One question.
Her answer raises many more. Hard to get them all in one chapter. ;)

I hope I succeeded.

Chapter 3

Waiting for an answer took what felt like forever. The only sound you heard was the wind howling and the torrential rain still beating against the windows.
Diego began to wonder perhaps it had all been a dream after all.
When the long-awaited answer finally came, her voice was hoarse. "Isn't this what you wanted most? More than anything else?"

Diego had no idea how to react to her answer.
As truthfully as possible was best. "I have thought about it."

"Diego, please don't ask any questions. You wanted this to happen, as did I. And after tonight, we both act like nothing ever happened."
Victoria tried to get up. Immediately, his arms felt emptier than ever before. Diego grabbed her wrist.

"Victoria, it's not that simple. What if you…," Why was this so damn hard?
"You might be pregnant? What if…?" Before he could continue, he was interrupted.

Victoria sounded very sure of herself. "After just once? Come on. Diego, something like that can take years."

Diego's head was spinning, too many questions raced through his head. He needed answers. Perhaps one question and answer at a time was best. The list in his head just kept getting longer.
"Sometimes, yes. But one intimate, uh…, being together between man and woman can be enough." Diego cursed himself. He was stuttering as a child, and this wasn't even the topic he wanted to talk about. He wanted to know what had moved Victoria to approach him in this way in the first place.

"Diego, stop it. Please, let us pretend nothing has happened.
In the whole wide world, there are only two people knowing what we have done. You and me. I'll keep my mouth shut, and I assume you will too."
By now, Victoria had scrambled to her feet and was trying to put on her blouse.

"Damn it, Victoria. We need to talk about this." Diego rose too, fully aware of his nakedness, and not just the physical one. How can she be so calm? His heart was racing wild.

"Talk? Why should we talk about it?"

"Why?! Because, because…," He ruffled his hair with a hand. The cold penetrated his body. Where the hell were his clothes?
Next to the fire, his trousers lay forgotten on the ground, covered in muddy stains. His trousers had still been damp from the rain when he was out searching firewood. Laying on the blanket, it hadn't mattered. But in their passion, the piece of clothing had landed carelessly on the dirty floor. The pants were covered in mud and looked more brown instead of blue.
Quickly, he bent to pick up the clothing to feel less nakedly. "Victoria, you came to me. Don't I have the right to know why?"

Victoria laughed scornfully. "Diego, believe me, you don't want to talk. So my suggestion is you do what you always do."

"And what might that be?"

"Put your head back in the sand and never mention it again."

Diego felt his anger rise. For why did she refuse to answer. "You come to me, seduce me, and I have no right to know why?"

"I think that is indeed for the best."
Victoria walked around the bench. Pulled her skirt back on and dropped on her blanket. "Good night, don Diego." She turned her back to him and laid down.

Speechless, Diego looked at the small curled-up figure.
He paced up and down restlessly, taking a few minutes to sort out his thoughts. When Diego felt like he had cooled down enough and was able to hold a dialogue, he braced himself for what would be a difficult conversation with the woman he loved.
Excusing himself by telling in his head that now all appropriateness was shattered. It made little difference what else happened. In one movement, Diego lifted Victoria, blanket and all and carried her to the other side of the fire.

"Diego, what are you doing? Put me down this instant!" Victoria resisted.

"In the few clothes you are wearing, you will freeze in a moment. I want to talk, and we gonna. But first,"
He wrapped Victoria tight in the blanket that had previously served as her mattress. The blanket he had been lying on was a lot older and thinner. In his haste to saddle her a horse this morning and the frustration he had felt at not trusting those two men at the gate, he had packed the first blanket he had come across. It had also probably been the most ragged blanket in the stable. In a gallantry Victoria presumably hadn't even noticed, he'd given her the warmest blanket.

"Diego, I don't want to talk. Leave me alone! You wanted something, I wanted something, and that is all there is to it!" Victoria tried to get up. Diego stopped her.

"Maybe, what happened is that simple for you, but not for me. Why did you come to me? Do you have feelings for me? And what about Zorro?" All were just a few of the questions that battled in his mind for priority. With Victoria only giving elusive answers, Diego felt his frustration rising again.

