Package Deal

by Jess Bentley

  I smile wickedly. “Perhaps ten minutes would be enough for you, but I need more.”

  His lips twitch with suppressed amusement. “You are going to pay for that comment. You’ll have so much time, you’ll beg me to stop.”

  I shake my head. “Never,” I tell him with complete seriousness.

  A group of giggling teenagers interrupt us, and we end up separated as we mingle, acting more as chaperones than party guests…at least until some of the older guests begin to arrive.

  I spend the next hour circulating among the guests, making sure everyone has what they need. It’s strange to see some of Sophie’s friends drinking as heavily as some older guests, but alcohol isn’t the taboo in Greece that it is in America. At least Sophie is nursing the same glass of champagne she took at the beginning of the party. Her handsome Greek boyfriend, Loukas, is doing the same. Probably because they know I’ll flip out if they don’t.

  Shortly after, a slight disruption draws my attention to another part of the room. My stomach clenches when I recognize Maia Papadas at the center of a small group. A group that includes Jayson. My husband. Maia leans toward Jayson, tossing her hair back as she laughs at something he says. Her hand settles on his forearm, but he makes no move to brush it off.

  Resolutely, I turn away from the sight, determined to ignore Maia’s behavior. I’ll have to trust Jayson if we’re going to have a real marriage. He doesn’t seem to be in love with Maia any longer, so really, I have nothing to fear. I’ve almost convinced myself of that fact as I greet more guests and make sure the catering staff is keeping the food in steady supply. It’s a party much like any other, despite Maia’s unwelcome presence.

  When the caterer comes up to let me know that the birthday cake is ready, I crane my head, looking for Sophie. I approach the other girl, who is deep in conversation with Loukas, clearing her throat loudly so they know I’m coming. “The cake is ready.”

  Sophie smiles. “So am I.” She looks around. “Where is Theo Jayson?”

  “I’ll find him,” I answer. Turning from Sophie to scan the room, I don’t see him. My eyes seem to have an unerring ability to zero in on him wherever he is, but I still don’t see him. With a small sigh of impatience, I go in search of Jayson.

  His study and our bedroom are both empty, along with the rooms near the party. I pass near a small salon and the sound of Maia’s voice makes me pause. I peek inside cautiously. The salon leads to one of the gardens, and Maia is out on the patio, with the French doors still open. Standing near her is Jayson.

  I gasp softly when Maia presses herself closer to Jayson, putting a hand on his shoulder. “Erastís, you must forgive me. I was young and foolish. It scared me how much I loved you, so I ran away.”

  “Right into Kyrios Milanou’s arms,” says Jayson sardonically.

  Maia clutches his lapels, looking up at him with a pleading expression. It’s clearly contrived, but does Jayson realize that? “I married Stavros to please my father. He wanted it.” Her voice drops down, forcing me to ease closer to hear. “You must know I had no love for him. When he took me in his arms,” she shakes her head no, “I hated to have that old man touching me.” She trails a hand down Jayson’s chest, stopping dangerously close to his belt. “I only got through it by imagining it was your hands on me and you making love to me.”

  “Perhaps you imagined it was my fortune when you spent his money?” Jayson shakes his head. “No, it couldn’t be, because you broke off our engagement when my father threatened to disown me if I didn’t follow his plans for my life.”

  “That wasn’t the reason — ”

  “Save it,” says Jayson harshly, finally pushing her away. “I honestly don’t care any longer, Maia. I’m not in love with you and haven’t been for a long time.”

  “You could be again, with a little persuasion.” There’s a hint of petulance in her expression, despite her seductive drawl.

  “I’m married,” says Jayson coldly. A smile spreads across my face, and I press a hand to my chest to still my racing heart. Perhaps I shouldn’t take such joy in his rejection of his old lover, but I’m not going to feel guilty, either. Maia is skulking about, trying to seduce her husband. No shit, I’m not going to feel badly for her.

  Maia’s laugh is icy and stark. “You must be kidding. That girl is completely hopeless. It’s obviously a sham marriage. I know your big heart and your even biggermorals, Jayson. You probably married her to take care of her, after her father died in your brother’s service.”

