Gardens Of Stone -Part 6

 All too soon the sun was hanging low in the sky and they boat returned to dock. Jack led Marie by the hand back to his car. before opening the door for her he pressed her body against the car with his, then he captured her lips. Marie's body seemed to explode all over with tremors of electricity. She gasped for the shock only to find that Jack had taken that as an invitation to suck her lower lip into his mouth. She pulled away dazed by the overwhelming feelings his kiss seemed to bring. Jack smiled down at her.
"Where would you like to go now? Can I take you to dinner? I am really not ready to let you leave my side."


" I have to go home." Marie said shaking her head slowly " I have a date tonight" Jack felt as though someone had just thrown cold water over his head. Everything he had been feeling was he the only one? Was she just stringing him along? How many others like him were there, waiting for their turn. he was starting to get angry thinking about it.
Jack let her go and stepped back. " I'm sorry, did you just say you had a date?"
"Jack you dropped in out of no where three days ago. I have had this date scheduled for months. I am going to a fund raiser for Wounded Warriors." Marie explained feeling the change in him.
"Who are you going with?" Jack was getting territorial and Marie didn't like it. She didn't like being told what to do or being questioned like this.
"That really would be none of your business." Marie snapped.
"You can kiss me the way you did today and go off and kiss someone else tonight?" Jack accused
Marie slapped him and headed toward the Yacht Club offices.  She needed to escape. She had done nothing wrong and she was not going to let this guy bulldoze his way into her life and start telling her how to live. Jack followed her asking "What the hell was that for? Where are you going?"
He easily over took her with his long strides but Marie ignored him. She pulled her phone out of her pocket and dialed  a number as she walked. When the person on the other end of the line picked up she stopped walking and said. " I need a ride...I am at the Port Anapolis Marina." She turned looking at Jack. " I have a situation...5 minutes? Ok I will see you then." She disconnected the call..
"Who was that? What situation? What the hell is going on here?" Jack didn't give her a chance to answer as he peppered her with questions. Marie took a deep breath and waited for Jack to be quiet and for her heart to stop racing. "I am a grown woman who does not need to tell you, a virtual stranger, to tell  me who I talk to, what I do, where I go. Nor do I need to explain my behavior to anyone. You are not my husband." Marie started poking Jack in the chest and raising her voice " You are not my Daddy or even my boyfriend. If I want to kiss you and 100 other men in the same day I can. You have no right to comment on it. Go get back on that boat" she said pointing out to the Holiday's boat "before my ride gets here. I don't want to make nay more of a scene than we already have."
Jack just stood there looking incredulous. Where was the sweet seemingly malleable woman he had spent the last few days with? Kissed passionately? This woman was pure steel. And she was not backing down. And she was glorious when she was mad. Her eyes sparked and her face flushed pink. Jack wanted to grab her, kiss her and start over but before he could even begin to formulate a response, a black town car pulled up next to them. A wall of muscle dressed in a black suit stepped from the drivers door and came around to open the passenger door saying "Miss Bennett?" and giving Jack the don't mess with me I will tear you to shreds look.

" Thank you Vester. Good bye Jack." Marie said as she entered the town car slamming the door shut.

Stood there and watched the car drive out of the parking lot. He didn't know what his next move was going to be but it better be good because if it wasn't he might never get Marie to forgive him.

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Back on board Shenanigans, Holiday was shocked to see Jack coming back so soon, and alone.
"I need your help Holiday. I just set fire to my budding relationship and I need you to help me fix this."
"What happened? A couple of hours ago she was trying to crawl into your shirt with you?"
"She told me she has a date tonight. I kinda got in her face about it and she turned into Sheena Warrior Princess made a phone call and a guy, big as a house showed up in a black car and drove her away."
Holiday started laughing. The laughing got louder and and deeper until Holiday was wiping his eyes. " Looks like you finally met some one you can't manipulate with the force of your charm." Then patting Jack on the back Holiday said "Come sit down and we will have a drink and figure this thing out."
Jack took Holidays advice and sat down. He put his head in his hands and shook his head. Who is this guy she is dating? WHy didn't she tell me she was seeing some one?"
"Did you ever ask if she was seeing someone? "
"Um not really. But she laid down ground rules for dating her. I took that as she was free."
"Is she married?"
"I don't think so. No ring. So probably not engaged wither."
"Okay, in any situation what is the most important first step in planning an offesive?" Holiday asked
"Intelligence." They answered in unison. Holiday got up and grabbed his Ipad. "What is her full name?" he began. And so like two teenaged girls these two officers started Googling and cyber stalking Marie. What they found was no criminal record, no marriages in the state of Virgina, and that she seemed to attend quiet a few fund raisers for various military charities.

"Where was she going tonight?" Holiday finally asked as they finished their beers.
"Wounded Warriors. I don't know where though."
"Not a problem. I do."
"You?"
"Yes. being a JAG isn't all work and no play. I canceled my date to that function when I heard you were going to be here. I thought we were going to hang out. I didn't know you were on a mission. Go put your uniform on and lets blow this Popsicle stand.