by Mignon Mykel
“You’re good at that too,” Garrett’s deep voice startles me.
“It felt good to be on the other side of things for once,” I confess.
“That was always your dream.”
“Yeah, it was”
“Do you regret delaying it?” I’m not sure what he’s getting at, but his question rubs me the wrong way.
“You mean, do I regret taking the opportunities that came my way? Or regret delaying coming home?” I snip back.
“I don’t know. Maybe both.” He answers, dropping his head down and refusing to meet my gaze.
There’s so much more I want to say to him, but we’re interrupted when Gramps and Dad walk in.
“Hey, Linds, I found out some information and want you to take a look at it. Come back to the office?” Dad asks.
The minute his plane landed, Dad made it his mission to help me find resources for my grand plan and see exactly what it was going to take to make it happen. I’m hopeful that he might have stumbled across some answers while I worked with Jacob.
“Yep.” I follow both men and don’t even bother looking over my shoulder to give Garrett a backward glance.
3
Garrett
Tonight, instead of joining the Addington’s for dinner, I’ve decided to get the hell out of Dodge for a while. There’s a honky-tonk bar outside of town that called, Dirty Pete’s Saloon, owned by - you guessed it, a guy named Pete. They’ve got cold beer, decent music, and plenty of distractions. Especially since a few of the other guys are heading out too.
Wes and Sawyer are already waiting for me when I step out of my loft over top of the Addington’s family barn.
“Wes is driving since he’s pussy-whipped. The Misses ordered him to stay sober tonight if he wants to get laid.” Sawyer chuckles.
Having a designated driver sounds like a terrible idea. Terrible because it means that I’ll likely end up drinking far too fucking much and doing something stupid. Then again, it’s been a while since I’ve tied one on. Maybe letting loose is what I really need to do.
Giving in to a good time, I climb in the backseat of Wes’ truck. “Where are Austin and Maverick?”
“Already on their way to Pete’s,” Wes answers as he circles the driveway.
I make a mental note to have him drop me off at the end of the drive on the way back. The last damn thing I need is Neville to wake up to a bunch of rowdy drunks at two a.m., especially after his little interrogation this morning over breakfast.
“Heard Linsdey is back. Rumor has it, she was up before you this morning and took care of some of your chores too.” Wes smirks at me in the rearview mirror.
Well, shit. Here I gave credit to Austin, who I barely saw all day, and all along it was Lindsey who had been doing barn work while I was still sleeping.
“Dude, I saw a picture of her on Instagram last week. Lindsey is smoking hot, bro.” Sawyer waggles his brows.
“Sawyer, you like your job, right?” I ask.
“Of course I do. You know the old man pays well.”
“Then, a word of advice...stay away from Lindsey. If you touched a single hair on her head, I could guarantee Neville and William will see to it that they never find your body.”
Sawyer swallows nervously. “Uh, yeah. You’re probably right. Forget I said anything.”
“Enough talk about women anyway. This is supposed to be a guys night.” Wes chimes in.
“How many times did you check your phone while we waited for Garrett?” Sawyer asks.
“I answered one text. Fuckface.”
God. Listening to these two bicker has me really second-guessing my life choices tonight. Driving myself and having just one beer suddenly seems like it would have been a better idea.
A little while later, I’m two beers in and line dancing with some blonde chick who needed a two-step partner when I spot Lindsey walking in. My dance partner laughs as I trip over my own two feet, clearly mistaking my distraction for clumsiness instead.
Guitars and Cadillacs ends and the music transitions to a slow song. Blondie gives me a soft questioning gaze, but I politely decline the invitation. No way in hell I’m slow dancing with anyone unless I plan on taking them home. Wrong impressions and all that.
She gives me a tiny pout but nods in understanding and follows me to the bar. “How about a drink, then?”
I don’t want to be that guy, the one who acts like an ass to a lady, but I don’t make a habit of buying women drinks either. Besides, I’m pretty sure this chick thinks that one dance means a whole lot more. “Thanks, but no thanks.”
“Garrett, right?” She asks.
“Yeah.” I fight back a sigh. This is what I get for being a gentleman and trying to help a lady out.
“You’re a dick.” She huffs.
“Darlin’ I’ve been called worse, trust me. I’m not trying to hurt anyone’s feelings here. It was just one dance. Three minutes of fun on the dance floor. Nothing more. I’m sure you’re a real nice lady and all, but that’s not what I came here for.” There. I laid it out there. And I mean it. I’m not trying to hurt feelings. I’m only here to have a little fun and go the hell home.
“Ohh. I get it.” Her face softens. “What’s her name?”
“I’m sorry?”
“Her name. I’ve seen that look before. You’re hung up on a woman. What’s her name?”
I shake my head. I’m not about to go there with a complete stranger. Instead, I move further down the bar to where the rest of the guys are sitting. Blondie follows behind me, clearly unable to take a hint.
“Well, hello.” Maverick purrs while the rest of us roll our eyes.
Lucky for me, though, Mr. Casanova can take over and hopefully get this chick out of my hair. He introduces himself, and I grab another beer.
