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Charles entered the room with a basin of water and a few small towels.

A wicked smile widened across his face. “Ah. I see you listened and did not move. Good girl.”

Sarah’s heart almost leaped out of her chest. Exhilaration raced through her veins. The anticipation of what was to come next was almost too much for her to bear.

Charles rounded the bed, placing the basin on the nightstand before he sat down next to her.

“Sit up, love. Let’s get you cleaned up.” His voice coaxed her.

Sarah scooted up and sat next to Charles at the head of the bed. He dipped a corner of a towel into the basin and brought it up to her cheek.

Locking eyes, he began to gently rub the dirt off of her cheeks.

Their closeness and his act of washing her face overwhelmed her senses with the intimacy of it all.

Instinct wanted her to drop her eyes out of propriety but his emerald gaze commanded the connection.

Charles’s eyes drifted to her cheek and narrowed. He moved the cloth just above where he was and Sarah winced.

“It seems you have scratched yourself. I thought you said you were unharmed?” Charles’s voice was low and menacing.

Sarah raised a hand to feel the scratch. “I wasn’t aware I was until you cleaned it. I’m fine, though, just a scratch.”

Charles’s eyes darkened. “Nothing is just anything when it comes to you. Do you understand?”

Sarah swallowed and shook her head up and down ever so slowly. “Yes.”

Charles dipped another corner into the basin and took her hand. He began to massage the warm, wet towel into her hands, removing the dirt.

“Do you remember the night we had dinner and we discussed the town?” His words were light and conversational. However, his line of questioning put Sarah on alert. Charles made no secret about his feelings for the town and she was fearful this turn in conversation would sideline the evening’s presumed activity. She only shook her head in acknowledgment.

“Do you remember when I said that the one thing you can absolutely count on is I will look out for you? If something happens to you it happens to me.” He inspected his work on her hand before picking up her other hand and repeating his actions.

Sarah licked her dry lips. “And I said it sounded like you were only concerned how my actions made you look.” Her voice cracked. Her chest rose with shuttered breaths. She truly had no idea where this was going.

Charles nodded solemnly. “The second thing you must know about me is that I do not blame you for your miscalculation.”

Sarah breathed in and held it for a second, waiting for a ‘however,’ to come. When she realized it wasn’t coming, she pushed out the breath, releasing the tension in her shoulders at the same time.

Charles noted the movement and smiled.

“I know I am a difficult man, Sarah, and I have my reasons. One day you will know all about my family and our secrets, but you must understand, no one, and I mean no one,” he stopped and brought his eyes to hers for emphasis, “has ever entered into my inner circle like you. Not only has no one entered my inner circle, but I have never allowed anyone to get as close to me or my sister as I have you. Not even Samuels.”

Sarah’s wince had both of them looking back down at her hand. Underneath the dirt were several scratches that irritated her when he rubbed over them with the cloth.

Charles’s jaw ticked. “And it is for that reason, that I said what I said. You interpreted it as I was worried about my reputation, and there is some truth to that. However, I take care of what is mine. We may not agree on the manner in which I do it, but I make it my life’s purpose to make sure people have what they need to survive.”

Charles placed the towel next to the basin on the side table and took her scratched hand in his.

He raised it to his lips and kissed each scratch tenderly. “You falling and hurting yourself is you falling and hurting me.” Even though his kisses were compassionate and soft they reached down into her soul and grabbed ahold of her heart.

“I’ve made the mistake of not looking after someone before and I will not make that mistake again. Do you understand?” He whispered against her hand.

Sarah once again could only shake her head. The tenderness in which he spoke, coupled with his gentle action stole her breath.

She felt revered, cared for… loved?

The thought sent chills up down her body. Was this love? Or was this the first time someone paid this much attention to her? Her mind and body were fighting with each other when all she wanted to do was to stay in the moment and be lost to his attention not her thoughts.