With her emotions spilling all over the place, she got up from the table and left the restaurant to catch up with her daughter, who was standing beneath a tree near the entrance.
Dimitra hung up, then hurried toward Alexa. “It’s settled. Kristos is home and he’s going to talk to his mother right now. Baba has made everything perfect. I’m so happy I can hardly stand it! I love him so much.”
So do I, honey. So do I.
Nico walked over to them. “Do you want to do a little more shopping before we go?”
“Maybe another time, but I’d rather go back to the yacht. Kristos will be calling me soon. We have a lot to talk over.”
The amused look in Nico’s eyes told Alexa nothing was more important than that. She knew he was remembering how it was between the two of them years ago. To be together was all that had mattered. It lightened Alex’s heart that Nico acted so happy about it. She wanted to protect him from any more hurt.
They followed Dimitra to the pier. He helped them climb in the motorboat that drove them out to the yacht.
She turned to him. “How come you never took us on board your family yacht years ago?” she whispered.
He studied her features. “I wanted you to myself with no staff around. Do you wish I had?”
“What do you think?”
Something flickered in his eyes. “I’ll tell you later when we’re alone.”
Alexa hoped he meant it. Their arms brushed against each other, igniting her senses. He could probably tell how she trembled at his touch. If he only knew what was going on inside her.
Once aboard, Dimitra and Alexa went to their staterooms. The steward told her that her grandfather was in the club lounge enjoying his dinner while he watched TV. Alexa would join him in a little while, but right now she was hot and sticky. After changing into her swimming suit, she hurried to the pool and dove in the deep end. A good swim could help dampen the desire Nico had aroused in her.
* * *
Nico headed straight for the pool and was doing laps when he saw Alexa coming. His heart leaped and he swam underwater toward her. In her blue bikini, no woman would ever look as good to him as she did. He reached for her hips and turned her over before they broke water.
“Nico—” she gasped. Her hands clutched his shoulders.
“Kind of like old times isn’t it.” Unable to stop what was happening, he cupped her face and hungrily kissed the luscious mouth he’d been longing for. He’d never been able to get enough.
To his joy he was met with an equally hungry response from her. They clung to each other as if their lives depended on it, shaking him to the very core. He felt they’d gone back in time. The action took them under the water. He continued kissing her as he pulled her over to the side.
“You shouldn’t have done that,” she cried once they’d had a chance to catch their breath. After what had just transpired, he didn’t think he’d get his back. How many years had he dreamed of being with her again like this? By now she was holding on to the side of the pool with both hands, refusing to look at him.
“It came naturally for both of us, so don’t deny it.”
“I’m not,” she answered with honesty, but turned away.
Nico wasn’t ready to let her go and held her so her back lay against his chest. Her whole beautiful body trembled. He moved her hair to kiss the side of her neck. “Don’t you think it’s time we talked about us?”
“I guess I’m a little afraid.”
“Of what?” He refused to be put off by her despairing tone. “The fact that you’re in my arms?”
“I didn’t know you were in the pool. I suppose this was inevitable, but we’re not the same people and can’t pick up where we left off.”
“Agreed, but we’re still on fire for each other. So why don’t we talk about our future.”
“Be serious,” she begged him.
Nico wrapped his arm around her waist, determined to make her listen. “I’m deadly serious.”
“What are you saying?”
He held her tighter. “My wife and unborn baby died, depriving me of the chance of becoming a father. Monika Gataki prevented me from raising our baby. You have no idea what it did to me to watch those videos of you in the hospital with Dimitra that I was no part of.”
Tears filled her eyes. “I’m so sorry, Nico. I was afraid you might be hurt by watching them, and I was right.”
He nestled her closer. “What it did was make me want to have another baby with you.”
She trembled. “That’s impossible, Nico.”
“Of course it isn’t. You’re free. So am I. We’re both still young enough to have another baby and raise it together. There’s no Monika to interfere this time.”
“That’s true, but—”
“But nothing,” he broke in on her. “That’s past history. I want a baby and you’re the only woman on earth who can give me what I want.”
Alexa whirled around still locked in his arms. “There are other women out there who’d give anything to be your wife.”
“But they can’t give me another child as perfect as Dimitra. Only you can make that happen again. She needs a sibling. Don’t you understand? I want to do what we’d planned long ago and get married, raise a family.
“Nothing has changed the chemistry between us. It’s there, stronger than ever and you know it. We’ve missed the first nineteen years and aren’t getting any younger. There’s nothing to prevent our marriage now.”
“Except that I killed something inside of you, Nico. I saw it in your eyes when I told you Dimitra was our daughter. Deny it all you want, but that pure love you felt for me before you left to go in the military isn’t there anymore. It’ll never come back.”
“You don’t know all that’s going on inside of me.”
“I know this much. I don’t want anything to damage your relationship with Dimitra. Now that she’s found you, she adores you. To ruin that would be the greatest tragedy of all.”
He frowned. “What do you mean ruin?”
