Page 21 of Wild Highway (Runaway 2)

“Fine.”

“Would you like to join us?” She gestured to the empty seat beside me.

Easton answered by walking out of the room, not sparing me another glance before he disappeared through the door that led to the kitchen.

Wow.

“I see you two still hate each other.”

It had never been hatred. More like two kids who hadn’t realized that hate was actually foreplay.

Katherine stood from her chair and walked over to the bar along the rear wall. She swiped a wine bottle off the shelf, opened it with the corkscrew and brought it to the table. “I’ll probably regret this bottle in the morning.”

“Me too.” I held up my glass.

“How long are you staying?”

“I don’t know. A day or two. Is that okay? If you have an incoming reservation, I can take off tomorrow.”

“No, stay. I’ll need the room back next week. It’s hunting season and we’re booked solid through Christmas. But if you want to stay longer, you can stay at my place. We have a guest bedroom that’s always empty.”

“We?” My eyes darted to her naked ring finger. “I didn’t know you were living with someone.”

“I live with Cash.”

“Oh. I didn’t realize you were together.”

“No, no, no.” She waved it off. “We’re not together. We’re just roommates. And coworkers. And friends.”

Friends. With the way she stressed the word, either he wanted more, and she wasn’t interested, or it was the other way around.

Cash had been at college when I’d worked here, and I’d only spoken to him once when he’d come home for spring break. But I’d recognized him instantly when he’d helped me bring my luggage into the lodge earlier. He had the same good looks as his older brother, though Easton carried a rougher edge. The biggest difference between the Greer men was that Cash was nice.

Easton, not so much. Though he was nice to look at.

“Carol and Jake built a house in the foothills about five years ago,” Katherine said. “Cash and Easton were living in their old place, but a few years ago, Easton decided to build too. So rather than stay in one of the staff apartments, it made sense for me to move into the house. It was getting weird for the staffers to have the boss living next door.”

The staff quarters were what I’d imagined a college dorm was like. Fun for a younger crowd but totally impractical for adults who’d outgrown their communal living days.

I’d loved living in the quarters. I’d loved having a decent shower and soft mattress. The accommodations weren’t spacious, but for Katherine, Londyn and me, they’d been sublime. A giant step up from the junkyard.

The door to the kitchen opened and Easton came striding out carrying a plate covered with aluminum foil in his hand. He kept his brown eyes aimed forward, not oblivious to the way Katherine and I watched him walk, just uncaring.

Was he heading to his house alone? Even with the foil, I could tell his plate was heaped with food. It was enough for two people.

There was no chance Easton was still single. He was an extremely sexy man with a steady job and an ass that looked delicious in a pair of Wranglers.

And without.

Too bad he was a jerk and probably married. A night with Easton Greer was exactly the thing my newly spontaneous self would have applauded.

“Goodnight,” Katherine called to his back as he walked past the threshold that connected the dining room to the lobby.

Easton’s steps didn’t slow. “Night, Kat.”

Rejected again. Damn. Eleven years later and it stung. But there was no use dwelling on the actions of a man I’d leave behind in a day or two. I’d done that enough. I’d wished for his warm smile when all I’d ever received was the cold shoulder.

That hadn’t changed. The only time he’d taken notice was the night I’d let him take me to his bed.