Page 1 of Shadow

Prologue

Lindsey

My eighteenth birthday was finally here.

High school was over and I had just a few more weeks left before I headed for the West Coast and college.

Gramps and Granny planned a huge 18th birthday party for me and my big brother was home on a short leave from the Army. Family and friends had been milling around the ranch all day long but there was one person in particular I was currently looking for.

Garrett Everleigh.

Oh the man was so damn swoonworthy.

Tall.

Rugged.

Handsome.

And he knew a thing or two about horses, and a million other things.

I’d been watching and silently ogling the man since I caught him rinsing off outside the barn a few years ago. The man stripped down to his boxer briefs and must have thought no one was watching. But I was. And, lawdy what a sight to behold.

My face flushed just thinking about his gorgeously tanned skin and the droplets of water rolling over his six pack and dripping down his thighs.

“You know, now would be the perfect time to sneak down to the creek bank. I saw a certain cowboy disappear in that direction a few minutes ago,” my sister in law, Fallon, whispered in my ear. “I’ll cover for you and make sure nobody comes your way.”

Fallon and I became close over the years. Kind of hard not to when the woman was madly in love with my big brother, Kevin. Kevin was one of my favorite people on the planet and the fact that Fallon made him so happy, made her a close runner up. Plus, she never judged me for liking a man five years older than me.

“I…I don’t know…” I nervously bit my lip.

“Listen, don’t tell Kevin I said this, but you’re eighteen now. I’m not saying you should go have sex with the man, but I am saying that you should go tell him how you’re feeling before you run off to college,” she winks and gives me a gentle shove. “Now, go.”

I took one last look over my shoulder and headed for the path that I knew would lead me to Garrett. It didn’t take long for me to find him. He was sitting on a log along the creek bank with his head in his hands. I sat down beside him and looped one of my arms under his, pulling myself against him.

Garrett tensed but didn’t turn to look at me. “I can’t get away from you, can I?”

I leaned in a little closer. “Why would you want to?”

I watched his jaw tighten and the way his neck moved as he swallowed hard. “What are you doing out here, Linds?”

“Came to see you, of course.”

“You should get back to your party.”

“Maybe later,” I turned up the dial on what little bit of sex appeal I thought I had. “Right now, I came out here because I wanted to tell you something.”

“Don’t,” he untwined our arms and tried to put space between us.

“Garrett, will you at least look at me. Please?”

“I can’t Linds. I can’t look at you because if I do, all of my resolve will break.”

“Then let it,” I beg. I want to see his resolve break. I want him to give in to whatever it is that he is fighting and give in to me.

This time he does turn and face me. He puts his hands on my shoulders and stares me in the eyes. “Is that really what you want, Linds? Do you really want me to give in to temptation?”

“Of course,” my words come out in a whisper.

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