Love is Always Write Anthology Volume 10

here to see us. It's because you're better looking, yes you are…" Archer gurgled and laughed at her, trying to grab her pink hair and Zach let out a sigh of relief.
    She situated Archer more comfortably against her body and started giving Zach information on his work day. His heart somehow settled and Zach felt that things just might be alright.
    The first thing that went wrong was Archer crying as soon as Zach left his line of sight. He didn't really know Jill and wasn't comfortable with Zach always leaving him with others. That meant he had to bring him to his working space and alternate between leaving him in his chair and making a soft playing space for him on the floor in the corner of the room.
    Despite all the people being friendly, and Archer reaching for everyone who gave him the time of day, it was very distracting. Zach couldn't stop checking on him and relaxed only when Jill would have a few spare minutes and took Archer's little hands in hers, making him walk in front of her.
    It was near the end of his work day, with just a few more piercings left to do, that Archer became inconsolable. He was secured in his carrier and wanted to go to sleep. But the machines around him buzzed despite the door to Zach's working area being closed and Archer could see his daddy just a few feet away and he couldn't understand why Zach wouldn't hold him as he did every day before bed.
    "I'm sorry. I know this is really not the best memory to have for your first piercing. I apologize." Zach said to the man who wanted a lip ring. It was annoying, and it was really bad when it came to working conditions, but other than trying to do the job as fast as he could, all Zach cared about was his child.
    "Are you people insane? You can't have a brat crying in a tattoo parlor. I'm gonna take my business elsewhere. I can't listen to this." Zach heard someone yelling from the other side of the wall and flushed.
    "Sit your ass down!" Someone else yelled, "You know you won't get a better tattoo anywhere else, so get it into your head that people have lives outside of their work and the only one who will suffer from your outburst is yourself, bitch." With that last word, Zach knew it was Noah defending him and his heart warmed up just a little.
    Surprisingly enough, Zach heard the chair creak as the man sat down, and the tattoo artist asking if he could continue. It didn't make things any better and Zach swore to himself silently that he was never again going to bring Archer to his work place. He should have stayed at home. His heart had enough heartbreak and Archer inconsolably crying was worse than a knife through Zach's chest.
    He'd just finished the piercing and the man had smiled at him, embarrassed for Zach, when there was a knock at the door.
    "Come in." Zach cleaned the area, threw away his gloves and turned toward the door.
    As if he didn't have enough trouble, the man who pushed his head through the gap was no other than Noah. Just fucking peachy.
    Zach's heart stuttered in his chest and his mouth went dry. If he thought of Noah a sex god before, now he was sex incarnate, with his eyes covered in makeup and glitter, his hair styled to stand straight up and a tight blue hued shirt under a black suit jacket… Zach sighed, completely ignoring his client.
    It wasn't that Noah looked feminine, he was so far from it, it was unreal. Under the makeup and the diamonds at the corner of his eyes, he still had a strong jaw, thick eyelashes and enough height and build on him to make Zach's knees go weak.
    "Do you mind?" Noah asked, pointing with his finger toward crying Archer.
    Zach just nodded. Not even registering the question. He obviously had a thing for blue nail polish and leather, fingerless gloves. Oh yeah, he really did.
    Then Noah started unbuckling Archer and suddenly Zach was on his feet, ready to close the distance between them. But Archer quieted, still sniffling, his eyes were wide and focused on Noah's face.
    "It looks great. Thank you." A voice startled Zach from his day dreaming and he turned to see the client smiling at him.
    "No problem. I'm sorry for Archer crying throughout your session. It really isn't like this usually."
    "Don't worry about it. Kids cry." The guy smiled at Zach and Zach returned the favor, then reached into the drawer and pulled out a care pamphlet.
    "Stick to the rules and talk to Jill up front. We don't want any consequences." The guy smiled again and quietly left the room.
    Zach looked back at