Loves Lost Past

The Aphrodite Affairs: Love’s Lost Past

by Kate Hofman

The Aphrodite Affairs Love’s Lost Past © 2008 by Kate Hofman All rights reserved First Edition October 2008 DCL Publications 36 Monash Street Melton South Victoria Australia 3338 www.thedarkcastlelords.com ISBN 978-1-921347-69-6

No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information and storage retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner. This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are the product of the author's imagination, and any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales, is entirely coincidental.

PUBLISHED IN AUSTRALIA

© 2008 DCL Publications

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The Aphrodite Affairs: Love’s Lost Past

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Dedication This novel is dedicated to my dear friend, Amelia Richard. and encouragement.

A small thank you for all your help

My grateful thanks, as so many times before, to Bill Freda, for depicting my hero exactly as I had imagined him.

© 2008 DCL Publications

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The Aphrodite Affairs: Love’s Lost Past

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Ocean Breeze, Florida.

Chapter 1

The only sound in the hotel room was the whispering chill of the air conditioning. Jason Thalassinos lay on his back, staring at the ceiling, wondering what on earth had possessed him to go to the Acapulco’s elegant bar in the afternoon. Letting this woman – blonde, attractive, but not Lexi – talk him into going up to her room with her. To have his libido vacuumed? Hardly. He hadn’t even been in the mood for that, but the woman – what was her name again? – had been soft-spoken and gently persuasive. That must’ve been it. Her gentleness had reminded him of Lexi, whom he had loved so desperately that summer, nine long years ago. Lexi, who had moved away without telling him, and who remained lost to him, in spite of his best efforts to find her. Suddenly aware that the woman was talking, he turned toward her. He noticed that her triangle of curls was considerably darker than her hair. As if he cared. He tried to concentrate on what she was saying. “Jase, you seem miles away. I thought, after such fabulous sex, your attention would stay here in the room with me.” Yes, he thought. Sex. That’s all it was. That’s all it ever is, now. Only with Lexi did I make love. Still, that isn’t the blonde’s fault. He smiled at her. “I’m pleased you were pleased.” “Oh, Jase, I was more than merely pleased… You’re a fabulous lover, but I’m sure you’ve heard that many times before. Jase?” He thought: If she calls me ‘Jase’ one more time… Dammit, I can’t stand this any longer. “I have to get going,” he said, rising from the bed in one fluid movement. The woman gave him a long, considering glance, taking in his dark, unusually handsome face, his tall, rangy build, the deep chest with the sprinkling of black hair outlining his muscular pecs, and forming a line to his navel and on, losing itself in the raven curls surrounding his

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The Aphrodite Affairs: Love’s Lost Past

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manhood, impressive even now, dormant. She wondered if she could entice him back to bed, because he really had been a quite exceptional lover, twice, with hardly any recovery time. “Jase, I thought we could…” she began, but Jason interrupted. “No, honey. I told you I didn’t have a lot of time. I’ve got to get home.” He realized he sounded unreasonably curt, which was unfair. His long-time unhappiness wasn’t this woman’s doing. “Well, yes, but since we’re so fantastic together, I supposed…” Then you supposed wrong, Jason thought savagely. He forced himself to smile, and speak pleasantly. “No, honey. I warned you not to expect more, remember?” He picked up his clothes from the floor, and disappeared into the bathroom. He came out after a while, his raw silk suit surprisingly immaculate, bearing in mind that it had been lying in a heap for the past hour. The Armani people had sworn this fabric wouldn’t crease or wrinkle, and they’d just been proved right. He went over to the bed, briefly touching the woman’s shoulder in a casual farewell. “Bye, honey. Have a nice life,” he said, and walked out of the room. Jason went to the Acapulco’s guest parking and found his car. Or rather, he thought uneasily, Alicia’s car. His dead wife’s car. Definitely not his sort of car at all. A dark blue, fourdoor Lexus. Come to think of it, not her sort of car, either. She had favoured what she called ‘young’ cars. Tonight, at dinner with his brother and sister-in-law, he should mention the Lexus, and ask if Lydia wanted to keep her mother’s car. He smiled wryly. What had he been thinking of when he married his sister-in-law’s mother? Out of compassion, he’d thought at the time. She had seemed so lost and unhappy, but invariably he could make her laugh. Hardly a sound reason for proposing. Still… Jason shook his head ruefully. Clearly he had no talent for marriage, although he admitted the deck had been heavily stacked against him. Alicia… Great looking woman for her age, but twenty years older than he. After three unhappy weeks of marriage, she had given him back his freedom by killing herself. ****

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The Aphrodite Affairs: Love’s Lost Past

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He arrived at the Oceanside condominium building, the most quietly luxurious in Ocean Breeze. Mike, the doorman, hurried down the steps from the entrance. “I’ll put her away for you, Sir.” Jason fished in his trouser pocket and peeled a bill off his gold money clip. He slipped it into Mike’s hand with an easy, “Thanks, Mike. I’ll be going out again in about an hour.” “Yes, Sir. If you’ll buzz me, I’ll have the car waiting for you at the door.” “Thanks, Mike.” Jason walked up the steps to the heavy glass doors that formed the entrance to the building. Mike looked after him gratefully. These Greek gentlemen, always so very generous. When Jason arrived at the third floor, he hurried into his condo, undressing on the way to his bathroom. A very long shower, he thought. Cleansing his body of the afternoon’s activity. If only it could cleanse the deep unhappiness from his mind, his heart. A forlorn hope, he knew. A good hour later, he arrived at the entrance to his brother Raphael’s estate. He had been staying with him and his sister-in-law after Alicia’s suicide. The security staff waved him through without any of the usual formalities. Raphael must have been watching for him, because when Jason drove up, the front door of the castle-like mansion was open and his brother came down the steps to welcome him. “Jason, I’m very glad to see you. You all right? We haven’t heard from you in over a week.” The brothers embraced and walked into the house. Lydia was at the entrance to the family room and came forward to give Jason a hug. He kissed her on both cheeks, and the three settled down on the two love-seats facing each other by the fireplace. “What will you drink?” Raphael asked, walking to the drinks tray. “Whatever you’re having,” Jason shrugged indifferently. His brother usually had a good wine open. “Wine for all, then.” Raphael began to pour. He handed the glasses around, saying, “Jason, when we don’t hear from you, we worry. So, tell us, how are things?” “Fine,” said Jason, grinning at his brother. He realized Raphael wanted an in-depth report, but what good would it do to bare his true feelings? None at all. And he felt more than a little embarrassed at the thought of confessing that he had begun to write. On the other hand, Raphael was unusually understanding. He couldn’t wish for a better brother. Perhaps one day

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when he was alone with Raphael… If he said anything now, they’d probably think writing was some form of therapy for him. No way. Lydia’s soft voice sounded concerned. “Jason, we realize you married my mother out of pity, but all the same, you must’ve been very upset when she committed suicide.” “Not pity, Lydia. Compassionate friendship,” Jason corrected gently. “And I agree that it wasn’t my most intelligent decision.” He shrugged and stretched his long legs out toward an ottoman. Lydia flew up from her seat beside Raphael, dragging the footrest under Jason’s feet. Surprised, he thanked her with a smile. “Your proposal was, perhaps, born out of a profound indifference to the emotional side of life?” Raphael probed gently. “You could say that.” Jason’s voice was quiet. He decided to let his hair down just a little, because he knew Raphael’s concern for him was genuine. “Nine years ago, Father forced me back to Yale within an hour of my telling him that I wanted to give up my studies, start a business and marry Lexi Dragotis. I haven’t been emotionally involved with anyone since…” Raphael interrupted, surprised. “I didn’t know that. Of course I knew you were seeing her, she lived on Kéa, right?” He turned to his wife, explaining, “My mother’s island, Iliosporos is near Kéa, which is much bigger; it has a little town of the same name. It isn’t privately owned, of course, like Mother’s island, where we used to spend the summers.” Lydia nodded her understanding. She turned again to her brother-in-law, her blue eyes showing deep concern. “Oh, Jason. This Lexi was your great love, and your father destroyed your chance of happiness?” Jason shrugged. “You’ve met father, so you won’t be surprised when I tell you that he decided Raphael and I would marry business friends’ daughters he had selected for us, marriages which would add greater glory to his conglomerate. Of course, neither of us would entertain the idea for even a nanosecond, to his impotent rage. And we refused to work for him. We started our own companies, and did very well. You see, our paternal grandfather left his fortune to Raphael and me, not to father. I suspect he still foams at the mouth when he thinks of it. But he did manage to spirit Lexi away. How else can you explain that I couldn’t find her? Once I had inherited my share of grandfather’s money, I employed a Private Investigator, but he got nowhere.”

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Raphael was clearly upset. “I thought you were just having a summer’s fling?” He was dismayed to catch a momentary expression, quickly concealed, of desperate unhappiness on his brother’s handsome face. Jason replied, his voice huskier than usual, “No, I was serious, for the first and last time in my life. I wrote to her from Yale, but my letters were returned with ‘Moved’ written across her address. The next summer, I tried to find her. Met her mother, who said her daughter had left the island. No address. I tried again, a few years back. You recall her father had a small hotel on Kéa, Raphael?” Raphael nodded. Jason continued. “I asked about Lexi, and was met with this wall of enraged silence. He had not seen his daughter for seven years, by then. It’s nine, now. He said she had gone to the mainland, and asked, suspiciously, why I wanted to know. I hastily improvised that I had met her in Athens, and she had told me she was from Kéa, so when I was on the island, I thought I’d look her up if she happened to be home, and perhaps invite her to dinner. Stony disapproval. He bit out, ‘She never comes to the island.’ I apologized and left.” Raphael’s voice was pained. “Jason, you should’ve told me. I could’ve found her for you.” “How?” said Jason, dispiritedly. “Put my security people onto it, of course. I’ll do it now if you want me to.” “Raphael, if she succeeded in disappearing nine years ago, how can you hope to find her now? No. Believe me, I checked every A. Dragotis in the Athens telephone book. Nothing. After that visit to Kéa, I gave up all hope of ever seeing her again. Nothing is to be gained by my lighting a little flame of hope now. No, I’d better remain the king of the one-night-stands, as you so wittily described me once.” “Jason,” Raphael was distressed. “I told you it was a joke, a bad one. I didn’t mean it the way it sounded. If you recall, at the time you were squiring a different model, or actress, whatever, around London every evening. You were photographed at a play, the ballet, a jazz concert, and so on.” Jason glanced at his brother, a rueful smile twisting his generous mouth. “I didn’t say the title was undeserved, Raphael. But I beg your pardon, Lydia. This must be painful for you, because at one time I escorted your mother around London.” To his surprise, Lydia shook her blonde head at him.

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“Jason, escorting Mama wasn’t your doing. I know Mama was very, very taken with you, and she must’ve worked very hard to get you to like being in her company, then getting you to propose, however ill-advised that was.” Jason nodded to Lydia, thinking again how lucky his brother was, being loved by this alluring woman. “That reminds me. Lydia, I’ve been driving your mother’s Lexus. Not at all my sort of car, you’ll agree. I thought it had probably been your Dad’s, and Alicia kept it out of piety? If you’d like it, say the word and I’ll leave it here. I’ll just get a cab back to the condo.” Lydia shook her head. “No way, Jason. By all means, trade it in on something else. I wouldn’t feel comfortable driving a car whose past two owners were dead.” “You’re sure?” Lydia smiled at him, a gentle, sisterly smile that warmed his heart for a moment. “Certain-sure.” Raphael changed the subject. “Jason, I hope you’ll be around the next three or four weeks? I’ve decided to invite the Head of my Accounting Department in Athens to come here for a vacation, and bring her son. She hasn’t had a holiday in years. In fact, I’m going to offer her the position of Head of Accounting of my conglomerate. She deserves the promotion, and I understand she’s estranged from her family. It would be great if you could be available to help us entertain her. Perhaps take her out to lunch or dinner from time to time?” Jason said suspiciously, “Is this woman some all-time dog or something, the way you’re trying to line me up as an escort?” “No, Jason, actually she’s a lovely woman, vibrant, dark.” “Well, she may not want to come on this trip. A woman so lovely probably has an attentive lover in the background.” Raphael said, decisively, “No, there isn’t. She lives only for her son.” Jason shrugged. “Well, of course I’ll be glad to help entertain her. But if she turns out to be a clingy pest, I reserve the right to plead urgent business in Australia, and disappear until she’s gone.” Raphael smiled. “That won’t happen, trust me.” Norah, the housekeeper, appeared at the entrance to the family room. “Sir, Ma’am, dinner is ready to be served.”

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“Thank you, Norah,” said Lydia. “We’ll come right away.” **** After dinner, Lydia excused herself to go to Lissa, her baby daughter. This was her way of giving the brothers a chance for more private talk. “Something to drink?” Raphael asked, moving to the drinks tray. Jason shook his head. “Nothing alcoholic, thanks. Some mineral water, perhaps?” “Good idea.” Raphael poured two Perriers. After they had sat for a while in companionable silence, Jason asked quietly, “Were you serious about thinking your security people could still find Lexi after all this time?” Raphael nodded. “I’m sure of it. Want me to try?” “Yes, please try. I won’t hold my breath, but…” “Oh, ye of little faith,” Raphael mocked. “Just you wait, little brother. Just you wait.” **** Later, that night, when Raphael and Lydia were preparing for bed, she said, “I couldn’t help sensing that this woman from Accounting you want to invite here might be this Lexi whom Jason still loves.” Raphael went to her, lowering her back zipper, lifting her silky blonde hair, and kissing her nape. “Your woman’s intuition has led you unerringly to the right conclusion. Yes, after Jason had left for Yale, Lexi phoned the house, and I took the call, fortunately. She told me she was pregnant with Jason’s child. She was all of eighteen, and desperate. Her father was something like mine, but not on such a grand scale. I went to Kéa, and arranged to take her to the mainland. Her mother may have wondered; her father was merely furious because he lost his very cheap hotel receptionist. But she wanted to study accounting, and do it while working. Lexi couldn’t possibly do that on the pittance her father occasionally paid her.” Raphael smiled somewhat grimly at the memory, and stepped out of his trousers. He stripped off his shirt and continued his story. “I had a bachelor apartment in Athens, where I settled her. Arranged doctor’s appointments, and also a tutor in Accounting, so she could study while pregnant and while the baby was still breast-fed. After that, she put the baby in daycare while she went to college to finish her studies. Graduated magna cum laude.”

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Raphael, now nude, walked to his bathroom. He asked, “Want to share my shower?” Lydia smiled, going to him. As he adjusted the spray, he continued, “I gave her a job in my Athens Accounting department, and she was so good, I soon promoted her to head the department. So… It would be natural for me to consider her now for the top accounting job, and make her the head for all my companies.” They showered quickly, drying each other as Raphael continued his tale. “Since I’ve been running my companies from here, what’s more natural than that the head of all Accounting should also work from here? I’ll give Lexi the small house on our property, and arrange some offices for her. But I won’t do that until she has agreed to accept the position.” Lydia picked up a diaphanous nightgown, only to find Raphael’s hands restraining her from putting it on. “You won’t need that,” he said confidently. She smiled. Exactly what she expected him to say. She asked, “Raphael, when will you tell Jason that you’ve had Lexi working for you all this time, and now you’re bringing her here?” Raphael shrugged somewhat uncomfortably. “Well, until this evening, when Jason let his hair down quite unusually, I had no idea that he still pined for Lexi. If I had, of course I’d have sent for her much sooner. It might have saved him a lot of heartache, and if he hadn’t married your mother, she’d have had no reason to commit suicide.” Lydia shook her head, hugging her husband, arms around his waist. “Mama was very unstable after Daddy died. Don’t you think it’s unusual for a forty-nine-year old woman to fall in love with a man twenty years younger, and practically force him into a proposal?” “You mean if she hadn’t met Jason, she’d have done something equally disastrous with someone else?” “Probably, Raphael. Anyway, do you think we could stop thinking about other people, and think about us for a change?” “My very favourite subject,” said Raphael, wrapping his wife in his arms. ****

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The following Friday, Jason invited Raphael and Lydia to dine with him at the Hilton’s Café de Paris. They enjoyed the excellent dinner Jason had devised for them with the help of Lucien, the Café’s affable, unflappable maître d’. When they reached the coffee stage, Raphael said, “Stand by for escort duties, Jason. Alexia Karras and her son are due tomorrow at the Ocean Breeze airport. They arrived today in New York around four o’clock. Greg Stephanides met their plane, and took them to a hotel to get a good night’s sleep before flying here in one of our company planes. Their ETA is about two o’clock. I thought they might enjoy lunch on board.” “Considerate of you, Raphael. A woman traveling from Athens with a young child, they must’ve been exhausted when they reached New York.” Raphael shrugged. “I was going to send one of the security men in the limo to pick them up, but Lydia…” he threw his wife a fond glance, “…feels I should go myself, a familiar face for Ms. Karras to see when she arrives.” Jason smiled at her. “That’s so you, Lydia.” He liked his sister-in-law a lot. Raphael continued, “I thought I’d give them time for a nap, then invite her to dinner. Lydia will send a babysitter-maid over to the small house where you were staying with Mamá. We’re putting them up there. Near enough to the house, yet separate. More restful than ‘staying with’ — know what I mean?” “Oh, absolutely. I loved living at that little house. Pity our sainted mother was staying there, too. The way she went on at me about getting married, and giving her grandkiddies. I just missed throwing up.” Raphael grinned appreciatively. Until the birth of their daughter, his mother had harangued him mercilessly about grandchildren, and showed signs of starting up again about wanting a grandson. “So, Jason, can you make it for dinner tomorrow evening?” Lydia asked. “Of course I can. Thank you, Lydia. I’m curious to meet this paragon with whose accounting talents Raphael is so impressed.” “I was wondering if perhaps you knew her?” Lydia asked innocently. Jason thought for a moment. “Karras… Alexia Karras.” He shook his dark head. can’t say that the name rings a bell.”

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The Aphrodite Affairs: Love’s Lost Past

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The waiter approached with fresh coffee; the two men nodded they would take a refill. Lydia pondered the wisdom of Raphael continuing to pretend that ‘Alexia Karras’ was a stranger. She’d have preferred Raphael to explain to Jason that he was going to meet the love of his youth again. She slanted an eloquent glance at her husband, who imperceptibly shook his head. On their way home, Lydia openly questioned Raphael’s plan of action. “When he sees her, he’ll be furious with you for not telling him you’ve known where Lexi was for the past nine years,” she said unhappily. “But Lee, agape mou – my love, Jason never told me that he still cared about her, or wanted to find her. He only told us a week ago, and I quickly arranged for Lexi to fly here with their son. Until then, if you had asked me, I would’ve said Jason and Lexi had a summer romance some nine years ago. I would’ve assumed both had moved on. As it happens, neither of them has. So, let’s build on that, then.” Lydia frowned. “Lexi does not realize that Jason has loved her all this time, searched for her, pined for her. She thinks of him as a predator who left her pregnant, and didn’t give a damn. Perhaps you should’ve prepared her for the way Jason feels about her?” “No way, Lee. Jason told me he still loves Lexi. I’ve waved a wand and here she is… Or will be, tonight. Let him take it from there.” Lydia frowned, but realized Raphael’s mind was made up. Well, perhaps at dinner tomorrow evening she could smoothe Jason’s path a little for him. She smiled. “What do you mean by that smile?” Raphael demanded. “Oh, the usual, palikari mou – my tall, handsome lover.” “Lee, you know there’s a forfeit to pay for calling me that,” said Raphael, very pleased with the way things were progressing. “All right, but perhaps we’d better wait until we get home? This Corniche is a convertible, in case it had slipped your mind.” “Sassy, very sassy. Just the way I like the woman of my dreams to be,” said Raphael, accelerating. **** On Saturday, after lunch, Jason telephoned his brother’s house. Lydia picked up.

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“Lydia… It’s Jason. I forgot to ask you what time you want me to come over for dinner.” “Jason, you’re family. Come any time you like after, say, five o’clock. Raphael might like to have a nap this afternoon.” “I certainly wouldn’t want to ruin his plans for your entertainment,” said Jason, grinning wickedly. “I’m relieved to hear it. And, Jason, our guest is a stunner. She’s my age, and absolutely gorgeous. Thick, raven hair in a chignon. Huge dark eyes, straight little nose, and her mouth… You’d probably call it ‘to-die-for.’ Her son is a beautiful child, very dark, about eight, I think.” “Never mind the son, tell me more about his mother,” Jason implored. “Well, she’s quiet, soft-spoken, there’s something gentle about her.” Lydia hoped these attributes would strike a chord of recognition in Jason’s heart. But he only groaned. “She sounds divine. Evidently it won’t be any hardship for me to take her to dinner whenever she’s willing to go out with me,” Jason grinned. “I’ll see you guys shortly after five.” Jason disconnected, a dreamy expression in his dark, long-lashed eyes. This sounded promising indeed. A stunning, dark-haired, dark-eyed woman, soft-spoken and gentle. He hadn’t met anyone remotely like that since he had said a slow and reluctant goodnight to Lexi nine years ago, not realizing he’d never see her again. He wondered if Raphael would really be able to have her traced. Better not count on it. But it was impossible not to feel a flicker of hope. The merest flicker, but that was more than he’d had for a very long time. He decided to have a nap, too, but once he’d shed his clothing and flung himself diagonally on his bed, supine, sleep was elusive. Jason realized he was keyed up about the woman he was going to meet at dinner tonight, which was ridiculous. Sure, Lydia said the woman was gorgeous, but women often had weird tastes where other women were concerned. The woman might be a sexless fashion-plate. On the other hand… Jason’s thoughts became more random and finally he slept. When he awoke, he was surprised to see it was four-thirty. Just enough time for a quick shower, shave, and dress with a little more care than usual. He realized he had forgotten to ask Lydia if she wanted formal dress for this dinner. After a moment’s thought, he decided to wear one of his dark Armani suits. If Raphael was

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dressed informally, it would be a cinch to remove jacket, tie, cufflinks, undo a few shirt buttons, roll up his sleeves. Jason smiled at the frisson of anticipation he couldn’t help feeling when he drove up to the mansion’s impressive entrance. Raphael was at the open door and led the way to the family room. Jason thought there was a hint of hidden excitement about his brother. He frowned, deciding he had probably imagined it. As they entered, Jason could see Lydia chatting with a woman on the opposite love-seat. All he could see of the woman was her luxuriant, ebony hair, worn in a smooth chignon. A slender shoulder and arm became visible when the woman gestured with an elegant hand. Jason was glad he had worn his favourite Armani. Lydia was in one of her slim, anklelength dresses, and the woman’s shoulder was bare, but for a thin strap, indicating formal wear. As the brothers approached, Lydia looked up and the woman turned her head. For a moment, Jason felt he might faint. The woman looked exactly like his beloved Lexi. Of course, this woman was older, more elegant. When he and Lexi had spent that magical summer together, she had been eighteen, her favourite clothing a bikini, her gently curling hair invariably untidy. All the same… Jason was unaware he had halted, his face paper white. Raphael looked at him with concern, muttering, “Jason? You look as if you’d seen a ghost.” With an effort, Jason whispered back, “I have. The ghost of Lexi.” He felt his brother’s arm around his shoulders. To the women seated by the fireplace it might look like a fraternal gesture, but Jason was grateful for Raphael’s strong arm, just then. After that initial hesitation, Jason walked slowly forward, his arms held out to Lydia, who reciprocated his hug instantly. “Jason… I’m glad you’re here. Come, and be introduced.” She took his arm, turning him around to face the woman on the other love-seat. “Alexia, this is Jason, Raphael’s brother. Jason, please meet Alexia Karras, Raphael’s head of Accounting in Greece.” When Alexia turned to Jason, he gazed at her in silence. After some moments, he found his voice. “Forgive me for staring at you.” He realized his voice shook. “You look exactly like someone I knew a long time ago.” “Hello, Jason. Please call me Alexia,” said the woman, sounding coolly polite.

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With an effort, Jason accepted the hand she offered, bringing it to his lips. When the natural fragrance of her skin reached his nostrils, he began to tremble violently. His deep voice huskier than usual, he faltered, “N-no. I’d know that scent anywhere. You’re Lexi Dragotis. I’ve searched for you for nine years, and all this time you were working for my brother?” He turned to Raphael, his voice shaking. “How could you keep this from me?” Taken aback, Raphael realized that Lydia had been right. He should have told Jason about Lexi the moment Jason admitted he had never got over her, and searched for her without success. “Jason, until very recently when you told me about searching for Lexi in vain, I didn’t know how you felt about her. I thought it had been a summer idyll, and that you’d both moved on.” His eyes never leaving Lexi’s face, Jason said, “No. I told you it was much more than that. Once you knew that, Raphael, you should’ve told me that you knew where she was. But you said nothing. How could you do that to me?” Deeply upset now, Raphael muttered, “I wanted it to be a surprise.” Distraught, Jason turned briefly to his brother. “Only for me. Lexi knows you’re my brother. When you invited her here, she knew she would meet me. But you kept her from me, even when you knew I loved her, and pined for her still.” He turned back to Lexi. “Lydia told me you have a child, a son. Tell me, is he mine?” Calmly, Lexi said, “Yes, he is your son. When you didn’t keep our next date, I was very upset. Later, I heard that you had gone back to Yale. When I realized I was pregnant, I got in touch with Raphael…” Jason interrupted her, his voice impassioned. He rested one knee on the love-seat where Lexi was seated, bending over her, determined to get through to her, to make her understand how it had been, then. “I hadn’t ‘gone back’ to Yale, ah, no. My father and his damn bodyguards strong-armed me off to Yale, when I told him I wanted to break off my studies, start a business and marry you. I did try to get in touch with you. I called your father’s hotel that evening. First and only chance I got to call you. I hoped you’d be on duty, but he answered. He said you were out, and snarled that he wanted me out of your life. I didn’t have another chance. I was shoved into my father’s

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helicopter, taken to the Athens airport and bundled aboard his plane, which flew me to New Haven.” Jason drove a hand through his hair, deeply shaken at finding Lexi so suddenly, after searching in vain for her all these years. He bit his lip. He had to continue, to tell Lexi all of it. “I wrote to you, Lexi, many times, but all my letters came back with ‘Moved’ written across the address. I called the hotel, always your father answered and slammed down the receiver when he heard my voice. The next summer, and the next, and the next, I went to Kéa to find you. One day I managed to speak to your mother. She said you had gone to the mainland, to Athens, but she had no address for you. I called every A. Dragotis in the Athens telephone book. What’s with Karras?” “It’s my mother’s maiden name. I didn’t want my father to find me.” Jason nodded, turning around to ask Raphael something, realizing he and Lydia had disappeared. Evidently they thought this was private between Jason and Lexi. Lexi said, her voice chilly, “Even so, Jason, from photos in magazines, newspapers, it was clear that you succeeded in consoling yourself with a parade of gorgeous women.” “Console myself? I was just going through the motions. Nothing mattered to me, don’t you understand that, Lexi? And, now, I want to see my son.” “Jason, how can you expect me to take you to him now? Don’t you realize what a shock it will be to him, if you suddenly turn up and tell him you’re his father? I’ve never lied to him about you. I told him I found that I was pregnant, but you were far away in America, and your brother took care of him and me by giving me a job. He’s very fond of your brother, for whom he is named, but I call him Raph.” Jason’s deep voice was implacable. “I want to see my son, now, Lexi. How could you have kept him from me all these years? If I had known, I would’ve helped you…” Lexi’s voice was almost contemptuous. “You were twenty, still at Yale. What could you have done? Your brother was twenty-six, a successful businessman in his own right, not dependent on your irascible father. And I assure you that Raph hasn’t felt the lack of a father. I’ve been father and mother to him.” Jason could have shaken her, but was careful not to do anything that might prejudice her still further against him. Striving for calm, he said, “But he’s eight. Now is the age when a father begins to have influence on his son. Take me to him now, Lexi. I want to see my son.”

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With a shrug, she acquiesced. “All right, Jason. But I want your word that you won’t terrify him by telling him, the moment you see him, that you’re his father. It’ll be my decision when Raph is ready to hear that bit of news.” Jason was not best pleased, but thought it wise to agree for the moment. “Of course I won’t terrify my son, what do you take me for? But I want you to promise me you’ll tell my son that I’m his father, at the first opportunity. I’ve missed the first eight years of his life, and he has missed having a father. I don’t want us to miss any more of our relationship.” Lexi paled on hearing these words. Just as she had feared, Jason wanted to be in his son’s life. And how could she prevent it? If Jason decided to play hardball, take her to Court over his paternal rights, the Court might well decide Raph needed his father’s influence. The Thalassinos billions would ensure that. She shrugged, defeated. “Come, then,” she said, preceding Jason out of the house. “Raphael and Lydia have given me the use of a house…” she began. Jason interrupted gently. “I know it well,” he said. “Some time ago, when my mother was visiting, I lived there with her.” When they approached the house, Jason saw a little boy playing in the shade. His heart clenched. His son. His son. Peripherally he noticed one of Lydia’s maids sitting on the steps to the back door, watching. Immediately she saw Lexi and Jason, the maid rose, nodding politely, going back into the house. The boy looked up, smiling the moment he saw his mother. “Mamá, I’ve been swimming in the pool. I swam right across…” “Raph, I told you to wait until I could take you…” “But Mamá, Elena was on the swimming team of her high school…” “Even so…” Her son, who gazed steadily at Jason, interrupted her. “Mamá, who is this?” Jason longed to say, “I’m your father.” But he remained silent, waiting for Lexi to introduce him to his son. “This is Jason Thalassinos, Raph.”

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Raph approached Jason, holding out his hand. “Like Uncle Raphael? You look like him. I’m Raph.” Jason knelt down by the boy, and shook the proffered hand. “Yes, I’m the brother of your Uncle Raphael,” he said, his voice none too steady. He longed to wrap his son in his arms and hug him, but he had promised. His son nodded. “Oh. Are you my Uncle Jason, then?” Jason shook his head. “No, I’m not your Uncle,” he said, his voice shaking. He glanced at Lexi, “I’m sorry. Tell him. Now.” Coldly furious, Lexi bit out, “If this is how you keep your word…” Jason glared at her. “I refuse to be called ‘uncle’ by my own son.” Although he spoke quietly, he sounded deeply angry. Evidently Raph had listened to the exchange with interest, for he now turned to Jason and said, “Am I really your son? That means you’re my father. Oh, Babaka – Daddy… All the time I dreamed about you, I knew you’d be exactly as you are. Oh, Mamá, I wish we had come here much sooner, and found my Daddy.” The little boy threw himself at the still kneeling Jason, putting his arms around his father’s neck with all his strength. His eyes suspiciously brilliant, Jason hugged his son with all the love he felt for him — and Lexi. When he felt his son’s lips on his cheek, he lost it. Hastily wiping his tears away, he rose to his feet, carrying his son with him, holding him in a tight embrace. He struggled for composure, finally whispering, “Oh, Raph…” “Daddy, I’m so glad I found you at last. I missed you so many times. But it’s all right now. We’re a whole family. Right, Mamá?” Jason glanced at Lexi, and mouthed, “Right?” Her face like thunder, she said reproachfully, “But Raph, you and I are a family.” “No, we weren’t,” Raph frowned, a stubborn look on his face. “All the other boys at school have a Mamá and a Daddy, except me. Until now. Daddy-Daddy-Daddy…” He hugged himself still more closely to his father. Lexi said, sounding more than a little desperate, “But Raph, you know that your father lives here, in Florida. We live in Greece. Of course we will arrange for you to see him, we’ll make up a schedule…”

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Jason interrupted. “I live also in London, England, Lexi. That’s only a few hours’ flying from Greece. But this is not an exercise for the Accounting department. This is about flesh-andblood people, my son and I. We will discuss this some more, at a later time. Right now, I want to assure you, Raph, that any time you want to see me, you have only to say so. I’ll be there as soon as your Mamá calls me and lets you talk to me. I’ll give you and her my cell phone number.” Lexi bit out, “Clever, Jason. So if you don’t come when my son asks for you, it’s my fault for not calling you?” “It will be, if you don’t call. For I am most desperately serious about this. Any time Raph wants me, I’ll fly to Greece to be with him. Please realize that, Lexi. As of now, we are a two parent family.” Furious, Lexi cried, “This isn’t fair. You left me, pregnant and terrified, and went to Yale. Your brother took care of me — and Raph. I have only your word for it that you tried to get in touch with me, searched for me…” Jason interrupted her. “I give you my word that everything I told you is the truth. If you won’t believe me, I’m not sure I want my son exposed to a woman who is so bitter and suspicious, so paranoid that she won’t take someone’s word of honour when it is given.” “What do you mean — you don’t want your son exposed?” Lexi asked, suddenly terrified. “I’m sure you’ll be able to figure it out,” said Jason tranquilly. “1o, he’s my son…” she cried, and went over to Jason, who was still holding his son. She put her hand around Raph’s arm, and tried to get him to look at her, but Raph had eyes only for his father. “And my son, too,” Jason said. “He’s a Thalassinos, the heir to my considerable fortune. Would you rob him of that for some petty gratification of your self-esteem? Lexi, have you changed so much? The girl I used to know was spontaneous, loving, caring, generous, and knew the truth when she heard it. Surely you realize that I want Raph to have everything I can give him. Everything I couldn’t give him while I didn’t know he existed.” He kept on caressing his son’s back, ruffling his hair, kissing his forehead, his cheeks. Raph reciprocated by kissing Jason’s face wherever he could reach, saying softly, “Babaka, se agapo, Babaka” – Daddy, I love you, Daddy.

