MM Series (#3)
Marriage has been easy for star hockey goalie Evan Henderson and his best friend's sister, Ellie. They both knew what they wanted from the start of their relationship.
The only problem is that they can't get everything they want.
Afte...
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"She's just so little," Shayne whispers, leaning over the incubator. "I can't touch her. I'll break her."
"You won't break her. Just touch her hand."
"I'm okay." Shayne backs away from the incubator.
"Holy shit. You're scared!" Caleb calls him out.
"Nuh-unh."
"You totally are!" Quinn pipes in.
"No. Why would I be scared of a baby? It's not like it can hurt me." He gestures towards Ainsley.
"So, you're still scared!"
"Well look at how tiny she is!"
Coach Ray stands up from his seat beside me and places his hands on Shayne's shoulders. "Alright, come on you big wussy."
"I am not a wussy!"
Coach Ray pushes Shayne over to the incubator and takes hold of his wrist. "You just have to be gentle, okay?"
"I can't do it. Ellie, tell them I'm not allowed to touch her." He looks back at me and I just raise my hands up in a shrug.
"You can touch her, Shayne. It's alright." Evan chimes in with an amused smile.
I push myself to stand, wincing slightly, before taking two steps and stopping right next to Shayne. "Just put your hand through here," I say softly. "And just touch the back of her hand with your finger."
Caleb's been staring at Ainsley in awe since he first saw her. And Quinn claims that he doesn't like babies, but the smile he's had on his face since he stroked her arm tells me otherwise.
Shayne stares at Ainsley through the plastic and hesitantly sticks his hand inside at a very, very slow pace. He does as I instructed him to, and lightly strokes the back of her hand. Then he pulls his hand out and steps back.
"Hey, that didn't count!" Caleb whisper-yells.
Coach takes hold of his wrist again and forces his hand back inside. "Man up."
Shayne sighs and strokes the back of her hand again. He gives us all a tight smile as he holds his finger against her skin for a few more seconds than last time. He goes to pull away, but Ainsley wraps her fingers around his finger and the features in his face soften.
"Looky there. She must like you, at least a little bit."
And it's like a switch has been flipped. Shayne's shoulders relax and he leans forward, staring down at Ainsley in wonder as she slightly squirms.
He even puts his other hand inside and lets his knuckles rest on her back.
When her breath pauses his eyes widen. "Oh my god, I killed her."
Caleb sits up, almost looking protective. "What? How?"
"I don't know. She just stopped breathing."
I chuckle and his head turns in my direction. "You think this is funny! Your baby isn't-" His head turns when her breathing resumes. "What the?"
