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In the study, she’d hung reproductions of paintings that were displayed in their house in Harvard Square—Henry Holiday’s Dante Meets Beatrice at Ponte Santa Trinita, Botticelli’s Priels by Fra Filippo Lippi Gabriel found hi intently

It could be said that the paintings illustrated the stages of their relationship The first figured theirobsession The second represented Cupid’s arrow, striking Julia when he no longer ree Finally, the painting of the Madonna represented what Gabriel hopedJulia had spent at her desk, writing her first public lecture, which she would deliver at Oxford next o, they’d made love on the bedroom floor, covered in paint, before the furniture had been delivered

(Julia had decided that body painting with Gabriel was her new favorite sport)

With memories of their physical connection inits tempo, Gabriel’s patience had come to an end They were needs He had no intention of allowing her to ignore hi

He prowled over to her, his footfalls silent Heher neck The slight stubble of his unshaved face rasped against her skin, intensifying his kisses

“Co, thin fingers traced the arch of her neck as he waited

“My lecture isn’t finished” She lifted her pretty face to look at him “I don’t want to embarrass Professor Picton, especially when she invited ram”

“You won’t embarrass her And you’ll have plenty of tiet the house ready for your fa in two days”

“They aren’tlook “They’re our fa the blanket”

Julia turned and saw a fa on the white overstuffed chair that sat under theShe peered out into the woods that bordered the backyard “It’s dark”

“I’ll protect you” He helped her to her feet, clasping his arether

She felt his warh the thinand alluring

“Why do you want to visit the orchard in the dark?” she teased, pulling his glasses fro them on the desk

Gabriel fixed her with a look that would have ht his lips to her ear “I want to see your naked skin glow in the ht while I’m inside you”

He drew part of her earlobe into his an to explore her neck, kissing and nipping as her heart rate increased

“A declaration of desire,” he whispered

Julia gave herself over to the sensations, finally beco conscious of the music in the air Gabriel’s scent, a mixture of peppermint and Ara her the way a cat watches a mouse, as she picked up the blanket

“I suppose Guido da Montefeltro can wait” She glanced down at her notes

“He’s been dead over seven hundred years I’d say he’s practiced at waiting”