CHAPTER FIVE
Ryan sat behind Holly, his arms around her, hands resting on her belly. She leaned back into his chest, her back cradled in his pelvis. He moved one hand up to push her hair from her face as another contraction seized her body.
She trembled in his arms, and it was all he could do not allow his fear to override all else.
When he’d returned to the house after exercising the horses, he hadn’t been able to find her anywhere. In that moment, a whole host of terrifying scenarios ran through his mind. Crazy, insane ideas, but they’d scared him nonetheless.
Her ex-husband had escaped from jail. Or maybe he’d hired someone else to kill her.
It brought back the memories of the night he’d lain helpless on the floor while Holly had been taken from him. His inability to save her, the fact that he’d failed her when she needed him most.
He closed his eyes and buried his lips in her hair. The sting of tears burned his eyelids, and he took deep steadying breaths to try and remain in control of his emotions. He wouldn’t fall apart. Not now. Not when she needed him to be strong. He wouldn’t fail her again.
“Breathe, baby. Deep breaths. That’s it,” Adam encouraged.
Adam was positioned between her legs while Ethan hovered over his shoulder.
“Oh God, it hurts!” she cried.
Her back arched and Ryan could feel the tension in her body, like a rubber band at full stretch.
“You’re crowning, baby. We’re almost there. Close your mouth. Breathe in through your nose then hold it and push. One long push. Let’s see our baby.”
At Adam’s calm direction, she quieted. Ryan could feel her suck in a deep breath and then she bore down.
“That’s it, love,” Ryan whispered in her ear.
Ryan’s hands cupped her belly, trying to infuse his strength into her.
“That’s it!” Adam said in an excited voice. “Come on, baby, one more good push. You can do it.”
An agonized rasp tore from Holly’s throat and Ryan hurt for her. He ached. Felt her effort. Lived it with her. God, he wished he could take her pain. He’d do anything for her not to suffer like this.
“Aaaaah!”
“Okay, rest a minute,” Adam urged. “The head is out. That’s the hard part. Let me suction and then we’ll work on getting our baby the rest of the way here.”
Ryan looked down to see a wide grin splitting his older brother’s face. Behind him, Ethan stood, his face alight with amazement, with awe.
“I need to push again, Adam.”
There was panic in her voice as if she wasn’t quite sure what she should be doing. Ryan kissed her hair and rubbed her belly with his hands, wanting to do something to offer her comfort.
Adam reached up and squeezed one of her hands. “Go on and push, baby. One more good push and we’ll be done.”
Holly’s back arched once more and every muscle in her body tensed. Then she relaxed, much like a wilted balloon. She fell back into his arms, like a limp noodle. She breathed raggedly, her chest rising and falling with exertion.
Ryan looked down once more and met his brother’s eyes.
“It’s a boy,” Adam whispered. “We have a son!”
A tear rolled down Ryan’s cheek and he hastened to shrug it away with his shoulder.
Ethan crowded in and Adam held the squirming, slippery bundle up for Ethan to take.
“Can you take care of the cord?” Adam asked. “I’ll need to make sure she delivers the placenta.”
Ethan reached reverently for the wailing baby, tears glittering in his eyes as well. The three brothers exchanged glances, their eyes full of emotion. Ryan squeezed her in his arms, the rush of love he felt for her so strong it was all he could do to contain himself.
Ethan cut and tied off the cord then wrapped a blanket around the baby. He walked over and gently lowered the bundle into Holly’s outstretched arms.
Ryan got his first glimpse of his son. Holly cradled him in her arms, her fingers lightly exploring his tiny face and fingers.
“He’s beautiful,” she whispered, her voice heavy with emotion.
Ryan sat there, holding them both in his arms. He held everything that mattered right there, close to him, against his heart. Another tear rolled down his cheek and this time he didn’t wipe it away.
“I love you,” he choked out against her hair.
Ethan bent in close to kiss Holly’s temple then he lowered his face to kiss the baby’s brow. “Thank you,” Ethan whispered. “He’s absolutely beautiful.”
Holly turned her face up to beam at both him and Ethan. “Isn’t he though?”
She turned the baby into her breast, offering him her nipple. After a few moments of the baby nuzzling and rooting, Holly managed to get him latched on. Soon he was contentedly feeding.
Footsteps sounding in the hall and a second later the midwife bustled in. She took in the scene then beamed over at Holly. “Well, I’d say you all did just fine without me.”
She hustled over and took control of the situation. She shooed the men away, giving them each a different task, assuring them they could come back just as soon as she’d had a chance to get mother and baby cleaned up and checked over.