The First Rule by Nicole S. Goodin

11

Darcy

“I can’t believeI can’t come to the scan,” Steph grumbles. “I thought we were best friends.”

I twirl a strand of hair around my finger as I console her over the phone. “I know, but we’ll get pictures and I’ll call you right after and tell you everything.”

“I want to know more than everything.”

I roll my eyes. “More than everything. Sure, that seems like a reasonable request.”

“You know what I mean!” She’s pouting, I can tell. “Are you sure you don’t want to take me instead of your boyfriend? I can be there in five minutes.”

A laugh escapes my lips. I doubt that Steph has the ability to be anywhere within five minutes. I’m not even sure she’d be able to make it from her bedroom across to the bathroom within that time frame.

“Quit being a brat,” I scold her. “And I’m not sure if he’s my boyfriend. I don’t know what he is.”

“Well, he should be. Has he kissed you again yet? Have you had any more dates?”

“Yes. And we’re going out tonight,” I mumble, grateful for the change of subject, but wary of it all the same.

“Where is he taking you?”

“I’m not sure. It’s a surprise.”

“Handsome and romantic. Dayyyuummm girl! Wife him already.”

I roll my eyes. “You’re not using that expression in the right context. Or at least not with the right title.”

Ryan chooses that moment to walk back into the waiting room of the clinic, and I can’t help but wonder if he’s somehow overheard Steph on the phone. His expression looks amused, and quite frankly, a little smug.

“You should get some action before you’re out of action, if you know what I mean.”

I feel myself blush scarlet. I could seriously kill this woman sometimes.

“Gotta go, I’ll call you after,” I reply quickly, hanging up before she even has the chance to reply.

I toss my phone into my handbag as though it’s a live grenade, because if I’m being honest, with Steph on the other end of the line, it may as well be.

“You alright, princess?” Ryan asks, a sexy smirk pulling at the corner of his lips.

“Steph,” I say by way of explanation.

He nods knowingly.

We might not have been in each other’s lives for that long, but my two best friends have made themselves right at home, and Ryan has got to know both of them quite well. Freya comes over at least three times a week, and I’m starting to question if she’s even coming to see me anymore or if she just wants to take in the sight that is my gorgeous baby daddy.

“Are you sure you want to find out the gender?” he asks me for what I’m guessing is about the one millionth time.

I want to know – if it’s not too early to tell, and he was willing – as per usual – to give me whatever I wanted. I’m starting to wonder if he’d prefer not to know, but he refuses to say anything that confirms my suspicion.

“You mean, have things changed since you asked me fifteen minutes ago?” I question innocently.

He chuckles. “Fair call, I’ll shut up.”

He takes my hand gently in his, like it’s something that comes so naturally to him, he doesn’t even have to think twice about doing it.

He’s so sweet and sensitive, a harsh contrast to his rugged, sexy exterior. One look at him and you’d be willing to sell your soul to the devil, just for one taste, but Ryan Steele would never let me sell my soul. He’d never even let me get my hands dirty.

I feel safe with this man, I realise suddenly. It’s a strange feeling. Safe. I can’t remember the last time I truly felt that way.

“Darcy Shearer?” a nurse calls my name from the doorway, a warm smile on her face as I raise my hand.

Ryan snags my bag off the floor and insists on carrying it for me. He’s so ridiculous – sweet, but ridiculous. I’m hardly a whale at this point, I barely even have a bump protruding from my abdomen – I can certainly manage to carry my own handbag.

We follow her into the room where Ryan is quick to introduce himself as the baby’s father – he’s so proud it almost brings a tear to my eye.

She instructs me about where to lie down and what to do, and then she leaves us to it with an assurance that the doctor won’t be far away.

“I’m nervous,” Ryan blurts out as I get settled onto the bed.

“Why?”

“I’m going to see my baby. My son or daughter. That’s massive.”

His eyes are wide, I can practically see the nervous energy thrumming through his body.

“You know there’s no pressure, if you’re having second thoughts...”

He’s next to me in less than a second, one of his hands woven into the hair at the back of my head, forcing my face to meet his as his other hand rests tenderly on my stomach.

