EPILOGUE
‘READY,KARTHIAMOU?’
Alice looked up into dancing eyes. Eyes as bright as the sea, as bright as the joy she’d found with this man. A little shimmy of excitement wriggled through her. Every day with Adoni was an adventure in love.
‘Of course. So long as you promise not to drop me.’
Those wicked eyebrows rose, giving her darling husband a devilish look that always made her pulse race. ‘It would take more than a couple of steps to make me let you go, Alice.’
He drew her close to his hard chest, reminding her how very strong he was, and how easily he’d scooped her off her feet. Her thrumming pulse quickened. She loved his strength and protectiveness even if occasionally she had to battle his desire to wrap her and Sophia in cotton wool.
Alice glanced down at the pram parked just inside the open door to the home Adoni had built for them. Sophia Rose Petrakis was fast asleep. With her rosebud mouth and eyes the colour of the sea, she was more beautiful than Alice could have imagined. And she was the light of their lives. Adoni had fallen for their daughter in an instant, despite his earlier conviction they were having a boy. Seeing her husband and daughter together was one of life’s most precious gifts.
‘She’ll be fine for a few moments.’ Adoni’s deep voice soothed. ‘Long enough for me to carry my bride over the threshold.’
‘Bride? We’ve been married a year!’ But Alice laughed as he strode into the vestibule and slowly lowered her to the floor.
‘But this is the first home we’ve made together. We needed to mark the occasion.’ His meaning was clear.
‘You have sex on the brain, Mr Petrakis.’
A slow tilt of his mouth and Alice was swaying against him, wrapping her arms around him.
‘And that’s bad?’ he purred, cupping her face, his hands gently caressing her cheeks.
Emotion welled. She was so very lucky. Who’d have thought life would be so good?
‘Alice? Is something wrong?’
Instantly she shook her head then pressed her mouth to his. His kiss reminded her of everything that was right in their lives. Love and trust and a determination to work at a relationship that would last a lifetime.
They spent their time between London and Greece. Adoni had even offered to make a home on the estate where she’d once lived. But the beautiful period property had been David’s home, his dream, not hers. So Adoni had found this site looking over the coast nearby, and built a home for them here. A home that would echo with children’s laughter and give space for her painting and allow Adoni to work whenever they decided to live in England.
‘No,agape mou.’ The Greek words came easily to her now. ‘There’s nothing at all wrong. You make me so happy I sometimes can’t quite believe how lucky I am.’
‘Not lucky, Alice. Loved.’ He dipped his head to hers and kissed her with such joy and tenderness that her heart sang.
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