"Really?"

"I a.s.sume you are watching?"

"Off and on." He let his eyes move over the contours of her body. "Pre-destiny can be wrong."

"It is never wrong," she said sharply.

"It was in our case."

Mirha lowered her head.

Valgar lifted her chin with his finger. "I still love you."

And she him, although he'd never know it from her. "Well, pre-destiny was only wrong for one of us."

"He's all wrong for Gareth."

"No, Logan is just what Gareth needs. He's a loner, he just doesn't realize that he's lonely, and Logan needs a strong man in his life, one who will guide and love him. Not to mention the 266 eXtasy's Collective Mind pa.s.sion I have seen exploding between them in the future."

"I see explosions," Valgar commented dryly. "No pa.s.sion."

"Give it time," Mirha c.o.c.ked an eyebrow.

"Let's make a deal, my love. I will not interfere, if you don't.

Let the chips fall where they may, and if I win, you are on your knees to me."

She met his eyes, licking her dry lips. That wasn't such a bad thing. "And you on your knees to me if I win."

"Very well." He smiled devilishly, and she knew that Valgar had to be pretty sure of winning to make a bet like that. He got on his knees for no one. "And to make sure you don't meddle, I'm staying right here until the end."

"Very well," she said, lowering her head. She entwined her fingers nervously. She knew Gareth and Logan were destined, but d.a.m.n, they needed help. The fact that she would no longer be able to help them had her worried.

"Guess I brought you luck," Logan said. "Luck? You've brought me nothing but trouble since the moment I laid eyes on you. Isn't there anyone who can help you out of this mess? You can't keep running forever."

"Right now, that be you, stud. And there are other ways you might help me before the night's over."

When Gareth didn't answer, he added, "I'll take a bath...shower...anything?" He peeked over at him. He could have sworn he saw a ghost of a smile on his face. "You sure are handsome, especially when you smile. You ever f.u.c.k in the back of this thing?"

"None of your business."

"You're not a virgin, are you?"

267.

Violet Visions Gareth laughed.

"I guess that means no. When did you know you were gay?"

"Who said I was?"

"You don't have naked girl pictures inside your truck."

"I don't have naked boy pictures either."

"Probably don't have to, you put them to memory. So, when was your last time?"

Gareth shifted gears. "I don't remember."

"That long eh? Well, I can change all that."

The radio made a funny noise suddenly, and a voice said, "Good buddy, it's Tommy Boy here. How you doing, Sweet a.s.s?"

"Sweet a.s.s?" Logan laughed, reaching over for the radio as Gareth tried to take it from his hand. "h.e.l.lo there, Tommy Boy.

I'm Eager to Please. I got Sweet a.s.s on the ropes right now.

Over."

"Will you give me that?" Gareth growled, trying to reach for it again but Logan pulled it out of reach.

"Whoo hooo....how did you manage that Eager, I've been trying to get that one on the ropes for a long time. Lucky boy.

Over."

"I'll say, and you know, he's got more than just ah sweet a.s.s.

You should see..."

Gareth finally wrestled the radio out of his hands. "This is Conway here, Tommy, ignore that. Over."

"Is he cute there, Conway? How about a threesome sometime?

Don't be so cruel. You're breaking this country boy's heart.

What's your route next? Maybe we can link."

Logan howled with laughter. The look on Gareth's face told him clearly that Tommy boy wasn't exactly his cup of tea.

"I don't know yet. Over."

"I'm heading for Wisconsin right now. Doing a detour just for you. Over."

268.

eXtasy's Collective Mind "Won't have time for socializing. Over."

"A little kiss or two. Tell Eager that...."

"You're breaking up," Gareth made some sounds in the radio, and smashed it a few times against the dash.

Logan couldn't stop laughing. "He your boyfriend?" he sputtered.

"You got to be kidding," Gareth replied, and then he started to laugh too.

Valgar came up behind Mirha and put his hands around her shoulders. When they started snaking down to her b.r.e.a.s.t.s, she slapped them. "You're trying to distract me. I'm monitoring the situation."

"You are not allowed to..."

"I haven't done anything," she protested.

"Well then, there's no reason we can't fool around."

