The Greek's Baby Bargain (3 page)

“Fine. Let’s get it over with,” Dimitri snapped, watching Emma the whole time.

Emma barely flinched when the nurse drew blood although she had to breathe heavily to avoid fainting. She hated blood and couldn’t look down at her arm or she knew she’d pass out. A band aid was applied and, while she and Dimitri waited in the doctor’s private office, the nurse ran the test. Ten minutes later, the doctor returned and shook his head. “There is no pregnancy at this time.” He sat down behind his desk and laced his fingers. “I’m assuming that the two of you are going to try to conceive, is that correct?” he waited until Dimitri nodded before continuing. “You understand the best time to become pregnant?” he asked, looking directly at Emma.

“Yes,” she said, knowing with certainty. She was tense, waiting to see if the doctor would say anything else that the blood test might have shown.

“Good. Then come back in a few weeks and we’ll see if the results of the next test are different,” he chuckled and stood up, shaking Dimitri’s hand. “Good luck, my friend,” he said heartily.

“Thank you.”

Dimitri led her out of the doctor’s office and back down to the limousine still waiting out in front of the building. Emma almost wilted with relief as she leaned back against the leather seat. Closing her eyes, she said a silent prayer before opening them again. She looked right into the eyes of her husband.

“Relieved?”

 

The relaxation was gone. “I wasn’t worried about the results of a pregnancy test,” she said honestly.

“You could have fooled me,” he replied. “So you don’t have a babe from some other bastard. We can proceed with our deal.” He retrieved a cell phone from the breast pocket of his suit jacket and spoke rapidly in Greek to someone. After several minutes, he said, “What’s your account number?”

Emma shrugged. “I’m sorry, I don’t know it off the top of my head.”

 

“Do you have a checkbook?” he asked impatiently. “Yes.”

 

“Give it to me,” he snapped.

Emma pulled it out of her purse and handed it to him. Dimitri read off the numbers at the bottom of her check, then snapped the phone shut and looked at her. “My end of the deal is done. The money will be wired into your account by the end of the day.”

The relief that poured through Emma with his words was like a soothing tonic, eliminating all of her aches and pains. It was instantaneous and she had to fight back the tears of happiness. “Thank you,” was all she could say. “I can’t believe it was that easy,” she said softly, looking out the window so he couldn’t see the excitement on her face. He would question it and there was no way she could tell him about the surgery and the hope for her brother. She had to protect Brian. If everything turned out okay, then she might tell Dimitri. But that would be years in the future. Brian had to learn how to walk again and Emma had no idea how long that would take.

“No need to thank me. A deal is a deal. Where are you staying?”

 

Emma looked down at her hands, still fighting the urge to sing with happiness and relief. “Um…I didn’t book a hotel. I’ll get a flight out tonight.”

 

Dimitri sat back and smiled triumphantly. “Not anymore,” he said. “Would you like to call and cancel the flight reservation?”

 

Emma glanced up at him nervously. “What do you mean?”

 

“I mean, I’ve done my part of the deal. I expect you to follow through with your end. Starting immediately.”

 

He couldn’t mean he wanted to start having a baby immediately, could he? “What are you planning?” she asked.

Dimitri looked over her bright sun dress. “Well, as delectable as you look in that yellow dress, you’ll need something more appropriate for tonight. I have a dinner meeting with several business associates for dinner tonight. Since you accepted the agreement, you can act as hostess. But you’ll need something better than that dress. The attire is formal. There are many more dinner parties that you will be required to oversee.”

She relaxed slightly with that news. “Oh, you only need me to preside over a dinner party?’

 

“For starters,” he replied.

The limousine stopped a moment later at one of the exclusive boutiques in Athens. Immediately, Emma was taken to the back of the store and treated like a princess. She had clothes brought to her in all different styles and colors. By the end of an hour, Emma had over twenty new outfits for every time of the day. “That’s enough,” she finally said to the store owner. “I think this is adequate.” She was shaking her head as she walked out of the dressing room and stopped immediately when she saw Dimitri sitting in one of the silk covered chairs talking on his cell phone. He looked so much like a powerful tiger, she was amazed.

