Taunting Him (Book 2 In The Player Series)

New Arrivals

I leaned against the fence the next day as the sun beat down on Samuel, Boaz, and I. "Don't even complain, Dylin." "I am not." i muttered as he smirked. Just then two trailers pulled up and Mr. Slade appeared out the back of the barn. "Get him in his stall or a pen and come help me. You'll like these Dylin." He smiled as Samuel nodded telling me to go ahead. "I will handle Boaz. Go on." "Thank you, thank you, thank you." I said following Mr. Slade while Samuel returned Boaz another pen close by. "New arrivals?" I asked as Mr. Slade nodded. " "Eight." He said as I looked at him in surprise. He had never gotten more than three horses at a time and that was a one time thing, with the flower horses. "Like one two three four five six seven eight. Like that many?" He nodded as a guy and two teenage boys stepped out. "Hey Mr. Quinn. These are the two boys I was telling you about. Cole and David meet Mr. Quinn." "Nice to meet yall boys. Call me Mr. Slade, everyone around here does. And this is one of my trainers, Dylin." He said as I raised an eyebrow. "I would get paid if I was your trainer Mr. Slade. I help out." i said as the two boys laughed and the mystery man smiled. "She's spunky. So all four trained and all four mares trained as well? I want them to compete this time next year. Not the mares but they have trouble loading up in a trailer. I want that squashed along with I want them to ride around the arena smoothly. None of them were broken properly and I want it fixed." He said flashing me a smile. "By the way I am Mr. Rogers. You going to be training my horses?" I nodded. "Somewhat. Samuel, Mr. Slade's son, will be as well. He will probably handle the riding and one of my older brothers will help as well in that portion but other than that. Yes I will be helping train your horses. And you want all eight of them ready?" He nodded as I nodded. Samuel came up smiling. "Hello Mr. Rogers." "Hello Samuel. This is Cole and David, they will be helping you and Dylin here train these horses. I have explained to your father and Dylin what I want and the boys know so lets unload the trailer and see what yall wanna do. Now the foals and filly don't have names, Mr. Quinn here said you could handle that, Dylin." I smiled. "Sure. I can name them for you." He nodded and smiled as I realized I would be working with a set of foals and a filly. I had never done that and the excitement was almost overwhelming. "Hey Andrew, get Bradley and Cameron, they should be in the tack room avoiding work. And Andy he should be in the hay section and bring eight lead ropes." I called out as he nodded and got to it. "Assertive and delegating. I like this girl a lot." Mr. Rogers smiled as I smiled back. "Yeah Dylin is quite something alright." "Wait Dylin, as in Dylin Jones?"  He asked as I nodded. "Barrel racer. You and your horse Roman were quite the team, but you just dropped off suddenly, mind me asking what happened?" It was all in the papers so I know he had to know but I have to be polite. I was getting the opportunity to work with his horses. "Had an accident. Roman died and I couldn't ride for a while." I said as he looked at me with sorrow. "You're going to ride again in the circuit right? I remember you could have gone pro." I shrugged and smiled. "I like training right now." He nodded and smiled as my brothers and Andrew appeared with lead ropes. One by one we led the horses into different pens with their babies. "Okay the palomino one is Arabella. The paint is is Diamond. The brown one is Ivery. And the black one is Stormy. Name away." I nodded realizing he meant all of those were the mothers. I had to name the babies. "Alright. The black one, paint, and brown babies are foals and the white palomino one is a filly. Correct?" He nodded as I nodded. "Hurricane for the little black one since he keeps tossing and turning and spinning like a hurricane. Shiloh for the little brown one because he's cute. Spradley for the paint foal because he is slightly spastic. And the little filly. She's fast. I want her to barrel race, if that's alright. And Jeta. She's really fast." I noticed Boaz and the new filly nudging each other's noses. "Seems like she likes him. And yes I would love for her to barrel race." Mr. Rogers said happily as Mr. Slade noticed it was Boaz. "Is Boaz right next to them?" Mr. Slade asked as I nodded. "Yes sir." "Watch em' he isn't good around other horses." "No wait. Samuel what if we used Jeta and Boaz to train each other." He raised an eyebrow as I sighed. "Meet me in the loft later like after dinner." I said as he nodded. "I want the little black one to be a roping horse for sure." I shook my head. "He might do better barrel racing. I think the paint and brown horse would be ropers and these two barrels." Mr. Rogers nodded and smiled. "Do whatever you want princess. You're the trainer. I have to go but Cole and David help them." The two boys nodded as I smiled at Samuel. Mr. Slade and Mr. Rogers walked away as I frowned. "Okay what Dylin?" "Nine. We have nine horses to train. How are we going to do it?" He looked at me in disbelief as the two other boys chuckled. "You were so calm and collected five seconds ago. Besides we have Andrew, your brothers, and these two to help." I sighed as I nodded. "Okay. Start tomorrow?" He nodded as the two boys nodded. "Why don't we separate the foals and filly from the moms?" Samuel asked as we all nodded. "What's the names again?" Cole, I think, asked. "Cole right?" He nodded. "Okay. Jeta is the filly. Hurricane is the one Samuel is getting. You're heading towards Shiloh and you're brother or friend is heading towards Spradley." "Friend." David smirked as I smiled back. "Hey Samuel, think we should use the second barn?" I ask as he sighed. "Yeah. Go tell dad. Boaz took the last stall." "Then he knows." I smiled as Samuel rolled his eyes at me. "Yeah yeah know it all. He already knows." I sighed and decided on Arabella first. After bringer her to her stall I headed back with the three guys. "Yall can probably stay for dinner. Dylin probably is." I shook my head. "Can't. Mom said I'm spending too much time over here not riding. So until I start riding I can't eat dinner over here, I have to leave at seven everyday, and I don't know there are a few more dumb rules that I have to follow. Sort of some dumb push in order to make me start riding again The forget I'm an adult now." Samuel chuckled. "I think they forget you are Dylin. Stubborn and hardheaded. I remember one time you didn't come inside until one in the morning when we were like thirteen to prove a point to Bradley." I smiled at the memory. "Yeah he and Corbin were messing with me saying I was scared of the dark. You sat out there with me, watching the stars and we got grounded the next day." We both laughed as Cole and David chuckled. "So you quit riding forever?" David asked as I nodded. Samuel shook his head. "She loves it. She will be back soon enough." I rolled my eyes at him as he smirked. "So you going to actually listen to your parents?" Cole asked as I raised an eyebrow and smirked. "No i am going to dinner but all the other stuff they will forget about. With my mom helping Mrs. Sarah on the paperwork and dad thinking about the rodeo circuit for Cameron and Bradley. Im good." I smirked as Samuel smiled at me. I hooked the lead rope on Jeta's tiny halter loop and led her to her new stall. "So Dylin you got a boyfriend?" Cole asked as I smirked. "No. Why?" "David thinks you are cute." I slightly blushed as I smiled. "Thank you David." "I said it." I shrugged as my phone began ringing. "Hello?" "Hey there." "Is this-?" "Yep it is me, good old Aaron." I looked over at Samuel and smiled. "How have you been?" I asked petting Jeta's head and smiling broadly. Aaron is a bull rider I met years ago. We became best friends and hung out at all the rodeos together. We even almost started dating but that was before everything happened. "I've been good. Missing your face. You should come to the rodeo tonight, by the way, and how are you?" "I'm good. I will see what I can do about the rodeo." "I mean it Dyl. You're still not riding?" "No." "Please come tonight. Please?" "I'm sure my parents will be fine with it. I have to make sure but I think I could maybe sucker someone into giving me a ride." "Awesome beautiful. Can't wait to see you."

