Buch lesen: «The Greek's Nine-Month Surprise»

For Lois.

To an amazing lady who always makes me smile.

Thanks for your support.

Contents

Cover

Introduction

Title Page

About the Author

Dedication

PROLOGUE

CHAPTER ONE

CHAPTER TWO

CHAPTER THREE

CHAPTER FOUR

CHAPTER FIVE

CHAPTER SIX

CHAPTER SEVEN

CHAPTER EIGHT

CHAPTER NINE

CHAPTER TEN

CHAPTER ELEVEN

CHAPTER TWELVE

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

CHAPTER NINETEEN

CHAPTER TWENTY

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

EPILOGUE

Extract

Copyright

PROLOGUE

THE WEDDING BOUQUET tumbled through the air.

The breath caught in Sofia Moore’s throat as she watched the flowers sail end over end. They were headed her way. She raised her hands high in the air. With a firm grasp on the bouquet, she smiled triumphantly, thankful her friend had chosen flowers that didn’t bother her allergies. Sofia lowered her arms, taking a moment to admire the beautiful white lilies and the delicate blue orchids.

As a round of applause went up, she lifted her head. Her gaze immediately met a set of piercing blue-gray eyes. Only one person had such mesmerizing eyes. Niko Stravos.

Her heart pounded in her chest. He quickly averted his gaze, but the connection had been long enough for her stomach to quiver with excitement. He liked her. Of that she was certain.

In turn, she was drawn to him like a honeybee to a sun-warmed daisy. How could she not be? He was drop-dead gorgeous in the tall, dark and dreamy sort of way. But there was something more—something she couldn’t quite put her finger on.

She moved to where he was standing. His stance was a bit stiff, and a frown marred his handsome face. What had caused him to look so uncomfortable? Just moments ago, they’d been enjoying their time together. Their conversation had been light and entertaining. She wasn’t ready for it to end.

“Care to dance again?” She hoped to cajole him back into a good mood.

Niko’s hesitant gaze zeroed in on the bouquet before returning to her face. “Perhaps we should rest. Aren’t you tired?”

“Tired? Not a chance. I love weddings.” This was the first time since she’d called off her engagement that she’d truly enjoyed herself. She didn’t want this magical evening to end. “Don’t you?”

“What?” Lines creased between his dark brows.

“Don’t you enjoy weddings?”

His gaze moved to the colorful lilies again. “Not so much. I’m usually too busy at the office to attend them.”

“In that case, you should make the most of the occasion. I’m sure Kyra’s glad you made an exception today.” She noticed how his attention kept straying back to the flowers. She turned and placed the arrangement on the bridal table. But still the pensive look on his face remained. “I love this song. Let’s go dance.”

He shook his head. “I don’t think so.”

“But why?”

He glanced around as though trying to avoid her pointed stare. “You should dance with someone else. I...I don’t want to take up your entire evening. I should go.”

“But we were having fun. Don’t say goodbye. Not yet.” She needed this—she needed to feel alive again after beating herself up for letting herself stay in a dead-end relationship for too long. “Please.”

Niko hesitated. Then he held out his arm to her. “Shall we?”

A smile pulled at her lips. “I thought you’d never ask.”

He escorted her onto the crowded dance floor that had been erected on the beach of the Blue Tide Resort beneath a giant tent supported by white columns. Everyone around them was smiling and laughing. The tables were adorned with white linens, floral centerpieces and votive candles. It was so easy to get swept up in the joyful celebration of her best friend’s wedding.

A smile lifted the corners of his mouth. “You are unlike anyone I’ve ever known. I never know what to expect from you.”

“I like to keep you guessing.” She stepped into his very capable arms.

“You enjoy being different, don’t you?”

“Yes.” There was no hesitation in her response. None whatsoever. “I tried living up to someone’s expectations. I turned myself inside out, and it still wasn’t enough. In fact, it was an utter disaster. Since then, I’ve decided to march to my own drum.”

“And how’s that working for you?”

