Ch. 06 - Christmas on the Beach

The sun had been up for some hours before either of the girls woke up. They more or less slid into consciousness at the same time. Alice blinked owlishly through a tangled net of auburn strands, then squirmed up from her nest in Carys' arms. "Happy Christmas, sexy beast!" she giggled and bent towards the bigger girl.

Carys sleepily leaned up to kiss her, to be rewarded with a little lick on the nose! Grumbling, she reached for Alice and found that she had squirmed and bounced out of reach, leaving Carys trapped in the wreckage of the sheets. As she disentangled herself, Alice regarded herself critically in the wall mirror, turning this way and that to inspect her tight, young body. Once again, the chemistry of desire started making itself known, and Carys padded across to the mirror to stand behind her tiny girlfriend. She slid her arms under Alice's, cupping her small breasts, one in each hand.

She pulled Alice close, her face burrowing into the silken cascade of auburn hair, and her lover's warm scent filled her nostrils. She shivered slightly, and every nerve ending seemed to be tingling.

"Happy Christmas, love," she whispered, kissing the top of Alice's head. She gazed at their reflection in the mirror, and a smile lit up her face.

"You look stunning," Carys murmured, her hands gently caressing Alice's curves. "And you are mine, and I'm yours... always." She nuzzled Alice's neck, gently kissing along the delicate skin as Alice craned her neck to let her.

Alice gave a slow, throaty rumble almost as low as one of Carys' and leaned back against the tall brunette, sliding her hands up to cover Carys' own hands over her breasts. She could feel her nipples hardening and the heat in the pit of her stomach starting to build again, as she breathed hard... "Stunning? You great lummox! Take a picture of me to frighten children away from the fireplace, you soppy thing!" she laughed. "Ooh! I love it when you do that! But it's going to take half an hour to sort this bird's nest out!" She flicked at the heavy auburn tangles, "And you're not helping, where you've got your hands," she said, leaning back into Carys' arms, making no move to do anything about the increasing distraction.

Carys laughed, and her rich contralto voice filled the room. She cuddled Alice affectionately, her touch delicate and sensual. "My fierce, remarkable one," she murmured, her azure eyes gleaming. "You are stunning, and you are mine. That's all that matters."

Carys softly kissed Alice's neck, her arms tightening around the petite woman. She revelled in the warmth of their bodies pressed together; the beat of their hearts synchronised.

"Let your hair be, my darling," Carys whispered, her voice thick with desire. "You are gorgeous, just as you are." She slid her hands down Alice's sides, her touch light and erotic. Her fingers traced little patterns along the delicate skin, igniting a blaze of sensation that threatened to consume them both.

"You are a goddess, my love," Carys murmured as Alice trembled, her lips brushing against the redhead's ear. She gently turned Alice to face her, her eyes fiery with need and leaned down towards her lover's upturned lips.

"No... no... not now!" moaned Alice, kissing her swiftly and then gently pushing her back, "We've got things to do. I'm starving again, I need food... I think I'm going to faint!" she said melodramatically, still making no attempt to disentangle herself from Carys' arms, even going so far as to nibble gently at the lower swells of Carys' magnificent breasts...

Carys shuddered at the touch, goosebumps breaking out all over her chest and laughed warmly, kissing Alice's forehead, her embrace tightening ever so slightly. "Whatever you want," she whispered, her voice rich with affection. "Though I must confess, I could happily remain tangled in your arms all day!"

Carys reluctantly released her hold, a playful pout on her face. "OK, then -- let's head down to the beach. I know the gang will be there, with some big chunks of steak! Probably no turkey though!" Alice grimaced, "Ugh... turkey... no thanks!"

Carys grinned and took Alice's hand, threading their fingers together. She gazed down at her tiny soulmate, her heart swelling with love. "Lead the way, my fierce one, and I will follow you..." She struck a mock theatrical pose and declaimed: "To the ends of the earth if necessary!" Alice laughed so hard that she started hiccupping!

In between the hiccups, she demanded: "And... where do you think you are going, dressed like THAT?" pointing at Carys' naked body! "You've got a tiny red bikini, a T-shirt, some cut-off shorts, a Santa hat and a business suit that needs to be completely dry cleaned and ironed before you can wear it again, as the sum total of all your clothing in this room!"

She pointed at the small heaps of clothing scattered over the room, suddenly discarded in the throes of passion, including a tiny pair of black lacy knickers which had somehow ended up on the light hanging from the ceiling. Her eyes opened wide in surprise: "Cara Mia... did you put my knickers up there?"

Carys burst out laughing and playfully perched the Santa hat on her head, a mischievous glint in her azure eyes. "With the addition of any of those items," she replied, "I would be correctly dressed for the perfect Australian Christmas beach party, complete with a dashing Santa Claus!"

Carys sauntered over to Alice and swept her up into her arms, planting a kiss on the tip of her nose, a smile on her lips. "As for your sexy black knickers," she said, gazing up at the tiny garment with an expression of pure innocence on her face, "I must confess, I have no idea how they ended up there. Perhaps a gust of wind swept them away?" She ran her fingers down Alice's naked back and traced the curves of her hips. "Though I must say, they do lend a certain festive feel to the decorations... Shall we leave them there?"

She snorted with laughter and pulled Alice close, nuzzling the smaller woman affectionately. Alice shuddered and whimpered and started giggling uncontrollably, pummelling Carys gently. "Beast! Beast! I had completely forgotten it's the middle of summer here, and you will be able to get away with dressing like that... but I still have to brush my hair... or..." she looked at Carys coyly from under her eyelashes, her green eyes smouldering, "or you could do it..."

Carys' eyes widened in delight at Alice's coy invitation, a smile blossoming across her features. She gathered the petite woman in her arms and stroked her tousled mop. "Oh, Alice, I love stroking your hair! Any chance, I'll take it! Sit down here..." she indicated the edge of the bed, and grabbing Alice's brush, she sat down and waited.

Once Alice was sitting alongside her, she began to gently brush through the fiery locks, her fingers working in soothing, languid strokes. "Oooh... It flows over my fingers like silk."

As Carys worked on her hair, Alice very slowly and gently, so at first Carys didn't notice, she ran her fingers softly up the inside of her lover's naked thigh.

