A Season to Remember

Simon perused the shelves of decorations. 'How about silver. I feel like that's wintery.'

'Just silver?'

'What's wrong with that?'

'Nothing, but it might look a little cold on its own. A splash of gold would warm things up.'

Simon chuckled. 'You've done this before, haven't you?'

'Many, many times.'

'Alright, I'll take your word for it.' He picked up a box of sliver baubles and a box of gold. 'Now for some lights. White or coloured?'

'White would be classier, but I've always thought coloured ones are more festive.'

Simon grabbed a box of coloured lights. 'I've never been classy.'

'Me neither. Now all you need is a tree to put them on.'

'That would be useful. I don't fancy carrying one across London, though. There's a fruit and veg stall near my place that sells them.'

'Lead the way.'

After a short walk either side of a tube ride, they arrived at the stall. Spruces of all shapes and sizes stood in like along the pavement, competing to light up the living rooms of London.

'What size do you think would be best?' Louise said.

'They say bigger is better, don't they?'

She smiled. 'As long as you know what to do with it.'

'I might know a thing or two.' He stopped beside a six foot Norwegian Spruce. 'How about this one?'

'Good choice.'

The seller packed the tree into a net, then Simon slung it over his shoulder for the short walk back to his house.

'Do you mind opening up?' he said, digging in his pocket and handing Louise his keys. 'My hands are a bit full.'

They went inside, where he propped the tree up against the living room wall. After digging out a stand from the cupboard under the stairs, he cut the net and secured it in place in the corner of the room.

'Handsome,' he said, admiring it. 'And the tree isn't bad, either.'

'It'll put you to shame once it's decorated.'

'We'll see about that. Do you want a drink, by the way?'

'A cup of tea would be great.'

'Coming up. Sugar?'

'Just milk, thanks.'

'One more thing before we start,' Simon said when he returned with the tea, 'what's your favourite Christmas song?'

'You're gonna laugh, but I likeSanta Baby.'

'Seriously.'

'Yeah.'

He sighed, bringing up the song on his phone. 'Why do you do this to me?'

They began decorating the tree while listening to the sultry lyrics. While the lights were straightforward, the baubles prompted a debate on the best way to arrange them.

'You can't put for gold ones next to each other,' Louise said, 'you need to balance things out.'

Simon looked at her with a raised eyebrow. 'I didn't realise you were the arbiter of baubles.'

She stepped in front of him and rearranged them on the tree, swapping two of the gold baubles with silver. 'There. See how much better that looks.'

He took a step back to admire the new arrangement. 'I take your point.'

'When have I ever let you down?' She stepped back to join him. 'I'd say we're done.'

'It looks good. I still think I edge it, though.'

Louise chuckled. 'If you say so.'

'Fancy another drink? I have wine or beer if you're in the mood for something stronger.'

'I'd love to, but I'd better get going. I still have Christmas shopping to do, and I don't want to leave it till the last minute.'

'Makes sense. Anything interesting?'

'My nephews want a new video game, so I told my sister I'd get it for them. Super Mario or something like that.'

'Ah, that takes me back,' he said as they headed for the door. 'Thanks for coming over. You were right, decorating was good fun.'

'You're welcome, I enjoyed it too. At least your living room is a little more festive now.'

'I probably won't see you again before Christmas, but we should do something after.'

'Sure, send me a text when you're free. Are you sure you'll be alright by yourself?'

He smiled. 'It's sweet of you to worry, but there's honestly no need.'

'Alright.' She hesitated for a moment, then leaned in to give him a hug. 'Merry Christmas.'

As she pulled away, her cheeks prickled with heat as he kissed her lips. It lasted less than a second, but she barely heard him wish her a Merry Christmas amid the blood rushing to her head.

Simon opened the door and she left in a daze. The ghost of his lips banished the cold as she walked to the tube station feeling twenty years younger, as though she'd finally kissed her teenage crush. A bit of an overreaction, she thought, but when she noticed a strange look from a passer-by, she realised she had a huge smile on her face.

Christmas Day

'Hi, Merry Christmas. Come in, get yourself out of the cold.'

'Merry Christmas,' Louise replied. 'How are you?'

'Rushed off my feet more than usual, but no mishaps with diner so far.'

'Hi Aunt Louise,' Archie and Noah shouted, rushing down the stairs.

'Hi boys, Merry Christmas. I wonderwhy you're so excited to see me. Could it have anything to do with'—she took two parcels from her bag—'these?'

The twins' faces lit up, barely able to contain their excitement. 'Thanks Aunt Louise. Can we have them now mum? Please!'

