Chapter 2
CHAPTER TWO
Cash
“Sammy! Where did you…?” My words evaporated on my tongue when I spotted my toddler son a few feet ahead. He stood frozen, a feat in itself these days, and waved. But not in my direction.
My stomach dropped. Who the hell was my kid waving to?
Just relax, Cash. It’s probably a bird.
A sweet voice, a woman’s most definitely, floated over to me. Okay, so it was a person. Who the fuck thought they could trespass on my orchard?
As I moved closer, I peered through the trees and blinked twice, not believing what I saw. A stunning woman I couldn’t tear my eyes from.
The moment I spotted the gorgeous curvy redhead on my orchard, my heart leaped, setting off a visceral chain reaction. White-hot anger burned through my veins, my brain pissed off at my heart.
We’re not going down this road again, dumbass.
Her wavy red locks flowed down her back, and my hands clenched into fists at the urge to feel the soft strands through my fingers.
I couldn’t listen to my heart. It nearly killed me before. I refused to let it happen again.
I marched over to her, wrapping an arm around Sammy and pulling him close to my side. “Can I help you with something?” My tone was sharp and biting.
She straightened herself to a standing position, and her beauty knocked me backward a few steps, like a punch straight to the gut. I pushed the feelings away and stood my ground. She trespassed onto my orchard, and I deserved to know why.
Her face lit up with a smile, revealing pearly white teeth.
Fuck, she is the prettiest woman I’ve ever seen. I’m doomed.
The warning beat of my heart was almost impossible to ignore. And when she opened her mouth and spoke, her voice held me captive.
Shit, I’m in trouble.
“Da Da! Pretty.” Sammy giggled, and a warmth crept up my neck. At least my son put it out there and not me.
She blushed. “Aw, you’re too sweet.”
I didn’t play into it. I couldn’t get swept up in.
..in whatever this was. There was a more pressing issue.
Like why she was in my orchard without permission.
“Again, can I help you with something? This is private property. My private property, to be exact.” I lifted Sammy into my arms and propped him on my hip.
Being a single dad wasn’t an easy job, but my little guy meant the world to me, even when that meant I chased him through the orchard several times a day.
“I’m sorry. I was just going when I ran into your son here. If you’ll excuse me, I’ll be on my way.” Her voice was calm, sweet, and full of kindness.
She darted to the left, but I stepped aside and blocked her. “You didn’t answer my question,” I said more sternly.
“Da Da mad?” Sammy rested his pudgy hand on my cheek.
“Not at Sammy,” I reassured him with a ruffling of his hair.
“I’m doing research for my book, and I’m staying in a cabin up the road. I happened to come across your orchard on my walk, and I got a little carried away. Again, I’m sorry. I should’ve never walked onto your property here without permission.”
“Research for a book?” My curiosity got the better of me. I should’ve kept my damn mouth shut.
The gorgeous woman nodded, her bright green eyes shining. Warmth and sunshine radiated off her, and she just looked… so happy.
My grumpy self couldn’t take it.
“I write children’s books. I’m starting a new series about a little boy who lives in an apple orchard.”
“Really,” I deadpanned even though a thousand curious questions brewed in my head. “I hope you’re not coming here thinking you can use my son to write your book.”
Her eyes went wide. “Oh no. No, of course not. I had no idea there was even a family who lived here. Like I said, I stumbled upon your orchard on a walk. While admiring your beautiful apple trees, the perfect story idea popped into my head. Seeing your adorable son was icing on the cake.”
My heart ached because I knew I was being too hard on this woman, but protecting my son and my land was my priority. Not making nice with the lady renting space down the road. A very gorgeous, voluptuous ginger I yearned to kiss.
Kiss? Get the fuck out of here with that shit.
“Da Da! Me get down! Now!” Sammy wiggled in my arms, but I held him tighter.
“In a second, buddy. We need to show the lady out of the orchard.”
“No! No lady leave!” Sammy wrapped his arms around my neck and began to cry. His reaction took me by surprise.
“Aw, Sammy, that’s so nice of you. But I’m sure the lady is busy. And you, mister, need to take a nap.”
Sammy wailed louder. “No! No nap!”
Shit, that was definitely the wrong thing to say.
“Hey, Sammy, do you think you can show me some of the apples?”
Sammy’s tears instantly stopped, and he nodded vigorously as he wiggled his way out of my grasp. I set him down gently, and he walked over to her. She offered her hand, and he took it without hesitation.
Sammy was normally a shy child, so to see him so open with this woman he met barely five minutes ago threw me for a loop.
“My name is Leighton, but you can call me L.” She beamed down at him as he looked up at her like she was the most exciting person he’d ever met. I could just imagine the look on my mother’s face as her precious grandson looked at another woman the way he always looked at her.
Leighton. Leighton. Leighton.
I repeated her name in my head. Such a pretty name for a pretty woman.
“Apparently, my son is quite smitten,” I said as I walked behind them. “Should we give her a tour, Sammy?”
Sammy cheered, “Yes!”
“I’m Cash, by the way,” I grunted, offering her my hand. I’d be nice for my son, but that was it. Then I’d happily show her the way off my orchard.
“Nice to meet you, Cash. You have a beautiful place here and an even cuter son.”
“Thanks.” I kept the conversation to a minimum while I showed her around. Sammy and Leighton laughed, and as much as I didn’t want to engage, how could I not? I might’ve been a huge grumpy bear, but I was not around my son. He saw the best of me every day.
By the time we walked around the entire orchard, all three of us were smiling and laughing. And when we led Leighton back to where she came from, a part of me didn’t want the tour to end.
A crazy, stupid part of me wanted to invite her inside my cabin for dinner. But I needed to put the brakes on. I couldn’t let my son get caught up in a woman we might never see again.
“Okay, Sammy, say goodbye to the nice lady.”
Sammy stomped his feet and shook his head. “No! No lady leave!”
“Yes, she needs to go, and you, sir, need a nap.”
“No! No! No!” Sammy screamed and threw himself on the ground.
Leighton grimaced. “Oh no, I’m sorry!”
“Don’t be. It’s not your fault.” I lifted a crying Sammy in my arms. “See you around, Leighton. And don’t go trespassing anymore, okay? I wouldn’t want to have to call the authorities on you.”
She laughed and waved, her smile big. “Bye!”
As I walked back to the house, Sammy didn’t let up. Caden, my best friend and business partner, walked out of the farmhouse with a concerned look. “What’s wrong, Sammy boy?”
“He’s overdue for a nap. Sorry about the wailing.”
“Dude, you don’t have to apologize. I’ve told you a thousand times. But who was that chick I saw you with?”
Fuck.
I’d hoped he hadn’t seen her.
“An out-of-towner who got lost on a walk. I was showing her around.”
Caden narrowed his eyes at me. “Interesting.”
“Not really. See ya, Caden,” I said, ending the conversation before he could ask another question.
As I laid Sammy down for a nap, images of Leighton kept popping into my head.
Her ass, her curves, her everything…
And that smile…fuck.
I was in deep shit.