He glanced over his shoulder, then tensed, his gaze wandering over her in the white lace robe. “May I say that you never fail to surprise me?”
“Hello, Jean Marc.” She nervously twisted her hands. “I’ve been waiting. You were gone a long time.”
“I didn’t know I had a reason to come home.” He paused warily. “Am I to assume I was mistaken?”
She nodded and closed the door. “This isn’t easy…I can’t…I’m not sure what to say to—”
“That seems clear.”
She moved to stand before him. “I’ve been thinking and I’ve decided—” She stopped. “This is more difficult than I believed it would be.”
“Shall I help you? You’ve decided it’s foolish to fight against what we both want.”
“No.” She looked up into his dark eyes. Such beautiful, wary eyes. “I’ve decided to tell you that I love you.”
He froze.
She hurried on. “Oh, I don’t expect you to say you love me. Though I do think you care for me more than you know.” Her voice lowered to a whisper. “You may never love me. I’m not sure you can love any woman.”
“Then why are you being so generous as to give me such a weapon?”
“Weapon?” She smiled sadly. “You see, you’re still armed against me. You may never—” She stopped, and it was a moment before she could speak again. “Yes, I’ll give you all the weapons you could wish, Jean Marc.” Her fingers rose to trace gently the plane of his left cheek. “I love you, not only with my body, but with my heart and my mind. I’ll stay with you in your bed or byyour side as long as you care to have me. I hope that may be for a long time for I’ll probably love you for the rest of my life. Are those enough weapons for you?”
“Yes,” he said hoarsely. “May I ask what prompted this capitulation?”
“Tutto a te mi guida.”
“‘Everything leads me to you?”
“Those are the words the queen has engraved on her signet ring. She said that from the first she’d known there was no choice and that love should be seized before it slips away.” She smiled tremulously. “I suddenly realized I couldn’t escape either. Everything did lead me to you from that very first day I saw you—Catherine, my painting, the Wind Dancer, the abbey, even the revolution. If I left tomorrow, something would happen to pull me back because that’s where all roads lead. Don’t you see? There’s too much death and destruction in the world. Iwon’tbe cheated of what I can have with you.” She laid her head on his chest, wrapped her arms about him, and whispered, “Everything does lead me to you, Jean Marc.”
“I believe I’m…overwhelmed.” He stood unmoving; his hands rose, hovered over her shoulders, and then closed on them with the most exquisite care. “But, if you expect me to refuse your offer, you’re terribly mistaken. I’d be a fool to deny myself what I want. And I’m not a fool.”
“I know you aren’t.”
“I’m a practical man.” His lips caressed her temple. “If a victory is given, I accept it.”
“Yes.”
He lifted her in his arms and carried her toward the bed. “And what if there’s a child?”
She stiffened and then relaxed against him. “I expect nothing of you. If it happens, I’ll safeguard him.”
He looked down at her. “You yield all?”
“Not yield,” she whispered. “Offer.”
He laid her on the silken coverlet and lay beside her, braced on his elbows on the bed, looking down into her face. In his expression she saw bewilderment, lust, and, oddly, regret. “It’s the same thing, is it not?”
“No.” She tangled her fingers in the thickness of his hair as his lips slowly descended toward her. “It’s different. You’ll see.”
“You protected me,” Juliette whispered drowsily. “I didn’t expect it.”
“Is it too much to believe I can meet generosity with generosity?” He held her close, his hand moving gently over her curls. “I found myself quite moved. It’s probably only a temporary weakness, but until I can overcome it I couldn’t place you in a position so vulnerable to me. You can see that—are you falling asleep?”
“Yes.” She nestled closer. “I’d like to stay awake but I’m very tired.” She yawned. “It was a very wearing day and you were late coming.”
“I guarantee I’ll be earlier tomorrow. In fact, we may not get out of bed.”
