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- Herausgeber: LSODea
- Kategorie: Gesellschafts- und Liebesromane
- Serie: La Petite Mort Club
- Sprache: Englisch
- Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2021
Harker has everything he wants, except a child.
He’s finally chosen the mother.
Alison is brilliant, kind and hard-working. Her genes will mesh perfectly with his. And it doesn’t hurt that he’s spent the last year fantasizing about taking her to his bed and doing all kinds of deliciously wicked things to her.
Alison can’t believe that her boss wants her to have his kid and that he wants to do it the old-fashioned way. She can’t imagine having sex with him. He’s Harker. Sure he’s kind of sexy in a dark, brooding way and when he barks orders her body naturally responds, but still…sex with Harker?
She can’t do that, or can she? His offer is hard to refuse and she’d only have to be with him until she got pregnant. It shouldn’t take long, right?
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The Billionaire's Baby
La Petite Mort Club, Volume 7
Ellis O. Day
Published by LSODea, 2021.
This is a work of fiction. Similarities to real people, places, or events are entirely coincidental.
THE BILLIONAIRE'S BABY
First edition. August 15, 2021.
Copyright © 2021 Ellis O. Day.
ISBN: 978-1942706670
Written by Ellis O. Day.
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Also by Ellis O. Day
Hot Holidays
The Mistletoe Game
A Banging New Year
Cupid's Misfire
La Petite Mort Club
Six Nights of Sin
The Voyeur Series Books 1 - 4
Six Weeks of Seduction
A Merry Masquerade For Christmas
The Dom's Submission Series (Parts 1-3)
Hot Holidays
The Billionaire's Baby
La Petite Mort Club Intimate Encounters
His Lesson
Playing House
His Love
His Imperfect Day
Six Nights Of Sin
Interviewing For Her Lover
Taking Control
School Fantasy
Master-Slave Fantasy
Punishment Fantasy
The Proposition
The Billionaire's Baby
The Baby Bargain
Making the Baby
The Baby Battle
Having The Baby
The Dom's Submission
His Sub
His Mission
His Submission
The Voyeur
The Voyeur
Watching the Voyeur
Touching the Voyeur
Loving the Voyeur
Standalone
The Dom's Birthday Weekend
Table of Contents
Title Page
Copyright Page
Also By Ellis O. Day
The Billionaire's Baby (La Petite Mort Club, #7)
Join My Readers’ Group and for a limited time get the entire Six Nights of Sin series for FREE!
Book 1: The Baby Bargain | CHAPTER 1: Harker
CHAPTER 2: Alison
CHAPTER 3: Harker
CHAPTER 4: Harker
CHAPTER 5: Alison
CHAPTER 6: Harker
CHAPTER 7: Alison
CHAPTER 8: Harker
CHAPTER 9: Alison
CHAPTER 10: Harker
CHAPTER 11: Alison
CHAPTER 12: Harker
CHAPTER 13: Alison
CHAPTER 14: Harker
CHAPTER 15: Alison
CHAPTER 16: Harker
CHAPTER 17: Alison
CHAPTER 18: Harker
CHAPTER 19: Alison
CHAPTER 20: Harker
CHAPTER 21: Alison
CHAPTER 22: Alison
CHAPTER 23: Harker
CHAPTER 24: Harker
CHAPTER 25: Harker
CHAPTER 26: Alison
CHAPTER 27: Harker
CHAPTER 28: Alison
CHAPTER 29: Alison
CHAPTER 30: Harker
CHAPTER 31: Alison
CHAPTER 32: Harker
CHAPTER 33: Harker
CHAPTER 34: Harker
CHAPTER 35: Alison
CHAPTER 36: Alison
CHAPTER 37: Harker
CHAPTER 38: Alison
CHAPTER 39: Harker
CHAPTER 40: Alison
CHAPTER 41: Harker
CHAPTER 42: Alison
CHAPTER 43: Harker
CHAPTER 44: Alison
CHAPTER 45: Harker
CHAPTER 46: Alison
CHAPTER 47: Harker
CHAPTER 48: Alison
CHAPTER 49: Alison
CHAPTER 50: Harker
Book 2: Making The Baby | CHAPTER 1: Alison
CHAPTER 2: Harker
CHAPTER 3: Alison
CHAPTER 4: Harker
CHAPTER 5: Alison
CHAPTER 6: Harker
CHAPTER 7: Alison
CHAPTER 8: Harker
CHAPTER 9: Alison
CHAPTER 10: Harker
CHAPTER 11: Alison
CHAPTER 12: Harker
CHAPTER 13: Alison
CHAPTER 14: Alison
CHAPTER 15: Harker
CHAPTER 16: Alison
CHAPTER.17: Harker
CHAPTER 18: Alison
CHAPTER 19: Harker
CHAPTER 20: Alison
CHAPTER 21: Harker
CHAPTER 22: Alison
CHAPTER 23: Harker
CHAPTER 24: Alison
CHAPTER 25: Alison
CHAPTER 26: Alison
CHAPTER 27: Harker
CHAPTER 28: Alison
CHAPTER 29: Harker
CHAPTER 30: Harker
CHAPTER 31: Harker
CHAPTER 32: Harker
CHAPTER 33: Alison
CHAPTER 34: Harker
CHAPTER 35: Harker
CHAPTER 36: Harker
CHAPTER 37: Alison
CHAPTER 38: Alison
CHAPTER 39: Harker
CHAPTER 40: Alison
CHAPTER 41: Harker
CHAPTER 42: Harker
CHAPTER 43: Harker
CHAPTER 44: Alison
CHAPTER 45: Harker
CHAPTER 46: Alison
CHAPTER 47: Harker
CHAPTER 48: Alison
CHAPTER 49: Harker
CHAPTER 50: Alison
CHAPTER 51: Harker
CHAPTER 52: Alison
CHAPTER 53: Harker
CHAPTER 54: Harker
CHAPTER 55: Alison
CHAPTER 56: Harker
CHAPTER 57: Alison
CHAPTER 58: Harker
CHAPTER 59: Alison
CHAPTER 60: Harker
CHAPTER 61: Alison
CHAPTER 62: Alison
CHAPTER 63: Alison
CHAPTER 64: Harker
CHAPTER 65: Alison
CHAPTER 66: Alison
CHAPTER 67: Harker
CHAPTER 68: Alison
CHAPTER 69: Harker
CHAPTER 70: Harker
Book 3: The Baby Battle | CHAPTER 1: Alison
CHAPTER 2: Harker
CHAPTER 3: Harker
CHAPTER 4: Harker
CHAPTER 5: Alison
CHAPTER 6: Alison
CHAPTER 7: Harker
CHAPTER 8: Harker
CHAPTER 9: Harker
CHAPTER 10: Alison
CHAPTER 11: Harker
CHAPTER 12: Harker
CHAPTER 13: Alison
CHAPTER 14: Alison
CHAPTER 15: Alison
CHAPTER 16: Harker
CHAPTER 17: Alison
CHAPTER 18: Harker
CHAPTER 19: Harker
CHAPTER 20: Harker
CHAPTER 21: Harker
CHAPTER 22: Harker
CHAPTER 23: Alison
CHAPTER 24: Harker
CHAPTER 25: Alison
CHAPTER 26: Harker
CHAPTER 27: Alison
CHAPTER 28: Harker
CHAPTER 29: Alison
CHAPTER 30: Harker
CHAPTER 31: Alison
CHAPTER 32: Alison
CHAPTER 33: Harker
Book 4: Having the Baby | CHAPTER 1: Alison
CHAPTER 2: Harker