Austin elbows my side and leans a little closer. “Don’t look now but, Lindsey just walked in. She’s headed right for us.”
“So?” I shrug.
“Dude. I really wish you two would just fuck it out and eliminate all the tension whenever you two are within twenty feet of each other.”
“Shut it,” I warn him.
“Just saying. The two of you are not as subtle as you think,” Austin adds before tipping back his beer.
Lindsey slides up onto the empty barstool beside me and orders herself a beer before acknowledging any of us. The bartender smiles a little too wide and stares at her for a little too long. Meanwhile, I’m fighting the urge to reach across the bar and slap some sense into him.
“So much anger,” she leans in and whispers, making my entire body tense.
I raise a brow and look over at her. “Really? What are you doing here?”
“Everyone at the house had plans tonight, so I figured I’d get out for a while. Kevin said you guys were headed here and I figured if I wanted to grab a few beers, I might as well do it in safe company. Right?”
I’m going to kill Kevin. I can’t believe the fucker had the never to tell his sister where I was. Though she did have a point. Here, she was safe. We may laugh and joke like a bunch of assholes, but Lindsey would always be safe with the five of us. We all respected Neville and William far too much not to look out for her.
“Yeah. Right.” I mumble.
“Then again. The big bad wolf could still eat me,” she winks at me. The bartender slides her beer over to her. Lindsey nods in my direction. “Thanks, Brian. Put it on his tab.”
Brian nods and rings her up with mine while she saunters over to a group of ladies who all wrap her in a warm embrace.
“You got played,” Austin laughs beside me.
“Austin. If you want to keep breathing, shut up.”
He laughs.
So much for a relaxing time with the boys tonight.
Several hours later, the bartender calls last call and we all close out our tabs. I’ve only had one more beer since Lindsey showed up and she’s taken it pretty easy all night too. When we all head outside, I look around for Lin
dsey’s car but don’t see it.
“Where’s your ride?” I ask.
“Kevin dropped me off. I told him I’d catch a ride back with the guys,” she smiles innocently.
I shouldn’t even be surprised right now.
“Wes, you good for one more?” I don’t even know why I’m asking. There isn’t a chance in hell that he’d refuse a ride back to the ranch for Lindsey.
“Dumb question,” he grunts back. “Let’s get y’all back home.”
Sawyer climbs in the front seat while I help Lindsey into the back and climb in beside her.
The whole car ride home she’s tried to keep one hand on me. First, she tried tiptoeing her way up my leg with her fingers. When I grabbed her hand to stop her, she began tracing circles on my palm. No matter how many warning glares I’ve shot her, she persisted.
I let out a sigh of relief when Wes finally turns on to the driveway and stop him when he reaches the gates. “Let us out here. No need rolling down the drive and waking up Nev. I’d like to not get shot tonight.”
Wes laughs and stops the truck. Lindsey and I jump out and I give Wes a wave as he turns the truck around and drives away.
As soon as they fade out of sight, she leans into my side and takes my hand. I’ve never been more torn in my life. I should push her away right now, but damn if she doesn’t feel absolutely perfect tucked beside me.
“I’m sorry I crashed your boys night,” she whispers.
“It’s fine. Like you said, as long as we were there, you were safe, and you could have a good time.”
She sighs. “Still. It was pretty shitty of me to ruin your night. I know you don’t go out often, at least you didn’t back then.”
“Yeah, well. I was only going out to get my mind off of you.” I admit.
“Finally, a tiny ounce of truth from you.”
We’ve made it back to the house and I want to ask her what she means, but I won’t get into it here. She pauses at the end of their front yard and waits, no doubt, expecting something from me. Instead of kissing her goodnight, I give her a gentle smile and nod for her to go on in. Disappointment lines her face as she walks away.
4
Lindsey
Things I never thought I’d do:
Qualify for the Olympics, again.
Watch said Olympic Games get postponed.
Come back home with no back-up plan.
Have sex in the tack room at my family’s ranch.
Have sex in said tack room with Garrett Everleigh.
That wasn’t the goal when I came out here looking for Garrett after everyone else settled in for the night.
No. I’d planned to come out here and set him straight. Give him a piece of my mind for treating me like shit for the last two weeks and hiding out like a coward whenever I walked in. Every time I think I am making ground with him, he retreats again and I’ve had more than enough.
So, we were going to have a long talk. And I one way or another, I planned to bring Garrett around to my way of thinking.
But then I walked in the barn and found him in the tack room shirtless, and cleaning up some things that were left out. Every brain cell I hand started firing and my libido took over. Next thing I knew, I was eighteen again and had Garrett pinned to the wall, my hands tracing over his hard abs while my lips were pressed to his. One thing led to another, and now, here I am bent over one of the fancy cushioned benches that my grandfather insisted we needed when he had the entire barn renovated a few years back.
While I’m sure this is not what Gramps had in mind for these benches…holy shit, I’m sure glad they’re here.
“Garrett,” I squeak as he bottoms out inside of me and swivels his hips. Christ, who knew this was what I’d been missing out on for so long. He was right when he said a lot had changed. The young Garrett I remember was now a well-trained stallion with an expert understanding of how to drive a woman wild.
