She eventually broke contact. “I’d say we stay here for a while, but I’m afraid I would be too cold to climb down the mountain if we did.”
“You’re right, and I do have a few more miles of trails to check out.”
She nodded, slipped off his lap, and stood. Once they packed up, he attached his saw to his pack and continued down the backside of the mountain. Even in the winter, some birds were sending out their lively tunes. The air was cold but clean, and Zach slowly felt his soul return to him. Cassidy had given him a new life, and for that he’d be forever in her debt.
Only when they neared the ranger station did the sky begin to cloud over. “We might be in for a storm tonight,” he said.
“I like storms, as long as I’m snuggled up with a man.”
He looked over his shoulder at her. “Any man?”
“Maybe not a random guy, but I’m not picky.”
Surely, she was kidding. She was meant to be with him and Mike forever. “I guess I’ll have to convince you that I can keep you warm in many ways.”
She grinned. “Now that’s what I was hoping you’d say.”
They entered the ranger station.
“How did everything go?” Agatha asked.
“Great. I only had to remove a few downed limbs. The view from on top of Pink Beds Mountain was spectacular as usual,” he said.
“Thanks for lunch,” Cassidy said. “It was great.”
“I’m glad you liked it.” She turned to Zach. “There are a few things you need to take care of in your office, but they probably can wait if you have to go.”
“Thanks.” He slipped off his pack and went into the office where he put away his gear.
“Have a seat or look around. I’ll only be a minute.” He didn’t want Cassidy to wait too long, but he had to make sure there was nothing urgent, despite Agatha telling him nothing seemed important.
While he checked his messages, Cassidy studied the photos on the walls. Most of the pictures were from visitors who’d sent him their photos of birds, waterfalls, or mountain vistas, sometimes as a thank you, and sometimes because they thought he’d like the image.
“These are beautiful.”
“I agree. The mountains are glorious no matter the time of year.”
“It’s the same in Wyoming.”
“I bet it is.”
Zach made short of his work. When he’d taken care of the most important items, he pushed back his chair. “Ready to pack up Mike’s house and see if we can convince him that I am not the devil?”
She laughed. “Leave Mike to me. I think I can convince him that my intent was not to shun him.”
It would be hard to listen to the two of them make love tonight, but such was the life of being in a ménage relationship. It wouldn’t always be convenient for the three of them to be together. Plus, they had to be considerate of Cassidy. He and Mike might be able to make love for hours on end, but she might not be able to.
They said goodbye to Agatha and headed out. As soon as they hopped in the truck, he started the cold engine. After idling for a bit, he turned on the heat. “First stop will be Mike’s place. While you pack, I’ll bag up as much food as I can. Then we’ll head over to my apartment.”
“Do you think Mike will be upset that we’re basically moving in?"
"Well, it is my house."
"I know, but I hope he doesn’t decide to move back to his place.”
“You said you could convince him to stay.”
“That's true. He won’t freak if we clean out his fridge, will he?” she asked.