A Christmas Accident

A Festive Frock

"Look at me, please?" He asked sweetly, and unable to deny him – she slowly lifted her eyes, her breath catching as she saw the beautiful dark jeans and orange shirt he was wearing. He looked handsome, even with his black eye and mussed hair.

But the heat in his eyes is what truly made her breath catch. "Come here." Holding his arms open, he beckoned her forward, but she just shook her head and stepped back. "Fucking hell trouble, I still had my boxers on you know." A surprised laugh escaped her at his exasperated eye roll, and she shook her head at herself – knowing she was being silly.

Stepping forward, she let him wrap his arms around her and she slowly relaxed into his hold. "I don't mind if you want to cop a feel as well – you know, so you can say you had the full Gabriel Coleman experience?" He said, and she sucked in a breath at the unexpectedness of his comment – choking at it caught in her throat.

Chuckling, he tightened his hold around her and rocked them side to side. Flabbergasted, she could do nothing but try to catch her breath as he swayed them.

"Right, now that awkwardness is out of the way. Why aren't you fucking dressed yet?" Pulling back, he glared down at her towel as if offended she was wearing that and not the dress.

Relieved he changed the subject before she had managed to embarrass herself any further, she shook her head and gently picked up the dress – afraid she would ruin it if she wasn't careful.

"This doesn't belong to me. Where are my jeans and blouse?" She asked, her cheeks still burning as she tried and failed to hold his eyes.

Scoffing, he pressed the dress back towards her. "You are not wearing those ratty things in my presence. Plus, how else was I supposed to give you my Christmas present?"

"P-present?" She stuttered, unsure if she was hearing him right. He looked smug at her surprise, and she shook her head as the rest of what he said processed. "Ratty things. My clothes are not ratty!" She exclaimed, anger making her expression dark as she glared up at him.

"Just say thank you." He smirked, and she shook her head – suddenly annoyed at him, but really she was just hurt by what he had said.

"No. I want my clothes back please." Turning away so he wouldn't see the impact his words had, she dropped the dress onto the counter.

Jumping when a pair of warm arms wrapped around her from behind, she peeked up at the mirror through her lashes and saw Gabriel behind her, a guilty expression on his face. Pressing his chin on top of her head, he met her eyes in the mirror.

"I'm sorry Trouble. Sometimes I don't fucking think before I speak. I didn't mean to insult you – it's just I felt a bit self-conscious about my gift and thought if I made a joke out of it..." He trailed off, and she softened beneath him – realising he had been trying to hide his fear of her reaction behind his prickly joke.

"I love it Gabriel." She whispered, turning in his arms until she faced him. Seeing the surprise on his face made her feel terrible for her reaction, so she leaned forward and pressed a kiss to his cheek. "Can I try it on now?"

Elation brightened his eyes, and he nodded as a wide grin split his expression.

"I'll be right outside." He told her, and she stifled a giggle when he bumped his head on the doorframe in his rush to leave the bathroom. Shaking her head as he cursed and finally pulled the door closed behind him, Sang turned to the dress and tights on the counter.

As she slowly got dressed, her thoughts spiralled over the face that Gabriel had somehow managed to get her a gift on Christmas Eve, when all the shops should have been closed – not to mention that it was late when she went to bed.