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“I’m going wherever you are. It’s that
simple” He took her hand in his. Her heart fluttered at that simple
gesture.

“Do you know how to get there?” she wondered.
After all, he was new to town.

“Yeah, that’s where I’m staying while my
house is being built. My dad has an apartment there.”

“Tori told me about your new house. She said
it was something.”

Actually, everyone had talked about it. Julie
had even driven by it on numerous occasions. It was being built
right outside of town. In her opinion, it wasn’t just a home, but
more a mission statement. It was running a close race at being the
biggest building in town, including the high school and
courthouse.

“Don’t let the surface fool you. I would
rather have a home like yours.” His confidence was gone, and his
body language broke her heart. His normal proud demure was weighted
in defeat, his shoulders slumped, and his head tucked into his
chest. It was the first time that Julie got a glimpse at his lost
little boy look. It was that look that had fully stolen her heart.
She sat there watching him, and at that moment she was his to
control.
Oh sweetie, what are you hiding behind that perfect
facade?

“I have something for you.” He was obviously
trying to change the subject. Julie would change anything to erase
the hopelessness on his face.

He reached in the backseat, snagged an old,
tattered book, and placed it in her lap. It was an original copy of
the works of Walt Whitman.

“I thought you might like to see that. My mom
gave it to me a few Christmas ago.”

She thumbed through the pages, scared of
ripping them. Her granny use to read old poems to her, and Whitman
was always her favorite poet.

“
Passing stranger! You do not know how
longingly I look upon you. You must be she I was seeking. I have
somewhere surely lived a life of joy with you. All is recalled as
we flit by each other, fluid, affectionate, chaste, matured. You
grew up with me, were a girl with me. I ate with you and slept with
you, your body has become not yours only nor left my body mine
only. You give me the pleasure of your eyes, face, flesh, as we
pass, you take of my beard, breast, hands; in return, I am not to
speak to you. I am to think of you when I sit alone or wake at
night alone. I am to wait. I do not doubt I am to meet you again, I
am to see to it that I do not lose you.”
His voice was eerily
cool and collected. He glared out the windshield, his face hard.
However, each beat of his soul was heard in every word as he
spoke.

“Wow, that’s
Walt Whitman’s ‘To a
stranger!’
That’s one of my favorites,” Julie stated. “Keep
quoting poetry like that, and you will have Ms. Wirwa, our English
professor, wrapped around your little finger.”

“Maybe. But the difference is I mean it when
I quote it to you.” He slightly turned his head. He didn’t smile,
but every emotion she heard in his voice now flowed from his face.
She squeezed his hand, rubbing her thumb down the base of it. She
wanted to show him what she didn’t know how to say. A smile lit up
his eyes till the sinister look in them was almost gone. She
couldn’t help but feel safe and desired when he looked at her like
that. She was ready to share her whole life with him, not caring
what she sensed in him. She prayed he truly wanted her to be a part
of his world.

Chapter 5

They drew closer to town; Julie noticed he
was driving directly to the building site that was soon to be his
new home. He switched on the sound system. The car was suddenly
filled with a beautiful, haunting tune. It was ethereal, tranquil,
sad, and uplifting all at the same time. She sat back and let the
enchanting melody wash over her. She felt her tension descending,
and noticed Trucker’s tight grip around the steering wheel
relaxing.

“What’s that song? It’s beautiful,” she
asked, seeing it brought Trucker some measure of peace.

“Sarah Brightman’s Music of the Night.” He
cocked his head and gave her an enchanting half grin. “Not what you
expected? My music taste is not the oddest thing about me.”

As he drove, Trucker drummed his finger over
the steering wheel in time with the music. All the sudden, he
switched the sound system off and stared out into space.

“Can I show you something?”

“Yeah, what?” She looked over at him, unsure
of his recent shift in mood.

He held her hand and made soothing strokes
over it with his thumb. His eyes had a deep crease between them and
his smile was completely gone. She looked at him. An extraordinary
man who found favor with her, but held so much sadness.

“It’s a place I found here, on the backside
of our estate.” He hesitated.

Wanting to reach out to him, her hand
betrayed her. The more she craved the touch of his face, the harder
she clutched her jeans, until her fingers ached. “This place is
special to you?” she asked, trying to sound happy and upbeat. She
wasn’t fooling him. He seemed to always sense her true mood.

