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‘She thinks our marriage is romantic?’ Alex turned back to her, arching an eyebrow. ‘Have you told her the truth?’
‘Well...’ He watched with dispassionate curiosity as Milly’s face coloured. ‘Sort of. She’s...’ She swallowed, and his gaze was drawn to the sinuous movement of her throat. ‘She’s hoping we fall desperately in love.’
He schooled his face into a bland expression even as her words blazed inside him, igniting what...? Hope? Horror? It was, of course, an impossibility. ‘I hope you disabused her of that notion,’ he remarked coolly.
‘Of course I did.’ The words came with such vehemence that Alex had to look away. He was an idiot to think for a moment that Milly might have been thinking or wanting something else—something he had no desire for, in any case.
‘Right. That’s settled, then.’
‘Yes, I suppose it is.’ Milly stared down at her plate, and Alex watched her, wondering what was going on in her head. Was she relieved? Or was she already regretting their impetuous marriage, realising the price she’d paid was too high? Tonight loomed in front of them, heavy with expectation.
He knew he shouldn’t care about her feelings, and she certainly didn’t care about his. And yet the ceremony circled in his head—the words of the priest, the common cup, their hands joined in a lover’s knot of fingers. It had meant something, at least to him. Far more than he’d ever intended it to.
‘All right, you two!’ Anna called out gaily as she came out on the terrace, brandishing a platter that held what looked alarmingly like a traditional wedding cake.
‘Anna...’ Milly half rose from her chair, her flush starting all over again, her eyes wide with dismay. ‘Where did you get that...?’
‘Halki is amazingly well supplied,’ Anna answered blithely. ‘And Yiannis helped me. It’s been such fun.’ She placed the platter with the cake on the table between them with a flourish. ‘It’s traditional wedding cake, with honey, sesame seed, and quince.’ She made a face and Milly managed a little laugh although she still looked uneasy. ‘I’d rather have chocolate.’
‘How on earth did you get a wedding cake on such short notice?’ Milly said. She slid Alex an apologetic glance, which he ignored. A cake wasn’t going to make a difference to anything.
‘The bakery had one in the window,’ Yiannis supplied. ‘It seemed ordained.’
Ordained. Fated. Words of romance rather than business. Yiannis was as much of a sentimental fool as Anna, both of them wanting to turn today into a fairy tale. It wasn’t going to happen. The only fairy tale in which Alex had a role was Beauty and the Beast, and with him it wouldn’t have a happy ending.
Still, for the sake of form, he managed a small, tight smile. ‘You are both too kind,’ he said, and he gave Yiannis a repressive look over the top of Anna’s head. Enough. His driver gave a short nod.
‘Cut the cake,’ Anna instructed. ‘Both of you at the same time. For good luck.’
‘Is that a thing?’ Milly said, narrowing her eyes in suspicion, and Anna just shrugged, innocence personified.
‘Fine.’ Alex rose, reaching for the knife Anna had brought along with the cake. He glanced at Milly, and then motioned to the knife. Hesitantly she took it, and then he wrapped his hand around hers, just as he had when they’d walked into church.
Together they cut into the cake, the knife sinking through the soft icing and sponge underneath, her hand slight and warm under his. As soon as they’d finished, Anna and Yiannis both clapped, and Milly yanked her hand away, and Alex stepped back.
‘I have work to do,’ he announced, watching Anna’s eyes round with dismay. His wife, he noticed, looked relieved. Without another word he strode from the terrace. Milly had a short reprieve, he acknowledged grimly; they still had their wedding night to get through.
CHAPTER EIGHT
NIGHT HAD FALLEN. Milly stared out at the darkening sky, her belly a flutter of nerves. After Alex had retreated to his study Anna had insisted Milly have an at-home spa day, running her a bubble bath and doing her nails.
Considering she’d just had a host of treatments two days ago in Athens, Milly ha
d hardly seen the need, but she hadn’t wanted to disappoint Anna. She loved being with her, and, in any case, she’d needed a distraction as the wedding night had loomed closer.
As the sun had begun to set, Anna had announced that she was staying the night with Yiannis and his wife in the village, making Milly protest.
‘Anna, you don’t...’
‘It’s your wedding night, Milly. The last thing you need is a little sister in your space.’ Anna had made a face. ‘And truthfully, I kind of don’t want to be here, you know?’
‘It’s not...’ Milly had decided not to finish that sentence, mostly because she hadn’t known how, and Anna had patted her shoulder.
‘I’ll be fine. I’ve been having so much fun these last two days, Milly, you have no idea.’ Tears had filled her eyes and she’d blinked them away as she’d offered her a heartbreaking smile. ‘Honestly, I feel like I have a life suddenly, instead of hiding away, just waiting for things to happen.’
‘I’m glad you’re here, Anna.’ Milly had pulled her sister into a tight hug. ‘Really glad.’
Anna had hugged her back before easing away with a bright smile. ‘But I’m not going to be here tonight. So have fun.’
