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Hurrying along to his room, she heard happy gurgles and cooing and walked in to find him lying in Leandro’s arms.
Millie watched for a moment, her insides turning to mush as she saw how gentle he was with the baby. He was speaking in soft, lyrical Greek and then he looked up and saw her.
‘And here is beautiful Millie.’ He placed a kiss on top of the baby’s head and handed him over. ‘He seems quite happy.’
Millie took the baby, feeling his solid warmth in her arms. ‘He needs his nappy changed.’
‘Now, that,’ Leandro drawled, ‘is definitely outside my area of expertise. Do yo
u want me to call the nanny?’
‘Believe it or not, I’m capable of changing a nappy.’ Millie laid Costas on a changing mat on the floor. Relieved to have a reason to avoid Leandro’s disturbing gaze, she cooed at the baby who kicked his legs in delight. ‘He thinks I can’t change a nappy.’
‘Why don’t you put him on the bed?’
‘Because he might roll off.’ Millie deftly changed the nappy and scooped the baby against her. ‘Time for breakfast.’
‘Give him his bottle on the terrace,’ Leandro instructed. ‘There are things I want to say to you.’
She looked at him warily. ‘Things that can be said in front of a baby?’
He looked amused. ‘Absolutely. In the unlikely event that he files our conversation for future reference, it will do him good to know that adults can sort out their problems rather than giving up on their marriage. That is the example I would want to set for the younger generation. And you?’
Millie’s heartbeat faltered. ‘I—We—It isn’t that simple, Leandro—you’re unrealistic.’
He guided her towards the door that led to the vine covered terrace. ‘The difference in our approach may be rooted in our cultures. Your divorce rate is higher than ours.’
Still holding Costas, Millie sighed as she walked towards the table that had been set for breakfast. ‘I think cultural differences are the least of our problems at this point in our relationship.’
His response to that was to turn and deliver a slow, confident smile. ‘Problems are merely there to test resolve. If you really want something, you can overcome the problems.’ He stepped towards her, closing the gap until she drew in a breath. ‘How much do you want our marriage to work, Millie?’
How much? Her heart was thudding and she was trapped by the unshakable confidence in his eyes. ‘I—I want it, of course, but you don’t—’
‘Don’t I?’ He didn’t even wait for her to finish the sentence. ‘What do you think this morning was all about?’
‘I have no idea. I’m assuming your caveman tendencies ran a little out of control.’
The look in his eyes sent her pulse racing again and she stepped backwards, grateful that she was holding the baby.
‘I need to feed Costas.’
‘If you think that’s going to get you off the hook, you don’t know me. We’re going to talk about this, agape mou. I’m going to explore every last corner of…’ His voice tailed off and her breathing quickened because the look in his eyes was unmistakably sexual.
‘Of?’
His smile widened. ‘Of our relationship,’ he purred, and she knew he was perfectly aware that she’d been waiting for him to say ‘your body.’
Millie gritted her teeth and was about to stalk towards the table when he closed his hand over her shoulder and bent his head so that his mouth was by her ear.
‘That, too,’ he murmured silkily, and the colour flooded into her cheeks.
‘You’ve done enough exploring for one day.’
‘I haven’t even started.’ Leandro pulled the chair out for her and made sure she had what she needed for the baby. Then he took the seat opposite her and poured her some coffee.
‘What was it you wanted to say to me?’ The anticipation of the conversation to come scraped at her insides like sandpaper, putting her off her food. Trying to distract herself, she slid the teat into the baby’s mouth, her expression softening as he clamped his jaws and started to suck.
‘Eat some food. This honey comes from a friend’s bees. It’s delicious.’