CHAPTER 3: Harker
CHAPTER 4: Harker
CHAPTER 5: Harker
CHAPTER 6: Harker
CHAPTER 7: Alison
CHAPTER 8: Harker
CHAPTER 9: Harker
CHAPTER 10: Harker
CHAPTER 11: Alison
CHAPTER 12: Harker
CHAPTER 13: Alison
CHAPTER 14: Harker
CHAPTER 15: Alison
CHAPTER 16: Alison
CHAPTER 17: Harker
CHAPTER 18: Alison
CHAPTER 19: Alison
CHAPTER 20: Harker
CHAPTER 21: Alison
CHAPTER 22: Harker
CHAPTER 23: Harker
CHAPTER 24: Alison
CHAPTER 25: Alison
CHAPTER 26: Alison
CHAPTER 27: Harker
CHAPTER 28: Alison
CHAPTER 29: Harker
CHAPTER 30: Harker
CHAPTER 31: Alison
CHAPTER 32: Harker
CHAPTER 33: Alison
CHAPTER 34: Harker
CHAPTER 35: Alison
CHAPTER 36: Harker
CHAPTER 37: Alison
FREE: The Mistletoe Game
Free - His Sub
Free: Interviewing For Her Lover
Free: The Voyeur
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Book 1: The Baby Bargain
CHAPTER 1: Harker
––––––––
Harker glanced at his watch. Alison was late. Again. She was the most brilliant woman he’d ever met but she needed to work on her punctuality. “Alison!” he yelled.
“Don’t bellow at her. She’s not your dog.” Merri sat across from him at the table in his office looking as perfectly put together as always.
They’d been friends since junior high and she never had a hair out of place. She looked like a blonde cover girl model, but it’d always been her kindness and intelligence that’d attracted him. She’d fallen for his college roommate, Tobias, and that’d been the end of Harker’s infatuation with Merri. Even back then he’d known that it wasn’t worth losing the only two friends he had over a one-sided crush.
“I know she’s not my dog, but she’s late.” He’d like her to be his sub, but he had more important plans for her. “Alison, get in here now!”
“She’s getting your lunch.” Merri sent him a disgusted look. “Stop yelling. She’ll be here when she’s done.”
“Did he yell? I thought that was his normal tone.” Alison swooped into his office like a refreshing breeze.
Harker swore the energy in the room crackled whenever Alison was in it. She was a whirlwind of movement, both her body and her mouth. The first time he’d met her he’d been fascinated by the barrage of words that’d flowed effortlessly from her lips. They were both rambling and humorous. He’d become even more fascinated over the months that he’d known her, always waiting to see what odd or inappropriate thing would come from her soft pink lips.
Alison dropped a wrapped deli sub, a bag of chips and a can of cola in front of Merri. “That’s the only tone he ever uses around me.”
“Maybe if you were on time, I wouldn’t.” Most people, besides Merri and Tobias, treated him with deference because of his wealth but not Alison. She didn’t seem to care about his money or power. It annoyed and excited him.
“Please.” Her brown eyes sparkled with amusement. “You scream at me when I’m in my office and I’m not late then. I’m working.” She dug in the bag from the deli.
“I do not scream.” He held out his hand. He was starving. “Screaming implies hysterics and I’m never hysterical.”
“You can say that again. Dour is more like it.” She dropped a wrapped sub in his hand and then put a water and a bag of apple slices on his desk.
“He was even dour in college.” Merri laughed.
“I was not. I was serious and hard-working. We wouldn’t have this business if I hadn’t been.”
“Tobias and I worked hard too.” Merri opened her bag of chips. “But we also knew how to have fun.” Her eyes met his and then darted to Alison who was seated across the table with her lunch in front of her.
He gave Merri a glare and shook his head. She’d noticed his interest in Alison and had mentioned, more times than he could count, that he should ask her out. What Merri didn’t understand and what he couldn’t tell her was that he had no plans on dating Alison. He had another arrangement in mind that would be beneficial to both of them. All he had to do was find the right time to make her the offer. It may require a little persuading at first, but he’d convince her. He always figured out a way to get what he wanted.
Alison opened her bag of chips. “Speaking of having fun. I’m going on a—”
“Where are my chips? And why do I have water? I want a soda.”
“Because you need to start eating better.” Alison chomped on a chip. “You’re not a young man anymore. You have to watch your cholesterol and blood pressure.”
“I’m not old.” That was so insulting. “I’m in great shape.” He worked out every day and saw women, young women, checking him out all the time.
“You said your blood pressure was high. Chips are loaded with salt and that’s not good for high blood pressure.”
“My blood pressure is high because you drive me crazy.”
“Me?” She pointed at herself. “What do I do?”
“Do you really want me to start? It’s a long list.” He unwrapped his sandwich. “What’s this? It’s not what I ordered.” It was full of vegetables.
“It is what you ordered. Roast beef.”
He stared at the sandwich and opened it slowly not wanting to see what vegetables she’d had them add.
“It’s not going to bite you,” said Alison.
“I’m well aware of that.”
“Then why are you opening it like it’s going to attack you?” She tried and failed to keep the laughter out of her voice.
Normally, he loved her sense of humor. She could find fun in anything but not when she was torturing him. “Why did you do this to me?” He looked at her. “I’m a good guy. I pay you well.”
“They’re vegetables, not poison.” She rolled her eyes at him.
“I hate tomatoes.”
