All Bets Are Off: Chapter 5
Pairing: Bradley "Rooster" Bradshaw x OC!Penny's Niece
Warnings: Drinking (you can probably count on that one for every part), Swearing, Smut (18+, Minors stay away!)
A/N: A lot happens in this chapter! We also get to see a little bit more of Hangman in this chapter! Thanks for reading, and as always my inbox is open!
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Eliza woke up the next morning still thinking about the fact that she had asked Rooster to come to Margot's wedding with her. That took balls on my part, for sure. She shook her head, and rolled over to grab her phone, texting Ian:
Eliza watched him read her response, before Ian replied:
“I told you he would. Didn’t you see how he was looking at you all night?”
Eliza held her phone close to her chest for a moment, feeling a rush of sudden giddiness, and replied:
“I’m sure I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Ian simply replied with two eye roll emojis, and Eliza got up to get ready for the day; she decided a jog on the beach would be the best thing to clear her mind. No shitting where you eat, Eliza. She reminded herself, It’s just for the wedding and piss off Grady, nothing more.
Eliza found herself struggling more than she’d anticipated to keep her thoughts off of Rooster as she jogged: how velvety his voice was, how confident he made her feel, and how fun and easy he was to talk to. Eliza felt like she’d known Rooster for years, and had to remind herself that it had only been about two weeks. Eliza began comparing Rooster and Grady in her mind. Where Rooster was brave and decisive, Grady had been unadventurous and largely afraid of commitment; where Rooster made Eliza feel alive and like she could truly be herself, Grady had made her feel like she constantly had to dilute herself. Even Aunt Penny approves… Eliza thought, before catching herself. No, this is the first time I’ve been single in years, I don’t need to rush into something with someone like him.
When Eliza returned home, she was bored and pacing around her living room, with a few hours to go before her shift at the Hard Deck, and she was finding it even harder to keep her mind off Rooster. Eliza picked up her phone and typed out a message to Phoenix, pausing before she hit send:
“Hey! Would it be weird if I asked you for Rooster’s number?”
What am I doing? She thought, This is not the way to get your mind off him. Eliza went to delete the message, but paused again, Unless, I just get him out of my system! For all I know, I don’t actually want a relationship with him, I could just want to fuck him and move on.
Eliza hesitated again for a moment, then pressed send. Fuck it. She thought, What’s the absolute worst that could happen?
Rooster had just finished a run as well when his phone buzzed on his kitchen counter, it was a message from Phoenix:
“I think you should know that a certain someone just asked me for your number…”
Rooster’s heart leapt into his throat, he hurriedly typed back:
Phoenix laugh-reacted to his message, then responded:
Rooster set his phone back down his kitchen counter and took a couple of steps away from it, steeling himself for the fact that the next text he got could be from Eliza. Maybe she wants to talk about the wedding? But she said that was about a month away… He wondered.
Sure enough, moments later his found buzzed again, Rooster slowly raised the screen to his face, his heart jumping when he saw a text from an unknown number that read:
“Hey Rooster! It’s Eliza Benjamin. I hope you don’t mind, but Phoenix gave you my number!”
Before he had time to respond, another came through:
“I was just wondering if there was any kind of documentation you needed from me to get away from the base for the wedding, which is in Orange County.”
Eliza was proud of herself, she felt like that was a good conversation starter that was also casual. Eliza found herself feeling nervous again, as watched him read the messages and start to respond.
“I should be able to get the paperwork through pretty easily, but just in case, will you send me a picture of the invite?”
Eliza’s phone buzzed again:
“Also, what's the dress code for this wedding? Am I showing up in dress whites?”
The image of Rooster in dress whites made Eliza’s face flush, she replied:
“I think so. It’s an evening wedding, so it’ll probably be pretty formal.”
