An Offer She Can't Refuse (12 page)

His father’s words about Christina were instantly replayed in his
mind … beautiful, intelligent, and with a fighting spirit I admire.
If she shared his own strong desire for everything to turn out well, there was no need to concern himself about her presentation of the past to her mother.

‘I’d like to be there when you tell Theo I’m his father,’ he said softly, needing to remove the anger he’d unwittingly triggered. ‘I’ve missed so much—not being there when he was born, his first words, his first step, learning to swim, his first day at kindergarten. I want to see the expression in his eyes when he realises I am the Papa he wished for. Will you give me that, Christina?’

Her eyes went blank, probably focussing inward on the memories she hadn’t shared with him. He willed her to be more generous now. Yet when she did speak, her whole expression was one of deep anxiety.

‘I hope you really mean to be a good father to him, Ari. Please don’t lead him on and then drop him, pursuing other interests.’

He knew she felt he had done that to her.

It had been wrong of him, letting temptation overrule good sense. She had been too young, too impressionable. Theo was much more so and she was frightened for him. Her fear evoked a powerful surge of emotion in him. He wanted to say he’d look after them both for the rest of his life. He hated seeing the fretful doubts in her eyes. But laying them to rest would take time.

‘Give me your hand, Christina,’ he gently commanded, his eyes pleading for her acquiescence.

Very slowly she lifted it from her lap and held it out to him.

He enclosed it with his. ‘I promise you I’ll do everything I can to win Theo’s love and keep it,’ he said fervently. ‘He’s my son.’

Tears welled into her eyes. She nodded, unable to speak. He stroked her palm with his thumb, wanting to give comfort and reassurance, wishing he could sweep her into his embrace but cautious about rushing her where she might not be ready to go.

‘If it’s okay with you, I’ll come to the El Greco resort tomorrow afternoon. We can spend some time with Theo before having our night together,’ he quietly suggested.

She nodded again, sucked in a deep breath and blurted out, ‘I’m sorry. It was mean of me … leaving you out of Theo’s life.’

‘You had your reasons,’ he murmured sympathetically. ‘It’s how we take it from here that will count most to Theo.’

‘Yes,’ she agreed huskily, taking another deep breath before adding, ‘He usually takes a nap after lunch. If you come at four o’clock, we’ll tell him then.’

‘Thank you.’

She gave him a wobbly smile. ‘If that’s everything settled, we should go back to the wedding reception. We’ll be missed. It is Cass’s night and I want to be there for her.’

‘And I for George.’

Their first deal was still in place. He had to wait until tomorrow before taking what he wanted with Christina, yet her hand was still in his and as he rose from the table, the temptation to draw her up from her seat and straight into his embrace was irresistible. She didn’t try to break free but her free hand fluttered in agitation against his chest and there was a heart-piercing vulnerability in the eyes that met his.

He hated her fear. It made him feel even more wrong about what he’d taken from her in the past. He pressed a soft kiss on her forehead and murmured, ‘I’ll make it right, Christina. For you and for Theo.’

He gave her what he hoped was a reassuring smile as he released her, only retaining her hand, keeping that physical link for the walk back to the wedding reception, wanting her to feel secure with him.

Tonight belonged to Cassandra and George.

Tomorrow was his.

He could wait.

CHAPTER TEN

T
INA
waited until after their Greek relatives departed for the mainland so she could have a private chat to her mother about her connection to Ari. Everyone had still been revelling in Cass’s wedding—such a wonderful family celebration. Amongst the happy comments were a few arch remarks about Ari’s interest in her.

‘He didn’t have eyes for anyone else.’

‘Never left your side all evening.’

‘Such a charming man!’

‘And so handsome!’

Tina had shrugged off the curiosity, discouraging it by refocussing the conversation on her sister’s life. However, she saw the same curiosity in her mother’s eyes, and when they were finally alone together, relaxing on the lounges by the swimming pool, watching Theo practice diving into it, she didn’t have to think about how to lead into revealing the truth. Her mother did it for her.

‘Are you seeing Ari again today, Tina?’

