A/N: Those of you reading Paladin are already aware: A Heart that Waits is for sale as a paperback, hardback, and an e-book thru lulu dot com. If you go to my website and click on Phan Support there are more details available. A portion of proceeds (a dollar, or 33 goes to fund animal rescue.)

Check out the cover! It's awesome!

NDBRs: There were a few changes to the preview.

OW21

A man and a woman were shouting at one another when Julia and I walked into the bakery. The jingle of the bell attached to the door caused their conversation to end abruptly.

"One moment, please!" a man shouted from the back of the bakery. It was Anthony, I suspected. The woman with him laughed, and at the sound of her voice I glanced at Julia.

I mouthed, "Madeline?"

Julia glared at me. "I'm sure she feels absolutely terrible, especially if Alex saw her in such a…position," Julia said under her breath, her tone scolding.

Truly, I couldn't imagine that my delight in discovering she wasn't a cold-blooded woman after all would diminish any time soon. Served her right, the irritating woman, to be caught in the arms of my tailor.

"It's discomforting that the Italians have a bakery in Paris," I said under my breath as Julia surveyed sweet breads on a silver tray.

"Hush," she replied.

"Quite bold," I grumbled as I watched her pop a slice of bread into her mouth. She intrigued me with her dainty action, the way her lips closed around the food, her hand covering her mouth so that I couldn't see her chewing. I swallowed hard, finding her actions intimate and inviting.

"My cousin will pack a box of cookies for you, I have no doubt."

"Italians baking bread in Paris. Nefarious, if you ask me," I continued.

Julia rolled her eyes and extended her hand to me. "Here. Try this," she said.

"What is it?" I questioned.

"You know very well what it is. Honest to God, Erik, it would have been easier to bring Alex and Lissy," she teased as she waited for me to open my mouth.

I watched her fingers, so long and slender, nearing my lips. How I much desired to taste her fingertips. The bread was merely an added treat.

"Ah, Julia, how are you?" Anthony exclaimed as he walked through the back door.

Julia nearly dropped the treat she held in her hand. Straightening, she turned to face her cousin and smiled, attempting to appear as though we had merely been standing patiently, waiting for someone to assist us.

"I'm well. How are you, Anthony?" she said with pleasantness and grace.

"Fine, fine," Anthony replied. He briefly stared at me before he kissed Julia on both cheeks. "You look wonderful, honestly. Better than you've looked in years."

"You are too kind," Julia blushed, a reaction I didn't care for at all. He was her cousin through marriage, not through blood. If he had designs on my Julia…

"How is Lisette?" Anthony questioned. "I haven't seen her in weeks."

"She wasn't feeling well today, I'm afraid."

"Nothing serious, I hope?"

"No, she was awake quite late while being spoiled by Archie Leach's sister. You remember Archie and Hermine, don't you?"

"No one can forget a Leach," Anthony said with a wink, which made Julia laugh.

"Erik's mother is staying with Lissy while she naps. You remember Monsieur Erik Kire, don't you?"

I looked away as they exchanged pleasantries, uncertain of my immediate feelings toward Anthony now that he was showing Julia his affection. My only consolation was that Max was not with him.

"Erik, you remember Anthony, my cousin?"

Once she said my name I turned to acknowledge her words. Anthony smiled at me, doing his best to appear as though he weren't staring at my mask.

"A pleasure to make your acquaintance once more, Monsieur," Anthony said. He kept his arm around Julia and extended his hand to me. "Have you considered my request to accompany my father and me to dinner?"

He made no mention of Max. I wondered if Max had finally decided to return home. I imagined he should have been well enough to travel now, but with such a pig-headed man nothing could be certain.

"Dinner?" Julia questioned.

"Before you are married," Anthony said with an easy smile.

"I'm afraid that won't be possible, as we are to be married on Monday."

Anthony appeared slightly taken aback by my answer, but did nothing more than nod. Julia blushed and quickly came to my side and took my arm.

"It's a very small wedding," she said apologetically.

"You're not inviting family?" Anthony asked, his brow furrowed. He crossed his arms and studied the two of us, feigning concern or genuinely bothered I couldn't tell.

Julia stammered. "We'll have Erik's mother, his sister, her husband, my daughter and Erik's son. Between the two of us…"

"I see," Anthony replied. He uncrossed his arms and rubbed his palms together. "Then perhaps it would be possible to have tea together, Julia?"

"I would like that," Julia replied.

"Today?"

Julia shook her head, pausing a moment. I saw her glance at me from the corner of her eye. "After the wedding," she said, keeping her voice even.

Anthony's gaze traveled between me and Julia, his expression unreadable. "Are you certain?" he asked, his eyes locking on Julia's.

She squeezed my arm gently. "We are having dinner together tonight. Perhaps you would care to join us after dinner for a drink."

He smiled then. "Of course."

"Then we look forward to having you," Julia said. "It's been many years since we've had the opportunity, hasn't it, Anthony?"

"Too many," Anthony replied. "With Louis—"

"I know," Julia said before he finished. She looked away as he stepped forward and pecked her on the cheek. I looked on, making damned certain he didn't linger longer than necessary.

"You do look well," I heard Anthony whisper. "Better than you ever did with him." When Julia made no reply, Anthony pulled away and quickly glanced at me. He nodded, seemingly in approval before he called to the woman in the back. She shouted to him in Italian that she was going next door.

"Who is that?" Julia questioned.

"A neighbor," Anthony shrugged. "Now please, I insist that you allow me to make your cake."

"We didn't come here expecting handouts," Julia said.

"Ah, it's not handouts when it's for family, Julia, my dear."

He was dancing a very fine line with his flirtations.

Anthony returned to the back, shouting over his shoulder that he had more samples for us to try and would have more after dinner if we wanted him to bring cake to Julia's home. Once he disappeared, a woman and her daughter walked into the bakery and selected their bread. The girl, a scrawny little thing, made no attempt to hide her interest in my mask. She gawked unabashedly until her mother tugged her along, nearly running into Julia in her haste.

"Do not stare at the unfortunate," the woman hissed.

"What happened?" the little girl questioned.

"Hope you never find out," the woman said. "Now where is the owner?"

Julia turned to face the woman just as I turned away. "Your daughter is very beautiful."

"Thank you."

"Mama, may I ask him what happened?"

Her queries were unnerving. My hands had begun to sweat, my focus on my surroundings dissipating.

Anthony shouted a woman's name and several seconds later a tall, slender girl with sleek black hair appeared. She made change for the woman who was impatiently tapping her foot and holding fast to her daughter, who was straining for another look at the macabre being she'd discovered in the bakery.

"Do you have a face?" the girl questioned.

I merely stared at her, not knowing how to respond. She was a stranger, and normally I would not have acknowledged an uncouth stranger, but this was a child. Her words were not intended to be malicious.

"Stephanie," the woman warned.

"Does he, Mama?"

Snatching her change, the woman dragged her daughter from the counter and pulled her out of sight. I don't know how long I stood and stared at the rack of bread in front of me before Julia put her hand on my shoulder. I didn't know what to do or what to say. It had been many years since anyone had confronted me in that way, save for my own son who questioned everything.

"Only a moment more," she said softly. "And then we will have lunch together."

I nodded and turned to face her. In her eyes I saw her unspoken words: She meant no harm. A child has many curiosities. Forgive her, Erik.

Putting my arm around Julia, I took a deep breath and kissed the shell of her ear.

"Unless, of course, we leave here with no appetite," Julia added.

"We will have lunch together. Alone," I growled in her ear, grabbing her tighter.

She made no reply, but I felt her smile as she kissed my lips.