by Stacey Lewis
“I didn’t sell my soul to the devil. We had a very nice donation from a local company here in the city.”
Maddie’s eyes fill with disbelief and she crosses her arms over her chest, “You’re telling me some random company donates tens of thousands of dollars and doesn’t want it back?”
I lick my lips and nod my head yes, “That’s what I’m telling you.” Her eyes get bigger and she seems as flabbergasted as I was to discover what happened.
“That’s absolutely crazy….though I kinda wish I knew what company it was so that I could at the very least write them a letter of thanks.”
I could always tell her it was Remy Winston but then she’d start asking questions like if I know him, or how my dating life is going. I swear the child worries about me more than our own mother does.
“I’ll see if I can get the info for you by the time I come in for my next visit.”
“Good I can’t wait to tell them how much they’ve changed my life.” I smile, emotions I’ve never felt swarm me. Damn you Remy. Damn you.
“I’m sure they’ll be pleased to hear how thankful you’re.” We watch some TV together and Maddie dives into a conversation about one of her friends from school. My phone vibrates in my pocket and I fish it out wondering who the hell it could be.When I see the text scroll across the screen my heart sinks into my stomach.
Remy Winston has a proposition for me, and it’s most likely going to ruin me.
“Hey, are you okay?” Maddie asks, concern etched into her features. I shake the fear of falling for Remy from my mind and place my phone back on the table.
***
Walking into the Lamont Hotel lobby I wonder if I’m even doing the right thing. The idea of giving into Remy Winstons deal makes me sick. I feel dirty, bad, wrong, for doing something like this for nothing more than money.
But that’s the thing..I need the money, otherwise I’d never consider it.
I stop at the entrance of the high end restaurant attached to the hotel and consider turning around on my pointed heels. I’m not meant to be here… in fact I stick out horribly in my ripped faded jeans and high heels. I’m not a business woman. I swear like a sailor, and don’t have the first clue about office etiquette.
“You have to do this. Think of Marie” I give myself a small chant of encouragement. A knot forms in my throat when I lift my gaze to the dining room and see him, sitting there in his designer suit, waiting, watching, and ready to pounce at any given second. He might be the youngest of the Winston brothers but he exudes this power that none of his brothers do. It’s like with one look he can get you to do what he wants, and that terrifies me.
The sex is amazing, hot as hell, and something that I’ll never forget. It’s also the reason this deal came about...because drunk Mel talks a lot, and also let’s hot guys, who are younger than her talk her into sleeping with them. She also, trusts to easily and let’s things out of the bag without thinking first.
I curse myself wanting to blame Reed and Fallon for this entire thing but knowing it was my big mouth that got us here. I swallow down the fear, and embarrassment and walk up to the hostess. Her eyes roam over me with disgust, and once again I’m forced to hold back the bitchy remark on the tip of my tongue.
“I’m here to see Remy Winston.” I grip my clutch in my hands tightly. The idea of having kids never crossed my mind. Not that I don’t love my best friend Fallon’s son, or Ryker, Fallon’s husbands brothers daughter I just never put much thought into having any of my own.
I’m more of the hold them because they’re adorable, but the second they start crying you can have them back person.
“Right this way.” She motions, after staring at the hostess stand for way longer than necessary. I follow behind her, and each step is one I force myself to take. When we reach the table I can feel his heated gaze on me, but I keep my eyes on the floor.
And not because the man is ugly, dear lord, no. If anything it’s because he’s lick-worthy and I have half a mind to start licking him right here. My mouth waters at the thoughts, my body reacting to the memory of his touch, and tongue.
“Mel…” My name rolling off of his lips sends shivers down my spine and reminds of that night all over again. I knew this was a bad idea. I’m not ready to date, or be with a man, not after all I’ve been through. If this is going to happen it needs to be professional, no feelings, no kind words, just fucking, a baby, and a huge exchange of money. I pull the chair out and settle into it, placing my clutch next to the glass of water.