“There are no tomatoes on there even though I can’t understand how anyone can hate tomatoes.” She sighed pulling one from her sandwich and biting into it. “They are so yummy and good for you.”
The look of pure satisfaction on her face made the blood rush to his cock. He wanted her looking at him like that after he made her come or better yet, when she had his dick in her mouth. Shit. She had him wanting to be a fucking tomato.
“But it’s fine if you don’t like them. To each his own and all that.” She waved her sandwich at him. “I had them add extra green peppers. You like those.”
He almost groaned as she pulled another tomato from her sandwich and licked the mayonnaise off it. Merri snorted.
He tore his gaze away from Alison and gave Merri a quick “shut up” look. “I do like green peppers but why is there so much lettuce. I didn’t order a salad.”
“You should’ve,” Alison muttered around a bite of her sandwich.
“I may as well have. I can barely see the meat. This is not double meat. I like double meat.”
“Meat isn’t good for you, especially deli meat. It’s full of nitrates, fat and sodium.”
“There’s no cheese.” He picked at the vegetables.
“Your cholesterol.” Alison turned toward Merri. “Does he know nothing about health?”
“He’s a man. Men think they can continue to eat like they’re in their twenties and they’re too stubborn to listen to good advice...about a lot of things.” Merri gave him an exasperated look before glancing at Alison.
“I know about health and I don’t have high cholesterol. Why do you think I do?” Talking to Alison was like mental calisthenics.
“You said you were going to have a heart attack.” Alison took a big bite of her sandwich, trying to look innocent.
“I never...” He was going to strangle her. “I said that because you make me crazy and you’re going to give me a heart attack, not because I have high cholesterol.” He snatched her bag of chips.
“Hey, those are mine.”
“You should’ve gotten me chips instead of these.” He tossed the apples at her.
“I’m not the one complaining about my blood pressure and my heart.” She threw the apples across the desk, smacking him in the chest. “Give me back my chips.”
“No”—he leaned forward and dumped them in the middle of the table—"but I’ll share.”
“They’re my chips,” she huffed as she took one. “You have apples.”
“I’ll share those too.” He opened the bag and dropped them in the middle of the table next to the chips. “And I’ll forgive you for the shitty sandwich.” He closed it and took a bite.
“I’m not apologizing.” She sent him a challenging look. “You should be thanking me. Vegetables are good for you.”
“So is squashing impertinence.” He frowned at her. “But we can talk about that later. Now, let’s hear how the facial recognition enhancement is going with my software.” He stressed the word “my” because it annoyed the shit out of her. He loved watching her bristle and struggle to keep from arguing with him. He was pretty sure that one day she was going to go off like a hot tea kettle.
She’d spent countless hours writing this code. It was more hers than his, except he owned it. He’d leverage that possessiveness of hers to get what he wanted.
She was young, in good health, extremely intelligent and for some reason his cock wanted her like it hadn’t wanted anyone since he’d been a horny teenager. He’d weighed all the pros and cons and had decided that she was the perfect woman to bear his child.
CHAPTER 2: Alison
––––––––
Alison finished giving Merri and Harker the update on her progress. She was proud of this. This program was hers. She’d taken the shell from a previous programmer and had expanded on it, making it unique.
“That’s amazing. No, you’re amazing.” Merri smiled at Alison. “You’re way ahead of schedule.”
“Thank you.” Alison glanced at Harker.
He stared at his computer, the glow from the screen making the smattering of gray at his temples shine almost silver in his dark hair. She should be used to his reticence by now but for some reason it hurt her feelings. She didn’t need someone to praise her all the time, but she worked hard for this man—long hours, holidays, weekends—and he barely ever acknowledged her accomplishments.
“We should celebrate.” Merri sent a cautious glance toward Harker.
Alison had noticed the many quiet exchanges between the two tonight. She wondered again if they were having an affair. She had to grind her teeth together to keep her big mouth shut. Tobias adored his wife and didn’t deserve to be treated this way.
“The four of us should go out.” Merri grabbed her phone. “I’ll call Tobias and—”
“Alison, do you think you can have a demo ready next week?” Harker continued to stare at his laptop.
“A canned demo? Sure. I can modify the one we made for the initial funding and prep the screenshots and—”
“No. Live.” He tapped his screen. “I’m sure I can get a meeting arranged—”
“Live? Next week? You mean like we’ll scan someone’s face and watch it work?”
“Exactly.” His dark eyes met hers over his laptop. “Is that a problem? From what you claimed in this meeting it shouldn’t be an issue.”
“I said several core components were done but they’ve never been linked together and tested.”
“Then link them and test it.”
“I will.” Now, she remembered why she hated this job as much as she loved it. Him. This man was never satisfied.
“By Wednesday.”
“No. That’s not possible.”
“That’s five days from now. Seems more than possible to me.”
“Five? No.” She shook her head. “I have this weekend off, remember?”
“Plans change.” His lips turned up in a half-smirk.
“Harker,” Merri scolded him. “We agreed that Alison could have this weekend off. We’re not making her work.”
She bit the inside of her mouth to keep from pointing out that she shouldn’t have to get approval to have a weekend off.
“I agreed to that before I had all the data.” Harker leaned back in his chair.
“I’m being punished for getting things done early?” This man was unbelievable. Every freaking time she thought she knew how much of a jerk he could be, he surprised her in a horrible way.
“If you think working here is a punishment”—his eyes darkened and dipped for a moment—“you have no idea what punishment is.”
If she didn’t know better, she would’ve sworn he’d looked at her breasts. Of course, that’d be a joke because first, her breasts had never drawn a man’s gaze and second, Harker wasn’t a man. Not really. He was a boss. A machine that did nothing but work.
“Enough.” Merri stood. “We can all use the weekend off and we can discuss the project timeline on Monday. Admit it, Harker. A night out with just the four of us will be fun. We’ll eat, have some drinks, dance. Get to know each other better.”
There was that secret undertone again. Alison wasn’t going to be the decoy to keep Tobias entertained while these two fooled around right in front of his face.
“I suppose it can wait a night.” He frowned, his dark gaze on her again. “Make the arrangements. Alison and I will meet you and Tobias later tonight.”
“Tonight?” Even after working for him for almost a year, the intensity of his gaze still made her uncomfortable. It was like he was studying her, analyzing her and she had no idea why. Men never studied her. Most males barely gave her a second glance. She wasn’t particularly attractive. Her hair was long and brown with a tendency to frizz in the humidity. She was tall and on the thin side. Her breasts were small and her face, while not unattractive, wasn’t anything that’d make anyone take a second look. She often thought she should’ve been a spy because people never really saw her. Unfortunately, her tendency to yammer on about everything had killed those dreams.
