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"And then you found out he'd broken his."
"Yes."
"You're very old world in some ways."
"If you're saying that I believe in justice and that him having a plethora of lovers while married to me was justification for divorcing him, you're right."
"Yes, that is what I was saying." But he stood by the way he'd said it. She had a way of looking at the world that reminded him of a medieval knight.
Her honor mattered to her, but so did the integrity of the people she'd sworn her allegiance to. He wanted to be one of those people.
She smiled brightly at him, the warmth in her gaze doing something strange in the area of his heart. "You're kind of amazing, do you know that?"
"Does that mean you are spending the night with this amazing man?" he asked as he pulled her into his arms like he'd been wanting to do since she started making noises about going back to her apartment.
"Hmm…" she said, tilting her head and exaggerating a thoughtful expression. "There's my empty apartment where chores that I usually spend the entire weekend taking care of are waiting to be done before bed."
"Yes?"
"And there's you."
"And there is me." He couldn't help it. He kissed her.
When he lifted his head, her expression was hazy, but she was still smiling. "You win. You definitely win. I mean laundry doesn't feel all that urgent when I still have a week's worth of new outfits I've never worn, courtesy of my very generous lover."
"An investment in clothing has never been so well spent, then."
She reached up and kissed him. "You are so not the grumpy guy everyone thinks."
"I am not a grumpy guy at all."
She just laughed, like that was funny. But he was being serious. He wasn't bad tempered. Was he? What would his mother say? He knew what she'd say when she found out he was dating Rowan. She was going to be over the moon.
She lived with the perpetual hope he would marry one day and give her grandchildren. He never told her how unlikely that event was. He did not want to break her heart.
"I know you planned to call in the paparazzi for yourmorning afterwalk," he said. "However, I wonder if it might be more pleasant to announce our status as a couple by attending the Vasileiou Gala."
The look on her face made it clear Rowan had completely forgotten about calling the paparazzi to catch her leaving Lysander's house after staying the night. He, on the other hand, rarely forgot anything.
"I think you might be right about him wanting me back for reasons other than sheer bloody-mindedness, so I'm not sure it matters if he knows we're together, but that doesn't stop me wanting to go to the gala with you."
He liked hearing that. Liked it a lot that she made it clear spending time with him was what was important, not her plan to turn Cyrus off her.
Lysander liked that plan though and had his own ideas of how to make it happen. He did need a look at her prenuptial agreement though. He thought it might take some business acumen rather than just showing Cyrus that Rowan had moved on. Lysander had to admit that he didn't mind that bit either.
She'd been right about one thing. Though it was nowhere near the top reason he wanted to take her to the gala, rubbing his half-brother's face in the fact that Rowan was with Lysander now had a great deal of appeal. If for no other reason than to show Cyrus what an idiot he'd been to treat his marriage with so little consideration.
The Vasileiou Gala would work very well as an opportunity to let Athens society know Lysander and Rowan were seeing each other.
Lysander found he liked the thought of that. He and Cyrus had little in common, including the charities they supported. With one exception. This one. In fact, he'd seen Rowan for the first time at that year's Vasileiou Gala. He'd asked her to dance and he'd been charmed by her. He had also been turned on. Then he'd learned she was married to his brother.
Oh, yeah, Lysander could be certain his half-brother would be at the gala. It was such a high-profile event, the Andino family never missed it.
Cyrus would get the memo about Lysander and Rowan all right.
So would their father, which would probably have more effect on cooling Cyrus's enthusiasm for trying to get back together with his ex-wife. Cyrus didn't take being shown up well. Knowing Rowan was with Lysander would irk the other man, but having the rest of the world know it? Would make her radioactive where Cyrus was concerned.
Rowan had been right that if she was seen leaving Lysander's housethe morning after, it would nix Cyrus's desire for reconciliation. Provided that desire was motivated by possessiveness, or even some type of affection. However, Lysander was not convinced that it was. He needed to get a look at her prenup and maybe do some digging into holdings she might not even realize were in her name.
