Christos (Members From Money Season 2 #162)

Chapter 1

She stared at the stick as if looking at it long enough would change the result. It remained the same. For the third time. The others were on the counter and said the same thing.

Placing it carefully on the sink, Leanne leaned against the counter and stared at herself in the mirror. So, it was not cancer. She should be relieved. She was only pregnant.

After feeling sick like two dogs for the past month and a half and unable to function, she had finally googled the symptoms. Dizziness, nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite and generally feeling like crap warmed over combined with the reluctance to drag herself out of bed, she had decided to do something about it.

The missed periods for the second month in a row of an otherwise regular cycle had not occurred to her that this is what it could be.

She couldn't be pregnant. She had a career, a very demanding one that takes all of her focus. And her two weeks leave was up next week.

She was tired and listless. As a cruise director for a very prestigious cruise line, she was expected to look her best and be preppy and smiling all the time.

Right now, after puking her breakfast out again, she looked like hell. Her thick dark brown hair was matted to her forehead and in a tangled heap. She certainly hadn't been to the salon since her vacation. And her mother had been calling and wondering what on earth was going on with her.

She could just imagine the conversation. "Hey mom, guess what? I'm pregnant. Oh, and the father is..."

Oh God! She stared at her image in wild-eyed consternation. The father.

Grabbing her phone, she marched into the bedroom and stared at the dark screen. Throwing it on the bed, she started pacing. It had been reckless, foolish, and romantic.

But a man like him. She shook her head. It would never have worked out. So, she had done the first sensible thing since they started and broke things off.

Now this. "Oh, good God." She whispered, sinking down on the edge of the bed. She was going to have to tell him of course.

He was her employer, or sort of her employer. Which was the very reason it had been unwise and stupid to say the least to get involved.

Picking up the phone again, she scrolled through until she found his number and punched it before she could change her mind. If he didn't answer she could leave him a message. And maybe he was out of town. He...

"Leanne."

His deep voice had her closing her eyes in memory. Her effort to get over him had proved fruitless.

"Hi. I wasn't sure I would reach you. How have you been?"

She knew she was stalling, but the need to steady herself was important.

"I've been better. What's this about? The last time we spoke, you said you wanted nothing to do with me."

She plucked at the sheet. "Well, yes. I... er... Are you in town?"

"Until tomorrow, yes. Why?"

"Could you come over?"

There was a pause and she waited.

"Again, why?"

Biting off a sigh and telling herself he was entitled to be a prick, she took another deep breath. "I need to discuss something with you, and it cannot be done over the phone. It's important."

The pause again which had her holding her breath.

"Half an hour." He said briefly before hanging up.

She sat there for a few minutes before pushing herself off the bed. Pregnant or not, she had no intention of having him see her like this. She had her pride.

Rushing into the bathroom, she had to brace against the sink as the dizziness assailed her again.

This would not do.

"Do you hear me?" She shouted, pressing her hand on her flat stomach. "You cannot just invade my body and start doing as you damn well please." Closing her eyes, she took several deep breaths and started stripping off the damn robe.

*****

"You're going to see her?" Christos glanced over at his eldest brother and nodded curtly.

Sometimes he wished to God that he was an only child. But then, the responsibilities of running the vast company would fall on him. His family was huge and intrusive.

Nothing was kept private. And they had a penchant for interfering. Andreas had been present during the conversation with Leanne.

"She broke it off."

"She did."

"And you're running to see her."

"I'm actually driving." His brother gave him a steely look which was returned.

"What could she possibly have to say to you?"

"Hence the need to go and see her."

"You should let her come to you. Ever since she broke it off with you, you've been impossible to live with."

"I don't live with you." That fact was pointed out patiently. "Thank God."

"Don't be smart." All four brothers had the same coloring, dense dark hair and emerald green eyes as well as the olive skin from their rich Greek heritage.

The olive skin, lofty height and dark hair they had inherited from their father and the green eyes from their Irish mother. "We care about you."

Christos sighed, knowing that to be a fact. Theirs was a close-knit family and when one hurts, the rest also feel the pain. As he was the youngest and the only unmarried member of the family, they had taken a specific interest in his love life.

