Page 75 of Christmas off Script
‘Don’t make Ella uncomfortable,’ he said gruffly. ‘I’m just surprised she’s here, that’s all. And of course she looks incredible. She always does. She doesn’t need one of Aunt Simone’s dresses or glass slippers to make me see that. She could wear her Converse for all I care. She’s beautiful, whatever she’s got on.’
Or off…Fire flared in his groin at the thought of removing Ella’s dress.Does it have buttons? Ribbons? A zip? Stop thinking about it!
Willow was laughing. ‘Go on, Ella, show him.’
What the—
Leo’s eyes bulged as Ella lifted the hem of her dress to reveal—her Converse trainers.
Oh, thank fuck. He forced what he hoped was a carefree grin. ‘Your dancing shoes?’
She nodded. ‘I’m ready to hit the “I don’t need a man” room.’
‘Thewhat?’
‘Don’t you remember what Finn renamed the Party Room last year?’ Willow said to him. ‘Because of all the Beyoncé, Aretha, Taylor, and Meghan Trainor?’
‘He called it that?’ Leo asked. ‘But we spent most of the night there.’
‘Because you don’t need a man, either,’ Willow replied.
Leo’s breath caught in his throat.Hear that? Ella doesn’t wantorneed a man right now, and when she does, it isn’t going to be you.
He took two steps back and inclined his head in the direction of the music that was drifting into the entrance hall. ‘Shall we?’
Willow linked her arm with Ella’s. ‘What do you want to do first? Dancing, drinking, or dessert?’
‘Sorry,’ Leo said automatically. ‘I didn’t think. Have you eaten anything?’
‘Willow got a couple of plates sent up earlier, but we haven’t had any pudding yet,’ Ella replied.
Leo’s mouth watered as he gazed at her.Get yourself together!He swallowed. ‘Well then, we’d better hotfoot it back to the dining room before Finn finishes his and moves on to all of ours.’ Forcing another smile, he led the way, his hands thrust deep in his pockets to stop him from reaching for Ella. Tonight was going to be a torturous exercise in self control.
‘Leo?’Ella asked hesitantly, as they made their way back up the stairs at the end of the night. ‘Is everything okay?’
‘Hmm?’ His hands were clenched into fists inside his pockets. He’d spent the evening trying to act normally around Ella, but had second-guessed every word he said, every look he gave her, and any physical contact between them. Even Finn had noticed how robotic he’d been, asking if it was because he knew the Noel it Alls were going to get thrashed by the Beardy Boys at the Christmas quiz.
‘I’m so sorry about earlier,’ she continued.
‘Huh?’
‘Staying with Michelle.’
‘It was fine. I understood. No worries at all.’
Leo kept his gaze ahead, but sensed Ella’s eyes on him, and heard her breathing in, then stopping, as if she wasn’t sure what to say next. His heart thudded painfully inside his chest. He didn’t know what to say, either. The only thing he knew with absolute certainty was that he had to keep his feelings for her to himself. She’d been dumped by her long-term boyfriend, was probably still in love with him, and had never seen Leo as anything more than a friend. Added to the mix was Zach coming back on the scene and her dad about to be released from prison. The last thing she needed was Leo declaring his love out of the blue in some desperate hope it might be reciprocated.
They walked in silence down the corridor towards their rooms, the small space between them seeming to get bigger and bigger with every step.
Ella paused by her door. ‘You were very naughty about the tree,’ she said quietly.
Leo dragged his eyes to meet hers, her uncertainty and beauty making his heart ache. Now the floodgates to his feelings had been opened he was drowning in them.
He smiled and shrugged in response. The tree was nothing. He’d walk to Lapland and bring one back from Santa’s yard if it would make her happy. Collect snow from the North Pole to make her a snowman. Knit her a stocking from reindeer yarn.
‘So, see you tomorrow morning at mine for chocolates and booze?’
‘Huh?’
