For the Greek Tycoon's Pleasure

“I’m glad I’m not alone, which makes me feel like a real wuss,” she admitted.

“You are facing the possibility of a major life change. That cannot help but be disconcerting. You are no weakling.”

She smiled up at him and squeezed his hand. “Well, I’m glad you’re here.” Even if she hadn’t wanted it that way at first.

“I am glad to be here.”

“Do you have to go into the office today?” she asked as they settled into his Mercedes.

“No, but I did promise to have dinner with Cass and Neo tonight.”

“Oh, okay.” She pasted a bright smile on her face. “If you could just drop me at my apartment. I’ll drive to the office from there.”

Or close her shades, put in the Coco Chanel biography she’d been meaning to watch and eat that pint of triple chocolate decadence hiding in the back corner of her freezer. It wasn’t as if she had to go to work. She was her own boss. If she wanted a day off to wallow in worry, she could take it.

“Dinner isn’t until this evening, and I was hoping you would come with me.”

“Oh.”

“I have no intention of leaving you alone to dwell.”

He knew her too well. “Who said anything about dwelling?”

“We have been friends for years.”

“Are you implying that makes you a mind reader?”

“I only wish—” he smiled “—but I do know you.”

“Yes, you do.”

“So, dinner with Cass and Neo?”

“Sure.” She bit her lip and looked out the window. “You know Cass and I have never actually met.”

“I know. It is time.”

“Because I might be pregnant.”

“Because you are my close friend and so are they,” he explained.

“So we should all know each other?”

“Naturally.”

“Your arrogance is showing again,” she teased.

“But remember, you find it charming.”

“It’s a good thing for you that I do.”

“Do you need to work today?” he asked this time.

“I have a few small jobs I could work on finishing up before your project swallows all my time.” But she really didn’t want to deal with any of them.

“Is that what you want to do?”

“No.”

“Well, then?”

“There’s a pint of chocolate ice cream in my freezer with my name on it.” Piper clung on to her original plans.

“Really? I was unaware your name was triple chocolate decadence.”

“You’ve been snooping in my cold storage?” She tried to sound outraged, but only managed mildly amused.

“Business tycoons crave ice cream, too. Even Greek ones.”

“You ate my triple chocolate decadence?” The outrage came through bright and clear this time.

“Of course not. I ate the single-serving cherries jubilee buried behind the vegetarian meals you never eat but buy to make yourself feel better about your food purchasing habits.”

She ignored the jab about her sadly ignored healthier food options. “I like cherries jubilee.”

“With a healthy dose of hot fudge perhaps.”

“Okay, so, I’m a chocoholic. Is that a crime?”

“Not in Seattle, home to more chocolate-flavored coffees than most small countries.” He sounded indulgent. She loved him in this mood.

“Oooh, an iced mocha latte sounds good.” Could she have caffeine if she was pregnant? “Maybe decaffeinated.”

“We’ll go through a coffee-shop drive thru.”

“Why not stop somewhere?” she asked.

“Because I indulged your museum obsession in Athens, today is your day to indulge mine.”

“You want to go to museums?”

“I have other obsessions,” he said as he pulled up next to a coffee shack.

“You do? Other than making money, I wasn’t aware.”

“Right. You are probably the only person in the world besides Neo that knows that for the lie it is.” They both made their orders and then he gave her a significant look. “You are one of those obsessions.”

“You’re turning into quite the silver-tongued devil, you know that?”

“I have always been good with my mouth.”

“That can certainly be taken more than one way.”

“You should know.”

She felt herself blushing, despite their history together. Nevertheless, she agreed. “I do.”

The young barista cleared his throat. With a blush darker than hers burning on his cheeks, he handed Zephyr their drinks.

Zephyr pulled his car back out onto the road. “You are not my only interest, however.”

“My feelings might be hurt if you hadn’t downgraded whatever you’re going to try to talk me into from an obsession, which I am, to an interest.”

“I like fish.”

“I had noticed.” Her blue eyes queried where he was going with this. “You eat it more often than either steak or chicken.”

“Not to eat. To watch.”

“You want to go whale watching?” she guessed.