  I flinch at what sounds like a coldly accurate assessment of the situation.

  “You know nothing of our relationship.” Jayson looks pointedly at his watch. “It must be nearly time for the cake.”

  Taking that as my cue, I stride into the room, deliberately clicking her heels against the marble floor with more force than necessary. Pasting on a fake smile, I approach them. “There you are. The caterer is about to wheel out the cake.” I walk straight to Jayson and put my arm around his waist. “She’ll be heartbroken if you aren’t there. She’d miss you almost as much as I have the last few hours.” With a sexy smile, I lift my head in his direction. Jayson instantly responds to the cue, bending his head to capture my mouth.

  It started as a way to demonstrate the marriage wasn’t fake — at least not anymore — but the kiss quickly escalates. Jayson gathers me into his arms and kisses me deeply. Vaguely, I hear Maia say something in Greek. While I don’t understand the words, the tone reveals her rage. When neither of us broke apart, Maia says something else that sounds crude and spins on her heel. Her shoes tap across the marble in as she strides from the room.

  Even with her gone, I can’t tear myself from Jayson’s embrace. In the back of my mind, I know time is precious, but I can’t remember why we shouldn’t be doing this now.

  Fortunately, Jayson is more clearheaded. He withdraws his mouth, lifting his head with a sigh that sounds regretful. “Cake now, agape mou, and you later.” He struggles to step away. “While I’m sure both will be sweet, I’d rather have your taste in my mouth.”

  * * *

  Smothering a yawn, I’m finding it difficult to keep my eyes open as the party finally winds down, and most of the remaining guests are Sophie’s friends. Casting a longing glance at the doorway, I’m wishing I could excuse myself and go to bed. I’ve spent so many nights with Jayson, and I have to admit, we’re not getting much sleep.

  “Tired?” he asks, coming up behind me to put an arm around my waist.

  “Very. I hope the kids leave soon.”

  “Why don’t you go on up to bed? I’ll keep an eye on them.” He glances at his watch. “I need to check the markets anyway.” Jayson waves a hand at the small group. “I don’t think they can get into much mischief with me down the hall.”

  Another yawn escapes, and I let myself be persuaded. “I’ll be lonely without you.”

  He chuckles. “Liar. You’ll be sleeping.”

  “You can wake me up,” I whisper.

  With a shake of his head, he pats my rear and scoots me in the direction of the door. “I’m going to allow you to sleep tonight.” His expression turns wicked. “For a while. I’ll let you build up your energy again.”

  I fall into a deep sleep almost the instant my head hits the pillow. Upon awakening, I’m disoriented, uncertain what roused me so abruptly. A second later, I hear raised voices and realize it’s the sound of an argument. Listening for a moment, I recognize Sophie and Jayson’s voices. It isn’t like them to argue, and I slide from bed and wrap myself in a robe before leaving the bedroom.

  They stand down the hall, near Sophie’s bedroom. Jayson is yelling and waving his hands, occasionally pointing at Sophie. Loukas, who is standing beside her, looks frightened but determined not to show fear.

  “What’s going on?” I ask as I approach them.

  “I caught this boy sneaking out of Sophie’s room. They had…” He switches to Greek, unleashing a new wave of anger on the young couple.


  “He was not sneaking, Theo Jayson. I am an adult, and I can do as I please.”

  “An adult?” His cold laugh makes me flinch almost as much as Sophie. “You are a stupid girl, led by a stupid boy.”

  “She’s not stupid,” I interject. “Sophie is a young woman, Jayson. This sort of thing is natural.”

  “Not for good Greek girls,” he snarls. “You wait for marriage,” he says to Sophie.

  She rolls her eyes. “Your attitude is archaic, Theo. In New York, no one would think anything of me going to bed with my boyfriend.”

  Jayson winces, even more upset to hear the words coming from her. “We are not in New York. I see you haven’t spent nearly enough time in your homeland, learning proper behavior.” He curses. “You should be ashamed, both of you.”

