Straddling The Edge

by Julie Prestsater

  I’m getting ready to sit on my suitcase when I hear my phone chime.

  Hey Sweetheart. Just leaving my house. See u soon.

  Dean only lives about ten minutes away from me so if I could just get this damn thing to zip up, all will be great and I’ll be ready when he gets here.

  I may never get it to close since Melissa and Shelly convinced me to go shopping with them for the occasion. Mia came too. I think the three of us spent more time shopping for tiny summer dresses and rompers for the little lady than we did for ourselves. She’s a total ham. She smiled like a natural every time we put a different hat on her or a crazy pair of baby sunglasses. She fell in love with a set of bangle bracelets and I just had to buy them for her. She jiggled them, clanking them together, for a good part of the day. I’m sure Mel is going to love me later when Mia’s making a ton of noise at home. I wouldn’t be surprised if the things turned up lost.

  When we weren’t playing dress-up with Mia, the girls stuffed my arms with pieces of lingerie and new bathing suits. I did end up getting one of each along with a new sundress. They came back to my place when we finished at the mall and helped me pick out more than enough outfits for the surprise vacation. At one point, Mel suggested I take nothing but a hair clip. She said we’d probably end up naked the whole trip, but I decided it would be better to be safe than sorry and packed a full bag.

  I bounce one more time and the zipper finally moves.

  “You ready?” I hear Dean call out. He now has a key to my place, and I have one to his. It wasn’t a big extravagant key exchanging ceremony, or something to bust out the champagne for. It just felt natural since we seem to be bopping back and forth between our homes. He struts into my room as I’m yanking the damn zipper the final few inches. “You could’ve just packed another bag.” He steps over and presses down on the suitcase without much effort, making it easier for me to close the sucker.

  “I didn’t want to be one of those girls who packs her entire closet and bathroom.” I tilt my head up to him and pucker my lips.

  “So you didn’t pack your whole closet and bathroom?” he says, hoisting my luggage from the bed with a grunt.

  “Well, I pretty much did. It just doesn’t look like it.” I chuckle as I follow him out of my room. The thing is small but it sure is heavy. Thank God for the inventor of rolling suitcases.

  “You packed some sneakers, right?”

  “Just like you asked.” I reach out and smack his ass as he walks in front of me. “So, where are we going again?”

  “Good try.”

  When we arrive at Newport Beach, I’m a little shocked that this is my surprise. The beach has always been a day trip for me. I’ve never stayed overnight. I’m not one to body surf or swim in the ocean. I do love reclining in a nice chair, with a floppy sunhat to shield my eyes, and reading book after book. Now that’s something I would definitely enjoy. I suppose we could also take a night walk along the beach. Go shopping maybe. And eat. There is plenty to eat here, including one of my favorite restaurants, Rockin’ Baja.

  Dean continues driving along Newport Boulevard until it turns into Balboa. I begin to smile thinking about all the possibilities. A day in the Fun Zone, dinner at that beautiful restaurant on the water.

  “You’re awfully quiet,” Dean says, sticking his hand out to tug at one of the braids trailing down the front of my shoulder.

  I gaze over at him with a grin. “Just looking around. Making plans in my head about what I’d like to do first. Where we could go if you don’t have everything planned already.”

  “Wow,” he says. “You’re sure you know where we’re going?”

  “Dean, I know this is the beach. I can see the ocean. I’ve been here before. And I love it.” I reach up and comb my fingers through his thick hair. “Where are we staying?”

  “Not here.” He pulls into a parking lot at Balboa Pavilion. “So I guess you’re wrong.” He kills the engine, removes his seatbelt, and turns to me. He kisses my lips, just a quick peck, and says, “Let’s go.”

  I’m still at a loss as to what his plans are. For a second, I consider we’re camping, but then I realize this isn’t a beach that allows that.

  Dean pops the trunk and takes out our bags. He hands me two hoodies. I recognize one of them as my own that I left at his house. He locks up the car, pulls up the handles on the luggage, and starts pulling them behind him. “You coming?” he asks, stopping and looking at me over his shoulder.

