Baby Wanted: (BWWM Interracial Romance) (A Bundle of Joy)

by Wilson, Roxy

  Baby Wanted

  by Roxy Wilson

  Blurb

  Her biological clock is ticking...

  Heather Lovey’s almost thirty-five, and she wants a baby. Badly. With no prospects in sight, she turns to Sean Johnson, her BFF.

  His feelings for her are enduring…

  Sean has been in love with Heather since forever, but she's always kept him at arm's length. When she proposes he father her child, he jumps at the chance, hoping a baby will lead to lasting romance. He demands one favor in return: that they have a baby as a married couple. She's free to divorce him after a year.

  The time they have together is fleeting…

  Marriage is the last thing on Heather’s mind. She only wants the unconditional love a child can give, something she lacked during her years in foster homes. She agrees to give Sean a year in this sham-marriage, never thinking this could turn into a friends to lovers romance.

  Is one year enough time for Sean to change Heather’s way of thinking and make their marriage the kind that will last? Will Sean and Heather end up with more than they planned in this captivating interracial romance?

  Text copyright © 2014 Roxy Wilson

  All Rights Reserved

  Chapter One

  Heather fidgeted on the coffee shop seat and twisted the paper band on her coffee cup while patrons moved around her with their full to-go cups. Beside her, a mom jostled a toddler on her hip and Heather’s heart squeezed. She wanted to be that mom so badly. In her head, her biological clock gonged the hour. Time was slipping away so fast. At thirty-four and three-quarters, there was no time to lose.

  Which was why today was so critically important.

  The front door buzzed and she glanced up, nervously expectant that it would finally be Sean coming through the entrance. Nope, an older gentleman with a Yorkie in his arms. Heather leaned closer to the window beside her table and glanced up and down the bustling sidewalk, but she didn’t see Sean’s dark head anywhere. She checked her watch again. He was never anywhere on time, but she’d hoped that today she wouldn’t have to wait the full fifteen minutes of Sean Standard Time.

  The coffee thrummed through her veins and her heel tapped the linoleum. She should have ordered a small, but now she was tempted to order another. Or maybe a scone to soak up some of the caffeine. She still had at least another five minutes before Sean showed. Heather lifted her purse off the back of the chair and dug around for a five-dollar bill. As she twisted to stand, she caught Sean staring at her from just outside the door. Heather waved and a bright smile flashed across his face. He held the door open for two loud women talking about a shoe sale down at Macy’s. He came over and enfolded her in a huge warm hug. He was such a great hugger. She pressed her cheek into his neck and smiled at the comforting smell of his spicy aftershave. His wide hand pressed against the small of her back, and their bellies melted together. Sean wasn’t the kind of guy to keep her at a friendly distance when they hugged—almost like he used their body contact to sustain him during the rest of his week.

  He leaned away and smiled. “You okay?”

  Heather nodded and let her arms fall to her sides. “Want a coffee?”

  He glanced at the counter, six deep in customers, then back at Heather. “I was kind of hoping we could grab a bite to eat. Have you had lunch?”

  Heather shook her head. Ever since she’d come up with this crazed idea, her appetite had fled, and she’d barely eaten anything in the last two days. Now that she was so close to getting a resolution, her stomach growled.

  Sean grinned and tucked her hand into the crook of his elbow. “I’ll take that as a yes.”

  Heather grabbed her purse and tossed her nearly empty cup in the trash by the door as she let Sean lead her out of the coffee shop and down the block.

  “Putino’s okay?”

  “Mmm. Yes. I’ve been dying for his ravioli.”

  They strolled down the sidewalk and Heather tossed around the perfect way to dive into this conversation. Sean was her last chance and she had to get it right.

  An older couple passed them as they reached the restaurant. The woman was nagging the man and his bickering reply pecked at Heather like a horrid little magpie. She winced at how their behavior perfectly mimicked that of her first foster parents. Before the memory could overtake her, she hurried inside, soothed by the soft music coming from the speakers and drowning out the outside chatter. She took a breath and refused to dive backward into her past. That life was gone now, she told herself. Today was a brand new start of something wonderful.

  Sean settled his hand on the small of her back, as if he sensed her tension. His touch grounded her into this reality, and she drew a deep breath while they waited for the host to seat them.

  It was early enough that they’d beat the lunch rush, so the host took them right back to a table. Sean held her seat and hundreds of butterflies erupted in Heather’s stomach. She just needed to get this over with. Sean hung up his coat and sat.

  “So what’s up?”

  Heather’s stomach flipped and flopped, and she clutched her fingers together in front of her. Her foot bounced up and down and she couldn’t make it stop. There was no easy way out of this. She just needed to get it out there, and then they could talk about it. Six little words, that’s all. She leaned forward and searched his face, but her conviction didn’t slip an inch. This was still the perfect solution. She just had to tell him. “I want to have a baby.”

  “You will, just give it time.”

  “No. Not eventually. I mean right now.”

  Sean’s eyes widened and he slipped into the chair next to her and drew her into his arms. “What happened to bring this on?”

