All I Want Series Boxset, Books 1-3: All I Want for Christmas, All I Want for Valentine's, All I Want for Spring (27 page)

“You can go away another weekend. I’m sure Holly’s dad wouldn’t ask if he didn’t really need you.”

“I know,” Tori said, aware she was sounding like a sulky teenager. A car drove by her, spluttering exhaust fumes. Tori coughed as they caught in her throat. “And before you say it, I know I’m being selfish. I was just looking forward to it, that’s all.”

“You can still do romantic things with kids around, you know,” Tori’s mum replied. “The romantic bit just changes slightly, but the good times can still happen.”

“I think they have to be your kids.”

“It helps, but you can still have a good weekend with Holly’s sister in tow. Just shift your mindset and you might be surprised.”

Tori grunted down the phone. “It’ll be fine when she comes, I know that. I was just looking forward to getting out of London, just the two of us.”

“Lighten up, kiddo — you’ve got the rest of your lives for the two of you.” She paused. “And anyway, you won’t be able to go away when you get a cat. How’s the plant going?”

Tori smiled. “Yes we will, you’re having the cat when we go away,” she said. “And Petula is doing well, thanks.”

“Not in direct sunlight?”

“No,” Tori said, rolling her eyes. “I moved her to the table beside the sofa, just like you said.” Tori secretly thought her mum wanted this cat more than she did.

“Good girl,” her mum replied.

CHAPTER 8

Saturday dawned and the alarm went off way earlier than normal: that’s what happened when you had responsibilities.

“Is this what our lives have come to?” Holly croaked, her voice thick with sleep. Using a proper alarm clock was a New Year’s resolution: together, she and Tori had agreed to ban everything digital from their bedroom, in a bid to save their eyesight and their sanity. So far it was working well and, after only a few weeks, Holly had been surprised at how much more relaxed she felt now her instant response on waking wasn’t to reach for her phone. Now, instead, she reached for her girlfriend, who was far warmer and never gave her screen burn.

She did just that now, breathing in Tori’s smell. She’d always known what she smelt like, of course she had, but this new dimension of their relationship had brought about new smells: first-thing-in-the-morning Tori. Holly was pleased to report that first-thing-in-the-morning Tori was her new addiction. Now she’d smelt it, she never wanted to be without it.

“You smell gorgeous,” Holly told her, kissing the side of her face.

Tori opened her eyes more fully and reached up for a kiss on the lips. “Morning breath, crazy hair and dried dribble in the side of my mouth? I’m sure I’m exactly what you always fantasised about.”

“You kinda are,” Holly said, her mouth turning up at one corner.

“Anyone ever tell you you’re a weirdo?”

“All the time,” Holly replied, pressing her lips to Tori’s.

They got lost in their first morning kiss, Holly’s body waking up to the promise of more, her leg moving between Tori’s, her hand sliding across Tori’s breast.

Tori groaned into her mouth.

There was a rush between Holly’s legs as she rolled on top of Tori, and she closed her eyes as the beauty of their bodies colliding fully hit her — now it was Holly’s turn to groan. There was nothing she loved more than naked flesh on naked flesh, breast against breast. It was sheer perfection, her mind misting her vision with sunshine. The fact that she and Tori slotted together so effortlessly wasn’t lost on her, and Holly was still getting over how perfect Tori’s breasts were. She kissed them now, circling a pale pink nipple with her tongue.

“Babe,” Tori said, breaking the moment.

Holly lifted her head and focused on Tori’s eyes, seeing the desire she felt reflected in them. “Yeah?” Her voice was sketchy at best.

“What time is your dad turning up?”

Holly stopped her hand travelling down Tori’s body and focused. “In just over an hour. We’re on a time limit. So shut up, okay?”

Tori grinned. “Okay.”

Holly licked around her nipple again, pleased when it stood to attention and Tori squirmed beneath her. But foreplay wasn’t at the forefront of her mind this morning. She wanted to wake Tori up in style, make sure that while they were playing parents later, Tori’s mind was filled with images of this moment. With that in mind, Holly slid her hand in between Tori’s legs, shifted them apart, before sliding inside her with ease. Tori was ready and waiting.

Tori slammed her head back into the pillow in response.

Holly dove deep, slowly but surely, finding Tori’s G-spot. After a month together, she knew exactly where it was. And when she found it, she concentrated all her efforts on it.

