Stephen held his little face up for Willow's goodnight kiss with some impatience and then darted from the room.
'Ready?' Theo looked down into her blue eyes, and she nodded, too nervous to speak.
The party had been Judy's idea, and she had made no secret of the fact that she had an eight-year-old grandson called Stephanos. Her joy was unrestrained. But as Willow stood by Theo's side to greet the guests she could almost feel the shock waves when he introduced her as his fiancée. She twisted the huge diamond ring nervously around her finger, and wished she had never chosen it. Her joke had spectacularly backfired, as guest after female guest demanded to see it, and was apparently awed by its magnificence, but she could sense their insincerity.
She told herself she didn't care about other people's reaction, but it was hard when she had to suffer a few barbed comments about how wonderful it must be for her and her son to find Theo again, and how they would now never have to want for anything. They might as well have come out and said 'gold-digger'. The huge diamond ring did not help her cause one bit.
'Nice friends you have,' she murmured with a sarcastic lift of one finely arched brow in Theo's direction. 'But if you will excuse me I think I need a drink.'
He shrugged lightly, emphasising the width of his broad shoulders underneath the elegant dinner suit. 'What did you expect?' he said with a cynical curve to his expressive mouth. 'Introducing a fiancée and a son in one evening was bound to cause gossip, and whose fault is that?' There was something in his voice that sent a sudden unease sliding through her. 'You surely didn't expect me to hide you both away, darling. That was always your solution, but not mine, I will not allow it.'
Sliding a casual arm around her waist, he pulled her into his side. 'Don't look so tense; you're an incredibly beautiful woman.' He scanned her exquisite features with glittering dark eyes. 'More so than any woman here. Relax and enjoy the party.' And he lifted her hand and raised it to his lips, pressing a lingering kiss against her knuckles. His dark gaze held hers with a compelling intensity. 'As for the ring, the jeweller informed me when I paid for it that I was an extremely lucky man. You are one of the few women in the world with hands elegant enough and fingers long enough to wear it. These women here tonight are just green with envy, believe me.' Strangely she did as he added, 'Fortunately our marriage will be a nine-day wonder, if that, and then you and I can get on with our lives. . .together.'
Theo complimenting her, and reassuring her—that had to be a first. There was something in his tone that made her pulse race, and yet his arm around her waist gave her the oddest feeling of being protected and at peace with the world. It was a lethal combination and it worried her slightly. Swiftly lowering her gaze, she freed her hand from his, frightened that he would notice, and tried to slip from his restraining arm.
'Wowee, Theo! No wonder you want to hang onto her,' a deeply accented male voice said with a laugh, noting her struggle. 'She is perfection; you must introduce me.'
Willow stilled in the curve of Theo's arm. She had been in serious danger of making a fool of herself in front of all the guests and this person in particular. She glanced at the man and her eyes widened appreciatively. Theo apart, he had to be the best-looking man at the party. Maybe an inch taller than her, and two or three years older, he had long black curly hair tied back with a leather thong in a pony- tail. His dinner suit was a flamboyant rich blue, and yet it suited him, and the gleaming golden eyes smiling into hers were full of fun.
'Leo, I am surprised you could make it,' Theo said with a coolness that sent shivers down Willow's spine.
'You know me, Theo—I can't resist a party.' He smiled at Willow. 'I think your fiancé is reluctant to tell me your name, beautiful lady. He is probably afraid of the competition.' He grinned wickedly. 'Moi—' he lifted his hand to his heart '—your slave for life,' and he winked.
Willow laughed out loud. He was outrageous, but a welcome relief from the stiff formality of the rest of the guests.
'That's enough, Leo,' Theo said grimly. Willow felt the tightening of Theo's arm around her waist and the sudden tension in every muscle in his body beneath the immaculate dinner suit, and she looked at the other man with interest. A man that could get a reaction from the intimidating Theo Kadros had to be a rarity.
'My fiancée Willow, and she is out of bounds to you.'
'Why, Theo?' she said sweetly, beginning to hugely enjoy herself. 'Surely you can't be jealous? Leo was only being polite.'
Theo spared her a dark glance. 'Maybe, but now it is time we mingled,' and, ignoring the other man, he urged her towards another group of people.
'What have you got against Leo?' she asked.
'Nothing at all. He is a good friend. I have known him for years. But he is also a notorious womaniser. For some reason women adore him, and I am taking no chances.'
Surprised, Willow glanced up at him and was stunned to see he was serious. Talk about the pot calling the kettle black, she thought dryly.
The buffet was announced, and Judy joined them as they made their way to the large dining room. Anna and her husband appeared and for the next hour they ate and drank together, with frequent exclamations by Anna: 'I still can't believe it. You, of all people, Willow!'
Willow had met Anna and her two daughters yesterday when they had arrived at the house eager to meet the new addition to the family. Stephen had been an instant hit with the two girls, but Anna had been in a state of shock. She'd spent the morning giving her brother disapproving looks, until he had escaped to his office to put in a few hours' work. Then she had taken Willow out for lunch and a girlie afternoon in Athens, and spent most of the time apologizing to her. She'd stated that he must have loved Willow all along.
Theo was leaning against the wall at the party, watching his mother and sister, their faces animated as they ate and drank and gossiped. But his eyes narrowed on Willow as he caught sight of the flicker of strain in her expressive blue eyes, even as her carefully composed features creased into a smile.
These three women were his family and it hit him forcibly that he felt the same protective instinct for Willow as he did for the other two women in his life. And inexplicably he felt angry with his guests for not immediately seeing Willow as he did.
She was an exceptional woman in a hundred different ways. Proud, independent and a wonderful mother, not to mention the most exquisitely beautiful female he had ever seen. Yet there was no vanity about her; she seemed totally unaware of her own power. There wasn't a man in this room who would not leap at the chance to be in his shoes, and she had been right before. He was jealous.
'If you're finished eating, Willow, perhaps you would like a breath of fresh air?'
Willow lifted her head and met his dark gaze almost with relief. It was hot inside and the noise was making her head ache, not to mention her feeling the censure of all eyes. 'You read my mind,' she said with unaccustomed flippancy, and took the hand he held out to help her to her feet.
Theo led her out onto the terrace, deftly fielding the many salutations from his friends as they passed. She drew in a lungful of the cool night air, a soft sigh escaping her.
'Better?' Theo asked quietly.
'Yes,' Willow murmured. Their hands still linked together, she smiled briefly up at him.