With those eyesof blue-grey, she implored him while biting her quivery bottom lip.“Oh, no, we’ll have none of that business. It will not work on me.”He immediately placed his right index finger overtop her lip.“Explain yourself, young miss.”
“Please… I know you have every right to be upset…”
“Upset?” He chuckled but the humour did not reach his eyes.“Try furious. Perhaps angry, and, oh, what the hell, let’s go allout and add pissed off to the mix.” As he spat the words, hehappened to glance at her hand beneath his. On her wrist was thatblasted bracelet she loved so much. He ran his thumb over it,feeling the soft warmth of her skin underneath. For a second, heforgot where he was and took a deep calming breath.
“I’m sorry. I’ve got no excuse really.” She paused, searchinghis face for a trace of empathy. Finding none, she forced herselfto continue. “When you left the café with my itinerary, I simplycouldn’t let it happen that way. I’ve wanted this for so long but Iwas scared to go on my own.”
“So, you took it upon yourself to impose your presence on mytrip, even after I flat out refused your initial preposterous offerto come with me?” he asked with a scowl.
She nodded andshrugged guiltily. “I thought if I went with you, we could helpeach other.”
“Oh, really? And how would you be helping me?” He quirked aperfectly plucked eyebrow before continuing, “You set me up, didn’tyou? You sent me over to your friend’s travel agency and had herbook you on the same flight. Are you some kind ofstalker?”
“No, please, that’s not it at all. I mean, I’m not a stalker.How could I be? I don’t know anything about you really. I was justhoping to tag along. So I wouldn’t be alone. I won’t be anytrouble. I promise.”
Where had he heard that before? Hegave his head a quick shake and focused on the present. “You sayyou were scared to travel on your own, yet you set this entirething up, showed up on this plane… Oh, wait, now I get it. We wereto sit together, weren’t we?”
“Yes, it’s all true. I had Stacy book our seats together butthen something went wrong. Suddenly you weren’t there and Icouldn’t… I mean, that man, he wanted the aisle seat and there’s noway I could sit at the window.”
“So, exactly what are we doing here? What is the plan? Are wemerely flying there together or am I stuck with you the entiretime?” When she averted her gaze and didn’t answer, he rolled hiseyes and scowled all the more. “Perfect. Just perfect.” How thehell did this happen and why? All he wanted was some time alone, toget away by himself. Suddenly, the entire point of this trip waslost.
“I’m sorry,” she whispered, peeking up at him.
“Not as sorry as I am.”
Gwen watchedhim breathe. He had turned his face forward, his eyes closed. Hisbrow was furrowed. His jaw tense. Still, he was breathtaking in hisanger, his wavy dark hair framing it all in Victorian Gothysplendour. All she could hope for now was that he not hate her, nothold her hijacking of his trip against her forever. Worse yet, sherealized, he could simply abandon her when they reached Heathrow.He could very easily rearrange his bookings if he should want to.Once again, a new terror gripped her heart and they had only justleft Toronto. How in the world would she get through the rest ofthis trip on her own?
Chapter 6
“Tell mesomething,” he said, turning to face her once again. If he wasn’tso angry, he might even admit being a tiny bit thrilled with thisturn of events. Had he not moments ago been regretting not takingher up on her offer to come along? Surely, he could find a way forthem both to benefit from such an arrangement as this. With herdark chestnut hair, creamy complexion and blue-grey eyes, she wasquite lovely in an understated way. It wouldn’t be such a bitterpill to swallow, having her face to gaze upon for the next littlewhile. With her hand still in his, he gave her fingers a subtlesqueeze, grazing his thumb over her knuckles. “Why are you so sureyou’ll be safe with me?”
After amoment’s pause, she gazed into his eyes and said in a breathywhisper, “There’s just something about you… I trust.”
“Really?” He quirked a skeptical eyebrow. “Trust should beearned, not so easily gained or in your case, given.”
Gwen nodded,smiled thoughtfully and looked away before returning her eyes tohis. “Well, I figured you must be a good person since that day withyour friend Becky, the girl you were with at the Jewellery shop,you were so sweet to her.”
“Good person… sweet?” he repeated with a frown. “I don’t recallbeing sweet at all.”
“Well, you were. As uncomfortable as you seemed. Oh, what didshe call you? That’s right, she called you her sweet prickly Goth!”Gwen said with a giggle. “At first, I thought the two of you were acouple but then I realized you were just very good friends. Thatmade the entire thing all the sweeter, her wanting to help you pickout a gift.”
At her repeateduse of that ridiculous term, Crispin rolled his eyes and scowled.“I swear, if you say that word one more time, I might just jump offthis plane.”
“Sorry.” Gwen bit her lip, trying not to smile at his distastefor such a silly thing as a word.
“Again, not as sorry as I am,” he said, sitting up straight inhis seat. After a deep calming breath, he let go of her hand. Hethen reached into the pocket in the seat in front of him andgrabbed a notebook, and a pen, and placed it on the fold-out table.“Well, we’re on here for the next eight hours. I’m not much forsmall talk and I’d appreciate a little silence while I try andsomehow make peace with this situation
