Gage had invited a few guys from his unit over for dinner one night and asked Marty to please forgo the female company for this once, he just wasn't in the mood for it. So she agreed with a grin and went to Jesse's place letting her cousin have the run of the house.

Marty laughed when she told Jesse what he had planned and why.

"I'm not sure whether to feel sorry for him or not?" Jesse smirked. "I mean look at him, he has so much going for him and sometimes I think he hides from it."

"He just doesn't want to get burned." Marty shrugged.

Shaking her head Jesse mumbled, "I wouldn't want that to happen to him either. Do you think being that beautiful is a good thing or bad?"

Marty looked at her glass and furrowed her brow, "I think he's too tender hearted so it makes it harder for him than maybe another."

"If he was a man whore he'd be on easy street." Jesse said making them both laugh.

"That he would."

"I'm surprised you're not in a relationship either, I mean it's crazy. You're beautiful with mad kitchen skills to get even the staunchest of confirmed bachelors to jump the fence, so what's stopping you?"

Marty sighed biting her lip, "Bad memories and a few wrong turns."

Jesse nodded, "Sorry."

With a smile Marty nodded, "One of these days there will be a good man just waiting, but until he shows up for dinner, I'll just have to keep entertaining."

She chuckled at that realizing that it was probably a better plan than going to a bar and infinitely safer since she knew that Gage would always be there.

The guys were sitting on the back patio basically telling stories on girls and one another when the new guy looked up with a grin.

"So, whats with that Jesse chick?"

Gage took a sip of his beer.

Tyler looked up with a grin, "What do you mean"?

Matt smirked, "She's the only one who hasn't chatted me up, I was just curious."

Rolling his eyes, Jeff grinned, "That's cause she's not available, she belongs to Gage."

Gage choked on his beer forgetting about what he had said at that one party.

Matt slapped him on his back. "Dude you ok."

Eyes watering he choked back a laugh. "Yeah fine."

Grinning like the devil Matt leveled a look saying, "You're not really together are you? I mean I've never seen you touch her let alone give her the kind of look a guy gives his girl."

Tyler looked up stunned, "But Erica said..." Slapping his forehead he just shook his head. "You lied to get away from that bitch didn't you."

Gage looked away with a blush. "She was trying to molest me in the hallway it was all I could come up with."

"So whose this Erica and when can I meet her?" Matt leaned back in his chair smugly.

Jeff rolled his eyes.

Gage mumbled, "Have at her."

And then Tyler capped it off with, "A total bitch who no doubt has some venereal disease that has yet to be named."

Gage lifted his beer in a mock toast. "Honestly if you're wanting to wet your wick at least go for someone who has some sort of moral compass."

"Wow, ok so what did she do that was so bad."

"She said some nasty things to Jesse during a party," Gage offered quietly.

"That's it," Mark asked saying he didn't know a woman who wasn't a bit catty.

"Naw this went beyond catty and Jesse's the sweetest thing. I kind of felt sorry for her." Tyler said trying to stick up for the girl. Hey when it came to dessert that's where he made his stand.

"Well, she's not much to look at so," Matt shrugged.

"Dude that's harsh. So you'd rather have a hot bitch than a nice person, who might actually care about you for longer than the time it takes you to cum?" Jeff had put that question out looking at each man as he did so.

"Sorry dude, I'm still young, I'll take a hot bitch," Martin said laughing, "Although I have to admit that when the time does come for me to settle down that's when things might just have to get a little dull. I'm not about to put up with a diva for life."

"I think all women on occasion like a fast fuck they just won't admit it." Matt said crudely.

"Whatever dude," Jeff said taking a long sip of his beer.

"Trust me on this."

"Alright then prove it," Tyler said with a smirk.

"Oh right like all of you haven't had every or at least most of the girls at these parties for that exact thing." Matt watched as everyone quieted looking around nervously. "See. So who haven't you slept with yet is the question?"

They each started naming names, Tyler, Jeff and Mark had a few overlapping names. And then others who might have been considered more selective still slept with at least one of them.

Gage leaned back listening to the guys as they tried to figure out who hadn't gotten laid by at least one of them.

"Well that leaves only two people that we know for a fact haven't enjoyed the pleasure of our company."

Gage tensed knowing what two names were soon to follow.

"Jesse and Marty."

Gage narrowed his eyes.

It was odd how jealous he was becoming. He'd had female friends before and hadn't been quite so protective as he was at that very moment. He wanted to yell that she was off limits to everyone, but knew they would take that as a challenge.

What was wrong with him? She was his friend, maybe this was what having a real friend was like, wanting to take care of them. He didn't know. People judged him on his looks touched him in the hopes that something he had might rub off on them, of course the same could be true for Jesse only in reverse. They didn't try to get to know her, chose not to be around her because she didn't fit some preordained version of pretty, and therefore it took longer for them to realize that she had something to offer.

Sighing lost in thought he downed his beer.

"So did you have fun," he asked as Marty tossed her keys onto the entry table near the door?

"I always have fun with her, that's why she's my best friend."

"Nope she's my best friend," he said in a teasing voice.

"She needs to be your girlfriend and my best friend that way we'll both be happy."

His mouth opened in surprise. "Why would you think that?"

"She cares about your heart."

A slow smile filled his face. "That's nice. Does she care about yours as well?"

"Jesse cares about a lot of things," she said quietly.

"I guess you're headed to bed now," he asked quietly?

"Yep I'm tired, how about you, did you have fun tonight?"

"Yeah it was great."

"Good. Well I'm off, love you g-night."

"Night Marty," he whispered still thinking about Jesse.