okay, thank you—thank you!"

Cassie walked down the hall to Chad's room and knocked on the door. She hoped that he was already back from the club so she wouldn't have to stand in the hall and wait. After knocking a few times, she came to the realization that he was not in the room.

She sat on the floor and rested her back against her duffle bag; she decided to send Dillon a text message, hoping he wasn't already in bed.

"I miss you, sweetie!"

"I miss you too, gorgeous," he responded.

Her heart fluttered as she clenched the phone toward her heart. She took a deep breath. "God, I love that man so much."

She heard the ping of the elevator and she saw Chad walking toward her. "It's about damn time!" She joked.

"Sorry, there was this crazy chic in the club who wouldn't leave me alone." He laughed. "Those damn prostitutes never leave us Navy guys alone."

Cassie eyeballed his pecs in the tight, black t-shirt that he wore; it appeared as though his biceps were going to rip his sleeves apart at the seams.

"Did you have a good time on that pole?" He kept reaching in his pockets, fishing for the room key.

"What do you think?" Cassie grabbed her duffle bag off the floor and waited for him finally to unlock the door.

Chad allowed Cassie to walk in before him. There were two queen-size beds in the room; Cassie dropped her duffle bag on the bed closest to the window.

"Well, I guess you're claiming that one," Chad said.

"Yep, sure am!"

"Who's taking a shower first?" he asked, removing his watch, tossing it on the dresser.

"I will." She pulled lingerie from her duffle bag.

"You're going to wear that?" Chad was a little concerned. He knew that if she was going to wear what she was holding in her hand that he'd sexually go insane.

"Yes, I didn't realize I would be sharing a hotel room with a man when I packed." She grabbed her makeup bag and went into the bathroom. She poured shampoo under the running water to create a bubble bath, and wrapped her hair up in a towel to avoid it from getting wet. She sat back relaxing, allowing the hot water to cover her entire body. The thought of Chad's pecs and biceps kept racing through her mind. She thought that he looked incredibly hot, but tried like hell to block it from her brain, trying to engulf her thoughts of Dillon. She envisioned him in his suit and tie, wondering what his office looked like, imagining a fantasy of him ravaging her on the surface of his desk.

"What's taking you so damn long?" Chad knocked on the door, holding his shampoo and deodorant.

"Just a second!" Cassie rose from the bathtub and grabbed a towel. She wrapped it around her wet body before allowing Chad his turn in the bathroom.

Chad stared at her backside; the towel barely covered her ass. He could see the edge of her butt cheeks peeking from beneath it. Shaking his head trying to focus, he closed the door behind him.

Cassie sat on the bed and applied lotion to her legs. She slipped under the blankets, trying to dress before Chad came out of the bathroom. Turning off the lamp, she faced the window, and tried to fall asleep. She heard the shower shut off and assumed that Chad would be coming out at any moment. She rolled over and faced the bathroom, hoping to catch a quick glimpse of how he looked wrapped in a towel.

He approached his bed with his tanned, muscular body glistening from the hot, steamy water, her eyes barely opened enough to see the tight, white cotton towel wrapped around his waist below his six pack abs. "My God, he's hot," she said to herself. Knowing that she could be weakened by his presence, she squeezed her eyes shut, and tried to erase the vision from her mind. She surely didn't want to cheat on Dillon.

Cassie peeked from one eye and watched Chad unwrap the towel from his waist, and slip underneath the blankets. He rolled on his side facing her, the sexual energy was thick. Cassie didn't want anything to happen, and she didn't want to tease Chad. Faking a long yawn, she stretched her arms above her head, and then slowly turned over with her back facing him. She heard the click of Chad's lamp shut off, the room suddenly became dark.

***

The next morning, Cassie heard a knock at the door. She jumped from bed, rushed toward the door, looked through the peep hole, and saw Aden standing in the hallway.

Cassie unlatched the door chain allowing Aden to enter the room. "Wow! What have you and Chad been up to?" Aden asked, skimming Cassie up and down in her negligee.

"Nothing!" Cassie grabbed her dungarees and quickly slipped them on. She retrieved her light blue, button-up uniform top and rushed in the bathroom to finish dressing for work.

Aden looked over at Chad who was asleep in the bed. "How in the hell could you sleep in that bed next to her and not make a move?" Aden asked, loudly, waking him from his sleep.

Chad sat up and rubbed the sleep from his eyes. "It wasn't easy." He laughed, stretching his arms high above his head. "The moonlight was peeking through the curtains; I could see her silhouette as she lay on her side. She must not have been aware that she had kicked the blankets off while she was sleeping. I tip-toed over to her bed and slowly covered her; I wanted so badly to touch her. My God, that satin against her skin was driving me nuts!"

Cassie walked out of the bathroom and knew what they were discussing; she could hear them through the paper thin bathroom wall. "Aden, you're staying in here tonight," Cassie said, picking up her duffle bag. "I'll see you two when the van picks us up." Cassie shut the door and stood for a brief moment in the hall trying to catch her breath. She slept like crap because of the intense, sexual tension between her and Chad. She was proud that she could maintain self-control, but it was tough. She knew that if she were stuck in that hotel room alone again with Chad, it might not be so innocent.

Cassie entered her room where she saw Michelle tying her shoes, sitting on the edge of the bed. "Well, how was it?" Cassie asked, hoping Michelle would spill the steamy details between her and Aden's first sexual encounter.

"It was awkward. It's like we have no rhythm. It was a big mess."

"What do you mean?"

"He's so sloppy. He slobbered all over me, and his hands were all clumsy. It felt like he was poking a dead jellyfish on the beach when he touched me." Michelle shivered.

"Ew! That's not good. Maybe the second time will be better."

"I sure hope so. Would you mind staying in Chad's room again tonight?"

Cassie stood, persistently shaking her head back and forth. "Oh, hell no! I'm not staying with him again. No way!"

"Why?"

"I won't be able to control myself. My God, he's so freaking hot! I wanted to ravage him hard last night!"

"Well, why didn't you?"

"Duh! I have a boyfriend who I live with," Cassie said, rolling her eyes.

"What happens on Det stays on Det," Michelle joked.

"Yeah-yeah-yeah, the excuse everyone in the Navy uses to practically get away with murder," Cassie said condescendingly. "What happens on Det stays on Det, what happens at sea stays at sea, what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas. I'm so sick of those phrases!"

"Well, we better head out before we're late," Michelle said.

Cassie tossed her duffle bag on the bed then followed Michelle to the government van that waited for the crew outside. The weather was blissfully cold. Cassie hated cold weather, especially when it was windy. She couldn't wait for the detachment to be over so she could be wrapped in Dillon's warm embrace again.

"I know how much y'all are going to hate this, but we have to scrub the plane. So, let's go ahead and hear your bitching and moaning." Gandison laughed.

Cassie became pissed off. "Whatever happened to administrative work?" she asked.

"When you're on Det, you do what the crew does, my dear." Gandison winked.

Cassie slammed herself back in the seat, folded her arms in front of her, and pouted like a child. She felt the vibration of her cell phone in her pocket and noticed a text from Dillon.

"I'm thinking of you, gorgeous," it read.

"I love and miss you ."

The crew arrived at the hangar and stepped from the van; Cassie shivered from the cold.

"If you had more meat on your bones, Littleton, you wouldn't be so cold." Aden laughed.

"Oh, yeah? Well, if you had less meat on your bones, you might not be so fucking ugly!" she said. She hated it when people commented on how thin she was. She knew she was thin; she didn't appreciate people indicating the obvious. She thought it was blatantly rude.

"Cassie! I can't believe you said that!" Michelle was shocked at the comment she had made.

"Well, I can't believe he had the nerve to comment on my weight!"

"He was only joking."

"I don't care, I don't like it, and I will not put up with it! Would he call someone fat to their face? I think not!"

Aden's angry stare was enough to enrage Cassie even more. "You wanna go?" Cassie said, jumping in Aden's face, prepared to fight.

Aden rolled his eyes. "What the fuck are you gonna do?" He smirked.

"Test me and find out!" Her heart raced; her adrenaline pumped hard. She knew that if she didn't hit something, she would explode. "Go ahead, test me!" She taunted, continuously.

Aden shoved her out of his face, which was enough to cause Cassie to draw her fist back and punch him dead square between the eyes.

Aden cupped his hands over his face trying not to get blood on his uniform from his busted nose. "What the fuck is the matter with you, bitch!"

"Don't you call me a bitch, you fucking dick!" She placed her foot behind his ankle, pushed him over, and he fell to the ground. Aden sat dazed with blood seeping through his fingers. "Get up! I dare you! I will fucking kill your ass if you test me again!" she yelled. The crew stood around in shock.

"Cassie, get over here!" Gandison yelled. "Go inside. I'll be in there in a minute to deal with your ass!"

Cassie stormed off toward the hangar that was being pelted by sleet and snow. She was relieved to walk inside, it was nice and warm. She saw a lieutenant walking toward her and she quickly saluted. "Sir," she said as she nodded.

"Seaman," he replied, returning the salute.

Cassie sat on a chair in the hallway and waited for Gandison to reprimand her for punching Aden. She didn't know what was going to happen; she was already in enough trouble because of Afghanistan; she knew that this would cause her to never be awarded her petty officer ranking again.

Cassie saw the door swing open; Gandison removed his hat from his head, and shook the snow and sleet from it. "Come with me," he demanded.

Cassie followed Gandison to a small office down the hall. She closed the door behind them and sat on a chair in front of the desk.

"Oh my God! You totally cracked me up! I can't believe you nailed Aden like that!" he said, doubling over from laughing so hard.

Cassie was shocked. She didn't expect this reaction at all.

"Do you want bathroom duty as your punishment? You won't have to go outside and wash the plane."

"Hell, yes! I'll do anything not to be in that cold miserable weather!"

"Alright. We'll just tell Aden that bathroom duty is your punishment," he said, showing a devilish grin.

"That's it?" she asked.

"Yes, that's it, but don't ever do anything like that again. You're lucky I'm your superior." He winked. "You're walking on thin ice, little lady."

***

The van arrived at the hotel with the crew on board. Cassie rushed to her room, and jumped into a hot bath to bring up her core temperature from the cold snow and sleet. As Cassie reclined in the steamy water, she heard Michelle and Aden enter the room. "That dick is not staying in here again!" She quickly dried herself off, dressed in a t-shirt and jeans, and emerged from the bathroom.

"Hey, Littleton. I just wanted to say I'm sorry. I didn't mean for you to take my comment as offensive. I don't think you're too thin. Hell, I think you're the hottest thing around," Aden said with a half-smile.

"Hey!" Michelle yelled, slapping him across the back. "If you think she's the hottest thing around, then why in the hell are you dating me?"

"Well, look at her. You don't think she's hot?"

"You're an asshole! Get the hell out of my room!" Michelle couldn't believe that he was saying all this in front of her.

"I accept your apology, but for you to speak like that in front of your girlfriend makes you an absolute douche!" Cassie said. "You better do as Michelle says and leave."

"But—"

"Don't but me! Get out!" Michelle demanded.

"Jeez, try to be nice and apologize for something and it blows up in my face." He sighed, regretfully.

"Don't let the door kick you in the ass on your way out!" Michelle laughed.

"Are you okay, Michelle?" Cassie asked.

"Yeah, he sucks in bed anyway. Good riddance to him!"

"Well, if you don't mind, I'm staying put tonight. I'm exhausted!" Cassie dropped to the bed, ready to get some much needed rest.

"I'm going to join you." Michelle jumped in the shower and turned in afterward.

A few hours later, the telephone rang. Cassie rolled over from being awakened from a deep sleep and picked up the receiver. "Hello."

"It's Gandison...come to my room in fifteen minutes."

"Seriously?" She yawned. "I'm too tired."

"It's an order!"

Cassie slammed down the phone, brushed her teeth, and walked down the hallway to Gandison's room. "Where's the frigging fire?" she asked.

Gandison invited her in and told her to sit on the bed. "I'll be right back."

Cassie wasn't fully awake and wanted to go back to bed. Gandison retrieved a device from his luggage that was in three parts. He screwed the three pieces together and it formed a cane.

"Oh, God, not again." She rolled her eyes, knowing what she was in for. "I want my money first!"

Gandison tossed a wad of cash on the bed next to her. "Shall we get started?" he asked.

"I suppose." She exhaled, dreadfully. "Well, bend over if you want your punishment!"

Gandison bent over the edge of the bed with his butt high in the air. "Give it to me as hard as you can."

"I don't want to be responsible for breaking a bone." She seemed reluctant, gripping the cane in her clenched fist.

"Nonsense! Just hit me flush against my skin, you know, with the cane flat."

Cassie clutched the cane tightly; she took a deep breath; closed her eyes, and whacked him across the back of his thighs.

His body jolted with the thrash. "That's not hard enough! Hit me harder!" he demanded.

She had been a little frightened about hurting him, but if he wanted it hard, she knew that she had to oblige. Drawing back the cane, she forcefully struck it across his ass, and his knees buckled. "Oh my God! Are you okay?" She became shocked to see him lying on the floor.

"Like that! Yes, like that!" He rose from the floor and bent over the night stand. "I'm ready for another lashing."

Cassie wanted to get the ordeal over with. She didn't mind hitting men with her bare fist, but using objects made her uncomfortable.

She knew that she needed to make this one count. She grasped the cane hard, seductively bit down on her lower lip, and forced the cane upon his back, then immediately, whacked the back of his thighs.

Gandison dropped to his knees one last time, inched his way toward the bed, and buried his face into the pillow. She could hear loud moans, but it didn't sound like painful moans, it was more like pleasurable ones. The sound sent chills down her spine, a sound she wasn't proud to hear.

Throwing the cane to the floor, Cassie rushed over to Gandison. "Are you okay?"

"I'm more than okay." He panted heavily. "This is the best orgasm I've ever had! So much better than the last time you beat me." He gazed up at her, grinning.

Cassie turned and grabbed the wad of money from the bed along with her room key. "I'm leaving now. It looks like you could use some rest," she said, before closing the door behind her.
Chapter Twenty

The two-week Det from Alaska finally came to an end; the bitter cold was more than Cassie could bear. In the meantime, Dillon's executive assistant was coordinating the annual Christmas party.

Cassie had noticed a Chanel box that was adorned with satin ribbon, lying on the freshly made bed; the card was addressed to her. She casually untied the ribbon and tossed away the tissue paper. She pulled a pink, boucle, tweed suit from the box and the card inside read:

Hello, gorgeous,

I think you should dress a little more conservative at the Christmas party.

Cassie's jaw dropped. "I am not sixty years old! No way in hell am I wearing this crap!" She tossed the suit back in the box and slid it underneath the bed. Snatching her phone from her purse, Cassie immediately dialed Jack's number.

"Hey, what are you doing right now?" she asked.

"Nothing, as usual. Why?"

"Come pick me up...I'm bored."

"I'll be there in fifteen minutes." Jack grabbed his keys, jumped in his Lamborghini, and sped toward Dillon's house.

Cassie changed from her uniform to a comfortable plain, white fitted t-shirt, jeans, and her black, Pigalle Louboutin pumps. She kept looking from the window, waiting eagerly for Jack to appear out front.

"Finally!" She rushed downstairs and jumped in the passenger seat of Jack's awesome sports car. "You're going to put the top down I hope." She assumed.

"Isn't it a little cold for that?"

"Nope! Crank up the heated seats and we'll be fine," she said, buckling her seat belt.

Jack drove around the circular driveway with the top down, the heater on, and the seats warm. "Where do you want to go?" he asked, possessing no clue why she even called him in the first place.

"Let's drive through downtown San Francisco," she suggested.

"Those hilly streets will burn up my clutch! I'm not driving this car out there!"

"Aw, c'mon, where's your sense of adventure? Do you want me to drive, then?"

"No way! I'll drive, but if my clutch burns up, then it's your ass!"

Cassie and Jack arrived at Pier 39 just in time for dinner. They were seated at a table on the patio with a good view of Alcatraz. Jack was eager to hear what Cassie's detachment was like; he loved hearing about all of her wild and crazy stories.

Jack sat, his legs crossed, sipping on his red wine. "So, tell me about your trip?" He tapped his pack of cigarettes on the table.

"Please don't smoke around me. I can't stand the smell."

Jack placed his cigarettes back in his pocket. "Okay, tell me about your trip."

"Nothing exciting happened. Well, except for the fact that I punched one of my shipmates." She laughed.

"Are you serious? You decked someone?"

"Yes, and I had to clean the stupid bathrooms the entire time I was in Alaska."

"You're a little firecracker, aren't you?" He threw his head back and laughed. "Now tell me why you wanted to see me so badly?"

"How do people dress at the Christmas party? I thought it was formal, but Dillon gave me this hideous old lady Chanel suit to wear."

"You? Wear a Chanel suit?" he questioned. "Is he an idiot? Sounds to me like he wants you to start dressing less provocatively so you don't attract attention from other men."

"I think you're right. Just wait—I'll pull a fast one over on him." A sinister giggle escaped her lips.

"What do you plan on doing?"

"You'll see, oh—you will definitely see." She winked.

After eating their butterfly shrimp, they walked toward the sounds of sea lions barking. Cassie was amazed at how many there were, she never saw anything like it, and she and Jack stood and watched them for a good thirty minutes.

Cassie purchased a few souvenirs in the many gift shops then realized how late it was becoming. She knew Dillon was most likely home and wanted to get back to see him, missing him terribly.

Jack and Cassie sped off down Highway 101, weaving in and out of traffic. "Hey—slow down! I want to yell something out the window to that couple." Cassie pointed to a Toyota that they quickly approached with the driver's side window down.

Jack pulled next to the couple, staying at the same rate of speed. "What are you going to do?" Jack asked.

Cassie hanged herself out the window. "Hey!" Cassie yelled out toward the woman who was driving. "Fuck him! I did! He was divine!" She laughed hysterically.

Jack yanked Cassie back inside the car. "Holy shit!" Jack sped off, leaving the car behind. "Did you see the look on her boyfriend's face when you said that?" He laughed. "You're so damn crazy!"

"I wonder if she's smacking the hell out of him right now..." She snickered. "She probably thinks I screwed him!"

"I don't know, but it was funny as shit!"

They pulled up to Dillon's house. Cassie noticed his Maserati parked on the driveway and couldn't wait to see him. "I'll see you later, Jack. Thanks for hauling me to San Francisco!" she said, slamming the door shut.

"Bye, firecracker!" Jack said, speeding off in the distance.

Cassie fidgeted with her keys, trying to unlock the front door; her heart was racing because of the anticipation of not seeing Dillon for two weeks. She rushed inside and tossed her Louis Vuitton handbag on the accent table. "Baby, are you here?" she called out. Slowly, she walked throughout the house, hoping to find him.

The house was quiet; she walked outside toward the pool where she saw Dillon swimming laps. He had no idea she had arrived, so she wanted to spy on him. He appeared incredibly beautiful; his tight muscular arms gently glided his tanned, firm body down the length of the pool. He pulled himself up along the edge, raising himself out of the water. He grabbed a towel from a chair as clear water trickled slowly down his muscular back, which caused Cassie to become significantly aroused. Gracefully, she crept behind him, placed her arms around his tight pecs, and hugged him with his back against her. The warmth of his toned, wet body against her white t-shirt was enough to make her yearn for his electrifying touch.

Slowly, Dillon turned himself around, and kissed her soft, sweet lips. "Hello, gorgeous." He displayed a bright, wide smile.

"Hi, baby. I've missed you so much." She buried her head into his bare, wet, hairless, muscular chest.

"I've missed you, too; I couldn't stop thinking about you." He could see her white lacy bra through her damp white t-shirt that had been caused by his dampened skin.

He began kissing her aggressively, breathing deeply against her cheek. He tugged her t-shirt above her head and kissed the top of each breast. "Oh my God. I want to take you right now." He panted, breathing hard. He unfastened her bra; she stood before him, her breasts exposed, she wearing only blue jeans. She felt slightly uneasy being outside half-naked, but safe at the same time, wrapped in Dillon's strong arms.

"Isn't Maxine going to see?" She crossed her arms in front, covering her bare breasts.

"No, she won't see; she's out shopping." He unfastened her jeans and gently slid them to her ankles.

She began kissing his perfect, strong pecs as she stepped from her jeans. He kissed her from the neck down to the trim of her white, lacy panties. Dillon's lips and her panties, seductively traced down to her tiny foot as he slid her panties alluringly from her ankles. He stood, pressing her bare back against his chest. Cassie could feel the stiffness of his thick erection against her as she stood nude, wanting him lustfully. He took her by the hand and led her down the steps into the shallow end of the pool. Gently sweeping her hair from her beautiful face, he softly kissed her forehead. He could sense that she was cold even though the pool was heated. He had to warm her up quickly and knew exactly how to do it. She could feel his warm breath upon her neck, feeling the flowing touch of his fingers caress the inside of her thigh. She ran her fingers through his hair, becoming more titillated. As she fondled the silky strands between her fingers, she passionately tilted his head back and buried a deep kiss at his throat. Feeling the erotic sensation of his beating heart against her cheek, Cassie hungered for him to take her immediately.

Cassie placed her arms around his neck, wrapped her legs around his waist, and he put his hands underneath her bottom for support. Dillon pulled his shaft from his shorts and pushed it deep within her tight folds. The coolness of the air coming off the Bay and the heat from the water was exhilarating. She could tell by the pulsating throbs inside her that Dillon was about to surrender.

"Oh my God, baby," he whispered, softly. "You don't let me last very long do you?" He smiled passionately, kissing her neck, and staring into her blue eyes.

"I love the way you feel inside me, Dillon" she said, warmly. They shared long, deep, lascivious kisses before he led her from the pool.

With her teeth chattering, Cassie grabbed a towel from a chair, and dried herself off. Dillon wrapped an extra towel around her and pulled her into him, hugging her tightly. "We need to get you inside before you catch a cold, baby."

***

A day before the Christmas party, Cassie began packing her suitcase, preparing for the trip to Napa. She kept eyeballing the hideous Chanel box that contained the old lady suit. She snatched the suit from the box and crammed it into her luggage. "I got plans for you," she said, hoping not to snag the fabric on the zipper of her suitcase.

Cassie met Dillon downstairs where his limousine escorted them to meet with the other colleagues for their flight departing San Jose.

Cassie and Dillon were driven to a Gulfstream V jet. "Are we flying on that?" Cassie appeared frightened, looking through the limo's window, squeezing Dillon's hand tightly.

"We sure are. You seem a bit startled. Are you okay?"

"I've never flown on something so small."

"It's not that small. It's one of the larger executive jets." He laughed. "Besides, I've had this plane for three years and never encountered a problem."

"This is your plane?" What else was she going to learn about Mr. Money Bags?

"Yes, this is my plane. Keep a hold of my hand, baby. You'll be fine, I promise."

They climbed the stairs to the plane. Cassie had been impressed at the beautiful, white leather seats throughout. "Do you prefer to sit forward or backward?" Dillon asked.

"Forward. I sit sideways on a C-130 and it makes me sick, I can't imagine how sick I'd feel sitting backward."

"Alright, forward it is." He smiled, warmly.

She sat by the window and glanced toward the runway. Seeing a black Lincoln Town Car approach, Cassie noticed Jack and Gertrude stepping out. Cassie had a sense of relief that Jack had arrived; she loved hanging out with him. She believed that she could be herself in his presence; he felt the same toward her.

"Jack—over here!" She motioned for him to sit in the seat facing her.

"Hey, there! How's it going?" he asked. He and Gertrude sat directly across from Dillon and Cassie.

"Jack tells me that you two had quite the time in San Francisco." Gertrude spoke with that slight hint of raspiness in her voice that many elderly women who smoke possess.

"Yes, ma'am...we had a nice dinner. He showed me around the city like a tourist." She smiled. Cassie couldn't help but notice that Gertrude was wearing the same type of Chanel suit that Dillon had given her to wear to the Christmas party. "Why on earth would he want me to look like that?" She asked herself.

The plane began to approach the runway and waited for its cue for takeoff. Cassie's heart pounded; she clenched tightly onto Dillon's hand. As soon as the plane leveled in the air, everyone unbuckled their seatbelts. Cassie became ill. Dillon rushed toward the bar and poured a drink. "Take this, gorgeous." He handed her a shot of whisky. "It will help calm your nerves."

She pushed his hand away. "Yuck! I can't drink that shit! It stinks!"

"Just slam it back in one gulp." Jack leaned forward, ready to grab Cassie if she toppled out of her seat from dizziness.

"Okay, here it goes." She tilted the glass back and felt the alcohol chase toward the back of her throat. "Oh my! That shit's gonna knock me on my ass!" She shook her head back and forth; her eyes clenched shut from the sharp, bitter taste.

"Give me the glass." Dillon poured her another shot of whisky.

"Okay—okay, that's enough! No more please!" Cassie started to feel a tingle throughout her extremities, becoming more at ease on the short flight to Napa County Airport.

Dillon and Gertrude were speaking among themselves, engulfed in a serious conversation. Cassie motioned for Jack to follow her toward the back of the plane. "Hey, see that woman's hair?" Cassie whispered in Jack's ear, pointing to a woman with a huge bouffant hairdo.

"Ha! Yes—I couldn't miss it when we boarded the plane. Her husband is a partner of the firm, too."

"Watch this!" Cassie rolled a piece of paper into a ball that she had removed from a straw and tossed it into the woman's bouffant.

Jack busted out in laughter. "Oh, shit! I can't believe you just did that!"

While they were making spectacles of themselves, Dillon glanced over his shoulder, trying to figure out what all the commotion was about. He held his index finger to his lips indicating Cassie to keep quiet.

"Does that dude think he's my daddy?" She giggled, burying her face in the lapel of Jack's blazer, hoping it would muffle her laughter.

"You're stone cold drunk!" Jack tried to force her to keep quiet, but was having no such luck.

Wadding up another piece of paper, Cassie tossed it into the lady's bouffant. "Score!" She laughed, hysterically.

"It's amazing how that bitch can't feel a thing because her hair is so high!" Jack said, trying to refrain from laughing.

"Here." Cassie handed Jack a piece of wadded paper. "You do it!"

"No, I can't do that!"

"Yes, you can! Do it! Do it or else!" Cassie demanded.

"Or else what?"

"I don't know." She shrugged her shoulders. "I'll tickle the hell out of you!" She reached into Jack's blazer and playfully tickled underneath his armpits.

"Stop!" Jack tumbled into an empty seat; Cassie toppled on top of him.

Eventually, Cassie rolled onto the floor, laughing uncontrollably. Dillon stood from his seat and rushed toward her. "Stand up!" He gripped tightly onto her bicep, forcing her to her feet. "You're making a spectacle of yourself!" he whispered strictly into her ear. Escorting her back to her seat, Dillon buckled Cassie into her chair.

Jack ran into the bathroom hoping that Gertrude wouldn't have his ass next. Finally, he returned to his seat moments later. Jack gazed directly toward Cassie and they busted out laughing. Dillon flashed her a glare that could kill.

"Okay—okay, I'll stop!" she said, resting her hand on the inside of Dillon's thigh.

When the jet landed at Napa County Airport, Dillon held tightly onto Cassie's arm, and whisked her down the steps to the tarmac. She felt like a child about to be spanked by her father for misbehaving.

With an abrasive stare, he looked her right in the eyes. "Don't you ever act like that again, you hear me?"

"Oh, are you going to spank me?" She teased, not taking Dillon seriously.

"You would just love that, wouldn't you? You're going to drink some coffee as soon as we arrive at my estate."

They climbed into the limousine along with the others. Cassie tried her best not to glance toward Jack in fear that he would cause her to laugh again. She held her head down and peeked up through her bangs in Jack's direction. Jack winked and that's all it took. Cassie began laughing hysterically again, even harder, which caused her to snort.

"What in the hell?" Jack questioned. "You're snorting, Cassie!" Jack laughed right along with her.

Dillon looked at Gertrude, shaking his head, feeling as though he had lost control. "Doesn't it feel like we have two children?"

Gertrude rolled her eyes. "Yes, it does. I've never seen Jack act this way. It's absolutely absurd." She glared angrily toward Jack. "Sit up straight and maintain some composure!" she demanded.

Quickly, Jack wiped the smug grin from his face. Cassie was shocked to see the way Gertrude spoke to him, feeling bad because it was her fault that she got him in trouble.

The limousine came to a patina green, wrought iron, Italian style gate. Dillon reached into his suit pocket and pulled out a remote that caused the gate to swing open. The limousine drove up the four-mile driveway slowly. Cassie could see acres of rolling hills that consisted of vines pruned of grapes. The grounds had nearly sixteen acres of a Chardonnay and Merlot vineyard; Cassie was stunned by its beauty.

Finally, they reached the estate that had a beautiful, Spanish tile roof, a large statuette fountain, and a sweet, little chubby lady who greeted them. "Welcome back, sir," the little chubby lady said as Dillon stepped from the limousine.

"Thank you. Chloe, I want you to meet Cassie. Cassie this is my housekeeper, Chloe," Dillon introduced.

Cassie extended her hand. "Nice to meet you, ma'am." Cassie surprised herself that she actually curtsied. "Who curtsies?" she asked herself.

"Nice to meet you, too, Miss Cassie." Chloe shook Cassie's hand as she smiled. "Well, let's get you settled." Chloe grabbed Cassie's bag, and Cassie followed her and Dillon toward the entrance of the house. Gertrude and Jack trailed shortly behind.

Gwen and Sam were still unloading their luggage. Cassie glanced over her shoulder and saw Gwen shaking the wadded straw wrappers from her hair. She could hear Gwen asking Sam if there was any more paper in her bouffant. Gwen glared toward Cassie's direction and shot an evil stare. Cassie quickly glanced forward before entering the house. She knew Gwen suspected it was Cassie who tossed those papers in her bouffant.

Dillon entered the house with a sigh of relief. "Everyone just make yourselves at home. Cassie and I will be right back." Dillon rushed Cassie down a narrow corridor and opened an enormous, wooden door that led to the master suite.

"I'm speechless! This is gorgeous!" Cassie was in awe at how large the bedroom was. Chloe had already lit the fireplace and the linens were already turned down on the bed. Cassie noticed a present that was wrapped elegantly with purple paper and satin ribbon sitting on the nightstand.

"That's for you, gorgeous," Dillon said.

Cassie took the present from the nightstand and slowly untied the ribbon. Inside the box contained a white satin and lace slip with pearl beaded trim. "It's beautiful." She smiled. "I can tell you love seeing me in white."

"You appear very innocent in white or ivory. I love that about you. Go ahead, put it on."

Cassie went inside the marble tiled bathroom that was surrounded by mirrors. She gently slid into the slip and walked toward Dillon. Standing on her tip-toes, she tried to kiss his lips as she cupped her hand to the crotch of his slacks.

"Not yet." He pushed her hand away. "I'm going to shower up first. You climb in bed and wait for me." Dillon disappeared into the bathroom. The alcohol that Cassie drank on the plane was beginning to make her sleepy. She couldn't fight it any longer and she passed out on the bed.

Dillon emerged from the bathroom with dampened, glistening skin. He approached the bed where he saw Cassie sleeping. He smiled, shook his head, and kissed her on the cheek. "Get some rest, gorgeous. I love you," he said, smoothing her hair between his fingers.

After dressing in a pair of jeans and a pale blue polo, Dillon met the others in the formal ballroom where they sat, telling jokes, drinking wine, and smoking cigars. Jack missed Cassie and hated the fact that he had been the youngest person in the room.

An hour later, other colleagues began arriving at the vineyard estate. They were the people who decided to drive rather than fly in Dillon's private jet.

"Everyone will stay in their usual rooms. Nothing has changed," Dillon said to the guests as they entered the house.

The estate on the vineyard grounds had twelve bedrooms with full bathrooms and a fireplace in each suite. It resembled a five star resort fresh out of a vacation magazine.

Eventually, the men made their way outside to the courtyard where they continued to drink wine and smoke cigars. Jack felt lost and snuck his way down the corridor toward Dillon's master suite. Cassie heard the creaking of the door as Jack slowly entered.

"Psst—Cass, you awake?" he asked.

Cassie yawned. "Yes, I'm awake. How long have I been asleep for?" She sat up stretching, glancing around the room for a clock.

"A few hours. C'mon, Cass. I'm bored—get up!"

Cassie tossed the blankets off and stood near the edge of the bed.

Jack's eyes popped. "Whoa! Look at you!" His cheeks flushed red.

Cassie looked down at what she was wearing. "Crap! I don't even remember putting this damn thing on." She laughed. "Wait a second and I'll put some clothes on." Cassie hurried into the bathroom and put on a bronze, sequin pull-over top, white jeans, and bronze, Jimmy Choo glitter pumps.

"Okay, let's go mingle!" She grabbed Jack by his arm and led him outside where beautiful paper lanterns lit up the courtyard.

"There's my baby." Dillon approached her, a cigar in hand. "Can I interest you in a glass of wine?"

"No, I'm just now getting the whisky out of my system; I don't want to pass out again." She grinned.

Dillon pointed toward the direction of the outdoor pool bar. "I'm going to be over there talking to those gentlemen about an upcoming case. You and Jack can explore the grounds if you like."

"Okay, sweetie. I'll catch up to you a little later," she said.

Jack grabbed Cassie by the hand. "Come with me, I want to show you the coolest thing ever!" Cassie was led down a gravel trail that was hidden away from the house. She could see something in the distance that looked like a cave, it was magnificent. The trees alongside the trail formed a shady tunnel that led to a door that resembled a fairy tale cottage from a children's story book. Jack reached into his pocket and pulled out a key.

"What is this place?" Cassie asked. "I've never seen anything like this."

"Just wait, you'll see." Jack opened the wooden, creaky door slowly.

Cassie felt a blast of cold air shoot from inside the dark room.

"Go on, you go in before me," Jack instructed.

"Nuh uh, I'm not going in first, you might lock me in!"

"Oh, God!" Jack rolled his eyes. "Okay, I'll go first." Jack entered through the doorway, and reached to the side, flicking on a light switch. "There...isn't this place cool?"

Cassie was in awe by the numerous bottles of wine and barrels throughout the cold room, it smelled of a damp underground cave.

"This is where the bottles of wine are stored. Isn't this the most impressive wine cellar you have ever seen?" Jack acted as if it were his wine cellar. He was so proud of it.

"It's the only wine cellar I've ever seen." Slowly, Cassie walked the dimly lit rows of wine, and lightly touched several bottles that were covered in a tiny, hint of dust. "Let's drink a bottle," she said, snatching one from its cradle.

"Oh, no you don't. We can't touch these. Dillon would have your ass on a silver platter!"

"Oh, please." She rolled her eyes. "He won't do anything to me." She giggled. "Now, let's see, there must be a cork screw around here somewhere," she said, glancing toward a shelf.

"Way ahead of you!" Jack pulled a cork screw from his pocket.

"Ha! You were gonna drink a bottle all along," Cassie said, shaking her head back and forth.

"Guilty!" He unscrewed the cork off the bottle of Merlot.

They crouched down on the floor against the cold wall that was the color of terracotta. Cassie grabbed the bottle and chugged almost a quarter of it.

"You don't waste any time do you?" Jack laughed, grabbing the bottle from Cassie's hand, taking a chug himself.

"You know, ever since I moved in with Dillon, things seem a bit peculiar. Yes, it was exciting at first, but now, I feel as though I'm living with a stepfather of some sort, it's weird. Now, he wants to change the way I dress, act, and speak." She rolled her eyes, grabbing the bottle from Jack, taking another drink. "He's been rather boorish lately." She yawned.

"He just cares about you is all. He's looking out for your best interest." Jack grabbed another swig from the bottle. "You should listen to him; though, he's a very smart man. He sure adores you. I've never seen him with anyone except his ex-wife and that was years ago. He never brings an escort to his parties and he's always denying women. Ha! I remember one time when we were in San Francisco at an upscale restaurant, this gorgeous woman approached him and handed him her business card. He didn't even glance at it, just tossed it on the table and left it." Jack gulped more wine. "You've done something to that man, Cass. He's going to marry you, I just know it."

Cassie grabbed the bottle from Jack's grasp. "I can take care of myself. He knows that. He also knew how provocatively I dressed when he met me. I'm not going to change for anyone." Cassie took one final drink of wine, finishing off the bottle. "But, if he does ever ask me to marry him, I probably would say yes." Cassie rose from the floor. "Whoa!" She staggered, brushing off the back of her white jeans with her hands. "C'mon, let's get out of here, its freezing!"

Jack locked up the wine cellar and escorted Cassie toward the house where everyone was gathered. People were standing by the pool next to the outdoor fireplace; jazz music was heard over the outside speakers.

"Now, we have to listen to old people music?" She questioned, appearing perturbed.

"Isn't it funny how pretentious people act?" Jack asked. "I guarantee you they don't listen to this shit while they're at home."

Cassie found the controls to the stereo behind the bar. Quickly, she switched the music to pop, and the crowd went silent. Cassie was the center of attention. She grabbed Jack and danced provocatively against him.

"Cass, what are you doing? You're going to get my ass in trouble!" Jack looked nervously through the crowd for Dillon and Gertrude.

"Don't worry, you're gay, they know I'm only having fun. Why are you gay anyway? You're fucking hot!" She spun around, her back facing him, inching her derriere against his erection. "See, you must not be gay if I'm exciting you like this."

Jack pushed her away gently. "You need to stop. People are staring at you!"

"I don't give a shit—let them stare!" Cassie stood in the center, everyone's mouth gaped open, shocked at her behavior. "You're all a bore! C'mon—have some fun, you pretentious snobs!"

Dillon put out his cigar and rushed over toward her. "What in the hell are you doing? You're making a spectacle of yourself!"

"Are you going to spank me, Daddy?" She playfully bent over, inviting Dillon to smack her bottom. "Oh, wait—I feel—uh—I feel sick!" She vomited toward the edge of the pool.

Dillon whisked her up in his arms and carried her into the house. He brought her to the bedroom and placed her on his bed carefully. "You need to sleep this off." He kissed her forehead and slid the shoes from her feet. He closed the door behind him and locked it from the outside so Cassie couldn't escape and show her ass anymore that evening.

A few hours later, Dillon quietly opened the door to the bedroom where Cassie still lay sleeping. He removed his clothes and draped them over the chair next to the bed. Stealthy, he slid underneath the covers, feeling the warmth of Cassie's body heat next to his. Wrapping his arms around her, he buried his face into the nape of her neck. "I love you," he whispered.

***

Cassie stretched and yawned when the morning sunlight beamed through the window. She sat up and watched Dillon as he slept soundly next to her. "He's such a perfect, beautiful man," she whispered as she stroked his silky, sandy blond hair.

Dillon cracked opened his eyes and noticed Cassie sitting at the edge of the bed with her back toward him. Her long, blonde hair cascaded loosely down her back. Wrapping his index finger around one of her loose curls, Dillon tugged gently, and she turned around. She smiled a wide grin. "Good morning, sweetie."

"Good morning, gorgeous." He stretched and a sultry smile spread over his face.

"I kind of get the feeling that I was a bad girl last night," she said, biting her bottom lip flirtatiously.

"Yes, you were a bit of a bad girl. You do need a good spanking." He winked. Dillon straddled behind her, dressed only his black, boxer briefs. Their legs dangled from the edge of the bed and Cassie could feel his erection poking at the small of her back. He encircled his arm around her, pulled her into his chest, and swept her long hair off her shoulder. With her head arched back, he planted tiny kisses on her neck. "You don't know how much you mean to me," he hissed, lightly nibbling at her earlobe. "You make me so angry sometimes." His whisper became erotic, sending electrifying shivers down Cassie's spine. "I hate it when you defy me, Cassie. Last night showed a completely different side of you. A side that I am not too pleased with."

She was silent when she stood from the bed. Dillon's arms dropped to his side as she went into the bathroom to brush her teeth. The taste of vomit from the night before was enough to make her puke all over again.

Still dressed in her sequin top and white jeans from the night before, Cassie walked toward the bed where Dillon remained seated. He rose and grabbed his tie from his suit that was draped across the chair. "Come here, baby. You need to be punished for last night," Dillon teased, a menacing grin cracked upon his lips.

The sexual electricity Cassie felt going through her body from hearing those words caused her to become extremely aroused. She knew Dillon was going to play rough, it drove her insatiately crazy, and she knew that she must obey his every command. Slowly, she climbed onto the large, four poster bed and slid underneath the warm blankets.

Dillon looked at her and shook his head adamantly. "No baby, no blankets. You need to be fully exposed for your punishment," he instructed. He gently slid her sequin top above her head, her large firm breasts were inviting as they protruded from her black, lacy push up bra. Unfastening her jeans, he peeled them down her long, beautiful tanned legs, and tossed them to the side. Removing his boxers, he then perched up on his knees between Cassie's legs and held his silk tie in his hand. "I'm going to tie your ankles together after I remove your panties." The impassioned sexual teasing Dillon enforced upon her had compelled her to become overwhelmed with desire. "I want—no—I need you," she whispered. "Please, Dillon...please don't tease me." She begged.

"Shh, baby...no talking. You must obey my every word," he whispered, gently placing his index finger atop her pink, luscious lips. Reaching into his nightstand, he pulled out two more silk ties. "Place your hands above your head, baby."

Doing as instructed, Cassie lifted her arms above her head, and allowed Dillon to tie each wrist to the posts of the headboard. "There...that's it. God, baby...you're so beautiful...just the way I love you...laying there all defenseless, begging to feel every inch of me inside you. I can feel the heat coming off your body, wanting me...begging for me."

Cassie breathed heavily and wondered what he would do to her. A little frightened, but she was extremely excited at the same time, feeling a certain type of passion she never quite experienced before.

Dillon walked toward the dresser where he lit a taper candle and placed it on the nightstand. "I'm going to pour a tiny bit of hot wax on your hand; you tell me if you like it, if so, I will proceed further with the next step."

He lifted the candle above Cassie's palm that was restrained by his silk tie and allowed a trickle of hot wax to drip upon it. "Do you like that?" he whispered, softly.

Extremely stimulated, Cassie had heard of hot wax being used as foreplay, but never imagined that Dillon was into that sort of thing. "It's not hot enough, baby. I want more." She smiled, wiggling her body seductively, attempting to entice him.

He trailed the candle to the center of the inside of her thigh and let tiny wax droplets fall onto her delicate skin. "Yes, baby...more," she whispered, eagerly anticipating his next move.

"Shh, I will do all the talking now. You get ready for your punishment, baby." Unfastening the front of her bra, her breasts were finally fully exposed to him. Ravenously, he gazed at her ample, taught nipples that stood at attention, knowing they needed his caress. "You want me to touch you, don't you?" He pressed his lips softly onto her bare breasts and worshipped her massive mounds with his tongue. The candle dripped at her naval where he trickled a trail of wax in between her heaving breasts that still pleaded for more of his touch.

Cassie squirmed, trying to guide her hips to meet Dillon. She wanted him! He spread her knees apart slowly, her ankles remained tied together. He knelt in between her knees and faced her. She could see the stiffness of his huge, thick erection; the tip appeared as if it were about to explode. "You want to feel me inside you, don't you?" he teased, peering deep into her blue eyes. "Tell me you want me, baby...tell me how bad you want to feel my rock, hard, mass inside you," he demanded, forcefully burying kisses at her throat.

Blowing out the candle, Dillon pressed his muscular chest against her breasts. He could feel the hardened candle wax break apart against his skin. "You're all mine now," he said, gazing deep and hard into her enchanting blue eyes as the sexual intensity grew stronger between them. Brushing his hands between her thighs, he spread her knees apart, and his soft lips met her provoked, engorged pink pearl. As his tongue swirled in circles, savoring her taste, he slipped in one finger and moved it slowly in and out. Puckering his lips, he suckled lightly at her tiny bead and he felt her legs tremble against his cheeks. He trailed tiny soft kisses up each arm, leading to her bound wrists, and untied them with his perfect, white teeth. Finally, she was able to wrap her arms around him tightly. "Untie my ankles, baby, I want to feel you all the way inside me," she whispered.

Dillon graciously did as she asked. Cassie sat up, kissing his muscular, toned back. "Lay back, baby. I want to show you how bad I want you." She guided his head to the pillow and climbed gracefully on top of him. As he lay back, he could see the full front of her beautiful, perfect, naked body. Slowly, she guided his erection inside her hot, wet, folds, and moved up and down, up and down. Dillon kneaded her large, perfect breasts in the palms of his hands, pulling and twisting at her nipples, attempting to reach her to the brink of climax. "My God, baby...you're so beautiful. The way you move drives me completely insane." Dillon's heart pounded; Cassie could tell he was almost at the extent of what he couldn't handle any longer. "I want us to come together...at the same time. Tell me when you're ready," she whispered, her breasts glistened with hot, dewy sweat from their steamy, jolting bodies.

"Baby, I—I—I'm almost, uh—uh," his voice wavered. "Yes, baby. Like that. Let it go." She dropped to his chest in pure passion and glanced up at his perfect face with endearing eyes. "I love you so much."

***

Cassie dressed for the Christmas party that was being held in the grand ballroom at the west wing of the house. Dillon already had dressed in his tuxedo and was greeting guests as they entered the room. The Christmas party was professionally catered by the most prestigious chef in Napa Valley. Dillon was ready to reveal a new wine that had been in production for the past ten years.

Cassie stared disgustingly at the ugly Chanel suit when Jack knocked on the door. "Jack, you have to help me do something with this hideous thing." She shook the skirt in Jack's direction.

Jack gasped at the awful suit. "My, God. That thing is definitely not you! Find me a pair of scissors," he said, grabbing the skirt from her hand.

Cassie handed him a pair of pinking shears. "This is all that I could find."

"That's good enough." Jack cut three-quarters of the skirt in a zigzag motion. "There! Try this on."

Cassie slid the skirt up to her waist and fastened the closure on the back. "Wow, Jack! This skirt looks great!" She laughed. The skirt barely covered the bottom of her butt cheeks.

"Now, what are we going to do about the jacket?" he asked, tapping his cheek, heavily in thought. "I'm afraid there's no hope for that thing." He chuckled. "I'm sure if you dress it up with some of your sexy shoes, you'll be fine."

Cassie grabbed her six-inch, silver, glittery strappy pumps from her luggage. "How about these?" She dangled them from her index finger, waiting for Jack's response.

