Chapter 4

My wife has been pushing for the last hour and a half and it's killing me that I can't help her. That I can't solve this problem she's having, that I can't be the one having the baby for her. I wish I could take on her pain, take on her exhaustion, take on her every burden so she doesn't have to suffer.

I hate that I have to witness this. Not the birth of my child, oh no. I'm beyond ready to meet that baby of mine. My poor wife though?

She's suffering, my Ivy. Hunched over, her face is red, her forehead sweaty, and long wisps of hair are matted to her skin. Her eyes are wild with a mixture of anticipation and exhaustion and they go out of focus every few minutes. Like she's here, but not.

Her feet are in stirrups, her knees bent as the doctor and nurse hover at the end of the bed, checking her between the legs. She freaked out a little bit when they laid her down on the birthing table. Panicked. She's been saying for weeks that she wants the baby out, but now that we're at the final moment, I think she's having regrets about the entire child-birthing process, though I know that's just nerves talking.

Anyway, too late now. There's no going back. She knows this but... pregnant women can be a little irrational sometimes. Not that I would ever, ever admit that to Ivy. Or any other woman who's given birth.

The only thing that reassures me in the midst of the chaos and the worry is the sound of my child's steady heartbeat coming from the monitor, filling the room with a relentless beat that tells me they're doing just fine.

Wish I could say the same about Ivy. She's worn out.

"You okay?" I ask her, tracing my fingers down her forearm, drawing her attention. "You've almost got this, baby. You're doing so good."

"I'm okay." She nods, but her voice wavers, and I wonder how okay she really feels. "I just want this to be over with. I'm so tired."

"Maybe..." I let my voice trail off, not sure if I should say what I want to say to her or not. I clear my throat. "You've been going at this for hours. Maybe you should consider a C-section? I know we discussed natural childbirth, and you didn't want to have a cesarean, but—"

"I've only been pushing for two hours, if that. The baby isn't stressed. I'm not a quitter, Archer." She sits up straighter, her expression determined. "I've got this."

Aw, man. She's set out to prove me wrong now.

This is usually my cue to give up the fight but, damn it, I'm scared out of my mind something could happen to Ivy. And I'm not about to lose her. I can't even fathom the thought.

My phone starts ringing, and I see it's Matt calling. I walk over to the farthest corner of the room so I can answer it and talk without Ivy hearing me.

"What's up, man? Don't tell me you bailed on Gage and Marina too."

Matt chuckles. "You a father yet or what? Everyone's dying to know what's going on. How's Ivy? Is she okay?"

"The baby's not here yet," I say, glancing over at Ivy's bed. She's got her hand resting low on her belly and her chin is tilted down. I swear her lips are moving, and I think she might be either talking to herself or the baby. Probably telling the baby that they're going to prove Daddy wrong and make an appearance sooner rather than later—which would be fine with me. "She's been pushing for almost two hours," I say, my voice lowering. "I'm worried about her."

"She'll be fine," Matt says. "Women have babies all the time. Your girl is tough."

I know what Matt's saying is true, but I still worry about Ivy. She's my life. I want what's best for her and never want to see her in pain. I had no idea watching her in labor would be so difficult. I need to change the subject for a bit and focus on something else. "So how was the wedding?"

"Great. Everything went off without a hitch and Marina was a beautiful bride. I swear, Gage cried when he first saw her."

"Get the hell out." Gage was turning into a regular sap.

No big deal considering I was too. So was Matt. I blame the women folk.

"Hand to God, dude. I wanted to tear up when I saw Bryn coming at me down the aisle in her bridesmaid dress, she looked so beautiful clutching her bouquet," Matt says, his voice soft.

What a goner he is. He's madly in love with that former assistant of his, not that I can blame him. I would never admit this to Ivy, but Bryn is pretty damn hot, plus she's so nice.

Christ, she'd tear my head off if she knew I even thought that.

"You've turned into a complete pussy," I mutter just to get under Matt's skin.

