“You’re a marvelous kisser, Cameron.”
“Why thank you, my lady,” he said in a proper Scottish accent. “You aren’t so bad yourself.”
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
They spent the remainder of the evening watching TV until it was time to retire. Alexandra looked exhausted as if she could barely keep her eyes open. Cameron was certain the oxycodone was playing a part in that as well.
When he’d asked earlier about furnishing the spare bedroom, she’d declined, saying she could handle it if he could. He could handle it; he just didn’t want to.
“Come on, let’s get you to bed,” he offered.
“Cameron, I can sleep here if you prefer. On the sofa.”
“Don’t be silly.” He scooped her up off the sofa and placed her in her wheelchair. He’d have carried her to the bedroom, but she still had to get ready for bed. He’d allow her time alone in the bathroom by preparing the bed for her with extra pillows to prop up her leg since she wasn’t supposed to lower it.
After exiting the bathroom, she wheeled herself over to the bed, smiling at the job he’d done. He walked over and picked her up, finding it difficult not to remember their first evening together.
“Cameron, I’m sure I can get on and off the furniture. You don’t have to keep picking me up.”
“I don’t mind. Isn’t it easier? Unless I’m hurting you?”
Alexandra released a long exhale as she shook her head. “Just my pride.”
He positioned her on the bed, propped up her leg on the extra pillows, and then sat down beside her. “Why would my helping you hurt your pride?”
She shrugged. “I don’t know. I’m just not used to people doing things for me. As I told you, I’ve pretty much been on my own since I was eight. My dad and stepmom were there, but no one has ever taken care of me. Even when I was sick. And now —” She gulped and closed her eyes. “And now … you keep taking care of me, and I’m afraid you’re going to get tired of it.”
“Oh, baby.” He pulled her hand up and pressed it to his mouth. “That will never happen, I swear.”
“You say that now —”
“Stop, Alex …” He shushed her softly by placing their linked hands against her lips. “I asked you to marry me for a reason. I want to be with you forever. Marriage is not something I take lightly, you know.”
“I know,” she responded, resting her head against his shoulder.
He pressed his hand against her cheek. “I have a question, though …” He tilted his head down so he could look at her. “Isn’t it normal to schedule a date? You know, so we can arrange a wedding and reception?”
She lifted watery eyes to him, giving him a weak smile. “I don’t know. Nobody has ever proposed to me. But why would we have a big wedding? I have no family to invite. Can’t we just keep it simple? Elope even?”
“You want to elope?” he asked, stunned. “I would never have dreamed of suggesting we elope. I thought it was every princess’ dream to have a fairy tale wedding with frilly, white dresses and pink bows.”
She released a sniffly chuckle. “I’ll settle for the happily-ever-after part of the fairy tale.”
“That, I can do, darling.” He examined her closely, not sure if now was the proper timing for his next question, then. “When would you like to elope? I’ll make the arrangements tonight if you like.” She bit down on her lower lip. That’s what he thought; she was so easy to read. Obviously, it would be a while for her to feel confident that he wouldn’t abuse her mentally or physically as her ex had done. He waited without uttering a word, hoping she couldn’t sense his distress. He wouldn’t push her any more than he already had.
“Cameron, don’t you think we should wait until we know who fathered my unborn child?”
He took her face in his hands as he tried again to make her understand. “If the baby is his, will you return to him? Will he want to marry you … be a father?”
She slowly moved her head back and forth.
He cringed. “That’s not very convincing.”
Her shoulders lifted as she inhaled a deep breath and then released it in a long exhale again. “I don’t want to return to him. I have no desire to marry him. But I don’t know if he’ll want to be a father.”
The thought of that degenerate anywhere close to her or the baby sent a shiver through his entire being. He couldn’t allow that to happen. “Alexandra, I don’t care if the baby isn’t mine — wait, that’s not the entire truth. Of course, I care. I want the baby to be mine. But even if the baby is not … I still want to marry you, and I will raise the baby as my own, no matter what. In fact … I did some research, and I decided I don’t want you to have an amniocentesis. I’d rather not know.”
“Seriously? It really wouldn’t bother you, Cameron?”
“Yes,” he said on a sigh. “You’re not listening, Alexandra. How can I make you understand that this isn’t just some infatuation? My love and life are yours. Can you accept?”
“Yes … but —”
He leaned in and kissed her, cutting off her words. “There are no buts; you just have to decide when you can honestly trust me. You’ve taken the first step; you accepted my proposal. The second, you are allowing me to help you get better. Now you just have to accept forever.”
Sighing deeply, she wrapped her arms around his waist and then leaned into his chest. “I’m trying. I do love you, Cameron.”
“Then that’s all that matters,” he said, combing his hands through her hair, twirling individual curls around his fingers.
“When I was a child … my mother would sit for hours and brush my hair. She was so wonderful —” she choked on her words.
“Don’t cry, baby. Please don’t cry. I’ll do everything in my power to make you happy. I promise.”
He heard a few more sniffles, and then she seemed to just dissolve in his arms. Realizing she’d fallen asleep, he laid her back on the pillow.
