Always Her Cowboys

by Jan Springer

  Boy, at this point, she wished he was in her position, and she was a guy who couldn’t get pregnant!

  “And remember what Layla said?” he asked as he helped her sit down.

  JJ shook her head. At this second, she couldn’t remember anything the midwife had told her. She couldn’t remember anything about anything!

  “False contractions are quite common in the last month of pregnancy, especially if you are under a lot of stress and doing plenty of physical activity. And you’ve had both because of the party you threw and refusing to slow down and not wanting hired help around the house, am I right?”

  Oh no, she didn’t want to blame this on the beautiful Christmas party she had thrown.

  “I think it was just a muscle spasm,” she reassured him. Or maybe not? Had she been crazy asking Brady to get her pregnant? What in the world had she been thinking?

  She tried to remember how those breathing exercises went. Her mind was blank. Uneasiness snapped through her like a live wire. She couldn’t remember anything she’d learned.

  “Oh, oh, I recognize that look. Don’t panic, sweetheart. I’m here,” Dan reassured in a soft voice that, to her amazement, soothed her rattled nerves. He took her hands into his palms and squeezed her fingers gently.

  “Everything is going to be fine,” he whispered. She gazed into his green eyes. They reminded her of the forest trees in summer time. Oh! How she wished it was summer right now and the baby was here, happy and healthy.

  “I don’t think I can do this, Dan?” she confessed. Thick emotions clutched at her chest and tears bubbled up in her eyes, blurring Dan from her view.

  To her surprise, he burst out in laughter. He let go of her hands, and then brushed the pads of his calloused thumbs against her cheeks, wiping away the tears.

  “I think it’s a little bit too late to be thinking that, JJ. Ready or not, the baby is coming one of these days. Honey, do you feel any more pain?” he asked.

  He smiled reassuringly at her and waited for her to answer.

  She shook her head. There was no pain anywhere. Not even that odd one in her back where she figured the baby had been pressing his or her feet the last few days.

  “Good, good. Then it was just a false contraction or muscle spasm. Did you want ice?”

  “No, it’ll just make me cold. I’m fine.” Yeah, right. She felt like a beluga whale. Discomfort and anxiety oozed out of her and she was telling him she was okay. She needed to have her head examined. She needed to get out of this awkward big body and back into her own.

  Dan grinned and nodded. He wiped some more of her tears away and then stood.

  “Stay there and relax while I carve up the roast.”

  “You don’t have to do that, Dan.” It was her job. She needed to keep busy. To keep distracted or she might start to really panic.

  “Anything for you, sweetheart. And if you want to lay down on the sofa, and take a load off, maybe even a nap, while I set the table, it might help prevent another spasm.”

  “I’ll stay here and watch my sexy man slave do housework,” she teased.

  Because she was suddenly pain free, she felt better and even in a playful mood now that hopefully she wasn’t going into labor. Tomorrow was Christmas. It was her due date, but according to her research, that date was just an estimate. The baby could come earlier or later.

  “Sexy man slave, am I?” Dan chuckled as he began carving the roast. “And you my dear, are my sexy woman boss, holder of my heart and future mother of my babies.”

  It was JJ’s turn to laugh. “Please, let me get this one out okay, and then we can talk in like maybe ten years?”

  Dan looked over his shoulder and did a cute eyebrow wiggle. “In ten years, we’ll have plenty of kids running around here and you’ll be the perfect mother, just like you are the perfect woman.”

  His compliments sent heat into her cheeks. He was such a sweet man. She was so lucky to have him. Best of all, her baby would feel so loved by all three dads and would never experience not having a father around. Nor would the baby ever be physically abused or scared like she had been by her step-father and step-brother.

  Despite her fears of having to go through the pain of birthing any day now, JJ sensed she was the luckiest woman in the world and…her tummy growled. She realized she was hungry. Hopefully that was a good sign and she would have a bit more time to get used to the idea of becoming a mother.

  JJ shook her head.

  Dufus, you’ve had many months to get used to the idea. If you haven’t by now, you never will.

