Page 5 of Enforcer’s Little Warrior (Little Paws Haven #3)

Bash

He got it now, why Romy slept on the floor between Toofus and Nambi’s beds. It wasn’t just about listening for nightmares and being right there if one of them couldn’t sleep. More, it was about the soft snuffle of breathing when little snouts let out puffs of air. It was about watching hooves churning when a little one tried to run in their sleep. How peaceful they were when dreaming, and the easy way it could lull one into thinking that kind of bliss could last.

If it wasn’t for the need to pause constantly and remind himself to be alert and remain on guard, he’d have given in to the urge to get lost in the whole domestic vibe, pretending this was the only life they’d ever known.

In another time, they might have met at a group wallow, two crashes lazing the day away together, its members lazily becoming acquainted with one another as they rolled in the mud beneath the midday sun. Maybe they’d have bumped snouts and said hello, or knocked horns and had a laugh when the vibration led to them sneezing on one another. With no rogue council to worry about, they might have found a spot beneath the stars, touching, rubbing, claiming one another until they were too tired to join the others in the morning wallow.

The images in his head painted a pretty picture until Bash considered the skills it would have left him without. So many of the shifters who had lost their lives lately had lived blissfully unaware of the danger they were in until it had crept into their midst and destroyed them from the inside out.

He, Romy, Toofus and Nambi were alive. That’s where Bash’s focus needed to stay. On that and on keeping them that way.

Creeping forward, he carefully plucked a stuffed duck off the floor and tucked the stuffed animal back beside Toofus before the boy woke and realized it was gone. Grazing the back of his hand over the boy’s cheek told him that he was still nice and cool, even with the sheet draped over him. That was good, it meant they finally had the air conditioner set to a temperature where the little ones were comfortable. He just hoped that meant they’d get a full night's sleep tonight. They needed it after all the playing they’d done, especially when Nambi had already proved what kind of cranky rhino tantrums he could throw when he got overly stimulated and too frustrated to take a nap.

He and Romy had done the only thing they could think of at the time, which was set Toofus out of harm’s way, over by the sprinkler, while guarding each side of the wallow to allow Nambi a safe place to rampage and stomp. Even fussy and charging from one end of the wallow to the other, throwing mud in the air with his horn, the little one had been too damned adorable. It made it impossible for Bash to keep a straight face, let alone a stern one, when Nambi had been on his little rampage.

Hell, if Bash was being honest with himself, he’d wanted to join the little one and stomp out some of his own frustrations at being unable to find answers, unable to find a solid trail, unable to find anything but proof that someone had cared enough about those boys to carry them as close as they could to Cookietown. Then they’d given them a shove in the right direction before turning around and stomping every which way under the sun just to confuse the trail. They had done such a damn good job of it that even the best trackers they had couldn’t untangle it. A fact that had been particularly galling to the pair of rhino’s whose job it had been. Bash, who’d tried his hand at it only to come up just as empty-handed, and Arlo, who was too stubborn to give up, continuing to go back time and time again.

The wallow got more tempting with the reminder of his frustrations.

Too tempting.

Way too tempting to resist, actually.

Without giving it any further thought, Bash turned away from the door and the sleeping rhinos to walk carefully through the house. He deposited his shirt on the couch beside his pillow, his pants he left halfway between the front door and the wallow, while his boxers he left on the lawn chair beside the wallow, just out of reach of the sprinkler so they wouldn’t get wet for when he needed them. No one wanted to frighten Romy when he'd disappeared and hadn’t come out of the bathroom.

There was a brief sound of water splashing, but nothing else. What had he been doing in there?

Naked in the moonlight, he rolled his shoulders, pushing aside his thoughts while cracking his neck. He took one last look around, listening out for any sounds, and a moment later determined it was safe.

For the first time in over a week, he let his guard down a little and slipped freely into his rhino form with a grunt and a loud enough burst of flatulence that he’d have pinked up some had anyone been out there with him to hear it. Instead, he sighed contently as he slid into the wallow, tail flicking rapidly as he brushed at a fly on his flank.

Oh yeah, even better than skin.

Muddy water lapped up his sides. He ducked his head beneath the surface, then popped up and shook mud splatter everywhere. It landed in plops like heavy rain, then Bash gave in to the temptation to plod, squishing mud beneath his hooves with every pass he made along the length of the wallow.

No doubt about it, he needed this. Almost as much as he needed relief for the below the belt issue he was rarely without these days. Only a mate wasn’t someone to just scratch an itch with.

A mate was supposed to be everything one could ever ask for or need.

