Free Trouble With a Cowboy by Sandy Sullivan Page B

hers someday—the day she finally
conformed to her parent’s wishes, married and quit driving trucks across the
country.
    Polished
and sophisticated is what she'd been raised to be. Jacie, on the other hand,
left it up to her sisters. Marcia, Adriana and Olivia personified the Southern Belle
in the Hawkins household. She left it up to four brothers to carry on the
Hawkins name. All but Jacie and Olivia so far, had married old money, but her
youngest sibling had her sight set on one of the local breeders. Her parents
had made their disappointment apparent on many occasions, to Jacie. As the
middle daughter, there wasn't the pressure her older siblings had, but Jacie
felt it nonetheless.
    "A
license that enables me to drive eighteen-wheelers, father."
    "You
mean those huge trucks on the highway driving from one end of the country to
the other? Jacie Margaret, have you lost your mind?" her father ranted,
jumping to his feet, rushing around the edge of his desk.
    "It's
what I want."
    "But,
Jacie…"
    "No,
Mother. I've already made up my mind. I can't be who you want me to be. I'm not
cut out to be the pretty thing on some man's arm. I'm me, and it's all I'll
ever be. I can't help it if you are disappointed, but this is something you'll
have to accept."
    She
shook her head to clear the weary thoughts. Driving meant everything to her,
but her parents still hadn't come to grips with her choice. They fought her at
every turn. Refusing to help her buy tires in Littleton screamed of their
displeasure at her choice.
    "Something
wrong?" Tucker asked, bringing her attention back to the coming darkness
inside the cab.
    "No.
Just thinking."
    "About?"
    "What
I'm hungry for."
    The
wicked grin spreading across his lips made her heart skip a beat.
    Well, shit. I didn't mean it like
that.
    "I
meant food. You know, chicken, burgers, Mexican."
    "I'm
good with whatever you want, darlin'."
    Whipped cream on his chest would be
nice. After all, handcuffing him to his bed gives me all kinds of ideas.
    "We
haven't made very many miles yet. I think if we grab something quick, we can
make Amarillo before we stop for the night."
    "Correct
me if I'm wrong, but isn't there some kind of rule about truckers driving only
a certain amount of time every day?"
    "Yes,
but since I didn't drive for the last two days, I can technically drive
fourteen hours. The animals won't be able to handle that long in the trailer
though. I know of a place outside Amarillo where we can let them out to stretch
their legs while we sleep."
    "Or
do other things." His eyes sparkled with a mischievous look. She had to
wonder what he had in mind or if her ideas mirrored his.
    Heat
crawled up her neck as she shifted on the seat to relieve the pressed between
her thighs. Damn the man could turn her
on. "Uh, no." She checked her mirrors, changed lanes after going
around another trucker and saw a sign for several types of fast food at the
next exit. "There's a good truck stop coming up with fast food nearby.
Let's hit it, gas up and we'll be good until we reach Amarillo."
    "You're
in charge."
    A
quick glance at him revealed nothing but a smile, and a playful wink.
    This is either going to be a real
long trip or an extremely short one. I haven't decided yet.
    One
gas pump sat empty to her right under the bright lights of the canopy and she
pulled up close enough for the gas hose to reach her tanks. The sky looked
bleak with the dark, low clouds hanging off in the distance. If she didn't know
better, it appeared to be getting ready to snow. "Great. I love driving in
shitty weather," she grumbled, climbing down from the truck and slamming
the door.
    Tucker
emerged from around the passenger side. "Do you want anything from inside
for the road?" he asked, sliding his credit card into the pump so she
could fill up.
    "Yeah.
Grab me a bottle of water. A big one and a Snickers. I need my sugar fix for
after dinner."
    The
brush of his lips on hers, took her by surprise. It appeared like he was