She chose a couple of outfits and drove back to the hotel. To her surprise Sebastian hadn’t moved from the bed. He was watching the telly, looking better than any actor on the screen, and she smiled with absolute delight to find him there, just waiting for her. They never left the room for dinner. They were very content just talking and holding each other. He ordered room service for her but she wasn’t very hungry. When she was with him she was never hungry for food.
They had another amazing night; she was sure that he had mastered the art of love through the centuries. Their lips remained fused as he swept her away until passion and desire made both of them surrender to the swirling exhilaration. She wanted to learn from Sebastian and share the pleasure he was giving her without breaking her vow, and he was a wonderful teacher. It was late when they both drifted off to sleep in each other’s arms.
Sunday came all too quickly, and he had to prepare to leave again. Tears blinded her eyes and her heart was full of sadness. He folded her in his arms and held her closer as their lips locked in a passionate kiss.
“I don’t want to say goodbye to you again. I am getting tired of the same routine,” she said as they kissed. “It breaks my heart every time you get on that plane.”
“The more time I spend with you the more difficult it becomes to leave you,” Sebastian agreed. “But I’ll be back soon. I wish you could understand how hard it is to be without you; you are my life now, and we are going to be together.”
On the way to the airport she told Sebastian about the party her parents were planning for her twenty-first birthday. “It’s the week after next,” she said. “It’s very sweet of them, but nothing will be good enough without you. I’ll think of you and miss you every moment of every day until I see you again.”
“I’ll call you often and I’ll see you sooner than you think. I want to look into your beautiful blue eyes and see the love you hold for me, not the tears,” he said. He pulled her back into his arms, pressing his lips against hers, leaving her gasping in pure exhilaration. Then with another intense kiss, he was gone.
As she drove back to their flat, she noticed that the weather was exactly as she felt inside: dark and unexciting. When she got back to the flat she went straight to bed. She had never believed that any of this could ever happen to her. She had never had feelings like these for any man, and she couldn’t stand the idea that she had to be without him for any length of time. She felt lonely and sad, and she couldn’t think of a single thing that could make her feel good at this point. That was the last thought she had before falling into a deep sleep.
Sebastian kept staring out the window until the plane was above the clouds and he couldn’t see the city any longer. He could not stop thinking of Arielle and the two days they had spent together. He could still feel the passion aroused in him when their bodies touched, and the feeling of incredible excitement that he had never known before.
Just listening to the rhythm of her heartbeat and feeling her breathing by his side overwhelmed him with contentment. She was the woman he had been looking for throughout the centuries. He was overtaken by desire that made him wake her up at four o’clock in the morning just to hear her voice and kiss her lips.
For the next hour, he kept thinking about her response to him and the passion that had enfolded them. He remembered how his voice was shaking as he had spoken to her, and he now wondered if she had heard that change. If she had, she hadn’t said anything about it. He thought of how they had walked along the beach together holding hands, and his arms ached with emptiness. He needed her there with him to make him feel complete.
Sebastian loved Arielle deeply, and he was planning a huge surprise for her twenty-first birthday. He was going to come back. He shivered with excitement and smiled with pleasure at the thought. He smiled even more thinking about their first dance. Then he groaned at the memory of the utter passion her touch had unleashed into his very soul, and anticipation of the next time they would be together. He closed his eyes, and his lips curved. There was no question in his mind, he would have to ask her to marry him soon. He wanted to be wherever she was; he wanted to be able to hold her, love her, and protect her. Being away from her was sheer torture.
Suddenly the thought of going home made him sick. He would have a firm talk with Annabel. She was to stay away from him, and he would make sure she had absolutely no access to the house ever again.
He remembered looking at Arielle, standing alone at the airport, watching him walk away and how he had wanted to run back, take her in his arms and kiss her sensuous lips one more time. She made him so happy just to be alive. He was stunned to realize how much he missed her. Every minute away from her was now painful. How was he ever going to make it through the rest of this year without her by his side?
He arrived home late in the evening and drove through the streets of St. Jean de Luz, so peaceful and so beautiful. He did love the little town, and he didn’t really want to leave it. I can bring her here next summer, he thought, and the thought made him smile.
The house was quiet when he arrived and he went straight to bed, thinking only of Arielle. He wished she was there with him, but he would have to live with just thoughts of her for the time being.
The next two weeks flew by. Arielle told Gabrielle and Eva most of the details about her weekend with Sebastian. She also told them that she didn’t want to share him with anyone just yet, and they understood.
As it turned out, they had all similar weekends, and none of them had worried about what the others were doing. They laughed, thinking of the way their lives had changed. They didn’t try to figure out when or how that had happened. They just knew that they were completely happy.
Chapter 19
IT WAS HER TWENTY-FIRST BIRTHDAY, and to be with Sebastian was Arielle’s only wish. She was looking forward to her party, but she knew that all she really wanted was to share her special day with him. She got into the shower, feeling the hot water run on her back as she closed her eyes and let the memory of his beautiful face take over.
