alone,” she said as she took Marley’s elbow in her gentle grip.
Marley turned but saw no sign of Chrysander. He wasn’t so worried that he’d see to the task himself. Obviously Roslyn’s company was a little more important than his posturing over Marley’s safety.
Fatigue beat at her as she entered the master suite and Patrice returned downstairs. The long, hot bath she’d taken before dinner had relaxed her, and she could have gone to bed then. Dinner had just brought back the tension she’d managed to rid herself of, and she knew she wouldn’t sleep now.
She gazed down at the pool and gardens from the large window. The entire area shimmered under bright moonlight. It glowed with a magical quality, one that called to her. Maybe a walk in the garden would soothe her irritation.
She pulled a sweater from the closet and tugged it over her shoulders as she left the bedroom and headed for the stairs.
Not sparing one iota of guilt over the fact that her doting fiancé wouldn’t be pleased that she was ignoring his dictate, Marley eased down the stairs. She held tightly to the banister, cursing the fact he’d made her paranoid with his concern.
She could still hear the murmur of voices filtering in from the dining room as she stepped down into the living room. She turned left and hurriedly crossed the floor to reach the French doors leading to the patio.
When she opened the door and slipped out, a chill blew over her face and raised goose bumps on her neck. Still, it was a lovely evening, and the moon shone high overhead.
She followed the stone pathway that led beside the pool and then veered right into the winding walkway of the garden. In the distance, the faint sound of the ocean soothed her ears. As she walked farther into the garden, the sound of running water overrode the distant waves. To her delight, as she rounded the corner of a thick row of hedges, she found a fountain, illuminated by spotlights angled from the ground.
Marley moved closer and inhaled the brisk night air. The salty breeze tasted tangy on her lips, and her fingers crept higher to pull the sweater more firmly around her body. She shivered with the cold but was reluctant to depart the scenic spot so soon.
“You should not be out here.”
Chrysander’s voice startled her even as his hands closed around her shoulders, spinning her around to face him. Anger glinted in his eyes, and displeasure tightened his jaw.
“How did you find me so quickly?” she asked, refusing to apologize for her flight.
“I’ve known where you were as soon as you left the house,” he said calmly. At her confused expression, he said, “I have security posted all over the island. I was notified the moment you stepped onto the patio. You’ve been closely watched ever since.”
Her mouth turned down into a frown even as she looked around, trying to ferret out the security he mentioned.
“You were not to navigate the stairs alone, and you should not come outside in the darkness unless I am with you.”
“You could hardly accompany me anywhere, glued as you were to your personal assistant,” she said dryly. She wanted to be flip and sound like she couldn’t care less, but hurt registered in her voice, and she clenched her fingers together.
“I neglected you at dinner. For this, I am sorry. I had several things I needed to go over with Roslyn before she leaves in the morning. I will be away from my offices during our stay, and while I can work from here, I’d rather devote the time to you.”
He drew her closer as he spoke, and she felt herself go weak. She hated jealousy and would like to believe she wasn’t a jealous person, but how was she to know? Did she always feel such burning insecurity when it came to Chrysander? She hoped not. It had to be a miserable existence.
She leaned her forehead on his chest and closed her eyes. His spicy scent surrounded her, blocking out the salt in the air and the fragrance of the garden. Warmth enveloped her and bled into her body. “I’m sorry,” she whispered.
He pulled her away and tilted her chin up with one finger. “Promise me you won’t go off like this again. I cannot protect you and our child if you won’t heed my precautions.”
She stared up at him, watched slow desire burn its way through his eyes. Her breath caught in her throat, and all she could do was nod. She wanted him to kiss her again, touch her.
“I have spoken with Dr. Karounis,” he said huskily. His finger trailed up her jaw and then over her cheek and back to her lips.
“What did he say?” she asked breathlessly.
He reached down and swept her into his arms. She let out a startled gasp as she landed against his hard chest.
“He saw no reason I could not make love to you.”
“You asked him that?” she squeaked. Mortification tightened her cheeks, and she buried her face in his neck.
His low chuckle vibrated against her mouth. “I would not endanger you or our child, so I had to be sure I would not hurt you by taking you to my bed.”
He strode back up the path toward the patio, bearing her weight without the slightest difficulty.
“Chrysander,” she protested. “If there are all these security men around who see everything we do, then you shouldn’t be carrying me off like this. They’ll know what you’re doing!”
He laughed but continued on. “You are cute when you’re embarrassed, pedhaki mou. They are all men. They understand very well what it is I do.”
She groaned and kept her face firmly planted, unable to bear the thought of looking up and seeing one of the security men milling about.
He nudged the French doors open with his foot then shouldered them aside as he ducked inside with her. As he climbed the stairs, Marley’s nervousness grew. She wanted what was about to happen, but she also feared it. How could she retain any amount of control when he shattered it with one touch?
Her physical reaction to him made her feel vulnerable, as though she couldn’t shelter any part of herself from him. She wasn’t even entirely sure she wanted to, but until she could fully remember the scope of their relationship, she needed to be able to protect her emotions.
Chrysander laid her on the bed and stared down at her with glittering eyes. He touched her cheek and then let his hand trail down her body and over the swell of her stomach.
He bent and tugged her shirt up then touched his lips to her belly. There was a tenderness to the gesture that made her heart ache. He placed his hands on either side of her head and held his body over hers.
“Is this what you want?”
“Yes, oh yes,” she breathed. She twisted restlessly, wanting him to fulfill the promise in his eyes.
“In many ways this is our first time together,” he said huskily. “I don’t want to frighten you.”
She reached for him, pulling him down to meet her kiss. Her uncertainties evaporated under the heat of his lips. He took command of her mouth, leaving her to clutch desperately at his shoulders.
“I want
