She’d avoided the European scandal rags after the announcement of his marriage to Phoebe. Alexandra hadn’t wanted to see any pictures of the couple together. And of course, the stories hadn’t made it to the States. They were about a French fashion model and a Greek tycoon, nothing of interest for American readers. At least not until the connection to her real identity was made.
“How did they make the connection?” she wondered aloud.
“I am, unfortunately, followed by a certain amount of paparazzi wherever I go. Once we were seen together, it was only a matter of time before one of them recognized you.”
“But no one else had,” she said helplessly.
“I find that inexplicable.”
A wavery smile tilted her lips. “You certainly weren’t fooled.”
Remembered anger shimmered in his eyes. “No.”
“You were so sure it was me and yet I must have looked very different to you,” she mused.
“You are my woman. I would recognize you in the dark.”
“You did,” she said, helplessly remembering the passion they’d shared the night before.
His smile was predatory. “Yes.”
“Sex isn’t everything,” she admonished him.
“But it is a start, is it not, yineka mou?” He resumed his seat beside her and placed his hand against her protruding belly. “And we have this precious child we share as well.”
If only she could believe him, but she didn’t trust him. Did he have an ulterior motive for the marriage? “You’re afraid I won’t give you access, aren’t you? You think you’ll have more say in our baby’s life if we’re married.”
“I will, but that is not why I want to marry you.”
“Then why?” she demanded.
“You once said we had something special. Perhaps I want that back again.”
“Impossible.”
“Nothing is impossible, Alexandra.”
Believing he might come to love her was. “I don’t know,” she said, achingly aware her desires were at odds with her intellect. She wanted to marry him, but she was afraid doing so would only open her heart to more hurt.
“Your mother will be devastated if you refuse me.”
Alexandra knew that all too well. “My mother’s feelings do not dictate my life.”
“You can say that after spending six years living a double life to protect her sensibilities?”
“Living as Xandra Fortune was infinitely preferable to the prospect of living as Alexandra Petronides.” She didn’t know why she’d said it. To wound him as he had once wounded her? Regardless, guilt assailed her the second the words left her.
His jaw tautened, his blue eyes flashing anger. “Think of our child. Life as a legitimate Petronides will be infinitely preferable to life as the bastard child of the black sheep of the Dupree family,” he said, throwing her words back at her.
She flinched with the pain the words inflicted. “Don’t use that word!”
His face registered regret and then determination. “I will never use it again in relation to our son, regardless of your decision, but I cannot say the same for others.”
“I know.” She felt tears fill her eyes and she tried to blink them away.
He cursed in Greek and pulled her against his chest. “Do not cry, pethi mou. I cannot stand it.”
“Then it’s a good thing you weren’t around for the first month after I left Paris. I did nothing but cry,” she said, hiccupping with her swallowed tears.#p#分页标题#e#
His arms tightened around her until she squeaked from the pressure. He loosened his grip immediately. “I did not intend to hurt you.”
Was he talking about just now, or three months ago?
She looked at him. “Tell me about your parents, Dimitri. You never have.”
His sensual lips thinned.
“How can you expect me to marry you when you won’t share your family with me? I’ve never even met your grandfather or your brother.”
“I will invite my brother to the wedding, unfortunately Grandfather cannot travel yet. You will meet him when we go to Greece.”
“What do you mean, go to Greece?”
“It is where we will live.”
“What if I want to live in New York?”
“Do you?” he asked with more patience than she expected.
She met his gaze and then looked away. “I don’t want to raise our son in a big city,” she admitted, knowing she was playing right into his hands.
“This is good.” He gently tugged her face back around so she was caught in the compelling blue of his gaze. “The family home is on a small island off the coast near Athens. There is nothing on the island but the Petronides home and a fishing village. It will be a wonderful place for our son to grow up. I should know. I was raised there.”