Sylvain Reynard - Gabriel’s Inferno

“The only woman I want to see naked is you.”

Julia giggled. “What was my question? I can’t remember what I was asking you.”

He smirked. “Good. Come here.”

* * *

Later that evening, when the house was dark and everyone had retired, Julia slipped into Gabriel’s room wearing a simple blue nightshirt. He was sitting in bed reading. He was shirtless and wearing his glasses, his knees bent up casually.

“Why, hello there.” He smiled, placing The End of the Affair on his nightstand. “You look lovely.”

She placed her crutches to one side and fingered her nightshirt gratefully. “Thanks for going to my dad’s to pick up my things.”

“You’re welcome.” He held out his hand, and she crawled into bed next to him.

He kissed her before he noticed that she was still wearing Grace’s Hermès scarf. He tugged on one of the ends of it. “Why are you still wearing this?”

Julia lowered her eyes. “I don’t want you to have to look at my scar.”

He lifted her chin. “You don’t need to hide from me.”

“It’s ugly. I don’t want to remind you.”

He stared deeply into her eyes, searchingly. Then he slowly undid the scarf. He pulled on it so that it gently brushed across the back of her neck and fell into his hand. She felt herself goose-pimple from the sensuous trail of silk across her skin, coupled with Gabriel’s blazing gaze. He placed the scarf on his nightstand and leaned over to press his lips against the mark repeatedly.

“We both have scars, Julianne. Mine just aren’t on the skin.”

“I wish we didn’t,” she whispered. “I wish I was perfect.”

Gabriel shook his head sadly. “Do you like Caravaggio?”

“Very much. His painting of The Sacrifice of Isaac is my favorite.”

He nodded. “I always preferred The Incredulity of St. Thomas. Richard has a copy of it in his study. I was looking at it today.”

“I always thought that painting was — strange.”

“It is strange. Jesus appears to St. Thomas after the resurrection, and Thomas places his finger in the spear wound in Jesus’ side. It’s quite profound.”

Julia did not see the profundity, so she remained quiet.

“If you want to wait until your scar disappears, Julianne, you’ll wait forever. Scars never disappear. Caravaggio’s painting made that point clear to me. Scars might heal and we might forget about them in time, but they’re permanent. Not even Jesus lost his scars.” Gabriel rubbed his hand across his chin thoughtfully.

“If I’d troubled myself to stop being selfish, I would have realized that.

And I would have treated Grace and my family with greater care. I would have treated you with greater care in September and October.” He cleared his throat. “I hope that you’ll forgive me for the scars I’ve given you. I know that they’re many.”

Julia crawled into his lap and kissed him forcefully. “You were forgiven a long time ago and for far more than leaving scars. Please, let’s not speak of this again.”

The two almost-lovers shared a quiet moment before Gabriel asked her how her evening went.

Julia squirmed. “He cried.”

Gabriel’s eyebrows shot up. Tom Mitchell cried? I don’t believe it.

“He described what he found at the house. And when I told him what happened before you rescued me, he cried. I told him about some of the fights and the things he used to say to me. And my Dad cried, right in the middle of a fancy restaurant.” She shook her head. “We both cried. It was a mess.”

Gabriel pushed her hair out of her face so that he could see her better. “I’m sorry.”

“There were some things I needed to say, and he listened — maybe for the first time in my life. At least he’s trying. That’s a big step already. And when all of that was out of the way, we talked about you. He wanted to know how long we’ve been seeing one another.”

“And what did you say?”

“I said that we hadn’t been seeing one another for very long but that I…

liked you. I told him that you’d done a lot for me and that I cared about you.”

“Did you tell him how I feel about you?”

She wore a shy expression. “Well, I left out the part about you wanting to make love to me in Florence, but I said that I thought that you liked me.”

Gabriel frowned. “I like you? Really, Julianne, is that the best you could do?”

She shrugged. “He’s my dad. He doesn’t want to hear the sentimental stuff. He wants to know if you’re still doing drugs and getting into fights.

And if you’re monogamous with me.”

Gabriel winced.

She hugged him tightly. “Of course, I told him that you were a model citizen and that you treated me like a princess. That I don’t deserve you.”

“Well, that’s a lie.” He kissed her forehead. “I don’t deserve you.”

“Nonsense.”

They kissed softly for a moment or two, and Gabriel took off his glasses and placed them on top of his book. He turned out the light and spooned her blissfully.

Just as they were drifting off to sleep, Julia whispered, “I love you.”

When he didn’t respond, she assumed he was already dreaming. She sighed quietly and closed her eyes, snuggling backward against his chest. A strong arm flexed across her waist, pulling her tighter still.

She heard him inhale deeply and pause. “Julianne Mitchell, I love you too.”

Julia awoke the next morning to the feel of something warm pressed close to her heart and a gentle breeze of breath across her neck. Upon closer inspection, she realized that Gabriel’s large hand was cupping her right breast as they spooned together. She giggled and shifted against his grasp.

He growled at her sudden movement.

“Good morning, Gabriel.”

“Morning, beautiful.” His lips found her cheek and kissed it.

“I take it you…slept well.”

“Very well. And you?”

“Well, thank you.”

“Does this bother you?” His hand caressed her gently through her nightshirt.

“No. It feels good.” She rolled over to face him.