Cameron took the next several days off so that he could assist Alexandra. Whether her pride got in the way or not, she simply wasn’t able to maneuver with that god-awful cast on her leg. Her biggest problem, showers. She refused to allow him to help, saying she felt like an invalid. When he offered that maybe his mother could assist her, she freaked. She insisted that it would just take her an extra-long time, but she would be able to manage with the plastic chair he’d set up in the shower.
He could do something for her, though.
He pushed her wheelchair onto the lanai and allowed her to reposition herself on one of the chaises. After she’d situated herself, he went back inside and came out with her shampoo and conditioner, as she had complained that she was incapable of washing her hair.
“Cameron, what —”
“Relax.” He lowered the back of the chaise and fanned her hair out behind her. “It’ll be a little cool, but I think this will work well.” After a few minutes, she relaxed. She even released a few moans, which he enjoyed immensely. With the sprayer on the hose, he was able to wash and rinse her thick hair easily. “How’s that, Miss Prideful?” he asked while massaging her head.
“It’s wonderful, Cameron. You’re wonderful,” she admitted, closing her eyes.
There were so many things he wanted to do and that loser had to do this to her. They could have been eloping on a cruise to the Caribbean, or just a weekend in Orlando. He didn’t care.
He had wanted to take her bike riding, canoeing … He’d had an especially amazing treat for her, but now everything would be on hold until her cast came off. And then, she would be showing more, and she wouldn’t enjoy some of the activities he had planned.
When he finished, he wrapped a towel around her head. “I’m afraid I know absolutely nothing about hair dryers and curlers.”
She laughed. “I think I’ll manage.” She pulled him toward her so he was hovering over top of her. “You know something about making a girl feel like a princess again, though.”
“Am I allowed to kiss the princess?”
he asked, grinning.
“I think those are the rules.”
He leaned over and kissed her, since he had to; those were the rules.
The following week Cameron finally agreed to return to work.
Just shy of eight a.m., he leaned over Alexandra to kiss her goodbye before he left for work. “Good morning, sunshine,” he whispered in her ear. “I’ll miss you. Are you sure you’ll be okay?”
Squinting her eyes at the unwelcoming light, she answered, “Yes … I’m sure I’ll manage. If I get into too much of a bind, your mother always seems to be around anyway.”
He grimaced. Suddenly he wasn’t too pleased with his mother living in the same house either. But at least she would be here in the afternoons for Alexandra. “Yes, she promised she would help, but she usually doesn’t wake up until noon. Keep your cell with you in case you need to make an emergency phone call. Okay?”
“Yes. You worry too much, Cameron. You are going to go prematurely gray.” She giggled.
“We just need to get through the next few weeks, and then I’ll feel better.” He kissed her again and then left feeling rather anxious. He definitely had a reason to knock out a sale every day. Of course, now he would have to play catch-up to make up for the two Saturdays and week he’d missed.
But it’d been worth it. The week together with nothing to do but talk, eat, and sleep had been wonderful. He’d learned so much about Alexandra. She wasn’t merely beautiful; she was smart. The only problem was that she didn’t know what she wanted. He would enjoy having her stay at home and be a wife and mother, but he could tell she wouldn’t be comfortable with that life.
Alexandra hadn’t gotten the opportunity to do anything with her life so far. She’d spent her high school years living in her car or at a friend’s house. At least she hadn’t quit. Most teenagers probably would have dropped out.
Once she graduated, she’d attempted to attend Brevard Community College with a Pell Grant. But with having to support herself entirely on a waitress’ income, she just couldn’t seem to make ends meet. She’d admitted that she had lived with Jonathan since high school, but he was worthless. Other than keeping her vehicle running, he couldn’t maintain a job, and even when he had, he usually spent every penny of his earnings partying. Evidently he wasn’t a drug user, but he’d attempted on several occasions to be a dealer. When she’d discovered his enterprise, she kicked him out. But he’d always managed to squirm his way back into her life with artificial promises.
For the life of him, he couldn’t understand. Alexandra swore she didn’t love Jonathan … or if she’d ever loved him, and yet she’d stayed with him for so long. Jonathan had done nothing but pull her down into a pit of despair, so why had she taken him back again and again?
Cameron hadn’t pressed Alexandra for a wedding date. He’d done his part; the ball was in her court. He assumed she was waiting for her cast to come off. He hoped that was the case. He’d hate to believe that she was using him. Of course, she’d accepted his proposal before she was injured. So, that couldn’t be it. He hoped it would be soon. Although he was getting familiar with her sleeping beside him, he still wanted her fully. He wanted to experience everything there was in a marriage, the closeness that could only come from intimacy.
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
It was early, but without Cameron home, it was too quiet to remain in bed.
Alexandra managed to roll herself out of bed and onto the waiting wheelchair. It wasn’t easy, especially since his bed was high off the floor. If she’d asked, she was certain that Cameron would have helped her out of bed before he’d left, but she needed to learn to do it on her own.
