Man of My Dreams Read Online Free PDF Page A

never stared at men she did know the way she had looked at this man.
    And then the picture of him, still branded in her mind, pointed out the poor quality of his attire, the slowness of his manners, as if he weren’t used to them, the lack of even a neckcloth, which no gentleman would be without. He wasn’t gentry, then, and thank God for that; at least she hoped he wasn’t, so her unspeakable behavior wouldn’t make the rounds of her acquaintances. It might be mentioned in a few taverns, but she could live with that—no, she couldn’t. God, what had possessed her?
    But Tiffany hadn’t noticed, thankfully, and Tyler was still utterly engrossed in the stallion and hearing about its bloodlines, in answer to the question he’d just asked. What else had been said, Megan couldn’t imagine. She wantedto be away from there. She never wanted to lay eyes on that fellow again with his secret knowledge of her wretched behavior.
    “…as if I had the blunt to own him,” that deep voice was saying in something of a churlish tone.
    “Then who does?” Tyler wanted to know.
    “Squire Penworthy’s the proud new owner.”
    Megan’s head whipped around, but again she was struck first by the handsomeness of the fellow, so much so, with his eyes meeting hers head on, that she almost, to her horror, forgot his incredible statement.
    As it was, it took five long seconds for her to remember and let the words tumble out. “I don’t believe it. My father would have said something to me.”
    “And who is your father that he would know anything about it?”
    “Squire Penworthy, of course.”
    It was his turn to pause overlong, but then his full lower lip curled up the slightest bit. “Ah, well, I don’t see that his decision to start up a stud farm would be any business of yours, now would it?”
    That was perfectly true—in most cases. Not in hers, however, when her father knew she would take a keen interest in the acquisition of new horseflesh, for whatever the reason. He would just have found a more delicate way to mention it. Not like this fellow, who seemed to take an undue amount of pleasure in saying the word “stud” as he did, which wassaying it rudely. Even Tyler moved uncomfortably upon hearing that “forbidden” word, forgetting he had said it himself only moments ago.
    Those turquoise eyes were still on Megan, flustering her with their directness, and now that he had her attention again, they moved over her in the same slow manner that hers had done to him—deliberately, she didn’t doubt, an exact tit for tat. And there wasn’t anything she could say about it without his announcing to the world—or to their small group—that he was merely repaying the compliment. But what he was doing was no compliment. It was an insult of the worse kind, something no gentleman would do no matter the provocation, but then he was proving he wasn’t of that stamp with every passing moment—unless he thought she welcomed his personal attention. Good God, he might think just that after what she’d done.
    “Then you’re only delivering the stallion?” Megan blurted out. “You’ll be gone afterward?”
    The hopeful note in her tone had Tiffany looking askance at her. The man on the ground didn’t miss it either. He seemed confused for the briefest moment; then he smiled, a downright nasty-looking smile that made Megan brace herself, and with reason.
    “I’m a horse breeder, miss, and I come with this one, ’cause no one else can handle him but me. You don’t think his previous ownerwould let a horse like this go without assuring he has the proper care, do you? Not bloody likely. But I’m also a horse trainer, so I’m a right valuable chap to have around. I have a knack for it, you see, cause I treat them all like women—with a gentle hand for the most part, a firm one when needed, and a good slap to the hindquarters when they get too feisty.”
    Now why the devil had he said that, Devlin wondered. Just to see if her