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  “It’s snowing.”

  “You think so! Don’t say I told you so Giles, I swear I’m not in the mood.”

  “Maybe you should take this as a sign and stay in tonight.” He nodded his head in assurance.

  She ignored his words and walked past him, at the end of the hall she stopped outside of the closed door. She ran a hand threw her blond hair and took a deep breath. When she opened the door to her father’s study she swore she could see him sitting at the desk smiling at her as usual. She shook the memory aside and snatched the keys off of the desk, pulling the door shut behind herself quickly.

  When she opened the door to the overpriced SUV she smiled, her father had always had her extravagant taste in toys. She could smell the faint trace of his cologne when she sat in the seat, she slid it forward a notch and backed out of the garage.

  ~ ~ ~

  “Come on ladies, let's check out the bar!” Wendi linked arms with her best friends and led them into the tiny room. All of the tables were full so they headed towards the bar. None of them were aware of the mischievous blond sitting across from them.

  “What can I get for you ladies?” The hunky looking bartender filled out his tight black tee shirt nicely Trina thought as she smiled an ordered a glass of wine. Wendi elbowed her and winked at the guy, she also ordered a glass of wine. He walked away to fill their order.

  Cassidy had stopped at the restroom and was now stuck on the end of the threesome. “Did you guys order for me?”

  “No, we were too busy trying to put the flames out. Did you see the bartender? Girl!” Wendi mock fanned herself.

  “Uh no, thank you though I’ll take your word for it.” Cassidy shook her head.

  “What can I get for ya?” Cassidy agreed with her friends, he was definitely a fine specimen, for a man anyway. Just then she noticed a woman with short blond hair sitting across the bar staring at her.

  “Uh…I’ll have what she’s having.” She nodded towards Ian. He rolled his eyes and poured the drink. When he returned she grabbed the glass and raised it up and nodded at the blond before she took the first sip. Holy shit! Trina saw the look on her friends face then sniffed her glass now half full of rust colored liquid and ice.

  “Cass what the hell are you drinking?”

  “I don’t know, it’s pretty good though.” She swirled the liquor around in the glass and took another, smaller sip.

  “Here’s to a weekend of fun ladies!” Wendi clinked her win glass to Trina’s and Cassidy joined in. “Oh and I definitely got dibs on the bartender.” She smiled at Trina.

  “My god you two sound like you’re in high school.”

  “Oh get the stick out of your butt Cass, lighten up have fun, that’s what we’re here for.”

  Have fun…I’d like to have a little fun with that blond…she’s undressing me with her eyes, I can feel it. “I’ll be right back.” Cassidy grabbed her drink and walked over to the secluded woman.

  “Hi.” Ian nodded at her. “What do you call this?” Cassidy lifted her glass.

  “Southern Comfort, it’s Bourbon.” Ian turned her head just enough to flash her sapphire eyes at her with a tiny wink.

  Cassidy was enjoying the playful conversation. Her eyes are gorgeous! “What’s your name?”

  “I don’t have one.” Ian spoke surely.

  “It can‘t be that bad.” Cassidy sat on the stool that was closer to the other woman than originally anticipated. Ian leaned towards her, her lips dangerously close to brushing against Cassidy's ear, her finger tips grazed the back of Cassidy’s hand.

  “Does it matter?” She held her position.

  The breath caught in Cassidy’s chest. Breathe damn it breathe! “Maybe…. I don’t want to be a notch in your belt.” Cassidy was still holding her breath.

  “That’s too bad.” Ian spoke just above a whisper and this time she touched her lips to Cassidy's ear, then backed away from her, she downed her second drink in one gulp as she tossed a twenty on the counter, then quietly and confidently walked out of the bar.

  My god who is she? Cassidy walked back over to her friends and sat back down.

  “Uh you wanna explain that slutsauraus?!” Wendi spoke first with her red eyebrows raised as high as they’d go. Trina had her head cocked to the side unmistakably waiting for an answer.

