One Night with His Virgin Mistress. Sara Craven

rallied herself. ‘What’s wrong with village life?’

      ‘Nothing, in theory,’ he said. ‘In practice, it’s not the ideal way to equip yourself for life in the big city. Too big a jump to reality. Which is why I can’t simply get rid of you, right here and now, as I’d like to do, because it would be like throwing a puppy out on to the motorway.’

      Tallie gasped indignantly. ‘How bloody patronising is that? Kindly don’t treat me like a child.’

      ‘Well, you certainly didn’t appreciate my willingness to treat you like a woman,’ he said softly. ‘If you remember…’ His voice died into tantalising silence and the green eyes swept insolently over her, as if the protection of the thick folds of towelling suddenly no longer existed. Making it hideously, indelibly clear that he hadn’t forgotten a thing about their initial encounter, and might even be relishing the memory.