Chapter 38

"Will you concentrate?" Jake's voice came to Sam.

"I am concentrating," Sam answered. "What more do you want me to do?"

The two of them had taken Blackie down to the river one hot summer day.

"I want you to concentrate," Jake said.

"I. Am. Concentrating," Sam responded. Blackie nudged her back and Sam fell face first into the river.

Jake snorted and grabbed the lead rope to keep the colt close by. Sam surfaced and spit water out at Jake.

"Not wise, Brat," Jake gave her a look. "He's nervous enough without you playing around"

Sam sighed. Then she nodded. "I'm sorry."

Jake gave her a nod. "Climb up."

"Really?" Sam looked like she was afraid he'd tell her that he was just kidding.

Jake raised an eyebrow. Then he cupped her knee and she was up on her very own colt's back.

"Stop smilin'," Jake told her with a smile.

"I will if you will," Sam retorted. Jake chuckled, then tapped Blackie's nose when he tried to bite Jake.

"Don't hit him," Sam said.

"I didn't hit him," Jake responded. "I simply let him know I'm not tolerating his nipping."

"He doesn't nip me," Sam told him.

"Yet," Jake murmured.

"He just likes me better," Sam crowed.

Jake didn't doubt it. Sometimes he thought that Blackie saw him as a threat or as competition. Competition for what, Jake didn't know. He wasn't sure if it was a stallion thing or what. Jake didn't know if stallions viewed other males as competition when there were females around, even if they were human females. It was something he needed to talk to Grandfather about.

Jake passed Sam the lead rope and Sam squeezed her legs slightly and Blackie stepped forward. Jake stayed abreast of them in the water as Blackie walked.

"You're blindin' me here, Brat," Jake teased.

"Put on sunglasses," Sam told him, still smiling.

Jake chuckled.

"Okay, turn him around and stop over there," Jake instructed.

Sam gave a nod and Jake stepped back, letting her work the horse a bit on her own. She turned him expertly, Blackie responding to her light touch.

Jake saw the glint in Blackie's eye as the horse looked at him as he turned. The colt definitely saw Jake as a threat or simply disliked him.

"Good goin', Sam," Jake reached out to pat her leg and dodged a nip from Blackie.

"No Blackie," Sam told the horse. "Jake's my friend."

"He doesn't understand that, Brat," Jake reminded her.

"Yes, he does," Sam disagreed. "Somehow he does or needs to."

"Go ahead and get down," Jake said to her. "You did good today."

Sam gave him a bright smile and Jake returned it.

"Thanks Jake," Sam threw her arms around him, surprising him.

"For what?" Jake wondered, stepping out of her hug.

"Helping me today and being my best friend," Sam responded.

"I'm your best friend?" Jake teased. "What makes you think I'm your friend?"

Sam giggled and hit him. Blackie snorted in Jake's direction, rolling one of his eyes at him.