Chapter 1

I sat in Eden's waiting room, staring at the application form in my hands.

The lobby was all marble and orchids. Expensive. The kind of place that whispered money in every corner. Soft classical music played from hidden speakers. Everything designed to make you feel calm.

I wasn't calm.

"Surrogate mother application."

The words at the top made my stomach clench. Not from nerves. From anger.

I reached the question that made me pause: "Motivation for surrogacy."

My pen hovered over the blank line. What could I write? For money? To help infertile couples?

I wrote: "Hope to help families in need."

The real reason, I couldn't write.

Sophie.

The moment I thought her name, my fingers started trembling.

Sophie would have filled out this exact form. Sat in this exact chair. Believed every lie they told her.

But I knew better.

"Miss Sinclair?"

I looked up. A man stood in the doorway leading to the examination rooms. Tall, maybe six-two, wearing a pristine white coat over dark pants. His hair was that rich brown color that looked expensive, and when our eyes met, I noticed his were this incredible ice-blue.

Gold-rimmed glasses. Wedding ring absent. Hands that looked strong.

"I'm Dr. Sebastian Cross," he said, walking toward me with his hand extended. "I'll be conducting your initial evaluation."

I stood, smoothing down my sweater. His handshake was firm, warm, and lasted just a beat longer than professional.

"Thank you, Doctor."

"Please, call me Sebastian." His smile was perfect. Too perfect. "Right this way."

I followed him down a hallway lined with fertility success stories. Happy couples holding babies. Glowing testimonials. All of it designed to make you trust them.

His office matched him perfectly. Organized, impressive, with medical diplomas covering one wall and a few carefully placed family photos on his desk. No wedding pictures, I noticed.

"Please, have a seat," he said, settling behind his desk and opening my file on his computer. "So, Aria. You're interested in becoming a surrogate."

"Yes."

"You're twenty-three, currently a nursing student at UCLA." He looked up from the screen, studying my face. "That's impressive. Pre-med coursework isn't easy."

I nodded, keeping my expression neutral. Aria Sinclair, struggling nursing student, was much safer than my real credentials.

"You mentioned financial motivation in your preliminary paperwork. Student loans?"

"Something like that."

"Well, our compensation package is quite generous." His eyes lingered on my face. "Especially for someone with your... qualifications."

The way he said qualifications made heat rise in my cheeks. Was he talking about my medical background, or something else?

"Let's start with the physical examination," he said, moving to wash his hands at the small sink. The motion made his white coat pull across his shoulders. "Standard procedure. Nothing invasive."

I nodded, trying to ignore how his rolled-up sleeves showed off surprisingly muscular forearms.

"Blood pressure first." He wrapped the cuff around my arm, his fingers brushing against my skin as he positioned it. "This might be a little tight."

The pressure built, then released.

"Perfect numbers," he said softly. "Heart rate next."

He pulled his stethoscope from around his neck. The metal looked cold, but when he placed it against my chest, just above the neckline of my sweater, his hand was warm.

"Deep breath for me."

I inhaled, hyper-aware of how close he was standing. Close enough that I could smell his cologne. Something clean and expensive that made me want to lean closer.

"Again."

His hand shifted slightly, and his fingers accidentally brushed against my collarbone. The contact was brief, professional, but it sent an electric shock through me.

"Heart rate's a bit elevated," he murmured, those blue eyes studying my face. "Nervous?"

"A little."

"That's completely normal." His voice was gentle, reassuring. "Just try to relax. Trust me."

Trust him. Right.

The stethoscope moved to a different spot, and this time his hand lingered. Not inappropriately, but definitely longer than a standard examination required. Our eyes met over the equipment, and something passed between us. Something that had nothing to do with medicine.

I told myself this was just part of his routine. He probably charmed all the potential surrogates this way.

But the way he was looking at me suggested otherwise.

"Everything looks excellent," he said finally, stepping back and hanging the stethoscope around his neck. "Your health profile is exactly what we look for in our candidates."

"That's good to hear."

"More than good." He sat back down behind his desk, but his attention remained completely focused on me. "In fact, I have to say, you're quite exceptional."

"Do you tell all your patients that?"

A smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. "No," he said seriously. "Just you."

My heart did this stupid little skip that had nothing to do with the medical equipment.

"I hope you don't mind me saying this," he continued, leaning forward slightly, "but you're making it very difficult for me to maintain professional boundaries."

The confession caught me completely off guard. "Dr. Cross..."

"Sebastian," he corrected. "And I know I shouldn't be saying this, but there's something about you that's different from our other candidates."

Yeah. The fact that I'm here to destroy your entire operation.

"I'm just here to help," I managed.

"I know." His expression grew serious. "And I want to make sure you get all the support you need. Which is why I've decided to personally oversee your case."

My pulse quickened. Having Sebastian's personal attention would give me better access to Eden's inner workings. But it also meant he'd be watching me more closely.

"Is that normal?"

"Not exactly," he admitted. "But like I said, you're not exactly normal either."

Before I could respond, a soft knock interrupted us. Sebastian looked genuinely annoyed by the intrusion.

"Come in."

The receptionist peeked around the door. "Dr. Cross? Your next appointment is here."

"Already?" He glanced at his watch, then back at me with what looked like real disappointment. "I'm sorry, Aria. Time got away from me."

I stood, collecting my purse. "Of course. Thank you for the examination."

"Wait." He came around the desk, pulling a business card from his coat pocket. When I took it, his fingers brushed against mine deliberately. "My direct line. If you have any questions at all, don't hesitate to call."

The card was warm from being in his pocket.

"Thank you."

I was halfway to the door when he spoke again.

"Aria?"

I turned back.

"I'll be personally monitoring your progress." His smile was warm but intense. "I have a feeling you're going to be very special to us here at Eden."

The way he said special made my stomach flutter.

As I walked back through the lobby, I could feel his eyes on me until I disappeared around the corner. The receptionist was waiting with paperwork.

"Dr. Cross specifically requested that your psychological evaluation be scheduled for tomorrow," she said, handing me a folder. "Two o'clock with Dr. Rivers."

"Thank you."

Walking to my car, I replayed every moment of the examination. Sebastian's lingering touches. The way he'd looked at me. His admission about professional boundaries.

This was exactly the kind of complication I'd hoped to avoid.