Total pages in book: 25
Estimated words: 23437 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 117(@200wpm)___ 94(@250wpm)___ 78(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 23437 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 117(@200wpm)___ 94(@250wpm)___ 78(@300wpm)
I shoot him a wary glance.
“Yes, what is it?”
Rick looks thoughtful, his blue eyes evaluating what he’s about to say.
“Well, as long as we’re together, Tracy, I’d prefer if you didn’t see other men. I know I don’t have the right to ask this of you, but it’s just my preference. In fact, you don’t even have to babysit for those guys anymore if you don’t want to. I’m more than happy to make up for your lost wages.”
I stare at him.
“But why would you do that?” I whisper. “I mean, you don’t owe me anything.”
The handsome man shrugs, his broad shoulders emphasized by the slim fit of his polo shirt.
“Because I want to. And because I find you gorgeous, charming, and extremely attractive, sweetheart. I’m a territorial guy, and I like to keep my women away from others, so to say. So yes, I’d prefer it if you stopped babysitting for other men while we’re together.”
That makes me tilt my head at him curiously.
“But are we together? Kind of like you’re implying?”
Rick nods slowly, those blue eyes seizing mine.
“Yes, we’re together,” he says in a raspy voice, taking my small hand in his big one. “After one taste of you, honey, I’m not going to be able to get enough. This isn’t going to stop in Bermuda you know, because this isn’t just some vacation fling. Once we get back to New Jersey, I’m going to want more, Tracy, and that means purging your client list unfortunately.”
My heart soars because goodness, Rick sounds so possessive and it makes me feel warm all over. Yet is it really possible that this handsome man wants to date me for real? It seems unlikely because he’s a powerful, dominant alpha male whereas I’m a single, unwed mom-to-be. As a result, I fix him with a look.
“Yes, but Rick, why are you interested in me? I mean, look at me,” I say, gesturing to my bulging belly. “I’m a single mom who’s barely getting by on her babysitting salary, whereas you’re a powerful businessman. So why would you be interested? You could get any woman in the world. Heck, they’d probably give their right arms to go out on a date with you.”
But the gorgeous man merely throws his dark head back to laugh with amusement, revealing even white teeth.
“Honey, not everything is about one’s station in life, or how much money you have. I certainly don’t care about any of that stuff, and it doesn’t seem like you do either, which I appreciate about you. No, I want you because you’re gorgeous, Tracy, with that pregnant tummy, and I love knowing that you’re ripe and fertile, with a baby already inside of you.”
I raise one hand to pause for a moment. My mind’s whirling because things are happening so fast, but it’s important to establish ground rules in a new relationship, and to be totally honest about who I am and what I expect.
“Yes, but I need to tell you something, Rick.”
He nods, that handsome face inviting.
“What is it, sweetheart?”
I take a deep breath.
“This is going to surprise you, but I actually don’t know who the father of my child is.”
He starts, those blue eyes stunned.
“You don’t?”
I nod.
“I don’t because my ex and I had a really bad break-up. We’d been dating seven years, and I thought it was only a matter of time before we’d be walking down the aisle together. But then he broke my heart, and I was hurt. Really, really devastated, so I went on a rampage of sorts. I slept with a bunch of different guys to get over my ex, and I got pregnant in the process. Not only that, but I’m not sure who the father is because some of those men were one-night stands whom I don’t have the contact info for anymore. So yes, not everything about me is traditional or even presentable, so to say.”
Rick taps his fingers on the white tablecloth, his expression thoughtful.
“I see,” he hums.
Tears spring to my eyes, and I shake my head angrily over the fact that I’m even crying.
“So as you can see, I’m not exactly the kind of girl you take home to Mom. In fact, I’m very much a hook-up kind of girl, which is why I’ve been sleeping with several of the men in the single dads group. What do I have to lose at this point? I’ve already been labeled a slut by so many people, and it’s not like I can get pregnant twice.”
But Rick isn’t one to judge. The older man nods, and his eyes are kind and his expression forgiving.
“No, it’s fine, baby girl. Everyone goes through different experiences, and while I can’t say that I’ve done exactly what you’ve done, I’ve certainly slept with a lot of women,” he says in a rueful tone. “Hell, if I could take some of that back, I would. Maybe even all of it.”