Victoria's eyes sparkled in anger. "What about Zorro? He has nothing to do with this."
The emphasis on the word 'nothing' betrayed there was more to her comment. Diego was too upset to notice.

"What about Zorro?" Diego had completely lost control over his voice. A wave of irrational anger or was it fear began to take over. Did it mean she didn't love Zorro? If so, how was she ever supposed to fall in love with Diego? What if he was going to lose her?
"What about Zorro!? You claim to be in love with him for years. You've been telling everyone willing to listen for, I don't know, how long! Victoria, you promised to wait for him! And suddenly, you seduce me! What are you going to tell him? That, we are just friends, and nothing ever happened!?"

"Perhaps I will." Victoria stood with her arms crossed and looked at him defiantly. "Diego, listen, I have waited for Zorro for years. Everyone knows it's hopeless. You and I know, and even Zorro knows. He doesn't want to marry me." Victoria lowered her eyes and turned into a sad heap. "And neither want you."

"Why do you think I don't want to marry you? Besides, I don't think we have much choice after what happened." Diego walked into the darkness of the mill to get his emotions under control. He turned again, and as soon did, he was lost, again.

In the time Diego had turned around, Victoria had scrambled to her feet. And walked back to the other side of the bench, further away from him. She has wrapped the blanket around her, which, thank goodness, covered her body. Victoria looked vulnerable.
The bench formed a barrier between them. Not an impregnable one. But one that Diego welcomed at the moment to keep the much-needed distance and prevent him from taking her in his arms to make love or strangle her. He was not sure which of the two he preferred at the moment.

"You don't want to marry me. I am not marriageable material to the de la Vega heir." Her attitude was mockingly authoritarian.
"You are the son of a most important man. I understand you don't want me. One day you will find and marry the most elegant and perfect señorita. One that is, fit to live up to your family name and your high standards. A señorita who knows how the ideal doña should behave. And let's be honest, I'm as far from perfect you can get."
Diego tried to say something, Victoria beat him to it.
"And Zorro can never marry me. His quest has no end. And if he actually wanted me as his wife, had real feelings for me, he'd come to me, goddamned, years ago without that stupid mask on! It is not like he doesn't know where I live! The Plaza, Los Angeles! It is the only tavern for miles around. You can't miss!"
Victoria sniffed her nose, smiled scornfully. "No, the only men I feel attracted to think I'm not good enough. So stop it, and go to sleep."

"You have feelings…, for me?" A small spark of hope ignited in his heart. Diego wanted to look into her eyes. Those beautiful fawn eyes could shine so beautifully. Victoria, however, cast her eyes away from him and stared at the fire that was the only light source in the mill.

Victoria was laughing hysterically. "And what if I do? Will it change anything? No, it doesn't. Just once in my life, I wanted to be with the man that makes my heart race but thinks I am not good enough. You don't need to make the truth more beautiful than he is. I know you don't want me. Either as don Diego or as…," she swallowed a tear. "Zorro."

Diego no longer knew where he was or what he was doing. It was all too much. His throat felt thick, barely capable of producing sound. What had she just said? He stammered.
"You know, I'm Zorro?"

Victoria blew a lock of hair from her face and said. "Of course I know. Do you take me for a fool?"

"But…," Diego had tried to understand what had prompted Victoria to act. Instead of answers, ten more questions arose after each word of hers. He wanted to know how she had found out he was Zorro, too. At the same time, he felt the urge to assure her of his love. And find out where the hell she got the ridiculous idea, she was not good enough to be his wife. And whether she loved him. And most important, what the hell had made Victoria decide to offer herself to him just like that.
He believed he had never before looked so, ludicrous.

Victoria misinterpreted the sudden change in his attitude. "Diego, nothing has changed. Your secret is safe with me, and we'll just carry on as we always have. You don't owe me anything.
Tonight, we gave in to something we both are aware of can never be. And tomorrow…, when tomorrow comes, nothing has happened."

The unravelling of the riddle surrounding Zorro could wait. Other matters now weighed more heavily. "How can you talk so coolly about this? Jesus, Victoria, we made love. You said you love me!"

