She's Tougher Than She Looks.

I Want That Carrot.

Three Weeks Later

"Come'ere, pretty boy, that's a good boy, yeah, Daddy's gonna be soo happy to see you, yes." I cooed to the gelding next to me.

I put on his halter and walked him to the paddock by the barn. In a few minutes, I was gonna leave and get Mr. Carter.

Thunder Clap was finally a well-trained horse.

You have no idea the torture I went through to get this horse into shape. He was a good horse to begin with, but he could definitely be a little snot sometimes, even now.

The first week of training him, he found every way possible to annoy me. Here's a list:

Day 1: He bit my butt.

Day 2: He escaped his stall (no idea how) and trampled Jessie's garden.

Day 3: He chewed through his bridle.

Day 4: He got out of the paddock and ate Carly's cherry pie.

Night 4: He got colic because of the pie (don't know why) and I had to walk him in circles all night.

Day 5: He bucked me off with such precision, that I landed in a trough.

Day 6: He somehow tipped a barrel of water over, and rolled around in the mud.

Day 7: He pushed me over into the mud puddle he made the day before.

And I thought Okie was bad. He's got nothing on this horse.

Anyway, since that first week, he's slowly progressed into a fantastic horse, that still had a mischievous spirit.

I undid his halter, tapped his flank with the lead rope, closed the gate and watched him run around like a chicken with it's head cut off. He usually did this when I turned him out, and it was funny to watch.

I sighed, and walked to the barn. I smooched at Okie, and pulled a carrot out of my pocket as a forgive-me-for-neglecting-you gift.

Okie was facing away from me, but when I took a bite out of the carrot, his head swung over his shoulder to look at me. He looked kind of shocked that I'd eat the treat meant for him, and I squelched the urge to laugh.

I shrugged at Okie and waved the carrot a little. "Hey, if you're not gonna have it, it shouldn't go to waste." I teased. Okie looked at me for a moment, as if trying to gauge how serious I was, then turned to face me, ears pricked forward, making a whuffling sound.

The message was clear: Okay, I'll forgive you for spending all your time with that ninny if you give me that carrot.

I smiled, gave him the carrot, and rubbed his forehead, under his forelock, like he likes it.

The carrot was gone in seconds, and Okie leaned into my touch. Chuckling, I grabbed his soft nose in between my hands and made an exaggerated kissing noise. Like always, Okie snorted, backing away a little. I laughed.

"Come on, Okie, we gotta go get Mr. Carter." I backed away a little and reached for the gear next to the stall.

Entering the stall, I told Okie about the conversation I had with Carly this morning.

"She still isn't sure about letting this guy out here. I asked her why. I was wondering if it was just because she was embarrassed about being poorer, or if she was nervous about having a strange man around. Turns out it was neither of those things. She was worried about me." I led Okie out of his stall and into the muted sunlight. It was still early, the sun hadn't completely come out from behind the mountains yet. "She was worried about what me letting the guy stay here for a while meant." I mounted. "Like I was going to try to get married or something."

Okie snorted. I nodded, even though he couldn't see me, and even if he did, it's not like he'd understand what it meant.

"Right? Since when am I interested in being married? None of the men around here are that good looking, anyway, and none of their personalities make up for it." Though Tobias is certainly handsome enough. I didn't say that out loud though, and made my way to town.

Knock, knock.

I waited a few moments before knocking on Mr. Carter's hotel room door again, harder this time.

Thump, thump.

I waited.

Bang!

I kicked the door hard, then when there was no change in the snoring that I could hear inside, I got down on my belly, stuck my mouth to the little space between the door and the floor, and yelled, "Mr. Carter, open this door right now!"

I jumped up to my feet and brushed myself off--hallway floors in hotels are disgusting--when I heard a startled snort from inside, then the sound off a body falling out of bed.

I smirked to myself a little before the door was wrenched open to reveal a very sleepy, very grumpy, very half-naked Mr. Carter. I blinked at his toned chest and swallowed involuntarily.

Just because I wasn't interested in getting married--or really anything to do with the opposite sex--I was still a teenage girl, blessed with teenage girl hormones. Sarcasm is implied.

"Oh, it's you." Mr. Carter blinked down at me groggily, seeming to get over his anger. Then he snapped alert and asked frantically, "Is Thunder Clap okay?" I made a, Whoa slow down gesture with my hands.

"Yes, he's fine. I just came to ask if you were ready to come stay--," Mr. Carter cut me off.

"I can see Thunder Clap now?" He asked it like a little boy about to get a new toy. I tilted my head. Well, that I was not expecting. I thought the horse was spoiled because of his pedigree, but it looks like he was spoiled because Mr. Carter adores him. I smiled inwardly.

"Yes, you can." I said. Tobias' grin should have split his face it was so big.

Woo! Sorry it took so long. *Sheepish look* Hope you like! :)