The next minute the medical staff arrived. “I don’t think your baby’s going to wait any longer,” the doctor said after examining her.
The birth of her child began in earnest and everything became a blur. Contraction after contraction, the urge to push so strong that nothing could stop her now.
Flynn was by her side, encouraging her as the baby’s head emerged.
He was there as her child slipped into the world.
And he was there by her side as the doctor announced it was a girl and she heard her daughter cry for the first time.
She cried as she cuddled her baby with love and wonder and looked up at Flynn, who kissed her gently on the lips.
“Well done, sweetheart,” he murmured, his eyes bathing her in admiration. He looked so proud as he tenderly kissed the top of the baby’s head. “She’s perfect. Just like her mother.”
Danielle’s breath hitched in her throat. If anyone was perfect, it was this man she loved.
“Here,” one of the nurses said. “Let me take the baby for a minute so I can clean her up.” Before Danielle knew it, the woman had whisked her daughter to the corner of the room. “What are you going to call her?” the nurse asked over her shoulder.
Danielle had thought about names of course, but until now hadn’t picked one out. But as she looked at Flynn, she knew. He’d been there for her throughout her pregnancy. He’d been here for her today. He may not be the father of her child, but he came, oh, so close.
“Alexandra,” she said softly, seeing him give a start at the mention of his mother’s name. “Yes, our baby’s name will be Alexandra. Just like her grandmother.”
For a moment Flynn looked stunned, then he leaned down and kissed her on the corner of her mouth. “Thank you,” he whispered, the moisture in his eyes making her eyes glisten, too. They looked at each other for the longest moment.
But soon they were interrupted by other more important things and before too long, Danielle had been moved to a bed in a private room. Then they brought the baby in and suddenly the three of them were alone.
She took a shuddering breath. It was time to face Flynn and their future, but she had one more thing to do first. It was time to let go of the past.
She looked down at the baby in her arms and a swell of motherly love filled her. She kissed her baby’s cheek, ruffled her fingers through the soft fuzz on her head.
“Sweetheart?” Flynn murmured.
She glanced up at him with tears in her eyes. Tears of joy. “Oh, Flynn, I was so afraid about having her. I thought deep down I might resent her because I didn’t love Robert when we conceived her. I thought I might not love my baby in the way she should be loved.” She gave a shaky smile. “But the love’s there. She’s in my heart.”
Flynn’s eyes brimmed with tenderness. “Has anyone ever told you what a beautiful person you are?”
She blinked back the tears, wanting to see this man she loved without hindrance. “No, not recently.”
“Then let me do the honors, my love.” Careful of the baby in her arms, he leaned forward and kissed her on the mouth. Softly. Gently. Wondrously. “You’re a beautiful person, Danielle Donovan.”
“Oh, Flynn,” she whispered. “You always make me feel beautiful.”
He kissed her again briefly. “I love you, sweetheart. You and little Alexandra and the other babies we will have.”
Her heart turned over with love. “Others?” she teased.
“Not too many.” He gently took the baby out of her arms, kissed Alexandra’s forehead and placed her in the crib next to the bed.
Then he returned to Danielle, as he always would. “I want you to myself sometimes. No, I want you to myself all the time, but I’m willing to compromise. We’ll get a nanny.”
“I rather think Louise and Thomas might want to take on that job.” Her smiled faded, her face growing serious. “Thank you for not giving up on me, Flynn. And for loving me unconditionally. And my daughter.”
“Our daughter.”
“Our daughter,” she repeated as he lowered his head.
It was a long time before either of them came up for air. And that was just fine with Flynn. He rather liked being held captive by this woman who held his heart in her hands.