by Lynne Graham
‘So if I decide to go partying on a yacht with a bunch of half-naked men, that’ll be fine with you. You won’t ask any awkward questions afterwards. You will fully respect my right to do as I wish. I’m glad we’ve got that established,’ Maribel retorted crisply.
Leonidas froze. Scorching golden eyes locked with hers on a powerful wave of anger. It was like sailing too close to the sun, but she stood her ground. The silence somehow managed to howl around her, laced as it was with intimidating vibrations. Finally, Leonidas spoke. ‘That would not be acceptable to me.’
Maribel was not at all surprised by that news. ‘And why would that be?’
‘You’re my wife!’ Leonidas grated.
‘So you do as you like and I do as you like, too?’
Leonidas refused to take that bait. He surveyed her with dark glittering intensity as if daring her to disagree.
Maribel wondered how they had contrived to roam so far from the main issue and blamed herself for backing away in fear of asking what was undoubtedly the only important question. ‘Did you sleep with anyone on that yacht?’
His black brows pleated, the forceful angle of his hard jawline diminishing. ‘Of course not.’
Maribel didn’t say anything. She was studying the beautiful rug beneath his feet. She felt sick with tension and terror, and dizzy with relief. With a rather jerky nod of acknowledgement she swooped on the paper and went out through the open doors onto the terrace. She was ashamed of how shaken up she was and the reality that her eyes were wet with tears.
Leonidas, who had not been prepared for her to walk out, raked his black hair back off his brow, dissatisfaction seething through him. If he went after her there would be another scene. He had a lifetime of experience at avoiding messy confrontations. All his early memories were of the constant hysterical scenes his late mother had staged with everyone in her life. It was sensible to give Maribel time to calm down. So why, he asked himself in bewilderment, did he want to go after her? Why did the very knowledge that she was alone and unhappy bother him so much? A few minutes later he strode outdoors, only to discover that she was no longer within view.
Maribel made her way through the extensive gardens, plotting a path below the mature trees that shaded her from the sun. The newspaper still felt like a burning brand under her arm. When she reached the beach, she kicked off her shoes and sat down on a rock. The photos weren’t quite the shock she had expected. It might have been a party in his honour, but Leonidas looked downright bored. There was one shot of him, lean, bronzed features cold and set, a beautiful skimpily dressed blonde giggling beside him. Maribel knew those facial expressions of his; she knew them so well. She knew he didn’t like strangers getting too close and, in much the same way, he disliked women who flung themselves at him. Drunken familiarity really repulsed him. He was a Pallis, an aristocrat born and bred, and he was both fastidious and intolerant of lower standards.
Her throat was thick with the tears she was choking back. She flung the newspaper down. In one sense she was the one with the problem, not him. She was insecure, but she was only getting what she had asked for. He had married her, hadn’t he? But he had only put that ring on her finger for Elias’ sake. How safe and secure had she expected to feel in those circumstances? He had had a perfect right to enjoy a stag do within reasonable boundaries and to expect his new wife not to make a big deal out of it. He was also entitled to expect her to trust him to some extent at least. How long would their marriage last if she continually made unjust accusations? She was jealous and insecure, but he should not have to pay the price for that. Those feelings, Maribel reckoned painfully, were the price of marrying a guy who didn’t love her.
Footsteps crunched across the sand. A long shadow fell over her as Leonidas drew level with her.
Maribel stood up. ‘I’m sorry,’ she whispered jaggedly. ‘I wasn’t giving you a fair hearing.’
Leonidas expelled his breath on a hiss and pulled her into his arms. He rested his brow on the top of her head. ‘On my honour, I swear that nothing happened. Do you believe me?’
‘Yes.’ Maribel gulped. ‘You look awfully fed up in those photos.’
‘That was the lifestyle I grew up with and it wrecked the family I might have had. Drugs destroyed my mother, Elora’s health and infidelity ruined her relationships. My older sister followed in her footsteps,’ he acknowledged grimly. ‘Elora conceived me by one man on the same day that she married another. By the time the truth came out, my real father was dead and the man I thought was my father turned his back on me. How’s that for screwing up? But I have always wanted and needed more from my life.’
