His Secret

by Brisa Starr

  “I know, right? Epic,” Billy replies.

  I don’t know what I missed – music stuff – but it looks like they’re going to be just fine. Phew! I warm with comfort at the thought.

  Just as I’m sitting down, we hear a honk from the driveway as Sammy pulls up in her old blue Ford pickup. We go to the front door as she turns off the ignition, and a little boom of black smoke bellows out of her tailpipe like it’s the truck’s last dying breath.

  She hops out of her truck, carrying white, butcher-wrapped steaks from her store and a small, brown paper bag. She looks sexy as hell in her short shorts that hug her curves perfectly. Her ass would make any girl jealous. She’s wearing a blue and white striped blouse that highlights her sky-blue eyes and shows off her long, blond hair that cascades down her back in big, loose curls. It looks like she used hot rollers for today’s get-together. I know what this means, and I smile.

  “Hey y’all!” she exclaims, smiling ear-to-ear.

  “Hi, Sammy!” I run over and give her a hug.

  “I see your truck is still alive,” Adron jokes.

  “Yeah, I can’t bear to part with her yet. She’s been in my family for years. One of these days, I’ll have to put her down,” she replies, and dramatically puts her hand over her heart.

  I take the steaks from her and she hands me the brown paper bag, “This is for you, sweets!”

  “For me?”

  “Hells yeah, girl. It’s your birthday. I had to get you a little something. I didn’t know it was your birthday until last-minute, so don’t expect anything too fancy. But I think you’ll like it.” She winks and we go into the house.

  We all step into the kitchen and I unwrap the steaks. Adron takes them from me to season them, and I notice Sammy and Billy making eyes at each other. Hmmm.

  I’m not one to let a present just sit there unopened, so I peek into the bag and squeal when I see a bottle of the hottest hot sauce from her shop, with a pink bow on it. I pull it out of the bag and do a double-take when I see the “bow” is actually a hot pink, lacy G-string thong with edible hot tamale candies sewn onto it.

  “Lord, Sammy, I do believe we were made to be besties, giving me a present this, um, artistic.” We all laugh, and Adron is looking at me with smoldering lust in his eyes, and I know what he’s thinking. I swallow hard and stuff the thong back into the bag. “I’ll use the hot sauce on my steak. Yum.” I lick my lips playfully. “You’re too sweet, Sammy. Thank you!”

  “You are not putting hot sauce on my best cuts of steak, girl! Are you insane?” Sammy says. Her eyes grow round with shock.

  “I certainly am,” I reply, giving her my ‘have you met me?’ look.

  Billy asks, “Your best cuts of steak?”

  I light up with the chance to brag about Sammy. “Sammy is a butcher! I mean the real deal, even owns her own shop. She’s blazing a trail for women, I tell ya.”

  “Impressive,” he says. “I dig that.”

  Adron suggests we start the margaritas. I suspect it has less to do with being a good host – or wanting to drink margaritas – and more to do with wanting to get the evening over with, despite his semi-relaxed behavior.

  Billy-turned-bartender asks if everyone is having one.

  “You betcha,” answers Sammy, and she sidles over to him. “Need any help?”

  I consider leaving them alone to have their own little date, but that’s a bit too presumptuous, especially as it’s my birthday party. Maybe Adron and I can sneak out after dinner.

  “Now, these aren’t just any old margaritas,” Billy says. “They’re magical margaritas, but I’ll share my secret recipe with you, since you brought such nice steaks,” he flirts with Sammy.

  “What makes them magical?” Sammy asks, looking at the ingredients on the counter. “Tequila, Triple sec, lime juice, and ice – they look like normal margaritas to me.”

  “Well, because I’m making them that’s why.”

  “That’s it?” I jump in while Sammy laughs. “I was expecting some fancy twist that you could only learn in Mexico.” I jokingly flick my hand in disappointment and walk over to Adron.

  “Well, that’s special enough for me,” says Sammy, and Billy smiles. Adron looks at me, and we conspiratorially share raised eyebrows and smiles. Yeah, something is brewing between these two. Adron puts his arm around me and tries to trail it down my back to my ass, copping a feel. I bump him with my hip to behave.

