Page 100 of A Picture Is Worth A Thousand Heirs

Thank God.

Moving slowly at first, his strokes tentative, he studied her face and searched for any sign of discomfort, grateful when he found none.

After a few minutes, he picked up his pace, and soon she moved with him in a steady rhythm.

Her eyes drew dusky, and a soft moan escaped her parted lips, rosy and swollen from their kisses. She stroked his shoulders, the tender slide of her fingers against his skin setting him aflame.

He braced himself on one forearm and, with his other hand, reached between them to touch the swollen nub between her legs.

Her hips bucked against him, and she gave another moan. “Oh, God. Yes.”

Oh, how he wanted to make her come again. “That’s it, cuore mio. Don’t think. Just feel.” His heart nearly burst with love for her. His beautiful Juliana. He would spend the rest of his days adoring her.

He increased his pace, and she met him thrust for thrust.

Her legs began trembling, then she fell apart in his arms. Her muscles clenching around him felt incredible. Not just the physical sensation, but the joy flowing through him for how much Juliana loved him.

Her expression softened, lips parted and brows drawn tight, every line of her face etched with feeling as she cried out in ecstasy; he looked forward to witnessing it for years to come.

“I love you, Victor.” Imbued with so much love, her words seemed almost unnecessary.

Yet, they pushed him over the edge he’d been teetering on, and he kissed her long and hard to stifle his own shouts of passion as he spilled into her.

Whatever walls he’d once held between them crumbled—nothing remained he hadn’t given her.

Deep, soul-reaching satisfaction settled inside him as he collapsed on top of her. Perhaps a little late, he answered back, “I love you, too.”

Outside, the distant hoot of an owl broke the silence, reminding him time still moved even though everything inside the room had shifted.

Not wishing to crush her, he slid off her. Pulling her to his side, he nuzzled against her neck and nibbled on the shell of herear. Her skin still glowed with the heat of their joining, her pulse a flutter beneath his lips.

“Mmm,” she murmured dreamily.

“In three days, you will be mine forever,” he whispered.

“Two days; it’s already Saturday.”

“Even better.” He fought the sleep threatening to take him under. It had been an eventful evening. The warmth of Juliana’s body curled next to his only furthered his wish to drift off.

A knock, sharp and insistent, startled him. How long had he drifted off? He bolted upright. “Someone’s at your door, Juliana!”

CHAPTER 28

“Wake up, Juliana. Someone’s at your door.” Victor’s voice shook Juliana from the most wonderful dream. Or was she still dreaming?

With groggy eyes, she stared into Victor’s panicked face.

The hushed voice of a man followed a knock at her door. “Miss Merrick. Wake up.”

She scrambled from the bed and threw on her dressing gown, holding the ends tight around her to cover her nakedness. When she cracked open the door, Nash peered at her, then quickly averted his eyes.

“Forgive my asking, Miss Merrick, but is Mr. Pratt with you?”

Oh, dear God.They’d been found out. But wait, Victor said Nash witnessed him climbing up to her window. Heat rushed up her neck and burned her cheeks.

Before she could answer, Victor’s body pressed against hers. “I’m here, Nash. What do you want?”

“Get dressed and follow me. It’s almost five, and the servants will be rising soon. And you dropped this.” Nash held Victor’s missing shoe as he slipped his hand through the crack in the door. “Now hurry. We don’t have time to waste.”

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