After a week of being home, Sherri and I have a girl's day at the spa.

First was breakfast at my favorite restaurant. Then a pedicure, followed by a manicure. A Swedish massage followed lunch by the pool. The facial was last.

By the time we get home at four o'clock, I am so relaxed that I feel like putty. My phone rings with Demo's number.

"Hello?"

"Hey, nerd! Are you enjoying yourself?" His voice is deep and husky.

"I am! Very much so. I really want to thank you for sending me home. I didn't realize how badly that I needed it." I tell him.

"I'm happy to help you. I was just checking in on you."

"Aww! You really do like me! It's alright, Demo. I won't tell anyone." I laugh with him.

"Good! I don't want you to be labeled a liar. Nobody would believe that I have a heart."

"Everyone has a heart. It is up to the person on whether they show it or not. But some people know when they shouldn't show it and don't."

"Are you saying that I choose not to show my heart?" He asked me.

"Yes." I paused for his denial. It didn't happen. "Damn! I so wish that I was an 'I told you so' type of person!" Demo laughed.

"I'm glad that you're not. So what are you plans for the weekend?"

"My brothers are coming home from shopping. They want me to go to a bonfire with them. Just a bunch of early twenties trying to sing karaoke, drinking, and having sex. All the while I will be in the truck bed finishing off a drink. You?"

"Sitting at home watching Netflix, eating pizza, and drinking beer. Same as most weekends. I must say though, you sound very relaxed."

"I am. My mom and I had a girl's day at the spa. A first ever for me. My dad makes sure that she has one every month."

"Did you get a mani/pedi?" I can hear the smile in his voice. He is amused at the thought.

"I did. And a massage. And a facial. All a first."

"Wow! A busy lazy day."

"Basically, yes." We continue talking for a few more minutes until my brothers came barreling into my room.

"Hey, shorty! Are ya ready to go?" Jaden asked loudly.

"Let's get this party started! Come on, shorty!" Braden added.

"Sounds like your night is about to get busy again. I'll let you go so that you can start having more fun." Demo told me.

"Let's gooooo, Beth!" Braden whined.

"Where's dad?" Jaden added.

"Hold on, Demo. I need to put these guys in their place." He laughs. I take my phone away from my ear. "You two big baboons pay attention. I am on the phone. If you need to speak with me, then wait until I hang up. Now! Be good little boys and learn to have patients. Dad caught a case about an hour ago. He'll probably be working all night. Before you ask. Mom is working the night shift for a sick co-worker. I am going to continue with my phone conversation while you two load everything into the truck. It is all by the garage door. Any other questions?" I ask calmly.

They both look like little boys who just got caught breaking a window. Then they shook their heads. Jaden smiled suddenly. "Damn! It's great having you home! We love you, shorty!" They turned for the door and left.

As they passed through the door, Braden yelled. "Hurry up! We're ready to go!"

I threw a book at the door. They laughed again. But so did I! I put the phone back to my ear and hear Demo laughing.

"And now you have heard my immature brothers. I kinda think they are ready to go out."

"I kinda got that idea." He laughed again. "But you knew how to shut them down a little."

"A little. They love me though."

"Absolutely! Now I'm getting off here so that you can go have some fun. Feel free to call if you need anything."

"Ok, great! Call me anytime. Talk to you later."

"Later!"

We hung up and I just sat looking at my phone. Demo! The man is sexy as fuck! But I can't let myself fall for him. He might be my c.o. soon! Which reminds me that I haven't had sex in over three years. Demo is six foot four built of solid muscle with light brown hair and green eyes. He has a tattoo of a black rose on his right bicep.

I get up and go to the garage where the guys are putting the last ice chest into the bed of the truck.

"Sure! Show up after we load everything." Braden said.

"Who do you think put all of this shit here for you? I probably would have loaded the truck, but you two had it." I crossed my arms and raised an eyebrow.

"True! But you were on the phone when we were ready to go." Braden whined.

"With my commander."

"Oh! Sorry shorty!"

"Remember that next time you are rude as hell. Don't embarrass me again." I got into the truck's passenger seat.

Jaden got behind the wheel. Braden sat in the back seat. "What are we getting the parents for Christmas?" Jaden asked.

"How much do we have to spend?" I asked them.

"I have three fifty." Braden answered.

"I have four." Jaden adds.

"Ok. So the usual. One each and one together?" We decided on a guys fishing trip for dad. A gold and diamond bracelet for mom. And the usual weekend getaway for the both of them.

We pull up to the campsite and Jaden pulls in backwards. We all get out and they start helping to build the bonfire. It won't be a huge one. We don't want to start a wild fire.

There is a large circle that has been plowed so there was no dry grass showing. At least these guys are being responsible.

Someone has dragged a couple tree trunks to sit on beside the fire. I unload my camping chair and the ice chest.

More cars and trucks pull up. A few guys start unloading grills and food. I bring out the chips and ground beef that I had formed into patties and seasoned.

"Oh shit! It's Bethany Adamson!" I hear a familiar female voice.

"Well hell! It's Angie Adamson! How are you?" I asked out of curiosity.