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Deeply moved, Jason whispered back, “I love you, too, Raph, so very much.” Lexi returned to the attack, although it should’ve been obvious to her that she had already lost the war, never mind this battle. Her son wanted his father, and Jason wanted his son. Lexi had to realize that she hadn’t the slightest chance of separating these two by an ocean and a continent. Her nostrils flared. “From the articles I read about you in magazines, you seem to be very fickle by nature, Jason. It’s easy when you get bored with one of those international models you sleep with. What will you do when you get bored with Raph?” “How dare you compare the love I feel for my son with the indifference I feel toward a woman I’ve been asked to escort? Did all that education make you intellectually dishonest? Then, you don’t compare well with the Lexi I used to know.” Jason’s voice was impassioned, his arms tightening around his son. “I love my son. As I love you. Always have; always will. And if you weren’t so busy scoring points off me, you would admit it’s the truth. For that matter, I wonder why you never asked Raphael for my address? We were so close, that summer. Didn’t it matter enough to you to find the father of your child, if not your lover? I looked for you. Why didn’t you look for me?” Lexi threw him an angry glance. “Me? Run after you, after you left me pregnant? Never.” He noticed her voice took on an arrogant tinge. “There you go again, pandering to your stupid pride,” Jason said, very quietly, so as not to alarm Raph, whom he still held in a loving embrace. “Is that how little I meant to you? That you would save your silly pride at the expense of a chance of happiness for the three of us? “Lexi, think positive. Let us be a family. Marry me, so Raph will be my legitimate son and heir. I’m longing for the chance to make up to you for the many years when I couldn’t find you. Lexi… Please?” “Please, Mamá, Daddy asked nicely, he did say ‘please’? Please do what Daddy wants. Let us be a real family? Please, Mamá?” Lexi said, “Raph, this is something very serious, between Jason and me.” “You mean between Daddy and you,” Raph said, very upset. “That’s between me, too. The three of us are a family, not just you and Daddy, Mamá. Please, I want to be with my Daddy.”

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“Now see what you’ve done,” said Lexi with a furious glance at Jason. “For eight years, I’ve devoted my life to Raph. Then, one look at you and he wants his Daddy.” Raph interrupted his mother. With trembling lips, he said, “But we could’ve been with Daddy if you had asked Uncle Raphael where he was, Mamá. Why didn’t you?” Raph hugged his arms more tightly around his father’s neck, and began to sob heartbreakingly. Instinctively, Jason began to soothe his son with soft words, rubbing his small back, caressing the unruly black curls. “You’ve upset my son,” said Lexi. “Give him to me.” But Raph would not budge from his father’s arms. “No-o-o,” he sobbed. “I don’t want you. I want my Daddy.”

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Chapter 2

Raphael and Lydia returned hesitantly to the family room, ready to withdraw again instantly if, as they both quietly prayed, Jason and Lexi had decided to give love another chance. To their surprise, the room was empty. The housekeeper entered with a couple of platters of Greek appetizers. When Lydia raised an elegantly curved brow, Norah said, “Mr. Jason and the lady went to the other house. Mr. Jason wanted to meet his son.” “Thank you, Norah,” said Raphael. “Perhaps you had better take these platters back to the kitchen for now. We’ll let you know when we’re all back here.” Norah disappeared with a quiet “Yes, Sir.” Raphael suggested, “Shall we go find them, Lee?” Lydia nodded. When they approached the house, they saw Lexi trying to pry her son away from Jason. Raph would have none of it, he clung to his father like a limpet, sobbing, “No, no, Mamá. Please, no, I wanna stay with my Daddy…” Upset at seeing Lexi try to drag Raph out of his father’s arms, Lydia went to her saying, “Why don’t we all go sit comfortably in the family room, we can talk more quietly there.” To her surprise, Lexi said, her tone dismissive, “There’s nothing to talk about. Raph is my son, and I want Jason to stop hugging him.” Lydia lamented gently, “Don’t you think this is very hard on Raph, who has just found his father? And on Jason, who has just found his son? Could you be a little bit patient with them, Lexi?” It was clear that Lexi was most unwilling to consider Lydia’s point of view, but she was well-mannered. Her voice much calmer than when she was berating Jason, she agreed, “Perhaps you’re right, Lydia. Jason? Will you bring Raph with you, we’re going to the family room.” When they arrived there, Lexi deliberately selected one of the big chairs facing the fireplace. Evidently she wanted to make the point that she would not sit with Jason and Raph on one of the love-seats. Norah appeared as if summoned by radar, and offered the Greek appetizers Lydia had made. After she had made one round, Lydia said, “Thanks, Norah. We’ll help ourselves.”

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“At what time do you wish to have dinner served, Ma’am?” “I was thinking, about eight-thirty, Norah.” “Yes, Ma’am.” Norah left. “Lydia, may I ask what you’re planning to arrange for Raph?” Lexi asked. Lydia felt that Lexi was deliberately making an issue of Raph’s dinner, to be able to drag him off to the other house. She decided to do her best to prevent this. “Well, we thought, for this very special occasion, perhaps Raph could eat with us?” Clearly, this was not what Lexi wanted. She said, frowning, “Have my son eat with us?” “Why, yes,” Raphael answered tranquilly. “Surely when you’re at home in Greece you don’t serve Raph’s dinner separately from your own, Lexi.” “No, of course not,” said Lexi, intimidated by Raphael suddenly entering the conversation. “Well, then,” said Raphael cheerfully. “By having Raph eat with us, we achieve a whole raft of things. Raph gets to spend some more time with his just-found Daddy. Jason can be with his just-discovered son, and learn about his eating habits. You won’t have to worry about arranging a separate dinner for Raph. And Lydia and I get a chance to meet our very new nephew. Not bad?” “No, that’s true,” said Lexi, anxious not to offend Raphael. He was, after all, her employer. “It’s just that I hadn’t expected to meet Jason…” Raphael glanced at Lexi in surprise, saying calmly, “But Lexi, you knew Jason lived here in Ocean Breeze. Last time we talked, I told you he had moved in with my mother, who was living in the small house in the mansion’s grounds… Where you’re staying now, in fact. So you must’ve realized you would meet Jason again. Perhaps, subconsciously, you wanted your son to meet his father at last.” Raphael enjoyed seeing Raph cuddled up to his father. He thought he hadn’t seen Jason this happy for the longest time, and decided to do what he could to ensure Jason and his son would not again be separated by Lexi’s determination to be the only important person in her son’s life. A little bitterly, Lexi glanced at her son and Jason. She said, her voice carefully kept calm, “I’ve spent nine months waiting for Raph to be born, and the next eight years doing my

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very best for him. Then we come here, he meets his father, and I might as well be a piece of furniture for all the attention Raph pays me.” Very quietly, Jason said, “Lexi, if you were to come sit here with us on the love-seat, Raph could cuddle up to both of us, and you wouldn’t put the pressure on him of having to choose which parent he needed most to be with. He could be with both of us at the same time. Isn’t that what being a family is all about?” Incensed, Lexi shook her head and exclaimed, “But we aren’t a family. Raph and I are a family. You’ve just shown up, and now you want to be part of our family?” Jason said quietly, “But I am part of our family, by virtue of being Raph’s father.” Holding Raph against his shoulder with one arm, he rose from the love-seat and went over to Lexi. He held out his hand to her in invitation. “Lexi, please come sit with us?” She bit her lip. “Until now, ‘with us’ meant Raph, and me. Now, it means Raph, and you. And you’re very kindly inviting me to sit near my own son. How could you do this to me?” Lydia decided to give Jason some help. She said very gently, “Lexi, please take Jason’s hand, and sit with your son and his father. Whether you admit it or not, the dynamics of your life with Raph have changed irreversibly. Only you and Jason can decide what will change between you and him. But Raph has already decided that your family life has changed completely. It now includes his father. Don’t fight against it, Lexi, please. It is a battle you cannot – and should not – win. Please try to see that. By bringing Raph here and letting him meet his father, you’ve given him a great, a priceless gift. Accept Raph’s gratitude, and don’t try to take back the gift you gave him.” Lydia glanced affectionately at Lexi, hoping she was getting through to her. Lexi, looking stubborn, objected, “But it wasn’t a gift I gave freely. I was forced to introduce Jason and Raph.” Lydia shook her head. “No, Lexi. By accepting Raphael’s invitation to come here for a vacation and an important conference, you accepted Jason into Raph’s life. You’re an intelligent woman. You must’ve realized that, while visiting us, you would inevitably meet Jason. I think that, subconsciously, you’ve realized that Raph, at eight years of age, has begun to need his father’s presence, his father’s love in his life. He’s not a little boy any longer, needing only his mother’s nurturing. He needs both of you now.”

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At long last, Lexi accepted the hand Jason held stretched out to her. She rose from the chair and went over with him and Raph to the love-seat. “But I want Raph to sit between us, not wrapped in your arms alone, Jason,” she said with some asperity. Jason smiled at Lydia, mouthing a ‘thank you.’ He said gently, “But of course. Raph, ye mou – my son, come sit here between your Mamá and me.” Reluctantly, Raph let go of his father’s neck and slid down to the love-seat. He gave his father an adoring glance, wrapping his arms around his father’s elbow. In this way he managed to sit closer to Jason than to Lexi. Quietly, Raph said, “I’ll do anything you want me to, Babaka.” With some severity, Lexi said, “Only if your father asks sensible things of you, Raph. If not, you’ll do as I tell you.” Raph shrugged dispiritedly, it seemed to Jason, and said, his tone resigned, “Yes, Mamá.” Jason said quietly, “Lexi, don’t try so hard to make yourself the heavy of the piece. Raph is well brought up, I’m sure he’ll be a sensible boy, and not try to play us off against each other. That’s what worries you, isn’t it? Lexi, believe me. I would never confuse Raph by going against your wishes. Unless, of course, your decisions were not concerned with what’s best for him, but rather with what’ll keep me farthest away from him. That’ll never happen again, I vow. You might as well get used to it. I’m in Raph’s life, and I intend staying there until I die.” Trying to hold on to her temper, Lexi said frigidly, “As I said before, we’ll have to schedule regular times when you can visit.” Jason reached over and took Lexi’s hand into his own. Kissing her fingers separately, he said gently, “And as I said before, this is not an Accounting matter, agape mou – my love. It concerns flesh-and-blood people, my son and me. And believe me, there will be no ‘schedule’ for my visits.” Lexi frowned angrily, and tried to take her hand out of Jason’s grip, but he would not release it, beginning to kiss her palm and the inside of her wrist. Raphael decided to help Jason. With a friendly glance at Lexi, he said, “Lexi, I had intended raising this subject with you in a few days’ time, when you were well rested. But this may be as good a time as any to acquaint you with an offer I intend making you. “Your talents are largely wasted at the Athens office, you surely know that yourself. For some time I’ve been thinking that you deserve to be the Head of all Accounting for my companies. As I’ve mentioned in phone conferences, I am now running my business largely

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from my home; from my library and the adjacent room with the fax machines, copiers, all that stuff. Gregory Stephanides will continue to run the New York office, where he handles the things I’ve delegated to him. “If you accept, I’ll want you to set up an office here. Tell me what staff you’ll need, and we’ll hire them. If, at times, you need to visit the New York office, you will do so in a company plane. And won’t it be reassuring that you don’t have to worry about Raph? His father will look after him in your absence. “There will, of course, be a considerable increase in salary, bonuses, with the far greater responsibility, and probably harder work than you’ve had to do in Athens to stay on top of everything. “Of course I don’t expect an answer immediately, Lexi. Give it some thought, and let me know in a few days’ time. Perhaps it would help you decide if you realized that it will give your son a chance to have both his parents available to him at all times. Wouldn’t that be a good thing, Lexi?” Raphael leaned back against the love-seat’s cushions, idly picking up Lydia’s hand, kissing her fingers in exactly the same way Jason had just kissed Lexi’s. It was clear that Lexi was overcome by the magnitude of Raphael’s plans for her. Head of all Accounting for Raphael’s entire conglomerate. Of course, she would have to relocate here, move away from Greece. Well, there were no relatives to make the departure painful. Raphael seemed to have guessed her thoughts, for he said, “I forgot to mention that, at times, you’ll need to visit certain of my companies, London, Milan, Athens particularly. Again, you’ll travel in one of the company’s planes and be met at the other end by a company limousine. Your position will be second only to myself, you will be on an equal footing with Greg Stephanides, my right hand man.” Grinning, Lexi said, “Does that mean I’ll be your left hand woman?” “Ah, you jest,” said Raphael. “That’s a good thing, I always think. One should keep one’s sense of humour at all times. Well, Lexi… Will you consider my offer?” She said, looking both stricken and awed, “Raphael, how could I be anything but extremely grateful? Such a huge promotion. Living here in Florida. Will you be able to get a Green Card for me?”

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“Most assuredly, Lexi,” said Raphael. “Although, in time you may wish to consider another method of gaining residence in the U.S.” Lexi glanced at him, unsure what he meant. Jason came to her rescue. “Raphael means if you would consider not only his offer of a major promotion, but also my heartfelt offer of marriage? As my wife, you would be assured of permission to live here. It would give Raph access to both his parents at all times. And, as Mrs. Jason Thalassinos you’d carry more clout than as Ms. Alexia Karras who used to work out of the Athens office. What do you think, Lexi, agape mou?” Her first instinct was to dismiss the suggestion out of hand, then she thought again, remembering how Raph had reacted to his father, how he loved him. How Raph had told her he wasn’t a little boy any more, and needed his father. How their marriage would make Raph their legitimate son, for she had put Jason’s name on Raph’s birth certificate as his father. Thee mou. She glanced at Jason and said slowly, “I’d have to think about that for a while, Jason. Nine years can’t be wiped out so quickly with your explanation that your dreadful father spirited you away to Yale, and that all your efforts to find me were unsuccessful.” She held up her hand when she saw Jason turn to her, impassioned words on his lips. “I do believe you tried, Jason. But the pain of that long separation will have to be assuaged somehow. I don’t know how. I don’t even know if I’ll ever be able to get over that feeling of having been deserted, abandoned. Even though I now know it wasn’t your fault, and you tried to find me, as soon as you could. But I need time, Jason. Perhaps lots of time. So, maybe Raphael had better set the wheels in motion for me to acquire a Green Card. I’m sure he’ll want me to start work here very soon, and I won’t be able to make up my mind so quickly about us.” Raphael smiled at Lexi. “That sounds as if you accept my offer.” “I guess it does. Let me say I’m overcome by your exceptionally generous offer of promotion. I promise I’ll work very hard, and do my best never to let you down.” “More than that, no one can promise,” said Raphael. He turned to Lydia. “Tell me, gineka mou – my wife, do you think this calls for a celebration?” He rose to go to the telephone to summon Norah, but she appeared in her usual quiet way at the entrance to the family room. “Ah, Norah, you come at exactly the right time. Will you organize some champagne for us?” He turned to the women. “Krug okay for you?” When Lydia nodded, Lexi quickly followed suit. Raphael said to Norah, “Krug, then. Thank you.”

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Norah reappeared in record time with the champagne in a cooler, and five flutes. When she began to unwind the wire holding in the cork, Raphael said, “Never mind, Norah, I’ll do it. You’ve probably got your hands full in the kitchen.” With a quick nod, Norah disappeared. Raphael removed the cork with a discreet ‘plop’ and began to pour champagne for four, the fifth flute already containing ginger ale. “Shall we drink to the future?” Lydia asked. “Good idea,” said Raphael. Lexi nodded her agreement, but Jason said quietly, “If it’s okay with everybody, I would like to drink to my son, the greatest gift I’ve ever been given. The gift I received today from Lexi, the only woman I’ve ever loved.” Raphael noticed that the face of his usually so easygoing, laid-back brother was pale with emotion, his eyes dark pools that were impossible to read. “Right. To the gift of Raph,” said Raphael immediately, and the others nodded. Softly, Jason said, “To Lexi’s gift to me.” He touched the rim of his flute to hers. She nodded, with a private little smile for him. Her first real smile for me in nine years, he thought. Dinner that evening was, Lydia thought, even more exciting for Jason than for Raph. Lydia had made spanakopitakia, tiropetakia and dolmades ahead, to be served with the predinner drinks. She thought the spinach and feta appetizers and the stuffed vine leaves would be familiar, particularly for Raph. For this reason, she and Norah had made moussaká as the main course. She was pleased when Raph said, looking relieved, “This is like eating at home, Daddy. Oh, this is good.” Jason smiled at his son. “We’ll introduce you to American food slowly, ye mou. All this Greek food was cooked for us by the only person here without Greek blood, your Aunt Lydia.” Raph glanced at his aunt and said, “Thank you, Aunt Lydia.” She smiled at Raph, who bent to his helping of moussaká again with every indication of enjoyment. After dinner, Lexi said, “Raph, it’s past your bedtime. Come with me.” Predictably, Raph clung to his father, pleading, “Eparakalo – please, Mamá. Let me stay up a little longer to be with my Daddy? The first time I see him in eight years.” Lexi frowned, wishing not only to maintain Raph’s routine, but particularly, to curtail his time with his newfound father. It still irked her to see how easily Jason had won over his son so completely. And, for all the attention the boy paid her, she, who had devoted her life to Raph, might as well not be in the room.

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Lydia said very gently, hoping that Lexi wouldn’t be offended, “How about letting Raph fall asleep where he’s sitting now, this one time? It’s been a very big day for him, meeting his father for the first time. A phenomenon for Jason, too. Lexi… What do you think?” Unable to withstand the gentle persuasion, Lexi smiled at Lydia. “As you say, Lydia, it has been a very big day all around. Very well. Raph, you may stay here with your father and me, until you fall asleep.” “Efharisto – thank you, Mamá. And when I fall asleep, I want my Daddy to carry me to bed, please?” “Don’t push your luck, Raph,” said his mother, but there was a smile in her voice, which Raph was quick to pick up on. “Efharisto, Mamá,” he said, snuggling up to Jason anew. “Daddy?” Instantly attentive, Jason said, “Yes, ye mou, what?” “About tomorrow…” Raph began. “Tomorrow is another day,” Lexi said quickly. “Your…uh….father, probably has other plans. He can’t spend all his time with you.” “Yes, he can,” said Jason tranquilly. “You couldn’t know, Lexi, that I succeeded in establishing a very successful computer business.” “Yes, I know,” she said. “Raphael told me.” “Ah. You knew a lot about me, whereas I knew nothing about you,” Jason sighed. “Be that as it may. Well, I sold that business most profitably a while ago. I then decided I would, at last, do what I’d always wanted to do — be a writer, if I could.” “A writer?” Lexi asked, surprised. Then she caught herself. “That shouldn’t surprise me. You were always writing in journals while we were together.” Jason nodded, deeply pleased that she remembered. “So, some weeks ago, I began to write my first book. Our cousin Nick, I must’ve mentioned him that summer? Anyway, he’s a well-known writer by now. And Nick has been very helpful. Most mornings we discuss what I wrote the day before. He points out where I could be clearer, describe better in fewer words, write more tightly, and so on. So you see, I can spend my days with Raph.” “But Jason, Raph has a routine. He has to have a regular naptime.” “An eight-year-old boy?” Jason was surprised.

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He received instant support from Raph, who said, “Mamá, you know as well as I that I haven’t had afternoon naps since I’ve started going to the big school, when I was six. And that’s… uh…two years ago.” Embarrassed, Lexi said, “Of course you don’t have naps at home, when you lead a regular, ordinary life. But here, with everything new and strange to you, even your bedtime disrupted, I think an afternoon nap…” “Ohi, Mamá – No. I told you, I’m not a little boy any more. I’m a big boy, who needs to be with his Daddy more than with you, always trying to make out I’m still a baby.” Jason glanced at Lexi. “Is that true, Lexi? Are you restraining his natural growth because you prefer to deal with a little boy, who can be sent to bed early, made to have naps he doesn’t need or want? In that case, I’m so very glad I’ve found you and Raph. Because that can’t be good for our son, don’t you see?” Nettled, Lexi exclaimed, “I’m a very good mother to Raph, and don’t you dare doubt that. Of course he doesn’t have afternoon naps at home, but here…” “It hadn’t entered your mind that forcing Raph to have an afternoon nap would make it more difficult for me to spend time with my son?” Jason raised one slim, black brow to Lexi, the woman of his dreams, who seemed intent on making his dreams into a nightmare. Lydia said gently, “I’m sure you’re mistaken about that, Jason. That would be so ungenerous, mean-spirited, underhanded. I know that Lexi, the woman you’ve loved all these years, could never be like that to you. After all, she knows now that your separation was none of your doing, and in fact, you’ve diligently searched for her every chance you got. Why should she want to punish you for being Raph’s father? All she had to do was ask Raphael to let you know and you would’ve been there for her, and married her before Raph’s birth.” Lexi slanted a look at Lydia. Astonishing, how this woman managed to bare the essentially mean-spirited reason for throwing difficulties into Jason’s path every time he wanted to spend time with his son. She had better watch it, because Raphael was a whiz at picking up undercurrents, the subtlest indications. If he thought she was deliberately keeping her son from Jason, it might make Raphael think twice about putting a woman capable of such irrational meanness at the head of his entire Accounting department. And that would never do. Smiling at Lydia, she said, “You’re quite right, of course, I’d never do such a thing to Jason. I guess I’m just overprotective of Raph. It’s a trait I’ve noticed in other single mothers.

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It’s understandable, don’t you think?” Without waiting for a reply, Lexi hurried on, “But it seems I’m outvoted on the afternoon nap front. Well, so be it.” Quietly, Jason said, “You don’t have to be a single mother any longer, agape mou. I’m here now; we can share the responsibility for Raph. And I’ll be ecstatic if you’ll marry me, nine years later than I originally intended.” As he spoke, he raised a brow toward Lexi and glanced down at Raph, who had snuggled up to his father’s side and was asleep. Immediately, Lexi wanted to jump up, pick up her son and carry him to his bed. Jason quietly shook his head. “Leave him a little longer. When we’re sure he’s fast asleep I’ll carry him to his bed,” he whispered. With an effort, Lexi nodded. Jason was such an Alpha male. Always had been. But then, if she was honest with herself, she wouldn’t want to change him one iota. She smiled up at him. “Thank you, Jason. He’s getting a bit big for me to carry.” **** The next morning, Jason drove straight to the small house near Raphael’s mansion, where Lexi and Raph were staying. He was glad he had traded in the four-door Lexus on a Jaguar twodoor convertible, the twin of the metallic bronze model he kept in London, except that this new Jag was an unusual darkish red, with an ivory leather interior. He knocked politely, and after a few moments, Lexi came to the door. Jason loved her slightly disheveled look, in a halter top and shorts, her shiny ebony hair loose and unruly. He thought she was a thousand times more appealing than the elegant lady who had coolly greeted him yesterday. “Kali mera, agape mou,” Jason said in unconscious imitation of his usual ‘good morning’ greeting to Lexi, that wonderful summer so long ago. “Kali mera,” Lexi breathed, and found herself engulfed in Jason’s gentle embrace. The moment she felt his mouth on hers, nine years fell away as if they had never been. Later, she thought that if the kiss had been hard, erotic, passionate – if he had crushed her to him, with his superior strength – she might have tried to fight him off. But he began by brushing his mouth softly over hers, licking the seam of her lips until they parted, and he gently touched his tongue to hers, licking the inside of her mouth in that velvety, caressing way of his, still so familiar to her.

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When Jason tasted her sweetness, at last he allowed nine years of pent up passion free rein. Neither of them could have said how long they were so entwined, wanting only to be together again. Slowly, they became aware of Raph, persistently tugging at Jason’s trousers and his mother’s shorts. His voice puzzled, he said, “Daddy? Mamá? Why are you kissing each other? Yesterday, you…” With an enormous effort, Jason lifted his mouth from Lexi’s, taking one arm from around her, placing his hand on Raph’s unruly curls. His voice husky and unsteady, he managed to say, “Raph, ye mou, kali mera.” Raph grabbed Jason’s wrist in both his hands and said, sounding puzzled, “Daddy? Why do you kiss Mamá?” His arm still around Lexi who, to his delight, made no effort to extricate herself from his embrace, Jason said quietly, “Your Mamá and I loved each other so much that we made you. My father sent me away to school, and I lost track of your Mamá. But I never forgot her. During my vacation periods, I searched for her, but never found her. Your Uncle Raphael didn’t know I loved your Mamá, so he didn’t tell me he knew where she was, and that she and I had you.” Raph nodded, Jason’s simplified explanation satisfied him. With a big smile, he said, “And now the three of us are one family at last, right, Daddy?” Jason nodded, glancing at Lexi. “Right, Lexi?” “I guess,” she said, her tone less feisty than it had been the day before. He reminded himself to go slowly, prize the progress he was making, however small. He should remember they both had nine years of separation to make up for, and, perhaps, it had been harder on her. He knew he loved her; she loved him. He just could not find her. But Lexi must have felt deserted when she suddenly did not hear from him, found herself pregnant, gained Raphael’s help. No doubt he had told Lexi that Jason had been sent back to Yale, but perhaps he had not bothered to explain that his father had forced Jason’s departure without giving him a chance to let Lexi know. He also wondered who had intercepted his letters to her and returned them, marked ‘Moved’. Her father, probably. Just as much of a bullying tyrant as his own father, who had the advantage of being very rich and powerful.

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Jason became aware that Lexi had stepped back from him. Picking up Raph, swinging him high to delighted squeals, kissing him, he kept him sitting on his forearm, the boy’s arms wound tightly around his neck. He moved toward Lexi, his other arm stretched out toward her, but she did not step into his embrace again. He said, “I’ve come to invite you both for brunch at my condo on the beach. Would you like that, Lexi? Raph?” Lexi had regained her composure sufficiently to say calmly, “Thank you, Jason, but we had breakfast about half an hour ago.” “Mamá, I could eat again, soon. Eparakalo, Mamá? – Please? I’d love to go see where Daddy lives.” Lexi smiled at her son. “This from a young man who refused toast, because his cereal had filled him up completely. Well, on the other hand, perhaps you could eat again in an hour or so. Thank you, Jason, we’ll come with you.” Jason looked as if he had just been given an unexpected gift. “You’ll come?” he said, all his attention on Lexi. “I can’t tell you how happy that makes me. And we’ll order the brunch whenever you and Raph are ready to eat.” “But you, Jason? You haven’t had a thing to eat this morning.” “Ah, you remembered,” he said, deeply pleased. “I never ate breakfast, that summer. I was in too much of a hurry to get to you. But I had coffee, earlier. All right, let’s go. Did you bring swimwear for you and Raph? If not, we can pick up something at a department store, just a brief detour.” “Jason, we were invited for a vacation in Florida. Of course I’ve packed swimsuits.” “Good,” said Jason. “Don’t bother with towels, I’ve got stacks.” Five minutes later they were on their way. Of course, Raph wanted to sit beside his father, but Jason explained, “Raph, ye mou, you are too young to sit in the front passenger seat. If someone should ram the car, the airbag would come out, which is considered dangerous to children under twelve, I think it is. So, for this brief trip, you have to sit in the back and your Mamá will sit beside me. All right?” Although clearly disappointed, Raph said, “Yes, Daddy. But when I’m grown up enough, I’ll sit beside you, right?”

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Jason smiled at his son. “Of course, right.” He opened the passenger door, folded down the seat and let Raph climb into the back. He carefully buckled Raph’s seatbelt, positioning the seat for Lexi to sit there. He helped her buckle up and went to the driver’s side. His heart turned over, thinking that Lexi and their son were with him, going to his condo. He hoped fervently that one day Lexi would agree to make their home with him. When they entered the condo, Lexi and Raph were visibly impressed with the quiet, simple elegance. Jason took them onto the balcony, and Raph ran around its three wrap-around sides. They agreed that the east view, over the beach and the ocean, was their favourite. “That’s the view we have from the living room, my bedroom and the library,” Jason said. One of the two guest suites faces south, the other one faces west, as do the kitchen and the dining room. “I’d be happy for you to get changed in the master bedroom, Lexi. Raph can have the south facing guest suite,” Jason suggested. He gestured to the living room, inviting them to sit down prior to getting changed. Lexi shook her head. “Oh, no, Jason, I can’t possibly crowd you out of your own suite. Raph and I will share the guest suite to get changed in.” “No, Mamá. I told you, I’m not a little boy any more. I’m eight years old, and I don’t want you to put my clothes on, take them off, as if I was still in a diaper. I hate it when you try to do that.” Surprised at Raph’s vehemence, Jason asked quietly, “Lexi… Is that right? Are you still dressing and undressing Raph? I remember vividly how I hated that, once I was about six. It took me an age to put on my own clothes, take them off, but that was preferable to having my nanny or my mother do it. Now, do you see that Raph needs me around to explain such things to you, agape mou? How could you know, you’ve never been a boy, but I can remember vividly.” Lexi shrugged. “If you’re sure you can manage, Raph.” “Of course I can, Mamá. We’ve been fighting about that since I was six. Please let me be a grown up boy.” Lexi nodded to her son and sat down on an elegant sofa of pale yellow Italian leather. “It’s a lovely condo, Jason. How did you come to buy it? Because I would’ve thought you’d stay with Raphael, his estate is big enough. His own huge mansion, and the smaller house where Raph and I are now staying.”

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“Yes, that’s true,” said Jason, trying not to show the reluctance he felt in telling Lexi about inheriting the condo from Alicia, Lydia’s mother, his wife of three weeks. “I doubt if I’d have bought property here, I have a flat in the Barbican, in London. Here, I always expected to stay with Raphael and Lydia. But when I inherited this condo, I had an interior designer redo the whole place, and now it feels like home to me, more even than my flat in London, which I used to consider home, before I sold my company. “Of course, I love the beach, and the ever-changing ocean view. I love to watch the sun rise.” He wondered if he had talked past the ‘inherited’ phrase enough so that Lexi wouldn’t return to it, and ask from whom he had inherited.

Indeed, Lexi did not ask, but Raph did. “Daddy? Did somebody die and leave you this condo? They must’ve liked you a lot, Daddy.” “Yes, a relative died, Raph,” said Jason. “Let me show you to the guest suite where you can take off your clothes and put on your swim gear, all right?” “Yes, Daddy.” Raph walked happily with his father to the guest suite. When Jason returned, Lexi watched him through narrowed eyes. “Still intent on proving that I’m an inadequate parent, aren’t you?” “No, agape mou, of course not,” he assured her, seating himself beside her, taking her hand into his, soothing it between his palms, bringing it to his lips. “But Raph is growing up, he needs his father’s influence in his life, even in small things, like telling you from my own experience how boys hate their mothers to dress and undress them. Gineka mou, you’ve done a wonderful job bringing up our son. I only wish I could’ve found you, many years ago, and helped you. Oh, I know, Raphael helped enormously, seeing you through the pregnancy, having you tutored, finding a reliable daycare for Raph when you were attending classes. But I missed eight years of Raph’s life. And we missed nine years of being together. Thee mou, how I wish you had asked Raphael to let me know where you were.” Jason pressed his mouth to her palm in an impassioned kiss. Lexi glanced at the man who had been her lover so long ago, and who would, one day, be her lover again. She realized this was as inevitable as the tides of the ocean. He clearly loved her, and she knew she had never stopped loving him. All the same, she felt reluctant to commit to him again too soon. True, she knew now that their two despicable fathers had kept them apart.

