Delilah's Tears

Chapter Three

James

Jesus fucking hell. I've been hard as damned steel all day. This is wrong. So damned wrong. I only made matters worse when I hijacked Delilah from John and crushed her body against mine for two long dances while my brother seethed. I partially prayed Delilah's gown was fluffy enough that she didn't discover every stony inch of me that was pressed up against her. Another dirty, filthy part of me wanted her to feel it.

I should grab one of those cute bridesmaids and drag her into a coat closet, then bang myself blue inside her to ease this ache that won't subside. Christ. When did I become such a rude jackass about women? Seeing Delilah in person has flipped a nasty little switch inside me. I'm actually jealous of my brother. I'm fucking coveting his brand spanking new bride.

Oh, hell. Spanking. My dick twitches as I imagine tossing that white dress over her ass and smacking a palm down on both cheeks until they're pink and warm...

There I go again. What is wrong with me? Thank God they leave on their honeymoon in the morning, and I return to the planet's most isolated dust bowl in a few days. Nothing like combat, sweat and insurgents to kill a hard-on.

"Hey, you okay, JD?" Zander plops down in the chair next to me. "Cuz you look like shit."

"Ah. Just tired. Long trip. Too much excitement." He eyes me, not sure he believes my explanation.

"If I didn't know better, I'd say something else's got you all balled up. Aren't you happy for JC?" I snort. JC and JD. Our nicknames in school. John Diamond Coury and James Diamond Coury. Diamond was mom's maiden name. John was older, the trailblazer in all things naughty and nice, therefore he got be JC. I was dubbed JD. Collectively we were referred to as The Two-Jays in the school corridors. Nothing but jocks with good grades and first dibs on the hottest girls. A legend in our time. Just like old times, John comes out the winner. I may sound bitter, but I'm truly not, surprisingly. Yeah, a little jealous. Yeah, a little in love with my new sister-in-law. I'd never take anything away from John, though. He deserves all the good he can grab.

Only, I want a piece of that good, too. Sitting out there rotting in a tent is about as far away from that goal as a guy can get. Maybe when this tour is up, I should go civilian. Find a great girl and settle down. Make those babies, the cousins of my brother's kids.

"You're grinning again. And staring at the bride. People might think..."

"Fuck you Zann. I was zoning. Thinking about war and life." And babies, but I won't tell him that.

"All right, sure." I doubt he believes me. "What do you think about Delilah? JC did it again, didn't he?"

"He did. The guy's got a Midas touch. Delilah is perfect for him. I mean, look at them. I've never seen two people this much in love. Took a while, but when Cupid shot her damned arrow at my brother it was a bull's-eye."

Zander chuckles. "JC always had a way about him, didn't he?" He studies me, becoming serious. "When are you gonna stop playing soldier and come home for good, JD?"

"I was thinking about it. Maybe it's time. I dunno. I get over there and, I'm needed, ya know? Those bastards are my brothers, too."

"Don't stay there forever. Once JC and Delilah start popping out kids, he's gonna want his bro here with him. You and Delilah are all he's got."

I envision Delilah ripe and full with child and my boner roars back to life. What is it about this woman which grabs the Coury boys by the nuts and strangles them? Maybe she is a damned witch. She certainly cast a heavy spell over John.

Later that night I lay in my bed in the guest room of John's condo. He and his bride are holed up in a hotel suite overlooking the LA skyline, doing... Jesus, don't go there. I'm making my own self miserable. There's no reason for me to be panting after her. I barely know her. Maybe I should've snagged a bridesmaid after all. Or at least stopped in at the bar downstairs. I need to get laid is all. Months of relying on my own hand is not much of a relief after a while. I consider getting out of bed, dressing, and going downstairs, but I'm exhausted and a little drunk. It doesn't matter. Soon enough I drift off to sleep.