Turn Back Time (The Full Circle Series Book 1)

by Annette G. Anders

  “You don’t have to, but I won’t say no,” she smiled.

  In his room, she picked up her purse and the rose. “The first flowers you gave me were yellow roses, do you remember?”

  “I do. The florist around the corner from you recommended it as the color for friendship, but also for joy and caring.” He didn’t take his eyes off her as she traced the petals with a fingertip.

  “And today? Did you ask for this color?”

  “Yes. Because it also conveys gladness and affection, as well as good luck, welcome back, and remember me.” He kissed her. “Aren’t you impressed with my knowledge of the language of flowers?”

  Her carefree laughter was music to his ears.

  “I am. And thank you. Umm… What are you doing tomorrow?”

  “Seeing you, I hope. Do you have anything planned?”

  “Julia and I keep talking about visiting the Louvre. Would you be interested in meeting us there?”

  “Do I really need to answer?” He tightened his arms around her.

  The kiss started out slow and patient, but soon he couldn’t keep himself from deepening it, and their tongues met. Her hand came around and cupped his neck. He took the rose out of her hand and placed it on a table.

  “It doesn’t have thorns, but I’d rather not be distracted when you’re in my arms,” he whispered.

  She dropped her purse on a chair and stretched to reach both hands behind his head, pulling him down to kiss his eyes.

  “When I saw the anger and the fire in your eyes earlier, I knew you were serious about regretting what you did. Don’t even think about pulling something like that ever again.”

  “I promise you, baby. I’m not about to make the same mistake twice,” he said, and kissed her again.

  Coming up for air, he said, “We didn’t have dessert yet. Would you like to have something before you have to go?”

  “I can’t eat anything, but maybe...” Stella started to unbutton his shirt and followed each button with a kiss on his bare chest.

  His body responded in a flash, and he knew she was aware of every hard inch of him. He stopped her teasing fingers with one hand.

  “Stay the night. Please. I’ll take you back to your hotel as early as you want in the morning,” he begged as he skimmed a hand up and down her back, pulling her closer.

  “I didn’t bring a change of clothes or a toothbrush,” she said.

  “I always travel with a whole set of new toothbrushes. And the hotel has courtesy kits. Do you need anything else, any umm…woman stuff?”

  “No, I have enough ‘woman stuff.’ Why can’t men use the proper terms? Repeat after me. Tam-pon,” she said and wiggled her eyebrows. “But I didn’t bring anything to sleep in.”

  “You can wear one of my T-shirts, although…you might not need it.”

  “Do you want to sit on the sofa and look at the moon?” Stella asked. She pressed her body against his, from hip to chest.

  “No,” he growled. “I want you in my bed. In my arms. I’ll be happy to just lie there and hold you.”

  “Okay, then. I’ll text Julia to let her know I’ll be back very, very late.”

  “Why Julia and not your BFF?”

  “To avoid too many questions. It would take away time I’d much rather spend with you!”

  “Then, by all means, please text Julia.” Laughing, he walked into the bedroom. “Let me get you a toothbrush and a fresh T-shirt.”

  “Done!” Stella announced a moment later as she put her phone away, then took out her cosmetics pouch and followed him into his bedroom before she disappeared into the bathroom.

  When she emerged, she looked so damn sexy in his shirt he wanted to take her right there, and the flash of dark purple underwear he glimpsed when she climbed into bed next to him was almost the last straw.

  Yeah, this would be a rather uncomfortable night. But it was worth it.

  Stella snickered as she snuggled into the crook of his arm. “Wait until Naomi finds out one of her new panties made it on the catwalk today.”

  David almost choked on his saliva. “You’re wearing Naomi’s panties?” He lifted the hem of the T-shirt. “Why?”

  “Because she made a big deal about buying them last weekend and said maybe they’d see some action. She doesn’t know I stole this pair. I wanted to feel sexy when we had our big talk.”

