The Mistress: The Mistress\Wanted: Mistress and Mother (11 page)

Theos mou,
but he didn’t have the
answer. He didn’t know if he had it in him to be so generous. He wanted her, no
question. He was drawn to her, even knowing her sins. She was pregnant with his
son, but could he honestly say that if she weren’t pregnant, he could so easily
cast her aside?

Small arms circled his waist, and a warm body burrowed against
his back. He looked down to see Marley’s hands clasped around his middle, and he
brought his up to cover hers automatically.

She hugged him tightly, and he could feel her cheek pressed
against his spine. She felt...right.

Slowly he eased her hands away so that he could turn in her
arms. She looked up at him with warm and welcoming eyes before she dove into his
arms and nuzzled against his chest.

“Good morning,” he said, unable to prevent the surge of desire
from racing through his body.

“I stopped by your office but didn’t find you. I was worried,”
she said as she pulled away.

He cocked his head. “Worried?”

“You’re never not in your office,” she said lightly. “And then
I couldn’t find you anywhere in the house. I thought...I thought you might have
left.”

He ran his hands up to her shoulders and squeezed reassuringly.
“I wouldn’t leave without telling you,
pedhaki mou.
”
Was he so distant, so caught up in his efforts to avoid her that this was what
she thought of him? If she did think so, he could hardly blame her. Between Mrs.
Cahill and Dr. Karounis, he’d erected a veritable arsenal of people to put
between them.

“Would you like to take a walk with me?” she asked. “I always
walk on the beach in the mornings when you’re working. That is, if you aren’t
too busy?”

He caught her hand and brought it to his lips. “I’m not too
busy for you and our child. But should you be resting?”

An exasperated shriek left her lips, startling him with her
ferocity. She yanked her hand from him and parked both of her fists on her
hips.

“Do I look like I need to be resting?” Anger and disappointment
burned in her eyes. “Look, Chrysander, if you don’t want to spend time with me,
just say so, but stop throwing out your pat ‘You need to be resting’ line.”

She turned and stalked farther down the beach, leaving him
there feeling like she’d punched him in the stomach. He ran a hand through his
hair as he watched her hurry away, and then he strode after her, his feet
kicking up sand as he closed the distance between them.

“Marley! Marley, wait,” he called as he caught her elbow.

When he turned her around, he was gutted by the tears streaking
down her cheeks. She turned her face away and swiped blindly at her eyes with
her other hand.

“Please, just go away,” she choked out. “Go do whatever it is
you do with your time. I’ll wait for my
appointment
with you in the afternoon.”

It came out bitter and full of hurt, and he realized that he
hadn’t fooled her at all with the distance he put between them.

He reached for her chin and gently tugged until she faced him.
With his thumb, he wiped at a tear that slipped over her cheekbone.

“You aren’t an appointment, Marley.”

“No?” She yanked away from his touch and retreated a few feet
until there was a respectable distance between them. “I’ve tried to be patient
and understanding even though I don’t understand any of it. Us. You or even me.
I can’t figure you out, Chrysander, and I’m tired of trying. I’ve tried to be
strong and undemanding, but I can’t do it anymore. I’m scared to death. I don’t
know who I am. I wake up one day to find myself pregnant, and there’s a stranger
by my bed who says he’s my fiancé and the father of my child. One would think
this would tell me that at least I was loved and cherished, but nothing you’ve
done has made me feel anything but confusion. You run hot and cold, and I never
know which one to expect. I can’t do this.”

Coldness wrapped around Chrysander’s chest, squeezing until he
couldn’t draw a breath. “What are you saying?” he demanded.

She looked at him tiredly. “Why are you marrying me? Is it just
because of the baby?”

He frowned, not liking the corner she was backing him into.
“You’re tired and overwrought. We should go back in and continue this
conversation where it’s warm—”

She cut him off with a furious hand. “I am
not
tired. I am not overwrought, and I want you to stop with the
overprotective hovering. I don’t even buy that you’re that concerned, only that
it’s a convenient barrier you can hide behind when I start asking
questions.”

