He closed his eyes and released her hand as his breathing turned ragged. He had to banish any such thoughts.
She was a decent lady and he was a monster. Whatever he did, he must always remember that.
He belonged on a battlefield. She needed to return to her husband and the comforts of a welcoming home.
Leading Ariel past the raised table, he entered the small foyer and pushed open a door. He stepped back, waiting for her to enter his chambers.
She looked up at him with a shy smile that sent even more blood to his nether regions.
Damn them both for it.
Valteri clenched his teeth. How could he burn so for something he could never have? The monks were right. He was damned and cursed. There was no other reason for her to be here, tempting him like this.
Something, somewhere, surely hated his guts.
Without a word, she walked into his room—because the image of her in his chambers helped the fire in his loins not even a little bit.
She wandered around, touching various items as if she’d never seen such a place before.
How strange…
Because he traveled so much, he kept very little for himself. Especially since he was so eager to leave this world, there was no need to collect anything more than the bare necessities he needed to survive. A razor and strop. Comb. An extra buckle. Truly the only thing remarkable about his belongings was the fact that they were so common and so few.
Yet she picked up his buckle to finger it, then placed it back beside his comb before she stared at it curiously.
Where had she come from to be so enthralled over his meager items?
When she stepped to the window, she gave a small squeak. “Oh my!” There was a hint of laughter in her voice. “What are you doing out there?”
Scowling, Valteri moved forward to see what had captured her attention.
Who was she talking to?
Again, he doubted her sanity.
Until she reached outside his window to grab a tiny black mass of recognizable fur that wasn’t supposed to be there.
“Come inside, little one,” she said softly. “’Tis a chill in the air I’m sure you don’t need.”
Valteri paused as she turned around with his kitten held tenderly in her arms. He stared in awe of her gentle hands stroking the soft black fur while Cecile nuzzled against her shoulder.
He was ever at a loss with that poor animal that had much more curiosity than sense. To this day, he wasn’t sure if the bag he’d found her inon the side of the road was something she’d climbed into by accident, or if someone had put her in it in an effort to kill her.
All he’d known was that she’d been on the brink of starvation and her pitiful cries had touched him as he struggled to bring her here and see her fed and in much better health. He still bore scars on his hand where the terrified thing had clawed him in terror, until she realized that he meant her no harm.
Valteri moved to stand closer to Ariel. Mayhap a little too close given the licentious thoughts in his mind where she was concerned. “Are you not afraid?” Most people shied away from the wee beastie as if it were as cursed as he was.
Ariel looked up at him with a frown. “Afraid of a little kitten? Nay, why should I be?”
He just stared at her. Ever since he’d saved the tiny cockeyed creature, everyone had run from his unorthodox pet in fear and suspicion. Many had called her his familiar and swore that it was proof he was the devil’s son.
Ariel kissed the kitten and stroked its ears. “Do you have a name?”
“Cecile.”
“What a peculiar name for a cat.”
He shrugged. “I’ve always had a fondness for it.” Though why, he couldn’t say. “And she doesn’t seem to mind it.”