Eliza thought for a second, and then feeling bold said:
“I can send you a picture of my dress so you can kind of get an idea if you want…”
Rooster groaned, and ran his fingers through his hair while he considered a response. While he desperately wanted to see Eliza in her dress, Rooster wasn’t sure if it would be weird to ask. She did offer… He thought to himself. Rooster thought for another moment, and realized how long his typing bubble would have been up on her screen.
As Rooster pressed send, he wondered what her dress must look like. Rooster knew she had a great body, and he selfishly hoped she’d show it off, but he knew Eliza to be more low key than most. Before he had to consider any further, his phone buzzed again, and an image loaded on the screen: it was a picture of Eliza in a deep green silk dress that hugged her every curve. Rooster’s breath caught in his throat as he typed a reply, his fingers shaking slightly:
“Gorgeous, as I expected. I’ll have to step it up to be seen with you.”
Rooster smirked at his response, proud of it. Running his fingers through his hair again, Rooster thought about how much Eliza affected him. While there was no doubt she was one of the more beautiful people Rooster had ever met, Eliza was also kind and outgoing and always seemed truly interested in what the person she was talking to had to say, even with Hangman. Hangman! Rooster thought, Have I won the bet?
Hurriedly, Rooster called Phoenix, who answered sleepily, “Hello?”
“Phoenix, I may have won the bet, but I’m not sure if it counts.”
“Really?” Phoenix sounded much more alert. “I wondered why she asked for your number. Do tell.”
Rooster sighed, feeling slightly self-conscious. “Eliza asked me to go to a wedding with her to get back at her ex.”
Phoenix was silent for a moment, “Rooster, I don’t think you technically won the bet, since she asked, but you’re going to.”
“What do you mean?” Rooster’s heart was pounding.
“Eliza specifically asked you to go to a wedding with her, and she told you she wanted you to come to make her ex jealous?” Phoenix asked.
“Specifically, to make her ex feel insecure, but yes.” Rooster thought for a second, hazily recalling the conversation and wishing he hadn’t had quite so much to drink, “She said it’s because I’m a handsome fighter pilot who looks like her favorite TV show characters or something.”
Phoenix whooped loudly, making Rooster jerk the phone away from his ear and swear, “Sorry, Rooster, it’s just you’ve got her on the hook now, you just have to reel her in.”
“Phoenix, I have no idea what that means.” Rooster was pacing his kitchen, “If you have information will you please just tell me instead of feeding me weird little metaphors?”
Phoenix laughed, “I don’t have any more information than you do on this, but for what it’s worth, if I were in her shoes, I wouldn’t ask a guy to a wedding with me unless I was at least okay with some romantic shit happening between us.”
Rooster grinned, “Thanks Phoenix. Did I wake you up, by the way?”
“The both of you did a little bit, but it’s worth it.” Phoenix paused for a moment, “Do you want me to do some reconnaissance for you?”
Rooster thought for a second, “Are you going to be low key?”
“I’ll do my very best, scout’s honor.” Phoenix quipped.
“I’m not sure I believe you. How do I know you won’t just tell her I asked you to ask her about me?” Rooster felt very nervous.
“What, are you afraid she’ll find out you like her?” Phoenix laughed again, “You both obviously like each other, and are just being shy about it. I think you should just get over yourselves and get married already, personally.”
“Ha ha.” Rooster sighed. “I don’t know that she likes me, I just think she likes me better than Hangman, and while I’m happy to have won that battle, I don’t think it means I've won the war.”
Phoenix huffed. “Whatever, Rooster. Now can I go back to my hangover nap, please?”
Rooster laughed, “Yeah, sorry. I’ll talk to you on base later.”
“Ugh, don’t remind me.” Phoenix groaned as she hung up the phone.
When Eliza arrived at the Hard Deck, she found Hangman sitting on the steps outside, with a bouquet of flowers in hand. “I don’t think Penny’s mad at you, Hangman, she just likes making you buy rounds.” She smiled down at him.
Hangman grinned back, looking cocky as ever, “Actually, these are for you.”