Carys' eyes widened, and she gasped as Alice's delicate touch sent a shiver of anticipation rippling through her. She paused, her half-closed eyes smouldering with desire. "As if I wasn't turned on enough by brushing your hair, you start tormenting me again!" she husked, her breath coming fast... "Tell me, my tiny persecutor," she whispered, her lips brushing against Alice's ear. "What tortures are you planning on subjecting me to, now?"

"Oh sweetie, I'm so sorry, I had no idea that was happening! I don't know what came over me..." The little snort of laughter at the end of the outrageous lie made Carys grin, as Alice wailed: "I'm going to HAVE to do it myself or it'll never get done, we'll end up messing it up again and then get nothing to eat and I'll fade away! You see what you do to me, you horrid BEAST?" Her shoulders were shuddering with laughter as she flounced back to the mirror and started to brush her hair in long, slow, steady sweeps. Carys sat on the bed, still naked apart from the Santa hat, watching the girl's graceful movements, completely mesmerised by the play of the muscles beneath her naked skin.

Carys rose from the bed, closing the distance between them. She gently rested her big hands on Alice's small shoulders, her eyes full of love. She looked at Alice's beautiful face in the mirror as she brushed and could see the same love reflecting back at her from her lover's green eyes. There was no need for either of them to say anything; all they needed to say to each other was there, in that look of love.

Throatily, Alice said, "My desire for food is rapidly being overtaken by my desire for you, but realistically, we are not going to be able to cater for the latter if we don't cater for the former... with some catering. So, stop now, sweet thing, before I really do succumb to your wiles, and let's go and find a barbecue where we can scrounge some food. Will your friends and their steaks be there? I could murder a cold beer."

Carys smiled warmly, and gently lifted aside the dark auburn curtain and gently kissed the back of Alice's neck. Alice whimpered and trembled, pressing back against the tall girl. "Yes, love, they'll be there. Let's get dressed before we starve to death!"

Alice groaned, dragged herself over to her suitcase and pulled her thin white slacks out, not bothering with any underwear, and when Carys raised an inquiring eyebrow, she giggled, "Less to remove later, silly!" The slacks fitted like a glove, accentuating her diminutive figure and the firm swell of her bottom. A lacy black, long-sleeved top completed the vision of loveliness, and Alice grabbed a pair of sunglasses from her laptop bag. Carys looked at herself in the red bikini and the glamorous girl across the room and was about to say something, but Alice forestalled her... grabbing a handful of auburn tresses in each hand, she lifted them slightly: "The curse of the Morgaines, lover, one bit of sun and we fry... I'm going to be sitting under a lot of umbrellas, I'm afraid."

The silly big tourist hat with its jaunty plastic sunflower was carefully placed on top of her head at a rakish angle, and she plastered her green sunblock across her nose and cheekbones. "There," she said with satisfaction, "ready!"

Alice grabbed Carys by the hand and dragged her out of the hotel and down to the beach. She put her arm around Carys' waist and nestled her head against the tall brunette's arm. She sighed in contentment as they walked along the hard path at the top of the beach. "Love you, beastie," she whispered, feeling a little prickle behind her eyes, glad that she had her sunglasses on so that nobody would see if she cried out of pure joy!

Alice nuzzled into Carys' side, and the Mischief Imp sparked behind her green eyes as she unhooked her hand from Carys' waist and oh-so-gently tickled the soft downy hairs at the base of the tall girl's spine, just above her bikini. Without waiting for a reaction, she said, her voice sparkling with laughter, "We'd better find some food soon, or I might be forced to start nibbling on you..."

Carys gasped as a line of goosebumps ran up her spine: "Oh! Dear LORD, Alice! Where the hell did you learn that little trick? I'm bloody shaking!" Alice smiled at her innocently and fluttered her eyelashes coyly. "Oh, that would be telling... but I'll bear in mind your rather interesting reaction...!"

Alice squeaked in mock alarm as Carys pulled her into a passionate embrace, their bodies flush against one another. She pressed a passionate kiss to the petite girl's lips, their tongues dancing in a sensual, soul-burning caress.

Seconds later, the two lovers were startled from their embrace, as a voice called from the beach: "Carys! You made it... Beers are cold, and the barbie is hot..." The blonde girl who had hailed was waving from further down the beach, and as she spied Carys' tiny companion, she laughed and shouted: "Oooh! Guys, Santa is here, and she has brought one of her gorgeous elves!"

Carys looked at Alice and said, "That's my best friend, Maisie. We were a couple in our last year at school and for a while afterwards, and she sort of thinks of herself as my guardian angel. She could get a bit prickly if she thinks you aren't 'for real' or I'm going to get hurt or you're going to dump me and run away to Scotland or something!"

"Right!" said Alice, "So I've got about 30 seconds to prove to her that I'm 'for real'? That'll be easy, I'll just tell her the truth that I'm so besotted with you that I'm going to marry you!"

Carys laughed, "That'll do it, I reckon!" She tightened her embrace around Alice and kissed her on the top of her head.

"Hi, Maisie!" Carys called out, her azure eyes twinkling with mischief. "I do believe I've brought something even better than your standard-issue elf -- a genuine Christmas enchantress, if I do say so myself!"

Maisie laughed and beckoned them over, disappearing into the throng of people by the picnic tables. Carys offered Alice her hand, grinning. "Shall we, my enchantress?" she murmured, "although I should warn you, this lot are a bit loud and boisterous, but they've got hearts of gold; they're great people!"

Her eyes widened in surprise as Alice didn't take her hand but ran behind her! "Grrrr!" she growled. Come on, you big She-Hulk, I'm fading away!" She got behind Carys and started pushing the small of her back, and when she didn't immediately speed up, Alice reached down and pinched her on the bottom until she yelped! "Hurry up, hurry up, hurry UP!"

Carys erupted into peals of laughter, eyes sparkling with delight. She allowed Alice to playfully shove her forward, her steps quickening as the tiny redhead spurred her on. Suddenly, she jinked sideways and tried to spin around to grab Alice! The smaller girl was far too quick and agile and dodged out of her reach and behind her again for another pinch, which brought another howl of laughter from the taller girl.

Carys tried again, and this time, Alice was laughing so much that she stumbled slightly, and Carys was on her in a flash, sweeping her up into her arms. Alice wound her arms around Carys' neck and kissed her firmly. "Come on, you little horror!" growled Carys. "Food!"

