Circling Back by Amanda Young

Title: Circling Back

Author: Amanda Young

Genre: Erotic Romance

Release Date: August 10, 2105

A second chance is only the beginning...

Stella fled home at seventeen with a broken heart, an unplanned pregnancy, and a vow never to look back. Twenty years later, she has a career she enjoys and a solid relationship with the child she placed for open adoption. When that child goes in search of her birth father and calls for assistance, Stella is forced to return to her hometown and face the men who broke her heart, one of whom fathered her child.

Gavin and Holden raised a lot of hell as teenagers. They broke the law, broke their mother's hearts, and almost broke each other before they finally got their act together. Through all the ups and downs, they stuck by each other and managed to build a happy life together. The one thing they couldn’t do was forget the woman they’d loved and lost. 

Forced to face the past and each other after so many years is no small feat. The trio does their best to make amends and put the past behind them while forging new bonds. Old feelings are rekindled and new emotions emerge from the ashes of their youthful indiscretions. Something remarkable could be on the horizon if they’re strong enough to navigate the pitfalls of a triad relationship and stand strong against the outside forces conspiring to bring them to their knees.

Stella wasn’t sure who moved first. One minute they were all sitting in different places and the next both men were bookending her. Holden took her face in his hands and gazed soulfully into her eyes before slowly lowering his head and covering her lips with his own. She moaned into his mouth and kissed him back. Their lips moved with one accord, tongues reaching out and finding purchase as they slid over and around and tangled together. She lost herself in his taste and touch, both the familiar and new.

Then Holden retreated and Gavin took his place, slotting his lips over hers as if they were made for each other. She kissed Gavin just as vigorously as she had Holden, relearning his taste and the shape of his mouth. They parried back and forth, taking turns exploring lips, teeth, and beyond.

Her head spun and her body quickened. Arousal stirred inside her, speeding her pulse and warming her skin. She couldn’t believe this was happening, that Gavin and Holden were both there and interested in her. Things like this didn’t happen to people like her—smart, responsible, boring people who ate heartily and didn’t exercise as often as they should. Erotic escapades like this were reserved for svelte, stacked blond bombshells, not doughy, pale-complexioned redheads.

Something about her must have turned their cranks though because the way they kissed her couldn’t be faked. There was real passion there. She recognized it in every fevered press of their lips and the hungry brushes of their fingers over her shoulders and arms. She clung to them in return, grasping plump, muscular biceps or hard, rounded shoulders, and kissed them back until she was gasping for breath between kisses. A heavy ache settled between her thighs. She clenched her muscles, trying to soothe the smoldering need building inside her, and only succeeding in making the vast emptiness inside her more noticeable.

The men switched places again. Holden took her mouth and Gavin kissed his way across her jaw to her ear and captured the lobe in his teeth, nipping the tender flesh and then eased the sting with his tongue. “Tell me you want this.”

She pulled back from Holden and met Gavin’s gaze. “I do. I want this.” She looked at Holden, wanting to include him. “I want both of you. In fact, I think we should move this to the bedroom.”

“Yeah,” Holden said with a nod. “That’s the best idea I’ve heard today.”

“Me too.” Gavin stood and held his hand out to her.

She put her hand in his and let him pull her up onto her feet. Gavin held her hand all the way into the bedroom, with Holden following close behind. Once they entered, Stella released Gavin’s hands and kicked off her shoes at the foot of the bed. She turned around to speak and the words she’d been about to say evaporated like mist.

Holden stood just inside the room, tall and proud, and as naked as the day he was born. Her gaze bypassed his broad shoulders and landed on the smattering of dark hair between his firm pecs. She followed it down, over his tight abs, as it thinned into a sparse arrow beneath his navel and pointed directly at what she wanted most. The substantial length of his cock jutted out in front of him, the wide, flared head flushed a deep red and already glistening with moisture.

“What happened to your clothes?” She asked without looking away from his groin.

“I thought I would save some time. It’s been twenty years since we were all together. I don’t want to waste another minute.”

