Under the Surface

Weeks had passed since Alex and Allie had their affair. Since the conversation she had with Russell. They didn't interact much when they saw each other outside of work. Neither brought it up in conversation. It was extremely difficult for Alex. He looked at her like a lovesick puppy. She maintained the utmost professionalism. She acted like that good Marine that was ingrained in her. A lot of yes, Sir, no, Sir, and calling him by his rank and name.He met her in the hallway outside the locker rooms."How are you this morning, Kingston?"He despised calling her by her last name. They had been so intimate, and he loved saying her name. He would never call her Cara Mia at work, but he wished he could say it to her when they were out of uniform, even if it was in the parking lot on the way to their cars. He equally despised hearing her call him Corporal Alvarez. And he hated it when she called him Sir. He wanted to hear her say, Alex. He hadn't heard her say it since their last night together. His name on her lips was as sweet as honey to him."Good morning, Corporal Alvarez. I am doing alright. I am just looking forward to my solo coming up.""Me too.""I don't think we are looking forward to it for the same reason," she said.She began walking down the hallway."You aren't looking forward to being able to see each other again.""No. That is not what I am looking forward to. I want to be a full-fledged officer. I want to get out of the metaphorical boot camp. It's not about hooking up again," she said.He stepped in front of her, and she stopped."Hooking up? You're calling what we did hooking up? You were so angry when you thought I thought of you as a conquest. You were so upset that you had lost your renewed virginity to me. And now you say that we were hooking up. Are you trying to hurt me? Did I do something?""I'm just being me. I'm here to work, I'll make co-workers, but I am not here to make friends.""That is a huge crock of shit, and you know it. You have changed. You're not my Cara Mia.""Why do you think you know me so well? Because we spent a couple of nights together? Have we had a few conversations? How about because we've driven around the cities in circles for weeks?" she asked, annoyed. "Can we please just set up the shop and get on the road.""OK. Fine."They signed out all their equipment and went to set up shop. They left the garage and drove for a while. Allie wanted to make sure she knew the streets. They weaved in and out of the neighborhood. She was getting pretty good."Why don't I pull over, and you can drive a little," he suggested."I think that would be a great idea."He pulled into an abandoned lot.They both got out of the shop and met in the middle."Do you want to talk about what's been happening between us?""Jesus, Alex, you are like a dog with a bone. It would be best if you let it go. Let us go.""You called me Alex," he smiled that beautiful smile.She melted just a little."Please don't read into it. Alvarez.""I'm not letting this go, Alexsandra."He was now inches away from her."What are you doing?" she asked."I'm thinking about breaking the rules of fraternizing on the job with my rookie.""I have tried so hard to keep my distance from you, Alex. I have been detoxing from you while still being next to you forty hours a week. It's like an alcoholic sitting in a bar and not drinking. And like an alcoholic, it's not the first one that's the problem; it's all the ones that come next. You can't kiss me once. You and I both know that, so please give up on the thought of us being together. And it would be best if you didn't mingle with your rookie anywhere. It's against regulation.""I don't want to fuck you, Allie; I just want to kiss you. And you weren't too worried about regulations when we were together before."The sexual tension was awful. It made parts of her body ache. All she could think about was how he looked out of that uniform, what they had done right after they had just met, and how they had already broken regulations. She needed to stop meeting guys, sleeping with them, and falling for them. Ian, Shawn, and even Malibu slept together, and she planned on being eternally his. Now, Alex. All she wanted was a fun night, but it always seemed to turn into an emotional relationship.Holy fuck, I have got some serious daddy issues, she thoughtHe smelled amazing. She could feel her resolve fading."Do me a favor, and please stop wearing that cologne."She whispered. Their conversation continued in that manner."I'll stop wearing it if you do one thing for me.""And exactly what would that be?"His face was inches away now."Please, just one kiss. Please."He was quietly begging her.She wanted to so badly."I can't. We can't."She dropped her head and walked away from him. She got into the driver's seat and shut the door. Alex just stood there for a few moments. He