Page 45 of His Boys to Protect

“He wants to know if you're mad at him,” Skylar explained.

“No,” Ward gasped. He crouched down, putting himself and Charlie at eye level. “Hey, buddy. I'm not mad at you. You did nothing wrong, okay? I was mad at them,” he went on, gesturing in the direction the couple had gone. “They had no call to be mean like that.” He gave Charlie a smile. “You go ahead and express your happiness however you want, okay?”

Skylar bit back a whimper.Holy fiddlesticks. Is this man for real right now?

Charlie considered that for a moment, his gaze wandering aimlessly as his head rolled. Finally, he gave a tiny nod and held out his hand. Ward was just about to take it when Charlie snatched his hand back and quickly signed,Potty.

Skylar gave a start, his focus yanked back to Charlie. “Oh. Shit. He needs a bathroom,” he explained before Ward could ask.

“Everything okay over here?” Mr. Pratt asked, the rest of the party coming back to join them.

“Charlie needs a bathroom,” Skylar repeated.

“Okay,” Mr. Pratt said. “How about we start back?”

Charlie scowled.Now, he signed.

“Hey, Charlie,” Ward murmured. “My place is just a couple blocks from where we parked. Would that help?”

Charlie barely hesitated before he nodded.

They all headed back down the street. When they reached the vehicles, the rest of the party decided to return to the house, so Ward promised to catch up once Charlie was settled. While the van took off down Vine Street, Ward made a turn and drove a couple blocks before pulling into a small apartment complex.

Skylar's heart started to race out of control. He was going to get to be inside Ward's space. Inside his home.Oh jeebus. It was a tiny piece of the man he never thought he'd get to experience. He practically held his breath as Ward unlocked the security door, then the main door, and ushered them inside.

Charlie stopped in the doorway, rolling his head as he eyed the space. It was tidy but sparsely furnished, though nowhere as austere as Skylar's own apartment. Still, this was where Ward lived. Skylar pictured the man settled into that couch, watching TV. Or maybe standing over there in the kitchen, frying up eggs and bacon for breakfast. Across from them, two doorways stood open. One gave a glimpse into the bathroom, while the other offered only the tiniest peek into what must be the bedroom.

Skylar swallowed hard.

“Bathroom's right over there,” Ward said, pointing.

Charlie took off his shoes, lined them up against the wall just inside the front door, and made a beeline for the bathroom.

“He doesn't like shoes inside,” Skylar blurted out as Ward pushed the door shut behind them. “And especially in the bathroom. Shoes do not go on bathroom rugs. Ever. Shoes are dirty from being outside, and bathroom rugs are supposed to be clean.”And I'm rambling again. Damn it.

Ward grimaced. “I actually don't have any bathroom rugs. I usually just throw a towel down on the floor.”

“Shit,” Skylar muttered, glancing at the closed bathroom door. “Charlie won't like that. Bathrooms have to have rugs, and they have to coordinate with the towels and everything else. This one time,” he went on despite himself, “Charlie had just pulled his bathroom rugs out of the dryer and put them down on the floor, and then his dad came in from doing some yard work and forgot to take off his shoes before he went to use the hall bathroom. Charlie picked the rugs right back up and washed them all over again.” Skylar winced. “Sorry. He's got a lot of rules and quirks–”

“Sky,” Ward gently interrupted him. He reached out and grabbed Skylar by the shoulders, his big hands squeezing gently. “It's okay.”

Skylar fidgeted. He started to hug himself, then shoved his hands into his pockets instead, only to yank them right back out. “Oh fuck.” He threw himself at Ward, trying to climb the man to get to Ward's mouth.

Ward grabbed him and spun them around, pressing Skylar back against the wall. The man claimed his mouth while those big hands roamed all over Skylar's body.

Skylar gasped for breath. “Oh my god. Ward!”

Inside the bathroom, the toilet flushed. Skylar froze, knowing he needed to push Ward away before Charlie came out and saw them, but he didn't want to let go. He kissed Ward again, the two of them getting lost in one another.

Damn it. He was supposed to be trying to get Ward and Charlie together, not giving into temptation for his own sake. But how could he resist this man? He wanted Ward more than almost anything in the world.

Skylar had no idea how much time had passed when Ward slowed his kisses and gently pulled back, breathing hard.

Ward glanced at the bathroom. “Is he okay in there?”

Skylar blinked. “Huh?” He followed Ward's gaze, then blinked again and shook his head, trying to focus. “Oh. Shit.” He breathed a laugh, then gave Ward a wry smile. “He's probably reorganizing your bathroom. Sorry. Sometimes, he does things like that because he can't help himself. I'll stop him.” Skylar started to pull away, but Ward grabbed his hand, yanking him back.

“Let him,” Ward murmured.

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