“Quite well.” After all, she was dancing the night away with the most eligible bachelor at this wedding. “Quite well indeed. You should try it.”

His eyes widened. “And what makes you think I don’t march to my own drum?”

“Just a feeling.”

He struck her as the conservative type, from his restrained emotions to his proper hold on her as they danced; not standing too close and his hands always remained in a respectable place. But then there was his longer, wavy dark hair. And the way he stared at her when he didn’t think she noticed. Perhaps there was an impulsive side to him just longing to get out. She relished the idea.

Wanting to push him out of his safety zone, she moved closer to him. Her curves brushed up against his muscular chest. Immediately he sucked in a deep breath as his body stiffened.

“Relax,” she murmured, feeling exceedingly daring. Perhaps it was the dim lighting. Or maybe it was the sparkling wine. Whatever it was, she decided not to fight it. She was having too much fun. “Don’t worry—I won’t bite.”

A deep, rich chuckle rumbled from his chest. They began to move to the music again. He leaned in close—real close. His breath lightly brushed over her neck, sending goose bumps down her arms. “Why do I get the feeling you’re trying to take advantage of me?”

She swallowed hard, trying to ignore the way he had her pulse racing. “Would that be so bad?”

“I never let anyone have the advantage.”

“Maybe you should—think of all you’re missing out on.” She wasn’t one for flings, but Niko was different. The push and pull of her common sense versus her desires raged war within her. Should she? Or shouldn’t she? In the end, she threw caution to the wind and decided that for Niko, she just might make an exception.

“Sofia? Did you hear me?”

He’d been talking? Between the loud voices and the strums of the eight-piece band, not to mention her own riotous thoughts, she’d missed what he’d said. And that was a shame because she loved his voice that was heavily laden with a Greek accent.

“I’m sorry. I’m having trouble hearing you.”

“Perhaps you’d care to stop by my suite. We could continue our conversation. It’s much quieter there. Unless of course you’d care to dance the night away.”

He was inviting her to his suite? Her immediate response was no. But, then again, after tonight he’d be gone. And tomorrow she’d be like Cinderella, trading in her royal blue chiffon gown and satin heels for a black-and-white maid’s uniform complete with no-nonsense black shoes with rubber soles.

The way Niko implored her with his eyes eroded any lingering doubts. Tonight would be her fairy tale—something she’d remember for years to come.

“Lead the way.”

CHAPTER ONE

Twelve weeks later...

HE WAS LATE.

He was never late. Nikolas Stravos III expelled a disgruntled sigh as he stood in the shower. There was something about being at the Blue Tide Resort that always seemed to have him acting out of character. His previous stay had included the most fascinating evening with the most incredible woman. He smiled at the memory.

He turned away from the spray of water, letting the soapsuds slide down his body. He leaned forward, pressing his palms against the cold tiles. The jets of water beat against the backs of his shoulders. Hundreds of droplets of water came together and trickled down his spine. He longed for the pulsating rhythm to ease away the ache in his tense muscles.

A lot had happened since he’d last been to the Blue Tide. He now had a solo voice in the operation and direction of the Stravos Trust, a position he’d been groomed to ascend to since childhood. But no one had warned him the promotion would cost him dearly.

It’d all started here at the resort, at Cristo Kiriakas’s wedding to Kyra, Niko’s newfound cousin. The memories unfolded in his mind like a promo to a blockbuster movie, hitting all the highlights.

Some of the recollections were amazing, like getting to know Sofia, the maid of honor. And spending a glorious night together, an evening he hadn’t been able to banish from his mind. But as good as that brief period had been, what had followed was horrific—losing his grandfather suddenly to a heart attack. The memory still sliced through him. There had been no time for goodbyes—no final words. It was all over before Niko had time to react.

He cursed under his breath as he turned off the water. Life could be so cruel sometimes. If he’d learned one thing, it was that everything could change at the drop of a hat. No notice. No nothing. And then you were all alone in this big, cold world. It was the story of his life.

