by Amity Cross
I power showered—getting in and out in five minutes—dressed, and splashed on some makeup, wondering what it would be like. I’d seen the fleet of hot air balloons over Melbourne for most of my life and wondered what it was all about. It was as simple as booking a place and showing up, but I’d never taken the plunge. I didn’t know if it was complacency or pure laziness, but at least I was doing it now, right? Didn’t people say things were better late than never?
Ryan was waiting for me on the couch, and he rose to his feet when I appeared.
“Taxi is on its way,” he said. “You warm enough?”
“I think so.” I glanced down at my boots, leggings, black singlet, and oversized knit sweater and nodded. Functional and versatile. I could go from chilly Melbourne sunrise to the warmth of the late summer morning, no problems. Totally strategic planning on my behalf.
The taxi only took ten minutes. The city was still fast asleep as we rode through the usually clogged roads, and we arrived at the meeting point—a local hotel—with time to spare.
There were a dozen people waiting in the lobby when we arrived. Mingling, we waited as the other groups showed up, everyone cuddled up in warm jumpers even though the forecast was for sunny skies. Pre-sunrise, it would be freezing when we began floating upward.
I yawned as the pilot went through the safety briefing, hoping Ryan was taking note. My brain hadn’t quite woken up yet, though I was excited to see what it was like to coast above Melbourne and watch the sun climb above the horizon.
Next, we were piled into a minibus—our balloon and basket on a trailer behind us—and ferried across the city to a field beside the port.
The city was sleepy this time of the morning, the roads almost clear aside from a few cars, trucks, and us. Behind us, the skyscrapers twinkled, their lights dimming against the sky, which was becoming fuzzier the closer time crept toward day.
Part of our adventure was assisting in the unfurling and packing up of our ride, so Ryan and I each grasped a section of the balloon and spread it across the field.
“Are you two together?” the pilot asked. “Having a romantic morning?”
I hesitated, my cheeks beginning to feel rather hot. “I…uh…”
“No,” Ryan said, saving my ass. “We’re just friends.”
A wave of nausea wobbled in my stomach, and I turned back to unfurling the balloon. Why was I so disappointed? Sure, Ryan was sweet, sexy as hell, and the most thoughtful man I’d ever known, but we weren’t like that. Were we? Besides, it hadn’t even been a week since Hunter had…you know.
“You okay?” Ryan asked, grasping the edge of the balloon and helping me unroll the last of it.
“Yeah. I’m a bit nervous,” I lied, gesturing to the balloon.
“You’ll be fine, J. I’ll be right beside you.”
That was the problem.
“What if I fall out?”
He laughed, throwing an arm around my shoulder. “I’ll catch you.”
I frowned, my insides flipping as he pulled me in for a friendly hug. I was entirely sure he would leap to my rescue like he always had. I’d never paid much attention to it in the past, but why was it making me feel so uneasy now?
We walked back to the basket where the pilot and some of the passengers were assisting in the first stages of inflation. Air was blown into the balloon, and when it was full enough, the burner was fired. It wasn’t quite as loud as I expected, but I still jumped. Ryan chuckled and stood closer, his chest warm against my arm.
Why was I so uneasy? It had everything to do with Ryan being Ryan. The rock, the voice of reason, the sensible one. He’d always played up to the bad boy image back in high school, but I’d seen through it. I don’t think he’d realized I had, but underneath all the provoking, the drinking, the fighting, and the immature bravado, I saw the makings of a good man. I always knew he would do something great with his life.
“Okay, folks. Hop on in,” the pilot declared as the balloon towered over us.
Ryan, being the muscle-bound smartass he was, leapt in making it look easy. When I attempted it, I only made it halfway before my flimsy arms gave way.
“Here,” he said, laughing at my uncoordinated ass. “Let me help.”
Leaning over the edge, he grasped my waist and helped me up over the lip of the basket, and I was in.
“Bloody hell,” I cursed.
