averted her eyes. “From whatever you planned to do before I ventured into Vassalos territory without permission. I look back on it now and can’t believe I was so audacious.”
Right now he couldn’t relate to the man who’d collided with her along the pier. That man had been drowning in despair, without a glimmer of hope. For a moment he’d thought he was hallucinating. But the minute he’d touched her, he’d realized she was no figment of his imagination. Stephanie Walsh had materialized in the flesh.
Nikos slid his hands to her shoulders, covered by her leaf-green top. His fingers played with the ends of her silvery-gold hair. Desire for his pregnant wife was eating him alive. Oh yes, she was pregnant. He had the proof resting in his pocket.
With their mouths so close, it was all he could do not to devour her in front of the people coming and going from the clinic. But he did kiss her very thoroughly, and was shaken by her powerful response.
“I dare you to kiss me like that when we’re back on the yacht and no one is watching,” she teased.
That’s what drew him to Stephanie. Though she could be fiery, she didn’t take herself too seriously, and retained a sense of humor lacking in the women he’d known. They’d had a month of togetherness and he still wasn’t tired of her. If anything, he couldn’t wait to get her back to the yacht. He’d taken the day off work and no one else would be around.
* * *
“I’m so glad you know how to put this crib together. I wouldn’t have a clue.” Stephanie sat propped on her bed, finishing the lace edge of the baby quilt while she watched her husband work. As she studied his dark, handsome features, a feeling of contentment stole through her.
She picked up the ultrasound picture and studied it for the hundredth time. Knowing she was carrying his son made this day unforgettable. How could Nikos possibly not know and feel that this was his baby?
But every time she put herself in his shoes, she remembered the horror story about his parents. And not just his parents, but the tragic lie that had bound Kon to the Frenchwoman. Trust was one of the most vital essentials in a relationship, let alone a marriage. Nikos’s view of life and women had been flawed because of circumstances, yet there was a part of him that was still giving her a chance. She loved him for that modicum of trust in her, loved him with every fiber of her being.
“It’s your fault I feel stuffed after eating lunch.” It had been a marvelous lunch of filet of sole with grapes and capers. “I’ve gained too much weight since my first doctor’s appointment, in Florida. Do you realize there’s no such a thing as a bad meal on Oinoussa?”
He darted her an all-encompassing glance that sent a shiver of excitement through her body. “Nor on the Diomedes. The acquisition of my new cook is putting back the pounds I lost in the hospital. When we were on the island, you never told me you’re such a fabulous cook.”
“You and Yannis are full of it, but it’s nice to hear. Mom was always at work, so my grandmother taught me a lot of her recipes.”
“Yannis says you put Maria’s cooking to shame.”
“It’s the butter instead of the olive oil.”
“I like both.”
“So do I. The blending of two worlds.” She let out a sigh. “Nikos? I’ve started picking up some Greek around you and Yannis, but it’s a slow process. I want to be able to talk to the baby in both languages. How would you feel if I found someone on Oinoussa to tutor me for a few hours every day? You speak perfect English. I feel embarrassed that I can’t converse in Greek.”
“I think it’s an excellent idea.”
“You do?” She’d been holding her breath in case he told her the future was still uncertain and he didn’t think it was necessary.
“I’ll look into it.” On that satisfying note he got to his feet. “The crib is finished. What do you think?” He’d placed it against the wall opposite the end of her bed.
“I love it! I’m glad we picked the walnut for Alex.” She rolled off the bed. Together they added the mattress and padding. When she’d fastened the ties, she reached for the baby quilt and spread it along the railing.
Nikos examined the hand stitching. “You do perfect work. Anyone would think you’d bought this. I’m more impressed than I can say.”
“It’s full of mistakes, but thanks. I hope he has your black hair. Against the white material, he’ll be gorgeous. I can’t wait to wrap him in it.”
In the next breath Nikos pulled it off the railing and wrapped it around her neck and shoulders. “If he has your blond hair, the effect with this quilt will be sensational.” Still holding the material, Nikos drew her close. “All his friends will say he has the most beautiful mother in the Oinousses.”
“Nikos, I—”
The rest of her words were smothered as he claimed her mouth and slowly savored her as if she were something fragile and precious. Heat began to course through her body, making her legs tremble. She slid her hands up his chest, where she could feel the solid pounding of his heart beneath his sport shirt. For so long Stephanie had been waiting for a sign that he still wanted her. Her great need caused her to respond with an ardor she didn’t know herself capable of.
He picked her up and laid her on the bed before stretching out next to her. “Today when I saw the doctor spread the gel and use the probe, I wanted to be the one to feel the baby, Stephanie. Let me feel you now.” His voice throbbed.
She responded with a moan as he lifted the hem of her blouse and pulled down the elasticized waist of her skirt. When his hand moved over her belly, sensation after physical sensation swept through her. “Our baby is right there.”
As he lowered his mouth to the spot, the shock of his kiss traveled through her womb. Stephanie was filled with indescribable delight and the hope that everything was going to be all right. She let out a helpless cry and once again their mouths sought each other and clung.
There were so many things she’d been wanting to tell him. Now she could show him, without words getting in the way. She’d thought she’d loved him before, but after living together for a month her feelings for him had deepened in new ways and had taken root.
“Don’t be afraid you’re going to hurt me,” she begged, wanting him to crush her in his arms. Though she sensed his growing desire, he held back, kissing her with tenderness rather than the kind of passion she’d once known with him. She wanted more.
He buried his face in her neck. “I don’t want to do anything that could injure the baby.”
Surely he knew that couldn’t happen. Or was he covering for something else she’d secretly worried about from the moment he’d told her he was sterile? “There’s no fear of that, unless it’s your own injury stopping you.”
Nikos lifted his head and looked down at her in confusion. “What do you mean?”
“I’m talking about the deep bruising to your spine from the explosion. When you push yourself too hard, I can tell when you’re in pain, but I’m wondering if it’s more than that.”
To her chagrin he rolled off the bed and got to his feet.
