"Happy Birthday."

A whisper of a kiss on the back of my neck sent goose bumps crawling down my arms and along my spine. I smiled against the pillow, but it was hidden by the mess I called my hair. When I reached behind me, expecting to feel a hard body, I touched nothing but the cold sheets.

Pushing my frizzy curls aside, I turned to see how far Zach had moved away from me. Most of last night, once we had succumbed to sleep (or more appropriately, he'd actually let me rest from hours of sexcapades), Zach was glued to my back. Whenever he rolled away, he slid back into place, keeping our limbs tangled, like he was anchoring himself to me. His body produced a lot of heat, but I welcomed it, curling into him and the comfort he brought.

But now, his side of the bed was empty. I was sure he'd just kissed me. It was a kiss I felt, wasn't it? I was sure he'd greeted me in that husky, bedroom voice. Was I dreaming?

"Zach?" I called out, propping my elbows on the mattress to lift half of my sweetly sore body. There wasn't any response. I cleared the sleep off my eyes and ran a hand through my hair. Sitting upright and keeping still, I listened for the rush of the water in the bathroom. Nothing. The entire apartment seemed quiet.

The air conditioner kicked on, and it startled me. I brought a hand up to my chest and steadied my rampaging heart. When I calmed, I plopped back down on the pillow, and a rustle on my right side caught my attention. An envelope was propped on Zach's pillow. I smiled a little when I thought of that—his pillow on his side of the bed, and I had mine on my side of the bed. My smile grew wider when I read my nickname, Beanie, scrawled on the cream envelope. He could have written Babe or Maggie, but I loved that he'd stuck to his nickname for me. It was even more endearing since no one else called me by that name. It was a secret code he'd come up with when we were younger. He thought I was as skinny as a bean back then and he kept teasing me with it. I would pout and stick my tongue out at him even though I'd never been truly bothered by it. It was just for us.

When I stuck my fingers inside the envelope, a photograph got stuck on the pads of my fingers. I pulled it out and gasped at the picture. It was Zach and me back in Fresno. One corner had a piece missing, the edges were frayed, and the color had faded, but I couldn't mistake that big, toothy smile of his. We'd been so happy together as kids. And today...

I would never have imagined this day.

Checking to see if I missed anything in the envelope, I pulled out a piece of paper. 

Call me when you're awake.

Right underneath it was a couple of stick figures in a compromising position.  I shook my head at his silliness.  Only then did I remember Zach saying he had to get up at the butt-crack of dawn for training. How could I have forgotten when I giggled endlessly at the word "butt" the night before? Of course, that was before he showed me his toned behind. That was nothing to laugh at. Squeeze, yes. Pinch, double yes. And I even got to hold on to it while he was on top of me, sinking slowly inside me.

I looked around for my phone and found it on the side table. It was only eight o' clock, and I'd missed three calls and had four messages waiting for me, no doubt all birthday greetings. Deciding to check on them later, I dialed Zach's number. It took two rings for him to pick up.

"Hi, I miss you," I said in what I hoped was my sexiest voice.

"I miss you too." It was followed with a laugh. Zach didn't pick up his phone, someone else did, and it made me blush. Good thing I opted for a PG greeting. "It's Travis, Maggie. Zach told me to wait for your call. He's in the ring right now. Wait..." then I heard Travis yell out, "Zach, your girlfriend's calling. She said she missed me." He guffawed again and I sunk deeper into the pillow from embarrassment. "Okay, that got his attention. Hold on."

"Thanks, Travis," I muttered.

"No problem."  I could imagine his wide grin.

On the other line, I could hear their low voices and another one of Travis' jabs at Zach before he got on the phone with his sexiest voice, "Hey, babe.  Hold on, let me go where it's quieter." He sounded a little breathy, and it made my belly tense, remembering how he'd sounded the same way last night while he pumped into me. "Happy Birthday.  Sorry I couldn't be there when you woke up."

"It's okay." I twirled a curl around my finger. "I miss you though."

"I know. I miss you too. Did you have a good sleep? I was expecting you to sleep in a little longer."  

"That would have been nice, but it's good that I'm awake now.  I want to make it to your mom's before lunch."

"Ah yeah, speaking of which, I'll have either Ed or Trav give you a ride there.  Taking the bus will take forever.  Then I'll meet you there after I'm done here."