“Not today. I was thinking the aquarium.” That was so not what she expected to hear.

“You want to go the Seattle Aquarium…but that’s for children.”

“I don’t think so.”

“Seriously…you’ve been?”

“Several times.”

Wow…just wow. “No way.”

“I go when I need a place to think. Watching the fish can be very soothing.”

“Even with all those children around?”

“I like to see happy families.”

Somewhere over the Atlantic, Zephyr had become convinced that Piper was indeed pregnant. Regardless of the statistical probability after her years on the birth control patch. Therefore, he needed to convince her that marriage to him was a good option for her future, even without the love.

He wouldn’t give her love, but he realized he could give her more of himself. It went against his desire for self-protection, but he now considered his sharing of his past with her as a brilliant tactical move on his part. Piper needed to feel emotionally connected to people she cared about. He had seen the effect his sharing had had on her.

She’d drawn closer to him even as he’d attempted to backtrack to a shallower level of emotional intimacy. With his baby’s future on the line, he could and would give Piper a stronger connection, despite the fact he had no intention of allowing himself to be vulnerable to romantic love, were he even capable of the emotion.

Going to the aquarium wasn’t some big romantic thing, but it would allow Piper to glimpse a part of his life he did not share with others. It wasn’t much, but his instincts told him that sharing this habit with her would work toward convincing her they could have a strong enough marriage to raise children in.

Piper enjoyed the aquarium more than she thought she would. A lot more, but what she found most intriguing was watching the way Zephyr watched the other people there. She was sure he had no idea just how much his expression revealed of the inner man. His mouth would tilt in a half smile every time a child made an enthusiastic noise to its mother or father.

He watched the antics of the little ones with an indulgent grin and looked with pure longing at more than one set of parents visiting the aquarium with their kids.

“You really enjoy being here, don’t you?” she asked him in the glassed-in tunnel of exotic fish.

“Very much.” He looked around them with a wistful expression that was there and gone in a blink. “Everyone here has normal lives.”

“You assume.”

“I assume.” He smiled ruefully at her correction.

“You have a normal life. Now.”

“Do I?”

“Yes, of course,” she said.

“I’m a workaholic tycoon that spends most of his time making money and creating places for other people to enjoy the fruits of theirs.”

“So, spend some time enjoying them yourself.”

“Alone?”

“You aren’t alone right now.” If she didn’t know better, she would think he was making his case for how much he needed his own family.

“No, I am not.”

“Does that make you happy?” she couldn’t help asking.

“Yes, I like being here, in one of my favorite places, with you.”

“It’s special.” Really, really special. And he was sharing it with her. She reached up and kissed the corner of his mouth. “Thank you.”

They both stepped to the side as a young boy went racing by, his older brother right behind him and a woman even farther back calling for them to slow down.

Looking harried, but smiling, she rushed to catch up. “Sorry about that. They’re both crazy for the otter exhibit.”

Zephyr tilted his head. “No problem. You’re lucky to have such active children.”

“That’s one way to look at it.” But her grin as she sprinted after her children said she saw it the same.

“You really do want children, for more than just having someone to pass on your legacy of wealth.” How could she have thought anything else?

He looked down at her, his dark eyes filled with a longing she was just beginning to understand ran soul deep for him. “Yes.”

Lost to anyone else around them, she reached up to cup his cheek. “You’ll make a wonderful father.”

“That is my sincere hope.”

Cass was wearing a beautiful bright dress when she opened Neo’s apartment door to Zephyr and Piper later that evening.

She grinned at Zephyr and pulled him in for a hug. “Long time, no see, stranger. How was Greece?”

“Warm and beautiful.”

“You mean you actually took time to notice. When Neo told me you were taking a minivacation before going to the island, I almost fainted, but I’m glad.”

“Hey, I am not as bad as my business partner.”

“Only a robot works as many hours and holidays as Neo did before we met, but he’s well on his way to reformed now.”

The complacency in Cass’s voice made him smile. “I noticed.”

Cass turned to Piper. “Please tell me you’re taking on the job for Zee. He needs someone to.”

