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She took it out of the holder and placed it in his hand. He stepped back and began to run the soap across her shoulders, then down her back. “Turn around.”
Phoebe did. His hands traveled to her breasts. She watched the tension grow in his face. A muscle jumped in his jaw. He continued his ministrations. Her nipples grew and tingled. His hand moved on to her belly and down to do her legs. As he stood he kissed the baby.
Her breath caught and her lips quivered. She put her hands on both sides of Ryan’s face and brought his mouth to hers. He returned her kiss, then set her away.
“You need to get out before the water turns cold.”
“What about you?”
“I think I’ll stay for a while.”
Phoebe stepped out of the shower with a smile on her face. It was nice, being desired. She dried off. “Ryan, I don’t have any more clothes. Do you have a large shirt I can wear?”
“You don’t need any clothes. Just climb into bed. Is your back still hurting?”
“A little. It comes and goes.”
A few minutes later Ryan came out of the bathroom in all his naked glory. He was all man. Leaving the room, he returned with a fat candle and a pack of matches. He set the candle on the bedside table and lit it before he turned off the overhead light.
“Move over.” He climbed in next to her. “Face me, Phoebe.”
She rolled to her side and he did also. Ryan’s hand started rubbing her belly and moving around to her back and forward again. He looked into her eyes.
A few minutes later he cleared his throat. “I loved the aggressive way you pushed your way in here tonight and made me see reason. JT and I could have used you on patrol with us a couple of times.”
She snickered. “I actually learned that maneuver from Mrs. Rosenheim. She’s been using it on me for a few years now. In fact, she did so this afternoon. She’s the one who encouraged me to come and see you.”
“Well, remind me to give her a kiss when I see her again.”
Phoebe placed her hand on his chest. “You might not want to do that because she could expect it every time you see her.”
“I think it’ll be worth taking the chance.” He captured her hand and held it against him.
“Ryan, I want you to know that I’m not going to push you for more than you can give or do. Ooh …” Phoebe tensed.
He looked at her closely. “Stronger?”
“A little.”
“Why don’t you try to get some sleep? You may need it later. I’ll be right here.” Ryan rolled to his back and pulled her closer. His length lay firm against her hip. Regardless of his obvious need, he made no move to do anything but care for her. She drifted off to sleep knowing she and the baby were in good hands. A sharp pain radiating around her waist woke her. The candle had burned low.
“How’re you doing?”
“That pain was stronger.”
Ryan set up in bed. “Then we need to start timing them. Let me know when you feel the next one.”
She lifted one corner of her mouth and gave him a look. “I don’t think you’ll have to be told. I’m a wimp when it comes to pain. You’ll hear me.”
He chuckled. “I’ll keep that in mind as this goes on. Do I need to call in someone else so they can lose their hearing?”
“You’ve already done that with Stacy.”
Ryan had the good grace to look repentant. “I’m sorry about that. I’ll try to make up for that by doing what I can to help make you comfortable. Do you need anything? Need more support on your back?”
“I’m fine right now but I do love to have my back rubbed.”
“Then a back rub is what you’ll get.” He climbed out of bed.
“Where’re you going?”
“I’m just going around to the other side.”
“But I liked you here.” She watched him walk by the end of the bed. Even in labor he turned her on.
“I appreciate the compliment but I can do a better job over here. Less distractions.” His hands moved across her back.
“Like what?”
“Your beautiful face. When your pains get to twenty minutes apart we’ll need to call Stacy and go to the hospital.”
“Do we have to? I want you to deliver,” she said in a melancholy tone.
“No, I guess we don’t have to. Do you want to deliver at your house? If you do, we need to get moving.”
“I’d like to have the baby here. In this beautiful bed. Just you and me.”
Did he realize that if he agreed it would be a sign of commitment? He was giving her and the baby permission to enter his personal space. To share his home and bed for a significant event.
Ryan’s hands stopped moving for a second then started again. “I would like that.”
She smiled, then winced.
“I take it that was another pain. Try to breathe through them. It’ll make it easier. Remember your lessons.”
“Is this the moment that you morph into a midwife?”
“It’s time. I’m going to get my bag and put on some pants. You stay put.”
“You’re going to put on clothes when I’m not wearing any?”
“It’s a long shot that something might go wrong. If I have to call for help I don’t want to get caught with my pants down, so to speak.”
Phoebe laughed.
He gave her a reprimanding look. “You go on and make fun but it would be hard for me to live that one down.”
She enjoyed the sight of Ryan’s backside as he search a drawer. He pulled out some boxers and stepped into them. Going to the wardrobe, he came out wearing a pair of athletic shorts. He then left the room and returned with a backpack. Ryan flipped the bedside lamp on and blew out the candle.
“I liked it better the other way.” Phoebe rolled toward him.
“I did, too, but I need to see.” Ryan unzipped the backpack and removed a stethoscope. He placed it on her belly, then listened to her chest and back. Finished, he put the stethoscope on the table. “Sounds good.”
“I’m scared” slipped out before she knew it.
Ryan pushed her hair away from her forehead and kissed her. “There’s nothing to be afraid of. I’ll be right here with you all the way. This is a natural process.”
“That’s coming from a man who never had a baby.”
“That’s true, but I’ve been there when a lot of them have been born. I’ll give you an example of how natural it is. My great-great-grandmother had twelve babies. They all lived. While she was in labor she would fix breakfast for the family and get everyone off to the fields. They were farmers in north Alabama. She would lie on the floor and have the baby, then tie the cord off with a thread from a flour sack because it was thin enough to cut the cord. She would clean herself and the baby up, then get into bed. At the end of the day when everyone came in from the field there would be a new baby to greet.”
“Are you expecting me to do that?” Her voice rose.
Ryan took her hand and squeezed it. “No, I’m not. What I’m trying to say is that if my grandmother can do it by herself twelve times, then the two of us can certainly do it together once without any problem.”
“I think I can do anything as long as I have you to help me.”
Ryan leaned over and gave her a leisurely kiss. “I feel the same way, honey.”
Another pain gripped her. She clutched Ryan’s hand.
When it had passed he said, “Why don’t you walk around some? It would help with the pain and get the labor moving along.”
“I’m not going to walk around your place with no clothes on, in labor or not.”
“Okay, let me see if I can find something comfortable for you to wear.” Ryan went to his wardrobe. The sound of hangers being pushed across a rod came out of the space. “This should do it.”
He returned to the bed with a button-up shirt in his hand. “Swing your feet over the side and I’ll help you get this on.”
She did and he held the shirt while she slipped her arms into it. The sleeves fell well past her hands. Ryan buttoned it for her, then rolled the sleeves up to the middle of her forearms.
