Keeping You Away

Prologue

Prologue

TYLER

As soon as I get out of my rental car, the Alabama heat smacks me in the face. Though I’m used to it and have been in worse conditions, it’s still a shock after driving in the air-conditioning for hours.

I haven’t been home to Lawton Ridge in four years, and now that I have my discharge papers from the Army, I’ll stay here until I decide my next move. I’m hoping I figure it out within the next few months because this small town doesn’t have much for me here. Most people I went to high school with work for their family’s business, left for college and never returned, or got married and settled down. Truthfully, none of those options had any appeal, especially with an addict for a mother and a father who abandoned my little sister and me. Everleigh is four years younger, and she was the only reason I hesitated to enlist. I was worried as hell to be away, and leaving for boot camp was harder than I ever imagined it would be.

I’ve looked after her, making sure she was at school on time, ate three meals a day, and did her homework. My grandparents reassured me they’d take good care of Everleigh. They kept their word, and tonight, she’s graduating from high school. I’m so damn proud of her for getting good grades and mostly staying out of trouble. She’s loudmouthed and tells it like it is, but I love her to death.

I wasn’t sure I’d make it on time with my flight delays, but I did. I rush through the crowd until I see my grandparents who saved me a seat. Mimi cries the second her eyes meet mine, and Pops pulls me into a tight hug. Over the years, we’ve spoken on the phone and FaceTimed a few times, but it’s not the same as actually seeing them in person. It’s a quick reunion because moments later, the commencement ceremony begins.

After an hour of speeches and a slideshow of the students’ baby photos, my sister finally walks across the stage. She looks around, and I know she’s wondering if I’m here.

As soon as the administrator announces her name, I stand and cup my mouth with both hands. “Go, Everleigh! Woo!” I clap my hands above my head and cheer as loud as I can.

Her eyes widen, and she smiles before glaring at me for making an obnoxious scene. I laugh and continue applauding as she grabs her diploma and shakes hands with her principal.

“She’s gonna kill you for that,” Mimi whispers, chuckling.

Moments later, I recognize another name as it’s announced: Gemma Reid.

Even though she’s sent me photos over the past four years, they did nothing to capture her true beauty. She’s stunning, absolutely gorgeous with dark brown hair and flawless skin. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t think about her daily. We were just acquaintances when I left after I graduated, but for the past four years, we’ve written to each other, and it’s turned into…more.

The first letter she sent was so random that I almost tossed it without realizing it was from her. At the time, she was only fourteen, and it was harmless. She asked how I liked traveling around the world, if I missed being home, and hoped I stayed safe. I replied and gave her as many details as I was allowed. Soon, I found myself looking forward to hearing from her.

Her last letter, though—that one nearly stopped my heart.

Not that I hadn’t expected some of it, considering how she’s hinted at her feelings before, but Gemma was always the quiet one out of my sister’s friends. After a while, she shared personal things, and it helped us grow closer. I spilled more to her than anyone else, and for whatever reason, I felt like I could trust her more with each secret I revealed.

Dear Tyler,

I hope this letter gets to you before you leave. I know if I don’t say this now, I might chicken out when I finally see you.

The way I feel for you has grown over the past four years. It’s not just a stupid crush I had in middle school. It’s much more than that. A month ago, I told you I wanted you to be my first, and I still mean it, but I have to ask one thing.

If you don’t feel the same way, if I’ve fabricated this whole thing between us, please tell me to my face. If you see me as just your sister’s best friend, don’t lead me on. I’ve shared more with you than I probably should’ve, but it’s because I know you’d never judge me. You’ve always given me great advice when I had problems, and with you, I have a safe space to vent. It’s something I’ll always cherish, even if it can’t be more than a friendship. To be honest, I’m going to miss writing to you. I’ve looked forward to hearing from you each week, but seeing you in person is all I can think about right now. I’m anxious and excited, but my nerves are getting the best of me. I’m second-guessing everything, and I’m worried you’ll break my heart.

So please don’t. If you tell me my feelings are one-sided, I’ll understand.

But if they’re not, show me.

