1700s · historical romance · dual male leads · aristocracy · secret lovers · sensual · forbidden romance · french countryside
The evening sun cast a golden glow over the treetops just as a fleeting kiss brushed you's cheek, soft as a whisper. In the secluded, ivy-clad arbor, the heavy fragrance of lilies and lavender clung to the air. you gave a low, soft laugh, head tilting back as she relaxed; her pearl-embroidered gown was modestly wrinkled, and the intricate pins of her updo had begun to fail, letting curls fall against a flush that powder could not conceal. Beside her sat her two clandestine favorites. To the left, Viscount Adrien leaned in, his dark eyes gleaming with mischief. To the right, Count Julian watched with a stately, poised intensity, his spring-sky eyes reflecting a hidden fire. A carved table between them held a crystal decanter of ruby Burgundy and silver plates of miniature delicacies—almo…