A WINTER'S
TALE
BY: THE BARD
Chapter Two
Forbidden
New Years Day, one year ago....
Half awake, Flint turned over in his sleep and wrapped his arm around the soft, warm, slumbering form beside him, breathing in the luscious scent as he nestled his face into her hair when suddenly he realized who it was lying next to him. He started as he came to the realization that neither of the were clothed, coming fully awake as the memories of the night before came back in a flood.
They had been patrolling through the Adirondacks on a skidoo when the storm system hit, so suddenly that it caught them completely by surprise. The Joes had routed COBRA in a huge battle near the area a couple of days before and several teams had set out to hunt for stragglers in different parts of the surrounding wilderness.
The two of them had made it only so far through the blinding snow before they had to abandon the machine. One of the skis shattered on a boulder that had been obscured by deep snow, sending them both hurtling through the air. Thank god the same thick cover that hid the rock softened their landing or they would have broken some bones for sure. As it was Flint could already feel the bruises that were going to certainly color his ribcage tomorrow.
They had trekked through the cold and wet for hours, the wind blowing so hard at times it seemed to rip and warmth right off their bodies. Jaye wasn't doing to well, and he was worried that she might succumb to the cold before he could find shelter. Even he felt the lethargy of hypothermia coming on, and was thankful they stumbled upon this dilapidated old cabin when they did.
"Oh god....it's freezing in here." Lady Jaye said through her chattering teeth as Flint did a quick once over of the small cabin. The wind whistled through the cracks in the walls while outside the snow blew wildly in a veritable blizzard of blinding white ice.
"At least it will provide us some shelter from the storm. We can build a fire with this old wood...and..." he strode over to the other wall where the only piece of furniture in the cabin, a battered old armoire, stood open..."we have blankets..." He shook out the tattered remains of what must have one time been some beautiful fur throws.
He dropped his pack and pulled out his tee shirt which he tossed to his partner and friend. She caught it easily.
"I am going to make a fire...and we both need to get out of our wet clothes" her eyes narrowed at him in suspicion and he smiled wickedly, knowing what just went through her mind. "Unless you think hypothermia is more appealing than letting me see a little skin."
"I don't think your pride wants to know the answer to that question Flint." Her tone was serious but her eyes danced in amusement.
He chuckled as he threw some wood into the fireplace..." Go on, Jaye, use the little closet over there...I promise, I won't look." She regarded him skeptically before sighing and turning to the cracked door. Once she was out of sight he himself changed out of his frozen uniform and into his workout pants, thanking god that he had packed them in with his gear. He had planned on heading to the gym when they returned from their mission.
"Head's up!" he turned slightly at the sound of her voice, and as he did a ball of flame shot past him, slamming into the logs and igniting them instantly. The room lit up under the soft light of the now roaring fire.
He swung around and froze. Jaye stood there in a tight tee shirt and not much else, leaning on her now smoking incendiary javelin. She looked stunning, her long legs tanned and smooth, her short dark hair falling in soft curls around her face, her green eyes bright with amusement...sparkling in the firelight.
God, if he lived for a thousand years he would still remember how beautiful she looked at that moment.
"If I had to wait for you to start that fire, I would freeze to death" she smiled as she strode over to him, turning to warm her hands over the flames. Thoughts came unbidden to his mind, dangerous thoughts that he had attempted to bury. But standing so close to her they began to fly to the surface. She caught him staring at her and smirked, staring back defiantly, openly admiring his bare chest.
"Nice..." she purred, which shocked him right out of his reverie.
"Behave yourself, Corporal Burnett..." he whispered as he passed her. Was she flirting with him? He shook his head to clear the feelings that threatened to overwhelm his common sense.
"She is off-limits Dash..." he thought to himself as he walked over to his pack and grabbed the radio. He turned it on in an attempt to contact headquarters, but all he got was static.
"The weather system must be interfering with the reception..." he frowned. Even at this distance her presence called to him. "Give me strength..." he muttered as he ran his hand though his hair.
"Ah well...I guess we won't be making it back for the new year's party" she sighed and as he watched she began to shiver despite the fire.
You ok?" he asked her, genuinely concerned.
"Yeah...just tired. The cold drains me. I'm glad we found this place though...at least we have somewhere to spend the night. I doubt Wild Bill will be able to get a search chopper into the air until morning."
He looked out the window at the chaos that reigned outside and nodded his agreement.
"Stop hovering Flint, you are making me jumpy. Sit down and warm yourself by the fire."
Flint turned and paused. So close to her...he didn't know if he would be able to stand it. As he drew near she continued to shiver. Was it from the cold? Or was it something else...she came and settled down next to him and they sat in silence, watching the fire dance on the logs. He turned and watched her face as her eyes drank in the tranquility of the flames.
He wanted so much to kiss those soft lips. He had wanted to for so long. He longed for her in his sleep...he sought her out during the day. What was happening to him that she could have such a strong hold. It angered him, being so out of control.
She turned to him and frowned.
"What is bothering you, Flint? You are not acting yourself...was it something I said?" she whispered and turned away. So vulnerable. His desire for her grew stronger as he sat considering the lady next to him. Very few people were allowed to see this side of her. The woman behind the warrior. He knew she trusted him enough to let her guard down. It was something which he always felt was an honor he did not deserve. If she only knew what he was thinking.
