Page 25 of Enforcer’s Little Warrior (Little Paws Haven #3)

Taggart

Keep it together. Come on, don’t go losing it.

Taggart had that on replay as he did his best to act all causal, listening to the rhino chuckle snort. The guy was fucking huge and his mate . I have a mate. A huge mate. Someone bigger than me. Holy flip balls, he can bounce me on his knee!

With how his senses were screaming at him in a way they never had, Taggart was surprised he wasn’t dancing off the seat. He felt like he could at any moment. He had a lot of energy, he hoped would get used up by the rhino.

What would his horn feel like against his fur?

Would he let him scamper up his back? Lie on his belly and bask in the sun? Taggart loved to do that in his animal form. The questions never stopped, he was used to it. His mind was often like the computer code he loved to play with full of twists and turns.

“Straight to business, as always,” Bash muttered, eying Arlo in a way that Taggart didn’t understand.

“It’s what Taggart is here for,” Arlo replied, and Taggart was sad that the rumbly snorting had stooped.

The guy—Arlo, he watched out the corner of his eyes as he sucked on his straw, wishing he could drop his gaze just a little to see what Arlo was packing. Taggart had a sensitive mouth, it was why he preferred to suck his thumb. He did his best not to appear all starey in Arlo’s direction because a niggle of worry wormed its way in past the happy vibe. Didn’t Arlo feel the pull between them?

Taggart did. It was smack bang right in the center of his chest. Not knowing the others, except for Cosmo, Taggart had no clue how to act. Had he been too cheeky? Arlo had laughed, so he had to have given just the right amount of sass—hadn’t he?

“What experience do you have mining information for computers?” Arlo went straight to the business end. Talking about the computers they had found somewhere they didn’t refer to as an actual place. Not that the data pack that Cosmo had given him hadn’t smelled of death and given him a clue and no wish to ask.

No, Taggart had spent years mining information on the dark web, seeing untold nasties, so he preferred to avoid talking about things. They often got stuck in his head and wouldn’t shake loose. When things got bad, he came here, Little Paws Haven was exactly that for him, a haven, despite many of the Daddies not paying more than a cursory amount of time with him. Being big and liking to be Little for him had not always been easy. He got he wasn’t a cute, dainty Little, like Cosmo, but he tried.

The straw popped out from between his lips when everyone looked to be waiting for his answer. He swallowed the sigh. “I’ve lots of experience with computers. Working with code. Creating programs to search through information looking for keywords,” he offered Arlo a flirty smile. “Stuff like that.”

“So, do you think you can retrieve whatever is on the computers we got?” Bash asked, arching a brow in a way that suggested that Taggart could have missed something vital.

Taggart gave a cautious nod. It was tricky being overconfident, when some folks could out smart even the best techy guy. “I think so. The data box Cosmo gave me, I’ve got set up at home, I’m running a virus scan right now, once it’s done, I can then start mining the information.” He spoke directly to Bash, but his gaze flickered over to Arlo, who looked to be listening intently. “You might need to give me some clue as to what I’m looking for, otherwise it could be a needle in a haystack—type situation. Which isn’t impossible to find, but could waste a lot of my time.”

“We don’t wanna do that. I’m sure you got folks who wouldn’t want us monopolizing all your time.” Arlo’s skin darkened when Bash grinned. “Work, I’m sure you got a job.”

Not sure if Arlo was seeking information about whether he had a boyfriend, Taggart was quick to answer. “I live alone, just me on my lonesome and I work for myself, so only me to please.” How many ways did he need to point out what a loser he was?

There was a glint in Arlo’s gaze that sent a shiver through Taggart. The good kind that made his body feel all tingly and warm. “Good to know.”

“Why is that good to know?” Romy asked, looking confused with his brow wrinkled.

“Just that I ain’t gonna be having to explain my presence at Taggart’s,” Arlo explained to Romy while his gaze never left Taggart. “I got the rest of the equipment at mine, when do you want me to drop it off?”

Right now. Then I want you naked and sprawled on my bed so I can jump all over you. Nibble on the thick chords of your neck and claim you.

None of that came out of his mouth, thankfully. “Whatever works best for you guys,” he hedged, “I’m easy.” In every conceivable way for you!