Page 64 of Marriage Masquerade

He glanced at her and then took her hand, threading his fingers through hers as he pulled her out of the aisle and into a small space near the infant swings.

“What?”

She took a deep breath.

“Nikos, I don’t think I can go through with this after all. I’m taking and taking, and you’re getting nothing out of this arrangement.”

“Buying baby furniture?”

She shook her head, wanting to make him understand.

“No, not that. This marriage. You got your green card and can stay in the country. And with the negotiations finished…”

“There’s the Alteras merger to incorporate, don’t forget.”

“I know, but to be stuck with me and with James’s baby…”

She ran out of words, feeling miserable.

“Ah, I think I see where you are going with this. Do you still long for James?”

“No! He’s despicable. I'd never take up with the man again, knowing what I know now. I feel sorry for his wife and sorry for him and all the joy he’ll miss not knowing this baby. But I never want to have anything to do with him.”

Her sincerity rang clearly.

“I loved him once, but he destroyed that love forever. And turned out to be a completely different man from what I thought he was.”

“Then I cannot see the problem.”

“It’s not fair to you.”

For a long moment Nikos stared at her.

“How is it unfair?”

“You should have someone fresh and free from complications from a previous relationship. Someone who knows how to dress for high society and fit in with galas and opening nights. Someone who will give you lots of babies.”

“And you can’t?”

She blinked. “I don’t know.”

She was silent for a moment, thinking.

“The event we went to wasn’t the disaster I expected.”

“I was speaking of lots of babies.”

“Oh.”

Heat swept through her as she thought of having Nikos' babies. Of dark-haired infants with black eyes.

Her heart rate soared.

“Of course I could, if you really wanted. But after the night at Allessandros and Megan’s, you said nothing more. I thought you'd changed your mind.”

He raised their linked hands, turning so he could brush his lips across the back of hers.

“I did not change my mind.”

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