Disheartened, I instructed my driver to return to the airstrip. I needed to get back to Corfu and set right what I’d left in disarray.
17
Iwas sitting on the balcony with my laptop, finalizing the digital collage of outfit pairings I’d created for Yiorgos, when the distinctive purr of Konstantin’s car engine caught my attention. Through the trees lining the driveway, I caught a glimpse of his white Icarus convertible sports car approaching the house.
My heart jumped into my throat. Four hours. He’d been gone exactly four hours—long enough for the reconciliation with Stella I’d been dreading.
I snapped my laptop shut and scrambled inside, diving under the covers like a teenager caught breaking curfew. The silk sheets rustled as I arranged myself into what I hoped resembled peaceful slumber. Through the open balcony doors, the gentle rhythm of waves provided a counterpoint to my racing heartbeat.
I’d spent most of the afternoon distracting myself with work, organizing outfits for Yiorgos by event category, completewith accessory suggestions. The project had given my hands something to do while my mind churned with uncertainty.
Konstantin’s unhurried footsteps sounded through the hallway, and I squeezed my eyes shut, wondering if he’d walk past to one of the guest rooms.
Our bedroom door creaked open instead, and I forced my breathing to remain even while listening to the soft thud of his Italian leather shoes hitting the floor and the whisper of expensive fabric being removed. The mattress dipped under his weight, and the air shifted as he settled beside me.
I concentrated on keeping my breathing steady, fighting the urge to add a dramatic snore for effect.
“You might as well talk to me,” he said.
I abandoned the charade, sitting upright and fixing him with my most direct stare. “How did you know?” I demanded, not bothering to hide my annoyance at being caught.
“That’s for me to know and for you to never find out,” he answered, the corner of his mouth lifting.
“What are you doing back here, anyway?” I crossed my arms over my chest. “Did Stella finally wise up and tell you to kiss her entire ass goodbye? Or did you just come back to collect the rest of your things?”
His laughter rumbled through the room, which only stoked my irritation. Here I’d been torturing myself for hours, imagining his hands on Stella’s body, his mouth at her neck, the two of them planning their future while I became nothing more than his baby mama.
“You find this funny?” I demanded, hating how my voice sounded. “Guess what, Konstantinos? If you think I’ll allow your infected dick anywhere near me again, you’ve got another thing coming. I’m making an appointment with the fertility clinic first thing tomorrow. We’re going back to the original plan.”
He raised a single eyebrow. “This is news to me. Since when has it been infected?”
The confidence in his voice made me want to throw something. Instead, I twisted my wedding ring.
I was self-aware enough to recognize my fear of him being with another woman far outweighed any actual health concerns, but admitting that vulnerability was out of the question. My pride was already hanging by a thread.
“I mean it, Konstantin.” My braids brushed against my shoulders as I shook my head. “You and I will never—”
Before I could finish, he gripped my waist, flipping us over until I was pinned beneath him. His weight felt treacherously good.
“Get off me!” I protested, pushing against his chest without making any real progress. My body was already betraying me, responding to his proximity like it had been programmed to do.
His mouth captured mine in a kiss that was both punishment and promise, hard and deep. When he finally broke away, his lips traveled to my throat, teeth grazing the skin just below my ear. “If I’m infected, my dear wife,” he murmured against my pulse point, “it will be because of you.”
I gasped, partly from outrage and partly from the sensation of his warm breath against my skin. “How dare you?”
He continued his assault on my senses, his lips trailing fire across my collarbone. “Apart from you, I haven’t had unprotected sex with anyone. I’m very meticulous about that. I have a full health workup every six months, and haven’t been with anyone except you for the past six months. So if you want to talk about exposure...”
He pulled back, his dark eyes meeting mine, lips curving in a self-assured smile, making me want to simultaneously slap him and kiss him senseless.
My brain snagged on his claim of not having slept with anyone else. It didn’t make sense. “What about Stella?” I managed to ask as his attention shifted to my breasts. “You’ve been living with her since we arrived in Greece.”
“Says who?” He was attacking my nipples now, his tongue circling one peaked bud while his fingers teased the other.
The dual sensation sent jolts of pleasure straight to my core, making coherent thought increasingly difficult. Still, I forced the words out. “You’re such a liar. You and Stella...”
“Had sex only once,” he murmured against my skin. “Six months ago. It was Theo’s birthday. I was drunk, she was there, and well...”
His admission brought momentary clarity through the haze of desire. “But you’ve been living with her,” I insisted, my fingers tangling in his hair, uncertain whether I wanted to pull him closer or push him away.
