Under A Painted Sky (Spirit Warrior Series) (8 page)

Logan looked at me and
said, “They are balloon chasers for us. They follow us around in case we need
their assistance and help us with the landing later on.”

I nodded my head as we
started our adventure ascending higher and higher until we were drifting on a
peaceful breeze. It was very close quarters in the balloon basket and Logan was
touching my arms and legs. I caught a breeze and I smelled Hugo Boss cologne.
The day just got better. I couldn’t believe it. My first balloon ride ever and
I was up in the clouds with the most handsome guy I had ever seen who was
touching my whole body on one side, making gentle pulsations flow through me
like electricity. What has this guy done to me? I looked up at him and he had a
smile that would melt even the coldest heart. He looked down at me with a look
that seemed to say I was the most beautiful girl in the whole world. How did he
make me feel that way?

Logan pointed to a
river as we approached. “That is the Rio Grande Valley.”

We went across it in
the cool, crisp morning air. We were at the top of the trees. Logan reached
out, picked a couple leaves and handed them to me. I couldn’t believe we could
touch the treetops. We were floating through the sky weightless like the clouds
and it was so wonderful.

Logan’s uncle told me
about some of the history of the area. He was also a jokester and was very
funny. We dropped down to lightly splash the basket in the river and then went
back up again. I sputtered with squeals of joy and Logan laughed. We continued
to float across the sky and headed toward the clouds. Logan turned me around with
his strong arm around my shoulder to show me the Sandia Mountains. I could
really get used to that arm around me.
Oh, there I go again,
I scolded
myself. The mountains were breathtakingly beautiful. It was so serene and
tranquil. The rising sun with other balloons around it painted the sky with a
silhouette that was major eye candy.

We continued on our
magical journey with a view like no other. We crossed over peoples’ homes with
them looking up awestruck, waving to us. This is a real friendly place to start
with, but in that moment, I felt like a movie star. Logan reached in his pocket
and pulled out these cards and threw them down to the kids. They looked like
credit cards.

Logan explained, “These
are balloon cards that tell all about this balloon and about the pilot with a
picture of the balloon on the front. They are collected by young and old,
sort-of like baseball cards. Have one, Isabella.”

Wow, this ride has been
full of excitement and surprises. This was an unforgettable memory.

After more time with
Joe telling me about this mysterious and wondrous place while drifting through
time, we started going down toward land. Our balloon chasers were waiting for
us on the ground and after a bump, we landed. It was a piece of cake. We
climbed out and my feet touched the ground, but I was already dreaming about my
next balloon ride. I knew I would do this again without a doubt.

“What did you think,
Isabella?” Logan asked.

“I think I am totally
in love,” I replied.

Everyone turned and
looked at me and I said, “With this ballooning activity.”

My face instantly
flushed at how my original words sounded.

Joe said, “I’m glad you
clarified that because I am happily married.” He flashed me a wink.

“It was incredible
beyond words. I am really mesmerized by this place,” I said.

Joe said, “You would be
surprised at how many people come here to vacation and never leave.”

“I can certainly see
why,” I enthused.

The guys finished
packing up the balloon. Then they told us to get into their trucks and they
would take us back to Logan’s office. When we got back to where we started, I
went around, shook the guys’ hands and thanked them for the memory they helped
me make for a lifetime. They gave me a SanDisk with pictures of our flight on
it, along with a certificate of flight.

We got in Logan’s
truck. “I’m going to call my office, so I don’t need to go inside unless I have
to.”

I checked my phone and
had no messages or emails. It was eight a.m. He finished his call and said,
“Let’s go eat breakfast.”

“Sure, all of that
excitement has me starving,” I replied.

“I know a place that is
good and close,” Logan said.

John Mayer was singing
“Shadow Days” on the radio.

I said, “I like this
song.”

“Me too,” Logan said.
What other music do you like?”

“I like too many to
list. I like John Mayer, Jason Mraz, Bruno Mars, Nickleback, Matt Kearney, Snow
Patrol, Default, and I love Adele and Rascal Flatts. I love music, so the list
just goes on and on,” I answered.
“How about you?”
I
asked.

“I like all of those. I
am kind of like you. I like some of all different genres.”

After we pulled into
the parking lot, we went inside and got seated in a booth. I didn’t usually eat
breakfast, but today I was hungry.

We ordered our drinks
and food.

I decided on a western omelet
and Logan had eggs, bacon and hash browns.

“It looks like it’s
going to be a scorcher out today,” he said.

“Yes. It makes me want
to go swimming,” I replied.

“Well, we could go in
your pool, you know,” Logan said.

“I think that is a great
idea. We could go back there when we leave here if you want, unless you made
plans we don’t need to cancel,” I said.

“No, everything can be
adjusted. I could use a swim to cool off,” Logan said.

“Great, it’s settled,”
I replied.

Our meal arrived and we
tore into it like hungry bears. We finished our food quickly and took off for
home.

CHAPTER ELEVEN

When we arrived,
someone was stalled in front of the gate. Logan got out and assisted them with
a jump. When he got back in, I said, “That was so nice of you.”

Logan said, “It was
nothing. If my wife were stranded, I would sure hope someone would help her. I
am just prepaying it forward.”

We pulled into the
drive and got out. Logan reached in the back to his truck box, toolbox, or
whatever it’s called, and pulled out a bathing suit and a towel.

“You really do think of
everything,” I said.

