you. Every girl after you was never right,” he confessed.
Her jaw clenched. Then her eyes fluttered closed as she took deep breaths. He glanced at her lips and felt the urge intensify inside of him. Those lips he’d always want. Just hers.
When Stephanie opened her eyes, he noticed that the innocence he’d once known was now completely gone. Those bright blues were now the colour of shallow water. Dull and lifeless. The sparkle had left them.
“Just don’t tell anyone that I’m French, okay?” she asked, irritated.
“What’s the big deal? You’re French.”
Stephanie let out a laugh. “It’s a big deal.”
He smiled at her honest and unguarded laugh. It was there. He saw a flicker of her old self in that one laugh. It gave him a sense of hope and belonging.
“When I was in Paris, I actually learnt some French that I’ve been saving until I saw you again,” he revealed and straightened his posture. Her face tensed, and he could see her press her body into the golf cart. “J’ai rêvé de toi—du moment où je serais à toi.”
I’ve dreamed of you. Dreamed of the moment I could be yours.
The rapid rise and fall of her chest had him interested. That one sentence had affected her deeply, and that was what he wanted. He wanted a reaction. He wanted her to feel it inside of her; he wanted to know that those memories were ones that still held her heart like they held his.
“You don’t mean that,” she said with little emotion.
“I meant it like I meant every word I said to you on our last night together,” he whispered.
I’m yours, Stephanie.
Julian took a step forward and watched as Stephanie gazed down and took in the little space that separated them. Just as he raised his hand to her hips, he heard the sound of footsteps.
“Hey! You guys finally met!” Rob unknowingly interrupted.
“Thank God,” Stephanie breathed out, relieved.
Averting his stare, she turned away from him and smiled at up at his brother. The red-hot jealousy sliced through every inch of him as she directed the one smile he had ever loved at someone else. Julian clenched his fists and faced Rob, making sure he had his best poker face on.
“So, this is…” Julian stopped, unable to call her by any name other than the one that had claimed his heart the moment she had exhaled it.
Rob’s genuine and loving grin towards her killed Julian inside. Stephanie was Julian’s forever girl. He had been drawn to her the moment he saw those blue eyes flash with fear and uncertainty.
“Julian, this is Stevie. And Stevie, this is my brother, Julian,” Rob introduced.
Julian shifted and held out his hand to her. “It’s lovely to meet you, but you don’t seem like a guy. What’s your real name?” he asked, trying to bait her.
Stephanie sighed and spun around to face him. She quickly glanced down at his hand before meeting his eyes.
“Stephanie Appleton,” she replied with no emotion in her voice as she shook his hand.
That electric pulse from her touch sent his heart soaring. It was her, truly her. Julian had finally found her, and he was determined to keep her this time. He didn’t want a repeat of Thailand. He didn’t want to wake up alone and feeling worthless. He’d never even had the chance to tell her that he’d fallen in love with her. It was quick. And when the moment came to realising, he realised too late.
He found it crazy that it took less than a week to fall in love with her, but when he fell in love, he fell in love hard and forever. There was only one woman he would ever want, and he’d spent the last four years searching her.
“Stephanie…I like that. I’m going to call you Stephanie,” he stated with a grin.
“Umm…no one calls me that,” she said, taking back her hand. Her touch was one he missed instantly. He succumbed to so many emotions and memories; he still couldn’t believe that she stood in front of him.
“Ah, dipshit. Her name’s Stevie,” Rob said protectively as if Julian had offended her honour.
“No, Rob, it’s okay. Just a name. No big deal,” Stephanie said.
Rob held out his hand, and Stephanie took it willingly. “All right. Well, little brother, I’m going to take my best girl for a dance. We’ll see you around.” Rob tugged Stephanie to his side and wrapped his arm around her back.
“It was nice meeting you,” Stephanie farewelled but never said his name.