Page 31 of Staking His Claim
For once Ella had nothing to say. He watched as her mouth opened and closed. Finally she turned away and crossed to where three large store bags sat on the floor. She reached into the closest one and took out a box. She opened it, revealing a tray containing about a dozen shiny, red ornamental balls.
It was a moment of utter emotional devastation.
And Yevgeny felt like a complete toad. It was almost Christmas. It was a time for faith...and family. He’d insisted on helping Ella decorate a tree to celebrate the festivities for Holly—and now he was upsetting her.
That wasn’t right. Yevgeny couldn’t help thinking that his dearly loved babushka would be ashamed of him for ruining Ella’s moment of pleasure and forcing her to accept unwanted assistance. She’d already told him to leave—that was what she wanted. If he behaved with the honor that his babushka would expect of him, Yevgeny knew he was left with no choice: he must leave....
He came to a decision. “You don’t want me to stay and help you with the tree, so I will leave and come back later when Holly is awake.”
With an inward sigh of disappointment, Yevgeny made his way to where he’d abandoned his jacket. But before he could lean down to pick it up, Ella spoke from behind him. “You can stay—if you want.”
Yevgeny jerked around in surprise.
She wasn’t even looking at him, nor did she sound particularly welcoming, yet his heart lifted.
“Thank you.” Gratitude welled up inside him. Before she could change her mind, he moved to the tree and hoisted it up with enthusiasm. “The Christmas tree will look good over here, hmm?”
Ella tucked her hair behind one ear, and shifted her glance to where he indicated. “Yes, I think you’re right—that’s the perfect spot.”
His lips curved in a smile and he shot her an amused look through the gap between two branches. “Good. For once we’re in agreement.”
She met his gaze. Then, after a moment, she grinned back. “Yes. It would appear we are.”
Ella McLeod had dimples in both cheeks.
To avoid the confusion the discovery aroused, Yevgeny ducked down and secured the base of the tree. When he’d safely assured himself that noticing Ella had dimples didn’t change anything of great consequence, he finally raised his head again.
“Have you got lights for the tree?” he asked. “They will need to go up first.”
Ella dove back into the shopping bags and emerged, waving a box of brand-new Christmas lights with a triumphant flourish. Another smile...and her dimples flashed again.
Blood pumped through his veins.
Yevgeny averted his gaze, and busied himself with taking the box from her hands. Her slender fingers brushed against his large ones—an electric connection. He didn’t dare look at her as he broke the seal. Once the lid was open, he lifted the coiled rope of lights out. Immediately Ella crowded closer.
He inhaled deeply.
Lilacs.
Yes, he was in danger of becoming addicted to the subtle scent....
Shaking his head in rejection of that craziness, Yevgeny started to weave the lights through the branches while Ella worked alongside him, making adjustments. He’d never been this close to her for any length of time. It felt curiously—he searched for the right word—exhilarating. When she stepped away to shake out the remaining cable and then went to plug it into the wall socket, he found himself sharply aware of the gray void left in her wake.
A flick of the switch and color lit up the room.
Even Ella’s white, cropped T-shirt reflected the rainbow wash of Christmas lights. It looked magical. Yevgeny found himself chuckling at the pretty picture she made.
Ella reached down and switched the lights off. “Now we know they work!”
“Are you always so prosaic?”
She glanced at him through the fan of hair that shielded her face. “Always.”
Despite her reply, Yevgeny couldn’t halt the spreading of awareness. He considered himself a connoisseur of beautiful women—he’d dated some of the world’s best. So why hadn’t he noticed how well proportioned her features were? The straight nose, the short delicate arch of her upper lip, and the uptilted curve of her smile all combined to create a striking face.
But he hadn’t noticed it.
Until now.
He hadn’t bothered to look beyond the dark suits, oversize glasses and abrasive manner.
What else had he missed?
“You have lovely eyes, you know,” he said abruptly. “But those hideous glasses you wear do nothing to show them off.”
Shock flickered in her eyes, and then a flush stained her cheeks. “Thank you...I think.”
“It was a compliment—you shouldn’t hide your assets.”