'After dinner, you know the rules. It'll be ready in about half an hour, so you won't be waiting long.'

Both boys trudged upstairs with a heavy sigh.

'They're so cheeky,' Kirsty said. 'They try the same trick every year.'

'Can't blame them for trying. How did the Nintendo Switches go down?'

'I've never seen them so excited. They barely slept last night because they couldn't wait.'

Louise popped her head into the living room to wish Dan and his parents a Merry Christmas, then joined her sister in the kitchen.

'How was your date with Simon last week?' Kirsty asked as she poured two glasses of wine.

'Fine.'

'Just fine?'

'Okay, better than fine. After meeting up for coffee, we went to buy him a Christmas tree.'

'Bought him what?'

'A Christmas tree. He wasn't going to get one, so I offered to help him decorate.'

'Aww that might be the most adorable thing I've ever heard.'

'Shut up,' she teased.

'You like him though, don't you?'

She took a coy sip of wine. 'I feel like I've known him a lot longer than a few weeks. We get on so well.'

'Do you think he's on the same page?'

'I think so.' Louise broke into a smile. 'He kissed me.'

'Seriously? You kept that one quiet.'

'It was just a peck.'

'Peck or not, I'd say that's a pretty clear indication he's interested. What are you going to do?'

'I'll keep seeing how it goes. We're going to see each other again after Christmas.'

'Nice. Has he gone back to Birmingham?'

'No, he's still in London. He doesn't really have any family.'

'He's on his own?'

'Yeah.'

'That's not good on Christmas.'

'I said that to him, but he seemed fine about it. I almost suggested we meet up this morning, but I thought it was too forward.'

Kirsty considered for a moment. 'Would you like to see him today?'

'What do you mean?'

'You could surprise him later.'

'But we always spend the whole evening together. I don't want to leave you in the lurch.'

'You wouldn't be. I'd love you to stay the whole day, of course, but we can muddle through without you.'

Louise pursed her lips. 'Do you not think turning up out of the blue would be a bit weird?'

'I think it would be romantic. It might be worth getting a man's opinion though.' Kirsty walked to the kitchen door. 'Dan.'

'Yeah,' he called back.

'Can we borrow you for a minute?'

He appeared a few seconds later, festive in a Santa hat and Christmas jumper. 'What's the emergency?'

'Imagine you're single and spending Christmas alone.'

'Is this your way of trying to tell me something?'

Kirsty smiled. 'If you were talking to a woman you liked, would you mind her showing up on Christmas Day unannounced?'

'Depends, is she hot?'

Louise laughed as Kirsty shot him an exasperated look. 'Any chance of you taking this seriously?'

'Okay, okay,' he said. 'If I was interested in this hypothetical woman, I'd be over the moon. I can't think of a guy who'd say no to a woman showing initiative.'

'There you go,' Kirsty said to Louise.

'Why do you ask?' Simon said.

'Simon's spending Christmas Day alone, and I think she should pay him a visit later.'

'Ah. I'd go for it, Louise. Jump in at the deep end.'

'Okay, you've convinced me. And you're sure you don't mind me leaving early?'

'Not for this,' Kirsty said. 'Besides, we're seeing you tomorrow anyway. If you like him, you should take a chance.'

*

Simon puzzled at a knock at his door. He paused his film and went to answer, praying it wasn't an emergency work visit.

'Louise...'

'Hey. I hope you don't mind. I'll go if you're busy.'

'No, it's a nice surprise. Come in. I thought you'd be at your sister's all day.'

'I slipped out a few hours early. She practically pushed me out of the door when I told her you were spending Christmas alone.'

Simon laughed. 'So I'm a charity case now?'

'Something like that.' Louise reached into her bag and pulled out a present. 'Merry Christmas, by the way.'

'Oh thanks, you didn't have to.' He gave the parcel a squeeze. 'I'm guessing clothes. Is this your way of saying you don't like my dress sense?'

'Nope. If you had bad dress sense I'd just tell you. Go on, open it.'

Simon did so, and his eyes lit up upon seeing the claret and blue of Aston Villa.

'I guessed you were a large,' Louise said. 'I can return it if it doesn't fit, or if you already have one.'

'Large is perfect. I haven't got this year's shirt, so this is great, thank you. I feel like an arsehole for not getting you anything.'

'Don't worry, I wasn't expecting you to. Besides, you've brought me pizza and hot chocolate.'

'Well the least I can do is repay you in alcohol. Fancy a beer?'

'Sure, why not?' Louise followed him to the kitchen, where she noticed several pots and pans by the sink. 'Looks like you've been cooking for a small army.'

