Total pages in book: 32
Estimated words: 29132 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 146(@200wpm)___ 117(@250wpm)___ 97(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 29132 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 146(@200wpm)___ 117(@250wpm)___ 97(@300wpm)
“You don’t believe that the sperm bank that sold you a storage client’s sperm by accident might have made a mistake?” Noah rolled his eyes. “Another mistake. That place is a fucking nightmare. If I were a different person, I would sue their asses for everything they’re worth.”
Her frown trembled, and a sliver of unease snaked through her self-righteous anger. “But you were never going to agree to the insemination,” she said in a softer voice, keenly aware that they were starting to attract attention. The other runners were keeping their distance, but every word of this conversation would be making the gossip rounds by the time the starting pistol rang. “Admit it. You were just stringing me along.”
“I was not stringing you along,” he said, his eyes pleading with her to believe him. “Yes, the chances that I would have agreed to the procedure were slim, but that’s only because I was—”
“See!” She crossed her arms at her chest, shaking her head back and forth. “See, you already talk about it in the past tense! Like, it’s all been decided, even though it’s only Friday and as far as I know your sperm maker isn’t broken.”
“Okay, then. Fine.” Noah reached for the close of his belt. “If that’s what it takes to get you to believe me.”
Yasmin’s eyebrows shot up. “Wh-what are you doing?”
“Getting you a sample,” he said, ripping the belt through the buckle. “Right here. Right now.”
“But we’re in the middle of the town square,” she squeaked, gazing frantically over her shoulders. “And there are people everywhere.”
Noah’s eyes didn’t waiver from her face. “I don’t care. You’re the only person I care about. And I’m going to get you a sperm sample. And then I’m going to convince you that I’m falling in love with you and that you’re falling in love with me and that all of this is ridiculous because we should just move in together, finish falling in love, and make a baby the old-fashioned way.”
Yasmin blinked against the tears rising in her eyes. She was so shocked—and touched—that Noah had his zipper all the way down before she recovered enough to launch herself across the grass between them.
“Stop it,” she hissed, hands covering his as he prepared to shove his jeans down. “Are you crazy?”
He nodded “Yes. I’m crazy. I’m crazy about you, and if you leave now I’m going to have to quit my job and follow you across the country until you realize running away from this is the dumbest thing you’ve ever done.”
“I don’t know,” she said, tears still pressing in. “I’ve done a lot of dumb stuff. Especially where men are concerned.”
“But that’s all over now,” he said, holding her gaze. “Because you’ve got me and like I told your mom on the phone this morning, I’ll do whatever it takes to prove to you that I’m worth taking a chance on.”
She shook her head. “But how do I know? How do I know this isn’t going to be another heartbreaking, terrifying waste of time?”
“Was last night a waste of your time?” he asked softly. “Because it certainly wasn’t a waste of mine. In fact, it was one of the best nights of my life. I went to bed holding a beautiful, funny, sweet woman, feeling like I’d finally found the person who was meant just for me.”
She sniffed, but the tears in her eyes were already streaming down her cheeks. “I felt that way, too. And I don’t want to leave. I want to stay here. With you.”
“Then stay,” he said, reaching for her. “Stay with me and let’s prove that love isn’t a fairy tale.”
With a happy sob, she threw herself into his arms and he held her tight, the strength in his grip making her certain he was never going to let her go.
“Now close up your pants!” a man’s voice called from behind them, inspiring a wave of laughter from the runners gathered near the start of the course.
“No rush on that, sweetheart,” a woman’s voice called, earning a second, louder round of laughter.
Yasmin pulled away from Noah long enough for him to close up his britches, but then she was right back in his arms, hugging him tight. “I’m sorry,” she whispered.
“There’s nothing to be sorry for,” he said.
“Even if I ran a background check on you?”
He hugged her closer. “Nope. You should have run a background check. I want you to be safe.”
“It came back clean,” she said, pulling back to look him in the eyes. “You’re apparently a complete Boy Scout.”
He lifted a sexy brow. “I think we both know that’s not true.”
She grinned. “Well, you do have a naughty side. But even that has an air of boy-scoutish-ness about it. I would award you a few badges for excellence if you know what I mean.”