Dare, Lydia - Tall, Dark and Wolfish

"I never hit her," he started. "But I was a bit too forceful with her. I lost control."

"I still doona understand." This was growing more and more frustrating. "What did ye do ta her?"

"I bit her," he snapped quietly, and was immediately sorry for his tone.

"I'm afraid my hearin' is no' as keen as yers." Although Ben would bet it was better than most. "Will ye repeat that?"

"I said, I

bit

her," he repeated with more force.

"Well, why in the world would ye do that?"

"I couldn't help it."

She closed her eyes and breathed deeply. She was obviously frustrated with him.

"Lycans mark their mate."

Her eyes flew open. "Mark? As in

bite

?"

He nodded. "Although she wasn't my intended mate, I lost control and bit her. I knew she wasn't mine. And if I hadn't been in the wrong place at the wrong time, I wouldn't have lost control. And I would still be able to change."

He walked closer to her and lifted the fiery tresses from her shoulders, revealing her neck. He lowered his head to where her neck met her shoulder. He breathed in her scent for a moment. "This is where a Lycan marks his mate," he said before he very gently nipped her skin with his teeth.

Immediately the scent of desire engulfed him. Her body warmed beneath his touch and reflected off her in waves.

"That dinna hurt," she whispered, clutching his jacket.

"I didn't mark you." His fingers brushed over the spot he'd nipped. "I just showed you where a mark would be."

"Would ye want ta mark me?" she asked, refusing to meet his gaze.

He tipped her chin up with his finger. "More than anything, Elspeth."

"Oh," she breathed. Her heart was beating so fast he could hear it.

"But I cannot," he said, taking a step backward. "I wouldn't take the risk of hurting you." He tried not to let disappointment cloud his words, but it was difficult.

"Ye lost control with this woman? Who was she ta ye? Yer intended?"

"Not exactly," he hedged.

"No?" She smiled brightly. "Then who was she?"

"Elspeth." He sighed her name and rolled his eyes away from her, trying to buy some time. But she just glared at him with those beautiful green eyes. So he told her the truth. "She was nobody, just a whore."

He closed his eyes and waited for her reaction. But she slung her fist and hit him in the jaw before he even felt the rush of wind that was her setup.

Nineteen

"What was that for?" Ben blinked at her.

Elspeth had never hit another human being in her life. But a blinding rage overcame her when he'd said the word "whore." It was a word she'd heard her whole life, usually in reference to her mother. And it would not be tolerated in her home.

"I'd appreciate it if ye'd go, Lord Benjamin." She walked to the door and held it open without even looking in his direction.

"Elspeth," he began, walking toward her. "Please let me explain."

"No explanations needed, Lord Benjamin." She pushed his shoulder to get him through the door, though it would have been easier to move a boulder. "I would suggest ye go, or I'll summon Caitrin and have her bring that cauldron of oil." Her gaze met his, finally.

He looked tortured, but she refused to budge. "Ye've no idea what damage a few witches can do with a cauldron of oil."

"I'll leave," he whispered, then soundlessly he left her cottage and disappeared into the darkness.

Numb, Elspeth stared into the chilly night before finally closing the door.

Nobody, just a whore

. Anger engulfed every part of her. How dare he say something like that? That woman, whoever she was, wasn't nobody. She was a person. Maybe she had children to feed and clothe. Maybe she'd stumbled on hard times. Maybe she'd fallen in love with the wrong man, who'd used her then abandoned her.

Nobody, just a whore.

She'd never get to sleep with this fury pounding through her. Elspeth looked about the room. There was plenty to do to keep her busy.

She could tidy up before tomorrow. She could use a spell and be done in an instant, but that wouldn't help her get rid of her irritated energy. She picked up the teacups and spoons before sweeping the floor and scrubbing the table. It didn't matter, however. Nothing helped her forget Ben's cruel words.

Once the cottage sparkled and she couldn't find anything else to occupy her, Elspeth finally stumbled into bed and slid beneath her counterpane. Breathing in the calming scent of heather by her bed, she closed her eyes and willed herself to sleep.

Ben thrashed his way through the woods. He could just kick himself for being so goddamned stupid, for being so dicked in the nob. He knew telling her about the lightskirt in Brighton was a mistake. But he'd gone and done it anyway. He was being honest with her. Telling her what happened. He was baring his soul, for God's sake—and she'd thrown him out.

Had he learned

nothing

from Will's mistakes? Women didn't understand men's baser needs, and Ben's needs were more base than most men's. So what if he employed the use of whores from time to time? It wasn't something he was ashamed of. Most men of his station did so. And he wasn't married.

But she just kept pressuring him.

Tell me, Ben. Tell

me what happened. Who was the woman?

Well, women shouldn't go around asking questions if they don't want to know the answers.

He'd so hoped Elspeth was different than that. There was something between them. A connection he didn't know how to explain. A connection he didn't

want

to explain—he just wanted to enjoy it.

And now she was furious with him, for something he'd done before he even knew her. He was a bloody idiot.

Ben stopped in his tracks when he noticed a light in one of the front windows of MacQuarrie's home. Damn! All he needed was another conversation with Alec. He was not in the mood to hear more warnings about spending time with Elspeth Campbell. Perhaps he could stay the night in the stables.

Perhaps he should just pack up and go back to London.

Before the thought had time to take root in his mind, he shook it away. He still needed Elspeth to heal him. God damn it, he simply needed Elspeth.

Nothing had ever been easy for him. He somehow always picked the toughest path. One would think he'd learn after a lifetime's worth of mistakes. So what did he have to do to get back in her good graces? Flowers? Jewelry? An apology? Though what would he apologize for?

I'm sorry I've bedded other women before

I met you?

He'd be a pretty sad man at six and twenty not to have done so. He'd be the laughingstock of the Lycan world.

"Are you going to stand there all night?" Alec's voice called from the front door.

Damn! Ben's shoulders slumped as he started toward his friend's house.

"You look like a man who could use a drink."

That was probably true. He ambled up the steps. "What are you doing up so late?"

Alec shrugged and opened the door wide for Ben to pass. "Couldn't sleep. I thought some whisky would do the trick."

Whisky sounded wonderful. Numbing his brain was preferable to trying to sort out the way of women. "Lead the way,

mon ami

."

Inside Alec's study he poured two generous tumblers and handed one to Ben. "So I take it from your down expression that things aren't going well with Miss Campbell?"

Ben took a sip and welcomed the smoky burn down his throat. "Please don't start, Alec."

His friend laughed. "I'm not one to kick a man when he's down, Westfield. You look as if you're in enough misery without me adding to it."

Ben raised his tumbler in a mock toast. "Many thanks."