Schlosser Jamie - A Trucker Christmas (The Good Guys #1.5) -

A TRUCKER CHRISTMAS A ROMANTIC SHORT STORY BY JAMIE SCHLOSSER

Copyright © 2016 Jamie Schlosser All rights reserved. Cover Design: Fresh Design Interior Design and Formatting: Dreams2media Editing: Wordsmith Proofreading Services This novel is for your enjoyment only and may not be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted without permission from the author except for brief quotations in a book review. Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author’s rights. Purchase only authorized editions. This novella is a work of fiction. All names, characters, places, and events are a product of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual people, living or dead, or to locations or incidents are coincidental. Due to language and sexual content, this book is intended for readers 18 and older.

Please note: A Trucker Christmas is not a standalone. Trucker (The Good Guys Book 1) must be read first to enjoy this short story.

DEDICATION For Bristol Half of the profits from A Trucker Christmas will go toward the Bristol Peterson medical fund, helping her in her fight against leukemia.

CONTENTS CHAPTER 1 CHAPTER 2 CHAPTER 3 CHAPTER 4 CHAPTER 5 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ABOUT THE AUTHOR

CHAPTER 1 ANGEL I couldn’t stop staring at it. The way it sparkled in the light. The way the glowing colors on the Christmas tree glinted off the shiny surface—red, blue, green, and gold. If I looked at it long enough, I swore I could see my reflection in the diamond on my finger. “Angel?” Travis gently nudged me with his elbow, snapping me out of my ring-hypnosis. When I glanced over at him, he had a knowing smirk on his face. “I’m glad you like your present, but I’d kind of like mine now.” “Oh, right.” I blushed, knowing the gift I’d gotten him wasn’t going to compare to a marriage proposal. “It’s nothing special…” Leaning forward, I grabbed the present from under the tree before returning to my spot on the couch next to Travis. “If it’s from you I’ll love it,” he said confidently. I shrugged, handed it to him, and hoped for the best. He pulled out the T-shirt first, and his face broke out into a grin when he saw what was on the front. “Isn’t it adorable?” I asked, gesturing toward the otters hugging and the lettering that said ‘I miss my significant otter’. Smiling, he narrowed his eyes at me. “Are you sure this isn’t for you?” I mock gasped. “Of course not. I already have the shirt I want.” Wrapping my arms around myself, I possessively hugged Travis’s old T-shirt. “I love it,” he said, and gave me a soft kiss. “I can wear it on my trips when you can’t come with me.” Beaming, I nodded. “That’s exactly what I was thinking. You might want to check the bottom of the bag…” He reached in and pulled out the small rectangular cardstock I’d decorated. “One free naked FaceTime session?” From the awed expression on his face, you would’ve thought it was worth a million dollars. I laughed. “Yep. Redeemable at any time. And there’s no expiration date.” I pointed to the words at the bottom, proud of myself for making it look like an actual coupon. “This is awesome,” Travis said, placing his presents on the coffee table. “And I’ll proudly wear that T-shirt at the manliest of truck stops.” Leaning down to press his lips to mine, the kiss started out innocent. Then he slipped his tongue into my mouth and bit down on my bottom lip. Immediately my nipples hardened, my body automatically responding to his touch. Needing more physical contact, I swung my leg over his lap to straddle him. His hands landed on my hips and he ground my pelvis against his. I let out a quiet moan as he trailed kisses down my jaw, then gently sucked at the most sensitive place on my neck. Since I wasn’t wearing any pants, the T-shirt rode up my thighs,

exposing my blue lace panties. Travis groaned and his hands stared sliding up. When his fingers reached my lace-covered center, I pulled back. It was so easy to lose control with Travis. If we weren’t careful we could end up spending the whole day in bed, and we’d miss all the Christmas plans. With a reluctant sigh, I removed myself from his lap and scooted to the cushion next to him on the couch. “Come back, baby,” he said, flashing me the dimples. Smiling, I shook my head. “We’ll be late if we don’t get going soon.” “Quickie?” Travis said hopefully as he started going for my neck again. Giggling, I shook my head again. Then I had an idea. Sliding to the floor, I knelt in front of him. Scraping my nails up his thighs, my hands landed at his waistband. “What are you doing?” he asked, even though he knew exactly what I was doing. Lifting his hips, he allowed me to pull his track pants down far enough for me to take his already-hard cock in my hand. I pumped up and down a couple times before I leaned forward and sucked his tip into my mouth. Blowing out a harsh breath, he leaned back into the cushions and watched me with heated eyes. Over the last several months, we’d explored each other’s bodies. Learned what we liked, what drove us crazy. I knew all of Travis’s turn-ons and he knew mine. Looking up at him, I whispered words I knew he loved. “Travis.” I licked his tip again. “Fuck my mouth.” Sucking him back in I went down as far as I could, letting his cock hit my throat. He groaned, then brought his hand to the back of my head. Fisting my hair in his fingers, he started guiding me up and down his shaft. I felt myself getting wet. This may have been a turn-on for him, but it was for me, too. I loved it when he took control. “Angel… Baby,” he rasped. “Are you sure you don’t want a quickie? Because I’d really like to —ahhh.” I sucked him harder. His fist tightened on my hair and I moaned. Moving my mouth over him faster, I cupped his sac with one of my hands. His head fell back against the couch and his eyes slammed shut. “Fuuuuck,” he whispered and I could tell he was close. After bobbing up and down a few more times, he let out a sexy sound and his hips jerked forward. Continuing the rough grip on the back of my head, his cum filled my mouth. “Damn, baby,” he moaned before his hand fell away, landing limply at his side. As I wiped at my lips, I looked up to find he had a lazy grin on his face, head tilted back and eyes closed. “I think I need a nap now,” he said, satisfied.

