China Sea by David Poyer Read Free Book Online Page A

the woman. Before she could answer, someone else said, “She’s one of the yardbirds. She says he came on to her, started humping her ass like a dog.”
    â€œIs you the captain? I’m filing a complaint on this filthy animal.” Powell was young, stocky, a grimy canvas toolbag over her shoulder. “This little prick been hassling me all day. Make sucking noises when I go by. Then I goes to get a drink of water and he come up behind me. That’s when he says it.”
    â€œWhat did you say to her, Usmani?”
    â€œAll I say, I bump into her, I say, ‘Excuse me, please’.”
    â€œLike shit. He said, ‘Screw me, please.’ Then he start pushing his crotch into me. I’m putting in a paper. This ain’t right, that all—”
    â€œGreat, great.” Dan looked at the guy, already sorry he’d gotten involved. Mellows had tried to warn him. More people were arriving, coming down from the mess decks, hanging on the ladder. He couldn’t let it go by. On the other hand, he wasn’t certain how far his authority over the foreign crew extended.
    â€œIs there a problem here?” said a British-accented voice.
    Dan half-turned, but Khashar was already pushing past him.
    The sailor’s eyes had time only to widen before the captain slapped him, followed by a torrent of abuse. Khashar turned to Powell. “These men see American television, movies. They watch the women naked in bars, offering themselves. They think this means all American women. This man will be broken in rank and restricted to the ship until we return to Pakistan. I hope this will be satisfactory?”
    â€œYou didn’t need to hit him,” said the worker. “I figured chew his ass a little, that kind of thing.… You didn’t have to hit him.”
    Dan said, “So you’re satisfied?”
    â€œLong’s it don’t happen again, and none of those others starts grabbing me. I’m here to do a job. Leave me alone, it’ll get done.”
    Usmani stood against the bulkhead, face blank, cheek reddening where he’d been struck.
    Mellows shouted, “You guys all got work to do, don’t you? Or do I need to think up something?”
    The knot broke, drifted apart. The situation seemed to be defusing itself. But when Dan looked after the dispersing sailors, he noted the way the Americans stayed an arm’s length from the Pakistanis, how they didn’t intermingle at all.

4
    THE lobby of the Four Seasons smelled of perfume and flowers. Low sofas and armchairs and an antique sideboard holding an immense Chinese vase of fresh gladiolas were scattered over the silver-veined marble floor. The concierge asked, “Can I help you, sir? You look as if you’re lost.”
    â€œNo, no, just waiting for someone.”
    He was turning from an eighteenth-century engraving when he saw her through heavy glass, a doorman dressed like a Ukrainian general ushering her in. He lifted a hand and her face lit up and she swung toward him, tall and cool and looking so damn good, feeling so damn good in his arms.
    â€œHow fares the BRAC? Are we losing the navy yard?”
    â€œI’m not actually on the committee. But base closing and consolidation’s obviously one of Armed Services’ prime concerns.” Blair Titus checked out the lobby, then him. “You look tired. How about tea? Or would you rather just do room service?”
    â€œI’ve never been a big fan of tea.”
    *   *   *
    THEY lay together, when they were both exhausted, close as the twists of a cruller, and the touch of her legs against his, scratchy here and petal soft within, was sweeter than powdered sugar. He felt himself relaxing for the first time in weeks. He opened his eyes to examine her closed lids, the lashes lowered to shade the penetrating intelligence of her gaze. He cupped a white breast and let his drift closed, too.
    The first time, in