Love, Gemma

I hate that I didn’t reply before I left, but I know she wouldn’t have gotten it in time due to where I was stationed. I’m glad to be able to tell her how I feel in person instead. I want to ease her nerves as much as I can. Thinking about Gemma got me through the long a*s days and nights. I’ve felt guilty because of her age and because she’s Everleigh’s best friend, but I didn’t plan this. These feelings developed over time and grew stronger over the past year. Knowing she feels the same makes me want to make her mine, and now I can’t stand the idea of not being with her.

Gemma glides across the stage and smiles wide as her dad stands and claps. Her brother, Noah, is next to him cheering loudly. He’s a year older than her, and I didn’t know him well in high school, but Gemma’s told me so much it feels like I do. He’s in love with her other best friend, Katie Walker, but never told her. According to Gemma, by the time she talked Noah into confessing his feelings, their cousin Gabe had moved to town and asked Katie out first. That was two years ago, and they’re still together. I’ve learned more about the people from Lawton Ridge while being away than I did living there for eighteen years. Though I didn’t mind hearing the gossip from Gemma because it meant the letters continued to come.

As Gemma walks off stage, she finds me. There’s no doubt she heard and saw me earlier, and the smile that spreads across her lips confirms she most definitely did.

I smirk, then shoot her a wink, and she licks her lips, then walks back to her seat.

After the ceremony is over, Everleigh rushes toward me and leaps into my arms. “You made it!” she cries.

I tighten my grip and smile. “With minutes to spare even.”

She pulls back and looks me over from head to toe. “No broken bones or bruises?”

“A few bruises from training.” I shrug. “Nothing major.”

“Thank God.”

Though I was honored to serve my country, I want to experience life in other ways too.

Mimi and Pops give Everleigh hugs, then we discuss dinner plans. Of course, Mimi already prepped a home-cooked meal.

“After we eat, I wanna take Tyler to a party,” Everleigh tells them, threading her fingers through her beachy waves once she takes off her cap. Though she’s tall like me, we look completely different. I have dark eyes and hair while Everleigh has blonde hair and blue eyes.

I’m half-listening as I scan the area for Gemma. She’s probably with her family, but I’m dying to see her.

“A party?” I furrow my brows and shove my hands into my pockets. “I’m twenty-two. I’m too old for high school parties.”

Everleigh scoffs, then swats my chest. “Nonsense. We’re technically not in high school anymore, so there.”

I snort. “Oh, I’m sorry. I forgot that you’re a full-a*s adult now.”

“Language, Tyler,” Mimi scolds.

I apologize, and Everleigh laughs.

“Trust me, you want to go. Gemma will be there.” She snickers and waggles her brows. Lord knows what Gemma’s told her or what she knows about our…friendship.

“Gemma Reid? Are y’all dating?” Mimi asks.

“Yes,” Everleigh says at the same time I say, “No.”

Pops chuckles. “Let’s feed you crazy kids so you can go celebrate.”

Everleigh rides with me and talks my ear off about some guy she’s kinda seeing. After five minutes, I already want to punch his face in or turn the radio up so I don’t have to hear about it anymore.

Once we arrive at our grandparents’ house, Mimi serves chicken fried steak with white gravy, cornbread, and mashed potatoes as we sit around the table. She even made a pecan pie, and it was still warm when she sliced it. It was a good old-fashioned Southern meal—something I haven’t eaten in years—and just what I needed to feel at home. I’ll be staying here in my old bedroom, but everyone’s aware it’s only temporary. Before I got here, I told them I wouldn’t be settling in town, and they spent the better half of dinner trying to talk me into staying.

“I’m gonna get ready for the party, then we’ll go, okay?” Everleigh says as she skips toward the staircase.

“You only want me to go so I can drive you there and back.”

“Well, duh!” She laughs as she goes up to her room.

Over an hour later, she finally comes down all dressed up. Her blond hair is in curls, and her skirt is too damn short.

“That’s what you’re wearing?” I raise my brows, waiting for Mimi or Pops to say something. She moved out of our mother’s house the year I left and visits sparingly. I don’t blame Everleigh for not wanting to live with her, considering I have no intention of seeing my mom at all. While I was gone, my mother never wrote, called, or reached out to me in any way. She couldn’t care less that I’m home, and I don’t care to waste my time. She’s been toxic my whole life, and it’s obvious that won’t change.

