naturally arched brows frowned in puzzlement. “You certainly have an inflated opinion of yourself. I’ve met men in Florida with a lot of money. Maybe not as much as the Vassalos family, but enough to keep a grasping woman in style for the rest of her life. Since you can’t wait for me to be gone, how long do you intend to keep me here?”
“For as long as it takes to get the truth from you.”
She sat down on the edge of the bed as if she was too weak to stand. Her pallor convinced him that part of her story was the truth. She was nauseous, but maybe it covered something other than pregnancy. Kon’s wife had done a spectacular job of convincing him she was pregnant.
“Dev... We met purely by accident, when I was scuba diving at the resort with my friends from Crystal River.”
“Yet you managed to locate me here without any difficulty whatsoever. Now you’re telling me you’re pregnant with my child. We both know you were already pregnant when you slept with me on vacation. If you’re hoping to inveigle your way into my life with this announcement, it won’t work.”
By now her hands had formed into fists, and she jumped up from the bed. “I don’t want to stay here!” she cried, sounding on the verge of hysteria. “I can’t! I’m expected back at work. My friends will wonder where I am.”
He would never have credited her with being an hysterical woman. It didn’t fit with what he knew about her. Yet what did he really know, except what she’d allowed him to see while they were both on vacation? “No problem. You can call them and tell them you’ve been detained.”
“Dev—”
“It’s Nikos, remember?”
“All right then. Nikos. Please don’t do this. I need to get back to the hotel in Chios for my personal belongings.”
“We’ll sail there and Yannis will collect them for you.”
“Yannis?”
“He’s a seaman who worked for my family when I was boy. Now he works for me.”
“What do you mean, collect?” she asked in fresh alarm.
“After we leave Chios, we won’t be touching land again for at least two weeks.”
After letting out a moan, she started pacing, then stopped. “Call my obstetrician in Florida. He’ll verify the dates so you’ll have your proof.”
“That won’t prove anything. You could have been with a man the night before we met. Maybe several.”
A gasp escaped. “Surely you don’t believe that! There was only you. Phone Delia. She’ll verify everything.”
“How much did you pay her and her boyfriend to tell me a lie if I called her?”
Stephanie paled more. “Nikos...who are you?”
He raked a hand through his hair, wondering the same thing. After living through a hellish childhood with his father, plus the memory of Kon’s disastrous marriage and divorce, Nikos had developed a much more cynical outlook on life.
Part of him couldn’t help but wonder why Natasa had been waiting around for him all these years, if not to marry money. She’d lived with wealth all her life and needed a rich husband to be kept in that same lifestyle. The thought sickened him.
What if Stephanie was telling him the truth? His black brows furrowed. “Someone who doesn’t like being taken advantage of. You were very clever to try and convince me you found me by sheer perseverance. For the time being you’ll remain with me on the Diomedes.” It was an impulsive decision, one he hadn’t had time to examine yet.
She looked frantic. “Please don’t do this.”
For a moment he was carried back three months in time. She’d begged him not to tease her when he kept kissing her face, but not her mouth. He’d been on the verge of devouring her and couldn’t hold back much longer. Just now that same appeal was in her voice, confusing him, when he needed to keep his wits.
“You don’t have to worry. I’ll let you contact your boss and make it right with him. Tell him your medical condition has made it necessary for you to stay in Greece for an indefinite
“For as long as it takes to get the truth from you.”
She sat down on the edge of the bed as if she was too weak to stand. Her pallor convinced him that part of her story was the truth. She was nauseous, but maybe it covered something other than pregnancy. Kon’s wife had done a spectacular job of convincing him she was pregnant.
“Dev... We met purely by accident, when I was scuba diving at the resort with my friends from Crystal River.”
“Yet you managed to locate me here without any difficulty whatsoever. Now you’re telling me you’re pregnant with my child. We both know you were already pregnant when you slept with me on vacation. If you’re hoping to inveigle your way into my life with this announcement, it won’t work.”
By now her hands had formed into fists, and she jumped up from the bed. “I don’t want to stay here!” she cried, sounding on the verge of hysteria. “I can’t! I’m expected back at work. My friends will wonder where I am.”
He would never have credited her with being an hysterical woman. It didn’t fit with what he knew about her. Yet what did he really know, except what she’d allowed him to see while they were both on vacation? “No problem. You can call them and tell them you’ve been detained.”
“Dev—”
“It’s Nikos, remember?”
“All right then. Nikos. Please don’t do this. I need to get back to the hotel in Chios for my personal belongings.”
“We’ll sail there and Yannis will collect them for you.”
“Yannis?”
“He’s a seaman who worked for my family when I was boy. Now he works for me.”
“What do you mean, collect?” she asked in fresh alarm.
“After we leave Chios, we won’t be touching land again for at least two weeks.”
After letting out a moan, she started pacing, then stopped. “Call my obstetrician in Florida. He’ll verify the dates so you’ll have your proof.”
“That won’t prove anything. You could have been with a man the night before we met. Maybe several.”
A gasp escaped. “Surely you don’t believe that! There was only you. Phone Delia. She’ll verify everything.”
“How much did you pay her and her boyfriend to tell me a lie if I called her?”
Stephanie paled more. “Nikos...who are you?”
He raked a hand through his hair, wondering the same thing. After living through a hellish childhood with his father, plus the memory of Kon’s disastrous marriage and divorce, Nikos had developed a much more cynical outlook on life.
Part of him couldn’t help but wonder why Natasa had been waiting around for him all these years, if not to marry money. She’d lived with wealth all her life and needed a rich husband to be kept in that same lifestyle. The thought sickened him.
What if Stephanie was telling him the truth? His black brows furrowed. “Someone who doesn’t like being taken advantage of. You were very clever to try and convince me you found me by sheer perseverance. For the time being you’ll remain with me on the Diomedes.” It was an impulsive decision, one he hadn’t had time to examine yet.
She looked frantic. “Please don’t do this.”
For a moment he was carried back three months in time. She’d begged him not to tease her when he kept kissing her face, but not her mouth. He’d been on the verge of devouring her and couldn’t hold back much longer. Just now that same appeal was in her voice, confusing him, when he needed to keep his wits.
“You don’t have to worry. I’ll let you contact your boss and make it right with him. Tell him your medical condition has made it necessary for you to stay in Greece for an indefinite
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