The Greek's Long-Lost Son (14 page)

As they rounded a small headland, her feet came to a stop. This was the little cove where Theo always brought her in the rowboat. This was where they’d made passionate love for the first time. Ari had been conceived here.

She lifted wet eyes to capture the scene. In the distance she saw the man she loved hunkered down on the sand in shorts and a T-shirt, watching the ocean. This part of the coast was protected, making the water as calm as a lake.

“Papa!”

He turned his head. By the way he slowly got to his feet she could tell he was shocked to see her with Ari.

Her heart pounded so hard, it seemed to give her wings as she started running toward him. Suddenly he was galvanized into action and raced toward her as if he could outrun the wind. They met halfway and clung in euphoric rapture while he swung her around.

“Darling,” she cried breathlessly.

Theo didn’t speak words she could hear. He did it with his mouth, covering hers hungrily, letting her know how he felt while they communicated in the way they used to when they found this special spot to be together.

“Thank God you came,” he whispered at last. “I swear I—”

“Shh.” She pressed her lips to his. “We’re never going to talk about this again. We’re never going to think about the past again. Don’t look now, but I think we’ve embarrassed our son.”

When Theo lifted his dark head, the last rays of the sun gilded his features. They were more striking to her now than ever before. His black eyes devoured her before shifting to their son, who stood a little ways off watching a sailboat in the distance.

“Ari? You’ll have to forgive your mother and me. She just told me she’d marry me.”

“You did?” He shrieked for joy.

She nodded.

“That’s so awesome, Mom!” He leaped in the air, shouting like a maniac. His whole face was wet from happy tears. Her heart thrilled to see the smile that transformed him.

“‘So awesome’ is right,” Theo murmured, kissing her again. “I kind of lost control for a minute.”

Ari laughed and ran over to them. They all hugged for a long time.

“How soon is the wedding?”

“Three weeks,” they both said at the same time. He smiled into her eyes. “That should give us enough time.”

“Why do you have to wait so long?”

She slid her arm around their son. “The wedding banns.”

“What are those?”

“An announcement that we’re getting married,” Theo explained. “It gives anyone time to object if they know a reason why we shouldn’t be married.”

“That’s crazy! Who wouldn’t want you two to get married?”

Stella’s eyes sought Theo’s. The moment was bittersweet until he said, “Nobody I know, and you’re absolutely right. It
is
crazy, but it’s tradition. Come on. Let’s go back to the house and plan the wedding.”

“Are you going to ask Hektor to marry you?”

“Who else?” Theo teased.

“Are you guys going to go on a honeymoon?”

That forlorn little tone had sneaked into his voice. Theo smiled at her before he said, “We’re thinking either Disneyland or Disney World. We’ll let you make the decision.”

“Disneyland!” he cried out. “Dax said it’s awesome!”

“R
ACHEL
? Would you do me a favor?” She and Stella were lying by the pool at the villa on Andros looking at baby magazines.

“What is it?”

“Don’t look now but Theo’s staring at me from the other end of the patio. My due date isn’t for another three days, but you’d think I was on the verge of giving birth right now. Tell Stasio to take him somewhere for the day. I swear if he hovers around me one more minute, I’m going to scream.”

“I know exactly how you feel. Stasio drove me crazy for the last couple of weeks before Anna was born.”

“I’m getting there fast.”

“He’s in the house changing her diaper. As soon as he comes out, I’ll ask him.”

“Thank you.”

“Uh-oh.”

“What?”

“Theo’s coming over here.”

Stella lifted the magazine higher, pretending not to see him.

“You’ve been in the sun long enough, Stella. Let’s get you inside for a little while. Too much heat isn’t good for you.”

“I haven’t been out here that long.”

“I disagree.” In the next breath he picked her up off the lounge with those strong arms and carried her in the house to their bedroom.

Once he’d placed her carefully on top of the bed, he lay down next to her and smoothed the hair off her forehead. The anxious concern in his eyes baffled her.

