Page 30 of Legacy of Lies
Chapter 7
Son of a bitch, he actually manned up and kissed a woman. Not just any woman but Zach’s cute teacher. Okay, mild conflict of interest, but when presented with such a lush set of lips like that, what kind of man could resist?
Garrison hesitated before opening his front door. Responsibility, stress, and more problems awaited him inside the house. If he could only stay outside, he’d get to revel in the evening.
He felt like a man who had been walking through the desert and had finally found water. Delicious, fresh water. Water to drink, to roll in, to swim laps.
As he brushed his jacket, a faint scent of flowers made him want to wrap his arms around that body all over again. He hadn’t been able to properly explore all the ways she fit against him, due to the coats they wore. But he had tasted paradise.
Now he wanted seconds.
Funny, he’d always gone for the petite, blonde, sexpot types back in the day. A lot of good that had done him. This real woman with real curves and really hot kisses revised his selection criteria in a millisecond.
Maybe it was time for him to make new, better decisions.
He entered the kitchen to find Shelby and his dad sitting at the table, plates half empty. As one, they looked up at him with twin expressions: tight and haggard.
“Want leftovers?” she asked, already pushing her chair back.
Garrison raised his hand. “No, already ate. Don’t let me interrupt your dinner.”
She tilted her head and raised her nose, as if sniffing the air. When she pinned him with an inscrutable expression right before her eyes unfocused, he couldn’t maintain eye contact.
She winced, blinked, and then grinned like a Cheshire cat.
Busted.
Thank goodness his father was generally immune to the psychic activity swirling around him. Although he knew about Garrison’s and his siblings’ abilities, Dad mostly ignored that there was anything strange about his children. As long as they didn’t flaunt their abilities, Garrison and his siblings pretty much did whatever they wanted with their gifts. No rules.
Good. Because no rule would stop him from threatening to dump horse hockey on his sister when she read his emotions like a billboard on the highway. Once again, she flashed that cheeky expression, devoid of repentance.
Refusing to meet Shelby’s knowing gaze, Garrison cleared his throat and pulled a chair out to sit at the table. “You two talking about anything interesting?”
His sister’s and father’s faces fell. Garrison leaned forward, elbows propped on the edge of the table. The sinking feeling in his gut had nothing to do with any psychic ability and all to do with Murphy’s Law.
“Got another call a few hours ago from our ‘neighbor’ asking if we’d sell the property.” Even Shelby’s finger quotes were sarcastic.
“Again? What the hell? You just told them no.” Garrison’s hand itched to pick up the phone and give Hank Brand a piece of his mind.
Their father’s lips curled up, but the lines of strain on his face told a different tale. “I’m getting a little weary of the pressure to sell. So, I took Shelby’s advice. In the most polite language, I told him to go screw himself.”
“Polite?” Garrison asked.
Shelby grinned.
“Maybe less polite this time ... and more descriptive.”
“Must’ve been a short conversation.” Garrison smiled.
“Yessir, pretty much ended our chat. That guy couldn’t take a hint if it ran him over on the road.”
Austin Taggart wasn’t a young man. He’d married and had kids later in life than most men. But even being in his late sixties, his father’s arms still had muscle from years of ranching. His hair had gone from dark brown to white only in the past few years, what with Mom unexpectedly dying, Garrison’s older brother Vaughn flying the coop, Tiffani’s departure, Kerr’s military injuries, and now all the problems with the ranch. How much could one man take?
Garrison ran a hand through his hair. “True. What else?”
When his father remained silent, Shelby finally piped up. “More cattle loss.”
His father sagged in the chair. “I was checking the fence again this afternoon.”
