Her Perfect Match Read Online Free PDF Page B

serious, Vivien! When you do it makes your words sound like it is an ending of some kind.”
    Vivien flinched. “I suppose it is,” she admitted.
    “It isn’t.” Mariah laughed. “I am only going home and I’ll see you tomorrow for tea.”
    Vivien blinked. That twinge of guilt that had started in her earlier in the evening grew. She should tell Mariah her plans to leave London, to start over. And she would.
    But not tonight.
    “Of course,” Vivien instead said with a laugh. “I will be at your house at three o’clock sharp.”
    Mariah leaned forward to kiss her cheek. As she leaned back, she looked at her closely and said, “Good night. Sleep well tonight. You need it, I think.”
    Vivien smiled as her friend moved toward her waiting husband and the door through the thinning crowd. Mariah meant well, but Vivien knew one thing for certain. There would be no sleep for her tonight, no matter what Benedict’s decision about joining her might be.
     
    Benedict stood in one of Vivien’s parlors just outside her foyer and stared through the doorway as her party guests slowly maneuvered their way outside to their carriages with cries of farewell and orders to servants. Over half had gone home and still he debated with himself.
    Should he leave and forget this night, with Vivien’s bewitching offer, had happened? Or should he stay and open himself up to powerful passions and equally potent old wounds?
    He gripped his hands at his sides and squeezed his eyes shut in frustration. His mind raced, but no matter how many options he considered, he could formulate no good answer to his questions. He was of two minds still—he wanted to stay, but he knew he needed to go for the sake of his sanity.
    “Greystone?”
    He opened his eyes and blood rushed to his cheeks when he found Viscount Andrew Callis, an old friend, standing before him, staring at him in concern.
    “Are you well?”
    Benedict considered the question and ultimately gave the polite response over the truth.
    “Of course, very well,” he said with a false grin that made his cheeks hurt. “Thank you again for including me in the invitation tonight. It has been an interesting evening.”
    An understatement if he had ever made one.
    “I was happy we ran into you so that the invitation could be made.” Andrew tilted his head slightly and examined Benedict closer. “Though I admit, I was a little surprised when you agreed to come.”
    Benedict tried not to show his reaction to the statement on his face and feared he failed. “Why wouldn’t I? I am very happy for you and for Lysandra.”
    Andrew pursed his lips. “I appreciate that. Any friend we have in a higher social sphere is most welcome, considering the basis of our union. But I meant I was surprised given your history with Vivien.”
    “My history,” Benedict repeated with a humorless bark of laughter. “Oh yes, I thought it was ancient history.”
    “Isn’t it?” Andrew asked with lifted eyebrows. “It has been, what, two years since you two parted ways?”
    “Three,” Benedict corrected, his voice quiet. “Three years and nearly a month.”
    Images of the night Vivien rejected him flashed through his mind in rapid succession and he forced them back so they would not buckle him with renewed emotion.
    Andrew’s stare transformed from one of vague interest to concern with the specificity Benedict chose to use in his description. He leaned back on his heels and his appraising glance seemed to pierce through to Benedict’s very soul. Benedict shook his head at the look. Damn it, but he was going too far.
    For years he had successfully protected himself from the prying of others when it came to Vivien and his feelings for her. Only his brother knew the truth about the emotions that remained. But now, raw from her request, confused by his reaction to it, he could no longer seem to maintain control over himself.
    “Is there something you wish to discuss?” Andrew asked, stepping closer to give