Apollo’s father had had two loves in his life while Apollo was growing up: the family business and his bottle of bourbon. Nile inherited their father’s passion for the family business. Apollo never forgot Nile’s obsession with all things Drakos. The thing Apollo never figured out was whether his brother’s interest in the business was an effort to please their demanding father or if Nile just loved the business world to the exclusion of all else—until he’d met Andrina.
Everything had changed after Nile fell for Andrina. It was evident in his phone calls with his brother. Nile’s voice had been full of happiness and he’d grown excited about the future, which was no longer centered on the business, but instead Nile was excited about the family he and Andrina were creating. However, Apollo didn’t believe that happiness lasted.
And then he’d been proven right, again. The news of their deaths was like a one-two punch to the kidney. Emotionally it had knocked him out.
In a blink, his brother had been stolen away. Even now the pain of loss emanated outward from Apollo’s chest. He didn’t know how Popi was holding it all together—maybe it was due to the baby. She was being strong for it. He had to admire such strength and courage.
It was then that Popi approached him. And by her stiff posture, he was certain she was not happy about him crashing this wedding. Maybe this hadn’t been such a great idea after all, but he was there now so he might as well stay and get this over with.
He was propped against a tall white column. He didn’t move, as Popi was headed straight for him. “What are you doing here?” Her gaze narrowed. “You aren’t part of the moving crew, are you?”
“Never said I was.”
“But you let me believe you were.”
“As I recall, you were in too much of a hurry to get the details.”
Popi crossed her arms and glared at him. “Who are you?”
He cleared his throat. “I tried to tell you back at the bungalow—”
Just then there was the tinkle of a glass as people were called to take a seat for dinner. The bride motioned for Popi to join her at the head table.
Popi signaled that she was coming before she turned back to him. “I have to go.”
Without waiting for him to respond, she turned her back to him and walked away. His gaze naturally followed the sway of her hips.
“This isn’t over.” The gentle breeze carried his words, but Popi was too far away to hear him.
He’d walked away from his brother, not intending for it to be forever, but that’s exactly what had happened. He would never again speak to Nile, argue with him or take comfort in his brother’s concern for his well-being. Without Nile, he utterly felt adrift in this great big world.
And then when he’d been informed about Nile’s child—his last living link to his brother—Apollo knew in that moment that he had to set things right. Or as right as was possible. He owed Nile that much and so much more.
In the next breath, the attorney had informed him that Popi was seeking custody. If he didn’t stop her, he would lose a tangible link to his brother—his only chance to do the right thing as far as his brother was concerned.
Apollo had vowed then and there to never walk away from the baby. It was all the family he had left. He would learn from his past and not make the same mistakes again—the stakes were too high.
Apollo was generally straightforward, but with a baby involved perhaps a gentler approach was in order. His father had been a very blunt man. Apollo knew how it felt to be on the receiving end of that bluntness. He wouldn’t wish it on anyone.
Maybe a bit of charm and a few kind words would smooth the path to claiming his niece or nephew. He didn’t know if it’d work, but it was worth a try. He didn’t want to make this harder on Popi than it needed to be. But in the end, he intended for the baby to live with him at the Drakos estate.
CHAPTER FOUR
POPI BARELY ATE her dinner at the reception.
Her gaze kept moving over the crowd of well-wishers, searching for the strikingly handsome man. He seemed so familiar to her and yet she was certain they hadn’t met before, but how could that be?
And what did he want with her? If he was a disgruntled client, he would want to speak with Lea, as she was the owner of the island and the wedding business. But Popi hadn’t noticed a wedding ring on his finger.
Lea leaned over. “Is everything all right?”
Not wanting to alarm the bride on her big day, Popi said, “Yes, of course.”
Lea’s brows drew together. “Then why haven’t you eaten?”
Popi glanced down. At one point, the food had looked appetizing, but now her stomach was a twisted-up ball of nerves. “I...um...was just distracted.”
Lea arched a fine brow at her. “Distracted, huh? With that handsome guy I saw you chatting with?”
Popi’s gaze searched the area, not finding any sign of him. She didn’t know what to say to Lea. She didn’t want the bride worrying about the mystery man.
“Popi?”
She turned back to the bride. “He’s, um, with the movers. There was some kind of mix-up and he showed up a day early. I hope him crashing the wedding hasn’t upset you.”
A look of disappointment skittered across Lea’s face. “So he wasn’t here at your invitation?”
Popi gave a firm shake of her head.
“I’ll have him escorted off the island—”
“No. Don’t.” There was something about his serious tone and the feeling she should know him that had her anxious to learn his story. “I’ve got it.”
Lea looked hesitant. “You’re sure?”
Popi nodded. The truth was she wasn’t sure about anything—especially why this man was so eager to speak with her.
