A Christmas Kiss Read online

  Livvie nodded. ‘It’s a pretty tranquil spot, I can see why you thought that.’

  ‘Well, it wasn’t tranquil for long. I’d been there about five minutes when this van pulled up and a man got out. He didn’t see me, but when he walked past I could see he had a young black Labrador on a lead. I noticed the dog’s demeanour didn’t seem too happy – my parents have always had at least one Labrador at any given time and I’d grown to associate them with waggy tails and a happy disposition. Anyway, I didn’t really think too much more about it until I heard the most awful yelping; it still makes my blood run cold today. As I was running to see what was happening, the blond man I’d seen walk by barged past me – I can still see him now, he had the most menacing look in his eyes I’ve ever seen, it actually chilled me to the bone. He charged over to his van and flew off down the road.’ Zander shuddered at the memory. ‘I still find it difficult to talk about, but let’s just say I found the little lad in a bad way. I took him to a good friend of mine who’s a vet. He rushed him to his surgery and operated straight away – that explains the one eye and stubby tail.’ Zander clenched his jaw and swallowed hard, trying to get a grip on the emotions that had resurfaced.

  Livvie’s hand flew to her mouth, her eyes brimming with tears. ‘Oh, my God! No!’

  ‘It was touch and go for him for a while, but I took time off work and went to see him every day; just sat beside him, stroking him and talking to him, willing him to pull through. I knew he’d have to come home with me, there was no way I could let him go to anyone else or, God forbid, a rescue centre. It took a bloody long time to earn his trust, but we got there, and we’ve been inseparable ever since.’

  He looked up to see tears pouring down Livvie’s cheeks and his heart lurched.

  ‘What a bastard! How could anyone hurt him? He’s just so lovable.’ She rushed over to Alf who sensed her beside him and started wagging his tail. He put his head in her lap and she bent down, planting kisses on it. ‘Oh, you gorgeous boy, how could anyone do those things to you.’ She turned to Zander. ‘I’m amazed he’s so friendly or trusts humans at all after what he’s been through, and he must know you saved him.’

  ‘He’s the most amazing little guy and I’d say he saved me because I felt pretty crap after splitting up with Clara. I felt like I’d let my parents down; I’d almost become a social pariah. And it didn’t help that she was round at their house or Steff’s house for months afterwards – even Toby and Jo’s at times.’

  ‘That must’ve been awkward.’

  ‘Just a bit; I think they all thought I’d “come to my senses”, as Clara’s mother had put it, and we’d get back together.

  ‘Really?’

  He nodded. ‘But after I had a heart-to-heart with my parents, they understood why that was never going to happen. They ended up having to talk to Clara’s parents which, didn’t go down well; they accused me of leading her on, which I hadn’t. It was a horrible time.’

  ‘Sounds like it.’ Livvie stroked Alf’s head as he drifted off to sleep.

  Zander left the table and came to sit next to her. Alf raised his head, his stubby tail thudding against the warm flagstone floor.

  ‘You know what – and you’re probably going to think I’m bonkers for saying this – but I always think everything happens for a reason.’ Livvie looked at him earnestly. ‘I think that everything caught up with you that night, and made you feel like you had to say something to Clara because you were meant to rescue Alf; you were meant to be in that place that night to save him. You were sent to him.’

  Zander looked into her gentle hazel eyes. ‘I like the sound of that. God knows what would’ve happened to him if he’d been left there all night. Well, I do know, but I don’t want to think about it.’ He rubbed Alf’s proffered tummy.

  ‘Me neither,’ she said, joining in the tummy rub.

  Alf groaned with happiness and stretched his legs out, basking in the attention.

  ‘Alfred Gillespie, you are a dreadful old tart,’ said Zander, laughing.

  13

  Livvie

  ‘It’s your turn now.’ Zander went back to the kitchen table and topped up their wine.

  Much to Alf’s disappointment, Livvie stood up and joined him.

  ‘What do you mean, it’s my turn?’ She noticed, though his hair was cropped close, his fringe was sticking up a little at the front in an endearing way. She resisted the urge to reach across and smooth it down.

