We rocked for a long time, swaying in the silence while Haze slept curled between us. Haze eventually stirred, blinking up at us with that intense wide-eyed stare. Then came the babble. Little nonsense sounds, all spit and breath and earnest effort.
Shade chuckled. "He's going to be a talker."
I smiled. "He's barely old enough to know his own fingers and already trying to form sentences."
"Wonder where he gets it from."
"Not you. You're half-mute most days. Might be good to have a man around who wears his emotions on his sleeve."
Shade clutched his chest like I'd wounded him. "Hey, I've been doing better."
I leaned over and kissed the tip of his nose. "Because you don't have a choice anymore. You marked me. I feel everything. Even the things you don't say."
Shade leaned in and kisse
