5 comments/ 23266 views/ 3 favorites Desert Passions By: Sean Renaud This is my first attempt at a romance, I'm fully aware that I probably missed the point so reviews and comments are highly appreciated. I usually do much more hardcore and violent work. So I hope you all enjoy! It was the same day he'd lived before and in all likelihood the same day Corporal Renaud had been stuck in for almost three months. He turned over and kicked his sweat soaked sheet away from him down onto the sand covered wooden floor. The sound of scurrying rats was nothing new to him; he didn't really pay them any attention as he pulled on his desert camouflage trousers. "Another wonderful day in the Corps." He muttered sarcastically reaching down to lace up his beige steel-toed boots. Renaud didn't bother pulling on the olive green tee shirt, instead walking out into the pleasant warmth of the Kuwaiti morning. He was in a tent nearly big enough to be considered a house, fifty feet long and close to thirty across with an aluminum frame. The floor was built from boxes, discarded wood and cardboard, anything they could salvage from the dump. Little walls were erected here and there with sandbags giving the illusion of privacy, if you lay down and stared straight up. It only took the guy beside you flinging his blouse up to hang on the wall to ruin the illusion though and the Marine had long since surrendered to reality of it all. Besides since they'd built the second deck and used it to store most of their equipment things had opened up, a little. The rest of the compound hadn't quite gotten up yet, the sun hadn't even risen yet over the distant horizon but it was already uncomfortably warm. It wouldn't be long before it was unbearably hot, probably well above one hundred degrees. Shrugging off the thought he strode through the sand toward his Port-a-san to relieve himself. Right above the port-a-potty's toilet someone had taped a picture out of Hustler, a pair of girls with their faces partially covered in goo. Around them were several crude drawings of women spread-eagled or in various other lewd positions and a few rotten poems to spice things up. "Here I sit to take a dump. How awful would it be to get a bump? Oh that would be it, me covered in shit!" He shook his head as he buttoned up his pants and stepped out of stall closing the door behind him. A voice from somewhere behind him greeted him. "Mornin Corporal." "Not good morning?" Renaud asked slowly turning to see who'd spoken. He fought to keep the smile from his face as he turned to find Private Stien standing and parade rest, hands clasped behind his back, head held high. "Nothing really good about it." He responded his military bearing shattered as Renaud started to smile at him. "Yeah I guess not." He replied walking past the barbed wire fence separating his tent and shitters from the workplace. He stared over at the giant wall designed to protect him from his own ordnance should it mysteriously start exploding. Where he was standing, his toes against a single piece of steel, was the minimum safe distance from the missiles, rockets, bombs, warheads and bullets. One more step forward and if they went off he would go with them. He didn't often think about that possibility, the idea that he might die in this desert fighting a war that he didn't believe in, but he did that morning. Thought about it as he crossed the threshold toward that gigantic sandcastle he'd helped build. He ran his fingers slowly over the steel wrapped paper bags as he walked around to the backside. Looked up at the tower remembering how he'd helped guide the forklifts to build it. On the far side of the wall were four little cells filled with weapons. The first belonged to demolition; it was made up mostly of damaged weapons that could never see combat. Some of it was just unlabeled or too old to be considered stable. The second was filled with bullets, crate after crate of bullets. There had to be well over a million shells stacked up before his eyes. The third was filled with missiles. Renaud loved that cell; there was something special about hundreds of missiles all packaged in bright green boxes, or coffins as they were usually called. There was one in particular, in the back left corner that was "his" even had his name scrawled on it in black marker. "To Saddam. Much love motherfucker. Corporal Kristoph Renaud United States Marine Corps." He always spent the morning here laying on the cool metal and watching the sky turn from ebony starscape to a cloudless azure sky. It helped him get ready for the day, helped him cope with the fact that his own family was thousands of miles away comfortable and safe. In the cells you could pretend you were away from it all. He couldn't hear his fellow Non Commissioned Officers, NCOs, shouting at the Non-NCOs to do this or that. Didn't see them all standing with military precision addressing the Corporals and Sergeants. He didn't want to, not this early in the morning. This early he just wanted to enjoy the sunrise and let his mind wander to all of the things he had back home. Chris remembered he had a younger brother named Kamal who would be graduating from elementary school in his absence. A sister named Martha who in all honesty probably hadn't really noticed he was gone yet. A mother and father who were losing their minds with worry over a bullet with his name inscribed on it. He wasn't worried about death. It's not something you think about on a rear base. You worry about your generator going out, you worry about your Playstation breaking, you worry about your superiors deciding they want to make you play stupid games. You