Chapter Seven
Gemma gazed out the airplane window as the tall spire of the Washington Monument came into view. She glanced at Nikos. He was still engrossed in the report he’d brought along to study. Turning back to the small window, she wondered what this visit would bring.
Would Allessandros grill her on why she’d married his cousin? Find her lacking in the attributes the family would wish for Nikos' wife? She knew it was a temporary arrangement, but Nikos' family did not.
Or had Nikos told Allessandros the reason for their hasty wedding? Would they be disappointed in his choice of a wife?
She hoped not. She wanted his family to like her.
This past week had been odd. During the day, she felt no different from how she’d felt for the past five years. Except for a strong sense of awareness of Nikos that hadn't been present before.
She hoped she had hidden that from him, but with his uncanny ability to cut to the key aspect in business dealings, she worried she’d given herself away.
The evenings had been a different story. Those they spent together. Awkwardly at first, like strangers trying to grope their way through the stages of learning about one another. As the week progressed, Gemma knew she’d learned more about her enigmatic husband than she’d gleaned over all the years they’d worked together.
And what little she had learned confused her.
Nikos was a curious blend of his Greek heritage and American ways. While he paid lip service to women’s rights, Gemma suspected if he could have things entirely his way, his word would be law.
She challenged him over inconsequential things just for the impish joy of watching him as he drew on his strength of resolve and marshaled his arguments.
By Thursday, he’d caught her out.
Gemma smiled dreamily as she gazed at the approaching airport.
He’d been furious. Or had that been just for her benefit? She still thought she’d seen a twinkle of amusement in his dark eyes for all his arguments.
The kisses he’d showered on her hadn't been amusing. Exciting, tumultuous, wildly exotic, but definitely not amusing. She grew warm remembering.
If Hal had not interrupted, would those kisses have led to something more?
Sometimes she regretted making an issue of moving into her own room after Immigration’s home inspection. Not that she expected anything from her husband. He’d not touched her the two nights she’d shared that enormous bed. Would her remaining there have changed anything?
Did she really want to change things? It wasn’t as if their marriage was real or they planned to continue it. A physical intimacy would complicate matters, she knew. But that knowledge didn’t stop her yearning. Just for a kind word, a gentle caress. A passionate kiss.
Be grateful for what you have , she scolded herself.
But sometimes she wished she hadn't told him about James. Even fantasized once or twice that they had married because of mutual desire.
Though their marriage was unconventional, she liked it.
What would it be like if Nikos had wooed her and won her? Courted her with flowers, dinners out, dancing? Pledged himself to her for all time?
She shook her head and sighed. He'd made his position clear enough. He didn’t trust women. And she was realistic enough to know that if his visa hadn't lapsed, he'd never have thought of marrying her—or anyone else.
After seeing Katrina's reaction at the party, she wondered how much the woman regretted losing Nikos. Had she wanted to rekindle his affections?
Or had theirs been a mercenary arrangement from the beginning?
How could she not be attracted to the man? And regret the ending of their relationship?
Gemma couldn’t imagine being more interested in Nikos' fortune than the man himself.
“Well, she can’t have him,” Gemma murmured, startled by the strength of her feelings.
“What?”
Nikos looked at her.
“Nothing. I was just thinking aloud. We’re almost there.”
She kept her gaze firmly out the window, lest he suspect what she’d said. She needed to watch her tongue.
He slid the papers back into the file and placed it into his briefcase. When he placed it beneath the seat in front of him, Gemma turned to watch.
“Did the Alteras report have what you were looking for?” she asked.
The small firm was a subsidiary of ALK Shipping and recently acquired.
“The returns are higher than expected.”
“Which means Johnson's doing a good job there. I know you had doubts when you gave him the manager’s position.”
“It’s early yet. But yes, I think he’s showing more potential than I originally expected.” Nikos raised an eyebrow. “Are you going to say you told me so?”
Gemma grinned. “Why, I didn’t know you thought I was the type to gloat when proved right.”
