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“Hey guys,” Tori yelled over to them. Trucker
waved and squeezed Julie’s shoulder.

“I love you, Mr. Castleman,” Julie whispered,
knowing how hard this was on him.

She instantly understood his mood. He wasn’t
off, he was scared. After all, he didn’t normally have humans at
his home. Trucker didn’t open himself up like that, but he made an
exception for Julie.

“What about me?” Jake whispered, leaning in
and giving Julie’s shoulder a nudge.

Trucker knocked him over with a big shove.
“Watch it, boy, I would hate to hurt you.”

Jake jumped up, swept the grass off his
pants, and gave Trucker a push. “Just messing around, chill.”

“Did we get here at a bad time?” Gene asked,
eyeing the confrontation.

“Just goofing off. Jake, this is Tori,
Tiffany, and Gene.” Trucker pointed to each one of them. “Gang,
this is Jake.” He pointed his thumb back over his shoulder.

“Truck, no wonder you like it here so much
with all these beautiful ladies around.” Jake sashayed over to
Tori, taking her hand and planting a kiss on it. Tori’s eye
sparkled. Jake was supposed to be neutral and less than appealing,
but he had more than his share of charm. Rolling her eyes at Jake,
Julie noticed something she had never seen before. Tiffany and Gene
holding hands.

“Trucker, you said you would help grill if I
got the food,” Catherine hollered as she motioned for them.

Even with it being unseasonably warm, there
was still a nip of coldness in the air. Trucker lit a bonfire in
the fire pit on the west end of the patio. As they all gathered
around it, Trucker grabbed Julie’s hand and pulled her to the other
end of the deck.

“I need to feel you close to me today,”
Trucker said. He squeezed his eyes shut. The force of his will
broke her. She was his comfort in the world. He needed her and she
was determined to not let him down. He pulled out a chair by the
table closest to the grill. “Don’t go far.”

How could she ever leave his side? She needed
him as much as he could have ever needed her.

“Mom, what are you doing here?” Julie asked
Ellen when she took a seat beside her.

“Trucker noticed you’ve been down the last
few weeks and wanted to cheer you up. So, his mom and I got
together and came up with this. Don’t know why Trucker insisted it
be a cookout. Oh well, you’re definitely his number one
concern.”

Trucker doesn’t allow humans in his home.
It’s amazing you got in.

“Do you like his mom?”

“I love her and, sweetie, she’s crazy about
you,” Ellen said as she patted Julie’s hand.

Julie sat back and watched everyone around
her. Ellen and Catherine was busy laying out the buffet with all
the toppings for the hotdogs and hamburgers that Trucker was
grilling. Julie concentrated on everyone at the fire pit. It was
apparent that Gene and Tiffany were hooking up; he was sitting in a
lawn chair with her on the ground propped up against his legs.
However much that revelation thrilled Julie, it was Jake’s reaction
to Tiffany that captured her attention. He hung on Tiffany’s every
word. Occasionally, Jake would reach over and fluff up Tiffany’s
hair. At no shock to anyone, Tori was not going to lay back and
accept she was not center of attention. Tori did her best to let
Jake know she was willing and single. Jake must have finally took
Tori’s obvious hits because he finally pulled her over onto his lap
and laughed. Julie had to laugh too at the homecoming princess and
the demon-healing angel. Trucker walked up behind Julie, and
quickly kissed her temple.

“You’re not having fun?”

“Yeah I am. Just realizing something’s.”
Julie leaned back on Trucker as he put his hand on her
shoulder.

“Good something’s or bad something’s?” He
took a drink of his Coke, avoiding her eyes.

“Good something’s. I should’ve never run from
you and more than that, I’m glad you caught me.”

“Always, Angel. Always.”

Julie stood up as Trucker stroked her
cheekbone. He bowed his head and rubbed his temples against hers,
nuzzling. His lips brushed against her ear. They both were lost in
their own little world when Jake reminded them they were not
alone.

“Hey, Truck, slacking on the job.” Jake
nodded his head to the grill, pointing out a flare up.

Trucker raced back to man the grill; leaving
Julie alone and wanting to join the gang around the fire. She sat
back down and tucked her chin on her knees, staying put instead.
She sat and watched the activities of a normal teenage life.
Trucker needed her to be near him. Surrounded by the people closest
to her, she never felt more alone. She was slowly falling into the
vortex that was Trucker Castleman’s life.

