Chapter 1: Wilkes and Kelly

After four years of being stationed in the middle of nowhere in New Mexico, I received my dream assignment of going to Fort Walton Beach, in the panhandle of Florida. I must have stared at those orders for twenty minutes after they issued them to me, “Congrats, SSgt Wilkes, you’re finally leaving this dust bowl and you didn’t have to go to Korea to do it,” said my First Sergeant.

That was the running joke at our base. The only way to get orders anywhere else was to do a year in Korea. I was close to submitting for Korea a few times but held off. Then the universe decided to give me what my heart desired.

It was my last day on base. All of my things had been shipped off and I was staying at the base hotel until the morning. I looked at myself all dolled up ready to have a few beers with friends on my final night. I grabbed my purse and headed out.

The little bar that we all loved was filled with people from my squadron. We joked, we laughed, and we drank like none of us had work the next day. Even though I was off, driving from New Mexico to Florida was going to be serious work.

I sat next to SSgt Kelly. We both worked administration helping with making sure the aircraft had all the required maintenance and the pilots flew enough sorties to keep current amongst other things. He nudged me and smiled, “Damn Wilkes, I can’t believe you’re getting out of here before me.”

“Why don’t you marry her and head down to the sunshine state with’er,” joked TSgt Lewis, “everyone knows you two got the hots for each other.”

I tossed a pretzel at him, he flicked it away, “What? It’s true.”

I looked at SSgt Kelly. He had the most darling green eyes, a head full of sandy blonde hair, and a sweet jawline with a cleft in his chin. He nudged me playfully. There was an energy between us. There was something there but neither of us could ever muster up the courage to move forward.

In my head, I had my mother saying, “Don’t you bring no lil mixed baby home. I want my grandchildren to be black ... black.” I sighed and sipped from my beer bottle. The night continued with more laughter, and some lewd dancing as I backed it up on SSgt Kelly while some suggestive music played.

I felt what he was working with. I was surprised. I grinned and he whispered in my ear, “Let me take you to your room tonight.”

I nodded. It would be one night. One moment to throw caution to the wind and leave it there.

In my room, music played. We stood in the middle surrounded by the sweet sound of rhythm and blues. His fingers glided down the side of my face as we admired each other. “If we do this, what will it mean?” he asked.

I shrugged, “Two friends sharing a sweet moment.”

He moved closer and for the first time, I felt the softness of his lips on mine. I tasted his tongue. We were lost in the moment kissing like two lovers who would not see each other for a while. He paused searching my face for something and he smiled, “This won’t be quick, you know that right?”

I chuckled. It had been a long time since I had had sex. He admitted to me that he had dreamed about making love to me so many times. I thought it was sweet. I undressed in front of him. He caressed my delicious curves. I loved watching his fingers glide across my skin slowly as if he was attempting to etch in his mind a permanent memory of what I looked like.

I peeled off his shirt and witnessed his amazing frame. Our bodies were both in top shape. We worked out daily in the mornings before work. He took off his pants and I witnessed what I had been pushing back on all night as we danced in the bar. It was a masterpiece. I rubbed him with my right hand while looking into his eyes.