However, for some odd reason, Harker looked at her. He saw her. He didn’t seem to know what to make of her but at least he looked. That was probably why she’d stayed at this job. He was arrogant, demanding and could be a jerk but she liked him. Plus, the money was really good.
“Yes, tonight.” He watched her as if she were a bug under a glass.
“Sorry. I can’t tonight.” She liked her job, but she needed more than work. She needed a life and a man. It’d been way too long since she’d had sex. “Maybe tomorrow.”
“Why can’t you join us for dinner tonight?” He closed his laptop.
“Because I have a date.” She grinned like a fool. She was so excited. She probably wouldn’t get laid tonight but if things went well with Randy the possibility of sex was in her future again.
CHAPTER 3: Harker
––––––––
“A date?” Merri’s eyes widened and she glanced at Harker. “That’s wonderful. Who is he? Where did you meet. This is so exciting. Tell me everything about this mystery man.”
Normally, Harker would’ve wanted to wipe that smirk from Merri’s face but today the only thing going through his mind was, Hell no. The future mother of his child was not going out and getting laid by some strange dick. He’d tie her to his bed before he let that happen. His cock rose at the thought of Alison restrained, looking up at him, licking those pink lips but his dick deflated as she began talking.
“His name is Randy.” She almost vibrated with excitement. “He finally asked me out. We met online a few weeks ago and we’ve been video chatting. He’s so nice. He’s an architect and shy and...”
Alison’s brown eyes sparkled, and her smile was wide and natural. The blood rushed back to his dick. He’d never noticed how wide her mouth was. Probably because she never smiled like that for him, but she would. He almost groaned as he imagined her on her knees, smiling up at him before she opened that big mouth of hers and swallowed his cock.
“So, you’re looking forward to this date?” Merri gave him an I-told-you-so look.
He ignored her and shifted slightly, trying to tamp down his desire. He was forty years old not some teenage boy with no control over his dick.
“Where are the two of you going?” asked Merri.
“Nowhere.” He didn’t even flinch as both women fell silent and turned, staring at him. Merri had an amused expression on her face, but Alison was surprised. Too bad. She’d surprised him with the news of this date. He’d thought they’d spent almost every waking moment together for almost a year but apparently, she’d found some time to video chat with some ass-wipe named Randy. “You’re not going on this date.”
“Excuse me?” Alison’s tone held a hint of warning.
He ignored it. “You heard me.” He put his hand on his computer. “There’s work to do.”
“Not for me. I have the weekend off.”
“Not any longer.” He wasn’t letting her out of his sight. He wasn’t risking her womb being infiltrated by this other man’s sperm.
“We just discussed this. I have the weekend off. You can’t change your mind.” She glanced at Merri for help, but the other woman remained silent, watching them like they were her favorite TV show.
“I can. I’m the boss.” He was growing tired of her constant resistance to his authority.
“I’ve worked every weekend for the last ten months. I come in early and work late every day. All I do is work.”
“I know. You’ve proven that you’re smart and dedicated. You know that when there’s work to be done sacrifices are made. Which is why I’m confused that you still think you’re going on a date tonight.” He almost snarled at the thought of her sitting and chatting with some stranger. The man touching her. Kissing her. Fuck, that was so not going to happen. She was his. He’d found her and chosen her.
“I’m going because you gave me the weekend off. Which I shouldn’t have had to ask for. It’s the weekend. I’ve already worked over eighty hours this week.”
“As have I.”
“It’s your company.”
“Good. You understand.” He leaned forward. “I’m your boss.”
“You’re an ass.”
He tipped his head in agreement. “When I have to be.”
“Well, Gus—” She leaned toward him.
“Don’t call me that.” His words were soft, a warning.
“Harker.” Merri’s tone was cautious. She knew him well enough to know he was one whisper away from exploding.
“I’m not working this weekend, Gus.” Alison glared at him.
She should know better than to push him, but he’d never had to show her this side of him. She’d always obeyed—with a snarky attitude many times but she’d bowed to his demands like a good sub. No, she wasn’t his sub and she’d never be his sub. She was a good employee and soon she’d be a good mother, but that was it. “You are working this weekend and if you call me Gus one more time, I’ll—”
“Harker don’t.” Merri stood. “Let’s everyone take a deep breath and we can talk about this like adults.”
“There’s nothing to discuss.” He was the boss. He’d made his decision and Alison would just have to deal with it.
“On that we agree.” Alison picked up her laptop. “I’ll see you on Monday.”
“If you leave, you’re fired.”
“Harker.” Merri turned to Alison. “Please give me a minute with him.”
Alison nodded and strode out of the room.
CHAPTER 4: Harker
––––––––
Harker wasn’t backing down on this. Alison wasn’t going on a date. “There is nothing you can say Merri—”
Merri closed the door and spun around. “You can’t order her around like that. She’s not your sub.”
“I’m well aware of what she is. She’d make a horrible sub.” But she’d be fun to train—all that energy, the attitude. He’d never be able to fully make her submit and that’d make each tiny submission mean that much more. He frowned, reminding himself that he wasn’t looking for a sub. He was looking for someone with good genes to mix with his. “But she is my employee.”
“Who you’ve overworked for months. The hours that woman puts in is crazy.”
“She’s well compensated—”
“Money isn’t everything, Harker.”
“I’m aware of that.” But it did get him everything he needed.
“I don’t think you are.” Merri shook her head at him. “You can’t fire her.”
“I can. I hired her—”
“I hired her.”
“Semantics.” He shrugged. “I approved it and she works for me. For my department. I can fire her.”
“Stop acting like an ass and tell her how you feel.”
“Feel?” He rolled his eyes. “This has nothing to do with feelings.” It had to do with keeping her untainted to ensure that the child that’d soon be in her womb would be his.
“Please. You’re always watching her, and you make her work every day, even holidays. You keep her here until all hours of the night. You make her come into work instead of telecommuting like almost every other employee.”
“She needs to be here. We can’t risk the program getting stolen.” He was glad when Merri ignored him because they both knew that he had enough funds to minimize that risk to almost nothing.
“You even gave her a room in your house. Not in the business side of your mansion but in your home. A room right down the hallway from yours.”
“And would I do that if I had feelings for her?” He’d considered asking her to join him in his bedroom on several occasions, especially the ones where he’d heard her moving about in her bed, soft little sighs and a low hum coming from the room. It’d taken every bit of willpower he had not to barge in there and let her use his cock instead of that stupid toy, but no matter how much he’d wanted that, she was too important for a heated fling.