“Smart thinking.” Stella couldn’t agree more. She licked her lips and took a step toward him. Gavin stepped into her path, momentarily stealing her attention. While she’d been gawking at Holden, Gavin had undressed as well. He was a touch shorter than Holden, but no less fit, every inch of his body toned and smooth. She dropped her gaze and had to sink her teeth into her bottom lip to stifle the mmm mmm mmm noise trying to roll off her tongue. From what she could see, Gavin had no hair anywhere. The skin around his long, hard cock and low-hanging balls was as smooth as glass.

“Why don’t you make yourself a little more comfortable?” Holden asked.

“Oh yeah.” Stella chuckled nervously. “I guess I should get on that, huh?”

“I can help, if you want,” Gavin offered with an exaggerated leer.

“Thanks but I can do it.” Either way she went, getting naked in front of them was nervewracking. It would be better to just strip everything off as quickly as possible and get it out of the way. In less than a minute, her clothes were on the floor. She stood in front of them, naked and vulnerable, and tried not to fidget under the weight of their stares.

Holden’s gaze lowered and then slowly crawled back up her body. “You’re beautiful, Stella. So goddamn beautiful.”

Gavin didn’t say a word. He closed the distance between them and pulled her into his arms. He slid his lips over hers, stealing her ability to think, and speared his tongue through the parted circle of her lips to glide over and alongside her own.

She clutched Gavin’s shoulders, kneading the firm muscles beneath her palms. His body was so warm, radiating heat like an electric blanket, and his skin was so nice. She slid her hands lower, over his plump biceps. They flexed under her touch, and made her smile against Gavin’s mouth. Someone was showing off. She loved that he was trying to impress her. Little did he know, she was already in awe of them both. They were so good looking, so genuinely good, and they wanted her. She was beyond roused. Mystified was closer to the truth. She wasn’t going to think about that now. Not when she had them naked in her bedroom.

As if being pressed against Gavin and kissed to within an inch of her life wasn’t enough stimulation, a second warm, masculine body pushed up against her back and sent her senses into overdrive. Each man’s unique smell surrounded her. The soap they shared, the potent, underlying hint of musk and man. There was no better smell on Earth. Holden’s larger frame rubbed against her from chest to groin. His steely erection rode the sensitive crease between her buttocks and pressed against flesh no one other than her gynecologist had ever touched. Gavin’s cock prodded the softness of her belly. Both men felt hard as steel and ready for action. Her own sex was moist and growing more so by the second as her imagination went wild wondering what might happen next.

She squirmed between them, rolling her ass back at Holden and brushing her breasts over Gavin’s chest, rubbing her stiff nipples over his smooth skin. They tightened up like springs and ached worse with every exploratory sweep. The more she moved, teasing herself as well as the men, the more she yearned for them to throw her down on the bed and ravish her. The demand was on the tip of her tongue. But then so were Gavin’s lips and she didn’t want to stop kissing him long enough to speak.

None of them were talking. While she and Gavin kissed, Holden started running his mouth up and down her throat, from the curve of her neck to the sensitive patch of skin beneath her ear. His humid breath washed over her skin and sent a shiver down her spine.

Her core throbbed, empty and eager for what they could give her. They’d barely gotten started and she was already on the verge of begging. Who knew what she’d be willing to do once they touched her below the waist. All she knew for certain was that if something didn’t give soon, her thighs were going to go up in flames, her knees were going to give out, and she was going to melt into a puddle of goo. Goo was not sexy. Holden and Gavin wanted a hot, desirable woman and she was going to do her damnedest to fill that slot.

She glanced at Gavin and found his gaze headed south of her lower back. “See something you like?”

“I see something I love.” Gavin moved in close behind her and ran the outside of his thumb down her bare arm. “I love every inch of your beautiful body, from your beautiful, long hair all the way to your cute little toes.”

Stella basked in Gavin’s admiration. “That’s good to know.”

“You could make yourself more comfortable and let me express my regards for your many, many charms.” Gavin nuzzled the curve of her throat and pressed his warm lips against the sensitive skin beneath her ear.

The sensual touch sent a shiver down Stella’s spine and made her nipples tighten in anticipation of taking Gavin up on his offer. “I really wish you could.”

“We can.” Gavin pulled her ear lobe into his mouth, nibbled, and released it.

“We really can’t. Holden and Mae will both here soon.”

Gavin slid an arm around her waist and pulled her back tight against him. “We could be quick.”

