Chapter Seven
Friday morning, Doraydo, Arkansas
Juliana fretted over every single detail while getting ready for Diesel to show up. She wanted to ask him a bunch of questions—the ones she’d neglected to ask the first time they met, especially the one regarding the dark entity she’d heard was caught roaming around causing trouble in the Boogieman Affair.
She also wanted to kiss his hiking boots off and discover if he was looking for a girlfriend. If not, perhaps she could ask him for a job. No. That would be weird. The job would keep her here in southern Arkansas. Did she want that? Not up until she’d met Diesel. In fact, she had relished the idea of the money she’d earn with the article because she wanted to travel back to Washington State and investigate her own past.
In the meantime, was she looking for a boyfriend? Maybe. Someone to share her lonely life with? Getting warmer. A husband? Ding-Ding-Ding. Definitely.
She did want to get married, of course, and she especially wanted a huge family with a greater than average number of children, but until meeting Diesel a few days ago, she had expected to be alone for the remainder of her life.
Since that disastrous, child-hating boyfriend in her first year of college, she’d only dated sporadically, usually because of well-meaning friends’ blind date setups and never more than once with any guy. Was that pathetic? Maybe.
Miss Penny told her once there were worse things than living alone. Juliana wasn’t certain that was true.
While she expected to spend her life alone, it wasn’t what she longed for. Each year that went by without any prospects made her more and more sad about her future.
Juliana wanted a big family. She wanted holidays filled with lots of laughter, lots of family and lots of memories. She had no memories of her parents or any family members. That was why she was so determined to find answers.
She loved being among books as part of her regular job in the campus library, but eventually she’d have to get a job that paid more.
If she wrote a great article for Finder’s—whether she found evidence of aliens roaming in Alienn, Arkansas or not—the bonus money would give her enough to travel for a while and ultimately move forward with her life.
But for the first time since she started college, she wanted to remain in the area and explore the boyfriend potential she saw in the Fearless Leader of a famous local truck stop.
Meeting Diesel had somehow changed the anxious feeling in her bones that she needed to leave the area as soon as possible. That deep, annoying, uneasy feeling had been part of her life since leaving the orphanage. Something about Diesel made it dissipate. He made her feel safe and she wanted to feel safe. He also generated some rather salacious thoughts, especially at night, starring Diesel completely naked and in her bed. She’d never felt that with any other man. Ever.
She glanced at the clock. Only an hour until he arrived. She’d gotten up at the crack of dawn to prepare. Everything was in place. Juliana had even cooked, preparing homemade soup. She wanted to impress him. She wanted him to like her. She wanted him to kiss her again. She wanted to lure him to her bedroom. Should she try it? Would he go?
There was a sound at her front door. Was he early? Was he as anxious as she was to meet up again?
Juliana walked toward her entryway and heard something knock against the outside of the door. She popped it open without checking through the peephole, expecting to see Diesel, but no one stood there. She looked down and saw another apple with a single bite taken out of it dead center on her welcome mat. Again? Really?
Juliana looked to the left out into the parking area. Nothing. To the right was a central garden area between the apartment buildings. No one was around.
Miss Penny opened her door. “Hello, Juliana.”
“Hi, Miss Penny.” She picked up the apple to carry it inside.
“What are you doing today?” her neighbor asked pleasantly.
“Actually, I have a date in a little while.”
Miss Penny’s weathered face melted into a fierce frown. Juliana paused, struck by surprise. She’d never seen Miss Penny frown before. Just as quickly as she’d shown unhappiness, Miss Penny softened, losing her stern expression. Even so, she didn’t quite smile when she asked, “You have a date? Land sakes, child, that sounds exciting.”
“I hope so.” Juliana grinned, unable to help herself.
Miss Penny tilted her head to one side. “So who is this young man?”
“His name is Diesel Grey. He’s the…uh…manager at a truck stop.”
For a moment, Miss Penny looked as if she’d decided Juliana was only joking, but then realized Diesel wasn’t some figment of her imagination and was actually a living, breathing human coming to call.
Her wrinkled brows furrowed. “How on earth did you meet him?”
“Oh, I’m working on a special project for Finder’s. I went to ask him some question about Alienn, Arkansas.”
Miss Penny’s eyes widened. “Very interesting.”
“I hope so.” Juliana didn’t want to be rude, but she had a few more chores to complete before Diesel arrived. “I’ll let you know how things go.”
“I’ll look forward to that. I want to hear everything.”
Juliana walked back into her apartment, chucked the apple in the trash container and went to change. A thrill rode down her spine as she looked forward to her coming date. First, they’d chat. Then they’d eat. Then she’d ask him a few innocuous questions. Then she’d hit him with the hard questions and see if he tried to kiss her senseless again to avoid answering them.
Either he’d give her some insight into the rumors or she’d get to kiss him. Both choices counted as a win as far as she was concerned. She’d never been so eager to get a man into her bed before. Was Diesel the one?
