And okay, fine, maybe I'd been alittledistracted by it. My body had been reacting like I'd signed up for some kind of very specific, very inconvenient attraction marathon the second I got into his truck. I fluctuated between sporting a semi during our quiet periods, to being rock hard and restless with need whenever his voice got all growly and protective.
What on earth was I going to do if I could actually convince him to get naked with me? The answer was probably panic. Which, as ever good hitchhiker knows, is exactly what you're not supposed to do.
Ever since he'd gone all doom-and-gloom about my hitchhiking habits, things had gone quiet for the most part. Which, I'll admit, was probably for the best. I figured it was a good time to give the poor guy a break. That didn't mean I was giving up though. Nuh-uh. Crowe was going to be mine, and I didn't mind dragging him along for the ride, even if he went kicking and screaming the entire way.
I spotted the sign before he did and perked up immediately. "Hey!" I said, pointing. "Can we pull over, please? My breakfast has long since worn off, and I might have made some questionable slushie decisions before you picked me up and it'sbeggingme to let it back out."
He grunted, clearly unimpressed with my request. But when the turnoff came, he indicated and pulled in anyway.
See?
He liked me.
Crowe got out and headed to the pump, while I made my way to the shop.
This time I paidwaymore attention as I walked in. There was no chance of running into another man of my dreams, but just now the store was being held up or something. I'm pretty sure Crowe would never let me hear the end of it if I got myself into trouble the first time he let me out of his sight. He just had that way about him.
I got the key from the attendant, with the promise of coming back out to spend some money. I would need dinner after all. But by the time I had done my business, washed my hands and headed back inside the shop, Crowe was at the register payingfor our gas and what looked to be about a week's worth of road snacks.
"Come," he barked out. "I don't have all day. We need to stop soon so I can get some shut eye."
I opened my mouth.
Closed it again when he shot me a look.
Right. Okay. Bossy Crowe was hot with a capital 'H'.
I could give in if he was going to glower at me like that. Plus, I was just gonna have to mooch off of the big guy. Or demand he fill me with something else, that might not fill my stomach, but it would leave me very satisfied, I was sure.
I followed him out, sliding back into the passenger seat as he started the engine. We were halfway back onto the road when I glanced at the snacks sitting between us.
Then at him.
Then... back at the snacks.
"You gonna share those with me, big guy?" I asked, "Or am I meant to admire them from afar like a museum exhibit?"
"Eat," he growled.
Oh be still my beating heart. And damned aching erection.
"Wow," I purred, reaching for the bag. "Bossyandgenerous. Careful, Mr. Crowe, you keep that up, I might have to ask you to marry me."
He didn't respond. But I caught the way his fingers tightened on the wheel. I grinned as I tore open a big packet of chips.
He sototallyliked me! The odds of me being wrong were rapidly approaching the same odds as a bowl of petunias suddenly developing self-awareness and thinking,Oh no, not again.
***
The sky had gone fully dark by the time the next sign appeared for a roadside motel.
I straightened. "Hey," I said, nudging his arm lightly. "You said you wanted sleep. That looks promising, if you don't want to trust me with a shift driving your truck."
He didn't answer immediately, but still indicated and pulled into the parking lot when it was time.
The place looked questionable at best. Maybe even a little bit unsafe.
I loved it immediately.
