Love's Cure

Chapter 6

Cecilia's POV

I couldn't remember the last time six hours had passed so quickly, or so enjoyably. Alexander was a very entertaining seat mate. We laughed a lot as we exchanged our life stories. He told me of what it was like growing up as the inconvenient, unexpected child in a family focused on business.

Maybe it was because I was familiar with burying the kind of pain that comes from being unwanted that I heard the underlying pain in his voice. It made me sad for him. Made me want to take away that feeling of being unloved and unwanted. Made me want to show him what being loved and wanted felt like.

When I told him about how I was shunned by my parents, and paternal grandparents because I was born the wrong gender, his eyes flashed in anger. "Idiots!" he muttered. I chuckled as I assured him I agreed with his assessment.

"Yeah, Gramps told me that it didn't help my case when due to complication from my premature birth it became impossible for my mother to have any more children. They blamed me for something I had no control over. Idiots indeed." I gave him a wry smile, trying to mask my own pain.

"My maternal grandparents have been amazing though. These past few years, Gramps has been my rock. I don't know what I would have done without him." My voice softened and I'm fairly certain I had a sappy look on my face. But that's okay. I don't mind letting anyone know how important my grandfather is to me.

"Just your grandfather?" Alexander prodded gently. "Where's your grandmother?"

"She died of cancer just after my 16th birthday. I went to live with Gramps a few months later." I explained, sadness creeping into my voice. "We've been each other's emotional support ever since. Actually, if you want, you can meet my Gramps in a few months. He's going to fly over and stay with me."

"I would love to meet your Gramps. I have a bit of a confession to make," he grinned at me. "I think I saw you and your grandfather yesterday."

"You did?" I questioned. "Where and when?" I was almost giddy at the thought.

"Mmm. I was down on the waterfront sitting on a bench close to the ferry terminal. I heard the most wonderful laugh, and looked around to find the source. I saw this gorgeous brown-haired woman walking along with an older gentleman. I'm convinced it was you."

"Really? You know there's a lot of brown-haired women around. It could have been anyone." I teased.

He got a playful look on his face, making a request that totally puzzled me. "None with your laugh though. But I'm fairly certain I could recognize you if I had the right view. Stand up and turn your back to me." His eyes sparkled with mirth.

"What?" I laughed.

"Please, just do it," he pleaded in his smooth as honey voice that sent shivers along my skin.

Shaking my head, I stood up and turned my back to him. "I'll be right back," I chuckled and headed down the aisle to the bathroom. Might as well make use of the opportunity to use the facilities. I heard him snicker as I walked away. When I got back five minutes later he had a grin plastered on his face.

"What?" I asked.

He patted the seat next to him and suggested I sit there instead of leaving it empty between us. "I can now guarantee that it was you I saw yesterday. I'd recoginize that back view anywhere." He whispered as I got settled in the seat beside him. "Best view on the waterfront yesterday. I was rather disappointed when you disappeared from my sight."

The slow sexy grin he gave me had my heart rate increasing at a rapid pace. 'Holy frig' I thought to myself. I felt my face flush with heat as my mind went to places it shouldn't. Not this soon anyway.

Alexander never moved his eyes from my face, seeming to take a great deal of pleasure at my reaction. His eyes darkened with an emotion I didn't really expect to see. Desire. 'Holy frig,' I thought once more. My mouth was dry. I pulled my bottom lip between my teeth, confused by the sudden flare of desire I felt for him. Oh, my heart is in so much trouble.

His eyes moved to my lips which were now free of my teeth. He lowered his head, placing a soft fleeting kiss to those very lips. "Breathe, Cecilia," he whispered as he pulled away. He gave me a cheeky smile, took my hand in his and entwined our fingers in a grip that was strangely comforting.

'Well now,' I thought with a mixture of humor and excitement. 'If fleeing a fate worse than death is this exciting, I'm very glad I fled.'

His quick burst of laughter made me realize I actually voiced the thought out loud rather than kept it as an inner monologue. I blushed in embarrassment, which caused him to keep laughing.

"Don't be embarrassed, Cecilia. I was thinking the very same thing."He gave me that slow wink. "So what do you think is going to happen when our respective families realize we flew the coop?"

