Page 61 of Christmas Romance Galore!
I let my eyelids droop lazily.
She kissed my lips. “Shall we take this inside?” Her breath was hot against my ear and tingled down my entire body. Inside was probably a very good idea.
I grinned at her. “When I regain the use of my legs, absolutely,” I said, pressing my lips to hers again.
Saturday December 24th
We got up around 1pm the following day, cleared up the flat and then sat smiling at each other. I didn’t recall doing this with anybody else I’d been with, so I was either turning into someone I didn’t recognise, or I was falling in love — truly in love — for the very first time. I was pretty sure it was the latter.
Holly made me a cup of coffee and we sat on the sofa eating leftover pepperoni pizza from the night before. It always tasted better the next day, and this afternoon was no exception.
“I don’t want you to go today. It’s going to feel like I’ve lost a limb.” I stared at her.
“I know.”
“So stay. Call your Mum and come with me tomorrow. We can spend our first Christmas together.”
Holly sighed and chewed on some pizza. She sipped her tea and stared out the window at the afternoon winter sun. The trains were still chugging past, although we expected that to stop soon, being it was Christmas Eve, when everything came to a standstill around 5pm.
All I wanted for Christmas was sitting on the sofa staring at me. And preparing to leave me.
“Don’t look so sad,” I said, reaching across and kissing Holly’s hand. “I didn’t mean to make you sad.”
Holly smiled. “You haven’t made me sad, believe me.” She curled her long legs up under her body and sighed. “It’s just... a bit late to tell my parents I’m not coming, that’s all. They’re expecting me.”
I squeezed her arm. “I know — I’m just being a selfish brat.” I paused. “Go, and we’ll see each other the day after, or the one after that.” I smiled to back up my last statement. “It’s just, I’m not going to be able to function without you.” I put my head in my hands. “And will you stop me talking such drivel? I’ve turned into one of those snivelling wrecks and it’s your fault.”
She laughed and put my feet on her lap, massaging one of them up, then down. “Whatever it is, you’ve turned me into it too.” She paused. “But let’s not focus on negatives today. We’ve got the rest of the day together, so let’s do something fun. How about we have a walk around the Christmas lights in town, like your parents always used to do when you were little?”
My heart swelled so much inside my chest, I thought it might burst out at any second. This was the love I’d read about, the love I’d hoped for. It’s one thing to wish for a Christmas girlfriend. It’s quite another for her to arrive and be so utterly, deliciously perfect.
“I would love that,” I replied, beaming at Holly. “You really know how to sweep a girl off her feet, you know that?”
She squeezed my foot. “I’ve got skills,” she said. “It’s settled then. We can eat hot dogs and roasted chestnuts from those dodgy street carts, have mulled wine and be so Christmassy, your teeth will ache.”
“Sounds like my ideal date.”
I leaned back, never taking my eyes off of Holly. “You know, when I started my girlfriend quest on November 25th, I wanted three things: a girlfriend, drunk Christmas sex and a present from someone who wasn’t related to me.” I paused. “But that was Tori 1.0. Unreformed Tori. Naughty Tori.”
“I think you’re still a bit naughty,” Holly replied, grinning.
“I’ve got skills too,” I winked. “But things have changed. I’ve changed. It’s like I told you in the beginning — I didn’t really want anything, I wanted someone. But the someone I ended up with is so much more than I bargained for. I had a plan, I had dreams and goals, but you’ve shifted the goalposts. Now you’re a part of those dreams.” I paused. “You are those dreams.”
Holly’s cheeks reddened and she looked down. “Are you trying to make me blush?” she asked.
I smiled. “I’m not, but I can’t keep this quiet. I feel so loved, so cared for, so safe. And that would never have happened so quickly if it hadn’t been you because I knew you already.” Tears threatened but I held them in. They were happy tears, but I didn’t want any mixed messages.
I took Holly’s hand in mine and kissed her silky fingers. “You’re more than I ever dreamed of, you know that?” I whispered. “I’m already in love with you.”
I couldn’t contain my emotions around Holly. My mouth just ran away with me. Everything about us was just so huge and overwhelming, I had emotions leaking out of every pore.
“Does that scare you?” I asked.
Holly flipped my feet off of her lap and scooted across the sofa, taking me in her arms. The kiss she gave me started on my lips, but vibrated right down to my toes. When she pulled back, her eyes were large pools of happiness, shimmering in the afternoon light.
“Last night you call me your girlfriend, now you tell me you love me. What’s tomorrow’s declaration?”
“Happy birthday?” I said, smiling. Then I paused. “So does it?” I asked again.