  “I can assure you, you’re sexy as hell. And not because of the lingerie, though it’s a pretty bow on a gorgeous package. But a gentleman knows when to shut up and appreciate what’s so beautifully presented.”

  Her hands trailed up and down his chest and abs, where she made little circles with her fingertips.

  “Baby, you better tell your hands to behave or my boy can’t sleep.” He had a hard time talking. Or breathing. And concentrating well enough to do breathing exercises was impossible right now.

  “Okay, then I’ll sleep now. Goodnight, love.” She tapped a fingertip on his erection, then kissed him on his mouth and snuggled her face against his chest.

  He couldn’t get comfortable after Stella settled by his side. He stroked her arm and held her tight. If they only had this one night together, and the day tomorrow, he wasn’t going to waste precious time by sleeping. And he had to find a way to see her again before November.

  When her breathing was slow and steady, he kissed her hair and said sotto voce, “I love you, Stella. Till the day I die.”

  A while later, he got out of bed and walked into the large walk-in shower in his en suite bathroom.

  He couldn’t see Stella open her eyes when he turned on the water.

  He didn’t see her hug his pillow, inhaling his scent, and he didn’t see her wipe away a tear when she whispered, “I’ll always love you, too.”

  CHAPTER 32

  Stella—July 2018

  F

  ingers danced over her skin—gentle, caressing, teasing.

  Stella moaned.

  Phantom fingertips barely touched the side of her breast and found their way to her hip. They continued down the side of her leg. And up again. They slid under her T-shirt and circled her breast, cupping it, and playing with her nipple.

  She needed more. This was too much. And it was cruel. Those hands hadn’t touched her so intimately in so long.

  The fingertips went down again, stopping just above her knees, moving to the inside of her thighs. Only one fingertip branded her, taking its time going upward. The fingers reached the edge of her panties, traced them, until they slid under the silky material.

  Please, yes. Just once.

  She didn’t often have erotic dreams, and this one was more than she could take. Seeking release, she reached down.

  She touched the back of a hand. His hand. Their fingers interlaced over her throbbing spot. With just the right amount of pressure, he circled it and pressed down. She arched into his hand, shaking with the force of her climax, and cried out the only name that mattered to her.

  Still trembling with the aftershock, Stella opened her eyes.

  In her dream, David held her while she slept, undisturbed by nightmares. But it wasn’t a dream. She had slept in David’s arms all night, and he just made her come with a single touch.

  He kissed her shoulder, then rolled her on her back and covered her mouth with his. His kiss was demanding, challenging, owning. He removed her T-shirt.

  “Let me see you, my angel. Come again for me.” He never stopped the teasing of her sensitive spot and took her over the top again when he pulled a nipple into his mouth and suckled like a baby.

  “You’re not a dream.” She reached for his face and stroked her fingers over his stubble before cupping his cheek.

  “I can assure you I’m very real. But I don’t mind proving it to you again.” He smiled while his fingers embarked on another journey over her body.

  She didn’t know what to say, but she knew what she wanted to do. She let her hand trail over his chest an
d abs and heard him hiss when she reached the waistband of his boxer shorts.

  “Baby, don’t. Today is about you,” he whispered in a husky voice and stopped her hand.

  “No way. You give, you get.” She took him in her hand. His erection pulsed while she stroked him. Her hair fell over her shoulders as she placed kiss after kiss over his belly and further down, following the straight line of coarser hair.

  “You know I’m hot for you, and I’m not sure I can hold back,” he panted.

  “I know, love.” She kissed every hard inch of him, teasing his swollen head with the pad of her thumb, until he groaned and pulled her up. He kissed her hard and her hand found its way back to his erection. She stroked and squeezed until he let out a guttural sound and erupted, ravishing her mouth until the spasms pulsating against her palm eased.

  “Oh, my God, baby, what are you doing to me?” He reached for the tissue box on the nightstand and cleaned himself.

  “Are you complaining?” she asked and gave him her best innocent expression.

