She was exciting. “Can you not think of it as care and concern for the well-being of my son?”

A light flickered in her eyes. “I have taken excellent care of him so far.”

“I appreciate that. But as his father, I expect you to respect my wishes.”

She stared back at him, unrepentant.

There was definitely a power struggle taking place. He hadn’t anticipated that, either. She was carrying his son. She was hired to carry his son. All she had to do was heed his wishes. But it appeared that Georgia either couldn’t, or wouldn’t, and her resistance was like gasoline to a flame.

He wasn’t angry. Not in the least. But his heart was thudding, and blood was drumming in his veins.

Nikos placed her glass on the corner table and sat back down across from her. “I think we have a misunderstanding.” His tone was pleasant. There was no need to snarl. He knew just how dangerous he was...just how dangerous he could be. “Maybe it’s a language barrier. Maybe it’s cultural—you are American, I am Greek—but business is business. You entered into an arrangement with me, and I have met my end of the agreement. I have paid you, handsomely, for your service—”

“We are discussing my body. I am not a shipping container or a maritime vessel. I am not your employee, either. I am a woman who is giving you a gift—”

“Providing a service,” he interrupted. “We have to call it what it is.”

“Yes, the gift of life,” she shot back, tone defiant, blue eyes blazing. “But I’m not just any woman. I’m the one you wanted to be both egg donor and surrogate. There was a reason you picked me. You could have picked any woman, but you selected me, which means you have me, and I am not going to be pushed around. I don’t respect men who throw their weight around, either. You can have a conversation with me, but don’t dictate to me.”

* * *

For a long moment there was just silence.

Georgia felt the weight of Nikos’s inspection. He wasn’t happy. At all.