It Could Happen Again (Zulu Spectre)

by Aliyah Burke

  What happened to not thinking about him? A mental slap or two was what it took to get her back to the here and now.

  The neighborhood wasn’t a bad place, and she didn’t mind Tyler outside riding but he wanted to go along the walking path. For that, she insisted on going with him. He was making sure the bike all worked fine first.

  “Ready, Tyler?”

  “Coming.”

  She got to her feet and began making her way to the path. It was a three-mile stretch that wound around a good-sized lake.

  “How far are we going?”

  “The whole thing?” He sounded so hopeful she couldn’t help but smile.

  “You got it, just remember I can’t go as fast as you.”

  “You need a bike, Auntie.”

  “We’ll see. Come on.”

  He took off, and she followed. Tyler was good, never getting fully out of her sight. When they made it back, she knew he was tired, even if he wasn’t showing it.

  “Bet you’re ready for a big lunch, aren’t you?”

  “I sure am.” He climbed off his bike and carried it up the steps. “Hi, Mr. Curtayn! I just rode around the whole lake.”

  At his mention of her neighbor’s name, she paused before glancing over her shoulder. Dale strode up, bags piled in his arms. His brown eyes glinted in the late spring sun. Damn her body for its visceral reaction.

  She didn’t appreciate the wanton tingle seeing him brought. There was no need for a man—especially this one—with her busy schedule and plans for her future. Yet, she couldn’t ignore the six bags he juggled.

  “Can I help you with that?” I should have let him struggle with this on his own.

  He watched her over the tops of the sacks. “Sure, thanks. I didn’t want to do more than one trip.”

  She took three, and with Tyler getting the door and his bike, they were soon in the elevator. The silence made her nervous. Dale kept his gaze on her, unsettling her.

  “You have a lot of food.”

  Bless Tyler for his innocent observation.

  “I do,” Dale said easily. “I may have gone overboard a bit at the store. Guess I’ll have to have a big cookout and invite some friends.”

  “Like me?”

  “What he buys, Tyler, isn’t our business. Or who he invites,” she interrupted.

  Dale met her gaze and winked, setting off a wealth of fluttering nerves, flummoxing her. She moved her stare over the boxes in her bags. Mostly things that were easy to fix. How is he managing to forget everything that happened back then?

  “I can get the door,” Tyler offered.

  “That would be wonderful. Keys are right here in my hand.”

  Tyler opened it, and at Dale’s insistence, she entered before him. His place had a different floor plan than hers. The door opened into the living room then kitchen, where he first set his bags then relieved her of the other three.

  Unsure of what to do now that her hands were free, she rubbed her palms on her thighs and looked around his kitchen. Not much in the way of personality. No personal touches. The only thing out was a Pop Tart box.

  “Come along, Tyler, we don’t need to bother Mr. Curtayn any longer.”

  “You’re not being a bother,” he said just as Tyler walked to her side and slid his hand into hers.

  “Well, we should still get going. Have a nice day, Mr. Curtayn.”

  “Bye!” Tyler called out as they headed for the door. He grasped the handlebars of his bike leaning against the counter and waited for her to open the door before he pushed it out into the hall.

  “Thanks for your help, Allie” he said behind her as she unlocked the door to her place and pushed it open for Tyler to take his bike in past her.

  “You’re welcome.” She glanced briefly over her shoulder then walked in her apartment and shut the door after her.

  Chewing on her lower lip, she walked to the kitchen and washed her hands, noticing the difference in their spaces. Hers was filled with splashes of color and flowers. Fake flowers but still, they added to the room.

  “What’s the cyclist want for lunch?” she asked, opening her freezer and taking stock of what she had.

  “Can we have chicken nuggets?”

  She drew back and stared at him around the freezer door. “That’s all you want? Chicken nuggets?”

  “No, I’d like ketchup as well.” His grin was full of trouble. “It’s a vegetable.”

  “Not in this apartment it’s not.”

