His Indecent Proposal

by Holly Rayner

  Despite her initial relief at the fact that she was, in fact, capable of becoming pregnant, within hours of discovering that it had finally happened, Mia began to wonder what the next step with Rami would be.

  "So there's one thing that I am kind of?perplexed about," Mia said to him the next morning, as they sat on the couch having a light brunch together.

  "What's that, sweetheart?" Rami set his coffee cup down, turning all of his attention onto her.

  "So-obviously you still want to have the baby, right?"

  "Of course I do!" Rami nodded fervently.

  Mia pressed her lips together. "Well?as you know, originally, the plan had been for me to?to give the baby to you when it was born, right? And for us to go our separate ways." Rami waited for Mia to say more, looking at her intently. "So I guess what I mean is, when that happens, what are we going to do about?us?"

  "Oh. Yeah, that is a very good question," Rami said, reaching out to pull her closer to him on the couch. "Well," he began, taking a deep breath and exhaling. "If you're interested in being the child's mother?we could raise him or her together."

  "We've only been together for a couple of weeks," Mia pointed out. "Do you think we can do this together? I know you were thinking of raising the baby on your own."

  "I can't think of anything better," Rami told her, smiling. "It can't help but be even better for the baby to have both a father and a mother that loves it, right? And between the two of us-you know how to give our child all the love in the world, and I can make that he or she never wants for anything. It will be ideal, won't it?" Mia couldn't help but agree. She didn't hesitate as Rami brought her mouth up to his, kissing her hungrily as his hands took her cup and set it aside next to his. Mia's clothes fell away and she was more than happy to spend the next few hours continuing to celebrate their accomplishment in finally getting pregnant.

  Some time later, in the afternoon, Rami reached for his phone. "Who in the world are you calling?" Mia asked him, watching from the bed where they had spent the past few hours making love.

  "Dr. Farber," Rami said with a little grin. "I assume you still want to see her, right?"

  Mia laughed. "I wonder if she'll find it as funny as we do that after all that stress, strain, discomfort and money, you knocked me up the old fashioned way?"

  "If she has any sense at all," Rami said, holding the phone to his ear while he waited for the call to connect, "she'll laugh her ass off." Mia turned onto her side, stroking her hand over her abdomen. She could barely believe she was actually pregnant. She remembered what her mother had said to her, months before, just when she and Rami had agreed to start the IVF and Mia had started to become anxious about their lack of progress; even if Mia wasn't able to conceive artificially, she might find she was able to the "natural" way.

  "We have to tell my mom soon," Mia told Rami. He nodded, and Mia watched as he convinced the receptionist at the office to put him on the line with Dr. Farber.

  "I'll hold," Rami said agreeably. Mia feasted her eyes on him, clad in only his pajama pants. He was even more gorgeous underneath his expensive clothes than she had imagined, and every time they made love together she realized more and more just how lucky she was to have him. "Hello! Dr. Farber. I have some interesting news for you."

  Mia curled up as Rami delivered the news, giggling irrepressibly at the doctor's victorious shriek-which could be heard even several feet away. Once the doctor had congratulated the two of them on finally achieving their goal, Rami was transferred back to the front desk to schedule the first ultrasound session and fetal checkup. He was barely off the phone before he was in bed with Mia again, holding her close to him. "Don't even tell me you want to go again already," Mia said playfully.

  "It's not like I can make you more pregnant at this point," Rami pointed out. "But I know you need your rest. Do you feel like eating something finally?"

  "Now that you mention it, I am starving to death. How dare you deprive me of food!"

  Rami slipped out of the bed quickly. "You are going to stay right there, and I am going to cook you whatever you want to eat. Or if you want something I can't make, we can order in." He grinned.

  "This is what the rest of my pregnancy is going to be like, isn't it?"

  Rami nodded. "I might even get you an assistant, or-what's it called? A doula?" Mia laughed, shaking her head and burying her face against Rami's pillows for a moment until she was able to catch her breath.

  "Just make me breakfast and I'll stop complaining," she told him.

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