Leaning against the doorjamb of Knox’s home office a week later, Harper waited as he finished his call. He’d begun to spend more and more time at the mansion, doing meetings via teleconference whenever he could. She knew it was because his protective instincts were becoming harder to deal with, and she was guessing that his demon was also more at ease when she was around. Her own demon certainly preferred being at home and having Knox nearby.
As he finally ended the call, she arched a brow. “You busy?” He didn’t just stand; he sort of… gracefully uncoiled from his seat, and she had no idea why she liked that so much.
“Never too busy for you. You know that,” said Knox. The baby’s mind lightly touched his – it often responded to his voice that way, and it got to him every time. Rounding his desk, Knox tilted his head, tension mounting inside him as he took in her nervous expression. “Something wrong?”
“No. I just have something to show you.”
He smiled as realization dawned on him, and the tension in his muscles fell away. “You’re finally letting me see it?”
She pushed away from the doorjamb. “Yes. It’s ready.”
Knox draped his arm over her shoulders. “Lead the way.” She hadn’t let him in the nursery even once since she’d began painting it, wanting it to be a surprise. She’d let him do a few things, such as assemble the pretty dragonfly mobile – and he suspected that was because she wanted to be sure he felt involved to some extent – but that was pretty much it.
He hadn’t complained. He’d sensed that she’d made it her project and that designing it meant something to her. Since he wanted her happy, and since Meg had explained that it was a “nesting” instinct that was perfectly natural, he’d given Harper that.
Once they reached the closed door of the nursery, she said, “Don’t forget; if there’s anything you don’t like, we can change it.”
“I’m sure I’ll like it just fine.” Twisting the knob, Knox pushed open the door… and his mouth almost fell open. Damn, the woman had been busy, and her hard work had paid off.
He walked silently along the plush, cream carpet and skimmed his hand over the side of the crib. Like the dresser, changing table, and rocking chair, it was a light, smooth pine. Woodland murals decorated the lemon walls and closet doors, matching the woodland-themed quilt. The most striking artwork was the large, white, tree mural that spanned from floor to ceiling.
The pine shelves were lined with the gifts she’d been given at the baby shower – stuffed animals, baby monitors, and a photo frame that held the baby’s first ultrasound picture. A diaper pail and baby chair, both of which were also gifts from the baby shower, sat in the corner.
The breeze coming through the open window fluttered the white curtains and jingled the dragonfly mobile that hung over the crib. The room felt bright and airy, especially with so much natural light. When the sun shone on the lemon walls, they turned into a deeper, sunbeam shade. She’d created a warm, serene space that was as inviting as it was cozy. He was now extremely glad he’d accepted her request to leave the whole thing to her.
“I was startled when the delivery guys assembled the furniture before they left,” she said. “I’m used to flatpacks.” Still, it had taken Harper a week to get the room exactly the way she wanted it. She’d bet Tanner and Keenan were ecstatic that the manual labor was over, because she’d really put them to work. “Well, what do you think?” He turned to face her, and the pride on his face warmed her.
“I think you did an amazing job.” Knox placed his hands on her shoulders. “And I think you made the best decision when you chose to design it yourself.”
She smiled, relieved. “I’m glad you like it.”
He cocked his head. “You were worried that I wouldn’t?”
“Well, you’re a very selective guy. Hard to please, in many ways.”
He breezed his mouth over hers. “It’s never hard for you to please me. Really, I love what you’ve done with the room, and I think the baby will love it too. I meant to ask, why the dragonfly mobile? I like it. I’m just curious.”
“For the same reason that I got the tattoo of one on my nape. I admire them – despite having a short lifespan and being very delicate, they don’t let either hold them back. Plus, they’re master fliers. Any sphinx would love to be a master flier.” And she wanted that for the baby; was a little worried that, like her, its wings wouldn’t come to it naturally.
“Ah, I get it.” Knox gestured at the box and bag near the closet. “I see that you have everything ready.”