'I'm a bit of an amateur chef when the mood takes me. Molly and I always used to go all out for Christmas dinner, so it's a tradition I continued. There's plenty of leftovers if you're still hungry.'

'Thanks, but I couldn't eat another bite. I'm so stuffed I could burst.'

They took their beers through to the dimly lit living room, the only light coming from the TV and the LEDs on the tree. They sat on the sofa, and Simon put his arm around Louise as she leaned against him.

'What are you watching?' she asked.

'Die Hard.'

'On Christmas Day?'

'Of course, it's the best Christmas film of all time.'

She looked up at him with a frown. 'I honestly can't tell if you're having me on.'

Simon laughed. 'You'll see. I'm only ten minutes in, so I'll go back to the beginning so you can watch the whole thing. You're in for a treat.'

'Miracle on 34th Street is more my cup of tea, but I'll keep an open mind.'

'Thoughts?' Simon said two hours later.

'It was...interesting. Not sure how it's a Christmas film, though.'

'It's set on Christmas Eve.'

'Yeah, but I've never seen a Christmas film where German terrorists take over a building.'

'Isn't that what Christmas is all about?'

She laughed. 'I don't know what world you've been living in. 'Anyway, it's getting late. I should probably head off.'

'It's a bit of a drive home, do you want to stay the night?'

She delayed her answer for a moment, glad he'd asked, but not wanting to sound too keen. 'I'd like that. But just so you know, I'm not ready for anything intimate.'

'There's no rush. I'd like to, but I don't want you to do anything you're not comfortable with.'

Her stomach flipped at his admission. It was hardly a surprise given how close they had become, but hearing him confess to wanting her made things seem significantly more real.

'Thank you for understanding.'

He got up. 'Another beer? Not that I'm trying to ply you with alcohol to change your mind.'

'Sure, one more. Then maybe we can watch an actual Christmas film.'

When Simon returned with the beers, Louise suggested the aforementioned Miracle on 34th Street. Despite his scepticism, Simon agreed, and by the time it had finished it was well into Boxing Day.

'Well that couldn't have been more different,' he said.

'Don't you think it was more festive, though? The mystery, the magic, the feel-good factor.'

'Are you saying Die Hard has no feel-good factor?'

'No, but John McClean is no Kris Kringle.'

Simon feigned offence. 'How dare you. I should throw you out for saying that.'

'You'd throw me out on Christmas?'

He pointed to his watch. 'It's not Christmas anymore.'

'Seriously? I didn't realise it was that late.'

'That's because you've been distracted by my witty and charming company.'

'Is that what that was?'

'Of course. Anyway, I'm going to turn in. Got to set off early tomorrow.'

'Oh, that's right, your football match. Who are you playing?'

'Crystal Palace.'

'Crystal Palace? Some of these teams have weird names.'

'It's football history. I can give you a long, detailed explanation, if you want.'

'Hmm, I think I'll pass for tonight.'

'Your loss. I'll grab you a t-shirt. Might even have a spare toothbrush.'

'Thanks.'

Simon couldn't help laughing when Louise emerged from the bathroom, his shirt fitting her like a tent. With a playful frown, she climbed into bed and cuddled up to him.

'This is a weird feeling,' she said. 'I've got so used to having a bed to myself.'

'Good weird, I hope.'

'I appreciate you coming over. It was really sweet of you.'

'I couldn't let you spend Christmas day alone, could I?' She sighed softly as he replied with a kiss on her lips. 'Mmm, that was nice. Come here.'

He obliged, and Louise giggled after a few seconds of making out.

'I'm not that bad of a kisser, am I?'

'No, it's just the beard. It's tickling my face.'

'Well the more you kiss me, the quicker you'll get used to it.'

'I like the way you think.'

*

The next day, Simon and Dom left Villa Park in high spirits.

'I'll take three-nil,' Dom said, 'especially after going down to ten men.'

'Me too. I can't believe how much better we've been after nearly getting relegated last season.'

'I don't think anyone can. I had to pinch myself after we put seven past Liverpool. I thought we'd go down for sure, and now we're in a top four race.'

'I'll drink to that. Speaking of which, pub?'

'Of course.'

'First drink's on you.'

They followed a group of celebrating Villa fans to the pub. Simon grabbed a table, and Dom brought over two pints of lager.

'So,' he said, 'tell me more about this new woman you're seeing.'

'I wouldn't call it "seeing". We've only been on a handful of dates.'

'That's a lot for you. Is she fit?'

'Of course.'

Dom laughed. 'Never in doubt. I'm happy for you, mate. It's about time you found someone.'