If she only knew that his duty and career were the only things holding him back...keeping him from taking advantage of her...from giving into to the flood of emotion that threatened to drown him.
Only Duty...
Only Career...
"Are you not going to say anything Flint?" she sighed in exasperation, "Look, I am sorry I stayed out so late with Ace the other night but really we had just gone to the pub to shoot some pool...and anyhow, I don't see how it is any of your business..."
She stopped as she felt his hand brush her cheek and looked over at him...gazing into his eyes, frozen still like a rabbit caught in the glare of headlights.
Flint leaned in and gently kissed her on the lips. It was an incredible sensation, and he was hard pressed to pull away. He gazed at her face in the firelight, her eyes considered him...dark and inviting. Her hand came up, her fingers brushed his lips. At her touch the flames of desire rose in his gut.
He couldn't stop himself.
He leaned in and kissed her again, deeply and passionately, and to his surprise he found her responding in kind.
With that he lost all reason.
His hands roamed her back as he pulled her closer to him, feeling the contours of her hard body that he had up until then only admired from a distance...breathing in the vanilla scent of her body...feeling the softness of her skin.
No words were spoken. No thoughts of right and wrong assailed him. He gently laid her down on the furs and leaned down beside her, kissing her neck, her ear....
He felt her hands caressing his body, gently exploring. His passion was surging. In a instant he had her shirt off. She did not protest...gasping in pleasure as his mouth found her breast.
His desire, held back for so long, was beyond all control. He was drunk on her...and she, I seemed with him. Before he knew it they were both naked, her soft skin against his, hands probing softly, mouths tasting, still silent except for the sighs and moans of pleasure that escaped from their throats...until they came together in such an explosion of pent up sexual tension that their cries still echoed through the old cabin long after they had fallen asleep in each others arms.
"Oh god, what have I done!" he moaned as he watched her stir beside him, the morning sun shinning in through the cabin window bathing her in its light.
He eyes opened and she considered him, her smile turning to a frown as she read the fear and regret that certainly colored his expression.
"Ah...the morning after." Her face barely concealed the hurt that he saw in her eyes, and it ripped through him harder than he had thought possible. Who are you, he cried inwardly, to have such a hold on me. He got up quickly and put on his pants and went to answer the radio that was beeping loudly in the corner of the room.
"Flint here, over"
"Hey there, Sir..." Dial Tones voice broke through the static, "Good to hear your voice. We thought you guys would be a couple of joe-sicles by now, over" Flint grimaced at Dial Tones attempt at humor.
"Yeah...we were lucky, over" He turned to see Lady Jaye had put most of her uniform back on and was arranging her gear. He watched her and tried to harden his heart to her sadness.
"I guess you will be wanting a lift out of there? I have triangulated your position and can have Wild Bill there in about an hour. Over"
He couldn't block it out, though...he couldn't hurt her. But he couldn't risk his career. He had fought long and hard to win this position with the Joe team. He was third in command of an elite anti terrorist force. The best of the best. She was one of his soldiers. It was forbidden. It was a sure court marshal for them both.
"Flint, you still there, over?"
She looked up at him and their eyes met. The feelings he thought he had quelled with his loss of control last night came back, taking him by surprise. Without breaking her gaze he brought the radio slowly up to his mouth.
"Affirmative...Flint out."
He lowered the radio and slowly walked across the room, gathering her into his arms and kisses her deeply, tenderly...joining his body with hers...
...coming apart only when the sounds of a helicopter in the distance brought reality crashing back down around them.
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They had agreed to end it right then and there, to go back to being friends and colleagues, neither of them prepared to deal with the consequences that their actions entailed. They both loved their jobs too much to risk losing them.
Call it a New Year's resolution of sorts.
"Unfortunately", Flint reflected as he walked through the snow towards his tent, "I was never any good at keeping those resolutions."
They barely made it through two weeks before ending up in each others arms again, and from then on they hardly even made the slightest attempt to end it.
They took risks only madmen take...and it was truly only by the grace of some higher being that they hadn't been caught. Well, that and the fact that Jaye was such a great little actress...and he could be such a military bastard at times.
If only he could control his jealousy...
He kicked the snow in frustration...he knew it couldn't last, so why is he so upset that Duke was catching on. He was bound to figure it out sometime, you couldn't dance with the devil and not expect to get burned.
Maybe it wasn't Duke he was angry at...
He quashed that thought before it had a chance to take hold. He couldn't...no...he didn't want to deal with the implications of where that train of thought might lead.
And anyways, he had a mission to complete. He had to concentrate on the task at hand or risk leading the team into another foul up.
It was time to get serious.
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In the darkness just outside of the perimeter of the camp, a figure watched the Joe wander out of sight.
He did not move. His companions spread out around him stood frozen as well...they were barely visible in the deep snow. Patiently he sat, seemingly oblivious to the cold...
Watching...
Waiting...
On the shoulder of his pure white uniform, the outline of a cobra glistened in the moonlight.
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Continued in Chapter Three!
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