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MASON

W hy am I staring at a hiker with a backpack? As our eyes met, it dawned on me that he was a good-looking man. I’d never looked at another guy that way or even thought about it before, being straight. But I couldn’t stop being mesmerized by how strikingly handsome he was.

His skin had a sun-kissed glow, and although his hair was a darker blond, he had bright highlights that caught the late afternoon sun when he turned his head. I hadn’t seen his hair earlier as he wore a brimmed bucket hat, probably to shield his scalp from the blistering sun. When he emerged from the men’s room, he’d ditched the hat, revealing his arresting highlighted mane.

He was in great physical shape. He wore a tight, V-necked white t-shirt that showed off a slim waist, revealing defined abs and a flat stomach. His obliques dove into his low-slung cargo shorts, which showed tanned, muscular legs, and he also sported hiking boots. His tanned arms had corded muscles that flexed when he adjusted his pack, and I thought he might be a serious athlete, considering his appearance. After taking in his physique, I didn’t question his ability to carry such a large backpack, but as strong as he looked, I thought he was showing signs of exhaustion.

He dropped his gaze, but I noticed a smile when our eyes connected. I watched him walk around the rest area for some time as if he was looking for something, and it became apparent he looked discouraged. Again, my eyes were riveted on him, and he caught me staring. I immediately looked down at my phone with a shake of my head, trying to look busy and not come across as creepy. When enough seconds had ticked by, I placed the cell phone in its holder. In my periphery, I noticed he was making a beeline to my cab. Fuck!

I didn’t want to spend the time chatting, or heaven forbid, him asking for a ride I wouldn’t oblige him with. But I rolled down my window, not wanting to come across as an asshole. He stopped and looked up at me.

Holy shit.

The brilliance of his emerald eyes was intoxicating, rekindling memories of something I’d seen only once, many years ago. Even back then, they had captivated me completely. As he looked up at me and spoke, his words dissolved into muffled sounds lost to my ears. I was spellbound, held prisoner by his focused gaze.

Realizing I wasn’t responding, all I could do was blink and spit out, “Uh, wha…uh, pardon me?” as I returned to reality.

Unbothered by my stumbling, he repeated his question, this time with a hint of hesitation. “Sorry to bother you, sir, but I was wondering if you could help me out?”

“What seems to be the problem?” I asked, my eyes never leaving his as I lifted the brim of my cap. Damn, he’s incredibly good-looking, and those eyes aren’t helping! I thought.

He broke eye contact and took his pack off his shoulders. Looking back up, in a somewhat pleading yet confident way, he said, “I’m headed down to La Grande to start classes in a couple of days at EOU, and hiking isn’t going to get me there fast enough.” He looked down and up again and sheepishly added, “Dumb, I know, trying to hike that far, but if you’re heading that direction, I could really use a lift, even if it’s just part of the way?”

I’d never been one to pick up a hitchhiker as it throws me off schedule, and most of the time, I don’t get good vibes from them. But there was something about him, and being a college student, I felt I couldn’t leave him stranded. His destination wasn’t out of my way since my route took me to La Grande. I had a quick drop-off at one of the smaller mom-and-pop convenience stores near the campus, and then my last delivery was just outside town—no time wasted, no harm done.

I fidgeted and adjusted my cap. “Sure, climb in. You can put your pack behind the seat. I’m heading that way myself.” I figured I’d need to coach him, as it could be difficult getting into a semi.

I noticed he had a deep, pleasant voice and came across as well-mannered. I had a gut feeling I needed to get to know him, and the brief trip would satisfy my needs. And those eyes of his captivated me.

He smiled a huge grin, grabbed his pack, and hustled around the front of the rig. It was obvious, climbing into a beast like this, that you needed to step high and use the handrails to pull yourself up to open the door. He did it without guidance. He disappeared out of sight and hoisted his pack into the seat. I grabbed it and pulled it into the space behind him. He quickly followed suit, helping before settling into the passenger seat.

With a heavy breath from the exertion, he looked at me and put on the seatbelt. When I saw a big, dimpled smile and those incredible green eyes, time stood still. His eyes brought back a flood of mixed emotions.

Most were great, others not so much.