He got the feeling she didn’t want them. Was that because she thought they’d make a good match? Or because she knew they were ill-suited for each other?
Since he wasn’t good with personal relationships, he didn’t have a clue how this would pan out. And so he wanted the answers. He wasn’t sure he would believe them, as he’d spent his life breaking through other people’s expectations of him.
“Yes. I want the results.”
“Okay.” Lea paused and then pressed one button.
She gasped.
In a heartbeat he was in motion, rounding the desk to find out what was the matter. He stopped next to Lea’s chair and hunched over to get a good look at the monitor. His gaze searched through the words, looking for what had shocked Lea.
Had it totally rejected them?
Was she worried about them not being suited to co-parent their child?
And then two-thirds of the way down the screen, he read: Perfect Life Partners.
“Really?” He just couldn’t believe those were the results. Had Lea pressed the wrong button? Were these the results for some other couple?
Lea swung her chair around to face him, causing him to jump back out of the way. “You cheated.”
“What?” Surely he hadn’t heard her correctly. “I did not.”
Her fine brows drew together in a formidable line. “You had to because these results aren’t right.”
He crossed his arms and stared directly at her. “And how would I have cheated? I still don’t understand exactly how this all works.”
She paused as though taking his words into consideration. “This can’t be right.” She turned back to her computer and started pressing buttons.
Xander would concede that they were perfect together when it came to chemistry. In fact, he would say their sexual compatibility was off the charts, but as far as being perfectly suited as lifelong partners—no way. Lea’s system must have a bug. Because he was all about facts, balance spreadsheets and boardroom meetings. She was all about warmth, adorable animals and greeting card verses. Those two didn’t sound like they were meant to intertwine.
“Well,” he said, growing impatient, “did you fix it?”
Lea didn’t move. She just sat there staring at the monitor. The same results were still on display: Perfect Life Partners. “There’s nothing to fix.”
He tried to process this. “So you’re saying you and me—two very different people—are meant to be together?”
She didn’t turn to face him this time. “No.”
He breathed a little easier now. Thank goodness.
“It means that if we wanted to be together it would work—we would work.” She swung around. Her gaze met his. “But neither of us wants that.”
“Right.” He didn’t know if her last statement was a question or not, but he was agreeing with her. He didn’t want there to be any miscommunication.
He may want Lea and the baby in his life, but it wasn’t going to be some sweeping love story. It was going to be much more basic than that.
CHAPTER SEVEN
SHE WOULD NOT give up.
She refused.
Lea curled up on the couch that evening with her laptop. Since her attempt to find investors in the island had failed, she was continuing her search for someone already in the wedding business who was interested in spreading their wings. It needed to be someone that believed in love and happily-ever-after. They had to have money available to invest in something proven to work, that guaranteed one successful marriage after another.
Then Lea’s thoughts turned to the results for her and Xander. Was this place and its methods so reliable? Or had they just gotten lucky so far?
She didn’t understand their compatibility results. Someone just had to look at them to see they weren’t meant for each other—not that either of them was even considering it.
Was it possible her family’s long-standing system for sorting out the perfect couples was flawed? Had she made a mistake when she’d meticulously automated the process?
Yes, that was it. She must have made a mistake. She would have to painstakingly audit the entire process to find the glitch.
A fluttering sensation in her midsection distracted her. Was that the baby? She sat up straight, waiting for the sensation to return.
“Is something wrong?” Xander asked from where he was working on his laptop at the dining room table.
“I don’t think so. Wait. There it is again.”
“There’s what?” A frown of concern pulled at his handsome face.
“I think it’s the baby kicking.” It was the most marvelous butterfly sort of sensation.
He knelt down beside her. “Does it hurt?”
“Not at all.” She took his hands and placed them on her baby bump. “Feel it?”
He was quiet for a moment, as though concentrating. And then he shook his head.
She felt bad for him. “I’m sorry. As the baby grows, it’ll get stronger and then you’ll be able to feel it.”
His hands were still touching her when their gazes locked. Her heart began pounding. It would be so easy to forget that they were only co-parents and not so much more.
Was that what she wanted from Xander? More than this one fleeting moment? If she leaned over and kissed him, would it be a mistake? Until she had the answer to those questions, it was best not to further complicate things—for both their sakes.
She leaned back on the couch. “I better get back to work.”
“Don’t you ever take time off?” He took a seat in the armchair just a few feet away.
“What kind of question is that?” She frowned at him. “You’re a workaholic. I doubt you ever take time off. Your time on the island must be your first vacation in forever. Your work is the most important thing to you—above family—”
“Whoa.” His eyebrows rose high on his forehead. “Since when have you become an expert on me?”
“I... I’m not.” She inwardly groaned. She hadn’t meant to let it slip that she’d read one, okay, maybe two or three press releases about him. “But don’t all successful businessmen work all of the time?”
