Nine Months To Tame The Tycoon by Chantelle Shaw, Annie West
EPILOGUE
‘LOOK, DADDY, LOOK!’ Melissa turned her gap-toothed grin and bright eyes on Strato and he felt that familiar hit of joy. ‘There’s another. Isn’t it cute?’
She pointed to the tiny, just-hatched turtle, crawling across the sand towards the sea.
‘Absolutely,’ he murmured. ‘Almost as cute as you.’
She giggled and threw herself at his legs, hugging hard. ‘I love you, Daddy.’
As ever, those words made his heart turn over. Even though he was now part of a family that spoke openly about such emotion.
‘And I love you, my little princess.’ He scooped her up in his arms, whirling her high till she giggled.
‘Shh! You’ll scare them,’ Alex cautioned. Strato turned to see his son at the water’s edge with his grandfather and Doris. Serious, warm-hearted Alex and carefree Melissa. The twins lit up Strato’s world, as their namesakes, his siblings, had years before.
‘We promise to be quiet. Don’t we?’ Melissa nodded and he put her down, watching her skip off to the others.
This was a regular outing. All the family came to Cora’s island when it was time for the hatchlings to appear. Strato had built a house on the main island across the headland from his father-in-law’s hotel and this was just a short boat ride away.
‘Thank you, agapi mou.’ An arm slipped around his waist and there was Cora, his wife, his love, his life. He pulled her satisfyingly close, his smile widening.
‘What for? The island?’ He’d bought it in her name, as part of a successful proposal to turn the area into a marine park. Now it was protected from development and a new research facility did important work, also providing opportunities for researchers like his wife.
Glowing golden-brown eyes met his and desire stirred. ‘That too. And for inviting Steph, Damen and the kids to visit next week for our anniversary party.’ She paused, her mouth curling in a tender smile. ‘But mainly thank you for believing in us. For trusting yourself, and me. I love you, Strato. I can’t tell you how much.’
Her misty eyes and sweet smile told him. As did the ache of pure joy that filled him.
‘As much as I love you, Coritsa.’ His love for her filled him to the brim and always would. ‘I give thanks every day that we found each other.’
She’d saved him from himself and taught him how to live in the sunlight instead of the shadows. He leant in and, here at the place where they’d met, Strato kissed his own, special Nereid with all the love in his heart.