  He crossed his arms. “It is for my daddy.”

  She kept her comment about her brother-in-law to herself. “Again, not in this place. But, go get cleaned up, and I’ll get your nuggets started.” She gave him a playful look. “And your vegetables.”

  He pouted. “I don’t like them.”

  “Get moving. You don’t even know what I’m giving you.”

  “Well, I’m sure I don’t like it.”

  “Okay then, I’m making note you don’t like mac e’ cheese.”

  “Yes, I do. Auntie!”

  “I have veggies in this one; you said you don’t like them.”

  He walked to her side and stared at the container she just pulled out from the fridge. “I guess I can try that.”

  “How magnanimous of you, Tyler.”

  “I know.” He pursed his lips. “What does that mean, Auntie?”

  “Like generous.”

  “Oh, okay.” He dashed out of the kitchen. “I’m going to wash up. I am generous, you know.”

  “And apparently not getting sarcasm,” she said softly as he left.

  She reheated leftovers and put his nuggets in the toaster oven to make them crisp for him. Tyler wasn’t a fan of microwaved nuggets. She’d learned that last time he was with her.

  She turned on some of his favorite music and danced a bit while working. When he came sliding into the kitchen, jamming with her, she laughed. She may not approve of his father, but she truly loved her nephew.

  “So,” she said, pouring him some water and placing it on the table. “What do you want to do for the rest of the day?”

  “Can we do another lap around the lake?”

  “We can do that, sure.” She checked the nuggets, flipped them, and put them back in. “You have some school work to do today, don’t you?”

  He carried the plates over. “I have reading today.”

  “What are you reading?”

  “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.”

  “Good story.” He didn’t respond, and she looked at him. “Are you not liking it?”

  “Dad said there is a movie of it. I want to watch that instead.”

  “Nope. Give the book a chance; you may like it.”

  “It’s just not about anything I want to do.”

  “Really?” She put the salad on the table. “So, you wouldn’t like to find a golden ticket that is one of five offered in the world? Be surrounded by all the candy you could possibly dream of? Fly because of what you drank? Ride in a glass elevator that flies? Be able to eat flowers that are candy? See a river of chocolate? Meet an Oompa Loompa?”

  He leaned forward, eyes wide. “Where does that happen?”

  She put them nose to nose. “In the book.” Allie smiled. “Try it, Tyler, you just may find you’re surprised at how much you enjoy the adventure. Roald Dahl is an amazing writer.”

  “What will you do if I am reading?”

  “I have some work to get done as well. We can do ours together.”

  He sat on the chair and swung his legs. “Okay, I like doing things with you, Auntie.”

  “Likewise, Tyler.”

  She grabbed a hot pad and removed the nuggets. Slipping some onto his plate, she put a few on hers before returning it to the oven to keep warm. Then, she dished up some of the macaroni. After a short prayer, they began to eat.

  Allie waited until he’d finished the pasta dish before she asked her question. “So, it wasn’t all bad then, what with having vegetables in it, was it?”

&nb
sp; “No. Mom doesn’t make them like you do.”

  That was true; her sister hadn’t ever been able to cook. Never wanted to learn, and now, she was married with a son and still had a hard time. Allie gave herself a sharp reprimand. It wasn’t her job to judge.

  “Your mom never liked to cook. Even as a child, she always found something else to do.”

  “You cook so good, Auntie. I love coming here.”

  “I enjoy it. It relaxes me.”

  He popped a nugget in his mouth. “And you need it after saving people’s lives, right?”

  “You got it.”

  Tyler looked at her, eyes serious. “Do you like your job?”

  “I love being a paramedic. Why? Are you thinking it would be something you’d like to do?”

  “I don’t know.”

  “I tell you what. You get your reading done after we clean up from lunch, and I’ll take you down to the station and you can check it out.”

  “And the fire station?”

  “Well, I’m not based out of the fire station. We have our own, but I have some friends at a few. I’m sure I can have one of them meet us to give you a tour there as well.”

