Page 93 of Up in a Blaze
“You’re done with shopping?”
Henri grinned. “For now.”
“Guess it’s lucky this mall is open late. I’ll message Loyal that we’re having dinner here.”
“Can I have a burger and fries?” Arlo asked.
Henri rubbed a hand over his hair. “You can have anything you like.”
The boy’s eyes rounded. “Anything?”
“Oui.”
“Can I add an ice cream too?”
Before Henri could readily agree, I said, “How about we see how full you are after your meal?”
“Deal,” Arlo said, then at Sawyer, he said, “Look at this.” He stopped and pulled out the winter jacket.
Henri sidled up and leaned against me while the brothers talked. “I love you, my beast.”
I stared down at him, gaze flicking over his face and stopping on the bruise. He’d already received a few looks for it, but he always did get attention everywhere we went anyway.
“You’re my heart, firecracker. Now kiss me so we can go eat.”
He grinned and rocked up to his toes, kissing me.
After, Henri pecked at my jaw before we turned to the boys, who were watching, both softly smiling.
“Ready?” I asked.
“Yep,” Arlo replied, and together, we walked toward the closest burger restaurant in the mall.
I pulled the door open and waited for everyone to enter. At the front counter, the waitress asked, “Table for four?”
“Oui, please.”
“That means yes,” Arlo said with a big grin.
The waitress smiled politely and nodded before she took us to a booth. Arlo and Sawyer slid in on one side, and Henri moved in first before I did. I tucked the bags under the table and picked up the menu.
Only I didn’t look at it. Instead, I watched the others as my chest warmed.
This felt good.
Made my throat thicken at the realization of always wanting this with Henri. We hadn’t talked about kids, which was probably for the best since I didn’t think babies would be our thing. I doubted Henri could handle all the shit and spew.
However, it did seem that older kids were for us.
They were ours even when they weren’t staying under our roof yet. We’d claimed them, and they’d accepted. There were no take backs, and even if they tried to walk away now, I wouldn’t let them.
I already had a perfect partner and a fucking good life with him that held so much goddamn love. But I believed that our life would be richer with them in it.
“Mon amour, what are you having?”
I unlocked my jaw and swallowed thickly. “Whatever Arlo is.”
Arlo beamed over at me. “Really?”