Niko reached for the towel waiting for him just outside the shower stall. Instead of thinking about his upcoming business meeting with Cristo to finalize the terms of the sale of the Stravos Star Hotels, Niko found his thoughts spiraling back to Sofia. He ran the plush towel over his face. He made a mental note to inquire about her. He hadn’t even gotten a chance to learn where she lived. By the time he’d awoken on that not-so-long-ago morning, she was gone. Like a dream, she’d vanished—

Thunk!

The startling noise drew his thoughts up short. What was that? It sure sounded like something had fallen over. But how was that possible? He didn’t recall leaving a window open for the breeze to wreak havoc. But he conceded that, in his exhausted state after working day and night, anything was possible. And he had opened the windows last night when he’d first arrived. Perhaps he’d forgotten to close one of them.

Not bothering to dry himself off, he draped the towel around his waist, anxious to find out what damage had been done. His feet moved soundlessly over the cool ceramic tile floor.

He stepped into the outer room when he heard, “Ghuahh!”

He stopped in his tracks. He scanned the room, at last settling on a most beautiful woman. Her eyes were round with alarm as she straightened, holding a lamp that belonged on the end table. Who was this woman? And what was she doing in his bungalow uninvited?

His gaze moved back to her face. It took a second before he realized he knew her—in fact, he knew her quite well, in a manner of speaking. Sofia. She’d come back. And this time, she wasn’t a figment of his dreams. She was standing before him with those tempting lips and all her curvy goodness.

He noticed how her gaze slipped down to his towel before quickly returning to his face. Her cheeks were suffused with color. Really? How could she be so innocent after the night they’d spent together?

Still, at the sight of her embarrassment, he felt as though the towel had shrunk to half its size. He should have excused himself to go throw on some clothes, but his mind wasn’t exactly working right. “Sofia? What are you doing here?”

Her mouth opened, but nothing came out. She turned and bolted for the door.

“Hey, wait!” He hadn’t meant to scare her off. Perhaps his tone hadn’t exactly been welcoming, but she was in his bungalow without an invitation—oh, who was he kidding? He was frustrated with himself for being so excited to see her.

And he just couldn’t let her get away without finding out why she’d sought him out. He started after her, but when he reached the covered porch of his exclusive bungalow, a breeze rushed past him, reminding him that he was dressed in nothing more than a bath towel.

He stopped and stared at Sofia’s back as she moved away from him as quickly as her legs would carry her. What puzzled him the most was why she kept leaving him without so much as a word.

Usually he had the opposite problem with women. They were too clingy for his comfort. Sofia was different. She intrigued him. He’d have to work harder at making a good impression the next time they met.

He pressed his hand to the wooden rail as he watched her make her way along the path surrounded by lush, colorful vegetation. All too soon, she disappeared from sight. The part that stuck with him was the fact she’d been wearing a maid’s uniform. She works here?

A whistle drew his attention. He turned to find a pretty brunette in a red bikini sunbathing not far from his bungalow. She flashed him a toothy smile and waved, but he didn’t return the gesture, not wanting to encourage her attention.

His phone chimed with a reminder that he had a meeting in fifteen minutes. With a shake of his head, he turned and headed inside the thatched-roof bungalow. Thoughts of Sofia persisted. Had she, too, been unable to forget about their time together? Was that why she’d shown up at his bungalow? But if so, why had she run away? Surely it wasn’t his lack of clothing. It had to be more than that. But what?

He inwardly groaned as he removed the first suit he came across in the wardrobe. His knowledge of women wouldn’t even fill up a shot glass. And he had no intention of learning more—at least not anytime soon. And when he did decide to settle down, it would be a marriage of convenience.

He’d experienced enough loss in his life. He wasn’t about to risk his heart on romance. A strategically planned marriage would be best for all concerned. It’s what made the most sense. From what he’d observed, emotions were too fickle. Sometimes he wondered if romantic love truly existed or if people only imagined it. He sighed. Even if it did exist, he was better off without such an entanglement. It just made life more complicated than it needed to be.

