An Offer She Can't Refuse (10 page)

She looked absolutely stunning in a dark red satin gown. Desire had kicked in so hard and fast Ari had struggled to control the instinctive physical response to instantly wanting her in his bed again. ‘She is magnificent, is she not?’ George had murmured, meaning his bride, and she was, but Cassandra stirred nothing in him.

There were many beautiful women in the world. Ari had connected to quite a few of them, but none had twisted his heart as it was being twisted right now. He had to have Christina again. Perhaps she touched something deep in him because she was the mother of his child. Or perhaps it was because he had taken her innocence and she made him feel very strongly about righting the wrong he had done her. The reasons didn’t matter. Somehow he had to persuade her to be his wife.

His parents certainly approved of the marriage and not only because of Theo.

‘She’s lovely, Ari, and I could be good friends with Helen,’ his mother had remarked.

His father had been more decisive in his opinion. ‘Beautiful, intelligent, and with a fighting spirit I admire. She’s a good match for you, Ari. Don’t let her get away from you. The two of you should have many interesting children together.’

Easier said than done, Ari thought grimly.

She didn’t want him to touch her.

Today, she didn’t want to look at him.

Was she frightened of the attraction she still felt with him, frightened of giving in to it? She would
have
to look at him at the wedding reception
and
suffer his touch during the bridal waltz. Not just a touch, either. Full body contact. He would make the waltz one of the most intimate dances she’d ever had, force the sexual chemistry between them to the surface so she couldn’t hide from it, couldn’t ignore it, couldn’t deny it.

She was not going to get away from him.

Tina listened to the marriage service as she stood beside her sister. These same words could be spoken to her soon if she said
yes
to Ari’s proposal. Would he take the vows seriously, or were they just mumbo-jumbo to him—the means to an end?

He
had
offered the fidelity clause in a prenuptial agreement. She would get full custody of Theo and any other children they might have together if he faltered on that front. Could she be happy with him if he kept faith with his marriage deal?

It was a risk she probably shouldn’t be considering. Cass’s wedding was getting to her, stirring up feelings that could land her in a terrible mess. Plus all the marriage talk amongst her Greek relatives yesterday had kept Ari’s offer pounding through her mind—no relief at all from the connection with him.

Her mother had raved on about how kind he’d been—taking Tina and Theo out for the day, the birthday party at his parents’ home—which had reminded the relatives of how attentive he’d been to Tina at the family party in Athens. Comments on how eligible he was followed, with speculative looks that clearly said Helen’s daughter might have a chance with him. Being a single mother was …
so unfortunate.

Little did they know that Theo was the drawcard, not her. They would all be watching her with Ari today—watching, hoping, encouraging. She would have to look at him soon, take his arm as they followed Cass and George out of the church, be seated next to him at the wedding reception, dance with him. The whole thing was a nightmare with no escape, and it would be worse when the truth was told.

Her mother would want her to marry Ari.

Her relatives would think her mad if she didn’t.

Only Cass might take her side, asking what
she
wanted, but Cass wouldn’t be there. She and George would be off on their honeymoon. Besides, what Tina
wanted
was impossible—utterly impossible to go back to the time when she had loved Ari with all her heart and believed he loved her. How could she ever believe that now?

She felt a sharp stab of envy as George promised to love Cass for the rest of his life. There was no doubting the fervour in his voice, no doubting Cass, either, as she promised her love in return. A huge welling of emotion brought tears to Tina’s eyes as the two of them were declared husband and wife. She wished them all the happiness in the world. This was how it should be between a man and a woman, starting out on a life together.

She was still blinking away the wetness in her eyes when she had to link up with Ari for the walk out of the church. He wound her arm around his and hugged her close, instantly causing an eruption of agitation inside Tina.

‘Why do women always weep at weddings?’ he murmured, obviously wanting her to focus on him.

She didn’t. She swept her gaze around the gathered guests, swallowed hard to unblock her voice and answered, ‘Because change is scary and you hope with all your heart that everything will work out right.’

