Читать книгу Carrying The Greek Tycoon's Baby - Jennifer Faye - Страница 12

HIS QUIETNESS WAS UNNERVING.

Lea sent Xander a sideways glance. The set of his jaw and the twitch in his cheek let her know that he was angry. Sitting so close to him, she could feel the agitation radiating off him.

She didn’t know what gave him the right to be so upset. It wasn’t like she’d ended up in this condition by herself. It definitely took two to tango. If she’d hidden the baby from him, it would be different. But that hadn’t happened. And lastly, she didn’t expect or request a thing from him. So if he wanted to be mad at her, he could just sit there and stew. She had work to do.

Lea slowed the golf cart to a stop outside the honeymoon bungalow. Without a word, she got out. She grabbed her toolbox with a replacement rubber washer in it and headed up the four wooden steps to the front door.

The guests were supposed to have checked out by now, but as was standard procedure on the island, Lea rapped her knuckles soundly on the door. “Hello. Maintenance.”

A moment passed with no response.

She lifted her hand to insert her passkey but missed. If only Xander would go away, the slight tremble in her hands would stop. Lea inhaled a deep breath and tried again. This time she got it.

Footsteps sounded behind her. She didn’t have to turn to know it was Xander. She could smell the faint whiff of his cologne mingled with his male scent. It was an intoxicating combination.

Ignoring Xander, Lea opened the door slowly so as not to startle anyone that may be lingering on the inside. “Hello. Anyone here?” She glanced around for any sign of guests. “Maintenance coming in.”

With the door wide open, she stepped inside. No people. No luggage. No discarded dishes or drinks in the living room area or the kitchenette. They were alone—

Alone with Xander in a honeymoon bungalow. What made her think bringing him along was a good idea? Oh, yeah, he hadn’t given her a choice.

Then the door snicked shut behind her. She glanced over her shoulder, her gaze verifying that the door was indeed closed and then registering that Xander was standing very close to her. So close she could reach back and place her hand upon his chest. She swallowed hard and resisted the temptation.

So as not to give into her impulse, she faced forward, as though by turning away she’d be able to forget just how sexy he looked. In her mind, she pictured him clearly in that navy blue suit, sans tie and with the top buttons of his light blue dress shirt undone, giving a hint of the few dark curls on his chest. Lea stifled a moan.

On stilted legs, she headed toward the master suite. Her heart was racing. Her palms were damp. How was she ever going to be able to work with him lurking over her shoulder?

She stopped before reaching the bedroom. “You can take the golf cart and head back to the offices.” She was getting desperate for some space—a chance to think clearly. “I can walk. It’ll be good for the baby.”

“Why would I do that?”

Because you’re making me a nervous wreck.

Lea moistened her dry lips. “I didn’t think you’d want to stick around and watch me fix a leaky faucet.”

“Why are you doing maintenance work? Don’t you have people to do those sorts of things? I mean in your condition, should you be doing manual labor?”

She turned a narrow gaze on him. “I’m pregnant, not dying. And now that the morning sickness has passed, I have a lot of energy.” She tilted up her chin. “Trust me, I won’t do anything that would endanger the baby.”

He nodded in understanding. “I still don’t understand why you’re doing this.”

She didn’t want to tell him just how bad off the island was these days. With more and more accommodations shut down because of needed repairs, the fewer weddings she could book. The fewer weddings booked, the less income for repairs. It was one big downward spiral and she had yet to find a way to stop it. If only she could find an investor who didn’t want to change the island or the way the business was run. But so far, she hadn’t found that right person. And it certainly wasn’t Xander, who wanted to rip down everything her ancestors had built and loved.

“That’s not the kind of owner I am. I like to be a part of everything. Make sure things are functioning properly.”

He arched a brow. “And you can tell all of that by fixing a faucet?”

His tone let her know he didn’t believe her. But that was his problem. She didn’t have time to alleviate his curiosity. She had work to do. And this was her best unit on the island.

When she reached the master bedroom, she immediately stepped in water. It seeped up over her sandals. The breath hitched in her throat, smothering a scream.

A little leak? A drippy faucet?

Lea muttered under her breath as she rushed toward the bathroom. Her foot slipped on the wet floor. The next thing she knew, she was falling back. Strong hands reached out and caught her. She didn’t have time to thank him, she had to shut off the water.

Inside the bathroom, oblivious to the water, she knelt down and leaned under the countertop. She tried the shutoff valve under the sink but it wouldn’t budge. Using her whole-body strength, she groaned, but the valve didn’t move at all.

