Husband By Request

“Imagine Andreas Stamatakis of all men doing something as wild and irresponsible as that—” She grinned up at him. “I think I’m going to take it as the most supreme compliment of my life that I had that kind of power over you last night.”

He gave her a shake, not realizing his strength. “This isn’t a joking matter, Dominique. What if I’ve made you pregnant?”

She sobered. “If you’re convinced our marriage isn’t going to last, then I understand your concern.”

“That’s not the point and you know it,” he muttered grimly. “I’m concerned about your health.”

“We had this conversation before we got married. Dr. Josephson said there was no reason why we couldn’t try for a baby. Cancer only affects about one in a thousand pregnancies.”

His fingers tightened on her warm skin. “I remember the statistics, but it’s you we’re talking about.”

“If you’re suggesting I take a ‘morning after’ pill, then I guess our marriage really is over, because I would never, ever harm my baby.”

His hands ran the length of her arms with restless urgency. “It might be the only option if it meant your life was in danger.”

Dominique had never known him to be afraid of anything, but it was raw fear she could hear in his voice.

When she’d asked him for thirty days to see if they could save their marriage, she never dreamed a destructive emotion like fear would head the list of obstacles he would have to overcome.

“I’m not going to die for a long time, Andreas. Last year the doctor’s main concern was that I was underweight. It can make conception more difficult. Right now I’m in perfect shape and I refuse to look for trouble when there isn’t any. But that’s only my perception, of course. You mentioned other issues we have to work through.”

Nothing she said seemed to make any difference. Talking only proved to increase his tension. The situation required some serious action.

“I’ve forgotten this is only day two of our temporary reconciliation,” she said with a little smile. “According to your calculations, everything’s supposed to fall apart today. If that’s the case, why don’t we go back to bed and make the most of the hours we have left?”

“Be serious,” he whispered in a tortured breath.

“I’m being very serious,” she claimed with mock severity. Backing away from him, she got under the covers to remove her T-shirt. Then she wadded it up and threw it at him.

It hit him smack in the chest.

His sudden bark of laughter was the most gratifying sound she’d heard in a long time. Before the next beat of her heart he’d reached her, and had pinned her back against the pillows. Their mouths were only a centimeter apart.

She gazed with daring into his fiery black eyes. “You move fast for an old man. Do you know that?”

“Old?” he growled. “I’ll show you old.”

Three hours later, Dominique surfaced first. Carefully she untangled herself from the strong arms and legs twined around her. Andreas had made love to her with primitive need. Now his Greek god-like body needed sleep.

Though she was still on fire for her exhausted husband, she disciplined herself not to waken him. Hopefully the American breakfast she planned to serve him in bed would bring him back to her.

He rarely ate breakfast. Just coffee, sometimes a roll. He made up for it at his other meals. But not today.

After a quick shower, she put on a sundress, then fastened her hair in a ponytail. As she darted through the villa to the kitchen Eleni caught up to her.

“You need something?”

Dominique shook her head. “No, thank you. I’m going to fix us some breakfast.”

“I’ll call Anna.”

“That’s all right. I want to do this for my husband.”

“You’re sure?”

Clearly Eleni didn’t know what to make of the situation. Andreas’s staff had always waited on him. It was Dominique’s fault she’d never asserted herself or interfered with the routine. But all that was about to change, starting now.

“Would you be kind enough to show me where everything is? I want to make him a big meal. He’s lost weight, don’t you think?”