Alexa wrestled with that question throughout the night, but never found an answer. Early the next morning she got up and put on her bikini. Her grandfather would sleep another hour. That would give her time to work off emotions in the pool before everyone awakened.
A gorgeous day, already getting hot, greeted her as she hurried along the deck carrying her beach towel. Her heart slammed into her ribs when she saw Nico already in the pool.
He must have seen her coming and lounged against the side at the deep end, his arms outstretched in a relaxed position. Like a young Zeus who’d beguiled Io.
“I’m glad to see you couldn’t sleep either, and hoped you’d come out here early.” His deep voice stirred her senses. “We’ll be docking at noon and won’t have a lot of time to talk alone.”
Alexa sank down in one of the lounge chairs, knowing that if she dove in, he’d reach for her and there’d be no more talk. “I thought we discussed the important things about the upcoming wedding last night.”
“Which one?”
Her heart thudded. “Nico—”
He swam to the side of the pool nearest her. “I’ve been thinking about it since you went to bed last night. When I first saw you at Irena’s, I was incredulous that you’d had a baby with another man. But nothing has blotted out the image I’ve carried in my mind of the two of us all these years. That image intensified when you told me Dimitra was my daughter.”
“I was so unfair to you.” Her voice trembled.
“Then make it fair and marry me next Friday.”
“What?”
He climbed out of the pool and walked over to her, dripping wet, and gave her a long, passionate kiss. “I told you last night I want another baby with you, and the idea hasn’t left me alone. Maybe a son this time. Who knows how long it will take for you to get pregnant? We may not be as lucky as we were that night on my cruiser and can’t afford to waste any more time.”
She shook her head. “You’re not making sense, and certainly not with our daughter’s wedding coming up.”
“You’re wrong. We’ll fly to Sarti Friday morning while Dimitra is at school, and marry in the Church of the Assumption. The priest and I are good friends.”
Her heart was running away with her. “But we can’t do it that fast, not with all the regulations.”
“We can because I have sources in high places who’ll waive the rules for us.”
“You’re serious!”
“How can you doubt it? Except for telling Gavril our plans, our secret wedding will be private to the world. Afterward we’ll spend several hours at the villa before we fly back to Salonica that evening without anyone being the wiser.
“Until Dimitra and Kristos are married, we’ll slip away each evening before you have to get home to help your grandfather to bed. Once they’re back from their honeymoon, we’ll announce our marriage to the whole family. By then we might even be pregnant.”
She got to her feet on unsteady legs. “Please don’t say anything else. Y-You’re not thinking clearly,” she stammered, too alarmed, excited and terrified all at once to think.
“I’ve had five weeks to get my thoughts straight. Last night they became as crystal clear as the water on my private stretch of beach.”
An almost primitive gleam entered his dark eyes. She knew what was going to happen before he swept her in his arms and they landed in the deep end of the pool. “I want another kiss from my mermaid who took a long swim away from me to the other side of the world. But she’s back, and I’ll make sure she never gets away from me again.”
His mouth closed over hers, kissing her with a possessive intensity that overwhelmed her. Alexa could no more deny what she clamored for than she could stop breathing. It took her back to that time of pure rapture. But he hadn’t said he loved her. Maybe she’d never hear those words.
Yet after losing his unborn baby, he wanted a baby so badly he’d asked her to marry him as soon as next Friday. Deep down she had to admit she would love another baby with him. He’d be the greatest father on earth. But nothing was that simple. Even though Dimitra had forgiven her enough to want her parents to get together, there were other obstacles Alexa couldn’t imagine overcoming.
“Let me go, Nico,” she begged, struggling to separate herself from him. “I can hear voices.”
“I’ll let you swim away as long as you promise to fly to Sarti with me on Friday. Otherwise I’ll tell Dimitra and your grandfather our plans right now while we’re still on the yacht. The decision is yours.”
“Nico, you can’t!”
“They’re coming.”
She was desperate. “I’ll think about it.”
“You’ve got to do better than that.” He had a ruthless side she’d never seen before. After what she’d done to him, it shouldn’t surprise her.