Legacy of Lies

by Jillian David

  Kerr raised an eyebrow as his head swiveled from Sara to Garrison. “Well, that’s interesting information. Because we had that episode with Hank and Wyatt two days ago while we were fixing fences on the back forty.”

  At the same time, Sara pulled her head back and looked over at Garrison. “You didn’t tell me about that. What happened?”

  “Well, at least those assholes are consistent.” Garrison made a fist and hit his thigh, then faced her. “Hank warned me to stay away from you from the other end of his gun. He also warned us to stay away from their property.”

  “Oh, God. So then this is because of ...” She stared at the floor, her hand resting on Zach’s shoulder.

  “No. This isn’t because of you.” He snapped his fingers, and she blinked. “Look at me. They’re nuts, and Hank’s got a screw loose. Besides, we don’t know for certain that the Brand boys set the fire.”

  “Seems more likely than not. Who else has motive?” Kerr spit out.

  Garrison shook his head. “Could have been an accident.”

  “Right.” Kerr snorted. “Anyway. So what do we do?”

  Eric’s eyes went to the ceiling as his jaw locked tightly in place. He pushed off the wall. “I’m going to keep an eye on things outside.” He stomped out and slammed the front door.

  Zach startled and shifted, then fell back asleep as Sara trailed her fingertips over his forehead, soothing him.

  Garrison’s skin twitched with raw need. He wanted her soft hand on him, trailing over his starved flesh. The memory of unfulfilled desire at Sara’s house tore at him.

  Shit. What kind of fucked up parent was jealous of his child?

  “I’ll go with him.” Kerr stood with a grimace, reached down toward his leg, but pulled his hand away. “We’ll make sure everything is locked down tight. No one’s getting close to the house tonight.”

  After Kerr limped out of the front door, ominous silence descended, punctuated by Zach’s light breathing.

  Sara stared everywhere but at Garrison. “You’ll want to get him to bed.”

  “About earlier this evening—”

  Her palm came up. “Stop. Take care of your family. Get cleaned up. Then maybe you can take me back home.”

  “You’re not staying by yourself.”

  “I can make my own decisions. And you don’t need more to worry about.”

  Oh no, he groaned inwardly as her chin came up. Son of a bitch, he didn’t have the energy to argue with her tonight.

  “What about your safety?” he asked.

  “I’ll be safe. Besides, you have way bigger fish to fry, by the looks of things. I’d be in the way and make more trouble for you.” Her sad smile hit him in the solar plexus. “Already have caused trouble.”

  “No—” He crammed his hand through his hair. “Damn it. Okay, look, let me get Zach tucked in, and we’ll talk. Just. Stay here.”

  “I’ll meet you back here. Kerr said there’s a guest bathroom down the hall?”

  He nodded.

  Her lips curled upward, tempting him to kiss that impish smile away. “Don’t worry, I won’t leave. No transportation.”

  A tiny spark of hope flared as he bent down. His front-row seat to her cute dimple made him forget how to speak. So, without a word, he picked up Zach and left the living room.

  Garrison walked away. His attraction to this woman had the worst timing in the universe.

  • • •

  For the tenth time, Sara paced from the couch to the window and back. She’d memorized the location of the patterned rugs on the floor and how many steps it took to traverse them. The mellow brown log walls should have felt relaxing, cozy, but being so close to disaster made her shake in her shoes.

  Between the ache of longing in her core from the interrupted sexy interlude and the fear of what would happen next with Hank, her insides were twisted into knots. Add to that her vow not to form any more attachments in Copper River, and she couldn’t tell up from down. Yet the memory of Garrison’s rough stubble and soft hair at the nape of his neck made her fingers tingle with the need to touch, connect. And his lips. Mother of all that was holy, what she would give to have those firm but strong lips on hers, his tongue dipping into her mouth and stroking her until ...

  Suddenly, she needed to rest her flushed face against the window. Closing her eyes, she flattened her palm against the cool glass and sighed.

  Beyond lay the destruction she had caused.