Stella could feel the long, stiff length of him pressed against her bottom. She closed her eyes and prayed for the strength to resist. “You’ll just have to be patient and wait until tonight.”

Gavin groaned. “You’re so mean to me.”

Stella couldn’t help but laugh. She turned and wrapped her arms around Gavin’s neck. “You pitiful, pitiful man. Would a kiss make you feel better?”

“That might tide me over until later as long as it’s a good one.”

“I think I can meet your needs.” Stella brushed her fingers through the soft hair at Gavin’s nape and pulled him down to meet her as she lifted up and glided her lips over his. She kept the caresses soft for the first few passes and then pressed up a little harder and licked across Gavin’s lower lip. The tip of Gavin’s tongue met her own and flicked back and forth, taunting her into giving chase and deepening the kiss. Gavin’s mouth tasted sweet and minty, like he’d ate a piece of candy right before she’d arrived. Delicious.

Something banged in another room and then Holden’s voice called out. “Honey, I’m home.”

Gavin retreated and opened his eyes. He smiled at Stella. “Looks like we’ll have to pick this up later.”

Stella blinked up at Gavin. “Yeah. Later.” Definitely later. She could hardly wait. All she’d had was a little taste of what being with them was like. She couldn’t wait to discover what else they had in store for her.

With that thought in mind, she trailed back down the hall behind Gavin. He rounded the corner ahead of her and she heard his breath catch a second before her gaze landed on Holden and the spectacular bruise blossoming across his right cheekbone.

“Jesus fuck,” Gavin exclaimed. “What happened to your face?”

“Are you okay?” Stella asked, walking forward. “Did someone hit you?”

“Tell us what happened.” Gavin cupped Holden’s jaw in both hands.

“I got to meet Joanna’s ex. It was a real pleasure, let me tell you.”

“And he punched you?” Gavin asked.

It took Stella a moment to place the name as the guy’s old shop steward. “Why would her ex assault you?”

Holden shook his head. “He thinks I’m hiding Joanna from him or some shit.”

Gavin pushed Holden’s chin up and to the side, inspecting him. “Is this the worst of it or is there more hiding under your clothes?”

Holden caught Gavin’s hands and held them trapped within his own. “I’m fine. He caught me by surprise when I was leaving, shoved me into the building, and got off one sucker punch. Believe me, he looks worse than I do.”

“That’s better than nothing, I guess.” Gavin looked down at their clasped hands. “Your knuckles are a mess. Go wash up and I’ll come in and put some antiseptic on them.”

“Yes, Mom.” Holden brought Gavin’s hands up to his mouth, kissed, and released them. He stopped next to Stella and smiled at her. “Hey, pretty lady. I’m glad you’re here. Just let me scrub off the day and I’ll greet you properly.”

“Go look after yourself. I’ll be here when you’re finished.” Stella patted him on the butt.

“Hey now,” Holden said. “No getting fresh until I can do something about it.”

Stella grinned at him. “Don’t worry. There’s a lot more where that came from.”

“I’ll hold you to that,” Holden said over his shoulder as he walked out of the room.

Amanda Young lives in Virginia with her husband, daughter, and two pampered pooches. When she’s not writing, she can usually be found chasing after a mischievous toddler or daydreaming about the characters in her next book. She loves to hear from her readers, and can be found on Facebook and Twitter. Her website, www.amandayoung.org, is where you can find up-to-date information on all of Amanda’s current and upcoming releases.

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I'm not a fan of triad relationships whether it be M/M/M. F/F/F, M/M/F or M/F/F. That being said, when Circling Back was suggested to me, I thought, 'Sure, why not?'. I found it to be well thought out. The characters were well developed and very likable. The story flowed seamlessly from one chapter to another.

Amanda throws in a little plot twist that I didn't see coming, and when it was revealed, I thought to myself, 'I know who's involved in this.' I was completely wrong.' She throws another little twist for the end that sets up the ending.  It was kinda predictable to a writer like myself, but I don't think the average reader will catch on until it's revealed at the end.

There is plenty of M/M/M and M/F action throughout the book. However, the action between the two men who are in a long-term same sex relationship was limited to a hug and a kiss at the beginning and a hug and kiss at the end. I found the lack of any physical action between the two men disappointing.

Overall Circling Back is a good read. On a scale of 1 to 5 I give it a 4.