Ten minutes before he was due, her doorbell sounded. She fairly skipped over to the entrance, opening the door without looking out the peephole.
There he stood in all his gorgeousness. In one hand he held a small bouquet of flowers rich with the colors pink and white. In the other he held a very large slice of red velvet cake in a clear plastic container. It was known in some circles as the state dessert of Arkansas. Juliana couldn’t believe he’d brought anything at all.
“Hello,” she said exuberantly, her eyes feasting on the gifts he’d brought. “Please come in.”
He stepped across her threshold and Juliana closed the door before Miss Penny could get a look at him. She heard her neighbor’s door crack open just as her front door clicked shut. Miss Penny could grill her later.
Diesel handed her the flowers and the clear container. “I hope you like red velvet cake.”
“I love it. Every self-respecting Southerner does.” Technically, she was a transplanted Southerner, but she wanted to be one and who would test her?
“Probably true.” He grinned. “It smells good in here. What’s for lunch?”
“Soup. I made it myself. Hope you like it.”
“I’m certain I—” He stopped talking in mid-sentence as he looked down into her kitchen wastebasket.
“What’s wrong?”
His severe cobalt gaze came up to sear her with intensity. “The apple.”
She placed the flowers and dessert on the counter. “I found it on my doorstep. I didn’t waste it, if that’s what you’re worried about.”
He looked horrified for a second. “On your doorstep. When did this happen?”
“About an hour ago. Why?”
Diesel spun around and marched to the door. Popping it open, he leaned out to survey the outside as though he expected to see any number of bad guys swarming the area.
“What’s going on?” Juliana approached. “What’s wrong?”
He stepped inside, closed the door and locked it.
“You’re scaring me,” she said when he secured the chain up top.
Diesel turned and put his hands on her shoulders. “I’m sorry. I don’t mean to frighten you.”
“What’s the big deal about a half-eaten apple on my doorstep?”
He got that expression on his face, the one that made her think he might kiss her to keep from answering her questions.
Luckily, she was right.
Diesel squeezed her shoulders and planted his amazing lips on hers without saying a word. In response, Juliana launched herself at him, wrapping her arms around his neck and clinging to him until he slid his arms around her back and lifted her to her tip-toes, all the while kissing her socks off.
<^> <^> <^>
Diesel kissed Juliana as if his life depended on it. As if this would be the last time he was able to before some unknown entity smoked them where they stood. Kissing. Gloriously kissing. His mind also glancing into a forbidden arena he shouldn’t dare contemplate. Not yet. Maybe not ever.
However, in his world, an apple with a single bite from it tossed on the doorstep of someone’s home was a veiled threat. It meant, watch out. Don’t continue with your current path. If you keep asking about this, or doing this—whatever it was—your life may be in jeopardy.
It was more commonly used as a deterrent in romance. Stay away from my love interest. But he didn’t have a love interest. Juliana was his only love interest. No one even knew about her, at least not yet.
He worried about her safety if they continued. Who could possibly know about them? As he ticked off names in his head, the number was bigger than just a few. There was Cam, Nova, Aunt Dixie, Paulo the truck stop clerk, Axel, the elder, Mr. Gris and, of course, anyone they’d told. His rather rash exit after yesterday’s weekly truck stop staff meeting might have notified a few more. The grapevine at Big Bang was healthy and well.
Space potatoes. A whole legion of folks could already know about this relationship.
His first thought was Cam, who’d been rather vocal in his disapproval of Diesel dating a human. No. Cam wouldn’t do this. Would he? Diesel didn’t want to believe it. Even so, he planned to grill his brother later.
In the meantime, Juliana tasted as good as she had several days ago. Diesel was definitely smitten with this very beautiful human. Cam had told him to get her out of his system. Diesel didn’t think he’d ever get her out of his system. Nor did he want to try. Cam could suck it.
Once they stopped kissing, if they ever did, he’d have to explain his actions and worry about the apple in her wastebasket. He’d gone too far. He should have internalized his fears at first and quietly discovered where it had come from. For all he knew there was a wasteful, spoiled child out there who’d tossed the apple after one bite because it wasn’t pizza or junk food.
But in this moment he soaked up the intimate time with Juliana, rubbing his lips over hers again and again, relishing the connection.
She broke away, resting her forehead on his, breathing hard. Soon she whispered, “I thought about kissing you all week.”
“So did I,” he whispered back.
“I missed you. Is that strange?” Her soft fingertips brushed along his jaw, sending his thoughts to a more wild and wicked place once more.
Yeah, I’m never getting you out of my system.
“No. Or at least I hope not, because then I’m just as strange.”
“Good. I think.” She laughed and eased away from him, yet still resting in his loose embrace. Her expression sobered. “Why were you so upset about the apple?”
