by J. M. Snyder
“But you didn’t.”
“But I will.” Ben grinned, removed his arm from Aaron’s shoulders, then took a couple of steps backward. Aaron raised the phone and Ben pounded his bare chest, letting out what he hoped was a suitably masculine roar.
* * * *
Back on the road after a healthier breakfast than he would have ordinarily eaten, Ben began to brood. By the end of the day he’d be saying goodbye to Aaron, and would no doubt never see the guy again. Aaron was fun, funny and…fuckable. Although by some unspoken agreement they hadn’t gone that far. Was Ben beginning to regret that? He didn’t have any condoms, so unless Aaron did, it wouldn’t have happened anyway.
No, Ben ultimately decided, he didn’t regret not fucking Aaron. It would have somehow cheapened what they had. What did they have? Sure, the snuggling in bed the previous night had been good…hell, it had been great. Ben couldn’t remember connecting with another person so quickly and completely.
In total contrast to Ben’s subdued mood, Aaron was almost bouncing off the sides of the cab, even more excited than usual. Ben imagined it was the prospect of going home. In-between sending frequent texts on his phone, presumably to his friend, Aaron had kept up a steady chatter, Ben grunting when a response seemed required. Thankfully Aaron didn’t appear to notice that Ben wasn’t fully engaged in their conversation.
“Is it okay if I turn on the radio?”
“Sure.” Ben shrugged. “I also got some books on CDs if you want to listen to one of those.” He pointed behind his seat. “They’re in a box back there.”
Sometimes listening to an audiobook helped the miles go by, and more than once Ben had put one on in the evenings. It reminded him of when he was a child and his Gran would read to him before he went to sleep.
“Really?” Aaron leapt out of his seat. “What sorts of books you got? Horny truckers picking up young innocent virgin hitchhikers and having their wicked ways with them?”
Ben snorted. “Not exactly.” He preferred a good mystery or police procedural. A couple times he’d thought about getting a gay romance but always changed his mind. He wasn’t sure why. Maybe it’d be too distracting or remind him of what he didn’t have.
Aaron went in back and Ben could hear him searching. He seemed to be there a long time.
“I don’t have that many books to choose from,” Ben eventually called out. “There’s the latest Lee Child. Haven’t listened to that yet.”
Aaron came back from behind the curtain, packet of CDs in one hand, plastic piss bottle in the other. “Is this what I think it is?”
Ben glanced to his right. “Yep, that’s an audiobook.”
“Sarky sod. I meant this bottle. Do you use it to pee in?”
“Yeah, when I’m behind schedule and I don’t want to stop for a bathroom break.” Ben could almost hear the wheels turning in Aaron’s kinky mind. “And, no, I’m not going to show you.”
“Not even if I hold it?”
Ben wondered what Aaron was offering to hold, but didn’t want to know. “No.”
“It’d be so hot.”
“Not happening.”
“Spoil sport.” Aaron waited a couple heartbeats then said, “You should have said you had these things then we could have used them this morning and then maybe eaten those doughnuts for breakfast. That way I could have had more snuggle time with my big teddy bear.”
Ben grunted his agreement.
“But then we wouldn’t have had breakfast in the restaurant and we wouldn’t have seen those people looking and wanting you and—”
Ben snorted. “Knock it off.”
“It’s true. That group of frat boys were so checking you out.”
“Were not.”
“Were too,” Aaron insisted, dropping bottle and CD case on his seat before moving behind Ben. “But my silent glare of ‘hands off! This bear is mine,’ got them to change their minds.” Aaron stroked down Ben’s naked chest, causing the big man to shudder.
“Quit it. I’m driving. And they so weren’t checking me out. They left within a couple minutes of us arriving.”
Aaron removed Ben’s cap, kissed the top of his head, then put the cap back in place. “Only because I’d warned them off. Didn’t you see how they left half their breakfasts?”
“Okay, Scrappy, if you want to think it was you and your death glare that sent them running rather than the breakfast burritos, then I’ll go along with it.”
“Puppy power!”
“Yeah, right.” Ben smiled. He was feeling better. How was Aaron able to do that so easily?
