Page 88 of Modern Romance Collection December 2024 Books 1-4

‘I’m not being difficult. You’re the one being rude, hurtful and overbearing, not to mention ordering me around like a small dog.’ She gripped the edge of the mattress. ‘We were supposed to talk about this, remember? That’s why I came here to New York in the first place, to have a conversation about what we’re going to do, not for you to have a conversation with yourself.’

He was silent, clenching and unclenching his hands as if trying to relax them, and she suddenly had the impression that, for all his authority, all his apparent confidence, he was as much at sea about the situation as she was. Except he either didn’t know he was at sea or couldn’t admit it. And that was a surprise. He was a man used to being in charge and making decisions, and he needed to be considering the vastness of his company. He brought that natural authority to sex, too, yet she’d held her own against him there, matching him passion for passion. They’d found a natural equilibrium in bed, each of them the other’s perfect match.

Out of bed, though, it was another story. He was just as stubborn as she was, and what worked with physical passion didn’t work when it was two people trying to negotiate a difficult situation.

She let out a breath. Arguing wasn’t going to help and she didn’t want to fight him anyway. She didn’t have the energy for it. But still, one thing she’d learned dealing with both children and their parents was that sometimes hammering at someone wasn’t the way to go. Especially when it only made them push back even harder.

Sometimes a different approach worked better.

With a conscious effort, she pushed aside her anger. ‘Look, I’m sorry. But all of this has been a terrible shock. I was hoping to talk to you, not spend the night with you. I didn’t even know if you’d welcome the idea of a baby, let alone be a father to it. And then to think I was losing it, then finding out it’s twins...’ She swallowed. ‘It’s a lot to deal with.’

His steely gaze flickered, as if he’d been expecting another attack, not her sudden honesty. ‘Yes,’ he said after a moment. ‘Yes, it is. And I admit that the situation we find ourselves in is...difficult. My schedule is full for the entire month and I do not have a lot of leeway to include you and the babies, which is why I decided on Greece. I can visit you and make sure everything is as it should be.’

Well, at least he’d made a stab at explaining his reasoning, even if it didn’t make much sense to her. Especially his ridiculous schedule. If he was the boss, couldn’t he rearrange a few things?

She released her grip on the mattress. ‘Why is me going home to Melbourne so difficult? Surely if you’re the CEO of your company, you can do whatever you want?’

‘Within reason,’ he said. ‘But I cannot stand wasted time or inefficiency, and Melbourne is out of my way.’

‘Why do you need to visit me at all? You’ve only known you’ll be a father for all of twelve hours. Also, we can’t have sex, so what’s the point of a visit?’

He glowered, as if she’d pointed out something he didn’t like. ‘I didn’t lie when I told you that the welfare of my children became important to me the moment I thought I was losing them. In that examination room, looking at that monitor and seeing two heartbeats, that’s when I decided. And as you’ve already pointed out, the health of the babies is dependent on the health of the mother. That’s why I want to visit. I need to make sure you are well.’

Nell felt that little splinter of hurt work its way even deeper inside her, which was annoying. Why did it matter to her that he visit her forher,not simply because she was the mother of his children? Why did she want more than that? They’d spent two nights together, that was the grand total of their dealings with each other, and, while those two nights had rocked her world on its axis, the reality of the man standing in front of her was very different from the lover who’d made her see actual stars. Perhaps too different.

‘In that case,’ she said tightly, ‘I’d imagine it’ll be a very quick visit.’

‘Yes. It will. Which is another reason for you to be close to where I do business. There’s no point wasting time in idle conversation.’

Nell opened her mouth to tell him he was being an absolute bastard, but abruptly she didn’t have the energy. All she wanted to do now was sleep. ‘Fine,’ she said wearily. ‘I’m sure you have plenty to do. Don’t worry about me. I’ll be okay.’

He kept on frowning. ‘You don’t seem—’

‘Please, just leave me alone,’ she interrupted, the frayed tether she had on her temper snapping. ‘I need to sleep.’

His mouth worked, as if he meant to say something. But then, clearly changing his mind, he straightened. Gave her a single nod, then turned on his heel and went out.

CHAPTER SEVEN

ARISTOPHANESWAITEDUNTILthe rotors had slowed, then he opened the door of the helicopter, got out, then turned to help Nell disembark.

They’d just touched down on the helipad near his villa on Ithasos, a tiny green jewel of an island set in the deep turquoise blue of Mediterranean, near Mykonos.

His villa here was one of his preferred residences, and since it worked in well with his schedule for the next week, he’d decided it would be the perfect place for Nell. He’d have some time to spend helping her get settled in before he had to go on to London—he’d even managed to fit into his schedule a whole afternoon and evening to show her around his house and the island.

He knew she’d been unhappy with his decision back in New York that she should stay here for the duration of her pregnancy, but, really, it was the best solution for both of them. He didn’t want her going back to Melbourne on her own, not when he had no idea of what kind of support she had there, and not when he couldn’t accompany her because of his schedule—after the near miss with the babies, he didn’t want to let her out of his sight if he could help it. Which meant taking her to Greece was the most logical decision, especially given her pregnancy restrictions.

He could have asked her, he supposed, as she’d flung at him back in New York, but then she’d argued anyway, and arguing was a waste of time. Especially when he’d already decided what was going to happen.

The potential loss of the babies had pierced him in a place he hadn’t known he was vulnerable, a painful place. A place of fear. It was true what he’d told her, that he hadn’t realised how badly he’d wanted those children until he’d nearly lost them.

Before leaving New York, he’d talked to Cesare on the phone for a long time about how Nell was pregnant and that it was twins. His friend had taken a good deal of amusement from that particular fact, but Aristophanes saw nothing amusing about it. Almost to his own surprise, when he’d told Nell he’d keep them safe, he’d meant it. He’d meant it more than he’d meant anything else in his entire life. The children were not abstracts any longer, not ideas. Not equations or problems to solve, but small lives under threat, lives that were precious. He would never allow them to be lost, which meant he’d do everything in his power to make sure that didn’t happen. Even if it meant making decisions that Nell didn’t like.

You didn’t have to be so cold though.

The thought was an uncomfortable one and it had nagged at him ever since they’d left New York. It was true he’d been less...kind to her than he should have, and yes, probably cold. He’d just been operating on a threat response level, which didn’t allow for anyone’s feelings.

When he’d implied, for example, that the sex had been meaningless in comparison to the health of the babies, there had been a flicker of what he suspected was hurt in her gaze. The same when she’d asked what the point of him visiting her was, and he’d responded with the truth, to make sure she and the twins were healthy.

---