Diesel contemplated any number of lies he could tell and get her to believe, but couldn’t bring himself to do it. “Where I come from, it’s considered a mild threat, especially where romance is concerned.”
“Really? I’ve never heard of that before. Is that exclusive to southern Arkansas only or elsewhere, too?”
He shrugged. “Not sure exactly. Might just be a family thing. I’m sorry if I scared you. I was just surprised.” Boy howdy, what a shocker! “It’s not like a mafia hitman threat where your life is in danger or anything. More in the realm of old wives’ tales and the like.” Sort of.
“Do you have a jealous girlfriend tucked away somewhere?”
“Nah. I’m single.” Not counting the unlikely but feasibly possible arranged marriage to someone on another planet—someone I’ve never met. Otherwise, no.
“Good. I’m single, too.”
Diesel leaned down and kissed her again. He brushed his hands down her back, pulling her closer against his body…for about four seconds until a buzzer went off in the kitchen.
“My soup,” Juliana said, tearing herself away from him to go to the small kitchen and tend to a steaming pot on her stove. She put a big wooden spoon into the steamy and heavenly scented concoction. She scooped a portion of soup into the oversized spoon, pursed her lips to blow on it and turned to him, offering a taste.
“It’s bacon, sausage and potato with vegetables.”
“You had me at bacon,” he said with a smile, leaning in to get a slurped taste of bacon-flavored goodness.
He moaned in appreciation. “That’s really good.”
“I’m glad. I’ll ladle us some into bowls. Have a seat at the table and I’ll bring it to you.”
“Thanks.” The table was already set so he seated himself and let her do her thing. She brought two large bowls of the soup and then pulled a sheet pan out of the oven filled with what looked like homemade biscuits.
The soup was delicious and the biscuits were divine. When they’d finished with lunch, she put the slice of red velvet cake he’d brought on a small plate along with two forks so they could share it.
Between the first two bites of cake, Diesel asked, “So, what is your article about again? Is it on Alienn exclusively or just in general seeking any and all information on bloodthirsty aliens trying to take over Earth?”
“Very funny.” Her smile could light up his soul. “My article has to do with either proving or disproving the existence of aliens hiding in plain sight. My former teacher—the one who recommended me for this project—wants me to prove it. He thinks the article will help sell more books if there is a juicy suggestion regarding aliens roaming around nearby.
“The possibility that readers could come here using a Finder’s book to see it for themselves would also be a boon. Although I can’t imagine I’m the only one he’s ever tried to wrangle into writing it.”
They finished the cake, Diesel offering her the final bite. Juliana took it and then scooped up a fallen glob of frosting with her finger, cleaning the plate completely.
She gathered the dishes and Diesel helped her carry them to the sink. Once she’d loaded her small dishwasher, they started walking toward the living room.
“What’s his name? Your old teacher, I mean,” Diesel asked.
“Mr. Harriman.”
Diesel searched his memory. He’d never heard of him. “Did he provide all the rumors regarding Alienn?”
“Perhaps.” Juliana looked a bit uncomfortable. “There is actually one other thing I meant to ask before I left last week, but I decided to wait until we were alone.”
“Okay.” Diesel straightened. Here it comes. He quickly rehearsed the company line about the Boogieman Affair in his head.
“Do you ever want to have children?”
His mouth opened but no words came out. Juliana certainly had the ability to take him off guard at every turn.
“Children?”
“Yes, you know—small human beings. They’re very tiny and cute.”
His brows furrowed. Hadn’t they already discussed this before? No. Wait. That had been a part of the conversation before her memory got wiped by the Big D.
Dang Cam’s security-minded hide.
Diesel closed his eyes and then opened them again. He fixed a stare directly into her baby blues and said, “Yes, Juliana. I do want children someday. I come from a pretty large family.”
“Oh? How large?”
“There are seven of us.”
“Seven? Really? Awesome.” Her elated expression mirrored the one she’d displayed the first time he’d answered the question.
“How about you?” He’d neglected to ask last time, thanks to octo-man ruining the mood. “Do you have a big family?”
Her expression immediately shuttered. “Um…no. I don’t have any at all.”
“None?” His cousin Stella Grey was an only child. Her parents had died tragically on their home planet, leaving her technically an orphan, but at least Stella had been transferred to Earth to stay with his family.
“Nope. I was left on the doorstep of a church when I was a baby.”
“In Arkansas?”
“Washington State. A very small place called Gray’s Harbor City.”
“Gray’s Harbor? I wonder if I have kin up there,” Diesel said, knowing full well he didn’t.
“It’s spelled different, but you never know.”
“How did you end up going to school in Arkansas?”
“I got a grant to go to college in Missouri. After I graduated, I earned another grant for graduate school here in Doraydo, provided I studied communications. So I did. I graduated in the spring with honors.”
“Was it alien communications you studied?” he asked with a grin.
“Perhaps. So, are you ready to talk about the Boogieman Affair, yet?”