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is, obviously waiting for her to try her escape again. “What are you doing?”
    He leaned against the roof, his elbows resting on the edge.
    “I’m protecting you.”
    “How is that protecting me? You’re acting like a freaking prison guard!”

    “I’l wait here al night if I have to,” he warned. “You need to go climb into bed. You’l feel better after a good night’s sleep.”
    “Bossy much?” Closing the window with a frustrated huff, Hannah started to pace. Highly doubting he would actual y stay out there al night, she figured she just had to bide her time and he would eventual y give up. She waited an hour and then slowly opened her window.
    “Hannah,” he growled.
    “Dang it! You’re a persistent devil, aren’t you?” He chuckled quietly as she stuck her head out the window and glared at him. “Go to bed, Sir Knight. I won’t try again. I don’t want you to freeze because of me.”
    “How kind of you.” His sarcasm was evident.
    She gave up. She would let him win this round. Undressing, she put on the soft nightgown Gwen had left for her and climbed into the warm bed, fal ing asleep almost immediately.

    * * *

    Christopher waited thirty minutes before he climbed up onto the roof, snuck over to Hannah’s window, and looked onto the roof, snuck over to Hannah’s window, and looked inside. Seeing the pile of her discarded clothes on the floor, he looked at her form on the bed, relieved that she appeared to be asleep.
    He figured tonight would be long and sleepless, but at least it would now be long and sleepless in his own warm bed.
    Climbing down from the roof, he made his way back into the house and upstairs to his room. Unable to stifle a yawn, his exhaustion overtook his body. He had no idea what this strange and intoxicating woman would put him through tomorrow, but he looked forward to the chal enge.

    * * *

    Hannah woke the next morning feeling rather warm. She opened her eyes and noticed that her fire glowed orange and red. She pushed the covers off and stretched.
    Someone had apparently added a log and stoked it during the night.
    “Good morning.”
    Squealing, Hannah pul ed her comforter closer to her neck as she sat up. She took a second to look over at him, and once again her stomach did a flip. Christopher sat, having folded his large body in the chair next to her window, one long leg over the other, and he observed her intently.

    “What are you doing in my room?”
    Christopher smiled slightly. “Breaking every rule of etiquette.”
    “Apparently.” Hannah raised an eyebrow. “So, why are you here?”
    He leaned forward and smiled. “I wanted to make certain you were al right.”
    “I’m stil here.” Hannah let out a frustrated sigh. “What time is it?”
    “It’s almost eight o’clock.”
    “In the morning?” she squeaked.
    Christopher chuckled. “Are you not an early riser, Hannah?”
    “Ugh,” she grunted as she peered over the side of her bed.
    “Where are my clothes?”
    “They have been disposed of.”
    She sat up quickly, forgetting her state of undress. “What do you mean, ‘disposed of’?”
    “They weren’t suitable for a lady.”
    Her skin heated as his gaze lingered on her altogether too-sheer nightgown. She pul ed her covers back up at his perusal. “What do you mean by that, exactly?”
    “I meant exactly what I said.” Christopher stood. “They were unsuitable.”
    Hannah glared at him. “Look you…you…argh, I don’t know what you are, but just because you want to live in some fantasy life of top hats and hoop skirts does not mean that I should be made to do the same. Those were brand new jeans! Get them back.”
    “Gwen wil be in shortly with the appropriate form of dress.”
    He smiled down at her, his green eyes mocking. “I’l see you at breakfast.”
    “Christopher?” Her voice dripped with saccharin.
    “Yes?”
    “I would highly suggest you get me those jeans. They were a gift from my mother’s friend and I want