Carrying The Greek Tycoon's Baby

“You speak like you’ve lived here your entire life.”

“Sometimes it feels that way.” She never made any secret about her past. “My mother left Greece when she fell in love with an American soldier. She followed him to the States, where I came to be.”

“So how did you end up back here?”

“My aunt never had any children of her own. I was her sole heir and she entrusted me with the island.”

“What about your mother?”

“She and my father still live in the States on a little island off the Pacific coast. My mother, well, she had a falling-out with her family.”

“I probably shouldn’t do this since I’d really like it if you would call me in the near future and sell me the island, but I have some advice to keep your business afloat.”

Her eyes lit up with interest. “What would that be?”

“This place is practically empty.” He waved around at the plethora of empty tables. “Open the island up to vacationers as well as wedding guests. It would keep a steady flow of people and increase the flow of revenue.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

But he could tell she’d already considered the option and dismissed it. Apparently traditions ran deep where this island was concerned. Xander couldn’t help but wonder if it was really the love of the island or if there was something else keeping her here away from her family—away from society.

But he kept those questions to himself as they savored a delightful array of fresh vegetables, seafood and cheeses produced on the island. The meal was leisurely and the food was out of this world. He was quite tempted to lure the chef away and put him on staff at the Skyrise Restaurant atop his headquarters in Athens.

Even though the sun had slipped below the horizon, leaving a pink hue in its wake, Xander wasn’t ready to end his time with Lea.

They strolled down to the beach. No one was around, and they enjoyed the surf and sand alone.

“I really should get back to work,” Lea said, but her voice lacked desire.

“I should, too. But why don’t we play hooky this evening?”

She glanced at him as they ambled along the shore. “Do you usually play hooky?”

“No.”

“Then why this evening?”

He stopped and turned to her. “Because you reminded me that there is so much more to life than business. I haven’t laughed this much...ever. It has been a truly wonderful evening.” He stared deep into her eyes. “I don’t want it to end.”

“You don’t?”

“I don’t.” His gaze lowered to her lips. They were so inviting. He’d been glancing at them off and on all through dinner. They were rosy and glossy. Nothing about her appearance was overly done. She was more down-to-earth and much more appealing than any of the women he’d dated in the past.

He had a policy of not mixing business and pleasure. Tonight, he might have been tempted to break that long-standing rule, but he knew Lea wasn’t going to change her mind about his offer. And so there was no reason to hold back. They could find out where the evening would take them.

He stepped closer, watching and waiting to see if she would pull away. She didn’t. He glanced down, catching the slight pulse in her neck. She was as intrigued by him as he was by her. The most captivating thing about her wasn’t her gorgeous face or luscious lips, but the beauty inside that glowed outward.

He reached out to her. His movements were slow so as not to startle her. And then his fingers caressed her smooth, soft cheek. “You are the most incredible woman I’ve met.”

There was an audible hiss as she sucked her breath in through her teeth. Her eyes widened and then took on an inviting look. He had no intention of missing out on such a tempting invitation.

He lowered his head, but before he got very far, she was there—meeting him in the middle. Her tender lips pressed to his. The breath caught in the back of his throat. Her touch was like a static charge—sending a current through his body, making every cell vibrate with desire.

His hand lowered to her waist. He drew her to him. Her hands came to rest on his chest as their kiss deepened. He hadn’t ventured to Infinity Island with a thought of having a romantic tryst—not at all. He’d been disappointed that he hadn’t been able to purchase the island, but this wasn’t so bad as a consolation prize. And though he’d deny it to anyone, he’d ended up with the better of the two options.

The more he tasted Lea, the more he wanted her. She snuggled up against him. Her soft, voluptuous curves fit perfectly against him. He had a feeling this evening was only going to get better and better.

CHAPTER ONE

Late June...

TWO PINK LINES...

Three separate results...

Diagnosis: Pregnant.

