I was torn between staring at the vision Sadie created in her white Grecian-style dress and the precious bundle I held in my arms.
With her flaming hair piled on top of her head in an elaborate knot, and the skin I’d explored thoroughly just a few hours ago glowing, Sadie won the attention-grabbing stakes. But only by a fraction.
My son—thee mou, would I ever stop being awed by the miracle of him?—three months old and in good health, came a very close second.
‘Five more minutes?’ I cradled his warmth closer, unwilling to share him just yet.
Sadie shook her head, smiling widely as she approached, her swaying hips wreaking havoc with my breathing.
‘You said that twenty minutes ago. I know you don’t care what anyone else thinks, but I have a good brownie point system going with your family. I don’t want to ruin it.’
‘Impossible. Every person out there loves you—they wouldn’t been invited to Helios’s christening otherwise.’
Her beautiful eyes widened. ‘You didn’t have Wendell vet them, did you?’
I shrugged. ‘Maybe...’
She laughed, and the sound burrowed deep, stirring emotions I hadn’t imagined I could experience just a handful of months ago.
But then, so many things had changed since that day in Costa Rica. Sadie had introduced me to the phenomenon of unconditional love, her giving heart and fearless love challenging mine to reciprocate. And the result continued to astound me daily. Even the atmosphere of cool indifference with my parents had began to thaw under Sadie’s expert guidance.
She insisted the birth of our miracle son was the reason.
I disagreed.
‘Well, just to let you know, our mothers are this close to staging a break-in to claim their grandso
n,’ she said with a stunning smile. ‘I estimate you have about a minute.’
‘Then I’ll make the most of it. Come to me, agape mou,’ I murmured, greedy for more of this soul-stirring feeling.
‘I love it when you call me that,’ she said when she reached me, one hand sliding around my waist, her other caressing Helios’s black-maned head. ‘He’s so beautiful—our little miracle.’
The overwhelming love and wonder I felt was echoed in her voice.
‘He’s as beautiful as his exceptional mama, but moro mou, you’re our miracle, Sadie. Without you, our lives wouldn’t be this full, mine changed for ever for the better,’ I said.
Beautiful green eyes blinked back tears, and when she went on tiptoe to kiss me I met her halfway, revelling in the supreme contentment that this gorgeous creature was mine. That she had given me a son despite my doctors still scratching their heads over tests that showed such a feat was impossible.
Their verdict was that Helios might be the only child Sadie and I would have. But who were they to make pronouncements? I already had the miracle of love and fatherhood. Nothing was impossible.
When we broke the kiss Sadie sighed, resting her head on my shoulder. ‘Okay, Neo. Five more minutes. But I get to stay too.’
As if I would let her go.
‘Agapita, you should know by now that I wouldn’t have it any other way.’
Coming next month
THE SCANDAL BEHIND THE ITALIAN’S WEDDING
Millie Adams
“Why did you do it, Minerva?”
“I am sorry. I really didn’t do it to cause you trouble. But I’m being threatened, and so is Isabella, and in order to protect us both I needed to come up with an alternative paternity story.”
“An alternative paternity story?”