Sorry it has been so long between updates. Its hard to get motivated when I am not speaking to Declan
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DISCLAIMER - This story is fictional and in no way reflects the actions or day to day activites of the characters involved. In other words..ITS MADE UP!He sat outside in his car for ages, trying to summon the courage to go inside. The last words he said to her echoed in his ears and he couldn’t leave things as they were. He couldn’t deny his feelings any longer. He had to tell her. He had to tell her he loved her…tonight….1 month earlier.Eloise threw her handbag on the bed, soon followed by herself.
This was all Margot’s fault.
“Oh come on Eloise,” she had pleaded with her a week earlier, “I really want to go away for my birthday and it will be a great chance for all of us to get away together before you leave.”
She looked at the clock on the wall of her room.
It was 2am…way passed her bedtime.
She kicked off her high heels and surveyed her surroundings. The resort Margot had chosen was your typical fare. Restaurants, nightclub, pools, bars, and the room was like something you would find on a tropical island, with French doors opening onto a deck which overlooked the beach.
It was quite balmy for an autumn night and she took herself outside for a cigarette. She sat herself on the day bed and inhaled deeply. The noise of the resort could be faintly heard in the distance, but not enough to be distracting.
Her peace was soon interrupted when she heard the door open and she was reminded of the horror of the situation.
This was all Margot’s fault.
When Margot was organizing the accommodation Eloise flatly refused to go….her reason…because James was going. James thought Eloise was going so he cancelled…which prompted Eloise to change her mind. This went on all week, and amongst all the confusion and mis-communication she stuffed up the booking with both James and Eloise showing up…much to their dismay.
“It’ll be fun,” Margot had promised.
But this was hardly her idea of fun.
Now she had to share a room with him.
The last couple of months had been the most difficult in her short career so far. The friendship that herself and James had built had now crumbled. Once the camera stopped rolling they only spoke to each other when required. Eloise was professional enough to deal with a co-star she wasn’t fussed on.
But this was different.
She loved him, and the animosity between them hurt like hell.
A huge part of her wanted to tell him, but the coldness she felt every time he was around her made her realize it was a lost cause. It was much easier to keep her distance and keep up the façade of indifference.
Eloise glared at him as he came through the door and James didn’t miss her look.
“Don’t blame me. If you hadn’t changed your mind every 5 seconds we wouldn’t be here,” he told her bitterly.
“Well hello to you too,” she said sarcastically, “and anyway on last reports you weren’t supposed to be here.”
“You told Margot you couldn’t make it yesterday,” he said incredulously, “what do you expect.”
Eloise sighed loudly.
“It’s not really important anyway. The fact is we are stuck here for the night…together. I just can’t believe the place is booked out and there aren’t any other rooms….just my luck.”
“Do I look like I’m jumping for joy,” he said drolly.
“Are you going to complain all night,” she asked him as she sighed loudly.
“You’re the one whinging,” he snapped as he grabbed a spare blanket and pillow from the cupboard and set up a bed for himself on the lounge.
He kicked his shoes off and grabbed a beer from the minibar.
He couldn’t believe he had to share a room with her. He had become a master of avoiding Eloise ever since the year began. Not because he didn’t want to be alone with her, but because it was too painful for him. He loved her so much, but knowing that she didn’t feel the same way killed him inside.
He was proud of their professionalism however. What they brought to Bridget and Declan was still magical, and he would never tell her, but he used their characters to be at least a little bit close to her. But she was leaving in a month, and this left him feeling both relieved and devastated.
And now here they were, alone together in a hotel room. This made them both so uncomfortable that their stomachs were churning uncontrollably, but they were both determined not to let their guard down.
“Don’t worry,” he said snootily after taking a sip of his beer, “you won’t have to speak to me. I’ll go straight to sleep after this.”
“I couldn’t care less,” she lied huffily, “In fact I can quite easily pretend you’re not here.”
He looked at her eyebrows raised and decided to take her comment as a challenge. Later he wouldn’t be able to explain his behaviour…only that she always bought out the worst in him.
“Oh really,” he smirked, “well that’s good then. I thought I was going to have to sleep fully clothed.”
She watched him as he unbuttoned his shirt in front of her and threw it over the chair, but her mouth fell open as he undid his pants and let them fall to the floor. He stood in front of her wearing only his boxer shorts and a sly smile.
“W-what do you think you’re doing?” Eloise shrieked.
“Don’t worry…just pretend I’m not here,” he smirked victoriously.
Eloise desperately tried to get herself back in control.
“As long as you’re comfortable,” she said trying to keep an even tone in her voice, “it doesn’t affect me what so ever.”
Much to her annoyance she couldn’t help but admire his gorgeous body, but the triumphant look on his face riled her up like she had never been riled before.
Two can play this game, she said to herself. She wasn’t going to let him get one over her.
She eyeballed him from the foot of the bed and slowly reached behind her and undid the zip on her dress.
He watched as she let it fall to the floor.
His victorious smile was soon replaced by a look of astonishment.
She had on the same lingerie she wore on New Years Eve and this didn’t escape him.
