Falling Softly: Compass Girls, Book 4

by Mari Carr

  No respect.

  Viho had none for Jake, whose laser stare singed Viho’s retreating back as he climbed into the Jeep with Sterling. That didn’t make it hurt any less.

  Fuck this town. Fuck these people.

  Except the woman who looked at him with kind and remorseful eyes despite her own private catastrophe, whatever that might be. She patted his thigh before starting her car and pointing them toward town, leaving her father and honorary uncle behind, though she couldn’t possibly have known how badly he needed the reassurance of her gentle touch.

  He hoped he could do what he had to and escape this nightmare—his own personal hell—without hurting her.

  From where he was sitting, it seemed like an impossible task.

  Viho dropped his head back against the rest and closed his eyes as he frantically tried to concoct a plan for surviving the next several months. Hell, the next several hours.

  It sure as shit wasn’t going to be easy.

  Chapter Five

  Viho peeked between the branches of the rosebush he was pruning when he caught sight of killer legs wrapped in skinny jeans. He hoped for a glimpse of the woman they belonged to, remembering how they’d felt hugging his hips. Sterling. He subtly adjusted his insta-hard-on before mindlessly snipping a wayward sprig riddled with thorns.

  She was torturing him.

  Every day, she toured the garden with her grandmother, praising his work and enjoying the product of his labor. He admitted to himself that the grounds were coming along, but her kind words only made him feel like more of a prick for ignoring her. Or appearing to.

  It’d been six weeks since she’d found him on the side of the road like garbage someone had tossed out. Except she hadn’t treated him like he was worthless.

  The first few days he’d worked on the ranch, she’d gone out of her way to welcome him and make it clear that she would’ve gone right on making him happier than he’d remembered being in a long time. Maybe ever.

  Viho couldn’t accept her gracious offer of comfort or companionship. Not when he hid so many secrets—and a truckload of resentment for her father, uncles and especially Jake—from her.

  It wouldn’t be fair.

  Besides, the gap in their ages was almost ridiculous—it was so big. A fourteen-year difference. He’d never escape Compass Ranch without getting his ass kicked if their affair leaked. The list of reasons why he couldn’t have her stretched longer than the inventory of plants Mrs. Compton had approved for her expansive gardens. So he’d distanced himself, then focused on his duties.

  Hell, the job was big enough to last a reasonable landscaper a lifetime. And he could have been content maintaining his design after installing it too. If it didn’t require tending to enemy territory. Just one more thing to resent, really.

  Viho closed his eyes in an attempt to block out the negativity threatening to blacken his soul. He had to survive this fall, maybe a few more seasons, and then he could be on his way. He realized now why Sam, Jake and Sterling had been in such a hurry, insisting on the late season planting of the flowers.

  Mrs. Compton wasn’t going to be around much longer.

  Every day she was delighted anew by the progress that had been made. A glorious surprise for her to wake to each morning, having forgotten its existence from the day before. Viho couldn’t help himself. As much as he despised Jake and the non-blood family that had kept the guy away from his own, he admired Sterling Compton.

  The love and support she lavished on her grandmother couldn’t be construed as anything but respectable. Having cared for his own mother as she faded away, suffering from cancer, he understood how painful the long-term care of a relative could be. Every day, he had to stuff his hands in his pockets as Sterling strolled by to keep from bundling her in his arms and squeezing her tight, murmuring his encouragement.

  In his mind, he held her, rocking her as they sat here, between the rows of blossoms.

  Lost in his fantasy, he didn’t hear the two women approach until it was too late to duck into another section of the garden.

  “Viho.” Sterling’s greeting lacked the warmth of her initial overtures. She’d slowly chilled to downright frosty toward him when she realized he didn’t intend to return her affection. He couldn’t blame her. It was for the best.

  Even if he despised it.

  “Hey, Sterling. Mrs. Compton.” He nodded at the women and hoped they’d pass quickly to the table under the tall oak tree where they usually sipped a glass of iced tea together as they talked.

  “Jake?” Vicky squinted as if even she knew the error of her declaration.

  Viho quickly corrected her, so off balance by her simple mistake that he plopped onto his ass in the dirt. “No, ma’am.”

  A wince creased Sterling’s pretty face as she debated whether to explain. Most times lately the family seemed to have given up, letting their precious Vivi believe as she would. It had to get exhausting to repeat the truth, knowing she’d forget it a moment later. Though she still could recall things that had happened in the past year or two, her short-term memory had all but disintegrated.

