The Greek Tycoon's Lover (20 page)

“So it’s completely impossible that you are pregnant?” he suggested.

Helen shook her head. “You don’t understand. The doctors tried many times. I was in the hospital for so long and finally, my mother just told them no more. She wouldn’t put me through another operation so the whole issue was put to rest almost ten years ago.”

He held her tightly before asking, “Would it be a bad thing if you were pregnant?”

“No!” Helen immediately replied, turning to face him so he could see the sincerity in her eyes. “I would love to give you children. I saw you with your nieces and nephews yesterday and you’ll be a wonderful father someday. But you can’t rely upon me to give them to you.”

He nodded, finally understanding as the final piece of the puzzle fell into place. “Is this the reason you won’t marry me? Because you think I only want children?”

“No, that’s not the whole reason. I can’t marry you because you
have
to have children. Because you have to pass all this,” she said, waving her hands out to encompass everything around them, “on to your children. And I can’t give you that.”

“And my feelings for you mean nothing?”

“No! I didn’t mean that. And I didn’t mean for you to feel this way about me,” she cried, burying her face in her hands. “Oh! This is all messed up and it’s my fault. If only I hadn’t agreed to come out to Greece with you, none of this would have happened. I’m so sorry, Dimitri,” she sobbed.

Dimitri pulled her back into his arms and held her, letting the tears wet his shirt. “It wouldn’t have done any good,” he said once her sobbing had subsided somewhat.

“What do you mean?” she hiccupped, accepting the tissue he put in front of her face.

“I mean, I fell in love with you during the interview. So this was just the latest in a series of attempts to get you into my bed and into my life,” he explained. “Getting you out of London was only the first step. It would have happened eventually. You blindsided me with your humor and your gentle spirit, all wrapped up in a feisty, sexy package. I was a goner from the beginning,” he said.

Helen laughed and cried at the same time. “It won’t do any good. I can’t be a whole woman for you. You need children.”

“Helen, stop right there. If you think for one minute that you’re not a whole woman simply because you might have problems conceiving, then I’ve got news for you. You are so much more of a woman to me than anyone else I’ve ever met. You’re sexy and beautiful, generous and loving. I don’t want anyone else. And if that package comes with a few challenges, then we’ll face them together.”

He waited for her argument but he wasn’t sure what she said. She was crying so loudly he could barely understand anything she was saying. He picked her up and carried her back to the sofa.

Maria poked her head into the office and spoke to him, then ducked right back out again.

“What was that?” Helen asked, glancing toward the heavy wooden door that was closed again.

“Helen has explained to our guests that you’re not feeling well and they immediately took their leave. But all of them want to hear an update on your condition tomorrow.”

Helen nodded and sighed heavily. “I’m sorry. I’ve messed up your dinner party, your life, your future, everything.”

“Stop it. And start telling me about your symptoms. If you’re not pregnant, then we need to get you to a doctor to figure out what’s going on.”

There was another knock on the door. It opened and Helen watched as an ever efficient Marie walked over to them, a red-faced Josef standing at the door. Marie deposited a brown paper bag on the coffee table, then backed out without an explanation.

Helen picked it up and peered in side, gasping when she saw the pregnancy test. “Oh, my!” she said, crushing the paper and tossing it aside.

Dimitri picked it up and pulled out the box. “Helen, why not just try the test? If it comes back negative, then you’re seeing a doctor tomorrow. And no matter what the result, we’re getting married. I love you and you love me. Together, we’ll face whatever happens in the future. Please don’t leave me to the mercenary hands of women like Barbara or the others. Because if you don’t marry me, I’ll go right out tomorrow and propose, just to spite you. And you’ll leave me to a loveless, painful marriage to a woman who is only after my money.”

Helen allowed the tears to fall, and nodded her head at the end of his speech. “Okay. Deal,” she said.

“Good. Now go take the test and let me see the results. I don’t trust you to interpret them accurately, given your state of mind.”

Helen blushed but took the package to their bedroom, locking herself into the bathroom.

Five minutes later, she screamed and rushed out, flying into Dimitri’s arms, crying and laughing at the same time. “I’m pregnant! Oh, Dimitri! I’m pregnant!” she said, showing him the pregnancy test. The blue line was crisp and clear. There was no room for misinterpretation. If the results were negative, then there would be no color at all.

“Marry me!” Dimitri said. “I love you and I’ll never accept no, so you’re just going to have to change your answer.”

“Yes!” she said, thrilled beyond words and happiness swelling her heart so she could barely breathe. “Oh, yes! When?”

“Tomorrow!” he said and covered her mouth with his own.

“Okay,” she sighed and floated on a cloud as he carried her to their bed.

Epilogue

Seven months later, Helen sat in the hospital room, overwhelmed with both happiness and fear as her twin babies were nestled beside her. One boy and one girl, both with dark, black hair and blue eyes. She smiled a teary smile as she watched Dimitri walk into the private hospital room, his arms filled with flowers. The nurse taking her blood pressure laughed and offered to get vases for them, then whisked them off, leaving the two of them for some long overdue privacy.

“Alone at last,” he said, bending down to kiss her lips. There had been a steady flow of visitors to the hospital as soon as the twins were delivered.

“Silence is golden,” she joked, accepting his kiss happily.

“Are they overwhelming you?” he asked when he raised his head. “If they are, I’ll tell them they have to stay away.”

Helen knew he was referring to his family, all of whom arrived almost constantly throughout the day. Being the oldest of five plus being Greek, there were sisters, brothers in law, cousins, aunts, uncles as well as Sophia and Dimitri coming through to bring presents and delicacies to the new mother.

“Don’t you dare,” she said, laughing at his concerned expression. “You know I love all of them dearly.” Helen had gone from being an only child with her mother to having so many loving, caring people around her and she was adoring every moment of it.

“Okay,” he replied, his look telling her he doubted her word. “So how are our children doing today?” he asked, taking one of the little bundles from her arm and kissing his cheek. “Michael is doing extremely well, sleeping throughout the night only to ask for food first thing this morning.” Helen explained, filling him in on the details of the night while he was sleeping at home. He hadn’t left the hospital until midnight, and it was already six o’clock in the morning, so he hadn’t missed much. “It’s your daughter that has been the pill,” Helen said, but pulled the infant girl closer and kissing her gently on the top of her head. “She’s been asking to be fed about every hour.”

“But you love it as well, don’t you?” he teased.

“Wouldn’t trade it for the world,” she agreed. “Thank you for our beautiful children.”

“With such a beautiful mother, how could we have gone wrong?” He leaned forward and kissed her gently once again, his eyes showing her how much he loved her.