Part 13 (1/2)
rest at a resort on Culion.
Just before they boarded the helicopter that would take them to the island, the NDYs-promotions for those Not Dead Yet-were dispensed. The process was informal, tattered even, conducted not by Lieutenant Koenig but by Staff Sergeant Daggett, the platoon's senior NCO. He called Rhys's name first, telling her she picked up corporal and was now a fire team leader.
”Okay, that's it,” Daggett said in a glum monotone after ticking off several more promotions. ”We'll do the pin-the-tail-on-the-donkey dances on Culion.”
* 111 *
Nodding congratulations to Rhys, who couldn't suppress a satisfied smile, Jamie lifted her seabag and turned toward the helo, pleased and relieved that she and Rhys would be equals again.
”Oh yeah, one more.” Jamie halted at the sound of Daggett's voice behind her. s.h.i.+t s.h.i.+t s.h.i.+t s.h.i.+t... ”Gwynmorgan, you're boosted to sergeant. You'll take second squad.”
v ”I heard this place used to be a leper colony once.” Rhys gazed at the faded pink concrete-block building in front of them; she hadn't looked at Jamie on the helo and didn't look at Jamie now.
”All I want is a clean bed and a real hot-water shower.” Yet Jamie doubted the stink of fear in her armpits would ever wash away, just as she doubted anything could ever sate her gnawing, growling hunger for- What? She didn't know. It was just another feeling that didn't matter anymore.
Jamie shrugged at the building, one of the several Culion ”resorts” pretty much taken over by the Corps. This one had been constructed early in the century with a certain pre-pandemic flourish and obviously hadn't been updated since. But once inside the tired room she'd share with Rhys for the next ten days, Jamie discovered that the plumbing still worked and even the noisy, twenty-year-old air conditioner functioned, more or less.
Without a word, she stripped off cammies, then skivvies, and walked straight into the shower. Under its surprisingly energetic spray, Jamie leaned her head and elbows against the tile wall, closed her eyes, and let the wall keep her upright.
”You okay?”
She hadn't heard Rhys follow her into the bathroom and she didn't reply. She couldn't bring herself to think about finding whatever it was she'd need to reply, or even move.
Rhys stepped into the shower behind her and Jamie s.h.i.+vered as she felt Rhys's hands slide across her back, around her hips. Down, down slithered Rhys's hands, and Jamie moaned the implacable need that fired in her c.l.i.t and jolted into her belly.
Unleashed by Rhys's touch, Jamie spun around blind and reckless.
* 112 *
She grabbed Rhys's hips and, pulled off balance, Rhys toppled into her, pus.h.i.+ng her back against the shower wall.
”Hey!” protested Rhys.
But Jamie's grip didn't loosen. ”What, Marty?” Eyes squeezed shut, she yanked Rhys off the floor and into her pounding, relentless privation. ”Think I got something special?” Jamie slammed herself ferociously against Rhys's hipbone.
”Hey!” Rhys shouted this time, shoving hard enough to break Jamie's grip. ”What the f.u.c.k are you doing?” Jamie gaped at Rhys's outrage-red face. Every muscle in Jamie's body had gone rigid and she couldn't get herself to breathe in or out until- ”OmiG.o.d.” She yanked her hands away from Rhys. ”OmiG.o.d, I'm so sorry, Marty. I didn't mean to-I-I-” Jamie's back was glued to the wall. Water sprayed into her eyes, into her open mouth.
Rhys's face had already relaxed, as if the spray of water had the power to wash away all her upset. ”It's okay.” Her hands palmed Jamie's face and kept it from veering away. ”It's okay, Jamie.” A soft kiss brushed Jamie's cheek. ”C'mon, let me wash you.”
”I'm sorry, Marty.” Jamie lowered her head, unable to look at Rhys even when Rhys kissed her again and slowly, carefully encouraged her away from the wall to soap up her quaking body. Immersed in shame, Jamie didn't lift her head until Rhys handed her the soap.
”My turn. Now you wash me.”
Jamie eased the soap over Rhys's flesh, hesitating at Rhys's b.r.e.a.s.t.s, between Rhys's legs.
Together they rinsed the suds away, and Rhys toweled Jamie down, kissed her jittery shoulders, then her neck, then her mouth. Unable to stop shaking, Jamie let Rhys lead her to one of the beds.
Rhys nudged her onto the mattress, lay down beside her. Without a word, Rhys kissed Jamie again, long and cajoling, and then led them into making love. Jamie shuddered once, violently, and groaned when Rhys's deft touch brought her to culmination.
Thereafter, Jamie was not allowed to move.
Instead, Rhys climbed Jamie's body. Like she was straddling a wild animal, Rhys rode, and Jamie bucked and surged beneath her, coming again, calming only after Rhys, too, was spent and exhausted.
They fell asleep entwined.
* 113 *
When Jamie woke, she found Rhys staring at her. ”What?” she asked sleepily, curling toward Rhys's shoulder.
Rhys cradled Jamie's head, bestowing on it an affectionate kiss.
”You've got to tell me what's going on with you.” Jamie couldn't prevent the cringe. Rhys must have seen it but didn't give in. ”Talk to me, Jamie.”
Jamie tried to move away.
”Oh no you don't.” Rhys laughed softly and tugged Jamie back onto her shoulder. ”You stay right here.”
Jamie didn't resist but didn't speak either.
”I'll ask, you answer. Okay?”
Jamie closed her eyes, tried to keep her face impa.s.sive. Maybe this would all stop hurting so much if she just didn't move.
”Okay?” Rhys asked again.
She was going to have to open her eyes. She looked up at Rhys and offered an infinitesimal nod. ”Okay.”
”How've you been sleeping?”
Jamie's shoulders hunched, she frowned at the battered dresser across the room.
”Uh-uh, not an answer. How've you been sleeping?” A sigh. ”Not so great.”
Rhys's gesture told Jamie to elaborate.
”Bad dreams,” Jamie said, allowing herself a quick glance at Rhys.
Rhys didn't seem surprised. ”Same ones or different?”
”Variations on a theme.” Jamie glanced up at Rhys again.
Go on, insisted Rhys's eyes.
”I'm, uh, I'm out there on a mission, y'know?” Rhys's chin s.h.i.+fted up, down-a nod.
”And, uh, my spotter gets. .h.i.t. Or sometimes another guy in my fire team gets. .h.i.t. But I can't get him back. Something always happens-I can't pick him up, or if I get him up, I can't make any headway to the med-station. Or I get hit, or he gets. .h.i.t again and his head explodes all over me.” Jamie inhaled deeply and shook her head. ”And now...”