‘I know.’ She found his hands and squeezed them. When she thought of how hard she tried to protect Elias from hurt she was filled with angry regret on Leonidas’ behalf. He had been forced to learn hard lessons at too young an age. ‘You’re strong. But I need to trust you. I know that.’
‘It’s my fault that you couldn’t.’ Leonidas regarded her with level dark golden eyes. ‘I should have told you before the wedding but I was too proud—I don’t want anyone else but you, hara mou.’
Maribel was unprepared for that admission. She swallowed hard and closed her eyes tight. Suddenly her heart felt light and the shadows were lifting from her. He was telling her so much more than he was saying. He really did want their marriage to work. He was prepared to make the effort. She thought back to her blind foolishness the day before, when she had informed him that she no longer loved him, and she almost groaned out loud. How shortsighted she had been! It was time that she ditched some of her pride and defensiveness.
‘With a wife who wakes me up during the night to have her wicked way with me, where would I get the energy?’ Leonidas murmured teasingly.
Maribel flushed to the roots of her hair. ‘I didn’t mean to waken you. It was dark—I wasn’t sure where I was—’
‘Excuses…excuses.’ Leonidas treated her to a smouldering visual appraisal that made her tummy turn a somersault. ‘But tonight it’ll be my turn, mali mou.’
Elias was fast asleep on his stomach with his bottom in the air. Maribel gently rearranged him into a cooler position. Exhausted, he did not even stir. Her son’s days were packed with adventure, for the Pallis estate was a wonderful playground for a child as active as he was. From dawn to dusk Elias was on the go, playing in the pool with his parents or just running round with Mouse, who was now travelling on a swanky pet passport.
Maribel dressed up for dinner. It was a special evening because it was to be their last night on Zelos for a while. For the past week, Leonidas had been flying in and out on business at all hours in an effort to extend their stay on the island for as long as possible. He seemed as reluctant as she was to leave, as they’d had a magical honeymoon.
Certainly, Maribel conceded, she had never dreamt that she might find such happiness so quickly with Leonidas. She had first seen him discard his famous reserve with his son, but with every week that had passed since she’d become his wife he seemed to relax his guard more with her. She noticed the little things the most. If he had to work in his office for a while, he would come looking for her afterwards. He wakened her to have breakfast with him at an ungodly hour because he clearly wanted her company. He liked her to see him right out to the helipad and he really loved it if she waited up for him when he was late home.
And she had begun to appreciate that all his life he had been horribly starved of genuine affection and any form of conventional home-based routine. Things she took for granted, like sitting down to eat a meal with Elias, he set a high value on. He enjoyed the simple pleasures—a walk with Elias through the citrus orchards to the shore, where their son would toddle in the waves and shout in delight when he got wet. Leonidas liked the little rituals of family life that she had naïvely feared he would consider boring, restrictive or outdated. What he had never had he wanted Elias to have, and he adored his son. Nobody watching Leonidas smile as Elias raced to greet him could have doubted
that.
Seeing Greece through his eyes, she had fallen more in love with it than ever, after he had taken her off the tourist track on his yacht. In his company she had explored some fascinating ancient archaeological sites. He had shown her his favourite places, some hauntingly beautiful and almost all deserted. He had also taught her that, if the food was good, he was happier eating at a rickety table in a tiny taverna in a hillside village than he was in an exclusive restaurant. They had picnicked and swum in unspoilt coves that could only be reached from the sea. Above all, he prized his privacy and even though he was almost always recognised his countrymen awarded him that space.
Maribel had worked hard at losing the habit of making unfavourable comparisons between herself and Imogen. She had accepted that it was stupid to continually torment herself with such ego-zapping thoughts and she had concentrated instead on recognising what she did have with Leonidas. And what she had, she reflected dreamily, was a lot more than she had ever dared to hope for. He was her every fantasy come true in the bedroom. He was highly intelligent, great, cool company and very witty. She was learning how dependable he was, how straightforward he could be once the barriers came down. He could also be wonderfully gentle and considerate.
