Page 55 of Marriage Masquerade

“If you are worried about your baby, I’ll be as good a father as I can for the child.”

“But the baby isn’t yours.”

He was silent. Did she think he couldn't grow to care for a child merely because it wasn't his? The child was hers. He liked her. Ergo, he could grow to like the child.

“I care for Norrie and Sam. They're not mine.”

“I meant, wouldn’t you like a child of your own?”

“Are you offering?”

Silence again.

He frowned into the night, wishing she’d open that sassy mouth and tell him what she thought and what she thought he should think, as she’d done several nights last week. Maybe he should make it an order, rile her up to force an honest reaction.

“Gemma, that’s not something you have to decide right now. It’s a moot point for several months. We can reevaluate the situation later. The issue at hand is whether or not to continue this marriage.”

“I enjoy being married to you,” she said so softly he almost missed the words.

But he heard them. And the depth of feeling that settled over him was unexpected.

“However, I’m not sure we suit,” she added.

“You suit me fine. You're undemanding, are not grasping and greedy, and still have one of the finest business minds I deal with.”

“Gee, how romantic.”

“Romance doesn’t play a part in this. We'd go on as we started.”

“Very well, Nikos. If you're sure.”

Despite her words, he heard the hesitation, the uncertainty. Time would prove him right. They would have a stable business marriage. And tied to him legally, she couldn’t leave. He'd keep his personal assistant and continue building ALK Shipping until it was the largest shipping line in the world.

Normally, the completing of a deal called for a handshake. But Nikos had no intention of shaking his wife’s hand. Instead, he pulled her up across his chest and kissed her, threading his fingers into her soft bouncy curls, relishing the sensations that exploded through his body.

Her mouth opened to his, enticing him with its honey-hot sweetness. Her hands delved into his hair and caressed him, while one silky leg slipped between his. He wanted more, but it was too soon.

Lust grew, passion built. But, afraid to alarm her, he eased off. He planned to do his seduction of her slowly. Until he had her bound to him in all the ways he could devise, he wanted nothing to scare her off.

Gemma differed from Katrina. Special. And someone he could envision living with until he grew old.

But with his blood thundering through his veins, he was hard-pressed to muster the control necessary to slow down tonight. One hand swept across her back, feeling her muscles move beneath her cotton gown. Unable to resist, he filled his palm with the softness of her bottom. He wanted more, wanted to delve into the heat at her core, to take all the ardor she possessed and lavish it on himself.

With monumental effort, he moved his hand. Brought their kiss to an end.

Pleased to know she was breathing as hard as if she’d run a race, Nikos had to satisfy himself with that. Progress sometimes came one step at a time.

“When we return to New York, we’ll have to shop for baby furniture,” he said.

A safe topic, one guaranteed to cool his hunger.

It wasn’t what he wanted to talk about. He wanted to talk about making love to his wife. But not until she was ready.

And he needed to make sure of her before moving to the next step.

His mouth continued to hunger for the taste of hers. His control was sorely tested as he gazed into the blackness and willed himself to keep his arm from tightening, to keep from throwing everything to the wind and making love to her all night long.

Gemma was more confused than ever when they returned home on Sunday. Standing at the large window in the living room of their apartment, she gazed out at the darkness. It was after ten, and she was alone, except for Hal, who was in his quarters.

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