“Keeping him swaddled makes him feel like he’s back in the womb,” Emma replied.
Aidan continued staring down at Noah. One tiny fist escaped his tight bindings, and he thrust it up at Aidan almost defiantly. It caused Aidan to smile broadly. “Ah, there’s that Fighting Fitzgerald spirit coming through. No one ties you down, right Noah?”
Emma shook her head. “You’ll be changing your tune about that defiant spirit when he gets to be a teenager.”
“Nah, I like him tough and feisty.” Noah’s response was to stick his tongue out, which made Aidan chuckle. “Yep, see, already a cocky little thing like his Old Man.”
Casey took a hesitant step towards Aidan. “So we know he’s got his daddy’s douchenozzle personality—”
Aidan arched his brows. “Hey now.”
Casey grinned and patted his back. “Just teasing you, Big Papa. My question is who does he look like?”
“He looks just like you, Em,” Aidan noted as he took in Noah’s tiny features.
“Hmm, let me see,” Casey said, peering over Aidan’s shoulder. She squealed and clapped her hand to her chest. “Oh my God, that face! He’s so handsome and adorable!”
Emma beamed from ear to ear at Casey’s compliment. Connor walked over to them. “Between Aidan and Emma it was a given he’d be good-looking. But is he really Emma’s mini-me?” Connor questioned.
Casey cocked her head. “No, he’s got a lot of Big Papa in him, too.”
Aidan threw a glance over his shoulder at Casey. “Really?”
She nodded. “He’s definitely got Em’s hair and mouth, but he’s got your nose and eyes.
Aidan grinned at Emma. “He got some mighty fine genes that’s for sure.”
She laughed and rolled her eyes. “Uh-oh,” Aidan murmured as Noah’s face clouded over, and he appeared ready to cut loose with a giant scream.
“Looks like right now might be a good time to see if he wants to latch on,” Annie suggested.
“He’s already hungry?” Aidan asked incredulously.
“Some come out of the womb ready to eat, others it takes hours,” Annie replied.
“If he’s hungry, I want to try,” Emma said, holding her arms out for Noah.
“Yeah, um, on that note, I think I’ll head out,” Connor said, starting for the door.
Casey laughed. “Why don’t we go out and tell the rest of the waiting crowd that Noah’s here.”
“There’s a crowd?” Emma asked in surprise.
Casey nodded. “Nate texted me that the waiting room is full with yours and Aidan’s families. Patrick’s out there, and Grammy and Granddaddy just walked in. He said Becky’s boys made her promise to bring them even if it was the middle of the night. “I’m sure they will all want to get a peek at Mr. Handsome.”
Emma felt slightly overwhelmed at the prospect of all the visitors, especially with her post-delivery exhaustion setting in. But a sense of renewal filled her at the thought of all the people waiting to see and love Noah. It made her feel very grateful and very loved. “Okay, that sounds good.”
Once Casey and Connor left, Emma slid her hospital gown down on one side and took Noah from Aidan. As she brought him to her breast, apprehension filled her that she might not be able to do this. What if her milk wasn’t strong enough, or they had to seek out a Lactation Consultant? She had heard from her friends as well as reading in books how breastfeeding was tricky business.
But miraculously after rooting around for a few seconds, Noah latched on to her nipple and began to nurse heartily.
“Oh you’re so very lucky,” Annie noted.
With tears filling her eyes, Emma glanced lovingly from her son back up to Aidan. A smile filled her cheeks. “Oh, you have no idea.”
Epilogue
Aidan rubbed his blurring eyes before stretching his arms over his head. A glance at the clock on the computer screen told him it was clearly past time to call it a night. His phone buzzing in his jacket pocket also reminded him to get his ass moving. So he grabbed his jacket off the back of the chair along with his briefcase and headed out the door.
When the elevator doors dinged opened, a loud commotion drew his attention. Instead of barreling forward ready to save the day once again, he only smiled. He knew that the cause of the commotion was an eight month old angel with his father’s blue eyes and a lighter version of his mother’s fiery auburn hair.
Turning the corner, he saw Emma standing beside a stroller, flushed with all the attention Noah was receiving from a gaggle of female admirers. Even though they had almost been married a year, she still took his breath away each and every time he saw her. Most days he didn’t get to see her all dressed up like she was now. Outfitted in black stilettos, a short black skirt, and a slinky green top that showed off her fabulous cle**age, she made heat stir below Aidan’s waist.
Lately since becoming a stay-at-home mom, Emma spent her time in yoga pants or jeans. But to him, she could look amazingly beautiful and sexy in a ragged t-shirt and his boxers. While she lamented the alleged ten pounds of baby weight she still needed to lose, he loved the fact it seemed to reside in her br**sts and ass just as he had teased her about.
In the end, quitting work had been a tough decision for Emma. At first, she had tried working part-time, but most days she still ended up in tears at the prospect of leaving Noah. Because Aidan wanted her to be happy, he suggested she quit. So when Noah was three months old, Emma left the company.
That’s why this particular evening she had wanted to meet him at the office so the women she used to work with could see how much Noah had grown. He noticed that not only were several of the women those she worked with, but some of them were from his floor as well, including his secretary Marilyn. They all stood around, smiling and cooing at Noah. He perched in his stroller like a King with his court. Peeking up at them through his long eyelashes, he flashed his two new bottom teeth when he grinned.
Aidan shook his head at his son. He was already a terrible flirt and knew exactly how to work the ladies or anyone for that matter. He was truly a chip off the old shoulder when it came to attracting the attention of females. Of course, anytime Aidan made that comment, Emma liked to smack his arm and roll her eyes.
He strode over to the group of women. “Well hello there.”
Noah’s gaze jerked from his admirers and over to Aidan’s. “Dada!” he cried holding his arms up.