Page 206 of The Baby Bargain

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"Are you rejecting me, princess?"

"No." She slips her palm under my t-shirt. Presses it against my bare skin. "I'm making you wait."

"Cruel."

She nodsyeah. "While we… you'll do anything I want?"

"Anything."

"What if I want to get a tattoo?"

"Not sure you're supposed to. But I insist on doing it."

"Right here." She points to her lower back. "MILF."

I burst into laughter. "Yeah?"

"Yeah." She holds her poker face. "You don't think?"

"Let's go to Inked Hearts right now." I slip my hand under her tank top. Trace the letters over her lower back. "I'll make a stencil. It'll take twenty minutes, tops."

Fear streaks her expression. "No, I, uh… I should follow the guidelines."

"You need an extra prenatal vitamin?" I motion to the cabinet. She's been taking them for weeks. I guess that's standard operating procedure.

She shakes her headno. "Too many is just as bad as too few."

"You're informed."

"Of course." She slips her hand between us. Places it over her bellybutton. "Charlotte needs the best."

"Charlotte?"

"Or Charlie." Vulnerability drips into her voice. "Unless you object."

"Not a bit."

She's naming her kid after her mom. That's pure Ariel. My heart melts.

It's too much.

I'm falling head over heels.

I need to hit the brakes. If that's not what she wants—

"But what about Matt? Karen? Foggy?" I pitch names ofDaredevilcharacters until I run out.

Her nose scrunches with distaste. "At least Matt and Karen are normal names people wouldn't notice. But, really… UGH."

"Should I move to another series?"

She shakes her headno way. "You're lucky you're a tattoo artist."

"Is that right?"

"You never have to name anything." Her expression gets warmer. Brighter. It shouldn't be possible, but it is. "You're not good at it."

"Not good at many things."

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