She didn’t even hesitate when she gave another firm shake of her head. “This island has been in my family for generations and I intend to keep it that way.”
He sighed. He was smart enough to know when to walk away. “Do me a favor?”
“What would that be?”
“If you ever change your mind about selling, let me know. This place would make a wonderful locale for exclusive estates.”
She didn’t look impressed. “It’s already a noted wedding and honeymoon destination.”
He didn’t want to argue with her. He’d never heard of the island before it was brought to his attention as a potential building site, but then again, he avoided anything to do with happily-ever-afters. However, he refrained from mentioning it to Lea. He liked it better when she smiled. “So it is.”
Though the grounds were well maintained, the place needed to be moved out of the last century and into the current one as far as technology and decorating went. He just didn’t see anyone coming in here and wanting to invest in the place to develop it as a venue for weddings—not when there were so many other more lucrative uses for the island.
He stared into her blue-green eyes, seeing the depths of her desperation. But no one could truly help her until she realized that fixing this wedding island was a waste of money. And as a respectable businessman with his thumb on the heartbeat of development, he couldn’t in good conscience throw good money after bad. It wasn’t like love lasted. If it existed, it was fleeting at best.
“I suppose you won’t be staying for the night.” Lea’s voice held a disappointed tone.
“Actually, you made the island sound so appealing that I’d like to stay for the night.” He had made no plans for the evening or the next morning as he’d thought that he’d be hammering out a formative agreement.
“Not a problem at all.” She turned from her position by the rail overlooking the cove, where the sun was starting its descent toward the horizon. “I can show you to your bungalow.”
He liked Lea. She was pleasant, and when she smiled, her whole face lit up. And it had been a long time since he’d taken time for a social life. He’d prided himself on being able to amass his fortune before the age of thirty-five. But it had come at a price—his work schedule meant he hardly had a normal life.
There was something about this island—something so relaxing. Or perhaps it was the company. His gaze met hers. “I hope that even though we couldn’t do business together we can still be friends.”
Surprise lit up her eyes, but in a blink it was gone. “Um...sure. No hard feelings.”
“Good. Would you care to join me for an early dinner?” When she hesitated, he added, “I’d love to hear more stories of the island and tales of your most outlandish weddings.”
Her beautiful eyes widened. Was sharing a meal really that unusual for her? Or was she surprised by his interest in the goings-on of this eventful island? But with their business concluded, this meal would be...well, it would be between friends. He liked Lea, and the way she told stories was genuinely entertaining.
“Unless, of course, you have other plans.” He hadn’t considered that. “Perhaps with your husband or boyfriend?”
She shook her head. “I’m single.”
“Good.” And then realizing how that might sound, he added, “I mean that you’re available for dinner.”
“You don’t have to pretend that you’re interested in my stories—”
“There’s no pretending. It’s been a long time since I’ve been so amused. And by stories of goats, no less.” He gestured for her to lead the way. “Shall we go?”
“Um...yes. The Hideaway Café is right this way.”
In less than two minutes, they were at the restaurant. There was a thatched roof, ceiling fans and lots of colorful art on the walls. The aroma of coffee wafted through the air.
Xander loosened his tie. Then on second thought, he slipped it off and undid the top buttons on his dress shirt. It’d been a long time since he let himself enjoy a woman’s company.
To his enjoyment, they were escorted to a patio table. It was just too nice a day to be stuck inside. Most of his life was spent in offices. This was different. And when his gaze came to rest on Lea, he decided that it was very nice indeed.
Once they’d ordered the food, he leaned back in his chair to take in the scenery. The very beautiful—very tempting—scenery. He couldn’t take his eyes off her. Lea was someone he longed to know so much better.
“I never expected to find someone so—” He stopped himself from saying “beautiful” and instead said, “...so young running the island. By your accent, I’m guessing you’re not from Greece.”
“I’m not. I grew up in Seattle.”
“That’s a long way from here. So why move here? Why give up everything to run a wedding island?”
She fidgeted with a spoon on the table. “Because I wanted to learn more about my heritage. Do you know why they call this Infinity Island?”
He shook his head.
“Because when two hearts are joined here, they are joined for infinity. Not for a year or two or ten. It’s forever. That’s why we’re selective with our clientele. The happy couples that marry here come from all around the world.”
“And if you weren’t so choosy, you might not be in such a dire situation. You could have more than one wedding a week. There wouldn’t be any downtime like now.”
She frowned at him. “We aren’t in it for the money. This island is special and I won’t part with it for you to build some expensive homes for people that don’t understand the significance of the island and its history.”