“Ready to move on?” he asked as soon as he saw her standing at the entrance.

“Yes,” she said, unsure of how much ‘enough’ meant to him. She remembered their marriage and Dimitri entertained quite a bit. During that period, his mother had presided over the meals and Emma had felt useless and overshadowed. She didn’t blame his mother at all. She was the sweetest woman and constantly went out of her way to make Emma feel welcome. It was just that Sophia, Dimitri’s mother, was an amazing hostess. Emma had never felt as if she could take the reigns and control the parties.

“The outfits will be delivered to you in an hour,” he said but he didn’t appear to be interested in clothing in any way. “You’ll need to get a little color back into your face before tonight’s event. I don’t want anyone thinking I’m married to a ghost, even though you did a great vanishing act several years ago.”

Emma’s jaw dropped and she watched with resentment as he pulled out his cell phone and started talking in another language. Emma sat there and stewed with resentment but then she remembered that her money problems were taken care of. She only had to deal with this man for six months and she would be free and Brian would possibly be healed.

Emma had no doubt that she would be on a plane back to London in six month’s time. Looking over at Dimitri who was not paying her any attention, she ached with the emotions she felt for him. No, she’d never gotten over him. She knew he probably hated her and he had every right to. She’d left him with only a note. No goodbye, nothing. All those years ago, she had been unable to face him after seeing the news that she was pretty much infertile. Endometriosis had contaminated her body, apparently the masses so thick they should have killed her. The painful periods and intense bleeding hadn’t started yet, but according to the information she’d read about when her prognosis had been discovered, she knew that the disease was progressive.

Instead of thinking about her horrible, lonely future, she looked out the window of the limousine. The sights of Athens were too wonderful to ignore. She wanted desperately to stop them, but as the car drove past the narrow streets and white washed houses, the memories came flooding back.
Chapter 3

Six Years Ago

The summer air was hot and humid as she walked across the street. Pulling her hair off her neck, Emma pulled the guidebook out of her bag, wondering what she was going to see next. There were so many things, she couldn’t believe her friends only wanted to stay at the hotel and sunbathe by the pool. It was hot, true, which was their primary complaint. But this was a once in a lifetime opportunity. Who knew when they would have the time to visit Greece again?

She ran her finger down the page, biting her lower lip in concentration. The shadow came out of no where and she didn’t have time to react.

Feeling herself falling was her first impression. The next, as the sky came into view as well as the top of the tall building, was that something very hard was stopping her. Closing her eyes, Emma braced herself to hit the concrete reaching her hands out in order to break her fall.

All of a sudden, she was no longer falling backwards, but was pulled up hard against a massive chest. There was also a steel band wrapped behind her that was pressing the air out of her lungs. Opening her eyes, hoping to figure out how to get away from the steel trap and breathe some air but her heart stopped at the image before her. The man holding her, preventing her from falling, was definitely the most handsome man she’d ever seen in her life. And he was tall, she thought. She felt her feet on the ground and the top of her head barely reached his shoulder.

He muttered something in Greek and held her until she was steady again but Emma could no more take her eyes off of his handsome, dark face with blackest black hair and black eyes, than she could turn off the sun.

“Are you okay?” the man asked in English.

Blushing, Emma realized that she was still gripping the lapels of his suit in her fists. “Oh!” she gasped and took a step backwards, instantly releasing his lapels. “I’m so sorry,” she said, then stepped forward to smooth the luxurious fabric back into place. As soon as her hand touched him, she felt as if a jolt of electricity had gone through her. She was shivering all over and her mouth was suddenly dry. Looking up, she was captured by his eyes. She felt as if they could read her mind and her cheeks turned a brighter pink.

She quickly stepped backwards again, breaking the eye contact as she looked down at the cement sidewalk. “I’m sorry. That was very clumsy of me.”

“My pleasure,” his deep voice replied and it reminded her of smooth, rich chocolate. “Please, be clumsy any time I’m walking by,” he said, a devastatingly handsome smile on his face. “You are British?” he said without a trace of an accent.

