Loving Cara Read Online Free PDF Page A

then looks at my legs with a frown. “The saddle might pinch your thighs a bit. From now on, when I tell you to wear jeans, wear the damn jeans.”
    “And you call me pushy?” I smirk down at him and then take a deep breath, starting to feel comfortable up here on this horse.
    Although the saddle isn’t terribly comfortable.
    “My ass is going to hurt tomorrow,” I grumble.
    “Probably,” Josh agrees. “Okay, we’re going to walk you around the field.”
    “I’m fine just sitting here. No need to get fancy.”
    “Don’t be such a wimp.” Josh laughs and guides Magic slowly along the fence line.
    “Oh, God.” I bite my lip and white-knuckle the reins. I am being a monumental wimp.
    Finally, my body falls into the rhythm of Magic’s gait and it almost starts to feel good.
    “How are you doing, honey?” Josh tosses a smile at me, admiring me as he leads Magic through the pasture. “You look great up on my horse.”
    “I’m good.” I smile down at him, my stomach clenching. He thinks I look great! “This isn’t so hard.”
    “It’s only the company that sucks.” Seth is walking behind us, picking up rocks and throwing them, his scowl back on his face. And we’re back to the attitude.
    “What’s wrong, Seth?” I ask, attempting to look back at him without falling off this horse.
    “Nothing.” He tosses another rock into the pasture as he rolls his eyes. I have no idea if this sudden change in attitude is because he’s preadolescent or if he’s truly angry about something.
    Before long we’re back where we started from. Josh helps me dismount, his hands again on my hips, lifting me. I plant my hands on his shoulders, and when my feet hit the ground, he doesn’t immediately let me go. His brown eyes are soft and smiling, and I just want to stay right here, all day.
    So I pull gently away and turn my attention to the horse, rub my hand down her neck.
    “Seth, you have chores to do.” Josh pats Magic’s neck as he moves to tie the reins to the fence.
    “I don’t want to do them today,” Seth mutters.
    “We do chores every day,” Josh reminds him.
    Seth squares his shoulders, and I know Josh is in for a fight.
    “I want to play video games.”
    “After your chores are done.”
    “I’m not doing it.” Seth turns and stomps off toward the house.
    “Seth King, you will do what you’re told!”
    I watch in awe, and in utter shock, as Seth turns around, flips his uncle off, and runs for his bike.
    “Oh my God.”
    “I’m gonna kill him.” Every muscle in Josh’s body is tight, the muscle in his jaw is flexing, and I can feel the frustration coming off him in waves.
    “There are moments when he’s so happy and sweet, and I can tell he’s a good kid. What is going on, Josh?” I lean my hips on the top rail of the fence and cross my arms over my chest.
    “I don’t know what to do with him, Cara.” He pushes his hands through his hair as he paces in front of me. “He talks like this to my mom, my dad, even the ranch hands. Punishing him doesn’t help.” Josh throws his hands in the air and keeps talking. “We’ve taken away all of his privileges: his video games, his music, he doesn’t get to ride the horses, he has to paint the fences. It doesn’t matter.”
    Josh takes a deep breath and props his hands on his hips, shaking his head in frustration. “I know he’s had a rough time of it the last few years, and God only knows what that woman said to him and what he saw when he was still with her.” Josh swallows hard and swears under his breath. “Obviously, the way he talks about Zack, it isn’t good. But he won’t talk about it, and I don’t know what to do with his disrespectful attitude.”
    “I have an idea.”
    Josh snaps his head over to look at me and takes a deep breath, calming himself. “I’ll take all the ideas I can get right now.”
    “I want to take him on a field trip tomorrow.”
    “Absolutely not. We don’t reward that behavior with field