Diamond Soldiers

by Pinki Parks

  He gently lifted her chin, his touch sent a shock of electricity through her right down to the tips of her toes. When he leaned down, and with the gentlest touch, kissed her on the lips she reached out and pulled the life she wanted toward her. After so long searching she had to take this chance. Deacon kissed her more firmly, pressing them together and she parted her lips, inviting him in, their tongues gently exploring, slowly finding each other.

  Brook wrapped her arms around Deacon’s broad shoulders and held him closer, feeling his iron clad body working and flexing to support her, their faces an inch apart.

  Brook could feel Deacon, hard, through his clothes and had a sudden urge to rip off his T-shirt so she could gorge on the sight of his body.

  They slowly pulled apart. Slightly out of breath, they stood looking at the view enjoying the sound of the waterfall next to them. He had his arms around her neck as she stood pressed up against him, taking in the view and feeling his hard body behind her.

  “I am. Sorry about . . . you know.” He glanced down his body, just the slightest movement of his soft brown eyes.

  “Do you want to swim?”

  Deacon nodded his head, glancing over at the lake. “You mean in there?”

  “Yep.”

  “The water will be freezing.”

  “Well, I think we could use a little cooling off.”

  Deacon’s lustful eyes watched her for a moment. He could have taken her right then. Every muscle on his body wanted to touch her. He reluctantly stood for a moment and, with the lightest nod of his head, he agreed.

  Brook walked over to the edge of the water, kicked off her boots and, with only a couple of slightly embarrassing hops, slid off her socks.

  Brook pulled off her jacket and slipped her top over her head. She undid the waist of her jeans and, careful not to pull her panties with them, slid them down her legs. She was trying to work out just how she was going to get them off without even more hopping around.

  He stood there just enjoying watching her getting undressed. Her body was firm and thin. Her skin was so beautiful and milky, he wanted nothing more than to touch her at that moment.

  Brook was acutely aware of her nipples poking at the flimsy fabric of her bra. So, she started to take it off.

  “You know, I’m gonna grab you right now.” So, he turned to face the other way as to not stare at her sexy body, shaking his head grinning cheek to cheek.

  Feeling freer than she had ever done before but covering herself up at first before dropping her arms. She looked away from him at the water. “Last one in’s a wuss?” Thinking he was right behind her.

  “Come on!” She jumped. “Oh!” She let out a bit of a screech from the cold water.

  Deacon said to himself. “I can’t believe I’m doing this.”

  Deacon gripped the bottom of his T-shirt and did the same, making Brook take a deep, pleasurable breath at the sight of what she guessed was in there, well-defined, striated muscle on a broad chest with just a hint of hair on the chest bone, and a six pack and had smaller muscles trickling up the sides of his ribs.

  He slipped his shorts to the ground revealing his body in all its glorious detail to Brook, “Woo!” she hollered at him, excited that he would take the plunge with her. He dove right in.

  “Oh holly, crap. It’s freezing!” He looked at her as he wiped the water from his face. She swam over to him, wrapped herself around him and they moved in closer, looked down into his light brown eyes and before their lips could touch, they paused, they felt each other take a few deep breaths as they are swimming to stay afloat. Then gently, slowly and softly, their lips touched. Their tongues exploring each other without inhibition, the way they had wanted to the night before, at the diner, in the parking lot and at the picnic. All of those moments came rushing through them in this kiss. It felt so good to let go of what was holding them back, finally.

  His hand held her back with his stronger fingers spread out feeling the gentle curve of her backbone. Her breast rubbed against his chest with excitement, as she tilted her head back to get some air. He leaned in to kiss her neck and slowly moved onto her shoulder. They took it nice and slow, enjoying every moment. The grip she had on the back of his shoulder tighten as he pulled her in just a little to let her know how much he wanted her. Her breast pressed up against his chest once more, his face rubbing gently against hers sent shivers to her throbbing clit. She rubbed her moist body against the top of his groin and lowered her head to his massive shoulder as his hard manhood rubbed between her butt cheeks.

  The explosion of desire rushed over the both of them, as they moved their heads slowly, they had made their way back to each other and locked eyes. Panting from the swim and their lust for getting closer their tongues met in a blissful locking of sensual breath and desire. The heat they gave off as they swirled their bodies around in the water might not have made the water boil but after a while neither of them felt the cold anymore. They slowly released each other from their grip, staying close, and moving in for one last kiss and smiling at each other. She chuckled and sank under the water and started swimming. “Now, I need to cool off.”

  “Okay. You do that.” He said jokingly. As he too needed to cool off. The intensity of that moment had moved them quicker than they had anticipated. They both wanted take their time.

  Chapter Ten

  The ride back to the ranch house was uncomfortable, but only because their clothes were slightly damp after their swim. In every other respect they seemed like any other loving couple, riding side by side, engrossed in whatever the other person was saying. Brook could have sat on the trail for hours, listening while Deacon told her what it was like exploring the forest as a kid. When he pointed out an eagle gracefully twirling in the sky high above them. When he held her arm to stop her as they came across a buck as it chewed the sweet fresh grass at the edge of the trail, its antlers swaying slowly as he ate before he moved off into the dense undergrowth.

