Page 55 of Christmas Romance Galore!
“You could have fooled me. I read some of those texts you know.”
I’d never said anything close to that I was sure, but it didn’t stop my cheeks turning the colour of a robin’s breast. Is there anything more embarrassing than friends reading your personal, private text messages? Melanie might as well have watched a sex tape. The atmosphere was so thick, you could slice it.
“I certainly never said that — whatever Nicola and I had is definitely in the past. And I am sorry, truly I am. I shouldn’t have kissed her, but it just happened.”
“Your mouth slipped and fell on her face?”
When she put it like that. “Something like that,” I mumbled. Then I cleared my throat. “I’m sorry it ended like this for you.”
Melanie sighed and shrugged. “Like I said, you did me a favour. And now you don’t want her either — looks like Nicola’s the one to lose out, isn’t it?”
I nodded. “Looks like.”
We stared at each other, and then Melanie glanced down at my shopping basket with my knitted Christmas decoration sitting pretty, ready to be purchased. She bent down and picked it up, before glancing at me.
“You’ve moved on already? ‘Our First Christmas’?” She shook her head. “You don’t mess around do you?”
Now I really wanted to get away from Melanie as quickly as possible.
“Who’s the lucky lady?” There was definite sarcasm in her voice. “Anyone I know?”
“No,” I said, shaking my head. “It’s not for me, it’s a Christmas present.”
I wasn’t prepared to tell anybody about Holly just yet. It was far too new and precious to share with the rest of the world.
Melanie put the decoration back in my basket and hoisted her handbag high on her shoulder. “Well, have a great Christmas, Tori.” She stepped forward into my personal space. “And a word of friendly advice — if you want to stay safe, try not to fall on to anyone else’s girlfriend’s face, okay?”
I swallowed hard as Melanie glared into my eyes. There were so many responses forming in my head, but I decided to say nothing. Being threatened in this setting was already surreal enough.
I let out a long breath as Melanie turned on her heel and walked away from me. I plucked my new decoration from my basket and hot-footed it to the till before anybody else cornered me and threatened violence. Suddenly, this department was not such a sanctuary of hope and glitter.
Now, I just wanted to get home, bolt the door and have a stiff glass of red wine.
Tuesday December 20th
I was lying on top of Holly on the sofa, still inside her. I moved my fingers slowly and she exhaled, closing her eyes, clutching on to me. I could see she was still falling, still recovering from our most recent sexual encounter.
It had all started when I walked in the door from work around 6pm and Holly was sitting on the couch.
She’d smiled at me, not having any idea how irresistible she was.
I’d walked over to her, full of intent, and kissed her.
Fifteen minutes later, here we were.
I kissed her neck and pushed myself in deeper. I never wanted to leave. I had no idea what I’d done before this point in my life or what I might do afterwards, but none of that mattered. The only important thing was that I was inside Holly, she was mine and I was going nowhere.
She opened one eye and saw me staring.
I shot her a wicked grin.
“You think we could go about our daily lives in this position?” she asked, smirking.
“I’m willing if you are.”
“We may as well give it a go.”
I moved my fingers again and she pushed her head back into a cushion.