"Perfect!"

Cassie slid on a pair of black, Jean Paul Gaultier fishnet thigh-highs that had an Eiffel Tower pattern on the back that trailed from her ankle, up the back of her knee.

"I've never seen hose like that. Those are damn sexy! I wonder how I'd look in them." He teased.

Cassie wondered how Dillon would react after seeing what she did with the Chanel suit. Would she be punished again? She could only hope.

Jack and Cassie roamed their way through the long corridor that led to the west wing of the house. She entered through the double doors and saw Dillon in the dimly lit room. Cassie thought that he looked incredibly handsome in his tuxedo and she couldn't wait to get him out of it at the end of the evening.

Dillon's angry glare pierced through Cassie as she walked toward him. "What did you do to that suit?" Dillon whispered sternly in her ear.

"I just made some adjustments." She shrugged.

He grabbed her by the arm tightly. "You ruined that suit! Do you know how much I paid for that thing?"

She pulled her arm away forcefully. "No. I thought money didn't matter to you."

"You never cut up a Chanel suit! Are you crazy? That thing cost me over five grand! I had it custom made for you!"

"Oh my God! I'm so very sorry. I didn't know. Besides, I looked like an old lady in it."

"No, I'm sure you looked very classy. Why must you always dress like a whore?"

"You knew how I dressed when you met me and you liked it. Why are you trying to change me now?"

"I'm trying to make you look more sophisticated. I don't want my colleagues thinking I'm dating a hooker!"

Cassie looked down at her feet, shook her head, and tried to collect her thoughts. "Oh, I get it. So, you think I look like a whore! Yes, I am a whore!" she yelled. "I'll pay you back for the fucking suit!"

The crowded room suddenly became silent from Cassie's outburst. Cassie grabbed Jack by the arm and hurried outside toward the frigid wine cellar.

"Cass, calm down. I can understand his point of view." Jack tried to explain. "He has a certain image to maintain and he's highly respected; he's just looking out for your best interest."

"No! He's looking out for his best interest!"

"Let's go back to the party." Jack pleaded.

"No! I'm staying here. Give me the key to the wine cellar."

Jack handed Cassie the key and she pulled a bottle of Chardonnay from one of the cradles. Resting her back on the cool wall, Cassie sat on the floor. "Where's that damn opener! Jack, where did you put it?"

Jack saw the opener lying on the floor. "Here, I must have dropped it yesterday."

Cassie opened the bottle of wine and callously chugged it down. She wanted to get drunk and forget about everything that had just happened. "You know, I used to not drink. Someone roofied my drink when I was in A-school in Memphis. After that, I didn't ever want to drink again. I guess my monthly counseling sessions helped me through that," she explained, devouring more wine. "So, Jack...have you ever been with a man sexually?"

Jack's eyes grew large at the question. "Um—yes. Duh! I'm gay, why would you even ask that?"

"Have you ever fucked a woman?" Cassie seductively spread her knees apart, exposing her black panties to him.

"You've had way too much to drink. You're talking nonsense, and to answer your question. No. I have no desire to be with a woman, so you can go ahead and close up shop. Your teasing will not work on me."

"You're a fuddy duddy! I would rock your world the way no other man ever could."

"Well, I will never know, will I?" Jack tried to pull Cassie to her feet. "C'mon, we need to get back to the party. Gertrude will be pissed if I'm not there."

Eventually, they meandered their way back to the party. Dillon approached Cassie and he could smell wine coming off her breath. "Oh, God, you're drunk again?" He stood with his hands in his pockets, shaking his head in disgust.

"Why, yes I am." She playfully flicked the tip of his nose with her index finger.

He squeezed tightly onto her arm and spoke through gritted teeth, "You better not embarrass me again. I swear, Cassie...you're becoming out of control!"

"Ah—don't you worry...my handsome, tall drink-of-water." She snatched her arm away from his grasp. "I won't embarrass you." Clumsily, she staggered toward the sofa, and plopped herself down on the cushion.

Jack sat next to her. "Hey, look at all these women giving you evil stares."

"I don't give a shit. Let them! They're just jealous because I'm dating California's most eligible bachelor."

"Dillon said he was going to make an important announcement tonight. Do you know what it is?" Jack asked.

"He's supposed to announce a new wine."

"No. He had already announced that while we were at the wine cellar. He said there was something else that would change his life forever."

"Change his life forever?" Cassie questioned. "I have no idea." She shrugged. "He hasn't mentioned anything to me."

"Well, the party's almost over and it doesn't appear as if he's going to make an announcement anytime soon."

"It's probably something to do with lawyer crap or his vineyard. I don't really know nor do I care," she said, tiredly resting her head on Jack's shoulder.

The party began wrapping up. Guests ventured to their rooms; Cassie still remained planted on the sofa. Dillon extended his hand to her and sighed, shaking his head. "C'mon, gorgeous...let me get you to the bedroom."

Cassie grabbed his hand and he led her down the long corridor. He removed his tuxedo coat and trousers and draped them across a chair near the fireplace. Cassie watched him disappear into the bathroom.

Dillon's tuxedo trousers fell to the floor. Cassie draped them gently back over the chair and a box fell from the pocket. Opening the box, Cassie was shocked to see a five-carat, princess cut diamond ring. She closed the box immediately and placed it back in his pocket. "That's what his big announcement was supposed to be tonight. He was going to propose." Cassie dropped to the floor consumed in tears. "He backed out!" She heard the water from the shower cease. Dillon walked toward the chair with a towel wrapped around his waist. He retrieved the trousers that Cassie had draped across the chair, held them up and straightened them out to prevent them from wrinkling. Her heart pounded strongly. "He's going to do it now," she said to herself, her pulse raced as she wiped the tears from her face.

Folding the tuxedo slacks, Dillon neatly placed them on top of the dresser. He reached out his hand and assisted Cassie up off the floor. "It's time for bed, baby," he whispered.

Slipping into her negligee, she met Dillon under the blankets where he drifted off to sleep; she, silently in tears, thinking that she may have lost the best thing that had ever happened to her.

Ship Mates III: The Final Tour (Vol. 3)
Chapter One

A day in the life of a female petty officer might seem easy to most, but for Cassie, it wasn't as simple as one might think. Trying extremely hard to keep her side business hidden from her beloved Dillon was posing a bit of a challenge. The spectacle that she made of herself at Dillon's Christmas party discouraged him from proposing marriage. Cassie tearfully regretted the way she behaved that night, wishing she could go back in time and change the past. Her attitude during that event caused a tight, uncomfortable working relationship between him and Gertrude. Gertrude was absolutely appalled that Dillon had chosen Cassie as his lover. Another issue was Jack. Gertrude gave Jack an ultimatum stating that if he were ever caught around Cassie again, she would kick him out of her guest house, strip him of his Lamborghini, and make his life a living hell. It still didn't keep Jack from seeing Cassie; in fact, they had planned a lunch date as soon as he got back from his long business trip with Gertrude.

Cassie tried her best to become more mature, hoping to convince Dillon that he didn't make a mistake by taking her in, loving her, and showering her with extravagant gifts. Dillon believed that her fetish days with the men in the Navy were behind her, not realizing that she was, in fact, active in her side-business duties. She kept her other life well concealed; only taking part as a dominatrix and a fetish fulfiller during working hours, and Dillon never suspected a thing.

Time grew near as Cassie's last year on active duty approached with only one-month remaining. She wanted to stay in California with Dillon, so she was assigned to a reserve center in the Silicon Valley to finish out her last year as a reservist. She had been looking forward to reserve duty, only working one weekend per month, and only one, two-week Det during her final year. She was extremely eager to spend most of her time with Dillon, even though he was beginning to become more possessive as the days pressed on.

Gandison was still Cassie's commanding officer and she still fulfilled his caning fetish. He later requested that she use PVC pipes rather than canes to prevent the show of bruises on his skin. Of course she obliged.

Lieutenant Vector became a commanding officer in a squadron in a hangar on the other side of the base from where Cassie had been stationed. She had appointments with him during her lunch hour most of the time to fulfill his looning fetish. Their hidden spot usually was in the cockpit of a P-3 when all of the other enlisted sailors were at lunch.

***

Cassie grabbed her purse, hurried toward the parking lot of the Moffett Field hangar, and jumped in her red Lotus Evora. She had been very excited to meet up with Jack at the Mexican restaurant in Mountain View. She hadn't seen him in over a year because he and Gertrude went to Italy for business. Speeding up the hill of the parking lot, Cassie screeched to a halt, and parked alongside Jack's red Lamborghini. Cassie approached the entrance and saw Jack standing outside. He ran toward her with his arms open wide, picking her up, and spinning her around in circles. "Oh my God! I've missed you so much!" Jack said, placing her back on her feet, planting a quick kiss at her forehead.

"I've missed you, too! Now, let's get inside so we can talk about your trip!" Cassie said, a huge beaming smile encompassed her face.

They entered the restaurant and all eyes were fixated on Cassie. Men stared as she waltzed provocatively by their tables. Her legs were long and lean in her navy blue pencil skirt and her black, patent leather high heels. Her huge, fake breasts strained against the gold buttons fastened at her chest. She seated herself in a booth across from Jack. "Those men over there can't take their eyes off you," Jack whispered, motioning with his eyes at the gentlemen who were sitting on the right-hand side of them.

Cassie glanced over in their direction and flashed them a flirtatious wink.

"What are you doing?" Jack laughed. "You're teasing them!"

"I don't care." She shrugged. "Hell! I might get a free drink out of them."

Not even five minutes later, the waitress came to their table, and placed a frozen strawberry margarita in front of Cassie. "That's from the gentleman over there in the pinstriped suit and tie," the waitress whispered.

Cassie glanced toward the gentleman and mouthed, "Thank you."

"See, Jack...I told ya I'd get a free drink out of one of them." She smiled, proudly.

"Okay...okay!" Jack tried to get Cassie to focus on him for a moment. "I know something you don't know," he teased.

"What?"

"Nope! Not gonna tell ya."

"C'mon! You can't sit there and tell me something like that and then say you're not going to tell me...spill it now!" She demanded, taking a sip of her drink.

"You must have convinced Dillon that you've changed your wild ways," Jack explained.

"Go on."

"Well, he told Gertrude that he was going to ask you to marry him."

"Seriously?" she questioned. "You can't be serious." She found it hard to believe. She and Dillon's relationship became a tad unstable after the Christmas party.

"Why do you say that, Cass?"

"Because we rarely have sex anymore. He's always telling me what I can and can't wear, and who I should hang out with. It's just rather peculiar that he would want to marry me when he can't change me into what he wants me to be." Cassie finished off her quesadilla and took one last drink of her frozen margarita. "Besides, I'm not sure if I would marry him anyway." She shrugged, glancing in the direction of the gentleman who bought her the drink.

"Do you not love him anymore?" Jack inquired.

"I love him, but I don't think I'm in love with him."

"What do you mean?"

"I believe the only reason why I love him is because he's an easy way out. As soon as I got here, there he was, sweeping me off my feet, like a fairy tale...the rich prince, rescuing me from my failed marriage. It seems every time something goes wrong in my life, he's there to pick up the pieces and fix it."

"Can you imagine your life without him in it?" Jack asked, grabbing a tortilla chip from the basket on the table.

"I never really thought about it I suppose. I'm not sure if I want to marry him and risk another failed marriage."

The gentleman in the pinstriped suit approached and placed his business card on the table, and then walked way.

"What the fuck?" Jack asked, shocked, grabbing the card and staring at it.

"What's the matter?"

"How does that dude not know that I'm your boyfriend?" He slid the card across the table in Cassie's direction.

"Maybe his gaydar signaled." She laughed.

"Ha-ha, very funny," Jack said, sarcastically.

Cassie picked up the card and looked it over. "Wow! He's owner of a semi-conductor company." She grinned, impishly.

"Yeah, and he looks to be almost fifty years old!" Jack exclaimed, throwing a fifty down on the table.

"Well, he's a hot, fifty year old," she teased.

"C'mon, don't you need to get back to the base?"

Cassie glanced at her watch. "Crap! You're right. Gandison's going to have my ass for being late!"

"Just give him an extra beating. He'll let ya off," Jack joked, taking Cassie by the arm, escorting her to her car.

Cassie sped through the security checkpoint, making her way toward the hangar. Gandison was nowhere to be found, so she positioned herself in front of her computer and entered some information into the database.

Moments later, Gandison entered the office with no indication that Cassie had taken a two-hour lunch. He sat at his desk and silently watched Cassie work. She was concentrating so intently on her typing and organizing the papers in front of her that she jumped when he spoke. "Looks like you and I have a little hook-up tomorrow," Gandison said, callously.

"I know, sir...I'm quite aware of that."

Cassie couldn't wait until her final days at Moffett were over. She began hating Gandison more and more with each passing day. His attitude became more cocky, acting as though he actually owned Cassie, and she despised that.

"What's with the shitty attitude, Littleton?"

Cassie spun her chair around, looking in Gandison's direction. "It's none of your fucking business!" she hollered, her hands quickly covered her mouth, her eyes almost bulging from her head from utter shock. Just then, she knew that she was in trouble for speaking to a superior in such a disrespectful way.

Immediately, Gandison rose from his desk, and stood behind Cassie's chair. He placed his hands on top of her shoulders. "Now, what am I going to do with you?" he whispered. He suddenly snapped his fingers. "Ah, yes! I've got it!" He spun her chair around so she could face him. Kneeling before her, he perched himself between her knees. "You will beat me tomorrow in the nude!"

"But—" she tried to speak, but Gandison placed his index finger to her lips. "Shh, it's alright. You're beautiful and there's no need to hide behind clothes. I want to see you fully naked, ready to force me to succumb to your every demand."

Cassie had been appalled by his demeanor and had never agreed to any request of being totally nude, but knew with this side-business of hers, there's a first time for everything.

***

Cassie entered the mansion where she and Dillon lived. She saw Dillon sprawled out on the sofa, taking a nap. Quietly, she approached him, and kissed him softly on his lips. "Good evening, baby," she said, walking toward the kitchen. "Can I get you something to drink?"

"A bottle of water would be nice." Dillon rose from the sofa, his eyes focused on Cassie's firm backside. "Maxine prepared a nice dinner for us tonight." He stood behind Cassie, wrapped his arms around her, burying his face at her neck near her shoulder, and hugged her tightly.

Cassie could smell his Annick Goutal coming off his body. She took a deep breath, twirled around, and while standing on her tip-toes, kissed him. "Gosh! I just love how tall you are. It's so sexy," she whispered, still totally enthralled by his 6'2" gorgeous physique.

"How was work?" she asked.

"It was okay...same ole thing."

"I had lunch with Jack today."

"You know that you're not supposed to be around him."

"I don't give a shit what that old bag, Gertrude says. That bitch can kiss my ass! Jack's not her prisoner; he can see whoever he wants."

"Sure he can, but he'll have to face the consequences if Gertrude ever finds out."

"She won't find out. It's not like you're gonna tell. Are you?"

Dillon rolled his eyes. "Going to, Cassie. Please do something regarding your choice of words." Dillon removed the sticks from Cassie's hair that held her French twist intact. He watched as her long, blonde locks gracefully spilled down her back. "And no, gorgeous. I would never tell Gertrude a thing about you two."

Cassie took Dillon by the hand and led him up the grand spiral staircase to their bedroom. They stood at the foot of the bed, holding a tight embrace, and stared lovingly into one another's eyes. "I love you, Dillon." She smiled, putting his hand to her lips where she lightly kissed his knuckle.

"I love you too, gorgeous." He brushed a loose curl from her face, tucking it behind her ear. He stood before her, staring longingly into her bright, blue eyes.

He leisurely unfastened the buttons on her uniform and tossed her clothes to the floor. His body leaned into her, forcing her onto the massive, king size bed. He kissed her long and hard, still dressed in his slacks, long-sleeve shirt, and tie. The kissing aroused Cassie immensely. She loosened the Windsor knot on his Burberry tie and slipped the shirt from his muscular body, exposing his well-toned chest. "I need to feel you inside me, baby; every single inch," she whispered, staring into his beautiful, brown eyes.

Dillon stood alongside the bed and stepped from his slacks. He lay on top of Cassie, his arm behind her back, pulling her into his lips. "It seems like forever since the last time I made love to you, gorgeous," he said. Dillon was right. The last time they made love had been months ago. He was so heavily engulfed in work; he never had time to be with Cassie. He had been coming home late at night and sometimes Cassie didn't see him for days because she was already asleep when he got home and she was on her way to work before he woke the next morning. Cassie had become used to it and didn't really mind all that much. She really just wished to be left alone because of the exhaustion she endured as a result of her side-business.

"It's been far too long," she whispered. Cassie, held in his strong embrace, wrapped her legs around his back. She could tell by the way Dillon thrust himself into her that he wanted to get it over with quickly. Cassie didn't seem all too into it, either, hoping that he would hurry up and release so she could eat dinner and get ready for bed.

"C'mon, baby...you're almost there, I can feel it," she whispered. She knew that whispering into Dillon's ear would arouse him even more. "Yeah, baby, like that, don't stop, oh please don't stop," she begged.

Dillon's thrusts became faster and harder. His body tensed, his breathing halted, and then he collapsed onto the bed.

Cassie stood beside the bed, gathered her clothes, and went to the bathroom. She drew a bath and sat in the hot water and thought about Dillon and her sex life. "Is he getting it from someone else?" She wondered. She just couldn't figure out why their sex life was so erotic before, but now, it was just the basic missionary style. He used to electrify her, tantalized her to no end, but now, it's nothing, as if he had given up on wooing her.
Chapter Two

Cassie glanced at her watch and noticed that the time had come to meet Gandison at his home on the base. She had been nervous about having to do her dirty deed in the nude, but did what she always told herself to do, "Just block it from your mind...it's just your body, allow your mind and soul to escape it." She pulled into the driveway and reluctantly approached the front door of his home. She tapped lightly on the door and could hear Gandison's footsteps nearing the entrance. She heard him unlatch the chain. "C'mon in, my dear," he said, a strange, kind of evil grin shown on his face.

Cassie obeyed him and made her way to the sofa.

"We only have an hour. Isn't there something you need to do?" he asked, sarcastically.

"Yes, sir." Cassie took a deep breath and stood. She unfastened the buttons hesitantly on the front of her uniform, unzipped the zipper from the back of her skirt, and stood in front of Gandison wearing only black thigh-highs, her black patent leather pumps, and a black see-through lacy bra with matching panties.

"My—my...you sure do look hot!" Gandison hungrily licked his lips. He stood before her, wearing a white towel draped around his waist. Gandison's body was slender but toned so it wasn't as if she was repulsed by his appearance, only his attitude. "You're still not totally naked." He reached around her back and unfastened her bra. Her exposed, perfect, fake breasts seemed to stand at attention as he worked his way to her panties, and slid them down to her ankles.

Cassie crossed her arms in front, attempting to cover up as much as she could. She stepped from her panties, sensing Gandison from behind. A sudden hard smack landed on her derrière. "My God! What in the hell was that for?" she yelled.

"You've got one tight, hard ass, baby. I've just always wanted to do that." He winked. "Now, shall we get started?" He walked toward the closet next to the front door and pulled out a long, white PVC pipe. He approached Cassie, took her hand, and smacked it flush against her palm. "And your tits are magnificent," he added.

Cassie rolled her eyes relentlessly, gripping the pipe hard in her hand. She grabbed Gandison at the top of his hair, and forced him to bend over the arm of the sofa. She had become enraged, standing naked in his living room, only wearing black thigh-highs and heels. She knew that she would make him pay, and she knew exactly how.

She grabbed the pipe like a baseball bat, licked her lips, closed her eyes, and slammed the pipe hard against the middle of Gandison's back. Immediately, he dropped to the floor, laying in a fetal position. Cassie's rage enveloped her every being. She held the pipe high above her head, and then slammed it hard against his chest.

Gandison lay on the ground gasping for air. She heard his breathing becoming more difficult. He clenched at his chest with one hand and motioned for Cassie to get him his cell phone that had been sitting on the coffee table. He mouthed, "Call 911!"

Cassie quickly dialed the number and got dispatch on the line. "I need an ambulance at 2784 Vernon Circle, quick!" Cassie disconnected the call. "What do you want me to do?" She panicked, kneeling on the floor next to Gandison.

"Y-you n-need to get out of h-here before the p-paramedics get here," he stuttered, straining to breathe, hoping Cassie could understand him.

Cassie dressed quickly back into her uniform and sped to the hangar. When she parked, she sat dumbfounded in her car, worried that she almost killed her boss. She pulled the keys from the ignition and headed toward her office. She walked by the guys who were conducting maintenance on a C-130.

"Hey! Where are you off to in such a hurry?" Chad asked, confused as why she seemed so frazzled.

Cassie came to a sudden halt. "Oh! Hi, Chad. I didn't see you standing there." She stood, staring at Chad Cummings who was dressed in navy blue coveralls, holding a wrench in his hand. His coveralls were extremely tight against his hard body. He finally lost the fake orange tan, but still kept his bulging biceps. "I...um, I'm late from lunch!" she stated, attempting to appear honest, but Chad saw right through it.

"Well, Gandison isn't back from lunch yet, so you don't have to stress. I won't tell him that you were late." Chad winked.

"Thank you." She walked to her office, trying her best to catch her breath from running so fast.

Cassie tossed her purse on the surface of her desk, where she rested her elbows, and placed her head in her hands, trying her best not to freak out. She saw the door to the office swing open, anticipating it was Gandison. "Where's the lieutenant commander?" Aden Baxter asked.

Cassie took in a deep breath. "He had an appointment. I'm not sure if he's coming back today. Is there something that I can help you with?"

"No, I don't need your help! I can wait for Gandison." He stormed from the office. Aden was still pissed off at Cassie for decking him back in Alaska. The men in the squadron wouldn't let him live that event down. He finally got all of his red curls cut off and sported a high-and-tight haircut, which made him look much older than the red-haired freckle faced boy of who he used to be.

Five o'clock came with no sign of Gandison. Cassie began to worry, so she phoned the VA hospital in Palo Alto. "I'm calling to inquire about Lieutenant Commander Gandison, who I believe may be hospitalized," Cassie said. She could hear the person on the other end of the call typing on the keyboard of the computer.

"Ah, here we are," the operator said. "He was admitted for surgery about an hour ago. He'll be taken to room 302 when he awakens from recovery."

Cassie sat, stunned. Her phone dropped to her desk. "What in the hell have I done to him?" she asked herself as she grabbed her phone and purse. Jumping in her car, she fled through the gates of Moffett Federal Airfield. She revved up the ramp to Highway 101 and headed north toward Palo Alto.

After exiting the freeway, she sped through the side streets toward the VA hospital.

She rushed to the third floor and sat in the waiting area. Sitting anxiously, she waited for Gandison to be taken to his room after recovery.

Her legs twitched and her heart raced. She kept glancing at the clock. "Oh my God! What's taking so damn long?" she mumbled. Cassie wasn't at all concerned about the pain she inflicted upon Gandison, she was worried only about being caught for what she did, assuming that she could be arrested for domestic violence. The waiting was torture.

"Ma'am, he's in his room now. You're welcome to go on back and visit," the lady at the front desk said.

Cassie rose from her seat and immediately rushed down the hall to Gandison's room. She cracked open the door to his room and saw him lying in the bed, asleep. Quietly, she sat in a chair that was next to his bed. With her head hung low, and her heart still racing, she eagerly waited for Gandison to awaken.

Cassie saw the door to Gandison's room swing open. "He might be out for the remainder of the night," the doctor said. "Hi, I'm M.O. Murphy." The doctor extended his hand.

Cassie shook M.O. Murphy's hand. "Hi, I'm Cassie," she said, not looking the doctor in the eye, afraid that he could see right through her guilt. "What happened to him?"

M.O. Murphy was tall, wearing scrubs, but Cassie could see his fully sleeved tattooed, bicep bulging arms. She didn't like tattoos, but seeing how sexy they were on the hot doctor, kind of excited her. "He claims that he fell down a flight of stairs, but I highly doubt it. He has no bruising on the outside of his body, but he has cracked ribs and a punctured lung."

"Oh, no! Is he going to be alright?"

"He'll be fine, just in a great deal of pain for a while."

"He's my boss. How long will he be out of work?"

"About eight weeks. It depends on his recovery."

Cassie was a little relieved knowing that he wouldn't return to work anytime soon, and she would already be gone to her new duty station at the reserve center.

The doctor wrote his name on a whiteboard that hung on the wall in the room. "You have a nice day, ma'am," M.O. Murphy said before closing the door behind him.

Cassie's cell phone rang and she saw Dillon's name on the screen. "Are you coming home anytime soon?" he asked.

Cassie glanced at the clock on the wall and noticed that it was almost seven. "Yes, baby. I'll be home in a few minutes. My boss was taken to the VA hospital in Palo Alto."

"What happened?"

"He claims that he fell down a flight of stairs," she said, grasping on to the lie. "He just got out of surgery."

"Okay, gorgeous. When you get home, change into your little, black dress. I'm taking you to dinner."

"Alright, baby. I'll see you in a little bit."

***

Cassie rushed through the front door, straight into Dillon's arms. He was already dressed in a tailored fitted designer suit, eager to take Cassie to dinner. He was absolutely dashing. His sandy blond hair was perfectly trimmed with a slight side-sweep above his brown eyes. The smell of his Annick Goutal cologne was mesmerizing. Cassie hurried up the grand spiral staircase toward the bedroom and dressed quickly in her little black dress. She applied some finishing touches to her makeup and then met Dillon downstairs.

"You wait right here. I'll pull the car around for you." Dillon left toward the garage. Cassie could hear the roar of a car engine that didn't sound at all like his Maserati. She stood alongside the circular drive, and saw a red F12 Berlinetta Ferrari stop in front of her. Dillon emerged from the car, approached Cassie, and assisted her into the passenger seat.

Dillon sat behind the wheel, leaned over, and kissed her on the cheek.

"Oh, my. This car is gorgeous! How come I have never seen you drive this before?" Cassie asked, glancing around at all the gadgets on the dashboard.

"I only drive this on special occasions." He winked, acting mysterious as ever.

Goosebumps stood up on Cassie's arms. She had a strong suspicion that Dillon was going to pop the question that evening.

The Ferrari stopped at a fine restaurant on Sacramento Street in San Francisco. Dillon led her inside and a hostess seated them at a quaint table for two in a dimly lit corner. Cassie was extremely nervous. Dillon's demeanor was mystifying, titillating Cassie to the core. It's been awhile since they last shared a romantic meal together, so she knew this particular evening must be special.

"You sure look beautiful tonight," Dillon said, holding her hands across the table.

"Thank you." She smiled. "And I would like to say that you look absolutely handsome."

Dillon cleared his throat; he tried to disguise the fact that he was a little nervous. He squirmed in his seat, his hands were a little shaky, Cassie could feel them tremor in hers. "I know I've been rather distant these past few months and I'm terribly sorry for that." He poured Cassie a glass of champagne. "I have done a lot of thinking about my future...our future...and I've noticed that you have matured since the day you moved in with me."

Cassie sat, focused on his every word, nerves running rampant through her entire body. "Go on," she urged, anticipating what Dillon was preparing to ask.

Dillon stood from his chair and knelt down at Cassie's feet. "Cassie Littleton...my sweet, sweet, Cassie Littleton. Will you do me the honor of becoming Mrs. Dillon Baron?"

A sharp jolt of lightning seemed to pierce through Cassie's soul. "Yes! Oh yes, Dillon! I would be honored to be your wife!"

Dillon reached into the inside pocket of his suit jacket and pulled out the five-carat, princess-cut diamond ring set in platinum that she discovered the night of the Christmas party. He slid it gracefully upon her finger, where she admired it, staring longingly at the massive rock.

"Dillon, it's absolutely beautiful. I love you so much."

He smiled. "I love you, too, baby." He stood, leaned over, and kissed Cassie at the top of her hair. He took his seat and Cassie and Dillon lifted their champagne glasses, clinking them together. The crowd in the restaurant clapped at the proposal.

Because the restaurant they were in was considered the most exclusive restaurant in all of San Francisco, the wait staff had firsthand contacts with the Paparazzi. Cassie's excited response to Dillon's proposal prompted one of the waiters to call and notify the Paparazzi of what had just occurred.

Dillon led Cassie outside where they were suddenly ambushed with camera flashes in their eyes and questions shouted at them. Dillon was extremely frustrated, forcefully leading Cassie back inside the restaurant. "Where's the owner? I want to speak with him now!" he demanded to the hostess.

"Calm down, baby. It's okay," Cassie said, stroking Dillon's arm through his suit jacket.

"What can I do for you, sir?" the owner asked.

"I want to know who in the hell notified the Paparazzi that I was here?"

"Ah, sir. I assure you. It was no one here."

"Don't give me that bullshit! I will never come here again! I will make certain that my colleagues never come here again, either!"

The owner, knowing full well that any bad press from Dillon could ruin his restaurant business, tried hard to rectify the catastrophe that awaited Dillon and Cassie outside. "I will call the police. I will have a police escort you outside, sir."

Moments later, the police had arrived. One police officer stood in front of the couple and another, stood behind. As the police led Dillon and Cassie toward the Ferrari, Cassie heard a voice over the crowd, "When is the big day?"

Cassie didn't respond, just held her head down, hoping no one snapped her picture.

The door closed and Cassie and Dillon were seated safely in his Ferrari. Dillon still looked very frustrated. Cassie thought he was incredibly sexy when he acted all macho-like. She placed her hand atop his hand that was clenching the gear shift. Dillon was totally focused on driving, but Cassie wanted to have a little fun during the ride. She leaned toward him and cupped her hand between his thighs. "Oh, gorgeous. You better not fool around like that when I'm driving," he said.

Cassie didn't care; she continuously fondled his testicles through his slacks, feeling his erection grow thicker against her hand.

"Gorgeous, you're going to make me wreck," he whispered, haltingly. He loved what she was doing to him, but wanted Cassie to keep her perception of him as an intellect. He somehow believed Cassie would not respect him as much if she knew how much she drove him crazy. Oh, how hard it was for him not to think of her, constantly.

Cassie unzipped his slacks, reached her hand through the escape hatch on his black, boxer briefs, and massaged his shaft through her fingers. "I can tell you like this, baby...your erection doesn't lie." She flirted, peering up into his luscious, brown eyes.

Suddenly, Dillon saw the back of Cassie's head in his lap. She had never done anything like that before in his car, and it aroused her to the point that she couldn't take it anymore. With her free hand, she slid her dress above her ass, to her hips. Her derrière was raised to where Dillon could see her thong panties. The moonbeam allowed Dillon to see every square inch of her perfect posterior. As Cassie continually massaged her tongue along Dillon's thick shaft, she fondled herself, driving Dillon into complete sexual oblivion.

"Baby, don't stop! I-I'm almost there!" he exclaimed.

Cassie decided to take it slow, so she sat back and allowed Dillon to watch the erotic show that she planned on presenting to him. She sat, her legs spread in Dillon's direction as she slowly glided her hand between the fleshy pink folds of her entrance. Dillon's hand met Cassie's hand as they both attempted to satisfy her right there in the car. He had hoped that he could maintain a speed of 65 miles per hour in overdrive and not have to shift gears. Cassie could feel his middle finger enter inside her, with his thumb encircling her ripe, pink pearl. As he moved his thumb in a rhythmic pattern, he made Cassie succumb to her release. Dillon could feel her muscles contract against his middle finger, knowing that he just shot her orgasm off like a rocket.

"It's your turn, baby." Dillon felt Cassie's mouth take in his thick shaft, again. She loved teasing him by sliding her tongue up and down along the extended girth of his member. She nibbled playfully at the tip, and then practically swallowed the entire phallus down her throat.

"Oh my God, baby! Right there! Right there!" he demanded. The warm rush of him exploded in her mouth and flowed down her throat.

She sat up and adjusted herself in the leather seat. "Was that good, baby?" she whispered, trying her best to fix her tousled hair.

"You have no idea." he said, zipping up his slacks.

***

The following day, Cassie drove to the VA hospital in Palo Alto to visit Gandison. She was relieved to see that he was alert and eating breakfast. "Well, I guess you're not going to work today?" she joked.

"I'm going to be out for a long time," he said.

"So, what exactly did I do?" Cassie seated herself in a chair beside his bed.

"You broke a few ribs, punctured my lung, but it's all good."

"You're not mad?"

"No, it's not like it's your fault. I'm the one always telling you to hit me harder...well, you did just that...you hit me harder!" He laughed, then clenched at his ribs from the pain.

"Who is going to take over while you're out?" she asked, hoping it wasn't another superior who knew of her side-business. She had only a few weeks left, and hoped like hell she could just focus on her regular job. She finally had been awarded her petty officer ranking again after the entire fiasco in Afghanistan. Her final counseling session was days ago.

"The person taking over for me is Lieutenant Vector," Gandison said, taking a bite of grapefruit.

"Adam Vector?" she questioned.

"Yes, why? Do you know him?"

"Do I know him?" Cassie mumbled under her breath. "Um—no. I can't say that I know him. His name just sounded familiar is all." Cassie stared down at the floor, afraid of looking Gandison in the eye. She could never look someone in the eye when she told a lie.

"Well, you better get going. You need to be at work in about thirty minutes. Don't get on Vector's bad side on his first day with the squadron."

"Alright, I'll go, but call me if you need me to bring you anything," she said before closing the door behind her.

Cassie drove to the base thinking of Adam Vector. A smile suddenly streamed across her face. She adored Adam. He was incredibly sweet, but he still had his weird looning fetish. Their last encounter a few days prior had been a little strange. His balloon request was so different from his normal fetish. If you can call it normal! He brought along clear balloons and would hold one in his mouth and ask Cassie to sit on it while she wore only a bra and G-string. Seeing her from above, massively aroused him. Cassie assumed that the next encounter would be a little bit weirder than the last.

Upon arrival at base, she entered the office, and saw the crew of the squadron as well as Lieutenant Vector inside. "Good, I'm glad everyone's here now," Lieutenant Vector said.

Cassie seated herself at her desk and hung onto every word that the lieutenant had to say. Lieutenant Vector cracked a slight smile when he glanced in Cassie's direction. "Lieutenant Commander Gandison has been hospitalized and will not be returning to work for a few weeks. I'm in charge during his absence."

"Yes, sir!" the crew hollered in perfect sync.

"Now, attend to your duties. You're dismissed!"

Cassie began to giggle uncontrollably when the crew left the office.

"What do you find so amusing, Petty Officer Littleton?"

"Oh, nothing." She teased, rifling through the papers on her desk, appearing busy.

"C'mon, let's hear it! What's so humorous?" He kept prying.

Cassie spun her chair around and faced Vector's direction. "Well, sir...because you asked. It's just funny how you come across so macho and tough, but I know deep down, you're a big, sensitive softy."

"You know me when I'm not working. While at work, things are different. There will be no joking, no laughing, and no flirting! Do I make myself clear?" He glared, angrily. Cassie knew he was serious by his tone.

"Yes, sir!" she said, saluting sarcastically. "So, no flirting?" she asked herself. "I'll bring that tough exterior wall down, just you wait and see, Mr. Vector," she mumbled under her breath, ready for a challenge.

Vector opened his newspaper, crossed his feet on the surface of his desk, and took a sip of coffee. "What in the hell is this!" He held up the paper so Cassie could see it from her desk.

Cassie rushed over to Vector's desk, snatching the newspaper from his hand. "Oh my God! I didn't think they got a good picture of me!" The newspaper showed Cassie standing next to Dillon at the restaurant the night before with the focus on her new engagement ring.

"You're seriously marrying this dude?" Vector asked, totally stunned at what he had stumbled upon.

"Yes, we've been together ever since I've been stationed here. We live together."

"But he's ancient! Old enough to be your father! How can you throw your life away on someone like that?"

"He loves me and treats me well. He's not too bad in the sack, either," she joked. "Well, used to be."

Lieutenant Vector was single and believed that he couldn't waste his time on someone who didn't understand his balloon fetish. The only woman who knew of his looning and didn't judge was Cassie. He became a little protective toward her. "You need to rethink your decision. You're still young and have your whole life ahead of you. How old is he? Fifty?"

"Not that it's any of your business, but he's in his mid-forties."

"That's disgusting! How can you have sex with a man so much older than you?"

Cassie grew angry. "He may be in his mid-forties, but his body is hotter than most twenty year old men I've ever seen! Now, can we shut up about this?"

"Whatever, Littleton. I just don't want to see you throwing your life away on a fantasy. I know of him. I know of his wealth. He's nothing but a typical sugar daddy who wants a trophy wife!"

"I said shut up about it!" Cassie's heart raced.

"You're giving your superior a command?" he asked, standing from his desk, walking toward her.

Cassie slowly took a few steps back. "Yes, I am." Cassie remained stern on her words and wasn't about to cower down to him, even if he were her new boss.

Vector paced around her in circles, trying his best to intimidate her. "You're not scaring me." She stood still, anticipating his next move.

"Oh, yeah?" His hand quickly went toward her face. She grabbed it, squeezing his wrist. The painful grip caused Vector to fall to his knees.

"What are you trying to do? Hit me?" she asked.

"Oh, I forgot. You're some kind of Krav Maga ninja." He threw his head back and laughed, trying to unclench Cassie's fingers from around his wrist.

Cassie forcefully tossed his hand by his side. "Now, let me get some work done." She situated herself at her desk and answered her phone. "Jack! Are we on for lunch?"

"Sure are! Meet at our usual spot?" he asked.

"I'll be there soon." Cassie disconnected the call and shifted her attention to Vector. "I'm off to lunch. I'll see you when I get back."

***

Seated at her usual table waiting for Jack, Cassie heard the sound of his Lamborghini speeding into the parking lot.

"Okay, I heard from all over Silicon Valley that Dillon asked you to marry him last night," Jack inquired, dumping sugar packets into his tea.

"You are correct." Cassie held up her hand, showing off the huge diamond on her finger.

"Damn! What a gorgeous ring!" Jack smiled. "I didn't think you would say yes. What changed your mind?"

Cassie shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know. I guess realizing that there is no one else out there better than him altered my decision."

"You seem a little weird. Something wrong?"

"Well, as of this morning, Lieutenant Looner is my boss."

"Shut the fuck up! Seriously?"

"Yes, I'm dead serious. And so far, he's a total dick to work for. He's like the sweetest most endearing man ever when we have our sessions, but when he's at work, he's a total douche!"

"That will be interesting working alongside him. You're going to tease the shit out of him, aren't you?"

"Nah." Cassie shook her head. "I don't want to entice him at all. I only have a few weeks left at Moffett. I want my enlistment to finish out smoothly and just get on with my life with Dillon."

"Speaking of Dillon. When's the wedding?"

"Dillon wants to get married during a private ceremony at his vineyard. He wants only immediate family and a few select friends in attendance."

"Are you on board with the fact that he wants to change you?" Jack asked.

After the Christmas party in Napa, Dillon became extremely possessive by telling Cassie what she could and couldn't wear, who she could and couldn't hang out with, who she could and couldn't talk to over the phone, even right down to the way that she used her grammar. She had become a prisoner in his sick, little game. When Cassie met up with her friends at a nightclub, she often snuck her club wear in her handbag and would change in a restroom at a gas station. When Dillon discovered her smuggling clothes out of the house, he yanked all of the provocative clothes from her closet and had Maxine burn them in his backyard. He also had GPS installed on her Lotus, so he could keep track of her whereabouts. He downloaded an app to his cell phone that linked it to Cassie's phone so he could trace her incoming and outgoing calls and texts. Luckily, her side-business only took place on the base, where he assumed that she was doing nothing wrong.

Cassie was mad at first, but grew accustomed to Dillon's way. He was after all, doing it for her own good. She and Jack often went shopping together. When she purchased provocative clothing, she would just keep them at Jack's house so Dillon wouldn't find them.

"I don't know." Cassie shrugged. "He's not so bad I suppose."

"Cassie, if you're having second thoughts about this marriage, you need to back out now. Don't lead the poor guy on."

"Do you think he's too old for me, Jack?"

Jack appeared shocked at the question. "Do I think he's too old for you?" Jack smiled. "Fuck, yeah! He's way too fucking old for you, Cassie!"

"I haven't told my parents about our engagement, yet. I suppose I'll do that soon." She sighed. Cassie glanced at her watch. "I better head back to the base. I'll see you later."

Jack stood, wrapping his arms around Cassie, and whispered in her ear, "If you decide to cancel the wedding, I'm only a phone call away. You can stay with me until you get back on your feet."

A tear trickled down Cassie's cheek. "I doubt Gertrude will allow that, but I honestly appreciate the offer, Jack," she whispered, embracing Jack tightly not wanting to leave the security of his hold.
Chapter Three

Cassie knocked on the door of Lieutenant Vector's home with balloons in her front skirt pocket. He answered, wearing his service khaki uniform. "Come in," he said. "Can I get you something to drink?"

Cassie plopped herself down on the sofa. "No. I'm not thirsty. Can we go ahead and get this over with?"

Adam sat next to Cassie on the sofa and she sensed something was a little off. His demeanor seemed more serious than their last encounters, leaving Cassie to wonder what his intentions were.

He placed his hand upon her knee. "Has anyone ever told you how incredibly beautiful you are?" he asked, taking the sticks from Cassie's hair, allowing her blonde loose curls to cascade over her shoulders.

"Y-yes," she stammered. "My fiancé tells me all the time."

"Let's not talk about him right now. I want to show you how someone closer to your own age can make you feel. Will you allow me to do that?" he asked, romantically tucking her hair behind her ear.

Cassie sat wearily, not sure on how to react, fearing that she might anger him if she turned him down. "Um, I-I'm—" she stuttered, nervously.

Adam interrupted, placing his index finger upon her pouty, pink lips. "Shh, don't speak, beautiful. No words. Just allow me to show you the time of your life."

Cassie was extremely weakened by his whisper, not to mention his gorgeous body. His strong arms stretched from his short sleeve uniform and his flawless hands tantalized her as he stroked the inside of her thigh. His hand moved slowly underneath her skirt. "Oh..." he moaned. "You are wearing thigh-highs and garters." He licked his lips with a sly snicker. "You know exactly what I like, baby." His other hand reached for the back of her neck, his fingers intertwined in her long, blonde hair as he pulled her into his lips. Cassie was breathless; her heart beat rapidly as they shared a long, passionate kiss. Cassie pulled away. "I can't." She glanced down, afraid of looking the lieutenant in his eyes.

He placed his curled index finger underneath her chin, guiding her to look at his face. "Yes, you can, Cassie...I know what you need." Adam could feel the heat emanating from Cassie and smell the sweetness of her flesh.

She was turned on, she couldn't deny it. The months of loneliness and neglect and this hot man so longing for her. She grabbed the back of Adam's hair, forcing his head back, inviting his throat to her, where she kissed him with a passion she hadn't experienced in a long time.

"You don't know how long I've waited for this," whispered Adam.

"I can't..." She turned away.

"Yes, you can. I won't tell anybody, I promise. Just let me give you what I know you're longing for. Stop trying to go against me. Your words tell me no, but I can tell by the heat coming from the inside of your thighs that your body is telling me yes."

Cassie's guard was weakened. She leaned in and accepted his fevered kiss.

"I want you so bad," his voice wistful, attempting to unfasten the buttons on the front of her uniform.

Cassie unbuttoned his shirt and his pectoral muscles bulged through his undershirt. She ran her hand across his chest, feeling how tightly toned he was. She pulled the t-shirt above his head and he sat with his exposed model-like chest teasing her. Her lips traveled upon his hairless chest. With her arms around his back, Cassie lightly traced her nails down his bare skin.

Adam unfastened the back of her skirt; she stood, allowing the skirt to fall to the floor and pool at her feet. She stepped toward Adam, only exposed in her black panties and thigh-highs. Gracefully, he removed her uniform top and gazed at her in her black see-through satin bra. "My God, you're so perfect," he whispered, pushing her down on the sofa, unfastening her bra, seeing her breasts fully exposed to him. He sat between her knees, one hand on her firm breast and the other trailing up her thigh to her heated sweet spot. He unfastened her garter belt and slid her panties down her long, smooth, silky legs. His finger lightly stroked her little pink pearl, sending her over the top. She couldn't control herself; she placed her lips upon his neck, and sucked the skin between her teeth, leaving a faint, purple mark. "I'm so sorry," she said. "I couldn't stop myself."

He smiled. "It's quite alright, baby. Lose your inhibitions to me. I want to see you let loose all over me. Hold nothing back." As he plunged his middle finger deep inside her, she was weakened by his touch, his gorgeous chiseled face; his deep brown eyes made her only lust for him more. He slid his finger from between her folds and stood before her. Swiftly, unfastening his slacks, he stepped from them, and then rolled a condom down his long shaft. "Now, baby, if you want me to stop, I will. All you need to do is say the words." He picked her up, her legs wrapped around his waist, and her kiss locked onto his lips. He sat on the sofa, Cassie in his lap, straddling him, allowing him to fully enter inside her. She pushed his head into her breasts, holding it there, forcing him to place her nipple into his mouth. Her head tilted back, her eyes rolled back in ecstasy, as she savored the feeling of him inside her. She moved in sync with his hips, nestling his neck, and nibbling on his earlobe. Leaning back, she stared at his gorgeous six-pack abs and his neatly trimmed pubic area. "You're so hot," she whispered, holding him against her chest tightly. "Make me come hard with you."

He smoothed his fingers lightly from her shoulders, down her back, his hands stopped at her bottom, where he cupped her derriere, allowing the slip of his middle finger to enter her ass. "Are you ready for this, baby?"

Cassie's eyes shot wide with surprise. The feeling was something that she had never experienced before.

Astonished by the finger slip, she looked him in the eye and whispered, "What are you doing?"

"Just go with it. Trust me; you'll orgasm like you never have before." He slammed her ass into his lap, thrusting harder and harder, pounding her until he felt her muscles contracting against his shaft as his middle finger moved repetitiously in and out of her ass. "Yeah, baby...let it go," he said, pounding harder and faster.

"Oh, Adam, Oh-My-God! Yes, baby! Oh yes!" she screamed as her orgasm bolted through her body. She collapsed into his shoulders, her head resting underneath his chin. She felt his member throb, knowing that they both came together, the way that she intended.