“Here. Let me try,” Xander said from behind her.

She turned to him and was about to tell him that this wasn’t his problem, when she noticed he’d divested himself of his suit coat. It now hung over the towel rack and his shirtsleeves were rolled up.

He held a hand out to her. “Hurry up. The water is still pouring in.”

He was right. This was not the time to stand on pride. If she lost this unit, the island would go out of business and her heritage would be lost. She couldn’t let that happen. It was her job to protect her family’s legacy—something her mother refused to do.

Lea watched as he clenched the wrench. The corded muscles of his forearms strained. His neck grew taut as his lips pressed together in a firm line. A deep groan filled the room as he gave it everything to move the valve.

After a few failed attempts, he turned to her. “Where’s the main water shutoff for the whole unit?”

“Outside. In the back, I think.” Up until this point, she hadn’t had any need to turn off the water main, but she knew the bulk of the units had the utility hookup in the back, out of view from the guests.

Xander stood. The water dripped off him—his suit was going to be ruined. And then she noticed his black leather dress shoes. They were partially submerged in water. Lea inwardly groaned as she thought of how many hundreds or more likely thousands of dollars his attire cost—something she didn’t have the extra cash to replace. She would have to deal with that later.

She took off for the door with Xander hot on her heels. The water shutoff thankfully was easy to find. And unlike the valve inside, it turned pretty easily.

Turning the water off was only the first step in fixing this huge mess. They rushed back inside, using everything available to mop up the water from the floor. Xander opened all of the windows. They continued to work together in peaceful harmony.

When the last of the water had been mopped up, Lea stood and inspected the damage. Thankfully the wood floor wasn’t discolored. It didn’t look like the water had been there long. Lea thanked her lucky stars.

As she placed the last wet towel in a laundry bag, she turned to Xander, who had just gotten to his feet after checking the plumbing joint under the sink. “Thank you.”

“No problem.”

Her gaze took in his wet, wrinkled suit. “I think your clothes are ruined.”

He glanced down as though he’d forgotten he was wearing dress clothes. “I’ve got more.”

“I didn’t see any luggage.”

“True. Everything is back in Athens. I was in a bit of a hurry.”

“Obviously.” She gave it a little thought. “Let’s drop off these wet linens and then we’ll get you something dry to wear.”

He gave her a strange look. “I don’t think you’ll have anything that will fit me.”

His words inspired an image of him in women’s clothes and a smile pulled at her lips. As they climbed in the golf cart, the image of Xander wearing her clothes wouldn’t leave her. She pressed on the accelerator.

“You’re picturing me in your clothes, aren’t you?”

“I...uh...no, I’m not.” But she couldn’t subdue her amusement.

“You are. I know it. But trust me, nothing you have would fit me.”

The frown on his face only added to her amusement. She knew that after the disaster at the bungalow she shouldn’t be smiling, much less laughing, but she couldn’t help herself. The laughter bubbled out of her.

Maybe it was some strange reaction to stress. Or perhaps it was her pregnancy hormones. Whatever it was, she couldn’t stop laughing. And looking in Xander’s direction only made it worse.

“What?” he asked as his frown deepened. “Do I have something on me?” He then started to wipe his face off. “Would you stop that?”

“I’m trying.” Lea did her best to subdue her unexpected amusement. “It’s not you.”

He arched a dark brow. “Then why are you laughing at me?”

She shook her head. “I’m not.”

“Sure seems like it to me.”

“I’ve just never seen someone in expensive clothes crawling around on a flooded floor.” She dabbed at her damp eyes. “You’re a mess.”

“And that’s funny?”

“No. Not really.” The grumpier he became the cuter he got. That acknowledgment sobered Lea. Being attracted to him was what had gotten them in this situation in the first place. “Anyway. What are you doing here?”

“You need to ask?”

“Apparently I do or I wouldn’t have asked you.”

She pulled the golf cart to a stop in front of her bungalow—the same place that their baby was conceived. It was as though they’d come full circle and were now back at the beginning. She got out and headed for the door.

She glanced over her shoulder, finding Xander still sitting in the cart. “Come on. You can’t go around looking like that all day.”

She let herself inside the small but airy bungalow, lit abundantly from the floor-to-ceiling windows. She wasn’t quite sure how to act around Xander. It wasn’t as though they were strangers, but there was definitely a thick layer of awkwardness between them.

“The shower is through there.” She pointed to the guest bathroom.

