Page 26 of Up in a Blaze (Polished P & P #4)

HENRI

MONTHS LATER

“A rlo, are you getting ready?” I asked, tapping on his door.

I didn’t want to be too loud since his brother was still asleep in the next room.

Sawyer had worked until three in the morning at the Playhouse; he needed more hours of rest. But Arlo was another story.

“I’m coming in,” I said as I twisted the handle and pushed it wide.

Only there was no sign or Arlo.

My heart jumped up into my throat. I turned and fled, running downstairs, I passed the living area, the kitchen, and down the back hallway, where our bedroom and bathroom were, then to the stairs that led to the large basement below.

I threw the door open and called frantically, “Mon amour!” His music always played loudly while he worked out, so he probably didn’t hear me, which was why he didn’t answer. I quickly stepped down the stairs and stopped.

Arlo sat on the weight bench with a small dumbbells in each hand, curling them up to his chest with intense concentration on his face.

The sight made me all melty on the inside, even as I tried to catch my breath.

“This right?” he asked, loud enough to be heard, looking up at Blaze.

Blaze hit a button on his phone, and the music quietened. “You got it, kid. A couple more and then you’d better go get ready for school.”

Quietly, I snuck back up the stairs and into the kitchen where I started cooking some eggs and bacon. Surely, I couldn’t mess those up. Blaze had been teaching me a few things, and Sawyer, but I was thinking of taking a cooking class to learn more.

Maybe one day I would have some spare time to do so. But for now, the Playhouse had only been opened for a couple of weeks, and we were still working some kinks out. But I wasn’t alone in managing the strip club, thankfully, so I had plenty of time to spend with Blaze and the kids.

Plus, there were still some boxes up in the attic that needed to be unpacked.

“Morning,” Arlo called as he raced by. “I’m going to get changed.”

“Keep the noise down. Your brother is sleeping.”

His loud footsteps lessened their noise when I felt an arm sliding around my waist. Lips touched to my neck.

“Did you have fun spying?”

“You saw me?”

He scraped his teeth over my skin. “I always see you.”

“I was worried when Arlo wasn’t in his room. It was cute to see him wanting to lift weights. Did he come and ask you?”

He grunted. “Yeah. There are some kids at school picking on him for having spaghetti arms. I told him there was nothing wrong with his arms, but he still wanted to make them stronger.”

He went quiet.

I guessed where his thoughts had gone. “Mon amour, you can’t break little kids’ fingers for picking on him.”

“Can’t I?”

I grinned. “Non, but I’ll let you collect him from school this afternoon so you can glare at them.”

“Done.”

Gasping, I clutched my chest and teased. “You are willing to walk away from your babies to pick Arlo up? The boy has crawled into your heart.”

A squeal escaped me when he pinched my ass. “Stop being a smartass or I’ll take you over my knee again.”

“Mon amour, you are just asking me to act up.”

His chuckle swept over my skin before he kissed my neck again. “Move aside before you burn everything.”

I huffed but handed the spatula over. Cooking was boring, and I did like watching Blaze do it a lot more than doing the activity myself.

Arlo walked back into the room, dropping his bag to the floor.

“You packed your homework?” I asked.

“Oui,” he replied with a smile.

My belly fluttered. He was such a sweet child. He and his brother. Both made our lives that much brighter. Even though I was Blaze’s ray of sunshine, we were now being blinded by the light these boys brought into our world.

“Breakfast’s ready. Sit at the table,” Blaze called.

I had already set the table earlier, so I walked to my spot, kissing the top of Arlo’s head as I passed.

My brows shot up when Sawyer stumbled into the room.

“Chéri, what are you doing up?” I looked to Arlo. “Did you wake him?”

He looked at me, away, then back. “No?”

Sawyer chuckled. “He did, but I told him to do it before I left for work last night.”

“Why?” I asked.

Sawyer took the seat opposite me as Blaze placed the tray of food down in the middle.

“Because this is important,” he said and then nodded at his brother.

Blaze sat at the head of the table asking, “What’s up, kid?”

