Chapter 2

After Party

The Memorial Day BBQ at the Steele house had been organized by Eva. Their famous guest chef cooked up steak and chicken on an outdoor grill while Melisa served cocktails at the small bar on the edge of the back deck. In the backyard thirty to forty guests sat at tables covered by red, white, or blue linen tablecloths under a white canopy. The group socialized, ate, and drank until Charlie ‘Country’ Wilks took a stool behind a microphone on the back deck. Those who came in uniform found time to change into more comfortable clothes.

Using an acoustic guitar, Charlie played half a dozen songs pausing in between to talk about Veterans issues and sharing a story or two of his own. The audience went quiet as he shared a story about the first loss of a soldiers’ life under his command as a young airborne rifle platoon leader in Iraq.

On the last song, Heidi went and stood next to Charlie with her flute. His daughter Tiffany made it a trio. Tiffany had a beautiful voice as she sang with her dad America the Beautiful. Everyone stood and sang along their voices loud and strong then Charlie riffed into Lee Greenwoods, God Bless the U.S.A. Heidi hardly missed a beat diving right in with her flute. Brock went up to the trio and gave Heidi a big hug then Tiffany and thanked Charlie. Afterward, the guests slowly said their goodbyes until just a few people sat on the back deck talking as the sunset.

As soon as he got home Brock had exchanged his heavy uniform for golf shorts, boat shoes, and a Hawaiian shirt, one with classic American tanks in the white and green pattern. Maybe not quite Thomas Magnum. Except for that week last July, he couldn’t see himself having a mustache, but with his hairy chest and short curly brown hair, Julia said he looked handsome. He did own a .45 Colt 1911 which he occasionally took to the Rod and Gun Club to shoot but was too heavy for everyday carry.

He had to admit his wife Julia had worked well with Eva who had stayed at home to oversee the caterers in setting up the party, while the rest of the family had been at the service. He half expected his wife to do something to ‘claim’ her territory but so far, the two were civil even laughing together over a glass of Chardonnay as they waited for dinner to be served.

He had spent time with as many of his guests as he could working the tables saying a few words to each guest. Brock took time to reintroduce his wife who had not been back to Nashville since visiting at Christmas with Heidi and then only stayed a week before rushing back to Vienna for New Year’s.

Most of the guests were gone now. Those who remained had gathered on the back deck watching the sky as it turned orange to the west. His wife and daughter went to bed, together, as jet lag hit them both like a ton of bricks. Brock held the squat square bottle Bob had handed him when he and Rachel arrived at the house earlier. The plain white label said it was a single malt whisky distilled in the Blue Ridge Mountains.

Dr. Rachel, along with Bob Wilkins, now wearing shorts and a shortsleve button down shirt, sat together on the wicker loveseat, Sgt. Mescal, or Jenean as she had asked to be called, between them. The three were deep in a discussion about life and war as far as he could tell.

His son Zack sat with Danika in a couple of wicker chairs nearby sipping from glasses of sweet tea quietly listening to the conversation the three Veterans were having. Charlie Wilks had finished playing Cornhole on the grass with Tiffany and he sauntered up to the pouch holding hands with his pretty fourteen-year-old daughter. Charlie stopped to grab a beer from the fridge by the sauna and a cold bottle of water for her. Brock pointed them to a smaller two-person couch, which they took, Tiffany choosing to sit on her father’s lap.

Brock felt a familiar warm hand take his. Eva stood on his left a weary smile on her face a colorful cocktail in her left hand. Melisa had taken off an hour an hour ago as she had swim practice early in the morning. So, Eva must have made her own alcoholic concoction from the bar. Eva was Estonian, blonde, and busty, his primary lover and companion while his wife had been away. She also worked for him at Pegasus. He didn’t want things to change.

Charismatic Charlie Wilks smiled, and everyone looked at him and Tiffany.

“Mescal, where did you get that t-shirt? And where can I get one?” Charlie said nodding at the shirt she wore with her kakhi cargo shorts.

The girl blushed a little, her dark eyes sparkling at the attention. “Oh, this! A couple of people in our battalion Instagram group designed this, the proceeds go to support our Veterans.”

Everyone was looking at the pretty Mexican-Apachee girl sitting on the couch one slender leg tucked up under her.