Every time Lea thought about it, which was quite often, she started to hyperventilate. This couldn’t be happening. Not now. Not when her life was in such an uproar.

But she’d had all of the early symptoms, from her missed cycle to tender breasts. As much as she wanted to live in the land of denial, she couldn’t. There was now a baby to take into consideration. And a man who didn’t have a clue he was about to become a father. Well, he would if he’d answer his phone.

After a trip to the doctor for official confirmation, Lea had tried repeatedly to reach Xander and let him know she was pregnant, not because she wanted anything from him but because it was the right thing to do. But each time she called, it went straight to voice mail. It wasn’t until she tracked down the number to his office in Athens that she learned he was out of the country on business.

So once again, she called him. Once again, her call was forwarded to voice mail. “Xander, this is Lea. Um...” Her stomach churned with nerves even though he wasn’t on the other end of the line. “I need to talk to you. Could you give me a call when you get a chance?”

She pressed the end button on her phone and took her first full breath. And then she realized that “when you get a chance” probably didn’t convey the urgency that she felt or the importance of the news she had to tell him. Still, it was better than nothing. He would get back to her soon. Until then she had an island to save and a baby to prepare for. Plenty of things to keep her mind off Xander...as if that was possible.

* * *

He listened to the voice mail.

And then he listened to it again.

Xander could tell there was something off in Lea’s voice, but he couldn’t quite narrow down the problem or determined if there even was one. And then he realized what it must be—she was disappointed that he hadn’t phoned her. Not that the thought hadn’t crossed his mind more than a few times.

In fact, he hadn’t been able to get Lea off of his mind since their lost weekend in paradise. Random memories of her distracted him from his work and filled his dreams at night. She was an amazing woman, not only in looks but in everything about her. It was so tempting to pick up the phone and call her back. If it were possible, he’d drop everything and return to Infinity Island. But his busy life didn’t allow for such indulgences.

At first, he hadn’t believed it, but by the time he departed Infinity Island, he knew there was something extra special about it—about Lea. Maybe he’d let himself get caught up in the most amazing views of the sea or the tranquil cove or even the colorful vegetation. Or more likely it was letting his guard down with Lea and enjoying the moment that had him so distracted from his work.

But right now, he was fully involved in a resort deal with his younger sister, Stasia. It was their first business deal together. And with his sister at loose ends after losing her husband, Xander was willing to do whatever he could for her.

And his sister, against his recommendation, had risked her entire life’s savings on this project being a success. That was a responsibility he didn’t want, but being stubborn and insistent, Stasia had put him in that very unwelcome position.

As much as he would like to see Lea again, it would have to wait for quite a while. Business came first. It always had. And it always would. Except when family shoved their way to the front of his priorities. Of course, his sister knew how much he adored her. He would do anything for her. And the feeling was mutual.

He set aside his phone and loosened his tie. His trip to the interior of Asia had not been fruitful. He’d known that it would be a long shot from the start, but long shots were what had catapulted him to the top of his field. Sometimes leads panned out and other times, well, they were a waste of time. But it never stopped him from seeking out the next big deal, in some of the most unlikely places.

He’d just hung up his tie in his walk-in closet that was the size of a second bedroom when he heard his phone buzz. He was really quite tempted to let it go to voice mail. He’d been traveling all day and what he longed for was a hot shower to ease the tension in his neck. But he had been out of contact for an extensive amount of time... and this could be important.

With a deep sigh, Xander headed back into the bedroom. On the way, he loosened the top buttons on his white dress shirt. He glanced down at the phone and was surprised to find Lea’s name on the caller ID. She was calling again? That struck him as odd.

Sure, he hadn’t known her that long, but she didn’t strike him as the pushy type. In fact, she seemed quite the opposite. And she was more than willing to stand on her own two feet. Was it possible that he’d incorrectly interpreted her earlier voice mail?

Not giving himself time to think about it further, he answered the call. “Lea, how are you?”

