‘My mother’s marriage broke up the year after the accident,’ he said after a moment.
Emily frowned. ‘But surely you’re not blaming yourself for that too?’
‘They were fine until the accident. Her husband Frank couldn’t forgive me for what I’d done, and my mother couldn’t forgive him for saying it to my face at every opportunity he could.’
‘But lots of marriages break up when there’s a sick or disabled child involved,’ she said. ‘It strains the steadiest of relationships. You shouldn’t have been blamed for it. Your mother was right in standing up for you. I would’ve done the same in a heartbeat.’
He dragged a hand down his face as if to wipe away the memory of that time. ‘My mother has been through two bitter divorces because of me. Firstly with my father and then with Frank.’
‘Is that why you’ve always avoided marriage?’ Emily asked. ‘Because you think you’ll somehow jinx it?’
‘I hurt people without even trying,’ he said. ‘I’ve been doing it all my life.’
She put her hand back on his arm, firmer this time, so he couldn’t so easily shrug her off. ‘You haven’t hurt me, Loukas. The pregnancy was an accident. You’re doing all you can to support the baby and me. That’s not the behaviour of man who intentionally wants to hurt people. That’s the behaviour of a man who’s mature and stable enough to face even the toughest of responsibilities.’
His expression had gone back to its default setting of inscrutable mask. ‘Since you’ve asked Ariana to be your bridesmaid, I take it you’ve finally come to terms with our marriage going ahead?’
A part of Emily wished she hadn’t been quite so impulsive in offering his sister the role of bridesmaid. It was like passing a point of no return. She hadn’t realised he would use it as a way to bend her to his will if she’d had second thoughts. But the streak of ruthlessness in his personality was a reminder of the lengths he would go to achieve a goal. He wanted to be an involved father to their child. He wanted to provide for and protect it, as any decent dad worthy of the title would want to do. But why shouldn’t she give him this chance to move on from his tragic past, to help him heal, by sharing the parenting of their accidental baby for as long as they stayed together?
Besides that, she cared about him. The more she learned about him, the more she cared. He was a complex man with hidden depths she wanted to explore. Hadn’t she sensed that the first time she’d met him? Why else had she spent that crazily out-of-character night with him? Something about him had spoken to her on a level no one else had ever reached before. ‘I know you don’t want a big wedding, but I could see how much she’d love to be involved. I really like your mum and your sister. But you seem so stilted with them, even though they don’t seem to blame you for the accident.’
He put some distance between their bodies, turning his back to stare at the view of the ocean below. It was as if a wall had come up around him. An invisible, impenetrable wall that had ‘Keep Out’ written all over it.
‘They are nothing but gracious. But I’m aware every time I’m around them I remind them of my part in Ariana’s disability. She’s in a wheelchair, for God’s sake. I put her there. She can’t have the life every other young woman her age takes for granted.’
Emily came up behind him and stroked her hand down his stiffly held shoulders to the small of his back. ‘It’s tragic she’s not able to walk but it might not be for ever. There are medical breakthroughs happening all the time. And she does have a life. It might not be the one she would have chosen, but that doesn’t mean it’s not fulfilling and worthwhile.’
He turned his head to look down at her. ‘Look, I know you mean well, but it’s not just Ariana’s life that’s been ruined. My mother is stuck in the role of full-time carer.’
‘But maybe that’s what she wants,’ Emily said.
His eyes contained a bleakness that reminded her of a lonely and deserted moor. ‘Maybe, but her life would’ve been better if she’d had a choice. I took that away from her.’ He brushed past her to leave the room, almost colliding with his housekeeper coming through the doorway. ‘Excuse me,’ he said to Chrystanthe. ‘I have some business to see to. Can you settle Emily into my room?’
