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‘I would have thought that was obvious.’ Leandro growled. He lifted his glass to his lips and then realised that it was empty and put it down again.
Millie looked at him in exasperation. ‘You’re not making sense. And I don’t know why you’re getting drunk. I expect you’re worried, but it’s all going to be fine.’
‘It is not going to be fine,’ he said in a raw tone. ‘This is going to keep happening.’
‘No, they think it was just a one-off. It happens sometimes.’
‘You’re deluding yourself.’
Millie frowned, thinking that his comment was a little harsh. ‘The doctor seemed to know what he was talking about.’
‘Doctor?’
‘That’s where I took him. To the hospital.’ She looked at him defensively. ‘Maybe I was overreacting, but I thought it might be life-threatening. I was so worried about him. What if I’d stayed here and he’d got worse? I looked for you and you’d disappeared. And after the stress and worry I’ve had this evening, I would have thought even you could be a little more sympathetic.’ Hurt and not understanding his reaction, Millie turned away. ‘I’m going to bed. I’m sleeping in Costas’s nursery in case he needs me.’
‘Wait a moment.’ Leandro snapped out the words, his body still, his beautiful eyes narrowed to dark slits. ‘What are you talking about? Why did you see a doctor? And why would Costas need you?’
‘Because…’ Millie was so tired that she couldn’t even think straight and it took her a moment to absorb the implication of his question. ‘Do you honestly not know what’s been going on here? Where do you think I’ve been? Why do you think I dashed off?’ She broke off and her breathing quickened as understanding dawned. ‘Oh, my God, you thought I’d—’
‘Yes,’ he said softly. ‘I did.’
Millie’s heart started to pound. ‘Why would you think that?’
‘Do you really need to ask that question? The papers are full of my affair with that actress and extremely revealing pictures of you. Last time I saw you, you were upset.’
Millie walked across to him and stuck out her hand. ‘Give me your phone.’
‘I don’t have it.’ His voice was faintly mocking and a sardonic smile touched his mouth. ‘Since you laid down your ground rules for our relationship I frequently lose track of where I’ve put it.’
‘Well, isn’t that typical of a man. The one time I need you to have your phone on you, you don’t have it.’ Bending over his desk, Millie shifted files and papers with scant regard for order and retrieved it from under a stack of papers. ‘Here.’ She thrust it towards him. ‘I’m hopeless at technology. Switch it on.’
He switched it on.
Millie folded her arms. ‘Now play back your messages. On speaker.’
Sending her a curious glance, Leandro played his messages.
Millie heard her own voice coming from the loudspeaker. ‘Leandro, where are you? Costas is ill—I need to get him to a hospital. I’m taking your car. Call me when you get this message or meet me at the hospital.’
Raising her eyebrows, Millie removed the phone from his hand. ‘Now I know why you didn’t call. Really, you are going to have to be a bit more supportive when our own baby is born. If I’m going to have night-time panics, I want you with me. You’re the one who is always calm in a crisis. I’m a mess. I’m never doing that again without you there to tell me that everything will be fine. What’s the matter with you? I’ve never known you silent before. Say something.’
There was a long, tense silence during which Millie was sure she could hear her own heart beating.
When Leandro finally spoke, his voice was hoarse. ‘Our baby?’
‘Yes. Our baby. I’m pregnant.’ She gave a faint smile. ‘Hardly surprising after all the sex we’ve had over the past few weeks.’
He inhaled sharply. ‘Is that why you came back?’
‘I never left,’ Millie said softly, and Leandro held her gaze.
‘Our baby.’ He sounded stunned. ‘All that stuff in the paper…’
Millie’s heart missed a beat because everything she needed to know was in his voice and in his eyes. ‘Well, I’m not pretending it wasn’t upsetting. But I had plenty of time to think about it while I was watching over Costas in his cot. For a start, that actress is too thin for you. You hate women whose bones stick out. And you’re forgetting, I was there that night. I could see that she was angry that you rejected her. The talk is that her latest film is rubbish. I expect she wanted to attract some different publicity—kick-start her career. And she wanted to hurt you.’
‘It only hurts me if it hurts you,’ Leandro said hoarsely, and then shook his head. ‘I don’t know why you’re smiling. You like seeing me miserable?’
‘No,’ Millie said softly. ‘I like seeing you in love.’