"You too." "Bye." "Bye." I hung up just as Samuel was passing by. "Hey Samuel. Come here. So what I was saying earlier was since Boaz and Jeta seem to get along so great we use them to train each other." "Still not following." I rested my forearms on the stall door as Jeta nudged my back. "Look we bring him around the barrels to get him used to the pattern and she will follow and get used to the pattern and we do the same with Hurricane." He looked at me. "Boaz, still can't believe you named the horse, wouldn't go for that." I sighed. "It's worth a try." "Okay. We will try tomorrow." "Are you going to the rodeo tonight?" I asked slyly as he was walking away. Slowly he turned back around as eyed me confusedly. "Yes why?" "Need a ride." "Fine. I will take you. Guess this means no loft after dinner. Instead I will pick you up and we will leave after dinner, okay?" I nodded and reached to grab the brush, but I couldn't reach. "Its okay shorty I got you." He mumbled as he handed me the brush. I rolled my eyes smiling as he walked down the barn aisle. I then turned to Jeta and sighed. "He's handsome I know. But we don't get along. You know Jeta I think you'll be a great barrel horse. I just hope i don't ruin you like I ruined Roman." I smiled sadly as I brushed her mane and side. She was a gorgeous little horse and I could see her being a beautiful mare. For some reason when she reached back to playfully nip at my hand to play it made me fall into a memory of Corbin and I at a rodeo.

