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Garrett

Garrett waited almost twenty minutes after dinner to have Imani alone. She barely made eye contact with him, and the night would have been awful if Bethany, Ramón, and the Cunninghams hadn't found things to talk about. The atmosphere in the room was stiff, and Fiona seemed to notice. The little girl had been fussy for ten minutes and was no longer content.

He watched Bethany carry the infant into her bedroom while Isaiah and the other guys went out to smoke on the deck. Garrett went to talk to Imani in the kitchen as soon as the men stepped out.

She casually washed a few plates in the sink, seemingly unaware of his presence. He was perfectly okay with it. Garrett savored her body as if it were a fine wine. Imani's glossy blouse hugged her curves and glided across her shoulders as she turned each dish. Long, silky curls covered her slender neck. He loved the way his fingers felt through her hair. Her hair took several minutes to untangle after they went swimming together.

Imani suddenly looked up, and their eyes met. She didn't look away, so he felt confident walking forward. He moved toward her, keeping a few inches between them because he expected her to leave the kitchen if he got too close.

"Need help?" he asked, hoping she would accept his assistance.

Stacking dishes on the drying rack, Imani replied, "I've got it. Thank you for the offer, though." She grabbed a towel and began drying her hands. "Is Bethany getting Fiona settled down?"

He nodded. "The guys went outside for a smoke break."

She looked at him, her expression unreadable. "Figures. I've tried to persuade my brother to stop smoking cigarettes and marijuana, but he won't listen."

Garrett chuckled softly. "You do realize you just admitted that to an FBI agent?"

"No shit, Sherlock." Imani groaned loudly and rolled her eyes. Her cheeks darkened, and her chin stuck out a little. "Are you planning to arrest him?"

"No. If I don't see anything, I will have nothing to report."

"Right. So, why are you in here?"

He breathed deeply and answered, "I wanted to speak with you."

Imani dropped the towel and rested her palms on the counter. "Then speak." Her words were choppy, and it was obvious she was upset about something.

"Why are you so worked up?"

"Have you not figured it out, Garrett?" she demanded, staring at him.

"No. Maybe you can enlighten me."

"It's you. You have really gotten under my skin," Imani retorted. Her sincerity straightened him.

"Me? What did I do? We barely speak to each other as it is."

She gave him a sharp, intense look that made him feel like he was running out of time. Imani opened her mouth to speak before closing it. She then stood on tiptoes to place two wine glasses on the cabinet's top shelf, next to the refrigerator. He unintentionally glanced at her butt, which he desperately wanted to hold.

She shut the cabinet door without looking at him.

"Mani."

"No," she murmured, shaking her head. "I don't want to talk."

Garrett combed his fingers through his hair. He was furious with how things were going between them. "Imani, please. Tell me what is bothering you."

He circled the counter and stopped next to her. The heat in the air made him pull at the edge of his gray cardigan.

"Why are you at this dinner party?" Imani's head tilted, revealing a profile that he had memorized. Even after all this time, the passion between them has never changed.

"Should I have not come?" Garrett leaned his hip against the counter as he asked.

"Just answer my question."

He let out a long breath. "Bethany invited me."

"I heard," Imani mumbled. "Why are you staying in Holden?" She finally turned and looked at him.

Garrett stuffed his hands inside his jeans. It was that or put them on her shoulders to bring her closer. He inhaled sharply. "Cinnamon."

"What?" She frowned. He noticed that she looked confused.

His thoughts started racing, remembering the little things they had done together so many years ago.

"You're wearing cinnamon. You know, I like that smell. Especially on you."

She closed her eyes and instinctively reached for her neck. Her dark, smooth skin caught his attention.

"You look so beautiful." Garrett couldn't hold back. He took the final step, and he was only a millimeter away from Imani.

"Tell me something." Her eyes drooped, and her long lashes swept the curves of her cheeks. "Why are you still here? I expected you to go back to DC by now."

"I can't leave."

Her head snapped up, and those incredible dark eyes struck him hard.

"Not until I finish the things I need to do. I might decide not to go back to Washington, DC. I can find a job here in law enforcement. Also, a few things are going on with the housing development, and I need to make sure Harper Van Buren is taken care of. I want to..." Garrett sighed, licking his bottom lip. "I would like to get to know you again."

"You're obsessed with me."

"I am not." He shook his head. "All I want to do is see you. Where's the harm in that?"

