The Baby Contract

by Amy Brent

  “It’s very real,” Declan replied as he walked over to look out. “I stayed here for a work thing years ago, and I’ve been crazy about it ever since then. I knew that it was where I would be bringing you the moment you mentioned a vacation.” He rubbed my bare shoulders and smiled as I glanced at him. “Feel like you want a nap? It’s not always easy sleeping on a plane.”

  “Particularly when someone is manhandling you during said flights,” I teased as he kissed my damp hair. “I guess it might be a good idea. We can have some dinner and just stay in tonight.”

  “That’s the plan,” Declan said as he took my hand and led me to the bed. We both dropped down, naked but for our towels, as he looked me over slowly. “You are so damn beautiful, Rayna.”

  He held me as I fell asleep, my body pressing against him without thought. There was so much peace and love in this room, and I woke up smiling, my legs tangled with his. I rose first, looking outside before I went to use the bathroom and fix my messy hair into a loose ponytail. I went to my suitcase in the living room and pulled it back to the bedroom before I got his, smiling as he blinked when I came back into the bedroom.

  CHAPTER 22

  Declan

  I woke up slowly, seeing her bringing one of the suitcases into the bedroom. Rayna was wearing one of the robes from the bathroom, and her hair was pulled up, but she looked happy. “Morning,” I joked as she smiled at me and lifted her suitcase to the top of the big dresser. “Did you get both bags?” She nodded, and I whistled. “That’s my bad ass.”

  “Mine is probably heavier than yours,” she joked as she pulled out some denim cut off shorts that made my mouth water. Rayna found a red shirt that she held up, nodding to herself as she set it on top of the shorts. I sat up to stretch, feeling her gaze move to me as I moved. I loved that she always watched me. I pushed the sheets back and stood naked as I walked over to my own luggage and tossed it easily on the bed.

  “Walk on the beach, dinner, and another walk?” I asked as she nodded, figuring with one look out of the window that we had a few hours until sundown. I wanted to see the sun go down every chance that we got because it was always beautiful and just a hint different each time. I pulled out some board shorts and a t-shirt before slipping into them and found the shoes I’d worn for the flight.

  She looked incredible in the shorts that weren’t so short that I’d have to watch every man around us, but enough to be sexy. Under her shirt, she wore a thin lace bra, and she grabbed something from her bag and slipped it into her pocket as I cocked a brow at her. “Old phone. It’s going into the ocean,” she told me as I smiled broadly. “Old life.”

  I grabbed the key to the room and slipped it into my pocket before taking her hand and leading her to the door. We went down in the elevator and left the lobby to take the steps towards the beach. It was long and gorgeous with soft sand, and clear blue water and Rayna gasped as she stepped onto it. We made our way to the soft waves lapping against the shore, slipping off our shoes to kick them up where they could wait for us. There was another couple at the other end that had a little girl running around them, making us both smile. We went the other way, clasping hands and strolling together to some rocks as I watched her stare at the water. The temperature was perfect, and a light breeze blew around us, ruffling the purple ends of her hair as she laughed.

  Rayna walked onto the smooth rocks that hung over a part of the beach where the water gathered around it in harsher waves. She pulled out the old phone and looked out over the Mediterranean Sea before throwing it forcefully into the deeper water. She looked so focused, and I watched her as she mouthed some words and sadness crossed her face for a moment. It had to be hard letting go of a life that you know no matter how awful it was. I couldn’t understand why her parents wouldn’t support her but that was their choice, and I’d do everything in my power to let her know that I did. She leaned her head back and took a deep breath before jumping down from the rock and running into my arms. “Hi,” I said, embracing her tightly. “You okay?”

  “That felt good,” she murmured as she pressed her face into my chest and linked her arms around my back. We stood there like this for a few moments before turning to continue down the beach, turning around when we both started feeling hungry. I knew there was a casual cafe in the resort unless she wanted to eat on our balcony, and we held hands as we walked and she looked around.

  “Where do you want to eat?” I asked her once we were closer to the hotel, keeping my voice gentle. I knew that she was going through a lot emotionally and didn’t want to antagonize her, thinking how any of my friends would tell me that I was insane for getting myself in this situation in the first place.

  Maybe I was, but I loved her. I knew that I had the means to help her, willing to in any way. “Something easy at the cafe? I just want a burger or something.”

  “Perfect, baby.” She looked at me as I spoke, her eyes full in the late afternoon sun. Hadn’t I called her that already? We made our way to the door, walking inside as I asked for a table for two with a smile. It felt good to not be tethered to my laptop or phone, though I knew I’d check it later. We were taken to a table that overlooked the beach, ordering ice water as Rayna picked up her menu. She quickly decided on that burger while I went with a club sandwich, ordering from the waitress as she brought our drinks.

  “They all look at you the same way,” she said as she sipped the water and watched the woman walk away.

  “How’s that?” I asked with laughter in my voice. I liked jealous Rayna a little bit, though I didn’t understand her insecurity as I looked at her flawless face across the table.

  “Like they wish I weren't here,” was her response as I let the sound out of my throat.