It works. "Fuck you," he replies cheerily. "Mister I'm-so-worried-about-my-wife-as-she-gives-birth-to-my-baby, though I get it, man. I get it." Matt pauses for a brief moment, and I hear a cheer in the background. Sounds like they're all having fun, and I wish Ivy and I could've been there to celebrate with everyone. But our baby had different plans. "What do you think you're having anyway? Boy or girl?"

I want to roll my eyes. How many times have I answered this question? Hell, how many times has Matt himself asked me? "It doesn't matter as long as the baby is healthy," I say.

"That's such a bullshit answer. You can tell me the truth. I won't reveal it to anyone. What do you think you're having? What do you want?"

"I really don't care dude, okay?" I glance over at Ivy, who's glaring at me. Damn, she looks pissed.

I swallow hard, prepared for the verbal blow I'm about to get.

"Archer," she practically hisses. Her eyes are narrowed, but she looks scared too. And so, so, tired. "I need you."

"I gotta go," I tell Matt. "Pray for my wife," I say before I end the call. I rush toward Ivy, who lets out a long groan as she clutches her belly with both hands.

We're going to need all the help we can get.

The reception is in full swing, and I can finally relax. During the ceremony, I stood by Gage's side and handed over the ring. I gave a rousing speech during the dinner that made practically every female in attendance cry. And now I'm slow dancing with my girlfriend, holding her close in my arms as we sway to the music.

Since when did my life get so perfect?

Since the first time you saw Bryn.

Right. Exactly.

"They look so happy," Bryn murmurs, breaking through my thoughts.

I glance down at her to see she's watching Gage and Marina dance nearby. Their gazes are locked, arms wrapped around each other as they float slowly about the dance floor, surrounded by other couples. But they aren't paying attention to anyone else, acting as if they're the only two people in this room. They look that lost in each other.

"That's what love does to you," I say because I can relate. I feel the same way. Completely and totally lost in Bryn and what we share. It just flat out doesn't get much better than this, and I'm finding that I count my lucky stars more and more often the longer I'm with Bryn.

I want to make this relationship permanent. We belong together. I know it. She knows it. So why aren't we facing facts and taking our relationship to the next logical step?

"You're right." Bryn smiles up at me, the sight of her pretty face momentarily stealing my breath. "Love makes you do crazy things."

"It does." I nod and swallow hard. This is it. I want to say the words, but they're lodged in my throat like I've turned into some sort of coward. When have I ever hesitated to ask for what I want? I'm a go-getter, and I always have been. If I've learned anything from my pain-in-the-ass dad, it's that you've gotta make shit happen for yourself, not wait for it to happen to you.

Sound advice. Even in relationships.

"You did an amazing job with the best man speech," Bryn continues, smoothing her hand along my shoulder. My skin tingles at her touch, even through the layers of clothing. "Did you even plan what you were going to say? Or was it completely unrehearsed?"

"Considering I had less than two hours to prepare for that speech, and most of that time I was doing other stuff—yeah, completely unrehearsed," I say. I'm not the best when it comes to speaking in public, but I held my own. Unlike now, when I'm losing my nerve just trying to talk to my own girlfriend.

It's only the most important question of my life. What's the big deal?

I break out into a cold sweat. Jesus, this is a huge fucking deal.

"Well, you did great. And you look good too," she says appreciatively. "Though I think I've told you that about a thousand times already."

I raise a brow. "Only good?" Looks like I can still flirt at least. That's good because I feel like I'm losing my grip and fast.

"Better than good." She grins. "Hot. Mega hot."

"That's better." Leaning in, I drop a quick kiss on her forehead.

"I love you," she whispers, and my heart cracks with her words. Rarely does she say it first; it's almost like she's scared to confess she may have more feelings than I do at any given moment.

I've lived most of my life always trying to be on top, but this relationship isn't a competition. We're two equals, Bryn and me, and I wish she could realize that. When it comes to relationships and love, I know she hasn't had the best examples in life, but I want her to be confident knowing that I love her.

"I love you too," I say, my voice—and my courage—growing stronger. "Bryn."

"What?"

I stare into her eyes, memorizing the way she looks at this very moment. Happy, beautiful. Perfect. "Will you marry me? Be my bride?"

