Trouble Triangle (Tyler's Trouble Trilogy) (15 page)

"You know what, Mark, she's got a nice ass. Maybe one day I'll walk into the room, and she'll be running around in the buff."

"I haven't even seen her naked yet, so fuck off." Mark motioned for us to move over to the corner of the building, away from the entrance. We both leaned against the brick exterior. I lit a cigarette.

"Those things are going to kill you," Mark said, "but I'm betting you die at the hands of an outraged woman before the cancer sticks ever get a chance to bite."

I touched my eyebrow with two fingers and flicked the wrist out in a saluting gesture. "Thanks for your concern, Mister Surgeon General, but I can handle chicks and sticks. If my liver holds out, I might even make it to twenty-seven. Morrison, Joplin, Hendrix, Chambers. We all only need twenty-seven years to make our mark on the world."

"How do you feel about twenty?" Mark pushed himself off the wall and faced me. "Lori told me that she and Debbie's been
talkin
', and Debbie's still pissed about what Holly said at the pizza joint. She confessed to Lori about her past, and they're cool. But Debbie wants revenge."

I stroked my jaw. "Did she tell Lori about her and Holly?"

"I don't think so. Lori would have said some
thing if she knew about Holly."

"Debbie worries me, but I
gotta
stay nice to her. I'm more worried what Holly could do. As long as I keep playing Debbie's game, I think it'll be alright." I took a drag.

"I'm just warning you, there's going to be a kick-off soon." Mark lightly slapped my cheek twice. "Live by the dick, die by one of the women you put it in. See you inside."

"
Late
rs
," I said, as he walked away.

I urged Holly to appear so we could get the hell out of there. I walked back over and stood by the entrance. Someone tapped my shoulder. I turned to find Holly standing there with a face like thunder.

"What are you doing out here?" She held up her arm and tapped her watch. "It's ten past six. I said six."

"Sorry, gorgeous. I looked inside but didn't see you, so I waited out here to escort you in, proper like." I flicked my cigarette away.

She put her hands on her hips. "Like, I wasn't hard to find. I was the good-looking one, totally sitting on my own."

I gently reached down and took her hand. "Why don't we blow this joint and head downtown or something."

"Because I have a drink sitting in there. Now, come along." She jerked my hand and led me in. I pretended that if I didn't see Mark, Debbie or Lori, they wouldn't exist, so I kept my eyes locked on the green indoor/outdoor carpet as Holly guided me to an isolated table in the corner.

"Go get yourself a drink." She dipped into her purse and handed me ten dollars. "An
d get me another rum and coke."

I strolled to the bar as instructed and placed my order. Maybe I could get Holly to play a drinking game. We'd slam the drinks down in one gulp and leave. Perfect.

"So, did Sanchez show up?" I looked to my left and there stood Debbie, a little unsteadily. I could tell by her glazed look she might be on the road to a night she wouldn't remember.

"Oh, um, no, he didn't." The barman put down the two drinks in front of me, and I gave him the cash.

"So, who's the other drink for?" She took a step closer, and I could smell her priming drinks were more than just a few. "I take it you're with someone," she flicked a finger toward the drinks on the bar, "and not drinking
cokie
things with a beer chaser on your own. And my guess would be Holly. Am I right?"

I nodded.

"Well, I'm going to go have it out with that bitch once and for all." She pretended to push her sleeves up. "Not about us, but about her."

I grabbed her by the shoulders. "Wait, Debbie, don't make a scene. A quick drink, and we're
outta
here. Please." I set my eyes to begging mode.

She wagged her finger in my face. "I'm not
gonna
drop you in it, but that bitch deserves a slap." She sighed, grabbed my beer off the bar and took a drink, then put it back. "Okay, no scene. But at l
east buy me a shot of tequila."

I handed her three dollars. "On me." That sounded better than telling her the truth and saying, 'On Holly'.

She smiled. "If you get tired of her," she pointed to a table at the other side of the room, "I'm over there, drinking with Mark and Lori."

"Gotcha."

I returned to the table with our drinks. I sat do
wn next to a stone-faced Holly.

"Like, what were you doing talking to Debbie Meyers at the bar?"

I rotated my beer bottle in place as it sat on the table, staring at the label. "
Nothin
'. She just asked me if I'd help her study for the E-5 test she's taking next month."

"Why you? You're only an E-3, and since when did you two become so buddy-buddy?"

"We're not." I lifted my head and looked at her. "I told you, I think she's stalking me."

"If she wasn't a lesbian, I might be worried. Then again, I know you would never stray from me. We're like two peas on the farm."

"I think you mean 'two peas in a pod'."

"Like, whatever. Anyway, I'm going to transfer her to the lagging shop tomorrow. At least then she'll be on the other side of the division and can't harass you so easily." She flicked her hair. "You are so lucky to have a girlfriend in high places." She patted my leg.

"
Ain't
I just. Look, can we go now?" I leaned in close, examining her brown eyes. She smelled of rose petals. "I want to go back to your place and fuck your brains out," I whispered.
Too bad someone already beat me to it
.

She stroked my arm. "Honey," she cooed, "I've told you, don't use the F-word when you talk about us doing the deed. It's making love. Don't you feel that way too?" She fluttered her eyelashes. "Besides, you just brought us back a drink."

"How about, 'I really want to nibble your
bibble
?'"

She scrunched her nose and shoulders, and giggled. I giggled back, feeling myself getting aroused.

"Okay, we'll finish t
hese, then we'll go," she said.

