Mansfield Ranch Read Free Page A

neck. “Thank you so much! I just love her. Did you have any idea she’d be this gentle?”
    “No. She is a good girl, isn’t she?” He grinned. “Even the guys were impressed by how obedient and happy she was.”
    I smiled. I was a proud mom.
    “We had no problems at all loading her.” Sean lifted the latch, swinging the door open and stepping aside so I could go into the stall. “So, what do ya say? You up for a morning ride?”
    “Yes!”
    By the time I ran back from the house, where I’d changed into my jeans, Sean had Princess Buttercup saddled and ready to go. He was just tightening the leather strap to Midnight’s saddle when I approached.
    “Are you up for a race?” I teased, knowing full well his gelding could outpace Buttercup in a heartbeat.
    “Sure. You ready to tell me what you wished for?” His smug smile put me back in my place. “You do realize that when I win, you’re going to have to tell me.”
    “Whatever!” I threw back at him and pulled myself up into the saddle. “Are you so insecure that you’ve got to take something from me too? Isn’t winning enough?”
    “Whoa!” He grinned. “You know darn well that if you ever won anything, you’d so make me pay up with something good—admit it.”
    Dang! I would . “No, I wouldn’t. I’m nicer than you, remember?” Clutching the reins, I walked the mare around in a couple of circles, allowing her to get the feel of me.
    “Nice? I’ll believe it when I see it.”
    Midnight whinnied slightly and danced under him. I could tell the stallion was eager to show off for Princess Buttercup. Not that I blamed him—she sure was a beautiful horse.
    “Are you done yet?”
    “Yeah, I think so. She’s so graceful, isn’t she?”
    “So you ready to lose the race and share that wish with me?” He grinned his most charming smile right at me as I came up next to Midnight.
    No . Then all at once, something came over me. I wasn’t sure what—maybe it was the excitement of the new morning or maybe it was the glint in Sean’s eye, daring me to accept his challenge, but positive I wouldn’t. I don’t know what it was, but something struck me. Bring it on . “You’re so going down, cowboy.”
     
    ***
     
    “Come on, Lilly! We’re gonna be late for school. Move it!”
    I’m coming . I snatched my jacket off the bed and swung my backpack over my shoulder. As I skidded down the hall that led to the garage, I was careful not to drop the piece of toast I had clamped between my teeth.
     “There you are—finally!” Alexis announced, as if she’d been waiting thirty minutes instead of thirty seconds. Alexis was never patient.
    “Sorry,” I mumbled around my toast.
    “Eww, Lilly!” Lauren looked like she was gonna hurl. “Do you have to eat carbs so early? And like that, too?”
    I rolled my eyes and pushed past the reigning queens of Bloomfield High. Great. I would get stuck having to ride with them to school this week of all weeks . Without a word, I climbed into the backseat of their BMW and began to munch on my toast while I waited for them to get in.
    My Dodge had been giving me a lot of trouble lately, and Mr. Benally finally decided it was time to have it looked at. Sometimes I wished we lived closer to town so I could walk on days like this if I had to and not feel like the pitied, inferior sister who needed a ride.
    “You know, our mom is going to be really mad if you leave any crumbs in this car.” Lauren was still jealous that I was eating breakfast. The look she gave me as she snapped her seatbelt in place could’ve frozen a wolf.
    “Since I just cleaned it,” I retorted, “I’ll be sure to remember that.”
    Neither Lauren nor Alexis seemed to hear me. Instead, the radio blared as the car purred to life and Alexis pulled out of the Benallys’ six-car garage.
    The Benallys actually owned eight cars altogether, but my truck and Mr. Benally’s second commuter car usually spent their days under the carport around the