“Yep. All we have to do on the big day is take it downstairs to the living room.” She’d chosen to have a home birth, which wasn’t uncommon for demons. She liked the idea of being in her own home, a familiar place where she felt comfortable, relaxed, and safe, while she went through what would no doubt be a hell of an experience.
Her main reason for choosing a home birth, however, was that she wouldn’t feel safe in a hospital. It would be a time when she was vulnerable, when Knox was distracted, and when the baby wouldn’t be all that difficult to get to – no matter how many precautions were taken. As such, people might think it was a good time to attack. At home, she and the baby would be a hell of a lot safer.
Everything she needed for the birth was ready in the box, thanks to Meg – old sheets and towels, blankets, and plastic sheeting among other things. Meg had also gotten hold of a portable heater to keep the baby warm – apparently, her daughter had used one and it had been ideal.
Harper had still packed a bag with toiletries and clothes for her and the baby, just in case there were complications and she needed to be transferred to a hospital. It also meant she didn’t have to send Knox and Meg on errands to seek out the stuff she wanted during the home birth; all they’d have to do was grab her bag.
Rodgers hadn’t advised against a home birth, since the last ultrasound scan had showed that the baby had indeed had a growth spurt. It was no longer smaller than it should be and, in fact, was a little bigger than he’d expected.
“Nervous about the birth?” asked Knox as they left the nursery, closing the door behind them.
She bit her lip. “Yeah. I’ve read about it, heard countless stories about it, and I’d like to think I’m prepared, but I still have my worries.”
Hating that he couldn’t fix that for her, Knox said, “I’ll help however I can. Tell me what you want and I’ll make it happen. Whatever you need me to do, I’ll do it.”
“I don’t need you to do anything complicated. Just be there.” If she could feel close and connected to this person who made her feel safe, Harper knew she’d get through it okay.
He rested his forehead against hers. “I will be with you every step of the way, I promise. And speaking of the baby, I have some news. The lair is organizing a parade in the Underground.”
Her brow furrowed. “A what?”
“A parade in honor of the baby.”
Harper groaned. “Knox, you saw what people were like at the announcement – full of questions, horror stories, and unwanted advice. The further along a woman is in the pregnancy, the worse it is. When Heidi’s mom was pregnant, I felt so bad for her. It’s like people see a baby bump and forget the existence of etiquette. They commented on everything – her boobs being bigger, the weight she’d gained, her face being plumper, her ankles swelling up.”
Knox raked his gaze over her. “I don’t mind that your breasts are bigger. The only weight you’ve really gained is the weight you initially lost. And your face isn’t plump. Your ankles don’t look swollen either.”
“Not the point, Thorne. Heidi’s mom gracefully ignored it, but I don’t have her easy temperament. I’d rather have the damn baby shower again, and that’s saying something.”
“I thought baby showers were supposed to be relaxing events.”
“Not when they’re thrown by imps, they’re not.”
When Jolene had told him that she’d organized a baby shower for Harper, he’d envisaged a relaxing get-together that involved silly games, finger foods, a diaper cake, and lots of oohing and ahhing as the guests sat in a circle watching the mother-to-be open their gifts. But it turned out that an imp baby shower was nothing like that.
Although Harper had warned him that it would be a rowdy event, he hadn’t realized just what she meant until he’d later pulled up outside Jolene’s house to hear “Ice Ice Baby” filtering through the open windows. The imps had a mimosa bar, a DJ, karaoke, and a BBQ going, and everyone other than Harper had been absolutely smashed by the end of it.
Curling his arms around her shoulders, Knox brushed her nose with his. “All right, I’ll ask the lair to cancel the parade.” He tilted his head when her brow creased. “Why don’t you look happy about it?”
“Because part of me now feels guilty and ungrateful. I don’t want to offend the lair.”
Knox almost chuckled. In her shoes, he wouldn’t have felt guilty at all, but Harper had a marshmallow center that meant she’d never be as selfish as he was. “I’d sooner offend our lair by canceling the parade than ask you to do something that you don’t want to do.”
“Stop being so nice when I’m being so whiny.”
