Double Trouble: Newborn Twins: Doorstep Twins / Those Matchmaking Babies / Babies in the Bargain
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“Thank you. I didn’t realize I was thirsty until now.”
His eyes, a solid metal-gray at the moment, met hers over the rim of his drink. “I know what you mean.” An odd nuance in his low voice caused her to believe he was referring to something else. Memories of the two of them communicating in the most elemental of ways on that beach never left her mind. Trembling, she looked away.
“What do you recall about my receptionist?”
The question was so strange, she thought she hadn’t heard him right, but Andreas never said or did anything without a reason. “I suppose I thought she was firm, but fair…even kind in her own way.”
“An excellent description,” he murmured. “Anna’s going to be seventy on her next birthday. She worked for my father forty-five years and never married.”
“They must have been a perfect match for her to stay in his employ that long.” Gabi imagined the woman had been madly in love with the senior Simonides. If he had a tenth of his son’s brilliance and vitality, it all made perfect sense.
“When he stepped down, I kept her on with the intention of asking her to train a new receptionist before I let her go. However, after one day of working with her, I realized what a treasure she was and I refused to consider breaking in anyone else.”
Gabi swallowed the rest of her drink. “If it hadn’t been for her, the twins would still be without their father. For that alone, I like her without really knowing her.”
She heard his sharp intake of breath. “Being a receptionist is only one of Anna’s jobs. In a word, she’s the keeper of the flame. Do you understand what I mean?”
“I think so,” Gabi said with conviction. “She’s a paragon of the virtues you admire most.”
He nodded gravely. “But she needs to retire and get the knee replacement she’s been putting off.”
“I noticed her limping.”
“It’s getting worse every day. The trouble is, I’ve despaired of finding anyone else like her. Then I met you.” His piercing glance rested on her, reminding her of something he’d said to her a week ago.
If you were looking for a job, I’d hire you as my personal assistant on your integrity and discretion alone.
The worst nightmare she could conceive of was upon her. She knew exactly where this conversation was going and shook her head.
“Before you refuse me outright,” he said, “I’m only suggesting that I could use your help while I look around the company for the right person to replace her. It could take me several months. You’ll be given your own furnished apartment on the floor below my office. There’s a restaurant on the next floor down for the staff.”
“Andreas—” she blurted almost angrily. “What’s this really about?”
“I don’t want you to leave Greece until we know Kris’s heart operation is successful. If there are complications, you’ll want to be here.”
She didn’t want to be reminded of that possibility. “I’m praying everything will go well, but if it doesn’t, I’ll fly over on the spot.”
“That’s not good enough.”
What was going on inside him? She knew his request couldn’t be for personal reasons. Besides his girlfriend, there were legions of women who’d love a fling with him. “Why?”
He seemed fascinated by the pulse throbbing in her throat. “I just came from being with the family. The babies were out of control. We both know they were looking for you.” They were? “Let’s be honest. With the operation coming up, Leon’s going to need you. I know it in my gut.”
Gabi bowed her head. “They’ll get over the separation in a few days and cling to him.”
“I don’t believe that, and neither do you.” Andreas leaned closer to her. “These things take time. I know how much you love the boys. Admit you’re dying inside after having to give them up.”
“Of course I am.” The tears started spurting. Too late she covered her face with her hands.
“Gabi…” Andreas whispered in a compassionate voice.
“When Thea asked me to find a couple who would adopt the boys, it killed me because I wanted to be the one to take over. She didn’t know that by then I was prepared to give up my career for them. But the law forced me to come to you.”
“Thank God it did!” In a sinuous movement Andreas pulled her into his arms. At first she remained stiff, but his gentle rocking broke down every defense and she ended up sobbing against his broad shoulder.
“I know how much you love them,” he murmured into her silky curls. “That’s why I don’t want you to leave. Stay and work for me until Kris has recovered fully from his operation. You and I can visit the twins after work every few days. That way everyone will be happy and it won’t interfere with the bonding going on between them and their father.”