Arousal built in him instantly as he admired her in the dim light.
“It doesn’t make you feel uncomfortable does it?” she asked with a cheeky innocence.
He swallowed hard.
“Of course not! It doesn’t affect me what so ever,” he said trying to sound flippant, but the huge crack in his voice gave him away, much to his disgust.
She gave him a crooked smile.
She had won this round, or so she thought. James was hardly one to back away from a challenge.
They both hopped into their respective beds, James not happy that she had got the better of him.
He sat up and watched her in that big bed king size bed and realized he had one more card up his sleeve.
“Actually you know what,” he said determinedly getting up from his bed and walking towards her, “seeing as we are both so unaffected by each other I don’t see why we can’t share a bed.”
He flung the doona back and jumped in next to her, much to her horror.
“Yyyou can’t sleep here,” she hollered sitting bolt upright.
“Its OK…just pretend I’m not here,” he smiled forcefully at her.
“Don’t be a smart arse…now get out,” she snapped.
“But that lounge is so hard, I won’t be able to get to sleep on it,” he pouted.
“Well I’ll happily whack you over the head with a very heavy object if you like. I can guarantee you’ll sleep for hours,” she chided almost breaking into a smile at the expression on his face.
“Very funny,” he commented as he got himself comfortable and laid his head down, snuggling up under the covers.
She continued to stare at him.
“James I mean it,” she said quietly in a serious tone, “if you don’t get out, I will.”
He studied her thoughtfully and realized that he had gone too far.
“I’m sorry…I’m such an idiot,” he said sadly, “I’m sure Joe wouldn’t appreciate me jumping in here with you.”
“Joe and I aren’t really together anymore,” she admitted quietly.
He looked at her…stunned.
“What do you mean…aren’t really together?” he probed.
“I just felt that I couldn’t give him what he deserved…that for the time being we’re better off as friends. But I’m not sure that’s a good idea either. Every time I see him I see the hope in his eyes that one day we will get back together. I just don’t think I can go back.”
She surprised herself at how easily she opened up to him again.
“When did this happen?” he asked her.
She hesitated before she answered. She didn’t know how James would take it.
“Just before we came back to work,” she admitted quietly.
“What,” he hollered, “you haven’t been together all that time and you didn’t think to mention it to me.”
“Well you hardly seemed interested,” she yelled, “and anyway…you have Caitlin to focus on without concerning yourself with my life.”
He stared at her but looked away uncomfortably at the mention of Caitlin’s name.
“What?” she prompted him to break his silence.
“I guess we have cooled things off too. I told her it was too difficult continuing the long distance thing. She hasn’t accepted it though. She still springs surprise visits on me.”
“You’re joking,” she scoffed, “and you have the nerve to be angry at me. When did this happen?”
He too hesitated before he answered.
“New years day,” he answered carefully.
They stared at each other in an intense silence. Both of them knowing exactly what prompted their decisions.
Both of them realized that the last person either of them had made love to was each other.
“Did you ever….,” James began to ask nervously.
“No,” she abruptly interrupted. She knew exactly what he was going to ask. The shame she felt at her actions and that she was too cowardly too confess to Joe still hit a raw nerve.
“No I couldn’t,” she continued, softening her tone, “You?”
“No,” he answered sadly.
The silence between them was thick.
“So you haven’t been with…,” he began but was once again interrupted.
“No,” she said looking him directly in the eye.
They watched each other nervously as their minds became a whir of mixed emotions.
What does she want to happen now; he asked himself, is there a chance for us after all?
“Eloise,” he began, “I hate how things are between us…and I know it’s all my fault.”
She lay down and smiled at him weakly.
“It was hardly all your fault James. I was really awful to you that night. I deserved it,” she sighed.
“I miss you Eloise,” he said as he lay down to face her, “do you think we could ever be close again.”
Her heart began to race and she couldn’t hide a smile.
“I would really like that. I miss you too…very much,” she admitted sincerely, “but do you think we can carry on like nothing has happened?”
Her words deflated him initially. He didn’t want to forget what happened, but he soon realized that getting her friendship back was a big victory…for now.
“Having my bestest frenemy back is the most important thing to me….so I am determined to try,” he smiled gently.
“Me too,” she agreed happily.
They both lay there smiling at each other like kids, snuggled under the doona on opposite sides of the bed.
“I guess I had better get back to my lounge,” he said finally.
But she didn’t want him to go.
“I don’t mind if you stay here,” she said nervously, “I mean we’re adults…and it’s a big bed. I am sure we can inhabit the same space without getting into too much trouble.”
He doubted whether he could control himself, but spending the night close to her was too good to refuse.”
“Well...if you’re sure,” he said cautiously.
She nodded as she reached over to turn off the lamp, and they both got themselves comfortable.
Surprisingly they both soon fell asleep, but when she stirred in the morning she felt James strong arms encircling her and his body pressed against hers.
But she didn’t flinch, instead enjoying the sensation of being in his arms again.
And she had Margot to thank.
DISCLAIMER - This story is fictional and in no way reflects the actions or day to day activites of the characters involved. In other words..ITS MADE UP! 
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