Read Online The a Circuit by Georgina Bloomberg - Free Book Online

told her, and she’d ended up finding out from the housekeeper who was supposed to start packing up her room. Classic.
    But she shoved those thoughts aside, focusing on Sean and the way his eyes were eating her up. On the rush she always got from making a new guy want her. “So you work here or what?” she asked. “What’s your story?”
    “Nothing much.” Sean leaned on his manure fork. “Graduated from high school earlier this month. Work here part-time for some extra cash. My real thing’s BMX.”
    “Cool. Maybe you can take me for a ride sometime.”
    Sean smirked. “Anytime. I’m sure I could teach you a few things.”
    Oops. That reminded Zara that she was getting really late for her lesson now. “Hey, where’s the indoor?” she asked, glancing at her watch again. “I’m supposed to be in a private lesson like ten minutes ago.”
    “Out the far end and across the courtyard,” Sean said. “But hey, I’ll give you a private lesson right here and now if you want.”
    “What would Mr. Vos say if he heard you proposition a paying client that way, young man?” At Sean’s sudden shocked expression, she burst out laughing. “Just shitting you,” she said. “But just so you know, I doubt there’s anything you could teach me .”
    “Is that so?” Sean countered. “I guess we’ll have to see.”
    “If you’re lucky.” She ducked out of the stall and hurried down the aisle before he could answer.
    Moments later she was slipping in through the big sliding door, which was open to catch the summer breeze. Ellie was already in the ring, fully tacked up. A groom was holding on to her reins as she danced around impatiently. Jamie was perched on the fence nearby. He looked a little impatient, too.
    “Sorry I’m late,” Zara sang out.
    Jamie glanced back at her and hopped down from the fence. “Okay, at least you’re here now,” he said calmly. “But listen, before we get started I should probably fill you in on how this place works. We run a full-service program here, and everything goes pretty smoothly thanks to great help.” He nodded toward the groom, who was jiggling the reins lightly to distract Ellie from pawing at the footing.
    “Yeah, I know the drill. It’s like my old barn in LA.”
    “Right. But the thing is, the program only works if everyone here is responsible for themselves. Including getting themselves where they need to be on time. I realize some barns are more casual about start times, but here when I say a lesson begins at a certain time, that means I expect everyone in the ring, ready to get started, and …”
    Zara tuned out after that, her mind wandering back to Fitz and Sean while she waited for the lecture to end. She didn’t take Jamie’s huffing and puffing too seriously. So she’d been a few minutes late; so what? Most people cut her plenty of slack.

    “Again!” Jamie called out from the center of the ring. “Don’t let her put in any trot steps this time. She knows how to canter from a walk.”
    “She’s not acting like it,” Zara complained. When Jamie didn’t respond, she gave Ellie a squeeze to send her back to the rail. “You’re making me look bad, mare,” she muttered under her breath.
    Ellie tossed her head, jigging a few steps. She’d been giving Zara trouble throughout the lesson, spurting through her aids, spooking at nothing, and generally being a pistol. Spunky was one thing, but this was getting annoying.
    “Easy,” Jamie called. “Let her settle for a sec, then pick up your left lead when you feel ready.”
    Zara sank deeper into the saddle, doing her best to “sit heavy,” as her old trainer had put it, hoping that would settle the mare. It seemed to work for a moment. Ellie took several flat-footed walk steps. But as they neared the spot where Zara had decided to pick up the canter, Ellie tensed and broke into a trot.
    “Aargh!” Zara exclaimed, half-halting sharply to bring her back.
    “What was the problem there?” Jamie