Whirl (3 page)

Comfortably full, we make our way to 1950 just over an hour later. 

It is of course a retro fifties style inside. Very smart, with a mid blue and black theme, the bar staff all wearing fifties style clothing, which is a nice touch. We've got twenty minutes or so until Brendan's pals are due to show. We order ourselves some drinks at the bar and sit down in a booth to wait. I look around with interest. There are a few dozen people in here already including a couple of Marines in their smart beige and brown uniform. Apparently it gets packed on Monday karaoke nights. I hope I can get a spot in the limelight. More and more people come in and it's getting really busy now.

A group of six uniformed buddies finally arrive and I'm shown off like a prize turkey by Brendan and Toni.  Not that I mind being shown off at all. It gives my extremely deflated ego a boost. I hug Frankie, Bren's best man like a long lost friend and we rock from side to side laughing like idiots as we almost topple over. He's not my type in the romantic sense, but he is a lovable funny person, nonetheless. He had me in stitches at the wedding. I ruffle his reddish short hair and he gives me a big kiss on the cheek.

“
You're looking mighty fine Lex... How's things?”

“
Okay I suppose, now that I'm here anyway. I'm so glad I've got away from home because I needed this holiday big time. How's things with you anyhow?”

“
Really good. I've got a girlfriend, Leanne, she works at the base, in the same building as me, in Administration. We've been together a year now.”

“
That's lovely news. I'm so pleased for you.”

“
So it seems I won't be able to marry you after all,” He jokes with a big grin.

“
I shall cry myself to sleep over you,” I joke back. “My one true love has slipped from my grasp.” I feign devastation.

“
Watch it cutie pie or I'll dump Leanne and whisk you off to Vegas for a quickie wedding.”

“
I'd better go and buy a long white dress then.”

We carry on our stupid flirt and joke for a while longer and then rejoin the group. I spotted the good looking pals within a nano second of their arrival. Tall blond and handsome Sam, and shorter blond and handsome Ross. It's a shame they're both fair haired, what with Chris being fair. But still, good looking they certainly are, and both seem keen on me based on the long interested looks I'm getting. I eye up Sam with a secret smile. What a fit looking sort he is.
Just my type.
I'm suddenly into blond crew cuts big time, they look stunning with a tan.

Well, well. Aren't I the lucky one?

I go up to the bar, insisting it's my round of drinks, but the real reason is to give the blond hotties a better view of my short skater skirt legs and high heels. I'm standing at the bar waiting for the dark haired barmaid to serve me. She obviously prefers to serve men because she's ignoring me deliberately. I study her face. She's quite pretty but the scowl she wears doesn't do much for her. Neither do the multitude of ear piercings or the massive green dragon tattoo snaking its way down her arm. I hear someone call her Mariel. She finally gets around to serving me, looking in my direction for the first time. At that moment, another guy appears at my side and two more on the other side. I am amazed and really pissed off when she ignores me yet again and instantly turns her attention to the single guy to my left.

“
My usual thanks, Mariel.”

I turn to stare at who the fuck has just queue jumped me, as he leans over the bar and drops a quick kiss on her cheek. I notice the scowl has disappeared and a pretty smile has replaced it. He straightens up again as Mariel places a bottle of beer on the bar in front of him.

I'm ready to give him an icy glare, but I'm thrown by what I see.

The man of my dreams has just arrived from paradise.

I couldn't have put him together better if I'd visited a 'build a man' store and found all the perfect parts myself.

Glossy dark hair, cut short and neat. A drop dead gorgeous face with a sprinkling of stubble around his chiselled jaw line.
Oh those piercing, deep blue eyes!
Broad shoulders and muscular arms, but not too big, I don't like overly muscular men particularly. He's the perfect height, a couple of inches taller than me wearing my heels. My eyes travel downwards taking in the dark grey Bench T-shirt, and the casual, but smart jeans hugging his slim hips. There's not an ounce of fat on his body. He's lean and oh so beautiful. I take a gulp swallowing the saliva that has gathered in my mouth. My heated gaze swims back up to his face. My mind is completely swamped by him.

Jeez, he really is Mr Got It All...

After a few seconds I realise I'm blatantly staring into his eyes. He seems to be staring pretty intensely at me too, checking me out, very thoroughly... He raises his eyebrow at me and grins a slightly lopsided grin.

I'm so, so, so in lust.

“Hi there,” He says in a lovely, deep husky voice. I must be melting before his very eyes, dissolving in a girly puddle at his sex god feet. I smile in as cute a fashion as I can manage considering I'm suffering from a severe case of 'beautiful man' shock.

“
Well hello Mr Ugly.” I don't know what possessed me to choose those opening words and joke like that with the man of my dreams. Temporary lust induced insanity perhaps? I can't see any sign of amusement etched across his face. Not even the surprise I might have expected, it's something else... irritation, anger, I don't know...

“
You're not Miss World either.” His expression is suddenly dark and hard.

“
It was supposed to be a joke, obviously.” I snap back, haughtily.

“
Don't dish it out if you can't take it, sweetheart.”

“
I don't mind people joking with me. But you weren't joking, were you?”

“
No, in this case it's pure fact. You're not Miss World, are you?”

“
Tell me, which charm school did you graduate from, hmmm?”

“
It's my own brand of charm.”

“
Well Mr Ugly, you
so
need to work on it, because as far as charm goes, it stinks.” And I totter off in a huff with my nose in the air. The drinks can wait. I'm not hanging around here another second longer. 
Oh fuck! That went well...

I sit down at our booth explaining to everyone that Mariel was far too busy with her queue of male customers to notice me. Mr Tall Blond Hottie, Sam, goes off to sort her out and get our long delayed drink order.  The next minute my stomach churns with embarrassment as Mr Ugly appears in front of me at our booth, giving me a cold but curious look.

