Read The Cowboy's Temptation for Free Online Page B

the corral. I’m trying to get her to move, but I’m not sure how to do it.”
    Jake’s mouth dropped open. But he quickly snapped it shut and walked back over to her. “You put your heels to her belly to make her move forward,” he snapped. “Pull the reigns to the left to make her go left and right to make her go right.”
    Elissa looked down at Jake with a horrified expression, not liking what he was telling her to do. “I have to kick this horse to make her move?” not having the courage to do any such thing.
“You don’t kick her, you nudge her gently,” he said, exasperated. “Haven’t you ever watched any old Western movies?”
    Elissa felt foolish but determined. “No. And if I knew how to do this, I wouldn’t have asked for lessons,” she snapped back. Wishing he would stop staring at her, she gently tapped her heels to the horse’s side.
Jemima took a step forward, then stopped.
     
“Again,” Jake yelled, walking back to the gate. He leaned against the rails and crossed his arms over his chest while he watched her.
    Elissa again touched her heels to the mare’s sides and Jemima moved again, walking this time but, unfortunately not towards the corral. “No no, please. Go the other way,” Elissa pleaded, then remembered Jakes instructions about the reigns and pulled them to the left. Sure enough, the horse turned in the direction of the corral and Elissa let out a deep breath. Unfortunately, she forgot to let the reigns down and the horse kept turning, heading back into the barn. Elissa panicked. “No no, Jemima. Please don’t go back there. I promise I’ll give you a treat as soon as we’re done.”
    Jake had been leaning against the fence of the corral, enjoying the view of Elissa’s cute little bottom on the saddle. When the horse finally moved, he smothered a laugh when she begged the horse to turn in the correct direction.
But his amusement turned to hilarity when the horse made a full one eighty and headed back to the barn, with Elissa pleading with the horse to do her bidding.
    Jake shook his head and slapped his hat on his thigh, then moved into the barn to retrieve horse and rider. He held the reigns in his hands and guided Jemima and Elissa into the corral. Once there, Jake slapped the rump of Jemima once and the horse walked slowly into the fenced area.
Elissa could not hide her embarrassment as the horse moved into the corral, then stopped and waited for more direction.
     
“Just start her walking around the corral so you can get a feel for her,” Jake called as he latched the gate closed.
    Elissa gently pressed her heels against Jemima’s sides again, concentrating on what the horse was doing. It seemed to know to move around the edge of the fence line so at least Elissa didn’t have to make her go in a specific direction.
“Make her stop,” Jake called.
Elissa flinched at his curt order and accidentally kicked Jemima on the sides again, making the horse increase her speed to a fast trot.
     
“Stop her, not make her go faster!” Jake snapped.
    Elissa glanced up quickly but only allowed her eyes to touch Jake for a moment before moving back to Jemima’s ears. “What do I do?” she yelled, hoping he could hear her over the frantic beating of her heart.
“Pull back on the reigns,” he yelled back impatiently.
     
Elissa pulled back quickly and Jemima immediately came to a stop. Elissa dropped the reigns to grab onto the saddle horn. She stayed on the horse, but just barely.
     
“What are you doing now?” Jake asked, watching her cling to the saddle as if her life depended on it.
    Elissa looked around her, noting the reigns dragging on the dirt and not sure how to pick them up again. “I’m not exactly sure what to do. Any suggestions?” She called out.
    Jake put his head down for a moment. She looked so incredibly vulnerable and his initial instinct was to jump over the fence and help her down. Or climb up onto the saddle and show her how to ride the horse. But