The Professional Alibi

Chapter 15: Stargazing

"Are you a stargazer?" I ask, slowly wading into the wild grass toward where I last saw Wade sink to the ground.

"My father worked for NASA before it became privatized," he says, his voice coming from the darkness.

I find him laying in the tall grass, his hands tucked behind his head, and one leg bent at the knee, gazing up at the sky. His body is barely more than a shadow, but there's just enough light from the moon above to see him. He shifts onto his elbows when he sees me, then pats the ground next to him.

"C'mon. It helps in our line of business to occasionally stop and smell the roses. All work and no relaxation makes for a quick trip to the psych ward."

I chuckle and sit next to him, then when I can't find a comfortable spot, I give up and lay next to him. It feels weird to be here, in the dark, hidden in the tall grass like nobody can find us. Almost intimate. Our hands are so close, I'd just have to reach out a few inches and I could touch his.

My heart thrums at the idea, but I give myself a mental shake. Wade may make me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. He may be hotter than a rock in the Arizona desert. He may be sexier than any movie star I've ever seen, but he's my boss, and I'm new. There is no way I'm going to ruin my shot by falling for him.

I tuck my fingers closer to my body and sigh. "Tell me more about Saint and the others."

"After you meet Cosmo tomorrow, you'll meet Tex. He's tall, blonde, plays football, and is known for his big personality. That's why he's on the team. We needed someone that had his own orbit and people would gravitate toward him."

A star flashes across the black sky, shooting downward until it disappears. He reaches out and points at it, following it with his finger. "Swagger like his is a double-edged sword. It draws all the people to you, but sometimes that's good, and sometimes that's bad. That's where you come in. Tex has already been telling people he has a girlfriend at his old place. You're going to be that girl. He runs with the rich kids, so you're going to have to be strong, confident, and don't take any crap from anyone--especially Tex. He likes his girls spicy, so give him some spice."

"As opposed to Cosmo, whose personality is..." I say, gazing more at Wade's profile than the stars.

Wade adjusts, turning onto his hip to face me, one arm tucked under his head. "Cosmo gives off more of a hippy vibe. He's laid back. Affectionate. If you didn't know better, you'd think he was perpetually buzzed."

I chuckle under my breath. "One weed head, one with swagger. Got it. And the other guy--what did you say his name was? Saint?"

Wade turns back onto his back and gazes at the stars for a few moments. Finally, he sighs. "Saint is a tough cookie to crack. You'll understand when you meet him. He had a mission go bad a while ago, and this is the first one he's accepted since." He turns and glances at me. "I suspect he won't use you much. He tends to want to be alone. If he does use you as a girlfriend, don't be offended if he doesn't touch you."

He points out another shooting star, using his finger to track it's movement across the sky.

I squint heavenward. "I don't see it.

"Really?" He scooches closer, till our sides are touching. "Maybe my finger's at the wrong angle from over there." He points to the sky again and tracks the movement of another one with his finger. "Do you see that one?"

I inadvertently lean into him, trying to see the shooting star. The heat from his body, and the spicy scent of his cologne war with the cool earthy scent, of the cold dirt beneath us. I see the tail end of the second shooting star before it extinguishes. "Part of it," I tell him.

He grunts and stares at the sky again.

"Why would I be offended if Saint doesn't touch me?" I ask as I continue to search the sky.

"I dunno. It's a delicate thing. You're here to be the girlfriend. If the guys come on too strong, you'll be upset. If they don't come on strong enough, you'll be liable to be hurt because you think they don't like you, and you'll be upset that way too."

"Well I wasn't going to be upset until you put it that way," I grumble.

Wade chuckles. "Sorry. Forget what I said."

I laugh and stare at the sky. Then gasp as I get to see two shooting stars cross the sky at once. "Did you see that?" I say, grabbing his arm.

He gazes at the sky, then he looks down at me. Our eyes lock. Somehow I forget to breathe. I'm lost in those gray eyes, and how badly I want to run my hand along the stubble of his jaw. Everything about this moment smacks of being a date. Motorcycle drive, watching the stars, quiet conversation. One kiss is all it would take to make this moment perfect.

My fingers hum in anticipation. My mind races with possibilities. My stomach clenches and unclenches, practically begging him to put me out of my misery.

It's Wade who finally breaks our trance, taking in a sharp breath and looking away. He checks his watch and the face illuminates in the darkness. "It's late. I'd better get you home so you can unpack and get ready for tomorrow." He stands and holds out his hand for me.

My brain screams in frustration, but I smile, allowing him to hoist me onto my feet. After wiping any dirt and leaves from my butt, I follow him back to the motorcycle. Of course, he isn't going to kiss me. I need to get my stupid girlish fantasies out of my head and quit crushing on a guy who is probably a good six or seven years older than me.

I have my arms firmly wrapped around his stomach as we speed home, and I'm distinctly aware that this is probably as close to kissing Wade as I will ever get. But damned if he doesn't feel good.

When we get home, Wade hands me the keychain and points at it. "I forgot to tell you. If you ever need to get a hold of me, my phone number and address are on that keychain."

I stare at the keychain, then back at him. "You're Billy Bob's Used Car Sales?"

He nods and shoves his hands into his pockets. "Good night, Evie. I'll come by tomorrow evening with some dinner and we can go over your meet-up. Good luck."

"Thanks. Good night."

I watch him leave from my doorstep. When his car is out of sight, I close the front door and lock it, then turn to face my new home. My mind keeps gravitating toward our conversation under the stars.

What will dating the other guys be like? I guess I'll find out in about eighteen hours.