Everything But You: Newberry Springs Book 3 (Newberry Springs Series), page 1
EVERYTHING BUT YOU
NEWBERRY SPRINGS SERIES
BOOK THREE
HARLOW JAMES
Copyright © 2023 by Harlow James
All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, locales, and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.
Paperback ISBN:
Cover Designer: Abigail Davies
Editor: Melissa Frey
To those of us who understand that second chances are opportunities to grow, learn, and never stop fighting for what we want.
And remember that in love, sometimes we lose people just to find them again.
“True love has a habit of coming back.”
Unknown
CONTENTS
Prologue
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Epilogue
More Books by Harlow James
Acknowledgments
About the Author
PROLOGUE
Shauna
Age Eighteen
“Come on, slow poke!” Glancing over my shoulder, I see Forrest struggling to keep up with me as I push Bodi, my favorite horse on the Gibson Ranch, to increase his speed. “You gonna let a girl beat you?”
“You fail to realize I’m not losing anything! I’ve got a front-row seat to your ass as you ride away from me!” Forrest calls out, the wind carrying his words to me. “And I can’t wait to get my hands on it!”
“Who says I’m going to let you touch it when we stop?” I toss back as his laugh echoes out around us.
Facing forward once more, I focus on the run-down shack in the distance that we’re headed to, our place of solitude that allows the two of us some quiet time away from his family and my mother. And it’s the perfect place to have this conversation that I’ve been avoiding but know I can’t put off any longer.
Right now, time alone is a rare occurrence, especially with Forrest’s younger twin brothers around and college looming in the future. I love Wyatt and Walker dearly, but they’re like his little shadows, which is rather cute but annoying when I want to make out with my boyfriend and do other things not suitable for young eyes.
I pull on Bodi’s reins, urging him to slow down as the distance between us and the shack lessens. Bodi comes to a stop, and the ringing in my ears from the wind begins as he trots to the door we always use to enter. The sun is about to set in the distance, lighting up the sky in pinks and oranges that remind me of rainbow sherbet.
Damn, now I wish I had some to share with Forrest while we’re here.
“Jesus, woman. In a rush to get me naked?”
I smirk at Forrest over my shoulder as I hop off the saddle. “Always.”
He shakes his head at me and dismounts his horse, Malakai, landing on the solid ground beneath him before standing to his full height. Taking both horses over to the hitching post, he secures them before moving to unlock the door. My eyes trail him the entire time.
I remember when I first saw Forrest Gibson. I was in my junior year of high school and had just moved to Newberry Springs with my mom. It’s been just the two of us since my dad left when I was three. My mom was offered a job as a receptionist at a law firm in Texas, so we packed up all of our belongings and left Little Rock, Arkansas, landing in this small town smack dab in the middle of nowhere. I was beyond pissed that she made me leave my friends and the only home I ever knew. But then, on the first day of school, I walked into English class and saw Forrest sitting in the back row with a stoic scowl etched on his face, assessing the entire room as if he were sizing everyone up.
I was drawn to him; there’s no other way to explain it. And when our eyes met and he dipped his eyes up and down my body, I felt something I’d never felt before: lust.
It didn’t take long for us to get together, and now, two years later, I’m nervous about what this next chapter of our lives might hold. I love Forrest with every fiber of my being, but there’s something else I’m finally ready to explore, and I know it could alter our future. My mother doesn’t seem to think Forrest and I have much of one anyway, since the first time she dabbled in young love left her with heartbreak and a child to raise on her own and me wondering why my father didn’t bother to stick around to get to know me.
Looks like I might be able to find that out sooner rather than later.
“We’ve gotta replace this lock,” Forrest grumbles as he fights with the key to turn. His father thinks he’s kept us out of here by locking this place up, but Forrest copied the key months ago and keeps it with him so we can go out here when we want to be alone. This is also where we lost our virginities to each other almost a year ago, so the place holds sentimental value as well.
“Well, in a few months, it won’t matter.” I rub his shoulder from behind as he finally wiggles the lock loose and opens the door, leading me inside and shutting the door behind me.
“Exactly. We’ll have our own place in College Station within the year, and then we won’t have to worry about sneaking around.” Forrest pulls me into his chest and places a kiss to my forehead. Every time he does that, I melt. It’s so simple, but it makes me feel so cherished, so close to him.
Moments like this make me terrified of what the future holds because I don’t want to lose him.
