Page 84 of The Lady is Trouble

Dammit.

He’d mucked it up, a foul effort. The Reluctant Viscount apparently could not propose with any delicacy.

Where was the romance?

Hidden deep in his heart, that’s where.

He wasn’t a poet, he lamented, drawing wrapping paper around a painting of Bond Street headed to a tobacconist he frequented, one who wished to modernize his shop. At Julian’s core, he was an unpretentious man, caught up in managing the viscountcy, growing the League, working on his paintings. Protecting the motley assortment who were now his family.

He was somewhat staid, even slightly dull. He wasn’t vibrant enough for Piper, of that he was sure, but she was his, and he wasnotgiving her up.

Helpless to fight his attraction, and with that atrocious promise standing between them, he’d mishandled the entire relationship. More than once sent them down the wrong path. Now he was willing to share every part of himself, yet, he was floundering.

Like most men, when it came down to it, he was simply a daft prick.

However, this time he might surprise her. When Beauchamp the Lionhearted made up his mind, he was as bloody stubborn as Scandalous Scott.

“She doesn’t believe you.”

Julian turned, having made a wager regarding whom heleastwanted to provide counsel when counsel showed. Heartless Humphrey or chiding-with-a-smile Finn.

Obviously, the boy had lost the coin toss.

Finn closed the door with a soft snick and strolled in as if he owned the space. Sauntered from one side of the room to the other, inspecting canvases and toeing aside paintbrushes with a polished boot.

Julian tightened the noose knot around the painting and set it aside. The string had sent an image of a man loading spool through his mind. He blinked to clear it. “Did you come to review my latest work?” Grabbing another length of twine, he fashioned a piece long enough to secure the next bundle and slit his knife through it. “Make yourself useful then.”

Finn hummed beneath his breath in agreement.

Julian nodded to a partial nude leaning against the settee. “That one, please.”

Finn dropped to his haunches, tilted his head in assessment. “Naughty. Looks French.” He whistled in appreciation. “Is itde rigueurfor the artist to take the clothes off the model? If so, I may take up painting.”

Julian flattened a square of paper with his palm. “Adam Davies can do anything he damn well pleases.” The name he’d used in the rookery served as hisnom de plume. It wouldn’t do for a viscount to be associated with risqué artwork, which is likely why most days he felt more Mr. Davies than Viscount Beauchamp. “Out with it, will you?”

Finn brought the painting to Julian. “You’re going to have to do better. Alotbetter. Groveling of the first order. Your proposal was dreadful. Remind me not to ask for tips should I ever decide to go that route.”

“Astonishing observation.” He secured the paper around the canvas with a snap.

Finn handed him the length of twine. “You create striking masterpieces, yet you can’t charm the woman you love. This is where it’s proven we are not, in truth, blood relations. It should be easy. If you meant what you said, that is.”

Julian tied the knot, then gave it a vicious tug for good measure. “When have I evernotloved her?”

Finn huffed a laugh and settled his hip on the desk. “Give the hound a boon for having caught said fox.”

“You may want to consider another analogy. Piper may not love being compared to a dog.”

“Consider her predicament, then.”

“Finn, my boy, I’ve been considering herpredicamentsince I was fifteen years old. And rescued her from most of them.” Finn had been too young to know the half of it. Did he think she’d gotten that blasted moniker fornothing?

Finn snapped his fingers. “Exactly. So, try a go at not being her minder. Court her, Jule. You can’t expect her to trust you when she’s always been the one on the hook. From a love standpoint, that is. I channeled no minds to gain this information, by the by. It’s out there, ripe for the taking.”

Julian froze, the twine sliding through his fingers. He’d never courted Piper. Never courted anyone. Never planned to court anyone.

Had he ever treated Piper like the woman he loved instead of the one he’d been asked to protect?

Show her you love her, Julian.