by Maya Banks
His expression became unreadable, but his hand remained tight around hers.
A few moments later, the doctor returned and instructed Marley to recline on the table. When he asked her to tug her pants below her waistline and to raise her shirt, Chrysander frowned fiercely.
“Her belly must be exposed in order to perform the scan,” the doctor said, amusement twinkling in his eyes.
Chrysander himself arranged her clothing, only baring the minimal amount of flesh, and he hovered close, his hand resting above the swell of her stomach.
When the probe slid over her belly and the screen lit up with a blurry image that resembled a blob, Marley reached a shaking hand for Chrysander’s. Chrysander bent over her, his face close to her ear as he strained to see the monitor.
“Would you like to know what you’re having?” the doctor asked with a broad smile.
Chrysander looked at Marley, and she held her breath for a moment, excitement making her pulse race. “I do,” she whispered to Chrysander. “Do you?”
He smiled and brought her hand to his lips. “If that is what you wish, pedhaki mou. I, too, would like to know whether we’re having a son or a daughter.”
Marley turned her head to look at the doctor. “Yes, please. Tell us.”
She watched as the screen changed, blurring in and out as the probe moved over her belly. A few seconds later, the image slowed and then became clearer.
“Congratulations, you’re having a boy.”
Marley’s breath caught in her throat. “Is that him?” she whispered as she viewed what appeared to be two legs and round buttocks.
“Indeed it is. Handsome devil, isn’t he?”
“He’s beautiful,” Chrysander said huskily. He bent and brushed his lips across Marley’s cheek. “Thank you, pedhaki mou.”
She twisted to look up at him. “Why are you thanking me?”
“For my son.” His gaze was riveted to the screen, and delight shone deeply in his eyes. He was clearly enthralled with the tiny baby, and her heart squeezed with emotion.
“We’re finished here,” the doctor said.
Chrysander gently arranged Marley’s clothing and then put an arm behind her back to help her sit forward again.
“Was everything all right?” Chrysander asked the doctor.
“Quite so. Make sure she checks in with an obstetrician when you arrive in Greece. I don’t anticipate any problems. She and the baby appear perfectly healthy, but it’s a good idea if she has regular care during her pregnancy.”
“I’ve arranged for a private physician as well as a nurse to remain on the island as long as we do,” Chrysander said. “She will be well looked after.”
The doctor nodded his approval and then smiled at Marley. “Take care, young lady, and best wishes on your pregnancy.”
Marley returned his smile then took Chrysander’s hand as he helped her from the table. He ushered her out moments later and helped her into the waiting limousine.
“Are you feeling all right?” Chrysander asked as they pulled away. “The plane is waiting at the airport, but if you’re tired from your appointment we can take the flight after you’ve rested.”
“Are our bags already there?” she asked in surprise.
He nodded. “I had them brought over while you were at your appointment.”
“We can leave now. I can rest on the plane.”
He leaned forward to tell the driver to take them to the airport, and then he closed the privacy glass between them.
She gazed at him, suddenly a little shy. “Are you happy about our son, Chrysander?”
He looked startled by her question. Then he pulled her closer to him, until she was nearly in his lap. He cupped his hand to her belly and rubbed tenderly over the swell.
“Have I given you reason to think I am not happy about our child?”
She shook her head. “No, I just wondered. I mean, now that I know what I’m having, it suddenly seems so real.”
“I couldn’t be happier about our son. I would have loved a daughter just as well. As long as our child is healthy and safe, I am very content.”
“Yes, me, too.” She sighed. “Now if only I could remember, things would be so perfect. It’s been such a good day.”
He put a finger over her lips. “Don’t spoil it by lamenting over things that are out of your control. It will come. Don’t rush it.”
She grimaced. “You’re right. I just wish...”
“What do you wish, pedhaki mou?”
“I wish I could remember loving you,” she said quietly.
His eyes darkened, and for a moment, what she saw sent a shiver down her spine. There was such conflicted emotion in the golden orbs.
“Maybe you can learn to love me again,” he finally said.
She smiled. “You’re making it easy.” She settled against him, content. But then an uneasy thought assailed her. She’d spoken of loving him, something she couldn’t remember, but felt that she had, but there had been nothing said of his love for her. Not once had he voiced words of love, and shouldn’t they have come? When she was in the hospital. Weren’t reaffirmations of love common after a scare? Wouldn’t he seek to reassure her that he loved her when she couldn’t remember their life together?
She raised her head to ask him, to seek confirmation of that fact, but the question died on her lips when she saw his attention was already focused on the small television screen in the corner of the large compartment of the limousine.
She let the question die and contented herself with remaining snuggled into his body. The next thing she knew, they were arriving at the airport.
“We are here,” Chrysander said.
