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Well, kind of holding.
He panicked and held the baby out, away from him.
“I don’t…know…what…you…” he stuttered.
“Here,” Ivy explained patiently. She helped him wrap his arms securely around our baby girl, showing him how to hold her properly.
Alessio instinctively brought Princess closer to his chest, and he cradled her there. His eyes were no longer on mine.
No, his eyes were on our precious daughter.
He didn’t blink. He didn’t utter a single word.
Ivy cleaned me up and finished the last stage of delivery. When I was washed and cleaned, I sunk against the pillow and watched my husband hold our daughter.
I watched him watch our princess.
He was completely lost in her. Mesmerized by the tiny baby in his arms.
I saw his arms tighten the slightest bit. Was it a protective hold? Or a possessive one?
Such a sweet sight. My eyes drooped a little as tiredness took over.
Alessio’s chin trembled, and I blinked.
A tear slid down his cheek.
I blinked again.
Another tear.
He was crying.
“My princess,” he whispered gruffly.
His gaze came back on mine. “Our princess. She is so beautiful, Ayla. So, so beautiful.”
He paused and then frowned. “And too small. Is that normal? Why is she so small?”
Maddie snorted. Ivy laughed.
I smiled…my heart full with so much love.
Alessio was right. Princess was a small baby. She was dainty in her father’s arms. Was Alessio’s arm bigger than her tiny body? Yes, probably. She was practically hidden against his chest.
I placed my hands out. “I want to hold her.”
Ivy left the room quietly. Maddie placed a kiss on my forehead and quietly left the room too.
Alessio came to my side and settled on the bed beside me. He placed Princess into the crook of my arm. I cradled her lovingly to my chest.
She shifted around and mewled softly. Her forehead was scrunched up, like she was about to cry.
Her eyes were closed. I wondered what color they would be?
My baby girl was wrapped tightly in a soft blanket. She barely had any place to move. Her head was covered with a pink hat, just as soft as the blanket. I moved the hat, and my eyes found black hair.
“She has black hair,” I muttered. Leaning down, I placed a sweet kiss on her head.
With the help of Alessio, we moved the blanket around. Ten tiny fingers and ten tiny toes. Perfect. Absolutely perfect.
She was so small, it made my heart ache. I imagined her in pain, and my heart broke.
No, my daughter would never be in pain. Not like me.
She had an army to protect her. A vicious army at that.
Her father had made sure of it.
Her tiny arms flailed a little, her leg kicked out. Her little cute pink lips burst in a pout. So adorable.
And then she started crying.
“Aww…no crying, Princess,” I said softly. “What do you want? Are you hungry? Shhh…Mommy is here,” I soothed when she continued to cry.
Alessio quickly wrapped the blanket around her again. “I think she’s hungry.”
I nodded. “Can you help?” My head pointed at my laced bodice.
My husband shifted around and unlaced my gown from the front. When my breast was freed from the fabric, I brought Princess closer to my chest.
Her head moved around slowly, looking for something. Her lips made a suckling sound. She was definitely hungry.
With my hand under her small head, I brought her mouth to my left breast. She instantly latched onto my nipple and sucked. Hard.
I winced and let out a yelp.
“That’s my girl,” Alessio said. Proudly, I should add.
“Seriously?” I huffed as my baby started to suckle, taking in her fill.
Alessio’s arm wrapped me as he buried his nose into my neck. He placed a kiss there, letting his head lay on my shoulder. “I love you, Angel.”
His other hand came up and rested against our baby’s fat rump.
We held our daughter, cradling her in our embrace as she fed.
While still suckling, she made a small noise…maybe it was of contentment. But it sounded sleepy too.
And then she slowly blinked her eyes open.
Oh.
A tiny gasp escaped past my lips.
Then I smiled. So beautiful.
Our gazes locked. And I fell in love for a second time.
Blue to green.
Tears blurred my vision. “She has your eyes, Alessio.”
The same exact eyes as her father.
Her crying and moving halted.
Giant bluish steel-colored eyes blinked up at me, framed with thick long lashes.
Her little rosebud mouth pursed around my nipple, and I thought she sighed.
Wait…did she smile? Was that a smile?
“She smiled,” Alessio said, completely enamored at the sight of our daughter.
I knew someone would argue and tell us it was caused by gas or that newborn babies didn’t smile…but she smiled. At me.
And then at her father when her eyes met his.
My heart constricted as father and daughter watched each other. My breath caught, and I sniffled back tears.
Her suckling had stopped, and she blinked.
“She really is your daughter,” I muttered, holding her even tightly.
