Special Delivery
“Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday, dear Marissa, happy birthday to you!”
I smile at my three closest girlfriends as they walk out onto the patio. My best friend, Bianca, leads the pack. She sits a penis shaped cake with marshmallow icing down onto the patio table. I shake my head. I’m pretty sure this was all her idea. There are two number two candles covered in bubblegum pink glitter stuck into the middle of the cake. The flames flicker in the wind.
“Make a wish,” Bianca says.
I close my eyes. My wish is simple. I just want to get through the next six months left in the year without losing my mind. I take a deep breath, open my eyes and blow out the candles.
“Yay!” my girls cheer.
“You just performed your first blow job!” Bianca giggles as she takes the candles off the cake and lays them on a napkin.
“Whatever, Bee. How do you know that was my first blow job?”
She gives me the side eye. “Because I know you.” She smiles. “You do the honors, birthday girl.” Bianca hands me the knife and a small paper plate adorn with pink and green flowers.
As I cut medium size pieces of cake, I place them onto a paper plate then pass it to my left until everyone has a slice. Strawberry cake is my absolute favorite cake in the whole wide world. Definitely will be the cake of choice when I get married.
If I ever get married.
Bianca fills the ladies’ wine glasses with her homemade red wine sangria. Bianca’s Sangria, as it’s become famously known amongst our group of friends. I watch the succulent pieces of strawberries, blueberries, and peach slices topple over into the glass. I lick my lips. I’ve never had the pleasure of tasting her sangria since I don’t drink alcohol but I do dabble into the drunken fruit now and then. It gets rave reviews so I imagine it’s quite good.
Bianca picks up my wine glass and fills it halfway with sparkling cider.
“Thanks, Bee.”
She raises her glass in the air. “I would like to make a toast to Marissa.” We all hold our glasses in the air. Everyone stares at me with huge grins on their faces. “Marissa, we have been friends since I punched Jeremy in the gut for trying to make you eat paste when we were five-years-old.” Everyone laughs.
Bianca is, have always been, and will probably always be, protective of me. She’s like my older sister although we’re the same age.
“I love you like a sister and I am so glad that we are best friends. You have been through so much over the last year with the passing of your mother and the breakup with Richard.”
I lower my eyes for a moment. My mom died a day before my twenty-first birthday from breast cancer. She was all that I had. Bianca took the lost hard too since she lived with us the four years of high school when her mom got remarried to some rich guy. She didn’t want to move to the suburbs and switch schools and leave all her friends behind, especially me. So she stayed with us during the week and at her mom’s house on the weekends. It was great having her around. Our moms are best friends as well. I should say that they were best friends.
I take a deep breath and meet Bianca’s gaze. I give her a small smile to let her know it’s okay to continue with the toast.
“I just want you to know that I love you girl, and I hope that this year ends better than it started. I hope your twenty-second year on this planet is one of your best years to come. You deserve the world and if it was up to me, you would have it.”
My bottom lip quivers. Tears sting at the back of my eyes. I won’t cry. Not today. Not on my birthday. I’ve cried long and hard many nights. But today is the start of a new beginning for me. Today is a celebration and unless they are tears of joy, they have no business rolling down my cheeks. I swallow hard and lift my glass in the air again. “Cheers!” Everyone smiles. We clank our glasses together then take a sip. “Thank you, Bee.” I say as I place my sparkling cider on the wrought iron patio table.
“So” —Bianca holds up her index finger— “since I can’t give you the world, these presents will just have to do.” She picks up two large shopping bags stuffed with hot pink tissue paper and sits them in front of me. “Happy Birthday, Rissa.”
I stand and wrap my arms around her curvy body. “Thank you so much, Bee. You are the greatest.”
Bianca kisses my cheek. “Tell me something I don’t know.”
“Rissa, you know her head is already too big,” Jasmine says with a smile.
“Whatever, Jas.” Bianca playfully rolls her eyes. “Okay Rissa, open your gifts, girl.”
