Read Online Tug of Attraction by Ashlyn Chase - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Ashlyn Chase
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long?”
“In my day a man would grow his long flowing locks over his shoulders and tie it back when he needed to keep it out of his face.”
“In your day men wore white lace.”
She made a flippant noise and then said, “You asked. I told you. Now, if you don’t want my advice, don’t ask for it. Just turn on the TV before you leave.”
“I’m not going anywhere.”
“Well, I’d storm off and slam the door, but I can’t.”
“C’mon, Charlotte. Don’t be mad. I’ll turn on the TV, but I have other things to do.”
“Like what?”
“Like researching artificial insemination. She said it’s expensive. Maybe I can offer her a loan.”
Charlotte laughed. “I still think you should just give her your seed and be gone. It would serve her right. She’ll think about you every night at about two a.m. when she has to get up with a wailing infant.”
* * * *
B rigit heard the phone and wasn’t sure if it was part of her dream or not. When it didn’t stop ringing, she rolled over and lifted the receiver.
“Brigit? Can you come over?”
She sat up in her canopy bed and rubbed her eyes. “Ethan? Are you okay? What time is it?”
“Huh? Oh, yeah. It’s early. Did I wake you up?”
“Kind of.”
“Sorry about that. I was just reading up on artificial insemination and—well, it would be better if you come over to discuss this.”
“What’s to discuss? I told you I can’t afford it.”
“But it’s not that expensive. It’s only about seven hundred dollars per treatment in Boston.”
Brigit chuckled. “Your ‘only seven hundred dollars’ is ‘Eek! Seven hundred whole dollars!’ to me. And it’s rare if it happens to work on the first try. It can take a normal person up to four tries. Add to that someone like me with possible fertility issues, and you can see where the bills would pile up quickly.”
“Pardon me for bringing this up, but I thought your parents were rich.”
Brigit frowned. “My mother used to say that divorcing well was every bit as important as marrying well. I refuse to ‘get rich’ that way.”
“I admire that, but I could loan you the money. You wouldn’t have to pay me back for, well, I don’t know. We could work it out, so it won’t be a hardship.”
She laid back on her pillow. “That’s really sweet of you, Ethan, but if I pay you back at a rate I could afford with normal interest, I might get you paid back by the time the little tyke goes to college—and only on a full scholarship.”
“Bridge. Work with me here. I’m trying to help you.”
“I know, and like I said, that’s the sweetest thing anyone has ever offered to do for me. That’s why you’re the right man for the job. Don’t you see?”
“Ah, no. I’m confused. Because I’d like to pay for your artificial insemination, I’m the right guy to get you pregnant and walk away?”
“Because you care about my happiness. You want to help me make my dream come true.”
“Of course I do.”
She lowered her voice to a sexy whisper. “Not every guy would care. In fact, I think you’re one of the very few. You’re special, Ethan. I mean that in the best way.”
“Ms. Love, are you trying to seduce me?”
She chuckled. “Well, yeah. I’ve been trying for a few weeks now, and I’m not doing a very good job. I thought I’d be waking up with you beside me by now.”
Silence on the other end of the phone had her wondering what she’d said wrong.
“Would you give me breakfast?”
She laughed. “Sure. That’s the least I could do. I’ll cook you a big fortifying dinner the night before too, if you like.”
“Mmm...that sounds tempting.”
“Good. Think about it, then. Just say the word and I’ll show up at your place with a meatloaf, potatoes, and a dozen eggs.”
“My place?” After a brief pause he spit out, “Oh, yeah. Because I can’t know where you live. Goddess forbid.”
“I think it’s for the best. I can promise you, I don’t live in a hovel.
“In my day a man would grow his long flowing locks over his shoulders and tie it back when he needed to keep it out of his face.”
“In your day men wore white lace.”
She made a flippant noise and then said, “You asked. I told you. Now, if you don’t want my advice, don’t ask for it. Just turn on the TV before you leave.”
“I’m not going anywhere.”
“Well, I’d storm off and slam the door, but I can’t.”
“C’mon, Charlotte. Don’t be mad. I’ll turn on the TV, but I have other things to do.”
“Like what?”
“Like researching artificial insemination. She said it’s expensive. Maybe I can offer her a loan.”
Charlotte laughed. “I still think you should just give her your seed and be gone. It would serve her right. She’ll think about you every night at about two a.m. when she has to get up with a wailing infant.”
* * * *
B rigit heard the phone and wasn’t sure if it was part of her dream or not. When it didn’t stop ringing, she rolled over and lifted the receiver.
“Brigit? Can you come over?”
She sat up in her canopy bed and rubbed her eyes. “Ethan? Are you okay? What time is it?”
“Huh? Oh, yeah. It’s early. Did I wake you up?”
“Kind of.”
“Sorry about that. I was just reading up on artificial insemination and—well, it would be better if you come over to discuss this.”
“What’s to discuss? I told you I can’t afford it.”
“But it’s not that expensive. It’s only about seven hundred dollars per treatment in Boston.”
Brigit chuckled. “Your ‘only seven hundred dollars’ is ‘Eek! Seven hundred whole dollars!’ to me. And it’s rare if it happens to work on the first try. It can take a normal person up to four tries. Add to that someone like me with possible fertility issues, and you can see where the bills would pile up quickly.”
“Pardon me for bringing this up, but I thought your parents were rich.”
Brigit frowned. “My mother used to say that divorcing well was every bit as important as marrying well. I refuse to ‘get rich’ that way.”
“I admire that, but I could loan you the money. You wouldn’t have to pay me back for, well, I don’t know. We could work it out, so it won’t be a hardship.”
She laid back on her pillow. “That’s really sweet of you, Ethan, but if I pay you back at a rate I could afford with normal interest, I might get you paid back by the time the little tyke goes to college—and only on a full scholarship.”
“Bridge. Work with me here. I’m trying to help you.”
“I know, and like I said, that’s the sweetest thing anyone has ever offered to do for me. That’s why you’re the right man for the job. Don’t you see?”
“Ah, no. I’m confused. Because I’d like to pay for your artificial insemination, I’m the right guy to get you pregnant and walk away?”
“Because you care about my happiness. You want to help me make my dream come true.”
“Of course I do.”
She lowered her voice to a sexy whisper. “Not every guy would care. In fact, I think you’re one of the very few. You’re special, Ethan. I mean that in the best way.”
“Ms. Love, are you trying to seduce me?”
She chuckled. “Well, yeah. I’ve been trying for a few weeks now, and I’m not doing a very good job. I thought I’d be waking up with you beside me by now.”
Silence on the other end of the phone had her wondering what she’d said wrong.
“Would you give me breakfast?”
She laughed. “Sure. That’s the least I could do. I’ll cook you a big fortifying dinner the night before too, if you like.”
“Mmm...that sounds tempting.”
“Good. Think about it, then. Just say the word and I’ll show up at your place with a meatloaf, potatoes, and a dozen eggs.”
“My place?” After a brief pause he spit out, “Oh, yeah. Because I can’t know where you live. Goddess forbid.”
“I think it’s for the best. I can promise you, I don’t live in a hovel.
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