* * *
The master bedroom Chrystanthe led Emily to was decorated in muted greys and stark white with subtle touches of blue. The king-sized bed had a velvet and studded Venetian-style headboard in a deeper shade of mushroom-grey, and there was a collection of plump pillows, both standard and European, and a velvet throw over the foot of the bed. Twin bedside tables balanced the massive bed, and the lamps with their dove-grey shades were a nice counter to the crystal chandelier above. The large windows were festooned with gorgeous white drapes with grey velvet piping featured on the pelmet above.
But, while supposedly it was Loukas’s bedroom, at first glance there was little to tie him to it. It didn’t have any personal touches such as photos or family memorabilia. While his clothes were arranged neatly in the walk-in wardrobe, and his toiletries in the en suite bathroom, the bedroom itself looked more like a luxury hotel suite than anything else. How much time did he spend at his villa? She knew he travelled a lot for work but if this was his base then it sure could do with a few little homey touches. It was almost too perfect. She couldn’t imagine a sticky-fingered toddler coming in here... Well, she could, but it wasn’t a pretty sight.
‘Loukas is always working too hard,’ Chrystanthe said, smoothing down the already impossibly smooth throw on the end of the bed. ‘Maybe you will teach him to relax and enjoy life a bit more, ne?’
‘I’ll try,’ Emily said. ‘How long have you worked for him?’
‘Five years. He is a good boss. Very generous. I want for nothing and neither do any of his staff.’
‘Do his mother and sister visit often?’
‘This is the first time in nearly four years,’ Chrystanthe said, giving the pillows a quick plump. ‘He is often travelling, you know? But he more than makes up for it by spoiling them with wonderful gifts. The cruise he sent them on was an exclusive one with their own private butler and chef. He flies them wherever they want to go in a private jet so Ariana doesn’t have to suffer any delays or discomfort flying on a commercial airline. Her chair is custom-made. He pays for every medical expense and he lavishes them both with gifts at Christmas and on birthdays.’
Emily suspected Loukas would have been generous even without the guilt that plagued him. He was that sort of man. He didn’t use his wealth to build himself up but to help others. But what if his mother and sister wanted less of his gifts and more of him? Could she help him with that? Perhaps build a bridge so he could be more comfortable around them and they with him?
Chrystanthe put the last pillow in place. ‘Now, can I get you a cup of tea or a cool drink?’
‘No, I’m fine,’ Emily said, glancing longingly at the bed. ‘I’ll just have a lie down for a bit.’
The housekeeper closed the door softly behind her as Emily lay down. She closed her eyes, promising herself she would only have forty winks...
* * *
Loukas walked out of the villa to the olive grove he’d planted when he’d first bought the property. His mother and sister showing up like that had rocked him so much he had barely been able to talk. He had never encouraged them to call on him. He occasionally called on them, but he never stayed longer than an hour or two at the most. He provided them with everything they needed and more but, as to spending extended periods of time with them, well, that was asking too much of them, let alone him. He had only invited them to Corfu once, the year after he’d bought the villa, but it had been more out of duty than any desire to play happy families. He’d sent them on a ridiculously expensive cruise of the Greek Isles because he’d thought Ariana needed a distraction after the last bout of surgery that hadn’t achieved the result she’d hoped. He kne
w he should have contacted them before they found out the news online, but any contact with them always made the guilt come back with a cruel vengeance.
He embodied Ariana’s lost potential. Every time she saw him she was reminded of what he had done. How could she not be reminded? He was reminded every time he looked at her sitting in that chair. It didn’t matter that it had been an accident. His actions had caused irreparable harm and he couldn’t undo it. Not one little bit of it. He had seen the wistfulness in his sister’s eyes when she’d glanced at Emily’s abdomen. Ariana might never have children. The doctors had already warned her the internal damage had all but removed the possibility of having a family. How difficult must it be for her to see him marry Emily and have the family he knew she longed for, as most young women her age did?
