His Surrogate For Hire: A BWWM Pregnancy Romance (6 page)

"Thank you, Charlotte. I really appreciate it."

Charlotte gave her a pat on the thigh. "No problem. We are here
for you. This set up is mutually beneficial. Remember that."

Diana nodded.

"I'll see myself out. Why don't you get a little rest and we'll
see you at dinner?"

"Great." Diana was actually considering doing some
gardening that evening. It seemed to be one of the things that helped
her calm her nerves lately. Being here in the mansion was teaching
her a lot about who she was, what she liked, and what she wanted in
life.

There had been so much more quiet time here, time she never had
before while she worked endlessly hour after hour. Her focus had been
on this rat race she had to win, but the truth was that it never felt
like she was able to get ahead the way she wanted to.

Once Charlotte closed the door, she said a small prayer in relief
that she at least had a small amount of security for a bit longer. It
would be just enough time to make sure she took the time to make sure
she got a game plan together for the rest of her life.

She at least owed that to herself.

*****

The soil felt soft and cool between her fingers. There were a few new
bulbs to plant that the gardener was happy to turn over to Diana.
Being outside among nature was one of the things she liked most about
being at the mansion. The garden was peaceful, a sanctuary where she
could easily disappear for hours and find her sanity.

She had at least two rows of annuals planted and was about to get
into planting the next row when she looked up to see Clay standing
there.

"You look like you've been busy this afternoon."

Diana wiped the sweat from her brow with the back of her hand. "I
have."

Clay was dressed in khaki shorts and a white short sleeved t-shirt.
She could not recall ever seeing him so casual.

"Why don't I give you a hand with those?"

She was surprised by his offer. "Okay. Thanks."

Kneeling down next to her, he picked up a few tools and started
working beside her. They worked quietly for a moment before Diana
spoke.

"So I assume you know by now that I'm not pregnant."

Clay nodded. "I did. And let me tell you, that is no problem. We
will stay the course. I have a feeling it will happen soon enough."

Diana pat the rest of the dirt around the bulb she planted. "You
and Charlotte have been so great."

He smiled. "I'm so glad you feel that way. This situation should
be calm, no stress. I don't want you to feel any pressure. If you do,
just let me know. That is no good for either of us if you feel that
way. Look, I want you to make sure it is clear. I want you to feel
calm, relaxed, and welcome here at the mansion. Getting pregnant
could take time and I am willing to see this through. As long as it
takes."

"Hearing that from Charlotte was helpful. Hearing it from you
makes it feel a bit more concrete. Thank you."

With a shy grin, he turned his attention back to the planting.
"You're welcome, Diana."

Diana appreciated seeing a slightly softer side to him. Their
conversation turned to various things from favorite foods to the
kinds of things they liked to do in their free time.

They discovered they both had affinities for banana splits, music
from the 80s, and a desire to attend at least two concerts that fall.

"We've talked before but I was not aware we had this much in
common."

"It's kind of refreshing," Diana replied.

"I tell you what. I am in town for the next two days. Let's get
out of here, do something fun each of those days. I could certainly
afford to let my hair down and I'm sure you could use a change in
scenery."

"Sounds good."

He stood up first, offering Diana a hand to help her up.

"If you don't mind, I want to plant this last row before I come
in."

Clay nodded. "I will see you for dinner then."

She watched as he walked away. His confirmation that he was not going
to end their agreement because getting pregnant was proving to be a
challenge was all she needed. It was nice to hear the words come from
him. A huge load off. And the more they talked, the more she started
to like the man he was. Quite shy, smart, witty, and fun to be
around. He was easy to talk to, the kind of man she would definitely
want someone to set her up with.

Diana wondered why a man like him was not already married. It seemed
like choosing a surrogate was the type of thing a single woman would
do or a couple that had been trying to conceive unsuccessfully. He
seemed like the kind of man that would be a good father. Plus,
everyone deserved to start and have a family for themselves.

Glancing at her watch, it was almost six in the evening. She dusted
the dirt off of her pants and then off of her hands. She planted
several rows of annuals, and proud of her work, decided to turn in
for the evening. The gardener was gone for the evening. Diana went
inside to shower and prepare for dinner. She was looking forward to
the promise that for the next two days, she would get the chance to
get out and let her hair down. A little fun was long overdue.

Diana did not know what to expect from Clay. He had the financial
ability to take her anywhere he wanted to, but the question was what
would he decide to do. Her only instruction was to pack a cocktail
dress as well as something comfortable and casual with a pair of
sneakers.

She met him at the front door and they were off, the town car driving
them to what looked like a tiny airport. Turns out, it was where the
helicopters took off. Diana was nervous, having never been on a
helicopter ride before.

Choppy at first, the ride smoothed out and she found the view
beautiful. She did not want to miss a moment of any of it. Clay's
face lit up as they took a tour of the city, flying over downtown
first, winding through the skyscrapers and then over the river to the
more rural suburban section of town.

Clay squeezed Diana's hand as she looked out over the land, taking in
the view. She did not have to turn back and look at him to know his
eyes were pinned on her. She could feel his gaze. Once they landed,
they were at an actual airport.

He held his hand out to help her out of the helicopter. Then ducked,
running away from the vehicle.

"Come this way."

Diana quietly followed as Clay led her to the private airplane.

"Clay?"

"Just follow me."

Diana hated the way he would not tell her what he was doing.

"Okay." She ascended the stairs, boarding the plane. It was
all such a special treat to be able to do some things she never
dreamed of.

She settled in her seat, a flight attendant offered her a drink and a
small blanket and pillow. Diana glanced at Clay, who on the other
hand looked right at home in his surroundings.

