Welcome Back

A cool breeze blew over South Beach and it patrons that evening. Serena was more than happy to be out with the woman who had become her closest friend in the city. While everyone else somehow found something more important to do on a Friday night, Katy was more than willing to go out for drinks with her only girl friend in the world.

While both women were born and raised in Miami, they hadn't met until their adulthood. Katy was a party girl and she was very open about her sex life. Serena was a virgin, but she enjoyed hearing about Katy's exploits.

The two sat across from each other at a high table of their favorite bar nursing Long Islands and reminiscing about their first meeting at that very spot.

Katy had shown up in a strapless little black dress that hugged every curve of her hourglass frame. She wore red lipstick making her round lips stand out. Her heart shaped face was framed by her wavy black hair that hung just below her breasts. Her tanned skin glistened in the sun as her black high heels clicked on the concrete. She was also proudly wearing her Puerto Rican flag necklace that she never took off. She wanted her heritage on display at all times. That and she got tired of people asking if she was Cuban.

"You looked like you were on a date" Serena laughed at her friend.

"That was the point" Katy replied unashamed "I wanted to be sure you were really only after a friendship."

"And what about you miss I'm too casual to be cute'? Black skinny jeans and a tank top? At least you wore heels." Katy said, rolling her eyes. She and Serena were almost complete opposites. Her caramel colored skin was close to Katy's complexion but that's were the similarities ended. At 5'10" she towered over Katy, who barely stood 5'5". She had a small frame with long, slender legs. Her face was oval shaped and she had chocolate-colored eyes, bordered by long lashes. She had her hair parted down the middle and styled into a shoulder length bob. The only part of her that was fuller than Katy was her lips.

"But seriously though Katy, we have been through some crazy stuff at this table. Like Sir Spits-A-Lot and crew." They both burst into a cackling laughter unaware of the strange looks they were receiving.

Serena looked out onto the strip eyeing the men who were walking by. All types came to this part of the world. For her and Katy it was like a candy store that delivered a new flavor every week. They made sure they got the same table every time they visited their spot.

Since the bar had no windows, they could enjoy the breeze coming from the sea. She loved that their city had places like this. She took another sip from her drink and continued watching the candy strangers.

She nearly choked mid-sip as she caught a glimpse of the tall fair haired man walking with his buddy laughing heartily. He turned his head towards her and she quickly looked to Katy, her mouth dropping open.

Katy was instantly concerned for her friend. She looked at the two men; who had stopped on the sidewalk and were looking in their direction. Her hazel eyes burned with curiosity.

"Serena..." She began. Her friend was looking at her with wide eyes. "Do you know them?" Katy asked beginning to understand. Serena nodded slowly, not daring to look to her side. She could feel their eyes on her, and her ears began to burn.

She took a large gulp from her straw and said "Remember when I went to visit my friend Lizzie in Chicago?"

"Holy shit!" Katy blurted out nearly jumping out of her seat. Serena's eyes widened and Katy immediately realized her error. She coolly sat back in her seat and took a long sip of her drink. She smirked at her friend, reminiscing on the stories about the soldier who almost stole her away. She studied him with newfound curiosity, toying with her pendant. He was indeed tall, at least 6'5" with short, wavy blonde hair. He had a slim face with cornflower blue eyes. His pink lips were thin but enticing. He was wearing a dress shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows and blue jeans, looking very much like an Abercrombie model. Katy nodded her approval before turning to her silent friend. "Wow" she mouthed.

"What the hell is he doing here?" Serena asked still frozen.

"Well you can ask him" Katy stated flatly. "They're coming in." Serena's heart fluttered and she suddenly felt the need to run. Before her brain could relay the message to her legs, she felt his presence next to her.

"Hello, Serena" he bellowed looking down at her. His closeness made her uneasy and she stifled her breath trying to avoid his intoxicating aroma.

"Hello, Mitchell" Serena responded looking up slowly, her face stern. She could have kicked herself for not wearing jeans that night. Instead she was sitting there in white lace shorts, and an off the shoulder crop top.

Mitchell kept his eyes locked on hers as he spoke his next words. "You remember Jake right?" he stated motioning to his partner. "Yes I do. Hi Jake" She smiled, giving his friend a noticeably warmer greeting.

