of all parental rights,” Dena read aloud. “What’s that?”
“In essence, Alex will raise the child and be financially responsible for him or her.” Gary nodded at Alex.
Alex tensed. The clause meant much more than that. If Dena signed, she’d be giving up the baby.
“That goes without saying.” Dena sighed. “I’d love more kids, but I can’t afford them.”
Alex relaxed. “If this surrogacy is successful, perhaps you will be able to manage another child. Tamara left the twins a substantial sum of money.”
Dena’s lips tightened. “This has nothing to do with money. The baby was my sister’s dying wish.”
“So it was,” Alex said in a smooth tone of voice. He wanted to soothe Dena’s unsettled feelings.
“What’s this? No unsupervised contact with the baby?” Dena glared at him, eyes glittering like shards of green glass. “Are you kidding? This is my flesh and blood we’re talking about.”
He exchanged a glance with Gary. Dena wasn’t going to be a pushover.
Alex kept his voice calm. “How many aunts have unsupervised time with nieces and nephews?”
“Plenty. Tamara often took my kids to the zoo and to the park, remember? I wasn’t there to supervise. ” Sarcasm sharpened her voice.
Alex sighed. Dena was right. Tamara had adored Jack and Miri. The twins had been a big part of her desire for children of her own.
“Besides, you’ll want me to help with the baby.”
Alex tried not to look superior. “I doubt that.”
She lost the angry sparkle in her eyes. “So you think you know it all, huh, Alex?” She started to laugh.
“I’m sure I can raise my child without your assistance. You handle two, don’t you? Why can’t I take care of one?”
Her giggles continuing, she groped in her pocket and pulled out a tissue. “Oh, no problem. You’ll have no problem at all. I’m sure you can raise this kid all by yourself. After all, you did so well with the twins.” She dabbed at the tears of laughter leaking from the corners of her eyes, visibly trying to control her mirth.
Alex felt himself reddening.
Gary looked interested. “What about the twins?”
“One time when Alex and Tamara took my son and daughter to Land Park, Tamara took Miriam to Fairy Tale Town and Alex had responsibility for Jack. When Alex wasn’t paying attention—”
“He sneaked out of the men’s room. I was…indisposed. And it was just for a few seconds! It could have happened to anyone.”
Dena grinned. “Jack found his way to the Land Park zoo and tried to climb onto the chimps’ cage. All the zookeepers said he was very charming. Apparently he entertained a large crowd of people, giving the chimps screeching lessons.”
Alex glowered. “My child won’t be like that.” Especially if I keep you away.
“Of course not.” Dena’s tone was patronizing. “Your baby will be a perfect paragon of all the virtues under your wise guidance.”
Gary laughed. Alex glared at his attorney, who was supposed to be on his side.
“And what about breast-feeding?” Dena asked.
“Breast-feeding?” Alex had never in his life given any thought to the subject. Breast-feeding. He stared at Dena’s chest. He envisioned his baby sucking from one of her breasts, which were now snugly clad in a worn yellow T-shirt with the purple Dena’s Gardens logo on the front.
He’d never checked out Dena’s breasts, but they were high, round breasts, perky and, well, touchable. They’d fit nicely in his hands.
He didn’t want this fantasy. Adjusting his trousers, he pushed the image away, quick. Hot, he inserted a finger into his too-tight collar and tugged it away from his throat.
“I won’t breast-feed with an audience.” Dena folded her arms across her chest. “Makes me nervous. If I’m nervous, it affects the flow. You want your baby to breast-feed, right? That’s very important.”
“She’s right. Breast-feeding is very important.” Gary gawked at Dena, hunger clear in his eyes.
Alex drew in a breath, then let it out slowly, trying to slow his galloping pulse. “Okay, you’re right. Cross it out.”
“Thank you.” With an air of triumph, Dena plucked the pen from Gary’s fingers and scribbled out the offending clause. She dropped the pen back onto the desk.
Struggling to ignore Alex’s disturbing presence, Dena lowered her gaze to the contract. From the first day they’d met, he’d ruffled her nerves, with his disapproving attitude and disparaging comments. She resolved not to let him get to her.
But that would be hard, very hard. Alex was a handsome man, if a little cold. But his recent experiences had cracked his corporate-clone shell, letting an appealing vulnerability show through. His blue eyes held a new maturity—
Cut this out, Dena! He’s not for you!
Alex waited, anxious, as Dena continued to read. She rested her chin on her palm. The light caught her cheekbone, emphasizing its elegant curve. So like Tamara’s. He gulped.
Tamara had been a slight sylph of a woman, a petite blonde with dainty features and hair like moonbeams. Tall, voluptuous Dena had always struck Alex as a larger, rougher version of his refined wife.
Now he found himself seeing Dena in a new way. The shape of her face. The tilt of her shimmering green eyes. In fact—
“Alex, this is very interesting.” Dena raised a confused gaze from the contract. “You want to be my La-maze partner?”
“Of course. Who else?”
“Mom went with me for the twins.”
“Where was Steve?” Alex asked before he remembered Dena’s husband had left her when he discovered she was pregnant with twins. Alex would rather have bitten off his tongue than remind Dena of that dark period in her life. “I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay. I’m over it.” She shot him a breezy, careless smile. “I’m just surprised at you, that’s all.”
“Don’t be. Dena, this baby means a lot to me. I’ll be by your side every moment. You won’t have to worry about anything.”
“A supportive man. What a novel concept.” She picked up the pen and signed at the bottom of the last page. “Okay, we’re done. I’m gonna go eat. I have a short lunch break before I have to get to another job.”
“We would have been finished sooner if you’d arrived on time,” Alex said. “And you would have had enough time to read the whole contract.”
“I’ve
