“Did you hit me?” Brett asked.
“I didn’t mean to I am so sorry.” She replied and held her hands over her mouth.
“How can there be someone like you?” The second he got his senses back he was going to call his mother. Why this girl? If she really wanted him to settle down she should have rented it to someone with common sense. Who in their right mind would swing open kitchen doors that roughly?
“I really am very sorry, I didn’t know it was you.”
“Who else would it be? This is my house.”
“I’m used to living alone. And since it’s your house, shouldn’t you know the kitchen has a door that swings out? I have been here for a year with no sign of you.”
How could there be no sign of him? Everything in the house he carefully picked out from the time his father presented it to him at eighteen until he left for the military at twenty one. Not an article of furniture was changed - his mother left it exactly as he had five years ago. The lazy worn in brown chair that now had popcorn all over it was his first purchase. The black and white photos he’d taken of models dressed like Hollywood starlets during his time in college were still hung up on his black wall, and his collection of signed baseballs were still proudly displayed on his white bookcases.
“Whether you knew it was mine or not, it didn’t belong to you. How could you treat it this way?”
How could a girl be so messy? He’d lived in unbearable conditions, weathered through heavy rainstorms, but never in his twenty-six years of life had he ever met someone who just irked him this much.
“I’ll go get you some ice.” She said and left the living room.
Brett got up from the floor, held his head back and moved to the couch in the living room. He first had to put back the cushions that were on the ground and sat down.
“I am so sorry.”
“What good is sorry, look at my place!”
Wei Chang Park, his father, never spoke or saw him. The one thing he did was offer him money and everything he ever wanted. It was silly, but Brett treasured his house and saw it as a representation of his father’s love.
“Okay, I know your mom shouldn’t have rented this place to me, but she did. I signed a contact so technically this is my place and I can do whatever I want in it.” The squatter girl said and put an ice pack on his head.
“Wrong. My name is on the deed, which makes it fraud. You two could go to jail.”
She stared at him wide-eyed. It was the same look he’d seen when he saw her earlier. He couldn’t place it, though, and he didn’t know her well enough. Brett flinched when she pressed the ice pack more firmly against his head. Anger. The look was probably anger.
Childish pj’s and retainer aside, he actually found her cute. She had an air of coolness with her mop of blonde hair. She reminded him of early eighties rock band lead singers. Her mouth was set in a firm line and she stared at him, still holding the ice pack on his head.
“Are you going to keep staring at me?” Brett asked.
“Was I staring? Sorry, are you okay…..”
“My name is Brett Park. No, someone knocked me in the face with a door and I fell on the hardwood floor.”
“Well Mr. Park you don’t have to be so direct. I’ve already said sorry. You have the same name as my pen pal.”
“Is he in jail?” Brett laughed when she scrunched up her face and shook her head no. She flipped the ice pack and got a faraway look.
Brett wouldn’t be surprised at all if some of her past lovers were in jail or had spent time in jail without her prior knowledge. The guy she was with before looked like a lowlife. Even if she was his girlfriend, if she changed her mind about fooling around then, she changed her mind.
“The guy you hopefully beat sense into is living proof that I’ve dated way too many jerks.” She said, more to herself than him. “By the way I’m not a stripper.”
“Oh.” Brett said. He couldn’t muster up anything else. What was he supposed to say congrats I was wrong?
“Not all guys are like Jin though. The guy I’m currently pen pals with though is nice - he’s in the military.”
Brett held his head to the side and tried to think. There were probably thousands of Brett Park’s in the military.
“Does he sign his name Brett J. Park.”
“Yeah how did you—”
“Kat?”
Kat nodded her head.
So this was Kat. She looked nothing like what he imagined. From the way she wrote, he thought she’d be less attractive. What kind of beautiful girl wrote things like, another failed pickup line by yours truly.
“You’re a lot better looking than I thought you’d be.”
“So you thought I was ugly?”