Eliza’s jaw dropped slightly, “For me? Why?” She hesitantly took the flowers from Hangman, noticing right away how amazing they smelled.
Hangman shrugged, “I don’t always make the best first impression, especially on beautiful women. I just get a little excited, I suppose.”
“So you’re saying that you’re not an over confident flirt, just an excitable puppy?” Eliza knit her brow, moving past Hangman to unlock the door. “So I’ve heard.”
“Precisely.” Hangman nodded.
“Well, come inside, I’m sure Penny has a vase for these somewhere, and I’ll get you a drink on the house as a thank you!” Eliza called over her shoulder as she walked in.
Eliza walked back into the kitchen, leaving Hangman alone at the bar; he pulled out his phone, and sent a picture of the empty Hard Deck to Rooster.
“You’re not the only one who gets alone time with her at the Hard Deck.”
Rooster read his message immediately and texted back:
Hangman rolled his eyes, and looked up to see Eliza walking out of the kitchen with the flowers in a vase, she set them on the bar and smiled at them, “There, now I’ll be able to look at them all night.” Eliza looked at Hangman thoughtfully, then asked “What can I get for you, Hangman?”
“Just whatever IPA you like best.” Hangman answered, trying his hardest to look genuine.
Eliza wrinkled her nose at him, “IPA?”
“Or just whatever you recommend.”
Eliza nodded, opening a bottle and handing it to him. “So Hangman, I’m giving you a rare second first impression, try to beat your first first impression.”
Hangman grinned, “Well, I should have started off by asking you how you got into bartending.”
“I actually started off as a barista, but I picked up a couple of shifts as a favor to a friend, and fell in love with it. I got a job at that very dive bar, and worked there until I got my first big job.” Eliza smiled wistfully, “Bartending really is the job for me, it’s like being a barista, but you’re allowed to be mean to the customers.”
Hangman laughed, “Fair enough. What did you study in college?”
Eliza smiled, “Look at you, all interested!”
“I told you, I’m trying to make a better first impression.”
Just then, Penny walked in, preventing Eliza from responding, “Hangman!” She said, “You’re not who I expected to see in my bar an hour before it opens.”
Hangman finished his beer, “I was actually just leaving, Penny.”
“Oh, were you?” Eliza asked, looking a little disappointed.
“Yeah, I’ve got to be at the airfield in an hour.” Hangman said.
“And you just drank a beer?” Eliza asked, shocked.
Penny laughed, “Welcome to North Island, dear.”
Eliza shook her head, “So, I guess that means you and the gang won’t be here tonight?”
“No, but I’ll be sure to tell them you said hello.” Hangman smirked slightly and Eliza rolled her eyes.
“I’m sure you will.” Eliza waved to him as he walked out of the bar.
“What was he doing here?” Penny asked, looking suspicious.
Eliza shrugged, “He brought me flowers and said he wanted to fix his first impression with me.”
“Hmm, I wonder what he’s up to…” Penny wondered.
“Hey, maybe he’s just actually interested in me because I’m going to be a part of his life, whether either of us likes it or not!” Penny just shook her head and chuckled in response. “It may make you happy to know that I invited Rooster to come with me to Margot’s wedding next month, and he said yes.”
Penny clapped her hands excitedly, “Is Grady going to be there?”
“Of course, Margot’s fiance was his roommate junior and senior year, I think Grady may be a groomsman.” Eliza said casually.
“Oh, you’re sly, aren’t you?”
“You’re considering a relationship with Rooster, but you’re not willing to risk it unless you know you like him, so you’ve created an opportunity to find out while still giving yourself an out, if you don’t like him after all.” Penny said with her arms folded, “I admire your cleverness, I really do.”
“Oh please, Aunt Penny! It’s so a strategic move to get back at Grady. A man like Rooster would have had Grady shaking in his boots if he and I were ever in a room together, much less alone. If I let Grady think Rooster and I are dating, he’ll be thinking about it for the rest of the year, maybe his life.” Eliza scoffed.
