Sienna didn’t want to get up. The sun was bright and shining a new day upon her face as she pulled the pillow over her head. She didn’t want to face her parents. She didn’t want to face a day that didn’t include Ryan in it. And she certainly didn’t want to face the pitying look of the patrons of the Blossom Café when she went to get her morning muffin. They had all seen her break down the night before and stuff her face with chocolate.
No. Sydney had made her swear that last night was her time to pity herself. Today was the first day of the rest of her life, and she wasn’t going to spend it hiding in bed. She was going to get her dog and give him all the love she had in her heart for Ryan. She’d start with a trip around her parents’ farm while she rode one of their horses. Then they would both have hamburgers for lunch and cuddle on the couch with a movie for the night.
Sienna groaned and smothered the pillow over her face. She was treating her dog like the man she loved. How pathetic was that? Okay, one more day of pity and maybe doing these things with Hooch would encourage her to get out in public tomorrow. Yes, that was the plan. Tomorrow was Monday, a perfectly good day to start the rest of her life. Today was all about survival.
The white house Sienna had grown up in had changed very little over the years. The trees had gotten bigger and the bushes fuller, but the feel of the house had never changed. Even when her mother completely renovated the house three years ago, it still gave the feel of home. Then why was she dreading going inside? Her father opened the door, and Sienna finally had the motivation to open her car door as Hooch ran out to greet her.
“Hey, boy. Did Grandma and Grandpa take good care of their granddog?”
“You know we did. Your mother spoils him rotten. Goodness knows what she’ll do with a grandchild.” Her father wrapped her up in a hug, and Sienna tried not to cry. There would be no grandchild for a very long time at the rate she was going. Good thing her younger brother, Carter, was so handsome. He’d have no problem finding a wife who couldn’t wait to supply baby after baby to feed their mother’s grandmother demands.
“That’s why she shouldn’t retire. Can you imagine what kind of trouble she’d get in with all that free time on her hands?” Sienna shuddered. She loved her mother, but she might have to move to Montana to hide from her meddling. She could move to L.A. That was even farther, but Ryan hadn’t even asked her to join him out there. He didn’t ask because he knew her life was here. Sienna sighed and wiped Hooch’s drool onto her jeans.
“True enough. What are your plans for the day?” her father asked, leading her to her mother, who was working on the caseload for court on Monday.
“I thought I would take Keeper for a ride and let Hooch run for a bit.”
Her mother looked up and smiled at her. “That sounds lovely. Have a good time. Maybe when you’re done you can stop by for a minute. I should be done with all this work by then.”
“Sure, Mom.” Sienna gave her mom a quick kiss on the cheek and headed out the back door. She gave a quick whistle, and Hooch thundered after her. His big body bounced with the excitement of going for a run.
Sienna headed for her favorite part of the farm. The stallion was six years old now and had just retired from racing. Quarterback Keeper had done his father, Naked Boot Leg, proud and won his fair share of stakes races. He’s been a nice addition to the stud program, too.
For some reason, the big stallion had fallen in love with Hooch when Sienna first brought him by years ago. Hooch had killed a mouse in Keeper’s pasture and the two had been inseparable ever since. The big horse looked at Hooch as some kind of protector and would follow him all around the farm if he could.
Sienna leaned over and gave Keeper’s neck a pat as they headed toward the beginning of the wooded area at the back of the farm. There was a trail there that followed the gently rolling brook that cut through their property.
Hooch paused and stuck his nose up in the air and sniffed. He let loose a howl and tore happily off into the woods, his tongue hanging out the side of his mouth flapping in the wind. Sienna smiled even though she knew she’d have to wash a mud-covered dog when she got back to her parents.
Sienna was almost to the tree line when Hooch came bounding back with something in his mouth. Oh, gross, he’d killed another mouse. Sienna stopped Keeper and hopped down, tying the stallion loosely to a tree to prevent him from wandering off.
“Come here, Hooch,” Sienna cooed. “Give it to Mommy.”
Sienna tried to catch him, but Hooch growled playfully and evaded her grasping hands.
“Hooch! Drop it!” Sienna commanded, only to have Hooch go down on his haunches and growl playfully again as his big tail wagged.
“Fine, I don’t want it. But don’t you dare think of licking me after you eat that mouse.” Sienna turned away and ignored him as she walked back to Keeper.
Hooch followed after her with his head hung low. He didn’t like to be ignored so he rammed his big head against her hip. When Sienna ignored him, he did it again. Sienna smiled at using reverse psychology on a dog and looked down at her droopy-faced pal with his jowls covering the prize.
“Are you going to drop it now?” Sienna asked as she placed her hands on her hips and looked down at her dog as if he were a toddler.
Hooch rolled his eyes and then opened his mouth. A square black box inside a plastic baggie dropped to the ground. Sienna stared at it before bending to pick it up.
“What did you find now?” Sienna asked as she opened the plastic baggy and pulled out the black box. She opened the lid and gasped. A perfect single solitaire diamond was looking back at her. She gulped as she pulled the ring out to get a closer look. She turned the heavy band and saw something written inside. All around the inside of the band were initials. The last ones were CP+PD.
Sienna felt her mouth drop open. This wasn’t just a ring. This was Ryan’s mother’s engagement ring. And Hooch had somehow found it. Oh, please let it be found and not stolen, Sienna prayed and put the ring back in the box.
“Where did you get this?” Sienna asked Hooch.
Hooch howled and took off into the woods with Sienna hot on his trail. She followed him through the trees, past the berry bushes, and to the small clearing by the brook. Hooch stopped and leaned against the man standing there, watching the water bubble over the stones in the creek bed.