I lick my dry lips and consider taking a drink of the water in front of me. When I finally lift my gaze to Remy’s I see a thousand different emotions swirling in his hazel colored depths.
It takes me a minute to get my bearings as I stare at him, his angular jaw that looks as if it was chiseled from stone. His high cheekbones, and perfectly set eyes, pierce me. He looks like he walked off the cover of GQ Magazine without even trying. How can a man look so fucking good, that it almost hurts to look at him?
“Thank you for meeting with me Mel.” I roll my eyes trying to look away from his full lips. God, the things that those lips could do right now. I exhale, trying to cool my sexually heated blood. I need to stop thinking with my clit, and more with my brain.
“Sure Remy..” I mutter. “You got me here, now let’s talk about the contract and nothing else. I’ve got shit to do.” I lie. By shit I mean go home, cuddle up with my Yorkie on the couch and catch up on Shameless. Oh, and write some random stories for the local paper. I decided to pick up a few odd and end jobs since money is tight. Working two jobs isn’t really ideal but a girls gotta do what she’s gotta do to get by.
A sour look forms on Remy’s features, and I can see the strain of his muscles in his suit. He’s annoyed, and probably assumes I’ve forgotten all about our intense night of pleasure.
Newsflash...I haven’t. But he doesn’t need to know that.
“You can act like you didn’t have the sex in your life with me but you won’t be acting that way in front of me. Not when I know just what sets you off.” The smirk he gives me makes my thighs quiver.
God, save me from this man before I do something stupid and agree to his terms without thinking about them.
“Sex is sex Remy. You’re old enough to know that. If emotions are going to get involved then I’m not the woman for the job.” I almost tell him I’m not the woman for the job now, but don’t, because even if I don’t want to do this...I really need the money, for my family, for my sister and that outweighs any moral thoughts on what I am doing.
“I’m old enough Mel. Way fucking old enough, but you have to understand something about me.” He oozes this manliness that no man I’ve ever been with has before. I nibble on my bottom lip as I stare at him, my eyes narrowing. “I might be the youngest of my brothers. I might be the quietest of my brothers but I am the loudest lover and I have no issues proving that to you. As for emotions, well they were involved the moment I chose you to be the woman to give me a baby.”
The smug look on his face says it all. He has me right where he wants me. I’m his puppet even if I don’t like it.
“Whatever…” I dismiss his comments, pretending not to care about anything else he says. It’ll be easier this way. If we focus on the sex and making of the baby and less on everything else, the emotions, and words that he’ll never hear me say. “Let’s talk about the deal. Half a million for a baby?” I confirm.
I can see he’s not done with the previous conversation, but he nods anyway, and my eyes move down to the grey folder resting in front of him.
“The money will be given to you upon delivery of the baby. Our agreement will be very similar to that of surrogacy, except we will be convincing the ole’ fashioned way.” He wiggles his eyebrows and I almost laugh, because even if I find the situation to be less than fucking stellar this man does know how to make my knees shake, and make me laugh.
“Perfect. Where do I sign?” I purse, ready to get out
of here. I lift my gaze from the folder and up to Remy’s. The way he’s looking at me right now, makes my heart pound hard in my chest. He doesn’t know me, why I’m doing this, or all the problems I have. He doesn’t know the baggage I carry or the commitment issues I have, or why I work two jobs just to pay the bills and yet he’s looking at me like I’m the reason his entire world spins. He’s looking at me like a man that’s completely enthralled with the woman he loves.
I shake off the way his eyes on my skin makes me feel, and swallow, knowing what I’m about to say next is something that needs to be put in the contract.
“I’d like to add something if that’s okay?” Remy stretches, and stares at me curiously, like he doesn’t already know what I’m going to ask.
“Whatever you need will be provided to you. There’s no need to ask for anything else. I will take care of you, and what’s mine. That’s what the Winston’s do.” I roll my eyes, and shake my head, my dark locks falling into my face.
