The Greek’s Nine-month Surprise

PROLOGUE

The wedding bouquet tumbled through the air.

The breath caught in Sofia Moore’s throat as she watched the flowers sail end over end. They were headed her way. She raised her hands high in the air. With a firm grasp on the bouquet, she smiled triumphantly, thankful her friend had chosen flowers that didn’t bother her allergies. Sofia lowered her arms, taking a moment to admire the beautiful white lilies and the delicate blue orchids.

As a round of applause went up, she lifted her head. Her gaze immediately met a set of piercing blue-gray eyes. Only one person had such mesmerizing eyes. Niko Stravos.

Her heart pounded in her chest. He quickly averted his gaze, but the connection had been long enough for her stomach to quiver with excitement. He liked her. Of that she was certain.

In turn, she was drawn to him like a honeybee to a sun-warmed daisy. How could she not be? He was drop-dead gorgeous in the tall, dark and dreamy sort of way. But there was something more— something she couldn’t quite put her finger on.

She moved to where he was standing. His stance was a bit stiff, and a frown marred his handsome face. What had caused him to look so uncomfortable? Just moments ago, they’d been enjoying their time together. Their conversation had been light and entertaining. She wasn’t ready for it to end.

“Care to dance again?” She hoped to cajole him back into a good mood.

Niko’s hesitant gaze zeroed in on the bouquet before returning to her face. “Perhaps we should rest. Aren’t you tired?”

“Tired? Not a chance. I love weddings.” This was the first time since she’d called off her engagement that she’d truly enjoyed herself. She didn’t want this magical evening to end. “Don’t you?”

“What?” Lines creased between his dark brows.

“Don’t you enjoy weddings?”

His gaze moved to the colorful lilies again. “Not so much. I’m usually too busy at the office to attend them.”

“In that case, you should make the most of the occasion. I’m sure Kyra’s glad you made an exception today.” She noticed how his attention kept straying back to the flowers. She turned and placed the arrangement on the bridal table. But still the pensive look on his face remained.

“I love this song. Let’s go dance.”

He shook his head. “I don’t think so.”

“But why?”

He glanced around as though trying to avoid her pointed stare. “You should dance with someone else. I…I don’t want to take up your entire evening. I should go.”

“But we were having fun. Don’t say goodbye. Not yet.” She needed this—she needed to feel alive again after beating herself up for letting herself stay in a dead-end relationship for too long. “Please.”

Niko hesitated. Then he held out his arm to her. “Shall we?”

A smile pulled at her lips. “I thought you’d never ask.”

He escorted her onto the crowded dance floor that had been erected on the beach of the Blue Tide Resort beneath a giant tent supported by white columns. Everyone around them was smiling and laughing. The tables were adorned with white linens, floral centerpieces and votive candles. It was so easy to get swept up in the joyful celebration of her best friend’s wedding.

A smile lifted the corners of his mouth. “You are unlike anyone I’ve ever known. I never know what to expect from you.”

“I like to keep you guessing.” She stepped into his very capable arms.

“You enjoy being different, don’t you?”

“Yes.” There was no hesitation in Sofia’s response. None whatsoever. “I tried living up to someone’s expectations. I turned myself inside out, and it still wasn’t enough. In fact, it was an utter disaster. Since then, I’ve decided to march to my own drum.”

“And how’s that working for you?”

“Quite well.” After all, she was dancing the night away with the most eligible bachelor at this wedding. “Quite well indeed. You should try it.”

His eyes widened. “And what makes you think I don’t march to my own drum?”

“Just a feeling.”

He struck her as the conservative type, from his restrained emotions to his proper hold on her as they danced; not standing too close and his hands always remained in a respectable place. But then there was his longer, wavy dark hair. And the way he stared at her when he didn’t think she noticed. Perhaps there was an impulsive side to him just longing to get out. She relished the idea.

