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HER SECRET 36
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YOUR LOVE (ROMANTIC SERIES) RELUCTANT WIFE 1
SYNOPSIS ‘I want you to have my baby. Give me an heir and I’ll offer Petros a deal which will save his skin!’‘You must be mad! ’ Carrie floundered for words; she was so shocked by his proposition. ‘I couldn’t marry you!’As he raised a dark, sardonic eyebrow Alexis’s low voice drifted across to her,‘I want an heir, not a wife!’But Petros had other ideas and Carrie and Alexis soon found themselves bound for a wedding neither of them wanted...CHAPTER 1A grey shadow of doubt settled unceremoniously onto Carrie’s slim shoulders. Was she doing the right thing? There zvas no other alternative. She’d gone over this with a fine-tooth comb since her return to Greece, and each time she’d come up with the same answer. Alexis Stephanides held the key; he was the only man rich enough!‘Miss O’Riordan, Mr Stephanides will see you now,’ said the pleasant dark-haired girl, in heavily accented English, as she emerged from the office with CHAIRMAN engraved on the gold plaque of the heavy mahogany
YOUR LOVE (ROMANTIC SERIES) RELUCTANT WIFE 2
Alexis spim aroimd, his frown warning her, his voice threatening her to be silent. ‘Shut up! Stop your screaming: you know what I do to screaming children.’ He moved towards her like the sleek hunter he was and she backed away as if his touch would burn her.‘You touch me if you dare. I’m not a child any more,’ She spat the words out like an alley cat, wild and hurt.Alexis gave her a look full of contempt as he walked swiftly past her to the door. There, he turned slightly, throwing over his shoulder, ‘Then stop behaving like a child.’ He glanced down at the gold watch on his wrist. ‘I have a meeting. Friday is the deadline, Carrie. At noon!’Carrie stared open-mouthed. Eventually she foimd her voice. ‘That’s too soon.’His gaze travelled her full length. ‘If you truly love Petros, having my baby will be a worthy sacrifice!’ With that he left, leaving her shocked and devastated.***Petros was sitting by the pool when she reached the island. His tired face was gaunt with worry and ag
YOUR LOVE (ROMANTIC SERIES) RELUCTANT WIFE 3
‘You are, Carrie, Why, I think it’s the first time I’ve ever seen you drunk,’ he admonished softly, amusement lifting his voice slightly.‘I am not drunk! I’m ill!’Urging her to move, he ignored her remark, keeping a tight hold around her waist as he hailed his limousine.The cold night air almost knocked Carrie off her feet. She shivered and looking around the illuminated street in a hazy stupor, she suddenly felt much worse.Alexis opened the car door, ordering her to get in. Feeling faint, she caught the heel of her shoe on the curb and would have fallen had he not come to her rescue again. Once inside the comfort of the expensive car he rapped out orders to the driver. ‘My hotel!’Carrie couldn’t understand why she felt so light headed. Her legs looked perfectly capable of moving, and yet they felt numb. She prodded one in sheer horror and fascination.‘Like I said, it’s called being drunk, my sweet, little Carrie,’ he admonished teasingly; he wasn’t annoyed, there was amusement
YOUR LOVE (ROMANTIC SERIES) RELUCTANT WIFE 4
Alexis snorted angrily. He jumped up from the bed with a Greek oath, and delivered a message that chilled her soul. ‘I will make you eat those words one day my wicked Irish fireball. No one insults a Stephanides!’‘I just have.’ She always pushed him to the limit.He stood there, all muscle and tanned bare flesh but for the briefs. He was magnificent in his anger, and he was very, very angry with her, she had no doubt. For the second time in her life Carrie thought she had pushed him too far.His expression frightened her as his fingers clasped into fists at his side. Instead of reaching for his prey, he had thankfully reached for the telephone, crisply ordering a car to take Carrie home.Alexis turned on her, whispering dangerously soft words. ‘I want you out of my room by the time I finish my shower, or by heaven, girl. I’ll teach you a lesson you’ll never forget!’ He strode into the bathroom, closing the door behind him with a definite click.Within minutes a shaking, confused Carr
