Rocky Mountain Freedom (28 page)

“You’ll make it,” Travis encouraged. “And if you need to hit the sack early, you go right ahead. I’m going to try and talk Cassidy out of his grump before I turn in.”

They sat in comfortable silence while the fire crackled, until it seemed Cassidy wasn’t going to make this easy. “He’s not showing up tonight, is he?” Ashley asked, concern creasing her brow.

Travis stirred the coals then laid on another log. “I’ll give him another half hour, then I track him down.”

There was no hiding the enormous yawn that took her, and she stood reluctantly. “Let me know everything is okay as soon as you can. I can’t keep my eyes open anymore, but I’m worried.”

“He’s on his way now.” Travis pointed up the path at the shadowy figure slowly approaching. He caught her by the hand and tugged her between his legs, bending her low enough he could press a good-night kiss on her soft lips. “Warm up the bed for me.”

“Always.”

She met Cassidy on the path, pausing to wrap her arms around him. Their outlines against the faint outdoor lights briefly slipping from two separate figures into one tightly meshed silhouette.

Travis considered how much things had changed. He tried to summon up jealousy at seeing them kiss. Ashley stroked Cassidy’s face and whispered something too soft for Travis to hear.

It wasn’t envy that tightened Travis’s stomach, but need. Want.

Emotion rolled over him in a wave. He wanted to ease Ashley’s fears so she could know what an incredible job she was doing on her projects. Every time she showed him her work, her talent floored him.

And Cassidy…

Travis admitted it. He had a deep desire to make whatever it was that was bothering Cassidy go away. He wanted to see his friend laugh wholeheartedly, wanted to alleviate his fears and be at his side all the time.

The man was hesitant, but so giving. Travis was reminded of his older brother Daniel in some ways, or maybe his cousin Gabe. Men who gave and gave without expecting much in return. When he’d been young he’d occasionally thought the two of them were idiots, but now their motivations seemed much clearer.

Strength, not weakness.

They cared more for others than for themselves, and that kind of unselfishness had never been a part of Travis’s vocabulary. Cassidy and Ashley? They made him want to learn.

Cassidy put a beer down next to Travis’s lawn chair before settling opposite him, leaning back and stretching out his legs. “I’m getting to be a recluse. Too many people around, and I get the jitters.”

It was nearly an acceptable excuse, only the explanation didn’t sit right. Travis took a drink and pondered the best response. “Couple of the boys were so damn excited I thought we’d have to duct tape them to their saddles. First time on a horse.”

“Good thing Karen’s got the rides trained to deal with that kind of nonsense.”

Nonsense? Even though he wasn’t a kid person, there had been nothing but sheer enthusiasm in the lot of them. “You remember your first time on a horse?” Travis asked.

A silent shake of the head was all he got in response.

Seemed whatever was poking Cassidy was big enough to knock the chatter out of him, but Travis tried anyway. “I don’t remember either. Seems like my daddy threw us up on them around the time we learned to walk. We’ve got a video of the twins sitting together on one of the oldest nags in the yard with my mom in the background wringing her hands, worried like they were being sent to their deaths.”

Not even a smile. Not a crack.

Travis put down his beer. If this had been Ashley, he would have hauled her into his lap and held her until she gave up whatever she was holding inside. He didn’t think Cassidy would go for being manhandled like that. But maybe…

He crossed the narrow distance between their chairs and knelt at Cassidy’s side. That at least got his attention, Cassidy’s blond head swung from where he’d been fixated on the fire. “What are you doing?”

Travis snuck a hand over the edge of the chair and caught Cassidy’s fingers. He held on, smoothing his thumb back and forth to caress the strong hand that had cared for him and brought him pleasure over the past weeks. “Looking out for a friend. He seems to be having a shitty day. I’m wondering why.”

Cassidy rolled his eyes and attempted to tug his hand free. “You been taking emo lessons from Ashley?”

