Have My Baby (Crescent Cove 1)

“Fine, I’m coming over. But to see Laurie, not you.”

“Whatever. I’m grateful regardless. Bring alcohol.”

“Moscato?” Ally asked, mentioning what we’d turned to more often than not lately.

“Nah. A six-pack of whatever you find at the corner store will do.” A thud came from within the bathroom and I tipped back my head. “Make it a twelve-pack. And hurry.”

5

Ally

I hung up the phone and frowned at Sage when she took my glass and poured it into hers. “Hey.”

“You’re going off to play mommy to jackass.” She snorted. “Now that I know he really wants you to play mommy it makes it a little more amusing instead of just annoying.”

“You think it’s annoying?”

She shrugged as she swirled the wine. “I think it’s very suspect that he calls you with a SOS a lot.”

“He’s just a little overwhelmed.”

“Uh-huh. And he wants another one?”

I crossed my arms. I could feel the sweat and grit on me, but I didn’t have time to get changed and I definitely didn’t have time to take a shower. Maybe if he saw the real me he’d get that ridiculous idea out of his head.

I wasn’t mommy material. I knew a few tricks when it came to Laurie, but it was because we were buddies. Not due to a maternal instinct—mostly.

It still didn’t make sense that he wanted me to be a gestational host to his spawn. A spawn he planted himself.

Thank God for padded bras. Otherwise my damn nipples would be on display. Just thinking about him planting anything inside me stirred me up in ways I didn’t want to examine. And if my hand strayed a little farther down my body to cup my middle, then I was entitled. It was still a shock to think Seth might want me that way in any capacity.

At least if we did a fertility clinic then it wouldn’t be so…messy. Getting skin to skin would only screw things up. I wasn’t exactly the type of girl who could remove myself from the sexual component.

And it was only partially because I hadn’t gotten truly naked with anyone in my life. I’d had a few opportunities, but it never seemed to work out.

I wasn’t as picky as Sage, but I was definitely a special head case thanks to my home situation. Since my mom had only been gone for a handful of months, it didn’t make sense that I’d jump right into the dating scene. Especially when I didn’t have time to sleep let alone try to form coherent sentences during a date.

Did I mention that this situation was fucked up? Because it so was.

I grabbed my purse off one of the two chairs left in the kitchen. “You good to get home?”

“No problem.” She gulped down the remaining butter-colored liquid and set the glasses in the sink.

I frowned at her.

Sage rolled her eyes. “That wine was like drinking a diet, watered down beer.”

“Better safe than sorry.”

“Okay, big sis, relax yourself. Just because Scorer Seth wants to get jiggy with it doesn’t mean you have to analyze every move I’m making.”

“I know.” I blew out a breath and wondered why I’d ever told her about Seth’s old high school nickname. “I know.”

“Good. Now do I need to give you the talk?”

Horrified, I unrolled the sleeves of my T-shirt. “What talk?”

“I think you know about the birds and the bees. At least I hope you’ve at least watched those romantic cable movies after midnight that are almost porn.”