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She nodded. “Okay. Okay, that’s good.”
“Right.” I released the back of her neck to grip her hips. We both slipped a little and I caught her closer to me. She was all softness and sea-scented and my brain was scrambled by the need to help her and run at the same time.
I wasn’t built for this.
Why couldn’t this have happened while my brother was here?
He always seemed to know what to do.
“I’m sorry.” Her voice was watery with tears. “My water broke on the stairs.”
“It’s okay. It’s just biology and I’ve got a power washer.”
She burst out with a sob and a laugh at the same time. “Gee, thanks.”
I shrugged. “Just sayin’.” I shuffled slowly so that I could get my feet right on the stairs so I could get up to the next. Before I could get myself situated, she braced again.
“Mason.”
“I gotcha. I’m not letting go.”
“Okay.” Her whole body shuddered and her knees buckled.
I held her tight. Visions of us both going down the stairs in a tumble of blood and broken bones as well as her precious cargo had me shaking just as hard.
When she sagged against me again, I relaxed slightly. “How long did you say you were in labor?”
“I don’t know. Maybe since this morning.”
“Dear God.” I squared my shoulders. “First baby?”
“Um, obviously.”
“How would I know?”
“I’ll tell you right now, I wouldn’t be doing this a second time if I knew it felt like this, buddy.”
“Can’t blame you.” First babies generally took the longest to come—at least from the research I’d done as an uncle. I’d been so nervous being around my brother’s fiancée, I had read the baby books with him. That and I wanted to be prepared for anything.
I huffed out a laugh. “Okay. Want to try to get up the stairs?”
She nodded.
I managed to turn us around so I could back my way up a step. She clutched my hands, and I slowly drew her forward. “Eyes on me, Emma.”
“Right. Not on the holes in your steps. They’re stupid, by the way.”
“I thought they were cool until this very moment.”
She took a shaky step up and I officially lost circulation in my hands. But she was moving, and that was all that mattered to me right now.
I’d deal with the crushed bones after…
What?
A freaking baby was born on my boat?
I wouldnotthink about that right now or I’d be the one hyperventilating.
