Man of My Dreams by Johanna Lindsey

playing with fire each time she got near him.
    She must have been mad to think she could test her wings and play the coquette with him. A gentleman knew his limitations. Devlin Jefferys had none. But it was so unfair that her curiosity couldn’t be appeased this easily, that there had to be an unacceptable consequence for it. She wanted to keep watching Devlin, she really did. To be honest, she wanted to find out what he meant by “more” than a kiss, too. But she didn’t dare do either. So when those long fingers of his started unfastening his trousers, Megan promptly turned her back on him.
    “Coward,” she heard softly whispered.
    “Prudent,” she countered. “And in the name of decency, put your clothes back on, Mr. Jefferys.”
    “I’m only taking your suggestion, Miss Prudence,” he reminded her.
    “I didn’t mean for you to swim naked.”
    “I’m not partial to wet clothes,” he retorted.
    “Then don’t swim.”
    “Are you suggesting the alternative, Megan? Because after you just caressed me with your eyes again, it’s got to be one or the other.”
    These sexual innuendos were exciting, but far beyond Megan’s limited experience. Fortunately, he couldn’t see the color that stole into her cheeks, but it was still embarrassing that he could so easily fluster her.
    “Swim if you must, then,” she conceded, “but do be quick about it.”
    She heard a splash accompanied by a sharp hiss and smiled to herself. The water was usually icy in the early morning, which was why she never swam until the afternoon, when it had warmed up considerably.
    “I could have told you it would be cold,” she said.
    “Don’t sound so smug, brat. Cooling off is what I needed, remember?”
    “Must everything you say allude to—to—?”
    “The day will come when you’re in the same condition as I, and when you are, you won’t feel like discussing the weather, believe me.”
    “I believe I’ll have more sense than to get myself in that condition,” she said primly.
    Devlin gave a hoot of laughter before he realized something. “Were you implying I don’t have any sense?”
    “Was it so obvious?”
    “I’ve got news for you, Miss Innocence. Desire isn’t selective of place, time, or the individual. If you think I like being aroused by you, think again. When it happens to you, and it will eventually, you won’t have any more control over it than I do. You either make love or suffer with it.”
    Her curiosity about this subject got the better of her. “Does that mean I’ll have to dunk myself in icy water?”
    “Actually, I don’t know if that would work for a woman. Never thought to ask. Wouldyou like to conduct a little experiment to find out?”
    “How?”
    “I make you want me, then you find out if this pond can alleviate the problem.”
    “I’m not allowing you can make me want you, but in either case, I have more sense than to swim with you around, so no, thank you.”
    “Smart girl.”
    More splashing indicated that he might be leaving the pond. Megan continued to resist looking behind her, but it wasn’t easy.
    When the splashing ended, she asked, “You were just funning me, weren’t you, Mr. Jefferys?”
    “’Fraid not.”
    She chose not to believe him. Her curiosity was piqued enough. She didn’t need even more improper things to wonder about.
    After a while she finally demanded impatiently, “Are you dressed yet?”
    He said right behind her, “You mean you didn’t peek even once?”
    She turned to see that he hadn’t submerged completely. His clothes were damp only from the waist down. But even in that briefest glance down his long frame, she noted that the bulge in his trousers hadn’t diminished very much.
    As usual, he caught the direction of her gaze.
    “It didn’t work.” He stated the obvious. “But then how could it when all you could talk about was sex?”
    She gasped at that accusation. “Me? You were the one. You even admitted it.”
    “Shows what a bloody