He slid his hand to the small of her back so he could pull her into a deep kiss.

“Julianne.” He brushed a few wisps of hair out of her eyes. “There’s something I would like to say to you.”

Her brow furrowed.

He traced a single finger across her eyebrows, smoothing out the worry lines. “Don’t frown. It’s something nice. I think.”

She looked up at him expectantly.

His eyes were large and dark and serious. “I love you.”

She blinked twice and a smile slowly crept across her face. “I love you too. I thought I was hearing things when you said it last night.”

He kissed her tenderly. “I wasn’t sure you heard me, either.”

“You know, you said it to me before.”

“When?”

“The night I rescued you from Christa. I put you to bed, and you called me Beatrice. You said that you loved me.”

He swallowed noisily. “Julianne, I’m sorry it took me so long to say it properly.”

She wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed her forehead against the stubble on his chin. “Thank you.”

“No, darling. I should be thanking you. I’ve — never felt this way before.

It makes me realize how much time I’ve wasted.” Gabriel’s eyes grew sad.

Julia kissed him softly. “We both had a lot of growing up to do. It’s better this way.”

“I regret the way I treated those other women. And that I wasted my time with them. You know that, don’t you?”

“I regret being with him. But there’s nothing either of us can do about it now except be happy that we found each other.”

“I wish we could spend the day in bed.” His voice was suddenly wistful.

She laughed. “I think that would shock and scandalize your relations.”

“Most likely. Damn them.”

They both laughed until their laughter morphed into passionate kisses.

She was the first to retreat. “Can I ask you something?”

Gabriel’s jaw set. “Of course.” Don’t be too inquisitive this morning, Julianne. I can’t tell you everything in Richard’s house.

“What kind of lingerie do you like on a woman?”

Gabriel’s jaw immediately relaxed and his lips curled into a wicked smile. “You’re asking this because — you’re doing a survey?” He chuckled, taking her hand in his and pressing his lips against her knuckles.

She looked down at their conjoined hands. “I would like to go shopping before our trip. I was wondering what you — liked.”

He gave her a heated look, heavy with desire. “Julianne, I am a man.

If I were to tell you what lingerie I prefer, it would be no lingerie.” He lifted her chin so that he could see her eyes. “You’re very beautiful. When I think of being with you, I think of taking my time to admire your beauty — your face, your shoulders, your breasts, every part of you. Cream and pink and soft curves for my body to worship.”

He pushed her gently so that she was on her back and he was kneeling on either side of her hips. “I want you to wear something that would make you feel comfortable and beautiful, because that’s how I want you to feel when we’re together.” He captured her mouth and kissed her intently.

When he pulled back she eyed him impishly. “As comfortable as a Lululemon yoga outfit?”

He seemed puzzled. “I don’t know what lou lemons are, but provided they make you comfortable, I’m sure I wouldn’t object.”

She arched her neck so that she could rub the tips of their noses together. “You’re lovely, you know that? But I was serious when I asked you.

I want to choose something you’ll like.”

“I’ll like anything provided you are the one wearing it.”

He kissed her again, and this time he allowed himself the luxury of lowering his naked chest so that it was close to but not touching hers. Heat and electricity jumped between their skin, and soon Julia was breathless.

“Color?” She gasped. “Style preference?”

Now he was chuckling, and stroking her cheek as it flushed beneath his fingers. “Well, not black or red.”

“I thought those were the standard colors. They’re supposed to be seductive.”

He moved to the side so he could whisper in her ear. “You have already seduced me. I am enticed and tantalized and very, very excited.”

Now the room grew warm, and she forgot what her next question was supposed to be. Final y, she remembered. “So no black or red. Any favorite colors?”

“You’re stubborn, aren’t you? I think you would look nice in light colors — white, pink, blue. I suppose I could say I envisioned you in something classic, with your hair cascading down your shoulders. But this isn’t about me, this is about you. And I think you should choose.” He grinned.

“Of course, I might decide to purchase an item or two for you while we’re there. But for our first time, it’s all about what you want. What makes you feel special and sexy and cherished. That’s what I want because I love you.”

“I love you too.”

She smiled up at him, and he thought his heart would melt. She took his face in her hand, running a thumb across his angular jaw, and he closed his eyes and leaned into her touch. When he opened his eyes, they were clear, bright, and very hungry.

She had to look away. “I need to get ready. What time do we have to leave for Philadelphia?”

He began to kiss across her collarbone from one shoulder to another.

“After — kiss — breakfast — kiss. Our flight is around dinnertime — kiss — and we have to be at the airport early.” Double kiss.

She kissed him once more and disappeared on her crutches into the hallway.

Downstairs, Richard was a whirling dervish of activity, making and serving Sunday breakfast for his hungry family. Scott was eating everything that wasn’t nailed down or claimed by anyone else, and Rachel and Aaron were poring over pictures of Philadelphia wedding reception venues on Aaron’s Blackberry.

“There they are.” Rachel greeted her brother and her best friend when they entered the kitchen.

“I need to give this back to you,” Julia whispered as she began to undo the scarf she had knotted around her neck.

“Keep it. Mom would have wanted you to have it.”

Julia pressed her friend into a grateful hug. Once again she was thankful for her generosity, and also for Grace, whose generous presence never seemed far away.