We both know where tonight is heading. The question is—who’s going to make the next move?
Theo shifts on the sofa, his fingers drumming idly against his knee as he glances around the room. Then he smirks.
“Hang on.” He looks at me confused. “Where’s your army of gnomes gone?”
“What?”
“The gnomes.” He gestures around dramatically. “The creepy little festive creatures that used to haunt this place. Did they finally rise up and overthrow you?”
I roll my eyes, but my stomach tightens just a little. He noticed.
“They’re in a box,” I admit, tucking my legs under me.
Theo’s brows shoot up. “You boxed them up?”
I nod, chewing my bottom lip. “Yeah.”
His smirk deepens. “Why? Did they become self-aware? Were they plotting something sinister?”
I let out a breathy laugh, shaking my head. “No, you dork.” I hesitate, my fingers tracing patterns on the sofa fabric. Then, before I can overthink it, I say it. “I just… I wanted to make sure the place was tidy. In case you—” I swallow. “In case you wanted to come up after dinner.”
Theo stills.
I feel his gaze on me, but I don’t look up. Bloody hell, saying it out loud makes me feel so exposed.
I risk a glance at him.
He doesn’t tease me. He doesn’t smirk.
Instead, he leans in, his voice lower, rougher. “So, you were planning this.”
I shrug, forcing an air of nonchalance even though my pulse is going insane. “Well, you did bring dinner to me, so I’d say we’re even.”
Theo studies me. Then he exhales a quiet laugh, shaking his head. “Look at us.”
I arch a brow. “What about us?”
“We were both doing it.” He runs a hand through his hair. “I was over here making lasagne like some sort of domestic god, hoping you’d want to spend the night, and you were boxing up your gnome army to make sure I wouldn’t be scared off.”
I giggle, the tension cracking just slightly. “It was a risk. They’re quite intense.”
“You’re intense,” he murmurs.
Something about the way he says it makes my breath catch.
My giggle dies in my throat, and I suddenly realise how close we are.
His arm is still resting along the back of the sofa, and if I shifted even slightly, I’d be right against him. His gaze flicks to my lips, and for a second, I think he’s going to joke, make some snarky comment—
But he doesn’t.
Instead, his hand lifts, fingers brushing along my jaw, tilting my chin ever so slightly.
My heart stutters.
“Theo—”
But then he kissesme.
