Page 3 of Bridles and Bribery

Dave’s hands closed over hers. “Open your eyes,” he commanded in a low, hoarse voice.

She did. His nearness made her catch her breath. Dave was fifty-three, a seriously hot version of fifty-three. Up close, his presence was downright overpowering.

“Whatever you’ve gotta say to me,” he continued in the same gravelly voice, “I need you to do it with your eyes open.”

She nodded. It was a fair request. The only problem with talking to him with her eyes open was that it was harder to breathe. “I love you,” she whispered. It wasn’t what she’d intended to say. It had just slipped out.

His shoulders relaxed. “I love you, too.” He used their joined hands to tug her closer.

Her swelling abdomen bumped his middle, making the baby kick.

His expression instantly softened, filling with wonder. “That’s never going to feel any less like a miracle.” He wanted a kid as badly as she did, which she considered to be a miracle on top of a miracle.

“I agree.” His words made her eyes brim with emotion. “I can’t believe I ever imagined — not even for a second — that I could give my baby up.” Her voice rose to a higher, uncertain squeak.

A few seconds of silence passed between them, during which it dawned on her that his expression hadn’t changed.

“You don’t look surprised,” she noted in a hesitant voice.

“Babe, I know what a surrogacy firm does.” He shook his head in bemusement at her. “Didn’t have to go to law school for that.”

She drew a deep breath. “So all the time I was pretending to be an independent, forward-thinking, twenty-first century woman who could raise a kid by herself, you already knew the ugly truth?” It was both mortifying and soul-cleansing to get that off her chest.

He snorted. “Youareindependent and forward-thinking. You’re also brave, kindhearted, and so beautiful insideand out that it takes my breath away.” He leaned closer to nuzzle a sensitive spot of skin beside her ear. “Every single time we’re together.”

She wanted to melt into him, to accept everything he was so generously offering, but she hesitated. She needed to be sure he understood exactly what he was getting into. “Dave, I initially signed up to become a surrogate to pay off my student loans and a few other debts.” She was embarrassed to admit that a woman her age still had student loans — for a degree she’d never finished earning, no less. It hadn’t been easy getting ahead on a receptionist’s salary. Lack of money was the sole reason she’d dropped out of college. She’d always planned on going back someday, but she’d never succeeded in saving up enough for that.

“Okay.” He nuzzled his way down the side of her neck, drawing a sigh out of her. “Is that it? Or is there anything else you think I need to know before we get married?” There was a teasing edge to his voice that did crazy things to her heart.

“That’s pretty much it, I guess.” She couldn’t believe he was shouldering her news so calmly. Something warm and wonderful settled deep inside her. After a lifetime of criticism from her family, it was an incredible feeling to be sharing her innermost thoughts and misgivings with someone who wasn’t poised to rip her to shreds afterward. “Yes, there was a part of me that desperately wanted to know what it felt like to carry a baby inside me before my biological clock ran out, but my decision was mostly mercenary. I needed the money, and serving as a surrogate was the opportunity to make twice my annual salary in nine months.”

“Pretty sure I’ve made it clear how I feel about starting afamily with you.” He drew back a little to give her a searching look. “Are we done here?”

“Almost.” She swallowed hard. “I just didn’t want you going into this with any wrong ideas about who you’re marrying.”

Humor flashed in his gaze. “I’m a pretty good judge of character, Jills. Comes with the territory of being a lawyer.”

She smiled through a sheen of dampness. “You’re probably wondering how I got to keep the baby, which isn’t normally the case in situations like these.”

“Yep.” His expression grew cautious. “Figured you’d get around to that part, eventually.”

“The surrogacy contract fell through. I’m not sure what went wrong.” She might never know. “The company couldn’t offer many details due to client confidentiality. I had to sign a bunch of legal documents to keep both the money and the baby.”

His jaw tightened. “May I have a look at the paperwork you signed?”

“Now?” Her heart constricted at the thought of further delaying their wedding ceremony. According to the clock on his desk, it was supposed to have already started.

“Later today is fine.” He released her hands to enclose her in his embrace. “Slogging through legal paperwork may not sound very romantic. But as soon as you sayI do, you’re gonna be mine to protect. Both you and our baby. Understanding exactly what’s in those documents will help me do that.”

Our baby.It was the first time he’d referred to her unborn child as theirs instead of hers. The tears Jillian had been struggling to hold back started dripping down her cheeks. “You’re truly the best thing that’s ever happened to me, Dave Phillips.” He made things like love and loyalty feelas easy as breathing. Maybe it was because he was so easy to love and so worthy of her loyalty.

“Right back atcha, babe.” He dipped his head over hers for a kiss. It was slow and tender, overflowing with adoration and helpless longing.

For reasons she might not ever fully understand, he loved her deeply. In moments like this, it was impossible to doubt his feelings for her.

“Dave,” she murmured, when he reluctantly broke off the kiss. “I need to ask you something else.” While her pride was in shards on the floor, she might as well get her other biggest fear out in the open.

“Anything, babe.” He brushed his hard mouth against hers again. The warm, silky drag of skin against skin drew another sigh from her.

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