Chapter Twenty


DAY SIXTEEN: TUESDAY MORNING

Four days later, the special license having been granted, Susie arrived at the church for their wedding.

Her brother, David, had managed to fly back from the Middle East in time to give her away. Brigitte had volunteered to be her matron of honour and Petros was standing in as Leos's best man. Ben sat back in his new luxury buggy and beamed at all his admirers.

Wearing a gossamer-fine dress of lace and silk, Susie walked down the aisle with shining eyes. She had not a single doubt in her mind that she was loved. The weekend had passed in a non-stop blur of arrangements and excitement. They would live in London and in Corfu, where Leos also has a house. They were spending their wedding night at Leos's London townhouse and then flying off the next day to a Caribbean villa. It was already decided that Ben's birthday would be spent in Paris, possibly with a nanny in tow. Now that Leos got the woman he loved back, he could not plan far enough ahead.

Leos watched Susie approach the altar with a smile that made her heart sing. Leos had decided that this time around everything would be different. When he had set her back from him on Friday evening with a determined air of restraint, she had been surprised but touched when he told her why.

"The next time we make love I want you to be my wife, agape mou... "

By Monday night, restraint, he had freely admitted, had become just about the toughest challenge he had ever set himself and he had indicated a willingness to be talked out of his vow. But Susie had had to rush off and meet her brother at the airport, so pressure of time had overcome that of temptation.

Leaving the church, the ceremony over, Leos kissed her with hungry fervor. "How am I going to get through the photo session and the reception at the house?"

"Like Mr. Cool... " Susie shivered with delicious excitement against him.

Leos couldn't take his dark tawny-golden eyes off her for a moment and she loved it. There were loads of photos of them looking deep into each other's eyes. At the reception, it was quite impossible to separate them. When their guests had finally gone and Ben was asleep in his cot in his new room, the bridal couple finally reached the master bedroom.

Although beautifully furnished, it had yet to be decorated. Susie was surprised.

Leos smiled. "I told Alisha you would be taking care of this room —"

"When was that? Surely not that weekend you were mad at me?"

"I was still hoping to marry you —"

Susie's heart melted.

"No way was I going to lose you a second time." Leos tugged her into rousing contact with his lithe, powerful frame. "I love you like I never thought I could love anybody."

And being loved felt like the best thing that had ever happened to her, Susie reflected dreamily, as she gave herself up to another passionate kiss.

The End