Giggling, I tucked his softening dick back into his pants. “No time for naps,” I told him as I got up and started to make my way to our room. “We’re supposed to be at your mom’s house in ten minutes.”

CHAPTER 2 TRAVIS The ear-splitting squeal my mom let out when Angel and I walked through the door made me wince. “Where is it?!” she hissed before she almost knocked me over, trying to get to Angel. “Be cool, Mom.” I smirked and held up Angel’s left hand. “It’s right here.” Angel’s hand was snatched from mine and my mom examined the ring as if she was checking it for a fake diamond. That thing had better not be fake with how much it cost me. Mom must’ve found it acceptable, because she started squealing again while jumping up and down. Angel’s entire body was being jostled from having her arm practically yanked from its socket, but she didn’t seem to mind. In fact she started laughing and bouncing, too. I stepped back, letting them do whatever it is women do when someone gets engaged. Mom had already known about my plan to propose, and I was half-surprised she’d been able to keep it from Angel over the past few weeks. Since last summer they’d become really close. I was pretty sure Angel talked to my mom more often than I did. Seeing them together, seeing the love between them, made me insanely happy. I liked to think my love would be enough for Angel. That, if it really came down to it, she wouldn’t need anyone else. But the truth was, my mom gave her something I couldn’t. It was a different kind of love—a mother’s love. My mom was able to fill a void in Angel’s heart I couldn’t touch. Once my mom finally got herself under control, she pulled us into the kitchen before she loaded the oven with the lasagna. “So, when’s the date?” she asked excitedly, clapping her hands together. I laughed at her enthusiasm. “Mom, we just got engaged. We haven’t talked about it yet.” “I’d love a summer wedding,” Angel sighed wistfully, completely ignoring my answer. “July would be great.” Her questioning eyes bounced to me and I just shrugged. “Baby, I’d marry you tomorrow if I could.” “You can’t marry her tomorrow,” my mom gasped. “A proper wedding takes planning. Months of planning.” Her eyes twinkled as she looked at Angel. “In fact, we can start right now.” Amused, I watched the two women I loved most in this world huddle together on the couch in front of my mom’s laptop. There was an occasional ‘ooh’ and ‘aah’ as they looked up all kinds of wedding stuff I knew nothing about. As long as Angel became my wife, I didn’t care what happened that day. My wife.

I still couldn’t believe it was really happening. Angel let out a gasp and pointed at the screen. “Oh, that one! That’s perfect.” Craning my neck, I tried to see what they were looking at, but my mom quickly turned the laptop away from my line of sight. “This is for the bride’s eyes only,” she said sweetly, and they went back to gushing in secrecy. After forty-five minutes of hushed whispers, note-taking, and giggling, my mom went to get the lasagna out of the oven. When she came back out, she still had her old, raggedy oven mitts on her hands and I smiled thinking about the new pair I’d gotten her. “Presents first?” Mom asked. Angel nodded, then practically skipped over to the tree. She took the liberty of sorting through the packages and passing them out. I loved how comfortable she was here, as though she felt like part of the family and not just a guest. No shyness. No apprehension. Manly pride swelled in my chest because I had provided her with a place to live and an entire network of family and friends. A home. I couldn’t take all the credit, though. It was impossible not to love Angel. All the relationships she’d built here in Tolson were because of her kindness and her open, trusting heart. I was snapped out of my love-struck stupor when Angel pulled a large box out from under the tree, then handed it to my mom. An identical one, wrapped in green paper with silver snowmen, was next. My mom gave me a wink, then turned to Angel. “I think we should open these at the same time.” “Okay…” Angel smiled, and narrowed her eyes suspiciously at me. Rustling and ripping of wrapping paper filled the room… And then silence. Staring down at the box with awe, Angel’s whisper could barely be heard. “A sewing machine?” Her glistening eyes darted to me, then to my mom. “You got me a sewing machine?” “Well, Travis mentioned how you wanted to learn,” my mom started. “And I’ve always wanted to learn, too.” She shrugged and patted the box in front of her. “I thought we could figure it out together. Thought it would be easier if we both had one to work with, side by side.” Before my mom could even finish the sentence, Angel’s arms were wrapped around her. “Thank you.” Her voice wobbled. “This means so much to me.” “I know, honey,” my mom whispered as she hugged her. “I know.” I looked away and let them have their moment. After they separated, Angel laughed and wiped at her eyes before handing my mom a big red bag with white tissue paper shooting out the top.