Mescal proudly pushed out her braless chest, a little shyly at first, her hard nipples, imprinted on the fabric, as all eyes focused on the tight black T-shirt, she proudly wore that had been printed on its front and back. Just like a shirt you would buy at a good concert to remember the show.

Rachel gently encouraged Mescal to stand, taking the beer bottle from her hand as Mescal tugged at the shirt pulling it tight over her breasts as she stood.

Printed in the center of the shirt, were the crossed yellow sabers of the US Cavalry. Across the top of her chest printed in capital yellow letters, inside a yellow border, like on an Army Ranger tab, read.

’TASK FORCE STEELE’

Underneath the crossed yellow sabers the dates.

07.15.28 to 07.27.28

Poland Tour

Mescal turned and pulled her thick braid over her shoulder.

Printed on the back was a 1^st Armored Division patch and a map of Poland showing the locations of key fights that Task Force Steele fought in and its route of march over 10 days as it grew in strenght from a few stragglers to a battalion plus-sized force.

A pretty cool-looking T-shirt that someone had come up with Brock thought. He noticed his Apache Seargent had a nice pair of firm looking tits under the tight shirt. That last thought might be the whisky talking. He pushed it to the back of his mind she was a guest tonight staying in the guest bedroom and not at the Holiday Inn before her flight back to Fort Mead tomorrow. He sat the bottle on the low table in front of the couch, his eyes still on Mescal’s chest.

“I would like to get one of these?” Brock said letting go of Eva’s hand he tugged at Muscal’s left sleeve. “Nice material too,” he added.

Mescal smiled. “No problem, it’s a cotton-polyester blend, extra soft. Colonel, I got you and Mr. Wilks covered as I brought a few extras with me. We also have coffee mugs and other merchandise in the online store.”

“I like a good coffee mug, but Jenean please call me Brock, I’m a civilian, only a soldier part-time,” he said, stepping back as Eva took his hand again.

The ironey of an Apache Indian proudly wearing a shirt with crossed calvery sabers on the chest, the same tye of saber used against her ancestors, was not lost on Brock. He held his tongue and just smiled. She did look good.

Charlie and Tiffany sat near Brock in the loveseat. Tiffany was in a lightweight off-shoulder sun dress, she wore underwear today less she embarrassed the party guests as her dress was nearly see-through even as daylight faded. Charlie wore comfortable shorts and an old, faded blue polo shirt. Tonight, he wore a battered Buc-Es trucker cap instead of his trademark cowboy hat.

“And please call me Charlie,” the famous musician said in his deep voice to the young woman.

She sat down and took her beer from Rachel.

Bob picked up the whisky bottle. “What’d you think? My dad helped engineer the distillery’s layout and became a part owner.”

“I like it. Nice flavor, thank you.” The whisky had a bit of kick had gone to his head a bit. Brock grinned glancing around at everyone sitting and standing in the loose circle on the covered patio. He knew everyone, except for Bob who he didn’t know much about, was a ‘player’ open to suggestions, letting things happen, and going with the flow. Julia and Heidi were asleep upstairs. His relationship with his wife was open so he was free to act.

“What were you all talking about just now? Did I hear you talking about tantra?” he said, watching Rachel’s face.

Rachel pursed her lips and glanced at Mescal and Bob then over and Zack and Danika.

“Yes, we were. I was just explaining to Jenean some of the benefits of tantra with a trusted partner when it comes to managing her stress,” she said not saying post-traumatic stress (PTSD) as the young Seargent was not a client or been diagnosed by her.

Bob leaned forward placing his empty whisky glass on the table. “I was talking about my own experience. Tantra worked well for me. After tours in Afghanistan and Iraq, I needed help. Rachel, who was my VA counselor suggested I try it.” he said, fixing his gaze on Brock before turning to the two teenagers who had sat quietly listening.

Rachel cut in leaning across Jenean and touching Bob’s shoulder “I don’t think he minds me saying this, but Bob’s family is very open when it comes to the tantric arts and ‘personal expression’ at home.”

Zack was doing his processing thing as he listened to the adult talk about tantra. Of course, he knew what tantra was, he wasn’t dumb. Melisa had talked to him about it and had started teaching him some techniques, with the goal of making him a better lover and helping him manage his stress. But what did Rachel mean about ‘personal expression’?