don't worry about bombs when it has been a month since the last time a bomb was launched at your base. You don't worry about bullets racing out of nowhere and splattering your skull into the sand. You worry about the same thing he was worried about. You worry about how your friends are going to forget about you. How you won't remember how to dance, or know who's in style. You're terrified that the girl you left behind has met someone else, someone better and it drives you insane. At least Chris wasn't worried about the girl he'd left behind, a little slut named Katherine. She'd at least been kind enough to drop him for some thug a few months before he'd gone to Kuwait. Cut him off cold too, refused to return his phone calls or his letters. "Love isn't brain's kiddies, its blood screaming in your veins to work its will." He whispered. He always said that when he thought of Katherine and how much he wanted to hold her again. He knew it was stupid, knew he should just move on with his life but somehow he couldn't manage it. "Yeah, I'm love's bitch." She was just the most amazing woman on the planet, gorgeous green eyes and curly red hair. Skin the color of sweet caramel with soft lips. A smile well worth waging a war for and tits to die for, full bouncy d-cupped with pierced nipples. She wasn't super model sized; he even teased her about her tummy, a bit of a spare tire that did nothing to distract you from her firm ass and thick thighs that tapered down into slender ankles. When she wore her thigh high boots. "Least I'm man enough admit it." He grumbled pushing the vivid image of his ex out of his mind. "Spike, truer words were never spoken." He thought aloud as he finished the peroxide blonde vampire's quote. "Doesn't mean I have to like it." He said as he sat up and turned to finish watching the sun rising over the distant sand dunes. He only had a few minutes to get back now so he took in his practiced purposeful stride across the sand and past the fence. Ignoring two of his own superiors he shoved his head into one of the tents barking. "Come on, its 0715 and if you don't want to be left behind you need to get up! Complete uniforms. That means boonie covers, blouses, flaks, kevlars and gas masks! Come on!" A few bodies rolled over and pulled their sleeping bags up over their heads." Renaud couldn't care less, it was the ones who'd managed to oversleep that he was concerned with. He just pulled his shirt on over his head and started buttoning his blouse having left the rest of his gear in the bus. They were scrambling right now, tripping over their own boots, racks and bags to find everything they needed to leave the tiny compound and travel less than three miles up the road. Corporal Renaud grinned slightly and yanked his head out of the tent repeating the process in the next tent before striding to the first van. "Who's driving?" He asked the pack of Marines milling around the doors. When eyes started shifting quickly from one to the next he pointed to one of them. "PFC Garcia would you go get the goddamn keys?" It wasn't really a request and Garcia didn't take it as one turning quickly and jogging back to what was affectionately referred to as the Head Shed. It was where all the planning for the compound took place, three computers and the Captain and Master Gunnery Sergeant slept and spent most of their days. "You guys expected the van to drive itself?" He asked looking slowly over the men still gathered. All around sheepish smiles broke out as they shook their heads. "See all you Lance Corporals and below are dumb as rocks." He pointed to the second bus where another group of Marines stood staring at the doors. "But if you look over there you'll see that the sergeants and staff really aren't any smarter. I'm gonna go help them out, save my seat." "Yes Corporal." Several responded as he turned and walked over to the group of sergeants. "Who's got the keys?" When they glanced around like the Lances had before them he smiled. "I'll get the keys but you gotta take the girls." "You don't make deals with us Corporal." Garcia trotted past them both silently and opened the bus letting the marines file into the once white now dusty yellow vehicle. "I'm sorry Sergeant, my bus is leaving." Renaud smiled as he slowly turned on his heels. "Fine." The sergeant he had spoken to was always an easy sale. There really was no reason for him to make deals but he did anyway. Renaud trotted out to his tent and banged on the door to the girl's tent. "Smith, Darlon! Get the fuck out here they are going to leave you to sleepy bitches!" The girl's tent was tiny in comparison to his, built for four men and housing only two girls though the space inside was great. He was nearly bowled over as Smith threw open the flap that served as a door. "Get the keys." He muttered to the nearly overweight blonde. He'd never liked Smith; she had an attitude completely unbefitting her position. She wore glasses and was dumpy to say the least, no breast just stomach and hips so she looked almost like an egg. It never ceased to amaze any of the male marines that she'd managed to put on so much weight out there. Darlon peeked out a moment later and seeing Renaud only slowly emerged from her tent. She wasn't any more attractive than her peer. A girl so skinny she seemed unhealthy, an image only furthered by her pale skin and tiny stature. "Just go get in the van." He said turning and jogging across the sand to get to his own van. Garcia started driving as soon as Renaud had a single hand on the vehicle forcing him to jump the rest of the way. "The bloody hell?" He growled playfully as he pulled himself in. As