by Maya Banks
She wanted to ask Chrysander just how many people had access to their private quarters but bit her lip.
“It would seem our apartment is a revolving door today,” Chrysander said dryly, and Marley wondered if he’d read her mind.
While Theron’s disapproval of her might have been more subtle, there was nothing left to imagine about this man’s opinion of her. He scowled openly even as Chrysander introduced him to her as his brother Piers.
“A word if you don’t mind, Chrysander,” Piers said, his jaw clenched tight.
“Don’t let me interrupt,” Marley said. She turned and walked toward the bedroom, having had enough of the chilly reception she’d received.
Even as she closed the door, she could hear raised voices and Chrysander’s angry tone. She hesitated a moment, wondering if she should listen to their conversation. Would she want to hear what they were saying? With a sigh, she turned to survey the room that Chrysander had given her upon her release from the hospital.
Not knowing what else to do, she slipped out of her shoes and sat down on the bed. The trip hadn’t been tiring, but sliding under the covers and hiding appealed to her. Her head was beginning to ache from tension, and if she could just get away for a few minutes, she might feel better. And maybe when she woke, there wouldn’t be anyone in their apartment anymore.
When she did wake, she was in a different bed. She blinked the sleep-induced fog away and realized that she was in Chrysander’s bedroom. She stretched and was glad not to feel the pressure in her head any longer.
She sat up and saw Chrysander standing across the room looking at her. For some reason, she felt unsure of herself in that moment.
“I must have been more tired than I realized,” she said lightly. “I didn’t even wake when you moved me.”
“You will sleep in our room, in our bed.”
She blinked. “Well, okay. I just didn’t think. That was the room I had before.”
He closed the distance between them and sat down on the bed next to her. “Your place is here. With me.”
She cocked her head. She had the distinct impression he wasn’t just speaking to the fact that she’d gone to bed in another room. It was almost as though he was convincing himself, and others, that she belonged with him.
“Your brothers don’t approve of me,” she said quietly.
His face became a stone. “My brothers have no say in our relationship. I will announce our forthcoming marriage at the reception two nights from now, and we’ll marry in a week.”
And that was that, she thought. The law laid down by Chrysander Anetakis.
He leaned down to kiss her. “Why don’t you dress? We’ll go out for a nice dinner.”
“Lobster?” she asked hopefully then realized what she’d said. Her eyes widened in excitement. “Lobster! Chrysander, I remember that lobster is my favorite.”
He smiled tightly and kissed her again. “So it is, pedhaki mou. I used to have it delivered here, and we’d sit naked on the bed to eat it.”
She flushed to the roots of her hair but had to admit the image was appealing. Chrysander helped her up, and she went into the bathroom to shower and change. Thirty minutes later, Chrysander escorted her down the elevator and out to the waiting car.
He took her to an elegant restaurant, and they sat in an intimate corner set away from the main dining area. The lighting was low, and it reminded her of Christmas. A warm feeling of nostalgia took hold as she recalled how very much she loved the holiday season.
In another month, decorations would be going up, and many of the shops and restaurants would twinkle with lights and holly. She smiled dreamily as she imagined spending Christmas with Chrysander.
“You look lost in thought, agape mou. With such a sweet smile on your face, I can only hope that I am what is occupying your thoughts.”
She looked across the table to see Chrysander studying her, his bronze skin illuminated by soft candlelight. “I was imagining spending Christmas with you. I was remembering how much I love the holidays.”
“Your memories seem to be coming back,” he said, though there was no joy in his tone.
Her lips twisted into a rueful smile. “Not very quickly, I’m afraid. Just a snippet here and there, and it’s more of an awareness, not a true memory.”
“It will come. You must be patient.”
She nodded, but she could feel the frustration creeping over her. Determined not to let the evening go the way the rest of the day had, she forced herself to relax and enjoy the wonderful meal and being with Chrysander. With no interruptions from family members or personal assistants.
“Would you like to go shopping tomorrow?” Chrysander asked.
She blinked in surprise at the sudden change in topic.
“I have a meeting first thing, but then we could eat lunch together and shop for the things you will need for the reception we will be attending. You could also look for a wedding dress.”
She couldn’t wrap her brain around the image of Chrysander shopping, and she was sure no amount of searching her memory would find one. He simply wasn’t a man to do such a thing.
“Are you sure you want me there?”
He cocked one eyebrow. “As I plan to announce our upcoming wedding, it would be strange if you weren’t. Unless you have no wish to go.”
“No, that isn’t it at all. I’d love to go. I just wasn’t sure…” She trailed off, determined not to dig her hole any deeper.
“Then it is settled. We’ll go out shopping tomorrow after I’ve fed you properly.”
She grinned. “You make me sound like a pet.”
A slow, sexy smile curved his mouth. “I like the sound of you being my pet. My own personal, pampered pet,” he purred.
Heat sizzled through her body like an electric current. She swallowed and took a sip of her water in an attempt to assuage the tingling warmth.
Then he laughed, and the sound sent a flutter of awareness over her nerves. “You like the idea, too, I see.”