  ‘Well, I’ve just spilled my guts about the most serious relationship of my life – which, I hasten to add, is something I’ve never done with a woman – and now it’s your turn to do the same.’ He sat back in his chair, folding his arms across his chest. ‘I know you said you didn’t want to talk about it, but trust me, it feels better to share it with someone.’

  ‘Oh … right.’ Visions of Donny raced across her mind, roughly pushing her happiness out of the way. She really didn’t want to talk about him tonight, not when she’d been having such an unexpectedly wonderful time.

  Zander picked up on her change of demeanour. ‘Hey, I’m sorry if I’ve said something out of turn; you don’t have to share anything you don’t want to.’

  Livvie shook her head. ‘It’s okay, I can talk about it, but my story’s not in the deep and distant past like yours. Mine is very much in the present.’

  ‘Ah, that explains why you didn’t look so keen to talk.’

  Alf heaved himself off his squishy bed and came and sat beside Livvie, resting his head in her lap, looking up at her with his one kind, brown eye.

  ‘He can sense something’s bothering you. Honestly, let’s just leave it.’

  ‘No, it’s fine.’ She puffed out her cheeks and sighed, girding herself as she thought about the hurt that had sent her fleeing to the moors. ‘Tonight, I was supposed to be enjoying a romantic meal with my boyfriend, Donny…’

  ‘Okay, I’m guessing something fairly major happened to stop that and resulted in you arriving here.’

  ‘You could say …’ Livvie filled Zander in on the details, from hearing the butt-dialled phone call, to booking the cottage.

  ‘Shit, that’s awful. This Donny sounds like a total slime-ball.’

  ‘Oh, he’s that alright; and I’ve been a bloody fool to put up with it for so long.’ She gently pulled on Alf’s ears as a flood of sadness overwhelmed her, and unstoppable tears poured down her cheeks.

  In a moment, Zander was in the chair beside her, pulling her into a hug, stroking her hair. With her head pressed against the warmth of his chest, she could hear the strong, rhythmic beat of his heart through his shirt. She took a deep breath, inhaling the scent of his cologne; notes of citrus and sandalwood that tugged at her senses. This feels so good. The only time Livvie ever got a cuddle from Donny was as a prelude to sex; which was perfunctory and there was never an ounce of emotion in it. But this hug from Zander … this felt so different; it spoke of comfort and warmth and was given with feeling. How odd, she thought, that it was this way round.

  ‘He’s the fool for not realising how lucky he was to have you.’

  His words created a flicker of happiness in Livvie’s heart. Did he really think that?

  Their hug was broken up by Alf pushing his nose in between them. ‘Hello, Alfie, scared you’re missing out, are you?’ Zander laughed, releasing Livvie.

  I could’ve stayed there all night.

  She wiped her eyes. ‘I’m sorry I cried. I feel so stupid; I’ve only known you five minutes and here I am, sobbing my eyes out all over you.’ She suddenly felt embarrassed, exposed.

  ‘Hey, don’t apologise; you already know stuff about me a lot of people I’ve been friends with for years don’t. And I was pretty cut-up about Clara and me at the time, but it’s been a while, so my tears have had chance to dry; yours are still very fresh.’

  She gave a watery smile, his kindness was touching. ‘It’s good of you to be so understanding.’

  ‘No problem,’ he said, placing his hand
on her shoulder, giving it a squeeze.

  Just then, Alf trotted off into the utility room, stopping at the back door where he could be heard whining.

  ‘Looks like someone needs a toilet break, which can, very handily, double up as a weather check.’ Zander made his way over to him and flicked the outside light on. ‘Don’t build your hopes up for a walk, buddy, it’s just a quick tiddle in the garden for you, young man.’ He pulled the bolt back and opened the stable-style door. ‘Woah!’ Icy air leapt into the kitchen, swirling around Livvie’s ankles.

  ‘Ooh, blimey, that’s freezing,’ she said.

  ‘Bloody hell, come and take a look at this.’

  While they’d been ensconced in the cosiness of the cottage, snow had been falling heavily, drifting into banks against the drystone wall of the garden; it was at least five inches deep, more so in other parts. The wind was howling around the property while snow tumbled from the sky, swirling around, making it impossible to see across the moors.