‘Yes. And there’s something I have to tell you, Mama.’ She took a deep breath to calm her jumpy nerves and started at the beginning. ‘Ari Zavros and I were not meeting for the first time in Athens. Six years ago he was in Australia on a three-month tour of the wineries in our country. I met him on a modelling assignment and fell in love with him.’

Her mother instantly leapt to the truth, understanding of Ari’s behaviour towards them flashing straight into her eyes. ‘He’s Theo’s father.’

‘Yes. I didn’t expect to ever see him again. It was a shock when he was presented to us as George’s best man. I asked him to wait until after the wedding before revealing that my son was also his because it would have been a major distraction from Cass and that wasn’t fair, but today we have to deal with it, Mama.’

‘Oh, my dear!’ Her mother swung her legs off the lounge to face her directly with a look of anxious concern. ‘These past few days must have been very difficult for you.’

Tina had to fight back tears. She hadn’t expected such a rush of sympathy from her mother. Shock and perhaps criticism for her silence, worry over the situation, fretting over the choices to be made … she’d geared herself to cope with all this but not the caring for her feelings and the quick understanding of the distress she had been hiding.

‘I thought … he was gone from my life, Mama,’ she choked out. ‘But he’s not and he never will be again. He’s made that very clear.’

‘Yes … very clear,’ her mother repeated, nodding as she recollected how Ari had inserted himself and his family into their time on Santorini. ‘I don’t think that’s going to change, Tina. He’s definitely intent on making a claim on his son.’

‘And he has the wealth and power to back it up. There’s no point in trying to resist his claim, Mama. I have to give way.’

‘Has he said how he wants to deal with the situation?’

Tina’s mouth instantly twisted into an ironic grimace. ‘He wants me to marry him.’

‘Ah!’

There was no real shock in that
Ah!
—more a realisation of the bigger claim being made—one that would completely change her daughter’s life, as well as her grandson’s.

After a few moments’ thought, her mother asked, ‘His family knows all this?’

‘He told them after our meeting in Athens. He had no doubt that Theo was his child. His age … his eyes …’

‘Yes … now I see.’ Her mother nodded a few times. ‘They have been extending a welcome to join their family because of Theo.’

‘He is the main attraction,’ Tina said dryly.

‘But they have been very gracious to us, as well, Tina. Which shows they are prepared to accept you as Ari’s wife. How do you feel about it?’

She shook her head. ‘I don’t know. He said he would have come back to me had I told him he’d left me pregnant. I didn’t tell him because he didn’t love me. I was only a … a charming episode … that he could walk away from.’

‘But you loved him.’

‘Yes. Totally.’

‘And now?’

‘I doubt there will ever be anyone else for me, Mama, but it’s Theo he wants. I can’t fool myself that I’m suddenly the woman he loves above all others.’

‘Perhaps you are more special to him now because you are the mother of his child. It’s a very Greek way of thinking, Tina. And sometimes love grows from sharing the most precious things to both of you.’

Tina choked up, remembering Ari listing how much he had missed of Theo because she had denied him knowledge of his son.

Her mother heaved a sigh. ‘It’s not for me to say what you should do, my darling. What do you think is best for you?’

‘Oh, probably to marry him,’ Tina said in a rush, relieved in a way to finally have it out in the open. ‘I think he will be a good father. He’s asked me to wait until he comes here this afternoon for us to tell Theo together that he does have a Papa. And after that—well, Ari and I need some time alone to … to see how we feel about each other, Mama. He wants to take me somewhere. Will you look after Theo, have him in your room tonight?’

‘Oh, dear!’ Her mother shook her head in dismay at realising what the all-night arrangement most probably meant. ‘There’s so much to take in. I wish your father was here.’

‘Don’t worry, Mama. I have to make a decision and I think this is the best way to do it.’

‘Well, of course I will look after Theo, but … do be careful, Tina,’ she said anxiously. ‘If you decide not to marry Ari … I remember how you were when you were pregnant with Theo.’

‘That won’t happen again, Mama,’ Tina assured her. It didn’t matter this time if Ari used a contraceptive or not. She knew she was in a safe period of her cycle. She reached across and took her mother’s hand. ‘Thank you taking all this so well. I hate being a problem to you.’

