His Love-Child: The Greek Tycoon's Love-Child / The Spaniard's Love-Child / The Millionaire's Love-Child. JACQUELINE BAIRD
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or three years older, he had long black curly hair tied back with a leather thong in a ponytail. His dinner suit was a flamboyant rich blue, and yet it suited him, and the gleaming golden eyes smiling into hers were full of fun.
‘Leo, I am surprised you could make it,’ Theo said with a coolness that sent shivers down Willow’s spine.
‘You know me, Theo—I can’t resist a party.’ He smiled at Willow. ‘I think your fiance is reluctant to tell me your name, beautiful lady. He is probably afraid of the competition.’ He grinned wickedly. ‘Moi—’ he lifted his hand to his heart ‘—your slave for life,’ and he winked.
Willow laughed out loud. He was outrageous, but a welcome relief from the stiff formality of the rest of the guests.
‘That’s enough, Leo,’ Theo said grimly. Willow felt the tightening of Theo’s arm around her waist and the sudden tension in every muscle in his body beneath the immaculate dinner suit, and she looked at the other man with interest. A man that could get a reaction from the intimidating Theo Kadros had to be a rarity.
‘My fiancée Willow, and she is out of bounds to you.’
‘Why, Theo?’ she said sweetly, beginning to hugely enjoy herself. ‘Surely you can’t be jealous? Leo was only being polite.’
Theo spared her a dark glance. ‘Maybe, but now it is time we mingled,’ and, ignoring the other man, he urged her towards another group of people.
‘What have you got against Leo?’ she asked.
‘Nothing at all. He is a good friend. I have known him for years. But he is also a notorious womaniser. For some reason women adore him, and I am taking no chances.’ Surprised, Willow glanced up at him and was stunned to see he was serious. Talk about the pot calling the kettle black, she thought dryly.
The buffet was announced, and Judy joined them as they made their way to the large dining room. Anna and her husband appeared and for the next hour they ate and drank together, with frequent exclamations by Anna: ‘I still can’t believe it. You, of all people, Willow!’
Willow had met Anna and her two daughters yesterday when they had arrived at the house eager to meet the new addition to the family. Stephen had been an instant hit with the two girls, but Anna had been in a state of shock. She’d spent the morning giving her brother disapproving looks, until he had escaped to his office to put in a few hours’ work. Then she had taken Willow out for lunch and a girlie afternoon in Athens, and spent most of the time apologising to her. She’d stated that he must have loved Willow all along.
Theo was leaning against the wall at the party, watching his mother and sister, their faces animated as they ate and drank and gossiped. But his eyes narrowed on Willow as he caught sight of the flicker of strain in her expressive blue eyes, even as her carefully composed features creased into a smile.
These three women were his family and it hit him forcibly that he felt the same protective instinct for Willow as he did for the other two women in his life. And inexplicably he felt angry with his guests for not immediately seeing Willow as he did.
She was an exceptional woman in a hundred different ways. Proud, independent and a wonderful mother, not to mention the most exquisitely beautiful female he had ever seen. Yet there was no vanity about her; she seemed totally unaware of her own power. There wasn’t a man in this room who would not leap at the chance to be in his shoes, and she had been right before. He was jealous.
‘If you’re finished eating, Willow, perhaps you would like a breath of fresh air?’
Willow lifted her head and met his dark gaze almost with relief. It was hot inside and the noise was making her head ache, not to mention her feeling the censure of all eyes. ‘You read my mind,’ she said with unaccustomed flippancy, and took the hand he held out to help her to her feet.
Theo led her out onto the terrace, deftly fielding the many salutations from his friends as they passed. She drew in a lungful of the cool night air, a soft sigh escaping her.
‘Better?’ Theo asked quietly.
‘Yes,’ Willow murmured. Their hands still linked together, she smiled briefly up at him.
‘Good.’ Theo stopped and looked down at her, his expression oddly serious. ‘This party…’ He gestured with his free hand to the brilliantly lit rooms and the crowd of people spilling out onto the terrace. ‘You don’t need to worry—these people will very quickly accept your sudden appearance in my life. Any who don’t will have me to deal with, I promise you.’
She lifted smiling eyes to his. Even when he was trying to be serious his inbuilt arrogance very quickly surfaced, she thought with wry amusement. ‘From kidnapper to white knight in four days, Theo,’ she quipped with a chuckle. ‘That is some going, even for you, but amazingly I think I believe you. None of this lot would dare argue with you.’
The hand holding hers slid around her waist and he drew her closer. ‘So I amuse you, do I?’ His dark eyes lit with laughter and a deepening sexual gleam that promised retribution of the most basic kind. ‘You would dare laugh at me,’ he drawled huskily, and his dark head lowered, his warm breath brushing her cheek, ‘when all I am trying to do…’
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