  ‘Wow! I’d heard the weather could change quickly out here, but I had no idea just how much. Do you think the roads will be okay?’

  ‘Why, are you planning on driving somewhere?’ Zander grinned at her, his blue eyes twinkling and doing funny things to her insides.

  She giggled. ‘No! I just wondered … well, I was going to say … erm, if the roads are too dangerous tomorrow, then maybe … maybe you shouldn’t try to go anywhere.’ Livvie hoped he wouldn’t think she was being pushy or forward or worse, clingy and needy. ‘I wouldn’t want you to, er … I mean, you wouldn’t want to risk having an accident.’

  ‘Okay.’ He paused for a moment. ‘You mean you wouldn’t mind me staying here for another night?’

  The way he was looking at her set butterflies in her stomach fluttering about in a frenzy. ‘No, I wouldn’t mind.’ You’re absolutely lovely and I’ve loved spending time with you tonight. Her heart started pumping faster in her chest, she hoped the tractor with the plough wouldn’t come along this way again before tomorrow. But a little voice of caution told her to calm her jets, reminding her that she’d only just met him, and in the most peculiar of circumstances at that. Oh, shut your face! Another voice pushed its way in. It’s about time you started to trust your gut feeling; and at this present moment in time it’s telling you he’s hot-to-bloody-trot and a decent bloke to boot! It had a point; if she’d trusted her gut about Donny, she wouldn’t have touched him with a barge pole.

  Alf crashed into her thoughts as he bounded towards her and Zander. Covered in snow, he barged his way between them and straight through the door, where he shook himself dry in the warmth of the kitchen, sending icy droplets everywhere.

  Livvie shrieked. ‘Arghh! That’s freezing!’

  ‘Urghh! You little bugger! What have I told you about that?’ Despite himself, Zander couldn’t help but laugh at the happy expression on Alf’s face.

  Livvie put her hands on her hips, chuckling. ‘That’s the second time you’ve drenched me tonight, you rascal.’

  Alf wagged his tail; to him, it was clearly a fabulous game.

  ‘Looks like I’m going to have to dry you off again, you little sod.’ Zander reached for the towel that he’d hung to dry on the wooden clothes airer in the utility room. ‘Then I think we should move through to the living room, if that’s okay with you, Livvie?’

  ‘Sounds good.’ She fiddled with the end of her plait, the way he said her name sending waves of something indescribable right through her. ‘Though my clothes are a bit damp, so I think I’ll go and put my PJs back on.’

  ‘Good plan; I think I’ll join you.’

  Livvie looked startled.

  ‘I mean, I think I’ll got to my room and put my own PJs on.’

  ‘Well, that’s a relief.’ She giggled but secretly, she quite liked the thought of him joining her in her bedroom. Floozy!

  14

  Zander

  Basking in the unexpected glow of happiness Livvie’s presence had created, Zander carried their drinks through to the living room; she was right behind, carrying a small plate of exquisite handmade chocolates that were left for the holidaying guests.

  ‘These look amazing,’ she said.

  ‘And they taste as good as they look,’ he said, setting the glasses down on the coffee table. ‘They’re from a chocolatiers’ in a town not far from here called Middleton-le-Moors.’

  ‘Oh, I think I’ve heard of that place, isn’t it a well-to-do quaint little Georgian market town?’

  ‘It is, and it’s definitely worth a visit. If the roads are clear, I can take you there, if you like?’ His eyes twinkled at her in the soft lights. He hoped that didn’t sound too pushy, but judging from the vibes he’d been getting from her, he thought she wouldn’t find the idea totally repellent.

  ‘I’d like that.’ She smiled at him shyly.

  Zander’s heart flipped. She was having the most unbelievable effect on him, triggering feelings he didn’t know existed and tapping into some primal, deeply-hidden part of him which was telling him, without any doubt, he needed to be with her. Oh, Lord, I sound like I’ve lost my marbles, but I can’t shake this feeling, and I know, I just absolutely know that she feels it, too. He sneaked a glance at her. Her cheeks were slightly flushed and her eyes were shining; she was unbelievably beautiful. He was struggling to fight the overwhelming urge to pull her to him and kiss those full lips. He didn’t know what she was doing to him but no other woman had ever touched him in this way. It all felt slightly crazy.

