Page 115 of Christmas off Script
He pulled the car to a stop. ‘Good idea. You start it running and I’ll get you a drink. Hot toddy? Hot chocolate?’
‘Hot toddy sounds perfect, thank you.’ She got out of the car and started for the front door, walking stiffly.
Leo rushed to her side. ‘Yousureyou’re okay?’
Her smile was more of a grimace. ‘I’m fine. I promise.’
He wanted to take her hand but was too unsure of what she wanted or needed, so went ahead, opening the door for her.
‘I’m so sorry, Leo,’ she said as she entered the house.
‘No,I’msorry.’ He ran his fingers into his hair, scoring the nails across his scalp to help alleviate his frustration. All he wanted was to take her into his arms and pour out his love. But this wasn’t the time. ‘Go on. I’ll be up in a bit.’
She nodded and turned for the stairs.
Fifteen minutes later,Leo knocked on Ella’s bathroom door. ‘I made you a pot of it,’ he called through. ‘With Dad’s honey and cider brandy. Shall I leave it outside?’
‘Can you bring it in?’
He swallowed. Yes, of course he could. But that would necessitate seeing a naked Ella and trying not to react.
‘Leo?’
Deep breath. This isn’t hard. Although my cock’s almost there, dammit!
Opening the door, he focused on the tray as he carried it in, placing it on a wide shelf behind the sink, then pouring the hot toddy into a porcelain cup.
‘It’s a Sèvres teacup so the toddy will cool down quickly,’ he said as he passed it to her, his gaze fixed on the tiles around the bath. ‘But the pot is heavy china so will keep the rest at temperature.’
‘You should have given me one of the chipped mugs with “World’s Best Dad” on the side,’ she replied. ‘Aren’t these priceless antiques?’
He shrugged, now counting how many tiles were in each row whilst his peripheral vision strained to see her. ‘I dunno. Probably not, or they would have been confiscated by Gram-Gram to prevent Estelle from selling them.’
‘What?’
Eighteen, nineteen, twenty. ‘Before Henry finally came home, Estelle had to keep flogging anything that wasn’t nailed down to pay for the abject failure of Dad’s “interesting” business ideas. She thinks we didn’t notice, but we did.’
‘Wow. Well, this cup looks the real deal.’
Twenty-one, twenty-two. ‘Hmm.’
‘Leo?’
‘Yup?’
‘Are you okay?’
Swivelling back to the teapot, he adjusted its position by a millimetre. ‘Yep. Knuckles don’t hurt at all, which is pretty disappointing, really. That’s the first time I’ve ever hit anyone and I feel like I should at least have some bruising.’
‘I wasn’t thinking about that, although I’m glad you’re not hurt. You just seem…’
‘Hmm?’ How he could adjust his thickening cock without her noticing?
‘Nothing. It’s nothing.’
Hearing the unhappiness in her voice, Leo turned, forcing his eyes to meet Ella’s. ‘What is it, Princess?’
The beginnings of a frown pinched her forehead, and she was chewing her lower lip anxiously. ‘You don’t have to be with me.’
