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Acute self-consciousness had her rushing to their room, where she quickly changed and went down to Yaya.

For once, she didn’t tell the older woman everything about her night. Normally, she would chatter on about every detail, telling her where they’d gone and what she had worn and the food they’d eaten.

She could barely speak of the party, though, still feeling foolish and small for her reaction to their hosts’ very heartwarming news. The rest of the night felt like something between a hallucination and an erotic dream. Spiro had shared some deeply personal details, ones that made her think he genuinely wanted to be a father, but he hadn’t said he loved her or anything. In fact, he wasn’t sure they would stay married.

Then he’d made love to her as though… Well, it hadn’t been as though he was trying to save the human race or anything. More like he had enjoyed her. As though merely touching her had fed something in him even as his generous caresses had alleviated an aching emptiness in her.

It had been profound and tender and good.

Yet the experience left her feeling off-center. Or misaligned. As though she had taken one arm of a Y in the road, leaving Yaya on the other. She was taking a step away from Herena and the life she’d had with her on the island, moving toward Spiro and whatever the future held with him—even as Herena’s health was failing.

That made her wonder if she had latched onto the idea of a baby too quickly, so she wouldn’t have to face the inevitable. Or at least wouldn’t have to face it alone.

She was worrying that motive when she picked up a text from Spiro, asking her to come see him in his office.

She winced, not ready to face him when she was conflicted about what they’d done—as if this was the time for doubts. She could be conceiving their baby right now.

It wasn’t very likely, but it was possible and, if she was honest, still held enough appeal that she didn’t regret making love with him.

“You wanted to see me?” she asked a few minutes later, standing in the open door of his office.

Spiro looked obscenely good, if ruggedly casual in a blue-and-white-striped button shirt over well-worn jeans. His hair held a spot of unevenness where it was growing in and his jaw was shadowed because he hadn’t shaved yet.

His eyes were too knowing as he looked at her so she averted her gaze to a photo that sat on the bookshelf near the door: of Khristos and Julian in matching tuxedos.

That, she thought wistfully. She wanted what Julian had: a marriage that wasn’t based on strategy or making a baby, but a true desire to spend lives together. To build a future together.

“You didn’t join me for lunch,” Spiro noted.

“I had a late breakfast.” Heat rose in her cheeks as she recalled why she’d been running late this morning.

“If you plan to get pregnant, you need to eat properly, Alia.”

“I—” He wasn’t wrong, but it felt weird to hear him say it so blatantly. It reminded her that it was something they were doing for their own future.

“Unless you’ve changed your mind?”

“No.” She hadn’t, but she was still taking stock after making such a huge life decision on a whim—maybe because she didn’t want to tackle the bigger questions like where she would live and who she would become.

“Then why are you avoiding me?”

“I wasn’t. I felt bad that I slept in.” That was part of the truth. “I usually help Yaya first thing, but I missed her breakfast so I stayed to help her with lunch.”

“How is she today?” he asked with quiet concern.

She shrugged. Most of Herena’s life had been a very good one, but she was in her eighties. Health declines were expected at her age. In some ways, Alia felt it was selfish that she was hanging on to her so hard when Herena’s quality of life wasn’t what it used to be.

“She’s lying down for her rest.”

“Oh?” He came around his desk and propped his hips there, shirt straining across his shoulders as he folded his arms. “We could do that. Seeing as we didn’t sleep much last night.”

“Spiro.” She blushed and looked behind her, then pressed the door closed. “A maid might hear you.”

“Good. Then they’ll know to give us privacy for the next while.”

“Seriously?” she scolded, but she was inordinately pleased that he was looking at her with such a wolfish expression. “Is that really why you called me up here?”

“Maybe.” His mouth twitched. “I’m going back to the office tomorrow. I won’t have the luxury of propositioning you midday so I want to take advantage while I can.”