01 Winters Thaw

by Mari Carr

  “In fact,” Vivi continued, “I think all my granddaughters have grown up to become amazing young women.”

  Sienna smiled at her grandmother’s compliment, grasping Vivi’s hand and squeezing it gently. “Thanks.”

  She glanced down the road at the sound of tires on gravel. She spotted her father’s truck. “Looks like the guys are home.”

  Vivi followed her glance, her brow creasing. “Why did all three of them go into town again?”

  Sienna paused, studying her grandmother’s face. “They weren’t in town, Vivi. They went to a trade show in Casper. Remember?”

  “Oh. That’s right.” Lately, Vivi’s sharp-as-a-tack mind seemed to wander more. While Vivi’s memories were still there, Sienna noticed her grandmother found it more difficult to recall day-to-day happenings or the names of new ranch hands or where she left her glasses. Sienna attributed the slight lapses to age. After all, Vivi was over seventy.

  “What’s that coming up behind Seth’s truck?”

  Sienna turned at Vivi’s question and spotted an RV that was at least two decades past its prime following her father’s vehicle. “Holy crap. Do you think Dad bought that eyesore? Mom will kill him.”

  Vivi chuckled. “I’m surprised it still runs.”

  Mom joined them on the front porch. “What the hell is that?”

  Sienna grinned. “We have no idea, but at least it’s not a horse.”

  Mom turned and gave her a heavy sigh. “I’d prefer a horse. At least they’re nice to look at. Besides, who’s driving that thing?”

  Sienna glanced at her dad’s truck. There in the cab sat her father and both of her brothers, grinning like fools. Her mother sometimes despaired over exactly how much Doug and James were like their father. Said she had a hard enough time keeping Seth in line. Now that he’d acquired two mini-mes, the task had become impossible. Sienna knew the complaint was said with love. Despite the definite streak of stubbornness that ran through the male Comptons, they were compassionate and dedicated to their family and the land. Add to that their undeniable charm and wit and it made for a pretty irresistible combination.

  Dad climbed out of the truck, his arms spread wide. Mom’s annoyance over the camper obviously wasn’t long lasting. She dashed off the stairs and straight into her husband’s arms. Dad wrapped her mom in an embrace that usually warmed Sienna’s heart. Today, though, it reminded her of her loneliness for Josh, and a lump formed in her throat.

  Her brothers grabbed their backpacks out of the truck cab and headed toward the stairs. “Hey, See. Hiya, Vivi,” Doug said as he approached them. “You missed a helluva show.”

  Vivi put her hands on her hips. “What have I told you about that cursing, Douglas Compton?”

  “Aw dammit, Vivi, I’m a grown man. All men cuss.”

  Sienna fought to hide her smile. Her baby brother, Doug, had just turned eleven and he was too precocious for his own good. She suspected his rush to grow up stemmed from the fact he idolized his older brother, James. At fifteen, James had everything Doug wanted: a learner’s permit, a girlfriend and—according to Doug—really cool hair.

  Dad came up behind his son. “Doug, what was I saying to you not ten minutes ago in that truck?”

  Doug’s shoulders flew up guiltily. Obviously, he was surprised he’d been caught by Dad. “Sorry, Sienna. Sorry, Vivi.”

  Sienna, unable to fight it, let her grin show. She was glad to have her dad and brothers home. Even though they’d only been gone a few days, the ranch was always too quiet without them. They brought life to the place. Especially Doug.

  It wasn’t until her father stepped closer to the porch that Sienna realized they weren’t alone. Her breath caught when she spotted the stranger who was standing in their midst and she mouthed a silent whoa.

  Dad turned toward him. “Jody, I’d like you to meet Daniel Lennon.”

  Mom extended her hand and the handsome cowboy shook it.

  “Pleasure to meet you, ma’am.”

  “Likewise,” her mother said with a friendly smile.

  Seth gestured to where she and Vivi stood. “And these two lovely ladies are my mother, Vicky, and my daughter, Sienna.”

  Daniel tipped his hat in a courteous gesture toward Vivi, then his coal-black gaze met Sienna’s. He was the most handsome man Sienna had ever seen. Even as she thought it, she felt guilty for comparing Daniel’s sexy-as-sin five-o’clock shadow to Josh’s baby-soft cheeks.