It wasn’t that he thought she was ugly. He knew she was somewhat attractive from her letters about this or that boyfriend and hook-ups. He just thought she’d look different like the average looking feminist with a high sensual appetite. Instead, she was a petite blonde with wide doe eyed brown eyes, bridge nose, small face and bright full pink lips. Not once did he think he’d be attracted to his pen pal. In his head, the girl who wrote him was attractive and he liked her, but he wasn’t attracted to her.
“You never wanted to send a picture.”
“Neither did you.”
As shallow as it seemed, Brett didn’t want to send a picture to a girl he liked as a friend and had no interest in. He knew he was good looking and he knew this ever since he was a kid and received love letters at his desk from secret admirers. “It’s a little hard to take pictures in the middle of a war.”
“You must be tired. I’ll let you rest.” Kat said, handed him the ice pack along with a kiss on the top of his head.
Brett watched her hurry upstairs. Now that he knew this girl was Kat, he didn’t want to kick out his friend. She’d actually kissed him on the head. He could still smell French Vanilla in the air even though Kat was gone. French Vanilla was Brett’s last thought before he drifted off to sleep.
**********
As soon as Kat kissed Brett, she hurried back to her room as fast as possible. She even tripped on one of the top stairs in her rush to reach the second floor. She hoped Brett didn’t see it though because she’d had enough embarrassment for one night.
Kat leaned against the door and held her heart. Why did the military guy have to be him? She had a massive crush on her mysterious military man ever since she started writing him four years ago. His words were always filled with encouragement and made her forget about every rotten jerk who mistreated her. And because of him, she had the courage to not stay stuck in a poor relationship. Just like his letters said, don’t bother with stupidity, move on and don’t waste your time.
Only she could make this kind of a first impression. She wanted to finally meet the military man on stage under the spotlight. How was he ever going to see her as a sexy if he thought of her as the nerdy girl who trashed his place?
She felt so bad for Brett. There he was on the way to his own kitchen, just trying to get some food and then she came along and knocked him out. Now he had a black eye she hoped he wouldn’t mad in the morning when he would see it. He wouldn’t directly say he was angry, but knowing him, he would be.
Ow. Kat rubbed her hands on her stomach, realizing that she never got any food. She couldn’t go back downstairs because Brett would be down there and she didn’t want to face more embarrassment tonight. Or was he down there?
Maybe he went to his room unless she was in his room and the room next to hers was the guest room. Ms. Park never said anything about what rooms she could and couldn’t use. She only asked if she could afford to pay eight hundred a month and for her astrology sign.
Kat shook her head, realizing that she should have known rent was too cheap for such a nice place.
She quietly and slowly opened the bedroom door, walked to the stairs, and looked down to try to see if she could still see Brett. She craned her neck to be able to see better, but she went
a little too far.
Suddenly she was tumbling and rolling down all the stairs, landing with a loud thud on her butt at the bottom.
When she landed at the bottom of the stairs, Brett jolted up to see what happened. The panicked look on his face wore off the minute he glanced over at her. He was probably reminded of the war and Kat felt terrible for waking him up in such a manner. In his last letter, he mentioned that he was being discharged after being shot near his heart and now he couldn’t sleep.
“Are you okay?” Brett asked looking at her curiously. He didn’t seem to know how she ended up on the floor. He looked so cute just lying there with his hair all messed up and his black eye.
“Yeah, Yeah I’m fine I uh I… I’m fine how about you?” Kat asked.
“I’ll live. What are you doing down there?”
“Oh um I…I fell down the stairs.” Kat replied and turned as red as the nail polish on her feet.
“Oh, are you sure you’re okay?” He asked getting a worried expression on his face and starting to get up off the couch so he can come check on her.
“Yeah, yeah I’m fine I tripped on my Pajama bottoms when I was coming to check on you.” Kat lied and got up.
Just then her stomach made such a loud growl, all of Northern California may have heard it.
“Sounds like you’re famished, let’s get some grub I’m a bit hungry myself. I never did get anything to eat.” He said with a little smirk.
