The Greek's Nine-Month Surprise

“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.

But as his hands moved over her back, her stiff muscles eased. Her body leaned into his. Her hands wrapped around the back of his neck as her fingertips played with the longer strands of his dark hair. She could easily get used to this—quite easy indeed.

Thunk!

Sofia jumped back as though the bungalow had been struck by lightning. She glanced around. Her gaze came to rest on a volleyball. A couple of teenage girls came rushing up to the bungalow and apologized. Niko smiled, flashing his white teeth, and assured them it wasn’t a problem. Just as if nothing had happened.

Sofia tried to wrap her mind around how things had gotten so far off course. Her hand moved to her lips, her fingers gently swiping over her now-sensitive lips. Though her heart fluttered at the memory of their kiss, she knew she had to show more self-restraint. Giving in to her desires had succeeded only in complicating matters even more.

Her attention moved to the steps. She wanted to flee—wanted to avoid the inevitable questions—

“Don’t even think about escaping. I’m dressed this time. I’ll follow you.”

CHAPTER THREE

“THAT KISS...IT CAN’T happen again.” Sofia met his confused gaze.

Best to get this over with.

The sooner, the better.

Her palms moistened, and her mouth grew dry. She had no idea how much longer she could stand to be so close to him and yet so far away. Because she knew her secret would drive a permanent wedge between them. Nothing would ever be the same.

His expression hardened. “Then what exactly did you want to talk about?”

The time had come. Her stomach took another nervous lurch. And the words that she’d rehearsed over and over again utterly fled her mind.

“Sofia?”

It wasn’t as if she’d gotten into this position by herself. And though it was the truth, it didn’t settle her nerves. Why did this have to be so hard? Because he’d blame her. His eyes would grow dark and cold, shutting her out.

Niko made a point of glancing at his Rolex watch. “I don’t have much time. Maybe we should talk later—”

“No!” When he frowned, she realized her response had been a bit too exuberant.

He arched a dark brow. “It’s that important?”

She nodded, not trusting her mouth.

“Then come back inside.”

She did as he asked. It was just two words—I’m pregnant. Why did she have to make such a production of this?

Just say the words and leave. Easy. Peasy. Not!

He moved to the minibar. “Can I get you something to drink? A mimosa?”

She shook her head. She couldn’t drink in her condition. Instead of taking advantage of the opening, she said, “I can’t. I’m still working. Some water would be nice.”

In no time at all, he was handing her a glass of ice water. “Now, what did you need to talk about?”

She sipped at the water, needing it to wet her dry mouth. Once she set it aside, she clenched her hands and faced him. “I’m pregnant.”

For a moment, nothing moved. It was as if time were suspended. As the seconds ticked by, the color leached from Niko’s face.

At last he spoke in a strangled voice. “It...it’s mine?”

“Of course it’s yours. You surely don’t think I have sex with every man I meet.”

He raked his fingers through his hair. “How should I know?”

She glared at him. “That doesn’t say much for you.”

“You’re right. I’m sorry. I’m not thinking clearly.” He started to pace back and forth. “I just never thought.” He stopped and stared at her as though expecting an answer. “But how could this happen?”

She frowned at him. Was their night so forgettable? Her face warmed at the memory. Did she really have to recount the evening in detail for him?

He shook his head. “Never mind. It was a stupid question. I...I’m just shocked. We took precaution.”

“And it failed somewhere along the way. But analyzing the how of it isn’t going to change the fact. What is done is done.”

His face grew even paler. “Things did get pretty out of hand that night.”

That was the understatement of the century. She’d never thought she’d ever have a one-night stand in her life, but that was before she met Niko. He was a mixture of hotness, sweetness and power wrapped up in a really cute package.

Funnily enough, telling him the news of the baby had a calming effect on her. She had not been expecting that. Perhaps it was because she was no longer harboring a huge, life-changing secret. With the truth out in the open, they could make whatever decisions were necessary.