Cameron had been incredible to her throughout this entire ordeal. She simply couldn’t comprehend how the man was real. She’d wanted to jump at his offer to elope; she couldn’t imagine loving or wanting a man more than she did Cameron — ever. But she couldn’t.
His words about being a co-dependent had haunted her. She wasn’t needy, in fact, just the opposite. She could never allow someone to take care of her. She’d been on her own far longer than since she was sixteen. She’d taken care of herself ever since her mother had died.
Physically, her father had provided a roof over her head and food on the table, but that’s where her rearing had ended. Her clothes had been hand-me-downs from her older, larger stepsiblings, friends, and items she could purchase with her own spending money.
Emotionally, she’d been on her own since she was eight. Her father had had entirely too many issues to worry about her welfare. Even her knowledge of the birds and the bees had derived from friends and Internet research.
So, as much as Alexandra wanted to jump at Cameron’s suggestion of eloping, she couldn’t. At least not until her cast came off and she was able to take care of herself.
Jonathan was another matter altogether. Cameron’s suggestion of keeping her phone on her was unnecessary. Her phone hadn’t left her side. She had kept it on silent after Jonathan’s first call. She had no intention of returning his call, but he continued to leave messages. He’d apologized profusely about her accident, hoping she’d remembered that he hadn’t pushed her, but that she had fallen. Yeah, she remembered. She remembered falling … trying to escape his wrath.
His next call, he’d asked about the engagement ring on the message, not understanding how she could have possibly accepted a proposal from someone other than him. He’d assumed that they would always be together, and he would have asked, but she’d never alluded to the fact that she wanted to get married.
As the messages continued throughout the week, he’d turned more desperate, begging her to call him. Some messages he pleaded, others, he demanded. She wanted to call and remind him it was over, but she knew he wouldn’t accept her words. Besides, she didn’t know when she could call. She certainly couldn’t call while Cameron was home. And when Cameron wasn’t home, his mother was.
Alexandra brewed coffee and made a bagel for breakfast, and then she just sat in her wheelchair, bored. What would she do all day? Even if she could walk, she couldn’t drive, as her right leg was in the cast. As much as she enjoyed reading, she couldn’t read the entire day.
After brushing her teeth and washing up the best she could while sitting down, she decided to go for a stroll with her new set of wheels. At least she could venture around the property, what better place than the beachside to be a prisoner. It would be difficult wheeling herself up the boardwalk, but she could manage.
Within minutes of wheeling herself outside, her phone rang. She looked at the caller ID before answering. “Hey, babe,” she chirped as happily as she could muster, hoping he wouldn’t recognize the melancholy in her voice from her absolute boredom.
“Alex … where are you?” His voice sounded concerned. “I called the house, and Mom answered. I asked her to get you, but she couldn’t find you.”
She sighed. “I just needed to get some fresh air and exercise, so I decided to wheel myself around the complex. I’m not used to being idle.”
“Oh,” he said, not sounding pleased. “That doesn’t sound very safe.”
“What do you mean? I have my phone.”
“Well, a woman in a wheelchair is an easy target, wouldn’t you think? Maybe you should go back inside until I come home. We can go for a walk after dinner if you are up for it. Of course, I’ll do the walking.” He chuckled.
She huffed out a breath. “Cameron … I need this. You can’t do everything for me. Don’t you understand?” She looked around at the fancy complex where he lived, at all the expensive cars in the parking area, at the old woman walking a toy-sized dog. Even in a wheelchair, Alexandra was less of a victim than that old lady was. “Besides,” she continued, “who’s going to attack me around here? If it makes you feel better, I’ll bring my pepper spray next time.”
He sighed too, clearly not satisfied. “I’ll feel remotely better, but not completely. But I guess I understand.”
“Good. I’m glad you underst
and. So, how’s your day?” she asked, hoping to change the subject. She really needed to confirm that he didn’t simply want to take care of her, that their relationship would survive after this ordeal and her pregnancy.
She heard him drum his fingers on the desk, and she smiled inwardly; she already knew some of his quirks when he became upset or anxious. “Okay, I guess. Slow. Since I have nothing to clean up from Saturday, I’m just hanging around, hoping for a customer. I’ll probably follow-up with some previous clients and attempt to get some referrals.” He paused for a second. “You know, I really don’t have to work here. I could go to day-trading full time from home.”
“Cameron, I’m fine. You said you enjoyed selling and prefer to just do the stocks on the side.” She didn’t want to discuss her fears that he was a co-dependent; she’d rather just wait it out and discover the truth, knowing he would deny it anyway. “I promise I’ll call you if I need anything. In the meanwhile, stop worrying about me and go sell a car, so you can come home early.”
He chuckled, so he must have liked the idea that she wanted him home early. “Will do! Bye, love you,” he announced cheerfully.
“I love you too,” she replied honestly. She knew she did. If she could only believe he’d want her when she was back on her feet, literally, she could relax in their relationship.
She was staring out at the ocean when the phone rang again; this time it was a number she didn’t recognize. The dealership line, she assumed. “Hello,” she answered tentatively, in the event it wasn’t Cameron.
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