“I’m not sure why you haven’t slept with her when it’s obvious to anyone with eyes that you want her.”
“It’s not sexual between us.” Yes, they’d be having sex, but not for pleasure. Of course, there was no reason not to make it pleasurable. Some studies suggested that pleasure assisted in the likelihood of conceiving. Plus, pregnancy didn’t usually occur the first time. Even if it did, it’d take several weeks to know for sure and he planned on using those weeks and Alison quite thoroughly.
“Really?” Her eyebrow raised. “This power thing has always been your aphrodisiac.”
“Not with Alison. Like I said. She’d make an awful sub.”
“Then why are you doing this?” She studied him. “It’s clear you’re attracted to her.”
“I suppose I am. To her mind.”
“Her mind?”
“Yes.” That wasn’t a lie. Alison was the most intelligent woman he’d ever met, and she was more logical than most, not prone to making decisions on emotions.
“Then tell her.”
“I plan to.”
“When?”
He shrugged. “When it’s time.” He had to play his cards right because he didn’t want to start this new project with an angry and unwilling partner. He’d get Alison to agree to his deal one way or another, but he preferred bribery over blackmail.
“The right time is now. The poor woman hasn’t done anything but work for almost a year.”
“Obviously, that’s incorrect because she found time to video chat with Randy.” He couldn’t keep the venom from his voice.
“Harker tell her how you feel. Take her to dinner or a movie.”
“I don’t want to date her.”
“Then what do you want?”
“That’s between me and her.” He was in no mood to hear Merri’s opinion on his plan. She wouldn’t be a fan.
“If you’re too stubborn to tell her how you feel about her—”
“I feel nothing for her except admiration for her brain.” He’d always been drawn to smart women. Usually, they were more physically attractive than Alison, but he never argued with his dick. He just gave it what it wanted.
“Then you and your admiration will have to accept the fact that she’s going to date other men.”
“She isn’t.” He couldn’t allow that.
“She is and you’re not going to fire her over it.”
“Of course not.”
Merri sighed in relief and he wanted to laugh.
“That would be unethical. I am, however, going to fire her if she doesn’t work this weekend, including tonight.”
“I have no idea why I waste my time with you about anything that has to do with feelings.”
“Me either. You’ve known me for over twenty-five years. You should know I’m never swayed by emotions.”
“That’s right.” Merri smiled and Harker’s instincts screamed a warning. “Let me speak to your logical side. You can’t fire her because without her, your application won’t get finished and you’ll have no product for all those investors.”
“I’ll hire someone else.”
“That didn’t work before.”
“You were in the meeting. She’s solved most of the issues with performance. The facial recognition is the next big hurdle and she’s having some problems getting that to work. I already have a few candidates in mind.”
“You’d fire her and hand this over to someone else? After all the work she’s done?” Merri stared at him with disbelief. “I know you can be ruthless, but until now you’ve always been fair.”
“And I’ll be fair to her too.” He was going to be more than fair. He was going to offer her the one thing she wanted most in the world and all it’d cost her was the use of her womb.
“You can’t keep her as your slave. Consent is always the rule. You know that.”
“That’s with sex.”
“That’s with everything.”
“Don’t worry. I have no intention of forcing her to do anything.” He grinned. “Alison will consent. She’ll stay and work.”
“I don’t know, Harker. I think you may have pushed her too far.”
“Trust me. I know Alison and I know what I’m doing.” He was an expert at recognizing what a person wanted and what they’d do to get it. It’d been the only way he’d survived in foster care. Alison may not be a true sub, but she liked her job and she liked to please. She’d give in to his demands like always.
CHAPTER 5: Alison
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Alison paced in her office. She wasn’t working tonight. She’d done everything Harker had asked her to do—late nights, weekends, holidays—but that stopped now. She hadn’t had a date in over a year, and it’d been longer since she’d had sex. Harker could get as mad as he wanted. She was meeting Randy for dinner tonight.
She glanced at her watch. It was six o’clock. She’d been here since six that morning. She was done. She closed her laptop and slid it into the bag.
“I’d reconsider if I were you.”
She jumped at Harker’s deep, raspy voice. The man sounded like he’d swallowed sandpaper. She hated that his voice made her think of cool sheets and hot naked bodies. She pushed the image aside and stood. She’d step in front of a bus before she’d let him know how his voice affected her. “Well, you’re not me.” She slipped her laptop bag over her shoulder. “And I need time off. For the last ten months I’ve worked every holiday, weekend and late every night. I’m here almost as much as you are.” That was saying a lot because his office was inside his home.
“You’re really willing to give up this job, all this money for a date?” He leaned against the door frame. “This guy must be something pretty special.”
“He is.” She jutted out her chin. At least she hoped he was. She was tired of having no one in her life. During the day she was too busy to notice but at night, alone in her bed with her vibrator, it was pathetically obvious.
“How do you know? Didn’t you say this was a first date?”
“Yes, but we’ve been talking for weeks now.”
“When did you find the time? From what you claim, I’ve been working you every waking moment.”
“I haven’t been doing that on your time if that’s what you’re worried about. I can’t believe you’d even think that.” It hurt that he’d accuse her of cheating him. She worked her ass off for this man. “I thought you knew me better than that. I thought we were friends.”
“Friends?” He smiled his lopsided smile that made him look like a mischievous boy. “Hardly. We’ve never been friends.”
“Oh.” That hurt more than she’d ever admit. This had happened to her all her life. People pretended to like her, so she’d help them with a project or their grades. She’d thought it’d end when she’d finished school, but work had been about the same. She was always the one people came to for help but never the one they invited to go out for lunch or drinks. She’d thought it was different here with Harker. The second day working here she’d forgotten her lunch and had realized that Harker hadn’t eaten either. She’d ordered a pizza and had taken it to his office. They’d eaten lunch together almost every day after that and more dinners than she could count. But apparently, he was no different than everyone else. “Silly me. I have no idea why I thought that.”
“Me either.”
Oh, he was worse than the others. He wasn’t even ashamed of using her. “Oh, we’re being honest?”
“Of course.”
“Then let me tell you why I thought you were my friend. We eat lunch and dinner together almost every day.”
“We do.”
“You got me tickets to the hottest night club around for New Year’s Eve.”
“A bonus for working Christmas Eve.”
“You insisted on going with me.”
“I had business to attend.” He stepped into the office. “Plus, I assumed you’d need someone to look out for you and I was right.”