  Loukas bows his head, but Sophie straightens her shoulders. Stepping closer, I sense the situation will continue to escalate unless I can convince them to stop arguing. “It’s late — ”

  They both ignore me. “I feel no shame. I love Loukas, and it’s as Harper says.”

  Jayson turns his glower on me. “What did Harper say?”

  “She told me sex can be beautiful with someone you love. You don’t have to be married to be in love.”

  I gulp, not liking the way Jayson’s eyes darken. “It’s late,” I say again. “Why don’t we go to bed and talk about this in the morning?”

  He regards me with an unreadable expression for a long second, before transferring his attention to Loukas. “I will escort the boy home.”

  Seeing Loukas tremble, I put a hand on Jayson’s arm. “I’m sure he can find his way home just fine, Jayson.”

  “Yes, Kyria Satyros,” says the boy eagerly. He pauses long enough to squeeze Sophie’s hand before practically running down the stairs. His escape might be amusing if not for the heavy tension remaining between my husband and his niece.

  “I’m going to bed,” says Sophie haughtily as she spins on her heel and marches back into her room. The slam of the door echoes through the hallway.

  I stand awkwardly beside Jayson. His silence is a worry, and I find myself trying to fill it. “It isn’t the end of the world, you know.”

  Looking at me coldly, he says in a low voice, “I don’t expect you to understand our ways. I also wouldn’t have expected you to deliberately steer her down the wrong path.”

  My mouth drops open. “I didn’t steer her anywhere, Jayson. She asked me a question, and I gave her the best answer I could.”

  “No. You gave her a trite, Western answer that excuses promiscuity.”

  I throw up my hands. “I can’t reason with you when you’re like this. I’m going to bed too.”

  My anger is making my heart thump in my ears, louder than the stomping of my feet against the wooden floor. Sure I have a tinge of guilt, wondering if his words are correct. Did I give Sophie an answer based on the values of my society instead of hers? With a shake of my head, I close the bedroom door. Whether he likes it or not, Sophie is a part of both cultures. She’s also an adult, and Jayson will have to accept that.

  Body still vibrating with anger, I go back to bed. The adrenaline is flowing, but the exhaustion sweeps over me, returning me to a deep sleep within minutes.

  I awaken later in the morning to someone shaking me. Feeling heavy-headed, I blink open my eyes, staring at Sophie with a touch of confusion.

  “He’s gone mad, Harper.”

  I blink again, forcing my eyes to focus on Sophie as I sit up in the bed. “Who?”

  “Theo Jayson is insane. He’s insisting I marry Loukas.” The younger girl’s lip trembles. “He’s gone to discuss the particulars with Loukas’s father.”

  “What?” I shake my head to clear it, and rub the sleep out of my eyes. “That’s crazy.”

  Sophie nods. “He insists it’s the only way to fix this.” She wrings her hands. “I don’t want to marry him, Harper. I love Loukas, but it isn’t the kind of love a person is looking for, for a marriage.” I blush. “I’m not exactly in love with him, if you understand what I mean? He’s handsome and kind…and I was curious.” Her blush deepens as she trails off. “I wanted him to be my first lover, but…not my only lover.”

  I hug Sophie. “I understand. It probably wasn’t a wise decision in some ways, but it’s an understandable one.” I shake my head. “He can’t really mean to force you to marry that boy.”

  Sophie nods. “He reserved the church for three days from now and sent for a seamstress to make me a dress! All that’s left is to negotiate the deal with Loukas’s father.”

  Biting on my lower lip, I’m torn. Jayson sounds determined to force the marriage. I know how stubborn he can be, and getting him to change his mind will be difficult. It’ll be impossible with Sophie’s presence. Making a decision I pray I won’t regret, I say, “Pack a bag while I make arrangements for you to travel back to New York. Once Jayson calms down, I’m sure I can persuade him that trying to force you to marry Loukas isn’t the right answer.” I sound much more confident than I feel.

  It’s something.

  Sophie throws herself against me, hugging me hard. “Thank you, Harper.”

  “It’ll all be okay,” I tell her, patting her back while hoping I’m not lying to her. The thought of facing Jayson’s anger induces a wave of nausea as I slide from the bed, forcing me to swallow hard. Please let him be reasonable!