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And, in a way, she had. She could have asked Raphael to let Jason know where she was, that they had a son. But, later, those photographs in magazines of Jason, looking gorgeous, escorting famous international beauties… She was determined not to make things too easy for him. Raph erupted into the room as if shot from a catapult. He was dressed in yellow Bahamas shorts, and Lexi couldn’t help thinking that he looked like a miniature of Jason. Raph launched himself at his father, climbing on his lap, his arms around his neck. With a ‘saved by the bell’ look on her expressive face, Lexi said hastily, “I had better get changed, too.” She turned toward the guest suite. With a gesture, Jason held her back. “Please use my room, it’s larger and you have a view of the ocean. Just let me pick up swim trunks for myself.” Carrying Raph easily, Jason rose and gestured to Lexi to precede him. With a quiet, “As you wish,” she walked into Jason’s bedroom. She was awed by its size, the elegance of the cream and café au lait furnishings, the huge bed, the luxury of the fireplace with its pale fur rug, the wide lounger, made for dalliance, the elegant sweep of cream Thai silk curtains. She noticed the bookcases flanking the bed, crammed with books that looked read and re-read. She thought there had always been far more depth to Jason than he cared to show people. Except herself. But she did not say anything. After setting Raph on his feet, Jason pointed to a door at the far end. “That’s the bathroom, Lexi,” he said easily. He indicated the wall to their left. “Those two doors are walkin closets.” Holding his son’s hand, Jason walked to a chest of drawers made of the beautiful pale wood that had been used for furniture throughout the condo. Taking out a string bikini, he thought for a moment, frowning, dropping it back into the drawer and taking out a pair of cotton swim trunks in the Black Watch pattern. Lexi was watching him. Now she gave him an eloquent look, agreeing, “Good choice.” Jason’s heart turned over. Suddenly he felt more confident that, one day soon, they would be together again.

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Chapter 3

By tacit agreement, Jason, Lexi and Raph began spending most of their time together. In the morning, Jason came by and breakfasted with Lexi and their son, driving them back to his condo, where they changed into swimwear. He was pleased to see Lexi taking pleasure in their trips to the beach, and watching Raph build sand castles. His housekeeper, Siobhan O’Neill, seemed to enjoy cooking lunch and dinner for them, and invariably had a special dessert for a boy’s appetite. Later, they went with Raph into the surf, enjoying his delight in facing the small breakers, always with Jason’s strong hands protecting him. Jason insisted on shielding Raph’s — and their own — skin with SPF40. Lexi protested, “But Jason, we’re Greeks. We’re used to the sun.” “Agape mou, Greece is a lot farther from the Equator than Florida. In fact, the tip of Florida very nearly touches the Tropic of Cancer. Indulge me? Let me protect your and Raph’s skin from this subtropical sun.” “All right, you’ve convinced me. Now give me that bottle so I can put some on your back, Jason.” Jason smiled, a very male smile. “I’ve a front, too, Lexi.” “Jason… Pas devant l’enfant.” “Your French accent has improved. And l’enfant is gainfully occupied building a sand castle. Moreover, I didn’t say anything unsuitable for Raph’s ears.” “Hmm.” Lexi finished rubbing Jason’s back with the SPF40. The moment her hands stopped their gentle massage, he felt bereft. “Lexi? I’ve been wondering…” Jason’s voice was drowned out by the loud engine of an ATV. He glanced up, annoyed, for All Terrain Vehicles were strictly forbidden on the beach and dunes of Ocean Breeze. Moreover, this ATV was clearly being driven by a drunk, whose passenger was drinking beer from a can, a half-empty bottle of bourbon in his other hand. The ATV veered, and came straight at them.

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Jason leapt toward Raph, hoping to scoop him up out of harm’s way, but the ATV was going far too fast. The driver either did not see Raph or was too drunk to care. He mowed Raph down and continued on his destructive way. Feeling desolate with anxiety and in a raging fury against the ATV driver, Jason lifted Raph carefully in his arms, nodding to Lexi to put down some towels. “I don’t want any sand to get into the wounds that maniac made,” said Jason in an unrecognizable voice. He grabbed his cell phone from their tote, and thumbed in 9-1-1, his other hand pressing on one of Raph’s wounds. Hastily, Lexi did the same. When a calm voice asked what his emergency was, Jason said, “Ambulance, right away. On the beach in front of the Oceanside condominium. A drunk in an ATV mowed down my son, he is bleeding a lot. We are staunching the blood as best we can with our hands.” Jason listened for a brief moment, conscious of Lexi kneeling, crying, by her son, pressing her hands on other gashes in Raph’s small body. “Thank you,” he said. “Now please give description of the ATV and its driver and passenger to the police, so that this murderous drunk hit-and-run driver can be prosecuted for the attempted murder of my son.” Jason rattled off the descriptions, and Lexi thought how incredible it was that, in the midst of his frantic anxiety for Raph, Jason had memorized all that. The ambulance drove onto the beach within minutes of the call. The two paramedics hurried over with the gurney and a backboard. This they shoved under Raph, who was deathly pale with shock. In spite of the pain he must be suffering, he did not cry at all. “Thank you, Sir, Ma’am, we’ll take over now, put pressure bandages on the poor kid’s wounds. We’ll take him to the Ocean Breeze hospital right away. Don’t worry, Sir, Ma’am, it looks worse than it probably is. But I understand how you feel.” “I want to go with my son,” said Lexi, her voice almost inaudible between sobs. “Sure, Ma’am,” said one of the paramedics. “I’ll go up to the suite, grab my wallet and drive over. I’ll bring your clothes, agape mou.” He watched his son being put into the ambulance, strong bandages in the places where his and Lexi’s hands had tried to staunch the flow of Raph’s blood. Thee mou, I beg you, let him be all right. Jason quickly collected the towels, devastated at the amount of blood on them, grabbing their tote and racing up to his suite. The elevator was too slow for him.

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He did the quickest clothing change he had ever achieved, grabbed Lexi’s and Raph’s things, made sure he had his wallet, and tore down the stairs to his car. Astonishingly, he arrived only a few minutes after the ambulance. He flew to the ER doors, to be halted by a young woman in a flowered lab coat, who said, “Are you the father of the boy they just brought in?” Distraught, Jason nodded. “Please come into my office, Sir. Your wife is there already.” The young woman led the way. “I’ll just need some details from you about insurance,” she said. Lexi opened her mouth to explain about their Greek insurance, but Jason was quicker. Taking a Gold Card out of his wallet, he said simply, “My name is Jason Thalassinos. I want my son to have a private room, nurses around the clock, consultants, anything the doctors consider helpful to him. Please charge it all to this card.” Awed, the young woman breathed, “Yes, Sir,” and turned around to make an imprint of Jason’s card. Lexi turned to Jason, clearly ready to object. But she thought better of it. “Thank you, Jason. I agree with you that my son should have everything possible done for him that will help his recovery.” Jason had noticed the slight stress on ‘my,’ and now said, his tone charming and conciliatory, “Forgive me, agape mou. I should’ve said our son.”

Lexi nodded, noticing a man

entering, evidently a doctor, with a stethoscope around his neck. “I’m Bill Reese,” he said quietly to Lexi. “Hello, Jason. Please come with me.” He took them to an office off the Emergency Room, where a medical team was still busy with Raph. Bill gestured for Lexi and Jason to be seated, and sat down on the edge of the desk, facing them. “The good news is that your son will live. It was a nasty accident, but not lifethreatening. But there has been a lot of blood loss. I’d like him to have a transfusion, the sooner the better.” “Take my blood,” Jason said immediately, his voice shaking. “No, take mine,” stammered Lexi, sounding unsteady from crying. “Do either of you know what your blood type is?” Jason said, “I’m B.” Lexi said, “Mine is A positive.”

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“Raph’s B, too. We’ll do a quick cross match to ensure as close a match as possible. Whenever possible, I prefer to have a family member give blood, but if we have to we can look for a match elsewhere. Of course, that’ll take time, and I really don’t want to wait. Jason, let me take you to the lab.” A little later, Bill Reese came over to Lexi. “Jason’s blood is a near perfect match for your son’s. We’ll prep him now, take his blood, and give your son the transfusion. When all that is done, you and your husband can see him.” “Thank you, Dr. Reese.” Lexi was too stressed to notice Bill’s assumption that she was Jason’s wife. Less than an hour later, a friendly, compassionate nurse took Lexi and Jason to Raph’s room. Raph was lying quietly, very pale, his eyes closed, a daunting array of medical equipment behind and to the side of him. Lexi began to sob anew and wanted to rush to her son’s bed. Jason held her back with gentle strength. “Don’t scare him, agape mou,” he said quietly. “Don’t let him see you cry. Please?” Lexi nodded and gratefully took the snowy handkerchief Jason slipped into her hands. She wiped her eyes and softly blew her nose. Smoothing her hair – a futile attempt, Jason was glad to see – she came up to Raph’s bed, closely followed by Jason, who held Lexi’s shoulders to lend her his strength. Slowly, she inched her own hand forward until it touched Raph’s fingers. He felt her touch and slowly lifted his long, heavy lashes — Jason’s lashes, she realized distractedly. “Mamá?” Raph’s voice was a thready whisper. His eyes slid past his mother, searching. When he saw his father standing behind his mother, he smiled. “Daddy,” he breathed. Putting one arm around Lexi, Jason moved closer to Raph’s bed and stretched out his hand to his son’s, so that the three hands were, for the moment, entwined. Raph sighed. “What happened?” he asked after a while. “An idiot on an ATV sideswiped you, ye mou,” said Jason easily. “The ambulance came quickly and took you to the Emergency Room of this hospital.” “But the nurse said you gave me your blood, Daddy?” Raph’s voice was very soft, but awed.

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“Just a little bit,” said Jason. “We both wanted to give you our blood, ye mou, but mine was the better match, so you got mine.” “Oh, Daddy… I’ve got your blood in me?” “Raph, you’ve always had my blood in you. You’re half me, and half your Mamá. And now you’ve another pint of my blood, which the doctor said you needed.” “So now I’m more yours than Mamá’s, Daddy?” Jason shook his head, smiling. Gently he said, “No, my son, that isn’t how it works. You’ll always be half me and half your Mamá.” Raph nodded, his eyelashes fluttering as if he had difficulty keeping his eyes open. But he had a very important thing to say to his mother, and made a supreme effort to stay awake for it. “Mamá… When I’m allowed to come back home again, I want us to live with Daddy in Daddy’s home. I don’t want us to be in two places any more. Mamá… If you asked Daddy nicely, he’d forgive you for not telling him about me.” He turned to Jason. “Wouldn’t you, Daddy?” His eyes suspiciously brilliant, Jason said softly, “There’s nothing to forgive, ye mou. I would be delighted and honoured if your mother would marry me. She knows that. But she’s been alone with you for a long time, you see…” Raph hastily interrupted. “But that wasn’t… your… fault, Daddy.” His eyes began to close. Quietly, Jason said, “We’ll talk about it tomorrow, when you’ve had a rest. Kali nihta, glika oneira, ye mou” – Good night, sweet dreams, son of mine. Jason bent his tall length and kissed his son’s forehead. Quickly, Lexi followed his example. There was a big, comfortable armchair in the room. Jason lifted Lexi in his arms and sat down in the chair with her on his lap. “Close your eyes, agape mou,” he whispered. “Try to get some sleep. If Raph wakes, I’ll wake you.” “But what about you, Jason?” Her voice was unusually soft. He thought that, for the first time, she looked at him again as she had all those years ago, when they were lovers on Iliosporos.

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The Aphrodite Affairs: Love’s Lost Past

by Kate Hofman

He quietly shook his head. “No use my trying to doze, agape mou. My heart is too full,” he explained gently, hugging her. **** At eight-thirty, a nurse put her head around the door of Raph’s room, saying quietly, “Mr. and Mrs. Thalassinos? I’m the night nurse. You’ll have to leave now. Please don’t worry. You can see for yourself how quietly he’s sleeping. And I promise to call you if there should be the slightest change.” Jason gently woke Lexi, still half-asleep on his lap. He smiled at the nurse, rose and carefully put Lexi on her feet. “We have to leave, agape mou,” he explained. “The nurse has promised to call us if there is the slightest change. Look, he’s fast asleep. Come, let’s go home.” Jason took a card from his wallet, scribbled a number on its back. “This is my cell phone. I always have it with me. If you need to call us, which God forbid, we’ll be here within ten minutes.” “I doubt there’ll be any necessity,” the nurse reassured, “but it’s good to have your number. Good night, Sir, Ma’am.” She stayed by the door, waiting to see them out. Jason put his arm around Lexi, walking her out of Raph’s room. Lexi nodded, trying to smile for the nurse. It occurred to Jason that the people at the hospital all assumed that Lexi was his wife, and not once had she corrected them. He wondered what that meant. Probably nothing, he cautioned himself. Lexi was so stressed out about their son, she might not even have noticed that the people at the hospital thought she was his wife. “I think you’d better stay with me at the condo, much closer to the hospital than Raphael’s place.” When Lexi glanced at him, frowning, he said tiredly, “Oh, for heaven’s sake, Lexi. I’ll give you my bedroom, and I’ll take one of the guest rooms.” When she began to protest, he added, “Please don’t fight me over every last thing. What happened to the girl who fell in happily with my suggestions, nine long years ago? Now, you seem to take issue with everything I say, on principle. Well, don’t bother. I merely want you to be very relaxed and at ease, and I know my own bed is supremely comfortable. Moreover, the sound of the surf will soothe you to sleep.”

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“I’m sorry if I seem to be fighting you, Jason. I don’t mean to. I’m grateful for what you’re doing for my son.” “Our son,” he corrected. She frowned as if annoyed with herself. “Our son, of course. It’s just that he’s been my son for so long, I…” “He could’ve been our son right from the start, if you had asked Raphael to let me know,” said Jason, tired of being made the villain of the piece. “When you said nothing, he probably assumed we’d had a brief summer romance which was over. How could he know we truly loved each other? That I wanted to marry you? He needed to be told, Lexi.” They arrived at the condo building, and Mike hurried down the steps. Jason hastily found his money clip and peeled off a fifty. “Mike, our son has had an accident. It is possible that, during the night, the hospital might call and tell us to come back. Could you put my car somewhere very accessible?” “Mr. Jason, we’ll leave it right here in front of the entrance. I’ll alert Security about the reason for this. Don’t give it a thought, Sir. The car will be here if you should need it, but I’ll pray for you to have an undisturbed night.” Mike helped Lexi from the passenger seat, smiling reassuringly. “Thanks a lot, Mike. Both for the car and the prayer,” said Jason slipping Mike the fifty. “Mr. Jason, that isn’t necessary…but thank you,” said Mike, looking after Jason with an almost affectionate glance. Such a nice guy. He deserved better than that older woman who made his life hell until she killed herself. And now this one. Beautiful, but prickly. Then Mike remembered his promise of a prayer for the little boy, and hastily muttered, “Ave Maria, gratia plena…” The old-fashioned Irish priest in the church of his youth had believed in Latin for prayers. Jason opened his front door and ushered Lexi through. ”Lexi, you haven’t had a thing to eat since breakfast. Let me remedy that.” He went to the small desk in a corner of the living room and picked up the Hilton’s catering menu. “Jason, you’ve only had a piece of toast and some coffee this morning, so you should eat something, too. But I’m not in the mood for a real meal. Where’s your kitchen? Let me see if I can whip up something simple for us.”

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Jason’s heart lifted when he heard her offering to cook something. It sounded as if they were a family. Thee mou, what would it take to get her to marry him? With an effort, he forced himself to speak calmly. “Meli mou – honey, I want you to relax. I can order something simple from the Hilton.” “Please let me cook, I’ll feel better when I’m doing something,” she insisted. Jason gave in with a graceful shrug. “All right, but let me help you. My housekeeper said she’d leave me some homemade soup. She’s a good cook, so that might do for a start?” “A bowl of soup is all I want.” Lexi began to search the shelves of the refrigerator. “Ah, here we are.” She’d found the plastic bowl with the soup, and poured the contents into the pot Jason put on the stove. “We’ll let it heat fairly slowly, it’ll taste better,” she said, turning the burner to low. “Come and sit down with me for a while?” Jason asked, taking Lexi’s hand and pulling her with him to the living room. “I should’ve thought you’d had enough of sitting down with me. I must’ve crushed you, sitting on your lap for hours.” “I could never have enough of you, you know that,” he assured her quietly. “I only meant…” she began. “I know what you meant, and you didn’t crush me, I was just so glad that you could sleep while I was holding you. Agape mou, it felt so good, holding you. Please marry me, give us a belated chance at happiness? Happiness we could’ve had nine years ago, if only you had written to me — you had my address. I told you, my letters to you all came back with ‘Moved’ on them.” He seated her on his big sofa, sitting down beside her. Taking her hand in his, he brought it to his lips, his dark eyes black as midnight. “Jason, what could you have done? You were twenty years old, dependent on your appalling father, who was determined to keep you at Yale, and us apart.” “I could’ve done quite a lot, as it happens,” said Jason trying to sound far calmer than he felt. “Three weeks after my father forced me back to Yale, I had my twenty-first birthday. Not only did this mean that I was now legally an adult, but also that I inherited my half of the three hundred million my grandfather left to Raphael and me, skipping my father, who still goes berserk when he thinks of all that money eluding him. But the Will was drawn up very carefully,

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and the reasons my grandfather gave for disinheriting my father were cogent and explicit, and would have been embarrassing if they had come to light in an inheritance fight, not to mention influencing the judge. “Honey, if only you had told me, or asked Raphael to let me know. I could’ve come back and married you, and all this unhappiness for both of us could’ve been avoided. Raph would’ve been legally my son, my heir. Agape mou?” He framed her face in both his palms. Lexi gazed into his eyes, black with passion and something else — despair? She had no time to wonder, as he bent over her covering her mouth with his in the gentlest, most loving of kisses. For once, she did not resist him, she parted her lips and kissed him back, sweet, drugging kisses, just as they had always exchanged, all those years ago. When their tongues met, impassioned recognition flared between them. Slowly, he deepened the kiss, tasting her sweetness, her unique essence. Her sexy moans showed she had found his familiar taste as well. When he finally lifted his mouth from hers, he said, sounding dazed, “Agape mou, you love me, too. I felt it. Please, please marry me, so we can be together at last?” A little desperately, she said, “Jason, please… I can’t think, make any decisions now. I’m still so upset, I thought I might lose my son…” “He’s my son, too, you know,” he said gently, and she nodded. “Yes, our son, that’s what I meant,” she whispered, her hand roaming his chest. Impatient at finding the fabric of his shirt impeding her touch, she ripped his shirt open, buttons flying in all directions. “In a hurry, are you?” he whispered, incredibly turned on. “I recall how you used to tear my shirt off me when we were in our secluded cove, all those years ago. Meli mou, se agapo – Honey, I love you. What’s to think about? What’s to decide? We’re meant to be together, be one family with our son; surely you feel that, as I do? “Lexi, you know I’m not a man to beg, but I will this once, for our sake and for the sake of our son. Please marry me as soon as Raph is well again, and can attend our wedding?” She knew Jason well enough to realize that, if she now said she did not want to marry him, he would never ask again. He would go to Court to get joint custody of their son. She knew also that Raph would choose to be more with his father, and she would end up as the parent Raph reluctantly visited because Jason insisted on it.

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She said quietly, “Of course I realize it makes sense for us to marry, nine years late, legitimize Raph…” “Lexi…” He sounded deeply hurt. “I want to marry you for love, not because it makes sense. Is that how you view our marriage? Well… Is it?” She shook her head, frowning. “No, of course not, Jason. That’s just one aspect of it. And I do believe you love me, just as I never stopped loving you. But I refused to let my feelings dictate my actions, which had to be ruled by my head, because I had a son to care for. And I must confess that all those photographs of you looking so stunningly handsome, with international models, movie stars…that hurt, Jason.” “Agape mou, I’ve told you they meant nothing to me. Often I was asked to escort those women to some charity event or other. And, believe me, I didn’t sleep with them. Oh, with an occasional one, yes, I had a brief uncommitted thing. But nothing like what you seem to imagine. Believe that my flings were few and far between.” Jason gazed at Lexi to see whether he had succeeded in convincing her. When he saw a tiny smile beginning to curl one corner of her mouth, he went on. “Honey, let me get you into bed… Oh, damn, I didn’t mean that the way it sounded. It’s just that you must be so very tired from all the anxiety and worry.” “Not as tired as you, Jason. I slept on your lap by Raph’s bed, but you stayed awake that whole long time until the nurse threw us out. But in any case, I think our soup should be warmed through by now.” Jason smiled ruefully. He had forgotten all about the soup. He said, “You stay here, I’ll dish it up,” getting to his feet quickly. “I’ll help you,” she insisted, going with him to the kitchen. As he began to dish up two bowls, she quickly set two places at the table in the breakfast nook. “It’ll be quicker if we eat here, don’t you think?” she asked. He looked up and nodded, placing the bowls on plates, and bringing them to the table. “You want bread or crackers with it?” he asked. She shook her head. For a little while, nothing was heard while they ate the soup. “That was very good,” said Lexi. “Your housekeeper must be a paragon, the way she keeps your condo looking so perfect, and she’s a great cook.”

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“She’s the widowed sister-in-law of Mike the doorman,” he explained briefly. He picked up the two bowls, taking them to the sink to run some water into them. “Siobhan will take care of the rest, tomorrow.” “Who?” asked Lexi, surprised. “My housekeeper’s name — Irish. But never mind that now. Will you please get into bed? And I insist on you taking the master bedroom.” “And where will you sleep?” “I had intended taking one of the guest suites, but on second thoughts, I’ll sleep on the sofa in the living room. You’ve been so upset, and are bound to be worried, as I am, about how Raph is doing. Anyway, I want to sleep close enough to the bedroom to hear you if you should have nightmares.” Lexi put her hand on Jason’s forearm, as he turned to show her into his bedroom. Her voice sounding hesitant and very young, she said, “Jason, wouldn’t you hear me better if we slept in the same room?” “Do you mean — in the same bed?” Jason asked, his voice shaking, his face pale with emotion. He turned back to Lexi. When he put his hands on her shoulders, he could feel her tremble. He was glad of that, because he was shaking all over. Lexi smiled up at him. “I guess I do,” she said, reaching up for a kiss. He thought, Thee mou, I can’t believe it, after all this time. With a deep sigh, he bent his head to hers, kissing her again, not the gentle, sweetly intoxicating kisses of earlier, but wild, passionate kisses meant to make her womb ache for him, as he had been aching for her for such a very long time. Aroused to the point of pain, he swept her up in his arms, walking to his bedroom, where he gently set her on her feet by his bed. “Let me help you get your dress off.” Jason pulled her closer so he could reach the back zipper and move it down. He lifted the straps on his forefingers, slowly moving them down her arms. To his great delight, the bodice of Lexi’s dress fell down to below her waist, baring her breasts to him. “Agape mou, you look just as I remembered you,” he moaned. You’re gorgeous, tempting, and all I’ve ever wanted.” His husky whisper was seductive.

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“Let me get your shirt off, Jason.” Her voice shook. “I need to see you naked…” After she stripped his shirt off, her hands flew to his belt. Jason was quicker. He ripped open his belt and undid the fastening at the top of his chinos, waiting expectantly for her to lower his zipper. When she became aware of the sheer size of him, she bit her lip, cautiously slipping her hand in front of his erection. “I wouldn’t want the zipper to harm you,” she murmured, taking it down. He quickly stepped out of his chinos. Lexi’s dress had fallen to the floor and he kicked it aside, lifting her up. They were now both down to their underwear, Lexi in a wispy black thong, Jason in a string bikini of yellow silk. “You first,” she said, slipping her hands under the sides of his bikini, realizing at the last moment that she wouldn’t be able to strip it off easily. She slid her hand in front of his massive erection again, this time with a little breathy gasp, because she felt the hot, satiny skin of his hard, heavy length against the palm of her hand. “Oh, Jason,” she moaned and, unable to break physical contact, she slipped his bikini off with her other hand. Delighted with her attentions, and deeply turned on, Jason slowly put his hands under the sides of her little thong. “Your turn.” Then they were naked in each other’s arms, and it was as if the past nine years had never been. After clinging to each other desperately for some moments, Jason threw back the light duvet so Lexi could lie down. He slid down beside her, holding out his arms. She abandoned herself to his embrace, whispering, “Jason, se agapo” – I love you. As if to confirm her words, she drifted soft little kisses on his throat, licking the hollow between his clavicles, which had been her favourite, sexy, tempting place to kiss him in the love affair of their youth. “Agape mou, please tell me you mean it? It’s what I’ve needed to hear for so long. Tell me you want to pick up where we left off, nine years ago? Be together again, be a family with our son? Please, my darling, say you’ll marry me.” “Ssssh,” she said. “So much talk. Time for showing me you love me, Jason, palikari mou.” “I will, gineka mou, I will, right now,” he whispered indistinctly against her mouth. He delighted in finding her lips parting for him the moment she felt his mouth on hers. With the tip of his tongue, he began to explore, licking his way to the inside of her mouth, finding her own

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tongue and doing a little love dance with it, curling around each other, taking profound pleasure in the velvet caresses. With a deep sigh, Jason lifted his mouth from hers, and began to kiss her in all the places he remembered she loved being kissed. Jason kissed his way down her throat to the hollow at the base, where he licked and laved before continuing slowly on his way to Lexi’s breasts. He was ecstatic when he felt her breasts fill his palms so erotically, making him remember how he used to think they were made for each other, the way they fit together. He believed it even more now, after the many years without her, the love of his life. Involuntarily, their bodies began to move with each other when his tongue began to tease one nipple, his fingertips tweaking and caressing the other. Jason licked and laved first the areola, delighting in feeling Lexi tighten her embrace passionately, melting into him, pressing her pelvis against his, writhing against his steel-hard erection, sighing his name. He smiled to himself. Although he would’ve thought it impossible, he felt himself growing harder, heavier. But then, she had always had that effect on him. He switched to her other nipple, delighted to feel her undulate against him, hear her hungry little moans. Still so incredibly responsive, he thought. Slowly, he continued his kisses down her body, all the way to her triangle of crisp, ebony curls. The moment his tongue touched the pearly clitoris, she arched her back, pleading, “Jason, please, I have to have you now. Please, now?” He was only too willing to give her all of him, because he couldn’t have held out much longer. Groaning his impatience, he knelt between her slim thighs, strong fingers caressing their insides as his tongue found its way from the clitoris to her most intimate folds. When he tasted how wet she was for him, he lifted his head, wanting to plunge deep into her. Somehow he managed to hold himself back, entering her slowly, feeling her silken tissues stretch willingly for him, as they always had. He watched her eyes mirror her ecstasy as her body welcomed him again hungrily, after all that time. He delighted in feeling her stretch to take him, then clench around him as she tried to take him deeper. He noticed they were both shaking. Suddenly needing more, needing all of her, he lifted her hips, giving her all of him. Jason waited a moment to make sure she could take his spectacular length, but that one moment was all he could give her. He found their old, favourite rhythm, with passion born of their long separation, with the flame of desire that had never stopped flickering, and was now soaring high. He felt Lexi

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respond eagerly, as she always had, arching into him and meeting his thrusts with answering movements of her pelvis. He knew their orgasm was close, so very close, and increased his tempo still more, until he heard her voice, almost on a sob, “Jason…” as her arms tightened even closer around him, her fingers digging into his skin, her most intimate muscles beginning to clench and relax around him. At the same time, he groaned out her name as he began to spill his seed deep into her in surge after rapturous surge. After what seemed forever, he quieted and waited until they both stilled. They remained entwined, just as they always had, Jason remembered. In spite of the wonderful lassitude he felt, he had just enough energy left to drop soft, loving kisses on Lexi’s hair, her face, lightly touching her mouth with his. When his heartbeat and breathing had slowed, he whispered, “Lexi, being with you again after all those years was magical. Lexi, se agapo – I love you. That’s something I’ve never said to anyone but you, because I’ve never loved anyone but you.” He gently pulled her back into his arms, and saw a little smile teasing the corner of her mouth. When Lexi made a soft sound, slipped an arm around his waist and brushed her lips against his throat, he could hardly believe what he was feeling. The next thing he knew, her hand slid from his waist to his hipbone, and beyond. Astonished, he heard her whisper, “Jason, you’ll never be able to fall asleep while you’re this aroused. Of course, I should’ve remembered…once was never enough for you. Jason?” “Only if you want me,” he said, his voice shaking. **** Much later, when they were preparing for sleep, Lexi suddenly asked, “Tell me, from whom did you inherit this condo?” Where did that come from? Jason thought despondently. Sounding far calmer than he felt, he said, “I’ve been meaning to tell you. You see, I made a stupid, quixotic gesture, and Alicia – that is, Lydia’s mother – accepted it with alacrity. I made the offer out of compassion…” “What offer?” Lexi’s eyes were stormy, her nostrils flaring. Thee mou — help me out of this. Speaking as casually as he could, he said, “Alicia was very unstable after Lydia’s father died. She decided to spend some time in London, where she and her husband had been happy

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years ago. I met her at a reception. She was a charming woman. Old enough to be my mother, but charming. We found we had much the same tastes in music, plays, books... We became friends, met for lunch, that kind of thing. “When I told her I wanted to visit my mother on Iliosporos, Alicia insisted on accompanying me. Well, she’d never been to Greece, so I agreed she could come as far as Athens. I rented a suite for her in my cousin Nick’s hotel, the Thalassinos. I thought she’d have a good time in Athens, shopping, whatever. But she quietly went berserk. She said she couldn’t bear to live on her own, she needed a husband to belong to.” With a sinking heart, Jason noticed that Lexi seemed to shrink from him. She had the duvet up to her chin, and all he could see of her was her outraged face, frowning angrily, her eyes, blazing indignation. Despondent, he decided to press on with his explanation. “I was alarmed and, yes, very stupid. I said that, if it would make her feel better, we’d get married. Of course I didn’t think she’d take me up on it; rather I hoped she’d realize she was twenty years older than I, and how silly her quest for ‘belonging to a husband’ was. But she eagerly pursued the idea of getting married, and in the end, furious with myself for ever suggesting this, I married her. After all, I hadn’t been able to find you, in spite of all my efforts, so what did it matter what I did with my life?” Jason shrugged forlornly, stretching out a hand to Lexi’s face. He continued, “You see, honey…” Dodging his caressing hand, Lexi interrupted him furiously. Her voice harsh and uneven, she almost shrieked, “You dare pretend you’ve never stopped loving me, and yet you married someone — a woman twenty years older, in fact your sister-in-law’s mother? Oh, this is too much, Jason. How could you do something so sordid?” He felt desolate at her rage, and realized there wasn’t much chance of calming her down, persuading her to overlook this ludicrous marriage, born out of his hopelessness and Alicia’s needy clinging. But he had to try. He implored, seizing her hands and holding them in a despairing grip, “Please, agape mou. Let me explain how it was — this quixotic marriage that wasn’t a marriage at all. We only slept together once, Alicia and I, at her insistence. It was not an experience either of us cared to repeat, I promise you that. The whole thing was an unqualified disaster. But, being married made her feel less anchorless. Consider it my good deed, making this insecure, unbalanced, miserably unhappy woman feel slightly better about her life.”