"Hey" Jake blushed slightly as he smiled back at her.

Katy stared at the trio for a while. She found herself smiling as Serena stared down the tall man with an icy glare, while he stared back with desire burning deep in his eyes. No doubt Serena could hold her own against Army boy in the bedroom. She had to hold back a laugh from her wicked thought.

Then she looked to Jake. He was a few inches shorter than Mitchell with short black hair and a handsome face. He had a strong jaw that was lightly covered in stubble. His eyes were a glacial blue and his pouty lips just begged to be kissed. He turned to meet her gaze and she felt something stir deep within her stomach. "I'm Jake" He said with a warm smile, extending his hand to her.

"So I hear" Katy replied with a purr, lightly placing her hand in his. His firm grip sent chills throughout her body.

Serena finally broke her gaze from her target and looked to the pair. "I'm sorry. Jake this is my friend Katy."

"You can call me Kitty if you like." She said with a wink. "So what brings you guys to our beautiful city? The beach? The women?" She directed the last of her statement towards Mitchell. Serena shot Katy a murderous look. She shrugged it off and waited for a response.

"We've been planning to come here for a while" Mitchell replied, still eyeing his prey. "I've heard good things." He was smiling broadly at her.

Serena wanted nothing more than to slap that stupid grin off his face.

****

Mitch though he'd never see Serena again. His life in the Army made it hard to maintain relationships. Although, he had to admit, it was his own fault that he lost out on her.

During his last leave he was visiting Jake's family in Chicago. Jake had been hesitant, since he wasn't really close to any of them but his mother had talked him into it. Mitch decided to tag along knowing this would be uncomfortable for Jake. His mother gave her reluctant consent since they visited her every other time they were stateside.

Not long after they arrived, things got a little tense with Jake's uncle, so they decided to head to Navy Pier to cool off. Once there, they walked around admiring the different booths. They walked past the Ferris wheel and Mitch stopped at the sight of a pretty black girl standing near the ride. She was pouting towards a short, pale girl. "Pleeeeaase!" she begged her friend.

She was wearing jeans but that didn't stop him from admiring her long legs and small round bottom. He watched as she tried to no avail to pull her friend towards the Ferris wheel. "No!" her friend shouted "I am not getting on that giant metal death trap with you! Let me go!"

The girl huffed, let go of her friend, and walked solemnly to the ride. There was no line, so she walked directly to the operator, who looked around to see who would be accompanying the young lady. "Me" Mitch whispered to himself.

"I'll ride with her" he stated loudly, strolling towards the pair. "If that's okay with you?" he looked to her questioningly. She smiled brightly at him and said "Sure!"

He motioned for her to take her seat before sliding into the car next to her. She cut her eyes at him suspiciously, but didn't ask him to move. He took that as a good sign.

He inhaled deeply, taking in her sweet scent. "I'm Mitch" he said looking directly at her. She had her hair pulled into a ponytail, so he had full access to her features. She was even prettier up close. She returned his gaze and said "I'm Serena. Nice to meet you Mitch"

He stared a bit longer, and she became noticeably tense. "So, is this your first time on this thing?" he asked breaking the silence.

She nodded "Actually it's my first time in the city. I'm visiting my friend for a month."

"That's cool. It's my first time here also. I'm here with my Army buddy visiting his family for a few weeks"

Her eyes lit up and she became noticeably chipper. "Wow you're in the Army? I don't know anyone who is or was in the military."

"Well now you do." He said smoothly. He smirked as she smiled shyly and averted her eyes.

She overcame her brief embarrassment and began questioning him about his life in the military. Where had he traveled? Did he carry his gun everywhere? How many people did he kill?

The ride seemed to last forever and Mitch hadn't minded one bit. Once they got off, she thanked him for keeping her company and began to walk towards her friend. He panicked a bit and reached for her hand. She stopped and turned to look at him.

He looked into her brown eyes and had to force himself to speak. "Are you leaving already? If not, would you mind if we talked more?"

Serena looked back at her friend. She had jet black hair that hung straight down her back. She was petite and almost doll-like in appearance. 'She would actually be cute if she smiled', he thought.

"Lizzie, do you want to stay longer?" Serena asked her obviously irate friend.