It’s such a stark contrast – the two actions – one rough and commanding, the other sweet and gentle.

He presses his lips to mine, and I have to stop myself from pulling his lip ring into my mouth.

He pulls away long before I’m ready for him to stop, but stays close, refusing to release me from his hold.

“I’ve never wanted anything as much as I want you and this baby, Darce,” he confesses, his voice gravelly and raw.

I can feel my heart thudding violently against my rib cage. I can’t possibly deny the sincerity in his tone, but this feels like a dream. I never thought I could feel this way about Ryan – Jacob’s brother, but here I am, falling – fast.

“We don’t always get what we want,” I whisper, trying and failing to hide the intense vulnerability coursing through me.

He shakes his head.

“Fuck that. I’m tired of not getting what I want. It ends now.”

My breath gets caught in my throat. He’s so all-consuming I can barely breathe.

A knock at the door startles me, and I try to pull away as Dr. Davis enters the room, but Ryan barely budges an inch, just loosens his grip on my hair, so he’s cupping my neck instead.

“Hello, Darcy, it’s nice to see you again.”

“You too. This is Ryan – the baby’s father. Ryan, this is Dr. Davis.”

Ryan scowls a little at my choice of words. After his intense declaration only a few minutes ago, it’s clear to me that he wants to be more than just the baby’s father, but that’s something that’s going to have to be dealt with at another time.

Dr. Davis stretches her hand out in his direction, and he finally releases me, giving me room to breathe, yet somehow leaving me craving his touch the second his skin leaves mine.

They shake hands. “Call me Courtney, please.”

“Glad to finally meet you, Courtney.”

I’d had to meet her on my own a few weeks back – Ryan was out of town on business, and he’s been moping around like he missed out on something vitally important ever since.

He’s sweet like that; he doesn’t want to miss a thing. Not one moment has passed since I told him I was pregnant, that I’ve felt like I was doing this alone. He’s on my side – my team. We were in this together in a way I’ve never experienced before. I can ask for anything, and I know, no matter how extravagant the request – he’ll make it happen. He’d move heaven and earth for this baby, and he or she hasn’t even entered the world yet.

Dr. Davis – because I can’t bring myself to be on a first-name basis with a woman who is getting so up close and personal with my downstairs region – starts preparing the necessary equipment.

She lifts my shirt and squirts freezing-cold gel onto the skin on my abdomen, before spreading it over the small bump with the wand of the ultrasound machine.

I feel Ryan take my hand again, but I can’t take my eyes off the screen that has just flickered to life in front of me. The picture is grey and grainy, but I see it clear as day – my tiny little baby.

“And there’s the heartbeat,” Dr. Davis says as a thudding, whooshing noise fills the room, solid and steady.

That’s my baby’s heartbeat. Our baby.

“That’s our baby,” Ryan chokes out, his thoughts mirroring mine.

I reluctantly drag my focus from the screen to his face. His eyes are welling with unshed tears. I know this is a moment that neither of us will forget for the rest of our lives.

He leans in and places a soft, sweet kiss to my forehead, and I melt. I can feel another piece of my resolve slip away. I’m falling and I’m not sure there is anything I can do to stop it.

“Everything is looking great here. Baby is measuring right on track for the dates. The heartbeat is strong. Congratulations, your pregnancy is progressing well.” Dr. Davis pulls my thoughts away from my romanticising, her bright smile reassuring me.

I hadn’t allowed myself to think of anything but positive news as far as the baby went, so it’s not until I hear the confirmation that everything is okay, that I realise how worried I’d been that something might not have been normal or healthy.

Ryan squeezes my hand as we both watch our little peanut wiggling around on the screen.

“I’ll print you out some images to take home.”

“We were wondering if we could find out the gender today?” Ryan asks.

“I’ll take a look.” Dr. Davis twists the wand around on my stomach again, a slight pinch to her brow as she turns her head to glance at the monitor. “Too early to tell I’m afraid, you should be able to find out when you come back at twenty weeks.”

“Ah, what a shame.” He grins at me, his expression a little smug, confirming my suspicions that he would prefer not to know.

I fight the urge to poke my tongue out at him. “I can wait another seven weeks.”