She gasped at the hubris, the down right gall of the man. “A child is never safe when he is left unattended in water!”
“He is not unattended. We are both right here watching him,” he said in a conciliatory tone. “Plus I have been teaching him to swim all week. He has been blessed by Poseidon and is like a fish in the water.”
Cassidy flushed guiltily. She hadn’t been watching her son; she had been too busy acting like the mother of six, married to a man with a large spare tire around his gut. It was like going to see The Chippendales for the very first time. (Wooo, Mama! Better bring a lot of dollars!)
Only instead of staring at some unknown stud-muffin in a g-string, she was staring at this hunka hunka burnin’ love. He had such lovely bronze skin as far as the eye could see. Bronze face. Bronze shoulders. Bronze chest. Bronze washboard abs. (She didn’t like to think in terms of six packs, it reminded her of work.) Bronze powerful thighs. Bronze calves. Even his feet were bronze. Was he bronze everywhere?
Those darn swimming trunks covered more than her mini-skirts did! Was he still an even bronze under them? Was it his natural skin color? Did he usually swim and sunbathe “au natural” like so many other Europeans were said to?
In spite of wearing tight clothes, short skirts, and showing more cleavage then Marilyn Monroe on a hot day on a tropical island, Cassidy was a prude. She freely admitted it. She didn’t want everyone to see her body parts, no matter how many times somebody said, “Hey come on, you ain’t got nothin’ I haven’t seen before.” Her response was always, “Good. Since you’ve seen it so much, you don’t need to see mine.”
Yes, she’s a prudish Yankee and proud of it. Nobody had seen hers, except for her doctor, and nobody will either, as long as they have that kind of attitude. But, boy, even though she felt like a hypocrite, she sure would like to see what Theron had. Besides that, he had already seen hers. Fair was fair!
Cassidy dressed the way she did for two reasons. Work. And to hide who she really was.
Most people spent so much time looking at her breasts they couldn’t tell you what color eyes she had. If nobody looked you in the face, then they never saw the real you.
After Rico rescued her from Joe and Patsy Jenkins and helped her escape, she knew how important it was to remain incognito. She needed a disguise to hide and protect herself. Nobody would identify or confuse the innocent little Catholic school girl in her buttoned up blouse, navy blue vest, knee length plaid skirt, and tightly braided hair for the wild chick with the endless legs, big boobs, and untamed curls.
Yeah, she would like to see what Theron’s skin looked like, but unlike that mother of six let loose in Chippendale’s, she didn’t want a man who shook it in front of every woman’s face. She wanted a man who valued his body and his privacy as much as she did hers.
“Come, pyrotechnia mou, come join us in the pool.” He sent another one of his devastating smiles her way. “Swimming will help you regain your strength.”
Oh dear heavens! She wanted this man. It didn’t matter that she didn’t know anything about his morals or ethics, and what she did know scared the vinegar out of her. She wanted him anyway.
She could hear Grammie’s voice in her head. Girl, if you’re not careful you’re going to end up in his bed. You’ll end up just like your mother, with a baby nobody wants. You’ll regret it. You mark my words, you’ll regret it.
Grammie, I love you, but you always show up at the most inconvenient times. For crying out loud I’m the only twenty-five year old virgin left on earth. I might be a virgin, but I’m not totally stupid. I’m sure he must have a supply of condoms somewhere in this huge mansion.
Grammie would say, Condoms are not fool proof.
Well, any baby of mine wouldn’t be unwanted. I’ll want her, I’ll keep her, and I’ll love her. Just like you always loved me. Grammie didn’t have an answer for that one.
“You know how to swim, do you not?”
Cassidy had to shake Grammie out of her head before she could understand what the glistening bronzed god in the pool said. “Of course I know how to swim.” Her eyes flashed bolts of electricity at him. “We lived right next to the ocean. Grammie signed me up for swim classes at the local Y while I was still in diapers.”