My mom pulled out a cream-colored sweater and a pair of brown fur-lined boots. “Oh, Angel,” she sighed and held the sweater up to her body. “I love it. Thrift-store find?” Angel nodded, her blue eyes shining with happiness. “One of the best parts of working there was getting first dibs. When I saw it, I knew you had to have it.” “Travis, why don’t you open one?” Mom suggested. I didn’t even have to unwrap the two packages closest to me to know what was inside. Every year, without fail, I got new underwear and socks. Most people might’ve thought that was a lame gift, but not me. My mom even knew what color and brand I liked—the black boxer briefs from Fruit of the Loom and white Hanes ankle socks. Angel handed me another gift. This one was a small box wrapped in shiny red paper. I lifted the lid and what I saw had me barking out a laugh. Holding up the small, glittery object, I sent Angel a half-hearted glare. “A unicorn ornament? Seriously, Angel?” She smothered a giggle behind her hand. “Unicorns are totally your thing. When I saw it, I just knew you had to have it.” Chuckling, I placed it on one of the lower branches on the tree, and I had a feeling this was going to become a yearly tradition. After all the gifts were opened, we made our way into the kitchen and my mom tucked her new floral oven mitts into the drawer next to the stove. I sat at the table and watched Angel and my mom work beside each other. Angel got down the plates and cut the garlic bread while my mom took out the silverware and dished out the food. Then Angel got out the napkins while Mom poured the drinks. They were so in sync with each other, like they’d done this a hundred times. Angel came over to the table and set my lunch in front of me. She flashed me a smile and I thanked her with a kiss.

* Two hours later, we were all stuffed full of lasagna, garlic bread, and snickerdoodles. Angel and I said our goodbyes, but not before she and my mom set up a date to do more wedding planning. As we got into the pickup truck, I couldn’t wait to get home. I wanted nothing more than to spend the rest of the afternoon holed up in the bed with Angel. Unfortunately, she had other plans. “Turn left here,” she said before we could make it back to the apartment. “We have another stop to make.” I raised my eyebrows in question, but let her direct me to Beverly’s house when she explained we were supposed to go there for dinner. After shutting off the ignition, I hesitated to get out. “Are you sure we won’t be imposing?” I asked. I knew they were best friends, but it was Christmas. Also, I remembered Angel saying Beverly had family staying in town over the holidays.

“I’m pretty sure she’d be upset if we didn’t stop by,” she said with a shrug. “How do you know she wasn’t just being polite?” Angel let out an adorable snort. “Beverly? Polite? Remember who we’re talking about here.” She grinned at me. “Besides, her exact words were ‘I better see your ass on Christmas or else’. Plus, we’re already in her driveway and she’s peeking at us through her curtains.” Angel pointed to the bay window over the porch. She was right. The tiny old woman practically had her face pressed against the glass as she peered out at us and started waving excitedly. I waved back. “And,” she continued, “when she was at the shop the other day, she invited Hank and Colton, too. So, it would be weird if we didn’t show up.” “What?” I asked in disbelief because this was the first time I was hearing about the dinner. “Why didn’t I know about this?” Angel smiled at me and softly patted my cheek. “I told you this morning.” “You did?” “Uh-huh.” She nodded. “I’m guessing you missed it since you were freaking out about proposing.” Well, shit. She had me there. I barely heard two words she said during breakfast. I vaguely recalled her rattling off our to-do list for the day but I hadn’t been listening. “I was nervous,” I grumbled. “You had no reason to be.” Angel linked her gloved fingers with mine and smiled.

CHAPTER 3 ANGEL Beverly zeroed in on the ring as soon as we got inside and I took off my gloves. “Whoo-eee!” she exclaimed and did a dance that resembled The Macarena. Laughing, I held out my hand. “Travis proposed this morning. Obviously, I said yes.” “Well, of course you did,” Beverly responded while eyeing the jewelry. “I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. Fine piece of ass,” she said, winking at Travis. He barked out a laugh and put his arm around me. “Mom.” A man who was probably in his late fifties came around the corner. “You can’t say things like that when you have guests over.” Beverly straightened up. “Paul, this is my house and I am your mother. I’ll say whatever the hell I want to.” The man rolled his eyes but smiled fondly at Beverly, then stuck out his hand. “I’m Paul Johnson.” Travis and I both shook his hand and I was amused by the ridiculous holiday sweater he was wearing. It had a Christmas tree on the front and the lights were flashing. “I’m Travis Hawkins, and this is my fiancée, Angel Thomas,” Travis said, and I let out a quiet snicker when he said ‘fiancée’. It was still so surreal to hear that word. “It’s nice to meet you,” I told Paul. “Beverly talks about you all the time.” “Likewise,” Paul said with a chuckle. “But I have to say you’re a lot younger than I thought you’d be. When Mom said I needed to meet her best friend I was picturing someone closer to her age.” Grinning, I shrugged. “We get that a lot.” Cocking his head to the side, Travis looked at Beverly’s six-foot tree in the corner. “Are those Beanie Babies?” “Yes.” Beverly smiled proudly. “It’s the only time of year I get to show off my collection.” Although it was strange to have a Beanie-Baby-themed Christmas tree, I hadn’t been surprised when she asked me to help her decorate it a couple weeks ago. I’d learned to just roll with the punches where Beverly was concerned. Travis poked one of the bears and it fell off the branch. Beverly caught it with cat-like reflexes no one her age should have. “Careful,” she warned, gently setting it back on the tree. “That one is my retirement plan. Someday I’ll sell it on eBay and I’ll be rich.” Paul chuckled. “I don’t think anyone is going to pay thousands of dollars for one Beanie Baby.” “Go ahead and laugh, but you’ll be eating your words someday,” Beverly told him before turning back to Travis and me. “Come meet the rest of the family. They’re all hanging out in the kitchen, swarming like a bunch of vultures.” When we got to the kitchen, I could see why that’s where everyone wanted to be. The