  “Sienna,” Daniel said softly. It felt as if he was trying the name on for style. She’d actually never cared for her name. At least not until that moment. She’d often complained about being named after a crayon. And not even one of the pretty colors. A brown one.

  However, the way Daniel said it, slowly, almost like a caress, made her think of sex and sweaty sheets and naughty, naughty things. Sienna blinked rapidly and forced herself to glance away from the good-looking cowboy. She was standing next to her grandmother, for God’s sake, and imagining doing all sorts of wicked things with a man she’d only just met.

  Her horniness was Josh’s fault. He’d headed back to the university at the end of August and hadn’t bothered to make even a quick weekend trip home since then. They’d have to make up for lost time over Thanksgiving.

  “What brings you to Compass Ranch, Daniel?” Leave it to Vivi to cut to the chase and ask the question on the tip of every woman’s tongue.

  “I hired him,” Dad replied. “He’s going to help me start my horse breeding business. I called Sam last night and we decided the time was right to diversify a bit. Silas and Colby are more than capable of handing the cattle side of things. Sam and I are interested in seeing if we can make a real go of the horses—more than just the tinkering I’ve been doing the past few months.”

  Mom smiled, wrapping her arm around Dad’s waist. “I think that’s a wonderful idea. So you’re familiar with horse breeding, Daniel?”

  Daniel nodded. “Yes, ma’am. I grew up on a farm in Loudoun County, Virginia. I was working with the horses alongside my dad from the time I could walk.” Sienna tried to ignore the effect Daniel’s slight southern twang was having on her more private parts. Better to blame her suddenly taut nipples on the cool October breeze.

  “How did a Virginia boy end up all the way over here in Wyoming?” Vivi asked.

  Doug answered for him, too excited about the news he had to share. “The rodeo. Daniel was a rodeo star and he’s gonna teach me and James all the tricks. He rode the bulls, Vivi. Loads of times. He’s retired now, though.” Rodeo riders were Doug’s superheroes. While most eleven-year-olds wished they could be Batman or Superman, Doug had always insisted he would be a bull rider. Sienna, like her mother, prayed it was a dream that would pass as he grew older. She hated the thought of her baby brother ever doing anything so dangerous.

  Now that her father had brought this man here, it was going to be even more difficult to discourage Doug’s youthful aspirations.

  Daniel was still staring at her. His gaze was almost unnerving. No one had ever studied her with such blatant interest. Sexual interest.

  Time to nip things in the bud. She had enough on her plate without dealing with some horny ranch hand. “A bull rider, huh? You seem awfully young to be retired. Were you not very good at it?”

  Dad blinked, surprise and confusion written on his face at her rudeness. Her tone sounded hostile even to her own ears.

  “Sienna,” Dad started, but Daniel didn’t appear to take offense.

  “I was injured pretty badly during my last ride. It put a quick end to my future with the rodeo.”

  Sienna felt like dirt. God dammit. What was wrong with her? She bit her lower lip. “I’m sorry.”

  Daniel grinned. “Why? You weren’t the bull. Anyway, I packed up my trailer and decided to try my hand at being a salesman for a rodeo equipment company. Met your dad at the trade show and he took mercy on me. Apparently, I suck at sales.”

  Dad chuckled and patted Daniel on the back in a friend
ly gesture. Sienna was curious about how this man had earned her father’s fondness in just a few days. “The man is too damn honest. He wasn’t content with just telling me what was good about the items he was peddling. He also felt compelled to explain what was wrong with them.”

  James piped up. “He told us how the strap on one of the saddles broke and cost him a rodeo championship.”

  “I can see how that might have impacted sales,” Mom said, laughing.

  “Anyway, we invited him to join us for lunch. One thing led to another and I realized that with his knowledge of horse breeding, he would be an asset to Compass Ranch.”

  “And don’t forget he’s going to teach us how to be real rodeo cowboys,” Doug added, stressing what was clearly the most important part of Daniel’s new duties on the ranch.

  Daniel reached over and messed up Doug’s hair. “I’m only going to teach you if you promise to stop cussing in front of ladies. Cowboys are always gentlemen.”

