AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Mr. Flirty Pants is interested but I don’t think Ramona is impressed. He’s going to ask you to give his number to her.” I direct my attention at Ramona. “And?”
“What?” She purses her lips. “I told him he’d have to charm the horse, not me. If he passes the test, I’ll allow him to come visit and we’ll see if it’s a match.”
The test consists of a list of questions and she will walk through those together with the potential client and if he does in fact look like a match, Ramona will invite him over. Then she can see how the horse reacts and vice versa.
Ramona spurs Dover on and trots away.
Facing Ivar, I tell him, “Give your buddy Ramona’s number. Who cares about selling the horse, did you see her reaction?”
Ivar grins. “Told you.”
I guess he did.
The roaring of a bike draws my attention and I glance over Ivar’s shoulder to see Sonnet riding through the pasture, heading straight for us.
She stops and bellows at me, “The Longhorns in the east pasture broke loose.”
“Fuck,” I mutter and thinking quick I add, “Get back there. I’m right behind you and get a few others to help.”
Sonnet rides off and I’m about to face Ramona when Ivar wraps his fingers around my wrist, making our gaze collide. “I don’t know what’s going on but I’m here if you need me.”
I contemplate for a few seconds while I shoot a quick text to ask a few others to help out, but I guess it’s worth a shot.
“How good are you on that bike of yours?” I shoot him a grin when he looks offended. “Some of our Longhorns broke loose and we need to herd them into another pasture.”
“With bikes?” he asks with a stunned expression.
I shrug. “Horses, bikes, our livestock is used to both. My father and his brothers did it before us and it’s all we’ve ever known. Weren’t you around when your stepfather worked around the ranch? You grew up in this town, it surprises me you don’t know how we herd our livestock.”
A grimace taints his face. “We never got along. It’s the reason I left the second I could.”
I shoot him a wink and tell him, “Well, buckle up.”
With what Ivar said about Ramona, I guess it’s worth a shot to stop tiptoeing around her and act normal.
It’s for this reason I bellow, “Ramona, Longhorns escaped the east pasture.”
“Open the gate!” she snaps and urges Dover in that direction.
I fulfill her request and grab Ivar’s hand as I take off in the direction of our bikes. Zoanne, Kit, and Cassia come rushing out of the clubhouse and all head for their bikes.
I touch Ivar’s arm and mouth the words, “Watch. Normally we have earpieces in to stay connected while we transfer herds but we’re gonna rely on signals and shouts. So, like I said, watch, okay?”
He gives me a self-assured smirk. “Sweetheart, I’ve survived a war zone or two, I think I can handle a herd of Longhorns when I have all of you right there with me.”
“Well, when you put it like that,” I grumble and hear his chuckle before it fades when I fire up my bike.
Zoanne and Kitt are behind us and Ivar is right beside me. I assume Cassia is behind us but my focus is on Ramona who is coming around on the left side. She’s already herding the Longhorns in the direction they need to go in along with Sonnet.
All of us move toward them to make a line and guide the Longhorns toward another pasture. Once the herd is on the move Cassia is the one who is flanking them along with Kitt to make sure they don’t escape.
Everything is going smooth until the herd enters the pasture and a few of them rush off when they get a little rowdy entering the pasture at the same time. Three of them break from the herd. Ramona whistles and rushes off with Dover.
I’m about to help but I notice Ivar is already speeding her way to assist her. Kitt and Sonnet have all the Longhorns in the pasture and the other three are now easily guided in as well. Cassia stops right next to me.
“Nice. Quick and easy.” She shoots me a grin and adds, “Nice to see my brother is enjoying himself as well.”
“Yeah,” I comment, not knowing what else to say and on top of it I feel a little awkward because I spent the night enjoying her brother in a lot of delectable ways.