“So you choose not to cool off in the water with Enzio and me because. . .”
She wrapped her arms around her and pouted her lower lip. “I’m quite comfortable, thank you.”
“You do not find the Greek sun hot this time of year?”
“I live in Texas. I’m used to the heat,” her voice faltered under is gaze. Please don’t notice the sweat rolling down my face. “I’m not hot!” She finished in a near shout.
“Tisk. Tisk. Tisk.” Droplets of water flew from his coal black hair. “You should never lie, pyrotechnia mikros. You are not capable of doing it credibly. Your face is redder than your hair. Why do you not swim? Is it fear? Are you afraid to be in the water with me?”
She stamped her foot, and regretted the loss of her boots. She tore the shirt off her back, and dove into the pool without thinking. When her head resurfaced it was to the joyful sound of her son clapping and laughing. The cool water felt wonderful against her overheated skin and the buoyancy of the water relieved the nagging ache she had felt in her legs. An overwhelming feeling of bliss flooded her. She hated to admit it, but a little pool time was just what she needed.
With some luck it would clear her head. She needed a clear head in order to find out where they were, and then find a way home. Theron might have rescued her from Jenkins. He might have brought her to this mansion. But she still felt like something was wrong. She hadn’t been able to find a phone. She had even asked where the phone was so she could call Lynda and Moose to let them know she was okay. But he kept putting her off or changing the subject.
Something was not right here.
Chapter 18
First thing in the morning a supply of fresh clothing would be delivered for Cassiopeia. It had been such a torturous pleasure when she had stripped down to her lacey lingerie and he watched that luscious body dive over his head into the water. True he had seen all of her body while he had been caring for her, but it had not prepared him for the rush of desire that swept over him when he saw all that creamy white skin exposed, with nothing more than a few scraps of purple lace covering the most crucial parts. Only the presence of the child had kept him from having her right then and there.
He wanted her. There was no doubt about that and having her run around naked, with only his shirts covering her glorious body, was too much for his control to handle. Their first time together should not be in a pool or on the floor of the loggia or on the dining room table; although he was sure they would eventually get around to all those places. No, their first time should be some place comfortable and unhurried. His cock twitched. Perhaps the first time would be quick, but as soon as he recovered he would take it slow and easy. They would both receive the maximum enjoyment. His thoughts would not be troubled by business woes.
She wanted him too. He had seen it in her eyes, on her face, even in the stance of her body when she watched him in the pool. Theron knew Cassidy liked the way he interacted with her son. Perhaps the way into the woman’s heart was through the boy.
It would not be a hardship for him. He enjoyed the time he had spent with the child. It was good practice for when she provided him with the much needed heir.
Tomorrow he would ask her to marry him. He had already explained many of the reasons for the aborted wedding over dinner. She had been simbonetikos, sympathetic to the families who would be harmed if the merger did not go through quickly.
It had been difficult to concentrate on all he had to say while she sat there in his blue silk shirt. He could see her nipples through the thin cloth. Much of the meal had been spent wondering if she had her panties on, since she had certainly left the bra off. His libido wanted him to find out. His brain would not let him. If he knew for certain that she was pantyl
ess, he would not be satisfying his hunger by eating the food.
They could have a very successful arrangement. They were attracted to each other, and she had already proved herself to be fertile. He liked her child, and she had her own business; she would understand about the demands of his.
Yes, he would broach the subject with her tomorrow. By then she would have had enough time to have recovered from the horrors of the kidnapping and drugs. After breakfast he would talk to her once again about the reason he had to marry Dolmides’ illegitimate heiress. He would find out from her own mouth why she was not in the family home she was supposed to have been raised in, if she truly was Cassiopeia. Then if he was satisfied she was telling the truth, which he was sure she was, they would be married.
