“Then what—”
“It’s going to sound weird.”
“I like weird.”
“I think it’s strange, you know? People pick out these names for their kids before they even know them. Before they even meet them. I think I want to wait.”
“Wait?”
“To meet him or her. I told you—it’s weird.”
“Not weird. Different.” He paused. “I like that you’re different.”
“You’re okay with it?”
“Yeah. I’m okay with it.” He clasped the back of my head and brought my mouth to his for a tender kiss. “But I want something.”
“What?”
“I want to be in the delivery room with you.”
“Really? Labor is messy,” I protested.
“Yeah, so? You think I’m going to miss seeing my kid being born?”
“But if you’re in the delivery room with me, there are things that might happen that I don’t want you to see, likeever.”
He looked amused. “I know.”
“No, you don’t understand. There’s a very high probability I’m going to shit myself. Like, actually shit myself. I don’t want you to see that.”
Slash shrugged and got up off the bed.
“That’s it? You can’t just shrug and walk away! This is serious!”
His shoulders shook with laughter.
“Where are you going?” I demanded, as I tried to follow him, only to realize his essence was dribbling down my leg. With a grimace, I reached for the tissue box.
“I’m going to take a shower,” he said. “You can keep trying to talk me out of this while you’re wet and naked and pressed up against me, but this isn’t something you’re going to change my mind about.”
Grumbling, I threw the soiled tissues into the small trash can and then went after him.
The water was already on and steaming by the time I got there. I made sure we had clean towels and hung them on the rack.
“Were you really going to do this alone?” Slash asked as he climbed into the tiny shower.
“Yes.”
“So if I hadn’t come back to town, who was going to be in the delivery room with you? Jazz?”
“No. I was going to be there with the doctor and a nurse. But I was going to do it by myself.” I fell silent after I admitted that.
Slash turned in the shower and grasped my hips, gently maneuvering me under the warm spray. He tilted my head back and got my hair wet.
“You’re not alone anymore,” he said softly.
I opened my eyes to stare at him. “I know.”