  “Alright! Here we go,” Billy says as he serves up the margaritas, salty rims and all.

  “I have to admit, they are damn good,” I say. “Though I don’t think I’ve ever had a margarita I didn’t like.”

  We all laugh, and Adron seems happy to drink one despite the cheap brand of tequila Billy bought.

  Adron says, “I’ll fire up the grill, and we’ll get dinner going. But first…” He opens a kitchen drawer and removes a card and hands it to me. “Happy birthday, sweetheart.”

  Butterflies do triple backflips in my belly. I’ve been waiting for this all day. I open the envelope and read the card, which is definitely for my eyes only, as he wrote promises of how he’s going to feast on me later tonight. I blush and shift around uncomfortably, feeling my pussy throb. I inhale and look at Adron. He knows exactly what he’s doing.

  Then I see it. The gift certificate inside the card. “Oh my god!” I hop up and down like a bunny finding a garden full of carrots. “A hot air balloon ride?! Are you serious? Holy shit! I’ve always wanted to go up in one of those… it’s another item on my bucket list! I see them all the time out here. That’s so cool!”

  “I figured it wouldn’t be too scary for you,” Adron says, knowing me all too well.

  “Aw, that’s sweet, Adron,” Sammy says. “Great idea.”

  Wow, what an amazing gift. I’m touched, and for the first time, I want to pinch myself. I look at my best friend, Billy, my new best girlfriend, Sammy, and the love of my life, Adron. All here with me. Is it a dream? Can life really be this amazing?

  “When do we go?” I ask, eyes wide.

  “Tomorrow morning at sunrise. It’s when you take care of the animals, and I spy on you from the casita. So we’ll both be up.”

  My heart melts like a bowl of warm pudding. I am one lucky-ass girl. I saunter over to Adron and give him a big, wet kiss, and he wraps his arms around me tight, not giving a shit that we have an audience. He dips me back exaggeratedly and kisses me hard enough to bruise my lips.

  Sammy lets out a “Yeehaw! Now, that’s what I’m talkin’ about. Let’s get this party started.” She throws back her margarita and holds out her empty glass for Billy to refill.

  We all laugh. And as the rest of us finish our margaritas, I make a simple, Italian Caprese salad with summer heirloom tomatoes so ripe, they’re bursting with color and flavor. We carry the salad, wine, steaks – and my hot sauce – to the table, and we sit down to dinner as the sun is setting. We’re stunned, in awe of the sky painted in deep purples and pinks, and it transitions to blood-red at the horizon.

  “Damn, that sunset is amazing... end-of-world shit,” Billy sighs, content satisfaction written all over in his face. “I’ve seen my share of them, and this goes in the top-10 list.”

  “Yeah,” Sammy adds, her voice dreamy. “It’s one of Arizona’s best features.”

  We all take a moment to enjoy the cinematic view as we plate our food. Adron opens the wine – a robust, full-bodied Shiraz – and pours glasses for all of us. I take a sip, and it immediately warms my throat.

  Eager to move the “get to know you” process along between Sammy and Billy, I queue up topics. “So, Sammy, you have the one store, and it’s been such a hit. Any plans to expand?” I cut into my hot sauce-covered steak.

  “Maybe,” she shrugs, and pride gleams in her eyes. “Adding more locations would be a dream, but I’m picky about everything, and I’d want eyes and ears in each store, which would be impossible.”

  “That’s where good people and training come in,�
� Adron offers.

  “True,” Sammy replies and cuts into her steak. “We’ll see. It’s exciting to think about, and Scottsdale doesn’t have any old-school butcher shops. They’re making a comeback in this country though, and I’d love to find other women who want to learn the trade.”

  Sammy takes a bite of her steak, and asks while she’s chewing, “What do you do, Billy?”

  Billy sits up straight, exaggerated, like he’s at attention. “Professional surf bum, and professional snowboard bum, depending on the season.” We all laugh.

  “Actually,” he continues, “resorts all over the world hire me to run their activities. It’s always seasonal work, so I parachute into some resort in Fiji, or South Africa, or Vail, or god knows where, and set things up, hire the instructors, and try to keep ‘em out of trouble until the season’s over, and then I move on to the next job, chasing waves or snow.”