‘Not a problem, dear. Just … I do so want you to have a happy life and I wish with all my heart that everything turns out well with Ari.’

The fairy-tale happy ending.

Maybe if she could believe in it enough, it might happen. She’d have a better idea of how the future would run after tonight. Right now she couldn’t trust Ari’s word that he would remain a faithful husband. Even if they did find sexual pleasure with each other, that was no guarantee he would always be satisfied with her. She might begin to believe they really could forge a good marriage together after he signed the prenuptial agreement.

If he did.

Ari spent an extremely vexatious morning with his lawyer who was dead against signing away paternal rights under any circumstances. A financial settlement was fine in the case of divorce but giving up one’s children was utter madness, especially since Ari was marrying to have his son.

‘I’m not here for your advice,’ Ari had finally said. ‘Just draw up the agreement I’ve spelled out to you. It’s an issue of showing good faith and I
will
show it.’

‘Show it by all means,’ his lawyer shot back at it him, ‘but don’t sign it.’

He hadn’t … yet.

He’d done many deals in his life but none as risky as the one he’d proposed to Christina. The money didn’t worry him. He would never begrudge financial support for her and their children. But if the response he needed from her was not forthcoming tonight, marrying her might be too much of a gamble.

His head told him this.

Yet his heart was already set on having Christina Savalas as his wife.

She touched him in ways no other woman had. He had been her first lover, almost certainly her only one, which made her his in a very primal sense. Plus the fact she had carried his child made her uniquely special. Besides, his wealth was not a big attraction to her or she would have gone after a slice of it to support their son rather than taking complete responsibility for him. She was only concerned about the kind of person he was. Looks, money … none of that counted. If he didn’t measure up as a man she wanted in her life, he’d be out of it.

He’d never been challenged like this. Who he was on the surface of it had always been enough. Christina was hitting him at deeper levels and he felt totally driven to prove he did measure up—driven to remove all fear from her eyes. Winning her over had somehow become more important than anything else in his life.

The compelling tug of having Theo was a big part of it, but she was part of Theo, too. Ari couldn’t separate them in his mind. Didn’t want to separate them. The three of them made a family.
His
family. He had to make it so by any means possible because he couldn’t tolerate the idea of Christina taking their son back to Australia and shutting him out of their lives as much as she legally could.

He lunched with his parents who were eager for another visit with their grandson. ‘Tomorrow,’ Ari promised them. ‘I’ll bring Christina and Theo and Helen back here tomorrow to sort out what is to be done.’

He had to stop them leaving Santorini on schedule. Even if Christina rejected his offer of marriage, she had to see reason about discussing future arrangements for their son. If she accepted his proposal, they would have a wedding to plan. More than a wedding. There would be many decisions to be made on setting up a life together—tying up ends in Australia, where best to make their home.

Ari was tense with determination as he drove to the El Greco resort. He told himself the meeting with Theo was relatively uncomplicated. There was no need to be uptight about his son’s response. He had wished for a Papa. Revealing who that Papa was would certainly be a pleasure. What happened afterwards with Christina was the critical time. He fiercely hoped that was going to be a pleasure, too. If it wasn’t … He instantly clicked his mind off any negative train of thought. This had to work.

Tina and her mother and Theo were sitting at one of the snack bar tables having afternoon tea when Ari arrived. He came striding down the ramp to the pool patio, a hard purposeful expression on his face, and headed straight towards where their rooms were located.

‘We’re here!’ Tina called out, rising from her chair to catch his attention, her heartbeat instantly accelerating at what his arrival meant for both her and Theo.

His head jerked around and his expression immediately lightened on seeing them. Theo jumped off his chair and ran to meet him. Ari scooped him up in his arms and perched him against his shoulder, smiling broadly at his son’s eagerness to welcome him.

‘I finished the train station. You must come and see it, Ari,’ Theo prattled happily.

‘As soon as I say hello to your mother and grandmother,’ he promised.

He shot a sharp look of enquiry at Tina as he approached their table. She nodded, assuring him her mother had been told. He smiled at both of them but the smile didn’t quite reach his eyes. It made Tina wonder how tense he was over the situation. Marriage was a big step and it might not be the best course for them to take. Was he having second thoughts about his proposal?