Christmas off Script

Leo Foxbrooke is Ella Chamberlain’s best friend, her rock, and the one person who is absolutely, 100% off-limits.

Kind, charming, and unfairly gorgeous, he’s the heart of Foxbrooke Manor. Meanwhile, she’s the girl who just got dumped, lost her apartment, and landed on his doorstep days before Christmas, looking like the ghost of bad decisions past.

Moving into his family’s fairytale home is supposed to be her chance to regroup, not lose her heart. But then she ends up in the room right next to his and somehow gets roped into the town Christmas play as his Cinderella. Those ‘practice kisses’ on stage? They’re setting her world on fire.

Leo’s always been her steady, unshakable constant. The one person she can count on, no matter what. But risking everything to follow the spark growing between them? That could cost her the one thing she can’t live without – him.

‘What’s next?’ Leo asked.

‘Trust falls,’ Ella replied. ‘We have to fall backwards and hope the other person catches us.’

He pulled a face. ‘I’ll crush you.’

‘Maybe we could put pillows on the floor?’

‘It’s too much of a risk. I don’t want you getting hurt.’

‘Could we do it on the bed? In a kneeling position, maybe?’ The moment the words were out of her mouth, she regretted every single one of them. Without glancing at his reaction, she pulled away, going back into the bedroom.

He followed her. ‘Okay, let’s give it a go.’ Kicking off his trainers, he stood on the four-poster bed, his head almost touching the canopy. ‘You fall first.’

Ella slowly unlaced her Converse. ‘This is silly.’

‘Yeah, but we’re good at being silly, and it means we can go back to Libby and say we did exactly what she wanted us to.’

‘Mirror, mirror on the wall? Since when was that a trust exercise?’

‘We improvised. That alone earns us a gold star. Now come up here and fall over.’

Shaking her head, she climbed onto the bed and faced away from him. ‘You ready?’

‘Yep!’

She let herself drop backwards, immediately feeling Leo’s strong arms around her.

‘What’s my rating on Trust-Fall-Pilot?’ he asked, his mouth right by her ear.

‘Definitely a five out of five,’ she replied, knowing she had to move, but wanting to stay right where she was.

He eased her up to stand. ‘Right, your turn. But I’ll crouch and you can kneel behind me.’

They swapped positions on the bed, and Ella dropped to her knees, her arms spread wide.

Leo crouched in front of her, wobbling as he struggled to keep his balance on the soft mattress. ‘You read—fuck!’ he cried, toppling backwards.

Unprepared for him to fall without warning, Ella fell back to the bed with his weight on top of her.

‘Shit!’ He leapt off and crouched above her. ‘You okay?’ 

She couldn’t keep her giggles inside. ‘This is ridiculous!’

Leo’s concern melted into a heart-stopping smile. ‘Hashtag nailed it.’ He lay on his side next to her, his head propped up on his hand. Magic seemed to dance in the air between them, but then his smile dimmed. ‘Ella,’ he began softly.

‘Yes,’ she replied, her heart beating faster.

‘You don’t have to kiss me in the panto.’

A wave of disappointment crashed through her. ‘It’s fine! I don’t mind. It’s just a peck.’

He frowned. ‘But I never want you to do anything you don’t want to.’

An insane flash of bravery moved her vocal chords before she could stop them. ‘Maybe we could practise first? So we know what to expect?’

His eyes widened slightly and his gaze dropped to her lips for a fraction of a second. ‘Um, yeah. Good plan.’ He swallowed. ‘If you’re sure?’

‘I think it’s for the best,’ she replied, trying to keep her voice level.

‘Definitely.’ Leo’s voice seemed to have dropped several octaves. 

‘So… I give you permission to kiss me.’

‘Now?’

She nodded, no longer able to form words. Her body was burning with anticipation, desire blazing through every part of her, stealing the oxygen from her lungs. Leo looked unsure, his cheeks heightening with colour, but Ella no longer cared or questioned if this was real for him or not. All she cared about was that he did it before she combusted on the spot.

Then, just as she was terrified he wouldn’t, he lowered his head and brushed his lips across hers.

//////

Pleasure moved through Ella’s veins like late-summer honey; thick and sweet. Leo was gazing down at her, his golden hair a halo of light, his bright blue eyes blazing.

‘Ella,’ he murmured, the sound rippling across her skin like butterfly kisses.

Her fingers ran down his naked torso. ‘Leo.’

Leaning down, he dipped his tongue into the hollow at the base of her throat, then kissed his way up to her lips, whispering her name again.

Arching up to him, she held his head, pulling him closer. Desire burned in her chest, flaring as her tongue met his. She was writhing underneath him, desperate to have him inside her.

‘Ella.’ Her name on his lips amplified every sensation.

She was panting now, clawing at his trousers to get them off. ‘Leo!’

‘Ella.’

Her climax was close but still too far away to catch, the frustration too much to bear. ‘Leo, I need you. Please.’

‘Ella!’

Her eyes shot open as she tumbled from her dream, her heart pounding and her mind scattered. 

Leo was gazing down at her. 

Fully clothed.

Pushing up to sit, her limbs uncooperative, Ella tried to reconcile where she’d just been with the reality of where she was now. The room was darker, the only illumination coming from the fairy lights. The TV was off and the bed was cleared of food. 

How long have I been asleep? And did I say anything? She fell back to the bed, staring at the ceiling crisscrossed with tiny lights.

‘Did I…?’ She didn’t know how to finish the sentence.

Leo didn’t answer, so she turned her head to face him. He was looking away, his arms clasped around his knees, his cheeks red.

Oh god. ‘What’s the time?’ she finally managed.

He cleared his throat. ‘Just after ten. You fell asleep about twenty minutes into the movie, so I turned it off and tidied everything up.’

Ella’s body hummed with remembered pleasure, a dull ache between her thighs that her fingers wanted to relieve. Her arms and legs were heavy, her mind still not up to speed. She wanted to be back in her dream with Leo’s lips on hers, his hips pressing her into the mattress, his—

‘What did I say?’ She needed to know how much she’d embarrassed herself.

He swallowed. ‘Nothing.’

Ella knew he was lying. She knew he was helping her save face. Giving her an out. But she was drunk with sleep and sex hormones, and her body overruled her mind.

‘I was dreaming about you.’

‘A nightmare then?’ His gaze was still ahead and his voice was strained and mocking.

‘No. It was the best dream I’ve ever had.’

A muscle twitched in his jaw and he finally brought his gaze to meet hers, his eyes flicking down and back up her body as if he was powerless to stop them.

The movement fanned the flames of her desire, quickening her pulse. Did he want her? Or at least enough to satisfy a physical need? Right now, she was too horny to care if his feelings matched her own. She needed him more than she could bear.

Leo swallowed again, his lips parting as if to speak, but no words came.

‘You really don’t have to,’ she said haltingly. ‘If you don’t want—’

‘I’d do anything for you.’ His voice was hoarse. ‘Anything.’

She inched her hand slowly over the mattress until it rested by his bent leg. ‘Will you—’ She broke off when his hand reached for hers. 

The moment their fingers touched, the erotic charge that had been building inside her released with a snap of energy, making her gasp.

‘Ella.’ His voice held a warning and a plea.

‘Please, Leo.’

His fingers tightened around hers. ‘What do you want?’

‘You,’ she whispered. ‘I want you.’

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