Those simple words broke through the barriers that James had erected. All he could do was sweep Alecia into his arms, and kiss her. Alecia slipped her hands down and under his top needing to touch his bare skin. Feeling her hands on his chest, James realised that things were getting out of control quickly. He slowed down the kisses and gently pulled away, urging her to sit up on the couch.

"Alecia, I am way too old for you. You deserve everything the world can give you, to make your choices and fly. Not to settle for the first man who shows you affection."

"James, my step-mother will not tell most people, but she fell in love with my father when she was seventeen. It took her seven years of devotion to get him to marry her, as he stubbornly focused on us and their age difference, rather than realising his own feelings. They missed out of a whole lot of a life together because of us, which makes my brothers and I feel guilty."

"Our existence denied our father his happiness for so many years, and whatever children he and Amanda could have had. That is why despite us being about to turn seventeen we have Amanda to officially adopt us. That I do not want for myself. I know how I feel here" with that she touched her chest where her heart roughly was "And I believe you" touching his chest in the same area "feel the same. Why should we be stubborn?"

"F*ck Alecia, do you know what you are offering is so tempting. I am just a poor student six months off completing his degree, still living with his parents. I have wanted for years to be a nurse, despite the fact that many people a.s.sume that I am gay I am committed to it. In my early years out of university it will not pay well."

"Yes, my brother-in-law is a fabulously wealthy businessman, but I do not want to depend on him. I do not know how long it will be before I can move from there, because I do not have the resources to do so myself. I have no idea what the future would bring, and there is no way that I could drag you, princess, into that uncertainty nor have to depend on your father. As my brother-in-law told me he did with my sister, I fell deep in love with you at first sight, and I know I will do anything for you, even if that means giving you,,"

Alecia placed her fingers on his lips to stop him saying the words she knew he did not want him to say. "James, that does not matter, I fell in love with you and you are what I want. What is to happen we can work out, but I do not want to to miss out on what could be."

James knew how messed up this seemed, but he knew that this is want he wanted. A few days delay, could let him talk to Alecia's father and work things out.

He paused and turned things away from this dangerous topic "So I guess, getting back to my original question, your choice is to go to Australia?"

Alecia realised that he was now being over the top and picked up a cus.h.i.+on from the couch throwing it at James which caused laughter between them.

He continued, knowing what was about to happen would be dangerous, and so tempting in light of their confessions, but for her to go to Australia, it had to be done. "Alecia, we need to have a look at your wardrobe, and see what clothes you have there that will fit your life in Australia for the next few months."

Alecia stood up, grabbed his hand and pulled him into her bedroom area. As they got close to the bed, she paused. James so ready to give into temptation, but knew that would be a total abuse of the trust that Yao Tan had placed in him, gave her a gentle push towards an open door in which he could see a walk-in robe.

Alecia was realistic in that that she could not put off the inevitable, and entered with James to work out what in her wardrobe was suitable to take to Australia. Working as a team for twenty minutes, they went through clothes, taking groups out and placing them on her bed. Once they were finished the moved back to the sitting area, and simply sat down, holding hands, and giving each other kisses as and when they decided.