Page 28 of Maximus

I entered the clubhouse through the back entrance where I ran into King. He agreed to let Gia off for the rest of the afternoon. I think he knew I needed her. After running upstairs and taking a quick shower, I entered the bar like I usually did, leaving the kisses on the bar top. I hummed the tune about sunflowers in the garden so she would know I was there. I had grown to love that song by Vampire Weekend. In my mind, it was our song. It certainly evoked images of Gia whenever I heard it.

“Do be do be deep… Do be do be deep…”

Gia turned around smiling when she heard the chorus humming. She was so stinking adorable. The woman had my heart. Just the sight of her calmed my soul.

“Hey Maxi, how are you?”

“Better now that I see your beautiful face, Sunflower.”

“Sunflower? Oh, is that what you call her now? Looks like somebody has a new road name! Gia has been claimed by Maximus! Her new name is Sunflower!”

Her loud-mouthed friend, Chili screamed out for the world and Jesus to hear. Something about her worked my last nerve. It was like she had to be the center of attention. When men didn’t pay her any mind, it bothered her soul. I completely ignored her and grabbed Gia’s hand.

“Come take a ride with me. I need to clear my head.”

“I would love to, babe, but I still have a couple of hours left on my shift.”

“You don’t have to worry about all that. I cleared it with King. Grab your bag and let’s go.”

My Sunflower did not hesitate. She chucked deuces at her friend and ran around the bar to me. She made sure to snag her candies from the bar top and shove them in her crossbody bag before grabbing my offered hand. It warmed my heart that she valued the smallest of gifts from me. She never failed to show her appreciation.

I mounted my Harley El Diablo Softail and held my hand out for her to get on behind me. After Gia was securely seated, I started the engine and took off toward the beach.

“Where are we going?” Gia asked through the intercom device in our helmets.

“There’s a spot I heard about in Half Moon Bay called Tunitas Creek Beach. It’s a little difficult to get to, but so worth the view.”

“What does difficult to get to mean? Are you gonna make me hike ten miles to get to the beach? FYI, I am not a Marine.”

“Do you trust me, Sunflower?”

“With my life, gladiator.”

“Go with that feeling. I would never let anything happen to you. Not one of those gorgeous curls will be out of place.”

I couldn’t see her face, but I was positive she was smiling. When she wrapped herself tighter around my body, I was sure of it. Her arms were a comfort to me. Having her so close to me did something to my heart. It certainly took my mind off my troubles for a time. As we rolled out, headed toward I-880, I felt a peace come over me that I knew was due to having my girl with me. The hour drive was scenic and the most fun I had had in quite a while. I had forgotten what a good road trip felt like. It was so freeing to the spirit.

When we arrived at our destination, there were signs posted that the park and beach were closed for construction. That was of no consequence to me. The Marines had taught me to hike any sort of terrain there was. I would be just fine, but I would never knowingly endanger Gia. I would leave it up to her if she wanted to explore or not.

“Babe, looks like the beach access is closed. We can just sit up top here and watch the waves.”

“No way. You can’t go to the ocean and not get the total experience. I need to stick my toes in that water. Come on. Let’s go.”

That’s my girl. I grabbed my bag from the storage container and helped her fluff out her fro. Then I placed the crown of sunflowers in her hair. She transformed right before my eyes. One minute, she was a beautiful woman, and the next, a breathtaking Goddess. The kiss she gave me almost brought me to my knees. I had everything a man needed to enjoy life.

We headed down the slightly eroded trail that led to the beach. It was steep and even had ropes in place to help prevent slips. It was a bit more dangerous than I anticipated, which made me wonder if Gia would be able to navigate it.

“Sunflower, are you sure you want to go down this trail? I won’t think less of you if you change your mind. I just need you to be safe.”

“I can’t say that I’m excited to hike down this steep ravine, but feeling the ocean on my toes will be so worth it. I promise to be careful.”

“Fine but let me go down first. That way, if you need help, I can be there for you. Okay?”

“Sounds good, babe.”

We were halfway down the trail, and everything was going great. Gia was keeping up with me, and she even told a joke or two. I was sure to keep an eye out for any danger that may lie ahead. I hadn’t spotted any snakes, so that was a plus. Any loose rocks, I was sure to kick out of the way. Just as I rounded a somewhat steep corner, I reached back to help Gia. She reached her hand out to me, but just before our fingers touched, her body jolted backwards. The terror-filled scream that left her throat made my blood run cold.

“Fuck! Gia, baby! What happened? Are you alright?”

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