counters and the small table were filled with all kinds of appetizers, including several plates of snack cakes. A triple crock pot on the stove had meatballs, cocktail wienies, and chili cheese dip. Even though I’d been stuffed from lunch a couple hours ago, my stomach growled. Introductions needed to come first, though. “Excuse me.” Beverly grabbed everyone’s attention. “I’d like you to meet my best friend, Angel, and her fiancé, Travis.” There was a lively round of ‘nice to meet you’ before Paul spoke. “This is my wife, Patricia.” He gestured to the petite woman at his side. “Our son, Will, wasn’t able to make it this year because his wife is about to pop.” He made a motion across his midsection and Patricia lightly smacked him in the stomach. “She’s due in two weeks with our grandson,” she told us, her brown eyes lighting up. “We all live in Texas and they decided it was best not to travel right now.” “My first great-grandbaby,” Beverly chimed in. “Congratulations,” I told them with a smile, then another older man stepped forward. “I’m Matthew. The youngest and favorite son,” he joked, before popping a meatball into his mouth. “And this is my wife, Linda, and our kids, James and Ezra. We drove in from Ohio yesterday.” “We’re not exactly kids anymore, Dad,” the dark-haired guy interjected while shooting his dad a look. “And I prefer to be called Jimmy.” Beverly chuckled. “Jimmy is nineteen and he’s a student at a university in southern Ohio. And Ezra is eighteen. Still a senior in high school.” The differences between Jimmy and Ezra were striking. If I hadn’t been told they were brothers, I never would’ve guess they were even related. While Jimmy’s hair was black, Ezra’s was blond. But the contrast didn’t end there. The older brother seemed confident and outgoing. He wore dark-washed jeans and a black Henley. His sleeves were rolled up a little and I caught sight of tattoos peeking out. It was obvious Jimmy spent some time in the gym. Tall, with broad shoulders and a narrow waist, he seemed to have an arrogant smirk permanently in place. When he turned his face, I saw that he had faded bruising around his left eye and an almost-healed split lip. I briefly wondered if he was into that MMA stuff. Not that I knew much about fighting sports. Ezra was the exact opposite. When the introductions were made, he waved awkwardly and his slightly chubby face turned bright red. He was a few inches shorter than his brother and wore an oversized hoodie, as if he was trying to hide. I had to feel sorry for the guy. My guess was that high school was rough for him. Seeming overwhelmed by all the people, he made an exit from the room and I noticed he had a slight limp when he walked. The doorbell rang and Beverly left the kitchen. Swiping a Twinkie off a nearby plate, I turned to go back to the dining room and Travis followed. Hank and Colton came in wearing obnoxious holiday shirts. I glanced down at my plain

blue sweater. I leaned close to Travis and out of the corner of my mouth, I whispered, “Did I miss some sort of memo about the Christmas sweaters?” He snickered. “Don’t feel too bad. I missed the memo about the entire dinner.” Beverly went through the introductions again, then explained that her oldest son, William, Jr., wasn’t able to make it this year because his entire family had the flu. The doorbell rang again and Beverly clapped her hands as a big smile spread over her face. “That should be the last guest,” she said, and I looked around at the gathering while wondering who else could be showing up. No one was more surprised than me when Beverly came back with Ernie in tow. And when she introduced him as her boyfriend? Jaws dropped all around the room. My best friend had been holding out on me. I’d been hanging out with her at least three times a week and she never said anything about dating. I was the first one to break the silence. “How long has this been going on?” Beverly waved her hand dismissively. “Oh, just a couple weeks.” “It’ll be a month tomorrow, my dear,” Ernie corrected her as he put an arm around her shoulders. I couldn’t keep the huge smile off my face. Both of her sons went over to shake Ernie’s hand. The smile the youngest wore gave away the fact that he was happy for his mother. However, Paul looked apprehensive. “Are you sure that’s wise, Mom?” Beverly straightened her shoulders and narrowed her eyes. “Are you implying that one or both of us is going to kick the bucket soon?” she asked bluntly, her hand moving back and forth between herself and Ernie. “Of course not,” Paul sputtered a little. “It’s just… you’re just…” “I’m what? I’m old?” Beverly interrupted. “Hell yes, I am. But I’m not dead yet.” Ernie cleared his throat. “I don’t know if it helps, but I’ve been in love with your mother almost my whole life.” He smiled over at Beverly and took her hand in his. “I couldn’t be more grateful that she’s given me a second chance. I’m not gonna mess it up this time and I’ll spend the rest of my days proving it.” His honest and heart-warming speech seemed to convince everyone of his sincerity. “Rock on, Grandma B,” Jimmy said with a grin as he took a seat at the long oval dining room table. Everyone else followed suit and started to claim spots at the table while Paul and Matthew brought a turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, and a few other sides out from the kitchen. Colton and Hank ended up on the other side of Travis, while Beverly and Ernie took the chairs across from us. “Now,” Beverly started, standing up. “Christmas is a time to be grateful for everything we have, so I think we should start off by going around the table and saying what we’re thankful for.” Ezra shifted uncomfortably in his chair and his face flushed while Jimmy let out an audible

