LITMIR.BIZ

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who’d been through so much herself and would even put her life on hold just for her child’s happiness.’

      ‘Alexi, I—’

      ‘No, let me say this, Katie—I realise you didn’t want to marry me, but please—please let me try to make this work. Let me try to make things right, and even—God forbid that we lose this child—please don’t let it break us apart. Because I couldn’t bear that—I really couldn’t.’

      ‘Alexi, I have to tell you something.’ She wiped the tears away from her face and looked at him through shimmering eyes. ‘I’m not as altruistic as you seem to think.’

      ‘You’re not?’ He looked at her doubtfully as if he didn’t believe a word of that, and she smiled.

      ‘No.’ She shook her head. ‘I married you because I was expecting our child. But most of all, I married you because I loved you. I’ve always loved you.’

      For a moment he looked at her as if he could hardly believe what she was saying to him.

      ‘You’re not feeling trapped?’

      ‘Oh, Alexi, I just wanted you to feel the same way. It was tearing me apart, loving you so much and thinking that those feelings would never be returned.’

      Suddenly she found herself wrapped in his arms, held tightly. ‘Katie, forgive me … I love you so much.’

      He turned his head and kissed her, and for a moment Katie just clung to him, kissing him with every ounce of love and passion in her soul.

      ‘Tell me again,’ she whispered as he pulled back. ‘Tell me how much you love me.’

      ‘Let me see …’ He smiled playfully. ‘Only to the sun and back … and maybe once around again.’

      EPILOGUE

      THE snow was thick on the ground and frozen icicles shimmered from the trees in the orchard. Greece had never known such a cold winter. But soon it would be spring, with the promise of the long, hot days ahead.

      There was so much to look forward to, Katie thought as she turned away from the window with a smile; so much she had to be thankful for. For a moment her eyes moved around the room, taking in the log fire and the people who were talking and laughing. Her family.

      Sometimes she couldn’t believe how lucky she was. Especially when she looked over and caught Alexi’s eye and he smiled at her, that special smile that he reserved only for her.

      Then her eyes drifted down to the child that he held in his arms, and her heart felt like it would just burst with happiness.

      She walked across towards them now. ‘I don’t know what this surprise is that you have planned for me,’ she said, reaching to kiss him. ‘But, really, you will have to stop buying me presents and spoiling me. I couldn’t be any happier, Alexi—I don’t need anything else.’

      Alexi smiled back at her. ‘But I know there is one thing that will make this day perfect—so keep looking out of the window and you will see that I’m right.’

      Katie’s eyes moved down to their son. Theon Philip Alexander Demetri was due to be christened at three-thirty this afternoon. She didn’t think the day could be any more perfect.

      She still couldn’t believe that life could feel this good—that she had been so lucky. It had been a very difficult pregnancy, and she’d had to have a lot of bed rest. But Alexi had helped her through it, and with his love and support she’d gone on to deliver their fine, healthy little boy. Katie’s eyes shimmered with love as her eyes drifted down over the little cherub, so perfect in a white christening robe that had been handed down through the Demetri family for two generations.

      ‘In fact, life is so perfect it almost scares me,’ she whispered softly. ‘All that’s missing, of course, is my sister …’

      She trailed away as she heard a car pulling up outside. Then she looked up at Alexi. ‘You didn’t …?’ she asked breathlessly.

      He nodded. ‘We couldn’t have the christening without Lucy, could we? She’s a very important godmother.’

      ‘Alexi, I love you so much.’ She flung her arms around him, and for a moment the three of them were held close.

      ‘And I love you, Katie.’ Alexi murmured the words and crushed his lips against hers. ‘More than words could ever say.’

      Greek Boss,

      Dream Proposal

      Barbara McMahon

      About the Author

      BARBARA McMAHON was born and raised in the South USA, but settled in California after spending a year flying around the world for an international airline. After settling down to raise a family and work for a computer firm, she began writing when her children started school. Now, feeling fortunate in being able to realise a longheld dream of quitting her ‘day job’ and writing full time, she and her husband have moved to the Sierra Nevada mountains of California, where she finds her desire to write is stronger than ever. With the beauty of the mountains visible from her windows and the pace of life slower than the hectic San Francisco Bay Area where they previously resided, she finds more time than ever to think up stories and characters and share them with others through writing. Barbara loves to hear from readers. You can reach her at PO Box 977, Pioneer, CA 95666-0977, USA. Readers can also contact Barbara at her website: www. barbaramcmahon.com

      To Ruth Johnson, with love and friendship.

      You make being in the NSDAR even

      more special!

      CHAPTER ONE

      SARA ANDROPOLOUS leaned over to view the pastry from all angles. It looked perfect. Satisfied, she slid it onto one of the delicate china plates and drizzled a bit of honey on top. Two mint leaves completed the presentation and she smiled. One down, five more to do in less than five minutes.

      Working swiftly, she finished the last in less than the allotted time. Perfection.

      She’d been on her feet for five hours, yet she felt as fresh as if she’d just started. She loved creating works of art for consumption. Time flew, and she was absorbed in her work to the exclusion of all else.

      “See how this pleases your guests,” she murmured in a one-sided imaginary conversation with Nikos Konstantinos.

      When Sara had first arrived in Greece four months ago, her temporary assignment at the

Windsong Hotel, several miles from Thessalonika had seemed like an answer to prayer. She’d been trying to find a way to get a toehold in Greece for so long, it was amazing to her how swiftly things had fallen into place. No one suspected her real intent. The sudden opportunity to move to Greece had been impossible to refuse. She’d left her friends, sublet her flat, and headed for the Aegean with one thought in mind—find a way to make contact with her grandmother, Eleani Konstantinos.

      As the yacht gently bobbed on the sea, Sara wondered for the nth time if she were really any closer to her goal. It had seemed meant to be when her friend Stacy had discovered that Sara’s grandmother had remarried and found where she had been living all these years. When Stacy had then told her five months ago about an opening at the exclusive Greek resort owned by the grandson of the man her grandmother had married, Sara had applied instantly for the job. Amazingly, she’d been hired within two weeks of her first interview. Being Greek herself and knowing the language had been a big plus. But she also liked to think her accomplishments had commanded the attention of the interviewer. The lavish salary she was getting indicated they expected no less than outstanding work.

      So far things had progressed better than she’d expected. After only four months in Greece, it was nothing short of miraculous that she’d been promoted to temporary chef on Nikos Konstantinos’s luxury yacht. With any luck, at

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