Page 40 of After You Returned

“You do not have game. You’re so far away from having game, you don’t know where to find it.”

I cough to hide my giggle.

The soldier next to me turns to me. “Hey! You’re a woman.”

“Last time I checked.”

“Help us settle a debate.”

“I am not discussing bra sizes or whether big butts are better than flat.”

He barks out a laugh before offering me his hand. “Sergeant Barnes.”

I shake his hand. “Hazel.”

He drops my hand and motions to the soldier across from him. “He’s Sergeant Vaquez.”

“I thought your name was Sergeant No Game.”

I’m full of shit. Barnes and Vaquez are handsome men. Their uniforms strain against their shoulders while their biceps are barely restrained by their short sleeves. Add in their laughing and joking demeanor and I’m certain they don’t have any trouble picking up women wherever they happen to find themselves.

Barnes chuckles. “Told you. You have no game.”

Vaquez scowls. “Not all of us are bulldozers who think shouting at a woman, ‘I’m sexy and I know it,’ is okay.”

Barnes shrugs. “If it works, it works.”

“But does it work?” I ask. “It’s pretty cocky.”

Barnes winks. “It’s okay to be cocky when you can back it up.”

“That’s not what Tina said,” Vaquez says.

I lean forward. “Oh. What did Tina say?”

Vaquez glances around before scooting closer to me. “Apparently, he has a tiny dick.”

Barnes kicks his knee. “You’ve seen my dick. You know it’s not tiny. Tina was a bitch.” He grimaces. “Sorry, ma’am.”

I wave away his apology. “As long as you don’t think all women are bitches, we’re good.”

He leans back in his chair and spreads his legs out before resting his hand on his belt buckle. “Nope. Most women are sweet as pie as long as you know what you’re doing.”

“And you know what you’re doing?”

“I’ve had a bit of practice.” He wiggles his eyebrows.

“Horndog,” I mutter.

“What about you? Do you live around here?”

“I’m actually here for a—”

“Ms. Harris,” the receptionist calls.

I stand. “That’s me.”

Barnes and Vaquez stand as well. “It was nice meeting you, ma’am. If you stick around, let us know.”