Page 39 of Ghost Of You
I’m perched on the porch, cradling a steaming cup of white hot chocolate that Laelia made for us. The warmth of the drink soothes my insides, making the cold outside seem a little less biting. With seven days left till Christmas, I’m already plotting the perfect gift for her. She always says she has everything she needs—and that’s me. But the truth is, she’s everything I could ever want and more. She’s my lifeline and my whole damnfuckingworld.
Suddenly, a sharp, cold sting across my cheek makes me wince. My hand flies to my face, and I drop the mug, which shatters and spills hot chocolate all over the porch. “Ow!” I shout, wincing from the sudden jolt.
Laelia rushes over, her eyebrows knitted in concern as she stomps through the snow. Even though it stings like crazy, I can’t help but laugh at her panicked expression. She looks at me with a mix of worry and affection, and I chuckle despite the discomfort.
“You’re laughing? I’m panicking, and you’re laughing!” she says, shaking her head with a smile. “You’re such a goofball.”
Says the woman who just pelted me with a snowball and made me lose my hot chocolate! I give her my best puppy-dog eyes, but she just laughs and shakes her head. “Don’t even try it,” she says, looking away.
“Oh, it’s on,” I reply with a mischievous grin.
Her eyes widen in mock horror. “Vengeance?” she gasps.
“Vengeance,” I repeat, still grinning, preparing to chase her down.
Before I can make a move, she bolts, and I’m hot on her heels as she dashes around the garden. Her laughter rings through the air as I close in on her. Predicting her next move, I catch her as she turns left, but she slyly sticks her leg out, causing me to trip.We both tumble into the snow in a heap, laughter bubbling up between us.
Laelia lands on top of me, and I gasp for air, but soon we’re both laughing uncontrollably. I get lost in her eyes, which seem to sparkle even brighter than the snowflakes around us. It’s like I’m floating on a cloud, seeing not just her heart but her soul.
She’s stunning, with her freckles dotting her make-up-free face, and the snowflakes clinging to her lashes add a magical touch. I brush a stray piece of hair behind her ear, and her cheeks flush with a rosy hue from the cold and my touch.
Before she can react, I gently cup her face and bring her lips to mine. Our kiss is soft at first, but soon it grows warm and heated, melting away the chill. The thought of making love in the snow crosses my mind, but the cold makes me shiver at the idea. I’d rather keep all the warmth for myself!
As we pull away, she rolls onto her back and starts making snow angels. I follow suit, and her giggles fill the air, making me smile. “We’re such big kids,” she says, still laughing.
Not wanting to let her have all the fun, I scoop up some snow and toss it over her. “Take that!” I tease.
She squeals and tries to shield herself from the snow, her laughter infectious. “Killian!” she shrieks with playful indignation.
She quickly retaliates, throwing snow back at me. I stop when I see her shivering, realising she’s gotten too cold. “You’re freezing!” I point out.
She shrugs, still grinning. “Just a little. I’m having too much fun!”
I shake my head with a smile. “Let’s go inside and warm up.”
She eagerly accepts my hand, and I help her to her feet. We rush back to the house, and she reappears with a brush to help clean up the broken mug. I finish tidying up and lock the back door.
As I peel off my wet clothes, I hear the shower start upstairs, and a grin spreads across my face. I can already picture us warming each other up in there.
“I’m coming in!” I call, hurrying up the stairs.
Her laughter echoes from the bathroom. “Wouldn’t have it any other way!”
I step into the steamy bathroom, and my breath catches at the sight of Laelia standing under the hot water. Her skin glistens, her figure framed perfectly by the steam. Our eyes meet, and the look she gives me is a mix of longing and love, making my heart race even faster.
She beckons me with a look that says she’s falling even deeper in love with me, and honestly, I didn’t think it was possible to love her any more than I already do.
Chapter twenty-one
25th December 2018
Christmas presents are piled under the tree, each one smothered in shiny nutcracker wrapping paper, so taped up that getting them open will require either a pair of scissors or the strength of a lumberjack. Laelia's got a special talent for over-taping—she could probably keep a mummy together for eternity. I can’t even complain, though, because I can't wrap a gift to save my life. Seriously, if wrapping were an Olympic sport, I'd be the guy tripping over the finish line. Laelia wrapped everything from both of us, while my contribution was shoving her gift in a bag and drowning it in tissue paper. Honestly, it looks like a kid's first arts-and-crafts project, but hey, at least it’s festive.
Our tree, drenched in fifty shades of pink and twinkling like a Christmas disco ball, stands guard over the presents. Laelia, in her quest for holiday perfection, added the lights yesterday to make sure everything dazzles just right for my mum, Lloyd, and Ethan when they come over. She’s been in full-on Santa’s elf mode, worrying about every detail, from how the furniture's arranged to making sure the turkey’s big enough to feed a small army.
I’ve offered to help approximately a million times, but every time I do, she shoos me away like I’m a dog chasing a stick. She’s currently tearing around the kitchen like a headless chicken, double-checking everything as if Gordon Ramsay himself might drop by. I’m parked on a stool across the kitchen island, watching her zoom around, occasionally getting a side-eye that says, ‘Don't even think about it.’
About an hour ago, mid-cooking chaos, she decided it was time to get dressed. She left me in charge, issuing strict instructions to stir, check, and most importantly, not to burn anything. The way she looked at me, you’d think my life depended on it.Spoiler alert: it does.