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“What’s up?” Julie asked, flopping down on a
barstool. Noticing how Dan had an extra sparkle in his eyes, Julie
beamed as she haphazardly smeared grape jelly over a homemade
biscuit. The years hadn’t been good to Dan, and there was no one
Julie loved more. She would have done anything to see the smile he
flashed at her.

“I got a new job. A good one.”

Dan had to quit school to work and take care
of his family. A high school drop-out had a hard time finding a
decent job in a down economy.

“Yeah, what?”

“I’m the new paralegal for the district
attorney. Actually, I’m more in charge of the dirty work.” He
folded his arms across his chest. Julie gulped down a chunk of
biscuit. Dan had always been a blue-collar worker at best; half the
time, he was not much more than a temporary handyman.

“How did you manage that?”

She tried to keep her voice upbeat, but her
stomach told her it was more than a lucky break.

“The temp company I’m working for put in a
good word,” Dan said and took a swig of coffee. He peeked at Julie
over his mug. “You know his son, I think,” he said, sitting his mug
down and glancing off into space.

“Whose son?”

Dan ran his fingers down the seam of his
pants. “My boss’s.”

“Really, what’s his name?”

“Trucker,” he informed her.

Julie’s fork slipped from her grasp and
clattered against the wood floor. She sat motionless.

“Julie?” he said, and then hesitated.

Julie gnawed on her bottom lip.
What is
with this boy? Why is he slowly taking over everything?

“Julie,” Dan said again. “You know him?”

“Not really. I’ve seen him around.”

“Well, his dad said he was quite fond of
you.”

Hearing the front door swing open, Julie
jumped to her feet.

“Hey, ready?” Tiffany, her best friend’s
voice reached them before she did. Julie breathed a sigh of relief
and grabbed her school supplies.

“Bye, Dad,” she hollered over her shoulder
and darted to the door. She was obviously nervous about the talk of
Trucker. She just hoped Dan didn’t notice.

“Hey, if you see him, be nice. I really need
this job.”

She froze. “I’m always nice.”

“Be extra nice,” he warned.

“Dad, I don’t want to be late. I might go
home with Tiff after class. See you at supper.” Julie slammed the
door, cutting off any further talk.

“Chill, girl, what crawled up your ass this
morning?” Tiffany bumped her shoulder before getting in the
car.

“Dad got a job working for Trucker’s dad. He
was warning me to be nice,” Julie said and sighed.

“Oh, I would love to be real nice to him,”
Tiffany said and laughed.

“I doubt him meant that nice.”

“A girl can dream.”

Motlow Community College had a grand total of
one thousand, three hundred, and ninety-three students. That grand
total covered everyone from the fresh-face, high school graduate to
the retiree that was finally living out a lifelong dream. All the
way there, the girls were silent. Whether it was the first day
jitters or the dread of the unknown. When they pulled into the
parking lot, it was already swarming with people. Julie
unintentionally scanned the lot for Trucker’s car. When she didn’t
see it, her heart sunk. She had already been warned he wasn’t
starting there, but she still hoped against hope that he was.

Julie slammed the door of Tiffany’s pintsize
Volkswagen Beetle and meandered slowly toward the entrance of the
school. She wanted to kick herself; she knew better then to worry
about the likes of one Mr. Trucker Castleman. Nobody had ever
affected her the way he had, and she couldn’t fathom why. Yes, he
was beyond fine and richer than any other person in their hick
town. But those are things Julie never cared about. She couldn’t
understand her irrational reaction to him.

Lost in thought, Julie was suddenly forced
forward as someone crashed into the back of her. Simultaneously,
several things happened. Her supplies spewed across the sidewalk, a
large hand grabbed her from behind, pulling her flush against a
hard muscular body, and a rush of girls raced by. She turned to
peek up at the offender, and her mouth flew open as Trucker’s
handsome face smiled down at her. He was a potent force. She felt
an indescribable pull in her, causing her to shift on her feet,
trying to break the hold he had over her.

“Excuse me, I wasn’t watching where I was
going.”