"Don't think too much, Dyl. Roman and you will be fine on this run." I sighed heavily and peered up at him under my cowgirl hat. "You seem sure." He nodded and smirked before kissing my cheek. "Now go. Run your little heart out and Roman will guide you. Remember he has your back always. And you have his. Trust him." I nodded as I looked into his brown eyes. "Okay. Thank you Corbin." "Just do you and Roman." He said as I mounted. He hit my saddle with his hand. "You got this babe. And you better take care of my girl, buddy." Corbin said pointing at me before patting Roman's muscular neck. I just rolled my eyes at him. " good." I said as my name was announced. I quickly ran the barrels and excitedly hugged Corbin after my run. I had won. "Thank you so much." I yelled as the crowd roared and I smiled. He hugged my neck as he twirled me around in a circle. Roman nipped at Corbin's shoulder as Corbin went to kiss my forehead. "Hey buddy. It's just a friend kissing a friend's forehead. Im not kissing her lips." He mumbled as I laughed amusingly. "Or can I?" He joked as I chuckled and rolled my eyes. Happiness. Complete happiness is what I felt.

"Hey you going to dinner or not?" Samuel asked smirking as he leaned against the stall. "Oh yeah. Sorry." I said as he nodded. "You alright?" I nodded and hung up the brush before locking the stall in place. "Thanks Sammy. Bye." "Bye Dylin and don't call me that." I just shrugged and walked over to my house. "Hello Dylin." "Hey mom, dad, Brad, and Cam. Sorry im late. Mr. Slade got eight new horses for Samuel and I to train and I got distracted by the little filly." "Sarah did mention Slade saying something about new arrivals that you would love." "I got to name the three foals and the filly." I said excitedly as we all sat at the table. After prayers my father looked over at me. "You did now?" "Yeah there's Shiloh, he is this cute little foal that is going to be a little harder to train. He seems more interested in the ground than learning. Spradley, is this gorgeous foal that will be an amazing horse for roping. Cole and David, the boys Mr. Rogers and Mr. Slade got to help Samuel and I, will probably train those two. And then there is Hurricane, this adorable solid black foal that just is going to be a great barrel horse. He makes quick turns and circles around himself. And then Jeta, the only filly, is a beautiful little palomino and she is so fast. Like really fast. I can't wait till they get trained, so I can see them. I think with the right riders Hurricane and Jeta could really go pro. And go all the way. And Samuel and I well I did. I came up with the good idea to use Boaz, you know the temperamental horse, to help train Jeta and Hurricane while they help train him because him and Jeta like each other." My brother almost started laughing as I finished my food. "Temperamental? Are you kidding the horse is demented." Brad said as Cam nodded in agreement. "He tried to kick Samuel the other day as Samuel walked by his stall." I glared at them as my father sighed. "He is not demented. He is just troubled. He can learn barrels too." "Doubt that." Brad snapped as I glared at him. "Its true and I'm riding him in a rodeo when he's ready." I said before actually thinking about what I just said before snapping my mouth shut. I can't believe I just said that. "Oh really?" I just stared at my food as my dad and mom looked at me in disbelief along with my two older brothers. "You are?" My dad choked out as I sighed. "Well." "See I knew she wouldn't." Brad muttered as I glared at him and did the one thing my brain screamed not to do. "Yes I am. And I will. When he is ready you bet you'll see us in the arena."