We have a stare down for a brief moment, then he taps his watch. “You now have twenty-nine minutes.”
“You’re not joking,” I retort, pulling the covers back over my head as I plop back on the pillows acting like a bratty child.
“Get up, lazy bones.”
“Why can’t you surprise me when the sun comes up?” I pout.
“Because it’ll be too late then. Here, let me help you up.” Brody pulls the comforter completely off, then picks me up, hauls me over his shoulder, and my naked ass is in the air.
“Brody! What are you doing?”
He gives me a playful smack with his hand on my butt then kisses it. “If we didn’t have reservations, I’d put you back on that bed and have my way with you, again.” He lightly kicks the door open to the joining bathroom, stands me on my feet, and turns on the shower.
“At least tell me where you’re taking me.”
He frames my face with his hands and presses a kiss to my lips. He tastes of toothpaste and it makes me wonder if he even got any sleep at all. He’s wearing faded jeans and a gray hoodie and my curiosity piques at where we are going this early in the morning.
He grabs my waist and pulls me against him.
“I love surprising you. Just give me today and if you don’t like this surprise, then I promise I won’t surprise you anymore.”
“Grr . . . I hate surprises.” I put my hand under the streaming water to test the temperature.
“Just face it, Kansas, I keep you on your toes.” He hands me my towel and I throw it over the shower rod. “Do you trust me?”
Our eyes lock and I smile. Not only do I trust him, I’m falling for him.
“Of course I do.” I pile my hair up in a bun and pin it with a clip.
The smile on his face grows, displaying his perfectly white teeth. “Good, hop in the shower. I need you ready in less than twenty-five minutes. It’s a bit chilly out, so layer up.”
“Can you at least tell me if we’ll be indoors or out?” I ask as I step into the shower.
“I’m going to make you a cup of coffee,” he says, clearly ignoring my probing as he walks out of the bathroom.
“Fine, ignore me! Two can play that game, Reinhardt!” I yell.
“After your surprise, you won’t be able to resist me, Kansas!” he bellows.
I can’t resist him anyway.
It’s an hour and a half later when Brody finally parks. With our fingers linked, we walk across the parking lot, and a man wearing a baseball cap with the words Top of the World on it greets us with a warm smile.
“Good morning, Hank.” Brody shakes his hand. “Delilah, this is Hank. Hank, this is my girlfriend, Delilah.”
“Hello there, pretty lady,” he says as he tips his ball cap. “You ready to see the world in a different way?”
I turn to face Brody and more perplexed at what we are doing and what Hank is talking about.
“You didn’t tell her yet?” Hank asks, turning to Brody.
“Nah,” Brody says with a shit-eating grin on his handsome face. “I wanted to keep her in the dark just a little longer.”
Hank walks ahead and we follow him alongside the building. “Well, Miss Delilah, all you have to do is keep your hands and feet inside at all times,” he says over his shoulder.
As we turn the corner of the building my face lights up. In the distance, in the open field, I see a hot air balloon being blown up by a few men. The burner is loud as the fire heats up the balloon until it is standing straight up.
Hank hops into the basket and checks the lever and gadgets near the jet.
My heart is pounding, and I stop dead in my tracks.
“What’s the matter, Dee?” Brody asks, still holding my hand.
“I-I’m afraid of heights,” I admit.
“You have got nothing to worry about.”
“Are you sure it’s safe?” I ask nervously as Brody pulls me toward the basket. “What if there’s a hole in the balloon or the fire runs out of fuel?”
“Dorothy.” Brody faces me, his hands are firm on my shoulders, and he locks eyes with mine.
“I don’t know if I can . . . I mean, this is . . . I have never done this before.” I try to steady my breathing.
“Listen to my voice. I will hold you the entire time. You have been chasing sunsets, this time I want you to capture the sunrise.”
His words take root and embrace my heart. Tears well in my eyes and I tuck my lip under my teeth. And as much as I want to plant my feet in the soil, I can’t. I really do want to capture the sunrise with him.
“What do you say? Will you please hop in that basket and go on this ride with me?”
My nervous smile slowly disappears. I nod and take a small step, then another. Before I know it, Brody is helping me into the basket.
Once inside, it surprises me at how sturdy the wicker is and how spacious it is. It can fit at least ten people.
Brody climbs in and wraps his arm around me, giving me the reassurance I need to feel secure when it lifts off from the ground.
Hank pulls the lever with his gloved hands and the loud burn of the fire lifts the basket.
We ascend. I hold my breath and I cover my eyes.
Brody kisses my cheek, pulls my hands down, and whispers in my ear, “If you close your eyes, you’ll miss going over the rainbow, Dorothy.”
I slowly open my eyes, take in a fortifying breath, and look out to the open skies seeing hues of purple, indigo, and blue. As we get higher, it’s as if the earth is being pulled away from me. And although the night still lingers into the early morning, the glow in the far distance lets me know the sun is ready to make an appearance.
We are traveling with the wind and I can’t believe how high we are. It’s cold up here, but I welcome the chill. Hank drives the balloon higher as we glide through the clouds and before I know it, we are on top of them.
The sunrise finally breaks the horizon. It’s so calm, peaceful, and powerful as it brightens miles of the green hills of Temecula Valley around us. It’s a weightless feeling standing in this wicker basket as if I’m floating in a dream.
I turn to face Brody, my eyes lift, and our gazes lock. “So, this is how it feels to be on cloud nine?”
“Everything below us, I want to give you. You deserve to be spoiled,” he says, tucking loose strands of hair behind my ear as his soft-spoken words warm my heart.
I wrap my fingers around his neck and press a chaste kiss to his lips as my silent thank you. He glances at the corner of my eye and wipes the lonely tear that rolls down my cheek.
“Thank you,” I say.
That cute boyish smile I love so much, makes an appearance on his handsome face. “So, does that mean I can keep on surprising you?”
“Yes. You have won me over with this surprise.” Emotions overwhelm me. The kind that warm my heart and want to burst out of my skin because this moment is too good to be true.
Feeling a moment of bravery, I grip the edge of the basket and look over the edge. I gasp at how high we are and immediately step back. Yup, still scared of heights!
I lean back into Brody’s chest and his arms wrap around me, then he kisses the top of my head.
“I know you’re afraid of the dark and of heights, what else are you afraid of?”