Secret Millionaire for the Surrogate

She spun around and met his gaze with laughing eyes. “Since the wedding. Just because I said no doesn’t mean I didn’t consider it for five seconds. Or that I haven’t wondered.”

She did a great impression of having a ton of self-control, but the soft pliancy of her lips and the way she’d sighed had told him plenty.

“That doesn’t mean I think this is a good idea, though,” she continued, and the buoyancy in his chest took a nosedive. “We’re very different people. You’re only here for a little while and I still don’t do flings. Plus the pregnancy complicates matters.”

He wasn’t sure how to tell her that if anything, it made her more attractive to him. Plus she wasn’t going to be pregnant forever.

“Because of Dan?”

“You don’t consider it odd that we’re talking about...us...” She hesitated over the word, frowning. “And that I’m carrying his child?”

A handful of tourists looked their way, and Harper quickened her step so that he had to trot to keep up. Did she even know where she was going?

“It’s not like you slept with him.”

“No, of course not.” She turned and faced him then, the frown deepening until there were matching creases between her brows, right above her nose. “It’s still weird.”

He wasn’t going to argue with her, so he let the topic drop—for now. If she felt it was odd, well, her feelings were her feelings. He had no problem stepping up and taking the lead but he also knew when to back off and listen, so he did. “We need to cross the street again.”

“I know.”

The real estate agent was already waiting for them, and he opened the door to the building and let them walk in ahead of him.

Drew loved the space, and had from the first moment. Oddly enough, it wasn’t the initial property that he’d come to see. That one had been okay, but too warehouse-feeling for his liking. This space was a bit smaller, but it had charm to spare. Wide open, with supporting wood beams, thick crossbeams in the ceiling and a second floor with a loft that overlooked the main level.

“Oh, this is lovely. And prime location. I can’t imagine what this would cost you.”

He tilted his head a bit and watched her move into the large center space. Not once had she mentioned his financial status, though she must know. She was best friends with Adele, after all. It was refreshing, being viewed for himself and not his net worth. If she wasn’t going to bring it up, he certainly wasn’t.

“The open concept would work great, don’t you think?”

Her voice broke him out of his thoughts. “I do.”

She stepped farther inside, went to the middle of the room and turned in a full circle. “Cash and customer service over there.” She pointed. “Otherwise, if you have lines, you’ll end up blocking access to the stairs. If you intend to use it for retail space, that is.”

“I’d like to.”

“Then you’ll have to have an accessibility plan,” she said quickly.

She was right. He hadn’t thought of that, but he should have. “It’s too good a space to waste.”

“I agree.”

He let her wander around for a few minutes, and could almost hear her brain turning. The Realtor was smart enough to stand back as well, and sent Drew a quiet smile.

She looked at the front windows and then back at him. “Lose the awnings in the front. It’ll hide your window displays, and you want them dynamic and visible. They’d be fine for a café or something, but not Aspen Outfitters.”

The Realtor nodded. “I told him the same thing.”

“You’re looking to buy, not rent, right?”

“That’s right. When I decide on something, I go all in.”

She lifted her brows. “And what if you lose?”

“I win more than I lose. And I always take calculated risks, not foolish ones.”

“In other words, it doesn’t happen often.”