скачать книгу бесплатно
“By the time you leave my employ, I’ll be hiring a permanent assistant.” He kissed the back of her hands before letting them go. A tingling sensation coursed through Gabi’s sensitized body and lingered for the rest of the trip to Heraklion.
Chapter Seven (#ulink_56ec8fa5-bbd8-5a56-9641-639acbc5fd2d)
THE blood donation area of the hospital in Athens had continual traffic. Gabi looked over at Andreas. Both of them were stretched out side by side on cots giving blood. They’d taken the day off from work. It was a good thing since they’d had to wait at least an hour after arriving there before their turn was announced.
In preparation for today she’d eaten a good breakfast and had forced down fluids. Before bringing her to the hospital where Kris would be having his surgery, Andreas had instructed the limo driver to drop them off at a fabulous restaurant in the Plaka for lunch. But instead of ordering the specialty of the house, they’d eaten iron-rich spinach salad followed by sirloin steak.
Andreas was remarkable. In the short time she’d been working for him, she’d learned that when he did something, he always did it right and thoroughly. She loved him with a vengeance. If Kris weren’t facing an operation, Andreas wouldn’t have asked her to stay on and none of this would be happening.
“This is kind of like lying on the beach at Papafragas.”
For him to mention that night—out of the blue—when she’d lost almost every inhibition in his arms came as such a surprise, she almost fell off the cot.
“It’s not as warm,” she murmured.
“No, and we’re not alone. It’s a good thing we don’t have to swim the length of that fjord later. We’re not supposed to do any strenuous activity for the rest of the day. I wouldn’t be able to save you.”
In spite of that bittersweet memory, she couldn’t help but laugh. “Then what are we going to do?”
“I’ll tell the chauffeur to drive us back to the office and we’ll watch TV in your apartment while we take it easy.”
“If you get lightheaded, the long couch is yours,” she quipped, but the second the words came out, she regretted saying anything. Since the day he’d shown it to her, he’d never asked to come inside and she’d never invited him. To cover her tracks she asked, “Do you ever watch TV?”
“All the time.”
“You’re joking—”
He chuckled. “Leon and I are sports nuts.”
“I can believe that, but when do you find the time?”
“My iPhone. Broadband is everywhere and performs almost every trick known to technological mankind.”
“Aha! So in between important phone calls and meetings, you’re watching soccer?”
“Or basketball or the NFL.”
“How about NASCAR? The Grand Prix?”
“Love it all.”
She frowned. “And here I thought you were different.”
His smile was too much. “What do you watch?”
“When I’m in the States and have time, the History Channel and cooking shows, British comedies and mysteries. I also like bullriding.”
“You’re a fan of the rodeo?”
“When I was in college, a friend of mine attending there asked me to go back to Austin with her during our two-week break. We met a couple of cowboys and got talked into going to one. I’ve been hooked ever since.”
He stared at her as if trying to find a way into her soul. “On a certain cowboy?”
“For a time I was,” she answered honestly, “but the illness passed.”
“Have there been many?”
“Many what?” She knew exactly what he meant.
“Illnesses.”
“Probably half a dozen.” She didn’t want to talk about old boyfriends. The man lying near her made every male she’d ever known fade into insignificance. “Andreas? Speaking of illness, what did Kris’s heart surgeon tell Leon when he took him in for his checkup yesterday? You went with him, but you acted differently when you came back to the office.”
“Did I?”
“You know you did. If you’re trying to spare me, please don’t.”
Suddenly the curtain was swept aside and two hospital staff came in to finish up and unhook them. “You’re all done.” They both sat up and put their legs on the floor. “Take your time. There are refreshments outside before you leave the hospital.”
When they were alone again, Gabi slid off the cot and turned to him. “I’m still waiting for an answer.”
By now Andreas had rolled down his shirtsleeve and was on his feet. “The doctor couldn’t promise the operation would be risk free.”
“Of course not. No operation is.”
“My brother’s dealing with too many emotions right now.”
They all were. She sensed Andreas was secretly worried, but he hid it well. “On top of Leon’s pain, taking care of the twins is physically exhausting work no matter how sweet they are.”
His eyes were almost slumberous as they looked at her. “We need time off from our fears, too. Since there’s nothing more we can do for the moment, let’s go home and relax.”
