He was already there when I arrived, cradling a wiggling bundle in his arms. He didn’t see me at first, which gave me some time to appreciate the sight of him bending his head over the infant and cooing at her, his strong shoulders and back muscles shifting under the cloth of his worn T-shirt. When he paced under a break in the trees, a slice of sunlight flared down on him, making his chocolate brown hair more golden.
My breath caught as I slowed to a stop. He had to be the most breathtaking boy to ever grace the planet. And he was here, waiting for me.
When I stepped forward, a twig snapped under my feet. He lifted his head and smiled. “There you are.”
His grin did things to me. The way his lips stretched and his eyes warmed as if he were genuinely happy to see me, it melted my insides.
“Keep smiling, kiddo,” he told the baby. “Someone’s here to see you.”
“Is she smiling?” Forgetting about the crazy stir he caused in me, I hurried forward, momentarily more curious to see the baby than I was to see him.
He turned and twisted his arms to put her on full display, and I caught my breath, freshly surprised by how much Bainbridge she had in her. The red hair looked particularly bright in this light, and her blue eyes were wide and curious as she gazed up at me.
“Hi, baby Bentley,” I cooed, tickling her chin. “I’m your Aunt Felicity.”
When Knox sucked in a startled breath, I glanced up, worried. “What?”
I immediately scanned the trees, sure we were caught. I was so busy darting my gaze around for trouble, I didn’t catch his expression until he said, “I just realized you’re related to her just as much as I am.”
Shoulders easing, I brought my attention back to Knox and our niece. Sending him a small smile, I hedged, “So, I guess that would mean I have just as much right to hold her as you do?”
He sniffed out an amused sound. “Is that your way of asking if you can hold her?”
I nodded and batted my eyelashes at him playfully. “Pretty please?”
His grin broke out, even though he made a big, groaning production about having to give her up. “Okay, fine. If you’re going to be a big baby about it.”
But as soon as he started to hand her over, I lost my nerve and jumped backward. “Wait.”
“What?” This time, he was the one to scan the trees as he tucked Bentley protectively close.
I blew out a breath. “Nothing, I just...I realized I’ve never actually...held a baby before.”
“You’ve never...” He blinked a few times before he burst out laughing.
“I don’t see how that’s funny at all,” I muttered, my face growing scarlet. “What if I don’t hold her right? What if I hurt her? What if I...break her?”
“Oh my God. Seriously?” He bent slightly, he was snickering so hard. I was tempted to slug him in the arm. But something in my expression must’ve alerted him to my true distress, because he calmed himself and shook his head. “You’re not going to break the baby, Felicity. Here. Put your arms out like you’re already holding one, and I’ll slip her into place.”
I sent him an untrusting scowl.
He nodded patiently, encouraging me. “Trust me.”
With a heavy sigh, I fashioned my arms to hold an imaginary infant, instantly feeling like an idiot. If he was spoofing me— But Knox slid our niece into my waiting arms seamlessly. I looked down at her and sucked in a breath.
“Oh, wow.” I was holding a baby, Garrett’s redheaded daughter. “She’s so light.”
I glanced up at Knox, and he grinned. “And she’s probably doubled her weight since she was born.”
He seemed so much like a proud father, I caught my breath and gazed at his perfection a couple seconds too long before I cleared my throat and looked down at Bentley again.
She was adorable, even with her lip puckering and her tiny face turning red.
A grumbly, baby complaint rumbled from her, and I panicked.