Penny shook her head, “And then, when you and Rooster fall in love, the joke will really be on Grady, won’t it?”
Eliza started counting bottles in one of the fridges, “I really don’t know where you’re getting these grand ideas from, Aunt Penny. He’s arm candy, nothing more.”
“Do you realize that you’re setting yourself up to live out the plot of a romance novel?” Penny stood in front of her at the bar, “Please tell me you can at least see where I’m coming from here.”
Eliza raised an eyebrow at Penny, then shook her head. “I think it’s wishful thinking on your part making you see what you want to see.”
Hangman came strutting into the hangar where the pilots were meeting for a brief seminar before doing night time runs of the simulated course to see how they could handle shooting blind. “What’s up everyone?” He smirked as he sat down behind Rooster, Phoenix, and Bob.
“Where have you been?” Phoenix asked.
Hangman sat down and leaned back in his chair smugly, “It’s funny you should ask that, I actually have a message that will answer that question.”
There was a moment of silence, “Well?” Rooster asked.
“Well…” Hangman paused again.
“Jesus Christ, Hangman, just tell us so we can all get on with our lives.” Phoenix grumbled.
“Eliza. Says. Hello.” Making eye contact with each of them word by word.
“So, you were at the Hard Deck?” Bob asked.
“Is that what you texted me earlier? Because that was not very long ago, so you couldn’t have been there for longer than ten or fifteen minutes, tops.” Rooster said, crossing his arms.
“I wasn’t there for long, but I did leave her with a gift that she said she would display on the bar all night so she could look at it.” Hangman said smugly.
Phoenix rolled her eyes. “What did you bring her, Hangman?”
“Flowers.” Hangman replied, looking incredibly proud of himself. “Flowers that Penny also appreciated.”
“That sounds like a stretch.” Rooster said.
Hangman cleared his throat, “Fine, flowers that Penny didn’t seem to actively hate.” He shook his head, “Why doesn’t she like me?”
Phoenix laughed, “Because she has two rules and you break one of them like once a week!”
Hangman sat back and rolled his eyes as Bates began their seminar.
As the night went on, Eliza found herself missing Phoenix and Bob’s friendly faces, but looking for Rooster’s desperately in every person who walked in, just on the off chance that he would come by after whatever top secret flight practice he was doing. Much to her disappointment, the last call came with none of them showing up, and Eliza was locking up the door and walking out to her car in no time. Oh well, it makes sense that I’ll see him a little less now that he’s got this big mission. She thought, I do have his number, I could send him a text! As she pulled out her phone, she noticed the time: 2:37 am. I can’t text him this late at night. She thought, slipping her phone back into her pocket. On the other hand, She pulled her phone back out, He does know I’m a bartender, and what time the Hard Deck closes, so it makes total sense, actually.
“Missed you at the HD tonight! Hope all went well with flying and you didn’t have to run too many laps or whatever the military makes you do… hope to see you again soon!”
Maybe it was the two beers in her system, maybe it was the subconscious influence of her Aunt Penny, but she felt strangely confident as she pressed send.
Rooster awoke with every muscle in his body aching from what felt like thousands of push ups he’d had to do the previous night during a night time practice run. Every single time they’d flown the mission, they’d been shot down by the several anti-aircraft missiles the Air Force had now confirmed the location of. Rooster ran his fingers through his messy hair and checked his phone, immediately excited to see a message from Eliza; he thought for a moment, then typed out a response:
“And I would have preferred to be there. I wish it was laps, I’m currently using my feet to send this message, as my arms have fallen off due to the sheer number of pushups I had to do last night.”
