The Cowboy's Baby(8)
How many men wanted to have children? Desired them so badly that even the thought galvanized them into enthusiastic promises – into commitments with women it might be better to think twice about?
Once again, not her business.
Esme allowed herself, for a brief moment, to get lost in the warmth of Daniel’s gaze. Slowly, she nodded, taking the card from where he’d lain it on the table. “Of course.”
Alyssa had mentioned something about this gorgeous man “pressuring” her to try for a baby. If someone who looked like Daniel Hartsford asked to knock her up, Esme would be sprinting for the bedroom. For the love of God, the man was massive. He must be hung like a horse…able to throw a woman around in whatever way he pleased…
“Well, if we’re officially decided,” Carmen cut the awkward silence with a smooth interjection. She looked from Daniel and a scowling Alyssa to Esme and then back again. “We can get the paperwork all settled. Once everything is signed and the legal procedures have been seen to, we can go through the implanting and fertilization process with Esme by the end of this week.” She withdrew a thick sheaf of papers, which she divided in half before giving the first portion to Esme and the second to Daniel. “These will be the terms you agreed on, Daniel and Alyssa. If you’ll just look them over, Esme?”
Oh, she was looking them over alright. Looking them over and trying to keep her eyes from popping out of her head. The terms set in the contract before her were nothing like what she’d expected. Of course, she’d known all her medical expenses would be paid for – all the doctor’s visits and hospital fees. There was an extra stipend to buy what would be required in her nutrition plan, but in addition to that, Hartsford was putting forth five thousand dollars a month for each of the nine months of her pregnancy for “additional expenses”.
That was ten times the amount of her rent – and more than she could ever spend. To be completely honest, the young woman felt a bit uncomfortable with the amount, and before she signed the paper, she voiced her concern.
“Mr. Hartsford…I think this is a bit much. Five thousand a month…I don’t need anywhere near that.” As much as she wanted to be comfortable, she wasn’t going to take someone else’s money just because she could. The comfort she sought would be of her own making – and not ill-procured.
“Please, take it.” The man’s gaze pleaded with her as his pen hovered over the line requiring his signature. “It’s pittance to me, and I want to make sure that the mother of my child has every possible comfort. For the baby’s sake.”
Alyssa glared at the man, her eyes narrow enough to cut steel. “I’m the mother of your child.”
The immense rancher cast a wry glance her way. “Honey, you already have all the comforts you need and more. As you said, you’re body’s not going to be thrown out of wack. Esme’s,” he nodded in the young woman’s direction, making her blush. “Is. It’s just for the health of the baby, sweetheart.” The last part was added sweetly – so sweetly, in fact, that the thinly veiled jab might have been invisible to anyone else listening to the conversation.
But Esme read it loud and clear. She was already wary of the tension between Alyssa and Daniel, and the jibe fell perfectly into the pattern. In any event, Alyssa certainly got the message. Eyes blazing, she shot to her feet. “You’re barely giving her enough to buy a Louis. Why the fuck should I care?” With that, she stormed off, leaving the three remaining occupants sitting around the small table staring after her.
The moment he recovered, Daniel turned back to Carmen and Esme, his expression apologetic. “Forgive her. She’s just a bit on edge. It’s our first child.” Esme watched in awe as he scratched his name effortlessly on the document that would award her more money than she’d ever made in her entire life. The man appeared to relax somewhat in the absence of his partner, leaning back in the chair before his lips curved up into a smile that made Esme’s knees weak. “I can’t tell you how happy I am that we’re able to work with you. To be chosen out of one hundred applicants…that’s really something.”
Esme’s eyes widened in shock a moment before her gaze shot to Carmen. “A hundred. A hundred people wanted me as their surrogate?”
“Well, your health record is flawless.” Carmen grinned, obviously amused by her surprise. “You’re young. High IQ. Attractive…”
“Very attractive.” Esme looked back over to Daniel, her expression incredulous. Had he just said what she thought he’d said? That he thought she was…attractive? The moment her eyes locked with his, the man’s face reddened slightly and he looked away. “I mean, in respect to your genes. It will be good for the baby.”