She nodded, and Chrysander stepped from the limousine. He reached in and helped her out, and she blinked as the bright sunshine hit her eyes. The wind blew, and she shivered against the slight chill.
Chrysander wrapped an arm around her and hurried her toward the waiting plane. The inside was warm and looked extremely comfortable.
As he guided her toward a seat, he said, “There is a bed in the back. Once we’ve taken off, you can go lie down.”
“That sounds lovely,” she said with a smile as he settled into the seat next to her. She turned and looked out the window and then glanced toward the front of the plane as she saw several of Chrysander’s security detail file into the cabin.
“Chrysander, why do you have so many security people?”
He stiffened beside her. “I am a very wealthy man. There are those who might seek to harm me...or those important to me.”
“Oh. Is the danger very high?” she asked as she turned her gaze on him.
“It is the job of my men to ensure there is no danger. Do not worry, Marley. I will see to the safety of you and our child.”
She frowned. “I didn’t mean to imply that you wouldn’t. I’m merely trying to understand your world.”
“Our world.” He stared pointedly at her. “It’s our world, Marley. One that you are very much a part of.”
A blush colored her cheeks. “I’m trying, Chrysander. I’m trying very hard. It’s difficult when I’m in a place but can’t remember any part of it. Please be patient with me.”
“If I spoke too harshly, then I apologize,” he said soothingly. He reached across her lap to pull her seat belt over her waist. With a click, he secured it then pulled it snug. “We’ll be taking off soon.”
A few minutes later, the plane began to move, and s
he settled back in her seat, trying not to think too hard about the uncertainty that lay ahead.
They landed at a small airstrip in Corinth several long hours later, and Chrysander helped her down the few steps onto the concrete runway. He urged her toward a waiting helicopter several feet away. When she looked questioningly at him, he leaned in close and said, “The island is a fifteen-minute ride by helicopter.”
She glanced appreciatively out the window of the helicopter as it rose over Corinth and headed out to sea. In the distance, she saw ancient ruins and turned to question Chrysander about them. When she had no luck making him hear over the noise of the rotors, he slid a pair of earphones with an attached microphone over her head and suddenly she could hear him clearly.
“The Temple of Apollo,” he explained. “If you like, we can fly back and tour the ruins when you’ve recovered from your journey.”
“I’d like that.”
She turned her attention to the brilliant blue expanse of sparkling water, but already in the distance she could make out a small dot of land. “Is that it?” she asked, pointing.
He nodded.
“Does it have a name?”
“Anetakis,” he responded.
She laughed. “I should have known.” She shook her head. It seemed unreal that he’d own an entire island. But his naming the island Anetakis didn’t surprise her in the least. He wore arrogance like most people wore clothing.
As the island loomed larger on the horizon, she curled her fingers into tight balls. Her anxiety must have been evident to Chrysander, because he reached over and took one of her hands in his. “There’s nothing to worry over, pedhaki mou. You’ll like it on the island, and it will be good for you to have time to relax and concentrate on regaining your strength.”
She didn’t argue with him over her condition, knowing full well it was a useless expenditure of energy. But she had no intention of spending her time on the island “resting.”
They landed on a small concrete helipad situated at the rear of a palatial house. Chrysander curled a protective arm around her as they ducked and walked away from the helicopter.
He touched her shoulder and indicated that she wait while he spoke to the pilot. She stood, staring up at the sprawling house, waiting for some flicker of recognition. A cool breeze blew off the water, and a chill raced up her arms. Still, she remained, staring, hoping, but she was convinced she’d never been here.
“Come,” Chrysander said as he took her hand. “You’re getting cold.”
As the helicopter droned away, she took a step to follow Chrysander and then paused again. He turned and looked inquisitively at her. “What is wrong?”
She swallowed as she continued to gaze over the grounds. There was a sense of wonder, as though she’d stepped into some wild paradise, but no feeling of home, that this was a place she had any knowledge of. It terrified her.
Chrysander closed the distance between them and touched her face in concern. He cursed when she trembled.
“I’ve never been here,” she said in a low voice. She looked to him for confirmation.
He nodded. “This is so. This is your first visit to the island.”
“I don’t understand,” she said faintly. “We’re engaged, and I’ve never been to the place you call home?”
His lips pressed together. “We made our home in New York, Marley. I told you this.”
The cloud of confusion grew around her. Would they not have visited? Even once? She allowed him to take her hand, and they walked up the long, winding path toward the house. As they neared the gate, Marley could see the sparkling waters of a swimming pool.
A large patio extended from the back of the house, and the pool was carved in the middle. To her surprise, the pool entered the house under an elaborate archway.
“It’s heated,” Chrysander explained as he drew her inside the house. “It’s too cool this time of year for outdoor swimming, but you can enjoy a light swim indoors if the doctor gives his permission.”