She watched him shrug into his jacket. He sounded as if he meant that they would actually go back to her apartment and spend the rest of the day together, but it was out of the question. Andreas had a playful side that could throw her off guard at unexpected moments, but from the time Deline had told her he had a serious girlfriend, Gabi refused to play.
After they’d been served juice and rolls, the limo took them to the office. They rode his private elevator to her floor. Gabi’s heart thudded heavily as they walked across the foyer to her suite.
She opened the door, then turned to him. “Thank you for accompanying me this far in case I fainted, but as you can see I’m fine. If you’re feeling dizzy, there’s a very comfortable couch to lie down on in the reception room of your office.” A smile broke the corner of her mouth. “I know because I spent half a day on it waiting for you to give me an audience.”
She heard him inhale quickly, as if he were out of breath and needed more air. “I’m sorry you were forced to wait so long.”
“I’m not,” she said brightly. “It gave me an opportunity to watch Anna at work. On that day who would have guessed I’d end up filling in temporarily after she left?”
When he still made no move to leave, she said, “Thank you for giving blood with me, Andreas. I’m glad I didn’t have to do it alone. See you in the morning and we’ll plan that big company party you want to give for Anna after she’s recovered from her knee surgery.”
Before the weakness invading her body smothered the voice telling her not to let him get near enough to touch her, she stepped inside and started to close the door.
“Not so fast.” Andreas had put his foot there, making it impossible to shut it. Quick as lightning he stepped inside and closed it. Her heart thumped so hard, she was afraid he could hear it.
“What is it?”
“What do you think?” he demanded in a silky voice.
Uh-oh. Gabi backed away from him. “I—I’m sure I don’t know,” she stammered.
He moved toward her. “When I left you at the resort on Apollonia after our night at Papafragas, I held a woman in my arms who was with me all the way. In the blink of an eye I learned she’d left the island. When I went after that woman and found her, she’d changed. Since then I’ve been waiting for her to re-emerge, but she hasn’t. Now I want to know why.”
She smoothed her palms against her hips, a gesture his piercing gaze followed while she tried to think up an answer. Unless it was the truth, nothing would satisfy him, but in doing so she would give herself away.
As the silence lengthened a grimace marred his handsome features. “At the hospital you admitted there was no other man in your life, or is that a lie and it’s your boss you’re in love with?”
Gabi had a hard time believing she’d injured his pride by playing hard to get, because that was all this interrogation could possibly be about.
“No,” she finally answered with every bit of control she could muster. “Like you, I don’t have a significant other I’m keeping secrets from.” She’d said it on purpose to watch for the slightest guilty reaction from him. Now was the time for him to admit his involvement with the woman Deline had mentioned, but nothing was forthcoming.
“If that’s true, why do you rush away from me the second our business day is over? How come we never share a meal unless it’s on Milos while we’re checking on the twins?” His eyes narrowed on her mouth. “Have I suddenly become repulsive to you?”
She was aghast. “I’m not going to dignify that absurd question with an answer.” If anyone were listening, they’d think he was her husband listing the latest problem in their marriage.
“Then prove it. I told you I’d like to spend the rest of the afternoon with you. We can do it here or at my penthouse.”
There was no putting him off. She bit her lip. “Well, as long as you’re here, y—”
“My thoughts exactly.” He finished her sentence and removed his jacket, tossing it over a side chair. “When we get hungry later, we’ll have the restaurant send something up.”
She got that excited sensation in her midriff. “Excuse me for a moment.”
“Take all the time you need to freshen up. I’m not going anywhere.”
That was what she was afraid of as she darted from the living room. The second she saw herself in the bathroom mirror she groaned to see her cheeks were filled with hectic color. After giving blood, she was shocked by her body’s betrayal.
When she returned a few minutes later her feet came to a standstill. Andreas had stretched out on her couch with his eyes closed. He’d turned on television to a made-for-TV Greek movie.
He was so gorgeous, she didn’t dare move or breathe in case he sensed she was there and caught her feasting her eyes on him. Every part of his male facial structure was perfect. From his wavy black hair to the long, hard-muscled length of his powerful anatomy, he was a superb specimen. But it was the core of the remarkable human beneath that radiated throughout, bringing alive the true essence of what a real man should be.
Maybe it was the combination of giving blood and the many hours of work he’d been packing into each day so they could spend time with the twins. Whatever, it all seemed to have taken its toll. She could tell from the way he was breathing that he’d fallen asleep.