  Her disease reminded Viho of a memory-eating monster, who started its meal with the freshest information. Its appetite grew as it went, erasing more and more from Mrs. Compton’s mind. About a month ago he’d even seen her grow angry, shattering a glass by throwing it against the tree when frustration overcame her. Now she seemed resigned. Or maybe she’d simply forgotten how she used to be.

  Sterling settled for simple. “This is our landscaper, Viho.”

  “Funny, he has eyes like Jake.” The perceptive old woman called him out, making him duck his head so she couldn’t detect any other similarities.

  “I know, Vivi. I’ve thought so too.” Sterling’s friendly tone had him peeking up again in time to see her soft smile. “They’re nice, right?”

  “Almost as beautiful as all these flowers, though I’m sure a man hates to be called gorgeous. So I’ll say this, Mr. Viho—you’re doing a fine job.” Mrs. Compton leaned over to pat him on the back with her gnarled fingers. Somehow the gesture infused him with warmth. And pride in his work. “Thank you.”

  Throat tight, Viho had to stare at the ground once more. This time for entirely different reasons. Sweat rolled down his forehead, more from the intensity of his emotions than the surprising burst of heat on the sunny fall day.

  “A man gets awful thirsty when performing hard labor. You should join us for a drink.” Mrs. Compton, ever a lady, invited him to their gathering.

  “I couldn’t. I’ve got a lot more work to do before I lose the light.” He panicked, twisting around and clipping a dead branch. At least, that’s what he intended, but with his shaking hands, he slipped and stabbed himself instead. Not anything major considering the scrapes, bumps, bruises and punctures he endured every day. A hazard of working outdoors.

  But the women squeaked when blood began to well from the wound.

  “Viho! You’re bleeding.” Sterling gasped.

  “You’d better come clean that cut out,” Vicky suggested. “You don’t want to get an infection.”

  “Seriously, your hands are slathered in dirt and those shears are a little rusty,” Sterling piled on.

  Viho tucked the offending instrument under the pile of cuttings so they couldn’t see the terrible shape of his tools. It’d been in his plan to buy new ones. Eventually.

  Still, they balked when he yanked his shirt over his head and wrapped it around the injury. Damn, it did sting. He could have kicked himself for being careless and making the situation worse. Sterling blinked a few times, then her gaze wandered along his muscles to the bulge in his pants.

  Terrific.

  “Come on.” She took his elbow and led him to the table as if he were as feeble as Vicky.

  “It’s not a big deal.” He stopped just short of rolling his
eyes at her when she pressed his shoulders, coaxing him to sit so she could fuss over him.

  He’d be lying if he didn’t say that some shred of him enjoyed her attention. Another part of him entirely wished he could swipe everything off the table with one arm and have her again, right here, right now.

  Well, except for her grandmother looking on.

  “Let me see.” Sterling knelt between his legs, not helping abate his fantasies.

  She lifted his hand from his thigh, took it in hers and dribbled ice water over the injury, washing away the stain on his skin. He wished she could remove the blemishes on his heart as easily.

  Despite the fact that he was fine, he let her tend to the wound, cleaning and wrapping it in a strip of cotton from his ruined shirt.

  “All good now,” she announced when she’d finished the field dressing.

  “Thank you.” He couldn’t stop himself from cupping her cheek in his other hand. Unfortunately, that only got her dirty. Damn.

  He yanked his fingers back, though she giggled and swiped the mess from her cheek with the remains of his tee. Was it his imagination, or did she pause to smell the fabric for an instant?

  Out of nowhere, Vicky raised her voice, “Do you have a girlfriend, Mr.…?”

  “Viho,” he reminded her.

  “Right.” The older woman grinned. “You two look kind of nice together. I wouldn’t object if you wanted to take my granddaughter on a date, you know.”

  “Vivi!” Sterling shot her a look that was equal parts mortification and outrage.

  The lady simply laughed. And though it was awkward, Viho was happy he’d had a part in making her smile.

  “What’s all this fun? Why wasn’t I invited?” Hope ambled over with Wyatt and Clayton, two of the ranch hands Viho had gotten to know over the past several weeks. The guys seemed competent, honorable and totally in love with Sterling’s cousin. They were engaged to her. Both of them.

