Addison lifted her eyes. “Okay.”

“Do you want a divorce?”

“What?” Addison said, instantly sitting straight in her chair.

“In four years, when this arrangement of ours is over, do you want a divorce?”

“I’m not sure I understand—”

“Yes, you do,” Joanna said, rolling her eyes. “You understand the question perfectly, but you’re afraid to answer it because of one bloody four-letter word. Well, I told you before I don’t need to hear the word, so just answer the question. Are you going to want a divorce in four years?”

“No,” Addison said softly. “No, I don’t want a divorce.

Joanna’s entire face spread into a smile. “Then I think I should be the one who carries the child.”

“What?”

“Addison, I’m not saying I wouldn’t love a child of yours, whether or not I gave birth to him or her, but if you don’t want a divorce, if you want us to build a life together, which, by the way, so do I, then let me carry our child because then it truly will be our child.”

“No. Absolutely not,” Addison said, shaking her head. “I won’t let you do that.”

“Why not? You just said you don’t want a divorce and whether you can ever say the words or not, I know how you feel about me. I’m not going anywhere, and if you want a child, if you want a family, then let’s be a family.”

“It’s too dangerous.”

“It is not!” Joanna said with a laugh. “I’m young, and if you read that blasted doctor’s report you made me get months ago, you know I’m healthy. I love children, and if we’re being honest here, I wouldn’t mind having more than just one.”

“I...I didn’t even know you liked children.”

“That’s because you never asked, and it’s not like we’ve been...um...together for that long for the subject to come up, but yes, I like them a lot.”

“I still don’t think I want you to...to do this. Something could go wrong.”

“Addison, I could fall down the stairs tomorrow and break my bloody neck.”

“Don’t say that.”

“Sweetheart, I’m young, and I’m healthy, and I love you,” Joanna said, touching Addison on the arm. “There’s nothing more I want than to have your child...our child, but I’m telling you right now there won’t be a hoard of nannies or boarding schools in his or her future. I won’t stand for it.”

Joanna’s words were articulate, and her voice, steady and calm, and the corners of Addison’s mouth arched upward when she saw the determination now etched on her wife’s face. “Making rules already?” Addison said with a twinkle in her eye.