  She settled into watching Dan work. He whistled softly while he grabbed the oven mitts. She liked the way his jeans hugged his curvy ass. Loved the muscles that bunched in his bare arms as he carved the roast beef.

  A couple of minutes later, he tucked the pan back into the stove to let it cook for a little while longer. Now, the only thing missing was his cowboy hat. Any other time, she’d be plopping it onto his head and demand he make love to her right here on the dining room table.

  Yep, he was a sexy man slave. And he was all hers.

  Christmas morning

  A not very nice pain tore through JJ, ripping her from a very deep sleep. She came awake on a gasp. At first, she thought maybe she was in labor. But then she sleepily figured she was dreaming that she’d gone into labor because when she’d awoke, there was little pain. She’d had a dream of going into labor a couple of times over the past weeks, so she wasn’t fully alarmed, and her grogginess had her confused, allowing her to fall right back to sleep.

  She remembered how the guys had been concerned about her at dinner when Dan broke the news to them of what had happened when she’d been taking the roast out of the oven.

  Both Rafe and Brady had chastised her, making her feel guilty about maybe putting the baby in harm’s way by trying to lift the roast. She’d sucked up their concern like a trooper, teasing the guys that they could punish her as much as they wanted after the baby arrived. Her comment had made all three of them groan sexy sounds that JJ loved.

  Because they insisted she rest, Rafe had done the dishes while she’d lain on the sofa cradling her baby bump and feeling overwhelmed with affection for her unborn baby as she watched the friendly fire flickering in the hearth and listened to Brady and Dan play cards.

  When Rafe joined them, the guys opened their personal mail that they’d saved until tonight and shared their letters by taking turns reading them out loud and sharing with her their Christmas cards from family and friends. All the holiday cards had included her name with the well wishes.

  Although she hadn’t met any of their families, except Brady’s brother, Mitch, she felt as if she knew their families through their letters and phone calls she’d taken.

  After the mail had been sorted and attended to, the men had sat cross legged on the carpet like three big kids and opened only the presents that her guests had brought over during the Christmas party. They would save the presents they had all gotten each other for Christmas morning.

  The guys and girls had pitched in and bought Rafe, Brady and Dan, lovely fleece-lined hunting jackets. JJ had instantly noticed the theme.

  The blue and black plaid one had gone to Brady, who had blue eyes. The green and black plaid one was for green-eyed Dan and the brown and black plaid jacket had been given to Rafe who had brown eyes. She would make sure to send them all thank you notes for their thoughtfulness.

  When JJ opened her present from the group, she’d been thrilled to receive a red and black plaid wool-lined jacket with hoodie. They’d decided not to open the baby’s present until he or she arrived.

  The evening had been lovely and relaxing, the baby calm, allowing JJ’s rattled nerves to settle again as they all made plans for the ranch over the upcoming year. They’d all turned in early, the guys insisting that JJ sleep in her own bed to ensure she had a good night sleep.

  She had been sleeping soundly again…until another nasty pain ripped through her belly and back, making
JJ cry out at its intensity.

  An unfamiliar sound rocked Brady from a nice sex dream he’d been having about JJ. For a moment he didn’t realize where he was until his bedroom rolled into focus. It was dark and as he gazed at his alarm clock. He was surprised it was only midnight.

  He smiled.

  Christmas had arrived. This was going to be such a nice day. They would gather around the tree and open their presents. He couldn’t wait until JJ saw what they’d gotten for her. Couldn’t wait to hang that mistletoe he’d been wanting to put up for that party last week, but JJ had talked him out of it, saying she didn’t want to make her guests uncomfortable.

  And then with all the work that needed doing around the ranch, they’d forgotten to hang that mistletoe. But he would do it. First thing in the morning.

  He resisted the urge to head over to JJ’s room, wake her and give her a Merry Christmas kiss. He had this overwhelming urge to place his hand over her belly and say Christmas greetings to the miracle growing inside of her.