I looked around and noticed we were well away from anyone else, so I slipped my hand under the table and slid it up her thigh. She put her hand under the table and returned the favor. We fondled each other under the table through our clothes, and I got incredibly turned on. The public risk thing was so hot, especially when she closed her eyes and softly moaned. God, I could take her at anytime she was so turned on. I had visions of ripping her clothes off, throwing her on the table, and 
fuc
—, making love to her in the corner of the bar for all to see. She would have loved that. Provided I didn't suffer another attack of stage fright.

My mind went wild as we petted each other under the cover of the walnut veneer table. "Let's go," I whispered. My erection would be visible once
I stood up, but I didn't care.

"You bitch!"

Holly and I both jumped. Debbie stood swaying at the end of the table. She glared at Holly - a fight brewing in her eyes. Mark and Lori appeared behind her seconds later.

Uh oh. Time for the kick-off.

"You're drunk," Holly snapped.

"Don't condescend to me, you whore. Where do you get off telling everyone I'm a lesbian?" Debbie pointed at Holly. "Pot." She poi
nted back at herself. "Kettle."

Mark stood behind Debbie, put his hand on her shoulder, and leaned in. "Keep it down," he forcefully whispered, "this isn't the place for this topic of conversation."

Debbie threw her arm back toward Mark, shaking off his grip. "I'm not taking shit off this holier-than-thou, lesbian slut." Debbie flopped into one of the chairs opposite us. She lowered her voice, which was a relief. She leaned in and looked Holly in the eyes. "Come on, Holly. Tell your boyfriend,
Tyyyler
, how you used to be a
lesbo
yourself. Remember all those great orgasms I gave you? Do you still scream like a little
nympho
when you do it with
Tyyyler
?"

Holly straightened her back, and pushed her chest out. "Look, Meyers, I realize that most guys on this base fantasize about having sex with me. And I accept that women like you probably do too. So, I can understand you dreaming about having sex with me. But you have to separate reality from fantasy." She narrowed her eyes. "Now, shove off."

"Then how come I know your nipples are tiny?" She held her finger and thumb a mere fraction of an inch apart. "About the size of a dime." She slung her look toward me. "Am I right, Tyler?"

Holly's hand came up and smacked the side of Debbie's face. The loud crack sounded like a whip and I cringed. Debbie hel
d her cheek and looked shocked.

"I'm not sitting here discussing the size of my nipples with some brazen dyke. A drunk one at that. Come on, Tyler, we're going." Holly stood up, knocked the rest of her drink back, and stormed off toward the door.

I got up and walked over to Mark, pulling his arm to get him to take a few steps away from Lori. Debbie stayed seated at the table, her back to us. I motioned my thumb toward Debbie. "Is she going to be all right?" I whispered.

"Tequila slammers," he whispered back, "don't worry, I'll make sure she gets back to her room." He glanced back toward Lori. She had moved and sat with her arm around Debbie. "She was right about Holly's nipples, though. I can vouch for that." He nudged me and smiled.

"Will you knock it off," I said sternly. "This is no time for you to be getting off on my girlfriend's nipples."

The smile didn't leave his face. "Right, Course not." He got a little more serious. "Look, Debbie's hammered. I tried to talk her out of coming over here, but she got herself in a state. I believe Debbie on this one, Holly seems to be in some kind of denial."

Holly had stopped about ten feet away, turned around, and looked at me with her 'get your butt over here' face. "I
gotta
go," I said to Mark, and walked over to Holly.

She grabbed my arm and pulled me out the door. We got in her Mustang without speaking. She started it up, and once we left the base she drove like a woman possessed, weaving in and out of traffic, her mouth in full frown, her eyes narrowed, and anger oozing from every pore. We didn't speak and I kept my feet firmly pressed against the floorboard, pushing an imaginary brake.

We pulled up in front of her apartment building and she
threw the gearshift into park.

I followed her as she stormed up to the front door, stuck the key in, then kicked the door open once she unlocked it. She threw her purse across the room and went straight to the kitchen. I heard bottles and glasses clanking around. She stood at the counter, poured herself a glass of Southern Comfort, knocked it back, and poured herself another. She stormed over to the table and plopped into the chair. I got myself a glass and poured out my own SC and joined her. It
looked like I would need a few drinks myself to get through this one. Her rage made a hurricane look like nothing more than a windy day.

I took a sip of the whiskey. "You, umm…
wanna
talk about it?" I asked.

"No." She downed the rest of her drink, got up, poured herself another one, and returned to the table.

I bobbed my head. "Dru
nken sex. Cool, I'm into that."

Holly shot me a piercing look. "How dare she accuse me of being gay. I have a good mind to report her and get her kicked out. Bitch." She sipped her whiskey. "To say we were lovers, how absurd." She looked me in the eyes. "Do I act gay to you?"

"Of course not. You seem to enjoy my body as much as I enjoy yours. If you
wanna
find out about any tendencies you might have though, we could go down to a strip joint. If you get turned on by it, well, we may have to reconsider." I smiled.

She took hold of her whiskey glass, and hurled it across the room, smashing it against the wall. I watched as the brown liquid slowly trickled down the white and yellow wallpaper. She dropped her head onto her forearms on the table. Sobbing slowly built up to loud crying, her upper body jerked as she cried, her face buried in her arms.

That didn't go down too well
.
I slid my chair around closer, rested my arm on her and stroked her back. "Hey, it's okay. No need to cry, you're probably right. Debbie just fantasizes about bedding a woman as good-looking as you."

Her voice was muffled as she spoke from beneath her arms, and broken by her continued crying. "She'
s right—I'm—a    les—
bian
. Or—
was." The crying was almost as loud as one of her orgasms.

"
Shh
…"  I held her tighter. "It's okay, babe. I know."

Her head jerked up at lightning speed. Her cheeks soaked by running mascara. She looked at me with black cheeks and red eyes. "What do you mean,
you know
?" Her lips quivered as she glared at me.