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She'd always been a spoiled little princess. Julian smiled. He wouldn't have it any other way.
When Angelo arrived, it didn't take long for Ruby to fill him in—on the basics, that was. Angelo's gaze flicked between Julian and Bear. "England's a long way away," he said, looking at Bear. "Are you sure that you want a mission like that?"
The way that Bear looked at Julian made him feel warm and golden from the top of his head to the bottom of his soles. "I think I can handle it."
After a long moment of silence, he finally sighed in resignation. "Fine," he said. "Bear, you can accompany Julian back to England… as his bodyguard." He shot a pointed look at both of them, the unspoken command clear:Don't embarrass me.
"However," Angelo continued, his tone firm, "I'm only agreeing because I know you need some time to recover from your injuries, and being away from our family's business for a while might do you some good."
"Thank you," Bear murmured, his eyes briefly meeting Julian's, who couldn't suppress a smile.
Before any further discussion could ensue, one of Ruby's bridesmaids approached, tapping her gently on the shoulder. "Ruby, we need you and Angelo for the photographs," she informed them.
"Of course," Ruby replied, linking her arm through Angelo's. "We'll be right there." With a final knowing glance at Julian and Bear, she led her brother away, leaving the two men alone amidst the swirl of dancers.
The tension in Julian's chest eased as he turned to Bear, unable to contain the joy bubbling inside him. "Well, it seems we'll be spending more time together after all," he said, grinning.
"Seems like it," Bear conceded, though the corners of his mouth twitched into the hint of a smile. The music shifted to a slow, romantic melody, and Julian took a step closer, boldly placing a hand on Bear's broad shoulder.
"May I have this dance?" he asked, his voice soft yet teasing.
"Never thought I'd see the day when I'd be dancing at a wedding," Bear muttered, but nevertheless wrapped an arm around Julian's waist, drawing him close.
Together, they swayed gently to the music, Julian's head resting comfortably against Bear's chest. He could feel the steady thump of Bear's heartbeat beneath his ear, and he closed his eyes, savoring the warmth and safety of those strong arms.
"Never been to England before," Bear grumbled after a moment, breaking the comfortable silence. "Heard it rains all the time."
"Oh, don't worry," Julian quipped, lifting his head to meet Bear's gaze. "I'll be sure to provide you with an umbrella. And maybe a crash course in tea etiquette."
"Tea etiquette?" Bear scoffed, his eyes rolling skyward as if beseeching divine patience. "Is that really a thing?"
"Absolutely," Julian said solemnly. "One does not simply dunk a biscuit into one's tea without proper form."
Bear shook his head, but Julian caught the ghost of a smile on his lips. "You're going to drive me mad, aren't you?"
"Most likely," Julian agreed cheerfully. "But I promise it'll be worth it."
As they continued dancing, Julian let himself get lost in the sensation of Bear's firm grip and the subtle scent of his cologne. For now, everything else could fade away: the wedding, their families, and all the splendor that surrounded them.
In this moment, they had each other, and that was enough.
