putting everything in the backseat. While he did that, she climbed in the front passenger seat, but he held on to her door so she couldn’t close it.
Stephanie looked up at him. “Aren’t we going to leave?”
His jaw had hardened. “I saw the look on your face in there. You want a traditional wedding dress? We’ll get you one. The most elaborate we can find.”
She was crushed. “No, Nikos. Please get in the car so we can talk without everyone hearing us.”
“There’s nothing to discuss. Come.”
After she got out, because he’d left her no choice, he locked the car and ushered her across the street to the bridal shop. An elegant, striking young woman, probably in her mid-twenties, caught sight of Nikos and couldn’t look anywhere else. When she spoke in Greek, he responded in English.
“We’d like to see your designer bridal gowns for my fiancée.”
Fiancée. What a joke.
“Right over here.” She led them to a rack of sumptuous-looking dresses with price tags that meant this was a high end shop. “Go ahead and start looking.”
Stephanie hated being in this position. The whole time she examined each dress, she could hear the ringless clerk talking to Nikos in Greek instead of waiting on her. The younger woman was deliberately flirting with him. Stephanie had to get a grip. In the mood he was in, she knew he wouldn’t leave this shop until she’d found something for their wedding.
Last night, when she’d opened the closet containing his uniforms, she’d imagined him as a groom wearing the navy one with the gold buttons. With his black hair and olive skin, he’d look magnificent in it. Such an outfit required a wedding dress that lived up to it. If he was now intent on her wearing a designer gown, then she expected him to dress accordingly, too.
After some deliberation, she chose the most expensive dress on the rack. It was a simple princess style, but the floor-length veil of Alençon lace gave it elegance. It cost a fortune, but she didn’t care. He’d accused her of using him for his money. So be it.
She turned to the clerk. “If you have this one in stock, I’ll take it. In America I’m a size 4.” Of course, Stephanie wouldn’t be that size much longer, but she figured she could squeeze into it once she’d worn off her meal.
The clerk looked taken back. “I believe we do.”
“Then please ring it up for me. My fiancé will carry it out to our car. Thank you.”
Once the clerk went into the back room, Stephanie glanced at Nikos, who was leaning against the counter, his face implacable. No doubt he was feeling some pain, but he’d hate it if she drew attention to it. Maybe she could give him an out.
“Do you still want to stop by the clinic before we go back to the yacht? We could go there tomorrow instead.”
His black eyes had taken on that glittery cast. “There’s still time this afternoon, unless you’re not feeling well.”
She wasn’t. Not exactly. But for once it had nothing to do with nausea. She sensed he still didn’t trust her, and could cry her eyes out after the lovely meal at the restaurant, where he’d been more like...like Dev. “I’m fine.”
Stephanie turned her back while he dealt with the saleswoman, then they left the shop.
He laid the dress and veil on top of the other packages before they left for the clinic, which appeared to be closer to the port.
When they went inside to Reception, they learned that Dr. Panos was operating and wouldn’t be available. Not to be thwarted, Nikos made an appointment for her for September 1, a full workup.
With that accomplished, they drove to the parking area at the dock. He let her take a few bags, but he carried the rest, along with her wedding finery. Nikos should have brought his cane and let her do more to help, but that infernal pride of his got in the way.
Odd how she hadn’t seen it manifest itself when they’d been on vacation. He’d been so mellow and easygoing then. She longed for that
Stephanie looked up at him. “Aren’t we going to leave?”
His jaw had hardened. “I saw the look on your face in there. You want a traditional wedding dress? We’ll get you one. The most elaborate we can find.”
She was crushed. “No, Nikos. Please get in the car so we can talk without everyone hearing us.”
“There’s nothing to discuss. Come.”
After she got out, because he’d left her no choice, he locked the car and ushered her across the street to the bridal shop. An elegant, striking young woman, probably in her mid-twenties, caught sight of Nikos and couldn’t look anywhere else. When she spoke in Greek, he responded in English.
“We’d like to see your designer bridal gowns for my fiancée.”
Fiancée. What a joke.
“Right over here.” She led them to a rack of sumptuous-looking dresses with price tags that meant this was a high end shop. “Go ahead and start looking.”
Stephanie hated being in this position. The whole time she examined each dress, she could hear the ringless clerk talking to Nikos in Greek instead of waiting on her. The younger woman was deliberately flirting with him. Stephanie had to get a grip. In the mood he was in, she knew he wouldn’t leave this shop until she’d found something for their wedding.
Last night, when she’d opened the closet containing his uniforms, she’d imagined him as a groom wearing the navy one with the gold buttons. With his black hair and olive skin, he’d look magnificent in it. Such an outfit required a wedding dress that lived up to it. If he was now intent on her wearing a designer gown, then she expected him to dress accordingly, too.
After some deliberation, she chose the most expensive dress on the rack. It was a simple princess style, but the floor-length veil of Alençon lace gave it elegance. It cost a fortune, but she didn’t care. He’d accused her of using him for his money. So be it.
She turned to the clerk. “If you have this one in stock, I’ll take it. In America I’m a size 4.” Of course, Stephanie wouldn’t be that size much longer, but she figured she could squeeze into it once she’d worn off her meal.
The clerk looked taken back. “I believe we do.”
“Then please ring it up for me. My fiancé will carry it out to our car. Thank you.”
Once the clerk went into the back room, Stephanie glanced at Nikos, who was leaning against the counter, his face implacable. No doubt he was feeling some pain, but he’d hate it if she drew attention to it. Maybe she could give him an out.
“Do you still want to stop by the clinic before we go back to the yacht? We could go there tomorrow instead.”
His black eyes had taken on that glittery cast. “There’s still time this afternoon, unless you’re not feeling well.”
She wasn’t. Not exactly. But for once it had nothing to do with nausea. She sensed he still didn’t trust her, and could cry her eyes out after the lovely meal at the restaurant, where he’d been more like...like Dev. “I’m fine.”
Stephanie turned her back while he dealt with the saleswoman, then they left the shop.
He laid the dress and veil on top of the other packages before they left for the clinic, which appeared to be closer to the port.
When they went inside to Reception, they learned that Dr. Panos was operating and wouldn’t be available. Not to be thwarted, Nikos made an appointment for her for September 1, a full workup.
With that accomplished, they drove to the parking area at the dock. He let her take a few bags, but he carried the rest, along with her wedding finery. Nikos should have brought his cane and let her do more to help, but that infernal pride of his got in the way.
Odd how she hadn’t seen it manifest itself when they’d been on vacation. He’d been so mellow and easygoing then. She longed for that
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