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

shot.”
    “I’m flattered.”
    “But you still think I’m crazy.”
    “No, I get why you want a baby, and I respect that you’ve given it a lot of thought.”
    “But you don’t want to have a baby with me.”
    He laughed, stood and crossed the carpet to settle on the sofa beside her where he wrapped his hands around hers. “There’s still more to think about.”
    “Like?”
    His thumbs traced tiny circles on her knuckles. “What’ll Ange say about this?”
    Trish managed a painful swallow as she watched Tony’s thumbs swirl. She wished the luscious sensation of being held in his hands outweighed the sickening sensation of imagining Angie’s reaction to the news. “She wasn’t happy I asked you to the wedding.”
    “Exactly. Vin wasn’t happy either. We could screw up a lot here, Trish.”
    She knew that, but she knew something else, too. “Think of Nonna, Tony.” Trish squeezed his hands. “And what if we had a son? We could do a lot of good here, too.”

CHAPTER SEVEN
    Tony didn’t think Trish was crazy, but he might be. Sitting on the couch beside her with the proposition floating between them, he was 99 percent in favor of having a baby with her. It would certainly solve his problem of what big, happy contribution he could make to Nonna’s wish list. And heck, he wasn’t getting any younger. Thirty-three wasn’t old, but if he waited for the urge to do things the traditional way, it would be too late.
    He glanced at her, studying the palms of her hands. She slid a stack of silver rings up and down her index finger. If he was going to have a child with anyone, she’d be a good choice, not because of any romantic notions, but because he liked her, respected her, knew she’d raise a child right, which in Tony’s opinion meant lots of love and security. If her business and friendships were any indication, Trish DeVign didn’t do anything halfway.
    And heck, she was gorgeous. Making a kid with her was bound to create a perfect human specimen. Still, it wasn’t an easy decision. There were…logistics. Whens and hows. Not that he didn’t know how to get a woman pregnant, but Trish was the designer of this plan, maybe she wanted to handle things medically rather than the old-fashioned way.
    Tony liked the old-fashioned way.
    He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his widened knees. “You said you’ve been thinking about this for a long time, got it all planned out. How exactly did you imagine making this baby?”
    She squirmed on the cushion beside him, shoving her folded hands between her locked thighs. “The usual way.”
    Tony smiled.
    “I’m totally clean,” she continued. “I can get paperwork from my doctor as proof. I was just there…to make sure, so you don’t have to worry about that. Of course, I’d want verification that you’re good, too. Oh, and you don’t have to worry about knocking my socks off or anything. It’s purely clinical. Tactical. You know?”
    No. He didn’t. He hadn’t had sex in the purely clinical sense since he was seventeen. He wasn’t sure he could go back to that, even if he wanted to. “That’s a bummer. You said we had chemistry.”
    “We do.”
    “Then what makes you think we can’t have a little fun while we make a baby?”
    She shrugged. “I’m a little uptight when I’m trying to achieve something.” She looked everywhere but him, pulling her bottom lip between rows of perfect teeth.
    He chuckled. “Are we talking baby or orgasm here?”
    The red of her cheeks matched the red stripe on her walls. “Both,” she squeaked.
    He squeezed her knee. “Trust me. You would be in good hands—on both accounts.”
    Either the contact or the words made her jump, and her jump made Tony wonder how she’d ever relax enough to actually go through with her plan.
    He straightened and angled his body to her. “We need to sleep on this.” She opened her mouth and sucked in a breath. “In separate beds,” he added with a smile. “I need to go