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He glanced at Lexi, hoping to see a spark of understanding in her eyes, but she was staring ahead, her face showing a scowl of outrage. With a feeling of bleak desolation, he continued. “Alicia wanted to return to Ocean Breeze, she had a condo here. That was this place. The furniture was severely romantic, the upholstery, curtains, wallpaper pink. I slept in the big guest room, which fortunately was plain, in blue and cream. Alicia quickly began to realize that people viewed this marriage as a mockery, if in fact they were aware we were married.” Jason frowned at the unhappy memories his tale evoked. Lexi’s expression was still one of outrage. Distressed, he went on. “She became more and more paranoid. If I went out, where was I going? When I returned, the inquisition began in earnest. Had I really been to see Raphael? Or had I been elsewhere? With a woman? And so on, ad nauseam.” Jason leaned back against his pillows, glancing unhappily at Lexi, hoping against hope that she would understand this had only happened because he had been in such black despair over her, the only woman he had ever loved. With an imperceptible shrug, he went on with his tale. “I suggested an amicable divorce, but she said people would think her ridiculous. I said that staying in this marriage was pretty ridiculous, too. I suggested a Caribbean divorce, and no one the wiser. No way. Actually, I doubt anyone outside the family knew we were married. People probably thought I was a visiting friend, or a nephew. When I voiced that view, she flew at me in a towering rage.” He shrugged negligently, devastated to see nothing but furious disdain on Lexi’s expressive face. Despairing of making her understand, he continued. “One evening, I was at Raphael and Lydia’s. Alicia called, spoke to Lydia, asked pressingly whether both Raphael and I were there. Lydia said, ‘Yes, we were, did she want to speak to either of us?’ No. Then she asked Lydia, who was a few months pregnant, to name the baby for her if it was a girl. Raphael became concerned, why would Alicia ask whether we were both there, without wanting to speak to us? And this strange request, so far ahead, to have Lydia’s baby named for her? Raphael decided to call Security here. By that time it was already too late. She had thrown herself down onto the patio tiles, dead on impact. A spectacular way of

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giving me back my freedom.” Jason glanced again at Lexi, hoping to see a spark of understanding. No such luck. He thought he might as well tell her the rest. “Lydia was extremely kind and helpful, the memorial service for her mother was held in her old married name of Willoughby, I was merely there as Lydia’s brother-in-law, not as the victim’s husband. Later, Lydia thanked me for making her mother’s last months on earth more bearable. She said her mother had been seriously unhinged for some time.” When Jason finished telling Lexi of his ill-fated mockery of a marriage, he sighed despondently, having very little hope that she would even try to understand. More likely, he thought, she would see it as a way of keeping Raph from him, perhaps going to Court to petition for sole custody, trying to depict Jason as an immoral, undesirable influence. A feeling of desolation arrowed through him. No. He could not bear to lose his son again, after having found him, eight years late. Deeply unhappy, he asked, “Lexi, please… will you try to understand? You know you’re the only woman I’ve ever loved. This idiocy with Alicia was only possible because I was so devastated at not being able to find you, realizing I’d have to live the rest of my life without you. So it mattered very little to me what I did.” Lexi glanced at him, her eyes raking him contemptuously. “Tell me, what other things have you done that mattered very little to you?” “Nothing, honey, I’ve told you.” Her nostrils flaring, she said, “Well, yes, you told me because you had to. Because I asked about the condo.” “And I could have told you I’d inherited it from a relative, which would’ve been the truth. But I decided to tell you the whole story. Lexi, please don’t wreck what we have just managed to find again: our love, our happiness at being together again.” There was a long silence. A taut, uncomfortable silence. Jason thought his heart would break, if Lexi did not relent. At last she spoke, without looking at him. “You’d better go get some sleep in your guest room, Jason. You must realize I can’t bear to be close to you after you dropped this live grenade in my lap about your being married — however weird the marriage. I’m sorry. I can’t get past it. Not now, anyway. You’ll have to give me some time. Good night, Jason.” Lexi turned her back on him, composing herself for sleep.

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1o. 1ot when we were so close to being together again. I can’t bear it. Anguish overwhelmed him. Lexi turned around and glared at him. “Get out of this bed, Jason, now. I don’t want you anywhere near me, the way I feel.” “Lexi, please. I love you. Doesn’t that count for anything?” “Right now, I don’t even believe you. Get out, Jason.” He thought that never in his life had he felt such agonizing heartache. Far worse than nine years ago, when his father had forcibly separated him from Lexi. Now, they had been so close to… A feeling of desolation slowing his movements, he got out of bed and left the room.

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Chapter 4

Jason spent a sleepless night in his big guest suite, unable to calm his mind sufficiently to get some rest. He had lost Lexi, again. At the same time, he listened anxiously for he burr of his cell phone, indicating something wrong with Raph. His mind in turmoil, he wondered again and again how Lexi could refuse to accept his explanation, preferring her own more sinister account. He shook his head, quietly disconsolate. Too restless to stay in bed, he got up, realizing he had no fresh clothing. He quietly entered the master bedroom, relieved to see that Lexi slept. He tiptoed into his walk-in, grabbing a pair of chinos, a thin shirt and some underwear. Showered, shaved and dressed, he decided to call the hospital for news of Raph. “He had a good night, Mr. Thalassinos. But right now, he’s a little upset at your not being here, well, that’s to be expected, he’s had such a traumatic experience, being run over by that dreadful ATV.” “His mother is still asleep, but I can be at the hospital in five minutes, to help calm Raph. I know it isn’t your usual visiting hour, but…” Jason could hear the understanding smile in the nurse’s voice, as she said soothingly, “I know how it is when your child is hospitalized. But Raph is in a private room, so you wouldn’t disturb any other patients. By all means, you come on over, Mr. Thalassinos. You know where to find us. Second floor, post-op.” “Yes, I do, and thank you. I’m leaving now.” Jason turned around to find his housekeeper entering the condo. In his preoccupation with Raph, he had forgotten that Siobhan was in the habit of arriving before seven, to make sure her employer had fresh, hot coffee the moment he was awake. In spite of his anxiety, he was amused at Siobhan’s astonished face when she saw Jason fully dressed. Hastily he held his fingers to his lips to prevent her usual, cheerful ‘good morning.’ “Morning, Siobhan,” he whispered. “My…uh…Raph’s mother is still asleep, she needs all the rest she can get. I’ve given her the master bedroom. I’m in the big guest room. Raph had a good night, but was upset at my not being there this morning, and the nurse suggested I come over right away.”

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His housekeeper nodded understandingly. “I’ll tell her when she wakes up, Mr. Jason. Sure you don’t want to wait for coffee?” “Quite sure, Siobhan. You know my cell phone number? You might give it to Raph’s mother when she wakes up. If she’ll call me, I’ll come back to pick her up.” Siobhan glanced at him. Quietly, she said, “I’ll be glad to drive her over, Mr. Jason. You won’t want to leave your son, I’m thinkin’?” A little self-conscious, Jason said, “Oh, Siobhan, would you? You’re the best. Thanks a lot. See you later.” He hurried out of the condo, to drive to the hospital as quickly as he dared. Once he arrived at the nurses’ station on the second floor, the nurse who had spoken to him when he telephoned came forward with a smile. “Morning, Mr. Thalassinos. Raph is going to be so pleased to see you.” She took Jason to his son’s room. Sticking her head around the door, she said, “Raph?” “I want my Daddy,” Jason heard Raph say tearfully. “Daddy’s right here,” said Jason, walking into the room with a grateful glance for the nurse, who withdrew smiling. Usually kids asked for their mothers, but this boy… But then, she’d never seen a father as loving and devoted as Mr. Thalassinos. When he felt his father’s arms around him, Raph began to feel better. “Daddy, I knew you’d come. I had a good sleep, the nurse said, and she thinks I’m improved, she said. So maybe I can go home with you?” Jason very carefully hugged his son, anxious not to cause the small, bruised body any more pain. But Raph hugged himself as tightly as he could to his father, sighing with happiness, “Oh, Daddy, I missed you, even when I was asleep.” Jason bit his lip, hoping the tears in his eyes wouldn’t spill over. Somewhat to his own surprise, he thought that Raph’s love for him made up even for Lexi’s hostility. He sighed and kissed his son. Raph kissed him back, smiling blissfully at his father, in whose arms he felt so happy, so safe. He quietly fell asleep. Jason stayed very still, aware that sleep was the best thing for his son. How he loved him, and treasured this time alone with him, without Lexi’s constant interference, insisting on rules, which he suspected she created to keep him and his son as far apart as she dared without arousing Raphael’s indignation at her treatment of his brother. He smiled quietly to himself.

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He’d have no hesitation in asking for Raphael’s help when it came to becoming Raph’s legitimate, legal, lawful father. You don’t hold all the cards by any means, Alexia, he thought, and was surprised at himself for thinking of her as ‘Alexia.’ Had she driven him that far, last night, with her sniping, her unwillingness to listen with her heart, and barely listening with her ears? Had she, in fact, succeeded in damaging his love for her? No matter. He would marry her anyway, for Raph’s sake. And if she refused, she would find that their marriage was a non-negotiable condition to her major promotion in Raphael’s conglomerate. Strange, he mused, after nine years of pining for her, after their ecstatic reunion of last night, right now he was determined to marry her for only one reason: to be Raph’s father legally. He thought a little grimly that, even if she agreed to marry him, she would probably insist on a marriage in name only, just to punish him for having married poor Alicia. And that, Alexia, won’t be anything like the punishment you fondly imagine it to be. If I have to marry you to get my son, that’s what I’ll do. He glanced down lovingly at Raph’s face, ecstatic even in sleep, relaxed at last because he was sleeping in his father’s arms. He wondered if Lexi had woken up yet, and hoped that Siobhan would insist on slowly serving an elaborate breakfast. Anything to keep her away from here a little longer. **** In fact, Lexi woke up just then, listened to the silence in the condo, and decided to find Jason. The more she thought about it, the more she was convinced that she had not won their skirmish during the night. She realized, uneasily, that she had come across as a bit of a shrew, and Jason had been so quiet, trying to get them back on a more even keel. Back to the way they were… She got out of bed, deciding to investigate Jason’s walk-in and quickly finding a robe. She felt a lot better when she tightened the belt around her small waist. Taking a deep breath, she left the bedroom. Siobhan had unobtrusively been keeping watch. She came forward quickly. “Good morning, Ma’am. Mr. Jason said to be sure you got a decent breakfast in you, because all you had last night was a cup of my soup. Will you have some coffee?” “Yes, thank you. Where is Jason?”

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The Aphrodite Affairs: Love’s Lost Past

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“When he called the hospital, it must’ve been around six, to find out how his son was, they said he had slept well, but was asking for his Daddy. Of course Mr. Jason said he’d come over straight away. He said after you’d eaten, I was to drive you to the hospital, if you wished.” “Of course I wish,” said Lexi, feeling somehow at a disadvantage. “You have a car? Jason must pay you very well.” “Yes, he does, Ma’am. But I don’t have a car of my own. Mr. Jason lets me use his Corvette when I need to.” “His Corvette? He has a Jaguar.” “Yes, Ma’am. The Corvette had been on order for some time, and was delivered after he bought the Jag, which is his favourite. What may I serve you for breakfast, Ma’am?” “Oh, just some toast, thank you.” “Mr. Jason won’t like that, Ma’am. How about some scrambled eggs to go with the toast? I always think eggs seem to stay with you for a good long time. You’ll probably be at the hospital the best part of the day. You may not get much more than a stale sandwich to eat there. Well, Ma’am?” “All right, Siobhan… Am I pronouncing that correctly, Shuvvawn?” And as Siobhan nodded, she went on, “I agree, scrambled eggs. Thank you.” “If you’d like to get showered and dressed, I’ll have your breakfast ready by time you’re done. Would you like to take a second cup of coffee with you?” “Yes, thank you.” When she stepped under the shower, Lexi felt decidedly uncomfortable about Jason, and the way she had fought with him. Damn. When he proposed, she thought how wonderfully simple her life would suddenly be as Mrs. Jason Thalassinos. Married to the father of her son. Quite apart from the fact that he was Jason, the love of her life. But she felt he needed to be punished for that idiotic, quixotic mockery of a marriage to Lydia’s mother…for crying out loud. Just thinking about it made her angry all over again. **** Jason had been sitting in the big chair beside Raph’s bed for a couple of hours with his son asleep in his arms, when Lexi’s irritated voice startled him, waking Raph. Jason hastily soothed him with a whispered, “Go back to sleep, it’s your Mamá. She’s mad at me, not at you, ye mou.”

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The Aphrodite Affairs: Love’s Lost Past

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Lexi’s usually soft voice was raised several notches. “Jason, how dare you breach hospital rules. Just because your name is Thalassinos you think you can do anything that pleases you, don’t you? Why don’t you leave Raph’s care and treatment to the hospital staff?” The nurse, who had earlier shown such sympathy and understanding toward Jason, interrupted Lexi’s furious tirade. “I beg your pardon, Mrs. Thalassinos, but your husband did not force his way into his son’s bedroom. When he telephoned for information how Raph was, I told him he had slept through the night, but was now unhappy and fretful because he wanted his father. Mr. Thalassinos asked if hospital rules allowed him to visit, and I said by all means to come over. Raph is in a private room, no one else would be disturbed, and it would greatly help the poor little boy.” The nurse warmed to her subject. “You talk of Raph’s treatment. We’re all convinced that the best treatment for Raph is his father’s love, his father’s presence. Moreover, we all have a very special place in our hearts for Mr. Raphael and Mr. Jason, because of what they did for us — for the hospital, I mean. They gave us the money to finish building the cancer treatment wing. Work had stopped, about a year ago, because there was no way we could fundraise the ten million dollars needed to finish it, buy the expensive equipment. When they heard that, they each gave five million dollars. And you wonder why I wanted to do a very small favour for Mr. Jason and his son?” Jason grinned to himself. It had not escaped him that Lexi let the nurse continue to think she was Mrs. Thalassinos, as she had the day before. Later, he would give some thought to the implications. Evidently she was willing to marry him after all. Perhaps what he had said earlier had made her think. As his wife, she would carry a lot more clout in her new position than if she remained Ms. Karras, single mother. Ah, yes. He smiled at the nurse saying calmly, “You will forgive Raph’s mother. She is the head of Accounting for my brother’s conglomerate, and rules are very dear to her.” “But that’s appalling,” the nurse exclaimed, with a dismayed look at Lexi, who had long begun to regret her intemperate outburst, which was caused by her confused feelings for Jason, not by him sitting there holding Raph in his arms. Although… It was kind of upsetting, the way Raph loved his father, and seemed merely to put up with her, his mother. Had she been too insistent on rules for her son, and was he now happy to escape from them? It would seem so.

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There was a small flurry of activity at the nurses’ desk, and moments later Jason heard ‘his’ nurse say in a quite different tone, “Good morning, Doctor. Raph was very upset and restless once he woke up, asking urgently for his father, so when Mr. Thalassinos called to see how his son was, I said it would be all right for him to come over to help soothe him. And look at Raph now.” Bill Reese came closer. “Good thinking, nurse. I often think hospitals should allow parents to stay with the child, or at least the parent chosen by the child. Well, let me have a look at Raph right now.” He nodded, “Morning, Jason. Trying to do me out of a job, are you? Would you mind putting Raph back on his bed so I can examine him? Thanks.” “Morning, Bill,” said Jason easily. “I sure hope to do you out of this job as soon as possible, because more than anything I want my son to be well again.” He walked over to the hospital bed, and stretched Raph out on it with loving care, stepping back reluctantly. This was not lost on Bill, who said gently, “I know how you feel, believe me. I don’t even want to think about my own little Adam lying there.” Lexi thought it was high time that she was acknowledged. Her voice cool, she said, “Good morning, Doctor. How is my son doing?” Bill, who had the stethoscope in his ears, did not hear her. “Big breath now, Raph,” he said. “Good. Now, another big breath. That’s very good. Now, one more time. There. All done.” “Doctor?” said Lexi, perturbed at being ignored. By now, Bill had the stethoscope out of his ears, and he turned to her in surprise. Jason said, “Please forgive Lexi’s understandable anxiety, Bill. She’s only just arrived. I let her sleep, because she had a very disturbed night. And I suspect she’s a little annoyed with me for having called the hospital at six to find out how Raph was…” “But that’s most understandable, Jason,” said Bill pleasantly. He now turned to Lexi and said, “Mrs. Thalassinos, Raph is doing very well, with a pint of his father’s blood in him…” Lexi interrupted him, bristling, “I was willing to give him my blood, but…” Bill held up his hand and said gently, “It isn’t a competition, Mrs. Thalassinos. It’s a matter of doing what is best for Raph, and his father’s blood was an excellent match for him.

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Raph is young enough to get quickly over his bruises and scrapes, and the sutured wounds are clean. But even so I’d like to keep him here a few more days.” He was interrupted by a loud groan from Raph. “A few more days? Oh, no. Please, Daddy, I want to be with you.” Bill Reese made a quick decision. After all, his small patient was obviously a lot calmer with his father present. He said, grinning at the little boy, “And so you shall, Raph. I’ll have a second bed brought in here, where your Daddy can sleep. Would you like that?” He smiled at the little boy’s blissful expression, his whispered, “Oh, yes, Doctor Bill. Please let my Daddy stay with me. Doctor Bill? I’d like to sit on my Daddy’s lap again. Will you let me?” “Most definitely,” said Bill. He lifted the little boy gently, walking over to where Jason had sat down again, placing Raph in his father’s arms. Raph’s arms went around his father’s neck. “Thank you, Doctor Bill,” he mumbled, his face against his father’s shirt. Jason’s eyes were unusually brilliant. “Thanks, Bill,” he whispered. After a while, the friendly nurse, whose name showed on her tag as ‘A. Atkins, R.N.’, came over to Jason with a cup of coffee and some toast. “Seems to me you’ve had no breakfast at all, Mr. Thalassinos,” she said quietly, in case Raph was dozing. “Thank you, Nurse Atkins,” Jason whispered gratefully, taking a big sip of the coffee, which he found excellent. Noticing his surprise, Nurse Atkins grinned. “This isn’t the weak slop the main kitchen dishes out, no Sir. We make it in our own little kitchen. I think I’d better order lunch for you and Mrs. Thalassinos, hadn’t I?” Jason nodded appreciatively. “Thanks again, that would be very kind. I’ll be glad to pay for our lunches.” Nurse Atkins shook her head. “When you and your brother gave us the money to finish the Cancer Wing, you earned the right to eat here any time you feel like it,” she said firmly. Jason noticed that she had not offered coffee to Lexi, who was seated in the other chair in Raph’s room, at right angles to where he was sprawled with Raph in his arms. If Lexi noticed the preferential treatment given Jason, she said nothing. Gazing quietly at father and son, she said, “I’ll take Raph for a while, Jason, give you a chance to stretch your legs.”

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The Aphrodite Affairs: Love’s Lost Past

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Instantly, Raph woke up out of his fitful doze. Very upset, he cried, “No, Mamá, you’re always trying to take me away from my Daddy. I don’t want to be with you. I want to be with my Daddy.” Jason gently hushed his son, murmuring, “Raph, honey, your Mamá loves you just as much as I do, and she wants to cuddle you for a little while. Tell you what, while you’re on your mother’s lap, I’ll go down to the gift shop and see if they have any board games or toys for you, hmm?” “No, Daddy, I don’t want toys, I want you.” Raph’s tearful anxiety at the thought of being separated from his father was upsetting to see. He wound his arms more tightly around his father’s neck, hiding his face against his throat. Lexi shook her head and let her arms fall back, discouraged, defeated. Her son didn’t want her. He wanted only his Daddy. “Very well,” she said, trying for calm. “You tell me when you need to get up for a while, Jason, then I’ll take my son for a while.” “Our son,” Jason corrected quietly. “Our son,” Lexi agreed, hoping she sounded amenable to Jason. After lunch, Raphael and Lydia came to visit Raph. Lydia brought grapes, and Raphael had found some board games suitable for a bright eight-year-old. “Thank you, Uncle Raphael, Aunt Lydia. I love grapes, and these games are neat. And Dr. Bill said that my Daddy can sleep in my room for as long as I have to stay here.” Raphael glanced up, surprised. “You wanted your Daddy, Raph?” His face blissful, Raph said only, “Oh, yes, Uncle Raphael.” Lydia smiled at Lexi. “Isn’t it wonderful how Raph has bonded with his father so quickly. And I’ve never seen Jason so happy. Mind you, this is probably in no small measure due to his having found you again, but I think he was ecstatic to learn he had a son. “Lexi, don’t you wish you had asked Raphael to let Jason know you were pregnant with his child? You could’ve been blissfully happy the past nine years, instead of you having to try being father and mother at the same time. I know how hard it is being a mother. But when Lissa becomes a little difficult, I ask Raphael to help, and he invariably gets her to behave herself in a nanosecond. It must’ve been so tough for you, being on your own. And it wasn’t necessary, right?” Lydia glanced at Lexi, her eyes compassionate.

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Lexi nodded at Lydia. “You’re right. But of course, hindsight is far easier than dealing with things at the time. You see, I didn’t know that Jason’s father had forced him to return to Yale without giving him a chance to let me know. I thought Jason had walked away from me, and that our summer together had been… Anyway, that’s water under the bridge.” Raphael leaned over to Lexi and Lydia. He observed quietly, “I was thinking, Lexi, that perhaps a very quiet wedding might be a good thing for you two? It seems that most people assume you’re Jason’s wife, so why draw attention to the status quo with an elaborate wedding? But if that’s what you want, by all means. I was thinking mainly of the business implications for you, once you are Alexia Thalassinos, Jason’s wife, in charge of my top Accounting department.” Lexi said, a little unhappily, “You’re absolutely right, Raphael. Of course, my own main reason for marrying Jason, apart from the obvious one, would be to legitimize our son. But I’m afraid that may not be so easily achieved now. Last night, he told me about the – forgive me for saying this, Lydia – the very unusual marriage to your mother. I don’t mind admitting that I was terribly upset with Jason over this, and we didn’t part on the best of terms when we went to sleep. I doubt that Jason would propose again.” Lexi glanced from Lydia to Raphael with a dispirited little shrug. Raphael smiled. “I’ll have a chat with Jason as soon as he relinquishes his hold on his son. I promise you, everything will be all right.” He nodded reassuringly to Lexi, who wished she could share Raphael’s optimism. Jason had been cool and formal with her, ever since she arrived at Raph’s bedside.

Half an hour later, Raph fell asleep. Jason tiptoed over to the bed,

gently placing his son on it. He raised a brow to Lexi. “You want to hold his hand while I uh…stretch my legs?” “And hurry to the bathroom,” Lexi quipped, but there was no answering smile from Jason. A little later, she heard the two baritone voices, so alike and yet so different, in a long, quiet conversation, just outside Raph’s door. She wished she knew what Raphael and Jason were talking about, and whether Raphael had broached the subject of their getting married. Apparently Raphael had, because Jason returned to Raph’s room and spoke to her quietly, his dark eyes unfathomable, face inscrutable. “Lexi, I understand from Raphael that you would like to legitimize our son by marrying me? If that is so, Raphael will arrange it all for a week from today. By that time, Raph should

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be out of here, and in good enough shape to attend the brief wedding ceremony. Have you any preference? Judge’s chambers, or Raphael could fly in our cousin Damian — Father Damian, that is, a priest of the Greek Orthodox Church, if you prefer a religious ceremony. It does not matter to me; the choice is yours.” Lexi was dismayed by the formality of Jason’s words, his evident indifference to the wedding. All he wanted was to leave it all to Raphael, apparently. Her voice was sharpened a little by disappointment. “I’m as indifferent as you are to the sort of wedding we’ll have to legitimize our son. Perhaps Judge’s chambers would be simpler, save Raphael flying in your cousin.” Jason nodded. “Good point. I’ll ask Raphael to speak to Marcella Mellis, then. She’s Lydia’s best friend and one helluva lawyer. Ever since Lydia and Raphael got married, Marcella has been acting for the entire Thalassinos clan. Raphael says she’s acquainted with a Judge who will be pleased to free a brief period on his busy calendar to marry us. If you’ll excuse me, I’ll go tell Raphael.” Jason nodded courteously to Lexi, and was on the point of leaving the room, when Lexi said, “Just a moment, Jason. Of course I’m willing to marry you and so legitimize our son. But it’ll take me a while to feel toward you what I’ve always felt. You may find it bizarre, but I’m still very upset about your mockery of a marriage to Lydia’s mother. It’ll take me a while to get over that. Until then, it will have to be a marriage in name only, Jason. Please understand.” Jason nodded, his face totally without expression, the dark eyes hidden by his long, thick lashes. His voice was cool and contemptuous. “Of course, if that is your wish. All I want from this marriage is my son; legitimately mine. Your virtue will be quite safe within the bonds of our marriage, Alexia.” Jason nodded again, walking out of Raph’s room, leaving Lexi worried and unhappy. He had called her ‘Alexia…’ She wondered why on earth she had made that stupid proviso of a marriage in name, when they had been lovers for a whole summer nine years ago. When they had been reunited ecstatically last night. When she loved being with Jason. Well, she said she had to get over his marriage to Alicia, so she could, fairly soon, say that she had got over that, and was willing to live with him as his wife. If he wanted to live with her as her husband. Oh, why did I have to grandstand, have the last word? Try to have the upper hand?

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With a despondent sigh, Lexi glanced at her son, sleeping peacefully; believing mistakenly that the hand holding his was his Daddy’s. **** Three days later, Raph was allowed to go home. Jason settled him carefully in the back seat of the Jaguar, wrapped in a thick comforter to minimize the pressure of the seatbelt on his still sore little body. He said softly, “We’ll soon be home, ye mou.” With impersonal courtesy he settled Lexi on the seat beside him, and drove quickly away from the hospital. When Jason turned into the road leading to his condo, Lexi objected, “Jason, you’re going the wrong way. Raph and I are going home to Raphael’s house.” The moment Raph heard this, he began to sob heartbreakingly. “No, Mamá, no. I want my Daddy. Be with my Daddy. Please, Mamá, don’t take me away from Daddy. Please…” Frowning, Lexi turned to her son and said, “Stop your crying, now. You’ll do as I tell you.” Raph’s sobs were deeply disturbing to Jason, who quickly turned into a side street, stopping the car and unbuckling Raph’s seatbelt. He lifted his son from the back seat holding him in his arms, soothing him with soft endearments, gently stroking his hair, his back, careful not to hurt healing bruises, sutured wounds. Jason turned to Lexi. His voice glacial, his handsome face disdainful, he bit out, “If you wish to go to the house Raphael has put at your disposal, I’m certainly willing to drive you there. But I won’t let you take Raph with you. It can’t be good for him to be upset so severely just because you’re a control freak, obsessed with power, intent on forcing your will on everybody around you. Get used to it, Alexia. Raph is as much my son as yours, and since you stole his first eight years from me, I fully intend to take care of him from now on. If you’re going to marry me in four days’ time, then we will both enjoy our son. If not, I will fight you in Court for him. And make no mistake, I’ll win.” “I’m his mother, I’ve taken care of him ever since he was born…” “So you did, carefully omitting to tell me that I had a son, making sure I wouldn’t know about Raph. How do you think that’ll look in Court? You’ll come across as vicious and vindictive. And these days, Judges listen more to the child’s own wishes. You’re about fifty years behind the times, if you think Judges automatically prefer the mother as primary caregiver.

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And the roles are reversed in this case. You have the power job that takes you away for weeks on end. I’m a writer, always at home, and able to spend all my time with Raph. “You’re coldly ambitious, and desperately want this top job in Raphael’s conglomerate. I assure you that you’ll only get it if Raph remains with me — or with us, if you decide to marry me. Make up your mind, Alexia. I don’t care either way. Realize that this is a battle that shouldn’t be fought, but if you decide to fight, you cannot, and will not win. Making a small boy miserable so that you can force your will on him? Thee mou! You disgust me.” Lexi sat as if turned to stone in her seat, her beautiful mouth agape. At last she managed to say, “A control freak? Is that how I seem to you? Well, I’ve had to be in control, a single mother…” Jason interrupted her disdainfully. “You didn’t have to be a single mother, Alexia. You could’ve asked Raphael to let me know you were pregnant, or you could’ve asked him to tell me later, after you had given birth to our son. In fact, you didn’t need Raphael to contact me. You had access to his address book, and knew exactly where I lived. You could’ve telephoned me, written me. But you didn’t do that, did you? For eight long years, you didn’t do that. “Did you get a kick out of playing the victim, Alexia? Abandoned, pregnant by her rich lover? So Raphael would feel responsible, look after you, provide a luxury apartment, a tutor, and pay for your university fees. Another of your power plays. No matter. Play-time’s over. Payback time is now. Please decide where you want to stay.” All the time Jason had quietly given voice to his contempt for Lexi, he had kept kissing his son’s temple, stroking him gently, reassuringly. He went on, “I need hardly add, Alexia, that you’re welcome to join my son and me at the condo, and before you make some asinine remark concerning your virtue, let me assure you that I wouldn’t dream of touching you with a ten-foot pole. You are welcome to my master suite, because Raph and I will sleep in my main guest suite, which has two queen size beds. I think Raph has had more excitement than he needs right now, so I propose driving home this minute. If you wish to stay at Raphael’s, I will ask Siobhan to drive you there, or I can phone Raphael and ask him to send his limo to pick you up. “You will not upset our son by forcing him to stay with you when he does not want to. Is that finally understood?”

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Astonished, Lexi could only stare at Jason. Jason, who had never raised his voice to her — and he hadn’t raised his voice this time. But the things he said to her in that quiet, contemptuous, uninflected voice… Angry, hurt, she spat, “If it weren’t for my wish to legitimize Raph’s position as a Thalassinos…” Jason disdainfully interrupted her. “And if you weren’t so keen on the Thalassinos name for yourself to consolidate your position in Raphael’s conglomerate firmly— Let’s at least be candid about your agenda, Alexia. You’re not marrying me for Raph’s sake, but for your own.” “I haven’t done badly as Ms. Karras,” Lexi scorned angrily. “In Athens, under Raphael’s protection, in one of his smaller firms, sure, you did all right. Have you any idea what you’ll be up against as Raphael’s top accountant? Of course you have. And that’s why you’re willing to marry me, to have my name to prop you up in your new position. “Frankly, my dear Alexia – to paraphrase Rhett Butler – I don’t give a damn. All I want is for my son to have the legal right to the surname of Thalassinos. And that seems to be the only point on which we are in agreement. But it’s an important point. Now, have you decided where you want to stay?” Jason’s face was dark in its scathing contempt. Lexi sighed. “As long as it’s understood that I sleep by myself in the master suite, all right, I’ll go with you. But the day before our wedding, I want to go back to Raphael’s to stay.” Contemptuously, Jason replied, “You go stay wherever you want, but you will not take Raph with you. He stays with me. It’s unconscionable that you should upset him so terribly just so you can feed your control freak needs and force your spiteful rules on him. On the day of our wedding, I will bring Raph with me to the Judge’s chambers.” In a totally different tone of voice, he turned to his son. “Let me put you back in your seat, pedi mou” – my little one. He busied himself with comforter and seatbelt, ruffling Raph’s hair. “We’ll soon be home, ye mou. Why don’t you start thinking about what you’d like for a treat? Ice cream? Cheesecake? Chocolate mousse? Hmm? I’ve asked Siobhan to cook a special dinner for us, and she said you’ll get to choose.” “Is that the nice lady who keeps house for you, Daddy? I never knew her name. Did you say it was Shuvv … uh?”

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“It’s pronounced Shuvvawn, but you call her Mrs. O’Neill,” Jason said easily. Lexi saw a chance to score off Jason, and hastily seized it. “Jason, I don’t see any reason why Raph should be so excessively polite to your housekeeper. She’s just a servant.” Jason glanced at Lexi with distaste. “That’s a vulgar attitude, Alexia. Mrs. O’Neill is an employee. I don’t have ‘servants.’ Please remember that. If you were planning to teach Raph to be rude to employees, then I’m glad I found him just in time to prevent that. A Thalassinos doesn’t behave so shabbily.” Lexi threw him a fulminating look, but she said nothing. About to drive away, he turned to his son. “Raph, do you remember what I told you about my housekeeper? What you should call her?” “Yes, Daddy. Mrs. O’Neill. And it is vulgar to look down on people, and call them servants.” “Exactly. Let’s hope your Mamá has learned that lesson equally well.” Jason quickly drove back to the main road, arriving at the condo building a few minutes later. Mike the doorman flew down the steps, opening Lexi’s door for her with a polite, “Good afternoon, Ma’am.” Jason noticed that she merely nodded, not returning Mike’s greeting. He pressed his sculpted lips together in annoyance, thinking he’d have to teach her not to be such a crashing snob. He wondered where she had learned that. She used to be so different, naturally courteous, all those years ago. Mike closed the passenger door and said to Jason, “I see you’ve brought the young gentleman home. My prayers for him were answered, I’m glad to see, Sir.” Excited, Raph asked, “Did you really pray for me, Mike?” “I surely did, young sir.” Mike smiled at the little boy, who could hardly wait for his father to undo the seatbelt. “My name is Raph,” he said shyly to Mike. “Then it’ll be my pleasure to call you Raph,” said Mike, adding, “Mr. Jason, don’t bother with the car, I’ll put her away for you.” “Thanks, Mike, that’s helpful. I want to get Raph resting up quickly. Oh, I nearly forgot, there’s some of Raph’s stuff in the trunk.” Jason dug in his trouser pocket, peeling a bill off his money clip.