"You want to sleep with me again."

"I'm not going to lie and say that I don't, Imani, but right now, I just want to talk to you." He inhaled deeply as they locked eyes.

Imani's knuckles whitened as she gripped the countertop. "Why not just move on and forget about me?"

Her tongue gently touched the corner of her mouth, surprising him. He knew that part of her inside and out. The sight of her tongue sliding along the edge of her mouth triggered a wide range of emotions in him, driving him insane. Fiery, unrestricted, and intimate things.

And there they were, inside Isaiah's kitchen. Garrett needed to restrain himself. He stepped back quickly and swept his hands over his neck. He was so tense that it seemed like he would crack at any minute.

"Do you believe I can forget about us? Can we just agree that we both still have feelings for each other? Even after all this time apart?"

Her lower lip trembled. "Gray, stop this."

"Mani, I know you feel it."

"I feel..." Imani crossed her arms over her chest and silently cursed. "There may still be some feelings, but we shouldn't act on them. We are not compatible." She threw her hands in the air, eyes closed. "How did we end up in this scenario?"

Garrett could tell she was upset and knew he should back off, but his body would not listen. He ran his hand around her jaw, caressing her with his fingers and thumb. Time seemed to stretch as he stared affectionately at the person who meant the world to him. Imani leaned against his palm, and the pulse in her neck continued to beat, making his heart race.

"I felt like my whole world fell apart when you left me, Garrett." Her lips trembled, and everything inside him came to a halt. "I thought I'd never see you again."

"Baby..."

"Don't call me that."

"Sorry."

Imani's eyes widened, and she didn't attempt to hide her pain from him. Garrett sensed her heartache and realized that no amount of effort could ever make up for his actions.

"I kept hoping I was wrong. Maybe you would turn around and tell me you couldn't bear to end things. Our relationship lasted three years before crumbling in an instant."

She slowly moved away from him after swallowing and taking a shaky breath. She circled him and stood by the window. He moved closer to her, but she quickly shook her head in frustration and raised her hand to stop him. "Stay right where you are."

He clenched his hands, controlled his emotions, and hated himself more than he had in eight years. It hurt like hell to realize how badly he had broken Imani's heart.

There was no sound other than Fiona's muffled cry and laughter from outside. Imani moved forward, gently pressing her cheek against the window. He could see her breath on the cold glass. With each passing wave of warm breath, the weight on his chest increased.

"The moment we laid eyes on each other, we became inseparable. July was a humid month. My dad had guards outside our house while he ran for mayor. I had to slip away when he became preoccupied with meetings. And somehow, I had persuaded Ramón to join me on my nighttime adventures. I think he wanted to make sure I was okay." She paused and glanced over her shoulder. "Do you remember when we first met?"

Had he forgotten how they had met? Not a chance. Holding Imani in his arms and spending their teenage years together was the best time he had ever had.

Julian Hawthorne hosted a party at the serene reservoir in the middle of July. Garrett stood by the coast that night, watching a bonfire illuminate the starry night sky. He stepped back from the rocks, grabbed his cooler, and walked over to the dock. A thud interrupted him just as he was about to approach his family's yacht.

"Did you need something?" He smiled and looked at the girl, who was staring at him.

"Not at all, Beaumont." Heather Murphy dove headfirst into the water after jumping off the boat. Her white bikini barely covered her breasts. He didn't care. No way would he marry her. He wasn't looking for a life partner at sixteen, but he didn't think she was the right match for him. Maybe for his brother, Grady.

Only five seconds later, as he moved closer to the fire, did he notice the ebony goddess. She caught his attention immediately, even though he didn't know anything about her. Beautiful long legs. Denim shorts that fit her dark hips snugly. A simple white shirt. And her hair was so full of curls. His desire for her grew as the curls reached her collarbone.

The girl stood beside his friend, Ramón. Something about her bowed head, or the way the moon lit her hair like a halo, drew him to her. Who was this woman?

He put down his cooler, grabbed a Coke, and gave it to Heather before making a pitiful excuse to talk to Ramón. They were on the opposite side of the fire, so he had to navigate through several couples, which took some time.

Garrett was curiously excited when he approached Ramón and the girl with him. With a shy smile, she turned to greet him. His life was never the same again. Everything changed in an instant. Staring into her alluring dark eyes felt like a kick in the gut.

He didn't pay attention to Ramón. Garrett had already fallen for this woman before he even knew her name.

