Free Geek Girls Don't Date Dukes by Gina Lamm Page B

strangers, but what choice did she have? Hell, she
    thought as she peeled her damp dress off, she’d much
    rather go bunk with Avery than with the obnoxious little
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    Henrietta. Locking her in the conservatory? Come on.
    She’d have to do a lot better than that to get rid of Leah.
    She spread her dress out on a ladder- backed chair near
    the fireplace, hoping it would dry by morning. Shucking
    her petticoat, she balanced on one foot as she removed
    her stocking. Another yawn knocked her off balance, and
    she grabbed the chair to right herself. The legs of the seat
    thumped against the rough wooden floor.
    Leah froze as the snoring stopped. God, she didn’t
    want to wake them up. It was going to be tough enough
    to sleep next to the prickly Henrietta without having to
    deal with her anger about being rudely awakened. She
    could just imagine the retaliation for that. And the other
    two, Sarah and…well, someone— she couldn’t remember
    the other girl’s name— had seemed nice enough, but she
    could just imagine the hell it would be living with three
    girls who couldn’t stand her.
    The even breathing resumed, and Leah sighed with
    relief. She made quick work of the rest of her undressing,
    and tiptoed to the bedside wearing only her shift and
    bloomers. Propping her hands on her hips, she stared
    down at the bed.
    Grand. Just fucking grand.
    Henrietta lay diagonal across the double bed, wrapped
    in the covers like a burrito. The only way Leah could fit
    in the bed at all would be to curl into the fetal position.
    Leah’s eyes narrowed, and her hands fisted by her sides.
    That was just about enough for today.
    More gently than she wanted, Leah pushed Henrietta’s
    legs over to the far side of the bed. The girl squeaked
    in alarm as Leah pulled the covers, lifting them up to
    straighten them with an irritated snap.
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    Gina Lamm
    Geek Girls Don’t Date Dukes
    “What the bloody hell do you think you’re doing,
    you stupid git?”
    “Quiet,” Leah whispered. She slipped beneath the
    covers beside Henrietta. “Don’t wake the others. I had
    to make room. You were hogging the bed.”
    And for that, Leah got a sharp kick to the shin.
    Gritting her teeth, she rolled to her side and bunched the
    pillow behind her head. As much as she wanted to return
    the favor, she wouldn’t kick a kid. No matter how much
    this particular kid deserved it.
    “Good night, Henrietta.”
    “Go boil your ’ead.”
    Leah closed her eyes.
    To her surprise and delight, the face she saw in the
    darkness of her mind was aristocratic, thin, and hand-
    some. Black hair shot through with distinguishing strands
    of silver framed it. A hand with long, slender fingers
    reached out to her, and she took it gratefully.
    “Oh, my darling,” the duke, looking at least twenty
    years younger, whispered as he swept her into a waltz. “I
    have searched the world over for you.”
    She reached up and touched his face. It was smoother
    than she’d expected, without the faint feel of beard
    stubble or any wrinkles at all. He was hard, not with
    muscle, but with skin stretched directly over bone. His
    hand was cool in hers, and the other bled a chill into the
    small of her back. She shivered.
    “You are cold,” he said in his too- soft voice. “Let me
    warm you.”
    She didn’t resist as he drew her close in his arms. Her
    heart thumped faster in excited delight. Her destined
    true love was holding her in his arms. Could anything be
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    more perfect? She rested her cheek against his chest with
    a contented sigh.
    It was cold.
    She was pressed full against his body, but instead of
    the comforting warmth she’d expected, he was icy from
    head to toe. Pulling away from him, she looked up into
    his face.
    And screamed.
    “You simpleton, wake