Love is Always Write Anthology Volume 6

let him. "Jesus, baby. That guy is a bigoted asshole. I have some comments about how they managed to let someone like him into the Marines but I'll hold those. I'm so, so sorry Adam."
    I leaned out of his embrace and looked him in the eye. "That's all you have to say?" He didn't answer. "Don't you even care that I had to make up some big huge lie and tell people that you were marrying my cousin?"
    His voice was quiet. "Did they believe you?"
    "I don't know. Most of them don't usually believe the filth that spews from Kowalski's mouth, so I think they would believe me."
    He nodded his head. "All right, then." He started to get up.
    "You really don't care? You should be yelling and cursing and hitting me— anything. You should be pissed off that not only have I shoved you in the closet but I have to lie about who you are."
    He sighed and finally looked down at me. "Adam, of course I'm not happy about it. But I don't know any of these people, so I don't give a fuck what they think about me. If it makes it easier for you, then tell 'em I'm married to three wives with a dozen kids. Whatever will keep you safe and coming back to me. That's all I care about." Then he turned and walked out of the room.
    ****
    The final blow happened two weeks later. The word was that Kowalski had been reprimanded pretty severely for what had happened that day and he had thankfully been keeping his distance from me. In fact he never said another word to me and I didn't even hear him joking around as much with the other guys.
    Field training was finally over for everyone and of course the guys all wanted to go out and celebrate. We went to this little dive bar just off base, and commandeered the big booth in the back, telling the waitress to keep the pitchers flowing. There were several groups of single girls in the bar, so I knew it would only be a matter of time before the boys all started pairing off with whichever cutie was speaking to their dick that particular night. As soon as that started happening, that was my cue to start acting drunk and then leave so I could head to Chase's.
    There was one chick that was seated at the bar and as I walked by once from the bathroom, she stopped me and tried to strike up a conversation. I was polite and chatted with her then took the number she gave me and shoved it in my pocket before heading back to the table.
    The boys of course razzed me about the "hot chick I was talking to," and I laughed it off. As I sat back down, I noticed Kowalski had suddenly shown up. He didn't say anything, just kept looking at me in that smug-ass way of his. Later, I wished I had just turned around and left right then.
    An hour later and the night was progressing as I had predicted. I was the only one left in our booth and I was just getting ready to leave when I saw Kowalski talking to the chick at the bar who had hit on me earlier. He was nodding back to the booth and then she turned and looked back at me and smiled. Shit. Now I really had to get out of here, no telling what he was cooking up.
    Except she was quicker than I was, because the next thing I new there she was sliding into the booth next to me.
    "Thank you for the drink."
    I blinked. "Drink?"
    She held up her glass and shook it. "The nice guy at the bar said you bought it for me." Then she sidled up to me even closer so our bodies were touching, squeezing me into the back of the booth. "I thought I should come over and say thank you in person." Her eyes were staring directly into mine. Then she was practically climbing on top of me, shoving her lips on mine. I could still see over her head and staring right at us with a sick smirk on his face was Kowalski. Motherfucker was gonna sit there and watch the whole thing to see what I'd do. My gut twisted at the sickness of this whole situation.
    "Mmm, you're so hot," she breathed. She was running her hand down my chest and heading straight for the promised land. I realized I was trapped, literally and figuratively. So I tried to shut my mind off and once again, play the God damned part.
    I started kissing her back and she was sticking her tongue in my throat. I ran my hands up her thighs, toward her practically nonexistent skirt, intending to just slip my fingers underneath the hem, to tease a little. Unfortunately that just encouraged her to start grabbing for my crotch and my jeans were just loose enough that she got a hand down there before I could stop her. I decided that now, I could be justified in getting