Tori moved and moaned just as Holly knew she would, and Holly revelled in the control she had over her girlfriend right at this moment, loving the trust she placed in her. That was what gave Holly the biggest kick from sex: the pleasure she could give and the trust that she received. She loved watching Tori’s face as they made love, she adored her absolute vulnerability. Right now, she was lost in the moment, revelling in her pleasure. And when Holly turned it up, as she was about to do, she loved watching that too, seeing the total wonder and loss of control in Tori as her orgasm ripped through her body and she succumbed to whatever Holly could give her.

It didn’t take long to get there.

“Did you have some sexy dreams last night?” Holly whispered in Tori’s ear, kneeling over her as she fucked her harder. “Because you seem so ready for me this morning.”

Tori screwed up her face in response and let out a guttural moan.

Holly felt the squeeze on her fingers as she increased her speed and stroked Tori up and down. A few seconds later, Tori’s body bucked and Holly couldn’t help the smile crossing her face as she watched her lover come hard, guided by her, caused by her, loved by her. Holly dipped her head and sucked on Tori’s perfect breasts again, before bringing her to climax again. When Tori eventually pushed her hand away, Holly kissed her gently on her eyelids, face, neck and stomach, before dropping down beside her, a broad grin on her face.

She left it a minute or so before she spoke. “Right, come on then!” Holly said, tapping Tori’s arm.

Tori cracked open one eye and looked at her, confused. “What?”

“It’s now 45 minutes till my dad gets here, and we need to shower. And if you play your cards right, I might let you come in with me.”

A lazy, languid smile crossed Tori’s features as she turned her head to face Holly. “Go and get soaped up then, you harlot. When I regain the use of my legs, I’ll be right with you.”

***

Holly’s dad was bang on time and not in the mood to chat. Sarah’s surgery had gone well, but she was still in hospital and at that critical stage where nobody knew just how the operation would affect her. She had double vision and she was still very weak. It was clearly taking its toll on David, who looked like he’d aged ten years in the past two weeks. Elsie, too, was subdued, and David told them she’d been a bit off colour over the past two days.

“Probably just missing her mum, but she does keep complaining of tummy pains. Just keep an eye on her,” he said. “Make sure she eats something. I had to force her to have some toast this morning.”

To keep Elsie occupied, they’d decided to spend the day at the London Aquarium. Elsie had seemed on board with the fish plan, but only after she’d gone round their flat inspecting everything, like a dog laying its scent. Unlike a dog, Elsie had thankfully refrained from weeing everywhere, for which Tori was grateful. According to David, Elsie had only recently become toilet-trained, so it was still touch and go.

The London Aquarium was on the capital’s famous South Bank, right by the London Eye on the River Thames. And because of that, it was busy — crazy busy. The queue for the Eye snaked back to the main road, while the river glinted in the winter sunshine, all calm and grace. The pavement in front of them was packed with tourists and to one side, a vendor selling hot nuts from a street cart was doing a roaring trade, the sweet, roasted smells enticing people in.

“Next time I suggest coming somewhere like this on a Saturday, shoot me,” Holly said, wheeling Elsie’s buggy round a crowd of German teenagers all wearing matching backpacks. It was another crisp, sunny winter’s day, the sky a sheet of blue above them, a multitude of different languages rattling in the chilled air. So far, Holly had counted four other buggies in the space of two minutes, and she’d smiled at their drivers, like they were in some elite club.

“Stop being such a grouch,” Tori said, nudging her with her elbow. This had been Holly’s idea, after all. “We’re here for the children, remember, because children are our future.”

“Thank you, Whitney,” Holly replied. “And, on the contrary, I’d say children are annoying,” she added, before leaning forward over the buggy. “Apart from you, Elsie.”

Elsie lifted her tiny legs in acknowledgement.

“Children also love fish — blame Pixar and Nemo. So I suggest you find your inner child, because you’re about to be assaulted by a barrage of them,” Tori said, threading her arm through Holly’s. “I thought you wanted to get to know your sister?”

“I do. But I never said anything about the rest of London’s under-fives.”

“Comes with the territory, sweetheart.”

Once inside, they abandoned their buggy in the cloakroom, Holly taking Elsie by the hand to guide her round, but eventually having to lift her into her arms because the aquarium was so dark. Plus, with such tiny legs, Elsie wasn’t the fastest walker.

