Page 40 of Husband for the Holidays

“We’re going to Como for the holiday,” Antoine said firmly. “Lilja has been looking forward to it.”

“And we’re going to Crete,” Konstantin said, still speaking to her mother. “But we’ll have the wedding in Athens if that’s easier for you. I’ll fly to Como and kidnap you myself if I have to.”

“That won’t be necessary. We’re only staying until the second. Eloise.” Lilja touched the large emerald pendant dangling from the thick gold chain around her throat. “You’renotmarrying on Christmas Day.”

“No.” She sent an alarmed look to Konstantin.Were they?

“Much to my dismay, there’s a seven-day waiting period in Greece,” Konstantin said. “So it will be the twenty-eighth or ninth. I’ll let you know once we’ve finalized everything. You and I have a lot to cover before then.” Konstantin finally swung his attention to Antoine who was looking like he’d been kicked in the peanuts. “Expect paperwork first thing in the morning.”

“You’re marrying in aweek?”

“Konstantin. We need a year,” her mother protested before she sent a startled look to Eloise. “Are you pregnant?”

“No.”

“Oh.” Her mother pouted. “That’s too bad. A grandchild would have been icing on the wedding cake, but, Konstantin—” she touched his sleeve “—I only have one daughter. I want her to have the perfect wedding.”

“So do I. You and Eloise may spend as much of my money as you want, on a ceremony as extravagant as you want, on whichever day you want to have it, but I am making Eloise my wife before the year ends.” He wove their fingers together. “That is nonnegotiable.”

“He reminds me more and more of Petros by the minute,” Lilja confided with amusement to Eloise. “I wouldn’t dream of missing your big wedding day, darlings. Melissa will understand our leaving Como early. I can’t wait to tell her. How exciting!” Lilja hugged them both again. “Have a lovely Christmas. We’ll see you both in a few days.”

CHAPTER ELEVEN

“AWEEK?”ELOISEBUSTLEDahead of him into their hotel sitting room, sounding agitated. “When did you decide that?”

“When I found out the waiting period was a week,” he drawled. “It’s a month here in France. Would you rather marry tomorrow? We could fly to Gibraltar.”Say yes, he willed.

“But why are you in such a hurry?” Her skirt billowed as she whirled and face him. “To put pressure on Antoine?” She was fiddling with her ring, looking anxious, so he took a moment to consider how his words might land.

“I thought my motive was obvious.” He shrugged out of his tuxedo jacket and loosened his bowtie. “When you said you’re a virgin, I presumed we’d wait until our wedding night. I don’t want to wait a year to make love to you. It’s all I can do to wait a week.”

She started to say something, hesitated, then blurted, “DoIhave any say in that?”

“You have all the say in that. Why? Is that too fast?”

Her gaze skittered away from his, chin setting belligerently, and he was overcome by the most tender delight.

“Or is it too slow?” he asked knowingly.

“Don’t make me feel embarrassed for it!” she said crossly.

“How exactly do you feel?” He padded toward her, trying not to be smug, but damn this reaction of hers was satisfying. “Are you impatient? You seemed nervous when we talked about it yesterday.”

“I’m terrified,” she admitted, letting her hand alight on the pleats of his shirtfront before she jerked it back as though scorched. “What if it’s awful? And then we’re stuck with each other? Do you really want that? To go into marriage blind?”

“Now your inexperience really is showing.” He took her hand and lightly tugged an invitation to move closer. “There’s no chance of it being awful. We have incredible chemistry, Eloise. That’s why you melt every time I touch you.”

She was doing it now, leaning into him, but fighting it. He tried to rub the tension from her shoulder blades.

“It’s not the same for you, though,” she mumbled into his shirt. “You don’t feel this helpless. Do you?” Her brows came together crossly.

“No, I feel powerful. Like I’m holding the sun.” He brought her hand to the back of his neck and trailed his touch down the velvet that covered her arm. She shivered and caught her breath. He smiled. “It’s intoxicating. Exciting.”

“That doesn’t sound equal. It sounds like you’re in control and I’m not.”

“But how does itfeel?” he chided as he shifted the velvet of her gown against her, rubbing the slippery silk lining against her skin.

He definitely liked her in high heels. When she let her head fall back, her mouth was right there for the slant of his.

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