“Proved right? You voiced approval of Johnson’s appointment, but the proof is far from in.”
“The way you go, it’ll be fifty years before you let yourself admit he’s a good choice.”
“I believe in accepting responsibility for my decisions, however they turn out.”
“I hope you regret none of them,” she said, glancing at her wedding band.
“If you are referring to our marriage, I accept responsibility for that as well. Time will tell if it proves successful.”
“Do we wait fifty years to find out?”
Gemma almost slapped her hand over her mouth after the words came out. She stared at him wide-eyed. It sounded too much like she wanted to stay married. It was one thing to fantasize about being courted, and quite another to verbalize it.
Nikos' expression changed almost imperceptibly, became more guarded.
“We could wait fifty years. Are you considering staying with me that long?”
For a moment she was speechless as the realization flooded. She wanted to stay with him. She liked and respected him. If she was totally honest, she'd enjoyed the week and a half since they’d been married. She knew she could depend on him to do the right thing, no matter what the cost to himself. He'd see that he was a good, reliable husband. Someone she could count on.
But how did he feel?
For a wild, giddy moment, Gemma considered the possibility of staying married. Could they make it work? The romantic personal assistant from Ohio and the businessman billionaire from Greece?
Slowly, reality intruded.
Even if they continued, she didn’t want a lopsided relationship, with her growing fonder and fonder of Nikos while he continued his own way.
“We’ll see,” she temporized, afraid of the sudden suspicion that plagued her.
She was growing too fond of her boss. Too intrigued with the idea of staying with him for the rest of her life. Too involved with watching him when he didn’t know she was looking, listening to him as if she’d never heard him before. And she was growing too dependent. Time to distance herself. Hadn’t she learned her lesson?
Yet Nikos was unlike any other man she’d ever known. There was an innate honesty and honor about the man. Almost old-worldly. A blend of the cultures, maybe. But captivating and comforting. She knew beyond any doubt he'd live up to his word. He'd never lie or deceive someone—especially someone he cared about.
She couldn’t be falling in love with him. This was just a rebound thing or something.
She didn't want to fall in love again. It was too risky for her heart.
And with someone like Nikos, even more so.
Yet…
The plane bumped gently down.
“Oh, we’re here already,” Gemma said, glad of the interruption of her tumbling thoughts.
How would she fit in with Nikos' family? Would they all know instantly she was a fraud?
“Allessandros will meet us at baggage claim. You've heard me mention his wife, Megan. He has a daughter named Norrie, and a son called Sam.”
“Sam?” Gemma frowned. That didn’t sound very Greek to her.
“Actually, his full name is Aristotle Pierre Petropoulos. Remember Allessandros’s mother is French? But for some reason unbeknownst to me, they have called him Sam since his birth.”
Feeling shy about the prospect of spending a weekend with Nikos' family, Gemma followed Nikos up the jetway and into the airport.
Allessandros, tall and imposing, stood to one side of the crowded baggage claim area, waiting.
Unconsciously, Gemma compared the two men. Their self-confidence was amazing. And they were charming when it suited them.
The cousins greeted each other with back slaps and grins.
Allessandros turned to her and smiled. He inclined his head in a manner similar to Nikos.
“Welcome to our family, Gemma Petropoulos.”
“Thank you.”
Flustered, she looked to Nikos for support. She felt awful about their charade. How would Allessandros feel when the truth all came out?
To Gemma’s surprise, there was no chauffeur. Allessandros drove.
The luxurious Mercedes was a delight. Gemma insisted on sitting in the back while the two men sat in the front and caught up on family business.
She ran her hand lovingly over the rich leather and sighed in contentment. She’d better not grow too used to such luxury, she thought, but it'd be nice while it lasted.
When Allessandros turned into a short driveway some time later, the house was not what she expected. Instead of an enormous mansion surrounded by acres of manicured lawns, the modest ranch style home sat in the center of an ordinary middle-class neighborhood. She expected something more palatial.
Even Nikos seemed surprised.
“You live here?”