“You’re sure about this?” He gazed at her with one last bit of hope glimmering in his eyes.

She nodded. “I went to the doctor this week. He confirmed what I suspected.”

Niko’s shoulders slumped. “Oh.”

She felt bad for him. He obviously wasn’t looking to start a family anytime soon, and she had blindsided him with this news. She hadn’t known any other way to tell him. She knew it wouldn’t be unreasonable to expect him to step up and take responsibility. But that wasn’t why she’d told him. As the father he had a right to know.

“Listen, I know this isn’t what you want.”

His head snapped around to face her. His dark brows rose high as his gaze searched hers. “And it’s what you want?”

She wasn’t about to get into what she did and didn’t want. Ideally she wanted to be in love with the father of her baby, and even though they’d shared an incredibly intense attraction, she refused to let herself believe in love at first sight. Whatever she’d felt for Niko at the wedding had been an intense attraction. Nothing more.

She stared deep into his eyes and swallowed hard. “I’m keeping the baby if that’s what you mean.”

His expression didn’t give away his thoughts. “I’ll need some time to digest this.”

“That’s fair.” There was one more thing she hadn’t told him. “How much time are we talking?”

He raked his fingers through his hair. “I don’t know. Why?”

“I’m leaving in two weeks.”

“Leaving?”

She nodded. “I’d appreciate it if you didn’t tell anyone, as I haven’t turned in my notice yet.”

“Leaving and going where?”

“Home. Back to New York. I want my baby—”

“Our baby.”

She sighed. “Our baby to grow up around family.”

His mouth opened, but before he could utter a word, her phone chimed. It was the ringtone she’d assigned to her boss. Although this was a bad time for a phone call, she couldn’t ignore it, either.

Her gaze met Niko’s. “It’s my supervisor.”

Niko’s lips pressed together as he waved at her to go ahead and answer it. Was it her imagination or was he relieved by the distraction? There was no time for her to contemplate it as the phone chimed again.

She pressed the button, knowing her absence had been noticed and she didn’t have a good excuse. Or at least not one that she was willing to share.

She moved to the porch for some privacy. “Hello.”

* * *

This can’t be happening.

Alone now, Niko paced back and forth. Sofia had appeared more than relieved to be summoned back to work. He glanced down at the scrap of paper where she’d jotted down her phone number and told him to call her when he was ready to talk.

Talk? He couldn’t think straight much less string together a bunch of coherent sentences. Not so long ago, he’d had his life planned out. But in a matter of weeks, twelve to be exact, it’d all gone off course.

First, his grandfather unexpectedly passed away and now he was about to become a father. A father. The words sounded so off to him. He wasn’t ready to be a father. What did he even know about being a parent? Nothing. Zip. Zilch. And nada.

And to think that not so long ago this news would have been the answer to so many of his problems with his grandfather. The thought of not being able to share this news with him sent a fresh wave of sorrow washing over Niko. His hands balled up at his sides as he struggled to control his rising emotions.

His cell phone rang, but he ignored it—something he rarely did. He wasn’t in any frame of mind to talk business. He wasn’t sure how it felt to be in shock, but he’d hazard a guess it was what he was experiencing now.

The truth was he wasn’t ready to be a family man.

He had too much to do...like restructuring the numerous divisions to eliminate overlap of personnel and continuing to overhaul his outdated company with new human resources policies. Even though he’d faced employee pushback in the face of change, he refused to let that stop him. He wasn’t the boss in order to win friends. He’d been groomed to lead the company into the future. To do that, change must be a part of his plan.

But how was he supposed to fit a baby into that plan?

He accepted that someday he’d need an heir or two to hand down the family business. That was in his plan—his long-range plan. But a family didn’t fit in his agenda now.

Still, there was a baby on the way. That couldn’t be changed. Nor could he turn his back on his own flesh and blood. For the first time in his life, he didn’t know which way to turn. The stakes were just too high.