“Maybe. Would that be a bad thing?” Travis asked. “Come on, spill. You’ve been pissed off and upset and worrying all day, and it’s killing me.”

“Fine, but haul your chair over here. I’m not talking to you when you’re squatting next to me like you’re—”

Travis flipped up a hand. “Enough. How about this instead?”

He hauled Cassidy to his feet and led him a couple of feet to the side where the hill rose gently. There was a log backrest, but the slope created a soft place to sit. Travis stretched out and waited.

Cassidy hesitated.

“Come on, you scared to lie beside me when we’ve got all our clothes on?” Travis patted the grass. “Humour me.”

It took so long for the man to settle his ass to the ground, you’d have thought he’d been asked to strip and dance naked in the street. But he finally gave in, shoulders resting against the log, arms folded behind his head to give him something to relax against as he once again got lost in the flickering flames.

Travis rolled to his side, propping his head on his fist. One of his legs was right up touching Cassidy’s, their bodies close enough that the warmth of the fire and the heat from each other made it perfect to lie still as the night cooled.

He examined Cassidy’s face. “Well?”

“It’s no big deal,” Cassidy insisted. “You’re making a fuss over nothing.”

“Got your back up all day—that’s not nothing.”

Cassidy gave a weary sigh. “All those dads with their sons. Doing something fun together—hell, I didn’t do shit-all with my dad other than chores. If he’d have taken me on a trail ride for an entire weekend, I would have thought I’d died and gone to heaven.”

“Not every family is the same. I never actually went anywhere like Trailblazers with my dad either.” Travis paused. This wasn’t about the camping trip. He thought back to the stern-faced man who’d pulled out a shotgun and told him to get the hell off his property.

Yeah, this was about a lot more than just camping.

“You wish your family was different.”

A brittle burst of laughter escaped Cassidy. “God. You have no idea how good you have it. Not only with your dad, but with all your brothers. I know you say they’re a pain in the ass at times, but they’re there for you. I’m so much older than my brother and sister I didn’t do much with them. I barely knew them.”

Travis laid his hand on Cassidy’s chest. “I know how good I’ve got it, which makes life wonderful and shitty by turns. I love that they’re there for me. I hate the thought of disappointing them.”

Cassidy nodded firmly. “Damn right.”

Such a small glimpse into something so important. “You never talked about your family before.”

“Just…like you said. Not every family is the same. Not everyone has good memories to look back on.” Brilliant green eyes turned his way, a sad sneer twisting Cassidy’s face. “It hit hard today. Sorry I worried you.”

“Nothing to apologize for. And I’m glad you said something.” Travis thumped the side of his fist gently on Cassidy’s chest. “Even if I had to drag it out of you.”

Cassidy captured Travis’s wrist and held him immobile. The memories that had rumbled inside all day weren’t settling. It was good to admit a little of the pain, but the rest wasn’t something he wanted to dump on his friend. Not now, maybe not ever.

But what he did want was to ease his mind. Loosen some of the knots in his spine and make something other than bitterness spill through his body.

All it took was a gentle tug to roll Travis off his side and halfway over his own body. He slipped his hand behind Travis’s neck and guided their mouths together. Sweet hops from the beer mixed with firm pressure from Travis’s lips—intoxicating in a whole new way.

It wasn’t about trying to get as riled up as possible. Pleasure, yes, but a softer, tender side that Cassidy needed right now more than he needed any kind of sex.

Travis lifted his leg, wrapping them closer. Getting his hands around Cassidy and caressing gently. A stroke over his shoulders. Another along the side of his neck until Travis cradled his face. All the while they kissed. Small nudges with chins and cheeks to move each other. Lips and mouths staying easy, tongues exploring.

The fire popped and crackled. Tendrils of heat and the occasional gust of smoke drifted over them. They rolled lower to move away from the log headrest, and Cassidy found his hand under Travis’s shirt, hard hot skin under his palm.