She stops dancing and so do I, my heart racing a million miles a minute. She's gaping at me, her eyes wide, lips parted, staring at me like I have two heads. Then she takes a step back, her hands dropping away from me as she slowly shakes her head.

"I-I'm sorry. I can't," she whispers, just before she turns on her heel and runs away from me as fast as she can.

Leaving me standing in the middle of the dance floor. Alone and devastated.

Hell. What just happened?

Gage?"

My wife's sweet voice rings through me, and I glance down at her, offering her a soft smile. "Yeah?"

"I love you." Marina smiles at me, radiantly beautiful. I want to fucking cry all over again just looking at her. When I saw her poised at the end of the aisle on her father's arm, ready to walk toward me and begin this journey called marriage, tears sprang to my eyes. The dress she wore was stunning. Her hair, her smile, the way she clutched her bouquet so tightly the flowers trembled—she did me in.

Flat-out wrecked me.

All the stress and joy and arguments and worry and anxiety in planning this wedding had proven worth it in that one single moment.

"I love you too," I whisper, bending down so I can kiss her, even slip her a little tongue which she responds to eagerly. Hey, this is our day. If anyone wants to give us grief for tongue kissing on the dance floor at our wedding reception, well, they can suck the big one.

She breaks the kiss first, her smile wobbly, her eyes a little dazed. "Thank you."

"For what?" I laugh and shake my head. "Kissing you?"

"For putting up with me these last few months." Her smile turns immediately into a frown. "I've been a complete bitch. I don't know how you put up with me."

"You're not a bitch." I kiss the tip of her nose. "You might've been a bit... touchy, but hey, you've been under a lot of stress. Planning a wedding isn't easy."

"Planning a wedding for a demanding bunch of Italians all expecting the party of the century is definitely not easy," she says, her voice tinged with sarcasm.

I laugh. There's something about her boisterous Italian family that I love. Even her dad, who still sometimes treats me like I'm scum on the bottom of his shoe. I love that guy. I love her mom too. I love her whole damn family and I know my family embraces her fully, especially my sister.

Shit. My sister. She's having a baby right now, and I haven't contacted her. Our parents already left and headed to the hospital so they could be with her and Archer. I should do the same. We should leave right now and check up on her. We have time before we have to get to the hotel. Hell, we're not even flying out to the Caribbean until tomorrow morning.

"I texted Archer a few minutes ago," Marina says like she can read my mind or something.

Which she probably can. I used to think that crap was scary. Now I just roll with it.

"What did he say? How's my sister?" I hear the panic in my own voice, and I tell myself to calm down. If something crazy were going down, they would've contacted us. Otherwise, they're leaving us alone—those were Archer's exact words to me via text right before the ceremony. They want us to enjoy our wedding, not worry about Ivy the entire time.

I appreciated the gesture, and of course I was able to get wrapped up in the ceremony and reception, but still, I'm thinking of my sister and hoping like hell she's all right.

"She's good. Still in labor. Archer's worried about her," Marina says.

"Should I be worried about her too?"

"No. It's normal. I spoke to your mom a few minutes ago. She called right before you dragged me out onto the dance floor," Marina says, laughing when I scowl at her. "They'd just arrived at the hospital and said Ivy was looking good. Well, she was looking tired and a little grumpy and more than ready to give birth, but still good. There are no complications, and the baby should make his or her appearance soon."

"Good." I'm thankful to hear my sister is okay. The timing on all of this wasn't the best, but hey, it's definitely going to be memorable. Especially if the baby is born today of all days. Talk about a celebration. A wedding anniversary and a birthday for the family—you can't beat that.

"I was wondering." Marina sinks her teeth into her glossy lower lip. Damn, she's sexy when she does that. It's been a while since I've had her naked and beneath me. Not only because of stress, but because she actually wanted us to keep our hands off each other for a while.

It'll make the wedding night that much better, she'd insisted.

Whatever. I went along with it, but we're done with that. I'm eager to take her back to the hotel room and strip that dress off her. And whatever else she's got going on beneath it, because I know it must be complicated.