“You’re not being whiny. Even if you were, I’d say you had every right to be. You’re hormonal and heavily pregnant, which is making you feel edgy. No one who’s edgy wants to deal with anything that annoys them. You’re also feeling hyper-protective of the baby, so it’s perfectly natural that you wouldn’t want strangers around you – especially strangers who might try touching your stomach.” Neither Knox nor his demon liked the idea either.
“You really don’t think I’m being stroppy and unreasonable?”
“No, I don’t. I’m guessing your demon’s just as restless and close to snapping – from what I’ve heard, that’s pretty normal during pregnancy. I just thought you might like to get out of the house. You’ve worked so hard on the nursery that, aside from attending the baby shower, you haven’t been anywhere. You were adamant that staying in the house all the time would make you crazy.”
Harper frowned. “I would have thought you’d be happy that I haven’t been anywhere.”
“I find that I don’t like you doing anything that seems out of character for you – it makes me worry. Meg assured me that you were nesting and there was no need for me to be concerned, but I’ll always worry about you.”
Harper thought about it for a moment. “It might actually be good for me to leave the house and get some air. And it might be best to let everyone see that I’m pregnant and satisfy their curiosity so they’re not all staring at me if I need to go to the Underground for any reason.”
“It might be,” he agreed, careful not to push her either way.
“It bothers me that people might think I’m hiding – that would give whoever’s fucking with us a real kick. It would also make us look weak.” Which was exactly why she hadn’t wanted to stay in the villa for long, she reminded herself.
“Personally, I don’t much care what other people think. But I do care that people might believe I don’t trust in my ability to protect you.”
Harper sighed, and her shoulders drooped. “When’s the parade scheduled for?”
“A week’s time.”
And that meant her stomach would be even bigger for the event. Great. “I’ll go, but I can’t promise I’ll last long or that anyone who upsets me will walk away unscathed.”
“Don’t worry; I don’t think anyone will really want to tangle with a pregnant she-demon.” Hormonal and intolerant, they didn’t deal with bullshit well at all. Harper was impatient with bullshit at the best of times.
“I’m gonna need a new dress.”
“Most women wouldn’t utter those words with irritation.”
“I’m not most women. I’m also not in the mood to go to the mall. My back hurts and my joints ache.”
He gently rubbed her back. “So have Raini pick something up for you, like you did when you needed a dress for the announcement.”
Raini was indeed good at choosing outfits for people. Harper wondered if part of the reason the succubus enjoyed choosing pretty clothes for others was that she very rarely bought any for herself.
“Fine,” relented Harper, smoothing her hands up his chest. “But I expect a chocolate reward of some kind.”
“I can arrange that.” He gave her a quick kiss. “Tomorrow.” Another kiss. “Now we shower.”
“I’d rather play Naked Twister.”
He laughed. “Keeping up with your sex drive might kill me.”
“There are worse ways to die.”
There were indeed. “You know what I just realized?”
A shiver worked through Harper at the sound of his “sex voice”. It was all dark, dominant, and hypnotic. “What?”
He scraped his teeth over her earlobe. “We haven’t christened the closet.”
Harper swallowed. “That’s a bad oversight on our part. Terrible, even. I’m thinking we should rectify it.”
“It wouldn’t be right if we didn’t.” Thrusting his hands into her hair, he kissed her. Licked into her mouth. Sucked on her tongue. Bit at her lip. Took and tasted and dominated. All the while, he was backing her into their room and then through to the closet. Stopping near the sofa, he said, “I want what’s under these clothes. Take them off.”
A little dazed by that hot, heavy kiss, Harper nonetheless managed to shed her clothes without stumbling or losing her balance. She was rather chuffed with herself for that. “This is the part where you get naked too.”
He skimmed his knuckles down the column of her throat. “There’s something I like about you being naked while I’m fully clothed. I don’t know what it is.” He closed his hand around her breast, squeezing it just the way she liked. She arched into him, gripping his arms. “I’m going to fuck you, Harper. I want you to come hard for me. Want you to feel my cock throbbing inside you. Want you to feel my come shooting deep in you. But first, I want to watch you suck my cock.” He tipped his chin at the black leather sofa behind her. “Sit.”
