A Bad Boy's Gift

Chapter 16

"Oh Archer, this is delicious," I tell him as I clear my plate. 

He looks happy with the compliment.

"Thanks, Jack," Molly says.

"Why are you calling him Jack? His name is Archer." Hudson says to Molly, I shoot him a disapproving look for the attitude.

"He's my brother, everyone that knows him well calls him Jack," She says back to him, making me smirk, that's it, girl, give it back to him. 

I stand up to clear the plates letting them all talk to one another. 

I clear the dishes away, putting the leftovers into tubs for future meals. 

I get a tub of ice cream out of the freezer and scoop a few scoops into four bowls, adding some hundreds and thousands for extra measure.

I take my seat at the table, "Hudson, did you finish your homework?" I eat a spoonful of ice cream. 

"Yeah, what we doing after dinner?" He looks at Molly, as though asking when they're going.

"We're going to pick a movie to watch, you can play Fortnite if you don't want to watch a film with us," I tell him.

He abandons his empty bowl at the table and hurries upstairs. Leaving Archer and myself to chuckle in his wake.

"So, is there anything you fancy watching?" I look at Molly, wondering if she has a movie in mind for us to watch.

"Do you have the film of the book I was reading? The Harry Potter one?" She grins up at me.

"I think I might be able to find it somewhere." I grin back at her. "I'll sort the rest of the dishes before we go into the snug." 

"Are you sure you don't want me to sort them?" Archer asks, standing from the table to help bring the rest of the bowls to the sink.

"It's okay, you cooked. And anyway, the dishwasher will do most of the work." I smile, placing my hand on his cheek, I see the skin under my hand turn slightly pink. 

I turn around and start loading the dishwasher, running the hot water into the sink so I can wash the other bits.

Once the dishwasher is full, dishes are clean and the surfaces are wiped, I go to the snug to hunt down our movie.

I sit on the large sofa, my feet under me, and pull a blanket over my knees, Archer sits next to me claiming a corner of the blanket. 

Does he want to share the blanket? Oh, the butterflies are back. Molly curls up to Archer's other side and pulls a huge blanket over her, all to herself.

After about 15 minutes, Archer's arm finds its way around my shoulders, allowing my head to rest where his chest meets his shoulder. 

Damn this man is comfortable.

---

I feel a kiss being pressed to my forehead and open my eyes as the end credits start to roll.

"Hey sleepyhead, I think it's time to take you to bed." Archer's voice is soft against my hair. 

"Hmm, take Molly first." I roll away from him so he can have his arm back. I feel him move, picking Molly up and taking her out of the room. 

I climb off the sofa and fold the blankets away turning off the TV and lights as I head out of the room.

I turn the kettle on as I check the time, 21:15, not as late as it feels. 

"You're up then?" Archer makes me jump as he comes back into the kitchen. "What you making?" 

He snakes his arms around my waist, resting his chin on my shoulder.