Chapter One: Irished – Heather Slade

CODE NAME: IRISH

He risked everything to uncover the truth.
She showed him the meaning of love and family.
Their love conquered conspiracies and changed destinies.

IRISH
I dedicated my life to exposing corruption within intelligence agencies, sacrificing everything for the mission. But when I met Flynn at the Roaring Fork Ranch, my world turned upside down. As I raced to unravel a global conspiracy, I found myself falling for the one woman who could teach me about love, family, and what really matters in life. Now, I have to decide—can I let go of the past and embrace the future Flynn offers?

FLYNN
I never thought I’d find love, always feeling out of place even on my family’s ranch. Then Irish walked into my life, awakening feelings I’ve never experienced before. As I supported him through a dangerous mission, I discovered my own strength and worth. Our connection deepened into a love I never imagined possible. Now, we’re building a life together, proving that even unlikely beginnings can lead to the most beautiful endings.

CHAPTER ONE

Crested Butte, Colorado
June

Buck led the other people we were traveling with and me into the ranch’s main house.

“Hello?” he called out.

“Hey, Buck,” I heard a female’s voice answer; she walked up and hugged him.

“Where is everybody?” he asked.

“Out surveying.” The woman turned and looked directly at me. “Who are you?”

“Paxon Warrick,” I said, stepping forward and extending my hand. When she took it, a feeling I couldn’t explain, other than to say I never wanted to let go, washed over me.

“Flynn Wheaton,” she said. Her cheeks flushed, and I gripped her hand tighter.

“Great name.”

“Yours too.”

When Buck touched her arm, I dropped Flynn’s hand and watched as she met and shook the hands of the other people in the room. More than once, I saw her look over her shoulder at me.

I knew from the brief I’d received that Buck only had one sister, which meant Flynn was twenty-one years old. What I’d give to take ten years off my age and be five years older than her rather than fifteen.

When most everyone other than me, Buck, and one person besides Flynn left, she walked over to me. When she looked into my eyes with her mesmerizing blue ones, all thoughts of age faded into irrelevance.

I longed to reach out and run my fingers through her long hair that was light brown with golden highlights. When she turned her head just slightly, I saw shades of red too.

Flynn took a deep breath when I stepped closer. I opened my mouth to speak, but words escaped me. If she and I were alone, I’d tell her how beautiful she was. But we weren’t, as I was immediately reminded when her brother, who’d left momentarily, returned.

“Ready?” he said to me.

“I should head out now too, but I’m sure I’ll see you later,” said Flynn, seemingly jarred out of the same trance I was in.

“I’d like that.” I followed her to the front door and watched her walk away, wishing, maybe for the first time ever, that I could leave the wretched hell my life had become and follow.

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