by Vivian Arend
“Not your fault if he’s being an ass,” Ashley pointed out.
“Course not. But what he does affects the family. Years ago I never gave a damn about shit like that, but now it makes me wonder. Where’s the line between doing what you need and what you should?”
She rested her chin in her hands and lay folded over him. “If you’re really doing things that make you happy, and are good for you, it makes a difference. What you need and what you should do become the same thing.”
He snorted. “That would be nice.”
“It’s true. You tell me—the shit Jesse’s pulling right now. Is it moving him toward happy?”
Travis frowned. “I…I don’t know.”
“Bet it’s not.” Ashley tapped on the firm muscles under her fingers, loving that she could be buck-naked and having a deep heart-to-heart with the man. The level of trust that had grown between them made her smile. “I’ve seen your family, Travis. They want what’s the best for you. For Jesse. If he was doing things that satisfied his needs, that’s all they’d want.”
Travis nodded, but he didn’t seem to have completely bought in.
Ashley kissed his chest one last time before she crawled off him and got dressed.
It was going to be the summer of wait and see, was it? For more things than Travis and Cassidy coming to grips with whatever was going to truly make them happy.
She slipped through the rest of the morning in a kind of floaty mood. The ride up to Second Camp was long enough to give her a thorough appreciation for the old-time explorers who would have spent hours in the saddle, day after day.
The couple doing the actual guiding, James and Dani, continued on farther into the mountains to check the remaining backcountry campsites they’d use for the hardier clients who wanted a real trailblazer experience.
Cassidy and Travis got to work on the second paddock with the rest of the crew as Ashley wandered, camera in hand. She paused to arrange a picnic-type lunch that Vicki and Ted had sent on up. They’d stayed back at Base Camp to prepare supper for when the team was done for the day.
The afternoon heat rose and the men stripped off shirts, torsos gleaming with sweat as they laboured to get the vertical posts into position, digging the holes by hand.
“This is why setting up camp this far into the bush sucks. No electricity,” one of the hands complained.
“We could haul in a generator,” Dave suggested.
Cassidy shook his head. “There are only a couple tasks it would help with. All the work of hauling it in to dig a few holes? Man up and get that shit done.”
The others laughed and picked up the pace, and the final uprights dropped into place before five p.m.
Cassidy wandered the perimeter with Travis, making notes of things for the next day, focusing on the job and not the man pacing at his side. For once Travis wasn’t being a jerk and was keeping the sexual innuendo Cassidy had come to expect to a minimum. “What do you think? Time to call it for the day?”
“Is it going to stand overnight?” Travis joked. He grabbed hold of a post and hauled back, but nothing budged. “Real nice. You boys did well,” he called to the crew.
“That mean we’re done?” The youngest of the lot wiped his brow and pulled his shirt back on, drinking deeply from his water bottle as he waited for a verdict.
Travis checked his watch. “Cassidy? We’ll make it back to Base Camp for a late supper if we go now.”
Cassidy nodded. “Tomorrow we’ll return and get the rails in place, while the others set up the tent platforms.”
A shout rang out from up the hill. “Cass? The pump isn’t working.”
Shit. “I’ll take a look at it.”
“You want a hand?” Travis asked.
He hated to say yes, but… “I’m not very good with pumps.”
Travis nodded, then motioned to Ashley. “You want to go back with the crew, or wait for me?”
She smiled. “I’ll wait. Let me know if I can help with anything.”
The crew cleaned up and mounted their horses, headed toward a hot supper and showers, and Cassidy was suddenly far too aware that there were only the three of them left.
It took ages to fix the damn pump, wrestling with connections, cleaning mud out of the line. Ashley stood to one side and watched them, her gaze heating him more than it should. It was hard enough to concentrate working side by side with Travis, damn near having to fold himself in two over the other man at times to reach the connections that insisted on jerking in the wrong direction if they weren’t held solid.
Ashley leaned on the fence, a low musical hum escaping her. Cassidy flicked a glance her way only to see her eyes filled with amusement.
