there—she needed stability and certainty, something vast and unshakable, and with his business about to go public he was in a position to give her and George what they deserved.
Because last night hadn’t been just about sex.
A muscle flickered in his jaw. It had been about momentum and, just like in business, once you had momentum that was the time to push on to the next step.
In Teddie’s case that meant convincing her to marry him.
Outside, he heard George’s voice and Teddie’s reply. Instantly his skin was prickling, his heart bumping against his ribs as he walked out of his bedroom, down the stairs and into the brilliant sunshine.
Teddie was leaning forward, laying the table, her dark hair swinging loosely across her shoulders, and in her pale pink sleeveless blouse and sawn-off denim shorts she looked like a very sexy castaway. Beside her, George was eating a bowl of yoghurt.
‘Daddy—Daddy, we’re having…we’re having…’ Looking up from his breakfast, George hesitated, a small frown of concentration creasing his forehead. ‘What are we having, Mommy?’
Glancing over to where Aristo was standing behind her son, Teddie felt her heart start to beat unevenly.
Waking for the second time, she had found it agonisingly hard to leave the lambent warmth of Aristo’s body. But she’d had no choice. Like most young children, George woke early and, although he’d been sleeping in longer since they’d arrived on the island, she hadn’t wanted to risk him waking up and discovering her bed empty.
Her pulse fluttered forward like a startled deer.
Or, worse, waking up and finding her in Aristo’s room.
Daylight hadn’t changed her mind. But although she was willing—eager, in fact—to share his bed, she had no illusions. Sublime sex hadn’t been enough to save their marriage four years ago, and it was not enough to rebuild their relationship now.
That didn’t mean that she regretted what had happened. On the contrary, she knew it would happen again and she wanted it to—because she wanted him: the one, the only man whose touch left her begging for release.
Especially here, on this beautiful island paradise. Here they were far away from the demands of real life, and it was easy to live in the moment and not think further. And when it ended, as it undoubtedly would, when they returned to New York, she would move on with her life.
So why expose George to this sudden temporary change to her sleeping arrangements? He was three years old. Plus, he’d only just found out that Aristo was his father and, although he’d taken it very well, she understood enough about children—and her son in particular—to know that it was a huge, permanent tectonic change to his life.
Besides, he had no understanding of sex, let alone the complex dynamics of his parents’ relationship, so how could she hope to explain that she and his father hadn’t loved each other enough to make their marriage work, but the sexual charge between them was too powerful to resist?
The thought of trying to do so made her brain feel as though it was being pressed in a vice.
She cleared her throat. ‘Pites—I think that’s what Melina said they’re called.’ She forced herself to look at Aristo.
He nodded. ‘You mean the little pies?’ Reaching down, he ruffled George’s hair. ‘They used to be my favourite when I was your age. They’re delicious.’
George twisted round to look at Teddie. ‘I want to have them now, Mommy.’
He tugged at her hand and she let him pull her from her chair. ‘Well, I don’t know if they’re ready…’
‘Can I go and ask Melina? Can I?’
Her arm tightened around her son but, resisting the urge to draw him against her leg like a shield, she nodded. ‘Don’t run—and don’t forget to say please,’ she called after him.
There was a small sea breeze shimmying across the terrace and she tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear. She knew she should say something, only she couldn’t think of a single word.
As Aristo took a step closer she felt a rush of panic. What if he tried to kiss her and George saw?
Edging behind the table, she gave him what she hoped was a casual smile. ‘Did your mother make them?’
‘Make what?’
He stared at her in a way that made her muscles tense. Not quite hostile, but wary. Her smile stiffened, her heartbeat suddenly swift-moving, erratic.
‘The pies?’ she prompted. ‘You said they were your favourite when you were George’s age. I thought your mother…’ Her voice faded. His expression hadn’t altered outwardly, but there was a slight tension in his manner that hadn’t been there before.
Aristo shrugged. ‘My mother’s more of a hostess than a cook.’
He studied her face calmly. Last night she had not only acknowledged and accepted the irresistible sexual pull between them, but she had also shared her past with him, and he’d been hoping that if he could get her to drop her defences again then maybe, finally, she might consider sharing the future with him.
Only, judging by Teddie’s cool demeanour this morning, she was still not ready to trust him completely. For a moment he considered giving her some space, but he had a responsibility to make this work, to make her see why it had to work.
‘What are your plans for later?’ he asked abruptly.
She glanced up at him, her eyes wide and clear. ‘Nothing. The pool, probably—why?’
‘Because I thought you and I might spend the afternoon together.’ His dark gaze roamed her face. ‘Just the two of us. There’s something I want you to see…’
* * *
‘You’re sure that Melina is okay about this?’
Turning towards Teddie, Aristo picked up the hand that was clenched between her knees and squeezed it. It had taken some persuasion to convince her to leave their son back at the villa. Now that she was here, though, he was determined to let nothing interfere with his plans.
‘I’m one hundred per cent sure,’ he said firmly. ‘You are allowed to have child-free time. Besides, Melina adores George, and he loves spending time with her—and if there’s any problem we can be back in ten minutes. That’s why we’re taking the boat.’
Grinning, he gestured towards the front of the speedboat, where Dinos sat with one hand resting lightly on the wheel.
‘And Dinos gets to go fishing without Melina getting on his case, so everyone’s happy.’
Teddie shook her head, smiling back. ‘I’ve never really understood fishing—it seems so boring.’
‘It’s not boring—it’s shopping, but with a rod.’
His eyes gleamed and she punched him lightly on the arm. ‘Clearly you’ve never been shopping.’
‘Clearly you’ve never been fishing,’ he countered.
Her eyes widened. ‘And you have, I suppose?’
She felt a rush of heat as his gaze swept over her.
‘Only once.’
He lowered his head, brushing his mouth against her cheek, his warm breath sending a flutter of sensation across her skin so that she felt a bite of hunger low down.
‘But I was careless and I let her get away,’ he whispered.
His head dipped and he kissed her mouth softly, his hands tangling in her hair, pulling her closer as the boat’s engine slowed and then stopped.
Lifting his mouth, he glanced past her. ‘We’re here.’ Turning towards her, he held out his hand. ‘Come