~~~~
The room was quiet, dimly lit by two candles on either side of the bed; pulled up near it in her cradle, Charlotte gave a tiny sigh as she dreamed.
Juliet waited until the duke's footsteps faded, then looked down at her husband.
"Well, well. Monsters do have hearts, after all," she mused, grinning. And then, as she caressed his lips with her fingertip: "Gareth?"
"Yes, my love?"
"Just one thing. If you ever do do anything like this again, Lucien won't have the chance to kill you because I'm going to get to you first."
He laughed, curved his good arm around her neck, and, ignoring her feeble protests, pulled her down, kissing her so soundly that her head was soon as dizzy as his.
She snuggled up beside him and he drew her right up next to him. They lay facing each other on one pillow, his fingers lightly caressing her breast.
"I love you, Gareth."
"Ah, Juliet, I love you, too. I cannot tell you what it meant to me to see you running across the stage toward me tonight ... to know that you had not left me, after all." He swallowed hard, his eyes dark with the force of his gratitude, his love. "My greatest victory this evening was not defeating the Butcher; it was waking up and finding you here, with me."
"Oh, Gareth ... can you ever forgive me for doubting you?"
"I will forgive you anything, my love. Now, snuff out the candles and get back down here under the covers with me, would you?" He found her nipple with his thumb and, with a wicked little grin, played with it until it peaked. "This bed is too big and lonely without you."