he shook his head. "pet, i thought i'd made myself understood. i-"

"i agree to your conditions. all of them. you can ride out. we won't travel at night. and the part about the bed . . . ?" a faint wash of pink touched her cheeks. "that too. but we'll need to leave tomorrow, if we're going to make the symposium."

he swallowed hard. the part about the bed . . . ? he really wished she hadn't said that.

colin had rules for himself where women were concerned. so far he'd always followed them, and his remaining self-respect dangled on that slim cord. but this was different. she was different, in ways he couldn't yet define. he usually didn't find innocence so alluring, but in her case it was sweetened by bold, unabashed curiosity. given the opportunity, he wasn't sure he could resist. and weeks of travel would present many, many opportunities.

right this moment, he was entertaining a quite vivid fantasy of unwinding that knot in her hair, stripping that drab linen from her body, peeling away any layers of modesty beneath . . . and leaving those spectacles on. so she'd see him. so she'd know just who was making her twist and pant and moan with pleasure. so she'd watch each and every wince of pleasure on his face as he pushed into-

"don't come for me at the rooming house," she said. "too much chance of being intercepted. i'll walk out and meet you by the road."

colin massaged his jaw, releasing a faint groan. he was a libertine with prodigious experience. she was a na