Allessandros raised an eyebrow.
“You have a problem with my home?”
“No. Just…it’s different from what I expected.”
“This was Megan’s home before we married. Her parents moved to the southwest, and we bought the home. It’s becoming crowded now. But when we first married, I don’t think she quite trusted our marriage would last and wanted something of her own as insurance. Now we’re used to it. But when the baby comes, we’ll definitely need something larger.”
“Megan’s expecting again?” Nikos asked as he climbed from the car and held the back door for Gemma.
At Allessandros’ nod, he looked at Gemma.
“Something else you will have in common with Megan.”
“The first thing being?” Gemma asked, flicking a glance at Nikos.
He’d told his cousin she was pregnant? Had he told him about the full circumstances?
“Being married to a sexy Greek man, of course.”
“Of course,” Gemma said dryly, smiling despite her wish to look insulted.
“Nikos. How nice to see you again.”
A tall woman and a teenage girl, looking remarkably alike, smiled broadly as they moved to greet him.
Nikos straightened and, taking Gemma’s hand in his, walked forward to greet Megan and Norrie.
“You've grown another six inches, I am sure, since I last saw you,” Nikos said as he gave the girl a hug, then held her away from him to study her.
“Not true, but I’m losing some of that baby fat, so I look taller, don’t I, Daddy?” she asked her father.
Allessandros exchanged an amused glance with his wife and nodded.
“And this must be Gemma. I’m Megan. I’m so glad you came. We’ll have a great weekend. Come on in. Sam’s asleep, but he’ll be awake soon. How was your trip?”
“Fine.”
Gemma was swept along with their enthusiasm. Her nervousness vanished in the light of Megan's friendliness. Maybe the weekend would be fun, after all.
She glanced over her shoulder. Nikos and Allessandros stood by the car, their voices low as they talked.
Following Megan, Gemma was pleased that Norrie kept pace with her.
“Nikos said you lived right in Manhattan before you got married. I would love to visit New York. I think the stores there would offer a ton of cool things,” Norrie said excitedly. “We’ve been only once. Maybe you and Nikos would invite me up to visit.”
Megan laughed and chided her daughter.
“They don’t want company just yet. I already told you we would get up there at least once before the baby comes.”
“That’s weeks away,” she said, wrinkling her nose. “Nikos said you were pregnant—did you know my mom’s pregnant, too?” Norrie asked as they entered the house. “I’m hoping for a girl this time, but Mom says all she cares about is that it’s a healthy child. And she won’t find out ahead of time. Do you know what you’re having yet?”
Gemma shook her head. With a start, she realized she had thought little about the baby beyond being pregnant. Of course, the past week had been taken up with Nikos. But in only a few months, she’d be a mother with a baby totally dependent upon her.
Would she still be married to Nikos? Or would they have ended their marriage by then? Once he received his green card, the need to remain married would end.
How long would that take, she wondered.
She didn’t want to end it. Didn’t want to be on her own, coping with work and a baby and the loneliness. Susan wouldn't want a baby to share their small apartment.
During the past week, Gemma had found she loved sitting in the evenings talking, listening to music and relaxing in a living room that was so different from what she was used to.
She’d miss that when their arrangement ended.
“Hush, Norrie, let Gemma get her breath. Do you wish to freshen up after your flight? I’ll show you where you’ll be staying tonight.”
Megan led the way down a short hall.
“Allessandros agrees we need a larger place when the baby comes. This is only a three-bedroom house. Here, you and Nikos will have Norrie’s room for the night.”
Megan paused at the doorway of a light, airy room. An organdy spread that matched the curtains on the windows covered the bed.
It was a teenager’s room with all the things a young girl cherished—from a purple stuffed animal on one shelf to posters of movie stars pinned to the walls.
But Gemma didn’t notice the decorations—she focused on the bed.
The small double bed.
This was nothing like the king-size bed Nikos had in his bedroom. This one looked scarcely large enough for two people to squeeze in without falling to the floor.