needed a little time to himself. He got in silently and sat there as she started to drive."Go to Baker, south end," he instructed.She drove and found Baker."Courthouse. Go."She made it to the courthouse with no problems.She smiled a little. She started to blush."What? What's making you smirk?" he asked."I never did see the courthouse... or the jail."He smiled, too."Yeah, I guess we never did."They spent the rest of the shift driving around. Alex would give her a location, and she would find it. He would quiz her on procedures and ordinance codes. She knew her stuff.They parked the shop and turned in all their equipment."I guess that's it for the day. You are not going to have any issues passing your solo. You could have passed weeks ago if you could have taken it then. I guess my work here is done.He looked proud of himself."So, would you like a drink?" he asked."Last time we had a drink together, you ended up pinning my knees to the bed.""Last time we drank together, you had some amazing orgasms," he said."I don't think so. But thank you for the offer."She went into the locker room and changed out of her uniform. Gilmore was there too."Hey Kingston. How's the training going? Aren't you getting close to your solo?""I am counting the days," she said.She started taking off her equipment and changing out of her uniform."How are things going with Alvarez? Has he been on his best behavior?""He has been a great FTO. Things have been moving right along on schedule.""Did he hit on you?" Gilmore asked."No. He might be talking to someone. He didn't seem that interested in me."Allie knew that had to have sounded like the biggest crock of shit ever spoken.Gilmore laughed."Alvarez? Talking to someone? Like in the pursuit of a relationship? Oh, that's funny.""I just call 'em' as I see 'em'.""Well, you will never see him in a relationship. He's not wired that way. He's a one-and-done guy. I have about a dozen girls who can attest to that. He's a hound dog. Actually, that is an insult to actual hound dogs.""Oh, he can't be that bad. I mean, come on. Maybe he's just misunderstood," Allie said."Oh girl, he has you, and you don't even know it.""What is that supposed to mean?""I'm just saying that he can draw you in, and you'll not even realize it's happening. We don't call him the Jugador for nothing."They both shut their locker doors."Hey, remember when you said we should get a drink at Jake's?" Gilmore asked."I do.""Let's go. I'm off, you're off. Now seems like as good a time as any.""I guess I could go for a couple of shots and a beer," Allie said, putting her off-duty weapon in her back holster."The two of them walked out of the room together.Alex walked out of the men's room behind them.Jesus fucking Christ. Just what I need. Gilmore is squawking in her ear about what a shit player I am. I don't want to play with her. I want to be with her, he thought. I'm going to Jake's. I need a drink.Jake's wasn't very crowded. It was a small bar. Nothing fancy. Your basic hole-in-the-wall shot and a beer joint. A long bar stretched along the length of the room. It had two dozen bar stools and eight booths across from the bar. There were dartboards up against the back wall right of the hallway to the bathrooms. More than one person had been hit in the back with a stray dart while they stumbled their way down the hall.Allie followed behind Gilmore. She had never been there before. Everyone in the place was some kind of law enforcement. She recognized several people. She sat at the bar, and a skinny, brown-haired woman came to see what she wanted to drink."Hey there. I've never seen you here before.""Phyllis, this is Alexsandra Kingston. She's about to have her solo and be part of the fourth," Gilmore said."Nice to meet you, Alexsandra.""You can call me Allie. Everyone does.""Well, what can I get for you, Allie?""Three shots of Jose and a Bud Light, Platinum if you got it," she said."Coming right up."Gilmore caught a glimpse of a familiar silhouette at the end of the bar."So, how do you think you'll do on your solo? Who has been assigned to you?""I'm not sure. All I know is that it will be a sergeant.""I don't think it makes too much difference. I'm sure you're ready," Gilmore said."I do not doubt that I will be successful. Alex is a good FTO. He thinks I could have passed it weeks ago if I was given the chance to take it early."Phyllis had put their drinks down."Alex? That is a little personal for a rookie to call their FTO by their first name."She took a drink of her beer. Allie took down two of her shots."You ride around for forty hours a week and get a little personal, like at least on a first-name basis," Allie said."Is that all? Is it just a first-name basis personal? Nothing else?"Allie took her last shot and downed the bottle of beer."Just come out and ask Gilmore. Did I fuck Alvarez, and will I be asking for