'Yeah, but I didn't expect it to happen so soon after moving. I know it's early days, but she's the first woman since Molly I could see myself with.'

'Wow, you have got it bad. She must be a catch.'

'It's hard to know where her head's at, though. She gets distant whenever Peter comes up. I'm not completely sure she's ready to move on.'

'Have you slept together?'

He shook his head. 'She stayed over last night, but nothing happened.'

'She stayed over on Christmas Day?'

Simon smiled. 'Yeah, she called round in the evening out of the blue.' He lifted his jumper to reveal the Villa top. 'She bought me this, and then sat with me through Die Hard.'

'I'd say that means her head's in a pretty good place. Kate wouldn't have done that for me after knowing me a few weeks. Maybe she just needs more time.'

'Maybe. We're going to watch the fireworks on New Year's Eve, so I might put my cards on the table. What do you think?'

'I don't know, mate, I'm probably not the best person to come to for dating advice. You don't want to put too much pressure on her, but on the other hand, she could be waiting for you to say something.'

Simon took a thoughtful swig of his pint. 'I'll see how New Year goes then make a decision.'

New Year's Eve

Louise wrapped herself in her hat and scarf before stepping out into the cold evening air. Looking up, she smiled at the full moon and smattering of stars in the cloudless sky.

'The weather's perfect,' she said.

'Makes a nice change for our dates,' Simon said as they walked to the waiting taxi. 'You're carriage awaits.'

'Such a gentleman. I'm so excited for the fireworks. We'll have to get to Primrose Hill early to get a good view.'

'Me too. I've only ever seen them on TV.'

'Same for the last few years, but they're so much better in person.'

They took the taxi to Primrose Hill, and after a bite to eat and a couple of drinks of a bar, they made their way to the hill a couple of hours before midnight. Hundreds of other people had had the same idea, but they managed to find a spot with a clear view of the city centre.

'Now we wait,' Louise said. 'It's the worst part, but it's worth it.'

'It's not like I've got anything better to do,' he teased.

'Ouch. What would you normally be doing? Don't tell me Die Hard has a New Year's sequel.'

'Not a New Year's sequel, but there are four more. And just for that, I'm going to make you watch all of them.'

Louise laughed. 'That actually wouldn't be so bad. I kind of enjoyed the first one.'

'You'll be telling me you want to come to a Villa game next.'

'I wouldn't mind, you know. I've never been to a sports game, so it might be a good experience.'

'Wow, you're full of surprises tonight.'

She kissed him. 'There's more where that came from.'

'Next year should be a good one then,' he said with a smile.

Louise didn't react, but she noted it was the first time that anything to do with the future had come up in conversation. It was an exciting yet nerve-wracking prospect, and as she rested her head on his shoulder, she pondered what the months ahead would entail.

At one minute to midnight, everyone on Primrose Hill joined in with the countdown. When the clock struck twelve, Simon and Louise shared a New Year's kiss as the first wave of fireworks lit up the sky. The display lasted around fifteen minutes, leaving a blanket of smoke over the London skyline.

'So, what did you think?' Louise asked.

'They were so much better than on TV. The Catherine Wheel effect on the London Eye was amazing.'

'That was my favourite part. I'd forgotten how impressive it is.'

'Fancy toasting the New Year with another drink?'

'I'm a little bit tired. Do you mind if we go back to yours and snuggle under the covers?'

'Sure, I can think of worse things.'

Louise smiled, and they made their way to the tube station, slowed by the crowds of people heading in the same direction. As soon as they got back to Simon's they climbed into bed, grateful for the warmth of the duvet and each other.

'Tonight was wonderful, thank you,' Louise said.

'Glad you enjoyed it.'

She took a breath, psyching herself up for what she was about to do. Reaching down, she placed her hand on the front of his boxers and massaged his cock.

'Are you sure?'

Louise nodded, and Simon pulled her into a passionate kiss. Gentle yet firm, he roamed her body with a want he had so patiently suppressed. She relished every sweep of his hands; while they had touched her before, it hadn't been with such carnal intent. They helped each other out of their clothes, then she moaned as he squeezed her bum, pulling her to meet his sturdy erection.

'It's so bloody cold,' Louise said with a giggle.

'So let's get warmed up.'

Louise smiled. 'Like this?'

Running her hand down his torso, she wrapped it around the hot flesh of a cock for the first time in years. Simon sighed, and it immediately responded to her touch, expanding into her fingers as she stroked. It felt awkward and uncoordinated at first, but the muscle memory gradually returned, reminding her of the delights of a man's aroused sex.