Free Geek Girls Don't Date Dukes by Gina Lamm

brush and started
    scrubbing, punctuating each mental point with another
    stroke of the coarse bristles. She was a strong , independent woman. She’d built sets for the community theatre, all by herself. She’d made her own iPhone app. She’d beat GeekGirlsDontDateDukes.indd 61
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    Skyrim within a month of its release. But, she thought as she dropped the scrub brush down into the basin, at the
    sight of an eight- legged bug, she was a complete ninny.
    A brainless, spineless lump of humanity.
    But she kept her head up and kept moving. She hadn’t
    gotten this far in life by giving up. Well, not that she’d
    gotten too far, honestly. But she was a self- sufficient
    adult, and that counted for something, right?
    “The scullery maid should be doing this washing.”
    Avery’s voice came from behind her. A scraping of wood
    against the stone floor accompanied his voice. “Why
    were you pressed into this duty?”
    Redoubling her scrubbing efforts, Leah looked down
    into the pot instead of back at Avery. She couldn’t tell
    him it was because she’d been late for supper. His I- told-you- so ’s had to be more irritating than the usual. “Mrs.
    Harper said that the scullery maids were on vacation, or
    holiday, whatever.”
    “Are you still expected to do the duties of under-
    housemaid in the morning?”
    She nodded and frowned down at a stubborn bit of
    burnt- on food. No matter how she scrubbed, it clung to
    the bottom of the pot like Uncle Scrooge with his last
    nickel. “Stubborn piece of shit,” she muttered.
    “I beg your pardon?” Avery’s voice was just behind
    her head.
    Startled, she dropped the brush in to the washbasin. The
    resulting splash soaked the chest of her apron and dress. She staggered backward, straight into the surprised valet.
    He sprang away as if burned, and she stumbled to
    catch herself before she fell on her ass. Crap, she spent a
    lot of time not being graceful in front of him.
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    Good thing he wasn’t her destined true love. He’d
    have run away screaming by now if he was.
    “Damn it,” she cursed, wiping at her front. “I’m
    sorry. I’m not normally such a klutz.” She looked up at
    him, confusion and helplessness leaking out of her ears.
    “It’s just late, and it’s been a really long day, and I…”
    “Hush,” he interrupted her. The corner of his mouth
    twitched, almost like he wanted to smile, but he didn’t.
    Good thing too. She’d have had to belt the shit out of
    him or burst into tears. “Sit just there, by the fire. It will dry your clothing. Finish that bread and cheese if you’ve
    a mind to.”
    He unbuttoned his cuffs and began methodically rolling
    the fabric up his muscled forearms. Leah swallowed hard
    at the purely innocent sight. Damn, the man had some
    nice arms, even though they bore some purpling bruises.
    Corded with muscle, they flexed with the simplest move-
    ments. Did valets do that much heavy lifting?
    “You’re not going to wash the dishes for me. It’s not
    your job,” she protested, but he shook his head.
    “It is of no consequence. We’ll have them done in a
    trice, and you can find your bed afterward.”
    “Oh gosh,” Leah said, dropping her forehead to the
    table in front of her with a moan. “I forgot I’ve got to be
    up at the ass crack of dawn in the morning.”
    Avery barked a laugh, nearly scaring the shit out of her.
    “What did you say?”
    “The ass crack of dawn,” Leah said, laughing herself at
    Avery’s shocked expression. “It’s my somewhat colorful
    description for getting up too damn early.”
    He cleared his throat, smothered his smile with a
    more neutral expression, and continued scrubbing the
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    next- to- last pot. “As amusing as your description is, I’d
    suggest