Free Rocky Mountain Freedom by Vivian Arend Page B

side, her intuitive gaze not missing anything. “Do you guys know each other?”
    The urge to deny they had a past struck, but that would be not only insane, but hurt worse than the truth.
    Travis waited for him to answer, one brow lifted as if in a dare.
    Fuck him. “We’ve met.” He ignored Travis completely and turned a smile on Ashley. “Anything else I can get for you?”
    God, those expressive eyes of hers were going to kill him. Blue lasers that cut through him as if she could read into his soul.
    The shrewd evaluation softened, though, as she nodded. “I’ll need a place to plug in the camper, if that’s okay. Karen thought you’d have the ability for me to set up. I have my, well, office as it were, all in there.”
    She pointed back at the hippy-mobile.
    Cassidy leapt at the change of focus. “I’ll find you an extension cord. You might want to tuck in behind the cookhouse.” He eyed the camper. “There’s a bright spot for your solar panels, and you won’t be interrupted as often by the trail-ride guests.”
    She nodded. “Sounds great.”
    “I’ll get right on it.” He pointed up the hill, speaking to Travis but not looking him in the eye. “Your cabin is the second on the left. Feel free to raid the storage shed for whatever you need to make it work for two. I can help with carrying in about an hour. The others all went into town this morning to buy supplies, but I expect they’ll be back in time for supper. I’ll introduce you then.”
    “No problem.” Travis managed to put his smirk into two words.
    Stick to the basics. Cassidy ignored the desire to smack Travis a good one, instead smiling at Ashley who seemed to be excited about living in the bush for a while. “The ladies’ shower house isn’t working yet, but there’s not a lot of people around. Until it’s ready, we’ll make up a warning sign to hang on the men’s door when you or the other women need to clean up.”
    “Thanks.” Ashley tucked a strand of hair behind one ear a moment before Travis captured her fingers and pulled her with him up the path. “I’ll talk to you later about the pictures,” she called over her shoulder.
    “Deal.”
    Cassidy couldn’t help it. He watched them. Ashley glanced back once and gave him a smile that warmed him far more than he had a right, not when she was with another guy.
    Not when she was with Travis.
    The bastard never looked back. Cassidy felt like kicking his own ass for giving a damn.

Chapter Six
     
    Travis opened the door then followed her into the tiny cabin. His head full of memories, he was far more focused on the shock of discovering Cassidy than the actual living space.
    Ashley dropped onto the teeny single-person bed, the springs squeaking ominously. “You sure you want me in here with you? I might have more room in my van.”
    Other than the bed, there was also a dresser and a small desk with a chair. A row of hooks along one wall, a towel rack under the window. “It won’t be tough to keep the place clean.”
    He stared out the window, catching a glimpse of Cassidy heading in the opposite direction. What a mixed-up, fucked-up situation.
    When he turned back, Ashley had ditched her sandals and wiggled onto the bed. She leaned on the wall and was observing him with an all-too-knowing look.
    Fuck. “What?”
    She raised a brow. “Snapping at me already. That’s interesting.”
    “I didn’t snap—” Her brow went even higher, and Travis gave up. “Don’t pull that goddamn Vulcan face on me. Yes, I snapped. No, it’s nothing bad. And you’re sleeping in my bed, not your van, got it?”
    A smile played about her lips as she wrapped her arms around her knees. “Cassidy’s hot.”
    “For fuck’s sake.” She was merciless. Travis grabbed the chair from by the desk and hauled it around so he could collapse onto it. “Start the damn questions because I know you’re about to burst over there.”
    She grinned. “All your secrets belong to meeee .”
    Almost