Chapter 22

TWENTY-TWO

Christmas Eve

‘Aunty Maggie? Aunty Maggie?' a voice whispers next to me and I open my eyes to find I'm still on Gemma's sofa, my body curled into Leo's, his arm around me, children having been safely deposited into their own cribs and beds, and the scattering lights of the tree still dancing in the background. I open my eyes to see Bella looking at me, two mince pies in her hands.

‘Morning, Bella,' I whisper. ‘How's the nose?'

‘OK,' she tells me, wriggling it as proof. I bop it and she laughs.

‘Are those for me?' I ask her.

‘Yes, when it's early I come down and eat them when no one is looking. Mummy always blames Daddy for eating them,' she says, cheekily. ‘I have one for you and one for Leo.' She looks over at him, still sound asleep. ‘He stayed over too?'

‘Yes, it was late when you came back so we thought we'd just sleep here.'

I can sense her looking at his face, checking out his clothes and hair. She pats him on the knee and his eyes spring open and she crawls up to the sofa space next to him in her snowman pyjamas and puts the mince pie in his face. ‘Morning, Leo. I brought you a gift,' she says, looking into his eyes.

Leo takes a moment to remember where he is. ‘Wow…Thank you…Hi…' He looks over at me and smooths down his hair, sitting up and readjusting his eyes. ‘Did you make these?'

Bella giggles. ‘No, of course not. The supermarket did.'

I watch them as I curl my legs into my chest, putting a throw over my shoulders, strangely missing Leo's arm around me.

‘Go on then, eat it,' Bella says, watching Leo as he bites into the mince pie. She edges closer to him and I think about what Gemma said before about this one's instincts when it comes to people.

‘Very very yummy,' he tells her and she giggles to see the crumbs at the corner of his mouth, her face glowing with glee to know she's provided breakfast to the overnight guests.

I beckon her over to sit in between us. ‘Are you the only one up?'

‘Yeah. Daddy got back really early and went to bed. Are you both coming to Granny and Grandad's with us?' she asks me sweetly, resting her head on my shoulder.

‘Oh no, Leo and I will probably head off. I need a shower actually. I smell,' I tell her, nibbling at the mince pie in my hands.

She laughs. ‘No, you don't.'

‘Then I am going to spend Christmas with Leo,' I tell her. ‘He lives in the Lake District.'

A look of panic descends across her face. ‘Have you told Santa that? Will he know where to send your presents? It's Christmas Eve tonight.'

I nod earnestly. ‘I wrote him a letter, it's all good.'

She looks satisfied with that explanation and jumps up. ‘Do you like gingerbread? I can get gingerbread if you're still hungry?' she exclaims, scampering off to the kitchen.

I watch Leo's face as he looks over and laughs at her excitement. His head then swings back to look at me. ‘Morning.'

‘Morning,' I reply, smiling, my head propped up by my hand. I am not sure what to do now, what to suggest. Do I reach over to hug him, give him a kiss, share a bit of throw?

He leans over and wipes some mince pie crumbs from my cheek. ‘You don't smell,' he tells me.

‘Good to know,' I laugh.

‘But just saying, if you wanted to have a shower…I think I may need one too,' he says, looking me directly in the eye.

I can't quite breathe. I think I know what he's implying. He reaches over to lightly graze my palm and I nod at him, without even saying a word.

I don't think I've had an Uber ride quite like it. After leaving Gemma and family a note to bid our farewells and festive wishes, Leo and I both sat there in the back of the Uber barely able to look at each other, his hand holding mine, the car filled with an anticipation so intense I could feel every sinew in me seize up, every part of me wanting to get closer to him. This was Leo. I'd sat opposite him for years, countless opportunities had presented themselves for this to happen but in just a few weeks, he'd revealed himself to me on so many different levels that had transformed how I felt completely. We told the driver to head to Leo's as it was geographically closer. Frank and Ben would have already left for Christmas so we'd have the place to ourselves. All I could think about was lying on his bed again with his body next to me. I crossed my legs in that Uber to control myself. I focused on Wham! playing in the background, watching the streets of London fly past in the windows, houses and shops, flashes of red and green, all decorated and ready for the coming of Christmas.