She blushed and ducked her head. “I like the idea of being your anything,” she said honestly.
He reached across the table and tugged her fingers into his hand. “You are mine, agape mou. That is what you are.”
“Then take me home and make love to me,” she whispered.
Chapter Twelve
The next morning, Chrysander left their bed early. He kissed her softly on the brow and told her he would come for her at noon. Marley yawned sleepily, murmured her goodbye and turned over to go back to sleep. His soft chuckle echoed in her ears as she drifted off.
When she woke again, she squinted against the sunlight and glanced over at the clock. She still had hours until her lunch date with Chrysander, and she had no desire to spend them sitting around the apartment.
With so many of Chrysander’s security men milling about, surely one of them would have access to transportation. She could commandeer one of them and go out on her own a bit, though she had no idea where she’d go exactly.
And then another thought occurred to her. With Chrysander being such a stickler for tight security, she doubted she’d gone anywhere without it in the time they were together. If that was the case, then surely one of them would have an idea of the places she’d visited and the things she liked to do.
Considerably cheered by that realization, she hurried into the shower. Thirty minutes later, she rode the elevator down to the lobby and got off. She could see a burly-looking man standing by the door and recognized him as the man Chrysander called Stavros.
He snapped to attention when he saw her walking toward him.
“Miss Jameson,” he said in a heavy Greek accent. “Is there something I can do for you?”
She noticed the way he subtly moved to bar the door so she could not exit and nearly laughed.
“I’m sure Chrysander has told you that I…that I’ve lost my memory.”
He nodded, and his expression softened.
“What I was wondering is if you
could tell me whether or not I had security assigned to me before my accident.”
“I personally saw to your protection,” Stavros said.
“Oh, good! Then maybe you can help me. I’d like to go out, but I don’t really know where. I mean, I don’t know what places I liked to go, and since you no doubt followed me everywhere I went, maybe you could take me to some of those places today.”
He paused for a moment as if considering her request. Then he dug out a cell phone from his pocket, punched a button and stuck the phone to his ear. He spoke rapidly in Greek, nodded a few times then extended the receiver to her.
“Mr. Anetakis would like to speak to you.”
“Oh, for heaven’s sake,” she huffed as she took it. “You didn’t waste any time ratting me out, did you?” She stared accusingly at Stavros, who didn’t look the least bit apologetic.
Chrysander laughed in her ear. “What sort of trouble are you causing, agape mou?”
She sighed a little ridiculously. After that first awkward time he’d murmured the endearment, he’d used it with increasing frequency. It turned her to mush every time it slid over her ears, warm and vibrant.
“I wanted to go out for a while. I’ll be back in time for our lunch, I promise.”
“Enjoy your morning, but be careful and don’t overexert yourself. If you find you’re running late, have Stavros call me, and I can meet you for lunch so you don’t have to return to the apartment.”
She smiled and murmured her agreement. They rang off, and she handed the phone back to Stavros. “You and I need to have a conversation about tattling.”
He didn’t bat an eyelash. “I assure you, Miss Jameson, we’ve had such conversations in the past.”
She grinned and then watched as Stavros put a hand to the small earpiece he wore and barked out several orders in Greek.
Within moments a car rolled around the front, and yet another security man got out to open the door for her. Stavros ushered her out of the building and settled her comfortably in the vehicle before he and the other man took seats in the front.
The privacy glass between the front and backseats lowered, and Stavros turned to look at her over his shoulder.
“Where would you like to go, Miss Jameson?”
“I don’t know,” she said with a laugh. “Can you give me a tour of some of the places I used to go?”
He nodded, and they drove onto the busy New York streets.
Their first stop was a small coffee shop a few blocks away from the apartment. It was clear that Stavros hadn’t expected her to want to get out, because when she made the intention known, his lips drew into a disapproving line. Still, he and the other man with him escorted her inside the small café.
It was cozy and brimming with conversation and laughter. It felt inviting, and she could well see herself in a place like this. But it didn’t spark any memories. With a sigh, she turned and told Stavros she was ready to leave.
Next they pulled up to a small market, and she looked at Stavros in surprise.
“You liked to cook for Mr. Anetakis, particularly when he’d been out of the country for an extended period of time. We would come here to shop for the necessary ingredients. Then you’d make me carry back all the sacks,” he added with a small smile.
“Was I so very trying?” she teased.
“It was my pleasure to accompany you on your outings,” Stavros said.
“Why, it sounds like you like me.” She grinned up at the burly man, trying to gain any sort of recognition, some flicker that maybe they’d bantered like this in the past. “Where to next?”
They visited a library and a small art shop, and while she could see herself in those places, she recalled nothing. When the car rolled to a stop in front of a park, for a moment panic quivered in her stomach.
“Are you all right?” Stavros demanded.
She looked up to see him standing at the open door, waiting for her to climb out.
“Maybe we should return now. It’s nearly time for your lunch with Mr. Anetakis.”
“No,” she said as she hastened out of the car. No, she wanted to be here. Needed to be here. Something about this place had caused a tremor in her mind even if it was uncomfortable.
