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.
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.”
It sounded all too tempting.
CHAPTER NINE
“IF I marry you and you divorce me, you could keep my baby,” she said, expressing her deepest fear.
He swore and stood. “You believe I would do this to you?”
She wanted to deny it. He looked so angry. “I don’t know. I don’t trust my instincts where you are concerned anymore.”
“Marriage is forever. I would not do this.” She could tell it infuriated him to have to say it. His pride was wounded and for some reason that made her feel bad. “This baby and the ones to come after will have both their mother and their father to raise them.”
“You want more children?” The thought had never occurred to her.
“Yes. Do not tell me you only want this baby?” The thought clearly horrified him.
“No. I want at least two, but would really like four.”
“Don’t you think you had better marry me beforehand?”
“For the baby’s sake?” she asked, wishing it could be different.
“For his sake yes, but also for your sake.”
“You mean I won’t have to work to support us both if I marry you?”
“You would not have to work regardless. From this point forward, you and the baby are my responsibility.”
“Thank you.” She knew he meant what he said. It was written on the immovable features of his gorgeous face.
“You will be happier married to me than as a single parent,” he asserted with inbred arrogance.
“You think so?”
“I know this.”
“How can you be so certain?”
“Whatever you need to make you happy, I will give it to you.”
Everything but his love, she thought sadly. But she would have his passion. Last night had proven that. She would have his support. He’d given her a taste of it this morning with her mother and it had been sweet. She would have his respect. If he did not respect her, he wouldn’t be asking for marriage, she was sure of it.
“It would certainly relieve my mother’s mind.”
A calculating expression entered his eyes. “If you marry me, I will buy back the Dupree Mansion and staff it with servants for your mother’s lifetime.”
The sheer generosity of the offer stunned her. She understood his willingness to provide for her and the baby, but to take on responsibility for her mother as well was excessive and very, very endearing.
“Mama would love you forever.”
“Yes.” He frowned. “She does not want a big wedding. She believes you would be embarrassed. Is she right?”
“Embarrassed? To be marrying you?” she asked incredulously.
“To be married publicly when you are so obviously enceinte.”
“I’m not ashamed of my baby.” She wasn’t comfortable with the fact he’d been conceived in a relationship rather than a marriage, but her son was precious to her all the same.
Dimitri’s expression lightened. “I am very proud that you carry my child, yineka mou.”
Alexandra pictured a traditional wedding, she and Dimitri decked out in formal white, her veil and train brushing the floor at least three feet behind her.
“Your eyes have gone soft and golden. Of what do you think, little one?”
She felt herself blushing, but decided to tell him. “I know it sounds really naff, but I always wanted to wear a traditional white wedding dress with a long train and oodles of lace in my veil.” She sighed and touched her tummy. “But then I guess I would look pretty silly in white in my state.”
He returned to the sofa and took her hand in his. “White is the sign of a pure heart. You would not look silly to me.”
Her breath caught and she had to concentrate on getting her lungs to expand again. “I wouldn’t?”
He leaned forward and she closed her eyes in preparation for his kiss. Why didn’t she have more self-control with him? She felt a touch so light it almost wasn’t there on both her eyelids, her cheeks and finally her lips. They parted of their own accord and the pressure increased.
He ended the kiss scant seconds later, leaving her feeling dazed.
That was nice.
He laughed and she realized she’d spoken aloud.
She smiled at him. “So you think I should wear white?”
“Yes.”
“I’d like that.”
“Does this mean you will marry me?”
Had there ever really been any doubt? Because she didn’t want her pride stomped in the dust, she said, “It’s the best thing for the baby.”
His tender expression turned to stone and he stood up quickly from the sofa. “There are plans to be made. I want to be married a week from today.”