21. Ranger
Chapter 21
Ranger
A large thunderstorm had started to roll in, so we sought out shelter in the orchard’s farmhouse building. There was so much concrete—the floors, the block walls, the checkout counter—that I had to remind myself that I wasn’t back in prison. I was free with a wonderful woman tucked under my arm.
I hated that I still struggled with the feeling of being trapped. It was like my brain had a hard time differentiating between my past and present.
We headed toward one of the picnic tables where two other people were already sitting. Sarah and I had been alone in the orchard, right before drops of rain started falling from the sky.
I recognized both of them. A petite blonde woman with striking blue eyes sat cuddled up against Johnny Moore—the town’s veteran hero who also owned one of the best archery equipment stores in the Southeast. I remembered Johnny from school. He was a few years younger than me, but he was always scrappy in gym class and had a knack for getting in trouble just like I did. His fiancé, Willow, had always been the quiet one. That was until she made a big fuss in the town after going from an orphan to the richest woman living amongst us.
The first year I was out, I didn’t get around town much, but Miles and Callie Rose would fill me in on all the town gossip.
“Guys! We already got some donuts and cider. Come sit!” Willow called us over.
“Ready?” Sarah peeked up at me through her lashes, a tinge of pink from the cold dusted her cheeks.
I kissed her hair. “Ready.”
We sat on the bench across from them as Willow laid napkins in front of us and opened the box of cinnamon cider donuts. The smell was amazing, but it still didn’t hold a candle to the spice and sugar aroma that seemed to always cling to Sarah’s skin.
I grabbed a donut for Sarah, placing it on her napkin before I reached for my own.
“Thank you.” She rubbed her hand up and down my thigh. My dick twitched in response at just how close her hand was moving to my inner thigh. I looked at her and could see the mischievousness flickering in her eyes.
The little devil knew exactly what she was doing, so I buried my face in her neck and whispered into her ear, “If you want me to lay you on this table so I can get my fill of you, sugar, just say the word. ”
When I pulled away, her chocolate eyes were wide. The rose color of her cheeks deepened. And when she tried to pull her hand away from my thigh, I grasped it, planting it right back where it belonged.
“So!” Willow’s voice cracked through the air like a whip. Sarah and I both shifted our attention to her. “What is your intention with my best friend, Ranger?”
Sarah’s head dipped low as she groaned while Johnny just laughed like his fiancé’s question was a typical expression of her feisty personality.
Sitting up a little taller, I cleared my throat and looked Willow straight into her eyes. But before I could say anything, Sarah responded, “Willow, you can’t just go around asking people that question.”
Willow tilted her head in confusion. “Um, yes I can. You’re my best friend and I hardly know a thing about Ranger other than the fact that he was in prison for ten years and owns a ranch.”
A straight shooter. I couldn’t knock the woman for that. And if her intention was making sure Sarah was protected, then I couldn’t knock her for that either.
I twined my arm around Sarah’s back and gave her hip a small pat to let her know I was fine.
“I think it’s a fair question, Willow. If someone with my rap sheet was trying to date my sister, I’d be asking the same thing.”
She shot Sarah a look that said see, it’s not a big deal .
“To answer your question, my intention with Sarah is to only make her happy. For as long as she’ll keep me around. ”
“And what about keeping her safe?” There was no jesting in her tone this time.
I didn’t hesitate as I responded, “I’d protect her with my life.” And it was true. I thought back to the promise I’d made to my sister earlier this week. That I’d make sure I didn’t put myself in another vulnerable position of being sent back and taken away from her again. But if it came between my freedom and Sarah’s safety…there was no question that I’d sacrifice myself for her.
Seemingly satisfied with my answer, Willow responded, “Good. Now that that’s settled we can get on with Sarah’s birthday presents.” She clapped her hands together, shifting her attention back to Sarah.
If that was all the chastising I was going to get from her, I considered myself lucky. I had a feeling that when it came to the people she loved, Willow was a bulldog, ready to bite and rip apart whoever she needed to.
Willow rose from her seat and grabbed a large wrapped box that had been hiding beneath her side of the bench. “Happy birthday, Sarah!” she exclaimed, reaching the present across the table.
“Willow, this is huge. What on earth did you do?” I could hear the excitement in her voice as she started to tear the wrapping paper apart.
“Just open it,” Willow urged.
I reached for my pocket knife and switched the blade open to cut away at the tape from the cardboard box.
“Thank you.” Sarah smiled at me, the sweet look on her face making my stomach do strange flips. It was then that I realized all it would take was a simple look from this woman and I’d be on my knees for her. And there wasn’t a single part of me that cared how easily I’d become wrapped around her dainty little finger.
