Sophie knew what he meant, but still his thoughts amused her. Lucien wouldn’t know how to be dull if he tried. He'd made the seismic shift into parenthood look easy. Being someone's husband would only serve to make him sexier still, and she intended on being an anything but routine wife.
She slipped her high heel off underneath the table and ran her bare foot up his leg and into his crotch.
“I solemnly promise not to let our marriage get dull, Lucien.”
He caught hold of her ankle and massaged it, holding her foot against him. Around them, sun worshippers who’d gathered to drink cocktails and watch the sunset broke into spontaneous applause, and it took a second for Sophie to register that they were acknowledging the majesty of the sunset in the way that had become customary on the island rather than applauding her solemn promise to Lucien.
“We can write our own vows if you like,” she offered, swirling her untouched wine around in her glass as she moved her toes against his hardening erection.
“Tell me more,” he said, glancing downwards almost imperceptibly, meaning ‘Do it more’ as well.
His arm lay along the low sand-hewn wall behind him, the open sea beyond that. To anyone else in the restaurant, he looked supremely relaxed; nonchalant even, despite the fact that he was sexually aroused. Pinprick fairylights lit up the inside of the rattan ceiling like a million tiny stars, and the ethereal sound of the wind chimes dotted around underscored the low, sexy jazz music. It all came together to create a bohemian vibe, a place to let go of inhibitions and chill out.
“Well…” Sophie said, lazily rotating her foot, enjoying watching his poker face. She’d been thinking about their vows for a while. “I thought we could keep them as a surprise for each other. Kind of like a wedding present.”
Lucien looked sceptical. “Are you going to promise to obey me?”
“Do you want me to?”
“No. I quite enjoy it when you step out of line.” They both fell silent for a moment, remembering the handcuffs incident in Lucien's office.
She smiled into her wine glass, then pushed it away and sipped from her tumbler of water, dragging herself back to the present.?“Are you going to promise to obey me?”
“Your wish is my command, Princess. You know that already.”
Sophie mulled over his light-hearted words for a while as they gazed out at the scattering of glossy, illuminated yachts anchored off the bay. He wasn’t lying. He gave her everything she ever wanted and a whole lot more besides. A lifestyle way beyond anything she could have dreamt up for herself, and a love that filled every corner of her heart.
“I went for a wedding dress fitting today,” she said, and he raised his eyebrows.
“Is it sexy? I like sexy.”
“I know you do,” she chided. “And yes, I think so. It’s also a little tighter than last time.”
He looked unusually perplexed, and she left him hanging for a few seconds before she spoke again, savouring the words.
“I’m pregnant, Lucien.”
Sophie had grabbed a test that afternoon after trying on her bespoke wedding dress and finding her breasts uncomfortably restrained despite the careful tailoring. She watched his perplexed expression melt into a slow, incredulous, joyous smile. He dropped her ankle and slid around the alcove bench until he was beside her, one arm around her shoulders, the other cupping her face.
“Sophie… are you sure?” he said, his shining eyes searching hers. He kissed her briefly as she nodded, then lifted his head, shaking it in disbelief. “Another baby. When?”
"I'm about six weeks, I think." She dashed away a rogue tear from her lashes, unable to keep the smile from her lips.
Lucien laid his hand over her stomach, and lifted his eyes to hers.
“Are you happy?” she asked, quietly.
He lowered his eyes and drew in a long breath. “You have no idea.”
Sophie stroked his cheek. “I think I do.”
He looked at her untouched wine glass, and then took it from the table in front of her and dropped it into the sea behind them.
Sophie sighed. “You’re not going to go all caveman on me again this time are you?” Even under usual circumstances Lucien was protective, but during her pregnancy with Tilly he’d gone into overdrive.
“Yes.”
He was totally uncompromising, and she loved him all the more for it.
At the villa later that night, Lucien made slow love to Sophie until she trembled, and then slept with his head on her stomach, keeping watch over the newest love of his life.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Dylan sat alone on the deck of the Love Tug a couple of weeks later, his eyes on the beach even though his mind was miles away. He’d tried to tell Kara the truth, he really had. The burden of lying sat heavily on his back. He’d gone over events a million times in his head, trying to make what he’d said and not said into less of a lie and more of a misunderstanding. But the plain truth was that there had been no misunderstanding. He’d invented a name because he didn’t want to be the person he’d always been, because he didn’t want all of the negative associations of his old life or the people in it.
He’d lied to make his own life easier, and in the process he’d made other people’s lives more difficult. Lucien was lying for him, or at least covering for him. His mother was lying to anyone who asked where he’d gone. And then there was Kara.
Kara, who’d given him so much of herself and asked only one thing of him in return. Honesty.
He placed his empty beer bottle down on the table in front of him and pulled the battered brown envelope Justin had delivered towards him. Dog-eared and bent, it remained unopened, but Dylan had known all along what he’d find inside.
His stomach turned over with clammy nerves as he picked at the edge of it.
Papers.
Legal papers.
Divorce papers.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
To: mmk@toscanomail
From: mollymk@tosacanomail
Hello Matty,
Hope the job’s still going well. I’m so sorry that Justin found you from my emails, I’d have warned you if I’d realised he was coming to find you. One day I’ll learn my lesson. It’s hard not to trust my own son.
There’s something else you should know, love. Suzie was in town visiting her mother last week. Seems she’s having that baby real soon, and she was asking where to find you. I didn’t tell her of course, but Justin… I really hope he kept his mouth shut this time.