he'd ordered his seat, the third seat on the right, just over the rear wheels had been left empty. Garcia didn't respond to him, just continued swerving around the rock barricades leading into the compound. "What do you boys figure we're having for breakfast today?" He asked pulling a piece of paper from his pocket and starting to read. "Let's see, they'll be eggs." Stevens started. He was the other Corporal in the bus, young white and had probably been on the football team back home. If you listened real hard you could occasionally catch a hint of the southern drawl he'd practiced so hard to disguise. "Those aren't eggs. I'm not sure if they ever were. Don't eat that crap you won't get wood for a week." Jones cut in adjusting his glasses on the bridge of his nose. Before he'd come to Kuwait he'd let a small nest of brown curls rest on top of his head. Once he'd arrived though he'd shaved himself bald and he looked hilarious. Six feet tall but barely one hundred fifty pounds with a bald sun burnt head. He looked like a matchstick. "That's just a rumor." Renaud countered still busily reading his letter. Dear Chris Guess what hun, you'll never believe what's happened! You know how I was supposed to be going to Al Saleem to be shipped back to the rear? Well my unit has been extended for another six weeks, something about the 143rd being stuck in combat. I don't know all the details just that our rides can't get out here. Instead we are going to take a convoy back and stop in Riyadh and Ali al Tikin! Isn't one of those bases where you are? I would love to meet you. Love and kisses Nikki. PS. Don't forget I'm with the 382nd. :-) His eyes widened as he read the letter over several times as he tried to absorb was he was reading. Nikki, PFC or Private 2 or whatever the fuck they called them in the army was a net friend from way back. He'd met her online the year before he'd joined the Marines. Just a chat buddy, they played a little role-playing game called Rhydin and cybered a lot. When he'd gone to boot camp she'd been the one who kept him going, writing a letter to him every week regardless of if he sent her one. Always telling him how proud she was that he'd become a man and how handsome he looked in the various uniforms. He'd fallen in love with her then, always looking forward to getting her next letter. Sometimes she'd send him pictures, he'd shown them around claiming that the she was his "other" girlfriend. It had come as a shock when she'd told him of her plans to join the army. Of course he'd teased her for her decision to join the name brand military. Spent almost a full day explaining to her that you don't buy store brand cola, you only want Pepsi and that's why he was a Marine and not some stupid ass soldier. In the end he hadn't been able to change her mine but he had returned the favor, making time to write her while she was going through her training. He'd been the first to be deployed to Kuwait leaving his family behind in early January. She'd come over in April keeping in touch through e-mail, which seemed to go down on a daily basis. "What you got there Radney?" "A letter from my baby." He replied folding it back up neatly and tucking into his pocket. "And how bout what do you have there Corporal?" He added as he without facing Private Pittman. "I want to talk to you after we get off the bus understand?" The private nodded and slouched down deeper into his seat. "She's coming here." He thought turning slightly to stare out the window. There wasn't anything to look at, just golden hills as far as the eye can see. The only thing to break the monotony of the desert was the occasional tent, sometimes with an unfortunate guard standing post with an M16. It didn't matter that there wasn't anything for him too look at though, his mind was lost anyway thinking about the girl he'd never met and always dreamed of. "Corporal?" "Hmm?" He asked as he blinked and looked around. He hadn't even noticed them pull up to the monstrous chow tent. "Oh." He replied sliding out of the seat and out of the van. Pittman was standing just outside the van hands clasped behind his back. "Come here." Renaud said motioning him forward and eventually throwing an arm around his shoulders. "Look you know I don't give a shit right?" Pittman nodded. "With that in mind you still have to do the right thing around the right people. You can't be callin me Renaud in front of the Corporals and shit cus it comes back down on me. They go and tell Gunny and shit and he comes and gets knee deep in my ass. You know what I'm talking about? Lean over and take the great green weenie, no lube either. If it were up to me you could call me Kris. My mother named me that for a fuckin reason and it wasn't so everybody could call me Corporal Renaud." He sighed softly and shook his head. "Long as we understand each other get the fuck out of here. I wanna eat." "Aight corporal." Pittman smiled slightly and walked into the tent. Kris always stared at the tent when he stood beside it; it had been designed to be a portable hanger for jet planes and could easily have fit his house inside it, two or three times. On this base all of the chefs were Kuwaiti, a fact that more than once got rude remarks from the Marines. "Just put it all on." He grumbled thrusting his trey across the table. To him they all looked pretty much alike, he couldn't tell an Iranian from an Iraqi from a Kuwaiti and the idea that could just poison him didn't settle with him. They never did anything more than scoop powdered eggs and reheated pancakes onto his plate before handing it back politely. He holding his tray with one hand he opened on of the many refrigerators and pulled out two tiny pint cartons of milk and what he assumed must be orange juice based on the picture before sitting down with the rest of the Ordnance Marines. "Honestly, how do any of you know what the fuck it is we're drinking? I don't read no Hajji shit. For all I know this could be triple strength arsenic you know?" "Shut up Radney." Jones managed around a mouthful of eggs. "You're scaring the boots man. Hell you're startin to scare me a bit so sit down, shut the fuck up and eat your goddamn food aight?" "Just sayin, shit you don't need to jump down my fucking throat." Kris replied thrusting his straw into the milk and drinking. 