Chapter 43
They made their way back to Ella's where she booked a taxi to take the girls to their pamper session watching as they left in an excited rush. She kicked her shows off and picked them up walking through to the bedroom. Roman followed.
"Are you ok?" he asked.
"Yes. I'm tired though. Do you fancy a cuddle?" she asked.
He grinned.
"When don't I?" he asked.
She smiled and held out her hand watching as he walked over to her. He pulled her slowly into his arms and felt her sigh against him. She pressed herself close her own arms going around his waist.
After a long time she lifter her head and looked at him.
"I'm sorry." She said.
"Hey," he murmured. "What is this about?"
"Because I should have told you about my family." She told him.
He chuckled.
"Uh huh" he murmured. "It's ok. I understand that you couldn't talk about it."
She sighed.
He lowered his head and kissed her gently.
She kissed him back almost desperately. She rubbed herself against him and moved her arms to his neck. He tried to pull back but she was pulling him towards her. She stepped back and toward the bed.
"El no." he said.
"I need you." She moaned.
He pulled at her arms.
"I said no." he told her.
She pulled back as though he had slapped her.
She turned and walked into the bathroom closing and locking the door.
"Ella." He called.
"Leave me alone." She replied.
"Fine." he called through the door and waited.
She opened the door and looked at him.
"That isn't leaving me alone." She told him.
"Uh huh." He said. "I was just waiting to use the shower." He improvised.
"Really?" she muttered and folded her arms across her chest.
"Maybe." He admitted shrugging. "Maybe not."
"I'm sorry. I needed to feel loved and I wanted sex to do it." she admitted slowly.
"El, I can't know what you went through with you family and losing them but I do know that we are a family; Mike Nic, you and me and the baby. We can't replace what you've lost but we love you."
She nodded.
"I know. I just needed….." she trailed off.
"It is ok El." He told her. "Now why don't you lay down for a bit and we can snuggle."
She pealed off her clothes and lay down under the covers. He climbed in beside her after kicking off his shoes and pulling of his T-shirt.
She clung to him as slow tears squeezed out of her eyes.
"I have no idea why I'm so upset it was a long time ago." She murmured.
"Because its unresolved. And trust me I know all about that." He said stroking her hair. "And you said yourself that you were tired."
She sighed again.
She lifted her hand and touched the dog tags around her neck.
"You were so romantic." She said.
He laughed.
"Like hell. I don't do romance." He grinned. "I may light a few candles and do the odd bit of cooking or maybe even some dancing."
"Well let's see you bought me a scarf at the market, a shawl which you put on the bed. Lit candles and incense. You created a picnic and even found a bottle of champagne and glasses." she said softly.
He chuckled as he remembered.
"And I came in all grumpy because some chopper pilot refused to take me to where I wanted to go." She laughed. "I took one look at what you'd done and I knew this night was going to be so special. You poured me out some champagne and we sat at that horrible picnic table I had in my tent and ate. Then we moved to the bed and you were so nervous you spilled the champagne. Then you …"
He interrupted.
"I knelt down on one knee and told you that I was completely mad for you and if you said yes I would be over the moon."
She giggled.
"I had to ask what I was supposed to say yes to." She said softly.
"So I took a deep breath and I said, "Ella will you marry me." And you said you would have to think about it." he groaned. "I was about to strangle you when I looked at you and saw you were smiling at me."
"I pulled you onto the bed and kissed you and said .."
"For the first time I might add!" he muttered.
"That I loved you." She said. "And yes of course I would marry you."
"I took off my tags and handed them to you telling you that I would get you a ring as soon as I could. I am so sorry I forgot all that El." He said to her.
"I'm not." She said. "I figure it was one of those things that you needed to forget. We are here now."
"But it must have hurt, especially when I told you to get rid of them." he told her.
She laughed and pressed a kiss to the side of his neck.
"No I knew you'd either remember or they would be here out of the way. You know hidden in that drawer I told you not to go in."
He grinned at her.
She yawned and snuggled closer to him.
"Go to sleep El." He whispered.