seen it anywhere other than on his arm.
He'd always loved
He well understood how Grace felt about her books. He'd been the same way in his youth. Every chance he'd gotten, he had escaped into the world of fantasy where heroes always triumphed. Where demons and villains were vanquished. Where mothers and fathers loved their children.
In the stories, there was no hunger, no pain. There was freedom and hope. It was through such stories that he learned of compassion and kindness. Of honor and integrity.
Grace knelt beside him. 'You miss your home, don't you?'
Julian looked away. The only thing he missed was his children.
Unlike Kyrian, he had never cared for battle. The stench of death and blood, the moans of the dying. He'd fought only because it was expected of him. And he'd led because, as Plato said, everyone by nature was suited to a particular activity, which ideally they would pursue. By his nature, Julian had always been a leader and not one to follow others.
No, he didn't really miss it, but…
'It was all I knew.'
She touched his shoulder, yet it was the concern in her light gray eyes that undid him.
'Did you want your son to be a soldier?'
He shook his head. 'I never wanted him to be cut down in his youth like so many of my soldiers had been,' he said, his voice hoarse. 'Rather ironic, isn't it? I wouldn't even allow him to keep the play-sword Kyrian had given him as a birthday gift, or to touch mine when I was home.'
She placed her hand against his neck, then pulled him to her. Her touch was so incredibly soothing. So warm. It filled him with aching loneliness.
'What was his name?'
Julian swallowed. He hadn't uttered his children's names aloud since the day they'd died. He hadn't dared, and yet he wanted to share that with her. 'Atolycus. My daughter was Callista.'
Her smile was edged by sadness as if she shared his pain at their loss. 'They had beautiful names.'
'They were beautiful children.'
'If they were anything like you, I can believe that.'
That was the kindest thing anyone had ever said to him.
Julian ran his hand under her hair and let the silken strands fill his palm. Closing his eyes, he wanted to stay like this forever.
Fear of letting her go ripped through him. He'd never liked the idea of being sucked into his empty hell, but now the thought of never seeing her again, of never again smelling her sweet skin, of never again laying his palm against the warm blush of her cheek…
It was more than he could bear.
Gods, and he had thought himself cursed before.
She pulled back and kissed him lightly on the lips, then picked up the book.
Julian swallowed. She wanted to save him, and for the first time in centuries, he wanted to be saved.
He slid down lower on the floor to where she could return to lying against him. He loved feeling her there. Feeling her hair spilling across his arms, his chest.
They lay on the floor until the wee hours of the morning while Julian listened to her read of Odysseus and Achilles.
He watched as she grew tired, but she continued to read. The clock above struck three as she yawned and turned a page.
She tried to blink her eyes open, but her exhaustion was too much. Finally, she closed her eyes and fell asleep.
Julian smiled as he took the book from her hand and set it aside. He cupped her cheek while he watched her.
He wasn't sleepy. He didn't want to miss a single second of being with her. Watching her, touching her. Absorbing her. He would treasure it forever.
Never had he spent an evening like this, just lying comfortably with a woman without her groping his body, demanding that he touch and fill her.
In his day, men and women didn't spend much time together. During the times he was at home, Penelope had seldom spoken to him. In fact, she hadn't shown much interest in him at all.
On the nights when he sought her out, she hadn't refused him. But she was never eager for his touch, either. He'd always been able to coax a heated response from her body, but never one from her heart.
He brushed his hand through Grace's sable hair, delighting in the way it wrapped around his hand. His gaze dropped to his ring. It glinted dully in the light.
In his mind's eye he could see it coated in blood. Feel the way it bit into his finger as he wielded his sword in battle. That ring had meant everything to him, and it hadn't come easy. He'd earned it through the sweat of his brow and at the price of stinging attacks on his flesh. It had been costly, but it had been well worth it.
There for a time, if not loved, he had been respected. In bis mortal life, that had meant everything to him.
Sighing, he leaned his head back against the sofa cushion behind him and closed his eyes.
As he finally drifted to sleep, it wasn't the faces of the past that haunted his dreams, it was the vision of light gray eyes laughing with him, and of dark hair spilling over his chest as a warm, soft voice read words that were familiar and yet somehow foreign.
Grace stretched languidly as she came awake. Opening her eyes, she was surprised to find her head lying on Julian's stomach. His right hand was buried in her hair and by the deep even breaths she knew he was still asleep.
She looked up at him. His face relaxed, he looked almost childlike.
And it was then she realized his nightmare hadn't come. He had slept through the night.
Smiling, she rose slowly, trying not to wake him.
It didn't work. The instant she withdrew, his eyes flew open, searing her with their heat.
'Grace,' he breathed.
'I didn't mean to wake you.'
'It's all right.'
Grace motioned to the stairs with her thumb. 'I was going upstairs to shower. Should I lock the door?'
He raked a searing look over her. 'No, I think I can behave.'
She smiled. 'It seems I've heard that one before.'
He didn't respond.
Grace went above and took a quick shower.
When she finished, she went to her bedroom and found Julian lying on the bed, flipping through her copy of
He did a double-take as he looked up to see her wearing nothing but a towel. Those dimples flashed lecherously and sent heat dancing all over her body.
'I'll just get my clothes, and-'
'No,' he said in a commanding tone.
'No?' she asked in disbelief.
His face softened. 'I'd rather you dress in here.'
'Julian-'
'Please.'
Grace squirmed uneasily at his request. She'd never done anything like that in her life.
'Pretty please,' he asked again with just a hint of a smile.
What woman could say no to that look?
She looked askance at him. 'Don't you dare laugh,' she said as she hesitantly opened the towel.
He dropped a hungry look to her breasts. 'You can rest assured laughter is the farthest thing from my
