The Virginity Mission (15 page)

Townsville is warm, friendly and relaxed but a huge drive from Melbourne. Exhausted but exhilarated, I organise the key for my rented unit. I feel so grown up with my own place. Entering the semi-furnished unit, ready for me to place my things and call it home, a huge lump forms in my chest. I can't decide if it's from nerves or excitement. I'm making my life. I'm setting off on my adventure. I have a job, a new home, a new life to carve. It's thrilling as much as it's terrifying. It's like getting ready to step on a huge rollercoaster when you aren't really sure you'll survive the ride.

I unpack quickly. The rollercoaster thought has me thinking of Jason. I have two days before I start work and I need to find him.

Embarrassing doesn't come close to describing standing at the army barrack's gates, asking to see a man whose surname I don't know. My details are sketchy. Every bit of doubt surfaces and multiplies. Why hadn't I thought this through properly? Did I honestly imagine I'd drive up here and find him easily?

“Miss, you're saying you don't know his name?” The young, clean-scrubbed soldier has a glint in his eye. I can't tell if it's mischief or mirth. His manner is impeccable, his uniform immaculate and the gates with the sentry are formidable. I almost turned around and drove away but that was never going to find Jason. I'm not sure this is either.

“I don't know his surname. He's Jason, a sergeant. He was with a group supporting the recent Daintree expedition. With him were five other men, including Tim and Neil. They're all from Townsville.” It sounds pathetic to my ears. I naïvely thought that the base would be small, the men well-known and the records at the front gate. I thought I'd mention the trip, he'd look up who did it and Jason would appear in my arms. I didn't think this through at all. Beads of sweat are prickling out all over my body and it isn't just from the heat.

“I take it their surnames are also unknown?” The man has to be laughing himself stupid, even though his face is deadpan. When I nod, he continues in the most polite tone. “The best I can do is for you to leave your details.”

I'm not leaving my details with the man. He probably thinks I'm desperate and he'll give them to any soldier who wants a girl. I write a note instead—
Jason, I have the mangrove job. I'm starting Monday the 8th. Love Mac/Willow xo.

I leave it with the polite gate keeper and drive away. My heart feels like it's torn apart. Leaving Melbourne wasn't this difficult. I hurried my trip up the coast so I had some time to spend when I found him. I'm such a dreamer. I had two days to find him and I failed in twenty minutes.

Monday morning, I'm unpacked and settled into my unit. I'm up early eager to start work. I drove out there yesterday so I'd know where I'm going. It's right out of town. The radio's turned up and I'm singing and dancing in my seat as I drive to my work place. Orientation isn't as exciting as I hoped. And I'm in a building all day and not in the mangroves. I guess every work day can't be an adventure. I busy myself learning what I have to learn, filling in forms, touring the site but all day I'm waiting for someone to bring me a message that Jason has called.

When five o'clock comes, the excitement of the first day in my dream job is not enough to mask my disappointment. I walk out to my car. The dancing steps I had this morning are now more like dragging my feet in leaden boots. I get into my car and drive out of the car park. At the turn onto the highway I see an army camouflage-painted 4WD parked on the side of the road. My heart picks up speed as I brake. Driving slowly past I can't see anyone inside.

Do I stop?

How can I not?

I pull into the side of the road ahead of the vehicle and walk back to it. My heart's not working properly. It's doing fast crazy beats, then stalling, then going slow, then jumping to my throat, falling to my knees. My breathing is mirroring the craziness.

There is no one there.

Disappointment cuts like a knife. I was relying on him finding me today. Maybe Mardi was right and he's moved on. Since there's a base in Townsville, I presume army vehicles park on the side of the road often. I can't stop at each one. I have to get over this.

Desolate, I walk back to my car, get in and drive away.

Tears well and my chest burns as I try to hold them back and drive.
Pathetic. I'm pathetic.
I sniff and slow for the corner. Another army vehicle is turning the corner on the opposite side of the road. My heart leaps and I curse myself. Is the place full of them? How am I going to live here when each one fills me with hope?

