“Everything is fine. Go back to sleep.”
He pressed a kiss to her bare shoulder, pulled the bedcovers up and tucked them around her. Still carrying the book, he walked into the nursery.
The mellow glow from a nightlight lit the room. In the crib, Liam had come up on his hands and knees but sank back a bit, so that he sat like a frog as he cried. Dragos set the book on the side table by the rocking chair and gathered up the baby.
“What is this?” He kept his voice soft and gentle. “Life is not nearly half as tragic as you think it is.”
Liam shuddered and hiccupped, blinking up at Dragos with violet eyes that swam with tears. He embodied innocence, his energy so bright, shining and new, and Dragos loved him with a ferocity he had never felt about anything or anyone before, except for Pia.
“Now, what’s wrong?” Dragos asked. “Is it your mouth?”
The baby nodded, and his soft face crumpled.
He nestled Liam against his chest. “I’ll make it better.”
He walked to the large rocking chair, sat and whispered a beguilement until Liam’s small body relaxed. The baby sucked his thumb for a while and fell asleep as Dragos rocked him.
Peace settled around Dragos like a warm blanket. He was tired, and he wanted to go to bed. He wanted to block out the rest of the world and make love to Pia. But this quiet, intimate time with his son was too perfect, and it would pass all too soon. He would not be too quick to turn away from moments like this.
He remembered the book and picked it up. Still rocking, Dragos opened it. He began to read, and lost himself in thoughts of ancient gold and lost treasure.
Chapter Two
“You sure you weren’t too clever for him?” Eva asked. “Don’t get me wrong, I know he’s bright. He’s Lord of the Wyr and all, but he is still just a man.”
Despite Eva’s skepticism, Pia remained unfazed. “Wait and see. It isn’t a matter of ‘if’ we go on vacation. It’s a matter of ‘when.’”
Bright morning sunlight streamed into Dragos and Pia’s bedroom, although calling it a bedroom was a bit of a misnomer. The room was massive, with the king-sized bed at one end, and a fireplace and white couches at the other end. When Pia had come to live in Cuelebre Tower, the room had been stark, but she had added bright patches of color with jewel-toned pillows and throws, a rich bedspread and rugs.
Pia stood beside the bed where she had piled things to pack. She swung her suitcase up and opened it.
Eva lay sprawled on the floor in front of the French doors with a thick, soft blanket spread out beside her for Liam to play on. Not that Eva was having a great deal of success keeping Liam on the blanket. He had started another new thing that morning. He was busily scooting backwards everywhere.
“You’re so sure, you’re already packing?”
“Yes. He needs a break, and he wants it. He just might not know it yet. He’s so tired he fell asleep in the nursery last night when he was rocking the peanut. That’s where I found them both this morning.” She looked at Eva pointedly. “Dragos fell asleep. Normally he can stay awake for days if he needs to.”
Eva scratched the back of her head. The sunlight gleamed gold on her dark brown skin. “I just hope you aren’t counting your chickens before they’re hatched.”
“Mark my words, you should pack too.” Pia wagged her finger at the other woman. “He’s remarkably decisive when he makes his mind up about something. We could be on the plane as soon as tomorrow, or even tonight. I’m going to suggest that we only take you and Hugh with us.”
Eva sat up straight. “Sweet.”
Pia paused to watch Liam scoot backwards toward her, his little diapered butt in the air, and barely managed to keep from laughing out loud. He was sharp as a whip, and he might figure out she was laughing at him. She didn’t want to hurt his feelings.
She told Eva, “We won’t need bodyguards, but I do want to have babysitters so Dragos and I can go out by ourselves.”
“I’ll take it.” Eva grinned. “Do we by any chance know where Dragos will want to go on vacation?”
Pia scowled. “No, of course not. But I wouldn’t rule out Bermuda, the Caribbean, or Cape Horn.”
Eva cocked her head. “Am I sensing a water theme?”
“You’re sensing a shipwreck theme.” Pia shook out a skirt and carefully folded it. “Or maybe I should say a theme about lost treasure.”
“You’re talking about those books you got from the library the other day, aren’t you? Dayum, you’re good. Does Graydon know we’re leaving?”
Pia blinked at her. “Know what? Nothing’s been decided yet.”
Eva laughed and rolled to her feet. “I’ll go tell Hugh and pack.”
As Eva left, Pia checked her toiletries bag. It was filled with miniature bottles of everything she would need. She set it in her suitcase and bent to pick up the Peanut.