“Xander, finally. I’ve been trying to reach you for a while now. I was beginning to think that you were avoiding my calls—”

“Whoa. Slow down.” Something really had her worked up. “I just got home a few minutes ago. What’s wrong?”

“I... I don’t know if you’d say it’s wrong or not.”

“Just tell me what it is and we’ll go from there.”

There was an extended pause. He could imagine her worrying her bottom lip, like she did when she was unsure of something. While he’d been on Infinity Island, he’d picked up on her mannerisms. He found her quite captivating. It was one of the reasons he’d avoided calling her. He knew if she asked him to return to the island, it would be too great a temptation.

As the silence dragged on, Xander said, “Lea, I can’t help until you tell me what’s the matter.”

“I’m pregnant.”

Xander stumbled back as though her words had physically slugged him in the chest. The back of his knees hit the edge of the bed. He slumped down onto the mattress. Maybe he’d heard her incorrectly.

“Could you say that again?”

“Xander, I’m pregnant. And you’re the father.”

That was what he thought she’d said.

But this can’t be true. Could it?

Xander knew all too well that it was quite possible. They’d spent that not-so-long-ago weekend in bed...and there was the time on the floor...in the living room—

He halted his rambling memories. He didn’t normally let loose like that. In fact, he’d never had a weekend like that one. It was unforgettable. And apparently in more than one way.

But he had to be absolutely sure of what he heard. “Could you say that again?”

“I’m pregnant.”

His heart pounded so loud that it echoed in his ears. As though all the energy had been drained from his body, he fell back on the bed. His fingers combed through his hair as his palm rubbed against his forehead, where a throbbing headache was starting.

The silence grew heavy. He should say something. Anything. But what? He’d never been in this position before.

He needed time to think because right now all that was going around in his mind was that he was going to be a father. He wondered if this was what shock felt like.

“I... I need a little time to absorb this,” he said. “We’ll talk soon.”

He wasn’t even sure if he said goodbye before disconnecting the call. He had no idea how long he lay there staring into space before the buzz of an incoming text jarred him back to reality.

I’m going to be a father.

The profound words echoed in his mind.

How could this be? Well, of course he knew how it happened. It was a weekend that he would never forget, much as he had tried. Lea’s stunning image was imprinted upon his mind.

Still, he’d never thought he’d hear that he was going to be a father.

A father.

Those two little words sent his heart racing as his palms grew damp. His mind slipped back to the time he’d spent on Infinity Island. He’d never expected it to change his life. But it had. And now he had to figure out a plan. He was known for thinking on his toes, but this was different. This was a baby. His baby.

And he had to do whatever was best for the child.

But what was that?

CHAPTER TWO

HAD HE BEEN STUNNED?

Was that why he’d ended the phone call so quickly?

Maybe he’d been in shock. He had said that they’d talk soon. What exactly did soon mean?

The next day Lea was still playing over her conversation with Xander. It had ended so abruptly that it startled her. She didn’t know what she’d been expecting, but it hadn’t been for him to become so quiet. Perhaps she’d been waiting for him to lob questions and accusations but none of that had come.

Did he outright not believe her? She knew that was always a possibility, but she just wanted to believe that Xander was more of a man than to shirk his responsibilities. Granted she didn’t know him that well, but she sensed he was a good guy—a man who cared for those closest to him—even if to the world he portrayed himself as a ruthless businessman. In private, he was a very different man. That much she was certain about.

Or the other possibility—the one that she was going with—was that she had absolutely blindsided him with the news of the baby. How could he not be shocked? She certainly had been. A baby was the last thing she’d had on her mind at the moment. Her priority had been trying to keep a roof over her head in the upcoming year.

She sighed, not about the baby but about the state of the island. She straightened up the papers on her office desk. She felt as though she were letting down her family, which was silly when you thought of it, because she didn’t know any of the people who had run the island before her. And her parents, well, they wanted nothing to do with the island. So perhaps she felt as though she were letting down herself.