The plane took off and Diana tried to relax.

"You know you are safe with me. No need to worry. We're going to
have fun."

The look in Clay's eyes let her know she could believe him. "Okay,
Clay. I'm trusting you on this one."

"Good. That's the way it should be."

He opened a magazine and put in his ear buds to watch the in flight
movie. She took his cue and did the same. The flight was comfortable,
and anything she could think of was offered to her.

The journey was about two hours. When they landed, she was not
exactly sure where they were. The pilot did not come on and announce
where they were and Diana was mostly sure that was because Clay made
sure he maintained the surprise.

He offered to take her hand as they descended the stairs. The weather
was a little cooler than when they left. And it was a bit damp like
it had just rained.

Their bags were packed in a limo where a driver stood waiting for
them.

"This is all so much," Diana said. They were the words she
was thinking and not necessarily something she meant to say out loud.

Clay poured her a glass of champagne. "There is never too much."

They toasted, clinking their glasses. It was late afternoon when they
pulled up to a palatial estate. There were acres of land and a grand
looking mansion stood off in the distance. Clay just smiled as Diana
looked over to him. The car took the winding road that was the
entrance, traveling all the way back to the mansion.

Behind the mansion, as they approached, Diana could see that it was a
vineyard. Endless rows of grapes and fields of green as far as the
eye could see.

She looked to Clay. He smiled.

"Just a small surprise."

That small surprise included full course dinner, a his and hers
suite, and pampering at the spa. They started the evening out with a
wine tasting in the vineyard and a tour of the grounds. After the
ride around the city in the helicopter, she had not been expecting
anything other than dinner and an evening out on the town.

She could not help but wonder why Clay was trying to wow her with
such luxuries. The owner of the vineyard personally came out and took
them on a guided tour of the grounds, sharing the history of the
family business. They were then taken over to a table that sat by
itself in the field of wildflowers that was set with cheese, fruit,
chocolates, and various bottles of wine.

"Mr. Marshall, you two please enjoy the vineyard. We have our
best wines here for you to sample."

Clay and Diana nodded their appreciation.

Clay showed her how sampling the wine was an art. He showed her how
to detect the wine's bouquet and how to taste all of the flavors in
the wine.

Diana tried to take it all in. The sounds of the birds chirping, the
soft breeze against her smooth chocolate skin. The company of a man
that seemed to want to pay attention to her and only her.

"This is all so beautiful, Clay."

He smiled, raising his glass to her. "You deserve it."

She stopped herself from asking him what made him feel that she
deserved to live in this palatial home with him, and not to mention
going off jet setting. But she did not ask him the question. Instead,
she raised her glass to meet his and said thank you.

After sampling several wines and eating some of the snacks, they made
their way back to the mansion. Inside was luxurious and intricately
decorated. Diana just kept waiting for someone to pinch her and wake
her up from the dream. They made their way back to the mansion. It
was well into the evening and they were both looking to settle in for
the night.

The his and hers suite was joined by a shared living space in the
middle. It was the perfect set up for the weekend. Clay and Diana bid
each other good evening. Although eventful, the day had been long and
Diana wanted to get to bed and relax. They had appointments in the
morning at the spa after breakfast.

Diana continued to marvel at the amenities; a shower with multiple
shower heads, plush robes that felt like silky cotton against her
skin, and a kitchenette filled with various drinks and food. She kept
thinking if she blinked, it would all go away. It was hard not to
fall asleep on the fluffy down comforter on the bed.

When Diana opened her eyes, she was not sure how long she had been
asleep. She woke feeling refreshed and relaxed for the first time
since she could remember. Stretching, she turned over and then
realized she was still on her mini getaway with Clay. The thought
brought a smile to her face. She made a pact with herself. Instead of
sitting around feeling like she did not deserve to be in the position
she was, she would make sure she enjoyed each and every moment while
it was present. That was what Teresa would tell her to do. And it was
true. She was chosen to be in this position and there was no reason
why she should not enjoy it.

She slid on a shirt that fell on her body just below her butt. It was
well after midnight and she figured Clay would be asleep as she went
to the kitchen to get a hot cup of tea. The suite was quiet, a sound
Diana was starting to enjoy more often. She did not even bother to
turn on the larger light in the kitchen, just the small light over
the sink.

She poured some water into a cup and heated it in the microwave.
While the tea bag steeped, she searched for some sugar. She found it
in the cabinet over the sink, and as an added treat, there was honey
as well.

"Up for a late night treat?"

The sound of his voice made her jump.

"I was not expecting you to be awake." When his eyes
started traveling the length of her body, Diana suddenly remembered
she was not completely dressed.

Clay did not seem to be making a complaint. A sly grin, she could see
he was appreciative of the view. It was much too late to cover
herself up anyway.

"Would you like to join me for a cup of tea?" she offered.

"Sure."

He waited patiently as she prepared tea for him as well.

"Join me in the living room?" Clay asked.

"Why not."

They took their mugs of hot tea to the couch and got comfortable.
There were no other distractions as they sipped their tea in each
other's company. Diana folded her legs underneath her.

"So how have you been enjoying the weekend?"

"I have been having a great time. Thank you, really."

"Good."

Diana did not miss the fact that his eyes were continuously glossing
over her. She just did not want to mistake the look in his eyes for
desire if that was not what it was.

"Clay, all of this is such a great gesture. I have to say this
is the first time I have been able to relax in a long time."

He set his mug down on the table in front of them, then placed his
hand on her exposed thigh. A tingle emanated from the space where his
hand warmed her skin. She did not know whether to move her leg or
not. She did not want to and obviously Clay was not going to move his
hand.