“You look adorable, Everleigh!” Mimi praises, and I stand in shock.

Everleigh sticks her tongue out at me, then gets her purse.

Inhaling sharply, I grab my keys and walk toward the door. “Alright, let’s go then.”

The party is being held in her friends’ backyards, and I bet it takes all of thirty seconds before one of the neighbors calls the cops. When I was in high school, we always brought booze we stole from our parents and snuck it into our red Solo cups with cola. I wouldn’t be surprised if they’re doing the same thing.

“Gemma, Katie, Gabe, and Noah are there already,” Everleigh says as we turn onto Main Street, then she looks over at me. “You’ll be okay if I wander off, or do you need supervision?”

“You mean, do I need to supervise you?”

“Puh-leese. I’ve been supervising myself just fine while you were gone.” She flips her hair.

I lift a brow. “Really?”

“I’m not pregnant, addicted to drugs or alcohol, and I graduated with good grades. You should be praising me.”

“I’m proud of you for not becoming a statistic.” When she furrows her brows, I add, “You didn’t become an addict like Mom.”

The mood changes, and she frowns, then lowers her eyes. “I invited her to come tonight. No surprise she didn’t show up.”

Leaning over, I squeeze her shoulder. “It’s her loss, Everleigh. You know that.”

She nods, then flashes a small smile. “You coming is the best gift I could’ve ever gotten anyway.”

Once we arrive and I find a place to park, we walk toward the crowd of people. Everleigh’s greeted by a bunch of her classmates, and she shrieks when she sees her group of friends. There’s a huge table set up with snacks and desserts, and of course, several people have red cups.

The moment I see Gemma, I swallow down the lump in my throat and follow my sister toward them. She’s wearing a skirt that’s so tight it’s like a second skin on her petite frame. I was right, the pictures she sent didn’t do her justice. She’s grown into a beautiful woman.

“Guys, you remember my brother. He’s finally home!” Everleigh proudly pulls me closer.

“Hey, man. Lookin’ good.” Noah gives me a fist bump.

“Thanks.”

Gabe gives me a head nod before he whispers in Katie’s ear, and the two of them take off. Noah watches them with jealousy but tries to play it off like it’s nothing, then brings his attention back to us.

“Noah, can you show me where the drinks are?” Everleigh loops her arm through his. As they walk away, she looks over her shoulder and smirks, leaving Gemma and me alone.

“Congrats,” I tell her as she stands in silence. “Bet you’re glad to be done with school.”

“Thanks.” She smiles. “I am.”

Awkwardness lingers and the last place I want to be right now is at a party where everyone can see us. “Any chance you wanna get the hell outta here?”

Her face lights up, and she smiles. “Definitely yes.”

“Just gonna let my sister know, and then we can head out,” I explain, grabbing my phone from my pocket.

I quickly shoot Everleigh a text and ask her if she can hitch a ride with someone so Gemma and I can talk. She immediately sends a response of random emojis—an eggplant, cherry, and smiley face with its tongue sticking out. I’d scold her if I wasn’t in a hurry to leave.

She follows me, and when the house is out of sight, I grab her hand and loop her fingers through mine. When we get to the car, I pull her in front of me and grip her waist. We’re inches apart as she leans against the door.

“I got your last letter,” I tell her as we lock eyes.

“You did? I wasn’t sure if it’d make it on time.” She grasps my biceps, and I can hear the anxiousness in her voice.

“I did, and I wanted to respond in person…”

“Okay.”

“Actually, I wanted to show you.”

Her breath hitches.

“However, I get the impression that you’re a bit nervous, so maybe we should talk and—”

“Or you could kiss me so I can stop wondering if you’re going to.”

She sucks in her lower lip, then bites down before releasing it. For a split second, I hesitate, making sure it’s what she truly wants. There’s no doubt about it as I dip down and gently brush my mouth against hers.

“I’ve thought about kissing you for way too f*****g long,” I whisper.

“Probably not as long as I have…an inappropriately long time.”