His dad, Rachel, and Mr. Wilkins went back and forth for a couple of minutes as everyone else looked on until Charlie cut in.

“Brock while Tiffany and I are enjoying hearing about the dark arts from the east, is your hot tub available? I played three shows this weekend before I even got to your house,” he said rolling his shoulders and stretching his back.

That got everyone’s attention.

Zack sat up and so did Danika. Her parents had left after dinner leaving her to take a taxi or ride-share home. She had school tomorrow so she couldn’t stay too late.

He watched his dad look at the jacuzzi then at the sign posted on the wall of the sauna, a cartoon picture of a busty young girl taking off her bathing suit top that said, “No clothes allowed in the pool or sauna.”

“Of course, but we have a rule,” he said as he pointed at the sign.

Zack saw that all the faces except that of Sgt. Mescal was smiling, even Tiffany who had been royally fucked by his dad on Saturday night could not help but join in with a knowing look apparently not bothered by the idea of getting naked in front of everyone.

Rachel asked Brock if was okay if she took the girls inside to undress. While the girls were inside the men slipped out of shorts and shirts as Zack ordered the house AI to heat up the hot tub and sauna.

The small refrigerator by the wood panneled sauna was looking pretty bare, so Brock went to an ice chest that had been set out for the party and pulled out a cold bottle of water. Hydrate or die, a Ranger instructor had beat into his head a couple of decades ago. He looked around and tossed plastic bottles at the others.

His out-of-town guest was about the same age as Charlie in his 50s, well-muscled but not tall, a couple of tattoos and a scar on his back. Brock by now had figured out that Bob was game. If as he suspected he shared a daughter with Rachel, then he was fully aware of her Sexology therapy and all it entailed. Brock learned more from Bob at dinner as he and Rachel sat with the National Guard General and his wife. He had a wife, who he was happily married to, five kids, and his first grandchild now.

Once the General and his wife excused themselves to go socialize, Rachel with a nod of approval from Bob gave a little background. Bob had started seeing her professionally way back in 2003 when she was just starting her practice. At first, they used traditional methods to work on stress and to manage his PTSD. She asked Brock if he had heard of the ‘casual family nudity’ book that came out back in 2004. Brock had not, he was in the Armor basic course followed by Ranger school after graduating from West Point and then had gone to Iraq.

Rachel gave him the basics, a book about the benefits of home nudity. Sipping from his whisky glass Bob occasionally cut in to explain reading the book and trying some of its ideas had been his wife’s idea, a way of keeping the kids close and solving some discipline issues with his teenagers. Rachel added it had been a popular book for a while, even Oprah’s book club pushed it before other academics pushed back challenging the book’s premise and data. Bob shrugged his shoulders and said it had worked for his family.

Watching the two he could see they were close and had a shared history. He was on the tip of asking about Leah when Julia came by and asked if he could introduce Charlie who was setting up to play. As he got up, he saw Admiral Ford and his daughter stroll into the backyard. He never got back to Bob to ask about his family and the book.

Now, as the four of them slid into the hot water Brock was confident Bob would fit in, Rachel would have said something by now. The jacuzzi could fit eight comfortably. Bob sat opposite Brock while his son Zack was on his right and Charlie on his left in the octagon shaped pool, each on their own bench, backs against a jet of water.

In the time it took the five of them to get undressed inside the three men played where could our Army lives have overlapped. Both Brock and Bob had been in Iraq in 2005, but Charlie had been in Afghanistan with the 173^rd Airborne. Charlie had jumped into Northern Iraq with the ‘Sky Soldiers’ of 173^rd in March 2003 at the beginning of the invasion, aka Operation Iraqi Freedom. That was the closest they all got, all three having done deployments in Iraq. Bob and Brock figured they probably crossed paths in 2005 and tossed a few names and places around until the sliding door opened.

“You ‘all ready?” Rachel said as she opened the glass sliding door.

Zack had been listening to the men talk while looking at the patio door. His dad’s therapist had one arm across her heavy breasts as she stepped naked out onto the deck standing aside as Danika with both hands on her boobs walked to the edge of the hot tub. Eva followed hands on her tits she walked up behind Brock. Slender small breasted Tiffany walked quickly to stand behind her dad an arm across her small breasts one hand over her muff, her long auburn hair now pinned up behind her head.

