“Curry, you’re killing me.”

Captain Jerry Badger had been watching his partner mope around the flight deck all morning and by the end of the day he’d had enough of the pilot’s long face and gruff manner, deciding that evasive action was definitely warranted.  

“You need a woman.”

Lachlan shot back a look that was intended to appear menacing, but Jerry only chuckled. All attempts on Lachlan’s part to ignore his friend’s ribbing had proven useless. He received a temporary respite during their flight debriefing, but with the completion of business came the continued barrage.

“I’m worried about you, Badger. Seems kind of strange that you’re so preoccupied with my love life.”

“Ah, I’ve hit a nerve.” Jerry grinned in such a way that he actually resembled his unfortunate namesake. “Has anyone told you that you’re a complete asshole when you deny yourself the pleasures of feminine flesh?”

“Bugger off, mate.”

“With any luck, I will. Come on; get your head out of your ass. A bunch of us are going to knock back a few beers at Flannigan’s after work and you should join us.”   

Lachlan hated to admit it, but he felt his blue funk lifting just enough to consider the implications behind Jerry’s suggestion. “Okay, okay, Flannigan’s. You’re buying the first round.”

“Don’t I always?”

In truth, Lachlan had only been drinking with Jerry on one other occasion, being the sole witness to the infamous Officer’s Club incident involving the daughter of a particular Colonel. She had a lovely head of curly red hair and Jerry asked her to prove if the color was natural.

“Just be sure to stay away from redheads and remember your manners.” Lachlan cringed in memory of the young woman’s response. Suffice to say, Jerry had it coming.

Jerry feigned his innocence. “Me? I’m an Officer and a gentleman, mate.”

Lachlan’s answer was a one fingered salute, but Jerry had already turned to go.

Most of the blokes in his squadron were married or engaged, leaving the few who were unencumbered to their own devices come the weekends. Flannigan’s Pub was a known watering hole for Marine and Navy personnel and it attracted its share of young women with an agenda: bagging themselves an Officer. While Lachlan had no intention of becoming some young woman’s flavor of the moment, it was something he had grown accustomed to; fighter pilots had the allure of near rock star status. He didn’t have to spend his free time alone if he decided he wanted some female companionship. Women hit on him practically no matter where he went – the grocery store, the gym, even simply walking out of his apartment door to pick up his mail. While he had to admit that at first it was a rather fun thing to experience, the candy store mentality of the women he was spending time with quickly began to wear on his patience. With women so ready to throw themselves his way, he found that he was missing the thrill of the chase. Perhaps after all this time, he still took a few old fashioned values to heart.

A couple hours later, after a shower and change of clothes, he arrived at the pub and heard Jerry’s voice calling out to him as he walked in through the door.

“Hey Curry, come and join us!” Jerry was seated towards the back between two lovely buxom blondes, grinning like a Cheshire cat.

Bloody hell. He could already see where the evening was headed. Jerry had stated that a few of the guys were going to meet up at the pub, but from what he could see, there were no other squadron members in attendance.

Someone had selected a string of old country songs on the jukebox, and the honky tonk beat of Hank Williams’ Hey Good Lookin’ seemed to match the cadence of his steps as he sauntered over to greet his friend and his companions. He couldn’t help but wonder which one of the young women was earmarked as his.  

“Mimi, Ashley, I’d like you to meet Captain Lachlan Curry.”

Both women’s eyes lighted upon him, their smiles California girl straight and white but devoid of something essential. Signs of intelligent life, perhaps?

“Are you a pilot too?” The young woman identified as Ashley asked with a giggle. “I love pilots. Why are pilots always so darn cute?”

Jerry took a sip from his beer, motioning for Lachlan to sit down. “Mimi and Ashley are attending UCSD.”

Mimi held her hand out in greeting. “I’m majoring in Media Communications.”

Lachlan smiled and pulled up a chair to sit beside her. “Don’t tell me – you want to be a newscaster.”

Mimi shook her head of long tawny hair and laughed. “Oh no. I’m hoping to take advantage of all the reality shows and get on as a correspondent with MTV. It’s the wave of the future.”

“What about you, Ashley? Tell Lachlan your major.” Jerry winked at his friend as he prodded the young woman with a playful tug on her blonde hair.

“I’m currently working on my dissertation – How Paris Hilton and her Cult of Personality Have Influenced the Nation at Large.” She flicked her hair over her shoulder and gave Lachlan a look that seemed to say, see, aren’t I smart?

Lachlan wanted to laugh, but Ashley’s expression informed him that she was dead serious.

Another flick of her hair before reaching for her glass. “She’s the Jacqueline Kennedy of this era, and her fashion sense influences an entire nation.”

Lachlan did his best not to laugh yet again and the look he shot Jerry screamed where the bloody hell did you find these two? “I’ll take your word for it, love. I don’t follow the society pages myself.”

Mimi practically purred. “Ooooh, I love how you called her ‘love.’ It sounds so English.”

Jerry grinned and slipped his arm around her shoulder. “I think you mean British, honey. And Lach’s actually Australian.”

“How can you be from Australia and be in the U.S. Military?” This question came from Ashley, who wasn’t quite as inebriated as her coed counterpart.

“I’m a U.S. citizen, love. Emigrated several years ago.”

Ashley’s eyes grew wide. “Do you know Hugh Jackman?”

“Sorry, can’t say that I do.”