“What? I have to use
these to clean the pool at times so, I always keep a couple sets in here,” he
replied.

We went inside and I
told him he could change in the downstairs bathroom. I went upstairs to get my
suit and a towel. I put it on and a cover-up and head downstairs where Logan
had the music on already and was out by the pool. I went out and there was
Logan in his black and turquoise swim trunks and my face started to flush.

Logan asked, “Well, are
you coming in?” He dived into the pool.

I was embarrassed
because our swim suit colors are identical as if we planned to match.

I pulled off my cover
and Logan did a double take. We looked like lovers.

I slipped into the pool
and let the cool water wash over me. I swam across the pool and back again.

“This was a great idea,
Isabella,” Logan said.

“I’m glad you approve,”
I smirked.

I went and stood under
the waterfall off of the rocks and basked in the freshness of the cool, clear
water flowing down over my tanned skin.

Logan came over by me.
“Do you mind if I join you?”

“No,
not at all.”

He came to the
waterfall and I watch as he stood under it and the water flowed down his tan,
muscular body. He did not have six pack abs, but he was built rather studly.

Time was frozen. The
next thing I knew, I lost all sense of balance and slipped from having by back
leg propped on one of the rocks.

He reached over and
grabbed me and pulled me to him. My back was against his chest and I looked up
at him and I squeaked out a thanks. I could feel that my face was flushed.

Logan held me tighter
and whispered in my ear, “Anytime, Isabella.” He turned me around to face him
and leaned down to kiss me. My legs turned to jelly and my heart raced out of
my chest. I was powerless to resist. I kissed him back hard and long and then
pulled away.

“Have I done something
wrong, Isabella?” he asked.

“No,” I replied.

“I’m sorry. I thought
you really liked me,” Logan said.

“It’s not that. I
really do like you. I just needed to catch my breath,” I said.

“Oh, you scared me for
a second there. I thought maybe I was wrong and these feelings were one-sided,”
Logan said.

“You were not wrong. I
don’t know how this happened so fast, except we have spent long days together,”
I said.

“I think you are the
most beautiful person, inside and out. I feel like I’ve known you my whole
life,” Logan said.

“I know
,
I feel like I’ve known you just that long also. Even
though I have been married briefly, I never felt like this with him. This feels
like something much different,” I said.

“Any man who would
leave you for another woman has got to be out of his mind, so it does not
bother me at all that you were married before,” Logan said.

“How
about something to drink?”
I asked.

“That’d be great,” he
said.

“What can I get for
you? I guess you know everything that is in the fridge because you stocked it,”
I said.

“Yes, I did. That is one
reason I already liked you before I met you, because we have a lot of the same
tastes. I’ll have water, please,” Logan said.

“Water it is,” I said
as I made my way through the patio door.

I came back out and
took the water to the waterfall where Logan was standing and gave it to him.

“Thanks,” he said.

“My pleasure,” I
replied.

He took a drink and
then looked at me. “I’m gonna have to return your aunt’s money though. I’ve
felt guilty since day one for taking money for escorting the most beautiful
girl on Earth who I instantly liked,” Logan said.

“I don’t think you
should give it back. You’re doing the job she hired you to do. Besides, she
talked to me on the phone the other day and wanted to know how we were getting
along. The smirk in her voice told me she was trying her hand at matchmaking.
Frankly, I’m glad she did. I may never have met you otherwise,” I said.

“She really said that
on the phone?” Logan asked.

“Yes, she did. She
probably wouldn’t take the money back, if I know my aunt,” I said.

“Well, I will have to
try anyway, because I am happy to take you out any time, and I do not feel
right getting money for it,” he replied.

“Have it your way,” I
said.

“Thank you very much; I
do like things my way,” he said with a laugh.

“You don’t strike me as
that type. I think you are easy going,’ I said.

“I can be, but everyone
likes to have things their way when they can,” he said.

“True. I liked meeting
your Uncle Joe. He was very nice and funny. Is your father the same way he is?”
I asked.

“Yea, he is much the
same, except a little more type A than Uncle Joe. He works too much and drinks
a little too much tequila. His name is Warren. He likes Native American
artifacts and he loves my mother. They are still very much in love. It’s
embarrassing sometimes the way they carry on,” Logan said.

“So,
what about your mom?”
I asked.

“My mother is Lucinda
and she is the office manager of our business. She is a little laid back, but
she runs a tight ship at the office. She loves to travel, garden and cook. She
also loves to shop and sneaks off to do it and never tells dad how much she
spends or he would have a stroke. She simply says it is unhealthy for him to
know about every dollar,” Logan said.

“And
your sister?”
I asked.

“My sister, Megan, is
twenty-five and married to Jeff Barnes who is twenty-eight and they do not have
kids yet. My sister is the realtor for our company and is very outgoing. She
collects painted ponies. My brother-in-law is an engineer. He likes anything
electronic. He also works too much. He’s a bit on the geeky nerd side, but
pretty cool though, and he does love my sister. That is pretty much my whole
family. What about yours?” Logan asked.

“Well, my mother’s name
is Jacqueline, but everyone calls her Jackie. She has never worked outside of
the home. She stays busy with charity work and she paints a little. She has
been working on several books my whole life, but I don’t think she will ever
finish one.”

“My dad’s name is
William and he’s a dentist. He’s a pushover. My mom pretty much runs things at their
house. His biggest hobby is speedboat racing. He treats his boat as if it was a
child or something.”