He opened his mouth to refute her words but then paused. He
couldn’t very well deny it when it was true. Still, he had no desire for her to
become distraught. Surely
that
couldn’t be good for
the baby.

“What in my past am I so afraid of?” she whispered. “Last night
terrified me. I woke this morning with a feeling of such fear, and not because I
can’t remember, but because I’m afraid to remember.”

She stared earnestly at him, her eyes pleading.

“Tell me, Chrysander. I need to know. What were we like before?
How did we meet? Were we very in love?”

He turned toward the water and shoved his hands back into his
pockets. “You worked for me,” he said gruffly.

She moved beside him, not touching him. But she was close
enough that he could feel the soft hiccups of her breaths.

“I did? At your hotel?”

He shook his head. “In the corporate offices. You were my
assistant.”

She looked at him in shock. “But Roslyn is your assistant, and
she seems awfully comfortable in that role. Like she’s been there for
years.”

He offered a small smile. “You weren’t my assistant for long. I
was too intent on having you in my bed. I convinced you to quit and move in with
me. You were too much of a distraction for me at work.”

She didn’t look pleased by his statement. A worried frown
worked over her face, and her lips turned down into a dissatisfied moue.

“So you’ve made it a practice to put me where it’s most
convenient for you,” she murmured.

He cursed softly under his breath, but again, he couldn’t very
well deny that he’d been intent on having his way when it came to her.

“And I allowed this?” she asked. “I just quit my job and moved
in with you?”

He shrugged. “You seemed as happy to be with me as I was with
you.”

She frowned harder and curled her hands protectively over her
waist. “Was our baby planned?”

He drew in his breath. Here was an area he had to tread
lightly. “I wouldn’t say planned, but your pregnancy certainly wasn’t
unwelcome.”

If possible, she looked more miserable. She hunched her
shoulders forward and turned away, but not before he saw the reemergence of
tears.

He sighed and reached for her, pulling her into his arms. “Why
are you so sad this morning,
pedhaki mou?
What can I
do or say to make you feel better?”

She glanced up at him, her eyes shining with moisture. “You can
stop avoiding me. You can stop using concerns over my health and that of the
baby as an excuse to treat me as an invalid. You can stop treating my past like
it’s something I have no right to know.”

He pressed his lips tightly together. “I will try to be less
conscientious of your...health, though I reserve the right to be concerned.”

She smiled then, and the relief that hit him almost caused him
to stumble. He hadn’t realized just how much her happiness was important to him.
Was he crazy to be so concerned when she’d had no regard for his happiness in
the past?

She leaned up to kiss him, and he caught her against him,
holding her possessively as he devoured her lips.

“Thank you,” she said as she pulled back. “I just want...” She
stopped, and longing flooded her eyes before she look away.

“What do you want,
pedhaki
mou?
”

Her gaze flickered back to his. “I want us to be happy,” she
said huskily. “I want to be sure of my place in your life. I want to remember,
but more than that, I want to feel like I have more than just a small piece of
you and your time.”

He regarded her thoughtfully. She’d never been so direct before
her memory loss. She’d been shy and hesitant about voicing her wants and
desires. But had she felt like this before? Had she resented his prolonged
absences? The way he fit her into his life at his convenience? Was that why
she’d lashed out? Had it been a bid to gain his attention?

“I want you to be happy, too, Marley. I want this very much.
And while I can’t convince you of your place in my life with mere words,
hopefully I can prove it to you over time.”

Her smile warmed him to his toes. It was like watching the sun
break over the horizon. She reached for his hands and slid her palms into his
grip.

“Come walk with me,” she invited.

Unable to deny her anything in that moment, he gathered her
close and began walking down the beach.