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“Thank you very much, Sir. Much appreciated. I’ll bring Raph’s stuff up as soon as I’ve parked your car. And you might as well leave the comforter. I can bring that up at the same time.” “Thanks, Mike.” In the elevator, Lexi said irritably to Jason, “That doorman was awfully familiar, calling you Mr. Jason.” His face coldly dismissive, Jason said, “His name is Mike. And since my cousin Nick lives in this same building, Mike distinguishes between us by calling us Mr. Nick and Mr. Jason. Thee mou, you’ve become a dreadful, common snob, Alexia. I hope you’ll be able to unlearn that, and unlearn it very quickly. It is a most distasteful trait, and I will not allow you behave so contemptibly once you are a Thalassinos.” Jason was quietly pleased to note Lexi’s upset, humiliated expression. Good. Serve her right. Not another word was spoken until they were in the condo. Jason quickly went to the guest suite where he had been sleeping, taking the duvet from the bed. He hurried to the living room, folding the duvet in half, so that Raph could either lie on top or cocoon himself in it. “You come here, ye mou, and lie down. Oh, wait, I’ll get a few pillows from the bed and make you really, really comfortable.” Jason strode from the room. When he returned, he had two big pillows in his arms. Smiling, he said to Raph, “You lie down now, then I’ll put these pillows behind you to make you really comfortable. Is this about right?” He stuffed the two pillows gently under his son’s head, and behind him. “Thank you, Daddy. That’s good.” Raph, all smiles, gazed at his father and stretched out a shy hand to his. Jason quickly took Raph’s hand and held it against his cheek. “Now, promise me you’ll never again give us a fright like this — being hospitalized and everything.” “I promise, Daddy,” said the boy, sounding drowsy. Jason raised a brow toward Lexi, who had seated herself in one of the wing chairs by the fireplace. She nodded to Jason, mouthing, “He’s very tired.” Jason nodded. “I’ll just go get a glass of orange juice for you, Raph, and put it here on the table, see. It’ll be in easy reach for you.” “Thank…you…Daddy,” muttered Raph.

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When Jason entered the kitchen, Siobhan gave him a big smile. “I’m glad you brought your son back here. He loves being with you.” She turned back to the stove, where she was cooking something with a delicious aroma. “That smells delectable, Siobhan. By the way, are there sheets on the two queen size beds in the other guest suite? Raph and I will sleep there. His mother will stay in the master bedroom.” “Yes, Mr. Jason. I just put fresh sheets on this morning. I rather thought Raph might need to have you near at night. Poor boy, such a fright, being run over…” “Yes,” said Jason pensively. He brought himself back to the here and now. “Listen, Siobhan, if you’ll tell me what you’re cooking, and when it should be put in the oven, all that, then by all means you go on home and don’t come in so early tomorrow, I’ll probably sleep in a bit myself, now that Raph is home.” “Mr. Jason, don’t you worry about dinner. That’s my department.” Siobhan grinned, turning back to the stove. “Thanks, Siobhan. I won’t forget your kindness.” He poured some orange juice, and went back to the living room. As he entered, Lexi made a shushing motion, nodding to Raph. “He’s asleep,” she mouthed. Jason nodded, tiptoeing to the sofa, where he put the orange juice on the table within Raph’s reach. He turned to Lexi. “If you’re tired, by all means go have a nap. I’ll get the paper, and stay here, keeping an eye on Raph.” “You don’t have to do that, you know. I didn’t watch over him every night while he was sleeping.” “He hadn’t been run over by a drunk, either. At least, I hope nothing like that ever happened to him before?” Jason raised a winged black brow to Lexi, who shook her head. He went on, “I’ve just realized that I know nothing about the first eight years of his life. Some time, when you’re not tired, will you tell me about him?” Jason sat down in the other wing chair, stretching his long legs before him. “I’m not tired now,” said Lexi, sounding surprisingly compliant. “What do you want to know?” “Whatever you want to tell me,” Jason said quietly. “Could I first say something else, Jason?” Surprised, he turned more fully toward her. “Sure.”

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“Well, I should say that I didn’t mean to fight with you, not about Raph, and not about…” “About the previous owner of this condo?” said Jason lightly. Relieved, Lexi said, “Yes. I understand you did what you did out of kindness, but even so, I’m still very upset about it. You can’t tell your heart how to feel, and I can’t make myself accept all this as just a kind gesture on your part. I can’t, Jason. But that was no reason to fight with you the way I did. If we’re going to make this marriage work even moderately well, we’ll have to agree not to fight. Jason, do you really think I’m a snob, and a control freak, making my son miserable with rules, just to stay on top?” Jason shrugged eloquently. “I guess you’ve been acting in that supercilious manner to give yourself an air of authority, of superiority. You no longer need to do that, as you’ll find out, being around the Thalassinos clan. We think it abhorrent to be anything but scrupulously polite to the people who work for us. “As for the control part of your question, I don’t know why you do it, but you’re acting as if being the one in power is the only thing that matters to you. Just like all those rules you have for Raph. Do you really believe they are necessary, or even helpful? I’ve always believed the aphorism, ‘He governs best who governs least.’ Raph is a wonderful boy, and you are stunting his natural growth everywhere with rules about how long he’s allowed to read, to play, to watch TV, to… It’s a miracle he hasn’t become sly, pretending to want to do this, so you’ll order him to do that, which is what he really wants to do. I believe in letting him find his own comfort level, whether it be playing or learning. Don’t you think that’s worth a try? Right now, what have you achieved with your constant carping and bickering, always at odds with what he wants to do, and ordering him to do something else?” Jason leaned forward, gazing intently into Lexi’s eyes. “Don’t you realize that all you’ve achieved is that he doesn’t like you? If you hadn’t been so into control, he would’ve loved you unquestioningly, and when he met me, he would’ve added me to you as another parent to love. Because you’re constantly on his back, he loved me disproportionately the moment we met, because it meant he could escape from you.” Jason broke off, when Lexi sank to the fur rug in front of the fireplace and began to cry in great, gulping sobs. Jason quietly touched the tips of his fingers to her shoulder.

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“Sssh, Lexi, don’t wake Raph. He needs all the rest he can get for the next little while. Please calm yourself. We can turn this around, Lexi, I’m sure of it. You just need to let go of all these rules, this obsession with control and power, let him be a boy, loved by both his parents.” Lexi thought that Jason’s only reason for talking to her was to prevent her crying from waking Raph, not because he wanted to console her. She said haltingly, her voice choked, “Why would you want to turn things around? He loves you, he hates me. Isn’t that what you want?” She had instinctively lowered her voice, but was still crying. Jason shook his head. “No, that isn’t what I want, Lexi. I want Raph to be a happy, welladjusted boy with two parents who love him, and whom he loves. Of course, he’ll probably pick up on the fact that we’re not exactly close, but we must try, for his sake, not to let him notice that. And after all, he doesn’t know of his own experience how married people behave, so maybe he’ll think our attitude toward each other is usual. For one thing, it won’t seem strange to him, us sleeping apart. He knows I don’t want him to be alone at night, in case he wakes up with a nightmare. Remember, Bill Reese said that was a possibility for the next little while.” “Yes, I remember,” said Lexi, slowly calming herself when it was obvious that Jason was not going to take her in his arms to console her. Lexi fretted. I’ve really ruined things with him. He was right, I tried a stupid power play with him, too. But he isn’t a helpless boy. He merely turned away. And my foolish grandstanding about wanting a marriage in name. Which wasn’t at all what I wanted. Thee mou – my God, what have I done? My son hates me, and my lover no longer loves me.

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Chapter 5

The next morning, Jason’s cell phone burred. “Jason Thalassinos.” “Hi, Jason. It’s Marcella Mellis. Raphael has pressed my ‘start’ button for a speedy wedding for you and Alexia Karras, thus legitimizing the son she has kept secret from you for some eight years. Wanna fill me in a little?” Jason settled down more comfortably in his chair. He liked Marcella, brilliant, efficient, and a very good friend. His voice showing his pleasure at her call, he responded, “Marcella, always glad to talk to you. Yes, what Raphael said is quite true. Of course, when I went back to Yale, I had no idea that Lexi was pregnant, or I’d have stuck by her, somehow. As it was, Raphael looked after her. And now, eight years late, I’ve finally met my son, and I can’t tell you how happy that makes me.” “A little ungenerous of her, waiting eight years to tell you that you have a son. But that’s between the two of you. And now you want to tie the knot, belatedly, and as quickly as possible, Raphael said. Well, I’ve done all the paperwork. Raphael provided the info. So all you’ll have to do is sign the papers and do the blood test. I’ve asked Bill Reese to do it for you as quickly as possible. Will you call Mrs. Trefusis for an appointment this morning? Bill swears I’ll have the result this afternoon, so two days from now, Thursday, Judge Fortescue will be able to perform the marriage ceremony. He has tentatively given me the time of four o’clock. All right?” “Of course all right, Marcella. Thank you. Uh … Marcella? Is there any way to show on the papers that Raph is my son?” Jason sensed Marcella’s pleased little smile. “Already done, Dads.” “Ah, Marcella. As always, you’re way ahead of the game. Thanks. So, this morning, call Mrs. Trefusis for a blood test, visit your office for signing papers, and Thursday at four p.m., the wedding. I always said you were a magician, Marcella. Thanks a lot.” Jason disconnected and went in search of Lexi. He found her in the kitchen, sitting with Raph in the breakfast nook, trying in vain to get him to eat a rather hefty breakfast of egg, bacon, fried potatoes, and toast. The moment Raph saw his father he flew up from the table and ran to him.

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“Daddy… Please make Mamá stop trying to make me eat the egg. I don’t like eggs, never did. Every time she makes me eat them, I feel sick. Please, Daddy?” Jason bent and lifted his son, carrying him back to the table. He raised a brow to Lexi. “Any reason why Raph should dislike eggs? Is he by any chance allergic to the yolks? Perhaps while we are doing the blood test, Bill could check Raph for any allergies? I agree that a child should eat a varied diet, but if Raph gets sick every time he eats eggs, perhaps there’s a medical reason for it.” Lexi twisted her mouth in an unpleasant sneer. “Of course, I might have known I couldn’t expect any help from you in making Raph eat his breakfast. And now you’re going to make it easy for him to refuse food, make himself interesting by having food allergies?” “Lexi, food allergies are serious. I just want to make sure Raph isn’t allergic to egg yolks. A cousin of mine had that, and if he was forced to eat them, which happened every time he had a new nanny, he turned yellowish and was sick for days. I seem to recall his body could not handle the yolks. Anyway, let Bill check it out while we are there giving blood samples.” “A blood sample? Why?” “Because in Florida we can’t get married without one. They want to make sure we don’t give each other interesting diseases.” Lexi interrupted, her voice scathing. “Well, that wouldn’t be possible for me, but of course for you…” She sniffed and tossed her head, to Raph’s wide-eyed surprise. Holding on to his temper with a huge effort, his voice quietly chilling, he scorned, “Don’t make me out to be an indiscriminate bed-hopper, Alexia. You know better, or you should. And to say this in front of my son is despicable. I’ve always been selective, fastidious, invariably used protection.” His dark eyes as cold as onyx, he stared her down. Uneasily, Lexi lowered her lashes and muttered, “Yes, of course I know that. I didn’t mean to imply…” Jason shrugged casually. “Forget it, Alexia. I have. Now, I’ll just call Bill’s receptionistnurse and ask her for an appointment for us, and one for Raph to be checked for food allergies. Excuse me a moment.” Jason took his cell phone out of his shirt pocket and, holding on to Raph with his other arm, he thumbed in Bill’s office number. An appointment was quickly made for their blood tests and Raph’s possible food allergies. Jason disconnected and said, “We’re expected at Bill’s office in an hour. All right?”

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“I guess so,” said Lexi, still annoyed because Jason had prevented her from forcing Raph to eat his egg. “Afterwards, we have to go to Marcella’s office to sign some papers. And after that, I was thinking perhaps we should go have lunch at La Casa Rosada, authentic Mexican food; a very nice restaurant, run by a family. Children are welcome there, not merely tolerated.” Raph said shyly, “Thank you, Daddy.” Jason knew that this was not so much because of his choice of restaurant, but because he had taken Raph’s food aversion seriously. He hugged his son carefully, kissing his forehead. “Any time, pedi mou.” Lexi gave Jason a scathing glance. An hour later, they were at Bill’s office, and Mrs. Trefusis offered to take their blood samples. “After all, I’m a registered nurse, I just prefer working in the office,” she explained. “It’ll free up a little time for Dr. Reese to check Raph for food allergies. Good thing that you noticed your son feeling sick after eating eggs. That narrows the field for the doctor.” Lexi cleared her throat and said, “My opinion, Jason gives in too easily to Raph’s finicky food aversions. I’ve always insisted that he eat what I give him.” “And was Raph sick after you forced him to eat eggs?” Mrs. Trefusis’s voice was very quiet, but Lexi felt the sting of disapproval. Without waiting for Lexi’s reply, Mrs. Trefusis said calmly, “In my experience, children are far wiser than most adults, in that they instinctively recognize foods that would have a bad effect on them. Of course, if they are forced to eat food they know will make them sick…” Mrs. Trefusis let the sentence float on the air, and Lexi felt quietly rebuked. She frowned to herself. Had she again shown herself to be a control freak, had she been on a power trip, forcing Raph to eat something he had repeatedly said made him sick? Why hadn’t she listened to him? Small wonder her son detested her. And Jason was not far behind, it seemed. Their blood samples were quickly taken. When they were seated in the waiting room, Lexi wondered, “Jason, shouldn’t we go to Raph while he’s being tested for these allergies?” Jason shook his head. “No. Raph likes ‘Dr. Bill,’ as he calls him. He’s at ease with him. I think Bill can do his work more easily and quickly if we’re not there, distracting Raph.” Lexi nodded. “All right.”

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Jason, adept at hiding his feelings, managed not to show his surprise at Lexi’s easy capitulation. None of her usual quarrelsome assertiveness. He decided to let the phenomenon pass, beginning a chat with Mrs. Trefusis. Ten minutes later, Bill came in with Raph. The moment Raph saw his father, he ran to him. “Daddy, Daddy, I was right, I’m allergic,” he said excitedly. Jason caught Raph in his arms, lifting him gently onto his lap. Bill said, “Morning, Jason, Mrs. Thalassinos. Well, Raph is quite right, he’s allergic to egg yolks. I tested for a number of things, and I also found lactose intolerance, so he should not drink ‘real’ milk, and, of course, not eat ‘real’ eggs. There are substitutes, but Raph tells me he doesn’t like eggs anyway. Understandable, when he’s been sick every time he had to eat them. Mrs. Trefusis will print up a computer list of the things he shouldn’t be given to eat or drink, and alternatives.” Lexi flew up from her seat and knelt by Jason’s chair, trying to hug Raph, tears in her eyes. “Raph, honey, I’m so very sorry I made you eat eggs, drink milk in spite of what you said. I feel awful, knowing that I made you sick by forcing you to eat and drink what I put in front of you. Please forgive me, ye mou. Mamá didn’t mean to make you ill.” Raph looked astonished. He frowned at her scrabbling hands trying to get hold of him. No way did he want her to take him off his Daddy’s lap. He shrugged, saying, “That’s okay, Mamá. You can’t help being control-mad. But why didn’t you believe me when I said eggs make me sick, and I don’t feel good after drinking milk? You know I always tell the truth.” Lexi flinched when her son so calmly told her she was control-mad, as if it were something he knew he had to put up with, however unpleasant. “Raph, I promise. From now on I’ll listen to you.” “Don’t worry, Mamá. I’ve got my Daddy now to protect me, and he’ll teach you not to push me around any more.” To the amused astonishment of Jason, Bill and Mrs. Trefusis, Raph smiled at his mother as he spoke to her in a friendly, reassuring manner, as if he knew she needed help. **** When they were back in the Jaguar, Jason suggested, “Let’s stop at the grocery store and buy some of that lactose-free milk that Bill wants Raph to drink?”

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“Good idea,” said Lexi, to Jason’s secret surprise. She astonished him further by adding, “Perhaps, we could also check for lactose-free ice cream?” “Oh yeah, Mamá, what a great idea!” Raph was ecstatic, and could hardly wait to get to the supermarket. Once they were there, he trustingly slipped his small hand into Jason’s. Lexi, long lashes downcast, realized it would be some time before she could hope that Raph would feel about her the way he so obviously felt about his father. Just at that moment, Raph noticed Lexi’s unhappy face, and he slipped his other hand into hers. “Come, Mamá. We’re one family.” Jason, amazed, glanced at Lexi and saw that her eyes were full of tears. He shrugged. Lexi had brought this on herself. He hoped she’d be patient, because all this wouldn’t be put right in a hurry. Not with Raph, and not with him.

After a most enjoyable lunch at the Mexican restaurant, they were relaxing on the condo’s big balcony, when Lydia called, asking to speak to Lexi. Jason held out his cell phone to her. “Lydia wants to talk to you.” He got to his feet. “Let’s you and I go for a walk on the beach?” he said to Raph, who nodded ecstatically. Jason nodded casually to Lexi swinging his son onto his shoulders. “Duck, when we get to the door,” he said, and Raph chuckled happily. He was going for a walk with his father, that wonderful man whom he loved with all his heart. When they arrived on the patio, Jason nodded to two men, seated together, idly chatting. He went over to them and said, “Rick, Matt, this is my son Raph, whom I want you to protect. Raph, I want you to meet Rick Delaney, and Matt Cooper. They are security officers and will protect you from drunks in ATVs and other creeps.” Raph’s eyes were as big as saucers. “To protect me, Daddy? Oh, thank you.” He turned delighted eyes on the two men, and held out his hand politely, saying, “Mr. Delaney. Mr. Cooper. Thank you for protecting me.” The men shook hands with Raph solemnly. Rick said, “If you should ever arrive on the patio and not see either of us, then please sit down in one of the loungers and wait for us. Usually we take it in turns, having meals, going to the washroom, but if we should both be away, we don’t want you to venture on the beach, Raph, all right?” “Oh, yes, sure, Mr. Delaney,” said Raph, deeply impressed with the steps his father had taken to protect him.

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Jason swung his son back onto his shoulders. He grinned at Raph, “Just for the trip down those steps, ye mou. Once we’re on the beach, you’re going to walk on your own two feet. But when you begin to feel tired, you tell me, and I’ll carry you, ’kay?” When they began their walk, Jason and Matt took Raph between them, Rick a few paces behind them to protect against anything approaching from the back. Matt explained, “If we see someone careening toward us, Rick will hurry forward for extra protection.” Raph nodded, hugging Jason’s hand to his cheek. “Thank you, Daddy.” **** After their beach walk, Jason suggested Raph should try some of the new lactose-free ice cream. Raph agreed rapturously. Getting back to the condo, they found a note prominently displayed: I’ve taken your Corvette to drive to Lydia, we’re going shopping for a wedding dress. -- Lexi Jason frowned. “I should’ve thought of that myself, and given her my credit card to charge it to.” He thought for a moment, then decided, “I’ll call the house, perhaps they haven’t left yet.” Moments later, he heard Lydia’s voice. “Hello?” “Lydia, it’s Jason. I’m glad I caught you before your shopping spree. I should’ve thought of a wedding dress for Lexi, myself. Listen, will you charge it to your card and let me know how much? I’ll write you a cheque for it. Oh, and Lydia, order the whole shebang, underneaths, stockings, you know?” “Diaphanous nightgowns? Barely-there thongs? Of course I know, Jason. And I’ll be glad to do what you want. We’re going to that Irina boutique. But if she has nothing that rings a bell for Lexi, I could lend her my own wedding dress.” “That’s so generous of you, Lydia, but perhaps Lexi would like to have a dress all her own? I don’t know how women feel about such things. It’s easier for a man. I’ll just wear my newest dark Armani. I’ll have to stop at that store opposite the art gallery on Main Street. I think he calls himself a Gentlemen’s Haberdasher. Whatever that means. I want to buy a miniature of my own suit for Raph.” “Oh, Jason, that’ll be so cute.”

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“Not terminally, I hope. Bye, Lydia, and thanks.” Jason disconnected and glanced at his son. Was he too tired for a quick shopping trip? Should he postpone the suit buying until tomorrow? But what if they had nothing in Raph’s size? They’d need time to get it in. He decided to ask Raph. “Raph, will you come with me to that men’s clothing store, so I can buy you a copy of the dark Armani suit I’ll wear to the wedding? But if you’re too tired, please say. I can phone the store and ask them to get some suits ready for tomorrow.” “I’m not tired at all, Daddy. Don’t forget I rode on your shoulders for most of our walk.” “Yes, I remember that distinctly.” Jason grinned. “All right then, let’s go.” He detoured to the kitchen. “Siobhan, Raph and I are going to buy him a suit for the wedding. We’ll be back as soon as possible. See you later.” An hour later, they were back. Raph was the proud possessor of a dark suit that looked a lot like his father’s black Armani. He also had shirts, ties, black socks and shoes, and was quietly awed. “That was fun, Daddy. Thank you,” he said softly. “Yes, it was, ye mou. But my guess would be that you’re pretty tired now. How about a nap?” “By myself, in our bedroom, Daddy?” Raph asked. He dared not ask if he might have his nap on the sofa, but Jason guessed what he wanted. “Nah,” said Jason. “Just take off your sandals, and lie down on the sofa. I’ll get a comforter to put around you. All right?” “Oh, yes, Daddy, thank you,” said Raph, wrapping his arms ecstatically around his father’s neck, giving him a big kiss on the cheek. Jason kissed him back, lifting him and stretching him out on the sofa. “I won’t be a minute, getting a comforter and a pillow,” he assured his son. Once Raph was settled on the sofa, Jason sat down in one of the wing chairs by the fireplace, determined to watch over his son’s sleep in case of a nightmare. But Raph slept on, a blissful smile on his face. “Daddy,” he murmured in his sleep. ****

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Before driving Lexi over to Raphael’s mansion, Jason asked, “Give me your left hand a moment, Lexi.” Frowning suspiciously, she finally decided to do as Jason wished. Calmly, he slipped an engagement ring on her finger. “You need to have this on your finger for your bachelorette party,” he explained. Lexi stared at the huge diamond solitaire. “Thank you, Jason. I hadn’t thought of it, but I’m glad you did. It’s beautiful. Thank you.” He nodded. “Glad you like it. Shortly afterwards, Jason and Raph drove Lexi over to Raphael’s mansion, where she would stay the night before the wedding. The moment Jason stopped the car, Raphael ran down the steps to open Lexi’s door and help her out. She smiled, “Thank you, Raphael,” and began to mount the steps. Lydia came into the entrance hall, smiling, arms held wide. “Lexi… How does it feel, your last night as a single woman?” She hugged Lexi, gesturing toward the family room. Lexi smiled uncertainly. “It feels strange, very strange,” she said, glancing back at Jason, Raph and Raphael, who were just beginning to climb the steps. In an undertone, she continued, “When Jason first said to me that he wanted us to get married, be together again, legitimize Raph, and be a family, I looked forward so much to our wedding day. Then, when Jason told me from whom he had inherited the condo… I’m still quite upset about that.” Lexi hastily stopped speaking, as the men were getting closer. Jason had heard. He asked, “You’re still quite upset about what, Lexi?” She glanced at him, turning her head away. “Nothing.” Jason raised a slim, winged brow at her. “Nothing?” he repeated. “You’re still quite upset about nothing? That doesn’t seem reasonable. Come on, Lexi. Tell me.” Her voice subdued, manner reluctant, “About how you inherited the condo.” They had reached the family room. Hastily choosing a chair standing by itself, Lexi sank down in it. Quietly, Jason said, “I thought we had agreed to give you however much time you need to get past that. But if you keep reminding yourself, chances are you’ll never be able to put this behind you.” Jason gave an indifferent shrug, lifting his son and sitting down with him on one of the love-seats by the fireplace. Raphael and Lydia took the other love-seat.

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Trying to help Jason, Lydia said, “Lexi, if you had known what a basket case my mother was after my father died, how rudderless, depressed, devastated she was. And then she moved to London, and met Jason at a reception, I think it was?” She slanted a glance at Jason, who nodded. Lydia went on, “Jason made her laugh, rekindled her interest in art, music, in enjoying life. When my mother became clingy, Jason did the one thing guaranteed to make her feel better… As my mother put it, ‘belonging to a husband.’ “Of course, my mother realized almost immediately that she had done Jason a grievous harm, nagging about marriage. You know how she rectified that.” Raph sat gazing from his mother to his father, with a shy glance at his Aunt Lydia. He turned to Jason and opened his mouth. Jason gently shook his head, putting his arm around Raph’s slight shoulders, hugging him. Puzzled, but convinced that his father could do no wrong, Raph nodded and remained quiet, leaning against Jason. Lexi nodded to Lydia and said, “I know you’re right. But I’ll need a little while to come to terms with it. Anyway, this isn’t a good subject to discuss devant l’enfant, so let’s talk of something else?” Raph said, “Whenever you say ‘devang langfang,’ you mean me, so why don’t you say my name?” The adults laughed, and Jason said, “Good point, son.” Lydia said, “As it happens, I’ve got something else to talk about. Nadine, the wife of cousin Nick, is coming over later so the three of us can have a bachelorette party. I understand that Raphael has booked a table at the Café de Paris. Nick will join them.” Lexi turned to Raph. “While your Daddy, Uncle Raphael and Uncle Nick are at the restaurant, you’d better stay here with us.” Raphael noticed Raph’s expression of dismay and quickly shook his head. “No, Lexi. Raph will come with us, to his Daddy’s bachelor’s party.” Lexi nodded, discomfited. But she couldn’t possibly question Raphael’s wishes. Turning to Raph, she said, “It’s just as well you had a nice long nap this afternoon, otherwise you’d surely fall asleep at dinner.” Raph ignored his mother’s belittling remark, his face incandescent. “Uncle Raphael? You really want me to come, too?”

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Raphael grinned at his nephew. “Most certainly. This is our stag party for your Daddy. Stag means: men only.” Raph’s eyes seemed twice their usual size, glittering with excitement. “Oh, Daddy… I’m going to be a stag.” He sighed with happiness. “Who better, ye mou?” Jason said easily. “That reminds me. Your Uncle Raphael will be my best man, but we need a ring bearer. That’s a young man who carries a cushion on which the wedding rings for your Mamá and me are displayed. Would you like to be our ring bearer?” Raph half-rose from his seat and threw himself into his father’s arms, saying softly, “Oh, Daddy, oh yes, thank you.” He hid his beaming face against his father’s shoulder. Jason hugged him gently, careful of his healing injuries. Over his son’s head, Jason glanced at Raphael. “If you’re taking us to the Café de Paris, I’d better go home and change into a dark suit. I think Raph looks fine, doesn’t he?” Raphael nodded. Raph was wearing a miniature version of his father’s chinos and toning shirt. “Raph looks great, I agree. But why go home, Jason? Come with me and borrow one of my suits, we’re the identical size.” “As long as our wives can tell us apart,” said Jason with a flash of his old wit. Raphael thought: That’s more like him. He’s been so subdued. That spectacular suicide of Alicia’s. She probably didn’t care how she upset Jason. And then, his anxiety over Raph. Moreover, things with Lexi don’t seem to be going too well, either. But it was good to hear him make one of his little quips again. Raphael rose, gesturing to Jason, who got to his feet quickly. “Back in a flash, ye mou,” he whispered to Raph, walking up the sweeping stairway with Raphael. They entered the master bedroom, transformed from the darkly masculine Spanish décor of Luis Montoya, the original owner of the estate, to the oasis of pale woods and soothing greens that Raphael and Lydia preferred. Raphael moved to his walk-in and signalled to Jason. “Take your pick.” Jason glanced appreciatively at an impressive row of suits, mostly Armani. He said, “Tell me which you’re wearing as my best man tomorrow.” Raphael shrugged. “Probably one of the black ones,” he said casually. “You just pick whatever you want to wear.”

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“I’ll take that charcoaly brown one, then. You couldn’t possibly want to wear that tomorrow.” Jason took the suit into the bedroom. Raphael followed him after snatching a white shirt off its hanger, and grabbing a tie. Raphael handed the shirt and tie to his brother. “Considerate as always,” he said. His gaze sharpening, he became aware of Jason’s pallor underneath his tan. Trying to suppress the anxiety he felt, he asked, “Jason… Something bothering you?” Jason had just taken off his chinos and shirt and was in the process of putting on the shirt Raphael had handed him. His hands stalling on the buttons, he shrugged. “Yeah, you could say that.” He stepped into the trousers and stuffed his shirt down. “Lexi?” Raphael asked, trying to keep his face mildly concerned, although his voice betrayed his deep anxiety for his brother. Jason nodded. He finished zipping and doing up the clasp of the trousers, feeding a slim belt through the loops. “When she asked me from whom I had inherited the condo, I thought she deserved the truth, so I told her about poor Alicia. And she went ballistic. How I wish I had told her I inherited it from a relative. Which was, moreover, true.” He accepted the tie from Raphael, and nodded appreciatively. “Very nice, subtle, discreet.” “All my ties are discreet, you know that. By the way, you need shoes and socks. Can you wear 12 Slim?” When Jason nodded, he quickly went back into his walk-in, returning with black shoes and socks. He pursued his original subject. “Listen, you are getting married tomorrow?” Jason nodded. “Oh, yeah. To legitimize Raph as my son, she said. Then she said that it would be a marriage in name only, until she got over this shock of the Alicia situation.” “The grandstanding bitch!” Raphael exclaimed, feeling very angry with Lexi for doing this to his brother. Jason shrugged. “Believe me, I didn’t give her the satisfaction of seeing that shot hit the target. Ah, no. I said that suited me perfectly, for all I wanted was Raph.” Raphael frowned. “How dare she treat you like this. She’s done more to you than you could ever do to her. She knew where you lived, but never bothered to tell you that you had a son. She could’ve asked you, nine years ago, to come back for her, but no. I have a profound dislike of cruelty, and what she did to you was cruel in the extreme. She must’ve known how much you loved her.

