Lady in Red Pt. 02 Ch. 15

'Yeah? Well, she'd be even better to you now if she gets the chance," warned Naomi. "Middle age seems to be making her more sexual for some reason. Jared and I discuss you all of the time. He feels that meeting you in high school really helped him in his career path. He saw what a good guy you were, yet you never took any crap from anyone. When he took those bullets intended for Gwen, he was thinking about how you'd react if you had been there.

"Being friends with you and your entire group has been one of the highlights of my life. I have a great boyfriend and some great guys that are friends. You have no idea how nice it is to be able to do things, like dance with you, knowing that I don't have to keep pushing you away, or resist your advances. Is that your hand on my ass?

"I'm proud of Jared and how the other women in our group like and respect him. He's been naked in hot tubs a few times with Gwen and some of the other girls and they aren't uncomfortable about it. We feel like friends and not just 'black friends'. You and Gwen and the others really don't seem to care about race at all. I wish the whole world worked that way."

"I learned to respect Jared when we played football together," revealed Steve. "He worked hard and treated all of the guys good, even though he was the toughest guy on the team. When he saved Gwen's life, he became my brother. I'll do anything I can to help him any way I can, and I feel he'll do the same for me. All sound relationships have to be built on trust. Men have to be able to trust each other in order to be true friends. I think the world of you, but I would never betray Gwen or Jared, or my own principles. You're the same way and we both know it. You're a beautiful woman that values honor and trust. That's why I like you so much."

"And all this time I thought it was my good looks, big boobs, and tiny ass," replied Naomi with a laugh.

"Those attributes have not gone unnoticed, I assure you," responded Steve as he made a production of leering at Naomi's cleavage.

"Lieutenant Hammer, are you trying to seduce my attaché?" asked Senator Elizabeth Mason as she danced close to the couple.

"Senator, all he has to do is ask, or even whistle," replied Naomi quickly. "You know how to whistle, don't you, Steve? Just put your lips together and blow?"

"I'm tempted to show you how well I whistle," threatened Steve, but with a smile. "And I won't be whistling Dixie, that's for sure."

Steve and Naomi were asked to Join Senator Mason and her husband at their table. They had only been seated a few minutes when Steve was approached by a man in a suit.

"Sir, I apologize for disturbing you, but I feel I would be remiss if I did not take a chance here tonight. Many of the patrons have asked if you were going to sing with our little band this evening. The hotel, as well as our clientele, would be most appreciative. I understand if you choose not to perform, but if I didn't ask, I would forever wonder what might have been," stated the man as he waited for Steve to respond.

"If you ladies would excuse me, I'd like to try it. That 'little band' is quite good and it sounds like fun. Do you mind, Naomi?" asked Steve.

"Mind? My date for the night wants to serenade me, along with a hundred other people, and I should complain? I can't wait to hear how you do with the older songs they're playing."

Steve was greeted warmly by the five piece band when he stepped onto the small stage they occupied. One of the members spoke very good English.

"We all watched that performance from Paris. It was incredible. We really don't play rock and roll, if that's a problem."

"No problem," assured Steve. "Just give the music with the lyrics and we'll see what we can do."

Steve spent five minutes lining up the songs they agreed on and then he stepped up to the microphone standing on the stage. "We're going to do our best to entertain everyone. Please be patience since we just met and obviously never practiced any of this. We'll start with 'Summer Wind' and go from there."

The band played the intro for several seconds before Steve began to sing. He managed to get as far as the phrase 'from across the sea' before the room broke into serious applause. He stopped singing and the band played in circles for a few minutes before it quieted down. Then Steve picked up where he left off. He was smiling broadly as he acknowledged the crowd's appreciation with a wave of his hand as he continued to sing.

When the song ended, Steve was surprised at the enthusiasm of the crowd. He had little time to consider it as the band started another Sinatra song, 'When I was Seventeen'. Steve had grown up listening to and singing along with Sinatra. His mother had been a huge fan and she passed the appreciation on to her son.