They reached Carys' friends quickly, and as Carys gently put her down, Alice suddenly felt very small and vulnerable in the friendly group that gathered around them, wishing them a Merry Christmas and chattering nineteen to the dozen. There were a few that she recognised from the other day, and she was grateful for their smiling recognition.

She was definitely the smallest one there; even the shortest of the girls in the group was 5 or 6 centimetres taller than her. She nervously grabbed Carys' hand as somebody pushed a cold bottle of beer into her other hand. Aggressive drunks were one thing; this group that had welcomed her with open arms and friendship without question was a completely different ball game. "Carys," she said in a small voice, "I'm scared..."

Carys looked at her in astonishment as she hugged the smaller girl, wondering what had so unsettled her. The tiny, tough Scot who had no problems giving instructions to corporate bosses in one moment, demolishing drunken knife attackers in the next, having a problem with a few rowdy beach buddies? "It's OK, Alice, they're a bit loud, I get that, but there's nothing to be worried about! They've welcomed you with open arms; you'll find no judgment from these guys, only acceptance and love!"

Knowing that Carys was close by, Alice felt relief washing over her. Ruefully she realised that the hard-nosed, corporation bitch that she had been was forever gone, and began enjoying being the focus of attention.

Spotting a large beach umbrella nearby, she made a beeline for it, suddenly realising that she was next to the beer cooler. "Hi," said a voice nearby as she dropped gratefully into the shade. "You're Alice, right? You with Carys, yes?"

"Umm... yes..." said Alice a little uncertainly as she looked up at the handsome dark-haired man who had just spoken, realising that, a week ago, she would have found him quite attractive, but now... there was nothing! "My god, how Carys has changed me," she thought, a wide, friendly smile breaking out across her perfect features.

"Yes, I'm with Carys, and she's with me... and silly though it might sound, we're getting married in the New Year!" The man gaped at her for a second, ran his hand through his hair, and grinned a huge smile at her, his eyes lighting up.

Turning slightly, he roared, "CARYS! Come here NOW! I think there is something you need to tell everybody about your gorgeous Christmas elf and you!" Carys charged across to Alice and the man, consternation on her face... "You're getting married, Carys? Really?"

A momentary silence fell upon the group, then a chorus of whoops and cheers broke out as Carys swept her tiny lover into her arms again, grinning all over her face. "You let the cat out of the bag, Alice!" she laughed as she hugged and kissed her!

"Oh god, Carys, I'm so sorry! I didn't think you would mind me telling your friends," wailed Alice. "I'm so happy, I thought I was going to burst... I had to tell someone!" She turned to her soulmate and buried her face in the tall girl's neck. Alice took a deep breath and whispered in Carys' ear: "I'm so sorry, I should have let you do it... I'll make it up to you, I promise!" She gently nibbled on Carys' earlobe and very gently tickled her ear with her tongue, oblivious to Carys' friends crowding around!

Carys' breath caught in her throat as Alice's delicate touch sent shivers of desire racing down her spine. She pulled the petite woman closer, her azure eyes darkening with a smouldering intensity.

"My fierce enchantress," she murmured, her voice low. "You don't need to apologise; I should have done it as soon as we got here."

Carys' friend, Maisie, pushed through the throng that had gathered around the two and laughingly grabbed the Santa hat from Carys' head and rammed it onto her own blonde head as Carys gently put Alice down again. Putting on a gruff voice, she shouted, "OH HO HO! Carys must have been very good last year, look at what she got in her stocking!" The group burst out into roars of laughter, a few applauded, and somebody pushed another bottle of beer into Alice's hand despite her protestation that she already had one.

Carys threw her head back laughing, her azure eyes dancing. She playfully swatted at her friend, who stuck her tongue out at Carys and dodged out of the way. "You wicked, wicked girl!" Carys exclaimed. "Whatever shall I do with you, hmm?"

"For starters, you great ox, you can sit down over there and talk to me!" said Maisie, pointing at one of the benches. The girls dutifully sat down where they had been told to and snuggled up to each other. Carys rested her arm across Alice's shoulders as Alice gently slid her hand around Carys' back, deliberately wriggling her fingers to set off Carys' goosebumps.

Maisie made space between Carys and Alice by sitting down on the non-existent gap between them and wriggling until they parted enough to let her sit down. Turning to Alice with mock severity, she said: "Now you, pretty Christmas Elf, or enchantress, or whatever, you shush... be quiet while I interrogate this big brute to find out why my best bud, my free and independent spirit, has, in just a couple of days been firmly tied up, grounded and is in the process of settling down..." she playfully growled: "... with someone I never knew existed until a couple of days ago!" She flung her arms around Alice in a big bear hug and kissed her firmly on the cheek before turning to Carys and saying, "OK, spill the beans, chum! Tell us everything!"

Carys looked at her solemnly and said, "Well, there's not much to tell that you don't already know, Maisie. Just that when you shoved me towards Alice, everything just clicked. It sounds really corny, but we are just like two halves of a whole. We just seem to fit together perfectly."

Maisie nodded and turned to Alice, "Has she told you about the drunken sob-fest, and me having to clean up all the snot and tears, because she was too pissed up to do it herself?"

"Maisie! That's NOT true!" laughed Carys, as Alice stared at her wide-eyed.

"Pfft!" said Maisie, "Why ruin a good story by sticking to the facts? Hmm?"

Turning back to Alice, she said solemnly, "She was absolutely devastated when she thought you had disappeared, never to be seen again! Yeah, we did share a few bottles of beer, and somebody not so far away was so down in the dumps, she hadn't bothered to eat properly, and beer and empty stomachs are a bad combination.

"But anyway, Christmas Elf, what's your story?"

Alice's eyes were brimming with tears as she looked from Carys to Maisie and swallowed hard. "Umm... when Carys and I bumped into each other, it was unbelievable! I was like a teenager on a first date, and when she turned and walked away, it was like I was on autopilot..." She went on to describe the emptiness that she had felt, the despair that almost overwhelmed her. She spoke about the dream and how she had spent the next couple of days desperately looking at all the tall girls who passed by in the hopes that she would spot Carys. A tear ran down her cheek at the memory, and the sharp-eyed Maisie grabbed a paper napkin and mopped it up.

"Jeez, girls! You really do have it bad for each other, don't you?" she said, sounding awestruck.

Alice's lip trembled. "Yes, I do have it bad... I don't know what I would do without her, now."