He would never know how much she wanted to lie down and wrap her arms around him, never letting him go, but she couldn’t. Feeling tired herself, she lay down on the small couch facing him so she could watch him as he slept.
The movie played on, but she had no idea what it was about. Her lids grew heavy. When next she became cognizant of her surroundings, Andreas had just set a tray of sandwiches and coffee on the table.
Surprised at how deeply she’d slept, she took a minute to clear her head before she sat up. Her watch said five to six! She glanced at Andreas. “How long have you been awake?”
“About twenty minutes. It’s apparent we both needed the rest.”
“I never sleep in the middle of the day!”
She felt his chuckle down to her toes. “You did this time.” Did she snore? Help! “I’m going to take it as a compliment you felt comfortable with me.”
“In other words it was the proof you needed to realize I don’t find you repulsive?”
“Something like that,” came the wry comment. “I’ve already eaten. Have some coffee.” He handed her a cup.
“Thank you.” She drank half of it before eating a sandwich. In a few minutes she sat back. “That tasted good.”
He stood there surfing the channels until he came to another movie. Before she could countenance it, he sat down next to her and pulled her across his lap into his arms.
“This is what I wanted to do earlier.”
Andreas moved too fast for her. She could no more resist the hard male mouth clinging to hers than she could stop breathing. Oh—he tasted so good, felt so good. Her body seemed to quicken in acknowledgment that they’d done this before.
Without conscious thought she curled on her side and wrapped her arms around his neck, wanting to get her lips closer to his face. The need to press kisses to each feature took over. She ran a hand into his hair, loving the texture of it.
On a groan he crushed her tighter, then his mouth covered hers again and she thought she’d die of the pleasure he was giving her. “I want you, Gabi. I want to make love to you.”
She wanted it, too, more than anything she’d wanted in life, but enjoying a few kisses and sleeping together were two different things. Gabi refused to get in any deeper when she knew she wasn’t the only woman in his life. Girlfriend or wife, there was someone else. The fact that he still hadn’t admitted it revealed the one flaw in him she couldn’t overlook.
These last three weeks she’d avoided this situation for the very reason that you couldn’t go on kissing each other or it turned into something else. She needed to quit while she could still keep her head. That way she’d have fewer regrets when she got back to the advertising world.
The second he allowed her a breath she eased away from him and stood up. “Much as I’m tempted, I’d rather we didn’t cross that line. Remember we’re an aunt and uncle to the twins and will be seeing each other on the rare occasion throughout our lives. Many times I’ve heard you tell potential clients you like keeping things above board and professional. It’s my opinion that line of reasoning works well in our particular case.”
After his arrival on Milos, Andreas strode through Leon’s villa looking for his brother. Estelle told him he was putting the babies down for the night. As he approached the nursery he saw Leon closing the door.
They glanced at each other. “Thanks for coming,” he whispered. “Let’s go to my room.”
“Sorry I couldn’t get here any sooner to help with the twins. I had an important meeting.” He’d asked Gabi to type up his notes and leave them on his desk before he took off for Milos.
Since the night she’d delivered the coup de grâce, he’d only been functioning on autopilot. Gabi was keeping something from him and he was determined to get it out of her no matter what he had to do.
Leon shut the door behind them. “You’re here now. That’s all that matters.”
Andreas stared at his brother. He’d lost weight and looked tired, but that was to be expected considering he was a new father. The look of anxiety in his eyes was something else again, kindling Andreas’s curiosity. “What’s this about? I thought you told me Kris was fine after his checkup.”
“He is.”
“Don’t tell me you think they’re still missing Gabi?”
“Not as much. After the first few days they both stopped crying for her and accepted me. Now when they see me, they reach for me and don’t want anyone else except Gabi when she comes. It’s an amazing feeling.”
“I can only imagine.” Andreas was longing for the same experience himself, but only under the right circumstances. “So what’s wrong?”
“Maybe you ought to sit down.”
Was it that bad? He remained standing. “Just tell me.”
“You won’t believe this. Deline called me this afternoon. She’s pregnant.”
The news rocked Andreas back on his heels. In fact it was incredible. He stared at his twin. Leon was now the father of a third child yet to be born.
“The doctor confirmed she’s six weeks along. It was the shortest phone call on record. Before she hung up, she said she was still divorcing me, but wanted me to know the baby was due next spring.”