And that’s where things got complicated.

Romy

His plans flew right out the window as he watched Bash strip off his underwear and place it on the lawn chair. Romy held perfectly still watching Bash’s ass flex in the moonlight. The light cast shadows over the dips and curves of a man who looked like one of the Greek gods that Romy had read about. Perfect.

Romy released the tiniest shuddery breath, absolutely not wanting to spoil the show and alert Bash to his presence. When Bash shifted and the sound of his ass firing off came with a splodging sound, Romy quickly placed his hand over his mouth to hide his giggles.

Bash was a big man, but his rhino was huge and powerful looking. His own rhino side was desperate to come and play. Romy hesitated for several moments, watching Bash have fun.

I can do this.

Yes, I can.

Could I?

Oh crap…

Romy continued to watch his fingers trembling as he peeled off the tiny shorts and little crop top he used on occasion to sleep in when it got too hot. He really didn’t like to sleep naked, it just felt wrong.

Naked and aroused, Romy went to the door, treading silently, having learned to do this when trapped by the council. His hands fluttered at the sides of his bare legs before he stepped outside into the warm night air.

The sounds of joy coming from the wallow were too much to resist. Romy shifted and slowly made his way to the wallow.

Bash’s colossal head lifted, and his eyes glinted like steel in the moonlight. He snuffled loudly and wagged his head up and down in invitation, but he never moved from the far side of the wallow, giving Romy plenty of room. It was a generous thing to do, but that was not what either he or his rhino wanted.

He plotted into the muddy water, keeping his noises low so as not to wake the boys, and shook his body, creating muddy waves to splash over his skin. It was bliss. Bash’s thoughtfulness of creating such a luxury for them was all his rhino half could think about as he splashed his way over to the huge rhino and lifted his snout, wanting a kiss.

His rhino was much more forward than Romy in his human form could be. Seeing this was maybe a good thing, he watched Bash’s rhino edge closer, being real careful not to squish him, and bumped their snouts together.

Romy whistled, his rhino giving all the signs he wanted to mate and making Romy blush hard and be grateful Bash could not see him do that.

Bash’s rhino responded by vocalizing low rumbly grunts as they continued to bump snouts. His big lips nibbling at Romy. With Bash being so much bigger than him, Romy’s rhino didn’t feel in the least bit intimidated and in fact was loving it.

Bash the whole time, let Romy’s rhino lead and when his rhino wriggled to turn around in a kind of chase me fashion, Romy rolled his eyes as his rhino’s side behavior.

He was going to be mortified when he shifted back, but nothing was stopping his rhino from wiggling his butt at their mate.

The loud gasp that came as hands stroked over his ass, got all of Romy’s attention and he squeaked as he shifted, landing with a splash in the mud.

Oops.

Mud dripped down Bash’s face, making him appear gray in the moonlight.

“Sorry,” he mumbled, unsure what he was actually apologizing for, the mud splashing or his rhino’s pushy behavior. Everyone knew alphas didn’t like to be pushed, especially a Daddy alpha.

Bash’s chuckles were not what Romy expected as he watched him swipe the mud off his face and grin at Romy. The next thing Bash splashed him, his grin getting bigger. “I enjoy playing in the mud.”

Romy’s eyes narrowed and his heart beat a little faster as he scooped up a handful of mud and threw it purposefully at Bash, giggling the whole time it slid down his massive chest.

“Now you’re askin’ for it,” he said gleefully, reaching out to grab for Romy.

He squealed and darted backwards, sending mud flying everywhere.

“You ain’t gonna escape me, little bumper.”

At the use of the affectionate name, he squealed, loving it as he nimbly darted to the left before Bash could reach him. Mud sloshed everywhere, blinding him for a second as he once more tried to evade, laughing so much he struggled to get his breath.

Large powerful arms scooped his wriggling body up, slippery with mud he slid sensuously against Bash getting a rumble of approval that went straight to his cock.

Romy stilled in Bash’s arms and stared at the filthy man grinning at him in such a way his belly did a big flip-flop like when he dived in the mud. His world narrowed down to those dark soulful eyes, and he darted forward and planted a kiss on Bash’s mouth, reacting while his thinking brain was off line.

The arms holding him tightened just enough to hold him steady and Bash’s breath came in a fast staccato. “Can I kiss you?” he whispered against Romy’s lips.

A shuddery breath made his body press more firmly against the slick chest, and he found he’d lost his voice. Romy nodded his head, hoping that the big rhino caught the move, because he wasn’t sure he could find his tongue any time soon with what he could feel touching his thigh.