  Man, he’d been a bundle of nerves thinking that he was going to become a father. He wondered if all dads were like that, or just him. He knew he would aspire to be like his old man who had been strict with them, but also full of love, understanding, patience and he had given all of them the freedom to do their own thing. Yeah, dad had been a really cool guy and Brady missed him like crazy, especially whenever he was alone with his thoughts and memories. Like now.

  He inhaled deeply and stared up at the ceiling.

  Merry Christmas, Dad. Merry Christmas, Mom. I’m going to be a dad. Wish you were here. I know you would love JJ and our baby so much.

  His thoughts were shattered when he heard that sound again. The one that had woke him in the first place. Only this time it was much louder.

  JJ?

  Adrenalin pumped through him as he whipped aside his comforters and swung his stiff legs out of bed.

  Damn legs! He knew he had to sit here for a moment because if he just got up and started walking, he might fall flat on his face. His stiff legs were from the lingering after effects of his bout with tetanus, but he also knew that moving them while he sat here would get them in tip top shape in a minute. So, he began to move them. Fast.

  He wanted to call out to JJ. To reassure her that he was coming. But then he heard footsteps rushing down the hall. Heard Dan and Rafe speaking in low tones.

  Thank God. The guys would get to her. It would allow him to get his legs working properly. He wondered if maybe she was having a false labor pain like Dan had explained he thought she might have had earlier before dinner. Or…a sliver of uneasiness unsettled him. Was JJ having the baby now?

  Another cry and he knew without a doubt now it was from JJ. This one rattled right down to his very core. He didn’t want her to be in pain. Didn’t want her to suffer.

  Suddenly his bedroom door burst open. The lights flicked on and Brady shielded his eyes from the intensity.

  “It’s time. The baby is on the way. I’ll call Layla, but I doubt she can make it in time,” Rafe said. “JJ’s contractions are already two minutes apart. JJ’s been timing them for about fifteen minutes on her own because she didn’t want to wake us up. She thought it was maybe false labor pains. Dan is checking her now. God, that woman is a trooper. Didn’t want to wake us. Man! I cannot believe her.”

  Brady let Rafe’s words roll over him. Two minutes apart. Close contractions were not supposed to be happening so fast. Both dread and excitement filled him.

  Keep your cool, man. Keep your cool.

  He opened his eyes and found Rafe still standing there in the doorway. He wore nothing but his underwear. He looked a bit pale and when their gazes met, Rafe smiled.

  “Shit, Brady. You’re about to become a dad.”

  Oh boy. For an instant he knew how JJ felt when she was having a panic attack. Overwhelming terror. Heart racing. The inability to think straight. A shitload of emotions he couldn’t put a name to were all tumbling around inside him.

  Then Rafe was gone and Brady heard JJ cry out again. The awful sound tore through him like a tornado and broke him from his temporary paralysis. She needed him, and he wasn’t going to wait here one second longer.

  Ignoring the stiffness in his legs, he managed to stumble to the nearby chair where he’d lain out his clothes.

  Man! His beautiful woman was having his baby! Now!

  Chapter Six

  “I need to get up. I need to stand, Dan. I need to push. Oh, another pain is coming.”

  Dan cringed as JJ’s face crunched up in pain. She cried out and her fingernails dug painfully into his palms as he held her hand. He’d already checked her to see what was happening. The water had just broken according to JJ and he could see that she was already fully dilated. It looked like the baby didn’t want to wait much longer to get into this world.

  “Oh God, it hurts!” she screeched. She clutched the bed’s headboard with her other hand, her knuckles white. As she closed her eyes, she let go of the headboard and rolled forward like a shrimp as more pain grabbed hold of her.

  “Rafe said you need to stay put right here in bed until he gets back. So how about you concentrate on your breathing? Yes? Breathe through the pain.” Dan began to breathe in the same way they’d been taught through their online birthing classes. He hoped she’d join him but her brown eyes shone with pain and she nodded jerkily.

  And she began to pant instead.

  Oh great.

