Kristin Morgan - The Daddy And The Baby Doctor

“It’s not all that difficult,” Amanda found herself saying. “All you have to do is tell her when to breathe and when to push.”

Once again, Sam’s eyes met Amanda’s. And, once again, the encounter did strange things to her. Things she would have preferred not to have to recognize. Suddenly, she felt hot all over.

“Is that all there is to it?” he asked.

“That’s it,” she replied breathlessly—and she was completely aggravated with herself for feeling that way.

But, in spite of everything, Amanda had a feeling that Sam Arquette was quite capable of filling in as Lucy’s labor coach. In fact, she had a feeling that he was quite capable of doing anything he put his mind to.

“Well, Mr. Arquette, you’re going to have to hurry and make up your mind on this one,” Amanda stated in no uncertain terms. “As you can see, there isn’t much time. Either you’re in or out. So what’s it going to be?”

It was going to have to be out, Sam told himself. This was one time he was in way over his head.

He sucked in a deep breath and tried to find the right words to explain his decision to the lady-doctor and her patient. Surely once he did, they would understand why he couldn’t be a part of this.

But then Lucy started moaning, again.

And then Sam remembered something.

Something very vital to his nature.

There was no way he could ever live with himself if he turned his back on a woman in need.

He simply wasn’t made that way.

Regardless of the circumstances.

Dammit.

He slipped off his bomber jacket and threw it in a far corner of the room. Then he began rolling up the sleeves of his shirt. “Okay, tell me what I have to do,” he said, resigning himself to the inevitable.

Amanda was impressed, both with the man and his decision to stick by Lucy when it was obvious that wasn’t what he really wanted to do. “Stand at her head,” she instructed him. He quickly moved into that position. “Now,” she added, “when I give the word, lift her shoulders slightly off the table and instruct her to push hard. When she isn’t pushing, you want her breathing like this.” She demonstrated the technique. “Got it?”

“Got it,” he replied.

But it wasn’t long before Sam realized that he didn’t have it quite like he thought. Giving birth was a laborious job.

In fact, it was downright exhausting, and he was only the coach. Lucy had to do all the work. Poor woman. If she wasn’t pushing so hard that her face was turning as red as a beet, she was working hard at breathing correctly. Amanda Lucas was the coolest person there. She was in total control. Thank goodness, someone was, he thought.

But Amanda was anything but cool. As a doctor, she was in control of the situation. But as a woman, practically forced into the company of a man she found extremely attractive, she was on fire. Burning up. Nonetheless, this was her moment of glory—her reason for deciding to specialize in prenatal care and delivery. If she couldn’t have children of her own, she would help other women give birth. Somehow, even if it was vicariously, it helped to ease the ache inside of her. Right now was a moment of joy...a moment of complete wonderment.

Amanda’s heart began to pound. “It won’t be long now, Lucy,” she said. “The baby’s crowning.” Then, without actually glancing up at Sam, she added, “Are you all right?”

“Uh—yeah—sure,” Sam replied. “Is the baby coming?”

“Uh-huh...a couple more minutes should do it,” Amanda said.

“That’s it?” he asked in awe.

Amanda gazed up at him momentarily. “You’re doing fine, Mr. Arquette. Hang in there just a few minutes longer. A good way to stay focused is to think of this baby as your child being born.”

“Is it a boy?” he said, grinning. “I always wanted a boy.”

For some silly reason, Amanda’s heart sank to the floor. “Then this should be easy for you.”

“Not as easy as it looks for you.”

“I’ve done this many times, Mr. Arquette,” she reminded him.

At that moment, Lucy gave a loud moan.

Amanda drew in a deep breath. “Come on, Lucy,” she said, turning her total concentration back to her patient. “Give me one more big, hard push, and I promise your baby will be born. Come on, you can do it.”

“Yeah, Lucy, you can do it,” Sam added enthusiastically.

A moment later, with a smile of pure contentment on her face, Amanda assisted as the baby slipped from Lucy’s body and into Amanda’s caring hands. Seconds later, the newborn was crying on his own. “He’s beautiful, Lucy,” Amanda said.

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