I nearly kicked open the door to his meeting room. At first, he turned and glared at the intruder until he saw it was me. Of course, that was when another contraction hit. I crumpled forward, trying to visualize a flower opening or some other nonsense that was supposed to help with the pain.
“Is it time?” he asked, ignoring his meeting and rushing to my side. I hissed with pain and glared at him.
“Nah, I'm just practicing for a play,” I said when I could finally speak again.
His normally calm face blanched slightly and he took my arm. “Meeting's over,” he called back behind him as we left the conference room.
Anne was bouncing in the driver's seat as James practically carried me to the car. It was almost humorous how much more nervous Anne and James were than I was. This was the part that couldn't be stopped. There was nothing left for me to do now but survive the pain and push, though from the nervous flutterings of Anne and James, it seemed a lot more important.
I didn't pay attention to the drive to the hospital. I didn't pay attention to the nurse as I changed into a hospital gown. I focused on breathing and pushing. Somewhere along the line, that flower visualization suddenly was the most important thing I could think of.
James held my hand the whole time. He never left me, not even for a bathroom break. He kept giving me sips of water and making sure my hair was pulled back and out of my eyes. I was in too much pain to focus on much else, but he kept his voice low and soothing. I couldn't have done it without James.
Finally, finally I heard the cry as my son took his first breath. His tiny shriek at being exposed to the world filled the room and my heart. I'd never heard anything so beautiful.
“He's here,” James whispered. He took the scissors from the doctor and cut the umbilical cord. The nurse wrapped our son in a blanket and handed him back to James. “He's so beautiful.”
The catch in James' voice made my chest ache with joy. There was so much love in his gaze, so much heartfelt wonder at the life we had created together. I loved the smile of absolute parental pride as the man I loved gazed at our son.
“Come meet your mommy, Frankie,” James said softly, bringing him to the head of the bed. I held out my arms, tears of joy streaming down my face. James had insisted on naming him after my father, the man that had supported his business endeavors and taught him the value of a deal. The gesture had almost made Dad forgive him for knocking up his daughter.
Still, there was no denying how special this little boy was. My son. James' son. Our beautiful baby boy.
“Hi, Frank,” I whispered, cuddling him close. “Welcome to the world. It's a hard place to live, but it'll be okay. Your mommy and daddy love you more than anything.”
I held him close, marveling at his tiny little fingers and big, beautiful eyes.
James kissed my forehead and held his family close.
My billionaire stepbrother was a father. Together, we couldn't be happier.
You might also enjoy
If you enjoyed this book, you might also enjoy “Yours Royally”. It also contains a billionaire with a secret, and a whole lot of sexual tension!
Yours Royally: A Cinderella Love Story
Can a regular girl ever marry a real life prince?
Prince Marco:
Royal life can be a royal pain, and Marco needs a break. A secret identity, just for a few weeks. A relaxing vacation in America, where nobody knows who he really is. Not even the girl he hires to be his personal assistant, Sabrina. But when Sabrina turns out to be the best part of his vacation, he finds it harder and harder to keep his secret from her...
Sabrina Wise:
Sabrina never imagined that any job could lead to paparazzi encounters and surprise trips to Hawaii. Who could have thought that her boss would turn out to be as charming as he was handsome? But, behind their sizzling sexual tension, she can't help but think there's something more to Marco. Who is this gorgeous man she's taking orders from, and why is he keeping so much hidden away? If she's willing to risk everything to find out, she might end up in her own Cinderella fairy-tale ending...
What happens when Mr. Right turns out to be Prince Charming?
Marco started up the music. It began
with a simple drum beat, but soon flutes and horns chimed in. The music was extremely complicated and sounded like a combination of jazz and blues, mixed with salsa. Underlying the melody, though, was a rhythmic beat that actually caused Sabrina to tap her toes.
“Do you like it?” Marco asked, as he stepped close to Sabrina and placed his hand onto her lower back. “I imagine it sounds quite a bit different from the music that is made here.”
Sabrina nodded. Her bangs fell into her eyes and Marco reached up, pushing her hair across her forehead and behind her ear. It was such a simple act, but meant so much to her.
“My hair is a mess,” she said, desperately filling the silence with anything she could think of.