Play Softly (The Devil's Share Book 4) Read Online Free Page B

Play Softly (The Devil's Share Book 4)
Pages:
Go to
eyes on the monitor. I could honestly say that for the first time in my life, I was overcome with love and gratitude for another man. Luke loved Lexi so fully, so completely, so selflessly. I fought back tears. No lie.
    “I don’t even have words, bro… I… Thank you, Luke.”
    He nodded.
    “I can take over, I can keep an eye on the monitors and you can go grab some—”
    “No. I promised Lexi I would watch the baby, and I promised I wouldn’t look away. I’m going to stay until she wakes up.” He swallowed twice. “Why don’t you get some rest?”
    I had to admit, I was exhausted. I moved across the room and lay down on the small couch. I watched them for a few minutes, Luke and Lexi. He didn’t let go of her hand, and he didn’t once look away from that screen.

    Fast forward two hours and it was time to start pushing.
    Luke stayed around for a while, until they rolled in a giant mirror so Lexi could watch herself try to push this baby out. Then he hightailed it to the waiting room.
    “I really don’t think I want the mirror.” Lexi’s hair was piled on top of her head and the bed was positioned so that she was now sitting up some. Her hospital gown was up around her waist, everything down south was exposed, and Lexi didn’t seem to give two shits about it. I guess it was true what the books say: once a woman’s in labor all sense of modesty goes out the window.
    One of the nurses, the one Lexi seemed to like, laughed. “You don’t have to use it the whole time, but it’ll help you see the difference between the effective pushes and the not-so-effective ones.”
    “Okaaay…” They positioned Lexi’s feet up in some stirrups and tilted that giant mirror down toward her hips.
    I wasn’t so sure I wanted to watch either. My stomach was in knots, my back was killing me from sleeping on the tiny couch, and I was scared as all get-out. I was about to be a dad. I didn’t dare say any of that to Lex though. She was going through way more than I was. “You good, Kitten? I’m right here, okay?” I was by her head, whispering in her ear.
    She nodded and squeezed my hand when the nurses told her to push. She didn’t really make a sound, just bore down and turned beet red.
    “Lexi, open your eyes, sweetheart, look in the mirror so you can see what you’re doing. That push wasn’t helpful.” Nurse number two.
    “Not helpful? I think I just popped a blood vessel in my eyeball.” Lexi threw her head back and took a deep breath, pushing again when they told her to.
    This time she looked at the mirror, so I did too. Seemed fair. “Holy shit. Oh my God. What is that?”
    “Good job, Lexi. Did you see the difference there? That dark area is your baby girl’s head. She has a lot of hair.”
    My jaw dropped open. “That’s her head? That’s the baby?”
    Nurse number one nodded. “Yep. That’s her.”
    Lexi stopped pushing and the baby’s head went away. I chuckled. “Huh, it sort of looks like a dinosaur eye.” The room went silent. “You know, like it’s winking at us.” If looks could kill… “Sorry.”
    “Okay, Lexi, it’s time for another push, you ready?” Nurses one and two both started counting, and Lexi started pushing. And that’s how it went for another thirty minutes. And then, the baby’s head didn’t disappear. Lexi pushed and the baby just sort of stayed there when she let up. “I’m going to go grab Dr. Solomon, another couple of tries and your baby girl will be here.”
    Nurse number one left the room and Lexi grabbed hold of number two’s hand. “Can we move the mirror now? Please? Does that make me a bad mom that I don’t want to watch? Do I suck?”
    She laughed. “Of course not, sweetheart.” She moved the mirror to the other side of the room and then made herself busy putting on a gown and a fresh pair of gloves.
    I looked down at Lexi. “I love you so damn much, Kitten.”
    She smiled. “I love you too.”
    “We’re going to have a baby.”
    She nodded,
Go to

Readers choose

Brett Battles

Peter Tremayne

Lana Krumwiede

Lisa Gee

Mia Dymond

Don Calame

David Thompson