On the ranch, Vivian meets Cay , the free-spirited step-daughter of the ranch's prickly proprietor. Sparks fly, and soon prim Vivian is meeting playful Cay at the casino where she works. The unlikely friendship raises eyebrows, and stirs confusion in Vivian, who is enjoying the sense of adventure and freedom Cay inspires. Director Donna Deitch, who adapted her film from the highly regarded novel "Desert of the Heart" by Jane Rule, knows how to create the tension of attraction. When the women share a first kiss in a rainstorm, the release is palpable, and it is impossible not to root for them.