Tess Walker organizes her life down to the last detail. She makes plans, sets goals, and focuses on achieving them. It's a strategy that's worked well for her. Well, except when it comes to love.

After four failed relationships, Tess has sworn off men.

So what's a woman who wants motherhood--but not matrimony--to do?

Tess devises what she thinks is the perfect plan: she'll ask a family friend--a kind, dependable, respectable man--to father her child. In return, she'll finance his long-time dream of earning his college degree. Tess prefers not to think of it as "paying for performance." She insists on terming it "a investment in her future child's patriarchal role model."

Andy Deveraux lives life by the seat of his pants. Family obligations have prevented him from pursuing his dreams, but he's determined that one day, he will attend veterinary school. Another promise--a secret vow to himself--is to somehow, some way, sweet talk his way into Tess Walker's bed.

Imagine his surprise when he learns she's about to offer his older brother the deal of a lifetime!

It would take a miracle to convince Tess to choose him instead. But Andy soon finds that he's willing to risk everything--even his heart--to prove he's the perfect daddy material.