Page 13 of Their Little Helper (The Lactin Brotherhood #22)

DALLY

“Kids shouldn’t be taught to cheat.” It was just rude. The adults were supposed to cheat. “What kind of upbringing did he have?”

Harley sighed, thankfully understanding the severity of the situation even though Santos just kept snickering.

“He deliberately pushed the table and braced his own tower. It wasn’t nearly as good as yours.” The tiny hitch in his voice said he’d wanted to call me Daddy, but he’d held it back as we walked out of the museum. “Some kids are just sociopaths. It’s not something we could’ve predicted.”

“You’re the one who told him about our contest.” Santos rolled his eyes. “You kept pumping up the competition.”

“Between the three of us.” And I hadn’t mentioned anything inappropriate about a prize. When the brat had asked about what the winner would get, I’d said dessert. It wasn’t my fault he thought if he won I’d buy him shit. “He was just a sociopath like on one of those FBI shows.”

Harley sighed, nodding. “But…but you would’ve won. Your building was very nice.”

“Thank you.”

“I know.”

Santos and I spoke at the same time, then glared at each other as Harley gave a quiet laugh. Santos was ridiculous and had to understand that. “I would’ve won. He was talking to me. It was clear from the conversation.”

Someone was just jealous our boy thought mine was best.

“He’s just being polite because he doesn’t want to hurt your overly inflated ego. Mine was best and you know it.” Santos was being unreasonably stubborn about admitting he’d lost. “And since I won, I get to pick my reward.”

His gleeful smile made me want to climb up him and shake him, but I knew I shouldn’t hurt people who couldn’t help being dickheads.

It was just a genetic fault, but Santos was hot and good with our boy, so I reminded myself I could ignore it.

And get revenge when possible.

“I think I would’ve won.” Harley’s teasing voice was low, but he didn’t back down. “It had the most stable base and only tipped over. It didn’t break into pieces.”

Santos sucked in a breath, offended and dramatic. “It was just the tower that broke. It’s not my fault beauty is sometimes delicate.”

He was insane.

They were both insane.

“Mine was amazing and you even said so.” My sweet boy wouldn’t lie about something like that so it had to be true. “That means I won.”

“I don’t know.” Harley shrugged as he walked down the steps in front of the museum. “Mine was stable and attractive. It wasn’t fussy but it was a building that would’ve lasted forever if an unexpected earthquake hadn’t struck.”

Santos rolled his eyes. “That wasn’t an earthquake. That was an alien landing that shook the earth or some kind of asteroid impact. That would’ve ended the dinosaurs, much less a building.”

“So see?” Harley straightened and smiled at us. “I won.”

I would not concede that I lost…but he was very excited to win.

Even if he only asked for extra dessert, it would clearly make him happy.

“I…” Blushing again, Harley quickly turned his focus toward everything else around us and even the trash cans became fascinating. “I want a…a last night again…from both of you.”

Oh.

Before I could make sure he knew how much I approved of that plan, he forced more words out. “As long as that’s okay with everyone. I don’t want to…to push?”

Since Santos had already proved he liked that activity, I was quick to remind Harley that my limits were very flexible with that activity. “Please push me. Push my head down and make me choke on that sexy package, baby boy.”

Oops.

Clamping my lips shut as he turned the color of a tomato, I pretended to zip my lips and gently nudged Santos with my arm.

He rolled his eyes and grumbled, but he was the boring one between us and knew how to word it.

“What Dally is trying to say is that he approves of that reward. Highly approves.”

Santos’s dry delivery had Harley trying not to smile as he went back to a slightly healthier color. “I thought he might but I couldn’t exactly remember what he said last night.”

“It’s always good to check until we’ve sat down and had a longer conversation on what we’re comfortable with.

” Santos even managed not to say limits list which was impressive.

Boring. But impressive. “We’re not doing that on the street, though, or when it’s too stressful for any of us.

So it might take a while to get to that point. ”

Ugh.

His ability to make well-rationed decisions was going to be a pain in the ass.

Even Harley knew it because he gave me a quick glance as he dropped his voice. “Does Daddy agree with that?”

It was my turn to roll my eyes but Santos laughed. “Mostly. He’s…enthusiastic, but we both realize that there are some things we just don’t rush.”

Nodding slowly, Harley took a deep breath before I got another peek. It seemed to be a request for confirmation, so I bobbed my head up and down in a clear manner and did my best not to respond with words that would make him uncomfortable in public.

It was going to be a work in progress, but like most masterpieces, it would be worth it in the end.

I just had to get used to toning down some of my fabulousness when we were in public. It would be like going grocery shopping with my mother. Slightly frustrating but it was worth it to make her happy and to keep her from going bananas on me.

It would be worse with Harley…he’d get sad.

Nope.

We weren’t doing that.

“I…” Harley pressed his lips together and tried again as our pace dropped down to a crawl. “I think I might need to be pushed. Slightly. I don’t…I don’t know much about some stuff. I know…I know what I like when I relax.”

Pausing, he gave us another quick look and raised one eyebrow, seeming relieved when we both made it clear we understood he was talking about being little.

I nodded and Santos used words. “I’m glad you know about that part of your hobbies.

I can’t wait to see what other things you like besides Legos. ”

That time, Harley’s adorable blush came with a smile. “I liked the Legos, but I liked all of it.”

