Wild Rides - A Balding Truck Driver Romance

Ch. 2 Second Thoughts

*** Blossom ***

The truck swayed back onto the road as Blossom blinked through her rain streaked, fogging glasses at the man behind the wheel. Her only coherent thought was Great-Aunt Bertie was right, comb-overs really are cute.

He certainly wasn't drop dead gorgeous like her boyfriend JB, but once you got past his scowl as though he chewed asphalt same as other men chew tobacco, there was something teddy bearish about him that made her want to run her fingers through the pelt of chest hair at the V of his shirt top.

Averting her gaze from the source of her naughty thoughts, she took of her glasses to polish them. That was what she always did when she was nervous. The cabin swam out of focus while she polished away, Earl's lingering scent flaring her nostrils. He was so manly. A prickling sensation spread in her belly – Oh My!

She slid the glasses back on her nose, continuing to gawk at him with a now clear vision. A small smile curled on his lips which looked soft and rough at the same time – for a second, the bolt of lightning that lit up the sky extended into her groin when she thought about them tracing kisses down her bosom. She clutched her hand over her mouth when she almost let out a moan. Her cheeks burned crimson which she contributed to the warm flow of air from the heater, indulging her skin.

She tried to get her mind to focus on something else, anything else. He drove mighty slow but was maybe just a cautious driver. He looked like he had a lot of experience – not just on the road – and the thought made her cheeks even hotter. Mortified, she scolded herself – she shouldn't imagine things about a total stranger.

"Are you hungry?" he asked all of a sudden.

"Hmm," she mumbled, mesmerized by his moving lips before tearing her eyes off him. "I mean, no." She hadn't eaten in almost twenty four hours and her stomach rumbled as she dreamed of scrambled eggs, but her funds were totally depleted and she was too proud to ask him for a loan after he was already taking her home.

"There is a diner right up the road which has an all-day breakfast." He glanced at her with those gray blue eyes that reminded her of polished steel. "It's on me." It seemed a promise.

His dark, husky voice vibrated in her chest and it was hard for her to focus. The heat in the cabin was stifling now even though she still shivered in her wet clothes that clung to her, reminding her of a wet puppy. Earl's fingers ran over the back of her arm, leaving goosebumps behind.

"You're freezing. Grab one of my shirts from the back or you'll catch a cold." His tone was firm and did not allow for disobedience.

Like a curious kitten, she scrambled into the back of the truck – she had always wanted to see a trucker's berth. It was clean – something she appreciated. It seemed as though there was a false panel separating another compartment. She couldn't snoop, however. The shirts were stacked neatly on the right and she chose a red flannel one which felt soft against her cheek.

At the same time she pulled the wet shirt over her head, the truck came to a hissing stop.

"We're here," he called in that same commanding tone.

In a hurry, she put on the shirt, closing the buttons with trembling fingers. Nuzzling her nose into the collar, she took in his scent of mint and Old Spice. This time, the goosebumps made her shudder in desire.

He kept his hand on her small back as he guided her into the diner.

Earl's chin pointed to the window. "Find us a booth, Blossom. I'll be right back."

The dining room was packed and she trudged to the back, her steps faltering when her eyes fell on a group of guys at a large round table. It was JB and his band.

"Hey, look who we got here," JB snipped. "I thought that was you. Who is that guy you're with? Your daddy? He looks ancient."

Her arms wrapped instinctively around her chest. "He's giving me a ride."

JB stared at her like she had gone insane. "I bet. The ride of a lifetime. Have you lost your mind? Everyone knows that hitchhiking is an invitation to be raped – even a blind owl like you looks pretty under her clothes."

The uneasy feeling that had persistently nagged at Blossom in the pit of her stomach ever since she raised that thumb to ask for a ride was stabbing at her.

'He is right', Lady Cautious said.

'Don't listen to him, he is just a jerk,' Little Miss Reckless points out. 'He stranded you penniless on the side of the road. He is the only reason you're even in this mess.'

Lady Cautious glared over at Little Miss Reckless. 'The trucker is a total stranger. Choose the devil you know here, child. JB might be a jerk, but at least he's not a rapist.'

Blossom had to agree with Lady Cautious. Besides, she never listened to Little Miss Reckless.

"Can I maybe hang with you guys again, JB?" she blurted out with a flicker of hope.

JB studied her, patting his knee. "Sure, sugar. There is no more room at the table, but you can sit right here." He smirked, wiggling his eyebrows.

Under the mocking sneers of the others, Blossom sat on the edge of his lap. His hands immediately groped under her shirt, his fingers stroking her silky bra.

"Strangely, I missed you, sugar," he mumbled, sucking her neck.

She bolted to her feet when he pinched her nipples – she couldn't stand him touching her in public. "Please excuse me. I have to use the bathroom."

Under the laughter of the guys, she marched off, tears pooling in her eyes.

On her way to the restroom, she bumped into a soft wall of muscle that had never seen a day of weight training, held together by a thick life preserver.

Earl gazed down at her with the power of a volcano about to blow. "You all right?"

A reply was stuck in her throat – she had no clue how to tell him that she was jumping ship. His closeness jarred her, the warmth of his body melting her insides. With one last ditch effort, she freed herself from his embrace and hurried off.

He was too much a man for her to face.

*** What's this? She's going back to the jerk boyfriend who stranded her? But what about that lovely pelt on Earl's chest? Blossom wants to run her fingers through it (and I, for one, want to see it!). Is this the end of their brief, but tumultuous encounter? To think, she had her hand on the secret panel of his Den of Desire and now she's running away. If you have secret desires for the next installment, do not hesitate to let us know! Thanks for reading, you lovely people you! ***