Total pages in book: 67
Estimated words: 61286 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 306(@200wpm)___ 245(@250wpm)___ 204(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 61286 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 306(@200wpm)___ 245(@250wpm)___ 204(@300wpm)
She shook her head. “Actually, I’ve got a bit of a break until after the bachelor auction is finished and things wind down.” She finished off the last of her water and placed her glass on a passing tray, her eyes taking him in. “You look very handsome in your tux, by the way. I’m sure you’re going to raise quite a bit of money for charity tonight and make some lucky woman very happy.”
He groaned, dreading the whole process when the only woman he wanted happy was her. Even though Skye was keeping their conversation light and teasing about another woman winning him, there was just enough reservation in her eyes to indicate that she was envious of the possibility, which worked to Tripp’s advantage.
“I need you to do me a huge favor,” he said, getting down to the reason he’d sought her out before the auction actually started and he lost the opportunity to convince her to bid on him.
“Okay,” she said warily, clearly not knowing what to expect.
He grabbed her hands, holding them in his and making sure he had her full attention. “I want you to bid on me and win, no matter how much it costs.”
Her eyes widened in surprise. “Tripp, I can’t do that. I don’t have that kind of money to spend.”
“I do,” he insisted, more than prepared to shell out any amount as a donation. “The last thing I want is to spend an entire weekend with any other woman, so you’d be doing me a real solid.”
She continued to stare at him, her shock evident, but eventually a playful sparkle glimmered in her eyes. “Does that mean I get to spend the weekend with you?”
The fact that she was more agreeable than he’d anticipated surprised him, but also gave him hope. “Do you want to spend the weekend with me?”
She bit her bottom lip nervously and nodded. “I was thinking we could use the time together to make a baby.”
It was his turn to gape in shock as she delivered her decision, seemingly accepting his offer. “You’re serious?” he asked, just to confirm that he hadn’t misunderstood her.
“Yes, I’m very serious,” she said with a soft laugh, looking so earnest, no doubts or uncertainties in her eyes or her expression. “I want you to be my baby daddy.”
Elation surged through him. If they’d been anywhere but in a room full of people, he would have wrapped her up in his arms and spun her around to express his excitement. He had so many other questions to ask, but another announcement came over the speakers for the bachelors to head to the stage, leaving him no choice but to leave her for now.
But it didn’t matter, because Skye was going to have his baby, their baby, and it was the first step in winning her back for good.
* * *
Skye accompanied Lauren as the two of them headed toward the stage for the bachelor auction. Initially, she’d intended to give her friend moral support while Lauren bid on one of the men to pose as her fake boyfriend at her sister’s upcoming wedding, but now Skye had her own agenda, as well.
“So, I told Tripp yes to his offer,” she said as they waited for the auction to begin, along with a lot of other eager women. “And he asked me to bid on him, no matter the amount, so that he wouldn’t have to spend the weekend with any other woman.”
Lauren grinned and looped her arm through Skye’s. “That’s because he’s a stand-up guy with morals and integrity. I mean, why would he want another woman when he has you?”
Skye’s face warmed at her friend’s words, but she rolled her eyes. “He doesn’t have me.”
Lauren waggled her brows playfully. “Well, technically he will be ‘having you’ for the foreseeable future until you get pregnant.”
Okay, she couldn’t argue with that, and maybe there was a part of her that was looking forward to the fantastic sex they would have to make a baby. Now that her nerves about telling Tripp “yes” had dissipated, she felt much more relaxed. And then there had been his reaction to her announcement, how genuinely excited he’d been, and the entire decision felt right to her. Now, she could just enjoy her time with Tripp, along with the baby making process, until she became pregnant.
Skye watched as all the bachelors took their place on the stage, but mostly her eyes remained on Tripp, who’d also found her in the crowd of women. His gaze met and held hers, and his smile was only for her, while his brother Drew spoke to the man standing beside him—Derek Bettencourt, she believed his name was. Having Tripp’s sole focus and attention released another round of those fluttering butterflies in her stomach.