“Why haven’t you ever wanted a family?” she asked. Mandy was never one to let a comment pass unremarked upon. “It isn’t natural, you know.”
“Why isn’t it natural? Maybe if more people followed their own inclinations instead of what the world expected of them, we’d have a lot fewer dysfunctional families.” Like his had been.
“We’re hard wired to procreate. That’s why the sex drive is so intense. And I can attest that yours is pretty damn strong.” She looked at him from across the table, her eyes dancing in the low light.
God, she was flirting with him. And he liked it. His whole body tensed in response to the light in her eye.
He waggled his eyebrows. “So you do admit it was good sex?”
She tilted her head, and the left side of the mouth crooked up in a smile. He liked this flirty Mandy. He liked her a lot.
“Yes. But you knew that. You shouldn’t need your ego stroked. It’s big enough.”
“And with all these faults, you still want me to be the father of your child?”
“Yes. Because you are also smart, ambitious, and surprisingly aren’t afraid of hard work. And you are rather nice looking. I’m willing to take the good with the bad.”
“Well, thank you. I think. But I feel like I’m being sized up for my genetics, like those bulls you breed.” Not that he minded.
“I didn’t mean to sound so clinical. But we are married, so it’s convenient. And we are planning to divorce, so that’s also convenient.”
“You want my sperm, and then that’s it? I’m to get out of your life?”
Unfortunately, the waitress came to clear the plates at that moment. She avoided eye contact as she grabbed the dishes and then hurried away.
“If you want to be more involved, of course you can be,” Mandy resumed. “But I would have custody of the child. That would have to be agreed to in advance. However, you just said you’re not a family man, so I don’t want you to feel obligated, is all. I’m perfectly capable of raising a child, and I’ll have lots of help. And if it’s a boy, there will be plenty of role models around.”
A boy. What kind of father would his son need? Or his daughter, for that matter. And shouldn’t he be that role model? “What if Prescott is sold?”
“I’m hoping the economy keeps stock contractors from being able to buy it, but if I can’t keep you from selling, there is still the ranch. That will never be sold.” She shook that pretty head of hair, long silky hair that felt so nice brushing over a man’s skin. “Ever.”
“The numbers for the company came in late today. I thought we could go over them together tomorrow morning. The numbers on the ranch won’t be in for a few more days though.”
“I’ll hate you if you sell Prescott, you know. Even if we have this child together. But at least by giving me a child, you’d be giving me something precious in return for what you’ve taken away. Not that you care about my feelings.”
Hell. She did think he was the devil. Why couldn’t she see that if he did sell Prescott, it would be to protect her and her family? To make sure they were economically taken care of? An even more important factor if they had a child together.
“I’d want to be part of the child’s life. And I’d want to make sure the child was financially taken care of. I could set up a trust or something.”
He couldn’t believe he was actually thinking about it. And neither could she, by the size of the grin on her face.
“That would be fine. But I don’t want you to feel you’d have to do any of that.”
The waitress appeared with their food. Steak for him. Pasta for Mandy. Given how quickly the waitress took her leave, Ty was pretty sure she’d been appalled by their discussion.
“I’ll think about it. It’s a big commitment. A lifetime commitment, Mandy.”
“I’m aware of that. And I’m all about big commitments, Ty. Prescott. The baby. The ranch. It’s the kind of person I am.”
The obvious and unsaid implication was it was the exact opposite of who he was.
“Am I to assume no sex if I say no.” And that would be a shame.
“Don’t make it sound like I’m using sex to blackmail you. I’m not. We do have a physical attraction to each other, but trying for a baby would change the dynamic, for the better.”
“Attraction isn’t enough for you?”
“I want more.”
Did he want more?
“I’ll think about it.” It was the best he could promise.
She bit her lip. “I hope you will give what I asked serious thought, Ty.”
He’d give it nothing but serious thought.
Chapter 18
The next day Ty watched as Mandy scanned the figures on the sheet he’d presented to her as they sat in the office formerly used by JM. Karen had packed up all signs of JM except the leather saddle that still sat on its stand in the corner, like the finely embossed and polished piece of art that it was.