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if it means I have to be nothing more than an old friend of the family.”
    Abel’s hand squeezed mine. “Not all men are like that. Some of us aren’t afraid of commitment.”
    “I know, but it was disheartening when those seemed to be the only men I was getting offers from.”
    I didn’t miss the way his brows pinched together, almost like he was upset. “So you decided that since you didn’t believe you’d have a child of your own with someone you fell in love with, you’d give the gift of a child to someone else?”
    Biting my lip, I nodded.
    “And you choose me because . . . ?” His voice was almost gentle, the softest I’d ever heard it.
    I met his eyes. “Because the world needs more good fathers.”
    His face softened, his hand tugging me closer. “And you believed I’d be one of those good fathers?”
    Being closer to him made my heart beat faster. At this distance, I could smell the hint of sweat on him from what he’d been doing outside. The faint aroma of whatever cologne or aftershave he’d put on earlier.
    “Yes,” I answered. “I believe that.”
    His other hand lifted to slide a loose curl behind my ear. “You’re right. I will be one of those good fathers. I promise you that. I swear on the life of the child we’ll create together.”
    His words. They were still messing with me. My heart seemed to want him as badly as the area between my legs did. I couldn’t let myself feel this way for him. I had to keep some kind of careful distance so that at the end of all of this, I didn’t leave behind the baby and my heart.
    “Why did you pick me?” I asked after a moment.
    Abel’s fingers tied deeper through mine. “Because the world needs more good mothers too. And no matter what capacity you are in this baby’s life, I will always know that my child has just that kind. I know that your goodness will always be a part of it.”
    I really didn’t want to cry in front of Abel Lockwood, but if he kept saying those kinds of things, I was going to. Everything I’d always dreamed of hearing come from a man I cared about, who wanted to settle down and have a family with me one day, was coming from the one in front of me who was paying me to have his child.
    It was a conflicting realization.
    “Did you know that when we met this morning, we’d be sitting on your kitchen floor tonight, wiping up cherry pie, and having this kind of conversation?” I asked.
    He shrugged, his eyes firing. “Well, no. I thought it would be apple pie instead.”
    When I laughed, he joined me until our shared laughter filled the entire kitchen. It filled my heart too. Complications of feeling attraction or more for this man aside, I’d made the right pick. The baby I made with him would grow up happy and loved. Despite all that was to come, I felt an overwhelming amount of relief.
    “About tomorrow night . . .”
    Abel was still chuckling, but it came to a succinct stop.
    “I was wondering if you had any”—I cleared my throat, able to look everywhere but into his eyes—“you know, certain requests.”
    Thank goodness for the dark because my cheeks felt so hot they could have combusted. I was proud of myself for asking though. It had been on my mind, and I thought tomorrow would be easier if I knew what his expectations were. If he had any.
    Even though I wasn’t looking right at him, I saw Abel’s smile from the corner of my eyes, and it made me feel heat in other places too.
    “Why? Are you taking special requests?”
    “No, I’m not a DJ, but I thought it would made things easier for us both—or for me at least—if I had an idea of how tomorrow night will go.”
    The harder he tried to make eye contact, the harder I fought it. This was, by far, the most uncomfortable conversation of my life.
    “Do you have any special requests?” His tone was playful but gentle.
    Taking a moment to consider that, I shook my head. I couldn’t come up with anything that wouldn’t make me sound like I had no idea