The ranch hands started laughing.
Beast shot them a look.
The laughter died instantly.
He looked back at me.
I smiled sweetly.
That seemed to annoy him even more.
Good.
Maybe next time he'd stop treating me like I was twelve.
Without another word, he started down the embankment.
The first few steps went fine.
The next few steps went fine.
I hated that.
Because if he succeeded, I'd have to listen to him act smug for the rest of the week.
Then it happened.
His boot hit a patch of slick mud.
The universe paused.
Just long enough for everyone to realize what was about to happen.
Beast realized it too.
I saw it in his eyes.
That brief moment of horror.
Then his feet disappeared.
Completely.
One second he was standing.
The next?—
WHUMP!
The giant Ranger vanished into the ditch.
Mud exploded everywhere.
The splash reached the top of the bank.
One ranch hand dove behind a fence post.
Another lost his hat.
