THE TYCOON'S REBEL BRIDE(57)

spirit.”

Theron didn’t look disquieted by her outburst, but then he seemed resigned to her

mouth, as he’d put it.

Chrysander moved to his wife’s side and put an arm around her. “Want me to put

him down so that we can eat?”

“If he’ll go down,” Marley said wearily. “Colic,” she said with a grimace as she

handed the baby to Chrysander. “We’ve been up with him for the last two weeks. I just

hope you can sleep through it.”

Chrysander brushed his lips across her forehead. “Don’t worry, agape mou. I’ll sit

with him until he settles. You go eat and then I want you to get some rest.”

Isabella’s heart melted at the look of love in Chrysander’s eyes. She wanted that.

Wanted it badly. It was all she could do not to sigh as Marley smiled back at him, her

eyes glowing. The look of a woman who knew she was loved.

Then Marley looked at Isabella, and she cocked her head to the side as if studying

her. Isabella quickly looked away, hoping she hadn’t betrayed herself in that moment. It

was bad enough that she knew the truth about her engagement. She had no wish for

anyone else to know she had schemed her way into Theron’s life.

“Come, let’s go into the dining room,” Marley said.

Dinner was laid-back with casual conversation. Marley asked general questions

about Isabella, her likes and interests. Piers remained quiet, his eyes following the

conversation as he ate, and more than once, Isabella found him staring at her as if he were

peeling back the layers of her skin.

It was a relief when Chrysander rejoined them and the conversation shifted to

business. Even Piers shed his reserve and entered the fray as they argued and debated.

Marley caught Isabella’s gaze, rolled her eyes and then motioned for Isabella to

follow her from the table. The men didn’t even notice when both women slipped away.

“Would you like to take a walk down to the beach?” Marley asked. “It’s so

beautiful by moonlight, and it’s been awhile since Dimitri has settled down before two in

the morning.”

Isabella smiled. “I’d love it. I can’t wait to see everything in daylight. It’s

beautiful just from what I can see.”

They stepped through the sliding glass doors, and Marley led her down a stone

walkway. The sounds of the ocean grew louder and then the pathway gave way to sand.

Marley stopped and shed her shoes and urged Isabella to do the same.

“Oh, it’s gorgeous,” Isabella breathed when they walked closer to the water.

The sky was clear and littered with stars, carelessly strewn across the sky like

someone playing jacks. The moon was high overhead, shimmering and reflecting off the

dark waters.

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THE TYCOON’S REBEL BRIDE

81

MAYA BANKS

SILHOUETTE DESIRE 1944

THE ANETAKIS TYCOONS

“This is my favorite place in the world,” Marley said softly. “It’s amazing, like

my own little corner of paradise.”

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything so beautiful.”

Isabella walked to the edge of the wet sand and waited for another wave to roll in.

Then she stepped into the foaming surf, loving the tickle of water over her toes.

“I told you we would find them here,” Chrysander said in an amused voice. “My

wife is forever escaping to her beach.”

Isabella turned to see Theron and Chrysander standing, hands stuffed into their

pants as they watched the two women. She couldn’t discern their expressions in the

darkness.

“Come, Bella,” Theron said. “Let’s leave the two love-birds. You must be tired

from our long trip.”

Marley smiled at Isabella as she walked past on her way to Theron. He held his

hand out to her as she neared, and she slid her fingers into his.

He brought them to his lips and pressed a gentle kiss against her knuckles.

Isabella relaxed for the first time. It would be easy if Theron acted as though he wanted to

marry her, almost as though he felt something beyond lust and desire. And maybe he did.

Did he? Could he love her?

She let him pull her back onto the stone walkway toward the house.

“They seem so in love,” she said when she and Theron stepped inside the door.

Theron nodded. “They have quite a story. I’ll tell it to you sometime. Right now,

however, I’m only wanting a bed and a soft pillow.”

She laughed softly and ran her hand up his arm. “There are parts of my anatomy

that make for a good pillow.”

His lips firmed for just a moment, and he glanced up at her, his expression