“Hmm. Always nice to see a couple of guys who know how to work with their hands.”
Travis snorted and fastened the final coupling in place. “Don’t push it, Ash.”
She ignored him, speaking with a soft, teasing lilt. “You screwing that in nice and tight? See, that’s all I’m talking about.”
The laughter in her tone tickled Cassidy as if she’d dragged her fingernails up his spine. Goose bumps on his flesh along with an ache in his balls. Fucking great.
“Make yourself useful and take a bucket of water to the tent for us,” Travis ordered. “I’ll show you how good I am with my hands later.”
“Promises, promises.” She held the bucket between her legs. Travis directed the water into the pail.
It was the simplest of interactions, but Cassidy burned from watching.
Travis turned off the water before the bucket was too full, and she carried it toward the single canvas tent that had been set up days earlier when the crew had begun work on the area. “If you’re about done, there are enough leftovers I can pull together something to eat before we ride back,” she called over her shoulder.
Cassidy eyed the darkening sky. Nightfall had rolled in a hell of a lot faster than he’d remembered, and with the sun gone behind the hills, the canopy overhead darkened in a rush, stars already appearing on the horizon. “You know, since we have food, you don’t have to ride all the way back tonight.”
“We don’t mind.”
“Maybe not, but the trail is still rough and unfamiliar to your horses. I don’t think you heading out now is in their best interest.”
“You think we should stay for the horses’ sake?” Travis grinned. “Well, head wrangler, I can’t fight that attitude. Only you know there’s a single wall tent set up so far.”
“I’ll put out a bedroll by the trees. It doesn’t look like rain.”
Travis spoke quietly. “Offer from earlier still stands, you know. The tent has more than enough room for three.”
“Fuck off,” Cassidy snapped, stomping down the trail toward the tent. Maybe he should ride home in the dark and leave the two of them to do whatever the hell they wanted, but his original complaint had been made for a reason. The trail wasn’t safe yet, and if anything happened to the horses, he’d feel like shit for running scared. He paused and faced Travis. “You and Ashley make yourselves comfortable. I can handle sleeping outdoors,” Cassidy insisted.
Travis shrugged. “Suit yourself.”
That was two hours ago, and now, Cassidy regretted his cocky words with a passion. Regretted his own weakness and curiosity.
There was enough distance between him and the tent—that should have been it for the night. He’d set his sleeping bag on one of the partially built platforms. The air was cool but not cold. Overhead the sky was completely clear. Stars danced against an inky wilderness backdrop, the small noises of nocturnal creatures whispering as they scurried through the bush.
Every time he closed his eyes, all he could see were Ashley and Travis tangled together.
His body hardened as he pictured it—images created from teasing words Travis had dropped over the past days. Ashley and Travis kissing, muscles flexing as they explored each other’s bodies with firm hands. Ashley kneeling at Travis’s feet, her blonde hair fisted in
his hand while he fed her his cock.
Cassidy tossed off his sleeping bag and staggered to his feet, cursing inside as he crossed the dark campsite.
A long, low moan reached his ears, and he paused. Temptation struck briefly before he shoved it away. Curiosity roared up again, followed by disgust for what popped to mind.
You’re welcome to join us.
Travis’s words echoed and Cassidy gave in to the impulse, his feet following the musical Pied Piper gasps slipping from the tent.
It might be wrong, but it wasn’t creepy wrong—Travis had invited him to do more than merely listen. Cassidy ignored the dry voice in his head pointing out his rationalization.
He was caught in a unique form of hell.
Another soft moan escaped Ashley’s lips, and Cassidy’s cock got that much harder.
“Hmm, sweetheart, that’s it. Open yourself for me.” Travis’s whisper carried loud enough he could have been right beside Cassidy. They damn near were, only it was Cassidy’s own fault for moving closer.
But whoever’s fault it was, temptation twisted him from two feet away as he stood on the opposite side of the canvas wall. The thin fabric was all that separated him from where Travis and Ashley were fucking around.
Neither of them was quiet when getting off, either.
