Summer Fling: Compass Girls, Book 3 by Mari Carr & Jayne Rylon Page A

start jumping through all these fool hoops too. By then, I’ll be on the other side, laughing my ass off at you.”
    Liam rolled his eyes. “Get out of here. I’ll see you tonight.”
    Daniel climbed into his pickup and drove away as Liam turned toward the corral. He didn’t bother to start the training again. Instead, he rested his chin on his hand against the top rail of the fence and let his mind wander. He glanced toward Compass Ranch.  
    The path between his home and Jade’s was empty. Not that he was surprised. Jade hadn’t made the trek to his house since he’d kissed her at Spurs. Just thinking about her had his cock twitching, thickening. It was starting to become a recurring state for him and it was chafing. Literally.
    Then a scheme began to take shape. Taking a straightforward approach with Jade wouldn’t work. For one thing, she’d been swearing off serious relationships since she was sixteen, insisting that marriage was something she wouldn’t succumb to. He’d never questioned her decision because for too many years, he’d given up on the idea of settling down as well. After Celia’s death, it seemed like he’d never find anyone he wanted to spend the rest of his life with.
    Suddenly, being a part of a couple again sounded pretty damn good. Not that he was going to tell Jade that. He’d have to ease her into the idea, sneak up on her from behind. The woman had built defensive walls around herself that were ten feet thick.
    He considered his trip to Compass Ranch tonight. While he was going to help with the wedding preparations, he could kill two birds with one stone. The more he thought about it, the more certain he was his plan was good.  
    The only thing he needed to do was persuade Jade to go along with it.
    He scoffed.  
    Chances were slim Jade would agree to what he intended to propose, but it didn’t matter.
    He’d find a way to convince her.
    Because there was only one thing he was confident of right now. He wanted Jade in his bed…and his life.  
    God help him.
     
     
    Jade and Sterling laughed loudly at Jake’s off-color story as Jody and Leah began clearing the dinner dishes. Liam shook his head at the packed-to-the-gills room. Considering most of the Comptons lived on or near Compass Ranch, big family meals were the norm. Even so, Liam wasn’t sure he’d ever get used to the holiday-like atmosphere surrounding a simple weeknight dinner.
    For Liam, the only time his family’s dining room saw more than just him for a meal was at Christmas. His father had died of a massive heart attack when Liam was twenty-five, so running the ranch fell to him. The youngest of three children—and the lone son—Liam had been the only sibling still living at home when his father passed. Both of his sisters had married and moved to Denver prior to their father’s passing. Liam’s mother—a city slicker at heart—had decided she’d had enough of ranch life shortly after his dad’s funeral. Without her husband tying her to the country, she moved to Denver as well, anxious to play the role of full-time grandmother to the three nieces and two nephews his sisters had already given him.
    Which left the family homestead and business to Liam. Not that he minded. He’d known from the cradle he would never leave Compton Pass or Circle H Ranch. It was home.
    “Jake,” Sawyer said, his tone laced with a warning that indicated he didn’t appreciate the ranch hand talking about unusual sexual positions with his daughter and niece.
    “Sorry, Sheriff.” Jake gave Jade and Sterling a wink. “I’ll finish the story later.”
    Sawyer shook his head, but Liam caught the man’s grin as he muttered something about it being no wonder the girls were so wild.
    Seth leaned forward, capturing Liam’s attention. “What’s the word on this new bull I keep hearing about? He really as good as everyone claims?”
    Liam grinned, perfectly aware of where Seth had gotten his information. Jade was determined