Page 50 of Shared By the Mountain Men

“I couldn’t help it. That feltamazing.”

She flashed a smile over her shoulder. “I enjoyed it just as much as you did.”

“I highly doubt that.”

“You can repay the favor when we get back,” she said casually.

As I resumed paddling, I thought to myself:I think I’m in love.

24

Melissa

Kayak. Bed. Backyard hammock. Bed again. Kitchen table. Bed once more.

By the time we fell asleep, I’d made Noah comefour times. That had to be some sort of record. It was definitely a personal best for me. So were the six orgasms I’d had myself.

I slept like a baby. A sexually-satisfied baby. Okay, that’s areallybad metaphor that doesn’t make sense, but you know what I mean.

I woke up the next morning to pee, then looked out the window next to the bed. Ash’s tent was out there in the backyard, just like it was the last time. There wasn’t any activity that I could see; he must have still been sleeping. Once again, I wondered what his deal was. I could understand not trusting people. I definitely understood not wanting to rely on others. But sleeping in a tent outside when your best friend had a perfectly good spare bedroom? That was something I couldn’t wrap my head around.

Whatever had happened to Ash had messed him up bad.

I crawled back into bed, but I wasn’t tired anymore. I browsed my phone for a bit, then lightly kissed Noah on the cheek. “Want me to make breakfast?”

He turned toward me and smiled with his eyes closed. “I’ve never been the kind of man to turn down breakfast.”

“Stay here and I’ll bring it to you.”

Noah’s T-shirt was on the ground next to the bed where I had tossed it last night, so I pulled that on and then went downstairs. I wondered what food Noah had in the fridge. At the very least I could make scrambled eggs, but it would be even better if he had bacon or sausage, or maybe some pancake—

There was a man standing in the corner of the kitchen.

I let out a scream of surprise and began backing up toward the stairs, but my heel hit the first step and I fell on my butt. The man turned around and moved toward me, and I began to shout again…

…then realized it was Ash. He loomed over me, then extended a hand.

“Sorry,” he said, “for scaring you.”

I took his hand, and he pulled me to my feet with easy strength. His eyes raked over me for a moment, intense and thoughtful, then he turned around and walked back to the corner of the kitchen next to the laundry room.

That’s when I remembered I was wearing only panties and a T-shirt. Heat flooded my cheeks, and I instinctively pulled the shirt down in a failed attempt at covering myself.

Noah came rushing down the stairs a few heartbeats later. He let out a relieved sigh when he saw the two of us.

“Morning,” Ash said simply.

“I’m so sorry,” Noah told me. “It’s Thursday, isn’t it? Ash does laundry on Thursdays, but my days are all messed up since I was in Ouray this week.”

Yep. The dryer was currently spinning in the laundry room. I was surprised that I hadn’t heard it.

“It’s fine,” I said, although my heart was still racing. I made myself turn toward Ash. “I was going to make breakfast, if you want to join us.”

He held my gaze for several seconds. “I’m good. Got work soon.”

“Which place?” I joked out of nervousness. “The barbecue joint, Marlene’s diner, or the climbing office?”

“At the resort,” he said simply. “On the mountain.”

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