Page 2 of Shadow

“Tell me what you want, Linds,” Garrett brushes a stray lock of hair behind my ear.

“Kiss me,” I plead.

“I shouldn't,” he argues.

“But you will,” I bat my eyes. “Won’t you?”

“Damnit,” he curses under his breath but then, he’s on me.

His lips press to mine and he kisses me like I’ve never been kissed before.

With the experience of a man and not the nervousness of my former high school boyfriend.

Everything about Garrett’s kiss is better than I could have ever dreamed of. He consumes all of me with this one simple kiss. And for a split second, I let myself believe that we could have it all. That we could be so much more.

But then, Garrett jumps back like he’s been burned and curses again. “Damnit, Lindsey. I shouldn’t have done that. I’m sorry.”

He stands and begins pacing.

I should let him go. I should walk away from him and move on. Except I can’t. There’s no way I can resist him. Not without another taste.

“Garrett,” I step towards him. With each step he backs up further and further, trying to keep space between us.

“Linds, I…I shouldn’t. You’re getting ready to leave for college. You don’t need a man like me holding you back.” Garrett bumps into the tree behind him.

I use that as my chance to wrap my arms around him and lay my head on his chest. I can’t explain the level of comfort I have around this man but it’s real and I’ll never be able to get enough of him.

“Garrett, I…” I look up into his eyes. “I need you to kiss me again. Let me have this. Let me have just one more moment with you.”

He gives in and spins me around. This time I’m the one pinned against the tree as his lips find mine and he drives me to the brink of insanity with nothing more than his kiss.

ChapterOne

Garrett

Addington Ranch took up almost the entire square footage of the ‘small’ town of the same name, just outside of Fort Wayne, Indiana. Its vast pastures gave room for cattle, horses and fields of fruits and vegetables. Plus whatever else the women of Addington Ranch came up with to sell at the local farmers markets.

It was home to the entire Addington Family, or at very least the place they always came back to. And had been myhomesince I was eighteen.

The Addington Family took me in when I had nothing and made me one of their own. I worked my ass off every day to earn my keep here. Working my way from the bottom of the barrel ranch hand to one of their farm managers, working alongside the elder Addington men.

I was no dummy. The Addingtons were the only family I had. I’d be a damn fool to jeopardize it.

Carrying the last dish in from the kitchen, I take my usual seat at the dining room table for Sunday dinner. Harriett joins us, taking a seat right next to her husband Neville, the family patriarch. Neville Addington extends his hands for all of us to join in and say Grace while we bow our heads. With each Amen said, we begin passing the food around.

This week it’s pot roast with green beans, mashed potatoes, carrots, and Harriett’s homemade gravy with biscuits on the side. And from the smell of cinnamon in the air, there’s no doubt she’s made her famous apple pie for dessert.

Every Sunday, for the last fifteen years this was how I spent my Sunday evenings. The only exception was when William or Neville sent me out of town to scout cattle or a horse or two.

Kevin Addington, one of the heirs to the Addingon Ranch, was just two years my senior and one of my very best friends. I met Kevin six months after I moved to Addington Ranch. Kevin was on his first deployment overseas when I became a ranch hand here. He came back home and “re-married” his longtime sweetheart, Fallon, that Fall. That wasafterthey eloped and didn’t tell a soul the morning before he left on that first deployment. I still remember how shocked everyone seemed to be and the huge celebration that followed their traditional wedding that the Addingtons and Fallon’s family insisted on.

Kevin divided his time between the Army and ranching for years while Harriett, Neville and Kevin’s dad, William, waited patiently for grandchildren. Kevin and his wife build their own house on the west side of the Ranch property and Kevin bought Fallon her ‘heart horse’, Ranger, instead. For whatever reason the couple made their family wait quite some time for Garrison Addington to join the world.

Garrison was a wild and rambunctious three year old now. One who had damn near everyone around here wrapped around his chubby fingers. Including my sorry ass. Garrison loved horses and damn if the tiny little shit didn’t love trying to rope calves too.

I’d lay my life down for any one of the people in this room. And the one woman who was missing from this table.

After swallowing my first bite, I kick Kevin under the table and give him a little nudge, “Alright, Kev. Out with it. What’s got you sitting over there smiling to yourself?”

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