Love is Always Write Anthology Volume 10

room as he changed, but considering his line of work, it quickly became more important to have Archer's cheeks free of tears for at least a couple of minutes more.
    So he handed Archer to Carole, "Daddy is right here. Say hi to Carole, Archer." And while Archer hated the situation he actually liked Carole, and pressed his little face against her neck in hello as he watched Zach change with his sleepy eyes.
    Zach pulled on some casual clothes and packed a part of his costume that had needed to be cleaned before leaning over Archer and kissing his cheek, imprinting his baby scent into memory, to help him get through the night.
    He heard Archer crying as he closed the door of the apartment behind him, but there was no helping it. At night he danced in a friend's strip club to pay the bills. He loved dancing, loved the club, and he certainly appreciated the cash but it didn't seem like a respectable job for someone with a child and while he worked part time as he did in the tattoo parlor, it still took him away from Archer for a longer time than he was comfortable with.
    Shutting the blinds on those thoughts, Zach fastened his carry-on to the back of his bike and turned on the engine. It was time to shake some hips.
    ****
    One thing that was different from that day when he'd met Adam's friend were the dreams. Nightmares still visited him on occasion, but what haunted him more were the flashes of naked flesh, visions of that naughty smirk and he knew the wetness of his sheets each morning had a direct link to the freckles of a certain man. It was embarrassing to say the least, but Zach still dreamt, almost every night, and he woke up covered in sweat and come, breathing as if he'd spent the whole night running and blushing as if Noah could have seen him so debauched in his own room.
    It was maddening and it distracted him for half of each morning. Enough so that even Gabriel asked if he was alright a couple of months after the dreams had first started.
    Zach was late for work again and was just leaving Archer with the twins. "Of course I'm alright. Why wouldn't I be?"
    "You seem distracted. Something is bugging you, but I'm not gonna pry. I'll tell Michael to do it." G grinned and Zach rolled his eyes, knowing G would do just that and Michael wouldn't let go. He never did once he sank his teeth into something.
    "Fine. I still have to go," Zach said as he turned and rushed back to his car.
    The parlor was busy once he arrived there and Jill was at his throat straight away. "You're late! And Adam isn't here. He said he'd call you and ask you to cover the shop until he gets here. I moved most of his appointments but you have to talk to the others." She gestured with her hands as she talked.
    "I forgot my phone…" Jill interrupted him, "And you have puke on your shoulder. You must change." Zach blushed and stretched his shirt to see. She was right, of course.
    "Go in the back. I'll send you your first client. Only Noah is here for Adam. He said he wanted you to do a piercing for him, but asked if he could watch first." Jill was pushing Zach toward the back when he froze at her words and turned around. "What?"
    "Adam needs to finish Noah's tattoo, and since Noah doesn't have much time right now he came early to do a piercing as well. He requested you. Can we go now?" Jill was exasperated and he could understand that, but that didn't mean his feet were able to move.
    "Why me?"
    She rolled her eyes. "Because you're one of the best and he prefers to bring business to Adam's rather than some other parlor. So do a good job and get your head out of your ass. You can't work if you're this distracted."
    Zach shook his head and moved after Jill, too numb to process the situation as it deserved.
    At his working station sat a young man animatedly chatting with Noah who had no qualms about taking Zach's chair to situate his delectable ass. A shiver ran down Zach's body.
    "Oh, you're here!" Noah said, standing up and moving toward Zach like some force of nature.
    Zach couldn't move and as Noah hugged him, wrapping those big arms of his around Zach, he couldn't even trigger his breathing reflex.
    "You too," he uttered and by sheer luck extracted himself from Noah's grip before his erection killed his career. The last thing he needed to do was molest the rock star clients.
    "This here is David and he wants his nipple pierced, just like me." Noah stepped away then mock whispered, "He doesn't like my music," to Zach.
    "You're just too pop for