Chapter 10

M
arley knelt in the cool soil of the garden
and plucked the few weeds from around the flowers and greenery. With
Chrysander’s morning ritual of working, she’d found other ways to occupy her
time, much to the dismay of the gardener who flew out twice a week to tend the
grounds.

Ever since her outburst on the beach, Chrysander had ceased to
push Patrice and Dr. Karounis at her for every little health concern. Instead,
they stayed firmly in the background on an as-needed basis, and Chrysander had
relented on her traveling the stairs alone.

Despite the fact that he continued to work in the mornings, he
came out to have breakfast with her before returning to his office. Then the fun
began for Marley. Each day she found a new method of driving him insane. He’d
come looking for her when work was finished, and invariably she tried the
restraint he’d promised to exercise when it came to demanding that she rest.

When Chrysander had found her in the garden on her hands and
knees, she thought he was going to burst a blood vessel. He’d promptly carried
her inside and up the stairs, stripped her down and put her into the
bathtub.

She’d giggled at his ferocious scowl, listened with pretended
solemnity to his decree that she not endanger herself in that manner anymore and
promptly plotted to return as soon as he was caught up in work again.

It began a fun game between them, although the amusement was
entirely hers because Chrysander failed to see the hilarity in her continued
disobedience.

So here she sat, waiting with amused delight for his
arrival.

She heard his sigh behind her and grinned even as she found
herself lifted into the air. She tumbled against Chrysander’s hard chest and
smiled serenely up at his dark expression.

He strode for the house, grumbling the entire way.

“I promised to ease up on my
overprotective tendencies.
I stopped insisting you rest and even
allowed you to walk unaided up and down the stairs.”

Marley rolled her eyes.

“But you would try the patience of a saint,” he growled.

As he had done before, and as she was counting on, he stripped
her down and deposited her into an already drawn bath. He glared balefully at
her, and she giggled as she sank lower into the water. He watched intently as
she slowly washed herself, hunger glittering in his eyes.

Relishing the fact that she had his full attention, she took
advantage as she worked the cloth over every inch of her body. When she was
finished, she glanced innocently up at him as he towered over her. She flashed
him her best smile, but he continued to glower at her.

“Your cuteness is not going to get you out of trouble,
pedhaki mou,
” he said.

“Well, at least I’m cute,” she said pertly.

“Why do you insist on provoking me? My hair is turning gray,
and it is solely your fault.”

She glanced up at his dark hair, not marred by a single gray
strand, and raised an eyebrow. “You poor baby. Are you too old to keep up with
one little pregnant woman?”

“I’ll show you old,” he growled as he plucked her from the
bathtub.

He barely took the time to dry her before he strode into the
bedroom and deposited her on the bed. Her eyes widened appreciatively as he
began stripping his clothing from his muscled body.

“Clearly I need to be bad more often,” she murmured. “I could
learn to live with the punishment.”

“Little minx,” he said as he lowered himself into her waiting
arms.

He was always in control in their lovemaking, and she knew this
was the way it had always been, but now she had a sudden desire to turn the
tables. To make him as crazy as he made her.

She pushed at him, and he withdrew with a frown. She followed
him up and placed her hands on his shoulders, forcing him to lie on his back.
She straddled his legs and stared at his shocked expression, a mischievous grin
working at her lips.

“I want to touch you, Chrysander,” she said softly. She placed
her palms on the tops of his thick legs and smoothed them slowly upward.

His eyes smoldered and sparked. “Then by all means, touch me,
agape mou.
”

With a little nervousness, she touched his male flesh, and he
jerked in reaction. Feeling a little bolder, she wrapped her fingers around the
turgid length and stroked lightly.

A groan worked from his throat, and she could see sweat beading
on his brow. He was beautiful. Hard, male, his strength rippled through his
every muscle.

She leaned down and pressed a kiss to his taut abdomen and then
worked her way up to his flat nipples. A thin line of hair dusted his midline,
and she ran her fingers over it, liking the feel of it on her skin.