And now we're standing in the hallway of his house, the cold air of the night before sitting there, the same intense feeling that was sitting in that Uber, gluing us to the spot. We had crossed a line a few nights ago but this would most certainly be a point of no return.

Leo sighs to himself. ‘Just to put it out there, if it's too soon or it will make the next few days too awkward then I also understand if…'

I shake my head, smiling. ‘I want to do this.'

‘So we're on the same page? I mentioned the shower and then I realised that maybe you would have thought it was an offer to take a shower at mine on your own.'

‘If I wanted a shower on my own, I would have gone to my own home, no?' I tell him.

‘This is true,' he deliberates. ‘So you were thinking we would shower together? Not one at a time.'

‘That was the hope. Unless you…' He shakes his head.

We stand there, still rooted to the spot. ‘You have fairy lights everywhere,' I notice, seeing them along the bannisters, the doorframes, hanging off a mirror in this hallway.

‘They are LEDs,' he informs me.

‘Efficient.'

‘Frank.' He pauses then puts an arm up towards the stairs. ‘The shower is upstairs if you wanted to proceed.'

I nod, taking off my coat and leaving my bags in the hallway as I take the first steps.

‘Won't you need your bag for when you want to get dressed afterwards?' he asks me.

I shake my head. I don't know where that sort of brazen sexual confidence has come from but even I can feel myself blushing as I turn to walk up the stairs, hearing Leo behind me. I am about to have sex with Leo. Leo from work, who I share a KitKat with because four fingers is sometimes too much. I have no idea why that idea came into my head but I try and suppress my giggles.

We walk into his room and he slowly shuts the door behind him, turning slowly to meet my gaze. ‘Maggie…' he whispers deeply, our hands grazing.

‘Can I kiss you now?' I murmur. But I don't wait for permission. I pull his arm towards my body until his lips meet mine. He leans into it, reciprocating tenderly but I feel his whole body relax, exhaling with a low sigh of satisfaction. I put my arms around his neck, an urgency drawing myself closer to him, his body arched over mine, his hands pulling at the back of my jumper, searching for skin. He spins me so my back is against the wall and he starts to raise my jumper and T-shirt together, urging me to raise my arms until I'm standing there in my bra and jeans, my body flinching against the cold of the wall. He takes off his jumper and T-shirt then smiles at me as he puts an arm to my back, unclasping my bra strap, pulling my straps slowly down my arms. I can't quite contain how turned on I am and gasp as he pushes his torso against mine, kissing me so gently it pulls on my bottom lip, the change of tempo felt in every part of me. I bend a leg up to curl around his, feel his lips move down to the front of my neck and run my fingers down the valleys of his back.

‘LEO! How did…?' The door suddenly flies open and I hear what sounds like a young woman screaming.

‘FRANK!' Leo shouts, trying to reach over and shut the door on him but of course, that leaves me exposed, cupping my boobs with each hand, turning away. Leo's attempts to do so mean the door hits Frank square in the face, knocking his glasses askew, and he reaches up to cradle his eye. I scramble around and find Leo's jumper to protect my modesty, Leo stands there not really knowing who to attend to first. He opens the door to find Frank rubbing his temple; he sees me again and tries to avert his eyes. All I can think is I hope this doesn't affect the healing of his eyebrows.

‘You…Two?' Frank says, half dazed, half in pure shock. ‘Kissing and stuff?' he says, a finger shifting between us.

‘Yeah,' I say, going over to put a hand to Leo's back. Not now he's thrown an ice bucket over the situation but yeah, kissing and…stuff. Leo looks over to see me wearing his jumper, smiling.

Frank gazes at us like some sort of proud parent. ‘I'll have to tell Jasper his plan worked. I'm sorry. You can carry on if you want? I can make us all some tea?' he says.

