The Baby Contract: A Single Dad Romance

by Charlotte Byrd

  I just chuckled, ducking down to nuzzle the side of her face. The movement caused our wet bodies to slide together, and Lexi gasped as her nipples rubbed against my chest. That had me grinning again, and I held her tighter as I started rubbing my hands up and down her back.

  “W-what are you doing?” she stuttered, her voice breathy.

  “Say my name, Lexi,” I murmured against her ear, giving her lobe a light lick. “If you’ve forgotten, the name is Ryan. Say it.”

  My hands slid down her back to cup her ass cheeks, and she let out a moan.

  “Ryan,” she gasped. “Please…”

  “Please what?”

  She didn’t reply, and I didn’t wait for one.

  Lexi clung to me, even as I reached for the shower gel again. I liked feeling her pressed up against me, but I had to push her off just a little bit so I could wash her properly. She kept her eyes closed and head turned down so I wouldn’t see her expression, but there was no way I could miss the gasps and moans she let out as I rubbed the liquid soap all over her body. She trembled, and I wanted so badly just to take her again.

  I knew better than that, though. I craved so much more because it had been a while for me since I last had sex. But, she might have to leave in the future, and I didn’t want her to have bad memories of me when I was the first guy she’d given herself to. Some women were sensitive about those sorts of things, and I knew Lexi would be one of them. I couldn’t let my wants get in the way of her needs, not even over the fucking contract.

  “Ryan,” she whispered, her voice shaking.

  I blinked at her as she pulled me out of my thoughts. I was momentarily surprised by the positioning of my hands, one of them massaging her breasts, the other running on the insides of her thighs.

  “Wha…?” I muttered, feeling a little confused. Fuck, did my mind suddenly have a mind of its own, or what?

  “My body’s feeling a little hot,” Lexi gasped.

  She finally looked up at me, and I grit my teeth against the temptation to take her again. Lexi was fantastic. Our first time left me wanting more, and I just knew the whole baby making exercise with her was going to be such a great fucking ride. One I would never forget.

  I had to play this cool. If not for her sake, then for my conscience. The girl had enough taken from her; there was no need for me to completely steal her innocence.

  “What do you need?” I asked, and at that moment, I was serious. I wasn’t trying to tease her. I may have laid down the terms of the contract, but she was offering me her body, and I had to respect that. “Tell me what you want me to do.”

  Hesitantly, one of her hands moved from where she was holding onto my forearm. Instead, she placed it on the hand between her thighs, spreading her legs a little further, and applied a little pressure on the back of my hand to slide it up a bit higher. With her direction, I palmed her sex, fingers teasing at her entrance.

  “I want you to touch me here,” she said, the words bold, but her voice was quiet and wavering. Her eyes flickered down for a minute before they were back to staring into mine. “I… want you to make me come. Please.”

  I watched her for a minute, then ducked down to press a quick peck on her forehead.

  “Whatever you want, Lexi,” I promised.

  As much as shower sex could be amazing, I’d always been wary of it, because it was so fucking risky. I’d been a little less about taking risks after Kora died. I could make this one exception, though.

  I shifted us around, moving carefully until I had her back pressed against the tiled wall. I didn’t remove my hands from where they were positioned though, playing with her breasts and her clit, with my fingers teasingly brushing her entrance as our positions shifted. I delighted in the shaky gasps pouring out of her mouth as I pleasured her. She was holding onto me once again, tightly, and the sting of her nails digging into my shoulder and arm only satisfied me.

  “I’m going to make you feel really good,” I whispered to her.

  “Ryan,” she breathed out, tilting her head back, her eyes going half-lidded, mouth parted as she breathed in short pants. Her head was out from under the shower spray, or she would have drowned like that.

  I leaned down to press kisses to her neck, licking up drops of water clinging to her skin. The hand on her breast squeezed gently; then I rubbed her nipple with my thumb, then moved the hand to her other breast to give it the same treatment. My fingers between her legs were circling her clit at the same time, and her body gave little jerks at the twin assault.