  Perspiration blistered across her forehead and her bangs were wet. Her damp nightgown stuck to her full breasts and because the water had just broke, the sheets were wet. JJ was shivering too. He wasn’t sure if it was from fright or if she was cold.

  “Hey, baby, what’s happening?” Brady said in a soothing voice from right behind Dan.

  Thank God!

  Dan looked up and found Brady staring down at JJ. He didn’t look so good. He seemed pale and his concern for her made his brows furrow, making him look mean and nasty. Man, if Brady didn’t loosen up, he was going to scare her.

  “Brady, sit with JJ. Hold her hand. I have to get a fire going in the hearth and get it warm in here,” Dan instructed. He needed to get busy or he would go nuts. Seeing JJ like this was killing him.

  As he and Brady traded places, JJ smiled with love at Brady and a wonderful warmth burst inside of Dan. He enjoyed the bond that Brady and JJ shared. It was always a joy to watch.

  Reluctantly he left their side and got the fire up and popping in no time flat. Rafe had entered the room again and was throwing around orders for someone to get JJ a glass of cool water to rehydrate her, boil some water, grab clean sheets, a dry nightgown for JJ, sterilize shoe laces and scissors and for someone to go down to the lake and get the lanterns lit because Layla, the midwife, would be here in about an hour and she would need a well-lit runway for her plane.

  Dan was impressed at how Brady handled JJ. He held her hands, brushing his thumbs over her fingers in comforting strokes and he spoke to her in hushed confident tones, just like he did with their Angus cows. And he even got her concentrating on her breathing.

  Rafe and Dan usually saved Brady for the difficult cattle births. He had a tender touch and a calming voice, and both were coming in handy with JJ because she suddenly didn’t appear anxious at all as she stared in an almost trance-like state at Brady. Her reaction to knowing she was having her baby right now was nothing in comparison as to what had happened before dinner when she’d experienced that back spasm. Her panic had scared Dan, but he’d kept his cool in front of her not wanting to add to her fear. Just like he was trying to do now. But inside, terror rushed through him. It wasn’t every day that JJ was having a baby!

  Since Brady was soothing JJ as they waited for the next contraction and Rafe was plumping up pillows behind JJ’s back, Dan suddenly realized all the orders that Rafe had just spat out, were directed at him!

  Shit! He needed to get his ass in gear. Now!

  “How…how much longer is…go
ing to go on for?” JJ gasped between the spasms of pain that pummeled her. She hadn’t realized this kind of pain could even exist. It was awful! And her anxiety was in full swing too. Everything that she’d learned on how to avoid a panic attack, just wasn’t working.

  Fear was her constant companion and that she couldn’t control her anxiety just added to it.

  “Soon, baby, soon,” Brady reassured as he held her waist tight while they paced up and down the upstairs hallway. Thankfully the guys had finally let her out of bed. She didn’t know why, but the urge to get up and pace had been so great, she’d been barely able to stand still enough to have Brady slip a fresh nightgown on her.

  When he had first shown up, she’d been so happy to see him. She’d actually been able to relax for a few minutes. But the pain came back and the periods in between the contractions were shorter and she was now in pain almost all the time and she wasn’t happy to see Brady now.

  It was his fault she was in this situation. She just wanted this over. Wanted her baby to be safe and cuddled in her arms.

  I feel so helpless. Everything is out of my control.

  “How long has it been?” she gasped as the pain twisted through her even harder.

  “Two hours. Layla is just landing. She had trouble due to the high winds and because it’s snowing again. She’ll be up here in just a minute. The guys have gone down to get her.”

  Two hours? It seemed like forever! There was no way she could go through this for more hours or days like most women did. No way. Panic shot through her at being stuck inside this awful pain for days and she fought back the tears of anguish.

  “Brady, I can’t do this. I just can’t,” she sobbed.

  “You can do it, baby mamma. Let’s just keep walking. Do you still feel like walking?” Brady asked as she suddenly stopped. She just couldn’t anymore. Something was different. It was way too heavy down there between her thighs.