Aaron wrapped his arms around Ben’s shoulders and gave him a quick hug. “Glad you see things my way. See how much easier it is when you do?”
“Yes, dear.”
“God, you’re so hot in that waistcoat and shorts. Your big beefy legs working the pedals and your big beefy arms turning the wheel. Can I feel your biceps while you change lanes or something?”
Was Aaron grinding his crotch into the back of the seat? “Sit down. Do you want me to be in a wreck?”
Aaron snickered. “Do I want you to be erect?”
“Aaron! Knock it off.”
Aaron silently retook his seat. Although it didn’t take him long before he returned to a previous topic. “And if we hadn’t have left the rig this morning, then I wouldn’t have gone to the gift store and seen Little Ben.” He reached down and picked up a foot long teddy bear and hugged it to his chest.
Ben rolled his eyes. Amazingly the bear had been dressed in denim shorts and vest with a T-shirt saying “You Never Had It So Good, South Of the Border.”
When Aaron had got back to the cab, he’d stripped the bear of the tee and put the vest back on, saying, “There, he looks like you.”
Ben had snorted but inwardly was very touched. He had to blink rapidly when Aaron had added that he was going to call the bear Little Ben and that the bear would remind Aaron of Ben when he was back home.
“You gonna start the audiobook or what?” Ben asked, not wanting to dwell on the thought of Aaron leaving.
Aaron popped the first disc into the player and for the next couple of hours they listened to the latest adventures of Jack Reacher.
Every so often Aaron would chip in with how the lead character reminded him of Ben. Each time Ben told him to knock it off.
“I’m serious. Tom Cruise was so miscast in the film. They needed a big sexy dude in the part. And I know which big sexy dude would be so right for it.”
“Yeah, right.” Ben saw road signs advertising a rest stop up ahead. He looked at the clock on the dash. “Wanna stop for lunch?”
“Yeah. Let’s eat those doughnuts in the cab. That way I can spend more time snuggling with my big sexy bear and trying to convince him that he needs to head west so Hollywood can discover him.”
Ben let out an amused grunt, eased off on the gas, and flipped up his turn signal.
* * * *
After they’d eaten and snuggled, thankfully Aaron not mentioning Hollywood again, they left the cab because Aaron said he needed to visit the convenience/gift store. Ben went along because he needed the bathroom. Aaron had covered Ben’s chest with honey then licked it up. But despite Aaron’s best efforts, Ben still felt sticky. Aaron asked Ben to wait outside the store, he wouldn’t be long. Through the window Ben saw Aaron first pick up a large packet of wet wipes then walk over to the small selection of DVD’s. Ben was curious and a bit worried what Aaron would get, but it wasn’t likely he’d be able to find anything too hard core in such a place.
“Bathroom now?” Ben asked, wondering what movie Aaron had picked.
“Sure.”
Instead of heading for the row of sinks, Aaron hustled Ben into the handicapped stall where Aaron showed Ben that wet wipes were a lot more fun than soap and water. Plus they had a certain amount of privacy.
On the walk back to the rig, chest cleaned up and balls drained, Ben’s happy mood had a bucket of ice water thrown over it when Aaron asked how
long it would take them to get to Newark.
With an effort, Ben put aside his feelings and did some quick calculations. “About six hours or so if there’s no major hold ups.”
Aaron remained silent until Ben had climbed into his seat. “Are you in any hurry to get your load of wood to Maine?”
Ben thought about it for a moment. He might get a bonus and a better chance at another load if he were a day earlier than scheduled, but decided to answer with, “No, not really.”
Aaron bit his lip and for the first time Ben could remember, looked unsure. “I, uh, have an open ticket and there might not be any seats left on tonight’s flight, so, uh, would it be all right if we parked up somewhere before Newark and spent the night there?”
Ben was so choked with emotion he couldn’t speak.
Ben twisted in his seat, grabbed a surprised Aaron, and hauled the guy onto his lap. Ben crushed Aaron to him, holding the man for all he was worth.
“Hey, Englishman turning blue here.”
“Sorry.” Ben loosened his grip, but wasn’t willing to let go completely.
Aaron worked an arm free and stroked Ben’s cheek. “You okay?”
