Page 25 of His Boys to Protect

Skylar tore his gaze away from Charlie and looked at Ward again.Oh hell. The man's eyes were dark, his expression hungry as he looked up at Skylar from where he sat. Ward's hands tightened just noticeably around Charlie, like he didn't want to let the boy go, but his eyes spoke of a yearning for Skylar himself as well.

Or am I only seeing what I want to see?

Skylar rubbed his arms, then shifted from one foot to the other. He stuffed his hands into his pockets, only to pull them back out and run his fingers through his hair.Sheesh, Sky, get a grip. He was usually a better actor than this. “Uh.”Oh yeah, great start. Skylar cleared his throat and eyed Charlie again. He looked at Ward, then subtly pointed at Charlie and mimed covering his ear.

Ward took the hint, adjusting his hold on Charlie so he could rest a hand over Charlie's head, blocking the boy's hearing.

“You're here,” Skylar gasped.

Ward nodded. “Dakota called me as I was on the drive back. He said Charlie was here, looking for me, and asked if I could come by.”

Skylar blinked, then realized Ward was sitting in the same chair as he had at that party. “Oh.” Skylar couldn't help a little bark of laughter. “Because that's where he last saw you.”

“Dakota said he gets hung-up on patterns?”

“Yeah. He likes repetition and familiarity. Having things where they belong–” Skylar broke off when Charlie made a drawn-out squeaking sound and rubbed his cheek against Ward's chest.

Ward frowned in confusion.

“I think he likes your voice,” Skylar realized aloud. “Or maybe the vibrations. And that's saying something, because Charlie usually hates the sound of people talking.”

“Oh.”

“Hhng.” Charlie rubbed his cheek on Ward again, then squeaked in time with each slow nod of his head, down and up.Squeak-SQUEAK, squeak-SQUEAK, squeak-SQUEAK.

“Charlie doesn't talk,” Skylar rambled on, feeling the need to explain, not wanting Ward to be put off by Charlie's behavior. “But he does vocalize, sometimes. Mostly when he's particular happy or upset. Like he'll grunt or groan, but usually it's this,” Skylar continued, gesturing at Charlie, who was still squeaking softly. “You know that sound you'd make to mimic a kiss? Like where you're basically just sucking air past your teeth? That's pretty much all he's doing. He likes mice.”

“Mice?”

“Yeah. He thinks they're cute. So he started trying to imitate the sounds they make, but they kinda morphed into his own thing over time. All these different little squeaks and chirps.” Skylar paused, then quietly swore. “Shit. I forgot. Don't mention mice around him right now. He just lost his pet mouse a few days ago, apparently.”Jeebus. No wonder Charlie had wanted Ward. Besides being away from home and off his routine, Charlie was grieving. And instead of doing anything about it, Skylar had let himself succumb to exhaustion, both on the ride down and once they'd arrived. What kind of boyfriend did that make him?

Skylar bit back a groan as he ran both hands through his hair. Maybe he was hitting short-timers syndrome already. Knowing there was a clock on their relationship, maybe he was already pulling away without consciously realizing it.

Then again, as he took in the sight of Ward and Charlie, maybe that wasn't such a bad thing. Could he steer Charlie and Ward together? Or even someone like Ward? Could he helpCharlie find companionship and security in someone else before he left the boy behind for good?

Skylar knew it would hurt like hell if he managed it, but it would also be for the best. Then he could walk away when all was said and done, knowing Charlie was content.

But he'd be lying if he said he didn't want Ward for himself, to say nothing of a chance to keep Charlie in his life. Of course, neither of those things could happen. In nine months, he'd be jetting off for somewhere far away, as far as he could get. Florida, maybe? Maine? Hell, maybe even Alaska. Then he'd get himself a cheap apartment, find a surgeon, get his hysterectomy, recover, find a job—though that part was going to be the most difficult of all—and onlythenconsider dating and maybe even settling down, assuming he could find someone who never pried into his past.

Except he had two perfect men right there in front of him. Everything he couldn't have. Charlie would eventually grow bored with him, as he did with all things. The boy cycled through obsessive phases faster than Skylar changed roles for clients, though their friendship had somehow managed to last for years. And as for Ward? The man knew he was a whore. Ward would never see him as anything else. There would be no way for Skylar to leave that part of his life behind if he was still around people who knew.

But none of that changed the fact that Skylar saw his greatest dream suddenly right there in front of him.

Damn it. Why did this have to happen now?

Before he or Ward could say anything more, someone came to a stop beside Skylar, nearly startling him right out of his skin.

“Hey,” Mr. Pratt said gently. “Sorry, didn't mean to scare you.”

Skylar managed to dredge up a smile. “My own fault. Got kinda lost in thought and didn't see you coming.”

“Ah. Get enough sleep?”

“Yeah. Thanks.”

“You sure?”

“Yeah,” Skylar insisted. “I'm fine.”

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