  The remnant of the barn glowed as the twisted wood popped and settled in a heap on the far side of the ranch house. On the other side of the property, near the fenced area of livestock, the unlit bulk of the second smaller barn absorbed all light, the dark hulk an echo of the larger structure that had been reduced to ashes.

  Hank might have been behind this mess. How was that possible? But the evidence pointed in his direction. This evening’s display of anger revealed a dangerous edge she’d never seen before. If he was connected to the fire, then Sara and the Taggarts were in far more trouble than they realized.

  If.

  She rubbed her bruised forearm. Damn Hank, he’d made his point. Now why couldn’t he simply leave the Taggart family and her alone? This mental breakdown theory had gained real traction.

  Because if he’d done all of these bad things and was sane? God help them all. They were all in deep, horrible trouble. Someone who could deliberately burn down a barn and put people in danger could sure as hell do even worse things. She rested her forehead on the window casing.

  Holy Christ. Yeah, her goal of one day leaving this town and making a fresh start in Atlanta? Pretty good idea, after all.

  “Penny for your thoughts?”

  She spun around.

  A freshly showered Garrison filled the entryway of the living room, his arms crossed and shoulders slumped. A few droplets clung to his wet hair combed back off his forehead. The sleeves of his plaid shirt were rolled up, revealing thick forearms dusted with ruddy hair. As he approached her, the smell of soap, the log home, and his warm spicy scent blended into a heady mixture.

  In the dimmed light of the living room, his shadowed eyes drilled into her until her breath caught. Did he blame her for all the trouble she’d sent this family?

  He stopped a foot away, consuming too much space. Behind her was the living room wall. She had no place to go. With the light source behind him, she couldn’t read his expression.

  But she sure as hell could feel the waves of pissed-off intensity crackling between them.

  “I’m sorry.” Damn, her voice quavered. She struggled to meet his shadowed gaze.

  “What the hell are you talking about?”

  She flinched. He might be the one with a gift for detecting the truth, but it didn’t take a mind reader to figure out when a guy was barely holding his shit together.

  “I believe that this,” she pointed a shaking hand at the window, “is my fault, due to Hank.”

  He raked both hands through his hair, like he wanted to pull his head off. “Are you kidding me?”

  “Well, who do you think burned the barn? And why?”

  “First of all, I don’t know for sure who’s responsible. Second, even if it’s the Brand folks, we aren’t certain why and whether it even involves you. Hank threatened me earlier this week. There’s something going on over on their property. And they’ve been trying to purchase our land. We saw mining equipment hidden on their ranch up in the hills.”

  “Hold on. Izzy said something a few days ago about mining.”

  “Izzy Brand?”

  “Yes, I told you she’s a friend of mine.”

  “You’re still friends with a Brand?” He crossed his arms.

  “She’s not like them.”

  “How do you know?”

  The third degree about her friendship with Izzy? So not happening. “Don’t judge me because I don’t have a knack for figuring out when people are telling the truth. How about trusting someone you’ve known for years? Ever heard of that?”
r />   “Sure did. Bit me right in the ass.” His glare glittered in the low light.

  The ex-wife.

  Sara mentally face-palmed herself. “Good point.” Shoving her fists on her hips, she added, “But don’t look so mean. Izzy is a nice, normal person. Nothing like her brothers, so don’t lump her in with those guys.”

  Putting his hands up, he smiled. “Okay, message received. Do not mess with your friends. Got it.” Then he edged toward her, close enough she felt the heat coming from his body. “But that is interesting information she told you. What else did she say?”

  He stood so near, she spied a muscle jumping in his smoothly shaven jaw. How nice it would be to trace that hard line with her tongue.

  “Sara?”

  Caught. “Pardon?” Despite herself, she licked her lips, and then stopped as he stared right at her mouth. “I’m a little tired, that’s all.”

  “So did Izzy mention anything else about her brothers?” His voice was mellower.