Cassidy didn’t make it any easier on himself. In the moments when silence fell, he listened harder and tried to figure out exactly what was happening.
It wasn’t really quiet because there were these soft lapping sounds—wet licks and what had to be finger thrusts as Travis went down on Ashley. Noises of pleasure escaped her. Every now and then Travis did something different, and she’d gasp, the sound dragging icicles up Cassidy’s spine.
Cassidy opened his zipper, yanked down his boxers and fisted his cock, needing release more than he’d remembered in a long time.
“Hmm, Travis. Oh yes, right there.”
“Take off your shirt,” Travis ordered, the guttural command scraping in Cassidy’s ears.
He fought the impulse for all of ten seconds. Then he gave in, shoving his shirt over his head to bare his chest as the debauchery on the other side of the tent continued.
With his eyes closed, it was easier to imagine what was happening as if the other couple were right beside him. As if he were the one under Travis’s skilled touch. He trickled one hand down to cover his cock, stroking lightly. The other drifted up, fingertips flitting over his chest.
“Pinch your nipples.” Travis again. Dark. Commanding. Cassidy circled one slowly, teasing himself, jerking as Travis snapped, “Harder.”
He obeyed, slamming his lips together a half second too late to stop one small, explosive gasp of pleasure. Ashley’s long groan of satisfaction was the only thing that saved him from being overheard. He listened to the noises Travis urged from her. Fist tighter on his cock, he played with the sensitive head. Wishing for more. Needing more.
Ashley came, her fluttering gasps echoing on the air, Travis’s satisfied rumble layering over top.
A creak. Another.
“Open your mouth and suck me.”
Cassidy pictured it. Her lush lips easing only slightly so that Travis had to push through them. Cassidy tightened his grip and moved in time with the creaks of the bed frame, his hand a sad substitute for the wet heat Travis would be feeling right now. Cassidy licked his palm and returned to stroking, spreading the precome down his shaft to ease his motions.
“Yeah, sweetheart. Oh, God, yeah. Use your tongue. That’s it. All around the head.”
Cassidy eased off the strokes and switched to teasing the sensitive underside of his cockhead, swiping his thumb back and forth as he set his teeth together to stop from groaning along with Travis.
A long sigh, tension shaking the edges, escaped Travis. “I swear you’ve got the sexiest mouth in all creation. Now, suck me. Hard.”
The rhythmic creaking of the cot frame changed to a jagged rattle. Cassidy pumped faster, pressure building along his spine, tingling lines of anticipation at the base of his cock.
And when Travis swore, Cassidy came, semen jolting from him to land in hot, wet stripes on the grass at his feet. He stroked through the pleasure, wresting every last pulse from himself as stars floated in front of his eyes. His legs trembled as he fought to remain vertical.
He breathed as shallowly as possible as he fought to come back from his climax. Travis and Ashley were speaking softly, their bed slowly quieting as they settled down.
Cassidy pulled his clothes back together, making his way past the tent to the well to do a bit of cold water clean up. The wet cloth over his skin cleaned away the stickiness, but didn’t do a thing to ease the fire still racing through his veins. He couldn’t summon much guilt at being a kind of voyeur, though.
Odds were Travis knew what he’d started. Cassidy would bet anything on it.
Sure enough, when he turned to find his sleeping bag, Travis was approaching, his cocky grin all too clear.
Cassidy paused in the middle of the path. “You’re an asshole,” he muttered.
“You’re not as quiet as you thought.” Travis grinned wider. “I wondered… You get off thinking about her sucking you, or me doing it to you?”
The vision of Travis on his knees made Cassidy’s head jerk back as he took a strangled breath through his nose.
“Yeah, either one would be good, right?” Travis stepped around Cassidy and headed to the pump. He twisted for a moment. “Heads up, I’m usually horny in the morning. I can’t promise what we’ll be doing, but if you want to watch, you have my permission.”
Cassidy shot him the finger and escaped. He crawled into his sleeping bag, determined to wake at the ass crack of dawn and start the day’s chores if that’s what it took to avoid giving in again to temptation.
