Page 123 of A Picture Is Worth A Thousand Heirs

Behind her, bed linens rustled, followed by soft footfalls. Victor wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her against his hard chest. “Mmm. Come back to bed, amore mio.”

She rested her head against him, breathing in his scent. “Dopo.” Her Italian, although not nearly as proficient as his, had improved as she immersed herself in the rich, romantic language.

Burying his face in her hair, he chuckled, the sound rumbling in his chest against her back. “Not later. Now. It’s Christmas morning, and I want to give you a gift.”

She fought back the grin. “Oh? What type of gift might that be?”

His laugh, full and throaty, indicated his mind traveled in the same direction as hers. But he surprised her when he said, “Not that. Although I can definitely arrange that. Now, come.”

He spun her around and tugged her hand as he led her back to the bed. “Close your eyes, and don’t peek.”

She giggled. “You shouldn’t say that when you’re naked. How can I help myself?” Yet, she obeyed and sat silently on the large four-poster bed.

Sounds of Victor moving about the room and a drawer opening tempted her to crack one eye open, but she resisted.

“Hold out your hands.”

“I’m afraid to. Once, Drake gave me a toad.”

Warm breath brushed against her neck. “It’s not a toad. I promise.”

Featherlight, the paper he placed atop her upturned hands skimmed the surface as light as a kiss.What?

Victor waited a beat before saying, “Go ahead. Open your eyes and read.”

The wax that had sealed the letter was already broken, and she read the contents, confused how a letter from Drake could contain a gift. Pleasantries were exchanged with Drake waxing on about Kitty’s amazing ability to say“Dada” and enquiring how they were enjoying Italy. Then her gaze snagged and froze on the following:

Per your request, I have secured three excellent mares and an exceptional stallion from Tattersall’s, all of them from the best bloodlines. The stallion’s name is Victory. A fitting name, no? We shall settle the cost upon your return home.

Give Juliana my love.

Dumbstruck, her throat closed around the sudden swell of emotion. Juliana blinked back the tears. One hand journeyed up to cover her mouth, while the letter trembled in the other. The words on the page blurred, searing into heart.

Victor sat beside her. “For your horse breeding enterprise. I’ll admit, three mares aren’t nearly enough, but we don’t want to wear Victory out too soon. And if?—”

Juliana threw herself into Victor’s arms and smothered his face with kisses.

“Oomph.” In between kisses, Victor managed to ask, “So you like it?”

“I love it. But where will we keep them? Not in London?”

“Your brother said we could keep them on his estate in Dorset for the time being. At least until—well, I inherit. I didn’t think you would want to travel up to Lincolnshire to work with them. Not only is it far from your brother, but my mother is there.”

She gazed at the man who understood her so well. “You’ve thought of everything.”

He plucked the letter from her grasp, set it aside, then took both of her hands in his. “I want you to know how much I support your dreams, just as you’ve supported mine. If you like, I can purchase some land by your brother’s estate so you can be close to him and breed the horses there.”

Arms wrapped around his neck, she grinned at him. She was going to wait, but what better time than then? “I have a gift for you, too.”

Juliana’s responseto his gift would have been more than sufficient, but Victor wondered when she would have found time to go shopping without him. They’d spent almost every single moment together, both awake and sleeping. Their time together in Florence had flown by, yet over the last few weeks, he sensed a longing in her. She hid it well, but he had become well versed in her moods during the five months since their marriage, and he admitted their time in Italy was coming to an end.

“That’s not necessary, tesoro mio. Everything I ever wanted is right here in my arms.”

“Well, I’m afraid I can’t return this gift, but you will have to wait to receive it.”

“Is it back home like your horses?”

A pink blush covered her cheeks. “No. But it will take some time to arrive.”

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