“I’m a big girl. I can take care of myself.”
“You could barely walk by the end of the night.”
“I was having fun.”
“Oh. Right. That car ride home was a great time. You drunkenly mumbling about all your failed relationships and”—his dark eyes seemed to almost glow—"your lack of recent sexual activity.”
“I apologized for that.” Her face still warmed. The fact that she hadn’t had sex in months was embarrassing enough but telling him had been the worst thing she’d ever done when drunk and that was saying something. “I never would’ve opened up to you if I’d realized you were using me.”
“Using is an interesting term.”
“What do you mean by that?”
“Come to my office and we can talk.” He moved aside to allow her to proceed him.
She took one step and stopped. She hated that her body obeyed this man without hesitation. “I can’t. I have a date.”
“Cancel it.”
“No.”
“Alison.” He shook his head. “Don’t push me on this. You won’t be happy with the outcome.”
“Don’t push me, Gus.” She didn’t do well with ultimatums.
“Do not call me that.” His jaw tightened.
She tried to stop herself, but her lips lifted in a smirk.
“I will fire you.”
“Then do it because I’m going on this date.” She pushed past him. He wouldn’t really fire her. He needed her to meet his deadlines. Sure, he could find other application developers, but it’d take time for them to come up to speed and that’d put him way behind schedule. No, she was making her stand against his tyranny tonight. Life was too short. If he did fire her, she’d find another job. She’d done it before; she’d do it again.
CHAPTER 6: Harker
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Harker followed Alison down the hallway, stopping at the entrance to the private section of his house. Her steps faltered as if nervous about continuing toward the door to the employee garage. She didn’t need to worry because he wasn’t going to let her get far.
“What time is your date?”
“Why?” She turned toward him.
“Because I’d recommend that you listen to my offer before leaving. I assure you that it’ll be much more lucrative than any date.”
“Offer? What are you talking about?”
It was time to gamble but he never risked anything without information. He opened the door and strode down the hallway and into the living room of his private quarters. He walked to the liquor cabinet and poured them each a drink. He hadn’t even finished her gin and tonic before he heard her soft footsteps gliding across the carpet.
“I hate it when you don’t answer me,” she said.
“I know.” He picked up the drinks and motioned to the sofa.
“I don’t have much time, so you’d better hurry.” She put her laptop bag on the couch next to her.
“You have plenty of time.” He handed her the glass and tried not to look smug when she took it. “You just don’t realize it yet.” He sat on the chair across from her.
“This time you’re wrong. I’m not working tonight. I haven’t been on a date since—”
“Yes, I’m quite aware of how long it’s been since you’ve dated.” It made him harder than a stone, thinking of how long it’d been for her. Would she come at his slightest touch or would he have to reteach her the path to orgasm?
“How do you—”
“New Year’s Eve, remember?”
“Oh. Right.” She took a sip of her gin and tonic, her face heating slightly. “Then you understand why I’m so serious about this. And I’m done working ninety plus hour weeks.”
“I pay you well for your time and you need the money.”
“I do but not that badly.”
“Are all the issues at your mother’s house fixed already? Plumbing. Electric. Termites.”
“I really wish I’d never thought of you as a friend.”
“I’m glad you did.” He smiled. “It made things easier.”
“Things? Like what? Blackmailing me to work long hours because you know how bad my financial situation is.”
“Your financial situation is fine but for some reason you’ve taken on your mother’s problems.” He didn’t understand that, but it fascinated him. He had no obligations to anyone. Growing up unwanted and unloved made life so much easier.
“Because she’s my mom.” She said that like it made sense.
“Many wouldn’t care.”
“Many people are assholes.” Her brow raised. “Present company not excluded.”
“I’m a businessman. I make no apologies for that.”
“Most businessmen are human first.”
“I’m exceptional.”
“Yeah, an exceptional jerk.”
“Yet, you considered me your friend. Are you always friends with jerks?” He grinned. He loved winning these little arguments. He loved winning period but especially against a worthy opponent.
“I’m...” Her mouth opened and then shut, her lips turning downward in a frown. “Either tell me your offer or I’m leaving.” She glanced at her phone. “I have to go home, shower, do my hair, makeup, find an outfit and it has to be the right one. Randy and I have video chatted, but this will be the first time we see each other in person, and I need to look—”
He had to shut her up. If she didn’t stop talking about Randy and getting laid, he’d lean over and kiss her. Once his mouth touched hers there’d be no stopping him from tearing her clothes off and fucking her. It was time to dangle the bait and when she took it there’d be no wriggling loose. “I want to offer you co-ownership of Angel Face.”
She stopped in mid-sentence, her mouth hanging open for one second and Harker’s dick hardened. He wasn’t a small man, but that wide mouth could swallow him whole.
CHAPTER 7: Alison
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“What did you say?” Alison couldn’t have heard Harker correctly. He wouldn’t just give her co-ownership of Angel Face.
“You heard me.” He took a sip of his drink. “I want to offer you partial ownership of Angel Face.”
“I’d be part owner of my program?” Her heart raced. Angel Face was her baby, her creation. She’d never even dreamed this would happen. She’d just been happy being able to create something that might save women from being abducted and raped.
“Yes. You’ve done an excellent job and I believe in rewarding excellence.”
“You do?” She had done an excellent job, but a tingle of suspicion danced in her head. Harker didn’t praise; he barked orders and expected results.
“Yes.” He sipped his drink. He wore his usual uniform—a white business shirt, and black slacks that matched his short, dark hair. He looked exactly like the rich urban businessman that he was. “I never praise anyone for a job well done. That’s what I hire them to do and if they don’t, I fire them. But you”—his dark eyes roamed up and down her body, making her insides tingle and sending that little suspicion in her head to a full-blown alarm—“have done much more than a good job and that calls for exceptional rewards.”
“It does?” For one second, she was speechless but that didn’t last. She could talk while puking. She’d done it many times in college. “Thank you. I didn’t think you noticed or cared or...I’m just so happy.” She smiled. “I always work hard, and Angel is such a great application. What we’re doing...It’s wonderful and I dreamt about being a bigger part, but I never thought—”
“Then you accept my offer?”
She grinned and started to speak but his words slipped past her happiness to her actual brain. “Offer? What’s the catch?”
He smiled. It was slow and for some odd reason made her stomach flip and her pussy throb. Oh lord help her. If Gus Harker was turning her on, she really, really needed to get laid, but it wouldn’t happen tonight. She glanced at her phone.
“Forget about your date.”
“I can’t.”
“You can.”
