Big Secrets

II

*Maya's POV*

"Hi. I'm Maya. But you guys already know that." I say pushing my dark brunette hair with purple highlights behind my ear before stepping forward to offer the couple separate hugs. Sam being first.

(her hair)

"It's so nice to finally meet you in person!" Kat squeals after separating from the hug with me and taking my hands into hers. "It's also nice to have another girl to start hanging around with," She peeks her head around mine and glares at Colby, "once Colby starts bringing you around Vegas of course."

I laugh and turn my head towards my boyfriend who has his hands in pockets and his perfectly goofy smile across his face. "It probably won't happen too often for another year or so." I respond looking back at Kat and then to Sam who looks confused.

"I have a year left of college. But once that's over and done with, then I could potentially be joining y'all across the country." I say with my natural Southern twang. I drop Kat's hands before changing the subject, "Guys, this is Dexter," I say pointing to my big pup who seems to not want to leave Colby's side, "who prefers Colby over me when he visits even though my name is on his adoption papers."

The group laughs lightly as Dexter finally makes his rounds to Kat and Sam, both squatting slightly down to meet him face to face and pet him. "Why hello cutie," Sam says in a baby voice. "How old is he?" Kat asks. "He's almost 2." "2?!" Both of them exasperated nearly at the same time. I laugh, nodding my head, feeling an arm wrap around my waist knowing it's Colby. "Yeah, he's part Great Dane, part Lab. He definitely got the height from the Great Dane side but he should be done growing. Not as big as a pure bred Great Dane, but big enough." I finish my short explanation while resting my head on Colby's chest.

Standing peacefully in the arms of my lover, enjoying the slight breeze of the ocean, watching my new friends interact with Dex. That short moment of peace is interrupted by Colby poking my side, knowing it'll get me out of my little trance. "Baby, I think I saw the pizza man drive up," he says placing a kiss to my temple. I smile up at him, realizing how much I missed the small things he does to make my stomach turn into butterflies. I reach my hand up to his cheek and place a short kiss on his lips, remembering to savor every one of them during his visit.

*Flashback to May 2023*

"This fucking suuuuuccckkkksss." Colby groans as he digs his face into my neck while I sit between his legs and we watch the sunset on our last night together for a while. "I know baby," I hold back some tears as I move my neck to the side as he starts to give little sweet and loving kisses along my neck, not like the rough and fiery ones he tends to share in bed.

"I wish you could just come and live with me already," Colby explains between kisses. I sigh, understanding his want, as its the same as mine. "I know. I wish I could too. Just let me finish off this last year of school and we'll start making arrangements," I pleaded, turning my head as much as I can so my face meets his, "Deal?"

I can see a small glisten in Colby's right eye, but he nonetheless nodded knowing it was best for me to finish my degree after already taking a year off, "Deal." He places his finger and thumb on my chin to direct our lips together, sealing the deal. "Besides," I start as I separate our lips, "only your close friends and family know about me. It would be weird and come as a shock to over 9 million people if I all the sudden started joining the crew. We have to ease into it, like we talked about." I looked out to the ocean watching the sun just dipping below the horizon.

I could feel Colby nod his head as he leans it against the side of mine. "Soon enough babygirl, just like we plan."

*End of Flashback*

*Third Person POV*

The couple separate from their kiss, Maya taking ahold of Colby's hand that was wrapped around her waist, playfully twisting his rings around his fingers. A habit she always did absentmindedly but Colby didn't mind. "Pizza arrived. And don't worry, I had Colby send me everyone's preferred toppings," she says pulling Colby along side her, although it wasn't hard since he seemed to want to be as close to her as humanly possible, with Kat and Sam following them back up to the house, Dexter already taking off to it.

Once we step inside and shut the door, the 3 'foreigners' groan in relief. Maya laughs knowing exactly why.

"Maya, how do you do it?" Sam asks fanning himself down.

"Do what?" She lays out a playful smirk knowing the answer as she goes to answer the door, dropping Colby's hand.

"Live here. I mean, I understand California and Vegas heat, but this, this is waayyyyyy worse." Kat complains.

Maya exchanges the pizza for her signature with the pizza guy since it was paid for online already and all he needed was for her to sign. She shuts the door, bringing the 3 boxes of pizza over to the kitchen island for the group to sit around. "Well, when you've lived here for almost 23 years of your life and believe that anything below 65 degrees is freezing, you get use to it." She laughs.

She pulls out what her family calls is their 'fine China', but it's just paper plates and passes them around as everyone takes seats, Sam and Kat on one side, Colby on the other leaving the empty spot next to him available. Before taking her seat she feeds Dexter and asks, "Does anyone want something to drink? Water? Soda? Vodka? Tequila? Rum? Basically any alcohol."

"You know what I like babe." Colby answers peeking over at his girlfriend already getting to work on his Colorado Bulldog that she introduced him to back when they first met. He only gets it when she's the one making it though, believing it to be 'their drink' and keeping it sacred that way.

"Here you are, just as you like it," she passes off the drink to him having Vodka, Kahlua, cream, and a splash of Coke mixed into it. She places one down for herself next to him. "That'll be $10 please." She smiles leaning against the island with her hand sticking out. Colby turns his body to her and brings her between his legs. "Will this pay for the drink?" He asks as he brings his hand to the side of her neck with his thumb caressing her cheek and placing a loving kiss on her lips, showing more passion than before, but not making it rough. They separate with smiles and their similar blue eyes meeting. "I guess that'll do," she leans back in for a quick peck before whispering in his ear, "for now."

That made Colby quirk an eyebrow real quick as his girl stepped away from him asking his friends what their drinks of choices were. Colby couldn't help but stare her down, slowly eyeing every one of her curves that he knew all too well, even if they were clothed.

"Damn, I forgot. You're a bartender, right?" Sam asks. Maya nods her head. "Anything you ask for, I more than likely have in these cabinets," she explains smacking her hand onto the cabinets behind her. "Got anything for a margarita?" Kat asks as the unfamiliar topic of Maya being a bartender peaks her interest. Maya nods, I can do regular, peach, or strawberry." She walks backwards picking out a bottle of tequila. "Oooo! Peach please!" Kat says excitedly before starting on the food on her plate.

"I'll just take a beer for right now," Sam states. Maya opens up a long cabinet that's actually a hidden refrigerator, "Take your pick." As Sam picks out his beer, Maya works on Kat's margarita.

"I didn't know you were a bartender Maya."

Maya looks back at the girl with her eyebrow raised, "Really? I assumed you knew since Colby told you how we met."

Kat shakes her head no, chewing and swallowing the bite of pizza she had in her mouth before speaking, "No, he just told me he met you at a bar. He didn't tell me the events that took place on how you met though. Were you his bartender?" She asks as Maya hands over the finished peach margarita while nodding her head. "Yup. And quite the flirt he was." Maya giggles taking a seat next to her boyfriend who had pizza stuffed in his face.

Colby lifts a finger and speaks once most of the food in downed, "You say flirt, I say that I was just forward."

"Wow this is really good Maya!" Katrina's eyes widen as she takes more sips. "Alright, I have to know the story."