“I don’t care what you Winstons do. I’m not here for a free ride, and that’s not what this agreement is about. You want a baby Remy. I’m offering you the chance to rent my womb. Nothing more, nothing less. When the baby is born you’ll be it’s parent and I’ll be nothing more than the woman who carried it for nine months.” I hate the way my voice sounds as I say the words. Like I’m some heartless bitch.
“Then what is it that you want?” I pause and lick my lips.
“I want you to promise me that when this is all over you won’t fall in love with me. That we will keep this entire thing strictly business. I don’t do relationships, and I don’t date guys younger than me.” I throw the last part in as a dig knowing his ego can take the hit.
He smirks like the asshole he is, “That’s funny, because you might not date guys younger than you, but you have no problem screaming their name out loud well you come all over their face.”
My cheeks heat. Fuck. He’s got me there.
“What happens in the moment, isn’t anything to be held against the other person. You know how to eat pussy, what do you want, an award?” The banter between us is hot, and my skin heats as we converse further. I want him to screw me again, just like he did the night of Fallon and Reed’s bachelor party. The way he controlled me, owning my body, and fucking it like it was made just for him.
“Actually yes. I want an award Mel. I want you…” I feel flustered and force myself to make a subject change. Goodness things have taken a heated turn.
“Just agree that you won’t fall in love with me and that we will keep this professional as possible and I’ll sign the contract.” The entire restaurant falls away, when he leans in, across the table.
“I won’t fall in love with you, but I can’t promise you won’t fall in love with me.” That dazzling smile will be the death of me I know it.
“No worries there… I’m immune to love, and any kind of feelings. Got vaccinated at a young age. We’re good to go in that department.” I smile, and watch as his face falls. He recovers in seconds and slides the folder across the space between us. Sparks fly when our fingers brush as I take the folder from him. My body has never felt so hot before. It’s like I’m ready to combust and why? Because he’s staring at me with want and need that isn’t even something I can describe.
I suck in a breath and open the folder, the contract coming to life right before my eyes. A pen is placed in front of me, and I take it, looking up at Remy, before turning to the final page to sign. I don’t give a fuck about the logistics. I just need the money.
“There are a few stipulations. I want you eating a somewhat healthy diet, and you’re not allowed to have sex with anyone else, well you’re carrying my child, or attempting to get pregnant.”
I ponder what he’s said, and nod in agreement, “Got it. Eat Big Mac’s and sleep with all of Chicago. Anything else?” I challenge him with an eyebrow raise.
Fire flickers in his gaze but instead of responding to my witty banter he merely ignores it, and shakes his head no. I won’t lie and say I feel disappointed but a part of me does, and yet I sign my name across the line, binding me legally to him, for as long as it takes.
As soon as my name is scrolled across the line I set the pen down and shove from the table. I feel hot and cold all at once, and I wonder if I just made the biggest mistake of my life.
Can I really have a baby with Remy Winston?
He must sense that I’m about to run, because he gathers up the contract and eyes me as if he’s the king holding all the power in his hands.
“I’ll be in touch, so we can get to fulfilling the first part of the contract.” I swallow, and nod, turning on my heels and all but running out of the restaurant.
What the hell did I just sign up for?
Chapter Twelve
Remy
Feeling a mixture of emotions as I watch Mel walk out of the restaurant I gesture to the waitress and order a glass of whiskey to try and cool my heated blood. Who does she think she is asking me not to fall in love with her? Doesn’t she know I’m already in love with her.
She refuses to see what’s right in front of her which has lead us into this predicament. She wants to be stubborn about giving me, us a chance well I’ll make it so she has no choice but to do so. I sip the whiskey and send a text to Grant, Reed’s best friend and the lawyer we use for all of our family affairs.
I asked him to meet me here and go over the contract since I didn’t actually ask him to look it over before I threw it together, which honestly could be a pain in the ass since I already forced Mel’s hand when it came to signing the documents.