“Don’t sweat it, J,” he retorted. “Yoga makes you limber, but it doesn’t give you muscles.”
“Says who?”
He made a face. “Like I said, always ready for an argument.”
I yelped as the burner went off, and I slapped my hands on my head.
“Hold on, everyone. We’re ready to take off,” the pilot called out.
I grasped the edge of the basket as the balloon dragged us along the ground, then it skimmed the surface once more before finally taking off. We floated upward, the ground rushing away as we lifted. I clutched Ryan’s arm, wobbling as the unfamiliar sensation of uneven ground settled over me.
Then we were rising up into the sky as gentle as could be.
“Wow,” I murmured as the world took on a new perspective.
Other than the sound of the burner, it was so silent. Below us, the city was waking up with all its noise and drama, and up here…we were floating in a world of calm.
Leaning over for a better view, I gasped as I saw a balloon floating beneath us.
“Ryan,” I said, pointing. “Look.”
He stood beside me, his arm pressed against mine, and we watched the balloon rise, the insides lighting up as its burner fired.
“Wow,” he murmured. “That’s something else.”
All six balloons were in the air now, and as the sky brightened with the rising sun, the lights of Melbourne slowly began to switch off.
“Melbourne is the biggest city in the world that you can fly over in a hot air balloon,” the pilot was saying in the background.
“We’re as high as that office building,” Ryan said, pointing to one of the skyscrapers. “Imagine looking out the window and seeing a balloon float past.”
I laughed, feeling more comfortable with being so high up in the open air. Waving at the city, I giggled.
We coasted over the city for almost an hour, rising and dipping over famous landmarks like the Melbourne Cricket Ground, Southbank, Port Melbourne, St. Kilda, and the tallest building in the city, Eureka Tower. Watching the traffic build up over the Westgate Bridge, I was glad I wasn’t down there. It looked like a car park snaking over the bridge and into the south side of the CBD.
Finally, we began our descent into the field where we’d started our flight, and when the basket hit the ground, we braced and clapped as we settled back on terra firma.
“Was it everything you expected?” Ryan asked as we watched the balloon deflate.
“More,” I replied. “I wish I was a writer because I don’t know the right words to describe it.”
“How would you market it, then?”
I laughed and cast my gaze toward the last of the sunrise. “The spirit of the skies…” I mused. “An image of a brightly colored balloon, its burner firing, and the backdrop a sparkling Melbourne skyline tinted with the fire of a summer sunrise.”
“The fuck you’re not a writer,” he declared.
Doing our duty, we helped roll the balloon back up, then it was a short ride back to the hotel, and our adventure was over. I was still buzzing when Ryan turned me around and started leading me across the street.
“Where are we going?”
“Champagne breakfast,” he said, steering me into the hotel. “It’s part of the package.”
Sitting at a table for two, we were each presented with a flute of sparkling yellow champagne. Ryan raised his and tapped the rim against mine.
“Cheers,” he said with a wink.
Sipping at the alcohol, it felt scandalous drinking at eight thirty in the morning. It was precisely the feeling I was going for with all the
bucket list hoo-ha, so I downed the glass.
When our food arrived, I stared at the bacon, baked beans, sausage, and eggs and wondered how many calories there was. I never really had time to eat first thing in the morning, let alone something swimming in a bucket of grease. Glancing at Ryan, I saw him lick his lips—which looked very cute—and turn the plate around so the eggs were closer to him.
“You’re going to eat that?” I asked. “What about your training?”
“One greasy breakfast isn’t going to kill me,” he declared, picking up his knife and fork. “Live a little, J.”
Watching him shovel in his food, I picked up my fork and scooped up a few beans and a piece of egg. Popping them into my mouth, my eyes widened.
“Oh, that’s good,” I said, diving in for a piece of bacon. The moment it hit my tongue, I exclaimed, “Sweet mother of…”
Ryan was watching me with a perplexed expression, his gaze dropping to my mouth, but I was too engrossed with my food to take much notice.