"As long as you don't try to get me on that thing." She stated nodding towards the Ferris wheel.

Serena returned her attention to Mitch looking down briefly at their joined hands. She smiled up at him and he pulled her slightly closer, looking deeply in her eyes.

"You'd think you two knew each other all your lives" said a male voice from behind Mitch. Jake smiled at his brother in arms then smiled wider at the confused girl standing on the other side of the couple.

Serena immediately released her hand from Mitch's grasp and he cleared his throat. "Jake this is Serena. Serena, this is Jake"

He nodded to her and leaned to one side to glance back at her friend. She stepped back and pulled the small girl forward.

"This is Lizzie. Lizzie, meet Mitch and Jake."

*****

"I need to use the restroom" Serena said standing directly in front of Mitchell. "Excuse me" She said through her teeth. He stepped to the side, allowing just enough room for her to graze by him.

"Guess I'll go too. It's what women do right?" Katy chuckled, winking once more at Jake. He winked back as she stood to follow Serena.

Serena burst through the restroom door and headed straight for the counter, firmly grasping the edge with both hands. Katy stood behind her with a concerned look on her face. "What's wrong?" she asked. She already knew the answer, but her friend was in obvious need of a release.

"Who the hell does he think he is?!" Serena shouted into the mirror. Her face now wore a painful scowl as she looked into her own eyes. "How dare he smile in my face? Did he think I would be happy to see him?" She looked up at Katy's reflection. "He fucked me Katy! He mentally and emotionally fucked me!"

"Don't forget physically" Katy added sweetly, attempting to lighten the mood. Serena's face softened a bit and she turned towards her.

Katy stood silently as she watched her friend fight off her suppressed emotions. Her chest was rising and falling heavily with her deep breaths. Katy chose her next words carefully. "Sweetheart, you cannot let this man upset you. Be strong. Show him exactly what he missed out on. As upset as you may be, you need to pull up your big girl panties and make him regret every wrong he's done in his life. You have two options. One: kill him with kindness. Don't let him see you sweat and charm his pants off, figuratively speaking." Katy smiled at her words.

"Your second option is a well thought out revenge. Now I personally am not a fan of that option, but I know how much you like watching Kill Bill, so I'm sure you can come up with a wicked plan... I only ask one thing of you." Serena watched her friend carefully, awaiting her request.

"Let me have Jake just once before you run them out of town. Good Lord that man is HOT!" She flashed her most devilish grin.

Serena smiled back. "Oh Katy, Only you can think about your vagina at a time like this... Do you really think I should give him a chance?"

"Absolutely, honey. He only has eyes for you."

"Don't say that"

"Well it's true. He's probably still standing there grinning like the Cheshire Cat" Katy said widening her grin and tilting her head slightly. Serena laughed nervously. She didn't want to let on that she was finding it hard to keep her composure around Mitchell. He was still gorgeous, and there was no doubt that she still longed for him. She shook off the thought and ran her hand through her hair.

"Ok" she sighed. "Let's knock their socks off"

"I'd like to remove more than that" Katy said raising her eyebrows. They both laughed loudly as they headed out of the restroom arm in arm.

***

Mitch felt a flutter in his chest the moment Serena stood to leave. He didn't want her to go, but he couldn't force her to stay. As she squeezed past him, he caught a whiff of her sweet perfume. It was the same scent he had come to love and associate with equally sweet memories. He turned to watch her walk briskly to the ladies' room, as Katy stood to follow.

Jake slapped his hand heavily on his shoulder and sighed loudly. "Well my friend, now that you've found her, what's your next move?"

"I have to talk to her" Mitch replied, staring after Serena before she disappeared around a corner. He turned to look his brother in the eye. "But how do I do that?"

"I have a feeling Katy may be able to help you with that" Mitch raised an eyebrow in confusion.

"Katy is feisty" Jake said with a smirk. "Women like her are used to getting their way. She'll find a way to get you two to leave so we can get better acquainted. And I'm more than willing to assist in that task." He said reassuringly to his friend.

Mitch gave him a half smile. "She does seem to have you in her sights. Be careful man, she seems like a handful."

"Looks who's talking."

Mitch sighed and turned back to the direction the women had headed. He waited until they turned the corner with their arms linked smiling. He let out a sigh of relief when Serena's eyes met his. Her smile dimmed a little, but she didn't look upset.