  “Ryan!”

  Lexi’s voice was higher this time, the sound bouncing around us in the shower enclosure, and I guessed she was getting close. I pressed my mouth against hers to muffle her noises in a kiss, as I slid a careful finger inside her followed by a second. I thrust in and out of her with careful movements, crooking my fingers as they pulled out, rubbing against her clit with the heel of my palm. Using the hand I had on her breasts, I rolled and tugged, rubbed and pinched her nipples. I pressed my body close to hers, bracing her against the tiles so she wouldn’t move too much.

  She let out a cry in my mouth as I felt her body break out into a full shudder, her walls convulsing around my fingers. I pulled them out of her, instead focusing my attention on her clit, rubbing furiously, bringing her as much pleasure as possible. It would have been better to do it on a bed, but we’d get that chance later.

  Lexi’s body slumped against the tiles as the waves of her climax passed, and I finished cleaning the both of us up.

  I got us out of the shower, and I toweled her down, then left her to get dressed, pulling on my pants so I could switch out her sheets, instead of calling for the maids. I didn’t do too great a job of making the bed, but by the time Lexi was ready to go to sleep, she didn’t look like she cared. She just crawled in and got under the covers, easing into sleep the moment she lay down.

  “Good night, Lexi,” I murmured.

  I watched her a moment longer before I picked up the rest of my clothes, turned off the lights, and headed to my room. I didn’t realize until I had my door closed behind me that I’d had a huge smile on my face the entire time.

  Chapter 11 - Lexi

  I woke up to find myself alone in bed. I blinked my eyes as I looked around in confusion.

  Wasn’t Ryan with me when I fell asleep?

  I lifted my arms above my head and stretched out, only to freeze when I felt various aches all over my body. It was enough to bring back the memory from last night, and my face immediately heated up in a blush.

  “Fuck,” I muttered to myself, lifting the covers over my head and curling up under them, ignoring the aches this time.

  Ryan and I… did it. We had sex last night. I wasn’t a virgin anymore.

  I squeezed my eyes shut and let out a little squeal as I squirmed under the covers. There was this big grin on my face, even though a part of me was still dazed from all of this.

  After a few minutes of nearly suffocating myself under the covers, I threw them off. I sat up, wincing a little when the ache between my legs got worse, but it wasn’t anything I couldn’t handle. I’d gone through periods without medication; I could handle the after-effects of losing my virginity.

  Last night was… amazing.

  Ryan had made love to me in this bed. Then, he’d taken me to the shower and made me orgasm with just his hands. I found myself hoping we could do so much more of it as I slid out of bed. I headed for the bathroom, feeling my face heat up once more as I remembered Ryan washing me after getting me to orgasm for the second time. I hoped there would be more of that as well. A part of me had been worried that he’d just fuck me and leave me alone to keep to the terms of the contract.

  Technically, he did, my mind pointed out. But, at least he’d stayed for a bit until I fell asleep.

  I took a quick shower then left the bathroom with a towel wrapped around me. I patted my body dry, then found some clothes to wear. Since I’d been staying at Ryan’s house, the maids had b
een cleaning my clothes and hanging them up in the closet for me. It was such a spacious room and it made me realize I didn’t have much with me. I wondered if he could give me some cash in advance so I could buy some more clothes. I would have to ask.

  Dressed once again in old jeans and a t-shirt, I left my bedroom. I stopped just outside, feeling a moment of awkwardness as I wondered exactly where I was supposed to go. But then my stomach growled, and I shrugged, figuring I could go to check the dining room, see if any food was ready.

  I got there, though, and the room was empty. It took me a minute to realize I was pouting.

  “Excuse me, miss?”

  I looked up at the unfamiliar voice to find a maid standing at the entrance to the dining room.

  “Yes?” I said cautiously.

