“Oh.” His shoulders relaxed, his expression softening. “Well, let’s not spread that around, shall we? I do have a reputation to maintain.”

“Your secret is safe with me.”

The side of his mouth hitched and they stared at each other for a long second. It was a companionable silence, not awkward in the least, and she was probably blushing, but who cared? He was gorgeous and charming and she could stare at him for eons and never tire of it.

Finally, he blinked and started for the door. “Until later, queen bee.”

He disappeared and she tried not to sigh like a lovesick maiden. Kit was certainly hard to resist—and it was becoming increasingly difficult to remember why she needed to resist him in the first place.

The night crawled along at a snail’s pace. Kit and Harrison sat smoking cigars and talking for a few hours until Harrison left for his midnight rendezvous with Maddie. Kit worried over the illicit meeting, but considering he had one of his own planned, he couldn’t throw stones.

A knock sounded on his door around one o’clock in the morning. The footman he’d engaged for information stood in the corridor. “Sir, her maid’s just gone to bed. Said the madam has gone to bed, as well.”

Thank Christ. Mrs. Lusk had finally retired. Kit had worried the woman was part vampire and would stay up all night drinking the blood of her enemies.

Pulling a sawbuck out from his vest pocket, he handed it to the footman. “Thank you, Henry. Much obliged.”

Turning, Kit collected the basket of emergency “entertain Alice” items. Then he set off for the other side of the chateau.

The corridors were dim, with long shadows and dark corners. No one was about, the rooms quiet. Kit’s feet made no noise whatsoever on the carpets, the faint sound of the ocean covering his breathing. It really was the perfect house for sneaking about.

He didn’t bother to knock on Alice’s door. After carefully turning the latch, he let himself in. She was wearing a heavy dressing gown but covered with a thick blanket. Her hair was down, probably brushed out by a maid, and he nearly tripped at the sight of all those long chestnut locks falling over her shoulders. God, she was lovely, with her big eyes and creamy skin, along with the pureness that shone from within her. It was as if her sweetness was a tangible, visible feature, making her even more appealing.

Warmth spread through him and all he could think about was kissing her again.

Platonic, Christopher. Remember?

He approached the bed. “Are you tired? Or would you like to see what I have in the basket?”

“The basket, of course.” She sat up straighter. “What did you bring?”