He withdrew, walking over to a low table on which rested a champagne bucket and two champagne flutes. She nodded and watched as he expertly opened the champagne bottle and poured two glasses. He returned to her side. “Shall we toast?”
“Of course.” She glanced at the alcohol in his hand. “We could drink something else.”
“Just a sip for me. To Julianne, my beloved.” He raised his glass.
“I think we should drink to us.”
“That too. To us.” He smiled, and they toasted one another before sipping their champagne.
“How did you do all of this? It must have taken hours.” Julia gazed at the spectacle around them.
“Old Mr. Bancroft has been taking care of the house and grounds while I’m away. I asked him to arrange everything while we were eating dinner. May I?” He reached into a bowl of strawberries and chose the largest, ripest one and held it out to her.
Gabriel brought the red fruit to Julia’s lips, smiling widely as she took half of it into her mouth before biting down. “You’ll find that it complements the taste of the champagne.”
Julia laughed as some of the juice from the berry escaped her mouth. She moved to wipe it with her hand, but Gabriel’s fingers were faster. He traced her lips slowly, capturing the juice, and transferred his fingers to his own mouth before sucking on them.
“Delicious,” he murmured.
As he repeated this ritual, Julia began to feel strangely light-headed. Gabriel’s sensuality, even bridled, was dizzying in the extreme.
She reached over to return the favor and was stunned when, after swallowing, he drew one of her fingers into his mouth, swirling his tongue around it before sucking it.
“Sweet like candy,” he mused, his voice throaty and thick.
He sat next to her on the bench and placed his arm around her, drawing a single finger across her trembling lower lip.
“Do you have any idea what you do to me? The flush of your cheeks, the warmth of your skin, the speed of your heart…” He shook his head. “It’s beyond words.”
Julia unbuttoned her sweater and placed his palm flush against her chest. “Feel my heart beat. You do this to me, Gabriel.”
He glanced down at where his palm was placed. “I intend to elicit that reaction for the rest of my life.”
He captured her lips with his in a fiery kiss before withdrawing his hand to hover at her cheek. “I brought you here because this is where it all began. You changed my life that night. I’ll never be able to thank you.”
“Your love is thanks enough.”
He kissed her sweetly.
“Where is the music coming from?” Julia looked around for a stereo system but couldn’t find one.
“Mr. Bancroft provided the means to have music.”
“It’s lovely.”
“Not half as lovely as you. You brought beauty to my life the instant I met you.” Gabriel tightened his grip around her. “I still can’t believe I have you in my arms after all these years, and that you love me.”
“I always loved you, Gabriel. Even when you didn’t recognize me.” Julia pressed her head to his heart as he hummed along to the music.
When the song was replaced by a new one, Gabriel murmured against her skin. “I have a gift for you.”
“Just kiss me.”
“I’ll rain kisses on you once you let me present my gift.” He pulled something out of his jacket and handed it to her. It was an announcement written in Italian on very expensive card stock.
“What is it?” She looked up at him.
“Read it,” he urged, his eyes alight.
The announcement was from the Uffizi Gallery in Florence and it declared the opening of an exclusive exhibit of an extraordinary collection of Botticelli illustrations of Dante’s Divine Comedy, some of which had never before been seen in public. The announcement went on to declare that the exhibit was on loan to the Uffizi from Professor Gabriel Emerson, as a gift to his fidanzata, Miss Julianne Mitchell.
She gaped at him in surprise. “Gabriel, your illustrations. I can’t believe it.”
“My happiness has made me generous.”
“But what about the legal issues? And how you bought them?”
“My lawyer hired a team of experts to trace the provenance, which ends in the late nineteenth century. After that, no one knows to whom they belonged. And since they were always part of a private collection, I own them legally and rightfully. Now I want to share them.”
“That’s wonderful.” Julia flushed and looked down at the ground. “But my name shouldn’t be attached to the exhibition. The illustrations are yours.”
“I’m only sharing them because of you.”
Julia reached up a hand to touch his jaw. “Thank you. What you’re doing is very generous. I always thought that those pictures should be available for people to see and to enjoy.”
“You taught me not to be selfish.”
She moved to kiss him, eagerly tasting his mouth. “You taught me to accept gifts.”
“Then we’re a matched set.” He cleared his throat as he pushed a lock of hair away from her face. “Will you accompany me to the exhibition? We’ll schedule it for the summer. Dottore Vitali would like to host a reception for us, similar to the one he held last year for my lecture.”
“Of course I will.”
“Good. Perhaps we’ll be able to find a private corner of the museum so we can…”
“I’d like nothing more, Professor.” She winked.
Gabriel tugged at his collar involuntarily.
“Do you want to get married in Florence next summer? We could have the wedding while we’re visiting the exhibition.”
“No.”
His eyes sought the ground as disappointment spread across his face.
“Next summer would be far too late. What about next month?”
Gabriel’s eyes flew to hers. “I’d marry you tomorrow, if I could. But are you sure? It doesn’t leave us much time to plan a wedding.”
“I want our wedding to be small. I’m tired of living alone. I want to be with you.” She brushed his ear with her lips. “And it isn’t only because I want to have you warm my bed.”
A growl escaped Gabriel’s chest, and he kissed her firmly. She sighed into his mouth, and the two embraced warmly before he pulled back.
“What about your studies?”
“Lots of graduate students are married. Even if I only see you in bed at night it will be more than I see you now. Please don’t make me wait.”
He stroked her cheek with the back of his hand. “As if the waiting wasn’t killing me as well. Where should we get married?”
“Assisi. It’s always been an important place for me, and I know it’s important to you too.”
“Then Assisi it is, as soon as possible. Honeymoon to be determined?” He lifted his eyebrows suggestively. “Or is there somewhere particular you’d like to go? Paris? Venice? Belize?”
“Anywhere would be wonderful as long as I’m with you.”
He squeezed her tightly. “Bless you for that. I’ll make it a surprise, then.”
She kissed him again and within moments, felt the world spinning around her. Everything fell away as she melted in his arms.
“I have something else I want to show you,” he said at length, dragging his lips from hers.
He clasped her hand in his and walked over to the old apple tree that stood on the edge of the clearing.
He turned to face her, eyes full of feeling. “The first time we met, I picked an apple from this tree.”
“I remember.”
“The apple represented what my life was like at that time—carnal, selfish, violent, a magnet for sin.”
Julia watched as he sank to one knee, pulling a golden apple out of his pocket.
“This apple represents what I’ve become—full of hope. And love.”
She looked at the apple before her eyes sought his.
“Has a man ever asked you to marry him before?”
She shook her head, covering her mouth with her hand.
“Then I’m glad I’m your first.”
He opened the apple like a magic box and Julia saw a sparkling diamond ring nestled against a fold of red velvet.
“I want to be your first and your last. I love you, Julianne. I offer you my heart and my life.
“Marry me. Be my wife, my friend, my lover, and my guide. Be my blessed Beatrice and my adored Julianne.” His voice wavered slightly. “Say you’ll be mine. Forever.”
“Yes,” Julia managed, before the tears overtook her.
Gabriel removed the ring from the apple and placed it gently on her finger before caressing her hand with his lips.
“I chose this ring a long time ago, when I picked out the wedding bands. But it can be returned.” His voice was wistful. “I know you might want to choose your own rings.”
Julia examined the two-and-a-half-carat, cushion-cut diamond in its platinum setting. The ring was old-fashioned with smaller, bead set diamonds that surrounded the central stone and graduated side stones that decorated the band. Although it was far larger and more ornate than she had ever dreamed of, it was perfect because he chose it for her.