“Yes. I’m here on holiday,” she explained, uselessly it seemed as a bulky man with dark sunglasses handed her the tour book she’d dropped during the collision.

 

“Where are you off to now?” he asked.

Emma bit her lip and looked up at him shyly, then quickly glanced away. “I hadn’t decided. I just left the Acropolis and was not paying very much attention, I’m afraid.”

“Perhaps I could give you some recommendations,” he suggested.

Emma smiled brightly and met his gaze again, sure he wasn’t as handsome as she’d first imagined. “Oh, that would be wonderful. There’s so much to see and I don’t have much time left,” she gushed, realizing with her second look that yes, he was gorgeous.

“Perhaps it would be better if we were to get out of the heat,” he suggested. “I would be more than happy to have my driver take you somewhere.”

Emma looked back at the long, black car that was waiting at the curb, the driver patiently waiting with the door open. “Oh, well, I don’t think that would be a very good idea,” she said, remembering all the stories of girls who had been kidnapped in the news in the past several years.

The husky laugh filled her with a warm sense of belonging. “I assure you I am not going to torture you.”

 

Emma’s cheeks turned red yet again, wondering how this man could read her mind so easily. “I wasn’t thinking that at all,” she lied.

 

“Of course you were. And you are right to be cautious. But perhaps my security detail might make you more comfortable,” he suggested.

Emma laughed, her eyes looking at him merrily as she shook her head. “Actually, they only make me think it would be easier to dispose of my body after you’ve killed me,” she teased and was rewarded by the renewed glint of humor in his eyes.

“Touché,” he returned. “But let me assure you that the real threat is for kidnapping. And I don’t intend to kidnap you,” he paused meaningfully, “unless it is to take you to dinner. Perhaps you would be free tonight?” he asked.

Emma’s smile widened with delight, a warm emotion gushing through her whole body. “That would be lovely,” she said. She couldn’t believe a man this gorgeous and obviously wealthy would be interested in her but she wasn’t going to question her good luck. He was just too amazing to turn down.

“Good. Then might I suggest that you walk down two more streets and turn left. There is a wonderful museum not on the beaten path, so to speak, which is filled with Greek artifacts. The descriptions are also in English so you shouldn’t have much trouble. After that, stop by the cantina beside the museum and have a coffee and some calamari. It is the best in the city. Once you have finished there, take a cab to this street,” he said, taking out a business card and writing down a name. “You will find that this museum is also very interesting. After that, go back to your hotel to rest. I’ll meet you at the restaurant written here,” he said and handed her the card, “and I will see you at dinner.”

Emma felt like a silly school girl as she took the card but she couldn’t stop smiling. The man was just too amazingly gorgeous and charming. “Thank you,” she said, hoping she didn’t blush again.

“Please let me treat you to the afternoon,” he suggested and pulled off several bills, handing them to her.

 

Emma was horrified. “Goodness, no. Thank you for the ideas but I can’t take your money,” she said, pushing his hand back away.

He captured her hand and placed the money in hers, curling the fingers around the bills. “It would give me great pleasure to think of you enjoying the afternoon on me. I will be in boring meetings but will remember your lovely blue eyes,” he said, his finger running down the side of her face, gently touching her skin and lighting it on fire as well.

“I…I can’t. I don’t feel comfortable taking someone’s money,” she said. “Especially since I’ve only just met you.” Her eyes widened and she said, “Actually, I haven’t really met you, have I? My name is Emma,” she said, sticking her hand out politely.

“My name is Dimitri,” he replied, taking her small hand in both of his large one, his long fingers wrapping around her hand and wrist, holding her for longer than necessary. As for the money, you will take it in this one instance,” he said firmly. “And I’ll see you at eight o’clock tonight. Take a cab since you won’t allow me to pick you up.”

Emma stepped back and watched as the man ducked into the limousine. Within moments, he was gone.
money he’d given her.
Staring down at her hand, she gasped when she saw how much

It was several hundred euros! Good grief – this was how much her entire trip was costing and he wanted her to spend it all in one day?

Quickly stuffing the money into her purse, she looked down at the business card and smiled in anticipation. She almost skipped down the street as her excitement took over.