Kat looked down at the ground.
“I really am sorry. Have you seen your eye?”
“No, but it wouldn’t be the first time I got knocked out and ended up with a black eye. Believe me, I’ve gotten plenty of beatings - these things happen while you’re relaxing at bars. Soldiers are unpredictable.”
“Are you going to say you got it from a bar fight?”
“If someone asks that’s the way I’m remembering it.” Brett said, winked at her with his good eye, and put out his arm for her so they could walk to the kitchen together.
Kat smiled and took his arm.
“That’s the way it happened.”
**********
There was a line and a pink poster with a black silhouette of a girl. Three guys standing in front of a microphone. It was Alley Kat Live.
Strolling past the crowd, Brett moved to the front of house ignoring the groans.
“Back of the line pal.” The bouncer said and took a stance to assert his authority.
“Move.” Brett replied.
He wasn’t in the mood to wait in line and in he was in a desperate need of a drink. The bouncer must have sensed that he was dangerous, so he stepped aside without another word.
Brett looked around, the place was nicer than he expected. It had cosy, charming, and 100 year old Victorian interior with splashes of wine titles an overdose of mirrors and glass mosaics. There were a few slot machines in the corner along with a billiard table, and across from the bar a stage.
He’d have to get around to playing a round of pool after he grabbed an ice cold beer. He called one of three bartenders over to him, grabbed a bar stool, and sat down.
“You.” A voice snapped.
Brett swirled back around in his chair. He had cleaned off the blood, his face was swollen, and had bruises on it, but still Brett recognized him. He stared wildly at Brett like a caged animal, ready to throw a mug at him.
“Just bring me a beer.” Brett said. He didn’t want to get into another fight with this Jin guy. He didn’t even mean to get into one battle with him.
“I’m calling the cops.”
“Before you do that, realize that I will break your hand. When the cops get here, I’ll say you assaulted a girl who was clearly telling you to stop. Beer.”
Brett turned back around. He didn’t need to confirm that Jin would get him a beer. He knew he would, but guys like Jin had a rap sheet a mile long. Now that he knew the threat of the police didn’t matter to Brett, he began to lose his mind.
“Just how is it you know my girlfriend?” Jin asked and slapped down his glass of beer, spilling some of it.
Brett drank his beer and whirled back around. He didn’t need to waste energy on Jin. Kat had invited him to her show, she insisted he attend. He agreed, and she spent all morning making breakfast for him so he would feel comfortable and relaxed. She must have forgotten they were pen pals since she lied and said she had a hearty breakfast every day. He knew she didn’t get up until noon after her shows, and thought yogurt and coffee to be enough to sustain her.
“You sure had a lot to say a minute ago. Let me tell you something friend. That girl you think you saved isn’t innocent. She claims I cheated and wanted to breakup, but she was really the one that was wrong. I’m the victim.”
Brett spun back around. “And so what if she did? You can just grab her like that?”
“Who are you? A fan? Her new guy? Whichever it is, you two won’t last. She and I have five years together. Five. Enjoy your beer.”
Brett knew that to be true. Kat said that there was a guy in her life she couldn’t shake no matter what. Brett suddenly had a newfound hatred for Jin. He’d definitely help Kat shake this guy.
Brett turned his attention toward the stage when a girl in a crop leather top, tight leather pants, and red knee high boots appeared. The rest of the lights dimmed except for the ones on stage. The girl had manicured red nails wrapped around a microphone and her head was bowed. Brett moved forward in his seat.
“Boy’s I’m like a cat clawing at you. That’s why since the moment I opened my eyes it was my name.” She sang, lifted her head up, and strutted with the microphone. “You treat me right and I’ll purr through the night.”
Brett gulped down his beer and stared at Kat. How was this girl the same Kat he saw hours ago?
No, you keep calm. He told his treasure looking down at his pelvis. He absolutely couldn’t let things get out of hand with Kat. She was his only friend, and he needed to at least have one friend. One thing though, he didn’t need to be on guard and afraid he’d say or do the wrong thing. He’d already told Kat everything there was to tell about himself.
