Unity

3. Private flight to Tulum

CHAPTER 3: PRIVATE FLIGHT TO TULUM

Brian picked me up in a limo on Monday morning and greeted me with a bouquet of white roses with long thorns.

"These are not as beautiful as you, but they have the power to show you how I feel."

I felt a bit light headed, and my primal self stirred. I was about to go to one of the most beautiful beaches in the world, with my secret gazillionaire boss.

Brian wore khaki shorts and an unbuttoned Hawaiian shirt over a form-fitting silk white tank top that showed off his muscular core.

He kissed me, gently, gentlemanly, as was his way, as if he were unsure of my permission to let him kiss me. As if he was shy. "We will have a great time," he murmured in my ear.

The driver took my bags. When the driver was at the trunk, I swatted Brian's butt. I couldn't resist. Maybe he'd think it crude, but I doubted that, based on things he'd let me do to him Friday night. "From now on, you must ask for permission to kiss me."

On the way to the airport, Brian had another surprise.

His best friend Jack was a pilot with his own plane, and he was going to fly us to Cancun.

"Really? A chartered flight?" I hadn't thought to ask about the flight. I had wrongly assumed he'd book first-class seats on a regular airline. "Um, are you sure you're not an ax murderer?" I might have only been half joking.

"Very funny. You hear that Chap?" Brian said to the driver, as he drove the limo away from the safety of my condo. "m'Lady wonders about my integrity."

"Nothin' to worry about, Ma'am," the driver said. "Brian is a soft as a pussy cat."

"Now, about the flight," Brian turned to me in the back seat. "Seriously, I hope it's OK. Jack is registered and licensed. Besides, there's no way we could get away with your dead body." He grinned.

I deadpanned: "Over my dead body would you even try." And then I grinned back.

"I've known Jack for a long time, Crystal. He is a great guy. Everyone likes him. He is extremely direct – some would call him blunt. But his heart is always in the right place. You'll see."

The limo air conditioning worked nonstop to blast away the LA highway heat. It was past morning rush hour so cars had thinned out a bit, kinda.

Trinity's office in Southern California was another reason I wanted to work for the firm. I was willing to give up the four seasons of the east coast for constant sun and warmer air. And there I was – with my gazillionaire boss.

I put one of Brian's hand in both of mine. "Brian, I have a secret to share. I'm a bit nervous. I have to admit that. This really is a lot to take in. I am holding your hand so I feel more connected to you. Because right now, I feel like this is surreal."

"m'Lady! Do not worry for a moment. You have my word: I will take superb care of you." He shifted to face me." "Crystal, I've been watching you for five-plus months at Trinity. You adapt well, you handle stress well. You are highly intelligent, creative, and adventurous. And you are downright beautiful. Please don't let my wealth, or my position intimidate you. Besides," he looked down at our hands, "I will always ask for permission before any contact, if that's your wish."

I decided the moment was too serious.

"Oh, I'm not nervous about you!" I lied. "I'm apprehensive about the smaller plane!"

Brian burst out laughing.

Indeed, the whole scene was preposterous – no wonder it felt surreal. I was flying to Tulum, Mexico, presumably on a sex-filled trip with my boss, who happened to be extremely sexy and wealthy.

By using a pseudonym and hiding his ownership from most employees, he seemed almost ashamed of his success. I wondered why.

I couldn't imagine getting serious with Brian. He kept many secrets and seemed to play them off as no big deal. I wondered what else he was hiding.

***

"You could've told me how ravishing she is, Bri!"

Jack met us curbside at the Van Nuys airport some miles north of LA.

"Crystal – I am so pleased to meet you. I'm Jack. An old friend of Brian's. So ... that means he tells me everything." Jack winked and rocked back on his heels. "Well, almost everything. But I do hear this is your first time to Tulum."

"Yes, it is. It's a pleasure to meet someone close to Brian, Jack. He speaks so highly of you."

"Yes, well, we go way, way back. Anyway, Tulum is a special place. Some people say there is a spiritual vortex near the site of the old Mayan ruins. If I can clear my head, I can feel the magic. Maybe you'll feel it, too. Sometimes Brian can, sometimes he can't."

Chap placed my bags beside me. "Have a good trip, Ma'am. Bri. Jack." And then he was gone.

"As you probably know, the ruins are on a cliff, overlooking the blue Caribbean Sea," Jack said. "It's a prime spot for any civilization to take advantage of that magnificent view. You, m'Lady, are guaranteed to love it there. Everyone does." He chuckled.

"And you're also guaranteed to fall in love with Brian. Every lady he brings there falls in love with him. Hell – it's where I fell in love with him!" Jack roared with laughter.

"See," said Brian, half under his breath. "I told you he's an odd bird."

I raised my eyebrows and said to Jack, "Oh? Tell me more."

"Don't worry, Crys, those gals were not for Brian. They're old news."

Inside the airport, we chatted about current events, Mexican dishes and music as we waited to be cleared for the flight.

"This is when I get serious, Crystal. I'll disappear into the cockpit. See you in Mexico."

With that, Brian and I were alone in the cabin of his best friend's private plane.

It was too good an opportunity to pass up – I had to see what the mile-high club was all about.

And I'm so glad I did.

***

Some hours later, I watched the clear aquamarine water of the Caribbean Sea come into view.

"Once we clear Immigration," Brian said, "We'll get the car and I'll drive south. Jack will take a nap in the back seat, if that's OK."

"Wait – what?" I hadn't known Jack was coming with us to Tulum.

"Jack can fly us back, and he loves Tulum, so I figured I'd get him his own cabana at the resort. He's a big part of my life, Crystal, and I hope you two can scratch the surface in a relaxed atmosphere."

My cheeks flushed.

"Oh no," Brian said, "Are you OK? Did I offend you?"

"I wish you would've told me so I wasn't surprised. I feel like I'm losing control over this trip. But, I guess I didn't put 'no third wheels' in the ground rules, did I?" I sighed. "Look, Jack seems like a good enough guy, but I hope he won't be around all the time. Only enough to 'scratch the surface' – as you said. I still have to get to know you."

"Promise – we will have plenty of private time alone."

I wondered what other surprises Brian had in store for me, and whether or not I would enjoy them. I sure hoped so.

I turned my phone on after we landed before immigration clearance. I checked the news headlines for virus issues – but nothing seemed new.