  “What? I can’t talk to someone? You two are sitting here pinning for the bartender!”

  “We weren’t making out with him! A total stranger!” Trina chimed in.

  “I wasn’t making out with anyone, calm down. You’re embarrassing yourselves.” And me! She was sure her skin was hot pink, she could feel the warmth and it wasn’t from embarrassment.

  “It sure looked like you two got a little closer than strangers. What were you saying to each other anyway?”

  “She has gorgeous blue eyes!”

  “You were discussing her eyes? That was an intense conversation for eyes Cass.”

  “No, she wanted me to leave with her, or at least that’s how it sounded.”

  “No way!”

  “Yeah, I…hell I probably should’ve went” She smiled.

  “Uh no, you wanna get killed?”

  “By a woman?”

  “You never know, she could be crazy! Maybe she has a husband at home and they like it rough so she goes tramping to bring someone home.”

  “Please, you two are something else. She’s definitely a bad girl though, that’s for sure.”

  “You look like you're in heat girlfriend, Trina we need to get her outside before she catches fire!”

  “Shut up!” She slapped the redhead’s arm. “I am tired though, lets call it a night, we have a long day ahead of us.”

  ~ ~ ~

  At noon Giles finally saw the familiar sad face as Ian made her way into the kitchen, she was dressed in wool pants and a thermal turtleneck. She sat at the table like always.

  “Can I get you anything Miss Wiley?” He waited.

  “Mimosa and a piece of wheat toast.” He shook his head and returned to the table with a plate of chocolate chip muffins and a tall glass of chocolate milk. She was too tired and he knew she wouldn’t argue with him, that would be pointless and they both knew it, so she ate four muffins and downed the milk.

  “Are you going skiing today young Wiley?” He was hoping her spirits were turning around.

  “No, I’m taking the snowmobile out.”

  Oh no! The last time she rode that thing she almost killed herself, just like her sports car she had to drive it with the pedal to the floor. No such thing as speed limit to Ian Wiley. “Please be careful, you know how soft the fresh powder is this time of year.”

  “I’ll be fine Giles.” She stood up and put on her baby blue ski jacket and sunglasses. Her boots were by the door. She couldn’t help thinking about the brunette in the bar. Rarely did a woman turn her down, in fact this one hadn’t really done so either. But, Ian had always made it a point to back away when her barrier was being crossed, exchanging anything other than nameless, meaningless, uninhibited casual sex, was crossing the barrier. Still, the brunette intrigued her.

  ~ ~ ~

  “Okay ladies, these are the controls.” The handsome blond guy with mirror lens sunglasses explained the snowmobiles to the three women standing in front of him. Trina was practically falling on him. “Does everyone have it?”

  “Oh I got it all right, you can ride me, I mean ride with me just to make sure if you want.” Trina ran her hand down his jacket covered forearm.

  Oh give me a break! I talk to a woman for two minutes, but you can paw all over some poor guy! He politely backed away and made it a point to smile at Cassidy who stood out of his face on the other side of the sled. As soon as he walked away Trina turned around.

  “You! Ugh!” She stomped over to her own sled. “It figures they always fall for the lesbian of the group, stupid men!” She started the snowmobile and took off, Wendi and Cassidy were right behind her. The rental place gave them walkie talkies
so that they could talk to each other without getting to close. That idea seemed to cause less accidents since they began using them last season. They had the sleds for three hours, then they were suppose to go skiing if their bodies didn’t give out.

  They rode around the different trails watching various animals and down hill skiers go by.

  “I think there’s a snowboarding hill around here somewhere, let me check the map.” Trina spoke into the radio.

  “Here, I got it, let’s go watch them, I think those are so cool, but I’m too chicken shit to do it.” Wendi added.

