Page 27 of Hire A Cuddler

I walk to the front desk, and the woman smiles at me. “Hello. How can I help you?”

“Hi. I’m here to see King… I mean, Ridge Beckett if he’s not busy.”

The smile on her face freezes. “I’m sorry. Mr. Beckett is in a meeting. Can I give him a message?”

I hesitate before giving her my name, but I figure I might as well do it. “Yeah, uh, can you just let him know I stopped by? I’m Haven Weston.”

The woman jumps up. “Haven, it’s so nice to meet you. I’m Rachel Raymond, and I’m Ridge’s assistant. Hold on and I’ll grab him.”

I hold my hands up and start to back away from her desk. “Oh no, I don’t want to disturb him. I can call him later.”

She comes around the desk. “No, please don’t go. Ridge said if you came by to make sure I interrupt whatever he’s doing and not to let you leave. Come on, I’ll take you to his office and then I’ll let him know you’re here.”

I follow behind her in shock. I’m not sure what I expected, but it wasn’t this. As soon as she leaves me in his office, I look around the big room with the dark mahogany desk and bookshelves. It’s definitely a step up from the barren office at the cuddler offices. I walk over to the window and look out at downtown Jasper.

When the door opens, I turn on my heel, andKing is standing in the doorway, smiling at me. “You came.”

My mouth drops seeing him in a suit. The man I’ve seen has been in dress shirts and khakis or T-shirts and jeans. He’s built like a man that works with his hands, but this side of him is just as sexy, and I can’t help but stare back at him.

“Haven? Are you okay?”

I finally pull myself together and gesture to the door behind him. “It seems to me you expected me since you told your assistant to make sure I stayed.”

He walks into the room with his hands in his pockets. “It was wishful thinking on my part.”

He walks over to me, and my heart stutters as he approaches. “You know what I’ve been thinking about?”

I wonder if it’s the same thing I’ve been thinking about. “What?”

He holds his hands out, palms up. “That hug.”

I look at his outstretched hands, and there’s no denying him. I put my hands in his, and just as soon as I do, he pulls me into him, wrapping his arms around me. I melt into him, wrapping my arms around his waist and resting my head against his chest. “I’ve thought about this too.”

He takes a deep breath and lets it out slowly. “Tell me your answer… tell me yes, peaches.”

I sigh, wanting him to have an out. “Are you sure you want to do this?”

“Yes,” he answers without hesitation.

“And you know we can have a baby without getting married?”

“It’s non-negotiable, Haven.”

I thought about this all night and how I was going to approach the subject. He wants a kid, he’s made that known, but he didn’t really say how we were going to get there. I’m guessing artificial insemination, but I need to clarify that with him. It makes it easier that I’m leaning against him and he can’t see my face. “So I’ll be a pregnant virgin?”

He leans back, keeping his hands on me, but he searches my eyes. With a smirk, he asks, “Did you think you would get pregnant in a doctor's office or something?”

Heat rushes to my face. “I assumed that’s what—”

He leans down until I can feel his hot breath on my cheek. “We’ll be getting pregnant the old-fashioned way, Haven.”

I swallow hard as my whole body reacts andgets hot. I feel like I need to fan myself, but I stand perfectly still. “I’m still going to work.”

He doesn’t seem fazed by my request. “I’m not going to try and control you. You can have the life you want.”

I suck in a breath. “I want a small wedding. Just us.”

Again, he doesn’t hesitate. “Whatever you want.”

---