Page 69 of Hiding From Laughter

Yes.

He didn’t bother to hide it, nodding andmaking happy sounds as he snuggled into me. “I think I’m offended.”

That didn’t seem to be believable at all,but it did get me a hug and he ran his hand over my head. “Petting Daddy tomake him feel better?”

Ashton didn’t react to the Daddy label, buthis head bobbed again and he patted my cheeks. “I feel much better. Thank you.”

His beaming smile and the happy dancewiggle said he was very proud of himself for fixing his dramatic Daddy, andwith that done, he rolled off my lap and went back to his toys. A little’s workwas never done so he couldn’t stop for cuddles yet. He had toys to sort and azoo to set up.

Chapter 19

Ashton

“What did you write down on yourapplication, Ashton?” Micha’s words came out in a quiet, rough whisper. He wastrying to be discreet but it was obvious he was reaching his limit.

Nonsense.

I’d written nonsense.

It was his fault, though.

He’d been the one to say I couldn’t have myquiet toy or play with my fucking zoo until I’d answered the online questionsfrom the club. So I’d answered the questions. He’d never said anything aboutdoing a good job at it, just that I’d needed to be honest.

So I’d written honest nonsense.

“I was honest and I wrote completesentences.” So technically I’d done what he’d asked. “If they had a problemwith my form, I’m sure they’d have responded back to clarify things. This isprobably routine.”

Hopefully making us wait to talk to one ofthe owners was routine.

I’d told myself someone would email me withawhat the fuckkind of response if they’d been confused, but maybe not?They had to get forms filled out by slightly frustrated pain-in-the-ass subs ona regular basis, right?

Crossing my toes that I hadn’t fuckedthings up beyond all repair, I did my best to look innocent and bored, butjudging by the way the guy at the front desk was trying not to smile, I neededto work on it. “I’m sure it’s nothing.”

Toes and everything else crossed too.

Well, besides my fingers…if I did thatMicha would know I’d done something.

That was a mistake I would only make once.

“That’s not believable at all.” Sighing,Micha got his scheming face on. “If you explain the problem to me beforesomeone comes to scream at us, I might be able to get ahead of the issue.”

“This isn’t the furniture store. I’m surethey’ll be nice.” Some people were just dramatic as fuck. “I think next time itmight be a good idea for you to sit down with me or not withhold things to getwhat you want.”

The front desk guy was going to popsomething if he kept his giggles in much longer.

Micha groaned. “For fuck’s sake, Ashton, Imade you wait five minutes for the fucking…things.”

I admired his restraint for not saying theactual stuff, but it was just making our audience more curious and moredelighted.

“Not my fault. It was your bad decisionthat got us to this point.” Whatever it was going to look like. “Stop lookingguilty. At least aim to look bored. You’re the one who’s going to get us introuble.”

“I’m looking guilty because I accidentallyunleashed you on an unsuspecting victim.” Micha sounded so frustrated aboutthat I thought he might’ve had a point.

Well, I thought about it for five secondsbefore a side door popped open and the front desk guy popped and startedlaughing.

Oops.

The slender-built guy who was dressed in atux ignored the giggly front desk guy and gave Micha and me firm glares. “I havequestions.”

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