"You sound tired.  I feel bad that I kept you up last night."

There was a deep moan on the other line, followed by a sigh.  "I'd rather be there with you right now, Maggie.  With you in your birthday suit.  With my face between your legs..."

My face heated and the warmth spread all over my body.  I'd slept in his t-shirt and nothing else.  Zach insisted I didn't need my underwear.  He'd stayed naked the entire night.  I pulled the neckline of the shirt over half of my face, burying my embarrassment.  But his clean, soapy scent filled my nose and the part where Zach wanted his face in dampened.

Zach continued, "Maggie, god, I want to be there right now.  Touch yourself for me, babe."

His suggestion got me sitting up.  "What?"  I pulled the sheet over my bottom half.  "I'm not going to do that."

"Why not?  Please.  I want to hear you—” He breathed a heavy sigh. “I want to watch you do it, but I'm not there, so you'll have to do it for me."  I shook my head until it felt like it was about to come off, even though he couldn't see me.  "Babe, Maggie...please.  I'm so hard right now."

Holy hell-o!  

"Ahm...I...ahm...Zach..." I bit my bottom lip, thinking about what he had suggested.  I'd never considered myself a sexual person, but I could easily slip into that with his urging.  Parts of me were still tender, and those parts ached for Zach.  It thrilled and excited me that I could do this to him.  To make him hard even though he couldn't see or feel me.  That all he had to do was imagine me doing things to him and to me.  I blew out a ragged sigh.  As much as I'd like to give him what he asked for, I just couldn't.  "Zach...I don't think I can."  Wrong.  I didn't know how.  Maybe he could teach me tonight if I could ever get over the embarrassment of asking him.

Zach's low growl had me bunching up the sheet and crossing my legs.  I readjusted my position on the bed, pushing my back up against the headboard.  "It's okay, babe.  I have to get back to training anyway.  I'll just get all my frustration out by beating up one of the guys."

"Oh my god!  Don't do that!"  I'd watched him in the ring with someone and cringed every time he swung his fist or kicked.  If I was this affected by Zach, and having less experience in the sex department as he did, I could just imagine the damage he could do to someone else.  I didn't want to be responsible for that.

Luckily, Zach laughed, and it relaxed me a little.  "I'm just kidding.  Coach is calling me now. I better go back.  Is an hour enough time for you to get ready?  I'll give Trav or Ed the key to my apartment, so you won't have to worry about ringing them up.  Just don't walk around in your underwear or something.  I like them and don't want to have to kill them."

This time, it was my turn to laugh.  "I only need less than half an hour to shower and change."

"Half an hour?  Really?"

"Yup."  I imagined he expected me to be like other girls when it came to getting ready for the day.  I didn't fuss too much with my looks.

"Okay.  I'll get them to bring you breakfast too.  What would you like to eat?"

I tapped a finger on my chin.  "Hmmm.  Anything is fine.  I'm not picky."

"Well, I'll get them to bring everything then, so you can have your choosing."  There was some shouting on the other line.  "Shit.  I really have to go.  I'll come and see you at the home later, okay?  Then we'll celebrate your birthday Zach-style."

I giggled.  "Sounds good."  If Zach-style was anything like last night, I was down for that.  

"You still have to tell me what you want for your birthday.  Ask for anything, Maggie, anything at all."  When he said those final words, his voice lowered some more.  Whatever it was he'd give me, I'd gladly take, especially if it meant more time with him.

* * *

It took me exactly twenty minutes to shower and dress in shorts and a thin t-shirt.  If I stayed longer under the hot shower, I'd start thinking of what Zach and I did in it the night before.  I had to end it with a quick burst of cold water.  Zach didn't have a hair dryer, and I thought it was hot enough outside to air-dry my hair.  I applied some product on it to keep it from frizzing—that was the extent of my grooming.  

While I waited for one of his friends to show up, I checked my messages and returned phone calls.  Mom was first, since I hadn't talked to her for a while, but I could only leave her a message.  She was at work and wouldn't be home later that night.  I thanked her for the birthday song she sang in my voicemail.