I look inside the vehicle as it passes, cursing myself as I do.
He's not there, you idiot.
But he is. I'm sure it's him. I pull off the road again. My heart's pounding against my ribs. Was that really him? I'm not sure, it's been weeks. It was only a glimpse. I was wishing and probably conjured his face on any man. I watch in the rear view mirror as the vehicle turns down the road I just left.

Would it hurt to follow?

My heart dictates and I make a u-turn and head back, half cursing my stupidity, half hoping.

Now there are two army vehicles on the side of the road parked one behind the other. I drive slowly past the vehicles, looking. There's a soldier in camouflage uniform standing at the driver's door of first vehicle. I stare. He's familiar.

It can't be.

I pull over in front of the vehicles, turning the ignition off before the car has even stopped. I leap out in a tangle of arms and legs.

“Tim!” I call loud enough the birds fly from the trees beside the road.

Tim looks up and starts laughing. I race towards him as he moves towards me. We meet and he sweeps me into a hug. It feels so damn good. He puts me down as if I'm made of fine china, making sure my feet are stable before he speaks. “We're looking for you.”

“Guess you found me.” My lips feel like they're going to split my face. I've never smiled so hard but there's a little part of me that's a tiny bit worried. “Who's ‘we'?”

Tim nods his head in a direction behind me and I turn to where he indicates. Neil is at the back of the second vehicle. I look further. Jason is walking out of the bush. He wasn't there a few minutes ago when I turned the car around.

My feet sprout wings. Before I can think, I race to Jason.

His arms catch me as I fly at him. His mouth claims my lips in one quick swoop. Our kiss ignites in nanoseconds. I wrap my body as closely to his as I can. Our mouths are open, tongues greeting again. His taste fills me, envelopes me. I writhe against him. It's been so long.

After long minutes, our kiss tempers to something akin to simmering. It's difficult to sustain that intensity. The need to breathe is a pest at times. Our lips break apart but our heads remain close together.

“You found me.” I press my lips to his chin. The feel of his beard stubble arouses me further. There's something so virile about beard stubble.

“I tried the phone book but there's only one MacIntosh and it wasn't you. Before I could do anything else, we were sent bush again, but then you came looking for me.” Jason's teeth gleam as he smiles. “You caused…much amusement.” His lips twist to a wry grin and I laugh, pulling back from him and catching his hands in mine. He tried to find me. My heart finds cloud nine.

“I can imagine.” I roll my eyes as I think of how crazy I must have sounded. “I had no idea how to find you.” I swing our hands before stepping back against his body. His arms wrap around me. I look up and our mouths meet. Our kiss is steaming. His taste fills me with memories and need. I writhe hard against him, sex being the only thought I have.

We're interrupted by slow clapping, wolf whistles, and loud voices. Tim and Neil breaking up our reunion.

“That's enough you two.”

“Get a room!”

I grin, reluctantly pulling away from Jason.

“Do you have a room?” he asks in a devilish tone.

I nod quickly, flicking an eyebrow to question him. He reads my question perfectly.

“Lead on.” His breathless answer tells me he's thinking exactly my thoughts.

We walk back to the vehicles. My hand curls into Jason's. I can't believe I've found him.

Tim claps my shoulder. “Thank goodness you found work up here, Mac.” I flash a grin at Tim, look back to Jason and catch him casting Tim a dark look.

I feel even better about my decision after Tim's comment, even if Jason doesn't want him saying anything. I know Tim's saying Jason missed me. Or I hope that's what he's saying. I look at Tim and he winks. Yep, he's saying that.

When we get to the vehicles, Jason turns to Tim and Neil.

“I'll go with Mac. I'll see you later.”

Tim winks and mouths “have fun” before he and Neil leave. Tim drives away tooting madly and Neil waves. I'm alone with Jason. I don't know if I can drive. Every cell in my body wants to be with him now. I need to be closer to him than you can be in car seats when driving. The drive is going to last an eternity. I hope my auto-pilot is good enough to get me home.

My heart is pounding so loudly I don't hear the engine start when I turn the ignition. I crank it over a second, needless time. My hands are shaking as I place them on the wheel.