Brett tried to reason with his treasure but Kat was making it hard for them to come to an understanding. She was currently walking on the bar singing into her microphone. She moved on down the line until she was right next to him. Getting down from the bar she stood right in front of him, grabbed a handful of his hair, leaned in close, then backed away and lifted the microphone to her lips.
“Baby, no need to be shy as long as you’re willing to pet me, I’ll take my time. So you gotta please me if you wanna hear me purr.”
Brett looked at Kat why was she openly teasing him? Getting riddled up by a girl in front of a bunch of strangers wasn’t his idea of a good time. He hadn’t had a situation like this since he was in his prepubescent years, and anything from a girl moving her hair out of her face to bending down to tie her shoes made him stand at attention.
A thought occurred to Brett and he turned to find Jin angrily slamming down mugs of beer. Kat might not have been teasing him at all she might have just wanted to make Jin jealous. Jin was someone she must’ve had a rocky relationship with over the years and whether it was good or bad, he was just ink on paper. They didn’t even know what the other looked like. Brett got up from his seat and left because he thought it was best to not be apart of a lovers chess game.
“Tonight’s show was the hottest one Kat’s ever done. You got lucky you came on the right night buddy.” The guy next to Brett said and nudged him in the rib.
Brett half smiled.
Backstage was actually Eros kitchen full of busy chefs, waiters, and busboys. It’s also where Brett found Kat nervously pacing and mumbling under her breath. He caught two words - Brett and notice. He didn’t need to hear anything else because he was happy knowing that Kat’s performance was for him. He walked over to her mid-pace, and Kat wrapped her arms around his neck, pressed her body against his, and batted her false eyelashes as
she looked up at him coyly.
“Well, Mr. Park did you enjoy my show aren’t you glad you didn’t miss it?”
“It was okay.”
Kat looked down at Brett’s pelvis “I think he disagrees.” She whispered in his ear.
Brett shuddered, pulled her toward him, and kissed her. He knew when to admit defeat and he’d definitely lost. Kat had completely turned him on.
**********
Kat was nervous, in a good way. Right after their kiss, Brett had quickly dragged her to the taxi station and hadn’t stopped kissing her. Even when she went to open the house door and take off her boots, he was behind her kissing her neck. He even continued to kiss her while he carried her into her bedroom and as it turned out she was in his room. She honestly thought if she felt his mouth on any part of her skin one more time she’d go insane.
Kat moved to take off his shirt. From his letters, she knew that Brett hadn’t been with anyone recently. She couldn’t let him down before she showed him a good time. He was always so good to her, but this time she wanted to be good to him.
She unzipped his pants and had him lie down on the bed. There was a big height difference. Brett was 6’1 and she was exactly 5 feet not an inch more or less. Kat shook her head - her nerves were about to kill the mood. She grabbed the lube and begun to stroke his large cock, slowly at first and then faster. She lubed up her gorgeous, round breasts and climbed on top of Brett, sliding his cock in and out of her tits. After several moments, they began to passionately kiss.
He was looking at her with those eyes again. She was such a sucker for guys with dark hair and light eyes. She never saw such lovely amber eyes before. There was a definite flicker in his eyes and she could tell he wanted her.
She closed her eyes, only to open them again when she felt Brett move away from her. He tugged on her leather pants, and she rose up from the bed slightly to assist him. Brett had one hand firmly on her leg while he kissed her inner thighs slowly and played with her nipples with his other hand. Every inch of her started to tremble from the feel of his moist lips on her thighs. She started to drip from her most sacred place. Inching closer and closer to her hidden valley, Brett nibbled on her inner thigh. He moved his hand away from her leg and pushed his fingers inside. Ripples of pleasure pulsated through her while he coaxed her with soft lingering strokes.
ROMANCE: Military Control: A Dark Military Suspense Romance Page 2