His grandfather’s solution would have been to have a wedding—quick and simple. He imagined how his grandfather would pat him on the back, pleased that he was carrying on the Stravos line. But would his parents have been just as pleased? Or would they have been disappointed in him? The thought weighed heavily on him. He missed them, especially at a time like this.

So what options did that leave him? To marry Sofia? But was it the right decision? Could Sofia be his convenient bride? Would she accept an unconventional marriage?

He recalled her contagious laughter at the wedding—the way she’d turned his head. She’d been like a breath of fresh air, and he’d been unable to get enough of her.

Could they ever get back to that happy place? He’d like to think once the shock wore away that they could smile and laugh again—together. So maybe the idea of marriage had come much sooner than he expected. He and Sofia had hit it off. He may not want a romantic entanglement, but he would like them to be on friendly terms when they wed. And the fact they were compatible in bed was a definite bonus.

Would Sofia jump at the offer? Or would she rebuff his proposal? The one thing he’d learned about Sofia was that she could be unpredictable, which made her quite intriguing. But it also left him uncertain when it came to his proposition of a marriage in name only.

Certain that he was on to something, he called Cristo. Luckily, his friend had just wrapped up a meeting. He was available to have coffee and a chat. Though Cristo asked him repeatedly if there was a problem, Niko was reluctant to get into it over the phone. This delicate conversation needed to be handled in person. And even then Niko was hesitant to share the full details—only what was necessary to bring his quickly evolving plan to fruition.

CHAPTER FOUR

THIS PLAN JUST had to work.

Niko stepped inside Cristo’s luxury suite. Not so long ago they’d met here to discuss business, but this time his agenda was a bit more personal. Over the months, he and Cristo had become not only family, but also close friends. It was interesting to both of them how much they had in common—powerful families with unrealistic expectations.

Niko joined Cristo on his private balcony overlooking the beach littered with sunbathers soaking up the sunshine while others enjoyed the warm water of the resort’s private cove. They all looked so relaxed and happy. Right now, Niko couldn’t remember what it was like to be either of those two things.

His gut knotted up. If he made the wrong decision, he knew it would impact not only his life but Sofia’s and their unborn baby’s. The decision to make Sofia his bride didn’t have to be made overnight. If he cut his trip short, Sofia would still be at the Blue Tide when he returned.

Cristo cleared his throat. “Sorry about the delay. Some staffing issues were just brought to my attention.”

“You really take a hands-on approach with this place, don’t you?”

Cristo poured them each a cup of coffee. “Yes. This resort is special to me. It was my idea. I’ve seen it through the planning, building and opening. And now that Kyra and I married here, it’s our home.”

“Even more so than New York?”

“My home is wherever my wife is, and right now, she’s enjoying her time here.” Cristo sipped his coffee. “So tell me what’s on your mind.”

Niko wasn’t sure how much of what he was thinking he should vocalize. “I wanted to ask you about Sofia.”

A knowing smile came across Cristo’s face. “I saw the way you two hit it off at the wedding. Kyra wanted to do some matchmaking, but I told her not to get involved. It’s better when things work out on their own. So you and Sofia, are you getting serious?”

Now how exactly did he answer that? The pregnancy was serious. The rest of it had yet to be determined. “We might be.”

“And that’s why you’re here? You want to know if there’s any reason you shouldn’t get involved?”

Niko inclined his head. “Something like that.”

Cristo took another sip of his coffee. “I don’t know if I’m the person you should consult.”

“Why’s that?”

“Because I know nothing about romance and relationships.”

“But how can that be? You’re happily married.”

“And that’s due to my amazing wife. She’s the one who believed in us and helped me to get past some rough spots. If it wasn’t for her, I’d still be miserable and alone.”

That last comment really caught Niko’s attention. “You were miserable when you were single?”