Emily had generously invited Ariana to be a bridesmaid and he’d jumped on her gesture to secure even more firmly her agreement to marry him. It was a nice gesture on her part, but it would only intensify his guilt. Would his sister ever get to be a bride? And she couldn’t shuffle more than a couple of steps without support. How then would she walk down the aisle of a church? As far as he knew, she hadn’t even been on a date. Ariana lived a life of medical appointments and gruelling exercise programs to maintain what little mobility she had left.
Loukas snapped off an olive leaf and tore it into shreds, tossing them to the ground in a parody of tossing confetti. Even the late-afternoon sun seemed to be glaring at him accusingly. He had brought Emily here hoping it would keep her out of the way of the press and instead it had put her smack-bang in the middle of the train wreck of his family.
No matter what he did, he seemed to make things worse.
* * *
Emily hadn’t realised she’d been asleep until she heard the faint clicking sound of the bedroom door opening. The tall figure of Loukas was framed in the doorway. He softly closed the door and came over to the bed. ‘I’m sorry, did I wake you?’
She sat up and pushed the tangle of her hair away from her face. ‘I was just dozing. I get so tired, it’s unbelievable. How do women have more than a couple of kids? It must be exhausting.’
He sat on the edge of the bed next to her legs. ‘Can I get you anything? A drink? Something to eat? Dinner won’t be for a while but I can get Chrystanthe to rustle up something if you’d—’
‘No, please don’t fuss. I’ll wait for dinner. I’m looking forward to chatting some more to your mum and Ariana.’
‘They won’t be joining us, I’m afraid.’
Emily frowned. ‘Oh? Why not? Is Ariana not well?’
His eyes shifted from hers. ‘They were keen to get back to their cruise. They only got off for a couple of hours so they could meet you.’
‘That’s a shame. Maybe I could visit them at home to discuss the bridesmaid dress. Where do they live?’
‘In Oxfordshire in England.’
‘Not in Greece?’
Loukas’s expression had a hint of ruefulness. ‘After the divorce from my father, my mother went off all things Greek. I bought her and Ariana a house in a village close to the hospital and physical therapy centre Ariana goes to. The house has an indoor therapy pool and a gym so she can continue her exercises at home.’
‘You sound like a very generous person,’ Emily said. ‘Chrystanthe was telling me what a great boss you are and how good you are to Ariana and your mum.’
His lips gave a humourless on-off movement. ‘Let’s hope I can be a good husband and father too.’
She placed her hand on his hair-roughened wrist. ‘You will be. I’m sure of it.’
His brown eyes meshed with hers, his hand coming over her hand and holding it against his warm, hard thigh. Sensual energy pulsed and throbbed with every beat of Emily’s heart. It was as if her blood was speaking to his blood through the skin-to-skin contact of his hand pressing hers to his thigh. She moistened her lips, her gaze slipping to his mouth, watching in breathless anticipation for him to close the distance.
He brought his head down, his lips nudging hers in playful little touches that made her mouth tingle. ‘I should let you rest some more.’ His deep, husky voice acted like another caress on her fevered senses.
‘But I’m not tired now.’ She bumped his lips with hers, using her tongue to glide over his lower lip.
Loukas made a groaning sound and gathered her closer, crushing her to him and bringing his mouth down on hers in a drugging kiss that made her insides quake with want. His tongue came in search of hers, teasing it into a sexy samba that mimicked the passionate love-making they had done a month ago. His hands cupped her face, his fingers splaying over her hair as he feasted on her mouth, like a starving man does a long anticipated meal.
Emily returned his kiss with just as much fervour, her senses reeling with each heart-stopping flicker and glide of his tongue. She set to work on his shirt, desperate to get her hands on his bare skin, but with her finger still heavily bandaged she didn’t get very far. Loukas took over the task for her and hauled his shirt over his head and tossed it to the floor. He then began on her clothes, undoing buttons, sliding her top off her shoulders, kissing her as he went, drawing out the process until she was squirming with impatience. He left her bra in place and kissed the upper curves of her breasts with gentle barely touching presses of his lips. His concern about her tenderness touched her deeply.
