Page 57 of Hold Me Tight

Angela

After our incredibly romantic lunch, Tim suggests we go for a ride. I make sure to rug up warm, because there is still snow on the ground outside. My heart flutters as he’s attentive as I remember, helping me mount Buttercup and getting me to relax. I wasn’t kidding when I told his mother that riding was growing on me. Though I’m not sure there is enough money in the world to get me on a horse without Tim around.

We ride along a winding path through the leafless trees while Tim jokes about his brother and cousins and the trouble they’re probably getting up to, back in their London pub. I wrinkle my nose.

“Maybe they won’t be back tonight.”

Tim’s eyes twinkle, and he winks at me. “Oh, they’re definitely not coming back tonight.”

“Are you looking forward to Christmas?” he asks suddenly, after a long stretch of comfortable silence. Glancing over at him, I shrug.

“I guess so. Usually, I spend Christmas by myself.”

Tim blinks across at me in shock, a frown creeping over his face.

“Sounds lonely.” He looks like he doesn’t like the idea of me being alone at Christmas one bit. Sighing, I tip my head back to look at the sky through the tree branches.

“We didn’t really do the whole Christmas thing in foster care. Then, after I was eighteen, there really wasn’t anyone for me to do Christmas with. Bill and I usually exchange gifts, but that’s a few days before, since he usually spends Christmas with his family.”

Tim’s scowl deepens. “Well, you’ll be getting a proper Christmas this year.”

I bite my tongue before I can say that anything is better than the mess that was my Christmas last year, but I swallow my bitter statement. I don’t want to talk about Peter. I don’t even want to think about Peter.

I want to think about the fact that on Christmas morning, I’m going to be waking up in Tim’s arms. It’s a moment I intend to savor, so I’ll always have the lovely memory to think back on in the years to come.

“I look forward to it.” I smile across at him as Tim reaches over to squeeze my gloved hand with his.

When we head back to the Manor after a sneaky make-out session in the stables, Bill, his brothers, and their wives have all arrived back from London. They have more than a little bit overindulged on the alcohol front, and all three women announce their intention of retiring to their rooms.

Bill and his brothers head to the drawing room to continue drinking whiskey. They loudly urge Tim to join them, but he makes his excuses and hustles me into the room with the X-Box. Picking a random game, we drop onto the sofa and pass a leisurely evening, cheating badly to defeat each other.

At some stage, Tim’s phone goes off. He checks it with a chuckle. “We were right. They’re all spending the night in London.”

I giggle, taking the opportunity of his distraction to shove his little car off the cliff. Tim’s mouth drops open.

“Cheat!”

Whatever. I’m winning. I complete the lap, raising my hands in victory as there is a tap on the door. We turn as Gladys steps into the room with a picnic basket and tartan blanket. Tim’s eyebrows shoot up. “Uh, it’s cold outside. I don’t think it’s the right night for a picnic.”

“How about an indoor one?” Gladys offers, laying down the blanket on the floor in front of us. Ooh, this is nice. She melts away as I dump my controller, sliding off the couch to my knees, and digging into the basket.

“I’m surprised Bill hasn’t called for dinner.”

Tim joins me on the floor, lounging against the side of the couch with a grin. “They will have all gone to bed drunk.”

I dig out the crusty chicken and avocado subs. Handing Tim’s over with a soda, I settle back to enjoy my meal. Tim flips the TV to an old black and white movie, and we eat in silence as the old-timey credits roll. It totally makes sense to have them at the start of the movie. That way, everyone has to sit through it.

Finishing my sub and soda, I wipe my hands with the napkin and snuggle down against Tim’s arm.

“I think that today has been one of the best days I have had in a long while,” I sigh. Tim responds by wrapping his arm around me and pressing a kiss on the top of my head.

“Me too.”

When I tip my head back to look at him, he covers his mouth with mine, his tongue tracing the seam of my lips, I groan, but he breaks the kiss, wrapping his arms around me and leaning back against the side of the sofa while we watch the rest of the movie. This really was a perfect day.

Chapter Twenty-One

Timothy

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