“Yes.” Ellis stands up straight and cracks his neck, then he points at the take-out bags. “We’re going to make a spread out of all that.” He points at the television. “Watch movies, then exchange gifts when the clock hits twelve. Oh. Oh, shit.”
“W-what?”
“Gifts!” he bellows. “I knew I was forgetting something! Listen, in my defense… I don’t usually do this holiday thing. Usually, my parents both text me something lame and send me money, then I go hookup with someone hot in the nearest bar.”
“Ellis,” I say hoarsely. My hands fall to my sides. “You really, really didn’t have to do this.”
“Quit looking at me like that. I’m doing my best here and I’d love it if you’d appreciate it at least a little.”
My chest loosens at the weak smile he gives me. I don’t even think about it—I smile back and don’t miss the way his shoulders go slack when I do. Ellis rubs his nose and looks down, eyes trained to the ground, and I almost do the same but stop myself.
“Thank you,” I say. “I do appreciate it.”
He huffs. Ellis doesn’t speak for a moment, but even I know that’s going to be short-lived.
“Okay!” he yells, raising his hands. Just like I predicted. Ellis grins at me wide, his cheeks red. “Now help me with the food.”
I can’t even hold back my smile.
We spread the food out in the middle of the bed. Ellis warns me not to touch the Bolognese pasta, that that’s all his, and I solemnly swear that I won’t even go near it. By the time everything’s arranged—with my banana bread in the middle of it all—Ellis gives me a smug grin.
Then, without warning, his face falls. “Oh. Wait. I forgot to buy a corkscrew.”
Chuckling, I grab one of the three wine bottles he bought. It’s heavy, making it even more impressive to me that he was able to carry all of these for a few blocks. “These look expensive.”
“They are. I didn’t hold back.”
I smile at him. “Okay, wait… let me call room service. They should have a corkscrew and some wine glasses.”
“Nah, give it to me. I’ve got this.” He outstretches his arm, his palm facing up.
Blinking, I hand it to him. Ellis takes quick strides to the desk to grab a pen I was using earlier, then sits down with the wine bottle between his thighs. I stare in horror as he jabs the cork with the bottom of the pen.
“Ellis!” I hiss. “We should just call!”
“But this is way faster,” he says. He continues jabbing it with frightening accuracy until the cork slips down the neck and drops into the wine.
Ellis lifts his chin and grins at me, his expression all lit up. “Give me another bottle.”
“Why?” Still, I listen and hand him another bottle, exchanging it with the one he has.
He does the same thing he did with the first one, and then once again beams at me when he’s successful. “All right,” he says. “Now we can have a party. Be sure to finish your bottle since we can’t cork it up again.”
“Jesus…” I mumble under my breath.
Though, honestly? That was pretty impressive.
It’s not his ability to open a bottle with a pen that makes me feel alive. That’s a random life skill I’ve never looked into, but no, that’s not what impresses me.
What impresses me is how smooth he is… how confident he is with almost everything he does. I may call him the agency’s golden boy and imply it’s because of his surname, but gun to my head, I’d admit that I like how capable Ellis is at most things. He does this all the time. He walks into a room already sure of what he’s there for and he takes what he wants and leads.
It’s fucking hot.
Shit.
What’s going on with me?
Ellis buys me dinner and opens a wine bottle with a pen, and I’m ready to get on my knees for him. I’m not even surprised. Last time, all he had to do was lock eyes with me in the middle of a crowded bar.
