Beyond Temptation (Forged of Steele #3)

“Yes. You bring a lot to the table. You’re mature in your thinking, you don’t have time for games or drama, but more importantly, I think you will make any child a wonderful mother.”

She tried not letting his words be the confidence booster that they were. “What makes you think that?”

He shrugged. “I just do. Maybe it’s a hidden insight I have, but just from talking to you I know you want a child, and I believe you will do right by one.”

Yes, she did want a child, and staring thirty-two in the face wasn’t a joke. But still, there was a lot to consider.

“And,” he said, interrupting her thoughts. “I think you would make me a good wife.”

Now, that got her attention. “Really, Morgan, like I said, there are plenty of women who will—”

“I don’t want any of them.”

“And you want me to believe that you want me?”

“Yes.”

Lena’s heart began pounding. She shook her head. This was crazy. What Morgan was proposing was ludicrous.

He leaned forward with his forearms resting on her desk. “Before you turn me down flat, let me tell you what I’ll be offering you. First there’s financial security, which I know is something that’s important to you. Then there’s companionship. I like you and you can consider me as a live-in buddy and pal, which is a relationship some married couples don’t even have. I have no reason not to think we wouldn’t get along. Then there’s the baby, which is something I want and so do you. Last but not least is your mother.”

Lena’s spine stiffened. “What about my mother?”

“I have no problem with her becoming a part of our household. In fact, I more than welcome it. I think Odessa is special and want her to be my child’s grandmother as much as I want you as my child’s mother.”

Lena bit her lip. Of all the selling points he’d presented to her, this was the one that touched her the most and she couldn’t help the warm flood of emotions that suddenly flowed through her. No other male in her past had even as much as wanted her mother as part of their lives, let alone wanted to include her in their family fold.

“Lena?”

She met his gaze. “Yes?”

“I know what I’m asking might sound a bit unorthodox, but it’s the way I want to do things. I would want us to marry as soon as possible and start working on the baby right away.”

Lena’s heart lurched, as heat swirled around in her stomach. “Start on the baby right away?”

“Yes, after the wedding of course. And another thing, only the two of us can know our marriage is not the traditional one, which means I want us to share a bed.”

The startled look on her face let him know that she hadn’t thought about that part of the arrangement. He decided to press on. “Just so you’ll know, I’m thinking about going with that last home you showed me because it will be perfect for our family—which includes your mother. It will give her the privacy she needs while at the same time assuring her that she is wanted. It’s important to me that she feels that she is a part of our lives and not an outsider.”

Lena sighed. Morgan was hitting her at all angles and using every single argument she would come up with to his advantage. He was right. Financial security was something she craved, and more than anything she did want a child of her own. And her mother being part of her marriage rather than an outcast was more important than anything. But still…

“What if things don’t work out?” she asked softly.

Morgan smiled. Now was not the time to tell her that things would work out. Once he got her in his bed, made love to her the way he’d dreamt of doing for over a year and lavished her with all the attention and respect she deserved, then she wouldn’t want to be anywhere else.

Instead he said, “We can draw up an agreement that we will stay together and make things work for at least twelve months. After that time if you or I feel that marrying was a mistake, we will end the marriage with joint custody of our child.”

He watched as Lena inhaled deeply before she said, “I need to think about this.”

“Of course. Do you think you can have an answer by the time I return on Sunday? That’s five days away.”

Lena’s chest tightened. She had a lot of thinking to do, and five days wasn’t a lot of time. But still, she would have an answer for him. “Yes, I should have a decision for you by then.”

“Good.” He stood. “I’m on my way to grab something to eat at the Racetrack Café. Would you care to join me?”

Lena shook her head. The last thing she needed was something to eat. What she needed was time alone to think. “No, but thanks for asking.”