Chapter Seventeen – Rick
Rick sat at his desk in the office he shared with the other platoon leaders.
He was a bit overwhelmed. He knew how to train soldiers—somewhat—but no one told him there were so many morale issues.
Private X was doing Y, but Private Z needed A, and Sergeant F was at the MP station for disorderly and… and…and…
“Lieutenant Stanton? Are you okay?” Sergeant First Class Emerson asked from the doorway. Emerson towered over Rick’s five-ten. He was actually surprised that the man wasn’t too tall to be in the military.
Pushing back from the desk, Rick waved his NCO to the chair in front of the desk. He looked to the ceiling to formulate how he wanted to approach this with the soldier. With a mental shrug, Rick met the man’s gaze.
“What the actual fuck is going on with the platoon, Sergeant Emerson? Why are there so many personal issues with the soldiers?” Guess he was taking the gloves off. Someone had to.
Emerson’s expression was blank for a minute, then he started laughing.
Rick wasn’t sure how to take the soldier’s mirth, but he was going to hold onto his temper.
Even if it killed him. He sat there and stared at the NCO as he wiped the tears from his eyes.
Rick really didn’t think he’d said anything funny and he was going to wait out the NCO.
But if he didn’t get himself under control in the next minute, Rick was going to channel Lieutenant Colonel Williams. He’d put Emerson in the front resting position for the rest of the day.
“Apologies, sir,” Emerson said as he got himself under control.
“I’m really not laughing at you at all and definitely not at the situation.
Let me just say that hearing your outrage at the issues you have to deal with is a refreshing change.
I’ve been trying to mitigate the problems that have been brought to my attention but… ”
Rick watched an internal skirmish happen across the man’s face.
Was Rick going to let him off the hook? Absolutely not but maybe he could make this easier on both of them.
They had to work as a cohesive team. He stood and grabbed his beret, motioning for Emerson to follow him.
Rick led him outside the company headquarters and over to one of the picnic tables in the shadows of some trees.
“Have a seat, Emerson,” Rick said, nodding to one side of the table while he sat on the other.
“Let’s start again. I want us to work together as seamlessly as possible for the next year you’re here.
My roommate at college had a huge family that instilled in him the respect that officers should have for soldiers.
That we have a duty to listen and lead, remembering that we are responsible for the overall safety and health of those under our command.
I can’t do that if you’re worried I’ll take each and every word you say and twist it.
I need you to be honest and upfront with me about everything, from a private having home issues to the sergeant who is having issues from a past deployment. ”
Saying his piece, Rick waited to see how Emerson would react. He didn’t have to wait long before the NCO was nodding and smiling.
“Thank fuck,” Emerson said after releasing a breath that he’d apparently been holding.
Rick was going to move forward, forging a working relationship with his platoon sergeant.
“Okay, I’ve been reviewing the notes left by the previous platoon leader.
I don’t see where any assistance was offered to any of the soldiers.
” Rick pulled his notebook from his thigh pocket and a pen from the holder on his ACU top.
“What are the challenges…I’m not going to call them problems because we should be able to adapt and overcome what’s going on. Which one needs our attention first?”
Emerson leaned to the side and pulled his own notebook out. “If we’re going to look at…” And with that, Rick felt ten feet tall. His first NCO was giving him his trust. He needed to call Drew.
Rick pulled his car into the assigned parking for their condo and blew out a breath.
It was going on 1800 and he’d been gone since 0530.
He’d wanted to make a good impression on his platoon.
Set the tone that he wasn’t the officer who was going to have them on the range or doing PT while he sat back and ate bonbons.
He was exhausted but it was a good feeling.
He’d strategized with Emerson for close to two hours before First Sergeant Pearl found them.
Rick had watched how Emerson interacted with the first sergeant.
He needed to know who would provide them with support and who was there for their own gain.
He wasn’t sure about Pearl even after watching the two NCOs talk about the upcoming battalion run.
Rick would reserve judgment. The first sergeant had handed Rick something important before he left, though—orders to report for Air Assault school at the end of the month.
Another week and he’d start for his next set of wings.
Rick absently rubbed his left pec where the wings would go as he climbed out of the car.
Pushing open the outside door, Rick stopped with his foot on the stairs to the second floor.
He wasn’t sure which Coop he’d face when he opened the door.
No way to know unless he soldiered up and climbed the stairs.
One foot after the other, it only took a minute for him to be walking down the hallway to their front door.
Coop seemed to be bouncing between hyperactive cleaning or hiding under a blanket.
Now, he loved the cleaning because he sucked at it but he was struggling to figure out how to handle Coop hiding.
Rick wanted to share his news about going to the school, how he’d built a bridge between himself and Emerson, how his platoon had reacted when he was there for PT, but he didn’t want to rub salt in Coop’s depression. And Coop was depressed.
Before he could wallow in his own mind, Rick’s phone rang. Looking at the display, the number wasn’t one he recognized, but these days, he didn’t have the option of not answering. It could be anyone from the company commander to the MP station trying to reach him.
“Lieutenant Stanton,” he answered.
“Rick?” a voice that sounded vaguely familiar said through the speaker.
“Yes, and this is?” Rick replied hesitantly, turning his back to the condo door.