  “What a dream life you live!” says Sammy.

  “Well, it doesn’t pay great, but I get to live at resorts and eat and drink for free, so sometimes I feel like a billionaire, I guess. I wouldn’t give it up for anything. But it’s not perfect. You make great friends for a season, and then you never see ‘em again.”

  “Does that get lonely?” Sammy asks. Billy purses his lips and looks up for a minute like he’s thinking of how to respond, then he nods.

  “Yeah.”

  And that’s all he says.

  Our bellies are full of margaritas, wine, steaks, and salad. Adron excuses himself, and I figure he’s going to the bathroom, but he returns to the patio carrying a huge, white frosted cake, complete with lit sparklers as candles, illuminating it like the Fourth of July.

  “A cake!” I squeal, and the butterflies in my abdomen tie on bibs and grab forks while dancing a jig. I’m touched that Adron would go to the trouble to get such a beautiful cake.

  They all sing Happy Birthday to me, and I can’t take my eyes off Adron as his beautiful and dark singing voice cuts straight to my soul, despite my off-key friends.

  After eating two pieces – I’m the birthday girl after all – we spend an hour playing euchre. It’s more fun than I expected. I like this card game because I get to sit across from my partner, Adron, and make eyes at him, trying to communicate non-verbally what’s in my hand. I tried to play footsie with him, but I ended up tickling Sammy. Whoops.

  Adron and I beat Sammy and Billy more times than we can count, and we get the sense they’d like some time alone together, so we say our goodnights and give them some privacy.

  “Billy,” I say as we get ready to leave for the casita, “I’m so happy you came up to visit.”

  “So am I,” he says and pulls me into a hug. I tense and glance over at Adron, but he just smiles and shrugs.

  “I know you have an early plane to catch, so maybe I’ll see you in the morning when we leave for the hot air balloon, but if not, just let yourself out, and text me when you make it back to Mexico.”

  I turn to Sammy and say, “Thanks, girl, for coming over and for the, um, present.” We laugh, and she gives me a hug.

  “I’m looking forward to celebrating your birthday next year with you, too,” she says, and swats me on the butt as we leave. I love that girl.

  Best birthday ever.

  19

  Adron

  I haven’t slept. After feasting on my queen and giving her birthday orgasms last night, I worked on my music. I was inspired, writing lyrics and songs, lighter and more uplifting than anything I’ve ever written. I wanted to strike while the muse was hot. The muse, my Alyson.

  Today’s the big day, and I’m nervous. I also can’t help but smile, remembering yesterday when I gave Alyson her card. She was so excited about the balloon ride, and my chest swelled with pride, knowing I was the one responsible for her joy.

  The second the idea came to me, I knew it was perfect, for more reasons than one. I knew she’d love the thrill, and I knew it would be the perfect time to tell her about my inheritance.

  I look down at her while she’s sleeping. She’s soul-lifting, beautiful in the orange glow of the salt lamp. Peaceful. I quietly pick up my phone from the nightstand and take a picture. I’m in love. My girl is sexy, fun, kind, smart, and she holds my heart in her hands.

  I begin to smile, but it stops halfway. The worst-case scenarios traipse through my mind. When she learns I haven’t been completely forthcoming with her, I hope she doesn’t rip my heart out of my chest, like in Indiana Jones in the crappy second movie, and throw it over the side of the balloon’s basket. Shit. I’m fucking nervous. I’ve never felt a gnawing in my gut like this. I spin my ring. I hope when I tell her, she forgives me for not having told her until today.

  She stirs next to me, as this is the usual time she wakes and cares for the animals. The sun is not up yet. She slowly opens her eyes and sees me watching her.

  She gives me a sleepy smile. “Did you sleep?” she asks groggily and rubs her eyes.

  “No. I was inspired. So I stayed up working on my music.” Peace settles my heart, for the time being, as I take in the lovely site of her waking up next to me.

  “Hmmm. That’s exciting. When do I get to hear what you created?” She yawns and I worship her with my eyes.

  “We’ll see.”

  “What are you doing with your phone?” she says, nodding toward my hand.

  “I took a picture of you while you were sleeping.” I turn the phone to face her so she can see, and she smiles sweetly.

