His eyes burned as he thought of the ultrasound and the first faint photo of their child. He kept a copy of the scan tucked in his wallet.
“I’m the lucky one.”
Stuart snorted. “I’ll remind you of that the first time you find a carburetor next to your croissant.”
“I can always help her put it together.”
Laughter rumbled between them before Stuart waved him off with a grin and raised his glass in approval.
As the song came to a close, Alexandros stepped forward, drawn to his new wife like the tide to the shore. She saw him the moment he moved, her eyes lighting up like she’d waited her whole life for him. Christos released her with a kiss to her hand, and she drifted into Alexandros’s arms.
“Everything alright?” she asked, wrapping her arms around his neck.
“It is for me.” He glanced around, his lips twitching as he paused onthe silhouette of a man standing off to the side. “Though I’m not sure my brother is feeling quite as celebratory.”
She arched an eyebrow. “Theo?”
He nodded discreetly toward the edge of the garden.
Dani followed his gaze, her lips parting with a soft ‘oh’ before laughter bubbled out of her.
Theo stood rigid beside the stone balustrade, clearly trying to disappear behind a potted lemon tree while Gina Rossi—draped in a crimson gown so tight it could double as shrink wrap—chatted animatedly to his shoulder.
“I think he’ll survive,” Dani said, still laughing. “He’s quick on his feet. Besides, he owes me for not warning me you snore.”
“I do not snore.”
“You purr like a sinusy dragon.”
“Only when you over exhaust me with your demands,” he countered, before he added, “And in case you didn’t know it, I’m not the only dragon with a cold.”
He buried his face in her neck, chuckling when she scoffed at his suggestion that she snored. He pressed a kiss to the delicate skin just below her ear. His hand slid instinctively to her stomach, still marveling at the hidden treasure growing inside her.
She giggled, catching his hand. “I’m fine. It was just this morning so far. If I’m lucky, it will be the only round of praying to the porcelain gods I have.”
His chest tightened at the memory. He still hadn’t fully recovered from seeing her so pale, curled up in his arms. He would have traded anything—his fortune, his company, his name—if he could have taken the sickness from her.
“You were white as a sheet and shaking,” he murmured against her skin. “It scared me.”
Her hand rose to cradle his cheek. “It’s just a reminder of the miracle growing inside me,” she said gently. “I’d go through it all again. For this. For us.”
He kissed her then, long and slow, letting the taste of her settle deep in his bones.
When he finally pulled back, mischief danced in his eyes.
“Do you think we’ve stayed long enough to sneak away without sparking a family incident?”
She tilted her head, pretending to consider it, then whispered, “I know where this cute little dinghy is tied up.”
His grin was wicked.
Seconds later, they were slipping through the side gate, Dani barefoot and radiant, their laughter trailing behind them as they dashed down the moonlit path toward the boathouse.
From the terrace, Stuart watched them go, shaking his head with a smile.
“I wonder how far they get before Demetrius sends out the cavalry?”
Christos lifted his glass. “Not far—but they’ll be discreet. I wonder how long it will be before they tell us she is pregnant,” he chuckled.
