The grin remained, Peter’s vivid blue eyes sparkling with warm delight as he obliged her, carefully laying their son on her chest, snuggling him between her breasts. It felt so good to hold him at last, not a bump anymore, but a wonderful little person who was snuffling towards one breast as though he could already smell his mother’s milk.
A smile broke out on her own face as a surge of love rose above every other emotion, momentarily blotting out the conflict that his life would inevitably bring between her and Peter. Despite the problems of her pregnancy, she’d given safe birth to this miraculous little being…her baby, her very own child.
Peter sat down again, reached out and ran a featherlight finger over the fuzz of fine hair, sounding immensely pleased as he commented, “He’s fair. Charlotte’s son has very dark hair like Damien’s.”
Not like a Ramsey. But this son was. That was what he was thinking.
Erin took a deep breath, fighting the fear that frayed her nerves. “Baby hair often falls out, Peter,” she said as calmly as she could. “There’s no telling what colouring he’ll have further down the track.”
“Whatever…”
Not the slightest crack in his good humour.
Erin heaved a sigh of relief. Maybe she was fearful of too much and Peter would not try to take the lion’s share of their child. Right now he was exuding pleasure. She should relax, enjoy the maternal rush of holding her baby.
Dr Davis finished clearing up, assured Erin that the afterbirth procedure had gone well—no problems at all—had a few words with Peter, informing him that Erin and the baby would soon be moved to a private room where their every comfort and need would be looked after. The latter exchange reminded her that respect for the Ramsey name had ensured every care had been taken and would be taken, and she should be appreciative of the fact.
She looked at the wall clock as the doctor and nurse moved out, closing the door behind them. It surprised her to see it was only just past one o’clock—a relatively quick birth, though the labour had seemed to go on for a long, long time. She looked directly at Peter who had resumed his seat at her bedside.
“Thank you for all you’ve done.”
There was a flash of irony in his eyes. “The least I could do in the circumstances.”
For a moment she forgot the indomitable warrior who would fight for what he wanted, and remembered the prince, riding in to the rescue—the magnificent man he had been in her imagination. “I’m glad you were here for me. For us,” she said huskily.
“I would have been all along if you’d let me, Erin,” he replied, restirring her guilt for not telling him about her pregnancy.
“I’m sorry.”
He shook his head. “It’s gone.” The blue eyes pierced hers with determined purpose. “We’re here now. And we have our son to consider.”
“Yes,” she agreed, though her mind instantly shied away from discussing the future. Her hand curled protectively around her baby’s head as she turned her gaze from Peter and looked at their son, not wanting him torn between two worlds.
“Have you thought of any names for him?”
They were not fighting words. There was a smile in his voice. Erin’s inner tension eased a little. Peter wouldn’t want their son hurt by a conflict between his mother and father. Surely he’d do his utmost to prevent it.
“I like Jack,” she answered.
“Jack…Jack Ramsey. Sounds good. I like it, too.”
Erin’s jaw tightened. She had to stop this take-over, stand up for her rights. Her eyes flashed her own determination. “It will be Jack Lavelle.”
The soft indulgence instantly disappeared from his face, replaced by a steely resolution that wasn’t about to brook any opposition. “You said the pregnancy was an accident, Erin,” he reminded her. “Was that the truth?”
“Yes,” she replied unflinchingly.
“Were you speaking the truth when you told me you would only bring a child into this world within the emotional security of a fully committed marriage?”
“Yes. But this was unplanned, Peter. I’m only too aware that it’s not the ideal situation I talked about. I can’t help that. I hope—”
“Yes, you can,” he cut in, his eyes boring into hers. “You can help our son to have all he should have from his mother and father.”
“I’ll do my best to come to a fair agreement with you.”
“How good is your best?” he challenged. “Will you go so far as to pledge yourself to a fully committed marriage with me?”
The totally unexpected proposal stunned her into silence. She stared at him, feeling the mental pressure he was applying, realising he already had his mind set on what course should be taken and was ruthlessly intent on making it happen.