Love is Always Write Anthology Volume 6

many years of being just friends, we became more and then I got my orders. Before we could start anything, it felt like everything was over. But he came, he's here! I just couldn't contain myself and ran right into his arms.
    Can someone please tell me how these two began, how they survived apart and what's next? :)
    Sincerely,
    Shanna

    genre: contemporary
    tags: friends to lovers; military; marines; DADT; angst; language
    content warnings: some touching and lap-dancing by females (but I promise the men don't enjoy it)
    word count: 44,016
    Back to Table of Contents

    MARKING TIME
    by CJ Anthony
    CHAPTER 1
    September 8, 1997
    They always say you remember the exact moment you met the person you'll love forever— you remember exactly what they were wearing and what they looked like and what they were doing. Well, I don't remember what he was wearing and I only remember the day because it was also the first day of fourth grade for me. But hey, I was only nine— my mind was not exactly on the rest of my life that day. I do remember thinking he was about the coolest person I'd ever met.
    I had been home from school for a while and was sitting at the kitchen counter eating a snack of cheese and apple slices, telling mom all about how Josh had puked on the playground and Ashley, the drama queen, had accidentally stepped in it and ran screaming to the teacher.
    The front door opened and my older brother Bobby, clattered through, banging his backpack against the doorframe. He was yapping loudly about something and there was another voice with him. The door slammed, mom yelled, and Bobby threw back a "Sorry, Mom!"
    And then, there he was— Chase Michaels. He and Bobby were both new freshman at the high school and they'd met in English class. Even at fifteen, Chase was a giant, especially to little nine year-old me sitting on a kitchen stool. I craned my neck to look up at him. He was starting to come out of that awkward stage of pudgy kid into solidly built teenager. He had short dark hair and these eyes that were an incredible mix of blue and gray.
    Bobby rolled his eyes as he introduced me as his "dweeby little brother Adam," but Chase actually looked me in the eyes and gave me a big smile. "Hey little man." He spoke to me! I just stared up at him. "Hi," was my wordy response.
    They stayed just long enough to make peanut butter sandwiches and then they stomped up the stairs to Bobby's room. All I could do was watch him go, in awe. Even then, I was drawn to him, though it was clearly nothing sexual at the time. It was more like the hero-worship of a big brother— if your big brother wasn't an asshat to you like mine was.
    He and Bobby quickly became best buds so he was always over at our house. As soon as he saw me, Chase would always acknowledge me with a "Dude!" or "What's up Little A?" while ruffling my hair or squeezing me in a headlock.
    I wasn't allowed in Bobby's room when they were there, but if they were going somewhere— like down to the corner convenience mart or to a movie— I always tried to tag along. Of course, Bobby never wanted me to come and screaming and yelling would escalate from both of us. Sometimes mom would intervene, either keeping me home or ordering Bobby to take me. But more often than not, Chase would cut in before Bobby got a chance to protest. He always was cool with me hanging out with them, even as Bobby made a disgusted face or punched him on the arm.
    Eventually, they both went off to college and I was left to deal with puberty alone. At first, I thought I was just a late-bloomer because I just didn't see what was "so hot" about any of the girls at school like the other boys did. I sort of began getting an inkling that there was something different going on with me when I found myself watching Tommy McCafferty a lot. He was one of the guys at school who had already started developing a little earlier than the rest of us. He had golden-blond wavy hair that hung down to his jaw and peach fuzz growing on his chin. I kept wondering what it would feel like to touch it.
    Then, Bobby and Chase came home from college for summer break, and I knew. It became very crystal-clear where my preferences lay by the near-constant hard-on I sported all summer. Chase had matured a lot through high school, but a year of college had made quite a difference. He'd played football in high school, earning him a scholarship to Ohio State and the expensive training facilities provided by the college had