Well now. Engines revving like crazy, Harper backed into the sofa and sat.
Knox moved to her. Without being asked, she undid his fly – not quickly and clumsily, but slowly and deftly. His cock sprang out, but she didn’t move. She waited for his direction. He slid his fingers through her hair. “You can be such a good girl when you want to be, can’t you?”
Harper smiled. Oh, she could be a very, very good girl. It just didn’t happen often.
Bunching her hair in his hands, Knox tugged. “Open for me.” She did, and he thrust into her hot mouth. “Suck hard. That’s it.” He didn’t need to tell her what to do or how to do it. She knew exactly what he liked and exactly how he liked it. And she gave it to him. Danced her tongue around his cock. Sucked hard enough to make her cheeks hollow. Swallowed so that he felt her throat contract around him.
Using his grip on her hair to hold her still, he took over and fucked her mouth. She didn’t object, didn’t fight him. Didn’t move other than to drag her nails down the back of his thighs. He felt the telling tingle at the base of his spine and knew he had to stop. Pulling out of her mouth, he snatched her head back and traced her swollen lips with his finger. “How wet are you?”
“Why don’t you find out for yourself?”
“I think I will. Up.” He helped her stand and kissed along her neck. “I want to know how wet you are. Show me.”
Understanding, Harper dipped her finger inside her and then held it up to him. Eyes locked with hers, he took the glistening finger into his mouth and sucked it clean. She licked her bottom lip, watching as the raw need in his dark eyes flared. God, she hoped he didn’t start teasing her. Since reaching the last stage of the pregnancy, she’d had a quicker trigger than usual. Right then, she needed to be fucked. Not teased. Not toyed with. Fucked.
“Kneel on the sofa and hold onto the back.”
Doing a happy dance in her head, Harper turned and did as he’d asked. She let her eyes close as he dragged his tongue up her spine, ending his journey with a nip to her nape. “Knox —” Her mouth fell open in a silent gasp as he sank a finger inside her and swirled it around.
“Soaking wet, exactly how I like you.” He twisted her hair into a ponytail, jerked her head back, and drove his cock deep into her pussy. He swore as her walls squeezed him tight and she let out one of those throaty moans that made his balls ache. “I love that sound. Let’s see if we can make you do it again.” He slowly pulled back and then plunged inside her. “And there it is.”
Knox rode her hard. Pumped into her fast and deep, like he’d never get enough. And he never would. Never. He’d always need and crave her, crave this. It wouldn’t matter if they were together years, decades, centuries – the longing that burned inside him for her would never leave. And he never wanted it to.
As her pussy started to quake around his cock, he stilled and gave a slight tug on her hair. “Not yet. You don’t come until I’ve come, and I’m not ready to leave this pussy yet.”
Harper shook her head, sure she couldn’t hold on for long. “This is gonna happen with or without you, big guy.”
“Wait for me,” he rumbled into her ear. He knew she would. Knew she’d hold on if he asked her to. Knew she’d do it just because it pleased him, and he fucking loved that.
Harper hissed as his teeth dug into her neck and he started plowing into her again. Not because the bite hurt, but because she liked the sting of pain and it pricked at the orgasm she was fighting. Each slam of his cock was smooth, sure, and possessive. Every now and then, he’d slow his pace and give a few gentle thrusts, but then he’d resume pumping into her fast and hard – keeping her off balance. “Knox, seriously, I can’t fight it.”
“But you will.” He thrust harder, gritting his teeth as her pussy heated and tightened. His own release came tumbling towards him, and Knox’s fingers bit into her hip. Yanking on her hair, he erupted inside her, growling, “Now.”
Harper let go of the stranglehold she’d held on her orgasm. The friction within her snapped like an elastic band. Her release blasted through her, violent and intense. She screamed, riding it out until, left with the strength of a noodle, she slumped over her sofa.
Knox kissed the back of her shoulder, enjoying the feel of her pussy fluttering around him as she came down from her orgasm. “You okay?”
“Your cock is awesome.”
Startled, he chuckled.
Harper just smiled.