“Don’t answer that,” Zephyr demanded, then said, “Yineka mou, this is my best friend’s fiancée, Cassandra Baker, world-renowned pianist and composer. Cass, this is Piper Madison, brilliant designer and my very good friend.”

Cass’s brows rose to her hairline and Zephyr realized he had made a mistake using that particular endearment in front of her. No doubt Neo had long since told her the translation and the implications often associated with it. Implications he was becoming more and more comfortable with.

Cass took both of Piper’s hands in hers and squeezed them. “So, it is your job.”

“I’m beginning to think so, yes.” Piper glanced at him out of the corner of her eye. “Good friends have an obligation to look out for each other.”

“That’s the argument Zee used when talking me into taking the piano lessons that changed my life,” Neo said as he came into the entryway. “Shouldn’t we all go into the living room? It’s got more comfortable seating.”

He gave Piper a smile that seemed to startle her, but she returned the gesture and said, “Good to see you again, Neo.”

Then Cass led Piper away by the hand while Neo hung back to give Zephyr a traditional Greek greeting. “It is good to have you back in Seattle.”

“I miss the island already.”

“I felt the same after leaving.” Neo nodded. “It is a special place.”

“Special enough to consider making it a more regular aspect of my life.”

“You are serious?”

“What would you think of delegating another level of responsibility to our well-trained staff and moving our offices to the island villa?”

Neo’s eyes widened in shock. “You are serious.”

“Never more so.”

“Something has happened.”

Zephyr shrugged, but was feeling nothing like complacent. “I’m ready to make changes in my life.”

“Do you have news to share with me?”

“Not yet.”

“But there will be?” Neo pressed.

“Perhaps.”

“You’re going to have to do better than that.”

Not yet. “Give me until tomorrow.”

Neo didn’t push. Cass would have. Zephyr could just be thankful his friend would not have a chance to bring it up to her while Zephyr and Piper were there.

They walked into the living room to find Cass and Piper ensconced on the sofa going through digital pictures of the trip to Greece on Piper’s minitablet PC.

“I didn’t realize you’d brought that,” Zephyr said as he took the chair next to Piper’s spot on the sofa.

Neo sat beside his fiancée.

“I thought they might be interested in your trip.”

“Our trip.”

She rolled her eyes. “Our trip.”

“I’d really like to go to this art museum while we’re there,” Cass said to Neo.

He kissed her temple. “Then we will definitely add that to our agenda.”

“You’re going to Greece soon?” Piper asked.

Cass beamed. “For our honeymoon.”

“I seem to remember reading that you’d been there in a tour when you were younger.”

“Yes.” Cass looked a little startled. “You read about me?”

Piper blushed, but smiled. “When Zephyr told me Neo was getting married, I was understandably curious about the woman who had managed to lead him to such a human endeavor.”

Cass laughed out loud. “Wow, and you told me once that Zephyr was the only person that really knew you well.”

“I’ve worked for Stamos and Nikos Enterprises a few times.” Piper gave them a look rife with meaning. “I met Neo on a couple of the projects, though he wasn’t coordinating them.”

“And you found me inhuman?” Neo asked, contriving to sound offended.

“You were so intimidating that I sent up a prayer of thanks you were not the lead on the project I’d been hired for.” She winked conspiratorially at Cass. “I thought Zephyr was so much more laid-back and would be a much easier man to work for.”

“But you learned the truth?” Cass asked with a teasing glance to Zephyr.

“It took a bit, but I did.”

Zephyr feigned shock. “So, you don’t think I’m easy to work for?”

“I think anyone excellent at their job, who makes a minimum of mistakes, if none at all, and who understands how very seriously you take the success of each development, will find you a pussycat to work for.”

“That’s a lot of caveats,” Neo said, laughing.

Cass raised her brows at her fiancé. “I thought she did an admirable job of being diplomatic.”

“I’m not sure if that was a character assassination, or an endorsement,” Zephyr admitted.

“See? Diplomatic,” Cass teased.

“Zephyr, you are an amazing man, but just like Neo, you’re just a little superhuman for the rest of us. You just hide your intensity behind your charm.”

