evening got infinitely better.
Her sweet and thoughtful gifts had warmed my heart. Usually my birthday passed with the minimum of fuss. Gerard always found a special bottle of wine or liquor to mark the occasion, and the kitchen would echo with birthday wishes, but that was about it. Julia’s offerings had shown how well she knew me and how, in her own way, she wanted to care for me, the same way I wanted to care for her.
And when she gave me the gift I’d been longing for the most—the gift of her and her love—the day, the year, my entire future was bright.
Finally making her mine, holding her close and feeling her warmth wrapped around me in the most intimate of ways had been nothing but perfect.
When I saw the problem she’d obviously been trying to solve on her own, my anger raged. Her landlady was, without a doubt, the biggest bitch I’d ever met. Whatever life had done to her, Julia didn’t deserve her attitude or to be kicked out of her small room. She bent over backward to follow every rule the cow put in place, constantly polite and never once complaining. I had never even seen her room, as I wasn’t allowed to enter the house.
Until now.
“Really, it’s fine. I don’t have much,” she insisted.
“Good. It won’t take us long, and we can be done.”
She made a small distressed sound in her throat. “Maybe you could just wait in the car.”
I chuckled as I shook my head. “Nope. You promised. It’s my birthday.”
“Byron, it’s fine.”
Leaning over the console, I dragged Julia close and kissed her hard. “She kicked you out. In the middle of term, for no reason. It’s not fine.”
“But now I’m going to live with you. So, it’s a good thing in the end. Just leave it. I’ll get my things, and you come back in about an hour.”
I ran my finger down her soft cheek. “I’ll bring in the totes and help you pack. I’m not leaving you alone with her so she can berate you more, my love. Not happening.”
“Will you be polite?”
“Not a chance.”
“But—”
“What’s she going to do? She already kicked you out. As soon as she opens her mouth, I’m going to let her have it. She deserves it.”
Ignoring her groan, I glanced past Julia to the nondescript house. Today would be the last day she had to worry about stepping over an imaginary line or upsetting the old hag. I had a check in my pocket and some totes we had stopped and picked up at the restaurant. I was going in with her, no matter what her landlady said.
I opened my door, sliding out, and went around to her side of the car. I tugged Julia out of her seat, dropping a kiss onto her hand. “Come on. Let’s go get your stuff, and then we can get out of here.”
She stood, not moving. “I can do it alone.”
“I know you can, but you don’t have to. So, why?”
“She’s going to be upset.”
I laughed. “So? What else can she do?”
She bit her lip, worrying the plump flesh. “What if…” She trailed off.
“What if what?”
She peeked up, her wide eyes filled with worry. “What if I need to use her as a reference at some point? If I…if I needed a place to live one day.”
“Oh, Julia.” I wrapped my arms around her, pressing her into the side of the car. “My love, do you really think once I get you under my roof, I’m ever going to let you go? I love you. I want a life with you.”
“I might burn the kitchen once too often.”
I chuckled as I traced my lips over her sweet mouth. “There is nothing you can do that would make me not want you with me. Nothing.”
“Promise?”
“Yes.”
She drew in a deep breath. “Okay.”
I noticed the curtain move in the window behind us and saw the flash of brassy blond hair. The cow was home and watching us. She told Julia once she didn’t want any PDA on her front lawn. She strictly forbade it.
With a grin, I lifted Julia, pressing her farther into the metal of the door and covering her mouth with mine, kissing her passionately. She whimpered, wrapping her arms around my neck and holding me tight.
Time to start breaking the rules.
We were both panting by the time I lowered her back to her feet. I leaned my forehead against hers, nuzzling the supple skin. “We may have to skip the