and we are going to be together a lot now.”
He liked the sound of that, though a tiny voice inside warned him not to get too used to it as it could all be taken away. After all, she had cut herself off from him while making her decision, showing she did not need him even if she loved him. “You’ll move in with me?”
“This weekend.”
“We are not sleeping apart again meantime.”
“No, but I need to work and won’t have time to pack for the move until the weekend.”
“I’ll hire movers.”
“I’ll still need to be there to supervise.”
He could not argue that. “Do you want a big wedding?”
“No.” She gave him a nervous look complete with a bitten bottom lip. “I just want our families there.”
“I don’t have any family.”
“Oh, yes you do. I know your secrets now. Besides Neo, who is your brother in everything but genetics, there is your mother, her husband and your half siblings, et al. And I want them at our wedding.”
“Why?”
“Because someday, I think it’s going to matter to you that they were there. Besides, it will hurt your sister’s feelings if we don’t invite her.”
“Why do you think so?” Piper saw things so differently than he did; he didn’t always understand what made her say the things she did.
“She insisted on you meeting her children, didn’t she? She considers you her brother and she’d be devastated if she discovered you didn’t feel the same.”
“I do. For good, or ill, she is my sister.”
“It’s all to the good.”
“So you say.”
“I’m almost a mother. I’m practically an oracle now. It comes with the territory,” she said, tongue firmly in cheek.
And he laughed like he was supposed to before sweeping her into his arms. Making love sounded better than talking about his family. “What you are now, is mine.”
“You seem pretty pleased about that.” She didn’t sound too disappointed by the prospect herself.
“I am.” He carried her down the hall to his…to their bedroom.
“Are we really moving to Greece?” she asked between baby kisses smattered along his jaw.
“The island would be a good place to raise children.”
“Yes, but I’d marry you regardless.”
“You said you wanted it.”
“I do.” She grabbed his face, making him look her in the eye. “This isn’t a business transaction. I don’t love your money, or what it can buy for me. I love you, Zephyr.”
She said so, but she’d still left him and not called for almost a week. Maybe Zephyr did not understand love, but he did not think it should be so easy to hurt someone if you loved them. He wasn’t about to dwell on that now though, no more than he’d spent time pining over his mother’s defection once he’d learned he had to accept it. Piper had agreed to marry him, even though, technically, he had not asked.
That was all that mattered right now.
Without answering her assertion, Zephyr carried Piper into the bedroom and laid her on the bed oh, so carefully. She smiled up at him, but he put his finger up with the gesture to wait a minute.
He leaned over and grabbed the phone from beside the bed, then pressed two buttons.
“Memory” and “One” she would bet.
Someone picked up on the other end.
“Congratulate me. We are going to have a baby and Piper has agreed to marry me.” He smiled down at her while speaking into the phone.
Excited words in a definite masculine tone came through the headset, though they were too muffled to understand.
“Yes. I’ll call you with details tomorrow.”
Neo said something else.
“I will,” Zephyr replied. “Kalinichta.”
He hung up the phone.
“Neo?” she asked, just to be sure.
“Yes. He knew I was waiting for your phone call. He was concerned about me.” And even on the verge of making love to her, Zephyr thought to call his friend and settle his mind.
Maybe he’d wanted to share his news, too.
“You’re a special man, Zephyr Nikos. Is he happy for you?”
“For us both. He and Cass will take us out tomorrow to celebrate if you are willing.”
“Of course. Though I’ll have to work during the day. I’ve taken way more time off than I should have.”
“Do you think Brandi will relocate to the island with Cerulean Designs?”
“I’d like to ask her, but I don’t know if I can continue to pay her salary once I cut back on my client list.” Piper decided to begin undressing and remind Zephyr why he’d carried her in here to begin with. “I don’t want to work anywhere near full-time if I don’t have to.”
Chocolate-dark eyes ate her alive as she peeled off her comfort jeans and T-shirt. “I am very pleased to hear that. We will work something out regarding Brandi.”
“You mean you’re going to offer to pay her.” She paused in the act of unhooking her bra.
He could try to deny it, but she knew him. And his expression said he was already busy trying to come up with a compelling reason for doing so, given enough time.
“Why did you name your company Cerulean Designs?” he asked in an obvious bid to change the subject.
“Nice feint, but don’t think I’ve forgotten this discussion.”
“You haven’t forgotten we were about to make love, either, have you?”
“I’m not the one still completely dressed.”
“I can fix that quickly enough.”
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