  ‘I always thought that old houses were supposed to be draughty and cold, but it’s so cosy and warm in here.’ Livvie pulled him out of his reverie.

  ‘Believe me, this place was cold and draughty when I first bought it. It was in a terrible state; leaking thatch, broken windows, gaps in the wall where bracken roots were growing through, outside toilet, you name it…’

  Livvie looked around her. ‘Really? It’s hard to imagine it ever being like that.’

  ‘It was shocking. I’m told it was owned by a reclusive old farmer who’d lived on his own for as long as anyone could remember. Anyway, judging by the wallpaper that was hung up using drawing pins, it hadn’t been decorated since the fifties. The walls were covered with crumbling plasterboard and papered over – and all of this was boxed in.’ He pointed to the oak partition that the settle by the hearth was fixed to.

  ‘Why would anyone do that, it’s so lovely?’ She ran her fingers over the age-darkened wood. ‘Or want to hide these lovely, uneven walls when they give the place so much character?’

  ‘It beggars belief, doesn’t it? But, I suppose, fashions change; it would’ve been to make the walls all straight and neat and contemporary. It meant I got it for a song; I’d inherited some money from my grandmother and was looking to invest it in a property. It seemed like perfect timing when this place came on the market. Anyway, once I’d had a proper look around and saw what needed doing, I joined SPAB so I could learn how to look after such an old property properly.’

  ‘SPAB?’

  ‘The Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings.’

  ‘That’s a name-and-a-half.’

  Zander laughed. ‘They run homeowners’ courses, teaching you how and why you should use lime in old buildings, rather than contemporary stuff like cement and concrete. Afterwards, I stripped the walls back and re-plastered them with traditional lime plaster, used limewash for the walls; helps the house breathe and function how it was intended, helps prevent damp.’

  ‘Oh, I didn’t know that. I love the finish it gives to the walls.’ He watched her gaze move over to the prints he’d hung on the walls. ‘And I love the paintings.’ Livvie was admiring a watercolour of moorland scenery in all its summer glory, with soft, undulating swathes of heather, a fresh blue sky dotted with fluffy clouds. It was so vivid, you could almost smell the fresh air.

  ‘That one’s by a local artist called Gerald. He’s quite a character by all accounts, and this is one of his tamer painti
ngs.’

  ‘Really?’

  ‘I’m told that, until recently, he used to paint nude portraits of his wife.’

  ‘Yikes! I’m not so sure they would’ve looked too good in here.’

  ‘No, I’m not really into paintings of naked ladies in their eighties.’

  ‘What?’ Livvie’s eyes were like saucers. ‘Are you teasing me?’

  Tickled by her expression, Zander threw his head back and laughed. ‘I promise you I’m not. Honestly, the folk in the village are fabulous, but it’s got more than its fair share of “characters”, shall we say. I’ve never been anywhere like it, but it keeps pulling me back.’

  Livvie looked up at him and smiled; he noticed her eye suddenly catching something that was hanging from the beam. Zander followed her gaze to the mistletoe he’d asked Mrs Hoggarth to hang in the house.

  His heart started pumping faster as his eyes slipped from the mistletoe to Livvie’s full lips. She was looking back at him, her pupils dilated, her lips slightly parted. He wanted more than anything in the world to kiss her and, if he was reading the signs right, she wanted him to. The atmosphere was heavy with something indefinable, electricity sparking around them. Neither of them spoke, but the eye contact they continued to hold was increasing its intensity by the second. Zander felt his breathing deepen as a surge of lust hit his crotch. Hesitantly he put his hands on the top of Livvie’s arms and took a step closer. He noticed her breathing change too; she swallowed and parted her lips further, her eyes heavy with desire. Feeling bolder, he ran his finger down the curve of her cheek, feeling her skin soft and warm.

  ‘Livvie,’ he said, his voice smoky.

  A crashing sound from the kitchen made Alf bark and in an instant, their special moment disintegrated into the air around them.

  Livvie jumped and Zander took a step backwards. ‘What was that?’ she asked.