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And yet.

We could go to the boardwalk tomorrow night. Might be a little packed, though, don’t know if you want to deal with crowds.

Carter stared at the text, his heart rate suddenly accelerating. It wasn’t a date any more than Carter’s offer the previous weekend to go to the club had been a date. Yet it had him squeezing the phone more tightly than he should have, and he felt like the world was tipping slightly.

Carter sighed, typing back.

Sure. If I fucking deck someone tho, it’s on you

I’m sure we’ll manage :)

“Grant?”

Carter turned to the voice, knowing it sounded familiar. He stopped short, straightening when he saw Marshall standing inthe doorway of the storehouse Reynolds had ordered Carter to inventory. The large man stood, arms across his chest, as Carter instinctively snapped a salute.

Marshall waved him off. “What are you doing here?”

“Sergeant Reynolds ordered me to do inventory...sir,” Carter added, even if the title bit the back of his throat.

If Marshall noticed, he said nothing. “You worked a double last night.”

“I did.”

Marshall frowned. “I told Reynolds that if he gave you a double, you would be given today off. You were promised at least part of your weekends.”

He had been promised them so long as he ‘behaved’ himself. But Carter didn’t say that aloud.

Carter’s jaw worked, and he nodded. “Yes, sir. Just doing what I’m told.”

Marshall eyed him, and Carter couldn’t for the life of him figure out what was going on behind the man’s gaze. It was a little bizarre to see him again. The first time, Marshall informed him who his immediate commanding officer would be and told him to be on his best behavior. Then it had been in the club, where his name was Sloane, and he was apparently unhappy Marco was with Carter. Now they were having a conversation, and he was the superior and a soldier again, and Carter wouldswearsomething was different.

Marshall jerked his head over his shoulder. “Get out of here. I’ll tell Reynolds I ordered you off.”

Carter couldn’t believe his luck. Instead of working a double andthenwaiting till later on Saturday to get off, he would practically get the whole day.

“Yes, sir,” he said, not caring if there were terms or if it was a trap.

Marshall stood to the side, looking like he would say something. Carter hesitated, but Marshall only shook his head and nodded toward the door.

He had stepped out into the sun when he heard the man rumble. “Going to see Marco?”

Carter straightened, ready for whatever was going to come. “Yes, sir.”

A pause, then, “Dismissed.”

Without looking back, Carter left, not knowing what the hell had just transpired.

It tookhim less than an hour to change and make his way to Marco’s after texting to warn the man he was on his way. He’d received a smiley face in return, which Carter thought was relatively tame compared to some of the genuine smiles he’d seen from Marco.

After pressing the buzzer to Marco’s apartment building, he waited until the door was unlocked. Stepping in, he marched to Marco’s door and knocked.

He wondered why Marco was so intent on going to the boardwalk of all places. The man hadn’t struck him as someone with much of an urge to go out, save for when he’d enjoyed himself a bit at the club. In all honesty, Carter would have been content to laze around the man’s apartment, bitching about Reynolds, listening to the man talk about the plot of a show Carter couldn’t give a shit about, and stuffing their faces.

The apartment door swung open, and Marco stood there, beaming at him. “Hey.”

It was such a small thing, that word, and the smile. For a moment, Carter forgot his complaints, the worries andannoyances that buzzed in the back of his head. Marco’s face turned into a frown of confusion, and his mouth parted. Carter stepped forward, grabbing him by the face.

Marco grunted in surprise as their lips pressed together. The force was enough to cause the man to take half a step backward, but Carter held onto him tightly. Marco was warm, and Carter felt himself grow hard when Marco shivered.