  For Brook the whole day had been magical. When they finally got down to the ranch the sun had already started to descend in the sky casting a yellow glow over the scene in readiness for the explosion of bright oranges, reds, and purples of a mountain sunset, the colors and shades even more vivid because of the purity of the air.

  They probably wouldn’t be there to see it, but she could picture it, watching the sun’s slowly slide to night from the top of their very own hilltop eyrie would be magnificent.

  When they finally made it back the woman who had greeted them earlier took the horses away to stable them for the night and no doubt give them a rub down and brush before feeding. The clop of the horse’s hooves died away as she led them around the corner of the house.

  The man stood in front of the house, his almost white hair tinged in the yellow of the dying sun.

  “Hey, Brian. How’s it going?”

  “Hey, Deacon, long time no see, buddy. Great to see you up here again.”

  “Good to be here. This is my friend, Brook.”

  “Pleased to meet you, Brook. You must be the reason for the smile on the big guy’s face, huh?” Brian grinned and winked at Deacon who smirked back in response like some teenage kid caught kissing on his first date, while Brook felt the heat rush to her cheeks.

  “So, Brian, how’s things really. The place is starting to look a bit worn out buddy, what’s going on?”

  “Well, me and Judy want to retire, we’ve been running this place thirty years now you know. We put the ranch on the market a year ago but there are just no buyers.

  “That’s a shame.” Deacon said, quietly looking around the place.

  “We just want a little peace now, Judy and I, anyway, enough of our troubles. You guy’s wanna come in and have some coffee, keep a pair of old birds amused with stories about what you kids get up to these days.”

  ***

  After a slice of homemade apple pie which was delicious, and a cup of coffee which was not so great, the jou
rney back to Evansville was filled with a lot more chatter than earlier that day.

  There was a connection between them that much was clear, but would it be enough to see them through the problems that would undoubtedly lay ahead of them? She tried to put the thoughts out of her mind, to avoid the unsettling feeling that was dawning on her that this might just be a week in Evansville and nothing more.

  Something the old guy at the ranch had said came back to her so to try to ease her mind and because she hadn’t mentioned it before she decided it was time to come clean about her background. About the money, her future. She hoped it wouldn’t make any difference to the man she gazed sideways at as he concentrated on the nearly dark road ahead.

  “So, the ranch is up for sale?”

  “Uh-huh.”

  The dark landscape rushed past her, her eyes picking out lonely specks of the lights of remote farmhouses in the distance.

  Deacon turned his head to look at her for a moment then went back to watching the road. “It’s always been a dream of mine and I got some money but not enough to buy that place. My husband lost all our money, remember?”

  “Right. I forgot.”

  “I would give it to you. All of it.”

  “Listen, I know you’re trying to be nice and all, but…”

  “But, forget it. It’s not gonna happen.”

  “Why not?”

  “Because it’s just a dream is all. It’s not something I could do. I know horses, but I know nothing about hotels or marketing or the million and one other things I would have to do. It’s just a dumb dream some kid with no school smarts wanted.”

  Just along the road the streetlight of Evansville came into the night like glowing eyes in the darkness.

  “You still up for that drink?” Brook said, not ready to give up just yet.

  “Sure. That’ll be nice. But don’t go thinking you can ply me with drinks and get your way with me.” Deacon said.

  “Shouldn’t that be the other way around?”

  “You know what I mean. No more money talk. Deal?”

  “Deal.”

  “Good now be warned, this ain’t the prettiest place in the world and the patrons ain’t the prettiest faces.”

  “Great,” said Brook. She put aside the ranch idea and moved on.

  Deacon, seemed happier already.

  Chapter Eleven

  When Deacon had said it wasn’t the prettiest place, he had been overestimating the charm of Gus’s Bar as Brook discovered the moment she walked in through the doors. Deacon headed straight over to the bar as if he had just crawled ten miles through the desert and this was the first place he’d seen that wasn’t a mirage.

  Brook trailed behind taking in the ambience. The place smelled of old beer and old men. From what she could see the place was empty except for the couple of guys playing pool and she hoped the beer the skinny old guy behind the bar was just pulling for Deacon tasted better than the thick, slightly acidic atmosphere that pervaded the place.

  When she reached the bar the skinny guy who she took to be Gus, tipped up his chin to ask her what she wanted to drink.

  “Beer,” she said, not wanting to tax the man’s conversational stamina. He might need it for the other three patrons of his erstwhile establishment.

  By the time he had pulled her beer, Deacon had finished his bar the last inch and Gus, she was sticking with Gus although he had never introduced himself, was already pouring Deacon’s second. That worried Brook. Stories that Sheryl had told her were starting to fill her mind.

  From what Deacon had already told her he had gotten back into his drinking habit after Annabelle had died but was under control. If he drank like that for any length of time he would be under a table not under control.

  She sipped on her beer and took another look around. The place was definitely a drinker’s bar. No frills, no fancies, and no cocktails, no doubt. The only light that seemed to work more than intermittently was illuminating the pool table where two guys were slowly missing almost every shot. The place would be pool hustler’s worst nightmare and easiest mark.

