And she’d positively gushed her appreciation for her oldest daughter when Dimitri repurchased the Dupree Mansion.
Alexandra thought of the empty years ahead being nothing more than the traditional Greek wife, an adjunct in Dimitri’s life, not a major player. She determined then and there not to fall passively into that role. She’d married Dimitri as she’d said she would. Their son would be raised a Petronides.
Because she loved Dimitri, she would never leave him. But she wasn’t going to play doormat. He’d said she could have anything she wanted to make her happy. What would he say if she told him she wanted to go back to modeling after the baby was born? What would he say if she said that would make her happy?
He said nothing.
Dimitri stared at her across the width of the bed, his blue eyes unreadable, his naked body erect and for once not showing the least signs of desire. Waves of something feral rolled off him and made her shiver.
“Do you have a problem with me returning to my career after the baby is born?”
His hands fisted at his sides and his jaw clenched. “In New York, you told me you didn’t want to return to modeling.”
She shrugged. “I didn’t think I had a choice. The life of a single parent is difficult enough without pursuing a career as demanding as that of a model.”#p#分页标题#e#
“You want to leave our son to be raised by a nanny?” Distaste tainted every word he bit out.
No. Damn it. That was not what she wanted. One of the things she’d been looking forward to after her marriage was the ability to stay home with her baby. She wanted to breastfeed. She wanted to be there for her baby’s first word, his first step. What had her muddled thinking that morning led her to?
“I don’t have to take every assignment. I can give up catwalks and commercials and concentrate on photo shoots.”
“You can give up your job entirely.” He glared at her. “You are my wife. You have no need to work.”
She gripped the sheet covering her until there was a bunched up wad of polished cotton in her fist. “Are you saying you refuse to let me?”
He rubbed his eyes, looking as tired as he had that first day in New York. “Would you listen to me if I did?”
“I’m going to live my own life, if that’s what you mean.”
“When have you ever done anything else?” He climbed into bed and turned out the light before lying on his side facing away from her.
Evidently the discussion was over.
She scooted down and turned on her side, trying to get comfortable. She’d grown used to the security of Dimitri’s arms around her while she slept. Now, the width of the king size bed divided them. She felt stupid tears burn the back of her eyes. She’d brought this on herself.
She didn’t really want to go back to modeling. It had only ever been something she did to provide for her family. Something she could do with the resources at her disposal. Now, she’d threatened to return to it for nothing more than to anger Dimitri just because he didn’t love her.
Okay…maybe not just to make him mad. A small part of her had hoped, against all evidence to the contrary, that he could accept her for what she was, not what he wanted her to be. She had thrown down the gauntlet of her career as a test, she realized now. A test that had failed spectacularly.
She had been looking for a way to assuage her feelings of rejection suffered as Xandra Fortune, his lover. Stupid. She’d only opened herself up for more of the same. Hot tears leaked out between her tightly shut eyelids and she sniffed, trying to swallow back the tears and pain.
Sudden heat engulfed her and she was surrounded by hard, masculine muscle. “Do not cry, pethi mou. I am an idiot. If you want to pursue your career, I will not stand in your way.”
“Dimitri?”
“Who else?” he asked with lazy humor as he tucked her into the curve of his body.
That wasn’t what she’d meant. “I knew it was you…I’m just surprised at what you are saying.” She wished the lights were on so she could see his expression. Did he mean it?
“I am accustomed to getting my own way.”
She gave a watery smile he couldn’t see. “I know.”
“I am sometimes arrogant.”
She didn’t answer, thinking silence more politic than speech.
“I hated the time your career took away from me before, but I must not be selfish. If it is what you need for happiness, I will not stand in your way.”
Had he really hated to be away from her? “It won’t embarrass you to have a model for a wife?” she probed.
“Why should it? I was not ashamed when you were my lover.”