She stood tiredly, grabbed her clothes, and slipped away to the restroom to freshen up. Adam dressed in his uniform and waited for Cassie to come from the bathroom.

Cassie entered the living room with regret written all over her face.

"What's that look for?" Adam asked.

Cassie ignored him and headed straight to her car. As she sat in the driveway, she saw Adam hurrying toward her. He tapped on the window. "Cass, what's wrong?"

Cassie let her window down. "I feel so bad. I can't believe I broke Dillon's trust," she cried.

"How is he going to find out?" he asked, casually resting his chin on top of the car door. "I'm not going to say anything." He reached into his pocket. "I forgot to give you this." He handed her a wad of cash.

Cassie's tears fell even harder. "Oh my God! Did you have to give this to me now?" She held up the money.

"Well, I didn't want to forget."

"I feel like a real prostitute now. I can't believe I had sex for money!" She tossed the money in the passenger seat.

"I don't feel as if you're a whore! I've had strong feelings toward you ever since I saw you in Italy."

Cassie grabbed the money and tossed it out the window at Adam. "I don't want the money!" She slammed the gearshift in reverse and sped out of the driveway toward the hangar.

Adam jumped in his black BMW 750i and followed closely behind. She parked, rushed from her car, and ran straight to the office inside the hangar.

"Cassie! Get over here!" Adam yelled, trying to catch her before entering the hangar.

She ignored him, went straight to her desk, and cried uncontrollably.

Adam bolted into the office. "Why didn't you stop when I ordered you to?"

"I'm sorry, but you didn't address me by my last name or rank, so I had no clue who you were yelling at." She lied.

She could see the heads of the crew peeking in the window of the door, trying to figure out what all the drama was about. Adam walked toward the door and put the blinds down, then approached her desk. He pushed her chair toward him and knelt down before her. "Now, you listen to me. I don't see you as a whore. I respect you. I always have and I always will. I never meant for you to take it the wrong way when I handed you that money." He shook her by the shoulders, trying to snap her out of her daze. "Say something!"

"I feel guilty! Well, I sure as hell can't get married now! Not after I cheated on my fiancé!"

"Like I've said before, I won't say anything. What's the difference anyway? He has no idea that you do this side-business."

"I guess you're right," she said, dabbing her eyes with a tissue. She managed finally to crack a slight smile.

Deep down, Adam had hoped that she felt guilty enough not to marry Dillon, but he didn't want her knowing that. He just wanted her to believe that he was an all-out good guy, who cared for her happiness, and not his own.

***

Cassie arrived home and saw Dillon's car parked in the driveway. This was a nice sight for Cassie because Dillon had been arriving late the past few months. When she entered the house, she saw Maxine and Dillon seated at the dining room table going over wedding plans.

Cassie rushed upstairs and jumped in the shower, attempting to wash every inch of Adam's existence from her body. She heard a knock on the bathroom door and she shut off the water. "What?" she called out.

"Can I come in?" Dillon asked.

"I'll be out in a minute." She grabbed a towel and dried herself off then put on Dillon's favorite Chanel lotion. She wrapped the towel around her and met Dillon in the bedroom where he was seated at the edge of the bed.

"Come here," he said, patting the bed, indicating for her to sit next to him. "Have you shopped for a wedding dress yet?" he asked, brushing her hair from her shoulders, allowing her hair to fall gracefully down her back.

"Not yet. Jack and I will go to San Francisco this weekend."

"Have you told your parents yet?"

"No, but I plan on calling them this evening."

"Alright, gorgeous." He kissed her forehead. "I just don't want you falling behind."

"I won't. I'm on top of it." Cassie watched Dillon close the door. He met Maxine downstairs to go over more wedding plans.

Cassie had been relieved that the only thing she had to worry about was the dress. Dillon and Maxine took over the rest of the details. She grabbed her cell phone from her Burberry bag and dialed her parents number. "Hi, Mom!"

"Hey, Cassie! My gosh, how are you? I haven't heard from you in ages it seems!"

"I'm good, just working is all. I'm calling to invite you and Dad to my wedding." Cassie held the phone from her ear because she heard her mother scream. "Honey! Honey...get in here! Cassie's getting married!" Mrs. Littleton shouted throughout the house to Cassie's father.

"That's great," he said. Cassie barely heard him, but she could tell by the tone of his voice that he wasn't too thrilled. And why would he? It's her second attempt at another possible failed marriage.

Cassie's smile suddenly changed to a frown. "Well, Mom, I'm going to have dinner. Maxine will send out the invitations, so you should be getting one soon. I love you, Mom."

"I love you too, Cassie."

Cassie dressed in her pink, lacy teddy and met Dillon downstairs for dinner. As she sat at the table, Dillon couldn't help but notice Cassie's peculiar behavior.

"What's the matter, gorgeous?" he asked, pulling out a chair, sitting across from her.

Cassie glanced down at her plate, not giving Dillon any eye contact whatsoever. "I'm just not very hungry. My dad is upset that I'm marrying you."

"You can't be serious," he said, taking a bite of his tomato and cucumber salad.

"I'm serious. I don't even think my parents will attend the ceremony."

"Well, if they don't want to come, so be it. You've got me now. To hell with them!"

Cassie was shocked that he would even say such a thing. She looked up, glaring at Dillon. "My father's blessing means everything to me. You should respect that. Besides, what do your parents think of you marrying me? Do they assume automatically that I'm a fucking gold digger?"

"Now, let's not go there. I don't give a shit about what my parents think about us. I'm not marrying them. I'm marrying you!"

"Are they attending?"

"No. My mother is too sick to leave the house, you know that. She's on oxygen twenty-four hours a day because of emphysema."

Cassie took a sip of port wine and condescendingly rolled her eyes. "I'm not inviting any of my friends. I'm too embarrassed."

"Embarrassed?" Dillon questioned. "Why? Is it because I'm too old?"

"No. I'm embarrassed because it's my second marriage. I don't feel as though I deserve a big wedding, surrounded by all my friends and family."

"Well suit yourself." He dabbed his mouth with a napkin and carried his plate to the sink. "I'm going to bed; I have a big case tomorrow." He leaned in from behind and kissed the top of her head.

Cassie just sat and stared at her plate of uneaten food. She couldn't believe how strange her and Dillon's relationship had become. It seemed ever since Cassie moved in with him, he became comfortable with the relationship, taking her for granted, and not showing her any affection. She missed the passion, the spark and electricity they once shared. She believed that he was too far gone to get it back, making Cassie think that her future with him would be of only making babies, and him consumed with his job.

Cassie placed her plate in the sink and approached the long spiral grand staircase that led up to her and Dillon's bedroom. Before she placed her foot at the bottom step, she stared at the top of the stairs, her heart raced, and she felt faint. She paced slowly up the stairs, knowing Dillon was already asleep. Second thoughts regarding the wedding tugged on the back of her mind. She tried forcing herself to feel the way she did about him when their relationship was exciting and new, but she just couldn't focus. That wedding was getting the best of her nerves and she knew that there was only one thing she could do to calm herself down...drugs.

She went inside the bathroom and rifled through the medicine cabinet until she found her anti-anxiety medication. She seldom had to take it anymore. She got over the abuse from Tudor and didn't feel the need for Zoloft or Xanax...until now.

Before retiring to bed, Cassie took a sip of water, and felt the pill slide down the back of her throat. She faced the window, staring, watching the moon through the sheer curtains, before she finally fell asleep.
Chapter Four

Cassie's final day of active duty came due. She and Adam never mentioned their sexual encounter, but he hoped ambitiously that she would break it off with Dillon. He knew that he could never measure up to Dillon and shower Cassie with all the extravagant gifts and lifestyle he gave her and was also aware that he would be wasting his time trying to persuade her to be with him. Her job as a Naval reservist didn't begin for another month, so she and Dillon planned on their honeymoon during that time. She had no clue where he was taking her, but she knew that it was out of the country because he told her to be sure that she had her passport handy.

Mr. and Mrs. Littleton decided not to attend the wedding. Cassie didn't even invite her best friend, Kelli because she just didn't want to hear someone else try to convince her not to marry Dillon. The only people attending the wedding were his colleagues and a few of his friends who lived near his vineyard in Napa Valley. She asked Jack if he would be so kind to give her away because her father wouldn't be around to do it.

With only two days before the wedding, Cassie still hadn't found a dress. She was entirely confused on what she should wear; believing white was totally out of the question. Jack picked her up at Dillon's house in Los Altos in his Lamborghini, ready to take her to San Francisco to shop for dresses.

They entered a formal dress boutique in Union Square where a sales associate handed them a glass of champagne as they browsed. Cassie still couldn't grasp the fact that she would be Mrs. Dillon Baron in a matter of days, feeling a little uneasy, and a bit rushed into marriage.

"What's the matter?" Jack asked, taking a sip of champagne. "You look so ghostly white."

Cassie sat down on a bench near the display window that faced the street. "I don't know. Something just isn't right, you know?" She rested her elbows steadily upon her knees; her hands cupped her face as she stared at the floor.

"Are you having second thoughts?"

"I have no idea. It's not that I don't want to marry him. I'm just afraid of becoming his prisoner."

Jack knelt down and peered up into her eyes. "You don't have to do this. I'll support any decision that you make."

Cassie grabbed Jack's hand and squeezed it tightly. "I love you; you know that, don't you?" A tiny tear trickled down her cheek leaving behind a faded trail through her makeup.

Jack stood and smiled. "I know you love me, Cass. I love you, too. Don't jump into anything that you're not ready for."

She had remembered what her grandfather often said while he was alive when he was faced with an important decision, "When in doubt, don't." It was a famous quote that he had borrowed from Benjamin Franklin. Cassie stood and straightened out her skirt. "Okay, let's look at these over here." Cassie led Jack by the hand as they made their way to a rack full of red formal gowns. "How's this one?" Cassie asked, holding up a blood red dress with a form fitting corset, and plumes of red tulle that cascaded from the waist all the way down to the floor.

"It's gorgeous, kind of gothic in a way. Are you sure Dillon would like you to wear that on his wedding day?"

"His wedding day?" Cassie questioned. "Our wedding day." She smiled. Cassie disappeared into the dressing room while Jack waited patiently on the other side of the door. He could hear the rustling of the tulle from the room and Cassie's heavy breathing.

"Do you need help?"

Cassie opened the door and grabbed Jack by the hand. Her arms were crossed in front of her attempting to conceal her breasts. "I need you to button up the back. There are tons of tiny buttons on this thing!" Cassie dropped her arms and Jack, to his amazement, saw Cassie in all her bare glory. "What's the matter? Why is your mouth gaped open?"

"Duh! You're standing here in front of me with your huge fake tits practically in my face!" He laughed.

"So! You're gay...what does it matter?"

Jack swallowed hard, trying to remove the massive lump in his throat. "Um, well...I've never seen someone with fake tits before is all." He shrugged.

"Are they turning you on?" Cassie attempted to tease.

"No, they're not turning me on, per se, but I am curious in knowing what they feel like."

Cassie rolled her eyes, grabbed Jack's hands, and cupped them on her breasts. "There! Are you happy now?"

Jack stood with Cassie's breasts in his hands, savoring the moment, tweaking her nipples, and then massaged them briefly.

"Jack!" Cassie backed away. "Now, quit being silly and help me button up this damn dress!" Cassie turned around with her back facing him.

Finally, after Jack fastened the last button on the dress, Cassie spun around, and faced him. "How do I look?"

"Gorgeous as ever," he replied.

Cassie emerged from the dressing room, climbed some steps to a large mirror, and was standing on a stage. She twirled, watching the layers of tulle sway with her every move, and her breasts looking as though they were going to spill out from the top.

"That dress is absolutely stunning on you. You're breathtaking," the sales associate said, smiling as big as ever, hoping that she made a sale.

"Why, thank you. I believe I will take this one." Cassie grabbed Jack by the hand and went into the dressing room.

"Okay, unbutton me now."

Jack unfastened each button and watched Cassie's new dress gracefully fall to the floor and pool at her feet. "You're incredibly beautiful; like a doll," he said. "The top of this dress looks like a bra, though."

"Oh, Jack! Stop that now! You're making me blush."

"If I weren't gay, oh baby, the things I would—"

"Jack!" she interrupted. "You are gay, so don't even go there!" she joked.

"Yeah, but you sure could convert a gay man," he said, shaking his head.

Cassie dressed and met Jack at the register. After purchasing the dress, and a pair of matching red, six-inch, rhinestone, platform high heels to go with it, Jack treated her to dinner at the Hard Rock Café at Pier 39. As they were seated at their table, Jack sat with a silly grin on his face. "What's with that shit eatin' grin?" Cassie asked, peering up from the menu across the table from him.

"What look? I don't have a look." He winked, playfully.

"Oh, yes you do! What is it?"

"I don't know." He shrugged. "I guess seeing you topless did something to me."

"Like what?"

He leaned in toward her across the table. "You gave me a woody," he whispered, slamming suddenly back against his seat.

"You can't be serious." She laughed.

"Yep! You sure as hell did!"

Cassie sat, dumbfounded at what Jack had just revealed to her. She had no sexual attraction toward Jack whatsoever and hoped that he wasn't beginning to convert. "You're not, um, considering going strai—"

"Straight?" he interrupted, shaking his head. "Nah, it was just new to me." He smiled.

"Whew!" Cassie brushed her hand across her brow and laughed. "You had me worried there for a minute!"

After eating their meal, Jack drove Cassie back to her and Dillon's house. She was a bit sad knowing that she wasn't one-hundred percent certain about marrying Dillon, but Cassie didn't want to hurt him, either. She often confided in Jack, explaining that Dillon was getting older, he needed to settle down with a wife, perhaps become a Father, and Cassie believed that she owed it to him after everything he had done for her. He saved her, after all, and forgave her for her prostituting ways, marrying Tudor, visiting sex clubs, and making a spectacle of herself at the Christmas party. Cassie felt indebted to him.

Dillon was already at his vineyard in Napa. Cassie planned on driving her Lotus to the vineyard the next day with Jack accompanying her. Dillon planned on his helicopter taking her, but Cassie was scared to death to fly in it. Gertrude was okay with the fact of Jack riding with Cassie to the vineyard and giving her away at the wedding, but she still forbade Jack to hang out with her on a regular basis. If Gertrude ever discovered Cassie and Jack hanging out together, she'd kick him out of the guest house and make him survive on his own. Jack really possessed no skills to help him land a job. He believed that he was doomed until Gertrude passed on and left him her estate in her will.

When Cassie entered Dillon's home, it was quiet. Not even Maxine was to be found because she left with Dillon to prepare for the wedding. Cassie sat on the sofa, concentrating heavily, thinking about her future with Dillon. Suddenly, she became consumed with tears, fearing she was making the wrong decision, but she knew, deep down, it had to be done for the sake of Dillon's feelings.

Cassie's cell phone vibrated and she saw a text from Adam. "Are you sure you wanna do this?" It read, inquiring about her marriage in two days.

"Leave me alone!" She texted.

"I'm sad that I won't be your boss anymore."

"I'm not!"

"Come over and have one last fling before you get married."

"No!" Cassie tossed the cell phone across the room. Her case busted apart, but her cell phone remained intact. "Fuck!"
Chapter Five

Cassie loaded up her red Lotus Evora and stopped off at Jack's to pick him up. He rushed toward the car and tossed his luggage in the trunk.

"You don't have much storage space in this thing, do you?" Jack asked, sliding into the passenger seat before slamming the door.

"It's enough for me." Cassie sped off from the driveway and made her way to Interstate 80 toward Napa.

"Are you nervous?" Jack noticed her hands as they white knuckled the steering wheel.

"I'm not sure if it's nerves or what, but I feel queasy."

"Have you eaten anything?"

"Not since last night. I'm fine, though."

"You look as pale as a ghost, Cass."

"Do I?" she asked. "Maybe I need to apply more makeup."

Upon the long drive down the road toward the vineyard after entering the gates, Cassie felt as though everything was in slow motion. The rolling acres and acres of grapevines seemed to pass slowly, her heart beat swiftly, hands trembled, and then she pulled up to the circular driveway to the house. "Jack, I can't feel my legs," she said, trying her best to swing her legs from the car.

"What? You can't be serious."

"I-I," she stammered. "I can't move!"

Jack rushed around the car and knelt down before Cassie. "Here, take my hand."

Cassie placed her hand in his. "Now take a deep breath and put your weight on me."

Cassie inhaled deeply and attempted to stand on her feet, leaning onto Jack.

"I think it's your nerves, Cass. Let me get you inside so you can rest."

Cassie and Jack entered the house and saw Chloe standing in the grand foyer. "Welcome, you two." Chloe smiled. "Is everything alright?" she asked, concerned as why Jack was assisting Cassie into the house.

"Good after noon, ma'am," Cassie said. "I'm fine."

Jack led Cassie to the sofa. "Where's Dillon?" she asked Chloe.

"He's out riding on horseback with his friends. He's due back around five o'clock."

Cassie looked at Jack and callously rolled her eyes. "It figures."

"Just lie back. I'll get you a cold washcloth for your forehead." Jack went into the kitchen and asked Chloe for a washcloth. "I'm so glad Dillon finally found someone who makes him happy," Chloe said, grabbing a washcloth from the cabinet above the oven. "You must go see the backyard, Jack. It's decorated and ready for tomorrow's ceremony."

Jack took the washcloth and met Cassie back in the grand living room. "Hey, Cass, did you wanna go outside when you feel better and see how it's decorated?" Jack asked, placing the cold, damp washcloth over her brow.

"I suppose." She sighed. "Can you get me some ibuprofen please?"

Cassie dosed off finally after taking medicine for her headache. Moments later, she awakened suddenly to the sound of the front door slamming, and laughter coming from Dillon and one of his friend's.

"There's my gorgeous!" Dillon rushed toward Cassie, wrapping his arms around her, kissing her forehead. "Baby, you don't look well. Is everything okay?" He tossed the damp washcloth onto the coffee table that had fallen to the floor when Cassie fell asleep.

Cassie lifted herself up off the sofa, yawned, and stretched. "I'm okay, just had a bit of a headache earlier, but I'm fine now." She managed to crack a slight smile.

"I want you to meet a dear old friend of mine. "Pat, this is my fiancé, Cassie. Cassie, this is Pat," Dillon introduced.

Pat was a tall, slender man of sophistication with dark, brown hair and in his mid-fifties. Dressed in a light blue polo with blue jeans, a noble smile formed on his paper thin lips, and he placed a gentle kiss at Cassie's knuckles. "Very nice to meet you." He let loose of her hand and turned to Dillon. "Dillon, you weren't kidding when you said she was beautiful. She's absolutely breathtaking."

Cassie cleared her throat. "Thank you. It's very nice to meet you, Pat. Now, if you'd excuse me, I need to go to the powder room." She winked seductively at Dillon and he knew exactly what that meant. He followed closely behind as she found her way to his master suite. Cassie stood in the center of the room wearing a plain white, fitted t-shirt, skinny jeans, and a pair of black, Manolo stilettos.

"Gorgeous, I've been dying to have some alone time with you," Dillon said, walking toward her with open arms. He embraced her tightly. "I love you so much, baby." He smiled, peering endearingly into her eyes while brushing her blonde bangs away from her face.

"I love you, too." She grinned, standing on her tip-toes, trying her best to reach his lips.

They shared a long, passionate kiss. "Look what you're doing to me." Dillon took a step back and Cassie saw the huge bulge of his erection pressing against his blue jeans.

Cassie cupped her hand and grabbed his bulge forcefully. "Take me, Dillon. Just one more time before we become husband and wife," she whispered.

He swiftly pulled Cassie's t-shirt above her head where she stood before him in only her lacy, sequin, white bra and blue jeans. Dillon began unfastening her jeans, Cassie, unfastening his. They yanked each other's pants down. Cassie flung her Manolo's off her feet and stepped from her jeans. Dillon, only wearing his black boxer briefs, looked as enticing as ever. Cassie's heart fluttered.

"You're wearing thongs I see," Dillon said, teasingly. He grabbed Cassie by her firm bottom, she wrapped her legs around his waist, and he carried her to the dresser. Gently, he placed her on the surface; their lips still locked together, and he positioned himself between her knees as he pulled the crotch of her panties to the side. She sensed the tip of his fingers graze gently across her folds. "Don't tease me like you always do!" she demanded.

"Oh, you love it." He flirted. Reaching behind her back, he unfastened her bra, burying his face in her cleavage, and then plunged his middle finger deep inside her.

Cassie flung her head back in ecstasy. "You're so fucking hot! My God, I can't get enough of your body!" She breathed heavily. His tight, flawless skin, hard six-pack abs, toned pecs, and his strong touch excited her to no end. Dillon could tell by her internal, pulsating muscles against his finger that she was begging to be filled with his thick, humungous phallus. He couldn't hold out any longer. Dillon grabbed Cassie's legs and forced them around his waist as he buried himself inside her hot, juicy entrance. "Baby, oh my God! You're going to make me come too quickly."

"No, not yet," she said, burying her face into his massive, built chest. The arousal that she experienced caused her to do something totally out of her normal realm. Suddenly, an erotic, impulsive wave shot through her and she bit his bicep at the same time that she reached orgasm. She looked Dillon in the eyes as a trickle of blood traced across her lips. "I'm so sorry, I couldn't help myself."

"Shh, it's okay, gorgeous." Dillon began thrusting harder and faster. "Bite me again, baby," he demanded, as he licked his blood from her lips.

Cassie bit his chest, right above his nipple. "Oh yes, baby." He breathed heavily through clenched teeth, forcefully pounding himself deeper inside her. He finally succumbed to his release, and then carried Cassie to the bed.

"I felt like a vampire!" She laughed, displaying a hint of embarrassment. "Oh my God!" She saw the bloody teeth marks on his skin. "Look at what I did to you! I'll be right back." Cassie rushed to the bathroom and found a bottle of alcohol and some bandages. She met Dillon back on the bed and dressed his wounds. "I'm so sorry."

"It's okay, baby. It turned me on, too...I'm sure you could tell." He laughed. "It was hot!"

"Well, I guess we better get dressed and meet everyone for dinner," she said, sliding into her jeans and putting on her t-shirt.

"I'll meet you in the dining room." Dillon stood, heading toward the shower.

***

"There's my gal!" Jack said, hurrying toward Cassie.

"Won't Gertrude get pissed if she sees you around me?"

"Fuck that ole bitch!"

Cassie assumed that Jack had been drinking. She loved how carefree he acted when he was lit. "Oh, yeah? I bet you won't be saying that when you're sober."

"I am sober!"

"Bullshit!"

"I am...smell my drink." Jack lifted his glass to Cassie's nose.

Cassie sniffed it and couldn't smell a hint of alcohol whatsoever. "Wow! You don't care if Gertrude see's us together?"

"Nope! Fuck that ole bag! I don't know what the big deal is anyway. I have no clue why she's going to allow me to walk you down the aisle, but not let us hang out together."

"Maybe she's senile in her old age," Cassie joked, grabbing a glass of champagne from the waiter's tray.

Moments later, Dillon made his way to the dining area. Everyone was seated at the huge formal table. Cassie sat at one end of the table, Dillon on the other. She thought it was very strange to be so far away from him, almost cold, and very impersonal.

Pat stood, raising his champagne glass, clearing his throat, gaining the attention of all the guests. "I just wanted to congratulate my dear friend, Dillon on his wedding tomorrow. Although your first marriage didn't work out, I have a good feeling about this one. May your years together bring happiness and lots of babies," he teased, playfully.

The guests around the table clapped, but Cassie just sat and appeared dumbfounded. She glanced over toward Jack and saw him forcing a smile. Cassie kept mainly to herself, not being very social, and didn't make eye contact with anyone.

Finally, after dessert was served and devoured, the guests, except for Jack, retired to their rooms and Dillon strolled his way toward Cassie. He stood behind her, his hands rested upon her shoulders as she stayed seated at the head of the dining table. "I can't see you after midnight, gorgeous. It's bad luck." He bent down, kissing her on top of her head, then left toward his room.

"You're sleeping in my room," Jack said.

"You're not sleeping with Gertrude?"

"No. She likes sleeping alone. Besides, your dress is already hanging up in there."

Cassie dabbed the corners of her mouth with a linen napkin, stood, and followed Jack to his room.

"Are we sharing the same bed?" Cassie asked, apprehensive, not seeing another bed in the room.

"I won't bite." He laughed. "Just think...tomorrow...half of this vineyard will be yours," he said, trying to ease the tension. "You didn't sign a prenup, did you?"

"No, no prenup. I wouldn't have signed one anyway."

"I'm surprised with him being a lawyer and all."

"Well, he didn't present me with one. I'm going to change my clothes." Cassie grabbed her pajamas from her luggage and went into the bathroom. When she finished, she noticed that Jack had already fallen asleep. Silently, she slid underneath the covers, remained wide awake, and thought dreadfully of her wedding day.
Chapter Six

The next morning, Cassie awakened, and noticed the day was beautiful and sunny and definitely would not be ruined by rain. She shook Jack and attempted to wake him so he could help her with her dress. "Jack! Get up. I need you to button up my dress."

Jack rolled over and stretched. "Well, put it on then!" he said, grumpy.

"Boy! You wake up like a bastard!" She laughed. Cassie sprung from bed and unzipped the dress from its garment cover. "I'll be right back!" She jumped in the shower, smoothed on lotion, and then slipped into her red, gothic, formal gown. She walked toward Jack, who was still lying in bed. "Okay, fasten all these buttons."

Jack sat at the edge of the bed and began fastening each tiny button at the back of the dress. "Cass, you're absolutely beautiful in this thing." He smiled.

"Thank you." Cassie opened the shoebox and placed the red satin heels to her feet. "I'll be in the bathroom putting on my makeup."

After applying her makeup, Cassie glanced at the clock, and noticed that it was only two hours before the walk down the aisle. Jack came from the bathroom wearing a black tuxedo with tails and a red cummerbund. "You look so handsome, Jack." Cassie smiled.

Cassie sat in a Victorian chair beside the window, allowing the sun to beat down upon her face. Her nerves began getting the best of her.

"Why are your legs twitching so much?" Jack asked.

"Must be nerves. I'm so scared."

"Having second thoughts?"

"I don't know. Something just doesn't feel quite right."

"You don't have to do this if you don't want to."

"Well, what am I supposed to do?" Cassie asked, looking at Jack, hoping he had a good answer.

"Don't marry the dude. It's as simple as that."

"If you think it's so simple, then why in the hell are you still with Gertrude if she makes you miserable?"

"Because I have no money and nowhere else to go."

Cassie stood with her hands on her hips, pacing back and forth, and watched the clock tick closer to the time of the wedding.

"C'mon, Cass. This guy isn't right for you. Ditch him!"

"On our wedding day? That would devastate him!"

"Aren't you sick of him telling you what you can and can't wear, who you can hang out with, where you can and can't go?"

"Yeah, but it's for my own good." Cassie tried her best to rationalize regarding Dillon's possessiveness.

"Oh, that's total bullshit and you know it!"

Cassie's eyes began swelling up with tears. "Oh Jack, I can't do it...I just can't marry him!"

"You still have money, you have two cars, and you can land on your feet in no time at all. C'mon Cass, do it! Leave him!"

"When in doubt, don't." Benjamin Franklin's famous words that her grandfather would often quote. "If I do, you're coming with me." Cassie expressed determination on her face. She wasn't kidding.

"I can't," Jack said, appearing surprised that she even suggested such a thing.

"Yes you can! I'll take care of us both. Big frigging deal if you lose your Lamborghini. I'll give you my Porsche until you can afford your own car."

Jack plopped onto the edge of the bed, shaking his head back and forth, and suddenly looked toward Cassie. "Alright! I'm on board with this!"

Cassie's heart beat rapidly. She felt as though she was about to have a heart attack. She grabbed Jack by the hand. "Are we really doing this?"

They snuck their way through the front door. Cassie looked cautiously around for anyone who could blow their cover, but everyone was already in the backyard preparing for the wedding. They jumped into Cassie's Lotus Evora and sped through the gates of the vineyard, leaving behind a trail of dust.

"Oh my God! We are actually doing this!" Cassie's hand shook upon the gear shift.

"Yep! We sure are!" Jack said, laughing hysterically, glancing back at the gate.

"First, we need to get back to Dillon's in Los Altos and get my Porsche and my clothes. We'll park the Porsche and Lotus at Moffett. You and I are going on a trip out of the country for a few weeks. I don't want to be anywhere near Dillon when he discovers that I've ditched him."

"Well, I'll need to get my passport from Gertrude's."

"Sounds like a great plan!"

After getting Jack's passport and clothes, they made their way to Dillon's. Cassie entered the house and the guilt began to take over. It weighed on her conscious and she collapsed to the floor and cried. Jack rushed toward her, placed his arms around her, and hugged her tightly. "It's going to be alright, Cass, I promise you. You've already conquered the hard part. Now, get upstairs and get your clothes."

Cassie picked herself up off the floor and walked slowly up the spiral staircase one last time. Her legs were wobbly, but she managed to make her way into the bedroom that she and Dillon had shared. She grabbed what was necessary, knowing full well that the two cars she had couldn't hold much.

She stuffed the trunks of both cars, tossed the Porsche's keys to Jack, and had him follow her to Moffett.

When Cassie approached the security checkpoint of the base, the gate guard saw both passes on the windshield and motioned the cars to go on through. They arrived at the hangar and she saw Adam outside, standing in the parking lot. "What are you doing here?" Adam asked, confused as why she was there, knowing her active duty enlistment had ended.

"I need your help," she said, trying to catch her breath. "I need to keep these cars parked here and I need you to take Jack and me to SFO."

"What happened?" Adam pried, trying to figure out why she was standing before him and not getting married.

"I left him! I couldn't marry him! Now, I want to leave the country for a few weeks."

"Well, hop in my car. I'll take you to the airport!"

"Just a minute!" Cassie said. She and Jack grabbed what they could from the trunks of the cars and left the remainder securely locked in a storage locker inside the hangar.

They met Adam at his BMW. "Okay, what happened?" Adam asked after Cassie secured her seatbelt.

"I just couldn't do it. I was making myself sick. He used to treat me so well, but now he treats me like his prisoner."

"Is that so?" Adam asked.

"Yes, it's true. He even burned some of my clothes, forbade me to hang out with certain people, he didn't even like me wearing makeup anymore."

"What's the story with this guy?" Adam asked, motioning his head toward the backseat at Jack.

"Oh, sorry. That's my best friend, Jack. Jack, this is Adam. He was my commanding officer."

"Nice to meet you." Jack smiled then let out a playful chuckle knowing that he was in the presence of the infamous looner.

"Jack's going through something similar as me. He's stuck in a relationship with an older woman. We decided to ditch our mates together," Cassie explained.

Cassie's cell phone vibrated in her pocket and she saw that Dillon was calling. "Oh my God, Jack. It's Dillon."

"Toss the phone out the window! I'll toss mine if you do!"

Cassie took a deep breath and threw her phone onto to North Highway 101. Jack did the same.

"Poor Dillon. I feel so bad for him. I should have at least given him an explanation."

"He should be thankful that he won't be going through another divorce," Jack said.

"But still, I feel so bad."

Adam pulled up to curbside and assisted Cassie and Jack with their luggage from the trunk. "You take care of yourself. Don't worry about your cars; I'll keep a close eye on them."

"I'll see you when I get back. Thank you so much for dropping us off." Cassie placed her arms around Adam and hugged him tightly. He encircled his arms around her, inhaling the scent of her fragrant hair, not wanting to let her go.

Jack shook Adam's hand and then, Cassie and Jack entered the terminal. Cassie rushed toward the seating area and sat down. She was anxious, out of breath, and the red, formal, Goth gown was irritating her skin. Cassie looked as if she had just walked off the set of a Tim Burton film wearing that dress. People were staring constantly, which caused Cassie to become even more tense, thinking maybe someone might recognize her. "Jack, it's all happening so fast," she said, breathing heavily.

"Just calm down, Cass. Everything's going to be fine." Jack stood, still dressed in his black tuxedo.

Suddenly, out of the blue, Cassie busted out in laughter. "Look at us! I bet people think we're crazy dressed like this in an airport!"

"Well, we do look a bit overdressed," Jack added.

"Sit down next to me." Cassie patted the seat next to her, motioning for Jack to take a seat. "We need to figure out where we're going. I don't want to go to Europe, been there in the Navy," she said, tapping her index finger to her cheek, appearing heavily in thought. "I got it!" She stood, snapping her fingers. "We're going to Tahiti!"

"Alright! Tahiti it is!" Jack exclaimed with a huge grin upon his face. "Let's go get our tickets!"

Cassie purchased two, round-trip tickets to Tahiti with a layover at LAX. They made their way to the gate and anticipated their departure. Cassie sat, her legs trembled, and butterflies ran rampant through her stomach as she nervously hoped that she would see no sign of Dillon.

"Cass, don't worry. He won't show up here," Jack said, knowing who she was thinking of.

"I'm not too sure about that. He has massive radar on me all the time."

"He has GPS on your Lotus, which will show it's on the Naval base...a place he is not allowed on."

"I suppose you're right." She became a little more at ease. "I feel like I owe him an explanation and I won't be able to calm down until I explain myself to him."

"Well, we have a half-hour until we board. Call him from a payphone," Jack suggested.

"Good idea!" Cassie rose from her seat and walked toward the payphone near the gate. The ringing of the phone on the other end caused her nerves to become even harder for her to bear. Finally, she heard his voice on the line. "Hello," Dillon answered, his voice appearing distraught.

Cassie swallowed around the huge lump in her throat before she could speak. "Um, D-Dillon," she stuttered, tears began streaming down her face.

"Baby! Where are you?"

"I-I j-just couldn't do it...I couldn't marry you. I'm so sorry." She sobbed continually into the phone.

"Come home. Let's talk about this."

"I can't. I can't be with you anymore."

"Why is that?" he said in a calming tone. "I can understand you getting cold feet."

Finally, she was ready to let it all out. "You treat me like shit! You allow me no privacy whatsoever; you keep tabs on me everywhere I go!" Cassie's voice began to sound enraged. "You put GPS on my car; don't think I didn't know that! You burnt my fucking clothes! I've had it!" she yelled. The entire gate full of passengers heard her screaming into the phone.

Anger swept over Dillon's entire being. His calm voice, which he was sure would lure Cassie back to him in an instant, changed quickly. "You're not going to get away with this! Nobody makes a fool out of me! Nobody! You better hope that when I get back to the house in Los Altos that nothing of yours is in there because I will burn everything! I mean it! Every fucking thing you've left behind—burned to a crisp!" He threw down the phone, slammed back on the sofa, and cried. "She's gone, Chloe...gone," he said softly, looking up at Chloe, who was standing before him.

Cassie hung up the payphone and walked toward Jack. "He's pretty pissed off!"

"Well, that's to be expected." Jack grabbed her by the hand and sat her in the chair next to him. "Do you at least feel better that you told him?"

Cassie grabbed a tissue from her purse, wiping her face. "Yes, I do feel better that I told him. Now, are you going to call Gertrude?"

"Fuck, no! Screw that bitch!" He laughed. "I'm done!"
Chapter Seven

Seated in first class, Cassie heard the captain turn on the seat belt signal as the plane prepared for its descend. She yawned and stretched as a huge grin crept across her face. Jack's huge smile met hers. The eight-hour flight from LAX to Tahiti was exhausting. Cassie cried so much that she had worn herself out. She slept most of the flight and rested her head on Jack's shoulder the entire trip. Jack felt as though a huge weight had been lifted from his shoulders by escaping Gertrude's prison. He had anticipated a relaxing, wonderful, fun time with Cassie for the next few weeks, hoping that by them fleeing their partners wouldn't drag down their morale.

Jack stood and pulled the bags from the overhead bin. As Cassie and Jack disembarked the airplane, they took in a long breath, savoring the warm sun, and the crisp clean air.

"My God! I could live here!" Cassie exhaled.

"It's beautiful." Jack smiled.

They hailed a cab at curbside and were taken to the Radisson Plaza Resort where Cassie had reserved an oceanfront suite. The concierge ordered their bags to their room and Cassie plopped herself down on the bed, exhausted.

Jack paced back and forth in front of the bed, seeming disheveled, which made Cassie uneasy. "Why don't you lie down and take a nap? You're going to make yourself sick if you continue pacing about like that."

"I'm nervous. I feel like we just robbed a bank or something. Do you think we did the right thing?"

"It's too late to think about that now. You can't change the past, but you can sure as hell determine your future. Besides, don't worry, Jack. I'm going to take care of you."

"I just wonder what Gertrude and Dillon are doing right this very minute," Jack said, his hands on his hips, breathing swiftly with every paced step.

"Dammit, Jack! Stop dwelling on it! Come, lay down next to me and take a nap. When we wake up, I'll take you out to dinner."

Jack climbed in the bed and slithered underneath the covers next to Cassie. She put her arms around him and he rested his head on her shoulder. "Don't worry Jack. We're going to be fine, I promise." She kissed the top of his head and he finally fell asleep.

Cassie woke the next morning. Extremely exhausted from the previous day's events and the flight; they managed to sleep the entire night, not even eating dinner.

"Jack! Wake up! It's morning."

Through tired, blurry eyes, Jack peeked, feeling suddenly blinded by the ray of sun shining through the window. "Damn, Cass. Can you close the curtains?"

Cassie walked toward the window, shut the curtains, and sat at the desk. "Are you hungry?"

"Yeah, I guess so. I can't believe we didn't even wake up to eat dinner last night." He laughed.

"Take a shower and get dressed. We'll go eat breakfast in a little bit."

Jack went into the bathroom. Cassie turned on the television while she waited for Jack to finish his shower. As she flicked through the satellite channels with the remote, a familiar face caught her attention on the television screen. Her heart sank. "A missing person's report has been filed on the whereabouts of Cassie Littleton, the fiancé of Dillon Baron who is the California billionaire of Baron's Vineyard and real estate magnate," the reporter said.

"I don't know what happened. She was here, in her room getting ready for the wedding and suddenly, she vanished," Dillon said to the reporter.

A picture of Cassie had been displayed on the screen. "If anyone has seen this woman, please call your local police department."

Cassie rose from the chair and banged on the bathroom door. "Jack! Open up! Hurry!"

"What?" he asked, peeking through the crack of the door.

"It's, um, it's Dillon! He was on television. He reported me as a missing person! Why in the fuck is he doing this? He knows I'm okay." She cried.

"I don't know. It's kind of odd for him to act in such a way. Maybe you fucked him up good this time."

"This is no time for jokes, Jack! I'm going to call the Napa Valley Police and inform them of my whereabouts." Cassie picked up the phone and asked the front desk to connect her to the Napa Valley Police Department.

"This is Cassie Littleton. I was watching the news and noticed my picture pop up as a missing person. I'm not missing, I'm in Tahiti with a friend, please call off the search immediately."

"How can we be certain this is you? We simply can't call off a search by just a phone call."

"Do a search on my flight information, then call the police here, and have an officer come to my hotel suite. You'll see, I'm here. I don't even know why Dillon reported me missing. I spoke with him over the phone before I boarded the fucking plane! I'm at the Radisson Plaza Resort in room 307."

"Alright, ma'am. I'll have someone call the Tahiti authorities. In the meantime, stay put in your suite until an officer arrives."

Cassie slammed down the phone. "Jeez! I shouldn't have to be going through this shit!"

"I know, Cass. Perhaps Dillon is being vindictive. Maybe it's his way of thinking that you might come back to him."

"Seriously? This is doing nothing but pushing me farther away! And the news said that he's a billionaire! A fucking billionaire! I didn't realize that he was that wealthy!"

"Cass, the man owns real estate all over the world. You honestly had no clue regarding his extreme wealth?" he asked. "Besides, why do you think he's a real estate attorney?"

"I don't know."

"It's so he can keep personal tabs on all of his estates. He doesn't trust anyone but himself when it comes to his investments."

"I had no idea. I assumed he was a millionaire, not a billionaire."

"Does that change anything? I mean, would you have run out on him knowing that he has billions?"

"No, it doesn't change anything. It's just something that I didn't know about him, which I should have known everything about him if I were going to marry him."

Moments later, Cassie heard a knock at the door. "That must be the police." She opened the door and saw a tall, handsome, uniformed gentleman standing before her.

"Cassie Littleton, I presume?" he asked with a squint faced expression, uncertain if he had the right hotel suite.

"Yes, sir. I'm Cassie Littleton."

"May I come inside?"

"Please do."

Cassie sat at the edge of the bed as the officer stood before her. "I understand that you've been reported as a missing person from the United States."

"Yes, sir. Allow me get my passport." Cassie reached inside her purse and retrieved her passport and driver's license. "See, it's me." She smiled, showing the officer her credentials.

"Well, yes ma'am. I surely see it is, in fact, you." He smiled flirtatiously, handing her back her passport. "So, tell my why you're here."

"Oh man, let me get back to my damn shower!" Jack rolled his eyes nauseatingly as he watched the flirting go on between Cassie and the police officer, then he went into the bathroom.

"I ran out on my fiancé on our weeding day."

"Well, aren't we being a little bit naughty?"

"Not really. I couldn't marry someone who I don't love."

"And who is the gentleman taking a shower?"

"He's my best friend."

"Best friend?" the officer questioned.

"He's gay." She laughed. Cassie stood from the bed and walked toward the door hoping that the officer would follow. "Well, officer, as you can see, your work is done here. Don't you need to get back to more serious work?" She held open the door.

"Yes, ma'am. I guess I'll be on my way." He slightly brushed up against her. He stood in the hallway and turned around to face her. "How long are you here for?"

"A few weeks." She winked and the door closed.

***

Jack and Cassie sat outside on the patio of a restaurant with a beautiful view of the ocean. There was a cool sea breeze and the sun shone brightly. The two ate and discussed what to do as soon as they got back home. Cassie had already in mind an apartment that she saw on the Internet in San Jose. She spoke with the landlord on the phone about seeing it when she got back into town. It was a two-bedroom apartment, just big enough for her and Jack. The landlord quoted a good rental price, which Cassie would be a fool to turn down.

"So, do you think Dillon will try to find you when we return?"

"Probably. I don't care. I'm done. Done with the prostitution, done with Dillon trying to control me. I'm done! Now, I can concentrate on me for once without worrying about dominating a man, being told how to dress, where I can and can't go. I'm so sick of the past!"

"Now, I can finally settle down with a dude." Jack laughed.

"Well, let's change into our swimwear and head down to the beach. It's time to have some carefree fun, dammit!"

Jack playfully chased Cassie toward the water. He picked her up over his shoulder and spun her in circles, making her dizzy. Finally, after having so much fun, their past lovers were absent from their minds. They felt like teenagers again, a feeling Cassie believed was completely robbed from her after high school. Jack placed Cassie to her feet; she chased him and yanked his shorts down to his ankles. He tried to chase her, but tripped over his feet that were caught up in his swimming trunks. "Dang it, Cass! You're plain evil!" He laughed, pulling up his shorts, chasing after her. "Come here! I got something to show ya!"

Cassie stopped, turned around, and walked toward Jack. "O-Okay, what do you have to show me?" she asked, catching her breath, her hands on her hips.

Jack had his hands hidden behind his back.

"Oh, no, Jack. What do you have?" She took off running, he chasing behind. Suddenly, a large smack of something gooey and wet hit the back of her calves. She looked down to see a mess of seaweed. "Ew! Jack! That's gross!" She picked up the seaweed and ran toward him. He took off running swiftly. When she finally caught up to him, she launched the seaweed at his head. He looked to be wearing a wig of dreadlocks.

"Payback's a bitch!" She laughed.

"Okay...okay! You got me!" He shook the seaweed from his head, placed his arms around Cassie, and hugged her tightly. "We're going to be alright," he whispered, placing a tiny kiss on her forehead.

***

The day came finally for Cassie and Jack to say goodbye to Tahiti. After spending so many days on the beach in the sun, they were eager to get back home and start over. Their anxiousness turned to determination. They no longer worried about how the impact of them leaving affected Dillon and Gertrude's lives; they only worried of each other, a growing friendship that developed into a strong love between the two of them. Cassie loved Jack dearly and would do anything for him. He was her rock, someone who she could trust, someone who would cheer her up when she felt down, someone who loved her for who she was, who she is, and what she will be. He never judged her; he loved her, and vowed always to be there for her. They created such a strong bond between the two of them; a sister/brother relationship had formed.

As they boarded the plane departing to LAX, Cassie's nerves were getting the best of her. Jack could see her thighs bouncing anxiously against the seat. He placed his hand upon her knee, attempting to hold her legs still. "Do you need something to calm your nerves?" Jack asked. "I have a Xanax if you need it."

"Nah, I'm okay. I don't want to take it if it's not necessary. I start at the reserve center soon and will most likely have a blood test. I don't want to have to explain myself if Xanax is found in my system."

Jack placed his palm on Cassie's cheek, opposite of him, and guided her head to his shoulder. He stroked her hair, lovingly. Cassie gazed into Jack's eyes. "I love you so much, Jack."

"I know you do. I love you, too." With that, the plane ascended and they fell asleep listening to the roar of the jet engines as they hovered at 35,000 feet in the sky.
Chapter Eight

Cassie and Jack grabbed their luggage from the baggage claim turnstile, hailed a cab, and asked the driver to take them to Moffett. Cassie and Jack stared from the car window, blankly. The ride to the base was silent. They didn't speak a word to one another. Cassie grabbed her military identification card from her wallet and flashed it at the guard. The guard waved them by and the cab dropped them off at the hangar. Adam was walking across the parking lot. When he saw Cassie and Jack step from the cab, he whistled hoping to catch their attention by waving his arms in the air. "Hey, Cass! Over here!"

Cassie glanced toward the whistle and the voice. They met halfway from the hangar to the parking lot. "Man! You're in some serious deep shit!" Adam said.

"What do you mean? Am I in trouble with the Navy?"

"No, worse! Dillon's on a mission to find you. He's been standing outside the base since you've been gone trying to persuade sailors to lure you out to him."

"Are you serious?"

"Yes, you need to get a restraining order put on that guy. He's snapped!"

Cassie's stomach churned. She knew that Dillon was a powerful man, but didn't expect him to act so brazen by showing up at the base. Her knees felt as if they were about to buckle. Jack grabbed her by the arm and led her toward the two cars. "Don't worry about Dillon. I have a 9mm with his name on it if he's tries to hurt you."