“Don’t you see? If I started spending time with you, Dimitra would have to compete for your attention. She’d learn to resent me. I kept her to myself for eighteen years. But all that has changed now that she’s found you.” She broke into tears. “I refuse to stand in the way of the happiness you two bring to each other. I could never do that to either of you.”
Alexa broke free of his arms and climbed out of the pool. Nico had no choice but to let her go for the moment. He did another ten laps to think about what she’d said. Her guilt was much worse than he’d imagined. Nico had his work cut out to free her of it.
A few minutes later Dimitra came out to the pool in her swimming suit, filled with excitement. Nico didn’t imagine he’d ever get used to the joy of having a daughter, let alone one as satisfying in every way as Dimitra. She dropped a towel on a chair and dove in. When she emerged she said, “I’ll never be able to thank you enough, Baba.”
“What are you talking about?”
“You offered to help Kristos with a job if worse came to worse. Irena thought it over and has given him her blessing for our marriage to take place. We’ve tentatively settled on Saturday, the twenty-sixth of August. Mama says that date is fine for her. Will that work for you? I know how busy you are.”
“Not too busy for anything as important as your wedding.” Relief swept through Nico that Irena had capitulated. It fit in with a plan that had been forming in his mind. “That gives you seven weeks to arrange everything.”
“After Papoú is in bed, let’s find Mama and start planning. We might as well do it now while you’re not at the office.”
Contrary to what Alexa imagined in her mind, Dimitra showed no resentment of her mother and wanted both parents involved all the way. Nothing could have suited Nico better. The sooner Dimitra’s wedding happened, the sooner A
lexa wouldn’t have an excuse.
“This is an opportune moment considering you need to put your intent to marry declaration in the newspaper before anything else.”
“That’s what Kristos said.”
“Your aunt Giannina will take care of it once it’s written.”
“I’m so lucky.”
“That works both ways.”
Nico would do his part as father of the bride-to-be without making Alexa uncomfortable. Following through with plans for the big event would provide legitimate opportunities for him to be with her. She wouldn’t be able to fight their need for each other indefinitely.
“How about a race before we go in, Baba?”
“You’re on!”
Racing his daughter back and forth proved to be the stuff dreams were made of. He’d never had so much fun. A little while later Alexa came out to find them, saving them from having to find her, dressed in white shorts and a white top. She sat on one of the chairs. “I decided to find out if you two were still alive.”
“Baba swims like a fish, Mama. No one could ever beat him.”
Alexa chuckled. “I found that out years ago. It’s how we met.”
“Tell me.”
The blood rushed into her cheeks. “Well, he was racing his friends off his cruiser and we bumped into each other, causing him to lose. It was probably the one and only time he went down in defeat.”
Nico’s gaze fused with hers. “That’s because I met up with a mermaid whose superpowers rendered me helpless.”
It pleased him when she averted her eyes. He knew bringing up that memory had slipped past her defenses.
Dimitra climbed out of the pool. She dried off before sitting by her mother. “Did Mama really look like a mermaid?”
Nico swam over to the side near them. “Her hair was long back then, and she knew moves in the water that blew me away. All that was missing was her tail.”
Dimitra laughed. “Great-grandma Iris was a champion swimmer. She taught Mama from the time she was little. I can’t wait to tell Kristos you thought Mama looked like a mermaid. Oh, just so you know, he’s meeting us at the dock tomorrow at noon. We’re going to see the priest at Saint Catherine’s in Ano Poli. He wants to be married where their family has always worshipped.”
“That’s only natural,” Alexa interjected. “It’ll make Irena very happy.”
Nico nodded. “I think it’s the perfect choice, Dimitra. If Kristos’s father were alive, he’d want it there too.” He couldn’t be more pleased that his own daughter would be married there. Tio would have exchanged vows with Irena in that centuries-old Byzantine church if circumstances had been different for them.
“I’m so glad you both agree. Now we’re trying to decide on a place for the reception. Do you have any ideas, Baba? Mama and I have been talking about it, but we think you’re the one who would know the best spot.”
Nico had already given it thought. “I’d pick the Macedonian Palace. Depending on the weather, you can hold the reception indoors or outside. The hotel is centrally located and easy to find for those coming from out of town.”
“Kristos mentioned it, but it’s expensive and—”
“But nothing,” Nico broke in. “If that’s his choice too, then we’ll book it if that’s all right with you, Alexa.”
“I want what all of you want.”
Good. “Then that will be one of my gifts to the bride. The other will be your wedding dress. I want you and your mother to shop your heads off for all the things you’ll need.”
“That’s far too generous of you, Baba.” Her eyes had teared up.
“You’re my only child. A parent lives for a moment like this. Wouldn’t you say, Alexa?”
“You know I would,” she murmured in an emotional tone before getting up. “It looks like we’ve gotten the most important issues decided. Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to check on your papoú, so I’ll say good-night.”
Dimitra jumped up. “I’ll come with you. I promised I’d phone Kristos after we’d had this talk. Good night, Baba. I love you so much.”
“Kalinikta, I kóri mou polytima.”
