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He stared at her. “That is not what I said.”
“Isn’t it?”
“Are you picking a fight?”
“Disagreeing with you is not me picking a fight, Alexandros. Neither is me asking you a legitimate question.”
He surged up from the couch, anger making the lines of his gorgeous face harsh. “So once again I am the big bad billionaire?”
CHAPTER NINE
INAPPROPRIATELY, POLLY WANTED to laugh.
But he had the look of a sulky boy, and she just knew he wouldn’t appreciate her saying so.
“You may be big,” she teased, indicating a certain part of his anatomy with a significant look. “And there is no question you are a billionaire, but I never said you were bad.”
“You did. You said I am a bad husband.”
She opened her mouth to deny, but realized she had said that, or as good as. “You’ve improved loads,” she offered.
“And let us not forget I perform well in the bedroom,” he said angrily.
She blinked at him, not sure what to say. Alexandros was happy to go head-to-head with power players, but he’d never liked arguing with her. If she gave him an out, he always took it.
Always.
For some reason, this time, he was forcing the issue, refusing to brush uncomfortable feelings back under the carpet.
“Please remember that I want to live here so your children and I can have more time with you. This is not me saying you are a bad husband.” That was absolute truth. “It is me saying I want our marriage to work. If you’re serious about fixing the brokenness, then so am I.”
The anger drained away, but the expression it left behind was more sad than relieved. “I must cling to that truth, I suppose.”
She put her hand out, asking silently for help standing. Not that she couldn’t get up on her own, but it was harder now and she wanted the physical connection.
He immediately took her hand and leaned forward to slide a hand around her waist before smoothly pulling her to her feet.
“Thank you.” She made no move to put distance between them. “Is it really so important for you to have a showcase here in Athens?”
He leaned his forehead against hers, not speaking for several seconds.
She didn’t push.
“No. It is not, but the idea that you don’t trust me to change…that hurts.”
“I am sorry,” she whispered, unable to deny the lack of trust.
“Me too.”
She didn’t ask what he was sorry for. Was he sorry she didn’t trust him? Was he sorry he had destroyed that trust? Did it matter?
They made love that night with a tender desperation, both needing the connection of their bodies to affirm their merged lives.
The next day Polly chatted with Corrina about her desire to continue living in the penthouse apartment. “You and Petros seem more than happy living here,” she pointed out.
“And I wouldn’t mind staying indefinitely.” Corrina paused and then shrugged. “If some changes were made to make this area more family friendly.”
Polly looked around the perfectly manicured container garden on the roof, the furniture that was designed to impress business associates and even the pool that didn’t have a rail on the stairs going into the shallow end for children to hold on to.