He looked at her. “Are you sure you don’t want to get one first?”

She glanced down at herself. She was as wet as him, with some black grease marks here and there.

Her hand moved to her hair. It was still damp on the ends and the rest of it was growing frizzy. She must look a sight. No one would desire her in this state. And that was for the best. She tried to tell herself that she was relieved but what she was really feeling was disappointment.

Not wanting to dwell on her disheveled appearance, she grabbed her purse from the side of the couch and headed for the front door. “I’ll be back shortly.”

“Where are you going?”

“To get you something to wear.” Not waiting for his response, she strode outside, pulling the door shut behind her.

There was only a limited number of retail shops on the island. Most people who visited weren’t interested in shopping, except for the occasional necessity. But they did have a boutique and that was where Lea headed.

The only problem was that everything in the island boutique was geared to leisurely, fun-in-the-sun clothes. There were no suits, not even jeans because it was hot outside with only the sea breeze to cool you off. There was actually a pair of gray sweats lurking on the back shelf, but Lea dismissed them. Xander would melt in them.

She moved on to a pair of navy shorts with a white anchor pattern. This was more like it. Her mind filled with an image of Xander in them, showing off his well-defined calf muscles. The man was a walking advertisement for the benefit of working out daily.

She picked up a white T-shirt with Infinity Island emblazed across the front of it. Her gaze moved to the section of the shop with the more intimate items, but there was no way she was buying him underwear. Not a chance. She had to draw the line somewhere.

She started for the checkout but realized she was being silly. If she could have his baby, she could pick out some boxers. Still, it felt like something a girlfriend or, dare she say it, a wife would do. As she scanned over the various colors and styles, her mind conjured up images of Xander wearing them.

She resisted the urge to fan herself. Boy, was it getting warm in here. Eager to get this over with, she grabbed a few pairs of extra-large boxers. If he wanted something else, he could come here and shop for himself. With her face still warm, she started for the front of the store, passing by the rack of flip-flops. She grabbed a pair. He would be all set to go—to go home to Athens.

With her purchase made, Lea headed back to her place. Soon Xander would be gone and then she could relax. She glanced at the time. The once-a-day ferry would be arriving at lunchtime and he could hitch a ride back to the mainland. Whatever he’d hoped to accomplish by coming here wasn’t going to happen.

He had his life.

And she had hers.

Could they stay in contact for their child? If he wanted. She didn’t have any qualms about updating him on the progress of the pregnancy.

And that was exactly what she planned to tell him when she entered the bungalow. She dropped her purse on the living room couch and moved to the guest room. She knocked on the open door but got no response. It was then that she noticed the sound of running water. She moved to the bed, hoping to leave the clothes there and get out before he came out of the shower. She’d just placed the bag from the boutique on the bed when Xander emerged from the bathroom.

A billow of steam surrounded him like he was some Greek god. His hair was still wet and spiky. His face and shoulders were damp. And beads of water trailed down over his muscled chest before being absorbed by the fluffy pink towel slung low over his trim hips.

Lea swallowed hard. It was like having her very own hot-guys calendar come to life—not that she had such a calendar. But after seeing Xander, the idea was tempting. So long as he was in it. But then she knew she’d never switch the month. It’d always be Xander’s month.

He cleared his throat, drawing her gaze upward. “Is that for me?”

Heat rushed from her chest to her face, scorching her cheeks. With great reluctance, she glanced away. “Yes, there are some, uh, clothes. They should fit.” And then realizing she shouldn’t be here at this particularly awkward moment, she said, “I’ll, um, wait for you in the living room.”

“There’s no need for you to run off.” A knowing smile lit up his face.

But Lea didn’t look back and didn’t pause until she’d reached the kitchen sink. Noticing that her mouth was parched, she grabbed a drinking glass from the cabinet and filled it with some ice-cold water from the fridge. She downed the entire thing in one long gulp, but it did nothing to cool her down. Thankfully he would soon be on that boat and out of her space. Not much longer now.

“Thanks for the clothes.” Xander’s voice came from behind her. “But you didn’t have to.”

“It’s the least I could do—” The words died in her throat as she turned to him. On second thought, she should have gone with the sweat suit. Then he’d be just as uncomfortably warm as her.

The T-shirt barely fit him as it was pulled tight over his broad shoulders and chest. The man could probably lift one of her in each hand without breaking a sweat. His waist was narrow. And the shorts didn’t hang as low as she’d have thought. She definitely had a view of his legs—legs that weren’t tanned. Her gaze moved to his arms. They weren’t tanned, either. The man definitely spent too much time in a suit.