He laid her back against the pillows and kissed his way down from her mouth to her décolletage, his hands cradling her as if she were priceless porcelain. It was different from their first encounter when clothes had been all but ripped off and bodies hard pressed together in an almost animalistic coupling. This was a slow but sure celebration of her body, a worshipful discovery of every curve and contour with his gentle hands, lips and tongue. Every nerve in her body vibrated with the pleasure of his touch, the sensations rippling through her in escalating waves.
It was the most thrilling experience of her life to be touched with such exquisite care. He helped her out of the rest of her clothes, every hair on her head tingling at the roots when he came to the final barrier of her knickers. Not white cotton this time, but dark blue lace, as she’d changed before she’d left to visit Allegra. He traced the seam of her body through the lace of her knickers, the touch so sensual it made her back arch off the bed.
He gently eased her knickers away, her senses so heightened the glide of the fabric against her skin made her sigh in pleasure. Loukas brought his mouth down to her feminine mound, stroking the outside of her form with his tongue just as he had with his finger against the lace. Every cell in her body throbbed with longing, her flesh swelling and delicately scenting with the musk of arousal. He separated her with his fingers, caressed her with his tongue in soft strokes that were slow and measured, before gradually upping the pace in response to her whimpered signals. The ripples started deep and low in her body and then spread out like a tide, coursing through her body in convulsive waves. Goose bumps rose on her flesh and hot, fizzing tingles shot up and down her spine until finally the sensations faded, leaving her in a blissful afterglow that made all her muscles feel like melted wax.
Emily opened her eyes to see his glittering with his own anticipation. She ran a hand down his sternum, past his wash-board abdomen, to her prize below. His features gave a spasm of pleasure when she took him in her hand, stroking and caressing him the way she knew he loved best. ‘I guess we won’t be needing a condom,’ she said.
Dark heat flared in his eyes. ‘I want you.’
‘So I can tell.’ She gave him another stroke, running her fingertip over the head of his erection.
He pressed her back down, taking care not to let her take his weight, their legs finding their preferred positions as if they had been making love together for years. That was what had struck her about that night after the wedding. There hadn’t been any awkwardness between them. Her
body had expressed her desire, as had his, and together they had created an explosive choreography of intimacy.
He kissed Emily thoroughly, his tongue duelling with hers in another slow tango that ramped up her desire all over again. She caressed Loukas’s back and shoulders, delighting in the play of his taut muscles as they responded to her touch. She went lower to cup his buttocks, encouraging him to take his pleasure, opening her legs even further, her body on fire for the deep, silken thrust of his.
He made another guttural sound, as if his self-control was teetering at the limit, and then he entered her with a long, smooth surge that made her gasp out loud in relief. The feel of him moving inside her rocked her senses. He was gentle and yet thrillingly male, taking her on a tantalising journey of sensory delight that made every inch of her flesh go into raptures. Her intimate muscles gripped him with each thrust and retreat, the sexy rhythm in perfect tune with her body. He slipped a hand between their bodies, knowing exactly how to intensify her pleasure to give her the extra strokes of friction that would send her over the edge. The orgasm exploded like a massive firework, sending rivers of sensations through her body until she was shaking with the impact.
His low grunt of pleasure followed close behind, the dual rocking of their bodies in that penultimate moment sending another wave of delight crashing through her flesh.
Loukas slowly withdrew, but not before brushing her hair away from her face. ‘Are your breasts okay? I didn’t crush them too hard with my weight?’
Emily touched his face with her fingertips. ‘I forgot all about them, to be honest.’
A smile ghosted his mouth. ‘So, I guess that clears that up, then.’
‘What? My breasts?’
He coiled a tendril of her hair around his finger. ‘It was just as good between us as I imagined. Better, even.’
A Ring for the Greek's Baby Page 10