Julie was briefly paralyzed by the mere sound
of his voice. Snapping out of her sudden frame of mind, she quickly
knelt over and started picking up her supplies. Bending down to
help, he handed her books back, his fingers brushing over hers, and
their eyes met. Julie waited for the music to start. After all
music always played in movies at times like these.

“I’m sorry.” There was something in his voice
that resonated with her. “I hope I can make it up to you.” Trucker
reached over and softly touched her hair.

Awareness of him crept across her skin. He
wasn’t just gorgeous; he was mesmerizing.

“You’re beautiful,” she whispered under her
breath.

“What’s that?” he asked.

She took in his perfect face. His eyes were
striking but held so much . . . She wouldn’t go there, and looked
away to reassemble her tangled thoughts.

“Julie,” he whispered.

“Oh, it’s nothing.”

She took one more glance at his eyes. All the
emotion in them was mind-boggling. She snatched the last book from
his grasp and hopped up. Julie started to walk away but turned back
instead. “Do you know where to go?”

“Not really,” he spoke, softly. He looked up
at her and smiled.

“You can follow me; I’ll show you.”

“I would love that.” He effortlessly bounced
to his feet and followed her to the library.

Tiffany, Tori, and half the girls there were
on his heels, trying to gain an ounce of his attention. He was
polite but really never shifted his eyes from Julie. Julie wanted
to talk to him, but she was speechless. She couldn’t even bring
herself to look at him. She flexed her fingers in an effort not to
touch him; she was dying to see if the skin on his face was as soft
as it appeared.

“The library is through those double doors.
That’s where you’ll get your class assignment.”

“Thank you,” Trucker replied as she pointed
over to a set of large glass doors.

He glanced back at her before she snuck
around the corner and into the restroom.

Julie needed to catch her breath. After
splashing water on her flustered face, she plopped to the floor.
She had never been the most outgoing of girls, but she was no
scaredy-cat either. She had never been scared of anything in her
life, except Trucker’s eyes and the way he looked at her. He was a
gorgeous man who knew exactly how to get what he wanted. Julie was
horrified at what it was he did want. It sent not only butterflies,
but also bats, off in her stomach. Why did she talk to him? The
last thing she needed in her life was complications, and Trucker
would definitely be a complication. She vowed to herself that would
be their last exchange. Period.

As Julie stood in line to get her class
assignment, she noticed Trucker at the end of the long table and
wished she hadn’t. He was studying her. She rounded her shoulders
and firmed up her jaw so he wouldn’t know how much he affected her.
Everyone flocked to him. Even the teachers were trying to get in
his good graces. He seemed oblivious to everyone, everyone except
Julie.

“What’s wrong?”

Julie heard come from a familiar voice and
felt a friendly tickle on her shoulder. She turned to find Gene
standing there. Gene had been in Julie’s life since preschool. He
was a nerdy, redheaded guy that was covered in freckles, and was
her favorite person in the world. She couldn’t help but smile when
she saw him.

“Nothing,” she said and peeked back over at
Trucker. He was picking up his schedule and a map of the school.
Trucker glanced back at her, smiled, and mouthed, “Hey.” Julie eyed
the poor girl that was explaining the map to him. She flirted
unmercifully, but Trucker’s entire focus was firmly on Julie. Julie
shuddered, grabbed Gene’s hand, and turned to leave.

“Somebody seems to like what they see,” Gene
whispered in Julie’s ear.

She elbowed Gene in the side.
What he
would like to do with me is what I don’t understand.

“Come on, we’re going to be late.” Julie
pulled at Gene; she wanted out of that room and away from
Trucker
.

Unexpectedly, Trucker appeared in front of
them. Julie tried walking around him, but he stopped her with a
firm hand on her belly. She closed her eyes as the smell that was
only him surrounded her.

“Stop running from me.” His tone was
demanding, but there was a touch of melancholy to it.

He stood mere inches from her. His eyes were
suddenly a flinty steel blue. She tried to see kindness in them and
not the sinister glare. He tipped her chin up with one finger and
forcibly held her gaze. She tried to look away but found she
couldn’t. He had a way of making her feel his demands. Julie had
fought them off before and prayed that she could do it again.

