Our Love Baby Bump

By Dahlia Rose

John Greyward looked forward to working at The Pyramid Club every night. He took over running the club when Angel became a mom and got married to Caleb. He now had the pleasure of running The Pyramid club with their third partner, Charlie Jordan. Charlie carried herself with quiet beauty, and she had a knack with numbers while he ran the floor. But after the doors closed and quiet reigned all he wanted to do was kiss the sexy goddess with the blond streaks in her hair.

John got knocked for a loop when Charlie asked him a question that would change both their lives. Be the father of the baby she desperately wanted before she lost the chance completely. John had already fallen hard for the woman he called a friend, so the choice was easy to say yes. While she wanted a baby, John wanted the whole package, including the woman who carried his child. But as with everything in his life and Charlie’s nothing came in easy. But John was determined to knock down every obstacle for the woman he’d loved for so long. For them to have a future together, he’d walk though fire.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Dahlia Rose
• Release date: Nov 8, 2014
• ISBN: 9781311562500

Dahlia Rose

Dahlia Rose is the best-selling author of contemporary, military and paranormal romance with a hint of Caribbean spice. She was born and raised on a Caribbean island and now currently lives in Charlotte, North Carolina, with her five kids, who she affectionately nicknamed “The Children of the Corn,” and her biggest supporter and longtime love. She has a love of erotica, dark fantasy, sci-fi, and the things that go bump in the night. With over six dozen books published Dahlia has become a reader favorite. Not only because of her writing but her vivacious attitude in talking to her fans online and at various events. Books and writing are her biggest passions, and she hopes to open your imagination to the unknown between the pages of her books. http://hearttoheartwithdahliarose.blogspot.com www.facebook.com/author.dahliarose www.twitter.com/dahliarose1029

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Our Lovely Baby Bump

By

Dahlia Rose

Our Lovely Baby Bump

Copyright © November 2014 Dahlia Rose

All rights are reserved.

Cover Art by Clarissa Yeo

Formatting by Bob Houston eBook Formatting

ISBN 978-1-939151-78-0

No part of this e-book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

Chapter One

Charlie sat across the desk and looked at her doctor. The test came back and she could feel her fingernails biting into the palm of her hand as she listened to the doctor explain what the tests meant. Her worst fears were confirmed and now she had to decide what to do.

Charlie, Dr. Monroe said gently. It’s not a death sentence, it just means you have the genes for cervical cancer, that’s all. You could live a long life without even having anything but an abnormal pap-smear.

Charlie looked up and tried to keep the tears at bay. My mother died at forty-two with cervical cancer, Barbara. I know my chances, and I don’t want to die like that, how she suffered.

Then you can have the surgery and cut your chances in half. Barbara had been her doctor since she was a teen and the oncologist that cared for her mother until the end.  We can take your cervix and your uterus, leave your ovaries so it doesn’t thrust you into menopause.

I want children, Charlie said.

Barbara gave her more options. You’d still create eggs, or we can give you fertility treatments and then harvest your embryos and save them. Surrogates are a viable option.

This time the tears did fall hot and fat down her cheeks, and Charlie took an unsteady breath while trying to speak through all her emotions.

Charlie pressed her hand against her stomach. I want to feel a life I created grow inside me. I want to feel him or her kick for the first time and sing to my stomach. She gave a watery laugh. I saw Angel when she was pregnant and felt her son move in her belly. I want that.

You can have that, Charlie, no one is taking that from you, Barbara explained. But we both know how you feel about the cancer that took your mother.

What if I had a baby and then had the surgery? Charlie asked.

Barbara nodded and smiled. You can do that. You can have two, maybe three children, it’s not something that has to be done right now.

But the longer I wait, the more risk I run of developing cancer like my mother, Charlie said knowingly.  I know I could live my life and never have the disease, but we also know that since my mother had it, it’s more than likely I will too, especially with my abnormal pap-smears.

Barbara sighed. Yes, that’s true, but…

I know the facts, Barbara, Charlie shook her head. How many times have you seen this jump from daughter to child? Gran died of it, too, a few years later than momma did, but it’s all the same. The risk is too high for me. If I have a child I don’t want to leave him or her alone in the world. I want the surgery, but I want a baby first. You’ve been a friend, a doctor, and my confidant for years. This is what I want.

Okay, then that’s what you’ll do, Barbara said gently and then hesitated. But then you need a father for this child, unless you plan to raise the baby alone and use a sperm bank.

Charlie smiled. On that part I’m covered. There is someone, we’ve been doing the dance for a while. I think maybe he’ll be the one. He’ll understand and maybe he’ll say yes.  Charlie stood and gathered up her coat and purse. I’ll let you know what happens, you never know the next time you see me it may be because you’re my OBGYN.

Barbara grinned as she stood. I’ll keep my fingers crossed for you.

As Barbara walked her to the office door, Charlie impulsively hugged the older woman who had become like a mother to her over the years.

Thank you, for everything. Charlie smiled.

Barbara patted her cheek. Never a problem, Charlie. See you soon.

Charlie walked down the hallway and out into the sunshine and took a deep breath of the Atlanta, Georgia air. Her heart was heavy, but she had expected the results of the testing, especially with her family history. At least in her case she was willing to take action to make sure she had a prolonged life. Barbara was right, she wasn’t given a death sentence, but she did have an accelerated timeline. She thought of John, the man she was referring to, and smiled. The big teddy bear was both her and Angel’s longtime friend and business partner in the club they owned. She could call up his face in her mind just by closing her eyes. John was around six feet three inches in height and had broad shoulders.  He had a quick, boyish grin, and the deepest blue eyes she’d ever seen, and sandy blond hair that he kept in a neat, low cut.

But no one should ever let that fool them, because John could become one scary guy if anyone acted up in the club. More often than not she’d heard people say he was not one they’d want to see in a dark alley. Those blue eyes could go cold as ice, and he’d fight a lion to protect the ones he loved. That included her. Maybe he loved her as a friend or maybe it was more. The butterflies she felt every time he looked at her couldn’t be a fluke, could it? Each time they were in the same vicinity the air got thicker, and she thought about kissing him. The only way to find out for certain was to take the bull by the horns and ask him.  How did one approach asking a man to be the father of a child?

Hey John, wanna be my baby daddy? she said in the car as she drove toward The Pyramid club. John, I’ve got eggs and you’ve got swimmers, let’s see what we can make?

She grimaced at her words and kept talking to herself all the way until she parked