When she first learned that she’d inherited this gorgeous island, she’d imagined swooping in here and making it the best—the most shiny, sought-after wedding destination. Instead she was patching holes, painting walls and duct-taping hoses. Half of the guest rooms were shut down due to one reason or another.

In addition, she’d had to reduce the staff. As a result, she’d had to take on additional responsibilities that took up any free time and had her falling into bed at night utterly exhausted.

She stood and moved out from behind her desk that still had a slew of unfinished tasks. A more urgent problem needed her attention. A leaking faucet. Thankfully her parents had had no gender bias when raising her. She used to assist her father with all sorts of tasks around the house—including plumbing.

Lea moved to the closet, opened the door and retrieved a red toolbox. She almost felt as though she needed a tool belt to sling around her waist—to give her that authentic fixer-lady look. She wondered what Xander would make of the look. A giggle rose in her throat as she imagined a horrified look on his handsome face.

Dressed in a loose T-shirt and a pair of old jean shorts that had the top button loosened to make room for her expanding midsection, she set off for the bungalow midway across the island. She hoped it was just a worn-out washer and nothing more serious. She had a big wedding this weekend. She couldn’t afford to lose yet another accommodation because there was nowhere else to house people unless she gave up her bungalow.

She’d just placed the toolbox in the golf cart when she heard the whoop-whoop of a helicopter. This couldn’t be good. They weren’t expecting any new guests today.

The people on the island either lived and worked there or were lingering guests from the past weekend’s wedding. There was also a couple celebrating their fiftieth anniversary. Some of their guests liked to return every year for their anniversary, sort of as a reminder of how it felt when their love had been so new, fresh and exciting.

She worried her bottom lip. Could it be a medical emergency? No. She would have been informed.

But as the warm breeze caressed her skin, she put a hand to her forehead, blocking the bright sunshine. She tilted her chin upward to watch the helicopter descend to the helipad not far from her office. Whoever this was, they weren’t a guest.

Her body tensed as the long seconds dragged out. She never knew it could take so long for a chopper to land. But she knew that in reality not much time had passed at all. It was just her anxiety that seemed to have slowed the world down as she waited to see what new problem awaited her.

And then the door to the helicopter opened. And...

The breath of anticipation hitched in her throat. And...

A man emerged from inside. His head was ducked, but he had dark hair. And his clothes appeared to be a business suit. Her heart plummeted to her tennis shoes. Could this be an attorney putting some sort of lien against the island as she wasn’t quite on top of all of her bills. She tried. But some months she had to pay some accounts and then the next month she paid others.

But as the man rushed away from the helipad, there was something familiar about him. She couldn’t put her finger on what exactly it was, but she sensed she knew him. And then as the man reached the steps leading away from the helipad, he lifted his head.

A breath hissed past Lea’s teeth. Xander. She blinked. He was still there and he was staring directly at her.

She sucked in a deep breath, pulling in her baby bump, but that only succeeded in making her ever-expanding breasts stick out even further. She immediately released the pent-up breath. There was no hiding that her body was changing.

What was he doing here? And then she realized that in her shock, she’d asked the most ridiculous question. He wasn’t here to see her—not like she’d dreamed about at night where they’d rushed into each other’s arms. No, he was here about her baby—their baby.

She’d only told him the news yesterday. She couldn’t believe he was standing in front of her. But he was looking a little out of sorts. His necktie was missing. His collar was loosened. He hadn’t shaved, leaving a dark shadow of stubble to highlight his squared jaw.

It was then that she noticed he wasn’t smiling as he made his way to her. If he wasn’t happy about the baby, why bother coming? It wasn’t like she’d placed any demands upon him. She wasn’t poor, even if the state of the island said otherwise. This land was worth a lot of money—he’d pointed that out to her. If the absolute worst happened, she could sell the island and live comfortably the rest of her life. But she would have to be desperate to sell her heritage. At this point, she wasn’t desperate. At least that was what she kept telling herself.

