interest as he watched Lady Philpot fellate Benna’s finger.
She wasn’t surprised by his arousal; Geoff had taken two women to his bed on more than one occasion.
Benna narrowed her eyes at him in a way she hoped communicated that she would never be one of those women.
Geoff snapped his fingers. “Come along, Ben,” he ordered, as if it were Benna who was dragging her heels. “We shall be late.”
Lady Philpot released Benna’s thumb with a vulgar pop, her gaze on Geoff. “Why, Geoffrey, I believe you’re enjoying watching me suck Ben’s … finger. What else would you like to watch me suck?”
Geoffrey laughed.
Benna amused herself by imagining the other woman’s surprise—and Geoff’s anger—if Benna were to drop her breeches right then.
“Perhaps later, darling,” Geoff said. “Right now Ben has an appointment with my face and a razor. He also needs to fill my tub.” He fixed Benna with a stern look. “Sharpish.”
“Mmm, later, then,” Lady Philpot murmured, not releasing Benna’s hand until she tugged it free.
Geoffrey waited until the door was closed to pat Benna on the shoulder. “You look fit to be tied, my dear Ben. Come, it was just a bit of funning.” He turned his back to her and Benna held up his robe for him to slide in his arms, clenching her jaws to keep from giving vent to her anger.
And her hurt.
You’d think that she would no longer care what he did or said after the night she’d given him her maidenhood and he’d behaved like a callous, unmitigated arse.
What had been a singular event for Benna had meant less than nothing to Geoff.
He’d proven that by bringing home another woman the very next evening.
When Benna had refused to wait on him and his lover while they were in bed together, Geoff had been furious.
“Lord, Ben, what we shared was just a fuck—it doesn’t make us man and wife. If I’d have known that you’d become so bloody gothic about it I never would have come near you to begin with. Don’t worry, darling—it wasn’t so great that I’ll ever bother touching you again.”
And he had been as good as his word.
Benna honestly couldn’t blame him for despising her. She was a fool—a weak, pitiful, needy fool. Only a fool would expect anything out of Geoffrey Morecambe, a man so selfish there should be a monument to him.
It was seven months since that night. Seven months of watching him fuck women in every city, town, and posting inn they passed through. Seven months of being ordered around and treated like Ben-the-obedient-servant-boy. Seven months of bathing and shaving and tending to Geoff’s body, preparing him for other women’s arms and beds.
The infatuation—adoration, actually—that she had once felt for him was long gone, not even a shadow of that earlier feeling remained.
But that did not mean that Geoff didn’t still have his hooks in her.
It infuriated her that he’d used and then so easily discarded her.
“Don’t worry about her,” Geoffrey said, his words pulling her out of her rapidly spiraling rage. He gave Benna what was—for him—a kind smile and then jerked her toward him and gave her a smacking kiss on the lips. “I won’t let her touch you, Ben.”
Benna thrust him away and scowled. “The next time you touch me I’ll cut you, Geoffrey.”
He laughed.
But when he saw she wasn’t laughing with him, he compressed his lips and said, with unconvincing meekness, “I won’t do it again.”
Benna turned away from him and poured a bit of water into the cup with his shaving soap.
Geoff must have realized that he’d pushed her far enough because he pulled his robe modestly closed and sat down on the bench in front of the dressing table.
“After tonight I think we’d best be off. Have our bags packed and be ready to leave tomorrow morning.”
Benna grunted at Geoff’s version of a peace offering. “Where are we going?”
“I’m not sure, yet. I’ll know more when I return this evening. I’m hoping that Mr. Ravenscar invites us to his country house as he did last year.”
Benna went about the business of shaving him in silence.
It wasn’t unusual for Geoffrey to choose their destination based on the whim of the moment. She wished that he’d give her more time to arrange for their transportation, but he didn’t care about her wishes.
Not until she was finished and had wrapped a steaming towel around his face did he speak.
“I hope you’ve changed your mind about accompanying me tonight. I could really use you there,” he