Arlo blew out a breath and met Sawyer’s gaze. His brother nodded again, smiling softly. Arlo licked his lips nervously. “Well, I was hoping… I mean, if you’d both be okay with it, that is, if I can…. Would I be able to call Blaze, Dad, and you, Henri, Papa, like they do in France?”

My ears rang from how hard my blood pumped through my veins.

He wanted to call me Papa.

Me.

My eyes welled, and a sob escaped before I buried my face into my hands.

“Henri?” Arlo cried.

“Oui,” I whimpered. “I am your papa.” I grabbed his shoulder and tugged him against me for a tight hug. “I love you, Arlo.” I looked through my watery gaze over to his brother. “And I love you, Sawyer.” I kissed Arlo’s head. “Mon amour,” I sobbed.

I heard Blaze clear his throat. “Kid, it’d be an honor if you called us that.” I glanced back to see him swallowing thickly. “Fuck,” he clipped. “Kid, come here.”

I released Arlo, and he jumped up to go to Blaze, who scooted back on his seat and pulled Arlo onto his lap. Blaze wrapped his arms around Arlo, dropping his head down.

“Sawyer, chéri, are you really all right with this?”

Blaze lifted his wet gaze to look at Sawyer when the kid said, “He asked me if I thought it was okay. I do. Of course I do. In the years we had parents, they weren’t any good.

” I caught Arlo shaking his head as his brother went on.

“Not like you two. I was scared to believe you both could care about us in ways where… where we could become the family we have. But you’ve proved you care like that in so many ways, and you keep proving it with the love you show both of us.

” He gave us a soft smile. “This is the best family we could ever have. We love you guys.”

Arlo lifted his eyes to Blaze, gripping his tee. “We do.” He looked over at me. “We really do love you and Dad.”

“Christ,” Blaze bit out, hugging Arlo to him again. I got up and walked around the table, curling my arms around Sawyer.

“We love you both so much,” I told them.

“We know,” Sawyer said.

A knock sounded on the door. I straightened, and Sawyer quickly jumped out of his seat. “I’ll get it.” He stalked off to answer.

I glanced to Blaze. He stood, too, picking up Arlo, who laughed, before placing him on his feet. “You two eat.”

Arlo and I took our seats and started piling our plates. “Your… dad…” Emotions clogged my throat as such a sweet feeling filled me when saying that. “He will pick you up from school today.”

Arlo swallowed around a mouthful. “Cool. Will he be out front?”

“Yes.” Waiting to scare some children.

“Firecracker,” Blaze called. “Arlo, get in here.”

Arlo grinned and grabbed a piece of bacon to eat on the way. He ran off, and I made my way more slowly, pausing on the threshold of the living room.

“A puppy?” I cried, hands pressing to my cheeks, eyes widening.

Loyal stood next to Blaze while Sawyer and Arlo were crouched on the floor with a little golden retriever bouncing around between the boys.

Sawyer stood. “I got him for you. Well, for everyone really. A family dog. And since Loyal overheard you talking to Blaze, last month, about how cute it would be to have a puppy to complete the family, he told me, and surprise. I didn’t just pick randomly.

I did some homework about the best pet for a family and learned this breed is good.

” He blushed. “I hope I didn’t overstep. I just wanted to surprise you both.”

Loyal shifted. He wanted to reach out to Sawyer no doubt.

“It’s the most precious gift someone could ever give. You took all the hard work out of picking and helped us. He’ll be the perfect family addition,” I told Sawyer, smiling wide.

Sawyer relaxed. “I’m glad you like him.”

“What are we gonna name him?” Arlo asked.

“We will watch him for a while and all make suggestions. I am sure we will find something,” I said.

Honestly, I couldn’t be happier. I was filled up to the brim with love for the people in my life. I would do anything to protect this, and I knew my big, beautiful beast would do the same.

“He is weeing,” I cried, rushing over to pick him up and running to the back door while pee went everywhere with a laughing Sawyer and Arlo rushing after me.

Still, even with the pee accident, I knew our family would have a wonderful life together.

Even when there would be bad days, I believed the good days would outweigh them by miles. Not only did I have the love of my life at my side, but Blaze would do anything to make sure we had everything we desired. He also knew I would do the same too.

We would fight together to keep this home happy and safe, and no matter what might arise, we would come out stronger in the end.