“You speak like you’ve lived here your entire life.”
“Sometimes it feels that way.” She never made any secret about her past. “My mother left Greece when she fell in love with an American soldier. She followed him to the States, where I came to be.”
“So how did you end up back here?”
“My aunt never had any children of her own. I was her sole heir and she entrusted me 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.”
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.
CHAPTER ONE
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 first, he hadn’t believed it, but by the time he departed Infinity Island, he knew there was something extra special about it—about Lea. Maybe he’d let himself get caught up in the most amazing views of the sea or the tranquil cove or even the colorful vegetation. Or more likely it was letting his guard down with Lea and enjoying the moment that had him so distracted from his work.
But right now, he was fully involved in a resort deal with his younger sister, Stasia. It was their first business deal together. And with his sister at loose ends after losing her husband, Xander was willing to do whatever he could for her.
And his sister, against his recommendation, had risked her entire life’s savings on this project being a success. That was a responsibility he didn’t want, but being stubborn and insistent, Stasia had put him in that very unwelcome position.
As much as he would like to see Lea again, it would have to wait for quite a while. Business came first. It always had. And it always would. Except when family shoved their way to the front of his priorities. Of course, his sister knew how much he adored her. He would do anything for her. And the feeling was mutual.
He set aside his phone and loosened his tie. His trip to the interior of Asia had not been fruitful. He’d known that it would be a long shot from the start, but long shots were what had catapulted him to the top of his field. Sometimes leads panned out and other times, well, they were a waste of time. But it never stopped him from seeking out the next big deal, in some of the most unlikely places.
He’d just hung up his tie in his walk-in closet that was the size of a second bedroom when he heard his phone buzz. He was really quite tempted to let it go to voice mail. He’d been traveling all day and what he longed for was a hot shower to ease the tension in his neck. But he had been out of contact for an extensive amount of time... and this could be important.
With a deep sigh, Xander headed back into the bedroom. On the way, he loosened the top buttons on his white dress shirt. He glanced down at the phone and was surprised to find Lea’s name on the caller ID. She was calling again? That struck him as odd.
Sure, he hadn’t known her that long, but she didn’t strike him as the pushy type. In fact, she seemed quite the opposite. And she was more than willing to stand on her own two feet. Was it possible that he’d incorrectly interpreted her earlier voice mail?
Not giving himself time to think about it further, he answered the call. “Lea, how are you?”
“Xander, finally. I’ve been trying to reach you for a while now. I was beginning to think that you were avoiding my calls—”
“Whoa. Slow down.” Something really had her worked up. “I just got home a few minutes ago. What’s wrong?”
“I... I don’t know if you’d say it’s wrong or not.”
“Just tell me what it is and we’ll go from there.”
There was an extended pause. He could imagine her worrying her bottom lip, like she did when she was unsure of something. While he’d been on Infinity Island, he’d picked up on her mannerisms. He found her quite
captivating. It was one of the reasons he’d avoided calling her. He knew if she asked him to return to the island, it would be too great a temptation.
As the silence dragged on, Xander said, “Lea, I can’t help until you tell me what’s the matter.”
“I’m pregnant.”
Xander stumbled back as though her words had physically slugged him in the chest. The back of his knees hit the edge of the bed. He slumped down onto the mattress. Maybe he’d heard her incorrectly.
“Could you say that again?”
“Xander, I’m pregnant. And you’re the father.”
That was what he thought she’d said.
But this can’t be true. Could it?
Xander knew all too well that it was quite possible. They’d spent that not-so-long-ago weekend in bed...and there was the time on the floor...in the living room—
He halted his rambling memories. He didn’t normally let loose like that. In fact, he’d never had a weekend like that one. It was unforgettable. And apparently in more than one way.
But he had to be absolutely sure of what he heard. “Could you say that again?”
“I’m pregnant.”
His heart pounded so loud that it echoed in his ears. As though all the energy had been drained from his body, he fell back on the bed. His fingers combed through his hair as his palm rubbed against his forehead, where a throbbing headache was starting.
The silence grew heavy. He should say something. Anything. But what? He’d never been in this position before.
He needed time to think because right now all that was going around in his mind was that he was going to be a father. He wondered if this was what shock felt like.
“I... I need a little time to absorb this,” he said. “We’ll talk soon.”
He wasn’t even sure if he said goodbye before disconnecting the call. He had no idea how long he lay there staring into space before the buzz of an incoming text jarred him back to reality.
I’m going to be a father.
The profound words echoed in his mind.
Carrying the Greek Tycoon's Baby Page 2
