Turn Back Time (The Full Circle Series Book 1) by Annette Anders (best books to read for knowledge .TXT) 📕

Bodleian Library and had fish and chips for lunch at Turf Tavern. On Tuesday and Wednesday, they spent time sightseeing in London before his evening performances, and on Thursday he had an afternoon performance. David came home with barely enough time to eat a simple dinner of sandwiches and salads before they left for the evening show.

“We’ll be able to sit in the theater like other people and relax. What are we going to see? You’ve been mum about it all week.” She looked up at the facade of the theater.

“I don’t know if I can behave once we’re in the auditorium. I’m used to being on the other side of the curtain. What if I feel frisky in the middle of the play?” He raised his eyebrows and melted her heart with his mischievous grin.

“Then you’ll behave like a good boy. You can’t complain about a lack of...umm...activity this week,” she said and blushed. Their need to be intimate and to pleasure each other was almost as strong as their need to talk or laugh together.

“I can’t promise not to touch you, baby.”

“You can hold my hand. But only if I get a glass of champagne during intermission.”

“If I get you one before the show starts, and one during intermission, what’s my reward?”

“Find out.” She winked at him. “Let’s go in. Now tell me, what are they playing?”

“Look for yourself.” He turned her around—and she cracked up.

“Breakfast at Tiffany’s? Seriously? I love it. Growing up, I watched the movie all the time and wanted to be like Audrey Hepburn. I can’t believe I haven’t noticed this before.”

“Maybe because you only had eyes for me?” he teased her. “Why did you want to be like her?”

“Because she seemed to be genuinely nice, and a good person. And she was cute.”

“Then your wish came true, because I don’t know anyone who’s nicer or more caring than you.” He kissed her tenderly. “Or any cuter.”

“You’re biased, you’re my boyfriend.” She rolled her eyes, but grinned.

“I sure am your boyfriend, and I know what a lucky man I am.” He kissed her again and pulled on her hand. “Let’s get you your first glass of champagne.”

After the show, while they slowly walked back to the apartment, Stella chuckled. “Seeing Holly Golightly and the cat made me think of Paris. On our second day, we saw so many newlywed couples posing for photos, and Naomi and I joked about how we should move in together with a house full of cats because there were no husbands on the horizon for either of us.”

As soon as the words were out of her mouth, she wished to take them back. She didn’t want to sound whiny. David squeezed her hand but didn’t say anything.

Back at the apartment, he opened a bottle of wine and they sat in front of the windows. The door to the balcony was open, and mild September air drifted inside. Even at this late hour, the sounds of big city traffic intermingled with various voices from the street below.

He pulled her feet closer and massaged them. “What do you want to do tomorrow?”

“Can we visit Canterbury Cathedral and the White Cliffs of Dover? It’s too late to book a guided tour from London, and they take up the whole day anyway. If we do it on our own, we can skip a few stops and plan the day the way we want it.”

“It sounds like fun. I haven’t been to either place.” He typed something on his phone. “The first train leaves London at five, but I’d prefer one a little bit later. We can try to catch the one at 7:30, which will take only an hour to take us to Dover.”

“Perfect. We’d better not stay up till the wee hours, then. But I want to finish this glass of wine.”

“You could finish it in bed…” he suggested. “We don’t need to sleep right away, do we?”

“I guess we can talk for a few more minutes. Wanna share ghost stories?” She batted her eyelashes at him.

“Sure. Have you heard about the one-eyed monster who comes out at night and feasts on cat ladies?” he said, wiggling his eyebrows.

“You are bad, Mr. Danvers, truly naughty. What am I going to do with you?” She pretended to think, tapping her finger on her chin. “Hmm. Maybe the cat lady needs to sleep in the other bedroom?”

“The cat lady can’t hide from the monster. It’s a very determined monster. And maybe the monster and the cat lady will fall in love and live happily ever after.”

“I guess we’ll find out,” she nodded. “I’m going to bed. Feel free to bring the wine, love. And the one-eyed monster.”

Strolling along the narrow chalky path atop the steep white cliffs, Stella watched the waves rolling onto the beach far below her. They are more ripples than waves, she thought. How would the scenery change in a fast-approaching winter storm when the waves were high and battered the famous rock formation?

The past few days had been the happiest of her life. Like the grass covering the top of the cliffs moved in the breeze, she just went with the flow around David’s schedule.

But she also got a glimpse of a life which wasn’t real—with him coming home to her, day after day. She could feel tears sting her eyelids and tried to blink them away.

She turned her face into the mild breeze. Maybe she could pretend the wind made her eyes water. It would be nine weeks until he was finished in London and came to Philadelphia.

Nine long weeks.

Sixty-three days without him.

And then he would leave again to visit his family in Chicago before spending most of December and part of January in Philadelphia. Then Paris. But what would come after France? Would he be farther away than ever?

His stint in Europe had broken them once. In his letter last year, he mentioned the possibility of going to Australia. If he went there, she’d have