  “Only that her brothers are keeping her in the dark about their plans. She’s not allowed to go to certain places on their ranch. Her job is to take care of the house and their mom and leave the guys alone. It doesn’t sound fabulous, but with her mother’s health not being good, I think she feels obligated to help.”

  “You think she’s safe around a guy like Hank? Even if he is her brother?”

  “Izzy looks out for herself pretty well. I believe she’s okay.”

  He rubbed his chin. “If that changes, let her know that I’ll help her.”

  “No problem.”

  “Strange about what’s going on at the Brand ranch. Even more unusual that folks in town either don’t know or aren’t talking about it. What in the world are our neighbors doing?” He blinked and stared past her out the window. “At least Kerr and Eric are keeping an eye on things.” A muscle jumped in his jaw. “Damn it, I should be out there.”

  She fought the urge to straighten his tousled hair.

  Or rough it up even more.

  She swallowed.

  “Garrison, you’re exhausted. Let them help.”

  “Okay,” he mumbled as he peered through the glass.

  He stood way too close for comfort. Or rather, his proximity was overly comfortable. Which tilted her equilibrium even more.

  “So, is Zach tucked in?” Maybe she should try to get him to focus on something good.

  “He’s out. Whatever you did to him, he’s beyond relaxed. Have to say, I’m a little jealous.”

  “Jealous?”

  “I’d like to fall asleep on your lap, Sara.”

  Her heart stopped dead in its tracks, flipped over, and then started scrambling for traction. “Oh.”

  A mere ghost of sound, his voice flowed over her. “Oh is right.”

  When he ran his thumb over her lower lip and leaned forward, she pressed her back into the wall. The rounded logs dug into her spine, the pain waking her the hell up. Got it. Suffering. More pain. Her future if she continued down this path.

  She cleared her throat, breaking the spell. “I should get back home.”

  “No.”

  Chapter 15

  She nearly crawled out of her skin and into his.

  “I can’t stay here.” Her voice sounded too breathy. Not a confident refusal at all. “You need to deal with the fire damage and everything, and I’ve got school in the morning. If I stay here, I will be in the way. A distraction.”

  “I want to be distracted by you, Sara.” Even a deaf woman could hear the rumble of male interest in his low voice.

  “I, um—”

  “Please.” Spoken like he ripped the word out of his chest. “I need you here tonight. Need to know you’re safe.”

  Distraction? Safe? Disappointment crushed her heart. Yet despite his scowl, his eyes glinted and his chest rose and fell faster than normal.

  Maybe she hadn’t misread his interest. Maybe their close encounter earlier this evening wasn’t a fluke.

  Well, then. Nothing like throwing all caution to the wind.

  When she leaned forward and laid a hand on his arm, the muscles bunched up. She looked up into his shadowed face. “You can think of no other reason for me to be here?” Her lips quivered despite her attempt to flash him a confident smile.

  His jaw muscle jumped. Good.

  She reached up to trace the lines of his strong mouth with her shaking fingertips.

  His shudder cut the quiet atmosphere, but he didn’t stop her.

  Against her fingers, he said, “I want you. So badly.”

  Caressing his lower lip with her index finger, she said, “I don’t have your knack of telling the truth. How do I know you’re not lying to me?”

  He caught her finger with his square, even teeth. Not hard enough to hurt, but he didn’t let go.

  In fact, the sweep of his tongue over the sensitive fingertip turned her bones to water.

  Encircling her wrist in his hand, he held her hand still while he sucked one and then two fingers into his mouth. The swirl of his rough tongue sent a frisson of desire into her pelvis, where heat grew and expanded.

  Her heart couldn’t beat fast enough to compensate for her plummeting blood pressure.

  Right as her knees gave out, he pressed her into the wall and stroked her neck with one hand. With his other hand, he teased the sensitive skin under the hem of her sweatshirt, drawing out goose bumps and shivers.

  Well. She’d gotten his attention all right. She’d also deduced an answer to the question of why she should remain here. Message received, loud and clear.

  His lips plied hers with a hot, building rhythm. Every inch of his tall, solid body leaned into her, including a hardness in his groin that hit at the perfect location on her lower belly. Delicious coils of happiness worked their way lower and lower until she pressed her hips into his. Hungry, searching, wanting.

