“Oh, like how we aren’t allowed to bribe you?” Jameson chuckles. We read the paperwork, then our lawyer read the paperwork, and he summed it up in his characteristically frank way. ‘If ya try to entice her to agree to be your surrogate with financial gifts, they’ll boot you from their client pool so fast it’ll make your head spin.’
“Yeah,” Hailey agrees sheepishly. “But if it’s not going to get anyone in trouble… I think I’d like that.”
4
HAILEY
“Last box!” Jameson declares, striding into the room, muscles bulging. I still can’t quite believe I’m doing this. Sure, it gets me out of my dingy little studio apartment, but I have a nagging suspicion I’m in too deep. It was hard enough pretending that theydon’tlight my fire when they were in a whole other city.
But I started those freaking hormones last week, and literally all I can think about is sex. Bobby and Jameson’s bedroom is three feet from mine. Three. That’s it. I got wet just watching Jameson kiss Bobby goodbye this afternoon. If the hormones get any worse, someone is going to have to chain me to the wall like a werewolf on the full moon.
Jameson sets the box in the corner as I unpack another, putting my books on the shelf. “Want some help with those?” He asks, raising an eyebrow at me.
I almost say yes, but then I remember the ones at the bottom of the box—the ones that land closer to gang bang territory than hallmark—and I pull the flaps up to close the box again. “Nah, you’ve already done too much. I’ll finish up, but thank you.”
“Alright, I’ll go start dinner then. You like pasta?”
“I do, but you know you don’t have to feed me,” I remind him for the hundredth time.
He rolls his eyes and folds his arms across his chest, making the veins in his forearms stand out. Fuck my life. There goes another pair of panties. “And I told you I like feeding people. Besides, what are you going to do? Go make your own dinner when I’ve already cooked Bobby’s favorite pumpkin ravioli with brown butter sage sauce? That’s just inefficient. Plus, you’d be missing out.”
“Oh my God, that does sound really good,” I moan, my stomach rumbling along. “I changed my mind. You can feed me anytime you want. Stuff me full.” Jameson gives me a look, his eyes raking over my body. He clenches his jaw and draws a controlled breath. “Sorry, did I say something wrong?” I ask. I feel my body shrinking in on itself,
He shakes his head. “Not at all. Bobby will be home soon. I’ll let you know when dinner is ready.”
I nod, my heart racing as he disappears down the hallway. What the hell did I do? The realization hits me a second later. Maybe he’s worried I won’t eat healthy while I’m carrying their baby? I hope not. I stew over it for the next hour, before finally laying down to take a stress nap.
* * *
I wake to a soft rapping at the door. Blearily, I sit up, trying to blink my eyes clear. “Come in,” I call out through a yawn. The door swings open, revealing Bobby’s teasing grin.
“I was told to summon you for dinner.” He leans against the door frame. “I hate unpacking.”
“Same,” I laugh. “You’d think I’d be used to it.”
“You move around a lot?” He asks.
Shit. Why’d I have to bring that up? “When I was a kid,” I reply, keeping my voice easy fucking breezy. I hate talking about foster care.
He nods, watching me curiously. “You’re okay here?”
I eye his hard jawline and the thick neck that flows into bulky shoulders. How in the world did these two find each other? They are sexy on a whole other level.
“More than okay,” I tell him. “I’m very happy to be here.” I sniff the air. “Oh, my lord. Is that the ravioli?”
Bobby groans, but his smile gives him away. “Yes, but Jameson won’t let me eat it until you get your ass to the dining room.”
“What a dick,” I laugh, getting to my feet.
“Yup, and if you don’t hurry up, I might just steal your plate.” His grin spreads as he pushes off the door frame. He takes two small steps and then sprints for the living area. I take off after him, but he has a ridiculous head start. He runs through the living room, stopping just a couple feet short of the dining table. I slam into his back with a loud “oof.” He barely moves.
Heart racing, I peek around Bobby to see Jameson squinting at him. Bobby composes his face in the most innocent expression I have ever seen and slides into his chair. I pull my lips between my teeth, suppressing a smile as I sit across from him.
Jameson shakes his head. “You two are a pair…”
“Sorry—”
“Bup-bup-bup-bup-bup-bup!” Bobby cuts me off, pointing a finger at his husband as he talks to me. “Don’t let him give you any shit. He likes to pretend he’s a grown ass man, but I saw him run through the sprinkler last week.”