Baby, ASAP (Book Two): Baby, ASAP, #2

By Layla Valentine

He needs a baby, ASAP.
She wants to be a mom more than anything.
Making a deal is the easy part.
Making a baby is about to get a lot more complicated…

Kaley:

I've always wanted a family of my own.
But I never thought I'd be able to afford it.
That is, until my billionaire boss made me a proposition:
I give him a baby, he gets to rehabilitate his image
He saves his father's company
And I get to raise a child who wants for nothing.
Of course, the fact Jonathan Dane is utterly irresistible doesn't hurt.
He might be ruthless,
But he's putting everything I've ever wanted at my fingertips.
A girl can pretend, can't she?

Jonathan:

I thought I had it all: the cars, the mansion, the yacht.
But there's one thing I can't quite shake: my reputation.
I'm seen as callous, cold, calculating…
And for the billionaire CEO of a toy company, that's a problem…
But someone had an idea:
Start a family of my own, father an adorable child, and silence my critics for good.
And I've already got my eye on one of my gorgeous employees…
I can't wait to put my plan into motion.

This is the second book in the Baby, ASAP series.
 

• Language: English
• Publisher: Layla Valentine
• Release date: Nov 23, 2021
• ISBN: 9798201935245

Book preview

Kaley

A re you all right? Imogen asked me.

It had been nearly three weeks since that terrible morning, and I hadn’t heard from Jonathan even once in all that time.

I’m fine, I mumbled.

You don’t look fine, Imogen said suspiciously, narrowing her eyes at me. You haven’t looked fine in weeks. Did something happen? You know you can tell me.

No, I really can’t, I thought. I offered her my best impression of a bright smile. Nothing important. I’m fine, really.

No, you really aren’t. Imogen crossed her arms and sat her skinny rear right in the center of my desk. Who hurt you?

Myself, I sighed. I don’t…I don’t want to get into the details, Im. I had this…I guess you could call it a casual thing. With this guy. We set strict boundaries…sort of…there weren’t supposed to be any feelings involved.

Ooh, a sex buddy! God, I haven’t done that since college. So, what happened—did he fall head over heels and start texting you at all hours? Is that why you look like you haven’t slept?

I managed a wry smile.

Reverse that, I told her. Apart from the whole texting at all hours thing; I don’t do that. I think about it sometimes, but…anyway. No, I…I started having feelings for him, and then I sort of jumped the gun on something, and I screwed everything up. And now he’s gone, and he won’t talk to me, and it’s my own fault for getting attached in the first place.

She made a sympathetic noise and patted my hand. His loss, honey. I don’t know who this guy is, but I bet you’re too good for him, anyway.

I disagreed, but I appreciated her words.

Tell you what, she said, sliding off my desk with a bounce. Let’s go out tonight. It’s Friday; we’re young, hot, and single—let’s go hit up a club or something. My mother always said the best way to get over one guy is to get under a different one. She said it with a wicked grin, and I almost laughed.

Thanks, I said sincerely. But that seems like a little much for me right now. I’ve had this headache that won’t quit, and I don’t think getting felt up by a club full of drunk guys is going to make it better.

Fair, she sighed. All right, how about this. Let me take you to dinner with a few friends of mine. Not a blind date, just a few people getting together over nachos and beer. What do you say?

She really wasn’t going to let this go, I realized.

All right, I said. Where and when?

I’ll let you know in a couple hours; just let me rally the troops, she said with a grin. You’ll feel so much better, Kaley—trust me. This is what you need.

She ran off to her own desk and began texting away on her phone.

No, I thought. What I need is for Jonathan to talk to me. I was tired of feeling like a criminal over a stupid chemical mistake.

Within a few hours the plans were set, and after work I followed Imogen to the Mexican place near our building.

Four people were waiting for us there; one girl I vaguely recognized from one of Imogen’s parties, selling leggings or candles or something. As her friend, I accepted her invitations to these things. As a broke chick with no space for clutter and little interest in leggings, I rarely bought anything. Imogen introduced her as Jenna, and the tall brunette shook my hand with a body-builder grip.

And this is Dave, Jenna’s husband. These two handsome creatures are Brody and Aiden. Imogen gestured to the other two men, and I shook their hands warily.

Brody was a stocky, bearded man who wore his hair in a bun and was dressed in flannel. Aiden was impeccably groomed, down to his threaded eyebrows and manicured nails. His black hair flopped over his face in two points like a ‘90s movie heartthrob, and his nose seemed to be permanently upturned. I offered them both weak smiles as we sat.

Imogen ordered for the table, then looked around at the group.

Well, this is fun, right? Aiden, Kaley works with me at AllGood, in toy development!

Oh, Aiden sneered. So are you responsible for those god-awful talking birds? My niece has four of them, and I swear to God, they are plotting to take over the house.

Those were, um…before my time, I said with a wince.

What toys have you come up with? Brody asked excitedly. In spite of the beard, he reminded me of a twelve-year-old.

Mostly educational toys, I offered, feeling apologetic for some reason. The singing world map floor mat was my biggest hit so far.

Oh! I love those! I work at the children’s museum; we just put one in a couple months ago! The kids go nuts over it.

Just the kids? Imogen asked teasingly.

Well… Brody shrugged with a sheepish grin.

The mental image of this lumberjack leaping around from Panama to Guam amused me enough