'Yeah whatever man. Need to think before you open your mouth." Jones finished before he started shoveling the food into his mouth again. The trick was to eat so fast that you didn't get a chance to taste it and Jones was a pro at that. Renaud watched for a second in awe as the man ate so fast that none of it had a chance to land on his tongue. "Wow." Kris whispered gripping the jar of peanut butter and spreading a thick layer over both pancakes before drowning the entire plate, fake eggs and all in syrup. He using the plastic fork he scooped the eggs up onto the pancakes and started eating them together in syrup drenched messed. It really didn't have much flavor that was the idea; let the maple drown out everything else. When he finished he went back to the bus pulling on his gas mask carrier and flak jacket for the rest of the wait. Three more times as the bus filled he read the letter again imagining he could smell her scent on it. It was dated that two days ago that morning. "She might already be here." He realized watching the dozens of other marines walking from their tents to the chow hall. He knew it was stupid, he wouldn't see her even if she were walking right by him. "I hope I get to see her." Just before the bus was filled he stepped off walking over to the staff bus. "Gunny Cary I need to ask you a question." Renaud asked standing on the first step of the bus. "What is it Corporal?" "What do we have goin on today? Rocket builds, deliveries, pick-ups?" "No." "Would there be a problem with me spending the day up here? Need to pick up some stuff from the PX and I want to see try an get through to my folks. I just didn't want to run off if I was needed." "You're fine Corporal. Just make sure you check in when we come back for afternoon chow, even if you aren't ready to leave you need to check in. Let us know you're still ok." "Not a problem Gunny, thanks." Renaud slipped down off the bus waving at Garcia to drive off as he went started walking around the expansive part of the base known as tent city. Just like its name suggested it was a city made up of tents. Centered around the giant chow tent he'd just left Tent City had a PX, like a tiny military 7 Eleven, a medical/dental tent, a phone tent, a computer tent, shower tents and working washing and drying machines. Tucking the letter back into his pocket he started walking toward the PX but one look at the line sent him toward the phone tent. The line there would be longer but worth it. Desert Passions As expected the line to use the phone for fifteen minutes was wrapped around the tent a couple of times with the rearmost people sitting in the sand playing Gameboy. Kris sat down watching a pair linked together to play Pokemon. An hour later he got to spend a whole ten minutes on the phone with his mother telling her that he was still fine, still bored and yes please send more cookies and then he was on his way to wait in line for the PX. "Man did you see those nasty army turds?" A corporal said. "All raggedy lookin' and shit?" Another marine replied. Renaud strained slightly trying to see his rank before speaking. "Excuse me there. . ." He paused again as the heavy set marine turned to face him, a single golden bar on either lapel. " . . .Sir." "Go on Marine." It always bothered him that officers called him "Marine" as if they were something else. Fighting down a rude urge as he slid into a messy parade rest. "What army unit got here?" His heart was already fluttering at the idea that it could be here, already here someplace. "You think I give a shit what fucking unit is here?" "No sir." "No shit huh Devil Dog. If you're looking for them though they are doing their laundry up on the north side." "Thank you sir." He snapped to attention offering a quick salute and then striding away. It was true, even before he got near the van he could see several of the huge seven ton trucks the military used for troop movements and beneath them several of the messy old styled utilities the army still wore hanging from cords. He frowned slightly as he stared at what their cammies, the traditional pattern only in light browns with a few white circles thrown on. They looked like white chocolate chip cookies to him. Not at all like the more advanced USMC Digital Camouflage pattern. The utilities he wore shared the same colors with the army but the resemblance ended there, more pockets and a pattern that looked like a mistake from an Atari 8600. Not to mention the Eagle, Globe and Anchor that marked the wearer as one of the few the proud. He waited a second before plunging himself into the group looking around first for the redheaded beauty he'd come for but not one of the girls he saw was the siren from the pictures. Walking past the trucks, ducking beneath the hanging lines of clothing towards a black soldier. The man raised his eyes acknowledging Kris as he approached but said nothing. "Hey there." Renaud stared for a moment at the rank insignia sewn onto the man's uniform. "Staff