Page 81 of Christmas off Script
He raised an eyebrow, trying to appear cool, even as his love for her was overrunning his heart and making his eyes sting. ‘I’ll have you know, I can be thinking about lunch whilst eating breakfast.’
‘Wow,’ she deadpanned. ‘That’s next-level skills right there.’
Leo smiled with relief, knowing she was recovering from whatever hellish memories Zach’s fall had triggered.
Carefully easing off his lap, Ella sat beside him. ‘Yes, Iwasthinking about Michelle when I saw his leg. And no, I don’t think it’s my fault he fell, even though a part of me wants to blame myself. It was an accident.’
‘Caused primarily by my muppet of a father.’
She gave him another poke. ‘I can’t have a monopoly on complicated fathers, you know.’ Before he could reply, she passed him a Baci chocolate from her bedside table. ‘Your reward for hard labour.’
‘Hard labour?’
‘Voluntarily going for a run first thing this morning, then training for the World Wife-Carrying Championships in Finland by hauling me all the way up here from the ballroom.’
Leo’s heart skipped a beat. ‘Are we married then?’
She blushed. ‘I think you’re allowed to carry anyone’s wife in the competition.’
‘But I want to carry my own,’ he replied belligerently. ‘And as I’ve been training with you, does that make us married now under Finnish law?’
The colour in her cheeks deepened. ‘I don’t remember a proposal, let alone a wedding.’
Leo unwrapped the chocolate, popped it in his mouth, then carefully folded the foil wrapper into a thin strip.
‘What did the motto say?’ Ella asked, her voice getting higher.
Leo lifted it and pretended to read. ‘You’re my favourite person in the universe. I love you more than Christmas. Please, will you marry me?’ Without meeting her gaze, he dropped the scrap of paper to the floor and held out the strip of silver foil. ‘Left hand, please.’
Ella’s laugh was breathless, but she held out her hand for him to wrap the foil around her fourth finger and twist it into place. ‘Is this a proposalanda marriage ceremony?’
‘Yes, according to an obscure Finnish law I just made up.’
‘But I haven’t agreed to any of it.’
Leo’s heart plummeted into his stomach. What the hell was he doing? Dragging his eyes to meet Ella’s, he pulled a face. ‘Sorry about that. Pretty please?’
She gave a nervous laugh. ‘Er… okay. Since you asked so nicely, my answer’s yes.’
His pulse was racing so fast it was chasing the breath from his body, but he attempted a carefree smile. ‘Excellent. Honeymoon in Lapland? See the northern lights? Sleigh rides? Meet Santa?’
‘All the above with whipped cream and marshmallows?’
Leo’s brain temporarily suspended normal function to remind him exactly how creamy and edible Ella’s breasts had looked in her dress the previous night.
Then his phone buzzed, and he pulled it out, glad of the distraction.
‘It’s Connor,’ he said. ‘Asking if we can come back to the ballroom.’
They madetheir way back downstairs in silence, although Leo was sure Ella was thinking the same as he was: what on earth would happen now Zach had most likely broken his leg?
In the ballroom, the mood was sombre. Arthur was seated with his head bowed like a child who’d been sent to the naughty step, and Libby’s eyes were red from crying.
Willow rushed forward and gave Ella a hug. ‘You alright?’
She nodded. ‘I’m fine now. Sorry, I just had a bit of a freak out.’
‘Don’t be sorry, it’s totally understandable.’