The jet of water felt good against Brock’s back. Watching the girls walk onto the deck showing false modesty was cute. He was waiting for his house guest to walk out.

Of medium height Mescal had an oval face with a long strong nose, pretty or even handsome in the exotic sense. Her hair now separated into two tight inky black braids resting on her shoulders. She walked slowly onto the deck like a cat, one hand squishing her breasts against her chest, the left hovering in front of her vulva. Her eyes searched the faces in the pool for reactions as the men watched her. Her skin was a dark creamy brown the color of mocha, not red. As a soldier, she was fit with strong legs and toned arms from long runs and daily workouts.

Mescal stopped next to Rachel, standing above Bob who glanced up and smiled appreciatively at the two naked women. She was the odd woman out without a partner it seemed.

All eyes were on Rachel as she stepped down into the hot water, dropping her arm from her breasts. The others followed her lead as the therapist turned to give Mescal a hand.

Zack thought Dr. Kaplan was beautiful, for a woman her age. Nice full breasts, her chestnut-colored hair up showing off her neck, wide hips, and an ass with some meat on it, she had that same naughty ‘fuck me’ look that his Jewish friend Rebekah could turn on and off at will. He was so focused on Rachel and Mescal that he was surprised as Danika slipped into the water next to him pushing her left hip up against his. Under the water, Zack put a hand on her thigh.

Tiffany and Eva dropped their hands from their chests and slid into the water and the laps of Charlie and Brock respectively. Each paused to let the men and boy look before their pretty bodies disappeared under the bubbling water.

Mescal was looking at Brock when she dropped her hands and sat down next to Bob. Dark nipples on a 34 b/c chest if he were to guess, her tits sat firm and high on her chest. She had paused, hands at her sides, standing on the bench just long enough for him and the other guys to get a good look. Her breasts slightly paler than the rest of her mocha colored body. He didn’t catch a glimpse of any pubic hair.

Rachel stood in the middle of the bubbling water, her hands playing in the foamy bubbles, blue-white light lit the pool from below. All eyes were on her as she gazed around the pool.

“Brock, music please.”

He glanced up at one of the many small outdoor cameras connected to the smart home system. “Fay, music for tantra.” He said knowing his AI assistant was listening, watching, and recording.

Soon sensual tantra music was playing quietly from the hidden outdoor speakers as Rachel began to talk.

Zack sat back as Danika floated onto his lap, he put his arms around her, her heavy breasts resting on his arms, as he nuzzled the soft skin of her neck.

Bob put a muscular arm around Mescal’s shoulders and Tiffany was watching Zack as she shifted on top of her dad’s lap getting comfortable as her dad’s big hands began to massage his daughter’s slender shoulders and neck.

Brock was trying to focus on Eva and listen to Rachel as his hands cupped her familiar big breasts under the water. Dr. Kaplan was explaining to the group the meaning of tantra, it simply meant the technique of sex. Tonight, in the time they had, she would introduce them to tantra working through a couple of chakras that she hoped would be pleasing to everyone. They would change partners along the way.

“Are we agreed?” Rachel said looking around their heads nodding, yes. “Good, now ladies turn around and look at your partner. I want you to hold hands.”

Brock was doing his best to relax. He didn’t have his first good whisky until after dinner was finished so he had maintained a nice even buzz helped by the soothing hot water and Rachel’s calm sweet voice. His beautiful Eva turned to face him, and he took her hands in his. Hair clips held her blonde hair up out of the water as he looked into her pale blue Estonian eyes and felt calm and excited at the same moment. His experiences with Sky and Rachel gave him a leg up, eye gazing would come first along with mutual touch.

On his left Charlie was getting comfortable with his daughter, Tiffany. He was curious about those two. His son and Danika on his right. Across from him, Mescal had her back to him as she held hands with Bob. He was twice her age and as a Chief Warrant Officer 5 he outranked her by multiple pay grades, though tonight like Brock he was a civilian. Rachel stood in the middle, the foamy water up to her breasts, directing, watching, making sure everyone was ready.

Rachel started instructing them in tantra by simply having them look at each other. Besides her beautiful breasts, the first thing Zack had noticed about Danika was her green eyes. They held hands and gazed into each other’s eyes. Letting go, he began to touch her, running his hands over her shoulders along the line of her collarbone, down her ribs, and underwater to her hip bones as Rachel talked.