“Are you serious?”
“Very. I will never joke when it comes to you, me, our child, and rules.”
“Rules? You do realize I’m an adult, right? I may be young, but I am eighteen. That’s a legal adult.”
I nodded. “You are an adult, sweetheart, and that’s why I can’t wait to get between your lily-white thighs.”
She sucked in a sharp breath, her pupils dilating slightly. I wondered if anyone ever talked dirty to her before because the flush that stained her cheeks said she hadn’t. I needed to know.
“How many boyfriends have you had, Narina?” I hated any man that had her for any amount of time, but I wanted to know what experience she had with men.
“It’s not important. What is important is the fact that we don’t know each other well enough to just get married over a baby neither of us planned on!”
“You come from a small town, right?”
“Yes,” she confirmed.
“I believe it’s referred to as a shotgun wedding…”
She was going to speak but Cara chose that moment to interrupt us with our salads. I gave her a nod of appreciation, and she left quickly, sensing that we needed space.
“A shotgun wedding is for two people who love each other and accidentally get pregnant. Not two people that don’t know each other and never had sex to get pregnant in the first place.”
“Usually, but we can certainly rectify the sex part. I’m ready when you are.”
“You’re impossible.”
“When it’s something I want, yes. I am.”
“And you want me?”
“More than anything.”
Chapter Seven
Narina
How did I get here? I took another sip of water, my empty stomach rolling because the stress I was feeling was beyond compare. I was sitting across the booth from a stranger. Royce Cavanaugh was so sure of himself and calm. I hated and loved that about him. I wished I had an ounce of the confidence he exuded.
“Okay, let’s talk this out rationally, without any hasty actions. Marriage is huge and not something to do lightly.”
“I agree which is why I’ve never done it before.”
I sighed, well at least there was that. “We would have to get married for the right reasons, Royce. As much as I love this baby, I want to be able to love my husband and have his love in return.”
My stomach was in knots, and my appetite diminished. Royce was sexy and there was something about him that called to me, even his commanding tone made me want to crawl in his lap and beg for more. It was a new reaction for me. I never had a boyfriend before. A few guys asked me out back home, but I always said no because I didn’t want to stay there, now I was wondering if I made a mistake coming to the city and participating in this crazy idea my friends and I had planned out. Guilt ate at me. Disappointment sat like lead in my chest.
“I have a proposal for you then, but you have to keep an open mind.” I looked up at him again. God, he was beautiful. His lips were full, his shoulders were thick, and his chest looked like a perfect place to rest my head. I was exhausted from the baby and the emotional rollercoaster I’d been on today didn’t help any.
“Okay.” I hesitated. He’d already suggested getting married, so whatever he was suggesting this time, couldn’t be that bad.
“Christmas is in three months.”
I nodded because I was looking forward to my first holiday season in New York. I couldn’t wait to do all the tourist attractions the season brought with it.
“I want you to move in with me until Christmas. If it’s not working by then, we can discuss a way to raise the baby as friends.”
“And if it is working…”