When she opened the cardboard flaps of the box, I watched as her lips parted further, cracking into a bright smile that rivaled the sun.
“No. You. Didn’t. Willow!” She let out an excited squeak as she pulled the contraption from the box and carefully pulled at the tissue paper surrounding it. It took me a moment to realize it was a large hand juicer.
“I know how much you love freshly squeezed juices, especially for your fruit tarts. This one has different sizes so you can hand squeeze limes, all the way up to a grapefruit.”
Sarah narrowed her eyes on Willow. “Are you sure you didn’t get me this for yourself? I know how much you love my lemon tarts.”
Johnny let out a roaring laugh as Willow glowered at him. “Of course not!” she defended herself, giving Johnny an elbow to the ribs. “You talked about wanting a juicer all summer.” Then her lips twisted into a smirk. “But I definitely won’t pass up any tarts you want to bake.”
“I knew it!” Sarah threw a ball of scrunched-up wrapping paper at Willow. It smacked her square between the eyes. Willow was shocked for a moment before we all burst out laughing and I wondered if this was what it felt like to be free of my past. If the lightness in my chest would stick around from moments like this or if it would disappear when my nightmares of a six-by-six cellblock came clawing back .
“Did you get the birthday girl anything, Ranger?” Willow asked before taking a bite of her donut.
“Damn, darlin’. Leave the poor man alone.” Johnny wrapped his arm around her and pulled her into him. I could tell he was trying to soothe whatever fear had her coming for me, but I admired it. The fierce protection she had for the ones she loved.
It was Sarah who answered, reaching for the pendant hanging just below her collarbone. “Actually he did. Isn’t it beautiful?”
Willow leaned forward to observe the necklace I’d bought Sarah. “Dreamer,” she said slowly. Turning the pendant side-to-side, the gold caught the reflection of the overhead lights, making it shimmer.
When Willow looked up at me I saw the judgment leave her eyes and something like comfort settled in. “I think you might have outdone me on this one, Ranger.”
“Might have?” Sarah snorted before curling into my side. “He most certainly did.”
I breathed her in, drawing her closer to me. We all settled into a comfortable silence, biting into donuts and sipping on the hot cider which I had to admit was pretty damn good. Good food was one of the things I’d missed most when I was away. I was thankful that Callie Rose was willing to spoil me when I got out. Every single night, I would come in from working the ranch to a hot homecooked meal waiting for me.
Willow started rambling on about wedding festivities with Sarah and that’s when I asked Johnny, “Do you still practice archery now that your store has really picked up?” Miles had told me that Faraway Archery was featured in a national hunting magazine a few months ago, bringing patrons from all over the country to Johnny’s store.
He swallowed a sip of cider. “Not as much as I’d like to. The store and the wedding planning have been keeping me pretty busy, but after our honeymoon, I’m planning on getting back to it. If you ever want to come out and shoot, just let me know. We have a practice area set up just behind the store.”
“Thanks, man. I might take you up on that offer. My dad was in the military, so he taught my sister and me how to shoot guns for protection but I’ve never shot a bow before.”
Johnny nodded. “It’s similar but different. I’ve drifted away from shooting guns after I got back from the war. But archery still keeps my skills sharp and it’s more peaceful. It takes a lot of strength and practice to get it right. How’s the ranch doing?”
I heaved a deep breath as his question reminded me of all the work that would be waiting for me when I got back. “It’s growing faster than we can keep up with it, which is a good thing I think. But trust doesn’t come easily to me, so the thought of hiring someone new to come to my home…it’s difficult.”
Understanding flashed in his eyes and maybe our trust issues came from different wounds, but I could tell he struggled with it just the same.
“I get that. I think things have a way of working out in the end though. As long as you’re open to it when the opportunity comes. ”
I chuckled. “Yeah. I’m working on the being open part.” I took another bite of the donut before wiping the remnants of cinnamon off my fingers with a napkin.
Johnny glanced at Willow before leaning forward a fraction. “I’m sorry she busted your balls. I told her to be gentle, but when it comes to the people she loves, my woman has a dagger for a tongue and she doesn’t give a shit about how it comes across.”
I smiled. “Don’t worry about it. I didn’t take offense to it at all.” I stole a look at Sarah who was scrolling through her phone now, showing Willow images of florals I assumed were for the wedding. “And I wouldn’t blame her for wanting to protect Sarah. I’d do the same thing if I were in her shoes.”