A slim, stylish figure clad in a strappy emerald-green sundress, Maribel strolled out onto the terrace that overlooked the bay. It was gloriously cool below the spreading canopy of the walnut trees. Only a few minutes later, Leonidas came out to join her. His mobile phone was ringing, but he paused only to switch it off and set it aside. The staff knew better than to interrupt him with anything less than an emergency. Her dark blue eyes locked to his lean, darkly handsome face. His presence always created a buzz and, true to form, he looked amazing in a cream open-necked shirt and jeans.
‘We’ve been together one calendar month, hara mou,’ Leonidas filled two flutes with champagne and handed a jewel box to her. ‘That calls for a celebration.’
Taken aback, Maribel lifted the lid. Her breath caught in her throat at the beauty of the diamond bracelet with the initials MP picked out in sapphires. She now knew how much he enjoyed giving her presents and she no longer scolded him for it.
‘It’s really gorgeous, Leonidas. Put it on for me,’ she urged. ‘Now I feel bad because I’ve got nothing to give you!’
Leonidas looked down at his wife with sensual dark eyes. ‘Don’t worry. I’ll come up with something that doesn’t cost you anything but lost sleep.’
Maribel blushed and grinned and extended her wrist until the light filtering through the trees glittered over the jewels. ‘Thank you,’ she told him.
He passed her a champagne flute. ‘Before I forget to mention it, your cousin Amanda phoned to ask us to a dinner party in London. I was surprised she didn’t ring you.’
Maribel wasn’t surprised. Amanda was as ruthless at making use of influential contacts as her mother was and would have deliberately contacted Leonidas in preference to her cousin. ‘I think I’ll make a polite excuse,’ she said uncomfortably. ‘My relatives are going through a bit of an adjustment period just now. It’s probably best if I let them have some time to get used to the fact that you’re my husband.’
Leonidas quirked an eloquent black brow. ‘What on earth are you talking about? Why should they need time?’
Maribel winced. ‘The Strattons were rather like the spectres at our wedding feast,’ she admitted ruefully. ‘I’m afraid my aunt was initially very upset when she realised that you were Elias’ father—’
His brilliant dark eyes flashed gold.’ How was that her business?’
‘I know it’s a long time ago, but you and Imogen were once an item.’ It was a reluctant reminder, for Maribel was already wishing she had chosen to be less frank on the subject. The habit she had recently developed of telling Leonidas everything had gone deeper than she appreciated.
‘No, we weren’t.’
‘Possibly not on your terms.’ Maribel was performing a mental dance to choose the right words to explain how her relatives felt. ‘Had you had a child with anyone but me and married that person, it wouldn’t have bothered them. But when it’s me, they can’t seem to stop thinking that I somehow poached on Imogen’s preserves.’
Leonidas frowned. ‘But I didn’t date Imogen.’
Maribel stared fixedly at him. ‘Maybe you didn’t call it dating, but you were involved with her for a while—’
‘Sexually?’ Leonidas cut in. ‘No, I wasn’t.’
Gobsmacked by a statement that turned years of conviction upside down, Maribel shook her head as though to clear it. ‘But that’s not possible. I mean, Imogen herself said—I mean, she talked as if—’
‘I don’t care what she said, hara mou. It didn’t happen. Ever,’ Leonidas said dryly.
‘Oh, my goodness.’ Maribel gazed wide-eyed back at him. ‘She let everyone think that you had been lovers.’
‘No doubt she liked the attention it brought her, but she didn’t appeal to me on that level.’
Maribel nodded like a marionette, because she could scarcely get her mind round the obvious fact that Leonidas had been more attracted to her than he had ever been to her beautiful cousin. ‘But…but why weren’t you attracted to her?’