“So tell me, Ryan Harper,” I said between bites. “The AUFC. What do you want to do with that?”
“I want to win a title,” he replied like it was obvious. “I want to be the best.”
“Being the best comes with a lot of sacrifices,” I began, seeing a lot of parallels with my job. “How… How do you…”
“Have a personal life?” he finished for me.
“Yeah.”
He shrugged. “It helps I love what I do. And knowing when to switch on and off. If you’re always on, then you get burned out.”
“Do you ever get hurt?”
“It’s fighting,” he replied. “It’s a certainty.”
I frowned, realizing I didn’t want to know what it looked like to see him with a broken nose or a black eye, let alone seeing a limb or two in a cast.
“You worried about me?” he asked with a smirk.
“It’s just… What if something happens to you?”
“It’s the same with any professional athlete,” he replied. “Injuries happen, J.”
I grunted, using a slice of toast to mop up the last of the sauce on my plate.
“What’s next for today?” I asked, blatantly changing the subject. “Do I get to go back to your place and have a nap?”
Ryan’s lips pulled into a lazy smile, and he shook his head softly. “Whatever you want to do. This is your week, J.”
My week…
I grinned, my stomach full and my heart happy. I liked the sound of that.
10
Jade
Thursday dawned, and as I opened my eyes, I zeroed in on Ryan, who was tinkering around in the kitchen.
Why he was always up before the ass crack of dawn, especially when we both had the week off, was beyond me. He was like some sort of energy source on his own, constantly on the move and constantly putting my sloth of a body to shame.
Just five more minutes…
I moaned and pulled the pillow over my head.
“Rise and shine, J,” Ryan called out. “Time’s a wastin’.”
“Nooo…” I said into the pillow before it was snatched away from me.
“You better put your bathers on, J,” he said with a wink.
“Why?”
“We’re free falling today, remember?”
“We’re going to a water park?” I made a face and immediately remembered how much I didn’t like swimming. Water rushed up my nose every time and burned the hell out of my sinuses. I’d made total avoidance of pool sports a personalized skill set during high school and beyond.
“The Adventure Park in Geelong,” he said.
“Did you ever go to the Cherry Berry Farm when you were in primary school?” I asked with a pout.
“What’s a Cherry Berry Farm?”
“That’s what it was called,” I declared, sitting up. “The Cherry Berry Farm. I went there on a school excursion one time. It was one of those pick your own berries kind of places, but they had one of those water rapids rides where you went tubing from one end to the other. I was a really uncoordinated kid, and my tube flipped, and I was stuck underneath while other kids piled on top of me. Took me ages to get out. I almost drowned, and everyone laughed at me.”
“Shit. I didn’t know.”
I shrugged. “Yeah, so I don’t go swimming.”
Ryan sat next to me and frowned.
“You know,” he began. “This whole bucket list thing… It’s all about doing the things you missed out on, right? But it can also be about facing your fears, too.”
I crossed my arms over my chest and scowled.
“I’m not going to let you drown.” He placed his hand on my knee and squeezed.
His touch sent warmth flowing up my thigh and into places I shouldn’t have been thinking about where Ryan was concerned.
“C’mon,” he went on. “It’ll be fun, and I’ve already arranged our ride. It’s part of the whole experience.”
I glanced at him, my curiosity getting the better of me. “Ride?”
“Yeah. Come see.” He grinned and sprang up off the couch.
I kicked off the blanket and followed as he flung open the balcony door, wondering what I was going to see when I looked over the edge. A Hummer? A limo? An Alfa Romeo? I didn’t even mind that I was standing outside in my singlet and knickers, I was that curious.
Curling my hands around the railing, I stared down at the street below. My mouth fell open, and I shot a glare at Ryan, but he looked so excited, I melted.
“A Harley?” I asked. “You want me to get on the back of that?”
“Sure, why not?”
I raised my eyebrows. “Do you know how to drive it?”