‘What is right in your mind, Christina?’ he persisted.

Christina …
he invariably used her full name because it was what she had called herself for the modelling career that had been cut short after he had left her pregnant. During the months they’d spent together she’d loved how that name had rolled off his tongue in a caressing tone. She wished he wouldn’t keep using the same tone now, that he’d call her Tina like everyone else. Then she wouldn’t be constantly reminded of the girl she had been and how much she had once loved him.

She wasn’t that girl any more.

She’d moved on.

Except Ari could still twist her heart and shoot treacherous excitement through her veins.

It was wrong for him to have that power.
Wrong!
And the pain of her disillusionment with him lent a vehement conviction to her voice as she answered him. ‘It’s right if they keep loving each other for the rest of their lives, no matter what happens along the way.’ She looked at him then, meeting the quizzical amber eyes with as much hard directness as she could muster. ‘We don’t have that basis for marriage, do we?’

‘I don’t believe that love is the glue that keeps a marriage together,’ he shot back at her. ‘It’s a madness that’s blind to any sensible judgement and it quickly burns out when people’s expectations of it aren’t met. Absolute commitment is what I’m offering you, Christina. You can trust that more than love.’

His cynical view of love was deeply offensive to her, yet she felt the strength of his will encompassing her, battering at her resistance to what he wanted. ‘I’d rather have what Cass and George have than what you’re offering,’ she muttered, resenting the implication that her sister’s happiness with her marriage wouldn’t last.

‘I understand that change must be scary to you, Christina,’ he murmured in her ear. ‘I promise you I’ll do all I can to make the transition easy for both you and Theo.’

The transition! He expected her to give up her life in Australia—all she’d known, all she’d worked for—to be with him. It wouldn’t work the other way around. She knew that wouldn’t even be considered. She was supposed to see marriage to him as more desirable than anything else, and she would have seen it that way once,
if he’d loved her.

That was the sticking point.

Tina couldn’t push herself past it.

The hurt that he didn’t wouldn’t go away.

Outside the church they had to pose for photographs. Tina pasted a smile on her face. Her facial muscles ached from keeping it there. Ari lifted Theo up to perch against his shoulder for some shots and everywhere she looked people seemed to be smiling and nodding benevolently at the grouping of the three of them—not as bridesmaid, best man and page boy, but as wife, husband and son. Ari’s parents stood next to her mother and Uncle Dimitri. They would all be allied against her if she decided to reject the marriage proposal.

She ached all over from the tension inside her. At least the drive to the reception spared her any active pressure from Ari. Theo rode in their car, sitting between them on the back seat, chatting happily to the man he would soon know as his father. Tina was grateful not have to say anything but she was acutely aware of Theo’s pleasure in Ari and Ari’s pleasure in his son. How could she explain to a five-year-old boy why they couldn’t all be together with the Papa he had wished for?

They arrived at the Santo winery. Its reception centre was perched on top of a cliff overlooking the sea. To the side of the dining section was a large open area shaded by pergolas and normally used for wine-tasting. Guests gathered here while the bridal party posed for more photographs. Waiters offered drinks and canapés. A festive mood was very quickly in full swing.

Tina thought she might escape from Ari’s side for a while after the photographer was satisfied but that proved impossible. He led her straight over to George’s family who were all in high spirits, delighted to meet their new daughter-in-law’s sister and press invitations to be their guest on Patmos at any time.

Then he insisted on introducing her to his sisters and their husbands—beautiful women, handsome men, bright beautiful people who welcomed Tina into their group, making friendly chat about the wedding. Their children, Ari’s nephews, all four of them around Theo’s age, quickly drew him off with them to play boy games. Which left Tina very much the centre of attention and as pleasant as the conversation was, she knew they were measuring her up as wife material for Ari.

After a reasonable interval she excused herself, saying she should check if Cass needed her for anything.

It didn’t provide much of an escape.

‘I’ll come with you,’ Ari instantly said. ‘George might require something from me.’

As soon as they were out of earshot, Tina muttered, ‘You told them, didn’t you?’