His eyes said that he didn’t believe her flimsy excuse. “You’ve painted me to be some sort of villain, but you don’t even know me. Not really.”
The truth was she’d sought out every article she could find about him online. How could she not? He was the father of her baby. And so far, he’d been reluctant to share much about himself.
She crossed her arms. “Are you saying I’m wrong about you?”
He hesitated. “I’m saying you should give me a chance. Maybe I’ll surprise you.”
“You won’t be here long enough to surprise me.”
“Actually, I’ve decided to stay on for a few days, maybe a week.”
“You what?” Surely she hadn’t heard him correctly.
“I’m taking some time off from my business. You and I have lots to figure out.”
Her lips pressed together in a firm line, holding back all of the reasons why his staying here with her was such a bad idea. And then she took in the resolute expression on his face. He was serious? He was staying? Here with her?
Unable to hold back any longer, Lea said, “This isn’t going to work.”
He sent her a reassuring smile. “Sure it is.”
She shook her head. “No, it isn’t. I have work to do. I can’t just sit around and entertain you.” She waved her hands around. “If you hadn’t noticed, I have big problems here.”
“If you’d let me, I could fix those problems.”
If only she could trust him, she might entertain the idea. But she knew how much he wanted the island to add to his prestigious list of stunning properties. Besides, this was her problem, not his. She would figure a way out of it.
“I’ve got t
his.” She hoped she sounded more confident than she felt.
Xander raised a questioning brow. “While you deal with those problems, I’m going to see about making the honeymoon bungalow usable again.”
She couldn’t believe her ears. He was volunteering to do manual labor...for her...for free. Impossible. “Thank you. But you don’t have to—”
“I know I don’t. I want to. My grandfather always said it was good to get back to your roots now and then, otherwise you’re likely to lose your path in life.”
This was a different side of Xander—much different than she’d known to this point.
Lea closed her laptop. “I do have someone who can do the work.”
“And I also know you’re understaffed. So let me take this off your plate.”
It was silly to argue with him. She already knew he was going to do as he pleased, no matter what she said. And if he was busy, it would keep him out of her way while she continued her search for the perfect buyer.
What was it going to be like being Xander’s roommate? Her gaze moved to his face and then lowered to his lips. She remembered just how good they felt against hers. She knew it was a one-time thing—not to be repeated. But that didn’t stop part of her from wanting more.
* * *
It would take time.
But the important things were worth the wait.
Late the next afternoon, Xander slung a wrench back in the borrowed toolbox. While he’d done manual labor that day, his mind had wandered to Lea and the baby growing in her belly. He was drawn to them in a way that he’d never experienced before. It was like they all belonged together—though he had yet to figure out what that family dynamic would look like. There were so many details to take into consideration.
He picked up a few more tools that he’d used to replace the pipes under the bathroom sink. There shouldn’t be any other leaks. He remembered how his father had taught him to work with his hands as a kid. His father believed in doing things around the house himself instead of calling for a handyman. However, try as Xander might, he never did things the way his father had wanted them done.
At the time, Xander didn’t think he’d ever use what his father had taught him. As he’d disappointed his father time after time, Xander promised himself that one day he would amass a fortune and when he did, he wouldn’t have time for such menial tasks. Xander knew that if he wanted his parents’ approval, he would have to be extraordinary—
“Is something wrong?” Lea’s voice drew him from his thoughts.
He turned to her. “Sorry. I didn’t hear you.”
“I didn’t mean to sneak up on you. I knocked but you must not have heard me. What has you so distracted? Is it the plumbing? If so, I can figure out some way to get a professional in here—”
“Slow down.” He saw the worry reflected in her eyes and rushed to alleviate her concern. “The faucet is all fixed and shouldn’t leak again.”
“Really?”
He nodded. “I replaced everything as the parts were pretty old.”
He had a feeling the plumbing he’d just replaced was indicative of most of the things on the island. And if that was the case, Lea was in bigger trouble here than she knew. As his gaze moved to her slightly rounded midsection, he decided not to enlighten her about how extensive the repairs could be. She already had more than enough on her mind.
“Oh.” She looked a bit flustered as though she didn’t know what she should say next. “Thank you. You really didn’t have to do all of that.”
“I didn’t mind. I told you I want to help you succeed.”
Just then there was a flash of lightning quickly followed by a loud crack of thunder. Lea jumped when the bungalow shook. Xander’s gaze moved to the window, noticing that it was dark as night outside.
With a hand pressed to her chest, Lea said, “That’s why I stopped by. I wanted to warn you about the approaching storm. But it was moving faster than I thought.”
Xander closed the toolbox and stood. He moved to the front door and stared out as big fat drops of rain started to pelt the ground. “Looks like we’re stuck here for a bit.”
