Page 6 of The Twelve Days of Christian
Chapter 3
Day One
A happy blast ofChristmas songs fills the house while I’m in the kitchen. After spending all afternoon hands buried in pastry and fruit mince, it’s cleanup time. With the music at maximum volume, I didn’t hear Christian get up. Now, in the pause between playlists, the silence that drew me through to the lounge to attend to my phone is not silence at all. The dogs huff with joy, and he murmurs endearments to them as both hands caress their bodies. As a guitarist, he’s very good with his hands, and it seems he applies this talent effectively to other purposes.
Noticing me in the doorway, he tilts his chin in recognition and offers a shy smile. This man is such a contradiction. I didn’t think him capable of modesty, let alone shyness. Mularkey sprawls acrosshim, face turned upwards in a wide, loving grin as he scratches her chest. Tully is curled under his armpit, eyes closed in a blissful doze while his fingers massage her satiny ears. Neither dog looks towards me. He’s got them under his spell, and I can’t say I blame them. If I had someone showering such affection on me, stroking all my most pleasurable spots, I wouldn’t be seeking anyone else either.
They say dogs are an excellent judge of character and I’ve found that to be true. Which means I may have to go easier on Christian Steele. If Ollie, Tully, and Mularkey are in Team Christian, then I might have to join them. Even so, my mind protests the thought; I’m not ready to go there yet.
“I thought I’d order in pizza. Want some?” I offer. It’s definitely dinner o’clock, but I’m too exhausted to cook. All the decorating and then my little baking spree—whipping up some Christmas mince pies to take into work on Monday—has left me with no energy to be creative in the kitchen.
“Thanks, that would be great,” he says. “I’ve barely eaten for two days.”
I can believe it. He looks tired and gaunt, with hollows under his eyes and a sallow undertone to his olive skin.
“Only the liquid stuff, eh?” I remember the alcoholic haze wafting around him earlier.
He gives a rueful smile. It tips up at one corner, suggesting the possibility of a dimple waiting to pop under that damn beard.
“Haley, I swear the last forty-eight hours would have driven anyone to drink—even you. But yeah, some proper food would be good, thanks.”
I grab my phone and place an order. While we wait, I opt for some mindless television, a house renovation programme on theLiving Channel. Anything to spare me from catching up on the second episode ofWild For The WinI missed last night. Now I know Christian isn’t there working hard for the rescue, I’ve lost all interest. It would only turn up my simmering anger with him to boiling point. Why he’s here and not there, I don’t want to ask. Knowing Christian’s reputation, he’s done something awful. The details would only stir me up more.
My phone chimes with a text confirming the arrival of my delivery. A few seconds later, there’s a knock on the door. Before I can stand to answer it, Christian wades from between the sleeping dogs, rousing them with surprised looks while holding a finger to his lips. He dives down the hallway and doesn’t reappear from his room until I close the front door with a firm thud.
He’s taking this hiding out thing seriously, and to be fair, it was probably wise. That pizza delivery girl would sure have something to tell her friends if she’d glimpsed Christian Steele lounging on my couch.
He wolfs down more than his half share. Luckily, I’m not a big eater. Carefully wiping his hands clean, he returns to thumbing listlessly through Ollie’s copy ofThe Lord of The Rings.After running the boxes out to the recycling bin and emptying my baking utensils from the dishwasher, I return to the TV, finding a rerun ofThe Great British Bake Off.I startle when a few minutes later the Tolkein hits the coffee table with a thwack.
“Why don’t we watch a Christmas movie?” he suggests.
Is he a mind reader? How the hell did he know I was going to start my Christmas movie binge tonight? With no other plans—friends all busy, no boyfriend—I’d intended to make my own happySaturday night, blotting out all thoughts of Jack and Paige with a nice Christmas rom-com. Until he turned up.
“So, how did you know by coming to stay here, you’ve signed up for the compulsory Christmas movie marathon?”
“What else would be happening in a room that looks like this?” he deadpans, rolling his eyes as he surveys the room, that even I have to admit is literally heaving with decoration. However, I also detect a faint spark in his eyes, the first trace of actual enthusiasm I’ve noticed for anything except the pizza. Maybe Christian has a secret weakness for sappy Christmas viewing?
“OK, so what shall we watch?”
“How aboutLove Actually? That’s a good one.” His teasing mouth twitches at the corners. Somehow, he’s zeroed in on my absolute favourite. I don’t argue. A quick stab at the remote, and I settle in to enjoy the familiar much-loved montage of stories unfolding on the screen.
We reach the part where we meet the two unlikely film body doubles, who are having a normal conversation while simulating a sex scene, and Christian snorts loudly.
“What the fuck?” He mutters under his breath, before dissolving into loud rumbles of laughter. OK, it is a funny scene, but it’s not that funny unless you’re seeing it for the first time—and the lights go on in my head. I hit pause, and he turns to me, still chuckling to himself, and his eyes meet mine, sparkling with amusement.
“You’ve never even watched this movie before.” I can’t help the accusing tone.
“No. But it’s great.”
“Then why did you suggest it?” I frown.
“While you were in the kitchen, I was flicking through and saw your saved list. Figured me being here shouldn’t disrupt your Saturday night plans.”
I’m not sure whether to be pleased with his consideration or annoyed he’s assumed I’d have no plans for the weekend other than watching Christmas movies alone. I brush away the thought and press play once more.
I wouldn’t admit it to Christian, but it’s actually fun observing someone enjoy the movie for the first time. Out of the corner of my eye, I see him smile at sleazy Billy Mack’s snarkiness. He chokes with laughter at hapless Colin’s mission to find love in the USA. Watching Christian’s unfolding discovery of something special to me is kind of endearing and despite my resolve to hold on to my anger, I find my stance on his actions wavering a tad.
As the final credits roll, I’m sure he even gets a little misty-eyed at the beautiful scenes of people reuniting with friends and family at the airport. Who would have picked Christian as a man who’d go all mushy over a chick-flick?
