01 Winters Thaw (22 page)

“Josh?”

He frowned when Sienna dropped his hand and straightened.

“What?” he asked.

Sienna didn’t reply. Instead, her gaze focused on someone coming in the restaurant. Daniel gritted his teeth as he watched Josh making his way over to their table. Fuck.

Josh walked right up to Sienna, his eyes failing to take in the fact that Daniel was at the table. “Sienna. I thought that was you. I was across the street at my parents’ store when I spotted you.”

Sienna must have noticed that Josh had failed to acknowledge his presence as well. She gestured toward Daniel. “Josh, you remember Daniel, don’t you?”

Daniel stood. “We met at Thanksgiving.”

Josh nodded absentmindedly as they shook hands. Daniel resisted the urge to squeeze the man’s fingers tightly as a warning. “Oh, sure. Yeah. I remember.”

“What are you doing here?” Sienna asked. “Why aren’t you at school?”

Josh turned back to Sienna and stepped closer to her. Daniel’s shoulders tensed and he took a steadying breath. It didn’t appear to have sunk into Josh’s thick skull that Daniel and Sienna were on a date.

“I hopped in the car right after lunch and drove four hours to get here,” Josh explained.

Sienna seemed genuinely perplexed. “Why?”

“To see you.” Josh’s face was the picture of earnestness. Daniel closed his eyes briefly to block out the image. Josh had finally figured it out. Realized what he’d let go.

Sienna didn’t appear pleased by Josh’s appearance. “Josh. I don’t think—”

“I screwed up.” Josh cut her off. Sienna raised her hand, but he kept talking. “I’m sorry, See. I’ve been so miserable without you.”

“Josh, stop,” Sienna tried to halt the man’s onslaught of words, but they continued to flow, growing more desperate with each passing moment.

“I love you so much. I always have. I was wrong when I said I didn’t know who I was.”

Sienna shook her head. “No. You weren’t wrong. We were so young when we started dating.”

Several of the diners at nearby tables began watching the drama unfolding. Daniel wasn’t sure how to stop what was happening. He wasn’t sure he should, so instead he dropped back into his seat and held his tongue.

Josh grasped her hand. “You always said we were lucky because we met when we were young. These past few months without you have been so hard for me.”

Tears began to form in Sienna’s eyes. Daniel swallowed hard. Jesus. What if Sienna felt the same?

“We needed the time apart, Josh. I said I knew who I was, but I didn’t. I do now.”

Daniel studied her face, hope warring with fear. Sienna never glanced Daniel’s way, her gaze holding steadfast on Josh.

Then Josh knelt, sucking all the air out of the room. A woman at the table next to them gasped softly.

No
, Daniel thought.
No.
He didn’t need to speak the word. Sienna did.

“No.” Panic covered her features. “Oh my God, no. Josh, stand up.”

Josh didn’t hear the warning, didn’t understand. “I love you, Sienna Compton. I’ve loved you since I was fifteen years old.”

“Don’t do this.” Sienna spoke quietly. “Stop. Stop right now. Please.” Her voice broke on the last word, but Josh was a man on a mission. No force of nature was going to prevent this proposal.

Sienna shook her head, but Josh forged on. “It’s just like you’ve always said. We’ll spend the rest of our lives with each other, grow old together.”

Sienna sucked in a painful gasp when Josh produced a ring from his pocket. “Shit,” she breathed.

“I stopped by my parents’ house first. This ring belonged to my grandmother. I was on my way to Compass Ranch when I saw you. Sienna Compton, will you marry me?”

The question hovered in the air. The restaurant had gone silent, every eye in the place on the odd tableau they created. Daniel and Sienna seated at the table. Josh on his knees holding out a ring.

Daniel wasn’t sure how much time passed. To him, it felt like a millennium as he waited for the response that could destroy him.

Sienna froze, her mind struggling to process what was going on. As she glanced around the room, she could tell every person there was waiting for her answer.

God. How long had she been sitting here? A year? A minute? Had her heart beat once? Twice? She had to speak.

“No.” Sienna shook her head. It brought her no joy to hurt her first love, but she wouldn’t lie to Josh. Wouldn’t pretend anymore. “I won’t marry you, Josh.”

Josh’s face reflected a myriad of emotions, each of them passing quickly. Confusion, denial, anger, sadness. “I said I was sorry. I was wrong. Really wrong. Please forgive me, take me back.”

He truly thought the past few months could be put away so easily?

She hated hurting him. God, she despised what she was doing right now, but it simply couldn’t be helped. “Stand up, Josh,” she whispered.

The waitress came back with their drinks and softly asked if they’d like another chair.

Daniel nodded.

She brought one and Josh sank into it heavily. “Tell me what to do to make the last few months up to you, See. I’ll do anything.”

It was so like Josh to look to her for the answer. Then she remembered something Vivi said. “You are a wonderful man, Josh. You’re just not
my
wonderful man.”

She glanced at Daniel and saw him blink with surprise when she smiled at him.

For the first time since he entered the restaurant, Josh seemed to really take notice of Daniel. “You and Daniel?”

She nodded, then licked her lips nervously as she held Daniel’s gaze. “I’m in love with him.”

Daniel didn’t move, didn’t respond. He didn’t have to. His eyes said it all. She’d never been gazed at with such compassion, adoration…love.

Josh glanced from her to Daniel and back again. “But you barely know each other.”

“My heart recognizes him.”

Daniel smiled, gave her a charming wink, then he turned his attention to Josh. “Listen, Josh. This probably doesn’t help, but I’m in love with Sienna and I intend to spend the rest of my life making her happy.”

Josh rose slowly. “You’re right, Daniel. It doesn’t help. But I’m glad to hear it just the same.”

