Liars and Tigers (7 page)

"I
don't cheat," Misha snickered. "I improvise. Try another bribe."

"You
don't care much for girly things except chocolate macadamia nuts," Alex
pondered. "How about a full body massage?"

"By
whom?"

"Me,
of course."

"Nope."
Misha shook her head. "I don't get naked in front of anybody, not even for
that. Try again."

"I
liked my first idea."

"Well,
I don't. Spanking is barbaric."

"Liar,"
Alex laughed, watching her blush. "You're curious."

"Am
not. You're delusional."

"And
you are a tease. Are we there yet?" he asked, enjoying her sudden outburst
of laughter. That was always her favorite question when they drove anywhere
together. She hated being stuck in the car for any amount of time, and let him
know it.

Twenty
minutes later, they pulled into a large, open field holding an enormous hot air
balloon. Alex leaned forward in his seat, his eyes widening with excitement.

"No
way! I thought you were terrified of heights," Alex said in astonishment.

Misha
shrugged. "I am, but the daughter of an old client of mine owns this
company and sent us tickets. I couldn't allow her generosity go to waste,
right?"

"Did
you know I've always wanted to do this?" Alex asked, opening her car door
and helping her out.

"I
remembered you making a comment about wanting to try this one day when we were
watching something on TV."

Alex
kissed the back of her hand. "Thank you."

"For
what? I'm conquering my fears and wanted someone I could get airsick on."
Misha shrugged, starting to walk toward the balloon area where the table of
cheese, fruit and champagne was set.

"I'm
thanking you for remembering something so incidental and making it happen. No
one has ever taken the initiative to do that for me before. I also feel honored
that you trust me enough to see you through something that you are so afraid
of."

"Don't
fool yourself. I'm scared shitless, even with you here. Oh, yeah," she
lifted a flute of mimosa to her lips, "by the time we are done, I'm gonna
be shitfaced. You get to drive home. Just pour me into the back seat."

"Don't
drink too much. People below the balloon won't appreciate you puking over the
side."

They
joined six other people in the large gondola, and all grew quiet except for the
sound of the torch heating the air within the large, hot-pink and yellow
striped balloon. Misha held Alex's hand in a death grip as they slowly rose
from the ground.

"Hold
me," she whispered fearfully.

Alex
gladly complied, and wrapped his arms around her from behind. He pulled her
snugly to his body. "Better? Nothing is going to happen, baby. Try to relax."

"Don't
let go," she begged.

Alex
could feel her heart pounding. "Look at how beautiful it is. There is a
layer of clouds over that valley that makes it look like a giant lake."

"I
can't open my eyes."

"Yes,
you can." His voice was soothing, matching the gentle swaying of the
gondola. "What do you feel?"

"Your
arms. They feel good," Misha whispered. "If I don't think about it, I
can almost imagine that this is what it is to ride on a pair of angel's
wings."

"You're
a little intoxicated, baby," Alex observed.

A
few minutes later, Misha opened her eyes and gripped Alex's forearm, which was
wrapped across her collarbones. "Look at that view. Wow…"

"Things
seem so insignificant when you look at things from up here, don't they?"
Alex whispered into her hair, his desire to kiss her growing by the moment.
"How are you holding up?"

"I'm
good." Misha tightened her hold on his hand. "I'm glad you're here. I
couldn't have done this without you."

Alex
felt a surge of protectiveness at her admission. It was rare that Misha allowed
herself to be vulnerable, and it thrilled him to no end that she had called
upon him to help her. He took the chance and rested his lips on her temple. She
did not pull away.

"Easy
on the nails. You're gonna take off my skin, baby," Alex said, patting the
back of her arm. She loosened her hold. "Mmm, you smell like jasmine. It's
one of my favorite scents."

 
"I know. I noticed you had the
bushes surrounding your office. Jack said you planted them there to hide the
smell of the elephant pen," Misha giggled. "I figured I would take
the chance and get some essential oil to try. I hoped you would like it."

"You
got this for me?" Alex said with surprise. Her openness also confirmed her
degree of intoxication. A sober Misha would not have been so honest.

"It's
subtle, though, right? Not too much?" Misha asked worriedly. "I've
never worn a fragrance before."

"I'm,
well, stunned. You are full of surprises today, Miss Miller," Alex said.
"It smells lovely on you. Especially right here," he buried his nose
in her neck and inhaled deeply.

Misha
giggled quietly. "That tickles."

"No,
this tickles," Alex teased, digging his fingers lightly into her ribs.

Misha
laughed, bending her knees slightly to escape his fingers. "Stop it! Don't
make this thing fall!"

One day,
Alex thought,
I am going to make you fall—in love with me!

***

"Thanks
for taking me. We should do more stuff like this together. Did you enjoy
it?" Alex asked, as they sat down for brunch after the balloon had landed
and Misha had tumbled from the basket and onto the ground.

Her
eyes were bright. "It was incredible! I feel so energetic and alive. I
wasn't sure you would go for it, but Jack said that you did parasailing when
you were in the Army. I took a gamble."

"He's
right. The old coot knows me the best. I've known him since I was a teen,"
Alex explained, sipping his coffee. "He and Dad served together in the
navy. Dad went into politics and Jack did his own thing, but they stayed in
touch. He took me on my very first camping trip when I was fifteen. Sure
enough, I got myself bitten by a rattler. Jack pulled that venom right out of
me and carried me through the woods to get me to a hospital. He hasn't let me
forget it since," Alex laughed.

