Page 40 of Don't You Want Me, Baby?

‘Hey.’ She elbowed him, reaching for her drink and looking at the perm she sported in the photo. ‘I was fourteen; I begged for that hairstyle.’

Tyler’s jaw almost hit his lap. ‘You begged to have a perm? Like that? You look like a poodle.’

‘That’s what Grandad said!’ They dissolved into loud bursts of laughter again. ‘I will have to show this to my kid if they ever ask for photos.’

‘Definitely.’ Tyler laughed. ‘Although, genetics play a factor. If you go ahead with your?—’

‘Don’t,’ Amber shushed him. ‘We were having a good night. No real-life talk, remember?’

He tilted his head, but it wasn’t as measured as usual. Sloppy from the alcohol they’d imbibed.

‘Fair. Sorry. But it wasn’t a dig. I just meant you won’t know what you’re getting, with the spermsicle.’

She giggled. ‘Can we not call it that? And you do know what you’re getting. It’s like going to a clinic; you get a biography of the donor.’

‘A spunk CV?’ He was chuckling now, and she could feel his rumble through the floor. They were smushed up together, photos spread across their legs. After the cocktails, he’d spotted the albums and begged to have a look. With the music playing low in the background, it was pretty cosy. Amber was a little tipsy, but it was a nice buzz. ‘I’ve heard everything now. So, what did you pick?’

‘Are we really talking about this?’ she checked. ‘I didn’t think you’d want to. You hate kids.’

‘Hey,’ his hand landed on hers. ‘I never said that, and this would be your kid, if you do this. Of course I want to know.’

She shrugged. ‘Okay. Well, you don’t get specifics, but he’s healthy. Dark hair, tall, brown eyes. Educated.’

Tyler raised a brow. ‘That it?’

‘Well, it hardly gives you his credit score, but the donors are all screened genetically. It’s more about the type of person.’

‘Surprising pick,’ he mumbled. ‘Given that Bradley is blonde with blue eyes. Figured that was more your type.’

‘Yeah, well,’ she met his dark-brown eyes. ‘I guess I have a thing for tall, dark and handsome.’

She said it lightly, but the expression on his face held anything but laughter. ‘Good to know.’ He leaned in a little. Or maybe she’d done it. ‘I have a question.’

‘Okay, but if this is about Bradley?—’

‘It’s not.’ He scowled. ‘I just want you to answer me one thing, no strings. No pressure.’

She swallowed, focusing on the little gold flecks circling the dark-brown irises of his eyes.

‘Okay. Ask.’

He drew in a shuddery breath. ‘That day, in the office, when you told me you’d thought about us.’

Shit.She felt her cheeks flush. ‘Yeah?’

‘Did you mean it?’ He looked so vulnerable, his face turning boyish. ‘When you said you’d thought about us, did you mean it?’

‘Yes,’ she rasped out. ‘I meant it. You’re pretty cute, Tyler Williams.’

His face pinked up as a slow grin spread across his nervous face. ‘You’re not so bad yourself, Cherry.’ His eyes dropped to her lips. ‘When you thought about us, was it just in a physical way?’

Jesus.Answering him would change things. They’d skirted around it. She was only just okay with staying his friend; it felt weird. Wrong.No.It didn’t feel wrong. That was the problem.

‘I don’t know what you mean.’ Playing dumb was pretty pathetic, but she was guarding her heart with everything she had here. She wasn’t even in a position to take his, but she burned to know if he was even offering it in the first place.

‘I mean,’ he growled, ‘did you think about how I could make you feel, in bed? Or more?’

‘I… I?—’

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