‘You're telling me you're going to sort the refreshments while we…' Leo tells Frank and I laugh. ‘Mate, it's not happening now, chill.' Leo gives me a side glance. The moment has well and truly been scuppered by our friend here, but there is still some residual emotion that makes us both blush and smile. ‘I thought you'd be gone by now anyway? Aren't you supposed to be spending Christmas with your mum?'

‘I came back to get some things. Shit, have I really spoiled this?' he asks us. ‘Jasper will kill me.'

‘Not really. We're still spending Christmas together, there will be other…opportunities,' Leo says and the thought makes me truly excited for what may lay ahead. A few days ago, I was merely headed up there for walks and turkey. Leo grabs his T-shirt from the floor and pulls it over his head. I sigh with disappointment to see him covered up.

Frank still hovers at the door, trying his best not to look at me. ‘I really am sorry. I always mess things up.'

I hate hearing him so down on himself as usual. ‘Frank. No harm done at all,' I say, trying to persuade him otherwise.

‘So are you two…?' he enquires.

‘We're going to try it out and see what happens,' I say. He genuinely looks quite happy, his feet moving from side to side. I beckon him to come in the room even though he still can't seem to maintain eye contact with me.

‘As your boss, can I apologise for what you may have seen in the last few days,' I say, trying to gloss over what will likely have been traumatic for him.

Frank blushes a deep berry red, his face scrunched in confusion. ‘Umm, I…Just…No more…I don't want to see your…assets again…Your…It's weird.'

‘Of course. In other news, I hear you had good conversations with Norah?' I ask him, expertly changing the subject.

His expression lightens. ‘It's why I came back. We were talking about maths and stuff at the wedding, and I told her about this really good book so I'm going to lend it to her. I'm seeing her today…'

I smile to see him so happy. ‘That's awesome. Told you so…'

‘Told me what?' he asks confused.

‘I thought there was something there,' I tell him. ‘Have you got her a Christmas present?'

He suddenly looks a touch confused. ‘Should I? My mum gives her family biscuits.'

Leo smirks at me from his wardrobe where he's started to pack his bag.

I perch on the edge of the desk in his room. ‘I wouldn't go overboard but maybe get her something small, something meaningful that would make her laugh.'

‘You told Jasper to buy women cashmere…' Frank reminds me.

‘I did but maybe something else?' I tell him.

‘I have some emergency gifts in my room for aunties I forget. Do you think she'd like talc?' Frank asks me.

‘How old is this Norah again? She someone's nan?' Leo jests and I shift him a look. This is Frank. We love Frank, but one year ago he bought us automatic pencil sharpeners. We need to give our boy a hand .

I look over at Leo, who's sitting on the edge of his bed. Maybe this intervention was a good thing. Else we'd have spent the morning in bed and I'd have got nothing done, nothing packed, nothing wrapped. ‘What time are we leaving?'

‘Say midday at the latest?' Leo tells me.

‘Then tell you what…get yourself packed and our bags into your car and pick me up from my flat for that time.' I turn to Frank. ‘Frank, you and I can get over to Westfield to pick out a gift for her.'

Leo's gaze meets mine. A shower and everything that would have followed can wait. At least he gets it. He bows his head to signal his understanding.

‘Really?' Frank asks me, looking at his watch in relief.

‘Really. I've started this so I need to follow through. I can't have this going tits-up because you gave her talc.'

Frank sniggers at my choice of expression and I shake my head at him.

‘Thank you,' he tells me, putting his hands together.

‘Go, let me get changed,' I tell him.

He nods, obviously not keen to see me topless again. He turns to leave and I hear his feet shuffling into his room and down the stairs. I grin, not before feeling Leo's presence next to me, a bra in his hand.

‘Trade you this for my jumper?' he whispers, his face grazing mine.

I smile and take off the jumper immediately.

He looks down. ‘Just to say, I don't mind seeing your assets. Actually, as many times as humanly possible over Christmas would be great.'

I nod. ‘Deal.'

‘Deal. I'll see you later?'

I give him a slow tender kiss, putting a hand to the back of his head. ‘Definitely.'