Page 35 of Lucien's Gamble

Julienne shrugged as tears gathered in her eyes. “I didn’t choose to feel this way about you, Lucien. This situation would be so much easier if I didn’t care.”

“Don’t cry,” he said gruffly, tugging her closer. “I realize I’m asking for too much. You would have to relinquish the life you know and begin anew with me, a social pariah. But I’m obscenely wealthy and the handsomest man in all of England—”

“Good grief! You remember that?” She blushed.

“How could I forget?” Lucien rubbed her bottom lip with his thumb. “How about a lifetime in my bed? I can promise to love your body to distraction at every possible opportunity. I can give you the kind of happiness you never knew existed. I can buy you things you never thought to have. I can make your life so pleasant that perhaps the condemning opinion of others will hurt you less.”

And Julienne knew if Lucien Remington set his mind to making her happy, he would do everything possible to ensure that she was. “It certainly sounds appealing,” she agreed breathlessly, her heart warming at the picture he presented. A lifetime with him. It wouldn’t be easy, but perhaps it could be worth it.If he loved her.

“The picnic is ready,” Amanda said cheerfully.

They turned to find the furniture moved aside to create a large space in the center of the room. In the middle lay the picnic blanket and all of the food.

The next couple of hours were some of the most enjoyable Lucien could ever remember spending. His father and mother told bawdy stories from some of their infamous parties, and Julienne was obviously both scandalized and fascinated by the tales. The food was wonderful, as he’d known it would be, and the company delightful, surrounded as he was by the people who meant the most to him.

He was extremely disappointed when it came time for Julienne to bid farewell. Lucien escorted her to her mount and watched her until she rode out of sight, accompanied by her maid and two of his mother’s groomsmen.

When he reentered the parlor, he saw his parents, arms around each other, looking out the window. Amanda turned her head to look at him. “We really like her, Lucien.”

He smiled. “Everyone does.”

She walked over to her escritoire and returned with a letter. “Look at her acceptance of my invitation to tea. So gracious and sweet. The king could not have received a more respectful response.”

Lucien glanced down at the missive and nodded. “She has a way of making people feel worthy.”

“She adores you. She’s too innocent to hide it.”

His grin widened. “She’s looked at me in that fashion since the moment I laid eyes on her.” He ran a hand through his hair. “And I’ve been a complete idiot where she’s concerned from the very beginning. I’ve said and done things I deeply regret.”

“You’re in love, son,” commiserated Magnus. “It makes fools of all men.”

You’re in love.

“I’m not—” Lucien began, and then he fell silent, frowning.

His father arched a brow. His mother smiled.

Damn it, was he in love? A man would know if such a thing happened to him, wouldn’t he?

But … perhaps … Perhaps what he felt wasn’t lust at all. Though that had to be part of it, or maybe it was because of it. Who could tell? He certainly couldn’t—he’d never been in love before.

Still, love would explain his odd behavior—his strange and unaccountable anger, his jealousy, and his inability to be aroused by any other woman. Love could be the reason why he thought of her all the time, why he missed her unbearably, why he dreamed of her every night.

HelovedLady Julienne La Coeur.

Lucien’s hand gripped the back of a nearby chair for support.

“Goodness, Glass,” his mother scolded as she took in his condition. “You have no tact. You don’t just thrust a revelation like that on someone. Can’t you see Lucien’s in shock?”

“How in hell can a man not know when he’s in love?” Magnus complained.

Amanda shook her head.

Lucien laughed, an odd, slightly wondering chuckle. “Idolove her,” he breathed. “All these weeks of torture, and we could have been together.”

“Why don’t you simply tell her how you feel?” Amanda asked.

“I will.” He firmed his resolve. “And I’ll prove it to her.”

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