Strong (Kindred #1) (43 page)

I push him back and crawl over him, straddling his hips.

“I’m going to make love to you, Carter.” I tell him.

“Undress me then.”

I make quick work of removing his clothes. When he’s naked and I can’t take anymore I crawl back over him and join us together, groaning at the delicious full, complete feeling I get every time with him. I worried my body wouldn’t react this way, that it would stop me enjoying this, but once we worked out what we needed to do to make it work, it’s been incredible. Everything in life, every relationship takes a little adapting, our relationship is no different.

“I’ve had the best day with you.” I tell him, linking our hands.

“Me too. Every year will just get better.” he tells me, rolling us both so I’m underneath him.

“I love you, so much, Carter.”

“I love you too.”

We lose ourselves to each other, moving together perfectly like we’re made for each other. Being with him brings me so much happiness, so much love I can’t think of a time with Carter that I wasn’t happy, that I didn’t feel safe and protected. It has nothing to do with his tall, broad size, and everything to do with how he looks after me. After we find our release together, Carter pulls me into his arms and we fall asleep, watching the fresh snow falling outside the window.

It’s the most perfect Christmas ever.

The remainder of our time in Chicago flies by, I get to meet Carter’s Aunt and Uncle, we even go out on New Years Eve with Alexis, her friends and a couple of Carter’s. After talking everything through with her about Tyler again, she has decided to talk to him, give him a chance to explain, I hope for her sake, they can find some kind of level playing field and move forward.

It’s an emotional goodbye when it comes to leaving for the airport the day after New Years Day and everyone is feeling it.

“Promise to keep in touch, and I promise to come and see you really soon. Jack and Josie got me a ticket to come over so I’ll sort it with work.” Alexis tells me wiping away tears.

“I promise, you keep in touch too, I want to know how it goes with Tyler.”

“Thank you for everything, I really do love you.” she sobs into my chest.

“We’ll see you soon, okay?” Carter tells her kissing her head.

“Promise?”

“Pinky promise.” he grins holding out his hand.

The drive to the airport in a sad one, as happy as I know Carter is in England, leaving his family is always going to be difficult. He’s quiet on the flight home and spends most of it holding my hand, repeatedly bringing our joined hands to his lips and placing a kiss on my fingers.

“I hate you being sad, Carter.” I whisper as we make our descent into Heathrow.

“I’m just sad the holidays are over, my place is with you.”

“But not if it makes you sad.”

“It doesn’t make me sad,” he sighs then smiles. “They say home is where the heart is right?” he asks me, pulling me to his chest and wrapping his arms around me.

“Yes they do.” I agree.

“Well, my heart lives here,” he rests his hand above my heart. “So you’re my home, right?”

“I guess so.” I grin goofily at him.

“It’s always going to be hard to leave them, I love my family and I love Chicago…. But I love you more. There isn’t anything that will keep me away from you.”

“I know, I love you,” I kiss him. “And smile because we get to do it all again with your brother.”

“Yes we do,” he grins. “Silver lining.”

“M
erry Christmas!” Josie yells when she opens the door.

“Woah! Did you eat the whole turkey?” I tease her pointing to her stomach.

“Actually, no, this thing just appeared from nowhere!”

“It’s all the peanut butter on toast she eats, carbs make you fat.” Harry calls from behind her.

“And hormones make me have rage, do you value your balls, Harry?” she turns and slaps him on the chest.

“Yes, you all know I’ve got
—
”

“Don’t say it again!” Megan growls.

“Carmen! Give me a hug,” Josie calls over me. “I’ve missed you.”

“So have I!” Megan calls. “I want a hug too!”

“I’ve not missed you, bro.” Jack smirks.

“I have, come here.” Harry holds out his arms and Josie cackles.

“Where’s the boy?” Carmen asks. “I’ve missed cuddles.”

“He’s asleep, you can have cuddles as soon as he wakes.” Megan tells her smiling.

“So, the turkey is in the oven, the presents are under the tree and I’m ready for some serious eating, are we going to get present exchange going?” Josie asks, flopping onto the sofa.