groan. “Do we have to? I thought that was just for Thanksgiving.” “James Peabody Johnson,” Beverly warned sharply. With a snort, Ezra cracked the first smile I’d seen from him. “Peabody,” he whispered at a scowling Jimmy. “Why did Ezra get the normal middle name?” Jimmy complained to his parents. “Michael is so much better than Peabody.” Matthew cleared his throat and furrowed his bushy eyebrows. “Peabody is a family name. You know that. He was your great-great-grandfather—” “And he was a very honorable man,” Jimmy and Ezra both finished the sentence at the same time, snickering. Then Jimmy looked to Beverly. “I vote we skip the thankful stuff.” She sighed and shook her head. “I didn’t want to have to do this, but you’ve given me no choice.” She held out her hand. “The flask, Jimmy.” “What?” he asked, his green eyes widening to the point of comical. “Give me the flask,” she said again and he started patting his empty pockets, going for clueless. Beverly looked amused. “Check your sock. Left foot.” Reluctantly, Jimmy bent down to roll up his jeans and removed the stainless-steel container. Matthew and Linda looked downright mortified, and Jimmy pouted as he handed it to Beverly. “We’re going to talk about this later, James,” Linda hissed. Some of her curly blonde hair fell out of her bun as she leaned forward to shoot him a stern look. Shrugging, Jimmy looked somewhat unaffected by her wrath. After unscrewing the cap, Beverly dumped a generous amount of the alcohol into her spiced cider, then raised her glass. “As I was saying… I’m thankful for family and friends,” she said before starting to sit back down. I noticed several relieved sighs around the table and it made me think her family thought she was going to say something embarrassing. I had to admit that it wouldn’t have been totally out of character. And, apparently, she wasn’t done yet because she suddenly stood back up. “And,” she continued, pausing to take a big gulp of her drink, “I’m thankful that, even at my age, it’s still possible to have a very healthy sex-life. Cheers!” A few people gasped, Travis let out a cough, Colton started choking on his drink, Jimmy slapped a hand over his face, and I swore I saw Ezra gag. Me? I laughed. A lot. The harder I tried to hold it in, the more the giggling would get out of control. Covering my mouth with a napkin, I tried to stifle the laughter but just ended up letting out a loud snort instead. Christmas just wouldn’t have been the same if Beverly didn’t say something horribly inappropriate. Looking around the table, I realized I’d gained everyone’s attention and most of them were

staring at me like I had lost my mind. At least I’d taken the attention off Beverly’s awkward TMI statement. “I’m sorry.” I wheezed as I tried to suppress a giggle and failed. “It’s just… This is the best Christmas ever.” Most of the people here didn’t know that I’d always dreamed of this—a big family gathering with happiness, banter, and utter chaos. But I didn’t miss the understanding in Beverly’s eyes. She knew how much this meant to me. “Speaking of the best Christmas ever,” she started, “I promised to try to behave myself today, so I’ll give someone else a turn.” Next, a red-faced Ernie stood and mumbled something about second chances before sitting back down in his seat. When it was Travis’s turn, he just looked at me and said, “I’m thankful she said yes.” Smiling at him, I stood up. “Six months ago, I never could have imagined this is how I would be spending my Christmas.” Suddenly feeling emotional I felt my throat start to get tight, and decided I needed to keep it short or else it was a real possibility I’d become a blubbering mess. “I’m thankful for all of you.” Travis gave my leg a squeeze as I sat back down. A few seconds later, his hand started moving higher and his pinky grazed my center. As I locked eyes with him, I bit my lip and felt my face heat up. He sent me a knowing smirk and gave my thigh one last caress before linking his fingers with mine. Distracted, I completely missed whatever the rest of the guests were thankful for.

