The Baby Contract

“Maybe that should be your next stop since you clearly are unemployed, and Daddy isn’t bankrolling you anymore.”

She flinched, and her glare turned lethal.

I slipped my hand into my pocket. “Is that what it will take? Do I need to pay you to give Harper a message?”

I made a point to flip through hundred-dollar bills.

She stared at the money for a long moment, and I began to think she might take me up on it. It was then I noticed that she seemed thinner than usual. She was still stunning with long blonde hair that a man could sink his fingers into and round gray eyes that gave her an ethereal appearance. Why she didn’t try modeling, I didn’t know. Especially since she seemed to be struggling financially.

She looked up from the wad of money with an expression of disdain. “Not interested.”

She pushed around me and headed for the door.

I considered following her, but stopped myself when I realized my interest wasn’t in convincing her to take a message to Harper, but instead to spar with her.

I hated how much I enjoyed that. I liked it nearly as much as I liked watching her ass sway away from me. God, if only she wasn’t so prickly.

Unfortunately for me, my dick didn’t care that she hated me, or that despised her. It wanted to get up and close and personal with her.

An image of Anne, round with child, flashed in my head.

Jesus fuck. Not her.

Yes, she needed money. Yes, she was intelligent and witty, coming from a wealthy family. But asking her to be my surrogate would only lead to misery.

Lifelong misery, if she accepted the offer.

I shook the image out of my head and turned my attention to getting a new suit. Normally, I liked them tailor made, but I didn’t have time before the shoot, so I tried on several, picking the one I liked the best and then Henri set about tailoring it to me. Once he had all the measurements, I headed back to the office.

As I drove along the congested roads, Anne popped into my head again. I supposed I was glad that Harper had a fiercely loyal friend in Anne, even if she was the bane of my existence. At least Harper wasn’t alone.

And I wouldn’t be either, once I found a qualified woman to have my child.

Again, Anne flashed in my head. She really was a top-notch choice for a surrogate. She had good genes. She was beautiful and intelligent. She needed money, but I knew she wanted more than just enough to get by. She craved returning to the world of the wealthy. I wondered what price she’d pay to achieve it.

Would she have a baby for me?

My dick perked up at that idea. “Down boy. There’s no way I’m fucking her. We’ll use a clinic.”

My dick didn’t like that. To be honest, the idea of heating up the sheets with feisty Anne Francis had an appeal. But no. She was too much trouble to get that intimate with.

But a business deal? Maybe her as my surrogate wasn’t so crazy after all.