Page 72 of Hiding From Laughter

My application.

He was sorry I’d been naughty.

Well, still not my fault.

“It’s no problem.” Rocking back and forthon his toes, Conner grinned. “I had fun with the answers.”

Micha groaned and glared at me. “I don’twant to know what you wrote.”

I’d been honest.

“Yes, Sir.” Giving his cheek a kiss thattime, I hopped up before he could change his mind. “Ready?”

Micha managed not to roll his eyes but itlooked painful holding it back. “Yes.”

Drama queen.

Conner snickered, looking like he was readyto bounce and play too. “Wonderful. You’re going to have so much fun. It’s beenages since I got to pee on anyone.”

Before my brain could catch up to what he’dsaid, he was gone and I was left blinking in the strange lawyer-looking officewith Micha. “He’s kind of weird but I like him.”

That set off Front Desk guy again, butMicha sighed. “That scares me.”

“If you’re too grumpy, I’m going to refuseto pee on you.” Taking his hand, I tugged him until he stood up. “Be a goodboy.”

The front desk guy was never going to beable to catch his breath.

Micha on the other hand glared at me.“Really? That’s what you’re going with?”

“Still not being a good boy.” Shaking myhead, I sighed as I led him out of the tiny fake office. “It’s not going to getyou what you want.”

Since that was nearly word for word whathe’d said to me last week when he was lecturing me about pitching a fit to getto play with my zoo faster, I knew it was spot-on. Micha was doing his best togive me hisyou’ve got to be kiddinglook but he wanted to laugh. “Youare a handful. You know that, right?”

“I know you love me and I love you.” Thatwas all I was going to admit. It was the pleading the Fifth of the relationshipworld.

Chapter 20

Micha

“It’s weird. I mean. It looks normal andthat’s weird. There are even soap dispensers like a hotel.” Ashton was juststanding in the expensive-looking bathroom and seemed frozen in place. He’dwalked in just fine and had even watched me put some of our stuff on the dryside, but then his brain had started overloading. “I don’t know what I wasexpecting but normal wasn’t it.”

There didn’t seem to be a reasonableresponse to the interesting peek into his mind, so I ignored it. “I’m going tofind a way to punish you for that stunt by the front desk.”

His giggle as he turned around to face mesaid he wasn’t too worried about that. “The front desk guy thought we werefunny.”

“You. He thoughtyouwere funny.”And so did the owner. “And ridiculous and naughty.”

But since those seemed to be the qualitiesin Ashton that Conner liked best, I wasn’t too worried any longer.

Doing his best to look innocent as he aimedwide eyes up at me, Ashton frowned. “Me? No. I was polite and obeyedinstructions, and I didn’t even complain about being lapped.”

He’d needed the reminder to behave andsomeone to hide against just in case he’d gotten too stressed. It was also theonly position he’d actually talk in, and I was pretty sure they wouldn’t havelet us in without some form of meaningful communication from Ashton.

“You complain about everything. Justbecause it wasn’t out loud doesn’t mean it wasn’t in your head.” He’ddefinitely been snarky in his mind. “I think that makes it reasonable to add tothe naughty list.”

Ashton huffed, crossing his arms over hischest. “That’s ridiculous.”

“That’s a poor comeback so you know I’mright.” Glaring at him got a shiver from the naughty boy. “If I’m wrong, pleaseexplain what you were thinking. In detail.”

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