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“I heard,” the other man smiled. “Either of you need a conversation about the birds and the bees, because I’ve got the perfect person to…”
“NO!” Austin barked out, feeling mortified. “Things are not like that.”
“My pup ain’t got no bite?”
“Your ‘pup’ is not in heat, Firefly,” Caboose grinned.
“Oh my gosh, kill me now…” Austin muttered, mortified. His face was so hot from embarrassment that he didn’t dare look at Giselle right now.
“So youarein heat? You know what comes next, right? Little puppers with big brown eyes running around yapping happily at everyone.”
“Guys… please?!” Austin begged, nearly hysterical at the sheer embarrassment he was feeling, even though this was how his buddies showed ‘love’ for a brother.
Firefly had taken him right under his wing when he arrived at Ghazni, keeping some of the bigger guys away from him until he knew his ground, finding his footing.
Everyone assumed he couldn’t take care of himself because he was a tall, wiry man. He wore a size 28 x 33 pants – with a belt. He was trying to free himself from Firefly’s grip, but the guy easily had a hundred pounds on him.
“Have they at least descended, young ‘un?”
“Firefly?! Seriously?”
Giselle was roaring with laughter and wiping her eyes, watching from a safe distance nearby, holding the straps of the bags that he’d accidentally dropped.
Caboose was shaking his head and smirking.
“I think he missed you, kiddo.”
“I’m a year younger than the both of you…” Austin grunted, trying to shake Firefly.
“AWW,” Firefly began, chuckling. “Isn’t he precious? Like a scrappy puppy trying to get free. Gosh, I love this kid… I sure missed you, Sparky!”
Austin got his footing and pressed up bodily on the other man, lifting him off the ground and shoving him off – only to hear a slow clap from Caboose… and a slow whistle from Firefly.
“Very nice,” Firefly said proudly. “You’ve been benching like I showed you. Now, introduce us to your lady.”
“I did.”
“Well, do it again,cadet, until you get it right,” Caboose taunted, and gave Giselle a thumbs up.
“Sergeant Giselle Beck,” she said, extending a hand towards the men – and both men turned towards Austin instead of shaking her hand.
“Oh my gosh, you didn’t cross the line, did you?”
“What? No. Now you sound like Ricochet…”
“Pup – are you frolicking in the ‘neighbor’s yard’?” Firefly asked in disbelief, and Austin knew he was referring to the base next door. “She’s Army?”
“She’s standing right here, fellas…” Giselle said pointedly. “And yes – she’s Army.”
“Oh, Alpo is going to luuuvv this,” Firefly drawled.
“Have you got a fascination with dogs?” Giselle asked – and all three men turned to answer at once.
“Yes.”
“Firefly loves dogs and always has – I think he thinks like them and was flea-bitten in Ghazni,” Austin teased.
“Who isn’t?” Firefly grinned and stuck out his hand to Giselle. “Welcome to the Darkside – you’ll love it here.”