"I'm making it. Can we talk a minute?" She looked around. "Privately?"

I nod and go a little past the truck. Far enough that nobody can hear us unless we yell. "What's up?"

Angie still looked uneasy. "A few years ago. When mom and I saw you at the mall. You gave me some advice. I don't know if you did it out of sarcasm or you were serious. You told me to go back to school and either find a good man or join the military." She looked at me. "I took your advice and went back to school. I graduated a year late, but I did it while I worked part-time. I was never a good student like you were. But I did it! And I am so happy that I did! Now I'm in the community college getting my nursing license. I'm also engaged to a great guy. We met in my first month of college and fell in love. He's a nurse too. He just graduated and got a job at the hospital e.r.! I owe you so much for your advice! I miss you so damn much too!"

I pull her in for a hug. "I miss you too, Angie!" She cried on my shoulder for a minute. I saw Jaden walking towards us. I waved him away. He nodded and turned back. Braden was standing in a small group, but he was watching me too. Angie pulled back to look at me. "That advice was not meant to be sarcastic. I meant every word of it. You deserve so much better than to settle for supporting mother and Darren. I'm very happy that you took my advice."

"Can we be friends again?" She asked me.

"You bet! We are sisters!"

We went back to the truck and I was introduced to her fiancee, Jeremy.

"Angie tells me that you are in the Army."

"I am. Three years so far."

"What do you do?"

"I'm a code breaker, basically. I interpret codes."

"That must be exciting."

"Yeah!" I tried to sound sarcastic. "I sit at a computer desk twiddling my thumbs all day then go home to a room that has a twin size bed and a small dresser. I share a bathroom and kitchen with a slob. We have pop-up room inspections where if anything is left out or messy, we both get in trouble. No matter who left it."

"So its basically just like living at home again." Angie volunteered.

"You got it!" I smile at her.

The grills were going and spitting out hamburgers and hotdogs. Braden was cooking hamburgers. Jaden brought me one just the way I like it! "Thanks, Ja! I could have gotten it."

"My pleasure, shorty! What chips do you want? Lays or doritos?"

"Lays will be perfect!" He brought me a small bag of chips. "You're awesome, little brother!" He smiled and kissed my cheek.

I continue talking to Angie as Jeremy goes to get their food.

Not long after the fire is started a new car pulls up and a familiar guy gets out with a familiar girl. Kevin and Hayley have arrived.

I look at Jaden, who is sitting next to me. He sees them, but couldn't care less. His attention is on Megan sitting beside him. I do believe that he will spend the night with her tonight.

Apparently they have known each other for a few years. They have gone out a few times when he is home. She is going to OSU studying advertising. They are laughing about their rival colleges.

"Bethany, which one has a better mascot? OSU or Oklahoma State?"

"Texas A&M!" I replied laughing.

"That wasn't a choice." Braden told me.

"I know! But apparently they aren't bright enough to realize that neither of those mascots are worthy of being called a mascot!"

"A&M ain't shit!" We hear from across the fire. I look up and see Kevin standing there looking straight at me.

"Don't let your mouth write a check that your ass can't cash. We all came here to have a peaceful, fun time. Don't start a fight. You didn't win the last altercation. Hell, I didn't even break a sweat!"

Everyone was silent. Even the music was turned down. "Baby, don't start a fight tonight. I want to have fun." Hayley just about begs him.

He ignored her. "Altercation? You mean when you and your brothers jumped me?"

Both of my brothers tense up. "Now you know damn well that my brothers stayed out of it. You got embarrassed because you think that beating a female is your right. But you couldn't even lay a finger on me. Braden has the video. Would you like to see it?"

"What I would like is for you to suck my dick!" He started walking towards me.

Braden and Jaden both stood with me. "Well if you had one, I might consider it in a hundred years. If you're just itching for a fight, then let's do this. Everyone stay out of it. Braden, you got your phone on record?"

"You know it, shorty!"

A large circle was formed around us.

"Kevin, please don't! Please! I'm tired of all the hitting!" Hayley begged.

"Then leave his sorry ass! It is your choice go stay with an abusive guy. You have a family that will support you." Jaden told her.

"You quit talking to her!" Kevin yelled. "You ain't getting her back! She knows her place."

"You are such a fuck up! The best part of you ran down your mom's ass crack." I laughed.

Oh he was pissed now! Once again, he gets into his fighting stance. I take off my class ring and hand it to Jaden.

"Would someone stop this? Y'all are seriously going to let Bethany fight a man?" Angie asked.

"Oh you have no idea what Bethany is capable of." Braden tells her.

I smile. I turn to him. "Thank you little brother!"

His eyes shift to behind me and widen. I turn and Kevin is almost on me. I duck the punch. Then come up with my own that connects with his jaw. He comes back with another and I block it with my left arm as I swing and hit him straight on in his gut.

He grabs a handful of my hair. "You fight like a little bitch!" I say as I punch his nose, breaking it.

He lets go of my hair to hold his nose. I'm not finished with him yet. I throw another punch and hit his jaw again. He goes down hard.