  “That’s kind of weird,” she says softly and closes her eyes again before adding, “but kind of sexy, too.”

  I lean over and kiss her closed eyes, tucking a lock of her silky brown hair behind her ears. She opens her eyes again, looks at me, her eyes full of love. For me.

  Even in the morning, with her hair tousled and her face without any makeup, she radiates fresh beauty. “I love you,” I whisper.

  “Hmmm,” she purrs like a kitten. “Me, too.” She closes her eyes again.

  “Come on, Sleeping Beauty, time to get up.” I get out of bed and whip off the sheet, revealing her sweet, naked body.

  Her eyes fly open at the surprise. “Ahh! How dare you?” she giggles, not too mad at me, and I look at her stunning figure with hunger raking through me. She sees what’s going through my mind.

  “Oh, no you don’t, Adron. I need a break for at least another 10 hours after last night,” and she lets out an exaggerated breath.

  “Can’t you keep up with me?” I tease.

  “You’re insatiable. But, yes, I can keep up. However, I have animals to tend to, and we have a big adventure to go on.”

  She jumps out of bed and stands beautiful, naked, and proud before me. She turns around, looking for her clothes, bending seductively and shaking her ass to tease me. I grab her hips and draw her to me. She giggles, and the room radiates with love. I don’t want this to end.

  I wrap my arms around her and cup her beautiful breasts, gently fingering her nipples with promise. She wiggles out of my embrace and digs around until she finds her clothes. She quickly throws them on and asks, “Should I wear anything in particular for the ride?”

  “No, just be comfortable. It’ll be warm as usual, but they recommend a hat and sunglasses. And your phone for pictures.”

  “OK, handsome, I’ll see you in two shakes.” She kisses me and leaves for the house.

  The casita is empty and somber without her radiance. I go to the bathroom and look at myself in the mirror, trying to psych myself up for the conversation we’re going to have at 2000 feet. I rub the back of my neck, and my palms are sweaty. I take a deep breath and exhale, before dropping to the tile floor and banging out a hundred push-ups. I hop in the shower for a quick scrub and put on a white T-shirt, a diversion from my typical black, and a pair of dark gray cargo shorts. After a triple espresso, I throw on my flip-flops.

  It’s time.

  We climb into the sturdy, brown rattan, wicker basket and our pilot aims the propane burner, dire
cting a six-foot jet of yellow flame that roars upward into the skirt of the enormous balloon above us, filling it with the heated air that will lift us into the sky.

  The sun is rising and bathes the area in luminous gold. Alyson is wearing a dress the color of summer sunshine, joyfully dotted with little, orange monarch butterflies, and it blends naturally into the sunny day growing before us. I smile, burning the moment into my heart.

  “Are you nervous,” I ask her.

  She beams at me and stands on her tiptoes to kiss me, “Not a chance. You?”

  “No, love, heights don’t bother me.” I hug her, squeezing a bit longer.

  My nerves today aren’t from hovering in a wicker basket up where the birds fly. No, my nerves are jittery because I’m about to come clean with Alyson about my secret. I figure telling her up in the sky, in a basket, she can’t run away. She will have to hear me out on everything I want to say.

  She has no idea I’m about to drop this bomb on her. I’m hoping she takes it well, given that I want to be with her, marry her, and she’ll become a billionaire. But this is news to her, and something I expect she’d have liked to know by now.

  I mean, five or ten million is one thing… a nice chunk of change and a comfortable life. Multiple billions is something completely different. Your life will never be the same, no matter how much you think it won’t change you. It will change you, it always does. It changes your relationships, the way others treat you, you become a celebrity, whether you want to or not, and even a target. Even your children can become a target. It’ll be fun as hell to go anywhere and do anything we want, but it’s not without a price.

  And she’s never seemed overly interested in money, just needs enough to get by.

  Honestly, I’m not sure how she’ll react.

  But right now? She’s dazzling like diamonds in the sun, shining with happiness, and she brings so much light into my life.

  Alyson moves around the basket, taking selfies of us with a big goofy smile, getting as many angles as she can. I lean my head back and look up, saying a silent affirmation that it’ll all go fine.