She swallowed hard as the memories of their wedding rushed through her mind. The ceremony had been so fast, and the number of people who had been there had surprised her. All of them had been employees, people who had just wanted to wish them well in their new life together, people who thought they were madly in love and told them that they made a perfect couple.
Katie had been painfully aware that Alexi looked mildly amused by some of the comments, and she had felt completely self-conscious. Especially when Alexi had kissed her at the end of the ceremony and everyone had applauded.
The thought of that kiss made her grow hot all over again; it had been extremely sensual. She had thought, when they’d got on board the company jet to leave, that he would have kissed her again … but he hadn’t. In fact there were staff on board, and they had been served a delightful meal sitting at a table laid with the finest silverware.
It all felt somehow bizarre.
‘You’ve been doing some work,’ she noticed now as she looked across at the papers strewn out in front of him.
‘Yes, I thought I would get it out of the way and then we can relax for the next couple of days and nights.’
The words flicked through her mind with disconcerting emphasis.
Alexi watched as she brushed a hand nervously over the cream suit, remembering the shy acquiescence of her kiss at the end of the wedding service.
So far it had taken all his self-control to keep his hands off her.
But he wanted the first time they made love as man and wife to be in Greece, for it to be special, leisurely …
‘What’s on the itinerary for the rest of the day?’ she asked suddenly.
As soon as the question left her lips she regretted it as she saw the way his eyes swept over her figure.
‘I’m going to take you home, take you out of that lovely little suit, and, well, just take you … and take you,’ he murmured huskily.
The words made her cheeks glow with bright colour, and he smiled. ‘You blush like a virgin, do you know that,’ he told her teasingly.
‘Well, I’m certainly not a virgin,’ she told him gruffly. ‘In fact anything but, considering my condition.’
‘Ah, yes, how is Junior?’ He smiled.
‘OK. At least not making me feel ill … which is an improvement, considering how I felt first thing before our wedding.’
‘Hopefully he will behave himself for the next few months and allow you to relax.’
Katie didn’t feel like she would ever be able to relax again. Her eyes flicked back to the paperwork open in front of him.
‘I don’t know about that. I have a stack of work to get through in the next few months. I should be doing some now, too.’
Alexi laughed. ‘It’s OK, you’re with the boss, you can play hooky with impunity—at least for the next few days.’
She smiled.
‘And if you are not up to continuing with your work, Katie, you only need to say. I’ll find someone else to take over from you.’
‘Of course I’m up to it!’ She looked at him in consternation. She needed to keep busy … and she needed to keep her independence. ‘And I intend to keep working even after our baby is born,’ she told him firmly.
Alexi shrugged. ‘That’s up to you,’ he said. ‘But there is no need, I assure you.’
‘Well, I think there is.’ She looked at him pointedly. ‘I think there is every need for me to be completely independent from you financially. I don’t even want that allowance you have drawn up for me—I don’t want anything from you.’
He raised an eyebrow at that.
‘I mean it, Alexi.’ Her voice shook slightly. ‘I don’t want your charity.’
‘Charity?’ He frowned. ‘Katie, you’re my wife and the mother of my child,’ he told her softly. ‘Charity doesn’t come into this. I want you to be well taken care of.’
‘I can take care of myself!’ she maintained stiffly.
For a moment Alexi watched her, puzzled by the fierceness of her stance. Now he came to think about it, her attitude had always been one of very determined self-reliance. He’d admired her for it in the past, but now he started to wonder at its root cause. What was behind that vulnerable need to be completely in control of her life?
‘As your husband I want to protect you, Katie. And I can afford to keep you,’ he added teasingly.
‘No need—but thanks.’ Her smile was over-bright for a moment. Yes, he wanted to protect her and care for her now, because she was carrying his child, but what happened if the pregnancy went wrong—if she lost the baby? The idea swirled suddenly in her mind. It was very early days, anything could happen! And if she did lose the baby would he suddenly be suggesting a quickie divorce? She wouldn’t be surprised.
All the more reason to remain as independent and as emotionally strong as she could, she told herself firmly.
Silence fell between them, and Katie glanced out of the window. The sky was a clear cobalt-blue, and below she could see the glitter of the sea and the gentle curve of the Greek coastline. It looked like a gloriously hot day.
She wondered if Alexi would be taking her to his apartment in Athens. He’d told her about it, but she had never visited. Her one and only trip to Athens had been strictly work-related. Although he had taken her out to lunch, she’d spent most of the time with him at the offices and then she had jetted straight back to London alone because Alexi had been going to visit one of his younger sisters who’d just had a baby.
Katie remembered that she’d told herself at the time that she hadn’t wanted to accompany him, hadn’t wanted to meet his family. But deep down she admitted now that she had been disappointed he hadn’t extended an invitation.
The memory made a curl of hurt stir somewhere deep inside.
The pilot’s voice interrupted her thoughts. ‘We have clearance for landing, Mr Demetri. Ten minutes.’
She would have to stop thinking about the past. OK, Alexi hadn’t thought enough of her to introduce her to his family, but now she was his family!
It was the future that mattered, not the past … and maybe one day Alexi would grow to love her.
As she looked across at him that hope shimmered inside. It was the only thing keeping her positive. ‘So, where are we going to stay whilst we are here?’
‘I own a house out near my parents’ place. I thought we would spend our few days there.’
‘Fine.’ She shrugged.
‘It’s been sitting empty for a while, but I rallied some cleaning staff, and it should be aired for us.’
The