Maisie stared shrewdly at her, blue eyes locked firmly onto unwavering sea-green ones that were sparkling with unshed tears.

"Yeah, Christmas Elf... Alice. You're okay. Look after my Carys for me, will you, please?"

She leaned forward and kissed Alice on the cheek, turned and did the same to Carys. Then she stood up and, taking the two girls' hands, put Alice's small hand into Carys' big one, turned and walked quickly away.

For a second or two, neither girl moved a muscle, then Carys leapt to her feet and took several steps towards the disappearing Maisie. The throng of party-goers got in her way, but over the top of their heads, she could see Maisie almost running towards her car.

"Maisie!" she screamed. "MAISIE, WAIT!"

Maisie waved her hand to show that she had heard, leapt into her car, and drove away.

"Maisie..." whispered Carys and sat down hard. "I never meant to hurt her... I didn't want to hurt her... but I have!" Tears began to roll down her cheeks as she gazed after her friend.

Alice could feel her own tears prickling behind her eyes as she hugged her distraught lover tightly. Nothing she could think of to say would sound right, so she kept quiet, relying on her close contact with the tall girl to say what she couldn't.

Some of the others had gathered round... Carys hadn't exactly been quiet, and most of them realised that something was wrong. A dark-haired girl, Alice remembered that her name was Rowan, sat down next to her, and, in a whisper, asked what had happened. Alice quickly told her, and Rowan nodded and asked, "You know the two were a couple back at school?" It was Alice's turn to nod.

"That makes things a bit easier," Rowan said ruefully. "This could be messy, but hopefully, as you are here, Carys will see sense! The two were forever in and out of love, and Maisie still hoped they'd get back together. I think she realises that that definitely won't ever happen now, and she's taken herself out of the picture. Carys needs to see that, and that she needs to get on with her life with you and not worry about Maisie.

"Everybody can see that, and the only one that can't is Carys... and right now, she needs you."

Alice nodded and, reaching behind her, grabbed a paper napkin from the table. She hopped onto Carys' lap and gently put her hands on either side of the crying girl's face, pulling her head down to gaze into her lover's blue eyes.

Carys looked back at her with tear-reddened eyes, and after a moment, Alice started to use the paper napkin to mop up the tears. Holding the napkin over Carys' nose, she commanded imperiously: "Blow, child!"

Almost automatically, Carys blew her nose and then started to giggle. Alice grinned and said, "Well, that's better!"

Rowan sat down alongside them and put her arms around them both, whispering, "Nice one, mate!" in Alice's ear. She turned to Carys and said: "If you want my opinion, and even if you don't, you're going to get it anyway! You, my big strapping girl, need to get some food inside of you, or you are going to end up the size of Alice here!" She winked and smiled at Alice, who grinned back, nodding.

"Yes, come on, Amazon! You promised me a Christmas Barbecue!" urged Alice, tugging at Carys' hand. Laughing and grumbling, the tall girl allowed herself to be bullied to her feet by the two smaller girls and dragged across to the barbecue.

About an hour later, Alice leaned her head against Carys' arm and sighed with contentment. "I'm stuffed! I think I will be waddling back to the hotel; I've eaten so much!"

"If you've eaten that much, I'm not carrying you," retorted Carys with a grin, and, setting aside her plate, put her arm around the tiny redhead, who sighed again and snuggled into her.

"Oh, this is bliss!" whispered Alice, then remembered something important. "What time is it, love?"

"Dunno," said Carys, "didn't you bring your phone? I didn't..."

"Oh, Good GRIEF!" said Alice, crossly, banging her forehead gently against Carys' arm. "You see what you do to me, you beast? My brain is so addled with love that I forgot about my phone!"

"YOU? You forgot about your phone?" Carys said incredulously. "I thought that phone would have to be surgically removed!" Alice laughed and stuck her tongue out at the tall girl as she fished the phone out of the back pocket of her slacks and checked the time.

Carys watched her curiously, and Alice grinned "Just checking the time in Scotland. I want to phone Uncle Alex and Uncle Jason to wish them a Merry Christmas and tell them what a wonderful Christmas I'm having!"

She stretched up and kissed the tall girl long and hard, her arms going round Carys' neck to pull her down to her level. "But it's still the middle of the night over there," she continued, "and I don't think they'd take too kindly to being woken at four in the morning!"

"I don't think I'd take very kindly to being woken at four in the morning," Carys said thoughtfully, "unless it was you feeling horny!"

"Carys McDonald! You bite your tongue, you rude girl!" giggled Alice, blushing crimson.

"Alice Morgaine! You wind your neck in; it's entirely your fault for being so beautiful!" laughed Carys, running her index finger down Alice's spine.

Alice gasped, her eyes widening in surprise, and she shuddered. "Ooooh! You beast! Wow! That sent a shock through my whole body! What did you do?"

"Oh-ho!" Carys grinned, "Looks like we both have a bit of a weak spot there, don't we?"

"Mmm!" Alice smiled back at Carys, her eyes flashing. "I think we need to go back to the hotel soon, don't you?"

"I think that might be a bloody good idea, but let's wait a bit until people start heading off; then it won't be quite so obvious!"

"Do you really care what anybody thinks?" Alice giggled as Carys shook her head.

"But there are a couple of people I haven't said more than hello to, yet. I'd like to have a quick chat before we go."

Putting on an Australian accent, Alice said, "No worries!" Carys looked at her sharply. "Are you making fun of me?" Alice looked at her as if butter wouldn't melt in her mouth.

"Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, you gorgeous beast!" she said and flung her arms around the tall girl in a bear hug. Carys laughed, a deep, rich rumble from way down.

"You are incorrigible, absolutely bloody impossible, and I love you to bits, you minx!

Alice smiled angelically and whispered, "You forgot 'insatiable,' darling!"

Carys grinned from ear to ear and shook her head gently. "If the cap fits, HONEY!"

Alice laughed and grabbed Carys by the hand. "Come on then, Amazon! Let's go and talk to your friends, then we can go to bed with a clear conscience!"

It was Carys' turn to blush, and she grinned and allowed herself to be pulled off the bench where they had been sitting. She grabbed the two disposable plates and dropped them into the rubbish bag that had been placed near the barbecue.

The two mingled with the group of friends, and Alice very quickly became the centre of attention again. Several of the girls who hadn't met her before were burning with curiosity about the redhead's long hair, pumping her for tips on how to get their own to grow like hers. Alice had to confess that it was most likely a genetic thing because all her father's family had the dark auburn colouring, and her mother had also had incredibly long blonde hair.