Cassie was shocked that Jack even owned a gun. "This isn't Texas, Jack." She laughed. "You can't just go on a shooting rampage."

"I know that, but I will protect you."

"You know I can handle myself. If you remember correctly, I took out five combatants in Afghanistan. Hell, I killed four of them!"

Cassie fished for her keys and handed the set to the Porsche to Jack. "Follow me. I'll get us a room at the Navy Lodge; we'll stay there until I find us a permanent place to live." She turned to Adam and smiled. "Adam, I'll see ya around." Cassie unlocked her Lotus and started the engine; Jack trailed behind her in the Porsche Boxter.

***

Cassie flung open the door to the hotel room, threw her luggage on the floor, and fell backward onto the bed. Jack wasted no time starting the coffee pot.

"It's been weeks since I last saw Dillon; he has to be over it by now." Cassie seemed hopeful, but knew deep down that she had a major problem to deal with.

"You don't think he'd come here do you?" Jack stood before her, stirring his coffee.

"I don't know." Cassie shrugged. "I sure wouldn't put it passed him." She looked toward the ceiling and exhaled an exhausted breath. "I know he hates the fact that I've embarrassed him. He will make me pay for ruining his wedding day."

"Don't dwell on that now. He's a dick! Don't let him consume your thoughts. That's exactly what he wants. He's playing you, Cass. You don't see it?"

"Well, he plays a good game. I've never heard him threaten me the way that he did on the payphone at the airport. A side of him was revealed that I do not want to know."

"Well, let's focus on cell phones," Jack said, trying to change the subject.

"Alright, let me change my clothes. We'll head to the mall and buy some there."

Cassie turned her back toward Jack and slid out of her shorts. Jack saw her standing, wearing cheeky, lacy panties. He quickly turned away, not understanding why his penis jolted suddenly against his zipper. She pulled on a pair of jeans and a plain white t-shirt. "There, all ready."

They climbed inside the Lotus and drove up the ramp to North Highway 101 toward the Stanford Mall. Cassie was so paranoid about the possibility of running into Dillon; she couldn't even hold the car straight on the road. Jack reached over, placing his hand upon Cassie's thigh.

"Jack, you don't need to do that," she said.

"I know I don't need to, but I want to. It will help ease the tension you're feeling."

"You're so sweet. Any man would be lucky to have you."

"Yeah, right! Like I'll ever find anyone who would be interested in a skinny guy such as me." He laughed.

"Well, too bad you're not straight! I'd do ya," Cassie said, of course, jokingly.

Jack didn't know how to take her teasing. He also couldn't fathom the erection he experienced back at the hotel room, either. He toyed with his thoughts, wondering why he was sparking such sexual feelings for her, knowing that he could never reveal them in fear of ruining the special bond of friendship that they have.

They arrived at the mall parking lot; Cassie cased the area hoping not to find a yellow Maserati. "All clear!" She jumped from the car and armed it with the remote. "Now, let's go find that Apple Store."

After weaving through the crowds of people throughout the outdoor mall, they finally found the store they were looking for. Cassie approached an associate and explained that she needed two iPhones. The associate disappeared in the back and moments later she saw other associates peeking from behind a wall, staring at her. She glanced down, pretending as if she saw something on the floor, but as soon as she looked up, they were still staring. "Can I help you?" she asked sarcastically, glaring at the employees who had no idea that they knew she saw them staring.

One of the associates approached the counter with two boxes in hand. "I have two iPhones in white for you. Is that all you'll be needing this evening?"

Cassie noticed the nervous tension in his voice. "Is there a problem, um—" She looked at his shirt and saw the name displayed across his plate that read Jarvin. "Jarvin, is there a problem?"

"Um, no, ma'am. There's no problem whatsoever. Follow me over to the genius bar and I'll set these up for you."

Cassie heard a shutter sound of a camera and immediately focused toward it. She saw one of the associates looking at his phone. She hurried toward him, snatched the phone from his grasp, and viewed the screen. "What the fuck is this?" she asked, holding the phone to his face. "Where's your boss? I want to see him, NOW!"

Jack rushed over to Cassie. Cassie showed the phone to Jack and it displayed a Facebook screen with her picture and a caption that read, "Spotted! Cassie Littleton in the Stanford Apple Store without her billionaire lover."

Jack snatched the phone from her hand. "Do you think this is funny? Do you think it's cool to go around and invade a person's privacy, especially at your place of employment? What's your name?"

"Kelley." He cleared his throat. "My name is Kelley Benedict, sir."

"Well, Kelley, you've made a huge mistake. Huge!"

Moments later, the Apple store's supervisor emerged from a room at the back of the store. Jack showed him the phone and explained that he believed all three of the employees, including Jarvin, was in on it. The supervisor expressed some sincere apologies, gave Cassie a gift card, and sent them on their way.

Back at the hotel, Cassie turned on the ten o'clock evening news. She was flabbergasted when she saw the headline on the screen. "It appears that Cassie Littleton was found. She was purchasing two iPhones from the Stanford Mall today." The picture that one of the Apple Store associates snapped of her was plastered on the television screen.

"Fuck! Now Dillon knows that I'm back in town! He's going to be hot on my trail." Cassie sat at the edge of the bed, her head resting in the palms of her hands as she sobbed. "My life is ruined! Everyone hates me; I will never find anyone who loves me, or anyone who would ever want to get to know me. I should just kill myself now!"

Jack knelt before her and placed her hand in his. He stared up into her eyes and whispered, "Cass, you'll always have me. I love you, you know that. So what if the whole world hates you! Big deal. You have and always will, have me."

Cassie cupped her hands to Jack's face as tears streamed down hers. "Jack, I love you so much, more than you realize." She gently kissed his forehead. "Now, let's get some rest before we look at the apartment in the morning."

Jack and Cassie slipped underneath the blankets together, her back facing him as he wrapped his arms around her, embracing her into his chest. Jack inhaled a deep breath, taking in the scent of her fragrant, blonde hair. He felt the rise in his boxers, a rise that he was terribly confused about. He prayed that Cassie didn't inch her way into him, afraid that she would feel the erection protruding outward toward her derriere. He finally tossed his uncertain thoughts aside, finally able to fall asleep with Cassie wrapped securely in his arms.

***

Cassie rubbed the sleep from her eyes, and noticed that Jack had awakened, and was already in the shower. Cassie could hear soft moans coming from the bathroom. She assumed that he was getting off and tried her best to block out the sound by the blaring television. "Apparently, Jack has no idea I'm awake," she mumbled. She began to giggle, wondering what he was envisioning as he did his dirty, little deed. Little did she know, he was thinking of her. The bathroom door opened, Jack appeared shirtless with only a towel draped around his waist. He was cleaning his ears with a Q-tip, and flashed Cassie an innocent, little smile.

"Did you have a nice shower?" She smirked, knowing Jack had no idea that she heard what went on behind that closed-door.

"Why, yes. I did," he said matter-of-factly.

"It's my turn." Cassie grabbed a pair of jeans from her luggage, a t-shirt, panties, and bra. She closed the bathroom door behind her and started the bath.

The telephone rang. "Hello," Jack answered.

"Hi, this is the front desk. I have a letter for Miss Littleton."

"I'll pick it up in a few minutes." Jack disconnected the call. He dressed and slipped on his Prada loafers, and then headed to the front desk.

The clerk handed Jack an envelope with a gold crest stuck on the seal that had been encrusted with the letters B.V. The front of the letter only displayed Cassie's first name written in calligraphy lettering. "Should I?" Jack wondered, asking himself if he should open the mysterious envelope. He didn't want to betray Cassie's trust, so he left it sealed and headed back to the hotel room where he placed it on the nightstand.

Cassie came from the bathroom, her hair dripping wet, squeezing the towel against her locks, trying to dry it the best she could.

"A letter arrived for you," Jack said, his eyes motioned toward the nightstand where the mysterious letter had been placed.

Looking a bit confused, she grabbed the letter, studied the outside and questioned, "B.V.?" She glanced an inquisitive look at Jack. Just then, a light bulb ignited in her head. "Baron's Vineyard!"

"Oh my God! Do you think Dillon knows that we're here?" Jack asked.

"Well, duh! Here! You open it!" She tossed the letter at Jack. "I'm too scared to read it.

Jack swiftly tore the letter open and pulled the paper from the inside. There it was, Dillon's handwritten words on a piece of cardstock stationary from his vineyard.

My Dearest, Cassie,

There you go again, running off and leaving me. I don't know why it surprised me so, but it has. You will never understand true love, what it holds, the message it conveys, the sense of always having someone by your side whom you will forever count on and cherish. You will never find another human being on this earth who will love and respect you the way I once had. You meant more to me than you will ever know, but I vow never to yearn for you again. You have stomped on my heart way too many times and I can no longer respect you. You've lived nothing but a lie, a lie that deceived me. You're on your own now. I will never search for you again, you will no longer haunt my thoughts and desires, you are dead to me, and I never want to see or hear from you again. Take confidence in knowing that you are safe from my clenches, that I no longer wish to pursue you, that I wish to find someone whom I can live the remainder of my days with, and who will love me and care for me the way I once thought you had.

Goodbye forever,

Dillon

Jack dropped the letter to the floor and looked for Cassie's expression. They both stared at one another and laughed uncontrollably. "Well, I guess I don't need to be worried about him stalking me now!" She chuckled. "I know it's mean to laugh, but I can't help it. Fucking old fool! How dare he treat me the way he did. Dressing me up like a conservative bitch! Well, fuck you Dillon Baron!" Cassie grabbed her purse. "C'mon Jack, we have an apartment to go see!"

The Lotus pulled up to an apartment building on Saratoga Boulevard. The apartments were connected and formed a circular shape that surrounded a swimming pool. Each apartment had a view of the pool, a tranquil waterfall, and an outdoor fireplace. The apartments were painted white with royal blue trim and had French doors at each entrance. Jack and Cassie sat in a chair alongside the pool, waiting for the real estate agent to arrive.

"It's so peaceful here," Cassie said, glancing around at all the units.

"That's because everyone's at work." Jack laughed. "I bet this place is party central after six o'clock in the evening."

"Even so, I have a good feeling about this place."

Cassie saw a heavy-set woman push her way through the gate. She came toward Cassie with an extended hand. "Hi, you must be Miss Littleton."

"Yes, ma'am."

"I'm Mary. Mary Blakenship. So—" she exhaled. "Are you ready to take a look-see?"

"We sure are!" Cassie stood and grabbed Jack by the arm and led him upstairs to the vacant apartment.

Upon entry, Cassie knew immediately that it was the place for them. It was so quaint and cozy, not huge and overbearing like Dillon's house, just enough to feel secure, and enough to suit her luxurious taste. Cassie and Jack entered the kitchen that featured an island stove. The bedrooms were rather large, each having its own walk-in closet. A large, garden style bathroom was down the hallway. The balcony overlooked the pool, which Cassie loved. She hoped that she would be spending countless hours swimming. The apartment had all hand scraped hardwood floors, a fireplace in the living room, and a formal dining area. The square footage equaled twenty-five hundred square feet.

"So, Mary. You quoted me a rental price of twenty-eight hundred dollars a month, am I correct?"

"Yes, ma'am. Plus security."

"And that includes all of the furnishings, too?"

"Yes, ma'am."

Cassie whipped her checkbook from her purse and began writing a check. She handed it to Mary and Mary placed it in her Day-Timer.

"Now, I'll have to run a credit check, but it should be completed by five today. I'll call you with the final arrangements," Mary said.

"Perfect! Is tomorrow too soon to move in?"

"Well, depending on the credit check, tomorrow should be fine." With that said, Cassie and Jack headed to the car and then back to the Navy Lodge.

***

Cassie sat on the bed, exhausted. "I can't wait until we get into the apartment. Finally, we'll have our own place to call home."

"When do you need to report to the reserve center for your first reservist assignment?" Jack asked.

"The day after tomorrow. I need to find me a full-time job, too. Because I'll only be working at the reserve center one weekend out of each month and two weeks during the year, I will need to find something to keep me occupied."

"Have you put together a resume' yet?"

"Not yet. Any suggestions?"

"I can create one for you. I need to make one for myself, too."

"What kind of work are you looking for, Jack?"

He shrugged. "I don't know. Maybe marketing. I'm not really sure. How about you?"

"I heard that San Jose Live is hiring an office manager. Perhaps I'll try for that job."

"A nightclub?" Jack questioned. "I thought you were through with working at nightclubs."

"It's not like it's a strip club and besides, the job states in the ad that it's Monday through Thursday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. I'll never see the nightlife part of it."

"If you're sure that's what you wanna do. I can get started on the resumes tonight."

Cassie's iPhone rang. She picked it up and saw that is was Mary. Mary explained that everything checked out perfectly with the credit check and Cassie and Jack could move into the apartment the following day. They just needed to swing by the real estate office and pick up the keys and they were set, ready to start their new lives without old folks telling them what they can and cannot do.
Chapter Nine

Jack and Cassie settled into their new apartment. Life was good. Gertrude was out of the picture, as was Dillon. Resumes were faxed. Now, all they needed were a few interviews and they were well on their way.

Jack and Cassie sat at the kitchen table and enjoyed some sandwiches for lunch when Cassie's phone rang. The number on caller I.D. was unfamiliar to her so she was reluctant to answer, fearing it may be Dillon, who of course, has a way on finding out her new phone number.

"H-hello," Cassie stammered into the phone, a little paranoid on who was on the other end of the receiver.

"Hi!" The voice sounded friendly. "This is Mike Tetrault. I'm the assistant general manager at San Jose Live. I'm looking over your resume and would like to schedule an interview at your convenience."

Cassie looked over at Jack with a huge grin and a thumb's up. "Sure, Mr. Tetrault." She cleared her throat. "I'm available this afternoon."

"Wonderful! How about two o'clock?"

"Perfect!"

"I will be at Sports City Café, just outside of the club. Just ask the bartender for me and make yourself comfortable."

"Thank you, sir, I'll do that."

San Jose Live consumed an entire block of a variety of nightclubs. From a piano bar, a 70s disco, 80s punk rock, and top 40 establishments, it even had its own sports bar.

"Jack! I have an interview at two! What to wear! What to wear!" Cassie ran frantically into her bedroom as Jack trailed behind.

Jack seated himself on the edge of her bed and watched her sling clothes from her closet. "Are you sure that you want to work there?" Jack's voice expressed concern, but he knew there was nothing he could say to dissuade her from taking the interview.

"Yes, like I said before, I won't be working nights. It will be only during the day doing administrative duties, that's it." Cassie pulled out a brown, Ralph Lauren, pin-stripe pantsuit and a crisp, white, long-sleeve, button-down blouse. "There! This will do the trick!" She undressed quickly in front of Jack and he was a little shocked about how comfortable she had been around him. He looked down at the floor, taking a sneak peek of her standing in only a black lacy bra and panties.

"There it goes, again! Fuck!" He mumbled to himself, trying to situate himself so Cassie wouldn't notice his growing erection through his sweat pants. "What the fuck is wrong with me! Dammit!" he mumbled.

"What was that, sweetie?" Cassie pulled on her slacks, tucked in her blouse, and slid her jacket over her shoulders.

"Oh, it's nothing."

"Are you sure? If you're worried about me, don't be. You know that I can handle anything."

Jack had been relieved that Cassie didn't know that what he actually was worried about was his huge, growing erection in his pants. And it was all because of her! A woman!

Cassie looked in the mirror above the dresser, twisted up her hair, and allowed a few strands to cascade down, framing her face. She placed one last hair-stick in place, which formed a tight, French twist.

"You look absolutely stunning, Cass. You'll get the job for sure."

"Thank you, Jack." She smiled. Grabbing a pair of brown leather Coach, stacked heel loafers from her closet, she slid them onto her feet. With one final look in the mirror, she grabbed her Louis Vuitton monogram bag, and went toward the door. "Later, Jack! I'll be home in a little bit."

Cassie headed south onto Highway 101 and took the First Street exit. She parked in the parking garage and made her way toward Sports City Café. The club and restaurant were located in such a neat area. It gave the impression of an outside mall, which also housed many fine restaurants, boutiques, and independent bookstores.

She arrived at the glass, double doors of the café and made her way to the bar. A young woman dressed in a tank top and very skimpy shorts stood behind it. "Ah, you must be Miss Littleton. Have a seat. I'll let Mike know that you're here." The bartender disappeared through a set of wooden swinging doors. Cassie walked over to a small table by the window and sat down. Nervously fidgeting with her fingers, she tried her best not to appear anxious.

Moments later, she saw a stocky man with short blond hair, who appeared to be five-foot, eight inches tall. He approached with an extended hand. "Hi, you must be Miss Littleton. I'm Mike Tetrault. It's very nice to meet you."

"The pleasure is all mine, sir," she said shaking his hand. His grasp was firm, very professional.

Mike took a seat across the table with her resume in his hand and skimmed over it. "I see that you're ex-Navy?" he questioned, an inquisitive eyebrow raised.

Cassie cleared her throat. "Yes, sir. I was, um, well still am a yeoman."

"Still are?"

"Yes, sir. My active duty enlistment is over, but I must complete one year of reserve duty, which actually starts tomorrow."

"Would this reserve duty interfere with your work schedule here?"

"I don't believe so. My reserve duty is at the reserve center in San Jose. It's only one weekend a month and two weeks out of the year. I will use my vacation days for my two week duty, sir, so that it will not interfere with my job."

"I like hiring ex-military. They seem to be the most disciplined and most dependable. I like dependable people because I can count on them. I need reliability when it comes to my staff. That's why I don't have a high turn-over rate on employees."

"I understand that, sir. I am a very punctual person and I take any job that I have very seriously."

"This position requires a great deal of responsibility. Because I manage the nightclub in the evenings, I will not be here during the day, and that's where you come in. I will have a list of duties each day on your desk of what must be done. You will be working alongside the accounting department, be responsible for ordering alcohol for the club and restaurant, scheduling events, etc. You will basically be your own boss when I'm away. Does that sound of interest to you?"

"Yes, sir."

"Do you have your own transportation?"

"I do. What would my hours be if I were to be hired?"

"Monday through Thursday from 8:30 in the morning until 4:30 in the afternoon."

"And the salary?"

"I will start you out at forty-five grand, and after three months of your probation period, I will increase it to fifty-thousand per year."

"Sounds very intriguing."

"When can you start?"

Cassie unclenched her knotted fingers that she had so well concealed underneath the table. She looked up, and smiled. "You're already offering me the job?"

"Yes, ma'am."

She smiled. "Thank you so much! I can start on Monday."

"Perfect! I will be in on Monday and will go over your health benefits and your W-4 form. After that, you'll be on your own." He stood, handing her an odd shaped key. "This is the key to the elevator in the parking garage. Once you enter the elevator, slip this key in the slot and type in 0415 on the keypad. It will take you directly into the club and you'll see the administrative office up the stairs to the right.

Cassie stood, taking the key from his grasp. "Thank you again. I will be here at 8:15 on Monday."

"It's eight thirty."

"I know, but I make it a priority to show up fifteen minutes early to anywhere I go."

Mike laughed. "Ah yes! The military discipline comes out! Great! I may not be here that early, but look forward to seeing you when I arrive."

"I too, sir." Cassie threw her Louis Vuitton bag over her shoulder and headed for the parking garage. She called Jack immediately. "Jack! I got the job!"

"Wow, so soon! That's amazing! Congrats!"

"Thank you! We need to go out tonight and celebrate!"

"Yes, we do! I also just got back from a last minute interview and I also got a job!" he exclaimed ecstatically into the phone.

"No way! Where?"

"It's an Internet company in downtown Mountain View."

"Okay! We're going out to a nice dinner and drinks tonight, my treat! Make some reservations at Sundance in Palo Alto!"

Jack could do nothing but laugh at Cassie's statement. "Of course it's your treat. I'm broke!"

"Well, not in a few weeks you won't be! We got jobs, we're ballin'!" Hanging up the phone, she fired up her Lotus, sped from the parking garage, and headed back to her apartment.

***

That evening, Cassie put on a simple black dress, black patterned tights, and black Christian Louboutin pumps. Her blonde hair cascaded all the way down her back, meeting the top of her derriere. One final look in the mirror and she was ready. She met Jack in the living room and he appeared as handsome as ever, wearing a sleek, fitted, smoky gray suit, a texturized black tie, a matching vest, and a silk, black shirt underneath. He was dressed to the nines, wearing shiny black lace-up Johnston and Murphy moc-toe shoes.

Cassie's jaw practically hit the floor when she saw Jack standing there looking so debonair. "My goodness, Jack. If you weren't gay, I'd be ripping that suit from your flesh and having my way with you right now," she joked.

If Cassie only knew. It was Jack's intention to turn her on. He still didn't understand why, he just felt the need. His sexuality was becoming more questionable with each passing day.

"Really? You think I look okay?" He tried disguising the quiver in his voice.

"You are hot!" Cassie grabbed her Gucci clutch, took Jack by the arm, and she led him to the parking lot.

"Allow me to drive, Cass. After all, I am the gentleman here."

"Be my guest."

Jack opened the passenger door for Cassie and she slid inside her black, Porsche Boxter. Jack joined beside her seconds later. He started the engine and Cassie heard the roar behind them. "Damn, this car still sounds good after all these years." She smiled.

Jack smiled, placed his arm on her headrest, and looked behind before backing out. Cassie fumbled with the dials on the radio.

"Because we're going to Palo Alto, aren't you afraid of running into Dillon? It's his territory after all," Jack said.

Cassie shrugged, rolling her eyes. "I don't give a rat's ass if I run into him. He doesn't own me, like he wanted to." She laughed. "Anyway, if I were to ever run into him, I'd kick him in the taint!" She joked.

Jack cupped his balls at the shrieking thought of how that would feel. "You sure have a way with words."

"Why, thank you." She leaned in toward him and kissed his cheek. Jack felt 'it' move in his pants.

Upon arrival at Sundance, the hostess sat them at a small table for two in a dark corner. "Your waiter will be with you shortly," the hostess said.

Cassie watched the hostess disappear behind a dark curtain in the back. A few moments later, she saw three heads poking from the curtain looking in Cassie and Jack's direction.

Cassie rolled her eyes after taking a sip of ice water. "Oh, jeez! Looks like we have admirers, again." She sighed.

Jack glanced over his shoulder and saw the three heads quickly disappear. "Do you want to go somewhere else?"

"No, before long, I'll be yesterday's news. Let's just enjoy a nice celebratory dinner."

The waiter approached the table and handed Jack a wine list. "I'll be back momentarily to take your wine order, sir."

Cassie grabbed the wine list from Jack's hand. "You know what? Let's order something from Baron's Vineyard."

"Seriously?"

"Yeah. I want to prove to the staff that I can still enjoy my ex-fiancé's wine even though we're not together any longer."

"If that's what you want. It is, after all, one of the best brands of wine I've ever tasted."

The waiter approached the table. "Have you made your wine choice?"

Cassie looked up at him through her long eyelashes. "Why, yes we have. We'll have your best bottle of Pinot Noir from Baron's Vineyard please."

"Very well." The waiter turned and left.

The restaurant was very dark with only simple floating candles that flickered in a heart-shaped glass bowl on the table. "I hate dark restaurants," Cassie said. "Sometimes I think the reason restaurants are so dark is because the chef is trying to hide imperfections of his food."

Jack smiled. "Your assumptions are quite comical, Cass. I doubt the chef has anything to hide here. This restaurant was voted the best place for steak for the past twenty years."

The waiter appeared with the bottle of Pinot Noir. He opened the bottle and poured a small amount into Cassie's glass. She picked it up, inhaling the aroma, taking in the familiar scent. She took a tiny sip. "It's perfect, thank you."

The waiter poured more into Cassie's glass then filled Jack's glass as well. He then took their order and left Jack and Cassie to speak about their day.

"It's the most awesome job, Jack. I only work four days a week, and get this, they're paying me forty-five thousand to start!"

"Holy fuck! That's awesome! I'm only starting out at an entry level position with a salary of twenty-seven grand," he said, looking displeased.

"Don't feel so bad. It's a great start, especially with no college background. You can work your way up. Hell, I've heard of CEO's with only G.E.D.'s. Don't let the lack of education crush your dreams."

The waiter approached the table with plates of prime rib, mashed potatoes, and vegetables. Cassie topped off her glass with more wine. "Sorry, Jack. You're driving. You can't drink anymore." She winked.

"But it's been an hour since my last glass. I'm fine."

"That's good it's been an hour. Now, you can drive." She laughed.
Chapter Ten

Cassie was awakened by her alarm clock at eight. She blinked through crinkled lashes and a slight hangover. "Oh, God, this hangover isn't good for my first day at the reserve center," she told herself. She went into the kitchen and made a pot of coffee. Jack had still been fast asleep, and with it being Saturday, Cassie knew that he'd be in bed until the afternoon.

After drinking her coffee, Cassie went to her bedroom and put on her white, service dress uniform. The pencil skirt had been pressed perfectly as well as the top. She positioned her hat on her head, grabbed her black, patent leather, Navy issue handbag and pumps, and headed out to her car.

Upon going through the gates of the reserve center, a car parked in the parking lot stuck out like a sore thumb. It was a metallic, light blue, brand new Cobra Mustang. Cassie assumed it belonged to an officer because there was no way an enlisted serviceman could afford a rare car such as a Cobra.

She fumbled at the hat on her head and made her way to the entrance that consisted of two, heavy, metal, double-doors that was painted haze-gray. Oh, how Cassie despised that color. It reminded her of everything that had to do with the Navy. She couldn't wait to get out permanently. "Just one more year of this shit, then it's over," she said to herself. She pulled on the heavy door and went inside. She saw an office immediately off to her right with a gentleman speaking on a telephone. She sat down on a bench outside his office before she made her approach. Staring down at the floor at her pigeon-toed feet, she fidgeted with her hands, waiting patiently for someone to assist her. She had no idea where to go, what office to report to, so she assumed that the office with the man speaking on the phone was a good start.

She saw him put the phone down and he came out of his office with his hand extended. She looked up at him, speechless. "Hello, Petty Officer, I'm PN 1 Mercado. How can I be of assistance?"

Cassie felt heavy, as if she couldn't stand, but knew she had to force herself to shake his hand. Her heart was up in her throat, she tried to force words from her mouth.

"Ma'am, are you alright?" he asked, concerned.

She stood with shaky knees. "Um, uh...I'm Petty Officer Littleton, sir. I'm here reporting for duty." She held out a trembling, clammy hand. When PN1 Mercado shook it, she felt faint.

"Ah, yes, we've all been expecting you." He smiled. "Come in my office. I'll alert the commanding office that you have arrived," he instructed, picking up the phone.

Cassie entered his office and watched PN 1 Mercado take a seat at his desk. "You can sit at the desk behind you."

Cassie sat down, crossed her legs, and placed her purse in her lap. She sat erect, demonstrating perfect posture as she waited patiently for the commanding officer to arrive.

Cassie smiled, not able to speak. "What the fuck is wrong with me?" she asked herself. PN 1 Mercado was a very handsome man of Filipino American descent. He had the thickest black hair on any man Cassie had ever seen. His skin was so deliciously brown and his eyes were of deep chestnut. He was six-feet tall with very broad shoulders. That's what stood out most about him, his broad, very wide shoulders.

"He'll be a few minutes. He's on a conference call at the moment."

A male E-3 entered, heading toward a clip board at the edge of PN 1 Mercado's desk. "Don't sign my log book," PN 1 Mercado said with a stern tone in his voice.

The E-3 just smiled and continued to sign his name.

"I said, don't sign my log book!" PN 1 Mercado's voice was more fierce.

The E-3 just looked at Mercado as if he were joking and finished signing his name. Mercado snatched the clip board and scratched out the E-3's signature. "I told you not to sign it. What the fuck do you not understand? All you fucking reservists have no clue. Get the fuck out of my office!"

Cassie cowered down in her chair and wondered if he thought the same of her because she was a reservist, too.

"No, I'm not referring to you. You've been on active duty." Mercado could tell what she had been thinking by the expression on her face. "I'm speaking of the people who have never served actively and joined as a reservist."

"Whew! Thank God!" she mumbled. The last thing Cassie wanted was people thinking less of her at her new duty assignment. She did wonder why he appeared to be so angry. Like any slight, little thing could cause him to fly off the handle. She assumed that he had major anger issues.

Mercado pulled a folder from his file cabinet, looked through it, and handed it to Cassie. "This is where you will be serving your weekend duty."

Cassie crinkled her forehead, appearing confused. "I don't understand. I thought I would be here..." she questioned.

"This is your main base. You will be working at Sharpe Depot in San Joaquin under the supervision of Lieutenant Lee."

"That's two hours away."

"You will have access to the barracks and can drive up there on Friday evenings if you wish."

"Do I need to go now?"

"No, no. You will have orientation this weekend here, but next month you will report directly to Sharpe."

As Cassie sat waiting on the commanding officer to enter, she couldn't help but study Mercado. He seemed like a dark, mysterious person, but was very attractive, too. The moment that she first laid eyes on him, it quirked something deep within that stirred well into her soul.

"Fuck! This man is unbelievably gorgeous!" she told herself.

Finally, the commanding officer arrived extending a firm hand toward Cassie. "Good morning, Petty Officer. I'm Commanding Officer, Lieutenant Bradford."

"Nice to meet you, sir," Cassie said, shaking his hand.

"I've heard wonderful things about you," he said.

"Fuck!" she thought. "I hope the things he's heard about me aren't my dominating ways! Damn! I want that shit put behind me!" Shaking her head, she collected her thoughts. "Really?" she questioned. "All good I hope."

"Yes, yes. It's all good. You're a very hard worker from what I've been told."

"Right you are." She grinned.

Lieutenant Bradford was a small, mousy looking man, was only five-foot tall, and fairly thin. He had dark brown, wavy hair with deep, brown eyes. He was well decorated judging by the medals adorned on his khaki uniform.

"Well, I'm sure Petty Officer Mercado is taking good care of you. Is there anything I can get you? Water, soda, tea, anything?" the lieutenant asked.

"No, sir. I'm fine, but thank you."

"Very well. I'm heading back to my office. Mercado will show you around the building."

The building was two stories and it had many offices throughout. Positioned on the gray walls were information and photos of Naval history. Cassie noticed a picture of an aircraft carrier that was dated during the time when her father was stationed on the U.S.S Enterprise during Vietnam. "Wow, my dad was on that ship during that time," she said, staring at the picture with Mercado standing off to her right.

"Yes, it was a bad time for that vessel. It caught fire."

"I know. My dad told me all about it. It was awful."

"Indeed it was. Come...follow me. I'll introduce you to everyone."

Cassie walked alongside Mercado and they entered an office with a robust girl sitting behind a desk. Her name plate read, YN 3 Rabert. She wasn't an attractive girl by any means and she gave off the impression of someone not to cross. She had the signature bob haircut; was brunette, and had dark, brown eyes.

"Littleton, I want you to meet our yeoman here at the reserve center. This is YN Rabert."

"Nice to meet you," Cassie said.

"Likewise."

Rabert kept eyeing Mercado in a very odd manner. It was as if the two were flirting with each other with only their eyes. Cassie knew they must be dating; she could read it by their body language.

Mercado toured Cassie around the center and introduced her to all of the staff. They were very welcoming and Cassie felt pretty safe in her new environment. She just prayed that she wouldn't be obligated to participate in any shenanigans with that mousy commanding officer like her other superiors expected.

The end of the day finally came to an end and Cassie walked out to the parking lot and fired up her Lotus. As she sat in her car plugging in her iPhone to the stereo, she saw Mercado walking toward the Cobra that she had seen when she first arrived.

"No way!" she said, watching Mercado slide into the leather driver's seat. "Fuck! He's so hot!" Cassie also noticed Rabert get into an old, beat up, white Geo Metro. Cassie, being her curious self, waited until they both left. She followed behind and noticed Rabert following Mercado onto Highway 101 going north. Cassie accelerated up the freeway a few car lengths behind and saw them both exit at the same off-ramp. "I knew it!" she said to herself. "But why her? She's so...so frigging ugly! He can do so much better, like me for instance." She laughed. Cassie exited the freeway and re-entered going south, toward home.

When she went into her apartment, she noticed Jack sitting on the sofa watching television.

"How was your first day at the reserve center?" he asked.

Cassie removed her hat, took the sticks from her hair, and allowed her hair to cascade freely down her back. "It was okay I suppose." She shrugged.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, I have this attraction toward my supervisor, but he's dating someone."

"You and men! Can't you stay single for at least two months? Jeez!"

"Oh, Jack, this is different. I can tell that man is going to be my husband."

Jack choked on his iced tea. "What?"

"He's going to be my husband. I just know it," she said, nonchalantly.

"And how do you know that?"

"By the way I felt when he shook my hand. It was love at first sight for me, Jack."

"Yeah, but I'm sure he's quite aware of your reputation throughout the Navy and if he has any ounce of pride, he will have nothing to do with you." Jack appeared shocked that he actually said that out loud. He wished he could take it back, but it was far too late.

"You, asshole! How dare you!" Cassie ran into her bedroom and slammed the door behind her. Throwing herself on the bed, she cried hopelessly into her pillow. Jack tapped gently on the door, but Cassie refused to open it.

"Cass, I'm sorry. Please let me in." He pleaded.

"Go away!"

"Nope, I'm not walking away until you and I have a talk."

"I said, go away!"

"Open the door, Cass."

"Leave me alone! Get away from the door before I do something I'll regret!"

Jack laughed. "Like what? Kick my ass?"

"Don't test me Jack," she called out through streaming tears.

"I'm not leaving until you and I talk."

"Well, stand there all night, then!"

And that he did, he slept on the floor, outside her door until morning.

***

Cassie walked out her bedroom door, stumbling over Jack. "What the fuck!" she yelled as her knees hit the hardwood floor. "Have you been lying there all night?"

Jack looked through tired eyes. "I told you that I would if you wouldn't talk to me. Ow! Fuck!" He rubbed his lower back as he rose off the floor. He plopped himself down onto the sofa. "We need to have a talk, Cass."

"I have nothing to say, nor do I want to hear what you have to say." She stuck her nose in the air, went into the kitchen, and started the coffee maker.

"You can't ignore me forever," Jack yelled from the living room.

Cassie, ignoring his every word, poured her a cup of coffee and sat at the kitchen table. Jack glared at her and started to say something else when he saw Cassie reach into the pocket of her robe and place foam earplugs in her ears.

"Fine, if that's the way you wanna be, so be it!" He jumped up from the sofa and slammed the bathroom door.

Cassie was good at holding grudges and Jack knew it. He knew that she could play this out for months if she wanted and he was scared of that. He adored her in a way that he wish he hadn't, but he couldn't fight it any longer. Hearing her interested in another man chilled him to the bone and he was devastatingly hurt by taking it out on her with his words. He stared at himself in the mirror. "What the hell is wrong with you? Just tell her that you love her, you moron!" He knew that it wasn't that simple and he knew if he told Cassie how he truly felt, it could destroy their friendship, and he didn't want to run the risk.

Splashing some cold water on his face, he then slipped into the shower. He lathered himself up and became erect. His mind was envisioning Cassie. He seemed to get hard every time he saw her and it was becoming uncontrollable. A woman had never affected him in such a way. He grasped his soapy hand around his thick phallus and slowly moved it up and down, up and down. He tilted his head back with visions of a nude Cassie kneeling before him, her mouth engulfed on his flesh as he felt himself jam into the back of her throat. Faster, smoother, faster. He thought of her cupping his testicles in her palms as her mouth glided up and down his thick, long, hard shaft. Quicker, faster, her sucking more profound as his body tensed and white liquid rushed over his fingers. "Mmm," he groaned. He became relaxed and then heard a knock at the door.

"Jack, let me in."

"I'm showering, wait until I'm finished."

"If you want to speak to me, you better let me in now!"

Jack shut off the water and grabbed the towel from the hook that was mounted onto the wall. He wrapped it around his waist and opened the door.

Cassie entered the bathroom, put the lid down on the toilet, and sat. "You can get back in the shower. I can speak to you through the curtain." Cassie couldn't help but notice his penis protruding against the towel.

Jack glanced down and noticed what Cassie was staring at. He quickly placed his hands over himself and backed into the shower. Closing the curtain, he then tossed the towel onto the floor before restarting the water.

"What is it you needed to say, Jack?"

"I just wanted to apologize. I didn't mean to say what I did. I'm just; um...I'm just worried about you is all."

"Worried?"

"Yes, worried. I don't want you getting hurt and all those Navy men will do that to you. You of all people should know that. Look at Tudor for instance. Have you once known of a relationship to last with someone who is in the Navy? Think hard."

Cassie tried her best to think of someone she knew in the Navy who has been in a long-term relationship or even a lasting marriage, but no one came to mind. Quickly, she thought of someone. "My parents, Jack. My mother and father have been married for years and have a loving marriage."

"Well, that's an exception. I'm speaking of today's standards."

Cassie couldn't come up with anyone.

"Why waste your time?"

"I don't know. I've always had someone in my life. I've never been without a mate since I was fourteen. There was Randall, who was my high school sweetheart up until I was nineteen, then there was Dillon a few weeks after Randall had died, then there was Tudor, and Dillon, again. I hate being alone, but I know there's something there with Mercado; I can feel it deep down in my gut. I know that he's the one. I just do, Jack."

Jack, still behind the shower curtain, under the running water, slaps himself in the face, annoyed. "Whatever, Cass. I just don't want you getting hurt again. First there was the abusive asshole, Tudor. Then, you have the control freak, Dillon. I wonder what this Mercado guy will be like..."

"I don't know, but I'm willing to find out." She laughed. "Besides, I can take care of myself. I think I've proven that already, don't you think?"

"Physically you can, but mentally? I have my doubts in that department."

"Well, I need to get ready for work. I do accept your apology, Jack. You know I love you, don't you?"

"Yes, Cass. I know you love me. I love you, too," he said. He heard the door close. "If you only knew how much," he whispered.

***

Back at the reserve center, Cassie situated herself at the vacant desk in Mercado's office. He asked her to type up a few documents for him before she headed to the classroom for orientation. A few moments later, Cassie noticed other people piling into the lobby outside Mercado's office.

"Those people are who you will be stationed with at Sharpe," Mercado said. Cassie only noticed three women. The men seemed to be in their early sixties. "I'll introduce you to them before class."

Without saying a word, Cassie glanced over toward Mercado and smiled.

"You're very quiet," he said, looking up from his computer monitor.

"Is that a bad thing?"

"No, not at all."

"I'm just shy, I suppose."

"Well, follow me." Mercado stood and led Cassie upstairs to a classroom that was filled with twenty desks. Cassie took a seat while Mercado stood at the podium in front of the class. "Everyone, this is YN 3 Littleton. She will be stationed with you at Sharpe Depot." His hand motioned toward Cassie's desk.

"Nice to meet you all," she said, looking about the room.

"Welcome," the class said in unison.

Cassie raised her hand.

"Yes, Littleton." Mercado laughed. "You don't need to raise your hand. This isn't elementary school," he joked.

"Sorry, sir. Am I the only new person at Sharpe?"

"Yes. These people have been there for years. They're just here for an exam, the same one you will be taking in a few minutes. After that, I'll speak with you in my office, well...after lunch, of course."

"Exam?" Cassie questioned.

"Yes. A pop drug test."

A woman entered the classroom. She was blonde and heavy-set. She was the reserve center's nurse and went by the name, Direman.

"I'm going to escort you ladies to the restroom where you will each urinate into this cup." Direman held up a lab cup with a label attached. "You must leave the door open so I can watch you. I must be certain that you're not pulling any tricks."

Mercado interrupted, "And I will escort the men to do the same."

Cassie followed Direman to the restroom. She handed Cassie a cup and stood in the bathroom stall doorway as Cassie squatted and pissed in the specimen jar. "I know it's weird of me watching you, but it's what I'm ordered to do," Direman said.

"No problem. I totally understand." Cassie secured the lid onto the cup and handed it to Direman.

"You're free to go to lunch now. Be back in an hour and a half."

Cassie washed her hands and went out to the parking lot. She saw Rabert and Mercado standing outside his car. "Hey, Littleton! You wanna have lunch with us?" Mercado yelled.

"Where are you going?" Cassie hollered back.

"Denny's!"

"Sure, I'll tag along." Cassie walked over to the blue Cobra. "You can sit in the front," Rabert said.

"Are you sure you don't mind?"

"Not at all."

Cassie opened the passenger door and pulled the lever behind the seat, allowing it to spring forward so Rabert could squeeze in the back. Cassie slid in and strapped on the seatbelt and Mercado positioned himself behind the wheel.

"Nice car, Petty Officer."

"Thank you. My father bought it for me."

"That explains it," Cassie mumbled, knowing there was no way a petty officer could afford a sixty-five thousand dollar car on that kind of salary. "So your father's rich?" she asked.

"Ha! I guess so. He lives in Malibu with my stepmom." Mercado turned the ignition over on the throaty beast. The sound of the engine was loud, it vibrated inside the car.

"This car can't be stock." Cassie assumed.

"Oh, so you know your cars, huh?"

"Well, I guess you could say that I'm quite knowledgeable. That's my Lotus parked over there." She pointed toward her car.

"Nice! I was wondering who that car belonged to. Must have set ya back a pretty penny."

"Not at all."

"Oh, yeah!" He suddenly remembered. "You were dating that rich dude. He bought it, didn't he?"

"Hell, no! I bought it myself."

"Yeah, right, on your salary? I highly doubt that."

"You know nothing about me. You don't know what I've done before the Navy. You have no idea if I my parents are rich, you have no clue!"

"If you only knew, Littleton." Just then, Mercado slammed the car in first gear and shot out onto the street like a rocket.

"Hang on, Littleton. Mercado pays no attention to the speed limit," Rabert said over the back of the seat.

"I guess you're right." Cassie laughed. Cassie squeezed her thighs together. The speed of the car shot an electrifying jolt through her body, and she felt as though she could orgasm right there from the quickness.

They arrived at Denny's and Rabert slid in beside Mercado in the booth as Cassie sat across. "So, I assume you two are dating?" Cassie inquired.

"How can you tell?" Rabert asked.

"It's obvious."

"And how is that?" Mercado asked, taking a sip of ice water.

"I'm very observant. I can just tell."

"Well, I hope it's not that obvious to the commanding officer. He'd have our asses!"

"Your secret is safe with me."

"Alright," Mercado said, attempting to change the subject. "Let's get on a first name basis here. My name is Danny and this is Catherine."

"My name is Cassie."

"So, Cassie," Catherine said. "Tell me about Afghanistan."

Cassie nearly choked on her water. "What is it that you wanna know?"

"How did you manage that feat? We all talked about it for months!" Mercado said.

Cassie picked up a sugar packet, fidgeted nervously with it, and looked down at the table. "I don't know. Motivation I suppose. I got tunnel vision. I really don't recall the incident at all, actually."

"You seriously don't remember killing those men?" Catherine asked.

"No, not really." Cassie shrugged. "God, please don't let them ask me about the prostitution," she said to herself. "So, how long have you two been dating?" Cassie attempted to take the conversation on a different approach.

"About three weeks," Catherine said. "Danny just got out of a bad marriage. I guess you could say that I'm his rebound."

Danny laughed. "Rebound?"

"Well, I don't see this going anywhere, do you? Sex is all that we have in common and boy, does he know about sex!"

Cassie was a bit relieved that it wasn't a loving relationship, but the sheer thought of the two of them having sex cut her to the core.

"I love dick! I can't get enough of it. I'm going on the ship in a few months, and I heard that women on the boat sell their pussy for money. It's a great way to make some extra cash, don't ya think?" Catherine blurted out.

"Holy hell. Is she actually saying this? Here it comes, she's going to ask about my prostitution, I just know it," Cassie rambled on silently in her head.

An angry glare shot from Mercado's eyes. "You've got to be kidding me, Catherine! Are you fucking serious? You wish to be a God damn whore on an aircraft carrier?" Mercado asked, loudly.

"You're causing a scene, Danny. Keep it down," Catherine said.

"You're a sick bitch! Don't you ever touch me again; we're so over and done with." He looked over at Cassie. "Let's get the fuck out of here!" He slid his way from the booth and stood alongside, waiting for Cassie to get up.

"You can't just leave her here!" Cassie exclaimed.

"She's trash! I don't want her stank ass sitting on the seats of my car, ever!" He grabbed Cassie by the arm and led her away from the booth. Cassie glanced over her shoulder and mouthed the words, I'm sorry toward Catherine.

As they sat in Danny's car, he drew back and punched his dashboard. "Damn, that bitch is so disgusting! I can't believe I ever dated her, let alone...fuck her!"

Cassie was at a loss for words. She didn't know Danny, so she didn't quite understand how to take his reaction. At least he didn't hit Catherine, which impressed her.

"I'm sorry about lunch. Let me take you to a place over in Santa Clara and get you something to eat." He started the car and burned rubber from the parking lot.

They arrived at World Wrapps and Cassie ordered a chicken burrito. They sat outside at a small table on the patio.

"I apologize about the outburst. I knew she was a freaky person, but never imagined that she was such a slut! It makes me sick!"

Cassie couldn't help but realize what he would think of her if he knew of, or eventually discovers her past. She knew that he would be disgusted in her as well. "Tell the truth, Cass. If you want a relationship with this guy in the future, tell the truth from the start," her subconscious told herself.

"How's your burrito?"

"It's very good. Thank you for taking me here. I've never been here before."

"You can't be serious. This place is infamous!"

"Nope. Never even heard of it."

"Oh, it's probably because you're used to eating at foo foo restaurants with your rich ex," he joked.

"I don't want to speak of him. That's a part of my past I'd like to forget."

"What about your past with officers?"

Cassie almost choked on her food. "What?"

"I know who you are. I know of your past and it stops here!"

"Don't deny it, Cass. Don't lie. Let it all out. He knows about it, maybe he can help you." Her subconscious pushed at her.

Cassie placed her burrito on her plate and relaxed back in her chair. "It's nothing I'm proud of. I couldn't stop, I was forced." Tears pooled in her eyes.

