“Because I don’t think I can live without you for a day, let alone a few weeks, especially after last night.”
“And here I thought you were just being polite after a night you obviously didn’t expect.”
He’d started to say something about his cousin Stella, but didn’t finish. Then he surprised her by being very forward about his feelings.
He grabbed her hand as if afraid she’d run if he got too personal. “Make no mistake, Juliana Elizabeth Masters. I’m not being polite because last night was unexpected. And to be honest, while it was certainly unforeseen, I don’t have any doubts about what I want going forward. I care deeply about you. I have since the moment we met.”
Juliana was relieved. Last night had been, in a word, magical. She’d been drawn to him the first time she’d laid eyes on him. Now that they’d been intimate her feelings were even more entangled, not with whether they’d have a future, but what it would consist of. She hadn’t planned on staying in this area. Even Miss Penny thought she should go back and try to find her lost family in Washington State.
“The thing is, I don’t want you to get the wrong impression of me.” She gazed into his beautiful blue eyes. “I don’t usually…you know.” Her cheeks heated, but she didn’t care. He didn’t comment or smirk. He looked relieved and gave her a devastatingly gorgeous grin.
He squeezed her hand. “I know. Me neither.”
“Really? You don’t have a whole posse of women chasing after you, tossing room keys and underwear at you to lure your attentions their way?”Like a rock star.He definitely had rock star looks or maybe even movie star looks.
He made a face, laughing at the implication. “Nope. Not even close.”
“Even though every female you meet blushes her way through the first few seconds of any introduction, falling instantly in love with you.”
He shrugged as a half-smile shaped his lips. “All I can tell you is that I’ve never been interested in anyone like that until you came along.”
“What about the whole apple with the bite taken out problem?”
He shook his head slightly as if hating to be reminded of it. “I’m not certain what that’s about, but if someone is after me, it’s one sided. I don’t know who it is, but once I find out I’ll ensure they know I’m spoken for.”
“So until this unknown entity understands your feelings,” Juliana immediately thought of Alice and her poor attitude, “should I be worried?”
“I promise I won’t let anything happen to you.”
Diesel abandoned his empty pancake plate and moved to the stool right beside her. He scooted that stool closer, leaned in, hooked an arm around her neck and kissed her soundly. It was a passionate kiss, a deeply satisfying kiss. The kind of kiss that was about to lead back to his childhood bedroom for a duplication of last night’s magical affair.
At least until his phone rang and startled them apart. He rolled his eyes and gave his phone a stare that could melt metal. Juliana kissed his cheek and said, “Answer it. I don’t want to keep the Fearless Leader from his responsibilities.”
“I’m off this weekend. Whoever it is can just suck it.” The ringing stopped and then started up again seconds later as they stared at each other, her with general amusement, him with long-suffering exasperation.
Juliana laughed. “Answer it. Tell them you’re busy.”
“They know I’m busy. I’m afraid it will be some earth-shattering emergency that will force me to go into the office to solve it. Like my aunt Dixie has decided to streak naked through town for some ridiculous money-making scheme she’s concocted in my short absence.”
“I could go with you.”
He looked her over from the top to bottom, shaking his head. “You look sleep rumpled and far too delicious. I don’t want anyone else to see you looking so amazingly good.”
“Well, I feel the same way about you.” She smoothed a hand down her hair, feeling like it was probably standing on end. “I don’t suppose we could shower before you have to go solve all of your aunt’s public nudity issues.”
“Possibly.”
Diesel’s phone started ringing for the third time after only a couple of seconds of silence. He pulled his walkie-talkie-like device off his belt, opened it up and said, “This better be life or death with bloodshed involved.”
He listened and his brows immediately furrowed. He closed his eyes, pushed out a long sigh and said, “I’ll be there as soon as I can.”
At the other end of the line, Juliana thought she heard someone say, “No! Now!”
“See you soon,” Diesel said and snapped his phone shut.
“We’ll have to do quick showers. I do need to go take care of something.” He looked distracted, as if his mind was already on the problem he faced at work. He led her back upstairs and into his sister’s room. It had its own bathroom. “You can use Valene’s bathroom. She won’t mind. She’s about your size, although a bit taller, if you want to borrow some of her clothes.”