That didn't stop one of the group from jokingly declaring that she was totally jealous of Alice and that she intended to grow her hair. This was greeted by ribald hoots of laughter from the others because she had very short hair and was well-known for constantly fussing over whether her hair was getting too long!

Alice glanced about to locate Carys and saw her talking animatedly to Rowan. Alice wondered whether they were discussing the earlier incident with Maisie. The two saw her looking at them, and Rowan smiled broadly and waved, as Carys blushed slightly and blew her a kiss.

One of the girls in Alice's group asked her curiously how she had met Carys, and she found herself re-living that extraordinary meeting. There was laughter as Alice described how she had been about to let rip with a few choice swear words, only to find herself struck dumb when she looked into Carys' startling blue eyes. One of the girls sighed and said, "Oh, that is so romantic. True love in this day and age!"

"Oh my god, yes!" said Alice. "I never believed in love at first sight until now."

"Nor me," said one, "But you would be quite surprised how many girls, and boys, for that matter, would love to be where you are right now! Carys is a wonderful girl, and she deserves to be happy." She threw her arms around Alice and hugged her as the others laughed and agreed.

At that moment, Carys shouldered her way through Alice's fan club, saying, "'scuse me, girls, but my beloved has a phone call to make, so I am going to whisk her away to do just that."

"Oh, Ho!" laughed a third girl. "A phone call, you say? I've heard it called a lot of things... but never a phone call!" The others roared with laughter as Carys and Alice blushed deeply, looked at each other, and grinned.

"No, really!" said Alice, I want to phone my uncle in Scotland, and they're 11 or 12 hours behind."

"Yeah, yeah, we believe you!" laughed another girl, also giving Alice a hug. The little group started to fragment, the girls waving to Alice as they went, extracting promises that they would meet up again.

"Carys?"

"Yes, love?"

"Who organises these barbecues? I need to say thank you!"

Carys grabbed her hand. "OK, come with me," she said, leading the way towards the big gas barbecue. Pointing a couple out, Carys said, "Dave and Josie did this one; it's their barbecue, but we usually take it in turns, and we all pitch in to buy the food and beer."

Alice rushed across to the two and thanked them profusely, with a huge smile on her face: "I've had a wonderful time, it's been brilliant!"

"You are very welcome," Josie said. "Glad you enjoyed it; better than sitting in a hotel room on your own, for sure!"

Alice nodded vigorously and waved to the group as they set off back to the hotel, hand in hand. They strolled in silence for several minutes, and then Carys said: "I'm sorry for being such an ass earlier on... when Maisie left in a rush. I think I overreacted a bit, but Rowan told me what she said to you, and she's right."

Alice said nothing, but looked up at her lovingly, lifting her hand and kissing it gently. She shook her head gently, put her arm around Carys' waist, snuggled into her and sighed with contentment. Carys chuckled and draped her arm across Alice's shoulders as they crossed the road to the hotel.

The same girl was sitting in the reception area, and Alice's mouth dropped in surprise: "Hello! Do you ever go home?"

"I live here in the hotel," the girl grinned, "and I'm getting triple time for working on Christmas Day, so I'm not complaining. I've got tomorrow off, so we're going to celebrate then."

"Have a great time, then!" said Alice.

"Oh, you bet! A big chunk of steak and some tinnies at my friends' house... we'll have a blast!"

Back in the room, the two girls gazed at each other, and, with a mischievous look in her eye, Alice said, "It's still a bit too early to phone. What can we do to occupy ourselves for a couple of hours?"

"Well..." said Carys, "We could play cards?"

"We haven't got any cards..."

Carys considered that for a moment. "Plan B, then?"

"Looks like it," said Alice, crossing her wrists behind Carys' neck and pulling her down for a tender kiss. Carys slid her hands down Alice's back to her waist as she shuddered and pressed against her tall lover. They broke apart a fraction, and Alice's eyes fluttered open. "Oooh," she breathed, "That was lovely!"

"Plenty more where that came from, sweetheart," Carys said, kissing her languidly, her tongue gently teasing Alice's lower lip, her hand gently stroking Alice's hair. Alice very carefully nipped at Carys' tongue, and they both grinned, opening their eyes to stare at each other again.

"I think we need to get a box for you to stand on, Alice. I'm getting a stiff neck," laughed Carys.

"And I'm getting a cramp from standing on tiptoes! I think a box would be a good idea!" said Alice solemnly, with a massive twinkle in her eyes. "Until we do, we are going to have to lie down... at least we're the same height then!"

Carys rumbled with laughter, swung Alice up into her arms, and kissed her again. Alice returned the kiss with enthusiasm, and Carys carried her to the bed and suddenly dropped her onto it! Alice squealed in alarm and flailed her arms as she fell, only to find Carys pinning her to the bed by the wrists, her shoulders shaking with laughter as she nibbled Alice's neck.

"Bloody hell... you BEAST, you frightened the living daylights out of me! Oh, I hate you so much!" Alice giggled, "And stop biting my neck, you're not a vampire, and it's turning me on!"

"Yup, exactly." Carys transferred her attention to Alice's earlobe, muttering indistinctly: "As you wish, milady, I am not biting your neck, now!"

Alice squeaked and wriggled, trying to throw the bigger woman off, but was laughing too much to be able to do more than squirm back and forth on the sheets. "Oh god, I surrender, I surrender! Oh, Carys, just kiss me, I give up!"

Carys laughed maniacally: "Never, Mwa-Haaah! I have you at my mercy, and I shall continue to torture you until you tell me what I want to hear!"

Alice was laughing so much that tears were running down the sides of her face towards her ears. She shrieked as one rolled into her ear, shook her head to try and dislodge it, and began to hiccup, her body shaking with laughter.

"Oh my god! I'll tell you anything you want, you beast! Just let me up!" Her hair had flown over her face when she had shaken her head, and she tried to blow it out of the way in between the fits of giggles and the hiccups.

Carys frowned and growled: "You haven't told me that you love me for at least half an hour!"

"Oh god! Oh, Carys, I love you, I love you, I love you so much!"

"Hmph!" snorted Carys, "That's much better... now, that wasn't too difficult, was it?"