"I pushed for you to be my subordinate. If you haven't already noticed, I'm very well respected at the reserve center. Even our commanding officer is intimidated by me and I'm only a first class petty officer."

"Yes, sir. I have noticed." She swallowed hard.

"And I have a plan...a plan for us both."

"Oh, God, please don't let him be a sick, twisted son of a bitch. I really like this guy, please don't let him be one of those," she said to herself.

"You have a two week tour coming up. I want to place you on a ship. A ship with me."

"I don't understand what you're getting at."

"We're going to teach those officers a lesson. We're going to break this cycle, Cassie. We're going to end all this prostitution nonsense throughout the Navy once and for all."

"I've never slept with any of those men, I swear. I wasn't a prostitute. Well, maybe I was. I was giving them sexual gratification for money." She stared down at her knotted fingers in her lap, embarrassed.

"I know you've never slept with them and I hope that when they wanted you to beat them, you held nothing back."

"Yes, sir. I let them have it."

"Well, this time, we're going to make them hurt, hurt like a son of a bitch with marks. Permanent marks embedded in their skin, so their wives can see."

"I don't know. I don't want to be around that shit anymore."

"You don't have to do it, but you will be on the ship again for two weeks. You know as well as I do that the captain will have you do unspeakable things by force. Do you want to do it my way or his way?"

Cassie swallowed the huge lump in her throat. "Y-your way I suppose."

"Good girl. Come; let's head back to the reserve center."

After arriving at the reserve center, Cassie and Danny entered his office, noticing Catherine sitting behind his desk, looking as pissed off as ever. "How dare you leave me behind like that! You're a jerk! Is that the way to treat the mother of your future child?"

Danny stood, flabbergasted at the comment. "What the hell are you talking about?"

Catherine stood from the desk and inched her way toward Danny. "I'm pregnant, you asshole!"

"We've only been together for three weeks! How in the hell can you find out that you're pregnant within that short of time?"

"I took a pregnancy test. In fact, I took two!"

"I don't believe it. Get out of my fucking office, now!"

Cassie was standing in the doorway and moved out of the way so Catherine could pass. Cassie followed Catherine to her office so they could speak about what had happened that day.

"Can you close the door please?" Catherine asked, taking a seat at her desk.

Cassie closed the door and sat in a chair across from Catherine's desk. "I'm really sorry about what happened at Denny's. I was so shocked that he left you there like that."

"It's okay. He's a real asshole. Everyone in the reserve center respects him, but they don't like him."

"Why is that?"

"He's arrogant. He thinks everyone is beneath him in the intelligence category. He's always telling me how much he hates stupid people."

"Why did you date him, then?"

"Well, look at him! He is hot, don't you think?"

Cassie didn't respond, just raised an eyebrow, and sunk down into her chair.

"And now, I'm pregnant!"

"If you don't mind me asking, how old are you, Catherine?"

"Twenty."

As soon as Cassie heard Catherine speak her age, she knew, deep down that she was lying about being pregnant. She was using the lie to trap Danny. Moments later, Catherine's door flung open.

"Direman wants you in her office, now!" Danny ordered with an angry glare.

"What for?"

"A blood test!"

Catherine knew that she couldn't deny his order. Sandy Direman received orders to test Catherine's blood from both Danny and the commanding officer.

"Don't worry, Catherine, I'll go with you."

"Thank you, Littleton. I think you and I will become great friends."

Cassie didn't know how to take that comment. She knew that she couldn't be friends with an ex-girlfriend of her future husband. Especially, if she turned out to be a liar if the blood test comes back negative.

Cassie and Catherine walked down the hall toward Direman's office. When they entered, they saw the commanding officer and Danny talking among one another. Danny was sitting on the edge of Direman's desk with one leg dangling as the other was planted on the floor.

"There she is," Danny said.

Catherine sat in the desk and rolled up the sleeve of her uniform. Cassie took Catherine's free hand and placed it in hers. "It's going to be alright, Catherine," Cassie said.

Direman stuck the needle in Catherine's arm and extracted a single vile of blood. "There! All done."

Catherine stood from the desk, exited the office, and ran down the hall in tears. Cassie followed quickly behind. Cassie entered Catherine's office, but she wasn't there. Danny stood behind her without Cassie's knowledge and whispered over her shoulder, "She's probably out back, smoking."

"Smoking? If she says she's pregnant, why would she be smoking?"

"Because she's not pregnant." He laughed, shaking his head. "We need to get to work. Get back to my office, Littleton."
Chapter Eleven

That evening, Cassie arrived at home and as soon as she entered her apartment, she saw Jack sitting at the kitchen table, surrounded by candlelight and beautifully prepared food.

"What is all this?" Cassie asked, stunned.

"I thought I'd prepare you a nice dinner to make up for what I said to you last night."

Oh, Jack! It's so beautiful and thoughtful. You shouldn't have." Cassie removed her hat and uniform jacket, kicked off her patent leather pumps, and sat in a chair directly across from him. "You cooked all of this?" Cassie gazed at all the food. There was a rotisserie chicken, mashed potatoes, macaroni and cheese, green beans, even homemade biscuits.

"I sure did," Jack said, proudly.

"I'm speechless!"

"Well, dig in!"

Cassie filled her plate and finished it off with a glass of white wine. "Jack, if you weren't gay—"

Jack interrupted, "I know. You'd ravage me right now." He rolled his eyes knowing that she didn't mean it.

"Well, yeah." Cassie teased. "On a serious note; though, you do know that I'm joking, right? Even if you weren't gay, I could never risk our friendship by doing something we'd both regret."

If only she knew and if only Jack could get up enough courage to tell her, but he couldn't, he valued her friendship dearly, and he knew the type of men that she had relationships with. Strong, smart men. Not someone who can't provide her with the things that she needs, not someone who lacks muscle, he wasn't the aggressive type, and he knew that he would be a one-nighter and then their relationship would be over.

Jack placed his fork on his empty plate, rested his elbows on the table with his hands folded underneath his chin. "So, tell me about your day."

"Oh-My-God! You're not going to believe the day that I had." She relaxed back in her chair, holding a full glass of wine. "Well, remember me telling you about my future husband last night?"

Jack sighed, dreadfully. "Yes."

"He and his girlfriend, well now ex-girlfriend, took me to lunch at Denny's. As I sat across the table from them, they got in this huge ass fight! She admitted to him that she couldn't wait to go on the ship so she could prostitute herself to make extra cash!"

"So, evidently everyone in the Navy is aware of what you do if they know about the prostitution on the ship."

"I have no idea, but it gets worse." Cassie swallowed her entire glass of wine in one gulp and placed her glass on the table. "Danny was livid! He grabbed me by the arm, led me out to his car, and we left her in the restaurant, stranded!"

"Oh, shit! Are you serious?"

"Yep! Danny took me to World Wrapps afterward and apologized about the outburst. We had an interesting chat, to say the least." She tried to fight a smirk.

"Okay, what was the conversation about?" Jack leaned back in his chair, crossing his legs, casually.

"Danny is well aware of my reputation in the Navy. Even though he's a first class petty officer, he's very well respected. I have no idea why, but he's very arrogant about it."

"Go on." Jack urged.

"Well, he told me that for my two-week tour; he's placing me on a ship, and will be accompanying me."

"Oh, fuck, Cass! He wants you to beat him, too? I knew it! He's going to be another fucking Tudor! Isn't that how you and Tudor's relationship started?"

"Let me finish, please." She sighed, aggravated. "He said that we're going to put an end to all the prostitution. He wants me to scar those men, leave permanent marks on them so their wives will see."

"What? How are you going to do that?"

"I'm not sure." She shrugged her shoulders. "I guess I'll soon find out." Cassie glanced at her watch. "It's getting late and I start my new job tomorrow at the club. I'm going to take a shower. Thank you so much for dinner, it was very lovely, Jack." Cassie stood, walked over to Jack, and kissed him on the cheek.

***

The alarm blasted on Cassie's dresser. She rose from bed and went into her closet to search for something to wear on her first day at her new job. She found a pair of black slacks, a Jones New York navy blazer, and a white collared shirt to wear underneath it. After putting on her black Louboutin's, she headed into the bathroom to put on her makeup. She heard Jack rustling around in the kitchen, unloading the dishwasher.

"I was going to do that when I got home this evening," she yelled from the bathroom.

"It's okay. I was up early, so I went ahead and did it. I fixed you a cup of coffee!" he hollered.

"I'll be out in a minute." Cassie put the final touches of her lipstick on, brushed through her long blonde hair, and met Jack in the kitchen.

"Are you nervous about your first day?" he asked.

"Nah! I'm fine. Shit, with the crap I've been through in the Navy, this is a piece of cake!" She took one final sip of coffee and headed toward the door. "Good luck on your first day too, Jack! I'll see you tonight!" She closed the door and jumped in her car.

Cassie arrived at the parking garage, found the elevator, plugged her key into the slot, typed in the code, and up she went. The door opened inside the main nightclub and she was confused on where the administrative offices were. She wandered around the club for a few minutes until she came in contact with a heavy-set bald man. "You must be Cassie." He assumed, extending a hand toward her.

"Yes, sir. I am Cassie Littleton." She reciprocated his handshake.

"I'm Tony, the general manager of the club. You must be looking for Mike."

"Yes, I am as a matter of fact. I assumed the elevator led to the admin office, but I guess I went to the wrong floor."

"Ha!" He laughed. "No, you're on the right floor. Come, follow me, I'll take you to see Mike."

She walked alongside him and came to a short flight of stairs that blended into a dark wall. It was so well camouflaged that she would have never found it if it wasn't for the luck of running into Tony. He opened the door and they entered. There was a small office to the right that appeared to be the accounting department. She followed Tony down the narrow hallway where she came to another office on the right where she saw Mike seated at his desk.

"I found her wandering around the nightclub, lost." Tony chuckled.

"That's my fault," Mike said. "I should have told her how well concealed the office was."

"Nice to meet you, Cassie," Tony said before leaving toward his office.

Cassie seated herself in a chair across from Mike's desk. "You look very professional. You can dress casual if you like. We all wear jeans here." He crossed his feet on the surface of his desk. "We're very relaxed." He pulled a clipboard from a file cabinet with a form attached. "Fill this out, give it to me when you're finished and I'll take you on a tour."

Cassie grabbed the clipboard and began filling out the W-4. A few minutes later, she handed it back to Mike. He took the form off the clipboard and instructed Cassie to follow him. She followed behind to the accounting office and Mike handed a petite, Asian woman the form. She placed it on her desk.

"Nicole, this is Cassie Littleton. She's the new office manager." Mike introduced.

"Nice to meet you, Cassie."

"Likewise."

Mike led her down the short flight of stairs onto the main floor of the club. It was enormous. Forty-thousand square feet of black and white checkered dance floors, pool tables, bars, and an arcade. Mike showed Cassie the disco room, retro club, piano bar, cigar bar, and comedy club. Cassie couldn't believe all the clubs under just one roof. She was in awe.

"And, let's not forget, Sports City Café," he said. There, you can eat whatever you wish for free. It's a perk for working here." He smiled. "Have you ever been to the club or eaten at the restaurant?"

"No, sir. I haven't."

"Please, don't call me sir." He laughed, giving a gentle tap on her back. "Call me Mike."

"Yes, sir. I mean, Mike." She smiled.

He glanced down at his watch. "It's close to lunchtime. Let's go get a bite to eat in the restaurant. You must try the boneless Buffalo wings. They are the absolute best!"

They were seated at a table near a window that overlooked the boutiques. Cassie looked across and saw Johnny Rockets. "Have you ever eaten there, Mike?"

"Nah, it's a burger joint. The last thing I need is greasy burgers in this thing." He patted his plump, round belly.

"Aw, you look fine. You're not fat."

"Ha! Tell that to my wife!" He joked. "She has me on a health food kick. Only salad for me." He frowned.

Cassie took Mike's suggestion and ordered the boneless Buffalo wings. He was right; they were delicious, especially dipped in ranch dressing. Cassie's cell phone rang and Jack's name appeared on the screen.

"Excuse me, Mike. I need to take this call."

"Be my guest. I'll meet you back at the office." He rose from the table, leaving the restaurant.

"Hi, Jack. How's work going?"

"Great! I'm at lunch right now. A few colleagues and I went to a bookstore café up the block in downtown Mountain View."

Cassie knew immediately that he was at the bookstore where she first saw Dillon when she had arrived in California. Thinking of him, she casted a blank stare, but shook the thought of Dillon from her mind. "That sounds wonderful." She swallowed hard. Cassie glanced at her watch. "I need to head back up to the office and meet up with my boss. I'll see you tonight when I get home."

Cassie entered Mike's office and sat in a chair directly across from his desk.

"See that desk?" He pointed outside his door.

"Yes."

"That's your desk. Each morning when you come in, there will be a sheet of paper on there that will give you instructions on what needs to be completed that day. I'll place it on your desk every night before I close up, so it will be available in the morning when you arrive. If you ever have any questions regarding anything, don't hesitate to call me on my cell. Heather, your assistant, will also be in during the afternoons. In fact, she's due to arrive anytime. She only works part-time from noon to 3:30, Monday through Friday. She's a sweet gal. You'll like her."

Cassie stood and went to her new desk. It had a computer, a rolodex, and a laser printer on the surface. "I could get used to this." She smiled.

"Good, good. Glad you feel comfortable. Tony is here sometimes during the day so he will be available if you need him. Oh! I almost forgot." He pulled a key from his pocket. "Here's the key to the corporate apartment. It's down the block, walking distance if you ever need to go there. We provide it to our out of town guests or celebrities who sometime visit the club."

"Celebs?" Cassie questioned, her eyebrows raised.

"Yes. We get celebrities in here quite often."

Cassie took the key and secured it to her keychain.

"Now, I need to show you how to print checks. Go ahead and boot your computer and open QuickBooks."

Cassie pushed the power button on the tower and waited for the computer to boot. She saw the QuickBooks icon on the desktop and double clicked on it.

"Okay, go to accounts. You'll see our main bank account listed. Click on that. The next check number is already showing. Let me grab an invoice from one of our vendors and I'll teach you how to print your first check." He walked back into his office and grabbed a form from his inbox. "See, the name of the company is Budweiser. Go ahead and enter Budweiser in the payee box."

Cassie entered Bud and the text automatically defaulted to the full name of the company.

"Now, tab over and type in the amount listed on the form."

Cassie typed in $5000.

"Now, tab over into the account box. We will classify this as supplies."

Cassie did as instructed.

"The last item to type is in the memo box. Here, you will type in the invoice number and then our account number. After that, hit enter."

"Now double-click on the entry that you just created."

Cassie did just that and a view of the check was displayed on the screen.

"Here is the key to the file cabinet." He handed her a key that he pulled from the top drawer of Cassie's desk. "Unlock the file cabinet and the pre-signed checks will be in the top drawer."

Cassie grabbed a sheet that consisted of three checks.

"Place the checks in the printer and click on print."

A printed check came out of the printer. "Now, make a photocopy of the check along with the invoice and mail it. The stamps are in the top drawer of your desk as well."

Cassie found a window envelope and placed the check and invoice inside after making a copy.

"Now, all you need to do is file the copy of the check right here." Mike pointed to a file cabinet behind Cassie's desk.

After Cassie filed the copy of the check in the cabinet, she sat at her desk, and listened for more of Mike's instructions.

"You will assist the accounting department on Thursday's with the payroll checks. You will also be in charge of the logs. When an employee picks up their check, be sure that they sign the log book. Do you have any questions?"

Cassie thought for a moment and thought. "What can I expect from your list?"

"Simple things really. Mainly busy work. Some days you might not have a list at all, but it will be rare. You might need to check on the apartment after someone leaves, schedule events, hire beer tub girls—"

Cassie interrupted. "Beer tub girls?" she questioned.

"Yes. We have about five, beer tub girls from Budweiser. There is a huge turnover rate, so we interview quite a few a month. They are already hired through Budweiser, but I like them to go through another interview with us just to be certain they're worthy enough to work here."

"I see."

"Now, on some occasion, one may call in sick at a moment's notice. That's where you come in."

"I don't understand. What do you mean, that's where I come in?"

"You might have to fill in for one. It's very simple. All you do is stand behind a beer tub wearing a Budweiser tank dress and sell bottles of beer. The tips are great. You will need a pair of go-go boots, though."

"That sounds interesting." Cassie was suddenly intrigued.

"When Heather arrives, she can tell you where you can buy them."

Seconds later, Heather walked through the door.

"Ah...there she is now," Mike said. "Heather, this is our new office manager, Cassie Littleton."

"Nice to meet you, Cassie." Heather shook Cassie's hand while chewing on a mouthful full of gum. Heather was beautiful. Her long, sandy-blonde hair extended down below her butt cheeks and was straight as a board. She had beautiful green eyes, and was quite thin, bearing an ample bosom.

"Nice to meet you too, Heather." Cassie smiled.

"Well, Cassie, I need to head on home because I have to be back here at six tonight. Look for my sheet of instructions on your desk in the morning. Remember; don't hesitate to call me if you have any questions."

"Thank you, Mike. Have a good afternoon."

Heather walked to her desk and placed her sweater across the back of her chair.

"So," Heather said, taking a seat. "Tell me about yourself...well, I mean, I already know about you, but anything new?"

Cassie laughed. "Yeah, I've been pretty much all over the news the past few years. Some good, some bad, but I can honestly say that I'm happy the way my life is heading."

"So, tell me about Dillon—my God is that man ever so freaking hot—and I'm even a lesbian!"

"He is very hot indeed, but very possessive. But let's not talk about me, tell me about yourself," Cassie said, attempting to take the conversation off Dillon.

"Well, I've been working here for a few years now. I'm former Navy, but I assume that you already knew that because Mike only hires ex-military." She smiled.

"I wasn't sure of which branch you belonged to, but I knew you must have had some military background to be working here."

"I live with my girlfriend, Kathy. She works here at night as a bartender. She gets here around four o'clock. You'll notice her when you see her. She looks like a pin-up girl with that platinum, long blonde hair of hers and those huge, satin bows that she wears on the top of her head." Heather laughed. "So, Cass...I hope you don't mind that I call you Cass."

"Not at all. In fact, I prefer it."

"Well, Cass, after you left Dillon at the altar, do you have any other beaus?"

Cassie took a seat in front of Heather's desk and crossed her legs. "Well, I kind of like my supervisor at the reserve center." She blushed. "He has no idea that I know he's my future my husband." She smirked.

"What?" Your future husband!"

"Yes, from the moment I saw him, I got the strangest feeling that shot through my entire body. It was electrifying, as if I knew, without a doubt, he is my future husband."

Heather placed her elbows on the desk, resting her face on the heel of her hand, and leaned in to hear more.

"Yesterday was a doozey, though. His now ex-girlfriend practically blurted out at lunch that she wants to be a prostitute on the ship."

"Yeah, I heard of stuff like that when I was on the ship. I never participated in anything such as that, but I know of people who did."

Cassie was shocked. She thought that she was the one who started the entire debacle on the ship, but now suddenly was aware that it happened all the time. "Tell me some stories. I would love to hear them." Cassie urged.

"I walked in on a shipmate who was being banged by two sailors at once. I was appalled by the display, especially because she was a friend. Note how I emphasized was. I'm not friends with whores, and that's exactly what she was, a fucking whore! It happened all the time...in the galley, the library, the laundry room—shit, people would fuck anywhere and our superiors didn't give a rat's ass!"

Cassie just shook her head in disbelief. "You wouldn't want to hear my stories."

"No, I hate the Navy and I really don't want to talk about it anymore. Tell me about your future husband."

"Where to begin! He's so gorgeous. He's six-feet tall, has thick black hair, deep brown eyes, and has very broad shoulders. I'm getting butterflies just thinking of him."

"Well, you need to make him aware of how you feel about him; otherwise, some Navy tramp will swoop in, and take him from you. Those sluts move fast, too!"

"I don't know. He just got off a break-up. I should give him some time to himself."

"Trust me; call him...make up something just so you can speak with him before you see him at work again. When do you go back to the reserve center?"

"I don't. I report straight to Sharpe Depot next month."

"So, you may not ever see him?" Heather seemed a little confused.

"He will be accompanying me on my two-week Det in a few months."

"A few months is way too long! You need to call him."

"Well, he doesn't work on Monday's, so I'll have to call him tomorrow."

"Perfect! We'll think of something to ask him. Hopefully, he'll sense your feelings toward him."

Cassie winced in her chair, a little reluctant to implement Heather's plan, but she knew that Heather was right about waiting too long. She glanced at her watch, noticing it was time for her to clock out. "I'll see you tomorrow, Heather. Maybe I can come up with some reason to call Petty Officer Mercado." She smiled, grabbed her purse, walked to the time clock, and punched out.

***

Cassie tossed her purse on the couch and went to the refrigerator for a soda. She plopped down on the sofa, crossed her bare feet on the coffee table, and turned on the television. Jack was nowhere around; Cassie assumed that he was still at work.

After finishing her soda and watching a few minutes of television, she changed into her workout clothes, and headed to the apartment's gym facility. She entered alone, and placed a mat on the floor at the base of the leg machine. She lay down flat, placed the soles of her feet on the machine and pushed up. The press had two-hundred and ten-pound weights set at the pin. Cassie's thighs were very muscular, the most muscular part of her body. After doing a few reps, she stood and did some arm curls. Her arms were tiny, but when she lifted weights, her muscles bulged. She loved the way she looked when she worked out, often admiring her sculpted body in the huge, floor-to-ceiling mirror. Her stomach was tight, the epitome of a perfect six-pack. After finishing up with the curls, she put a few blunt, force kicks to the punching bag that was suspended from the ceiling. She grabbed her towel and water bottle and headed back to the apartment.

When she entered, she saw Jack sitting at the kitchen table eating a sandwich.

"Is that all you're eating for dinner?" Cassie asked, placing her water bottle in the sink.

"Yeah, I'm not too hungry, just want something light."

"You okay? You seem a little weird."

"Meh, just got a weird opportunity today. Not sure how I want to proceed."

"Well, tell me. Don't just leave me hanging!"

"Alright. The CEO has taken a fond interest in me—I guess that's what you can call it."

"What do you mean?"

"I guess his gaydar went off when I started working there today."

"So, he's gay and finds you attractive?"

Jack shrugged. "I don't know, but he offered to send me to UCLA on a full scholarship if I sign a contract to be employed by the company for the next ten years. Who would offer someone something like that on their first day? I'll tell you who! A freaking pervert is who!"

"Oh my God, Jack! Do you know what a fabulous opportunity that is? Besides, if he makes a pass at you, there's laws that protect you from that."

"I do; however, I don't like signing my life away for ten years. What if I hate marketing?"

"Well, look at it this way; you know you'll need to be working until you're at least sixty-five. At least you'll have job stability for the next ten years and also, you'll get a free ride to college!"

"I didn't think of it like that, the whole ten year job stability thing."

"How soon does the CEO want this?"

"Well, now! But I told him I'd have to think about it for a while."

Jack knew the reason that was preventing him from making the decision and it was Cassie.

"Is your CEO good lookin'?" Cassie teased.

"Yeah, he's great looking alright. Kind of looks like Dillon, but I don't feel anything toward him if that's what you're asking."

"Well, I think you would be a fool to pass an opportunity like that up, a complete and utter fool!"
Chapter Twelve

Cassie sat at her desk and looked over the list that Mike had left her the night before. The first on the list was to inventory beer at Sports City Café. She entered the kitchen and saw a young man standing at the sink washing dishes who appeared to be in his early twenties at best. He was of athletic build with shoulder-length, light blond hair.

"Hi, I'm Cassie. I'm the office manager and I'm here to inventory the beer stock. Can you point me in the right direction?"

He wiped his wet hands off on his apron and then extended his hand, initiating a handshake. "Hi, I'm Darin. Nice to meet you. You can go through that door over there and the stock is immediately to the right," he said, his head motioning in the direction.

Cassie shook his dampened, pruning hand. "Thank you, Darin." With clipboard in hand, Cassie began counting all the bottles in the cases and making notes on the inventory sheet. She couldn't help but daydream about Danny and what she and Heather planned on saying to him when Cassie initiates the phone call. She knew flirting with a superior was grounds for punishment, but she didn't care. She knew that Danny was someone special; she could feel it deep down. That first moment that she saw him step from his office was all it took. He was incredibly delicious in his long-sleeve, Navy working uniform. His light brown hands peeking from the sleeve enticed her so. His fingers were strong, but well-manicured, and his voice...my God his voice. It was so endearing, yet masculine, very authoritative. But, would Danny even consider a relationship with Cassie because of her past?

Cassie went back to her office and placed the inventory list on Mike's desk. The only item on the list to complete was entering payroll into the database. Moments later, she heard the door open, and saw Heather clocking in.

Cassie rushed toward her desk. "Okay-okay, I'm stumped on trying to come up with an excuse to call Danny. Have you thought of anything?"

"Well, good afternoon to you, too." Heather teased. "Yes, I thought of something." Heather slung her purse over the back of her chair. "Call him and tell him that you need a chit to purchase some more uniforms."

"Oh, that's a good one!"

"Or, better yet, just drive over there and ask him in person. He is in today, isn't he?"

"Yes, he's in. I'm just so nervous."

"Well, don't be."

"Alright, I'll take my lunch break and go over to the reserve center. It's only ten minutes away." Cassie glanced at her watch. "Shit! I should leave now!" Cassie quickly applied her lipstick, smoothed her lips together, and then ran her fingers through her hair. Slinging her purse over her shoulder, she rushed out the door.

She climbed in her Lotus, turned the ignition over, drove her way to the reserve center, and entered the parking lot. With her heart beating rapidly, she tried her best not to appear too nervous. "Why in the hell am I so freaking nervous? I wasn't like this the day I met him or the day after." She fidgeted with her sheer, pink blouse that she had layered over a pink camisole. She brushed her hands over her thighs of her white jeans and tried her best not to stumble in her black, Manolo heels.

She opened the heavy door and entered the main area. Looking to her right, she saw Mercado seated at his desk, appearing heavily in thought. Her heart raced before knocking on the door frame of his office.

"Eh-um," she cleared her throat. "P-Petty Officer Mercado," she stammered.

Danny glanced up and saw her standing in the door way. He was amazed at what he saw. He never imagined Cassie could look so different out of uniform. "Littleton, I hardly recognized you without your uniform and with your hair down. Please, have a seat. What can I do for you?"

She sat on the chair across from his desk and crossed her legs, her hands fidgeting in her lap. She was too afraid to look him in the eye. "Um, I need a chit for some new uniforms please." Her voice was meek as she stared down at the floor, her feet in her nervous, pigeon-toed stance.

"Come with me, I'll hook you up." He rose from his desk. Cassie stood and followed him into the hallway. "You look nice. Are you on lunch break or something?" he asked.

"Y-yes, I am. I'm San Jose Live's office manager and thought I'd swing by here during lunch."

"San Jose Live?" he inquired. "Can't say I've ever been there. I'm not into the club scene."

They went into an office toward the back of the building. "It appears Higgins has gone to lunch. I can type in your information and print out a chit for ya." Danny sat at Higgins desk and logged onto the computer. Cassie watched his hand on the mouse that was peeking from his sleeve and was shocked to see a perfect banded tattoo that was encircled near his wrist.

"Holy shit! Tattoo's?" she mumbled. "Mom definitely wouldn't go for that."

Cassie heard the sound of the printer. Danny stood and bent over the desk to reach for the document as Cassie gazed at his tight ass. It was in the perfect position for her to run her hand across it and it took all the self-control she had to prevent it from happening.

He spun around, trying to catch his stumble. "Here you are." He extended the document toward her. She took it from his grasp. "Is that all you needed?" he asked.

Cassie tried to think quickly on her feet. With almost the entire reserve center out to lunch, now was her chance to act a little flirtatious. She just couldn't bring herself to do it. Instead, she stood and looked down at her feet. "Yes, that's all, sir."

"Sir?" He laughed. "I'm not your daddy. Stop calling me sir."

"I'm sorry. I'm just so used to all of the formalities."

"Come, I'll walk you out."

Cassie trailed behind him and tried to keep up with his stride. Danny opened the heavy double doors and walked Cassie to her car. She unlocked the car door with the remote and opened it. She stood on the inside of the door, her head towering above the window.

"Let me get a good look at this thing," Danny said. He walked slowly around the car, admiring all the curves. "It's a nice car, but I like my Cobra better."

"Ha! This thing would blow the doors off your Cobra!"

"You think so?"

"Um, yeah. Besides, if your engine is faster, you couldn't outrun me anyway because I'm a better driver."

"Is that a fact?"

"Yes, that's a fact!" Cassie grew excited knowing this was her flirting chance. At least she knew that they had one thing in common...cars. "What do ya say we meet up at Moffett and I challenge you to a race down the runway?" She offered.

"I may just take you up on that, Littleton."

"So..." Cassie wanted to know about Catherine's pregnancy outcome. "What was the result on Catherine's pregnancy test?"

"Negative! Thank God! That bitch is psycho. How dare she lie about a pregnancy just to keep me."

"I kind of figured as much. She plays the same routine most women do in order to keep man. I call it bostage aka baby hostage." She laughed.

"Do you mind if I have a seat?" Danny asked, opening the passenger side door.

Cassie sat down in the driver's seat and closed the door. Danny climbed inside. There she was, almost shoulder to shoulder with her future husband. Danny was so tall and the car so small that his knees were almost up into his chest.

"Not at all. Did you want me to take you somewhere?"

"Nah, just wanted to talk if that's alright with you."

Cassie's heart thumped. If that's alright with me? Her subconscious teased. Hell, yeah! Cassie cleared her throat. "What is it that you need to talk about?"

"I don't really speak to many people about my personal life, but I feel as though I can trust you. I don't know if it's because of what I know about you and our future arrangement on the boat, but I feel pretty comfortable."

"Go on." She urged.

"Catherine is a real whack job. I'm still currently living with my ex-wife. She's in the process of moving to Reno and should be gone by Friday. Catherine came over to my apartment last night and almost got into a fight with her. It was so intense that Catherine took off her platform heel and knocked my ex in the head. Once I threw Catherine out, she went down the street to her apartment, grabbed a butcher knife, and started walking through the neighborhood with the blade exposed for everyone to see."

Cassie's heart sunk. "He was married? He has a psycho ex-girlfriend? Oh man! What do I want to get myself into?" She wondered. Cassie turned toward Danny. They were so incredibly close in the tiny car and she couldn't take her eyes from his lips. His soft, pink, beautiful lips that displayed a slight under bite. Cassie rubbed her lips together then ran her tongue along the outside trying her best to moisten them as she could feel them becoming dry. "What did you do? Did you call the police?"

"No. I was able to get the knife from her, but she scares me. Imagine that, I've been in Desert Storm killing the enemy while firing from a helicopter, but I'm scared shitless of her."

"What exactly are you afraid of? Her killing you?"

"Not me, per se, but maybe my next girlfriend. She just can't get the fact out of her head that we're over, done!"

Next girlfriend? Cassie's subconscious was doing cartwheels. "Do you have another girlfriend?" Please say no, please say no! Her subconscious hoped.

"Not yet."

"Thank God!"

"What was that?" he asked.

"Um, I said, that's odd." She tried saving herself not realizing that she said thank God aloud.

"Why do you find that odd, Littleton?"

He's driving me insane with the way he says my name. "Well, um, because you seem quite the catch." Okay, there it was. The first inclination that Cassie found him attractive.

"I do?" His eyes widened.

Cassie placed her hands on the steering wheel, trying to prevent them from shaking. "Yes, you do." Cassie glanced at her watch and noticed that she had only five minutes to get back to work. "Crap! I have to go."

"Alright, swing by here during your lunch hour on Friday. I'll give you your food allowance for the weekend for when you're at Sharpe Depot."

"Alright, I'll see you Friday."

Danny stepped from the car and shut the door. Cassie looked through her windshield and waved as she watched him go back inside the reserve center. She was elated as she drove back to work. As she entered the office, she headed straight to Heather's desk.

"Oh! My! God! Heather! He sat in the car with me and we talked for about fifteen minutes!"

Heather stopped typing on the keyboard so she could listen to Cassie's every word without being distracted. "What did you talk about?"

"His ex-wife and ex-girlfriend. His ex-wife is moving to Reno and his ex-girlfriend is psycho."

"Psycho?"

"Yes, psycho. She clocked his ex-wife on the head with a pair of platform heels then walked through the neighborhood with a butcher knife like she was fresh out of a horror movie."

"Yikes! Are you sure you want to get involved in that mess?"

"I can handle her. Sure, she's intimidating, manly as a matter of fact, but hell, I can handle that cunt!"

"Damn! Those are some harsh words." Heather laughed.

"He wants me back up at the reserve center on Friday."

"Well, you have to go."

"Of course I'll go, don't be silly!" Cassie walked off ecstatic toward her desk and sat, booting up her computer.

A few hours later, she gathered her purse, and headed for the door. "I'll see you tomorrow, Heather," Cassie said as she strolled past her desk.

"Maybe we'll do lunch. I'll come in a little early," Heather said.

Cassie rode the elevator down to the parking garage. She climbed into her car and joined the rush hour traffic on the 101. As she sat in traffic, she reminisced about her conversation with Danny. She looked to her right, gazed at the passenger seat, and was pleased that he was the last person who sat in it. "Damn! I wanted to touch his hand so badly," she said to herself. Traffic began moving steadily and she made her way home.
Chapter Thirteen

Friday morning, Cassie was excited knowing that she would be meeting Danny. She slid into a pair of tight jeans and a fitted sweater that accented her breasts. She pulled a pair of red, crystal encrusted pumps from the closet and slipped them onto her feet. As she went outside her bedroom, she saw Jack sitting at the kitchen table eating a bowl of cereal.

"Wow! Look at you!" Jack said, mesmerized by her clothes. "You're allowed to dress provocatively at your office?" he asked.

"I have Friday's off, remember?"

"Oh, yeah. That's right. Well, where are you going dressed like that?"

"As soon as rush hour dies down, I'm heading to the reserve center."

Jack rolled his eyes. "Oh, Cass. You're not going to hit on your supervisor, are you?"

"No, he's giving me my food allowance for my stay at Sharpe Depot."

"Yeah, right. I know how you are. You're going to flirt with him."

"Whatever, Jack. Why do you care anyway?"

"I care because I don't want you to get hurt again. Don't you remember your last relationship with someone in the Navy, or shall I say, your divorce?"

"That's none of your business. Everyone is different. I can feel he is different. There's just something about him."

"Just be careful. You've been through a lot lately...your break-up with Dillon, your divorce, your miscarriage, the death of your Navy friend, the prostitution, and not to mention, the death of Randall."

"I'll be careful, Jack. Don't worry." Cassie walked over toward Jack and kissed him on the cheek. "You're so cute when you worry about me."

Jack's heart fluttered. God! He wanted more. Oh, how he wanted slightly to turn his lips toward her lips and feel them flush against his skin.

Cassie fired up her Lotus and headed toward the reserve center. She noticed that the parking lot was quite full, more crowded than usual. She spotted Danny's Cobra and parked in the spot next to it. She took one final glance in the rear-view mirror and put on some glittery lip gloss. Taking in a deep breath, she grabbed her purse, walked toward the double doors, and saw Catherine standing off to the right in the grass, smoking a cigarette.

"Hey, Rabert! How's it going?" Cassie asked.

"Well, I guess you probably heard that I'm not pregnant."

Cassie played it off as if she knew nothing of the sort. "Um, no. I haven't heard anything. What happened? Did you lose the baby?"

"No. I guess the home pregnancy test that I took was wrong. The test I took here came back negative." She lied about the home pregnancy test.

"I'm sorry to hear." Cassie smiled. "Maybe it's for the best."

"Because you work directly with Mercado, can you try to persuade him to take me back? I love him so much."

"I don't work directly for him. I'm here to get my food allowance for Sharpe Depot. This may be the last I see of him."

"Well, fix that. After your first drill at Sharpe, tell him that you hate it and you want to drill here, at the reserve center."

"I can try. I'm not sure if he'll go for that, though." Cassie loved Catherine's idea. Oh, how she wanted to work with him. It would give her an advantage to woo him more easily. "I'll see ya later."

"Wait! Let me see your phone."

Cassie handed her cell phone to Catherine and Catherine added her number into Cassie's contact list. Then, Catherine added Cassie's number to her phone. "There, call me and maybe we can go out sometime."

"Okay, thank you." Cassie slipped her phone back into her purse.

Entering the reserve center, Cassie saw Mercado seated at his desk dressed in his civilian clothes. He wore a pair of Calvin Klein jeans and a long-sleeve, conservative, button-down collared shirt. She inhaled deeply, went inside, and sat in front of his desk.

"Wow, Littleton! Where are you off to dressed like that?"

Cassie crossed her legs and looked down. "Like this? This is how I dress when I'm not working."

"So, you're off today?"

"I have Friday, Saturday, and Sunday's off."

"I only work half-days on Friday's. We close up early and we can wear civilian clothes."

"I was wondering why you weren't in uniform." She smiled.

"You're here for your food allowance, I assume?"

"Yes, sir. I am."

"Don't call me sir! It's Mercado."

Cassie smiled warmly. "Yes, Mercado," she said in a playful tone.

He rolled up his sleeves above his elbows. Cassie was shocked to see the amount of tattoos that he had covering one of his arms. It was totally sleeved! She noticed on his other arm, the inside of his forearm displayed some kind of tribal tattoo that nearly covered the entire area. She pretended that she didn't notice, but it felt as though someone punched her in the stomach. She never dated a man with tattoos and she knew that her mother would be pissed if she brought someone home covered in them. The dream of her future husband was being tossed out the window. Tattoos were sure the deal breaker for her.

Mercado stood, grabbed the voucher off the printer, and handed it to Cassie. "Here you go; this is for everyone in your unit, so don't lose it. You will need to stay within the budget. Your only choices to dine are at Red Lobster and Jack in the Box.

Cassie stood. "Thank you, sir." She grabbed the voucher and left.

Cassie sat in her car, shaking her head in disbelief. "Dammit! Why so many fucking tattoos? Hell, I could handle a small one, but all sleeved? Gross!" she yelled, knowing that no one could hear her with her windows up. Still, she couldn't get Danny out of her mind. Maybe she could overlook the tattoos; maybe her mother will never see them as long as he wears long sleeve shirts. What was she thinking? She's not even dating the guy and already coming up with solutions to hide his tattoos. He sure was hot, though. Just imagining what his broad chest looked like undressed got her aroused. She shook the perverse thoughts from her mind and went home to her quiet apartment.

Jack was at work, so she had the entire apartment all to herself. It was about two-o'clock when her phone rang and she saw Catherine's number on the screen. Cassie rolled her eyes and hit decline. Catherine was the last person Cassie wanted to speak to. She didn't want to get caught up in Catherine's web of lies.

After Cassie made a salad, she sat on the couch, and watched television. She heard Jack fidgeting with his keys on the opposite side of the door. He walked in, holding a load of folders, which fell to the floor when he stepped inside the apartment. Cassie jumped up and rushed toward Jack to help him clean up his unorganized mess.

"Damn, Jack! You brought your work home with you for the weekend?"

"Yeah, there's a lot I need to go through. Looks like my whole weekend I'll be stuck in here."

"I think I'm going to get my nails done tomorrow at that shop down the street from your office."

"Get flared nails! Those are so hot!" Jack exclaimed.

"I don't know." Cassie shrugged. "We'll see." Cassie placed a stack of folders on the coffee table and sat back down on the sofa.

***

Cassie drove to the nail salon early that Saturday morning. She sat in the waiting area and picked up the latest Cosmo. As she skimmed through the magazine, she noticed an ad featuring Dillon's latest wine. The ad was the first ad Cassie had seen that actually had Dillon in it. He appeared as dashing as ever, wearing his usual suit and tie, but in this particular ad, he had his arm around a woman. It showed him dipping her with his hand underneath her thigh, propping up her leg toward his torso. Dillon and the woman were staring into each other's eyes with large grins. The woman was dressed in a short, form-fitting, red cocktail dress. Cassie sat for a moment trying to figure out who the strange woman was, wondering if Dillon was seeing her in reality. Quickly, she shook the thought from her head when she heard Tish, the nail tech, call her name. Cassie placed the magazine down on the table and walked toward the nail station.

"So, what are we doing for you today?" Tish asked, removing the nail polish from Cassie fingernails.

"I'm thinking maybe some flared nails with French tips."

Tish buffed Cassie's nails and Cassie listened in on the conversation between the hairdresser, Nadine, and a blonde woman who was having her hair styled.

"We're so over," the blonde woman said.

"I told you time and time again that you should have left him years ago, Diane," Nadine said.

"I just didn't want him to get in trouble with his commanding officer for the abuse. Now that he's received orders to Virginia, I can stay here, in peace."

Cassie shifted uncomfortably in her chair. "Um, if you don't mind me asking, is your husband in the Navy?"

The blonde woman looked at Cassie, shocked that she had eavesdropped on the conversation, but her eyes were sympathetic. "No, he's in the Air Force. We've been married for twenty years. I can't take it anymore and I'm so glad he's being transferred."

"Married for twenty years?" Cassie questioned. "You don't look a day over thirty!"

"Well, that's good to hear." She laughed. "My name is Diane."

"See, I must be doing something right if you can pass for thirty!" Nadine joked.

"So nice to meet you. I'm Cassie. I was active duty, Navy...stationed at Moffett Field for a while."

"I know who you are!" Diane straightened suddenly in her chair.

"You're that rich dude's ex-girlfriend!" Nadine hollered.

"Screw the ex-girlfriend part, Nadine. This girl took down five combatants all by herself!" Diane said, admiring the fact that Cassie was in her presence. "You're a legend! What are you doing now that you're no longer active duty?"

"Working at San Jose Live as the office manager," she said matter-of-factly.

"I go there every weekend! Love that place!"

"I've never been to the club at night."

"You can't be serious! Well, I'm going there tonight; you're welcome to join me."

"I think I might just do that." Cassie smiled.

Tish put the final touches on Cassie's nails. Cassie pulled three, ten dollar bills from her purse, and handed them to Tish. "Keep the change," she said, seeing that Tish was about to hand her back a five.

Cassie and Diane left the salon together and they walked through an alley that led to the back of the building where their cars were parked, and stood in the parking lot, exchanging phone numbers.

"I'll come by your house around nine o'clock tonight," Cassie said.

"Okay, I'll drive us to the club." Diane hopped in her car, put the red canvas top down on her white mustang, cranked up the stereo, and headed toward her home at Moffett.

Cassie pushed the button, allowing her top to go down. She plugged her iPhone into the outlet, and the song, 'Pussy Liquor' by Rob Zombie blasted through the speakers. As she made her way to the intersection of Castro and Central Expressway, she saw a yellow Maserati that was stopped at the traffic light directly opposite of her. Her heart sank, her palms became sweaty, and her breathing was rapid. "Please don't let him see me, please don't let him see me," she prayed.

The light turned green and Cassie proceeded down Castro, which now changed to Moffett Boulevard. She glanced in her rear-view mirror and she saw the yellow Maserati do an illegal U-turn and suddenly, started tailgating her Lotus. Cassie flew up onto the 101 onramp hoping to lose the car, but she couldn't pick up enough speed. Dillon was hot on her tail and wasn't about to let up. She weaved in and out of traffic, hoping to lose him, but to no avail. She knew that she had to get off the freeway because Dillon wasn't about to give up. When he wanted something, he wouldn't stop until he got it.

Cassie flipped on her right blinker and exited off North Fair Oaks Avenue. She pulled into the first parking lot that she came to, slammed on her brakes, and rushed from the car toward Dillon. Dillon stepped from his car and leaned up against it, his arms casually folded, wearing a navy blue suit and black tie.

"Who in the fuck do you think you are chasing me like that!" she yelled, raising her hand as if to smack Dillon across the face.

Dillon grabbed her hand before it made contact with his cheek. "Don't you ever raise your hand to me, young lady." His glare was stern; Cassie's defenses began to weaken.

Suddenly, she dropped to the ground and started to cry uncontrollably, wrapping her hands around his ankles, her face buried in his black, wing-tipped, lace-up shoes. "What's the matter? Why are you crying like that?" Dillon asked, concerned as he never witnessed such a spectacle from her.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry," she cried, peering up into his eyes.

Dillon extended his hand and helped her up from the concrete. "Come, get in the car. We need to have a little chat." He held her by the hand and led her to the passenger seat. She slid in and folded her hands onto her lap. She watched him walk around the front of the car, and then he climbed into the driver's seat. The car was still idling and the air conditioner was running. He placed his right hand on top of her folded hands, attempting to ease her tension. "Cassie, I'm glad I found you. I've been trying like mad to get in touch with you, but obviously I was very unsuccessful. After everything we've shared, I can't believe you wanted to abandon the thought of even knowing me. Where did I go wrong, baby? Please tell me?" He gently traced the back of his index finger across her cheek, wiping away a tear.

Cassie just sat, dumbfounded, not a clue regarding what to say. "I don't know." She shrugged, sniffling. "Your letter said that you were done."

"Those were just words spoken out of haste. I didn't mean them." A somber expression came over his face. He tilted his head to the side and said in a solemn tone, "Cass, it's me. Tell me what I did wrong. Perhaps I can make things right."

"It's too late for that."

"What do you mean, it's too late? Are you seeing someone else?"

"No, I'm not seeing anyone else. It's just th-that, it's just, you treated me like a possession. You wouldn't allow me to dress the way I wanted. You told me how to eat, where to go, who to speak to. I couldn't take it anymore. It started feeling like you were my father."

Dillon pulled his hand away and brushed his index finger across his chin. "I see. It wasn't that I was trying to own you. I was looking out for your best interest. It was only for your own benefit."

"Well, it seemed to me, like it was for your benefit. You treated me like a doll. Someone you could dress up and order around. Well, I'm my own person, Dillon! I wear what I want, I go where I want, I eat what I want, and no one, not even you, will ever change that!"

"I had no idea that you felt that way. If you would have just discussed it with me, we could've avoided the whole wedding fiasco."

"That's just it. I couldn't discuss it with you. You were always at work. You were never home. We barely had sex anymore and when we did, you did it the way you wanted to do it. You didn't care how I wanted to make love; all you wanted was to fuck!"

"You knew that's the way I like sex. It didn't seem to bother you before."