He said, "Howdy," with a slightly raspy voice. "My name is Garrett."

Her cheeks flushed as she parted her lips. She responded, "So, I heard." The breeze picked up, pulling at the ends of her hair. With her thin fingers, she gently brushed the strands from her face.

He wanted those fingers to touch him. Aching to feel her hair on his fingertips.

Garrett savored his drink, contemplating moving on from Heather. It was a bold move, but he was determined to leave her alone during their date. He could never walk away from this beautiful queen.

He looked into her eyes and said, "You have heard about me, but not everything you hear is true."

"So, you aren't a womanizer, Mr. Beaumont?" she questioned while pursing her lips.

He shook his head. "Maybe in a previous life. I'm done being that way."

"Hmm." She giggled. "You are on a date, right?"

There was no denying it. This girl knew who he was and what he was up to long before he met her. His reputation preceded him, which bothered him.

"It's okay," she said, stepping forward. "It is quite intriguing that you prefer my company over hers."

Garrett couldn't help but smile, mesmerized by the way her eyes shone in the moonlight. "Heather and I are not exclusive, so..."

"Ah. Well, in that case, my name is Imani."

"Imani," he said, gazing into her eyes. "Would it be okay if I called you Mani?"

She gave a knowing nod and smiled. "Since you came up with a nickname for me, can I call you Gray?"

"Um, yeah, but why?"

"It only seems appropriate for the color shirt and pants you're wearing," she answered. "Besides, you gave me a nickname first."

"You're right." He smiled as he stepped forward. "Then, call me anything you want. I look forward to hearing your beautiful voice every day."

Ramón snorted, and with a firm pat on Garrett's shoulder, he leaned in and whispered, "Imani is my best friend and isn't like the rest. Don't treat her like dirt."

He walked away, disappearing into the night, leaving the two of them alone.

That night, under the stars, surrounded by at least fifty teenagers, Garrett felt like he and Imani were the only two people in the world.

"Gray?"

Garrett jerked his head up and cleared his throat, startled out of his memories. Imani looked at him strangely.

"Sorry," he muttered, his voice rough and low, making him doubt she heard him. "I'm so sorry."

"What for?" Her eyes were bright, glossy, and round. Despite this, he could see the caution in her eyes. The pain would never go away.

Garrett needed a moment to collect himself.

"I'm sorry for hurting you. I was too foolish and immature to see the obvious. I left you behind at Holden Creek that night. I passed up a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to marry the woman I ever loved because I believed it was my only choice. You're probably confused because you don't have all of the facts." He sighed and bowed. "If you knew what happened, you would understand."

"Then explain it to me, Garrett."

"I can't. Not here. Not now." He narrowed his eyes as he took her hand. "But there is something I need you to understand."

"All right," she whispered.

He looked up again. "It was clear to me when you said you were hurting. More importantly, I hate that my departure caused all of your misery. I never meant to hurt you."

"Then why did you leave?" she asked, her voice shaking. "Why couldn't we talk all of these years?"

"I wish I could tell you."

"I'm listening, Gray. I'm not going anywhere."

He paused, wondering if what he'd said would come back to haunt him or if it would be a relief from his past. "Come back to my place, Mani, and we'll talk."

"Your family house?"

Garrett nodded and took her hand. "Come back with me, so I can tell you everything."

The heavy silence was too much to bear. It was absolutely devastating. It dried out the room, making it difficult for him to breathe. The temperature climbed too high.

Imani said, "Let's go," and slipped past him to the door. She grabbed her coat and purse, leaving him speechless. "I'm ready."

Garrett staggered for four seconds. He didn't bother telling her brother they were leaving. It didn't even cross his mind to say goodbye to the others. Both he and Imani had unfinished business and needed to decide their next move. He followed her closely, trying to breathe through his stuffy nose. She stood by his truck, arms around her waist, waiting for him.

He slowly opened his truck door and stopped, but she kept walking toward his window, making him think she might change her mind.

"Are you sure about coming to my house?"

"Yes." Imani motioned to the driveway. "But I'll drive my car this time."

"Fair enough. You sober?"

"Are you?"

Garrett started to say something, but she didn't give him a chance to elaborate on it. He waited calmly in his driver's seat after she climbed in her car. Once Imani backed onto Magnolia Pathway, the truck moved. He followed her because she knew the way.

As they drove down the empty path, darkness enveloped them.

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