a transfer?""Well? Did you fuck Alvarez and will be asking for a transfer?""I can confidently say I will not be asking for a transfer.""But did you fuck Alvarez?""Can't you people just leave him alone? I have spent eight hours a day, five days a week, for the last ten weeks, and I got to know him pretty well. If he is a one-and-done, do you think I would still be his rookie if we fucked? There is nowhere for him or me to run after we are done."Gilmore looked at her."That is an excellent argument for me to believe you haven't. You're right. Alex would never fuck anyone knowing he would have no choice but to see them for that long afterward.""So, are we done with this topic of conversation?""Yeah. I'll drop it. But know that I am not the only one who thinks you have been together. Just know that people are talking and watching. Now, I will drop it."They sat and drank for a couple of hours. Allie told her about her military service. She did leave out the part about being a sniper. Gilmore gave her all the gossip, not just in the fourth but every piece she could think of from all over Cleveland. No wonder people were talking about her and Alvarez. Now she knows who starts the conversations. She knew she did not like this woman by her ninth shot and fourth beer. At all. She really didn't have one redeeming quality."I have to hit the head. I shall return."She left Gilmore sitting at the bar. Phyllis came up to her."Damn, she is absolutely gorgeous. Has Alvarez tried to sleep with her yet?""I don't know. I have an inclination that they have been together, but she made an excellent point. There is no way that he would have fucked her, knowing he had to be sitting two feet from her for weeks on end. He's going to though. There is no way he can keep his dick out of that. Did you see her ass?"She walked down the dim hallway behind the bar to the bathrooms. As she passed the men's room, someone emerged, and they collided."Oh fuck," she said. "Alvarez. What are you doing here?""I can ask you the same thing. I am drinking. I had a difficult day. It's kind of mentally taxing. You seem fine, so why are you here?""I am drinking because I am celebrating my training coming to an end.""You have never come here before.""I'm with Gilmore," she said."Oh, for the love of fucking God. I'm sure she's singing my praises. She hates me. I don't know what she has told you. I will not deny that some of what she said is most likely true, but please don't take her word as gospel.""I've never read the Bible, but there were some things that she said that worried me. I shouldn't even be seen talking to you outside of work—or in a dim hallway, for that matter. So, I am going to go. I'll see you on Monday."She went to step away towards the head, and he quickly grabbed her hand to stop her."Allie, why do you hate me now? Do you regret being with me? I just don't understand. You and I are, well, good together. I have never been happier than I was for those two days," she said. "And seeing you day after day only makes me more drawn to you.""Alex, it was two days. You can't be that attached to me after two days. I mean, you are normally one and done. If you can do that, then an extra day shouldn't make a substantial difference."All Allie could think of was her relationships with Ian and Shawn. She knew it was possible. She had experienced it twice before. She wasn't going to let it happen again. As of now, she was doing an awful job at it.She pushed past him and went to the bathroom, where she stood in front of the mirror and looked at her reflection."You need to stop this shit, Alexsandra! You need just to find 'em, feel 'em, fuck 'em, and forget 'em. That always worked for the guys. You need to learn how to do a one-and-done," she said to herself.She finished up and walked out the door. Alex was leaning against the wall, arms crossed, one foot on the wall waiting for her."Allie---""Good Christ.""Come home with me. I never wanted you to be a one-and-done. If I recall, you wanted me to be the one and done. I thought you knew that about me after the time we spent together and the hundreds of conversations we've had. Why can't you believe that you have changed me? My world," he said."Fine."You could clearly see the excitement that coursed through me."Are you serious?""No, I'm not serious."She was serious—deadly serious—but she wouldn't admit it. She had done so well keeping her professional composure."Kiss me and then tell me no.""Haven't we already been through this today?" she asked."You're afraid. I'm convinced you are afraid. You can't prove otherwise to me.""I'm not afraid of anything.""Prove it."He stepped up to her."Even if I wanted to, we can't just kiss in the middle of a bar surrounded by fifty witnesses who have seen both of us here."He walked to the exit at the end of the hall. He opened the door leading outside."Prove