Don't Wake Me if I'm Dreaming by J. E. Chaney Page A

dangling in front of him. “I want to keep you off that foot. Is this okay?”
    “Excellent seating choice.” I grab his tie and pull him close enough to loosen it.
    “Easy now, kitty, we have plans and timelines to follow.”
    “Plans were meant to change. Besides, I think a romantic evening in sounds appealing. Walking in these shoes is going to be dreadful.”
    “I’ll carry you. We have dinner reservations first.” His lips reach for mine, and quickly, I wrap my right leg around him, scooting us closer together.
    “We can spare a few minutes.” I reach again, trying to remove his tie.
    He submits momentarily, with a pleasured growl, and then eases from my grip. “I promise tonight, you’ll have more of me than you’ll be able to handle.”
    We hear a series of short honks from the street.
    “Our ride is here. Can’t keep the chauffeur waiting, now can we.” He smiles extremely pleased.
    “You’re not going to give me a clue?” I ask as he hands the crutches.
    He thinks about it a second. “I think not.”
    The drive isn’t long, before arriving at a small airpark. I can’t see much through the dark tinted windows and Matt hasn’t given me the slightest clue why we’re here.
    I wrap my arms around his neck and let him lift me from the car. He carries me the short distance to a very large basket tipped on its side with five busy men standing next to it. Suddenly, a loud generator kicks on, blowing air into a huge sheath of fabric.
    It is too noisy to ask questions but only takes a few seconds to realize what I’m seeing. The fabric gradually lifts, unfolding into a humongous balloon. A burst of flames emits from a large coil, filling the balloon with hot air, illuminating the many beautiful colors of fabric. Once the balloon begins to ascend the men tip the basket upward while another approaches us. The fan has shut off, making it easier to hear now.
    “What do you think?” Matt asks with a cheerful smile.
    “It’s beautiful. Are we watching someone fly?”
    He laughs. “No. We’re going for a ride.”
    My laughter is considerably louder than his. “No, I think not.”
    “Babe, it’s fine, it’s going to be awesome to see the city lights from the sky.”
    “Well, enjoy, I’ll be right here when you return.”
    “Don’t be scared, nothing bad will happen.”
    “Hi. I’m Steve, and I’ll be your pilot this evening.” The man reaches to shake our hands. “Before we take off, I have a few safety rules I need to cover. The first ten minutes, you’ll get use to the feeling of flying. It may be a little bumpy, but the weather permits for a fair ride tonight. Keep your hands away from mechanics, and if you notice anything in our flight path, please inform me. I’m familiar with landmarks, power lines, and so forth so there shouldn’t be any issue. And most of all relax and enjoy the ride. Any questions?” he asks, his eyes beaming.
    “How many times have you flown a hot air balloon?” I ask.
    “Uh twice.” he teases, but finds he’s the only one laughing. “I’d say over two hundred times now.”
    “You’re still alive. That’s a good sign.” I glance at Matt.
    “It’s okay, babe. You’ll do great. Everything will be fine.”
    The man smiles, reassuringly. “The odds of us running into any serious issues are not even a concern. My balloon won’t falter, and just in case, there’s a backup heat generator that will land us safely. Never had to use it, though.”
    I smile with a ragged breath. “Will we be able to see much? In the dark I mean? We could do this another time.” I shake my head.
    “Are you kidding, city lights for miles. We’ll be traveling at low altitude with clear skies. I think it’ll be a perfect night for an adventure. I have a few favorite well-lit spots I’ll fly over. Shall we?” 
    Steve gets into the basket first, then Matt lifts me over with Steve’s help before climbing into the basket.
    “Your crutches will be waiting for us when we