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I hesitated before the doors—partly because I didn’t want to bring charged tension into Andreos’s presence and partly because a tiny part of me wanted space to dissect everything that had happened this evening. But the greater part of me wanted to keep my son all to myself. Just for a little while.
A sharp cry from within dissipated every thought.
As Ax held the door open for me I entered the room in time to see Sophia lifting Andreos from his changing mat.
She stopped and smiled when she saw us. ‘Good evening, Kyria Xenakis. You’re just in time for Andreos’s midnight feed. Would you like me to warm the bottle for you?’
I waved her away and Ax strode forward to take Andreos from her arms. ‘Go to bed, Sophia. I’ll take care of it.’
With a smiling nod, the young girl retreated to the adjoining bedroom, shutting the door behind her.
Ax adjusted his hold on Andreos, his strong hands lifting him aloft so they were face to face. My breath caught and, recalling his words in the car, I watched father and son stare at each other, one expression showing unabashed curiosity while the other probed with raw intensity as Axios absorbed his son’s every expression as if hoarding it for his memory.
A little ashamed at questioning his motives in the car, I bit my lip as something settled inside me. No matter our personal angst, Axios cared for his son. Perhaps in time he’d love him almost as much as I did.
In that moment I wanted to tell him he would have years of special moments like this if I didn’t manage to defuse the time bomb ticking inside me, but the words remained locked tight in my throat, the need not to have this time diluted with unwelcome outside influence stilling my tongue as I joined them.
Sensing another presence, Andreos turned towards me, his chubby arms windmilling as he babbled in delight. Then delight turned into familiar irritation as hunger kicked in and he whimpered his displeasure.
‘Someone is impatient for his feed,’ Ax mused, before his gaze dropped pointedly to my chest.
A fierce blush suffused my face. My breasts had been growing heavier in the last couple of hours. Even without the need to feed him myself I would have needed to express some milk before going to bed.
Expecting Ax to hand him over, I watched in surprise when he headed to the antique rocking chair I used for feeding Andreos. ‘You’re staying?’
‘Unless you have an objection?’ he asked, and I realised it was a genuine query.
About to say yes, I stunned myself by shaking my head.
A look flitted across his face faster than I could decipher it before he nodded. Once I was seated in the chair, which I’d discovered had been in his family for generations, Ax handed Andreos over. Then he started to move towards the adjacent sofa.
‘Um...’ I said.
He turned immediately. ‘What is it?’
‘Can you help me with my dress?’
Piercing grey eyes darkened a fraction as they moved to the halter neck of my dress. He gave a brisk nod, and in one deft move freed the fastening.
I caught the front before I was completely exposed, but there was no hiding from Ax’s focused attention as I positioned Andreos on my lap.
He latched on with greedy enthusiasm, one fist planted firmly on my breast while both chubby legs jerked up to wrap around the forearm of the hand I’d laid on his plump belly to steady him.
The familiar action tugged at my heartstrings and drew a smile.
‘Does he always do that?’ Ax rasped, his voice gruff with emotion.
For a precious few seconds I’d forgotten he was there, watching my every move, absorbing his son’s routine. Now my gaze met his and I nodded shakily, strangely overcome to be sharing this little snippet of time with the man who’d helped create my precious son.
‘Since he was two and a half months old. I think it’s his way of telling me to stay put. He’ll let me go when he’s satisfied.’
Ax lounged back in his seat and crossed his legs, a curious, heart-stopping little smile playing at his sensuous lips. ‘He’s a Xenakis. He knows what he wants.’
That display of unabashed male pride would have been unbecoming from any other man. From Ax it was a solid statement acknowledging his progeny. Progeny that would be completely his if I lost my fight.
The lance of pain to my heart made my breath catch.
‘What is it?’ Ax asked sharply. ‘Does it cause you pain?’