“I’m not running from you.” She somehow
responded barely above a sigh.

He leaned into her. She felt his breath on
her face. “Yes, you are,” he softly murmured into her ear. “Stop
running, Julie.”

The sound of her name on his lips sent
thrills through her. His voice was raspy and lyrical, making her
name sound like some treasure, rather than silly and eccentric the
way she’d always viewed it. She turned to Gene, wanting to run but
couldn’t.

“Gene, can we have a minute?” she asked and
griped his arm to warn him not to go far.

“I’ll be over there when you’re ready.” He
pointed over to a group of guys standing around a table.

She gasped for air and peeked up at Trucker.
His rugged beauty still stunned her. He stroked her face as his
lips twitched and broke out into a breathtaking smile.

“Please, quit running from me. I won’t hurt
you. I only want to make you happy,” he stated, clenching and
unclenching his fist at his side.

“Why?”

He leaned back into her. Brushing his lips
against her hair, he spoke lightly in her ear, “because you consume
my every thought.”

Her heart quivered. Her mind couldn’t
register what he was saying, and she fought back tears. She noticed
Trucker’s hands in a tight fist. She was not so sure he wouldn’t
hurt her in one way or another.

“Trucker, you can have any girl here. You
don’t want me.” She glimpsed over at the crowd and noticed a
cluster of fake-tits staring at them. “Looks like you already have
a fan club waiting on you.” Julie turned and walked away. As she
did, she heard a slight growl coming from Trucker.

Gene joined and followed her to class. They
both were at peace in their own quietness. She couldn’t understand
why Trucker said that to her. Why she had become the center of his
focus? She felt a tear escape, and she hoped Gene didn’t notice.
She didn’t get so lucky. As she was about to wipe it away, Gene
reached over and gently did so. Then he simply took her hand.

“Gene, I sense something in him. I know it’s
stupid. I’m just a freak,” Julie blurted out.

“Julie, you’re no freak. I know he scares
you. You can sense something about him that terrifies you. He won’t
hurt you and believe it or not, he might simply want you.” Gene
looked over at her, and she saw a special glimmer in his eyes.

“I don’t understand why he wants me.”

“Because he can see how special you are.”

Julie laid her head over on his arm, “Thank
you, you always know how to make me feel good.”

“That’s my job.”

*******

If Julie wanted Trucker to leave her alone,
he would try. He wasn’t so sure he could achieve it, but he would
try. He entered the classroom, paused, and leaned against the door
jam. His head tilted as he watched her. A beam of sunlight danced
across the room and wrapped around her, causing a faint glow to
bounce off her skin; most would see it as the sunlight filtering
through her hair, but he knew differently. She glanced up at him,
her eyes were wide and questioning. She brought out his dominant
tendencies. He wanted to protect her, take care of her, control
her. He felt his throat rumble. She could tempt a saint, much less
a monster like him.

He suddenly found himself surrounded by a
group of immature girls, all trying to get his attention. He would
had soon they’d all just roll over and die, but he turned his
powers on full blast and was his regular charming self.

Trucker had no choice but to walk by Julie.
It took all his strength not to grab her up and hold her close to
him. He worked to keep his thoughts on the mind-numbing idiot
walking by him. He believed her name was Courtney. She carried on
about choosing the right shade of lipstick or was it about the
pyramid blunder in cheerleading practice. He really didn’t care.
Julie encompassed his mind. It was hard enough when she was out of
his sight or even across the field, but to be only feet from her;
to smell the flowery scent coming off her, to feel her angelic
presence pulsating against his skin, and being blinded by the light
she emanated. He heard each beat her precious heart took, felt her
warmth wrap around him, watched her slowly chew on her lip. It was
almost too much to bear.

He had to remind his other side to calm down.
That was not the place for him to show his ugly head. Still he
imagined kissing the hallow of her neck and how soft her skin would
feel under his.
Get a hold of yourself, boy. You’ll get to see
her all day long,
he reminded himself.

*******

Julie met up with friends at lunch. They
picked out a table at the far end of the cafeteria. Julie enjoyed
talking and laughing with them, unaware that Trucker sat across the
room, watching her.