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“Listen, if you get tired of her posturings and so on, you tell me, and I’ll make her top job dependent on how happy she makes you.” Jason shook his head tiredly. “No, Raphael. Thanks, but please don’t. It wouldn’t be worth anything, if she behaved herself with me for fear of losing her big shot job with you, don’t you see?” Raphael nodded slowly. “I guess you’re right. But you let me know if there’s anything I can do, any time. Man, I thought you and she had had a summer thing, and when it was over, she was ‘caught’ shall we say? Of course I helped her. But if I had known that you cared about her, I’d have let you know. I hope you realize that.” “Of course I do, Raphael. Well, thanks for the suit. Shall we go back?” Raphael nodded slowly. “Yes, let’s.” He led the way out of his bedroom and walked down with his brother. They sat together for a while longer, then Raphael gestured to Jason and Raph. “Time we went to the Café, we don’t want to keep Nick waiting.” He walked over to Lydia, and gently kissed her mouth. “Miss me?” he whispered. “You know I will,” she whispered back. “You guys have a great time now. We ladies will, too. I’ll get Norah to keep the champagne going.” “That’s just fine with me, as long as you don’t stray from here,” said Raphael. “And no male strippers, hear me?” Lydia laughed. “They couldn’t hold a candle to you, Raphael.” He smiled, satisfied. Raph said, “Bye Mamá. Have a nice party.” Lexi nodded, and smiled at him. Jason kissed Lydia’s cheek, lifting his hand in a casual goodbye to Lexi. “I’ll see you tomorrow at the Judge’s chambers. By the way, had I better take a look at your wedding dress, so I can order matching flowers?” “Nice try, Jason, but no sale. Just you get some wedding type flowers, all right?” “Will do,” he said, putting an arm around Raph, following Raphael out of the mansion. Raphael glanced at his brother. He had observed Jason’s nonchalant leave- taking of Lexi, and mouthed, “Nice touch,” to his brother. Jason grinned. “Two can play that game,” he said quietly. ****

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When they arrived at the Café de Paris, Lucien, the affable, totally unflappable maître d’, made a big fuss of Raph, which pleased Jason and Raphael. In an aside, Raphael said, “Thanks, Lucien. That was nice of you, not only for my nephew, but for my brother. He and Raph’s mother are getting married tomorrow. That was as fast as Ms. Mellis could arrange it, after my brother discovered Raph was his son.” “That, M’sieu Thalassinos, is an unimaginable delay. But sometimes ladies are, shall we say, a little irrational, perhaps?” Lucien made a very Gallic gesture with one hand, and Raphael nodded quietly. “Will you ask Henri to choose a truly interesting wine for us to drink while we’re waiting for the dinner you promised to devise for my brother’s last meal as a bachelor?” “It shall be my pleasure, of course, M’sieu,” said Lucien, withdrawing with his customary dignity. Nick arrived a few minutes later, and the cousins spent some time teasing each other. Nick was delighted to meet Raph, shaking his head quietly over the eight years Lexi had let go by, before telling Jason he had a son. Henri approached with a bottle of an exceptional red wine, and a glass of cranberry juice for Raph, who said an awed “Thank you.” The three cousins agreed that Henri had excelled himself in the choice of wine, and raised their glasses to Jason, wishing him every happiness with Lexi and their son. “Thank you, particularly with regard to my son,” said Jason, hugging Raph, who caressed his father’s arm with a blissful look on his face, a miniature version of Jason’s own. “Let’s make your last night as a bachelor as memorable as possible,” said Nick with a very friendly glance for Jason. “I bet you can hardly wait to make Lexi your wife after all this time.” Jason glanced lazily at his cousin. “I can hardly wait for tomorrow, because after that ceremony Raph will be legally my son,” he said quietly. Nick raised a dark brow, and Raphael gently shook his head. When he was sure that Jason and Raph were busy talking, he said, very quietly, “Lexi’s been playing a devious game, very unfair, very selfish… But then, if she were a normal woman, she would’ve asked me nine years ago to get in touch with Jason, to let him know she was pregnant. But she was content to let me believe theirs had been a summer fling. That Jason had abandoned her. So, of course, I

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looked after her. You see, she knew that I, at twenty-six, was a successful businessman. And she thought that Jason, twenty years old, still at Yale, had no money of his own. Big mistake. He and I split the three hundred million our paternal grandfather left us, you may recall.” Nick nodded. He said, equally quietly, “Yes, she should’ve researched your family’s finances more carefully, since money appears to be her great motivator. I hope it works out for Jason. Poor guy, he deserves better.” “Yes, for his sake, I hope she’ll come to her senses soon. If she doesn’t, I may have second thoughts about her as my top Accountant. I don’t want anyone with such a devious, scheming character in charge of all my companies’ finances.” “Uncle Raphael… What does ‘devious’ mean?” Raph asked. Nick and Raphael exchanged a worried glance. Had Raph heard what they said? They hoped not. “Uh… well, it means someone who is tricky, sneaky, crafty…” said Raphael, hoping Raph wouldn’t ask about whom they had been talking. Raph frowned thoughtfully. “Thank you, Uncle Raphael.” After a while, he said very quietly, “Yes, sometimes Mamá can be like that, but she doesn’t mean it, you know. She has a good heart.” Jason hugged his son, and Raphael said, his voice none too steady, “I’m sure you’re right, Raph. Once your mother and your Daddy are married, she’ll feel a lot better.” “Yes, Uncle Raphael, sure she will,” said Raph with a loving glance for his father. “So will I.”

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Chapter 6

Jason awoke early the next morning and glanced over to the other bed, where Raph was still fast asleep. He folded his arms under his head and lay there, smiling at his son. He thought back to the bachelor’s dinner Raphael had given for him last night, and how delighted Raph had been to be included with the grownups. Which reminded him, with a shock, that today was his wedding day. He slowly shook his head, wishing that he looked forward to making Lexi his wife at last. But all he felt elated about was that Raph would be his son, not only biologically, but legally. He grinned when he remembered how quickly Raph had given up wearing his pajama top, insisting that he’d sleep in pajama bottoms only, just like his Daddy. Of course, Raph didn’t know that Jason habitually slept nude, but donned the pajama pants because he was sleeping in the same room as his son. Time enough for Raph to find out about sleeping nude way, way down the line. Enjoying his laziness, he gazed at his son. I won’t let Lexi bully you ever again. He heard a faint noise and realized Siobhan had come in, even earlier than usual. He slid out of bed and hurried to the shower. Fifteen minutes later, showered, shaved, dressed in shorts and a thin shirt, worn untucked, he strolled barefoot into the kitchen. “Morning, Siobhan. Is that coffee?” “Morning, Mr. Jason. Of course it is.” Siobhan quickly poured him a cup. Jason took a big sip and said, closing his eyes, “Nectar.” Siobhan glanced at him indulgently. Such a nice guy, Mr. Jason; and so very handsome. Just look at him leaning against the counter, tall, rangy, with those incredibly long eyelashes lying like silky fans on those sculpted cheekbones. She thought that he had just about the sexiest mouth she had ever seen. All the same, he didn’t seem the least bit excited about this being his wedding day. Better not mention it, she decided. “Will you have breakfast, Mr. Jason?” “Nah, I’ll wait for Raph, thanks Siobhan,” he responded. “He was sleeping so soundly, I thought I’d better let him get all the rest he can. He had rather a late night, yesterday. My brother invited him to my bachelor party at the Café de Paris.”

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“That was very nice of Mr. Raphael, inviting your son to a grown up dinner. He must’ve been so excited.” “Yes, particularly when I asked him to be the ring bearer at the wedding, this afternoon.” “Yes,” said Siobhan thoughtfully. Jason quickly caught on to her mood. “Nothing will change here, Siobhan, I promise you. Raph’s mother and I are merely getting married to legitimize Raph; to right an old wrong, as it were. But you work for me, and your duties here are what you and I have agreed on as the best way to housekeep for me in this condo. I’ll make that clear to Lexi.” “Once she is your wife, she might…” “She will not be allowed to throw her weight around, upset you, change your duties, or your hours of work. Don’t even think about that, Siobhan.” “That’s a relief, Mr. Jason. But I’d be glad to accommodate in little ways if that’s what she wants. I wouldn’t like her to be mad at you, because of me.” “She won’t be, Siobhan, because I won’t let her. All right?” “Of course all right, Mr. Jason. More coffee?” Jason nodded. At that moment, Raph ran in, still in his pajama bottoms. Siobhan thought, again, that he was a perfect miniature of his father, and smiled at the boy. “Good morning, Raph. Will you have some orange juice? And later a glass of lactosefree milk?” “Thank you, Mrs. O’Neill,” he said politely, hurrying to his father whom he hugged fiercely. “Daddy, why did you let me sleep so long? I wanted to be up same time as you.” “Raph, honey, I’ve only been up a very little while. Look, my coffee cup is still nearly full.” “I bet that’s your second one,” said Raph. Jason grinned. “When we’ve had breakfast, Raph, would you like to come with me to the florist to order flowers for your mother, and boutonnières for everybody else? Your Uncle Raphael said the florist in the Hilton is very good at making bridal bouquets.” “Sure, Daddy. I guess we won’t have time for our beach walk, today?” “No. I’ve already called Rick to let him know he and Mitch aren’t needed today. Saves them coming over here by nine o’clock only to find they can pack up again.”

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“But tomorrow we’ll go for our walk again, right, Daddy? You won’t let Mamá change our nice life?” “I promise,” said Jason, hugging his son, glancing at Siobhan. Did she wonder, as he did, how many times Lexi had bullied Raph unnecessarily, when it would have been just as easy to leave him alone? Thank God I found my son. Raph was incredibly proud that his father took it for granted he would shower by himself, and did not insist on washing him thoroughly. Actually, he wouldn’t have minded if his father did that. It was just so humiliating when his mother, a woman, tried to wash him. He was eight years old, for crying out loud. His father also let him choose his own clothes. What a wonderful man he was. I’m so glad my Daddy found me. **** The flowers were soon ordered, Jason being content to leave the ultimate choice to the florist, who promised to have Lexi’s bridal bouquet, a small bouquet for Lydia and the boutonnières delivered by two o’clock. Two boutonnières were to be delivered to Nick’s condo, and two to Jason’s own. “For you and me, son,” said Jason, ruffling Raph’s hair. “Daddy, what are bootnee-airs?” “Flowers for us to wear in our lapels, son,” Jason explained. Raph nodded. His Daddy could explain anything at all. Raphael had arranged for a reception in one of the Hilton’s salons, so there was nothing else for Jason to think about. When they left the florist, he suggested to Raph that they have a cool drink on the Hilton’s beachside terrace, decorated with bright turquoise umbrellas, white tables and chairs, with cushions in a jaguar skin print. Jason was just about to order orange juice for both, when he glanced idly at the drinks menu and discovered they served non-alcoholic drinks in coconut shells. He smiled. Raph would love one of these. He lifted a lazy hand to the waiter, who arrived at a near gallop. “Yes, Mr. Thalassinos, Sir?” Jason looked up in surprise. Of course Lucien and his waiters at the Café de Paris knew him, but he had never been to this terrace before. The waiter explained, “I was on the beach when that ATV hurt your son. If you will permit me, I’m glad to see him so well.” “Thank you, yes, I’m very glad about that, too. I think my son would like one of those drinks in a coconut shell. They are alcohol-free, right?”

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“Of course, Sir. Shall I bring two?” “Yes, all right. Thank you.” Jason thought that Raph would like the drink better if his father had the same. They sat quietly enjoying their drinks, the cheerful atmosphere of the terrace. Jason looked at his watch and said, “I think we’d better make tracks. Siobhan will want to make us some lunch. Let’s go find the car.” He noticed that Raph looked at his own unadorned wrist in faithful imitation of his father. This gave Jason an idea. “Let’s stop at that men’s clothing place for a minute, Raph. I’ve got an idea.” “Sure, Daddy,” said Raph, always glad to follow where his Daddy led. When they arrived at the store, Jason asked the sales person, “I want to buy a watch for my son. Have you anything in his size?” “Why yes, certainly, Sir. Over here.” The young man led them to a side counter, and brought out a tray of smaller size watches. He said politely, “Sir, if I had a better idea of what you have in mind?” Jason showed his own gold Rolex. “If you have something that resembles this?” “Why yes, Sir, I do. This is actually a gold watch, but the dial is digital, not a clock face like yours.” Jason thought for a moment. It was probably easier for Raph to be able to read off the time on a digital display. He nodded to the young man. “Will you put this on my son’s wrist, so he can see if he likes it?” This was quickly done, and Raph gazed adoringly at his father. “Oh, Daddy, you want me to have a watch? Mamá said I was too young.” “Tell me what time it is now, Raph? By your watch?” “Uh… It’s twelve-twenty-five, Daddy.” “Well, if you can tell the time, then you’re not too young to wear a watch.” Jason nodded to the young man. “We’ll take it. Just leave it on my son’s wrist.” He handed over his Gold Card, and the young man came back quickly with a sales slip to sign. He handed Jason a beautiful box and the warranty papers for the watch. Raph was ecstatic. And if Mamá says I’m too young, Daddy will make her shut up, he thought, blissfully.

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When they returned to the condo, Siobhan had a light lunch ready. After lunch, Jason suggested, “We’d better both have an hour’s rest. Today will be very hectic. At three o’clock, we’ll shower and get dressed for the wedding. Uncle Raphael will come by to pick us up at three-thirty, and drive us to the Judge’s chambers. Okay?” “Okay, Daddy,” said Raph. Once he was asleep, Jason ducked into the bathroom and quickly shaved again. He laid out on his bed his own suit, shirt and tie, and Raph’s. That done, he crept out of the room, sitting down in the living room, wearing his pajama bottoms, and the thin matching robe. Siobhan appeared as if by magic. “Maybe a glass of wine would do you good, Mr. Jason?” she suggested. “Good idea, Siobhan. Come sit down here, and keep me company, have a glass yourself.” “Mr. Jason, that wouldn’t be fittin’.” “Of course it’s fittin’,” said Jason, easily. “You’re a member of my household, and don’t you forget it.” With a little grin, Siobhan poured two glasses of wine, served one to Jason, sitting down opposite him with her own. He raised his glass briefly to her, “By the way, I’m sorry that you haven’t had the use of the Corvette much, because Lexi appropriated it on occasion. That’s going to change. I’ll buy her a small car of her own. So my Corvette will be available to you again.” “Mr. Jason, you don’t have to go to such an extra expense. Uh… Raph’s mother hasn’t used it that often.” “Too often for your convenience, I know that. Say no more, Siobhan. My mind is made up. And we won’t leave the Corvette key hanging on the little rack for Lexi to snag. I had an extra key made for me; the key that’s hanging up there now is yours to keep. Put it on your key ring. Lexi will get her own car to drive.” “Thank you, Mr. Jason.” Siobhan stopped, when Raph appeared at the entrance to the living room, his eyes glued to his watch. “Daddy, it’s two-fifty-one, so maybe we should get started?” “Good idea, son. You go have your shower, give me a shout when you’re done, so I can have mine. All right? I’ll just finish my chat with Mrs. O’Neill.” “Sure, Daddy.” He smiled, hurrying away.

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“It’s wonderful to see how that boy has come to life under your light touch.” Jason nodded thoughtfully. “Yes, I was concerned to see Lexi rule him with an iron fist. I’m glad you think I’ve counteracted that.” “You have, Mr. Jason, completely. Surprising – and touching – how he defends her as not knowing any better.” She finished her wine and rose. “I’d best get on with my work. You’re sure you don’t want me to stay, making dinner?” “Quite sure, Siobhan, thanks. My brother is arranging a reception at the Hilton, chances are, knowing him as I do, he’ll insist we all have dinner there, later.” Raph’s treble voice called, “All done, Daddy.” Jason rose, saying to Siobhan, “I’d best get on with my work, too.” He grinned, adding, “See you tomorrow.” **** Precisely at three-thirty, Raphael buzzed from the lobby. When Jason answered, he said, “Mike is letting me park in front of the entrance. Ready to come down?” “Yes, we are,” said Jason, quickly checking to make sure they both had their boutonnières properly affixed. “Let’s go, son,” he said, waving to Siobhan in passing. Moments later, they were at Raphael’s limousine, the chauffeur holding open the back door. “Kali mera, Raphael,” said Jason, giving his brother a half-hug. He turned to the chauffeur. “Ah, Harkness, you’re driving the getaway car today.” Harkness grinned. “Yes, Mr. Jason. Congratulations, Sir.” “Thanks,” said Jason, grinning at Raph. The brothers quickly settled on the back seat with Raph between them. Harkness drove away, and ten minutes later they arrived at the Judge’s chambers. Raphael preceded Jason and Raph. After all, he had been here before when he married Lydia. To the serious-faced older woman seated at a desk in the big lobby, he said, “Hello Mrs. Thomas. Remember me? Well, today my baby brother is going to tie the knot. The Thalassinos-Karras wedding, before Judge Fortescue.” “Yes, Mr. Thalassinos, of course. Straight down this corridor, it’s the door at the end. But, you probably remember from your own wedding.” “Not too clearly, Mrs. Thomas. I was too nervous to notice much.” “You will have your little joke, Mr. Thalassinos. You, nervous?”

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“Oh, but I was, Mrs. Thomas. Well, we mustn’t be late for the Judge. Bye.” With an affable nod toward Mrs. Thomas, Raphael led his brother and his nephew to the Judge’s chambers. He was relieved to see that they were the first to arrive. He had rented a white ‘bridal’ limousine to transport Lydia and the bride. Nick and Nadine would come in one of his cars. Raphael frowned. He regretted that Jason was having this very small family wedding. He would’ve preferred to give his brother a proper wedding, but he realized that Jason wanted to show Lexi he didn’t much care about marrying her, all he cared about was becoming, legally, the father of his son. Yes, Lexi had that coming, he thought. Lying to him about being abandoned by Jason, so that he would look after her, foot all her bills, and not question her keeping her son from knowing his father. Damn her. There was a flurry of activity at the door. Raphael turned just in time to see Lydia and Lexi arrive. Although Lexi looked very attractive in a beautifully cut dress of slipper satin in a pale topaz colour, all Raphael’s attention was on his wife, whose blonde beauty and deep blue eyes were enhanced by a soft silk dress of gentian blue. He smiled to himself. Jason might want a very small wedding, but his wife and Lexi looked anything but nondescript. Raphael, Jason and Raph walked toward the women. Raphael took his wife’s hand and brought it to his lips. “Lee, my darling, you look stunning. And you, Lexi, you look every inch a bride,” he added hastily. Lexi grinned. “Thank you for your kind words,” she said mockingly. She slanted a look at Jason. “Well, Jason? Do you agree with Raphael’s opinion?” Her voice gentled a little. “Mamá, you look so pretty.” Raph smiled at his mother. He turned to his father. “Doesn’t Mamá look pretty, Daddy?” he asked, his voice pleading. Jason smiled at his son, lifted his lashes and glanced at Lexi. He said, “Yes, Raph, you’re right, your Mamá looks very pretty.” He turned to Lexi. “Hi, Lexi,” he said. “Ready to get married at last?” “Yes, I am,” she said quietly. “Are you?” “Of course I am.” Jason said, his voice even quieter. “After all, I have a special reason for getting married. To be the legal, as well as the biological father of my son. You’d better come, the Judge’s secretary is waving us forward.”

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Raphael gestured to Nick to escort Lexi to the Judge once he and Jason were in position. Raph was standing a little to one side, holding the white velvet cushion his uncle Raphael had given him with two plain gold wedding rings displayed on it. A few moments later, Judge Fortescue entered. A tall, thin man with a shock of silver hair, he smiled when Raphael introduced his brother to him. “And who is this?” he enquired, with a glance at Raph. “He’s my son, your Honour. Raph, this is Judge Fortescue.” Jason was pleased to see how politely Raph greeted the Judge, and went on, “I was unaware of his existence until very recently. Today, with your help, I’m going to marry his mother.” “I shall be pleased to help you do just that,” said the Judge, beckoning to Nick and Lexi. The simple ceremony was soon concluded. Raph proudly offered the cushion with the two wedding rings at precisely the right time. At last, Judge Fortescue said, “Jason, you may kiss your bride.” Jason hugged Raph with one arm, bending his tall length to Lexi and kissing her cheek. He felt her shaking. With surprise, or with indignation? he wondered. When he saw her stormy eyes, he said very quietly, “I think that’s the best way to seal a marriage in name, don’t you?” Lexi’s head went up proudly. “Of course.” Fortunately, at that moment, Judge Fortescue offered his good wishes and indicated his secretary at a side desk, where their signatures were needed. When they had finished signing the register, the secretary gave the certificate of marriage to Jason, who held out his hand to Raph. Immediately, Raph hurried to his father, clinging to him. “Come on, Raph, let’s go,” said Lexi, holding out her hand. Raph shook his head. “No thanks, Mamá. I’ll stay with my Daddy. I belong to him now, for good, for real.” He gave his mother a little smile and turned back to Jason. Raphael thanked the secretary, saying to his relatives, “Well, let’s go to the Hilton and drink a little champagne to the health of the newlyweds. And their son,” he added. “Most certainly to Raph.” Nick said, “Raphael, I hope you don’t mind my having made a little change of venue? For a small, private party of just our family, I thought the suite I rent permanently at the Hilton might be pleasanter than one of their salons. You know the suite well, you used to stay there all

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the time you were courting Lydia. So I spoke to the head of catering for private parties, and he agreed immediately to the change.” “That’s a wonderful idea, Nick, thank you. I was a little unhappy about a salon, but I wanted us to have privacy, so I thought that was the only option. But your suite will be much more agreeable. Okay then, let’s go to Nick’s suite.” They discovered that the catering chef had outdone himself. On one of the long credenzas there was a huge array of platters with delicious appetizers, canapés, as well as chocolate dipped strawberries, bite-size fruit pieces and delicious looking chocolates. A small, portable bar had been set up in one corner, and a waiter was in the process of pouring Krug champagne into flutes. Slightly to one side he had a flute with ginger ale for Raph. Jason smiled when he noticed this. Nick was so thoughtful always. There was also Sourotis sparkling water from Greece. When Nick noticed Raph’s astonishment at seeing Sourotis on the little bar, he winked at him. “Friends of mine have a restaurant and hotel complex, the Akropolis, nearby. I asked them for a case of Sourotis, and they sent it right over.” “Oh, thank you, Uncle Nick. I like Sourotis so much.” Raph was overcome, and glanced at his father, who was talking to his mother. “Cheer up, Lexi,” said Jason coolly. “It won’t be as dire as you seem to expect. You enjoyed staying at the condo, walking the beach, going for dips in the ocean. Well, nothing has changed, except that we are, at last, married. I could wish that you had got in touch with me nine years ago. We could’ve had a very happy life together, and I would’ve had the privilege of watching Raph grow from a baby into this fine boy. For which you deserve great credit. And now that Raph has two parents, you can give up on the power trips. There’s no need to control his every move. He is doing very well with a minimum of guidance, or haven’t you noticed that?” He gazed pensively at Lexi, who seemed unusually quiet, dejected even. He wondered why. It was at her insistence that this was a marriage in name only, and if she expected him to plead with her to let the marriage be consummated, she’d have a long wait. She imposed the rule; let her rescind it. Lexi gazed up at Jason, thinking how very little he had changed from the twenty-year old Adonis who had swept her off her feet that long-ago summer. With a little shrug, she said softly,

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“I know it’s silly of me, but all my life I dreamed about marrying you one day, be a bride dressed in white, in a church with all our relatives and friends filling the pews. I thought you’d hardly be able to wait through the long wedding breakfast, the dancing, all that, to be alone with me. And here we are, legally but very inconspicuously married, no one but your immediate family present, and you’re quite happy for me to sleep on my own in your master bedroom, while you and Raph share another room.” Jason thought that Lexi wasn’t as happy about the marriage in name as she wanted him to think. Aloud, he said, “Lexi, I did my best to give you exactly the wedding you wanted: a small, private wedding without any fuss, a way to legitimize Raph. Give him my name, and make him my heir. That’s what you said you wanted. You did not want a relationship with me because of my previous three-week marriage to a very unhappy woman. I accepted that. What more do you want from me?” He gazed down at her, his eyes quizzical. “Come on, let me get you some more champagne. It’ll cheer you up, I promise.” Jason put his hand at Lexi’s waist. guiding her to the small bar. He put their empty flutes down, nodding a thank you to the waiter for two fresh ones. He turned from the bar, leading Lexi to the screened sliding doors. “Let’s go outside for a minute,” he suggested. Lexi nodded, preceding him onto the terrace. “Now, tell me precisely what is making you so unhappy on your wedding day,” he asked, glancing at her with some concern. Lexi looked up into the dark eyes that were regarding her so steadily. Time was, she thought, when his eyes were velvety black, stormy with passion. And not only all those years ago. That night they spent together… Well, she had certainly put a stop to that, agonizing about his ridiculous marriage to Lydia’s mother. If only Jason would meet her halfway. But she knew in her heart he never would. Aware that Jason was waiting for a response, she admitted, “All right, I’ll tell you what upset me dreadfully. When the Judge said you could kiss your bride, you kissed my cheek. Jason, how could you? Showing everybody that you don’t give a damn for me, you’re only marrying me for Raph’s sake. How do you think that made me feel?” “But Lexi, you were the one who told me – very forcefully, I may add – that you would agree to marry me if the marriage was in name only.”

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“I know, I know. But to kiss your bride’s cheek. Oh, Jason.” Lexi turned her head away so that Jason wouldn’t see the tears in her eyes. To her surprise, Jason put a finger underneath her chin and turned her face toward him. Smiling, he said, “You wanted a real kiss? Well, let me rectify that right now.” He bent his dark head to her, slipping his arms lightly around her, slanting his mouth over hers as he began to kiss her gently, brushing her lips with his. When he felt her part her lips to him, he lost himself in the kiss, tightening his arms around her and touching her tongue with his, then delving more deeply to find her honeyed sweetness. Lexi curled her arms around his neck, sighing into his mouth, “Oh, Jason. You do love me…” The moment she whispered these words, Jason lifted his arms from her and broke the kiss. His eyes were stormy; she realized it was anger, not passion she read there. “Don’t sound so triumphant, Lexi. That was a kiss. The kiss you said you wanted. Nothing more. Nothing less. The marriage will be as you wished, in name only. A kiss does not alter that in any way.” Taking a deep breath, he said quietly, “Shall we go back inside?” **** As Jason had expected, Raphael insisted on dinner at the Café de Paris for the wedding party. Lexi threw Jason a surprised look, but said nothing. Lucien had outdone himself in designing a delicious dinner, wines by Henri, as Raphael said. He insisted on Raph sitting between him and Jason, and again Lexi let it go. Jason wondered, as did Raphael, whether she had finally decided to leave Raph’s further guidance to his father. Certainly the boy did his best to imitate his father in everything, in this way quietly picking up Jason’s natural good manners and easy courtesy. The dinner party broke up earlier than was their custom, in deference to Raph, who seemed to be getting tired by time the adults were drinking the Café’s excellent coffee. Jason exchanged a glance with Raphael, raising a brow in Raph’s direction. Raphael understood immediately, and gave Lucien his Gold Card quickly. As they were walking to the exit, Raphael said, “I’ve asked Harkness to take you, Raph and Lexi home in the limo. Nick won’t mind driving Lee and me back.”

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“Thanks, Raphael, that’s generous of you. And, many thanks for arranging everything today so wonderfully. The wedding, the reception, the dinner. As you know, this is rather a strange marriage, but the wedding was wonderful! Thanks, bro.” “You’re my baby brother, of course I did my best for you,” said Raphael, mocking a punch to Jason’s shoulder. Harkness drove the newly minted family home quickly. On arriving, Jason held his finger to his lips when Lexi was about to say something. He inclined his head toward Raph, who was more than half asleep against Jason’s side, held safely in his strong arm. He lifted Raph in his arms, sliding out of the limo carefully, nodding his thanks to Harkness. “Daddy?” Raph asked drowsily. “Sssh, son. I’m just carrying you up to bed.” Jason bent his head and kissed his son’s forehead. Raph smiled blissfully, curling one arm around his father’s neck. At last Lexi found her voice but, conscious of Jason’s demand for silence, she barely whispered, “Small wonder my son prefers being with you. I’ve never seen a kid so spoiled. Yes, you spoil him. Insisting he be at an adult dinner party. Carrying him to bed. He’ll be hell to live with. You mark my words.” Jason’s voice very quiet, but implacable in its tranquility, “Raphael, not I, insisted Raph be at his dinner party, and everybody remarked on how well Raph is responding to my light touch, my minimal guidance. You’ve been altogether too severe with him. I think in your heart you know that. Whether you felt you needed this relentless domination because you were a single mother, or whether it is because you’re a control freak, who can say? I don’t think you, yourself, know. And I don’t much care which it is. But realize that your heavy hand is a thing of the past, and I, for one, will not allow you to revert to your power tripping all over Raph. Is that understood, Lexi?” She thought that his repudiation of the way she had raised their son was the more scathing because it was said in such a very quiet tone of voice. Her nostrils flared, but she said nothing. They arrived at the condo’s front door, and Jason needed some agility, keeping Raph safe in one arm while finding his keys, and opening the door. He stood back for Lexi to enter, and followed her in, slowly pushing the door shut with his foot.

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“Bed for you, my son,” Jason whispered to Raph, and elbowed the door to their bedroom open. He placed Raph on his bed and deftly began to remove his clothes. Raph half-awoke, and did his best to help his father undress him. When his clothing was off, Jason slipped on the yellow silk pajama bottoms. Raph had pleaded that his be the same as his Daddy’s, and Jason had acquiesced only too willingly. He carried Raph to the bathroom. “I’ll wait for you outside, ye mou.” Raph reappeared in record time. “Did you remember to wash your hands after the lavatory?” “Oh yes, Daddy. You told me, and I always remember what you tell me.” Jason nodded. Lifting Raph, he walked to his son’s bed, slipping him under the duvet. “Kali nihta, glika oneira, ye mou” – good night, sweet dreams, my son. Jason kissed Raph’s forehead gently. “Daddy…” Raph muttered, half asleep. With a gentle smile for his son, Jason slipped out of the room, leaving the door half open. When he saw Lexi’s elegant eyebrow raised at him, he explained, “Just in case he has a nightmare. He’d been having them in the hospital, until Bill had a bed for me put in the room. You know that’s why I decided he and I would sleep in the same room. He sleeps more soundly, without nightmares when he knows I’m close by.” “Hmm,” said Lexi. “And how long are you going to indulge Raph in this way?” She glanced at him challengingly, tossing her heavy hair back over her shoulder. With an easy shrug, Jason said, “As long as it takes, of course, Lexi.” “Well, I want you to know that I’m not pleased with the way you’re spoiling my son,” said Lexi, sounding not so much displeased, as downright peeved. Jason glanced at her, his expression derisory. “You’ve had the first eight years of his life to do as you wished. Be advised that, for the next eight years, Raph will be under my care, my guidance. I will not permit you to go into one of your power freak snits again, damaging Raph’s natural exuberance and independence of spirit with your over-severe disciplinary methods of raising my son. As long as you behave yourself with him, you will be included in our family activities. You are, after all, his mother. But step outside the parameters just once, Lexi, and that will be the last time. I am deadly serious about this; realize it well. You stole his first eight years from me. There’s no other word for it. I couldn’t find you, in spite of diligent searching.

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But all that time, you knew exactly where I was. Yet, you never got in touch with me. Payback time, Lexi. His next eight years are mine.” Jason walked slowly to the drinks tray, giving himself time to cool his temper. He selected a bottle of Sourotis and began to pour a glass, glancing at Lexi and holding up the bottle questioningly. “Yes, thank you, I’d like some,” said Lexi, surprisingly subdued. Jason gave her a glass, too, and sat down opposite her, his long legs stretched out, jacket discarded, tie loosened, and the first few buttons undone on his shirt. He spent some time removing his cufflinks, and rolling up his sleeves. Lexi gazed at him from under her lashes and thought he was the sexiest, most captivating man she had ever seen. And at one time he had been all hers. Again, she wondered why she had taken that ill-advised stand about not sleeping with him because of that stupid brief marriage of his. Something of her thoughts must have shown in her face, for Jason said, in a much gentler tone of voice, “Lexi, why won’t you realize that you can relax at last? We’re a two parent family now, and you no longer need to raise Raph by yourself. Admittedly that was your choice. You could’ve called me at any time, and you know in your heart I would’ve come to you immediately, married you. So, now you can enjoy life, without having to worry constantly whether you’re raising him right. “Believe me, I can understand your severity with him, although I can’t approve. When he was small, a baby, a toddler, a very young boy, it was easier for you. But now that he’s beginning to feel a little independence, a need to explore his surroundings, his life, perhaps asking questions about his father, you’ve found it more difficult as a single parent. All I’ve been saying to you is that you can let go, enjoy being Raph’s mother without worrying about his guidance. I was a boy once myself, so it’s easy for me, his father.” Jason gazed at Lexi, concerned to see her face pale, her mouth trembling. His voice gentling, he said, “Lexi, won’t you please relax? You must’ve been working very hard all your life, first studying, then working your way up in Raphael’s Athens company. Now it all comes to fruition. You’ve been offered the top financial position in his conglomerate. It will involve travel here and there, sure. But you need never worry about Raph. He is safe with me. I’m a writer, and a writer mostly spends his time at home, with his computer.

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“We’ll have to find out which school would be best for Raph. Again, I can drive him there in the morning, and pick him up.” He gave Lexi a faint smile. “I want you to know that if you should decide one day that you’d rather be at home, not work any more, that’s fine, too. Perhaps, by now, you have some idea of what I’m worth? Not only the inheritance from my grandfather, but also what I netted from selling my computer business. You needn’t lift a finger unless you want to.” Lexi caught Jason’s gaze and she thought that, for the first time since their row about Alicia, his dark eyes were kind, almost friendly. She fretted that it wouldn’t be all that easy to get back into a caring relationship with him. Jason certainly had his pride, and so had she. But she needed to thank him for his offer. “Jason, that’s so generous of you, offering me a life of leisure and luxury. But I’m so very proud of the promotion Raphael offered me. I do want to accept it, and work as hard as I’ll have to. I admit, it’s a great relief to me, knowing that you’re looking after Raph. I couldn’t possibly take him with me on business trips. And I’ll also admit that Raph seems to thrive under your care. I never dared relax my vigilance for a moment; always afraid something terrible would befall him if I wasn’t there, with my rules to keep him safe.” She smiled tentatively at Jason, hoping to find encouragement in his eyes. “Perhaps you’re right, and I overdid it. Well, I was a single mother with no previous experience of my own on how to handle him. So I’ll agree to leave Raph’s guidance, and all that, to you. As long as you permit him to love me, too.” Lexi glanced at her hands, and moved her left hand slightly so that the huge diamond sparked rainbows, and the plain gold wedding band gleamed softly in the mellow lighting of Jason’s living room. “Lexi…” Jason’s voice was no more than a sigh. “Of course he loves you. Very much. Have you never noticed how he defends you when I remonstrate with you for being too severe with him? He says things like, ‘she can’t help it, Daddy,’ and, ‘I know she power trips, but she has a good heart.’ He glances at you so lovingly. Have you never seen him do that?” Lexi shook her head. “No. I guess all I noticed was how much he preferred being with you, to being with me. I guess those remarks show he’s a lot more perceptive and mature than I’ve given him credit for. Oh, Jason, I’ll ask him to forgive me, tomorrow.”