However, after some time, they both realised this plan wasn’t their brightest. Mainly because it appeared that while Elsie was a big fan of cartoon fish, in real life they scared the living daylights out of her. In Holly’s arms, she was up high and close to the floor-to-ceiling fish tanks. And every time a fish swam anywhere near the glass, Elsie freaked out, her tiny hands covering her face, a small scream escaping her mouth before she burrowed her head into Holly’s neck.

“Look Elsie, see the lovely fish come to say hello?” Holly said, with one hand tapping the glass.

But Elsie wasn’t interested, peeking out from between her fingers, before retreating to her hiding place.

“Look Elsie, it’s Nemo!” Tori tried.

But Elsie wouldn’t budge. “Don’t like it!” were the final words she spoke, refusing to engage in any more chat about the matter. Holly was secretly impressed with her steely resolve — Elsie wasn’t going to take life lying down.

After 20 minutes though, she began to get teary, peering out of her safe place and realising they were still there.

Tori tugged at Holly’s coat as they walked past a shark, which even she had to admit was eyeballing them menacingly. Tori recalled the first time she’d come to the London Aquarium on a work do, with free wine and canapés. After a couple of hours and more than a couple of wines, turning round to be confronted by a massive shark had almost made her have a heart attack, so she could well understand Elsie’s reluctance. With or without alcohol, fish could be intimidating.

“I think we should call it a day and get out of here before we scar Elsie for life, don’t you?” Tori said, nudging Holly.

Holly nodded. “You could be right.” She peeled one of Elsie’s hands from her face. “Shall we go to McDonald’s and get you a Happy Meal, Elsie?”

Elsie’s features didn’t move, but she nodded her head in agreement.

Decision made.

***

However, once inside McDonald’s, Tori was questioning their decision. It was Saturday lunchtime. The noise level was deafening, and she didn’t think she’d ever seen so many kids in one space, all of them at peak excitement, draped over every chair, every table, every square inch of air.

“For the children, remember?” Holly said, smirking at her.

“It’s like another planet, isn’t it?” 

“It certainly is,” Holly said, twisting the buggy round to Tori. “You take Elsie and I’ll queue up. What do you want?”

Tori blew out a breath, as the volume of families eating burgers nudged up a notch. “Surprise me,” she said, turning and steering the buggy to an available table. On the way there, Tori passed a lone woman with five children at a table, all chattering intensely. The woman looked resigned, beaten. Tori gave her a smile as she passed, which the woman returned.

Surprisingly, Holly didn’t take that long despite the length of the queue which was now winding almost out the door. Within ten minutes they were sitting down with their food, Elsie placated with a plastic toy rabbit, ignoring her meal for now.

“I only ever have McDonald’s at airports or when I’m hungover, so this is a real treat,” Tori said, tucking into her quarter-pounder.

“Is that the definition of grown up? Coming to a McDonald’s when you’re not hungover?” Holly asked, biting into her Filet-O-Fish.

“Definition of insanity, more like,” Tori replied. “What do you think, Elsie? Shall I chop you up a nugget?”

Elsie nodded and Tori looked around for a knife, but there wasn’t one. Instead, she bit a nugget in half with her teeth and set both sides back in Elsie’s cardboard tray.

Elsie didn’t raise an eyebrow.

Holly smiled in Tori’s direction. “You’re good with kids, you know that? There was me thinking I’d be the practical one, but it’s more you. I’m genuinely amazed.”

“I have many hidden talents all waiting to be unveiled,” Tori replied. It was true what Holly said — Tori hadn’t had many kids in her life so far, but she was warming to Elsie.

“I have no doubt about that.” Holly shot Tori a grin as she wiped Elsie’s hands on a napkin.

“Having said all of that, if there’s one thing that all prospective parents should be made to do, it’s come to McDonald’s for lunch on a Saturday.” Tori swept her hand around the restaurant, a sea of plastic, burgers and ketchup smears. “Just to be sure this is what you want to do with your life. Should be mandatory for a month. I guarantee the birth rate would plummet.”

***

Half an hour later and after a memorable trip to the toilets (“a war zone”, Holly had declared), they were out of McDonald’s and on the red double-decker bus home, Elsie wedged into the buggy area but straining over her shoulder to see what was going on. When a double-seat became free next to her buggy, they sat down, Holly unstrapping Elsie and sitting her on her lap. Holly jigged Elsie up and down to keep her amused, while Tori took up the chat.