“Are you saying I am not charming?” Neo demanded.

Piper made a zipping motion over her sealed lips and they all burst out laughing.

Cass leaned against Neo and rubbed her head against his shoulder. “Don’t worry, Superman, I like you just the way you are.”

Seeing his friends like this usually gave Zephyr a twinge of useless envy, but tonight all he felt was a fleeting hope Piper was seeing it, too. And perhaps realizing a reformed Greek street kid wasn’t such a bad horse to place her wager on.

“Arrogance and all?” Neo prompted Cass.

She smiled and patted his leg. “That’s part of your charm.”

Neo gave Piper a triumphant look. “See, I do have charm.”

“I can attest to the arrogance part of it, anyway,” Piper said with a cheeky grin. “You and Zephyr both have bigger than the average dose.”

“Has he not told you that if it is justified, then we are talking about confidence here?” Neo asked.

“That’s right,” Zephyr agreed.

Both Cass and Piper simply laughed and shook their heads.

“Want to see the pictures?” Piper asked Neo.

“But of course. I would like evidence of Zee playing the tourist.”

“Well, here he is haggling with the jeweler in the Plaka over a necklace.” She clicked to one of the photos he had not known Piper had taken. It showed him in animated conversation with a short, square Greek about twenty years Zephyr’s senior.

“I thought you weren’t supposed to try to bargain inside actual shops,” Cass asked. “I’ve been reading up on it.”

Zephyr waved his hand in dismissal. A Greek boy who made his livelihood on the streets of Athens learned to bargain with the taxman, if that’s what it took. “What could it hurt to try? I was buying an expensive piece. If he wanted to move it that day, he needed to offer me an incentive.”

“And did he?” Cass asked.

Piper laughed out loud at that. “Do you really need to ask? Of course. No one in their right mind says no to billionaire tycoon Zephyr Nikos.”

“Remember that tomorrow,” Zephyr said under his breath.

But they all three heard him and gave him looks of inquiry in varying degrees.

He shrugged. “Show Cass the pictures of the view of Athens from the Acropolis.”

“Never mind that,” Cass said. “Do you know what he’s talking about, Piper?”

Piper frowned at him. “I do and it’s not something I’m comfortable discussing right now.”

“Does it have anything to do with why Zephyr asked me about moving the head offices to the island villa?” Neo asked.

Zephyr winced and bit back a particularly virulent curse.

“You did what?” Piper demanded, shock blatant in every centimeter of her lovely face.

“What?” screeched Cass. She gave Neo a confused look. “You told me we had to wait to talk to him about it until we’d been married at least a year!”

“You and Cass have already discussed it?” Zephyr asked, taking his turn at being taken aback.

“We’ve discussed many options for the future. Cassandra wants to experience other parts of the world and I want her to have every opportunity for maximum happiness,” Neo said with a shrug.

Now, that did not surprise him. With more trepidation than he had felt since leaving Greece for the unknown, Zephyr shifted his gaze to Piper to see how she was taking this discussion.

Her azure eyes were fixed on him with steady intensity. “You’re going to pull out all the stops if that test comes back positive, aren’t you?”

“Would you expect anything different?” He was ruthless, but not dishonest.

“I guess not. I was trying very hard not to think about it at all, though.” Her voice was tinged with rueful inevitability.

He did not know if that was good, or bad. “I am sorry.”

“For showing your hand early?”

“For making you think about it.”

“What exactly is it we’re thinking about?” Neo asked in a voice others had learned not to ignore.

Luckily for Zephyr, he wasn’t other people and he had no trouble ignoring his best friend and business partner’s demand.

Piper closed her eyes with every evidence of counting to ten and he thought she’d probably succeed in ignoring Neo, too.

But then Cass elbowed her nosy fiancé. “Leave them alone, Neo.” Then she sighed. “Besides, it’s obvious and not something Piper should be forced to discuss before she’s certain one way, or the other.”

“One way, or the other, what?” Neo actually sounded plaintive.

Zephyr could not remember the last time he had heard that particular tone from Neo, but it had been at least a decade, probably longer. He had no idea how Piper would react to it. He thanked God and the angels besides when she laughed.

