So amazing. Sometimes I wonder what he’s doing with someone like me.’
Dad laughs. ‘Haven’t you seen the way he looks at you? He’s crazy about you.’
‘But maybe one day he’ll realise that I’m not anyone special.’
Dad drops his sandwich and reaches across the table to take my hands. ‘You’re very, very special, Sophia Rose. You’re one of the most special people going.’
‘Thanks Dad, but I think you might be biased.’
‘I can see that the man cares about you. But maybe you should take things a bit slower, that’s all. Go easy. There’s no rush. To talk about marriage already … it seems a little crazy.’
‘It doesn’t feel crazy to me. It feels right. But I need your blessing as well as your permission. I couldn’t marry him without both.’
‘I didn’t say I wouldn’t give my blessing , exactly. But … there are certain things I’d need to be assured of before I said yes.’
‘Such as?’
‘Marc and I can talk about that on Christmas Day. What does he drink? Brandy? Port?’
‘W hisky, I guess. And champagne. But he’s not a big drinker.’
‘I’m pleased to hear it.’ Dad tags a swig of milk. ‘So. What are your plans for today? It’s Christmas Eve – don’t you and Jen usually get up to something?’
I twiddle my hair. ‘Marc was going to take me shopping, but there’s still more washing to put on so … I was just going to stay here, keep you company.’
Dad sighs. ‘At the risk of completely going against what I just said, I don’t want you stuck here cleaning the house on Christmas Eve. You go out with your fella and enjoy yourself. Did you say he was going to take you shopping?’
‘Yes.’
‘Don’t you hate shopping?’
‘This is a different sort of shopping,’ I say. ‘ I’m helping him choose presents.’
Dad push es away his empty plate. ‘You enjoy yourself, love. Don’t stay here with me, moping.’
I lean over to wipe Sam’s face. ‘You’re sure? You won’t be too lonely? And you’ll be okay with Sammy?’
‘I’m going to have you all day tomorrow. That’s more than enough.’
‘Sure?’
‘Absolutely positive.’
‘Okay. I’ll leave some snac ks out for Sammy. And I’ll leave supper out for the two of you, and clean bottles for Sammy’s bedtime.’
‘You go out and have fun, love.’
‘I’d better call Marc.’
20
Marc says he’ll pick me up at three o’clock in the limo.
At half two, I pace around th e garden, checking my watch every minute and watching time tick by.
When the limo finally pulls up outside the cottage, my chest begins to flutter like there’s a nest of birds inside it.
I run out of the hou se, flinging my coat around my shoulders.
B efore I can get to the car, the back door opens and Marc steps out.
He’s wearing a fitted black suit, black shirt and black tie, and his hair is thick and loose over his forehead.
Reaching me in two short strides, he lifts me clean off the ground and buries his head into my neck.
‘God, y ou smell good.’ He inhales deeply.
‘I missed you,’ I whisper, holding him equally tight.
Marc scoops me into his arms and carries me to the limo. When we’re inside, he places me on the seat and kneels in front of me, his chest pressed close to mine, arms around my neck.
‘ I’ve been driving myself crazy thinking about you,’ Marc says.
‘Oh? And what you have been thinking?’
‘I’ve been thinking about you tied up, gagged, begging me to fuck you.’
I swallow. ‘And they say romance is dead.’
Marc gives me a deadly smile. ‘What isn’t romantic about making you come over and over again?’
The limo pulls out onto the road, and I sway in Marc’s arms.
‘You do realise what a dangerous situation you’ve just walked in to?’ says Marc.
‘I thoug ht your job was to keep me safe,’ I reply.
‘ From everyone but me.’
‘ Luckily I don’t want to be safe with you,’ I murmur. ‘Exactly how unsafe had you planned on
Dad laughs. ‘Haven’t you seen the way he looks at you? He’s crazy about you.’
‘But maybe one day he’ll realise that I’m not anyone special.’
Dad drops his sandwich and reaches across the table to take my hands. ‘You’re very, very special, Sophia Rose. You’re one of the most special people going.’
‘Thanks Dad, but I think you might be biased.’
‘I can see that the man cares about you. But maybe you should take things a bit slower, that’s all. Go easy. There’s no rush. To talk about marriage already … it seems a little crazy.’
‘It doesn’t feel crazy to me. It feels right. But I need your blessing as well as your permission. I couldn’t marry him without both.’
‘I didn’t say I wouldn’t give my blessing , exactly. But … there are certain things I’d need to be assured of before I said yes.’
‘Such as?’
‘Marc and I can talk about that on Christmas Day. What does he drink? Brandy? Port?’
‘W hisky, I guess. And champagne. But he’s not a big drinker.’
‘I’m pleased to hear it.’ Dad tags a swig of milk. ‘So. What are your plans for today? It’s Christmas Eve – don’t you and Jen usually get up to something?’
I twiddle my hair. ‘Marc was going to take me shopping, but there’s still more washing to put on so … I was just going to stay here, keep you company.’
Dad sighs. ‘At the risk of completely going against what I just said, I don’t want you stuck here cleaning the house on Christmas Eve. You go out with your fella and enjoy yourself. Did you say he was going to take you shopping?’
‘Yes.’
‘Don’t you hate shopping?’
‘This is a different sort of shopping,’ I say. ‘ I’m helping him choose presents.’
Dad push es away his empty plate. ‘You enjoy yourself, love. Don’t stay here with me, moping.’
I lean over to wipe Sam’s face. ‘You’re sure? You won’t be too lonely? And you’ll be okay with Sammy?’
‘I’m going to have you all day tomorrow. That’s more than enough.’
‘Sure?’
‘Absolutely positive.’
‘Okay. I’ll leave some snac ks out for Sammy. And I’ll leave supper out for the two of you, and clean bottles for Sammy’s bedtime.’
‘You go out and have fun, love.’
‘I’d better call Marc.’
20
Marc says he’ll pick me up at three o’clock in the limo.
At half two, I pace around th e garden, checking my watch every minute and watching time tick by.
When the limo finally pulls up outside the cottage, my chest begins to flutter like there’s a nest of birds inside it.
I run out of the hou se, flinging my coat around my shoulders.
B efore I can get to the car, the back door opens and Marc steps out.
He’s wearing a fitted black suit, black shirt and black tie, and his hair is thick and loose over his forehead.
Reaching me in two short strides, he lifts me clean off the ground and buries his head into my neck.
‘God, y ou smell good.’ He inhales deeply.
‘I missed you,’ I whisper, holding him equally tight.
Marc scoops me into his arms and carries me to the limo. When we’re inside, he places me on the seat and kneels in front of me, his chest pressed close to mine, arms around my neck.
‘ I’ve been driving myself crazy thinking about you,’ Marc says.
‘Oh? And what you have been thinking?’
‘I’ve been thinking about you tied up, gagged, begging me to fuck you.’
I swallow. ‘And they say romance is dead.’
Marc gives me a deadly smile. ‘What isn’t romantic about making you come over and over again?’
The limo pulls out onto the road, and I sway in Marc’s arms.
‘You do realise what a dangerous situation you’ve just walked in to?’ says Marc.
‘I thoug ht your job was to keep me safe,’ I reply.
‘ From everyone but me.’
‘ Luckily I don’t want to be safe with you,’ I murmur. ‘Exactly how unsafe had you planned on
Similar Books