it."He was calling her out. She didn't like being called out."Fine, I am going to show you that I have no problem telling you no."They walked outside. Allie leaned up against the brick wall. She crossed her arms and did her best to look annoyed. He approached her and stood there with his face inches from her. He had put more of his cologne on.Fuck. God, he smells incredible, she thought.The tension was building the longer they stood there looking at each other."Well? Are you going to kiss me, or should I go back inside and finish my drinks? I'm confident Gilmore has noticed that I have been gone for an extended period of time.He leaned forward, propping himself up against the wall with his hand like he had the first time he looked at her. He put his lips an inch away from hers. The tips of their noses gently brushed against each other's, their breath hot on each other's mouths. He finally pressed his mouth against hers. He parted her lips with his tongue. She closed her eyes, and she felt her body trying to go slack. It took everything she had to stay upright.Mother of God, he literally makes me weak in the knees, she thought.She was now holding onto his biceps.He slid his other arm around her waist and pulled her into him. She could feel his muscular chest through his t-shirt. He took his hand off the wall and put it on the back of her head. The kiss became firmer and more intense. After a couple of minutes, they finally pulled away from each other. The one kiss had lasted too long for someone trying to prove she had no further interest in being with him."Now tell me. Tell me there is nothing there," Alex whispered. "Well?"She stood there and said nothing. She couldn't lie to him, and she couldn't lie to herself."What do you have to say for yourself?" he asked.She looked into his eyes and bit her bottom lip. His Chestnut brown eyes sparkled under the streetlight."This is it. Understand? I will admit there is something there, and I know I can't deny it, but this is it. It has to be. We are playing with fire. And our careers can go up in smoke.""Only until after your solo, right? Then we are going to try to be together?""We already had this discussion. We can't start a relationship right off afterward. There are already rumors flying around the department, like F-15s; we both know they aren't rumors and if anyone ever finds out, they are facts and not just rumors; one or both of us are screwed," Allie said."I understand, but I am willing to take that risk.""But I'm not Alex. The reputation I got in the military because I was the only female in my unit was terrible—stares and whispers from those who didn't know me. I can only imagine what was being said when they discovered I had an intimate relationship with my longtime spotter. So, I'm sorry, but not right now.""Then when? Can I at least get a ballpark estimate?""It's not even close to baseball season," she said. "I don't want the constant worry. I hate sneaking around. I don't like being a dirty little secret. You have to agree to my terms, Mi Vida.""So, I agree, and I get one more night till God knows when or if? Or, I get nothing, and it will never get to again," he said."That's one way to put it, yes. And it would be best if you moved forward with your life. Like we talked about the first time we were together. Don't wait for opening day.""OK. As much as I don't want it that way, I will. I agree. I would rather have one more night than have a lifetime of what if," he said."Alright. I need to grab my purse and tell Gilmore I have to go home to feed my cat.""You don't have a cat.""I am also not going home, am I?" she said with a smile."I'm parked around the corner. And I have been drinking soda all night.""Really? I thought you came here to drink because of your bad day?""I never said what I was drinking," he smiled."You knew I would be here, didn't you?""No. But I saw you when I walked in, so..."She shook her head and smiled."I do admire your tenacity, Alvarez. I'll meet you around the corner."She returned to the bar, and Alex took off to his truck."I thought maybe you fell in. I was thinking of sending a search party.""No, I am fine. This has been fun. I need to head home."Really? Is there a problem?""I started my period unexpectedly, and it got all over my jeans. I'll see you in a couple of days. Be careful."Gilmore looked at her suspiciously."OK, Kingston. You be careful too and make good choices."Allie walked out the front door and went around the corner. Alex was leaning on the candy apple red Silverado. He looked like he should be in an advertisement for Chevy."Are you ready, Cara Mia?""I have been ready for nine weeks.""I've been ready since nine seconds after the last time I was with you. I do have one question," Alex said."And what would that be?""Remember the first time you rode in my truck?"She gave a sly smile."Maybe."