Page 50 of Man Seeking Woman

“Alright, but I'm here if you feel frisky during the night. I'm claiming this side, so that one is yours.” Climbing under the blankets, I pulled them up to my chin and rolled onto my side.

I heard her sifting around in one of her boxes and the bathroom door shut. A few moments later, the door opened and Ella walked over to the bed. I felt her press the tips of her fingers into the mattress, checking the bounce.

“I can't believe I'm doing this,” she said under her breath, slipping under the covers with me.

“Believe it. This is what you signed up for.” My stomach gurgled, and I felt the bubble of air as it moved through my intestines.

“Did you—” Cutting herself off, I could hear that she was holding her breath. “You did, didn't you? You just farted.”

“Sorry, pizza does that to me.”

The bed wriggled and bounced as she adjusted in place. Ella started flapping the blanket up and down as she pinched her nose closed. “I can't believe you just did that. We literally just met, and already you're letting them rip as if we've known each other for years.”

“Well, that's just opens up the door for you. Don't hold back, let it go if you have to, I won't judge you, Baby.”

Ella laughed loud and breathy. “Wow, alright, I'll keep that in mind. I thought you were labeled New York's hottest bachelor? I think that I could definitely debate that right now.”

“It's a natural body function, it doesn't make me less hot, but it does make me feel a little less bloated. You know, you should just let it out if you need to, I don't want you to explode.”

“I thought rich sexy men are supposed to be polite?”

“You think I'm sexy?”

“Forget it.” Rolling onto her side, she tugged the blanket up to her neck. “Goodnight, August.”

“Goodnight, Ella.”

And as I laid back to back with the woman who had agreed to have my baby, my mind ran wild with what the future would look like.

Could two strangers really make a life together?

Could we live side by side and learn to coexist?

Could I learn to love in the end, even though I didn't love in the beginning?