“I have to text Randy and let him know I can’t make it.”
“Go ahead. Text him.” He flipped his wrist in a dismissive manner. “But then put the phone down.”
“Fine.” For co-ownership she’d stay and work tonight but she’d find a way to meet Randy tomorrow. She sent the text and slid her phone into her laptop bag. “Now, what’s the catch,” she repeated.
“I wouldn’t call it a catch.” He frowned.
“Of course, you wouldn’t. You’d make up some business term or—”
“I do not make up business terms. I use them.”
“Same difference.”
His frown deepened, making creases in his cheeks where his dimples peeked out when he smiled. “It is far from the same thing.”
“Says you. You twist things around to fit your plan.”
“Everyone does that.”
“Not me. I accept reality how it is. I don’t try and change it.” She’d learned in her pre-teens that wishing for something didn’t make it happen. If it had, she’d have blonde hair and a perfect body. Some things weren’t changeable and the things that were took a lot of work. She wiggled slightly. She should’ve been working on making her ass smaller instead of sitting in an office chair all day.
“You don’t accept reality how it is.”
“I do too.” That was offensive. She took pride in that quality.
“You change everything the second you walk into a room or open your mouth.”
“I don’t talk that much.” She knew she rambled. It annoyed almost everyone, but she couldn’t keep the words inside her mouth. Her mother joked that her daughter didn’t have a first word; she’d had a first soliloquy.
“Not that much?” He clamped his mouth shut and Alison was pretty sure she heard his teeth clank together at the force.
She should shut up. She shouldn’t say a word. She should wait for him to speak but the words slipped out like always. “So, what’s the catch. There has to be one. I can’t believe you’d give me co-ownership because I did good...no excellent work. With you there has to be more than just a reward.” She cringed as his eyes narrowed and his hand tightened around his drink. “Ah...you might want to be careful. I’ve never seen a glass shatter in someone’s hand, but I think that’d hurt. All those shards of glass and—”
He put his drink on the table next to him before leaning forward and covering her mouth with one of his large hands. The other grabbed the back of her neck, keeping her in place. “There is no catch but there is more to the offer.”
“Like what?” she mumbled against his hand as she pulled at his wrist.
He frowned again but let go of her and leaned back against his seat.
“I already work so much that I practically live here. I do want to be co-owner and I appreciate your offer, but I need some time off. I need a life. I’m done being your slave.”
CHAPTER 8: Harker
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“You’re not my slave.” But the idea intrigued Harker. Alison at his beck and call, doing everything he told her to do, submitting to his every command, eager to please him in any way he wanted. He’d make it good for her. His subs only complained when he left them.
“I may as well be.”
“You have no idea how far you are from that position.”
“Please.” She rolled her eyes. “I’m here all the time. I do whatever you want.”
“Not whatever I want.” If she did, she’d be on her knees with his dick in her mouth.
“Name one thing that you wanted me to do that I didn’t.” She gave him a superior look.
He had to bite his tongue. Answering that question would be like tossing a rock in the water when the fish was nibbling on his bait. “We can talk about that later. Right now, we should discuss the details of your co-ownership.”
“Oh. Yeah. Right.” She smiled, a bit sheepishly. “I got sidetracked.”
“You always do.” It kept him awake at night wondering if she also got sidetracked in bed. He was mission oriented, but she’d be all over the place—first one spot and then another. It’d be unpredictable and exciting.
“Not always.” She made a face at him and he almost smiled. She was the only one who ever made him smile from joy, not triumph. “But yeah, please tell me the details. I’m warning you though, I’m done working all hours seven days a week.”
“Even for five percent ownership?” Merri and Tobias each owned fifteen percent, so that’d leave him sixty-five percent. Well over the fifty-one percent needed for control.
“Five percent?” She seemed less than thrilled.
“It’ll be worth millions, maybe hundreds of millions.”
“Oh.” Her eyes grew distant.
He’d give her a few minutes to spend that money in her dreams, make her want it, see it. Let her envision what a life with that kind of money could mean. Then he’d reel her in. “Imagine what you could do with that money? You could start your own business.”
“I could buy my mom a new house or fix that one.” Her eyes almost glowed. “We could tear it down if she wanted and start from scratch.”
“You could. Numerous times.”
“I could buy a place nearby for Aunt Tiff too.”
“Yes.” He was astounded by her generosity. Most people thought of what they could do for themselves, but not her. He’d chosen well and it was time to feed her dreams. “You could start that program that you’ve talked about—the one to teach impoverished children how to use computers.”
“I could give even the poorest kids access to computers.” She smiled. “I could do so much.”
“Yes, and the money will keep coming in. The software will have to be updated and maintained. We’ll make it more marketable. We’ll improve it and enhance it.”
“Like a living thing.” She smiled softly. “Sometimes I feel like it’s my baby.”
“Funny you should say that.”
“Why?” She focused on him for the first time since he’d said millions. “I created Angel Face. I know it’s not a real person, but it is part of me.”
“Because that’s what I want to discuss with you.”
Her nose wrinkled, she did this when she puzzled something out and he found it adorable. “I don’t understand.”
“The other part of the deal. The part that you must agree to if you want co-ownership.”
“The other part?” Her nose wrinkled more and then the confusion on her face cleared. “Oh, the catch.”
“I wouldn’t—”
“Just tell me. What is it? What do you want me to do now? I’m not working more. I can’t. I don’t think it’s physically possible to work more than you already make me work.”
“I agree.” He had to force himself not to lean toward her and pounce on his prey.
“You do? To which part?”
“You work too much and that also stops with this deal.”
“Really?” Her eyes widened in surprise.
“Yes. Once you agree and we sign the contract, I don’t want you working more than sixty hours per week.”
“Sixty?”
“I don’t think we can cut back to forty, at least not until we staff up. I’m thinking another senior programmer, maybe two, and a few more at a junior level.”
“You want to replace me?”
“No. I want you to be the lead. Train them. Let them take over the more tedious tasks.”
“Oh.” Her eyes got that distant glow again. “I’d be a good...” Her gaze sharpened as they met his. “I’d be their boss, right? Because I’m not going to spend time training people to have you work them until they quit or yell at them until they leave.”
“I don’t yell.”
“Your nickname is Barker.”
“My nickname? No one calls me that.” His eyes narrowed as she tried not to laugh. “You made that up, didn’t you?” His hand itched to put her over his knee and paddle that backside of hers but that was off limits. He wasn’t bringing any of his kink into their bed. She’d be the mother of his child, not his sub or his lover. Okay, she’d be his lover but only for procreation, nothing else.
