Page 4 of Surrogate with Benefits

“You keep saying ‘us’ and ‘ours’,” she said finally. “Maybe I’m confused, but Annie specifically mentioned you weren’t married, or even attached.”

“I’m not,” I said. “We’renot.”

“See?” she smirked shrewdly. “There goes that ‘we’ thing again.”

Staring back into her perfect, porcelain face, I cocked my head in confusion. “You mean she didn’t tell you?”

Jordyn brought the bottle back to her full, beautiful lips. She took a slow sip before shrugging. “She said a little. She told me you had a ‘unique situation’.”

“That’s an understatement.”

Her mouth twisted into a little pout. It was a cute pout, though.

“Well if I’m going to be the birth mother of your child,” she said smartly, “don’t you think you should let me in on it?”

I chuckled inwardly, admiring how direct she was. “Yeah,” I agreed. “That sounds like it would make sense.”

She was fiery. Sharp-tongued, too. I liked that. And did I mention beautiful?

“You wouldn’t be a surrogate for just me,” I began slowly, “but rather for all three of us. You see, I have two close friends — closer than any other friends in the world. We work together. We live together. We—”

I could see the wheels already turning in her head. I had to stop them.

“No, not likethat,” I interrupted myself. “These men are like brothers to me. We’re friends and business partners andthat’s it,” I smirked. “If that’s what you were thinking.”

“Uh huh.”

“Anyway we’ve worked our entire lives building our business to incredible heights, but in doing so we sacrificed everything else,” I explained. “As a result, none of us are married. None of us have the time to even keep a girlfriend,” I told her wistfully. “Not for very long, anyway.”

“And yet you want a child,” she said sardonically.

“Yes.”

My answer was simple and genuine, as strange as it sounded. I knew the idea seemed crazy, and I was even glad she picked up on it. I could only hope she would understand.

“Jordyn, we’re at the point in our lives where we’re ready to slow down,” I explained. “We want sons. Daughters. But we also want to raise our children together, as a family, the way we’ve done everything else. And there’s only one way to do that without worrying about divorce, or splitting time with them because of a broken home.”

“And that’s where I come in?” she asked glibly.

I laughed and tipped my beer back. “Now you’re getting it.”

For a complete stranger she seemed so casual. So comfortable. Almost like I knew her already.

I could see why Annie had pushed for her.

“And you already have an egg donor?” Jordyn asked.

“The best one around,” I grinned. “Sherri’s been our friend and mentor for half our lives, but she can’t carry a child. She’s happy to be the donor though, and she’s all ready to start her stimulation cycle. Once we’ve locked in a surrogate, of course.”

“But there’sthreeof you,” she pointed out.

“Yes.”

“So how does that—”

“We’re all simultaneously providing thematerial,” I said with a sly smile. “That part was a little tricky, but the doctors and lawyers have it all worked out already. Once embryos form, we decided upon zero genetic testing. Implantation will occur strictly by highest-to-lowest grade, with any remaining embryos frozen for future implantation and later pregnancies.”

“Wow,” she said, arching an eyebrow. “All three of you. Trying at once.”