Now that was an abrupt change of subject. Just as well, seeing as I had been contenplating asking if he wanted to join the mile-high club. It was best to get my mind away from that thought seeing as I really didn't think it would be the best way to initiate a relationship of any sort. And airplane bathrooms don't leave a lot of room for amourous activities.

I thought about Alexander's question. What would my parents do when I didn't show up? Probably throw a fit and threaten to rain down all kinds of crap on me. But they would have to find me first.

"I imagine my parents will go balistic, but there's nothing they can do or say that will convince me to bow to their wishes. I legally divorced them as my parents when I turned eighteen. They have no legal connection to me anymore. I even changed my last name to my maternal grandmother's maiden name."

"You divorced your parents?" Alexander asked. "What made you do that if you don't mind me asking?"

"You would have to know my parents to understand." I sighed thinking about how self-absorbed they were. "I was basically raised by nannies. My parents ignored my existence my entire life. The only time they had any real contact with me was at the time my grandmother's estate was settled and they contested her will. Other than that, I rarely ever saw them. Even my father's family wanted nothing to do with me."

"Your grandmother had an estate big enough to contest?' His voice held a bit of surprise.

"She did. Your family probably has had dealings with my grandmother's family business, which Gramps inherited. It's not near as huge as your family's business, but they are a solid company. Love Industries, it's based in London.

"You're kidding, right?" Alexander responded in the same low tone. "They're my family's largest competitor in the UK and European market. How?" He was at a loss for words, which made me chuckle.

"My grandfather worked his whole adult life for one of the largest insurance companies in the world. He spent five years in the London head office. He met my grandmother at some social function. They fell head over heels in love, dated, finally got married and had my mother. He was transferred back to run the Halifax office a year later."

"Dear heavens," he gasped. "I had no idea. But who runs the business if you and your grandfather live in Canada?"

"He doesn't have sole ownership of the company anymore. Shortly after the estate was settled he accepted an offer from a competitor who now owns eighty percent of the shares. Gramps and I now each hold ten percent. He put the proceeds of the sale into a family trust that pays for the upkeep and maintance of the London property, and pays us each a monthly allowance."

"That's a brilliant way to protect your family's assets and avoid future probate fees."

"I know. That's all thanks to Gramps. He's the smartest person I know. Anyway, my mom contested the will claiming she should have a 50% share, lost the court battle, made a huge fuss, then disowned me and Gramps. Haven't spoken a word to her or my father since. Also renounced her UK citizenship in a snit of anger because the British courts ruled against her." I know it was a bit mean of me to gloat about that, but oh well.

"Both Gramps and I have dual citizenship, him because of working in the UK and marrying a British citizen. Me, because I was born in the UK and never renounced my citizenship. The apartment we will be living in actually is part of the trust. It was Gran's family home. She converted it into two flats when she inherited it, thank goodness. Even divided into two separate flats the place is massive. We rent out one flat and keep the other for our use."

Alexander continued to stare at me, a thoughtful look on his face. "You don't suppose your parents arranged your marriage in an attempt to somehow gain control of the trust, do you?"

"That thought crossed my mind, and Gramps and I actually discussed the possibility. I wouldn't put it past them to try something like that. Especially since the reason Kaden gave me when we met on Friday didn't really make sense to me." Gramps and I talked the subject to death Saturday evening.

"What reason did he give?" Alexander asked, curiousity getting the best of him.

I smirked as I waved my cell phone around. "I recorded the conversation. I'll play it for you once were at the apartment, if that's okay with you. That is if you still want to be my roommate. No pressure. Whatever you feel is best for you." I was suddenly feeling unsure if he really wanted to stay at my place.

"It would be my honor to be your roommate, Cecilia." he responded as he gazed intently into my eyes. "That way if your parents come and try to physicall force you to return to Toronto, I'll be there to protect you."

"So you're saying you'll be my knight in shining armour, ready to protect the damsel in distress?" I batted my eyelashes at him playfully, as my heart rate picked up.

"You can count on it, my lady," he responded in kind, as he raised my hand to his lips, kissing the back of it.

Oh my. My heart is definitely in trouble.