She was completely lost in her thoughts when she was startled by Eva’s voice calling from the other room, telling her to hurry up. She smiled, knowing that Gabby and Eva were waiting in the sitting room to give her their birthday present. She knew she would love the earrings they had gotten her, but she would have to act surprised. She finished up her shower quickly, threw on a bathrobe, wrapped a towel around her head and walked into the other room.
They were waiting, huge smiles across their faces. “Happy birthday!” they called out in unison, and Gabby handed her a small box, beautifully wrapped. She hugged them both warmly and opened the box enthusiastically.
“They’re beautiful!” she cried. “You two are the best friends a girl could ever want.” She put the earrings on and they were very beautiful – silver, with a striking blue stone in the center that matched the color of Arielle’s eyes. “I love them!” she cried, and her friends both beamed.
As she poured milk over her cereal, they discussed the incredible changes in their lives and the men that were now sharing their lives with them.
“What are you going to do this morning?” Eva asked.
“I need to stop by the house and see if my mother needs help with anything before tonight,” Arielle chuckled.
She was almost ready to leave the flat when they heard the doorbell ring. Eva answered, and there stood a deliveryman with a huge bouquet of flowers.
“Delivery for Miss Arielle Lloyd,” he said, and her heart skipped a beat from sheer joy. She saw the freesia and knew it was from the most wonderful man in the world. She ran to the door and signed for the delivery as her eyes welled up with tears. She took a deep breath and inhaled the unbelievably beautiful aroma of the flowers. She pulled the card out of the envelope and pleasure filled her heart as she read.
“I’ll love you for eternity.”
The card wasn’t signed, but she knew who had sent them, and she was in a state of bliss. She was putting th
e flowers in water when her phone rang and she saw Sebastian’s name pop up on the screen. She melted hearing his velvety voice.
“Happy birthday, baby!”
“Sebastian, thank you so much for the beautiful flowers. They are gorgeous! You’ve made my day.”
“Well, that’s the least I can do from here,” he laughed. “Remember that I love you and I need you more than anything in this world.”
“I feel the same way.”
“Have a happy day – and miss me!”
She smiled hearing the last part. That was the way he always said goodbye to her.
“I’ll miss you more than you’ll ever know,” she promised.
She heard him chuckle, and the phone went dead.
When she arrived at her parents’ house, everything looked more beautiful than she had seen it look in the last few years. “Wow!” she exclaimed. The chandeliers were sparkling, the floors were polished, and flowers filled the rooms. A small stage had been arranged in the ballroom and the band was unloading equipment and setting up. She was in shock; she had never expected anything so fine.
Her mum was looking at her, smiling, waiting for her to say something. “Mummy! I couldn’t have dreamed anything this beautiful. You really shouldn’t have gone to all this trouble.”
“This is a very important birthday, Arielle. We have to make it more special than any of the others,” she said.
“So what do you think?” It was her dad’s voice behind her. She turned around and wrapped her arms around him warmly.
“I love you, Daddy, you are my number one man,” she said. He squeezed her and whispered, “I know you’re getting older, but you’re still my little girl, and don’t you ever forget that.”
Arielle assured him that she never would forget it and that she would love him forever. Then she began helping her mother by running a couple of errands for her and doing a few odds and ends. Soon it was time for her to get ready. She scaled the stairs two at a time and went to her room.
The dress she had chosen for the occasion was a little black cocktail dress that made her look a bit older than she was, and shoes with stiletto heels. She decided to take off the necklace Sebastian had given her; it seemed a little too much with a dress that had all that glitter. She put it in her jewelry box, thinking, after all, what could she possibly be afraid of in her own home? Her little diamond studs were the only jewels she wore. When she looked in the mirror she almost didn’t recognize herself – she looked so grown up!
As she came down the staircase, some of the guests were arriving, some already had drinks in their hands, and others were just mingling. As she entered the room she saw Tristan watching her. He seemed nervous. As she started to walk towards him, she saw him put his hands into his pockets and lean against the wall, smiling and trying to look natural. He looked anything but natural. She smiled, trying to make him feel comfortable.
“Hello, Tristan,” she said, a wide smile on her face. She really was happy to see him. He was just so cute.
“Hello, Arielle,” he said. His voice sounded a little strained, as if it were an effort to make it sound natural.
Tristan was not sure why he was acting like this, except for the fact that he had not been able to get Arielle out of his mind since last summer in St. Jean de Luz.
She’s so beautiful, and her voice soothes my soul, he thought as she walked towards him. It was as though everyone at the party had vanished for a moment but her. When she reached out and hugged him, he felt as though his insides had melted, and he had to remind himself that he needed to cool off.
“How’s school?” he asked. He sounded just a bit uneasy, and she wondered why.
“I’m almost finished with my last semester this year,” she said.
“So, you are twenty-one now?”
“Yes, twenty-one is the magic number,” she laughed. And after pressing his hands softly she walked off to talk with some of her friends. She was so happy to see everyone.
As usual her mother had done a great job arranging the party to perfection. The music was blasting and almost everyone was dancing, drinking, and enjoying the music and the surroundings.
The next song was a slow one, and Tristan invited her to dance. He pulled her to the dance floor and as they moved to the music, he gazed at her with a warm look in his eyes that she didn’t really understand. He started to say something but then he suddenly stopped, as if he had thought better of it.