‘Not the children. Theo won’t hear it from them. Keeping it from your family until after the wedding will be respected, Christina. I simply wanted my sisters to understand where you are with me.’

‘I’m not anywhere with you,’ she snapped defensively, giving him a reproachful glare.

He held her gaze with a blaze of resolute purpose. ‘You’re my intended wife and I told them so.’

‘Why are you rushing into this?’ she cried in exasperation. ‘We can make reasonable arrangements about sharing Theo. Other people do it all the time. You don’t have to
marry
me!’

‘I
want
to marry you.’

‘Only because of Theo and that’s not right, Ari.’

‘You’re wrong. I want you, too, Christina.’

She shook her head in anguished denial, instantly shying away from letting herself believe him. Cass and George were chatting to a group of their modellingworld friends and Tina gestured to the gorgeous women amongst them. ‘Look at what you could have. I’m not in their class. And I bet they’d lap up your attention.’

‘You’re in a class of your own and I don’t want their attention. I want yours.’

‘Today you do, but what about the rest of your future, Ari?’

‘I’ll make my future with you if you’ll give it a chance.’

Again she shook her head. There was no point in arguing with him. He had his mind set on a course of action and nothing she said was going to shift him from it.

‘It’s worth a chance, isn’t it, Christina?’ he pressed. ‘We were both happy when we were intimately involved. It can be that way again. You can’t really want to be separated from Theo during the time he spends with me if you insist he has to bounce between us.’

She would hate it.

But she was also hating the way Cass’s girlfriends were gobbling Ari up with their eyes, watching him approach the bride and groom. Not that she could blame them for doing it. He was even more of a sex magnet today, dressed in a formal dinner suit which enhanced his perfect male physique, highlighting how stunningly handsome he was.
A Greek God.
Tina had no doubt they were thinking that. And envying her for having him at her side.

Could she stand a lifetime of that with Ari?

Would he always
stay
at her side?

She felt sick from all the churning inside her. Any distraction from it was intensely welcome. Hopefully Cass would provide it for a while. She and Ari joined the celebrity group and were quickly introduced around. One of George’s friends, another photographer, took the opportunity to give Tina his business card.

‘Come to me and I’ll turn you into a model as famous as your sister. No disrespect to you, Cass, but this girl has quite a unique look that I’d love to capture.’

Cass laughed and turned a beaming smile to Tina. ‘I’ve always said you don’t have to be a homebody.’

‘But I like being a homebody.’ She tried to hand the card back, embarrassed by the spotlight being turned on her. ‘Thank you, but no.’

‘Keep it,’ he insisted. ‘I mean it. I would love to work with that wonderful long neck and those marvellous cheekbones. Your short hair sets them off to perfection.’

‘No, please, I don’t want it. I have nowhere to put your card anyway.’

‘I’ll keep it for you. You might have second thoughts,’ Ari said, taking the card and sliding it into his breast pocket. He smiled around at the group. ‘No disrespect to any of you lovely ladies, but I also think Christina is unique. And very special.’

Which was virtually a public declaration of his interest in her, putting off the interest that any of the lovely ladies might want to show in him.

Tina’s
marvellous cheekbones
were instantly illuminated by heat.

Cass leaned over to whisper in her ear. ‘Mama is right. Ari is very taken by you. Give him a chance, Tina. He’s rather special, too.’

A chance!

Even Cass was on Ari’s side.

Tina felt the whole world was conspiring to make her take the step she was frightened of taking.

‘I think I need some cool air,’ she muttered.

Ari heard her. He took her arm. ‘Please excuse us, everyone. We’re off to catch the sea breeze for a breather.’

He drew her over to the stone wall along the cliff edge. Tina didn’t protest the move. It was useless. She was trapped into being Ari’s companion at this wedding and he was not about to release her.

‘Why did you take that card?’ she demanded crossly.

‘Because it was my fault that you didn’t continue the modelling career you might have had. It’s not too late to try again, Christina. You actually have a more individual beauty now. If you’d like to pursue that path you’d have my full support.’