“Yes!” Megan jumps up and down in her seat.

“I’ll go first because, well, I want to.” Josie smiles.

“This is why she gets on so well with Lex.” I tell Carmen, pulling her onto my lap.

“He’s right.” she laughs, taking the present Jack hands her.

“So we all kept some presents back for giving each other, this way, everyone gets something.” Megan tells us.

“Jack…” Josie croaks.

I look over and she has tears rolling down her cheeks as she looks at the photo frame she’s holding in her hands. She turns it around and Carmen and Megan sigh.

“Let me see?” I ask holding my hand out while Jack crawls over to her and kisses her, wiping away her tears.

It’s a photo frame that says;
In these moments, time stood still.
The time is set to 10.07, 1.30 and 2.45. Along with those times are three photographs. One of Jack and Josie dancing in a club clearly taken on a phone, another of them when they got married and the final one is a scan photo.

“That is the most beautiful present in the world.” Megan gushes.

“It’s so beautiful.” Carmen agrees grinning.

“Thanks Jack, not like we can compete with that, you smug fucker.” Harry rolls his eyes.

“Don’t you even dare,” Megan scowls at him. “This is gorgeous.”

“Like I said.” he smirks.

“Okay, someone else now.”

“I’ll go.” I announce.

“Carter, you’re sneaky.” Carmen laughs.

“I know, here you go.” I hand her the box and kiss her.

I watch as she opens it, her head snaps to mine and tears fill her eyes. For a fraction of a second I think I’ve done the wrong thing, but then she leans over and tugs me to her and kisses me and I know, she loves it.

“What is it?” Josie whispers.

Carmen hands her the box and Josie cries too.

Then they hand it to Megan… Who also cries.

“Too many hormones in this room right now.” Jack laughs.

“What is it?” Harry asks.

They hand it to Harry who smiles. The photo frame contains photos from the shoot Carmen asked me to help her with, three of my favourite photos, all black and while and all beautiful. Running along the length of the photos, top and bottom are the words;
That person who enters your life out of nowhere, and suddenly means the world to you
in script.

“Thank you.” Carmen smiles, wiping away her tears.

“Love you.” I whisper to her.

“Harry, dude, your present better be good.” Jack laughs.

“Shut it, fucker!” he scowls.

He picks up a box and passes it over, Megan takes it and smiles unwrapping it, she gasps and runs her hand over whatever it is inside the box. Josie leans over and gasps too.

“Oh my God, they are so perfect.”

Carmen leans over too and looks, reacting much the same way. Megan proudly turns it over to show us what it is. It’s a photo of the two of them in what I imagine is a birthing pool, Harry is behind Megan and they both have their eyes closed and underneath that, is a silver cast of Henry’s hand and foot along with his name and birth date.

I have to admit, it’s pretty cool.

“It’s perfect, I really love you, Harry.” Megan tells him.

“I really love you too.” he smiles.

The girls give us our presents next. Josie gives Jack a baby grow that says;
I love my Daddy.
Megan gives Harry a frame with photos from a shoot she had done with Henry which makes him cough and wipe his eyes a lot and Carmen gives me a wooden box made from a map of Cornwall with the centre cut out in the shape of a heart, it’s the location of Jack and Josie’s wedding and where we first met. The card that goes with it says;
Where it all began
.

“Now we’ve all opened our presents, can we eat? I’m not sure I can cope with any more emotions!” Josie laughs.

“Too right! I’m starving.” I tell her.

“You’re always hungry.” Carmen laughs.

“This is true.” I laugh.

We all sit around the table, everyone wearing a stupid paper hat from the crackers, grinning and laughing like idiots and I can’t help but feel so lucky to be surrounded by so many people I love. The day seems to pass quickly, we play ridiculous games and by the end of the night, my stomach hurts from so much laughing. We say goodbye to everyone and drive back to our apartment where Carmen insists on ending the day with a dance. She scrolls through her iPod and picks a song, a piano begins and then a guys voice. Carmen comes over and wraps her arms around me and moves us both to the music.

“Thank you, for everything, Carter.” she whispers, before she leads us down the hall and into our bedroom.