Beneath the Scars (Masters of the Shadowlands #13)(79)

As the sound of sirens filled the air, Ben let out a shout of joy. “Anne, we have a baby.”

Anne sucked in air in deep gasps, her hand shaking in Josie’s. “Healthy?”

“Let me have him, Ben.” Holt took the baby, drying and rubbing with a clean towel. A sputter sounded, then a heartwarming high cry. “Perfect,” Holt murmured. “Here, Dad, put your son to his mom’s breast—and cover them both up.”

Josie slid off the bed and turned to help Anne lay flat.

The look of love on Ben’s face as he sat beside Anne brought tears to Josie’s eyes. Blinking hard, she looked at Holt.

He smiled, a dimple appearing, his eyes alight. “Best feeling in the world, isn’t it?”

Oh, hell. She was falling for him. Right into that four-letter-L-word.

*

Two hours later, when Holt walked Josie to her door, she felt as if she’d been wrung out to dry. The remnants of adrenaline were long gone… and the joy remained. She’d helped a baby get born.

Josie smiled up at Holt. “Anne is sure a stubborn person. I didn’t think she’d ever agree to go to the hospital.”

Holt chuckled. “I can see her reasoning. Why bother when the baby’d already arrived?”

Anne had finally agreed to go to the hospital, only because neither the pediatrician nor obstetrician made house calls—and Holt had said having a baby that quickly was hard on both participants and they should be checked.

Josie shook her head, remembering her own labor. It had seemed to last forever, but at least, there’d been plenty of time to realize the baby she’d carried for nine months was on his way out. The actual birth and separation had been…a kind of grief. Anne, though, had been in too much pain and labor had gone too quickly for her to process the parting. “She looked shell-shocked.”

“Yeah. Precipitous births are…unsettling. I’ve seen a couple. Both times, the women had given birth before—and they’d still looked as if they’d taken a header off a cliff.”

“I think I prefer the slower way.”

“Speaking from the paramedic’s point of view, so do I.” Holt leaned forward, pinning her against the door. “In case I didn’t tell you, you were wonderful.”

She lifted her lips to his, feeling as if she was absorbing his strength, his control. He’d been so calm. Just hearing his smooth, resonant voice had been heartening. “I merely followed orders. Anne was awfully lucky you were there.”

All your patients are damn lucky.

He laughed. “I doubt she’ll even remember who attended her. But it was a hell of a party. I’m glad I got to share it with you.”

“I…” Actually, she’d be happy to share anything with him. Everything. And that was something she mustn’t say. She breathed in his scent, longing to get closer, to have his mouth on her, his shaft inside her, to be—

His gaze heated. He ran his hands up and down her arms and then lifted her chin. “Little subbie, I’d like to take you up on that invitation, but your son is probably over at Stella’s and watching for you.”

She closed her eyes. What was she thinking? She needed to pull away from him, not…not extend unconscious invitations. “He is. I saw his bike over there.”

“Then I’ll let you go. You need to eat and get ready for work.” He ran a finger down her cheek. “I won’t be at the Shadowlands tonight. However, tomorrow, I’d like to see you.”

She eyed him. “Uh…let’s not make plans. I’m really busy, and I should spend time with Carson, and really, it was fun today, but…”

Her excuses fled when his gaze darkened. His voice dropped to a warning rumble. “Josie…”

Her mouth went dry.

“Second thoughts are normal, pet, but don’t let your fears get in the way of something wonderful.” He kissed her lightly, strolled off the porch and across to his duplex.

This wasn’t fair. It wasn’t. The one man she most wanted to be with—and most needed to be away from—lived next door.

God truly was a male—and a sadist.

*

Anne couldn’t quite remember the afternoon. The events had all run together in a ghastly montage of pain-filled moments.

She remembered the barbecue. That’d been fun. She’d taken a nap. Gotten up. Then pain, pain, and more pain. And although they said she’d had a baby, nothing felt real.

Now she was here, spending the night in a damn hospital, by herself rather than with Ben snuggled around her. Had he left? Gone back to the house?

She couldn’t remember. Everything was all mixed together. Ambulance. Baby. No baby. Ben. Forms and questions. Her OB guy had been in to see her, hadn’t he? Hell, this was worse than any blackout hangover—ever.

And she hurt, like everywhere, as if someone had used a baseball bat on her belly and ribs and arms. And even her pussy. Oh, right, the OB guy had sewed her up…down there.

Lovely, she had stitches in her hoo-hah. She rolled her eyes. There were masochists who enjoyed having needles poked through their labia. No fucking way. In fact, she’d never jammed needles into any of her boys’ packages. Good to know that she was entirely right.

Well, time to see if she could move. She flipped the covers off and blinked. Whoa, look how flat her gut was now. No belly. She ran her hand over her stomach, feeling…empty. And lost. Tears prickled her eyes.