The corner of my lips turns up slightly, knowing she wants this as badly as I do. I cup her face, tilt her chin up, and this time, I claim her mouth. We take our time as our tongues slide against each other. Gemma moans, and the desire to have more of her overwhelms me. Lowering one hand down her body, I cup her a*s and squeeze, pressing her into my erection.

As we continue, our kiss grows hotter, and my d**k gets harder. Gemma arches her back and rocks her hips against me, which drives me even more crazy.

“You need to stop that. People can see us out here.”

“Then take me somewhere so they can’t.”

Fuck yes. I open the car door for her, then jog around to the other side.

“Alright, tell me where you wanna go.” I crank the engine.

“I’ve been fixing up my mom’s old cottage. We can hang out there.”

It takes us less than ten minutes to get to her house. As soon as we’re out of the car, she grabs my hand, and we quietly sneak to the backyard. The quaint cottage needs a lot of work, but it’s cute. There’s a bed and a small studio area where she explains her mother used to paint. I know her mom passed years ago because she talked about missing her a few times in her letters.

“Now that school’s done, I can actually spend more time remodeling. It needs a new paint job and a good cleaning. Then I can decorate it and make it cozy.”

“It’s nice, actually. You’re close to your dad’s house but far enough away to have some privacy.” I walk around, looking at everything.

“I plan to keep her art hung, at least my favorite ones.”

“You never got into painting?” I ask, closing the gap between us.

“I tried. I think I liked it as a child, but then I think I associated it with pain because I was sad she wasn’t here.”

“That’s understandable.”

“Yeah, but I don’t want to talk about that right now. I’d much rather you kiss me again instead.” She grins, grabbing my shirt and yanking me toward her.

I smirk and lower my eyes to meet hers. “I think I can accommodate that.”

Our mouths fuse again in a white-hot kiss. The way she makes me feel burns through my entire body. I crave her, and I need to feel more of her. The way our relationship grew over the years led us to a deep connection. The emotional drives the physical, and being with her like this feels even more intense than I could’ve anticipated.

Peppering kisses down her jawline, I attach my lips to her neck. She shivers against me as I flatten my tongue against her soft, smooth skin and lick up to her ear.

“f**k, Gemma. You’ve consumed me for so long that I can hardly control myself around you.”

“I don’t want you to…I’m yours. Take all of me.”

Gripping the bottom of her a*s, I lift her as her legs wrap around me. I walk us toward the bed, then lay her down on the mattress and crawl over her body. Our mouths collide as I slide a hand up her stomach, then palm one of her perky breasts.

“That feels so good,” she murmurs.

“Better than the tool bag who thought he was fingering you?” I smirk against her lips, and she bursts out laughing.

“Oh my God, how do you remember that? I told you about Benny like two years ago.”

“I kept thinking about how f*****g hilarious it was, and how much I wanted to be the one who touched you there.”

“Trust me, I want that too.”

“Should I show you how it’s really supposed to feel?” I lie next to her on my side and slip my fingers inside her skirt.

“Yes,” she whimpers. “Show me.”

I slide under her panties and immediately feel her wetness. Every inch of her begs for my touch. The pad of my finger glides up and down her slit before rubbing circles against her clit.

“Oh my God. That feels way too good.” She closes her eyes and hums. “Please, don’t stop.”

“It might hurt when I push my finger inside you, Gemma,” I warn.

“I’ve fingered myself before,” she tells me.

I chuckle at her honesty. “I’ll still be gentle.”

“I trust you, Tyler.” She wraps her hand around my neck, pulling me down until our mouths touch. “I know you’d never hurt me.”

The confident way she says those words has my heart bursting. That’s the last thing I want to do to her, ever. Gemma Reid is everything I’ve ever wanted but don’t deserve.

She gave me all of herself that night. I told her we could wait and didn’t have to rush, but she was firm with her decision. I was her first, and she was the first woman I ever loved.

But three months later, after spending the entire summer together, I broke both of our hearts when I left with no plans to return to Lawton Ridge. I asked her to come with me—together we could travel and be spontaneous—but she didn’t want to leave her dad and the only home she’s ever known.

As much as it hurt, she couldn’t leave, and I couldn’t stay.

Gemma will always be the one I let go, the woman I walked away from—my biggest regret.