CHAPTER 4 TRAVIS “Well, I think we’re outta here,” Hank said, patting his stomach as he made his way to the door. “Beverly, you’re a fantastic cook. I think you earned yourself a free oil-change down at the shop.” “I’ll take you up on that,” she responded with a smile. Colton walked over to the tree where Angel and I stood. “Can’t believe you guys are getting hitched already, but I’m happy for you.” “I second what he said,” Hank called over to us as he shrugged on his coat. “Congratulations to you both.” “It’s not happening tomorrow. A proper wedding takes months of planning, apparently,” Angel said, repeating my mom’s words. I laughed, kissed her on the head, then told Colton we’d see him at home. “Well, did you get everything you wanted for Christmas this year?” Beverly asked Angel as we started getting ready to leave. “I did.” Angel beamed as I gently looped the new present around her neck. She ran her hands over the soft pink scarf and turned to Beverly. “Thank you for making this scarf. It’s beautiful.” “It was a labor of love, my dear.” Beverly flexed her hands. “These old hands aren’t what they used to be. I think I’m gonna have to call it quits with my knitting club.” “How about you?” Angel asked, slipping on her boots. “Did you get everything you wanted?” “I sure did!” Beverly’s face lit up. “The kids went in on a gift card to Home Depot. I’m getting a hot tub!” “Mom,” Paul piped up from the couch. “We thought you could get new appliances for your kitchen.” She sighed. “Well, then you should’ve gotten me new appliances. But you didn’t. You got me a gift card and it’s got ‘hot tub’ written all over it.” Beverly held up the card. Angel and I both laughed when we saw that she had, in fact, written her intentions all over the plastic. Jimmy came over to give me a fist bump. “It was great to meet you, man. We should hang out next time I visit.” “For sure,” I told him with a nod, then looked to Ezra. “And same to you.” “Yeah, that’d be cool.” Ezra smiled before limping out of the room. After we said our goodbyes and promised to see everyone again next year, Beverly walked us out onto the porch. “Did Jimmy and Ezra get into a fight or something?” Angel blurted out as soon as the door shut. Beverly let out a laugh. “Good heavens, no. Why would you think that?”

“Well, Jimmy’s face is a little banged up and Ezra looked like he was having some trouble walking…” Trailing off, she shrugged, and I had to admit I’d been wondering the same thing. “Ezra suffered a leg injury when he was a little thing. I’m afraid it’s caused him trouble ever since. And Jimmy… Well, he’s a bit of a hothead. Got into a fight at college.” Beverly shrugged. “They’re good boys. They might be complete opposites, but I’ve never seen two brothers have a bond like they do.” Angel smiled. “That’s really sweet.” “Thank you for letting us meet your family,” I told Beverly, knowing how much this day meant to Angel. “Anytime,” she replied, before shivering. “It’s colder than a witch’s tit out here. I’d better let you get home. Merry Christmas, you two.” After another round of hugs we went out to my truck, eager to get back into the heat. As I turned the vents on full blast, I thought about the last surprise I had for Angel today. “I really want to get home with you,” I told her. “But we’ve got an appointment.” “What appointment?” Her face scrunched up in confusion, causing those fucking adorable wrinkles to appear on the bridge of her nose. “You’ll see,” I said and drove the two blocks to our destination. Bing Crosby’s ‘I’ll be home for Christmas’ played through the radio as we pulled up in front of a small white house. Angel turned to me. “What are we doing at the Winstons’?” Charlie and Ethel Wintson were Tolson lifers, but they wouldn’t be for long. As they got older, their health had declined and even the simplest house tasks had taken a toll on their aging bodies. Charlie had told me they thought about hiring a health aide to come to their house, but they wanted something more. They were getting ready to live a life of luxury in one of those upscale retirement homes. He said they’d spent their entire lives pinching pennies and caring for others. Now it was time for someone to take care of them. “They’re moving,” I said, taking Angel’s hand in mine and praying she liked what I had to say next. “The house is going to be up for rent in June… I thought it would be perfect for us.” “A house…” she whispered, gazing longingly at the two-bedroom home. A thick layer of snow coated the roof and smoke rose from the chimney. The large front window displayed a brightly-lit Christmas tree and a green wreath with a large red bow hung on the door. Although the front lawn was on the small side, I knew the big backyard had a nice deck. It was fenced in, too, so if Angel wanted to get a dog or something, it would be perfect. “Are you sure we can afford it?” Angel asked, her blue eyes swinging back my way. I nodded. “Charlie knows my mom pretty well. He’s actually her AA sponsor, but not many people know that. They haven’t even put it up for rent yet. Wanted to offer it to us first.” A smile broke out on Angel’s face. “Well, what are we waiting for?” she asked, struggling with the door handle and I chuckled at her child-like excitement. Charlie’s tall, thin frame filled the doorway as we approached the porch. “Merry