* * *
Good night, my precious daughter.
The love in Nico’s voice caused Alexa’s eyes to close tightly for a moment. Nico would never know what those words had to mean to Dimitra, let alone to Alexa herself. He really did love his daughter! From the moment he’d known about her, he’d devoted himself to her. With the amount of time he gave her, you’d never know he was the famous Angelis CEO with huge responsibilities.
Dimitra lapped up that love like any child starving for a father’s affection. There was a new glow about her that came from enjoying the security he gave her. Nico did something no one else could do.
Alexa realized he would have been just as attentive to Dimitra whether Alexa had contacted him the moment she’d known she was pregnant, or after she’d told him about Monika’s revelation. It was too late to wish she hadn’t kept them apart, but one thing she did know. Life was going to be wonderful from here on out for her daughter.
As for Nico, there was no doubt in her mind that whatever his circumstances—even marriage to another woman—he would have moved heaven and earth to have a relationship with Dimitra. Nico was a prince among men.
“Mama? Do you mind if I ask you something personal?” She’d come into Alexa’s stateroom.
“Of course not. What is it?”
“Do you wish you could be with my father again? You know what I mean.”
Alexa couldn’t believe her daughter had asked her that question now, just after Alexa and Nico had shared that shattering kiss in the pool. “Oh, honey. That’s all over with.”
“I don’t know. I’ve been watching the two of you and get the feeling you’re both in a private world of your own half the time.”
She bit her lip, pricked with guilt. “Has it worried you, because—”
“Worried me?” she cut in on her mother, sounding bewildered. “That’s an odd thing to say. You should have been together and married as soon he’d returned from the military. That insane Monika wanted Baba for herself and did a monstrous thing to you.”
“But that’s old history, honey.”
“You’re right. Now that I know all the facts, how could I blame you for what you did? Your circumstances were horrendous at the time. Papoú agrees with me. So does Kristos’s mother. She said she would have hidden the truth too if she’d been pregnant and had thought Kristos’s father had only been having fun with her. But remember this: Monika hasn’t won yet.”
Those words staggered Alexa while Dimitra kept on talking.
“I hope you’ll get back together with my father. Kristos wants the same thing for the two of you. Those other men who asked you to marry them were never good enough for you. And you couldn’t have been interested in the man you went out with!”
“I’m not, honey. I said goodbye.”
“Thank goodness. There’s only one Baba. It’s no wonder no other man ever came close.” The words continued to pour out of her daughter’s romantic soul. “You were right about him at seventeen. No other man is like him and never could be. Promise me you’ll think about getting back with him.”
Probably nothing could have shocked Alexa more. Not only had Dimitra forgiven her, she wanted her parents to get back together. It shook her to the foundations, leaving her speechless.
“I feel the same way about Kristos. He’s my one and only. Good night, Mama.” She gave her a hug and left the stateroom.
Besides Alexa’s grandfather, Irena had a lot to do with Dimitra’s ability to understand and forgive something so earth-shattering for her at the time. Alexa would have to find a way to thank her for what she’d done to help heal a wound she’d thought couldn’t be healed.
She shivered after getting in bed, rememberin
g what Nico had told her in the pool earlier. This evening he’d asked her to marry him. Dimitra’s instincts hadn’t been wrong about noticing the undercurrents between Alexa and Nico. But Alexa couldn’t forget that this proposal had been prompted by a far different reason than the first one.
Nineteen-year-old Nico had been madly in love when they’d planned their marriage. Now everything was different. Since that time, Nico had lost his wife and unborn child. Furthermore, he’d be losing his newly found daughter to Kristos.
Tears poured from Alexa’s eyes. She understood that nothing could ever take the place of Nico raising his own child from birth. Alexa had deprived him of that experience. If she did agree to marry him to give him another child to love, maybe that could help make up for what had happened.
But even if the unimaginable happened and they did marry, there’d be no guarantee she’d get pregnant again. Worse, Alexa could never expect the kind of love he’d once showered on her. She doubted they could get back the pure magic they’d shared.
She could imagine the question her grandfather would ask her. Can you survive in a marriage where you don’t believe Nico will ever feel for you what he once did? Be careful before you say yes.
* * *
Alexa wrestled with that question throughout the night, but never found an answer. Early the next morning she got up and put on her bikini. Her grandfather would sleep another hour. That would give her time to work off emotions in the pool before everyone awakened.
A gorgeous day, already getting hot, greeted her as she hurried along the deck carrying her beach towel. Her heart slammed into her ribs when she saw Nico already in the pool.
He must have seen her coming and lounged against the side at the deep end, his arms outstretched in a relaxed position. Like a young Zeus who’d beguiled Io.
“I’m glad to see you couldn’t sleep either, and hoped you’d come out here early.” His deep voice stirred her senses. “We’ll be docking at noon and won’t have a lot of time to talk alone.”
Alexa sank down in one of the lounge chairs, knowing that if she dove in, he’d reach for her and there’d be no more talk. “I thought we discussed the important things about the upcoming wedding last night.”
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