  Rubbing her hands over the shifting bands of his arms, she sighed.

  He groaned and plunged a hand in her hair, tugging her head back. His tongue slid between her lips, stroking inside her mouth faster and deeper.

  She couldn’t move. Didn’t care. Wanted more. More touches. More kisses. More Garrison.

  When his mouth moved to her earlobe, she whimpered. Holy Mary, they couldn’t possibly ... here in this house? With his family around? Heck, his kid was upstairs. That would make for an A-plus show-and-tell in class tomorrow if Zach saw her with his dad.

  Tugging her hands free, she dropped her arms to his broad shoulder. “Garrison, what about ...?”

  “Sh. I need this. I need you.”

  “But your family—”

  “Don’t care. It’s a big house. With a guest wing.”

  He stared at her like a low-carb dieter watching cookies rise. Images of chocolate chips melting on his body made her weak in the knees.

  “You calm me.” The words blew by her like a caress. “Being around you somehow makes the bad shit in my life seem bearable. Hell, being around you, I forget all my responsibilities and problems.”

  Hold on a minute. Didn’t he want her because he desired her as a woman? Or did he want her as a stress reliever, like a pill or a soak in a bubble bath? Was he using her?

  Decision time.

  Enjoy the moment in a quick fling with the hottest man she’d ever met, or take the safe route and wait to see if a respectable relationship that no one would gossip about might develop later down the road? What about her plans for the future, beyond Copper River? Still there. A fling did not a relationship make. And no way was she creating entanglements here. Nope.

  He brushed his mouth over hers, nipping at her lower lip until stars swam in her vision. Whatever he was doing with his hands, kneading and palming her breasts, should be illegal. She couldn’t breathe. How could she make an informed decision here?

  Forget safe.

  She’d done safe, and it bit her in the butt.

  Rising on tiptoes, she met him, passionate kiss for kiss.

  After a mo
ment, he pulled back and held her head in his hands. “Damn. Listen to me before I lose my mind with you, Sara. It’s not all about me. If you don’t want ... more, you have to let me know. I’ll respect what you want, I swear.”

  If the pulsing sensations low in her groin were any indication, her body had made up its mind.

  “I want you, Garrison.”

  Relief and intense need scrolled over his features like the news ticker on Times Square.

  “Me too.”

  “But here? Kerr and Eric might come back inside.”

  “Good point. Guest room, let’s go.”

  Still cradling her face in his hands, he kissed her again, drifting his mouth up her jaw and sucking gently on her earlobe. The puff of his breath in her ear shot a wave of excitement right to her clitoris. Sliding her hands up his corded forearms, she reveled in the hard muscles and the roughness of the hair under her fingers.

  He stroked down her neck and under her sweatshirt.

  Goose bumps rose on her skin, and she shivered.

  “Damn it.” He held her at arm’s length. “We’re never going to get to the guest room at this rate.”

  She grinned as he tugged her down the hall to an empty wing of the sprawling home. Old high school pictures on the walls and knickknacks barely registered in her hungry mind as she followed him into a room with an antique dresser and a queen bed with a neat but worn quilt on top. He shut the door with a firm, final thud and flipped on the bedside lamp, bathing the room in a cozy glow.

  “Last chance, Sara.” He grinned and stroked her face with his rough fingers.

  What would those fingers feel like elsewhere on her body?

  Sara needed to know.

  “Yes.”

  “Yes, what?”

  Answering questions had become way too complicated. She gasped, “Yes. I want you, Garrison.”

  She grabbed the fabric of his shirt and tugged at him to bend down and meet her lips. Almost climbing up him, she worked her hands over his shoulders and then curled her fingers in the hair at the nape of his muscled neck. He didn’t resist.

  Quite the opposite. Clutching her to his frame, he pivoted and spun her toward the bed.

  When he gently pushed her onto the quilt, she giggled and brought him down onto the bed with her.