“I’ll sign all the papers,” he said. “I don’t want a baby, you do. He or she is all yours. You don’t have to worry.”
“And when we’re with your mom, or out in public, I’ll be the best damn girlfriend you could ever ask for,” she said. “For as long as you need me to be.”
Unaccustomed to the intense emotions that were knocking him around, he moved in and lightly pressed his mouth to hers. Her hands lifted to hold his jaw as she returned the kiss, caressing his beard as she did. The gentle, almost tender kiss ignited something fresh, deep inside him. Something like a renewal. He was looking forward to seeing what came next. Life had just gotten a hell of a lot more interesting.
This situation would benefit them both. They could be friends, helping each other achieve their goals. They were both being open about their wants. No pressure on him about a relationship or expectations, which was how he liked it. There’d be papers to sign, keeping it all legal from her end. And the most important part: Tess would have the baby she so deserved to have. If he passed all the tests, and the doctor gave them the green light, it was all good.
As for her being his fake girlfriend, that could actually be fun—he could see that now. He knew his mother would adore her. Tess would get what she wanted, and he’d get what he wanted. And there could possibly be hot sex thrown in there between friends, a game-changing bonus he hadn’t seen coming. Game on.
They were being honest with each other, had a clear agreement, carefully planning everything together, with everything out in the open. What could possibly go wrong?
“So, Mr. Carter?” Those wide blue eyes of hers absolutely sparkled as she smiled gently. God, she was so damn pretty. What a bonus. “We have a deal?”
He cupped her chin again and smiled as he looked at her. She was a fascinating woman. This Long Island lady had blown into his life like a force of nature. She was smart as hell, kind and funny, knew how to separate business from pleasure . . . and also was open to mixing the two. The spots of color on her high cheekbones deepened as he gazed at her. Holy hell, this strikingly gorgeous woman wanted him as much as he wanted her.
Well, he couldn’t think of a more worthy teammate. Or a friend. Or a sexier potential lover. All he knew was he was a lucky man, having fallen somehow into an ideal situation. He could help make this incredible woman’s biggest dream come true. That was paramount, and made him feel better than anything he’d done in a very, very long time. He could help someone . . . make a lasting difference. Do something deeply good, just for the sake of it, and then be able to walk away.
“Miss Harrison,” he murmured, “we have a deal.”
Chapter Fifteen
Logan sat quietly during lunch; hell, he didn’t have to say much. Tess and his mother were chattering away like old friends. They’d hit it off immediately, as he’d thought they would. How could anyone not like Tess? She was open, friendly, down-to-earth. And really smart. Annmarie liked that, he knew that as well as he knew her. Having been a middle school math teacher for twenty-five years, Annmarie was sharp as a tack, with a keen barometer for bullshit. Tess passed the bar with flying colors before she’d ever stepped foot in the house.
As Annmarie peppered Tess with questions about her job and New York, Logan ate and mused about the past six days. Two visits to the fertility clinic; the first one, he’d filled out a bunch of forms, had a quick basic physical exam, then been discreetly ushered into a cushy, private room to give up his sperm sample. He’d felt awkward and sat there for two minutes, mildly embarrassed at why he was there. Then he brushed it away, took a deep breath, and got down to business, looking at it as a job that had to be done, a simple task. All he had to do was think about Tess . . . how she’d felt beneath him, the taste of her mouth, the softness of her skin . . . and he’d been able to deliver the goods in record time.
The day after that, he’d gone to tell his mother about the new relationship he’d started, and how soon did she want to meet his new girlfriend? Even now, he couldn’t help but smile at the delighted, shocked look on Annmarie’s face. That alone had been worth the barrage of questions that followed. He hadn’t seen his mom that energized in months.