  As was the pattern for the last few days, any time they talked to me, it was because they had a message for me from Ryan. I missed Grace, the maid I’d met the day I’d arrived, and I wondered for the first time where she was and why I hadn't seen her again. Yeah, Ryan’s home was spacious, as were the grounds, but I should have run into her at some point, right?

  Or, did he send her off with his son? The way she talked about them, she could have been closer to them than the other workers, so it was entirely possible…

  “Mr. Gold asked that you have breakfast on your own this morning. Are you ready to eat? We can have the table set for you in a minute.”

  Well… I was hungry, and this was one of those days where he’d leave me alone, so why not?

  “I’ll have breakfast, please,” I answered.

  She left me with a smile and a short nod. I moved to sit down at the dining table. Several minutes later, three maids walked in to set the table in front of me. I was drooling from the scent of it alone before I even had the meal in front of me. It was a full breakfast, with a plate of toast, pancakes, bacon and eggs, with bottles of strawberry jam and syrup. There was a carafe of coffee and a mug, as well as a carton of orange juice and a glass.

  Damn!

  I thought it was way too much for just me. I’d gotten pretty used to not even having breakfast, so having all of this food in front of me, when it was just me, was a bit intimidating. I’d learned, though, that in this house, everything was extravagant, including the food.

  “Thank you,” I called out to the maids as they walked out of the room.

  I didn’t get a reply, but I wasn’t waiting for one. I dug into the meal, eating happily. My mind drifted as I ate, and I wondered what was going on at home. I wondered if any of my friends even knew I’d left, because I’d gotten no messages from any of them. My mom obviously wouldn’t be reaching out to me, and I pushed aside all thoughts of her and how she was living. She’d raised me, in her way, and a part of me felt responsible for her, but not to the point I would ruin my chances at a better future.

  Maybe… once I get the payout, I can send her some cash. And I can just be free of her after that completely.

  It felt fair.

  Even though I didn’t think I could finish everything on my plate, somehow, I did. I was at the table for nearly an hour, though, and the maids walked back into the room to take the dirty dishes, just as I took the last sip of orange juice, though I’d only had half a glass because I’d already had some coffee. I was feeling full, and I sat back and watched them do their job.

  “Miss?”

  One of the maids set down a small silver tray with a folded paper in front of me.

  “This is a message from Mr. Gold,” she told me. Then she nodded and left with the others.

  I stared at the note, biting down on my lower lip. After a minute of staying still, I reached for the note. My heartbeat picked up as I slowly unfolded it and read the contents.

  Come to my room tonight. Ten p.m.tonight, and not a minute later.

  Under it, was how to get to his room from mine, since I’d never been there.

  My heart was beating so hard right then it felt like it wanted to beat right out of my chest. It was just a simple note, but already my body was getting fired up in anticipation. I mourned a little to myself that I’d have to wait until tonight, crossing my legs and squeezing my thighs as I focused on breathing through the throbbing that was going on between my thighs.

  Fuck!

  I hadn't known him that long, and already this man had me wrapped around his fingers. Just the thought of him was enough to get me hot and ready. I took the note with me as I went back to my bedroom, deciding to stay there for the day. I’d have to find something to entertain myself so I wouldn’t lose my mind in between then and when I had to meet Ryan.

  “It’s just… twelve hours,” I muttered to myself as I dropped onto my bed. “Then we can meet…”

  Impatience was growing in my chest though, and I tamped it down. My thoughts immediately went to last night, and I threw an arm over my eyes with a groan, resisting the temptation to touch myself, to try and get myself off. Ryan had done it so easily, but I’d never made myself orgasm before.

  I can’t wait to see him again, I thought, biting down on my lower lip. To have him touching me again.

  I willed time to move faster as I picked up my phone and decided to surf for news online to keep myself busy.

  Chapter 12 - Ryan

  I was waiting in my room, pacing in indecision. I glanced at the watch on my wrist and grimaced.

  “Shit,” I muttered. “Too much time.”

  I wanted Lexi badly, but I knew I needed to give her space after last night before I scared her away. Also, I needed to get control of myself, and I’d thought some space between us would be a good thing, for the both of us.