Lea let the subject drop. And with the mystery man now gone, Popi forced herself to eat a few bites of food. The evening moved along with the groom, Xander, dancing the traditional zeibekiko. The crowd clapped as Xander’s arms rose over his head. He snapped his fingers as he moved in a tight circle. He stopped in front of Lea and dropped to his knees, still waving his arms over his head. The crowd loved it, most especially Lea. The smile on the bride’s face lit up the whole room.
One dance led to another. The bride and groom were all smiles, as they had eyes only for each other. Popi considered this wedding a success. She took her first easy breath.
And the next thing she knew, she was being led around the dance floor by the best man, Roberto, who was also Xander’s close friend and second-in-command. She’d met him more than once, and though Lea was anxious for them to hit it off, it wasn’t going to happen. Popi couldn’t put her finger on why. He was definitely handsome and successful, but neither one was into the other. They were becoming fast friends, but that’s all it would ever be.
Partway through the song, there was a tap on Roberto’s shoulders. Popi’s gaze followed the finger up the arm and then her gaze settled upon the sexy stranger’s face. Apparently it was time for their talk. She had to admit that she was anxious to learn his identity and what he had to tell her.
“Can I cut in?” The stranger wore a serious expression.
Roberto, looking caught off guard, stopped dancing. “Um...” His gaze moved to her and she nodded. “Thank you for the dance.” Roberto turned back to the other man. “She’s all yours.”
The man took Popi in his quite capable arms, but there was no escaping their closeness with her protruding abdomen. No one had long enough arms to allow for much room between them—not even this man.
“What are you doing?” Her voice came out in a heated whisper.
“Dancing. With you.” He led her around the dance floor.
“But I don’t know your name. I don’t even understand why you’re at the wedding—”
“Shh... I’ll answer all your questions after one dance. That seems like a fair bargain, doesn
’t it?” He smiled at her, but it didn’t quite reach his eyes.
His words were smooth, but she got the impression there was more going on here than him trying to pick her up. Although, a man with his striking good looks being interested in dancing with a woman almost nine months pregnant was an offer she couldn’t turn down.
She nodded her consent.
His muscled arm moved to her waist while he took her hand in his and held it to his chest. Her heart was racing madly. She assured herself it was the physical activity and nothing to do with the handsome man holding her in his arms.
His gaze met hers and held it. She wasn’t able to read his thoughts, but that didn’t keep her heart from continuing to race. Was it wrong to acknowledge that he was the sexiest man at the wedding? On the island?
As she stared into his blue eyes, she was caught off guard by a glimmer of pain lurking just beneath the surface. Normally when she looked into someone’s eyes, there was a light there, but in this mysterious stranger’s case, it was as if that light had been snuffed out. Someone had hurt him—hurt him deeply. Sympathy welled up in her. She was all too familiar with pain that balled up inside and made it difficult to eat, sometimes to inhale a full breath.
He glanced away, breaking the contact. So he wasn’t into sharing either, not that it was any of her business. But she couldn’t help but be intrigued by him. Again, she was struck by his familiarity, but she was certain they hadn’t previously met. There was no way that she would forget someone as good-looking as him.
The song playing in the background was a classic: “Moondance.” As the singer’s deep voice wafted through the air, Popi’s dance partner guided her around the crowded dance floor. White twinkle lights were strung overhead, casting a soft glow over the area.
But all Popi had eyes for was the handsome man holding her in his arms as though she belonged there. For just this moment, reality, with all its sorrow, rolled away.
When his gaze met hers once more, there was something different reflected in his blue eyes. Was it interest? In her? Her heart skipped a beat. How could he desire her in her current condition? Impossible. Wasn’t it?
For this one dance, she allowed herself the luxury of pretending that he was her lover. What could it hurt? It’d been so very long since she’d felt anything but the heavy weight of guilt and the darkness of grief.
For this one dance beneath the starry sky, she’d allow herself to be happy.
* * *
It’d been a long time since he’d danced.
And he was surprised to find he enjoyed holding Popi close.
Realizing he was enjoying it too much, Apollo guided them off to a quiet corner of the dance floor. His intent was to have a serious conversation with her, but this close contact was detrimental to his thought process.
He drew in a deep breath, but it did nothing to cool his heated blood. There was something about this woman that got past his practiced defenses. And right now, talking was the last thing on his mind.
Blindly following his desires was how he’d gotten himself into a number of jams in the past, from angry fathers with shotguns to returning to camp, where a tribal leader and anxious bride awaited him. He was older now, more responsible. But that didn’t make Popi any less enchanting.
Get it together. He mustered up an image of the legal documents—papers that would steal away his last link to his brother. Suddenly his heated blood cooled and his thoughts became more focused.
And then he turned his gaze back to Popi. Perhaps he’d made a miscalculation by lingering at this wedding. He should have waited to speak with her. But he’d already waited too long to take his rightful place in the Drakos family. Guilt and determination kept him from walking away.
