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, anyonethey’dtold. 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 gettingyouout 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.