Next up was Nica.  She sent me a short video of Aimee, wearing a "My Aunt Rocks!" shirt and blowing me kisses.  As usual, she was her overprotective self, but I was getting used to it.  Nica rarely made mistakes in her life because she was extra careful, and it paid off too.  I thought she was just trying to do the same for me.  However, she did pare down the questioning, asking only about my plans with Zach for the day.  I told her Zach wanted to surprise me, and Nica thought that was sweet.  She eventually had to go when Aimee started whining.

The text messages I received were from a couple of the girls I worked with in Fresno, and a surprise one from Cara—Levi and Alex's younger sister—who made me promise to spend my next birthday with her in New York City.  I liked the idea, and I told her I would bring Zach too for her to meet.  But I kept it short and simple with Cara since she could go overboard with the whole texting thing.

Finally, it was May's turn.  I missed her a lot.  A lot of my fond birthday memories were with her and June.  Last year, we went bowling.  There was a big group of us, and yes, it included Delaney and her then boy-of-the-week.  Afterward, we had cake and a horror movie marathon at my house.  Delaney ended up fighting with her boyfriend and breaking up with him.  I had to console her the rest of the night.  June complained about her and her whining the entire time.  As I thought of it now, I wondered if Delaney had purposely made that happen to dampen the spirit of my birthday celebration.  

I leaned back on the couch, playing with the phone in my hand.  What should I tell May?  And beyond that, would June find out?

Luckily, there was a knock at the door before it opened, and all I could send May was a quick thanks and that I would have to talk to her later on.  It was unfair to her.  She'd done nothing wrong, but I always worried which information would reach June, and how he'd interpret everything.  

"Maggie?"  

I turned my head to the source of the voice, and found Bailey standing behind the couch.  "Hey!  What are you doing here?"  I stood to greet her, bending my knees to give her a hug.

She seemed genuinely thrilled to see me, stretching her glossy lips from ear to ear.  "I'm driving you to the nursing home."

"Really?  I thought one of the boys was going to take me?"  I was happier that it was Bailey.  I didn't know how I'd react to one of Zach's guy friends yet.  Walking around the couch again, I picked up the small purse and slung it over my shoulder.

"Well..." She twirled a loose hair around two fingers and grinned at me.  "Travis was supposed to drive you, but I might have tired him out a bit."  She giggled, and I couldn't help but join her.  She didn't blush though, and I had no doubt that I was red from head to toe.

I checked the time on my phone, and it was exactly one hour after I'd talked to Zach.  Not wasting any more time, I asked Bailey to leave right away.

She walked toward the door then turned back to me so quickly that I almost stepped on her.  "I forgot to get you something to eat."  She hit her forehead with her palm.  Her bracelets jingling on her wrist.  "We'll go to a drive-thru."

"Sounds good."

* * *

As we waited for the girl at the pick-up window to hand us our coffee and bagels, Bailey chattered away about Las Vegas.  She explained that her family never thought they would be staying in the bustling city for so long since both her parents were conservative researchers, but she and her step-brother begged them to give Vegas a chance.

"You should move here.  You'll love it here.  It's not as crazy as people think.  I mean we have subdivisions and shit.  You know, suburbs."

"Move here?  I never even thought of that."  Had Zach?  He'd never really mentioned anything else after this visit.  Fresno wasn't that far from Vegas.  But...even as I looked around me, and including the girl beside me in her car and the girl at the pick up window, Vegas was full of temptations for someone who was as good-looking and charming as Zach.  After what I'd gone through with June and his philandering with my best friend right under my nose, how could I trust someone who lived this far away from me?

I stayed quiet after that and listened to Bailey's continued quick-speed chat about the city she loved so much.  I wished it was that easily appealing for me.  My life had always been in Fresno.  It was simple, quiet, as I wanted it to be.  My Mom was there, and she'd have a hard time letting me go.  It had been tough facing the people I'd known all my life after June left me at the altar, but they'd eventually forget about it and move on.  And I'd move on, but I couldn't see myself moving elsewhere.  

Knowing Zach's past and how much he hated living in Fresno because of it, how would he react to this?  He loved Vegas, I could tell that much, and his Ma was living in a good facility.  He'd never think of moving to get closer to me.  Would he sacrifice hours, even days to spend time with me?  To visit me in a place where he'd had nothing but sad memories?  It upset me to think we would only have these few days together.  Was that all we'd be allowed to have?