  “What a silly question.” He kissed the tip of her nose. “And it sure beats the cold showers.”

  “How many did you take last night?” she asked while she played with the spattering of hair on his chest.

  He only shrugged. “Are you ready for a nice, warm shower? I’ll wash yours if you wash mine.”

  “David, you say the sweetest things,” she snickered. “And then I need coffee!”

  His deep laugh warmed her through and through, and the kiss he followed up with expressed more than a thousand words.

  “I could get used to room service.” She sat in bed, again wearing David’s T-shirt, and reached for a croissant. She had already devoured chunks of a fresh baguette with butter and jam and was on her second cup of coffee.

  “I’ll keep it in mind.” He stretched out on the bed next to her and took a brioche out of the breadbasket.

  Stella pulled in her bottom lip and focused on the beam of sunlight coming through an open section of the floor-length curtains. She didn’t have the courage to look at him when she asked the one question bugging her. “David, was there anybody else when we were apart?”

  He put his half-eaten brioche back on his plate and held her face in his hands.

  “No. I swear to you, I didn’t even look at another woman. You’re the only one for me.”

  “But you must’ve been lonely or had, umm…desires.” She chewed her bottom lip. Yes, she wanted to believe him, but the nagging little voice wouldn’t shut up.

  “I was very lonely, and I had plenty of desires, but I was longing for you. You came to me in my dreams, your face was the one I saw in my sleep.”

  “You could’ve reached out to me. You know where I live.”

  “That’s near the top of my long list of should-haves, my love.”

  An hour later, they got out of the taxi and stood in front of Stella’s hotel.

  “I’m a little bit nervous about going up to the room,” she said. She touched the yellow rose to her nose and let its scent soothe her. She wished she could take it home and dry it.

  “You have no reason to feel uncomfortable, baby.” He opened the door for her to enter the lobby.

  “He’s one hundred percent right, Stella,” Julia said from behind them.

  “Where’ve you been so early?” Stella asked.

  Julia held up a bag. “Bakery! Hi, David. How are you on this beautiful morning?” She winked at him.

  “Good morning, Julia. I’m fantastic, and you?” he replied while he squeezed Stella’s hand.

  “Very well, thank you.”

  Stella squared her shoulders. “I better go up and face the inquisition.”

  “Don’t let Naomi make you feel bad,” Julia said. “I know she’s your closest friend, and she wants the best for you, but she also needs to let you live your life the way you want to.”

  “I have everything I want.” Stella looked at David.

  “And if you need some leverage, she didn’t return to the hotel until almost two in the morning.”

  “Huh? How very interesting. She must’ve had a fun time with Kai.”

  David squeezed her hand again. “I’ll grab a cup of tea and wait for you here. And please, take your time. We’re in no rush to go anywhere—as long as we’re together.”

  “Julia, we’re going to the Louvre. Wanna come?” Stella asked.

  “Sure, I’d love to. Would you mind if Alexander joins us? He took today off to spend some time together before I fly home tomorrow. He wants to talk,” she made air quotes.

  “Oh boy, there’s lots of talking going on among all of us,” Stella said. Then she said to David. “I don’t think I’ll need long upstairs. Give me maybe half an hour?”

  “I’m not going anywhere, love! Look for me right through those glass doors.”

  “A-hah, there she is.”

  Stella dropped her purse on her bed and went to the kitchenette to fill a glass with water. She put the rose in it and set it on her nightstand. “Good morning to you, too. Isn’t it a gorgeous day?”

  “You must’ve forgiven Prince Charming since you spent the night with him. I assume he had a convincing explanation,” Naomi prodded.

  “Well, yes, sort of, I guess.”

  “What kind of answer is that?”

  “The only one I can give you right now.”

  “Why did you text Julia, not me?” Naomi looked sideways at Julia, who sat at the small table in the kitchen area. “No offense, Julia.”

  “None taken.” Julia smiled at something on her cell phone.