With that settled he stripped down and entered his bathroom. The shower was preset at the temperature he preferred, but tonight that would not do. Ruthlessly, he turned the dial to the point where the water would be frigid. He could handle one more night of cold showers. Tomorrow night, after he had her promise to either marry him or to withdraw her objections to the Dolmides’ marriage, he would bed her. Rid himself of this obsession to have her. After tomorrow there would be no more cold showers.
~*~
A cooling breeze tickled the back of Cassidy’s neck. She was in heaven on good solid ground. She had just had a scrumptious breakfast with Theron on what he called the small patio. In this house of luxury everything was supersized, but the patio actually was on the small side. It was an enclosed patio with potted plants and one lone lemon tree, with luscious yellow fruit dangling from the tree limbs. A small glass table, small by the standards of this house, with a blue umbrella, which matched the color of the blue Mediterranean sky overhead, held the remains of the meal.
She wore a pretty orchid sundress she had found lying on her bed when she entered the room after her morning shower. The first shower she had been allowed without Theron standing guard outside the door. Thin spaghetti straps and delicate eyelet embroidery along the scalloped hem made it the most feminine dress she had ever worn. A gorgeous strapless bra and matching panty in the same shade of orchid lace were next to the dress. She doubted they would fit her, her size was deceptive, but she tried them on anyway, only to be amazed at the perfect fit. The man obviously knew his way around women’s lingerie.
Not only had Theron prepared all the food, but he insisted she remain seated at the table while he served.
After they finished the meal, they moved to the rattan love seat on the other side of the patio while Enzio played with blocks on a mat at their feet.
“Tell me about your childhood home,” he commanded as he lifted his coffee cup to his full lower lip. Cassidy couldn’t help but wonder how his lips would feel nibbling on her neck.
So, he had ulterior motives for lingering over one last cup. It was time he grilled her about Cassiopeia. Apparently Theron still didn’t believe in her. For a moment her heart thumped hollowly in her chest.
“Where would you like me start? Do you want me to tell you how Grammie answered the front door one day to find a uniformed chauffeur standing at the door with a day old baby in a car seat and an envelope in his hand?” She tried to keep the old bitterness out of her voice. She now realized what a blessing it had been to be raised by Grammie instead of Kelley.
He raised one eyebrow. Man! When he did that he always reminded her of Mr. Spock. She could practically hear his deep voice saying, Really, Captain, I do not see what you find so amusing.
Instead, Theron’s deep voice said, “I did not think we had to go back quite that far, but now you have intrigued me. Please continue.”
Cassidy steeled herself. She had never told anyone her “story” before. The only people who had ever loved or wanted her had been Grammie, Tia Maria, and Rico, and they all knew the story. Now they were all gone and all she had left was little Enzio. What kind of monsters didn’t want their own baby? Enzio wasn’t hers by blood, but she would never toss him away like unwanted underwear.
She would always love Z more than life itself, and they didn’t share any blood or DNA. Why didn’t her parents want her?
What had she done wrong, besides being born?
“Pop, Grammie’s husband, came from a long line of whaler’s. His great, great grandfather was a very successful Captain. He owned his own ship free and clear and owned half interest in three others. He married the young Irish girl who kept his house and office clean and built her a fine house on the cliff overlooking the harbor. It had a widow’s walk on the roof.”
“What is this widow’s walk?” Theron asked before taking another sip. Cassidy watched his throat as the coffee worked its way down. She wanted to follow the coffee’s path with her tongue.
“It’s like a porch built on the highest point of the roof. It’s flat and fenced in to keep the sailor’s wife from falling off. The women of the family, primarily the wife, would watch the sea, waiting for the ship to come in. Waiting for her man to come home,” a touch of sadness edged into her voice. “Moira waited up there for him every single trip. He swore he could see her from half an ocean away, and it was her love that always guided him into safe harbor.”
“Did you spend a lot of time on the widow’s walk watching for your love?” He asked with a gleam in his eyes.
She shuddered. “I always loved it up there until the Jenkins moved in.”