“It was a very nice way to spend time getting to know you.” Santos shot me a glare that made me grin. “Both of you…even if Dally has a hard time behaving.”

Some of us were just more interesting than others.

But since I had to keep my interesting slightly more contained than I’d gotten used to, I ignored Santos’s ridiculousness and nudged him gently again.

“If you bruise me, you don’t get to give Harley his reward.” Santos’s growled-out words had Harley’s eyes going wide. “And for fuck’s sake, text me your thoughts if it comes down to it.”

Hmm.

It wasn’t a bad idea and it was making Harley giggle again, so I dug my phone out of my pocket and quickly shot off a text to Santos.

When does he want his reward? Now? Does he have somewhere else he has to be?

If Santos couldn’t figure out the rest of the details we needed then I’d keep texting, but he seemed detail-oriented enough that I could trust him with it.

“The drama queen would like to know what your schedule is for the rest of the afternoon.” When Santos’s comment got a questioning head tilt from Harley, he clarified it.

“The timing of your reward is something he’s very curious about, but he wants to make sure we’re all on the same page for the when. ”

We were definitely on the same page with the what.

“Oh.” Harley couldn’t seem to decide if he was going to blush or not, which seemed like a good sign. “It sounds like…it sounds like you’d both like to keep going on our date?”

When we both nodded, behaving admirably, Harley nodded to himself again and seemed to give himself a quick internal peptalk. “I would like that too…and…and I don’t think waiting to get my reward would be a good idea. I’d worry.”

Most definitely.

“I think that’s a good decision and I’m proud of you for thinking about how you’d feel.” Santos reached out and squeezed Harley’s arm. “We’re also really looking forward to rewarding you, so waiting would’ve been difficult.”

Especially for me.

That amount of patience would be painful…I could do it, but it would be hard.

Pun intended.

“We’re not going to ask what Dally is thinking because it would be inappropriate for public consumption.” Santos sent me a glare when I snickered. “My point exactly.”

Because he used words like consumption.

Harley giggled too, realizing how ridiculous the word was. “Then we should go back to your place so he doesn’t get in trouble?”

I approved.

Enthusiastically.

But silently.

Harley showed his appreciation by smiling at me and we both ignored Pokey’s drama. Once he got himself under control he nodded. “Yes, I’m fairly certain we’ve reached his limit on good behavior.”

Well, it was nice to hear that he understood my hard work and dedication to our boy.

“He was very careful in the museum and at lunch.” Harley’s face lit up as he talked about our date. “And he was trying to be careful talking about my…my reward.”

Santos had to admit that too. “Under the circumstances, yes, he was trying.”

I was going to get a reward too at the rate we were going.

“He’s going to lose all that control once we’re in private, though. You understand that, right?” Santos smiled when Harley blushed and nodded. “He’s going to have more questions and probably say something shocking.”

Most definitely.

Oh, questions.

Pulling out my phone while Harley blushed and stuttered his way through explaining he knew I would be myself again once we weren’t in public, I sent Santos several quick questions in a row.

Are we taking turns?

Does he want one orgasm or two?

Are we kneeling in front of the couch or on your bed?

Do you have a bed?

You’d make a good vampire but I’m not sleeping in a coffin.

Harley had reached the end of his naked time with his partners fairly quickly last night, so we’d just done quick cleanups in the guest bathroom. It’d made him comfortable enough to relax with us again, but it hadn’t been the naked time fun I’d fantasized about when I’d gotten home.

“For fuck’s sake, Dally.” Santos grumbled as the phone chimed again and he read my last message. “That’s ridiculous.”

“What…” Harley’s gaze was jumping back and forth between us. “I probably shouldn’t ask.”

“I’m not saying any of it on the street.” Santos was being dramatic…there weren’t that many people walking by us. “Here.”

Oh.

He showed Harley his screen.

Interesting.

Wide eyes.

Regular eyes.

Wide eyes.

Regular eyes.

Blushing.

More blushing.

Still breathing.

And we were heading back to a normal color.

“I’ll leave most of that up to you both.” And the color was going back up again. “One is fine. I’m glad you’re not a vampire.”

Then he turned to me and dropped his voice again. “I got lost trying to find the bathroom right before we left and I think I saw his room. He’s got a big bed.”

Good to know.

He needed kisses, but I settled for squeezing his arm like Santos had. It made Harley squirm and look adorable, but that time his blush was because of his sweet embarrassment. “Thank you, Daddy.”

Oh, I was Daddy again.

Yes. We needed privacy before I made him uncomfortable enough that he started questioning his reward. I’d been amazing but I was ready to cuddle my boy and make Pokey nuts.

“Don’t make him too happy.” Santos just kept trying to dance on my last nerve. “He’ll just burst and it’ll get all over.”

Yep.

Harley tried to look serious but it didn’t work at all, making me question again how he could look serious all the time for work. “Got it. Frown and don’t make him happy.”

“Now I’ve got two cheeky cuties.” Santos’s words made Harley smile even though his tone said he was a pain in the ass. “Come on. Time to head to my place. Did either of you park in one of the parking garages around here?”

Downtown parking?

In this neighborhood?

How much money did he think I had?

Harley’s cocked head said he was wondering the same thing, but he answered more politely than I would have. “No. I took the bus.”

Damn right.

Pokey wasn’t living in the same world we were, but luckily for him, we were understanding and weren’t going to hold it against him.