“Darling, I’m as healthy as a horse. You don’t need to worry about me. When I was carrying Ari, I never had any trouble. There’s no reason to believe I’ll have it this time.”

“But I wasn’t there to take care of you. Now that we can enjoy this spring break with the family, I want to wait on you.”

“I know, and I love you for it, but watching me all the time is like waiting for water to boil.”

His lips twitched. “Not quite. You’re much more interesting.” His hand slid over the mound, sending delicious chills through her body. “Is she kicking right now?”

“Not at the moment. I’ll let you know the second she does. Come on. Close your eyes and take a little nap with me.”

“That’s kind of hard when I want to do more than that with you.”

“I think you’ve done quite enough for one year, Kyrie Pantheras.”

He chuckled deep in his throat and bit gently on her earlobe. “You’re a fertile little thing.”

“So I’ve found out. We’re going to have to be careful after she’s born.”

His dark brows furrowed. “Is that your way of telling me the honeymoon’s over?”

“No.” She grabbed his hand and kissed his fingertips. “It’s my way of telling you we could probably have a baby every year for the next ten years without a problem.”

“I like the idea in theory.”

“You would. You’re not the one who feels like a walrus.”

He grinned. “Yesterday it was a hippo. A very sexy one, I might add.”

“Oh, Theo.” She cupped his cheeks. “I love you too much.”

Their mouths fused for a long time. “Now you know how I feel all the time.”

“Pretty soon this baby will be born and you can stop worrying.”

She heard his sharp intake of breath. “If anything happened to you—”

“It’s not going to,” she said.

“Have I told you Ari’s latest idea for a name?”

“No. What is it?”

“We were looking at the Andromeda constellation the other night and he said, ‘Papa? Can we name the baby Andrea?’”

“That’s a beautiful name.”

“I like it, too.”

“Then let’s do it. Ari will be thrilled.”

“We’ll tell him later. Right now I have other plans for us. Roll over on your side and I’ll give you a back rub.”

“That sounds heavenly.” She’d had a low backache all week. It was the pressure of the baby since it had dropped.

The second Theo began touching her, her body quickened. Slowly his caresses sent sparks of desire
through her, making her breathless. His mouth played havoc with hers. Stella wanted him with a need so powerful it turned into literal pain. She must have let out a little cry.

“What’s wrong?”

“Nothing that a night of making love without our baby separating us won’t cure.”

“I probably shouldn’t be touching you at all.”

“If you didn’t, I don’t know how I’d go on living.” She pressed her mouth to his and clung. All of a sudden she felt another pain that came all the way around to her stomach.

She grabbed Theo’s hand and put it there. “Feel how hard that is?”

“Like a rock.”

“I’m in labor, darling.”

“You’re kidding!” His voice shook.

“No. This is how it started before. We’d better call the doctor.”

His face drained of color, Theo rolled off the bed and pulled out his cell phone. “His number’s there on the bed stand.”

The next few minutes were a blur while she timed her contractions. “They’re coming every five minutes.”

She didn’t hear what Theo was saying, but after he got off the phone he told her they were leaving for the hospital. “The doctor says the baby could come fast because this isn’t your first. Come on. We’ll take Stasio’s car.”

“That’s right,” she quipped. “This beached whale couldn’t get inside my sports car right now.”

The joke was lost on Theo, who looked absolutely terrified. He helped her down the hall and the steps,
calling to Stasio, who came running. By now the whole family had gathered around the car.

Rachel leaned inside the window. “I’ll take care of the boys. Theo will take care of you. Don’t worry about a thing.”

It didn’t take long to reach the hospital in Palaiopolis. She hadn’t planned to have her baby there, but then you never knew what a baby was going to do. Andrea wanted to be born now.

Two and a half hours later she heard a gurgling sound and the attending doctor lifted up their little girl who was crying her lungs out. Knowing they were working and healthy meant everything.

“You’ve got a strong, beautiful daughter here, Kyrie Pantheras. Here—you cut the cord.”