  “I knew you were with Kai and I wanted to let you enjoy your time. But you’re right, I should’ve texted you both.”

  “Imagine my surprise when I came back to the hotel and your bed was empty. I was worried.”

  “Be fair, Naomi. I put a note on your pillow saying Stella was staying with David,” Julia intervened.

  “True, true,” Naomi admitted. “So, how was dinner?”

  “Dinner was great. We shared a bottle of champagne in the courtyard, and then we had dinner in David’s suite, so we could talk without interruption.”

  “So, did you just pick up where you left off a year ago?” Naomi snapped her fingers.

  “Nam, I really don’t want to rehash everything right now. I haven’t had time to think about it, either, so there’s a lot I still need to process,” she said. “How was your evening?”

  “The park was fun. There were concerts, and they had food stands, and later Kai took me for a ride around Paris on his motorcycle.”

  “I’m glad you had a good time. And I think you should add the info about the park to the travel packages. Sounds like something the typical tourist wouldn’t hear about. Now I’ll change into something more casual. David’s waiting downstairs. Why don’t you both have breakfast with us?”

  “He didn’t feed you this morning?” Naomi grumbled. “Too busy tasting the other fruits?”

  “Don’t be crass. And yes, we had breakfast, but it was two hours ago, and we can call the breakfast here brunch or something. Maybe they’ll serve champagne with it.”

  “Oh, man, it must’ve been quite the night. Bubbly in the morning!” Naomi rolled her eyes. “You’re in an awfully good mood.”

  “Then be happy for me, since you seem to have gotten up on the wrong side of the bed,” Stella said and pulled the dress over her head.

  “What are you wearing?” Naomi narrowed her eyes and pointed a finger at her.

  “What?” Stella looked at her dress in her hand. “You were with me when I bought this dress.”

  “Under it!” Naomi clarified and her eyes widened. “I…nooo, you wouldn’t…”

  “There is a slight possibility I might have grabbed one of your panties instead of mine yesterday,” she drawled, then raced toward the bathroom and slammed the door, giggling.

  Naomi’s laughter followed her. “Yeah, fat chance…
your thieving little fingers just happened to find their way into my suitcase? Aren’t you glad we wear the same size, missy? And who was it who made fun at me when I went lingerie shopping? Huh?”

  “Well, thanks to you, I didn’t have to go in my white cotton bikinis, so you’re right. I think I’ll keep this pair, so let me know how much I owe you.” She cracked open the bathroom door, blew an air kiss to her BFF, and closed it again.

  Stella kissed David smack on his mouth when she joined him in the courtyard.

  “The others will be down soon, and I promised them we’d have champagne. What do you think? Too much?”

  He kissed her back and smiled, “Your wish is my command. Let me order it right away.”

  “Really, Troubadour, which bottle did you escape from?” Naomi crossed the courtyard. “I hope you got some sleep last night. Missy here isn’t telling me much.”

  “Then what makes you think I’d tell you more?” He stood up, kissed Naomi’s cheek, and held her chair for her.

  “Very gallant. Thank you. I can see why she’s is under your spell again.”

  “Naomi, you’re such a sweet little lady. In fact, I really missed you, too. And what did you just call me?”

  “Oh…Troubadour?! Kind of fits, don’t you think?”

  “You could’ve called me much worse, so I’ll take it,” he laughed.

  “Believe me, I did—on more than one occasion,” Naomi grinned. “Call you something worse, I mean.”

  “I don’t doubt it.”

  “So, are we going to see more of you again?” Naomi challenged him.

  “You sure will.”

  He signaled the waiter when Julia came running out into the courtyard.

  “We’ve gotta go. Your friend is out of the catacombs, and he’s at the hospital right now. Come quickly. Alexander is meeting us there. I told the front desk to call a taxi for us.”

  CHAPTER 33

  Stella—July 2018

  “I

  s there another route you can take?” Naomi tapped the taxi driver on his shoulder. “We’ve been sitting here for an eternity!”