Page 69 of Marriage Masquerade

Exasperated, Gemma glared at him.

“I’m not tired. I’m too excited. I want to see everything.”

“We’ll have plenty of time later to see things,” he responded.

Gemma frowned. She would not argue with him when they just arrived. But she had something to say once they reached their room.

It was clear that Nikos’ parents were aware of the tension building up, but they remained silent.

Her feeling of being totally out of place faded when she saw their rooms. They were warm and inviting. High ceilings gave the illusion that they were larger than their actual size. The far wall was entirely glass, with French doors that opened to a veranda. Had this been the model for his apartment in New York?

The large windows on the adjacent wall overlooked the garden and the sea beyond. She spotted a walkway, partially hidden by towering shrubs she believed led to the beach.

“It’s beautiful,” she said sincerely, crossing to the windows to gaze at the view.

“I want to walk beside the sea. Go swimming.”

She spun around.

“I can’t go swimming—I’ll feel like a beached whale, plus, I didn't bring a bathing suit.”

“Whales don’t come as small as you. At this stage, it’s hard to even tell you're pregnant. And lack of a suit isn't a problem. Tomorrow we'll go shopping. We’ll find something that will fit.”

“No, I don’t need to go swimming.”

“Of course you do. You can't come all the way to Greece and not swim in the sea.”

She gave a quick longing glance at the water, then turned back to the room.

“You're right. I need a new suit anyway. I haven't been swimming once since I moved to New York.”

She looked at him and placed her hands on her hips.

“There is another matter we need to discuss.”

He looked up from the suitcase he started to unpack.

“That sounds ominous.”

“You can't speak for me.”

“True.”

“Then don't be telling people I need a nap. I'm grown up now. If I'm tired, I can say so and do something about it.”

He slowly grinned.

Gemma wanted to stomp her foot. His smile caused that fluttering feeling again. Wasn't he taking her seriously?

“I knew the minute the words left my mouth I'd hear about it,” he said. “You're right. We had a good night's sleep last night and the flight here was hardly arduous. Change into something comfortable and we'll take the path to the beach. Even if we don't swim today, we can see the water.”

“Thank you,” she said primly, then laughed. “Maybe this union will last.”

“Why wouldn't it, if that's the way we choose?”

“What if your parents don't like me? What if your father doesn't want his son married to another foreigner?” she asked.

What if Nikos realized he’d made a mistake? Was the reason for his distracted air this last week showing that he was already thinking of ways to end their marriage?

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