“So, what’s for dinner?” she asked.

Even Neo knew enough to allow the subject change to pass without incident.

The rest of the evening went well, considering. Cass kept Neo in line and Piper did her best to ignore any and all leading comments and questions.

But she didn’t turn toward his door when they left Neo’s penthouse. Instead, she headed for the elevator.

He put his hand on her shoulder as she pressed the button. “Where are you going?”

“Home.” She sighed and looked back at him. “I need some time to myself, Zephyr.”

Unexpectedly, the request hit him in that place permanently wounded when his mother left him in the orphanage and never took him home with her again.

Even so, he asked, “Are you sure? You seem to sleep well in my arms.”

“I’m not sure I’m going to sleep at all.” Unfortunately, she looked like the thing she needed most right then was a good night’s rest.

In his bed, snuggled against him, damn it.

But clearly, she did not agree. She did not want or need him right then. Maybe not at all.

“An even better reason for you not to be alone.”

She shook her head, a sad look passing over her face. “I’m sorry.”

Pleading not to be left behind when someone was intent on leaving you did no good. That was a lesson he had learned even better than how to make money and at a much younger age. But it still took an inordinate amount of inner fortitude to drop his hand from her shoulder.

He stepped back. “You will call me when you get word?” He did not like asking. It reminded him of asking for his mother’s consideration and getting excuses for why things could not be different.

“Yes, of course.”

But she did not.

Zephyr forced himself to wait until after lunch to try calling her. Surely, the doctor would have contacted her by now. His call went straight to voice mail, though. He did not bother to leave a message.

An hour later, he called her home, but got her voice mail again. At the office, her assistant answered the phone. However, she informed him that Piper was not in and not expected today.

Neo walked into Zephyr’s office later that afternoon, after Zephyr had called Piper yet again, only to get the too professional message on her voice mail box.

“You look like hell. What’s going on?” Neo demanded.

Without having to consider it, Zephyr told him. Everything.

“You should have brought her to meet Cassandra and I before last night,” was Neo’s first reaction.

“Why?” Neo had never been particularly interested in socializing with Zephyr’s other friends, unless it advanced their company’s interest.

“You have been in a sexual relationship with Piper for months and friends for over two years. How did I not know this?” Neo asked, rather than answering.

“You knew we were friends.”

“Not that good of friends.” Neo shook his head. “She’s the reason you told me sex with a friend was so good, isn’t she?”

“Yes.”

“Have you been with anyone else sexually since you began your relationship with Piper?”

“Do you really think that is any of your business?”

“Probably not, but answer anyway,” Neo insisted.

“Once, before I realized the first time wasn’t going to be a single shot.”

“And that did not tell you anything?”

“What? I like intimacy with Piper. I am too busy with our company to expend energy on other women.”

Neo’s lips twisted in a mocking frown. “How long has your head been in the dark place?”

Zephyr remembered accusing Neo of having his head up his ass once, in regard to Cass. Apparently this was payback. “It’s not. We both knew what we had and what we did not have.”

“And now?”

“And now she may be pregnant with my child.”

“So, that changes everything?” Neo asked.

“Naturally.”

“Why?”

“You can ask?” After the way they had both grown up, he would expect Neo to be the first to understand.

“You are not taking my point,” Neo said with exasperation. “Don’t you see that she is bound to think you are only wanting marriage because of the baby?”

“That is the only reason. I would not have considered it otherwise.”

“Why the hell not?”

“She deserves better.”

For the second time in less than twenty-four hours, Neo looked absolutely gobsmacked. “You are the best.”

“You are prejudiced.” But the belligerent certainty in his friend’s voice was surprisingly nice to hear.

“I am your brother, Cass says so. That means I’m allowed.”

Zephyr felt warmth he hadn’t known in decades, but he didn’t let it show on his face. He was no pushover despite these weird emotional twinges he was experiencing. “So, step outside your personal bias and look at this from Piper’s perspective.”

“I do not see the distinction here.” Neo’s eyes filled with something far too close to pity for Zephyr’s comfort. “You’re a good man, Zephyr.”