Page 48 of Family: Posy 4

"Yeah, that's how you end up in the doghouse, pup. Trust me on that. I'm trying to work my way of it as we speak," Ash laughed, and I went to elbow him again, but he caught me and slung me up and over his shoulder. "Besides, it ain't that deep, Arch."

"And he's more upset that you're mad at him than that he got hurt," I called out from where I hung down Ash's back.

I heard Archer take a deep breath and let it out slowly, and Spring snickered as the boy walked over to his friends.

Put me down so I can see!I ordered Ash.

Chuckling, he positioned me to sit on his arm with my legs dangling on either side of his hip.

I want to hold you, cupcake, so this will have to do.

"Fair enough," I said as I watched Archer lay one hand on Thoreau's back and the other on his head.

"Hey, Reau, calm down," Archer murmured. "I'm not mad at you, okay?"

"Yes, you are! I heard you tell luna you were!"

"Yes, Iwasmad, but I'm not anymore, and I was wrong to get mad in the first place." When Thoreau remained silent, Archer sighed and held out his arms. "Wayne, let me have him."

Wayne frowned, but let Archer take Thoreau from him. Thoreau had looked small in Wayne's arms; he looked positively tiny in Archer's. Archer and Wayne were growing taller by the day, and it was clear that Archer was going to share his brother Cole's bearish build.

"Listen, Ash is right. This wasn't anything to get mad about." Archer laid his cheek on top of Thoreau's soft curls and closed his eyes. "It's just, when you get hurt, it hurts me. That's why I tell you not to do things like run around where there are so many things to trip over. I'm trying to keep you safe. Now stop crying, okay, curls?"

"Okay," Thoreau hiccuped. "I am sorry, Chi-Chi. I will listen better."

"Good boy." Archer dropped a kiss on the top of Thoreau's head, and Ash, Spring, and Iawwed together in the link.

"Curls," Ash snickered. "He called himcurls!"

"Mmm. I could call you curls, but I like waffle better." I kissed his cheek to distract him, which worked, but at my expense.

"You going to eat your waffle later, baby?" he rumbled and touched his nose to mine. "Because I'm planning to devour every little bit of my cupcake tonight."

"That's disgusting, Ash!" Wayne's whole face twisted in a grimace. "Link that shit instead of saying it out loud."

"Language!" Archer grumbled, laying a hand over Thoreau's ear and keeping the other pressed against his chest. "No profanity around innocent ears!"

"Yes,Dad," Wayne sneered. "Goddess, you're being a bitch today, Arch."

"Again with the language!" Archer said impatiently. "Didn't Ijustsay—"

"All right, all right! I take it back!" Wayne held up his hands with a grin. "You're not being a bitch today, anyway. You're being aCole."

And Wayne is so much like Wyatt,I thought with a giggle, watching as Archer's face turned red and his eyes spat fire at Wayne's teasing.

"I like cupcakesandwaffles," came a little voice from Archer's chest. "Why is that disgusting, Chi-Chi?"

As the rest of us - even Spring - fell over laughing, Archer explained that Wayne was just teasing and ended up promising the boy that they'd go to Roger's later and he could order as many cupcakes and waffles as he wanted.

#

After a delicious dinner of fish and chips, Ash drove us out in the country.

"You haven't had a chance to meet Spero Bel Aire," he said as we bumped along a gravel driveway, "but he owns that pet store you took our wolves to, and his family owns this horse farm. His daughter, Angel, breeds and trains horses for trail riding."

"Maybe we can visit some of the horses! I've never had a chance to pet one, but they're gorgeous!"

"They're larger than they look," he warned me. "You won't get scared?"

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