"Are you sure about it?" Sarcasm dripped from her voice.

And damn, he wasn't sure about anything at the moment. Somewhere halfway through, his fantasy had turned out to be a reality, and Diego wasn't sure which moment it had been. He didn't give a crap, either. Victoria had an impulsive nature. But she would never do what she did if she didn't love him. Diego had felt she had feelings for him. He also needed to hear her say it. "Victoria, I love you."

"You love me?" Suddenly, the aloof demeanour and undertone had disappeared. The only emotion Victoria showed was genuine surprise and disbelief.

"Yes, of course, I love you. Or do you think it is a habit of mine to take women into abondend windmills and dishonour her pretend afterwards nothing happened?"
He rubbed his fingers through his hair and looked at Victoria.
"Please, tell me honestly, do you love me? Me, boring Diego and not Zorro. Do you love Diego?"

"You said I already told you." Victoria had picked herself together again, and suddenly there was the strong woman afraid of nothing and no one.

Desperately, Diego begged for confirmation of his prayers. "Victoria, please. At the moment, I don't even know whether my backside is alive.
I'm trying to sort things out, and it doesn't help if you keep talking me into riddles."

"Like you're always speaking crystal clear."

He probably deserved this harsh remark for all the times he'd tricked her. Either as Zorro or as Diego. "Victoria, please, tell me, do you love me? I think you do, but I need to hear you say it."

Victoria took a deep breath. As if she didn't want to give in. Knowing she had no choice because he refused to rest until he heard the truth. And after a long pause that seemed to last ages, she looked straight at him and muttered. "Yes..., if you really must know, yes, I love you. And it ain't going to change anything!"

Suddenly Diego was on the other side of the bench pulled her in his arms for a kiss.
Victoria got caught in his gaze, and there was no way she could resist the invitation to be in his arms.
Lips met in the most passionate kiss they had ever exchanged. Diego didn't have to be wary of anyone coming in and disturbing this magical moment. And the idea of Victoria knowing it was Diego she was kissing and not a hero in a mask made the kiss even more intimate.
After a while, he managed to tear himself loose. There were still too many questions. "Victoria, this does change everything. And why...? No, wrong question."

"Why did I never let you know I knew who you were?" There was a wry smile on her face.

Diego nodded.

Victoria shrugged. "Because I hoped you would tell me yourself. You trusted me enough and cared enough for me to approach me as Diego. It never happened, so I had to live with the outcome." She turned her face away from him.

"What do you mean?"

"That you do have feelings for me." Slowly her voice weakened, and, to his horror, tears came to her eyes. "Maybe you even love me, but you have other priorities for a marriage."

The corners of his mouth curled to a smile. Determined to let Victoria know she was the only person in the world to him, Diego said loud and clear, "You are all I want. Victoria, will you marry me?"

"Marry you? But, but…,"

Diego stroked her temples. "Mmm, now that I know you love me and have no secrets for you, I want you as my wife."

Victoria leaned against him, enjoying the warmth from his body while it lasted. "Diego, have not you listened?" Her eyes searched his. "We can't get married. I never meet your standards."

"When you are afraid of my father, there is no reason for it. My father will gladly welcome you as his daughter."

Victoria shook her head. "Not your father. You."

Diego was astonished. "Me? Why do you think such a thing?"

"You need to ask? For years, you disapprove of every woman you meet. No one meets your requirements. Only a couple of weeks ago, your father told me you gave him a list of requirements that you think the ideal woman should meet. She must be beautiful, charming, intelligent, and able to play music, have an interest in art, and I don't know what else he said. I don't know where you think you can find her, but she does not live in Los Angeles, I assure you, and I'm certainly not her."

