I nodded.
“Then give me another chance; say it again.”
I breathed in the cool air. “I love you.”
He closed his eyes, releasing a relieved breath. Something flashed in his eyes when he opened them. “I am so in love with you, Elle. Probably since I saw you jump off that stage; flushed yet confident as hell.”
“Yeah, I have intense stage fright, but I take joy in setting people straight.”
His eyes were smiling before they fell. “I’m sorry it took me so long to get here. Weeks ago I promised you that as long as I could help it, I wouldn’t let anyone or anything hurt you. That I wouldn’t let anything happen to you.” He took my hands. “I broke that in Dean’s office.”
I began to protest but he stopped me.
“Not only didn’t I defend you, I made a bad situation worse by whisking you off into a glass box instead of doing what I should have.”
I bit my lip, hiding my smile. “What was that?”
He sighed. “Getting you the hell out of there, bringing you back to my place, where we could just be us—even if it was the hurt, angry, heated version of us.”
A cool wind blew past us, and he warmed my lips with his. I clung to him, sliding my arms in his coat. “Can we go be that version now, minus the hurt and angry, leave in the heat?”
He smiled down at me. “I can pretty much guarantee you heat. You’ve seen my fireplace.” He winked.
I slipped my arm in his and let him lead us across. “Well, what if I’m still cold?”
“Then I’ll throw in a hot coco to really warm you up.” He shrugged.
I pursed my lips. “Oh.”
He leaned down and whispered. “In the morning.”
37
ELLE
I strokedthe fabric of my new bathrobe. “This was amazing. I can’t believe you did all this.”
When I walked in, Scott’s apartment was unrecognizable. He had a massive Christmas tree, fully decorated and lit. The fireplace was completely decked out with throw pillows and blankets set in front of it and a pair of fuzzy slippers set aside. His sofa was covered with a red and green plaid blanket and his usually bare table was pre-set with candles and Christmas themed place settings.
There were several wrapped boxes under the tree which I thought was cute, assuming he threw in empty wrapped boxes the way they did in lobbies for decoration. Until he asked me to open a few.
There was a luxurious bathrobe in one, an overflowing basket of toiletries and facial creams in another and a large shawl.
I sensed a theme of which he eventually admitted of having an ulterior motive to give me gifts that were items I’d need if I were to spend a few nights with him.
He also confessed he had help from Kat and the building staff with the decorations.
He wrapped me in his arms. “You haven’t been home for the holidays in years, and I don’t think I’ve had a Christmas tree since I was in high school. I thought it would be fitting for us to spend the holiday the way it was meant to be.” He kissed my temple. “With the people you love.”
I snuggled into him. “Thank you.”
“Besides, when had anyone ever planned anything foryou?”
“Never,” I admitted, then frowned. “But I didn’t get you anything.”
“There is one thing I want.” He wiggled his brows and reached over to the tree, handing me a small box.
“You’re ridiculous, what is this?” I opened the box and pulled out a silver pen. But there was something printed on it; my name in italic font andWeston Capital Ltd. engraved underneath it.