Corporal?" He thought for a moment seeing the rocker then pushed the idea aside and took a guess. "Lance Corporal what unit are you with?" A smile crept over the man's face as he stood up and walked over to Renaud. The size difference was immediately obvious; Lance Corporal Telk filled out a broad six foot four frame that seemed to have stepped straight from a professional wrestling ring. "Hey there Jarhead, I know your one of the few who can't read but you know numbers right?" He motioned his head toward one of the trucks where 269 were written in huge red letters. Feeling the heat rising in his blouse Renaud took a half step back and locked his glare on the soldier. "Well there brand name there is no need to be rude about it. Just asked you a fucking question. Now sit the fuck down and go back to wishing you weren't out here to pick up trash behind me." For a moment it looked like the man wasn't going to back down and Kris felt the rush of adrenaline firing through his blood. Just before he would have taken a swing he could only pray would slay the giant it backed away silently sitting down. "Damn it." Renaud muttered turning and heading to the parking lot where the vans would return in a few hours. It was 1330 and peaking at nearly one hundred forty degrees when he got back to the ordnance compound. He only stopped in his own tent long enough to remove his blouse and toss it on his sleeping back before entering the rec tent. It wasn't much, only a freezer they'd acquired, which is Marine for stole, from the Air Force and a thirty seven inch television that had supposedly been thrown away by a unit heading back to America. Kris always thought it had been acquired as well though. The crowning achievement though was a working X-Box sitting next to a recently destroyed Playstation 2. All day everyday somebody was in this room, watching movies. "What's on?" Renaud asked reaching into the freezer and pulling out a partially frozen bottle of water and taking a seat on a wall of sandbags formed into a couch. "Matrix Reloaded Corporal." Garcia replied without even turning. "Shit this doesn't even come out until Friday. Goddamn Hajjis." You could barely see the action on the grainy obviously recorded copy. Every so often someone would just get up and walk across the screen, or the camera would loose focus. "Look you can even see the exit sign in the corner." He sat down through the rest of the Matrix, then through the Real Cancun, and Wrong Turn before he went back to his tent. Balling his sleeping bag up at one end as a pillow he lie back in the tent and let his eyes drift shut. It was too hot to sleep, even with the portable AC units it was still sweltering inside the tents. Unless you were directly in front of one of the openings in which case it was merely hot. It made Kuwait into what seemed to be the undeniably longest place in the world. He'd watched three movies and somehow it was only close to 1700. "Why do I love this girl?" He asked himself as he stared at the light streaming through the patches in the roof. The mere thought of her brought a smile to his face. She hadn't forgotten him when he went to boot camp or war. She was always interested in the things he was doing, she'd remained silent when he told her about the things his girlfriend had done. Never once did she say anything negative to ruin his fantasy. She supported his decision to go to the war and now she was on her way to him. Renaud stomped the sandy wooden floor to frighten away the vermin before reaching beneath his bed and grabbing the laptop he'd brought to Iraq. Everyone had told him he was throwing away over a grand but he didn't care, he'd have gone insane long ago without the computer. Every day he spent at least fifteen minutes to keep a journal. Every moment he'd spent since leaving the states written down, though most days he said what he was going to say today. Day 144 Guess what I saw today. Sand. Yup there was sand when I woke up and there was sand. And it's hot, very fucking hot. He started to write about Nikki, about the letter she had sent him and his feeling for her but he couldn't bring himself to do it. It wasn't something he liked to admit to himself and definitely didn't want anybody else to read it. Especially not the ex, Katherine, who still managed to haunted his dreams with her smile. More often than he would care to admit he woke from a dream wishing he could just hold her and be near here. He knew how pathetic it was, knew that he should move on like she had. "Loves bitch." He muttered opening the bottle of ice-cold water and drinking a swallow as he shut the computer down making certain to stomp again before reaching into a box filled with books. He'd long since lost track of how many books he'd read. Everything by John Marco and Michael Cricton, the entire Lord of the Rings trilogy, three of the Left Behind books and every Maxim, Stuff or FHM released since he'd left the country. Literally thousands of pages devoured, bored by day on end with no work. It was also a bit of a race in Kuwait since it was so hot the bindings of the books would begin to melt if you weren't careful and quick. Right now he was in the middle of his very first romance novel, something he'd sworn never to read. He rationalized it would improve his own writing abilities but in reality he'd just run out of other options. Seventy pages later the lead character, a French businessman had left his unhappy marriage behind and traveled to Hawaii to pursue a girl who'd once bought him a frappachino. She was however betrothed to marry some shmuck from Mt. Wannahakaloogie or some equally ridiculous village. The