He sang for a full hour, mostly performing songs from The Great American Songbook. Steve had a great time singing with the surprisingly talented musicians. 'Mack the Knife' was also extremely well received. A full hour later, Steve ended his stint with another Sinatra favorite, 'My Way'. He was surprised when the couples stopped and simply stood on the dance floor listening to him sing. Many of the women had tears in their eyes when he finished!

After a thunderous ovation, Steve thanked the band and the audience before returning to sit next to Naomi at Senator Mason's table. He was surprised to see Naomi's eyes were misty and Senator Mason was wiping tears from her cheeks.

"I had no idea you could sing so well!" blurted Senator Chatham as she sat down in an empty chair near Steve. "I knew you were good with rock and roll and some ballads, but that was incredible. I'm no marketing whiz, but I'd suggest that you record more songs like that. I know I'd pay for them."

"I streamed your performance to Gwen and Stephanie with my IPad," revealed Naomi. "Gwen had Stephanie instruct the people that run your web sites to stream it live over the internet for free. There were over five million viewers by the time you wrapped it up! People can now download it off your site and watch it any time they want.

"That was some great singing. Dad always talked about Sinatra, Nat King Cole, Ray Charles, and a few others. He said that singers today couldn't hold a candle to the singers from back when. I texted him and suggested that he check out your performance this evening. Mom wrote back and said you're the best singer she's ever heard, and that if I don't jump your bones, she will!"

"I see," replied Steve as he pretended to be deep in thought. "Suppose you jump my bones, but don't tell your mom? Then she'll feel compelled to do it when we get back to Sparta."

"What is it with you guys and our mothers?" demanded Naomi. "Most guys would be happy having me, but you're trying to bed me, and my mother. I'd complain to Gwen, but she already knows how you are. How all of you guys are. How come you're all so attracted to cougars?"

"Excuse me? Did I understand you correctly?" asked Senator Mason, flashing an wicked grin. "Steve is one of those young men that falls prey to cougars? That's useful information."

"We're going to cut our stay here short," interrupted Senator Chatham. "We'll be leaving for Kiev the day after tomorrow. Tensions are rising between Russian and Ukraine governments. Secretary Rosen will meet us there. You know he's announced that he's resigning at the end of the month. It's no secret that he plans on campaigning for the presidency.

"Our entire delegation will be going, but President Hanson and Secretary Rosen made it quite clear that you're the person they want on the ground, Steve. You've cultivated a very good relationship with both governments and Rosen will be leaning on you to help forge some sort of agreement. He's done a total about face from when you first met him in Russia. Remember how livid he was? Rumor in the halls of Congress had it at the time that he besmirched Gwen's good name, and you called him on it in front of everyone at that summit. Now he's asking you to attend. He's trying to be more presidential, and if he defuses this powder keg, he'll use that success when he campaigns."

"So 'my date' for the evening not only sings and dances, but solves world crises, too?" teased Naomi. "You're going to get so lucky tonight!"

"Miss Wilson, I hope that I don't have to point out the code of conduct that we insist our people follow," warned Senator Mason.

"Not really, Senator," complained Naomi. "Steve has an even higher moral code than the Navy, so it's not an issue. I couldn't get him into my bed, even if I tried. That's what makes the trying so much fun. If any of us girls, other than Gwen, tease or flirt with him, he's a perfect gentleman. He's like one of the guards at Buckingham Palace."

"Are you saying that a beautiful woman like you can't even get a reaction of him?" asked an incredulous Senator Mason.

"Oh, there's a reaction alright!" laughed Naomi. "It's a rather big reaction, really. He just doesn't let it control him. He has great discipline."

"I'm sitting next to you and can hear every word you're saying," pointed out Steve. "Proper protocol requires that you only talk about me when I'm not around. It seems like everyone keeps forgetting that."

It was an interesting time in Budapest. The following morning the city newspaper had an article about Steve singing at the local hotel. There were two photos in the paper. One featured Naomi and Steve dancing, while the other showed him singing with the band. The next afternoon, Naomi learned that she had been nominated for an Academy Award for best supporting actress for her role in 'Diana', while Gwen had received one for best actress. As expected, Jordan and Charlie were nominated for best original score and best original song.

