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 understood why she’d believe that of him but he’d grown up. Changed. He’d lived life without her and understood all he’d lost.
“What if I told you that I do want kids? That at thirty-six and already established in my career, I’m ready for them? I’m pushing forty in the next few years, and I don’t foresee any future prospects for my wife.” On that last point, he lied, knowing he’d scared the shit out of her if he came on too strong.
She was strong in the bedroom but outside of it, he saw the changes, the skittishness and wariness that her bastard ex-husband had caused. If he flat-out asked her to marry him, and share the whole wife, family, house and future, he knew she’d bolt.
Since she stared at him, lips parted in shock, he continued to press his cause. “If you can be a single mother, why can’t I be a single dad? Then your baby, our baby, would at least have a father figure in his or her life, forever.”
“Tripp—”
“We could co-parent as friends,” he interrupted, knowing she was about to shoot him down. Even though he hated the impersonal way his proposition sounded, all he needed was an in. A chance to win her back. “I’ll agree to whatever terms you’d like, so long as I’m a part of the kid’s life. That’s my only stipulations.”
She smiled sadly. “See, complicated.”
“It doesn’t have to be.” He sat back in his chair, prepared to give her all the reasons why it could work. “The child would have a mother and a father, you’d know the baby’s health history, and our baby would be loved by my family, too. This isn’t the dark ages, Skye. Plenty of people choose to have kids out of wedlock and co-parent. It’s not an antiquated concept.”
She bit her bottom lip, but didn’t look convinced.
He tamped down his frustration. “Look, just think about it before you start the insemination process, okay?” he asked in a gentle tone. “I honestly believe that the pros outweigh the cons of you picking some random donor. Can you promise me that you’ll at least consider the idea?”
She thought for a long moment, then exhaled a deep breath. “Okay, fine,” she said.
He knew she was trying to placate him, but at least he’d planted the idea, and hoped it took root. “And I know you’re busy this week, but I’d like to stay in touch, at least by text, if that’s okay with you?”
She nodded, and smiled. “Yes, it is.”
“I’ll see you next week at the fundraiser.” God, how was he going to survive seven fucking days without seeing or touching her?
She nodded, and he pulled her into his arms for a warm hug and placed a soft, chaste kiss on her temple before releasing her. Letting her walk out his door was difficult, but he had to give her space and time to mull things over, without pressure or demands.
Because as much as Tripp wanted this with Skye, it was ultimately her decision. No matter how much a no would devastate him.
Chapter Five
Mornings at the medical office usually started the same way, and Monday was no different. Tripp, Hudson and Brett showed up earlier than the front-end staff to review their day’s appointments before patients began arriving. The first person to get in always made a pot of coffee—which today was Tripp—and they usually met in the break room to drink their cups of much needed caffeine and shoot the shit before heading to their individual offices to go over patient files before the practice opened.
Brett walked in first, with Hudson following right behind. Brett was in his early forties, which made Tripp the youngest doctor in the practice. The other man dragged his fingers through his sandy blond hair and headed straight for the coffee machine, which had just stopped percolating.
“Hey, Tripp,” Brett said, pouring a mug of the steaming brew. “How was your weekend?”
He asked the question just as Tripp took a drink of his coffee, which gave Hudson plenty of opportunity to quickly interject.
“Hopefully you didn’t crash and burn with the lovely Skye, and got laid instead,” Hudson said with a smirk.
Tripp frowned at him. “Don’t be an asshole.”
Hudson filled his own cup, humor dancing in his eyes. “Hmm. Do I detect a defensive tone in your voice? Wait, don’t tell me. You’re being chivalrous and protecting Skye’s honor.” Humor turned to a roll of his eyes that confirmed his feelings on serious relationships.
Brett’s brows creased in confusion as he glanced from Hudson to Tripp. “What the hell is Hudson talking about? Did you meet someone at the clinic on Saturday and hook up with them?”
“No, he ran into an old flame at The Back Door after our afternoon at the clinic,” Hudson said, once again speaking before Tripp could respond. “A gorgeous, stunning blonde. And when I left the two of them, things looked very promising. I was just hoping, for Tripp’s sake, that the promise panned out and he got lucky.”