Page 24 of The Baby Bargain

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Chase's blue eyes fill with concern.

It's familiar—he's been worried about me so many times—but it's different too.

This isn't anolder brothertask. It's not anolder brother's friendtask. It's not a small errand.

Sure, I'm not askinghimto get me pregnant—

Though…

"Can I think about it?" His eyes stay trained on me.

I try to read him. To figure out if this is a probably or a probably not. But I can't. I'm not good at reading people and Chase is a brick wall.

I guess I only have one choice.

I can tell him what I need. He can accept it or not. "Twenty-four hours."

"We're negotiating?"

"I only have four months. And I… I'll be fertile in twenty-one days."

A chuckle falls off his lips.

"What?"

"Nothing." His laugh gets louder. Bigger. Big enough to light up his eyes.

"Something."

"You're matter-of-fact."

"There's a short window. Six days. I need to find someone by the first of those. He needs to be available every day."

His smile spreads over his cheeks.

"What?"

"You're just… you're Ariel."

"Who else would I be?"

"It's perfect."

"So you'll—"

"Sleep on it." He offers me his hand.

I shake. "Twenty-four hours."

He nods. "Twenty-four hours."

* * *

Forest and Chasehave their private conversation. Return with their typicalI'm an impenetrable badassstares.

Wes teases me about my glasses. And my all black outfit. And my non-fiction book.

He even hints I'm too good for Chase, that I can do better than someone so brooding and miserable. (Ridiculous. Chase is crazy, stupid hot).

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