“It’s Jeff MacNamara. I wanted to check in and see how you were settling in. See if there’s anything Scott or I could do for you.” Rick racked his memory for why the name was ringing faint bells.
“Mister MacNamara, I’m not sure how you know me. I’m not sure where I’ve met you before or why you would be concerned with how I’m settling in.” He honestly had no clue.
“Let me start this again.” The man cleared his throat, then said, “It’s Drew’s uncle Mackey. I wanted—”
“Yes!” Rick interrupted the man. The memory of talking with the retired command sergeant major at the pinning ceremony came bowling back, almost knocking him flat like a ten pin. “My apologies, Command Sergeant Major. I’ve met a lot of people recently. What can I do for you?”
“Please call me Jeff or Mackey. Drew’s been blowing mine and Scott’s phones up with texts about helping you and your boyfriend settle in. Are you having problems finding a place? You’re welcome to stay with us until you find housing. You’re not living on post?”
Rick chuckled. He should’ve known Drew wasn’t going to let him flounder. Before he could answer Mackey, the door behind him opened. Glancing over his shoulder, Rick lost all power of communication. Coop stood there in a pair of jeans with the button undone, no shoes. Holy fuck!
“You coming in?” Coop asked as he ran his good hand down his chest. Rick blinked several times, trying to reboot his brain.
“Hello?” Mackey called through the phone that Rick still held in his hand.
“Can I call you back, sir?” Rick managed to say into the phone. “Something’s come up.” He didn’t wait for an answer and disconnected the call.
“Not yet, but something will definitely be coming if I have anything to say about it,” Coop said as he grabbed Rick by his ACU top and pulled him into the condo. Rick wasn’t sure where this Coop came from but he loved it.
Coming home to this Coop was definitely better than finding him under a blanket fort.
Not that Rick was opposed to cuddling with Coop but the self-doubt and depression were difficult issues for him to solve for Coop.
He could tell that he was going to learn a lot from Emerson on handling personnel issues—their brainstorming session this afternoon proved that in spades.
Rick just couldn’t see how to translate that to his boyfriend’s mental health.
“I’m sorry, do I not have your complete attention?
” Coop stopped next to the couch. “I do believe I can change that.” He pushed Rick on the shoulders, forcing him to sit.
Rick’s ass had barely touched the cushion when Coop was reaching for his belt.
A quick flick and the webbing was undone and the buttons were popping open.
Rick tried to focus his brain on the power of speech, but that function didn’t seem possible. He really thought that he should do or say something, more than a good impersonation of a sex doll. Feeling a tug near his hips, then Coop dropped his mouth over Rick’s cock.
“Holy fuck!” Rick yelled as he thrust his cock into Coop’s throat. Hearing Coop choke, Rick started to apologize, “I’m sorry…sorry…but—” Words dried up as Coop grabbed Rick’s hand and moved it to the back of his head. Did Coop want him to fuck his mouth? Oh. My. God.
Coop pulled back and met Rick’s eyes. “Stop thinking and fuck my mouth,” he said before diving back onto Rick’s cock. There was no way that Coop’s statement could be interpreted as anything else but full consent and a demand. Rick was up for the challenge.
Bracing his feet, Rick moved his hands to either side of Coop’s head and, holding on, he thrust his hips up with a quick snap.
It only took him a minute to find the rhythm where he didn’t feel he was choking Coop.
And from the moans coming from the man, he was giving Coop exactly what he wanted.
The wet heat added to the pressure from Coop’s tongue had Rick on the edge way too soon for his liking.
Wanting to make this last longer, Rick pulled Coop off his cock.
“Wait! Give me a minute to catch my breath so I can last longer than point two seconds. Make you feel good too.” Rick was panting like he’d just finished the obstacle course in three minutes.
“Oh no, I want this fast, hard, dirty,” Coop said as he captured Rick’s cock in his mouth.
Rick folded his body over Coop. From this position, he saw something that he hadn’t noticed before.
Coop’s arm was moving frantically in an unmistakable motion.
He was jerking himself off as he sucked Rick’s cock.
If there was a visual that could send Rick over the edge any faster than seeing his man getting off while pleasuring him, Rick didn’t know what it could be.
It didn’t take long for Coop to have him right back on the edge.
He only needed a bit more before he lost it.
He was torn between watching Coop fist his own cock and closing his eyes to enjoy the man’s hot tongue.
Dropping his head back, Rick let out a yell as Coop’s hand grasped his ball sac and gave it a twist. He came so hard his vision went white.
It felt like he’d jumped out of a plane without a parachute; the sense of freedom, the sense of floating on air.
“Fuck!” Rick screamed, shoving his cock as far as it would go in Coop’s mouth.
Pulse after pulse came out of his cock. Enough that when he looked down, Coop was licking his lips from the cum that had leaked out of his mouth.
Rick collapsed against the couch, trying to control his heartbeat.
Just as he thought he had control, he rolled his head and looked down at Coop.
The sight was going to be jerk-off material for years to come.
Coop was kneeling between Rick’s legs, jeans open, cock lying against his abs as he licked cum from his hand.
Rick’s cock tried to come back to life watching Coop.
Before he could form a coherent thought other than fuck that was hot, Coop spoke up.
“So, how was your day?” The innocent question after Coop sucking Rick’s brains out through his cock, made Rick explode in laughter. Yeah, he could get used to having this man in his life permanently.