Christmas,” he bellowed, and Ethel sidled up next to him. “Can we get you anything to eat?” the plump woman asked as we made our way inside. “I’ve got gingerbread cookies.” Smiling, I shook my head. “I think Beverly might’ve tried to kill me with her snack cakes.” Angel snickered. “Honestly, we’re stuffed.” “How’s your mom?” Charlie asked as he put an arm around his wife. “She’s great,” I told him honestly. I didn’t know the old man well, but I’d never be able to repay him for the support he gave my mom when she was struggling to get sober. And now, he was offering us his house at a rent price for way less than what it was worth. I was humbled by his kindness and generosity. “Well,” Ethel started. “I guess we should let you take a look around. Come find us in the kitchen when you’re done and let us know what you decide.” Charlie took his wife by the hand and they slowly shuffled away. Angel wasn’t speechless very often but, as I followed her from room to room, she didn’t say a word. The first bedroom had light blue walls and even bluer carpet. It was mostly empty except for a few green storage totes that were stacked in the far corner. The second was a little larger than the first with beige wallpaper and hardwood floors. A large bed took up most of the space, but there was enough room for a nightstand and a dresser. Angel let out a sigh, and I couldn’t tell if it was the happy kind or not. Next she went into the bathroom, which was newly remodeled. I could imagine her taking baths in the large tub, surrounded by bubbles and candle light. She’d have her feet propped up, nibbling her lip while she read one of those smutty books Beverly always let her borrow. What would be even better than that? Taking baths with her. My hands clenched anxiously as I continued to follow an eerily-silent Angel. Finally, she stopped in front of the fireplace in the living room, which was emitting heat as the burning logs crackled. She stared at it for long seconds and lifted her hands to feel the warmth. With quiet footsteps, she went over to the large window at the back of the room. I was about to ask her if she liked it—if she wanted to live here—because, for once, I couldn’t read her expression. But she spoke first. “We’ll need to get a swing set for the kids,” she said softly, gazing out at the backyard. My eyes widened as I looked down at her flat stomach. “Are you…?” She let out a laugh. “No. But someday,” she sighed wistfully, looking back out the window. “Do you want to see the kitchen first, or are you in love with it already?” I teased. “I’m in love,” she replied, and it felt like she wasn’t just talking about the house. Happiness—that same happiness she gave me every day—came over me because I knew she was picturing the same future I was. It was an ordinary future filled with simple things. Coffee in the morning. Lazy Sundays. Summertime cookouts. Babies crying and kids laughing.

We’d probably never be rich, but that didn’t matter. As long as we were together I didn’t need anything else. I stepped up behind Angel, resting my chin on the top of her head. Placing my hands over her stomach, I imagined what it would be like to feel my child growing there. “I can’t wait to give you a family,” I said quietly into her hair. She turned a little, her eyes locking with mine. “You already have.” I placed a gentle kiss on her lips and we went back to looking out at the snow-covered lawn, both of us envisioning our life together.

CHAPTER 5 ANGEL As soon as Travis put the truck in park, I mauled him. He responded by moaning into my mouth as I attacked his lips. Threading his hands in my hair, he bit down on my lip and I started fumbling with his seatbelt. “Baby,” he said, laughing. “We should get inside.” “Uh-huh,” I agreed before I moved my mouth down to his neck. “We should.” Lifting my head, I noted the intensity in Travis’s eyes and his ragged breathing. I went back in for one last kiss, then muttered against his lips, “Meet me in the shower in three minutes.” I didn’t wait for him to respond before I darted from the truck, but he wasn’t far behind. The key was barely in the door before he pressed himself against me, his hardness nestled against my lower back. “Fuck, baby. Hurry,” he whispered, his breath tickling my ear. I giggled. “I am.” It took a few tries, but I finally got the lock turned. Stumbling through the door, Travis caught me around the waist and I spun in his arms. He backed me up until my butt hit the card table, and he leaned in for a kiss. A loud throat-clearing got our attention. Both of us looked over to see Colton sitting on the couch, smirking and dramatically covering his eyes. “Get a room,” he said, telling us the same thing he always did when Travis and I got caught in a moment, which happened way too often. For a second, I wondered how Colton would feel about Travis and me getting our own place. Would he be lonely? Would he resent me for taking away his best friend? I didn’t have too much time to think about it, though, because Travis picked me up and threw me over his shoulder—something he was in the habit of doing. I liked to act annoyed but, honestly, I loved it. Someday, forty or fifty years down the road, he probably wouldn’t be able to do it anymore. Not that it would stop him from trying. As Travis carried me down the hall and into the bathroom, I couldn’t help feeling a little emotional at the thought of us growing old together. We had our whole lives ahead of us. Our time was just beginning. But someday—someday—we would be like Charlie and Ethel. Weathered and wrinkled, spending every last day we could loving each other. Travis set me down and his face immediately turned concerned when he saw the tears in my eyes. “Baby, what’s wrong?” he asked, cupping my face and slouching so his face was closer to my level. “I just love you,” I squeaked. “I want us to always love each other this much.”