"Have you had enough yet, little pussy?" I asked him. "I still haven't started sweating yet."

He is moaning and..... I see tears!

Hayley looks like she is afraid. "This is the perfect time to call your family. To get away from him." I tell her.

She looks like she wants to. "I don't have a phone. He took it away from me." I hand her mine. Several others offer their's. She dials a number and talks for a few minutes. "Thank you! My mom and dad are coming."

"You ain't goin nowhere! You belong to me!" Kevin yells at her and stands as if he is going to attack her. I step between them. He instantly stops and backs up.

"Hayley doesn't belong to anyone. Mess with her and I won't stop kicking your ass until you are six feet under."

"She ain't worth it! Nobody can love her. She's worthless. But you better watch your back. I got your number." He went to his car and sped away.

After that, all anyone can talk about is the fight. I realize that Demo might hear about this. I stand to go a distance away to call him. Before I can dial, another car pulls up. I watch as a man about my age and another man in his mid forties, get out and Hayley runs to them. They are looking around as they talk to Hayley. Then they look at her as she continues talking. I'm assuming that this is her family. She points at me. They head my way. I put my phone in my pocket.

"Bethany, this is my dad, Nick. My brother, Zach. I told them how you beat up Kevin and told me to call them."

We shook hands and they thanked me for helping Hayley. "It was no problem. I just hope that she stays away from him. He is trash."

"We agree. Hayley said that he threatened you. To watch your back. We will take care of him." Zach said.

"He has drugs in the apartment along with stolen property." Hayley tells us. She is still tucked under her dad's arm.

"Really?" He asks. She nods. "Looks like I have a phone call to make. It was a pleasure meeting you Bethany. Call if you need anything." He gives me a card and shakes my hand. Zach follows suit and shakes my hand.

"She's in the Army."

"So another reason that she's a hero." Zach said with a smile. I feel my brothers walk up to us. "Jaden! Long time no see! Hello Braden."

They shake hands. "I see that you now understand how awesome our sister is." Jaden said smiling.

"Your sister? Wow! It just keeps getting better and better." Nick said laughing.

After a few more minutes they left and I made the call. I left a message. "Hey, Demo. I just wanted to call and let you know that I got into another altercation tonight. The same guy. Apparently he has been working on his skills. I'm fine. He didn't hit me, just pulled my hair. Well I will talk to you later." I hung up.

Some people brought tents. Others will sleep on the ground. The rest will either sleep in their cars or trucks, or go home. I have my old camping cot that I used on all of the family trips to the lake. I set it up in the back of Jaden's truck. After several hours of dark people were settling down with their lovers. There were a few threesomes going on.

I add more wood to the fire. As I sit back down, my phone rings with Thermo's number. "Hello?"

"Hey, nerd. Having fun?" He sounds kinda off. As if he was exercising or something.

"I am actually. You?" I answer him.

"I'm having a blast!" I hear moaning from a female. I'm hoping that he doesn't hear it on his end. I stand to get farther away from the sex going on around me. I stop in my tracks as I hear the voice again. "Oh God, Colton! Yes!"

It's on the phone! He's having sex while he is calling me?! "What the fuck, Thermo? You're fucking someone and calling me?"

"Yeah! Are you jealous, nerd?" He laughs.

"No, I'm not jealous. Just curious who the fuck would do something like that."

"A real man can handle more than one thing at a time."

I laugh at him. "I'm thinking that a real man would concentrate on the woman that he is with to make sure that she gets her pleasure. Then she will make sure that she pleases her man in return."

"Oh she gets her pleasure. Don't you hear her?"

I laugh. "What I hear is a woman who is faking an orgasm. You see, women do that to stroke a man's ego. Then when they are alone, they take care of business by themselves."

He chuckles. "You wish! Maybe you have never had a real man."

I can tell that he is thrusting hard. I hear the girl chanting his name. "You want to make a bet?"

"Sounds interesting. Shoot!"

"If I'm right and she's faking. You have to drive a smart car for a week. If I lose, I drive the smart car for a month."

"Damn! This is going to be fun! Watching you drive a smart car. The winner chooses the color for the loser?"

"Yep!"

"You have a deal! Name it!"

The female is really getting into it. Damn! This better work! "Stop thrusting. If she continues being loud, she's faking. If she shuts up, she's either real, or she's good at faking."

"Alright!" He pauses. All I hear is the female's voice. "Oh God! So good! I'm about to come, baby! Yes! Colton!" She screams.

"Sonofafuckinbitch!" Thermo says. I laugh. I think that I just won a bet. "You're an ass, nerd! You win! Now I have to finish this up." I laugh as he hangs up.

I sit and enjoy the relaxing evening. A few hours later I lay down on my cot inside my sleeping bag. My phone rings and I answer it without opening my eyes. "Please tell me that you are not fucking someone and calling me again."

Silence met my statement. Then I heard him chuckle. It wasn't Thermo. Demo! I checked my phone to make sure. Oh hell! "No, I'm not fucking someone else while calling you. A real man puts all of his attention into pleasing his woman."

"I'm so sorry, Demo! I thought that it was Thermo."