“It’s ready,” Trucker yelled across the
patio.

They swarmed the food leaving Julie spinning.
She put on a fake smile and went through the motions. As long as
she was Trucker’s safe place, she could never truly belong in the
human world. That moment she took comfort in knowing Trucker was
trying. They all sat down at one of the six tables scattered around
the patio. Catherine and Ellen sat at a table in the far corner,
which delighted both Julie and Trucker to see them getting along so
well. Gene and Tiffany sat at one on the other side of the deck.
Trucker, Julie, Tori, and Jake sat at the largest one closest to
the fire.

“So, how long has Tiff and Gene been a
couple?”

“A few weeks. If you and Trucker would come
down out of the clouds you would’ve already realized it,” Tori said
with a trace of jealousy.

“Sorry, I promise I’m back,” Julie answered a
little embarrassed that she didn’t know something that important
about her two best friends.

Jake moved in closer to Tori and scraped his
fingers down her arm. “Maybe you would like me to put your head in
the clouds.”

“Hey Tori, he taught me everything I know,”
Trucker added with a wink.

Jake threw a wadded-up napkin at him. “Don’t
forget it either.”

Yes, Julie felt isolated and distant but she
never felt more alive either. She caressed her thumb over Trucker’s
hand that was tightly gripping hers. He had breathed new life into
her. “Thank you,” she mouthed over to Trucker.

“You’re welcome,” he mouthed back, and swept
her hair around his finger. Just the simple touch of his hand made
sparks fly. No matter what else happened, it was right.

After they finished eating, Trucker took
Julie’s hand and led her over to the fire pit, leaving the clean up
to Ellen and Catherine. Trucker sat on a lounge chair and opened up
his arms. Julie immediately fell into them. His body wrapped around
her as he rested his chin on the top of her head. Together, they
stared at the flames as they swirled and danced around. The light
of the fire washed over Trucker’s face, highlighting the dark force
of his eyes. He held her quietly for the longest time; his breath
tickled down her neck as he pressed his cheek to the side of her
face. She tried to focus on how good he felt instead of all the
turmoil she suddenly found her life in.

“Care if we join you?” Gene asked as Tiffany,
Tori, Jake, and him gathered around the fire pit.

“No, of course not,” Julie answered.

“There are some more marshmallows in the
fridge over there.” Trucker pointed to a small, outdoor kitchen
before picking up a stick and a marshmallow.

While his chin rested on Julie’s head,
Trucker swirled the marshmallow in the fire. Julie was aware of the
talking and laughing around her but all she could think about was
Trucker’s hands as they worked the stick in the fire.

“We need to go,” Tiffany informed them as she
jumped to her feet. “It was fun thanks for having us,” she told
Trucker softly, still nervous in his presence.

“You’re welcome, anytime.”

“Are you ready, Tori?” Tiffany asked Tori who
was too busy eating a marshmallow off Jake’s fingers to answer.

“We’ll see her home.” Julie looked back at
Trucker who nodded his head that he would see her home.

“Bye, Tiff, Gene, thanks for coming.” Julie
hopped out of Trucker’s lap to hug them bye as Trucker choked back
a gasp at the sight of the glint in Gene’s eye.

Jake took Tori on a walk through the woods,
leaving Julie alone with Trucker. Julie somehow felt the safest and
more herself when she was alone with him. Trucker laid back in a
lounge chair, where he motioned for Julie to walk over to him.

“Hey, my love, I was wondering something?”
Julie whispered in his ear before taking a nibble at it.

“What?” He pulled her over to sit on the
lounger beside him.

“You can coerce me to do anything you want?”
she teased, as she took off her bracelet and slipped it in his
shirt pocket.

“Yes.” He raised one eyebrow and gave her his
little half grin.

“Like if you told me to straddle you, I would
have no choice but too.” She threw her leg around him, sitting
firmly across his lap.

His half grin had grown into a full-fledged
smile as he kneaded his oversized hand over her small, left
breast.

“And if you told me to kiss you right there,
you couldn’t say no?” She pointed to the base of his neck and
lightly caressed it with her mouth. She heard a half growl, half
purr erupt from his chest.