Sienna must have gasped when he turned around. He looked at her hand and smiled. Her heart stopped as he stepped toward her looking devastating in worn jeans and a tight gray FBI T-shirt.
“You found it,” Ryan said with a smile that made her forget what he was talking about.
“I found, what? Oh, your mother’s ring.” Sienna handed the bag to him and shook her head, reminding herself to breathe. How was she going to move on when just the sight of him caused her heart to soar?
“I was afraid Hooch stole it,” Sienna said as Ryan took the bag from her hand and pulled out the box.
Ryan shook his head and gave her a crooked smile. “No, he didn’t steal it. He did exactly what he was supposed to do.”
“Do? What was Hooch supposed to do?” Sienna asked in confusion while Ryan gave the dog a pat on the head.
He bent down on one knee and turned the open box to face her. He took her hand in his and his eyes looked straight into her soul. “Bring you to me.”
Sienna opened her mouth but nothing came out. Instead, she stared at the man on one knee in front of her, her eyes darting between his gentle but nervous smile and the ring he was now holding up to her.
“Sienna Danielle Paige Ashton, I love your fierce independence, your ability to throw a football, your sharp mind, and the way you so nicely put me off until I was older. I didn’t want to admit it when I was younger, but it was for the best. We had to grow and come into our own before coming together. What we have is something so strong we could have lost ourselves in it when we were teenagers. But not anymore. We know how to be ourselves and how to be together. We don’t need each other to survive. But we are strong and better when we are together.
“I want to be there for you every day. I want to wake with you in my arms and come home to you every night. I want to find you at the café, complaining about me to your friends. I want to make love to you like every time is the first time. When I was five years old, you were the first girl I kissed, and I lost my heart. It’s always been you, and it always will be. Sienna, will you marry me?”
Sienna’s heart had stopped beating the second he said her full name. Tears slid down her cheeks as she saw the love he had for her in his eyes—the love she knew was reflected in her own eyes.
“Yes! Yes, I’ll marry you. Nothing would make me happier,” Sienna said as joy filled her. Ryan let out a whoop and wrapped his arms around her waist. He stood, picking her up with him and twirling her around. She looked into his face and lost herself in their future. She moved her hands from his shoulders to cup his face and bent her lips to his. He stopped spinning and kissed her. The slow kiss told her all the things she already knew—they were madly in love and this was just the beginning.
Hooch howled, and Ryan smiled against her lips. He loosened his grip so she slowly slid down his body. “It would make me so proud to give this to you.” He held up the ring and slid it onto her finger. She stared at the ring that had been given to generations of Parker brides and would one day be given to their son's fiancée.
Ryan didn’t want to let her go. He knew he had a goofy grin on his face, but when he slid that ring onto Sienna’s finger he had never known such pride or pleasure before. Still, deep down, he couldn’t believe someone as amazing as Sienna had said yes to marrying him. He would make sure every day he showed her how thankful he was that she was part of his life.
“How did you know where I was?” Sienna asked. She finally took her eyes from the ring on her left hand and looked up at him.
“Your mom,” Ryan smiled. “She’s a great co-conspirator.”
“My mom knew? And she was so normal when I saw her. Did my dad know, too?” Sienna asked with surprise.
Ryan nodded and kept his hands hanging loosely around her waist. “Sweetheart, by now the whole town knows. I went to your parents and asked your father’s permission. Then I headed over to my parents to get the ring from Mom. Then I went to Dani and Mo’s farm where Nash sped me to the back fence on the ATV after your mom sent me a text as to where you were going to be. I can guarantee my mom and your mom called Dani, and Dani told Bridget, who told Annie, and well, you see where this is going.”
Sienna tilted her head back and laughed up into the trees. How blessed she was to have so many people who cared for her. “Wait,” Sienna said quickly, the smile falling from her lips. “You said you started your new job tomorrow. You have to leave so soon? I can’t possibly get out to L.A. tomorrow.”
Ryan pulled her back into the tight circle of his arms. “I am starting my new job tomorrow. My new job as appointed by the FBI director himself as Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Lexington Office.”
“What?” Sienna practically yelled as Ryan laughed.
“I turned down the L.A. job. I’ve missed you, and I’ve missed Keeneston. It was time for me to come home. Dad went with me to Washington since he was technically my supervisor during this takedown. When I turned down the job, the FBI director asked my dad if a new agent had been appointed to his position yet. When Dad said no, the director offered it to me, and I gladly accepted.”
“But, the L.A. job was going to lead to a job in Washington. You shouldn’t give that up for me,” Sienna protested.
Ryan couldn’t help but kiss her. This was why he loved her and why they would do remarkable things with their lives, because they supported each other. “Sienna, I don’t want a job in Washington. At least, not yet. Let’s see how I do as the head of the FBI office here in town first. I may not be cut out for the political role. But, if I am, then we’ll discuss it as a family.”
Ryan stopped further questions with a kiss. But a kiss wasn’t enough, and Ryan wondered if it would ever be as he pulled her tight against him. He ran his fingers down her spine and smiled against her lips as she shivered with anticipation. This was the woman he loved. He pulled her shirt over her head and filled his hands with her breasts. This was the woman he wanted to spend the rest of his life protecting, loving, and cherishing. Ryan pushed her jeans down as she frantically kicked them off while reaching for his zipper. And this was the woman he was going to show how much he needed her every day.
Sienna wrapped her legs around his waist, and he placed his hands on her ass, holding her to him. And today was just the beginning. He smiled against her neck as he went about showing her just what a great couple they made in more ways than one.