Diego felt intense joy. Deep in his throat swelled an itch into a relieved laugh. When this was her reason for not wanting to get married, he would sort out the misunderstanding immediately out of this world. Diego turned a lock of hair around his finger.
"The list I gave my father was a bunch of nonsense. My actual list of requirements is many times higher." Diego couldn't resist a smile. "She must be exactly five feet and two inches tall. And, she must have shiny raven black, slightly curly hair smelling like roses. When she smiles, her eyes must shine like the stars in a moonless night. She must be concerned with those less fortunate. And she must have a warm heart. She must also have a strong will of her own and not be afraid to speak her mind. And most importantly, her name must be Victoria. " The last words were nothing more than a whisper. "You are my ideal."

Soft lips kissed away the tears that rolled down her cheeks.
"You see, there is only one woman in the whole world who can meet my requirements. Maybe she is not a perfect doña. But she is the perfect woman for me."

Diego felt soft arms slip around his neck. He buried his face in her hair. "Oh, Diego, I thought..., I thought... that you meant..., You are always so fixed on, what is proprietary and dignity." Victoria buried her face in the dimple at his shoulder.

"To me, you are perfect, Victoria." Diego lifted her chin with a finger until she could look into his eyes. "It is the role I play. The true reason why my father could never find a woman who caught my interest is simply that none of them is you." With a light kiss, he stroked her lips.

"And being an outlaw isn't what is called decency."

Victoria stuttered, "Zorro is no outlaw, not to the people. Diego, I can't believe you want me."

"Believe it. We're getting married, Victoria, as soon as possible. I'm afraid I can't leave you with a choice. I love you, and now that I know you love me, I can no longer live without you by my side."

She gave him her brightest smile, one that would make even the moon pale, "It is all I want."

Diego grunted something unintelligible before his mouth took possession of her lips again.
The fire of passion rekindled between them.
The blanket slipped from her body. Victoria shivered as she became aware of the cold again and her half-naked body.

Diego sat on the floor and stretched out his arm to her, "Come."

Victoria seated herself beside him, and Diego wrapped the thicker blanket around their bodies.
"Shared body heat is much more efficient in these conditions." He gave her a wink. "And is much more pleasant."

She curled up a little closer to him.

"Now that we have this all cleared out. Perhaps you are willing to tell me why you came to me?"

Victoria blushed. "It was… I don't know what it was, some kind of impulse. It was the way you looked at me earlier tonight. It assured me you were not going to reject me. I thought you never wanted me as your wife. I wanted to be yours. If only for one night."

Diego shook his head in disbelief. The web of lies he had created almost caused him to lose her.
"I have been dreaming of you for years. It was indeed the thing I wanted more than anything. I am so sorry. Had I only suspected you had ideas like this in your head. All this bullshit about wanting the perfect woman was only to keep my father off my back. There isn't a day passing by without him making insinuations I should marry. He doesn't know I am Zorro. And I needed to stall time until I revealed myself to you. Hoping you could love me and not break my heart."

"Then you can tell him he gets his way." Victoria giggled

"Finally, he shall be thrilled. His next topic will be, grandchildren, I presume."
Another kiss got shared, Diego remembered he had one question left.
"Victoria, how long have you known I am Zorro?"

"For a while, I had my suspicions. It was because of something Pilar said. It made me permit myself to notice the similarities between Zorro and Diego instead of the differences you are so willingly pointing out to everyone. I guess it was because I wanted Zorro so much to be you."

Holding her, feeling her, kissing her, it was no longer enough.
" Victoria, come sit on my legs."
Diego pushed the blouse up and, in the cocoon of the blanket, he stroked her breasts. His eye fell on the birthmark he had noticed before. It hadn't just existed in his dream. He had to kiss it.
"I want you and anything you are willing to give me. I adore you."

Victoria felt the wool trousers rubbing against her thighs. There was something erotic about it, and she found herself getting turned on by it.
Diego concentrated on her breasts, covering them with kisses, strokes and tender love bites. His tongue teasingly circled a nipple.
"Diego," Victoria moaned, arching her back to get closer to his warm mouth.
She moved her hips, and something hard pressing against her crotch told her he was as aroused as she was.
His moustache tickled her skin. And she enjoyed the feeling of his muscles contracting under her hands as they slid down his back.

"Victoria, I need you so much."
Again, Victoria moved her hips. Satisfied, she heard Diego let out a groan.
"You are beautiful, so beautiful."

.

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