RYDER (Slater Brothers 4)(93)

“All that built up foreplay and teasing over the last three months has finally found its release.” I said, and yawned.

Ryder turned to his side and grabbed hold of me. He pulled me a few inches up the bed until my head rested on a pillow. He covered us with the bedcover, and snuggled his body against mine.

“I love you, darling.”

I squeezed him. “I love you, too.”

We both fell asleep quickly and when I woke up, the clock on my nightstand told me it was after nine pm. I only had a few hours of sleep, but I felt so rested. I turned in Ryder’s arm and stared at him. He was sleeping, but thanks to our bedroom light still being on I could take my time and scan his features without worrying he would open his eyes and tease me about it.

His plump pink lips were parted, and he was lightly snoring. He hadn’t shaved in a few days, and the scruff of hair on his face really suited him. I made a mental note to tell him that.

His mop of dark brown hair needed to be trimmed because it was long enough to fall into his eyes now. Aideen usually did it for all the brothers, she grew up with four of them and had learned how to trim hair without butchering it when she was in her teens.

I reached my hand up and gently brushed the hair back out of Ryder’s face. I smiled and ran my fingertips down the side of his face, admiring the man I love so much. I was going to lean in and kiss him, but my phone rang from my bag and it caused Ryder to shift in his sleep.

He woke up when I had to move out of his arms so I could find my phone. I found my bag near the bedroom door, grabbed my phone then scurried back to the bed and under the warm covers. Ryder gathered me up in his arms almost instantly, his hand resting on my stomach.

I looked at my phone, saw Dominic’s face on the screen, answered it then pressed it against my ear.

“What’s up, buttercup?” I answered.

Ryder snorted from my side as he stroked my bare midriff.

“It’s happening.”

I gasped and shot into an upright position. “Bronagh’s in labour?!”

Ryder sat up, too, staring at me as I listened to Dominic.

“Yes, her water broke an hour ago while I was bringing Tyson on a walk. She waited awhile to make sure the water had stopped coming out of her, then showered and dressed herself and made us f*cking dinner. She said she didn’t need to call me, you or anyone else because she was okay. She is so calm, Branna. What’s wrong with her?” he said, clearly frustrated.

I couldn’t help but laugh.

“Honey, women react in different ways. This is her reaction to her labour right now, her body is tellin’ ‘er to be calm, so that’s what she’s doin’.”

I heard Dominic practice Bronagh’s breathing tactics, and I wondered if I’d be taking care of him in the delivery ward as well as her.

“I feel like I’m about to pass out.”

Yep, I’m definitely going to be looking after him.

“Keep breathing, you’ll be fine,” I assured him. “Where’s me sister?”

“Why’re you telling Dominic to breathe?’ Ryder murmured.

“He’s freakin’ out,” I whispered in response making him snicker.

“She’s in the bathroom—oh, wait, here she is now.”

I heard him ask my sister if she was okay.

“Shit, Branna, she’s feeling contractions now, but they don’t last long she said. They’re hurting her though. What do we do?” Dominic asked, his voice raising a couple of octaves.

“Ask her does she want to head into the hospital now, or wait it out at home until the contractions get stronger, come quicker and last longer?”

Dominic relayed my question to Bronagh then to me he said, “She wants to go to the hospital. Is it normal that she is shaking? Because she is and I don’t like it.”

He was too bloody cute.

“Yes,” I replied. “She nervous, that’s perfectly normal.”

“Okay, right.” He breathed. “I’ll grab her stuff, we have her bag packed and ready to go. We’ll drive to the hospital, and you’ll meet us there, right?”

“Try and keep me away.” I stated.

I wasn’t on shift tonight, but I was going to be the acting midwife for my sister throughout her labour, and I knew no one on the ward would object to that.

“Thanks, Branna.” Dominic said, and I heard the gratitude in his voice.

“Of course, honey. We’ll see you soon.”

“Text everyone for me, tell them what’s going on.”

When I hung up with Dominic, I turned to Ryder and dove on him.

“It’s happenin’!” I squealed. “Bronagh’s waters have broken.”

We hugged then we jumped up from our bed, and rushed to put our clothes on. Ryder grabbed his phone and texted everyone as we hauled arse out of the room. I knew rushing was pointless because this could take a long time. I would slow down when my sister was in front of me, but until then, all my cylinders were on full blast.

Before Ryder and I left the house, he stopped me at outside our front door and said, “My baby brother and your baby sister are about to have a baby, sweetness.”

I smiled so wide it hurt my cheeks.

“They’re all grown up,” I said as my eyes welled with tears. “We done good with them, huh?”