“You okay to drive?” Jason grins. I poke my tongue out at him, trying to lighten my mood with humour. I don't know that I am okay to drive but I have to be. We can't have sex in the car. My car is way too small.

I make it home.

At the front door, my hands are shaking and sweaty and I can't insert the front door key. I wipe my hand down my jeans, take a deep breath and try it again.

“Having trouble?” Jason's voice is rough with need and laughter.

“Not now.” Triumphant, I turn the key and we're inside. Jason wastes no time in following me and closing the door. By the time I drop my bag and kick off my shoes, I'm in his arms. It's heaven.

His hands slide beneath my shirt as his mouth touches mine. His kiss is light. His lips graze over mine. A shudder courses through me. I open my mouth to demand more but he closes his mouth over my bottom lip. I arch against him. My body's pressed to him. My breasts and groin are plastered against him and it's still not enough. He's touching my stomach and it's driving me insane. I want his hands everywhere, not just there. I moan my protest. His hand slips across my stomach before his lips suck, tug and nip on my lower lip.

I'm aching. I want more than two points of contact. I squirm against his hand, stretching on my tiptoes to push his hand down further. It doesn't work. He pulls back from my mouth and chuckles. “Greedy girl.”

My hands glide up his shirt and around his neck. I pull his face to mine but he hovers out of reach of my lips.

“Slowly,” he says in a voice that makes me anything but slow.

I shake my head. “I can't do slow.”

He grabs the end of my shirt and peels it up. I duck down so it comes off even more quickly. I unzip my jeans and let them pool at my feet. My fingers grab the top of my underpants and I slide them off. I unhook my bra and drag that from my body. It's fast. A quick shucking of clothes because I'm desperate to feel him inside me. When I finish, he's standing staring at me.

“What's wrong?”

His gaze rakes up and down my body, lingering over parts, burning me with the intensity. I feel every bone protruding from my skinny form. Suddenly conscious of my nakedness and his clothed state, I try to cover my breasts with my hands. How ridiculous. He's seen me before.

“Not one thing.” His look is hungry as it skims over me. His tongue moistens his lips. “You're beautiful.”

“What?”

Jason picks up my hands and holds them outstretched so I am on complete display for him. “I've never seen you in the light. You're better than I imagined.”

“You're crazy.” I'm all lines and angles, no curves or muscles or lushness. Definitely not beautiful but there's something in his gaze that makes me feel beautiful. Beautiful and special.

His head bends then he nuzzles the side of my neck. A shiver of goose bumps races up my leg. Heat flares from his lips outwards. His hands skim across my ribs, over my waist and settle on my hips. Fingertips slide across my buttocks. His lips course downwards from my neck, across my breast until his tongue flicks over my nipple and I leap. His hands hold me while his lips close over my throbbing pebbled peak. He sucks, rolls it between his lips then draws backwards holding my nipple tightly between his lips.

“Jason!” My voice is a warning, an explosion of pleasure and a plea all rolled into one word. I'm not sure I can stand if he does any more of that.

His head rises. “Too much?”

I nod then shake my head. I'm not sure.

“It might be easier if you're lying down.”

“It'd be easier if you just took me.”

Jason laughs and that wickedly sexy grin lingers on his face. “Not today. Today I'm going to enjoy every delectable inch of you while there's light.”

A shudder rumbles through me. His voice is as sexy as his grin. I'm mush. Incapable of words or thought. I take his hand and lead him to my bedroom. The queen size bed needs christening.

I stop inside the bedroom door and turn. My eyes must give me away because he gently takes my jaw in his hands and kisses me with the softest, most gentle kiss. “I promise you'll enjoy it.”

I nod. I'm sure of that. The thing I'm not sure of is getting him undressed. He has clothes on and I'm at a disadvantage. I'm not sure how to change that.

He walks me backwards until my legs touch the side of the bed. With a feather light push on my shoulder he topples me and follows me down, supporting himself over me. I'm dying to see his arms again. The muscles must be bunched up hard. I lean up and nibble against his lips while my fingers stroke across the corded strength of his biceps.