When she realized she’d be content to stay like this forever, she eased away from him and wiped her eyes with the backs of her hands.
Eventually she glanced at him, never having realized gray eyes could be so warm. His love of the twins produced that translucent glow. “When you put it that way, you manage to exorcize all the demons. Only Andreas Simonides can make everything sound so simple and reasonable, even if it isn’t.”
“That’s all I needed to hear. The matter’s settled.”
No. It’s not. “Nothing’s settled. First I have to talk to my boss and determine if that promotion will still be waiting for me if I get back at a later date.”
“After knowing you a week, I can guarantee he’ll move mountains to accommodate you in order to get you in the end.”
Andreas said whatever needed to be said in order to accomplish his objective. That was why he was the head of the family business. There was just one problem. She couldn’t figure out his objective. She knew he loved the twins, but he was after something more.
“Tell me the real reason you’re asking me to temp for you. By your answer, I’ll know if you’re telling me the truth or not.”
“You’re not just anyone. You’re the twins’ aunt. There’s no reason why you shouldn’t be able to peek in on them from time to time. That’s hard to do from across the ocean.” A compelling smile broke out on his striking face. “I want to peek with you.”
Andreas…
She averted her eyes. “That’s the wrong answer.”
“It’s the only one I have,” he answered with enviable calm.
“You mean the only one you’re willing to offer me. Without knowing the truth, I can’t stay in Greece even if my boss were willing to give me more time away.”
His smile faded. “I didn’t know there was more truth to tell unless it’s my guilt.”
She blinked. “About what?”
He eyed her intently. “About everything. It’s my fault my brother’s marriage is in trouble again. If I’d left everything alone after you walked out of my office, they wouldn’t be headed for divorce and the twins would be in Virginia leading perfectly contented lives with you.”
“Except that I couldn’t have adopted them.”
“They’d have still been yours, Gabi.”
“And after they grew up and demanded to know about their father, what then? If I admitted that I’d known his name all along, they might never forgive me.”
A strange sound came out of his throat. “You’ve just put your finger on my greatest nightmare. If I’d kept the secret of the twins over the years knowing Leon and his wife could never have children, I wouldn’t have been able to forgive myself for playing god with my brother’s life.”
It was Gabi’s turn to moan.
He reached out and grasped her hands. “The truth is, you and I are up to our necks in this mess together. Leon needs our help for a little while longer.”
She sucked in her breath. “But you don’t really need an assistant.”
“Actually I do. Anna’s got to get that knee operated on right away.”
“You could hire any number of secretaries in your company to replace her.”
“I could, but I thought one of the reasons you were leaving Crete was so your parents could get back to the lives they were leading before Thea became ill.”
“You’re right,” she confessed quietly.
“By the time you leave my employ, I’ll be hiring a permanent assistant.” He kissed the back of her hands before letting them go. A tingling sensation coursed through Gabi’s sensitized body and lingered for the rest of the trip to Heraklion.
Chapter Seven
THE blood donation area of the hospital in Athens had continual traffic. Gabi looked over at Andreas. Both of them were stretched out side by side on cots giving blood. They’d taken the day off from work. It was a good thing since they’d had to wait at least an hour after arriving there before their turn was announced.
In preparation for today she’d eaten a good breakfast and had forced down fluids. Before bringing her to the hospital where Kris would be having his surgery, Andreas had instructed the limo driver to drop them off at a fabulous restaurant in the Plaka for lunch. But instead of ordering the specialty of the house, they’d eaten iron-rich spinach salad followed by sirloin steak.
Andreas was remarkable. In the short time she’d been working for him, she’d learned that when he did something, he always did it right and thoroughly. She loved him with a vengeance. If Kris weren’t facing an operation, Andreas wouldn’t have asked her to stay on and none of this would be happening.
“This is kind of like lying on the beach at Papafragas.”
For him to mention that night—out of the blue—when she’d lost almost every inhibition in his arms came as such a surprise, she almost fell off the cot.
“It’s not as warm,” she murmured.