Alice wriggled her hands free from Carys' grip and grabbed both sides of her head, dragging her down so that she could kiss her. Not wanting to squash the tiny redhead, Carys eased herself down alongside Alice and ran her fingers lovingly along her jawline. Alice purred and arched her back, her left hand running down Carys' side and onto the small of her back, where she drifted her fingertips around in circles.

They lay there for a long time, gently touching and stroking, kissing and nuzzling until Alice said breathily: "Wow! That's one helluva Plan B! Dare I ask... Is there a Plan C?"

"Oh yes!" said Carys, sitting up. "There is definitely a Plan C. You need to sit up to find out what it is..."

Alice's eyes opened like saucers as she slowly sat up, and Carys looked at her with a predatory gleam in her eyes. She reached out with both hands, gripped the hem of Alice's lacy black top and slowly lifted it over her head, gently easing the top over the mass of auburn hair. As her arms came free of the sleeves, Alice lowered her hands shakily onto Carys' shoulders.

Carys gently slid her hands over Alice's shoulders and down her back, bringing them under her arms along the ribcage. Holding Alice's eyes with her own, she slowly moved her hands over Alice's breasts, feeling the nipples hardening under her palms.

Alice's breath caught, and she began to breathe deeply as Carys carefully and tenderly continued to tease and touch, never breaking eye contact. She turned her hands over and ran the backs of her fingers down Alice's flanks to her hips. Alice's pupils widened, filling her green eyes and almost turning them black with arousal. Neither girl said a word as Carys ran the backs of her hands into the centre, across Alice's navel and up between her breasts to her throat. Alice's skin was flushed and heated, and as her lover's hands gently rose up her neck, she gasped and shuddered.

Carys breathed, "You must lie down now; it's part of the plan." Alice nodded, not trusting herself to speak, and let herself back onto the pillows, Carys' hands supporting her shoulders. The tall girl let her hands wander down Alice's sensitive skin and into the waistband of her slacks. Alice arched her back, and the white trousers slid off, to be discarded on the floor.

Carys finally broke eye contact as she lowered her head to Alice's throat and gently began giving her little kisses along her jaw and onto her ear. Alice gave a shuddering sigh, goosebumps breaking out all over her neck and shoulders. Carys slowly began to work her way down Alice's neck, over the collarbone, onto her chest and up the gentle swell of her breast. She paused and swirled her tongue around the nipple as she sucked it into her mouth. She heard a tiny, wavering voice say: "Oh... my... fucking... god!", and she felt Alice shudder and jerk as her arms wrapped around and crushed them together in a ferocious embrace.

Carys stroked Alice's long hair as the tiny redhead twitched and panted beside her. "That was an earlier than expected end to Phase One of Plan C!" she chuckled, "I'll have to move straight on to Phase Two!"

Alice's arms dropped to the bed as she panted, her face flushed. "No... no... oh... oh god! Bloody hell... wow! Ooh... let me... catch... my breath!"

"No!" said Carys, and she began to lavish licks and kisses all down Alice's body, her hands gently stroking and teasing as she had before. Alice whimpered and arched her body towards her tormentor, who circled her navel with her tongue. Alice panted and moaned, her hips bucking and twisting as Carys trailed her lips downwards, nipping and kissing until she lowered her face between Alice's thighs, extended her tongue and lapped at her sopping pussy, her curled fingers finding the bundle of nerves inside Alice's soaking entrance.

Alice shrieked wordlessly at the top of her lungs and clamped her thighs around the tall brunette, her whole body going rigid as she felt as if she was exploding. Carys plunged her fingers in and out as Alice sobbed and gasped, tears of ecstasy flooding down her face. She clutched at Carys, desperately trying to pull her upwards, but the tall girl was having none of it as she continued touching and teasing, wringing the last sensation out of her tiny lover's intense orgasm.

Eventually, she relented and kissed her way back up Alice's twitching body and nuzzled her neck. Alice was panting, and laughing, and crying, all at the same time and couldn't get anything coherent to come out of her overwhelmed brain, but she managed to lay a trembling hand on Carys' cheek as she gradually came down from the colossal high.

"Did you enjoy Phase Two?" Carys murmured wickedly against Alice's ear. Alice turned her unseeing eyes towards the sound of Carys' voice and blinked several times.

"Stars... all I can see is stars..." she gasped shakily, still panting.

"I'll take that as a 'Yes' then, shall I?"

"You can... take that... any way you want... you beast! I promise... I WILL get you back for that! Oh god, that was amazing... Oh Carys! I love you so much!"

Carys folded her into her arms and hugged her gently. "I bet I love you more," she whispered.

"Oh darling, I haven't got the strength to argue with you... I'm not even sure I have got the strength to walk to the table to set up the laptop to phone Uncle Alex!"

Carys laughed and kissed her. "Not a problem, my sweet. I can carry you there if you'd like."

Alice giggled, still breathless, "I'm always happy for you to carry me... it means I can nibble your ears, and you can't do anything about it! But I think I'd better have a shower first... or at least brush my hair... I must look a mess!"

"You're the most beautiful mess on this earth; that much I'm certain of!"

"Ooh! Flattery will get you everywhere," giggled Alice. "Now let me up. I do need to do something with myself before we phone him."

Reluctantly, Carys let the small girl sit up on the edge of the bed, where she gazed down at the tall brunette adoringly. "I think you'd better put a t-shirt on, love, you can't meet the prospective fathers-in-law wearing a skimpy red bikini."

Carys did a double-take. "Fathers-in-law?"

Alice looked puzzled. "Well, they are my uncles, so not actually fathers-in-law." Something suddenly struck her. "Oh, Carys, I'm sorry, I don't think I ever told you that they were married... to me, it's always been the norm, and I never even thought about it! I am so sorry!"

Carys laughed. "I just automatically thought that they were brothers when you spoke about them."

"No, Uncle Alex and my father were brothers, non-identical twins; there were only the two of them, and my father was the older, so he was the Duke for about four years. My grandfather died before I was born, and the title passed to my father and then to Uncle Alex because I was too young."

Carys shook her head and chuckled, "I still can't get over the fact that one day I'm going to be married to a Duchess!"

Alice giggled. "Better get used to it, love!" The smile faded a little. "Although I hope it doesn't happen soon."

She stood up and shifted her weight from one foot to the other. "Phew! I think I can manage to walk without buckling at the knees now!" They both laughed, and Carys patted her lovingly on her naked bottom.