  His grin made it all worthwhile.

  Chapter Two

  The night overtook the evening with a steady progression of darkening skies, split up by the speckle of stars that appeared on the royal blue velvet. Dale sat out on his deck, beer dangling from his fingers as he stared over the city he currently called home. Not much of a deck but enough for me to have a grill.

  He rocked back in his chair, thoughts of his team, Zulu Spectre, racing through his mind. Down time was nice but part of him itched to get back to the action.

  Wonder what she’s doing tonight? She being his across-the-hall neighbor. Alimaia. Correction, Allie. He’d not seen her since the day she assisted him in carrying his groceries. Correction, he’d not seen her in person. She was ever present in his nightly fantasies. And that had been for four long nights.

  “What the hell am I thinking? I seriously doubt she’s going to ask me to do anything with her, not given our past.”

  Still, the thought of taking Allie to his bed—her bed, a wall, the floor, over the couch, any place, really—held an appeal not even sleep could deter. She intrigued him. On more than a physical level.

  He’d barely thought about her since they parted ways years ago, yet…he couldn’t let it go. A knock at his door had him rising and entering his house, closing the glass behind him to keep the chill of the spring night out where it belonged. He scratched his shoulder as he padded through to the front.

  Speak of the devil. Allie stood there, eyes wide with frustration.

  “I’m so sorry to bother you, it’s just that… No, never mind. I…I shouldn’t have come.”

  He leaned against the door, left arm higher up, bottle dangling from his fingers. “You’re here, you may as well ask.” Ask me to kiss you, Allie. You know how it can be between us.

  “No, I interrupted you. You’re drinking, maybe have people over.”

  “Allie,” he said. “What do you need?” Behind her, he spied Tyler peeking out. The lad put his finger to his lips, and Dale struggled not to laugh. Obviously, he wasn’t supposed to be there.

  “If you wouldn’t mind… I mean, if you could possibly watch Tyler for me. I know it’s a huge imposition but they called me into work, and I was supposed to be on vacation with him until my sister returns with her husband. I tried to have Mrs. Hanny down the hall watch him but she’s not home, and I am just kind of at my wit’s end.”

  “Plus she smells like moth balls, and all she wants to do is pinch my cheeks,” Tyler piped in.

  Allie whirled on her nephew. “What are you doing out of bed? Tyler, get back in there.” Her words and tone were sharp.

  “Sorry, Auntie.” He slid away.

  “He’ll be good for you. It’s his bedtime, and he’s had a story and all that read to him. I have food over there if you get hungry, and I can pay you.”

  He put his gaze back on her and took a slow perusal of her body, noting for the first time the EMT outfit. Her hair had been drawn up into a tall ponytail, allowing him to see the nearly blue-black strands from the back.

  She shook her head. “You know what, never mind. I’m truly sorry I bothered you. I’m sure the last thing you want to do after being back from deployment is watch a kid that’s not yours.”

  “I’ll do it.”

  Her jaw snapped shut. “What?”

  He set his half-empty beer on the entry table and swiped his keys. “I said I’d do it. I only had half a beer. I’m certified in CPR and first aid. I’ll take care of your nephew, Allie. Go to work. I’ll see you when you get back.”

  She smoothed her hand over her head, expelling a huge sigh of relief. “Thank you, thank you so much. Come on in.”

  Dale locked his place and trailed her into hers. He followed her up the hall and through the kitchen. It spilled into the living room, and he saw three doors branching off that. She went to one, and he saw Tyler sitting up in his bed.

  Allie crouched beside him and pulled him into a hug. “I have to go, Tyler. Mr. Curtayn is going to stay with you. I really need you to behave and get some sleep. Don’t be a bother to him. He’s doing me a huge favor by watching you.”

  “You were supposed to have the time off.”

  Her shoulders drooped. “I know, baby. I’m sorry, but there was a huge accident, a lot of people are injured, and they need all of us to come in.” She smoothed a hand along his forehead. “Can you be good for me?”