If he were smart, he’d forget Sofia. That was the best thing he could do for both of them, because he had nothing to offer her except a moment here or a moment there. Certainly nothing consistent—nothing lasting.

In fact, tomorrow he would be jetting off, far from the Blue Tide Resort. His grandfather had given him one last mission to complete. And that had to be Niko’s focus—not a beautiful woman with eyes full of mystery.

* * *

Her heart pounded.

Sofia pressed a hand to her chest as she eased open the door to the employee area in the lower level of the resort. With it being midmorning, the locker area was deserted. Everyone was busy trying to get their assigned tasks completed while the guests soaked up rays on the beach, golfed or toured the picturesque seaside.

She moved to the far corner of the room, anxious to be alone. Her mind had been racing ever since she ran into Mr. Dreamy, as she’d dubbed him during her best friend’s wedding. What was he doing back here? And why hadn’t Kyra mentioned his visit?

Sofia leaned against the cool tiled wall. She slid down to the floor and pulled out her phone. She could really use a sounding board. It wasn’t until then that she realized her hands were trembling.

She didn’t know what she’d been expecting for their reunion, but it certainly wasn’t the suspicion in Niko’s eyes. And when he spoke, his voice had been laced with agitation.

The backs of her eyes stung, and her stomach churned. This couldn’t be happening. She hadn’t meant to catch him by surprise. There had been no privacy notice on the door, and she’d knocked several times without getting a response. She hadn’t even known that he’d returned to the Blue Tide.

Her fingers moved over the keyboard as she messaged Kyra.

MaidintheShade347 (Sofia): He’s here!

Seconds passed and nothing. She willed Kyra to message her back. Of all the times she needed her best friend... Sofia’s hand moved protectively over her still-flat midsection.

“It’s okay, little one. I’ll get this all sorted out. I promise.” Impatiently her fingers moved over the keypad again.

MaidintheShade347 (Sofia): I need you.

Mop&Glow007 (Kyra): I’m here. Who’s here?

MaidintheShade347 (Sofia): Niko. What do I do?

Mop&Glow007 (Kyra): Do you want to see him?

Sofia hadn’t told Kyra the steamy bits that had transpired between her and Niko. It felt strange to hold back from her best friend, who until this point in her life had known all her secrets and insecurities. But this was different. She’d had a one-night stand with Niko—Kyra’s long-lost cousin. That totally changed the rules of the game.

There was something else Sofia hadn’t told Kyra—she was pregnant. Sofia had just found out earlier that week. She would tell Kyra everything just as soon as she figured out how best to deal with Niko.

MaidintheShade347 (Sofia): No. Yes. I don’t know.

Mop&Glow007 (Kyra): Do you want me to say something to him for you?

MaidintheShade347 (Sofia): No!

Mop&Glow007 (Kyra): Are you sure?

MaidintheShade347 (Sofia): I’ll handle it.

Mop&Glow007 (Kyra): LMK if you change your mind. I’ll help.

The offer was generous, so typical of Kyra. Her friend had already pulled strings and gotten Sofia enrolled in an in-house managerial training program. Sofia was immensely grateful for the opportunity, but she was seriously considering returning to the States to earn an accounting degree. She’d always had a knack for numbers.

Though Kyra’s offer to help smooth over things with Niko was tempting, Sofia would have to face Niko on her own. She couldn’t even imagine how he’d react to her news.

CHAPTER TWO

NIKO YANKED AT his necktie, loosening it. He took the steps leading up to his bungalow two at a time while holding firmly to the notes he’d taken during his meeting with Cristo. He released the top buttons on his dress shirt. Whatever made him think wearing a suit at the Blue Tide was a good idea?

Because it was a habit. He felt in control in a suit and tie. His grandfather had drilled this message into him since he was just a boy. Without his father around to assume his rightful place as the Stravos heir, the role had fallen to Niko. He’d vowed at an early age to be the type of man that would have made his father and grandfather proud. That role included dressing the part.

