Chapter 26 #2
“Or maybe,” he begins, staring me down, “this is your way of asking me whether I’d be willing to contribute to your cause.”
My lips part in a gasp. “I’m not … I didn’t—”
“I want to help you, Claire,” he interrupts me to declare, and I think I might be speechless for the first time in my life. “It’s one of the reasons I’m here, so I could give you better advice.”
I clear my throat. “You mean, you want to help me fix my infertility problems.”
“I owe you a few favors, don’t I?”
“Sure,” I say, my mind still reeling from his last suggestion.
Then he inclines his head and lowers his voice before adding, “But, for the record, my crazy Catholic rules wouldn’t keep me from making a charitable donation, especially if you’d be willing to collect it the old-fashioned way. In fact, that’s actually encouraged.”
“It is?” I choke out, and one side of his mouth curls up in a crooked smirk so sexy I’m tempted to rob him of a contribution on the spot.
“Yep. Didn’t you hear Tenley? We’re huge fans of that whole ‘open to life’ mentality for married couples,” he drawls as he picks up the pencil and uses it to tap my left ring finger.
He shifts his attention back to the charting activity after that, as if he hasn’t just stunned me by extending both an indecent proposition and a marriage proposal in the last few seconds.
“Does anyone need more time?” Tenley asks while I struggle to form an appropriate response to Dangerous Rowan’s first public appearance in Camellia.
But what in the hell am I supposed to say after that? I didn’t even come here with the intention of learning about the family-planning side of things, yet here I am, shopping for a baby daddy and reconsidering my budget.
You cannot make him a counteroffer, I tell myself, especially since there’s no guarantee I could make a baby at all. But I still give in to the urge to pretend it’s possible, just for a second.
My gaze runs over the specimen beside me. Broad shoulders, crystal blue eyes, gorgeous blond hair, great teeth, and the most adorable set of dimples I’ve ever seen … decent height, good muscle tone, amazing collar bones, not to mention the high IQ and the slutty little glasses he wears before bed …
Maybe the imperfect vision should count against him, regardless of how good he looks in those glasses. But aside from the nearsightedness and the peanut allergy, Rowan is undeniably a genetic jackpot. I’d be insane not to take advantage of an offer from him, even if it meant going at it alone.
It’s too bad I can’t haggle him into making one of those contributions outside of a serious relationship or even marriage, and I’m not going to let him risk either with me, not with my poor track record.
But even if he were willing to overlook my low customer reviews, Rowan would never forgo the chance to have a traditional family much less agree to waive his responsibilities as a father … or a partner.
Dammit. That only makes him a million times more attractive.
“Claire, are you done?” I flinch when Tenley calls me back again.
“Yeah. Think I might need to add one of those little hearts to my chart after this, though,” I mutter, making Rowan’s lips twitch in amusement. It turns into a chuckle when I swat his arm.
“You’re not allowed to flirt this hard,” I grumble after another warning glare from Tenley.
“Why not?” he asks, that cocky smirk lingering on his face.
I pout. “Because … well, because …”
“Is it because I’m a virgin or because I manage to do it without objectifying you?” he poses, leaning back and crossing his arms.
“Because I’ve already asked you to cut the mushy crap,” I retort.
He ignores me. “It’s because I respect you too much to throw out a ‘nice ass’ and leave it at that. And that scares you, doesn’t it?”
Lucky for me, Tenley calls everyone back to attention before I have to answer him. I’d still like to wipe the smug look off of Rowan’s face by the time we get through the next part of the session, though.
“For this activity, you’re going to brainstorm how you can make your spouse feel loved during those periods of abstinence.
Abstaining can be very difficult for those of us who are wired to show or receive affection physically.
It’s important to find other ways to fill your partner’s cup, or else you’ll end up in the maternity ward or the confessional more often than you hoped,” Tenley explains with a knowing smile.
Rowan glances my way, his confidence noticeably diminished. “I guess we should just fill in the chart for ourselves, since you’re not going to want to talk it out with me now.”
“What do you mean?” I ask carefully.
He lifts a shoulder. “I’ve already been pushing my luck all night. I don’t want to make you uncomfortable again.”
I narrow my eyes at him. “Or maybe you’re the one who’s scared to admit what he likes.”