“I didn’t make it up. You bark at me all day long and it just kind of...happened.”
“That’s the same thing as making it up and don’t call me that. Even behind my back.”
“You won’t know.”
“I’ll know.”
“How will you know? I’m not stupid enough to say it in front of anyone who’d tell you.”
“I’ll know by the look on your face.”
“Fine but I’ll think it.” One side of her mouth slid upward in a half-smile. “All the time.”
“I don’t believe you will.” Not after he’d fucked her and made her come over and over. She’d be putty in his hands, his to mold and transform.
“Okay. You’re right, Gus. You’re always right.”
“Don’t call me that either.”
“Right. Sorry. Gu...Harker.” This time she smiled like she’d won.
He couldn’t wait to show her that she’d never had a chance to win this game.
“So, will I be their boss? It’s the only way I’m going to train someone.”
“You can be their boss and you’ll need to train them well enough to fill in for you fulltime for a few months.”
“Fill in for me for a few months? Why? Will I be going on a trip or something? I’ve always wanted to go on a business trip. Most people think it’s boring, but I’ve always thought—”
“It’s not a business trip, but in about nine or ten months you’ll need some time off.”
“I don’t see why.” Her nose wrinkled again and then her eyes brightened. “Unless you’re giving me a vacation?”
“It’s not a vacation.”
“Then why will I need time off.”
“To give birth. I’ve chosen you to have my baby.”
“Your baby?” Her eyes almost popped out of her head and then she laughed. “Oh my god, Harker. You got me with that one.” She laughed harder. “For one second I thought you were serious. Oh, I can’t wait to tell Ellie. Did she put you up to this? She told me on New Year’s Eve that you were attracted to me. I told her no way. Barker...I mean Harker isn’t attracted to anyone. All the man does is work and yell orders.” She rambled on, laughing the entire time.
It wasn’t that funny. Actually, it wasn’t fucking funny at all. Why did she think it was funny? He was rich, attractive and they got along well. She was semi-attractive, intelligent and within her childbearing years. This was insulting and her insults kept coming.
“I told Ellie that as far as I knew you didn’t even date.” She sobered for a moment. “Not that I have lately either. Neither of us have had the time but you’re the boss. You could date if you wanted to which means you must not want to. Ellie said that you were a man so of course you wanted sex...had sex with someone. She thinks men’s libidos are stronger than women’s, but I say that’s only true until they reach a certain age. When they get old, they don’t want sex as much as—"
Good god, he had to stop her before she insulted him more. “I wasn’t joking. I want you to have my child.”
CHAPTER 9: Alison
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Alison stared at Harker, waiting for him to crack a smile or to do something to let her know that he was kidding.
He tossed back his drink and stood, walking to the bar and refilling it. “I don’t see why you think this is a joke. I’m offering you millions of dollars to have my child.” He glanced at her, his frown deeper than normal. “This is a business deal, and I never joke about business.”
“Business?” She laughed again but it fell flat when he continued to stare at her without even a spark of humor in his eyes. “You have to be kidding. You’re trying to buy my baby? Who does that now-a-days?”
“People buy babies all the time, but they call it adoption.” He made another drink for her and walked back across the room, handing it to her. “But I’m not talking about buying your baby. I’m paying you to have mine.”
She stared at the two drinks in her hands. She’d barely touched the first one, but maybe she should. She raised one glass to her mouth and took a gulp but then put it down. Now wasn’t the time to drink. Later, when she was home and away from this crazy man she could drink–a lot.
“I’m sure this is a shock.” He sat, all suave businessman again. “I know it was a shock to me when I first began seeing you as the potential mother of my child.”
“Wow. Flattery will get you nowhere but maybe you should try because insulting me will get you even less.” She knew she wasn’t attractive, but he didn’t need to say it.
“I meant no insult.” His frown deepened.
“Then double points for you because you managed to do it anyway.” She stood. She wasn’t staying here for this.
“Are you truly willing to give up millions of dollars and co-ownership of Angel Face because of hurt feelings?”
“That’s not why I’m leaving. I just don’t sell human beings.” She could really use that money, but it was a baby. Her baby. His baby. Gus Harker’s baby. She couldn’t even fathom it. Would it frown all the time? Yell at her. Mom! I want milk! Now! What’s taking you so long? Make that milk faster! She had to dig her nails into her palms to keep from bursting out in hysterical laughter.
“Sit. Please. As I said, I’m sure this is a surprise.”
“Yes, you did say that right before you insulted me.”
“I did no such thing. I said I was surprised when I started thinking of you as a potential birth mother for my child. I don’t know why you’d think that’s insulting. You should be flattered.”
“Flattered.” She was almost speechless. Almost. “Because you want to rent out my uterus?”
“Because I find you extremely intelligent, caring and warm. I only possess the first item in that list.” His jaw tightened. “I know my assets as well as my flaws and I want to give my offspring the best start that I can. I’m not a warm person but I am intelligent and driven. I think our genes would create an excellent child.”
“Our genes? You act like that’s all there is to this.”
“It is.”
Her mind screeched to a halt. “So we won’t...Oh. I’m so sorry.” She sat back down. “I was thinking...” She wasn’t going to admit that she’d thought they’d actually have sex. He’d laugh and she’d been insulted enough for tonight. “You’re right. This might work.”
“Of course, I’m right.” He stood. “Give me one minute.” He walked down the hallway to his office and returned, carrying a large manilla envelope. He handed it to her. “You’ll want to hire a lawyer to read through these before signing.”
“You drew up a contract?” She shook her head. “Never mind. Of course, you did. It’s smart. We need to work out when we’d each see the child and all the logistics.”
“When we’d see the child?”
“Yeah. Which holidays you’d have the baby. Which ones I would. We could alternate years. Like I get Easter one year and you the next. Most of the people at my last job were divorced so I know a lot about joint custody issues. We need to get that all settled so the child doesn’t suffer.”
“There won’t be joint custody. The baby will be mine.”
“And mine. You need my eggs. Unless...Do you have someone else’s eggs you want to use? Do you only want me to carry the baby?” For some stupid reason she was a bit sad about that. She’d never really wanted kids but for those few minutes she’d imagined holding her baby and now she kind of wanted it.
“No. I said that our genes would make an excellent child. I’ll need your eggs for that.”
“Oh, that’s right. You did say that.” Her nose wrinkled slightly. “Then the child would be mine too.”
“Technically yes, but you’ll get co-ownership of Angel Face and I’ll get my child.”