She knew what she wanted to do but was unsure of exactly how
she would accomplish it. He must have sensed her uncertainty and her hesitation,
because he reached down with his strong hands and grasped her hips.

He lifted her then eased her down over the length of his
erection. She closed her eyes as he slid inside her.

“You’re killing me,
pedhaki mou,
”
he rasped. “God, it’s so good. You’re so sweet.”

Encouraged by the satisfaction and approval in his voice, she
made love to him, raining kisses over his chest as his hands helped guide the
movements of her hips.

Her body trembled, and she knew she was nearing her release,
but she wouldn’t succumb until he went with her. He tensed beneath her, and
suddenly his hands tightened around her hips. He arched into her, and with a
cry, the world exploded around her.

She fell forward, but he caught her with gentle hands. He
lowered her to his heaving chest and stroked her hair as they struggled to catch
their breaths.

He turned so that he could position her beside him, and he
eased out of her body, eliciting another soft moan from her. She cuddled against
him, warm and replete.

“Was I any good?” she asked, her words muffled by his
chest.

He shook with laughter then turned her face up so she could see
him. “If you were any better, you really would make me an old man before my
time.”

“But did you like it?” she asked softly. “Or do you think I’m a
brazen hussy now?”

He tweaked her on the nose then kissed the same spot. “I liked
it very much. I liked it so much that I might consider letting you go play in
your garden again tomorrow.”

She rolled her eyes and yawned sleepily. He drew his finger
down her cheek. “Sleep now. I’ll wake you for dinner.”

“I don’t need a nap,” she grumbled, but she was already
drifting off.

* * *

Not wanting to be entirely predictable, Marley forewent
the garden the next day and opted instead for the heated pool. She’d been eyeing
it with longing since they’d arrived, and thanks to boutiques only too willing
to deliver to the island, she had a simply decadent swimsuit she was dying to
try out.

As she pulled the skimpy suit on, she realized that in essence
she was trying to seduce Chrysander. Not that she hadn’t already, but she was
attempting to make him fall in love with her.

She frowned back at herself in the mirror. Wasn’t this
backward? He was the one with the memory. Shouldn’t he be trying to make her
fall in love with him? She knew she loved him but hadn’t said the words.
Something had held her back, and now she pondered what it was that made her
unwilling to take that jump.

There was a hesitation about him that niggled at her, as though
he wanted to keep a certain amount of distance between them. She didn’t want
that. She wanted him to love her as she loved him.

She sighed. If only she could remember.

She wiggled a bit and readjusted the bikini until she was
satisfied with the result. The top cupped her small breasts and did a remarkable
job of making them seem more impressive than they actually were. The bottom...
She smiled as she turned at an angle to view the back of the bikini. It wasn’t a
thong...exactly, but it did draw attention to her gently rounded bottom.

Straightening again, she smoothed a hand over the swell of her
belly. Chrysander seemed to enjoy her pregnancy. He touched and kissed her belly
frequently and seemed entranced by the mound. She hoped he’d find the suit, and
her, sexy.

Recognizing that she was stalling, she reached for the silk
robe and tugged it on. She wanted no chance that someone else would see her in
such a scandalous suit. This was for Chrysander’s eyes only.

She slipped down the stairs and made it through the living room
unseen. She walked into the smaller room that housed the indoor portion of the
pool and eyed the rippling water with anticipation. Chrysander or no Chrysander,
she was looking forward to a swim.

Shedding the wrap, she tossed it over one of the loungers and
walked to the edge of the pool to dip her toe in. It was wonderfully warm. She
moved to the steps and carefully descended into the water.

Oh, it was marvelous. She swam toward the back glass enclosure
that overlooked the outdoor portion of the pool. She was tempted to duck under
the divider and swim outside, but the breeze would be cold on her damp skin.

