Page 16 of Daddy's Christmas Elf
“Sure you’re okay?” Grey asked, instinctively resting his palm on the small of Eli’s back, whipping it away almost the moment it landed. Helping Eli to his feet, holding him when he stood on shaky legs was one thing, but—
“I am, thanks to you.” Eli smiled up at him, but almost immediately it was replaced with a serious, worried frown. “Just a few things, okay? Just to tide me over, remember? I’m going to be gone before you know it, and I’ve got plenty of stuff at the house.”
Grey pushed down the disappointment swelling inside him. But Eli was right, he’d soon be gone and out of his life as though he’d never been. He forced himself to smile.
“Jeans, jumpers, underwear, socks, shoes — or boots, for this weather — a coat of some kind, gloves, scarf…” Grey ticked the items off on his fingers, one by one.
“That much?” Eli bit down on his lower lip as his frown deepened, and Grey had to force his hands to stay still to not ease it away. “You’re right, I suppose. But no coat.”
“It’s the middle of winter. It’s snowing. Of course you’re going to need a coat.”
Eli shook his head, determination written across his face.
“Your old coat’s fine — it’s like being wrapped up in a big blanket. The other stuff I get, but I won’t be wearing a coat in a warm house, will I?”
Grey huffed. He’d let Eli win this argument. “Let’s get you sorted out with the rest of it. Okay?”
Eli hesitated, then nodded.
The crowds in the shopping centre had increased during the time they’d been in the café, and the place thronged with frantic shoppers shoving this way and that.
“We should be able to get everything you need in here.” Grey directed Eli into a large department store, and steered him towards the menswear department.
Eli halted in front of a large, full length mirror, pulling Grey to a stop, and grinned. “We’re an odd looking couple, don’t you think? I look like I’m playing dress up and—”
“Can I help you, gentlemen?” An assistant appeared and looked between them, his bland professional smile in place, but it couldn’t disguise that he, too, thought they were indeed an unlikely looking pair.
The assistant could think what he bloody well wanted, because as far as Grey was concerned he and Eli looked just right. Grey fought the urge to growl at the assistant, and forced his voice to stay calm and level.
“My friend needs kitting out…”
It wasn’t long before they’d found most of what they needed. Eli, weighed down by a large pile of clothes Grey had made sure was more than thefew thingsEli had insisted upon, made his way into the changing rooms as Grey lounged in a chair outside.
Grey closed his eyes and let the Christmas music playing in the background wash over him.
“What do you think?”
Grey jerked out of the fuzzy place between sleep and wakefulness he’d drifted into.
Hovering in the doorway to the changing room, Eli shuffled from foot to foot.
“The grey one, or the green?”
Eli wore a soft looking slate grey jumper. He peeled it off, pulling up the white T-shirt he wore underneath to reveal a flash of pale skin stretched tight over firm abdominal muscles, before he tugged on the other jumper. The grey or the green, jumpers Grey had picked out and insisted Eli take into the changing room, each the same shade as Eli’s incredible, captivating eyes.
Eli looked good, more than good, in both. He’d look good in a paper bag, but in the tight dark jeans, which hugged him from ankles to hips, and in the fine wool jumper that fitted like a second skin, Eli was breathtaking.
“Grey? Which one? Or are they both horrible?” Eli looked down at himself.
“No! They’re great. Either one, because both match your eyes.”
Eli jerked his head up. “Good thing about heterochondria, I have more colour choices. But I still don’t know.”
“Both.”
Eli’s eyes widened a fraction, and he shook his head. “Just a few things, remember?”
“Both, because they’re buy one get one half price. Haven’t you seen the promotional signs all over the place?”
