Wait Until Dawn by Bailey Bradford (chrysanthemum read aloud txt) 📗

the events that had led to him sitting in the cab of the big rig. Chris. Christian. Neeland. Seeing the man was almost enough to make Rich forget the weird crap happening in his head. He realized Chris was trying to drive and watch him at the same time—not a good combination. Rich swallowed to moisten his dry throat, but his voice still came out sounding like a gritty croak.

“Yeah, just—” Rich searched for an explanation that didn’t involve being haunted or possibly possessed. “Just didn’t know where I was for a minute.” Which was true. “Thanks for calling Laine earlier. Sorry if he was a dick—he means well.”

Chris frowned and tapped the steering wheel with one of his tatted fingers. “He wasn’t a dick, just worried about you. I told him we’d be in before dark, thought maybe we’d stop a few miles up ahead and eat.”

“Before dark?” Rich hadn’t even noticed it was still bright and sunny out. The invader always came at night, so he’d assumed—what did it mean for this to happen now? He reached for the crystals without thinking then jerked his hand back at the uncomfortable warmth that shot through his palm on contact with the colored stones. The jolt speared clear up to his head and Rich bit back a gasp as his head pounded once. The pain vanished and with it, the dueling presences that had scared him into waking. What the hell? Maybe they realized they were breaking the rules, showing up during the day.

“Is that okay?”

Rich tried to figure out what Chris was talking about, but couldn’t seem to focus past his confusion.

“Rich, do you want to stop and grab a bite? Or would you rather head straight to McKinton?”

He doubted he’d be able to eat, but Chris must be hungry. “It’s fine if we stop. I could use some coffee.”

Chris gave him a long look that had Rich pointing at the road. “Look at that, not me!”

“Peripheral vision,” Chris said, though he did as Rich had ordered. “And you need to eat. Not that I don’t think you’re hot as hell, but I could hear your stomach growling for the last hour. That’s probably what woke you up.”

Rich tried to hide his embarrassment, but Chris’ twitching lips told him he failed. “I skipped breakfast.” And dinner the night before, and lunch before that—

“So you’re gonna eat,” Chris informed him. He began downshifting, a complex series of moves that looked entirely too complicated for Rich. He’d stick with an automatic engine any day. They pulled into a truckstop and Chris parked the rig in a space Rich wouldn’t have believed it’d fit.

“Stop worrying, I’m good at what I do.”

Rich glanced at Chris and found the man leering, and Rich quickly found himself with a problem he couldn’t quite hide Chris grinned as he noted Rich’s erection.

“Nice. You know I want to suck you off, right?” Chris winked and got out of the cab while Rich bent over as his dick hardened even more. Christ, when had he ever ached for a man?

“Shit. Asshole.” Rich unsnapped his seatbelt and got out, glaring at Chris’ smug look. That had to go before Rich creamed his jeans. He crossed his arms over his chest and raised his chin. “What makes you think I’ll let you?”

Something flashed in Chris’ eyes as he stepped up to Rich. “Get back in the cab. We can eat what I have in the fridge. Or I can do you right here in the parking lot, put on a show for all the truckers in the restaurant. Not a lot of tolerant people, truckers, but I’m willing to risk it.” He cupped Rich’s erection, pressing the heel of his hand against the tip and rubbing until Rich whimpered.

“I won’t get naked,” Rich warned, unwilling to humiliate himself any more than he already had.

“You will eventually, when you trust me.” Chris squeezed Rich’s length while Rich struggled to make sense of what he’d just said.

“Eventually?” He had to ask. The drive to McKinton wouldn’t last much longer.

Chris nodded and removed his hand from Rich’s groin. “Unless you have any objections, I don’t see why I can’t stop in McKinton. I might even stay a few days. Don’t have another load to haul for a week or so.”

Rich, who’d always believed once with a guy was enough because twice was a relationship, decided Chris had a great idea. One guy, only one to worry about baring his body to. Rich could do that, though he didn’t want to seem too eager. He lowered his lids and looked up at Chris through his lashes.

“Guess it depends on how good of a job you do.”

Chris’ bark of laughter warmed Rich inside as he pulled himself back into the cab. His words scorched Rich and made his pulse race so hard he was dizzy.

“I promise you, I’m excellent at what I do, especially this kind of job.”

“Fuck,” Rich muttered as he darted into the sleeper section. He stopped short when he didn’t see a bed. In fact, the sleeper section looked like a small, very nice and homey, living room. A built-in refrigerator took up part of one wall, there was a couch that resembled benches in a diner, and a microwave on a counter opposite the refrigerator. He looked down and tried to decide if the floor was really wood or the fake stuff that was so popular nowadays.

“Pretty sweet, isn’t it?” Chris said from behind him.

Rich bit his cheek to keep from yelping. He hadn’t even heard the door to the cab close, he’d been so intent on finding the bed. Chris looped an arm around Rich’s waist and pulled him back until he was pressed against Chris’ broad chest. “All the comforts of home.” He ground his groin against the small of Rich’s back, sending a wave of lust through Rich. To feel that thick bulge splitting him open…

“No bed,” Rich got out, grateful his voice didn’t crack.

“Sure there is,” Chris