“I’ve had my license for years,” he replied. “You’ll be fine, J. You’re in safe hands with me.”
I peered down at the motorcycle and sighed. We’d done two out of the five items on my list so far. I couldn’t back out now without looking like a complete hypocrite.
“Bathers, you say?” I murmured. “I think I grabbed some when I packed the other day.”
“We have time to stop somewhere if you don’t,” he offered, giving me more options to not back out.
I rolled my eyes. “Thanks, Ryan.”
He laughed softly. “You’re welcome.”
Stepping inside, I flung open my suitcase and rummaged around in the pile of underwear and socks I’d shoved into the bottom. To my utter horror, I’d packed my black one-piece with the cutout sides. Great.
Ducking into the bathroom, I put on my bathing suit and pulled on a pair of heavy jeans over the top. Throwing on a light top, I finished off the ensemble with some ankle boots. It was a little hot for summer, but it would protect me if I fell off the back of the beast downstairs. That totally sounded like a euphemism, and I squirmed at the thought. The beast downstairs…
Oh, God, Jade. Get a grip!
When I emerged, Ryan flung me a light motorcycle jacket.
“Can never be too careful,” he said. “You ready?”
“As I’ll ever be.”
“Don’t sound so enthusiastic.”
“This is really scary, Ry,” I murmured. “Free falling? It’s worse than number five on the list.”
“The unknown?” He tilted his head to the side. “You’re more worried about falling than the greatest mystery on the planet?”
“Yeah. I know what’s coming at the end of the falling part.” I slapped my hands together. “Splat.”
“C’mon,” he said, picking up my bag. “Take the bull by the balls, J.”
Downstairs, I stood beside the Harley and studied the chrome and black with an air of trepidation. People rode these things for fun? I was sure it was handy when it came to parking in the city, but on the highway with a semitrailer right up your ass? Uh…
Well, it was bucket list week. Do or die or die doing…
Ryan folded our stuff into the saddlebags at the back before straddling the huge machine. Gesturing for me to climb on, I tentatively se
ttled on the seat behind him, allowing him to guide my feet into the right position.
“Hold onto me,” he said, donning his helmet. “Follow my movements, okay?”
Yanking the open-faced helmet over my head, the monstrous sound of the Harley roaring into life was dulled, much to my relief. I was the kind of person who plugged their ears when a herd of the wild beasts drove past.
Wrapping my arms around Ryan’s waist, I was overly aware of how close we were…and how hard his abs felt under his T-shirt. He’d left his jacket open, so my hands slipped inside easily in their search for something to grab hold of. My legs slid next to his, my crotch rubbing on his ass, and my breasts were squashed against his back. Yeah, super close.
Ryan steered the motorcycle off the footpath and onto the street, and we were off. We weaved through the city traffic, turning heads as we passed, and soon we were merging onto the West Gate Freeway on our way around Port Phillip Bay toward Geelong.
I clutched onto Ryan tightly, resisting the urge to squeeze my eyes closed. We dipped around corners, coasted past trucks and cars, and the further we went, the more comfortable I became. He was a really good driver, taking things slow to compensate for my fear of falling and scraping across the bitumen.
When we finally took the exit toward the water park and stopped at a traffic light, Ryan reclined back and grasped my thigh, giving me a reassuring squeeze.
“You doing okay back there?”
“Yeah,” I said, leaning my chin on his shoulder. “I’m okay.”
“Not far now.”
We took off once more, crossing the city of Geelong before arriving at the Adventure Park. Colorful water slides and rides towered over the car park as we gathered our things and walked toward the entrance. My knees wobbled as we went, my body feeling rubbery after the ride over.
Inside, we split up, getting changed out of our clothes and into our bathing suits.
Emerging from the change room, I spied Ryan waiting for me. He was leaning against the wall, wearing nothing but his swimming trunks. Every woman who passed him stared open-mouthed, even those who had children and husbands in tow. I couldn’t blame them. I was staring, too.