I smile and take my seat. I pull the tissue paper out of the first bag and place it on the bench beside me. I take out a beautiful throw pillow. On the front are the words “every day is a new adventure” stitched in hot pink. “This is so beautiful.” I look to my friends.
“That’s from me,” Jasmine says. “I just want you to enjoy life to the fullest. We’re only young once and this is the time that we need to explore things in life and not be afraid to try new things.”
“I’ll drink to that!” Bianca holds up her wine glass then swallows a gulp of sangria.
“Thank you, Jas, and I will definitely keep that in mind.” I lean over and hug her.
“Okay so the next gift is…” I grab the hot pink straps and lift the purse from the bag. “Whoa! Oh my god…this is beautiful.” I sit the hot pink Coach purse in my lap to examine it. The Coach C’s are etched into the fabric in a metallic thread giving it a soft shimmer. I absolutely love the leather bow on the strap. Pink is my favorite color. “Let me guess. Sara, this is from you.”
Sara grins. “Now why would you think that?”
“Umm, I don’t know, maybe because you work at a Coach store and you love using your employee discount. Not to mention you have the exact same bag in black sitting on the floor near your feet.”
Sara looks down at her bag as if she’d forgotten that she in fact has the same one. “Oh, well. You’re welcome.”
Everyone laughs.
“It’s beautiful Sara. I will use it every day.”
“And you know she will too. She’s a creature of habit. When was the last time you bought a new purse anyway, Rissa?”
I look over at my black Guess bag that I’ve been carrying for the past two years. It’s my every day bag. The straps are peeling and the fabric on the bottom is so worn you can see tiny holes in the corners. “It’s been a while. But you know me. If it’s not broke then why fix it. It still carries everything that I need on a daily basis with no problems. Besides no one should be looking at me that hard to see the minor wear and tear.”
“Are you going to throw it away?” Bianca asks.
My brows furrow. “Why would I do that?”
“Because you have a new one,” Sara answers.
I place the Coach purse back into the bag carefully as if I’m handling glass. “I don’t see why I need to throw away my Guess bag. I like to have backups so no, I won’t be throwing it away.” They laugh as always. I can be a bit frugal, I admit. But who can blame me. Growing up with a single parent made having the best things in life a little out of reach. So I made do with what I could. When I started working at fifteen, I was then able to splurge a little on some of the trendy things that my friends were wearing. I’m not really into fashion and following the latest trends. I’m all about practicality. If it gets the job done, then I don’t care who makes it. Throwing clothes, shoes, or purses away as soon as they start showing signs of wear and tear has never been my first thought.
When my mom got sick two years ago, all the extra money that I had to spare was used to pay off the medical bill
s that weren’t covered by her insurance. I couldn’t just go out and purchase a new anything whenever I felt like it.
“Okay, Rissa, now it’s time to open up the fun bag!” Bianca claps her hands in excitement bringing me out of my thoughts.
I plaster a big grin on my face. I can only imagine what’s waiting for me in this bag. I pull the bag closer and peek inside. There are a few items in there. I take them out one at a time. The first item is a long silver jewelry box. I open the box slowly. “Oh my.” It’s a sterling silver necklace with a bar shaped pendant connected to it. At the top of the pendant is a single emerald cut pink birthstone. The name “Margaret” is engraved on the side of the pendant.
“That is a milestone necklace. I chose to get the pink birthstone and to have it engraved as a memorial to your mother, Margaret. You have made it through a year since her passing and knowing that she was the only family that you have, biologically anyway, I consider that a milestone. And of course pink because it’s your favorite color but also for breast cancer awareness,” Bianca says.
My finger traces over the letters that spell out my mother’s name. This time I don’t stop the tears from falling. This time I welcome them to grace my cheeks with their presence. This past year hasn’t been the easiest to deal with. I’m reminded daily of her absence. But she would be so proud of me right now. To know that I didn’t let life take all of me when it took her from me. I slowly look up at Bianca. I blink the tears away to clear my vision. “Thank you,” I say with a hoarse voice. I clear my throat as I take the necklace from the box and secure it around my neck. The pendant lay on my chest just above the curve of my breasts. “This is like the best birthday ever, guys. I mean,” —I let out a shaky breath— “I’m touched.” Everyone dab the tears from their eyes.
