Pulling Rank: A Military Erotic Romance (2 page)

***

I pack up my laptop and have Teddy drop me off at my quarters. I dismiss her until later that evening. Then, I’ll need her to come back, so I can get some dinner. For now, I don’t need her hovering while I work.

Except for taking a quick dinner break, I work long into the night. Finally, I tumble into bed. I think I have the problem resolved, but I won’t know until I upload the patch and test it.

  Teddy and I are the first ones in the hangar the next morning. I send Teddy off to make coffee and fetch donuts, while I start the upload. I am just finishing the first plane when Sergeant Hazelton wanders in. He looks a hell of a lot more crisp than I feel.

“Rough night last night, Major? Eliza.” Lee asks, correcting himself as he wanders up with a cup of coffee in his hand.

“Yeah. I was up pretty late working on the patch.”

“And you’re done already? That was fast. It usually takes weeks or months to issue software fixes.”

“Well, I’m not paid by the hour.”

Lee looks at me in a most peculiar way. “Are you sure you’re not a grunt, Major? Usually the Washington types, they don’t know what we do out here on the sharp end of the spear.”

“The way I see it,” I say, looking up as Teddy comes in balancing four dozen donuts, “is I’m here to help you, not the other way around.”

Lee chuckles. “You had better be careful saying things like that. You’ll spoil us.”

***

“Good morning, Captains,” I say as French and Boomer walk up. “Are you ready to try this again?”

“Did you get your problem fixed?” French asks.

“I don’t know. It’s related to one of the processor cards. I can’t change the card, so I am trying to fix it with software. No way to test it before we test it.”

French grins. “I’m taking a hammer up with me today. If it acts like it did yesterday, I’ll do a little fine adjustment in the air.”

“Good to know you are willing to get your hands dirty,” I giggle.

***

Two hours later there hasn’t been a single software crash. I’m almost giddy with relief. “That’s some damn fine work, Major,” Lee says. “The Air Force could use another thousand officers like you.”

Things are beginning to gel. Everyone seems to have accepted me into their little community. It’s such a small thing, but respecting the people and their jobs goes a long way to gaining their trust and acceptance. Bribing with a few donuts doesn’t hurt either. “Thank you, Lee. You run a pretty tight ship here yourself. You should be proud of your men and women.”

Lee smiles. “I am. But, don’t tell them I said that. It will spoil my reputation of being a hard-ass.”

I grin. “You secret is safe with me,” I whisper conspiratorially.

“Afril. Boomer.” Boomer’s voice comes over my headset.

“Copy Boomer. Go ahead,” I say.

“I think the problem is solved. Do you want us to keep punching holes in the air or what?”

“State your fuel status.”

“Two-thousand until bingo fuel.”

I think a moment. Not much for dog fighting. I tell them return to the base, since they are relatively low on fuel. “I think we are ready to move on to the fun stuff, but your fuel load is light. You and French won’t have much time to play before you are bingo.” Boomer is quiet so long that I am just about to repeat my order.

“Copy. Returning to base.”

I see Lee grin at me. “What?”

“I think you caught Boomer off guard.”

“Why do you say that?”

Lee’s grin grows wider still. “You knew what he was talking about. You knew what to do. Plus, your reasoning made sense.”

“And,” I prompt.

“Like I said earlier, Major. The Air Force could use another thousand like you. It’s not often that people, who haven’t flown or worked on these aircrafts, understand what we can and cannot do.”

***

I’m waiting, as French and Boomer climb out of their birds. I give them a crisp salute. Technically, they should salute me first because I out rank them; but, they’re pilots and they deserve the respect. “Good work today. I’d like to download the data logs and review them. May we meet for dinner? I’d like to go over the plans for tomorrow with you. If you don’t already have other plans, of course.”

“I’m in,” French says. “You’re buying, right?” he says with a grin.

“Maybe I’ll let Uncle Sam buy,” I reply with a smile. “How about you, Boomer. Can you make it?”

I can see Boomer squirm. “Yes, Major. If you insist.”

He agreed, but I can tell he doesn’t want to. “Captain Frye, will you excuse us for a moment?” I say in my command voice. French gets the message, salutes crisply, and moves off. I can see Boomer’s face harden.

“Captain Anderson, is there a problem I need to know about?” I ask. I keep my voice low and calm, but it is full of steel.

Boomer snaps to attention. “No, Major.”

“Do you have a problem with women officers or just me?”

“No problem, Major.”

“Horseshit!” I snap. “Captain, if we are going to be working together, it would be helpful if I understood what is going on.” I soften my tone just a bit. “I’m not going to bust your chops. You have been nothing but respectful. But I don’t want just your respect. I would also like to have your trust. Wouldn’t you agree that being able to trust your wingman is an important part of
being
a wingman? Same here. I want you to trust me, so that we can work as effective team.”

“Yes, Major.”

“At ease, Captain. Talk to me, Boomer. Have I done something to offend you? Have I done something wrong? Made a wrong decision somewhere? If I have, I would like to know.”

Boomer says nothing. Fuck him then.

