Lydia | ✔️

Bonus chapter

"I'm sorry," Lydia offered a sad smile, her squeeze tightening around his waist. He shrugged his shoulders and leaned down to press a kiss against her mouth.

He leaned back just enough to tell her that it didn't matter before his mouth was on hers once again. Both of his large hands found her nape, gripping her with a firm hold as his tongue slid inside of her mouth and ignited a familiar burst of desire in her stomach. She loved this man. She loved him more than she could explain or prove or adequately demonstrate. She had known him for almost her entire life and it still felt like these moments were fresh, new and as exciting as they were in the beginning. She had built a life with someone who she was certain was perfect for her.

"We still have an hour until our guests arrive," Carter mentioned with a shallow breath as he rested his forehead on hers, his jaw flinching as he exhaled. "Should we use the time to our advantage."

Lydia didn't get to offer a verbal response. She was slapped at the back of her thighs and hoisted into the air, her legs wrapped around Carters waist while her stomach turned into a frantic eruption of butterflies. She loved how he sucked his bottom lip in, biting down on it as he stared at her with desire. He walked her up the corridor and into their bedroom, intent on making the most of their private time.

That was until Lydia remembered that the roast would end up over cooked if she didn't get it out of the oven. She made a run back for the kitchen, switching the oven off and removing the food, placing it into the warmer drawer before she ran back to the bedroom. It was a little bit of a sobering interruption, but their passion soon picked up where it left off.

—

"Oh babe," Lydia paused before she opened the front door, a firm knock sounding for the second time. "You have—"

She wiped at the lipstick smudge on the corner of his mouth and zipped up his fly, giving him a careful once over to be sure that there were no more clues that would reveal their Christmas carnal. When she was satisfied that she was also presentable, she pulled the door open and smiled at Grayson who had his fist raised, his other hand intertwined with his wife's.

"Hey Dad," Lydia greeted, stepping aside to allow them to come in out of the snow. She gave her father a hug before he moved on to shake Carters hand. Isla handed her a dish of glazed carrots and pecked her cheek before she removed her coat.

Isla and Grayson had been together for little over a year but the two of them hadn't been slow to exchange vows. It was sweet. She worked in a little hipster boutique in Archwood which sold a variety of items from clothing to vape machines, healing crystals and jewellery. She always smelled like incense and wore patterned clothes that, along with her dark dreaded hair, gave the illusion of  a gifted palm reader.

Funnily enough, she didn't believe in such practices.

Isla bore similar semblance to Spencer, in the colour of her beautiful skin and dark eyes. But the two couldn't have been more different. However, they got along well and it meant a lot to Lydia that after such a long time, she could have a civilised gathering such as Christmas and there was no awkward tension.

Soon after their arrival, Nathan, Spencer, Liam, Camilla and Nicolás arrived with dessert dishes that Lydia had no doubt would be incredible considering her grandmother had created them. Despite her mothers best efforts, Spencer just couldn't seem to master the art of baking.

The meal was a success. The roast wasn't burned and Carter and Lydia shared a knowing grin over the near disaster that could have taken place had it not been for some quick thinking. The family fit around the table well, selfies were snapped, Christmas crackers were pulled and all throughout the meal, Carter kept finding ways to touch Lydia. A graze of her thigh, his arm around the back of her chair, sweeping her hair over her shoulder. She was pleased that he kept good spirits despite his mother being a no show. She knew that he must have been hurting.