CHAPTER 18
Monday morning,Julian—driving in the pouring rain which was turning out to be a, huge, three-day event—followed Petula at a distance that kept her in his sights but wouldn’t necessarily alert anyone that he was tailing her. He was using his brother Spencer’s work truck, which—if anyone had been watching and noting that he and Petula had been meeting up for dates—wouldn’t be on their radar.
While staying vigilant in the low visibility situation, Julian’s mind went back to the days following the Monday night gathering at Petula and Stat’s house where he’d been welcomed with open arms. That had been a huge relief. He hadn’t wanted anything contentious standing in the way of getting to know Petula, and his wish had been granted.
By the time the assemblage had broken up, Petula’s brother and friends had been tapped to follow her for the remainder of that week, with plans that they’d all meet up the following Friday night at the elder Sothard’s home on the outskirts of Bangor. There, Stat and his crew would enlist the help of those in Julian’s family who wanted to be part of Petula’s protection contingent.
As it turned out, that was pretty much everyone.
Petula, Stat, Blue, Dizzy, Tonka, Hazard, Pipes, and Sherbert had been introduced or reintroduced to almost all of Julian’s family. Everyone except Vincent and Seifer had been present.
With Julian’s parents, his paternal grandparents—because the older pair who live just up the hill, never wanted to miss a thing—and all his brother’s wives and kids attending, the clan had numbered seventeen. That had made a grand total of twenty-five people when Stat’s contingent had shown up. All interested parties, both large and small, male and female, had gathered in his parents’ house.
It had been a tight squeeze.
They’d gotten right to business, with necessary details being quickly revealed and discussed, after which all the people who would be protecting Petula filled in their names on a calendar for the days they were available. Final copies had been distributed with admonitions that if someone couldn’t make their shift, they were to immediately let the group know, so a replacement could be tagged.
Ellen Sothard had then put on an enormous rib dinner, for which she was renowned, using the industrial sized smoker in the back yard. It was quite the spread. Needless to say, the group thoroughly enjoyed the food, and mingled for hours together like they’d known each other forever.
Julian’s savvy mother, of course, had at one point taken him aside, a huge, beaming smile on her face. She’d asked if Petula was his girlfriend.
He couldn’t deny it, and didn’t want to. Julian knew it was written all over his face, anyway, and his interest was further evidenced by how much he’d lingered at her side that evening.
“Yeah. I want her to be,” he’d answered.
“I like her,” his mother had said joyously. “She’s lovely and down to earth, and she looks at you like you hung the moon and stars.”
Julian had scoffed. “Oh, I don’t know about that,” he’d hedged, but inside he was pleased. If his observant mother thought Petula was smitten, it had to be true.
Not that he’d had anyseriousdoubts. The kiss that they’d shared, and the way Petula wanted additional contact—not showing any fear—had told him he was more than just a casual hookup to her.
Unfortunately, they hadn’t been able to make their schedules mesh up again until a week later. But that night had been memorable…
Having finished their restaurant meal while throwing scorching glances across the table at each other the entire time, Julian walked Petula to the parking lot, trying to remember what he’d just eaten.
And didn’t that say it all? His brain had been so entirely focused on Petula, he could have been fed bird seed for all he knew. The only thing he’d been able to concentrate on was getting her out of there and into his truck where he could finally kiss her again.
Thank fuck she was on the same page, because the minute they were inside his vehicle, kiss, they did.
Frantically.
Julian was barely aware of the passing of time, but eventually, as libidos continued rampaging, he knew he had to pull back or risk fucking her right here. It took everything in him to hold firm when Petula whimpered at the loss of contact.
Man, his morals sucked sometimes.
“I’m so sorry, Petula, but I’m not cool with doing anything more in this parking lot,” he strangled out, feeling like he’d just sprinted several miles.
No.He wasn’t going to maul Petula in a public spot like some kind of teenage horndog. He wanted to worship her.Take his time and savor her. Make every touch they shared, memorable.
“Where then?” she asked, her reddened lips apparent even in the semi-darkness of his vehicle.
He growled, frustratedly. “Well, we certainly can’t go back to my parents’ house where I’m currently staying, and…do anything. And I’ll bet your brother wouldn’t exactly want us…uh, co-mingling within earshot of him.”
Petula giggled at his choice of words.
“But on that note, I have some good news to impart.” He probably should have told her over the meal that he couldn’t remember, but he’d already planned on doing an after-eats, show and tell.
“Huh.Thatseems like quite the non-sequitur,” she snorted. “But do tell.”