  Doug nodded his consent. Sienna suspected her little brother would also promise Daniel the moon on a silver platter and the dirty magazine he had hidden under his bed if it meant he’d get his lessons.

  Dad pointed to the rickety RV. “And better yet, Daniel comes to us with his own lodging. Sienna, why don’t you help him pick out a nice spot to set up camp while the boys and I unpack the truck? Unfortunately, not all the salespeople at the trade show were bad at their jobs. I bought way too much.”

  Mom grinned. “I’ll remember that the next time I go shopping with Cindi, Leah and Lucy.”

  Vivi walked to the front door. “I’ve got a big pot of spaghetti sauce simmering on the stove. I hope you’ll join us for dinner, Daniel.”

  Daniel gave her grandmother a smile that was far too charming, and Sienna felt the effects of it in places she didn’t care to acknowledge. “Thank you, Mrs. Compton. Spaghetti sounds real good.”

  “Call me Vicky. I think you’ll find we’re not big on formalities here at the ranch.”

  Daniel touched the brim of his hat again, the old-fashioned gesture touching…and sexy. “Thank you, Vicky.”

  Sienna took a deep breath. Dammit. She wouldn’t be feeling so hot and bothered if Josh had just stuck to the plan. She’d never abstained for so long. Sex was one of the best perks of a steady boyfriend, as far as she was concerned.

  Daniel waited for her to descend the stairs and then led her to his RV. Opening the passenger door, he gestured for her to climb in. “Welcome to my palace, Sienna.”

  His voice was pure mischief. Sienna could tell by the perceptive look in his eyes he knew she wasn’t as immune to his charms as she wished. No doubt Daniel was a ladies’ man, used to having his pick of the buckle bunnies. Well, he was going to be disappointed if he expected her to fall all over herself trying to turn his head.

  She claimed her seat without giving him a sideways glance. Instead, she stared through the dirty windshield, wondering how much space she could put between his rusty RV and the house, the stables, her.

  Daniel climbed behind the wheel and started the engine. “Your dad said there are plenty of side paths where I can park this monster without being in the way.”

  Compass Ranch was a massive property. It not only supported the main house, where she lived with her family and Vivi, but also held homes for Uncle Silas and Uncle Sam and their families. The only Compton brother who didn’t live on the property was Uncle Sawyer, who’d opted for a home in town, so he could be close to the police department where he worked as Sheriff.

  Sienna twisted in the seat to study the rest of the RV. For its inauspicious outer appearance, she had to admit the inside appeared neat and downright cozy. “You really live in here?”

  He followed the driveway, passing the main house and stable. “I spent several years on the road with the rodeo. For the first few months, I either pitched a tent or slept in my truck. That got old pretty quick. Decided a house on wheels was a necessity. I got lucky. I was able to pick this beauty up real cheap and she offers a comfortable bed and place to kick up my feet after a long day.”

  Sienna snorted at the word beauty. Daniel grinned. He was obviously aware of the less than attractive state of his so-called perfect home. He winked at her.

  Daniel was an easygoing, nice guy. She felt guilty about her earlier rudeness. “I really am sorry to hear you were hurt so badly. How long ago did it happen?”

  Daniel considered her question. “Hmm. Let me see. Almost a year ago to the day. Guess I’m celebrating an anniversary of sorts. I spent six months recuperating and then three more in rehab. I’d only been doing the sales job a few months. Thankfully, I met your dad. He’s a great guy. Pretty sure he saved me from a life of poverty. There was no way in hell I was gonna make ends meet as a salesman.”

  She smiled, trying to make amends for their rough beginning. “I’m glad you took him up on his offer. He’s been planning to get this new business off the ground for a while now. Between tinkering with the horse breeding and running my brothers all over God’s creation for rodeo events, he was running out of hours in the day to do everything he wanted to.” She pointed to smaller path off the main road. “Turn here. I think this is a good area.”

  They were quiet as Daniel maneuvered the RV over the rutty lane.

  “There’s a turnaround spot on the right that might be a nice place for you to park this monstrosity. No one uses this lane anymore. It used to lead to a storage shed that was abandoned back during my Granddaddy JD’s day. The actual building fell down a few years ago during a bad storm and my Uncle Colby had the remains hauled off.”

