Page 84 of Christos
Seven months later...
"They're exhausted," Leanne whispered. Pulling up the blanket around her daughter's body, she touched the springy dark hairgently. "I cannot believe you allowed the animal theme." She turned to look at her husband who was standing behind her. "Where on earth did you get a giraffe?"
He grinned at her, eyes going to his sleeping daughter. "From the zoo, of course. We contribute to several of them."
"Did you see how utterly fearless Athena was riding the pony?"
"She loved it," he agreed.
Taking her hand, he led her from the pale pink and lavender room and through the connecting door that led to their sons' room. They were still sharing a room, even though they had graduated from cots to a bunk bed. With his arms wrapped around his wife's waist, Christos gazed at the miracle they had created. Both boys were in one cot because they refused to sleep alone, and their identical heads were close together. Nikos had his chubby arm draped around his brother's back, with a stuffed dinosaur between them.
Their looks were more defined now. As predicted, they bore a stunning resemblance to the male members of the family, complete with the green eyes. Even Athena had taken after her dad, much to his delight. And they were all walking. Athena had surprised them by being the first to take her steps at eight months old.
The family was constantly amazed at how much they had developed.
"They're so beautiful."
"And adorable, in repose," her husband added wryly. "We can almost forget that Antonio tried riding the goat and Nikos plunged his entire arm through the cake."
Biting back a smile, Leanne made sure the temperature was set and the nightlights on before they left the room.
The party had turned out to be much more than they expected because at the last minute, they had decided to celebrate Lori's birthday as well. Instead of having it here at their home, they had to take it over to the manor where space was not an issue. The guest list had turned into several hundred.
"Tired, baby?" Nudging her onto the sofa across from the bed, he knelt to take off her sandals and started to massage her insteps.
"I love when you do that."
"Now that we have the children settled and, thank the good Lord, they have started to sleep through the night, I have something in mind." He rose and pulled her up.
"What? Or should I guess?"
"A swim." He grinned at her raised brows. "Get your mind out of the gutter, woman. I meant that literally. Skinny dipping in the pool."
"Which will lead to other things."
He shrugged, a deceptively innocent look on his handsome face. "It's not my fault that you cannot keep your hands off me."
Snorting, she pushed him away and started sprinting towards the door.
"Catch me if you can," she called out as she raced for the stairs.
He allowed her some distance, catching up to her as she reached the front doors. "Since you cheated, there's a price to pay."
Wrapping her hands around his neck, she clung to him, inhaling his scent. "I'm happy to pay it. As long as it involves both of us getting naked."
It did.
The end… or not!