Ben nodded. He was very okay. He sought Aaron’s lips and kissed them. “You’re something else, Aaron Jones,” he said, tightening his hug once again.
“So are you, Ben Knight. Couldn’t miss the chance to spend another night snuggling with my favourite bear and watching something…suitable on the DVD.”
Ben nuzzled Aaron’s neck. He’d totally forgotten about the movie. “What did you pick?”
Aaron cupped Ben’s face. “You’ll just have to wait and see. Now, come on, let me go so we can get back on the road.”
Ben let Aaron loose, but not until he’d kissed the man several more times.
* * * *
Ben readily agreed to Aaron’s suggestion of getting Chinese takeout and eating it in the cab.
To Ben’s surprise and delight, Aaron settled himself in Ben’s lap. He then began to pick up shrimp, strips of beef, chicken, and various vegetables with chopsticks before feeding them to Ben.
Ben, never able to get to grips, literally and figuratively, with the oriental way of eating, fed Aaron with a fork. Although it wasn’t long before both men discarded utensils in favour of fingers. This resulted in licking said fingers once the food had been consumed. Aaron justified their actions by saying they were cleaning up as they went along.
Ben was mostly relieved Aaron chose to eat the food out of the containers and not off Ben’s chest.
Aaron grinned. “You don’t get off that lightly. I picked up a bag of grapes and sliced apple. Wonder where I can hide them so my hungry bear can find and eat them?”
* * * *
Ben didn’t want to go to sleep. The day had been too perfect for it to end. He lay in the bunk, Aaron snuggled up to him, the man’s arms and legs wrapped around Ben so tightly, Ben couldn’t move without disturbing Aaron. But the only moving Ben wanted to do was braid Aaron’s hair. He wished he could reach Aaron’s scrunchy because as soon as he let go, the hair unravelled. Although that was no hardship because Ben could start braiding all over again.
Ben smiled as he remembered Aaron’s antics during dessert, which they’d opted to eat in the bunk. Who knew the human body provided so many places to hide food? They probably used up more energy retrieving the pieces of fruit than was in the stuff itself. But maybe that had been part of Aaron’s plan. If so, it was a good one.
After dinner came the DVD that Aaron had been so secretive about. Ben had laughed when The Yogi Bear Show started playing. Aaron had explained that like Yogi, Ben was smarter than the average bear.
“You want me to start calling you Boo-Boo?” Ben asked, kissing along Aaron’s shoulder.
Aaron shivered. “You can call me anything you want so long as you never stop doing that.”
Ben’s kisses reached Aaron’s ear, which he bit lightly. “Nope, you’ll always be Scrappy to me.”
“Puppy power,” Aaron said through a yawn.
They settled down to watch the show, but before the first episode had finished, Aaron had fallen asleep and Ben had shut off the disc, content to just hold Aaron and play with his hair.
* * * *
Ben woke before Aaron, a fact for which he was grateful. It gave him a chance to hold the man and just savour the experience. He couldn’t remember the last time a bed partner had stayed the night. It must have been even longer since a person had shared his bed for two consecutive nights. In fact, had it ever happened? Ben didn’t want to think about that. Aaron was here now, and Ben would cherish every second.
“What time is it?” a sleepy Aaron asked.
Ben glanced over at the DVD player. “Just after nine-thirty.” Ben dipped his head and kissed Aaron’s forehead. “You seemed to sleep well.”
“I did.” Aaron yawned and untangled himself to stretch. “But then I had a life-size teddy bear to snuggle up to.” He rolled on top of Ben and dropped a series of kisses around the man’s face, culminating in one long, tongue-filled smooch to Ben’s mouth. “Have I said how hot you are in the morning?”
Ben grunted. Aaron said some weird shit.
“It’s true. You look all sleep tousled and your voice.” Aaron shuddered. “It’s all scratchy and sultry and—”
“You’re silly.” Ben wrapped his arms around Aaron and held him close. If only they could stay like this forever.
“You hungry?” Aaron eventually asked.
“Nope, not really.” The thought of having to say goodbye to Aaron had robbed Ben of his appetite.