“What is it, Tristan?” she asked. “Is there something you want to tell me?”
“I came to wish you a happy birthday before I leave for Africa,” he said.
“Africa!” she exclaimed. “What are you going to do in Africa?”
“I’ve joined a group of doctors called Doctors Without Borders. I’ll be leaving on Tuesday.”
“Oh!” she said. “I didn’t know that.” She paused, absorbing the surprise. “It sounds like a great adventure,” she added. “I’ve read and heard great things about what those doctors do for poor people in those countries. You must be so proud! I’m certainly very proud of you, too.” She stood on her toes and kissed him, and he let out a tremulous breath.
There was a hint of sadness in his voice, and for a moment she felt a pang in her heart. She wasn’t sure why, but she held him tighter. Looking into his eyes, she repeated her admiration for what he was about to do. This was going to be a tremendous opportunity for him professionally – and what a great thing to do, to share his medical knowledge and skill with those in such need of it.
Tristan looked at Arielle’s beautiful hair and her gorgeous shoulders, wanting to hold her like that forever. He liked the feel of her skin under his hands and noticed her perfume as they were dancing close. Maybe I shouldn’t have come, he thought. It would have been easier not to see her again.
“I would love to take you with me,” she heard him whisper wistfully.
“Oh, but Tristan, I’m not a doctor or a nurse. I’d be absolutely useless there,” she said, laughing softly.
The song was over but his arms stayed firmly fixed around her waist, and they stayed on the dance floor through the next song. She gazed at his beautiful face and smiled. His touch was warm; it made her feel safe and content, but his eyes looked troubled. She was sure that if Sebastian had not come into her life Tristan would have been a significant someone for her. She shook her head and chuckled at the thought. When the song was over, he bent down and softly pressed his lips on hers.
“Thank you, Arielle,” he murmured. “I’ll never forget this night. Or you!”
“I won’t forget you either, Tristan,” she said. “And I’ll be waiting to hear about your adventures.” She squeezed his hand, smiled at him, and then said, “Well, I’d best talk to my other guests…”
“Of course, Arielle,” he agreed, and he let go of her hand.
A strange but pleasurable heat ran across her body, shaking her to the point that she felt a little dizzy. As she walked away she wasn’t sure what had just happened, but she felt that it was definitely a turning point in her life.
On the other side of the room Eva and Ian were talking with some of their friends. She walked up to them to get her birthday hugs. Ian handed her a small gift-wrapped box and told her that Eva had helped him choose his present for her. She could hear him thinking that the gift was a beautiful, custom-made necklace, and she smiled with pleasure. She opened the box and acted completely surprised, making him smile with delight.
“May I have this dance?” he asked her.
“Why yes, I’d be delighted,” she agreed. They waltzed around the floor together, and then returned to Eva, who was standing right where they had left her, with a concerned look on her face. She was looking intensely somewhere past her.
“What’s the matter, Eva, what do you see?” Arielle whispered in Eva’s ear, as Ian released her hand and gave her a sweet smile. Eva shrugged her shoulders, and for a moment it seemed as though she would say nothing. Then hesitantly she said, “Well, Ariel
le…I see extreme happiness and extreme danger both at the same time.”
“Tonight?”
As she nodded, Arielle pressed her lips and looked around as if she might see something materializing in front of her. Her hands instinctively moved up to her neck and she got a chill remembering that she had taken off the protective necklace Sebastian had given her. Then she shook her head and reminded herself that she was inside her house, protected from anyone who might want to hurt her. However, the very thought that she might be in danger still made her shiver. Eva reached over and grabbed her hand, and then she glanced at the distance between her and the front door.
“Is someone coming? Who?”
“I don’t know. I don’t see a face.”
“Oh, Eva, these visions of yours are making me crazy. Can we just forget them for tonight? It’s my birthday and we’re all together. I don’t think anything bad can happen.”
“All right,” Eva agreed, and she smiled a worried smile, pressing Arielle’s hand in hers.
Arielle hugged her and whispered, “Don’t worry.” Then she started moving about the room, talking to the other guests.
Jane came in with her parents and ran to Arielle with open arms. “Happy birthday, Sis! You look fabulous!” she said, hugging her. Arielle hugged her back and gave her a big kiss.
Next, Gabrielle and Troy arrived carrying a huge bouquet of flowers, and Arielle was so happy to see them. But when Troy leaned down to kiss her, there it was again, she could smell the sweet scent in his breath that she had never ever smelled until Sebastian. Once again this unsettled her, but she was able to find the strength to smile at them and thank them for the flowers as Gabrielle hugged her, her face filled with joy.
“Happy birthday, Arielle.” she said. “I love you.”
“I love you too, Gabby.”
Next, Paul arrived with a group of their friends. He looked fabulous! She had never seen him dressed so well. He came up and planted a big kiss on her lips, held her tight, and wished her a happy birthday. He didn’t seem to want to let go, so they lingered in their embrace. Then he handed her his present, which was wrapped in a huge box. “Thank you, Paul!” she said, and placed it in the pile with the others. Then he pulled her onto the dance floor.
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