Theo, who’d put on a hospital gown and gloves, let out a cry of happiness. He’d lived through every second of the last few hours with her. Stella’s tears ran down the sides of her cheeks. He hadn’t been a part of any of this before. She was so thankful he had the opportunity now, she couldn’t contain her joy.

A minute later the doctor laid the baby across her stomach so she could see her. “She’s got a little widow’s peak just like yours, darling!”

“She’s got your hair and mouth.”

“Oh, she’s so sweet.”

Theo buried his face in Stella’s neck. “My two girls.” She could tell he was overcome with emotion. She was, too, but so exhausted from the birth and filled with love for her new family, she could feel herself drifting off.

When next Stella came awake, she was in a private room. Theo stood at the side of the bed holding their daughter, who was all cleaned up and bundled. Her
father had a five-o’clock shadow and his black hair was disheveled. Theo made a gorgeous sight!

Their gazes collided.

“You’re awake!”

She smiled. “Yes. What do you think of our little girl?”

“Words don’t cover it,” his voice trembled.

“I know.”

He lowered Andrea into her arms, then sat on a stool next to her. Together they examined their baby. “I’ve already checked everything. She’s perfect.”

Stella broke down laughing. “She is.”

Theo covered Stella’s face with kisses. “How are you feeling?”

“Good. Like I’m floating.”

“You women are the stronger sex. I know that now.” His eyes were pleading with her. “You’ve given me the world. What can I give you?”

“Just go on loving me. I need you desperately. I always will.”

The baby started fussing. “She’s hungry.”

“She sure is,” the nurse’s voice boomed. “You’ll have to leave for about a half hour while I help your wife start to nurse, Kyrie Pantheras.”

He lowered his mouth to hers once more. “I’ll be back.”

“We’ll be here waiting.”

Theo drove back to the villa in record time. Ari and Leandros were waiting for him. “You have a new sister. We decided to name her Andrea.”

He grinned. “Hooray. Can I go see her?”

“As soon as I’ve showered and shaved.”

“Can I go, too, Uncle Theo?”

“Of course. Anyone who wants to.”

“We’ll all go.” Stasio brought up the rear.

Ten minutes later they all piled in the car and left for the hospital. When they reached Stella’s room, she was lying there propped up in the bed with the baby asleep on her shoulder. For a woman who’d given birth such a short time ago, Theo found his wife utterly breathtaking.

While everyone had a chance to hold the baby, he moved over to her side. “You must be exhausted, yet you’ve never looked more alive.”

“That’s because you were with me. We’re the luckiest people in the world to be given a second chance at life. Oh, Theo…it was worth the six-year wait.”

Theo had a hard time swallowing. “I can say that, now that you’re alive and safe, but I wouldn’t recommend it for everyone.”

“No.”

Unable to resist, he kissed her thoroughly. “I know there’s a part of you that wishes Nikos could be here. One day let’s hope he can find our kind of happiness and come around again.”

Her eyes filled with liquid. “You can say that after everything he did to you?”

“I’ve forgotten it. It’s true what they say. Love really does heal all wounds.”

“Theo…”

“Hey, Mom? She kind of looks like Cassie except she doesn’t have red hair.”

“Do you know something, Ari, honey? Every day you look at her, you’re going to see someone else in the family she looks like. It’s part of being a baby.”

“She’s cute.”

“Of course she is,” said Theo. “I’m her father!”

Ari laughed. “Did you hear that, Mom?”

“I heard it.”

Theo had come back to Greece not expecting to claim her or their son. Instead he had both and their adorable Andrea. That was her joy and her blessing.

ISBN: 978-1-4268-4111-8

THE GREEK’S LONG-LOST SON

First North American Publication 2009.

Copyright © 2009 by Rebecca Winters.

All rights reserved. Except for use in any review, the reproduction or utilization of this work in whole or in part in any form by any electronic, mechanical or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including xerography, photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, is forbidden without the written permission of the publisher, Harlequin Enterprises Limited, 225 Duncan Mill Road, Don Mills, Ontario, Canada M3B 3K9.

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