Rooster laughed to himself, knowing that Eliza would find it funny as well, and hopped in the shower, allowing the hot water to work the knots out of shoulders. As showered, his thoughts drifted to Eliza, specifically, her in her black bikini at the beach. Rooster began stroking his cock gently as he pictured her soft, tan curves, lightly glistening with sweat, and began speeding up slightly as he remembered her running through the surf, her long braids sticking to her skin. Rooster’s mind returned to his often revisited thought of pulling her back gently by the braids, this time he imagine her still wearing her bikini top as he fucked her in his car the way he’d wanted to that night. Imagining himself pushing deeper and deeper inside her with each thrust, imagining the way she would gasp and moan when kissed and sucked on her neck, Rooster was already close to coming, and knew what thought would push him over the edge. He imagined her bent over, tilting her head back to look over her shoulder at him, eyes blown out with lust, and he could almost hear her whispering, “Rooster…”
With that thought on repeat in his mind, he finished, his hips thrusting stutteringly into his now slick fist, and Rooster gasped, having to almost physically hold himself back from moaning her name into the silence.
Rooster finished his shower and checked his phone again when he got out, seeing a text from Eliza which read:
“I bet your arms look even better now. ;)”
Rooster punched the air, then felt embarrassed despite himself.
“Come see them at the beach? We’re having a beach volleyball tournament, and you’re welcome to come watch or play!”
Eliza texted back immediately:
On the way to the beach, Eliza’s mind was racing, she’d been flirtier than ever before with Rooster and he’d definitely reciprocated. Maybe Aunt Penny is right? She thought, before shaking her head. No, I can’t think that way, because I’m enjoying being single and not looking for a relationship.
As she drove, she listened to Depeche Mode, trying to figure out how she was going to act when she was with Rooster face to face.
“When I’m with you baby, I’m out of my head. And I just can’t get enough, and I just can’t get enough!”
The song felt a little too real, but Eliza let it play.
“All the things you do to me, and everything you said. And I just can’t enough, and I just can’t get enough!”
Eliza knew she had to steel herself to see a shirtless, shiny Rooster, but she was also going to have to contend with this new version of Hangman, who she didn’t quite know what to make of yet, he certainly seemed to be trying to turn over a new leaf, and it wouldn’t be fair to deny him that, Eliza decided. He’s no certainly no Rooster, in any case. She thought.
“We walk together, we’re walking down the street, and I just can’t get enough! And I just can’t get enough!”
Eliza certainly didn’t feel like she could get enough of Rooster, every interaction left her wanting to know more and more about him, and she felt like he may have felt the same way, but before she had time to think much further, she was pulling into the beach’s parking lot.
Stepping out of her car, she noticed Phoenix and Hangman’s cars, as well as several other cars she recognized from the Hard Deck, but not Rooster’s. Without thinking she sat back down in her car, and turned it back on, having decided to pretend to have arrived just as he did so she had an excuse to walk down to the beach with Rooster. What’s wrong with me? She thought. This is so high school.
A few minutes later, Rooster came barrelling into the parking lot, blasting Duran Duran. Eliza grinned, loving that they had such similar taste in music. She watched him park, waited for him to turn his car off, then Eliza shut hers off, stepped out, and waved to Rooster. “Hey there!” She called walking towards him.
Rooster grinned and walked towards her, stopped a few steps away, tossing the beach towel off his shoulders, and flexing his admittedly noticeably larger arms for Eliza’s approval. She pretended to fan herself, and Eliza said “Do you have a permit for those guns? Because I don’t think California is an open carry state.”
Rooster laughed, and threw his towel back over his shoulder. “So, are you spectating or playing?” He asked as they walked down the beach together.
“Playing, for sure!” Eliza replied. “I love volleyball!”
“Nice! Hopefully you’ll be on my team, so I don’t have to beat you.”
Eliza just laughed, “Love the confidence, Rooster.”
As they approached the group, Eliza filed in line next to Phoenix where the two team captains, Halo and Fanboy were preparing to pick teams. Halo went first and chose Rooster for her team, causing a slight twinge in Eliza’s gut when he smiled at Halo as he walked over. Eliza tore her eyes away and focused her eyes on Fanboy, who, much to her surprise, smiled and said, “Eliza.”