Jas hands me a napkin. “You’re just that damn special.”
I manage a smile. “Thanks.”
“Okay, okay…there are more presents to open. I can’t be crying in my sangria.” Everyone laughs as Bianca dries her cheeks then takes a sip of her drink.
I inhale deeply then look up to the sky. I blow a kiss to my mom who I know is smiling down at me then mouth the words “I love you”. There’s a sudden peace in my heart. It’s like she’s telling me it’s okay to be happy. I place my hand over my heart and smile. “Alright, what’s next?” I pick up the next item in the bag. It’s a small cute teddy bear, the color of pink cotton candy. It has a white t-shirt on and a pink ribbon around its neck. I hold it up in front of me then read the writing on its t-shirt out loud. “When I grow up I want to be an event planner.” I laugh and look over to Bianca.
“I figured since you will eventually become an event planner that you would like that. I would’ve gotten you the t-shirt but the largest size they had was for toddlers.”
“I love it, Bee. It’s cute.”
“I had to throw something in there to lighten the mood because I knew the milestone necklace would be a heavy hitter.”
“I appreciate it.” I hug the bear then place it on the bench beside me. “Okay, there’s one more thing left.” I lift the small white plastic purse in the air. “Keep It Kinky?” I roll my eyes. “Bianca, are you serious?”
Bianca nods as she drinks her sangria.
I shake my head and unfastened the front of the purse. Inside are four small items. A small bottle of lickable body oil in a sweet almond flavor, a massage bar made from shea butter, which melts with your body heat, a tiny bottle of lube, and a waterproof mini-vibrator called The Bullet. It reminds me of a tampon. “Thanks, Bee.” I shove everything back inside the purse and snap it close. “Leave it to you to come with the sex toys.”
“I’m just trying to help you out. You need some action down there to keep the cobwebs away.” Everyone laughs.
My cheeks become warm. “I don’t need toys. My hands are just fine.”
“Oh my god, Marissa, you masturbate?” Sara squeals.
I cover my face with my hands. “Can we please change the subject?”
Bianca burst into laughter. “I have to say, Rissa, I’m surprised. Well now you can give your fingers a break and let Mr. Bullet put in some work.”
I shake my head. I’m sure I’m the color of beets right now.
Bianca springs from her seat. “I’ll be back ladies.”
I place all my gifts into their respective bags and slide them over to the left. I refill my glass with sparkling cider. I make no eye contact with Sara or Jas hoping to not have to discuss my pathetic sex life anymore tonight.
About a minute later Bianca returns and she’s not alone. “Did one of you guys order a pizza?” Bianca asks. She steps out onto the patio. A tall guy in khaki pants, a red shirt and a matching cap stands beside her with a white pizza box in his hands. His pearly white smile is breathtaking against his sun kissed skin.
I look over to Sara and Jas, they both stare back with confusion. We all shake our head no. The delivery guy pulls a white piece of paper from his pants pocket. “It’s a special delivery for…Marissa Riley.” He looks around at everyone.
I point my finger to my chest. “I’m Marissa Riley.”
What’s Missionary?
A sexy grin spreads across his handsome face. My pulse quickens as he approaches me. Who in the world ordered a pizza for me? I look at Bianca. She’s as giddy as a little schoolgirl. Sexy red shirt sits the pizza box onto my lap. It’s not warm. I gaze into his dreamy dark brown eyes. It should be illegal for a guy to have lashes more beautiful than a woman’s.
“This is for you, my dear.”