She could ask him to stay. He obviously needed some downtime in the sun. But that was not a good idea. She did not need any more complications.

He moved to the couch and sat down. “No more distractions. We need to talk.”

He was right. It was time to get it all out there in the open. “I don’t expect anything from you if that’s what you’re worried about. I can take care of the baby.”

He patted the couch cushion next to him. “Come over here.”

She didn’t trust herself being so close to that sexy hunk of a man, but she refused to let on that he still got under her skin. She forced her feet one in front of the other. She perched on the edge of the couch, leaving as much space between them as possible.

She could still remember how good his kisses were and how his hands created the most arousing sensations wherever he touched. The mere memories sent her heart racing. When her gaze met his, there was a challenge reflected in his eyes.

She glanced at the clock on the stove. “If you don’t hurry, you’ll miss the ferry. It’s the only one today.”

“Is this the way it’s going to be?”

She turned her full attention to him. “How what is going to be?”

“You and me. How do I even know the baby is mine?”

“I’d like to think that no one would lie about such an important thing. But you obviously don’t trust me. So after the baby is born, a test can be done. But there’s no way I’m having one of those great big foot-long needles stabbed into my stomach.” She visibly flinched at the memory of what she’d seen on the internet. She didn’t like needles. They all looked huge to her.

“I want to trust you, but I’ve had people lie to me in the past about much smaller matters.” Pain reflected in his eyes.

“It’s understandable that you would want confirmation. It isn’t like we’ve been in a loving, committed relationship.”

His eyes widened. “Is that what you want? For us to marry for the sake of the child?”

“No.” It was a short, straight-to-the-point answer.

His gaze narrowed. “Are you sure?”

Why was he pushing this so much? Surely he didn’t think marriage was a good idea, did he? It was not even like they were in love. They were, well, they were friends at best. And not very good friends at that.

“I’m sure.” Her tone was firm. “Besides, you don’t have time for a family. You’re always working.”

“I can make time for everything—” Just then his phone buzzed and he retrieved it from his pocket.

“Point proven.”

After nothing more than a glance, he returned the phone to his pocket. “So you’re planning to do this all on your own?”

“If you mean raising the baby, then yes, I plan to be a single parent. It’s not like there are a lot of single guys on the island. Most are bridegrooms or a guest of a wedding party. They generally bring a date and don’t flirt with the island staff.”

“You’re going to stay here on the island and raise the baby?”

“This is where my ancestors were born and raised. It’s where my mother grew up. If it’s good enough for them, it’s good enough for me and the baby.”

“And what about what happened today with the honeymoon bungalow?” he asked.

“What about it? Things break.” She tried to brush off the incident as nothing out of the ordinary, but she knew it was a very big deal indeed.

He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. “Don’t act so blasé. I saw you earlier. You were practically in a panic. This island needs a lot of work—work that you don’t have the money to do.”

Her mouth gaped. How dare he? “Since when do you know about my finances?”

“Since I did some digging when I wanted to buy the island. I needed to know just what I was getting myself into.”

She wanted to ask what he’d learned, but she didn’t. Nothing good would come of it. Where finances were concerned Infinity Island was in disastrous straits.

Xander gazed into her eyes, making her heart race. “You need to rethink this—”

“Rethink what? Giving up my home? My past? My future?” She shook her head. “If you think you’re going to talk me into selling you the island, it isn’t going to happen. Remember? We already had this conversation.”

“You don’t have to stay here. I can set you up in Athens. Anywhere in the city. You name it.”

She crossed her arms. “I’m not leaving the island.”

“Stop being so stubborn and see what’s right in front of you.”

Her voice started to rise. “I do see it. And just because this place isn’t perfect doesn’t mean I should turn my back and walk away.”

He sighed and got to his feet. Without another word, he started for the door.

“Where are you going?” she asked.

“Out.” And with that he stepped onto the covered deck.

She should be relieved, but she wasn’t. She felt like they’d talked about everything except what he really had on his mind. And then there was the whistle of the approaching ferry.

She rushed to the doorway. “You’re going to miss your ride back to the mainland.”

“I’m not leaving.” He kept walking.

Not leaving? He made it sound like it would be indefinitely, but she knew that couldn’t be the case. He had a business empire to run.

She assured herself that he’d just be here for a day or two. Just long enough to figure out how this pregnancy would affect their lives. Then he’d go back to his life in Athens. And she would remain here on the island.