Toni nudges me and whispers in my ear. “Straight ahead, here's your stunner.” Well that's just bloody typical. My best looking chance blown in a minute of jokey misunderstanding and unpleasantness.

Brendan, blissfully unawares, introduces us to each other with an amused tone to his voice.

“Alex, I'd like you to meet Alex.” Everyone has a quick snigger over our same names. Except the two of us. We're stony faced. Well, on the surface we are. I'm not sure what's going on beneath.

He offers me his hand and I take it, shaking it briefly. Shivers run all the way up my arm at his touch.

“Alex is Toni's sister. She's over from the UK for a month's vacation.” Brendan carries on with his introduction.

“
I've just met
Alex
at the bar,” Alex explains. His gorgeous voice sweeps through me as his eyes lock themselves directly onto mine. I stare back levelly, even though my sex muscles are very distracting, contracting far too pleasurably under his gaze.

“
We had a few pleasant words, didn't we
Alex
?” I add a little sarcastically. Heat is rising inside of me uncontrollably. My pulse is quickening.
My God, I'm drowning in his eyes, they're so gorgeous.

“
I was wondering if you'd mind taking Lex up for a flight one day this week, Captain Jackson, sir?” Brendan asks him to my surprise.

Oh please! He's not a CO and a whirly pilot too? He's scoring way too high on the hot and sexy scale. I'll have to wring out my knickers soon.

“Sure. I have some free time tomorrow morning. Does that suit?” He replies coolly to us both. He fixes his eyes on me again, his piercing unwavering gaze is almost fiery blue, and it sends me rocketing off into the stratosphere, everything inside me squeezes so tight it hurts. I bring myself back down to earth fast.

“
I'll have to check if I can fit it in my busy schedule,” I respond in my usual jokey style. I'm not so sure that's a good idea after the words are out. Maybe he can't take a joke. Any joke. He raises an eyebrow, pinning me down with a damn sexy look.
Oh fuck!
I squirm on my seat as a wave of pure desire rushes through me.

“
Sorry Alex, but you've got to fit in with
my
busy schedule. I can give you a half hour or so at 11am. Take it or leave it.” He is so cool and very much in command. If I want to go up in the air, I'd better grab this opportunity.

“
Why thank you
so
much for the kind offer Captain Jackson. It's much appreciated,
sir
.” I give him a mock salute and sit up straight backed to attention. I notice his nostrils flare with annoyance and his eyes glare into mine. I can't seem to stop myself antagonising him. I'll have to try and redeem the situation somehow. I'll charm him with my singing later. Blast his socks off with some sexy suggestive lyrics and have him panting at my feet, licking my ankles and banging me up the wall with a wild out of control passion...  All in his mind of course. I'm not
that
easy. Toni kicks me under the table and I turn her way.

“
Hey, cool it,” She mouths at me with a questioning look. I think she's caught the strange heated vibes.

Alex turns to talk to Brendan, Ross and a couple of other guys from the next booth. Hot Sam returns with a tray full of drinks and slides in next to me. A moment later the bar manager announces that if anyone wants to participate in the karaoke, now's the time to take a ticket from the bar. I push Sam up roughly and go for the bar with a mission. I'm not missing out on this. It's going to be the hottest performance I've ever given. I end up with number 5.
Not bad. I'll be up in about twenty minutes, at a guess.
I take a look at the song choices.

Oh yes,
I smile to myself.
That'll do very nicely...
Rihanna's 'Diamonds'.
One of my favourite up tempo ballads and very aptly suited to his domain, the sky...

I sit down next to Sam again sipping my drink, enjoying the show and enjoying the view of Alex's tight ass even more. I sneakily take some photos of him to study later. The singers queued up before me are not bad, not bad at all. I really am enjoying it. I clap away merrily after each performance. I don't get nervous about singing anymore. I'm immune after hundreds of sessions. But today my stomach does an unusual flutter when I stand up to take my turn. I manage a quick smile at Brendan and my sister and I'm off, up on the small stage, ready to writhe around and warble nasally like a Riri double. I press the button for my song of choice and I'm away, lost in my lyrical world.

This is one song I know so well I could sing it in my sleep. Rihanna numbers are very popular in The Blue Lounge, back home. I've mastered some good moves, and very sexy they are too, if I say so myself! I keep my eyes fixed on Brendan and Toni during the starting lines, watching their astonished faces as I sing and move in a tuneful sultry rhythm. They've both seen me sing before, at the beginning of my 'singing career', and I know I'm far more refined and polished than I used to be two years ago.

I sneak a couple of rampant hot looks at Alex, my eyes sweeping up to his and dropping back down again at the perfect points in the song.

“...You’re a shooting star I see,

A vision of ecstasy,

When you hold me,

I’m alive,

We’re like diamonds in the sky...

I knew that we’d become one right away,

Oh right away,

At first sight I felt the energy of sun rays,

I saw the life inside your eyes...”

His eyes are riveted to mine. His face dark and unreadable. My stomach tenses under his fixed hard stare. I almost lose my concentration and for a horrifying split second the next words I am singing disappear from my head.

This man does wild, mind blowing things to me. I have to have him.

In self preservation, I drop my gaze from his and return my attention to my sister again. I carry on with my stellar performance, my poise regained. At the end I get a loud round of applause and some 'more, more' calls. Maybe later or next time, if they run out of willing people. I don't want to show off. I do have the lovely Mariah's latest hot hit up my sleeve, a classic Whitney, and booty shaking Beyonce, all of which I noticed on the song list here tonight. I make my way back to our booth and take a bow in front of the enthusiastic clapping little gathering. Frankie gives me a tight squeeze.