When Lea didn’t say anything, he turned to check on her. Her gaze didn’t quite meet his. Ever since he’d surprised her by showing up on the island after learning he was going to be a father, there had been a wall between them. And he really wanted to get past it.
Another strike of lightning lit up the sky followed by a crack of thunder. At the same time, the power flickered and went out. A few seconds later, the lights came back on.
“It’s been a while since we’ve had a bad storm,” Lea said. She moved to sit on the couch. “With all of the lightning, we should wait out the storm in here. Normally I’d sit on the porch and listen to the rain. It’s just so relaxing and I love the smell of rain.”
“The smell of rain?”
She nodded. “It’s a fresh scent, unlike any other.”
Not wanting this peaceful moment to end, he moved to the couch, leaving a respectable distance between them. When the thunder once again rumbled through the room, Lea jumped. He wanted to reach out to her, but he resisted the urge.
“I take it you don’t like storms,” he said, struggling to make light conversation.
“Rain, yes. Storms, not so much.”
He had a feeling there was more to her discomfort than she was saying. He wasn’t sure if he should ask about it or not. But if they were ever going to break through this wall standing between them, they had to start taking some risks instead of politely dancing around each other.
“Did you have a bad experience with storms?”
She nodded as the sky lit up again. Rain beat off the roof and echoed through the bungalow. “It was a long time ago. I’m not sure why it still gets to me.”
Bit by bit, he could feel the wall starting to come down. He had to keep the line of communication open. “What happened?”
She glanced at him. “You don’t want to hear this.”
“Sure, I do. If you’re willing to tell me.” He realized in that moment that he wanted to know anything and everything about Lea. She intrigued him more than anyone else in his life ever had. Right now, she could tell him the story of her life and he’d hang on every word.
She turned her gaze to the front door that stood open. Only a screen door stood between them and the outside. A cool breeze rushed in, sweeping over them. But neither of them made any motion to close the door.
She stared outside. “I was only nine at the time, but I recall it so clearly. My family, we lived just outside of Seattle. It was late at night and I was asleep in my bed until a loud crack of thunder woke me. Until that point, I’d always been drawn in by storms. I thought they were so amazing, so powerful and so beautiful with the way the lightning would slice through the dark sky.”
“I have to admit that I like stormy nights.”
“After I was awakened that night, I couldn’t go back to sleep. I moved to my bedroom window and while sitting there I saw the brightest light I’ve ever seen. It lit up the entire yard just like it was daylight out. Lightning struck the huge tree near our house.”
He hadn’t been expecting that. No wonder storms put her on edge. But he remained quiet, letting her finish.
“The tree burst into flames. I didn’t know what to do. I think I tried to scream but nothing came out. The boom of thunder woke my parents. Just as they got to my room, the tree split down the middle. And then one half fell into the house.”
He couldn’t even imagine what that must have been like for a scared little girl. He didn’t move as he waited for her to finish her story.
Lea’s voice grew soft. “The limbs broke through my windows, sending glass flying through the room. After that the memories are a bit of a blur. I know my parents rushed me outside and a neighbor called the fire department. Luckily they were able to
put the fire out before the whole house was damaged.”
“And what about you? Were you hurt?”
“I had some cuts from the glass, but it could have been much worse. It’s not like...”
And then she stopped. She was leaving something important out. They were finally getting somewhere. He willed her not to shut down now.
“It’s not like what?” His tone was soft and coaxing.
“It’s not like...like I was burned like my father.” She glanced down at her hands that were clenched in her lap. “He was burned by a falling branch while he was trying to use the garden hose to put out the flames.”
“That must have been horrible for all of you.”
She nodded. “It was. My father’s scars are a constant reminder of that night and how close we came to losing him. Every time I see his scars, I’m hit with a fresh wave of guilt.”
“Why should you feel guilty?” Xander didn’t understand. It was all due to Mother Nature and that was something no one could control.
“Because I was enthralled with the storm. I wished for more lightning. I’d willed it closer to my house so I could see it better.”
At last he saw where she was going with this. “And so you feel like you wished the harm on your father.”
“In a way. And I guess that’s why I let my parents manipulate me for so long.” Her gaze didn’t quite meet his. “But learning the depth of the secrets they’d kept from me ended all of that. You probably think I’m silly for letting it go on for so long.”
“I don’t think you’re silly.” He reached out to her, placing a finger beneath her chin. He guided her face around until their eyes met. “I think you’re a very caring person, who loves her father very much. I’m sure he never would have blamed you, so you should stop blaming yourself for something you had no control over. If wishes could control the weather, I guarantee you that it wouldn’t be storming on Infinity Island right now.”
“I don’t know why I told you all of that.”
Carrying the Greek Tycoon's Baby Page 7
