Page 39 of Her Greek Protector

Two hours later…

Gemma cooperated with the doctor’s exam, wishing she had told Leo what she suspected before now. She’d intended to share her news with him on their wedding night, but the picture of Alexi had thrown the entire family into a tailspin. Knowing how protective Leo could be, she’d kept her news to herself, not wanting to be left behind when he went searching for his lost twin. And then her body had betrayed her.

She’d been feeling ill for several days, but after Leo had threatened to take her to the hospital, she’d tried her best to hide how poorly she was really feeling. She’d even started to second-guess her condition, her sickness more than she’d endured with Damien. She felt nauseous, at times unable to keep the contents of her stomach where they belonged. Her breasts had become unbearably tender, and she’d admitted to Aimee just that morning that she felt more tired after sleeping for ten hours than she had before going to sleep.

When she’d rushed from the room at breakfast with Kassi looking on, she’d known her ability to conceal her condition from Leo had come to an end. Kassi was gone when Gemma had left the bathroom, and Leo stormed in mere seconds later.

Alexi had been very helpful, getting his parents involved and summoning the doctor to come straightaway. Now she and Leo were awaiting the results of the doctor’s tests.

The doctor cleared his throat. “Congratulations, Mrs. Moustakas. You are pregnant.” He patted her on the shoulder, shook Leo’s hand and then excused himself from the room.

Gemma searched Leo’s eyes for his reaction to this news. This was not quite how she’d envisioned telling him he was to be a father again. Not at all.

Leo seemed to be in shock. “Are you happy?”

Gemma looked at her husband of barely a week. “I think so. I thought I might be pregnant, but with everything else going on, I didn’t want to distract you.”

Leo sat on the side of the bed, his hands moving tenderly over her still flat stomach. “You are exactly the kind of distraction I will always need.”

Gemma smiled up at him and then brought one of his hands to her lips, kissing his palm lightly. “I don’t remember feeling this sick before. I almost had myself convinced I wasn’t pregnant.”

“The doctor said it could vary each time,” Leo reminded her gently.

Pregnant!The word rattled around in Gemma’s head. What had just been a suspicion was now very much a reality and she felt a smile break over her face. “We’re going to have another baby.”

Leo lifting her hand to his mouth. “Yes, and this time you won’t be alone. I will be here for each and every step. Every visit to the doctor. The delivery. All of it.”

Gemma smiled at him. Damien’s excited voice announced his arrival, and she looked to her son. “Damien, did you have fun?” she asked as Aimee followed him into the room.

“Castle!” he told her, pulling himself up to sit beside her. Leo lifted him into position and Gemma looked to Aimee for an explanation.

“He’s talking about the sand castle we built this morning. This one didn’t fall down, thanks to Grigo and his help.” Aimee ruffled Damien’s hair. “I just passed the doctor downstairs. What’s going on?”

Gemma looked at Leo and he nodded once before picking Damien up and striding from the room. “The doctor was here for me.”

“Oh my God! What’s wrong with you? Are you still sick?”

Gemma nodded and then hurried to calm her friend down. “I am, but the doctor assures me it will go away. In about eight and a half months.”

“What? You’re pregnant?” Aimee asked, disbelief on her face.

Gemma smiled and covered her stomach with a hand. “Yes, only just barely… It seems Leo is more virile than normal.”

“I’ll say. I mean, you’ve only been married a little over a week.” At Gemma’s blush Aimee shook her finger at her. “You naughty girl. The two of you didn’t wait, did you?”

Gemma shrugged, looking smug. “I don’t kiss and tell.”

Aimee rolled her eyes and then turned as Kassi and Tressa came into the room. Kassi’s smile looked forced, but Tressa’s was heartfelt and tearful. “I would say they’ve heard the good news.”

Tressa took Gemma’s hand between her own. “This is the most wonderful news. Vasil asked me to convey his congratulations and has decreed we shall have a celebratory dinner this evening. Everyone will be here, please?”

The three younger women nodded. Tressa gave Gemma a hug and excused herself. “I will start making preparations now.”

“Hey, do you still want to get out of here and take some pictures?” Kassi asked Aimee.

“That sounds great. Let me gather up my stuff and we can go.”

“I’ll go see who’s available to drive us there and back. In light of recent events, I was thinking we could go down to the docks instead of the market?” Kassi asked.