YOUR LOVE (ROMANTIC SERIES) RELUCTANT WIFE 5
Carrie wanted to cry out, but she wouldn’t give him the satisfaction. Her muscles were beginning to complain at such a long, fast swim. She hadn’t done this in years, and she knew how foolish she’d been.It was Alexis who eventually broke the damning silence. His voice was rough with emotion. ^Now you’re going to listen to me, and this time you’ll not get away from the awful truth about Petros and his debts. It’s far, far worse than you think.’Carrie bit her lip. She dared not meet his eyes; if it were true about her school fees and monthly allowance, she would never be able to face Petros again.‘Look at me, Carrie,’ Alexis said softly.She did, reluctantly, her tongue gliding across the salty skin of her lips. Swallowing deeply she shrugged and said rudely, ‘So talk, I won’t know if you don’t tell me.’He frowned heavily and his voice became a silky warning that he was losing his patience. ‘Don’t take that tone with me, Carrie.’Carrie sighed heavily and surrendered in a temporary
YOUR LOVE (ROMANTIC SERIES) RELUCTANT WIFE 6
Carrie was spared the need to reply when Christos came out to greet them. ‘Carrie, my lovely, lovely girl.’ He kissed her soundly on both cheeks and then turned to Alexis. ‘My friend, I’m so pleased you could grace my taverna.’Alexis bowed his head slightly and smiled. ‘The pleasure is all mine. However I must apologize that Petros cannot be with us this evening. He is feeling a little under the weather.’Pleasantries were exchanged and eventually they were seated near tlie balcony overlooking the beach. Carrie could hear the splashing of the tide, feel the evening breeze around her shoulders and shuddered involuntarily as she looked up at the full yellow moon.‘A penny for your thoughts,’ Alexis asked inquisitively as he poured her a glass of wine.‘Oh, I was just wondering when you’re going to turn into a vampire. You’re the ideal candidate.’ She raised the glass to her lips.‘I am?’‘Yes, of course!’‘And pray tell me why?’ he tatmted silkily.Carrie went on, surveying him openly.
YOUR LOVE (ROMANTIC SERIES) RELUCTANT WIFE 7
‘If that’s Jonathan I’d like to speak to him,’ she said hastily, but already Alexis was replacing the receiver.He shook his head. His voice had a warmth about it as if he was speaking to a child, and yet as he swept his glance over her shorts and T-shirt he wasn’t looking at or appreciating a child: ‘I’m sorry, Carrie, Jonathan is too busy, he’s transporting the puppy to the mainland. She’s still in considerable pain.’Carrie opened her eyes wide, her voice husky when she asked, ‘Why? What can be done on the mainland? I don’t imderstand.’Walking across to the old carved sideboard he poured orange juice into two crystal glasses and handed Carrie one as he sat at the table.‘She needs a plate in her back leg. They have far better facilities on the mainland, and at least that will give her a fighting chance. You realize they’re not sure if the operation will be a success? If it’s not - ’ He shrugged his large shoulders and left the words unsaid.Carrie sat down at the table opposite hi
YOUR LOVE (ROMANTIC SERIES) RELUCTANT WIFE 8
It was now 7 a.m. Would a cold shower dampen the fire in his loins? Up to now no thin g had dampened his imagination. Yes, it was definitely time for a shower, then straight to the office. Relaxing wasn’t on the menu today; not when Carrie had his deadline looming over her. Petros was convinced she would say yes to his ludicrous suggestion but Alexis had his doubts. What they were doing between them was tantamoimt to blackmail, and Alexis had agreed to it!Petros had pooh-poohed Alexis’s idea about him courting her. Time was of the essence, he’d said. Time was something he didn’t have, which was why Alexis had agreed. He’d been emotionally blackmailed too by the man who’d to all intents and purposes been more of a father to him than his own. His own father had often left his family to their own devices, and when Spiros had been killed Petros had been a rock to all the family.He went upstairs to his ‘en suite’ bedroom. No one really knew about this building, it was his secret, his hid
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