entire plot line was hilarious but the characters were well developed, something Kris took note of. "Renaud!" Someone shouted from outside the tent. "What?" "Evening chow, you comin?" "Yeah, gimme a second." He pulled on his blouse and ran out of the tent towards the vans. "Renaud!" The Captain had shoved his head just far enough out of the Head Shed to shout at him. "Yes sir?" He asked slowing to a trot. "Make sure you bring back hot plates." "Aye sir!" He said without turning to face the officer. "Still don't understand why these fuckers can't get up and get their own food." He said as he climbed onto the bus and took his usual seat. "What's for dinner tonight?" "I think its breaded shrimp." Someone replied quickly. "Shit has it been two weeks already?" Dinner on this base went through a regular cycle of foods regular you could almost set your calendar to it. Shrimp day was also payday for instance and on chicken day, baked or fried, you went to church. The sun was setting as they drove toward Tent City, taking the worst of the daytime heat with it. It was never cold or even cool in Kuwait but a drop to the low nineties was a welcome reprieve at the end of the day and Corporal Renaud appreciated it every time it happened. He also enjoyed the seemingly endless expanse of stars visible in the Kuwaiti sky. It wasn't like San Bernadino, a tiny city just outside of Los Angeles where he'd grown up and the only the best and brightest of the stars could be seen. On Riyadh every single star could seen and counted. Many nights were spent just staring up at the stars they would never have seen back home. Once at the chow tent he went through all the usual motions, being rude to the always-polite chefs, balancing the tray with one hand as he piled on various fruit juices with the other. He was scanning the tent for the rest of the Ordies when he saw her, his heart nearly stopping when he did. His legs were like jelly as he just stared at the soldier picking slowly over her food. Renaud wanted to call out to her, or walk over and say something suave but he could only stare at her, glued to the spot until her eyes moved up from her plate. Every time she blinked without seeing him it was utter agony, he wanted her to see him. Wanted her to say something, do something to free him from place he'd been frozen too but she seem content to stir the shrimp and rise around on her plate. He was less than ten feet away from her, close enough that he could see the freckles on her peeling sun burnt nose and the light reflecting from her beautiful jade green eyes. He could have counted the individual strands of light red hair and the subtle lip-gloss she wore. He could see her rank, just a single chevron that in the Marines would identify her with a Private First Class and lower than that her nametapes. The one over her heart read Army and over her right breast was her name, Turner. Mercifully her eyes finally moved over him and met his eyes. The recognition ignited in her eyes as she jumped up from the table and ran over to him hugging him around the waist. "Come on don't just stand there!" Still unable to find his voice he just followed as she guided him to the table with the rest of the soldiers. "Its really you isn't it?" He nodded blinking as he continued to stare at her. She was even more beautiful than he'd imagined. He wasn't certain if it she'd lost weight or changed her hair or if it was just the desert. There was something about being one of a few hundred women on a base of thousands. "Hi." He managed setting down his food and starting to eat. His heart was racing; he could feel it banging against his ribs. It was amazing that nobody around him could hear it thundering inside him. "I never thought I'd get to meet you." "It's a small world." She replied over her plate. "This the jarhead you've been goin on about?" An older man with graying hair asked. Renaud let his eyes cut to the side. He hated the Army more and more every time he had to deal with them. Stupid under trained spoiled little kids. Then he could never read their ranks, just had to guess that is was close to what it looked like. This one was like an upside down black teardrop. His name was Carlson. "Yes its him!" "You know she talks about you all the time. You're like the second motherfucking coming or some shit." A hand was extended and taken. The two squeezed for a moment acknowledging each other for a moment. "All she's been able to talk about since Riyadh is how she hoped to see you while she was here. I kept tellin' her not to get her hopes up but she did looking all over this fucking place for you. Where in the hell is Ordnance?" "Way out in the middle of Podunk nowhere. "How'd you get on base, you come through the north gate, with the dogs? Or was it west gate, with the towers?" "West gate." "Aight. When you came on you drove straight here, but if you'd stopped at that destroyed Kuwaiti bunker and taken a left down that road you would have gotten to the ASP. They keep us separated from everybody else, encase the shit blows up you know?" "Yeah I see." "When are you guys moving on?" "Be here for until tomorrow afternoon. Gonna catch a C-130 from here to Kuwait International and head home from there." "Lucky bastards." "Yeah I don't envy you, your gonna be out here till when?" "They tell me June but probably like September sometime." "That's rough." Renaud shrugged as he looked back to Nikki who was staring at him with a huge smile. He caught her gaze and lost himself taking until Carlson cleared his throat managing to get a grunt and nod out of Renaud. "Where do they have you stayin?" "They have some tents up on the north