“Dismissed, Captain.”

***

Over the next three weeks, we begin to explore the capabilities of the new software. I can almost feel them pinning on those silver oak leaves. These two planes are still evenly matched, but when we put another bird or two in the mix without the software upgrade, my two guys make quick work of them. We begin to mesh as a team. Even Boomer loosens up around me. A little.

I am running one evening, gasping in the thinner air, when a blood red Porsche convertible whines up beside me. It’s Boomer. I don’t even slow. “Captain.”

“Major.”

Everyone, with the exception of Captain Daniel fucking Anderson and I, are on a first name basis. I’ve given up trying with him. If he wants to be a prick, that’s fine. I’ve been dealing with bull-shit attitudes from men my entire career and I have added him to the list. As long as he does his job, that’s all that matters.

“What can I do for you?” I ask, as I pound along.

“Eliza, I’m sorry.”

That gets my attention and I slow to a walk, trying to get my wind back. “For what, Captain?”

“For my attitude. I haven’t, uh, been exactly welcoming.”

“No, you haven’t. So, why the sudden change?” I ask, as we coast to a stop.

“French.” Boomer grins sheepishly. “He called me some bad names today.”

I smile slightly. “I see. And he has convinced you that I’m not the ‘Wicked Witch of the West’ after all?” I was never mad at Boomer. I just don’t understand why men have to be such jerks sometimes. If he is willing to
stop
being a jerk, then I’m willing to listen to what he has to say. With the exception of his attitude towards me, Teddy, and Linda, the lone women, Boomer seems to be a really nice guy. It’s just with the women, he is so standoffish that it’s almost insulting. If he is willing to move beyond whatever his personal hang-up with women is, the least I can do is not be a bitch.

“Something like that. I would, uh, like to make it up to you sometime.”

“Okay. Can we start by you not calling me Major all the time? My name is Eliza.”

Boomer smiles. “Okay, Eliza.”

I damn near come on the spot. Boomers million watt smile makes me weak in the knees. It should be against the law to be that good looking. For a while, I kind of had the hots for French. Then, I found out he has a steady girlfriend. Damn it.

As good looking as French is, he doesn’t have shit on Boomer. I smile back at Boomer. “Now, that wasn’t so hard was it?”

Boomer chuckles. “No. Not really. Uh. Listen, Eliza, uh, I was wondering if you would like to go see a little bit of Vegas. I don’t think you have been anywhere other than the hangar and the visiting officer’s quarters since you arrived.”

I hit Boomer with my best smile. “I would like that. I am getting a little stir crazy. I need to finish this run and then get cleaned up. So, pick me up, in two hours?”

Boomer smiles. “See you then.”

***

About two hours later, I hear a soft rap on my door. This is a business trip for me, so I didn’t exactly come prepared to party. I did bring one evening dress. I have let my hair down and put in my contacts, since I’m not on duty. I check myself in the mirror before I open the door.

I open the door and Danny is standing there dressed in khaki pants, loafers, and a snug fitting polo shirt. He looks good. “I’m underdressed,” Danny says, when he sees me. A big smile breaks out on his face.

I’m dressed in a knee length dress of the richest red. It has a deep plunge in the front and back. A slit up one side plays peek-a-boo with my thigh, as I walk. The dress is cut and fitted to show off my curves. While not fat, the military frowns on fat, I’m a full figured girl. The way I see it, if you got, you might as well flaunt it. “This is all that I have,” I say with shrug.

“Don’t change a thing.”

Danny gives me the nickel tour of Las Vegas. We hit a lot of the same spots as Teddy and I did, but I don’t mind. Teddy is good company, but Danny...
bow-wow, grrr, meow!
We stop for dinner at the
Golden Steer Steakhouse,
a local landmark
.
As Danny fills me in on the “who’s who” of those who have eaten there. I look around. I can almost see Elvis, Sinatra, and Joe DiMaggio.

“Tell me, Eliza, why are you in the Air Force?” Danny asks with an abrupt change in subject. 

“What?” I ask, trying to keep up.

“Since I first met you, I have been wondering why you are in the military. If I may be so bold, you are simply stunning. Why aren’t you a model or a movie star or something?”

I can feel myself blush. “I don’t know about that,” I demure.

“Don’t,” Danny says. “One thing I have admired about you is your no-nonsense, straight shooting, cut the bull-shit attitude. Don’t play games. It’s beneath you.”

I grin. He has me pegged alright. “Okay. I joined because I wanted to. I grew up on farm with my hippy parents. I’m one of five kids, the youngest and the only girl. I have always been a tomboy. I joined AFJROTC in high school and liked it. I was the squadron commander my senior year. I went on to the Air Force Academy and here I am. My parents nearly shit when I joined AFJROTC. They practically disowned me when I went to the Air Force Academy. I joined after graduation. I have a PhD in software design and a Masters in electrical engineering. So, working at the Air Force Research Lab is like having the world’s biggest toy box.”

“Wow!” Danny says, his eyebrows going up. “That’s some Curricula Vitae. I’m impressed.”