I lift my gaze from the freshly signed documents just in time to see Grant enter the restaurant. He’s wearing a high end suit, and doesn’t look as if he’s aged a single day past twenty. It must be nice to look permanently young, then again he’s also not the head of a multi-billion dollar company like Reed.
“What’s going on? When you asked me to meet you, you acted as if it was urgent?” Grant has a sour look on his face, and I can’t really blame him. I most likely pulled him from something important at his parent’s firm, but I don't care. I pay him well for his time.
“Take a seat, order a drink, and look over this contract for me.” I shove the folder and it’s contents across the table, and they come to a stop just before the edge. Grant narrows his lids at the papers before, learily pulling out the vacant seat that Mel was just sitting in. I gesture for one of the waitresses to come over, and take his drink order.
He orders a scotch on the rocks and dives into reading the documents I’d just given him. Seconds tick by, and nervous anxiety starts to fill my belly. Is it possible this contract isn’t even legal. I didn’t exactly look it over to a T before having Mel sign it and Mel didn’t really examine it to see if there were any fancy clauses.
“You’re aware of how stupid this is right?” I clench my fists at his words, and stop myself from rolling my eyes.
“I didn’t ask your opinion on my life choices. I asked you to look over the fucking contract.” I seeth feeling as if I’m teetering right on the edge. When it comes to Mel I want to be the man she needs, the man that she wants to love her, but I never know which side of her I’ll get and that bothers me. It leaves me irritable.
“Well as a friend of the family I can tell you that, if your brothers knew about this contract they’d have it shredded in seconds and of all people you want Melody to give you a baby…?” His distaste for her makes my clench my jaw and I give him a hard look that all but says shut the fuck up.
“This isn’t any of my brother’s businesses. They have their perfect families, and lives and I want a piece of that pie. I’ve found the woman I want to have my first child and I needed you to come and read over the contract not judge me.”
Grant shakes his head, and taps the edge of the pen against the table a couple of times, as his eyes move over the documents in his hands once more. I feel sick to my stomach. I did this so that Mel and I would be
bound together, so that I could give us more time together. I just hope like hell it doesn’t backfire on me.
“This would withhold in court, the biggest issue right now is the fact that you haven’t even signed it yet so technically it’s not a legally binded contract.” I swallow and nod my head in understanding.
“I know, but don’t worry about that. All I needed to know was that my bases were covered.” I take a gulp of my whiskey the liquid burning as it slips down my throat. I reach for the documents, ready to slip them away and get the hell out of here, but Grant stops me, pulling the papers out of grasp.
“I want you to think about this for more than a second. Just because your brothers are living their own happily ever afters doesn’t mean you need to jump the gun and find someone to have your baby. Don’t you want to be married, and happy when you have your first child?” I narrow my gaze, and examine Grant’s face.
It feels like he’s trying to convince me that this is nothing more than a bad idea and I can’t let him tell me that. Not when I know Mel is the woman for me, the woman I want to have my babies and someday marry if she’ll let me.
“I do want to be married and happy when I have my first child but not everyone lives such an easy life. I want a child now, and I don’t want to wait for the perfect person.” I lie, even though the entire damn reason I’m doing this has everything to do with Mel who is in fact my perfect person.
Worry wrinkles form on Grant’s forehead, “Is there anyone else you’d like to do this with?”
My mouth pops open, and I’m almost too shocked to speak, almost. “What do you mean is there anyone else?”
“Like do you have anyone else beside Mel you’d consider having a baby with?”
“Please tell me you didn’t just say that?”
Grant’s face redens, “I’m only asking because her track record isn’t that great. Everyone knows her parents are divorced and her sister is dying. I just don’t want you getting involved with something and thinking it’s love, or that she can give you something that someone else can’t.” My jaw clenches, and aches as it tightens. I’m so tired of everyone trying to dictate my life. I slam my clenched fist down on the table causing one of the glasses to fall off and break. The glass claters to the floor shattering in a million pieces. Normally I’d be the brother trying to calm people down but I’m past being clam.