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Jason shook his head and smiled. “You still don’t seem to realize, Lexi. In his opinion, you’ve done nothing to be forgiven for. He understood you, perhaps better than you understood him. Just leave things as they are, and loosen up a bit. Raph will notice quickly, I promise.” “All right, Jason. That’s probably best, showing him that I’ve relaxed my iron fist, as you probably think of my method of raising him.” She smiled tentatively, and seemed to unwind a bit when Jason quietly shrugged. After a few moments, she went on, “Jason, I’m pretty tired. Would you mind if I said good night?” Instantly, Jason was on his feet. “Of course not, Lexi. You know where the master bedroom is. I told Siobhan that’ll be your room from now on. You get a good night’s rest, because I assure you that Raph will be up early, rarin’ to go for his beach walk.” When he noticed Lexi’s instinctive recoil, undoubtedly remembering the accident with the ATV, he added, “I’ve hired two security officers to protect him on the beach. They’re nice guys. You’ll realize quickly that Raph is safe with them. And once he goes to school, I’ll change their hours from early morning to after school.” “Jason, you did that for Raph? Oh, thank you,” Lexi whispered. “Not only for Raph, honey, for our peace of mind, too,” said Jason easily. “Well then, good night, Jason,” Lexi said, her voice none too steady. “Good night, honey,” said Jason, walking over to her, and hugging her briefly. He was astonished to feel her hug him back fiercely. “And, thank you, for everything,” she said, slowly walking to the bedroom, turning around for one more look at him. The sadness he read in her eyes arrowed through him. **** The life of Jason’s new little family quickly took shape. In the mornings, they went for a walk on the beach, accompanied by Rick and Mitch. Lexi soon got used to their presence, and was quietly grateful to Jason for protecting their son so well. Sometimes, when Raph ran laughingly ahead, knowing that Rick and Mitch would hasten to catch up with him, Lexi and Jason walked a stretch by themselves, sometimes in companionable silence, sometimes talking about the best school for Raph, or other things. Jason scrupulously told Lexi of his reasons for deciding against this or that school, explaining to her why another school seemed preferable.

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The one subject they never touched on was the unusual marriage they seemed to be trapped in. Jason was too proud to beg. Never would he ask Lexi to end the marriage-in-name. For her part, Lexi was too stubborn to admit to Jason that she had overreacted about his brief marriage of compassion, thus forcing them to continue living in the same condo, but not together. Occasionally Lexi tried to give Jason an opening to get closer to her, usually by appearing to stumble over something in the sand. Jason invariably courteously offered his hand for support, sometimes holding her tightly by the waist until she had regained her balance. But, he did not take the brief embrace further. **** A week later, they were together before dinner, as had become their custom. Raph was on the floor playing with his model cars. Lexi and Jason sat opposite each other in the wing chairs by the fireplace. Lexi said, “Do you realize that it’s a month since Raph and I came here from Greece? Raphael originally gave me a month’s vacation. I called him this morning, and let him know I’m ready to commence my duties as his Head of Accounting.” Jason gazed at her, startled. “Is it really a month? Well, if you feel rested enough, Lexi, sure. But if you’d rather have another lazy week or so, I’m sure Raphael would agree.” “Oh, no, Jason. I felt I had to make a start. Raphael has been most indulgent, giving me a month off. So, I said I’d be ready to start next Monday.” She glanced at Jason a little uneasily, before continuing. “Of course, it means you’ll have to take care of registering Raph at the school we decided on.” When she saw Raph look up frowning from his model cars, she turned to him, adding, “Raph, you know you’ll have to go to school here. If we were returning to Greece, you’d have to play catch up at your school, there. But we’re not going back; we’re remaining here, with your father. “You’ll like the school we’ve found for you. Your father will drive you to school and pick you up. And your beach walks will be shifted from morning to after school.” Jason nodded. “Your mother is right, son. We’re sure you’ll like the school we found for you, and the principal and your own teacher will have a long chat with you and me, to see if you need any extra help with subjects that are taught differently here than in Greece. It’s lucky that

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your mother and your Uncle Raphael both realized the importance of your being bilingual in English, otherwise we’d be hard pressed to find a school for you to go to.” Raph grinned. “D’you mean that if I didn’t know enough English I wouldn’t have to go to school?” he asked, only half joking. Jason realized that Raph might pretend to know only rudimentary English once he got to school. He said, grinning back at his son, “No, I didn’t mean that. If you didn’t know enough English I’d have to hire a Greek teacher bilingual in English for you. You’d have to work harder then, of course, to catch up on English as well as your school work.” “Work harder?” said Raph, making a face. “No way, Daddy. I’ll just go to the school you chose for me.” “A wise decision, son,” said Jason, still grinning. “It’s a good thing you bought me that BMW,” said Lexi, “or you’d have to drive me to work as well.” Jason nodded, amused. When he and Lexi went out to buy her a car, she fell in love instantly with a bright red BMW convertible, with a black leather interior and top, and kept inventing reasons for going to the store, driving over to Lydia, in order to get behind the wheel of her car. Jason smiled at her. “A most unusual choice for a staid Head of Accounting, but I’m glad you enjoy the car. Any time you feel you rate a chauffeur-driven limo, you be sure to let me know.” Lexi smiled back. “Jason… No way do I want you to go to such an expense. Anyway, I love my red BMW with the black top.” “You do?” said Jason, lifting a slim, winged brow whimsically. “My hair is black, so all it would take is for me to wear a bright red suit and you’d fall in love with me?” Raph laughed uproariously at his father’s suggestion. Lexi gave Jason a startled glance, then she said softly, “You know better. A red suit isn’t necessary.” “No?” “No.” Raph glanced in surprise from one parent to the other. Why would his Daddy offer to wear a red suit, unless, maybe, he meant a Santa suit? But it was a long time till Christmas. Anyway, his mother said a red suit wasn’t necessary. Just as he was about to ask what they were

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talking about, he intercepted a strange look in his Daddy’s eyes as he gazed at Mamá. Instinctively he felt that he shouldn’t interrupt his Daddy at that moment. Raph smiled inside his mouth and began to show a disproportionate interest in the cars he was playing with. Seemingly busy, he heard his Daddy say very quietly, “We’ll talk about it later.” But ‘later’ never came. They had barely finished dinner, when Jason’s cell phone burred. “Jason Thalassinos.” “It’s Raphael. I need to talk to Lexi.” “Of course, here she is.” Jason extended his cell phone to Lexi. “Raphael wants to talk to you.” Lexi sat down beside Jason, and took the phone, asking, “What can I do for you, Raphael?” “Good evening, Lexi. You can go to New York for me and implement the changes we talked about recently. Gregory is willing to do it, but he’s a lawyer. It’ll take an accountant of your stellar abilities to make sure it all happens the way we envisaged it. How soon can you leave, Lexi?” Surprised, Lexi’s beautiful mouth opened, showing a perfect ‘O’ as she said, “Any time, Raphael. Do you want me to leave early tomorrow? I don’t suppose there are planes leaving this late for New York?” “You’re right, there aren’t, but you’ll fly up in my own plane. The pilot and his mate are standing by at Ocean Breeze airport. Yes, Learjets can land and take off there – so when you’ve thrown some stuff in a suitcase, get Jason to drive you over. No point in leaving that fanciable BMW of yours in the parking lot for a number of days.” “Of course, Raphael. That’s entirely feasible. How many days should I expect to be away? I need to know how much clothing to pack.” “Plan on a week, Lexi. If you find you can set things in motion more quickly, by all means tell Greg and he’ll arrange a company plane for you. I don’t want you to hang about there monitoring how well it’s going. Greg has offered to do that. But I need you to set everything in motion, initially. All right?” “Of course all right, Raphael. Shall I call you when I’m ready to leave here?”

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“Yes, thanks. I’ll tell the pilot. Sorry to interrupt your honeymoon, but this is an emergency.” “Raphael, it’s high time I went to work again. Okay then, call you later.” Lexi gave the cell phone back to Jason, saying, “Raphael wants me to fly to New York this evening. A bit of an emergency, implementing some major changes he and I have been discussing. He only needs me to set things in motion. After that, Gregory will monitor how well it’s going. I guess if he’s less than satisfied I’ll have to go up again, but for the moment Raphael foresees I’ll be away for a week. Jason… I’m sorry…” Dammit, thought Jason. Just when we seemed to be getting somewhere. He smiled at Lexi. “No need to be sorry, this is your big career move. D’you want any help with the packing? Remember, this time of year it’s as hot in New York as here, and probably more humid.” He took out his wallet and removed a Gold Card. “I meant to tell you, here’s the twin of my Gold Card with your name on it. You may need to buy some power suits in thin fabrics once you’re in New York. Go ahead. Gregory’s wife, Ariadne, will be pleased to introduce you to her favourite designer, Steve Campbell, if memory serves.” Lexi sounded almost shy as she said softly, “Jason, thank you, that’s so very kind of you. I never thought I… Shopping? Would I have time for that?” Jason grinned at her. “You’re the boss, remember? The Head of Accounting. You waltz in, give instructions how they are to start, then you say you have business outside the office, and meet Ariadne for a few hours’ shopping. Then you waltz back into the office to see how well the staff has carried out the instructions. Sound good?” Lexi smiled. “You sound like a Thalassinos, of course. But I…” Quickly, Jason interrupted her. “And you’re a Thalassinos, too. Start thinking and sounding like one.” He turned to Raph, who was coming to say good night, dressed in his pajama bottoms. “Come here, son. Your Mamá has to go to New York, to set up a special department for your Uncle Raphael. Let’s give her a kiss, and wish her lots of luck.” He caught Raph in his arms setting him between Lexi and himself. Raph immediately squirmed up and planted a big kiss on his mother’s cheek. “I wish you a very good trip, Mamá. How long are you gone for?” “I’m not sure, Raph. Your Uncle Raphael said, probably a week. By the way, where is your pajama top?”

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“I don’t wear them any more, Mamá. Daddy doesn’t either, and I want to be just like my Daddy.” With a smile, Lexi glanced at her son and thought that, indeed, he was a perfect miniature of Jason, her perfect lover. And now she had to go to New York. What if Jason got tired of the status quo between them and decided… Frowning worriedly, she shook her head. Jason, who could read her thoughts easily off her expressive face, said gently, “No way, meli mou.” Startled, Lexi gazed at him. “What do you mean, no way?” “I was responding to what you were thinking, honey.” When she stared at him, amazed, he added, “I’ve always said you have a very expressive face.” He got to his feet and held a hand out to Lexi. “Come, let’s go get your packing done.” Raph reminded his father, “Daddy, you forgot to give Mamá a kiss.” “So I did, son. I’ll rectify that before we start packing,” said Jason easily and tugged Lexi back toward him. He bent his dark head and brushed her lips softly with his. He could only be pleased at Lexi’s breathless little sigh. “Can I help with the packing, please, Daddy?” said Raph, hoping to postpone his bedtime by this subterfuge. Jason glanced at him and smiled. “I was thinking, you might want to climb back into your clothes, so that you and I could take your mother to the airport?” “Oh, Daddy, yessss!” Raph flew back into his bedroom. “You really think he should be out this late?” Lexi asked, frowning slightly. Jason shrugged negligently. “Think for a moment, agape mou. We’ve a choice between letting Raph come with us to the airport, and I’ll see to it that he catches up on his sleep tomorrow. Or…? The way I see it, we haven’t got an ‘or’. ” Lexi nodded. “You’re right, of course, Jason.” She smiled at him, preceding him out of the living room. When Jason had unearthed one of Lexi’s rather battered suitcases, he shook his head. “I’ll give you one of mine to use. It’s got wheels, it expands, and is very light.” Moments later, Jason returned with a Louis Vuitton suitcase and toiletries tote. Smiling, he suggested, “Let me pack for you, while you figure out which papers you’ll need to take with you.”

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Lexi gaped at him. “P-papers?” she faltered. “Jason, I haven’t got any. When Raphael and I discussed the changes to be implemented, we talked in his library, and that’s where all the papers are.” “Don’t give it a thought, Lexi. I’ll call Raphael now, and have him put together whatever papers you’ll need in New York. We’ll simply drive by, and pick them up.” Jason smiled reassuringly hauling out his cell phone. A moment later, he said, “Raphael… Lexi will need the papers underlying what you and she have been talking about, right? Could you get them together, and we’ll drive by your place to pick them up.” She heard the burr of Raphael’s deep voice. Jason said amiably, “If you don’t mind, great. We’re just finishing Lexi’s packing. See you at the airport, then.” He put away his cell phone, explaining to Lexi, “Raphael will meet us at the airport and give you the papers there. Now, let’s get you packed.” Nearly an hour later, they met Raphael at the airport. He gave Lexi a smart briefcase, saying, “This should hold you for the trip. I couldn’t think of anything else to add. Go do your thing, Lexi. See you in about a week.” Raphael kissed her cheeks perfunctorily, then it was Raph’s turn to hug his mother. At last, Jason came closer. “You’ll be wonderful, Mrs. Thalassinos,” he said softly, tilting her face up to his with a strong, brown hand under her chin, gently brushing his lips over hers. With an inarticulate little moan, Lexi put her arms around Jason’s neck and kissed him back, her tongue probing the seam of his lips, which soon parted. “I’ll miss you, Jason.” Her voice shook after the kiss ended. “I’ll miss you, too, agape mou.” The co-pilot was walking ahead with Lexi’s luggage, and she began to follow him slowly. By the door to the flight dispatch office for private planes, she turned one more time, her eyes on Jason. ‘Se agapo,’ she mouthed. Then she was gone.

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Chapter 7

The next few days were filled with school-related activities for Jason and Raph. Jason registered his son at the private school he and Lexi had chosen, and had a pleasant interview with the Principal, and the young woman who would be Raph’s teacher. She turned out to be a Philhellene, having spent many summers in Greece, speaking the language passably. Jason was relieved. He doubted that Raph would have difficulty in class; he was fully bilingual. But if it should happen, this teacher could tell him in Greek. They were given a list of books to buy, also which gym clothes and swim trunks he would need. Moreover, Jason wanted to get a personal computer for his son. He decided to change the other guest suite into a study-cum-bedroom for Raph. Mike the doorman willingly came up to dismantle the bed, and was delighted when Jason told him he could have the big bed, mattress, bed linens and other furniture. The next day, Jason took his son furniture shopping, and bought a well-designed desk with a special space for the laptop, and with space for the printer to one side. He bought two bookcases, one to hold Raph’s books, the other for his collection of model cars and other toys. When Jason also bought a full-size bed, Raph asked, his lower lip trembling, “Daddy… Does that mean that you and I won’t share the other bedroom any more?” “Not right now, of course, Raph. But in time, yes. You’ll have your very own room. You haven’t had any nightmares for quite a while now, right?” “Yes, Daddy, but I liked so much sleeping in the same room with you.” Jason smiled and ruffled his son’s hair. “Well, you see, Raph,” he said gently, “when people are married, they usually sleep in the same room. When your mother and I got married, you were still hurting from the accident, and you had those nightmares, so I decided to stay with you. But one day, your mother will ask me to come sleep in her room…” Raph frowned. “Oh, Daddy, how awful for you. When we were living in Athens, for the longest time Mamá tried to have me sleep in the same room with her. I had to be very firm with her, and tell her I was too old to be babied.” Clearly, Raph thought that his father should be equally firm with his mother.

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Jason smiled. “You were quite right to be firm with her. Boys shouldn’t be sleeping in their mothers’ bedrooms once they’re no longer little. It’s different for me. I’m her husband, you see. And if she asks me to come sleep in her room, then I’ll be very happy to do just that.” Raph sighed. “Well, if that’s okay with you, Daddy, then I guess…” Jason grinned at his son. “Yeah, that would be okay with me, son.” **** Lexi had fallen into the habit of calling Jason every evening. The first time was ostensibly to let him know she had arrived safely. But Jason thought he detected some anxiety in Lexi’s voice, and he kept chatting easily until she sounded more like her usual self. The next evening she called to ask about Raph, was he well? Had Jason registered him at the school they had chosen? Privately, Jason thought that, if Lexi were really so concerned about Raph, surely she’d have called early enough to be able to talk to him. But he let none of this show in his voice when he answered her queries, chatting amiably with her for some time. After that, Lexi no longer gave an excuse for calling. Nor did she pretend she wanted to hear about Raph, she simply talked to Jason. She seemed to find it easier talking to him on the telephone than when they were sitting together in the living room. In fact, on the fourth evening, Jason was amused to note that Lexi was having a little gentle phone-sex with him, and he certainly did nothing to discourage her. **** On the fifth evening, Lexi called earlier than the other days. Her voice hoarse with what he uneasily recognized as a sort of terror, she stammered, “J-Jason, p-please, your f-father is here. He came in j-just as I was… and he raged, asking what was his son Jason’s poutana d-doing in his son Raphael’s p-penthouse? I-I stood up t-to him. I s-said Raphael h-had given orders t-to his s-security people n-never to let his f-father enter any of his pproperties. H-he t-tried to throw m-me out. But Gregory and Ariadne were here t-to have ddinner with me… Gregory held him back from… oh, Jason…” Jason went deathly pale. His father had called Lexi a whore. Hastily, he said, “Agape mou, is my father still there? Put him on, and I’ll give him such a tongue-lashing that he’ll never recover. Lexi?” Her voice thick with barely held-back tears, Lexi said, “N-no. He went out. Gregory and Ariadne are still here. We’re going to have dinner s-soon. Except, I c-can’t eat.”

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“Listen to me. I’ll ask Raphael for his plane, or if Raphael needs it, I’ll ask Nick to lend me his. Either way, I’ll be in New York as quickly as I can. It means I’ll have to ask Raph to stay with Raphael and Lydia until you and I can return here. “Meanwhile, don’t let Gregory leave before I get there. Do you want me to talk to him, or do you feel up to asking him to stay until I arrive?” “S-sure, Jason, I’ll ask him. Oh, Jason. Thank you, I feel so much better already.” “I’ll see you soon, honey. And believe me, my father will pay for the word he used.” “You mean p-pou…” Jason hastily interrupted her. “Don’t ever say that word. You are my wife, my beloved wife. You can tell him that, over the intercom, if he should return before I get there. Don’t let him enter the condo. I’m going to hang up now. I’ve got to organize a plane ride for me. All right? Se agapo – I love you.” “I love you too, Jason. Always have, and always will. Please hurry?” “I will, agape mou.” Jason disconnected and turned to Raph, who had stopped playing with his model cars when he heard what his father was saying. He was astonished to see his father’s face pale, his sensitive nostrils flaring, dark eyes stormy. “Daddy? Is Mamá in trouble? Is that why you have to go to her?” “She isn’t in trouble, son, but I have to go protect her against my father. He is your biological grandfather, but I’ll make sure you’ll never meet him. He is a despicable man. And I don’t want to give him the chance of pouring his venom over your mother. “Raph… I have no choice but to ask you to spend a few days with your Uncle Raphael, and your Aunt Lydia. Will you do that, please? Your mother and I will come back as quickly as we can.” Raph nodded, wide-eyed. “Sure, Daddy. Don’t worry about me. You go help Mamá,” he said amiably. Jason nodded his relief, and got out his cell phone. “Raphael? Listen, an emergency — in New York. What? No, nothing to do with business. Father arrived at your condo and started in on Lexi. You won’t believe what he called her. Fortunately Lexi had invited Greg and Ariadne to dinner. Greg was instrumental in deflecting father’s worst excesses and expelling him from your condo. But Lexi thinks he’s

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coming back to stay there. I’ve got to go to New York to protect her from him. Is your plane available, or will I need to ask Nick?” Jason listened for a few moments, then continued, “Oh, great. Thanks. And listen, something else — could Raph stay with you and Lydia until Lexi and I come back?” He listened for a little longer. “Thanks, Raphael. We’ll be at the airport, a.s.a.p.” Jason put away his cell phone and held out his hand. “Raph, let’s pack some clothes for you, just for a few days, all right?” “Sure, Daddy. Gee, I wish I could go to New York with you.” “So do I, son, but this isn’t going to be a fun trip. I have to protect your mother from your appalling grandfather. But you’ll like your grandmother. One of these days, your Uncle Raphael and I will see to it that you get to meet her.” All the time Jason was talking, he was busy packing clothes for his son into a small suitcase. “Get your toothbrush and toothpaste, son, and your brush and comb. We’ll put them here in this little bag, see?” “Yes, thank you, Daddy. Daddy? I already know I’m gonna miss you.” “And, I’ll miss you, too, ye mou.” Jason flew into his walk-in and heaved out a Louis Vuitton garment bag, and a tote. Minutes later, he was packed. “Let’s go, Raph,” he said, hurrying out of the condo with his son. At the last moment, he realized he hadn’t left a note for Siobhan. No matter. He’d ask Lydia to call her tomorrow morning. Pleased to have solved this additional problem, he and Raph hurried to the Jaguar. Twenty minutes later, they were at the airport. Raphael and Lydia were there. Quick hugs all around, then Raphael said, “Jason, the plane will take off as soon as you board. Listen, I’ve phoned the Security people at my duplex and instructed them that father is not to be allowed to visit. That should keep Lexi safe. Damn him. And we’ll look after Raph — don’t worry. Look how pleased Lee is to have him stay with us.” And indeed, Lydia was hugging Raph delightedly. Jason turned to his son for a brief moment and ruffled his hair. “Your mother and I’ll be back as quickly as we can make it. Bye, son.” He bent his tall, supple length and kissed Raph’s forehead.

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“Bye, Daddy,” said Raph, smiling bravely for his father, and for his uncle and aunt, as Jason disappeared through a door marked Flight Dispatch — Private Aircraft. **** The flight was fast, but to Jason it appeared interminable. Gregory’s limo and chauffeur were awaiting him when he arrived at the small Long Island airport where Raphael kept his plane when he was in New York. At that late hour, the traffic flowed smoothly, and Jason arrived at Raphael’s Manhattan duplex faster than he had dared hope. The Security officer seemed relieved to see him and quickly announced him to Lexi. The moment he buzzed, the door was flung open, and Lexi threw herself into his arms. “Jason, oh, Jason, I’m so very glad to see you. Greg and Ariadne left a while ago, their babysitter phoned. One of their kids is sick.” Jason’s arms flew around her, hugging her tightly. “It’s all right, agape mou. I’m here, and if that predatory bastard dares to say one single word against you, I’ll flatten him.” He put one arm under Lexi’s knees and lifted her, kicking the door shut. He walked slowly into Raphael’s living room, sitting down on one of the big sofas with Lexi on his lap. He went on, “True, biologically he fathered me, but he’s never been a father to Raphael, Irene or me. He seemed to think we were his pawns, to be married off in order to give him an ever-increasing influence in his business fields of interest. “None of us would. He threatened that he would disown Irene – my sister, she’s between Raphael and me – if she didn’t marry a repulsive, gnome-like old man, who owned lands adjacent to ours on the mainland. Raphael took Irene home with him. He and I put together a twenty million dowry for her so she could marry a brilliant, but impecunious young lawyer she loved, and who adored her. They’ve been married for seven years now, very happy, with two delightful children. “And you know what father did to you and me. Bundled me off to Yale so I couldn’t marry you, as I wanted to. If he opens his mouth to say one single disparaging word about you, he’ll be lucky to escape with his life.” Lexi glanced up at Jason and, seeing the coldly furious, determined expression on his face, she realized that he was serious. His father would be lucky to escape with his life if he insulted her.

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She whispered, “Jason, would you please kiss me? I’ve missed you so terribly, and when your father… ” She lifted her face to his, and he did not keep her waiting. Touching his mouth to hers, he began to kiss her parted lips, gently at first, then probing until he could let their tongues dance together before delving into the velvet depths of her mouth, finding again the sweetness he had missed so much. When, at last, he lifted his mouth from hers, he said softly, “Lexi, are you tired? Would you like to rest for a while? You don’t have to be present when I confront my father, you know. Believe me, I can handle him with one hand tied behind my back. He is mostly bullying bluster, and he knows it doesn’t work with his children. Even Irene stands up to him. But he tries to get at Raphael and me through our women. The things he said to Lydia, and now to you. So, would you like to have a rest, and I’ll wait up for father?” Lexi shook her head determinedly. “No, Jason. I’m so very happy that you’re here. I don’t want to be parted from you. Please, let’s stay together. Jason, please forgive me for my temper, my anger? I’m so sorry about that silly demand for a marriage in name only. Every time I looked at you, I thought I must’ve been demented to…” “Sssh, agape mou,” Jason whispered against her hair. “Don’t think about any of that any more. It’s over and we’ll forget all about it.” Lexi sighed with relief, it seemed to him. “Oh, Jason, thank you for being so good to me. I only wish I’d never…” “I thought we were going to forget all about that, hmm?” said Jason, wrapping her more tightly in his embrace. They sat there quietly for a long while, his generous mouth softly caressing her temple. After some time, he became aware that Lexi had fallen into an exhausted sleep. He thought sleep was probably the best thing for her right now. He didn’t want her to remember the cruel, humiliating words his father had taunted her with. His sensitive nostrils flared. Well, they would be the very last words his father ever said to his wife, or to any member of his and Raphael’s families. Jason became aware of a discreet buzz, indicating the Security Desk had a visitor to announce. Quietly, he rose with Lexi in his arms, gently placing her on the sofa. With a little purring sound in her throat, she slept on. Jason went to the console in the entrance hall. “Yes?”

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“Sir, it’s O’Malley at the Security desk. There’s a gentleman here, says he is your father. He’s creating quite a ruckus. But I have an instruction from Mr. Raphael Thalassinos not to let this gentleman visit. Sir?” “Let my father come up in the elevator. I’ll receive him in the elevator hall. Thank you.” “Thank you, Sir.” Clearly Security was relieved not to have to deal any further with Petros Thalassinos. Jason slipped out of the front door, locking it behind him. Moments later, the discreet piing of the elevator announced the arrival of his father, who stormed into the elevator hall, shouting, “That cretin on the Security desk wouldn’t let me into my own son’s co-op. I’ll have the bastard’s job for this.” Petros hurried to the front door and tried to open it. It did not give. He threw his weight against it. The door held. Enraged, Petros bellowed, “Jason, don’t just stand there, open the goddam door.” Jason glanced at him contemptuously. “No, I won’t. You were refused admittance on Raphael’s orders. He will not allow you to visit any of his properties, and his Security people have been so informed. I’ve merely come out to tell you that the same applies to my properties. You will not be allowed to come near me, or mine, ever again.” Incredulous, Petros said, “You’d refuse to see me, your own father, because of that pou…” Jason did not give him the chance to finish the appalling word. With the utmost contempt, he slapped his father’s face with the back of his hand. The slap was so hard that a trickle of blood appeared at one corner of Petros’s mouth. He stared at his son incredulously, then he balled his fist. Throw just one punch, Jason thought. Just one, and I’ll beat you to a pulp, as you so richly deserve for all you’ve done to us in the past. But Petros did not. He stared at his son, rage mixing with fear in his glance. Coward! thought Jason contemptuously, remembering the severe beatings he and Raphael had had to take when they were young. Once Raphael grew taller than their father, the beatings had stopped. He said, “You will never use that word again about my dearly beloved wife.” Jason’s tone was glacial, his face stiff with scorn. “You married her?” Petros gasped.

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“Yes, I did, belatedly. But for your pernicious interference, we would’ve been married nine years ago. You will now take this elevator back down, and never return to any of Raphael’s or my properties.” “But I’m your father! That woman is nothing but a pou…” Again, Jason slapped his father’s face, even harder than before, this time with the back of his left hand. The signet ring on his little finger cut Petros’s cheek, a bloody welt appearing instantly. “I ordered you never to use that word again about my beloved wife,” Jason said, his dark eyes as black and cold as onyx, his tone even more arctic than before. “Leave now, while you still can.” But his father had not quite finished spreading his poison. “I heard she’s pretending the kid she had is yours. Surely you’re not demented enough to let her get away with that?” Jason was silent, the expression on his face disdainful, contemptuous. At last, he decided to speak. “My wife did not have to pretend, her son is mine. He is the image of me. But you will never see him, any more than you’ll see Irene and Zeno’s children, or Raphael and Lydia’s child. That’s what your lying, bullying, bludgeoning tactics have achieved for you. I repeat, leave now. I have nothing further to say to you.” Jason pressed the elevator button, and the doors slid open. When Petros showed no inclination to leave, Jason took his arm, shoving him roughly into the elevator car. Jason stood there, implacable, waiting for the elevator doors to close. The moment the elevator began its descent, Jason re-entered the duplex. He picked up the phone connecting him with the Security Desk. When the duty officer answered, he said, “Is that you, O’Malley? Petros Thalassinos is on his way down in the private elevator. Please make sure he leaves, and is never again allowed to come up. If he creates the slightest problem, call the police on my brother’s orders, and have him arrested. Thank you.” Jason replaced the receiver, and went back to the living room, and Lexi. He tiptoed to the sofa and saw that Lexi was still asleep. In fact, she had not moved at all. Poor Lexi, he thought, she must be deeply exhausted. Her work was, of course, far more demanding than what she was used to doing in Athens. On top of that, his father had seen fit to subject her to one of his more despicable performances as a bully and tyrant, which must have unnerved her. He knelt with one knee on the sofa beside her, and very carefully lifted her in his arms. Taking care not to disturb

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her with sudden movements, he slowly and smoothly walked up the floating staircase to the bedroom floor. He saw a door standing ajar opposite the master bedroom. Bingo. The suitcase he had helped Lexi pack was standing on a low bench at the foot of the bed. He bent toward the bed and managed to catch the duvet between two fingers, dragging it away. Gently he placed Lexi on the bed. She groaned in protest, turning her face away from the soft light of the bedside lamp, but continued sleeping. Jason decided that he would take off her dress and stockings, but leave her bra and thong on. He disliked the thought of her waking up as he was removing those, and the erroneous conclusion she would leap to. He decided he’d merely make her more comfortable. She must have been terrorized by his father. Damn him. With the utmost care, he managed to get her dress off by rolling her to her side and lowering the back zipper, removing the dress first from one shoulder, then the other, carefully keeping himself between the lamp and Lexi. For a moment, he had to lift her hips so that he could strip the dress off. And still she slept on. He was glad to see that her stockings were the lace-top kind, so he wouldn’t have to wrestle with pantyhose, that item of clothing beloved by women because of the smooth hip-line, detested by men, because the method of taking them off looked ungraceful and unappealing to any man watching. Jason wondered whether he should sleep in another guest room, but decided that, if Lexi should wake up during the night, she’d be reassured by his presence. He hastily removed his outer clothing, leaving his string bikini on. Ruefully, he thought it wouldn’t give him a whole lot of cover, but it was better than slipping into bed naked. He turned off the bedside lamp, composing himself for sleep. But sleep proved elusive. His mind kept replaying the appalling scene with his father. Could he have acted differently? After some soul-searching, he concluded that his father had deserved what he got. What were two slaps in the face, compared with the physical abuse he and Raphael had suffered when they were still too young and small to fight back? Jason remembered with delight the time when he, ten years old, was about to be beaten unmercifully by his father, and Raphael, sixteen, had knocked his father down, putting his foot hard on his father’s chest, telling him never to touch Jason or Irene again, or he, Raphael, would

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beat the daylights out of him. How cowardly his father had cringed until Raphael had contemptuously taken his foot away, allowing his father to get up. Raphael had confiscated the belt with the sharp, cutting buckle, intended for use on Jason’s back. Raphael had given his father a very hard whack with it across the buttocks, tearing the fabric of his trousers, before leading his brother away. He could still hear his father’s terrified screams. In retrospect, Jason felt he had been restrained in merely slapping his father to stop him from reiterating the Greek word for whore in describing Lexi, his beloved wife. He couldn’t have done anything less. Reassured, Jason finally fell asleep. **** The next morning, Lexi awoke to a distant sound of rushing water. Slightly disoriented after her deep, exhausted sleep, she glanced around her. Astonished, she saw that the pillow next to hers bore an indentation. Someone’s head had rested there. Someone’s? Jason’s, she realized as memory came flooding back. The rushing water she heard must mean that Jason was taking a shower. She wondered, had he got up earlier than usual to spare her the embarrassment of finding him in her bed? Embarrassment? No way. Delight, rather. Didn’t Jason realize that? Perhaps not. She had been so mean to him. She quickly got out of bed and hurried to the bathroom. Perhaps she could join Jason in the shower? Discarding her bra and thong, she hastily opened the shower door, sliding in, facing Jason who stood under the cascade with his eyes closed. The moment the water flowed over her, she realized he was taking a cold shower. She let out an agonized little squeak, causing Jason to open his eyes in astonishment — delighted astonishment. “Jason, please make the water warm,” she begged, pretending to lose her footing under the shock of the cold water. To regain her balance, she slid both arms around Jason’s narrow waist, hugging him. Jason hastened to turn the dial, enfolding Lexi in a tight embrace. “Why on earth were you taking a cold shower, palikari mou?” she asked, reaching up to kiss him. Delighted to hear her call him her ‘tall, handsome lover,’ Jason shrugged. “Well, I thought… ” “Then think again, Jason my darling. Don’t you realize how much I want you?” Lexi’s mouth was on his throat, and in spite of the rushing water, he felt the tip of her tongue lick and

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caress the hollow between his clavicles. At the same time he realized he did not want their first time together, since their marriage, to be under the shower. No. He wanted them to lie in bed together, taking their time, rediscovering each other. He quickly put some shower gel on his hands and began to rub Lexi’s skin with it, turning her under the shower to rinse her clean. He turned off the water, opening the shower door and grabbing the first towel his hand touched. Wrapping Lexi in it, he began to blot her dry. Surprised and confused, she gazed up at Jason. “I thought…” she began. “If you’re wondering whether I want you, look down, agape mou. Does that convince you? But I want us to take our time, don’t you?” Frankly, Lexi wanted Jason so much she would gladly have submitted to being ravished in the shower, but apparently Jason had other ideas. Whatever… She snagged a towel, beginning to dry him. Once she reached his hips, she planned on letting the towel slide, putting her hands on his huge erection. Let’s see you wait and take your time, then. A triumphant smile lifted the corners of her mouth. Jason gasped, the moment he felt Lexi’s fingers trying to encircle his hard, spectacular length, but not quite making it. His hands dropped the towel he was drying her with, and he hugged her to him tightly, one hand straying to her breasts. “What are you doing to me, gineka mou?” he moaned, his body betraying him by moving rhythmically in the enticing tempo Lexi set for him as she clasped his shaft as tightly as she could, all the while kissing him, the tip of her tongue laving his generous mouth, silently pleading with him to open for her. He did so at once, welcoming her tongue with his, moaning his enchantment. “Honey,” Jason sighed against her mouth, “If you do that, I can’t wait…” Desperate for her, he settled Lexi on the corner of the vanity counter, intending to tease her a little before taking her to bed. With a smile of elation, Lexi leaned back against the steamy mirror, pushing her hips forward, glancing at Jason from under her long lashes. She could see that the scented steam, and the mirrors all around were turning him on even more. She smiled to herself, knowing he wouldn’t be able to hold back now. She was instantly proved right, as he groaned his impassioned desire, holding her tightly to him, his hands caressing everywhere he could, eliciting shivers of delight from her. “Jason…” she pleaded. “Please, I have to have you now.”

