Free Moon Racer by Constance O'Banyon Page A

silent companionship
spread through him like a gentle wind. He could
imagine himself owning a spread like this one with
Abby riding beside - He shook his head. No, not
Abby-Patricia.
    He had fallen behind and spurred his mount to
catch up with her. The sight of that frivolous little
braid swaying down her back was too enticing for
his peace of mind.
    At one point Abby noticed that Jonah kept
glancing behind him, and he finally halted. She
reined in and raised an inquiring brow at him.

    "That's the horse you were riding yesterday; why
is he following us?"
    A smile lit her face when the stallion galloped up
to her and nudged her hand. "Moon Racer is like a
pet he thinks he can go anywhere I go." Her
fingers trailed down the stallion's thick mane.
"Once he even followed me onto the porch,
thinking he could go in the house with me." She ran
her hand down the roan's neck. "You should have
seen Frances take a broom to him that day."
    "Quince told me how you saved Moon Racer's
life by bottle-feeding him."
    She laid her face against the stallion's neck.
"He's still just a big baby who wants affection."
    While Jonah watched her with the horse, he felt a
tightening in his heart. There were so many aspects
to Abby's personality that he couldn't decide who
she really was. One moment she could be happy and
glowing, like now, then the next moment, saucy and
defensive. She was like a spring mist, visible, but
untouchable by the human hand. She was intelligent
and able to hold her own in a conversation. But there
was also a distant, cold part of her that was like a
winter wind, intense and relentless.
    He could remember, as a child, catching a firefly
in his hand-he had felt wonderment at the delicate
glow that had spread outward from his fingers. In
the end, he had opened his hand and allowed the
firefly its freedom.
    Would it be like that with Abby if he tried to
catch her?

    He had a burning need to learn more about herhe wanted to hear her laughter sing on the wind. He
wanted to know the real Abby. He wanted to hold
her until the deep sadness disappeared from her
eyes.
    She smiled and leaned closer to him and
whispered, "Moon Racer is jealous of any other
horse I ride."
    Jonah watched her eyes sparkle with devilment,
and for the first time he heard her laughter. The
sound struck deep, arousing powerful emotions, and
ignited an answering happiness in him. She was the
most enchanting creature he had ever seen. If he
wasn't careful, she would beguile him-if she
hadn't already done so.
    "You see, Major, I've never told Moon Racer
that he's a horse-he thinks he's a person."
    The great stallion tossed his head and whinnied,
pushing against the pinto and causing the mare to
edge sideways.
    "Moon Racer, stop it," Abby demanded, trying to
guide Sassy away from the aggressive stallion's
powerful teeth.
    Before Abby could intervene, the roan had
already nipped the pinto's neck, and the frightened
mare reared and backed away.
    When Abby finally calmed the frantic Sassy, she
slid out of the saddle and went to Moon Racer.
"You should be ashamed of yourself." Even as she
scolded him, she drew his head toward her and
patted his back. "Why do you have to be jealous?
You know how important you are to me."

    Moon Racer would have gone after the mare
again, but Abby grabbed his mane and yanked his
neck toward her. "Don't do that!"
    She looked up at Jonah. "I'm sorry about this. If I
had known Christmas put Moon Racer in this
pasture, I would have taken us in a different
direction. I am going to have to change mounts."
    Jonah leaned forward in the saddle. "So you let
the stallion have his way?"
    "Not always, but I will today." She went back to
the mare and unsaddled and unbridled her. Looking
Sassy over to make certain that the stallion had not
drawn blood, Abby nodded in satisfaction when she
saw no injury. With a gentle pat on the mare's
rump, she sent her galloping across the pasture.