If only Popi didn’t look so captivating, he’d be able to sort his thoughts—to speak his mind. His gaze continued to take in her beauty. Her hair was pinned up with just a few wispy strands of hair around her neck—ringlets that teased and tempted him to reach out and wrap them around his finger. And her gown hugged her curves and dipped low enough to hint at her tempting cleavage.
His mouth grew dry and his hands grew damp. Testosterone challenged his common sense. She looked so fine—very different from his sister-in-law, whom he recalled being a lot less curvy and had portrayed a more serious demeanor. And his old self would have swept Popi off her feet by now. It was so difficult being responsible and doing what was proper when his entire body longed to do all those improper things with Popi.
He blamed this instant attraction on this island. His research had unearthed that Infinity Island was famous for its romances. Marriages started here were rumored to last forever. Was it possible that it did hold some sort of magical power? Instead of a love potion, perhaps the island cast a love spell over its inhabitants.
Because right now, he was losing the struggle. All he could think about was kissing Popi. It didn’t matter that they barely knew each other or that she was very, very pregnant. It was the way the moonlight was reflected in her eyes.
And then there was the way she looked at him when she hadn’t thought he was paying attention. She was just as drawn to him as he was to her. That was the final part of his undoing.
Popi tilted her chin upward until their gazes met. “What’s the matter?”
“In this moment, nothing.”
“Then why did you stop dancing? Are you ready to answer my questions?”
He smiled at her tenacity, but he wasn’t ready to ruin this moment with the harshness of reality. It would happen soon enough. He drew her close again as the remaining verses of the song played. He heard the swift intake of her breath as her eyes widened. “The song isn’t quite over.”
Their bodies swayed together, but their feet didn’t move.
He lowered his head to her ear. Softly he said, “Do you know how beautiful you are?”
And then without thinking of the consequences—the right and wrong—he turned his head. He caught her lips. Part of him expected her to pull away—another part of him willed her to meet him halfway.
And then her mouth moved beneath his. His heart slammed into his ribs. Her glossy lips moved with eagerness. His tongue sought entrance. Her mouth widened, causing a moan to swell in the back of his throat.
Was this really happening? Could this amazing woman really be this into him? In that moment, he couldn’t think of anything he wanted more than her.
Being alone for so long—just him and nature—it got so lonely at times. Not that he’d ever admitted it to anyone. But with Popi in his arms, he had a glimpse of what life might be like if he were to let someone get close.
Her hand reached up and wrapped around his neck. In that moment, he lost his fingertip-hold on reality. Popi leaned into him. Her lips moved over his, taking the lead in this arousing dance. She was so hot that everywhere she touched him, he felt singed. And he didn’t want her to stop.
He’d kept to himself for too long. He told himself that was why her kiss was sweeter than the passion fruit Moscato wine being passed around the wedding. He assured himself it was all an illusion that would soon pass. But the longer they kissed, the more he craved her.
Apollo let go of her hand to wrap his arm around her waist. Her baby bump kept him from being able to pull her as close as he would like. It was a reminder that this wasn’t a fantasy. Popi was very much flesh and blood.
He should stop this. He should put some distance between them. He took a small step back—at least he thought it was a step—but Popi was still leaning into him as their lips moved hungrily over each other.
Her fingers spread out over his chest, scattering his thoughts of ending things. The V-neck of his shirt allowed her fingertips to touch his bare skin. It was as though just by her touch alone, she branded him as her own.
No woman, no kiss, had ever affected him so deeply. It was like they’d been made for each other. S
he was the half that made him whole.
A drum roll echoed through the garden and pounded reality back into his head. He pulled back and looked at her. It took them each a moment to catch their breath. He hadn’t come here to kiss Popi. His fingers moved over his mouth, still remembering the softness of her touch. He drew in an uneven breath.
Kissing her had been a mistake. He didn’t know if he was going to be able to talk to her—to look at her—without recalling that earth-moving kiss. And he couldn’t afford to be distracted. There was too much at stake.
He stepped away. “That shouldn’t have happened.”
Popi’s gaze darkened. “The song has ended. Now I want answers. Who are you?”
“Do you really not recognize me?”
“No.” She studied his face. “Why should I know you? Are you famous?”
“In a manner of speaking.” He’d been fodder for the tabloids off and on his whole life. Billionaire heir spotted here...spotted there. “I’m Apollo Drakos.”
Her mouth gaped. Her eyes reflected the rampant thoughts racing through her mind. It took her a moment to press her glossy lips together.
Popi’s gaze narrowed. “Where have you been? We tried to reach you right after the accident, but no one knew what had happened to you.”
“It doesn’t matter—”
“Of course it matters.” Her voice assumed an accusatory tone. “You should have been here.”
His muscles tensed as yet another person heaped guilt on him. He deserved the condemnation and accusations, but there was nothing she could say that he hadn’t already said to himself.
“I’m here now.”
“Then you know about the accident and that we had the funeral—”
“I know all of it. My attorney filled me in.”
Her gaze searched his. “Then what are you doing here on the island?”
Claiming the Drakos Heir Page 3