“Me neither. But I suppose we should eat something.” Aaron kissed Ben’s shoulder. “But maybe later.” Aaron tightened his hold around Ben and didn’t seem to want to let go.
Ben was okay with that. He rubbed Aaron’s back then played some more with the man’s hair.
* * * *
Eventually they got out of bed. Ben dressed in the same clothes as the day before. This was partially because he had very few other clean clothes, but mostly because his shorts and vest seemed to turn Aaron on for some odd reason. Aaron himself found a creased but clean powder blue T-shirt in the bottom of his bag. Putting it on, Ben saw how the garment clung to Aaron’s thin frame. He just had to reach out and touch.
“You like?” Aaron asked, spreading his arms.
Ben nodded. “But you’d look good in anything.”
That earned Ben another kiss. In the past 48 hours Ben had kissed and been kissed more than in the rest of his life. He didn’t want to think how, in a couple of short hours, the drought would resume.
Aaron broke their kiss. “Come on, let’s go use the bathroom then get something to eat.”
“Okay.” Ben didn’t bother to hide his lack of enthusiasm. He drew little comfort from the fact that Aaron didn’t seem his usual bouncy self either.
Breakfast was brief, neither man cleaning their plates. Aaron spent most of his time texting on his phone, Ben mostly stared out of the window. Could he ask Aaron to stay with him, if only for a short while? He often drove the I-95 route so he could drop Aaron at the airport anytime they…Ben shook his head. This was stupid thinking. Aaron had a home and parents and friends to get back to.
Aaron must have been able to pick up some on Ben’s thoughts because later, as they drove ever closer to Newark, the man began to tell Ben a little of his life back in England. Ben didn’t think he’d like the UK. London sounded way too crowded and closed in.
“Mum says she’s kept my room just as I left it.”
Ben grunted to show he heard, although didn’t have any other comment to make.
“I was sure my little sister would have claimed my room. It’s bigger than hers. You have any siblings? But you’d have to if you have nephews who’d watch those Scooby Doo discs.”
It took Ben a couple of seconds to realise Aaron had asked him a question. It was odd how they’d been together for about forty-eight hours but hadn’t discussed t
heir families much. “I have a younger brother called Bill. He and his—”
“Bill and Ben. The Flower Pot Men.”
“Huh?”
“British kids’ television show. Sorry, you were saying about your brother?”
“Uh, right.” Ben shook his head. “My brother Bill, his wife, and their two boys live in the other half of my duplex.”
“I imagined you living all wild and rustic in a log cabin in the woods.”
“Uh, no.” Ben paused, then admitted that there was a wood a couple blocks from his house.
No matter how much Ben eased off on the gas, the signs for Newark and Liberty International Airport kept on coming, telling him, as if he needed to be reminded, that they were getting ever closer to where they’d have to say goodbye. Ben thought again about asking…begging Aaron to stay with him, but no. It wouldn’t be right. Aaron could do anything with a computer or any bit of technology for that matter. Once when Ben had commented on how much time Aaron spent on his cell and how his own was giving him fits, Aaron asked if he could take a look at it. Ben handed it over and within a couple of minutes the thing was working better than ever. Aaron said he’d put his number in Ben’s phone and put Ben’s in his so they could stay in touch. But what could an overweight trucker with too many miles on the clock, and who had barely graduated high school, offer a vibrant and vivacious man like Aaron? Ben surprised himself by using such words. Maybe some of Aaron’s brains had rubbed off on him.
Ben swallowed. The exit ramp was coming up. “I’ll, uh, pull in here and gas up the rig. You’ll be able to get a shuttle to the airport from here.”
“Okay,” Aaron said quietly. Ben could barely hear him above the noise of the road, the engine, and the blood pounding in his ears.
Pulling up at the gas station, Ben pointed out the windshield. “The stop for the shuttle’s over there.”
“Right.”
Neither of them moved. The silence in the cab was deafening. Ben sighed and undid his seatbelt, hoping Aaron would fling himself on Ben and ask to stay with him.
Aaron released his seatbelt but remained in his seat. “Guess this is it then.”
Ben grunted past the huge lump that had lodged itself in his throat. He stared at the top of his steering wheel.