Chapter 27
The hour was late when Julian finally let himself into his townhouse.
The townhouse that a short time ago had felt empty, lonely, hollow.
Verity had not been here long, yet he could already feel her presence. The artwork on the walls. The scent of her light floral perfume lingering in the foyer. He was even waiting to hear the soft pad of her footsteps overhead.
But all was silent. She was likely already abed.
The townhouse was small, but there were two bedrooms upstairs. All of her belongings had been placed in one of them, but they had spent their first night together in his bed.
Where she was meant to be.
He wondered where he would find her now. He wouldn’t blame her if she stayed in her own bed, away from him.
His valet approached, likely expecting to find Julian falling over from drink.
He would have been, had this been a few months ago.
But he had resolved to leave that life behind, and leave it behind he would.
As long as there was a chance that Verity would still have him. He would not disappoint her.
Which was why he was more than surprised when he walked into his bedroom to find her in his bed, nightdress on, sitting up, a candle beside her washing her in its beautiful flickering glow, a book in her lap waiting for him.
“Verity,” he said her name almost in a reverent whisper as he took steps into the room. “Were you waiting for me?”
“I was. I didn’t want to go to sleep with so much… unresolved between us. I also needed to tell you about something that happened today.”
He took a tentative seat at the end of the bed. This was progress, wasn’t it? He had never had a relationship that lasted more than one or two nights before, so he wasn’t entirely sure how it worked.
She paused, tilting her head to look at him, and he was momentarily distracted by the soft, sleek curve of her neck.
“Where did you go?”
He swallowed. He had known this was coming, but her tone wasn’t accusatory. It was… questioning, as though she was truly wondering what his answer might be.
“I was going to go to my club,” he said, and she nodded, waiting.
He could see the uncertainty on her face, but he had promised he would share everything with her going forward.
“But then… well, when I arrived, I didn’t feel like entering, so I just kept walking.
I walked, and I walked, until finally I found myself standing on my brother’s front step. Of the townhouse where I grew up.”
She nodded, her eyes and expression open, waiting.
“I don’t know what I was looking for, but I had a good conversation with James.
About the past. The present. And the future.
I want to be more involved with the family, helping generate income rather than just spending it.
He has ideas of how I can help with his business interests, allowing him to focus more on Parliament and spend time out at his country estate. ”
He expected her to be pleased at such news, but she bit her lip more in concern.
“Would that make you happy?”
He considered that carefully.
“I’m not sure happy is the right word. Happy is what I feel when I’m with you. It would provide me with fulfillment. We could also visit a few of the family estates, if you’re up for it. See the country. Have some excitement.”
Her smile was genuine. “I would love that.”
“I’m glad to hear it.”
“I was at Evelyn’s.”
“How was that?”
“It was… interesting. Much more interesting than I would have imagined.”
“Oh? How so?”
She told him all that Seraphina had revealed, and he listened with growing interest.
“Seraphina knows when he is going to try to sell off a piece of the diamond tomorrow,” she said, drawing her knees in close to her chest. She looked so young and vulnerable sitting there that he wanted to gather her into his arms, kiss her, and tell her everything would be just fine.
“We think we should be there to witness it and confront him.”
“Who are we?”
“Me, Evelyn, Lady Thalia, and Lady Seraphina.”
“What about Asher?”
“I suspect that Evelyn will include him as well.”
Julian stood, pacing back and forth in front of the bed, tapping his index finger against his lips. He needed to think, and it was difficult with Verity in bed before him, distracting him.
“We shall all go. It is hard to say what Eastclere will do if he feels he is backed into a corner and I could not fathom anything happening to you. I have a friend who will help as well.”
“Who?”
“Lord Damon Ashby.”
“Lord Greymoor? Is he still in London?”
“He is. He doesn’t make himself known often. He was at the masquerade, but, as always, he ensured that he was not recognizable.”
“I had no idea. I had heard of his accident, of course, but since then I have not heard much from him.”
“No,” Julian said, shaking his head before sitting back down on the bed, closer to Verity this time.
“Before we continue, Verity, you must know how sorry I am about not telling you more about my family, especially as your aunt was involved. I should have said something earlier, but I was hesitant. I can only hope that this won’t change anything between us. ”
“It wouldn’t have, had you told me before,” Verity said, her head down as she ran her fingers over the coverlet.
“But I do feel somewhat that you wanted to trap me into marriage before you told me, to make sure that I wouldn’t run away or to Eastclere.
I would have made the same decision, but I should have been given that choice. ”
“I know,” he said, looking up at her, reading the indecision in her face. “I told you I wasn’t a good man.”
“You’re a good man, Julian, you just made a choice that I wouldn’t necessarily agree with.”
“Do you still need time to decide… how we go forward?”
“I think I need a bit of time to consider this, yes,” she said, and he stood to leave, but then realized that she was in his bed.
She reached up, taking his hand. “But we must consider that we are still married, and that isn’t going to change.
