Before experiencing Julius.
All of Julius.
Dear heaven.
Was this not a terrible complication?
But was this not also wonderful?
He had his arms around her as though he never wished to let her go. She held onto him just as urgently, clinging to his solid muscles with unabashed desperation, and offering no resistance as he deepened the divine kiss and plundered her mouth with a divinely savage intensity of his own.
She stared at him when he finally ended the kiss and drew back slightly. “Julius, does this mean you like me?”
CHAPTER 6
JULIUS HAD NEVER felt so hungry for a woman as he felt for Gory.
“Am I making too much of this?” she asked, staring up at him with starlight in her eyes. “I suppose we were only in the moment. Or did it signify something more?”
Nor had he ever met a woman so smart about everything except men.
His heart was about to explode with the realization that he was fully, deeply and irreversibly in love with her, and that wayward heart of his was torn and aching over the dangers she was facing.
Was he up to the task of keeping her safe?
Instead of thinking clearly, he was bouncing all over the place like a big, reckless ape.
“Oh, I see.” She blushed and began to stammer an apology that made him feel like an utter heel because she was putting the blame on herself for believing the kiss was no more than a passing opportunity for him and he merely took advantage.
He sighed and sank in the chair beside hers with an added groan. “Not only do I like you, but…I am in love with you, Gory. How’s that for a revelation?”
She stared at him. “Are you certain?”
Anyone else would have responded with an ‘I love you’ back at him.
It did not matter that she was about to marry that pompous sod Allendale. The obvious truth was that she had run instinctively to the man she loved, and that was him.
Knowing Gory as well as he did, there was not a doubt in his mind that he, not Allendale, had her complete trust and her heart.
She was now asking for clarification on whether he truly loved her because this was Gory, belittled ever since being placed under her uncle’s guardianship, her brilliance and worth constantly dismissed, and now she did not understand how any man could love her for who she was. “Yes. I’m sure, Gory. I love you endlessly and desperately.”
“It felt like that when you kissed me,” she whispered, touching a finger to her lips. “But this is why rakehells have the reputation they do, this ability to make a young lady believe there is no one else in the world for him but her. Please do not lie to me, Julius. This is too important.”
“It is only important if you love me back,” he said, still savoring the taste of her soft, plump mouth that he could kiss into eternity and never tire of the sweet sensation. “That is all I care about.”
“How long have you felt this way about me?”
“Always. From the moment I met you.”
Her expression turned pained. “And you said nothing all the while? You were going to let me marry Allendale and…” Tears began to flow down her cheeks. “How could you?”
His heart felt raw and aching, for he had not a single excuse other than he was a stupid, selfish beast who had no appreciation for the treasure he had found until fearing he was about to lose it. Lose her. “Your betrothal caught me by surprise. You know how much I travel on behalf of the Thorne family business interests. It was a very busy time for me and my thoughts were on finalizing these important deals and not on romantic entanglements. Sounds lame, doesn’t it? I don’t know, the time simply got away from me.”
“You thought there would be no rush to confess your feelings because who else would want me?”
“Never that, Gory. You are as beautiful as a fairy princess with your bright hazel eyes and tumble of dark hair. There is no one lovelier.” He shook his head vehemently. “But I thought your work at the Huntsford forensic laboratory was too important to you and marriage was the last thing on your mind. Obviously, I was wrong. And suffering for it ever since I learned you and Allendale were betrothed.”
She regarded him in despair. “And yet, you waited until now to say anything to me. Why did you keep silent for so long? Not even given me a hint of your feelings and let me think you did not like me.”