He turned back to Sienna. She had to fight the tears building. She’d never felt so completely torn. How could one person be utterly overjoyed and completely devastated at the same time? Josh was the first boy she’d ever loved and she was breaking his heart. But Daniel sat next to her, his quiet strength filling her with happiness and peace.

Josh shrugged ruefully, the boyish gesture reminding her of when they were younger. “I am sorry, Sienna.”

She nodded, batting away a tear as it fell. “I’m sorry too.”

Josh left as Sienna tried to get herself together. She used her napkin to dry her eyes.

Daniel didn’t say anything. Instead, he raised his hand for the waitress. He quietly asked if they could get their food to go. The woman nodded and returned to the kitchen.

He reached over and took her hand. “You okay?”

“I guess so. I didn’t like hurting him.”

“I know. You tried to stop him, See. He was determined to issue that proposal. I don’t blame him. If I thought you were slipping away from me, I’d fight like the devil to drag you back.”

She smiled sadly at his admission, then she repeated the words she’d longed to say for weeks. “I love you.”

He lifted her hand and kissed it. “I love you too.”

“I have a new life plan.”

He chuckled. “Okay. Let’s hear it.”

“I’ll warn you now. It’s pretty intense. Downright complicated.”

His brow creased, concern touching his gaze. Even so, he didn’t move away. “What do you want?”

“To be happy.”

“That’s it?” he asked.

“You know, that’s not as simple as you might think. How would you feel about spending the next few months with me as your girlfriend? I thought maybe we could take some time to get to know each other while going with the flow?”

He pretended to consider her request, tapping his chin as if in deep thought. She wasn’t worried. She could see mischief brewing.

“We still get to have sex, right?”

She laughed. “Absolutely.”

“Then I think that plan sounds real nice.”

The waitress brought their doggie bag. Daniel handed her enough money for the food and the tip, then took the food. Rising, he grasped Sienna’s hand and together they walked to the truck.

Once they were both inside, Daniel turned to her. “Sienna. Just so you know, my new life plan’s a lot simpler than yours.”

“It is?”

He nodded. “Yep. I’m going to spend the rest of my life with you.”

The rest of their ride back to the ranch was made in silence. Too many things had happened in a matter of minutes. Sienna was grateful to Daniel for giving her space to sort through it all. By the time they reached his RV, she felt calmer, more together.

Daniel led her inside. “We could hang out for a little while. Talk.”

She shook her head. Reaching for the hem of her dress, she pulled the entire thing over her head in one fast swoop. Daniel’s gaze drifted slowly over her matching bra and panty set. They were hot pink like her dress. She’d bought the entire ensemble after recalling Daniel’s confession once that he got turned on by the sight of her in hot pink nursing scrubs.

“Dayum.” Daniel’s twang made her laugh…and made her hot. He stepped closer, reaching behind her to unhook her bra. “As much as I like the look of this, I don’t want anything between us tonight.”

She slipped her panties down as he stripped the lacy bra away. Bending at the waist, he took one of her nipples in his mouth, sucking hard. Sienna’s hands flew to his head, holding him close. She marveled at his ability to make her feel treasured and horny as hell at the same time.

He moved to the other breast, his hands and lips working their magic. Sienna felt the effects of his attention clear to her toes.

She loved him. Why had she fought those words, that truth for so long?

Sienna pushed him away. Daniel took a step back, surprised to be stopped until she dropped to her knees and began to tackle the fastening on his pants.

“Oh hell yeah,” he murmured, his hands tangling in her hair when she released his cock and took the head into her mouth.

She’d never felt so ravenous, so hungry. There was nothing she wouldn’t give this man. He’d found her when she was at a low point in her life. With his strong hands and sturdy back, he helped her up, even carried her a few times until she was ready to stand on her own two feet again, ready to take on the world.

Daniel shrugged off his pants carefully as she continued to suck him. As she gripped the base of his cock, he shrugged his shirt over his head. It was always this way. After months, they still came together every night as if it was the first time.

His cock brushed the back of her throat and his hands flew to her head as he groaned. “God, Sienna. You’re so fucking amazing.”

She moved faster at his praise, taking him deeper. Reaching lower, she cupped his balls with her free hand. Daniel jerked like he’d touched an electric wire, slipping from her mouth.

“Daniel—” She started to complain when his hands grasped hers, pulling her up.

“No. Not this way.” He twisted her, propelled her toward the bedroom. She started to protest, determined to finish.

“On the bed,” he demanded.

“But—”

He kissed her suddenly, a hard, fast buss. Then he cupped her cheek, forced her gaze to his. “Trust me.”

She crawled onto the bed and spotted a wrapped packaged. Daniel pushed it aside. “Later. I promise.”

She grinned, enjoying his haste, his impatience. She lay down, expecting him to crawl over her, to come inside. She even parted her legs, ready for him.

“Nope. Not yet.” He twisted until his hips were even with her head, his shoulders between her legs.

“Oh yeah,” she whispered when his lips lightly grazed her clit. Covering her, upside down, Daniel wasted no time running his tongue along her wet slit.

She hissed at the sensation, then gripped his cock.

Daniel groaned when she took him deep on the first pass. He countered the motion, nipping at her clit, then teasing it with his talented tongue.

Sienna struggled for air, his touches taking her too far. She increased the suction on his cock and was rewarded with Daniel’s revenge when he thrust his tongue inside her pussy.

Soon it became an all-out battle of wills as each of them tried to drive the other to the peak. The trick for Sienna was not falling over the top herself. When Daniel added a finger to the play, teasing the rim of her anus, she fought for control.

Then she got even.
Tit for tat
, she thought, as she sucked one of her fingers into her mouth alongside Daniel’s cock. She didn’t give him long to wonder what she was doing when she pushed the wet digit into his ass, straight to the second knuckle.