A Most Inconvenient Wish Read Online Free

couldn’t keep the tinge of laugher from his voice. He had finally had his answer. Sophia wasn’t as immune to him as he’d thought.
    â€œAway from you.” She stomped through the grass with wide strides.
    â€œYou’ll catch your death.”
    â€œA little rain never hurt anyone. I find it cools the passions rather well.”
    Ian caught up with her easily. Lightning still flashed dangerously in the sky. “At least stay away from the trees.” He took her arm and guided her into the garden, toward the house.
    She had every reason to be angry. He’d pushed her, tested her to see what had triggered the panicked response in the shed. Something had frightened her and he needed to know the cause. Sophia Townsend was vain, aloof, and had the tendency to lash out with words. Fear was not something he’d ever seen in her before.
    This was a woman who cut a swath through Society that he envied. She had no fear of new situations. She could hold her own even in the most pompous of crowds and look down her pretty nose at them.
    Not once had he seen her as afraid as she’d been in the potter’s shed. Afraid of him.
    That was the rub. She’d winced at his touch. She’d fought his arms as if he were the very devil himself. He had to understand why because if it was his touch, his presence, he might as well give up the game now.
    The game to win Sophia Townsend as his wife.
    She would make a fine wife. She could handle just about any situation. She wasn’t cowed by the prejudices of the Ton. She could hold her own in any type of society. He needed that if he was going to further his business dealings. Sophia Townsend could be a great asset for his future.
    It didn’t hurt that she was breathtakingly beautiful. Having her on his arm would garner attention. Not to mention that he wanted her.
    Hence the experimental kiss. He had eliminated the closed-in spaces, allowing her the ability to escape easily. He’d pressed his mouth to hers and had been lost.
    It had taken all his resolve not to pull her into his body as her mouth accepted his. The fear had been gone. Experiment successful, and in the process, he’d found that the rumors of her coldness were unfounded. There was a great deal of passion in Sophia Townsend. She’d responded to him. Not so very cold after all.
    â€œWe should decide how we want to consider this further study, Miss Townsend.”
    â€œThere will be no study.”
    â€œAdmit that you enjoyed it.”
    She stopped, heedless of the rain and the fact that it made her look like a wet kitten. He rather liked this undone version of Miss Townsend. He smiled.
    â€œHear me well, Mr. McDonald: There will be no repeat performance of what just happened. I am not interested.”
    â€œFunny but you felt very interested. In fact, I think I could kindle your interest very quickly.”
    She moved away from him. “That kiss changed nothing.”
    â€œIt changes a great deal, Sophia.”
    She smirked. “Really, Mr. McDonald, it was just a kiss.”
    â€œDo you allow men to kiss you like that on a regular basis?” The thought of any other man touching what he considered his was abhorrent. He’d never thought of himself as a possessive man, but Sophia had changed that when he met her.
    â€œThat would make me fast,” Sophia said primly.
    â€œIt’s still a valid question.”
    She glared at him. “I am not fast and you are no gentleman for suggesting it.”
    â€œI’m no gentleman at all, according to you.”
    â€œTrue.” She turned away from him with that cold reply and started back toward the house again.
    He stopped her by grasping her arm. Irritation, his normal emotion where she was concerned, reared its ugly head. “If I’m no gentleman, why did I stop, Sophia? We both know I could have taken the kiss a great deal farther than I did.”
    â€œYou were testing