“We will,” he said with complete certainty. “In fact, I love you more every single day.” “Really?” I sniffed. He nodded. “You just wait. Five years from now, you’ll probably be sick of me hanging on you all the time.” “Not a chance,” I told him, shaking my head. Lowering his face, he ran the tip of his nose down the slope of mine. My fingers went to the button of his jeans while his hands lifted my shirt. Neither of us said a word as we removed the other’s clothing. Reaching into the shower, Travis turned on the water then put his attention back on me while we waited for it to get warm. I let out a surprised gasp as his lips roughly landed on mine and his tongue swept into my mouth. The intensity of his kiss was a sharp contrast to the way he softly brushed his thumbs over my painfully hard nipples. Moaning, I wrapped my hand around his hard length and stroked my hand up and down. Once. Twice. Three times. Swiping my thumb over the tip, I spread the pre-cum around the head of his cock and he gasped into my mouth. Steam started to fill the small room and I pulled him into the hot spray with me, shutting the glass door behind us. With a swipe of his hand, Travis cleared the small built-in shelf on the wall, knocking all the items off. The shampoo bottle clattered to the floor with a thud. Knowing what was coming next, I wrapped my arms around Travis’s neck while he picked me up by the waist. After setting my butt on the ledge, he scooped his arms underneath my knees, anchoring me to the wall while spreading my legs wide. I looked down, watching Travis line himself up with my center, but he didn’t push inside. Instead, he started nudging my opening with his cock, barely pushing in an inch then pulling back. I felt a gush of wetness between my thighs and I knew it wasn’t just the water. He continued the movements, just slightly rocking his hips. My breathing picked up and I squirmed, wanting to feel him fill me. He loved doing this. Torturing me. Teasing me. Using my heels, I tried to pull him toward me but the awkward position was limiting my movement. I let out a frustrated growl. “Travis.” He chuckled before biting my lower lip. “Angel. What do you want, Baby?” “I want you inside me. Now,” I said breathlessly. “God, I love it when you get all demanding.” Spreading my legs wider, he gave three hard thrusts before he was buried to the hilt. I whimpered into the skin of his neck, trying not to be too loud as he started rocking into me. With his arms still hooked under my legs, he wrapped his hand around the front of my hip,

bringing his thumb to my clit. He rubbed it in circles, applying just the right pressure. Travis knew my body so well, knew all the right buttons to push. I felt the familiar tightening in my core as his cock continued to hit some magical spot deep inside me. When his other hand came up to lightly pinch and pull at my nipple, my mouth fell open. Gasping for air, my fingers grasped Travis’s shoulders as my walls started to flutter. He started to pump harder as he chased his own release, trying to see if we could come at the same time. “Get there, baby,” he rasped. “Fuck, you feel too good…” “I’m almost there,” I told him with a gasp. I moaned as I felt his warm cum spill into me. That was all I needed to push me over the edge. My inner muscles clenched and I muffled my sounds into Travis’s shoulder. We stayed connected, breathing ragged and skin flushed from a combination of the hot water and physical exertion. Travis gently lifted my chin with his finger, then peeled away the wet hair that was stuck to my face. He smiled, flashing those dimples. I rubbed the left one with my thumb and he leaned in for a kiss before resting his forehead on mine. After a minute, he slipped out of my body and set me down. He picked up the soap and started to wash me, massaging my muscles along the way. I sighed. Sometimes these moments were the best—when we didn’t need to talk, when actions spoke louder than words.

* Satisfied and exhausted, I collapsed onto the bed and Travis turned out the lamp. I felt the bed dip as he climbed under the covers with me. Between the excitement of the day, the overload of food, and the mind-blowing sex, I felt like I couldn’t move an inch. “Merry Christmas, baby,” he said, planting a kiss on the top of my head. “Merry Christmas,” I returned happily. I snuggled closer to Travis and he rolled to his back so I could fling a leg over his middle. Our favorite sleeping position. As I listened to his heartbeat against my ear, I tried to imagine what might have happened to me if we’d never met. If we hadn’t been in the right place at the right time. “Travis?” “Yeah?” He sounded sleepy. “Thank you for picking me up that day,” I said quietly. He yawned. “What day?” “The first day. On the side of the road.” Pulling his face back from mine, I could almost imagine his tender expression in the darkness.

“Angel, there wasn’t anything that could’ve stopped me.” He gently ran his fingers through my hair. “I had to do it.” “You saved my life,” I whispered, knowing it was the complete truth. Travis’s hand stopped moving through my strands and his quiet response was just as honest. “And you changed mine.” We went back to lying together in silence as we drifted off to sleep. It really was the best Christmas ever.

The End

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS To the readers- Thank you for wanting to read more about Travis and Angel. Buying and reading A Trucker Christmas means you’ve donated to the Bristol Peterson medical fund, and I’m so thankful for your contribution! To Fancy- Thank you for allowing me to be a part of Bristol’s recovery. I’m so honored. Brittaney- Thank you for being a super awesome beta reader and for putting up with my constant pestering. Thank you to my editor Kim, my cover artist Michelle, and my formatter Rebecca. I mean it very literally when I say I couldn’t do this without you!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Jamie Schlosser grew up on a farm in Illinois surrounded by cornfields. Although she no longer lives in the country, her dream is to return to rural living someday. As a stay-at-home mom, she spends most of her days running back and forth between her two wonderful kids and her laptop. She loves her family, iced coffee, and happily-ever-afters. You can find out more about Jamie and upcoming books by visiting these links:

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