He could see she was reticent to continue. There was more story to be told about that fenced in roof, but he would not push for it for now. She was delectable to look at in the dappled shade of the lemon tree.
“Anyway, the house has been handed down from father to son since the nineteenth century. Pop and Grammie met on the first day of kindergarten and neither one of them ever saw another member of the opposite sex again. Pop was career Navy. He survived Korea, but not Viet Nam. Kelley was born three days after Grammie received the notification of his ship going down.” She raised her teacup and carefully took a sip of the scalding liquid.
“Did your Grandmother ever remarry?” It was obvious he was going to pursue this until he had the whole story.
“No, Grammie was a Kelley. She always said Kelley women only love once in a lifetime.” Her purple irises looked as bruised as pansies that had survived a level five hurricane. “Whenever she heard me crying at night because the kids at school made fun of me and I wanted my mommy and daddy, Grammie would try to soothe me with stories of the Kelley women’s loyalty to their men. Whether they deserved it or not. That’s why Kelley couldn’t be with me. Costas needed her here and she couldn’t leave him to be with her little girl. Even though Grammie was sure that Kelley really wanted to be with me.”
“How did this affect you?
Cassidy had to hold back the urge to giggle. He sounded so much like a television shrink. He was so cute she wanted to kiss him. “It made me decide never to love any man. Anything that causes a woman to throw away her own child is not something I want to suffer from.”
“How did Enrico Vega feel about that?” His voice was harsh and raspy.
“Rico?” She asked confused. What on earth did Rico have to do with this conversation?
Theron picked up her left hand and tapped the large gold band on her ring finger. “Oh! Right. Rico has known me since I was one day old and delivered to my grandmother’s door still wearing hospital clothes and wrapped up in a receiving blanket with the hospital’s name printed in big black letters on it. What kind of woman doesn’t even buy one outfit for her new baby? Or even a soft blanket?”
Cassidy could see the shock on his face when he heard the vitriol in her voice. She felt like kicking herself. Every so often she let her little Miss Suzy Sunshine mask slip. People didn’t like her when she did that. Theron wouldn’t like her now. He would never kiss her again. And she did like his kisses.
He wanted to wrap her in his arms and kiss the pain out of her beautiful eyes. His mother was an alcoholic and a single mother in a country that was unforgiving to u
nwed mothers. But at least she had been there to send him off to school, to feed him at least one meal a day, to give him hugs and kisses, whether he wanted her to or not. He thought he had heard and seen it all growing up in the streets and alleyways of Evadne and Athens, but he had always known on a deep down level that his mother loved him. Cassidy never had that.
What he had to ask her to do was not right. She seemed so strong, but actually she was quite fragile. If he had any other options he would leave her out of this altogether, but if the merger did not go through as planned thousands of innocent people would be affected adversely.
When it was all over and the marriage was dissolved he would make sure she had everything she needed. She would never be without money again and she would never have to work in that bar with all those men grabbing her behind.
He nodded his head in satisfaction. Yes, he would make sure she and Enzio were well provided for before he went back to his own life and preferred entertainments. He would allow her fair access to his son. Yes, her life would be much improved. She would be happy. They would be friends. Friends who had made a child together. Perhaps they would continue to be friends with benefits, after their divorce. His painful erection reminded him how much he wanted her now.
After a few minutes of silence he asked, “When did the Jenkins come into the picture?”
“When I was fourteen Aunt Patsy called Grammie and begged her to take them in. They were being evicted from their apartment. Joe had lost his job, and they had nowhere else to go. Grammie felt bad for them. Patsy was Pops’ only niece, so she offered to let them stay until they could get back on their feet.” Cassidy lowered her eyes hoping he couldn’t see the emotion roiling in them. The mixture of hate and fear she felt, even after all these years, shamed her.
Theron needed to hear the rest, but he could not rush her. He could see how fragile she was. If he tried to hold her now, tried to comfort her, he was afraid she would shatter into a million pieces.
The Counterfeit Bride Page 11
