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Not sure why he was suddenly spoiling for an argument, Polly just gave him a sugar-sweet smile. “No reason.”
Her husband’s dark gaze narrowed. “A meeting got canceled and I decided to spend my suddenly free hour with my family.”
“Well, I’m glad you did,” she said sincerely.
And that was one more reason staying here in the penthouse was a good idea. Apparently if they were close at hand, Alexandros would opt to give his family these unexpected moments rather than work.
Even if that only happened occasionally, it was worth it.
Alexandros clapped along with his brother in appreciation of Helena’s swimming efforts.
“Well done, poppet,” Polly said to her daughter with a big smile.
“Now that smile is genuine. What do I have to do, I wonder, to earn that kind of warm approval?” Alexandros said, his voice low and sensual. “Or do I already know?”
Polly looked over at him, realizing what he was implying at the same time as she caught that even if his brother had not heard what she’d said to cause her and Corrina’s laughter, her husband had.
And while his tease had been all sexual innuendo, there had been an angry edge to it Polly did not understand.
But she got it later when they were readying for bed, and it appalled her. “You want to do what?” she demanded, making no effort to modulate her tone to something resembling calm.
“You are convinced the only place I value you is in the bedroom. I think we should take a break from sex while we work on other aspects of our marriage.”
“Whose idea was this? Have you been talking to your mother?” she demanded.
“I have in fact, but it wasn’t her idea.”
“I bet. She convinced you it was your idea, didn’t she?” Athena had tried suggesting the no-sex thing once already, ostensibly for the sake of Polly’s health during her pregnancy.
“My mother feels badly for all she has done to undermine our marriage and the ways she hurt you, even when it was entirely unintentional.”
Unintentional? “Did you just imply your mother did not mean to undermine our marriage? That there was something accidental about her assurances that our marriage was a temporary aberration in your life and the prenuptial agreement was proof?” she asked in a dangerously controlled voice.
Alexandros didn’t appear worried. “She misunderstood the prenuptial agreement as much as you did.”
“Oh, did she? And why is that?”
He tugged at the collar on the shirt he had yet to remove in preparation for his shower before bed. “The agreement my father had her sign was materially different.”
“It was?” Polly asked in a flat tone, never having considered that possibility.
“It was a different time.”
“Was it?” Or had his father simply trusted his wife more than Alexandros had trusted Polly?
Another possibility sent a hollow feeling through Polly. Maybe subconsciously, Alexandros had considered their marriage temporary. But then Polly had gotten pregnant and their marriage became a permanent fixture in his life, one he could never admit to himself, much less anyone else that he had ever seen in a different light.
“You know, Alexandros, I’m done fighting your mother’s machinations. You want to sleep separately while we work on our marriage? Be my guest.” She pointed to the closed door, her message clear.
“I did not say we should sleep separately.”
“You said we shouldn’t have sex.” And if he thought that was possible while sharing a bed, he’d lost his mind.
“Well, yes.” Though he wasn’t sounding so confident about that little detail.
Right at that moment, Polly did not care.
She went into the closet and came out with a suit, shirt and tie for him to wear the next day. “Take these to the guest room. I’ll get your underthings and you can grab your stuff from the bathroom.”