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He smiled. She had always been that way, so impetuous, wanting to feel him stretching and filling her. This time, she’d have to wait while he reacquainted himself with her beautiful body, kissed every delicious inch of her. “Jason…” “Soon, agape mou, very soon,” he promised, kissing his way from her mouth to her breasts, where he lingered, licking and laving each darkly inviting nipple in turn, suckling, delighted to hear her breathless little gasps. Slowly, he kissed his way further down, as Lexi arched her back, giving him access to her navel, where he played for a while, circling the indentation with soft little kisses, then delving deep with the tip of his tongue. “Jason, oh, please…” “Yes, but first I want to…” Slowly, he bestowed the most intimate kiss of all, touching his tongue to the clitoris, then sliding down to where she wanted him. She sucked in a deep breath, her body rocking wildly against his mouth. He smiled to himself. She hadn’t changed. Just as passionate, as impatient for him. When he felt the first faint contraction of her intimate muscles against his tongue, he lifted his mouth, standing up hastily so that he could drive his heavy length deep into her. The moment he was inside her, he heard her sexy moan, feeling her intimate muscles stretching to take him, then clenching around him again in a grip so tight he thought he would die from the surpassing pleasure. He slid her closer, driving himself still deeper into her. More than a little concerned about his control, which seemed to be on the point of vanishing altogether, his eyes, black as midnight with passion, sought hers. What he saw there confirmed what he felt deep inside her. Elated, Jason quickly drove them to a shared orgasm of awesome power and duration, as he spilled the hot flood of his seed into her depths, while she clenched and released rhythmically around him, as if to make sure he gave her every last drop. It certainly felt like that to him, as he experienced, again, the ecstatic bliss he had always felt with her. A glance at Lexi’s face showed him it had been the same for her. When his heartbeat and breathing had slowed a little, and he could think again, he tightened her legs around his waist and lifted her, still joined to him, walking slowly to their bed. He sat down carefully on the edge, taking her legs from around his waist, folding them beside his

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thighs. He thought vaguely that it was a good thing Lexi was so supple. He lowered his upper body to the pillows, while swinging his legs to the mattress, still holding her tightly to him. Lexi seemed delighted to find herself on top, and she began immediately to move rhythmically again, her hips churning wildly, driving him to the edge of his control. Leaning forward, her lips caressing his mouth, she whispered, “I want you to do what we liked best, palikari mou,” looking expectantly at Jason. “Is this some kind of trick question? You think I forgot what we used to do because you still believe I’ve been with thousands of women? Ah, no, gineka mou. In your heart you must know I haven’t been, and I do remember everything we did together. So, you want to do what we liked best? Come here then, and sit on the top of my thighs, while I sit up against the pillows, and pull my knees up behind you. We’ll rock until I’m deep inside you. Was that what you had in mind?” He pulled her to him, and positioned her so that the tip of his erection touched her clitoris before sliding down farther. Lexi gasped. Jason’s smile was a little complacent, but Lexi felt he might be forgiven for that; making love to her again without any recovery time. The pleasure he gave her so willingly sent her almost into orbit. He had always been a most generous, inventive lover, even at age twenty, she remembered. And then she could not think at all any more, surrendering to what he made her feel. He took his time over their second orgasm, rocking into her, then changing positions, caressing and kissing her erogenous zones, which, he realized, meant kissing and caressing her all over. Under his hands, Lexi’s entire body had always been an erogenous zone. When he felt her cup his sac, and caress the testes swollen with his seed, he sucked in a deep breath, whispering, “That’s playing dirty…” as he yielded to a spectacular climax, spilling into her in seemingly endless surges, feeling again the transcendent rapture he had only ever felt with her. He was obscurely delighted when he felt her muscles clenching tightly around him, then relaxing, taking all he had to give. Yes. That’s how it had always been for them. When they had caught their breath, she whispered, “You thought that was playing dirty? No way, my darling. Now this…” she slipped off his erection and slowly began sliding her tongue along his shaft, “…is playing dirty.” She was more than a little surprised to find him still as hard, long and heavy as before he spilled his seed.

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“It certainly is,” he sighed at last, and caught her to him. **** Later, Lexi said, “Jason my darling, I’ll have to get up and go to work.” Jason smiled, holding her tautly to him. “It’s Saturday, agape mou. In fact, I was going to ask whether you have organized things to the point where Gregory can supervise. You’re only a phone call or an e-mail away, even when you’re working at Raphael’s Ocean Breeze office, right?” “That’s true, and yes, I told Greg yesterday over dinner that I could really do no more at the moment. Greg understands perfectly what Raphael wants. That’s how I put things to him; that we both work for Raphael. I know you think I’m a tactless control freak, but I realize that Raphael’s right hand-man in New York wouldn’t take too kindly to receiving orders from me, so I’ve been very, very careful to avoid that.” “Lexi, I never said you were a control freak in your professional life, just with Raph, and that was understandable, a boy is harder to raise for a mother alone. I’ve told you several times I understood that.” Jason frowned, until she lifted her mouth to his and kissed him, whispering, “Please Jason, darling, I was only teasing.” Her hands slid caressingly over his body, and his response was immediate. “Yes, well, I’ve very little sense of humour about that,” said Jason, his voice still a little cool, but quickly warming. “Meli mou – honey, what are you doing?” “What does it feel like I’m doing, Jason, palikari mou?” Lexi asked, taking her mouth for a moment from his rapidly burgeoning erection. Jason gasped. “It feels…incredible,” he whispered, his fingers entwined in her dark, heavy hair, holding her head exactly where it was, giving him further rapture. He smiled. He had felt so sure neither of them could take any more, after making love three times inside an hour. Well, of course, with the right woman… Lexi smiled to herself. She felt Jason’s body stir in the involuntary rhythm she created for him by moving her hand tightly on his shaft, while her other hand cupped and caressed his sac, its testes still swollen with his seed. Well, she had forced him to be celibate for quite some time. But she would make that up to him, right now.

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Licking and laving his hard length, feeling him thicken in her hand, while she licked the rapidly forming drops of fluid from the tip of his penis, she began to take him into her mouth as far as she could. “Agape mou, no more. I’ll come in your mouth,” Jason implored, but his plea fell on deaf ears. Lexi held him still more tautly, licking and kissing and laving. When she felt his body’s tempo increase, she increased the movement of her hands on his penis, and on the cluster holding his seed. With one long finger, she found the very sensitive spot just beyond. The moment she touched it, Jason nearly came off the bed. “Lexi,” he sighed, gasping, “I can’t…” He tried to remove her mouth from his erection, but she wouldn’t let him. His pelvis moving ever faster, he felt her suck him, hard. Again and again. He felt that telltale prickling low in his back, and spilled into her mouth, spilled and spilled, as she kept sucking him, until at last he stilled. Slowly, she lessened the pressure of her lips a little, so he could withdraw from her if he wished, but a quick glance at him showed that he was lying back against his pillows, his face pale under his tan, his eyes closed, his long, curving lashes making little black fringes on his carved cheekbones. At last, he felt his penis slip from her mouth. He sighed deeply and whispered, “Agape mou, what you did for me was breathtakingly exciting, but I don’t want ecstasy to be a one-way street for us.” Lexi swallowed and smiled at him. “Believe me, palikari mou, this was not ecstasy for one. I loved every moment of this. And oh, Jason, you taste so good, your seed is so sweet.” Astonished, he asked, “You mean you…swallowed…my…seed?” Lexi nodded. “Mmhmm, of course. I think you must eat a lot of mango and papaya — that makes your seed sweet to taste.” “It does?” Jason was beyond surprising. “Oh, yes. I’m glad you don’t eat asparagus a lot, it would make your seed taste bitter.” “It would?” said Jason, profoundly out of his depth. Whimsically, he added, “Been with a lot of asparagus eaters lately?” “Jason…” Lexi gasped. “You know I haven’t. I read about it in a book.” “You have a fascinating taste in books.” Becoming serious, he asked, “Tell me, why on earth would you read a book about a man’s seed and how it tastes?”

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“Of course I didn’t,” said Lexi, showing what she hoped was just the right amount of indignation. “It was in a book a friend in Greece lent me, it was an erotic romance, and…” “You read erotic novels?” Jason asked, surprised. “Not any more, my darling. Now that I’ve got you back. But meanwhile, I thought I might as well try something I read about, to see if it was true, and it was.” “What was?” Jason asked predictably. “That it gives a woman as much pleasure sucking a man’s seed from him as it gives him spilling into her mouth. And then the taste of his seed is a huge turn on.” Jason shook his head slowly in astonishment. “If you say so.” His voice was doubtful. “I do say so,” Lexi asserted with a fine display of proprietorial interest in Jason’s body. “Jason, I love you so much. And I have such a lot to make up for. Not telling you about Raph right away, then forcing you into a marriage in name only. Oh, Jason, I’m so sorry. Please forgive me?” “There’s nothing to forgive, agape mou.” Jason’s deep voice was husky and indistinct against her throat. He slipped down a little, and rested his head on her breasts, his mouth against one sweet curve. He closed his eyes, utterly sated and spent. Lexi smiled. She bent her head and gently kissed his hair. She whispered, “Se agapo,” and closed her eyes, too. **** Neither of them had any idea what time it was, when Jason’s cell phone burred, waking them. “Jason Thalassinos,” he mumbled. “You sound half-asleep, Jason,” said Raphael’s voice, amused. Jason sat up and said, his voice more alert, “Raphael. We had a late night, due to father’s threat to come back here. Your Security people were on the ball, believe me. But poor Lexi was so exhausted, she fell asleep on the sofa.” “But the way you sound, you guys are not sitting on the sofa now, right?” Raphael teased. “Got it in one,” said Jason. “I’m glad you called, Raphael. Lexi was telling me… But I’m sure she’d prefer to tell you herself.” Scrupulously careful to let her handle her business conversations, he handed his phone to Lexi. Doing her best to sound more alert than Jason, she said a firm, “Good morning, Raphael.”

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“Is twelve-thirty ‘morning’ to you two lazybones?” Raphael enquired. “But let me come to the point. I had a call from Gregory this morning. He tells me you’ve got everything organized to the point where he can take over supervision, and you can come back here. Is that right, Lexi? My plane is still there. The pilots are on layover, of course, after the late flight yesterday to get Jason to you. They’re no doubt awake by now, and I’ll call them, asking them to fly you guys back. When do you and Jason think you might actually be able to surface?” “Raphael, of course we’re ready to leave any time you say,” said Lexi, trying to sound efficient. Raphael grinned. “I’ll call my pilot and ask him to liaise with Gregory, who’ll send his limo to pick you guys up. All right? See you in Ocean Breeze, then. Jason’s car is at the airport, so I won’t come to meet the plane. Just you drive over here and pick up Raph. You do remember you have a son staying here, right, Lexi?” “Of course we do, Raphael. What makes you… oh,” said Lexi, sounding as embarrassed as she felt. Clearly Raphael had picked up on the fact that, well after noon, they were still in bed, and fast asleep. “Yes, ‘oh’,” said Raphael, vastly entertained. “Well, it was about time you two got your act together. I’m glad you did. See you later, then.” Raphael disconnected. Jason smiled at his wife. “Raphael tease you? Let him. We’ll get up when we’re good and ready, right?” “Yes, of course,” said Lexi. “All the same, perhaps, we should make a move? We should be ready to climb into Greg’s limo, right?” “Of course,” said Jason easily. “But if you feel short-changed in the love-making department, if you’re the least bit reluctant to curtail this festival of lovemaking, let me remind you that there’s a bedroom on Raphael’s plane. If you want, we could spend the two-hour flight there.” “Jason… Don’t say such a thing, even as a joke.” Jason relented. He thought it was touching to see how shy she still was about private matters. Of course, nine years ago she had been painfully timid. Only with him, after they had been together for some time, had she blossomed. And, this time around, they hadn’t been married very long. For that matter, it hadn’t been much of a marriage until this morning.

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“We’ll get up right now, have a quick shower, get dressed and packed, is that better?” he asked, smiling. “Much better, Jason, thank you.” “As long as you won’t mind my telling you again and again how very much I love you?” “Jason, you can tell me that any time,” she said, hugging him. “It would be nice if you would tell me the same thing,” he added. He could only be pleased at her instant reaction. “Jason, you know I love you desperately,” she whispered against his mouth. It was another half hour before they finally hurried from their bed. **** The flight back was quick and uneventful. Jason picked up his Jaguar, and drove with Lexi to Raphael’s. Predictably, Raph was ecstatic to see his parents, particularly his father, who swung his son onto his shoulders the moment they saw each other. “Good thing there’s a twelve-foot ceiling in the family room,” said Raphael, grinning at Jason and Raph. “Lexi, is that a new suit?” Lydia wanted to know. Lexi nodded. “Yes, Ariadne took me to her designer, Steve Campbell, who does readyto-wear as well as couture, and we picked a few things from his racks. Jason was right, I did feel better in a power suit from a designer.” “Listen, why don’t you stay to dinner here?” Lydia invited. “I called Siobhan yesterday as Jason asked, and told her that Raph was staying here, and I didn’t know when you and Jason would be back from New York. I said for her to take it easy until she heard from Jason. So she won’t have made dinner for you. Do say you’ll stay. Norah will be ecstatic to have a dinner party to cook for. She so rarely gets the chance, because Raphael and I are much like you and Jason, we like our privacy too much to have a steady stream of dinner guests.” “I’ll just ask Jason,” Lexi began. Lydia interrupted gently. “You’re Jason’s wife, honey. Wives make decisions about who eats where. Don’t ask Jason to decide. Tell him that I invited you guys to dinner, isn’t that a great idea? Jason will say, ‘Yes, great idea,’ and you’ll realize that he expected you to decide.” “All right, if you think so,” said Lexi uncertainly. “All this is so new to me. Jason and I still have to find a sort of pattern for our life, if you know what I mean.”

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“Yes, I do. It was the same for us in the beginning. Then I realized that Raphael was delighted when I made decisions regarding the household. I’ve been doing it ever since.” Lexi nodded, and went over to Jason, who sat on a love-seat opposite Raphael. He held out his hand, pulling her to sit on his left. Raph was hugging his father’s right side, so happy to have him back. “Jason, Lydia just invited us to have dinner here because Siobhan won’t expect us back yet. Isn’t that a wonderful idea?” “Sure, honey,” said Jason casually, and went on talking to Raphael, one arm around Raph. Lydia raised an elegant brow, grinning at Lexi. **** Everybody enjoyed Norah’s delicious dinner. Lexi invited Raphael and Lydia back the next day for Sunday dinner, which she would cook. On their way home, Jason said, “I can easily call Siobhan and tell her we’re back, if you’d prefer taking it easy,” but Lexi shook her head. “No, Jason. I’ve been remiss in not inviting Raphael and Lydia much earlier, but…” She let the sentence trail off. Jason smiled at her. “Don’t think about that any more, agape mou,” he said easily. “That’s in the past, now. No one will appreciate more readily how difficult things were for us than Raphael and Lydia. Well, if you’re determined to cook dinner, what can I do to help you?” “Help me?” Lexi asked, confused. When she and Jason had spent that magical summer in their secluded cove, Jason had brought a little charcoal-burning hibachi from home. On this, she had grilled the fish they caught, and the lamb chops his mother’s cook gave Jason for his ‘picnics.’ But she couldn’t remember Jason cooking. Raph interrupted her reminiscence. “Mamá, Daddy is a great cook. While you were away, he let Mrs. O’Neill leave early, saying we’d go out for dinner. But Daddy cooked for us. It was great.” Lexi smiled at her son. “That’s good to know, Raph. In that case, I’ll be glad to ask for your Daddy’s help with dinner tomorrow. You and Daddy can help plan the food, and tomorrow morning, we’ll go to the market to pick up what we need.”

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“Oh,” said Raph, delighted. “You want us to plan the food? Could we have moussaká? Daddy made it for me one day, and it was so good. Oh, but Aunt Lydia isn’t Greek. No, wait, when we had dinner there the first time, Aunt Lydia made moussaká for us, remember?” Lexi smiled. “Your Aunt Lydia often cooks Greek dishes for your Uncle Raphael when Norah has the day off. So, moussaká. That’s the main dish taken care of. Dessert?” Raph frowned. “I dunno, Mamá… What can you make?” Lexi smiled. “Well, there’s baklavá, you’ve had that lots of times when we were living in Athens. Or galaktoboureko – that custard pie you always liked. Or we could do plain fresh fruit? Yoghurt optional?” “Optional, Mamá?” “It means you can have it or not, as you prefer.” “Oh, yeah, optional for the yoghurt. I won’t have any, for sure.” Raph was delighted with the new word he had learned. He planned to apply that to quite a few old ‘musts’ that his mother used to enforce. Jason smiled at his wife, his eyes drifting to Raph, whose enthusiasm for the Greek dinner was infectious. He was relieved to see how easily Raph had accepted his mother’s lighter touch with him, and how his loving, forgiving heart had so willingly forgotten their often strained relationship of the past. “I think it’s well past your usual bedtime, Raph,” he said. “Let’s get you settled for the night.” “But Daddy, I’m helping Mamá with the dinner.” “And you did a fine job. We’ll have moussaká, and fresh fruit, with optional yoghurt, and, maybe, if you play your cards right, your mother might make baklavá to go with the coffee — milk for you, right?” “Okay, Daddy, I guess. Will you tuck me in?” “Definitely. I’ll come with you now, and remind you to brush your teeth.” “You’ll come with me now? Thank you, Daddy. I like so much better going to sleep when you’re with me. Will you tell me a story?” Raph grasped Jason’s hand, trying to tug him to his bedroom. Jason smiled. “Of course I will. But first you say goodnight to Mamá.”

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“Good night, Mamá,” said Raph, going over to Lexi to kiss her. She hugged him for a moment, kissing his forehead. “Good night, my son.” Jason smiled at Lexi. “I’ll be back soon.” Lexi raised a slim, dark brow to him, muttering, “You’re spoiling him.” Jason sighed. “What if I am?” he said gently. “I’ve a lot of time to make up for.” Lexi frowned unhappily. “For which you blame me?” Jason shook his head decisively. “No, gineka mou. It was just an observation. An explanation of why I enjoy tucking Raph in and telling him a story.” He turned back to Raph, “Come on, then.” He spotted the book Raph had under his arm. “What’s that book you’re carrying?” Raph’s eyes lit up. “Oh, Daddy, it’s a fantastic book with the most incredible things in it. Ripley’s Believe It Or 1ot.” “And you want me to read you from that?” “No, Daddy, not really. Tell me a story from when you and Uncle Raphael were exploring the island – Iliosporos, was it?” “Yes, Iliosporos. And one day we’ll go back there, you have to meet your grandmother, she’s looking forward so much to seeing you. But that’s enough sidetracking for one evening. To bed with you, right this minute.” They walked to Raph’s room, the boy clinging to his father’s hand. Lexi looked after them, wondering for the hundredth time why she hadn’t told Jason that she was pregnant. Pregnant, her mind niggled. She knew Jason had not used protection during their first, ecstatic reunion, all those weeks ago. Nor had she asked him to. The same was true of yesterday — their night of love marking the beginning of their marriage. He probably thought she had gone on the Pill before coming to Florida. And she should have, but her stubborn streak had held her back. And now she was pregnant with their second child. Perhaps this time they’d have a little girl? She realized with a shock that she looked forward to having a second child with Jason. But how would he feel about it? One thing was for sure, she was determined, this time, he would miss none of it. He would be involved in every phase of their child’s development. At first in the womb, and later she would see to it that he was present for their child’s birth, first smile, first ‘Daddy’, first steps.

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When Jason came back, she suggested, “Perhaps it would be a good idea for us to have an early night? The flight, then going over to Raphael and Lydia, staying to dinner… what do you think, Lexi?” He stayed on his feet, reaching a hand to her. When she curled her fingers around his, he pulled her up from the sofa, slipping his arm around her, and walking with her to their bedroom. Getting undressed was as exciting as it was time-consuming, but they both enjoyed every moment. Lexi hurried through her tooth brushing and so on, slowly walking to her side of the bed. Jason was waiting for her, the duvet lifted, seeing her comfortably settled. When he slid into his side of the bed, his arms held wide for Lexi, she threw herself into his embrace with her usual passion. “Jason,” she moaned. He was surprised to see her suddenly frown, making a little space between them, saying, “Jason, there’s something we have to talk about.” Her face was so serious, and when he encouraged her with a glance to speak, she began hesitantly, “Jason, I suppose you think I’m on the Pill, but I’m not.” “Are you trying to say you want me to use condoms?” Jason said, barely able to mask his displeasure. He hated condoms, which he equated with brief, uncommitted flings. “Oh, no, palikari mou, of course not. But I wanted you to think about the very real possibility that I might already be pregnant with our second child. How do you feel about that?” “You mean you’re willing to get pregnant again? Lexi, agape mou… A child whose development we can watch together. I’d love that… if you’re willing, that is.” “I’m very willing, Jason my darling. I realize how I made you miss Raph’s first eight years. I’d love to make up for that by having you with me all the time while I carry our second child. Perhaps it’ll be a little girl, wouldn’t that be delightful?” “Yes, delightful,” murmured Jason, overcome by Lexi’s words. He thought for a moment, asking, “If you did get pregnant this morning, how long would it be before…?” Lexi smiled and shook her head. “Not from this morning, palikari mou, but from our first time together — before we got married. When I was so lethal to you about Lydia’s poor mother. Jason, I’m truly sorry about that. You didn’t deserve all those recriminations I heaped upon you.” She wanted to continue, but Jason held a long forefinger to her lips, murmuring, “Sssh, agape mou. Of course you were upset. Lexi… Are you telling me that you know you are

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pregnant from that time? Not speculating about whether you might’ve got pregnant this morning? But you’re not sick in the morning, or anything?” She grinned. “I wasn’t sick that first time either. I just felt a little nauseous a few times, that’s all. Just lucky, I guess. But I just know I’m pregnant, just as I knew I was pregnant with Raph. You’re sure you’re happy about this, Jason?” He wrapped her in his embrace, hugging her tightly. “You’re pregnant,” he whispered. “Ah, honey. I’ll take such good care of you…” He frowned as a thought hit him. “Lexi, I understand the first three months are tricky, you could miscarry more easily than later on. Should you take it easy, not work so hard, flying up and down to New York…” Jason hugged her more tightly before continuing. “And how upset you were when my father launched his vicious attack on you. If you miscarry because of him, I’ll kill him, I swear it.” Lexi wrapped her arms around his neck, lifting her face to his so that she could drift little kisses all over his face, his taut jaw, the slight cleft in his chin, working her way up to his mouth, his to-die-for mouth. “Jason, agape mou,” she whispered. “Your father’s rudeness, and all that, was yesterday. Since then we’ve had a festival of lovemaking, and I’m just fine.” “Lovemaking,” he sighed. “I suppose I shouldn’t have done that? Are you allowed to make love while you’re pregnant?” “Of course we can make love. It sure didn’t do Raph any harm, and the last three weeks of our summer idyll I was most definitely pregnant. Anyway, if you’d rather ask a doctor, come with me on Monday. I’ve made an appointment to see either Bill Reese or Joaquín Romero. They’re partners. Jason… Would you like to come with me?” Jason forced himself back to the here and now with an effort. “Uh…come with you? Of course I want to come with you,” he said firmly. “It’s just such a lot to take in so suddenly.” “I know,” said Lexi teasingly. “Pregnancy is a lot harder on the man than on the woman.” She grinned at him and began to kiss his face again. Jason’s expression was blissful. “This is probably the only time you’ll hear me ask you to stop kissing me — the reason is that I want to start kissing you, agape mou.” “Yes, please kiss me, Jason. I love you so much.”

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Epilogue

Bill Reese pronounced Lexi definitely pregnant. Jason was ecstatic, and when they told Raph that he was going to have a brother or a sister, he was equally elated. Lexi realized how worried Jason was about her continuing to work, and more particularly, about her having to fly to New York from time to time. She discussed the situation with Raphael, who agreed that Lexi should curtail her workload, and work only from his Ocean Breeze office, letting Greg Stephanides delegate some of the supervisory work to his most talented accountant. So far, Raphael had no reason to regret the curtailment of Lexi’s activities. Jason was, predictably, relieved and delighted that Lexi would take it much, much easier. **** After an uneventful pregnancy, which Lexi assured Jason was an exact copy of her first, she gave birth to a daughter. They named her Zoë Sophia, for the two grandmothers. Raphael had his security people in Athens get in touch with Lexi’s mother, and in spite of the violent objections of Lexi’s father, her mother flew to Ocean Breeze to be reunited with her daughter, and meet the two grandchildren she had never seen. Of course, Sophia also came over, and the two grandmothers got along exceptionally well. Sophia asked Zoë to come with her for an extended stay on Iliosporos, when the time came for them to return to Greece. Zoë accepted gratefully. She had been deeply concerned what her tyrant of a husband would do to her for having gone against his express orders. But he had been unable to stop her, determined as she was to see their daughter and two grandchildren. Sophia told Zoë of her decision to divorce Petros after many years of deep unhappiness, and how much more serene her life was now that she was free of her equally tyrannical husband. Zoë listened attentively, finally wondering out loud whether she could sum up the courage to divorce Stavros. She had never been happy with him; a man chosen for her by her overbearing father, who rode roughshod over her objections that she disliked the rude, boorish Stavros, and her confession that there was a young man in the village whom she liked very much. Zoë told Sophia how she had tried to keep in touch with Lexi after she had left for the mainland, one jump ahead of an almighty beating by her father, who was not merely irate, but practically insane with rage, on finding out that Lexi was pregnant.

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Zoë had been very happy to hear that her daughter and Jason had finally met again and married, and now had a daughter as well as her wonderful grandson, Raph. The family made a trip to Tarpon Springs, so that little Zoë Sophia could be christened in the Greek Orthodox church of St. Nicholas. Jason adored his little daughter, willingly doing diaper duty for her, getting up when Zoë’s little cries on the baby monitor woke him. Of course, only Lexi could do the feeding, but Jason brought his daughter to her mother, changing her diaper and putting her back into her cradle again. **** When his book was close to being finished, Jason spoke to his cousin Nick, an established writer in his own right, who had advised him occasionally. He asked if Nick were willing to glance over what he had. Generous as always, Nick asked Jason to bring over his manuscript, and he would read it through that evening. Late as it was, he called Jason to tell him he was of the opinion that Jason had written a very exciting first novel. Jason discussed with Nick the final chapters. When the book was finished, Nick called Philip DeVilliers with the request that he have someone take a look at Jason’s novel. After the briefest of delays, Philip agreed with Nick’s view, and offered Jason a contract to have his novel published. He agreed that Jason’s title, Rude Awakening, would be retained. Six months later, Philip gave Jason’s novel a grandiose sendoff with a press reception at the Swanage & DeVilliers offices. The reviews were, without exception, favourable. In fact, some were downright raves. Raph was incredibly proud of his father, and lost no opportunity to brag about his father, who was a real author. **** Five years later, a new novel of Jason’s won the coveted Writers’ Guild prize, which Nick had won eight years earlier. After the party given by Raphael and Lydia to celebrate Jason’s wonderful success, Lexi told Jason that she was pregnant again. Eight months later she gave him a second son, Nikolaos Raphael.

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Again, Raphael’s plane brought the grandmothers to Florida to attend the christening and spoil the new arrival to their hearts’ content. Little Nikolaos, called Nicky, was a beautiful and placid baby, who cried briefly only when he was hungry or his diaper was uncomfortable. Little Zoë believed he was a real live doll made especially for her by her doting parents. She was surprisingly competent in handling him. Raph quietly supervised them; intervening only when it seemed to him that Nicky was a bit too lively for little Zoë to handle. **** Sometimes, Jason thought back over his life, and the years without Lexi, which had been so empty and unhappy. He felt now that it had only made him appreciate the present even more: they were a happy family of two loving parents with three beautiful, loving children.

********

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The Aphrodite Affairs: Love’s Lost Past

by Kate Hofman

Author Biography Born in The Netherlands, lived in London, England, since I was eighteen. BFA – Art History, Major. Interior Design, Minor. Moved to Montreal, Canada. (I figured I might as well be paid for being fluent in French). Married Arnold Hofman, a truly fabulous man. Owned and operated an art gallery for twelve years. Widowed ten years ago by Arnold's untimely death. Nina Bruhns urged me to write. I did as I was told, and in the next 4½ years I wrote two dozen books. I figured that’s what it would take to learn to write. And I was wrong! But Rose Brungard took pity on me and gave unstintingly of her own expertise, sending long explanatory e-mails, which helped me a lot. I also owe my grateful thanks to Thea Devine, who taught me to play “What If” when the writer wonders where to take the story next. And more recently, I have been given generous help, advice and encouragement by Jennifer Mueller, whose books I love. She also designed the cover art for all my books with RomanceAtHeart. And then I discovered The Dark Castle Lords, and sent them “Castle In Spain.” Instantly, I felt at home with them, and they have published the books you see listed below.

© 2008 DCL Publications

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The Aphrodite Affairs: Love’s Lost Past

by Kate Hofman

Why not try these other GREAT titles by Kate Hofman available at DCL Publications Castle in Spain

Enchanted Castle

My Love, Forever

A Fire Burns Deep

© 2008 DCL Publications

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