Sylvain Reynard - Gabriel’s Inferno

He watched her sleep for a moment and pressed a kiss to her cheek.

When she didn’t stir, he decided to pour himself a drink and sit out on the terrace until it was time to wake her. Truthfully, he was glad to have a moment to himself to plan and dream about the next few days. He felt as if the world had been lifted from his shoulders. Not only did she know the truth about Paulina and Maia, but she still loved him. And they’d escaped the wrath of the judicial committee and survived the academic semester together. He had much for which to be grateful. And most of all, he had his Julianne all to himself for two entire weeks.

Julia is not the kind of girl you screw around with. She’s the kind of girl you marry. Scott’s words resounded in his ears.

Scott was right. Julianne was special: an intel igent, compassionate beauty who loved deeply and gave freely. She deserved much more than just an affair, although Gabriel refused to consider their relationship an affair, no matter what people might say. He stealthily patted the small velvet box he’d hidden in his jacket pocket. The thought of being in a long-term relationship had always been so remote. Julianne had changed all that.

Tonight his plan was to show her how much he loved her. To adore her and to relax her. A bubble bath, a massage…anything he could do to make her comfortable with having him see her body. Julianne was still shy with him, and he wanted her to feel sexy and desirable. Simon had wrought deep fissures in her confidence. She thought she was frigid. She thought she was clumsy and sexually inadequate. She feared she would disappoint Gabriel when they eventually made love.

Gabriel knew that it would take a long time to dispel those lies and to heal those wounds. He was resolved to build her confidence incrementally, to help her see herself as he saw her — sexy, attractive, and passionate.

The only way he could do this would be to take his time and be patient and affirming. He was looking forward to demonstrating his love for her and subjecting all of his erotic arts to her service. She would never demand such things, such attention, which made the thought of giving everything to her so much more satisfying.

If their relationship was more advanced and Julianne was less shy, he would suggest that they make love on the terrace. The thought of how Julianne’s rose and cream skin would glow in the starlight made his heart soar and his trousers twitch. But having sex outside would likely be too nerve-wracking for her, and he’d be damned if he’d push her to do anything that would make her even remotely uncomfortable.

We’ll just have to come back…

At eight o’clock that evening, Miss Julianne Mitchell put the finishing touches on her hair as her sweetheart gazed at her longingly from the doorway of the bathroom. He adored her. It was evident in every look, every touch, and the way he stared, unblinking, at her simplest actions.

She’d curled her hair and pinned it up, coaxing a few tendrils about her face, tendrils Gabriel longed to wrap around his fingers. Her aesthetician in Toronto had given her a small tube of industrial strength concealer, makeup that was designed to cover even the worst scars. It was so effective, Julia no longer had to wear a scarf to hide Simon’s bite. Just being able to forget about the scar made Julia joyous, especially since Grace’s lovely scarf would not have matched her new dress.

Her dress was a silky emerald green — long-sleeved and V-necked, as she preferred, its hem brushing the top of her knees. She wore sheer black stockings with a surprise attached to them and was about to step into her black Prada stilettos. As Gabriel watched her lean forward to put on her shoes, he vowed to purchase more of them. They did incredible things for her legs and to her cleavage as she leaned over.

“Allow me,” he said, crouching in front of her in his freshly pressed navy suit. He took her hand and placed it on his shoulder, to aid her balance, while he lifted each foot and slipped on her shoes.

“Thank you,” she murmured.

He smiled up at her and kissed her hand. “Anything for you, Cinderella.”

Julia pulled her black three-quarter length trench coat from the closet and was about to wriggle into it when Gabriel took it out of her hand.

“Let me,” he protested. “I want to fuss over you.”

“It’s just a coat, Gabriel. No worries.”

“Yes, I know it’s a coat. But it’s an opportunity for me to behave like a gentleman and honor you. Please don’t deprive me, Julianne.”

She flushed in embarrassment and nodded slowly. She wasn’t used to such attention, of course, except from Gabriel. She wanted to be gracious and let him attend her, but it was far more than she ever expected or thought that she deserved. She reached up to kiss him and whispered her thanks against his lips. He took her arm and led her downstairs and toward the restaurant.

Julia and Gabriel walked slowly through the cobblestoned streets from the Palazzo Vecchio, over to the Palazzo dell’Arte dei Giudici e Notai, laughing and reminiscing about previous visits to Florence. They had to walk slowly, for navigating Florence in stilettos was more than a little challeng-ing. Thankfully, Gabriel had taken Julia’s arm to escort her properly, thus enabling her to walk upright and also to avoid much of the wolf whistles and catcalls of Florentine youths. The city had not changed that much since the days of Dante.

The restaurant Gabriel had chosen was called Alle Murate. It was located in a fourteenth-century guild hall a short walk from the Duomo, and it boasted incredible period frescoes, including a portrait of Dante himself.

Julia was overwhelmed by the beauty of the artwork and found herself wandering slightly as the maître d’ escorted them to their table.

Gabriel had reserved a quiet space on the loft floor overlooking the main room, just under the vaulted ceiling. It was the best table in the house, for it afforded the finest and closest views of the medieval il ustrations. Four angels frozen in frescoes floated above them as Julia took Gabriel’s hand and squeezed it. She was ecstatic.

“It’s beautiful. Thank you. I had no idea these frescoes were here.”

He smiled at her enthusiasm. “Tomorrow night will be even better.

