Total pages in book: 22
Estimated words: 20435 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 102(@200wpm)___ 82(@250wpm)___ 68(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 20435 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 102(@200wpm)___ 82(@250wpm)___ 68(@300wpm)
“Look at me, Peyton” he calls my name in that rich baritone of his, the one that always makes me want to curl up in his lap like a kitten. “OK.”
I pull my gaze up from the chipped linoleum to his deep brown gaze. “OK what?”
“OK, let’s have a baby together.”
4
PEYTON
“It’s not funny,” I mumble and move to grab myself a cup of coffee.
But Ledger is up and out of his chair before I can get to the counter. He pulls me into his arms and studies me, a fierce expression on his face. “I’m not joking. I’m not laughing about this. I meant what I said. If you want a baby with me, OK. We’ll find a way.”
This is crazy and I should tell him that we can’t do this. But my heart and my brain aren’t syncing up, so I say, “We’re doing this?”
The softest smile lights up his face and his eyes crinkle at the corners. “Yeah, we’re doing this. Now sit and let me make you a cup of coffee.”
I do as he said, taking a seat at the table. It’s only when I plop down in the chair that I realize how rubbery my legs are and how nervous I am. It’s so strange to me. We’ve discussed everything. We know each other’s views on just about every political idea, religious belief, or conspiracy theory. But this is new territory for us.
He slides me a steaming mug on the table, just the way I like it. See? Another reason he’ll be a great dad. He always takes care of me and that means he’ll always take care of our child. “I can check with my health insurance policy to see if they’ll help cover the cost of the procedure. If not, I can figure something out.”
It’ll probably take a bite out of my savings—a big bite—and I’ll have to put off purchasing the bar for a couple more years. But some things in life are worth the cost and this is one of them.
He takes a seat beside me, his shoulder bumping mine. “If we’re doing this, it’s going to be the natural way.”
Ledger didn’t just suggest that we sleep together, did he? I have to be hearing it wrong.
I interrupt before he can continue with his silly suggestion, “My way is just as natural as any other solution. Plenty of amazing people are here on this earth thanks to medical intervention.”
“I’m not arguing that. But it’s a little more complicated than what you’re thinking. Most insurance companies want proof you’ve been trying the natural way for at least six months. Sometimes, twelve months before they’ll offer any form of help or counseling.”
“I wouldn’t be able to sell enough cookies to do it on my own.” I swallow hard and blink, willing myself not to cry. There go my dreams of starting a family. How can it come down to this? To not having enough in savings to produce a little life.
“You don’t have to. Let’s give it a try the way nature intended. If we still can’t make it work after a year, we’ll go all in. I’ll pay for all the costs.”
I nearly choke on my sip of coffee. “You’re saying...sex with you and me?”
There’s nothing we haven’t shared. Except this—our sex lives. I mean, he doesn’t live like a monk. I’m sure of it. Ledger doesn’t lack for women, but he never mentions them to me, and I don’t ask. I like it better that way.
“That’s the way babies are usually made,” he drawls.
“Yeah, but...” I say articulately. We’ve never crossed this line. We’ve purposely kept sex out of our friendship. I’ve thought about it. I’ve thought about it a million times. When I’m reading about my blue aliens and my hand slips between my thighs, it’s always Ledger. Always him I wish I were sharing every single release with.
“You don’t have to make a decision right away,” he offers like we’re doing something as casual as deciding which burger to order at Ernie’s Diner. He stands and takes his cup to the sink to rinse it. “Think about it and if this is how you want a kid, we’ll go for it.”
Ledger
I’m pretty sure I have her. I saw the raw longing that crossed Peyton’s face as we talked about having a baby. Maybe I shouldn’t have pushed so hard for the sex angle. Maybe I should have offered to pay for the cost of conception up front.
But if I’m ever going to get her to see me as more than her friend, I need to do this. She has to see me as a man. Her man, the one who takes care of her and provides for and loves her selflessly.
Besides, when her belly grows round with my baby, I want those memories to look back on. I want to remember how my ears rang when she screamed my name and how my skin stung as her fingernails dug into my back. I want to remember how tightly her pussy squeezed my cock and the exact shade of green her eyes were when she came in my arms.