‘Kalimera, my angel,’ I murmured, my drowsy awakening made all the better by my sweet baby’s enthusiastic babble and the innocent smell of his freshly bathed body.
Eyes still closed, I felt my heart bursting with a joy that widened my smile.
‘He’s been very patient as he waited for his mama to wake, but I fear that state is about to be over,’ drawled the deep, masculine voice of my baby’s father.
My eyes flew open, the reminder of where I was and what had transpired last night fracturing my smile as I encountered the arresting image of a rudely vibrant Axios, one hand propping up his head and the other resting lightly on his son’s stomach.
Andreos, his curious gaze switching between his father’s face, mine, and just about every bright object it could touch upon, wriggled with impatience and babbled some more before letting out a cry that signalled he was well and truly done with waiting to be fed.
My lungs flattened with surprise and an unexpectedly sharp yearning as Ax shifted onto his back, lifted his son and held him aloft, a drop-dead gorgeous smile breaking out on his face as father and son stared at each other.
‘You’ve made it this far, o moro mou. Give it another half-minute and you will be rewarded, hmm?’ he teased.
I sat up, unable to help my blush and self-consciousness at the reminder that I was naked under the sheets.
After anointing his son’s forehead with a gentle kiss, Axios turned to watch me sit up and arrange the pillows around me in preparation to feed an increasingly impatient Andreos.
When I was settled, Axios handed him over. And, just like last night, he didn’t seem in a hurry to leave. In fact, he settled back on his pillow, his gaze unashamedly fixed on me as I settled our son at my breast.
Sunlight streamed through the partially opened curtain, bathing the parts of Axios I could see in mouthwatering relief—mainly his very naked, very chiselled torso. The effort it took to drag my gaze away and avoid the incisive eyes was depressingly monumental.
‘I... What time is it?’
‘It’s a little after nine,’ he answered, reaching out to caress his son’s bare, plump foot. ‘You were out of it when the monitor signalled that Andreos was awake. Sophia was about to give him a bottle, but I thought I’d bring him to you instead.’
I nodded, my throat clogging at the picture of togetherness and domestic bliss his words painted. Before I could stop myself, might-have-beens crowded my heart and I stared down at Andreos, painfully aware of Ax’s presence in the pictures that filled my mind.
A little desperately, I reminded myself that this was all temporary. A short stretch of time to enjoy with my son before—
‘Calypso?’
I blinked, unable to stop myself from being compelled to meet his gaze.
His eyes narrowed and he waited a beat before asking, ‘What’s wrong?’
I shook my head. ‘It’s nothing. I’m just a little tired, that’s all.’
His shuttered gaze said he knew I was being evasive. But he let it go. ‘Not too tired to spend a few hours out of the city, I hope?’
Surprised, I stared at him. ‘Out of the city?’
He nodded. ‘I thought we could fly to Agistros for the afternoon. Agatha will organise a picnic for us and we’ll spend a little time by the water.’
‘Why?’ I blurted.
He tensed slightly. ‘On the rare occasion that I find myself with free time, I wish to spend it with our son. With you. I thought you might enjoy it. Am I wrong?’
I flushed. ‘I... No.’
I’d planned nothing except spending a lazy day with Andreos. But the thought that Axios had plans, that he wanted to include us, kicked a wild little thrill into my bloodstream. A dangerous thrill. One I needed to nip in the bud sooner rather than later.
‘I was planning on heading down to the beach here, but one beach is as good as any other, I suppose.’
A sly smile tilted one corner of his lip. ‘I beg to differ. The beaches on Agistros rival the best in the world.’
My cheeky need to tease grew irresistible. ‘According to you.’
His smile widened. ‘Since I own it, my opinion is the only one that counts.’