  Daniel backed the RV into the spot she indicated, then turned off the vehicle. He glanced around at their surroundings. “It’s nice back here. Private, but not too far away from the stable or main house.” He looked at her. “Thanks for your help, Sienna.”

  She licked her lips nervously, suddenly realizing how alone they were in the shelter of the woods. His face was the epitome of harmlessness, but there was something in his eyes that lured her, tempted her.

  “Well,” she said too loudly, “I guess I’ll head back to the house and let you settle in.”

  “That’s the beauty of an RV. Once you’re parked, you’re pretty much settled. I just have to throw some wheel chocks under the tires, expand the slide outs and voila—home sweet home. Want a tour?”

  She did…and she didn’t. Daniel had been nothing but friendly to her. Regardless, he left her unsettled. She’d never felt an attraction to any man except Josh. Ever. Her cousins told her that was a sad commentary for her life, but Sienna stood by her assertion that she’d been lucky, meeting her true love at fifteen.

  She still felt that way. Sort of.

  Daniel took her silence as acquiescence and rose, leaving the driver’s seat and walking into the living room area. “I’m sure it seems small now, but that wall behind the couch slides out. Once I’ve got the whole thing opened up, it’s actually bigger than you might expect.”

  She’d spent nearly an entire summer in a similar RV with her family one year when her mother insisted it was time they saw more of the world than Wyoming. They’d driven to Texas in a borrowed RV to visit Granddaddy Thomas, then taken a meandering tour through Arizona, New Mexico, Nevada and several other states. Her parents had taken them to the Grand Canyon, the Hoover Dam, Mount Rushmore and Las Vegas.

  By the end of the summer, Sienna had seen plenty of the country. She was also on the verge of killing her entire family after spending so much time confined with them in the small space. The experience had left her less than fond of RV’ing. She’d made a vow to herself that when she and Josh had kids, they’d travel the traditional way—in planes and hotels.

  “It’s very nice.” Her tone must have betrayed her true thoughts.

  Daniel chuckled. “Not much for hitting the open road and camping along the way, huh?”

  She shrugged. “I like my vacations a little more organized.”

  “Organized how?”

>   Her answer was simple. “Plane tickets with definite departure and arrival times, hotel reservations and a detailed itinerary. Driving around with no definite idea of where you’re going or when you’ll get there is insanity.”

  Daniel shook his head. “Haven’t you ever heard the expression It’s the journey, not the destination?”

  “No doubt that was penned by someone who couldn’t be bothered to go online and book a room.”

  Daniel didn’t respond. Instead, he simply studied her face. When she began to feel uncomfortable under his scrutiny, she turned and pretended to be fascinated by his kitchen. “You cook a lot?”

  He shook his head. “I have enough skill not to starve. Mainly live on soup and sandwiches. Oh, and I can whip up a mean breakfast—scrambled eggs and bacon.”

  “Well, it sounds like Vivi is saving you from a light dinner tonight. Her homemade spaghetti sauce is to die for.”

  “Vivi?”

  “Vicky, my grandmother. My cousin, Hope, dubbed her Vivi when she was two years old. She tried to say Vicky, but Vivi was all she could manage. There were three more of us learning to talk at about the same time, so the name stuck.”

  “Seth told me a bit about your family. Sounds like there are a lot of Comptons living on Compass Ranch.”

  She smiled. Talking about her family was never a hardship. She adored each and every cousin, aunt and uncle. “There are. I’m sure you’ll meet most of them tomorrow morning. All of my uncles except Sawyer work on the ranch. My aunt Cindi is the bookkeeper. My mom and Vivi take care of the main house and keeping the ranch hands fed.”

  “Must be nice to have such a big family around all the time.”

  “It is. I love living here. What about your family?”

  “Just me and my parents. I had an older brother, but he was killed in a motorcycle accident when he was eighteen.”

  Sienna reached out before she could think better of it. She lightly touched his arm. “I’m so sorry. That’s terrible.”

  Daniel glanced down at her hand. Rather than shrug it off, he covered it with his. His face appeared relaxed, but his eyes had darkened with the memory. “It was. Took me a long time to come to terms with it. Such a huge waste. He was a great brother—smart and funny. Eventually I found a way to move on.”