When he met Leanne and fell under her spell, they had started planning a wedding. He had a feeling that was what had scared her off.

"I know." He glanced at his watch. "I have to go."

"What should I tell father?"

"That I had to rush out." He shrugged into his overcoat. It had started snowing, immediately dropping the temperature. January was proving to be very predictable.

"You will tell us what this woman... what she wants?"

"You know her name Andreas." He reminded him dryly as he dragged on gloves. "She happens to be an employee as well."

"Which makes me believe you should never have gotten involved in the first place."

Christos laughed in genuine amusement. "Lori was your assistant before she became your wife."

A grudging smile touched his lips. "Ah yes." He sighed. "All my efforts to stay away from her proved to be very difficult indeed. Thank Christ."

"I have to go."

"Be careful."

"Of what?" Christos stopped at the door.

Andreas shrugged. "You're my little brother. I have to look out for you."

"This 'little' brother happens to be thirty years old. I'll talk to you later."

Andreas waited until he had cleared the door before making the call.

*****

He wanted to kiss her. He knew the second she opened the door that he had kidded himself. He wasn't over her, not by a bloody long shot.

Even the fact that she was wearing faded blue sweats and a thick white sweater that reached past her knees didn't alter it. Her face, with the pointed chin, the nose with the slightly flared nostrils and lips so full and seductively sweet brought back the memories full on.

Steeling against the punch of lust, he nodded curtly and stepped inside her small foyer.

The scent of raspberry from her recent bath filled his nostrils. Her hair, the thickness of it was piled in a loose knot on top of her head with tendrils escaping around the narrow face. Leanne Wilcox didn't need makeup to seduce, never had.

She wanted to kiss him. Tamping down the pure animal desire, she led the way into the cozy living room where the fire was blazing in the hearth.

"Would you like something to drink?"

"No." He walked to the window and stood with his back to her, eyes on her.

"How's everyone?"

"Fine. What is it?"

Okay, no small talk, she thought as she took a deep breath.

"I've not been feeling well lately."

His cool expression fled immediately to be replaced by concern.

"Have you been to the doctor? What's wrong?" He should have noticed that she looked thin. "Oh Christ, is it serious?"

"Yes."

Abandoning his stance at the window, he crossed the room and knelt in front of her. "What is it? Please tell me."

"I'm pregnant." She decided the best way to say it was outright. "And before you piss me off by asking, yes, it's yours. And no, I haven't been to the doctors."

Pushing away from him, she rose and dug into her pocket for the four pregnancy sticks. "All positive." She shot him an accusing look before slamming them down on the center table.

He rose slowly and a little unsteadily.

"I... we..." He swallowed the lump that had lodged in his throat and stared at her. "That's..." He searched her face. "You're not pleased."

She simply gaped at him. "Pleased! The last thing I want is a pregnancy. I've been sick the entire time and I..." Taking a deep breath, she spun around and marched to the fireplace.

His expression was dazed as he continued to stare at her back. Pregnant. He had come here in despair and anger and was now faced with the possibility that there could be a relationship between them.

"Have you made a doctor's appointment?" His tone was calm, belying the jumble of emotions going on inside him.

"Yes." She clipped without turning around. "Tomorrow."

"I'm going with you."

"There's no need..."

"That wasn't a question."

She turned then. "I don't know what I'm going to do yet."

He felt the hope bursting and hurt and anger surfacing. "Which means what exactly?"

"It means what you think it means. This happens to be my body and ultimately I get to make the decision. So, you can jump off your high horse and chill. I know how you and your family think. Your parents are not satisfied with the dozens of grandchildren they already have..."

"Actually, it's just six." His calm interruption just angered her even more.

"Whatever. The first time I was introduced to your dad, he specifically told me that he expected me to start having children as soon as possible. We'd just started seeing each other. I will not tolerate any interference from any member of your family and will not be bullied into making a decision."

"What the hell do you want from me, Leanne?" Her attitude was rubbing him the wrong way. "Permission to get rid of my baby?"