I'm more than up to the challenge.

"Wondering what?" I ask.

"Maybe before we go to the hotel, we can stop by the hospital to see Ivy and hopefully the baby? We won't be leaving here for another few hours, and I'm guessing the baby will be born by then," Marina says.

"Another few hours?" Shit. How long is this reception supposed to last?

"Well, we haven't cut the cake yet, and I haven't tossed my bouquet. And you need to throw the garter. So yes. A few more hours to go at least," she stresses.

At least. Well, that sucks. I'm ready to bail. "But I'm ready to get you alone now," I whisper, squeezing her hand as I step in closer to her. So close our chests brush and our legs momentarily tangle.

Her smile turns sultry. "I know. Trust me, I want to get you alone too, but just a few more hours here. I promise. Then we'll go to the hospital, then the hotel. They probably won't let us stay long at the hospital anyway. We'll be lucky to see Ivy, what with visiting hours and all that."

Yeah. I need to do the right thing and try and see my sister. At the very least, hopefully see the baby and Archer.

"You're right." I glance around and notice that no one is really paying any attention to us. Lowering my voice, I say, "Let's sneak off for a quickie."

Her jaw drops open. "Are you serious?"

"As a heart attack." Just thinking about it has me hard. "I want you, Marina. It's been too long. I don't know if I can wait another two or three hours or whatever it is before I get you naked in bed."

She glances down at herself, then up at me. "It'll take twenty minutes just to get me out of everything I'm wearing."

I can only imagine what she's wearing. I bet every bit of it is sexy as fuck. "Can't I just toss up your skirt?"

Her cheeks go the faintest shade of pink. "God, Gage you're awful."

"You love it. It's why you married me." I kiss her, letting my lips linger on hers. She needs to know how much I want her. A quick grope and fumble will at least take the edge off. "Come on, baby. Let's sneak off somewhere. We'll disappear for ten minutes tops. No one will notice we're gone."

"You're only giving me ten minutes?" Her eyebrows rise.

I laugh. "So greedy. How about you get five, and I get five."

"Now only five?"

Lowering my voice, I brush my lips against her ear. "I can make you come in less than five and you know it."

She shivers and I smile. "You're awfully confident in my skills then, giving me only five minutes." Still, she doesn't deny that I can make her come in less than five because she knows it's true.

"I'm already half-cocked. Emphasis on the word cock," I whisper, making her laugh.

"Fine," she says, but she doesn't sound put out. She's just as excited as I am. "Let's go."

"Where?" I let Marina take my hand and pull me off the dance floor. The music changes, a fast song comes on and three quarters of the crowd stands, ready to flood the dance floor. Perfect.

"There's a room just down the hall. The room where we all waited for the ceremony to start," she tells me as we walk side by side, nodding and smiling at guests as we pass. Her family is nowhere in sight, and my parents already left to be with Ivy and Archer, so I think we're in the clear.

"Ah, I got ready just down the hall too," I say. "Let's go there. Less chance of someone trying to bust in, don't you think?"

"There's a lock on the door, Gage." She rolls her eyes and smiles at me. "There's no way I would fool around with you at our freaking wedding reception without a locked door."

We both laugh over that, not paying attention to where we're walking until I bump right into someone.

A visibly upset, teary-eyed Bryn.

"Sorry," she mutters when I reach out to steady her after sending her stumbling back.

"Bryn." I give her shoulders a little shake, forcing her to look up at me. "Are you okay?"

She sniffs and flashes me the fakest smile I've ever seen. "I'm fine. Great. Sorry to run into you. I'll let you guys go." She extracts herself from my grip, looking ready to dash away when Marina reaches out and grabs her arm.

"Bryn, what happened?" Marina shoots me a look, one that says she has to find out what's going on, and I feel my erection deflate just like that.

Damn. But hey, I get it. I give her a brief nod and take a step back, letting the two women walk away from me as Marina asks Bryn more questions, trying to get information out of her.

Guess I should go in search of Matt, so I can find out what's up.