Total pages in book: 67
Estimated words: 61286 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 306(@200wpm)___ 245(@250wpm)___ 204(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 61286 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 306(@200wpm)___ 245(@250wpm)___ 204(@300wpm)
He hated the way “wasting our time” sounded, but understood her concern. It was best to know upfront that both of their reproductive systems were in optimal health—or that he wasn’t shooting blanks, God forbid—even if the last thing he wanted to do was masturbate and ejaculate into a cup.
“Sure,” he said with a nod. “I can get it done tomorrow so we can have the results in a few days.”
She tipped her head to the side, surprise flickering in her eyes. “That’s a quick turnaround.”
He shrugged. “I just need a doctor other than myself to order the lab test, which Hudson or Brett can submit for me, even if that means enduring their shit for what the semen analysis process entails.”
She laughed lightly. “Yeah, sorry about that,” she said, sounding more amused than contrite.
“So, let’s talk about these rules of yours,” he said, wanting to know what restrictions he was up against.
She exhaled a deep breath. “I don’t want to blur the lines of what we’re doing here, which is trying to get me pregnant. And the only way to do that is to only have intercourse to make a baby, when I’m ovulating.”
Disappointment rushed through him. The fact that she’d ovulate only once a month meant he only had limited physical time with her. And it wasn’t about having sex, but wanting them to get closer emotionally.
“No practicing, huh?” he teased before taking a drink of his wine.
She shook her head, and he didn’t miss the regret that passed over her features. “For one, I don’t want to waste perfectly good sperm on ‘practicing’, and, I’m not in a place where I can handle this arrangement getting emotional.”
She paused for a moment, her gaze meeting his, enabling him to see the vulnerability in her eyes. “I care about you, Tripp. I wouldn’t be doing this with you if I didn’t, but after Jack, well . . . I already told you that I’m not looking for anything serious and the only way to keep this situation from getting complicated is to limit intercourse to those ovulation times.”
Her request was frustrating for sure, but he saw her fears and knew they were real. Insisting on anything more between them would only cause her to retreat, or call off this whole deal completely, and that wasn’t an option for him when his end goal included a future with her, as well. He understood her reasons for protecting herself, even if he didn’t like it.
At some point, he had to get to the bottom of what happened with her ex, but tonight was not the night. Tonight, he was going to respect the fucking rules and boundaries because he refused to do anything to pressure her or break her trust.
She gave him a forced smile. “I think it’s best if we think of this situation as two good friends making a baby together.”
He almost grimaced, hating that particular label she put on them. He wouldn’t argue, but his mind was already thinking ahead and trying to figure out how to skirt her little rule and find ways to slowly, gradually, establish more than a “friends with baby making benefits” relationship between them.
“Okay,” he said, just to appease her for now.
She set her wine glass down on the table, then grabbed her cellphone and pulled up an app, her face now alight with excitement. “I’ve been tracking my ovulation cycle for the past six months, and according to my app, and having had my period this past week, my next window of opportunity is in about two weeks.” She switched to a calendar and gave him the dates for that weekend. “Do you think we can plan on spending those days together?”
He thought ahead to his own schedule and realized that it conflicted with a work commitment. “I’m on call that weekend for the practice, but I’ll get Brett or Hudson to cover for me.”
She bit her bottom lip. “What are you going to tell them for needing the weekend off?”
“The truth,” he said, and chuckled when her eyes widened in embarrassment. “They already know about me offering to get you pregnant, so it’s not going to be a surprise or an issue,” he assured her.
Her cheeks turned a warm shade of pink, and she pressed her palms to her face. “I can’t imagine what they think of me and what we’re doing.”
He stretched his arm across the back of the sofa. Skye was sitting close enough that he was able to lightly skim his fingertips along her shoulders, and he didn’t miss the way she shivered from his touch. “Well, Hudson already knows you’re amazing and stunningly gorgeous, and as for Brett, well, he doesn’t have an opinion since he hasn’t met you. But when he does, he’ll find you just as irresistible as I do.”