The Surrogate's Secret Read Online Free

him since.
    Funny thing, when they’d made love she’d had to fake it, pretend. She’d never once experienced an orgasm with him or any man for that matter. Guess that made her either a great actress, or a total failure as a woman. Oh well, enough with the foolish memories. 
    Sometime later, just before sleep claimed her, Sheri replayed the emotions she’d felt when, earlier that day, the most handsome man she’d ever met had held her hands and recharged her faulty libido.
    Girlfriend, you’ve got to get laid soon . If a man’s touch can spin you around like that, it’s obviously time to give sex another chance and go hunting for a new boyfriend .  Yeah, and that’s going to happen with two toddlers in tow. She chuckled, sighed and shut down her visions of the South American dazzler.
     
     

Chapter Five
     
    Miguel paced in his presidential suite, ignoring the beauty of its modern furnishings. He poured a drink and carried it over to the balcony where the flowing waters of the Potomac River reflected the dazzling city lights. The Lincoln Memorial and the Washington Monument seen in the distance were striking at night, but he paid scant attention. Instead, he rubbed his cheek first and then the back of his head as he leaned against the iron railing. Exhaustion battled with illness, and he didn’t know what made him feel worse.
    His plan to pay off the surrogate and take charge of his niece or nephew appeared foolish to him now that he’d met Sheri O’Connor. It seemed ludicrous that when he least expected or wanted it to happen, he’d finally encountered a woman with scruples. What were the odds? Most women he’d known had been mercenary hustlers. Now, when he hadn’t the energy for combat, he had a battle on his hands with a moralist, and no easy way to win.
    Miguel moved over to the glass-topped desk and picked up his cell phone. He couldn’t put off calling home any longer. His mother would be anxious to find out what he’d discovered about her grandchild. Since their return from the Colombian jungle and the information about Felipe’s death, he’d been emotionally closed off to her.  The heavy load of guilt he carried made everything difficult.  After all, it was Miguel’s fault she’d been away when Felipe had crashed his car, his fault that she’d missed her youngest son’s funeral.
    He’d do anything to right her world, and he thought he’d found the answer by promising to bring home her gran dchild. Now he’d have to admit that the vow he’d made to her before he left Chile might have been premature even presumptuous. Money didn’t seem to cut it with the gorgeous she-devil he’d wrangled with earlier that day and he had no idea how to sway Senorita O’Connor into seeing things his way.
    “Mamacita . It’s Miguel.” That she’d answered after the first ring was not a good sign.  He knew she’d be chewing his ass for making her wait.
    “Mi hijo. What took you so long? I’ve been going crazy.”
    “Sorry, my darling. Things haven’t gone quite according to plan, and I hated to tell you bad news.”
    “What happened? Didn’t you find them?”
    “Yes, of course. No trouble there. The problem is that Sheri O’Connor is not what we expected at all. She refuses to give up the babies—”
    “Babies? Twins? How wonderful. Boys or girls?”
    “One of each. They were sleeping when I arrived, and I didn’t disturb them, but I’m going back tomorrow.”
    “Oh , Miguel. Take some photos and send them on your phone. Promise me.”
    “Yes, I promise. Now M amá , please don’t get too upset, or you’ll have a relapse. At this moment, the surrogate isn’t willing to let me adopt them. In fact, she was adamant that they were her children, and would be staying with her. Since they were her eggs used in the fertilization treatments, she is their legal mother, and has a much stronger claim then we do.”
    “Oh no. I so wanted…” She faded, but he distinctly heard a cuss word