side." "One sixty three's old spot. I know where that's at." "Corporal Renaud, come on we're leaving." He turned his head slightly toward the LCpl Garcia who was already finished with his meal and heading toward the open doors of the tent. "Shit I gotta go. I'll be back. Meet me by the flag pole at 2100." Renaud said as he stood giving her one last smile as he stepped out of the tent following the rest of the Ordies to the van. "Eh Renaud, I saw you checking out that army brat." Stevens started as soon as they sat down on the bus. "Can't believe you were talking to her man. You starting to wonder if you joined the right service man?" "You need to watch your mouth fucker. Just cus I have higher standards than you mom doesn't mean I'm not proud to the best. Just means I know that the best trained women obviously aren't the best looking. Hell weren't you looking at that Air Force ho last week?" "Wow. That one hurt but you know my mother doesn't date darkies." Kris smiled slightly at the comment. It never ceased to amaze him the things that people could say to each other in the Marines. Before he joined he would have knocked a man out for saying half the racist things he heard on a daily basis here. With a slight grin he turned toward Corporal Jason Stevens and narrowed his eyes. "You're momma don't fuck nigga cus she's from a Podunk state where its acceptable to fuck your own brother. If she wasn't so addicted to daddy dick she'd be hooked on deez nuts." "If you ain't careful you're gonna wake up getting tea bagged." "I'll straight cute your shit off if you put it near my mouth." He smiled. "I need you to do me a favor man." "What do you need Renaud?" "Need you cover for me tonight. Tell everybody that I went to deal with squadron. Getting inventories straight or some shit aight?" "Not a problem. You gonna go get some tail?" He raised a brow. Renaud smiled and nodded in response. "I got your back. You gonna take a Hummer?" "Get one if I'm lucky. I just gotta get out as soon as we get in. I told her to meet me at the flagpole at 2100. Figure if I bring out a flack and Kevlar for her and kinda prop it up in the back I can get away with out an A driver. I just need to get in, and if I take the side way into tent city they won't check for ID's so I should by ok right?" "Yeah." As soon as they pulled into the compound they were getting out of the bus. Normally Kris would have followed the rest of the group to watch a few episodes of Buffy or Family Guy of whatever series had caught their attention that night. Instead he pulled his Kevlar helmet and flack jacket on and stepped out of the van and headed straight to where the Humm V's were parked. A moment later he was on the road speeding along the dirt roads bouncing happily over the bumps in the road. He loved when he got to drive the Humm V without anybody around. In the darkness you didn't even see most of the bumps until you'd lifted the first two wheels off the road and jarred your teeth. There was a speed limit of 15 miles and hour but he was going nearly 40 through the open desert towards the western gate slowing down just before coming into view of the gate. The guard held up his fist to for him to stop. "What's your business in tonight?" The guard asked shining the light in Renaud's eyes. "I have to pick up some Marines from the phone center." Kris grumbled bringing his hand up to shield his eyes. "My A driver is in the back now get that light the fuck out of my eye Lance Corporal. Shit." "Sorry Corporal wasn't thinking." Lowering the light to aim at his chest now. "Not a problem man, just be glad I wasn't some hot shot lieutenant looking to cause some trouble. Anyway I gotta go we have work to do." "This late?" "Ordnance, need to take some missiles n'shit down to the line so the birds can leave at zero dark thirty." The guard nodded pretending he understood what had just been said and motioned him through. She was already waiting at the flagpole when he arrived. Bundled tightly in a green gortex jacket and a black beanie that seemed out of place with her beige and brown trousers and matching boots. Pulling up close to the pole Renaud smiled over at her. "Come on get in, there's a flak and Kevlar sitting in the back for you." He reached back gripping the green plastic helmet and held it out for her. "It's really you isn't it?" She asked pulling the bullet proof-vest on and sitting beside him. "Do you know how long I've dreamed of getting to meet you?" "Probably about as long as I've been dreaming of getting to meet you. Ever since the first time I saw your picture I knew I wanted you." He couldn't keep from glancing between her and the road; even completely bundled up in a uniform she was still a sight to behold. Her light red hair fell down around her shoulders now, released from the bun she'd worn earlier. "Yeah I remember. You told me I was cuter than you girlfriend." "It was true at the time." Kris replied smiling slightly. He was already past the gate and headed back towards the compound. "Where are we going?" "To my spot. If I only get to spend one night with you I want it to be special." "Oooo if I didn't know better I'd think you were planning this all along." She smiled and leaned over closer gripping his arm and resting her cheek on his shoulder. "From day one. Joined the Marines cus I know one day the girl of my dreams would meet me in Iraq." He replied pulling into the compound and parking the Humm V. "Keep the stuff on until we're in the cells. I don't want anybody seeing you here, not supposed to have anybody without a top secret clearance and all that kind of mess." Turner nodded pulling the collar of her