  “Oh, yeah.” I take a few quick steps to catch up with him. I’m amazed at how many people are out so early in the morning. It’s barely eight.

  As we get closer to the pavilion and make our way to what looks like a ticket window, I finally figure it out.

  “Catalina!” I shout, with a little skip in my step.

  He glances down at me, with a silly smirk, shaking his head. “Next time, I’m going to blindfold you. The surprise is always ruined before we actually get to our destination.”

  I jump in front of him and throw my arms around his waist, pressing my cheek to his chest, and squeezing him tight. “Your surprises are the best, Dean. Even if I do figure them out before we get there. I can’t believe you’d do this for me. This is too much. You’re too much. I don’t deserve this.”

  Dean releases the luggage and pulls my face from his chest and tips it up so his eyes are bearing down on mine. “Summer, you deserve this. You deserve to be treated like a princess. You’re precious to me, sweetheart. I want to be here for you. I want to do things for you and with you. I want to surprise you just so I can see that look of happiness on your face. Seeing you happy makes me happy.”

  “We could sit at home, make shakable popcorn, and watch movies, and I’d be happy. You don’t have to treat me to these amazing dates and outings. I’m just happy to be in your arms. It doesn’t matter where.”

  He bends down and touches his lips to mine. Just a few lingering pecks that get my heart racing and make my eyes well up with tears.

  “Sweetheart, don’t cry.” Dean pushes my tears aside with the pad of his thumb.

  “I’m sorry. You just overwhelm me, in a good way. You are so kind and so gentle. I don’t even know what to do with that. This is all new to me and I can’t help but get a little choked up at all the little things you say or do. Or the big things,” I whisper, pointing to the big ferry boat in the water. “I’ve never had anyone be this sweet and loving with me before.”

  “Well, it’s about time someone is.” He presses his warm lips to my forehead, and again, my eyes sting with tears. “So get used to it because I’m more than willing to show you how a real man should treat a woman.”

  I’m glad Dean thought ahead to bring our sweatshirts. That had to be one of the coldest hours of my life, skimming across the ocean with the wind blowing in my face. Dean cuddled up close to me, his arms wrapped tightly around me, and I still couldn’t warm up. Now that my feet are firmly on land, I can’t wait for the day to move forward and the sun to shine overhead so I can defrost.

  “This is beautiful,” I say, taking a look around at all the hustle and bustle of tourists arriving along with us and scattering in every direction. The island reminds me of something out of a romance novel. The small-town feel with a mountainous lush green backdrop. The sandy beach and boats docked in the ocean. I haven’t been here since I was a kid and it’s completely different from what I remember. Although, I visited with my parents last time. The island setting sure does take on a romantic atmosphere when I’m walking along the dock hand-in-hand with my boyfriend.

  The hotel staff is kind enough to take our bags from the dock to our room so we take our time and walk slowly, soaking it all in.

  “I didn’t make plans for touristy things while we’re here. I figured we could relax today, grab some lunch, explore a little, and create a plan of attack for tomorrow together.” He wiggles my hand in his. “What do you think?”

  “I think that’s a perfect plan.”

  The hotel i
s fabulous, just off the beach and beautifully landscaped. Chaise lounges are scattered around the courtyard. A fire pit is surrounded by large wooden chairs with plush cushions to add comfort. I make a mental note of a double chaise that will seat both Dean and I. I imagine us lying down out there under the stars and chatting like we do every night before we go to sleep.

  Our room is gorgeous yet simple. What catches my eye immediately is the patio that overlooks the water. I can see the courtyard we passed on the way in and I can’t decide where I’d rather cozy up to my man. It’s all so beautiful and I have to wonder if I’ll ever want to leave.

  After spending some time unpacking and freshening up, Dean and I head into town for lunch. We decide to get a quick bite at a small dive with patio seating so we can people watch. Dean orders a hot dog and I get fish-n-chips. We take turns sampling each other’s food and wash it down with a cold brew. Then, we spend the rest of the afternoon at the Metropole Marketplace browsing our way through different shops until we’ve visited each one. We both make notes of what we’d like to try before leaving the island, especially Big Olaf’s ice cream shop. On our way back to the hotel, we stop for dessert at one of the many treat shops. Dean settles on having a blueberry muffin, while I indulge with a double fudge chocolate chip cookie. We each take a vanilla latte to go—his is iced and mine is hot.