"You guys didn't roofie our drinks while we were gone did you?" Katy asked jokingly as they neared the table.

"Not at all ma'am" Jake replied tipping his invisible hat.

"So now what?" Katy asked looking squarely at Jake.

He turned to Mitch. "Didn't you say you wanted to go over to the beach and feel the sand on your feet or some crap? I'd go, but I don't feel like getting sand in between my toes."

"Maybe you should take Serena for protection. The beach can be pretty brutal after dark", Katy stated looking to her friend for confirmation.

Serena let out an audible sigh. "Yeah I'd hate for you to get swept off my some rouge wave" she stated, smiling at no one in particular.

She picked up her drink, finishing the last bit before setting the glass back onto the table. "Shall we go?" She asked looking directly at Mitch.

"Lead the way", he motioned as she brushed past him. She walked quickly through the bar and out the main entrance to the sidewalk looking both ways before quickly crossing the street. She didn't glance back as she headed to the walkway that led through tall thick grass.

Mitch walked closely behind admiring the sway of her hips. She was taking long strides, practically gliding before him. She stopped at the edge of the walkway and slipped off her pumps before digging her toes into the sand. She was passing a lifeguard tower, when he reached out to grab her hand.

She stopped in her tracks and turned to him slowly. "That isn't necessary. It's pretty hard to lose me when there's no one around." Her tone was calm, but her eyes held a look of concern.

"I'm sorry" Mitch let out breathlessly as he pulled her to his chest with one hand and lifted her chin with the other. She opened her mouth to speak, but he leaned down to stifle her.

His kiss was gentle but firm. She didn't stop him. He slid his hand from her chin to her neck, stroking it lightly with his thumb. His let his hand slip lower to her shoulder before moving it to her back. He laced their fingers with his other hand. He let out a low moan as he pulled her closer.

****

Serena's eyes popped open suddenly as she felt his erection rise against her and his hand sliding slowly down her back. She pulled her hand from his and pushed firmly against his chest.

Mitchell staggered backwards a couple of steps before looking at her with obvious confusion.

"What the hell, Mitchell! You tell me you're sorry then try to stick your tongue down my throat! Were you apologizing for what you were about to do, or what you've already done? ... You know what, never mind. I don't care." She screamed loudly as she stared at him coldly.

"And here I am standing like a dumbass letting you kiss me. Fuck!" She turned and began stomping angrily along the beach.

He followed her cautiously. "I'm really sorry about that. I had the intention of only talking to you, Serena. I wanted to talk about what happened. I wanted you to forgive me... The apology was for the kiss. I knew you'd be mad, but I honestly couldn't help myself. I saw you looking up at me, and it made my heart skip a beat." He paused as she stopped walking and turned back to him.

"I love you, Serena". She scoffed at his admission.

"No really I do. It's why I'm here." he said softly.

Her eyes became glossy and she tried her best to blink away the tears. How could he know anything about love? She was torn between wanting to punch him square in the face and running back into his arms. She stared at him wondering how she had allowed someone to get her so flustered. He had managed to bring out the best and worst of her all at once. She wanted to hear him out, but she did not want to give him any more than she already had.

"You don't love me" She said harshly.

****

Lizzie looked at the two tall men standing before her. "Hi" she stated flatly.

"Liz, can I talk to you for a minute?" Serena sated pulling her friend out of earshot of the men. "Look, I know you may not find it interesting, but these two guys are in the Army. Jake is actually from here, Liz. He's a hometown hero. How about we show them a good time as a 'thank you' for their service?"

Lizzie rolled her eyes and let out an irritated sigh. Serena took that as her compliance and turned back to their new acquaintances.

Serena was beaming with energy as she smiled at the handsome men. "Lizzie here has graciously agreed to include you two fine gentlemen in our tour of the city. Jake I'm sure you've already seen it, but what do you say. Want to join us?"

Jake smiled at Lizzie and nodded his agreement. Mitchell looked from Lizzie to Serena. "You sure?" he asked, raising one eyebrow.

"Of course" Serena replied. "The more, the merrier. Hey Lizzie, let's go on one of those horse carriage rides I saw. It looks like a fun way to get around."