Free Falling Softly: Compass Girls, Book 4 by Mari Carr & Jayne Rylon Page A

hair or something,” Jade obviously lied.
    “And we’re going to be busy��” Hope hooked her arm through the elbow of each of her mates. Everyone on the ranch was talking about how she wanted to get pregnant. They apparently were busy a lot.
    “Viho’s definitely the guy for this job.” Sienna stared pointedly at her cousin. “So get the hell out of here you two, would you please?”
    Why did he get the feeling that they were being set up? Not by Sam. But by Sterling’s cousins, definitely. Had she told them about their clandestine afternoon? And could they seriously be okay with that despite their age difference or how he’d treated her since?
    Viho appreciated their vote of confidence, but he didn’t deserve it.
    Damn, they all made it impossible to abhor them. No matter how hard he tried. He wanted to laugh and punch something at the same time. So he got up and started walking toward Sterling’s Jeep as if he were walking the plank on a ship.
    Because he was pretty sure where being alone with Sterling would land them, if she didn’t knee him in the balls first.
    A few moments later, she caught up, trotting to match his long strides.
    Steeped in awkward silence, they wandered toward her Jeep.
    Together, yet not.

Chapter Six
    The instant they were alone in the truck, Sterling whipped around to face him. “I’m taking you straight home.”
    “Like hell. I promised your dad—”
    “Whatever. I don’t need your pity.” She damn near pouted. It was more sexy than annoying, though. “I’m not going to force you to spend time with me when you’re clearly not interested. Let’s save us both the embarrassment and discomfort.”
    “Ah, shit. Sterling, I’m sorry stuff between us went the way it did. I would never have slept with you if I’d known how things were going to turn out. You know, that you were a Compass Girl or that I’d be working here. You can’t imagine how far out of the realm of possibility I thought that was.” He scrubbed his hand over his face.
    “Why was I good enough before, but not after, you knew who I was?” she calmed down enough to ask him directly.
    Viho preferred her riled. This was harder to combat.
    There was nothing he could tell her that would alleviate the recrimination in her tone or the doubt in her eyes without sharing the truth. That was not a possibility.
    When he didn’t respond, she angled the Jeep toward the bunkhouse he’d been sharing with a couple of other single guys.
    “Wait. Seriously, I want to help you out, Sterling. Not because I told your dad I would, either.”
    She slowed.
    “Can you please accept this as the peace offering it is? I don’t regret having sex with you. Son of a bitch, it was the best day I’ve had in a long time and I’ll remember it for the rest of my life.” He reached over and touched the metal cuff on her wrist. It was beautiful, like her.
    He knew by looking at it that she’d made it.
    And despite his better judgment, he wanted to know more about her profession. To see her work, and where she created these things, interested him. So the excuse to do it under the guise of assisting her… Well, it was all fine by him.
    Sterling drew a deep breath, then three-pointed it in the middle of the ranch road. Though her mouth formed a stern slash that didn’t look at all like her usual glowing smile, she accepted his offer. “Fine. But it isn’t going to be any fun. This shit is heavy. And I’m not going to feel bad when you’re hurting tomorrow.”
    He really wanted to crack a joke about them getting sore together, but he kept it to himself. Good thing too, if the derisive glance she threw him was any clue to how she felt. It threatened to shrivel his balls where he sat.
    Viho kept his mouth shut the entire ride into town. It was nice to get away for a few hours. He truly didn’t want to admit it, not even to himself, but the ranch had an awesome set up. The hands he’d met were pretty cool men too. In no time at all,