Heartbeats in Moonlight

Chapter 87

"No." Her father smiled ruefully. "I told her that some men, sometimes, misread signals."

"Me? Our kiss, ten years ago?" David all but growled. "I didn't misread her signals."

Her father shook his head, place his hand on David's shoulder and said, "I know, son."

"Henry made a mistake." David shook his head.

"I know." Her father said again. The hand he had placed on David's shoulder, squeezed his shoulder in support.

David took air into his lungs and then expelled it in a long sigh.

Ella's father said, "But I told Ella to take care." He watched David's reaction to that statement.

"To take care? What do you mean?" David's furrowed his brows in concentration and concern.

"That she must remember to think, before she acts. Otherwise some people will misconstrue things and others will interpret things to suit their agendas." He ran a hand over his face, and looked directly at David, "I told her, if she has opportunities, stop! Take time to see if it really suits her. Use the time to see if there are other agendas in play."

"Like the reporter." That would explain her behaviour. She takes time to think about her options.

Her father blinked in surprised. "Ella told you?"

"Yes." David took another breath, and then expelled it. " She said she didn't finish school. That a reporter pretended to be a tutor."

"Yeah. My fault. I should have taken the time to really check out her references and qualifications."

The lift's door was about to close, obviously someone has summoned the lift, David place a hand on the door. "If you want character references for me, let me know. Because I intend to marry your daughter." David said as he stepped into the lift.

David saw her father smile and heard Ella's father say, as the lift door closed, "Good. I will book our local church!"

David could not help the smile as the elevator made its way to Ella's room level. The lift doors opened and he saw Ella and her date. David was ready to plant his fist in the other man's face.

"Gabriella." David murmured, loud enough to Ella and Rory to hear. Rory turned to face the voice. "Excuse us."

"Us?" Ella snorted. Then shook her head and repeated. "Us?"

David stepped closer to Gaby but he kept his eyes on her date, and he said, "Gaby and I have some unfinished business."

Rory glanced from the tall dark haired man standing in front of him, to Ella and then back again. "Don't take this the wrong way, but it doesn't look that way to me." Rory announced in a casual tone.

"Gaby." David warned and he did not move away.

Ella took a second. She could see in David's eyes, that he wouldn't leave unless they talked. Ella looked over at Rory and smiled, "It's ok Rory." She told Rory.

David smiled, and he moved his gaze from her date to her.

Ella folded her arms and glared at David. Then she turned around and smiled at Rory, "You go on."

Go on? She isn't going anywhere, David's eyes told her that. He snorted. Ella ignored his snort. She nodded at Rory, "Honestly, go ahead." Then she turned to face David, "I've got nothing more to say to you."

"No problem. I have plenty to say to you." David kept his voice low, his eyes trained on her.

"I don't think you understand what she's saying." Rory had not moved.

"I understand perfectly." He replied but he didn't take his eyes of Ella.

Rory moved to stand between David and Ella, "Look mate, .."

David kept his tone light, whispered mockingly, "Ella, tell him to remove his hand, or your father is going to have more than his award to remember this night."

"Don't threaten her. Just who the hell do you think you are?" Rory demanded.

"The man who loves her. The man she loves." David snapped. Then he turned and looked at Rory, who stood stock still, completely bemused by those blunt statements.

Rory's frown lines deepened as he took stock. "Ella loves you?" Rory looked at Ella, seeking confirmation. But Ella was in shock. Her thoughts scattered when she heard his statements.

David said quietly, "Her father told me her room number. 1006. Go ask him." Then he turned back to Ella. "Don't argue with me Ella." He could see she was in shock. But his words snapped her out of it. She unconsciously pushed a few strands of her hair off her face and prepared to challenge him when David said softly, "Not here, Gaby, not now."

Ella paused and frowned as she thought about it. "Not here? Not now?" She mumbled, the frown deepened as she peered up at him.

David said, "Yes, don't argue with me Ella. We need to talk."

Ella chewed on her lower lip as she reran his statements in her mind.

Two deep lines furrowed his forehead as he frowned at David and then Ella. "Ella?" Rory stood a few feet from them and tried to figure out what was going on here.

She pushed more hair off her face, tucking errant locks behind her ear, just a distraction given her thoughts were scattered after hearing David's statements about love. He definitely said he loved her. That can't be a figment of her imagination. He said that. He loved her. There was something about David that made her heart race, but now her heart was racing like a rocket. She ran her tongue over her lips, took a breath, and said quietly, "It's ok." She looked over at Rory and nodded. "Go on."

"Are you sure?"

Sure? Yes. Definitely. Startled by the direction of her dizzy thoughts she nodded, rubbed her clammy hands on the outside of her hips and said, "Have a good time "

Rory narrowed his eyes at Ella's tone, "Are you really sure?" Rory asked again.

"Yes." She didn't take her eyes off David.

After a few seconds, Rory nodded, threw David a fulminating look, that David missed, but sensed. Then with a bemused shake of his head Rory headed for the lift.

"Good to see your date has no backbone!" David murmured.

Totally unfazed she discarded his statement with utter derision, "Idiot! What is the matter with you?" Ella marched toward her door, then turned and spun around to face him. "Now they'll both think we are going to..."

"Ella, if I were you, I'd stay very, very quiet." David said in a tone that suggested that she was being a recalcitrant child.

"What?"

"Quiet. Very, very quiet." He told her. "Just key card the door."

She did. He pushed open the door "After you." He said and when she stared mutinously at him, he said, "Now, unless you want the cctv to record us fucking for posterity."

Ella looked at the ceiling, not looking for the camera, she was now cross.