Chapter 16

After breakfast Connie had pulled on her dressing gown and walked downstairs to get herself another drink while Jacob sorted out the small mess he had made upstairs.

She couldn't help herself as she stood in the kitchen with the music playing. Connie hummed along before singing the very few words that she knew. "I need some love like I never needed love before, I wanna make love to you baby-" she stopped as she felt his arms wrap around her waist, feeling her face flush red through embarrassment.

Jacob just placed a gentle kiss to her neck before pulling away and moving about the kitchen. Connie rested against the side holding the mug against her chest watching him. Jacob noticed she was watching him as he closed the dishwasher. "What?" Connie came out of her daydream and tried but couldn't wipe the smile from her face.

The power of love, a force from above

Cleaning my soul, flame on burn desire

Love with tongues of fire

Purge the soul, make love your goal

"I was just thinking-" "About?" She smiled ducking her head. "You-" He pulled a face leaning against the side in the kitchen as Connie put her mug down and walked over to him. "About how I thought I could never be this happy again." He stood straight and looked down at her as she came to stand before him. "You know I think I…" She closed her eyes for a moment before feeling his hand rest against her cheek.

She moved her hand to rest on top of his, holding it and opening her eyes again. She looked ahead at his chest seeming to take a deep breath before letting it go and raising her eyes to meet his.

"I love you." Connie seemed nervous speaking those words. It had been such a long time since she spoke them and meant it to someone other than Grace. Just the thought of opening herself up to someone like this scared her but she couldn't deny how she really felt for him.

It took him back hearing the words fall from her lips. He'd been close to saying it to her the other night, but stopped himself worried that she might not be able to say it back or that she'd run. "I don't think I've ever felt like this and I hate it because it means I can't lie to you anymore… about any of it." Jacob smiled before the smile came back to her face.

He'd never seen anything more beautiful than Connie and to know that deep down, despite the icy exterior that so many people saw, she had these feelings for him drove him crazy. "Well, I guess it's a good thing that I love you too then isn't it?" The smile spread across her face further as he leant closer to her and kissed her before she moved her hands to the back of his head deepening the kiss.

Outside the snow settled across the ground creating a wintery scene throughout Holby. Connie stood in the bedroom window looking out at the fields stretching out from her house.

Jacob had gone out to the shop while she disappeared upstairs to get changed. She'd put on a pair of jeans and a long sleeved t-shirt as she looked to the outside world all the while thinking about those three words she'd uttered. I love you. She'd actually said them and since the smile had remained on her face.

As she saw Jacob appear at the end of her road a thought flashed into her head as she ran from the window and down the stairs.

Jacob whistled as he wandered along the street careful not to slip on any of the ice. He made it almost the whole way without anything happening. It wasn't until he reached the edge of Connie's drive that he almost lost his balance after a bundle of white crashed against his chest.

Regaining his balance he looked up to see Connie a short distance from him wrapped up. She bit her lip suppressing the smile as Jacob shook his head. "You… Are really… Reeeally… Going to wish you stayed inside Mrs Beauchamp." He dropped the bag of shopping he had and ran towards her as she ran the opposite direction around her car.

Connie dodged behind the car as a snowball crashed against the fence behind her. Standing back up she smiled as Jacob grabbed another handful of snow. She ran out from behind the car and along the street while he chased after her.

She spun around to face him and threw another one his direction which made him duck, just missing him. Almost immediately he stood back up and threw one which landed on her chest just at the top of her coat meaning it slowly dripped inside onto her skin. "Jacob!" Connie screamed as she felt the cold of the snow. He laughed before she glared back at him and ran after him.

5 minutes later and there was snow being thrown in all directions as it continued to fall from the sky. Connie spun around and tried to run away, instead she slipped and fell to the floor in a pile of snow. "Con, are you okay!?" Jacob ran to her with a look of worry across his face.

"I'm fine, really." She smiled as he held out a hand to her. Rather than taking it and helping herself up she pulled gently resulting in him landing in a heap on the floor next to her. Connie laughed as Jacob sat up with a handful of snow which ended up in her face. He pulled her against him laughing while she repeated his actions.

By the time they both made it inside Connie was beginning to shiver from the cold. Jacob took her coat and hung it up before walking into the house and grabbing the huge blanket from the sofa. "Here, wrap this around you." He smiled as she pulled her top over her head before smiling and taking the warm blanket. "Thank you, you still lost though-"

"Did I now… Well I'm the one standing in your house on Christmas Eve, with you half dressed so I'm thinking that I'm actually the winner here." Connie smirked as he came closer once again after removing his own wet shirt. Connie leant up and kissed him still holding the blanket close to her chest while he wrapped his arms around her waist the best he could. "Go upstairs and warm yourself up, I'll make us both a drink." He winked before walking into the kitchen.

Connie headed for the stairs, stopping briefly to look back at him. She was lucky to have him no matter how much she hated admitting it, he treated her better than she ever deserved and he thought the world of her despite everything she'd done.