‘She was good fun, but she was also neurotic and superficial.’ A frown line pleated his fine brows as if he was engaging in deeper thought as well. ‘To be blunt, I knew she wanted me. I assumed that that was why you said you weren’t interested when I kissed you—’
Maribel was bemused and momentarily lost. ‘Kissed…me…when?’
Leonidas shrugged. ‘When I was a student staying in Imogen’s house.’
‘You mean that was a genuine pass…not just some sort of a bad-boy joke?’ Maribel stammered, her mind leaping back almost seven years.
‘Is that what you thought?’ Leonidas gave her a wry look. ‘You pushed me away and it was the right thing to do. Back then, I would definitely have screwed up with you. I didn’t know what was going on inside my own head. Imogen would have got in the way as well. I realised even then that if she couldn’t have me, she didn’t want you to have me either.’
Maribel was hanging on his every word. Discovering that Leonidas had been attracted to her that far back, at the same time as she learnt that he had never wanted Imogen, transformed Maribel’s view of her entire relationship with him. Only now could she see that there had been a definite history between them before they had first shared a bed.
‘Remember the night I told you about my sister? That was when I realised that I wanted you because, afterwards, I didn’t know what I had been doing there in your room talking about all that personal stuff—’
‘Drunk and in Greek,’ Maribel slotted in helplessly.
‘But I’d never done anything like that before with a woman.’ Leonidas mimicked an uneasy masculine shiver. ‘It…it disturbed me that you had this mental pull on me that I couldn’t explain. It was too deep and I wasn’t ready for anything deep at the time.’
‘I know,’ Maribel said feelingly, but the joy was rising steadily inside her, as she would never again have to feel as though she was second-best to her cousin. Imogen had lied about the level of her involvement with Leonidas—which didn’t really surprise Maribel when she thought about it.
‘Imogen told me you cared about me and it was supposed to be a joke,’ Leonidas confided, dark golden eyes resting tautly on her. ‘But I liked the idea and it drew me to you even more, kardoula mou.’
Her cheeks were a warm peach. Unsure what to say, she breathed, ‘But you were upset after Imogen’s funeral.’
‘At the waste of her life, yes. It took me back to when my mother and my sister died. I tried to help Imogen and I failed,’ Leonidas murmured gravely. ‘When she abandoned rehab, I turned my back on her because I refused to watch her die.’
‘You did your best and you weren’t the only one. Nothing worked,’ Maribel breathed with tears glistening in her blue eyes.
‘But you did watch over he
r and support her long after other people gave up on her. That level of loyalty and love is very rare. I recognised that, even if her family didn’t. When I saw you again at the funeral, nothing would have stopped me seeking you out.’
‘What are you saying?’ Maribel whispered.
‘That if it hadn’t been for your cousin, we would never have met. But once I met you, no other woman really had a chance with me because there was so much in you that I admired.’
‘Even if you weren’t quite ready for all that stuff you admired in me?’ Mirabel prompted unevenly.
‘Even then. You were clever and gutsy and not at all impressed by me or my money. Our first night together was very special—’
‘Special? All you did was ask for breakfast afterwards.’
Leonidas spread lean brown hands in an expressive gesture of reproach at that judgement. ‘Theos mou, I didn’t know what to say. I didn’t even appreciate that anything needed to be said in that moment. I suppose I was out of my comfort zone. All I knew was that I was in a wonderful mood. I felt so natural with you. I was devastated when I came out of the shower and found an empty house!’ Leonidas admitted in a raw undertone. ‘No note, no phone call—nothing!’
Maribel stared at him in horror. ‘D-devastated?’
‘And then very angry with you because you’d walked out on me. I took it as a rejection and I wouldn’t let myself think about it because it hurt…’ That last word cost him such an effort to get out that it was almost whispered.
Tears were trickling down Maribel’s cheeks. ‘Oh, Leonidas…’
He removed the champagne glass from her fingers and set it aside so that he could pull her close and comfort her with a tenderness that made her cling to him for a few minutes. ‘Of course, I went to the memorial service looking for you without even admitting that to myself. And then when I did, telling myself that it was only because we’d had great sex.’