After The Billionaire's Wedding Vows…

“You aren’t afraid of anything.”

“You are wrong about that, Polly. And you are wrong about what I feel for you.” He stood up in one fluid movement and joined her, pulling her into his arms, his head coming down so his lips hovered right over hers. “If actions convinced you my feelings weren’t as deep as they are, then actions are what is needed to change your mind. Not more words.”

On that, at least, they agreed.

She didn’t get the chance to say so because he kissed her and she fell into it like she always did. His mouth moved over hers even as he pressed his big body against her, the evidence of his arousal pressing into her stomach.

Flames of need flared through her core.

She wanted him. She always wanted him.

“Papa, you sure do kiss Mom a lot.” Helena’s little voice broke through the passionate haze surrounding Polly.

Polly went to jump back, but Alexandros stayed her with his hands. “Give me a moment,” he practically pleaded.

She stilled and let her own breathing settle as she felt him will himself to calm down.

Polly turned her head to see Helena’s sweet little face. “Are you finished reading your stories?”

Although Helena didn’t actually read, she called it that when she told herself the stories from her books.

“I’m hungry.”

“Then I’d say it is time to eat.” Alexandros released Polly and stepped back, quickly angling himself away from their daughter. “Do you want to cook?” he asked Polly, “Or should we order takeaway?”

“If the fridge and pantry are stocked, I’d prefer to cook.” Polly was warmed he’d thought to ask, because ordering delivery was what she knew his natural inclination would have been.

But Polly loved to cook. And he was respecting that reality right now.

“I left instructions for them to be.”

“Good.”

They spent the next forty-five minutes very pleasantly as a family while Polly prepared dinner after whipping up a quick snack so Helena would not grow fractious waiting.

In many ways, the next week was idyllic. Helena loved the penthouse apartment and because she had her people around her, didn’t seem to miss the villa. A much more rested Polly got to take her daughter to the park, but didn’t have to do a lot of chasing because the two nursery maids had accompanied them to Athens for the week.

While Hero had already agreed to make the permanent move to Athens, and was very excited to be able to transfer to a brick-and-mortar university, Dora was still deciding if she wanted to move out of the area where her adult children continued to live.

Polly spent part of each day on the house hunt. Some days she did actual walk throughs on promising properties and others, she watched more virtual tours, narrowing down what she really wanted in their new Athens home.

She realized on about the third day in the city that she would miss the villa. Strange and unexpected as the feelings were, Polly nevertheless acknowledged she’d made friendships in the country now too. That even the villa, for all its sterility, had been her home for more than three years and she would miss it.

She brought it up to Alexandros during dinner that evening. They were eating at a Two Michelin Star restaurant while Hero watched over Helena back in the penthouse.

It was supposed to be a date night, and Polly had taken pains with her appearance, looking forward to the evening more than she wanted to admit.

“But we discussed this. You can keep the villa. No one is saying you have to sell it.” Alexandros laid his hand over hers, seemingly more interested in Polly than the gourmet food in front of him.

She’d brought up her surprising—to her—ambivalence about leaving the villa. Not because she thought they had to sell it, but because it had really surprised her that she was actually a little sad about moving to Athens. More excited than sad, but still. She hadn’t expected to be sad at all, and said so.

Alexandros gave her a look that went right through to her soul. “Of course you have mixed feelings. You have strong emotions and have built bonds as you are wont to do wherever you are.”

“You say that like it’s a good thing.” Only she could remember more than one occasion when he had derided her deeply emotional nature as he called it.

“I have a strong suspicion that our marriage would not have lasted past the first six months if you did not feel emotions as deeply as you do. I have just cause to celebrate and be entirely grateful for that nature.”

Out of nowhere her throat thickened and tears burned the back of her eyes. He was grateful for the soul-deep love that had prevented her from leaving him when she realized they might not be as well suited as their short, but intense, courtship had led her to believe.