"Yes, it was exciting at first, but there were many of times when I wanted to just hold you and make love to you." Cassie twiddled her thumbs, looking down at her lap.

Dillon inhaled deeply, placed his arm around her, and pulled her into his shoulder, nuzzling the top of her hair. "Oh, baby. I'm so sorry I disappointed you," he whispered.

"It's okay. I'm so sorry that I abandoned you at the altar." Cassie's tears saturated Dillon's suit coat. "I'm sorry. I made a mess of your suit." Cassie pulled his handkerchief from his front jacket pocket and dabbed the moist area where her tears had fallen.

"Why don't you follow me back to my place? We can discuss this further over some wine," he suggested.

"Alright, I can do that." Cassie knew that it was a bad idea, but she thought that she needed to explain more to Dillon about the reason why she had left. After all he had done for her; it was the least she could do.

Cassie swung open the door of Dillon's Maserati and walked to her car. She waited for Dillon to drive by and she followed closely behind.

As they made their way north onto the 101, Cassie pressed the button on her steering wheel, which initiated a call to Jack.

"Jack! Dammit! I got your voice mail! I ran into Dillon and I'm following him to his house. I'll be home in a bit." She disconnected the call.

Cassie made her way behind Dillon, up his circular driveway. He stepped from his car, opened Cassie's door, and took her by the hand as he led her up to the front entrance.

"Is Maxine here?" Cassie looked around, not seeing a sign of his live-in housekeeper's car.

"She's away for a few weeks on vacation. It's just you and me." He pushed open the door and allowed Cassie to enter the home before him. The décor was still all white and sanitary looking. Cassie placed her purse on a small side table, made her way to the sofa, and sat down.

Dillon shrugged off his jacket and draped it over the back of the sofa. Cassie admired him in his long-sleeve, button-down, crisp, white collared shirt. His navy blue slacks hung so perfectly on his hips. He was in such tremendous shape. He sat down next to her and untied his black, Johnston and Murphy lace-up oxfords. He wore black socks and crossed his feet on the marble coffee table. Loosening his tie, he then spread his arms on the back of the sofa with one hand grazing Cassie's shoulder. "You don't have to sit way over there. You can move in a little closer."

Cassie took in a deep breath and slid a little closer to Dillon. She placed her head in the nook of his armpit and chest. His scent was intoxicating. She missed his smell so much. His index finger directed her chin toward his lips and he kissed her tenderly. As he claimed her mouth with his tongue, Cassie began to feel herself becoming aroused. She cupped her hands to Dillon's face and kissed him even more intently.

"God, I've missed you so much," he whispered, brushing his fingers through her long, blonde hair. "I thought that I would never hold you again."

Cassie placed her finger upon his lips. "Please don't speak. Let me do this the way I want to do this." She straddled Dillon on the sofa, took the tie from around his neck; her lips not leaving his. She could feel his erection pressing firmly against her jeans at her crotch. She unfastened the buttons on his shirt, exposing his hard, hairless, smooth chest, and ran her palms along his pecs and up over his shoulders.

He stood, her legs wrapped around his waist as he carried her upstairs to his bedroom. He placed her gently on the bed and pulled her shoes from her feet, nuzzling the arches of her foot with his lips. Unbuttoning her jeans, he slipped them from her hips, and placed them on the floor. He pulled her t-shirt over her head and tossed it onto the nightstand. "Oh, Cassie. You're so beautiful." He kissed her hard, forcing his tongue deep inside her mouth.

Cassie was determined not to allow his aggressive tendencies to overtake her in the bedroom. She wanted to make love to this man and wanted to see if he would actually allow it. Cassie cupped her hands on each side of his jaw, looked him in the eyes and whispered, "Not like this. Let me show you how I want you to make love to me." She slowly guided his lips to hers and gently kissed him. She could sense his mood change to a bit less possessive to more of a sensitive side. His kisses went from her lips, to her neck, her throat, until he stopped at the lace of her white bra. He reached underneath her back, unhooked the clasp of her bra, and pulled the straps down her shoulders. His lips kissed the top of her breast and his tongue found its way to her nipple where he taunted her, making her weak. She pressed her body harder into his mouth and his mouth wandered over toward her other breast where he coiled his tongue feverishly all over, cupping his hand on her other. His lips and tongue finally trailed their way down her abdomen, and then halted when he came to the lace of her panties. His fingers grazed along the side of her panties and he gracefully slid them down her long, silky, smooth legs. His lips worshipped her thighs, her calves, all the way down to her beautifully, pedicured toes. She lay on the bed totally naked in front of him. He stood at the side of the bed, slid off his slacks, and flung his socks across the room. Cassie sat up, pulled him toward her by the elastic waistband of his black, boxer briefs. Her hands ran along the inside of his boxers, down across his ass, cupping his cheeks. She slid his briefs down his thighs and he stepped out of them and hovered over Cassie, gazing deeply into her gleaming blue eyes. His right hand was cupped underneath the back of her head, at the base of her hair. He rested on his elbow with his left arm and lovingly stroked Cassie bangs from her eyes with his hand. "I've missed you, baby," he said in a halted whisper.

Cassie gazed into his eyes. "I've missed you, too." She raised her head toward his lips and kissed him, her hands at his back, pushing him onto her. She lifted her legs and wrapped them around the small of his back. "Make love to me, Dillon."

He kissed her firmly, but didn't give in to her request so quickly. He nuzzled her ear, his head buried in her hair, taking in the scent of Chanel Mademoiselle that he yearned for. His fingers glided down the side of her body to her hips and underneath her ass, where Cassie experienced his touch at her entrance. She spread her knees wide, inviting his contact, but he taunted, slightly running his finger along the edge of her labia.

Cassie grazed her nails up and down Dillon's back. She liked this new side of him, a side she wasn't quite aware that he possessed. She placed kisses at his throat, ran her fingers through his soft, mink-like hair, burying her face at his neck. Finally, he used his knees to guide her legs open. She knew it was coming, knowing he was about to give in to her request, but she worried for a moment, aware that he never put on a condom. His stiffness entered deeply inside, she exhaled a breath of calmness, finally being made love to the way that she always imagined Dillon doing it. Not once did he glance away as he gazed into her eyes with each thrust. She felt his body tense and knew he was almost to the point of no return. She saw his jaw clench, felt his penis stiffen while his pumps grew faster. One final pump, he collapsed on top of her.

Cassie kissed his shoulder and rolled him off. They lay next to each other, speechless. Cassie wondered where this event might lead them. She enjoyed having her newfound freedom, the ability to come and go as she pleased, the luxury of wearing what she wanted. She didn't want anyone to take that from her, again.

Cassie rolled toward Dillon. Resting on her elbow on the bed with her hand cupped on the side of her face, she whispered, "I have to go. I'm meeting a friend tonight." She trailed her index finger up and down his torso, along his faint, blond happy trail.

Dillon rolled to his side. "Who are you meeting?" Concerned that it was a guy.

"A friend. She lives in base housing."

Relieved that Cassie said she, he was more at ease. "Where are you going?"

"San Jose Live." Cassie stood, her naked back facing Dillon, reaching for her clothes.

"San Jose Live? That place is a pick-up joint!"

"I work there now." Cassie realized that she shouldn't have divulged that information, knowing that if she didn't want to see Dillon after this day, he would know exactly where to find her.

"Work?" You got a job at a nightclub? Cassie, clearly you can do better than that. Why don't you work for my firm?"

"It's not like you think. I'm the office manager. I only work Monday through Thursday during the day."

"And what are they paying you?"

"Well, that's none of your business." Cassie's tone teased.

Dillon sat up and swung his legs off the side of the bed, bent down, and put on his black, boxer briefs. He walked toward Cassie and took her by the hand. "Are you going to give me your new cell phone number?"

Cassie looked at him standing before her in all his manly glory. That man was extremely too gorgeous for his own good and Cassie knew that it would be hard to deny his request. "Um, well, I," she stammered, glancing down at the floor. "Let me think about it." She released herself from his grasp, finished dressing, and headed downstairs to get her purse. Dillon immediately followed.

"Don't play this game, Cass. Why won't you give me your phone number?"

"I'm not ready, yet."

"What do you mean, you're not ready?" He stood, his hands on his hips, still exposed in his underwear.

Cassie opened the front door and stood in the open doorway. "Like I said, I'm not ready." She smiled and flashed a flirtatious wink, and closed the door behind her.

She started her car, sat on the circular driveway for a few minutes, and saw Dillon peek from the kitchen window. Taking a deep breath, she put her car in first gear, and slowly drove away.

As she entered the 101, she noticed a missed call on her cell phone when she plugged it into the charger. A voicemail had been left and she knew it was from Jack. She listened to the message through her car's stereo speakers.

"Cass, don't do it! Don't let him trap you again! Oh my God! You're there right now, aren't you? Fuck!" That was all the message revealed.

Cassie drove into her parking spot at the apartment and knew that she was about to walk into a real shit storm with Jack. Hesitantly, she opened the door and entered the living room where she saw Jack sitting on the sofa with his feet propped up on the coffee table.

"Hi, Jack," she said.

Jack glared at Cassie, not saying a word.

"C'mon Jack, talk to me!"

"I have nothing to say to you. I'm so disappointed at the fact that you saw that possessive prick, again! What in the hell were you thinking?"

Cassie plopped down on the sofa. "I don't know. It all happened so fast. I still love him, I just don't like him. Do you get it?"

"No, I don't get it. I don't see how you can love someone who acts like he owns you."

"It's not like that! He's done so much for me."

"Cass, what has he done that you couldn't have done for yourself? It can't be the money because you have money. Was it the way that he fucked you? Huh, is that what it was?"

Cassie jumped to her feet and pointed her index finger at Jack. "This is bullshit, Jack. I don't have to tell you about my sex life. I don't have to tell you anything!" Cassie stormed off to her bedroom and slammed the door behind her.

Jack sighed, looking down at his lap, shaking his head back and forth. "She's not going to get involved with that man again," he mumbled. Jack stood and walked to Cassie's bedroom door. He lightly tapped. "Cass, let me in. We need to talk."

Cassie opened the door and stood, wearing only her bra and panties. Jack was taken aback at the scene. He sensed himself becoming erect at the sight. "Not now," he said to himself. He sat on the edge of Cassie's bed. "Come here." He patted the bed, indicating Cassie to sit next to him.

Cassie sat and then reclined back onto the bed. Jack gazed at her body lying next to him, half-naked. Oh, how he wanted to touch her. It took every ounce of strength that he had to try to stop himself, but it wasn't enough. He placed both hands on each side of her and peered down into her eyes as he hovered from above.

Cassie was shocked at the expression on Jack's face, never seeing him look at her that way before. "Jack, what's the matter?"

His thumb brushed across her bottom lip. "Shh, Cass." He leaned down and kissed her, his tongue parting her lips, invading her mouth.

She pushed him off her and stood at the edge of the bed. "Jack! What the hell are you doing?"

"I'm sorry. I couldn't help myself!"

Cassie grabbed a black, velvet bustier with gold studs from her closet and a pair of black, satin slacks. She stormed from the bedroom and slammed the bathroom door behind her.

Jack heard the shower start. He sat, burying his head into hands. "What have I done? What the fuck have I done?" He wandered into his bedroom and slammed himself onto his bed, disgusted with is actions.

***

"I can't hear you!" Cassie yelled over the table in Diane's direction. They stood at a table off to the side of the dance floor at San Jose Live. The waitress brought them some Amaretto Sours that two gentlemen had bought who were seated at a booth in the corner

Cassie lifted her drink toward the two gentlemen and mouthed, "Thank you."

"I said, that guy over there at the bar keeps staring at you!" Diane yelled.

Cassie looked over her shoulder and saw Dillon leaning against the bar with his elbows supporting him, his feet crossed, looking as arrogant as ever. "Oh, jeez! Let's get the hell out of here." Cassie grabbed Diane by the hand and led her upstairs to Cassie's office. "Let's take a breather for a moment, shall we?" Cassie sat at her desk and Diane took the seat in front of it.

"What's going on?" Diane asked.

"That guy at the bar is Dillon."

"Oh...I thought he looked familiar, but it's so hard to tell from that far away."

"I went to his house today. It was a huge mistake. Huge!"

"Why?"

"I wasn't there for ten minutes and he already had his dick in me!"

"And that's a bad thing?" Diane laughed.

"It is when you don't want anything to do with him anymore."

"Then why did you go over to his house?"

"After you left the salon, I was on my way home, and I saw him at the stop light across from me. He saw me, did a U-turn, and sped up on my ass. We were racing down the 101. I tried like hell to lose him, but was obviously unsuccessful," Cassie said, slamming her head onto her desk. "I finally pulled off into a parking lot and had some words with him. Next thing I know, I'm sitting in his car, and he invited me to his house."

"What happened when you got there?"

"Like I explained before, he had his dick in me not even ten minutes upon my arrival." Tears began streaming down Cassie's face. She was humiliated and confused at the same time. "I feel as though I led him on. I'm going to hurt him all over again because I don't see us hooking up."

"Well, you need to do what your heart tells you. Don't start another relationship with him if it's not what you want. You'll not only hurt yourself, but you'll hurt him as well."

"I know. Ugh! I'm just so damn confused over this." Cassie lifted her head up from her desk. "You see, I'm in total awe over my Naval supervisor. From the moment I saw him, I knew that we were destined to be together. I just felt it in my gut, not to mention, my heart."

"Does he know this, I mean, does Dillon know this?"

"No. I didn't have time to tell him."

"What does your supervisor think?"

"He has no clue. He was dating a yeoman, but she went psycho on him, and he dumped her. Then, she lied and said that she was pregnant with his baby, when in fact, she was never even pregnant to begin with."

Diane stood and walked around the desk toward Cassie. "Come here." Diane took Cassie by the hand and helped her to her feet. She placed her arms around her and said, "It's going to all work out. I'll be here for you, so don't worry."

Cassie buried her face into Diane's chest. Diane was tall, towering almost six-feet. "Thank you, Diane. It means a lot to have a new friend who I have a strong connection with. But, that's not all." Cassie sat back down in her chair. "My male roommate, who is gay, kissed me today!"

"What?"

"Yes, I was totally shocked. I don't even know how I'm supposed to handle this. I haven't spoken with him about it. I just ran out of the room and left him there."

"If you need a place to stay until you sort it all out, you're welcome to stay with me."

"Thank you, but I need to take this head-on. I don't like dwelling on things." Cassie rose from her chair. "Let's go tackle Dillon first."

Cassie and Diane went back into the club. Cassie saw Dillon still standing at the bar drinking a beer. A gentleman approached Diane and asked her to dance. When Diane obliged, Cassie walked toward Dillon and tried to swallow the huge lump in her throat.

"Hello, gorgeous!" Dillon hollered over the load music.

"Hi. I thought that you hated this place."

"I never said I hated it. I said it was a pick-up joint." He grabbed a toothpick from the bar, unwrapped it, stuck it in his mouth, and casually held it casually between his teeth.

"So, what brings you here?"

He blinked his eyes and stared directly at her. "Don't play stupid. You know damn well why I'm here." He turned around, resting his elbows on the bar. "I'll have another Fosters!" he yelled to the bartender. Dillon placed his arm around Cassie at the small of her back. "Are you going to show me your office?"

"No."

"Why not? I noticed that you took your lady friend up there to see it."

"I didn't take her up there to see it. I took her there to get away from you."

"And here you are. Looks like your plan didn't pan out too well."

"Quit being so cocky, Dillon. You're not going to get me back. I don't even know why you bother trying."

"Ha! Now that's funny. You said that you never wanted to see me again after you ran out on our wedding, and there I was, proving you wrong in my bed this afternoon."

At that very moment, Cassie made up her mind. She was so disgusted with the way Dillon had treated her. "I can't take this shit anymore! Leave me the fuck alone, Dillon. Let me move on with my life and stay the fuck out of it!" Cassie stormed off angrily toward the dance floor after Diane. "Diane, we need to leave. There's not enough room in here for Dillon and me!"

Diane looked at the guy she was dancing with. "Here's my card, give me a call sometime." Diane handed her business card to the gentleman.

Cassie grabbed Diane by the arm and led her to the exit. They walked across First Street to an open-air parking lot. Cassie fastened her seatbelt and folded her arms across her chest.

Diane started the car and turned on the radio. "You okay?"

"I'll be fine. That asshole is so arrogant. Ugh! He gets on my last nerve!"

"I'll take you home so you can rest. Did you want to go with me tomorrow to shop at garage sales?"

"That sounds fun, but I think I'm going to spend all day tomorrow to think. There's a lot I need to figure out. Perhaps next weekend."

Diane pulled from the parking lot and took Cassie home. Cassie was worried that Jack would still be awake and she didn't have the energy to speak to him about him kissing her earlier that day.

She fumbled with her keys and unlocked the door. Not a light was on in the apartment and she noticed that Jack's bedroom door was closed. It was a little after midnight, so she knew that he was in bed asleep.

Cassie went into her bedroom and dressed in a satin camisole and matching panties. She slid herself under the covers and thought of Dillon and Danny.
Chapter Fourteen

Monday morning, Cassie dressed for work. Yesterday was a good day as she was able to concentrate on her next plan. She rarely came out of her room, only to get something to drink and eat, but she never saw Jack. She wasn't ready to approach him just yet. She just stayed in her room like a hermit, watching television, and napping the day away.

Cassie grabbed the to-do list from her desk, pleased to see that there was only one thing on the list, and that was checking on the apartment and scheduling a cleaning crew to spruce it up for the next guest.

Cassie grabbed a key from her desk and walked a few blocks to the apartment building. It was a beautiful, luxury high-rise. The 88 was gorgeous and Cassie was surprised to see that San Jose Live owned a penthouse suite. She unlocked the door and was amazed at how beautiful the layout was. It was a contemporary style flat surrounded by windows. The two bedroom, two bath apartment was enormous. It was rather dusty, but Cassie took notes on what needed cleaning and what could be left alone. She spotted a used condom on the floor and was disgusted by the sight. She didn't even go near it and left it for the cleaning crew. She also noticed a one-hundred dollar bill placed on the corner of a dresser in one of the bedrooms. Apparently, the previous guest believed that he was tipping the maid service, which the club did not provide on a regular basis. Cassie placed the money in her purse and went into the kitchen. Upon opening the stainless steel refrigerator, she was almost knocked on her ass by the horrific smell. Quickly, she covered her nose with her hand, grabbed a paper towel with the other, and started throwing spoiled food into the garbage can. Afterward, she grabbed her clipboard and went back to her office.

"Hey, Heather. How was your weekend?" Cassie asked, seeing Heather seated at her desk.

"Never mind about my weekend. I've been dying to hear about what you did last Friday with your Naval supervisor."

"Oh, yeah. Well, I was in for a shock, that's for sure."

"Why?" Heather leaned in, hanging on to Cassie's words.

"Danny was dressed in civilian clothes and he has tattoos sleeved all over his arms."

"Wow! That's so fucking hot!" Heather said.

"Meh." Cassie shrugged. "I'm not into that. I've never been with a man with tattoos, so it kind of turned me off."

"But you said that he's your future husband. You don't feel that way anymore?"

"Well, I do still feel that way. I'm just put off by the tats. My mother would freak if she saw them."

"You can't live your life worrying about what your mother thinks. You're an adult. Go for what you want. She'll come around eventually, I'm sure."

"Yeah, I'm sure she would too. I just can't get passed the tats. He seemed so serious and into his work, well respected by everyone in the command, and now, his tats remind me that he's a bad boy type. I mean, can anyone trust a bad boy?"

"It's just tattoos. You're really going to let this bother you?"

"I suppose not." Cassie went to her desk and called an apartment cleaner to schedule a day that they could come clean the penthouse.

An hour later, Heather approached Cassie, and sat in the chair in front of her desk. "We need to think of an excuse for you to call Danny again." Heather crossed her legs and flipped her long hair across her shoulder.

"I'm not good at making stuff up. What do you think I should say when I call?"

"Follow up on your reserve weekend duty that's coming up."

Cassie sighed and picked up the phone.

"Naval Reserve Center. This is Petty Officer Mercado speaking."

Cassie gulped. "Um, Petty Officer Mercado, this is Littleton."

"Hi, Littleton. What can I do for you?"

"Well, being it's my first duty weekend, what time should I report to Sharpe Depot?"

"I thought that we already had gone over this. You really need to write these things down."

Cassie could sense the frustration is Mercado's voice. She was told by others in the command that Mercado absolutely hated stupid people, and she was beginning to feel as if she was becoming one of them by asking the question she really did know the answer to. "I know, sir. I'm terribly sorry. I forgot."

"You need to report by 0:700 hours, Saturday morning."

"Thank you, sir. Oh, because I already have you on the phone, if you don't mind me asking, how are things with your ex-wife and Catherine?"

"My ex-wife, Kristee moved to Reno over the weekend. As far as Catherine, I want nothing more to do with her. I hate liars; it's something I will not tolerate."

"Well, sir. I guess I better be going. It's almost time for me to go home and call it a day. I'm so sorry about your ex and Catherine. I'll speak to you soon. Goodbye."

Cassie heard the call disconnect on the other end. She grabbed her purse and started to walk by Heather when her office phone rang.

"Do you want me to get that?" Heather asked.

"Nah, I'll answer it." Cassie walked to the front of her desk and answered the call. "San Jose Live, this is Cassie speaking."

"Littleton, this is Mercado, uh, I mean Danny."

"Hi, sir. I mean, Mercado. How did you get my office phone number?'

"It's in your paperwork. I'm looking at your file right now. Now that I have you back on the phone, I was wondering if maybe you might want to join me for a movie sometime..."

Cassie's mouth dropped open in utter shock! She looked at Heather, giving her a thumbs-up, and a big smile.

"Sure, a movie would be nice. When would you like to go?"

"Well, how about we meet at your office on Monday, and I'll treat you to lunch so we can discuss it?"

"Sounds wonderful. Do you know how to get to San Jose Live's administrative offices?"

"No, just tell me. I'm sure it's not difficult."

"Take the elevator to the top floor. You won't need the code after 9:00 a.m. You'll see a set of stairs off to the right; I'll be in the office at the top of the stairs."

"Perfect! I'll see you at 11:45."

"Looking forward to it," Cassie said, hanging up the phone.

"Oh my God, Heather! That was Danny. He's taking me to lunch on Monday!"

"See...all you needed was to make that one phone call, and the plan is in motion."

"Thank you, thank you, H."

"Anytime! Glad I could help."

***

Cassie pulled into the apartment parking lot and saw her Porsche. "That's odd," she mumbled. "Jack shouldn't be home yet."

When she entered her apartment, she was shocked to see all of Jack's things, gone. She tossed her purse onto the sofa and immediately went to his bedroom. She swung open the door and saw all of the linens stripped from his bed and his closet, bare. She ran into the kitchen, hoping that he had left a note on the table. Nothing. She dialed his cell phone number and got a recording that his number had been disconnected. "Fuck!" She dialed the number to his office.

"Excite Search and Media. This is Melanie. How can I help you?" the receptionist asked.

"Melanie, can you transfer me to Jack Devon please?"

"I'm sorry. Jack was transferred to our office in Los Angeles."

"What? I wasn't aware of this."

"Yes, ma'am. He left on the 1:00 flight this afternoon."

"Can I have his cell phone number?"

"I'm sorry. I can't give out personal information. I can give you his office number. He will be there on Wednesday."

Cassie quickly grabbed a pen and a post-it. "Please, give me that number."

"It's 310-555-4523 extension 74."

"Thank you, Melanie. You're a lifesaver!"

Cassie walked hurriedly toward the sofa and stuffed the post-it in her purse. She sat, propping her feet up on the coffee table, and was deep in thought. She went over the event in her mind when Jack had kissed her, assuming that was the reason why he fled to Los Angeles so abruptly. She understood that he was extremely confused of who he was. After Cassie thought even harder, she realized that all of the pieces of the puzzle started fitting into place. How he looked at her when she was half-naked in front of him, the comments that she had made about if he wasn't gay what she would do to him, how she shoved Dillon's relationship in his face, not to mention the new man who may be in her life. Yes, she knew she had hurt him, and she was going to allow him some space to figure it out. She would not call him. She suspected when the time was right for Jack, he would contact her.

Cassie rested her head on the arm of the sofa and sobbed for hours. Jack was her best friend. She felt as though a part of her life was ripped apart. Her heart hurt. God! How she missed him already. Curling herself into a fetal position, she cried herself to sleep.
Chapter Fifteen

The guard waved Cassie through the security gate at Sharpe Depot. The base was huge and Cassie had no clue where to go. She drove around aimlessly, hoping to see someone who she recognized, but had no luck. Finally, pulling into a parking spot outside of a big warehouse, she stepped from her car, dressed in her working, white uniform. How she hated that uniform. She reminded herself of Popeye when she wore it and the neckerchief alone made her gag every time she looked in the mirror. The white pants were see-through. They had a lining, but the lining looked as though she was wearing white boxer shorts underneath.

She entered the cold, large building and saw no one. As she walked toward the back, she spotted a set of stairs that led to an office with nothing but windows. Climbing the stairs, she saw a lieutenant seated at the desk. Cassie knocked on the door.

"Come in," the lieutenant said.

"Hi, I'm Petty Officer Littleton. I'm looking for Unit 55," she said as she saluted.

"I'm Lieutenant Lee." He stood, saluting, and then extended his hand. "You're in the right place. The others haven't arrived yet. Here, please have a seat." He pushed out a chair from a table near the door.

"Nice to meet you, sir." She shook his hand and took a seat.

"So, you drove all the way from San Jose I hear?"

"Yes, sir. I just arrived."

"You didn't come in last night with the others?" he questioned. "They slept over in the barracks across the street."

"No, but I'll be sure to do that next time."

"Have you checked-in at the barracks, yet?"

"No, sir."

Lieutenant Lee stood. "Please, come with me. I'll help you settle in."

Lieutenant Lee was of Asian descent, having very smooth skin, was tall, and had black hair, deep brown eyes, and a sweet personality to boot. He didn't look a day over thirty, even though he was forty-five.

Cassie walked beside the lieutenant as he escorted her across the street. The inside of the building was the same haze-gray as any other building on a Navy base, the very color that Cassie despised.

The lieutenant opened a set of double doors that led to a stairway. At the top of the stairs was a lobby with a sofa, some chairs, and a television. On each side of the lobby were two large rooms. The lieutenant knocked on the door to the left and Martinez answered.

"Hi, Lieutenant, sir." Martinez saluted.

"Good morning, Martinez. I need you to show Littleton her bed, where the showers are, the kitchen, and anything else that you think would benefit her stay while she's here for the weekend."

"Yes, sir." Martinez held open the door for Cassie to enter.

When Cassie walked inside the room, it was humongous. It housed one-hundred and fifty twin beds. Martinez stood with her arms extended as if she were a game show host presenting merchandise. "Pick any bed you want. Well, one that is not occupied, of course."

Cassie chose a bed near the restroom. "It's so cold in here."

"I know. It's because the room is so large. We share the thermostat with the men across the hall. You know how men are...always hot, so they keep the thermostat at almost near freezing."

Cassie threw her duffle bag on the bed. "We have to be at the warehouse in fifteen minutes," Cassie said, looking at her watch.

"Lieutenant Lee won't care if we're late. He's probably shocked that you showed up thirty minutes early." Martinez laughed. "Let me show you where the showers are."

Cassie followed behind Martinez through the entrance that read, 'restrooms.' To the left was a large, open room with twenty shower heads. "We have to take showers in the open like this?"

"Yeah, a lot of us won't shower. When we're dismissed at the end of the day, we usually take a dip in the pool. Women don't like showering in front of me because I'm a lesbian. I don't know why. It's not like I find any of them attractive, anyway."

Cassie laughed. "We had more privacy on the ship when we showered. At least we had a curtain. It's set up like a prison in here."

"Well, we make the best of it. Where's the chit Mercado gave you? I'm curious to see our spending allowance."

Cassie walked to the bed that she had claimed and pulled the chit from her duffle bag. "Here," she said, handing the chit to Martinez.

"Looks like we have plenty. After dinner, we can all go to the movies tonight. Whatever you do, don't let Mercado know about this."

"How come?"

"He can be a real asshole. If he knew that we were using money to go to the movies, he'd decrease the allowance."

"Oh, I see. I don't think he's an asshole."

"You obviously haven't worked for him long enough."

"I'm going to marry that man someday."

Martinez almost choked on her chewing gum. "What?"

"I said, I'm going to marry him someday."

Martinez laughed. "Hey Vicki and Nanette! Get over here!"

The two women approached. Cassie noticed the patches that displayed their last names on their uniforms. Chen was on Vicki's light blue shirt and the name Patterson was on Nanette's.

"This is Vicki and Nanette," Martinez said as she introduced them.

"Hi, I'm Cassie."

"Nice to meet you," Nanette and Vicki said in unison.

"Likewise," Cassie said.

"What's so funny, Martinez?" Vicki asked. Vicki was short and of Asian descent with straight, black hair that barely touched her shoulders.

"Well, Cassie says she's going to marry Mercado one day." Martinez laughed.

"You like that asshole?" Nanette asked. She towered over Cassie with her short, brown, curly hair that was smashed down by her sailor hat.

"I guess you can say that if I'm claiming him to be my future husband." Cassie's tone was sarcastic.

"Well, good luck to ya. Come on, we need to head over to the warehouse," Vicki said.

***

Working in the warehouse was nothing but busy work for Cassie. The only thing she did was take inventory of machinery parts. The men in her unit were all older, at the point of retirement. Haskell was hilarious. He told many stories of his dreams of becoming a Hollywood screenwriter. He brought along casting magazines and read through them while he watched the others work. He was African American, short, and had a stocky build. He was cheerful and enjoyed making Cassie laugh. She was very comfortable around him, taking to him quite easily.

Kessler was African American and very tall. His gray, curly hair, which used to be black, was thinning to the point of baldness. His personality was protective. He was very guarded and for some reason, took it upon himself to shadow Cassie. He seemed hell-bent on keeping her from getting into trouble and enjoyed giving her advice, hoping to steer her in the right direction regarding the conversation that they shared about Mercado. He told her of Mercado's past, explaining to her that he wasn't necessarily a bad man, but he was very orderly, and he went through a very nasty divorce. Also, he had some hostility about the war in Desert Storm. Although Mercado would never speak of what had happened over there, everyone knew that he had killed a large number of people, and he mainly kept quiet about his experience.

The lieutenant stayed upstairs in his office and the unit rarely saw him. He kept mostly to himself. He was a Palo Alto attorney and brought his case files to work on while he was on reserve duty. He knew Dillon personally, and knew that Cassie was his ex-fiancé, but he never brought up their relationship, never pried into her personal business, and allowed her to do whatever she wanted while on duty. All that mattered to the lieutenant was everyone showing up for attendance.

That evening, the entire unit, including the lieutenant, ate dinner at Red Lobster. Afterward, they went to the movies. Cassie rode with Kessler in his Ford F-150. They arrived at the barracks before midnight.

Kessler parked the truck, turned off the ignition, and shifted his weight toward Cassie. "I know you have a lunch date with Mercado on Monday."

"Who told you?" she asked.

"Martinez."

"Yes, I do. I'm looking forward to it."

"Just be very careful. Although I only know him through the Navy, he's known to be a very angry person. Don't get me wrong, I respect him as do so many others, but he has a very short temper."

"You don't think he's violent, do you?"

"Oh no, not at all. He's just, well...how can I put this? He's not a very sensitive person."

Cassie had been relieved to hear that he wasn't violent. The last thing she wanted was to relive the horrific nightmare of Tudor and her marriage. "Don't worry about me. I can take care of myself."

Kessler dropped his head, shaking it, laughing. "Yes, I know you can handle yourself. I know of your reputation back in Afghanistan."

Cassie thought to herself that if he were aware of her reputation, then he must know of the prostitution.

"Reputation?" she questioned.

"Yes, you're spoken of quite highly."

Cassie opened the passenger door and jumped from the truck. "Whew!" She exhaled, relieved that he didn't bring up her being a dominating mistress.

Cassie met the other females in the barracks, grabbed her pajamas from her duffle bag, turned on the water in the shower, and waited for it to heat up. The shower room was open and cold. Wrapping a white towel around her, she waited for the water to become scalding hot before entering.

Finally, she unwrapped the towel from around her and placed it on a bench directly outside the shower room. She stood underneath the trickling water thinking about Jack, Danny, and Dillon. She concentrated always best in the shower or bath and it helped her become in the most relaxed state. She imagined what her and Danny's lunch date would entail, wondering if it would be strictly business about speaking of the plans on her two-week deployment, or perhaps, beginning a new relationship. She was heeded so many warnings about Danny, but she didn't care. She knew what her heart felt and knew she trusted that more than any words that came from the mouths of people she had just met.

After rinsing the shampoo from her tresses, she shut the water off, grabbed her towel and dried her hair. Entering the dark room filled with beds, she tried her best not to awaken anyone, and silently slipped underneath the blankets and drifted off to sleep.
Chapter Sixteen

"He's here!" Heather announced loudly, seeing Danny pull into the parking garage as she vigilantly watched the surveillance camera. Heather arrived at work early just to meet him.

"How do you know it's him?" Cassie asked. "You've never seen him."

"Well, you said that he drives a blue Cobra Mustang, and judging by the rarity of that specific model, I'm assuming it's him."

Cassie laughed. "You're probably right! Ugh! I'm so freaking nervous." Cassie stood from her desk, fidgeting with the top button on her blouse, making certain that it was fastened as not to reveal too much cleavage.

Heather walked up to Cassie, grabbed the top of her shirt, and ripped the top two buttons free.

"What in the hell did you do that for!" Cassie exclaimed, watching the buttons hit the floor.

"You need to show him that you're available. Let him get a glimpse of the goods, it'll entice him more." Heather rushed back to her desk.

Cassie fumbled anxiously through her desk looking for a safety pin, but had no luck. Suddenly, she heard the door swing open and her heart nearly dropped to her stomach. She saw Petty Officer Mercado enter, wearing his short-sleeve Navy, working whites. God, he looked so handsome with his dark skin against the white fabric of the uniform. All the tattoos on his arms were totally exposed and Cassie was shocked to see the incredible detail.

Heather stopped Danny before he made his way down the hall toward Cassie's desk. "Hi, sir. May I help you?"

"I have a lunch appointment with Miss Littleton."

"She's straight down the hall," Heather said, pointing in the direction to Cassie's desk.

Cassie looked up from her computer and saw Danny standing in front of her desk. "Hi, Petty Officer Mercado." A toothy grin beamed from ear-to-ear.

"Call me Danny." He smiled.

Cassie stood, her white collared, button-down, long-sleeve blouse gaped open, revealing the top of her breasts. "Let's go over to Johnny Rockets. We can walk from here," she suggested.

Danny followed closely behind Cassie. Cassie walked by Heather's desk and smiled. Heather winked her approval and continued with her work.

Cassie and Danny exited from the main entrance of the club and walked through the pavilion side-by-side to the restaurant. Cassie couldn't stop staring at Danny's tattoos. They were deep green and looked like octopus tentacles on one arm, sleeved all the way down to his wrist. The forearm on his other arm displayed a tribal tattoo. On his bicep showed a skull that looked to be a pirate holding a knife between his teeth.

The hostess seated them in a booth. Cassie was the first to initiate the conversation. "Interesting tats, Danny," she said in a flirtatious tone.

"Oh, these?" He glanced down at his arms. "I always forget they're there."

"You forget you have them? I don't see how," she mumbled with a slight chuckle.

"I've had them for years. I've been thinking about getting this one colored in." He pointed to his sleeved arm.

"What exactly is that?"

Danny pushed his sleeve up over his shoulder. "This is an octopus. The tentacles go all the way down my arm, and are surrounded by ocean waves."

"Oh, now I see. It was hard to make out exactly what it was not seeing your shoulder."

"I have more that you can't see."

"Oh, really?" Cassie had become even more curious.

"I have a huge tribal tattoo across my back that stretches from each shoulder blade and a tattoo on my calf."

"Let me see the one on your calf."

Danny reached underneath the table, pulling up his pant leg. "See."

Cassie looked under the table and saw a purple tattoo of a sun and moon. She was mesmerized mainly by his large calf muscle. She had never seen anyone with a calf muscle so well defined. "Damn, Danny! How in the hell did you get such nice calf muscles?"

"I don't know. They are nice; though, aren't they?" He joked. "Maybe it's golf. I play a lot. Just finished up the Nike Tour a few months ago."

"A tattooed golfer? That's the first I've seen. So, you're a pro?"

"Well, I guess you could say that."

Their conversation was interrupted by the waitress who placed their food on the table. Cassie ordered a grilled cheese sandwich and fries and Danny ordered a chicken salad sandwich.

"This is the best chicken salad I've ever had." He dabbed the corners of his mouth with a napkin.

"You've never eaten here before?"

"No. This is the first time."

Cassie crossed her feet underneath the table and rocked them back and forth. She tried hard not to show how nervous she was, but she knew that Danny could sense it. "So, Danny, what is the reasoning behind this lunch?" Her subconscious repeated, "Invite me to a movie, invite me to a movie!"

"Well, I scheduled us for a two-week deployment next month. We're going on a ship that will be departing from San Diego."

Cassie sighed. "Another aircraft carrier? I was hoping it would have been a smaller boat."

"There's a lot more officers on an aircraft carrier. We need to get our point across to as many as we can."

"Point across?" Cassie questioned the statement.

"Yes. We need to rough them up, do something to them to let their wives know that they're being unfaithful. I hate cheaters and liars. It's so wrong what they made you do, Littleton. Don't you want revenge? I know you're capable of hurting them pretty badly if you put your mind to it." His voice was almost a whisper, but loud enough for her to hear what he was saying.

"Yes, I want revenge very badly. Won't we get in trouble if we disobey orders?"

"Leave that up to me. With my reputation, no one will ever defy me." He sounded so dark, but intriguing at the same time. It just drew Cassie in more.

"What do you mean, your reputation?"

"Let's just say that I have certain connections on the outside through my father."

"What kind of connections?"

"My father is said to have close ties with the Nation of Islam. I, myself have no ties, but it seems most of the people in the Navy believe that I do. Hell! I don't even know what in the hell the Nation of Islam does."

"I believe they're black supremacists. Is your father African American?"

Danny shook his head back and forth. "No, he's Filipino and Alaskan like me."

"How does your father have ties with that group?"

"I have no clue." He shrugged, taking a sip of his coke. "All I know is, when I enlisted over nine years ago, I almost didn't get accepted because I was arrested at one time for fighting. You can't join the military with a criminal record. Apparently, my father heard of it and made a few calls and within a few days, I was being whisked away to boot camp and officers were kissing my ass. I've eavesdropped on my dad speaking of the group, but I never really put two-and-two together until superiors in the Navy started acting intimidated by me."

"Now it all makes sense," Cassie said. "Not to change the subject, but my past isn't that great, either. Before joining the Navy, I was an exotic dancer." Cassie almost choked on her words, but knew that if she ever wanted a relationship with Danny, now was the best time as any to come clean about her past. "It was only for a couple of days, though."

"And only a couple of days make it right?" Danny teased.

"No...I'm not trying to justify it. I just don't want you thinking that I'm some kind of whore and I didn't want you to find out later on."

"Later on?" Danny relaxed back cockily against the seat and folded his arms. "Why would I care what you did in your past?"

Cassie didn't know how to answer that. She had already known in her mind that she would marry him, but he wasn't convinced that she was his soul mate quite yet. Cassie cleared her throat. "I mean, because you're my supervisor, I didn't want you to find out about it later, so I felt the need to come clean now."

"Ah, I see." He intuitively raised his dark, black, bushy eyebrows. "What else have you done? Any tattoos?"

"No, I have no tattoos."

"We can change that."

"No way! I am in no way, ever getting a tattoo."

Danny looked at his watch. "I guess I need to head back to the reserve center." He tossed a twenty dollar bill and a five on the table, and then stood. "C'mon, I'll go with you back to your office."

As they walked up the stairs to the admin office, he grabbed a hold of her hand. "Would you like to see a movie with me on Saturday?"

Cassie's pulse raced and blood rushed to her cheeks. Of course she wanted to see a movie with him. "Yes, that would be nice." With that, she entered her office and saw Heather seated at her desk with a big, wide grin plastered across her face.

"Okay, spill the beans!" Heather quickly followed Cassie to her desk.

Cassie placed her purse on the back of her chair and sat. "It was an interesting lunch to say the least."

"Well!"

"Well...he has a hell of a lot more tattoos than what you and I saw."

"Where?"

"Across his back and his calf. He showed me the one on his calf. Oh my gosh, H! He has the most gorgeous calves on a man I have ever seen. They're so big. He doesn't even work out. He said it's probably from playing golf."

"When are you seeing him again?"

"He's taking me to a movie on Saturday."

"He is a hottie."

"He sure is hot. The best part is, I think he's around my age. Not older like Dillon."

Cassie and Heather heard the door open. Cassie looked up, shocked at who was standing behind Heather. Heather spun around on her heel, seeing Dillon standing before her.

"Um, uh, Heather, this is Dillon Baron. Dillon, this is my assistant, Heather." Heather offered her hand to Dillon and he politely pulled her fingers to his lips and kissed her knuckles.

"Nice to meet you, Heather." He smiled.

"Likewise." Heather turned to face Cassie. "Um, Cass, I'm going to leave you two alone. If you need me, I'll be at my desk."

Dillon sat in the chair directly across from Cassie's desk and casually crossed his legs. "So, it's nice to see your office." He gazed around as if looking for something to ridicule her of.

"Why are you here?" Cassie appeared perturbed.

"I have a case at the San Jose courthouse in about an hour. I thought I'd drop by and see how you're doing. I assume this will be the only way I'll ever get to see you, being that you haven't given me your new phone number, or told me where you live."

Cassie admired Dillon in his fitted, tailored suit. His burgundy tie popped against the gray in his jacket and his Annick Goutal cologne was overwhelming. God! How Cassie missed his scent. "Yeah, right. Like you don't know where I live," she said, condescendingly. "You have GPS on my car."

"It's for your own good, Cassie. I did that only because I am afraid of you getting car jacked. You don't understand any of the things I do for you."

"Well, I'm taking my car to the dealership and will have them remove it."

"Suit yourself, but the reason that I came by was to see if you wanted to come over tonight."

Cassie gulped. "I-I can't."

"And why is that?"

"I have a lot of work to do. Jack moved to Los Angeles and I need to figure out what I'm going to do with the extra space."

"Moved? Why did he move to L.A.?"

"A job opportunity. His boss is offering him a full paid scholarship to college and an executive position with the company."

His demeanor became more sincere. "When will I ever hold you again, baby?" he whispered, hoping Heather couldn't hear.

"I don't know. It's complicated. I'm going on my final tour of duty in a few weeks."

"Another one? I thought it was over once you became a reservist."

"It's only two weeks. I'll be on an aircraft carrier departing from San Diego."

"Oh, God, Cass. Not another aircraft carrier. I'm worried about you! I know what you told me before about what happens at sea stays at sea. What if you're forced to do something that you don't want to do, again?"

"I can handle myself, Dillon. I will not allow anything to go wrong on the ship. Besides, we're not together anymore, so what does it matter to you?"

"Because I still love and care about you. Damn, Cassie! Will you ever fucking grow up?" He raised his voice. Dillon stood and walked swiftly to the exit. Cassie didn't try to stop him, she just allowed him to go on his angry rant.

"Wow! What was that about?" Heather asked, looking up from her desk in Cassie's direction.

"Just an overgrown baby throwing a temper tantrum is all. I guess he doesn't know how to react of being deprived of something that he can't have. He's a spoiled jerk. He always gets what he wants because of who he is, but not this time. I'm standing firm!" Cassie did the final touches to Mike's check-off list and placed it on his desk. "I'm calling it a day. I'll see you tomorrow."

Cassie left the office and went home to her apartment. What a busy day she had. It wasn't busy in the sense of work; it was busy because of juggling Dillon and Danny on the same day.

***

Cassie pulled on her jeans, put on a basic, black t-shirt, and black, Louboutin pumps. Her stomach was in knots as she waited for Danny to pick her up for their Saturday movie date. Finally, she heard the deep, throaty sound of a Cobra Mustang pulling into the parking lot. She rushed to the kitchen sink to get a quick drink of water to wet her parched throat, and then walked casually toward the door after she heard the tap of Danny's knock.

Cassie opened the door and saw Danny standing before her dressed in a navy blue, microfiber, V-neck pullover with a collared polo that peeked from beneath. He showed off his gorgeous, well-defined calves in a pair of khaki, knee length shorts, and tennis shoes. "Well, hi there, petty officer." She emphasized petty officer.

"Nuh uh, I told you to call me Danny," he said, staring at her breasts in the fitted t-shirt. Cassie knew that he was staring at her boobs and she relished at the fact.

"Did you want to come in for a drink?"

"The movie starts in about an hour, so I think we should leave now to get a good seat."

Cassie grabbed her Gucci clutch and locked the door. She walked beside Danny to his Cobra. "Don't you dare touch that handle!" he shouted, grasping the handle and opening the door for her.

"Well, Danny, aren't you quite the gentleman?"

"When you're with me and not on duty, you will never open a door."

Cassie slid onto the black, leather seat and found the button underneath the chair to push her chair forward. When Danny sat inside, she could smell his cologne, which was a sexy scent. "What is that cologne you're wearing?"

"Lacoste. Why? You like it?"

"It smells really nice." Cassie relaxed back in her seat, taking in another deep breath.

Danny turned on the radio and Amii Stewart's song, 'Knock on Wood' from the seventies blared through the speakers.

"I see you like seventies disco." Cassie smiled.

"This album is the best!"

"If you don't mind me asking, how old are you, Danny?"

"Twenty-eight."

Cassie had been relieved that he was around the same age as she. The only other man she had ever dated around her age was Randall. Her ex-husband was much older than she, along with Dillon.

The car ride had been a little tense. Neither really said anything, just a few questions here and there. Upon arrival at the movie theater, Cassie waited for Danny to open the car door for her. She grabbed her purse and she and Danny went inside the theater.

"Let's sit in the very back," Cassie suggested.

"Why all the way in the back?" Danny asked, puzzled.