He brushed his fingers back and forth lightly. Savouring the intimate contact as much as the kisses.

Travis groaned, but his touch remained controlled as he floated a fingertip down the side of Cassidy’s throat.

Necking by the fire. Never in a million years would Cassidy have dreamed it possible, but everything about the situation was right. Achingly, beautifully right, and the only thing that would have made it better was if Ashley had been lying beside them. Her caring touch and giving heart as much a part of what he craved as Travis’s.

Which proved he’d officially gone insane. Cassidy laughed, pulling back from Travis’s kiss as he linked their fingers together and squeezed. “Thanks.”

Travis grinned. “Hell, anytime. You ready to call it a night?”

He nodded. “I’ll take a swing through the barn—”

“No.” Knuckles stroked his cheek. “You already spent enough time in the barns today. I’ll check the horses. How about you go crawl into my bed and cuddle up with Ashley. I know she was worried about you as well.”

None of this was real—he had to remember that. It was a dream and a fantasy and only for the summer. But he was no fool. He wasn’t going to turn down a second. “You joining us later?”

“Soon as I can.” Travis grinned. “You should give up pretending you like sleeping on your own, and I’ll build us a bed frame big enough for two mattresses.”

“You’ll still steal the covers,” Cassidy taunted, pulling Travis to his feet.

“Sleep next to me, and you won’t need covers. I’ll keep you warm.”

God.

Something inside not only cracked, it melted and threatened to pour out of him. Cassidy busied himself damping the fire so he didn’t have to answer. Didn’t have to look as Travis gave his shoulder a final squeeze before taking off toward the barns.

Only once it was safe did Cassidy pause so he could stare after Travis’s retreating back. He had to wonder if the fantasy life overtaking his summer was going to end up leaving him a cold and empty husk when it came time to return to reality in the fall.

When he had to say goodbye, and leave Travis and Ashley forever.

Chapter Twenty

Spring merged into summer, arriving almost overnight as the camps switched from running over weekends to full-week excursions. Instead of hanging out Monday to Friday with the guys and the crew, and working on projects, Ashley adjusted to the busier summer schedule. The campers arrived on Sundays, and the place turned into a mass of noise and confusion for a solid day. She always stopped to observe the new people coming to camp, occasionally drawing sketches and chatting with them.

She might have been hanging around camp to spend time with Travis, and now Cassidy, but that didn’t mean she couldn’t lend a hand every now and then.

Some of the time helping out had led her into the kitchen, and she’d been slowly getting to know Vicki more, which was nice. She’d missed spending time with other women, and any lingering discomfort on Vicki’s part seemed to have vanished as the weeks passed.

This week there was a group of girlfriends who had booked time off together, arriving in two vans stuffed to the roof with multiple bags and suitcases.

Ashley eyed the sparkly fake gems on one woman’s boots and carefully hid her grin.

“I saw that.” Vicki climbed up the fence next to Ashley and rested her crossed arms on the top rail.

Oops. “Saw what?”

Vicki bumped her hip into Ashley’s. “Even I noticed the clothing, and I’m not a real cowgirl. It’ll be okay—the crew are all eager to help this batch do some proper packing.” She pointed to the side where the two youngest staff were eagerly toting luggage into the hall for the women.

“Hey, you know me. I have no objections to people wearing what makes them happy. I hope she’s not disappointed if they get some mud on them before the end of the trip, that’s all.” Ashley turned to smile at Vicki. “And what’s this ‘not a real cowgirl’ BS? I’ve seen you out riding every day you’ve been around Base Camp, and I know you ride to Second Camp.”

Vicki hung on the fence, arms fully extended as she stretched her legs. “Since I plan to be with Joel for the long-term, I figured I’d better keep working on it. We’ll be living on the ranch, and I only got over being scared of horses this winter. I don’t want to lose any ground.”

“You’re doing great. In fact, I took a few pictures last week. I wanted to know if I could pose you for some more. You interested?”