  “How about a nap?” I ask Dean, kicking off my shoes and plopping myself on the bed. He was right about bringing sneakers. With all the walking we did today, I can’t imagine how my feet would feel if I’d worn sandals.

  “That sounds amazing.” He falls onto the bed beside me and toes off his own shoes. “You’d think we ran a marathon today. I’m beat.”

  I curl up to his side. He lifts his arm and pulls me closer to him before resting his hand on my ass. “It didn’t help that you had us up at the butt crack of dawn. It’s summer time, honey. We’re supposed to be sleeping in until eleven.”

  He chuckles. “So nap it is.”

  “Just a little one,” I tell him, my eyes fluttering closed.

  “Summer. Sweetheart.” I hear my name, softly, whispered against my neck. “Summer. Wake up, beautiful.”

  My face turns to that sexy voice calling my name. With my eyes still closed, I smile thinking about that gorgeous face that belongs to the sexy tone. Lips brush across my cheek and then down my neck. “Waking up to this makes me want to take a nap again,” I murmur, gazing up at Dean. My eyes finally open as my hand sweeps across his firm chest.

  “Sweetheart, that was more than a nap. It’s morning already. I can’t believe we slept through the night,” he says. My stomach takes this very moment to react with a groan. “And dinner.”

  I glance out of the window. It was just after dark when we decided to take a nap last night. It’s definitely light out now. The curtains are open and the sun is shining through. “That was one hell of a nap,” I tell him with a yawn. “Maybe I slept too much. I’m still sleepy.”

  “Why don’t you stay in bed for a bit longer? I’ll take a shower first and then wake you when I’m done.” He presses a kiss to my forehead and slides off the bed.

  “It’s no fun without your warm body cuddling next to me.”

  He looks around and takes a light blanket from the sofa and spreads it over me. “This will keep you warm until I get back.” He bends down, runs a finger along the curve of my face, and this time he plants a soft kiss on my lips.

  Moments later, I hear the shower running and no matter how hard I try, I can’t seem to fall back asleep. I sit up and glance around the room spotting the hotel guide on the night stand. I reach over and thumb through the pages. We never got to make our plan of attack last night so maybe I can get a head start. When I find exactly what I’m looking for, I call down to the front desk to get help with making reservations. By the time the bathroom door opens and Dean comes out with only a towel wrapped around his damn swoonworthy waist, I have a plan in the works to surprise him. But first, I have to put my tongue back in my mouth and stop drooling like a bulldog.

  “Dean, I will never get tired of ogling you in a towel just after you’ve showered. It has to rank pretty high on my list of favorite things to do.” Sometimes, I can’t believe how forthcoming I am with him. Sentences like that have never really flown freely from my mouth. But then again, I’ve never known a guy so devastatingly handsome either.

  He steps closer to the bed and drops his towel. “Ogle all you want, sweetheart. I’m all yours.”

  I take in the glorious sight of him, and then lean to the side to look around his hot damp body. “My pleasure, but I’m not so sure I want to share you with the rest of Catalina.”

  He glances back over his shoulder and sees that the curtains are still wide open and people are walking around in the courtyard beyond our private deck. He quickly bends down, grabs for his towel, and wraps it around his waist again, covering his most worthy of ogling parts.

  “Much better,” I tell him, with a laugh as I get to my feet.

  He shakes his head with a slight chuckle. “Maybe I should draw the drapes so I can get you out of these clothes and do some browsing of my own.”

  “Honey, I’d love for you to do more than browse but we have plans and we’re already behind schedule, so I’m just going to take a quick shower and we can be on our way.”

  “Plans? We haven’t made any plans yet.”

  “We have not, but I have.” I press my lips to his bare chest, inhaling the scent of a clean fresh man. I step around him and head into the bathroom. Just as I’m about to close the door, I glance back at him. He’s standing there with his hands on his hips, a confused look spread across his face, and I shout, “Surprise!”

