Page 19 of Craving the Mountain Man
Chapter Nine: Cassidy
Ididn't come here to fall in love.
I came here to heal from David and his casual cruelty. To feel like myself again. To write articles on what made me happy again.
Now it feels like home. Like all I want to do is stay with Evan.
I've never been the type to fall fast or hard, and definitely never been the woman who mistakes good sex for love. But there's something about Evan that goes deeper than physical attraction.
Maybe it’s just that for the first time in my life, I feel like I'm exactly where I'm supposed to be.
I wake up tangled in my sheets alone and hate it. The indentation where his head rested is still warm, which means he hasn't been gone long. He must have left early so Dylan didn’t see him coming out of my room.
I listen for footsteps, for the creak of boots on the porch, for the familiar sounds of him moving through his morning routine. Except it's quiet.
Too quiet.
I slip out of bed and pad down the stairs barefoot, hoping to find him shirtless and cooking again, maybe that little smile tugging at the corner of his mouth, the one he saves only for me. The one that makes me feel like I'm the only woman in the world.
But he's not in the kitchen.
He's out on the deck, talking with Dylan.
I hesitate.
Through the window, I can see them both with coffee mugs, Dylan gesturing with his hands the way he does when he's excited about something. Evan's posture is more reserved, more guarded, and even from here I can see the tension in his shoulders.
Are they talking about me? About us? Has Dylan noticed something?
The paranoia makes my stomach twist, but I force myself to take a breath. Dylan's my brother, not my keeper. I'm a grown woman who can make her own choices, even if those choices are complicated.
Especially if they're complicated.
I step outside and both men glance up.
Evan's face shifts subtly, his eyes softening and his shoulders relaxing, but he gives me nothing else. No touch. No smile. No heat. Just that unreadable expression I hate because it feels like he's putting walls back up brick by brick.
"Morning," Dylan says, lifting his coffee in greeting.
"Hey," I reply, forcing my voice casual. "What's the plan for today?"
"Supplies first," Dylan says, settling back against the railing. "Then site clearing. Evan's going to show me where the ridge line cuts through the back lot."
The job. Right. The reason Dylan's here, the reason this perfect bubble had to burst eventually.
I nod and look to Evan, hoping for some sign of warmth, some acknowledgment of what we shared.
"You want Cass to come with you Evan?" Dylan asks.
Evan hesitates. Just for a second, but I catch it. Then he shakes his head. "Probably better if she stays here. Not much to do out there today."
Translation:Stay behind. Be out of sight. Stay safe.
Or maybe:Stay out of the way.
I have to work to keep my expression neutral. "Cool," I say lightly. "I've got an article I should finish anyway."
Evan looks at me like he wants to say something. Like he can see the hurt I'm trying to hide behind casual indifference.