Hang in there. This is all going to work out.

She wondered if the pep speech was about the dire state of the island or about her impending meeting with Xander. She hadn’t moved since she’d watched him arrive. Normally she would have met a guest halfway, but not today—not with Xander frowning. She had to be strong and stand her ground. He could come to her.

When Xander finally stopped in front of her, she stood silently. Her stomach churned nervously. She hadn’t invited him here. It was up to him to decide how this conversation should go.

“I’m here.” He stared at her with tired eyes.

That’s it? That’s all he has to say?

She leveled her shoulders and tilted her chin upward. “I didn’t ask you to come. We could have handled this over the phone.”

“This is too serious for a phone call.”

But with a phone call, she would have been able to concentrate on the conversation instead of how he looked even sexier than she recalled. She fidgeted with the gemstone bracelet on her wrist before forcing her hands to remain still at her sides.

This conversation definitely would have gone smoother over the phone. As soon as she would have assured him that she wasn’t plotting a messy paternity or support lawsuit, they could have gotten back to their lives. Because she could do this parenting thing on her own. In fact, she was looking forward to being a mother.

When Lea noticed him staring expectantly at her, she said, “I thought you’d be busy with work.”

A definite note of incredulity clung to his voice. “You can’t just deliver a bombshell, over the phone no less, and expect me to do nothing.”

“What do you want to know?”

“How about for starters, are you sure the baby is mine?” His gaze narrowed as he stared at her as though by look alone he could ferret out the truth.

The fact that he would question her about something so important hurt—it hurt deeply. Apparently they didn’t know each other at all. The weekend they’d spent in each other’s company for every exquisite moment had meant more to her than him. So be it.

“Yes. I’m sure.” If he thought she was going to stand here in public to be interrogated, he was mistaken. “I have to go. I have an emergency.”

Without giving him a chance to respond, she turned back to the golf cart. She climbed inside and started it. She glanced up and was about to put her foot on the accelerator when she found him standing directly in her path, with his arms crossed over his broad chest and a definite frown on his face.

She sighed. “I don’t want to fight with you. In fact, I don’t want anything from you.”

“Then why call?”

Seriously? He had to ask that?

And then one of the staff started in their direction. The man was giving them a strange look as though trying to decide whether he should step in or not. She made a point of painting a friendly smile on her face and waving at her employee. The man smiled, nodded and kept moving.

Lea turned back to Xander. “Would you stop standing there like some Greek statue and get in?” When he didn’t move, she said, “Xander, don’t make a scene.”

Without a word, he climbed in beside her. His shoulder brushed up against hers, sending a wave of nervous energy racing through her body. It settled in her chest. As she breathed in his spicy aftershave, the heat in her chest gravitated southward to her core. Her back teeth ground together, refusing to give in to her body’s desires. That boat had sailed. It was out of the docks, out of the harbor, and was headed into open seas.

CHAPTER THREE

HIS QUIETNESS WAS UNNERVING.

Lea sent Xander a sideways glance. The set of his jaw and the twitch in his cheek let her know that he was angry. Sitting so close to him, she could feel the agitation radiating off him.

She didn’t know what gave him the right to be so upset. It wasn’t like she’d ended up in this condition by herself. It definitely took two to tango. If she’d hidden the baby from him, it would be different. But that hadn’t happened. And lastly, she didn’t expect or request a thing from him. So if he wanted to be mad at her, he could just sit there and stew. She had work to do.

Lea slowed the golf cart to a stop outside the honeymoon bungalow. Without a word, she got out. She grabbed her toolbox with a replacement rubber washer in it and headed up the four wooden steps to the front door.

The guests were supposed to have checked out by now, but as was standard procedure on the island, Lea rapped her knuckles soundly on the door. “Hello. Maintenance.”