For the next hour the inane banter continued as they became better acquainted, with Jerry giving Lachlan the signal that he had marked Mimi as his entertainment for the evening. When it came time for a second pitcher of beer, Lachlan volunteered to get it from the bar. He needed to get away from all the scintillating conversations and besides, he desperately needed to take a piss.

While Jerry entertained the women with tales of his exploits on the flightline, Lachlan made his way towards the loo. When finished, he headed back towards the bar, noting that the crowd was unusually thin for a Friday night, but it was still relatively early.

The bartender smiled as she came over to take his order. “So, you coming up for fresh air?”

“I beg your pardon?” He was caught off his guard as he found himself staring into a pair of big brown eyes. It was only when she spoke again that he became aware of the rest of her, and he wasn’t disappointed.

“Air, you know, the stuff that you breathe? You have the look of a man who’s been submerged a little bit too long.” She winked and motioned with a nod of her head towards the direction of his companions. “I’m a little surprised that Jerry’s sharing the wealth tonight. He usually flies his twin engines solo.”

Lachlan leaned his elbows upon the bar and edged in closer. “You speak as if you know him.”

The bartender rolled her eyes and gave him a knowing grin, while Lachlan found himself unable to look away from the direction of her mouth. “Oh please, if you’ve spent any time with Jerry, you know how he loves to spin a tale. His exploits are the stuff of near legend.”

“Oh without a doubt they’re all true, at least in his own mind. After all, I work with him. He’s basically harmless.”

“Oh my gawd, and here I am talking smack behind his back to his buddy. Never mind me.” Her cheeks reddened as she realized her faux pas, but Lachlan found it all rather amusing.  

“No worries. Badger’s got a way about him, I’ll admit to that.”

“Um, did you want a refill on that pitcher?” Thoroughly embarrassed, the bartender shifted the subject back to business. She had taken an oath to never date any of the pub’s clientele, especially the devastatingly handsome flyboys who seemed to appear in great abundance and were ever confident of their effect on women. She didn’t have the time for such nonsense and so far had been pretty good at holding her resolve. But there was something different about this one, be it his adorable dimples, or the cleft in his chin, or maybe even the way the light danced in his eyes when he looked into hers. Or maybe it was the fact that he was just plain good looking and there was nothing wrong with appreciating the scenery on occasion, was there?

As she turned towards the taps she felt his gaze on her, and when she turned to place the now full pitcher on the counter in front of him his eyes dared her to look away.

“My name’s Lachlan Curry. Might I have the pleasure of knowing your name?”

Oh shit. He was putting her on the spot and for the life of her; she couldn’t recall any of her withering comebacks that sent men scampering away with their tails between their legs. Not that she really wanted to send this particular man running for cover, but she was wholly unprepared for what she was feeling. There was something different about this one, and without realizing it she held out her hand and almost jumped at the sensation as their skin touched. It was as if an electrical shock had passed between them.  

“My name’s Jessie Dallton, with two ‘L’s.” Good Lord, could she sound any less stupid?

If Lachlan noticed the tingly sensation, he wasn’t letting on. But he knew he had to get her phone number. “Hey, I know it sounds a bit cliché and all, but could I maybe call you sometime?” Bloody hell, he sounded like a complete arse.

Jessie almost gave him her cell phone number, but a quick glance back at Lachlan’s table reminded her of the reason he was there in the first place. No way. If this Lachlan Curry wanted to see her outside of work, he was going to have to work for it. “I don’t think your lady friend would take too kindly to your collecting another woman’s phone number in her presence. I’m here Monday, Wednesday and Friday and alternating Saturday evenings. If you ever have reason to visit the Officer’s Club, I tend bar sometimes during special events. Seems you have a General getting ready to retire …”

Lachlan smiled as he picked up on her meaning. So be it. She was interested enough to give him her name and schedule, but not so completely blown away that she would make it easy for him to get in touch with her. He always liked the idea of a challenge.

“Fair enough, Jessie Dallton with two L’s.” He paid for the pitcher, making sure to leave her a healthy tip. “Don’t get too comfortable in my absence.” A cheeky wink suggesting the possibility of something more to come and he went back to join Jerry and the girls while Jessie found her eyes following after his very nicely shaped departing bum.

“Hey Curry, Mimi and Ashley told me that they’d like to go dancing. Wanna blow this joint and continue this party elsewhere?” Jerry was beginning to feel the effects of his drinks and Mimi and Ashley weren’t very far behind him. As much as the idea was disagreeing with him, Lachlan felt a duty to play the part of the designated driver and get everyone home safely.

“Only if I drive.” He wasn’t about to let Jerry get behind the wheel. He’d much rather have figured out an excuse for staying at the pub and trying his luck again with Jessie, but Lachlan was hardly a cad. Even if he found Ashley to be rather lacking in personality and intelligence, she still had feelings.

Back behind the bar, Jessie caught sight of Lachlan and his party from the corner of her eye as they left the pub. She was aware of Lachlan looking over in her direction, but she made sure to pointedly ignore him as she busied herself with wiping down the counter. She knew how the game was played and by the end of the evening she had convinced herself that the attraction she had felt towards him was nothing more than a pleasant interchange with an especially attractive customer.

But later that evening after she got home and prepared for bed, she had a wistful moment of wondering what it would be like to have Lachlan lying next to her. Oh well, it’s just a harmless fantasy, she reminded herself. You really don’t need the heartache or the trouble.  

But still, it sure would be nice …