She walked down the pathway and gathered her coat tighter around her. In truth, it wasn’t that cold. The afternoon sun shone warmly, but she felt a chill, one that reached far inside her.
Behind her, Stavros and his second flanked her, and she had the brief thought that she appeared far more important than she was. Her gaze locked on to a stone bench that overlooked a statue, and she moved toward it, not sure why she was so drawn by it.
Marley sat down and spread her hands over the cool stone. She stared ahead and felt a glimmer of sadness. It made no sense, but she knew she had sat here before, and she knew that she had felt fear. Uncertainty.
She raised her hands to cup her face and leaned over, huddled on the bench. It was there, just out of reach, so close she could feel the heavy weight of sadness, of indecision.
A hand touched her shoulder, and Stavros’s concerned voice reached her. “Are you all right? Do I need to call Mr. Anetakis? Perhaps I should take you to the hospital.”
She shook her head and looked up. “No. I’m fine. It’s just that I’ve been here before. I can feel it.”
Stavros nodded, though the concern didn’t leave his eyes. “You often said this was your thinking spot.”
“It would appear I had a lot to think about,” she murmured.
He checked his watch. “Let me call Mr. Anetakis and tell him to meet us at the restaurant. By the time we return to the apartment, you could already be eating.”
She didn’t object when he gently helped her up, and instead of walking just behind her, he held her elbow as they walked back to the car.
“Stavros, please don’t concern Chrysander,” she said as he put her into the car. “He’ll have me back at the apartment in bed.”
“Which is perhaps where you should be,” Stavros said.
She made a face. “You’re seriously no fun. I’m supposed to go shopping. For a wedding dress no less. I can’t very well do that if I’m in bed.”
Stavros looked to be fighting a smile as he closed the door. A moment later, the privacy glass slid down and Stavros turned to look at her. “If Mr. Anetakis asks, I’ll simply say we had a quiet day on the town.”
“I knew there was a reason I liked you,” she said cheekily, her good spirits restored.
When they arrived at the restaurant, Chrysander met them at the car and promptly dismissed Stavros, saying he would have his driver take him and Marley home when they were through shopping.
Over lunch, Chrysander asked how her morning had gone, and she explained about all the places Stavros had taken her. But when she asked him about his morning, he grew silent and vague.
Not wanting to cast a pall over the day, she swiftly changed the topic to their shopping.
“Exactly how fancy is this reception we’re attending?” she asked as she savored another bite of the rich pasta.
He quirked one eyebrow. “That depends on your definition of fancy.”
“Oh, then I can wear my blue jeans and maternity top,” she said sweetly.
He laughed. “While I certainly would not object to you wearing your blue jeans, I do not want others seeing you in something that cups your bottom so lovingly.”
“Am I supposed to dress up then?” she asked with a sigh.
“Don’t concern yourself with it, pedhaki mou. I will choose the perfect dress for you.”
“I won’t wear high heels,” she said resolutely. “There is no way I’m waddling around on toothpicks.”
“Of course not,” he said in a tone that suggested she was crazy for even mentioning it. “I’m certain it’s not advisable for a pregnant woman to put herself through such torture. What if you fell?”
“Maybe I could go barefooted,” she said mischievously.
He laughed. “And m
aybe I should stick to a plan of keeping you at home solidly under lock and key.”
She swallowed the last bite of her pasta and reluctantly pushed the plate away. “That was so wonderful, and I ate far too much.”
“You need to gain some weight. You are too slight as it is. It is good that you ate well.”
“And if I eat any more, I won’t fit into whatever dress you plan on buying me.” She glanced down at her rounded belly. “Do they make ultra-chic wear for pregnant women?”
Chrysander gave her a patient look. “Trust me, Marley. We will find you something suitable.”
“Just how do you know so darn much about buying dresses anyway?” she grumbled as he took her out to his waiting car.
“Surely you don’t expect me to answer that?” he said with barely suppressed amusement.
She shot him a withering look and settled into the car.
As it turned out, he did indeed have a skill for choosing the perfect dress. He nailed it with the second one she tried on. White silk in a very simple design. It had spaghetti straps with a conservative bodice, and the material hugged her belly, drawing attention to the soft mound.
“It makes me look…well, very pregnant,” she said as she turned to allow Chrysander to look.
“You look absolutely exquisite,” he murmured. “I think every pregnant woman should like to look as you do right now.”
The appreciation in his eyes sold her on the dress. She had no desire to look any further. It was carefully wrapped and set aside along with the low-heeled shoes that she had chosen.
“Tell me, agape mou, do you want a traditional wedding dress?”
She pursed her lips then shook her head. “No, I’d prefer something simpler, I think.”
The saleslady set several really gorgeous selections in front of them, and Marley watched Chrysander closely for his reaction.
She fell in love with a peach-colored gown that scraped the floor and fell in soft waves from her waist. It accentuated her pregnancy in such a way that she truly felt beautiful and feminine. It was clear by the look on his face that Chrysander agreed.