“Little girl, you know you’re trouble?”
Trucker had an extra evil shine to his eyes as he reached around to
cup her ass cheeks into his palms.

She slid her fingers into his hair and
scratched her nails across his scalp. “That’s what you say.” She
giggled when he slid a finger into the waist band of her pants. “I
was wondering if any of that power maybe had rubbed off on me.”

“I don’t know. We can test that theory.”
Trucker reached up to kiss Julie, but she placed her finger on his
mouth to stop him. She took his hand and traced his palm.

“If I was to tell you to rub my lower back, I
was wondering if you could say no?”

“Let me see,” he said and slowly slid his
hands around her waist until his fingers touched the base of her
spine. He guided her body closer to his, grided his groin into
hers, and then started trailing his fingers up and down her
backbone. “I guess I can’t say no either.”

She outlined the base of her neck with her
pinky. “Kiss me right there.”

“Yes, ma’am.” He nudged his nose along the
base of her neck taking in her scent. She felt his teeth scrape
against her skin. He pulled back and kissed her lips. They were
lost in the moment, when someone kicked their chair. Trucker cut
his eyes over at the culprit, never letting up on his kiss.

“Come on, man, you’re not the only guy around
here,” Jake said.

“Leave,” Trucker uttered, his lips barely
leaving hers.

“Make me, Tori needs a ride home and you need
a long cold shower,” he warned. Trucker let out a playful
growl.

“Let me borrow your keys and I’ll leave you
two love birds alone.” Jake elbowed him.

“No, Jake, not Tori, don’t bring her into
this mess. Please,” Julie pleaded with all she had in her.

“Relax, sweetie, just having a little fun.
I’m allowed to occasionally.”

“Jake, my keys are in the car, go now,”
Trucker growled.

“Trucker, I don’t like it. I can’t let anyone
get hurt.” Julie was still pleading, fearful for her friend.

“Baby, it’s okay. Jake has no plans past
today with your little friend. He’s harmless. You, on the other
hand, you’re skating on very thin ice.” He gave her another quick
peck on the lips and then shifted her off of him as he fastened the
bracelet back on her wrist. “Would you understand if I told you I
was just a demon?”

“No, you’re a man. A sweet decent man who
doesn’t want to hurt me.”

Her life was now interlaced completely with
his. Catching her lower lip with her teeth, she felt the tenderness
of his touch as he softly yanked at a curl and watched it tightly
coil back into a tight ringlet.

“I’m not scared of you anymore,” she timidly
whispered.

“You, my love, scare the hell out of me,” he
informed her, pressing a kiss to her forehead.

“That might be a good thing.”

“It’s a very good thing,” he said and tapped
her on the hip. “Come on, I’ll show you the house.”

“I’m not ready to go in. I still see Emily
here. I still see Todd taking that unbelievable jump.”

“I understand, but baby, that is my home, no
one is ever going to hurt you here.” He leaned down to kiss her but
hesitated before his lips touched hers. His eyes asking, wondering.
“Angel, no one will ever touch you. I would kill them first,” he
murmured. His eyes darkened but still crinkled at the corners as he
smiled. Her eyes boldly met his stare, and her lips parted as she
inhaled.

She nestled close to him to feel his human
warmth. “Trucker, you don’t mean that.”

He tilted her head up. “My love, I never say
anything I don’t mean.”

She gasped.

“Come on, you’re going to at least see my
room.”

She followed close by his side. They walked
through the back door into a big oversized farmhouse kitchen, an
over the top farmhouse kitchen. It was painted yellow with white
cabinets that were replicas of an old pie safe. It had a large
handmade farmhouse table on one end. It looked like a perfect
backdrop for a
Norman Rockwell
painting. They went up the
back staircase and down a long hallway. The walls were lined with
family pictures of both Sea and Trucker instead of those paintings
of his demon self. She marveled at the hominess of his new home
versus his other more formal home.

“This house is more family friendly.” She
nuzzled her head into his arm.

“I thought you would like it, it’s our
country house.”

“Yeah, cause everyone in the country has a
house like this,” she said with a touch of sarcasm.

“I guess you have a point.”

“I’m safe?” she asked. The sensation of his
touch rippled through her bringing her underlining fear to the
surface.