Page 14 of Their Little Helper (The Lactin Brotherhood #22)

HARLEY

Air goes in.

Air goes out.

Air goes in.

Air goes out.

I’d practiced asking for what I wanted and I hadn’t even needed to use it, so I was doing great and our date was going even better.

All I had to do was breathe and make small talk that wouldn’t get Daddy in trouble in public. Which, honestly, was probably harder than I’d expected but he was trying and I was relaxed. I wasn’t worried. I wasn’t worried about our date or looking stupid or what would happen next.

I’d asked for what would happen next.

Kind of.

I’d made myself clear enough that they’d known what I wanted and they were excited to do it again. At some point I might have to ask to reverse the roles, but I could do that. It probably wouldn’t take too many words either.

And Daddy liked doing intimate things…he even liked nursing from me…and that thought made me realize how full my pecs were.

No. I wasn’t going to think about that because it would only make the situation worse. Because thinking about how full I was would make me think about Daddy on my lap and sucking from me and?—

Oops.

“You either have to ignore what’s going through your head or hold my hand.” Santos used his Papa voice on me as he and Daddy kept me from walking into a light pole. “Which would be easier for you?”

Neither.

Daddy’s snicker said he’d guessed that.

“Um, I’ll try to pay more attention but…but if you need to, you can take my hand.” Did that sound rude? “It wouldn’t be a bad thing.”

Hmm.

Not much better.

“I like it when you—” No. I wasn’t going to say I liked it when they touched me…not in public anyway. Daddy might get the wrong idea. “I’m going to stop talking now and let you fix this.”

Yes. The internet said Doms liked fixing problems and I was just going to let them fix this one.

Papa was trying not to laugh and did a pretty good job of it, but his smile kept peeking out. “That’s a good way for us to handle this. I’m also going to get us a cab or something like that to take us back to my place because I think you’re a bit too distracted for a long walk.”

I liked walking but he was probably right.

“Sorry?” I wasn’t sure if I needed to apologize, but Papa shook his head.

“Not necessary.” There was something soft in his eyes as he and Daddy stroked my arms. “You’ve got a lot to think about and that’s not a bad thing.

I just want to make sure you’re safe, first of all.

But I don’t think having that much time to get lost in your thoughts would be helpful at the moment. ”

“Probably not.” Not until I could talk about them more. “But I’m having a good day and I…and I told you want I wanted.”

Maybe if I kept saying that my brain would stop wanting to add qualifiers to it.

“You did.” Papa smiled and looked like he wanted to kiss me which made me blush again. “You did a very good job of making sure we knew what you wanted for your reward and making sure we knew…the kind of activity you wanted to do next with us.”

I had.

Hmm.

Daddy wanted to laugh at the way Papa phrased it, but I was amazed at how good Papa was with words that didn’t make me want to squirm.

“And…and you guys know that you don’t have to unless you want to.” Because we had limits and safewords and they’d be in charge but they could say no too.

“We want to.” Papa’s dry response had Daddy shaking with barely suppressed laughter. “You don’t need to worry about that part at all.”

One day I was going to figure out how to stop blushing.

“I…I want to too.” Ugh. “I mean…I…I like both of you…like that.”

They were probably starting to understand how I’d ended up with such a terrible dating history, but neither of them seemed to mind and they didn’t think I was weird. Neither of them had asked how I was such a fuckup or why I couldn’t function, either.

It was nice, actually, and I was hoping it would make it easier to do other stuff with them eventually.

“I’m glad.” Papa squeezed my arm again before looking like he wanted to pout. “Okay, we need privacy or I’m going to turn into the squirrel over there.”

I wasn’t sure if I could laugh at that without it being rude, but Daddy’s scrunched-up face and the way he dramatically waved his hands at Papa was so cute.

And made him look like a squirrel.

Papa was trying to ignore it and fished out his phone, but it was just making Daddy more worked up. He liked getting worked up, but it didn’t seem helpful at the moment.

Hmm…time to distract Daddy while Papa figured out the car thing. I wasn’t sure there were truly any boring conversations he couldn’t turn naughty, but I thought we could try. “Are we going to have dinner together?”

That had Daddy going very still and I could see his brain working overtime.

It took about ten seconds but eventually he nodded and took a big deep breath, probably just to make Papa twitch.

It worked but so did my distraction because Daddy talked again.

“I realize at some point you guys might have other commitments or things like errands that need to be done, but my day is flexible.”

He hadn’t even been naughty.

Maybe he understood he was wiggling on Papa’s last nerve?

“I don’t have anything else I have to do.” There was always stuff I could do but nothing that would keep me from hanging out with them. “Would…”

Hmm.

“Um, it’s okay to say that we need space too.

Not just errand stuff.” Yes. That wouldn’t be rude.

Daddy had already mentioned several times that he wanted more dates and they both seemed like they were going to keep me, so it wouldn’t be mean either.

I didn’t have to worry. “Sometimes people need space.”

“I don’t.” Daddy’s response got a scoff from Papa but he seemed confused. “I honestly don’t. But I will concede to the fact that other people seem to need space.”

Maybe it was an only child thing?

“I think Papa’s going to need space sometimes and that’s fine.” Daddy seemed to be the only one who could go from single to talking about moving in with someone and not need space sometimes. “I…I don’t know how much space I’ll need.”

I’d never been in a situation like this before.

