The Cowboy's Baby: A BWWM Billionaire Cowboy Pregnancy Romance by Cristina Grenier
Authors: Cristina Grenier
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Thank you so much. I know this can’t be the easiest for you and I don’t mean to make things harder. I just want to be honest. Honesty is important to me.” The man’s eyes suddenly darkened as he lost himself in a memory beyond Esme’s reckoning. “So I just want to make sure I maintain transparency.”
“It’s your baby.” Esme provided, her own lips curving slightly as she took a bite of one of the croissants from the basket provided to them. The flavor was absolutely heavenly, and she suppressed a moan of delight.
“It’s your body. Which is why I also have a few other things I’d like to discuss with you…involving certain matters over the course of your pregnancy.”
Esme arched a brow as Daniel signaled to the waiter. When he asked if he could order for her, she let him, impressed with his choices of crème brulee brioche French toast and Maryland crab cake eggs benedict. It was easy to forget that the man was filthy rich upon merely talking to him. He seemed incredibly down to earth. Once their breakfast was ordered, Daniel poured them another round of coffee before speaking once more. “Esme, you live on the east side of Enid, correct?”
She nodded, buttering another decadent croissant. “That’s about two hours away from my estate in the foothills, and almost an hour and a half away from the clinic for you?” The young woman repeated the gesture. It was the only downside to being involved in the surrogacy program so far. Every time she managed to make it out to the clinic and back home, it cost her an entire tank of gas. Of course, that was no problem now, with her stipend.
“You’ve also said you work now,” the beef baron continued, taking up a croissant of his own to spread with strawberry jelly before popping a bite into his sumptuous mouth. “May I ask where?”
Esme was immediately embarrassed. It was always difficult to talk to anyone about her attempts at a career. She was nowhere near the place she wanted to be, and until she was, she’d always feel like she’d fallen a little short.
“Oh…just a Brazilian restaurant downtown. The new place.”
“I see.” She tried not to create disapproval in the man’s gaze that wasn’t there, looking away as shame curdled in her gut. “Well, Esme, what I want to ask is: how you would feel about coming to live on the estate for the course of your pregnancy?”
Esme’s dark eyes widened as she gazed at the man in shock. Come to…live on his estate? Of course, everyone in town knew about the expansive Hartsford Ranch about a hundred miles outside the city, but few had ever visited it. The two-hundred acre rolling property was very private affair, completely closed off from the outside world. This was, press representatives stated, to ensure that the cattle lived in the greatest comfort and produced the highest quality beef.
Excitement filled her chest at the prospect of being allowed on the ranch, even as her rational mind protested against it. Hartsford was already giving her five thousand dollars month for her own expenses. Now, he wanted her to come live on his property free of charge? It all seemed like a bit much. Atop that, whenever Alyssa decided to stroll back onto the scene, Esme was sure the Hispanic beauty wouldn’t be too happy about another woman so close to her man.
Esme swallowed her excitement, forcing herself to remove her personal feelings from the equation. “That’s an amazing offer, Mr. Hartsford.”
“Call me Daniel.”
The interjection caught her off guard, sending warmth curling through her belly as his brilliant blue eyes pierced through her. “Daniel. But I’m afraid there’s no way I can accept. The stipend you’re giving me is already immense. It’s more than enough for me to make sure I have everything I need to keep your baby healthy.”
“In my opinion, it’s nowhere near enough.” Daniel added more coffee to his cup his expression completely sincere. “If I had my way, Esme, I’d
“It’s your baby.” Esme provided, her own lips curving slightly as she took a bite of one of the croissants from the basket provided to them. The flavor was absolutely heavenly, and she suppressed a moan of delight.
“It’s your body. Which is why I also have a few other things I’d like to discuss with you…involving certain matters over the course of your pregnancy.”
Esme arched a brow as Daniel signaled to the waiter. When he asked if he could order for her, she let him, impressed with his choices of crème brulee brioche French toast and Maryland crab cake eggs benedict. It was easy to forget that the man was filthy rich upon merely talking to him. He seemed incredibly down to earth. Once their breakfast was ordered, Daniel poured them another round of coffee before speaking once more. “Esme, you live on the east side of Enid, correct?”
She nodded, buttering another decadent croissant. “That’s about two hours away from my estate in the foothills, and almost an hour and a half away from the clinic for you?” The young woman repeated the gesture. It was the only downside to being involved in the surrogacy program so far. Every time she managed to make it out to the clinic and back home, it cost her an entire tank of gas. Of course, that was no problem now, with her stipend.
“You’ve also said you work now,” the beef baron continued, taking up a croissant of his own to spread with strawberry jelly before popping a bite into his sumptuous mouth. “May I ask where?”
Esme was immediately embarrassed. It was always difficult to talk to anyone about her attempts at a career. She was nowhere near the place she wanted to be, and until she was, she’d always feel like she’d fallen a little short.
“Oh…just a Brazilian restaurant downtown. The new place.”
“I see.” She tried not to create disapproval in the man’s gaze that wasn’t there, looking away as shame curdled in her gut. “Well, Esme, what I want to ask is: how you would feel about coming to live on the estate for the course of your pregnancy?”
Esme’s dark eyes widened as she gazed at the man in shock. Come to…live on his estate? Of course, everyone in town knew about the expansive Hartsford Ranch about a hundred miles outside the city, but few had ever visited it. The two-hundred acre rolling property was very private affair, completely closed off from the outside world. This was, press representatives stated, to ensure that the cattle lived in the greatest comfort and produced the highest quality beef.
Excitement filled her chest at the prospect of being allowed on the ranch, even as her rational mind protested against it. Hartsford was already giving her five thousand dollars month for her own expenses. Now, he wanted her to come live on his property free of charge? It all seemed like a bit much. Atop that, whenever Alyssa decided to stroll back onto the scene, Esme was sure the Hispanic beauty wouldn’t be too happy about another woman so close to her man.
Esme swallowed her excitement, forcing herself to remove her personal feelings from the equation. “That’s an amazing offer, Mr. Hartsford.”
“Call me Daniel.”
The interjection caught her off guard, sending warmth curling through her belly as his brilliant blue eyes pierced through her. “Daniel. But I’m afraid there’s no way I can accept. The stipend you’re giving me is already immense. It’s more than enough for me to make sure I have everything I need to keep your baby healthy.”
“In my opinion, it’s nowhere near enough.” Daniel added more coffee to his cup his expression completely sincere. “If I had my way, Esme, I’d
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