Page 36 of Tail, Dark and Handsome: Celestial Mates
“Dad!” He squirmed, voice indignant but grinning. He rubbed his slightly damp ear like Winter had caused it serious harm.
“Did you have a good day?”
“I did. How was your day? Was it good? Did you like it when she held your tail?” His eyes gleamed with mischief.
Winter’s mouth opened in disbelief. He never heard his kit utter such crass words. To ask about an adult’s tail, even his own father’s, was beyond rude. He wondered where he learned that and decided it had to be Chase.
“Because that’s a thing little kits do,” Zero continued, the teasing confidence gone and growing more uncertain. “When they’re scared? You said that.”
“Bed,” he said.
“So to clarify, that’s a yes?”
“You wanted to go to a bookstore tomorrow?”
“Oh, yes.” Zero’s tail zipped with excitement.
“Canceled due to rudeness.”
“Dad!”
“And all the books on your reader are canceled now too.”
The muscles in Zero’s jaw tensed and relaxed, and his eyes narrowed. For a moment, he very much looked like his mother when they were about to have a screaming argument.
“Fine. I’m sorry,” he said, surprising Winter, even if his tone was petulant.
“About?”
Zero sighed, his eyes rolling so violently to the back of his head Winter wondered if he were having a seizure. Winter’s heart lurched before Zero’s eyes resumed their regular position. He definitely learned that from Marigold, and Winter did not approve.
“Joking about your tail? Is that what I did wrong?” Zero asked.
“Do you think my ego is so fragile that I cannot handle a joke about my tail? You have met your Uncle Chase, correct? No.” Winter shook his head. Some males were sensitive about the length of their tail, believing it said something about their prowess and not a random chance of genetics. “Holding another’s tail is an act of trust. Do not joke on such matters.”
Zero’s ears went flat, and he dipped his head. “Apologies. I did have a good day, and I like Merry-gold.”
“Thank you for the apology, and I agree. It was a pleasant day.”
He glanced up, ears and head still down. “I do not think Merry-gold enjoyed sailing.”
“No, but she was excited for the new experience.” And he enjoyed holding her in his arms. “Bed. No more prattle.”
“But prattle is my favorite,” Zero said, before dashing up the stairs. His ten-minute nap in the vehicle completely revived him. No doubt the kit would be up all night.
“No books. That’s effective immediately,” Winter called up the stairs. He heard a groan in reply before a door slammed.
Excellent. He’d put the encounter in the parenting success column.
Winter felt restless himself. He showered off the sand and the salt of the day, then found himself in the kitchen with a glass of cold water. When Chase called, he accepted the call, despite normally ignoring his cousin.
“What did you do to my bot?” His cousin’s voice boomed over the speakers.
Winter shut the door to the bedroom for privacy. He sat on the edge of the bed and held the tablet in one hand. Chase stared up angrily from the screen. He had the same recessive coloration of cream and dark gray as Zero. People whispered that Zero looked more like his “uncle” than his “father,” and Winter wanted to smash each of their vicious, gossiping faces for such cruelty.
“The hour is late here, and I did my job,” Winter replied.
“Your job? I’m reading the report and this is a complete systems failure.” Chase waved a handheld tablet at the screen. “Did you dump it in the ocean? It’s not submersible.”