"Go on, go and get a shower, you sexy thing!

Carys smiled as she tidied the room and pulled on her t-shirt and cutoffs. She could hear the shower running and Alice's lovely soprano singing a vaguely familiar song, but she couldn't quite make out the words over the running water and wondered why it sounded familiar.

The shower stopped running, and as Alice continued singing, Carys suddenly recognised the song: "I could make you happy, make your dreams come true; Nothing that I wouldn't do; Go to the ends of the earth for you; To make you feel my love; Oh, Carys, I do love you!"

She poked her head around the bathroom door with a lump in her throat and gruffly said, "I don't think Bob Dylan actually wrote that last line!" Alice jumped around like a scalded cat, her wet hair splattering across her face. She swept it out of her eyes and then fluttered her eyelashes at Carys. "Maybe not, but he should have... and you weren't supposed to hear that!"

Carys took two steps across the bathroom, swept the naked girl into her arms and kissed her. A pair of dripping arms wrapped around the back of her neck as the smooch was enthusiastically reciprocated.

"Well, I did... and I love you too, my little soggy soulmate!"

Alice giggled and, looking down, said, "I'm not the only one who's soggy, you look about ready to enter a wet t-shirt competition!"

Carys sighed and looked down. The white t-shirt was saturated and left nothing to the imagination. Alice shivered and whispered, "Carys, you've got nothing on underneath! That is sooooo hot!"

"It doesn't feel so hot when you're wearing it," grumped Carys. "And how am I going to talk to my prospective fathers-in-law with a pair of bloody organ stops in my shirt?

Alice hiccupped with laughter, "Organ stops... oh that's priceless! Put me down, love, and let's see if that lovely peach blouse of yours isn't too badly creased. I'm pretty sure Uncle Alex and Uncle Jason won't even notice!"

Safely down on the floor again, Alice wrapped a huge bath towel around herself, rolled her hair in a smaller towel, and headed back to the table. She set up the laptop, connecting it to her phone and ensuring both were plugged into an electric socket. As she changed into the blouse, Carys watched curiously and asked, "Why connect the phone to the laptop? Don't you just need to log in to the hotel's Wi-Fi?"

I could, but I use a secure communication channel rather than any old VOIP network. It's standard practice within Morgaine Conglomerates; there's an awful lot of traffic that competitors would love to get their dirty little paws on! She laughed, "Even the boss talking to his niece on Christmas Day would interest somebody!"

Carys stared at her with wide eyes. "You are kidding me, aren't you?"

"'Fraid not, darling. And once it becomes common knowledge that you and I are together, they'll start trying to listen to you, too. Don't worry, one of the things I'm going to get Uncle Alex to send me will be a phone for you, which will have all the security built in. You'll just use it like a normal phone; you won't need to worry."

Carys looked at her in shock. "Wow! I'm almost expecting Daniel Craig to jump out of the cupboard!"

Alice looked at her blankly. "Daniel Craig?" The light dawned, and she giggled, "Ohhh... James Bond, spies! No, it's not like that at all. I made it sound a lot worse than it is, but it's normal precautions within big global corporations."

Not for the first time, Carys marvelled at the extraordinary twists and turns that her life had taken in the last few days as she gazed adoringly at the redheaded beauty setting up the video call on her laptop.

Then she gasped! "Alice, you've got nothing on but a towel!"

"Pfft!" said Alice rudely and laughed. "It's nothing they haven't seen before. After all, they brought me up from the age of two and a half!"

She pressed the Connect button, hopped onto Carys' lap, and wound her arm around the tall girl's neck. There was a small burst of static, a short click from the laptop speakers, and a ringing tone. The blank screen cleared, replaced by the smiling face of Alice's beloved Uncle Alex. Carys recognised the family resemblance immediately: the sea-green eyes, the dark auburn hair that, in Alex Morgaine's case, was beginning to turn grey at the temples, and the incredible good looks. Alice had a very feminine, softer face, but the resemblance was striking. Even on the small laptop screen, Carys could see that he was a very big man and was clearly delighted to speak with his niece.

"Hello, kids! Merry Christmas!" The Scottish burr was more pronounced than Alice's, and Carys felt herself warming to the man immediately.

"Merry Christmas, Uncle Alex! Uncle Alex, this is Carys, my girlfriend. I told you about her yesterday!" Alice was so excited that she was bouncing up and down on Carys' lap.

The big Scotsman's face lit up with an even bigger smile, and his eyes twinkled. "Hello, Carys... so you are the one who has broken my super-efficient Terminator?"

Carys looked mortified and stuttered something unintelligible, blushing to the roots of her dark hair. She took a deep breath and said, "Yes, sir! I'm very sorry, it wasn't intentional!"

"Oh, Carys, lassie! I'm just pulling your leg. It's absolutely wonderful that my Alice has finally found someone that she really cares about and who so obviously deeply cares about her. I am looking forward to welcoming you to Scotland very soon, and that's just a little bit more than a polite request. I want to meet my niece's partner and get to know her properly." He winked and smiled at them. "Oh, and don't call me 'sir'; it makes me feel very uneasy coming from you. Please call me Alex... or Uncle Alex if you prefer!"

Still blushing scarlet, Carys nodded quickly, not trusting herself to speak just yet. Alice seemed oblivious to her discomfiture and said, "Uncle Alex, where's Uncle Jason?"

"Making some coffee... under the strict supervision of Mrs McDonald!" laughed Uncle Alex, rolling his eyes. "You know what she's like in her kitchen, and there was no way was she going to take Christmas Day off and leave us to run riot through it!"

Alice laughed, nodding. "How is she, Uncle Alex? And Mr McDonald?"

"They are doing well, Alice. Gordon is, well... Gordon, and Mrs McDonald is as fierce and scary as ever!"

Just then, another man came into shot, carrying a large coffee pot and a couple of mugs, which he placed on the table and sat down next to Alex Morgaine. Sandy-haired and clean-shaven, with piercing blue eyes and rugged good looks, he too was a very big man.

"Uncle Jason!" squeaked Alice excitedly. "Merry Christmas!"

Jason Buchanan's eyes crinkled as he smiled at Alice's excitement. "Merry Christmas, darling girl! Are you well?"

"Oh yes, Uncle Jason, wonderful! This is Carys, my girlfriend!"

