Total pages in book: 247
Estimated words: 234281 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1171(@200wpm)___ 937(@250wpm)___ 781(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 234281 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1171(@200wpm)___ 937(@250wpm)___ 781(@300wpm)
“Damen.” His wife’s extra-sweet voice cut him off.
Damen scowled. “You’re going to sweet talk me into not worrying, aren’t you?”
“Ne.”
His scowl worsened. “And of course, in Greek, too. Because you know I find it a fucking turn on.”
His wife answered with a soft laugh that traveled down the line like an invisible caress. “Since you know everything I’m planning, and you know how this is going to turn out...” She trailed off.
“What if I ask one of your devoted slaves to fly with you?”
Mairi cringed at the term, knowing her husband was referring to Stavros Manolis and Ioniko Vlahos. Both men had, once upon a time, certain feelings for her. “They no longer feel that way, Damen. You know that.”
“Maybe Stavros,” Damen allowed grudgingly. He had played matchmaker for his friend, and as far as he knew, that one resulted in sparks. “But Vlahos?”
She rolled her eyes at the animosity underlining her husband’s voice. “Seriously, stop that. We both know you don’t hate him anymore.”
He grunted. “You’re right. I don’t. But I’m not blind either. That man still has feelings for you.”
“Whatever.” The nanny entered then, Jane carrying Nala in her arms. “I have to go now. I’ve got to put on the carrier and then we need to get to the airport to make it on time.”
“You’re using my jet, matakia mou. Which means it’s on standby for your convenience.”
“I know that, but I still don’t feel good about making everyone wait. If I told them I’d be there at ten, then I’ll do everything I can to be there at ten.” Jane had reached her now, and with her uninjured hand, Mairi reached out to touch her little girl’s nose.
Nala’s eyes sparkled upon seeing her mother, and she began gurgling in laughter when Mairi started making faces.
Damen heard the sounds Nala was making and his face softened. “She’s up?”
“Yep. And I think she feels the same way I do.” Her voice lowered. “We both miss you a lot.”
Damen’s chest tightened. “As I with you two.” When a knock sounded on his office door, he knew it was time to end the call. “You will call me the moment you board?”
“I promise.”
“And you will text me every few minutes?”
“Promise.” She paused. “You haven’t asked about...the problem.”
“Is there something I must worry about?” he asked levelly.
“None,” she said quickly.
“Then that’s answer enough for me. I told you, matakia mou.” His voice became flat. “I will never doubt you again.” Memories struck him, a time when he hadn’t been as wise and he had accused Mairi of betrayal. A time when his cynicism and inability to understand the power of love made him believe in a stranger’s words over the woman he loved.
Mairi didn’t need Damen to say a word to realize where her husband’s thoughts had gone. Her heart squeezed painfully at the sudden strained silence between them, and she whispered, “Damen.”
One, two moments passed before he answered. “Yes?”
“The past is where it belongs already. Leave it there.”
His lips twisted, not even surprised that his wife had seen through him. “Your generosity never fails to amaze me, sweetheart.”
“I love you.” A smile touched her face. “And Nala says she loves you, too.” She touched her daughter’s cheek. “Tell Papa you love him, too, Nala.”
Nala obediently made sounds.
Mairi giggled. “She’s trying to say it in Greek, trust me.”
His lips curved slowly. “I guess I’ll take your word for it.” A dry voice, but it couldn’t hide the love behind the words. “Take care, all right?”
“We will.”
She was smiling when she ended the call, and she was still smiling even by the time they made it to the airport.
It had her anti-romantic nanny shaking her head. “You’re so disgustingly in love, Mrs. L.”
Mairi laughed, the words causing her to hug her baby tightly. Nala giggled with her.
“Keep hugging her like that and you’ll break her ribs,” Jane threatened.
Mairi immediately loosened her grip. “Spoilsport,” she muttered. “I don’t even get why you applied for the job knowing you’d be exposed to my ‘hopelessly romantic ways’.” And those were the nanny’s exact words, not hers.
The tall, svelte blonde flashed her a cheeky grin. “The pay was irresistible. Plus, the catch was so easy. I just had to prove I would never fall for Mr. L.”
Even Mairi had to laugh. That had been funny, and even funnier was how it had taken them over twenty nannies before they found Jane. Thanks to a lie detector, they had known Jane’s heart hadn’t skipped a single beat even when Damen had walked half-naked in front of her.
Mairi’s and Jane’s eyes met, and they both laughed simultaneously. Wiping her eyes, Mairi gasped, “Oh God, when I remember the look Damen had given me.”
Jane had to clutch her stomach. She was laughing too hard. “I know.” She remembered that very clearly. She had already passed the test with flying colors when Mairi had suddenly come to her feet and shouted, ‘Wait.’