Ashes(122)

Knox gently pressed a kiss on the baby's head, and then pressed another on Harper's temple. Looking at them, an overwhelming sense of pride flooded him. There was also a deep sense of relief. Harper was fine. The baby was fine. "You're both amazing," he said a little gruffly.



"You okay?"



Okay? He was …  overwhelmed. Had no words. It all seemed to have happened so fast that it was surreal for Knox. It was hard to absorb the reality that the baby was finally here. But he didn't need to tell her that; she knew him well enough to understand and gave him a knowing smile.



"I get it," said Harper. The way she was feeling right then …  it was hard to describe, hard to even process. She had a lot of emotional chaos going on in her mind. Even her demon was a little off-balance, though it was also proud as punch. Gently, she shifted the baby towards him. "Have a hold."



Knox tensed. Very few things had ever made him feel nervous. But holding a baby? Yeah, that did it.



She smiled. "You're a badass. You can manage." She wasn't the least bit surprised that Knox scooped up and cradled the baby as effortlessly as he did everything else – no awkwardness or fiddling. He was the most competent person she'd ever known. The baby immediately stopping fussing, to her amusement, and looked up at Knox, seeming fascinated by him …  which meant she and the baby already had something in common. Awesome.



"He's so small," said Knox. Tiny. Vulnerable. His demon settled inside him, content now that the only people that it considered important to it were fine.



"He is small," Harper agreed. "Like a little doll." The baby's tiny fingers clasped one of his, and every line in Knox's face smoothed out …  and Harper was pretty sure she'd just watched Knox Thorne fall instantly in love.





CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE





Harper woke up the next morning to see Knox in the rocking chair that had been placed beside their bed, gently rubbing the back of the swaddled sleeping baby resting on his chest. And her heart just melted. Yep, right into a puddle of goo.

 

Eyes of dark velvet met hers, and Knox smiled. There was pride, contentment, and …  peace there. "Morning, baby," he said quietly. "How are you feeling?"



She sat up as she took stock of herself. "Good, all things considered." A little sore, but she knew that wouldn't last long, since demons healed fast. "Tell me I didn't sleep through him waking up for a feed."



Knox shook his head. "You've both been asleep for a long while."



Which was no doubt why she no longer felt drained, she thought. Demons didn't need much sleep, after all.



"You literally dropped to sleep like you'd been dealt a blow to the jaw," Knox told her, unable to hide the amusement from his voice. He hadn't initially found it amusing, though. "I was worried at first, but then I figured it wasn't such a surprise, given that you'd not only been through labor but were probably psychically exhausted after using your gifts."



Harper nodded. "Psychic burnout is never fun." She'd fed the baby shortly after he was born – though it had taken a little work since he'd simply refused to cooperate and suckle – and no sooner had Knox taken him to have another hold than Harper lost the battle she'd been fighting against the need for sleep.



Standing, Knox said, "Shuffle over."



Once she did so, he slid onto the bed beside her, careful not to jostle the baby. Unable to get rid of the silly grin on her face, Harper shifted his little hat slightly just to press a quick kiss to his downy head. His hair was as dark and silky as Knox's was, to her utter delight. She inhaled deeply, taking in his baby fresh, sweet scent. Few things smelled better than a newborn baby, she thought. It made her want to gobble him up.



"Where's mine?" Knox asked, mouth curved.



"Right here," whispered Harper before giving him a soft, lingering kiss that he quickly took over – deepening it, yet keeping it gentle and almost …  reverent.



Pulling back, Knox curled her hair behind her ear and stroked his thumb over her cheekbone. "I needed that." Moving the baby from his shoulder to his chest so that she could see his little face, Knox said, "You do realize that we still haven't settled on a name for him yet, don't you?"



"There was only one name we agreed on, remember. That name still good for you?"



"Yeah." Knox looked down at their son. "He looks like an ‘Asher'."



Harper nodded. "Then Asher Knox Thorne it is. Damn, he's just you with a lot less hair."