“No, and we’re not alone. It’s a good thing we don’t have to swim the length of that fjord later. We’re not supposed to do any strenuous activity for the rest of the day. I wouldn’t be able to save you.”
In spite of that bittersweet memory, she couldn’t help but laugh. “Then what are we going to do?”
“I’ll tell the chauffeur to drive us back to the office and we’ll watch TV in your apartment while we take it easy.”
“If you get lightheaded, the long couch is yours,” she quipped, but the second the words came out, she regretted saying anything. Since the day he’d shown it to her, he’d never asked to come inside and she’d never invited him. To cover her tracks she asked, “Do you ever watch TV?”
“All the time.”
“You’re joking—”
He chuckled. “Leon and I are sports nuts.”
“I can believe that, but when do you find the time?”
“My iPhone. Broadband is everywhere and performs almost every trick known to technological mankind.”
“Aha! So in between important phone calls and meetings, you’re watching soccer?”
“Or basketball or the NFL.”
“How about NASCAR? The Grand Prix?”
“Love it all.”
She frowned. “And here I thought you were different.”
His smile was too much. “What do you watch?”
“When I’m in the States and have time, the History Channel and cooking shows, British comedies and mysteries. I also like bullriding.”
“You’re a fan of the rodeo?”
“When I was in college, a friend of mine attending there asked me to go back to Austin with her during our two-week break. We met a couple of cowboys and got talked into going to one. I’ve been hooked ever since.”
He stared at her as if trying to find a way into her soul. “On a certain cowboy?”
“For a time I was,” she answered honestly, “but the illness passed.”
“Have there been many?”
“Many what?” She knew exactly what he meant.
“Illnesses.”
“Probably half a dozen.” She didn’t want to talk about old boyfriends. The man lying near her made every male she’d ever known fade into insignificance. “Andreas? Speaking of illness, what did Kris’s heart surgeon tell Leon when he took him in for his checkup yesterday? You went with him, but you acted differently when you came back to the office.”
“Did I?”
“You know you did. If you’re trying to spare me, please don’t.”
Suddenly the curtain was swept aside and two hospital staff came in to finish up and unhook them. “You’re all done.” They both sat up and put their legs on the floor. “Take your time. There are refreshments outside before you leave the hospital.”
When they were alone again, Gabi slid off the cot and turned to him. “I’m still waiting for an answer.”
By now Andreas had rolled down his shirtsleeve and was on his feet. “The doctor couldn’t promise the operation would be risk free.”
“Of course not. No operation is.”
“My brother’s dealing with too many emotions right now.”
They all were. She sensed Andreas was secretly worried, but he hid it well. “On top of Leon’s pain, taking care of the twins is physically exhausting work no matter how sweet they are.”
His eyes were almost slumberous as they looked at her. “We need time off from our fears, too. Since there’s nothing more we can do for the moment, let’s go home and relax.”
She watched him shrug into his jacket. He sounded as if he meant that they would actually go back to her apartment and spend the rest of the day together, but it was out of the question. Andreas had a playful side that could throw her off guard at unexpected moments, but from the time Deline had told her he had a serious girlfriend, Gabi refused to play.
After they’d been served juice and rolls, the limo took them to the office. They rode his private elevator to her floor. Gabi’s heart thudded heavily as they walked across the foyer to her suite.
She opened the door, then turned to him. “Thank you for accompanying me this far in case I fainted, but as you can see I’m fine. If you’re feeling dizzy, there’s a very comfortable couch to lie down on in the reception room of your office.” A smile broke the corner of her mouth. “I know because I spent half a day on it waiting for you to give me an audience.”
She heard him inhale quickly, as if he were out of breath and needed more air. “I’m sorry you were forced to wait so long.”
“I’m not,” she said brightly. “It gave me an opportunity to watch Anna at work. On that day who would have guessed I’d end up filling in temporarily after she left?”
When he still made no move to leave, she said, “Thank you for giving blood with me, Andreas. I’m glad I didn’t have to do it alone. See you in the morning and we’ll plan that big company party you want to give for Anna after she’s recovered from her knee surgery.”