My mouth opens. I plan to say thank you but nothing comes out. I just stare. His lickable lips part into a wide grin. He then bends down and open the lid of the pizza box. I pull my gaze from his body long enough to look inside. My hand quickly covers my smile. “Happy Birthday Rissa” is spelled out with pepperoni slices. Before I can respond music echoes through the airwaves from the stereo in the living room. Pizza guy bites down on his bottom lip then takes a few steps back. Bianca moves the patio table away then pulls her chair up next to the wicker loveseat where Jas and Sara sit. All eyes are on me. All of a sudden, nicely sculpted arms drag my chair into the middle of the patio floor. I’m now facing my girls and he’s standing in front of me.
This can’t be what I think it is. He does a two-step to the beat, and throws his hat to the left. My gaze follows the hat as it flies though the air then smacks into the glass door and falls to the floor. I slowly turn my head to face pizza guy again. He grabs his shirt by the collar then pulls it seductively over his head while rolling his hips. Oh yeah, this is definitely what I think it is.
“Take it off baby!” Bianca yells over the music.
Pizza guy turns to her then throws his shirt into her face. She catches it then screams like a groupie at a rock concert. His back is to me. His hips sway as he fiddles with something. I lean over to get a better view. Oh, his belt. He takes it off and tosses it to the side. Uh oh. Here we go. I have it in my mind to close my eyes. I’ve never seen a stripper before in person. Come to think of it, I’ve never seen another man’s package in person except for my ex-boyfriend, Richard. I want to close my eyes but it’s too late. His tan butt cheeks are staring back at me in his man thong. Oh boy. I cock my head to the side. Damn. His ass looks better than mine. Maybe I should join that squat challenge with my co-workers after all.
Pizza guy takes a few steps backwards until the backs of his calves are pressed against my knees. Before I know it, both my hands are being guided up and down his muscular thighs. Wow. Can skin really be this soft?
“Go, Rissa! Go, Rissa! Go, Rissa!” my friends chant as stripper dude turns around and straddles my lap.
Oh. My. God. I look down at his…his…his thing gyrating against my thighs. Every time he thrusts his hips the fringes on the front of his man thong bounce around. This is just like I’ve seen it countless times on TV. I can’t stop staring at it flopping…up and down…up and down. Oh boy, now it’s going around in c
ircles. I think I’m getting dizzy.
“Bianca! Bianca!” I jab my finger in her direction and give her my “please help me” look.
“Come on over here, lover boy. Show mama whatcha working with.”
Stripper guy dances his way over to the loveseat where my friends wait excitedly with their dollar bills waving in the air. He hops from lap to lap shaking his buns of steel and grinding on their laps. Bianca stands as he’s rolling his hips in front of Jas and Sara while they stuff dollar bills down the front of his thong. Just as Bianca pulls the band of his thong to put in her dollar he quickly spins around and picks her up. She gasps then wraps her legs around his waist and one of her arms around his neck while the other swings in the air as if she’s on a rodeo.
“Ride’em girl!” Jas stands and puts another dollar in his underwear.
Tears fill my eyes from laughing so hard. I haven’t laughed this much in such a long time. The last six months have been filled with lonely nights of crying and eating pint after pint of chocolate, chocolate chip ice cream. The one guy that I had thought would be in my life forever suddenly realized that I wasn’t worthy of his time anymore. Needless to say I haven’t had too much to smile about since my break up. Well, it technically wasn’t a break up. More like a walk out because that’s exactly what Richard had done. He’d simply walked out of my house that night and I haven’t heard from him since. I guess the years that we’d been together, the fact that he was my high school sweetheart, and the fact that he was the guy I lost my virginity to, just didn’t matter to him in the end.
What was the last thing he said to me? Oh yeah. Stop being so difficult, Rissa. Difficult? Because I didn’t want to try a new sex position? I shake my head to myself. That’s not being difficult. If I’d always had a negative attitude with him and no matter what he did it never pleased me, then that’s being difficult. I didn’t even make a big deal about going weeks without seeing my boyfriend who’d decided that even a simple phone call to say hello was just too much. I had every right to complain, but I didn’t. I just accepted it for what it was because I loved him. And what did I get in return?
Marissa & Mr. White: (Sexy Contemporary Romance) Page 1