  “You did what?” Jayson’s roar fills the salon, making me wince. “You had no right to interfere, Harper.”

  Squaring my shoulders, I face him straight on. “I did the right thing, Jayson. When you’ve calmed down, you’ll realize that. It’s foolish to try to make her marry Loukas. She’s only eighteen, for crying out loud.”

  “You undermine my authority and then call me foolish?” His voice is arctic, cutting through me to the bone. “You’re the foolish one for interfering with my family.”

  I glare at him. “We got married so I could help take care of Sophie. I’ve done my best to watch out for her and protect her. Right now, she needs protecting from your crazy Greek pride.”

  Jayson says something in Greek before leaning in close, his face against mine. “It’s not crazy pride that is motivating my decision. Sophie made a mistake, and I’m fixing it.”

  “It wasn’t a mistake.” I run a hand through my hair. “She’s a teenager. Teenagers have sex. It’s not a big deal.”

  “You didn’t,” he says quietly.

  I falter. “Everyone is different.”

  “If you, an American, can wait until marriage, why can’t my niece?” He exhales harshly. “I do not understand how she could do something like this.”

  His confusion cuts through my annoyance, and I put a hand on his shoulder. “Sophie loved him. She acknowledges it isn’t the kind of love she should have for her husband, but she does care for him. Sophie chose him for her first. It was her choice, not yours or mine. You have to let this go, Jayson. She’s too young to get married, especially to someone she doesn’t love.”

  He compresses his lips. “You don’t need love to make a marriage work. Look at us.”

  I barely keep myself from reacting as though he struck me physically. In a cool voice, I say, “We have love for Sophie in common. We’re also older and more mature. Marriages of convenience aren’t the norm, especially for eighteen-year-old girls.”

  His gaze settles on me with disconcerting intensity. “You told her she would enjoy making love when she was in love.”

  I shift uneasily. “Yeah. I was trying to give her a good answer.”

  “Do you believe what you told her?”

  Sensing dangerous territory ahead, I clear my throat. “Yes,” I finally say reluctantly.

  “Yet how would you know, Harper mou? I’ve been your only one.”

  Wishing he would return to his state of anger from minutes before, I search for an answer. “I believe a young woman should feel love for the boy she takes as a lover.” I shrug. “Adult women don’t have the same req
uirements.”

  “Hmmm.” He seems to weigh my words. “That’s good. It means you require no lies, no false ideas to come to my bed, being an adult,” he says with a hint of mockery.

  Feeling trapped, I tip up my chin. “Of course not. We both know how amazing sex can be. Who needs anything else?”

  “Indeed.” Jayson startles me by sweeping me into his arms. “I find I’m in the mood for some pleasure after the day I’ve had. What do you think?”

  How can I maintain this façade? The last thing I want to do is admit I’ve fallen in love with him just to face rejection. Or even worse, pity. A shudder runs through me. “Why not?”

  Jayson is gone by the time I awaken the next morning. Nausea creeps up my throat, making me regret the marathon sex session that had left us without dinner. A quick breakfast of a boiled egg and oatmeal has me feeling better, and my thoughts inevitably turn to Jayson.

  To my relief, he’s mentioned nothing else about marrying Sophie and Loukas. Perhaps he’s realized his overreaction to the situation.

  Now that Sophie is back in New York, I fully expect Jayson to cut short our vacation and return to the city. In preparation, I go to the master bedroom and pull down my suitcases, intending to pack everything except a couple of outfits, in case we stay through tomorrow. My suitcase is half-filled when a knock sounds. “Come in!”

  Irina enters, clicking her tongue when she sees the luggage. “I will do that, Kyria.”

  I wave a hand. “It’s fine, Irina. It keeps me occupied.”

  The older woman scowls. “You have a visitor to keep you occupied, if you want to receive her.”

  I arch a brow. “Who?”

  Irina appears to be choking when she says, “Maia Papadas.”

  Grimacing, I say, “Tell her Jayson will be back sometime later in the morning.” That may or may not be true, but it should get rid of her, at least for a little while.

  “She asked specifically for you, Kyria Harper.”