Wanting to push him out of his safety zone, she moved closer to him. Her curves brushed up against his muscular chest. Immediately he sucked in a deep breath as his body stiffened.

“Relax,” she murmured, feeling exceedingly daring. Perhaps it was the dim lighting. Or maybe it was the sparkling wine. Whatever it was, she decided not to fight it. She was having too much fun. “Don’t worry—I won’t bite.”

A deep, rich chuckle rumbled from Niko’s chest. They began to move to the music again. He leaned in close—real close. His breath lightly brushed over Sofia’s neck, sending goose bumps down her arms. “Why do I get the feeling you’re trying to take advantage of me?”

She swallowed hard, trying to ignore the way he had her pulse racing. “Would that be so bad?”

“I never let anyone have the advantage.”

“Maybe you should—think of all you’re missing out on.” She wasn’t one for flings, but Niko was different. The push and pull of her common sense versus her desires raged war within her. Should she? Or shouldn’t she? In the end, she threw caution to the wind and decided that for Niko, she just might make an exception.

“Sofia? Did you hear me?”

He’d been talking? Between the loud voices and the strums of the eight-piece band, not to mention her own riotous thoughts, she’d missed what he’d said. And that was a shame because she loved his voice that was heavily laden with a Greek accent.

“I’m sorry. I’m having trouble hearing you.”

“Perhaps you’d care to stop by my suite. We could continue our conversation. It’s much quieter there. Unless of course you’d care to dance the night away.”

He was inviting her to his suite? Her immediate response was no. But, then again, after tonight he’d be gone. And tomorrow she’d be like Cinderella, trading in her royal blue chiffon gown and satin heels for a black-and-white maid’s uniform complete with no-nonsense black shoes with rubber soles.

The way Niko implored her with his eyes eroded any lingering doubts. Tonight would be her fairy tale—something she’d remember for years to come.

“Lead the way.”

CHAPTER ONE

Twelve weeks later…

He was late.

He was never late. Nikolas Stravos III expelled a disgruntled sigh as he stood in the shower. There was something about being at the Blue Tide Resort that always seemed to have him acting out of character. His previous stay had included the most fascinating evening with the most incredible woman. He smiled at the memory.

He turned away from the spray of water, letting the soapsuds slide down his body. He leaned forward, pressing his palms against the cold tiles. The jets of water beat against the backs of his shoulders. Hundreds of droplets of water came together and trickled down his spine. He longed for the pulsating rhythm to ease away the ache in his tense muscles.

A lot had happened since he’d last been to the Blue Tide. He now had a solo voice in the operation and direction of the Stravos Trust, a position he’d been groomed to ascend to since childhood. But no one had warned him the promotion would cost him dearly.

It’d all started here at the resort, at Cristo Kiriakas’s wedding to Kyra, Niko’s newfound cousin. The memories unfolded in his mind like a promo to a blockbuster movie, hitting all the highlights.

Some of the recollections were amazing, like getting to know Sofia, the maid of honor. And spending a glorious night together, an evening he hadn’t been able to banish from his mind. But as good as that brief period had been, what had followed was horrific—losing his grandfather suddenly to a heart attack. The memory still sliced through him. There had been no time for goodbyes—no final words. It was all over before Niko had time to react.

He cursed under his breath as he turned off the water. Life could be so cruel sometimes. If he’d learned one thing, it was that everything could change at the drop of a hat. No notice. No nothing. And then you were all alone in this big, cold world. It was the story of his life.

Niko reached for the towel waiting for him just outside the shower stall. Instead of thinking about his upcoming business meeting with Cristo to finalize the terms of the sale of the Stravos Star Hotels, Niko found his thoughts spiraling back to Sofia. He ran the plush towel over his face. He made a mental note to inquire about her. He hadn’t even gotten a chance to learn where she lived. By the time he’d awoken on that not-so-long-ago morning, she was gone. Like a dream, she’d vanished—

Thunk!