We stay like that for a moment, but then I start running my nails up and down his back. He lets out a groan before slamming his lips to mine as the smell of dirt and wood fills the air. “Fuck, I can’t wait, Shauna,” he mumbles between kisses. “I can’t wait to marry you, come back here after we earn our degrees, take over the ranch for my parents, and start our lives together.”
These aren’t new thoughts. We’ve talked about our future many times before. However, the idea of following that plan has my heart galloping and my stomach bottoming out. It’s been happening more and more lately, especially after we graduated a month ago. And given the email I received a few weeks after that, I’ve changed my mind about a lot of things.
“Actually, there’s something I need to talk to you about,” I venture as Forrest peppers my skin with kisses, licking and sucking on my neck, distracting me from what I need to say.
“Sex now, talking later,” he mumbles before finding my lips again and reminding me how strong our connection is.
God, I’m going to miss him.
It’s not that I don’t want the same things as him. I do. But we’re only eighteen, and if I don’t follow through with my decision to go to the University of Nevada, Las Vegas and try to establish a relationship with my dad now, I know I’ll regret it.
The thing is, I can’t tell Forrest exactly why I’m going there instead of Texas A&M like we planned because he won’t understand. Or worse, he’ll tell my mom, and then all hell will break loose. He thinks my father is the scum of the earth just like my mother does because he left her and me to fend for ourselves, but I’m pretty sure Forrest’s jaded opinion of him only exists due to the heavy influence of my mother—which is ironic, since he and my mom don’t exactly get along, either.
Mom spent most of my childhood avoiding the topic of my father. Every time I brought him up, she told me we were better off without him, but if I pressed her too hard, she’d go off about how he cared about no one but himself and that’s why he left. And for a while, I believed her. I never felt a lack of love or affection from her and considered myself lucky to at least have a mom who loved me enough for two lifetimes. But deep down, I’ve always felt like a part of me was missing—and that her reason for him leaving was lacking.
So a few months ago, I set out to find him. I couldn’t ask my mother if she knew where he was because if she found out I was looking for him, she’d blow a gasket. But at least I knew his name, so I had something to go on.
It only took a few days of social media sleuthing for me to locate him in Las Vegas. And I sat on that knowledge for a while before I decided that the scholarship offer I got from UNLV would be the perfect excuse to move out there and try to get to know him.
After contacting him and hearing the surprise in his voice when I called, I knew I had to take this chance. A person only gets one father, and I’ve missed out on having mine in my life for the past fifteen years. I want to remedy that for the next fifteen, if possible.
When Forrest’s lips meet mine again, I shove down the thoughts of our impending conversation and focus on the man enc asing me in his arms, his biceps so big and strong I can’t help but feel safe, and remind myself that Forrest and I are meant to be.
This man loves me; I don’t doubt that for a second. But I also don’t know who I am without him, and that’s terrifying.
That’s another reason I think the space will do us some good—allow us to figure out who we are without the other person and give us the opportunity to truly decide what we want to do with our lives.
I know Forrest thinks he has everything figured out, but I still have doubts, questions, and a desire to explore a bit more before we settle down and create a life together.
And I also have an estranged father who I’m desperate to know.
“Fuck, Shauna.” His lips travel up my neck, waking up every nerve ending on my skin. “I need you, baby.”
I let my body take over and reach down to the button of his jeans, knowing nothing can beat sex with him. And now that we’re here, I know that’s what I need. It will help ground me and remind me of how perfect we are together and that we can make it through anything.
“Make love to me, Forrest,” I command as I pop the button on his pants and pull down his zipper, palming his erection through his jeans.
“Get naked then.” He steps back and reaches behind him, pulling his shirt up and over his head, revealing his muscular chest and shoulders. Playing football has been a blessing to this man’s body, and his college scholarship to Texas A&M was well-earned. Forrest doesn’t want to play professionally, but I think he could if he changed his mind. But that would interfere with his desire to take over his parents’ ranch eventually, and I respect that. His family means the world to him, and I know that wherever he lands, he’ll be successful.
I admire the trail of dark hair leading down from his belly button and disappearing into his jeans, his hip bones that frame his abs that I love to trace with my tongue, and that five o’clock shadow on his jaw. Forrest is the definition of tall, dark, and handsome with his deep brown hair and eyes, and right now, they’re looking at me like I’m the center of his universe.
A girl can’t complain about that.
So I yank my shirt off as well, popping the clasp on my bra behind me and letting it fall to the floor, eager to let him devour me.
“Fuck, you’re perfect,” Forrest declares as he closes the distance between us, grabs my chin in one hand and my right breast in the other, and kisses me desperately before backing us up to the air mattress in the corner. Luckily, it’s still holding air from the last time we came out here a few days ago, so we carefully crawl on top of it after discarding our jeans and underwear.
