Nine Marines' Shared Property - Nicole Casey Page 0,56

it had gotten Gwen in trouble, attacked and sequestered.

Gwen didn’t even know I had a sister. And yet she could have definitely identified with her. They had much in common. Perhaps, they could even have become good friends. But to me, they represented different worlds, each a different part of my life, and it was I who decided how much access and when and how.

In all the conversations I’d had with Alexa, not once had I suggested they meet. Not once had I asked my sister if I could share her story with Gwen.

I wasn’t the only one to blame; our ground rules were stupid, too. ‘All texts must go through Travis’! As if we didn’t trust each other enough.

I think we’ve proven we can work together as a team.

I think it’s about time we take the emotional training wheels off.

Gwen tried to apologize to me—for ‘jumping to conclusions’ was how she put it—but I wouldn’t hear of it.

I shook my head. “No, Gwen. I’m the one who should be apologizing. I’ve been keeping you at a distance. I’m sorry.”

I kissed her and hugged her and held her.

“Going forward,” I said, “I promise I’ll do a better job being open with you.”

She caressed me on the cheek and shook her head. “It’s not your fault. It was just a misunderstanding—stupid misunderstanding.”

“A misunderstanding I made possible,” I said, “by not sharing with you.”

As we sat in the car waiting for the police to take Michael away, she turned to me and said, “So, is there more I should know?”

I nodded. “Lots.” I took her hand in mine and gave it a squeeze. “But we have time.”

“Do we?” she said. “You're being deployed in a few days.”

“But we’ll be back.” I looked in her eyes. “Right?”

She smiled and squeezed my hand. “Right.”

“For starters,” I said, “I’m having a hard time adjusting to this property angle.”

“Property angle?”

“You’re our property,” I said, “but I don’t think of you as our property. It just seems strange. Doesn’t feel right. I care about you and respect you. I have feelings for you that aren’t like feelings I have for my property.”

She laughed, softly at first, then quite loudly.

Nolan got into the passenger seat. “What did I miss? What’s so funny?”

Gwen took a moment to collect herself. “Axel has a funny way of being romantic.” She gave my hand another squeeze and turned to me. “I’m sorry. It was sweet what you said. And I understand.”

I laughed, too.

“I have feelings for you that aren’t like feelings I have for property,” she continued and shook her head. “I never thought I’d hear those words; and I never thought I’d appreciate them as much as I do.” She smiled and gave me a kiss on the cheek.

“Good to see you guys kiss and make up,” said Nolan.

Gwen leaned over Nolan’s seat, grabbed his head and gave him a rapid series of kisses. “And I’m going to kiss and make up with you, too.”

“Me?” said Nolan. “What did I do?” He pointed at me. “He’s the one who messed up.”

“You share,” Gwen said. “You share the good and the bad.”

“And the blame,” said Nolan concedingly. “Fair enough.”

“And the kisses,” Gwen added, and she gave him another series of kisses on his cheek and shoulder.

“What’s this about feelings for property?” asked Nolan.

“Axel has feelings for me,” said Gwen with a beaming smile, “even though I’m his property.”

“You’re our property,” Nolan interjected.

“I stand corrected,” said Gwen.

“It’s just a weird way of putting it,” said Axel.

“I’m OK with it,” said Gwen then she turned to me and put an index finger to my chest, “as long as you care about me and respect me like a good property owner should.”

“Definitely,” I said.

When we hit the road, with Gwen so close to me, her body pressed against mine, I couldn’t help thinking that this would be the last time I saw her before being shipped off. Her hand rested on my knee and the small of her back pressed against my cock. I tried to adjust, but my erection just kept growing and growing and throbbing. I needed her again; I need to take her, to taste her, to fuck her.

But we were crammed in the car, speeding down the highway. Soon she’d be home and we’d be back at the base for morning drills. God, I’m going to have a serious case of blue balls.

It could have been the hum of the engine and the vibrations in the seat that lulled me into