The startling noise drew his thoughts up short. What was that? It sure sounded like something had fallen over. But how was that possible? He didn’t recall leaving a window open for the breeze to wreak havoc. But he conceded that, in his exhausted state after working day and night, anything was possible. And he had opened the windows last night when he’d first arrived. Perhaps he’d forgotten to close one of them.

Not bothering to dry himself off, he draped the towel around his waist, anxious to find out what damage had been done. His feet moved soundlessly over the cool ceramic tile floor.

He stepped into the outer room when he heard, “Ghuahh!”

He stopped in his tracks. He scanned the room, at last settling on a most beautiful woman. Her eyes were round with alarm as she straightened, holding a lamp that belonged on the end table. Who was this woman? And what was she doing in his bungalow uninvited?

Niko’s gaze moved back to her face. It took a second before he realized he knew her—in fact, he knew her quite well, in a manner of speaking. Sofia. She’d come back. And this time, she wasn’t a figment of his dreams. She was standing before him with those tempting lips and all her curvy goodness.

He noticed how her gaze slipped down to his towel before quickly returning to his face. Her cheeks were suffused with color. Really? How could she be so innocent after the night they’d spent together?

Still, at the sight of her embarrassment, he felt as though the towel had shrunk to half its size. He should have excused himself to go throw on some clothes, but his mind wasn’t exactly working right. “Sofia? What are you doing here?”

Her mouth opened, but nothing came out. She turned and bolted for the door.

“Hey, wait!” He hadn’t meant to scare her off. Perhaps his tone hadn’t exactly been welcoming, but she was in his bungalow without an invitation— oh, who was he kidding? He was frustrated with himself for being so excited to see her.

And he just couldn’t let her get away without finding out why she’d sought him out. He started after her, but when he reached the covered porch of his exclusive bungalow, a breeze rushed past him, reminding him that he was dressed in nothing more than a bath towel.

He stopped and stared at Sofia’s back as she moved away from him as quickly as her legs would carry her. What puzzled him the most was why she kept leaving him without so much as a word.

Usually he had the opposite problem with women. They were too clingy for his comfort. Sofia was different. She intrigued him. He’d have to work harder at making a good impression the next time they met.

Niko pressed his hand to the wooden rail as he watched her make her way along the path surrounded by lush, colorful vegetation. All too soon, she disappeared from sight. The part that stuck with him was the fact she’d been wearing a maid’s uniform. She works here?

A whistle drew his attention. He turned to find a pretty brunette in a red bikini sunbathing not far from his bungalow. She flashed him a toothy smile and waved, but he didn’t return the gesture, not wanting to encourage her attention.

His phone chimed with a reminder that he had a meeting in fifteen minutes. With a shake of his head, he turned and headed inside the thatched-roof bungalow. Thoughts of Sofia persisted. Had she, too, been unable to forget about their time together? Was that why she’d shown up at his bungalow? But if so, why had she run away? Surely it wasn’t his lack of clothing. It had to be more than that. But what?

He inwardly groaned as he removed the first suit he came across in the wardrobe. His knowledge of women wouldn’t even fill up a shot glass. And he had no intention of learning more—at least not anytime soon. And when he did decide to settle down, it would be a marriage of convenience.

He’d experienced enough loss in his life. He wasn’t about to risk his heart on romance. A strategically planned marriage would be best for all concerned. It’s what made the most sense. From what he’d observed, emotions were too fickle. Sometimes he wondered if romantic love truly existed or if people only imagined it. He sighed. Even if it did exist, he was better off without such an entanglement. It just made life more complicated than it needed to be.

If he were smart, he’d forget Sofia. That was the best thing he could do for both of them, because he had nothing to offer her except a moment here or a moment there. Certainly nothing consistent— nothing lasting.

In fact, tomorrow he would be jetting off, far from the Blue Tide Resort. His grandfather had given him one last mission to complete. And that had to be Niko’s focus—not a beautiful woman with eyes full of mystery.