  “They can wish it until their dying day, but I love you. Only you.” I reminded her as she blushed and pressed her lips together. I noticed that she hadn’t said it back to me, but I understood that. She didn’t seem the type to just tell anybody that and I wanted her to say it with true meaning in her voice. I felt it every time that she looked at me, as well as every time that she was in my arms. Rayna feared everything that was happening, but she was here with me and at my house before this. She brought a suitcase to my house, which told me a lot. I was willing to wait for her to tell me that she loved me, but she was going to hear it every chance that I had to say it to her.

  “French women are so beautiful, though. They look like supermodels,” she remarked as I smiled at her.

  “You’ll see all kinds of people here, Rayna. This is a popular place for tourists, and we can even take the train to Italy if you’d like. There’s a lot to see,” I offered as she nodded. “You don’t see the way that people look at you, do you?”

  “No. How?” She asked with wide eyes. I hadn’t been out with her in public a lot back home, but the few times that I was men looked her way. Hell, even women did. Here, every guy that we passed turned to look a little longer. I knew her hair was bright, but it wasn’t so unusual that nobody had ever seen it before. Rayna was just naturally beautiful in that girl next door way. She was my beautiful angel.

  “You are a stunning woman, Ray. Those blue eyes shine, and when you smile, you light up a room.” I couldn’t believe that she’d never been told this before. “You are beautiful effortlessly, and that’s a hard thing to do.”

  Our entrees arrived, and we ate eagerly, thankful for anything other than airplane food. The food tasted great as we discussed plans for tomorrow and even later tonight, one of which I knew was taking Rayna in our bed with the ocean air filling the room. I couldn’t wait to have her somewhere without limitations after the flight and the quick shower sex. It was fantastic, but I needed some time with her body, kissing those sweet lips as she moaned against me.

  I asked for some cake to go for dessert so we could sit on the beach and watch the sunset, making Rayna smile. The waitress brought it in a purple box after I paid and tipped her generously and we walked back on the sand and found a place to sit.


  We ate the rich dessert in the orange and purple rays of light, snapping pictures in between bites. It was always beautiful but seeing Rayna enjoying it with an easy smile on her face in that light took my breath away. I snapped a photo of her licking some frosting from the corner of her lips, and she glanced at me before I pulled her against me. I snapped one of the both of us smiling, and she stared at it for a long moment. “Text that to me,” she said with a hint of pain in her voice, looking at me.

  I did, and we finished watching it, sitting there until the dark of night fell around us. Our cake was gone, and we made our way to the room slowly, feeling our energy fading. Once we were there, I saved the picture on my phone for the background as she grinned and walked out on the balcony. “Did you see the coffee maker in the tiny kitchen? We can sit out here and drink it tomorrow morning,” she told me as I walked out behind her. It was cooler out now, and I draped a blanket around her shoulders as she relaxed.

  “I did. That is a requirement for hotels. I don’t always feel like going to the lobby for my caffeine,” I told Rayna as she shifted in my arms.

  “How often do you stay at hotels like that?” Rayna asked as I considered laughing at her. I traveled a lot for work, and the rooms weren’t always like this.

  “More than you think,” I assured her as I kissed her hair. “When you travel a lot for a job, it isn’t fun like this. It’s business, making a room just a room.”

  We stayed out there as long as we could handle the dropping temperature, looking at the stars and the moon. Once inside, I looked around the living room and took in the television and the fireplace. “Movie in here or the bedroom?” I asked her as she nibbled her lip and looked at me. Rayna dropped the blanket on the couch and walked barefoot towards the bedroom as I followed her, unable to do anything but that. She had the television on, and I made a small fire there just because I could, leaving the window cracked for some air as long as I could stand it.

  I walked to the bed where she had the remote, lifting my shirt off before I dropped beside her. Rayna had removed her shorts but still wore the shirt as I leaned in to kiss her neck. “Hi,” she whispered as my lips drew her skin between my teeth, making her shudder.

  “Hello, beautiful,” I responded as my hand wrapped around her waist slowly.

  We ended up making out with her on my lap, missing the entire random movie that was playing on HBO. Our clothes slowly slipped off, since we both knew that there was no hurry tonight or even in the following few weeks. I pushed her to her back and kissed down her neck, over her nipples before sucking one into my mouth. Her thighs were damp, and I felt her heat against my leg that was pressed between us for leverage, making me want to drop between them and take her with one hard thrust. I told myself to slow down as I tasted her sweet pink bud with a groan.

  I moved down her stomach and kissed the skin just above her dripping pussy before moving down to lick long and slow. She was so sweet, and I cleaned all of her before I found her clit and teased it ruthlessly until she was begging me to fuck her. She came against my tongue first with a scream before I moved over her and lined my cock up with her pussy. “Do you want me?” I asked her hoarsely as she nodded vigorously. “I am going to fuck you on the French Riviera, baby.” I moved inside of her as she dropped her head back. Fuck, she felt good. I moved in and out of her, lost in Rayna’s body as our moans mixed in the room. This bed, this room, this life…it was perfect. “Rayna…oh God.” I shot deep inside of her as she screamed my name. She came a second after me, clutching my shoulders tightly as she rocked with me, desperate to drag out the feeling.