  “Who’s your friend?” Gus said to Deacon once he had quit coughing.

  “Her name is Brook. She is visiting for a few days from out of town.”

  “She the one nearly ran you over?”

  Damn, news gets around in this town, she thought to herself.

  “That would be me,” she said, the first flickering of irritation taking root at being talked about like she wasn’t there.

  Brook went over to the juke box and put in a coin, she took her time flipping through the songs.

  The guy cued and sent a green ball hurtling around the table hitting most of the cushions twice before it nestled against the edge halfway between two of the pockets. “You put me off my shot.”

  Brook smiled sweetly then turned and looked over at Deacon. She was obviously in for a long wait. He was already taking delivery of his third beer but as Gus placed it on the bar, he gripped the handle before Deacon could spin the glass around.

  “Listen, Deacon, make this one the last one, huh? I can’t afford another fight outside the bar, buddy. I might lose my liquor licence. I mean I love you and all, man, but drinking this stuff ain’t the way to sort out your problems. I should know.” He spoke quietly but Brook heard it all.

  The door swung open with a jolt, in walked Chester, already drunk. He stumbled over to the far corner of the bar and sat down and looked across at Deacon. He reluctantly nodded. Deacon lifted his hand with only a little bit of effort as to wave.

  Brook picked out a song and stood by the pool table watching the men play, hoping Deacon would eventually make his way over to her. He seemed, however, to be in a deep conversation with the bartender. She was over by herself for a few songs and got tired of waiting. She turned to make her way to the washrooms. In the washroom, Brook thought, I’ll just have one more drink with him and ask him to take me home. As she made her way back down the narrow hallway toward the bar, Chester turned the corner and stood blocking her way.

  “Hey, cutie. You remember me? From the party?”

  Brook tried to play along but really just wanted to get away. “Oh, yes, hello Chester.”

  “Oh. And she remembers my name. I must have made quite an impression on you that night, huh?”

  She frowned and asked to slip by. “I’d like to get back to the bar, so would you excuse me?” She started to take a step expecting him to step aside but Chester caught her and pulled her in.

  “Hey, where’s the fire, little lady? Let’s me and you, go on back there and get to know each other a little, huh?”

  Brook, wiggled to break loose but he tightened his grip. “Take. Your hands. Off of me!” She said sternly.

  “Oh, you’re a feisty one!” Amused by her attempt. He leaned in the kiss her neck. She had both forearms on his chest pushing him off. She yelled out. “Let me go!”

  Everybody heard the scream, Deacon’s smiled dropped looked back at the juke box, she wasn’t there, got on his feet, ran over to the hall. He grabbed Chester from behind and they swayed side to side as he refused to let go of Brook. Deacon’s grip got tighter and Chester finally let go of Brook to take care of this problem behind him.

  Deacon spun him around to put himself between him and Brook with one hand out toward Chester, ready to push him off, if he were to try something. The other guys playing pool, ignored the whole thing. They see fights break out all the time at the bar. It was nothing new to them. And this one was between Chester and Deacon, something they knew was bound to happen, and were bored of it.

  Deacon looked over at Brook. “Are you okay?”

  She nodded with a quick response “Ya.”

  Chester was pissed that Deacon would stick his nose in his business like that. “Get out of my way you sack of shit. This’s got nothin’ to do with you!”

  He rushed toward Deacon to tackle him. Deacon stopped him but was pushed bac
k and they both stumbled back toward Brook, frightfully pushing her back even further.

  Deacon said to Chester, as he tried to control him. “Don’t be doing this Chester.”

  “Do what, go for a beautiful woman? You’ve got some nerve telling me what I ought to do.”

  “Chester, stop!”

  “You, know what Deacon, I’m sick of you, man, thinking you’re so great. But you’re not. You’re just a piece of shit.” He pushed Deacon further. Deacon pushed back. They both had a good grip on each other.

  “Stop!” Brook yelled out. “Deacon, stop! I want to get out of here!”

  “Oh, so you’re with him? You, slut!”

  “Hey!” Deacon pushed him back and Chester stumbled on his own feet and fell to the ground. “You asshole! Thinking you can go after my girl!”

  “I’m not your girl!” she yelled out. “Deacon!”

  Chester got up and rushed Deacon again, this time he came swinging his fist. Brook screamed. Deacon shifted to miss the punch. Brook screamed again, hating what she was witnessing. Chester struggling to get on his feet, he swung again, and Deacon’s head flew back. Brook yelled out “Deacon, stop!” Deacon fought back with anger, because he knew that now, Brook was upset with him because of Chester. Chester fell to the ground, drunk and tired, he couldn’t fight back or get up. Deacon reached over for Brook’s hand. She grabbed his and they rushed out the of the bar.

  They jumped into the truck and drove off. “Deacon, why didn’t you stop?”

  “How could you expect me to stop! He was rushing me.”

  “He could press charges against you, you know.”

  “Steve’s not going to take me in.”

  “Steve?”

  “He’s the cop that watches over this corner of town.”

  “You know him?”

  “Yes. He’s not going to arrest me. Trust me.”

  “Why did you have to hit him so hard? He was drunk.”