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He felt a small hand slide into his, squeezing it gently, and Rosaline leaned to rest her cheek against his arm.
“You’re not a coward.” She murmured. “You aren’t shameful. You’re the strongest man I have ever met, and probably one of the bravest, too. Missing your parents doesn’t make you weak.”
Benedict glanced down at her, emotions welling up in his chest and threatening to choke him.
“Rosaline, I… I…”
“We don’t need to talk about it anymore.” Rosaline said, lifting her head. “I can see it upsets you. I thought… well, I hoped we could talk about what happened last night.”
Benedict cleared his throat. “Yes, of course. I hope you don’t feel as though you regret it.”
“No, not at all. In fact… well, I don’t mean to be… I don’t know what I don’t mean to be, actually. I don’t think I’m making sense, but what I’m trying to say…” Rosaline was babbling, color spreading across her cheeks as she searched for the right words to say. “The thing you did last night…”
“Iought not to have done it, Rosaline. It could have ruined your reputation forever.”
She frowned. “But you wouldn’t do the other thing because you thought that would ruin my reputation.”
He raised an eyebrow. “The other thing? There are more than twothings, my dear.”
She flushed even redder. “Well, how should I know? I thought it didn’t count, somehow.”
He chuckled. “It counts, Rosaline. Anyway, I shouldn’t have done it, and I won’t be doing it again.”
She chewed her lip. “I wasn’t actually going to ask you to do it again. I was going to… offer.”
There was a silence.
“Offer?” Benedict repeated. His trousers were getting very tight, and the room was suddenly too hot.
“Yes,offer. You did… ahem… all that for me last night, but I don’t think you got anything in return, did you?”
Benedict paused, thinking of his hasty retreat to his bedroom and washroom after Rosaline had gone. “Not as such, no.”
“Well, then, it’s my turn.”
Benedict sighed. He reached out, cupping Rosaline’s cheek.
“You’re a very sweet girl, but that isn’t necessary.”
“Why not?”
“Because you aren’tobligedto me just because I did you a… you know. A favor.”
“Is that what we’re calling them?” Rosaline mused. She glanced up at him, eyes sparking with mischief. “In that case, I’d like to do you afavor,Your Grace.”
Benedict’s trousers were now unbearably tight, and he was somehow finding it difficult to breathe.
Outside, the first crack of thunder rumbled across the sky, and Benedict felt himself automatically tensing up.
Rosaline lunged at him, wrapping her arms around his neck and kissing him full on the mouth.
It wasn’t a particularly good kiss, too hard and with a hint of teeth, but it was everything Benedict wanted, everything he needed. He lifted her up, carrying her over to a chaise lounge in the corner, and deposited her there.
Rosaline had clearly not forgotten her intentions to do him a favor. She touched his thigh, hand sliding up and up until she reached the placket of his breeches. She opened them with surprisingly deft hands, leaning forward to kiss Benedict on the side of the neck.
“Is it strange to say,” she said, her voice muffled, “That you smell nice?”
Benedict laughed. “No, it’s not strange. It is a relief, though.”