"It's where I always sit. You don't have to worry about people kicking the back of your chair."

"You save my seat and I'll get us some popcorn and drinks."

Cassie sat and placed her purse in Danny's seat. She felt as though she was in high school all over again by accompanying Danny on a movie date. When she went to the movies with Randall, they never even watched it. They always made-out in the back row. Now, Cassie wondered if she would be making-out with Danny.

She saw him walking up the steps toward their seat. She moved her purse and he sat. The lights dimmed and the movie started. Cassie took a sip of her Coke and ate a little bit of popcorn. Her heart was beating so rapidly, she assumed that Danny could hear the loud thumps from her chest. She inhaled deeply and propped her feet up on the vacant chair in front of her. Danny placed his arm around Cassie and she felt numb. He looked over and smiled. Cassie leaned her head upon the nook of his armpit and fell asleep.

When the movie was over, Danny lightly tapped Cassie on the cheek. "Hey, the movie's over. Did you have a nice nap?" he whispered, smiling.

Cassie blinked her tired eyes and smiled warmly. "Yes, Danny. I did. Thank you."

He extended his hand and pulled her up from her seat. Wrapping his arm around her, he led her to the parking lot. With a quick glance, he saw Catherine's car parked in the distance and she was seated in the driver's seat. "Fuck! That crazy bitch followed me here!"

"Who?"

"Catherine! C'mere." He held tightly onto her hand and ran through the parking lot to his car. He pushed the button on the remote and the doors unlocked. Swinging open the door, he allowed Cassie to climb in first. He rushed his way around the car, jumped in, slammed and locked the doors, and then took off, burning rubber in his wake.

As he floored his way up the ramp of the 101, Danny looked constantly in his rear-view mirror to see if Catherine was following behind. "Damn! That crazy cunt! I wish she would stop stalking me. Now, she saw you and me together and she's going to go straight to the commanding officer about it! Shit! I can be demoted!"

"Don't worry about that. I have a plan. The last I spoke to her, she asked me to try to get you guys back together. I can tell her that's what I was working on."

"But it's a lie. Don't lie, Cass."

Cassie was slammed back into her seat as he accelerated faster down the freeway. "How fast is this thing? Jeez! Every time you pull off like that, I feel as though I'm going to have an orgasm in my pants!" She laughed. "I get a sharp stinging feeling in my groin!"

"Is that right?" He looked over, slyly.

Cassie nodded, crouching down into her seat.

They made it to Cassie's apartment and rushed through the door, laughing. "That was one hell of a ride, Mr. Mercado." Cassie teased, walking toward the refrigerator to get a bottle of wine. "Would you like a glass?" She held up two wine glasses.

"No, thank you. I don't drink."

"Are you some kind of recovering alcoholic?"

"No, just never cared for the taste."

Cassie plopped down on the sofa next to him. He placed his hand in hers. Cassie sensed a slight moistness in his palm. He was nervous, she could tell. She knew exactly how to make him feel more comfortable, so she leaned in, stared into his deep brown eyes, and inched her lips close to his. She kissed him tenderly and as she attempted to pull away, he cupped his hand behind her head and held her lips to his. As their tongues danced inside each other's mouth, she began running her hands through his thick, jet-black hair. His hair was course, but smooth. He kissed her neck, cupping her breast with his palm, and she knew it was leading to where she wasn't ready to go. She pulled away quickly. "Danny." She panted. "I can't go any further. Well...not now."

"You initiated the kiss." He smiled.

"That's all I wanted...a kiss."

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to be so forward."

"It's alright. I think we need to get to know each other a little better before we go any further. This is our second date."

"I understand." He stood, grabbing his keys off the coffee table. "Can I call you tomorrow?"

"Yes, I'd like that." Cassie followed Danny to the door where he kissed her goodnight on the cheek.

"Drive carefully," she said as she watched him walk away.

Cassie went into her bedroom, kicked off her shoes, undressed, and put on her pajamas. She climbed into bed and thought of Danny. "Damn! He has the softest lips," she said to herself. She heard her phone indicate a text message. It read, "I had a great time. Thank you. Dream about me =)" The text was from Danny.
Chapter Seventeen

While waiting inside Hangar One at Moffett for the flight to San Diego, Cassie saw Gandison approach as she sat in a metal, fold-up chair.

"Hey—hey Littleton! Wow! Haven't seen you in a while. What are you doing here?"

"I'm waiting on my supervisor and we're taking a flight to San Diego for my two-week tour. It's nice to see that you've recovered well."

"My boys will have the plane ready in a jiffy. The AE is finalizing some things and then you'll be set to go."

Cassie looked from the hangar entrance and saw Mercado walking toward her. She had the biggest grin plastered across her face.

"Damn!" Gandison shouted. "I haven't seen you smile like that in a long time."

"Oh, stop." She playfully slapped his arm. "You're being silly."

"Hi there, Littleton. Are ya ready for our trip?" Mercado asked, standing before her in his blue, dungaree uniform.

"Yes, sir. Wow! You sure make that hideous uniform look good." She flirted.

"Well, the plane's ready to board. You're welcome to go head and get on," Gandison said.

Mercado smiled, threw Cassie's duffle bag along with his over his shoulder, and escorted her to the plane.

Cassie pulled down on her jump seat, sat and strapped herself in. Mercado sat beside her.

"God, Danny. I hate flying onboard C-130's. I get so sick."

He grabbed her hand. "It's okay. Did you take any medicine?"

"Yes, I just hope it works."

"You're going to love what I got for our revenge session." He relaxed back against his seat and displayed a snide grin.

"What did you get?"

"You'll see, just you wait," he responded, mysteriously.

The plane approached the tarmac and prepared for its take-off. Cassie clutched onto Mercado's thigh and squeezed tightly as the plane ascended into the air. The loud roar and vibrations of the engines lulled Cassie to sleep and she rested her head on Mercado's shoulder during the entire flight.

Finally, Danny gently shook Cassie, alerting her awake to prepare for landing. She blinked her tired eyes at Danny and he returned a smile. When the plane came to a stop, she and Danny stood, and disembarked down the steps. The salty, sea scent in the air to Cassie was all too familiar. Taking her back to that day when she first boarded the aircraft carrier and her prostituting days began. It would be different this time. She could feel it, and took comfort knowing that Danny would protect her.

"We need to put our dress whites on before we board the vessel," Danny said, handing Cassie her duffle bag.

Cassie grabbed her bag and went into a restroom to dress in her uniform. How she hated that hat. She didn't mind the white, sailor covers too much because there was enough space in the top for her French twist to fit, but the formal hats were a different story. Finally, she managed to tame the hat down on her head, and secure it with a few bobby pins in case her French twist didn't behave itself.

She exited the bathroom and saw Danny standing in his uniform, looking as gorgeous as ever. "He is the best looking man I've ever seen wearing that uniform," she mumbled as she walked toward him with a big smile.

"You ready?" he asked.

She inhaled a deep breath. "Yeah, I'm ready."

Two hours later, the ship pulled away from the dock, and the sailors disappeared to their racks. Cassie chose a top bunk. She didn't want to run the risk of getting puked on when someone returned from a night out of partying. As she relaxed back in her bed, she couldn't help but feel the uneasiness about the last time she was onboard, how it reminded her way too much of Tudor, and she hated thinking of him. Although she tried her best to put the past behind her, she still couldn't shake the thought of him from her mind. She never hated anybody until she went through the hell that Tudor put her through while they were married. She despised that man with a passion and only wished that she would be getting revenge on him. An evil grin swept over her face, envisioning the pain that she would love to inflict upon him. What would she do given the chance? Perhaps tie him to a pole and kick him in the balls. She shook her head, thinking. "Nah, that's too easy." Maybe do what her friend in boot camp did to a rapist...strip him down naked and light a firecracker in his asshole. Regardless, she wanted revenge on him, but knew it would be impossible because of the no-contact order. Just never seeing him again was enough for her.

Lying there, looking up at the ceiling, she knew that it was only a matter of time before an officer approached her for her services. She only wondered what Mercado's plan could be.

She slid down from her rack and dressed in her dungarees and got ready for dinner. She knew she would be dining with Mercado, so she tried her best to look as flattering as she could in that hideous uniform. The jeans had insanely huge bellbottoms and the light blue, button-down, short-sleeve shirt was indeed quite ugly as well, not to mention the horrid, black, lace-up ankle boots she had to wear with it. Thankfully, being indoors, she didn't have to wear her hat.

Two other girls entered the room and were laughing at some kind of inside joke Cassie assumed.

"Hi, I'm Littleton...um...well, you can call me Cassie. Nice to meet you."

One girl's face went quickly from a huge grin to seriousness when she knew exactly who Cassie was. "Hi, I'm Castillo...Kady Castillo," she said, her big, brown eyes widened. She was a skinny girl, appeared to weigh only one-hundred pounds, and had jet-black hair that was rolled up into a tight bun.

The other girl interrupted. "And I'm Martin. Shelley Martin." Shelley's large, pointy nose was a bit distracting, but her overabundance of makeup did a good job of disguising how large it actually was. She was a little on the husky side, built as if she lifted weights. Her short, red-hair, boy-cut wasn't very flattering, either. The word "lesbian" ran through Cassie's mind. Not that it mattered, but after being friends with so many gay people, she inherited her very own gaydar.

"You gals wanna join me in the mess hall for dinner?" Cassie asked.

"We had already eaten before we came on board. We're going to head over to the gym and get a workout in before lights-out." Kady stripped down to her bra and panties, reached into her bag, and grabbed her gym clothes.

"Alright, I'll see you at lights-out." Cassie closed the door behind her.

She entered the mess hall and saw no one who looked familiar. She drooped her head while attempting to peek from the top of her lashes, hoping not to make any eye contact with the males onboard the ship. She knew if she looked accidentally in the direction of an officer, she was had. It was so routine, as if they all knew a secret code on what to look for when seeking out the services of Mistress Cassie.

Cassie saw an empty table and took a seat. She sat and waited for Mercado, but there was no sign of him. Placing her hands in her front pockets, she propped her feet casually on the chair across from her, and slouched down against the back of her seat. She seemed so cowardly, but those who knew her had been well aware that she was someone dangerous to mess with.

Suddenly, within a flash, a young, twenty year old guy took the seat across from her, nearly sitting on her feet. "Hey, you're that chic...that um, that chic." He snapped his fingers incessantly as if it would jog his memory. "C'mon, help me here!"

Cassie rose in her seat. "I'm sorry; I don't know what you're getting at." She knew. She just got tired of having always to explain herself.

"Dammit!" Suddenly, the answer came to him. "Petty Officer Littleton!"

"Duh, you idiot! It's patched onto my shirt, dumbass!"

"I remember hearing about you in Afghanistan."

Cassie rolled her eyes. "Who the fuck hasn't?"

"Wow! What's with the 'tude?"

"None of your fucking business. Would you mind leaving me be, please?"

"Well, I guess I better before you kick my ass, too!" He stood, slammed his chair underneath the table, and walked toward another table that was filled with other male sailors.

Still with no sign of Mercado, Cassie sighed and walked over to get a plate from a bin. "Still the same ole' slop, I see," she said to a sailor who was standing behind the glass, spooning food onto everyone's plate.

"Nope, never changes," the tall, slender, African American E-2 said. "Have you been on this boat before?"

"Not this particular one."

"What do ya do?" he asked.

"I'm a yeoman. She looked at his shirt and saw his last name displayed as Conroy. "Well, it was nice to meet you, Conroy." Suddenly, two hands covered her eyes. "Guess who?" the male voice asked.

Cassie removed his hands and turned around. "Thank God you're here!"

"Why, what's the problem?" Danny asked.

"See those guys over there?" Cassie motioned with her head indicating the direction of where the guys were sitting.

"Yeah."

"Well, as soon as I got here, one of them plopped his ass down at my table and started rambling on and on about Afghanistan. I'm sick of it!"

Mercado laughed. "Is that all? Come here, let's go sit." He grabbed her tray of food and carried it to the table. "I'll be right back. I'm going to grab something to eat myself."

Cassie's back faced the guys who constantly ogled her. She just wanted to eat a simple meal without the stares. Finally, Mercado sat across from her, and started eating his dinner.

"Have any officers approached you yet?" he asked.

"Not yet, but I've only been to my rack and here."

"I predict someone will approach you before the night's end. I can feel it."

"Well, what do you want me to do?"

"Exactly what you would normally do in that situation. Just let me know where you're going to meet, so I know to be there before you and he get there."

"Danny, what do you plan on doing?" Cassie fidgeted nervously with her hands. She was a bit uneasy, but felt secure of Mercado's plan because of his confidence.

"Just put it this way, those men will be branded for life." He sat back against the seat with a smug grin on his face. He tilted his head to the side, starting to appear sincere. "Are you scared?"

Cassie wanted to say yes, but the words couldn't escape her lips because she didn't want to seem weak. "No. I've dealt with much worse." But Cassie lied; she was in fact, scared. She was afraid of the consequences of Danny's plan. "Please tell me what you're going to do." She pleaded.

"Don't worry about it." He took a bite of his cheeseburger. "Trust me, Cass. I know that we don't know each other very well, but you can trust me." His deep brown, piercing eyes gazed into hers across the table. Something about the story his eyes told was spellbinding, as if he were putting her into some kind of relaxed, hypnotic trance that she had no control over. Those eyes...the deep, dark, brown eyes... "When you schedule your first appointment, come get me at my rack."

Cassie took one final sip of her iced tea. "Okay, I will let you know." She stood and grabbed her tray from the table.

Mercado grabbed her hand before she walked away. "It might go quicker if you wander around before returning to your sleep quarters."

Cassie walked away and tossed her leftover food in the trashcan. What was Danny planning? Be branded for life? What kind of sick, twisted game does this guy intend on playing? Nonetheless, Cassie knew whatever it was couldn't be any worse than what she had endured before.

She made her way up to the second deck and walked around aimlessly, hoping to run into someone. The quicker it happens, the quicker it's over. She prayed these two weeks would fly by. Would it only take one officer to scare the others? She had no idea, but she knew that Danny wouldn't stop until he believed it finally was over. She admired his dedication and also knew that if anything went awry during a session, he would be there to help fend off an angry officer.

Continuously, she paced along the second deck with her head hung low, staring at her feet as she walked. While attempting to make her way up to the hangar deck, she suddenly ran right smack into a lieutenant. "Oh, sir! I'm terribly sorry!" She could see that she left an imprint of her lipstick on his white, uniform shirt.

"Is this the first time you've seen me today?" he asked, his voice very low and authoritative.

"Um...I believe so." She pulled a tissue from her pocket, attempting to wipe the lipstick stain from his uniform, but it only smeared more.

"Then you salute an officer!"

Cassie took an immediate step back and saluted. "So sorry, sir."

A snide grin formed on his face and his eyes went wide with curiosity. "Petty Officer Littleton, I see." His strong gaze held at her patch that displayed her name, eagle, and a chevron stripe on her sleeve. "So glad we finally meet."

Cassie knew this was it, knowing what he wanted, knowing this would be her first victim. "Yes, Lieutenant, sir—um, I mean Lieutenant Briar, sir."

"Follow me to the chapel, no one will be there. I must have a word with you."

"Holy shit!" Cassie screamed inside. "Does he want a session now? Oh my God! How will I get to Danny?" she asked herself. Cassie looked up and smiled. "Very well, sir."

She followed closely behind the lieutenant to the deck below, paying close attention to his body structure, wondering if he were too strong for her to fend off if she had to. He was very tall, six-feet four, and weighed almost two-hundred and thirty pounds. He was a big man, blond with blue eyes. His face wasn't very appealing as it was filled with acne scars from when he was a child. "Too bad he couldn't grow a beard." She thought, assuming a beard would disguise his flaws and make him more attractive.

As they made the final turn down the hallway toward the chapel, Cassie nerves got the best of her. She could hear her stomach growling and she kept slapping it, hoping to tame the sound.

Briar slung open the chapel door, holding it ajar so Cassie could enter before him. The entrance was so tight; she couldn't help but brush up against him when she went inside.

"Have a seat," he instructed.

Cassie took a seat in one of the empty pews, Briar sat beside her. He leaned in and whispered, "How much for a session?"

"Not tonight. I'm not ready," she said, swallowing the large lump in her throat. She placed her hands on her waist, squeezing her stomach tightly, trying her best to quiet the growls emanating from within.

"No, of course...not tonight." His expression showed eagerness, like a child on Christmas morning.

"One-hundred dollars."

"Perfect! Are you free tomorrow night?"

"I have duties, sir."

"Well, hell, I can get you out of that. What do ya say? Tomorrow night at, uh...let's say 20:00 hours?" His eagerness was alarming.

"Where do you want this to take place?"

"There's an empty room down the hall from here. Just go straight down the corridor, the third door on the right."

Cassie inhaled deeply. "Okay, I'll see you at eight tomorrow night."

"Looking so forward to it. Oh, and by the way," he said as Cassie stood to leave. "I like being tit slapped."

"Tit slapped?" she asked. "What the hell is that?"

"I want you to slap me in the face with your huge, perfect mounds."

Cassie almost busted out laughing, but managed to keep control of her emotions. "If that's what you want, that's what I'll do." She walked from the chapel and went down the corridor and strolled by the empty room where she was to meet the lieutenant the next evening.

Cassie pounded on the door to Mercado's rack. A nerdy guy answered and she asked him to find Danny. She stood in the hallway and waited anxiously.

He finally came into the hall. "Alright, Danny. I got one for us. Lieutenant Briar. He wants me to meet tomorrow night at 20:00 hours. There's an empty room three doors down from the chapel. Please tell me you'll be there."

"I wouldn't miss this for the world!"

"You're not on duty tomorrow?"

"I have duty all day tomorrow, get off at seven."

"Oh, and get this." Cassie busted out laughing. "Oh my God, I don't think I can even say it." She laughed harder.

"What is it?" He pulled her into his broad chest trying to muffle her laughter. "Calm down."

"He said that he wants to be tit slapped!"

"What the fuck? There are some sick bastards out there. How gross is that?"

"Trust me. After the stuff I've experienced, it's actually not so bad."

"What stuff?"

"Well, one Navy SEAL liked pies thrown at him as he sat naked in a bathtub. Another guy liked being beat to hell with a cane. Oh, and I can't forget the looner," she said, still laughing.

"What the fuck is a looner?"

"It's someone who gets off on watching a woman blow up balloons and popping them until he reaches an orgasm."

"That's some twisted ass shit!" Danny looked down, shaking his head back and forth. "You will never have to deal with that ever again, I promise you." With that, he looked down the hall in both directions, making certain no one was watching, and kissed her softly on the lips. "Now get to bed." He smiled, playfully smacking her behind.

Cassie returned to her dreaded room that was filled with sixty beds. It was impossible to achieve a goodnight's rest with all the coughing, snoring, and chit chatting from all the girls in their racks. She reached underneath her pillow, pulled out a pair of earplugs, and placed them in her ears. It didn't necessary drown out all the noise, but it helped quiet things a little bit better. Placing a satin mask over her eyes, she finally drifted off to sleep.

***

Cassie, dressed in her dungarees, knocked on the door of the vacant room that was down the corridor from the chapel. The door opened with the help of the lieutenant and she entered. In the room was a small desk and a single chair. Behind the desk was a door to another room. Cassie glanced quickly around the room, hoping to find Danny, but he was nowhere. Her heart began to pound swiftly, beating hard against her ribcage. She felt as though she would pass out. Taking in a deep breath, she tried her best to relax before she heard the words come from the lieutenant's lips, "I've been looking forward to this, Mistress Cassie. You know what I like, get to it and remove your top," he ordered.

Reluctantly, Cassie placed her fingers at the top button of her light-blue shirt and unfastened it slowly. The second button was released. Briar licked his lips hungrily as he saw her white, lacy bra peek from the opening. His hand reached up to cup her breast, but she playfully smacked it away. "Not yet," she said in a teasing tone.

With the lieutenant's back facing the door to the unknown room, Cassie saw the doorknob take a slow turn. The door hesitantly cracked opened and Mercado crept from the room and stood silently behind Briar. In Danny's hand held an electrical device about twelve-inches in length and round like a cylinder. Suddenly, Danny's right hand that was held with a strip of duct tape, wrapped around Briar's mouth, taping it shut to prevent him for speaking. Cassie rushed Briar, clenched his hands with her right hand, wrapped her right foot behind Briar's feet, and pushed him forward, which caused him to fall backward against Danny. Once Danny stepped to the side, allowing Briar to hit the floor, Cassie pounced on top of Briar, and secured his arms underneath her knees as she straddled him.

"Hold this, Cass, but don't touch the tip. It's extremely hot!" Danny handed Cassie the electrical device.

"What is this?" Cassie looked at it inquisitively.

"It's an electric branding tool. I had it plugged in that room before you got here so it could get nice and hot." His head motioned toward the room he had hid in. "We're going to strip this pervert down and you're going to zap him on the inside of his thigh with it."

Cassie looked at the tip of the branding tool and saw her initials, C.L.

"I'll hold him down while you remove his pants."

As Cassie stood, Danny held Briar's hands above his head. Briar started flailing his legs about trying his best not to allow Cassie to remove his khaki uniform slacks.

"Quit moving around so much or I'll zap you in the face with this!" She gritted her teeth as the words came out. She unfastened his belt, unbuttoned his slacks, and pulled his pants down to his knees along with his boxers.

"Do it! Do it now, Cass!" Danny exclaimed.

Cassie knelt between Briar's thighs and spread his legs apart with the force of her knees. Clenching the branding tool in her hand, she was ready to brand her initials into his flesh.

"Do it now! Before it cools down!" Danny continued to coach.

Cassie located a nice, delicate part of his skin and pressed the branding tool forcefully to his inner thigh, next to his scrotum. Briar tried kicking, but Cassie's legs had a hold on him that she learned from her martial arts class, not allowing him to budge.

"There, you asshole! Explain that to your wife!" Danny said directly into Briar's ear. And my name is Petty Officer Mercado. You know who I am and what I'm capable of. You better not say anything to anyone on this cruise about what had just happened because we're not finished. We have a few more perverts to take care of."

Briar looked at Cassie with tears streaming down his face. Cassie pulled her hand back and landed a hard smack across his cheek, then folded her hands together, intertwining her fingers, and plunged her double fisted hand into Briar's chest. His legs lifted slightly off the floor with the sharp blow.

Cassie wrapped the cord around the branding tool, handed it to Danny, and then buttoned up her shirt. "Are we done here?" she asked.

"Yes, we're through." Danny gave a stern glare to Briar as he still lay on the floor. "I mean it, not a word." Before Danny reached the door, he remembered something else that he wanted to say. "By all means, speak of this when you're off the cruise, but there better be no word of this until Littleton and I are off this ship. This is stopping here! No more taking advantage of enlisted females!"

Cassie and Danny left the room together and headed to the mess deck where they could talk and eat some dinner.

Cassie grabbed a turkey sandwich and sat with Danny at a table. The sailors talking amongst each other in the mess hall was loud, so they knew they could speak of what recently happened without having to be so secretive.

Cassie sat across from Danny and neatly placed a napkin on her lap. She stared down for a moment then looked at Danny. They both cracked an evil smile, which then, turned to laugher.

"It felt good...didn't it?" Danny asked. He chewed fast and showed a wide grin.

"You know, it really did!"

"You did an awesome job. I never saw a chic move so quickly and hold a man twice her size to the point where he couldn't move."

"I tell you, I'm a bit out of shape. That nearly took the breath right out of me! I need to run on the treadmill while I'm here." She laughed. "And what's with the branding tool? How in the hell did you come up with that idea?"

Danny sat back, crossed his right leg over his left knee, propping his elbows on the back of his chair, which displayed the broadness of his chest. "Well, it was either that or a tattoo. I wanted something permanent. I thought that the branding tool was the best choice." He seemed a tad cocky with his body language.

Cassie shook her head back and forth, staring down, and then tilted her head up just enough for Danny to see her eyes peek through her bangs. "Would you think less of me if I told you that I enjoyed it?"

"From what you've been through, Cassie, it wouldn't surprise me one bit! I must get back to my rack. Set up another appointment as soon as you can. We will wipe this ship clean from the scum on here." He stood with a half-crooked smile and revealed a tenacious wink.

Cassie's heart fluttered. She wondered if he had any idea how she actually felt about him. After the kiss back at her apartment, things seemed weird. She could tell he obviously took his job seriously and did not want anyone discovering their feelings for one another. Cassie took one final sip of her drink and went to her rack to get some sleep.

***

"Dammit, Mercado! Hold the bastard still!" Cassie ordered, trying her best to keep the Master Chief Petty Officer under control.

"I'm trying. He's too fucking feisty!" Mercado applied a blunt force of his elbow to the man's forehead.

"Now, look at what you've done! You've knocked his ass out!" Cassie yelled.

"Good! Now you can brand him. Brand him on his fucking face!" Mercado demanded.

Cassie held the electric branding tool in her right hand and pressed it hard into his forehead. "There! That's a beautiful job!" Cassie stood back, admiring her handy work. "Should we hang around until he wakes up?"

"No, leave him. Let's get the hell out of here!" Mercado grabbed the branding tool from Cassie's hand, shoved it in his bag, took her by the arm, and led her swiftly down the long corridor.

In the heat of the moment, Danny stopped suddenly and shoved Cassie up against the wall, forcefully kissing her. His fingers intertwined within hers, lifting her hands above her head as he rested himself against the front of her body. Cassie could feel his erection press into her hip. "Danny, we can't do this here! What if we're on camera?"

"Don't worry about that. No one would do anything to me anyway," he whispered.

Cassie pulled his hands down to his sides and moved away. "C'mon, we can't stay here. The Master Chief can wake up anytime and come down the hall. Let's get the hell out of here!"

Danny followed closely behind until they reached the library. Cassie sat, trying to catch her breath. "What were you trying to do to me back there?" Cassie asked.

Danny sat in a chair across from her. "I wanted you right there, Cass." Danny seemed a bit embarrassed of his comment, but he had no other way to explain his actions.

"Well, you should know before our relationship goes any further that I will not have sex with you until I know that you love me. That's the way I am. I only have sex with men who I love."

Surprised at her response, he looked at her with a wide smile. "Is that so?"

"Yes, that's so."

"So, you're telling me that the only men you have ever slept with are men who you have loved?"

Cassie appeared proud, but remembered Adam. "Yes. I can honestly say that I've only slept with three men in my life. My ex-fiancé who is deceased, my ex-husband, and Dillon."

"Three?" Danny questioned. "That's it?"

"Yes, that's it." She lied.

Danny loved a challenge. Hearing Cassie explain her minimal amount of sex partners excited him even more. He loved the fact knowing that she wasn't a common Naval whore like most females. He admired her, respected her, and began falling in love with her.

"How do you feel about me, Miss Littleton?"

Cassie threw her head back and laughed.

"What's so amusing?" he asked.

Cassie gazed at Danny. "Oh, it's nothing." She shrugged.

"Well, answer my question, then."

"How about you tell me how many women you have slept with?"

"Don't try to change the subject, my dear."

"I told you my number, now tell me yours."

"You don't need to know, Miss Littleton."

"Why, is it classified?" She joked.

"No, I'm not proud of it; therefore I won't divulge my magic number."

"Whatever," Cassie said, rolling her eyes, callously. "I'm tired, I'm going to bed."

"Well, give me a kiss before you leave," Danny said.

Cassie walked over toward Danny and bent down to kiss his soft lips. "Goodnight."

***

"This is our last one, Cass. Make it count!" Danny urged.

Cassie towered over the captain, holding a scalding cup of hot coffee. Pouring it slowly over his crotch, she watched him squirm in pain. She grabbed his cell phone and placed his hand on her breast as she snapped a picture so she could send to his wife, making certain it was the hand he wore his wedding ring on. Mercado held tight at the captain's shoulders, keeping him pinned to the floor. Cassie sat on his ankles, preventing him from kicking. "Get me the branding tool!" She ordered.

Mercado placed his knees upon the captain's shoulders, leaned back into the vacant room, grabbed the electric branding tool, and snatched it from the outlet. He handed the tool to Cassie. "Now, where would be a good place to do this?" she asked.

"I don't care where you do it, Cass. Do it now before it cools down!"

Cassie yanked the captain's khaki slacks down to his knees. She folded the waistband of his boxers, and planted the tool flush against the tender part of his skin.

"Ugh! It burns! Let me up! Get off of me, you fucking bitch!"

Danny backhanded the captain across his face. "Don't you ever speak to a woman like that! You worthless piece of shit!"

The captain was writhing in so much pain; it almost caused Cassie to lose her balance off his ankles. "You better make it abundantly clear to every fucking pervert on every ship in the Navy that we women are not putting up with this shit any longer. You will never know what some Naval gal has up her sleeve, but it will always leave you to wonder." With one final slap to the captain's face, Cassie collected herself and walked out the door with Danny.

"We need to hurry up and get our dress whites on. We're pulling into port soon," Danny said.

"Okay, I'll meet you on the flight deck as soon as I'm ready." Cassie fled to her rack.
Chapter Eighteen

Back at her apartment, Cassie tossed her green duffle bag onto the floor, and grabbed a bottle of water from the refrigerator. She plopped down onto the sofa and turned on the television. She scrolled through her phone and came across Diane's number and dialed.

"You're back from sea I see," Diane said, enthusiastically.

"Just got in from a flight from San Diego."

"How are you feeling? I know those cargo planes can get you motion sick."

"I'm okay. I took some medicine, which helped me sleep, so I'm fine."

"How did it go with Danny?"

"It was good. Went by way too fast, though. We never got to enjoy each other's company because of work." Cassie didn't want Diane to know exactly how Cassie "worked" on the ship.

"Did you want to go out tomorrow night?" Diane asked. "Thursday nights at Clinks has dollar well-brands."

"Sounds good, but let me check with Danny and see if he wants to come."

"Give me a call later and let me know," Diane said before disconnecting the call.

Cassie flipped through the channels on the television until she came to TMC and noticed that Breakfast at Tiffany's was on. She pulled a blanket over her and watched intently as she reminisced about the first time she saw that movie. She was in the hotel room in Orlando with Dillon. She tried to shake the memory from her mind, but was unsuccessful. In a way, she wanted to see him again, but in another way, she wanted to move on without him. She knew that he was no good for her. Yes, he could take care of her financially, but he couldn't give her the freedom that she desired. Danny, on the other hand, fulfilled her every need and want. He was gorgeous, highly respected, and didn't seem controlling at all. Best of all, they were closer in age. But the tattoos...how to get passed the tattoos...how can she introduce a man covered in tattoos to her parents? She hoped that her parents would overlook them. Danny was such a wonderful man and Cassie knew that from the moment she first set eyes on him. It was true love at first sight, she just wondered if Danny felt it, too. The moment she locked in on his jet-back hair, deep dark eyes, and caramel brown skin, she knew that they were destined to be together. She felt it through her entire core. Catherine would be an obstacle, though. Cassie knew that she had a challenge from the moment Catherine lied about her pregnancy. For a woman to lie about a pregnancy in order to keep a man must be insane. Cassie just didn't know what lengths Catherine would take to try to get Danny back, but Cassie knew that Danny didn't want anything to do with Catherine anymore. He hated crazy women. He made that abundantly clear. Cassie could see "crazy" in Catherine's eyes. From the start, something didn't quite set well with her. Cassie's intuition was almost always right; she just hoped the beefy gal would stay clear of him. Catherine wasn't an attractive woman by any means. Her frying pan pounded face was not easy on the eyes at all. She often wondered what Danny saw in her, leaving Cassie to question how attractive she was, but then again, Cassie knew that she was well above average when it came to looks. She could make an entire room full of people stand still when she entered. Men constantly hit on her, which pushed Dillon into his possessive and controlling state. Hell, she even turned a gay man straight!

Jack entered Cassie's mind. Not hearing from him had been torture. Her best friend just up and left without so much a word. She missed him dearly, but knew that she could never have a relationship the way that he wanted. The time apart was for the best. He needed time to sort out his life, which was finally heading in the right direction.

Cassie knew that she would be seeing Catherine at the reserve center the next day and she dreaded it. How will she keep Danny and her relationship a secret? How will Catherine react if she finds out about them? Catherine is already an unstable person; finding out about the relationship may throw her over the edge.

***

Before placing her purse on the desk, Cassie noticed an oily butt print on the surface. "What in the hell is this?" she hollered throughout the office, hoping someone from accounting heard her.

"What's the problem?" Nicole asked.

"Do you know what this is?" Cassie asked, pointing to the oil spot on her desk.

"There was a male revue last night. The entertainers dress up here in our office. I guess they sat on your desk." Nicole assumed.

"Gross! Where's the Lysol?" Cassie rushed to a file cabinet, frantically rummaging through the supplies trying to find a disinfectant. "There! Found it!" Cassie saturated her desk, ferociously wiping it with a paper towel. "I'm not tolerating this shit!"

Nicole went back down the hall toward her office. Cassie sat at her desk, which reeked of Lysol as she strummed through her rolodex attempting to find the number of the company that the male revue worked for.

"Hi, this is Miss Littleton. I am the office manager for San Jose Live," she said through the receiver.

"How can I help you, ma'am?"

"When I arrived to work this morning, there was a greasy ass print on my desk. I know it was one of your guys who did this. If this happens again, I'm going to find some other company to perform here. Is that clear?"

"I will speak to them this evening. I'm very sorry about that."

"Thank you!" Cassie slammed down the phone.

A few hours later, Cassie looked up from her desk and saw a huge bouquet of pastel, multi-colored roses that concealed the identity of who had been holding them. The mysterious face peeked from the side with a big, wide grin.

Cassie stood and rushed over toward the colorful flowers. "Aw, Danny. They're absolutely gorgeous!"

Danny leaned down and kissed her on the lips. "I want to take you to lunch."

Cassie took the flowers and placed them on her desk. "Let me grab my purse!" Cassie grabbed her handbag, took Danny by the hand, and he led her to his car. "Where are we going?" she asked, watching Danny slide into the driver's seat.

"Nordstrom has a nice café. I thought that we could eat there," he suggested.

"Okay, I have a man who just bought me two dozen roses, is taking me to an elegant lunch at a café, and he's covered in tattoos," she mumbled to herself. "You're so intriguing."

"Why do you say that?" he asked, shifting the car into third gear as they raced up the ramp of the 101.

"It's been a very long time since I've been wooed by a man."

"You mean Wine Man never wooed you?"

"He did in the beginning, but I guess once he thought he had me, it stopped."

"Well, it will never stop with me. You deserve the best, Cass. You're smart, brave, loyal, have good morals, something that is very rare in women this day and age."

Cassie grinned and placed her hand on Danny's right thigh. "Thank you."

As they sat at a tiny table by a window, Danny ordered their lunch, and scrolled through his cell phone, checking messages. He shook his head, dreadfully.

"What's the matter?" Cassie asked, taking a sip of ice water, and placing her napkin on her lap.

"It's Catherine. The bitch is insane. When I got home last night from our flight, she was sitting on my couch!"

"How did she get into your apartment? Did you give her a key?"

"That's the psycho part. She went through my fucking doggie door!"

Cassie slammed back against her chair and crossed her arms. "You can't be serious! How did her fat ass fit through there?"

"I had a big Golden Retriever before, so a human can fit through it with no problem." He laughed. "My ex-wife took my dog when she left for Reno."

"Aw, how sad. I'm so sorry about your dog."

"It's okay. Catherine told me last night that if I don't take her back, she's going to report me to the commanding officer for my divorce, and I will be forced to move out of base housing and rent an apartment or stay in the barracks. I have no idea why she would threaten such a thing because she's living on base too, rent-free after her husband left her. She lives three buildings down from me," Danny explained.

"She obviously doesn't think. I knew she was pretty stupid when she said that she couldn't wait to go on a cruise so she can be a prostitute."

"I know, right? The girl is twenty years old and clueless. She better grow up because she's heading in the wrong direction way too fast."

Cassie knew what she was about to mention was way too fast, but she felt it was right. She swallowed hard and cleared her throat. "How about you move in with me?"

"What?" Danny asked, confused by the question. "You want me to move in with you?"

"Why not?" She shrugged.

"Ha! We barely know each other and we haven't even slept together, yet."

"I know. I have a two bedroom apartment. You can stay in the spare room."

"That would be torture, Cass...seeing you daily without sleeping together. Why don't we wait and see how things go?"

"Well, the offer will always be there if you need it."

"You're so sweet. I believe you are a little too spontaneous, though."

"I'm just saying, if you need a place, my door is always open."

"Any plans tonight?" he asked.

"I was going to go to Clinks with Diane, but I need to pack for Sharpe Depot tonight, so I can leave for my drill weekend tomorrow." Her tone displayed disappointment.

"Screw that! I'll change your drill to the reserve center. You can work for me."

Cassie's eyes lit up with excitement. "Really? You would do that?"

"Yes. In fact, I'll change your orders as soon as I get back there."

"Wonderful! I hate driving all the way to San Joaquin."

Danny looked at his watch. "We best be going. I need to get you back to the office."

As he walked Cassie to her office, they stopped on the stairs before they approached the door. Cassie stood a step higher than Danny. She placed her arms around his neck and kissed him passionately. The kiss lingered for a good minute. As their lips parted, Cassie looked deep into his eyes. "I-I." she couldn't say the words.

"What?"

"I, um...think you look so handsome in that white uniform," she said, trying to hide the fact that she was about to tell him that she loved him.

"Thank you." He smiled, turned around, and began to walk away. Suddenly, he stopped. "Oh, Cass. I'll call you later."

"Looking forward to it." She entered her office and closed the door behind her.

"Hey, Heather!" Cassie grinned like a Cheshire cat as she walked by Heather's desk.

"What's got you all gaga?"

"I just had lunch with Danny. We had the best kiss a few minutes ago. I almost told him that I love him."

"What? Don't do that yet! Are you crazy? You'll scare him off!"

"I know. I was careful; however, I do know if I were to tell him, he wouldn't leave me. I know that he loves me, too. I can feel it."

"How was your final tour on the ship?"

Cassie didn't want to reveal to Heather what she and Danny actually did on the boat, so she kept it simple. "It was good. Went by way too fast."

"Did you and Danny have sex yet?"

"No. I'm not having sex with him until we go on a few more dates. He respects me. I don't want to jeopardize that."

"You sure have good self-control. I wish I had your strength when it comes to sex."

"To me, sex is nothing unless you're having it with someone who you love. I guess my mama raised me right." She teased.

"I guess so." Heather opened her drawer and pulled out an ink pen.

"I better get to work. I'll chat with you later." Cassie walked to her desk and sat, went over Mike's list, and checked her e-mail. Relieved there was nothing left to do, she decided to do a Google search on Catherine. "Damn!" she yelled. "I can't find anything except her Facebook page." Cassie noticed that her profile had been set to public so she was able to view all of her photos. Her stomach churned as she stared at the pictures. She was hoping not to come across any pictures of Danny and her. "Just looking at that fat, lying cunt makes me want to beat her to a pulp!"

"What was that?" Heather asked from down the hall.

"Oh, it's nothing."

"Nothing my ass! I'll be there in a second." Heather hurried to Cassie's desk and looked at the computer monitor. "Ew! Who is that ugly bitch?" Heather asked.

"It's Danny's ex-girlfriend...the one who lied about being pregnant."

"Ick! He has bad taste. Well, excluding you, of course."

"I don't see what he saw in her. I mean, look at those droopy eyes, that flat face, and greasy brown hair...that chic be nasty!" Cassie laughed.

"You got that right. Damn! She looks so Goth-like." Heather couldn't take her eyes from the screen.

"I wonder if she's good in bed..." Cassie pondered.

"Looks like she has a tongue ring in that picture." Heather pointed to a candid photo of Catherine sticking her tongue out."

"I bet that's why Danny went out with her...because of the fucking tongue ring! I hear that girls who have those only get them because they give a lot of head."

"You're right, Cass."

"Well, now look what I have to measure up to...a skanky bitch with a tongue ring. Fuck the looks! I guess as long as you give good head, it doesn't matter how ugly you are."

"Don't let that bother you. You've got her beat by a long shot. I bet she could never snag a billionaire. Seems like the only type of guy Catherine could snag is someone living in an old camper trailer."

"Well, she snagged Danny."

"Yeah, but he let her go as soon as he found out what type of person she really is."

"I suppose." Cassie sighed, grabbing her purse from the back of her chair. "I'm going to take off. I need to get ready for Clinks tonight."

"Okay, I'll see you on Monday," Heather said.

***

Cassie arrived at home, jumped in the shower, and washed her hair. She was so excited, anticipating Danny's call that she brought the phone into the bathroom with her.

As she towel dried herself off, she looked at the iPhone screen and saw no missed calls. Feeling discouraged, she went into her bedroom, and got dressed for her night out with Diane. She fumbled through her closet and came across a black, sequin tank-top and a pair of white, rhinestone studded jeans. She slipped her feet into her black, Louboutin Pigalle pumps when suddenly, her phone rang. Danny's name flashed on the screen.

"Hi, Danny!"

"Hey, there. Are you still going off with Diane tonight?"

"Yes. I made plans with her already; I don't want to break them."

"I understand. I'd meet you at the club, but I'm not too much into the party scene. Are you picking her up or meeting her there?"

"I'm picking her up. Why?"

"She lives across the street from me. Her husband is an officer in the Air Force. Now, she lives there alone ever since he was transferred to Virginia."

"Well, maybe I'll see you when I pick her up."

"I may just go to the movies, not sure yet. I'll call you later. Please be careful."

"I will. You, too."

Cassie went into the kitchen and made a quick salad for dinner. She was so lonely in the apartment all by herself. She hated the quietness. She couldn't believe that she had offered Danny to move in with her so quickly. Damn! What was she thinking? She shook the thought quickly from her mind. "Why worry over something that I can't control? It's in the past, leave it there!" she told herself. With one last sip of iced tea, she was off to Diane's.

Driving through the base housing, Cassie saw Danny's Cobra parked in his driveway as she pulled up to Diane's apartment. She could see the car from her rear-view mirror. While she waited for Diane to come outside, she noticed Catherine and Danny walking toward his car. Cassie, becoming very alert, noticed that Danny didn't open the passenger door for Catherine the way he did for her. Suddenly, Cassie's passenger door opened, which startled her.

"Why so jumpy?" Diane asked.

"I just saw Danny and Catherine get into his car. He said he couldn't stand her and she was psycho. I don't get it." Cassie dropped her head, exasperated. "Why did he lie to me?"

"I'm not sure. Let's just get some drinks in us and go dancing. That will get your mind off him."

Cassie waited for Danny to back out of his driveway and then she followed behind at a few car lengths.

"Cassie, you're going the wrong way."

"I know. I'm following Danny to see where he's going."

"Won't he recognize you following him?"

"He only knows about my Lotus. He has no idea what my Porsche looks like, so we're fine."

Cassie saw the Cobra turn into the movie theater parking lot. "Why in the hell is he going to watch a movie with her?" Cassie headed slowly toward El Camino Real.

"I don't know. Let it go."

"Yeah, whatever! Screw it! I'm going to have some fun tonight!" She floored the gas pedal and sped off.

As Diane and Cassie entered Clinks, they sat at a table close to a window. They ordered some nachos to share and a couple of Whisky Sours.

"That top looks great on you," Diane hollered from across the table over the loud music.

"Thank you. I got it in Italy."

"So, what are you going to do about Danny?"

Cassie shrugged and rolled her eyes. "I don't know. Something is weird. He calls that skank a psycho, then the next thing I know, he's taking her to the movies. It beats the hell out of me."

"The dance floor is getting crowded. Did you wanna dance?" Diane asked.

"Sure, c'mon!" Cassie grabbed Diane by the hand and led her to the dance floor. Cassie loved playfully grinding up against Diane. She knew it tantalized the men, and she took advantage, knowing it would get them free drinks for the rest of the night.

Thirty minutes later, Cassie and Diane walked back to their table where they saw several bottles of beer covering the surface. Cassie sat across from Diane and took a sip of a Bud Light. Cassie's eyes grew large and she almost spit beer across the table.

"What's the matter?" Diane asked, concerned about Cassie's surprised expression.

Cassie could see her nightmare amongst the crowd. He stood completely still, practically glaring a hole right through her. Her heart pounded, her hands shook as she tried to place the beer bottle to the table without spilling it.

"What is it?" Diane looked over her shoulder and saw a muscular, dark-haired man staring daggers at Cassie.

"Um, it's...fuck! It's my ex-husband!"

"What the hell is he doing here?"

"I don't know. He has a no-contact order, so he's not supposed to be around me at all."

Cassie saw Tudor slowly approach. His stare appeared dangerous as his nostrils flared. She took a big gulp of beer, wiped her mouth with the back of her hand, and stood. "What are you doing in California?"

"Never mind that!" He took a step back and looked her up and down. "Wow, Cass. You sure are a sight for sore eyes."

Cassie stood pigeon-toed, staring at her feet, and then cocked her head to the side with a snide grin. "Tell me why you're here!"

"I'm at Moffett for a few days. My plane had some engine trouble on the way to Hawaii, so I had to stop here for maintenance. I'm staying at the Navy Lodge."

"You know you're not supposed to be near me..."

"That no-contact order was good only for a year." He laughed then winked. "So..." he grabbed her right hand. "What have you been up to?" He guided her hand to his lips and placed a gentle kiss upon her knuckles.

Cassie pulled her hand away swiftly. "Um, this is my friend, Diane. Diane, this is my ex-husband, Tudor."

"Nice to meet you." Diane said sarcastically, disgusted at the way he was staring at Cassie.

"Likewise," he said, not taking his eyes off Cassie.

Tudor looked better than ever. His bulging biceps that peeked from the sleeve of his white V-neck t-shirt was taunting.

"If you would excuse us." Diane took Cassie by the hand and led her to the restroom. "What is he doing here? Why are you even speaking to him after what he did to you?"

Cassie looked confused. "He looks so good. My heart tells me to run, but my vagina tells me differently," she joked.

"It's not funny, Cassie. That man almost killed you. Do you think he has changed?"

"People can change."

"Not people like that." Diane held firmly on to Cassie's arm. "I'm not letting you leave here with him. There is no way in hell you are going anywhere with that man."

"You can take my car to your house. He can drive me home."

