“I meant it when I said it before. I think I’ve loved you since the first day I walked into the library. You’re mine. I meant that too. I’m not letting you go.”
“It’s really all over? You gave them the necklace, and they’ll leave you alone?”
“You’re safe, but it won’t completely be over until I get my revenge. The bastard wouldn’t tell me where you were.”
“But you did give them the necklace?”
I smiled. “I gave them the reproduction. I was able to convince the museum to give it to me, telling them they could either lose it or lose the real thing.”
“Seriously? They went along with it?
“The director may have been under the impression I was working with the police.”
“Under the impression…”
“You know how good I am at charming people.”
“So you gave Carlotti the reproduction? And in exchange for that they agreed to stay out of your territory?”
“It wasn’t quite that easy. We found some information we could hold over them and used it for leverage.”
“Is that going to cause you trouble later?”
“It doesn’t matter because I found you, and I’m never going to let you go.” I held his gaze, my heart pounding. Our conversation about how things had gone down had distracted me from the fact that, while Julian seemed happy I loved him, he hadn’t said the words back. What if he didn’t feel the same way?
“Lancelot?”
“Yes?”
“I forgot the most important thing. I mean, I didn’t forget it, but I just didn’t say it. I was… My head’s still a little fuzzy.”
“That’s okay, baby. You can take as long as you need to recover from all this.”
“I’m fine, but I’ll be better when you know I love you so much I don’t even know how to describe it. I never expected this. I’d given up on finding love, and I never thought I’d meet someone as amazing as you. I don’t want you to let me go.”
“I won’t. You’re going to stay right here with me, preferably in this bed. I can bring you food and whatever else you need—books, historical papers, model kits—but I’d be happy to keep you right here.
“You can have me anytime you want, use me, take me, force me to give you everything.”
His voice dropped as he said those words, and his eyes sparkled. I could see desire there. “Would you like that? Would you like to be at my beck and call any time, ready to spread your legs for me, to give me your body?”
“I think even you would eventually get tired of spending all day in bed.”
I shook my head. “No, I don’t think I would. I think you’re enough excitement even for me.”
“I don’t think Tony would like that very much.”
Tony skittered across the bed and snuggled with Julian. I looked down at them, and my heart felt so full.
“I suppose I could let you leave occasionally to do your stuffy, uptight librarian things, but I want you here most of the time.”
“There’s nowhere else I’d rather be, Lance. Not even the library.”
I leaned down and kissed Julian. It was a gentle kiss, but it was warm and all-consuming. I cupped his face gently as I pulled back. “There’s nowhere I’d rather be than wherever you are, even if that’s at the library.”
“Then I think staying together forever sounds perfect.”
“Yes, it does,” I whispered against his lips before indulging in one more kiss.
When I tried to pull away, he held me tight. I wanted him so badly, but… “You should rest.”
“I’m not tired.”
“You just fell asleep, and the doctor said—” He arched up, and I felt the hard length of his cock pressed against me.
“Since when do you follow the rules?”
“I follow them when your life’s at stake.”
“I was a little banged up and a lot scared, but I feel fine now. More than fine.”
I did not have the willpower to argue anymore. “Let me get out of these clothes.”
He smiled then and allowed me to sit up. I pulled my suit jacket off and tossed it on the floor. As I did, I caught sight of my dresser and remembered what was in the top drawer.
“I have a surprise for you.”
“Now?”
“Yes, now.”
I rose from the bed and crossed the room, stripping off more clothes as I went. Once I was naked, I opened the top dresser drawer and pulled out a leather jewelry case. When I glanced over my shoulder, Julian was staring at my ass.
“See something you like?”
“You know I do. I want you back in bed.”
“Wow. Let a guy get kidnapped, and he’s demanding all of a sudden.”
“Lancelot.”
I picked up the case and walked back to the bed.
Julian shifted his attention from my body to what I held in my hand. “What is that?”
I gripped the edge of the box and pulled back the spring-loaded top. Inside was the necklace the Carlottis had stolen.