Christmas Hearts by Nina Levine

Author:Nina Levine
Language: eng
Format: epub

5

Birdie

* * *

“Birdie, have you heard a word I’ve said to you?” Mum asks early Christmas morning while I stand in her kitchen staring at the kettle waiting for it to boil. She’s been prattling on about her latest dating adventure, and while I did start out paying attention, my thoughts drifted off when she got to the bit about the guy still working in the same job for the same company for the past thirty-five years. I mean, who does that?

“Yes, I’m listening,” I lie.

She plants her hands on her hips and gives me her “you’re lying” look. “You were not.”

I stare back at her trying to win this little detour in conversation, but I know it’s pointless. “Seriously, how is he not bored out of his brain still doing the same job for all these decades?”

“Seriously, why are you focussing on that rather than the fact he wants me to wear leather, strap on a collar, and submit to whatever he tells me to do?”

I almost choke on my own tongue. “Jesus, are you going to?” Not that I’m against a little BDSM if that’s what people are into, but my mother? I can’t even imagine it. She’d likely smack him away if he tried to dominate her.

Her eyes widen. “Darling, I like a strong man, but if I ever tell you I have a safe word, have me committed.”

“You have a safe word?” Winter says to Mum as he enters the kitchen and catches the end of our conversation. He appears as perplexed with the idea as I was.

“God, no,” Mum says. “But the guy I’ve been dating wants me to.”

“You gonna keep seeing him?” Winter asks.

“Not if I can help it,” Mum says.

I slide my hand around his waist when he comes to me, and take hold of his face with my other hand so I can pull him down for a kiss. “Merry Christmas,” I murmur once I end the kiss. “How was your run?” He’s been gone for a good hour and is sweaty as hell, but I don’t care. I’ll take him any way I can get him. Especially since I’ve been in Sydney for the last week before he joined me late yesterday afternoon.

He brushes his lips over mine again, whispering, “Fuck, you taste good.” Then, pulling away, he says, “The run was good, but it’s hot out there. I’m gonna go take a shower.”

“Winter,” Mum says as he grabs the cold water out of the fridge. “I know you said you’re leaving tomorrow, but I’m missing my son-in-law. I’ve hardly seen you this year. Are you sure you can’t stay another few days?”

I make eyes at my mother. We’ve discussed this and I’ve made it clear to her not to harass him about staying longer.

She makes eyes back at me. Of course she does; she thinks she can get away with anything when it comes to Winter. He humours her more than anyone, but she’s about to find out that on this topic, he humours no one.

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