The Love Islands Collection. Jane Porter

to Alek?

      Life was good, Georgia thought, lightly patting Alek’s back. He’d been nursing and had fallen asleep on the job. She smiled faintly, savoring the feel of him on her chest. He was so warm and sweet. She loved him to pieces...loved him so much she wondered now why she’d thought she wouldn’t be a good mother.

      The door to the nursery opened, and Nikos entered.

      Her heart gave a little jump as he smiled at her. She grinned back. It was impossible not to smile when she saw him. He made her so happy. He was her other half.

      “Hey,” she whispered.

      “He’s out?” Nikos asked.

      She nodded. “He did pretty good. Hoping he got enough to get him through a good long nap.”

      “Should I put him back in his crib?”

      “I’m okay holding him. It feels good just to hold him. He’s getting bigger every day.”

      “That’s good. He’s healthy.”

      “I’m so grateful. He’s a blessing.” She dropped a light kiss on his tender head. “Everything okay?”

      Nikos took a seat on the ottoman next to her feet. “Just a few days until you get your test results,” he said.

      “I know.”

      “Nervous?”

      She thought about it. “No. I’m actually pretty Zen.”

      “Lots of people take them again.”

      “I’m not worried, either way. Whatever will be, will be.” Her gaze met his and held. “I’m happy, Nikos, really happy. I love Alek. I love us. This is everything I ever wanted. Doing well on the test would just be icing on the cake.”

      “If you do well, you’ll have many options. You’ll be able to complete your training at any number of hospitals.”

      She nodded. “I’ve looked into different programs, and there are places that look good, but, Nikos, I think my first choice would be returning to Greece.”

      “Is there a program in Athens?”

      She hesitated. “I think I’d just like to go home to Kamari... I think I’d like to just be a mother for the next couple of years and then we can talk about the rest, when we’re ready. When I’m ready.”

      She thought he’d be excited about her decision. She thought he’d be happy for her, but Nikos wasn’t smiling. He looked troubled...worried. “Can you take time off and return? Won’t that set you back?”

      “I can always return to school when he’s older. But I’ll never get these years back. And not just with him, but with you. Nikos, agapo mou, I adore you.”

      Emotion darkened his beautiful eyes. “You speak Greek now, too?”

      “I’ve learned the most important phrases.” She smiled and reached for him, drawing his face to hers. She kissed him once, and then again, whispering, “S’agapo.” I love you.

      He kissed her back, careful not to bump Alek. “My brilliant Georgia,” he murmured. “You take my breath away.”

      He was still kissing her when the door opened and a cough sounded in the doorway. It was Savannah, and she was smiling. “Maybe you two need to get a room,” she said in a stage whisper. “In fact, I know you need to get a room. Don’t worry about a thing. I’ve got the baby.”

      They didn’t need persuading.

      Georgia carefully put Alek in his crib, and Nikos took her hand, leading her from the nursery to their master suite at the end of the hall.

      It was a huge house, a Tudor-style mansion on a couple of acres in Atlanta’s oldest and best neighborhood, but that wasn’t why Georgia liked it. She liked it because they had the biggest bed she’d ever seen, giving her and Nikos lots of room to play and sleep.

      Inside their room he slid the lock shut and drew her into his arms, kissing her with a hunger that let her know just how much he wanted her and needed her.

      His hands were on her waist and then curving over her hips, pulling her close against his erection.

      Georgia shivered with pleasure. “Thank goodness for sisters who love to babysit,” she said. “I love her timing.”

      He nibbled at her neck and kissed the hollow beneath her ear. “So do I. She arrived right on schedule.”

      Georgia lifted her head. “What schedule?”

      He smiled, kissed her. “Come see.” Taking her by the hand, he led her to the table in front of the huge bow-shaped window, where there was champagne in an ornate silver bucket. Crystal flutes stood next to the bucket and there were silver trays of food, gorgeous-looking food, along with enormous vases of red roses.

      Her eyes widened as she looked back at him. “Nikos...is this what I think it is?”

      “Flowers and champagne? Yes. Yes, it is.”

      She giggled and hugged him. “Seriously. What’s going on?”

      “We’re celebrating you. Because I love you. And you are the most beautiful and amazing woman in the world.”

      She swallowed hard as her eyes began to prickle and burn.

      “I love you, Georgia. I will always love you.” He drew a black leather ring box from his pocket and dropped to one knee.

      Her heart was thudding so hard she couldn’t speak. She knew what he was doing, but she hadn’t seen this coming and she couldn’t believe it was happening now, on a day that was already perfect.

      He cracked the leather box open, and she stared at the ring in awe. It was a diamond ring with a huge center stone that sparkled blindingly bright. The center stone was surrounded with smaller diamonds, and tiny diamonds covered the sides of the narrow gleaming band. “It’s stunning,” she whispered.

      “Savannah went shopping with me. I wanted her to tell me what she thought her beloved sister would like best. But she told me that whatever I picked for you would be the one you’d want. And this is the one I picked, because it is like you—beautiful, bright and filled with light.” And then he added, his voice pitched even deeper than usual, “Marry me, agape mou.”

      She didn’t even have to think about it. “Yes, yes, Nikos, absolutely.”

      He was on his feet, kissing her, the ring forgotten.

      It was much later, after they’d made love and put the ring on her finger and then popped the champagne, that she asked him if they could marry in Greece. “I’d love to have the ceremony at the villa on Kamari, if we could.”

      “It’d be a very small ceremony, I fear.”

      “The best kind.” She smiled at him and set aside her champagne. She’d had a taste but wouldn’t drink more as she was nursing and hated taking chances. “What do you think about just going back...and staying? I want Alek to be raised in Greece. I want him to know his culture. He’s not meant to be an American. He’s your son—”

      “Our son,” he corrected.

      “Yes, but he’s a Panos, and he needs the sun and the sea and lots of space. I do, too.”

      “You don’t have to do this for me, agapi mou.”

      “I know. And I’m doing this for selfish reasons.” She struggled to smile, but it was hard with so much emotion filling her. “I want to be with you, and raise our son together, and together we will give him so much love and so much opportunity.”

      He drew her toward him, kissing her tenderly. “Your love takes my breath away,” he said huskily. “You are the sun and the moon and the stars, and every day I thank God for you.”

      Tears filled her eyes. “You