Marco Domici: Double Date

"Pick it up, Marine!" Marco barked at Irene.

They were double-dating with Jones and Grishom. Date, in this case, meant three hundred meter buddy carry sprints down at the beach. Irene was currently carrying Marco, he would carry her back.

"Doing...my...best..." Irene huffed as her long legs pounded the sand. Waves had already washed away earlier footprints.

"Not you're not." Marco held on. "That's why Jones and Grishom are free to go get the beer and food while the losers, that's us, do three more sets."

"Okay, spill it." They switched at the far end and Marco fell into his terrain covering pace. "What...gives..."

Irene moved her hand towards Marco's arm but then stopped. "Harvey called. He apologized. He asked if we could have supper tomorrow."

Both of them were silent. Irene felt Marco's body shift forward just slightly and his pace picked up.

"Last one." Marco said as they switched again. Jones and Grishom waved the food at them and headed to their towels.

"I'm...not...sure...what...to...say..." Irene said as she stretched her legs to their max. Her muscles ached, her heart ached, and losing to Jones just made things worse.

"You're not available." Marco said, about half way down the beach.

"What?"

"I said, you're not available. I know this guy who really wants to spend a lot of time with you, he's just not good at asking."

"Some guy, huh?" They switched.

"Yeah...though he might speak up if you lost a few kilos."

Irene smacked his head. "Tell him to man up a bit!"

"He...might..."

"Hey, is he any good in the sack?"

"Huh?"

"A girl has to know these things! Don't want to hook up with some dude that isn't really a dude. You know?"

"Enthusiastic...amateur..."

"Tell him, well..." she blushed. "Same here. Maybe for the right dude I could re-define hot-bunking, though."

Marco stopped at the finish line. "Is that so?"

"Yeah." She pulled herself around a bit to look at him. "You can set me down, you know."

"In a minute." Marco pulled her close and kissed her. In the background Jones and Grishom cheered.

"Hmm...." Irene smiled. "Not too bad. Still, could be better. You sure you're a dude?"

Marco shrugged his shoulder and sent her sprawling. "Ask me after we eat."