jacket up a little as she followed behind him. Past the bullets and rockets to his missile where he sat down and finally pulled his own stuff off and tossed it into the sand. Desert Passions "This is where you live?" Kris nodded taking her hand and sitting her down beside him. "There is so much I've wanted to tell you." Nikki leaned close to him silencing him with a sudden kiss. They melted into each other within the first moments of the kiss, two sets of hands eagerly exploring each other's bodies. Kris was the first to make a move, fumbling to pull unzip her gortex and drop it to the ground, a moment later nearly ripping the buttons from her blouse. "I always wanted." She whispered as she helped with his own buttons before wrapping her arms around him and helping him strip his own clothing away. "Just like the pictures." She shivered at the first touch of his flesh, fingers grazing over her hips as he pulled her undershirt off. The touch was nearly electric, his dark chocolate flesh gliding over her alabaster skin. "You're just so beautiful." He whispered breaking away from the kiss and running lips down over her chin, a trail of hot kisses down over her throat. He let his hands roam over her skin, unfastening her bra and hooking into her pants trying to peel them away from her shapely hips. "Slow down big boy." Nikki whispered pushing him away. "I want to enjoy you. Enjoy this moment baby cus I'll never get another like it." She kissed him again, just a soft brush of the lips, her eyes completely locked on his. "Besides I need to get my boots off." A sheepish smile crossed his face. "Oh yeah." Moving his hand to her chest and pushing her down against the cool metal container. "I'll get that." He tugged the bottom of her pants up tossing the elastic bands away and unlacing her boots. She didn't wriggle much but she was giggling the entire time he was pulling and yanking her boots off and then pulling her black socks off as well before planting a soft kiss on each of her toes. Gripping her pants legs he yanked the trousers away from her and then pulled her baby blue thong aside as well. "Go on, enjoy yourself honey." Spreading her legs wide so he could get a clear view of her pussy. Kris didn't need any more encouragement, he leaned closer to her running his tongue along her inner thighs while his fingers explored closer to her nether lips gently rubbing back and forth. She was already wet, his fingers sliding into her and pumping gently back and forth. He kissed up along her stomach, dipping his tongue into her naval. She wriggled again almost laughing. "That tickles." Then she gasped her entire body tensing as his tongue moved over her pussy. Back and forth teasing her clit till he could wrap his lips around it and suckle on her nub. She felt the warm flush pass through her body, her nipples hardening and aching for his attention. "Don't stop." "Had no intention to." He responded pushing a pair of fingers into her warm folds, twisting slowly as he pumped in and out of her body suckling on her clit the entire time. She slowly stretched out, her legs nearly in the splits a series of short whimpers escaping her throat. "Take off that silly beanie." She nodded yanking the fabric away and letting her beautiful red hair spill out like a halo around her head. With one hand he fumbled his own belt off, yanking it free and awkwardly undoing the buttons as he tried to kick his way free of his pants. Reaching down he undid his boots kicking them off before shimmying the rest of the way out of his pants his boxers following immediately afterward. Moving quickly between her thighs he pushed slowly into her pussy. Her arms wrapped tightly around him digging her nails into his shoulders as a wordless moan poured from her lips. Nikki sat up in his arms slamming his lips violently against his and bucking her hips against his. It was amazing nobody heard the two of them in their fiery passion, moans echoing through the star-filled night. Flesh slapping against flesh as their hips collided again and again. "We don't have protection." He whispered into her ear, nipping on her ear and tugging slightly. "Don't worry about it." She replied popping her hips back and forth squeezing with him as she continued to swivel back against him. "Just enjoy it and tell me when you're close." She tossed her hair up over her shoulder looking back into his eyes with each thrust. She could feel him pulsing inside her, his fingers gripping into her hips as he started thrusting faster. "I. . .I'm gonna." Nikki thrust back on last hard time before pulling away from him and sitting down on the container. She cupped his balls in one hand and started sucking on his cock. Kris bit down on his lips to keep from screaming out as she sucked his cock while he came in her mouth. She gently rubbed his balls as she ran her tongue around the tip of his cock sucking until the last drop was out and he finally pulled free of her lips stumbling back and bracing himself against a stack of rocket motors. "Field contraceptive." She said with a smile licking her lips and standing up. As soon as she got to him she wrapped her arms around him and kissed his cheek softly. "What's that bullshit beautiful?" "Nuh-nothing." He looked at her and smiled widely. "What?" "Just making sure you swallowed." He wrapped his arms around her hips lifting her up slightly and kissed her deeply. "I love you." "I love you to. I wish this moment would just go on and on." "Not me, I want to get back to America one of these days. Do you know how many movies and games I've missed?" Nikki laughed and the two spent the rest of the night in each other's arms.