Chapter Nine
The most atrocious sound escaped her stomach, and Ashley glanced at the clock, surprised to discover it was already two p.m. She saved her computer work carefully before leaving the camper and heading to the cookhouse in the hopes of raiding the fridge.
Walking through the doors made her mouth water, the rich scent of tomatoes and onions floating on the air. The mess tent was empty though the long communal tables were already set for supper.
Ashley peeked through the double doors of the kitchen, smiling as she caught Vicki licking a spoon with something close to ecstasy on her face.
“You got some of whatever you’re having for me?” Ashley asked.
Vicki whipped toward her, spoon held out defensively for a second before she lowered it and laughed. “Missed you at lunch. You know the rules—no dessert until you’ve had your vegetables.”
“Screw the rules. Life’s uncertain—eat dessert first.” Ashley hopped up on the tall stool beside the workstation. “I was working on a project and forgot the time.”
“You want something real to eat, then?”
“Don’t want to make more work for you, but yeah. I’m starving.”
Vicki opened the oversized fridge and grabbed a plastic container. “Not a problem, if you don’t mind leftovers.”
“Love them.”
Vicki nodded and put a pan on the stove, working quickly while Ashley looked around the cookhouse. She should probably take a couple pictures for Karen’s brochure. Plus a few artsy shots of the food.
Vicki had a plate in front of her in no time, savoury potatoes and slices of ham making Ashley’s mouth water. “Oh, girl, thank you. I could kiss you.”
A tiny snort escaped the other woman, and Ashley looked up in the middle of cutting into the meat. Vicki’s face was far redder than it should have been from simply rewarming a few items on the stove.
Vicki cleared her throat. “You already did, or don’t you remember?”
The outing Ashley and Travis had taken with his youngest brother, Joel, flashed to mind. Vicki had been along. One night under the stars—sipping moonshine and getting wild. They’d never talked about it afterward, and Ashley had w
ondered what had gone on in Vicki’s mind. “I remember. I didn’t know if you did. You were a little intoxicated—the liquor and all.”
“We were both a touch tight.” Vicki sat in a chair across the table. She forced herself to look Ashley in the eye, crimson with embarrassment. “I don’t usually kiss girls.”
“I do,” Ashley admitted, trying not to laugh at the dismay spreading over Vicki’s face. “Well, I kiss women not girls, because ick. And lately I’ve been kissing a lot more men since I’m seeing Travis.”
“I don’t understand.”
Ashley silently ate her meal while Vicki worked it out. It was amusing to see the moment the light bulb went off in her brain. It was as if she literally lit up.
“Oh my God, you’re gay.”
Ashley licked the potatoes off her fork so she could wave it in the air without flinging food around. “You know, Travis has this same deep, dark desire to brand everything. Which, I don’t know if you feel that makes it easier to put stuff into pockets or whatever. But if you’re going to use labels, get them right. Gays are guys who like guys. Lesbians are women who are attracted to women. Bisexual like either, and just because you kissed me, it doesn’t mean you have to hand in your heterosexual card. Well, not unless you want to.”
Vicki grinned. “I’ll stick with Joel, thanks, but I did wonder what the hell was going on. I mean…I know why I did it. Wasn’t sure what you were up to.”
Ashley shrugged. “Moonlit campfire on a cold night. You were dancing and looking hot. Travis got my motor going, and Joel was being a bit of a stick in the mud. I figured it wasn’t going to hurt anyone.”
“No. It certainly didn’t.” Vicki pushed a glass of juice her direction. “In fact, Joel turned the corner that night. So, thanks.”
“But don’t kiss you again?” Ashley teased.
Vicki wrinkled her nose. “Right. I’m sticking with my guy.”
Ashley smiled. “No problem. I don’t judge. I mean, I still think you’re hot, but if you’re happy, I have no intention of trying to convince you otherwise.”
She took a long drink and waited for Vicki to spit out whatever else she was dying to ask. That she still had something on her mind was written all over her.