Gemma felt a touch of panic. She'd barely made it through two nights with Nikos with acres of room between them. In this tiny bed she’d get no sleep, no rest.
She couldn’t do it.
“Is something wrong?” Norrie asked.
Gemma dragged her gaze away from the bed and tried to smile at the teenager.
“Everything's fine. Your room is lovely. I just hate for you to give it up for us.”
She had to talk to Nikos. Maybe they could stay in a hotel nearby—so as not to force Norrie from her room. That would be a strong enough reason. They could still spend all the time he wanted with Allessandros and Megan.
“It’s no big deal. Besides, I’m staying with Stephie tonight. She’s my best friend.”
“We’ll leave you alone. Come out when you're ready,” Megan said, taking her daughter’s arm and pulling her into the hall. I’ll fix something cold to drink.”
“Thanks, I won’t be long,” Gemma said, still standing near the door.
She heard the men’s voices. Were they still outside?
How could she get Nikos alone? Before she could plan a way, he walked into the bedroom carrying their small suitcases.
Gemma moved swiftly, closing the door and leaning against it.
“Nikos, we can’t stay here.”
He calmly put the cases on the floor near the bed and surveyed the room.
“Is there a problem?”
“Look at that bed.”
No, that wasn’t what she wanted to say. She cleared her throat.
“I mean, this is Norrie’s room. She’s having to sleep at a friend’s while we’re here. If we stayed at a hotel, she wouldn’t be forced to give up her room.”
“Stay at a hotel?”
“Yes. We could book a room nearby. Still see all you want of Allessandros and Megan and then…”
Her voice trailed off at his expression.
“I'd never offend my cousin in such a way,” Nikos said firmly.
“Offend?”
“Throw his hospitality back in his face.”
She took a breath to counter his argument, then slowly let it out. Leaving for a hotel would smack of rejecting their hospitality. Nervously, she glanced at the bed again.
“That’s a small bed.”
“If you are worried about falling out in the night, I’ll hold you to make sure that doesn’t happen.”
Visions of being wrapped in Nikos' arms did nothing to quell the trepidation she felt. They only exacerbated the tingling sense of anticipation.
“No, I won’t fall out.” Or if she did, she’d just stay on the floor, where she’d be safe from temptation.
How could she tell him she wasn’t worried about him being there, but about her reaction to him?
Obviously, she could never even hint at such a thing.
Maybe she could stay up all night. Or maybe between now and bedtime, she would lose the fascination she had for Nikos. Stop being so aware of his every movement, become more comfortable around him.
Comfortable? She felt as if she were on tenterhooks all the time.
Twenty minutes later, Gemma sat on the patio behind the house with Megan and Norrie. Two-year-old Sam toddled around the grassy yard, chasing after a ball his older sister kept throwing. The two men had gone off somewhere.
Sipping the fruit punch Megan had prepared, Gemma tried to relax. There was nothing she could do about the sleeping arrangements but make the best of them. And try to get to bed before Nikos.
They'd agreed to a platonic marriage. Except for a few kisses, he had given her no sign he wanted to change that. And she fully remembered his scathing denunciation of his ex-wife. Gemma needed to prove to Nikos that he could trust her. Trust her to abide by the rules of their unconventional marriage.
“Sam's adorable,” she said, watching the toddler’s antics. Again, she thought about her own baby. Would she have a little boy who'd always be exploring and taking chances? Or maybe a daughter with whom she could share so much. Megan and Norrie seemed very close.
“Thanks. He’s his dad all over.”
“Like me?” Norrie asked.
“Yes, just like you. Both of you have Allessandros’ stubborn streak.”
Gemma was puzzled. Hadn’t Nikos said Megan and Allessandros were married only four years ago?
“You’re not exactly a marshmallow yourself, Mom,” Norrie teased.
“But it gets weary standing up for myself all the time.”
Norrie laughed.
“Like you don’t have Daddy wrapped around your little finger.”
“He’s a totally frustrating, domineering, infuriating man.”
“And here I was going to ask you for advice on dealing with Nikos,” Gemma said.
