“I tried to stay away,” he replied, and his big body convulsed in a shiver. “The last thing I want is to drag you any further into this, but tonight I lost the battle.”
His words warmed her more than she cared to admit. How gratifying to know she wasn’t the only one gripped by this overwhelming attraction. She loved the thought of him battling the urge to see her and losing.
“You’re freezing,” she chided gently. With businesslike efficiency, she divested him of his wet cloak and spread it across a chair to dry. Then she took his hand and led him to the small sofa in front of the fireplace. “Sit down and I’ll get you a blanket.”
As he obediently did as she’d requested, she went to the wardrobe and found her heaviest quilt, along with a clean towel. When she returned to his side, she tucked the blanket around his shoulders and briskly toweled his soaking wet hair. He gave her a look askance, and then pressed his fingertips to his mask, holding it in place.
Disappointed in his continued wish to keep his identity a secret, she contented herself with letting his silky hair slide through her fingers as she dried it. Was there anything about the man that wasn’t utterly beautiful?
“Thank you,” he murmured roughly as she stepped back. “No one has fussed over me that way in longer than I can remember.”
“I enjoy fussing over you.” In truth, he inspired a domestic instinct she’d never known she was capable of. “Would you like some hot tea?”
He settled back upon the sofa, stretching his long, muscular legs toward the fire. The damp fabric clung lovingly to every inch of his powerful body. She felt his gaze upon her, although the infuriating mask obscured all but a glimpse of his eyes. “I’ve been told you make the most fantastic chocolate,” he said with a hint of humor. “In fact, I’ve been assured you just might craft the most amazing hot chocolate in the world.”
She laughed. “You’ve been talking to Gabriel.”
He nodded. “He thinks the sun rises and sets on you, Vanessa.”
“And I him,” she replied, unbidden tears flooding her eyes. “It kills me not to be able to have him with me all the time.”
“You have a big heart.” The admiration in his voice took her by surprise.
Blinking away the tears, she headed for the kitchen. “Two cups of the world’s most amazing chocolate coming right up,” she called over her shoulder.
As she filled the chocolate pot with water and milk and gathered the other ingredients, she tried to make sense of her jumbled emotions. She couldn’t believe she was entertaining a masked man in her bedroom in the middle of the night, dressed in naught but her nightgown, as though it was the most natural thing in the world. Perhaps she should be frightened, or at the very least offended by his repeated visits, but they were far past that.
If he’d wanted to hurt her or take advantage of her, she figured he would have already done so. The fact that he’d remained a perfect gentleman, given the circumstances, spoke very highly of him. Besides, he spent his time rescuing innocents, and according to Fiona, he funded the orphanage as well. If anyone’s morals were to be questioned here, it was probably her own, because deep down she hoped he would not be such a gentleman this evening.
Taking a deep, calming breath, she returned to her bedroom and knelt before the fire, setting the pot above the flame as she grated the chocolate into it. She felt him watching her and offered him a smile as she revealed her secret ingredients. “Cloves, cinnamon, and, most importantly, cayenne pepper.”
“Cayenne pepper?” he inquired, leaning forward, obviously intrigued.
“My father spent some time in South America,” she replied. “He learned this recipe there.”
“He was a traveler and an actor?” he asked, obviously remembering what they’d discussed on his last visit. “Sounds like an interesting man.”
“Oh, he was interesting, all right,” she replied darkly. “He was very charming, when he wasn’t drinking.”
“Did he hurt you?” Something in his voice made her glance sharply at him. Something that said he understood what it was like to be hurt by the ones who were supposed to take care of you, the ones who were supposed to love you the most.
“Not too much,” she answered evasively. “I was pretty good at hiding when I realized he was in his cups. I kept my head down until the coast was clear.”
“Smart girl,” he said, seeming relieved.
She wondered what ghosts of his own he battled and decided they must be fearsome ones, given the risks he took to save those who couldn’t save themselves. Her admiration for him grew.
A comfortable silence fell between them while she finished the chocolate, and at last, she settled beside him on the sofa. She watched expectantly as he took a sip from his steaming mug. “What do you think? Was Gabriel right?”
He closed his eyes, savoring the fragrant brew. “Mmm,” he murmured. “Delicious, Vanessa. Even better than Gabriel led me to believe.”
She beamed at him, ridiculously pleased by the compliment. She so seldom had a chance to show off her domestic skills, and she truly had enjoyed making it for him. “I’m glad you like it. Are you warm enough now?”
He nodded. “It wasn’t raining when I left Brookhaven. When the deluge started, I knew I should go home, but I figured I was going to get wet either way, and I really just wanted to see you again.”
“Why did you stay away so long?” she asked softly.
A frown skated across his lips. “I worry that I’m putting you at risk by coming here. Or worse, that I’ve put the children at risk by trusting you with my secret.”