“We’ll figure that out.” Daddy was being good but his eyes started to sparkle like something naughty was brewing just under the surface. “I?—”

Before he could get in trouble, Papa held up his phone. “Got one. It’ll be here in just a second and then we’ll head back to my place.”

Saved by Papa…either me or Daddy…I wasn’t sure which.

“I don’t need space at the moment, but eventually doing something mindless like watching a movie would be nice.

” Papa raised an eyebrow before his gaze shifted over to the road to look for the car we were waiting for.

“I have the ingredients for Italian for dinner or we could get something delivered.”

If Papa thought that would be an easy conversation he was wrong. Daddy had opinions on everything and spent the entire car ride debating what kind of pasta dishes could be called Italian and even our driver got in on the debate.

His family was from Florence and he seemed to be convinced that Italians ate like people from Texas…lots of steak and potatoes. Daddy kept bouncing between driving Papa nuts and asking the driver questions that still drove Papa nuts.

To say Papa was relieved when we got to his house would’ve been an understatement.

“No.” Holding up his hand as he opened the door, Papa glared at Daddy. “My house, my definition. I will take allergies and preferences into consideration but that’s it. If I open SpaghettiOs and call it Italian you can not debate me.”

Daddy paused, going back to his looking cute and thinking face. “So let me get this straight. You want a rule that says we can debate in public but once we’re at home the person who rents or owns the space gets to decide the definition of things like meals and what cultures can claim food-wise?”

Daddy liked rules.

It was probably so he could break them but for the moment Papa liked the rule too. “Yes.”

I couldn’t decide how Daddy was going to drive him nuts with it later but I knew he was going to try.

But if it got them to stop their debate, I was all for kicking that problem down the road.

The movies I’d watched said they’d stop arguing so much once they had more sex but I wasn’t sure if that was a real-life thing or just in fiction.

I’d never watched anyone in real life start dating from that enemies-to-lovers trope.

It was kind of stressful.

“Fine.” Nodding like the debate was over just like that, Daddy turned to me. “Do you like SpaghettiOs?”

“Yes.” Didn’t everyone?

Hmm.

“Papa’s face is…I don’t think he likes them.” He looked like he wanted to stick his tongue out and rub it to get something yucky off it. “That’s okay, though. We can all like different things and I like grown-up noodles too.”

Papa looked relieved at that as he finally let us into his place, but Daddy scrunched up his face. “Canned pasta is a human right. It’s not a little versus big thing.”

Really?

Papa wanted to argue with him about that too, but I just nodded and hoped someone could talk Daddy into a new subject as he got wound up again. “It’s got vegetables in it and you can eat it cold when you lose power and?—”

Papa figured out how to get him on a new subject.

He kissed him.

That worked.

Part of me wanted to giggle and part of me wanted to moan, but most of me just had fun watching.

I’d never realized how much fun that could be.

The fake people online weren’t fun to watch because I always worried about them or I just couldn’t relate to them…

but I didn’t have to worry about Daddy and Papa together.

They might end up killing each other but they liked doing stuff together. That was probably the most important thing as long as Papa didn’t actually strangle Daddy.

At the moment, he just had Daddy pinned to the wall by the door and it looked like he was wrestling Daddy and trying to climb down his throat. On the other hand, Daddy seemed to be trying to climb Papa and was clinging on him like a monkey.

Yep, it was much more fun to watch them.

I had to remind little me not to come out and giggle because no matter what Daddy had said, I was pretty sure I had to be big to get my reward.

I’d been a very big boy and asked for exactly what I wanted so?—

Oops.

No. I’d been a good sub and asked for what I wanted.

“You can’t—” As Papa released his mouth and started kissing along his jaw, Daddy still seemed to be trying to make him crazy.

It was either trying to tell him he was right about the pasta or just that Papa couldn’t kiss him into silence, but it didn’t seem to matter to Papa. He was going to win no matter what and that was going to be through lots of kissing.

And nibbling.

And licking.

And moaning.

And cursing.

“Pokey, you’re such?—”

Hmm.

Daddy’s timing for making Papa nuts was kind of suspicious. Every time Papa eased away to kiss somewhere else or just to breathe, Daddy would start to say something frustrating. That made Papa have to kiss him again.

If I realized it, Papa had to as well, but he seemed to be enjoying Daddy’s possibly bad behavior.

Were we allowed to be a pain in the butt just to get kisses?

No one had told me that and I wasn’t sure I’d be very good at it.

I was still thinking about it when Papa finally pulled away and Daddy sagged against the wall, clearly having his fill of kisses since he didn’t try to make Papa nuts again.

As they gasped for air and Papa kept Daddy pinned to the wall, they both looked at me and Papa gave me a softer smile.

“Your brain seems to be going very fast, sweet boy. What are you thinking?”

Daddy must be contagious because I just told him.

“That you’re nice together and I’m trying to decide if I have to be a pain in the butt to get lots of kisses?” Oops.

Daddy huffed, but Papa snickered and gave Daddy a smacky kiss. “He’s got you pegged.”

I relaxed when neither of them got upset and Daddy just rolled his eyes, but after a moment, they both turned to me and it was like I was a deer being stalked through the woods.

Part of me was glad they didn’t want to fight-kiss me, but the rest of me was nervous about what being their prey would mean.

“I think our boy needs attention.” Papa’s words sent a shiver through me, but it was Daddy’s smile that made me think I should’ve just kept watching silently.

That was going to be my next reward…it wasn’t nearly as stressful as whatever my…

My what?

Oh…now I had something else to worry about.

Shoot.