“Let me guess—he’s dictatorial, demanding and expects everyone to do his bidding without complaint,” Megan said, her eyes dancing with amusement.
“You have known him for a long time.”
Megan laughed softly.
“No, but he is very like Allessandros. Unless I stand up to him.”
“That’s why we don't always share exactly how our day goes. To keep Daddy from stepping in where he’s really not needed.”
Megan made a mock expression of horror and looked around as if searching for her husband.
“Shh, don’t give away our secrets.”
Norrie giggled and explained to Gemma, “It’s really different in Greece. There’re things I like, such as our home. It’s huge and right on the water. I have a super room with a balcony. It even has stairs that lead to the garden. And we have tons of servants. I wouldn’t even have to make my bed, except Mom makes me most days. Which our maid, Alyia, thinks is totally wrong.”
“To be sure you know how. And Alyia knows how I feel,” Megan interposed.
“Yeah, like I need to learn that.”
“An old argument,” Megan told Gemma.
“And then we come here and do everything ourselves,” Norrie continued. “But living there is different.”
“Tell me about Greece,” Gemma said.
If the negotiations had not been so critical, would Nikos have agreed to his father’s request and returned home to introduce his new bride?
The descriptions of the village outside of Athens that Megan and Norrie shared were like those Nikos had given her. It sounded like paradise. She'd love to go to the beach every day.
“Sometimes we visit Grandmère in France where she lives now that her husband is gone. And we spend most of the year here,” Norrie finished.
“I doubt you’ll live there,” Megan said. “Nikos seems quite dedicated to the shipping lines, and from what Allessandros has said, he enjoys living in New York.”
“We’ve never talked about going to Greece,” Gemma said.
Of course not. Theirs was a marriage of convenience that could end at any time. There was no reason for Gemma to ever visit the Mediterranean country.
As she sat in the shade of a huge old tree talking quietly with Allessandros’s wife, Gemma suddenly knew she never wanted to end their marriage. She wanted Nikos on whatever terms he set. Lopsided marriage or not, she loved him.
He’d scoff if she ever told him. Hadn’t she married him to save face? To avoid becoming an unwed mother? He'd never believe she’d fallen in love. Cynical and distrusting, Nikos would forever question her motives if she confessed her love. Better to keep it a deep secret. Even if it meant leaving as originally planned, she didn’t want to give him cause to ever doubt her.
Dinner was entertaining. Gemma laughed at the constant teasing between Allessandros and Megan, and noted some similarities to the ways she’d challenged Nikos the past week. He watched the banter quietly, occasionally meeting her gaze, as if trying to divine her thoughts on the situation.
Norrie went to her friend’s house right after they ate, leaving the adults in the living room with coffee. Gemma tried to enjoy the evening, but the closer the time came to go to bed, the more nervous she became.
Stop it , she chided herself. Nikos had never exceeded the bounds of propriety, and she wouldn’t, either.
But it was the yearning that had her wanting more that made her nervous.
She tried to focus on the conversation, something about Nikos getting a house in Greece now that he was married again. But the words drifted by as her thoughts churned.
What would it be like to see the house Nikos grew up in, to meet his parents?
Would his father be furious he’d married another foreigner? His first marriage hadn't been a success. Did he dare admit this one wasn't, either?
“Gemma?”
She looked at Megan. “Yes?”
“You haven’t heard a word we’ve said. Are you tired? Would you like to go to bed? Don’t stay up with us if you need to get some rest. I’m always so tired during the first few months of being pregnant. We’d all understand.”
Gemma sat up, snatching the excuse like a lifeline.
“I am tired.”
Nikos rose as well.
“We have tomorrow to continue our visit. I’ll go with Gemma.”
“Oh, you don’t have to. I’m tired, so I will probably go right to sleep. Stay and visit with your cousin. I’ll be fine. Really.”
The amusement in his eyes told him her statement didn’t fool him.
“I’m tired after the hectic week we spent,” he said. “Being married can wear a man out.”