  But I could barely stand it. I hadn't left the house the whole day; I’d barely left my room because I was worried I would run into her. More than that, I was worried that I would go looking for her deliberately when I was supposed to be staying away. It was harder than I’d thought it would be, keeping away from this woman that I hadn't known for longer than a week.

  After another round of pacing, I checked my watch again. It was a few minutes to seven p.m.; the time food was usually set in the dining room. I’d had breakfast in my room, just in case Lexi woke up early, even though she usually sleeps later than I do. Lunch was the same. I’d pretty much wasted an entire day in my room, too scared to even make a break for my home office. I didn’t do work in my room, so I’d pretty much just played games on my large screen, which wasn’t as fun without Edward here to enjoy it with me, or at least my friend joining me online for a game or two.

  It reminded me so much of my teenage days, and I wondered now how I’d survived for days doing nothing but playing mindless video games. After I’d entered adult life, I just didn’t see them the same way.

  “Do I go see her, or not?” I asked aloud. “I told her to come to my room, but what if she wants me there?”

  There was no convenient way to ask without letting her know I wanted to be there. And it would just be silly to ask the girl if I could join her at the table in my dining room. So after some more pacing, I let out an explosive sigh and moved to my closet.

  “Might as well join her. She might get lonely by herself,” I said to myself, feeling hopeful.

  I’d spent the day in a pair of sweats and a t-shirt, but it wasn’t nearly good enough to show up in front of Lexi in. So I switched them out for a formal pair of slacks and a button-down shirt. I left the shirt open at the collar, fastened the cuffs, and then pulled on a belt. I pulled on a pair of loafers and left my room.

  I got to the dining room, just in time for the maids setting the table to see me and realize I would be sitting at the table. They’d already set one place, but they added another for me, at my usual chair. By the time Lexi walked in, several minutes later, the food was all set, and I was just waiting for her to eat.

  “Lexi,” I said in greeting, pushing back my chair so I could stand.

  She’d frozen in the doorway, looking at me with wide eyes, like she was surprised to see me.
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br />   “Ryan?” she said, sounding confused. “I… didn’t think I’d be seeing you until later.”

  I ran a nervous hand down the front of my shirt, hoping she wouldn’t recognize the movement for what it was.

  “I… decided it would be a waste to have our meals served separately. Please, sit.”

  I gestured toward her chair on the opposite side of me, and she finally moved from the doorway. Her movements were tentative, but she walked across the room and to her chair. I sat down in my seat at the head of the table, and she sat to my right.

  Once we were both seated, I looked to Lexi, waiting for her to start eating. But, she didn’t move, staring right back at me. Neither of us said a word, though we probably both had a lot we wanted to say. I almost pushed myself forward to begin first, to ask how she’d been, if she felt fine from last night, physically and emotionally. If she’d missed me as much as I’d missed her over the course of the day.

  Instead, I picked up the utensils, ready to start digging in.

  “Can I ask you a few questions?”

  That had me pausing and looking back at her. I was a little surprised she’d mustered up the courage where I couldn’t. Then I set the utensils down and pursed my lips at her.

  “Do they all pertain to the contract?” I asked.

  She nodded slowly. “A few of them are personal, but I do mostly want to find out more about this contract.”

  I returned her nod. “Very well. You can ask whatever you want, but I get to decide whether to answer you or not. I would also like to ask if we can eat while we speak. The food will get cold.”

  “All right,” she muttered, picking up her utensils.

  When I saw her starting to eat, I followed suit, waiting for her questions. I made sure I looked unflappable on the outside, but I was worried about her questions and whether or not I could answer any of them to her satisfaction. Was she going to up and leave if she wasn’t satisfied?

  “I’ve meant to ask,” she started slowly after a few more minutes of silence. “About your wife. I mean… Edward’s mother. I haven’t seen a picture of her anywhere; I only guessed you were married. Were the two of you… in the same…?”