  “This is the best feeling I’ve ever had,” she said as we lay on our sides, staring at each other. The room was lit with the orange flames and the forgotten television, and I tried to see her better.

  “I agree,” I told her as she leaned up to kiss me. We turned towards the large screen and cuddled together, falling asleep to it until I woke up to use the bathroom a few hours later. I turned the television off and crawled back into bed with her, pulling her warm body close.

  The bed was as comfortable as the one I had at home, and I sank into it as I kissed her hair. I drifted back to sleep and woke up with the sun shining outside of the window. I stretched and looked at her slowly, peaceful in her sleep as I grinned. I wanted to wake up with this woman for the rest of my life.

  I got up to use the bathroom again and went to make some coffee, as happy as I’d ever been. I took one cup and went out to the balcony to look at the picturesque view slowly, taking it all in. I reminded myself to check some emails for work before we started the day, but didn’t move.

  CHAPTER 23

  Rayna

  I woke up to the sun shining into the room and looked around in shock for a moment. Oh yes. I was on vacation. I was in fucking France. I stretched and took in what I could see of the blue water before I hurried to the bathroom and wrapped myself in the robe. It was a big suite, but I could smell the coffee, and I wanted it.

  I made my way down the hallway and looked outside to see Declan leaning against the railing with a cup in his hand. I made my own cup and looked around in awe for a long moment. It was so pretty in here with the cream walls and sage accent walls. Walking towards the slider, I slipped outside and joined him as he glanced at me. “Morning,” I said as I sipped the coffee. I pulled my hair up before coming out here and hoped that I didn’t look awful.

  “Morning. Sleep well?” I asked as she nodded and stared at the virtual postcard in front of us.

  “God. I want to wake up to this every day,” she murmured as she shook her head. I wasn’t joking in that I’d buy us something and stay here with her. Rayna would be worth the flights back and forth, just to keep her out of California where that asshole lived. “It's so beautiful.”

  We sipped from the cups, moving towards the table as we discussed the day. I said that I’d like to stay local if it was okay, still overwhelmed by the place that we were visiting. “Haven’t you visited Europe before?” Declan asked as I shrugged.

  “That was their trip, not mine. Plus, I was stuck on a boat just passing everything by for the most part. It was boring,” I said as he nodded slowly. “They traveled alone a lot. I stayed home with the nanny of the moment and talked with the chef as she cooked dinner, who is really my family. I might miss them the most.” It was meant to be a joke, but I knew that my bitterness was evident in my tone. “Jesus. I’m sorry. Why the hell…why do you want to be with me? I have so much luggage beyond what I brought here with us.”

  “We all have something going on, Ray. I don’t mind yours, and I’ll do what I can to help you with it,” I offered as she stared at me. “This probably isn’t ideal for a beginning relationship in the eyes of many people, but it is what it is. It happened for a reason, and I’ll take that.”

  “I guess that your situation is something that friends would warn me away from as well.” She shrugged. “They say that newly divorced men are assholes and on the rebound. They say that guys like you need a long time to be ready for anything good.”

  “That’s probably true,” He agreed as he shrugged. “I wasn’t looking for anything like this. Once I knew that it was over with Claire, I figured I’d work a lot and hang with the guys. That night changed everything for me.”

  “Yeah, it did for me as well. Just the idea of what I was doing changed things. I think I knew that I was done, something that I’d been working towards for a few years. I knew that being intimate with you, or anyone else that walked through that door was my breaking point. I’d never considered cheating before even though I felt like James was for years. I didn’t expect it to feel that good.” I smiled. “Life is so strange sometimes.” I played back everything I said and remembered that I was going to leave him after this.

  I stared back at the water quietly as his brow furrowed, waiting for me to tell him what was wrong. He finished first and said that he was going to check in with the office, disappearing inside. I sat there, telli
ng myself that I was just finishing my coffee and not hiding for a little while.

  We showered together, making love before we dressed for the day. Declan had a car delivered to the hotel this morning, wanting to relax on the way here. He was going to drive us the rest of the time unless we took the train somewhere. We went for breakfast in the bigger city, and I was horrified at the speed and quantity of little cars that were everywhere. “Be careful!” I said as I stilled in my seat. “I never want to drive again right now.”

  Declan chuckled, and I looked at him. “I got this. I know a great little place just around the corner that you’re going to love.” I bit my lip and looked down at my jeans and peasant shirt, finished off with some sandals that I could walk in. My hair was in loose waves around my shoulders, but I had something to pull it back wrapped around my wrist in case I needed it. It was gorgeous here, something I focused on instead of the crazy drivers that surrounded us.

  He parked on some curb, and we hopped out of the car, making me laugh as he took my hand and led me to a quaint little restaurant. I didn’t take French in school, so I knew nothing of that the words on the windows and menus meant, but I trusted Declan. He wouldn’t feed me something gross.