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That’s another reason why I didn’t stop Ashley’s advances when I should have last night.

Just because I don’t want to deal with the emotional fallout of being with her again doesn’t mean that I haven’t missed a woman’s touch.

And her touch in particular.

But I don’t miss it enough to jump back into the casual sex game. My hand is good enough to take the edge off.

And my track record with serious relationships – Ashley followed by Lindsay – proves that I need to stay out of that arena, too.

Ashley was my first everything and Lindsay was my last.

“Thanks, man,” Cade says. “Appreciate you. And if you ever change your mind about wanting to figure things out with Ashley, you know I’ve always got your back. I’ll bring the pitchforks to help you hold everyone else back.”

“I know you would,” I reply, giving him a quick hug. “Thank you. But trust me – there’s no chance of me wanting to reconnect with Ashley. The path back to her was blocked a long time ago, man.”

As Cade drives away, I absently kick at the inch of snow already accumulated on the ground. It seems like the weatherman was right and it’s actually going to stick.

I need to meet up with Cameron to discuss the assignments for the day. He’s my second set of eyes and always makes sure that I’m not missing anything. And if the storm is as bad as everyone thinks, then we’ll be working around the clock and will have to sleep in shifts.

But I don’t care about work right now.

All I can think about is Ashley.

She’s alone and there’s not a chance she’ll survive a bad storm at that goddamn cabin.

Chapter 6

Ashley

Theentiredrivetothe cabin, I kept thinking, how bad could it really be? Now that I’m here, I have the answer – it’s bad.

Really, really bad.

Memory didn’t serve me very well, and the drive up the steep, curvy dirt road was white-knuckled. Snow is already coming down heavily, making visibility less than ideal.

But I’m here and safe.

I made it.

The steep mountain where my dad decided to build his hunting cabin is very remote – just how he liked it.

And when I get out of the SUV and survey my surroundings, I quickly realize there will be no chance that I can get back down into town until the storm passes.

I’d end up over the edge of the cliff or in a head-on collision. I’ll never understand why so many country roads are so damn narrow. Why not make enough room for two reasonably sized vehicles to easily pass each other?

My boots sink in the snow when I walk to the trunk and take out the first load of stuff. I set the bags and boxes on the rickety front porch that creaks under my feet and makes me question whether or not I’ll go right through.

It takes four more trips before everything is at the door, and then double the number of tries to get the key to unlock the front door.

When I finally push it open, the view makes me wonder why Dad even bothered to lock it up.

I came to the cabin with him on occasion, but usually preferred to stay closer to my friends. Closer to Gavin.

There was a time when we would do anything to be together, and now he can barely stand the sight of me. I can’t blame him, but it still makes my heart ache.

Being in his arms again was a comfort that I didn’t even realize how badly I was missing. It’s funny how people stay exactly the same as the last time you saw them in your mind, but Gavin most definitely isn’t an eighteen-year-old boy anymore.

The youthful innocence has left his face and been replaced by a stubbly square jaw, eyes that are more intense than playful, and a stronger, thicker build than what lives in my memories.