Before the weakness invading her body smothered the voice telling her not to let him get near enough to touch her, she stepped inside and started to close the door.
“Not so fast.” Andreas had put his foot there, making it impossible to shut it. Quick as lightning he stepped inside and closed it. Her heart thumped so hard, she was afraid he could hear it.
“What is it?”
“What do you think?” he demanded in a silky voice.
Uh-oh. Gabi backed away from him. “I—I’m sure I don’t know,” she stammered.
He moved toward her. “When I left you at the resort on Apollonia after our night at Papafragas, I held a woman in my arms who was with me all the way. In the blink of an eye I learned she’d left the island. When I went after that woman and found her, she’d changed. Since then I’ve been waiting for her to re-emerge, but she hasn’t. Now I want to know why.”
She smoothed her palms against her hips, a gesture his piercing gaze followed while she tried to think up an answer. Unless it was the truth, nothing would satisfy him, but in doing so she would give herself away.
As the silence lengthened a grimace marred his handsome features. “At the hospital you admitted there was no other man in your life, or is that a lie and it’s your boss you’re in love with?”
Gabi had a hard time believing she’d injured his pride by playing hard to get, because that was all this interrogation could possibly be about.
“No,” she finally answered with every bit of control she could muster. “Like you, I don’t have a significant other I’m keeping secrets from.” She’d said it on purpose to watch for the slightest guilty reaction from him. Now was the time for him to admit his involvement with the woman Deline had mentioned, but nothing was forthcoming.
“If that’s true, why do you rush away from me the second our business day is over? How come we never share a meal unless it’s on Milos while we’re checking on the twins?” His eyes narrowed on her mouth. “Have I suddenly become repulsive to you?”
She was aghast. “I’m not going to dignify that absurd question with an answer.” If anyone were listening, they’d think he was her husband listing the latest problem in their marriage.
“Then prove it. I told you I’d like to spend the rest of the afternoon with you. We can do it here or at my penthouse.”
There was no putting him off. She bit her lip. “Well, as long as you’re here, y—”
“My thoughts exactly.” He finished her sentence and removed his jacket, tossing it over a side chair. “When we get hungry later, we’ll have the restaurant send something up.”
She got that excited sensation in her midriff. “Excuse me for a moment.”
“Take all the time you need to freshen up. I’m not going anywhere.”
That was what she was afraid of as she darted from the living room. The second she saw herself in the bathroom mirror she groaned to see her cheeks were filled with hectic color. After giving blood, she was shocked by her body’s betrayal.
When she returned a few minutes later her feet came to a standstill. Andreas had stretched out on her couch with his eyes closed. He’d turned on television to a made-for-TV Greek movie.
He was so gorgeous, she didn’t dare move or breathe in case he sensed she was there and caught her feasting her eyes on him. Every part of his male facial structure was perfect. From his wavy black hair to the long, hard-muscled length of his powerful anatomy, he was a superb specimen. But it was the core of the remarkable human beneath that radiated throughout, bringing alive the true essence of what a real man should be.
Maybe it was the combination of giving blood and the many hours of work he’d been packing into each day so they could spend time with the twins. Whatever, it all seemed to have taken its toll. She could tell from the way he was breathing that he’d fallen asleep.
He would never know how much she wanted to lie down and wrap her arms around him, never letting him go, but she couldn’t. Feeling tired herself, she lay down on the small couch facing him so she could watch him as he slept.
The movie played on, but she had no idea what it was about. Her lids grew heavy. When next she became cognizant of her surroundings, Andreas had just set a tray of sandwiches and coffee on the table.
Surprised at how deeply she’d slept, she took a minute to clear her head before she sat up. Her watch said five to six! She glanced at Andreas. “How long have you been awake?”
“About twenty minutes. It’s apparent we both needed the rest.”
“I never sleep in the middle of the day!”
She felt his chuckle down to her toes. “You did this time.” Did she snore? Help! “I’m going to take it as a compliment you felt comfortable with me.”
“In other words it was the proof you needed to realize I don’t find you repulsive?”
