“I think you ruined us all,” Dave adds, punctuating the sentiment with a yawn.
“Drag me to bed!” Sophia exclaims to Javi and laughs.
We all part ways with goodbyes, and last birthday wishes to me.
My legs, exhausted as they shuffle from the elevator to my hotel door.
“How am I so exhausted? We were in go karts with little engines!” I exclaim as I push open the door, kick off my shoes, and flop onto the bed, dissolving into the mattress.
Riley laughs. “Ahh, you can always tell who is the newbie.”
“We weren’t on track for this amount of time on the other go-kart day.”
“Okay, fair call. I’ll give you that.” He comes up behind me, straddling me, and starts rubbing my back.
I moan and melt further into the bed. “If you start that, you can’t stop.”
“Not planning on it,” he replies, bends down to kiss my cheek before he moves his hands to under my t-shirt. His handsmove as best as they can, but my t-shirt is tight, and it’s hard to manoeuvre around. “Can you remove your shirt?”
“Convenient,” I tease.
“So I can do this properly,” he retorts and I can hear him roll his eyes.
“Sure, sure.” As I remove my shirt, he continues to massage my back.
My eyes shut as I relax and enjoy his attention, his hands running along my skin, smoothing my tight muscles.
Thirty minutes later, Riley breaks my drifting into a snooze with, “How about you jump in the shower and I’ll order room service? One of everything?”
Wiping the drool from my cheek, I lazily open my eyes and agree. “Yup. I won’t be too long,” I say before making my way to the bathroom.
Putting on the shower, I am surprised Riley hasn’t joined me, but I’m a little grateful as I am wrecked.Bring on a birthday evening on the lounge watching a movie, because that’s about the speed I can handle right about now, I think as I put my pyjamas on.
Opening the bathroom door, the lights are off, but there is a warm glow emitting from the lounge and Riley’s features flickering by the light.
“What’s this?” I ask as I round the lounge and see he has organised food and a small cake with some candles on top of it.
“A senate hearing. What does it look like?” he jokes.
“You didn’t have to do any of this,” I reply, taking it all in, moved by the gesture.
“I know I didn’t have to. I wanted to do it. Everyone needs a cake on their birthday.” He motions to the cake. “I will save you from my singing, but insist you make a wish.”
I smile and look down at the cake while pondering my wish. How can I possibly think of anything to wish for when I feel so content? Maybe some confidence to have a scary conversation with Riley. I’ll wish for that. I close my eyes and blow out the candles, sending us in complete darkness.
“Crap. I didn’t think that far ahead,” Riley says.
The hotel room’s layout isn’t huge and complicated, but in utter darkness, it’ll be easy to trip or stub a toe.
“Do you have your phone?” I ask, knowing mine is somewhere on my bed in my bag.
“Yes!” I can hear Riley pat himself down, then exclaim, “Flash-light!” Light from the phone coming on as he emphasises ‘light’.
He goes to get up, but I raise a hand and say, “Hang on, where’s the remote? All I want to do is sit, watch TV, and eat. Just turn the TV on for the light.”
He reaches around behind him and presents it to me. “Birthday girl’s pick.”
I turn on the TV to a streaming service and put on something I've watched at least fifty times before and rake my eyes over what Riley ordered, things he knows are my favourites;pancakes, a Ruben, fried chicken, chips, and the cake, which looks to be chocolate.