However, Cristo hadn’t felt the need for business attire, even though they were dealing with a very big contract that involved the sale of Niko’s international hotel chain to Cristo. Thankfully the meeting had gone quite well. The changes to the terms of the contract were minor. So why was he so uptight? So out of sorts?

The answer immediately came to him in the vision of Sofia. He strode into the bungalow, where he uncharacteristically tossed his tie over the back of the couch, followed by his suit jacket. Why had she looked at him as if he were the Big Bad Wolf and she were Little Red Riding Hood? Had he really been that gruff?

He gave himself a mental shake as he sat down at the spacious desk and turned on his laptop. He’d be lost without it. Immediately his email software popped up on the screen. Forty-three new emails since that morning. All appeared to be business related. He inwardly groaned. They’d have to wait a little longer.

Niko opened a new email and started typing a note to his legal team. Sofia’s panic-stricken face as she’d rushed out the door came to him. He shoved the image to the back of his mind as he transcribed his hasty notes into something more understandable.

When he’d finished proofreading the rather lengthy email, he pressed Send. He soon found three more emails had landed in his inbox. He leaned back in his chair as the memory of Sofia continued to plague him.

What had she wanted? Why had she looked so upset? He couldn’t fully focus on his work until he had answers.

Niko strode over to the phone and was quickly connected with the front desk. He couldn’t come straight out and request they send over Sofia. It would raise too many questions. Instead he requested the maid who’d cleaned his room to stop by, as he’d misplaced some papers and needed to know if she’d seen them. He assured the desk clerk that no crime had been committed. He just needed a bit of help.

Not more than five minutes later, there was a knock at the door. Niko opened it to find Sofia holding a stack of plush white towels as though they were a shield. “Hi. Thanks for coming back.”

Her gaze didn’t quite meet his. “I...I didn’t see any papers.”

He arched a brow. “And you would know this how? You took off so fast this morning that you didn’t have time to look around.”

“I’m sorry about that. I didn’t know you were in the bungalow.”

After being up late into the night working, he’d slept in. He’d forgotten to put out the do-not-disturb placard. That answered some of his questions but not all of them. “I understand about the mix-up this morning, but we still need to talk.”

Panic reflected in her brown eyes. “We...we do.”

He got the feeling from her awkward stance and the way her gaze didn’t quite meet his that whatever she had to say he wasn’t going to like it. Not one little bit. It was like he’d walked in on the middle of a play and he had absolutely no idea what was going on.

If he was smart, he’d just make a quick excuse to disentangle himself from Sofia right here and now. But what came out of his mouth was something entirely different. “Come inside.”

She hesitated before moving past him, taking great pains to keep some distance between them. This was not the way he’d expected her to act after their amazing night together. In fact, it was exactly the opposite.

When she stood in the middle of the living room, clenching and unclenching her hands, he said, “You can have a seat.”

She perched on the edge of the couch. She laced her fingers together and rested them in her lap. The awkward silence stretched out.

“What did you want to discuss?” Surely it couldn’t be as serious as her body language indicated. Perhaps she regretted running out on him the morning after the wedding and she wanted to know if they could start over.

The thought of letting her down weighed on him. He’d really enjoyed getting to know her. She’d been so easy to be around. But as amazing as he found her, he wasn’t at a place in his life where he could even think about a serious relationship. Maybe it wasn’t right—wasn’t fair—but neither would lying to her. In the end, it would hurt her more.

His gaze met hers. There was a vulnerability in her eyes that evoked a protective side of him he hadn’t been aware of before that moment. Her eyes grew shiny as though she were about to burst into tears at any moment.

No. Please. Not that.

Niko sat down on an adjacent armchair, uncomfortable with the thought of dealing with an emotional woman. He had absolutely no experience in that area. He wasn’t a love-’em-and-leave-’em kinda guy. But on the rare occasions he spent the evening in a woman’s company, whether for a fund-raiser or a business dinner, he made sure she knew up front that there would never be anything serious between them.

