FINN THOMPSON
Christmas Day was everything it needed to be.
Not only was it Skye’s first Christmas, but it was the first time spending the holiday with Maya, too.
There isn’t a better word for it than perfect.
After stuffing ourselves full with a roast dinner and playing silly games, we got dressed into our matching pyjamas to curl up on the sofa with hot chocolate.
My heart has never felt so full after feeling empty for so long.
We’re up early on Boxing Day, which is usually unheard of for me, but we have to complete our tradition this year. Especially since Maya has never been in the sea at Willows Bay. Nothing like a cold-water dip before midday.
JJ arrived around eight this morning, and the excitement on my sister’s face is heartwarming. They’re so in love it’s sickening, but I’m happy for them.
“How cold are we talking?” Maya asks as she leans onto the counter with her forearms and slowly places a grape in her mouth.
My mother laughs as the corner of my lip tilts upwards. “Only a little.”
Maya narrows her eyes at me. “Little?”
“It’s going to be very cold, Maya,” I hear my mum say as I prepare Skye’s bottle. “But thrilling.”
“Are you joining us?”
“Absolutely no chance. I’m too old. Do you want me to have a heart attack?”
I roll my eyes and glance at her over my shoulder. “You’re not old.”
Footsteps ring in my ears as Ivy and JJ emerge. “Are you guys ready to go?”
“Ready as I’ll ever be,” Maya huffs as she straightens her spine. “I’m terrified.”
Ivy chuckles and walks towards Maya before placing a hand on her arm. “Trust me, it’ll be worth it. Then we can go somewhere for a nice pub lunch and have a debrief.”
Maya’s eyes flick to mine at the mention of a pub lunch.
I nod at her, letting her know I’m okay with it, and she visibly relaxes.
Just because we’re at a pub doesn’t mean drinking has to be involved.
It’s easy to associate things when I’ve been doing it since I was sixteen, but now it’s time to break the cycle.
“Right.” Ivy claps her hands together. “Ready to go?”
Maya glances at my mum. “Are you okay with Skye?”
She releases a playful tut. “Of course. I’m excited to spend some one-on-one time with my beautiful granddaughter.”
I hand over her bottles before my mum kisses me on my cheek. “Have fun, don’t hurry home.”
“We’ll try,” Ivy calls out.
Once we grab our bags and head down to the beach, I glance at Maya, who has her coat wrapped around her in this Baltic weather.
“You sure the sea isn’t going to be frozen over?” She arches a brow at me.
“Dramatic.” I bump her hip gently. “Don’t worry, I’ll warm you up after.”
Maya draws in a breath and adjusts the strap on her shoulder. I frown at the sight and take it from her hands. “I can carry my own bag,” she says softly.
I sling it over my shoulder anyway. “I know you can,” I say with a smile. “But I want to do it for you.”
When we make it to the beachfront, there’s barely anyone here. Only a few people are walking their dogs early. I dump our bags on the ground, and Maya’s eyes nearly bulge out of her skull at how quickly JJ and Ivy start to take off their clothes.
“Shit,” Maya hisses quietly. “Are we doing it immediately?”
“Breathe, sunshine,” I murmur through her panic. “We can take our time. Don’t worry about what they’re doing.”
Her eyes dip from mine and follow Ivy as she strips down into a red swimsuit with her hair tied back. JJ’s gaze latches onto her as he whips his jumper off, followed by his T-shirt, until he’s in nothing but his swimming trunks.
Ivy clutches her arms around herself and hops from foot to foot. “Hurry,” she says as her teeth chatter. “I will get hypothermia.”
JJ slams his clothes down over his bag before reaching for my sister and wrapping his arm around her shoulders. He kisses her head as they start walking towards the water, and Ivy glances over at us.
“You guys coming?”
“Be there in a second,” I call out.
We stand back for a moment and watch as they run towards the water, hand in hand, giggling like a pair of school kids.
They crash into the water like the world should fear them, and it fills me with joy to see my sister finally out of her shell since the accident.
And that’s all down to my best friend reminding her that life isn’t scary.
Ivy screams out as they both dive under the surface. Maya is visibly shaking beside me.
“I-I don’t know if I can do that.” Maya grips herself tighter.
“We don’t have to.”
She glances at me with wide eyes. “No, you said it’s tradition. You have to.”
“Not going without you.”
She huffs. “Finn—”
“You and me, together, or I’m not going. But it’s all good, if you don’t want to.”
“I will,” she states. “Just…just give me a moment to psych myself up.”
I bite back a grin as I place my arm around her shoulders. “You’re brave enough to do this, sunshine. I know it. Just breathe. It’ll feel great after.”
Ivy shrieks again as JJ picks her up and she wraps her arms around his neck. Their laughter floats across the beach, and the brightness on both of their faces is nearly infectious. I can’t believe there was a time I despised seeing them together.
