Page 33 of Mistletoe and Mulled Wine at the Christmas Campervan

‘So, can I interest you in anything else, folks? Some cake? I have a little Rum and Raisin Bread and Butter Pudding left? Or my famous Driftwood marshmallow-and-flake topped hot chocolate, perhaps?’ Louise was ever the charming host.

Now that did sound good. And, well, it was still a while until supper time.

‘Well, it’d be rude not to,’ Jack took up, evidently thinking the same thing.

‘Yeah, go on then, Lou. Two of your finest hot chocs, please.’

They took up seats at the nearest table and chatted away as they listened to the backdrop of frothing and stirring sound effects. The café soon filling with the cosy aromas of cocoa and warm milk. Two large white mugs then appeared before them, sporting a thick froth of whipped cream and a scattering of mini marshmallows, with a chocolate flake to dip in. ‘Here you go, guys. Enjoy!’ beamed Abby.

‘Oh, delish!’

‘Thanks, Abby.’

The hot chocolate was indeed delicious, and without realising it, Lucy ended up with a creamy moustache.

Jack looked at her with a wry grin, and then moved a gentle fingertip above her top lip to wipe it off for her. Giving her that look, the one that often appeared in the bedroom. Hmm, once they’d finished drinking this blissful cocoa concoction, it was absolutely time to get home and nestle down beside that tree and cosy fire.

The pair of them held back long enough to enjoy the melt-in-the-mouth, slow-cooked beef supper, served with a caramelised onion mash, all made by Lucy herself. She was very proud of her culinary efforts, and Jack was suitably impressed.

‘That was absolutely fantastic, Luce.’ He patted his contented stomach.

After quickly clearing away the dishes, and jointly washing and drying up, they made their way back to the lounge, where the tree with its new decorations glimmered.

‘So, it’s not just pizzas I’m good at,’ beamed Lucy as she sat down beside him.

‘Oh, I know that.’

And with those words, he took her face between his hands, tilted her chin, and gave her the most sexy, toe-tingling kiss ever. As their lips finally and reluctantly parted, he pulled away to look deep into her eyes, giving a heartfelt smile.

Wow.

They slid down to the rug in front of the fire. Removing each other’s clothes, in a tantalisingly sensual dance, they were soon skin-on-skin, fingertips tracing, and hearts racing. And then they took their time, making love slowly, beautifully, with the crackling of the flames and the heat of the log fire warming their bare flesh, not quite a match for the strong and urgent fire of desire within them.

Later, settled on the sofa with a glass of red wine in hand and most of her clothes back on, Lucy leaned against Jack’s T-shirted chest, with her feet curled up beside her. The fire had settled to a gold-orange glow, flickering gently in the hearth. A gingerbread-spiced candle filled the room with its warming scent, making a dance of patterns on the wall.

‘It’s been such a lovely day,’ she half spoke, half sighed.

Sitting there, gazing at the tree they’d decorated together, made her think about family times; Mum, Nonna, Olly and Alice, little Freddie, her dad and his partner Jo. It was a little fractured, Lucy’s family, but now the dust had settled on her parents’ break-up and the years had passed, they all rubbed along fine. And she loved seeing them all over the festive season. She wondered what Jack’s family was like? They’d had to cope with so much, losing a son, a brother … Lucy knew that Jack visited regularly and was obviously very fond of his family.

‘You know, I’d loved to meet them, your parents …’ The words just spilled out. It was an honest declaration after this special day they’d had together. She was beginning to feel comfortable and homely with Jack. And well, Christmas was always about family time for Lucy.

But she felt Jack’s body freeze beside her. Sensing that something had changed, she shifted to face him, and the look on Jack’s face made her stall. He seemed taken aback.

‘Oh … right …’ he stuttered, his gaze dipping down to his lap.

Dammit, she’d said the wrong thing. Had she overstepped the mark? Moved forward too fast?

She quickly tried to defuse the situation. ‘You know, I don’t mean I have to see them just yet, your parents. It was just a thought. No pressure.’ But still, there was a feeling of static in the air, and though the pair of them sat close with Daisy curled between them, the frostiness continued.

Lucy picked up a magazine that was lying on the coffee table, and idly flicked through.

Jack began flicking through the channels with the remote. ‘Anything you fancy watching?’

‘Not really. You choose.’

He settled on some reality TV; a bunch of celebrities holed up in a castle, a series that they’d often enjoyed. Lucy abandoned the magazine and stared at the screen but found she couldn’t concentrate on the programme at all. She sipped her wine, with a headful of worries and doubts. Could Becky have been right after all? Was he inevitably always going to up and leave at some point? Was meeting the parents a no-go zone? Was her gorgeous Jack just the perpetual commitment-phobe, the wanderer?

Lucy found herself feeling awkward for the rest of the evening, and then later on, strangely lonely, with her thoughts buzzing about in her head as she lay in bed with Jack beside her. She could hear the rhythmic sound of his sleeping breath and feel the steady beat of his heart. But her own heart now seemed to be hammering out warning signs.