Page 29 of The Night Before Christmas
‘Well, can you not do that while I’m trying to stuff my face with food, please? It’s hard enough to maintain this sexy public image without accidentally choking in front of a room full of strangers.’
James threw his head back and laughed so loudly that a family at a neighbouring table looked over. He didn’t seem to care.
He shook his head. ‘You are a very funny girl, Felicity Brooks. Very funny indeed.’
Felicity grinned. ‘And sexy. Don’t forget sexy. Do I have broccoli in my teeth, by the way?’
‘Ooh, broccoli, now you’re just talking dirty,’ he said, looking at her mouth, which she quickly hid behind a hand in case she actually did have broccoli in her teeth. ‘And no. No, you don’t. You’re perfect, in fact.’
They looked at each other again. One Mississippi. Two Mississippi. Three Mississippi. It was just starting to get uncomfortably intense when the waiter came up to ask if everything was okay.
Phew.For a non-date it certainly is getting hot in here.
‘So,’ said James, later. ‘We’re on dessert and you still haven’t told me your sad story. Go.’
‘I’m not sure you really want to hear it,’ said Felicity, scraping up the last of her crème brûlée (which the menu referred to as Trinity cream, of course, because Britain) and contemplating licking the bowl. She was almost painfully full, but it was so damn good.
‘Besides, I want another one of these first.’
‘Fair enough,’ he said, clearly impressed. ‘I get you another one of those and some coffee and you tell me why you hate Christmas. Deal?’
Felicity looked up at him. Looked him right in the eye. Resisted the urge to look away. There was a moment or two more of that heavy, loaded silence.
‘Fine. Bring me more of this wondrous burnt custard and I’ll tell you all.’
He smiled and looked over to try and grab the waiter’s attention and Felicity took the opportunity to study the side of his face and tried to steady her nerves. Would he hate her when he heard her story? Surely he was going to think less of her. It was inevitable. Perhaps she should enjoy this last moment of bliss just in case? They’d had such a lovely evening so far and, apart from a bit of gravy, she had even managed not to drop anything down herself, which was quite an achievement.
When he had tried and failed to catch the waiter’s eye for several moments, James stood. ‘I’m going up there,’ he announced, and before she could protest, he’d left the table to go over and order her an extra pudding. Felicity couldn’t remember the last time someone had taken her out for a dinner like this, if ever, and she felt strangely proprietorial as she watched James chatting casually with their server. He returned to the table with a big grin on his face.
‘Did he say I was a fat pig?’ Felicity laughed as he sat down.
‘What?! Oh no, nothing like that! There was no judgement at all, surprisingly,’ he added, with a cheeky grin. Then, ‘Ow!’ as she gave him a swift kick under the table.
‘So… what was he saying, then?’ said Felicity, still giggling as a magical second bowl of Trinity cream appeared before her.
James gave a wide smile and for the first time she noticed he had a dimple in one cheek. It gave him a slightly lopsided smile which was far from unpleasant to look at.
‘Never you mind…’
She glanced over at the waiter, who was now lurking in the corner of the room next to an ornate grandfather clock, watchingthem intently. He gave her a little discreet thumbs up and Felicity raised an eyebrow.
‘This is very suspicious.’
‘Oh, just eat your custard.’
They both laughed and the simmering tension dissipated a bit. Only a bit.
‘Right then, enough distractions,’ said James. ‘I think it’s time you told me your story.’
‘Okay. But don’t say I didn’t warn you. You of all people might decide you never want to speak to me again after you’ve heard it.’
‘I seriously doubt that,’ replied James in that low, slightly suggestive voice of his.
Felicity took a long, slow breath.
‘Just you wait,’ she said.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
