Maya
It was like being in dreamland, lounging side by side on lounge chairs that were nearly right together. So close we could almost feel each other’s breath against our skin. We were really talking. Comparing summers and then moving onto our more grown up lives. I told him about how I got into the movie industry and he told me how he ended up as a bodyguard after years as a Navy SEAL. It amazed me that we had both fulfilled dreams we had since we were young. We both had awesome parents who supported us but made us finish college before we reached for our dreams.
“Did you learn anything in school that prepared you for stardom?”
“I learned to be humble and to be prepared when your understudy goes out of her way to make you sick so she can step in. Food poison.”
“You think maybe she’s the one behind the notes?”
I laughed. “No. She’s somewhere in the Midwest with three brats calling her mom. That’s a whole other story. What about you and your course study?”
“Definitely not. The only thing that helped was hours spent in the pool. Had I studied psychology that might have been beneficial to me. History as a major only gave me a lot to talk about, not that anyone wanted to listen to me sound like a school teacher.”
“I don’t know. I quite like listening to you.”
And looking at you.
And touching you.
And fantasizing about you.
And not wanting to be without you.
I never wanted the day to end and I really wanted to skip that evening’s dinner altogether, but it was important and my last scheduled event. Too soon I would be saying goodbye to Logan and heading back to work on another movie playing the super hero. I wasn’t the main story but I was working with other heroes to save the world in some way. It struck me funny—strange, not humorous—as I sat next to a true hero who protected not only me but our country.
It made me sad to know that I would have to give him up so he could protect another person in need…
What if I still needed him?
Who was going to look after me once I left the desert?
We still hadn’t learned much about my crazy fan nor had I received any more deliveries. It could’ve been Logan—always at my side—that was keeping him away from me.
What happened when I didn’t have Logan protecting me anymore?
I hated to think about that.
“Hey! Are you ready? I think our food is coming.”
I followed the wave of his hand and sure enough a man was nearing with a loaded tray.
I was so excited to finally taste my club sandwich and fries. The special cocktail had already fulfilled one of my desires. I nearly applauded the man delivering the tray with a few metal covered dishes. Sitting up, I moved back on my lounge chair to give him room, then I signed the bill and waited for Logan to lift the lids.
Oh my God! His tacos looked incredible. Oh, and my order of French fries were perfectly crispy and came with a variety of dipping sauces. I quickly dove into them while they were still hot.
“Hungry?” Logan asked with a laugh.
“Yes. You can leave my sandwich covered for now. It’s not hot so it can wait… But these are amazing. I hate when fries get cold. These are the perfect temperature and they’re so crisp. They always remind me of summer day camp when I was younger. The only thing missing is ice cream.”
The day couldn’t get any better… Well, maybe one thing could make it a whole lot better but I couldn’t complain at all. I had the chance to playfully rub my, practically, naked body against his in the pool. Jumping on him and begging him to swim around with me clinging to him was fun but probably totally out of line. But I wouldn’t go back and change a thing. Never. Ever.
“Are you going to eat your sandwich or do you want me to have them wrap it up for you?” He seemed cued into my groans as I flopped back and held my tummy.
“I have been dying to have that sandwich since I checked in. I always order them when I’m here…” I made another sound that had an “ugh” tone to it. “Okay, maybe just one bite and I’ll save it for tomorrow.”
I’d like to say that the sandwich was delicious and everything that I anticipated. Only my beloved sandwich wasn’t under the metal cover when I lifted it up. The metal lid that crashed to the ground as I dropped it. The crash had turned a few heads, but I held back a scream that was warranted. Most people would’ve reacted. But I kept my cool since being tormented in a sick way was a common occurrence in my life.
To other people not in the know, the plate of torn apart chicken wings with bright red sauce and a few feathers would’ve cause them to send the dish back for a more appetizing order. However, we never ordered wings of any kind and I knew that it was another delivery intended to warn me that someone… some crazy someone was coming for me according to the note:
You can’t fly!
I’ll clip your wings yet.
Yours are about to be broken.
Then how will you film your next movie?
To me that had to mean that he was about to make his move really soon since I was supposed to report to the set of another hero flick in about a week. Was he planning to break my arms? Or was he planning to do worse? It wasn’t like I used just my arms to fly. It was my whole body that soared through the sky thanks to harnesses and green screens.
He was scaring the fuck out of me.
“Sorry. Pool time is over, Maya.”
I nodded my head and allowed Logan to escort me back to the suite.