She floated lazily on her back for a while then did a few laps,
gliding underneath the water for as long as she could hold her breath. She came
up with a gasp and grabbed on to the side of the pool. And then she saw a pair
of leather loafers.

She glanced up to see Chrysander watching her, arms folded
across his chest, a mock scowl on his face. Even she could see that his lips
were twitching suspiciously.

With an innocent blink, she smiled and offered a hello. He
squatted down and put a finger underneath her chin, nudging it upward.

“Enjoying yourself,
pedhaki
mou?
”

“Very much,” she returned.

“And to think I was looking forward to hauling you out of your
garden today,” he murmured.

Her face heated as she recalled all that had happened yesterday
when he’d done just that. She extended her hand. “Help me out?”

He grasped her hand, and she reached to grip his wrist with her
other hand at the same time she planted her feet against the side of the pool
and pulled with all her might. He gave a shout of surprise as he toppled over
and hit the water with a gigantic splash.

He came up sputtering, and for a moment, she worried that he
was truly angry. He scowled ferociously at her before glancing down at his
soaked clothing. Then he started laughing.

Before he could think retaliation, and since she still wanted
him to see her suit, she swam over to the steps and exited the pool in slow,
deliberate movements. She glanced over her shoulder to see his mouth drop open
as he viewed the back of her suit.

When Marley reached the top, she turned so he could see her
profile, and she heard him suck in his breath. She turned away again and began
walking toward where her wrap was laying.

“Oh no you don’t, you little tease,” he growled.

She blinked at how quickly he got out of the pool. She gave a
shriek of surprise when he closed in on her then laughed when he gathered her
into his arms and headed back toward the pool.

“Chrysander, your clothes!”

“As if they matter now. You’ve quite ruined them.”

“I’m sorry.”

He laughed. “No, you’re not.” He bent down at the side of the
pool and gently eased her back into the water. Then he stood and fixed her with
a glare. “You stay right there.”

She giggled. Her laughter died in her throat, though, when he
began peeling his clothing off his body. First his shirt came off, revealing his
muscular chest. Then he kicked off his shoes and yanked off the soaked socks.
When he reached for the fly of his trousers, she blushed but couldn’t look away
to save her life.

The discernible bulge in his boxers as he stepped out of his
pants told her that she’d certainly been successful in her quest to make him a
little crazy. But now she wondered what exactly he’d do about it.

He hopped over the side, landing next to her with a minimal
splash. Then he hauled her against him, kissing her hungrily.

“That suit should be illegal,” he said as he worked his mouth
down her neck.

“You don’t like it?” she asked innocently. “I could always get
rid of it.”

“Oh, I like it,” he murmured. “I’m going to like taking it off
of you even better.”

She broke loose and dove beneath the water, swimming away from
him as fast as she could. She surfaced after a short distance but didn’t
immediately see him. She looked down, too late, to see his glimmering body. He
grabbed her legs and yanked her underneath.

His lips closed over hers, and he propelled them both above the
water. She wrapped her arms around his neck and smiled up at him. “I suppose I’m
going to have to take back what I said about you being no fun.”

“It would seem so.”

“I wouldn’t object to you hauling me out of the pool and taking
me upstairs,” she said with pretended innocence.

He kissed her again, hot, breathless. His hands slid around her
waist to cup her bottom. He lifted her upward, and she latched her legs around
his waist.

“Hold on to me,
pedhaki mou,
” he
murmured. “I’m hauling you out of the pool right now.”

He mounted the steps and carefully climbed out of the pool. As
he neared one of the loungers, she noticed that he’d brought two towels with
him. Apparently he had planned to come in all the while. She grinned impishly at
him. He wasn’t so serious all the time.

He put her down in one of the loungers then reached for a
towel. He dried her hair and her body, allowing his hands to linger in some of
her most sensitive areas. He touched and caressed until she was squirming in the
chair.

“Now who’s teasing?” she said breathlessly.