"Like hell is that going to happen! Did you not just hear me? YOU ARE NOT GOING ANYWHERE WITH THAT MAN!"

"We'll see." Cassie winked and brushed Diane's arm away.

"You've had too many Whisky Sours and beer. You're not thinking rationally," Diane hollered before the door closed as Cassie left.

Diane knew Danny because he lived across the street from her and she had his cell phone number listed in her contacts. She quickly clicked on his name. "Pick up, pick up, pick up," she whispered.

"Hello."

"Danny! Thank God! Are you at home?"

"Yes, just walked in the door. Why?"

"You have to get down to Clinks right away! Cassie is drunk and her ex-husband showed up!"

"The dude who has a no-contact order against him?" he asked.

"Not anymore. I think Cassie might leave with him. She's not listening to me. You need to get down here and stop her before she makes a big mistake!"

Danny grabbed his car keys from the end-table and rushed out the door. "I'm on my way! Don't let her go anywhere. I'll be there in ten minutes!" He placed the phone in his front pocket.

He sped backward from the driveway, peeling a long strip of rubber on the street as he quickly made his way to Clinks.

Diane went back to the table where she saw Cassie sitting on Tudor's lap. She rolled her eyes in disgust.

Tudor's hands were wrapped around Cassie's tiny waist. Diane could see him inching his way into her zipper. Diane kicked Cassie's foot underneath the table.

"Ow! What was that for?" Cassie asked.

"Oh, sorry. I thought it was the table leg." Diane looked toward the entrance and saw Danny enter the club. He looked over the crowd trying to find their table. Diane raised her hand and motioned for Danny in the distance.

Cassie looked at her strangely. "Who are you motioning for?" Cassie looked over Tudor's shoulder and saw Danny coming toward the table.

Danny sat next to Diane, across from Tudor and Cassie. "I was able to make it after all," Danny said, eyeing Tudor's hands that were wrapped around Cassie's girth.

"I hope you didn't do me any favors by coming," Cassie said sarcastically, then looked Tudor in the eyes, and lightly kissed him on his lips. "Oh, how rude of me. Tudor. This is Danny, my supervisor at the reserve center. Danny, this is my ex-husband, Tudor."

Tudor reached his hand across the table to shake Danny's, but Danny did not oblige.

"Get the fuck away from me," Danny said sternly, not offering his hand.

Tudor tossed Cassie to the floor and stood in anger. "What the fuck did you just say?"

Danny stood, held his fist back, and punched Tudor square between the eyes. "Are you okay, baby?" Danny asked, helping Cassie to her feet. "You better leave before I take you outside and beat the living shit out of you!" Danny's voice raged, glaring at Tudor. "You fucking pussy! Does it make you feel like a man while beating up women?"

A bouncer approached. "Is everything okay over here?"

"That man is not supposed to be near this woman by court order. He needs to leave."

The bouncer looked at Tudor, grabbed him by his arm, and began to escort him outside.

"That no-contact order is no longer in effect!" Tudor yelled as he was being escorted to the exit.

"Bullshit!" Danny cupped Cassie's face in his hands, examining her, making certain that she wasn't hurt from being slammed to the floor.

Cassie pushed Danny's hands away. "How dare you come in here and act like that! Who do you think you are?"

"I'm someone who saved you from making a big mistake!"

"Yeah, big mistake my ass! Did you have to drop Catherine off before you came here, or did she happen to come with you?"

"What do you mean?"

"I saw Catherine get in the car with you when I picked up Diane. That was my black Porsche sitting in her driveway, idiot! I also saw you drive her to the movies."

"We can talk about that later. You're coming to my place, so you can sober up. He looked at Diane. "You're coming with me, too. There's no way in hell either of you are driving being drunk."

"What about my car?" Cassie asked.

"I'll bring you here in the morning to get it," Danny said.

Diane followed Cassie and Danny out the door. Danny was being observant looking to see if he saw Tudor anywhere in sight. Thankfully, he had already left.

Diane climbed into the backseat and Danny helped Cassie into the passenger seat. He started the car and sped from the parking lot.

"Do you have to drive like an asshole? I'm getting sick!" Cassie blurted out.

"This is how I always drive." He laughed.

"No, I'm serious...pull over! I'm gonna puke!"

Danny quickly pulled up to a curb on Castro Street. Cassie slung open the door, pulled her hair back, and vomited all over the sidewalk. Danny rushed around the car, placed his hand on Cassie's back, and stroked her, trying his best to make her feel better.

"Are you through?" he asked, laughing.

Cassie looked up, exhaustion all over her face. "Yeah, I think I'm done." She slung her legs back inside the car and buckled herself back in before Danny closed the door.

Danny pulled into Diane's driveway and dropped her off. He backed the car into his driveway, walked around the car, and helped Cassie to her feet. "C'mon, baby. Let's get you inside."

Cassie's legs felt like Jell-O and she was unable to stand. Danny flung her over his shoulder and carried her inside his apartment. He placed her gently on the sofa where she buried her face into the cushions and passed out.

Danny slid her shoes from her feet, picked her up, carried her to his bedroom, and placed her on his bed. He covered her with blankets and allowed her to get some rest. Danny grabbed a blanket from the hall closet and slept on the sofa.

In the early morning hours, the sunlight barely shining through the window, Cassie heard someone pounding on Danny's front door. She was much too nauseated to get up, but she heard Danny's voice when he answered.

"What in the fuck are you doing here?" Danny asked.

Catherine pushed her way into the apartment. "C'mon, you know you want me."

"Like hell I do! Get the fuck out of my house, Catherine!" Danny demanded.

Cassie sat up in the bed, wondering what was about to go down.

"Is Littleton here? You're fucking her, aren't you?"

"That's none of your fucking business. Get the fuck out of here!" Cassie could hear footsteps coming up the hallway toward the room that she was in.

"I'm warning you, Catherine...you better get the fuck out before I call the base police!"

"Fine, I'll leave, but you better not ever try to hook up with me again."

Danny threw his head back and laughed. "Don't worry. The only reason I took you to the movies was to keep your psycho ass from doing anything to me or Cassie. You know, like they say, keep your friends close, your enemies closer..."

"You've done it now. Just you wait until Monday." With that, Catherine closed the door behind her and left.

Cassie slowly opened the bedroom door and saw Danny standing at the end of the hallway. He saw Cassie peeking from the crack; she quickly closed the door, and jumped back in the bed covering herself.

Danny entered the bedroom and sat on the edge of the bed. "I know you're awake. How are you feeling? Can I get you some coffee?"

Cassie opened her eyes. "What is with that psycho?"

"She lives a few buildings down. She's nuts!"

"I can tell. I thought I was gonna have to whip her ass."

Danny laughed, shaking his head in doubt. "I'm not sure that you could take her. She's a real crazy one."

"You honestly don't think I could take that bitch down? After all I've done in my past, you think she is a threat to me?"

He smiled. "I don't know. I'm even afraid of her."

"You can't be serious. After you decking Tudor, you're afraid of Catherine?" Cassie asked, confused.

"She's evil, Cass. Although she can't hurt me physically, I believe she's out to get me if I don't take her back."

"Are you going to take her back?" Cassie looked down sadly at the bed.

Danny placed his curled index finger underneath her chin and guided her to look him in the eyes. "I will never take her back. She's history. Besides, there's only enough room in my life for one girl, and that's you." He kissed her forehead. "Now, lie back down and get some sleep. I'll fix you some breakfast when you wake up." Danny stood and attempted to walk toward the door.

"Wait! Don't go," Cassie called out.

Danny turned around. "Cass, if I stay, I might try to do something you're not ready for."

"Just lay with me, please?" Her sad eyes struck him to the core.

"With a look like that, how can I refuse?" Danny removed his t-shirt, exposing his bare chest that Cassie had seen for the first time. She was ultimately shocked to discover that he had a hoop ring in his left nipple. She also saw the massive tribal tattoo on his back that spread from shoulder blade to shoulder blade.

He slid underneath the blankets, feeling the warmth of her body against him. She rolled over, her back facing him, and he placed his strong arms around her, pulling her tightly into him. It was a perfect fit. He spooned her until she awakened later that morning.
Chapter Nineteen

"Cass, you need to come down to the reserve center right away. The commanding officer says he wants to see you and me in the conference room," Danny said into the phone.

Cassie sat at her desk on Monday morning confused. "What is it about?"

"I have a feeling Catherine's behind something." He assumed.

"Shit! Alright, I'll be there on my lunch hour." Cassie slammed the phone down, threw herself back in her chair, and wondered what Catherine was up to.

Cassie tossed her purse over her shoulder, jumped in her Lotus, and headed to the reserve center. She entered through the main entrance and saw Danny through the window, sitting at his desk. She went straight to his office first. "What's going on?"

Danny shrugged, uncertain himself. "I have no clue, but Catherine has been walking around here this morning with the utmost smug grin plastered on her face. She sickens me."

"I hope that bitch realizes who she's dealing with. If she fucks with me, she'll regret it."

Suddenly, Danny's door flew open with the commanding officer standing in the doorway. "C'mon, let's get down to the conference room and get this over with. I'm hungry."

Cassie and Danny walked side-by-side and followed behind the commanding officer. Cassie sat at the large, round table across from Danny.

Lieutenant Bradford sat at the head of the table and had Cassie and Danny's files in hand. He took a deep breath before he spoke. "It has been brought to my attention that you..." He looked at Danny. "Have been staying in base housing and you're now single."

Danny responded, "Yes, only because my ex-wife has only been gone a few weeks and I haven't had time to find a place."

"I'm sorry to tell you that you have only one week to find a place off base or you will have to stay in the barracks at Moffett."

"Yes, sir."

Cassie glared at Bradford and spoke, "Let me guess, that bitch, Rabert opened her big, fucking mouth."

"Don't take that tone with me," he said.

"I can take any tone I want! I'm not in uniform!"

"Don't you dare disrespect me! Stand down, Littleton!"

Cassie stood, slamming her hands onto the table. "I most certainly will not! This is bullshit! Did that bitch tell you that she's living in base housing as a single person, too? Her husband left her a while ago and moved back up to Washington! Did she tell you that?"

"Stand down, Littleton!"

"Why in the hell am I here anyway?" she asked, plopping herself back down in her seat.

"It was also brought to my attention that you and Mercado are dating."

Cassie looked down at the table, shaking her head. "So what? Who the fuck cares?"

"I care!"

Danny just sat, tight lipped, hoping that Cassie would stop being belligerent.

"Because you two are dating, I must demote Mercado to an E-5 and you, Littleton, will be on inactive ready reserve."

"I.R.R?" she questioned.

"Yes, as of today, you are no longer attending here. You will only be called upon if a war breaks out."

Little did the commanding officer know, Cassie was extremely excited. Now, she didn't have to wait the full extent of her enlistment to be out of the Navy. "Will this affect my status? I mean, I won't be dishonorably discharged, will I?"

"No, not at all. You're basically still in the Navy; you just won't be called upon unless it's absolutely necessary."

"Well, are we through here?" Cassie asked.

"Yes, we're done." Bradford stood and gathered the files from the table.

Cassie stormed out of the conference room, not even waiting for Danny, and she headed straight to Catherine's office, but she wasn't there. "Smoking!" Cassie said, remembering Catherine was a smoker and was most likely outside.

Cassie angrily strutted down the hall to the backdoor that she flung open. Catherine was standing against the wall with a lit cigarette in hand. Cassie approached; rage engulfed her soul, and she slapped the cigarette from Catherine's hand. Cassie had her hand at Catherine's throat, pressing her up against the cold cement slab. "You think you're one bad bitch, don't you?" Cassie stared angrily into Catherine's eyes, her hand clenching harder at her throat. "I'm going to tell you one God damned thing. If you ever, I mean ever come around Danny and me, I will fucking kill you! Do I make myself clear?" Cassie squeezed harder at her throat.

A tiny cough escaped Catherine's lips as she nodded.

Cassie relinquished her grasp from her neck and backhanded her across the face. "I mean it; you better leave us the fuck alone! You know who I am, you know what I can do, don't you dare test me, or you will regret it!"

Catherine's hands immediately went to her face where Cassie's hand had left an imprint. Before Cassie turned to walk away, she cunt punted Catherine right between the legs. Catherine's knees buckled and then she dropped to the ground.

Storming back inside, Cassie headed down the hallway toward the main entrance.

Danny rushed, trying to catch up to her. "Cass! Can I come by your place tonight?"

"Fine!" Cassie pushed open the heavy, double doors and made her way to her car. She cranked up her Lotus and revved the gas a few times, letting it be known that she was heavily pissed off. She idled her way to the street, slammed the car in first gear, and tore out of the reserve center parking lot like a bat out of hell, leaving a long stretch of rubber behind.

***

Cassie stepped from the shower; blow dried her hair, and slipped on a pair of black leggings and a long-sleeve, button-down, oversize shirt. She went into the kitchen and grabbed some chicken from the refrigerator, and began marinating it. She placed it on an aluminum foil covered pan and slid it into the oven. Pulling a head of lettuce from the crisper, she prepared a salad, and topped it with balsamic vinaigrette dressing. She glanced at the clock and noticed that it was almost time for Danny to arrive. She steamed some green beans, garnished them with butter and garlic, and placed them on the table. Dinner was perfect. Cassie knew that tonight was the night she was finally going to make love to Danny. She wanted it to be special.

Cassie paced anxiously back-and-forth, watching the clock on the wall. In the distance, she heard the throaty sound of Danny's Cobra. Her heart pounded and she was nervous. She heard the tap on the door, took one last glance in the mirror, and invited him inside.

"It smells great in here," he said, placing his car keys on the coffee table.

"Thank you. I made lemon pepper chicken, garlic green beans, and a salad." She walked back into the kitchen, Danny trailed closely behind.

"Is there anything I can do?" he asked.

"No, just have a seat. I'll get the chicken from the oven and we can eat."

As her back was turned toward him, he couldn't help but focus on how great her ass looked in those leggings. He also couldn't shake the vision from his head of him seeing her breasts through the thin fabric of her white shirt. She was braless and she knew that the shirt was slightly see-through. She was well aware of what she was doing.

"You are beautiful." He smiled.

Cassie placed a piece of chicken on his plate along with some green beans. She spooned some salad in a bowl and sat it next to Danny's plate. Popping the cork from a bottle of sparkling, non-alcoholic champagne, she began pouring some of the bubbly into his glass. "I remember you saying that you don't drink alcohol." She smiled.

"This is fancy. What did I do to deserve such a wonderful meal with a beautiful woman?"

She sat across the table from Danny and smiled a wide playful grin. "You'll see. You will love dessert."

"Oh, really?" He took a bite of salad and then a sip of champagne as he gazed longing for her.

"Yes, really."

Dinner was quiet. Both were nervous because they knew what was going to happen. Cassie thought it was strange seeing Danny act so timid, but she assumed it was because he knew that she wasn't as easy as the other girls he had been with in the past. He knew that Cassie was special and he wanted their first time to be meaningful.

With the last bite of food, Cassie placed her fork on her plate, and carried it to the sink. Suddenly, Danny's strong hands snaked around her waist. He brushed her hair from the back of her neck and gently pressed his lips to her shoulder. "My God, you're so beautiful," he whispered.

Cassie turned around and kissed him hard. The passion was intense, the heat, overwhelming with desire. Danny picked her up and sat her on the counter, her legs wrapped around him, feeling his erection press hard against her. He carried her to the bedroom, lips still entangled, legs around his waist, heavy breathing taking over the moment.

"Are you sure you're ready for this?" he asked in a heated breath.

"Yes, I've never been more sure of anything."

He eagerly unfastened each button of her blouse and slowly opened it, exposing her huge, firm, perfect double D breasts. "You're even more beautiful than I imagined." His lips caressed her nipples, his hands holding them firmly. He sat up on his knees and removed his t-shirt. Cassie's eyes were focused on his nipple ring, which oddly excited her even more. He bent down and kissed her lips. She could see from her peripheral vision, his tattooed arms holding her tightly. She believed she could achieve orgasm just by looking at him.

Danny peeled her leggings down her hips and then tossed them to the floor. She lay in her panties and Danny noticed the glistening dampness between her thighs. He knew that she was ready and he didn't want to prolong the inevitable. He stood at the side of the bed and removed his jeans. Cassie saw the bulge pressing against his white boxers. She sat up and slid the boxers to his ankles, her lips kissing every single inch of his abdomen. She stood and pushed him up against the wall, pressing her crotch against his thigh. He could feel the heat coming from her, which tantalized him even more. He removed her panties and reclined her back onto the bed. Her legs spread wide, he in between, his fingers touching her pulsating entrance where he slipped a finger inside. You're so ready, baby," he whispered. His dampened finger that was between her folds was now stroking her lower lip. She could taste the salt on his finger as he pushed his entire shaft inside her velvety, wet sheath. The feeling was overwhelming, unlike anything she had ever experienced with Randall, Tudor, or Dillon. She loved this man with all her heart and could tell by the way he was making love to her that he loved her, too. There was nothing perverse, nothing aggressive, just the two of them exploring each other's body and staring into each other's eyes. The sincerity was nothing Cassie had ever felt and she knew that Danny felt the same way.

Danny's thrusts became faster and she knew that he was about to let loose. She held him tightly, feeling his release flow through her.

"I'm so sorry," he said. "You're on birth control, aren't you?"

"I think you should have asked that question beforehand, don't you think?"

"I was too caught up in the moment. So...no birth control?"

"No, I'm sorry, no birth control."

Danny rolled over, inhaling deeply. "Oh, boy."

"Don't worry about it. I've been pregnant before. I had a miscarriage. It's highly unlikely if I can carry a baby to term anyway."

Danny propped himself up on his elbow, leaning toward Cassie. "With who?"

"My ex-husband. He said I was worthless because I couldn't carry a child."

"He's an asshole. I hope you don't take what he said to heart."

"No, I don't. He's a piece of shit."

Danny brushed her bangs from her face and smiled. "You're incredible."

***

Cassie and Danny were awakened by the alarm clock. Cassie kissed Danny on the lips and rushed to take a shower before heading to San Jose Live. She heard a knock on the bathroom door.

"Baby, I need to get home and get my uniform for work."

"Alright, will you call me later?" she yelled from the shower.

"Yes, we can do lunch. I'll be at your office around eleven thirty."

"Okay, I'll see you then." Cassie heard the front door slam and a few moments later; she heard the throaty engine of Danny's Cobra.

When she stepped from the shower, the sound of Danny's car was still in the parking lot. Cassie wondered why he hadn't left, so she wrapped a towel around herself, walked through the living room, and peeked through the blinds. To her surprise, she saw Dillon standing outside of Danny's car, speaking to him through his open window.

Cassie turned around, pressed her back against the wall, and slid down to the floor, upset on what they could be talking about. Her heart raced, her hands shook, she was indeed anxious, hoping Dillon wouldn't ruin this new relationship for her.

Finally, she heard Danny's car fade off into the distance. She, still sitting on the floor in heavy thought. A knock came on the door, which startled her.

"Oh my God! Please don't let it be Dillon." She raised herself up off the floor, looked through the peep hole, and saw Dillon standing on the other side of the door, dressed in his perfectly, tailored suit. "What do you want?" she asked, hoping he could hear her through the closed-door.

"We need to talk."

"Go away!"

"I'm not leaving, Cassie. Open the door."

"I said go away!" Her voice became more irate.

"Fine, I'll stand here until you leave for work."

Cassie flung open the door, her fist balled up, ready to land a sharp blow to Dillon's face. "Don't make me hit you!" she said, her eyes wide, her temper raging.

"Go ahead, hit me, I dare you!" He challenged.

Cassie dropped her fist to her side and cried. "Dillon, please just leave me alone. I'm happy now, please just move on." She pleaded.

"Is that what you really want?"

She looked into his eyes sincerely. "Yes, Dillon. I do not want to see you anymore."

He stared at Cassie who was still wrapped in a towel. He placed his hands at her waist and tried to lean in to kiss her lips.

She backed away. "Please leave."

Dillon shook his head back and forth. "I always knew deep down that I was too old for you. I just never allowed myself to accept it."

"I love Danny. He's around my age. Please don't ruin this for me. Please let me be happy." Tears still streamed down her cheeks.

"You do know that I will always love you, baby?"

"Yes, and I will you, just not in that way."

He turned slowly around and walked away. She closed the door, went into her bedroom, and crawled into bed. Suddenly, she felt a weird vibration. Looking at her open closet, she noticed the clothes swinging from side-to side. "What the fuck is this?" she asked. The vibrations became more intense, the windows rattled. "Holy hell! It's an earthquake!" After realizing that she was in the midst of an earthquake, it was over rather quickly. She remembered Danny on his way to work so she grabbed her cell phone and called him.

"Baby, are you alright?" she asked frantically into the phone.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Why?"

"We just had an earthquake!"

Danny laughed. "I didn't feel anything. It was probably tiny. You've never experienced them before?"

"No, this is my first one."

Danny smiled at how cute she was by her concern. "I'm okay. Are you alright?"

"Just a bit startled, but I'm okay."

"Good. I'll see you at lunch."

Eleven-thirty came and Cassie saw Danny come into her office dressed in his white uniform with his gorgeous, tattooed arms exposed. She smiled, feeling butterflies in her stomach.

"Hi, there," he said, flirtatiousness in his voice.

"Well, hi to you, too." She looked up from her computer, grinning from ear-to-ear.

"Where do you want to eat?" he asked.

"There is a deli downstairs that we can try."

Danny escorted Cassie to the deli and they ordered minestrone soup and salad and sat at a booth near the back.

"So, are you going to tell me what you and Dillon talked about this morning?"

Danny took a sip of his tea, relaxed back in his chair, and smiled. "He just told me how much he cares for you and he doesn't want to see you get hurt. Said he knows you and I are dating and wants me to treat you well, and that you're a very special lady."

Cassie had been relieved that Dillon wasn't an ass toward him. "That's it?"

"Yes, he's a nice man. He respects you quite highly," Danny said.

"That's good to know."

"Something interesting happened at the reserve center today." Danny quickly changed the subject.

"Oh, yeah? What's that?"

"It seems Catherine's plan on ratting me out to the commanding officer about me living in base housing, being single, backfired on her."

"How so?"

"The commanding officer listened when I told him that her ex-husband moved to Seattle, so he did some investigating and found out that I was right. Because we have so much friction between us, she received orders to San Diego."

Cassie laughed. "Stupid, frigging bitch!"

Danny glanced at his watch. "I need to get you back to your office, but I need to tell you something first."

Cassie knew exactly what he was going to say. She was nervous, knowing that when he says those three little words, her future will be written.

He stood and walked her outside. He took her by the hands and looked deep into her eyes. "I love you, Cassie. I have never felt this way toward anyone before."

Cassie's heart beat fast and she looked into his genuine, honest gaze. "I love you, too." She smiled.

Danny breathed a sigh of relief and escorted her back to her office. "Did you want to come over tonight?" he asked. "I'll fix dinner this time."

"Sounds great. I'll see you around six." She stood on her tip-toes and kissed his lips. "I love you." Nothing could wipe the smile off her face.

"I love you, too."

***

Cassie knocked on Danny's door. He answered dressed in khaki shorts, a white polo, and barefoot. When Cassie entered, she heard Fiona Apple's song, 'Criminal' playing on the stereo and smelled dinner cooking. "Interesting song choice, Mercado. Does it remind you of our dirty deed that we did back on the ship?"

He tilted his head back and laughed. "Kind of." He winked. "There's plenty of time until dinner is ready. I prepared you a bath so you can relax." Danny took Cassie by the hand and led her to the bathroom, which had candles lit all along the edge of the bathtub, rose petals floating on the water, and the scent of lavender bath salts filled the air.

"Danny, you're so sweet." She looked at him with admiration. "You really are a softy underneath that hard exterior."

"Oh, stop. Here is a robe for you to put on when you're finished with your bath." He placed a plush, white robe over her shoulder and then went back into the kitchen to cook.

Cassie smiled, lavishly. She could get used to a man treating her like this. She disrobed and slid into the hot water, relaxed back against the tub, enjoyed the lavender scent, and the sound of Fiona Apple.

She towel dried herself off and dressed in the robe that Danny had provided for her. As she made her way into the kitchen, she watched Danny prepare dinner. "Is there anything you need me to do?" she asked.

"Just sit there and look beautiful." He smiled.

"Well, that's easy." She snorted, playfully.

"Well, for you it is," he said.

"What are you making?"

"Chicken enchiladas."

"It smells so good."

Danny placed an enchilada on a plate and placed it in front of Cassie at the dining room table. He bent down, placed his hand behind her neck, and guided her lips to his. "Now eat up. You'll love it." He went back to the counter and put an enchilada on his plate and then sat at the table and joined Cassie.

"You're right!" Cassie chewed. "This is delicious!"

"See, I told you," Danny said, arrogantly.

"So, when did you get your nipple ring?" Cassie asked, a bit embarrassed of bringing it up.

"Do you like it?"

"Well, I was a bit shocked when I saw it, but I must admit, it turned me on." She looked down at her lap, stunned at what she had just said.

"Oh, did it now?" He slipped off his polo, draped it over the back of his chair, and sat with his broad chest, and pierced nipple exposed.

Cassie breathed heavily. "Um, you shouldn't do that. I won't be able to finish my dinner if you continue to sit there that way."

"That's my intention." He smirked, slyly.

Cassie jumped from her chair and headed straight toward Danny. She kissed him aggressively as she ran her hand across his bare, hairless chest, and then her finger grazed lightly over his nipple ring. "My God, you're so fucking sexy with all those tats and that nipple ring! I can't control myself!"

Danny laughed at her demeanor. "Wait a minute; let's take this in the bedroom."

"I want you right here, right now." Cassie straddled Danny in the chair and she could feel him becoming harder with every kiss. Cassie unzipped his shorts and freed his erect penis from the opening. Untying her robe, she grabbed Danny behind his neck and guided his face into her ample breasts. He was in heaven and could smell the lavender emanate from her cleavage. She slid down onto his erection and felt him deep inside her. She ran her fingers through his thick, jet-black hair, nestling his neck with her lips. "Oh! My! God! You feel so good inside me," she whispered erotically, her head thrown back, savoring his every inch.

His hands caressed her back, relishing every detail of her soft skin. He placed his hands at her hips and thrust her down upon him deeper, and harder.

"Harder, baby. Make me scream," she whispered.

His thrusts became faster, his moan was satisfying. She felt him release inside her. Danny gathered Cassie into his strong arms, carried her to the bedroom, and placed her on the bed.

"You still want more?" she asked, shocked that he was still erect.

"That's the good thing about me, baby. I can come about three times and still maintain an erection."

Cassie's eyes grew wide and Danny flipped her over, raised her on all fours, and pummeled her from behind. The way that he grasped her hips, forcefully thrusting her ass into his pelvis was driving her completely over the edge. She loved the control that he maintained throughout, focusing on pleasing her to no end. He reached around and played with her pink, love bud until he felt her pulsate against his shaft. He knew that he had her right where he wanted her. She collapsed to the bed and rolled onto her back. Kneeling in front of her, he spread her legs wide, grasping her thighs, slamming himself into her until he reached his second orgasm. "Are you still hungry for more?" he asked, falling into her chest. She could feel his heart pound against her.

"I can't, I'm exhausted." She gasped for a deep breath.

"I knew I could out last you." He joked, rolling over.

Cassie pulled the blanket over her and smiled. "Move in with me."

Danny slid underneath the blanket, his hands folded leisurely behind his head. "Are you serious?"

"Yes, I'm serious. I was before, too, but now you need to move out of here anyway, so move in with me."

Danny smiled. "If you're sure that's what you want, I'd be happy to.

***

The U-Haul pulled into the parking lot of Cassie's apartment. Danny opened the back of the truck and began unloading his belongings. Cassie went outside to help. "You don't have very much. Where is all your furniture?"

"I told my ex-wife that she could come and take it. I didn't see the point in hauling it with me when your apartment is already furnished."

"OUR apartment," Cassie emphasized.

He smiled. "Yes, OUR apartment. Have you told your parents that you're shacking up with me yet?"

"Um, no. We've kind of lost touch. I don't think they're too pleased with my past. It all sort of went downhill after they discovered that I was a stripper. That's why I joined the Navy. I was humiliated when they found out. I couldn't show my face back home, so I joined the Navy in order to have a place to live."

"I had no idea that's why you joined. My parents are fucked up. My father was a drug addict; my mother was a truck driver. My sister and I were always home alone, so we practically raised ourselves. They're divorced now. My dad is doing some crooked shit that's making him wealthy. He's a stock broker, I believe, but he's shady with the whole Nation of Islam thing, so I don't want to get involved. He feels so guilty about how my sister and I was raised that he bought me my dream car, thinking I would forgive him."

Cassie grabbed a few shirts from the U-Haul and followed Danny into the apartment. They went into her bedroom and she hung up his clothes in her closet. Suddenly, Danny pushed her down onto the bed, looked into her eyes as he hovered above her and said, "Marry me!"

"What?"

"Marry me!" He stood, waiting for her response.

"Marry you?" Cassie, still shocked at the demand, rather odd that he didn't ask, but commanded. She lay on her back staring up at him. "Yes! Yes, I'll marry you!" She jumped from the bed, wrapped her arms around his neck, and buried her face into his broad chest. He kissed the top of her head and stroked the back of her long blonde hair.

"You don't feel it's too soon?" she asked, looking up into his eyes.

"Not at all. It feels right."

"I have a confession to make."

"Oh, yeah? What's that?" His curiosity piqued.

"From the moment that I first laid eyes on you, I knew that you were going to be my husband. You can ask Vicki, Martinez, and Nanette. They thought I was nuts!" She laughed.

"Is that a fact?"

"Yes, that's a definite fact."
Chapter Twenty

Six weeks later, Cassie and Danny loaded up his Cobra with their luggage, swung by Diane's and picked her up along with her new boyfriend, Lorenz, and headed to Reno to elope. They booked a standard room at the Peppermill and planned on getting married at the Adventure Inn chapel. Cassie had called her parents to tell them the news, but they didn't seem to care. After she ran out on Dillon, they didn't take her seriously anymore. She and Kelli parted ways, not keeping in contact very much because of Cassie being away for so long.

They arrived at the hotel and checked in at the front desk. Diane and Cassie would be spending the night together and Lorenz and Danny would share a room. Cassie didn't want to sleep with Danny the night before the wedding and believed that Lorenz and Diane was a good barrier for that.

After dinner, they headed down to the casinos and gambled at the slots. Danny had won three-hundred dollars on a poker machine. Cassie didn't have any luck with winning anything. She had her mind on their honeymoon. Danny booked the Roman Opulence Super Suite at the Peppermill and she was much too excited to think of anything else.

She and Diane finally went to their room that night. Cassie pulled her wedding dress from the closet and showed Diane. Danny picked out the gown. He knew the dress was made for Cassie as soon as he set eyes on it. The dress was made of beautiful, white satin that hugged every single curve, a scoop neck that accentuated her large, fake breasts, and was adorned with hundreds of tiny, white beads. There was no train, just a snug fitting, satin gown that she looked absolutely breathtaking in.

"Try it on, I want to see how it looks on you," Diane urged.

Cassie stepped into the dress, pulled it up over her shoulders, and Diane zipped up the back. "You look like a living Barbie doll." Diane smiled.

Cassie walked toward the mirror and couldn't help but notice the tiny bulge against her dress at her abdomen. Cassie rested her hands on her stomach, staring at herself in the mirror, standing sideways.

Diane's eyes grew large. "You're not—"

"Pregnant," Cassie interrupted.

"No..." Diane gasped; her hand covered her mouth in shock.

"I just found out yesterday." Cassie smiled.

"You already have a tiny lump at your gut!" Diane giggled.

"Yeah, I guess because I'm so skinny, any slight little thing sticks out."

"Does Danny know?"

"Not yet. I'm too afraid to tell him. I had a miscarriage before. I want to be absolutely certain everything is okay before I say anything."

"Has he noticed your bulge?"

Cassie shrugged. "If he has, he hasn't said anything about it."

"So, I'm the only one who knows?"

"Yes, you're the only one." Cassie smiled.

Suddenly, there was a knock at the door. Diane opened the door and saw Danny standing in the hallway. "Can I see Cassie?" he asked.

Cassie ran into the bathroom and stripped off her wedding dress, and then walked out wearing only a robe.

"Cassie, look what I did," he said, proudly holding up his ring finger with her name tattooed around it.

She grabbed his hand, her eyes fixed on his new tattoo. "You got my name tattooed on your ring finger?"

"Yes, do you like it?"

"Oh, Danny. I love it! Take me to where you got it done; I want one, too."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, I'm positively sure."

***

Cassie walked down the aisle holding a bouquet of simple, white roses with red, ribbon wrapped stems. Danny was amazed at how beautiful she was as she glided gracefully down the aisle to become his wife. He wore a black, modern-fit suit with a red, satin tie and a white rose for his boutonnière. She and Danny stood in front of the minister and recited their vows. When the minister said to place the rings on each other's finger, they smiled and showed their new tattoos.

"I now pronounce you husband and wife," the minister stated. "You may now kiss the bride."

Cassie and Danny's lips met. After the kiss, she whispered in his ear, "I'm pregnant."

He hugged her tightly, exposed a wide grin, and escorted her up the aisle. They went outside and headed to the car that Diane and Lorenz had decorated. Danny drove themselves to their suite at the Peppermill.

They made love for hours that night, wrapped in each other's arms. Danny lay next to Cassie, breathless. "Now, tell me when you found out that you were pregnant?"

"I found out the other day. I think I'm about six weeks."

"How do you feel?"

"I feel great. So far, no morning sickness."

"When we get back home, we need to set you up an appointment with an obstetrician."

"I'm so scared. I don't know what to expect. I was pregnant before and lost it. I'm so afraid that I will lose this one, too."

"Don't stress out over it. It's not good for you or the baby. I'll make you an appointment at Lucile Packard in Palo Alto."

Cassie rest in his arms, naked, his hand resting upon her stomach. "I love you so much. You mean the world to me, baby. You're my dream come true."

"And you are mine." She smiled, drifting off to sleep, resting against his warm, broad chest.

Cassie finally called her parents and told them that she was going to have a baby. They were ecstatic. Mrs. Littleton was already planning a trip to California after the baby was born. Danny didn't bother telling his parents. They rarely kept in touch and he didn't want Cassie exposed to their corrupt lifestyle.

"Do you want to know the sex of the baby?" Dr. Browning asked, staring at the ultrasound monitor.

Cassie was already five months into her pregnancy with no complications. She looked up at Danny. "Do you want to know the sex, Hun?"

He smiled. "Of course."

"You're having a boy," Dr. Browning said.

The smile that stretched across Danny's face filled happiness throughout the room.

"Everything appears to be picture perfect." Dr. Browning wiped the gel from Cassie's abdomen.

Cassie sat up and began getting dressed. When the doctor left the room, she and Danny hugged each other tightly. "I love you," she told him.

"I love you too, baby."

Danny drove Cassie home where he treated her like royalty. She never cooked a meal after announcing her pregnancy; he took care of everything, even the cleaning. He practically worshipped her and she loved him dearly.

Cassie went into the bedroom while Danny mopped the kitchen floor. They didn't have sex as often as they had liked because Danny was afraid of hurting the baby even though the doctor assured them that intercourse was okay during pregnancy. Cassie's hormones were on overdrive while pregnant, which was making her horny as hell. The day before, she went to an adult video store and purchased a porno along with some sex toys. She was ready to rock Danny's world and was bound and determined to screw his brains out.

Cassie slipped the DVD into the player, let the blankets down on the bed, slid underneath the covers, and waited for Danny with a vibrator in hand. She called out, hoping that he would hear her through the door, "Oh, Danny..."

She heard his footsteps shuffling toward door. She pressed the button on the remote and the video began playing. He entered the bedroom and saw the porno playing on the television.

A wide grin spread on his face. "What are you doing?"

"Getting ready to fuck your brains out." She teased.

Danny could hear a faint, buzzing sound underneath the blankets. He removed his clothes quickly and slid underneath the covers and joined Cassie. "You have a vibrator?" he asked, stunned.

"Yes, why? Are you jealous?"

"Um, no. Just a little shocked is all. I didn't think you were into this sort of thing."

"Just watch the video. Let me get ready for you."

He peeked under the blankets, lustfully watching her get herself off. "Damn, you're so sexy." He placed his hand around the pink, vibrating shaft that was buzzing against her bud. "Does it feel good?" he asked, watching the expression on her face. "You're going to come, aren't you?"

She grabbed his bicep, gripping hard as he held the vibrator against her, making her writhe in ecstasy. "Come on, baby. You're almost there...I can tell, just a little more...c'mon, c'mon."

Her teeth clenched and her legs shook vigorously. She grabbed the sex toy from his hand and placed it at the base of his testicles. A girl on girl scene was playing on the television and his shaft was rock hard. Gripping his member, she stroked it as she watched him stare lustfully at the screen. "You like that, don't you?"

"Don't stop, baby." Suddenly, fluid oozed down her hand. She tossed the toy to the floor and climbed on top of him. Gabbing his shaft from behind, she guided it into her entrance. She sat up, facing him, gliding herself up and down, almost to the brink of another orgasm. "Oh my God, Danny!" She tightened against him; it was much stronger than before. Her eyes rolled back, her head tilted, grabbing onto his chest, supporting her weight. "Yes! Oh my God! Yes, Danny...Fuck, yes!" she screamed.

Danny laughed. "My God! I've never felt you orgasm like that."

"I think it's because I'm pregnant. I've never been so fucking horny in my entire life!"

He rolled her over, got up, and ejected the movie from the DVD player. "Now this...my dear, was a shock. I didn't think you were into this sort of thing," he said, holding the DVD in his hand.

"I didn't, either." She snickered, embarrassed.

***

A few months later, after an early morning lovemaking session, Cassie went into the bathroom and sat on the toilet. When she wiped herself, she noticed a slight, red tinge on the toilet paper. "That's odd," she mumbled.

She went into the bedroom where Danny was getting dressed. He was about to take Cassie to breakfast until he saw a puzzled look on her face. "What's the matter?"

"I had a little blood on the toilet paper when I wiped."

"You should call the doctor to be safe. Is your stomach hurting?"

"No, I feel fine." Cassie picked up the phone and called Dr. Browning. The doctor told her it was normal to experience a little blood at that stage of pregnancy and explained that she could have lost her mucus plug, but if anything changes to let her know.

Cassie dressed and met Danny in the living room. As he escorted her to the car, a burst of water shot into her panties. She stopped, startled at the gush. "What the fuck was that!" she spoke loudly, looking down at the crotch of her shorts. "I'm soaked!"

"I think your water just broke." Danny smirked. Screw breakfast! I'm taking you straight to the hospital." Danny rushed around the car and opened the door for Cassie. She tried her best to slide onto the leather seat, but her protruding belly made it difficult. Finally, she strapped herself in and waited for Danny to run into the apartment and grab her already packed overnight bag.

Cassie had been extremely nervous. She was anticipating her first contraction, but nothing happened. She saw Danny locking the door to the apartment and he tossed the bag into the backseat. "How are you doing, baby?" He looked over at her, seeing her fidgeting with her hands.

"I'm alright." She smiled.

They made their way to Lucile Packard's in Palo Alto. Cassie wanted Danny to stop somewhere so she could eat, but he was too anxious on getting her to the hospital in time. They rushed to the labor and delivery wing where a nurse helped Cassie into a wheelchair and pushed her to a room.

"Are you experiencing any contractions yet?" the nurse asked.

"Not at all," Cassie said, watching the needle puncture her vein that would soon be her I.V.

"Well, let's get you hooked up to the monitors." The nurse attached an elastic belt around her stomach and Cassie could hear the baby's heartbeat and could see a grid on a screen that tracked her contractions.

Danny held her hand the entire time, stroked her hair, and fed her ice chips as he attempted to make her as comfortable as possible. "Are you going to call your parents?" he asked.

"Nah, I'm going to wait until after he's born before I call them."

An hour later, Cassie experienced a horrific pain within. "Ow! Fuck! Oh my God this hurts so fucking bad!" She screamed.

"It's okay, baby. Just breathe through it." He grasped her hand tightly and watched the needle on the screen shoot up and then gradually, back down. "You just had a whopper of a contraction."

"Gee, you don't think I know that?" she said, sarcastically. Cassie pressed the call-button on her bed. "I need the nurse...Now!"

The nurse entered the room, slipped on a pair of latex gloves, and shoved two fingers into Cassie's vagina. "You're six centimeters. Did you want me to call in the anesthesiologist for your epidural?"

"Yes, hurry!" She pleaded. She looked off to the side at Danny. "I don't know why it's hurting so bad now. Before, it was only minor cramping; now I feel as if I want to shoot myself in the head!"

"The anesthesiologist will be here in a few minutes. Try to relax."

Cassie rolled her eyes. "Try to relax...my ass!" Another contraction was building. "Oh my God! FUCK THIS! Get me the fuck out of here! Kill me, Danny! Kill me now!" she hollered through the pain.

Danny tried to hold back from laughing as he had never seen Cassie behave in such a way.

"Do I see you smirking?" she asked, glaring at him angrily.

Danny's lips quickly pressed into a straight-line. "No, I'm not smirking."

Cassie had been in such extreme pain, she got on all fours, yelling, "Please! Get me my fucking drugs, now!" she demanded.

Ten minutes later, which felt like hours to Cassie, the anesthesiologist walked in. "I hear someone needs me." He smiled.

"Yes...please. I need relief...like now!"

The anesthesiologist looked at Danny. "You need to stand in the hall while I do this."

Danny kissed Cassie on the forehead and left the room. He paced the hallway back-and-forth, worried to death about her. He didn't like seeing her in so much pain, especially after knowing how strong of a woman she was. Seeing her vulnerable and in such a pitiful state hurt him and he knew that she must be really hurting to react the way that she did.

The nurse asked Cassie to sit at the edge of the bed with her feet dangling to the floor and to curl her back while resting her elbows upon her knees. Cassie could see the long needle in her peripheral vision, which made her extremely nervous.

"Now, you must be really still," the anesthesiologist said.

Just before the needle touched her back, another contraction hit her. "Fuck! It hurts so fucking bad!" she yelled.

"Has it passed?" the anesthesiologist asked, pulling back the needle.

Cassie wiped the tears streaming down her face. "Yes, it passed."

"Ok, you're going to feel a little pinch. Try not to move."

The needle punctured Cassie's back, which felt like a mosquito bite. She had been relieved that it wasn't as painful as she anticipated.

The anesthesiologist placed some surgical tape on her back, which held the catheter in place. "Okay, you can lie back and relax now. I'll get your husband."

Danny walked back into the room, relieved that he saw she was more comfortable. "How are you feeling now, baby?"

"Much better. I love that man; he's the best drug dealer around." She joked.

A few hours had passed and Cassie experienced no more contractions whatsoever. She did notice some slight pressure in her stomach, so she pushed the call button and requested the nurse. "I feel some kind of weird pressure in my stomach," Cassie said as the nurse entered the room.

"You're probably at ten centimeters; let me check you real quick." The nurse slid the latex gloves on her hands and slipped two fingers inside Cassie's vagina. "Yep, you're ready." She pulled her hand from beneath the blanket and peeled off her gloves. "I'll page the doctor now."

"Are you ready to become a mama?" Danny asked, smiling from ear-to-ear.

"Are you ready to become a daddy?" She grinned.

Danny leaned over the bed and kissed her lips. "I hope you know that I love you more than anything, baby."

"Yes, and I love you, too."

The doctor entered the room and rolled a small, stainless steel table filled with medical instruments near the bed. The nurse rolled the tiny, plastic, see-through carrier that would soon hold Cassie's son.

"Okay, when you feel that pressure you've been feeling, I need you to push, and hold it for ten seconds."

Cassie took a few deep breaths and felt the pressure build. She pulled her thighs up to her chest, baring down hard, trying to push for ten seconds.

"Good, you're doing great."

Danny rushed over to stand next to the doctor, peeked underneath the blanket, and could see the baby's head. "That baby's going to have a shitload of hair." He laughed, staring at the long, black curl protruding from between Cassie's legs.

"I feel the pressure!" Cassie grabbed underneath her thighs, pulling her knees to her chest, pushing as hard as she could. After several pushes with no baby, she grew exhausted. "I can't do it anymore," she whispered, breathing heavily.

"C'mon, baby. You can do this. You're almost there." Danny coached.

Cassie felt the pressure once more and she was determined to make this push count. "Shit...!" she screamed.

She suddenly was relieved, and heard the cry of her newborn son. The doctor placed little Samuel on her chest, and she held him for the very first time. Looking up at Danny, she saw a tear trickle down his cheek.

"I am the happiest man alive right now. Look at our beautiful family. I love you so much, Cassie." He kissed their newborn son, who had a head-full of jet-black hair just like his daddy, and then, he kissed Cassie on the cheek.

"I love you too, Danny...I love you too."

They say everything happens for a reason. I believe that to be true. If it had not been for me becoming an exotic dancer and my parents finding out, I would have never become humiliated enough to run away and join the Navy. If I would have never joined the Navy, I would have never met my soul mate and gave birth to my beautiful children. I hold no regrets about my past because it has made me into who I am today. ~ Janie S. Monares
About the Author

Janie S. Monares resides in Dallas, Texas with her family. The inspiration Janie received from writing this series came from when her ex-husband was stationed in the Navy at Moffett Federal Airfield in Mountain View, California during the 90s. Her ex-husband had just come back from a deployment in Japan during 1997 and was told from one of his female coworkers that the men took to the kindness of prostitutes who hung around the hotel where they had stayed. Being as furious as ever, Janie went straight to the squadron's commanding officer and confronted him about it. His exact words were, "What happens on Det stays on Det." That chilled Janie to the core. That was the phrase that broke the camel's back of her future ex-husband and her already rocky marriage.

After ending her four year marriage, Janie joined the Navy herself. While at the reserve center, she was speaking with a female coworker who told her that she couldn't wait to go on board an aircraft carrier for six months because she wanted to prostitute herself out to the sailors to make extra money while onboard. That's where Janie's story came into play. After interviewing people who were and are currently serving in the Navy, she compiled all of the interviews and created her own story into this fictional trilogy that is based on some true events.

Janie is a four-time, bestselling author, a mother, wife, and business owner.