Massimo tells me that my lecture is scheduled after the museum closes and there will be a reception with local dignitaries and academics. Later on, there will be a banquet inside the Gallery. It will be a semi-formal affair, and we will be the guests of honor.”

Julia smiled narrowly. “I didn’t bring anything fancy enough for a semi-formal.”

“I’m sure anything you brought would look beautiful. But I can understand not wanting to wear the same dress twice. So I will just have to take you shopping.”

“Are you sure you wouldn’t rather I left you to it? The banquet is a celebration of your lecture, so you’ll be very busy. Maybe you’d be more comfortable if you could — mingle freely.”

He reached over to push a curl away from her face. “Julianne, your presence is not only encouraged, it’s required. I dislike going to social events alone. I always have. Having you at my side is the only pleasure the evening will afford, I assure you. Don’t you want to join me?” His face took on a worried expression.

“I always enjoy your company. But people will ask me who I am and what I do…won’t that be awkward for you?”

His features immediately darkened. “Of course not! I’ve been waiting for the end of the semester so I could enjoy your company in public and introduce you as my girlfriend. And there’s nothing shameful about being a graduate student. Half the people at the banquet will have been graduate students at one time. You’re a grown woman, you’re intelligent and beautiful…”

He grinned wickedly. “I will have to stay close to you in order to keep my rivals at bay. They’ll be circling around you like Etruscan wolves, vying for the attention of the prettiest woman at the party.”

Julia smiled her gratitude and leaned over to kiss him. “Then I would be delighted to accompany you.”

In answer, he pressed his lips to her hand, her palm, and her wrist, moving his lips gently to the sleeve of her dress. He pushed it up her forearm to expose her bare skin to his mouth. Julia’s eyelids fluttered as he began kissing the delicate skin of her arm with wet, unhurried kisses. He dragged his lips to the sensitive space at the inside of her elbow and sucked lightly.

For Gabriel knew, as Julia did not, that the inside of a woman’s elbow was a particularly erogenous zone.

The sound of the waiter clearing his throat behind him merely slowed Gabriel’s attentions. Julia blushed a brilliant red at being caught, which prompted him to release her arm reluctantly.

Over a bottle of Tuscan wine and a few antipasti, Gabriel asked about her study-abroad program, where she lived and what she did. When she spoke of how she would visit the Uffizi on an almost daily basis to gaze at Botticelli’s masterpieces, he wondered if there really was such a thing as destiny. And he wondered how he’d ever been fortunate enough to find her not once, but twice.

After they’d finished their main courses and were sitting quietly gazing into one another’s eyes and exchanging chaste kisses, Gabriel released her hand and rummaged in his suit pocket.

“I have something for you.”

“Gabriel, the trip is a gift in itself, and now you want to buy me a dress. I can’t.”

He shook his head. “This is different. Before I give it to you, I want you to promise that you won’t refuse it.”

Julia looked over into serious blue eyes. He wasn’t joking. In fact, he was quite grave. She wondered what was hidden in the palm of his right hand.

“I can’t promise something without knowing more about it.”

He made a face. “Promise that you’ll keep an open mind?”

“Of course.”

“Hold out your hand.”

Julia did as she was bidden, and Gabriel placed a small, black velvet box in her palm. She inhaled sharply.

“It isn’t a ring. So you can start breathing again.” His face was smiling, but his eyes were tense.

She opened the box and was stunned by what she saw. Nestled amongst black silk were two large, round, and perfect diamond solitaire earrings of about a carat each.

“Gabriel, I…” She searched for more words, but couldn’t find any.

“Before you refuse them, I need to tell you their story. Will you listen?

For me?”

She nodded, mesmerized by the glittering stones.

“They were Grace’s. Richard gave them to her the first time he told her that he loved her. They weren’t together very long before he fell for her completely. Legend has it that he sold his car to buy those earrings.”

Julia’s mouth hung open. Now she recognized them. Grace wore them almost constantly.

“I want you to have them.”

She shook her head and gently, reverently closed the box. She held it out to him. “I can’t. They were your mother’s. You should keep them.”

“No.”

“Gabriel, please. They should go to Rachel or Scott.”

“Rachel and Scott have other things. Richard gave these to me.” As Gabriel began to panic, all he could do was focus on the small patch of velvet surrounded by her porcelain skin. His eyes narrowed a little. “If you refuse them, you will injure me.” His words were barely above a whisper, but they hit Julia as if he had screamed.

She swallowed and took a minute to gather her thoughts. “I’m so sorry.

They’re lovely. And I can’t express how wonderful I feel that you want me to have them, but this is wrong.”

Julia saw that his mood was shifting from hurt to upset, and so she looked down at the tablecloth in front of her, hiding her eyes.

“You misunderstand me, Julianne. I’m not giving them to you because I think you should have something of Grace’s. They aren’t the equivalent of a scarf or a string of pearls.”

She chewed at the inside of her mouth as she waited for him to continue.

He leaned across the table and pressed his palm against her cheek. “I am giving you these to commemorate the fact that I have already given you my heart.” He swallowed thickly as his eyes searched hers. “This is my way of saying that you, Julianne, are the love of my life, and I want something of mine with you always. Don’t you see? These diamonds represent my heart. You can’t refuse them.”

Julia saw in his eyes that he was absolutely serious. She knew that if he’d given her an engagement ring, she would have been shocked, but she would have accepted it. There was no other person in the world for her, just him. So why was she hesitating?