Page 95 of Christmas off Script
A sudden thought hit Ella like a slap to the face.Oh god. Does he think if I have anything to drink, I’ll leap on him again?
‘It’s the countdown to the quiz. Our brains need to be functioning optimally.’
Not constantly imagining having sex with you, then?
‘And the miniatures are tiny. You’ll have metabolised any alcohol before you get to school.’
‘I don’t think my headteacher would be pleased to know I’m on the booze every morning.’
He smirked. ‘I bet he’s got a bottle of whisky stashed in his desk drawer.’
Ella laughed to cover up her worries about why Leo didn’t want them to drink. ‘Probably.’
‘Tuck in then, you’ve got a calorie deficit to make up for.’
Her stomach grumbling, she filled her plate and started eating. The food, of course, was delicious, made even more enjoyable because of the person she was sharing it with. Leo chatted about what was happening at the Theatre Royal in Bath where he worked, and the preparations for their pantomime, which was starting next week and would be running for a month. The two of them had plans to see it the night before the Christmas quiz, and Ella couldn’t wait.
‘Want to eat pudding whilst we watch the movie?’ he asked when they’d demolished the savoury dishes. ‘After all, one of themispopcorn.’
‘Absolutely. And thank you, that was amazing.’ She started collecting the plates, but Leo batted her hands away. ‘You make yourself comfortable. I’m just going to run these downstairs.’
‘You sure I can’t help?’
‘Positive.’ He pulled a tray out from under the bed, piled the plates and dishes onto it, then carried them to the closed door. ‘Ah.’
Leaping off the bed, Ella opened it for him, failing to avoid ogling the way his arm muscles filled the short sleeves of his t-shirt. She followed him into the corridor and he gave her a quizzical look.
‘I just need to get something,’ she said, then moved away from him and entered her room.
The advent calendar he’d made her was propped up on her bedside table, the ring he’d created from the Baci foil wrapper lying next to it. She hadn’t had the heart to open the calendar that morning without him, especially with things so awkward and unresolved between them. But now their relationship was back to normal. On the surface, at least.
Inside, she yearned for him. When she’d been a teen, she’d had many dreams about kissing Leo, but the reality had blown her mind and set her body on fire. Now she knew exactly what it felt like and she craved more. Her finger touched the tinfoil ring. Would that ever be their reality?
She shook her head.Marriage? Get a grip. He’s a friend. Don’t hound him for more and end up pushing him away forever.
Leaving her thoughts in her room, Ella re-entered Leo’s, arranging the pillows at the end of the bed and putting the dates, rocky road, and popcorn in the middle as a food wall to help her hand from straying to a Leo-shaped dessert that definitelywasn’ton the menu.
When he arrived back, his gaze fell to the advent calendar. ‘You didn’t open it this morning?’
‘It didn’t feel right without you there.’
‘But it’s yours!’
‘And you put two chocolates behind each window.’
He grinned, then went to his side of the bed and showed her the calendar she’d made for him. ‘I didn’t open mine either.’
She smiled. ‘Guess who’s behind the second window?’
His mouth twisted as he frowned in concentration, then he seemed to give up the attempt. ‘No idea. Give me a clue?’
‘I thought you could mind read?’
‘Yeah, but you weren’t actively thinking about who it was. If you do,andgive me a clue, then I’m bound to get it.’
‘Okay.’
Putting the calendar on the bed, Leo crawled forward, reaching towards her.
