For this Romantic Friday Writers Challenge, I've taken two characters from my Work-in-Progress, CLOSE KNIT, and written them a brand new scene that takes place after CLOSE KNIT ends. For the rest of the RFW stories, go here.
Word Count: 399
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Lexy’d thought it would be Wizard-of-Ozlike, hopping over the edge, but no. She and Gavin were the first through the hinged door into the surprisingly sturdy basket. Besides the two of them and the pilot, was a Japanese family who bowed, smiled, and apparently spoke six words of English. Cumulatively.
Lexy had often fantasized about taking a hot air balloon ride with her main man, face conveniently blank. Still blank, since they were in the friggin’ dark. Her fantasies hadn’t been informed as to chilly dawn launches.
The brightly colored balloon lurched, rising a few feet into the sky. Lexy clutched Gavin’s hand.
“You okay?” he asked.
His handsome face visible now in the February dawn, she nodded. As the balloon rose, he looked exhilarated. Lexy reminded herself that she was not afraid of heights, the landscape was stunning, and Gavin would think she was a total wuss if she kept on with the death-grip.
His mom had won the Balloon Adventure in a raffle, including champagne breakfast and accommodations at a nearby winery. You couldn’t turn around in this part of SoCal without squashing a grape or scoring free wine-tasting tickets.
Since Pamela had been 12-Steppin’ for ten years, she passed the tickets on to her son and his new girlfriend. Their first official "vaca" as a couple.
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| from Jay 0110 at Flickr |
Another slight lurch, and as Lexy rebalanced, she enjoyed the sweet after-ache between her legs. After enduring evil traffic from LA, they’d relaxed with great food, then a shared bath that left more soapy water on the floor than in the big Jacuzzi tub.
Lexy squelched a yip as a gust of desert wind nudged the balloon westward.
Gavin pulled her into his arms, and Lexy nestled there, spoon fashion. Much better. Sheltered inside his strong arms, she inhaled his familiar, delicious scent, feeling the beat of his heart and the rumble of his voice, penetrating her bones.
“This really freaks you out, doesn’t it?”
“No, no...”
“Lexy...?”
“Okay, a little,” Lexy admitted. “But I feel much safer now.” She began to truly appreciate the glorious gold-and-pink sunrise, the countryside with vineyards and ranch houses, mini-matchbox cars speeding along ribbons of empty road. Weird, but the higher up the balloon went, the less scary it felt.
Lexy felt Gavin press a gentle kiss into her hair, and melted with tenderness. 1500 feet up and she’d come home.
***
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