  “Love you, Auntie.”

  She kissed his cheek. “Love you, too. Get some sleep.” She rose and moved by him. Dale made sure to stay put so she had to brush closely by him. His cock rose at the all too fleeting touch. “Sorry,” she whispered, nearly caressing him with her fingertips.

  Dale didn’t say a word, just walked with her to the kitchen where she hefted a navy blue pack.

  “Make yourself at home. There are leftovers in the fridge if you’re hungry. He should sleep, and I should be back in the morning. The sheets on the bed in the back room are clean if you want to sleep in a real bed. Or there’s the pillows and blankets on the couch. I don’t know how to thank you for this.”

  The nearly overwhelming urge to cup her face hit him, and he curled his fingers into his palm. “I’m sure we’ll be fine. Go. I got this.”

  “Thank you.” Her tongue peeked out slightly as she paused before she readjusted her hold on the pack strap and turned away.

  Dale went with her to the door and stood there, watching her ass in the blue uniform pants as she strode off to the elevator. As she stepped in the waiting car, she gave him a small smile before the doors severed his view.

  Back in her place, he went to Tyler’s room and peered in, grateful to see the boy had lain back and, from all appearances, looked to be asleep. Leaving him in peaceful slumber, Dale began to explore her place. He walked to the room in the back, where she said he could sleep if he wanted a bed.

  The room smelled like her, feminine and soft. He recognized the lilac scent, which had defined her to him previously. He flicked the light on and saw a double bed with no head or footboard draped by a cranberry comforter. Pale blue curtains covered the windows. The place was spotless. A chair in the far corner had an embroidered pillow on it that read: The world’s best sister.

  Her chest of drawers was a bit beat up with scratches on the side but the top was covered in family pictures. Mostly of Tyler and a woman he assumed to be his mother and Allie’s sister. He’d never met them when they’d dated before. There was one of those two and a man. The kid’s father, perhaps. Dale recalled how Allie had stated she was waiting for her sister to return. Not for her brother-in-law as well. He also saw one of her parents.

  He made his way to the bathroom. Simple, nothing lavish. Yet, again, spotless. In the living room, he stared at the furniture and saw it didn’t match but had been covered by blankets and pil
lows, making it all the more inviting. Odd considering, from what he remembered, she’d liked everything to match. His stomach growled, and he went to the kitchen to see what she had in the fridge.

  “Oh, hell, yes,” he moaned as he saw the numerous containers of food. He began opening them and seeing what there was.

  “You must be hungry.”

  Dale looked over his shoulder to see Tyler there in a pair of Batman pajamas. “I am. Your aunt said I could help myself. Have any suggestions?”

  He rubbed his belly and yawned. “There’s some leftover lamb in the blue container. Have that with the couscous from the yellow one.”

  Taking the child at his word, Dale took those containers and opened them. God, this smells delicious. “What’s in with the couscous?”

  “She makes it like Grandma does, tossed with almonds, raisins, and spices.” Tyler yawned once more and padded to the table where he sat on a chair, arms resting on the smooth top.

  “Plates?”

  “Over the toaster oven.”

  He grabbed a plate and filled it, his stomach making even more noise in anticipation. “So, what are you doing awake?” he asked, sucking some of the sauce coating the lamb from his finger.

  “I’m not tired.”

  “I see. Not even a little bit?” He slid the plate in the microwave and set the time.

  “No. I’m thirsty, though.”

  “Okay, water, it is.”

  “Sometimes, I like milk.”

  Dale had a feeling he was being played. He found the cupboard that held glasses and withdrew one. “That a fact?” A solemn nod was the answer. He sighed and dug into the fridge for some milk. Pouring Tyler half a glass, he placed it in front of him. “There you are. Milk.”

  He had his ankles hooked and was swinging his too short legs. “Cookies go good with milk.”

  Dale placed his hands on the table and stared down at Tyler. “I thought you were supposed to be sleeping.”