  The tightness in her chest loosened and Heather took a breath. She finally looked at Sean. Had she never noticed that cleft in his chin? He wasn’t unattractive, but she’d always considered him a friend. He always had plenty of dates, so someone thought he was cute. And Heather didn’t want to date him, just borrow some of his swimmers.

  The waiter arrived and asked for their order but Sean waved him away. He scanned Heather’s face then cradled her head beneath his chin, holding her tight. She felt so protected and safe that she didn’t want to move. A need thrummed deep in her chest. This was how she wanted her baby to feel, all the time and from the very first moment. Heather would ensure that her child knew nothing but unconditional love and how very, very important he or she was to her. Always. She sighed in contentment and her eyelids dropped closed.

  “I’m ready. Haven’t you ever known when the time was just right for something? I’m done waiting.”

  “Let’s go to my place.” His voice vibrated beneath her cheek and she could swear he trembled, like he was nervous or something. “We need to talk.”

  Heather struggled against him. “I have to go back to work.”

  “Not after dropping that little bomb.” The tone of his voice left no room for argument and he helped her stand. Heather glanced apologetically at the waiter. Her stomach rumbled again and Sean dug his phone out of his pocket. He didn’t let go of Heather while he ordered Chinese up to his apartment.

  Inside his place, Sean helped Heather with her jacket, and then he led her to the couch. Confusion and strain still lined his face, but he smiled at her as they sat down. Carefully, he picked up one of her hands and drew it into his lap.

  “Tell me what’s going on, Heather.”

  She sighed and sagged into the back of the couch. His hold on her fingers felt nice. “It’s just time, you know. I’m ready. I’m past ready. My biological clock is ticking and I want a baby, but there�
��s nothing but jerks out there for me to date.”

  “You do seem to be able to pick the single jerk out of a room full of men.”

  “I know, right? That’s why I’m done trying to choose. Think about all the horrible dates I’ve gone on. I for sure, don’t want to give any of those guys an opportunity to pass their crap genes on.”

  “What about Steve? That seemed to be going well.”

  Heather laughed tightly. “Yeah, two years well, until he decided that the waitress from Leggo’s was too cute to resist.”

  “Ouch. Sorry. I always wondered what happened and you never wanted to talk about him.”

  Come on, Heather, it’s time to get this thing over and done with. It’s no use delaying it any longer.

  “I want to have your baby.”

  She’d never seen anyone’s jaw drop before, but Sean’s did. All the color drained from his face and he tugged at the collar of his shirt. Then he chuckled. “Well, thanks. I didn’t get you anything.”

  Heather dropped her gaze and fiddled with the crease of her pants.

  “Heather?”

  She fought the burn of tears and looked at Sean.

  “Heather, are you serious?” It looked like he finally realized she wasn’t kidding. Sean stared so intently at Heather that she squirmed beneath his scrutiny.

  She swallowed and nodded.

  Sean pulled her tight against his side. “What happened? Tell me what’s going on. There’s nothing that we can’t solve together—without going to this extreme. Everything will be fine. It will be fine. Just tell me what’s going on.”

  She stared at the top button of his shirt, unable to look at him. “I’ve just been doing a lot of thinking and I really want to have a baby.”

  Sean clasped her hand. “That’s fine babe, but don’t you think you’re rushing into something?”

  She shook her head. “I’m not rushing. I’ve taken too long getting to this decision already. I’m almost forty and risks increase drastically at that age, and I can’t wait to meet Mr. Right anymore. I don’t need a man to have a baby.”

  He laughed. “Well, you kind of do.”

  “Not true. I could get a sperm donor—”

  Sean’s grip tightened on her fingers.

  “But I don’t want to go that route. I’d rather the baby’s father be someone I know and trust.”

  “What about the dry cleaner? He’s always been pretty trustworthy.” Sean turned her hand over in his lap and traced the lines on her palm.

  This was so like him: joking the stress away when the topic got too close to discussing something that was scary or might require him to reveal his fears. He was good at helping Heather work through hers, but quick to change the subject if it got to close to any of his.

  “For starters, he’s eighty-three, so I’m not sure he’s willing or able to help me out of this bind. And second, you’re the guy I want.”

  Warm chills spread through Heather as Sean’s fingertip stroked the sensitive valleys of her upturned palm. Normally she’d have yanked her hand away when her body started reacting that way to Sean. This time, she forced herself to enjoy the feeling and focused on trying to convince Sean that not only was this a good idea, but she’d given it a lot of thought—and had made a ridiculous number of pro/con lists. He was her choice. Her best choice.

  Sean’s gaze dropped to her hand. “I think that’s a bad idea.”

  Heather shook her head vehemently. “I’ve worked this backward and forward. It’s perfect. We’re great together, we have the same interests—we’re the perfect combination. We know that we can get along fantastically without it being weird, so this should be the same way. Why do you think there’s a problem?”

  “I—” He linked their fingers and drew Heather’s hand up to his lips. “—I can hear how badly you want a baby, Heather, and I really do understand. I just think you should wait until you meet the right guy.”