Forrest rubs his length along my slit, teasing me as his crown hits my clit. “I’ll never stop wanting you, baby, but I’m just warning you: This might be quick, because just touching you like this has me wanting to come already.”
“Wouldn’t be the first time you went quickly,” I tease him.
He pinches my ribs as I squeal. “It’s not my fault you’re so sexy. Plus, stamina takes time, Shauna. But I think I’ve proven I can last when it counts.”
“Oh, God, Forrest,” I murmur as his crown hits me perfectly on my clit, over and over again. “Yes, you have.” Desire takes over, and I claw at his back as he teases me.
“I love you, Shauna,” he whispers in my ear before leaning down and pulling my nipple into his mouth.
“I love you. Now get a condom . . . please.”
Chuckling, he reaches for his pants, grabs a condom from his wallet, and covers himself in record time. I lean up and capture his lips again, biting down on his bottom lip, which I know he loves.
Forrest lets out a low growl and then peers down, lining himself up to my core. As he pushes inside, we both gasp as we connect.
“Jesus, you feel so fucking good,” Forrest grits out as he reaches my end, holding still while he allows me to adjust to him. Forrest is thick, and it still takes me a minute to relax when we have sex, but then it feels incredible when I do. “Every time it just gets better and better.”
Clawing at his shoulders, I take in a shaky breath. “Move, Forrest. Please.”
“Fuck,” he whispers as he thrusts in and out, gliding through me like smooth velvet. “So good.”
Our bodies grind and bump as Forrest finds his rhythm, taking us higher and higher to ecstasy. He sucks on my nipples, grips my hips tightly, and increases his speed when I start to clench around him. I reach between us to find my clit, stirring my own orgasm to life. Forrest loves when I do this, which is evident when his eyes dip down to the sight and light up.
“I’m gonna come,” I whisper as my orgasm starts to bloom.
“Right there with you, babe. Fuck,” he grits out as I shatter, and he follows me over the edge.
With his head buried in my neck, he says, “God, I love you. You know that, right?”
Tears build behind my eyelids. “I know. I love you too.”
Once we catch our breath, I rest my head on his ribs as we lie there naked. The humidity in Texas is here for the summer, and we’re both beyond sweaty. But this time together is precious, so we deal with the uncomfortable parts just to absorb each second.
“I want some rainbow sherbet,” I mutter, still fixated on the craving I had earlier.
Forrest laughs. “What else is new? You know that shit isn’t ice cream, right?”
I rest my chin on his chest and look up at him. “Says who? It’s in the ice cream section, correct?”
“Yeah, because there isn’t a sherbet section. I don’t know how you eat that crap.” He shudders, but this argument isn’t anything new. The first time we went out for ice cream on a date, he gave me shit about my favorite flavor and hasn’t stopped since.
“Well, at least it has more pizzaz than just chocolate. That’s like the most boring flavor you can choose.”
He scoffs. “Chocolate isn’t boring. It’s a classic.”
“It’s an old-man choice.”
He tickles my ribs, making me squeal. “Take that back!”
“I’m with an old man!” I scream as Forrest tickles me until I can’t breathe. “Okay, okay! You win!”
“Tell me chocolate is the best flavor,” he commands.
“Rainbow sherbet is the best flavor,” I say instead.
He pinches my ass, making me shriek again, and then settles me back on his chest. “Stubborn ass.”
“You love it,” I reply, sighing as I relax into his arms once again.
“I do.” He kisses the top of my head. “I can’t wait to grow old with you, Shauna. I’m going to build us a farmhouse like my parents’ on the ranch, a house big enough that we can fill it with a bunch of kids.”
“With white wood and blue shutters?” I tease him, quoting The Notebook. Forrest thinks that chick flicks and romantic movies are stupid, but I know he pays attention to them more than he lets on.
“Sure, babe. Whatever you want.”
“I want a porch swing, too, then.” My head rests on his chest again. “A bench one, big enough that we can sit side by side and cuddle as we watch the sunset.”
“Then I’ll make sure to put one on the porch.”
“And a small wedding. Just family and a few friends. Weddings are a waste of money.”
“Noted.”
Sighing, I get lost in the vision of making a life with Forrest in a house so beautiful, it looks like it belongs in a magazine. We both grow quiet as we lie there, enjoying each other’s company. But then I remember what I came out here to do, the thing that could potentially ruin that entire vision. That could potentially ruin everything.
