Read Online Baby by Design: Designing Love Book One (Crimson Romance) by Elley Arden - Free Book Online

threw her arms out to her side and slapped her palms to her head. In a blink her arms dropped to her sides and her hands disappeared into the sleeves of his suit coat. “I’ve been thinking about this, planning this a long time, but nothing prepared me for how ridiculous it would sound when I said it out loud.”
    Okay, now he was worried. Maybe something happened on the back of the bike. Maybe she had been hit on the head. “You’ve been thinking about having a baby…with me…for a long time?”
    She gave her head a crazy shake, one that further loosened the hair from its knot. “No. I only started thinking about having a baby with you earlier tonight, but I’ve been thinking about having a baby for two years now.” She exhaled. “Listen, I don’t expect you to fully understand. You can’t. You’re not adopted. You have blood relatives living on practically every block in Pittsburgh. But I don’t. I don’t have any. And I want one, only one. That’s all I’m asking for.” She rolled back her shoulders and lifted her chin. “Tony, I don’t want your money. I don’t want your undying love. I just want your sperm…and your family. In return, I’ll help you make one of Nonna’s wishes come true.” Air sputtered from her lips as she dropped her head.
    Damn. She was serious—or at least she thought she was serious. Either way, he couldn’t bolt, which was what the pea-sized, rational part of his brain was screaming for him to do. He owed her the chance to explain—or at least to talk herself out of the craziness.
    He stared at the top of her head, trying to determine his next move. All he could think was how he expected tonight to hold a proposition. He just never expected a proposition like this.
    • • •
    Trish wanted to drop to her knees and dig a hole where she could bury herself along with her ludicrous ideas. Any man in his right mind would run, but not before he tried to convince her to admit herself for observation at the nearest psychiatric unit.
    She saw the tips of Tony’s dress shoes before she saw his hand, reaching for hers.
    “Can we have this conversation inside?” He laced his fingers with hers and pulled her hand to his chest. “If I have relatives on every block in Pittsburgh, one of them is bound to see us. Can you imagine the rumors?”
    She lifted her head and spit out a laugh. “Yeah, well the rumors can’t be half as crazy as the truth.”
    Still he was smiling that crooked, heart-swelling grin that got her into this mess in the first place.
    “Come on,” he said, tossing his head toward the door and tugging on her hand until she had no choice but to follow.
    They walked the flagstone path in silence, giving Trish plenty of time to rehash her stupidity. But with her hand warmed in his, it was hard not to be hopeful. Maybe the idea wasn’t as crazy as it seemed.
    At the top of the porch steps, they stopped, and Tony faced her. “Key.” He pointed to her left breast.
    Trish looked at his finger, lightly touching the black fabric of his suit coat she was still wearing, and then he flipped the lapel and slipped his hand inside the pocket, all the while brushing her breast with the back of his hand.
    The moment was over in two blinks, but her goose-pimpled skin lingered.
    “After you,” he said, opening the front door, releasing her hand and stepping aside.
    She walked into her house, stopping in the foyer, staring at the black tips of her shoes, listening to the door closing behind them.
    “Point me to the kitchen. I’ll make you some tea.”
    “Tea?” She turned around on the random offer.
    Tony shrugged. “People in distress always drink tea on TV.” His crooked smile didn’t take the edge off the word “distress.”
    “I’m not distressed, Tony, and I don’t want tea.”
    “Okay.” He shoved his hands into his pockets and inhaled enough to raise his chest against the cool blue of his dress shirt. He looked bigger and stronger than she remembered, and