The Postilion (The Masqueraders #2) - S.M. LaViolette Page 0,53

beginning to look strained.

“December fifth,” she said.

“We met each other four years ago on this very day.” He crossed his arms and gave her a look of triumph.

“No, we didn’t.”

“Yes, we did.”

“No, we didn’t. We met in mid-February 1812. I don’t recall the day, but that was certainly the month.”

“Oh.” His eyebrows knitted, his expression confused.

“Is that what this is?” She gestured to the box, suddenly feeling churlish for taking the wind from his sails. “An anniversary gift? If so, then I’m grate—”

“I want you to marry me.”

“What?”

Geoff frowned. “Why the devil do you look so bloody stunned?”

Benna could only sputter.

“Haven’t we been getting along well since, er—”

“Since you returned from your Edinburgh trip?” As if Benna could forget the day when he’d invited her to eat with him and began to behave more like a decent, thoughtful human being.

Well, not entirely decent, of course, since he still made his money by cheating flats. But in most other matters he’d been almost … pleasant.

“Yes, it has been quite pleasant,” she admitted.

“Pleasant,” he said flatly. “You call what happened last night—at least three times—pleasant? Based on the way you were screaming my name when I had you bent over the back of the settee an hour ago I would have—”

“Good God, Geoffrey!” Benna’s face heated; she could only be grateful that they were in Geoff’s sitting room rather than down in the hotel dining room.

He calmed down enough to give a genuine-sounding chuckle. “Lord. What a little prude you still are.”

While she might retain some vestiges of restraint when it came to the sorts of things they did to one another—although less with every day that passed—Benna was well-aware that Geoff had positively no shame when it came to sexual activity. And he especially liked talking about the things he was going to do to her and the things he wanted done. At length and in excruciating detail.

“Tell me it was more than pleasant,” he ordered. “If you don’t, I won’t do that thing with my tongue and your tight little—”

“Fine, Geoff,” she shouted. “Last night—and an hour ago—was, er, extremely pleasant.”

Benna had lasted barely a month after Geoff’s nighttime visit to her bedroom in Brighton. Yes, she was a weak, despicable person and she knew it.

She had wanted to make him wait—to make him suffer and beg—but then she’d realized that she was only depriving herself and making herself suffer in the process. She was tired of her own hand and she recalled, far too well, how much pleasure Geoff had given her that night—before he’d turned into an offensive, obnoxious cad.

And then there was the fact that Geoff could have any woman he wanted in his bed but had not taken a single lover since his return from Edinburgh. Yes, that had been very persuasive.

Benna rationalized her weakness with the argument that she couldn’t exactly enjoy intimate relations with somebody new. At least not without explaining why she was masquerading as a man.

So that left her with Geoff for a partner if she wanted to enjoy any carnal pleasure at all.

Other than Geoff’s personality, it wasn’t exactly a hardship to take him as her lover. Not only was he exceedingly attractive, but when it came to bed sport, it seemed to be a matter of honor for him to give his partner physical pleasure. Even that first time—before he’d behaved like such a boor—he’d made her climax more than once.

Not only that, but he was extremely open-minded and adventurous when it came to amorous activities. While Benna wasn’t quite prepared to accept every suggestion he’d made, she’d found herself doing things she never would have believed. And enjoying herself immensely.

And so, one night—after he’d been especially charming and given her a book she’d been wanting—Benna had opened her bedroom door to him when he’d knocked.

Since then, they had scarcely spent an evening apart.

Not only had Benna learned more about the wonderful ways that men and women could entertain each other with their bodies than she’d ever thought possible, but she’d also discovered that sexual pleasure was not something she liked going without.

“Now that you’re my only lover you’re going to have to learn to keep me satisfied,” Geoff had instructed her that first week. “I shall have to give you lessons and bring you up to scratch,” he’d said, speaking in a hilariously pompous way that had left her choking with laughter.

Benna had also been secretly pleased by the news that she was to be his only lover, but