  ~ ~ ~

  Ian strapped her snowboard to her back and rode out to what she thought was secluded part of the mountain. She parked the sled on the side and trudged up the hill until she was satisfied with the distance. She strapped her boots to her board and turned towards the bottom of the hill. She flew through the snow like there was no tomorrow the first time. At the bottom she unhooked the board and again walked back up to the top of the hill. She could see a few other people snowboarding close by. Don’t they know this is private property! She figured it wasn’t worth her time to go scream at them, instead she decided to make her trips down the mountain a little more daring.

  ~ ~ ~

  The three stooges stopped on the side of the hill closer to the other boarders that were going down the small slope. Both of them were male. Trina and Wendi were in heaven, Cassidy rolled her eyes and turned her head. That’s when she noticed the person on the other side of the hill carving and twisting as the snow flew threw the air. Nice! “Look at that guys…” She pointed both of her friends in the other direction. One of the guys on the hill next to them stopped close to the sleds.

  “Hi, what’s up?” He smiled at Cassidy.

  “Can you do those tricks? That looks really hard.” He shrugged his shoulders.

  “It’s not that hard.” He went to the top and decided to mimic the other boarder. He made it almost halfway, then busted his butt and fell flat on his face in the snow. Cassidy laughed, Wendi and Trina jumped up to go help him. When the second guy saw him fall he raced down the hill on his board.

  “What the hell were you doing? Are you okay?” The dark haired guy was shaking his head.

  “Yeah, fine, I almost had it man!”

  “I know, I saw you.” He turned to the women and stuck his glove covered hand out. “I’m Charlie, this is Derek.”

  “Nice to meet you guys.” Trina and Wendi were engrossed in conversation with the two men.

  “Excuse me?” Cassidy looked at all of them, she was still infatuated with the boarder on the other hill.

  “Oh I’m sorry, this is Cassidy.” Trina cringed from the embarrassment of not introducing their friend. Opps.

  “Hi, uh…do you guys know that person?” She pointed at the hill.

  Charlie answered sarcastically. “More than likely that’s Ian Wiley, she owns these hills. I’m actually surprised she hasn’t come over to yell at us.”

  “Wiley,…Ian Wiley…as in….”

  “Yeah Wiley Steel, yada yada yada…”

  “Wow.” Cassidy couldn’t see anything but a figure in light blue riding a white and black snowboard. She couldn’t even see the hair color because of the stocking cap covering the small head. “She’s really good.”

  “Who cares.” He turned his attention back to the other two ladies. Since it was their last night on the mountain they decided to invite the guys to dinner with them. Cassidy rolled her eyes. I had the chance to hook up and didn’t because of you two twits, now you’re going to hook up and ditch me, oh that figures!

  “Oh shit! Girls we need to have the snowmobiles back in like fifteen minutes.”

  “Holy shit! Hey do you guys no a quick way back to the rental place?”

  “Yeah, watch out for Cruella Deville over there,” He turned towards the other hill, Ian was gone. “Never mind she’s gone, go down that hill and hang a left, that trail should lead right past her house and down to the lodge.

  “Cool!” Cassidy was excited about seeing the house.

  The girls took off with Cassidy leading them, as soon as they turned the corner they saw the trees open up with the most beautiful structure sitting in the middle about a mile away behind a large iron gate. So that’s where you live, no wonder you never come to the plant. Actually, I never met your father either…Her train of thought was diminished when a snowmobile raced past them and cut off to the side of the property. That’s her! God I wish I could see her, I bet she’s either old, straight, or like thirteen. Better yet, she’s probably really ugly, with a mustache! Serves her right. Cassidy grinned at her perception.

  ~ ~ ~

  Dinner came and went, Charlie and Derek were both locals, growing up in Aspen, but now they lived in Denver. Cassidy spent the entire dinner thinking about the obscure blond from the bar the night before.

  “Hey, let’s go over to the bar.” Trina suggested. Cassidy was the first one to stand.

  “That’s a good idea.” As soon as they walked in she saw the blond sitting at the end alone, the same rust colored liquid on the rocks in the glass in front of her. She’s here! Cassidy walked up next to her and ordered a drink.

