with the island.”
“What about your mother?”
“She and my father still live in the States on a little island off the Pacific coast. My mother, well, she had a falling-out with her family.”
“I probably shouldn’t do this since I’d really like it if you would call me in the near future and sell me the island, but I have some advice to keep your business afloat.”
Her eyes lit up with interest. “What would that be?”
“This place is practically empty.” He waved around at the plethora of empty tables. “Open the island up to vacationers as well as wedding guests. It would keep a steady flow of people and increase the flow of revenue.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.”
But he could tell she’d already considered the option and dismissed it. Apparently traditions ran deep where this island was concerned. Xander couldn’t help but wonder if it was really the love of the island or if there was something else keeping her here away from her family—away from society.
But he kept those questions to himself as they savored a delightful array of fresh vegetables, seafood and cheeses produced on the island. The meal was leisurely and the food was out of this world. He was quite tempted to lure the chef away and put him on staff at the Skyrise Restaurant atop his headquarters in Athens.
Even though the sun had slipped below the horizon, leaving a pink hue in its wake, Xander wasn’t ready to end his time with Lea.
They strolled down to the beach. No one was around, and they enjoyed the surf and sand alone.
“I really should get back to work,” Lea said, but her voice lacked desire.
“I should, too. But why don’t we play hooky this evening?”
She glanced at him as they ambled along the shore. “Do you usually play hooky?”
“No.”
“Then why this evening?”
He stopped and turned to her. “Because you reminded me that there is so much more to life than business. I haven’t laughed this much...ever. It has been a truly wonderful evening.” He stared deep into her eyes. “I don’t want it to end.”
“You don’t?”
“I don’t.” His gaze lowered to her lips. They were so inviting. He’d been glancing at them off and on all through dinner. They were rosy and glossy. Nothing about her appearance was overly done. She was more down-to-earth and much more appealing than any of the women he’d dated in the past.
He had a policy of not mixing business and pleasure. Tonight, he might have been tempted to break that long-standing rule, but he knew Lea wasn’t going to change her mind about his offer. And so there was no reason to hold back. They could find out where the evening would take them.
He stepped closer, watching and waiting to see if she would pull away. She didn’t. He glanced down, catching the slight pulse in her neck. She was as intrigued by him as he was by her. The most captivating thing about her wasn’t her gorgeous face or luscious lips, but the beauty inside that glowed outward.
He reached out to her. His movements were slow so as not to startle her. And then his fingers caressed her smooth, soft cheek. “You are the most incredible woman I’ve met.”
There was an audible hiss as she sucked her breath in through her teeth. Her eyes widened and then took on an inviting look. He had no intention of missing out on such a tempting invitation.
He lowered his head, but before he got very far, she was there—meeting him in the middle. Her tender lips pressed to his. The breath caught in the back of his throat. Her touch was like a static charge—sending a current through his body, making every cell vibrate with desire.
His hand lowered to her waist. He drew her to him. Her hands came to rest on his chest as their kiss deepened. He hadn’t ventured to Infinity Island with a thought of having a romantic tryst—not at all. He’d been disappointed that he hadn’t been able to purchase the island, but this wasn’t so bad as a consolation prize. And though he’d deny it to anyone, he’d ended up with the better of the two options.
The more he tasted Lea, the more he wanted her. She snuggled up against him. Her soft, voluptuous curves fit perfectly against him. He had a feeling this evening was only going to get better and better.
Late June...
TWO PINK LINES...
Three separate results...
Diagnosis: Pregnant.
Every time Lea thought about it, which was quite often, she started to hyperventilate. This couldn’t be happening. Not now. Not when her life was in such an uproar.
But she’d had all of the early symptoms, from her missed cycle to tender breasts. As much as she wanted to live in the land of denial, she couldn’t. There was now a baby to take into consideration. And a man who didn’t have a clue he was about to become a father. Well, he would if he’d answer his phone.
After a trip to the doctor for official confirmation, Lea had tried repeatedly to reach Xander and let him know she was pregnant, not because she wanted anything from him but because it was the right thing to do. But each time she called, it went straight to voice mail. It wasn’t until she tracked down the number to his office in Athens that she learned he was out of the country on business.
So once again, she called him. Once again, her call was forwarded to voice mail. “Xander, this is Lea. Um...” Her stomach churned with nerves even though he wasn’t on the other end of the line. “I need to talk to you. Could you give me a call when you get a chance?”
She pressed the end button on her phone and took her first full breath. And then she realized that “when you get a chance” probably didn’t convey the urgency that she felt or the importance of the news she had to tell him. Still, it was better than nothing. He would get back to her soon. Until then she had an island to save and a baby to prepare for. Plenty of things to keep her mind off Xander...as if that was possible.
* * *
He listened to the voice mail.
And then he listened to it again.
Xander could tell there was something off in Lea’s voice, but he couldn’t quite narrow down the problem or determined if there even was one. And then he realized what it must be—she was disappointed that he hadn’t phoned her. Not that the thought hadn’t crossed his mind more than a few times.
In fact, he hadn’t been able to get Lea off of his mind since their lost weekend in paradise. Random memories of her distracted him from his work and filled his dreams at night. She was an amazing woman, not only in looks but in everything about her. It was so tempting to pick up the phone and call her back. If it were possible, he’d drop everything and return to Infinity Island. But his busy life didn’t allow for such indulgences.
At