"Fool around with yourself, Valgar," she told him, grinning.

"I'd rather fool around with you."

"Patience," she said, her eyes turning back to Gareth and Logan. She saw the Travel Hotel on the highway as the truck drove by. She touched her star necklace discretely. Gareth was getting sleepy. He was getting really sleepy.

Valgar narrowed his eyes at her. "What did you do?"

"Noth...nothing." She turned around and smiled at him seductively. "If you want to play a little, I suppose it's alright,"

she said.

Valgar eagerly came and placed his arms around her. "I just want to play with your b.r.e.a.s.t.s a little. Is that okay?"

"Sure," she said, reaching behind her and pulling her jumpsuit down over her shoulders. Valgar was immediately 269 Violet Visions captivated. Mirha threw back her head and smiled. Men were oh so easy to distract.

Gareth yawned, blinking his eyes at the road. "G.o.d, I'm so tired all of a sudden."

"There was a hotel back there. Want to go?" Logan asked.

"No, I got to drive. I..." He yawned again.

"A couple of hours of sleep won't hurt. Come on," Logan urged.

There was no question. He had to stop. This trip was turning out to be a real disaster. He had another contract waiting for him. If he met his deadline for this one, it meant that he could rest for two days, then, go back out there. By the looks of it, he wasn't going to have any rest at all in between.

"Maybe Tommy Boy will be there," Logan teased as Gareth pulled the rig into the parking lot of the hotel.

"Ha, ha, very funny," Gareth said, locking up the cab and walking towards the motel office.

The manager gave him a key to cabin twelve. Twice Gareth reconfirmed that there were two beds before signing the register while Logan stood off to the side thumbing through the postcards. "Boy," Logan said as they walked toward the cabin, "that guy must think you're a real frigid virgin, or paranoid."

Gareth glanced at him. "Look, I don't have to share a room with you, so watch what you say. And take a G.o.d d.a.m.ned shower."

"Aye, aye, Captain." He gave Gareth a little salute.

The room was clean and basic, and contained one bed.

Gareth swore when he saw it. Logan fell on the bed and erupted into hilarious laughter.

270.

eXtasy's Collective Mind "Are you sure it wasn't more than just Prozac you were on?"

"You should laugh more. It's therapeutic," Logan sat up and glanced at him. "So is s.e.x."

"You got that on the brain. Go and shower."

"Okay, but you do realize that when I come out of there you will find me irresistible and you'll be all over me."

"Right. I'll risk it."

Logan smiled at him. "You know you're sweet, even when you're being all serious."

Gareth rolled his eyes, putting down his over night bag. He pointed to the bathroom. "Go, and stop calling me sweet."

"I'm going, I'm going."

Gareth thought about taking a shower himself. He pulled off his jacket and tank top, and lay on top of the bed. He closed his eyes. He was too d.a.m.ned tired to take a shower.

Valgar kissing her b.r.e.a.s.t.s was d.a.m.n distracting, but she kept one eye on the situation. s.h.i.t. He couldn't be tired anymore. Her necklace was hanging around her back now, and she doubted she could get to the d.a.m.n thing. Wake up, Gareth, wake up. But it was no good. He was fast asleep, and if she made any attempt to grab her pendant, Valgar would know and...oh, the things this G.o.d could do with his tongue.

"So," a voice said, jarring him a little, "I'm all clean now. What do you intend to do about it, handsome?"

Gareth opened his eyes a little, then he opened them wide. It didn't even look like the same guy standing there. His damp hair 271 Violet Visions was blond and full, and those blue eyes seemed bluer somehow, and he smelled...well clean and...standing there with only that towel on had woken him up, big time. "Ah," he began, "I...guess I'll take a shower too." He cleared his throat and got up off the bed.

"Want some help?"

"No," he said. "I'll be fine on my own." He went in and locked the door.

"I'll wait in bed," Logan called out.

Gareth leaned against the door. Yep. He was hard, and well, there were a million and one reasons why he shouldn't be hard.

He stripped off and got into the shower. He put the shower as cold as possible. It didn't help. He hitched one of those towels that were too small around his waist and then swore. He had left his bag with clean clothes in it out in the room.