“They really love each other, huh,” Maya comments.
“JJ is patient as fuck, and Ivy opened herself up for him because he gave her space to trust. I’m really happy for them.”
Maya inhales before nodding. “They’re cute.”
“Even I can admit that.”
She turns to me with a soft smile as strands of her hair flutter around her face. “Okay, I think I’m ready.”
“Yeah?”
Her teeth sink into her bottom lip. “Yeah.”
“Let’s go.”
I start to take off my clothes until my chest is bare and my legs are covered by my swimming shorts. There’s a slight breeze in the air, and I have to admit, it’s beyond freezing.
Maya slowly starts to peel off her clothes, and I tell myself not to watch as she stands there in her black one-piece, but I can’t help it, she looks fucking incredible.
I exhale through my nose as my eyes dilate every time they sweep over her body.
“What?” Maya says as she wraps her arms around herself.
My head shakes. “You just look…” I cut myself off when words fail me. “God, you’re so beautiful it hurts.”
Maya’s cheeks heat and then her teeth start to chatter. “I’m really not.”
“Don’t talk about yourself like that,” I scold.
She bites down on her bottom lip.
“Come on,” I say as I take her hand and entwine our fingers together. “Let’s do this.”
She sucks in a breath and nods before we sprint over the sand and towards the water.
“It’s best to just go for it,” I say. “Slow is worse. Just do it.”
Maya squeals. “Okay.”
Then we’re rushing into the water like madmen, and the second my feet touch the water, it sends shivers down my spine.
“Jump,” I tell her, and she does, right into the sea.
I follow after her as I submerge myself in the arctic water.
Okay, it’s not actually Arctic. But god, does it feel like it.
When I come up for air despite my entire body turning numb from the temperature of the sea, I immediately search for Maya, who resurfaces a moment after I do. She frantically pushes her hair away from her face as she gasps for breath.
“Oh—” she heaves. “My—” she heaves again. “Fucking god.”
I chuckle as I reach for her. “Refreshing?”
“That’s one word for it. Holy shit, it’s so cold.”
“Keep kicking those legs,” I say as I take her hand. “Keep the body moving.”
“Woohoo!” JJ cheers for us as he holds his fist in the air.
Ivy grins as her head bobs above the water beside him. “We did it! Thompson Christmas completed.”
The smile on Maya’s face replicates my sister’s, and I keep my eyes on her. “I’m really not a good swimmer,” Maya declares as she tries to hold her head above the water.
My arm wraps around her waist supportively as our chests push against one another. An exhale becomes stuck in my throat as I stare down at her and the droplets that roll down her olive skin.
“I’ve got you,” I whisper as the water laps around us. “Just relax.”
Her teeth start to chatter. “I bet you’re an incredible swimmer.”
“Well, when you grow up by the seaside, you have no choice in the matter.”
Maya’s cheeks darken as I splay my hand flat against her lower back, holding her up. The warmth she immediately gives me is like a shot of adrenaline. It’s fucking freezing, and she still makes me feel like I’m on fire.
For a moment, neither of us says anything. I stare down at the woman in my arms and think how many times I’ve dreamt of doing this with her. Her heart thumps against my chest, and it nearly knocks me sideways, but I keep us above the water.
“Finn—” she murmurs, not taking her eyes off me for a second.
My blood rushes through my veins rapidly, and the desperation to lean down and claim her lips is dangerous. I can’t. I know I can’t, but fuck, I want to. More than anything.
Especially when she looks at me like that. Big brown eyes that could ask me for anything, and I’d get on my knees and obey.
I’m a pathetic man for this woman, but I’ll happily be pathetic for the rest of my life if that means I get to have her forever.
“You okay?”
She chews on her bottom lip, and my eyes gravitate to the action. “Yeah.”
I might be torturing myself after saying I was going to create some space between us, but it’s nearly impossible. Not after introducing her to my family. Bringing her home. Involving her in our Christmas traditions.
I don’t want to put space between us, even if it’ll hurt me in the long run.
After a few more minutes, we eventually come out of the sea, and I rush back to our bags before digging for our towels. As soon as Maya steps within touching distance, I wrap her towel around her and start to rub her arms furiously.
“Y-you’re al-also cold,” she murmurs as her breath makes a small white cloud.
I couldn’t give a fuck about the cold when she’s my priority.
“Don’t worry about me,” I murmur despite the temperature making my skin burn. “I’ve done this more times than I can count.”
Maya stares up at me with damp lashes as I dry her off and place her hair into a towel so it’s not dripping down her back. “T-thank you.”
“Let’s get changed in the beach hut,” Ivy says as she clutches her towel close to her body. “Then grab some lunch.”
I glance back down at Maya and raise an eyebrow.
“Sound good?”
She nods with a stiff, chattering grin, without taking her eyes off me. “Sounds great.”