Bunny was excited about the trip to California. Not that being with Bill these days was thrilling, but she had never met a big movie star. Sam Barrington was an A-list Oscar winner with rugged but wise good looks who always gave Bunny a pleasant tingle when she saw him at the multiplex or on Netflix. Bill, an accountant, had been recommended to Barrington by the actor's agent.
"I'm going to meet him at his place in Malibu," Bill told Bunny. "You want to come along?"
Bunny, having nothing better on her schedule and loving the idea of getting even a Hollywood air kiss from Sam Barrington, said, "OK. Why not?"
Their plane landed at LAX in mid-afternoon. Even in the jetway leading to the terminal, Bunny felt the oppressive heat. The pilot had called it a Santa Ana, apparently describing winds that blew across the desert and gathered heat as they reached the coast.
A young man in a chauffeur's uniform held a sign with Bill's name. Bill identified himself and the chauffeur led the way to baggage claim, where he grabbed the suitcases and led Bill and Bunny to a waiting black town car. They felt the harsh heat sap their energy.
"About 40 minutes to Mr. Barrington's house," he said. "And don't worry. The limo air conditioning works great. Let me know if I need to adjust the temperature for you."
They wound through the grubby streets always found near airports, then picked up the coast road going through Santa Monica and on to Malibu. The driver eventually turned into a small, heavily-landscaped side street that took them downhill and closer to the ocean. He came a large iron gate, clicked a remote on his window visor, waited for the big gate to swing open, and drove through.
Bunny lowered the rear passenger window and heard the surf not far away. She could see the ocean; they were above it, perhaps on a coastal bluff. Then the limo made one more turn and there was the house, a sprawling hacienda-style building that could date back to the silent movie era. And on the step, casually waving hello, was Sam Barrington. Bunny had to restrain herself from leaping out of the car and running to shake his hand.
Barrington strode to the limo and met them as they stepped out. He shook Bill's hand and gave Bunny a brief hug. Up close, she saw the slightly-wavy chestnut hair, the square jaw, the twinkling blue eyes that must have launched a million crushes among his female fans. Bunny said something about how pleased she was to meet him and how she enjoyed his last movie. As she spoke, he looked at her as though she were the most interesting person in the world. Bill said something about new tax laws and Barrington looked at him the same way. It's a gift, Bunny thought, like his looks.
The two men kept talking business, so Bunny broke away and walked to the edge of the bluff. The sun pounded down. She had expected breeze from the sea to cool the air, but then she remembered the Santa Ana. The wind was coming not from the ocean but the desert. It must cause fires, she thought, looking around the property for dry brush. Nothing nearby. The ground around the house was clear. She looked back out to sea and wondered how far it was to Hawaii.
Behind her, a deep familiar voice said, "Beautiful, even on this miserably hot day, isn't it?" Bunny turned to find herself face-to-face with Sam Barrington. She almost blushed.
"It's gorgeous," she said. "I don't suppose you can even go to the beach, can you? Crowds of fans and all."
Barrington laughed. "I'm lucky in the department," he said. "Look over there." He pointed to a small pedestrian gate the end of the house. "That little pathway leads down to the water. And it comes out in a little cove. Very rare here, because the coastal laws make it illegal to block off any part of the beach or restrict access. But the cove is natural and it's too much trouble for people to come around the rocks on either side. So I get a swim and some privacy."
"That is nice," Bunny said.
"You can go down there anytime you like," Barrington said. "On days like this, I usually swim very early in the morning, before it gets crazy hot."
"A nice way to start the day," Bunny said. Was there an extra sparkle in those beautiful blue eyes when he spoke, she wondered.
--
The afternoon and evening passed pleasantly, relaxed, California casual. Drinks on the terrace overlooking the Pacific. Barrington's cook asked if they wanted steaks, chicken or fish, and fish got three votes. It turned out to be red snapper from the Gulf of Mexico, broiled and served with a choice of sauces and fresh green beans. The wine was a California chardonnay. Barrington told stories from his movie career. Bunny was transfixed by the stories and especially by his roguish telling of them, always with that sly smile.
After dinner, about 9 o'clock, Bunny pleaded jet lag and went off to bed. Bill and Barrington stayed up to discuss whatever actors and accountants discuss. Bunny fell asleep quickly. She dreamt of love scenes with movie stars.
--
Bunny woke up in the half-light of morning. Bill slept on. Bunny stepped outside their bedroom door into a small garden. Even with Santa Ana winds forecast again today, the morning felt fresh and cool, the way easterners think the Southern California coast is all day, every day. It was not even 5:45 a.m. Bunny knew exactly what she wanted to do.
She put on her light blue bikini, the sort she would wear at the lake cabin back home with her neighbors around. Not immodest like some of the kids these days wore, but it showed off her sexy body. She kept fit. Her flat tummy and slender legs accentuated her full, perfect breasts. A quick look in the mirror, a matching blue cover-up pulled on over the bikini, and she was off to Sam Barrington's private little beach cove.
She went through the walkway gate and followed the path down to the beach. Just as Barrington had said, the cove was private, protected by rocky outcroppings on both sides. There was little surf in this spot, at least this early. There was no need to wait. The morning was plenty warm even though the sun had barely risen. She stepped out of her beach slippers, took off the cover-up and headed into the water.
It was heavenly. The warm and gentle salt water relaxed her. She splashed around a bit, then lay on her back and floated, her eyes closed. She lost track of time, but soon heard a voice call, "Good morning!" It was Barrington, wearing only his swim trunks, standing at the shore. Dear God, she thought he was handsome yesterday. Now, wearing almost nothing, he showed a fine solid body - not musclebound or overdeveloped - just well conditioned and energetic looking. The sort of body a woman could put her arms around, wrap her legs around...
Bunny snapped out of that reverie, found she could touch the sand when she stood up in the water here, and began walking to shore. She wished she had brought her tinier, sexier bikini, the sort of thing a movie star would expect. But Barrington smiled as she approached.
"You're an early bird," he said.