Aaron Jones quits his job as an IT tech and decides to tour the east coast of the U.S. before flying home to Britain. But hitching rides isn’t easy, especially when there’s a heat wave going on. Standing on the side of the road, thumb extended and bottle of water empty, Aaron starts to despair. Seeing a cute guy trying to hitch a ride, trucker Ben Knight picks him up before the cops do. Aaron is relieved to be out of the heat, but gratitude almost instantly heats up into something more potent when he gets a look at his rescuer -- a handsome, mature bear. Ben cannot believe anyone as incredible as Aaron could be interested in an overweight guy with too many miles on the clock. What happens when they finally reach Newark and the heat between Ben and Aaron rivals that outside?

Heat Wave: Newark

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.


Chapter 19