Page 87 of A Festive Surprise

Chapter Thirty

Holly

Holly wasn’t in the mood for getting up early on Christmas morning. Maybe one day, they’d be called at four in the morning by baby Farids and mini Hollys, but not yet. This was a morning to keep warm and how better to do it than with body heat? Farid’s skin scorched with hot blood and Holly writhed beneath him in exquisite delight. His kisses and love penetrated deep inside her, lighting fires and warming her core.

She held him on top of her, breathing in his ear, their pulses racing in tandem. She couldn’t stop smiling. He groaned and nuzzled her neck. Despite the darkness of the room, she knew he was grinning too.

When they finally got up, Holly nipped back to her cottage to shower and get dressed. In the kitchen, their Christmas cake sat on the worktop. She stared at it: the log symbolising Farid, her holly berries and leaves, and the love heart joining the two of them. An idea sprang into her head, paralysing her for a second. The memory of Gavin and the ring jarred her mind, and she frowned.

Her phone beeped and a message from Georgia popped up.

GEORGIA: Merry Christmas! I just had a message from Farid saying the two of you are back together and everything’s going better than ever! I’m so happy and excited for you both. Don’t be strangers. If you’re fine on your own, that’s great but if you want company, you’re always welcome. XX

Georgia was so kind. Holly keyed out a message, saying everything was fine and they’d call round later, then picked up the cake and returned to Farid’s side of the cottage.

Spicy aromas filled the room and Holly laid the cake on the breakfast bar, the mirror image of the one in her cottage. ‘What are you making?’

‘I will make my version of a Christmas lunch. I have some of your British favourites.’ He held up a turkey crown and a stalk of sprouts.

‘Sprouts?’ Holly pulled a face.

‘I will cook these in a way you will love. I promise, jamilati, you’ll see.’

‘And are you going to open your Christmas presents?’

‘Of course, let me set this to cook, then I will open them. I’m sorry I have nothing for you. I would shower you with gold if I had it, jamilati, and give you everything I own. But what you see is what you get. I come with nothing.’

‘That’s ok. I quite like what I see… and even with nothing else, it’s rather appealing.’ She scanned him over from top to toe.

‘Oh, Holly, you are still naughty.’ He washed his hands and made his way around to the living room area.

‘I have to warn you, it’s traditional to get lots of nonsense in your Christmas stocking, so…’ She threw up her hands. ‘Sorry.’

‘I’m sure I will love whatever it is.’ He picked up the first gift and shook it. ‘What do we have here?’

‘You’re not a feeler, are you?’

He raised an eyebrow and chuckled. ‘I don’t know. Am I?’

‘It’s someone who tries to guess what’s inside their presents by fondling them all over first.’

‘I’ll save that for you.’

Holly smirked. ‘Good plan.’

Farid pulled off the wrapping paper and held up a pair of socks. ‘Amazing. What every man needs.’

‘Exactly.’ Holly watched as he opened the gifts, grinned at each one and ate half a packet of Matchmakers before moving to the next one.

‘These are tasty,’ he mumbled through a mouthful. ‘But they might put me off my lunch.’

‘That’s another tradition. Stuff yourself with so much chocolate you can’t eat your Christmas lunch, force it down anyway, come back for seconds, and spend the night dying on the sofa beside a bottle of Gaviscon. That’s my father’s way anyway.’

‘Your traditions get stranger and stranger.’

‘Don’t they just.’

Farid picked up the final gift. ‘The weapon. You almost knocked me out with this last night. What is it? A sword?’

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