“Kane!” she exclaims. “Put me down!”
“Uh-uh, baby. You’re in labor.”
“I’m aware.” She sighs. “But I don’t need you to freaking carry me!”
“Fastest option, baby,” I shoot back without regret. “Also, I look good doing it.”
She huffs a weak laugh, and I take that as confirmation I made the right call.
The doors slam open when I push through them, the cold air hitting us as I head straight for the Suburban, everything else fading out.
Nothing matters except getting her home.
Nothing matters except making sure Blair and our baby are okay.
“One more push, Blair.”
Dr. Howard’s voice is steady, but it barely registers over the sound of Blair’s breathing and the way her hand tightens around mine. I lean closer, brushing my thumb over her knuckles, grounding her the only way I can.
“You’re strong, Blair. So fucking strong. I’m so proud of you.”
“I know,” she says, and I want to laugh at how my woman can still be so sassy while she’s trying to push a baby out of her body.
“Do you also know that I love you?”
She flashes a little smile at me. “Yep. I know that too.”
“Good.” I press a kiss to her forehead. “Because I do love you. So fucking much.”
“That’s really great, Kane, but can we focus on me right now? I’m kind of in the middle of something here.”
“Right, right.” I grin at her and press one final kiss to her forehead.
Another contraction hits, stronger than the last, and she bears down with everything she has. I feel it in the way her body tenses, in the way her grip tightens, in the way the entire room seems to hold its breath with her.
She pushes and pushes and pushes.
And then, the sounds of our baby’s first cries fill my ears.
“It’s a girl!” Dr. Howard exclaims.
A girl. Another Slater girl.
Ourgirl.
They place her on Blair’s chest, and I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything as stunning as the look on Blair’s face when she sees our daughter.
“Oh my goodness, you’re so beautiful,” Blair whispers to our baby. “The most beautiful girl in the whole wide world.”
I lean in slowly, pressing a kiss to Blair’s temple. “I love you. I’m so proud of you.”
She looks up at me. “I love you too. So, so, so much.”
Silence settles between us as we both just gaze down at our daughter. She’s tiny and perfect and has eyes like her mama and light hair like mine.
“She’s…” I start, then stop, because there isn’t a word that fits how I’m feeling. I let my forehead rest briefly against Blair’s. “She’s everything.”
Blair smiles, her eyes still locked on the baby. “She is.”