Steve went on Skype with Gwen. She had to study for an exam, but they managed ten minutes of personal time. Steve discovered that Gwen took the nomination in stride. She was proud of the nomination, but insisted that she'd trade it all for good marks and better comprehension of her difficult courses. Steve knew that both Gwen and Charlotte were extremely bright, yet they worked very long hours to keep up with their studies. It was very obvious to Steve that med school required extreme dedication, discipline, and hard work.

The delegation landed in Kiev the next day. Steve and Naomi accompanied the senators to a briefing of the situation by Secretary Rosen. They were warmly greeted by Rosen when they entered the room.

"It's good to see you Steve. It's always a pleasure, Lieutenant Wilson," smiled Rosen. "I've taken the liberty to tell the Russian and Ukraine governments that you would be attending our discussions tomorrow and they were both pleased. I'm not making the same mistake I made last time we discussed this situation. Will Lieutenant Wilson be attending with you, Steve?"

Steve instantly picked up on the effort of the Secretary to be respectful and conciliatory. "Sir, we would greatly appreciate that consideration. Lieutenant Wilson is extremely well versed on this part of the world. She has a thorough understanding of the history, politics and geography of Eastern Europe. I would be better able to assist you if she were present to help guide me."

"Really?" asked a mildly surprised Rosen. "That's high praise, especially coming from someone as informed as you are. You surround yourself with unusually talented and intelligent people. I look forward to your input in the upcoming discussions."

Senators Chatham and Mason had known that Steve's presence was requested by the Secretary, but other members of the delegation were surprised at the high regard the two Navy Lieutenants were awarded.

"Secretary Rosen! You have members of Congress here today that have been in office over twenty years. You're not suggesting that you value these Naval officers' opinions more highly than ours, are you?" asked the most senior senator present.

Steve turned his attention back to Rosen to await his response. If he were to be considered a serious contender for the Presidency, he needed to be able to handle situations like these.

"Of course not, Senator!" replied Rosen quickly before weighing his next words carefully. "However, the indisputable fact is that both governments trust and respect this young man. If he is the link that could allow us to find a solution to these issues, then we need to utilize the popularity he has with both parties. I know of no one else as highly regarded by both the Russian and Ukraine governments as Lieutenant Hammer. I would never suggest that his knowledge of foreign affairs compares to yours in any way."

"Yet you insist on having these young officers involved in such serious discussions? They're actors, not diplomats. There are photos circulating on the internet of the two of them naked in a hot tub! Is the United States to be represented by people with such lose morals? She's little more than a..."

"Senator!" interrupted Rosen forcefully. "It behooves you to be more circumspect with your comments. I once made the regrettable mistake of demeaning Ms. Anderson in front of Lieutenant Hammer. He will not tolerate disrespect to ladies, for any reason."

Senator Chatham had quickly stepped in front of Steve when she realized where Senator Larson's comments were headed. She placed a hand on Steve's chest before he could stand and spoke quietly to him until he relaxed in his seat.

"Look at what a young hothead he is!" continued the Senator. "He hasn't grown up enough to sit at a table with men."

"His code of conduct is one of the reasons he's so well received in this part of the world," responded Rosen. "Women aren't always treated the best here, but these cultures respect men like Steve. He's open and direct. He avoids subterfuge. He's a man of honor, and lives by his code. I didn't understand it when I first met him, but now I do, and to be honest, I try to be more like him. I strongly urge you to refrain from derogatory remarks about any ladies."

"You can be sure that the President, as well as the press, will hear about this!" retorted the still annoyed Senator Larson. "He's been the media's darling since he was in high school, but this is the real world. It's unforgiving when you screw up. We're involved in a very critical situation here and we need experienced people working for solutions. What we don't need are youngsters still wet behind the ears!"

"I take direction from President Hanson," replied Rosen calmly. "He's the person you need to address with your concerns. Until I am told differently, these young officers will be at my side during these talks. We'll get together at seven tomorrow morning to prepare for our nine o'clock meeting with the Russians and Ukrainians."

Steve wasn't surprised to find Nadiya waiting for him when they arrived at their hotel. She immediately wrapped her arms around his neck and gave him a smoldering kiss.

