He stroked her hair away from her face. “You need someone to look after you.”
She couldn’t argue that after he had caught her from fainting and carried her to the nearest bed. “I’ll hire someone.”
Stergios tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “Oxi, I want to be part of this pregnancy.”
She rose up and rested against her elbows. “And what will happen if we get married and I have the child? What becomes of me?”
He caressed the length of her throat with the back of his hand as he frowned. “What do you mean?”
Jodie bit down on her tongue. She hadn’t planned to voice those concerns but now they were out in the open. “You only want to get married so you have a legal claim on your baby. What happens next?”
“We raise our child.”
“Together? I doubt that.” She may not be part of Stergios’s social stratosphere, but she knew what happened when women married powerful men. “I’m going to be pushed off to the side. I’ll be the outsider. You’ll send me away and keep the baby.”
He gave her an odd, slanted smile. “I won’t.”
“And it would only be a matter of time before you and the baby forget about me.”
“Impossible,” he said as his hands rested on the mattress. His arms bracketed her and he lowered his head. “I want our child to have many brothers and sisters.”
Hope was a dangerous thing, Jodie thought as a lump formed in her throat. “What?”
“I’ve never liked being an only child.” Stergios pressed his mouth against her cheek. “I know you haven’t, either.”
She wanted a big family. She had often dreamed of a home that was bursting at the seams with children, laughter and love.
Stergios left a trail of soft kisses along her jaw. “A marriage is meant to protect your property and heirs. I will make you my wife if it means protecting my family but I have no interest in a paper marriage,” he said. “Once we marry, you will share my bed and have my children.”
His gentle, soothing tone couldn’t hide the fierceness behind his words. “How can you make a declaration like that?” she asked as she lay back down. “We aren’t even in a relationship.”
Stergios hovered above her and she saw the possessive gleam in his eye. “That needs to change immediately.”
“Stop.” Her heart pounded wildly as she pressed her fingertips against his mouth. “You can’t seduce me into marriage.”
The challenge flickered in his eyes and she held her breath. What was she doing throwing down the gauntlet like that? She knew she would promise him anything if it meant one more kiss, one more touch.
“I wouldn’t dream of it,” he said as he captured her hand and kissed her fingertips. “Now go to sleep. You need your rest.”
She snatched her hand away. “I mean it, Stergios. I won’t live with you and I won’t share a bed.”
“Ne, you will, pethi mou. Very soon,” he promised as he stood up. “You will give me everything I want and more.”
CHAPTER TWELVE
“ARE YOU SURE you want to do this?” Jodie whispered to Stergios as they walked through the cavernous museum to the Antoniou collection. Her black ball gown swished against her legs as they followed the colorful banners that announced the highly anticipated display.
“I have been looking forward to this event,” Stergios said as they entered the archway that led to the exclusive party. “The Antoniou family donated historically important artifacts to the museum and it will be on tour for years.”
“No, that’s not what I meant. I know you want to be here.” The pride had shimmered from him as they had entered the prestigious building and she didn’t want to do anything to diminish it. “Are you sure you want me to attend. With you?”
He stopped and studied her strained smile. “You’re nervous,” he said in disbelief.
Of course she was nervous! She didn’t want to let him down. Her spine grew rigid when she felt all eyes on her. Jodie swept her gaze along the crowd. They appeared reticent but at least they weren’t hostile.
Stergios splayed his hand against her back. The casual touch did little to calm her nerves. She still slept in a separate room. There were some nights when she wished she hadn’t drawn a line on their relationship. She was frequently tempted to move into his room and stake her claim but something held her back. She still wasn’t sure if Stergios’s solicitude was temporary or an attempt to lower her guard.
It didn’t help that he was wearing a black tuxedo that accentuated his lean, masculine body. Her mouth had gone dry and a wicked curl of heat had settled low in her pelvis when she had first seen him. His knowing smile had irked her but she still had difficulty dragging her gaze away.