Delaney gazed out over the lake. The shadows of the surrounding trees had lengthened, and the ripples in the deep blue waters had taken on hints of orange and pink as the sun dipped in the sky. She’d enjoyed this time with Zac more than anything she could recall in recent memory. He’d surprised her in so many ways. The bull and two heifers he’d bought with her in mind, the dinner, and his even more astonishing act of self-restraint, all revealed a thoughtful and romantic side that she never would have suspected he possessed. He was the first person who’d ever put her needs and desires ahead of his own. She wondered if that would change after they slept together.
“Sun’s getting ready to set. We’d better pack up soon,” Zac remarked, but made no move to do so.
“I wish you weren’t leaving,” she said.
“I wish you’d go with me,” he countered.
“I told you why I can’t.”
“No, you told me why you won’t. There’s a big difference. You could go if you really wanted to.”
“I’m not going to drop everything on a whim, Zac. Yes, I’m eager to start trying for a baby, but one month isn’t going to make a lick of difference . . . unless—” She sat up abruptly. “You are coming back, aren’t you? I know we haven’t consummated it yet, but we do have a deal, right? You aren’t planning to stay in Vegas, are you?”
“I wasn’t planning to stay,” he reassured. “I have every intention of coming back as long as I have something to come back for. Do I, Delaney?” he asked softly.
She gazed up through her lashes. “Do you really have to ask me?”
Once the first frenzy of lust no longer fogged her mind, she’d tried to adopt a businesslike attitude, but she was anything but blasé about sleeping with Zac. He’d already given her a small taste of what was in store—or better said, he’d done the tasting—and he’d promised much more to come. She’d told herself this whole arrangement was only about baby-making, but it was impossible to ignore her heightened sense of anticipation.
All of a sudden the idea of having his baby seemed far too close to taking a dive off a cliff, and every hour spent with him pushed her a little closer to the edge. There was no way in hell she could have sex with him and not become emotionally committed. When he pulled her onto his lap for another long, dizzying kiss, she realized it was a moot point. It was already too late.
CHAPTER NINE
“Here you go, Mr. McDaniel.” The nurse handed Zac two plastic containers labeled with his identification number. “This one is for your urine specimen and the other is for your semen. Be sure to give us the urine first,” she continued. “After that, be certain to wash your penis before ejaculation. We don’t want anything to contaminate the specimen.”
Zac glanced around with a wince. She might as well have announced it over a loud speaker. The clinic wasn’t that busy, but it was impossible not to be overheard.
The nurse led him to a sterile-looking examination room complete with white paper table cover. “There’s a private bathroom through that door. The rest of the instructions are right here. I think you’ll find them self-explanatory.” She handed him a printed sheet.
Zac glanced down at the instructions in his hands.
1. Pass urine.
2. Wash hands and penis with soap to reduce the risk of contaminating the specimen.
3. Rinse away the soap.
4. Dry hands and penis with a fresh disposable towel.
5. Ejaculate into a sterile container.
“Any questions?” the nurse asked.
He looked at the tile ceiling and blew out a breath. “Nope. I think I got it. Thanks.” In truth, the instructions were a little vague on what should happen between steps number four and number five.
As if reading his mind, the nurse nodded to a cabinet in the corner with a TV and DVD player. “If you need any . . . er . . . assistance, there are some magazines and DVDs in the top drawer. Take as much time as you need.” She departed with a smile.
Zac stared at the closed door and then glowered at the plastic cups. Since walking into the clinic, he’d been stuck with needles and quizzed about everything from his birthplace to his bowel movements. Now that it was finally time to give up the goods, he didn’t know if he was up to the task. Jacking off in the shower was one thing, but this?
He opened the drawer the nurse had indicated and discovered a stack of outdated and rumpled Playboy magazines and a few soft porn flicks. He slammed it shut again.
What he needed was proper motivation. Reminding himself of the end goal—Delaney—Zac inhaled a breath that he released on a stream of expletives and took his cups into the restroom. He filled the first cup easily thanks to the coffee he’d consumed on the drive, but the second proved a bigger challenge. Shutting his eyes, he traveled back three days to the lakeside, with Delaney moaning and writhing as he tongued her. He could almost taste her nectar on his lips. That memory alone was enough to get him stiff. He was just about to take himself in hand when his phone buzzed.
Shit. His eyes snapped open. He cursed himself for forgetting to turn it off. He didn’t need distractions right now. He plucked the phone out of his pocket, intent on ignoring the call until noticing Delaney’s number on the screen. “Zac here,” he answered tersely.
“Zac? It’s Delaney.”
“Ah. Can I call you back in a little bit? You kinda caught me at a bad time.” Literally with his pants down.
“Are you still in Oklahoma?” she asked, ignoring his request.