“Yeah, it’s almost as beautiful as you.” He
looked at her with such longing, but still his eyes had a hint of
grief. “It’s where I go when I need to think . . . to get
away.”

“Let’s go then,” she said, and smiled,
really smiled. He wanted her to see his safe place.

They rode in silence all the way there. His
hand never eased up on the grip it had over hers. She felt him
tense up almost in despair when he caught a glimpse of his new
home. He turned down a side gravel road right before they got to
the house.

“I like to walk and clear my head. I found
this place and it has become my refuge from all the craziness in my
life.”

“You’re sure you want me to see it?” She
caressed his face, the face of a wounded god. “It sounds special to
you.”

“Yes,” he answered as he leaned into her
fingers. “Because you’re my safe place now.” His often-brooding
eyes pierced through her heart. “I need you now. I should’ve walked
away, ignored you.” He shook his head as if that thought was more
than he could bear. “But it’s too late, I can’t leave now.”

“Then don’t,” she replied. She bit her lip
to keep from adding more.

They parked on a road that led to a field.
Everywhere that her eyes wandered was cotton. She wondered what was
so special about that one place. One look at his sneaky grin and
she knew that something about that place was magical.

“We’re going to have to walk to it. This car
was built for speed, not dirt roads.”

Julie reached for the door to get out as he
grabbed her arm.

“Doors are my job,” he said. “I know you
don’t like attention and being spoiled, but get used to it, you’re
my girl now.” He smiled as she lowered her head in embarrassment.
He kissed her heated cheeks before letting go of her arm, and
climbed out of the car. His baffling speed was replaced with
deliberate slowness. He crept around the car, his gaze never
leaving her.

“I’m not helpless, you know,” she stated as
he helped her from the car.

“I know, but it’s my job to take care of
you, so please let me do it.”

He pressed his forehead into hers and his
aroma hit her. It was his same matchless smell but in a more
concentrated form. Breathing in his scent, she knew arguing with
him was a moot point. He pulled away and put his hands on either
side of her face.

“Don’t leave,” he whispered.

“What do you mean leave?”

“Leave me, please Angel, never leave me,” he
pleaded. “Be mine forever,” he breathed in her ear, taking a soft
bite of it.

She nodded with a sudden realization he
sensed the same magnetic pull she felt. She swept her fingers
through his hair. He gripped her hand, firmly placing it on his
cheek, and took a few deep breaths to work through some unseen
torment.

Julie didn’t ask any questions; the look in
his eyes told her all she needed to know. He wanted her.

They walked hand in hand a short piece
through the cotton field, when they came upon a rather large
fencerow. He guided her through a narrow dirt path toward a dense
overgrowth of twigs and vines. Trucker blocked her face from the
overhanging branches as they ducked around the trees. Something
about this place felt off to her. Julie wanted to check her cell
service, just in case. But who would she call? “Hey Tori, hey Tiff,
Trucker is carrying me off to the woods. Send help.” She clung
tighter to him, knowing her only option was to trust him.

Finally breaking through the last line of
trees, she saw it. A captivating pond tucked closely to the side of
a cliff. The wind moved over the water that glistened like a
million diamonds dancing in the sunlight. Trees of every kind
loomed over the water as if they were trying to protect it. It was
inundated with wild flowers. She heard the ‘plopping’ sound of the
fish as they broke the surface of the water. A dole of doves
circled overhead. It was enchanting; she felt as if she had stepped
into a fairy tale. Her own personal Garden of Eden.

“It’s beautiful.” Julie twirled around,
trying to take it all in. “But, I thought it was just a place you
came too,” she said, eyeing a spot of freshly cut grass under a
massive weeping willow tree.

“Silly girl, I know how to mow and use a
weed eater.” He laughed. “I’m not helpless either.”

“Oh.” She blushed.

He stroked over her freshly scarlet colored
cheeks. “You know you don’t need any make up. You’re flawless.”

“Sure, Sure.” She laughed trying to make
light of what he said, but secretly it thrilled her. He intertwined
his fingers with hers and led her to sit in the clearing. They just
sat there looking at each other for an immeasurable period of time,
his hand caressing her cheeks and hair.