  “Change your mind?” The soft voice spoke.

  “Gotta name yet?”

  “Doesn’t matter.” She finished her glass and stood up. Cassidy was surprised to see the woman was a few inches taller than herself.

  Cassidy winked. The woman smiled, her ocean blue eyes twinkled, she reached out and grazed the back of her fingers over Cassidy’s soft cheek before walking out of the bar. Ugh! I’ve failed twice with this woman, why the hell am I so drawn to her? All she wants to do is have nameless, meaningless, no strings attached, sex with me. And what do I do? I chicken out! Twice! She’s gorgeous, I’m so stupid! “Ugh!” Cassidy sighed and slid onto the warm stool that the mysterious woman had been occupying.

  “What can I get for ya?” it was the same guy from the night before. She could tell there was definitely some thick air between him and the blond. Maybe ex-lovers. Ew no! “Uh, I’ll have a glass of Southe…uh…So…Bour…hmm…”

  “Southern Comfort…Bourbon?”

  “Yes! That’s it yeah…on the rocks, sorry.” He rolled his eyes and walked away, returning with the glass of rust liquid on ice. Cassidy downed the glass and slid into the booth with friends and the new found guys.

  “I’m a little tired, I think I’m going to head up and start packing.” Cassidy ran her hand threw her shoulder length jet black hair. Her gray eyes looked almost black in the dim lighting. Trina looked at Wendi.

  “We should go up too, I mean we do have to get up early and drive back.”

  “No you guys stay here, have fun. I’ll see you in the morning.” Cassidy smiled and winked before she turned to go out into the lobby. Oh mystery woman of mine, I wish I knew what room you were in. I might just give up on your name for one night of heated passion. Give up Cassidy, you’re too late for that now. You’re the one who backed out…twice.

  Chapter 6

  Three weeks later

  “Miss Wiley the board is on the phone. You really should talk to them, this sounds important.” The salt and pepper haired man nervously ran his finger over his thin mustache. Oh open the door you spoiled brat! He decided to try the knob, to his surprise it was unlocked. Please let her be dressed, and god please let her be alone. He walked in and found the heap of blankets and sheets in the middle of the bed. Hmm…He spoke into the phone, telling them she was busy at the moment and would return their call. Then he went over to the large bay window and slung the drapes open, letting sunshine fill the large room. That’s when he noticed the empty bottle of Remy Martin on the little table by the couch. At least you’re getting slammed like you have money. This must be at least a thousand dollar bottle of Cognac. You’ve definitely got your daddy’s taste young Wiley. He’d kept this in…ah that’s probably where you got it, his private stash in his study. You little sneak. He started to pull the c
overs back when she stirred, a small blond hair popped out from under the covers, her eyebrows were fused together and her eyes were almost black.

  “What the hell are you doing in my room Giles?”

  “Uh…Miss Wiley it’s time for you to get up. You had an important phone call.”

  She didn’t move. Her head was the only thing he could see. Thank god.

  “Who was it?” She said through gritted teeth.

  “The board.”

  “Giles, how many times have I told you, the board is not important to me. They can all go to hell.”

  God give me …wait…Mr. Wiley please give me the strength to get this kid in line. She’s ruining her life. That’s it, he finally figured it out. “How would your father feel if he heard you say that?”

  “Leave my father out of this Giles, I’m warning you.”

  “Ian Wiley you are wasting your life away for something that you couldn’t control. You should be ashamed at the way you’ve been living these past four months.”

  “GILES!” She yelled.

  “Listen to me, your father, grandfather, and great grandfather left you a legacy to run. It’s time for you to get up off of your bottom and do what’s in your blood, you’re a Wiley for god’s sake! Act like it!”

  “You’re fired!” She tossed the covers back and stood up. Giles thanked the lord she was at least covered in the right places. Tiny feminine boxer shorts and a tiny tee shirt was all she wore, nothing underneath either piece. She got into the old man’s face. “You’re fired you old bastard!” She was screaming at him.