Love is Always Write Anthology Bonus Volume

under them made Jacob ask, "You figure we'll make it all the way there?" They could both feel the way the Gageway was wallowing, deeper in the water than usual.
    "Sure. The pumps are keeping up, at least mostly. And it's only a couple of days."
    "She'll need repairs."
    "Yeah. We should get liberty for sure, maybe even real leave." Daniel kept his head tipped up toward the sky and didn't look at Jacob as he asked, "You still interested in doing something?"
    For a second Jacob hesitated. He could change his mind? He'd thought he'd committed, in that dark airless space with his face pressed against Daniel's skin. And now unexpectedly Daniel was giving him the chance to take it back. But it was only a second of hesitation. Because Jacob had looked at every burned, bleeding and broken man who had been carried into sickbay with only one thought. Please, God, don't let it be Daniel. And each time it hadn't been. Damned if he was going to waste that gift.
    "Yeah. I'm still interested."
    "I'll ask, find us a place. Somewhere safe."
    "A hotel you mean?"
    "Or a motel, something like that. That okay with you?"
    Okay was a pretty tepid way of saying it. Jacob slid the blanket a little further across his lap. "That's fine."
    Slowly Daniel's body beside him slumped, becoming softer and heavier against his arm. "We should find a place to lie down," Jacob said softly.
    "Nah." He had to struggle to hear Daniel's voice. "This is good."
    The deck was hard, there was no room to fully unbend his knees, and his ass was going to sleep. And they couldn't touch in any way that might look odd to the passing Damage Control guys, who prowled the deck for watching for stray lights. But Jacob held still, as Daniel dropped off leaning on his shoulder. His hand was under the corner of the blanket on Daniel's thigh, heat pressed to heat. And sitting there, exhausted, on a slowly sinking ship with Japanese subs out in the darkness and a thin pillow between him and unforgiving steel, Jacob thought he had never felt better.
    ****

CHAPTER 5
    Three days later
    The sun was low, glancing off the red rock faces of the hill behind the town. Jacob stopped for a moment, right there on the dock and let himself look. This was Australia. He was halfway around the world from home.
    Not that he hadn't been just as far from America on the ship. But the Gageway was home. Part of the good ol' US of A that carried them along, insulated from the world. Now there was nothing between his feet and the red dirt of another continent except the soles of his shoes.
    He tugged his uniform a little straighter and tipped his cap back. Around him voices were raised, speaking English but in accents and phrases that almost lost the meaning in the strangeness. The other sailors on liberty streamed past as he stood fixed in place, drinking it in. The late afternoon sun was warm but not hot. The air was scented with familiar odors of sea and fish, but there was a tang that spoke of dry air and strange vegetation.
    At the end of the dock, past the fence, there was a small crowd of locals. Some were apparently selling things, trinkets and fresh fruit and baked goods. A few of his shipmates clustered round, joking good-naturedly as they bartered for everything and anything. An unfamiliar fruit, a necklace of flowers, it was all good to men who had been cooped up on an old rust bucket for weeks where there was nothing new.
    Well, other than Jap torpedoes and airplanes coming in without warning. Jacob shook his head and pushed his thoughts away from the men he'd helped get ready for transport. The battle was over. The slow sad service on the decks under an incongruously blue sky was behind them. The old girl had made it to port without sinking. This was Australia. And Jacob had better things to think about.
    So did some of the other fellows, apparently. Among the vendors were quite a few women, dressed just a little low on top and a little high on the bottom. They chattered among themselves, casting glances at the disembarking sailors. And if the look was returned, they might saunter over to laugh and banter with one of the men. And perhaps wander off, arm in arm. It had been a long four weeks at sea.
    Jacob suddenly spotted Daniel in a group of men further down the quay. One of the men pushed Daniel toward a pair of pretty girls standing by the gate. Jacob saw Daniel laugh, shove back with equal force, and then head toward the girls.
    Jacob thought he should move on, not stare at Daniel.