As Eliza walked over to stand by Fanboy, she smirked at Rooster and said, “I suppose you’re going to have to beat me.”
Rooster felt himself flush, if he wasn’t crazy, then he felt like the chase was on. He ignored Halo was trying to lean into Rooster’s view, and called back, “I hope you can take it!”
Eliza simply laughed and shook her head as Halo and Fanboy continued picking teams. After the teams were chosen, the players assembled on the sand court, with Eliza positioning herself directly across from Rooster, who grinned at her, looking confident.
Eliza’s team started off the game with Fanboy serving the ball skillfully over the net, the other team vollied and returned, and when the ball was back on their side, Eliza made eye contact with Phoenix, who was playing as the setter, and motioned towards herself. Phoenix nodded and set the ball to Eliza, who leapt into the air and spiked the ball, which buried itself into the sand a couple of feet behind Rooster. Eliza and her team erupted into cheers as Halo’s team stood stunned on the other side of the net.
Rooster stared at Eliza in shock, and she called back, “Did I forget to mention that I played a little junior high, and then in high school, and then in college?” She grinned, as Rooster threw up his hands.
The rest of the game went quick, with Fanboy quickly wiping the floor with Halo’s team, and at the end of the game, Halo explained the next round of the tournament, “Alright winning team, divide up four v four, and play to fifteen!”
This round Eliza was playing Fanboy, Phoenix, and another pilot named Omaha, and they proved to be better than their competitors as well.
They then moved into two versus two, with Eliza and Phoenix demolishing Fanboy and Omaha. After that round, Halo announced that it was time for the winner’s tournament, and that whoever won the game would then be challenged by a member of the losing team.
“Sorry, Phoenix, but I’m afraid I have to do this.” Eliza said solemnly from across the net, before mercilessly spiking the ball just out of Phoenix’s reach.
Phoenix gasped and panted, “I mean, you don’t have to do this!” She replied.
As they played, Halo’s team consulted as to who they were going to send up against the winner. “It’s obvious that Eliza is going to win, and I say we send Rooster up against her, to throw her off.” Said Coyote, and many of the others nodded in assent.
Halo laughed, “Why would that throw her off? I’m the best player, why don’t I go up against you?”
Coyote rolled his eyes, “You may be the best player on our team, but you don’t stand a chance against her. Rooster and her have that weird tension going on, we’ll use that to our advantage.”
Halo looked noticeably put out, as Rooster asked, “Don’t I get a say in this?” He paused for a moment, “Also, what tension are you talking about?”
Coyote scoffed, “We don’t have time for that, their match is almost over. Everyone in favor of Rooster versus Eliza, say aye.”
The majority of the group murmured their agreement, and Rooster was soon getting his shoulders rubbed by Yale as Coyote and Halo attempted to give him a strategy talk. “Your main advantage is that you’ve got about a foot of height on her.” Halo said.
“We have seen that she can make up for it in vertical.” Rooster argued.
“It’s still your best choice, if you can just keep her from getting the ball over the net, you can keep the advantage!” Coyote said.
“Fine, fine.” Rooster muttered, but he was not looking forward to going up against Eliza.
Soon Phoenix and Eliza’s game was over, and Fanboy called over to Halo, “Who have you chosen to sacrifice?”
“Rooster.” Halo replied, pushing him forward slightly.
Rooster swallowed hard, and stepped forward, prepared to meet his fate. He stood across the net from her and shook her hand, but from the way Eliza was grinning, Rooster knew his team’s strategy of trying to throw her off wasn’t going to work. Well, how bad can it be? He asked himself, backing up, and readying for Eliza’s first serve. “Sorry in advance for this, Rooster!” Eliza called.
Rooster simply grimaced in response, and prayed that he wouldn’t be too humiliated.
Hope you enjoyed this latest installment as much as I enjoyed writing it! My inbox is open to comments, questions, critiques, etc! 💙
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