  “You are the right guy, Sean. That’s what I’m trying to say. It’s been in front of me this whole time. I’m done dating. I want to have a baby. I’m ready. I’m not going to settle down with some chump just so I can cross another thing off my bucket list. This is perfect. We’re together all the time, so you could see the baby if you wanted, and I’ll know who the dad is. You’re smart, and good-looking, and charming. Those are all qualities I want my baby to have. I don’t want him or her to grow up to be a jerk.”

  Heather held her breath. Her eyes roamed over Sean’s features, trying to read his expression, trying to figure out if she was able to convince him to see things her way. He could be so stubborn sometimes.

  “I appreciate your confidence in my genes, but there’s no guarantee.”

  A sharp jolt raced through Heather’s body. No, no, no. I’m not going to make room for any negative thoughts. He mustn’t let me down. He can’t let me down. Not now. Not about this. I have to convince him that I have no other option.

  “You know what I’m saying, Sean. I want my kid to have the best possible start. I’ve dated a lot of good-looking guys, but there’s so much more I want to give my child. You’re so caring and gentle and wonderful. You’re thoughtful and sweet and hardworking. All of those things, Sean. This isn’t a snap decision for me.” Heather’s voice wavered. “I’ve given it a lot of thought and I appreciate you wanting to make sure I know what I’m doing, and I do. I promise I do. I’ve agonized over this and while the thought of a cute house and white picket fence and adoring husband is the goal for most people, you know that I don’t believe in that fairytale. I’ve seen way too much of reality.” Her voice caught and she drew a deep breath and rubbed her hand down her thigh. “All I want is a baby that I can love and teach and spend the rest of my life with. Babies can’t walk out on you. Babies can’t send you off to someone else. I know what I’m doing, and I’m asking you to be a part of it. Please.”

  Sean lowered her hand and settled it into her own lap, then stood and paced the room. Back and forth, he wore a path in the carpet. Heather gripped the tops of her legs, hoping against all reason that he’d do this for her. There was nothing she could have asked that would have been a bigger sacrifice—or any more selfish on her part. With each lap Sean took, her conviction that he’d agree to this slipped a little, and she started to worry that he wouldn’t go along with it. If he didn’t do this for her, she’d be crushed and would have to start over with options to make this happen. There was no time to waste.

  Sean paused on the far end of the room. “You’re sure you’ve given this enough thought?”

  Heather nodded, afraid to say anything that would tip him to the wrong side of the decision.

  He paced some more, and then stopped in front of her. “There’s no taking this back, Heather. A baby is forever. My baby is forever.”

  She nodded. Afraid to startle him, she quietly whispered, “I know.”

  “What if it ruins our friendship?” He looked away and swallowed.

  “It won’t.” Heather wanted to cross the room and hug him. All his joking had dissipated and that was freaking her out a bit. He was always joking when things turned serious. While she was glad he was doing everything to consider her proposal with the severity it warranted, she was also worried that he’d refuse her.

  He ran his hand through his dark hair until it stuck straight up. She’d never seen him this flustered. “I’ll do this on one condition.”

  Heather sat up straight. “You will?” She’d resigned herself to the fact that she needed to say a lot more to persuade him to agree with this plan of hers.

  “I will.” Sean took a deep breath. “But we’re getting married first.”

  Heather deflated. “No. Come on. That’s just what I was talking about. I don’t want to burden someone with marriage.”

  “I’ve been thinking about a similar proposal, I just hadn’t planned on the kid part so soon. I want us to be married first.” Sean scraped his hand through his hair. “I have some things going on at work that would smooth ou
t if I had a wife. So this is a perfect situation for both of us.” He stopped and crouched, palms covering her knees, a fierce stare intensifying all of his features.

  He slid his fingers beneath hers and held her hand, lifting it slightly off her lap and pulling it toward her chest. “Heather, will you marry me?”

  There was an earnestness in his voice that drew Heather in until she couldn’t look away. Both the fear and his teasing joviality were gone. She lifted her hand to his cheek. Could she really do this? Could she really marry her best friend and have his baby? Her fingers traced his eyebrows and she stared into his clear brown eyes. Would their baby get his eyes and strong light features, or her darker ones? His funny comic timing, or her stern need for answers? She’d thought this over so many times before now, but the answer had been one quick night of sex—maybe two—not an entire lifetime of marriage.

  “I only need you for a year, Heather,” he whispered, almost as if he’d read her mind, like he did so often.

  One year. She could do a year. And she’d have a baby. And her best friend at her side. “Okay.”

  Sean yelped and stood, swinging her around by the waist. Heather laughed, giddy that she’d finally figured out a solution to everything that was wrong in her life. Having a baby was going to fix everything. She’d finally have someone to love unconditionally and who’d reciprocate with no strings attached.

  The doorbell rang and Sean stopped. “Oh good, the ring’s here. Right on time!”

  Heather laughed and was elated that he’d come full-circle back to the normal Sean she knew, joking and being silly. He lowered her to her feet, but before she had a chance to step away, he cradled her face between his hands. “All kidding aside,” he whispered. “I’ll get you a real ring.”

  Tingles raced across Heather’s skin. He’d held her like this a thousand times, but now the triumphant look on his face promised a year she’d never forget.