She rolled her eyes and allowed him to tug her along with him. They entered a huge room that looked to be in actuality three separate areas. They stood in the living room but the floor plan into the kitchen and dining area was open, and they flowed seamlessly into one another.
Marley’s gaze wandered to the glass doors leading onto a patio where yet another pool was situated with a view of the ocean in the distance. To her shock, a woman in a skimpy bikini appeared at the entrance and stepped inside the house.
She recognized her as Chrysander’s personal assistant, but why would she be here? And it was certainly too cold to be out sunbathing in such a suit.
Roslyn looked up, and it was apparent to Marley that she feigned surprise at seeing them. Though she had a wrap draped over one arm, she made no move to put it on as she hurriedly crossed the floor toward Chrysander.
“Mr. Anetakis, I didn’t expect you until tomorrow!”
Her long blond hair trailed seductively down her back, and Marley gaped as she saw the bottom of Roslyn’s bikini was actually a thong.
“I hope you don’t mind that I took advantage of the facilities,” Roslyn rushed to say as she put well-manicured fingers to Chrysander’s arm.
“Of course not,” Chrysander said smoothly. “I did tell you to avail yourself of whatever you liked. Did you set up my office as I requested?”
“Of course. I do hope it won’t be a problem for me to remain one more night? I didn’t arrange for the helicopter to fetch me until tomorrow morning.”
Roslyn’s wide, innocent eyes didn’t fool Marley, and she felt the beginnings of a headache drumming in her temples. She pulled her hand from Chrysander’s and merely walked away, having no desire to listen to the mewings of his assistant any longer.
“You are welcome to stay, Roslyn. I do hope you’ll have dinner with us tonight,” Chrysander said politely as Marley mounted the stairs.
She really had no idea where she was going, but upstairs seemed as good a place as any, and it would put her solidly away from the source of her irritation. She was nearly to the top when Chrysander overtook her.
“You should have waited for me,” he reproached. “I don’t like you navigating the stairs by yourself. What if you were to fall? In the future, someone will escort you up or down.”
Her mouth fell open. “You’re not serious!”
He frowned, clearly not liking her tone of disbelief. “I’m very serious when it comes to your well-being and that of our child.”
She blew out her breath in frustration as Chrysander escorted her from the landing of the stairs down the hall to a spacious bedroom. Clearly this was the master suite. She set aside the protests forming on her tongue and stared at Chrysander in question.
“Is this to be my room?”
“It is our room.”
Heat rose in her cheeks. Her throat suddenly went dry as she imagined sharing the big bed with Chrysander. Satisfaction gleamed in his eyes as he observed her reaction.
“Do you have any objections?” he asked softly.
She shook her head. “N-no. None.”
A slow smiled curved his sensual mouth. A predatory gleam entered his eyes. “That is good. We are in agreement then.”
“I—w-well, not exactly,” she stammered.
He cocked one imperious brow. “We are not?”
She shook herself from the intimate spell he was weaving over her. The one that had her reduced to a mass of writhing s
tupidity. She lifted her chin and stared challengingly at him. “I don’t need an escort to get up and down the stairs, Chrysander. I’m not an invalid, and I don’t wish to be treated like one.”
“And I would prefer you had someone with you.” His voice became steely and determination creased his brow.
“I will not spend our time here as a prisoner, only allowed out whenever someone can make the time to fetch me back and forth.” She crossed her arms over her chest and glared mutinously at him.
To her surprise, his shoulders relaxed and laughter escaped him.
“What’s so funny?” she demanded.
“You are, pedhaki mou. You sound just like you always have. Always arguing with me. You’ve always accused me of being too set on having things my way.” He gave a shrug that said he accepted as much.
“Well, since we’re arguing, what is that woman doing here parading around in next to nothing?”
She hadn’t meant it to come out quite like that. She’d wanted to sound more casual and less like a jealous shrew, but she’d failed miserably.
Chrysander’s expression hardened. “You never liked her, but I would appreciate it if you weren’t rude.”
Marley raised a brow. “Never? And you don’t wonder why?” She turned her back to Chrysander and walked to the window that overlooked the pool and the garden to the left that separated the two swimming areas. “Why is it she is here and seems so comfortable, and yet this is my first visit?”
She tensed when Chrysander’s hands cupped her shoulders. “Roslyn often travels with me. This time I arranged for her to stay in Corinth so she is available if I need her, but her presence won’t be an issue for you.” His lips brushed across her temple. “As to why you’ve never been here, I can only say that it has never come up. When I would return to New York after being away for weeks at a time, I was more interested in spending that time with you, not wasting it traveling.”
Marley turned around and without thinking wrapped her arms around Chrysander and buried her face in his chest. “I’m just so frustrated. I won’t apologize, however, for not liking the fact that my fiancé’s personal assistant is cavorting around with barely a string covering her assets, or that she seems perfectly at home in a place that I should, but don’t.”