"It is so good to have you back in Kiev! I told my father that you would be having dinner with us. He was pleased, but not as much as my mother. She has been watching all of your films and videos. When she first met you, she had no idea how accomplished you were. Now she knows. She thinks you would make a good husband for me. I told her I was willing, but your heart belonged to that dark haired witch. I told Mother that Gwen has cast a spell over you.

"You are traveling with Naomi this time? You don't go anywhere without a beautiful woman. Naomi, would you join Steve and my family for dinner tonight? My parents would love to hear about your movie career and how you enjoyed your famous love scene with Steve in the 'Warrior' movie."

"I'd be honored to have dinner with your folks, but you don't need me to tell you what it's like to be naked with Steve. You know how good that is. Wait! From the look on your face, you've never stripped down with Steve. You poor girl! I don't know how you can endure it," teased Naomi. "We'll have to remedy that embarrassing problem."

Nadiya's parents were extremely pleased to have the two famous Americans visit them for dinner. As expected, the conversation centered on the movies Naomi and Steve had appeared in, as well as Naomi's nomination for an Oscar.

"I told you that Mother would want to hear all about your big love scene. She's also seen that photo on the internet of you and Steve in that hot tub. She was very impressed," grinned Nadiya.

"Your daughter tells me that she has never been naked with Steve," responded Naomi, taking care to speak slowly since Nadiya's mother was not overly fluent in English. "She's missing an experience of a lifetime. I am going to speak to Gwen and see if I can arrange it. Then Nadiya will be able to tell you her own stories about Steve."

Nadiya's mother looked at Steve's blushing face before breaking into laughter as she vigorously nodded her head. "I think Nadiya would like that!"

"This is not proper talk for dinner," insisted Nadiya's father. "My daughter does not take her clothes off, even for Steve."

"That's too bad because I was going to ask Gwen if she would care to join me in a hot tub with Nadiya's big, strong father. But if you feel it's wrong,..."

"Perhaps I was hasty," admitted Mr. Misko quickly. "I suppose if Nadiya kept the bottom to her suit on and Steve promised to not take advantage, we might be able to work something out."

"Father! You would trade your daughter's modesty for a chance to ogle these big breasted Americans? Mother, what sort of man did you marry?" asked Nadiya of her mother, first in English and then in Ukrainian, so her mother better understood the question.

"The same as I hope you will marry," replied her mother as she affectionately rubbed her husband's arm. "A man that appreciates beauty, especially in a woman. He can look, but he knows that he will not fare well if he partakes in any others."

"You are all the woman I want," declared her husband. "I was merely trying to be polite to our company by leading her to think that seeing her and Gwen Anderson in a hot tub would be something I would enjoy."

That conversation set the mood for the dinner, but as dessert was served, Nadiya's father turned the conversation to the problems with Russia. Steve and Naomi listened carefully as Mr. Misko explained his country's position and the issues they had with Russian policy. Nadiya would join in on occasion to clarify or accentuate a point.

By the time the Americans left the Misko's residence, they had a much better understanding of the situation. Steve had discovered that there was a great deal he did not know about the history and origins of the dispute between the two nations.

"Steve, that Nadiya is really sharp! She plays the dumb blonde to the hilt in public, but she's extremely knowledgeable on national and international affairs," declared Naomi once the two entered their hotel. "This dispute between Ukraine and Russia is a long time in the making and runs pretty deep. This may be a difficult task."

"I'm just beginning to learn how much I don't know about this part of the world," observed Steve. "I need to read more and listen better. This was a lesson in humility for me tonight. I'm glad you were there to help fill me in on the background of the problems."

"You can't be expected to know everything about everything," responded Naomi. "Look at the bright side. Nadiya and her mother both think you're the cat's pajamas. That girl's as beautiful a woman as I've ever seen."

"Haven't you ever looked in a mirror?" asked Steve. "You're second to none in the looks department. Then toss in that amazing brain and that round ass and you're the whole package."

"No wonder Gwen fell for you," cooed Naomi. "Even if your eyesight is weak. My ass isn't all that round. You think I'm attractive? As beautiful as Nadiya?"