Okay, so passing up the opportunity to dodge this conversation was a dumb move on my part. But I can’t help wanting to push his buttons after he’s been practically slamming mine.
I can feel Tenley watching us as I tilt my chin up in a dare and Rowan’s brow lifts in response.
“All right, then. How about we each propose what we’d do to satisfy one another’s love languages?”
“Fine. I’m game,” I affirm.
“I should warn you, though, I’m kind of an expert at not having sex,” he counters, immediately biting his lip to keep himself from laughing. It doesn’t stop me from letting out a cackle and earning an eye roll from one of the other couples.
“Guess humor isn’t on her list, right?” Rowan muses. “But it’s definitely on yours.”
“So what? Are you taking me to watch a different stand-up comedian every month?”
He shakes his head. “Nah, just waiting until you least expect it to tell you that you have a nice butt. Or maybe I’ll deliver a dirty joke with a straight face under the most inappropriate circumstances.”
“And that’s supposed to make me feel loved and appreciated?”
“I guess that’s just for me, since I like earning one of your big laughs,” he replies, and I roll my eyes this time.
“But if I made it cheesy and sappy, then it would be for you. Because deny it all you want, you like my corny lines. You want to be wanted, and you desire desire. So even when I couldn’t have you, I’d make sure you knew exactly how much I was looking forward to the next time.
Even after being married for dozens of years, I’d constantly remind you that I couldn’t live without you. ”
I look away when an unexpected surge of heat overtakes me. “Nice try. But that’s more or less how you’d get me into bed, not how you’d keep me happy out of it,” I fib.
He hums, seemingly unconvinced. “Okay, then. You take a turn.”
I purse my lips as I try to imagine what would make a man like Rowan happy. But I haven’t known many men like him, and it’s been a long time since I’ve attempted to convey my affection without any physical advantages.
So what have I been doing or saying that keeps him coming back for more, even without having so much as a kiss since the night we met?
“Acts of service,” I say coolly. “You appreciate being taken care of, which is why you’ve been looking for a sweet little trad wife.”
His mouth turns down slightly. “Maybe.”
“And you’d probably like it if I threw in some affirmations about how you’re such a good boy every now and again,” I add.
“Sure.” He nods, but he still seems downcast, as if he’s disappointed in my answer.
I sigh. “But if that stuff didn’t work, we could always sit and talk about our feelings, I suppose.”
His brow lifts in appreciation. “I might like something like that.”
“Then again, you are a hugger and a hand holder,” I continue, and his smile grows. “So you probably need some other lame, non-sexual physical reinforcement.”
“Yeah, same goes for you,” he says.
I scoff. “I don’t think you can handle my brand of physical affection.”
His gaze runs over me. “Then I guess we’d find ourselves in the kind of trouble Tenley mentioned, wouldn’t we?”
Our instructor leans over and clears her throat, saving me again. “Maybe you two missed it, but class was dismissed a few minutes ago. And while I appreciate that you were both good sports, I’m kicking you out now.”
Rowan cringes, and I worry for a second that he’ll panic and leave me hanging again. But he stands and shoots me an apologetic smile, waiting for me to go first like the well-bred gentleman he is.
“Strangers my ass,” Tenley mumbles as she grabs the rest of her things, and Rowan shares another secret look with me before he insists on carrying Tenley’s bag out to her car.
“I recognize that look in your eyes,” Tenley whispers when she catches me watching him too carefully. “You can probably go ahead and mark this down as peak day.”
I glare at her, but she only laughs and thanks Rowan for his help in loading up her bags. We trade goodbyes with her, and Rowan comes around to open my door for me.
“Well, this was fun,” he muses.
“I’m still not showing you my charts,” I reply after I shut the door and roll down the window.
He reaches up to brace himself on the frame, leaning into the open window. “That’s too bad, since I’ve already replaced Landry’s name with yours on all those medical releases.”
“Get out of here, you dork,” I tell him.
He grins at me one more time. “Good night, Claire Bear. I’d ask you to text me and let me know when you make it home safely, but I know better.”
“Good night, Benadryl Boy.”
“Don’t you want to know if I make it home all right?”
I roll my eyes. “That’s not exactly my love language.”
“What if I said you had a nice butt first? In a respectable way, of course.”
“I’ll see you around, Doc,” I say, shaking my head as I roll up the window.