“Shh,” he grunts and covers my mouth with his hand to help muffle the sounds echoing from me.
So. Fucking. Hot.
It’s just the horses and us out in the barn, but I’ve never been more thankful that the tack room doors lock because it’s possible that Gramps or Dad could decide on a late-night stroll to check on their horses.
Garrett’s right. I should keep it down, but it’s hard to keep quiet when he’s doing...that.
“Oh God,” I mumble against his hand.
He must be getting close because he starts moving frantically and his fingers find my clit, circling the bundle of nerves and causing my toes to curl. I begin to tremble and before I know it, another wave of pleasure takes over. He wraps my long hair around his free hand and pulls enough so that I arch back against him while he kisses my neck.
“Again,” I plead. He rolls his hips just right and I find myself seeing stars.
“Goddamn,” Garrett hisses and slams his hips against me one more time as he comes undone with a low roar. His hands wrap around my body and he kisses along my back as we catch our breath.
My heartbeat slows and he finally pulls away. As soon as he breaks our connection, I find myself missing his presence and wanting him back.
We both reach down and pull up our jeans, I tuck in my shirt while he stands there with his abs tense, the slightest layer of sweat glistening on his tan skin.
“That was…” Garrett grunts.
I don’t miss the satisfied smirk on his face.
“We should absolutely do that more often.”
“Linds, you’ll be the death of me. If anyone found out…”
“What? What do you think would happen, Garrett? We’re both adults.” All those endorphins start to fade and I remember exactly why I came out to the barn in the first place.
He huffs. “Adults, from two different walks of life, Linds. You really think your family would be okay if they knew about this?” Garrett swirls his finger in the air between us.
“Oh, that’s right. I forgot. I’m the Pony Princess and you’re Garrett Everleigh - just the ranch hand. When are you going to get past that?” I cross my arms over my chest and narrow my gaze on him.
For a man with so much power, so much charm and confidence, he’s always thought he wasn’t good enough for me.
“You’re different and we both know it.”
“No. That’s some lie you’ve made up in your head to keep yourself from being happy. Garrett, you know as well as the next person that I’m not some preppy rich kid from a wealthy family and there isn’t a stuck up bone in my body. For Christ’s sake, I’ve been out here every day for the last two weeks, mucking stalls right next to you - when you’re not busy running from me. You won’t find any other rider doing that. I may be an Addington, but you know we were all raised on hard work.”
“You really expect me to believe that you don’t have people to carry for Shadow when you’re traveling? No Olympic worthy star is going to be caught dead cleaning up horse shit and you know it.”
“That is different. But when I was traveling? I was still putting in hard work and yeah, I still did a whole lot more than the rest of the team because it’s in my blood. I may have the talent, but damnit, I’m nothing like them.”
“And I’m not the guy you think I am. I wish I was.”
“Bullshit.” I stomp one boot into the ground and fight the urge to charge at him and kiss him senseless again as if that will somehow change things. “This is it. Garrett Everleigh, you do not get to run from me anymore. I will not let you deny the heat between us. My family loves you and as long as you treat me right, they’re not going to give a damn that we’re together. You owe it to us, to yourself, to give this a go and I’m tired of waiting for you to wake the fuck up!”
5
Garrett
Wake up? What the hell is she talking about?
“You think I don’t know that you’ve been keeping tabs on me? You don’t think that Kevin didn’t tell me about the money you funneled into Addington Ranch’s sponsorship for me? Or how y
ou took a modeling gig with a clothing brand to throw even more money toward my sponsorship and convinced the same company that they should sponsor me too? Look me in the eyes right now and tell me that you don’t give a damn. Do it and I’ll walk away right now. I’ll let you go for good.”
She takes one step toward me, then stops. “Garrett Everleigh, admit that you’ve always felt something for me, you goddamn fool.”
I’m going to kill Kevin. That’s it. Kevin will die for opening his mouth. No one was supposed to know about any of that. Especially not Lindsey.
“Linds…”
“Garrett, if you lie to me right now, I will kick you in that magnificent cock of yours and see to it that you’ll never be able to use it again.”
That all too familiar flight or fight mode kicks in and I want to run. Deep down, I know I should, but this is Lindsey and I’ve never truly been able to hide from her, even when I’ve tried.
I have to tell her the truth—all of it. I can’t hide from it anymore. I should have done it before things got this far, but when she pressed her lips to mine, I couldn’t fight it anymore. I needed her. Us. This. Even if it meant it never happened again, I needed to know what it was like to be buried inside her, to be so lost in the moment that I couldn’t tell where I ended and she began.
“Linds, there’s something you don’t know about me and before I can even begin to tell you how I feel about you, you need to hear me out.”
She takes a seat on the very same bench that I just fucked her on and motions for me to go on.
I owe her the truth, I remind myself.
“I don’t think there is an easy way to say this, so I’m just going to lay it out on the line.”
“Okay.” Lindsey is far too calm right now. She should be concerned about what I’m about to say.
“Linds. I’m the kid that was on the back of the horse that killed your mother.” There. I said it. The words are out and hanging in the air between us.