Uncle Jason's smile broadened, and he winked, "So you are the one who has tamed our tiny fire sprite, then?"

Carys blushed again, grinned at him, and said, "I'm not sure that 'tamed' is the word I would use!"

Uncle Alex nodded ruefully, "I'm with you there, lassie! God knows, Jason and I tried for twenty years, but we are incredibly proud of what she has accomplished and achieved!" Uncle Jason was nodding emphatically, and Alice stared wide-eyed at the screen, blushing. A beautiful smile lit up her elfin face, her eyes sparkling with unshed tears, and she said quietly, "I couldn't ever have done it without you, you know?" A tear rolled down her cheek.

"Carys, lass?" said Jason gruffly, surreptitiously wiping his own eyes. "Would you give Alice a huge hug from me? Show her how much we both love her!"

"One from me, too, please, Carys!" Alex's voice was rough, and he cleared his throat.

Carys swallowed hard and nodded, again not trusting herself to speak, feeling her own tears prickling behind her eyes. The bond of love that these three people had was astonishing, and she was being pulled inexorably into that bond, and it felt amazing! Gently, she put her arms around Alice and hugged her tight; Alice's arms went round her, and the hug was enthusiastically returned.

After several minutes, Alice sighed and said, "Oh, that was lovely! I can't wait to return them properly. Carys, love, we are going to have to go to Scotland soon. I've been away too long!"

"Alice, I'd love to go, but we've got a business to get off the ground!"

Alice groaned melodramatically, her head thrown back, her eyes closed, and the back of her hand pressed to her forehead. "Ohhhh... you have just ruined my Christmas, you heartless beast," she moaned, as the two men laughed.

Suddenly changing tack completely, Alice said, "Talking of Christmas, have you got snow, Uncle Alex?"

"Only on the mountains, Alice. They are even having to use artificial snow on the runs at Aviemore, but there is heavy snow forecast over Hogmanay, so no doubt there will be an influx of winter sportsmen, and the Mountain Rescue will be busy." He scowled and shook his head. "But what about you?"

Alice started talking rapidly about what had happened yesterday and was launching into a description of the wonderful beach Christmas she had had today. Carys laughed when she saw the two Scotsmen looking more and more bemused and gently put her hand over Alice's mouth. "Honey, slow down! You lost me halfway through our Christmas Eve dinner, and you lost Uncle Alex and Uncle Jason before we even left Brighstone's offices!"

The two men laughed at the face Alice pulled behind Carys' hand. "Don't worry, Carys," said Uncle Alex. "We are used to that! When she is ecstatically happy about something, she will talk the hind legs off a donkey! You just have to let her get on with it and extract what you can from the torrent. What I extracted was a little snippet which sounded quite interesting... a marriage?"

Carys and Alice looked at each other, and Alice took a big breath, paused, and said, "Lord, I say this in English and not in the traditional Gaelic so that Carys will understand what we are doing. I know that in this day and age, it is more a courtesy than a requirement, but I make a formal request of my Clan Chief that I, Alexandra Zoe Elizabeth Morgaine of Morgaine, be permitted to marry Carys Anna McDonald according to the ancient Clan Laws."

Carys could see Uncle Jason's eyes dancing with joy, but Uncle Alex sat still, his face impassive as he looked straight into the girls' eyes.

"I do not think I need to ask you whether you understand the commitments that you make, Alexandra Zoe Elizabeth Morgaine of Morgaine, but know this: one day, you will be The Morgaine of Morgaine, and I charge you to remember the solemnity of this moment and think on it when you are asked the same question you have just asked."

"I will, lord," said Alice in a firm voice.

"In that case," said Uncle Alex, as he broke into a huge smile, "Tha mo bheannachd agad, a nighean -- You have my blessing, my daughter!" Alice gave a long, tremulous sigh of happiness and nuzzled her face into the hollow between Carys' neck and her shoulder. A tiny whisper sneaked into Carys' ear "Oh god, I can't believe how good that makes me feel!" Carys reached up and gently stroked her lover's hair.

"When do you plan to get married, then, kids?" asked Uncle Alex.

"As soon as feasibly possible," said Alice. "We know there are all sorts of formalities to complete and forms to fill in, so it's going to take a while before we can really set a date."

"Hmm," said Uncle Alex. "I'm not completely sure, but I think getting married soon in Australia is likely to be a non-starter. You will need to check on it, but if memory serves, as a potential immigrant marrying an Australian citizen, you are required to prove a stable and long-term relationship over several years."

The two men smiled sympathetically at the two girls' woebegone faces, and Jason said, "You can always take a quick holiday here in Scotland and visit the Minister at the Kirk in the village and see what he says. He married us, so we know he is happy with same-sex marriages, AND we would get to see you both that much quicker!

"Plus, Alice, I think you may also need to renew and/or extend your work permit, which could be easier to do in London. It just means that you might have to wait a bit longer than you had planned, but you won't have to wait years... along with the fact that if you immigrate into Australia as the wife of a citizen, there may also be advantages, but I'm not sure. You'd definitely need to check that one.

"It would also be extremely wise to have a permanent, or at least semi-permanent, address to call home. I would suggest you consider renting something to start with and maybe buying something later when you are more settled. Of course, if you need a guarantor, just drop Alex's name into the hat! I can't see any letting agency having a problem with that!" He winked conspiratorially and smiled.

The two girls looked at each other, hope replacing anguish in their faces. "Want to go to Scotland?" whispered Alice. Carys nodded emphatically.

"OK, Uncle Jason, you've convinced us!" smiled Alice. "Although it won't be until at least Spring over there. We've got a lot to do before we can leave."

"That sounds like an excellent plan, especially as the heather will be starting to bloom," said Uncle Alex, "but on that note, I think we had better end this call or Mrs McDonald will be throwing this laptop off the table to make room for breakfast!"

The girls laughed and waved to the two men as Uncle Alex ended the call. Carys looked at Alice and said, reverently, "Wow! They are two brilliant guys! You are so lucky, Alice!"

"Oh god, you don't have to tell me, sweetheart! You can see why they are my two guardian angels, can't you?"

Half a world away, Alex Morgaine turned to his husband and said, "I think somebody is the happiest they have ever been for years, don't you?"

Jason Buchanan looked at him thoughtfully and said, "Judging from the way their eyes light up when they look at each other, I suspect it's not just one of them that is blissfully happy!"