Page 155 of His Boys to Protect

“Hhnn!”

Ward spotted another exit. He put on his turn signal and got off the freeway, then pulled into a nearby parking lot. Ward picked a spot away from other cars, then left the engine running so they could keep the heater on. “You okay? Hungry? Need a bathroom? There's a restaurant right there–”

Charlie shook his head.Miss Sky.

Ward sighed. “I know, little mouse. I wish he could have come with us, but you know he's afraid of the city.”

Charlie gave a solemn nod.No want Sky afraid.

Ward smiled. “You're such a good boy, you know that?”

Charlie scrunched up his face in a grin and gave a littlechirpin response. Then he turned serious again and signed,Want stay longer.

“I know you do.” Ward paused. Did he dare even hope? Just wanting more could completely backfire on him, but after what they'd shared last night—and after the difficult, tense parting that morning—Ward knew he had to try. “How about this? Next time you come down, if you're up for it, we'll go look at places to rent. Maybe we'll find one where you feel comfortable. Somewhere less noisy.”

Charlie perked up.New house?

“Yeah. It can be exhausting,” Ward warned him, “touring different places, but if we find one you like–”

New house!Charlie squeaked and bounced in his seat.With trees? Our Sky like trees.

“Yeah,” Ward began, then paused again as a grin took over his face. “Our Sky?”

Charlie blushed and ducked his head, covering his eyes with his hands, then he sat up again and grinned.Our Sky! Our Sky!

Ward hesitated. “Charlie? Just because I said that last night—that he was ours, I mean—doesn't mean you have to say it, too.”

Our Sky!Charlie insisted.Yours and mine. He squeezed his eyes shut and gave Ward a big grin.

Ward couldn't help grinning back. “Okay,” he said with a joyful laugh. “Yes. Our Sky.” Ward grabbed Charlie's hand and gave it a squeeze, unable to resist repeating, “Our Sky.”

It sounded so good.

Charlie bounced excitedly again.We go now?

“Go where?”

New house!

Ward's eyebrows went up. “You want to go back now? Are you sure? I'll still take you home if you want–”

Now!Charlie insisted.I stay. We find new house! Our house. I stay always!Charlie paused, his smile fading.I stay always?

Ward laughed. He couldn't help it. Charlie wanted to stay! “Yes,” he gasped, pulling the boy close so he could give him a kiss. “You can stay always. Are you sure? Is that really what you want?”

Charlie gave a long, drawn-outsqueak, then kissed him back before bouncing in his seat.New house! I stay, I stay, I stay! Our Sky! Always.

Ward chuckled. “Okay, little mouse.” He put the truck back in gear. “Let's go get our Sky.”

Charlie beamed at him.

They turned around and got back onto the freeway, heading south. Ward didn't stop smiling the whole way. He couldn't wait to get home. To tell Skylar that Charlie wanted to stay for good. They wouldn't be able to go looking at any rentals until next weekend, but that would be fine. While Ward was atwork, Charlie and Skylar could browse for listings and decide which places they wanted to go see. Ward didn't care where they wound up. He'd live anywhere, so long as his boys were comfortable.

He told Charlie as much, hoping the boy could stay patient while the week progressed.

Charlie was silent for several minutes, rolling his head while he processed it all. In the end, he seemed to accept Ward's plan. Charlie and Skylar could look at pictures of places, and Skylar could make phone calls to set up appointments.

Ward said he'd start, though, by calling John to see if his house was still available. Charlie insisted that Ward do that as soon as they got back. Ward grinned. That was a promise he could easily make.

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