I don’t want us to avoid one another, Julian, but build on what we have. Can we do that?”
Some relief flooded through him, along with an intense satisfaction. “I would love that.”
“I do have a question.”
“Yes?”
“Is there anything else I have to learn?”
“Oh, darling, we are just getting started.”
* * *
Julian’s words hung in the air between them, sending a delicious shiver down Verity’s spine. His eyes darkened as they met hers, and her breath caught in her throat. This was what she wanted—connection, trust, intimacy—even if they were still finding their way back to each other.
“I’m ready,” she whispered, her voice barely audible even in the quiet room.
Julian moved closer, his hand reaching out to cup her cheek. “Are you certain you want to tonight?”
She nodded, unable to form words as his thumb traced the line of her jaw. The candlelight cast shadows across his face, highlighting the strong planes and the intensity in his gaze.
With deliberate slowness, Julian leaned forward and captured her lips with his.
The kiss was gentle at first, a question rather than a demand, but when she responded, pressing closer, it deepened into something hungrier.
His hand slid from her cheek to the nape of her neck, fingers tangling in her hair as he drew her even nearer.
Verity’s nightdress suddenly felt like too much fabric between them. She tugged at his cravat, eager to feel his skin against hers. Julian obliged, pulling back just enough to remove his waistcoat and shirt, revealing the lean, muscled chest she had come to know so well in such a short time.
“You’re beautiful,” she breathed, her hands exploring the warm skin of his shoulders, tracing the contours of muscle and bone.
Julian smiled, that devastating grin that made her heart flutter. “Not as beautiful as you.”
He helped her remove her nightdress, his fingers trailing along her skin as he revealed her to the candlelight. The way he looked at her—with such reverence and desire—made her feel powerful rather than vulnerable.
When they were both unclothed, Julian lay her back against the pillows, his weight balanced on his forearms as he gazed down at her. “I want to show you something tonight,” he said, his voice rough with desire. “A different way for us to be together.”
“What do you mean?” she asked, curiosity piqued.
Instead of answering, he rolled onto his back, pulling her with him until she was straddling his hips. The position was intimate, exposing, and Verity felt her cheeks flush hotly.
“Like this,” Julian said, his hands settling on her waist. “You can set the pace. You can control how deep, how fast.”
Verity’s eyes widened. The idea was both terrifying and exhilarating. “But I don’t know how.”
“I’ll guide you,” he promised, his thumbs drawing small circles on her skin. “Just follow your instincts.”
With Julian’s help, she positioned herself above him, her heart racing his hardness pressed against her. Slowly, she lowered herself, gasping at the sensation of him filling her. It was different from when he was above her—more intense somehow, the angle allowing him to reach deeper.
“Julian,” she breathed, her hands braced against his chest.
“That’s it,” he encouraged, his voice strained. “Take your time.”
She began to move, tentatively at first, finding a rhythm that felt natural. Julian’s hands remained at her waist, supporting but not directing, allowing her to explore this new form of intimacy.
The power of it—of being the one controlling their pleasure—was intoxicating. She watched Julian’s face as she moved, his eyes dark with desire, his breath coming in short gasps. The sight of him losing himself to her touch emboldened her, and she increased her pace.
“Verity,” he groaned, his hands tightening on her hips. “You’re incredible.”
The tension built within her, the pleasure coiling tighter with each movement. Julian must have sensed her approaching climax because he shifted beneath her, changing the angle slightly. The new position sent a shock of pleasure through her that made her cry out.
“That’s it,” Julian urged, his voice barely recognizable. “Let go.”
The sensation crested, washing over her in waves that left her trembling. She felt Julian’s release moments later, his body tensing beneath hers, his hands pulling her down to him as he finished.
For a long moment, they remained joined, their breathing gradually slowing. Verity rested her head against Julian’s chest, listening to the steady thud of his heart beneath her ear.
“That was…” she began, unable to find the words.
“Amazing,” Julian finished for her, his fingers tracing lazy patterns on her back. “You’re a natural.”
She smiled against his skin, a warm glow of satisfaction spreading through her. In this moment, with Julian’s arms around her and the quiet intimacy of their shared breath, all the complications of their situation seemed to fade into the background.
“Julian?” she said after a while.
“Hmm?”
“I do forgive you.”
He went still beneath her, then his arms tightened around her. “You don’t know how much that means to me.”
She lifted her head to look at him, studying the serious expression on his face. “That doesn’t mean I am fine with how everything played out, but I understand your motivations. Please promise me, though, no more secrets. From now on, we face everything together.”
Julian nodded, his expression solemn. “No more secrets. I promise.”
He pressed a kiss to her forehead, then to her lips, sweet and tender.
As they settled into sleep, wrapped in each other’s arms, Verity felt a quiet certainty growing within her.
Whatever challenges they faced tomorrow—with Eastclere, with the diamond, with their families’ tangled pasts—they would face them together.
And for now, that was enough.