Had he told Sofia that? His memory was a bit fuzzy. He remembered when he’d first approached her at the wedding reception. She’d been sitting all alone at the bridal table. He’d been drawn to her, unable to resist talking to her.

Her smile had been the first thing he noticed. It had lit up her whole face, and it was infectious. The evening had been full of dancing and sparkling wine. Then more dancing, more laughing and more wine. He honestly hadn’t wanted the night to end.

The woman sitting before him didn’t resemble the engaging, bubbly woman at his cousin’s wedding—she may look the same, but it was obvious something major had changed. What could it be? Why did she look as though she had the weight of the world on her delicate shoulders?

He drew his thoughts up short. Whatever was bothering her, he wasn’t the one to resolve it. As much as he wanted to ride to her rescue, he was only in town for the night. There simply wasn’t enough time—or so he tried to tell himself.

* * *

Sofia had no idea why Niko had requested her presence. Obviously, it wasn’t to locate any missing papers or to restock his towels. Realizing she was still holding the fresh linens, she placed them on the couch next to her. She knew for a fact he had more than enough fresh towels because once he’d departed the bungalow that morning, she’d rushed back in. She’d done her fastest, most thorough cleaning job to date. So whatever he wanted had absolutely nothing to do with housekeeping.

And by the serious look on his face, he wasn’t anxious to pick up where they’d left off. So where did that leave them? Was he just upset about finding her in his room? Or did he know about her pregnancy? No, impossible. She hadn’t told a soul.

The best course of action was to get it all out there in the open, but her mouth refused to cooperate. She could feel Niko’s gaze on her, and she averted her eyes to the pattern on the rug. Her stomach quivered.

Why was she letting herself get all twisted up in knots? It wasn’t as if she wanted anything from him. Quite the contrary. She planned to take care of the baby on her own.

Niko cleared his throat. “Listen, I know you probably came here expecting us to pick up where we left off—”

“What? No, I didn’t.” Was that what he was expecting? Another clandestine hookup before he left?

His eyes widened. “You didn’t?”

“What do you take me for?” Sofia pressed her lips together, holding back a stinging comment. Just because he was sexy and rich didn’t mean she was going to throw herself at him. Was that how little he thought of her?

“I apologize if I jumped to the wrong conclusion.” The look in his eyes said he didn’t quite believe her. “Then why did you agree that we needed to talk?”

“I...I...” Her stomach lurched nauseously.

She jumped to her feet, not about to get sick in front of him. It was time to make a hasty exit. She would admit to her pregnancy later, when she wasn’t so nervous. She rushed to the door. She could hear Niko curse under his breath as he hurried after her.

“Sofia, wait!”

She stopped at the edge of the porch. She inhaled a couple of deep breaths. Her stomach settled a bit. Her hands gripped the wood and squeezed tight, willing herself to remain calm enough to utter words.

“I need to tell you something.” So far so good. Now if only she could get the rest out. “It’s about the night of the wedding.”

“It’s okay.” He stopped just behind her. His voice was much softer than it had been just moments before. “I understand. I haven’t been able to forget that night, either.”

“You haven’t?” She turned, finding him much closer than she’d expected. That was not what she was expecting him to say.

His voice lowered and vibrated with emotion. “No, I haven’t. It was special.” He stared deep into her eyes. “You are special. But after you disappeared without a word, I thought you regretted it.”

Her heart leaped into her throat. Was this really happening? Was it possible she’d totally misjudged him? “You really mean it? About the special part?”

His head dipped, and his lips claimed hers. There was no room for doubt in his kiss. This was how she remembered things from that one magical night. Maybe it’d been the sparkling wine or the romantic ballads, but Niko had swept her off her feet...just like now.

His lips moved over hers, brushing aside the rush of turbulent emotions and replacing them with pure, undiluted passion. She suddenly remembered how on that not-so-long-ago night she’d momentarily disengaged from her common sense and followed her heart. Their time together wasn’t supposed to be anything serious, but sometimes actions have consequences. And in her—well, their—case, it was a life-altering consequence.