The Greek's Pregnant Bride

Alessandra was draped over him, breathing deeply, her hair tickling his neck and chin. He smoothed it down, marvelling at its silkiness.

He tried to doze but sleep refused to return.

How could he sleep with so much racing through his mind? When there were so many emotions racing through his chest, it was a struggle to catch his breath.

The first time he’d slept with her, in her apartment in Milan... He’d struggled for thoughts and breath then too.

This was much worse.

He’d felt her getting too close in Mikolaj’s restaurant, that feeling she could see through the veneer of his skin and through to the heart of him. That feeling had been compounded after the visit to his mother’s house. He’d retreated to New York partly to talk sense into Rocco but mostly for space to compose himself in preparation for his new life.

Marriage wouldn’t change anything, he’d convinced himself. He would compartmentalise Alessandra’s presence in his life just as he did with his mother. They would live together but they wouldn’t be together.

Making love to her again... Something had come alive inside him. He’d felt it uncoiling when they’d exchanged their vows but with everything going on that day had put it to one side. Now it, whatever it was, had uncoiled and bitten him, hard enough that it felt like a physical pain.

Before he could hope to decipher it, she roused in his arms, pulling herself up enough to kiss him, deeply, passionately, awakening in an instant.

responded as if he’d been lying there waiting for her to wake,

as she took her pleasure, watch the lips that parted, the eyes that glazed. Her soft moans deepened until she ground herself onto him. He felt her release as deeply as he felt his own, revelled

he thought she was falling back into slumber, she pressed

used to this,’ she said, her voice sleepy

tinged with something

opened

exchanged their vows. Now he knew

for their

was changing towards him—she had changed towards

that change came the realisation that he could forget sharing

kept a proper distance from her, he would

her arms and got

are you

get a drink. Go to sleep. I’ll be back in a minute.’ But he knew

needed to protect

needed to protect her