She grew warm as Allessandros and Megan exchanged smiles. Head held high, she bid them goodnight and headed for their room.
When the door was closed behind them, she rounded on Nikos.
“Do you know what they thought after that statement?”
He unbuttoned the top button on his dress shirt. Pausing, he looked at her.
“Who?”
“Allessandros and Megan. Saying being married can wear a man out—they probably think we’ve been making love all night, every night, so you can’t get any sleep.”
He nodded and continued to unbutton his shirt. Gemma watched as more and more of his chest was revealed. Her heart rate sped up, and her breathing grew shallow. He was a beautiful man, strong, sleek, male.
And she was in love with him.
How would it feel to touch that bronzed skin, feel the heat, run her fingertips over the contours, to let her lips and tongue taste him, caress him?
She spun around, then felt stupid staring at the door.
“I need the bathroom,” she said, and almost ran from the room.
“You are acting eight, not twenty-eight,” she admonished herself when alone.
Splashing water on her face, she quickly brushed her teeth and drew a deep breath. Another. Gradually, her rioting senses calmed.
“I can do this,” she told her reflection.
She could go into that room, get ready for bed while Nikos used the bathroom and get in the bed. They’d already proved it was possible to sleep and nothing else. She’d turn her back on him, make sure her hands stayed firmly away from his tantalizing skin and go right to sleep.
Feigning sleep when Nikos returned to the room a few minutes after she’d dashed off her clothes and jumped beneath the covers didn’t fool him for an instant. Resolutely, she kept her eyes tightly shut, her hands in fists.
He switched off the lights and climbed into his side of the bed.
She wondered if she could breathe.
“Do you like Megan?” he asked, making no effort to be quiet.
Gemma debated for a moment whether or not to answer. But he knew she wasn’t asleep.
“Yes. She and I hit it off instantly. Sometimes that happens.”
“They didn’t have a simple time of it,” he said, moving, settling in.
Gemma froze. What was he doing? The mattress moved again, and she felt the warmth of his leg beside her. Scant inches separated them. How could she be expected to sleep with him so tantalizingly close?
“What do you mean?” she asked.
Talking would be good. She could concentrate on Nikos' deep tones and maybe fall asleep that way.
Though she instantly felt wide awake and not the least bit sleepy.
“They were sweethearts during college, then had a big fight. Neither can remember what it was about, but they went their separate ways. Neither he nor Megan knew she was pregnant.”
“So they did just get married four years ago,” she murmured.
“He was on an assignment to the United States and ran into her at an art gallery featuring a new artist. They’d been lovers in college. For ten years, she’d thought he’d abandoned her. And when he found her again, he told her he thought she’d run away with another man. It’s hard to rebuild trust once it’s been shattered.”
“They seem perfect for each other. And both children are precious.”
“I want to discuss something with you,” Nikos said, slipping his arm beneath her neck and slowly drawing her closer.
Instantly, heat cascaded through Gemma. She could hardly breathe. How could she talk? His body was hard against the softer curves of her own. His scent seemed to invade every cell. Bracing herself, she found her hand pushed against his chest. She could feel the slow, steady beat of his heart. Her fingers curled slightly, feeling the strength of his chest.
“What?”
One word. If she could say one word, she could say more.
At least she hoped so.
Right now, all she could do was concentrate on the sensations that swept through her. His arm beneath her neck, her head resting against his shoulder. The heat beneath the sheet that enveloped them both. His steady pulse felt steady against her fingertips while hers was racing.
“You and me. So far, only the two of us and your friend Susan know the true circumstances of our marriage. I want our situation to stay that way. At least until I see my father. I've told him what he needs to know at this stage.”
“You didn’t tell Allessandros?”
“No. He may have guessed. I'll tell my parents when we see them. That could be months from now, depending on how soon I get permanent residence status. By then, I expect we'll have resolved our future.”
She drew another shaky breath. By the time he returned home to visit, their marriage could be over.
Except she didn’t want it to be over.
But what did Nikos want?