"Jack
has a way of saving teenagers from themselves, doesn't he? He was the first
person to really believe in me. He helped me find direction. If it wasn't for
him, I wouldn't be here today. In a way," she finished her drink and
beckoned for another, "he saved my life too. I guess we both owe him. To Jack,"
she raised her glass.

"To
Jack," Alex agreed, lifting his coffee mug to her champagne glass.
"Ready to go?"

"Yeah,
we gotta get home to the fuzzy children. Whoa," Misha stumbled, "too
much champagne and excitement. Gimme a sec."

"Hand
over the keys," Alex said, steadying her, "I'm driving home,
remember?"

He
rolled his eyes as Misha turned up the volume of her stereo after they turned
onto the highway. "Turn it down, I can't hear myself think."

"Sing
along with me, it's fun!" Misha giggled, flinging her bare feet onto the
dashboard.

"Put
your feet down and buckle that seat belt," Alex ordered. "How many
glasses did you have?"

"Three."

"Total,
not just after the flight."

"I
dunno, maybe six? I like champagne."

"I
can tell. Misha, turn it off, please." Alex winced as a hip-hop tune
blared through the truck's cabin.

"I'll
find something more your speed," she said, flipping to an oldies station.
"How about that?"

"How
about we turn it off so I can hear the traffic around me. It's dangerous to
drive and not be able to hear horns or a siren. Please tell me you don't play
your music this loudly when you drive."

"Why
not? I can see the flashing lights behind me."

"
If
you are paying attention. It's not
safe, plus it's illegal."

"The
cops only enforce that stupid noise abatement thing in parking lots or around
neighborhoods, not while driving. Don't be an old fuddy-duddy."

"I
can't believe you just called me 'old' and a 'fuddy-duddy'. I'm serious, Mish.
Turn the volume down so you can hear a horn honk, okay?"

"But
I wanna!" Misha whined.

"I
said no. Don't pinch me!"

"But
you're so pinchable," she snickered, poking him with her finger. "Are
we there yet?"

"Home?
No. What is with you?" he asked, as she broke into a giggling fit.

"I
dunno. In a mood, I guess. Champagne makes me silly."

"Well,
champagne is gonna earn you a spanking if you keep up the bratting," Alex
said light-heartedly.

"Promises,
promises," Misha exaggerated a sigh.

"I'm
more than happy to oblige if that is what you want. There is a part of the
house I haven't yet shown you that would accommodate such a request."

"There
is?" Misha's eyes widened. "Really? Where?"

"My
bedroom. I have two giant walk-in closets. One for clothes, and the other for
playing. It's filled with all sorts of toys."

"Ooh,
can I see?" Misha asked eagerly.

Alex
raised an eyebrow. "If I show you, that means you have to try some things
out."

"No
sex though, right? Do I have to strip? I never get naked in front of
anyone."

"Nope,"
Alex agreed. "I am content playing without a sexual component. At least
until I am in a committed relationship. And you may keep most of your clothes
on to start."

"What
if I want something with a sexual component?"

"Mish,
I will be happy to give you whatever you want, but the fact is you've never
even worn a bathing suit in front of me, so how are you going to expose
yourself for sex play?"

"I'm
drunk. I do a lot of brave things when I'm drunk."

"Let's
see what type of mood you're in and we'll go from there," Alex said,
trying to hide his excitement. With her inhibitions down, she was expressing an
interest in his favorite playtime. He mentally crossed his fingers, hoping that
she would be a regular play partner. It had been a long time since he had
negotiated a scene, and he was ready for it.

Misha
chatted idly on the way home, reaching out several times to up the volume of
the stereo, and getting her hand smacked lightly. She giggled in response and
dared him to try again. Alex was game, and playfully smacked her thigh.

"Behave,
young lady. I'm trying to drive."

"Make
me."

"Oh,
I will once we get home." Alex grinned, pulling over to the Deer Springs
exit.

Alex reprimanded Misha for
trying to exit the truck without his assistance, and smacked her playfully on
the rump after she stuck her tongue out at him.

"Is that all you've
got?" she teased.

"Baby girl, you are
pretty much out of control right now. It's early still. Go back to bed and
sleep it off," Alex advised.

 
Misha tripped him playfully and pushed
him to the grass. "I don't wanna sleep it off. I'm not that shitfaced.
Show me your toys."

"I don't take out my
toys unless I am going to play with them," Alex warned.

"Today is a day for
adventure," Misha laughed, dragging him into the house. "How will I
know whether I like something if I don't try it?"

"It is not responsible
of me to let you play when you've been drinking. I'll tell you what," Alex
put his index finger over her mouth, "if you take a one hour nap and then
still want to play, we will."

"Really? Promise?"

"Yes. Now, let's get
you tucked into this nice, soft bed," Alex said, pulling back the sheets.
"Do you want me to get you undressed?"

"No! I'm fine,"
Misha said. "Are you going to take Rodin out for a walk?"

"I'll take care of
everything. Sleep."

"Just for one hour,
right?"

"Just for one
hour." Alex smiled, leaning over and kissing her sweetly on the bridge of
her nose. He stood at the door and watched as she snuggled in, waiting until
the even sound of her breathing showed him that she had fallen asleep.

Alex looked up from his
laptop four hours later when Misha trudged groggily across the patio and
plopped into the swing.

"How are you feeling?"
he asked with a grin.

"Coffee," she
groaned, leaning back and closing her eyes. "I love champagne, but it does
not love me."

"Just stay right there.
I'll get you some coffee and something to eat," Alex chuckled, standing to
leave.

"You're really good to
me, Alex. Why?"