  Viho was impressed with how open-minded the family was to the unconventional relationship until he’d learned that one of the Compass Brothers—Silas, the head of the ranch—had a wife and a husband.

  Some of the things he’d told himself about how horrible these people must be to lure his father away from him all these years had clearly been lies. Immature feelings borne of hurt. They hammered home to him just how narrow-minded his community had been. And how different most people were from that. Understanding that reality had cost Viho. But it didn’t diminish his jealousy.

  All his life, he’d wished for what these people had.

  “Just the usual picnic in the garden. Except Viho hurt himself.” Sterling bit her lip, frowning.

  “I’m fine. Better get back to work, actually.” He started to rise.

  Wyatt stopped him with a heavy hand on his shoulder. “Take a break, man. Maybe hang around until Sienna shows up. She’s a nurse. You should have that checked out. I made a similar mistake recently, underestimating a flesh wound. Trust me, you don’t want to go through what I did.”

  “He’s not joking. His hand was like a watermelon. He could have lost it. Or worse,” Clay added. “Take care of yourself. You’re working like the Compass Brothers are slave drivers.”

  Wasn’t Viho essentially an indentured servant? He shook his head at the terrible thought. The Comptons had treated him fairly. More than.

  “Besides, our little brothers are headed this way in a second and they’ll die if you disappear. Bryant and Austin have been rattling on non-stop about all the plant stuff you’ve been teaching them for survival training. I’ve heard about it every night at dinner this week.” Hope smiled at Viho.

  He’d have to be more careful what he shared with the boys. They were so eager to study, he’d let his guard down, sharing facts he’d learned from other members of his tribe who’d taken him under their wing when he’d had no one of his own to instruct him in their ways.

  Sure enough, two kids spirited across the main house’s manicured lawn, unintentionally tearing up some of the patches he’d put down to fill in bare spots.

  “Hey, guys! Don’t mess up Viho’s seeds.” Sterling looked to him and mouthed, Sorry.

  He shrugged, wondering what it would have been like to grow up carefree. “It’s not a problem.”

  Right behind them, Sam Compton approached more calmly, holding hands with his wife, Cindi. They too scolded the boys to be more careful. The only way this impromptu gathering could get any worse would be if Jake strolled up. Thankfully, he didn’t.

  Sam kissed his mother on the cheek, then turned toward the rest of them. “Hey, Viho. Could I ask you a favor?”

  “Of course, boss.” He prayed for anything to get him out of this situation, where he wanted to fit in too fucking much for comfort.

  “I know it’s not in your job description, but I promised Sterling I’d help her with some fixtures she’s moving into the expanded area of her shop.” He looked at his daughter then. “Sorry, but I have a meeting that just came up. I can’t do it today. And I know I’ve already put it off a few times.”

  “It’s okay, Dad. I can do it myself. More hands would have made the job quicker, that’s all.” She shrugged.

  “Don’t you dare lug those display cases around by yourself.” He pointed his finger at her and wagged it. “Last time you were limping for a week after pulling a stunt like that. Besides, your mom told me you haven’t been feeling so great this week.”

  Viho couldn’t stand the thought of Sterling hurting herself.

  “It’s no problem. I can help,” he blurted out.

  “Thanks.” Sam slapped him on the back as he headed toward the offices in the barn. “Tell Jake to mark you down for overtime.”

  “That’s not necessary.” He waved off the generosity. Sterling’s glare made it clear what she thought of his assistance, paid or otherwise.

  “Seriously, Dad, it’s not. I’m fine on my own!” She crossed her arms, yelling to be heard as Sam grew farther away.

  “Don’t be stubborn, Sterling. You get that from your mom, you know?” he shouted to her as he retreated. “Love you. Don’t take it out on Viho just ’cause you’re pissed at me.”

  “What’s his problem?” Jade asked as she hauled over a chair and plopped into it, her guy, Liam, standing behind her. Sienna showed up too, with her husband, Daniel. Viho hadn’t even seen her car roll into the lot.

  He had to get the hell out of there before any more of the Comptons swarmed around them. He looked at Sterling. “Come on, let’s do this.”

  “Are you sure one of you can’t help me reconfigure the shop instead of making me bug Viho?” Sterling practically begged her cousins and the guys who loved them.

  “Nope. Gotta wash my 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 stri
des.

  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.