'What, and deprive myself of a sight for sore eyes? No way.' She chuckled and Leo's masculine laughter rang out to mingle with hers.
He reached over the bed, and pressed a light kiss to her forehead, still grinning. 'Now who's the voyeur? Behave yourself, woman, I'll be back.' And he sauntered out of the room.
Resting her head back against the pillow, Jacy felt better than she had in weeks. She loved Leo and she had finally admitted it to herself, but the question was what was she going to do about it? Using her analytical skills, she tackled the problem as she would a case.
On the positive side she listed: A, she was married to the man. B, he was a magnificent lover. C, he had shown her a tender, caring side to his nature. D, she knew he liked children—she had seen him with the twins—and so would love his own.
On the negative side: A, he did not love her. B, he was a womaniser and C, not above using blackmail to get his own way.
She sighed; the positive outweighed the negative, but only just. Jacy thought of Liz and Tom, and the surprise party. It was unbelievable that what had started as a stupid bet could make such a change in her life. She had gone out with Leo for a bet, and ended up married to him, which if she was honest was what she had probably subconsciously always wanted. So why not take another chance and continue her gamble? she asked herself. Leo might not love her, but he wanted her and she certainly wanted him. Time and propinquity, plus a child, and who knew? The solution was simple. This time she would gamble on passion and pray that she won Leo's love...
CHAPTER TEN
Leo returned almost immediately carrying a loaded tray bearing a china teapot, a delicate matching cup and saucer and plate, a full toast-rack and a variety of small pots of jam. Pride of place in the centre was a silver bud vase with one exquisite golden rose in it. She glanced up and caught the glint of humour in his dark eyes as he placed it carefully in front of her.
'Thank you.' She smiled, touched by his gesture, then cheekily added, 'If you used to serve the guests in the hotel wearing only a robe I bet all the women ordered breakfast in bed.'
Leo laughed. 'No, you lose the bet again. I reserve this service strictly for my wife.' Bending over her, he kissed the tip of her nose. 'But thank you for the compliment. I think it's the first nice thing you've said to me in weeks.'
He was right. 'I'll have to practise, then,' she murmured, her eyes lingering on his face, the dark early morning stubble giving him a piratical air.
'You don't need to practise, Jacy, you're perfect just as you are,' he responded throatily. 'Well, apart from your penchant for gambling,' he mocked, adding, 'Now eat your breakfast while I take a shower; you
're much too tempting, and you've been sick.' Jacy chuckled when she heard him mutter worriedly under his breath, I must practise self-control,' as he headed for the bathroom.
It had been a marvellous honeymoon, Jacy thought tiredly as she stepped into the Jaguar at London airport.
They had stayed at Leo's uncle Nick's private island near Crete, where they had lived for one day at a time, swimming, laughing and making love.
She glanced lovingly at Leo sitting next to her, then yawned widely and closed her eyes. She had no idea how beautiful she looked. The sun had streaked her hair almost white in places, her creamy skin had developed a soft golden tan, and the man beside her glanced with unrestrained adoration at her sleeping form.
'Wake up, sleepyhead.'
She opened her eyes and stretched. They were parked outside the company apartment in Eaton Square. 'Back to the grind.' She smiled at Leo.
'Unfortunately that is true. I do have a lot of work to catch up on, and your monthly medical check is due.'
She had deliberately put it out of her mind in the euphoria of the past few weeks. Leo's reminder of the real reason for their marriage damped her spirit somewhat. But, walking into the apartment with Leo's hand curved around her elbow, and accepting the effusive congratulations of Mr and Mrs Belt, who looked after the place, before they left for the night, Jacy couldn't resist smugly congratulating herself. Her gamble appeared to be working. A more attentive husband didn't exist, she was sure, and, as for their sex life, it was just about perfect, day or night. She would feel Leo's eyes on her in a certain way and within minutes they were making love.
The only restraint she put on herself was that of silence; in the throes of passion sometimes she had to bite her tongue to prevent herself crying out her love. Leo, on the other hand, was a very verbal lover, but as he spoke in Greek she had no idea what he said. Once she had asked him to translate. He had joked, saying, 'You once told me not to speak dirty; you don't want to know.'
'Would you like a warm drink before we go to bed?' asked Leo now, his eyes narrowing faintly as they took in her sleepy features.
They had been watching the news on the television, and Jacy had found herself nodding off once or twice, lulled by the large beautifully cooked meal she had eaten courtesy of the Belts.
She lifted lazy eyes. 'No, I'm all right,' she refused, watching him, with feminine appreciation, walk to the drinks cabinet and pour himself a small whisky. He was lithe and compellingly masculine in dark trousers and a fine-knit shirt; suddenly she couldn't get to bed fast enough...
'You're sure?' He turned back to her, glass in hand, concern showing clearly in his dark, probing scrutiny. 'It's been a long day for you.'
His attentiveness warmed her heart, and various other places of her anatomy, she thought sexily. 'Yes,' she insisted huskily. 'I think I'll get an early night. I want to go home tomorrow. I forgot to ask my neighbour to water my plants. They're probably all dead by now.' She grimaced and, standing up, she threaded her hand through the wild tumble of her hair in an unconsciously provocative gesture.
'This is your home.' Leo slammed the glass he was holding down on the table, his dark eyes raking over her in glittering fury, his illusion of concern abruptly cast aside. 'And don't you forget it,' he commanded crushingly.
Suddenly the ease of the past three weeks vanished, and tension sizzled in the air.
Shock kept her immobile, that and a growing feeling of reciprocal anger at his high-handedness. She might be gambling on winning his love, but did that mean she had to turn herself into a doormat for the man? No way, she thought mutinously, and responded in kind. 'You don't give me orders!' She had not meant to shout, but she found some satisfaction in seeing the surprise in his autocratic features. 'And as for this being a home-' she waved a disparaging hand around the immaculate room '—it is a company apartment you admit yourself you rarely use. It makes much more sense to live in my house.' She hadn't actually thought about it until now, but suddenly the spirit that had made her a success in business had reasserted itself, the sensual daze she had been in for weeks was beginning to clear.
'This is where we will stay until I decide otherwise,' he declared icily, and stalked towards the door.