  After having a few pastries from the continental breakfast bar at the hotel, Dean and I set out for a long day of sightseeing and activities that are sure to be fun. One in particular should make for a memorable evening. That is, if I can summon the balls to go through with it. I was feeling fairly daring this morning when I set the whole thing up. Now … not so much.

  “So what’s first on your day of surprises, Summer?” Dean tosses his arm around my shoulder and hauls me close to him for a kiss to the side of my head. I love those sweet kisses as much as I love the ones that hit my mouth.

  “Submarine ride.” I tell him as we reach the dock. “I’m not really one to go diving with the sea animals. Kind of scares the shit out of me so I thought we could enjoy the marine life from within the safe confines of a boat in what they call a semi-submersible watercraft.”

  “I was hoping we would do that tour. I’ve been on many websites the last couple of weeks trying to figure out what you might like to do.”

  “Well, I’m one for one. Let’s see how the rest of my surprises turn out.”

  The sub ride is pretty fascinating. Schools of fish swarm the boat as food is projected into the water. Dean and I ooo and aww at some of the more tropical looking fish. The water is a bit murky but even through the haze the ocean vegetation looks beautiful swaying back and forth with the tide.

  “How are you feeling?” Dean asks, with a hand placed on my thigh.

  “I’m good. It’s much warmer in here than being on the deck.”

  “That’s for sure.” On the way over to the island, there was a short time when I thought I was going to be sick. Dean was ready with a package of Dramamine and a bottle of Sprite. He had thought of everything. Not knowing how I’d do on a boat ride and that I wouldn’t know to be prepared, he’d made sure to have everything I might need. Like something to keep me warm and some meds just in case my stomach got upset.

  We’re shushed by an older woman next to us and we take that as our cue to enjoy the rest of the tour in silence. The guide shows us through the kelp forest and explains a few details about the native fish. It’s fun watching the little ones aboard. Their expressions are priceless as the fish swim right up to the large porthole windows for a better look. This kind of reminds me of the old submarine ride at Disney
land, the one that was replaced by Nemo.

  When we’re above sea level again, Dean takes my hand as we make our way back to town for our next adventure.

  “So what did you think?” I ask.

  “It was fun,” he says, with a shrug.

  “Not as exciting as I thought it would be either.” I smile, knowing that the brochures looked at lot more fascinating.

  “Hey, it was something to do … once.”

  “Yeah, once.” We walk in silence for a bit before I speak again. “It’d be nice to be young again. Did you see how thrilled those little kids were? It was like Christmas morning to them.”

  Dean nods. “They were definitely fun to watch.”

  “Are you hungry yet?” I ask him, tapping on his belly with my free hand.

  “Starved. After skipping dinner last night and that little muffin this morning, I could eat half the island.”

  I glance up at him with a raised brow. “Well, I don’t know about half the island, but I do have some tasty treats planned.”

  We walk for a few minutes to the starting point of our next tour. “A food tasting tour?” Dean questions.

  “Yup. Kind of like a wine tour, but instead of wine, we’re tasting food. What do you think?” I ask, a smile spread across my lips.

  He smiles right back. “Sounds perfect. Better than wine tasting, that’s for sure. Our next trip is going to be to San Diego.”

  “Why is that?”

  “Brewery tour. Since you like to partake in a good brew like me, you’ll be the perfect date for a tour. We could invite the Fullers and Gelsons too. I bet Shelly would love it.” He ruffles my hair, loosening my ponytail.

  “Hey, stop messing up the do.” I reach back and pull my hair tighter into the band. “You’re lucky I’m not the type of girl that spends hours styling her hair or I’d have to smack your hand away every time you do that.”

  He laughs. “I’m sorry. I love the way your hair is pulled back, whether it’s like it is right now, with little ringlets of curls falling down your back or in two braids coming down the front of your shoulders on each side of your chest. They’re so cute and I just always want to reach out and touch them.” He reaches up and is about to connect with my pony again, but this time I catch his hand and kiss the inside of his palm.