“Something like that,” came the wry comment. “I’ve already eaten. Have some coffee.” He handed her a cup.
“Thank you.” She drank half of it before eating a sandwich. In a few minutes she sat back. “That tasted good.”
He stood there surfing the channels until he came to another movie. Before she could countenance it, he sat down next to her and pulled her across his lap into his arms.
“This is what I wanted to do earlier.”
Andreas moved too fast for her. She could no more resist the hard male mouth clinging to hers than she could stop breathing. Oh—he tasted so good, felt so good. Her body seemed to quicken in acknowledgment that they’d done this before.
Without conscious thought she curled on her side and wrapped her arms around his neck, wanting to get her lips closer to his face. The need to press kisses to each feature took over. She ran a hand into his hair, loving the texture of it.
On a groan he crushed her tighter, then his mouth covered hers again and she thought she’d die of the pleasure he was giving her. “I want you, Gabi. I want to make love to you.”
She wanted it, too, more than anything she’d wanted in life, but enjoying a few kisses and sleeping together were two different things. Gabi refused to get in any deeper when she knew she wasn’t the only woman in his life. Girlfriend or wife, there was someone else. The fact that he still hadn’t admitted it revealed the one flaw in him she couldn’t overlook.
These last three weeks she’d avoided this situation for the very reason that you couldn’t go on kissing each other or it turned into something else. She needed to quit while she could still keep her head. That way she’d have fewer regrets when she got back to the advertising world.
The second he allowed her a breath she eased away from him and stood up. “Much as I’m tempted, I’d rather we didn’t cross that line. Remember we’re an aunt and uncle to the twins and will be seeing each other on the rare occasion throughout our lives. Many times I’ve heard you tell potential clients you like keeping things above board and professional. It’s my opinion that line of reasoning works well in our particular case.”
After his arrival on Milos, Andreas strode through Leon’s villa looking for his brother. Estelle told him he was putting the babies down for the night. As he approached the nursery he saw Leon closing the door.
They glanced at each other. “Thanks for coming,” he whispered. “Let’s go to my room.”
“Sorry I couldn’t get here any sooner to help with the twins. I had an important meeting.” He’d asked Gabi to type up his notes and leave them on his desk before he took off for Milos.
Since the night she’d delivered the coup de grâce, he’d only been functioning on autopilot. Gabi was keeping something from him and he was determined to get it out of her no matter what he had to do.
Leon shut the door behind them. “You’re here now. That’s all that matters.”
Andreas stared at his brother. He’d lost weight and looked tired, but that was to be expected considering he was a new father. The look of anxiety in his eyes was something else again, kindling Andreas’s curiosity. “What’s this about? I thought you told me Kris was fine after his checkup.”
“He is.”
“Don’t tell me you think they’re still missing Gabi?”
“Not as much. After the first few days they both stopped crying for her and accepted me. Now when they see me, they reach for me and don’t want anyone else except Gabi when she comes. It’s an amazing feeling.”
“I can only imagine.” Andreas was longing for the same experience himself, but only under the right circumstances. “So what’s wrong?”
“Maybe you ought to sit down.”
Was it that bad? He remained standing. “Just tell me.”
“You won’t believe this. Deline called me this afternoon. She’s pregnant.”
The news rocked Andreas back on his heels. In fact it was incredible. He stared at his twin. Leon was now the father of a third child yet to be born.
“The doctor confirmed she’s six weeks along. It was the shortest phone call on record. Before she hung up, she said she was still divorcing me, but wanted me to know the baby was due next spring.”
“No matter what, congratulations are in order.” Andreas gave him a brotherly hug.
Leon looked shell-shocked. “Ironic, isn’t it? I’ve got Thea’s children, Deline’s carrying mine, yet none of us will be getting together.”
He’d left out a heartbroken Gabi who would have had every right to hold on to the twins without telling anyone, but she didn’t have a selfish bone in her beautiful body. One thing was evident. Through this experience Leon had learned how much he loved Deline. Andreas could only commiserate with him.