Cristo shrugged his shoulders. “I just didn’t want to admit it to myself. I thought I knew what would make me happy. And I was completely wrong. Lucky for me, Kyra opened my eyes. Your cousin is very smart, but if you tell her I said any of this, I’ll totally deny it.”

A smile pulled at Niko’s lips. “Don’t worry. I don’t think I have to tell my cousin a thing. Anyone can see the happiness radiating from you two.”

“It’s easy when you have the right person in your life. Do you think Sofia is the right person for you?”

The smile slipped from Niko’s face. “I think so.”

“Why do you look so worried?”

“I’m not sure Sofia feels the same way.”

“Ah, I understand. Women are tough to read.”

Niko cleared his throat. “Speaking of Sofia, have you known her long?”

“Depends on how you look at it. I’ve known her as long as I’ve known Kyra. And that was long enough for me to realize I wasn’t going to let Kyra get away. From what I’ve witnessed, Sofia is loyal and trustworthy.”

“Thanks for the insight.”

“But if you’re curious about Sofia, why aren’t you talking to her?”

Cristo was right. He just wanted to make sure there wasn’t something he was missing about Sofia before he enacted his plan. “It’s just that... Oh, never mind. I need to focus on my trip so we can finalize our deal. I’ll worry about this stuff later.”

“How long will you be gone?”

“Not long.” While away, he intended to give his idea of marriage to Sofia some serious thought. “A few weeks.”

“That fast?”

“You sound surprised.” To him, being away from the Stravos Trust during this pivotal transition seemed like an eternity.

“I don’t know. I just thought you might want to take some downtime after everything that has happened.”

He was referring to the death of Niko’s grandfather. “I did take a little time off, but I found the work helps. It’s therapeutic for me.”

Cristo nodded in understanding. “Maybe the trip will be good for you, too.”

“Honestly, I’m not thrilled about this trip. It couldn’t have come at a worse time.”

“Then why not delay it?”

“Trust me—the thought has crossed my mind more than once. But the sale of the hotel chain can’t be delayed. I have plans for the money, and I’m sure you’re anxious to get on with the merger of the two hotel chains.”

“When are you leaving?”

“Tomorrow.”

“And what about Sofia? You don’t want to miss this opportunity. You might never get it back.”

Cristo’s warning made Niko hesitate. Had he somehow found out about Sofia’s plans to return to New York? She’d said she hadn’t turned her resignation in yet, but after their discussion perhaps she’d changed her mind. “Is there a particular reason you say that?”

Cristo rubbed his clean-shaven jaw. “I really shouldn’t say anything—”

“This is important. If it’s about Sofia, I really need to know.”

Cristo’s brows rose. “Fine. The phone call I was on when you arrived was from my manager. Sofia has tendered her resignation at the Blue Tide Resort. She’s transferring back to the New York hotel.”

“How soon?”

“Immediately.”

“Immediately?” This was news.

“I haven’t spoken to her myself, but from what I can gather, she’s planning to hop on the next plane to New York. You wouldn’t know anything about that, would you?”

“Let’s just say I might have some idea about what’s going on.” When Cristo sent him an I knew it look, Niko continued, “The thing is I, um, need her help. Would it be possible to give her some time off?”

“What sort of time are we talking? A day? Or two?”

“At least a few weeks.”

Cristo’s eyes widened. “I see. Well, I think we could make that work. But is Sofia willing to go along with whatever you have in mind?”

“I don’t know, but I’m about to find out.”

“Are you sure—”

“I am.” Niko jumped to his feet. “Thanks. I have to go.”

He didn’t have a specific plan in mind to delay her departure, but he’d think of something. He didn’t have a choice. He couldn’t let Sofia disappear before they settled things. He was good at coming up with spontaneous plans. He had to come up with something good, something irresistible.

* * *

With a sigh, Sofia settled on the couch in her efficiency apartment. It had been a long, stressful day, and all she wanted now was to stay put, eat some leftover pizza and watch a romantic comedy. It might cheer her up. Then again, an adventure movie might be better.