She finally reached up to touch his face and
he hummed. He leaned his head over onto her hand and closed his
eyes. She traced his features with her other hand; his skin felt
like silk under her fingertips.

“That feels wonderful,” he sighed.

“Why me?” she asked.

He stared intently into her eyes. “I was
drawn to you, I had to be next to you,” he said, seriously.

“But why do you like me so much?” she asked,
scared of the answer.

In one swift movement, he was on his back
with her draped over him. She held her head up, and gazed into the
eyes that often scared her, but at that moment brought her
comfort.

“Angel, I have never seen anybody else like
you.” The corner of his eyes scrunched as his face lit up with his
smile. “You’re beautiful, yet you’re too humble to see it. I love
how you bite your nails when you’re nervous. How you are biting
your lip now. How you blush at the smallest thing. You wasted time
putting on make-up this morning. Yet, you’ve never once today
checked it. You’re dressed in a T-shirt and cutoff jeans. Most
girls will only wear designer clothes around me. You treat me like
a real person. When I look at you, you take my breath away.” He
paused and started lightly rubbing her back with his powerful,
strong hands. She could see he was trying to get his words formed.
“I see things others can’t. You know why I also call you angel?” he
asked causing her to shake her head. “You can’t see how your
innocence radiates from you, but I can . . . the first day I saw
you.”

“Yes.” She could hardly speak.

“I saw something in you and knew I wanted to
be near you, with you. I had no choice.” He paused and looked deep
into her eyes. “You make me feel good. You make me feel human.”

“You are human.” She laid her head on his
chest to avoid his stare and to smell him. She had never been sure
of anything in her life until now. She wanted this boy desperately,
and he wanted her. They lay there, him rubbing her back. He stroked
her hair; the heat from his hand was relaxing. Julie needed to get
up, but didn’t want to move one inch from his body.

“I don’t want to get up,” she whispered.

“I don’t want you to either,” he said and
kissed the top of her head. “Ever.”

Julie fiddled with a leather band on
Trucker’s wrist. All the tension of the last few weeks evaporated
from them. The sun started to set in the west. If they were to meet
her friends as promised they needed to get up.

“What time is it?”

Trucker held up his other arm and twisted
around an impressive gold watch. “About six thirty.”

“Shoot, I’ve got to meet . . .” Julie said
in a haste and started to sit up.

Trucker followed her lead. Julie was on her
knees wiping the dust from her jeans. He hooked his finger through
her belt loop and pulled her back down to the ground.

“Can I do something first?”

“What?”

“This,” he breathed as his lips parted ever
so slightly. He tilted his head into hers. She put up her arm to
stop him.

“You won’t like it,” she told him.

“Like what?” he asked as he slowly moved
closer to her.

“My kisses.” She hesitated for a second.
“I’ve never kissed anyone before.” She cast her eyes down to avoid
his glare.

*******

“You haven’t?” he asked, stunned motionless.
He pushed a stray curl out of her eyes and for the first time in
his life, he felt guilty. He should leave, but what would that do
to him. He put his hand under her chin and slowly raised her head.
He took in the beauty of her face. He never wanted anything more.
Memories of kissing a hundred nameless faces flooded his mind along
with all the pain he inflicted, but he truly cared about the one
face that was looking back at him, his Julie. His eyes locked with
hers.

“Close your eyes, my sweet Angel.” He
caressed his nose along the base of her neck. “I’m going to kiss
you now,” he lightly whispered in her ear.

Her lashes lowered as his lips stroked over
hers. He heard a moan come up from somewhere deep inside of her.
Looping his arm around her waist, he drew her closer to him. He
moved his lips over hers with the lightest of touch. He was
worshipping her mouth and could easily lose himself forever in the
feel of her lips brushing over his. It was as though she touched
the very essence of him. He felt her fingers as she ran them
through his hair. His arms got tight around her waist and his kiss
got harder. They were about to cross a line. He promised himself
that there would be no regrets when it came to her. So he lightly
kissed her lip, her nose, and pulled away. If he lived forever and
achieved all his father’s plans, nothing would ever compare to that
single moment when he first kissed the girl he truly cared about,
the girl of his dreams.